Portal

"Good morning, Davis."

Davis jumped in his chair.

"God, Tru, you scared me! I was doing some paperwork. I think I just spaced out a little."

"Anything important?"

"Not really, I'm just reviewing a report. Not that I'm not happy to see you but what are you doing here so early? Your shift doesn't start until this afternoon."

"Davis, you were going to help me studying, remember? If you're too busy, I can just study on my own here."

"Oh, yes, studying, yes, I didn't forget it. I'm not too busy, of course I can help you. Actually, you can start reviewing this case."

He searched a folder in his desk and handed it to her. Tru opened the file and began reading while sitting in a chair near her boss. She was so determined to pass the MCAT, it was her dream and she wasn't going to lose her first chance.

After half an hour, Davis had already finished his report and was trying to tidy his desk with no success. His messy hands left the desk even worse than before. Tru finally lifted her head from the file.

"Ok, I have some questions. Male, 27. He was drinking gin and coke, and he felt bad suddenly. They called the ambulance and when they arrived at the hospital, he was in a coma. He died two hours later. He had respiratory failure and collapsed. Something is weird in this case... Toxic results?"

"Positive on alcohol, cannabis and coke. Not too high levels to induce a coma. His relatives told the police he usually consumed those substances."

"What about opium?"

"Not a trace." He snickered.

"Damn, it was my first idea...The autopsy revealed he had pulmonary edema, it might be the cause of death."

"Right. Well, I didn't give you the whole file. Actually, it's a weird case and I wanted you to take a look. Check this post-mortem blood test." He handed her another file.

"Weird. I was right. Almost... It's not opium but methadone! Which by the way doesn't have any sense. Why did he have traces of methadone in blood? You said he didn't consume opium, didn't you?"

"Exactly."

Tru looked at him confused.

"I don't understand. If he had a methadone overdose, they could just use some naloxone."

"Very good. The point is he had just some tiny traces of methadone, not an overdose. Or it's what it seemed. Let me explain what happened. He was poisoned."

"Really? Was it a murder?"

"Yes. Methadone was in his gin. Combining coke and methadone reduces the presence of methadone in blood, and increases it in urine. That's why they didn't find a huge amount of methadone in the toxic analysis. A woman with similar symptoms was admitted in the hospital an hour after he did. But she wasn't a coke addict. They could save her. She told the police she had some sips of a friend's glass of gin."

"Incredible. I haven't heard a case like that before."

"It was a hard case. Do you want to review some more cases?"

"Sure!" Tru was excited. The more she could learn the better.

They were starting another case when Harrison arrived.

"Hey." He greeted. Tru could bet he was kinda tense.

"Hello, Harrison. How are you doing? It's been a while."

"I've been busy, Davis. Everything's fine. Look, dude, can I talk to Tru? It won't be long."

"Sure. I have to make some phone calls, I'll be right back." He excused and went out the room.

Tru stared at his brother trying to figure him out.

"What's going on, Har?"

"Nothing. Just...you know, I have to pay some debts today. I had the money, I swear! I won some grands yesterday in a poker round. For once I didn't waste it or whatever, but I cannot find my wallet. And I have to pay the guys today or they'll break my neck."

"Damn, Harrison. When is this shit going to stop?"

Tru was frustrated. She wanted him to deal with his own problems but she cared a lot for him and couldn't see how a random thug could kill him one of these days.

"How much do you need?"

"8000 bucks," he whispered.

"WHAT? I don't have that kind of money! Wait, did you win 8000 dollars last night playing poker?" Her eyes were wide open.

"Actually I won 10,000. I guess it was my lucky night."

"My god. Have you asked Meredith? I wish I had that money, but I don't know how to help you. I can give you 1000."

Harrison looked a little devastated. He didn't know how to get all the money he had to pay.

"It's ok. I'll try to fix it. Don't worry, ok?" Harrison turned to leave.

"Hey, wait! Please, call me later. And try to talk to Meredith, she could help you."

"Sure, like that bitch helped me before..." he muttered.

"I heard you! She cares, you know? In her weird way, but she cares."

"I'll call you. Later, sis."

"Take care!" she shouted, but he was already gone.

Tru and Davis reviewed some cases and she studied a little before her shift started. Then, she began working. The day was a quiet one, and she could study a little more. She also had time to worry about her brother and also think about the blonde girl she saw early that morning.

Buffy wandered around for a little while. After having breakfast, she decided to visit the city. Trying to figure out why she was there was pointless, and over the years she had learned fate always finds you if you don't find it. No matter what she did, the reason or the demon or whatever she had to do with in New York would step in her way eventually. So she tried to relax and spend the day like another normal tourist.

After visiting the most common places of the city, the slayer arrived at Times Squares. She was so excited. The blonde couldn't resist and got a ticket to watch "Mary Poppins."

"They say you haven't really been in New York if you don't experience a Broadway show. I'm not missing the chance! And 'Mary Poppins' is like the.best.movie.ever!"

She spent all the afternoon there. Then, she took a bus and went to Central Park, where she wandered until the sun began to set. For a little while, she felt carefree and basked in the great sensation of being just a normal girl for one day in one of the most amazing cities in the world.

She didn't know the meaning of this trip. She didn't even know how to finish all this dimensions journey deal. And she didn't know why she kept meeting Faith-look-alike women. Buffy was missing Giles, maybe he had the key, or some answers, or maybe he could help her figure things out. After trying and trying to find those answers, she gave in. She just let it be, and waited for things to come. One way or another, she'd find the way to get back to her reality. Everything has an explanation, and everything happens for a reason, or at least that's what life had taught her.

It was already dark when she decided to find a place to spend the night. Buffy began to walk, but she heard a scream not far away. She started to feel some tingles and the slayer knew some night creatures were around. Someone was in danger and she couldn't deny her own nature. The slayer in her took control and she went to find where the danger was.

She ran but it was too late. When Buffy arrived, there was a limp body of a girl in her early twenties on the ground. If she wasn't dead, she was barely alive. Two vampires were around. One of them took the body and started carrying it. Buffy grabbed her stake. Luckily when the rock-o-demon had tossed her through the first portal, she'd managed to hold onto her wooden weapon.

"Hey, buddy! Keeping your snack for later?"

Both vampires turned to see who was interrupting them. Once they saw the apparently harmless girl, the one who was carrying the prey let the body fall on the ground again and licked his fangs.

"It has to be my lucky night. A girl for the boss and a delicious blonde for me."

"But the boss will want her, too". The other vampire was more scared.

"He doesn't need to know, right?"

"Oh, don't tell me you're the bad guy. Feeling rogue today? You know, if you really want to be a badass, why don't you start firing your stylist? Those clothes are so girly, don't you think? What's with vampires and velvet?"

The vampire showed his game face and charged at the blonde. She ducked and kicked him in the ribs and then punched him in the nose. He was bleeding in a matter of seconds.

"Who the hell are you? Wonder Woman?" The other vampire run away instead of helping his mate, who was shocked to be beaten by a girl.

"Not even close," Buffy said while kicking him again. He fell and rolled on the ground. She approached him and held his throat. "I'm a slayer. And you're dust."

She was going to stake him when she heard a voice.

"Slayer! Why don't you leave him and fight against the real deal here?"

She dusted the vampire and without turning, she just sighed.

"Spike..."

The blonde vampire got smug.

"What are you doing here, pet? Aren't you far from your lovely Cleveland?"

"And you? Weren't you dead?"

Spike smirked. "In your dreams, maybe. Last time you ran away. Tonight you're not going to have the same good luck." He pointed around. Buffy was surrounded by more than twenty vampires.

They circled each other, ready to fight.

"You sure? I've never run away from you. Last time I saw you, actually, you were saving the day and sealing the Hellmouth in Sunnydale..." She then realized this wasn't the same Spike from her dimension.

"Me?" he snorted. "Of course, saving the day and confessing my love for you. Where the bloody hell is Sunnydale?"

"Actually...Forget it, you wouldn't believe it. Well, as I couldn't kill you when I had my chance, I wanna do it at least in this dimension."

Spike was a little confused. Buffy charged at him sending some punches. One of them connected with his jaw. The bleach vampire laughed.

"Is it the best you can give me? C'mon, pet, I'm bored." He kicked her in the stomach that made Buffy bend over, and he connected his knee with her face. She fell. Some vampires took the chance and they caught her. She struggled but there were many vampires. Spike came closer. One of the vampires grabbed her by the hair and offered her neck. The bleach vampire licked her pulse point and then looked directly at her eyes. She spat in his face.

"Honey, I told you. You are not surviving. Not tonight."

He changed into his game face and brutally bit her neck.

Tru's shift was almost finished. She really wanted to go home, take a bath and study a little more before going to bed. Her cell phone rang. She saw her brother's number in the screen.

"Harrison! Are you ok? I've been waiting for your call! Have you found your wallet? Or at least did you get the money?"

"I'm fine, Tru. A little sore, but fine, I guess." He sounded in pain despite his efforts of hiding it.

"Sore? What happened?" She was truly concerned.

"Well, the guys came home. They wanted the money and as I couldn't pay, so they kicked my ass. But hey, I found the wallet in the process! I was on the floor while they were kicking me and I saw it under the sofa. So I could pay them and the kicks stopped."

"Oh my god. Are you ok? Where are you?"

"I'm at home."

"Why aren't you at hospital? Do you need me to go with you?"

"Tru, don't worry. Some bruises here and there, a cut in the lip...nothing serious. Trust me, I don't need a doctor. I just need a couple of beers and some sleep. Oh, and a new tv 'cause they broke my brand new LCD screen," he grunted.

"Harrison, I'm finishing here in less than an hour. I'll pass by your house and check on you, ok?"

She was still talking to her brother when the office phone rang.

"I gotta go now, Har. Later."

She hung up and answered the other phone.

"Hey, Tru! It's Robert. I'm afraid you have some work ahead. I'm going there with a body. "

"I'll prepare everything. Thanks for calling. Bye."

She sighed. The last thing she wanted was a new body when she was almost out. It was going to make her finish late.

In less than ten minutes, Robert was in the morgue. After greeting Tru, he started reporting.

"I haven't found anything in the crime scene. Well, just this."

He handed the brunette a bag with a pointy stick.

"What's that? Is it the homicidal weapon?"

"I don't think so. We found the body in Central Park. This is weird. Just take a look, but let me warn you: she's in a really bad condition. It's creepy. She has beating marks everywhere. If you add the stake to the mix... Are you a fan of Dracula stories?"

"You gotta be kidding."

"I wish I were." His beeper buzzed. "Oh man, another call. I'll be right back. Sorry, Tru, it seems you're going to work 'till late." She shrugged. Robert left and Tru started her job with the corpse.

"Ok, let's see what we have here." She unzipped the black bag and her face turned white.

"Effy!! Oh, no, it can't be her!" She removed the bag entirely and looked for any id or info about her. She found a theatre ticket in her pocket and some cash, but there wasn't anything else. Tru examined the body, seeing all the bites and the bruises.

"What happened to you? Why did I see you this morning after four years, and at the end of the day you're here and dead? I didn't have the chance to talk to you. Damn, I let you go away without fighting because I was scared. But I didn't stop thinking about you, not a single day. And you won't know it."

Tru cried. She cried and cried, unable to do anything else.

"Please, talk to me. Ask me for help and I will save you. Let me save you, let me have the guts to fight for you, let me ask you for another chance."

But the body never asked for help. Tru was devastated. She didn't want to go away from her, just in case she asked. And then, Robert came back.

"I'm home, sweetie. When things cannot be weirder... I bring you another corpse. Another girl. And guess what? She has the same marks, the same bites. At least she's in better shape than the other; she doesn't have bruises or cuts in her face or whatever... Tru, are you ok?" He saw her wiping her tears.

"Yeah, I'm fine. So, same m.o.? So it could be another victim from the same murderer, or same cause of death... Ill try to figure out as much as I could."

"She was also in Central Park, but not in the same area."

Tru was thinking fast.

"So we do assume there were two attacks, right? These girls weren't together. And well, this one wears sport clothes, I guess she was running. See, she also was listening to music, she has an iPod in her pocket. She was running. The other one wasn't. Do we have any clue about who she is?"

Robert shook his head.

"I didn't find anything, not even a stake this time. There was nothing."

Tru kept searching in her pockets. She found finally an id.

"Good, Kathleen Morris. 22. At least we have something to start with."

"I have to go, Tru. I hope you can finish early. See ya."