Epiphany
by: incoherenThought

Disclaimer: This story is based on the CBS series Cold Case.
Note: I really don't know. I wanted to write something new and short. I didn't know what and this is what came out. It takes place sometime after the Scotty and Lilly fight scene in "Wishing". I'm afraid to ask but... could you let me know what you think? Please?
Note1/2: Wanna hear something funny? This was to be a one shot that I planned on posting on Saturday(4/10/10). About a day after writing it... it now has four more chapters. ;) They are all rated higher than T, if you get my meaning, but if you want to read them... let me know.

Chapter 1: Without a Word

He had made her cry. Well, he thought, she'd never actually cried. The tears hadn't actually fallen. But they had been there. Shining in her eyes as a harsh reminder of the fool he had been. And of the friend he had just lost.

It hadn't been worth it. Nothing could have made it worth it. And he hadn't been prepared for it. Because Lilly Rush did not cry. She was too strong. Nothing could move her. Nothing could make her cry. But he had made her cry.

And he didn't know why. They were just partners. Barely friends. She told him nothing and he told her the same in return. They talked of work. They made a good team. But how many things had remained unspoken between them?

Could you fall in love, he wondered, without so much as a word? Had the words been spoken? Had he missed them along the way? He was certain he'd been listening. But it wasn't the type of thing you wanted to hear if you weren't prepared.

And he hadn't been prepared. Because he hadn't expected he, alone, could make her cry.

"I'm leaving now," a voice spoke from far away. Scotty Valens blinked and looked away from the window. It hadn't been far away. She was standing right beside him. A suitcase at her feet.

"Okay," he said. He had told her she didn't have to leave that night. But it was better that she was. She began to walk away, stopped after a few steps, and turned back to face him.

"You know, it's always been her," she spoke softly and Scotty didn't understand. He looked at her questioningly but she couldn't read him. Not like her sister could.

"What?" he asked aloud and looked back out the window. He didn't really care. A few snowflakes fell from the sky.

"Lilly," Christina continued, "it's always been her. Her fiancee. Even guys I've dated. They always wanted her. But she shuts herself off and I open myself up. But it's still always her. Even for you."

Could you fall in love, he wondered, without so much as a word.

He reached up and rapped lightly on her door. Perhaps too lightly. A part of him didn't want her to answer. A part of him didn't know what he would do if she didn't. The doorknob turned. The door pulled in. And there she was. Surprised to see him.

She was wearing sweatpants and a long sleeved, tie-died, shirt. Her hair hung loosely about her shoulders. He had never seen her like this before. And it was like seeing her for the first time. A part of her was exposed like this. A part of her she usually kept hidden.

She didn't invite him in. He decided he didn't need an invitation. He pushed passed her and into a living room he'd never been in. He glanced around. It wasn't what he'd expected. He'd expected informal and cold. It was warm and inviting.

"Why are you here?" she demanded, still standing in an opened doorway. He turned around and stood his ground. She sighed and shut the door. "Why are you here?" she repeated and he realized he didn't know.

"I broke it off with Christ," he blurted out.

"I don't care," she said, throwing her hands up in the air. She walked around her couch and sat down. A cat came out of hiding and stared up at him. It had only one eye and for a moment Scotty was distracted. Then he heard a sniffle. And he knew that she did care.

He walked around the couch and sat down on the coffee table in front of her. He wanted to apologize. He wanted to beg her forgiveness. But he couldn't help the annoying voice inside his head that said he'd done nothing wrong.

"Look, Lil," he began but was instantly irritated. She was staring down at her hands. She wouldn't even meet his eyes. "I just don't get it. Why the hell do you even care?"

She looked up at him then. Her eyes were blazing. But there was a pain in them too. A deep hurt. He had put it there. And he hated himself for it. He swallowed hard. They were just partners. Barely friends. A tear escaped down her cheek and his heart broke.

Could you fall in love, he wondered, without so much as a word.

She wiped away the tear angrily. And he knew. She wanted to be angry. She wanted to hate him. But she was losing the battle. Another cat jumped up on the couch. This one was white and was missing a leg. He stared at it in wonderment.

"You could never get it," she finally spoke and he looked back at her. Her blue eyes were on his. A shiver ran down him at the accusations he saw there. "She took the most hurtful and humiliating moment of my life and she told it to you. And you threw it in my face like it meant nothing."

It was a moment he wished he could take back. She'd just started talking. He realized what she was talking about and told her to stop. But she hadn't. She'd told him about the time she'd slept with her sister's fiance. She said she didn't understand why Lilly couldn't let it go.

Lilly's eye were brimming with unshed tears. He knew she was a master at hiding her tears. At hiding herself. Her sister must know these things too. But she'd taken away the one person Lilly had let in. She'd broken her sister's heart. And she'd done it on purpose.

"You're him," she whispered so softly he had almost not heard her. He blinked and just stared at her. The white cat stared at him accusingly. He knew what she was saying. She'd let him in too. She stood up and walked over to the window. And now he was out.

Had the words been spoken? Had he missed them along the way? He was certain he'd been listening.

He crossed the room and stood beside her. A cat rubbed against his leg. He looked down at the one eyed creature. The other remained seated at the couch. Observing him. He realized they were so much like her. Broken, not quite whole, but pleading to be loved.

"I'm sorry," she whispered and he looked over at her. Her words were chocked with tears. "I'm sorry about what I said. About Elisa. I'm sorry." He shook his head. He didn't care. He realized she wasn't looking at him. He reached out to her. Then dropped his hand.

They were just partners. Barely friends. Could you fall in love, he wondered, without so much as a word. Suddenly anger surged inside him. It wasn't for her. It wasn't for Christina. It was. It just was. He turned her to face him. She looked at him with question.

His lips were on hers and, he knew, you could fall in love without so much as a word.

(Don't look at me like that... I don't know either)