To celebrate the end of my exams (and my birthday), I thought I'd bring you a new story.

I just can't stop! I got this idea in my head a while ago, and originally it was going to be fluff, but it somehow turned into very mild smut. Oh well. Please R&R!

Disclaimer: Cold Case is not mine.

There are two things that signify the beginning of that long, stressful, annoying time that reminds you of how alone you are.

1) The zeroing of your bank account

2) The office Christmas Party

And the Philadelphia Police Department sure knew how to put on a show.

But one of its members, a certain short blonde one, wasn't inside enjoying the festivities. Lilly Rush was out on the balcony, breathing in the cold late November air.

It wasn't that she didn't want to be inside with her friends, she did, it's just, these things, these parties, they still made her a bit uncomfortable. Getting all dressed up (her shoes were killing her), drinking a predetermined beverage from small plastic cups that were supposed to last you for longer than five minutes, making small talk with people whose names she couldn't even remember; it all felt fake. But here, outside, the solitary darkness, the few lights in the faraway distance, the faint sound of the cars below, this felt better.

"Hey."

She turned around to see Scotty Valens, and Lilly made note that he had loosened up his suit a little to make him more comfortable (tie off, top buttons undone).

"Couldn't stand it in there either, huh?" her partner spoke again.

"Whatcha got there?" she asked, motioning to the wine bottle in his hand.

"Eggnog," he said.

"Eggnog," she repeated it, giving him a small smile.

"Yeah, but this is the real stuff. This, my friend, is how you get through these things. Especially if Vera and Jefferies are gonna do their rendition of "Babe" again." There was a 'pop' as he finally got the bottle uncorked.

She laughed at that. True, those guys weren't exactly David Bowie. And she'd been through it last year; she'd learned it wasn't a good idea to do it sober.

"You want some?" As if he had to ask.

She made her way over to him, closing the gap. Due to the lack of cups, they were drinking out of the bottle. As the wine transferred from him to her, their hands touched briefly, overlapping on the cold glass surface. The warmth of his hand on top of hers and the cold from the bottle beneath sent a chill up her spine.

They broke apart and she raised the bottle to her lips, taking a long slug and avoiding his gaze.

Scotty made his way over to the balcony ledge. "Philly at night. Isn't there supposed to be something poetic about that?"

She walked over to stand next to him. "Personally I think it's all crap." She leaned her back against the ledge and he noticed her bare skin on her exposed arm right beside him. He wanted to reach over and run his coarse fingers up and down it.

Instead he laughed. "So, why no date tonight?"

"Right, as if I have time to try and find a boyfriend."

"I hardly believe you'd need to devote a lot of time to it."

She looked at him then and their eyes met. And for the first time she really looked. She looked into those coffee bean eyes, searching.

Suddenly he leaned in, and she couldn't stop herself from doing the same. Their faces were inches apart, but their eyes were still locked. Then slowly, carefully, she opened her mouth just the slightest bit, and his lips connected with hers.

They started off slow at first, the simple, PG-13 kind of stuff. Then he went harder. She opened wider as his tongue slid on top of hers, massaging it gently.

She wasn't aware of time. She was just here, in this moment, with him.

It was he that broke the kiss.

He cleared his throat. "Well, I guess we should…" he trailed off and she nodded her agreement. But she really didn't care to go back inside. She wanted to stay right here.

But she fought the urge to grab him and kiss him again, instead she started her journey back inside.

"Hey Lil." The sound of her name on his lips stopped her.

"Let me know if you want some Eggnog next year."

She smiled and continued back inside. Maybe these things weren't as bad as she thought.

FIN