Disclaimer: I don't own Judging Amy, comprende?

A/N: I would like to thank everyone who reviewed the first chapter of this story. Unfortunately there's no one to thank. So, thank you to the 70 people who at least clicked on this story. Any chance any of you could review this chapter?

In any case, enjoy.

The Right Thing

Kyle McCarty pushed the door to the break room open with enough force to bang it against the wall and leave a dent in the plaster. Somewhere in the back of his mind he thought that Lilly would be angry about the damaged wall but his brain was too full to give that thought much priority. He was angry, no question about it, but for once it was not directed at his boss. Kyle groaned at his own stupidity as he dropped onto one of the couches that had probably been new sometime in the 1960's. He knew that she was unlikely to except that kind of come on, yet he had tried it anyway. And she had not only pushed him away, she had cried. He wondered if Lilly Reddecar had ever cried in front of another person, at least after the age of 10.

It wasn't as if he didn't know Lilly, probably better than almost anyone in the hospital. He had watched her and taken note of the subtle things that most people, especially most men, wouldn't have given a second glance to. He knew that her favorite flavored coffee could only be bought at Full of Beans, that said flavor of coffee was cinnamon apple, that she only got that particular coffee on days when she looked as though she hadn't slept much. He had taken note of the look in her eyes when she pointed out other people's flaws, as though she was mentally counting her own imperfections on an ever-growing list. And he had heard her muttered "stupid" or "pathetic doctor" which were obviously directed, not at the other nurses or interns assisting her, but at herself. Every time she couldn't help a patient what little light was left in Lilly's eyes dimmed a little more. And since the night of the ballet, the night that young woman died, the light had all but disappeared.

He had tried to be her friend, at first. But he quickly discovered that befriending the chief of staff was not only impossible it was uncool. He had always been one to follow the crowd.

His mind wandered back to the party that he and Heather had thrown for all of St. Mike's staff. They had distributed invitations, whether they were oral or written, and it had been fairly clear that it was by invite only. They had not invited Lilly. Heather said she wouldn't have gone anyway and Kyle let himself believe that. But he had seen the look in the chief of staff's eyes as she stood on one side of the hallway while Kyle and Heather talked avidly to every other staff member who passed about the party they were throwing. And later as she stood in the doorway of the apartment while people looked around and through her and muttered about "Suma" having actually put in an appearance. He had seen an amplified version of that look. It was the look of someone who almost wanted to join the party but either couldn't remember how or wouldn't allow herself to have fun. He had wondered which one it was for a long time, privately. He had tried talking to Heather about it once, but she had said it wasn't their problem.

He had given up trying to have serious conversations with Heather by now. She no longer seemed to be capable of caring about anyone but herself, or maybe she had been that way all along. Kyle had certainly done a lot of growing up over the past six months, maybe his taste in women had simply changed along with the rest of his outlook on life. No, Amy would tell him that he was too smart to believe all of his crap. He had never been on the level of Heather, he had never really loved her, she had been easy. She had made him feel smart, feel that he was good enough without trying, because she didn't try at all. He had settled and he knew it.

With a sudden purpose Kyle got up, got his things from his locker, then got in his car and headed to Heather's bar. He had spoken the truth when he said that he wanted Lilly, and he knew if he was ever going to have half a chance with her he would have to earn it. He would have to make himself believe that he was good enough for her before he could convince Lilly that she was more than good enough for him. Talking to Heather, breaking things off with, "That terribly thin dark haired girl," was the first step in that direction.

A/N2: Review, please!