"Why not?"
Summary: During a slow day at work, Lilly looks at Scotty with new eyes. Post-"Lover's Lane".
Spoilers: Season 1.
Disclaimer: You already know. They're not mine.
A/N: This fic came to my mind as something really possible, even though I'm not a L/S shipper. Okay, I admit it! The L/S bug has bit me, and I'm afraid it's incurable. This fic is dedicated to all the L/S shippers that I talk to (they know who they are).
It was a very slow day at the precint. After they had solved the Eve Kendall case, a week ago, nothing new had come along. In other occasions, that would have made Lilly go to the storage where all the cold cases' boxes are kept, and look for something. But not now. She still had a lot of paperwork to do, and she wasn't being able to focus.
"Idiot. Jerk." Lilly's mind was incontrollable as she typed something on the computer. The two days after Kite broke up with her, she was sad and quiet, but now that was passed and she was on the angry stage of the breakup. "I can't believe I trusted him. I knew for the beginning that he was scum. Why? Why?" She didn't realize but she was hitting the keys on the keyboard harder and harder.
"Whoa! What did this innocent keyboard do to you?" Scotty asked as he took his place on the desk next to hers. He had a smile on his face, while he waited for Lilly's answer.
Lilly smiled. Oh, Scotty. He always found a way to make her laugh. "Yeah… I kind of…got lost in my thoughts."
Scotty knew what she meant. Three days before, during a conversation, she quickly mentioned that she and Kite weren't seeing each other anymore. He didn't ask her any questions because she didn't look like she wanted to talk about it.
So, he just answered. "It happens." And concentrated in his own paperwork.
Somehow, Scotty's interruption managed to drive Lilly's thoughts away from Kite. She glanced at her partner. She watched him for about 5 seconds. Scotty looked very handsome in his suit.
"Stop it, Lilly." She thought as she looked back at her computer. Yes, Scotty was cute. She had noticed it before, but, now, that information seemed to strike her differently. Why is that she never looked at Scotty that way? They had been working together for almost a year, but still, she never looked at him like he was a man.
Lilly became even more disturbed as that "bell" kept ringing on her head. She had overheard Scotty telling Stillman that he and Elisa were not together anymore. He was alone. As Lilly was.
"Oh my god, Lilly Rush! Control yourself!" Lilly ran her fingers through her hair. She felt her cheeks with her hands, to see if they were hot. She had a feeling she was blushing.
"Are you ok, Lil?" Scotty asked, turning his head from the computer. He had a grin on his face, and Lilly sensed he was going to make some kind of joke.
"I'm fine, sure. Just need some coffee." She got up quickly, and headed for the coffee room. But before she got there, she tripped in a chair on the way. And knowing that Scotty was watching, it made her blush even more.
"Ok." Scotty said, not really understanding what was going on with Lilly. Her tripping made him laugh, but he hid behind some papers so she wouldn't notice.
Finally, Lilly made to the coffee room. She made her coffee and sat on the table, in a position from where she could watch Scotty, but he wouldn't see her. Suddenly, all the moments where he had made her laugh with his jokes, and all the times were he offered to help her started to come to her mind.
Scotty was a great man. This was something she had noticed a long time ago. But now it was a different meaning. It's like she suddenly realized she's a woman, and he's a man, and both are single.
"Why not?" She started asking herself. "Yeah, why not? Scotty is certainly better that most of the men I've met in my life."
Lilly sighed and took another sip of coffee. No, it would definitely bring problems. Co-workers dating was highly disapproved. Not matter how professional they were, it would be impossible to keep things separated.
Those realistic thoughts got mixed with more thoughts of Scotty and his jokes, his smile, his passion for the job. He certainly would understand what her job meant to her. Not all people were able to do that. She shook her head to repel a few memories from the last week.
"That's the problem, Lilly. You're lonely. You've just been dumped and that's why you're having those stupid daydreams." She shook her head again. "For God's sake, Lilly! It's Scotty." She laughed, and finished her coffee.
"Hey. You wanna fill me in on the joke?" Scotty asked. He was standing in front of her, and she didn't know for how long.
Lilly remained speechless for a while. "Oh, it was nothing…" She got up. "It was just…"
"Thoughts." He interrupted her, smiling.
"Yeah, just thoughts." She nodded. "So, you need something? Coffee?"
"No. Just came to call you. Boss has something for us." He said
"Great!" Lilly said.
"Let's go." Scotty said, smiling.
Lilly watched Scotty turn to go to Stillman's office. She smiled to herself. "It's just Scotty…" Her smiled faded away. "But… why not?"
Lilly chose to leave that question unanswered. For now.
THE END