Early Evening - Hearst College

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

After her late class, Veronica headed over to the student union to meet up with Piper. She had a message saying that Piper was running late due to traffic, so she decided to go ahead and order her food since she had missed lunch. She took her tray to a table and sat down, pulling out the syllabus for her class so she could look over it.

Opening her sandwich, she discovered that they had screwed up her order and she left her things on the table while she went up to get her sandwich fixed. A few minutes later she was back and happily eating.

Veronica finished her syllabus, her sandwich and most of her soda and there was still no sign of Piper. Concerned, she bent down to pull her phone out of her bag and started to feel light-headed. Her call forgotten, she sat up and gripped the edge of the table to steady herself. The dizziness seemed to pass, but she was suddenly feeling very warm and a little sleepy. She picked up her bag, put her syllabus away and decided to go outside for some fresh air.

The dizziness returned as she was walking and she decided she should find somewhere to sit down while she waited. Realizing that it was starting to get dark, she headed for her car and figured she'd call Piper once she got there.

She was staggering by the time she hit the garage and she finally started to realize that something was terribly wrong. She managed to pull her keys out of her purse and she was almost to the car when someone hit her from behind. As she was falling, she managed to hit the alarm button and the last conscious thought she had was that she had been drugged.


[ooc: locked to those who know who they are]

Comments

[absolutesnark]

Piper finally made it to Hearst and quickly found a parking spot. When she got out of her car, she heard the sound of a car alarm blaring, which only added to her annoyance. As she got closer, though, she thought the car blasting the alarm looked awfully familiar. That's when she realized it the vehicle belonged to Veronica.

"Veronica?" Piper called. "What's with the alarm?"

She was concerned when she got no response so she walked around to the other side of the car, gasping in horror when she spotted Veronica unconscious on the ground. "Oh my god, Veronica!"

She ran to her friend's side, lifting her head and slapping her face lightly to wake her. "Veronica, please wake up." Piper was nearly panicking.

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica moaned and her eyes blinked open. "Hmmmm?"

[absolutesnark]

"Veronica, I need to get you in the car, okay?" Piper said, hoping Veronica understood what she was saying. "But I'm gonna need you to help me out. Can you stand at all?"

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"Can try," Veronica whispered, reaching for her friend for support.

[absolutesnark]

"That's good enough for me," Piper assured as she cradled Veronica's head in an attempt to help her to her feet. That's when she realized a clump of Veronica's hair was missing.

She felt a little sick when she discovered the clump of blond hair on the ground beside Veronica, but she wasn't about to lose it now. Helping her friend was her first priority. Piper helped Veronica to her feet and then managed to get her into the backseat.

Once Veronica was in the car, Piper quickly and handwavily secured the hair on the ground. Maybe it could provide a clue as to who had done this.

Then she grabbed Veronica's keys and got behind the wheel. "Okay, Veronica, you have any idea where the nearest hospital is?"

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica was fairly near unconsciousness in the back seat. "No hospital," she said firmly. "Home."

[absolutesnark]

"Are you sure?" By now, Piper was already out of the parking lot and on the road. "Just promise me you'll be okay."

She figured talking to Veronica would help keep her conscious.

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Was last time." Veronica was definitely slurring her words.

[absolutesnark]

Piper knew what Veronica was talking about and was suddenly very angry. But she tried to remain calm. "Alright then, let's get you home."

There may have been speeding involved.

[absolutesnark]

Eventually, Piper and Veronica made it back to their apartment. Piper had managed to get Veronica into her room and into her bed. She pulled Veronica's shoes off and then draped a blanket over her. She sat with her for awhile before getting restless.

She started thinking about people who should know what was going on. She could let her father know, but Veronica would probably kill her. Maybe Weevil...or maybe someone back in Fandom. After finding Veronica's cellphone, she placed a call.

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

Cameron grinned when he checked the caller ID on his cell and saw Veronica's name lit up. "Yo, baby," he greeted.

[absolutesnark]

Piper blinked in confusion for a moment before she remembered she was calling from Veronica's cellphone. "Oh, this isn't Veronica. Um, it's Piper..."

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Cameron said sheepishly. Good thing you couldn't see blushing across the telephone. "Sorry, I saw Veronica's ID and I assumed..." He faltered, suddenly realising that Piper was calling him from Veronica's telephone and...

"What's going on?"

[absolutesnark]

Piper wasn't even sure where to begin. "Veronica is probably gonna be pissed at me for this, but I really think you should know and she's probably going to be grateful after she wants to hurt me..."

Now she was just rambling.

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

While Piper's words could pretty much lead up to anything, the fact that she was rambling wasn't helping him get rid of the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Piper," he said firmly, trying to keep his tone gentle. "What's going on?"

[absolutesnark]

Piper sighed and got right to the point. "I was supposed to meet Veronica tonight at Hearst, but traffic was bad and I was late and...when I got there, I found her unconscious beside her car. I...I'm pretty sure she was drugged."

She continued. "She's okay now, I promise."

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

There was a long pause as Cameron tried to process the information, but it didn't quite want to register.

"She..." he started, but couldn't finish his first train of thought. "Are you sure she was drugged?" he tried again, stumbling over the words as he remembered what Veronica had told him about the rape cases. Had told him about her own experiences and this was not happened. "Are you sure... Is she...?"

[absolutesnark]

"I think I got there in time to stop anything else from happening." Once again, Piper felt sick, thinking about what could have happened. She glanced at Veronica. "I'm sitting here with her right now. She's asleep, but she's fine."

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

That helped a little bit, but he needed to see her for himself before he'd fully believe. "Okay. But I'm coming over, I'll get Bel to... Damnit."

[absolutesnark]

"Right, he can't..." Piper sighed, suddenly wishing for a moment she hadn't made that potion. "I know I can't stop you for finding a way out here. I think it would be good for Veronica anyway."

Then she remembered something. "You know, I'm pretty sure Cally and Mac are visiting sometime this week. Maybe find out how they're getting here?"

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Sometimes like within the next five minutes?" Cameron asked hopeful.

[absolutesnark]

"Friday, I think," Piper said. She probably should have waited to call Cameron so he wouldn't worry so much. "Might be best to wait until then. Veronica would probably hate it if you missed classes the first week."

She knew how lame that argument was.

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Veronica's more important than classes," Cameron dismissed the argument. "Friday's too long. I'll see if I can get a flight tonight or tomorrow," he replied, wishing he hadn't spend so much money on christmas present. "Are you sure she's okay? What did the doctor say?"

[absolutesnark]

"Um...I just brought her home. She wouldn't let me take her to the doctor," Piper said, wishing she hadn't listened to Veronica. "But I'm sure she's okay. I'll stay with her and if anything happens, I'll get her to the hospital."

She'd just have Paige teleport her.

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

Cameron rubbed his forehead. "I'm taking a wild guess that she wouldn't let you call the cops either?"

[absolutesnark]

Piper frowned. "I'll try to talk her into that when she wakes up."

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Good because it sounds like it might be connected to the case she was investigating," he sighed and there was a thumping noise as he kicked at something. "Did you see anything?"

[absolutesnark]

"I think it is, too," Piper said. "I didn't see who could have done this."

If she had, she would have blown him up right there in the garage.

"I wish I had gotten there sooner," Piper sighed.

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"But you got there," he pointed out, his voice catching. "That's all that matters."

[absolutesnark]

"I know," Piper said, nodding. "If I find out who did this..."

She didn't really need to finish that statement.

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Yeah well, leave a piece for me," Cameron growled.

[absolutesnark]

"Definitely," Piper agreed.

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

Cameron sighed. "Is she still sleeping?"

[absolutesnark]

Piper looked over at Veronica. "Yeah. I think she'll be out for awhile."

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Can you ask her to call me when she wakes up and she's lucid enough? I don't care what time it is," he pleaded.

[absolutesnark]

"Of course I will," Piper said. "You don't even have to ask."

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Thank you," he said gratefully, clearly meaning for a lot more than just asking Veronica. "I should go see if I can get a flight. You two be careful, okay? And you can call me if there's anything."

[absolutesnark]

"You'll be the first person I call," Piper said. "Guess I'll see you soon."

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Definitely," he assured her. "Thanks, Piper. I uh..." He hesitated for a moment. "Tell I love her. I'll talk to you soon."

[absolutesnark]

Piper smiled. "I'll tell her. Night Cameron."

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"Night," he said before hanging up and running off to try to get a plane.