A/N LOL, I'm baaaack! So I was having a discussion with two of my fellow Cold Case writers (yeah, you know who you are...) and I thought it was about time I jumped back into the depths of Cold Case FanFiction, and voila! This is what I spent Riley's nap doing. I think it's failry self-explanatory, but just in case, you might want to check out Chapter 10 of Menteur de Verites first. Nothing particularly long, but I figured I had to start somewhere, right? :)

PS. Kelly, you totally owe me! I don't care how sick you were! ;) For you, my dear.

Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Cold Case, or any of it's characters. I do own the previous collection of oneshots, and the stage upon which this is set.

It's been six months since the wedding.

Six months since Scotty sat in the chapel and watched Lilly lie, and six months since he ran out just as the words left her mouth. He thought he'd be able to be strong.

Six months since Scotty handed in his letter of notice. He had known Stillman wouldn't object – leaving was surely easier than driving himself insane.

He hasn't seen or heard from her. She's a married woman now, so he tells himself it was to be expected.

There's a picture of her, only her, on his coffee table. White dress, golden hair, sparkling blue eyes. Scotty can't remember how many times he's just sat and stared at that picture.

Knocking at his door. He opens it and blinks in surprise, because he would have been less surprised if Lilly herself was standing on his mat.

Eddie stares at him, but there's nothing in his eyes except regret.

"My marriage is over," he states.

Scotty doesn't know what to feel first, so settles for letting a frown crease his brow. Eddie continues with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Turns out my wife was in love with someone else all along."

Scotty is silent. Then finally, he clears his throat, fixes his eyes on a point on the floor.

"I wanted it to work out for you," he says softly, "You an' Lil. I never meant for you to...you know."

"You never do, right? I guess...these things just happen."

He turns to the elevator, pressing the button before looking back over his shoulder.

"There's no excuses now, Valens, nothin' standing in your way. You got an open road, so take it."

And just like that, he's gone. Where, Scotty doesn't know, but just gone. Wonders if he'll ever see Eddie again. Feels bad for hoping maybe not.

He waits a whole six weeks after hearing that her divorce papers have come through. Just in case, he thinks.

Six weeks that kill him, knowing she's his but not quite, and Scotty is certain that he can't spend another day without her.

It's a Friday – at least they get the weekend – when he finally puts his foot out the door and drives the oh so familiar route across town.

Nothing has changed. Miller sees him and winks like she knows exactly what's running through his mind. Stillman gives him a single nod of his head. An unspoken understanding.

Then she's in front of him, the same yet completely different. Her blue eyes widen, slowly filling up with tears.

"What are you doing here?" she asks, her voice barely audible. Scotty drops his jacket to his (empty) desk.

"Turns out I left somethin' behind," he says simply.

Lilly sets the folders she is holding down on the table, doesn't even blink as they fall to the floor instead.

For a moment he envies her ability to keep her gaze glued to his and then realizes that even if a bomb dropped outside, he couldn't look away.

"What did you leave behind?"

Her voice is still no more than a whisper. Eyes are watching them, smug and full of relief that he's finally come to claim what was his from the start.

Scotty takes a step towards her.

"You."

Sighs. I missed you guys! I really did! So if you've got a moment, just let me know what you think! :)