Hot Child In The City

Chapter 1

"Young boys, they all want to take her home. She goes downtown; the boys all stop and stare. When she goes downtown, she walks like she just don't care."

"Hey Lil. Forget your umbrella?" Scotty smirked from his desk. Lilly had just walked into their office, dripping wet, leaving a trail of water behind her.

"Ha-ha Scotty. My car broke down halfway here so I had to walk all the way to work. And since I lent someone my umbrella *cough Vera cough* and it was never returned, I had to brave the elements."

"Oooh sounds like someone's sense of humor got all wet along with her clothes." Lilly glared daggers at Scotty when Stillman walked into the open area.

"Rush! You're dripping all over the floor. It would be just our luck if a witness slipped and threatened us with a lawsuit. Go get dried off and changed. Jeffries, call the cleaning crew."

"Uh sorry boss but I don't actually have a change of clothes. They are with my broken down car on their way to a mechanic."

"It's ok Lilly. I've got some extra clothes here you can borrow." Kat Miller said. She grabbed a duffel bag she had stashed under her desk. "They're my gym clothes so they're not exactly professional but they are dry. Plus, you'd be giving me an excuse not to go to the gym." Kat smiled and handed over the bag.

"Thanks Kat. I appreciate it." Lilly took the bag from her and headed to the washroom. She was a little mad at herself. She was also a little mad at the stupid check engine light she had been ignoring for the last week. She had just been too busy lately to actually 'check engine'.

She locked the washroom behind her and unzipped the duffel bag. Inside she found a pair of grey drawstring sweatpants. She quickly peeled off her cold clammy workpants and pulled on the soft sweatpants. It was a good thing they were drawstring since her and Kat were obviously not built the same way. She pulled the strings all the way and tied them tight so no one would see she wasn't wearing underwear. She quickly shed her blouse and bra and pulled on the thick purple t –shirt and swapped her hose and heels for socks and runners. She then packed up her stuff and hurried back out to work.

Scotty was pouring over the photos spread out in front of him. Stillman had just handed out a folder of their current case. The photos were of a crime scene from 1985. It was a case the FBI had already taken but had asked for the 'co-operation' of the Philly police. Meaning there would be plenty of head butting. The only reason why the FBI was looking into this case was because the girl who was naked and strangled before him was the new FBI director's daughter. Scotty rubbed his eyes and looked up in time to see Lilly walking out of the washroom. He didn't think he had ever seen her so dressed down.

You done with those photos Scotty? I want to take a look." Nick asked, bringing Scotty's attention back to the case before him.

Yeah, sure man." He pushed the photos towards Nick who started to examine them.

"Hey has anyone gone on a coffee run? I'm freezing here." Lilly announced as she walked up to Scotty's desk.

"It's you're lucky day Lil." She rolled her eyes as if to say yeah right. Look at me. "Jeffries was about to go on a coffee run."

Lilly smiled and handed Will a $5 bill. She then looked at Scotty's desk where the case photos were spread out.

"Another case?" Lilly asked as she leaned over to get a better look at the poor girl depicted in the photos.

"Uh, um, they're from the FBI. They asked for our, uh, co-operation." Scotty stammered.

"Something wrong Scotty? Do I have lipstick on my teeth or something?"

Scotty shook his head slightly. Answer her man he thought.

"No. I'm just not used to seeing you in sweats. It ain't normal." She laughed and smiled at him, then looked down at the photos again.

Good job Scotty, he thought. What was wrong with him? Lilly was his partner, his friend. He should not be noticing that Kat's shirt was too big for Lil, so it gaped open when she leaned over…like right now. And if by chance he did, completely accidentally, notice this small thing, he definitely shouldn't have noticed that she had taken her bra off. And most importantly, if again he noticed this quite accidentally, he should NOT be distracted by the swell of her breasts and the way they rose and fell when she breathed. He rubbed his eyes again and took a deep breath. Dios help him.

"Lilly? I need to speak to you in my office." Stillman shouted from his glass cage aka office.

"Sure Boss." Lilly replied. She got up and walked to Stillman's office. Scotty let out a quiet groan as he watched how the sweats hugged Lilly's backside while she walked away.

"Got a headache Scotty?" Nick smirked. Apparently he hadn't groaned quietly enough.

"Shut up."

Lilly closed the door behind her and turned to look at Stillman who was now sitting behind his desk.

"What's up Boss?" She asked while she took a seat across from his dark oak desk.

"Listen Lil. I know you're an excellent detective. I know you believe in justice and I know you're dedicated to the job." Lilly could feel that this conversation was leading down a bad pathway. "Well I'll get to the point. You're off this case."

"WHAT? WHY? I haven't even had a chance to look over all the details! You have no reason to kick me off."

"I know Lilly, and that's how the FBI wants it. There's a conflict of interest in this case so they don't want you on it."

"A conflict of interest? How so?" Lilly had seen the girl in the picture and she was sure she did not know her.

"Well it's about Jesse. Doherty knows Jesse and you have been dating for awhile and he informed the lead on the FBI team."

"What do you mean he knows about Jesse? What does Jesse have to do with anything?"

"Well Lil, I don't know why he hasn't told you, but Jesse is a suspect in this case. The girl in the picture is his ex girlfriend."

"So what? I am a professional and I can make the tough decisions. I have done it before."

"Sorry but it's not my choice. This came straight from the FBI to Doherty to me. You're on desk duty until we're done with this case." Lilly stood up not saying a word as she stormed out slamming the door behind her. Nick, Kat and Scotty's heads all shot up at the loud bang. She walked right out of the office and Scotty got up.

"She's going to need a ride home Scotty." Stillman called out after he had reopened his door. Scotty just nodded and followed the direction Lilly had stormed to.

It had to be him. Now he would be sitting beside her in a small, enclosed space, thinking about her without a bra for the half hour drive to her house. Alone… He had caught up with her and asked if she wanted a drive home. She had just nodded but he could see the fury in her eyes. He opened the passenger side of his car for her and she slid in. He saw the flash of hurt and anger in her eyes and he could have kicked himself. His partner needed him and here he was having inappropriately lusty thoughts about her instead of helping.

"Lil… What happened? Did you get into a fight with Stillman?" Lilly sighed and he could tell she wanted to hit something.

"Not really. I'm just not trusted to work this case apparently. I know one of the suspects so they're saying I have a conflict of interest. Why should I have to be stuck on desk duty?" She seethed beside him.

"Don't worry about a thing Lil. You know I'll keep you up to date on everything. Rules or not." Scotty said as he pulled up out front of her town home.

"Thanks Scotty."

"We're partners, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah we are." She replied as she got out of the car. She quickly ran through the rain to her front door.

We're partners Scotty reminded himself. Partners and friends. Not lovers. He turned his car and headed back to work.

"So apparently Jesse Bricar, the main suspect and ex boyfriend of the victim, has been secretly dating Lilly." Nick whispered to Scotty as they sat side by side poring over notes.

"She's dating a suspect!" Scotty cried out.

"Shut up Valens!" Nick muttered. "What part of secretly do you not understand. Keep your voice down. Anyways I heard Doherty tell Stillman that she can't work this case because she is emotionally involved."

"Emotionally involved? How long have they been 'secretly' dating for?"

"Well apparently Doherty had seen them together on a date about a year ago. The fact that Lilly still has him around is impressive." Scotty felt jealousy claw through him. She never stayed with anyone that long. She usually froze them out for some reason or another. They never could handle her. He could. If he wanted to. If they weren't partners. If he could get her the hell out of his head.

"You okay Valens? You don't look so good."

"Yeah I'm just tired is all. I'm gonna go home and get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

"Did he crack?" Kat asked as Vera walked into the employee kitchen area and sat down.

"So close. He was so close. But I'm certain Jesse has got him worried. A year uninterrupted is a long time for Rush." Vera sighed. "WE know they're made for each other so why don't they?"

"The two of them are so stubborn. And Lilly is so uptight she probably ignores her feelings because they are partners." Kat grinned. "20 bucks says they sleep together in the near future."

"You're on." Jeffries said as he walked in, catching the end of their conversation. "Rush has got the will power of a god. Now who's going to drink this luke warm Americano?" Nick reached up and took it form Jeffries.

"40 bucks says she crushes Scotty like a bug." Nick said chuckling.

"I'll take that bet." Kat quickly replied. "There's no crushing that Latino temper. Icy cold and fiery hot. That's gonna make some hot sex!"