Animal - Part II

Part II - Into the Fire

Looking over my current canvas, I soak in the colors that dance before me. The spectrum astounds. It goes from a pale yellow and flows into greens, blues and ruddy purples. Monet would be weeping at the site before me.

Another soft, wet crack fills my workroom. I grin at the scream accompanying the new colors that appear on my portrait. I close my eyes and inhale, soaking in the smell that permeates this space. The pleading from the corner adds bass to the sonics of my room but it really will not get either of them anywhere.

( Part II – Into the Fire )

Animal - Part II

Part II - Into the Fire

Looking over my current canvas, I soak in the colors that dance before me. The spectrum astounds. It goes from a pale yellow and flows into greens, blues and ruddy purples. Monet would be weeping at the site before me.

Another soft, wet crack fills my workroom. I grin at the scream accompanying the new colors that appear on my portrait. I close my eyes and inhale, soaking in the smell that permeates this space. The pleading from the corner adds bass to the sonics of my room but it really will not get either of them anywhere.

( Part II – Into the Fire )

Animal - Ch. 8

Ch. 8 – Safe Tonight

I shift away from Buffy and grumble as the annoying red L.E.D. display on our alarm clock makes fun of me. I’m thinking that that extra cup of coffee at dinner tonight was not a good idea. Or it could have been that Jägerbomb at the club tonight. That wasn’t the brightest either.

But it was worth it. All of us were in serious need.

I look over my shoulder and smile. At least she’s sleeping soundly. Getting her drunk was the best thing Jimmy or I could have done. Eighteen days and no breaks in the case.

( Ch. 8 – Safe Tonight )

Animal - Ch. 8

Ch. 8 – Safe Tonight

I shift away from Buffy and grumble as the annoying red L.E.D. display on our alarm clock makes fun of me. I’m thinking that that extra cup of coffee at dinner tonight was not a good idea. Or it could have been that Jägerbomb at the club tonight. That wasn’t the brightest either.

But it was worth it. All of us were in serious need.

I look over my shoulder and smile. At least she’s sleeping soundly. Getting her drunk was the best thing Jimmy or I could have done. Eighteen days and no breaks in the case.

( Ch. 8 – Safe Tonight )

Animal - Ch. 9

Ch. 9 – Spit in the Face

“Nick, I don’t care if God, himself, says that it doesn’t exist. I need that information. Find the case, let’s get the precedent set so I can nail this bastard and put him where he belongs.” I press the phone into my ear and listen to him fumble for a second more. I should have just hung up.

I swear I don’t know what they’re teaching these kids in law school anymore.

“Ms. Cabot, I’ll do what I can,” the young clerk says finally, resigned to his fate of learning to be an actual attorney.

“Find it.” I’m about to cut into him a little more, but the phone beeps to let me know I have another call coming through. “Nick, you’ve got twenty-four hours. I need to go.” I end the call and switch over to my other line. “Cabot.”

( Ch. 9 – Spit in the Face )

Animal - Ch. 9

Ch. 9 – Spit in the Face

“Nick, I don’t care if God, himself, says that it doesn’t exist. I need that information. Find the case, let’s get the precedent set so I can nail this bastard and put him where he belongs.” I press the phone into my ear and listen to him fumble for a second more. I should have just hung up.

I swear I don’t know what they’re teaching these kids in law school anymore.

“Ms. Cabot, I’ll do what I can,” the young clerk says finally, resigned to his fate of learning to be an actual attorney.

“Find it.” I’m about to cut into him a little more, but the phone beeps to let me know I have another call coming through. “Nick, you’ve got twenty-four hours. I need to go.” I end the call and switch over to my other line. “Cabot.”

( Ch. 9 – Spit in the Face )

Animal - Ch. 10

Ch. 10 – Disorder and Disarray

Forgoing the elevators I climb the four flights of stairs, not only to give Jimmy and Debra a chance to talk, but also to give myself some time to cool down. I balance the cups of coffee in my hand and hit the last flight, feeling a little bit crappy because I’m out of time.

Deb finally woke up sometime around three in the morning. The nurses rushing in ruined any chance of sleep that I had. Jimmy was there. He won’t leave for some reason.

What irks, and I know it shouldn’t irk, but it does, is that she didn’t want to be left alone. She didn’t want to be left alone with me.

I shouldn’t be mad, but I am.
( Ch. 10 – Disorder and Disarray )

Animal - Ch. 10

Ch. 10 – Disorder and Disarray

Forgoing the elevators I climb the four flights of stairs, not only to give Jimmy and Debra a chance to talk, but also to give myself some time to cool down. I balance the cups of coffee in my hand and hit the last flight, feeling a little bit crappy because I’m out of time.

Deb finally woke up sometime around three in the morning. The nurses rushing in ruined any chance of sleep that I had. Jimmy was there. He won’t leave for some reason.

What irks, and I know it shouldn’t irk, but it does, is that she didn’t want to be left alone. She didn’t want to be left alone with me.

I shouldn’t be mad, but I am.
( Ch. 10 – Disorder and Disarray )

Animal - Ch. 11

Ch. 11 – What You Don’t Know

Sitting back in the booth Olivia, Alex and I occupy, I observe the other patrons. Most of them look like they’re enjoying their meal; some are talking animatedly to friends, family members or colleagues. A few lone patrons eat and read the paper or play with their phones. The three of us are no different. I picked the two ladies up at Alex’s and we had enough time to stop and get a bite to eat.

So I’ve observed the new couple, or at least I think they’re a new couple, for the past twenty minutes. Wrapping my head around the subtle changes in both of them has been fun. My partner smiles a bit easier and I think this is the first time I’ve heard Alex laugh at something not related to work. I mean she laughs when she knows she has a suspect or their attorney by the short hairs, but it's a different kind of laugh.

( Ch. 11 – What You Don’t Know )

Animal - Ch. 11

Ch. 11 – What You Don’t Know

Sitting back in the booth Olivia, Alex and I occupy, I observe the other patrons. Most of them look like they’re enjoying their meal; some are talking animatedly to friends, family members or colleagues. A few lone patrons eat and read the paper or play with their phones. The three of us are no different. I picked the two ladies up at Alex’s and we had enough time to stop and get a bite to eat.

So I’ve observed the new couple, or at least I think they’re a new couple, for the past twenty minutes. Wrapping my head around the subtle changes in both of them has been fun. My partner smiles a bit easier and I think this is the first time I’ve heard Alex laugh at something not related to work. I mean she laughs when she knows she has a suspect or their attorney by the short hairs, but it's a different kind of laugh.

( Ch. 11 – What You Don’t Know )

Animal - Ch. 12

Ch. 12 – Listed M.I.A.

At six in the morning, the pen at S.V.U. is quiet which is good. The cops that are around are too absorbed in their own tasks and the four main detectives aren’t in yet. All good things for me, ‘cause I’m going to deck these two.

Which shouldn’t surprise. I’m a slayer turned cop whose need for violence to solve problems is only outweighed by the need to look good while inflicting said violence.

Amanda I know. She’s usually okay, but her time out of Sunnydale and at the schools has made her….stiff.

“Ma’am,” Satsu says, “The sweeps we did last night didn’t bring anything in.”

My teeth grind together and I swear if she doesn’t quit with this ‘ma’am’ shit, she’s going to find out just how hard a veteran slayer can punch.

( Ch. 12 – Listed M.I.A. )

Animal - Ch. 12

Ch. 12 – Listed M.I.A.

At six in the morning, the pen at S.V.U. is quiet which is good. The cops that are around are too absorbed in their own tasks and the four main detectives aren’t in yet. All good things for me, ‘cause I’m going to deck these two.

Which shouldn’t surprise. I’m a slayer turned cop whose need for violence to solve problems is only outweighed by the need to look good while inflicting said violence.

Amanda I know. She’s usually okay, but her time out of Sunnydale and at the schools has made her….stiff.

“Ma’am,” Satsu says, “The sweeps we did last night didn’t bring anything in.”

My teeth grind together and I swear if she doesn’t quit with this ‘ma’am’ shit, she’s going to find out just how hard a veteran slayer can punch.

( Ch. 12 – Listed M.I.A. )

Animal - Ch. 13

Ch. 13 – Watch Your Back

Standing as unobtrusively as possible next to the door, I try to wipe the smirk off my stubbly mug. The poor doctors have no idea how Deb is healing as quick is she is. Which is good for us but confusing as hell for them. I think they can take a bit of mystery though, God knows I’ve had enough of it in my life.

“Jimmy,” Debra calls out, “Can you grab the duffel bag in the closet?”

I nod and move towards the closet, nearly getting run over by a nurse with a tray in his hand in the process. I catch him by his arm and he smiles at me, sorta embarrassed. Moving to the side, he goes around me while I continue with my task.

( Ch. 13 – Watch Your Back )

Animal - Ch. 13

Ch. 13 – Watch Your Back

Standing as unobtrusively as possible next to the door, I try to wipe the smirk off my stubbly mug. The poor doctors have no idea how Deb is healing as quick is she is. Which is good for us but confusing as hell for them. I think they can take a bit of mystery though, God knows I’ve had enough of it in my life.

“Jimmy,” Debra calls out, “Can you grab the duffel bag in the closet?”

I nod and move towards the closet, nearly getting run over by a nurse with a tray in his hand in the process. I catch him by his arm and he smiles at me, sorta embarrassed. Moving to the side, he goes around me while I continue with my task.

( Ch. 13 – Watch Your Back )

Animal - Ch. 14

Ch. 14 – Something in the World Today

I slurp up the last of my lo mien and watch my lunch buddy daintily eat her fried rice. It’s amazing how a few weeks not working eighty hours a week will really improve your disposition.

“Do you have anything else?” Alex asks me. “I also can’t believe Melinda just passed the case to you like she did. That says a lot Willow.”

Shaking my head, I sign the final findings on one of Alex’s cases and hand the report over to her. “She’s a pretty neat woman. I’m not sure how I’m going to do on the stand though,” I admit blushing.

( Ch. 14 – Something in the World Today )

Animal - Ch. 14

Ch. 14 – Something in the World Today

I slurp up the last of my lo mien and watch my lunch buddy daintily eat her fried rice. It’s amazing how a few weeks not working eighty hours a week will really improve your disposition.

“Do you have anything else?” Alex asks me. “I also can’t believe Melinda just passed the case to you like she did. That says a lot Willow.”

Shaking my head, I sign the final findings on one of Alex’s cases and hand the report over to her. “She’s a pretty neat woman. I’m not sure how I’m going to do on the stand though,” I admit blushing.

( Ch. 14 – Something in the World Today )