Authors Note: My take on what could have run through Lily's mind & what could have occurred during the 2006 episode (recently shown as a re-run on A&E) "Blame Game" I've never written for CJ before, but I thought I'd give it a go. It isn't great … but … just read it anyway. Haha!

Ship: Lily & Bug

Rating: Teen, because I'm paranoid.

Genre: Drama, Romance, General

"I'll wait." Mrs. Anthony announced as Lily and Jordan tried to calm the wife of a firefighter who died due to what were believed to be uncalled for procedures working against a forest fire.

"It may take some time Mrs. Anthony."

"I'll … Wait …!" She said taking a stand.

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"Wow." Lily said still completely dazed.

"What?" Jordan asked her friend as they made their way back to the lab.

"She … she loved him so much." She said, thinking about the wife.

"Well, yeah …"

"I just … I looked at her, and I could tell she wasn't going to leave with out that medallion. She wasn't going to leave without something to take back with her as she left his body here. She was not going to give up, Jordan." Lily rambled.

"Well yeah. They were married. We see this all the time. What makes this woman different from all of the other widows we've dealt with for years?" Jordan asked, genuinely confused by what her friend was saying.

"I guess I ... I guess I just wonder... If I'll ever have that." Lily stated, averting her eyes to her fingernails.

"You will Lily. Someday you're gonna find someone you love, practically unconditionally. And they're gonna love you too." Jordan patted her back.

"But, what if I've already lost them?" Lily whispered.

"What? You think the 'he' you're looking for is Garrett or something?" Jordan asked half teasingly and half seriously.

"No!" Lily countered. "I just …"

"…Yes?"

"Do you … Do you …" Lily stuttered as Jordan and herself found themselves at the their destination. They both stopped; Jordan looking at Lily, Lily starring at the floor.

"…Lily. Come on! You can tell me …"

"Do you think Bug still …"

Jordan's mouth fell open. "Bug?!"

"SHH!" Lily slapped her friend lightly on the shoulder.

"What?"

"Do you think Bug would still have me?"

"Wait, what are you saying?" Jordan wanted to clarify, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"I mean, he used to … he used to like me, I think…" Lily mumbled.

"You think? Honey, he was totally in love with you!"

"Was?" Lily asked, scrunching her face slightly.

"Is…Lily. Is. Bug is still in love with you."

"You think?" Lily asked.

"I really do." She paused. "Does this mean … you think you may…"

"Love him?" Lily piped in. Jordan nodded. "I think. A little."

Jordan couldn't help but smile. "Lily, you need to confront him."

"I don't know." Lily shied away. "I mean, we haven't even really gone on a really-real date even." Lily began to sound more and more like a teenager by the second. Jordan just couldn't help but laugh slightly; she loved seeing Lily feel love for someone. In the jobs they held, it was rare to find yourself still living, let alone loving, when surrounded by death.

"Well all I can say is, talk to Bug."

"Talk to Bug about what?" Bug asked as he walked up to the two ladies in front of him.

"Oh…nothing." Lily covered. "It's nothing."

"Really? I could have sworn I heard you mention my name."

"Uh…" Jordan coughed.

"Nope!!" Lily said, her voice an octave higher than usual.

"If you're .. sure .." Bug said as he walked away, leaving two peculiar women alone.

"Close one …." Lily said as she walked back to her office leaving Jordan in front of the forensics lab.

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"I…uh…got a piece of your mail."

"Oh?" Bug responded as he noted Lily walking into the morgue holding a carefully opened envelope.

"$32,000 huh? That how much you get for your car?"

"Yes …"

"Well William T. Jones thanks you for giving him a generous $32,000. He says it will really help him take care of his family…"

"You didn't realize this was addressed to me …" He eyed the beauty before him while jokingly accusing her.

"Bug…I thought you were gonna buy a new car!"

"I was going to. But then I realized, I'm not that guy." He smiled as he passed her on his way out the door. She couldn't help but chuckle slightly.

"What a sweetie …" the thought to herself. "He is … so .. perfect." She mouthed to herself.

"Hey!" Bug called after her, she turned toward him, startled.

"Huh?"

"Do you want to grab a bite with me, I don't have a car, so we'll have to walk but …" She looked at him and as soon as he smiled, she went weak in the knees.

"Uh…yeah."

"Alright, right this way …" He smiled and held the door open ushering her to step through. She smiled back at him. She had never noticed how he could do that. How when he looked at her, her feet became heavy and her knees weak.

"Okay." She said, but as she stepped forward she lost her footing and fell straight forward. Lucky for her she felt a pair of strong arms grab her around the waist, and set of soft hands place themselves comfortably in the small of her back.

"Whoa, careful there." Bug said. Lily tried to steady herself. She brought her hands up to his chest as she pushed herself to stand up. Once on her own two feet, she came face to face with him. Her hands stayed on his chest, his still found themselves on her back.

"Uhm…" He began to speak.

"Yeah…" She smiled, embarrassed.

"I guess we should … uh … go…" He pointed out. She nodded but neither could pull themselves away from the other.

"That was … uh … really nice thing you did." Lily changed the subject but not her position.

"What?" He questioned, genuinely confused.

"The money …" She prompted.

"It was nothing." He looked away, it being his turn to be embarrassed.

"It was definitely something!" Lily pointed out, lifting her hand from his chest and bringing it under his chin. "You did a good thing."

"I guess."

"Why did you do it?" She asked. He looked her in the eye, searching for a clue as to what she wanted him to say. When all he saw was the warmness in her heart, he just told her what he really felt.

"Because that man has a family. And he has no way to support that family." She nodded, not knowing exactly where his answer was headed. "I guess, I just … I guess I know that if I had a family, that someone would do the same for me if I needed it. I don't have a family, so I might as well help someone who does have one. Someone who loves his family very much, but can't, support them." Lily nodded. Bug stopped talking and looked away, letting his hand fall from her back.

"Do you want a family?" She whispered. Startled, he looked back at her. He nodded.

"Someday, you'll make a wonderful father. And an amazing husband." She let her finger trace his cheek.

"Ehh… what about you?" Bug asks shakily.

"Someday…" she nods.

"Right …. Well, the man will be quite lucky." Bug says, looking away from her once more.

"Mhm." She smiles. "Maybe …" she decides now is her chance, "Maybe you could be 'quite lucky'."

"What?" He looks into her eyes.

"I mean, maybe … maybe … maybe you're the one who's going to end up with me." She whispered, hardly a sound passing her lips.

"You mean …" His hands find solstice back on her hips.

"Yes …" She laughed lightly. "I love you …"

"Oh! Lily…" He buries his face in her neck squeezing her tightly. "Heaven and earth know I've loved you for so long."

"You mean, you … still do?"

"Of course." He pulls away. And looks at her. She was so beautiful to him. She was worth more than anything else in his world. On her tip-toes she leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"You, ready for that dinner?" He asked huskily. She nodded and they left, hand in hand.