Author's Note: Happy New Year, everyone! Thank you for the reviews and follows and favorites, they were quite a nice surprise when I got back from Philly! I hope this chapter will be to your liking. I'm on a Lilly kick, so I decided to do a few of her chapters in a row instead of one really long one. Don't worry, Scotty's omniscient narrator will be back soon.

On a vaguely related note, anyone else notice how the episodes written by Danny Pino have extra Lilly/Scotty moments?

Disclaimer: I don't own Cold Case, 'cause if I did, Mr. Pino would be given free rein to write. Among other things...

Once Metz had been booked, news of his confession had worked its way through the building, and everyone wanted to hear how Rush and Valens had managed to do it. The squad had solved older cases before, but this was definitely their oldest still living doer. Nothing like finally getting justice almost 70 years later. Plus, there was something about the "so cold it's frozen" ones that lent themselves to storytelling. This one in particular was already famous, a part of the city's history. The woman who had disappeared at the End of the World. Lilly almost couldn't believe that they had written her final chapter, and in such an unusual way.

As they put their guns in their lockers, Lilly turned to see Scotty with a big, boyish grin plastered on his face, so eager to tell the gang and so easily forgetting whatever it was that had been distracting him in the car. Taking the cue, she shoved her own distractions aside. It wasn't difficult—she was already trying to figure a way to keep him from telling the whole thing himself, even if the effort would probably be futile. With stories, just like with cars, Scotty Valens liked being in the driver's seat.

The truth is, she didn't really mind. Scotty's emotions had a way of influencing everyone around him, and his enthusiasm could make anyone smile. Even Lilly Rush. In fact, he was the only person who could always lighten her mood when he tried. Something about his stupid jokes and dimpled grin…

"You guys ain't gonna believe how we got this one!" Scotty strode in to the squad room towards Kat and Vera, his voice loud enough to get the whole room's attention.

Lilly cocked an eyebrow right away in response. She loved watching him tell their stories—but she loved teasing him just as much.

"We, Scotty? I didn't realize you joined me in playing a taxi dancer." Her eyes twinkled as she walked in behind him.

Nick got wide-eyed real quick. "You mean…You…" His wheels were turning, but not fast enough.

"You pretended to be Audrey?" Kat jumped in with genuine surprise.

Lilly swore she saw Scotty wink at her. "Lil's right, I didn't have nothin' to do with it." He played humble for a half a second before launching into his grand open. "Today's confession comes to you thanks to the performance of one Miss Lilly Rush as Audrey Metz, back from the dead."

His audience was hooked. Though the oddity of a successful interrogation with no questions didn't need much embellishment, Scotty pulled out all the stops. With an odd sort of pride, Lilly took a seat on the desk behind him, content to sit and listen and smile at his version of the day's events.

Paperwork could wait—at least for a few minutes.

The consensus was to have a celebratory drink at Jones'. With the dramatic flair of the confession, Scotty's storytelling, and the old time charm of the era—murder not included—everyone was in a lighter mood than usual.

Lilly was happy about the case, too, and she did like spending time with the gang, but she didn't know if she could handle a night out. With her recent lack of sleep, her ice queen reserves had been running low. God, did she want to sleep. Not that she had ever depended much on it—her passion for solving murders and a history of nightmares prevented that—but ever since the shooting, it was all she could do just to get four straight hours. And what she did get didn't feel like sleep at all but some anesthesia-induced haze. She woke up every night just like she had in the ICU—disoriented and in pain. It was one thing to hold it together at work, but drinks meant interaction, laughter, loud noises…

But to not go out would be worse for maintaining her image of normality. Especially when she was already feeding Scotty bullshit. She knew he wasn't buying any of it, but she really felt like she had to prove she was okay to him. With everyone else, it was just about being the tough cop, about staying in her job, about avoiding the psychiatrist at all costs—not letting them know her weakness. But with Scotty, it was more than that. She wanted him to know that he had been there for her. He had saved her, even if it sometimes didn't feel like it. She knew innately that he would never be okay until he thought that she was—but she was having a much harder time convincing him than she had expected.

So she joined them. Scotty ended up telling the whole confession story again for Boss and Jeffries' benefit. Then, emboldened by alcohol and with no work to distract then, they turned the inevitable discussion of the blonde detective's possible past life as a 30's era housewife turned taxi dancer.

"Nah, I don't see it." Nick took another slug of his beer and shook his head, imagining the terror that Lilly Rush could inspire with a single glare.

"Aw, c'mon Vera, I see it jut fine." Kat chimed in to a surprised look from Lilly. Kat was always one to pick and win fights with Nick, but Lilly hadn't expected her to join in this debate. Kat sensed her colleague's apprehension and turned to face her. "Okay, maybe not the homebody mother, dutiful wife pre-depression part, but definitely taxi dancer Audrey." She made her case to the rest of the group around the crowded table. "They're both smart, tough…scrappy! If there's a girl you want around in rough times, it's Lil."

"Plus," Jeffries chimed in with a smooth smile, "It's not hard to believe that every guy in the joint would want to buy her dances."

Scotty let out a low whistle in agreement. Despite her best efforts, Lilly's cheeks turned a deep rose, encouraging more chuckles from the group. Looking to deflect the sudden compliments and her resulting discomfort, she responded conspiratorially, "Well, from what I hear, Kat's the one who's got all the tickets."

Jeffries and the Boss looked at each other before bursting into deep laughter, while Kat crossed her arms and smiled, dipping her head in acknowledgement.

"What do you say, Lil? We ditch this homicide gig and open our own dance hall?" She said, nudging Lilly with a smile. Lilly let out a snort. She loved having Kat Miller around.

"I guess I better get out of here before I start making career decisions I regret." She took the last swig of her beer and stood up, pleased at her exit. She had stayed long enough that no one would call her out on it. In fact, Kat had used the opportunity to head home to Veronica, leaving the men to turn to the day's sports recap. As she stepped out into the cool night she sighed.

She had made it through.