A/N: Me is back. Prepare yourselves for this one (Ellen, I know you've read it...well...sorta...but who can resist reading it again!) The end of this chapter sets up a nice morning...

frenchkissingwoody: Gr, your name's getting really annoying...anywho, chair throwing is really tempting right now...Thanks for the review, hun. Your reaction to my action is what I want to see. lol, ignore that.

astacia: Lol, floating rats. Hehe, I was thinking of my science labs and after I wrote it I was like "What the hell?" And Woody will be meeting the parents very soon, mark my words. Thanks for the review!

Disclaimer: I'm sorry I don't own it.

Deception
Chapter 7: Spun Webs


There was panic and chaos…once again. This time, however, there was a body. And a confirmation of identity as Woody picked through the victim's pockets. A wallet with quite a bit of cash and an ID card. This woman was Kathleen Moore…and she had turned up dead that afternoon outside of a local restaurant. The owner was panicking, thinking he would be sued because of food poisoning, but Woody knew better. Kathleen Moore had been murdered. Murder, intentional killing. She had been a target.

Devan comforted a young woman who had discovered the body. She said she had been walking down the ally behind the restaurant when she had found Kathleen. She had been the one to call the police and when they arrived, she had broken down. The owner of the restaurant stalked up to Devan then, his face ashen with fear.

"People are going to sue, aren't they?"

Devan squeezed the young woman's shoulder comfortingly and then steered her towards Detective Adrian Lenning. Then she turned to the stocky man in front of her. "Mr. Falkner, this may not have been food poisoning. And if anyone does sue, then we will exonerate you, I promise."

Woody walked over to them, peeling off his gloves and turning to shake the man's hand. "Mr. Falkner, we need to know what happened. Now…Kathleen Moore was dining at your restaurant not long ago…?"

Mr. Falkner nodded vaguely. "Yeah, she and another man. About two hours ago."

"Another man?" Devan inquired, leaning forward.

The man nodded. "Tall, blonde hair, amazing green eyes. Pretty lanky."

Woody's face shrunk in, his eyes finding Devan's. "Adam."

"Adam! That's it," Mr. Falkner exclaimed. "They had been fighting. Yelling even and after she shouted his name I paid close attention to them. It was so heated I thought they were literally going to reach out and strangle each other then and there."

Devan nodded slowly. "How long did they talk for?"

The man looked thoughtful and sighed. "Must have been around half an hour. Oh, and after about twenty minutes, she went off to the bathroom. I stopped looking then, though I did see him lean forward over her drink for a second…"

"And slip something in?" Woody questioned swiftly.

Mr. Falkner shrugged. "I wouldn't know. But it did look that way."

Woody inhaled a deep breath, looking to Devan. "Let's get her in."

Devan only nodded once.


Jordan traced her gloved hand over Kathleen's back. "No outward injury."

A machine bleeped and Devan went over and pulled out a piece of paper from it. "Tox screen."

Jordan looked up when Devan walked back over and skimmed through the paper. Then Devan stopped and stared. Jordan became curious. "What?"

The blonde looked up, swallowing hard. "Sodium Morphate was found. A high level of it."

Jordan frowned. "Blood thinner? Often found in rat poison?"

Devan nodded slowly. "That's the one. In high doses, it induces a heart attack and is virtually unstoppable unless medication is taken straight away. Let's look at her heart."


They found themselves knocking on his door for the third time in less than a month. Except this time they had a team backing them up. The evidence they had found in Kathleen's body linked him to the murder and he would be charged with it, however he decided to plead.

Woody shifted his weight from one foot to the other, glancing over at Devan. "Are you sure that's what you found?"

Devan nodded. "Sodium Morphate. Poison."

Woody sighed then straightened as a shadow appeared behind the door. It opened to reveal Adam Moore, whose hair was messy and his clothes in disarray. His breath completely reeked of alcohol. But somehow he wasn't drunk enough to say anything. He just stood there with a solemn look, knowing what he had down and knowing what would happen to him because of it.

Woody swallowed before taking out handcuffs from his pocket. "Adam Moore, I'm arresting you for the murder of Kathleen Moore."

Moore stood silent and willing as his hands were placed behind his back and the cuffs tightly encircled his wrists. His green eyes stared forward, not once blinking. Just staring.


With a towel tightly wrapped around her, Devan walked casually out of her bathroom, another towel rubbing furiously over her hair, attempting to loosen the water from it. She walked out into the living room and stopped suddenly when she heard a rustle. A man jumped from the couch and Devan stifled a scream, recognising the man immediately.

"God, Nathan," she held up a hand to her forehead.

"Sorry," Nathan walked towards her slowly, his hands rising in defence. "Sorry. Your door was open so I came in when there was no answer. You were in the shower and I didn't want to interrupt."

Devan smiled at him, not even bothering to care that she was only wearing a towel. "So, what brings you here?"

Nathan grimaced and put both of his hands behind his head. "I got another call from him today. He wants an answer."

Devan sighed and tightened the towel impulsively. "Well, I'm not giving him one. Let him be in the dark for a change."

It was Nathan's turn to sigh. "Devan, he's been in the dark for a year. At least just call him…tell him how you feel about it."

"I don't want to," she articulated slowly as she took the towel from her hair. It was curly again. "Can I get you anything?"

Nathan took in the obvious implication for him to leave and shook his head. He headed towards the door and was about to open it when it did that for him. Woody walked in then, looking firstly at Devan in her towel, then at Nathan who was close to the door.

"Hi…"

Devan ignored Woody's confused voice, irritated slightly. "Woody, this is Nathan. He's an old friend of mine."

The two men shook hands, both exchanging terse greetings. Nathan then tucked a few strands of his long auburn hair behind his ear. "I was just leaving."

He stepped past Woody and said goodbye to both of them before looking into Devan's eyes seriously. "He wants an answer."

Devan waved goodbye then rubbed her forehead, ignoring Woody's inquisitive look. "How ya doing, Woody?"

Woody, still confused at Devan's cold tone, stepped forward and kissed her lightly. "Good. I think. I'll let you get ready."

Devan nodded her thanks and gestured towards the television. "The game's still on."

Woody smiled at that and kissed her again before walking over to the blue couch and sitting down, switching on the screen with the remote.


Jordan greeted them when they walked through the door of the Pogue. Just about everyone else was there, including the birthday boy. Bug was happily chatting with Lily on a stool when they walked over together and interrupted, Devan lightly kissing his cheek while Woody gripped his arm firmly. Lily beamed at them both from the stool next to Bug's and as Jordan poured them both beers, they made their way to the back of the bar, where Nigel was playing pool against Garret.

Devan leaned in close to whisper in Woody's ear. "You have a glow."

Woody smiled and kissed her straight her. "I'm happy. I just arrested a guilty man."

Upon nodding, Devan ran her tongue over her teeth. "You want to arrest me?"

Woody wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned close to her ear. "I thought that was my line."

She laughed at his whisper and walked up the wooden stairs, greeting both Nigel and Garret. "Who's winning?"

Garret immediately offered his stick to Devan, sighing as he walked down the stairs in frustration. Woody stared after him before glancing at Nigel. "I'm assuming you were…?"

Nigel nodded in enthusiasm. "Yep. And now I'm looking for someone fresh to slaughter."

Woody smirked, holding up Devan's hand. "Take her. But I'll have to teach her how to play, first."

Devan smirked and played along, allowing Woody to slip his arms over her from behind, placing his hands just inches away from hers on the large stick. "Teach away."

His head came to lean in beside hers, his eyes focussed on a target. He drove his arms back slightly, taking hers with them, as well as the stick. "You have to drive your arms into the shot and be perfectly focussed on the one target…"

He was giving her a tutorial, but she didn't mind. It was cute…him thinking she needed one. As his arms drove forward suddenly, so did hers, and the stick connected hard with its target. The ball was pushed firmly forward…and landed perfectly into the socket in the far corner.

Devan turned around as Woody's grip on her slipped away. "I think after that demonstration, I can handle this on my own."

Woody nodded and stepped backwards down the stairs. "I'll go get our drinks."

He turned around and his eyes met with Jordan's. She had been staring at them both and a pang of guilt flooded through him then. She turned her head sharply around, and he thought he could see her eyes clouding over slightly. He walked over to where she was standing behind the counter, her hands grasping a cold glass of beer. He had been careless and it hurt her. Deeply.

Devan noticed this but turned back to the game. Nigel stared at her with worried, somewhat confused eyes. "Something wrong, Love?"

Devan looked up with a smile. "Paradise isn't all it's cracked up to be."

Nigel lifted his stick. "Ah, you and Woodrow. Listen Love; don't be afraid to try new things. There doesn't have to be a limit, you know."

Staring with slightly laughing eyes, Devan shook her head. "Should I be talking to you about this?"

"Oh come on, Love!" Nigel took a sip from his mug of beer. "Spread your wings. So, how far have you gone? First, second base?"

Devan laughed out loud at that. "Second, but hey, who's counting?"

Nigel bowed his head. "So what's the problem?"

She turned to look at Woody. "He is."

When he was standing next to Jordan, Devan in his clear view, he didn't speak but rather helped her with the beers. It remained silent between them, though Woody didn't want her to feel down about it. He wanted her to be happy again. Then he realised there were no words he could use to describe what they both felt so instead of trying to explain in detail, he held up her chin with one hand and let slip the two words that were gnawing at him.

"I'm sorry."

She nodded then, absorbing what he had said and accepting it. She had once told him to leave her alone…and he had. Right now they both had to be supportive of one another, so she smiled at him in reply. And he understood.

He took two beers off the counter and walked out, breaking her gaze gently. He walked back over to the pool table and rested the glasses on the edge of it, scanning over the game's progress.

He gaped at Devan. "Wow. You're winning."

Devan looked up from taking her shot, a sarcastic look gleaming in her eyes. "Woody, did you really think I didn't know how to play pool?"

Woody's laugh was interrupted by a microphone being tapped three times. Jordan's voice cut through the air clearly as she spoke directly into it, addressing everyone present as she did so.

"Sorry to interrupt everyone, but we have a special guest tonight with us. A live band has come to preform especially for the birthday boy, so Bug, sit back and enjoy! You've earned it."

Bug returned Jordan's warm smile and took a sip of his beer when a song began playing softly in the background. Nigel, followed closely by Devan and Woody, made his way down the stairs and over to the rest of the group as they listened to the introduction of the song. Devan smiled as the male vocalist began singing softly.

Oh, this is the start of something good
Don't you agree?
I haven't felt like this in so many moons
You know what I mean?

And we can build through this destruction
As we are standing on our feet
So, since you want to be with me

You'll have to follow through
With every word you say
And I, all I really want is you
You to stick around
I'll see you everyday

But you have to follow through
You have to follow through

These reeling emotions they just keep me alive
They keep me in tune
Oh, look what I'm holding here in my fire
This is for you

Am I too obvious to preach it?
You're so hypnotic on my heart
So, since you want to be with me

You'll have to follow through
With every word you say
And I, all I really want is you
You to stick around
I'll see you everyday

But you have to follow through
You have to follow through

The words you say to me are unlike anything
That's ever been said
And what you do to me is unlike anything
That's ever been

Am I too obvious to preach it?
You're so hypnotic on my heart
So, since you want to be with me

You'll have to follow through
With every word you say
And I, all I really want is you

For you to stick around
I'll see you everyday
But you'll have to follow through
With every word you say

And I, all I really want is for you to stick around
I'll see everyday
But you have to follow through
You have to follow through

You're gonna have to follow

Oh, this is the start of something good
Don't you agree?


Devan stepped into her apartment, Woody following not far behind. Flicking on the lights, Devan turned a casual look to Woody. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be back in two seconds."

She gave him a quick kiss before disappearing into her room. Woody stared after her before shrugging off his coat and hanging it on the rack beside him. He then took off his jacket and loosened his tie from around his neck, leaning against the couch and facing Devan's room. He flicked open his top button and untucked his shirt from his pants. Well, she had said comfortable…

Then she walked out of her room, staring at him with raised eyebrows. He just shrugged.

"You said comfortable."

Devan exhaled a sharp breath and walked towards him slowly, sliding her hands up his shoulders. "I did, didn't I?"

They both breathed each other in before Woody leaned down and kissed her deeply. As his arms found the small of her back, the kissing became quick and erratic, Devan walking backwards, leading Woody.

She tugged at his shirt. "You can take this off, too."

He didn't stop kissing her and when she found the chance, she whispered quickly. "Or I could do that."

Without their lips parting, Devan unbuttoned the rest of his shirt, opening it and sliding it off his back, revealing his bare chest. They reached her room and when Devan's back hit the door, she stopped kissing Woody to open it. He stared at her with knowing eyes, his look asking her what he wanted to convey. And with her own look, she answered him. She backed into the room, opening up the door. The hot kisses continued until she fell onto the bed, Woody over her.

With a quiet laugh, Woody placed a hand on Devan's hip. "You know, this goes against everything I was brought up to believe in."

Devan kissed him again before leaning back into the bed. "Yeah, so what? I was born and raised Catholic but that never stopped me in high school."

Woody breathed in. "I really didn't need to know that."

Devan leaned forward and planted a kiss on his chest. "Is your phone off?"

Woody nodded once. "Yeah. Yours?"

"Yeah." But just as she said that, the cordless phone on Devan's bedside table began ringing loudly.

Woody placed a hand to his forehead. "No, no, no, no, no, no…"

Wriggling forward to answer it, Devan escaped Woody's tight grip. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…yes?" Devan stiffened when she heard the voice on the other end. With a quick hesitation, she calmly countered the voice's French accent.

"Allez-vous-en. Je ne peux pas parler." With that, she hung up, not even waiting for a reply.

Woody from beside her kissed her neck. "I love it when you speak French." Then, a long pause. "You were speaking French?"

Devan turned her head to face him. "I grew up in Canada, remember?"

Woody nodded, confused. "Yeah, but…over the phone?"

"You've never met my mother have you? Just one of my many tricks," Devan replied as she leaned over him and kissed him again.