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Chapter 14



The Los Angeles Criminal Lab was located in a separate facility from the police stations. It had departments to handle all different types of investigative research from handwriting analysis to the one that they needed. The Serology/DNA unit handled the identification of bodily fluids, such as blood, saliva, and semen through genetic markers.

Spike explained the procedure to Buffy in the car on the way over. They would take a new sample from her to compare to whatever was found on the underpants. It all sounded complicated to her when he got into the technical details. She tried to follow him but ended up responding to his explanation with nods and an occasional ‘uh-huh’. He smiled when he realized what she was doing, gave a shrug and told her it didn’t really matter. It was the end result they were after anyway.

They were given visitor’s badges at the front desk before they took the elevator to the third floor. Buffy crossed her arms as she slipped into the back of the car. Spike leaned on the wall next to her. She found her eyes going back and forth between the other two. Kate and Spike were in the middle of a discussion about a case that they had handled a year or so back.

Buffy started to compare herself to the officer that shared so much of Spike’s interests. They had so many things in common; having conversations that made her head spin. There were so many things she didn’t understand about his job. It made her wonder how she could maintain his interest permanently. She sighed as the elevator stopped. Spike waited for her to precede him out into the hall. He did the same for Kate so she didn’t take it personally. It was just him being a gentleman or so she told herself.

Spike led them down a sterile looking hallway to a door that was marked with the name of the lab on it. He didn’t knock, just opened it and looked around for someone.

“Hey, there, Freddie,” Spike said, with a huge grin on his face.

Buffy started to relax that at least it wasn’t another female to compete with but then she saw the pretty brunette coming their way. She stepped back as Spike opened his arms and kissed the woman on the cheek. It hurt. The look they exchanged seemed friendly, almost too friendly and it made her jealous.

“Fred, this is Buffy,” Spike said. “Buffy, Fred.”

“Hello,” Fred said. “It’s good to meet you.”

The woman’s eyes were welcoming but Buffy also knew she was being checked out. Buffy straightened up but she suddenly felt unattractive. Her hands smoothed down the edges of her army jacket before falling to play with the hem of Spike’s t-shirt that she was wearing. Suddenly she wondered why Spike wanted to touch her at all. She looked boyish next to the femininity that was Kate and Fred. But she also knew that she didn’t want anyone else but Spike to look at her. She wished she was alone or at least back at his apartment. There she was safe and Spike was hers.

“You ready, Buffy?” Fred asked, breaking through her reverie.

Buffy looked up as she realized that she had missed out on the conversation the other three had been engaging in. Her eyes met Spike’s. His eyebrow was raised with his head tilted and she knew he was trying to read what was going on with her. She quickly looked away. Always intuitive to her moods, this was one time she didn’t want him to figure out what was going on with her. She wasn’t sure herself why she was suddenly feeling insecure with him.

“Yeah, I’m ready,” Buffy mumbled with a quick nod of her head.

She followed Fred along with Spike and Kate to a small work station at the back of the lab.

“Go ahead and sit on the stool,” Fred instructed, as she reached into a drawer to pull out a few items. “Okay, this doesn’t hurt at all,” she said with a smile when she turned back to Buffy. “I just need you to open your mouth.”

A hand rested on her shoulder, Buffy glanced behind her to see Spike there. He gave her a small squeeze and smiled at her with a reassurance that banished some of her doubts. She smiled back at him before doing as Fred told her. The brunette scrubbed a small cotton swab against the inside of her cheek then dropped it into a baggie.

“That’s it, Buffy,” Fred said, writing something on a label she attached to the plastic bag. She held her hand out to Kate. “If I can have the underwear, I can get started on this. We have quite a caseload, so can I give you a call later? I promise I’ll have it for you today but I’ve got some priority cases that I need to take care of.”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Spike said. “You still have my number?”

“Yes, I do,” Fred said.

The smile the scientist gave Spike confirmed all of Buffy’s suspicions that they had been or were lovers. Not waiting to see or hear anymore, she turned to leave the lab. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Why did she ever think that someone like Spike could love her? He liked beautiful, poised women who were smart and understood him. Even Ling was involved with the running of her family’s restaurant. They were all better than she was. She was just a kid with a high school diploma, and an ugly past that made her afraid of her own womanhood. There was no way she could please a man like Spike. She had been stupid to even daydream about it.

“You okay?” Kate asked when they stepped into the hallway and the door swung shut behind them.

She stared at the door for a second. Spike was still on the other side saying good-bye to Fred. She hadn’t even bothered. Maybe he would think it was rude of her but she just wanted to curl up somewhere and hide. How was it only an hour or so ago she had been so confident in Spike’s feelings for her and now she didn’t think they existed at all? Maybe she was just a novelty. Something new for him to enjoy until he got bored or until the week was up.

“I’m fine,” Buffy said, straightening up. She didn’t need him. It was like she had said at the beach. She had to be able to do it on her own and she would. All she needed was to finish this out then she would be gone.

And alone again…

“I wouldn’t worry about Fred,” Kate said, continuing down the hall with Buffy trailing right along. “She and Spike were never serious.”

”It’s none of my business.”

“Yes, it is,” Kate said, smiling at her but then she sobered. “Look, Buffy, you’re right. They did have a relationship but it was pretty casual. Neither of them was in it for the long term.”

“Did…did you and Spike ever…?” Buffy asked, unable to stop the question. She needed to know. She was still unhappy about Spike being with Fred in spite of what Kate said. Now she just wanted to know how deeply she had to be worried.

“No,” Kate said with a laugh. “I adore Spike but no, I never dated him.”

“He wanted to date you though, didn’t he?”

The two women were waiting by the elevator. They faced each other as Buffy waited for an answer. It was one Kate that didn’t have to verbalize. It was evident by the guilt that flashed across Kate’s face.

“Yeah, he asked me out a few times,” Kate said. “We’ve hung out together at parties but we never connected. I’m a serious girl and he’s not…or he wasn’t until he met you.”

“Maybe he still doesn’t want to be serious,” Buffy said, pulling her jacket tighter around her as she remembered the deadline Spike had given her.

“Buffy, I’ve known Spike since our days at the Academy. Yeah, he’s a man. A very attractive man who has a past with women in it, but you’re different. I’ve never seen him with anyone the way he is with you. You should see the way the two of you look at each other.”

“Thanks,” Buffy said, grasping onto the small strand of hope that had been offered.

The door opened to the lab and Spike stepped out into the hallway. Buffy watched him as he swaggered down the hallway. He was confident, handsome, and wore a smile of satisfaction on his face. Fred had made him happy somehow. It was hard to imagine that only earlier that morning he had worn that smile when he kissed her good morning. That he had held her tight all night making her feel special. Like she was the only one, but it was obvious that she wasn’t.

Spike stopped beside her. One hand rested on her lower back as he reached for the button for the elevator with the other. He didn’t say anything though. His touch was almost impersonal and it only added to Buffy’s irritation toward him. All he needed was a little time with another woman and he wasn’t treating her like he did before. She stomped into the car ahead of the two of them. She ignored them. Kate was great. She tried to cover Buffy’s mood by asking how long it was going to take Fred.

Only long enough to get him back in bed, Buffy thought with venom. Images of Spike making love to the other woman filled her head. It made her nauseous. She needed air. Getting outside the building was becoming a priority. And as soon as the car stopped she made a beeline across the lobby, anything to get away from him.

~~~~~~~


“What the soddin’ hell is wrong with her?” Spike asked, as Buffy barreled past him toward the door. He stared after her in amazement. Something had been wrong with her since they had gotten here. He just didn’t know what. She wasn’t having a panic attack. She was acting like she was angry.

“Fred,” Kate said with a smile.

“Fred? What did she do to Buffy? She was her usual sweet self.”

Kate shook her head still wearing that smile. “Buffy picked up on the vibes between you and Miss Texas Sugar. She’s jealous.”

“Jealous of me and Fred?” Spike asked, in disbelief. “Why? Buffy and me…oh, bloody hell.” He wiped at his face as the knowledge of Buffy’s feelings flooded him. They were getting in deep but there were a thousand reasons not to. Reasons that should be seriously thought through, but neither of them was taking the time to do so. They kept pretending that it didn’t mean anything. That everything would end in a few days. It wouldn’t though, at least not for him.

“Oh, please don’t tell me you believe that you and Buffy are a casual relationship?” Kate asked. “Because if you do then I’m afraid I’m going to have to call you some not very nice names.”

“Standing up for my girl, are you?” Spike asked with a grin.

“Hell, yes, I am,” Kate said sternly. “You break that little girl’s heart and I’m going to kick your ass.”

Spike turned to look through the glass doors to where Buffy was standing just outside the door. It seemed it was too late for both of them at this point. They were going under with only each other to hold onto. He noticed her doing the little dance she did when she was nervous and he turned to go to her.

“I’m going to do everything I can not to,” Spike muttered as he made his way toward Buffy.

Kate laughed behind him. He glared at her as he held the door for her. She sailed through with a big grin for him.

“Hey, what do you say we get out of here,” Kate said, slipping her hand into Buffy’s.

Amazingly Buffy allowed it as they made their way to his car. When they got there, Buffy slipped into the backseat and he was certain it was just to vex him. He decided to let her tantrum play itself out. He wasn’t the kind of man to give into emotional blackmail. It always led to things he didn’t want but by the time they had dropped Kate back off at the station, Spike was going crazy from Buffy’s silence.

“Do you want to move up front?” Spike asked when Kate had walked away.

“I’m fine,” Buffy said. “The apartment’s not far.”

The tires squealed as he hit the gas pedal too hard. He didn’t want to admit that he was angry with her. And he didn’t want to accept the blame. He just wanted things to go back to the way they were that morning. Buffy’s sleepy smile when she woke up in his arms, the kisses that became heated so fast and the soft sounds filling his ear when she came.

Getting an idea of how to return a smile to her face, he turned into a shopping center not far from his place. He pulled into a space then turned around to look at her.

“Are you staying here or going in with me?”

Buffy looked around, her eyes narrowing when she saw the ice cream parlor. “I’ll stay here.”

“Suit yourself,” Spike said, as nonchalantly as possible. “They make the best banana splits in town.”

He had taken only a few steps before he heard Buffy climbing out of the car. He stopped until she caught up with him. Her hand reached for his but he put his arm around her shoulder to pull her close to his side. She didn’t resist. Inside the small shop, he sat her at a booth in the corner before going up to order. He asked for a treat that was made for two people. It had everything on it. Buffy was almost drooling when he put it on the table between them. She pulled it away from him.

“Go get your own,” Buffy said, slapping at his hand when he reached for a bite.

“It’s made for two.”

“And you owe me,” Buffy said, slipping a spoonful of ice cream, hot fudge and whipped topping into her mouth. There was a blissful look on her face as she savored the flavors.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Spike said, softly. He should have gotten it to go. His jeans were becoming too tight as he watched her eat. How could one small woman make eating ice cream into something so erotic? He got up and slid into the seat next to her.

“Go away,” Buffy said, sliding away from him. She pulled the treat with her.

He followed, brushing her hair away from her neck, so that he could whisper in her ear.

“For the rest of my life, ice cream will always remind me of you. How sweet, beautiful and oh, so good you are,” he kissed the side of her neck. She turned to look at him and he knew he was forgiven. He still couldn’t give her the words she needed but he was willing to give her as much truth as he could. She held up a spoonful of ice cream for him and he took it without breaking eye contact with her. Delighted, he smiled when it was her that came to taste the ice cream on him.


to be continued…





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