Little Old Neptune
Rating:
Disclaimer: I do not own Veronica Mars, the characters, canon story lines, etc.
Summary: Veronica Mars left Neptune 5 years ago. Now, her newest assignment, involving two 5-year-olds, daughters to a few of Hollywood's top stars, who are kidnapped, brings her back. Veronica must deal with the past and fight for the future.
Notes: This is my first fully Veronica Mars story, the only other Veronica Mars-y story I have is a oneshot crossover with Buffy. Anyway, I'm not sure about this. I don't think I did too splendid at writing Veronica. But this is some years in the future so maybe its okay that its not teenage Veronica. How did I come up with the idea? I have no clue. I just knew I wanted to have Veronica as the absent parent instead of Logan as I've seen in many others. And this was an easy way to make them have to deal with the past and hope for the future together!
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Badge, gun, partner, even your boss, they're all right here, Veronica. So why are you so nervous? It's just your next assignment, your job. You've done this a thousand times. Why are you nervous now?
Veronica Mars took a step forward, following Director Hendricks's lead. Callie Farmer, Veronica's partner took up the rear, quickly passing the slow pace of Veronica. Normally, Veronica would be quick on his heels wanting to be right there when the action happened. Today, however, Veronica was terrified as she walked up the stone walkway, to the large white double doors, under the canopy of the grey-paneled mansion.
Blue sky above and neatly trimmed bushes to the side, the three special agents of the FBI reached the silver door knocker. Director Hendricks raised his hand and gently knocked on the door.
Almost immediately, Veronica saw a blurred figure approach the door, through the textured windows that were placed around the doorframe. She saw the silver knob slowly turn and the door slowly fall back into the house.
Why am I so nervous? You're a special agent, Veronica Mars. You know full well why you're so nervous.
--
"Last week, Jodi Collins was kidnapped. Jodi is the daughter to movie stars, Brandon and Angie Collins. We were not contacted until last night when another child was kidnapped."
Callie Farmer raised her pen, indicating the want to question him. Director Hendricks stopped talking and pointed to the young agent. "Are we to assume that they are directly related?"
Hendricks nodded, taking a step back to address the entire room. "Most definitely, yes. The investigation has declared that they are interrelated. Both victims are 5-year-old female children of celebrities. Both attend the same primary school in Neptune."
Veronica's head snapped up.
An older woman, with graying brown hair, asked at his pause, "Have there been any ransom notes?"
"No. There has been no contact. All and all, there has been little evidence at all for Neptune's Sheriff's Department to work with on these cases."
Again, Callie raised her pen. Hendricks nodded at her, without taking a peek at the silent and deadly still blond sitting next to her. "There hasn't been any publicity of this as far as I've heard. If it's Brandon Collins's daughter and another celebrity's kid, why haven't we heard about it?"
A few snickers came from behind her. A brave young man called out, "And you spend all your free time listening to celebrity gossip?"
Callie turned around to search the one who questioned. Spotting Brady, a smirk fell on her lips. "Well who doesn't like to see paparazzi photos of Logan Echolls with his shirt off and at the beach?"
Trying to ignore the two rookie agents' banter, Director Hendricks turned to Callie to answer her question. "Yes, to your question, the Sherriff's Department has tried to slip these cases by with as little publicity. Paparazzi follow these families everywhere already, in this hard time they felt it was easiest to have them remain out of the loop. Also, conducting the investigation is easiest without media interference in every doorway."
Pausing, Hendricks took a glance around the room solemnly. "I was personally contacted by a friend's daughter on this case," he told the room as to let him know that it was of personal matter to him as much as it was of business. "I need two agents to come along with me on this assignment. Are there any volunteers?"
A roomful of hands shot upwards toward the grey-tiled ceiling. Only a few rested their arms by their sides. Veronica Mar's had hers plastered to her navy blue slacks.
So how did I get pulled into this?
One hand reached as far as it could and the owner was doing everything not to wiggle it back and forth to draw attention for the director.
That's right. Callie Farmer- my partner. You rescue the girl, take down the bad guy, and save the world once- and you get stuck with her on every case thereafter.
Hendricks gave a slight chuckle at Callie's "pick-me, pick-me" expression upon her face and pointed to her. "Farmer and Mars, be ready to go by three this afternoon. And pack your begs because we'll be staying in town until we find the missing girls."
Mouth open and eyes wide, Veronica Mars couldn't muster out a single protest as Hendricks dismissed the meeting and Callie pushed her out.
--
A short and chubby Hispanic woman stood under the open door. With a thick accent, she greeted them, "Welcome, Miss Holiday mentioned you would be coming."
Director Hendricks smiled back. "Thank you; we came as soon as we could. Is Jennie here?"
"Yes, yes. Come right in." The woman ushered the three inside, stepping to the side to let them pass. "Take a seat here. I will go get Miss Holiday."
Doing as she said, Callie and Hendricks took a seat on two identical white sofa chairs. Veronica stood still at the entrance, scanning the home.
No sense of familiarity, no strange feeling except that there was- just a little. It couldn't really be his, could it? Of course it could Veronica. Stop trying to kid yourself.
"Mars, take a seat," Hendricks called to her. "We don't want to appear threatening to her. That look on her face could appear so."
Obediently and slightly offended, Veronica took a seat on the small sofa. Hendricks gave her an approving nod and Callie just smiled in anticipation for meeting the celebrity couple.
Avoiding looking at the mantle above the fireplace, as to pretend that what she knew was true, was not, Veronica kept her eyes turned down to her lap. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, a tall blonde woman walked through an archway into the room. Even if Veronica had not heard the maid say Miss Holiday and Director Hendricks say Jennie, Veronica recognized Jennie Holiday straight away.
Who wouldn't? Head actress, Jennie Holiday, in the TV show Mad World. And everyone knows that Jennie Holiday is dating her TV character's love interest, Logan Echolls. That's right, Logan Echolls. I'm sure most of you are swooning and all of you have seen his latest top box office hit Nacirema. He used to be my boyfriend. Yup, your very own Veronica Mars used to date Hollywood's newest and hottest A-list actor. So how did it end? Well let's just say it didn't end easy.
Director Hendricks rose from his seat at the sight of her. "Jennie, how are you holding up?"
Jennie smiled a small, fake smile as she walked into his open arms. "Zach, it's been horrible, especially for Logan. We're glad you could make it out."
If you had any hope left Veronica, there it just vanished.
"I can only imagine how horrible this must be for the two of you," he told her softly before gently guiding her to the opposite side of the sofa where Veronica sat. "Sit down and we can go over some things that will let us find the two girls as quick as possible."
Jennie did as she was told and nodded.
The housekeeper quietly entered with a silver tray. Atop the tray sat five mugs and a coffeepot. "Would anyone like some coffee?"
Jennie nodded, "Please Isadora."
The housekeeper nodded and poured her a drink. Then she continued on to pour three more. She handed a mug to each of the four, even though three of which had not asked for it. She then took a quick glance around the room. "Will Mr. Echolls be joining you?"
Veronica silently prayed, to any god that would hear her, that Jennie would say no. A small, whispering voice, in the back of her head, hoped otherwise.
Jennie quickly shifted her eyes down. "No, he won't be joining us just now."
Hendricks took a sip of the coffee before beginning. "Jennie, I know this will be hard, but the more information we get, the higher chance we find your daughter safely."
Veronica shifted uncomfortably in her seat as Jennie began her telling, "Logan brought Vanna to school yesterday. He always drivers her if he isn't filming." She smiled slightly at this.
Callie, who had been star struck for the first 10 minutes, finally spoke to question her, "What was she wearing yesterday?"
Jennie glanced up at her and shook her head. "I was already on set when Vanna woke up. But the Sheriff's Department has Logan's answer."
Callie dared to speak again, even though Jennie had already mentioned it, "Is Logan here so we can get that from him now?"
Jennie averted her eyes from Callie. "He's not very stable at the moment."
Before Callie could say anything else, Hendricks quickly jumped in with another questioning, "What else do you remember about yesterday?"
Relieved to avoid talking further about her long-time boyfriend, Jennie turned to Hendricks. "She was supposed to take the bus. Logan and I were both expected to be on set until that evening. Isadora would greet her at the end of our driveway and watch her until we come home." Jennie paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "The bus never came. Isadora waited for nearly an hour before calling Logan believing that she had mistaken his work schedule and he had already picked her up. Logan and I were filming a scene so we did not hear the message for another half-an-hour. We then began calling the school, the Bus Company, friends, everyone. The bus driver said that she never got on the bus."
Callie wrote every word that Jennie said down on her notepad. She then jumped to assume, "So she was released for her classroom and was kidnapped in the few minutes before she reached the bus."
Jennie shrugged and sent her a painful look. "That's what we think."
Hendricks nodded. "Do you know of anyone that would have kidnapped her?"
"No," Jennie quickly said. "No one that I know would. Although, Logan gave a few names to the Sheriff."
"Do you remember any of the names?"
Jennie shook her head.
"What about Vanna's biological mother?"
Veronica perked her head up curious, Callie did too.
Jennie looked up to the mantle. Her eyes fell on a large portrait of the three of them, To one side hung a smaller picture of just Logan and Vanna and to the other side hung a picture of Vanna alone.
Veronica forced herself to keep her eyes down. She forced herself to not look at Jennie or the photos.
"Jennie?" Hendricks gently pushed.
"No, her mother would not have taken her. She hasn't paid any attention to her since her birth. Why would she start now?" Her voice was bitter, anger and, just a little, jealousy flowed through her words.
Hendricks nodded. "We will need her name so we can make sure."
Before Jennie could answer, Veronica abruptly stood up. Veronica quickly said, "Bathroom?"
Jennie smiled softly at the woman who had remained quiet. "Down the hall, take a right at the next hall and it will be the first door on the left."
Veronica muttered a quick thank you as she briskly walked away from her boss, her partner, and her ex-boyfriend's girlfriend.
So really Veronica, why am I so nervous? Logan Echolls, yeah, there's definitely that. But the real reason I'm here is Vanna Echolls, 5-year-old superstar, Logan Echoll's daughter.
And you want to know the kicker?
She's my daughter too.
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A/N: So there it is. First chapter. What do people think? Should I continue this or not? I'm still not sure. And the name Vanna? Thoughts? Other names I was considering were Tatum, Gemma, Mckenna, Riley, Alaina, and Kaylee. I chose Vanna because I believe if Logan, still random, heartbroken, slightly jackass-y, and very possibly hung-over, was given a baby and said to name it he'd pick the name of the last woman on his mind. Of course that would be Veronica and then realizing his mistake he decided to give her this nickname. I'm not sure or not if this was the case. But it was good enough support to pick the name from the others. As for title: I took it from Little Old New York since many VM eps are based off of movies, songs, or phrases. It worked, although I'm not too ecstatic about it.
Well, if people enjoy it and I decide to continue. I am wondering what people want to see. I know who kidnapped them and how, although, I'm not sure how Veronica and Logan see each other again. Should Logan be drunk? Hung-over? And then how Keith and Veronica's relationship has been. And maybe how the whole Veronica and Logan thing ended. I'm open to suggestions (yay audience participation) and would love to hear from you so that I might be able to write more and sooner.
Anyway, I usually don't write author notes on both sides anymore. But alas, please review anyway and tell me what you think!