p dir="ltr" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium; widows: auto;"Hours later.../p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium; widows: auto;"Scotty walked into a room so white it hurt his eyes. He squinted at the white walls everything smelled like bleach. He stopped suddenly as he saw a very pale, small figure laying on the bed in the middle of the room. Lilly looked so frail in the middle of the bed. Scotty couldn't help but think about what George had done to her. The sick bastard had raped her. He hadn't done it just once, but many times. If he wasn't dead Scotty would kill him himself. Nobody should have touched Lilly like that. Scotty touched her hand and took a seat by the bed. He wanted to sit and wait until she woke up. He wanted her to know everything would be okay. Little did he know even though Lilly was in a coma she could hear everything and her mind was racing./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium; widows: auto;"Lilly could feel Scotty holding her hand and it comforted her as she relived everything that had happened over the past two days. George had raped her repeatedly and all she could think about was it. It was consuming her thoughts and her mind and she wasn't even fully awake yet and wasn't sure if she wanted to ever be again. How could she deal with it if everyone knew what happened. She was sure by now everyone knew including Scotty. Speaking of Scotty, all she currently could hear was Scotty rambling. It was comforting. "Lil, remember when I had first joined the squad and how I was so mad to be working the cold jobs?" He whispered nervously at first like he was unsure. Lilly wished she could answer back, but instead her mind listened numbly. "Ha-ha those were good times. Remember when we first met? Do you want to know what my first thought was?" Scotty asked even though he knew no one would answer. "My first thought was my partners a girl? Then it was god damn she is so beautiful. The way her eyes light up while working on a job the way she fights for the poor, and for those no one wants to help. God how am I going to work with her without falling in love?" He whispered with an air of happiness to him. He glanced down at her hair vaguely noticing it had been washed and brushed out. He smoothed it into place over her shoulders the way she had recently started wearing it. "Want to know the answer, lil?" Scotty asked gently. "I couldn't. There was no way I could work with you without falling for you. I ended up falling for you, but I did bad things to get you to notice me. I didn't sleep with your sister either. I dated her but I refused to sleep with her. Not when all I thought about was you and now look at us. We weren't even speaking when George got to you. I should have just come clean to begin with. I should have." Scotty whispered bitterly. Lilly's brain went into overdrive. br /'He loves me? He actually admitted he loves me?' Lilly tried to reach out her limb but it wouldn't lift or reach. In her mind she was crying of sheer joy, but then terror crept in. Would Scotty even want her after what happened? She was almost positive he wouldn't which made her hate George even more./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium; widows: auto;""Lil, I know this might not mean much to you, but I still love you. I'm not sure you want to hear that or you'll even want that after everything that just took place. I want to be there for you. I want to be with you and I know you probably don't want to be dating anyone but I'll wait for you. As long as it takes I'll wait for you." Scotty said hope filling his voice. br /'He's gonna wait for you! Would you risk everything to be with him? Would you want to be with him after George?' Lilly said to herself in her head. Lilly was getting mad and upset. Her limbs wouldn't move at all not even when she tried to reach out to Scotty. br /Scotty glanced at her face it almost looked like Lilly was concentrating on something even though she couldn't be. There was no way. She was unconscious, in a coma for Pete's sake. But still she looked like she was. Scotty decided not to dwell upon it. "Remember when, I finished working the first couple cases with you? That's when I had decided even with the cold jobs it was one of the best jobs in the world. It brings you a sense of happiness that you can provide some sort of relief to a family who deserves it." Scotty paused and never continued because a minute later Stillman appeared. "Hey mind if I visit her a bit?" He asked nervously. "I'll go get a coffee." Scotty said before leaving to give Stillman some alone time with his wounded detective./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium; widows: auto;"Stillman couldn't believe how pale and cold her hands were. Her face looked like all the blood had been drained out of it. Even though Lilly's eyes were closed he could still tell Her eyes were still red and splotchy from crying. "Lilly, I'm so sorry." Stillman said softly and paused before quickly adding, "this is all my fault. You wouldn't be here if it weren't for me. You would never had met George if I hadn't brought you to homicide." He hung his head in shame. Wondering why he couldn't have saved her. br /'Boss this isn't your fault. It's nobodies' Lilly's voice in her head said. She wished he could hear her. She wanted nothing more than to see her father figure and to tell him it wasn't his fault. She started getting angry her arms and legs wouldn't move. Her mouth wouldn't work, nothing would. She needed to be better. br /"Lilly, please don't leave us. The doctors said its up to you whether you want to stay or go, but please stay. I know things will be tough but it would make all of us the happiest people in the world if you would just wake up and smile one more time. Lilly I need you to know you've always been like a daughter to me and that I love you. I know I technically only have 1 kid but you have become my 2nd. Please get well." Stillman said before kissing her forehead and leaving just as Nick vera showed up. "My turn boss?" Nick asked. Stillman nodded before leaving./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium; widows: auto;""Lilly, you need to pull through." Vera said gently. "Want to know why? Because we can't do this without you. How are we ever going to be a team without you? We just can't." Nick said as Will Jefferies walked in. "Lilly, you know he's right. You damn near gave me a heart attack. We can't be philly homicide without you. If you give up and die I'll retire. Scotty will transfer out or get a new job so will Nick. Stillman will retire to. Nobody wants to do that, but your death will be one of the biggest losses we will have to face." Jeffries said slowly as not to scare Nick. "I miss her" Nick said depressingly as tears filled his eyes. "She's going to be okay man. Plus Lilly doesn't want one of those cheesy cop memories at Jones tavern so she won't die." Jefferies stated with a laugh. Nick started laughing for the first time since Lilly had gone missing. "God she'd role over in her grave and haunt the shit out of all of us. Lilly would be like 'why would you let them do that?!' How would we even explain that?" Nick asked with humor. Lilly felt like laughing, they knew her too well. She didn't want one of those cheesy cop memories. She never would want it even if she died on the job. She loved these guys with all of her heart and she didn't want to give up on them./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium; widows: auto;"Scotty and Stillman then came back in the room with coffees for everyone from the local coffee shop. One that will and Scotty had been to frequently before work. "Lilly would be really happy to see all of us here for her. We have been the closest thing to family she has. So thank you." Stillman said to his crew. "Maybe we should let her rest." Jeffries said in a boss like tone./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium; widows: auto;""N-nnno" they heard a muffled voice say. They all abruptly turned toward the bed to see Lilly eyes wide open bluer than they could ever remember. She was staring at them. "Stay." She whispered tears filling her eyes. br /"Lilly!" Scotty shouted out of surprise and happiness. "I... I heard you all... I kept trying to wake myself up and couldn't. It was so scary. I finally woke up." Lilly whispered honestly. "Lil, we are glad your awake let us go get the doctor." Stillman said slowly. Lilly nodded weakly. Some color had returned to her face but she felt so weak and tired. She started driving off again as the Doctor came in. "Ms. Rush, how are you feeling?" The Doctor asked gently. "Tired... Sore. How badly was I shot?" Lilly asked abruptly. "It was bad. You'll be okay. You were in a coma for less than a day after you were shot. But your wound will need more time to heal." The doctor said shocked that she was coherent enough to ask. "Lilly you need to rest." The doctor said but when she looked over Lilly had already passed out. "Let's leave her alone now guys." Stillman said gently. "Let's go get some lunch." Scotty said gently. "I'll buy." He offered. With that everyone went out to lunch and let Lilly sleep./p
p dir="ltr" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: medium; widows: auto;"One thing Scotty hoped Lilly hadn't heard was his confession about his feelings. Lilly had heard though just like she knew he had been here since she had gotten out of surgery. Even during surgery she felt him near almost like he was In the waiting room. She secretly hoped he had been./p