A/N: Hi all. I'm...back. My muse hasn't been gracing its presence upon me much lately, and I couldn't think of much of an idea for a new story, so I figured just to write a second part to this. It's the same story, but in Lilly's POV. I personally think it's a little out of character and corny...but I am counting on you, the readers, to let me know which version you liked best. R&R Please please please! Try to enjoy. kawaii-peach14

Breaking Down the Wall--"Costume"
(Lil's POV)

He's looking at me...Dammit, he's still looking at me...

Detective Lilly Rush looked down at her paperwork and tried to focus on it instead of focusing on something entirely different—Scotty. She knew he was looking at her, watching her; waiting for her to finally say something to him. Lilly hadn't said a word to her partner all morning and didn't plan on it, either. In fact, she preferred not to talk to anyone that day, because somehow that terrible night in the 'woods' would probably come up on subject. . .and even though there was the possibility that it wouldn't, she wasn't going to take any chances. George Marks was one of the main things that Lilly wanted to forget about forever. . .but the fact was that her mind—the memories—just wouldn't let her.

The looks of concern from Scotty continued up to a point where Lilly felt as if she would vomit if he looked at her one more time. So, to escape, she made her way into the break room for coffee. As she was preparing her cup of coffee, she peered out the door at Scotty. He seemed deep in thought; his eyebrows furrowed and his head leaned back in his chair. What he was thinking about Lilly wasn't quite sure of, but as long as it wasn't her he was thinking about, she honestly didn't care.
And just in case he is, she thought, I'll bring him back to reality.

BAM!
 She slammed her coffee cup on her desk loudly and hid a satisfied smirk as Scotty jumped in surprise.
"Geez! What in the name of. . . .who---" Lilly watched him stutter and saw his surprised expression when he realized she was staring down at him. Scotty quickly looked down at the report he had been reading. Lilly sat down back at her desk and stared long and hard at him. Maybe he'd get the picture if he placed himself in her shoes for a while. See how he likes it when he knows someone's staring at him! Scotty tugged at his collar and cleared his throat, and Lilly stared even harder. Suddenly he stood up abruptly and said, "I'm gonna get a cup of coffee." Lilly glared daggers at him until he turned the corner into the break room.
In the back of her mind, Lilly couldn't help thinking that all the anger bottled up inside of her was truly sadness, just wearing anger, like wearing a costume, so no one could see what was truly under it.
Lilly quickly shook the thought away and dove back into reality. Scotty had been in the break room for a long time, and she was almost done with her coffee anyway. She decided to go in there and see what was up.

As Lilly made her way into the break room, looking down at the floor and walking swiftly, she promised herself she wouldn't look into his eyes. . .
Focusing on that promise alone, she didn't notice that Scotty was walking out of the break room in the same direction. By the time she looked up, it was too late. They had bumped right into each other, and Scotty's coffee cup had just barely missed her head. Lilly felt as if she were too surprised to speak.
Think of a retort. . .Damn, Lilly, don't freeze up on him now! Lilly scolded herself.
"Watch where you're going, Valens!" Crap. That sucked.
Lilly quickly headed back to her desk. She heard him following her and tried to avoid him. She heard him slam his cup on his desk.
"Lil, what's your problem? You haven't talked to me all day and the one thing you have to say to me is to watch where I'm going. Is it me!" Scotty cried. Lilly had been planning not to answer; after all, she hadn't been talking to him all day, what made him think she would answer him now?
And then she felt his hands grasp her shoulders. She had no choice but to slowly look up and stare into his eyes.
"Answer me", he said, calmer this time. "Are you still mad about...you know..."
Lilly quickly pulled away from Scotty's grasp. Since when did he have the right to touch her? "Don't touch me." she said. But, unfortunately, the words didn't come out as Lilly had planned them to. It wasn't a very convincing command, and her voice was shaking from the unshed tears behind her eyes that she refused to release.
No, it wasn't him. . .what he had done with Lilly's sister was over and done with, and Lilly was okay with that. It wasn't Scotty. And that was when it hit her—she'd been mad at the wrong person for the wrong reasons that morning.
"Lil..." She heard him mumble, "I..."
"Please. . .Don't say anything. . ." Lilly interrupted Scotty and tried to blink the tears from her eyes. But they just kept coming. They filled up her eyes until Scotty's face was just a blur, along with everything else around her. But she needed to tell him that it wasn't his fault that she was acting this way. Lilly gathered up the voice she had left.
"It's...it's not you..." There. I said it.
She watched his eyebrows raise slowly in surprise. "But why did you—"
Lilly again found the need to cut him off. "I talked to everyone else because I wanted to avoid you so you wouldn't see me like this. So many emotions. . ." Lilly choked up. "Piling up on me."
Oh no. No, I can't cry. . .NO!
She felt his hands on her shoulders once more.
"Lil, you could have told me 'bout this. Why did you think you couldn't?" His voice was soft.
"I. . .I was afraid you'd think I was a coward." WHY did I just say that? Great. Just GREAT, Lilly.
"Lil, I wouldn't think that..." At least I'm not the only one with a loss for words now.
Lilly knew that Scotty knew she didn't usually act like this, but just to make sure...
"You've probably noticed that I'm just not one of those people who cries that often", she said.
There was a moment of silence between the both of them.
"Everybody's gotta cry sometimes", Scotty said finally. "Everybody."

Lilly, don't you dare cry. Lil, not at a time like this. Don't cry. . .don't—
For the first time in a long time, Lilly cried. She let the tears roll down her cheeks and onto her lap and felt his gentle hand on her back and whispering to her. She didn't push him away. Lilly sobbed silently, dropping her head and letting her hair fall on each side of it. She couldn't bear to look into his eyes. . .not now.
She thought of George and the woods.
She thought of her mother and her sister.
And she cried.

After a good ten minutes, Lilly was ready to get back to her normal routine. She abruptly stood up, wiping the tears from her eyes and still not looking at Scotty.
"I needed to let that go. . .I'm sorry. . ." was all she could say.
"Don't be sorry, Lilly. You gonna be OK?" Lilly finally looked at him and nodded.
"Do me a favor...just don't tell anyone about this, you hear?" Her expression was serious.
Scotty's eyes had a mischievous twinkle in them. "And if I do?"
"It'll be the last thing you do, Valens." Lilly said her parting statement and went off to the break room.

Lilly sighed deeply and shook her head. She had to admit, she felt better after letting her bottled up feelings go. Lilly wasn't sure how Scotty had done it, but he had managed to see what she truly was through that costume of anger and the wall she had built up around her. He'd been able to see her like no one else could. And, for that moment, Lilly liked it that way.

Maybe I should keep my little costume off for a while. . .