Title: The Forest

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: All hail Jerry Bruckheimer for he makes all good Cop TV!

Summary: What if George had shot Lily during their confrontation in 'The Woods.'

Pairing: Lily/Scotty

Warning: Spoilers for the Woods

Chapter 1

He crept up the stairs quietly. His pulse quickening with every step. He raced through his thoughts at light speed refusing to let on stick before the next one came flying through.

Did he really think what he had said to Scotty? That George was going to kill Lily anyway? His paternal instincts kicked in as he heard the sound of sobs coming from that attic. If he was humiliating her like he had those other woman he wasn't sure how he was going to face it. The sobs were finally followed by the words, "my mother."

"Son of a bitch" he muttered, so quietly that not even the insects could hear him. How dear he go there. Bring up those feelings, that 49 report. How dare he prey on her most vulnerable emotions. How dare he play this mind game with her!

He continued up the steps as he met Lily's voice. Filled with accusations and rage. The kind of voice that belittled a person until they were so small that they're broken. It had always been on of Lily's tricks. Break them down just enough before providing them with the details. Too bad it hadn't worked on George back in October. Or he wouldn't be on this staircase today.

As he reached the door he heard silence and hoped that the two opponents had reverted to calm chat. However the lull lasted for no more than twenty seconds as a gunshot rang through the air.

Anger surged through him as he kicked down the door. Please let her be okay, he hoped as he raised his gun. He mounted a firm stance as he stood in the doorway. His eyes trained on George before he allowed himself to turn his head in time to see Lily fall to the floor.

The sound her body made appeared to echo but was overshadowed by another gunshot as George put a bullet through his own head. As CSU ran into the room he quickly tended to Lily's body.

As he placed a hand on the crown of her head, stroking her blonde hair, he felt his eyes begin to well up with tears as he saw the blank stare that her face gave off. "Hang on Lil," he coaxed. He reached down to her wrist and felt a weak pulse. Just as George had promised he had put a bullet in her head.

Carefully, he removed her gun from her grasp, knowing that she wouldn't need it at the hospital. As he pulled the metal out of her hands he saw her eyelids blink. "Lily?" he asked hopefully.

"Still-man," he voice was barely a whisper and had a childish quality to it.

"We're going to get you a doctor Lil," he said. "Don't try to talk, just hang on! Oh god please hang on!"

He could see where the bullet had entered. Blood was careening down the side of her forehead like a skier on a steep hill. The wound was just above her left eye, there was no blood coming from anywhere else, to his knowledge, the bullet hadn't exited. She was going to need a craniotomy.

Dammit why hadn't she stayed at the station? If she had then he wouldn't be here trying to keep her calm as the stretcher made its way up the stairs. Why does she have to be so fucking stubborn."

"Get-ting dar-ker," she said. Her words broken phonetically. It was like she was a little child trying to read.

"It's okay Lily, you can sleep now," he said. "The ambulance is on its way up the stairs." He tried to smile as he eyes closed for what could be the very last time. But he tried not to think about it. The stretcher came through the attic door and immediately that paramedics placed her on the stretcher. They strapped her in and attached an oxygen mask for her and took her pulse. They'd take good care of her. He knew they would.

Immediately, the paramedics left taking Lily and the stretcher with them.

TBC

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