Hey Everyone ! So this is the first story that I've thought of maybe starting on this website. Actually it's the first story I've ever written so constructive criticism is welcome. Let me know if I should think about continuing it.

Chapter 1: Don't Stand So Close To Me

Lilly Rush picked up the black permanent marker with a quiet triumphant feeling as she wrote CLOSED in capital letters on the monotonous white box. Sighing heavily, she looked around at her colleagues, all with a similar tired but satisfied look on their faces. It was really amazing how close they could become working these cold cases. A few years ago, who'd have thought this mismatched group of people … would become her family? And this case - this case full of ups and downs - had them all looking at each other for support. Another case closed, another family getting closure, another sleepless night …

Not now Rush, Lilly silently criticized herself as she descended the stairs into the evidence warehouse. Her partner, Scotty Valens, could always tell when something was on her mind when it shouldn't be. Especially in the recent months, after … Oh, shut up. Scotty had noticed the insomnia the first day she came into work a little too weary, a little too much makeup on her face to hide the crappy night. Thank god he'd never approached her about it. He seemed to know instinctively what she needed to get through that first month and even though Lilly knew he liked to tackle problems head on, he'd allowed her the space to push it out of her mind. And for that, she would be forever grateful.

Finally replacing the evidence box where it belonged, joining the ranks of cases they'd put to sleep, Lilly found herself completely drained. That was the downside to being a lone wolf cop. At the end of a case that took almost everything out of you, you had no one to lean on but yourself. The problem with that was that being a homicide detective required you to compartmentalize your human side; because if you didn't, if you allowed each case to get to you, it would all become way too much. Sometimes, when you're looking for yourself in that box you put your emotions away in, you couldn't find it.

Shaking her head fiercely, Lilly climbed the stairs and attempted to clear her melancholy mood. What the hell was wrong with her? The team had just closed another case; she should be celebrating, wearing that self satisfied grin like all the rest of them. A night with her cats, in front of the TV, that's exactly what she needed to get back to normal.

The idea of a smile crossed Lilly's face as she thought of the coziness of her own home and picked up her coat. Had she been paying attention to anyone else, she'd have noticed the teasing grins they were all wearing. But she was almost out the door …

"Where're you off to, Lil?" Scotty called after her. No way is she thinking of leaving without getting a drink.

Spinning around, Lilly replied. "Home." And hoped it would be the end of things. The team had taken to going out to the local bar, Joe's, for a drink at the end of cases, but she really wasn't up for it tonight. But one look at the grin on Scotty's face told her he'd remembered their recent tradition. Another look around the room told her there was no way she was getting out of it.

Vera shot her a passive look when she cast her gaze at him, but out of the corner of her eye, she knew he was in on Plan Make Sure Lilly Goes Out Tonight. He was simply trying to avoid her wrath by taking the middle ground. When she looked away, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly in repressed laughter.

Stillman and Jeffries, on the other hand, were smiling kindly at her. "We're all going Lil." Boss nudged her gently. "Might as well … let your hair down."

Raising his hand in offer of a high five, Scotty enthused. "Yeah, boss." But quickly lowered his arm, clearing his throat when Stillman raised an eyebrow at him.

Turning to the only other female in the room, Kat Miller, Lilly hoped for some support. But she sighed heavily as the message in Kat's dark eyes became clear. Hey, if I have to spend another second with these Neanderthals, then so do you.

Knowing she was outnumbered and that she was going out tonight no matter what, Lilly acquiesced gently. "I guess I'm going for a drink."

It's okay, her mind told her, this could work too. Get so drunk you don't remember what happened that night you decided to walk into the bullpen with a gun wielding, angry lover. Wincing slightly at the sudden onslaught of images in her head, Lilly plastered a smile to her face and followed her colleagues out of the now darkened squad room.

About an hour later, Lilly was sitting at the bar, occasionally taking sips of the beer in front of her and wishing fervently that she was at home instead of here. As another drunken college student took the stage for karaoke, Lilly changed her mind. Anywhere but here would be alright for now. Burying her head in her arms and suppressing a groan, Lilly vowed to never let them, people, coerce her into coming here when all she wanted was a night with Tripod and Olivia, again.

From somewhere across the bar, Scotty glanced at his partner, who clearly wasn't enjoying herself. Too bad, he thought sadly. He knew that she needed some sort of distraction. From … from what? Oh, yeah. From life. He should know. Only about 2 years ago, he'd have given his right arm to just forget about all the crap that had finally hit the fan. Lil gettin' shot's not like Elisa dyin'. He reminded himself sternly, but then he stopped there. Because there was no freaking way he was going down that road of self loathing again. Not tonight. So he took another swig of his scotch and lined up another shot on the pool table.

Just as he took the shot, Vera's voice rang out, "Distracted Valens? Cause if you hadn't noticed I'm kicking your ass."

His hand slipping at the last second, Scotty missed his shot horribly and straightened up to glare at the … interference that was Nick Vera.

"What the hell, man?" He griped, his voice laced with not anger, but irritation.

Vera chuckled, "You been staring at Lil all night. 'Ain't like it's a secret, what you two got going on."

His eyes suddenly wide with alarm, Scotty replied, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Scotty's deer in the headlights look made Vera want to roll his eyes, but he decided to suppress the reflex. Anyways, the man was obviously misunderstanding him. "Ever since she came back to work, you've been walking on eggshells around her." Vera turned around, lined up his shot and, to his excitement, the one day Valens was sucking seemed to be his lucky day. The ball landed neatly where it was supposed to go.

Scotty shrugged helplessly as he calculated what his best chance at catching up to Vera, and fast, was. As he prepared to sink at least 2 balls, his other colleague, Will Jeffries', deep voice rang out from behind him.

"Someone should go hang out with Lilly. She looks lonely."

Damn it. Scotty thought at he missed again. Sighing heavily, he turned away from the pool table and found two pairs of eyes staring at him. "What?"

"Lil" The two older male detectives replied in unison.

Lilly was seriously considering sneaking out of the bar when the excited, and intoxicated, chatter of the people around her started to bring on a headache. She reminded herself to be annoyed at the fact that her colleagues had convinced her to come here, and then abandoned her to the wolves. Just as she was straightening up, the familiar, woody scent of Scotty Valens filled the air as her partner sidled up next to her.

"Havin' fun?" He asked with a grin.

"Yeah, Valens, a blast." She replied sarcastically, a small smile coloring her lips.

"Cause you know, you could always go join Miller out there." He cocked his head toward to the center of the bar and Lilly followed his gaze to an exuberant Kat Miller, who was usually the tough as nails cop that scared everyone away, but today was dancing our her troubles on the dance floor. With what appeared to be a complete stranger. Lilly couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"If I get that drunk, shoot me, please."

Scotty laughed appreciatively. She was making jokes, this was going well. She hadn't torn him a new one for dragging her out there yet. Maybe she was even having a good time.

"Same here." He commented softly.

A few minutes later, they'd descended into a comfortable silence and Scotty racked his brains, looking for some way to ask her what had been on his mind. Some way that wouldn't make her disappear behind the mask she wore so skillfully, because he'd seen a bit of the old Lilly tonight and wanted to keep it that way. Surprisingly, she spoke up first.

"Hey Scotty?" She looked over at him. "Thanks."

Scotty grinned. At least he'd done something right tonight. "No problem."

Lilly stared at him somewhat incredulously. "Aren't you gonna ask what for?"

"Nah." Came the cocky reply. "I can guess. You think that if I hadn't made you come out here. You'd be in your house with those cats you go on about all the time, which wouldn't be as entertaining as watching an addled Miller and hangin' out with me."

"Guess they didn't make you detective for nothing." Lilly said as she raised her glass at him. But she didn't reveal how surprised she was at the fact that he had, once again, read her mind. Because try as she might to pretend like she needed no one, the human contact was doing her some good. God knows you need a more normal life, anyways Rush. She reminded herself.

Seeming to understand the words she didn't voice, Scotty placed his hand on her back and stared into her soulful blue eyes. As her eyes met his, Scotty felt a shot of desire run through his system and quickly shook off the feeling. You must really be drunk. His brain told him. But logically, he knew, it wasn't possible. He'd barely had any scotch tonight. Before he could react though, Lilly stood up, practically knocking his hand off her back.

"I gotta go Scotty." She looked apologetic, but more than that, she looked confused. And before Scotty could react, she was out the door, leaving the barstool beside him suddenly hostile when it was not occupied by Lilly Rush. Shaking his head and taking another drink, Scotty wondered whether he was seriously lacking in sleep, because there was no freaking way he should be thinking about Lilly like that. She's your partner. Your Friend. But underneath the logic, his instincts screamed at him. So?