you turn me into somebody loved

[neptune_sleuth]

In the mornings, Veronica Mars generally got up, had breakfast and set off for whatever work she was supposed to do that day. It rarely managed to be enough to keep her fully occupied, so she wound up finding other little methods of entertainment - too much energy and nowhere to put it. Restlessness set in all too easily these days

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[jim_halpert]

To be honest, Jim was hiding.

After a morning of hugs and talks of another baby and a multitude of other things, he was kind of weirded out. He hoped that maybe he could find solace from it all in the compound, so he headed toward it and his bedroom once he snuck away from Cutter, Lennox, and Pam.

As he opened the door to get in, he nearly smashed into Veronica. who looked like she was heading outside. He shot her an apologetic look. "Sorry, Veronica."

[neptune_sleuth]

"No," Veronica said, stepping back with a laugh, "it's okay. I was gonna come see you and Pam, actually." She loved them so much sometimes, but it didn't surprise her she'd never told them that. She'd always played things so close to her chest. But when people could disappear any day... It seemed important, suddenly, to at least make it clear.

[jim_halpert]

"Oh?" he asked, closing the compound door behind him. "Pam's...back at the hut. I think there's something...um."

He hesitated. He wasn't quite sure how to explain what was wrong with Pam. He had a feeling saying 'she's being too loving' might come off wrong.

"...Nevermind. Anyway, what's up?"

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica's brow knit as she leaned forward, laying a hand on Jim's elbow. "Is she alright? I'm fine, nothing's up. Is Pam okay?" The way he trailed off seemed to indicate that she wasn't, and Veronica could feel the concern rising up with unusal speed.

[jim_halpert]

"No, she's fine," he said, glancing down at her hand on his elbow. "Honestly. It's just a weird day."

A very, very weird day.

[neptune_sleuth]

"You're sure?" Veronica asked, eyebrows raising. She shrugged, then let the disbelief melt away under a smile. "It doesn't seem so weird to me. It's..." She wrinkled up her nose. "Kind of nice, actually."

[jim_halpert]

"It's - well, it is nice, sure, but...don't you think people are acting a little different today?" he asked.

Maybe he should't be complaining. People weren't acting in a bad way.

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica's glance shifted off to the side, and she shrugged, looking back. "Haven't really talked to anyway," she admitted, "except you and Lilly. And it's not like last year, when people were, like, having sex in the trees."

[jim_halpert]

"They were - wow. Are you serious?"

So maybe, even if something was going on, it was at least not that bad. Still, it strengthened his belief something was going on, and while it wasn't as nefarious as most of the island's tricks, at least it meant Jim wasn't going crazy.

"Well, anyway. How are you today, Veronica?"

She didn't seem strange, so it was possible she had been spared like he did.

[neptune_sleuth]

Veronica shrugged. "I... was spared the show," she admitted, "but I hear things." Mostly the next day. She couldn't even remember, a year later, what she'd done with herself that day - nothing remarkable.

She shifted from side to side a little, the slow wiggle of a five year old ready for her turn at show and tell, but she had nothing to show or tell. Kind of a let down, that. "I'm good," she said. "Glad to see you. I figured, you know, Valentine's day, I might as well see all my friends."

[jim_halpert]

Jim smiled at that, nodding his head. "I'm glad to see you too, Mars. Happy Valentine's Day."

[neptune_sleuth]

"What were you coming here for?" she asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Still moving?" She would help if he needed it.

[jim_halpert]

"No, I was...just walking."

And running from the insane group hugs he was being forced to endure a little while ago.

"I was just going to go hang out in the rec room."

[neptune_sleuth]

"Sounds good," Veronica said. Suddenly she was torn. Rec room with Jim? What if he needed time to himself? He seemed like he might need time to himself. And then there were all the people she'd yet to visit. "You want company or is this, you know, alone time?"

[jim_halpert]

"Nah, it's not alone time. Feel free to come along. I was just going to see if I could put together a card for Pam."

Because, despite the fact she was a little bit more clingy than usual, it was still the holiday and he still wanted to give her something.

[neptune_sleuth]

"Awww," Veronica said, only half-mocking. "That's so sweet." Maybe she'd make one, too. Opening the door to the compound, she headed inside again. "Do we even have materials to do that?"