He hadn't really expected anyone to be in the office considering the wide swept devastation the hurricane had unleashed on the Miami metro area. But upon entering the darkened reception area of his business Elway found a curious soft glow emanating from behind the rarely drawn curtains of the office he shared with the youngest Morgan sister.
Elway counted it as one of his few blessing that his office building remained untouched by the tropical storm aside from power loss that was shared by many in these first few days of the storm's aftermath. He'd had a hell of a time getting back from Tallahassee with down power lines, trees, and general debris blocking many roads.
On top of all that the full body search he'd endured at the airport thanks to Dexter Morgan and the horse tranquilizer his elusive partner Hannah McKay had drugged him with had put him in a right shitty mood.
He had every intention of busting whoever was skulking around in his office when the sound of soft weeping met his ears from just outside the entrance. Pushing the door open silently he found Lilith Morgan slumped against her desk. The half finished bottle of whiskey sitting beside her was the beacon that'd originally drawn him to his office but now all he could do was stare at her in shock.
Even when he'd seen her at the hospital while Deb was in surgery she'd still looked immaculate as always. But now still dressed in the same wrinkled outfit, old mascara running down her face, hair in a loose twisted mess at the nape of her neck, blouse buttons half undone with a smoking cigarette in her hand. He scarcely recognized her in the soft glow nearby candles emitted.
She looked like she'd been out in the hurricane when it hit, healed scrapes and fading bruises marring the exposed skin her torn office clothes failed to hide. Bits of sea grass in her hair. Blood that he had no idea belonged to another person weakened with rain water turning her blouse a pale pink in some areas.
"Didn't know you smoked, I can't say I approve." he told her softy from the doorway, announcing his presence.
"I don't. I found them in Deb's desk. She'd be happy to know I'm corrupting myself with her stash." she hoarsely croaked, flicking her ash into his coffee cup beside her.
Without looking up at him she pushed one of his model cars with the tip of her finger, watching as it rolled across the carpet easily until in crashed into his foot. She took another swig from his liquor bottle, finally looking up into his cobalt eyes.
Lilith didn't stop crying on account of him being there, if anything she sobbed harder. As far as she was concerned he deserved to witness the full devastation he'd single-handedly caused her. If he hadn't sent that damn Federal Marshal snooping around Deb and Dexter would still be alive. Harrison would have a real family instead of an escaped convict and a catatonic aunt. And she'd still have a family period. Now all she had was him.
"How a, did she come out of surgery al-" he began to ask, only to be cut off by her monotone voice.
"She's dead." she bit out, taking another drag off her cigarette, coughing when her once clean lungs protested.
His face crumpling into an expression of sorrow was nowhere near as satisfying as she'd though it'd be. Originally she'd come there to kill him, make him pay for all he'd indirectly taken from her. But now she couldn't because he truly was all she had left.
Harrison was god knows where with Hannah, most likely never to be seen again. Her house had been demolished along with both of her siblings places. It was like the hurricane had erased them completely, just blown them all away. She didn't even have bodies to bury. Only Elway and her job were left.
"I'm so sorry Lilly, I'll try calling Dexter to come get you if he's still on the area." he offered, moving to his spare cell phone located him his desk drawer.
"He's dead too." she snapped, stopping him in his tracks as another sob slipped out.
He didn't dare mention her brother's son and girlfriend, already knowing full well that they were long gone.
At a loss for what to do he joined her on the floor, taking a sip of whisky before passing the bottle to her. He really didn't know what to do, comforting was not one of his strong suits. He hadn't even been there for his sister when their father died and it seemed whenever he opened his mouth in general he came off as a dick.
So when she took another gulp of the amber liquid and climbed into his lap with the bottle in hand he just kept his mouth shut and held her while she cried.