A/N Sob. Just keep reading. Sob. The song on the radio is 'If I Didn't Know Any Better' by Alison Krauss and Union Station.

Disclaimer: Apparently they're for sale on Ebay.

Scotty felt his breath hitch, and a lump rose in his throat.

"No! Come on, Lilly, we can do this!"

"No, Scotty. I can't," she whispered. She turned on her heel and ran off in the direction of her house.

"Lilly!" Scotty shouted after her, "Lilly!"

The next morning, Lilly arrived later than usual. Scotty looked up, and she froze. Lilly couldn't bear the pain in his eyes, and had to look away. Inside, it felt as if her heart was being wrenched into pieces, and Lilly knew that it was nobody's fault but her own. Feeling tears stir somewhere behind her eyelids, the detective hurriedly removed her coat, rushing over to her desk. Vera ambled in, oblivious to the events of the previous evening.

"Mornin' Rush, Valens!"

His two colleagues barely glanced up. Vera stopped, chewing his cake thoughtfully.

"Jeez. Who died?" Lilly swallowed hard, knowing that if she looked up now, she had a good chance of meeting Scotty's eyes.

"Haven't you got work to do, Nick?" she said quietly, allowing a single tear to trickle down her cheek.

"Nope. I left it all on Miller's desk."

"Rush, Valens!" Stillman called. A wall of silence met his shout. Frowning, the boss walked out into the bullpen. His two detectives sat at their desks, heads down. He walked up behind them, the tension sending uncomfortable shivers down his spine.

"HEY!" he said loudly. Lilly jumped, looking up nervously. Scotty sighed heavily. Stillman's frown deepened. He looked between the two, before clearing his throat.

"I need you to get a signed statement from Miley Jameson." Lilly blinked.

"Both of us?" she asked anxiously. Scotty's eyes widened.

"Together?" he said uneasily.

Stillman nodded, a stern yet understanding look coming over his face. He glanced between the two.

"Get it done. I want you back here ASAP." With a resigned sigh, Lilly stood up to get her coat, avoiding Scotty's eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but thinking twice, closed it again.

Stillman watched Lilly push the department doors open. He turned back to his male detective.

"Is there something I should know about?" Scotty shook his head.

"No, boss." Stillman raised his eyebrows disbelievingly.

"Well, just make sure you get that statement back here quickly."

"Yes, boss."

Lilly listened as a song came on the radio. Scotty fiddled with the volume dial, turning it up.

I turned around. Before I could run,

I found you already settled down,

In the back of my mind.

From the corner of his eye, Scotty glanced at his partner. Her eyes were fixed on the road passing by outside, although Scotty knew she was listening. Inside, Lilly was having trouble keeping a reign on her emotions. Each line of the song was relevant to her, to her and Scotty. She wanted to let him in, let him be there to comfort her. And every time she tried, she failed.

I know this is just a customary fever.

The moon is a deceiver that will

Leave you running blind.

Lilly swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat. She tried to block out the song, but somehow, the music seemed to fill her ears. From the corner of his eye, Scotty watched his partner, wondering if the words meant anything to her. He turned his attention back to the road, lost in thought. He wanted to be the one that was there for her. He knew she was scared. He could see it in her eyes, every time she looked at him.

Your heart is pulling, if I didn't know any better.

I'd be falling deeper and deeper it's true.

I'd hear it calling, if I didn't know any better,

And I'd be in love with you.

Lilly reached for the volume dial, turning it off completely. Sitting back in her seat, she folded her arms, fixing her gaze on something out of the window.

Lilly knocked on the door. Seeing who was outside, Miley grinned, and pulled it open.

"Hey, you guys!" Lilly smiled, and stepped inside.

"We just need another copy of your statement with your signature." Scotty cleared his throat.

"Detective Rush, I'll meet you in the car."

Lilly watched Scotty's retreating back. Detective Rush? she thought sadly. Is this what it's going to be like? Miley raised her eyebrows.

"What's his problem?"

"I am," Lilly replied without thinking. The girl's face turned serious.

"Lover's tiff?" she asked, only half joking.

Lilly smiled sadly.

"We're not lovers." Miley thought for a moment. After a while, she gasped in realisation.

"But you were!" Looking away, the detective nodded. Miley continued to think things through, her face falling.

"And now you're not," she stated sadly.

Lilly felt her eyes fill, and she shook her head.

"I really need that statement." Miley nodded slowly, seeing the barely concealed tears in the detective's eyes.

"I'll get right on it."

Back at the police precinct, the Cold Case squad had reached a lull in their workload. They sat around the table in the break room, coffee cups littering the surfaces around them. Vera swallowed, and cleared his throat.

"So, uh, what's goin' on with Lil and Valens?" he asked casually. Jeffries chuckled.

"Don't go there, man," he warned. Miller rested her feet on the table.

"Ain't nobody's business but theirs," she stated.

"Quite right, Miller," Stillman said, shutting the door behind him. Kat frowned.

"Uh, thanks, boss." He nodded.

"Why do you care anyway?" Vera shrugged.

"I don't know. Its jus'…it's Lilly an' Scotty, ain't it? An' I guess I jus' want it to be OK." Kat stared at him.

"You getting' all soft under there, Vera?" she teased gently. He scowled.

"Aww, come on. You guys can't tell me you haven't noticed the atmosphere around here?" Jeffries nodded.

"Somethin' ain't right. Scotty's been mopin' around all day." Stillman shook his head.

"Kat, you're the only one who Lilly would talk to, other than Scotty. She said anything?" Kat nodded.

"She didn't say much, though. All I got was that she told Scotty it was over."

"Lil say why?" Vera asked. Miller shook her head.

"But you know Lilly. There has to have been a reason." Stillman nodded in agreement.

"She's right. Lilly would never say anything to hurt Scotty unless there was a reason." Jeffries scowled.

"I've got a reason. I'll give you a clue; she looks like Lilly," he muttered, grounding his teeth together.

"You think this has something to do with Christina?"

"It can't be a coincidence that the week Chris comes back, Lilly gets together with Scotty, and then breaks up with him." Stillman thought for a moment.

"Pull Lil's phone records. She won't like it, but if Chris called her, then…"

"Isn't that illegal?"

"Nick, we're detectives. Just call it part of the investigation."

After returning from collecting the statement, Lilly was silent for the rest of the afternoon. The other Cold Case detectives, sensing the tense atmosphere, talked in hushed voices. Occasionally, Scotty would glance up, hoping to make eye contact with his partner. Every time she felt his gaze on her, Lilly blushed, refusing to look up.

Come on, Lil, give me something to work with, Scotty thought helplessly. Knowing he was still looking at her, Lilly desperately wanted to say something, but knew that there was no way she could make up for what she'd done. I'm sorry, Scotty.

Later, at around 4, Lilly spoke to Scotty for the first time all day. She walked over, stopping beside his desk. In surprise, he looked up, sitting back in his chair. Lilly blushed.

"I need the copy of Miley's statement," she said quietly.

"Sure," Scotty replied, reaching for the paper.

As he handed it to her, their fingers touched. Lilly met his gaze, and Scotty's eyes searched her face. He felt a slight jump in his heart as he saw that Lilly was hurting just as much, if not more, than he was. Her breath catching in her throat, Lilly backed off, quickly looking away.

"Thanks," she whispered, leaving her partner with a slight glimmer of hope.

At the end of the day, Lilly disappeared down to the shower room, wanting some time alone. She sat down on the bench, running a hand through her hair. What the hell have I done? she thought.

"So, Rush, what are you doin' tonight?" Kat called. Lilly felt her heart break a little bit more. Going home to cry.

"Not much," she muttered, "you?"

"Vera's buying a round of drinks. You wanna come?"

"Will…will he be there?" Kat looked around the corner, her eyes sympathetic.

"Probably."

"Then no."

Watching Lilly leave, Scotty sighed.

"Valens!" Stillman called. Scotty froze. He made his way into Stillman's office, his heart plummeting with every step.

"Yeah, boss?"

"Where's Lilly?" Scotty paused, feeling the twang of pain in his heart again.

"At home, boss." A silence fell between them. Scotty stared at the floor.

"She needs you, you know." The younger detective looked up.

"Yeah?"

"Lilly doesn't…she'll probably hate me for telling you this…"

"Please." Stillman sighed.

"How much do you know about Lilly?"

"Only what she's told me."

"You know about her 49?"

"Know of it." Stillman hesitated, sighing again heavily.

"What happened with George wasn't the first time, Scotty." Scotty looked up sharply.

"You mean…?" The older detective shook his head, signalling that he would say nothing more on that subject.

"When Lilly wants to tell you, she will."

"Boss, I don't understand."

"She's been hurt so many times, Scotty. She needs you to come through for her. Her 49 report, that jerk who rode off on his motorbike, her mom, Kite, what happened in the woods, Joseph, Christina…"

"I get it," Scotty muttered, feeling anger well up in his chest.

"Then prove to her that you're gonna stick around."

Scotty took a deep breath, looking up at his boss.

"You think she'll let me?" Stillman chuckled.

"I think she wants you to. No-one's ever fought to keep her, Scotty."

Lilly found herself driving around the city. Her cheeks stung as the icy breeze hit the dampness. Shaking her head, Lilly pulled over. Looking around, she gasped at where she had ended up. The bright light hanging over the building next to her read 'Porter's House'.

Lilly got out of the car, pulling the belt of her coat tighter around her waist. She shut the door, and made her way into the diner. Di looked up as the door shut with a soft thud.

"Detective Rush?" she asked in surprise. Feeling the tears start up again, Lilly attempted a tearful smile. Making her way to the barstools at the counter, where she had sat with Scotty, the detective carefully removed her gloves.

"Hey." Seeing the red eyelids and the puffy cheeks, Di placed a cup of coffee in front of her.

"Black, two sugars," she stated. Lilly smiled faintly.

"Thanks."

"I have to admit, this is a surprise." The detective looked up uncertainly.

"I can leave if you want." Di chuckled.

"Don't be stupid. You look as if you could use a…friend." Lilly sniffed, choking back a sob.

"Has…have you spoken to…"

"Briefly." Lilly shook her head.

"How was he?"

"He's hurt. And confused."

"I think I've just made the biggest mistake of my life." Di sat down on the other side of the counter.

"Tell me everything, Lilly."

A while later, Lilly finished telling Di about her conversation with Chris. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, removing trails of mascara from her cheeks.

"…and then I went home." Di smiled sympathetically.

"Without Scotty?"

"Without Scotty."

"So why did you freak out?" Lilly shrugged.

"I don't know. I mean, what Chris said. That no-one ever loved me," she began in a choked voice. Di smiled.

"That's the biggest load of bull I've heard for about three hours."

"Three hours?"

"Scotty told me earlier that maybe you just weren't meant to be together. Now that was the biggest load of bull I've heard period." Lilly buried her head in her arms, blinking away more tears.

"Di, what am I meant to do? I do love him," she said quietly. Di chuckled.

"So why are you still sitting here? Call the damn fool!"

Lilly stared at her cell phone for a moment, before slowly picking it up and flipping it open. Di breathed a sigh of relief.

"…this person is currently unavailable…" Lilly snapped it shut.

"He's not picking up." Di swore quietly.

"Try him at home." The detective shook her head.

"He won't pick up there either. Caller ID."

Lilly gasped, and reached for her cell phone again. She dialled Kat's number, and waited anxiously.

"Miller."

"Kat, it's me. Is Scotty there?" Lilly asked hurriedly.

"No, he decided he wasn't gonna come."

"Shit."

"What's going on, Lil?"

"Kat, I think I've made a mistake. I'm in love with Scotty, and…look, if you see him, please, tell him to call me." In the bar, Miller grinned in relief, earning strange looks from Vera and Jeffries.

"OK, Lil."

After disconnecting the call with Lilly, Kat Miller dialled another number.

"Hello?"

"Valens, it's Kat."

"Oh."

"She's been trying to call you."

"I know."

"So why aren't you picking up?"

"Was there somethin' you wanted, Miller?" Scotty said irritably.

"Yeah."

"What's up? Is it Lilly?"

"Sort of."

"What's wrong?"

"Look, tell me to mind my own business, but…"

"What are you talkin' about, Miller?"

"She made a mistake. And I think she's realising it."

"What do you want me to do? She ended it, not me."

"Scotty! Just get over there. Trust me."

Scotty blinked as the dial tone filled his ears. Folding his phone and sliding it back into his pocket, the detective felt a slight jump in his chest. Lilly made a mistake? An' she's realisin' it? Scotty was out of the door faster than he thought possible, racing down to his car. I ain't goin' down without a fight.

YAY, VALENS! So what do we think? Happy ending or not? Leave me a review to say what you think.