It wasn't like fireworks. Or electricity. It was molten glass being spun into a work of art. Without the fire, they were individual panes, together but separate, but this kiss, this heat—it was everything. They were melting into each other, and they could feel the beauty of their creation, what they were becoming, had become.

He had just gone for it. She loved him. He didn't know how it was possible, or what he did to deserve it, but Lilly loved him, and she was standing in front of him, stroking his cheek, and he went for it. Her lips were even softer than he imagined, and as she slowly opened her mouth to his, if he had still been capable of coherent thought he would have determined that this moment was why kissing was invented. He felt their love, their connection, tingle in every nerve in his body.

He had brought his hands around her waist, holding her to him, reveling in the feel of Lilly pressed against him, her heart practically pounding through to his, how small and strong she actually was. She still had her hands on his cheeks, the delicate fingers moving through his hair at his temples, and he shivered with each touch and the thought of what this kiss, slow and tender and meaningful, was doing to him, what that meant for the future. His drug of choice became a whole lot stronger.

She pulled him to her, taking in as much closeness as she could before she had to come up for air.

"Hey." Just holding his gaze, she couldn't remember how she had ever felt safe or warm anywhere else. Or if she ever really had felt those things at all.

"Hey." He smiled, looking so thoroughly happy that Lilly just wanted to keep kissing him forever. "So, I guess we worked things out, huh?"

"Or made even more of a mess," she replied, but with a smile. Despite the reality of her words, they both thought it might be a mess they wouldn't mind dealing with.

He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, no longing, no passion, just confirmation—a promise. He would be here with her. As long as she would have him. And probably even longer.

"Y'know, I really don't feel like going in to work today." Scotty smirked, and Lilly laughed. Scotty always could make her laugh. Despite everything between them having changed so much, it really wasn't that different at all.

"Know what, Scotty? Me neither." She ran her hands from where they had settled atop his shoulders down his arms. "I can think of better ways to spend the rest of the day."

The growl in her voice was as clear as the goosebumps on his skin. He added another note to her list of accomplishments. Lilly Rush: ace detective, top-notch partner, master seductress.

This woman truly would be the end of him.

"Really?"

She laughed again at his adorable excitement before confirming. "Really, Scotty." She took a moment as she considered what they were headed into. "I know there's a lot we have to deal with, but can we just…for now? No more talking."

"No more talking. Got it." For once, Scotty was fine with waiting to talk. At least he was if it meant what he thought it did. But first, he needed to know that he was actually going to get the rest of this magical day.

"Should we call Boss? Let him know we ain't coming in?"

"Way to ruin the moment, Valens," Lilly teased.

Lilly moved to get her phone and he unwillingly loosened his grasp, already missing the feel of her in his arms, thinking somehow that without touching her, this would all go back to being an illusion. Something this good couldn't possibly be real.

But she smiled at him as she dialed, never looking away, and he knew that she was just as worried about disappearing acts as he was.

The phone picked up on the second ring.

"John Stillman."

"Hey, Boss."

"Lil." His voice softened. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, Boss. Scotty and I—well, we're just working some things out, and since we're already so late…" She couldn't help smirking, seeing Scotty grin at her and beginning to imagine exactly how they would be working those things out.

The Boss' baritone saved her from having to continue.

"Lilly, you take the rest of the day. Tell Scotty him too. You both deserve it. Enjoy your weekend for once."

It wasn't entirely unexpected, considering how many days the two of them had saved up, but it was a relief.

"Thanks, Boss, we appreciate it. See you Monday."

"Monday. And everything will be settled between you two." She could practically hear his look from underneath raised eyebrows.

"Yeah. It will."

"Lil?"

"Yeah, Boss?"

"I'm proud of you. See you Monday."

As she hung up, she couldn't help think that once again their Boss knew more than they thought, but she couldn't think to care. She had love and the pride of someone who mattered. And a whole weekend to enjoy it before the world could interfere.

"Good news?" Scotty had watched her go from slight nervousness to excited gratification but now she was practically beaming. Every look suited her, but he couldn't wait to try to make her glow like that every day.

"We got the day. The weekend."

"Great news!"

He kissed her again, though it wasn't quite as gentle this time, wrapping his arms around her, and lifting her up to the counter. His own actions pulled him out of their kiss, surprised that he had gotten so carried away, but when he looked into her eyes, he saw only a mischievous glimmer.

"God, I can't believe I get to do that. I do get to do that, right?"

She laughed. She felt like she had laughed more in the last five minutes than in the last five weeks and each time she felt herself swell with warmth. A warmth that was entirely separate from the heat radiating through her from the sheer proximity of Scotty's body.

"Yes, Scotty, you get to do that. And a few other things I can think you might like…" She grinned as she saw his eyes darken even further, feeling so powerful solely from the effect she clearly was having on him. But as she realized that he was waiting for her to continue, waiting for her to explain exactly what this was, what he could be for her, she recognized that her desire to act first ask questions later would not fly despite his best efforts. Scotty may have been impulsive in their work from time to time, but apparently, he was not willing to risk it in their lives. She dropped her head as she took the time to consider how to explain it all, but sensing him tense, holding her tighter as if that alone could keep him from losing her, she snapped back up to expectant, nervous brown eyes.

"Lil?"

Her heart cracked with the uncertainty that was laced in his voice. Sensing her reluctance, he had assumed that her wishes had changed. He wouldn't ever blame her, but to lose her now…

Lilly knew she needed to say something, anything.

"Look, Scotty. I did mean it when I said no more talking." She tried to tease him, but it wasn't what he needed. It wasn't what they needed. Trying again, she brought her hand to his cheek as if to secure her gaze.

"It's just…" She faltered. Despite the overwhelming success of her earlier revelations, this sharing thing was still new and dangerous. "I don't know that I can handle another discussion right now, about what this means, for us, for the job, about what we are..."

Even feeling incredibly raw and fearing what the future could bring, Lilly realized she was ready to be open. She was ready for someone to protect her so she didn't have to. For someone to work through any obstacles with her. That someone had to be Scotty. And she had to tell him that so she would never have to see the worry of losing her in his precious brown eyes again.

"But in the meantime, I—I think this will help." Taking a deep breath, she continued.

"You have my heart, Scotty Valens, and I think you know what that means. I am in this, whatever this is, forever. Always."

His face instantly lit up, all confusion and trepidation long gone and replaced with his signature cocky, crooked smile.

She sighed in relief at her apparent success. "God, when did I get so sappy? I think you're a bad influence." She knocked him lightly on the shoulder, trying to discredit her admission with humor, but not able to resist mirroring his effusive expression.

His smile grew, even though she hadn't thought it possible. He saw right through her, and she had said exactly the right thing.

"I love you. And I will never get tired of sayin' it." He punctuated his declaration with a tender kiss. "I'll never get tired of that either. But in the meantime…"

He wanted her to know that he understood, and that more than anything, he wanted to treasure this time with her in the present.

"This is our day. Not thinkin' about what comes next, or other people or whatever. Just us."

She nodded, eternally grateful for everything he had given her.

He once again smiled in return, their wordless language that had served them so well as partners returning to them with a whole new vocabulary. And she noticed when it began to shift from joy to something a little slyer.

She found out why when he suddenly lifted her from the counter, sweeping her into his arms. She actually giggled as he marched down the hall, carrying her towards the bed where it had all started.