I do not own Cold Case or Fleetwood Mac's Gypsy song.
Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter: fbi-woman, Ebony 10, Rhonda Roo, Mari, lulubell6, aeternus aenigma, Aniesa a.k.a Eric's baby, and Anime Fan Team.
She's your gypsy
Kicking the door open, Scotty entered the bleak hallway to his humble abode. Throwing the keys lazily on an adjacent table, one that happened to already be in a state of disarray, he mumbled and groaned, speeding down the hallway towards the kitchen. Man, was he hungry. His thoughts briefly focused on the missed donut, his stomach growling in response. It wasn't that he didn't eat anything at all except that donut, but it was tradition for his stomach to have a filling sugary substance every morning before he started his day there at the office.
...And that smiling, blue-eyed, blond witch cheated you out of that delicious donut. Now what are you gonna do about it? Huh?
"I don't know," Scotty spoke the words clear as day for all to hear, though no one was listening. The realization that he was having an exclusive conversation with his own brain caused him to laugh out loud.
"Geez, I gotta get out more," stepping away from the refrigerator, bringing meat and mustard with him, he sat down at the table and began to fix the much needed sandwich.
He hated to be alone. It was when he was alone that he found himself focusing more and more on what he didn't have instead of what he could be finding. His hand steadied, the knife hanging by a bare grip over the slice of bread as he allowed his eyes to travel over to a well-adorned mantel flooded with pictures-flooded with his past. He settled on one picture in particular-the one of Elisa smiling, while drinking coffee at the local cafe shop. He remembered that day so vividly, the way the trees swayed in the wind, the calmness of the world around them, her voice, him thinking how this was forever.
"Forever," breaking out of his reverie, the disgust in his voice finally came to surface.
He had repressed her memory and yet he was surrounded by her at every corner within his home. He couldn't move on, he didn't have the heart to do so, at least not now.
The butter knife had long since fallen within the middle of his sandwich, but he wanted to spend just a little more time basking in the joy of her smile. Tracing every line of her face with his eyes, he began to feel the slight trickle of a lone tear making its way down his cheek. He gruffly wiped it off with his hand.
...Not very manly I'd say. So are you ever going to move on with your life?
"No, not yet. It's too soon. You know that."
...She would want you to be happy. She loved you and you loved her, but she was unselfish in her love.
"It's betrayal."
...Just something to think about.
"Yeah, whatever," sighing heavily, he finally returned his attention back to the forlorn sandwich on the plate.
(2 am)
He had eaten hours ago, but sleep still evaded his mind and body. Sliding over to the side of the bed, he gathered a lone pair of sweatpants from the floor and made his way back into the kitchen. He flinched as soon as his bare feet hit the cold tile, rubbing a hand over his face, he tried to regain his whereabouts. Flipping on the light, his eyes strained in vain to accommodate the new source of stimulation.
"Ah, this sucks," he moaned, closing the cabinet door after sitting down the can of coffee that would soon bring him nothing but more moments of wakefulness.
Tottering around to the coffee maker, the grounds were thrown in haphazardly and the power set to "ON". Now all he had to do was find something of remote interest to keep his attention until the sweet aroma filled the air with its intoxicating power. However, his search proved fruitless. Television only offered bogus products at this time of night and games just weren't his thing. His thoughts once again shifted to the mantel piece and to Elisa. He watched her still form within the captured moment, waiting for her to come to life, begging for the much needed peace his soul craved at this late hour. Nothing. She just stared back motionless.
....She's dead.
"I know," the words came out, but of a choked nature and silent, which in no way mirrored how he felt inside. He was anything, but quiet, his brain whirling with questions that he didn't have answers to, an incomprehensible mess.
Frustrated, Scotty left the haunting frame and wandered on over to his stereo. It wasn't much to look at, but it got the job done in terms of sound and that's all he ever really cared about anyway. As long as he could hear and feel the music at the same time, then all was spiffy.
"Let's see what we got here," his hands traveled through shelf after shelf, but nothing seemed to call out to him.
Considering the search a failure, he instead flipped it on and braced himself for whatever lay ahead in the music department. He was pleasantly surprised, a greeting from Fleetwood Mac was always welcome. His mind drifted away as the Stevie Nicks sang of love, loss, and redemption.
"...And it all comes down to you."
Elisa was had definitely been his gypsy, but somehow in the seconds he had just spent staring back at her photograph, someone else had come to mind.
(7 am, Headquarters)
"You've been mum since you got here this morning. Were you planning on telling me what's wrong or should I just chalk this up to the calm before another one of your little spiels on the difficulty of detective work and sacrifice," Lily's blue eyes pierced the walls that surrounded her moping partner.
Inwardly flinching at her words, he lifted his head to meet her gaze head on, but within her stare, he found nothing akin to bitterness or anger. Silently thanking God for whatever forgiveness she was offering him at the moment, he decided to take a chance and let her in just a smidge.
"Nothing's wrong," her eyebrow raised in suspicion.
"Well, I uh, I had a little issue last night, but nothing too severe as you can see since I'm alive and here," he chuckled slightly at the end of his omission, hoping that his nonchalant attitude would settle whatever curiosity she had about the situation. It didn't.
"Were you thinking about her?"
"Wha..., about who?"
"You know exactly who I mean Scotty. Stop playing coy. It annoys the hell out of me," her lips pursed in agitation as she continued to write out her reports.
"Excuse me, I don't owe you any explanation..."
"You were the one who started talking about some issue that happened last night and being concerned about you, I tried to get you to talk about it. It helps to have a someone to talk to you know Scotty because otherwise it just all builds up and..."
"Alright! Yes, I was thinking about her. You happy?" His eyes flashed in defiance of her prying attitude.
"Does your anger ever get to take a day off?"
"How can it take a day off when I'm with you all of the time!"
"You weren't with me last night," he watched her chew on the tip of her pen, totally relaxed in the wake of his present state.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm with you everyday at work in person, in the car, upstairs, downstairs, at home..." He stopped mid-sentence. Was that a Freudian slip? And furthermore, did she hear it.
Both eyebrows raised this time, her lips fighting a twisted smile. "At home did you say?"
"Yeah, I said at home. What are implying exactly?" Part of him really wanted to know what the frick was going on in that head of hers, while the other was scared beyond belief that she would say what he painfully wanted to hear-she was happy that he thought of her.
"I'm not implying anything Mr. Valens, just commenting on a rather interesting scenario. I had always imagined myself as being the last thing that you would have wanted weighing on your mind. Am I wrong or has that changed since the last time we spoke?" She was dead serious in her inquiry and that stilled his breath.
Attempting to calm his nerves, he began rearranging the boxes on his desk, glancing up every few seconds to see if she had found something more interesting. She had not and was still awaiting his answer to her question.
"What d'you think?" He could see the wheels turning in her mind, trying to decipher his last statement, but without any luck.
Shaking her head, she spoke steadily, "I'm going to Sonia Carr's house to try and gather some more information about our victim."
Grabbing his coat, he followed her towards the stairs. "Where are you going?"
"I'm coming with you. I can't have you messing up my case file now can I."
"No you're not."
"Yes I am."
"NO you're not." In a flash, she had fled the scene and was now halfway up the stairs leaving Scotty in the dust.
"Lily!" Fleeing towards the open door at the top of the winding staircase, he arrived just in time to witness Lily pilfering his precious donut for the second time this week.
"Hey! You stealin' my donut again!" Reacting to Valen's presence, Lily bit in to the donut and ran for the door.
"Hey, come back here Rush! Rush!" Speeding past curious glances and worried detectives, he managed to zero in on her escaping form.
Hunting her down had been easier than he'd originally thought. By side-stepping numerous pedestrians along the sidewalk, he found himself positioned right behind her within seconds.
Striking at just the precise moment, Scotty's fingers wound themselves around her arm, yanking her back violently. "Ow!"
"Sorry..."
Slap!
Immediately reaching up to nurse the stinging the spot where her hand had come in contact with his cheek, he tried to stop the pain by pressing in on the red area. "What the hell was that for Rush?"
Her incredulous stare caused a chuckle to escape his lips. "Just what do you think you're doing Valens! That hurt."
"Well so did your slap...and by the way, you have some chocolate on your mouth," he waited for her to take the bait, but she remained silent, "What was it that you said to me the other day? For the life of me I can't remember what it was-something about..."
"I said if you want some, then you'll have to come and lick it off." She eyed him closely.
"Hmm, I may have to take you up on that offer since you're plannin' on stealin' my donut every mornin'," and with absolutely no warning, he lowered his lips to the side of her mouth, acting as if he were about to do just as she had instructed.
Panic-stricken, Lily jumped back and out of his reach. Noticing her heaving chest and dilated pupils, he couldn't help but bask in the knowledge that he had caused such a drastic reaction.
"Do I make you nervous Rush?"
TBC.....