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A MURDER IN SUNNYDALE


Chapter 24: ‘Some Things Revealed’


A/N: Thanks to everyone reading this. Thank you to reviewers also, as I am home today and cannot respond to reviews.


Spike sat in his hotel room, nervously smoking a cigarette and contemplating his next move. Finally, he picked up his cell phone and dialed Wesley’s number, on speed dial of course.

“Wesley, before you say how’s your day or some such happy shit like that, I need a favor. I want you to check out Assistant District Attorney Angel O’Connor. There’s something about that dickhead that doesn’t sit right with me and I want everything you’ve got on him. Yes, Wes, I know, he dated Buffy, dumped her and took up with the DA’s darling daughter, but there is more. I know it. Like I said, something’s not right with the prick and it’s not just jealousy on my part.”

After he hung up with Wesley, Spike dialed Buffy at her apartment, again. ‘Still no answer,’ he sighed as he clicked off the phone and lit yet another cigarette.

Yesterday, after the fucked up phone call Buffy had received from that prick Harris, Spike had talked her down, yes, but things still weren’t right with her. No matter how hard Spike tried, Buffy was sullen and even distant with him, for whatever reason. Even after their wonderful ‘encounter’ in her office.

Yes, they had spent the night together, at Buffy’s place, but just this morning, she had made it clear that she wanted to be alone for the rest of the day. This hurt Spike, deeply because he felt as if they’d come to some understanding with each other, Buffy and him. Some point where they could share everything together, even their insecurities?

Buffy slowly walked into the Sunnydale Hospital room, the one that Amy St. Claire had been spirited to. ‘Jesus,’ Buffy snorted, ‘not even 36 hours after she’s shot, Angel O’Connor has her holed up in this place.’

The police guard at the door of the room had been unsure as to let ‘her’ in, but Buffy insisted and he relented. Only after she showed him three pieces of Id and let him check her for weapons. Buffy felt like an errant teenager after that one, beyond just humiliated.

‘Angel O’Connor,’ she now hissed under her breath, ‘you are so gonna’ pay for this. I know you’re behind all this secret agent bullshit and I’ll see to it that you get yours!”

Buffy found Amy, laying in the little bed, just staring out of the window at the view.

“Hey,” Buffy murmered unenthusiastically to the girl.

“Hey, Buffy,” Amy responded weakly, not even bothering to look at the police woman.

“I just came by to see how you’re doing and tell you that the trial’s been postponed, at least for a month or so. Good news, huh?” Buffy tried to sound somewhat positive, but there was no real lift in her tone and she knew Amy felt it.

The girl in the bed just shrugged in defeat and continued to stare out of the window.

‘Oh shit,’ Buffy groaned to herself, ‘she’s given up. Before it started, Amy’s throwing in the towel. She’s going to shut herself off completely now.’

“Amy,” Buffy finally spoke out loud again as she sat on the visitor’s chair by the bed. “I know why you fled, Wesley told us, but I can’t tell you who’s behind the threats or anything. I’m sorry,” Buffy finished weakly. She was beginning to feel pretty much defeated herself.

“Well, if you don’t know, I sure as fuck don’t,” Amy hissed at Buffy, still turned away from her.

“The threats, did they involve Harley too?” Buffy asked nervously, not liking the girl’s tone one bit. “I mean did someone threaten you by using him?”

Amy shook her head, no, but she didn’t seem very convincing, or so Buffy thought.

“I miss my baby boy, Harley,” Amy sniffed softly, still keeping her gaze on the outside view. “I’ll never see him again, have him in my arms again, will I?”

The poor girl began to cry softly, and Buffy felt completely helpless for the first time in years. ‘It’s time,’ she assured herself as she thought about the surprise visitor she’d brought to the hospital.

Buffy stood up and went to the hospital room door, but before she opened it, she turned to Amy.

“I brought a friend of mine to see you, Amy,” she said, almost shyly. “Her name’s Cassie Newton and she wanted to meet you. Would you talk to her, for a bit anyway? For me?”

The haunted looking young woman finally looked at Buffy and nodded, slightly. “Sure, I guess,” she mumbled quietly, wiping at the tears on her face.

Buffy opened the door and motioned for Cassie to come into the room. When the Psychic entered the tiny place, she immediately went over to Amy and stuck out her hand.

“Hi, Amy,” she greeted amicably, “I’m Cassie, Buffy’s friend. I wanted to meet you, maybe chat a bit. Is that okay?”

Buffy watched as Amy eyed Cassie up and down, a frown on her face. Finally, Amy relented and reached out to take Cassie’s hand in hers. Cassie held Amy’s hand for barely a moment, then let it go, her mouth in a warm smile.

“I understand you have a little boy?” Cassie asked eagerly, taking the seat that Buffy had just occupied. “So do I. Here’s his picture,” she continued happily as she held out a small wallet size picture of her son. “His name is Peter, what’s your little boy’s name again Amy?”

“Harley, his name is Harley,” Amy mumbled lowly, but seemed to brighten visibly. “After the motorcycle. His dad, Holden, he loved Harley Davidsons, so I named my kid that. I have a picture of him, in my purse there. Would you hand me the purse, please Buffy, I’ll show his picture.”

Later, after Cassie had spoken with Amy for about thirty minutes or so, she walked with Buffy down the hospital hallway. Buffy noticed that Amy seemed more animated then she had in weeks and it pleased her greatly. ‘If nothing else,’ Buffy reasoned, ‘this helped Amy buck up a bit. I knew Cassie could bring her out of her funk, especially with talk about their sons.’

“Well?” Buffy asked the Psychic, trying not to let her anxiousness show. Buffy and Cassie had reached the elevator in the hallway and it was time to talk real ‘business’ here.

“Buffy,” Cassie began softly, “there is no way in hell that Amy St. Claire shot and killed anyone. I wouldn’t suspect that girl to be able to kill a fly. I smell a rat here, and it certainly is not Amy St. Claire.” Cassie stated her case, with so much conviction, that Buffy felt a rush of complete relief through her whole body.

Buffy sighed loudly, almost tearing up, “I knew it, just wanted someone else to ‘see’ it,” she explained in a low voice. “Thank you, Cassie,” she hugged the taller woman briefly.

“I mean it, Buffy,” Cassie continued earnestly, “there’s more of a chance that ‘I’ shot those two poor people, then that Amy did it. But, you have to realize, the police, DA O’Connor, they’re not going to just accept what I say. Not unless it fits into their grand scheme of things, you know?”

“She is harboring a lot of resentment, though, that’s for sure. Amy that is,” Cassie frowned for a moment as she thought about her encounter with Amy. “Almost as if she, Amy, is glad that this Holden guy is dead and all.”

Buffy frowned, scrunching her golden brows together and groaning. “I’m sure that Amy did love Holden, Cassie,” Buffy began carefully, “but he did do a number on the girl. From day one. It was Holden that dragged Amy into all the shit that screwed up her life. Legally that is, but, Amy did get that beautiful little boy out of it. I just wish she’d have stayed in St. David, or LA, years ago and never showed up here again. Especially after Harley was born.”

“There’s something about this Holden’s girlfriend, this Katerina woman. I felt a lot of animosity towards Webster’s girlfriend, from Amy when our hands touched and later, talking to her. But….” Cassie paused, her eyes clouded in thought here. “It’s just that, it wasn’t hatred, or jealousy I felt through Amy. Not over this woman, Katerina. No, it was something else, anger, yes, but not really the kind you’d think Amy would have for the ‘other’ woman so to speak. Something different.”

Cassie Newton sighed in frustration, “I’m sorry Buffy. It’s the best I could do for now. I just hope this gets straightened out and that poor girl back there can get home to her beloved little boy.”


“It’s more then all right, Cassie,” Buffy smiled at her friend. “In fact, it’s something more then we had anyway. Now we just need to convince everyone else in town, including the police force and Attorney’s office that Amy did not kill Holden and Katerina.” Buffy thanked Cassie again, who turned to the elevator to leave.

“Oh, Buffy,” Cassie turned back to face her again, “by the way, you are positively glowing, you know that? You did tell your guy, didn’t you? I mean that you’re absolutely crazy ass in love with him?”

“Yeah, I did,” Buffy replied with a warm grin at her friend.

“Good for you,” Cassie responded with a smile and stepped into the elevator. The door closed quickly behind her.

“Well, well, well,” came a deep, unwelcome voice from behind Buffy.
“Look who has the nerve to show her face around here?”

Angel stepped around Buffy to face her and actually had the nerve to grab her arm when she attempted to walk off from him.

“Let me go,” she ordered angrily. “Don’t think I won’t scream my head off, asshole! Even in this place!”

“Go ahead,” Angel hissed smugly, “I would just love to see you kicked out of here on your ass for disturbing the peace.” But, he did let go of Buffy, reluctantly.

“I have a right to be here, Angel,” Buffy mumbled defensively. “It’s a free country and all. Besides, I’m still on this case and if I want to talk to the suspect, I can.”

“We’ll see how long you’re on this case, Buff,” Angel spat back lowly. “I think I see a real conflict of interests here and all. After all, you are fucking old Holden’s freak of a big bad cousin, aren’t you? Gotta’ be something in the rules about conflict there, right?”

“Jealous much, Ang?” Buffy quipped smugly, almost stunned when the man before her confirmed her suspicions. He said nothing, just hung his head and avoided her glare. “Oh for God’s sake Angel, get over it! Geez, talk about penis envy with you males!”

Now, when Angel gave Buffy a confused look, she smirked smugly.
“Oh, believe me, Ang,” she chuckled wickedly, “you ‘do’ have a lot to be envious of where William’s concerned and…..”

“So,” Angel blushed and changed the subject, “did you tell freak Brit boy? Like I heard ‘out in la la land’ Cassie Newton ask you? Did you tell lover boy that you ‘loooovvvee’ him?”

“My feelings for William are none of your business, Assistant District Attorney,” Buffy spat back at him. ‘Great,’ she thought with disgust, ‘can’t even keep this jerk from overhearing my private conversations. My fucking personal business might as well be front page news!’ By this time, Buffy was totally disgusted with this whole conversation.

“But, then again, since you’re so damned interested, maybe I’ll make my personal life your business,” she added with another smug grin.

“Yeah, I did tell Will that I ‘looovvvveee’ him.” She mimiced Angel’s sarcastic tone of earlier. “I told him a lot, emphasis on the ‘love’ part. Once while we were ‘shagging like crazy’ but the rest of the time it was pretty much while we were just cozied up together. Stark ass naked! You know, after we got our ‘freak’ on and such!” Buffy actually giggled at Angel’s angry expression and thought again, ‘jealous much’?

If Buffy didn’t know better, she could swear that steam was coming out of Angel’s ears. She did know that he was definitely shaking in anger.

“He’s just using you, you know?” Angel growled lowly at Buffy. His face was just inches from her own.

“Oh, great comeback, Angel,” she chuckled evilly. “No,” Buffy shot Angel a charming smile, “don’t think so. Not everyone has ‘using’ me down to an art like you do, Angel. No, Will’s not using me, he loves me too much.”

With a toss of her golden head, Buffy turned and marched off down the hallway to the stairs. She needed a good bit of exercise to vent off all of her emotions right at the moment.

“We’ll see about that, Buff,” Angel hissed from behind her.

Buffy did not bother to turn around. Instead, she pulled out her cell phone at the top of the stairwell and dialed Will’s hotel room.

When he answered, she didn’t even let him get in another word edgewise.

“Will,” she spouted quickly, “I’m sorry for being such a bitch since yesterday, really. Before you say a word otherwise, don’t bother…I’ve been a first class bitch and you haven’t deserved that. I love you, very much and I just wanted to tell you that before I go back to the office.”

Buffy finally allowed William to respond to her, which he did, with an ‘I love you’ of his own to her.

“Okay, that said,” Buffy interjected, “how about I come to your place, tonight? Is that okay? Thought it would be,” she chuckled softly. “Why don’t we order out and eat in?”

Spike chuckled himself at Buffy’s choice of words and replied happily, “oh, eat in we shall, Princess.”

He was so fucking relieved that his girl seemed so uplifted all of a sudden. His fears from earlier disapated completely and he was left with a calm, peaceful feeling inside. Spike had not felt this tranquil, or contented, or even happy in, well, forever.

“All right then,” Buffy giggled, “I’ll just come over, straight from work, if that’s cool. I know I have some clothes there so that’s not a problem for tomorrow morning, right?”


Buffy was asleep in Spike’s big, comfy bed, or make that the Sunnydale Arms bed. She was sleeping so soundly, that he, Spike, tried very hard not to wake her. He went out on the balcony of the hotel room, in his boxers and lit a cigarette. On the way, he’d stopped by the mini-fridge to grab a beer.

Spike looked out onto the view of Sunnydale below him. The hotel was close enough to the ocean to see it on the horizon and it gave him such a strong, overwhelming sense of peace.

His thoughts traveled to the key, now in Wesley’s possession and just what the damn thing might open. If old Wes was right, then this fucking key didn’t fit just any old lock. It had to be a big lock, since the key was larger then average. Spike and Wes, even with their heads together, could not come up with what the key might fit. That and the weird etchings on the key itself:

‘ECCLII4’ meant absolutely nothing to either of the two men and certainly could not be the make of the key. Wesley had exhausted the information lines to find a maker who’d claim that number as theirs.

Spike’s mind traveled, pleasantly, back to Buffy, all snuggled up in his bed. She was naked, of course, exhausted from their love making, naturally. ‘We made a little ‘number’ of our own, didn’t we, Princess?’ he chuckled to himself, warmly, as he remembered one particular session of their love making tonight.

Suddenly, Spike frowned, momentarily unhappy and yes, a little frightened. ‘We’ve got to figure out what the bloody hell that fucking key fits to,’ he reasoned. ‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this. If that key unlocks the holder of this list, Wes and I need to find it. I just know Buffy’s going to be affected by this list and I’m afraid for her.’

Until then, Spike had promised himself that he would not bring the list up again. Therefore, he saw no reason to discuss the bloody key now in Wesley’s possession, with Buffy or anyone else. Spike thought to call Wes to discuss the key, then changed his mind. It was late and Wes was probably snuggled up with his own girl, this Cordelia bird that Buffy knew. This brought another smile to Spike’s face. As much as he teased and yes, even abused Wes, verbally, he liked his cousin very much and wanted him to be happy.

Buffy woke up and felt the bed sheets next to her. ‘Still warm,’ she realized, ‘but empty.’ For some reason, she began to panic, so unlike her, most of the time.

“Will?” she called out. She was relieved when he strode through the bedroom door and slipped off his boxers quickly.

“Just havin’ a smoke, luv,” he purred as he snuggled back into the bed beside her, wrapping his strong arms about her.

Buffy wrapped her arms about him and buried her face into his taut chest. “I’m a ditz,” she mumbled into his chest, blushing profusely. “I don’t know why, William,” she continued, unable to look at him at the moment, “but for some reason, you bring out the girly girl in me. I just hope it’s not weak of me.” She giggled so softly, that she knew William had barely heard it. At least she hoped he hadn’t, kind of that is.

Spike began to laugh, loudly, “good,” he chortled heartily. “Because God knows Buffy Summers, you need to be a girly girl, at least once in a while. It’s nice to hear you giggle, I love it when you do. I hope that I’m the only one to bring that out in you, sweet.”

“Love you so much, baby,” he purred as he nuzzled her neck with his lips.

“I know,” Buffy answered softly.


A/N: Okay, I meant this to be longer, really, but I felt I needed to stop here. The next chapter is going to be longer, more Spuffy loving will be involved. Of course, the Spuffy ‘weekend’ getaway will be included in that chapter, and a ‘little’ twist will be included. You’ll just have to read it to find out what it is! Tee hee…

Anyway, if you believe in Cassie Newton’s powers, like Buffy does? Then you’ve realized that Amy did not kill the victims. But then again, you have to believe, huh?

Thanks for reading, please review…Luv, Spuf





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