Who: Veronica Mars and Will Gorski What: Some creep creeps on Veronica When: Recently Where: Out and about Warning/Rating: Other than a catcaller who gets punched in the face, low/none Status: Complete
It was another day at the office for Veronica Mars. She had met with a client already this morning and done some preliminary background check on the woman’s husband. Not it was time for some lunch.
Veronica was on her way to the sandwich shop a block away from her office when she passed by some construction workers. “Hey baby, looking fine.” The blonde just rolled her eyes and kept on walking. The best way to deal with these creeps was not to give them the time of day.
“Come on baby,” the guy called out again. “You know you want a piece of this.” Out of the corner of her eye Veronica could see the guy make a thrusting motion. Gross. Even though the blonde knew she was perfectly capable of handling and even hurting this douche, she stuck to her strategy of ignoring.
The construction worker wasn’t having it though. He began to make his way toward Veronica.
Will had been waiting outside while Judy had gone inside to pick them up some coffee, scrolling through his phone as he waited for her to finish up. He heard the first catcall and rolled his eyes, glancing up from his phone. Once he heard the second catcall he started looking for the culprit, catching him as he started to leaving his post.
“Hey,” Will barked, heading toward them even as the construction worker was reaching for the woman.
The second the guy’s hand reached for her Veronica’s reflexes kicked in. Her hand formed a fist and connected with the guy’s jaw. “Call me baby again,” she threatened already prepared to throw another punch.
Will’s steps faltered, taken aback when the woman punched the man, a little surprised but impressed. It looked like it had connected pretty good. Will would have almost felt sorry for him, if he didn’t think the guy was getting exactly what he deserved.
Still, when the woman pulled back her fist for another swing, he thought that it was best that he intervene before the man did something that got himself clocked again. He ran toward the pair, inserting himself between them. “Hey,” he repeated. “I think he’s learned his lesson. Isn’t that right?” he asked, turning toward the man.
Veronica thought he could use a few more punches. Or even a good tasing. But with this cop standing between them she thought better of it. “And what about the next woman?” Veronica asked the cop. “What if she doesn’t know how to throw a punch?”
While the construction worker had been taken back by the punch he wasn’t all that phased. And now with the cop in between them he was a bit more confident. This tiny blonde woman wouldn’t hit him again in front of a cop. He spit some blood some from his mouth onto the ground a smirk formed on his phase. “Aw baby, you know you’re the only one for me.”
“Did you know,” Will said, ostensibly to Veronica, “that street harassment and lewd comments is punishable in California with a $1000 fine and six months in prison?”
“I’ve heard that,” Veronica replied looking pointedly at the man who was now sheepishly walking off. Once he was out of earshot she turned her attention to the cop. “You should have arrested him.”
Will watched the guy walk away, wondering if he’d actually made the right call in letting him go. Ordinarily, Will would have brought him in, but… “You’d be more likely to go down for assault than he would be for street harassment,” Will said, shrugging. It would take a very special kind of judge that would even convict him for what he’d done, let alone one that would give him any kind of lasting penalty.
Veronica highly doubted that. She had connections, yes. But that wasn’t the reason. She could easily play the victim card. She used to be a defense lawyer. She knew what would work. “For self defense?” Veronica replied innocently. “Who knows what that guy could have done to me.”
“You threw the first punch,” Will pointed out, “and I’d legally have to testify to that. He had it coming, but I don’t think the self-defense plea would have held up.”
“He was trying to grab me,” Veronica replied. “I know you saw that.” But really there wasn’t much point arguing it. The guy had left. Hopefully he learned his lesson and wouldn’t harass anyone again.
“He was,” Will agreed. He still didn’t think that would hold up, but there really was no point in continuing to argue. “Stay safe, alright?” Not that he had any doubt the woman could manage her own safety quite well after the display he’d just seen.
“I can handle myself,” Veronica replied just to reiterate the point. And with that she walked off leaving the officer behind.