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A MURDER IN SUNNYDALE


Chapter 19: ‘The Question Is…..?’


Spike and Buffy lay snuggled together in her bed, both of the couple’s expressions were pure contentment. Their naked bodies were so entwined that it was difficult to tell where one ended and the other one began.

“Spike, can I ask you something,” Buffy murmered shyly as she ran her fingers down his right arm. He was laying on his left side, propped up on his left arm, his right arm enbracing her body to his.

“Uhm huh,” he murmered in reply, his eyes half closed in sated pleasure. “Ask away,” he finished with a sigh of contentment.

“Well,” Buffy began hesitantly, “not to bring up an uncomfortable subject, again, but why the heck would Holden Webster leave me $100,000.00?”

She scrunched up her brows in puzzlement while Spike sighed deeply and shook his head. “Don’t know,” he replied simply, “thought maybe you could shed some light on it.”

Buffy shrugged in confusion, “I have no idea, really. It’s all so bizarre. Which leads me to another question,” she quirked her right eyebrow at Spike. “Just what, if anything, if I may ask, did your cousin, Holden, leave you or Wesley in his ‘will’?”

Spike actually grinned with some enthusiasm and winked at Buffy. “Well, Princess,” he began, almost proudly, “actually my cousin left me something quite grand. A factory custom, decked out 2001 Harley Davidson. Holden was quite fond of that bike, left it to me. More sentimental value then anything, I suppose. My cousin loved Harleys, suppose that’s why him and his Amy named their boy that.”

Buffy grinned at Spike, momentarily then frowned. “About Holden’s funeral service and all? Was there one?” She truly hoped that Spike wouldn’t get all wiggy about her asking so many questions. For some reason, Buffy just needed to know, so many things about Spike’s family and such.

“Well,” Spike began slowly, “of course you know that Hold was cremated, just recently. His Dad, Westin, insisted that his ashes be sent back to England for internment. Kind of odd, really. Holden felt no real attachment to England, that I know.”

He scowled for a moment, causing Buffy to feel bad that she brought any of it up. “Katerina,” she interjected to change the subject, “they cremated her also. There was a simple, family only type service. Of course Willow went, for Tara’s sake, but…..”

Spike nodded, pulled Buffy closer to him and sighed sadly, “wish Hold would have straightened up, before and all. I did love my cousin, Buffy. I remember the boy he was, not the man he became.”

“I know,” she murmered softly, carressing his cheek with her hand. “Which brings me to another question, if you don’t mind, Spike?”

“Don’t mind, like I said. I’ll tell you anything you want to know, Buffy dear,” he replied honestly. He played lovingly with her long golden tresses.

“Why,” she began evenly, “if your Dad and Holden’s Dad are brothers? Why the different last names?” She kind of stumbled over the question, a little remorseful to ask something so personal, but Buffy just had to know.

“Oh, that,” Spike chuckled with a shake of his blond head, “case of same Mum, different Fathers,” he finished with a shrug. “My Dad and Holden’s Dad had different Fathers. My Dad was a Williamson, he was Gran’s first hubby. Webster was Gran’s second old man. Thus, the different last names. Granny ‘Webster’ was the common parent for the Dads.”

“Oh, I see,” Buffy blushed, embarrassed that she had asked such a personal question, but relieved that Spike didn’t seem to mind answering it. In fact, he seemed almost happy to relay his family secrets to her.

“Told you, Princess,” he chuckled again as he ran his long, slim fingers down her cheek this time, “I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Even the fact that old Holden left me a couple of rather odd things, along with the Harley that is.”

“What was that?” Buffy asked, curiously, finally giving into her inquisitive nature, completely.

“Well,” Spike laughed heartily, “a rather plain, but lovely locket of our Grandmother’s. The ‘will’ told me to give it to the woman I would truly love, someday. (hint here) And of all things,” he frowned slightly, “my Grandmother’s antique vanity table. Problem with that is, it’s still over at Holden’s apartment and the Sunnydale Police won’t let anything out of there for a while yet. Not that I have any use for an old vanity table, of course.”

He smirked and winked at Buffy again, who gave him a raised eyebrow in answer. “You sure you’re not ‘vain’ yourself, William?” she asked wickedly. “The way you do your hair, that old vanity might come in handy!” She began to giggle uncrontrollably and Spike smirked at her.

“I’m only, truly vain where you’re concerned, precious,” he replied, with a gentle slap on her bare bottom.

“Oh, by the way,” Buffy cuddled up closer to Spike and shyly buried her head into his strong chest. “About that ‘I think I love you thingy you said, just before we, uhm, you know?”

Spike pulled back from Buffy, “first off,” he began with a wicked grin, “I didn’t say ‘think’ I finshed with ‘I know’ and I meant it. I’m falling in love with you Buffy Summers. The question is, sweet, how do you feel about me?”

Buffy reared back in near panic at Spike’s question. “I, uhm, well Spike,” she stammered nervously, avoiding his indigo eyes. Her own green ones were wide and confused, she didn’t want him to see the fear there, in them.

She sighed heavily and finally got up the courage to meet Spike’s gaze again. “I don’t know,” she replied honestly enough, “this is way too early for me Spike,” she finished with another sigh.

If Buffy expected any kind of negative reaction from Spike, she was pleasantly surprised. Instead of even a frown on his handsome face, Spike rewarded her with a warm, affectionate smile.

“I know, Princess,” he murmered, nuzzling her jaw and then her lips with his own mouth. “It’s early for me too, believe me, but I still know how ‘I’ feel about you. I can wait for you to suss your feelings out. Believe me, sweetheart,” his eyes were dead serious as he gazed into her emerald orbs, lovingly, “I have every intention of sticking around Sunnydale, and you for as long as it takes.”


Two Weeks Later (skipped around that one, didn’t I!)


Buffy knocked on the unmarked apartment door. No number of any kind designated the place of this uptown residence. If Buffy didn’t have ‘inside information’ she would be like the majority of Sunnydale, clueless as to who lived here now.

However, since Buffy did have inside information, from Wesley Rhys-Smythe himself, she had every idea who resided in this unmarked place. Amy St. Claire, that’s who.

Only a few people knew that Amy resided here now. Buffy, Wesley and Spike, yes, Angel O’Connor (for practical purposes), Rupert Giles had been informed and of course, Captain Wilkens and by now, even Xander Harris. Amy’s Mother and son, who was not old enough to understand what was going on, were also privy to the info.

“Buffy!” Amy threw the door open, presumably after checking through her peep hole. “I’m so glad you came,” Amy crowed as she threw her arms about Buffy.

‘She looks better,’ Buffy thought with relief. ‘Looks like she’s eating properly and all.’ Why Buffy felt such an obligation to Amy, she probably would never know, but she did.

“Come in, come in!” Amy laughed wildly as she led Buffy into her rather fancy living room. “Isn’t this just bitchin!” the girl giggled with glee.

“Only you could get away with ‘bitchin’ in this day and age, Amy,” Buffy chuckled as she allowed the younger woman to seat her on a plush sofa.

“Yeah, that’s for sure,” Amy giggled again. “Buffy,” she became suddenly serious, “thank you, for everything.” Amy took Buffy’s hand in her own and squeezed it tightly.

“Not me,” Buffy shook her head, “you know it’s the Webster family, behind all of this.” Buffy pointed around her to the room, “and the money Holden left for you and your son.” Buffy raised her brow at Amy as if to ask ‘now, about this son?’

“Harley,” Amy sighed with a warm smile. “My baby boy. He’s just perfect, Buffy, everything I’m not. Or that his Father wasn’t,” she scowled at the thought of her ex.

“Apparently Holden thought he was something, Amy,” Buffy added, thoughtfully. “Which,” she continued without pause, “leads me to ask you something. Just why would Holden leave me $100,000.00?”

Buffy watched as Amy digested her question, then clocked the younger woman’s reactions. Amy flinched, briefly, then casually shrugged, “no idea,” she answered simply and looked away from Buffy.

‘She’s lying,’ Buffy realized immediately. ‘For whatever reason, Amy knows why Holden did that, but won’t tell, or doesn’t want to tell me, anyway.’

Buffy decided to drop the question and let it go. For now.

“So,” Buffy changed the subject quickly, “let’s see pictures of your son, sweetie.” Amy was more then willing to produce hundreds of snapshots of her pride and joy, Harley Holden Webster.

After the two woman looked at and ‘made’ over the young boy, Amy grew deadly quiet. Finally, with a deep sigh, Buffy took Amy’s hand, again, and held it tightly. She hated what she had to say, but it had to be said and Buffy knew it was best to just get it over with, now.

“Amy,” Buffy began slowly, trying to think of the best way to word this. “If things don’t go our way, in the trial I mean…..what about Harley? Can your Mother take care of him? I mean, if she needs to?”

The younger, dark haired woman flinched in emotional pain at Buffy’s question and hung her head down. Buffy was well aware that Amy was already tearing up and didn’t want her detective to see it. However, this whole scenario that Buffy had asked the troubled woman about was quite possible and it was something that Amy, as a mother, would have to face.

“I didn’t kill Holden, or Katerina, Buffy,” Amy whispered as she avoided Buffy’s gaze. “I swear to God, I didn’t.”

Buffy heard the tearful strain in Amy’s voice and again, believed her words. “I know you didn’t, honey,” she tried to comfort the young woman. “In fact, I believe Holden’s entire family believes you didn’t, now. However,” Buffy sighed in frustration, patting Amy’s hand with hers, “it’s the DA’s office and the rest of the world that we have to convince.”

Amy looked up at Buffy, the tell tale tears in her dark eyes, “I didn’t kill Holden or Kat,” she repeated, firmly. “They were alive when I left that apartment, I swear it.”

Buffy felt a sick, sinking feeling in her tummy, but tried to keep from revealing her sense of doom she was feeling. It would do no good to frighten Amy even more, that might just lead to the poor girl’s fleeing again. The next time, Buffy was well aware, Amy wouldn’t be so careless as to run back to St. David, AZ, son or no son there. No, little Amy St. Claire was naïve, possibly, but not stupid, definitely.

“We have to find out the truth,” Buffy mumbled, more to herself then to even Amy. “We have to get to the truth, the real killer, or killers as the case may be, before you even go to trial.”

Amy just nodded, an almost defeated expression on her sad little face, and it near broke Buffy’s pretty tough little heart. ‘I’ll talk about something else, for a while anyway,’ Buffy thought to herself.

“Amy,” Buffy began with a forced smile, “what do you think of Mr. Wesley Rhys-Smythe?”

The young woman’s expression went from a frown to a huge smile, immediately. “I like him,” she mumbled softly, almost shyly. “He’s been so kind to me. Even helped me round up my few things and move them here. You know what?” she asked Buffy excitedly.

“No, what,” Buffy responded, warming up to Amy’s excitement and glad that they were both now distracted from the previous unpleasant conversation.

“Mr. Wesley says that maybe he can help with Andrew! Help him get out of that awful place he’s in. Wouldn’t that be great Buffy?” Amy looked so excited and hopeful that Buffy forced another grin and nodded, “yes, that would be great, honey,” she responded weakly.

“What about Spike Williamson,” Buffy asked casually, changing the also painful subject of Amy’s beloved Andrew Price. “What do you think of this Spike, character?”

Amy seemed to read Buffy’s eyes with her own and broke into another slight smile. The young woman actually giggled and winked at Buffy mischieviously. “Oh, I know why you’re asking about Spike,” Amy chuckled loudly. “Now don’t be mad, Buffy,” she continued with another grin, “but Mr. Wesley told me all about how you and Holden’s favorite relative are well, growing ‘quite close’ as he put it!”

Buffy was stunned, momentarily, that Wesley would have told Amy such things, but then shook off her shock, quickly. The fact was, Buffy and Spike had not made a secret of their relationship to anyone, since it had began. Even the people at the precinct were by now, well aware, that Spike and Buffy were ‘an item’ and frankly she, Buffy, didn’t give a fuck who liked it or not.

“That’s okay, Amy,” Buffy assured the girl, “it’s no secret that I’m ‘seeing’ Spike. I just wondered, did Holden ever talk about him?”

Amy nodded with enthusiasm, “only all the years I’ve known Holden,” she admitted. “Holden adored Spike, loved and respected him. That’s for sure. You know, Buffy,” Amy suddenly got quite serious and gave her a thoughtful look. “I don’t think Holden loved or admired too many people in his short, rather miserable existence. Maybe himself, but not even his Dad or anyone else. Except Spike that is. I think, the way Holden used to talk about Spike Williamson, that he was the only other person that he loved or even looked up to.”


“Yeah,” Buffy chuckled lowly, “Spike’s something all right. Even Holden Webster must have thought so.”


A/N: I wanted to set some things up here for future chapters. There was some ‘anvils’ dropped in this chapter. Did you catch them? Since this is a mystery, I like to throw these little quizzes in here (kind of Ellery Queen and all!) Anyway, I wanted to explore Buffy’s and Amy’s relationship together, since this is about our ‘slayer’ and the suspect too. Thanks for reading, please review. Luv Spuf





















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