Cough-Up Queen. Dont You Forget It.

He nodded his head twice as he listened. He really liked the way this woman was thinking. Guess the name ‘Cough-Up Queen’ wasn’t for nothing. “I will, you can be rest assured of that.” he couldn’t help smirking as well. “I like the way you’re thinking, Miss Starr. What incredible skills.”

Angel gently tapped his cheek when he was done talking. “We can get this solved.” 

A small smile crept up on her features as she returned the embrace. She needed some comfort. “Re open the case?” How could she forget? They could do that, couldn’t they?! There may still be hope, after all!

Pulling back, her smile widened, her eyes focused on the detective. “Thank you, Miss Starr. You’re absolutely right! The case can be re-opened! I’ll go request it firt thing tomorrow morning.”

“Yes. It’s possible that it can be reexamined.” 

He listened quietly, a hand rubbing his chin. So, it was more complicated than he thought – it wasn’t real love either. This was all very interesting, yet he didn’t dig his nose any deeper than necessary and dropped the subject there.

“I see… I’m sorry for making you recall such memories…” he squeezed her hand and gave off a small smile. “You know I’ll always be here for you to support you, no matter what.” he reminded her.

She wasn’t sure if they had loved each other in the end. She did care fo him, and he for her. She was glad he dropped it. For her, it was ancient history. Nothing that needed to be dug up.

“It’s okay... You wanted to know. I don’t mind helping ease your mind. So long as you remember I’m here for you as well.” She brought his hand up to her lips, giving his hand a small kiss.

“You’re embarrassing me.”

She folded her hands behind her back, stepping away from Gant’s grave.

She’d be back, she thought. Perhaps it would be better to let the man rot–with the only person he cared for, himself–and yet the thought seemed… disheartening. She wasn’t even sure he wouldn’t have visited her grave, had their situations been reversed. He’d been one for politeness, after all.

“But it’s good to see you smiling, too, Angel. I’m glad you came today. I think… this would have been much worse if I’d been alone.”

“Maybe I should keep going then.” 

Angel would never be back to this spot, mainly due to her loathing for the man. Maybe it was due to what he did to Lana and Neil... Or maybe it was her own hatred for herself that she didn’t realize just how corrupt he was. 

Pepper, for the first time in their relationship, was legitimately hurt.

“Someone stabbed you and you… tried to hide it from me?” The disbelief was clear on her face, but it quickly turned to upset.

“No, Angel! I’m /far/ from satisfied. Listen to me, alright? I don’t care if you insist on going in tomorrow, but I’m taking you to urgent care. I can tell just by looking at you that you need stitches.” Pepper was firm, angry even.

In disbelief that Angel would be so reckless.

“I’m not going to let you hurt yourself. I can’t stop you from going into work, but I can make sure you’re properly fixed up first. Please, Angel.”

She could see the hurt in her eyes. Her eyes darted away from her. She flinched at the anger in her voice. 

     Some might describe him as a sentient ball of sunshine. “I don’t say anythin’ I’m not sure of! You won’t try to scare me, though, right…?” Clay trails off with another giggle.

     “Sorry, but I’d disagree, Angel… It takes a lotta courage to keep going after what you’re so driven by, even when you’re threatened! From what I’m hearin’, I think I can understand how ya feel. Maybe someday, another prosecutor’ll help you learn to trust them again?”      The raven gives the older woman a more sheepish smile than before. Having your trust ruined in what you used to have faith in was awful, he knew that- so even while not knowing her for so long, Clay wished the best for her and that maybe her trust could be repaired.

“Oh~ What’s the fun in not scaring you? You might have an adorable scared face!” She purred. She was tempted to tease him more.

A chortle came from him as he locked their lips together once again. He just couldn’t resist them. “I’m afraid the most charming one here is you, detective~.” he tossed her a playful wink, his arms snaking around her waist.

A pleased hum came from her as he parted his lips from hers. His charm seeming to get the best of her. 

The young prosecutor couldn’t help but go a little red after Angel poked her in the forehead. Now she really wanted to do something so she could finally earn the detective’s respect. So Robin went through Yusuke’s testimony in her head. 

“I feel like a lot hinges on what the victim’s cause of death was,” Robin whispered into Angel’s ear. “Because we still don’t even have the autopsy report. But our current theory is it was in the victim’s food.” 

Out loud, Robin said, “It would be good for Yusuke if he could provide proof that everything he touched could have been touched by someone else. He did testify that he never left the kitchen. So it would prove his innocence if the crime was committed outside the of the kitchen!”

She watched as the prosecutor’s cogs turned. She tapped the table as if she was growing impatient. 

“It’s not the only thing that could be the case. It could have been when the poison was put in, where it was put in. Also who. Yusuke gave a possible who as well.” Angel already was ruling out her cousin for the murder. 

“We already have proof of someone else touching the meal. The waiter. We also have the one who gave them the drinks, assuming that the drinks were spiked. Then again, we don’t know if it was or not. We’d need to look at the glasses too.” She smiled over at Yusuke.