The Hyperion [Friday Evening]

[marsheadtilt]

So Veronica had been back in LA for over a week. And in that week, she had mostly been avoiding her friends and housemates because being with all of them again had triggered the memories of that other Fandom and what the version of her there had done to them and with them

Comments

[cookinggeek]

Piper wandered into the kitchen mostly because it was one her favorite places in the hotel. Also, she couldn't resist the aroma of Italian food.

"Hey," she greeted as she approached Veronica. "Need any help?"

[marsheadtilt]

"Sure! Want to help me chop veggies for the salad?" Veronica asked.

[cookinggeek]

"No problem," Piper replied, reaching for a knife. "Haven't seen you around much. Still in the newlywed phase, huh?"

[marsheadtilt]

Veronica shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

[cookinggeek]

Piper stopped chopping the vegetables for a moment and glanced at her friend. "Everything okay?"

[marsheadtilt]

"Of course. What could possibly be wrong? I'm back in LA with my husband and all of my friends," Veronica said.

Right. Because Piper wouldn't see through that at all.

[cookinggeek]

Yeah, she so would. "You just seem kinda...distant. Do you miss being in Fandom?"

She had a feeling there was more to it than that.

[marsheadtilt]

"It's just a little weird to be back," Veronica said vaguely.

Maybe Piper wouldn't ask why.

[cookinggeek]

"That's understandable," Piper said gently. More quietly, she asked, "Does this maybe have anything to do with that weird alternate universe you told me about?"

She remembered that conversation from a few weeks ago.

[marsheadtilt]

Veronica sighed. "Maybe a little."

[cookinggeek]

Piper looked at her seriously. "Remember what I said. If you are ever ready to talk...I will listen."

[marsheadtilt]

"I know," Veronica said. "It's just... you know how weird we thought Keely and Tricia's world was? Let's just say that the world I ended up in was worse."

[cookinggeek]

"I figured it might be," Piper said, nodding. "Based on what you told me."

Which wasn't a lot. Just enough that Piper knew it must have been bad.

[marsheadtilt]

Veronica nodded. "It was all so wrong."

[cookinggeek]

"I can't even begin to understand what it was like there," Piper said, her voice quiet again. "And I am not going to push you to talk about it, but it might help. To talk to someone."

[marsheadtilt]

"Yeah, that's what Anakin said, too," Veronica admitted. "But... I don't know. I don't want to subject anyone else to that."