CSI: Sunnydale
by Rin
Stuffed Crime
[reviews]
A/N: I'm glad you like the premise, as it's one that I can't see to shake. Just be glad I chose to do this one, instead of the DC Universe crossover. What would Buffy have done in the Infinite Crisis?? LOL.
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Buffy was nursing her third cup of coffee already. It had been a slow night, and she hadn't been sleeping well lately. At least she had the next two days off. She knew she'd get bored, and want to go into work but she needed these two days. Plus, Dawn was coming down for the weekend. Curling her fingers around the cooling mug, she took the last sip before sighing into her cup.
"That fun, huh?" The waitress stood over her table, a smile on her face. Buffy looked up, and noticed how cute the girl was. She remembered seeing her here a few other times but she'd been so wrapped up in Willow or work that she didn't pay much attention. "Can I get you another, or are you on a caffeine overload?"
"Oh...um. I'm okay. Thanks." Buffy tried to smile back but she was just too tired.
"I'm Tina. If you need anything, don't hesitate." She walked away from the table but not before winking at Buffy.
"Hey, thought I'd find you here. You kinda took off quick. Everything okay?" Willow dropped her briefcase on the floor, as she sat in the seat across from Buffy.
"Yeah. Just tired. Ready for bed, I guess." Even though she was tired, it was hard not to cheer up a little with the redhead there.
"I thought we were having breakfast this morning. Just the girls again." Willow smiled, as she tried not to hide her disappointment at finding Buffy had flown the coop. Truth was that Buffy was bringing out a side in the redhead that she found she liked. She hadn't been the innocent, schoolgirl crush type in a long time.
"Sorry. I didn't forget. You were just busy, and I was about to pass out." Buffy started fiddling with the now empty mug. "Thought I'd stop in, grab enough caffeine to get me home."
"Do you need me to drive you? I know we're in walking distance from here but if you're that tired..." Willow laid her hand beside Buffy's, and curled her fingers when she realized that she was about to touch the other girl with an intimate gesture. After all, she was still the boss.
"Thanks but I might have to pass today. When we get together, it seems like we talk for hours, and I'm afraid I'd be boring this morning." Buffy yawned with unintentional emphasis, and grabbed her bag from the floor. "You should stay; get a cup, my treat, since I had to bail on you."
"At least you have the next few days off to recuperate. I'm sure you're looking forward to that." Willow followed Buffy's example, as the blonde stood from the table. "I'm just going to head home anyways. Sure you don't want a ride?"
"I'm sure. I'll see you in a few days." Buffy started to walk down the sidewalk, and Willow got her mind cleared in time to catch up with her. "Your car is back at the lab. You don't have to walk."
"I know but I'd like to. It'll make me feel better knowing that you got home safe and sound." Willow smiled, as she offered to carry Buffy's bag since the blonde was slouching more than usual. "I promise I'll leave once you get in the door."
"Okay...I can't say no to such a caring offer, I suppose." Buffy secretly loved every second of the attention. Dawn's car was already in the driveway, which meant the younger Summers was ready for a long weekend. "Hey, what are you doing for Thanksgiving? I know you work that night but if you'd like a hot meal, I'd be happy to have you. OVER. Have you over. I would love to have you over for dinner...before your shift starts."
"Thanks, Buff...but I'm not really into the whole Thanksgiving thing. I'll take a raincheck on that hot meal, though." Willow bit her bottom lip in anticipation. The early morning sun was causing Buffy's hair to shine more than usual, and her eyes were twinkling slightly. "I...um...I should go."
"Yeah...sleep. I've got to get some." Buffy stepped forward to go inside, just as Willow stepped forward to walk down the steps. The two wound up bumping into each other, and just grabbed onto the other's arms for support. They stared wide-eyed at each other for a few seconds, as their breathing started to become heavy with desire. Buffy was about to lean in for a kiss when Willow started hiccupping. The moment was lost, and the girls just giggled, one behind hiccups. "I'll see you in a few days."
"Have a good holiday." Willow continued to hiccup all the way back down the sidewalk, as Buffy just watched after the retreating redhead. Sighing, the blonde went inside, only to find Dawn standing by the window in her pajamas, nursing a cup of coffee with a huge smirk on her face.
"Who was that? She's cute." Dawn continued to sip her coffee behind knowing eyes. It was obvious Buffy had a thing for the redhead, especially since the blonde started blushing as though she'd been caught.
"My boss." Buffy left it at that, and ran up the stairs with more energy than she actually had at the moment. Sleep wanted to claim her, and she had a feeling she was going to have pleasant dreams.
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A young man stumbled over his feet, as he continued to run away from his pursuer. He was on the ground now, and the adrenaline rushing through his veins caused him to ignore the deep gash across his forehead where he hit the sidewalk. Trying to get up seemed almost impossible; it was as though his feet had been pulled out from under him. That's when he looked up to realize he was being held above the ground. Turning around, he saw a little blonde girl smiling at him through features unexplainable.
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"We got a phone call from the park ranger about midnight. He thought he heard a scuffle, so he and his men went to investigate, and they found this." Sheriff Flutie was briefing Dr. Rosenberg on the crime scene. She was always the first CSI on scene; some things never changed. "Male DB, his wallet was by his body, no money. Identified as Parker Abrams. Name ring a bell?"
"No. Should it?" Willow squinted her eyes, as she scoped out the scene.
"Senator Abrams's son. We got a call from Washington today, and the senator wants this case to be top priority. This could be good publicity for the crime lab here in Sunnydale if we can finally put somebody behind bars for these murders, Dr.
Rosenberg." Flutie left her to her work, as he went to take statements from the rangers on duty.
"I got here as soon as I could." Buffy lifted the crime scene tape, and started to put on her gloves.
"I told you to turn dispatch off. You're still off for another day. I don't want to see you until tomorrow." Willow did her best admonishing glare but she wouldn't lie. She was glad to see the blonde. "Doyle's on his way anyways. Seems we're the only two CSIs that don't do Thanksgiving around here."
"I'm sure he celebrates the holiday season with a few good friends." Buffy just smirked, as she knelt down to open her field kit.
"Yeah. I don't think Jim Beam and Jack Daniels count." Willow just giggled behind her throat. She hadn't joked like that in a long time. Buffy just laughed along with her, as she refused to listen to her supervisor on going home. "Now, go home. Isn't your family in today? Did you just leave them at the dinner table?"
"No. My sister is the only one that came up, and she's looked up some friends that go to UC Sunnydale. That left me home alone, if you don't count Tom." Buffy pulled out her flashlight to get a better look around the grounds.
"Tom Collins? I wouldn't have pegged you for a drinker." Willow just flashed her light at Buffy, in a joking interrogation mode.
"No. Tom the turkey. He's okay company, if you don't mind the gobble." Buffy smirked at the redhead. She had every intention of staying at home and resting but not being at work made her feel naked.
"Gotcha." The two started to work in companionable silence. A few seconds passed, and the coroner was finished with his report. Two puncture wounds on the neck, body doused in some sort of sticky liquid, time of death: 9:10. Cause of death: massive blood loss. Doyle arrived just in time for the report, and the three went to work. "We haven't had one of these in a while."
"I know. It's like there was some sort of guardian angel to this little hellmouth." Doyle's thick brogue was always easier to understand when he was sober. His love of alcohol had gotten him in trouble more times than not.
"Why would you call it a hellmouth?" Buffy wanted to laugh but it seemed to suit the town perfectly.
"No reason really. Just seemed appropriate, considering all the weird stuff that we see every night." Doyle was hiding something; that much was obvious. The two women decided not to prompt him further, since they had more important things to consider. "Hey, isn't this that senator's son?"
"Don't remind me." Willow took a deep breath. She hated politics, especially when they messed with her investigations.
"Yeah. I remember seeing his pictures all in the papers. Does the senator know what's befallen the golden son?" Doyle looked at Buffy, as though seeing her for the first time. "And aren't you supposed to be off tonight? Eatin' turkey with the lot of other Summers?"
"I was, and I did. I got bored, and started listening to the dispatch." Buffy tried to hide her blush, since it was obvious the other reason she was there on her day off.
"We need to get you a hobby." Doyle smirked.
"I have plenty of hobbies." Buffy started fidgeting with her flashlight.
"Maybe some friends."
"I have friends."
"A girlfriend, then?" Doyle's smirk deepened, as he noticed the blush start to creep up Rosenberg's face, too.
"Focus. We're not here to talk about our social lives. The only reason I'm not forcing Buf...CSI Summers to finish her day off is because of the urgency in this case. Apparently, the senator has already made phone calls, and this is to be our top priority." It only gave Willow more reason to study the puncture wounds closer. Dr. Giles always acted strange when one of these victims came through, and he seemed to get through autopsies a lot faster. Now, she would have just cause to have him let HER investigate the body closer. "Please, just focus."
"Yes, ma'am." Doyle mock saluted her, as he went about scoping the ground again. Buffy stepped closer to Willow, and scrunched her eyebrow in worry.
"You okay? You seem more stressed than normal." She wanted to touch Willow's arm for comfort but thought better of it.
"I just don't want the FBI involved again. Seems like every time I start to get close on these cases, some government official decides the cases would best be investigated out of our hands." Willow took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. She could smell Buffy nearby, and that calmed her nerves more than she'd ever admit. "You really should go home, enjoy your holiday. Just because some of us aren't festive, doesn't mean you shouldn't be."
"I'm already here." Buffy ran her hand down the length of Willow's arm, and she noticed the redhead start to relax. "Let's finish this, and I'll cook you breakfast after your shift is over. I hear leftover turkey is yummy in omelets, and I make a mean cranberry pancake."
"Well, pancakes are always my friends." Willow smiled at Buffy's enthusiasm, and refused to acknowledge the fact that it was almost like the blonde was asking her on a date. Albeit breakfast but in their line of work, breakfast was like dinner to other people.
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"You invited her over for breakfast, yet you're not dating?" Dawn sounded skeptical, as she watched her sister slave over a hot stove yet again. "I'm just glad you took those cooking lessons."
"Not that it shows on your scrawny bones." Buffy smirked at her sister, and stuck her tongue out at her. "You know you're welcome to stay longer. I don't officially go to work until 8 tonight."
"Yeah but I promised Dad I'd come eat dinner with him tonight. Lucky you got out of it." Dawn rolled her eyes. She was not looking forward to 'reconnecting' with her father. "When I get out of college, and bury myself in my work, I'll have an excuse to skip these newfound father/daughter holiday get-togethers."
"Well, ever since the new baby, he and Glory want to become a better family." Buffy tried not to laugh at her own statement. Their father's new wife (old secretary) wasn't exactly on their top ten.
"Yeah, Glory is the problem. She acts like she's a goddess, or something. I'm just gonna start calling her Glorificus." Dawn downed the rest of her stack of pancakes, and drank the last of her orange juice. "Thanks for breakfast but if I'm gonna back to Los Angeles by four tonight, I should get in the shower."
"Okay, be sure to say bye before you leave this time." Buffy let her sister kiss her cheek, as the taller girl bounced out of the kitchen. Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang, and Buffy heard Dawn jump down the stairs to answer it.
"Uh...hi. I'm looking for Buffy?" Willow stood in the doorway, wide-eyed that this young girl would answer the door in only a towel, her hair dripping wet.
"Sure. Come in. She's in the kitchen." Dawn smiled, as she finally got a close up look at this redhead her sister was obviously smitten with. "You must be Willow."
"Uh...yeah. You must be Dawn." Willow entered the door, and allowed Dawn to close the door behind her. "Is Buffy home? Am I early?"
"You're right on time; trust me." Dawn took a deep breath and bounce before heading more inside. "I just got out of the shower but it was nice to meet you. Buffy's in the kitchen."
"Thanks." Willow had to shake her head to clear it, as the girl retreated back up the stairs. Following the noise and aroma, she found the kitchen with no problem. "I was thinking of getting a bigger place but I don't really have reason to. With your sister always visiting, I see why you chose the two story."
"I'm glad you decided to come. I'm almost finished here. Want me to take your coat?" Buffy walked away from the stove, spatula in hand, her nerves running overtime now.
"I'll get it. You should flip." Willow smiled, as she removed her jacket. "Smells good."
"Well, I might've had a little extra incentive not to let anything burn." Buffy held back a wink, and just turned around to flip the last pancakes in the pan. "Almost finished."
"No hurry. I don't have anywhere to be until tonight." Willow sat down at the kitchen island, and watched the blonde at the stove. Whenever Kate or any of her other girlfriends would cook for her, Willow would always get nervous, and not know what to say. She always had to help in some way. With Buffy, it felt different. She was comfortable, relaxed, and had no trouble letting the blonde take control. The redhead could only imagine what would've happened had she not gotten the hiccups yesterday morning. The near kiss was too close. She was Buffy's supervisor, and couldn't let anything happen between them, no matter how much every part of her was in disagreement.
"Would you like to stay? Watch the first showing of the "Charlie Brown Christmas" special? I have it on DVD, so we don't have to wait for syndication." Buffy couldn't believe how bold she was being with her boss. Granted, she hadn't made many friends in Sunnydale this past month, and it was only logical to make friends with your coworkers...but every part of her screamed for more than that.
"I'd love to. I used to sneak over to Xander's to watch it. He would do the Snoopy Dance for me." Willow's smile beamed, as her tongue found its way between her teeth. She hadn't smiled like that in a long time. "If Ira Rosenberg knew his daughter was watching such blasphemy..."
"That's right. I forget you're Jewish." Buffy laid the last pancakes onto a plate, and turned off the stove.
"I was raised Jewish, doesn't mean I'm practicing. Besides, I don't think the rabbi would appreciate my field of expertise." Willow's mouth started to water, as the plate was placed in front of her. "These look so good."
"My sister doesn't see how we eat them." Buffy took her plate, and sat down beside Willow at the island counter.
"Pancakes are great! How could we not eat them?" Willow said through a mouthful already.
"Well, the cranberries kind of...bleed when you bite into them. She thinks that we wouldn't be able to eat something that reminded us of work. I just remind her that if we couldn't handle the sight of blood, we were in the wrong profession anyways." Buffy smiled, as she watched Willow eat her food with gusto. "I take it by your yummy face that you approve."
"Oh, I definitely approve. These are better than sex." Willow stopped eating for a second, as her face turned the color of her food. Luckily, Buffy blushed with her, and the comment was left unmentioned. The rest of the meal was uneventful, as Willow insisted on doing the cleanup. Buffy never passed up help in the cleanup department but she only let Willow dry the dishes. She didn't want those beautiful, soft freckled hands immersed in dirty dishwater.
When cleanup was over, they agreed to watch a few Christmas specials in the living room. Buffy closed the curtains to keep the morning sun from glaring on the television, and handed Willow a blanket to keep her warm in the cool house. After Charlie Brown came 'Christmas Vacation,' and just as Clark Griswold was digging himself into another hole, Willow fell asleep on the oversized couch. Buffy didn't notice, as she had already fallen asleep a few minutes beforehand.