Title: Broken Hearted Secretary
author: jmaria

tth100 prompt: Kit
Crossover fandom: The Maltese Falcon
Characters: Kit, Sam Spade, Effie
Prompt: 036. Past

Word Count: 313
Rating: FR-15
Disclaimer: Joss owns Kit, Dashiell Hammett owns Sam & Effie
Summary: Your grandfather was brilliant. . .and stupid all at the same time.
Mini-Series Set: Stuff Dreams Are Made Of - 1/3
Notes: Yes, I know it's a classic. Yes, I know I'm crazy.

Broken Hearted Secretary

Kit Holburn loved most of her family. Her grandparents were the most important members of her family. Effie and Sam Spade had been together in one shape or form since just after the Great War. Effie'd finished high school in San Francisco round the same time Sam and Miles Archer'd chased off their old secretary. She'd needed money, and Sam was willing to hire her.

Kit loved spending time with them in Frisco, especially since Sunnydale had literally gone to hell. Her grandma was thrilled to have her, and grandpa . . .well, he spent a lot of time in his office sneaking smokes when he could and staring at a butt-ugly statue of a bird. Kit asked her what exactly had come over her grandfather, when they were setting the table for dinner.

"Gramps is kinda getting. ..weirder, Grams," Kit said one afternoon.

"He's getting older, sweetie. He's lived a long and often sad life," Grams replied, looking over her shoulder to his half-closed office door. "Got word today of a girl he used to know."

Effie Spade's face closed over, a wounded look replaced her boyishly cheerful smile. She sat down tiredly, her hand under her chin. Kit sat down across from her.

"Grams?"

"Just bad memories. He fell for this girl, and she turned out to be rotten to the core. Got her sent away for life, and the - she died last week. Never got out."

"And Gramps loved her?"

"Never forget a knock-out like that. Rotten to the core, but men lined up to die for her. Broke my heart when he fell for such a crooked dame like that."

"Well, we always knew he was stupid," Kit grinned at her, hoping to make her feel a little better.

"Oh, look at us going on like this. Supper'll be late, and you know what a stickler Sam is."