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

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

CHAPTER 6



The search for Devon at the Civic Station came up futile. Every person they spoke to, who were actually willing to speak with them, claimed to not have seen Devon for a few days. Their patrol through the local park was no different. Besides the one homeless man who claimed to have pertinent information, they had come up empty handed. Either people hadn’t seen Devon, didn’t know of him, or where lying.

After what felt like an eternity, they decided to call it quits.

“Well that’s two hours I’m never going to get back,” Julian said dryly as he and Tara walked down the basement corridor of the hospital in the direction of the morgue.

“That’s all on you,” Tara shot back good-naturally. “You could tell the guy was 10-96 before he even opened his mouth. Why did you have to engage in conversation?”

“I was just being polite,” the taller of the two proclaimed in exasperation. “I didn’t think giving him five minutes of our time would result in a forty minute one sided dialogue on mind control and the assassination of JFK!”

“Good rule of thumb, Julian,” Tara said through a reserved smile as she tried not to snicker at her friend, “if they’re wearing a tin foil hat and mumbling to themselves about conspiracy theories, chances are, they’re not all there in the head.”

“Point taken.” he replied as he pushed open the double doors to the morgue. “Next time I’ll let you take the lead on canvasing.”

His attention quickly pulled away from his partner as Julian approached the medical examiner sitting at her desk, his voice chipper as he called out a greeting. “Good afternoon Dr. Rosenberg.”

“You got anything for us Red or is this another waist of our time?” Tara asked none too friendly as she followed behind Julian toward the medical examiner; eyeing the slim woman. “We’re really busy and don’t have time for pointless yammering.”

Rolling her eyes skyward at the detective brash approach, Willow replied back dryly as she spun around on her chair to face the sour-faced brunette. “Detective Maclay, good to see you too. But, question, if you’re here whose running hades?”

Bug eyed, Julian shot a look at the redhead before twisting his head to the side to look at his partner, noticing her nostrils flaring while her jaw clenched repeatedly. He did several double takes between the two, noticing that they were lock-eyed in a silent standoff. Growing uncomfortable, Julian cleared his throat loudly before Tara had time to rebuttal, “ladies, if we could be civil for a moment that would be great.”

Ever so slowly, Willow pulled her eyes away from the blue storm clouds raging inside Tara’s irises. “Of course, I’m sorry Julian,” Willow replied sweetly as she turned toward the male detective, shooting him a pleasant smile. Shifting her position slightly, Willow reached for the clipboard sitting on her desk. “Here are my findings,” she said as she handed the clipboard to the male detective.

Julian scanned the first page swiftly before flipping to the next one, his eyebrows drawn down in contemplation. Chancing a glance toward the redhead, he drew his attention back to the document before pursing his lips together. Looking to his friend, Julian held out the clipboard for the brunette to take, hoping silently that she could make heads or tails of the examination file.

As soon as the clipboard left his hand, a shrill sound of a cell phone alarm rang out in the quite room. Bashfully, Julian reached a hand inside of his blazer removing his phone from the interior pocket. Glancing down at the screen he recognized the precinct phone number. Pressing talk on the device, he brought the phone up to his ear and gave Tara a stern look.

“Wallace, go ahead.” Julian replied professionally into the receiver. As the person on the other end of the line spoke, the muscle above Julian’s right eye twitched uncontrollably. “Damn phone. Harris …. Harris, is that you?”

Even though he was the only one speaking, Julian raised his free hand to his head, using his index finger to plug his ear to block out noise. “Harris, you’re breaking up. Harris … hold on a sec, I’m in the morgue, let me find better reception.”

Pulling the phone away from his ear, Julian exchanged looks with Tara before turning his attention to Willow. “Are you going to be okay if I step out for a moment?” he asked the duo skeptically, looking between the two.

“Yes, we don’t need a babysitter. We are adults…,” Tara said disgruntle as she rolled her eyes in annoyance.

“Are you?” Julian shot back sarcastically. Against his better judgement, Julian took a step backward away from the two silently fuming women, his left index finger jutting out to point at his partner. “I’ll be back in five minutes, behave yourself.”

With that, Julian turned on heel and headed for the exit, his loud voice booming in the hallway as he resumed his conversation with Detective Harris.

The two women stared at each other in disdain for several long moments before Tara finally broke eye contact. Lifting the forgotten clipboard, the brunette began to read over the notes. Just as Julian did, Tara quickly scanned her eyes over the initial page before swiftly flipping through the sheets, her own eyebrows pulling together. After several moments of attempting to read the hand written report, Tara let out a loud, frustrated exhalation before tossing the clipboard back onto the table. “I can barely read your chicken scratch, care to fill me in on what all that medical jargon says?”

“That chicken scratch is cursive,” Willow replied pointedly as she snatched the clipboard off of her desk. “You know, something you learn in third grade.”

“What’s your problem?” Tara barked out gradually.

“My problem?” Willow asked perplexed, her right hand coming up to poke the center of her own chest. “You’re the one who has the problem. Would it kill you to politely ask for help or to be polite in general?”

“Probably,” Tara shot back smugly, a snarky grin spreading across her face. In her best faux polite voice, “fine, can you please explain to me what you wrote down in your report? There are a lot of fancy, unnecessary words in there.”

“Since you put it so politely,” Willow retorted mockingly. “I'll even use small words so that you'll be sure to understand”

“Cute,” guffed the brunette as she placed her hands on the swell of her hips. “But it’s pretty simple, no? Knife, stomach, sever trauma, death. Hey look, I summarized your pretentious report in five words.”

“I have neither the time nor the crayons to explain this to you Detective…” proclaimed the medical examiner condescendingly.

“That’s it,” Tara growled through clenched teeth as she slapped the clipboard out of Willow’s hand. “Do you want to go? Give me your best shot,” Tara encouraged, egging the redhead on to hit her. "Come on, give it to me."

“Okay,” Willow replied nonchalantly as she stood up from her chair. Resting her hands on her hips, she looked up into the brunette’s ice cold eyes. “I think you’re an arrogant, pigheaded, heartless, narcissistic woman whose immense beauty is over shadowed by an ugly personality. And honestly, I’m surprised you've made it this far in life with a friend still by your side."

Taken aback, unprepared for a verbal attack instead of a physical one, Tara looked at the redhead in shock, her mouth slightly opened. "Did you ... are you insulting me?" she questioned a moment later when the medical examiners words finally sunk in.

"I'm not insulting you," Willow stated firmly as she stood her ground. "I'm describing you."

“You know nothing about me,” snarled the detective. The redhead’s words hurt, stung even, because Tara knew they were right on the money. She had built up this rough-exterior persona over the years to keep those around her at arm’s length. Somehow, Julian was the only person to have ever break through her walls, mainly because he was not only persistent but down right determined to become friends during academy.

“Oh, but I do,” shot back the redhead. “You’re an insecure, scared little girl who gets her jollies off by cutting down those around you so you can feel better about your miserable existence. You’re a bully, who more than likely peeked in high school and becoming a Detective was the only way you could stay relevant. How am I doing?”

Before she could process the movement, Tara was lurching towards her. Scared, Willow shuffled backwards, her feet keeping in time with the Detective’s brisk movement until she was flushed with the wall behind her. Startled, Willow flinched as Tara slammed her left palm roughly against the cold wall inches above her shoulder, the detective’s outstretched arm blocking the redhead from moving.

Stunned, she looked up into the brunette’s hardened expression, noticing her irises were completely dilated. In a menacing whisper, Tara leaned forward, “watch yourself, Rosenberg. You’re skating on thin ice.”

“And if I don’t” Willow responded daringly, her own face shifting forward slightly as she stood her ground. “What are you going to do about it? Hit me?”

“Worse. I’ll make your life a living hell, “she proclaimed; her nose inches from the medical examiner, as her breath tickled against the redhead’s lips.

“Like you haven’t already,” recanted the redhead. “I loathe working on cases with you.”

“Feelings mutual sweetheart,” rebutted the brunette, her words were menacing but her tone was anything but. “When I see you, I ....” Tara faltered, she wasn’t sure how to proceed. She knew what she should say, something witty and cutting to keep up the allure of her aloof no-nonsense demeanor. But a part of her, the rational side of her brain, was berating her, screaming at her to tell the truth. For once in your life be open and honest about your feelings. 

“I just .... you make me ...” She opened and closed her mouth several time, her breathing heavy as she tried to formulate a coherent sentence. She wasn’t sure what her next move was. All she was sure about was the unfamiliar feeling swirling around in her stomach from being so close to the medical examiner. 
  
"Make you what?" questioned the redhead, her breathing labored.

"You... you make me..." Tara tried again, her words slowing as she stared straight into the pathologists hunter green eyes, noticing the pupils dialating.

Willow’s darkened emerald eyes suddenly shifted rapidly, back and forth from the brunette’s alluring stormy blue eyes to her slightly parted lips merely inches away from her own.  In baited breath, “are you going to kiss me, or not,”

Tara licked her lips subconsciously as she peered into the medical examiners eyes. Slowly, she lifted her right hand to grip the neckline of the pathologist scrubs, a gesture meant to pull the redhead closer.

“Maclay, what the hell are you doing?!” hollered Julian as he came back into the morgue, his eyes wide in fright as he viewed his partner’s threatening stance. “Let go of her!”

Shocked at being caught in such a compromising position, Tara jumped backwards, her eyes shifting embarrassingly from the redhead to her fuming partner.

“Julian, I …” she didn’t get a chance to finish as Julian marched toward her, gripping her elbow tightly.

“Let’s go,” Julian snarled as he roughly shoved the brunette toward the door. He stood in place momentarily watching his partner disappear through the double doors before turning to Willow. “Are you okay? Did she hurt you?”

“N-no …. No, I’m fine,” Willow stammered as she lifted her hand to her mouth, silently processing what had just transpired. What would've transpired if Julian hadn't interrupted.

“I’m so sorry Doctor Rosenberg,” Julian apologized wholeheartedly. In all of his time as Tara’s partner, he had never known her to be physically aggressive towards someone who wasn’t a perp.  He gave the pathologist a weak smile, guilt washing over him for leaving the two alone together.

He waited for a response but when none was forth coming, he gave the woman a slight node before heading for the exit.
 
*
 
“Are you insane?”  Julian hollered down the hall, his loud voice booming off the cement walls. “Or are you trying to get fired?”

“You’re over reacting Julian,” Tara proclaimed as she turned around to stare at her partner. “Nothing happened.”

“Nothing happened,” he snarled, his face reddening further as he marched down the hallway, his temper flaring “You had her pinned against the wall with your fist gripping her shirt. That’s not nothing.”

“It’s not what you think, really.” Tara felt torn. She wanted to tell her best friend that he caught them seconds before making out, that there hostility toward each other was actually months upon months of pent up sexual frustration and that Willow was in no way being harmed. But she couldn’t. She didn’t want to hurt him. 
 
“What I think is that you were a second away from physically assaulting our medical examiner.” He eyed the brunette darkly, daring her to speak. “If she files a complaint ...”

“She won’t,” Tara mumbled. 

“How can you be so sure? Not like you guys are on the best of terms.” 

“I just do.”

“Well, I’m not as optimistic as you I guess.” He gave her a disbelieving shake of the head. “If this goes to IA, if they ask me what I saw ...  I can’t lie for you Maclay.” 

Julian was done standing in the constricted hallway. He needed out. He needed to distance himself from his partner. Without another word, he walked away, leaving the brunette to trail behind him at a more sedate pace.  

[Will's redemption]

Dibs!

“You got anything for us Red or is this another waist of our time?” Tara asked none too friendly as she followed behind Julian toward the medical examiner; eyeing the slim woman. “We’re really busy and don’t have time for pointless yammering.”

I thought that Tara couldn't get more annoying than she already is but you proved me wrong. How dare she calling the medical examiner with whom she isn't even on first name-basis "Red"?! Sure, Willow's "yammering" during the case has been a "waste of time" so far - no wait, it hasn't, it helped them identify the murder weapon and the prime suspect!

“Probably,” Tara shot back smugly, a snarky grin spreading across her face. In her best faux polite voice, “fine, can you please explain to me what you wrote down in your report? There are a lot of fancy, unnecessary words in there.”

“Since you put it so politely,” Willow retorted mockingly. “I'll even use small words so that you'll be sure to understand”

“Cute,” guffed the brunette as she placed her hands on the swell of her hips. “But it’s pretty simple, no? Knife, stomach, sever trauma, death. Hey look, I summarized your pretentious report in five words.”

And there Tara is getting simply ridiculous. Of course Willow has to use all the "fancy" latin or greek medical terms in the official report.

“That’s it,” Tara growled through clenched teeth as she slapped the clipboard out of Willow’s hand. “Do you want to go? Give me your best shot,” Tara encouraged, egging the redhead on to hit her. "Come on, give it to me."

Taken aback, unprepared for a verbal attack instead of a physical one, Tara looked at the redhead in shock, her mouth slightly opened. "Did you ... are you insulting me?" she questioned a moment later when the medical examiners words finally sunk in.

I'm surprised that Tara really expected Willow to attack her physically instead of verbally considering that as a medical examiner Willow never has to manhandle anyone on the job and hardly grew up in the social lower class (whith a higher risk of fighting in school etc.) either.
Now I suspect that Tara was physically abused by her father and brother and therefore instinctually fears to get physically attacked when things get too tense with other people.

Before she could process the movement, Tara was lurching towards her. Scared, Willow shuffled backwards, her feet keeping in time with the Detective’s brisk movement until she was flushed with the wall behind her. Startled, Willow flinched as Tara slammed her left palm roughly against the cold wall inches above her shoulder, the detective’s outstretched arm blocking the redhead from moving.

Stunned, she looked up into the brunette’s hardened expression, noticing her irises were completely dilated. In a menacing whisper, Tara leaned forward, “watch yourself, Rosenberg. You’re skating on thin ice.”

“And if I don’t” Willow responded daringly, her own face shifting forward slightly as she stood her ground. “What are you going to do about it? Hit me?”

“Worse. I’ll make your life a living hell, “she proclaimed; her nose inches from the medical examiner, as her breath tickled against the redhead’s lips.

I really feared for a moment that Tara might hit Willow! The threat to make her life a living hell might be an echo of what her father / brother said to Tara. Towards Willow it is virtually an empty threat because Tara couldn't have much impact on Willow personally or jobwise apart from the annoying encounters here and there.

I'm torn if it's a good or a bad thing that Julian walked in on them before they could start kissing. On one hand is always great, but then again Julian might have had the shock of his lifetime if he had suddenly witnessed them kissing.

Tara felt torn. She wanted to tell her best friend that he caught them seconds before making out, that there hostility toward each other was actually months upon months of pent up sexual frustration and that Willow was in no way being harmed.

I'm glad that Tara had that epiphany about her feelings towards Willow. Now she really has to sort out this mess quickly before Julian breaks up their friendship because he fears she might try to attack Willow again or other innocent people.

[wickedaddiction]

"Make you what?" questioned the redhead, her breathing labored.

"You... you make me..." Tara tried again, her words slowing as she stared straight into the pathologists hunter green eyes, noticing the pupils dialating.

Willow’s darkened emerald eyes suddenly shifted rapidly, back and forth from the brunette’s alluring stormy blue eyes to her slightly parted lips merely inches away from her own. In baited breath, “are you going to kiss me, or not,”

well hot damn! I can't be the only one who thought this was sexy as hell. I so wish Julian hadn't interrupted but I guess it's good he got there before they actually kissed because that would have broken his heart to catch his best friend and crush in such an embrace.

Hopefully this interaction has opened Tara's eyes and she realizes right quick that she has feelings for Willow ... and maybe at the same time speak with Julian to break the news to him gently.

Great update! Excited to see what happens next.

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Dibs!

Dib's master!

I thought that Tara couldn't get more annoying than she already is but you proved me wrong. How dare she calling the medical examiner with whom she isn't even on first name-basis "Red"?! Sure, Willow's "yammering" during the case has been a "waste of time" so far - no wait, it hasn't, it helped them identify the murder weapon and the prime suspect!

I'll take that as a compliment. I didn't want Tara to be a like-able character straight off the bat.

[/quote]And there Tara is getting simply ridiculous. Of course Willow has to use all the "fancy" latin or greek medical terms in the official report.[/quote]

She feels a tad inept when around Willow. Willow is obviously very intelligent which hits a sore spot with Tara as she is use to being the one solving all the crimes.

I'm surprised that Tara really expected Willow to attack her physically instead of verbally considering that as a medical examiner Willow never has to manhandle anyone on the job and hardly grew up in the social lower class (whith a higher risk of fighting in school etc.) either. Now I suspect that Tara was physically abused by her father and brother and therefore instinctually fears to get physically attacked when things get too tense with other people.

With so many years on the force, surrounded mainly by men, Tara's become use to squashing petty arguments through archaic behavior. Plus with her childhood, like you suspect, it does't take much to rely on a fight or flight mentality.

I really feared for a moment that Tara might hit Willow!

No, never!

The threat to make her life a living hell might be an echo of what her father / brother said to Tara. Towards Willow it is virtually an empty threat because Tara couldn't have much impact on Willow personally or jobwise apart from the annoying encounters here and there.

She could make working together even more unbearable. I know its hard to imagine since she's already such a peach to be around during cases, but if she wanted she could make their encounters together even more aggravating until Willow finally grows tired of the petty arguments and quits ... something Julian is very fearful of.

I'm torn if it's a good or a bad thing that Julian walked in on them before they could start kissing. On one hand is always great, but then again Julian might have had the shock of his lifetime if he had suddenly witnessed them kissing.

Probably for the better that he has poor timing. This allows the duo to come to terms with what they are apparently feeling/what was about to happen. Plus Julian's head probably would've exploded if he caught his best friend make out with his long time crush after nearly ripping each others throats out.

I'm glad that Tara had that epiphany about her feelings towards Willow. Now she really has to sort out this mess quickly before Julian breaks up their friendship because he fears she might try to attack Willow again or other innocent people.

She definitely has some soul searching to do in order to save her friendship with Julian and amend whatever relationship she can with Willow

well hot damn! I can't be the only one who thought this was sexy as hell. I so wish Julian hadn't interrupted but I guess it's good he got there before they actually kissed because that would have broken his heart to catch his best friend and crush in such an embrace.

I quite enjoyed it so I'm glad you thought their exchange was hot too. Yes, Julian's heart definitely would've been shattered so it was probably best he interrupted when he did.

Hopefully this interaction has opened Tara's eyes and she realizes right quick that she has feelings for Willow ... and maybe at the same time speak with Julian to break the news to him gently.

Not only has her eyes open, but they are straight wired to her heart. Now all she needs is her brain to catch up so she can formulate a game plan on how to proceed.

Great update! Excited to see what happens next.[/quote]

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

CHAPTER

Two Days Later:

“LAPD! Open the door!” Tara yelled, banging fiercely on the door of the apartment of their primary suspect, Devon MacLeish. Harris’ investigation into the sidewalk performer came back with not only an address but an extensive list of criminal charges. The offenses ranged from simple trespassing and shoplifting to more sever charges of resisting arrest and battery on an officer. Due to the suspect’s history, Lt. Gordon had demanded a couple of police officers go with the two detectives as back-up.

It was complete silence until they heard the sound of glass shattering emitted from the other side of the door. Tara and Julian looked at each other for a second before simultaneously drawing out their handguns from their holsters in one swift motion.

Julian gave a nod to one of the officers, who kicked the door open. They carefully stepped into the apartment with their guns aiming. A movement in the corner of the room caught Tara’s attention. “He’s climbing down the fire escape!” she shouted as she slid her gun back into its holder.

Before any of her three companions could respond, Tara was already chasing after the suspect, squeezing herself through the open window and rushed down the fire escape.

“Call for back-up,” Julian ordered the officers. He turned and ran out of the apartment, taking a different route of pursuit.

Tara ran down the metal steps of the fire escape as quickly as she could. She was on auto-pilot, her body coursing with adrenaline. She could see Devon MacLeish down below her about a few flights of stairs away. When she saw that he had nearly reached the ground, she stopped for a very brief moment. She looked around, thinking of the best option. Her eyes caught a closed-lid dumpster beneath. Without a second thought, she took half a step back, gripped the ledge and swung her legs over it. She could feel her heart in her mouth as she plummeted two stories down.

Tara landed on her back first, the force of the fall denting the metal lid of the dumpster before she tumbled onto the ground. Her breath got stuck in her throat as she wheezed helplessly in an effort to suck in air. Wincing in pain, Tara managed to squeak out a distressed, “Owww, fuck!” as she rolled around on the grim littered floor, her left hand clutching her right shoulder. With adrenaline still coursing through her body, she lifted her head up and noticed Devon was looking at her in shock. He stood dumbfounded for a while before he sprinted away as soon as he heard the distant sound of sirens. Tara gritted her teeth and pushed herself off the ground, resuming the chase once again.

Devon ran down the street, pushing away whoever was in his path of escape. “Police! Get out of the way!” Tara yelled as she pushed her way through the crowd, only a few innocent bystanders reacting quick enough to not get plowed over. She couldn’t care less if it was an old lady or a little kid she pushed out of her way, she had her sights set on the target and she was determined to take him down. Devon dashed across the road and carried on with his getaway on the next street.

Without looking, Tara dashed across the street, the sounds of tires squealing assaulting her ears. A taxi driver slammed on the brakes of his cab just in time when he noticed the brunette about to run in front of his vehicle. Instead of stopping in her tracks, Tara used her momentum to lift herself up onto the hood of the cab and slithered off it. None of her pace was lost as she landed on the other side of the road, continuing her pursue. She felt as if she was floating on air, watching the whole scene unfold. Her legs carried her faster than her mind could catch up.

Devon turned his head back to steal a glimpse of his chaser’s position. It turned out to be a bad move as he crashed right into a fruit cart that had just been wheeled out from a store. People on the street nearby shrieked and jumped back instinctively as the wooden cart smashed into pieces from the man’s powerful impact. As an assortment of fruits flew into the air in all directions, Devon let out a painful groan. He laboriously got to his feet and hobbled off hurriedly. He was able to get a few feet away from the ruckus before being tackled to the ground, the brunette spearing him to the cobblestone-covered pavement like an NFL linebacker

He struggled around, limbs flailing in a desperate attempt to throw the detective off of him. His efforts were quickly brought to an end when an elbow whacked across his face, rendering him unconscious. Tara flipped her perp onto his front before bringing his hands behind his back and cuffing them together. She was straddling his lower back, too tired to move off of him as her chest heaved. She slumped a little on the lifeless body as exhaustion set in, her adrenaline rush subsiding.

“Are you nuts? You nearly killed yourself back there!” Julian yelled as he slid to a halt next to his partner, a few police officers in tow as they finally caught up to the heavily breathing brunette. He had been rushing behind Tara when she had almost been hit by the cab. Grabbing his partner by her upper arms, Julian gingerly helped the brunette to her feet. Guiding Tara away from the suspect’s prone body, Julian made room for the other officers to hoist Devon off the ground and drag him away to an awaiting LAPD cruiser.

Tara was still panting heavily as Julian guided her toward the nearest store front, positioning her back against the brick wall. Trying to catch her breath, her heart still hammering profusely in her chest, Tara placed her arms on her knees as she leaned forward. “I’m also a nut-job that caught the guy,” she replied breathlessly as she lifted herself back up. “I think I can live with that.”

“Please don’t ever do that again. Ever” Julian pulled her into a hug, letting out a relieved sigh. At the sensation of the brunette tensing in his arms, Julian pulled back instantly, catching the tail-end of a grimace washing over Tara’s face.

“You okay? Where are you hurt?” Julian asked in quick succession as concern took over him. Tara pointed to her right shoulder, her features scrunching together in agony. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, she was starting to feel the full effect of the injury. Her whole body was also beginning to ache from the two story free-fall earlier. She knew she was very lucky to get away with just an injured shoulder and full-body ache.

“Let’s get you to the hospital,” Julian said. He wrapped his arm protectively around Tara and led her back to the car.



888



Tara sat on a bed in the ER at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, with her right arm in a sling. The x-ray showed a lateral sprain and her doctors examination uncovered several minor lacerations on her upper torso, all of which were bandaged. As she sat in the bleak room that smelled of antiseptic, her mood sour from the long intake procedure, she waited impatiently for Julian to finish up with the discharge papers at the nurses station.

Restlessly, she fiddled with a stray string dangling off of the sling absentmindedly as she stared blankly at the tiled floor. “Heard you caught the guy. Congratulations.” A familiar voice jolted her out of her dazing.

She snapped her head to the side and saw Willow standing at the foot of the bed, her face unreadable.

“Yeah,” Tara let out softly before dropping her gaze back to the ground.

Willow moved slowly from her position to stand beside Tara, but kept a small distance between them. “So, how are you feeling? I see you’ve got that sling around your arm.” She asked tentatively as she pointed to the aforementioned item. She mentally braced herself for any witticism from the standoffish detective. Or maybe even backlash from their near kiss encounter several days ago.

Tara felt butterflies flutter around in her stomach at the concern. She could feel her cheeks slowly heating. Her eyebrows pinched together as confusion washed over her at the feelings fluttering around inside of her. The same fluttering she felt in the morgue; pressed up against the redhead. Another flutter erupted through her, starting in her stomach and rushing upward as she recalled nearly kissing Willow. Her heart thudding in time with the cold shiver that rushed down her spine.

“Oh my god, what was that!” she exclaimed in a mix of horror and disbelief, leaping off of the bed in the process. Willow jumped back a couple of steps in shock at the sudden action and exclamation from Tara. The whole ER seemed to cease its activities at the brunette’s loud outburst.

“What was what?” Julian asked as he flung the dividing curtain back, approaching Tara’s bed in the process. He looked in bafflement at Tara’s horrified expression and Willow’s startled one. “Is everything okay?” he questioned again when neither of them answered. A sense of dread washed over him at seeing the medical examiner, her face unreadable as she stared at the injured detective. His mind instantly went on overdrive, speculating the worst. Dr. Rosenberg was filling a harassment complaint … a hostile workplace grievance …. a protection order.

“Yeah … yeah.” Tara said slowly as she shook herself out of her stupor. Impatiently she asked, “Can we go now?” She needed to get the hell out of the OR and more so away from Willow. She headed for the exit hurriedly, not waiting for Julian’s response.

Julian turned to look at Willow inquisitively. Silently hoping she would answer his unasked questions. She gave him a shrug in return, not quite sure what just happened herself.
“What are you doing here?” Julian asked perplexed before quickly amending himself for his brash questioning. “Not that you can’t be here or anything. Just … you know, with everything that's happened …. Plus, I thought you were stationed out of UCLA.”

“I am,” Willow said, smiling reassuringly at the lanky, dusty haired brunette. “I’m just filing in for Dr. Ferguson while he’s out on vacation. I heard your names through chatter in the halls and wanted to check in, see if you guys were okay.”

“Oh,” Julian said sheepishly as he ran his fingers through his hair. A small blush made its way up his neck, spreading to his ears. “That’s really nice of you. I’m good. Tara took a nasty spill … well, fall really, but she’s fine.”

“I’m glad you’re both okay,” she said honestly, glad that the gossip from the nurses in the hallway hadn’t been as bad as she originally perceived.

“Thank you,” Julian replied, a cheeky smile gracing his lips. “Umm, I wish I could stay and chat longer but Tara’s got the car keys and with the amount of painkillers they pumped into her she really shouldn’t be driving.”

“Oh, yes, yes of course,” she sputtered out as she watched Julian hitch a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of his partner. “I’ll see you around.”

As Julian exited the hospital, he cranked his head from left to right, searching for his partner. Tara paced around the parking lot a few yards away from the ER, mumbling to herself. Her mind was running out of control and she reflexively ran her left hand through her hair. She wondered whether she had imagined those feelings or if they were a side effect of the morphine she had been administered; but she knew the answer without a doubt. If she was being honest with herself, she'd known all along. God, this isn’t happening. I like Rosenberg?

[Will's redemption]

Dibs!

When she saw that he had nearly reached the ground, she stopped for a very brief moment. She looked around, thinking of the best option. Her eyes caught a closed-lid dumpster beneath. Without a second thought, she took half a step back, gripped the ledge and swung her legs over it. She could feel her heart in her mouth as she plummeted two stories down.

Tara landed on her back first, the force of the fall denting the metal lid of the dumpster before she tumbled onto the ground. Her breath got stuck in her throat as she wheezed helplessly in an effort to suck in air. Wincing in pain, Tara managed to squeak out a distressed, “Owww, fuck!” as she rolled around on the grim littered floor, her left hand clutching her right shoulder.

Without looking, Tara dashed across the street, the sounds of tires squealing assaulting her ears. A taxi driver slammed on the brakes of his cab just in time when he noticed the brunette about to run in front of his vehicle. Instead of stopping in her tracks, Tara used her momentum to lift herself up onto the hood of the cab and slithered off it. None of her pace was lost as she landed on the other side of the road, continuing her pursue. She felt as if she was floating on air, watching the whole scene unfold. Her legs carried her faster than her mind could catch up.

I should probably cheer that Tara caught the suspect but I have to admit that I was just wondering if Tara is stupid or suicidal for acting so reckless against herself during a pursuit. She should be thankful that Devon obviously didn't carry a gun because if he had he could have easily shot her before she scrambled up after her jump. And she has to be very thankful that the taxi driver braked just in time.
If she always pulls such stunts during pursuits it's a wonder that she is still alive. On the other hand Julian's reaction indicates that Tara's behaviour was unusual here:

“Are you nuts? You nearly killed yourself back there!” Julian yelled as he slid to a halt next to his partner, a few police officers in tow as they finally caught up to the heavily breathing brunette. He had been rushing behind Tara when she had almost been hit by the cab.

“Please don’t ever do that again. Ever” Julian pulled her into a hug, letting out a relieved sigh.

Now I actually fear that Tara acted so reckless here because she is confused about her feelings for Willow. If so, she really should get her head and heart straight as soon as possible before she gets herself gravely injured or killed.

Tara felt butterflies flutter around in her stomach at the concern. She could feel her cheeks slowly heating. Her eyebrows pinched together as confusion washed over her at the feelings fluttering around inside of her. The same fluttering she felt in the morgue; pressed up against the redhead. Another flutter erupted through her, starting in her stomach and rushing upward as she recalled nearly kissing Willow. Her heart thudding in time with the cold shiver that rushed down her spine.

“Oh my god, what was that!” she exclaimed in a mix of horror and disbelief, leaping off of the bed in the process.

Tara paced around the parking lot a few yards away from the ER, mumbling to herself. Her mind was running out of control and she reflexively ran her left hand through her hair. She wondered whether she had imagined those feelings or if they were a side effect of the morphine she had been administered; but she knew the answer without a doubt. If she was being honest with herself, she'd known all along. God, this isn’t happening. I like Rosenberg?

Huh??? Why is Tara acting so shocked, I thought she realized days ago when they almost kissed that she is attracted to Willow? Did she think it was only sexual attraction without any true feeling behind it?

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Huh??? Why is Tara acting so shocked, I thought she realized days ago when they almost kissed that she is attracted to Willow? Did she think it was only sexual attraction without any true feeling behind it?

Arguing is arousing physiologically (at least so says Megan Fleming - a psychologist/sex therapist) as is fear and excitement. So when they had their "fight" in the morgue the tension between them was high as was their libido. To Tara, it was a "fluke" wherein she chocked it up to a combination of close proximity, a dollop of masochistic behavior, and pent-up sexual frustration. However, at the hospital, when they weren't arguing and Willow showed sincere interest in Tara's health, she's realized that her feelings are more than just lust based.

I'll go back and see if I can alter the story a bit to reflect the above information, but if you have any suggestions on how I can fix the story so that that reads out better I am all ears! Thanks.

[Will's redemption]

Well, at the end of chapter 6 Tara had figured out "that their hostility toward each other was actually months upon months of pent up sexual frustration". That doesn't fit to her now thinking the "almost-kiss" in the morgue was a one-time fluke. But I in my last comment I hadn't taken into account that between this chapter and the last Tara had two days to deny/ repress her momentary awareness of her attraction to Willow and her other feelings behind that. Hopefully she won't do that again now.
I really wish Tara would have the courage to visit Willow, apologize for her aggressive behaviour in the past and try to have a civil, normal conversation with her.

[MotherD]

Really good update,...I know the title is, "Maybe It's Just Me" but it takes two to tango. At this point maybe Willow needs to take a stronger position, ie. corner Tara where no one can stop them hashing it out.
Loving following as this unfolds.
Blessings

[wickedaddiction]

Great update. The chase scene was intense, Tara sure is a badass if not a tad bit reckless jumping from the fire escape. I’m glad It finally dawned on Tara that she has true feelings for Willow and not just lust based on. Now if only they can have a heart-to-heart conversation

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Sorry for the late update, yesterday got away from me and today wasn't much better. Replies to reviews will happen tomorrow.

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

CHAPTER

“Detectives, good work on the Osbourne case,” Lt. Gordon commended when she reached their desk.

“Thanks, Lieutenant. It’s not just us two, though. Dr. Rosenberg was a great help as always,” Julian replied, smiling as he thought of Willow. “And I’m sure my partner would agree as well. Don’t you, Maclay?” he asked.

Across the desk, Tara was in a daze. She was lost in thought, thinking about that same redheaded medical examiner. A couple of days had passed since the ‘incident’ at the hospital and she had been trying to deal with the realization behind her newfound feelings. It’s a fine line between love and hate. She had crossed that line, unknowingly. The dark circles under her eyes were the sign of her sleeplessness, having tossed and tuned in bed during the past few nights before slipping into restless slumbers.

“Hey, Maclay!” Julian shouted, giving her a playful kick under the desk. That was the umpteenth time in the past days he had caught her daydreaming.

“What was that for?” Tara asked, frowning in annoyance.

“Am I right?” Julian asked again. “About Dr. Rosenberg,” he asked after Tara gave him a puzzled look.

Tara froze up instantly at the mentioning of Willow. Oh shit, how the hell did he know? She was panicking internally even though her face told an entirely different story. Her composed façade faltered when she began to speak. “No! I – wha- wh- why would you ask that?” she questioned, tripping over her own tongue.

Both Julian and Lt. Gordon frowned at the strange response. “You don’t agree that Dr. Rosenberg was a great asset to the case?” the later asked in bewilderment.

“Huh? What?” Tara’s mind blanked for a brief second before she realized that she was acting on a guilty conscience. Recovering somewhat, “Of course not. I mean … I mean, yes, I agree with … wait, no. I disag… Wh…what was the question again?” A sheepish expression crept up to her features as soon as she finished. Julian watched on in amusement.

“Are you okay there, Detective Maclay?” Lt. Gordon asked in concern at the display of uncharacteristic behavior from the brunette. Not trusting her speech at the moment, Tara nodded.

“I think she needs to slow down on her intake of pain medication. She’s probably just high,” Julian joked while trying to contain his laughter. Tara narrowed her eyes at him threateningly.

“Yeah, well, good work anyways.” Lt. Gordon highlighted again. She eyed Tara suspiciously for a while before walking away.

“What is wrong with you?” Julian asked in a mix of curiosity and concern, “you’ve been acting strange.”

Tara released a defeated sign, “I wish I knew.”



888


Willow stood hesitantly at the entrance to the DHI office with a beach file and slider storage bag in her hands. She was at the precinct to drop off the post-mortem report and evidence she found in the victim’s body for the detectives so that they could add it to their statement of charges.

Tara was alone at the desk with Julian nowhere to be seen. The chestnut haired detective had been less than receptive of her vague attempts at friendliness. She even shot down her apology once before. Now adding to the mixture was their emotionally straining encounter in the morgue and the brunettes avoidance at the hospital. Willow bit her lower lip, finally deciding to get the hostile encounter over and done with.

She strode over to the desk, looking as self-assured as possible. “Hey,” she greeted cautiously.

Tara had managed to get a certain redheaded medical examiner out of her mind for the past few hours or so by immersing herself in work. So, when Willow seemingly appeared out of nowhere, she was completely caught off guard. She jumped in her seat, bumping her sling arm into the desk in the process. She hissed in pain while clutching her sprained shoulder, her face scrunching in agony.

Willow set down the possessions clutched in her hands immediately. She then stepped forward to place a comforting hand on Tara’s upper arm with the other carefully holding her bent right arm. “God, are you okay?” She asked quickly, her caring nature taking over.

Tara opened her eyes when she felt hands on her. Willow was leaning close. To her, it was as if this was the very first time she was seeing the medical examiner for who she really was. The beautiful delicate features, the heavenly saccharine scent, the tender touches and the warmth radiating from her were all too much. She needed desperately to take a deep breath, but Willow’s scent was thick in the air.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Tara answered through gritted teeth. She grimaced at the throbbing pain and slouched a little into her seat as subtly as possible to create some space between them. She could hear her heart thumping and wondered if Willow could hear it too.

Willow noticed the subtle action and took it as a sign for her to back off, quickly withdrawing her hands and taking a few steps back away from Tara. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

Tara was feeling every bit of the disappointment when Willow removed her hands and moved away. That was the absolute opposite of what she wanted. She clenched her jaw in frustration and ran her good hand through her hair. “It’s okay. What did you want?” she asked, her frustration inadvertently slipping into her tone of voice.

Willow was not at all surprised by the tenor showed. So much for caring. She let out a breath, her expression hardening. “Nothing. I’m just here to give you these.” She picked up the file and zipper bag from the desk, handing them both to the blonde detective.

Tara held out her good hand and took the items from the medical examiner. Their fingers grazed each other’s for a brief second, sending a wave of electricity coursing throughout their entire body. The sudden contact caused them both to pull their hands back instantly. They stared at one another in shock. Papers dropped out from the file as it hit the ground.

Willow was the first to recover, bending down to gather up the papers. Tara followed a few seconds later, getting out of her seat and helping rather clumsily with only one hand.

“It’s okay, I got it.” Willow assured with a small smile when she saw Tara struggling. Tara blushed in embarrassment. She stood up and turned her head away to hide her flushed cheeks. She wasn’t sure if it was a reaction to the smile or the fact that she was caught acting ineptly.

“Here.” Tara turned back to the voice and took the things from Willow, who held the folder out for her. She made sure there was no contact whatsoever this time around. She could only handle so much.

Willow lingered for a while longer before walking away. When she stepped out of the office, she passed a hand over her face. She could feel the last six months’ worth of tension between her and Tara reaching a breaking point, but what frightened her the most, or maybe exhilarated her, was that it wasn’t going to happen in the way she had originally though it would. And that made her heart pound even faster.

[Will's redemption]

Dibs!

Willow set down the possessions clutched in her hands immediately. She then stepped forward to place a comforting hand on Tara’s upper arm with the other carefully holding her bent right arm. “God, are you okay?” She asked quickly, her caring nature taking over.

Tara opened her eyes when she felt hands on her. Willow was leaning close. To her, it was as if this was the very first time she was seeing the medical examiner for who she really was. The beautiful delicate features, the heavenly saccharine scent, the tender touches and the warmth radiating from her were all too much. She needed desperately to take a deep breath, but Willow’s scent was thick in the air.

Once again Tara has an epiphany. Sad that her reaction makes her seem cold towards Willow again.

Their fingers grazed each other’s for a brief second, sending a wave of electricity coursing throughout their entire body. The sudden contact caused them both to pull their hands back instantly. They stared at one another in shock.

I wonder what that was considering that magic obviously doesn't exist in your story…

Willow lingered for a while longer before walking away. When she stepped out of the office, she passed a hand over her face. She could feel the last six months’ worth of tension between her and Tara reaching a breaking point, but what frightened her the most, or maybe exhilarated her, was that it wasn’t going to happen in the way she had originally though it would. And that made her heart pound even faster.

So Willow had an epiphany too… I fervently hope that they will finally really talk when they meet the next time. I think it is Tara's turn to go to Willow after Willow came to her the last two encounters.

[Finey_McFine]

Hey There!

First, I wanted to let you know that I'm really digging this fic. I've been keeping up with the chapters every week, I just haven't had a ton of time to sit down and comment. So, here it is!

Tara, wow, what a total bitca! I'm really interested to find out what her backstory is and why she is such a hardass. She kinda reminds me of Alcy's Tara in Sin City, a completely jaded hardcore cop. Willow has gone out of her way twice and I agree with Will's Redemption...Tara needs to make an effort. She needs to do it when it's just the two of them and especially without any interference from Julian. I was kind of hoping Tara would go back, after the 'almost kiss,' and wait outside the building for Willow to get off work or something.

I loved the chase scene and could totally picture the whole thing unfolding in my head, well done! Tara did act recklessly, but I think she is more of a "shoot first, ask questions later" kind of cop. She flies by the seat of her pants because she believes she has nothing to lose.

I too was a little confused as to why Tara acted so shocked about her feelings towards Willow, especially after they almost kissed, and was I was pissed about her behavior in the hospital towards Willow. That was super shitty and she's lucky Willow is still interested in her at all. I really hate that WIllow is being sweet to her and then getting treated like crap. It seems kind of abusive on Tara's part and I hope she gets a handle on it before she loses any chance with Willow at all.

Anyway, that's my two-cents! Looking forward to the next chapter!!

-Shelby

[wickedaddiction]

Tara froze up instantly at the mentioning of Willow. Oh shit, how the hell did he know? She was panicking internally even though her face told an entirely different story. Her composed façade faltered when she began to speak. “No! I – wha- wh- why would you ask that?” she questioned, tripping over her own tongue.

Both Julian and Lt. Gordon frowned at the strange response. “You don’t agree that Dr. Rosenberg was a great asset to the case?” the later asked in bewilderment.

“Huh? What?” Tara’s mind blanked for a brief second before she realized that she was acting on a guilty conscience. Recovering somewhat, “Of course not. I mean … I mean, yes, I agree with … wait, no. I disag… Wh…what was the question again?” A sheepish expression crept up to her features as soon as she finished. Julian watched on in amusement.

Aww, poor flustered Tara. Her emotions are all over the place, hopefully her zoning out/internal debate doesn't distract her too much from her job. Would hate for her to get injured even worse ... but then again, maybe Willow would place nurse

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Due to new life events I will no longer be able to update this story on Saturday’s. New updates will now be on Wednesday.

[wickedaddiction]

whoooo, for a second there I thought you were abandoning the story. Was about to be supper bummed. Glad to see you're only shifting to a new day.

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Dibs!

Woohoo to the Dibs master!

Once again Tara has an epiphany. Sad that her reaction makes her seem cold towards Willow again.

Slowly but surely the walls she’s built up around her will start to crumble allowing room for Willow to squeeze in.

I wonder what that was considering that magic obviously doesn't exist in your story…

I like to think of it as a surge of endorphins making the touch feel hyper-sensitive.. Or that tingly sensation that runs down your spine when you get a rush of excitement .... either that or Willow shuffled her feet across the rug when approaching Tarals desk and it was just static electricity. Lol

So Willow had an epiphany too… I fervently hope that they will finally really talk when they meet the next time. I think it is Tara's turn to go to Willow after Willow came to her the last two encounters.

Yes, epiphanies all around! Now if they could stop being so darn childish and convey their feelings.

Hey There!

Hey hey!

First, I wanted to let you know that I'm really digging this fic. I've been keeping up with the chapters every week, I just haven't had a ton of time to sit down and comment. So, here it is!

Aww thank you. I appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to leave feedback.

Tara, wow, what a total bitca! I'm really interested to find out what her backstory is and why she is such a hardass. She kinda reminds me of Alcy's Tara in Sin City, a completely jaded hardcore cop.

Wow, that is such an amazing compliment. Alcy’s Potrayal of Tara in Sin City is so wonderfully written so I’m really really pleased to hear that there is a resemblance between the two characters.

Willow has gone out of her way twice and I agree with Will's Redemption...Tara needs to make an effort. She needs to do it when it's just the two of them and especially without any interference from Julian. I was kind of hoping Tara would go back, after the 'almost kiss,' and wait outside the building for Willow to get off work or something.

Tara is starting to realize she’s been a jerk and is starting to put her best foot forward to try and correct the issue.

I loved the chase scene and could totally picture the whole thing unfolding in my head, well done! Tara did act recklessly, but I think she is more of a "shoot first, ask questions later" kind of cop. She flies by the seat of her pants because she believes she has nothing to lose.

She is definitely the more reckless one out of the duo. Where Julian is more by the book and cautious about his approach for handling investigations/suspects Tara is the complete opposite; a thrill seeker looking to be in the middle of all the action.

I too was a little confused as to why Tara acted so shocked about her feelings towards Willow, especially after they almost kissed, and was I was pissed about her behavior in the hospital towards Willow. That was super shitty and she's lucky Willow is still interested in her at all. I really hate that WIllow is being sweet to her and then getting treated like crap. It seems kind of abusive on Tara's part and I hope she gets a handle on it before she loses any chance with Willow at all.

I hate to talk bad about Tara, but she is kind of a shitty person, at least at first. Tara’s not a relationship person or one to express their feelings freely even to herself, so this is broaching on new territory for her which can be scary, confusing and like you said abusive what with her wishywashy behavior.

Anyway, that's my two-cents! Looking forward to the next chapter!!

Thanks, I really appreciate the feedback. Glad you are liking the fic and I hope the next chapter doesn’t disappoint

Aww, poor flustered Tara. Her emotions are all over the place

That’s a good way to put her. She’s just a hot mess right now.

hopefully her zoning out/internal debate doesn't distract her too much from her job. Would hate for her to get injured even worse ... but then again, maybe Willow would place nurse

She’ll have a few more zone outs here and There but if she was to get injured again, I don’t think she’d mind much to having willow take care of her. I know I wouldn’t. Lol

whoooo, for a second there I thought you were abandoning the story. Was about to be supper bummed. Glad to see you're only shifting to a new day.

Sorry about that! Nope, definitely not abandoning the story just need to juggle around the posting dates a bit.

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Chapter : One week later: Saturday

“What did this guy do for a living again?” Tara asked as they stepped into a luxurious house in an affluent neighborhood. She moved her sunglasses up onto her head to get a clearer look around.

“He was an investment banker,” Julian replied flatly. “I don’t get these people. How they justify spending an exponential amount of money on all this crap.” He added, spreading out his arms in a gesture to the surrounding household items. The interior was furnished with high-priced modern furniture as well as priceless antiques.

“If I had money to blow, I’d buy expensive crap too.” Tara pointed out.

They climbed the stairway up to the second floor where the body had been found inside the master bedroom by the maid. They entered the bedroom which was equally well-furnished as the rest of the house. As usual, investigators from the crime lab and evidence collection unit were looking around as they searched the home for evidence while a road officer questioned the maid.

The body lay stiff a few feet away from the king size bed, a pair of gray flannel boxers the only article of clothing on his body. White foam dribbled out from the corner of the victim’s mouth, his arms and legs sprawled out while blood shot eyes stared vacantly at the ceiling. There was a gash on the male’s forehead where a trail of dried blood had trickled down to his temple. Strewn about the room were various empty bottles of liquor and several condom wrappers. A white powder residue was also noticeable on the night stand as well as a rolled dollar bill and a credit card, all of which ECU was snapping several pictures of.

Walking across the cream colored shagged rug, the detectives crossed over to Willow who was thoroughly examining the body. Tara’s heart fluttered at the sight of the slim medical examiner, a feeling that she was still trying to get used to.

Tara was approaching from behind when Willow suddenly stood up and turned around, bumping right into her. At the feeling of the slimmer woman pressed up against her chest, Tara jumped back a step instinctively.

“Oh God,” Willow breathed out, placing a gloved-hand over her racing heart. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking in a deep breath to calm her nerves down. “I’m sorry,” she apologized as she opened her eyes, finding Tara staring down at her. As soon as the words left her mouth, she braced herself for a much anticipated telling off.

“It’s okay,” Tara responded, shrugging the incident off. The casual response earned her a stunned look from both Willow and Julian.

“Ah … I left something I need back in the car. Excuse me,” Willow said after blinking away her surprise. Tara simply nodded and pivoted, allowing the redhead to sidestep around her. Tara watched on as Willow walked out of the bedroom, her internal turmoil wagging war.

“It’s okay?” Julian asked incredulously, his facial expression matching the disbelief in his voice.

“It’s just a bump. No big deal,” Tara replied nonchalantly, turning her back to the other detective.

“No big deal? The last time she bumped into you, you told her to grow a pair of eyes,” Julian rejoined. He remembered how angry the comment made Willow, the redhead staring daggers through her prescription eyewear at the silky haired brunette. That eventually developed into one of the most heated encounters between them to date and to Julian’s recollection, the last time he saw the pathologist with glasses.

“What?” Tara squealed. “I did not say that.” She frowned in thought as she tried to recall that particular incident. Now that she had realized her feelings for Willow, she was finding it hard to even imagine all the hurtful things she had said to her before.

“Oh yes, you did,” Julian nodded dramatically. Tara was about to respond but decided against it when she saw Willow walking back into the bedroom from the corner of her eye.

Willow took a glance at Tara as she walked past her. She could feel there was something very different about the other woman’s behavior. The air around her seemed more relaxed and the way she looked at her appeared to have softened considerably. The random shift in behavior was definitely getting under Willow’s skin.

She kneeled down next to the body and measured its core temperature with a special thermometer she had just retrieved from her vehicle.

“So, Dr. Rosenberg, you got anything for us?” Tara asked, her voice shaking slightly. She was feeling nervous just talking to the redhead.

“Well, body temperature and the state of rigor mortis indicate that the victim’s been dead for at least five hours. That puts the time of death somewhere between two and four o’clock in the morning,” Willow answered as she read the scale on the thermometer. “No visible physical trauma except for the laceration on his forehead. Probably hit his head on the nightstand as he collapsed.” She gestured toward the red splodge on the edge of the nightstand in front of her. “Most likely cause of death is alcohol poisoning or overdose … or a combination of the two. I’ll know more after I perform the autopsy.”

“Thanks,” Tara said, earning her another round of stunned stares from Willow and Julian. She turned her head away slightly from the attention, scratching the back of her neck with her left hand.


888


“Thanks?” Julian asked for the third time, mimicking the tone she had used earlier. He tried to keep his attention fixed on the road in front of them as he navigated their way back to the precinct, but his mind kept looping back to the bizarre encounter at the crime scene.

“Can you stop that?” Tara questioned annoyingly.

“Thanks? I mean, what’s up with that? You’ve never said thanks to Dr. Rosenberg before. Ever,” Julian continued, ignoring Tara completely. He was stumped by his partner’s sudden niceness to the person she had claimed to detest the most. “Even when she helped us crack-“

“I thought you’ve always wanted me to be nice to her. Now that I actually am, you are all over me. And might I add, in a really annoying way.” Tara interrupted, shooting Julian an irritated look. She couldn’t possibly tell her best friend the truth that she was having a crush on his crush. That broke the bro-code in so many ways.

“I did! But now that you’re actually doing it, it seems kinda … creepy.” Julian replied sheepishly as he shrugged his shoulders. Tara gave him a smack to the side of his head in response, causing him to lose control of the car for a brief second.

“Oww!” He took one hand off the steering wheel after guiding the car back into the correct lane, placing it on the side of his head. “Do you want to get into a car accident?” Julian barked.

“Sorry,” Tara mumbled. She pouted as she wondered if Willow had thought that she was creepy too.

She reached out her hand to Julian and he flinched immediately. “Relax, I’m not going to hit you,” she assured, batting his hand away from his head. She replaced it with her own, rubbing the area on his skull that she had smacked. “So what, you don’t want me to be nice to her?”

“Yeah,” Julian answered. Tara ceased her hand movement, staring incredulously at him, causing the dark haired man to skirt away from the contact. “Okay, you need to get your hand away from me.” He added, fearing a reoccurrence of the beating. He felt safe enough to continue when Tara retracted her hand. “It just seems to me that you are suppressing your feelings. I fear for humanity when the two of you finally go at each other and explode.”

In her mind, Tara had an entirely different take on the scenario of an explosion with Willow. She could feel her cheeks starting to burn at the thought. She shook it off quickly before the images got even more explicit.

“I guess I’m just tired of the squabbling.”

“Yeah, either that or your fall did more damage than we realized,” he jested, a cheeky grin spreading across his lips as he tapped a finger against his temple.

Tara let out a forced laugh at her friend’s ill-timed joke. “From now on, I’m just gonna take her as she comes.” Tara paused after realizing what she had just implied.

This time, her mind was powerless to the onslaught of explicit images. She struggled to banish them from her head. Her body’s temperature was rising significantly as her breathing became labored. She cranked the window open slightly, relishing in the cool air rushing into the car as she stared blankly ahead of her with her attention focused solely on her R-rated thoughts.

Julian nodded thoughtfully as he drove into an empty parking space outside of the precinct, oblivious to the mental ‘distress’ his partner was undergoing next to him.

[MotherD]

Julian says, “It just seems to me that you are suppressing your feelings. I fear for humanity when the two of you finally go at each other and explode.”
YES,..PLEASE! Let's have a Tara & Willow Explosion!! Can't wait to read more and see what development leads to the inevitable "explosion"!!
Thanks again for writing this story
Blessings

[Will's redemption]

I hope that Willow's and Julian's totally shocked reaction about some "normal", polite behaviour from Tara towards Willow will lead Tara to honestly reflect and regret her bitchy attitude of the past. I see at least a start here:

The last time she bumped into you, you told her to grow a pair of eyes,” Julian rejoined. He remembered how angry the comment made Willow, the redhead staring daggers through her prescription eyewear at the silky haired brunette. That eventually developed into one of the most heated encounters between them to date and to Julian’s recollection, the last time he saw the pathologist with glasses.

“What?” Tara squealed. “I did not say that.” She frowned in thought as she tried to recall that particular incident. Now that she had realized her feelings for Willow, she was finding it hard to even imagine all the hurtful things she had said to her before.

I think it's a little sad that Willow let herself be shaken so much by that petty insult that she found the need to wear contacts instead of glasses from this moment on...

She couldn’t possibly tell her best friend the truth that she was having a crush on his crush. That broke the bro-code in so many ways.

Very funny that Tara sees herself as one of the "bros"! Hopefully she'll discover her inner woman in a relationship with Willow.

“From now on, I’m just gonna take her as she comes.” Tara paused after realizing what she had just implied.

This time, her mind was powerless to the onslaught of explicit images. She struggled to banish them from her head. Her body’s temperature was rising significantly as her breathing became labored. She cranked the window open slightly, relishing in the cool air rushing into the car as she stared blankly ahead of her with her attention focused solely on her R-rated thoughts.

Poor Tara! I really hope she will soon act on her new feelings and finally go to Willow instead of waiting for more chance encounters during the job which will lead to nothing and only become more awkward with Julian around.

[wickedaddiction]

I really enjoyed this chapter. So happy to see that Tara is being nicer to Willow, even if Julian now thinks its creepy. And poor Tara, she's definitly not creepy, but boy is she in a world of trouble if her thoughts keep running rampant like they are. hahah

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

YES,..PLEASE! Let's have a Tara & Willow Explosion!! Can't wait to read more and see what development leads to the inevitable "explosion"!!

No explosion quite yet, but does a mutual reconciliation work?

Thanks again for writing this story
Blessings

You are more than welcome. Pleased to know you are enjoying the fic.

I hope that Willow's and Julian's totally shocked reaction about some "normal", polite behaviour from Tara towards Willow will lead Tara to honestly reflect and regret her bitchy attitude of the past. I see at least a start here

Definitely taking one step forward in an effort to mend this relationship.

I think it's a little sad that Willow let herself be shaken so much by that petty insult that she found the need to wear contacts instead of glasses from this moment on...

It's very sad, unfortunately that's the world we live in where others harsh and often times petty insults sometimes alter the way we live.

Very funny that Tara sees herself as one of the "bros"! Hopefully she'll discover her inner woman in a relationship with Willow.

In a field of work that mostly male dominant, it's hard not to become a "bro". Although, as a gay woman who's friends are predominately other gay woman, I too often use the bro-code as do they. It's more of a respect thing than anything else.

Poor Tara! I really hope she will soon act on her new feelings and finally go to Willow instead of waiting for more chance encounters during the job which will lead to nothing and only become more awkward with Julian around.

In this next chapter, they have a chance to talk somethings out, one on one and come to a reconciliation.

I really enjoyed this chapter. So happy to see that Tara is being nicer to Willow, even if Julian now thinks its creepy. And poor Tara, she's definitly not creepy, but boy is she in a world of trouble if her thoughts keep running rampant like they are. hahah

Definitely not creepy, but also not well versed in the way of cordial interactions either. Thanks a bunch for reading and commenting!

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

NOTE: with the epidemic going on all around the world, I hope everyone stays safe. Prayers to everyone going through this difficult time.


CHAPTER: 10 … I think it's 10

Tuesday

"You’re not going?" Tara almost exclaimed.

"I’ll meet you afterwards. You know how it is with Joey. He’s always getting into trouble at school," Julian explained as he put on his blazer. He had just received a call from his kid brother’s principal after he got into another fight. His sixth one since the new school year started in half as many months.

"But I’m gonna be alone with Rosenberg," she whined, her attitude not unlike that of a toddler throwing a fit; just shy of a foot stop and crossed arms. Tara wasn’t sure if she was ready to handle facing Willow alone. Over the past several days, the detective found herself quite often having sexual daydreams about the redheaded pathologist, the latest one occurring just a couple of hours ago which she still hadn't quite worked off yet.

"I know you hate it, but you said you wanna try to patch things up with her. This could be a good opportunity to do just that," Julian replied as he grabbed his personal belongings off his desk. "Just be nice … Not creepy." He scampered off quickly, narrowly dodging a pencil Tara threw after him.

Tara groaned in frustration, for more reasons than one. After spending more than twenty minutes psyching herself up, she pushed herself off her seat and strode doggedly toward the office door with her car keys in hand. I can do this.

　
888


I can’t do this. Tara stood outside the morgue of UCLA Medical Center, staring blankly at its double-door. She had been standing there for quite a while now and was already earning odd looks from passersby. Too absorbed in her own mind to pay any attention to her surroundings, Tara stood motionless as she listened to the sound of her heart pounding like drums in her ears.

She ran her left hand through her hair, debating internally on whether she should wait for Julian even though he might not be back for another couple of hours. The thought of delaying a murder investigation, on the other hand, wasn’t appealing. Tara clutched onto that thought in her mind like a lifeline as she pushed open the double-doors and stepped into the morgue. She only managed one single step into the frigid room before she chickened out at the very last second. Her sudden halt in movement resulted in the heavy double-doors swinging right back at her, knocking her backward into the hall.

Willow raised her head from her microscope when the doors swung open, the whooshing sound catching her attention in the silent room. She caught a glimpse of a familiar figure before it disappeared behind the door. Her facial expression was one mixed with amusement and bafflement as she heard muffled cussing from the other side of the doors. She continued staring at the entrance as she waited for the woman to reappear.

Tara cursed under her breath at the throbbing pain in her right shoulder. Reaching up to grab her injured appendage, she continued to murmur vulgarity as she chided herself for behaving like an idiot. She took a moment to compose herself before entering the morgue again. Tara was ready this time as the swift moving door swung back at her, her good arm shooting out to stop the movement. When she saw Willow staring at her, she looked like a deer caught in headlights before ducking her head in embarrassment.

"Where’s Detective Wallace?" Willow asked curiously, her auburn eyebrows turning upward.

The question barely registered in Tara’s mind. She was thinking about how adorable Willow looked in her glasses and yellow scrubs, something that she had failed to appreciate a hundred times before she had crudely insulted the pathologist; resulting in the disappearance of her eyewear. Her heart was pumping warm blood rapidly throughout her body, which only served to aggravate the situation. She wriggled slightly in her clothes, her dark grey cotton t-shirt unpleasantly sticking to her skin.

"He, ah …" she had to clear her throat to remove the lump of air that was caught before she could continue. "He has some personal business to deal with," she said as she began to walk further into the morgue.

"So, it’s just the two of us." The notion seemed more real to Willow now that she had said it out loud. The last time they had been left alone in the morgue resulted in a heated battle of insults followed by the redhead basically professing her desire for the brunette to kiss her. She looked away from the detective and back to the open body she had been examining, suddenly overwhelmed by nervousness. She took in a deep breath to settle her nerves as she tried to focus her attention back on her job. Grabbing the deceased man’s wrist, Willow lifted the bluing appendage as she carefully did a nail scrapping, placing the dirt and skin follicles on a slide.

Tara stood on the opposite side of the metal table, in front of Willow, the body currently under autopsy the only thing separating them. She grimaced as she finally took in the sight of the bloody body lying prone on the metal slab. The body was cut open, revealing the mess of internal organs within and the top of the victim’s head was removed to expose his brain. She was use to death; saw deceased bodies almost daily, but the sight of a human being sliced open on display seemed to never get easier.

"Did you find anything?" she asked softly.

The softness of her voice gave Willow shivers down her spine, in an oddly pleasurable way. She couldn’t help but notice that Tara was making an effort to be nice even though it did seem a little peculiar. In a way though, she was relieved. For the past week she had had a sinking feeling in her stomach. That maybe she had overstepped a personal boundary; that she had misread the situation and unsettled the brunette with what she said. Now though, she wasn't sure, she felt like the brunette was throwing out a bunch of mixed signals.

"Erm, I ran a tox-screen," Willow went over to her desk to get the results, quickly passing the file to Tara. "It showed that the victim had a high level of alcohol, MDMA, cocaine and Restoril in his system. There was also internal hemorrhaging in his brain, which is the primary cause of death. The victim probably subcomed to a seizure due to the combination of drugs and alcohol and hit his head on the nightstand as he fell.

"So this was just an unfortunate accident?" Tara asked with slight disbelief.

"Could be. It’s not uncommon for someone to pass away after doing a speedball." Willow replied. "However, based on the amount of Restoril in his system, it’s slightly suspicious. I would say someone tried to poison him. It’s worth looking into," Willow answered, offering her professional opinion. She studied Tara as she read the results of the tox-screen. She smiled a little when Tara furrowed her eyebrows at something profound on the paper. Without the lackadaisical attitude, she was certainly not bad company to be around. They had gotten off on the wrong foot, something she felt slightly responsible for, and things had unwittingly escalated from then on.

"Anything else?" Tara asked as she leafed through the report, the vast majority of which was lost on her.

"Glitter," Willow said simply.

Flipping the report back to the first page, Tara looked up quizzically at the doctor. "Glitter?"

"Yeah, it’s um …" Smiling bashfully, Willow decided it was better to show the detective what she meant rather than tell her verbally.
Reaching for a small towel covering the victim’s genitalia, Willow removed the sheet, revealing gold glitter in the man’s pubic hair.

"Oh," Tara said lost for words as she looked at the sight before her.

Bringing the sheet back up, Willow repositioned the towel back into place to provide a semblance of modesty to the body. "I also did a genital swabbing to check for saliva and other bodily fluids and am conducting a nail scrapping now. The results, if any, should be back within 48 hours. I’ll let you know."

Tara nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks," she said, giving a polite smile afterwards. When the smile was returned in kind, she dropped her head to hide her reddening cheeks behind a curtain of hair. The physical reactions that Willow managed to bring forth in her with simple gestures were unbelievable. It seemed like a lifetime ago when she was fighting with the very same person. She suddenly realized she had by no means apologized to Willow.

"I’m sorry." They said simultaneously, staring at one another for a few seconds before laughing in embarrassment.

Tara kept her eyes locked on Willow, admiring the way her delicate face brightened up and her emerald eyes twinkled when she laughed. She was absolutely beautiful in every single way.

"I’m sorry for snapping at you," Tara spoke once the laughter died down.

"Which time?" Willow asked teasingly.

"The first time," Tara said with a chuckle. "It only got worse from there."

"Does that mean you apologize for anything that happened after?" Willow questioned slyly, arching an eyebrow in suggestion.

"Don’t push it." Tara narrowed her eyes playfully at Willow, who laughed in response.

"Okay, I might have also been less than amiable with you since we’ve known each other. And for that, I’m sorry," Willow replied while trying to keep a straight face.

"Might?" Tara repeated in a tone of mock disbelief.

"Actually … I felt really bad for what I said the last time you were here," Willow continued in a soft voice. Her cheery expression was replaced by one of remorse. She lowered her head and started playing with a frayed string on the chest pocket of her scrubs. "About everything I said."

Everything? She had been in a tailspin ever since Willow broached the subject of kissing. It didn't take long afterward for her to realize she was attracted to the medical examiner, but when Willow never broached the subject upon their next meeting at the hospital, she felt it best to drop the matter entirely. She hadn't been sure if Willow felt the same way or if she had just got caught up in the heat of the moment. It was clear to her now that it was the latter.

Even though she was disappointed, Tara’s heart almost broke at seeing the vulnerability shown by the redhead. "Hey," she called out quietly, waiting for Willow to look up before carrying on. "It’s alright. I’m not angry. Well, maybe a little," she admitted after Willow gave her a skeptical look. "But not anymore."

"Thanks," Willow replied demurely as she smiled gratefully. She was seeing Tara in a whole new light. Picturing the gentleness behind her tough façade once seemed impossible, but now it appeared to be the most natural thing in the world. Maybe something good came out of the fight after all. It seemed like they were finally airing out all of their grievances.

"There is one thing though that I’ve been wanting to ask … how did you know?" Tara asked hesitantly, fearing the answer.

"Know what?"

"That I ... you said it wasn't the first time a women's thrown me out," Tara said sheepishly with a one shoulder shrug.

Willow scratched her temple, contemplating the way to reveal the incident without embarrassing Tara. "I think it was just after the case of Vera Foster. I saw … I had just stepped out of my apartment and I sort of saw you get thrown out into the hallway by my neighbor. So I just assumed…"

"Oh god." Tara covered her eyes with her good hand, too humiliated to look at Willow. The worst part was that she didn’t even remember.

"That was actually quite a while ago," Willow replied, feeling a pang of sympathy for the embarrassed detective. "Let’s just put everything behind us and start over, shall we?" she asked.

Tara stared at her inquisitively, wondering what the redhead had in mind.

Willow smiled sweetly as she removed the gloves from her hands; rubbing her right palm on the thigh of her scrub before sticking her hand out toward the brunette. "Nice to meet you. I’m Dr. Willow Rosenberg."

[Will's redemption]

Dibs!
Yay that they finally managed to have a civil talk under 4 eyes (good thing for them that Julian's little brother is such a troublemaker).
Tara's entrance was pretty hilarious - it helped to crack the ice with Willow I think.

"I’m sorry." They said simultaneously, staring at one another for a few seconds before laughing in embarrassment.

YAY, finally!

Tara kept her eyes locked on Willow, admiring the way her delicate face brightened up and her emerald eyes twinkled when she laughed. She was absolutely beautiful in every single way.

Aww! I'm glad that Tara's eyes are finally open to how wonderful Willow is.

She was seeing Tara in a whole new light. Picturing the gentleness behind her tough façade once seemed impossible, but now it appeared to be the most natural thing in the world.

It's great that Tara has shed her armour - at least partially - so Willow can glimpse her true, wonderful self!

She hadn't been sure if Willow felt the same way or if she had just got caught up in the heat of the moment. It was clear to her now that it was the latter.

Even though she was disappointed, Tara’s heart almost broke at seeing the vulnerability shown by the redhead.

You are quite mistaken Tara - I hope she'll find out the truth about Willow's feelings soon!

"There is one thing though that I’ve been wanting to ask … how did you know?" Tara asked hesitantly, fearing the answer.

"Know what?"

"That I ... you said it wasn't the first time a women's thrown me out," Tara said sheepishly with a one shoulder shrug.

Willow scratched her temple, contemplating the way to reveal the incident without embarrassing Tara. "I think it was just after the case of Vera Foster. I saw … I had just stepped out of my apartment and I sort of saw you get thrown out into the hallway by my neighbor. So I just assumed…"

"Oh god." Tara covered her eyes with her good hand, too humiliated to look at Willow. The worst part was that she didn’t even remember.

So Willow's insight that Tara is gay came to her by chance - quite embarrassing for Tara.

"That was actually quite a while ago," Willow replied, feeling a pang of sympathy for the embarrassed detective. "Let’s just put everything behind us and start over, shall we?" she asked.

Tara stared at her inquisitively, wondering what the redhead had in mind.

Willow smiled sweetly as she removed the gloves from her hands; rubbing her right palm on the thigh of her scrub before sticking her hand out toward the brunette. "Nice to meet you. I’m Dr. Willow Rosenberg."

Yay, go Willow for offering Tara a new start! I loved the little detail that she rubbed her hand to warm it before the handshake.
I have the feeling that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship...and an even more beautiful love!

[*WILLOW*]

NOTE: with the epidemic going on all around the world, I hope everyone stays safe. Prayers to everyone going through this difficult time.

I'm currently home from work on day two of mandatory quarantine and just binge read all 10 chapters. Holy heck was this a wonderful distraction from the real world and this scary ordeal. I hope you stay safe as well ... and continue to update regularly.

[MotherD]

OKAY! Alright! Bring on the smoochies,..I need to get some vicarious smut!!
Thanks for writing and giving us something to do. I WORK from home normally and I am getting the Worst case of cabin fever!!
Thanks again & Blessings

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Dibs!

Yay that they finally managed to have a civil talk under 4 eyes (good thing for them that Julian's little brother is such a troublemaker).

Hahah, right! Thank you Joey for being such a little delinquent.

Tara's entrance was pretty hilarious - it helped to crack the ice with Willow I think.

Not her suavest moment, that's for sure.

YAY, finally!

The slow burn is finally over ... well, sorta ... still gotta get them to that first kiss!

Aww! I'm glad that Tara's eyes are finally open to how wonderful Willow is.

Me too.

It's great that Tara has shed her armour - at least partially - so Willow can glimpse her true, wonderful self!

The armors not all completely removed, but she has at least taken off her Kevlar vest (Ha, cop joke)

You are quite mistaken Tara - I hope she'll find out the truth about Willow's feelings soon!{/quote]

They'll get there soon, they have a little bit of stuff to work through first, mainly this new case.

So Willow's insight that Tara is gay came to her by chance - quite embarrassing for Tara.

Very embarrassing. She caught the tail end of a one night stand that obviously didn't end well for Tara

Yay, go Willow for offering Tara a new start! I loved the little detail that she rubbed her hand to warm it before the handshake.

True kindness knows no limits. And leave it to Willow to show that "first hand" ... ha, just filled with corny jokes today.

I have the feeling that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship...and an even more beautiful love!

Beautiful indeed, both friendship and romantic.

I'm currently home from work on day two of mandatory quarantine and just binge read all 10 chapters. Holy heck was this a wonderful distraction from the real world and this scary ordeal. I hope you stay safe as well ... and continue to update regularly.

Sorry to hear you are under quarantine, but woohoo to being able to binge read W/T stories ... that's one positive outcome of this whole situation, right? Thanks a bunch for reading. Hope you enjoy the rest of the fic.

OKAY! Alright! Bring on the smoochies,..I need to get some vicarious smut!!
Thanks for writing and giving us something to do. I WORK from home normally and I am getting the Worst case of cabin fever!!
Thanks again & Blessings

Oh no, cabin fever is horrible! Hopefully this next chapter can get you through today and the other stories on the board can get you through the rest of the week. The smoochies are coming soon, I promise, but the smut not so much ...

[wickedaddiction]

Awww, I thought you updated. :(


EDIT: Just realized I never left a review!!

{quote]"Anything else?" Tara asked as she leafed through the report, the vast majority of which was lost on her.

"Glitter," Willow said simply.

Flipping the report back to the first page, Tara looked up quizzically at the doctor. "Glitter?"

"Yeah, it’s um …" Smiling bashfully, Willow decided it was better to show the detective what she meant rather than tell her verbally.
Reaching for a small towel covering the victim’s genitalia, Willow removed the sheet, revealing gold glitter in the man’s pubic hair.

"Oh," Tara said lost for words as she looked at the sight before her.[/quote}

Although the autopsy was gross to think about, this part really made me laugh. Willow's uncomfortable awkwardness was so on point and Tara's one word response was just priceless. Definitly not something you see everyday ... especially for lesbians

can't wait for the update later

[mmmh-Hot-Sauce]

Awww, I thought you updated. :(

Sorry for the wait, I'm posting the next chapter now

EDIT: Just realized I never left a review!!

haha, not to worry

Although the autopsy was gross to think about, this part really made me laugh. Willow's uncomfortable awkwardness was so on point and Tara's one word response was just priceless. Definitly not something you see everyday ... especially for lesbians

Tried not to go too in-depth with the autopsy, I know gore isn't for everyone, but I'm glad that Willow/Tara's uncomfortable discovery was a good way to even out the grossness with a little levity.