A/N: Ok, I'm going to make this chapter as long as I possibly can. I'm
going to do something a little different, and I hope to god it works out.
Thanks for all the great reviews, they've really helped me in deciding what
I'm going to do later in the story so thanks and keep on reviewing! : )
.:Faith:.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not the characters. Although I would really like to own Spike. Anyway nothing is mine sadly and none of the lines from any of the scripts are mine. The title and the plot are loosely based on the In Death books by J.D. Robb. I don't own it either
Rating: R, just for good measure
Chapter 7
Buffy walked into her office and shut the door behind her. She hung her beige jacket on the rack, sat down in her chair and thought about what she had just told Spike. She couldn't believe that she had told him all of that information about her father so quickly, and without a fight.
Her thoughts however where interrupted when Tara walked in to find her partner deep in thought.
"Sir, Your meeting with Dr. Giles is in a few minutes."
"Thanks, I'll be right out."
Buffy let her thoughts stew for a minute then decided that she had a job to do and tried to clear her mind as she walked out her wood door, through the bullpen and into the elevator.
Dr. Giles was the best criminal profiler in Los Angeles. He had helped Buffy on several cases in the past and she valued his opinion. He also had developed a personal relationship with Buffy, he was like the father that she had never had.
As Buffy walked up to Giles' door she told Tara to stay put.
Buffy knocked before opening and saw Giles sitting in a chair drinking tea and gazing out the window.
"Hate to interrupt . . ." Buffy began as she stepped further into the room
Giles seemed to come out of his stupor and acknowledged her presence.
"Ah, Buffy. How are you doing today?" Giles asked with a hint of English in his voice, as he got up and started to make some tea
"I'm alright. I need to talk to you about my latest case." Buffy said as she sat down in one of the fluffy blue chairs
"Oh, right. You need a profile I assume?" he asked while handing her the tea
"Yes, as soon as possible." Buffy spoke quickly resting the delicate white china on her knee.
"Well let me see if I can be of some use to you." Giles began
"You're looking for a man aged between twenty three and forty. He's arrogant, cocky. He thinks he can get the best of you."
"He won't"
"Yes, I'm sure he won't. He likely had issues with some sort of mother figure when he was smaller. That would explain why he is targeting women as his victims. He wants to take away what makes them female, he wants them degraded. He abhors women but at the same time finds them fascinating. I'm afraid that's all I can give you at this point so soon." Giles finished, taking a sip of herbal tea
"Thanks, I appreciate it" Buffy rose setting the cup on a table and began to leave
"Buffy, is everything alright?"
"Yeah, why do you say otherwise?"
"You seem, distracted is all. Nothing's bothering you at all?" Giles asked studying her closely
"Look, I'm not here for a consult alright? I need to go do my job." Buffy spun on her heel and started to leave when Giles, again, stopped her.
"You had another nightmare didn't you?" Giles asked quietly
Buffy turned slowly and stared hard at Giles
"Yes, I did."
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
"No. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do" Buffy said as she left the room not stopping to pick Tara up, she walked right to the elevator.
"Is everything alright sir?" Tara asked when the doors closed
"First of all, we are equals you don't need to call me sir all the god damn time. I might have trained you, but we are equals. And secondly, the next fucking person that asks me if I'm alright is going to get hit." Buffy said angrily
"Where are we going?" Tara asked breaking the silence in Buffy's car. They had been driving for ten minutes and Tara had no idea what was going on.
"We're going to pay Warren another visit, I feel like kicking a lying nerd around. This is how it's going to lay out, I'm going to get a call on my cell, I'm going to be pissed but I'm going to take it, you are then going to come in and play good sympathetic cop. See if you can get something out of him that I didn't get." Buffy said as she pulled into the parking garage to Warren's apartment complex
Buffy rapped fiercely on Warren's apartment door for the second time that week.
Warren answered the door and started to close it when Buffy slapped a hand on the door and pushed it open.
"Not a good idea Warren. You're going to answer some questions that I've had brewing for a few hours."
Buffy's back was turned and Warren grabbed her arm angrily.
"Oh please. Give me a reason." Said Buffy in a low threatening voice
Warren dropped her arm and asked her, "What the hell are you doing in my home? We had this cleared up."
"No we didn't. And what the hell are you doing lying to me?"
"I-I don- don't know what you're talking about." Warren said backing up into a chair
"Oh you know exactly what I'm talking about. Record on; Interview with Meers, Warren. Interview being conducted by Summers, Detective Buffy. Also present is McClay, Detective Tara. Interview being held at Sunridge apartment complex. Now, Warren, want to tell me why you lied to me?" Buffy asked sweetly
"I told you, I- I didn't lie to you."
"I beg to differ. You told me that you found your sister on the couch presumably dead, a pill bottle next to her that she had taken. There were no drugs in her system except for the drug that made her loopy when the killer raped her."
"I- I didn't know if she had taken the pills or not."
"God Warren, you know, I really hate liars." Buffy slapped her hands on either side of the chairs arms, "Now tell me, why did you kill your sister?" Buffy yelled
A tear ran down Warren's cheek but Buffy was fresh out of sympathy for him.
"I didn't kill her."
"Oh come on. You beat her up, you raped her and then you cut her up. You don't have an alibi, no one saw you, well except your sister. You're telling me that you didn't want to feel what it was like to have more power than someone? I looked at your record Warren, your little girlfriend Katrina, claims you beat her and kicked her down a flight of stairs. Seems to me you have a little problem with women don't you?"
"I- I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure you do. Your father beat your mother, and then taught you that it was alright for you to beat women when they don't behave the way they're supposed to am I right? You learned from your father that beating women was just an everyday thing, so tell me again. Why did you kill your sister?" Buffy snarled at him when her phone rang.
"God damn it. I have to take this. McClay, get something out of him." Buffy stormed out the off and slammed the door behind her.
"I'm sorry about her. She's had a rough couple of days. Can I get you something? Water?" Tara asked sweetly
"No, no I'm fine. That woman is horrible." Warren said shaken
"She's not so bad, she's really stressing about this case and it would really help us out if you had some sort of an alibi." Tara did her best to act shy and blush a little
"Well unfortunetly I don't have an alibi." Warren said as he became more comfortable thinking that he had gotten rid of the tiger and gotten himself a kitten.
"I know, but maybe you could think back real hard and try to think if anyone saw you?"
"No, no, I don't think anyone saw me except for Katrina before I left. You know, Katrina and I really aren't doing so well. Maybe some night you would like to have some dinner privately?" Warren said as he got up and traced a finger down Tara's arm, turning the charm on
Many revolting and non flattering comments ran through Tara's head; however she decided to suck them down and blushed.
"Gee, I don't know if me partner would like that."
"She wouldn't have to know. She doesn't know what you do every hour of the day does she?"
"No, she doesn't. I'm sorry Mr. Meers, I'm afraid I have to leave." Tara said as she started toward the door
Warren gently grabbed her arm and turned her towards him, "Don't forget about that dinner"
Hoping she had one more blush in her, Tara tried and apparently succeeded as she said, "I won't" and walked out the door
As soon as the door shut behind Tara she made several gagging noises that Buffy just had to smile at.
"Ok I'm over it." Tara said when she was finished
"Did you get anything out of him?"
"No, just that he's a creep. That's about it."
"Well we already knew that. Take an hour personal." Buffy said as they headed toward her car
"What?"
"Take an hour personal. I need to make a stop." Buffy said as she got into her car and drove off leaving Tara standing in the parking garage
"Don't worry about me. . . I'm sure I can find my own transportation."
Buffy walked up the steps and knocked on another apartment door, this time for comfort.
Cordelia Chase opened the door in a swirl of color. Her flaming red halter top and blinding white skirt fluttered behind her as she opened the door and hugged Buffy.
"Oh my god, Buffy! I haven't seen you in ages! Come in," Cordelia said as she moved aside
"I've missed you too Cordelia" Buffy said smiling
Cordelia sat down on her off-white couch and smiled from ear to ear.
"So how've you been? Anything new going on? Gossip of anything?" Cordelia asked excited
"No, nothing's going on, just wanted to stop by and see you." Buffy lied
"Alright now I know something's up. You never 'just stop by to see me'. Dish it."
"I slept with Spike Raleigh." Buffy confessed finding a new interest in her boots
"You what?!" Cordelia yelled as she jumped out of her chair
"You- you slept with- with Spike Raleigh?! Was he good? Well of course he's good, he's Spike I mean just look at him. How in the hell did this happen and why did you not call me as soon as it was over?!"
"Ok, first of all, calm down. It's not that big a deal."
"Oh you're about to get hit. How can you say that?"
Buffy shrugged, "I don't know. Ok, it is a big deal. I slept with him."
"You bet your ass you did. You know what we need? We need some alcohol." Cordelia said as she made her way to the kitchen
"I can't, I'm on duty. Coffee if you got it."
Cordelia poured herself a drink and fixed Buffy some coffee.
"So how was it?"
"I am so not going to talk about that with you." Buffy said taking the coffee she offered
"Why not? Come on, I haven't had decent gossip in ages, you need to give me something!" begged Cordelia
"It was- nice."
"That's it? That's all I get? You fucked the hottest guy in LA and it was- nice? Something is seriously wrong with you." Scowling, Cordelia took a sip of her drink and made a face
Buffy couldn't help but laugh out loud. It felt good to laugh, really laugh. She hadn't done that in a week or two.
"Alright it was amazing."
"That's more like it."
An hour with Cordelia Chase did things to a girl. And that was just what Buffy had needed to get her through the day.
As Buffy walked into her office Tara came to the door and said, "The commander wants to see you."
"Great, just what I need to complete my day."
Buffy up to Commander Kate Lockleys's office and knocked, the only response that came was a grunt and Buffy moved into the small cramped office.
"You wanted to see me?" Buffy asked
"Yes, I did. How are things progressing with the Ross Homicide?" Kate asked as she looked up from her mountain of paperwork and met Buffy's eyes.
"Progress is slow. I have two main suspects, Spike Raleigh and Warren Meers."
"Isn't Warren the brother of Sydney?"
"Yes he is"
"And you think he killed his sister. Man it takes all kinds."
"Yes sir it does. I'm requesting I put together a team including Xander Harris and Willow Rosenberg from the technology department."
"Granted. Now how are things with the media?"
Buffy suppressed a sigh and went on, "Anya Jenkins of Channel 25 is pushing for a one on one and an interview with the suspects."
"I advise you to not give into her requests. The media at this point should not be advised of anything except that the investigation is ongoing." Kate said
"I agree sir."
"Go do your job Detective"
Buffy exited the office and headed toward the elevator to make a stop at the technology department. Tara caught her before the doors closed and told Buffy, "You know, as your partner, you are required to tell me where you're going so that I can tag along."
"I didn't know that. Thanks for that little bit of trivia."
"So, where are we going?"
"You ask that too much McClay."
"I'm just wondering."
As the silver elevator doors opened, Tara and Buffy stepped into a whole other world.
The technology department might have been stuck at desks, but that didn't keep them any less busy.
Cubes around the room were buzzing with people working on different cases, deciphering codes and schematics.
Buffy and Tara walked through the mass of techno-geeks and stopped at one of the last cubes.
"Hey Rosenberg, long time no see."
Willow looked up from her cube and smiled as she saw Buffy and Tara.
"Hey Summers. Been a while. Hi Tara." Willow added shyly brushing her red hair out of her eyes.
"You've been working on the Ross case right?" Buffy asked
"Yeah I have, and I got something for you." Willow said as she rummaged through files and papers on her desk.
"This is all that was on her computer. Normal e-mail, web surfing, that kind of stuff. But, there was one e-mail that I found interesting. One to her brother, uh- Warren. She told him that she wouldn't be able to make their next usual date because she thought that she was coming down with something bad and had to stay at home. It only popped because in your report you said that Warren went to her apartment and found her dead."
"Yeah, he did." Buffy added quietly as she thought about the information that had just been passed to her
"Keep up the work Rosenberg, stay in touch."
"Will do" Willow said glancing at Tara then burying herself back in her work
Buffy and Tara crossed the room to another cube.
Tara had a dreamy look on her face and when Buffy noticed she said, "What's with you?"
"Nothing" Tara sighed
Buffy and Tara stopped at another cube, this time being greeted by Xander Harris. The dark haired man smiled warmly at the two and moved in for a hug then stopped himself.
"Oh right, image thing." He said
Buffy smiled weakly and gave Xander a reassuring pat on the arm.
"How've you been?" Buffy asked
"Good. And you?"
"Fine. Now that we've gotten all cozy, you've been working with Rosenberg on the Ross case right?"
"Yeah"
"So, what have you got for me?"
"Well, nothing really out of the blue. A few calls from her brother, a few calls to her brother. Some other calls to family and friends. Nothing really sparked nothing out of the ordinary."
"Ok, keep checking and keep in touch."
"Sure thing. Oh, and Summers?" Xander called to Buffy's retreating form
"Yeah?"
"You should come by here more often." Xander smiled as he went back to work
"I just have to get something from my office then we can leave." Buffy said as she made a bee-line to her office to grab a file then raced back to the elevator.
"Oh, hey Summers!"
Buffy heard her name and turned around to see Anya running toward her, camera in toe.
"Anya I don't have time for you"
"Wait, wait, don't shoot me down so quickly. I need a one on one with you as soon as possible."
"Anya I can't give that to you, not now. I'll give you what I can when I can." Buffy walked into the elevator and waited for the doors to close
"But- I thought that- I nee-"was all Buffy heard as she smiled when the doors closed and cut Anya off
Buffy and Tara got into Buffy's snow white vehicle and Buffy started the car, or at least, attempted to.
"Oh come on, don't do this to me you piece of shit not now." Buffy continued to try and start the car, and the car continued to not cooperate.
"Oh my god, I hate you" Buffy said giving up after five minutes, she rested her head on the steering wheel.
"It's ok sir. I'm sure if you try it in a few minutes it will start."
"I thought I told you to stop calling me that." Buffy mumbled
She pulled her head off the steering wheel and gave the car another try. This time it decided to start and made Buffy not punch a hole through the dashboard.
Buffy peeled out of the garage and onto the street. As they stopped at a light Buffy daydreamed as she watched the pedestrians pass by.
One pedestrian however caught her eye.
Because one pedestrian was her father.
A/N: MWAAHAHHA! I just had to say that. You thought I killed him didn't you? Go on, you know you did haha. This puts quite the spin on the story. I was going to do something different, and I can't remember what it was as I got half way through the chapter, lol oh well I'm sure it will come to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter I made it as long as I could at midnight. Review as always and I hope you like that I put Cordelia in as Buffy's friend. Even though it's kind of straying from the storyline on Buffy, ah well, they were close enough friends at the end of season three. : )
.:Faith:.
.:Faith:.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not the characters. Although I would really like to own Spike. Anyway nothing is mine sadly and none of the lines from any of the scripts are mine. The title and the plot are loosely based on the In Death books by J.D. Robb. I don't own it either
Rating: R, just for good measure
Chapter 7
Buffy walked into her office and shut the door behind her. She hung her beige jacket on the rack, sat down in her chair and thought about what she had just told Spike. She couldn't believe that she had told him all of that information about her father so quickly, and without a fight.
Her thoughts however where interrupted when Tara walked in to find her partner deep in thought.
"Sir, Your meeting with Dr. Giles is in a few minutes."
"Thanks, I'll be right out."
Buffy let her thoughts stew for a minute then decided that she had a job to do and tried to clear her mind as she walked out her wood door, through the bullpen and into the elevator.
Dr. Giles was the best criminal profiler in Los Angeles. He had helped Buffy on several cases in the past and she valued his opinion. He also had developed a personal relationship with Buffy, he was like the father that she had never had.
As Buffy walked up to Giles' door she told Tara to stay put.
Buffy knocked before opening and saw Giles sitting in a chair drinking tea and gazing out the window.
"Hate to interrupt . . ." Buffy began as she stepped further into the room
Giles seemed to come out of his stupor and acknowledged her presence.
"Ah, Buffy. How are you doing today?" Giles asked with a hint of English in his voice, as he got up and started to make some tea
"I'm alright. I need to talk to you about my latest case." Buffy said as she sat down in one of the fluffy blue chairs
"Oh, right. You need a profile I assume?" he asked while handing her the tea
"Yes, as soon as possible." Buffy spoke quickly resting the delicate white china on her knee.
"Well let me see if I can be of some use to you." Giles began
"You're looking for a man aged between twenty three and forty. He's arrogant, cocky. He thinks he can get the best of you."
"He won't"
"Yes, I'm sure he won't. He likely had issues with some sort of mother figure when he was smaller. That would explain why he is targeting women as his victims. He wants to take away what makes them female, he wants them degraded. He abhors women but at the same time finds them fascinating. I'm afraid that's all I can give you at this point so soon." Giles finished, taking a sip of herbal tea
"Thanks, I appreciate it" Buffy rose setting the cup on a table and began to leave
"Buffy, is everything alright?"
"Yeah, why do you say otherwise?"
"You seem, distracted is all. Nothing's bothering you at all?" Giles asked studying her closely
"Look, I'm not here for a consult alright? I need to go do my job." Buffy spun on her heel and started to leave when Giles, again, stopped her.
"You had another nightmare didn't you?" Giles asked quietly
Buffy turned slowly and stared hard at Giles
"Yes, I did."
"Do you want to tell me about it?"
"No. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do" Buffy said as she left the room not stopping to pick Tara up, she walked right to the elevator.
"Is everything alright sir?" Tara asked when the doors closed
"First of all, we are equals you don't need to call me sir all the god damn time. I might have trained you, but we are equals. And secondly, the next fucking person that asks me if I'm alright is going to get hit." Buffy said angrily
"Where are we going?" Tara asked breaking the silence in Buffy's car. They had been driving for ten minutes and Tara had no idea what was going on.
"We're going to pay Warren another visit, I feel like kicking a lying nerd around. This is how it's going to lay out, I'm going to get a call on my cell, I'm going to be pissed but I'm going to take it, you are then going to come in and play good sympathetic cop. See if you can get something out of him that I didn't get." Buffy said as she pulled into the parking garage to Warren's apartment complex
Buffy rapped fiercely on Warren's apartment door for the second time that week.
Warren answered the door and started to close it when Buffy slapped a hand on the door and pushed it open.
"Not a good idea Warren. You're going to answer some questions that I've had brewing for a few hours."
Buffy's back was turned and Warren grabbed her arm angrily.
"Oh please. Give me a reason." Said Buffy in a low threatening voice
Warren dropped her arm and asked her, "What the hell are you doing in my home? We had this cleared up."
"No we didn't. And what the hell are you doing lying to me?"
"I-I don- don't know what you're talking about." Warren said backing up into a chair
"Oh you know exactly what I'm talking about. Record on; Interview with Meers, Warren. Interview being conducted by Summers, Detective Buffy. Also present is McClay, Detective Tara. Interview being held at Sunridge apartment complex. Now, Warren, want to tell me why you lied to me?" Buffy asked sweetly
"I told you, I- I didn't lie to you."
"I beg to differ. You told me that you found your sister on the couch presumably dead, a pill bottle next to her that she had taken. There were no drugs in her system except for the drug that made her loopy when the killer raped her."
"I- I didn't know if she had taken the pills or not."
"God Warren, you know, I really hate liars." Buffy slapped her hands on either side of the chairs arms, "Now tell me, why did you kill your sister?" Buffy yelled
A tear ran down Warren's cheek but Buffy was fresh out of sympathy for him.
"I didn't kill her."
"Oh come on. You beat her up, you raped her and then you cut her up. You don't have an alibi, no one saw you, well except your sister. You're telling me that you didn't want to feel what it was like to have more power than someone? I looked at your record Warren, your little girlfriend Katrina, claims you beat her and kicked her down a flight of stairs. Seems to me you have a little problem with women don't you?"
"I- I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure you do. Your father beat your mother, and then taught you that it was alright for you to beat women when they don't behave the way they're supposed to am I right? You learned from your father that beating women was just an everyday thing, so tell me again. Why did you kill your sister?" Buffy snarled at him when her phone rang.
"God damn it. I have to take this. McClay, get something out of him." Buffy stormed out the off and slammed the door behind her.
"I'm sorry about her. She's had a rough couple of days. Can I get you something? Water?" Tara asked sweetly
"No, no I'm fine. That woman is horrible." Warren said shaken
"She's not so bad, she's really stressing about this case and it would really help us out if you had some sort of an alibi." Tara did her best to act shy and blush a little
"Well unfortunetly I don't have an alibi." Warren said as he became more comfortable thinking that he had gotten rid of the tiger and gotten himself a kitten.
"I know, but maybe you could think back real hard and try to think if anyone saw you?"
"No, no, I don't think anyone saw me except for Katrina before I left. You know, Katrina and I really aren't doing so well. Maybe some night you would like to have some dinner privately?" Warren said as he got up and traced a finger down Tara's arm, turning the charm on
Many revolting and non flattering comments ran through Tara's head; however she decided to suck them down and blushed.
"Gee, I don't know if me partner would like that."
"She wouldn't have to know. She doesn't know what you do every hour of the day does she?"
"No, she doesn't. I'm sorry Mr. Meers, I'm afraid I have to leave." Tara said as she started toward the door
Warren gently grabbed her arm and turned her towards him, "Don't forget about that dinner"
Hoping she had one more blush in her, Tara tried and apparently succeeded as she said, "I won't" and walked out the door
As soon as the door shut behind Tara she made several gagging noises that Buffy just had to smile at.
"Ok I'm over it." Tara said when she was finished
"Did you get anything out of him?"
"No, just that he's a creep. That's about it."
"Well we already knew that. Take an hour personal." Buffy said as they headed toward her car
"What?"
"Take an hour personal. I need to make a stop." Buffy said as she got into her car and drove off leaving Tara standing in the parking garage
"Don't worry about me. . . I'm sure I can find my own transportation."
Buffy walked up the steps and knocked on another apartment door, this time for comfort.
Cordelia Chase opened the door in a swirl of color. Her flaming red halter top and blinding white skirt fluttered behind her as she opened the door and hugged Buffy.
"Oh my god, Buffy! I haven't seen you in ages! Come in," Cordelia said as she moved aside
"I've missed you too Cordelia" Buffy said smiling
Cordelia sat down on her off-white couch and smiled from ear to ear.
"So how've you been? Anything new going on? Gossip of anything?" Cordelia asked excited
"No, nothing's going on, just wanted to stop by and see you." Buffy lied
"Alright now I know something's up. You never 'just stop by to see me'. Dish it."
"I slept with Spike Raleigh." Buffy confessed finding a new interest in her boots
"You what?!" Cordelia yelled as she jumped out of her chair
"You- you slept with- with Spike Raleigh?! Was he good? Well of course he's good, he's Spike I mean just look at him. How in the hell did this happen and why did you not call me as soon as it was over?!"
"Ok, first of all, calm down. It's not that big a deal."
"Oh you're about to get hit. How can you say that?"
Buffy shrugged, "I don't know. Ok, it is a big deal. I slept with him."
"You bet your ass you did. You know what we need? We need some alcohol." Cordelia said as she made her way to the kitchen
"I can't, I'm on duty. Coffee if you got it."
Cordelia poured herself a drink and fixed Buffy some coffee.
"So how was it?"
"I am so not going to talk about that with you." Buffy said taking the coffee she offered
"Why not? Come on, I haven't had decent gossip in ages, you need to give me something!" begged Cordelia
"It was- nice."
"That's it? That's all I get? You fucked the hottest guy in LA and it was- nice? Something is seriously wrong with you." Scowling, Cordelia took a sip of her drink and made a face
Buffy couldn't help but laugh out loud. It felt good to laugh, really laugh. She hadn't done that in a week or two.
"Alright it was amazing."
"That's more like it."
An hour with Cordelia Chase did things to a girl. And that was just what Buffy had needed to get her through the day.
As Buffy walked into her office Tara came to the door and said, "The commander wants to see you."
"Great, just what I need to complete my day."
Buffy up to Commander Kate Lockleys's office and knocked, the only response that came was a grunt and Buffy moved into the small cramped office.
"You wanted to see me?" Buffy asked
"Yes, I did. How are things progressing with the Ross Homicide?" Kate asked as she looked up from her mountain of paperwork and met Buffy's eyes.
"Progress is slow. I have two main suspects, Spike Raleigh and Warren Meers."
"Isn't Warren the brother of Sydney?"
"Yes he is"
"And you think he killed his sister. Man it takes all kinds."
"Yes sir it does. I'm requesting I put together a team including Xander Harris and Willow Rosenberg from the technology department."
"Granted. Now how are things with the media?"
Buffy suppressed a sigh and went on, "Anya Jenkins of Channel 25 is pushing for a one on one and an interview with the suspects."
"I advise you to not give into her requests. The media at this point should not be advised of anything except that the investigation is ongoing." Kate said
"I agree sir."
"Go do your job Detective"
Buffy exited the office and headed toward the elevator to make a stop at the technology department. Tara caught her before the doors closed and told Buffy, "You know, as your partner, you are required to tell me where you're going so that I can tag along."
"I didn't know that. Thanks for that little bit of trivia."
"So, where are we going?"
"You ask that too much McClay."
"I'm just wondering."
As the silver elevator doors opened, Tara and Buffy stepped into a whole other world.
The technology department might have been stuck at desks, but that didn't keep them any less busy.
Cubes around the room were buzzing with people working on different cases, deciphering codes and schematics.
Buffy and Tara walked through the mass of techno-geeks and stopped at one of the last cubes.
"Hey Rosenberg, long time no see."
Willow looked up from her cube and smiled as she saw Buffy and Tara.
"Hey Summers. Been a while. Hi Tara." Willow added shyly brushing her red hair out of her eyes.
"You've been working on the Ross case right?" Buffy asked
"Yeah I have, and I got something for you." Willow said as she rummaged through files and papers on her desk.
"This is all that was on her computer. Normal e-mail, web surfing, that kind of stuff. But, there was one e-mail that I found interesting. One to her brother, uh- Warren. She told him that she wouldn't be able to make their next usual date because she thought that she was coming down with something bad and had to stay at home. It only popped because in your report you said that Warren went to her apartment and found her dead."
"Yeah, he did." Buffy added quietly as she thought about the information that had just been passed to her
"Keep up the work Rosenberg, stay in touch."
"Will do" Willow said glancing at Tara then burying herself back in her work
Buffy and Tara crossed the room to another cube.
Tara had a dreamy look on her face and when Buffy noticed she said, "What's with you?"
"Nothing" Tara sighed
Buffy and Tara stopped at another cube, this time being greeted by Xander Harris. The dark haired man smiled warmly at the two and moved in for a hug then stopped himself.
"Oh right, image thing." He said
Buffy smiled weakly and gave Xander a reassuring pat on the arm.
"How've you been?" Buffy asked
"Good. And you?"
"Fine. Now that we've gotten all cozy, you've been working with Rosenberg on the Ross case right?"
"Yeah"
"So, what have you got for me?"
"Well, nothing really out of the blue. A few calls from her brother, a few calls to her brother. Some other calls to family and friends. Nothing really sparked nothing out of the ordinary."
"Ok, keep checking and keep in touch."
"Sure thing. Oh, and Summers?" Xander called to Buffy's retreating form
"Yeah?"
"You should come by here more often." Xander smiled as he went back to work
"I just have to get something from my office then we can leave." Buffy said as she made a bee-line to her office to grab a file then raced back to the elevator.
"Oh, hey Summers!"
Buffy heard her name and turned around to see Anya running toward her, camera in toe.
"Anya I don't have time for you"
"Wait, wait, don't shoot me down so quickly. I need a one on one with you as soon as possible."
"Anya I can't give that to you, not now. I'll give you what I can when I can." Buffy walked into the elevator and waited for the doors to close
"But- I thought that- I nee-"was all Buffy heard as she smiled when the doors closed and cut Anya off
Buffy and Tara got into Buffy's snow white vehicle and Buffy started the car, or at least, attempted to.
"Oh come on, don't do this to me you piece of shit not now." Buffy continued to try and start the car, and the car continued to not cooperate.
"Oh my god, I hate you" Buffy said giving up after five minutes, she rested her head on the steering wheel.
"It's ok sir. I'm sure if you try it in a few minutes it will start."
"I thought I told you to stop calling me that." Buffy mumbled
She pulled her head off the steering wheel and gave the car another try. This time it decided to start and made Buffy not punch a hole through the dashboard.
Buffy peeled out of the garage and onto the street. As they stopped at a light Buffy daydreamed as she watched the pedestrians pass by.
One pedestrian however caught her eye.
Because one pedestrian was her father.
A/N: MWAAHAHHA! I just had to say that. You thought I killed him didn't you? Go on, you know you did haha. This puts quite the spin on the story. I was going to do something different, and I can't remember what it was as I got half way through the chapter, lol oh well I'm sure it will come to me. I hope you enjoy this chapter I made it as long as I could at midnight. Review as always and I hope you like that I put Cordelia in as Buffy's friend. Even though it's kind of straying from the storyline on Buffy, ah well, they were close enough friends at the end of season three. : )
.:Faith:.