A/N: Literally just imagine Lily instead of Jessica in any interactions with/about Aubrey. But, yes, Jessica does exist in Lily's world. They're good friends. Also, I love that Aubrey is getting his own storyline! And I love Aubrey a whole lot, obviously. I also love the storylines I have planned for Lily this season—I hope you do, too!
Lily woke up to roll over, pressing closer into Aubrey's side, and he wrapped an arm around her, bending down to kiss her head.
"You're awake?" she asked, pushing herself up onto his shoulder to look at him.
"I can't sleep."
"Your dad?"
"Yeah."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"You should go back to sleep."
She ran her hand back and forth over his chest, shaking her head. "Not if you want to talk."
He sighed. "Caroline thinks he might come to me for help."
"And?"
He shrugged. "And I'll turn him in. I've already done it once; it'll be easier this time."
"He's your dad," she said.
"Yeah, and he stole a lot of people's money, and he left my mom and me with nothing. Me turning him in is what he deserves."
"I don't think it's that easy."
"Because you know exactly what it's like," he said, a little angrily, and she stilled her hand.
"I told you that when I found out Booth was my dad, I was so mad at him because I thought he abandoned me that I didn't talk to him for weeks. Or what about when he started gambling again? I helped Mom decide to kick him out, you know. He tried to get me to leave with him, he said I was his, and I didn't go."
"Then you should know—"
"Those things weren't easy! I still feel guilty about the first thing, and with the gambling thing, that was so hard!"
She moved to turn away from him, but he held fast, pinning her to him.
"Don't. I'm sorry," he breathed. "I just—"
"I know. It's okay." She leaned back into him. "I just—I understand. And I'm here."
"Thanks, babe." He draped his other arm over her so that he was holding her to him with both arms, and she shifted even closer, putting one of her legs between his.
"I've got you," she reassured. She slipped a hand under his t-shirt to press it against his bare skin, and he jumped a little.
"Your hands are cold."
"Sorry."
She moved it away, and he pushed it back down.
"Leave it."
"Are you going to be able to sleep?" she asked.
"I don't know," he said honestly, and she opened her eyes wider, trying to will herself to stay awake. "No, no," he said. "You go to sleep."
"Mom? Can I talk to you?"
"Of course."
Lily shut the door to Brennan's office, thinking of how this was usually the kind of thing she would talk to her mom about late at night, with Brennan sitting on Lily's bed with her, or early in the morning as they got ready for the day. But now that Lily basically lived at Aubrey's, she had to wait until they were both at the lab, and Brennan wasn't too busy—not that she was ever too busy for Lily.
"Grandpa was a criminal, and he was gone for a while, but then he came back into your life," Lily said matter-of-factly.
"Is this about Aubrey and his father?"
"Yeah. It is." Lily sighed, sinking into a chair in front of her mom. "I'm really worried about him."
"You're worried about what will happen if he finally comes face-to-face with his father."
Lily nodded. "How can he live with himself if he turns in his own dad?"
"Your grandfather had abandoned me and Russ, he was a fugitive from justice—I… I certainly never imagined that we would manage to have a positive relationship."
"But, how did you make that happen?"
"By opening myself up to the fact that his actions, while partially his fault, were necessitated by events. He's a much better man than the one I had built him up to be."
"So there's a chance that could happen for Aubrey?"
"Statistically, there's always a chance, sweetheart." She looked at the dark circles underneath Lily's eyes and the larger-than-usual cup of coffee in her hand. "You look awfully tired today."
"Aubrey had a rough night," she explained softly.
"I'm sorry that I haven't been very present," Aubrey apologized as he and Lily walked down the street, hand-in-hand.
"Hey, you've been working hard. And I've been busy, too."
"No, I mean mentally present. I've been distracted."
"Oh, yeah. About your father. I get it, babe. I know you're worried about what's going to happen when they find him."
"I am. It's not as cut-and-dry as I thought it was going to be."
"No, it's not. I'm glad you see that."
He let out a loud exhale. "There's something else that I've been thinking about. I want you to know that… I'm not him. I want you to know that I'm not my father."
"I know that."
"I mean, he left his wife, he left me, and I just—I want you to know that I would never, ever do that."
"I know, James. I do."
He paused, turning to face her. "I'm committed to this. I'm committed to you." He used his free hand to brush her hair back, letting his hand linger on her neck.
She looked a little shocked, and he frowned.
"Did I say the wrong thing?"
"No, of course not. I just… there's a lot going on right now." Every part of her was so sure about him, but the part of her that had grown up before she knew Booth and Brennan still sometimes feared everything being snatched away.
"And when it's all taken care of, I'm going to feel the exact same way. I promise." She smiled a little, and he squeezed her hand. "I think we both know where this thing we're doing is going," he continued.
"Yeah?"
"Hey," he tapped her nose, prompting a giggle. "Don't play coy. You and me, we're doing this forever. Obviously."
She giggled again. "Obviously." He rolled his eyes, and she pulled on his jacket. "Are you monologue-ing at me? Because I can shut up, then."
"No, I'm not monologue-ing. I just wanted to reassure you that I'm not going to up and leave you one day."
"Okay. I wasn't worried about that, but it's good to know."
He smiled, leaning forward to kiss her. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
They started walking again, Lily swinging their hands between them happily. Suddenly, she stopped, turning to look at him suspiciously.
"Are you going to ask me to marry you? Someday, I mean. Soon-ish?"
Aubrey just winked.
A/N: The next chapter is a big one, and I'm really excited about it.