Disclaimer: I own nothing that has anything to do with Veronica Mars or the characters, unless you count the DVDs. This is just for fun.
New fic, Enjoy
Chapter 1
It was late in the evening on the night before the start of Veronica's senior year of high school at Neptune High, and she was working as the hostess at The Java Hut.
Her back was aching and she wished to whatever existed that she had thought better than to wear the shoes she did, her ankles were starting to swell, and quite possibly the worst for someone who works in a coffee shop, the aroma of coffee in the air made her want to puke. Now, you may ask why an otherwise healthy teenage girl was feeling like this, and well there's really only one way to put this, she was pregnant.
Just past the six and a half month mark to be exact. No one else in the world knew about it, with the exception of her father, she had fully intended to tell people when she found out, but it wasn't that simple, she didn't want to hurt anyone, she was dating Duncan, and he was great, she loved him, but she had only been with him for two months, the baby was Logan's.
Veronica sighed at the thoughts, and just as she was about to sit down to relax for a moment, a small group entered the establishment and approached the hostess' desk. Veronica gave a weary sigh before forcing a bright smile back onto her face and greeting the group. "Table for three?"
The group were paying very little attention to Veronica as they mumbled an affirmative response.
Okay then. "Right this way." Said Veronica with forced cheer, as she picked up some menus from the desk and lead the customers to their table.
Veronica's mind was a million miles away as she sat the customers at their table and passed out the menus, before telling them "A waitress will be right with you," Before she headed back over towards the hostess' desk, and sank tiredly into the available seat, out of view of everyone.
On the third day back at school, the journalism classes went on a field trip to Shark Field, home to Neptune's professional baseball team, The Sharks. Veronica and Duncan were among the group.
After a tour of the stadium, the students were subjected to a speech by Woody Goodman, owner of the Sharks, to say it was dull would be the understatement of the year.
Veronica and Duncan were sitting at the back of the group, conspicuously Duncan's ex-girlfriend, Veronica's former friend was sitting as far away from them as she could, she took the breakup hard.
Duncan leaned closer to Veronica, and queried, "Is your Dad going to be home tonight? I was thinking I could come over, spend some time with you."
Veronica rubbed her slightly swollen belly as she felt a cramping pain run through her, it had been happening since late the night before, before she could stop herself a small groan escaped her lips.
"Hey, you okay?" Duncan asked his girlfriend quickly, concerned by the pained sound.
Veronica bit her lip and nodded forcefully, the pain was starting to subside. Once the pain had past, Veronica pretended as though nothing had happened as she replied to Duncan's previous question, "Sorry, Duncan, but Dad just got back from chasing this bail jumper this morning, made me promise we'd have 'family time' tonight. Tomorrow?"
"V? What's going on?" Duncan asked worriedly.
Veronica forced a reassuring smile, "I'm fine. Tomorrow?"
Duncan sighed, he knew that something was wrong, but if she didn't want to talk what could he do? "Can't tomorrow, Celeste is hosting a dinner party, attendance is compulsory," the last part was said in a disdainful tone, repeating what his mother had told him earlier in the week.
Veronica allowed herself to forget her fear for her baby for a moment, amused by Duncan's whispered statement, it wasn't hard to imagine how that conversation would've gone.
Later, after Woody had finished his speech, Veronica and Duncan were standing by the buffet table that had been set up for the students. Duncan was helping himself to food, while Veronica was looking in the other direction, not the least bit interested in the assortment of foods.
"It's like, you know, what Willie Wonka would be like if he owned a professional baseball team," Duncan commented as he stepped away from the buffet, towards his girlfriend. He noticed her glance down at his plate briefly before looking away. I guess she's trying to drop those few pounds she's put on lately, not like she really needs to, she looks great. Duncan thought, looking at Veronica, who was standing in front of a display of Woody's Little League pictures and trophies, there was even a signed bat at the centre of the display.
Veronica was rubbing her stomach, trying to ease the pain that was once again building, as she asked Duncan, "You never played Little League?"
"Oh, well, Mom was afraid a ball would hit me in the face. Dad was afraid it would interfere with Mock U.N. And I was afraid I couldn't hit a curveball," Duncan answered with a laugh.
"I'm afraid you're gonna get love handles if you eat all that," Veronica replied quick-wittedly, trying to mask her growing discomfort and fear.
"I have an excellent metabolism."
"Well then, it's official. I hate you."
Duncan laughed wholeheartedly, only to stop suddenly as Veronica grabbed his arm. The pain was back, worse than before, if Duncan wasn't there for her to catch herself on, there was little doubt in her mind she would've hit the floor. "Something's… something's wrong…" She ground out through gritted teeth as she prayed that the pain would ease soon. When it had started last night she had thought that maybe it was the braxton-hicks contractions that she'd read about online, but they were getting stronger and closer together, it wasn't right.
"Veronica?!" Duncan exclaimed worriedly, ignoring that everyone's attention had suddenly been drawn to him and Veronica. "What's wrong, Veronica? Say something."
"Pregnant… Something's wrong," Veronica moaned as she clutched her stomach tightly.
"Is everything alright over here?" Woody asked, approaching the couple, concerned, "Do you need an ambulance?"
Duncan was about to say no, almost automatically, it not having sunk in yet the possible severity of what was happening, but Veronica quickly nodded, the movement tensed by pain.
Woody nodded to his assistant who was standing near the back of the crowd, and she quickly moved away to make the call. Knowing that help was on the way, Woody then, making sure to appear the hero to help his campaign, turned his attention to the growing crowd, and told them to step back, before with well acted kindness he placed a gentle hand on Veronica's arm, and suggested, "Let's get you lying down, can you walk over to the couch?"
Veronica knew that she was having contractions now, there was little doubt in her mind, and she didn't want to be standing when the next one came, she strongly doubted that she would be able to stay standing.
Together, Woody and Duncan helped Veronica over to a couch and lay her down, Woody then moved away to speak with his assistant, leaving Veronica and Duncan alone, well not actually alone, they were still being gawked at by their classmates, but as Duncan knelt beside Veronica, holding her hand, it felt as though they were the only ones in the room.
After what seemed like an eternity to the young couple, the paramedics finally arrived, hurrying into the owner's box where the group had been gathered. The first paramedic to reach Veronica's side was a young, fair skinned woman, with short cropped dark hair, she was probably no older than twenty five. She put down the bags that she had been carrying, before she started to check Veronica over while she introduced herself and her partner. Her partner stood much taller than her, at least 6'4, and quite well built, but with a kind and gentle aurora. "Hi there, I'm Laura, this is Rick, we're going to just check you over and then we'll get you to the hospital. Can you tell us what's been happening today?"
"I'm pregnant, I think I'm having contractions," Veronica told them fearfully, as she lay back against the arm of the couch, resting in anticipation of the next onslaught of agonizing pain.
"Okay," Laura replied calmly, before she asked, "How far along are you…?"
"Veronica," Veronica supplied before telling them, "Six and a half months."
"Twenty six weeks?" Laura asked seeking clarification as she and her partner worked in unison to ready Veronica to move.
Veronica thought for a moment before nodding, diverting her glance away from Duncan, she couldn't bear to see the expression on Duncan's face when he realized the baby wasn't his, but much to Veronica's surprise, Duncan stayed by her side, holding her hand comfortingly in spite of his shock.
"It's too early," Veronica said worriedly as she felt the pain creeping back up, the contractions were less than ten minutes apart now.
"It is pretty early, but we'll do everything we can to help. How far apart are the contractions now?"
Veronica was still in the grips of the labour pains, and so Duncan thought for a moment before answering, "About ten minutes, I think. They're getting closer together." Veronica cried out as the pain grew too much, "And stronger."
"Okay," Laura acknowledged what Duncan had told her, before standing up so that her partner could move the gurney closer, while doing so she pulled Duncan to the side, and quietly told him. "We need to move her very quickly, if she delivers now then the baby will be very ill."
Duncan's jaw dropped in a shocked expression, he started to sway slightly, and Rick grasped him by the shoulders.
"You hanging in there? We need you to stay with your girlfriend, keep her as calm as you can. Can you do that buddy? It's really important she stays calm and slows her breathing down."
Duncan nodded shakily, before moving back over to Veronica, who was now sitting on the gurney, leaning against the raised back as Laura covered her with a blanket and strapped her to the gurney so as to prevent her from falling. He once again took hold of her hand, and forced a reassuring smile as he said, "It's going to be okay, Veronica. It's okay."
"Liar," Veronica replied weakly as Laura and Rick started manoeuvring the gurney through the crowd of students towards the exit as quickly as they safely could.
In the ambulance, Duncan was sitting on the bench seat alongside the gurney Veronica lay on, Laura was sitting beside him. Laura was trying to get further information from Veronica and Duncan, "How old are you, Veronica? Eighteen?"
"Next week. Is the baby okay?"
"Heart rate's good, the doctors will do further tests, but as far as I can tell it looks alright," Laura offered. "Now, how's the pregnancy been so far? Any problems?"
"No problems, my dad took me to see an obstetrician a few weeks ago; she said everything was going well." They had been in the ambulance for ten minutes, and that prompted Veronica to ask, "Are we going to the Neptune Medical Centre? It's taking a long time."
Laura smiled comfortingly at Veronica, before she told her, "No, we're going to San Diego Women's and Children's Hospital. They're much better equipped to take care of you and the baby." Not that Laura would tell Veronica this, but it was the only hospital in Southern California that would have any chance of saving the baby if it was born that day. "We'll be there in about twenty minutes."
Sure enough, twenty minutes later the ambulance pulled into the ambulance bay of the hospital, Laura hopped out of the back, helped Duncan out, before she and Rick gently lifted the gurney out of the ambulance, trying not to jolt Veronica.
An older doctor met them at the doors, he went straight to Veronica, and asked, "How're you doing miss? Any pain?"
"Not right now," Veronica replied.
"Contractions are six minutes apart," Laura told the doctor with a tone of urgency.
The doctor grabbed the end of the gurney, and began moving it. "Okay, let's get her straight up to obstetrics."
"What's happening?!" Veronica asked Laura nervously.
"We're taking you up to the obstetrics department. The staff there will take very good care of you, they will try to stop the labour, but even if they can't, this is the best place for your baby to be."
Veronica looked over at Duncan, and tearfully asked. "Is my dad coming?"
Duncan nodded reassuringly, as he told Veronica, "I called him, he'll be here soon."
"Come on, we've got to move!" The doctor urged.
The doctor's haste made Veronica even more fearful, she took a tighter hold of Duncan's hand, as they rushed her upstairs.
Once they got upstairs they were met by two female nurses, and a kind looking male doctor. "Okay, what've we got?" The doctor asked the paramedics as the nurses took hold of the gurney and started guiding it towards a room at the end of a long corridor of rooms, almost all of which were occupied by pregnant women.
The nurses introduced themselves to Veronica and Duncan as the paramedics and doctor spoke between themselves. "Hi Veronica, I'm Natalie and this is Anne, we're going to get you settled. Dr Gregory is going to help you and your baby."
"Hi." Veronica said tiredly, not relinquishing her hold on Duncan's hand by any means, she was terrified as she was rushed into a surprisingly homelike room. It caught her off guard. But she quickly forgot all about it.
The nurses briefly slipped out of Veronica's view as they along with the paramedics and doctor gathered the sheet that Veronica was lying on, and lifted her quickly across to the hospital bed.
Duncan was forced to let go as Veronica was moved out of his reach, and he backed away, until he was standing against a wall as he watched the medical team connecting monitors to Veronica's chest, and around her slightly protruding stomach, putting an IV line in both her hands, before connecting those to bags of clear fluids that were hanging on a stand by the bed. He could see Veronica struggling to cope with everything that was happening around her, but he was frozen in place by fear.
Having two students being rushed away in an ambulance kind of ruined the field trip, and the remaining students headed home. On the way there the bus had reeked, and all of the 09ers opted to hire a limousine to take them back to the school.
On the road back from Shark field, the 09ers black limousine was following the school bus by several hundred metres. Its passengers had a clear view as the bus suddenly lost control and veered over the edge of a cliff.
"Holy… Oh crap!" Dick exclaimed looking out his window as the bus disappeared from view.
Meg was sitting opposite him, and also had seen the bus careen through the barrier and over the cliff. She put one hand to the crucifix around her neck, and the other to her stomach as she whispered prayers almost inaudibly.
"They're all dead! They're dead!" Gia was sobbing uncontrollably as the limo was pulled over by its driver and they were allowed to climb out, to see the debris swirling in the water at least one hundred feet below, there was no sign that anyone had survived.
And everyone bar one standing on that cliff top was thanking every force known that they hadn't been aboard at the time, most of all Meg, who stood at the edge of the group, her arm wrapped around her stomach. It had been too close, if she had been on the bus as she was meant to be, she and her baby would be dead.
TBC... If you ask nicely