Disclaimer: The song (With you By: Jessica Simpson) is definitely as much mine as Lil and Scottie are. And if I owned Lil and Scottie then things would be very different. So…yeah, not mine. I was listening to the radio when I was writing this, and I was like, 'oh my god, I have to put that in here'. The song wrote its self into the scene, not the other way around. Okay, I'm babbling. On with it then?
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"Let's try this again. Where did you get the necklace?" Vera demanded.
"I told you. I found it when I was cleaning out my mom's attic after she died a few years ago. I didn't see any reason to keep it." Vera sighed, giving Scottie, who'd been quietly standing in a corner, a 'there's-no-way-I'm-getting-him-to-give-up-his-story' look. They'd been pushing the guy (with in legal limits of course) for five minutes and Vera was frustrated. Scottie smiled, taking the look for the cue to take over that it was. He'd been waiting for this. The cat-about-to-eat-the-canary grin he gave the suspect (and in Scottie's mind the perp) reveled ones given by the blue-eyed blonde safely behind the glass, despite Scottie's protests, watching her attacker's interrogation.
"So, it's just a coincidence that the necklace belonged to a girl who was attacked seven years ago, an attack during which the necklace was taking by a guy whose description you match?" Scottie demanded, begging the guy to give him a reason to shoot him.
"Yeah!" the guy insisted. Scottie grinned again, clearly enjoying himself. He placed the same picture of Laura they'd been showing the guy, on the table between them, and looked at the guy expectantly. The guy stared back. Finally Scottie said, "Don't play dumb." and the guy obeyed.
"Don't know her," he said barely looking at the photo. Scottie actually sniggered.
"Don't think so. Look again." The guy made a show of obeying, then shook his head.
"I'm sorry."
"Does the name Laura Hilsin ring a bell?" Scottie demanded.
"Can't say it does."
"I bet. Where were you on September 12th 1998?" The guy scoffed at Scottie.
"Like I remember? It's been years." Scottie sighed.
"You're sure you don't remember this girl?"
"Yes, I am."
"Come on Scottie, we gotta let him go," Vera stated the obvious. But Scottie had other plans. Switching the two folders in his hand, he opened the previously bottom one. Flipping through, he pulled out a picture. He'd been hoping he wouldn't have to do this, as Lil was still behind the glass, and Vera didn't know yet, but he steeled himself, and tossed the photo of a much younger Lil on the table, hoping Vera wouldn't recognize it.
"What about her?" he demanded. The creep actually smiled.
"Nope, and a shame. She's cute. Though, she looks like she'd be a bitch." To a guy like you, you bet, Scottie thought with a semi-smile. His smile turned to the urge to puke, but he simply said, "Get him out of here, Vera." The guy sneered at Scottie on the way out. Once both the guy and Vera were gone, he gave a sort of frustrated snarl, kicking the wall.
"Damn it!" he muttered.
"Your foot feel better?" came Lil's teasing voice from the doorway. He bit his lip, turning to face her. "Damn it. We know he did it, and we have to let him go. That guy seriously pisses me off."
She walked over to the table, picking up her picture. "I've always hated that picture. Too much pink." Scottie took a ragged breath and Lil looked him. Then, she held out her arms, gesturing him over. They clung to each other, both drawing strength from each other. When they pulled away, he kissed her on the forehead.
"You're amazing," he murmured truthfully. Lil smiled, and they both said it together, "…and Jeffries is Elvis." But Scottie didn't smile.
"I mean it Lil." She nodded.
"I know, and I love you too."
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Lil subconsciously worked the kinks out of her neck. Her and Scottie had been sitting here, at her desk, pouring over 49 reports from in between her attack and Laura's for an hour and a half. Scottie was doing was doing most of the reading, occasionally handing Lil one that he thought might be their perp, or when she looked too bored. Her eyes wandering, they found a piece of paper on her desk, and she smiled. Opening up the drawer, she pulled out the chocolates Scottie had given her for their anniversary. Opening up the box, she took one. Glancing to the person next to her, she smiled at the determined look on his face. Tapping his shoulder with the box, she silently offered him a chocolate. He held up a finger (his index finger, not his middle finger), and when he did look up at Lil, her smile disappeared. The look on his face was one of tortured frustration. It was clear that the fact that they had nothing against her attacker was pissing him off. She forced a smile at him.
"On second thought, let's go down the block and get some coffee," she ordered.
"Go ahead, I'm gonna stick with…" Scottie started, turning back to the folder, but Lil shook her head.
"No, you're coming with me." Her tone told him the real reason she wanted to go get coffee, and he smiled at her. He hadn't realized how much he needed to get out of the flow of 49s. Clearly, she had.
"If you insist." There were no coats to grab because it was July, and they went to inform her boss of where they would be. When they were in the elevator, Scotties reached over and took her hand, giving it a grateful squeeze. He smiled at her.
"Thanks Lil." She smiled back at him, but it was a feeble smile and his smile disappeared, along with hers. Silently they walked to the Starbucks, comfortably hand in hand. They ordered, then found a table, waiting.
"Scottie, this is really getting to you. Isn't it?" He just looked at her as if she had to be kidding. She stared back.
"That guy molested you. At ten years old. And he's gonna get away with it. How do I not let that get to me? How do you not let that get to you?"
"Don't you think I'm pissed off? Don't you think I'm scared? But Scottie, letting that get in the way is just going hurt our chances of finally catching this guy. We can't rush this. We gotta catch this guy. Please Scottie, I need you with me on this." Scottie took it in her desperation and underlying exahaustion, and he hated himself. Still the fact that she was holding up relatively well considering what they were dealing with, struck him. Certainly better than she'd held up after the George incident, and it hit him. He was giving her the strength she needed. And he understood. She needed him. He watched her, amazed. Hate was too weak. He loathed himself. Then he realized she was still waiting for his response.
"You know I'm with you on this Lilian," he teased. She didn't smile but sat biting her lip, staring into her mocha.
"Hey," he said reaching over to take her hand. "We're gonna get this guy."
"I don't know Scottie… We don't have enough."
"We're gonna get him Lil. Ya know why?"
"No, Why?"
"Because we have you." She smiled.
"Ya know Scottie some how I see it differently. I think we'll get the guy. Not because you have me, but because I have you." He smiled and they finished in silence. Well not silence. When Lil noticed what song was playing on the shop's radio, she smiled. It was if the words came from her heart.
I'm still thinking about it almost forgot what it was like
Do you know what it feels like?
Cause with you
I can let my hair down
I can say anything crazy
I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground
With nothing but a T-shirt on
I never felt so beautiful
Baby as I do now
Now that I'm with you
With you
Now that I'm with you
You speak and it's like a song
And just like that all my walls come down
It's like a private joke just meant for us to know
I relate to you naturally
Everybody else just fades away
Sometimes it's hard to breathe
Just knowing you found me
Cuz I'm still thinking about it almost forgot what it was like
Do you know what it feels like?
Cause with you
I can let my hair down
I can say anything crazy
I know you'll catch me right before I hit the ground
With nothing but a T-shirt on
I never felt so beautiful
Baby as I do now
Now that I'm with you
With you
Come and take me
Love you save me
Like nobody else
Now I can be myself
With you
She sighed. "Ya know Scottie, I don't think I could do this without you." He shook his head.
"Of course you could. You're strong."
"No I mean it Scottie." He frowned at her.
"Really?" She nodded. "Then I'm glad I'm here."
"Me too," she murmured.
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Thanks for all the kind reviews. I can't respond like I have been, because apparently we can't do that any more(Sucks, I know) but, hopefully they'll change their minds eventually.