A/N: All right, cats and kittens, welcome to the essedness…what we've decided to do here is show how the writers could have employed some continuity. We've kept some elements of "I See England" (including the case, and even a few lines here and there), while bending the plot and conversations to our purposes. Also we've switched from script to prose, to mark the end (for now!) of the dream sequences.

Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Three

She would not think about it. She simply would not think about it. What was there to think about, anyway? So she'd had a dream. Involving David. That in itself wasn't unusual; he showed up in her dreams all the time. Well…perhaps all the time was overstating it: on occasion would be closer to the truth. Which was hardly surprising, really, considering they spent upwards of ten or twelve hours a day together. Perfectly normal. To be expected, really.

Besides…nothing remotely close to her dream had actually happened. Thank God. They had kissed, she jokingly told him to "thank the girls" for their osculatory tutelage, they kissed some more…and then they were interrupted by a signature-seeking Magillicuddy. She signed, David skedaddled, and that was that.

See? Nothing to think about. No need to consider what might have actually happened, were it not for the advent of Magillicuddy and his invoice; definitely no need to dwell on the number of times she and David had been caught in medias res on the cusp of something promising—or damning, depending on one's perspective.

It's just another day, Maddie told herself, as she put the finishing touches on her makeup. Same old thing, she thought, giving her hair one last spritz. Situation normal.

She put on her earrings, her watch, a bangle bracelet. The pearls lay coiled in a velvet-lined section of her jewelry tray. Like a snake. Maybe she shouldn't wear them. No, that was ridiculous—the pearls meant nothing. OK, not exactly nothing…but not something, either. They were just a nice gift. A very nice gift. From a friend.

And they would look so pretty nestled against the folds of her soft pink cowl-necked blouse.

-0-0-0-

Walking through Blue Moon's front door, she had every intention of avoiding David, of throwing a quick "Sorry I'm late" to the Wobblies and then barricading herself in her office.

The sight of Jamie, Kris, Inez, and Agnes lurking guiltily outside David's door, however, was too much for her curiosity. After a moment of awkward shifting by the girls, she quietly went in.

And immediately wished she hadn't.

"…they gave me a bath. Over the telephone!"

She knew there had been something off on the phone bill last month. But this? Just when you thought David had matured, had developed some sense of office decorum, he pulled something like this.

Never mind that it was disgusting. Never mind the little voice inside her that said, If he really had feelings for you, why would he need Bambi and Boopsie? No. This was just about business.

"I'm the only one taking a bath around here…on the phone bill you scuzzballs are running up calling the slime line!" she bit out angrily. "But you can kiss your fishnet fantasies goodbye, because as of today, the phone company has placed a block on all 976 numbers, at my request."

A collective groan rose from the group of men.

"I'd like to see you alone, Mr. Addison." Argh…why did that come out of her mouth sounding more suggestive than superior? Or perhaps it wasn't her tone at all…it was the wink David gave the departing employees that lent her statement the ring of innuendo.

The Wobblies filed out, trailing complaints in their wake:

"—the sexiest voice—"

"I was gonna talk to that redhead, you know the one who's a nurse…"

"…had a pretty good shot at getting her to meet me somewhere—"

Finally, the door shut behind them, and she turned back to David. Not even a pretense of penitence crossed his face, only an infuriating smirk and a laserlike stare at her cleavage. Instinctively, Maddie put one hand to her neck. She felt a momentary urge to rip the pearls from their string and fling them back in his face, but turned her attention back to the business at hand.

David's self-satisfied silence only added fuel to the fire. She crossed her arms.

"You find this funny, don't you?"

Shifting back in his chair, he put one foot on the desk. "Depends on what 'this' is."

"Don't play with me, Addison!"

"I wouldn't dream of playing with you…Hayes." There was something in his tone that chilled her, even as it made her more furious. It was like yesterday had never happened.

She crossed to his desk, and, very deliberately, leaned over, palms down. "This is a business, David. MY business, as a matter of fact."

One eyebrow came up. "I thought it was OUR business…partner."

"Then YOU shouldn't be squandering OUR hard-earned cash calling Dial-a-Dame! You should care more about our bottom line!"

He looked her over, carefully. "I care a lot about your bottom line," he drawled.

Maddie stood up, her jaw set. "I might've known you wouldn't take this seriously. When do you ever take anything seriously?" Including yesterday, she thought.

David popped out of his chair, walking around the desk. Here it comes…the sweet talk. How DARE he?

"Maddie, Maddie, Maddie. How about a compromise? You call off the phone block, and we'll pass the hat—pay for the bill with private contributions."

"I refuse to compromise when it comes to the propriety of this office, David. I won't have the employees filling their minds with smut when they're supposed to be working!"

She could see his eyes twinkling, his mouth struggling to suppress a chuckle. It only made her more angry—what possible right did he have to make fun of her, for trying to run a professional operation?

"You can't control their imagination, Blondie."

"No, but I don't have to contribute to it!" she spat, and marched to the door. The epic slam she intended, however, was arrested by David's hand holding the door open as he followed her. She turned around and glared at him.

"What is it NOW?" she demanded.

"Well, I don't think we have the situation resolved."

"Resolved? Oh, it's resolved, all right. We are NOT having phone sex in this office…and that's FINAL!"

"You're right," David replied, as bursts of muffled giggles broke out around the room. "Wouldn't want to melt the ol' PBX here at Blue Moon. My home phone line has industrial-strength wiring. How 'bout yours?"

"I—have had—enough—of—YOU!" Maddie yelled, shoving him back a pace or two. Then, ignoring the amused looks of the employees, she hightailed it across the office, flinging her door closed with a CRASH that shook the paintings on the walls.

She leaned back against the quaking door, eyes closed, trying to calm her breathing. Why did she always let that man rile her? Hadn't she learned anything over the last five years? Yes, he was capable of doing nice things. Very nice things. But, inevitably, he would follow nice with offensive…charming with maddening…thoughtful with awful.

And today was no exception. But she wouldn't let it get to her. She would just go on with her day…be productive…set a good example.

Nodding to herself, she opened her eyes. And that's when she saw him.

There was a dead man in her office.

TO BE CONTINUED