SO IT'S NOT ALL FOR NOTHING
Author: 
Foxriver_Lady
Title: So it's not all for nothing
Rating: PG13
Characters: Lincoln/Veronica, Michael
Spoilers: Yes - Season 2: Episode 1: Manhunt
Summary: A phone call changes everything...
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, I just like playing with them
Authors Note: Many thanks to my beta goddess,
miss_mazzie - you are a star!
“Hello?”
“Vee, it’s me.”
“Linc?”
“We’re out.” The words he thought he would never say are finally spoken out loud.
“Oh, thank God you’re okay, I saw the news. You gotta stop. I need you to turn yourself in.”
“What?” Confusion creases his brow; he doesn’t understand. Turn myself in?
“I found Steadman, I’m with him now, Linc. He’s alive. You’re gonna be exonerated.” He hears the smile in her voice as she speaks, her words then directed to someone else. “Come in.”
His heart is beating a little faster now. “Steadman? What are you talking… you mean you found Steadman?” A little ember of hope buried down deep glows faintly in his chest. Is it possible?
She speaks again to someone else near her. “Terrence, come on, let’s go.”
Terrence? As in, Steadman? For a brief second, he thinks that maybe it’s over; their fight to clear his name is over.
“Afternoon...” An unknown male voice interrupts his thoughts; its tone making the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
“Veronica…” he mutters, wanting her to explain, confusion growing, his heart rate increasing, beating much faster now.
“The police are here,” she tells him. “Look, I need you to stay where you are.” Her voice drops a little, becoming huskier, “I don’t want to lose you…” His heart aches at her sentiment, the reality of being with her again after so long, tantalisingly close.
The urgent nature of the male voice he doesn’t know diverts her attention. ”Ma’am! Put the phone down.”
“What?” He hears the questioning in her voice, along with something else which starts the icy cold fear deep in his gut.
The unknown man is still talking. “Mr Steadman, could you step back?”
His fear grows, clawing at his insides, spreading through his body, cold sweat forcing his breath into short staccato bursts. “Ver… Veronica… Veronica!”
“Oh my God.” The shock and realisation is transparent in her voice, and his fear turns into terror. His blood runs cold and his heartbeat is at breakneck speed, for he cannot help her, he cannot save her.
His voice and a piece of his soul die at the sound of two shots. “Veron…!”
No. Oh God, no.
It feels like someone just cut off his air supply and he’s drowning, his brain suddenly can’t think; can’t comprehend this, can’t do anything.
No. Veronica. No.
He staggers back like he is drunk, his body hit by a wave of pain, his awareness is only of himself, not his surroundings. Time stops; he’s trapped in limbo. His eyes are wide open, but he sees nothing. The life in them has gone. He blinks rapidly, but nothing is in focus, only the memory of shots ringing in his head, over and over.
No. Oh God, no.
He slumps to the ground; his knees hitting the ground hard, but he feels nothing. His legs are jelly, their quivering muscles not able to hold his shaking body upright. His heart is pounding, the blood roaring in his ears, every fibre in his body is screaming.
No.
He sags back on his feet, the back of his hand, still holding the phone, over his mouth. His breath is ragged, noisy. He is only dimly aware of Michael appearing suddenly at his side, his presence registering only on the peripheral of his conscious thought. Shock is flooding his system; he rocks his body back and forth, the tension holding him so tight it is the only movement he is capable of.
No.
His mind tries to deny what he heard but he knows the unthinkable has happened, it’s real; Veronica is gone. Yet another person connected to him is gone. They have gotten to her, because she was trying to help him. His grief is almost overwhelming, it wraps him up and suffocates his soul; he feels empty.
She’s gone. Veronica is gone.
There were so many things he never said that he should’ve; and the things he did say, never came out how he meant. All the many times he had held her body in his arms, breathed in her delicate scent and just been with her, those times would now only be memories. He remembers her long beautiful hair, how he used to run his hands through it. He’d told her once if she ever cut it off he’d never touch her again; she’d just laughed and said he was a bad liar. Her soulful green eyes swim in his thoughts; she was so beautiful, and now she was gone. He would give anything to see those eyes sparkling at him again.
Oh V…
She should never have been in the line of fire; it was too dangerous but yet she did it anyway, because she believed he was innocent. Her parting gift had she but known it, was the gift of her love, because she said she believed in him, and for her, that was enough. But it would all be for nothing, her life for nothing, if he didn’t follow it through. He’d be damned if he’d let that happen.
No. No!
A slow burning feeling he recognises as anger is smouldering inside him. It is tamped down under his pain and pushes away the emptiness inside and fires his blood. All that matters now is LJ. His son is not going to be another casualty; he is going to fight tooth and nail for him, they were not going to take him away too.
He stands and walks over to the end of the building; the doors wide open, looking out at the sky beyond. The metallic taste in his mouth is receding, his thoughts are slowly becoming clearer. He feels the hand of his brother on his shoulder; a welcome touch that conveys what words cannot. His eyes meet Michael’s sorrow filled ones and he takes comfort in knowing at least he is here with him.
What happens next is up to him; Michael’s plan to get him out has succeeded; now he just wants to get his son.
He has a chance to make sure this is not all for nothing. He vows he will not waste it.
Foxriver_Lady
Title: So it's not all for nothing
Rating: PG13
Characters: Lincoln/Veronica, Michael
Spoilers: Yes - Season 2: Episode 1: Manhunt
Summary: A phone call changes everything...
Disclaimer: These characters aren't mine, I just like playing with them
Authors Note: Many thanks to my beta goddess,
miss_mazzie - you are a star!
“Hello?”
“Vee, it’s me.”
“Linc?”
“We’re out.” The words he thought he would never say are finally spoken out loud.
“Oh, thank God you’re okay, I saw the news. You gotta stop. I need you to turn yourself in.”
“What?” Confusion creases his brow; he doesn’t understand. Turn myself in?
“I found Steadman, I’m with him now, Linc. He’s alive. You’re gonna be exonerated.” He hears the smile in her voice as she speaks, her words then directed to someone else. “Come in.”
His heart is beating a little faster now. “Steadman? What are you talking… you mean you found Steadman?” A little ember of hope buried down deep glows faintly in his chest. Is it possible?
She speaks again to someone else near her. “Terrence, come on, let’s go.”
Terrence? As in, Steadman? For a brief second, he thinks that maybe it’s over; their fight to clear his name is over.
“Afternoon...” An unknown male voice interrupts his thoughts; its tone making the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
“Veronica…” he mutters, wanting her to explain, confusion growing, his heart rate increasing, beating much faster now.
“The police are here,” she tells him. “Look, I need you to stay where you are.” Her voice drops a little, becoming huskier, “I don’t want to lose you…” His heart aches at her sentiment, the reality of being with her again after so long, tantalisingly close.
The urgent nature of the male voice he doesn’t know diverts her attention. ”Ma’am! Put the phone down.”
“What?” He hears the questioning in her voice, along with something else which starts the icy cold fear deep in his gut.
The unknown man is still talking. “Mr Steadman, could you step back?”
His fear grows, clawing at his insides, spreading through his body, cold sweat forcing his breath into short staccato bursts. “Ver… Veronica… Veronica!”
“Oh my God.” The shock and realisation is transparent in her voice, and his fear turns into terror. His blood runs cold and his heartbeat is at breakneck speed, for he cannot help her, he cannot save her.
His voice and a piece of his soul die at the sound of two shots. “Veron…!”
No. Oh God, no.
It feels like someone just cut off his air supply and he’s drowning, his brain suddenly can’t think; can’t comprehend this, can’t do anything.
No. Veronica. No.
He staggers back like he is drunk, his body hit by a wave of pain, his awareness is only of himself, not his surroundings. Time stops; he’s trapped in limbo. His eyes are wide open, but he sees nothing. The life in them has gone. He blinks rapidly, but nothing is in focus, only the memory of shots ringing in his head, over and over.
No. Oh God, no.
He slumps to the ground; his knees hitting the ground hard, but he feels nothing. His legs are jelly, their quivering muscles not able to hold his shaking body upright. His heart is pounding, the blood roaring in his ears, every fibre in his body is screaming.
No.
He sags back on his feet, the back of his hand, still holding the phone, over his mouth. His breath is ragged, noisy. He is only dimly aware of Michael appearing suddenly at his side, his presence registering only on the peripheral of his conscious thought. Shock is flooding his system; he rocks his body back and forth, the tension holding him so tight it is the only movement he is capable of.
No.
His mind tries to deny what he heard but he knows the unthinkable has happened, it’s real; Veronica is gone. Yet another person connected to him is gone. They have gotten to her, because she was trying to help him. His grief is almost overwhelming, it wraps him up and suffocates his soul; he feels empty.
She’s gone. Veronica is gone.
There were so many things he never said that he should’ve; and the things he did say, never came out how he meant. All the many times he had held her body in his arms, breathed in her delicate scent and just been with her, those times would now only be memories. He remembers her long beautiful hair, how he used to run his hands through it. He’d told her once if she ever cut it off he’d never touch her again; she’d just laughed and said he was a bad liar. Her soulful green eyes swim in his thoughts; she was so beautiful, and now she was gone. He would give anything to see those eyes sparkling at him again.
Oh V…
She should never have been in the line of fire; it was too dangerous but yet she did it anyway, because she believed he was innocent. Her parting gift had she but known it, was the gift of her love, because she said she believed in him, and for her, that was enough. But it would all be for nothing, her life for nothing, if he didn’t follow it through. He’d be damned if he’d let that happen.
No. No!
A slow burning feeling he recognises as anger is smouldering inside him. It is tamped down under his pain and pushes away the emptiness inside and fires his blood. All that matters now is LJ. His son is not going to be another casualty; he is going to fight tooth and nail for him, they were not going to take him away too.
He stands and walks over to the end of the building; the doors wide open, looking out at the sky beyond. The metallic taste in his mouth is receding, his thoughts are slowly becoming clearer. He feels the hand of his brother on his shoulder; a welcome touch that conveys what words cannot. His eyes meet Michael’s sorrow filled ones and he takes comfort in knowing at least he is here with him.
What happens next is up to him; Michael’s plan to get him out has succeeded; now he just wants to get his son.
He has a chance to make sure this is not all for nothing. He vows he will not waste it.