Conflict of Interest

"Please state your name and occupation for the record" Xander Harris told the witness after he had taken his seat in the witness box and had the oath administered to him.
"Charles Gunn and I am the Sunnydale Chief of Police." Gunn answered.
"Can you describe for us your findings regarding the Darla O'Reilly murder?" Xander began a litany of questions.
"Darla O'Reilly was stabbed 19 times and beaten almost beyond recognition. Her body was found by a woman out walking her dog along the river bank." Gunn began.
"Did you find the murder weapon...what what used to stab her?" Xander asked.
"No, we did not but when we searched the defendent's home, a singular knife was missing from their knife set and our CSI team purchased the same set and the missing knife's dimensions match the victim's wounds." Gunn answered.
"Where there any fingerprints anywhere?" Xander questioned.
"Yes, we found the defendents fingerprints...well...all over the victim." Gunn replied.
"Objection! The defendent is the victims husband. Of course she would have his fingerprints on her. They had spoken and...touched that very day. It's circumstancial!" Spike bellowed.
"Over ruled. Save it for the cross examination, Mr. Giles" Judge Summers said. "Please continue Mr. Harris."
"Thank you Judge Summers. Did Mr. O'Reilly have a verifiable alibi?" Xander continued.
"No, he did not." Gunn looked at the jury. "He said he was home alone and has no one to corraborate his story."

Spike kept his ears on Gunn's answers but his eyes on Buffy. When it was his turn to cross examine, he slowly rose and crossed over closer to the witness box.
"Is it true, Chief Gunn, that no murder weapon was ever found?" he inquired.
"That is true but there..." Gunn began.
"You've answered my question. I don't need you to elaborate" Spike cut him off.
"Is it true that you have no forensic evidence against my client other than fingerprints on her person?" he continued.
"Yes" Gunn said solemnly.
"Is it not possible that those fingerprints got there during the course of the day of her death from routine interaction between husband and wife.?" Spike prodded.
"Yes...it's possible." Gunn grunted.
"Is it also true that you have no witnesses that saw my client commit this crime?" he asked.
"That it true." Gunn clenched his teeth and fists.
"Yet you arrested my client....for what?" Spike pressed.
"Mr. O'Reilly had no alibi and his behavior upon learning of his wife's death was suspicious" Gunn answered.
"Suspicious? how so?" Spike replied.
"He was very cold. He didn't act the way a man who just lost his wife should have" Gunn responded.
"Are you a psychiatrist now as well as the chief of police?" Spike said somewhat sarcastically.
"Objection!" Xander stood.

While Spike was questioning Gunn, Buffy watched him, mesmerized. She watched the tif hif his head, the line of his neck, the way his lips move as he spoke. The way his muscles moved beneath his clothing as he walked around the courtroom. Everyone else was pushed to the background as she drifted off into a flashback of the past.

"Buffy, I love you. Please baby...let me come inside" Spike murmured as he pressed kisses along Buffy's jawline as they stood inside her enclosed backdoor porch. His double entendre did not go unnoticed.
"We really shouldn't be doing this, Spike" Buffy breathed back inbetween kisses. "You're a married man"
"Only in name. I don't love her. I swear to God. I'll get a divorce. Anything for you Buffy" Spike pressed his body up against hers pushing her into the backdoor.
"What about those other women?" Buffy pushed him back a bit.
"What other women?" Spike had the decency to look sheepish.
"There are rumors all over the court house about your extra curricular activities, Spike. I don't want to be just the latest in your newfound hobby." Buffy told him.
"I went out with some women, yeah...alright. I admit it but they were just flings, nothing more. Buffy, you're different. We're different. I've never felt this way about anyone before. You're the one. Please..." he leaned down and kissed her again.
"Come inside before I change my mind" Buffy panted and unlocked her door and pulled him in behind her.

"Do you want something to dri..." Buffy started but Spike cut her off by spinning her around and plastering his lips to hers.
"Yeah...it's between your pretty little thighs." Spike said once he came up for air.
Buffy blushed crimson at his remark. "Ummm" she mumbled.
"Where's your bedroom?" he took control again.
"Upstairs" Buffy answered.
"Show me the way, Buffy" he said almost authoratively.

Buffy led him upstairs and to her soft floral and utterly feminine bedroom. Spike grabbed her head in his hands, tugging on her golden tresses and bringing her mouth to his once again. He kissed her passionately and brutally. He backed her up to the bed until the backs of her knees hit the side. He untangled his fingers from her hair and moved them to the buttons of her blouse and undid them in rapid succession. He slid the zipper to her skirt down and let the article of clothing slide down to the floor as he tugged her blouse off of her. She was left in her bra, panties, stockings and heels.

"God, you're beautiful" he breathed and kissed her again. He reached for the buttons of his own shirt and swiftly undid them and took it off. He toed his shoes and socks off to leave him standing in just his trousers. Buffy put her hands up on his smooth and sculpted chest. She ran her thumbs across his pebbled nipples eliciting a gasp from him. She smiled and bent her head down to swipe her tongue and lips over each nipple as one of her hands wandered to the bulge in his pants and gently cupped and squeezed him.

"Christ, Buffy. You're killing me. God, you make me so hard." he reached up and unclasped her bra then pushed her back onto the bed and slid her panties down and off of her. She looked so sexy lying there in just stockings and heels. Buffy made a move to start to take them off but Spike stopped her.
"No, leave them on" he commanded as he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants.
Buffy felt like her eyes must've bulged out of her head when he lowered his pants and his cock sprung out, long, thick and very hard. He apparently went commando. So like him, she thought. Spike saw the way she was looking at him and watched her lick her lips.
"See something you like, luv?" he asked.
Buffy blushed but answered, "Oh yeah".
Spike chuckled for mere seconds then his face turned serious again. "Spread your legs, Buffy"
Buffy did as he asked and Spike stood between them, right up against the bed as she lay on her back with her legs dangling over the side on each side of him.

Spike lifted one leg and began a path of kisses from the top of her foot up her calf and to her thigh then he repeated his actions with her other leg. He then slid down to his knees so his face was level with his ultimate goal.
"Oh God!" Buffy cried out and arched her back at the first feel of his mouth on her pussy. He licked her from bottom to top then slowly circled her clit with his tongue before ng dng down and stabbing his tongue inside of her in short quick strokes. He moved back up to her clit and surrounded it with his mouth again, sucking it hard. He looked up at watched her face as he worked her with his tongue. She opened her eyes and looked down to catch him watching her. She blushed and saw the twinkle in his eyes but neither looked away. It was amazingly erotic to watch him eating her pussy while he looked at her. She finally closed her eyes and threw her head back as an incredible orgasm swept through her causing her to flood Spike's face with her juices. He greedily lapped them all up.

Before she came down from her high, Spike was on top of her, pushing her stocking clad legs up and back, widening her for himself.
"I'm gonna fuck you so good, baby." Spike informed her.
"Do you have any condom's Buffy?" Spike asked.
"I'm on the pill...but...if you want to use..." she started.
"OK...just making sure...if it's OK with you...OK?" Spike smiled boyishly at his clumsily said last sentence. It earned him a e fre from Buffy as well and she reached up a hand to caress his cheek. "Yeah, It's "OK"" she said.

Spike positioned himself at the juncture of her thighs and whispered, "I love you" right before plunging into her depths in a long smooth stroke.
"Ahhhh" Buffy sighed feeling him enter her, filling her up so full.
Spike pulled back and thrust in again, much harder this time and certainly deeper.
"Ohhhh God...Spike!" Buffy bucked underneath him.
"Fuck...Buffy. Jesus, you're tight! Oh yeah..." he moaned over her as he continued to thrust in and out, increasing his pace as he went along.
He held her legs in a tight grip as he fucked her relentlessly. Buffy lifted her hips up to meet each of his downstrokes into her.
"Oh yeah, that's it baby. Fuck me back. Fuck yourself on my cock. Do it!" Spike grunted.
Spike leaned his head down and sucked on her nipples as he continued his thrusts then he straightened himself back up and watched his cock going in and out of Buffy's pussy. Men are suchual ual creatures and Spike was no exception. He loved watching himself slide in and out of Buffy.
"Look at us, Buffy. Look how beautiful we are together" Spike inclined his head towards their joining, forcing Buffy to look down at their joining herself. It was incredibly erotic and hot and made her face flame red.
"See that? Buffy? Do you see my cock inside of you? Do you feel it?" Spike slammed into her harder.
"Oh God...yes...I see it. I FEEL it...Spike! Oh Spike!" Buffy moaned.

Buffy's entire body began to vibrate with her orgasm as she began clenching and unclenching her vaginal muscles.
"Fuck Buffy! So good...oh baby..that's it..squeeze me..harder...fuck...milk it out of me...make me cum...oh Buffy..." Spike's hips began jerking as he started to squirt his semen inside of her body. He let go of her legs and collapsed on top of her hugging her tightly.
"Never better, Buffy...I love you...it's you...only you.." he murmured against her neck.
"I love you too, Spike" Buffy whispered barely audible but Spike had already fallen into sleep.

"Objection! Your Honor! OBJECTION! YOUR HONOR!" Xander raised his voice as Spike and everyone else in the courtroom looked at Judge Summers who appeared to be off in a daydream.
"Huh? Oh...Uhh...sustained...please move along Mr. Giles." Buffy said being snapped back to reality rather embarassingly. Spike caught her eye and smirked with a little wink. Buffy blushed and then ordered a recess for lunch and stomped out of the courtroom.

"You got a visitor" one of the jailers said to Angel as he waited in a conference room having his lunch on their courtroom break. An attractive blonde walked in and took a seat opposite him.
"Hi, I'm Harmony Kendall. Mr. Giles assistant" she explained.
"Ahh...he send you in here?" Angel took another bite of his sandwich.
"No, not exactly. I know we don't know each other but I was hoping that if I...uhh..helped you out...maybe you could help me..." she smiled.
"And what exactly would you be helping me with?" Angel's interest was peaked.
"Why, getting out of here, for starters. I have information, Mr. O'Reilly. Information that could prove quite useful to you. But it doesn't come free. Do we have a deal or not?" Harmony said.
Angel half smiled and half leered at her. "Looks like you've got yourself a deal, little lady. Now...pray do tell me what this information is and what you want for it?"

Spike strode into Buffy's chambers without knocking. Buffy was seated at her desk with her head on her desk and arms crossed, appearing to be sleeping. He found that wasn't the case when her head snapped up as he entered.
"Spike! Don't you know how to knock? You can't just barge into a judges chambers!" Buffy stood and came around the desk.
Spike said nothing. He merely waloverover to her and grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her hard.
He pulled away, "Nice to see you too Buffy" he smirked.
Buffy wiped the back of her hand across her mouth. "How dare you!" she exclaimed.
"I dare!" Spike moved away from her and sat down in her chair, propping his feet up on her desk.
"Get out NOW!" Buffy walked over to him.
He swivled to her and she noticed his hands were splayed by his waist, cresting on top of his groin area.

"Why, Judge Summers. I do believe you are looking at my...manhood...I should press sexual harassment charges." Spike drawled.
"You kissed me! I should press them against you!" she retorted.
"Press them against me Buffy...I wish you would press everything against me" he chuckled suggestively.
"Why you!" Buffy began.
"So...what were you dreaming of out there? Made quite a show of yourself. Hmm..I may have to ask for a mistrial based on the judges incompetance." Spike goaded her.
"If anyone is incompetant here, it's YOU, you bleached moron!" she raised her voice.
"Tsk tsk now. Name calling will get you no where, luv" Spike said.

"Spike, I'm warning you" Buffy pulled his feet off her desk and dropped them to the floor with a thud.
"I'll leave if you tell me what you were thinking about." Spike pulled her into his arms.
"Spike...please...stop..." Buffy's lip trembled.
"I could see it in your eyes...I know...what you were thinking about.." Spike informed her.
"Then if you know, you don't need me to tell you" Buffy replied.
"Tell me, Buffy...I want to hear it. I know you still love me." Spike purred.
"Love was never the problem, Spike." She roughly pulled away.

Spike sighed and stood, running his hands through his hair.
"I filed for divorce. Just thought you might like to know." He told her and then moved to the door.
"I'll never stop loving you, Buffy. I'm sorry if that pisses you off but I can't stop. I've tried and....I just can't..." he sighed and then left, closing the door behind him.
Buffy sat down as tears began to form and fall softly down her cheeks.
"I know the feeling, Spike" she said out loud to no one but herself.

Tara was wiping down the bar when Drusilla Giles stomped into Mac's and headed directly for her.
"Well well well. If it isn't little Miss Wallflower, the town sweetheart" Drusilla sneered.
"What do you want, Drusilla?" Tara asked.
"You've made my William try to leave me. Don't you try and deny it. I know you've been after him for years! You really think you can give him anything better than ME? You dirty little girl!" Drusilla ranted on and on.
"Look, Drusilla. Spike and I are friends. Nothing more. Believe me. But if it makes you feel better, I'm still glad he is divorcing you. He should have done it long ago" Tara smiled sweetly.
"Why you! You're a stupid little girl. If William continues this ridiculous charade he will pay dearly for it. He will be left with NOTHING! Do you hear me? NOTHING!" Drusilla screamed causing the other patrons to look over.
"And I'm telling you to get the hell out of MY bar. Do YOU hear me?" Tara's eyes flashed with anger, a characteristic she seldom showed.

A flash of fear crossed Drusilla's features before she resumed her haughty mask again.
"If you see William, tell him his WIFE stopped by" Drusilla snarled and then turned and stomped out of the bar.
Tara's shoulders sagged in relief that she was gone and that nothing had turned physical. Spike had told her about Drusilla's violent physical outbursts in the past and for s moment Tara thought she may get to see one played out.
"You O.K. honey?" one of her regular customers, an older man about 70 named Joe asked her.
"Yeah, Joe. Thanks for asking." Tara replied.
"She really is crazy. There have been rumors for years but I've never seen her like that in public before. Damn shame" he shook his head.
"Yeah...crazy is putting it mild. She thinks Spike and I are involved." Tara laughed.
"I thought you played for the other team" Joe winked.
"I do...guess she never got that memo" Tara smiled back.
Almost everyone who was a friend of Taras knew she was a lesbian. Obviously Drusilla was not her friend.

A beaten and bloodied woman limped up the steps outside of the police department. She winced as she manuevered the door opened and stepped inside, cradling her broken arm. She walked up to the front desk on wobbly knees.
"May I help you?" the desk sargeant said without looking up.
"I need to speak to Chief Gunn." she slurred through swollen lips.
"He's still at the courthouse I think..." the sargeant said finally looking up. "Oh my God!"
Just then the front doors opened and Chief Gunn and D.A. Harris came walking in squabbling about how the days testimony went.
The woman turned to face the two men and whispered, "Please help me" before collapsing in a heap.
Gunn and Harris ran over and Xander caught the woman in his arms before she hit the cold floor.
Gunn grabbed his radio off his belt, "I need an ambulance here at headquarters. NOW!"
Xander looked up from the woman to Gunn, "Is she gonna be O.K.?" Without waiting for an answer he looked back down and shock registered on his face as he finally recognized who it was. It had been hard to determine at first glance with her face all beaten and bloody.
"Oh my God! Mrs. Wilkins? Anya Wilkins?" Xander said.

Gunn looked down at them and his eyes widened too. "The mayor's wife?" he said.
"Yeah" Xander replied as the men heard the sirens of the ambulance getting closer.

Continued in Chapter 5- Reluctance