Past Lives Could Never Come Between Us

25

"I already told you, I don't remember anything!" Zara protests in the interrogation room.

"Not even stealing the pills at the crime scene?" Clark pushes.

The confusion on Zara's face clears suddenly, "Wait, you're that blonde broody bitch from all those years ago."

"Mulder knew you took them, she just didn't realize it in time." Luigi tells her.

"Nothing you can do now with the statute of limitations." Zara leans back, smug.

"Except for the drugs we found on you." Clark says flatly.

"Fine." Zara huffs. "Mulder asked me about Chasity's pills. I didn't see any reason to tell her."

"Then what did you want them for?" Luigi asks.

"I thought it was something I could cook." Zara says. "And jack up the price. And ended up only being beta blockers."

"Chasity had anxiety?" Luigi asks.

"She was responsible for special needs kids whose parents didn't like because she treats them like human beings. How could she not?" Zara replies.

"Do you remember who gave her the prescription?" Clark asks.

"Dr. God." Zara replies.

"Scuse me?" Luigi asks.

"Dr. Godwyn." Zara clarifies. "He was a complete quack. All he cared about was money, and you'd have all the pills you want."

"Dr. Aaron Godwyn." Spike says, pulling up the photo.

"Recently had his license revoked for overcharging prescriptions along with giving out too many. Practice shut down a year ago."

"And now?" Luigi asks.

"Driving a bus in Brooklyn." Spike replies.

"Does he fit the profile?" Mario asks.

"Who cares about the profile? We need to be looking at evidence." Clark reminds them.

"Mm, yes. We don't know if Dr. Godwyn is our killer." Snoozemore says. "Or just a connection to the killer."

"Just sent the details of the bus he drives to your phones." Spike says. "I expect another free lesson out of this."

"Done." Clark says.

"And Mario?" Luigi looks at him. "Ease up on the fancy footwork, kay?"

"Excuse me?" Snoozemore demands. "What fancy footwork?"

Everyone looks uncomfortable, but Mario's the one to admit, "I kinda...tackled the witness."

"That settles it. You're staying here." Snoozemore orders.

"No, Snooze! Come on!" Mario whines.

"The Zeekeeper's already breathing down my neck as it is." Snoozemore says. "I can't risk you getting hurt again."

"You can't--"

"Can and am." Snoozemore stops him. "Luigi and Clark have it handled."

"Luigi, with me." Clark says as she walks out, while Luigi gives Mario one last apologetic look before following.

"Would you lighten up?" Spike complains as he sees Mario hunched over his desk.

"I can't. This doesn't make any sense." Mario tells him. "I know how killers like this work."

"Should I call the FBI to tell them we've got our own Will Graham?" Spike jokes.

"I'm purposely ignoring that terrible joke to tell you that typically, killers are classified by motive and patterns." Mario explains. "The profile Evelyn gave us doesn't match Charon's."

He stands up suddenly, prompting Spike to ask, "Where are you going now?"

"I need to see a shrink." Mario says ominously.

"Oh now you take my advice." Spike jokes.

"Shut it, Foreskin." Mario calls back, making Spike's face go tight as his phone goes off.

After seeing the reminder about tonight's dinner date, Spike sighs. "I don't get paid nearly enough for this."

"Made a few of my classics!" Pauline says cheerfully as she comes to the table.

Max takes one look and wrinkles his nose, "Look, I'm up for an adventure as much as the next guy, but whatever happened to good old-fashioned meatloaf?"

"Or how about a good old-fashioned kick in the pants for being an ungrateful jerk?" Spike snarks.

"Hey, hey, it's fine." Pauline assures as she serves up a portion for Spike. "Trippa alla Fiorentina is not for everybody. Think I got some leftover spaghetti somewhere."

As Pauline leaves to go grab it, Max says, "Ease up, Foreskin. She knows not to take things so damn hard.", then calls back, "You are waaaaaaaay easier than the type of people he used to string along."

"Shut the fuck up." Spike growls.

"No, I'm not joking." Max keeps going as Pauline rejoins them. "A bunch of losers when it was guys, frosty lipped bimbos when it was girls."

"So it never occurred to you that's not me anymore?" Spike seethes. "Or that it's my decision who I do and do not tell? Whatever doubts I had about leaving, long gone."

"Because you're such a catch?" Now Max isn't playing nice anymore. "Did you know Spike used to steal from the charity jars at local gas stations?"

"Hey, hey." Pauline tries to calm everyone down. "Enough already, huh?"

"Spike's no better than me." Max says flatly, staring right at him. "See it all the time with dogs. Something wrong with the bitch, something wrong with the--"

"Fuck you!" Spike shouts. "You're supposed to be my big brother, asshole, and this is how you treat me?"

"Ooh, feisty, are we?" Max laughs.

"I don't know or care what happened that made you so angry at the world, but that is no excuse to blame it all on me." Spike defends himself.

"You kicked me to the curb first chance you got." Max accuses.

"Dad was a drunken bastard who hit our mom!" Spike explodes. "She made me swear to never tell you, and I had to step up and do everything so you'd have a normal life! That wasn't fair to put on me, the younger brother. I still did it because I loved you, and you didn't care!"

"And the truth comes out." Max says. "You think anyone's actually buying your little charade?"

"That's it." Spike stands up, throwing a napkin on the table. "I'm sorry, Pauline, really, I am, but I can't take this for another second."

"No, Spike, wait--" Pauline tries.

"Hey, let him go." Max says with a smile. "Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?"

"You shut up." Pauline snaps. "Spike is a good man and deserves respect from people who actually matter."

"Oh yeah?" Max stands up, so Pauline follows suit, poking a finger in Max's chest. "Bold words for a spoiled brat."

"Pauline, don't." Spike puts a hand on her shoulder. "Let's just go. Please?"

"You heard the man." Max puts his hands around his neck, pretending to choke. "He wants you to go with him."

"When I get back, I'd better not see so much as one trace of you left here." Pauline says through clenched teeth.

And then they finally do leave, with Max taking a look around the place before he starts packing his bag.