Chapter 2

AN: Hi BlueeSquint: Thank you very much for reviewing the first chapter,

i send you a pm at your account, too!

So, as you wish, i will go on with the story!

Lightly sunshine stretched through the window and Scotty folded the belt of his bathrobe across his abdomen and took another sipp of water from the mini bar.

A quite knock at his door woke him up from his reverie while staring out of the window to the really beautyful golden leaves in the sunlight which are whistling in a warm summer brease.

He went through his wet hair with both hands and opened the door.

„Oh, hi! Scotty... if i'm distrubing anything i can come back later... uh, when you've dressed and..."

He frowned irritated as Lilly turned around on her heels, almost fled back in the hallway.

„No, Lil, it's okay, come in. I'll be ready in a minute."

Slowly she creeped through the door after him and looked around herself uncomfortable in search for a chance to sit down.

„The couch is a little bit hard but it'll do. Take a seat please, you're making me nervous pacing around my room."

Scotty grinned and took a shirt and his jeans he already speard across his bedside and went to the bathroom. He left the door open a gap and asked:

„Was your bathroom decorated with tiny little roses, too? I almost jumped as i recognized them.."

No answer.

„Lil?"

He put on the jeans and opened the door.

She leaned on his desk, studied a photo he brought with him.

„Who's this?" she asked absently smiling at it.

„Oh, that's Marisol, the first babygirl for the Valens family in ages- Alley gave birth to her last month. She's a beauty like her mother, isn't she?"

Lillys left hand touched the babys face lightly and Scotty saw... something... in her eyes.

„I didn't noticed she was pregnant again at all..."

Yes, he was right. Her look at the picture turned from smiling to almost a sad note in her big blue eyes.

„You haven't seen her a long time, that's all."

he reassured.

„Yeah, and how's Emilio doing as a big brother now?"

Scotty laughed and his voice was a little bit muffled as he creeped through the arms of his black

t-shirt.

„Fine, really fine. He wished he can take her to school the next day Alley and his little babysister arrived home so he can present her to all his little girlfriends and impress them with his big brothers qualities and his charm."

Lilly nodded. „He's a real Valens, ya know."

„Oh yes, he is."

Scotty grabbed his jacket and pointed to the door.

„Shall we?"

Lilly placed the picture carefully back to its place and smiled at him.

„Never thought you can be ready so fast- thought you have to put on some make ups or so..."

He grimmaced and offered her his right arm.

„I'm a natrually good looking guy, i don't need to fake anything, Rush."

„Yeah, you're a ladies man all way, Valens. Just watch your back when Emilio turns five-

he will steal them all away..."

Scotty just laughed a little deeper and lead her to the elevator.

„As long as i have you i will be alright, ya know."

he smiled and giggled as he saw her shocked face as the doors of the elevator closed.

„By the way, you're a nice sight this evening yourself, Lil."

he complimented her and took in her appearence.

She weared a deep red blouse that remembered him of a scarlet rose and a black knee high skirt.

Her hair was in a lax ponytail with a few loose strands that sourrounded her cheekbones and her earrings sparkeled in the dimmed light as they went through the entrance of the restaurant.

„Thanks." she blushed a little and they were looking for a table.

„Hey guys, over here!" the rough southern voice of the waitress lead them to a nice and lonesome looking one near the stage.

The Jukebox played Aretha Franklins „I say a little prayer" quitely and there were not many people here this evening. No wonder, it wasn't that late for other people to go out or have a date or something like that...

Scottys thoughts drifted back to his partner and for just a second his mind played a prank on him

and he imagined them having something like that, too.

„What do you want to eat?" he asked to bring himself back into reality.

„Oh, i'm not really.. i mean.."

Since when does Lilly Rush didn't finish her sentences?

Is something wrong with her?

„Lil, come on, what's up? I can't even remember a time in less than nearly eight years that i hear you stumble over your own words! You can tell me..."

In an ordinary moment of courage he reached over and took her left hand in his.

He could feel her tremble at this sudden treatment.

„Scotty, don't... I can't do this!"

She sneaked back her hand under his and he could tell by the look on her face, that she was lying.

A few years back he would had leave it in this moment, wouldn't try to get a statement from her again. But he was tired of this...dancing back and forth, always on his tiptoes around her.

„Then stop it. And tell me what brings so much fear in that wonderful eyes of yours."

he told her calmly and looked at his menue card.

„I think i'll would like to order a big RipEye and Baked Potato. What about you-

and don't tell me you'll order a salad- you're thin enough that i can look around you without turning my head."

She gave him a nervous glance between long lashes and brought up her own card to hide behind it.

„Okay, i need something sweet. Maybe pancakes or something like that."

„There are something which is called „Kartoffelpuffer" in here. Seems it's some german food, some kind of pancake made of potatos, onions and comes with applesauce."

Lilly nodded. „That'll be fine with me."

„Ah, 'kay, and what about drinks? Is it still appletinis?"

he couldn't help but teased her about Saccardo again.

„No, thank you. I'd prefer something less alcoholic, please."

she returned sour and made a face.

„If you think so. I need a beer."

Scotty looked around the Bar.

Suddenly he became aware of the song which's playing in the thick air.

Lifehouse. You and me.

Damn, that text was so... as if it was written about the two of them and this

very moment.

He stared at her now. Does she hears it, too?

The card went down a little bit and she fixed his brown eyes wirh her deep blue ones.

This time she didn't look away and it seemed to last forever.

„Hey, you two little lovebirds, i need your order, please!"

The waitress!

Where did she come from?

Seemed to be out of nowhere.

„Hhm, we..." and he ordered for the both of them.

They waited for their order.

Lilly regarded her nails.

Then she looked up again.

„It's time,isn't it."

she said almost in a whisper, more a statement than a question and took back a loose strand of blond hair. She sighed.

He stared at her.

„Yeah. Will be a long overdue talk."

„Who shall begin?"

Lilly took her underlip between her teeth.

Scotty could tell she was nervous.

„Won't to do anything to offend you, Lil, but maybe it is better when it's me, i think."

Scotty sighed himself and blinked against the light on their table.

„It'll be fine with me." she reassured him and he took all his strength to go on.

„Okay, Lil. What i said back in Philly, when we brought home Chris... i'm sorry.

I don't want to scream at you about beeing so damn stubborn about not telling boss everything..."

„And i'm sorry for taking your ass with me when you had your own family affairs to look after,

Scotty."

He sank down his head. Grieve and responsibility washed over him in waves.

„No, that's my problem."

Lilly looked at him with pityful eyes and now it was her turn to reach out to him and she squeezed his shoulder lightly.

„That's what partners are for. It'll be okay, Scotty. One day all that will be long gone and she can starts to forget or at least to pretend it never happened."

He shook his head.

„It is not her who can't go on with life. It's me."

She stared at him speculating.

„You know you can tell..."

He grabbed her hand and his eyes gleamed like they're going to burn her.

„Tell you everything?! Is it that what you want to say to me? Do you hear your own speach, Lil?

You're such a hypocrite, Lilly Rush."

He let go of her hand because the waitress arrived at their table and placed the food between them.

„Na, na, clouds up on paradise beach? Honey, you should forgive him, whatever he did.

Haven't seen such a good together looking couple like the two of you in over a decade now, believe me." she put her pencil behind her ear and went back to her Bar.

Lilly frowned at her.

„Why does everybody here thought we're a couple?"

she asked more to herself and brought down her fork in the Puffer.

Scotty sighed and took a bit of his steak, chewing thoughtful.

( Maybe because they see something we've been missing.")

They ate in silence and nipped at their drinks after the meal.

Lilly took in the other girls and came to the thought that all woman in here

would like to replace her at his side.

As long as she could tell from the murderous looks she got from the other

woman in here.

„Wanna dance?" Scotty asked all out the sudden and that famous grin of his covered his handsome features.

He was already standing at her side of the table and streched out his hand to her.

„Sure, let's give it a try." she said slowly and let him took her to the dancefloor.

She remembered the last time she saw him dancing... that was at that day they closed the Sugar case and went to the „Runnaway Pig" with the detectives from Big Daddys Department.

But this wasn't a country bar and nobody who knew them would be here. So why not?

Scotty remembered the last time he thought he saw her dancing.

It was with that dumfolded ADA Kite and she didn't know Scotty was there.

But he had been and he could clearly felt that knife again sliding through his heart

as he recognized them in the crowd.

God, he had been jealous.

If he was truthful with himself, he had been with all her relationships and even with every guy who had come near her.

The thought alone that these greasy types could touch her, kiss her a way he'll never get the chance to... had drove him near senseless.

He knew that he his only reason to even be with Christina Rush was that she was a part of Lil's life and he... needed to be part of her life that time more than ever.

Like in the sentence: Bad news are good news.

Everybody was there for him at that time and he let them help him through the hell after Elissas suicide, all of them, but Lilly.

He could not take the risk of her seeing him.. weak and helpless.

He didn't want to be that way in her eyes, her mind.

All she should see in him should to be that knight in shining armor on a horse,

hurrying to her resucue... not the other way 'round!

He paid the price for his proudness.

He loosed her along that dark way he had been going with Christina to unknown destination.

Scotty would never ever forget the simple and clearly pain in her blue eyes as he'd confronted her with the Chris thing in the Lobby.

All he wanted back then was to... yeah, what did he wanted to hear from her?

That she beg him to stay away from Chris. She did it and he didn't listen at all.

Or was it... that he wanted to hear her say that she's jealous?

That all she, Lilly Rush, Ice Queen of Homicide, wanted for herself is him being more to her than just her partner at work?

They screamed at each other like mad gone kids.

Throwing things at each others heads to only hurt the other most.

Never ever again had Scotty felt such hard punches.

But he had never seen that kind of hurt in her eyes, too and he had caused it.

But then...unbelieveable, he had come to his senses again.

He apoligized and Lilly had forgiven him.

Chris was out of the way and maybe she even understood what's going on on his wasted mind at that time more than himself.

Or maybe she wanted him in her life as much as he wished to be part of it, too.

As Chris returned with her narcotic problem he had seen his former lover in that Bar.

And there had been no power, no chance for her to took control over his feelings again-

because nowadays he was himself again and he was with Lilly still.

Chris had no chance to break that new and stronger bond than the one it had been before.

Because he loved Lilly.

He loved Lilly.

God, what kind of fool i am.

And Chris seemed to sense it.

„That's how it is now, Scotty?"

she had asked him in that bar and he had answered without thought:

„Yeah, that's it, Christina."

She had speak it out in front of him.

„The only one who knows my sister, the way she feels, the way she is, is you, Scotty."

He had known it from that line on.

He knew that he should had told Lilly about Christinas visit.

But he feared that she come to the wrong thoughts and might thought he could have had something going on with her sister again.

And he had not want to take the risk of loosing her, for God's sake.

Not again.

Not forever.

Because he had feared that this FBI Agent Cavanaugh had already took her heart away from him at that time.

And when Scotty Valens feared loosing his one love, it strarted to bring him to loose controll.

And he said things, did things, he didn't want to do.

Like throwing: „So just go and take that damn job!" in her shocked face.

„You'll forget about us like you'll forget about your sister!"

He had realized the moment the words slipped out of his mouth what he had gave away with that outbourst.

And had been really embrassed about it although one part of him whished she

would understood in that second, what he wished to say with that words.

But she'd showed otherwise.

„What?!" she had said caught in surprise.

But something had change between that encounter from a few years ago to today.

They didn't turn away from eachother.

Both had stayed and looked in the other ones eyes.

Both had calmed down and got to their senses before they'll hurt eachother again.

„Why wouldn't you just tell me?" she had asked him, tears in her eyes, obvisious for him to see.

(„Because I can't stand the thought of loosing you once more, Lil!") he had wanted to answer

but had noticed that this could have had lead them to new, dangerous territory.

And he could not go there at that day.

He hadn't been ready for announcing his real feelings in front of her.

Because... if she didn't feel the same...

He will be loosing her, too.

And it was better to only be her friend in professional distance than to loose her in every way

he had ever have her.

He couldn't believe he was that damn blind all those years!

All these thoughts rushed through his mind that very second he felt her hand resting in his.

As if this was some kind of initial ignition.

And he learned something else:

All he, Scotty Valens, Homicide Detective, too, wanted to do for the rest of his life was holding her against him like this forever.

They played a slow one, country style and he realized that must be dancing for longer than he had thought.

It was Tim McGraws „Angry all the Time" a duet with his wife Faith Hill.

She was in his arms and swayed a little back and forth whereever he'd lead her to.

He never thought Lilly Rush would be someone who let herself take away with him in a song.

It changed to an older one of McGraws songs.

But that one matched even better the situation.

The famous county singer sung „All we ever find".

Lilly had relaxed during this dance and had allowed her head to come to rest on his shoulder.

He could feel her warmth against his whole body and inhaled her scent like a lovesick teenager.

It remembered him of ... Maple syrup.

Something so completly sweet, but so natural,too, so really Lil.

He held his breath, closed his eyes, knowing that probably this moment was maybe his only chance in life to be so close to her, that she allowed him to be that near her.

Lilly was now leaning full against his body with her own, giving up all professionalism, just beeing Lilly and Scotty here in Nashville, Tennessee, where no colleques were there to watch them, no work nor family issues could come and ruin this moment.

God, this felt so good.

So right.

Like finally coming home where you belong.

Sweet life. Nothing more but also nothing less.

His lips put down a light butterfly kiss on her exposed neck and he could feel her shiver.

„Thanks for the dance, Lil." he whisphered.