Fic: Lamb Family Christmas (Veronica/Lamb) PG-13 (2/2)
Title: A Lamb Family Christmas Part II
Summary: Sequel to Something to be Thankful For. Last month Veronica accidentally met Lamb’s family over Thanksgiving. This month his family has come for Christmas and he’s not the only one in for a surprise when Veronica and Keith are invited.
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: If there are any, they’re vague at best
Word Count: 11,863
Characters/Pairing: Veronica/Lamb, Keith, OFCs, mentions Wallace, Cliff, Sacks and a few more.
Disclaimer: Veronica Mars is not owned by me, but by Rob Thomas. I’m simply borrowing these characters for non-profit entertainment.
A/N: As for timeline: Let’s just say this takes place during/after an AU S3 because, well, I reject RT’s reality. Also: this is late and I'm sorry, RL's been kicking my butt. Hope you enjoy anyway!
A/N #2: In two parts because LJ's claiming it's too big for a single post.
**
“Who’s ready to eat!” Eric called out just after six.
Each of the others chorused in a loud, “Me!”
“Well then come and get it. I’m your cook, not your waiter,” Eric shot back.
Patty laughed. How the times had changed, but at least one of her sons knew how it had been for her when she hosted the holiday dinners.
“You know, I remember a time when we opened presents before dinner,” Don stated as they all took their seats again, each with a full plate.
“Christmas is about togetherness, not presents,” Patty told him.
“So this is your way of saying we’ve all been naughty this year,” he sighed.
“I got you something but it’s going to wait until after dinner.”
“Speaking of presents, since I didn’t get to open mine this morning, how about you tell me what I got?” Veronica smiled to her father.
“You didn’t get to open your gifts this morning?” Patty asked her.
Veronica glanced to Lamb. “Uh, no. La - Don called me about when you guys showed up and I pretty much ran right over.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, if I’d known. Well now I feel bad. I didn’t mean to take either of you from your Christmas,” she went on as she looked between Keith and Veronica.
“Don’t worry about it, the boxes will still be there when we get home tonight,” Keith smiled to her.
“I have an idea,” she told them. “How about we go around and each talk about our favorite Christmases? Sort of like saying what we’re thankful for at Thanksgiving? At least it’ll give us something to do in place of opening presents.”
Keith nodded. “Alright, well, I guess for me it was the year I got my first police badge and gun. I couldn’t have been more than seven or eight and pretty soon I was pretending to arrest all the kids in my neighborhood that I would catch stealing newspapers or whatever. I felt like a real hero.”
“Malibu Barbie. Next!” Veronica followed.
The others laughed but Eric was next to speak. “Mine’s cheesy. Four years ago,” he smiled over to his wife. “I proposed on Christmas Eve. She said yes, technically, on Christmas morning.”
Ana held up her left hand with a wide smile across her lips as she revealed her engagement ring. “Definitely my best Christmas present ever.”
“Last year’s fifty-two-inch Plasma screen, definitely,” Jack nodded.
“The custom computer,” Steve smiled to Jack.
“Even though it nearly caused more fires than I care to admit, I’m going to say my very first what you’d now call an Easy Bake Oven,” Patty admitted.
“I’m going with the Big Wheel,” Lamb grinned.
“Because of the car or because you ran me over with it?” Jack asked him.
Lamb laughed at the memory. Could it be both? “Both.” Apparently it could be.
“You ran over your own brother?” Keith asked him, unsure why he was surprised Lamb would do such a thing.
“I was five! And he was in my way.”
“Don was jealous that Jack was so much closer to being old enough to drive so he begged me for that car. When Santa decided he’d been a good boy that year the first thing Don did was manage to knock his thirteen-year-old brother down and proceeded to roll that mini-car over him,” Patty stated with a sigh, wondering then if that week long grounding had been of any use at all. Seeing her youngest still laughing about it gave her the answer she didn’t want.
“It’s scary to think your driving has improved since then,” Veronica told him, trying to fight her own urge to laugh at the story. The mental picture it conjured was funny but she wasn’t sure she wanted Lamb’s brother to hate her so soon.
Lamb only laughed harder. “I haven’t run over anyone since that day. And yes, it was worth it.”
“Okay, I need a change of subject,” Keith told them. “Eric, how did you get into the chef business?”
“Funny story. I was visiting a friend who’d gotten this gig in a commercial and I’d brought some lunch for us. The director found one of the sandwiches and wanted to know the name of the caterer. Shane told him it was me and I was hired on the spot. From there I ended up getting hired all over and managed to start my own business for real.”
“So you just kind of fell into it? Impressive. Jack? Advertising, right?”
“Yeah. Well that story’s less interesting. I started out in sports, but after a while I realized I wanted to do more, that I didn’t want football to rule my life. So I took a few classes and it just worked out.”
“How did you become a private investigator, Keith?” Patty asked him.
Veronica nearly choked on her turkey.
Keith sighed and glanced to Lamb who had the decency to look as uncomfortable as Keith and Veronica felt. “Long story short, a few years ago the town decided that Don would be the better sheriff. So decided that I wouldn’t let losing my badge stop me from fighting crime.”
“So Donnie-Boy, what exactly did you have planned for today before you found out we were here?” Jack asked, sensing the tension that had fallen between his brother and the Marses just then.
“A quiet day with the game, some pizza and if I was lucky a phone call from a certain elf.”
“Is that a short joke?” Veronica asked.
He smirked. “Maybe.”
Another hour passed before Patty announced that she did in fact have a gift for her youngest son after all. One that he was supposed to share with the Marses.
“It’s nothing big, but I have something for you,” Patty told Veronica and Keith after along moment, reaching into her large purse for the long, thin and brightly wrapped envelope.
Don took it as he glanced to Veronica and Keith. Money? Invitations? He couldn’t deny the slight pounding of his heart he could only hope the others couldn’t hear.
“I’m sorry we didn’t get anything for you,” Keith told her as he watched Veronica cautiously.
“Don’t worry, it’s fine. I wasn’t expecting anything, after all we only just met and no one knew the others and I were coming. Just go ahead and open it. I do hope you like it and will use it.”
With a deep breath, Don reached into the envelope and soon saw he had been right to be afraid. They were just pieces of paper but what they represented terrified him.
“A plane ticket?” he asked.
“Three, actually,” Patty smiled as she looked over to Veronica and Keith. “For next Thanksgiving. You know I like to have all of my boys home for at least one holiday and Veronica, you’re more than welcome back yourself and after tonight I’d be grateful to have your father there as well.”
Veronica hardly knew what to say. Celeste had hated her, she hadn’t known Lynn that well but she had remembered her being nice to her. Still, now at least one mother she knew liked her… and it just happened to be Don Lamb’s.
The eggnog. Yes. The eggnog is to blame.
“Patty - “ Keith tried.
“I know it’s presumptuous, but I’m rarely wrong about these things. Don can’t really get away from work around Christmas so I have to settle for Thanksgiving and while I know you both have work yourselves, if you’re able, I would like to have you there as well.”
Keith sighed, then looked between Don and Veronica who both had a similar knowing expression as they faced each other. Apparently this wasn’t the first time the woman’s stubbornness had shown itself with them. Right there in front of him one of his worst nightmares was coming true. He knew he shouldn’t have expected Veronica to be able to fight her attraction to his former deputy forever. He hated it, but his mind was made up. There was a time the boy had been like family, now it looked like he was really about to be at this rate.
“I can all but promise Veronica will be there,” he told her finally, still unable to even believe the words were coming out of his mouth. “As for myself, I will try.”
“Subtle, Mom, thanks,” Lamb grinned through his own embarrassment.
“You’ve finally met a nice girl. Was I supposed to ignore that?” Patty asked him.
“I remember the subtlety I got,” Ana stated. “Flowers at the nurse’s station one random day, only to find out later they were from Patty, not Eric.”
“I send food, not flowers,” Eric told her.
“If I remember correctly I got an e-mail about a job interview at the same advertising firm just outside of Dallas that Jack was working at when we met,” Steve added.
Patty only smirked. Perhaps she was a matchmaker from the word go, but obviously she hadn’t been wrong yet.
“Well on that note, I actually might have something for you,” Lamb whispered over to Veronica just before he stood and offered his hand to her.
“But you said - “ They had talked about not exchanging gifts this year, mostly Veronica had to try to spare him from thinking they had reached the obligation stage. Still, if he was about to do something extravagant thanks to his mother she wasn’t sure she would be able to contain her scream. In the meantime Lamb - and the others apparently - were still waiting for her to reply. Or perhaps breathe. It was hard to tell with the room insisting on spinning like it was.
Veronica had been eying his jean pockets, out of fear she told herself, since she had walked into the apartment. They looked normal, no ring box-sized bulges so she stood with slightly less fear than she would have had otherwise. She chose to believe his mother was getting to her.
“We’ll be right back,” Veronica told the others as she followed him out.
“$20 says he’s proposing,” Eric quietly told Jack.
“With her likely armed father here? Right. Because Donnie-Boy has a death wish.”
“He is a sheriff,” Eric replied.
Jack had to admit his younger brother had a point.
“Are you sure we can’t do this Twenty Questions style? Like does it sparkle or something?” Veronica asked, trying to fight the twinge of fear in her voice.
Lamb sighed. He would thank his mother later for almost scaring her off, he decided. “It can under the right light I guess, but it’s not what you think.”
“So it didn’t cost you a couple month’s pay?”
“Veronica -”
“I’m just trying to keep you alive here. My dad wasn’t exactly thrilled by what your mom told him and if it’s - Besides, it’s only been a month and -”
“Mars, listen to me. This is something you’ve proven more than once that you don’t exactly need but, here,” he went on as he reached into his pocket.
Veronica couldn’t believe it when she saw just what it was. It did kind of sparkle under the porch light, but he was right. It wasn’t even close to what she had thought it would be. For that she was a little thankful. It hadn’t even been a month since their first semi-official ‘get together’ yet there she stood speechless, holding what she knew to be a key to his apartment.
“I figured I’d give you a chance to give your lock-picking tools a rest,” he smirked.
She gave a nervous laugh. “I’m sure they’ll appreciate that.”
“And you?”
“Depends. If I use it could I still be threatened with breaking and entering?”
“Not when I’m the one who’s giving the key to you. The idea, basically, is for you to know you can come and go as you please. Officially. Besides, there’s always something new I can bust you on - B&E is kinda low on the list.”
Veronica shook her head. Of course he couldn’t leave that alone. “So I take it this also means I could leave a toothbrush here without you freaking out?”
He chuckled. “Yes.”
“Okay,” she smiled before kissing him quickly. She slid the key into her back pocket and turned to head back inside with him close behind.
Naturally the first thing both parents did when their grown children walked back in was glance to Veronica’s left hand. Keith couldn’t hide his relief, nor could Patty disguise her slight disappointment at there being no new jewelry to speak of.
“That was quick,” Eric commented.
“Yeah. And I’ll take that $20 since Jack didn’t officially take the bet,” he smirked.
“Well, I apologize to have to cut this a little short, but Veronica and I have a busy day tomorrow,” Keith stated, more than a little anxious to get his daughter out of there while she was still simply the girlfriend of one of the biggest jerks he knew.
Veronica glanced to her watch, it was 9PM and she knew what was waiting for her at home. Of course the realization she had spent twelve hours with Lamb and no one had died was more than a little sobering.
“Yeah, he’s right,” she admitted with a sigh. Best to rip the band-aid right off, she decided.
“Aw, alright, well I do hope we’ll see you next year,” Patty told her as she moved to hug her goodbye.
“I do too,” she quietly told her as she hugged the older woman back. She really hated to admit it, but she really didn’t dislike spending time with them.
“And that does go for both of you,” Patty insisted as she hugged Keith next.
“We’ll see,” Keith told her again, part of him still hoping Veronica would come to her senses by next year. But then catching the sight of her saying goodnight to Lamb after she had said her goodbyes to the rest of his family made him realize what a fleeting hope that seemed to be.
“I’ll call you when they leave,” Don told her just above a whisper.
“You know my dad will freak if he finds out I snuck out tonight to come back to where I’ve already spent the last twelve hours.”
“Well you could make it easier on him and move in now,” he grinned. “I’m kidding,” he added quickly when he saw the panic cross her face.
“If I get in trouble I’m blaming you.”
He laughed. “Why should tonight be any different?”
“Veronica,” Keith called as he waited by the door.
“I’ll call you later,” he told her as she stepped away.
“Maybe I’ll answer,” she smirked up at him before heading towards the door.
**
“So what part would you like to begin with?” Keith asked when Veronica walked in, both having decided it would be easier for them to leave in their own cars as they had arrived.
“I already told you how it happened. I was looking for Rich and found Lamb. I don’t really know what else there is to tell.”
“How about the Christmas gift he gave you tonight?”
“It wasn’t jewelry if that’s what you’re wondering. He just wanted to talk to me, without his family being able to overhear for once today. He thanked me for coming and said that it went a lot better than he had thought it would. He was really glad you were there too, and yes, didn’t shoot him.”
“So he didn’t give you anything?”
“Considering this is Deputy Lamb we’re talking about, I’d say him saying ‘thank you’ counts.”
Keith had to admit she had a point.
**
“I noticed Veronica’s finger was still bare when she left tonight,” Patty commented when she finally had Don alone, having sent the others ahead to the hotel as she had offered to help clean up.
Don sighed. “I know you’d have Veronica and me married yesterday if you could, but I’ll warn you now, don’t be surprised if she still doesn’t have a ring in a year.”
“Do you love her?”
“It doesn’t matter, it’s not that simple. Between our history and Keith and my history with him, I’m still surprised he didn’t shoot me today. Veronica and I still have some things to figure out before we even think about nearing that step, much less taking it. I still can’t believe you actually got them the tickets though. That’s just -”
“I like Veronica, I like her with you. Obviously I don’t know where you two are headed but wherever it is I would hope that it involves more family holidays together and that’s why I included Veronica’s father as well.”
“Mom, I appreciate the interest you’re taking in my love life, but I’m a big boy. And even if I was going to ask something like that of Veronica, I wouldn’t do it this soon or with Keith here.”
“He did give me the impression earlier that you and he aren’t exactly friends.”
“You could say there are some unresolved issues,” he grinned.
“So significant that they kept Veronica from telling her father that you and she are involved before today, I understand.”
“Yeah. And I admit that it’s more than he just doesn’t like me, I earned it. But I’m hoping that one of these days he’ll think I’m half as good for Veronica as you think she is for me. I’m not holding my breath though.”
**
“Ring or no ring, just for me, for my peace of mind, tell me the truth. Are you or are you not engaged to be married as of now?” Keith pleaded, preparing himself for the worst.
Veronica almost laughed. “No. He’s never asked and I haven’t asked him. No one’s asked anyone anything resembling that question.”
Keith let out a heavy sigh of relief. “Okay then what do you say we dive into our presents and then get to bed? I’m beat and I’m pretty sure you are too after the long day you’ve had.”
Veronica nodded. Plus the sooner her father went to bed the sooner, she hoped, she could slip out and actually try that new key of hers. She had to admit it would be nice to not have to break into his place for once. Then again, being Veronica Mars and getting away with breaking into the sheriff’s apartment had been kind of a turn on.
“So where was Wallace today? Part of me had hoped he’d at least call and give us a bit of a reprieve from Casa de Lamb.”
“He’s in Michigan with his girlfriend’s family. But I bet he’ll be sorry he missed out on Eric’s pie when I tell him about it.”
“Do you think that’ll be all he’ll be sorry he missed out on?”
“What do you mean?”
“Does he know about this recent development between you and our local sheriff?”
“Not exactly,” Veronica admitted. She had meant to tell Wallace, a couple of times. But given that Wallace had his own low opinion of the sheriff that she never used to consider a bad thing, she had decided to wait for the best time. The best time, recently, seemed to be any time that wasn’t then.
Besides it had only been a month. Who knew if this wasn’t just some temporary bout of insanity brought on by being constantly faced with him at every turn?
Then again she had to admit she didn’t regret having found him instead of the bail jumper she had been on the hunt for. And it had been a long time since she felt like she belonged and yet it had been so easy for her to feel like she was already part of Lamb’s family. She chose to blame the snark.
**
Two hours later Lamb heard his door open and turned over in his bed. He had finally gotten his mother to leave after another hour of dancing around just why Keith didn’t like him and what the issues between he and Veronica had been over the years. At least he felt he had managed to get her to stop picking out a china pattern for them for the time being.
“How much would you hate me if I said I just wanted to sleep tonight?” Veronica asked as she climbed into Lamb’s bed, taking off only her jacket and shoes.
He chuckled. “I crashed almost as soon as I got my mom to leave.”
“So that’s a ‘not at all’?”
“Yes,” he answered as he curled an arm around her and pulled her closer to him.
“You know my dad’s going to know I left, right?”
“You’re legal, I’m not worried.”
“Except for that he deliberately told me earlier that I’d be spending tonight there and without you sliding down my chimney tonight.”
That time Lamb burst out laughing. “He seriously said that?”
“More or less. When he called me after he realized it was your apartment I was on my way to this morning.”
“Well then he’s in luck because I’m way too tired tonight.”
“I’d be insulted if this hadn’t been such an eventful day.”
“And just think, we get to do it all again in eleven months. Provided they don’t show up for our birthdays.”
Veronica laughed and cringed at that. A week ago she wouldn’t have thought of that but now the odds seemed rather high. Either way, he was definitely right about Thanksgiving. After all the tickets had already been paid for.
Their last thoughts before drifting off to sleep was the fact that they had spent more waking hours together today than they likely ever had. Fifteen hours later and they were still together. They both knew then it could be quite a while before they tired of each others’ company.
With that it was clear, in eleven months would get her wish of having Lamb and Veronica joining the others for another Thanksgiving together. Veronica knew it would take some added prodding but she would get her father there too. After all, there had been a time Lamb had been like family. Now it was becoming increasingly obvious that he was really about to be.
The End
Summary: Sequel to Something to be Thankful For. Last month Veronica accidentally met Lamb’s family over Thanksgiving. This month his family has come for Christmas and he’s not the only one in for a surprise when Veronica and Keith are invited.
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: If there are any, they’re vague at best
Word Count: 11,863
Characters/Pairing: Veronica/Lamb, Keith, OFCs, mentions Wallace, Cliff, Sacks and a few more.
Disclaimer: Veronica Mars is not owned by me, but by Rob Thomas. I’m simply borrowing these characters for non-profit entertainment.
A/N: As for timeline: Let’s just say this takes place during/after an AU S3 because, well, I reject RT’s reality. Also: this is late and I'm sorry, RL's been kicking my butt. Hope you enjoy anyway!
A/N #2: In two parts because LJ's claiming it's too big for a single post.
**
“Who’s ready to eat!” Eric called out just after six.
Each of the others chorused in a loud, “Me!”
“Well then come and get it. I’m your cook, not your waiter,” Eric shot back.
Patty laughed. How the times had changed, but at least one of her sons knew how it had been for her when she hosted the holiday dinners.
“You know, I remember a time when we opened presents before dinner,” Don stated as they all took their seats again, each with a full plate.
“Christmas is about togetherness, not presents,” Patty told him.
“So this is your way of saying we’ve all been naughty this year,” he sighed.
“I got you something but it’s going to wait until after dinner.”
“Speaking of presents, since I didn’t get to open mine this morning, how about you tell me what I got?” Veronica smiled to her father.
“You didn’t get to open your gifts this morning?” Patty asked her.
Veronica glanced to Lamb. “Uh, no. La - Don called me about when you guys showed up and I pretty much ran right over.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, if I’d known. Well now I feel bad. I didn’t mean to take either of you from your Christmas,” she went on as she looked between Keith and Veronica.
“Don’t worry about it, the boxes will still be there when we get home tonight,” Keith smiled to her.
“I have an idea,” she told them. “How about we go around and each talk about our favorite Christmases? Sort of like saying what we’re thankful for at Thanksgiving? At least it’ll give us something to do in place of opening presents.”
Keith nodded. “Alright, well, I guess for me it was the year I got my first police badge and gun. I couldn’t have been more than seven or eight and pretty soon I was pretending to arrest all the kids in my neighborhood that I would catch stealing newspapers or whatever. I felt like a real hero.”
“Malibu Barbie. Next!” Veronica followed.
The others laughed but Eric was next to speak. “Mine’s cheesy. Four years ago,” he smiled over to his wife. “I proposed on Christmas Eve. She said yes, technically, on Christmas morning.”
Ana held up her left hand with a wide smile across her lips as she revealed her engagement ring. “Definitely my best Christmas present ever.”
“Last year’s fifty-two-inch Plasma screen, definitely,” Jack nodded.
“The custom computer,” Steve smiled to Jack.
“Even though it nearly caused more fires than I care to admit, I’m going to say my very first what you’d now call an Easy Bake Oven,” Patty admitted.
“I’m going with the Big Wheel,” Lamb grinned.
“Because of the car or because you ran me over with it?” Jack asked him.
Lamb laughed at the memory. Could it be both? “Both.” Apparently it could be.
“You ran over your own brother?” Keith asked him, unsure why he was surprised Lamb would do such a thing.
“I was five! And he was in my way.”
“Don was jealous that Jack was so much closer to being old enough to drive so he begged me for that car. When Santa decided he’d been a good boy that year the first thing Don did was manage to knock his thirteen-year-old brother down and proceeded to roll that mini-car over him,” Patty stated with a sigh, wondering then if that week long grounding had been of any use at all. Seeing her youngest still laughing about it gave her the answer she didn’t want.
“It’s scary to think your driving has improved since then,” Veronica told him, trying to fight her own urge to laugh at the story. The mental picture it conjured was funny but she wasn’t sure she wanted Lamb’s brother to hate her so soon.
Lamb only laughed harder. “I haven’t run over anyone since that day. And yes, it was worth it.”
“Okay, I need a change of subject,” Keith told them. “Eric, how did you get into the chef business?”
“Funny story. I was visiting a friend who’d gotten this gig in a commercial and I’d brought some lunch for us. The director found one of the sandwiches and wanted to know the name of the caterer. Shane told him it was me and I was hired on the spot. From there I ended up getting hired all over and managed to start my own business for real.”
“So you just kind of fell into it? Impressive. Jack? Advertising, right?”
“Yeah. Well that story’s less interesting. I started out in sports, but after a while I realized I wanted to do more, that I didn’t want football to rule my life. So I took a few classes and it just worked out.”
“How did you become a private investigator, Keith?” Patty asked him.
Veronica nearly choked on her turkey.
Keith sighed and glanced to Lamb who had the decency to look as uncomfortable as Keith and Veronica felt. “Long story short, a few years ago the town decided that Don would be the better sheriff. So decided that I wouldn’t let losing my badge stop me from fighting crime.”
“So Donnie-Boy, what exactly did you have planned for today before you found out we were here?” Jack asked, sensing the tension that had fallen between his brother and the Marses just then.
“A quiet day with the game, some pizza and if I was lucky a phone call from a certain elf.”
“Is that a short joke?” Veronica asked.
He smirked. “Maybe.”
Another hour passed before Patty announced that she did in fact have a gift for her youngest son after all. One that he was supposed to share with the Marses.
“It’s nothing big, but I have something for you,” Patty told Veronica and Keith after along moment, reaching into her large purse for the long, thin and brightly wrapped envelope.
Don took it as he glanced to Veronica and Keith. Money? Invitations? He couldn’t deny the slight pounding of his heart he could only hope the others couldn’t hear.
“I’m sorry we didn’t get anything for you,” Keith told her as he watched Veronica cautiously.
“Don’t worry, it’s fine. I wasn’t expecting anything, after all we only just met and no one knew the others and I were coming. Just go ahead and open it. I do hope you like it and will use it.”
With a deep breath, Don reached into the envelope and soon saw he had been right to be afraid. They were just pieces of paper but what they represented terrified him.
“A plane ticket?” he asked.
“Three, actually,” Patty smiled as she looked over to Veronica and Keith. “For next Thanksgiving. You know I like to have all of my boys home for at least one holiday and Veronica, you’re more than welcome back yourself and after tonight I’d be grateful to have your father there as well.”
Veronica hardly knew what to say. Celeste had hated her, she hadn’t known Lynn that well but she had remembered her being nice to her. Still, now at least one mother she knew liked her… and it just happened to be Don Lamb’s.
The eggnog. Yes. The eggnog is to blame.
“Patty - “ Keith tried.
“I know it’s presumptuous, but I’m rarely wrong about these things. Don can’t really get away from work around Christmas so I have to settle for Thanksgiving and while I know you both have work yourselves, if you’re able, I would like to have you there as well.”
Keith sighed, then looked between Don and Veronica who both had a similar knowing expression as they faced each other. Apparently this wasn’t the first time the woman’s stubbornness had shown itself with them. Right there in front of him one of his worst nightmares was coming true. He knew he shouldn’t have expected Veronica to be able to fight her attraction to his former deputy forever. He hated it, but his mind was made up. There was a time the boy had been like family, now it looked like he was really about to be at this rate.
“I can all but promise Veronica will be there,” he told her finally, still unable to even believe the words were coming out of his mouth. “As for myself, I will try.”
“Subtle, Mom, thanks,” Lamb grinned through his own embarrassment.
“You’ve finally met a nice girl. Was I supposed to ignore that?” Patty asked him.
“I remember the subtlety I got,” Ana stated. “Flowers at the nurse’s station one random day, only to find out later they were from Patty, not Eric.”
“I send food, not flowers,” Eric told her.
“If I remember correctly I got an e-mail about a job interview at the same advertising firm just outside of Dallas that Jack was working at when we met,” Steve added.
Patty only smirked. Perhaps she was a matchmaker from the word go, but obviously she hadn’t been wrong yet.
“Well on that note, I actually might have something for you,” Lamb whispered over to Veronica just before he stood and offered his hand to her.
“But you said - “ They had talked about not exchanging gifts this year, mostly Veronica had to try to spare him from thinking they had reached the obligation stage. Still, if he was about to do something extravagant thanks to his mother she wasn’t sure she would be able to contain her scream. In the meantime Lamb - and the others apparently - were still waiting for her to reply. Or perhaps breathe. It was hard to tell with the room insisting on spinning like it was.
Veronica had been eying his jean pockets, out of fear she told herself, since she had walked into the apartment. They looked normal, no ring box-sized bulges so she stood with slightly less fear than she would have had otherwise. She chose to believe his mother was getting to her.
“We’ll be right back,” Veronica told the others as she followed him out.
“$20 says he’s proposing,” Eric quietly told Jack.
“With her likely armed father here? Right. Because Donnie-Boy has a death wish.”
“He is a sheriff,” Eric replied.
Jack had to admit his younger brother had a point.
“Are you sure we can’t do this Twenty Questions style? Like does it sparkle or something?” Veronica asked, trying to fight the twinge of fear in her voice.
Lamb sighed. He would thank his mother later for almost scaring her off, he decided. “It can under the right light I guess, but it’s not what you think.”
“So it didn’t cost you a couple month’s pay?”
“Veronica -”
“I’m just trying to keep you alive here. My dad wasn’t exactly thrilled by what your mom told him and if it’s - Besides, it’s only been a month and -”
“Mars, listen to me. This is something you’ve proven more than once that you don’t exactly need but, here,” he went on as he reached into his pocket.
Veronica couldn’t believe it when she saw just what it was. It did kind of sparkle under the porch light, but he was right. It wasn’t even close to what she had thought it would be. For that she was a little thankful. It hadn’t even been a month since their first semi-official ‘get together’ yet there she stood speechless, holding what she knew to be a key to his apartment.
“I figured I’d give you a chance to give your lock-picking tools a rest,” he smirked.
She gave a nervous laugh. “I’m sure they’ll appreciate that.”
“And you?”
“Depends. If I use it could I still be threatened with breaking and entering?”
“Not when I’m the one who’s giving the key to you. The idea, basically, is for you to know you can come and go as you please. Officially. Besides, there’s always something new I can bust you on - B&E is kinda low on the list.”
Veronica shook her head. Of course he couldn’t leave that alone. “So I take it this also means I could leave a toothbrush here without you freaking out?”
He chuckled. “Yes.”
“Okay,” she smiled before kissing him quickly. She slid the key into her back pocket and turned to head back inside with him close behind.
Naturally the first thing both parents did when their grown children walked back in was glance to Veronica’s left hand. Keith couldn’t hide his relief, nor could Patty disguise her slight disappointment at there being no new jewelry to speak of.
“That was quick,” Eric commented.
“Yeah. And I’ll take that $20 since Jack didn’t officially take the bet,” he smirked.
“Well, I apologize to have to cut this a little short, but Veronica and I have a busy day tomorrow,” Keith stated, more than a little anxious to get his daughter out of there while she was still simply the girlfriend of one of the biggest jerks he knew.
Veronica glanced to her watch, it was 9PM and she knew what was waiting for her at home. Of course the realization she had spent twelve hours with Lamb and no one had died was more than a little sobering.
“Yeah, he’s right,” she admitted with a sigh. Best to rip the band-aid right off, she decided.
“Aw, alright, well I do hope we’ll see you next year,” Patty told her as she moved to hug her goodbye.
“I do too,” she quietly told her as she hugged the older woman back. She really hated to admit it, but she really didn’t dislike spending time with them.
“And that does go for both of you,” Patty insisted as she hugged Keith next.
“We’ll see,” Keith told her again, part of him still hoping Veronica would come to her senses by next year. But then catching the sight of her saying goodnight to Lamb after she had said her goodbyes to the rest of his family made him realize what a fleeting hope that seemed to be.
“I’ll call you when they leave,” Don told her just above a whisper.
“You know my dad will freak if he finds out I snuck out tonight to come back to where I’ve already spent the last twelve hours.”
“Well you could make it easier on him and move in now,” he grinned. “I’m kidding,” he added quickly when he saw the panic cross her face.
“If I get in trouble I’m blaming you.”
He laughed. “Why should tonight be any different?”
“Veronica,” Keith called as he waited by the door.
“I’ll call you later,” he told her as she stepped away.
“Maybe I’ll answer,” she smirked up at him before heading towards the door.
**
“So what part would you like to begin with?” Keith asked when Veronica walked in, both having decided it would be easier for them to leave in their own cars as they had arrived.
“I already told you how it happened. I was looking for Rich and found Lamb. I don’t really know what else there is to tell.”
“How about the Christmas gift he gave you tonight?”
“It wasn’t jewelry if that’s what you’re wondering. He just wanted to talk to me, without his family being able to overhear for once today. He thanked me for coming and said that it went a lot better than he had thought it would. He was really glad you were there too, and yes, didn’t shoot him.”
“So he didn’t give you anything?”
“Considering this is Deputy Lamb we’re talking about, I’d say him saying ‘thank you’ counts.”
Keith had to admit she had a point.
**
“I noticed Veronica’s finger was still bare when she left tonight,” Patty commented when she finally had Don alone, having sent the others ahead to the hotel as she had offered to help clean up.
Don sighed. “I know you’d have Veronica and me married yesterday if you could, but I’ll warn you now, don’t be surprised if she still doesn’t have a ring in a year.”
“Do you love her?”
“It doesn’t matter, it’s not that simple. Between our history and Keith and my history with him, I’m still surprised he didn’t shoot me today. Veronica and I still have some things to figure out before we even think about nearing that step, much less taking it. I still can’t believe you actually got them the tickets though. That’s just -”
“I like Veronica, I like her with you. Obviously I don’t know where you two are headed but wherever it is I would hope that it involves more family holidays together and that’s why I included Veronica’s father as well.”
“Mom, I appreciate the interest you’re taking in my love life, but I’m a big boy. And even if I was going to ask something like that of Veronica, I wouldn’t do it this soon or with Keith here.”
“He did give me the impression earlier that you and he aren’t exactly friends.”
“You could say there are some unresolved issues,” he grinned.
“So significant that they kept Veronica from telling her father that you and she are involved before today, I understand.”
“Yeah. And I admit that it’s more than he just doesn’t like me, I earned it. But I’m hoping that one of these days he’ll think I’m half as good for Veronica as you think she is for me. I’m not holding my breath though.”
**
“Ring or no ring, just for me, for my peace of mind, tell me the truth. Are you or are you not engaged to be married as of now?” Keith pleaded, preparing himself for the worst.
Veronica almost laughed. “No. He’s never asked and I haven’t asked him. No one’s asked anyone anything resembling that question.”
Keith let out a heavy sigh of relief. “Okay then what do you say we dive into our presents and then get to bed? I’m beat and I’m pretty sure you are too after the long day you’ve had.”
Veronica nodded. Plus the sooner her father went to bed the sooner, she hoped, she could slip out and actually try that new key of hers. She had to admit it would be nice to not have to break into his place for once. Then again, being Veronica Mars and getting away with breaking into the sheriff’s apartment had been kind of a turn on.
“So where was Wallace today? Part of me had hoped he’d at least call and give us a bit of a reprieve from Casa de Lamb.”
“He’s in Michigan with his girlfriend’s family. But I bet he’ll be sorry he missed out on Eric’s pie when I tell him about it.”
“Do you think that’ll be all he’ll be sorry he missed out on?”
“What do you mean?”
“Does he know about this recent development between you and our local sheriff?”
“Not exactly,” Veronica admitted. She had meant to tell Wallace, a couple of times. But given that Wallace had his own low opinion of the sheriff that she never used to consider a bad thing, she had decided to wait for the best time. The best time, recently, seemed to be any time that wasn’t then.
Besides it had only been a month. Who knew if this wasn’t just some temporary bout of insanity brought on by being constantly faced with him at every turn?
Then again she had to admit she didn’t regret having found him instead of the bail jumper she had been on the hunt for. And it had been a long time since she felt like she belonged and yet it had been so easy for her to feel like she was already part of Lamb’s family. She chose to blame the snark.
**
Two hours later Lamb heard his door open and turned over in his bed. He had finally gotten his mother to leave after another hour of dancing around just why Keith didn’t like him and what the issues between he and Veronica had been over the years. At least he felt he had managed to get her to stop picking out a china pattern for them for the time being.
“How much would you hate me if I said I just wanted to sleep tonight?” Veronica asked as she climbed into Lamb’s bed, taking off only her jacket and shoes.
He chuckled. “I crashed almost as soon as I got my mom to leave.”
“So that’s a ‘not at all’?”
“Yes,” he answered as he curled an arm around her and pulled her closer to him.
“You know my dad’s going to know I left, right?”
“You’re legal, I’m not worried.”
“Except for that he deliberately told me earlier that I’d be spending tonight there and without you sliding down my chimney tonight.”
That time Lamb burst out laughing. “He seriously said that?”
“More or less. When he called me after he realized it was your apartment I was on my way to this morning.”
“Well then he’s in luck because I’m way too tired tonight.”
“I’d be insulted if this hadn’t been such an eventful day.”
“And just think, we get to do it all again in eleven months. Provided they don’t show up for our birthdays.”
Veronica laughed and cringed at that. A week ago she wouldn’t have thought of that but now the odds seemed rather high. Either way, he was definitely right about Thanksgiving. After all the tickets had already been paid for.
Their last thoughts before drifting off to sleep was the fact that they had spent more waking hours together today than they likely ever had. Fifteen hours later and they were still together. They both knew then it could be quite a while before they tired of each others’ company.
With that it was clear, in eleven months would get her wish of having Lamb and Veronica joining the others for another Thanksgiving together. Veronica knew it would take some added prodding but she would get her father there too. After all, there had been a time Lamb had been like family. Now it was becoming increasingly obvious that he was really about to be.
The End