Maybe It's Just Me - Update 09/10/2020 - FINISHED

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Title: Maybe It's Just Me
Summary: Tara Maclay is a no-nonsense, hot headed Homicide Detective hellbent on solving every case that's put before her, even if that means begrudgingly accepting the help of a certain pathologist.
Rating: pg13/R.
Disclaimer: The vast majority of the Buffy cast will not be in this story. For those that are mentioned/show up, they will be secondary characters.


Chapter 1

The florescent light lit room housed more desk than the room could comfortably sustain. The occupants, tired and bleary eyed from too many hours of overtime, sat slouched in their heavily worn down chairs. Slack faced, they squinted at their computer screens as their hands cramped from endless writing. A cork-board was positioned on the far wall, plastered with colorful glossy photos of lackluster faces and hand scribbled notes as red twine cobwebbed around the pictures.

“Maclay, Wallace. Go take a look at this.” Lieutenant Virginia Gordon ordered as she tossed the case file she was holding onto the desk in front of her. As the papers slid toward her, Tara slammed her hand on the top of the file, stopping the dossier before it slid off the desk. “The GSA has already sent someone down there.”

“Let me guess. Rosenberg.” Tara spat out the name distastefully. Ever since they had worked together for the first time nearly two years ago, they had never been on each other’s good side. “Why the hell do they keep sending her?”

“Because, Maclay, she’s the best damn medical examiner in the entire west coast, never mind Los Angeles. Get over it.” Julian Wallace, her long-time partner, responded with a smirk. Tara shot the athletically built rusty haired brunette a stern glare from her side of the conjoined desk.

“I think you’re the one who should get over it, Julian. She’s not interested.” Tara snapped back. Julian had been trying to get the grade A medical examiner to go out with him for the past year, but his effort had been shot down each time. He twisted his mouth to one side in annoyance at being reminded of his repeated rejections.

“Oh, will the two of you stop it? You're worse than my children. Just get your asses down there and do your damn job.” Lt. Gordon barked as she turned away to head back to her office. Tara and Julian shared an amused look before gathering up their stuff and then moved to leave the precinct.

*

After a leisurely thirty minute drive, filled with friendly banter, they reached the crime scene.

Parked along the side of the road were several police cruisers and an ambulance with its lights flashing. Several feet ahead, just past the sidewalk, were several police officers trying to push curious onlookers and the occasional reporter back, not wanting them to get too close to the crime scene.

“Detective Maclay and this is Detective Wallace from Homicide.” Tara uttered to one of the officers as they flashed him their respective badges. The officer nodded his head slightly as he lifted up the yellow tape that sealed off the crime scene; inviting them to go through.

“What have we got?” Tara asked the officer-in-charge, a pudgy middle aged Sergeant, as they walked deeper into the alley, where the body lay. At the back of the cramped alley, surrounding the victim's prone form were half a dozen investigators from the evidence collection unit, diligently collecting samples and snapping pictures.

“Daniel Osbourne; thirty-three year-old Caucasian male. He’s a street musician. His body was found just a couple hours ago by the kitchen help from the restaurant next door. The poor fella came in here to dump the trash, but came across this instead.” The Sergeant gestured towards the body. “Whoever did this is one hell of a psychopath.”

“Did he touch anything?” Julian question as he eyed the body.

“No. He said he nearly peed in his pants. So if you find a urine sample, it’ll probably be his.” The officer joked. Tara and Julian laughed a little, as appropriate as the current situation allowed.

“Thanks Sergeant …. Patterson.” Tara said, after taking a glance at his nameplate.

When they reached the back of the alley, the two seasoned detectives cringed at the ghastly sight. The victim’s front was sliced wide open with most of his internal organs spilled out onto the garbage caked asphalt with a large, nearly congealed puddle of blood surrounding the majority of his body. Kneeling beside the body, careful to avoid contaminating the scene as she examined the wound, was a petite redhead in navy blue medical scrubs.

“Dr. Rosenberg.” Tara greeted monotonously as she stepped up next to the medical examiner.
Willow raised her head up slightly to see Tara and Julian standing over her and the body.

“Detective Maclay, Detective Wallace.” She greeted back with equal enthusiasm before turning her attention back to the bloody mess.

Tension was heavy in the air as silence loomed over the three of them. Julian cleared his throat awkwardly. “So … what can you tell us, Dr. Rosenberg?” He asked, deciding to break the silence. "If I didn't know better, I'd say he was attacked by a wolf."

Tara fidgeted around, getting rather impatient at waiting for Willow to answer. She placed her hands on her hips and clenched her jaw in irritation. “Well?” she asked, raising the volume of her voice a little.

Willow shot her a displeased look. “You think this is easy? If you’re so impatient, come do it yourself,” she snapped. The lackadaisical attitude that Detective Maclay always seemed to have towards her, pissed the redhead off tremendously.

“What’s your problem?” Tara growled as she took an intimidating step forward but was stopped by her partner before she got any further. Willow scowled at her from her crouched position in response.

“Come on, Maclay. Calm down.” Julian whispered into her ear as he pulled her back by her arm. “Take your time, Dr. Rosenberg. Whenever you’re ready.” He said reassuringly to Willow, giving her a polite smile. Tara shrugged her partner’s hands off of her fiercely and stood a few paces back from the body with her hands folded across her chest, a frown on her face. There’s just something about the redhead that seemed to always get on her nerves.

Willow let out a long, forceful puff of breath. “Well, based on the temperature of his body, he’s been dead for at least eight hours. And the angles of the slices on his body indicate that the killer is most likely left handed.” She explained calmly as she indicated the direction of the blades movement with her fingers. “The slicing patterns the blade made are very unique, not like any typical knife. The shape of the blade may be curved or at the least, tipped with a hook. When the killer pulled the knife out, the organs got pulled out along with it.”

Tara grimaced in disgust at the description while Julian nodded thoughtfully. “Thanks. Is there anything else we should know?” He asked.

Willow shook her head in the negative. “That’s all I’ve got for now. I’ll take the body back to the morgue and see what I can find under a more thorough examination, “she replied as she stood up. “I’ll call you when I find something.”

“If you find something,” Tara said under her breath, earning her another disapproving glare from Julian.

Willow narrowed her eyes at Tara before picking up her medical examination kit. “I know you don’t like me, Detective Maclay. But could you at least show me some respect?” She question with a trace of hurt detectable in her tone.

Tara dropped her head in shame. She chastised herself mentally for being so short-tempered with the medical examiner. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled like a petulant child.

Willow turned and walked away without so much as a response, clutching the handle of her kit tightly. She pursed her lips into a straight line, keeping up her appearance as she headed in the direction of her car.

“What is wrong with you?” Julian scolded as soon as the redheaded pathologist was out of sight.

“I don’t know! It just came out of nowhere,” Tara protested lamely. “There’s just something about her.”

“I don’t think it’s her who is the problem. Maybe there’s just something about you,” Julian retorted, frowning deeply at his partner.

“Can we just stop talking about this? There’s a psychotic killer to find,” Tara said exasperatingly.

“Fine. But the two of you need to work out your issues. Seriously. There’s only so much drama I can take,” Julian stated. He loathed being stuck in the middle of the two women. There wasn’t one case that he could recall in which they didn’t snap at each other, effectively cutting the other down with snarky remarks.

“Let’s just solve this damn case first, okay? We should pay a visit to Osbourne’s family, tell them the bad news.” Tara rubbed her temples to relieve the pressure in her head. She hated this part of her job the most.

Julian nodded and they walked in silence to the car.

[Dragon]

Soo I'm definitely gonna be needing more of this stat.

[MotherD]

Oh yeah,...second that Dragon. Good start and not the usual "occupations" for either lady. Keep updates coming,...Please.

[Will's redemption]

I'm overjoyed to see a new story from you!

I'm really curious to find out why Tara as a "seasoned detective" is acting so unprofessionally (one might even say childish) during the small conversation with Willow.

Ever since they had worked together for the first time nearly two years ago, they had never been on each other’s good side.

And again the big question is why. From the little we've seen and heard of Willow it doesn't seem as if she had an arrogant, "I'm the best medical-examiner and you cops are probably too dumb to understand half of what I'm saying"-attitude, so why are they clashing so much? Did they have a one-night stand together which Willow wanted to ignore / forget afterwards so Tara feels hurt and lashes out because of it or something like that?

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Soo I'm definitely gonna be needing more of this stat.

Not a problem, second chapter on its way!

Oh yeah,...second that Dragon. Good start and not the usual "occupations" for either lady. Keep updates coming,...Please.

Thank you! I just think Tara in a blazer and Willow in scrubs is just too unbearably sexy not to write about.

I'm overjoyed to see a new story from you!

Aww, thanks

I'm really curious to find out why Tara as a "seasoned detective" is acting so unprofessionally (one might even say childish) during the small conversation with Willow.

She is definitely acting childish, brattish even. But the next chapter will give a glimpse as to why the two are at ends with each other.

And again the big question is why. From the little we've seen and heard of Willow it doesn't seem as if she had an arrogant, "I'm the best medical-examiner and you cops are probably too dumb to understand half of what I'm saying"-attitude, so why are they clashing so much? Did they have a one-night stand together which Willow wanted to ignore / forget afterwards so Tara feels hurt and lashes out because of it or something like that?

[/quote]

No past relationship or sexual encounter … that comes later on in the fic . There is a flashback in the next chapter of their first meeting where their petty rivalry started.

[Finey_McFine]

Hey There...Great start! I'm looking forward to reading more.

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Hey There...Great start! I'm looking forward to reading more.

Thank you! Next chapter posted directly below. Hope you enjoy it.

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Title: Maybe It's Just Me
Summary: Tara Maclay is a no-nonsense, hot headed Homicide Detective hellbent on solving every case that's put before her, even if that means begrudgingly accepting the help of a certain pathologist.
Rating: R for language.
Disclaimer: The vast majority of the Buffy cast will not be in this story. For those that are mentioned/show up, they will be secondary characters.

NOTE: I uploaded the wrong draft for this chapter. For anyone who already read it, the parts that were left out are highlighted in yellow. Sorry!


Chapter 2

“Alright, got it. Thanks, Harris. Nope, still not buying you a donut. I’m gonna hang up now,” Tara chuckled as she disconnected the phone call.

“Can’t you just buy that poor guy one stupid donut?” Julian shook his head in amusement. “What’s the address?”

“Here. It’s not far away.” Tara passed him the small piece of paper she wrote the address on. “And no, I’m not going to buy him a donut. It’s a matter of principle,” she said as she stared out the passenger window, watching the colorful buildings of Los Angeles fly past as they drove through the downtown streets.

“Yeah right. Just admit it, you’re penny-pinching,” Julian teased, earning him a playful smack on the arm. “Hey! I’m driving.”

“Then shut the hell up and drive,” Tara retorted good-humoredly. She had known Julian since the first day of police academy and they had helped each other through countless of hard times, on and off the clock. If it wasn’t for Julian, she knew she would be alone in the increasingly depraved world. She had lost her family years ago. One by death, the others by choice. Julian however felt like home, like the older brother she had always wanted and the best friend she never knew she needed.

They pulled up in front of a rather torn and tattered red-bricked apartment building ten minutes later. “This is it.” Julian announced as he turned to his partner, turning off the ignition. “Let’s do it.”

Tara nodded grimly, clenching her jaw as she repeated the well-rehearsed speech in her head. She had gone through this process numerous times and thought she would be numbed by now. Instead, her heartache only intensified. She slammed the car door shut and then jogged to catch up with Julian, who was already walking up the steps to the entrance.

They climbed the narrow staircase up to the fifth floor and went their separate ways to find the apartment.

“Found it!” Tara called out as she pointed to the door in front of her. Julian strode up to stand next to her and they stood outside, staring at the number ‘5F’ on the wooden door for a brief moment.

“Ready?” Julian asked as he raised his closed fist, knocking on the door once Tara gave him the affirmative.

They heard scuffling from inside of the apartment before the door opened. An older woman with greying hair and soft features greeted them. “May I help you?” she asked as she smiled gently at the two strangers.

“Are you Mrs. Osbourne?” Tara asked. She could feel her heart tightening as she asked the question. The old lady gave the two of them a hesitant nod, a frown working its way to her face.

“Is there something wrong?” she questioned tentatively as she looked at the duos dejected faces, a sense of foreboding overcoming her.

An older man with thinning orange hair walked up to stand behind her, putting his hands on either side of her shoulders as he looked earnestly at the visitors. “Can we help you with something?”

“I’m Detective Maclay and this is my partner, Detective Wallace,” Tara said somberly as she produced her badge to the couple. “We’re with LAPD homicide.”

Tara didn’t get to go any further. The woman’s lower lip started to tremble as she stared broken heartedly at the two detectives. She knew what was coming next, call it a mother’s intuition, but she had to ask anyways in the hopes that the sinking feeling in her stomach was wrong. “Is Daniel okay?”

Tara’s throat tightened as she looked at the distraught couple. She didn’t want to do this. She didn’t want to be the one who told these parents they would never see their son again. This was the part of her job she hated the most. Telling families that they will never be whole again. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Osbourne, but…”

“No. No,” Mrs. Osbourne repeated, not wanting to hear the words about to spill forth from the detective’s mouth. “No, you’re wrong.”

Tears were beginning to flood the old lady’s eyes, as well as Tara’s. “I’m terribly sorry … but your son was found dead this morning.” Her voice was soft, cracking towards the end of her sentence.

Mrs. Osbourne’s legs gave out as she collapsed down to the ground, sobbing. Tara and Julian moved quickly to help steady Mr. Osbourne as his body started to tremble; his own lips quivering.

*

After an indefinite amount of time and comforting, the four of them finally managed to move into the apartment. Tara and Julian sat on the couch opposite the victim’s parents. The old couple held each other’s hand in their own, lending support and courage to one another.

“Do you know anyone who might want to harm Daniel?” Julian asked softly. "Was he hanging out with anyone that maybe could've gotten him into trouble?"

“Danny is a good boy, always has been. He was never in trouble with the law, not once." Mrs. Osbourne tried bravely to fight back hitching sobs as Mr. Osbourne rubbed one hand up and down her back soothingly. "Who would do such a thing to him?”

“He got along so well with others, never once complained about anyone before.” Mr. Osbourne spoke up, his voice slightly hoarse. “At least not to us.”

“Does he have any close friends that he may have confided in?” Tara asked, keeping her emotions in check. She wanted nothing more than to find the killer and bring them to justice. An overwhelming sense of righteousness started to burn fiercely within her.

“Well, maybe Verruca might know something. They have been dating for three years now. She’s a really sweet girl, they just got engaged. Oh poor Verruca, she’s gonna be so heartbroken!” Mrs. Osbourne broke down in tears again as she clung desperately to her husband. Realization was starting to fully set in. Her sweet boy was never coming home.

Tara and Julian shared a knowing look. “We’re so sorry about your son, Mr. and Mrs. Osbourne. Don’t worry; we’ll catch whoever did this to him.” Julian assured. The old couple merely nodded sullenly in response. “If you need anything, anything at all, you give us a call.”

*

“Damn,” Tara breathed out as soon as they exited the apartment building. “I hate being the bearer of bad news.”


“Yeah, that was rough.” Julian responded, his expression grim.

Julian’s work issued phone began to ring before either of them could continue with the conversation. He pulled his phone from the front pocket of his dark-blue jeans and flipped it open. “Wallace.”

“Hi Detective Wallace, its Dr. Rosenberg, I found something. You and Detective Maclay can come down and have a look.” The voice on the other end of the phone said.

“That’s great news. We’re coming over right now. Thanks!.” Julian replied and smiled to himself before flipping the phone shut. Even though the redhead had always politely turned down his dinner invitations, stating it was best not to mix business and pleasure, he had a feeling that Dr. Rosenberg was starting to warm up to him. After all, his boyish good looks and charming personality always worked for him in the past.

Tara arched an amused eyebrow at seeing Julian smiling foolishly at nothing in particular. “What is it?” she asked, curious about the sudden change in mood in her partner.

“Oh, nothing,” he shook his head dismissively. “It’s just Dr. Rosenberg. She wants us to go down to the morgue. She said she found something.”

“She better have,” Tara quipped. Instantly, she raised both her hands up in surrender when Julian shot her an annoyed look.

“Would it kill you to be nice to her?” Julian question as he walked towards their patrol vehicle.

“Actually, it would.” Tara retorted, going around the front of the car to the other side. “Besides, she was the one who started all this hostility, remember? Acting all high and mighty on the first case we had with her, only to snap at me on the proceeding one. She started it…“ Tara continued, coming close to whining like a little kid. But if she was completely honest, although she would never admit this to Julian, she knew damn well that she had been the one to start this ongoing feud which manifested itself out of jealousy.

Julian had gone on and on about Dr. Rosenberg after first meeting her, claiming he felt like she could possibly be ‘the one’ and was going to build up the nerve to ask her out. Jealousy and a sense of foreboding instantly washed over her. She had been present for many of Julian’s conquests, but never had she heard him talk with such devotion about a woman before. It scared her. If her best friend started dating the pathologist, all of his free time would be consumed by the redhead, and that inevitably would leave her alone in this seemingly darkening world. She hated herself for being so petulant, but she was scared to lose her best friend and end up alone.

Even though her first time meeting Willow occurred almost two years ago, she still remembered the incident as clearly as though it had just happened.

They had been sent to a boat yard where a body had washed up on shore.

Walking down the embankment toward the scene of the crime, Willow ducked under a yellow crime scene tape that was partially held up for her by the officer guarding the entrance to the dock. Snapping a pair of blue, latex gloves out of her pocket, Willow approached Detective Julian Wallace who was standing by, awaiting her presence.

“Good morning Dr. Rosenberg,” Julian said brightly, his jovial tune seemingly out of place for an active crime scene.
Giving a demure smile, Willow nodded politely at the rust haired detective in lieu of a greeting. “What do we have here?” she asked as she slid one hand followed by the other into the pair of gloves.

Raising the clipboard he had in his hand, Julian scanned over the notes jotted down by the initial officer who received the call. “Female jogger, Angela Swanson, age 28. Trauma to the back of the head and traces of foam in her mouth. CSU is upriver trying to search for where she went in.” Julian prattled off as he read through the notations. Glancing to his left, he looked at the medical examiner who appeared to be deep in thought before continuing. “Coroner stated that the liver temp is 95.1 and water temp is 64.”

“Two hours more or less,” she replied without looking at the detective, her concentration focused completely on the deceased woman, covered by a yellow sheet, at the end of the dock.

Circling the body, Willow positioned herself on the deceased woman’s right side before reaching down to remove the tarp. Kneeling next to the jogger, Willow visually examined the corpse, her eyes flickering over the woman’s slightly parted mouth, noticing the beginning signs of a blue hue before lowering her gaze to bare shoulders.

At the sound of old wooden floorboards creaking under shoes, Julian looked up from the victim to see his partner approaching. “Ah, Tara, you’re here, good.” Pointing with his pen to the focus driven redhead, he introduced his partner to the medical examiner. “This is Dr. Willow Rosenberg. I don’t think you’ve pulled her before. She’s the one who helped Harris and I on that fry-cook case last month”

“Oh, no I haven’t, but I've heard all about Dr. Rosenberg,” Tara replied sardonically as she came to a stop beside her partner, the man who had not stopped yammering on about the redhead for the past three weeks. “This must be our lucky day.”

At the detectives mocking words, Willow slowly raised her head to get a look at the newcomer. She gazed up into shockingly beautiful blue eyes, the woman’s beauty catching her off guard for the slightest of seconds. Keeping her face as impassive as possible, unwilling to give the brunette the satisfaction of seeing her falter, Willow recanted with sarcasm of her own. “Look at that … already we agree on something.”

At the brunettes scowl, the medical examiner gave a tight lip smile while cocking her head to the left slightly, watching in amusement as the detectives eye twitched. “Our victim has blunt force trauma to the back of the head, preliminary indications of drowning. No scrapes or abrasions. No signs of defensive wounds. She went into the river clean after being hit. Liver temp puts it at about two hours ago.” She gave the brunette one more pointed look once she glanced up from her note pad which she had been scribbling feverously on. “And whoever attacked her did it on the west side of the river.”

“How do you know that?” Julian asked inquisitively with a soft shrug of the shoulder.

“She got some sun this morning.” Willow replied nonchalantly as she peeled the used gloves off of her hands.

“So?” Tara questioned accusatorily.

“So, two hours ago the east side of the river was in shadow.” Willow replied professionally, her tone even keeled the whole time.

“That's it?” huffed out Tara factitiously, her pen wielding hand waving about in front of her as she let out a short chortle. “You haven't caught the murderer yet?”

“No, detective, but give me time” the redhead said through a tight lipped smile, her expression conveying her displeasure for the woman standing before her. Stepping over the lower portion of the corpse, Willow walked away from the two detectives, calling over her shoulder in the process, “Autopsy, two hours”.

After their first unsuccessful encounter, three weeks went by before they ran into each other again. Tara and Julian had been handed a case by their Lieutenant, sending them to a natural history museum when one of its employees was found deceased inside one of the exhibits. Willow, once again, was already on scene, examining the body when the detectives arrived. The two of them approached her to get the physical details of the homicide, which led to Tara pointing out a peculiar bruise on the victim’s inner thigh, asking Willow, not so politely, to check it out. That was when the redhead snapped at her. “Would you like me to tell you how to do your job?” All hell broke loose afterwards. Since then, whenever they worked on a case together, sarcastic off handed comments and snarky remarks would be exchanged in-lieu of polite conversation.

“That doesn’t mean you have to continue,” Julian rebuffed. He was stuck in the middle, between his best friend and his crush, unable to pick a side. It wasn’t a great position to be in. “Get in the car, Maclay.” He said annoyingly as he got into the black BMW coupe and sat himself in the driver’s seat; turning the key and starting the engine.

Tara rolled her eyes dramatically before opening the car door and getting into the passenger’s seat.

“I saw that,” Julian said flatly once Tara settled into the car.

[Will's redemption]

Dibs!

I’m sorry, Mrs. Osbourne.” Tears were beginning to flood the old lady’s eyes, as well as Tara’s. “Your son was found dead this morning.” Her voice was soft, cracking towards the end of her sentence.

Mrs. Osbourne’s legs gave out as she collapsed down to the ground, sobbing. Tara and Julian moved quickly to help steady Mr. Osbourne as his body started to tremble; his own lips quivering.

Hm. I'm surprised that Tara just blurts out the bad news (although with a soft, caring voice) while they are still standing at the door. I would have expected her and Julian to try to be let into the apartment and have the parents take a seat first (less hight to fall if there is fainting).

“Besides, she was the one who started all this hostility, remember? Acting all high and mighty on the first case we had with her, only to snap at me on the proceeding one. She started it…“

“Oh, no I havent, but I've heard all about Dr. Rosenberg,” Tara replied sardonically as she came to a stop beside her partner, the man who had not stopped yammering on about the redhead for the past three weeks. “This must be our lucky day.”

Boy Tara, twisted memory much?! YOU obviously started it all with this sardonic, contemptous remark and by childishly reacting pissed off to Willow's observation that and why the victim must have jogged on the west side of the river. Plus the tone makes the music, while Willow is speaking "professionally" and "even keeled", Tara's tone is "accusatorily" and she even goes so far to "huff" and "chortle". If I had been Willow, I too would have intensely disliked her from this meeting on.

The two of them approached her to get the physical details of the homicide, which led to Tara pointing out a peculiar bruise on the victim’s inner thigh, asking Willow, not so politely, to check it out. That was when the redhead snapped at her. “Would you like me to tell you how to do your job?”

Again I'm on Willow's side here. So not okay to talk to Willow like that and insinuating she doesn't do her job right. From the brief summary of this moment I wouldn't assume Willow actually overlooked this bruise but that she was either still methodically checking the upper body first or in the process of telling the cops other physical details first. Either way Tara's "not so polite" request to tell them about this bruise first just showed that she doesn't respect Willow professionally and Willow was abolutely right to call her on that.

As you can see I share Willow's dislike of Tara right now because she has been acting like a bitca towards Willow without no good reason. Hopefully we will see her acting more likeable in her interactions with Willow soon - and I think she should be the one to apologize first!

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Dibs!

I’m sorry, Mrs. Osbourne.” Tears were beginning to flood the old lady’s eyes, as well as Tara’s. “Your son was found dead this morning.” Her voice was soft, cracking towards the end of her sentence.

Mrs. Osbourne’s legs gave out as she collapsed down to the ground, sobbing. Tara and Julian moved quickly to help steady Mr. Osbourne as his body started to tremble; his own lips quivering.

Hm. I'm surprised that Tara just blurts out the bad news (although with a soft, caring voice) while they are still standing at the door. I would have expected her and Julian to try to be let into the apartment and have the parents take a seat first (less hight to fall if there is fainting).

“Besides, she was the one who started all this hostility, remember? Acting all high and mighty on the first case we had with her, only to snap at me on the proceeding one. She started it…“

“Oh, no I havent, but I've heard all about Dr. Rosenberg,” Tara replied sardonically as she came to a stop beside her partner, the man who had not stopped yammering on about the redhead for the past three weeks. “This must be our lucky day.”

Boy Tara, twisted memory much?! YOU obviously started it all with this sardonic, contemptous remark and by childishly reacting pissed off to Willow's observation that and why the victim must have jogged on the west side of the river. Plus the tone makes the music, while Willow is speaking "professionally" and "even keeled", Tara's tone is "accusatorily" and she even goes so far to "huff" and "chortle". If I had been Willow, I too would have intensely disliked her from this meeting on.

The two of them approached her to get the physical details of the homicide, which led to Tara pointing out a peculiar bruise on the victim’s inner thigh, asking Willow, not so politely, to check it out. That was when the redhead snapped at her. “Would you like me to tell you how to do your job?”

Again I'm on Willow's side here. So not okay to talk to Willow like that and insinuating she doesn't do her job right. From the brief summary of this moment I wouldn't assume Willow actually overlooked this bruise but that she was either still methodically checking the upper body first or in the process of telling the cops other physical details first. Either way Tara's "not so polite" request to tell them about this bruise first just showed that she doesn't respect Willow professionally and Willow was abolutely right to call her on that.

As you can see I share Willow's dislike of Tara right now because she has been acting like a bitca towards Willow without no good reason. Hopefully we will see her acting more likeable in her interactions with Willow soon - and I think she should be the one to apologize first!

Thank you for pointing this out! I just went through what I posted and didn’t realize I uploaded the wrong document. This was my first draft for this chapter and I should’ve uploaded the 3rd one which actually flushed out/highlights some of your concerns. I’ll post the correct chapter when I get home.

[Will's redemption]

Dibs to the corrected chapter!
I liked the new version of their talk with Oz's parents and the added insight into Tara's thoughts and feelings.
So she is acting like a "bitca" towards Willow in the hope to scare her off and prevent a possible relationship between her and Julian? Again pretty childlike - and funny for us readers who know in advance that Willow and Tara are both gay and will get together so in the end it will be Julian who might feel a bit left out. At least if you don't plan to kill him off in the story - please don't!

[*WILLOW*]

Woohoo! I'm so excited to see a new story by you. I've been waiting for this ever since Honeysuckle rose ended. I'm loving the concept behind their occupation, I don't think I've ever read a story where Willow is a medical examiner. I'm a little sad that the story starts of with W/T on bad terms with each other, but like Wills Redemption said, we know they're gonna end up together so I guess it's just a waiting game to see when they reconcile their differences.

Can't wait for the next update

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Dibs to the corrected chapter!

Thanks again for catching that. Guess I should be a little more observant when I post. lol

I liked the new version of their talk with Oz's parents and the added insight into Tara's thoughts and feelings.

I've never been in this situation where I had to give someone life altering news (thankfully!) so I tried to make it as realistic as possible.

So she is acting like a "bitca" towards Willow in the hope to scare her off and prevent a possible relationship between her and Julian? Again pretty childlike - and funny for us readers who know in advance that Willow and Tara are both gay and will get together.

Very juvenile in deed. But in Tara's mind, Julian is all she has and she relies heavily on him both at work and in her personal life. So when he's fawning all over someone unbelievably attractive and smart panic sets in.

so in the end it will be Julian who might feel a bit left out. At least if you don't plan to kill him off in the story - please don't!

I am known to kill off main characters, but in this case, I quite like Julian and the brotherly love dynamic he has with Tara.

Woohoo! I'm so excited to see a new story by you. I've been waiting for this ever since Honeysuckle rose ended.

Sorry to have kept you waiting for so long! Just wanted to make sure I loved the story completely before I posted it.

I'm loving the concept behind their occupation, I don't think I've ever read a story where Willow is a medical examiner.

Thank you. I wanted to stray away from the usual concept as much as possible.

I'm a little sad that the story starts of with W/T on bad terms with each other, but like Wills Redemption said, we know they're gonna end up together so I guess it's just a waiting game to see when they reconcile their differences.

I know its not the normal start to fanfics featuring Willow and Tara, but I wanted to portray a good old-fashioned mildly antagonistic trope. Don't worry though, it won't be too long before they realize their attraction for each other.

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Chapter

“Dr. Rosenberg, you’ve got something for us?” Julian asked once he and Tara reached Willow’s side beside the steel examination table. They were in a well-equipped morgue in the basement of UCLA Medical Center. The medical examiner, though not unusual, was alone inside the room.

Willow was seated on a swivel stool beside the metal table on which the victim laid. She was looking into a microscope on an adjoining table, occasionally adjusting the lens as she examined the contents on the slide. “Yeah. Here, take a look at this.” She moved aside to allow the two detectives to take turns looking into the microscope.

“I also found several bruises around the abdomen and scabs on his knuckles, but they were already healing. He could have gotten them a few days or even a week before.” She continued.

Tara furrowed her eyebrows when Julian gave her a shrug and a blank stare as he looked up slightly from the microscope. She gave him a little push as a signal for him to get out of the way.

“Care to tell us what it is we’re looking at?” Tara asked while looking at the dark colored crystal-like specimen through the scope. Science had never been her forte in school and the image on the slide was just as baffling as anything she had looked at while in class all those years ago.

Willow took a calming breath to soothe her nerves at hearing Tara’s peeved tone, but couldn’t help frowning in annoyance. “It’s obsidian,” she stated plainly. There were times when she wanted to make nice, but whenever they started ‘talking’, Tara‘s snappiness reminded her how that could never happen.

“So?” Tara questioned after sharing a baffled look with Julian.

“It’s a type of volcanic glass; chemically similar to granite. I found several tiny pieces stuck inside the victim’s body along his sternum. In the ancient times, obsidian was used to make ceremonial objects and blades for knives. Now the only place you can find one is probably in an antique store.” Willow explained.

“Or on the internet,” Tara replied sarcastically as she asked, “ever heard of E-bay?”

Willow narrowed her eyes indignantly at her. She decided that she had had enough of the brunette’s insolence. “You’ve got what you came for. Now, why don’t you get the hell out of my morgue?” she hissed as she narrowed her eyes at the detective.

“You’re throwing us out?” Tara breathed out in disbelief. This was the first time Willow had declared to want them out of her examination room.

“Wouldn't be the first time a woman threw you out,” Willow sneered.

“What did you say?” Tara raised her voice at the redhead, staring angrily as her nostrils flared. Julian moved to stand directly in front of Tara, blocking her view of Willow. He placed his hands on either side of the brunette’s shoulders in an attempt to calm her down. Her face was beet-red as anger flushed her body.

“Let’s just go, Tara.” He said in a soft voice. He had never witnessed the two women squabble so heatedly before. Things between them had escalated to a whole new level and he was fearful that fists would start to fly.

“Did you hear what she ju-“ Tara stopped her protest grudgingly when she saw the stern expression on Julian’s face. She put her hands on her hips and squeezed her eyes shut in anger and frustration. “Fine.” With that, she turned around and stormed out the double-doors of the morgue.

Julian turned back to Willow, who had one hand on her forehead and the other on her hip. A look of exasperation evident on the young woman’s face. He pressed his lips into a straight line before turning to leave as well. He was at a loss of words.

When he was halfway down the hallway, Julian heard a loud bang resounding from the morgue much like someone had just slammed a fist onto a metal table. He stopped abruptly at hearing it. After letting out a defeated sigh, he continued his walk to the elevator.

*

“I can’t believe she said that!” Tara yelled, gesturing wildly inside the car. She had been going on and on about the interaction at the morgue for the last twenty minutes, which was about the same time they drove away from the hospital. “She doesn’t know anything about me. And she acted all high and mighty, like she’s better than me. Who the hell does she think she is?”

Julian had been listening to his partner ramble on angrily about Willow, not an uncommon occurrence after being in the redhead’s presence. Today however, his ears were starting to hurt. She had started to bring up snippets of arguments she had had with Willow in the past six months, which he was sure no one actually remembered. He himself didn’t even remember the events and he was there in all of them, apparently.

He put the brakes on the car when the traffic light turned red. Tara was still rattling on in the passenger’s seat, but it barely registered in his mind. The rambling had become gibberish about ten minutes ago, the words a low buzzing nose steadily penetrating his ears. Julian took in a deep breath. That’s it.

“Stop!” he yelled, dragging out the one syllable word. Tara jumped in her seat at the sudden shriek, pressing her back into the corner between the car door and the seat. Her left hand gripped the side of the leather-cushioned seat while her right palm was pressed on the ceiling of the car, in a comical pose. She stared wide-eyed in shock at Julian, her face having shifted to a slightly pale color from the fright.

“Would you please stop?” Julian pleaded breathlessly, his face flushed.

“You couldn’t have told me nicely? No need to yell. You nearly scared the crap out of me.” Tara grumbled, settling back into the seat once more.

“Yeah right. Would you really have stopped if I asked you nicely?” Julian shot back with a smirk as he stepped on the accelerator when the light turned green.

“No,” Tara mumbled sheepishly as she crossed her arms against her chest.

“You’ve never been like this before. It’s not like that was the first time Rosenberg made a jibe at you. Why are you making such a big deal about it this time?” Julian question as he arched an eyebrow. For the first year or so, whenever she and Willow argued, Tara would brood for a while or plainly shrugged it off after leaving the redhead’s presence. However, he had noticed that she had become increasingly bothered by the redhead in recent times for no obvious reason.

Tara let out a long breath through her nose. She seemed to have calmed down significantly. “I don’t know. When she said that, it kinda …” hurts? “…just pissed me off,” she replied. She frowned slightly at the initial thought, wondering where it came from. She couldn’t deny the fact that Willow seemed to get on her nerves much more lately, making her feel a tad uneasy.

“You always get pissed off,” Julian retorted, interrupting Tara’s train of thought. “It’s like your trademark.”

“Yeah, like I am right now,” she snapped her head to the side to glare at him. Julian shot her an amused smile, infecting Tara as well. She shook her head in amazement at how he seemed to always make her feel better so effortlessly.

“Well, now that you are feeling better, can you call Harris and have him check out that obsidian thing?” Julian asked, putting his head back into the case after getting a little sidetracked by the drama of it all. “We need to go talk to Osbourne’s girlfriend.”

“Fine. But if he asks me to buy him that stupid donut again, I’m gonna shove one down his throat when we get back to the precinct.” Tara quipped as she dialed the number on her phone.

[taranwillow4ever]

Loving the story. Having a bit of a difficulty not imagining Willow like Temperance Brennan...read too much Bones femslash.
Looking forward to their discovery that anyone who gets your goat that bad; you have feelings for them.

[Will's redemption]

“Or on the internet,” Tara replied sarcastically as she asked, “ever heard of E-bay?”

Arrgh, Tara's attitude is really getting on my nerves! Seriously Tara, why do you try to belittle / ridicule every observation Willow makes and every evidence she finds?!

Willow narrowed her eyes indignantly at her. She decided that she had had enough of the brunette’s insolence. “You’ve got what you came for. Now, why don’t you get the hell out of my morgue?” she hissed as she narrowed her eyes at the detective.

“You’re throwing us out?” Tara breathed out in disbelief. This was the first time Willow had declared to want them out of her examination room.

Yeah Tara, serves you exactly right! If I were Willow I might have topped this with "Detective Wallace, please feel free to come to the morgue without your partner from now on!"

“Wouldn't be the first time a woman threw you out,” Willow sneered.

Ouch. Willow has every right to be pissed of by Tara's attitude, but that blow was too low. I'm wondering how on earth Willow guessed that Tara is gay...

When he was halfway down the hallway, Julian heard a loud bang resounding from the morgue much like someone had just slammed a fist onto a metal table.

I kind of hope Willow is more angry with herself for this last jibe than she is with Tara.

I'm really wondering how they will ever be able to reconcile. Maybe if one of them would see the other in an emotional state which would surprise her - f.e. if Tara would in her free time by chance see Willow playing in the park with her goddaughter (Buffy's kid) or something like that (I know, wild spekulation - but I really hope Willow has a private life with friends she can confide in).

[*WILLOW*]

“Or on the internet,” Tara replied sarcastically as she asked, “ever heard of E-bay?”

This made me giggle because of Willow having found the urn of Osiris on Ebay.

I'm torn, you're conflicting my emotions. I'm absolutely loving this story so far but hate that W/T are at each others throats. Just goes to show that you're a great writer. Can't wait to read more.

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Loving the story. Having a bit of a difficulty not imagining Willow like Temperance Brennan...read too much Bones femslash.

Omg, that never even crossed my mind, but you're so right! Now I wanna go binge watch Bones. lol

Looking forward to their discovery that anyone who gets your goat that bad; you have feelings for them.

They'll soon figure out though that they're attracted to each other … they just gotta get over themselves first. Thanks for reading/reviewing!

Arrgh, Tara's attitude is really getting on my nerves! Seriously Tara, why do you try to belittle / ridicule every observation Willow makes and every evidence she finds?!

I agree with you, her attitude sucks. She'll learn soon enough though that her words/actions have consequences.

Yeah Tara, serves you exactly right! If I were Willow I might have topped this with "Detective Wallace, please feel free to come to the morgue without your partner from now on!"

I think she was just so flabbergasted and irate with Tara's snarky remarks that she wanted them both out so she could compose herself in privacy.

Ouch. Willow has every right to be pissed of by Tara's attitude, but that blow was too low.

Even the most jovial person can sink to a low level from time to time when pushed hard enough. Unfortunately , that's what just happened with Willow.

I'm wondering how on earth Willow guessed that Tara is gay...

This little tidbit will be disclosed in a few chapters.

I kind of hope Willow is more angry with herself for this last jibe than she is with Tara.

I think it's a combination of both.

I'm really wondering how they will ever be able to reconcile. Maybe if one of them would see the other in an emotional state which would surprise her - f.e. if Tara would in her free time by chance see Willow playing in the park with her goddaughter (Buffy's kid) or something like that (I know, wild spekulation - but I really hope Willow has a private life with friends she can confide in).

I didn't want to take away from the plot by creating outside storylines, so this story is based around the core people already mentioned and their job/cases. A few other Buffy character's will pop up here and there but for the most part very briefly. Thanks for reading/reviewing!






\

This made me giggle because of Willow having found the urn of Osiris on Ebay.

I'm glad you found it amusing. I thought the clip from the show fit in perfectly here.

I'm torn, you're conflicting my emotions. I'm absolutely loving this story so far but hate that W/T are at each others throats. Just goes to show that you're a great writer. Can't wait to read more.

[/quote][/quote]

Why thank you. I know it's hard to read right now with them seemingly hating each other but don't worry, they'll soon realize they have feelings for each other. Thanks for reading/reviewing!

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Chapter 4

“Miss Harper?” Tara called out for the fourth time from outside the victim’s girlfriend’s apartment. They had been knocking on the door for a couple of minutes now, each time receiving negative results.

“Maybe we should go. Come back tomorrow.” Julian suggested. Since no one had answered the door this long, chances were no one was home. Tara seemed reluctant though. She hoped to get new leads on the case as soon as possible. The thought of a psycho killer running loose on the streets didn’t sit well with her. The faster they put him behind bars, the better.

“Miss Harper!” Tara tried for the last time, banging on the door more forcefully. A few seconds later, the sound of footsteps could be heard inside of the apartment before the door swung open.

A disheveled woman with dirty blonde hair stood by the half opened door, leaning on the frame of it. She had a blue blanket wrapped around her, her hazel eyes squinting against the bright lighting of the corridor. “Who are you?” she asked in a hoarse voice and sniffled for a bit afterwards.

“I’m Detective Maclay from the DHI. This is Detective Wallace,” Tara made a vague gesture to Julian. “You’re Danial Osbourne’s girlfriend?”

“Yeah. What’s wrong? Oh my god, is he in trouble?” Verruca stood up straighter and appeared to be much more awake at the mention of her boyfriend, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

Tara and Julian looked at each other. “I’m sorry, Miss Harper. Danial was found deceased this morning,” Julian said solemnly as he broke the news.

“What?” she breathed out disbelievingly, her eyes glistening with tears. "This is a joke. You're joking. He put you up to this, didn't he?"
When their grim features failed to shift, Vurruca let out a heartfelt sob, her hands flying to her face to cup her quivering lips.

Julian took a step forward and wrapped his arms around the distraught woman’s shoulders before she could crumble to the ground.

"How? How?" she asked, her words mumbled as she spoke into the detectives chest, her tears dampening the fabric.

"He was ... he was stabbed," Julian said as gently as he could. There was no easy way to tell someone that a loved one has been murdered. He had tried it many different ways, but over time, he realized it was best not to sugarcoat the situation.

When Verruca failed to respond, her body going limp in his ar, Julian led her to the couch inside her apartment and sat her down slowly. Tara followed behind them after closing the door, her eyes shifting around the small yet cozy apartment.

“Do you know who did it?” Verruca asked as tears flowed down her cheeks. She pulled the blanket tighter around her.

“No, which is why we’re here,” Tara stated flatly. “Do you know if anyone would want to hurt him? For any reason,” Tara asked, passing the crying woman a tissue box that was resting on the kitchen counter. She then moved to sit on the coffee table, directly in front of the mourning blonde.

“No.” she said through a hiccup as she shook her head. “I don’t think so.” She took the tissue box offered to her, giving the detective a weak smile albeit unsuccessfully. She thought for a moment before continuing. “But he got into a dumb scuffle with some guy not too long ago. I don’t know his name though.”

“What happened?” Julian questioned as he flipped open a pocket notepad in preparation to jot down some notes. Tara leaned forward to listen more closely, her interest peaked.

“This guy accused Danial of stealing ‘his’ spot. Danny used to perform outside an auditorium, but the traffic flow was slow, so he changed locations and started performing at the entrance to the Civic Center Station about a month ago. Last week, they had a huge argument and then they got physical.” Verruca explained, and then blew her nose into the tissue. “They threw a few punches each and Danny came home with a few cuts and bruises but nothing serious.”

“Do you remember anything or know of anyone else that might help us?” Julian asked softly, head bowed as he scribbled on the notepad. Casting his gaze upwards, he caught Verruca shaking her head in the negative.

“Are you gonna be okay alone? We can stay with you for a while longer.” Tara offered, placing a comforting hand on Verruca’s knee.

“Could you, please?” she asked tearfully.


*


The two of them were back in the precinct after spending about an hour accompanying and consoling Verruca until they were sure she could be left alone.

Tara plopped down into her seat and threw her head back, exhausted after a rather long day. Julian, on the other hand, turned on his computer as he prepared to update the CAD report with their day’s findings, not quite as worn-out.

“Hey! There are two of my favorite detectives!” A medium height, shaggy haired brunette man exclaimed with his arms spread out as he approached their desk.

Tara grudgingly lifted her head up. She could recognize that voice from anywhere. “What do you want, Harris? If you say donut, I’ll snap your head off,” she threatened in jest. Julian let out a bark of laughter in amusement.

“Someone’s snippy. Let me guess … hmm,” Harris placed an index finger on his lower lip and pretended to be deep in thought. “Dr. Rosenberg?”

Tara let out a noisy breath. “I don’t wanna talk about it,” the brunette replied dully. She was still affected by the rather heated encounter with Willow earlier. They had always jabbed at each other, but never made any personal attacks.

“Yeah right. I seem to remember you rambling on and on about it in the car,” Julian retorted. “My ears still hurt you know,” he joked while sticking out his lower lip and rubbing his ears with his hands.

“Oh, shut up.” Tara snapped back irritably at the tease. “And you too.” She narrowed her eyes at Harris when he broke out into laughter.

“Aren’t the two of you just adorable?” Harris asked good-humoredly. Tara rolled her eyes in response.

“Anyways, I’m here to give you this.” He handed the rusty blonde hair detective a file, switching to business mode instantly. “Those are the lists of all the antique stores in Los Angeles that have anything obsidian-related listed on their website in the last four months. I’m checking the net, seeing if anyone is selling off a personal collection or something but nothing’s coming up so far.”

“Thanks, Harris,” Tara said gratefully before the man turned to leave. If they could track down the weapon used to kill Daniel Osbourne, it would most likely lead them to the killer as well. She took a look at her watch. It was getting pretty late; most of the stores were probably closed. They would have to wait till tomorrow to continue the investigation.

“We should go to the ones located near the Civic Center first and spread out from there,” she suggested wisely to Julian, who nodded in approval.

“Maybe we should call Dr. Rosenberg and ask her to come along.” Tara instantly shot Julian a glare at the suggestion. He met her glare and tilted his head to one side.

“She could help us. She has a better idea on what kind of weapon killed Daniel Osbourne. Her insights have helped us a lot in the past, I’m sure they are gonna come in handy,” he explained. He wanted nothing more than for the two women to work together in peace, but he wasn’t sure if that day would ever come. The one thing he knew for sure though was that Tara would never let any personal issue affect her job; especially when it involved a murder investigation.

“Fine, but you call her. I’m not talking to her anymore,” Tara said sulkily. She had had this weird feeling in her chest since Willow made that upsetting comment, but she couldn’t quite place it. There had been other times when she had felt that same weird feeling and in all those other times; she couldn’t quite figure it out either. She had been feeling more of it lately and it was starting to unsettle her.

“That’s mature,” Julian muttered under his breath as he entered something into the computer

[taranwillow4ever]

Continuing to love this fic. You have a gift at the kind of banter of police/detective people. Thanks for updating so frequently. It will be interesting to listen to Tara and Willow as they examine different obsidian objects.

Oh, DIBS

[Will's redemption]

“Maybe we should call Dr. Rosenberg and ask her to come along.” Tara instantly shot Julian a glare at the suggestion. He met her glare and tilted his head to one side.

“She could help us. She has a better idea on what kind of weapon killed Daniel Osbourne. Her insights have helped us a lot in the past, I’m sure they are gonna come in handy,” he explained.

What a brave suggestion of Julian.
Maybe this is the solution, if those two are "forced" to interact over a longer period of time they have to form some kind of truce. Now Julian just has to persuade Willow to suffer Tara's presence for a couple of hours…(apart from the practical question if a medical examiner can just choose to stay out of the morgue on a work day and "assist" the detectives "out in the field" instead).

She had had this weird feeling in her chest since Willow made that upsetting comment, but she couldn’t quite place it. There had been other times when she had felt that same weird feeling and in all those other times; she couldn’t quite figure it out either. She had been feeling more of it lately and it was starting to unsettle her.

Maybe it's heartburn…

[*WILLOW*]

“Fine, but you call her. I’m not talking to her anymore,” Tara said sulkily

“That’s mature,” Julian muttered under his breath as he entered something into the computer

I really like your character Julian and his friendly/brotherly bantering with Tara. Although we all know W/T will be getting together (cause, hello kittenboard!) I feel slightly bad that he's gonna get his heart crushed when W/T do get together. Can't wait for the next update.

[MotherD]

TOTALLY agree with *WILLOW*, "I'm torn, you're conflicting my emotions. I'm absolutely loving this story so far but hate that W/T are at each others throats. Just goes to show that you're a great writer. Can't wait to read more."
Tell me you're going to get them together?! Anyway, great story, keep it up.
Blessings

[wickedaddiction]

Really enjoying your new fic. Looking forward to the next update

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Continuing to love this fic. You have a gift at the kind of banter of police/detective people.

Thank you.... I maaay watch an abnormal amount of police shows (Law&Order, Criminal Minds, Brooklyn 99) just to name a few

Thanks for updating so frequently.

My pleasure.

It will be interesting to listen to Tara and Willow as they examine different obsidian objects

Snarkyness will be had between both parties, as well as self realizations.

Oh, DIBS

Heck ya'

What a brave suggestion of Julian.

He might have an ulterior motive h

Maybe this is the solution, if those two are "forced" to interact over a longer period of time they have to form some kind of truce.

That's what Julian's hoping for.

Now Julian just has to persuade Willow to suffer Tara's presence for a couple of hours…(apart from the practical question if a medical examiner can just choose to stay out of the morgue on a work day and "assist" the detectives "out in the field" instead).

I'd like to think that Willow is a really 'hands on' medical examiner dedicated to solving crimes, even if it means spending more time with the brash detective.... albeit a sexy brash detective.

Maybe it's heartburn…

[/quote]

Hahaha. Maybe I should have her go pick up some Pepto-Bismol

I really like your character Julian and his friendly/brotherly bantering with Tara. Although we all know W/T will be getting together (cause, hello kittenboard!) I feel slightly bad that he's gonna get his heart crushed when W/T do get together. Can't wait for the next update.

I know poor Julian. He's such a great guy but ya can't stand in the way of true love.

TOTALLY agree with *WILLOW*, "I'm torn, you're conflicting my emotions. I'm absolutely loving this story so far but hate that W/T are at each others throats. Just goes to show that you're a great writer. Can't wait to read more."

I'm sorry I'm messing with everyone's emotions. I promise it'll all be worth it though.

[/quote]Tell me you're going to get them together?! Anyway, great story, keep it up.
Blessings[/quote]

Yes, definitely getting them together within the next few chapters.

Really enjoying your new fic. Looking forward to the next update

Thank you! I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

CHAPTER 5

“Did you call Rosenberg?” Tara asked while keeping her eyes on the road. It was her turn behind the wheel. They were going to visit the antique stores near the Civic Center Station, starting with the one nearest to it.

“Yeah, I called her last night.” Julian took a glance at his watch. They were nearly fifteen minutes late thanks to Tara, who overslept even though she swore it was accidental. He didn’t believe her at all. “She’s probably waiting for us.” He let out a sigh. It was surely going to be a long day for him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t do it on purpose,” Tara said, apologizing once more. “Seriously,” she added when Julian shot her an unconvinced look. As much as she dreaded to see Willow this morning, she really didn’t mean to have overslept.

When she turned the corner, they saw Willow sitting on the bench outside a flower shop next to a store called Enrique’s Antiques. She had let her flowing red hair down, instead of bunching the tresses up into the usual ponytail they were used to seeing. Tara unconsciously swallowed the lump forming at the back of her throat.

“Oh my god,” Julian breathed out when he saw her. Tara rolled her eyes at hearing the awe in his voice as she drove the car into the empty parking space in front of her. Willow stood up from the bench when she saw them pulling up, watching as the car came to a stop in the nearest parking space.

“Dr. Rosenberg! I’m so sorry for making you wait,” Julian called out as he hopped out of the passenger seat, walking briskly toward the redhead. “Maclay was being kind of a pig this morning.” He joked, earning him a rather fierce punch to his upper arm from the aforementioned detective and a glare afterwards.

“It’s okay. I didn’t wait that long.” Willow responded, smiling demurely. She was hesitant about meeting them, especially after the heated encounter with Tara the day before. She regretted the comment she made and had decided to apologize to the brunette in person when the chance presented itself, whether Tara would accept it or not.

An awkward silence befell on the three of them. Tara looked anywhere but in the direction of the medical examiner, while Willow just stared at the ground. Julian looked alternatively between the two women, his hand still rubbing his upper left arm to relieve the throbbing pain caused by his partner’s fist. “Shall we?” he asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Tara turned and walked towards the antique store, answering his question by action. Julian smiled at Willow and they followed behind the brunette, walking side by side.

When she opened the door, a high-pitched ring echoed throughout the cramped yet orderly store. The atmosphere inside was glum and the dark-green paint on the walls felt imposing. The smell of mothballs and cinnamon engulfed the air, assaulting the senses of the newly arriving occupants.

“Welcome to Enrique’s! Can I help you?” a man in his mid-forties with black, slicked back hair greeted in his thick native tongue as Tara entered and approached him. Julian chivalrously held the door open for Willow before walking up to the front counter.

Tara flashed her badge at the store owner and his warm demeanor faltered slightly. “Can I ask you a few questions?” she asked. The man nodded hesitantly as Julian joined his partner at the counter while Willow walked around the store, scanning for anything in relevance to the case.

“Hey guys, come look at this,” Willow called out and beckoned the two detectives to her position before they could start probing the man. She had spotted a series of wicked-looking knives on display in a glass counter toward the rear of the store. All five knives were dark in color but one of them, approximately six inches in length, had a sharp bladed hook.

Tara raised both her eyebrows in astonishment as she looked into the display case. Julian let out a whistle when he saw them. “That’s some nasty looking knives you’ve got there, Enrique. By chance, you sell one to anyone recently?” Julian asked the owner who was still standing behind the counter.

“Yes actually, about a week ago,” he said as he walked over to the display case. “It was a set of two, but the customer only wanted the one,” he proclaimed as he pointed his finger down on the glass, signaling to the knife with a hooked blade. “Normally, I wouldn’t break up the collection, but the times are hard and I needed the money.”

“Well, time’s about to get harder for you,” Tara deadpanned as she shot Enrique an unreadable expression, “I’m confiscating that knife as a part of a homicide investigation.”

“What, no, you can’t,” sputtered the shop keep as he looked from one detective to the next.

“We can, and we are,” Tara added, her tone never wavering.

“Listen, Enrique,” Julian said, cutting off his partner in an attempt to swiftly alleviate the tension. “We’re gonna collect it as evidence and once the case is over, I promise, you’ll get it back.”

Enrique gave the taller detective an incredulous look, disbelief written on his features, before he nodded his head in understanding. Removing a set of keys from his pocket, Enrique unlocked the display case and retrieved the weapon in question. Gingerly, he presented the knife out in front of him, delicately placing it onto the glass counter.

During the exchange with the shop keep, Willow held her breath, silently willing her body not to fidget due to the close proximity of the brunette detective. Tara was standing with half her body behind the medical examiner, leaning forward a little on her right hand which was placed on the counter by the redhead’s hip. She was looming over her, but Tara seemed to be unaware of it. They had never come so close to each other before, their bodies almost touching. She released a shallow breath. Steeling her nerves, Willow reached into her jacket pocket for a zip lock bag and a rubber glove. Snapping the bag open with one hand, she collected the knife as evidence, being sure to avoid the sharp blade as she deposited the weapon into the evidence bag.

“Now, who did you sell it to?” Tara questioned, her eyes skimming over the obsidian blade sheilded by the clear evidence bag before flickering back over to the shop keep.

Disdainfully, the store owner looked up into the detective’s cold, unbenevolent eyes before turning away. “Umm … to this guy who performs by the train station. But he hasn’t been there in the last few days,” Enrique said.

Julian pulled out a photo of Daniel Osbourne from the pocket of his jacket and showed it to the store owner. “Is it this guy?” he asked as he held the picture in the air.

“Nah, this guy is crap,” he replied flippantly as he tossed a hand in the air dismissively. “He stole Devon’s spot, you know. The guys been there for years and then this kid just swoops in and steals it.”

“This Devon guy,” Julian said as he placed the picture back in his pocket, “is he the one you sold the knife to?”

“Yeah. I even gave him a discount,” Enrique replied in a sing-song manner. Walking the few steps necessary to reach the cash register, Enrique reached under the drawer, producing a thick, maroon logbook. Flipping the ledger open, he scanned through a few pages before finding the one he wanted. Spinning the book around so that the detectives could look at it, he pointed to the handwritten receipt depicting the description of the knife purchased.

Willow rubbed her temples in exasperation at the man’s blithe response. Julian shook his head in disbelief while Tara clenched her jaw in frustration.

“What’s his full name? This Devon fellow,” Tara probed, thoroughly annoyed by his ignorance.

“I’m not sure. He goes by Downtown Devon.”

“What does he look like?” Julian questioned as he shifted his gaze from side to side, looking for any signs of video surveillance in the store.

The Spanish man scrunched his eyebrows together as he peered up at the taller detective, approximating him to be about six foot four. “Thin bloke, brown hair, scruffy beard, about your height. “

“Anything else?” Tara drawled out in annoyance, the man’s description nearly matching half the population of Los Angeles. “Maybe a bit more specific.”

“Umm,” Enrique said, deep in thought. “He always wears a leather jacket, there’s an embroidered patch of a dog or something on the back. You don’t really think he had anything to do with this case you’re working do you?”

The detectives exchanged looks with one another, neither bothering to answer the clerk. Narrowing her jaw, her lips perched in a straight line, Tara motioned with her head toward the door. Turning and heading toward the store front, Julian pulled out his phone and began dialing Harris’ number. “Thanks for your help,” Tara called out over her shoulder as she and Willow followed in suit behind Julian.

“Hey Harris, I need you to do something for me. I need you to ch-“Julian spoke into the phone. “What did you say? I can’t hear you, hang on.” He made a vague gesture to the two women towards the alley next to the antique store before walking away.

Tara and Willow stood awkwardly beside the black BMW coupe. The former was leaning with her back pressed onto the car door, kicking at the dirt on the floor. The latter stood a few steps away with her hands clasped loosely together in front of her. They were rarely left alone with one another. Julian was always there, acting as a buffer.

Willow passed her teeth through her lower lip, debating internally on whether to seize the opportunity. “I’m sorry.” She forced out a few seconds later. Tara looked up and met apologetic green eyes. “About yesterday, I – “

“I don’t care.” Tara cut her off hastily, putting on a straight face. She looked away from Willow, choosing to look at Julian pacing back and forth in the alley instead, absorbed in his phone conversation. But, she could still see the redhead move closer toward her from her peripheral vision.

Willow frowned in annoyance. The brunette’s nonchalance getting on her nerves once more. “Why are you always being like this?” she questioned with a trace of anger in her tone.

“Being like what?” Tara shot back irritably, snapping her head around to look at Willow who now stood only a step away.

“This!” Willow made a waving gesture at Tara. “Acting like you don’t care. I’m trying to apologize to you and you won’t even give me a damn chance.”

Tara opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by Julian.“ Harris is looking into finding us an address,” Julian called out as he approached the two women standing on the sidewalk. Tara turned to look at him with an irked expression while Willow continued to stare straight at her. He instantly sensed the tension when he reached them. “He said he’ll call when he finds something. In the meantime, why don’t we head to the Civic Station and canvas the area, see if we can locate this Devon guy ourselves.”

“Let’s go then,” Tara said flatly. Without another word, she walked to the driver side of the car, swiftly getting inside the vehicle.

Julian looked to Willow sheepishly due to the brunette’s action. “You gonna be okay?” he asked hesitantly.

Willow tore her eyes away from Tara, who was staring straight ahead at the parked car in front of her. “Yeah, I’ll be fine,” she assured, pursing her lips into a straight line as she gave a forced smile. Lifting the zip-lock bag, she gestured toward the item, “I’m gonna head back to the lab; check to see if we got a positive match. Go.”

Julian nodded before jogging around the car to the passenger side and got in. As soon as her partner had settled in, Tara started the engine and drove out of the parking space. He chanced a glance at the side-view mirror to see Willow standing sullenly on the sidewalk as they drove away.

“How long are you two going to keep this up?” Julian finally asked after several minutes of silence. He was growing exasperated by the constantly bickering duo. At the sight of Tara opening her mouth to respond, Julian quickly cut in, not wanting to hear his partners excuse.

“Listen Tara, eventually, Dr. Rosenberg’s gonna have had enough of putting up with your bullshit, and leave,” Julian said point blank, the thought had been weighing heavy on his mind over the past few months but he never wanted to admit it out loud, until know that is.

“Good,” the brunette mumbled under her breath.

“No, not good,” he huffed out in annoyance. “She’s the best damn medical examiner we’ve ever had. Dr. Groubert thought so himself, that’s why when he retired six months ago he left her in charge.”

“There are other M.E.’s that are just as good,” retorted Tara as she slapped down on the turn signal toggle harder than necessary.

“Like who?” Questioned Julian, his tone challenging as he glared at his partners profile. “Dr. Brady who doesn’t know his head from his ass?”

“He’s not that bad,” shot back the brunette halfheartedly.

“Not that bad? Not that bad?!” Julian nearly shrieked, a mixture of disbelieve and astonishment lacing his voice. “He cost us the McDougall case by contaminating the evidence. The perp walked on a technicality!”

“What do you want from me Julian,” she huffed out, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

“I want you to make nice,” he said simply. Off of the brunette’s glare, Julian continued. “You don’t have to be friends. I’m not asking you to bring her coffee and chat about your personal life, just be professional and maybe show a little bit of respect.”

Tara stayed quiet for a long moment, absorbing her partner’s words. Finally, she huffed out another lung full of air in defeat. “I’ll try. But I’m not promising anything.”

“Good, because I swear to God, Tara, if you drive her away, you and I are gonna have words.”

[Will's redemption]

Dibs!

Right now it seems that this case will be easily solved - but maybe you still have some plot twist in your sleeve.

During the exchange with the shop keep, Willow held her breath, silently willing her body not to fidget due to the close proximity of the brunette detective. Tara was standing with half her body behind the medical examiner, leaning forward a little on her right hand which was placed on the counter by the redhead’s hip. She was looming over her, but Tara seemed to be unaware of it. They had never come so close to each other before, their bodies almost touching.

So Willow does feel attraction towards Tara and unlike Tara knows what the feeling is…

Willow passed her teeth through her lower lip, debating internally on whether to seize the opportunity. “I’m sorry.” She forced out a few seconds later. Tara looked up and met apologetic green eyes. “About yesterday, I – “

“I don’t care.” Tara cut her off hastily, putting on a straight face. She looked away from Willow, choosing to look at Julian pacing back and forth in the alley instead, absorbed in his phone conversation. But, she could still see the redhead move closer toward her from her peripheral vision.

Willow frowned in annoyance. The brunette’s nonchalance getting on her nerves once more. “Why are you always being like this?” she questioned with a trace of anger in her tone.

“Being like what?” Tara shot back irritably, snapping her head around to look at Willow who now stood only a step away.

“This!” Willow made a waving gesture at Tara. “Acting like you don’t care. I’m trying to apologize to you and you won’t even give me a damn chance.”

Right now I feel that I couldn't stand another chapter with Tara's attitude! WTH is your problem, Tara?! Fear that Julian might begin a relationship with Willow and have less time for Tara because of it can't be the real (or at least only) reason for Tara to act that insane. Did some woman resembling Willow break Tara's heart or something like that?

“What do you want from me Julian,” she huffed out, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

How about acting like a mentally stable adult for a start?!

[wickedaddiction]

She had let her flowing red hair down, instead of bunching the tresses up into the usual ponytail they were used to seeing. Tara unconsciously swallowed the lump forming at the back of her throat.

Ha! Looks like Tara is finally starting to realize she has feelings for Tara.

During the exchange with the shop keep, Willow held her breath, silently willing her body not to fidget due to the close proximity of the brunette detective. Tara was standing with half her body behind the medical examiner, leaning forward a little on her right hand which was placed on the counter by the redhead’s hip. She was looming over her, but Tara seemed to be unaware of it. They had never come so close to each other before, their bodies almost touching. She released a shallow breath

Ooooh, and by the looks of it, so does Willow! I wonder how long it's gonna take before these two put aside their silly feud and admit their attraction to each other.

[*WILLOW*]

Poor Willow. She obviously has feelings for Tara and is trying to mend the bridge between them but Tara's acting so childish and not even trying. I'm with Julian,

“Good, because I swear to God, Tara, if you drive her away, you and I are gonna have words.”

major words!

Can't wait for tomorrows update

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Dibs!

woohoo!

Right now it seems that this case will be easily solved - but maybe you still have some plot twist in your sleeve.

This is gonna be one of their more easier cases.

So Willow does feel attraction towards Tara and unlike Tara knows what the feeling is…

Crushing hard and not afraid to admit it to herself ... now she just needs to get Tara to acknowledge her own feelings.

Right now I feel that I couldn't stand another chapter with Tara's attitude! WTH is your problem, Tara?!

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I promise she will get an attitude adjustment soon.

Fear that Julian might begin a relationship with Willow and have less time for Tara because of it can't be the real (or at least only) reason for Tara to act that insane. Did some woman resembling Willow break Tara's heart or something like that?

Tara's a little emotionally damaged and jaded by past life experience (who isn't! lol) which is causing her irrational behavior. Don't worry though, she's gonna get a reality check soon.

How about acting like a mentally stable adult for a start?!

Now you're starting to sound like Julian

Ha! Looks like Tara is finally starting to realize she has feelings for Tara

That she is. She'll eventually get to that realization but for now she's taking baby steps as she comes to terms with her feelings.

Ooooh, and by the looks of it, so does Willow! I wonder how long it's gonna take before these two put aside their silly feud and admit their attraction to each other.

I have a feeling it's gonna be soon ... real soon.

Poor Willow. She obviously has feelings for Tara and is trying to mend the bridge between them but Tara's acting so childish and not even trying.

Don't worry, Tara's gonna have some sense knocked into her real soon and take a backseat to that attitude of hers.

I'm with Julian, major words!

You and everyone else. Gather the troops, we're gonna have to form an intervention.

Can't wait for tomorrows update

I hope you enjoy!