Title Conceivable
Epilogue Perfect
Author Devylish
Pairing Um, MaDi and DoVe
Rating R
Words 1495
Warning Language
Disclaimer All publicly recognizable characters, settings, plot, etc. are the property of the creators of the TV show Veronica Mars. Any original characters, settings and plots are the property of devylish. devylish is in no way associated with the TV show Veronica Mars and no copyright infringement is intended. This work is an amateur fan effort and no profit is being made.
AN unbeta'd AN I want to thank you alllll again for being such great readers/reviewers! Conceivable has officially had more comments left for it than My Fair Mackie! Thanks for the boost of confidence! I think all writers are scaredy cats when it comes to their writing. Thanks for making me less scared!

Lamb watched Veronica as she held Madeline in her arms. She was the toughest woman he'd ever met, but at this moment, she was soft; soft and vulnerable and open.

She didn't let a lot of people see her this way. So… happy; wearing a smile that radiated from the inside out. Yeah, he watched as she touched baby Madi's chin, his girl was genuinely happy.

And it had been proven to Lamb during the past few months that when Veronica was happy, HE was happy. There was a direct, undeniable correlation.

And Madi apparently made her happy. It was only the third time she'd seen the baby, but she got the same look – the same smile – on her face every time.

It was kind of breathtaking.

---

"Dude," Dick plopped down next to him on the couch. "You are so in trouble."

"Hey Dick. I'm in trouble? What did I do?"

"It's not what you did man, it's how you look. You've got the oogledy boogledies."

"The… what?" He accepted the beer Dick held out to him.

"Oogedly Boogledies. Otherwise known as 'OB', or the 'Oh Baby' look."

Lamb raised an eyebrow and shook his head in bewilderment.

"Dude, you're looking at Veronica and Madi like they're the most perfect things in the world. Which, okay, yeah, Madi is pretty perfect, but… yeah… you've got a pretty severe case of the oogledy boogledies."

Lamb laughed. "Dick, where do you get this shit from?"

"Observation and study of the human condition."

Lamb nearly spit out his beer. In the last five months he'd come to appreciate the humor, and, well the honesty that came from Dick Casablancas.

That being said, he still hadn't quite decided if Dick was actually an idiot, or more of an idiot savant.

---

Veronica was cooing. She knew she was cooing and it was making her cringe a little bit on the inside, but, honestly, she couldn't stop herself. Madi was beautiful. A riot of chocolate hair topped a cute chubby little face, and the biggest bluest eyes that Veronica had ever seen. Those eyes were staring sleepily up at Veronica now, and with a yawn, Madi smiled and closed her eyes, content in her Aunties arms.

Unconditional love. Yeah, there was something to that.

"God Mac, you did good here."

Mac stood at Veronica's shoulder looking down at her daughter as she lay in her best friend's arms. "I kinda did, didn't I?" Pride edged her voice.

"She's perfect. I thought she was perfect in the hospital, and last week when I saw her, but now… she's perfecter."

Mac giggled and reached out to touch the mop of hair atop her daughter's head. "Speaking of perfect," she tore her eyes away from her child and glanced at Dick and Lamb chatting in the living room, "things still going well between you and our fearless sheriff?"

Veronica blushed slightly, "They're going so well that I just KNOW when the 'other shoe' drops, it's going to be a stiletto, and it's going to drop right on my head." The women smiled at one another.

"Sounds a bit like how I felt about Dick and me. I mean, I was positive that I was going to wake up or something, and find out that I'd been dreaming and he didn't really like me."

"The man is crazy about you."

"Sickening isn't it?"

Veronica scrunched up her nose and turned to Mac. "It realllllly is."

Mac laughed then sighed quietly, "He drives me crazy, but I don't question his wanting me anymore. I mean," Mac tucked her hip out and patted the ponytail at the back of her head, "when a guy has all this being offered to him… how can he NOT be smitten?"

"He didn't stand a chance." Veronica grinned.

"Not a chance! And even though he is sometimes more immature than Madi, he's the sweetest sexiest surferboy I've ever met." Mac eyed Veronica, "So even though they drive us crazy… men can be sweet."

"I don't know if I'd call Don 'sweet', but… he," a smile different from the smile Madi engendered, graced Veronica's face. Still soft, still vulnerable, but tinged with something akin to love. She hugged Madi closer, "He's so…" She searched for the right term to describe Don Lamb.

Mac smiled, she'd noticed that the only time that Veronica was ever at a loss of words was when she was talking about, or around Don Lamb. "Right. He's so 'right'."

Veronica looked back at Mac with a grin. "Yeah. He's right. It's sickening how 'right' he is.

Mac was itching to hold her daughter again, and selfishly/motheringly, wiggled her fingers in Veronica's direction. Veronica was intelligent enough to know that NOONE should ever get between a mother and her cub, and kissing Madi on the forehead, she handed her over to Mac.

Leaning back against the kitchen counter Veronica looked at Don.

"He puts up with my sarcastic ass- erh" she glanced at Madi and adjusted her language, "my sarcastic attitude, and gives it right back. Which, some people find hard to do." She grinned mischievously before continuing. "And not only does he quip and snark with me, he follows up that snark by pulling me close to him. He doesn't let me run." She fanned herself as if suddenly hit by a southern swelter, "And good lord, I do declare, that man knows how to pull a woman closer."

"Veronica!" Mac tinged pink then giggled.

---

At midnight, Veronica and Lamb made their exit from Mac, Dick and Madi's beachfront home. Food, drinks and laughter had been had by all. And it wasn't until shortly before midnight that Dick's subtle hints about wanting to be alone with Mac became – not so subtle.

As the front door closed behind them, Don reached for Veronica's hand, entwining his fingers with hers. "Dick really wanted to get us out of there."

Veronica laughed lightly. "Mmmhmmm, which is really kind of sweet when you think about it, I mean… Mac's still on restrictions, but Dick's a softy about her. He likes his 'me time' with Mac. Even if it's only look, can't touch 'me time'." She shook her head, "it's nauseatingly cute."

They reached the car, but instead of opening the passenger door for her, Don pulled Veronica in front of him, settled her back against the door, and stepped in so that she was trapped between his body and the car.

"Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad we're out of there…" he whispered in her ear, "alone… together."

Shivers floated down Veronica's body. Looking up at him, she released his hand and slid her hands up his biceps. "Oh you are, are you?" Her voice was seductive, playful.

He placed his hands on her hips. "Yeah. I like my 'me time' too. And since my girl isn't on any restrictions, I'm thinking my 'me time' might involve a little more 'touching' and a little less 'looking'. He smirked down at her. 'Although, don't get me wrong, I'm definitely willing to look too."

"Why Sheriff Lamb," Veronica batted her eyes teasingly, "I do believe you're coming on to me."

His fingers curled along her denim clad hips. "I always knew you were smart."

She stood on her tip toes, and pressed her lips against his; still amazed that he felt and tasted so wonderful. Always.

Dropping back down, she moved her hands to his chest, feeling his pecs. "You know," her voice was soft, "I kind of like my 'me time' too."

"Do you now?" He lifted a hand to her hair, coiling his fingers there.

Veronica's little admission of liking the time she spent with him – as slight an admission as it was – broke yet another part of the wall Lamb had built around his heart. Emotions weren't their thing. He and Veronica had never completely learned how to navigate their way through feelings and emotions without getting bruised, or fearing they'd be bruised. But every time they did; every time they successfully moved further into/around/through emotion, it got better. They got better at trusting one another.

Who knew trusting… loving… your favorite enemy could be so… perfect. Attitudes, sarcasm, selfishness and all; it was perfect.

Rubbing his chin against the top of her head he murmured, "Veronica?"

"Don?" She was pressing little kisses against his chest.

"I've been thinking about getting a new place. Something big enough for two…. Do you know anyone who might be interested in rooming with a sarcastic jerk?"

Her body stiffened slightly and then she melted against him again. "You forgot 'sexy and stubborn'."

"So I did. Stubborn, sarcastic, sexy jerk, in need of roommate. Any takers?"

Lifting her head and staring Lamb directly in the eyes, she responded with a smirk, "If it's an apartment, make certain they accept dogs; I'm not leaving Backup behind."

As he leaned in for a kiss, Don Lamb replied "I wouldn't dream of leaving Backup behind."

THE END