A/N Don't worry! I haven't been sucked into a vortex of nothingness! I'M ALIVE! But there have been some changes in my life, so I apologize for my absence. Yes, before you all throw stones at me, I am still working on 'Somebody Like Us'. The first two chapters are done, but you might have to wait a while for the third. Let me know if you want me to go ahead and start that anyway. Now onto this little...thing. I was watching Season 3 again, and after THAT scene in 'Beautiful Little Fool' (where a drunken Lilly calls Kite) this popped into my head. It takes place right after Kite picks up and Lilly's like "OMG". So here ya go. I really hope you enjoy it- it is one of my favorite oneshots so far! :)
Disclaimer: I may have been absent for a long time, but unfortunately, I am still waiting on that one special e-mail...
"I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."
– The Great Gatsby
***
Her fingers where dialling another number before her brain could process what had happened.
"Hello?"
Dammit. His voice still sent shivers racing down her spine, and Lilly knew that no amount of alcohol could possible make those disappear. Pressing the phone to her shoulder, the blonde detective sighed heavily. Why? Why would you phone him?
"Hello?"
"The barman took my keys."
Lilly clapped a hand to her forehead. You call your partner up, and that's the first thing that comes out of your mouth? Way to go, Rush. All time low. She seriously considered slamming her head into the wall.
"Lil?"
Lilly almost laughed. You're so drunk he doesn't even recognize your voice! Jesus, Lilly...
"Yeah, Scotty," she said wearily, "it's me. I was just...I was just...did you know that I phoned Kite? Yeah. I phoned Kite, and...and told him...that..."
Scotty chuckled slightly, familiarizing himself with the less than sober Lilly Rush. He sat up on his sofa, tuning down the volume until it became nothing more than a background hum. The barman took her keys? Damn. She must be completely out of it, he thought. Mind you, she was still sober enough to phone you, right? That's gotta be a plus.
Outside the bar, the blonde detective was completely aware that she was rambling, but whether that was down to the alcohol or the man at the other end of the phone line, she didn't know.
"...and it's not as though we didn't have fun, you know? I mean, we had fun. You may think that I'm some sorta Ice Queen, but Lilly Rush knows how to have fun..."
Scotty sighed. He cleared his throat, and his partner's slurred drabbles came to a sudden halt. The male detective shook his head.
"I'm gonna come pick you up. You ain't in no state to be drivin'. Where are you?"
Lilly giggled.
"I'm...I have no idea. I. Have. No. Idea."
Her partner couldn't help but chuckle.
"Lil, you're completely wasted," he said gently. Lilly laughed, and Scotty failed to stop the delighted smile that spread across his face.
"Not totally wasted," she replied brightly.
"Listen to me," Scotty continued, "Lilly?"
The blonde detective giggled again.
"I fell over!"
"Lilly, I want you to go back inside, OK? Go inside," he instructed patiently. He listened to her scrape herself off the floor, and laughing softly, he heard the telltale sound of a door opening and swinging shut. The noises of the bar made him grin, but when a man's voice could be heard beside Lilly, Scotty couldn't stop a frown from creasing his forehead.
"Hello?"
The detective felt his hackles rise.
"Who the hell are you?" he demanded roughly.
"Jack Townsend."
"You better not be takin' advan..."
"Chill out, man. I'm the bartender at Kevin's Bar."
Scotty ran a hand over his face, breathing a sigh of relief.
"The bartender. Right. Sorry," he muttered. The bartender chuckled.
"No worries. You coming to pick up Miss Booze-head? I'm holding her keys."
"Yeah...yeah, I'll be right there."
Scotty let the door shut behind him. It didn't take him long to scout out the blonde detective sitting at the bar, and with a slight smile, he made his way towards the counter. Seeing him approach, Jack the Barman sighed in relief.
"Valens, right?"
"Yeah, man."
Lilly turned, her face lighting up at the sight of her partner beside her.
"SCOTTY!" she cried happily, flinging her arms around him. He chuckled, gently hugging her back. Who'd have known Rush was a happy drunk?
"Hey, Lil."
"Did ya know Jacko here took my keys? I mean, how am I supposed to get home?" Lilly pouted, her cheek pressed against his chest. Scotty shook his head, astonished at how different she was when she let herself go, when she broke away from the stiff professional he had the pleasure of knowing on a daily basis.
"Come on, Lil. I think we better go," he chuckled. His partner's face fell, and her lower lip trembled.
"But I don't wanna go. I want one more drink," she whined.
"We can drink at home, Lil," the male detective replied appealingly. Her face brightened again, and she tossed some cash onto the bar.
"Whatcha waitin' for, Scotty?" she exclaimed. Scotty laughed, quickly adding a few extra bills to the pile. The bartender winked gratefully, taking the cash and stashing it below the counter. Lilly slid off the bar stool and straight into Scotty's arms as her legs buckled. Lifting her into a standing position, the male detective looped an arm around her waist, holding her upright against him. Lilly giggled, tucking her head under his chin.
"Easy, Lil. I don't wanna have to make a trip to the ER tonight, OK?"
"I'm fine," she said pointedly, stumbling over her own feet as they began to move towards the door.
"Yeah, an' I'm the Queen o' Sheba," he retorted, no longer bothering to conceal his grin. She shivered in the icy breeze, and Scotty ran his hand up and down her arms. Lilly was still talking, her mutinous mumbles lost under her breath.
"...and Joseph just left. Like he has anything better to do..."
"OK, Lil," Scotty said, "keep walkin'."
The inebriated detective looked up at him with sad eyes.
"You know why I was so mad?" she asked suddenly. Scotty felt his smile fade.
"Why?" he replied seriously. Lilly prodded his side as she spoke, frowning.
"Because. Kite. Didn't. Love. Me."
Scotty wrapped an arm around her waist, managing to stop his partner sliding to the floor as they headed towards his car.
"No, Lil, he didn't."
Lurching forward, Lilly came to a sudden stop, gazing up at him with wide eyes.
"Do you love me, Scotty?" she asked, and for a moment, the male detective caught a glimpse of what she must have been like as a child. He contemplated his answer. He could lie. Or he could tell the truth. Oh fuck it, he thought, ain't as if she's gonna remember anythin' in the mornin'.
"Yeah, Lil. I love you."
Lilly's eyes lit up, a delighted smile spreading from her lips.
"You do?"
"I do," Scotty replied with a grin.
"How much do you love me?" she pressed, her eyes narrowing slightly. He chuckled.
"Too much, Lil. I love you too much."
Stifling a sigh of relief as they arrived at his vehicle, Scotty carefully leant his partner up against the car door, reaching into his back pocket for the keys. Before he could react, her lips clumsily collided with his, her hands wrapped tightly around the front of his shirt. He froze. She was drunk...she didn't know what she was doing...
Scotty knew he should pull away, but the feel of her tongue persistently stroking his lips, begging entry to his mouth, held him in place. His arms encircled her waist, and Lilly snaked a hand up to tangle in his hair. When they finally broke apart, she leant up to whisper conspiratorially in his ear.
"I love you too. But don't tell anyone."
With Lilly's words echoing in his ears, Scotty managed to ease Lilly into the passenger seat, lifting her legs into the car before shutting the door. The smile that stretched wide across his face refused to fade, and as he closed his own door, the male detective shook his head in amazement.
"Scotty? Scotty, I don't feel so good."
His arm shot out, opening her door just as Lilly leant over to empty her stomach contents onto the concrete. Scotty rubbed her back, slowly smoothing out the creases in the back of her shirt.
"Easy, Lil. Easy."
After a moment, she folded her body back into the seat, groaning. Rolling down the windows, Scotty slowly pulled away from the sidewalk.
"Scotty, why is the car driving in circles?"
It turned out that when under the influence, Lilly could change between happy and sad as easily as if someone had flipped a switch. Tears built at the corner of her eyes, and as she fell asleep, they finally crept out from beneath her eyelids. Glancing across at her, Scotty smiled as he watched the light from the passing streetlamps dance across her face.
Before he knew it, the male detective had parked up outside his partner's house. He slowly moved around to her side of the car, opening the door and undoing her seatbelt.
"Lil," he said softly. She frowned.
"No..."
"Come on, Rush. Party's over."
Lilly opened her eyes, blearily focussing on his face.
"Scotty? What are you doing here?" she asked in confusion. He grinned.
"Guess I'm your knight in shinin' armour," he replied teasingly. Her frown deepened, and she managed to make it to her feet.
"I need a drink."
"Yeah, of water."
She groaned, letting him guide her up the path to her front door.
"I'm gonna hurl," she muttered, promptly bending over and vomiting in the hedgerow. Supporting her with one arm, Scotty reached for the key to her house, somehow managing to get it unlocked and open without dropping his partner.
"Come on, Lil. Let's get you to bed, OK?"
"Ow..."
Scotty haphazardly manoeuvred her around the furniture, leading her into the bedroom and gently lowering her onto the bed. Lilly whimpered slightly, a frown creasing her brow, curling her legs. The male detective chuckled, and removed her shoes. Man is she gonna have one hell of a headache in the mornin'!
Carefully sitting down on the edge of the bed, Scotty pulled his partner into a sitting position. He held her against his body, trying to slide her uncooperative arms out of her jacket, and chuckled at the nonsensical mumbles spilling from his partner's mouth.
"...you may kiss the bride..."
Lilly twisted her legs under the sheets, letting him tuck the covers around her. When Scotty looked down, she was already asleep again, her long eyelashes brushing her skin. A soft smile spread across his face, and the male detective leant down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"'Night, Lil."
Lilly awoke with a groan.
"Jesus Christ..." she moaned, clutching at her head. Oh God...how much did I drink?
"Mornin' to you too."
Her eyes shot open at the voice from the end of her bed.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she blurted. Scotty laughed, and if her head wasn't hurting as much as it was, Lilly would have thought it was a sound she should hear more often.
"You don't remember?"
"All I remember is..."
Lilly let her voice trail off, and at the distant look on her face, Scotty realized she was probably remembering something. He just hoped it was something that had happened before he turned up...
A pillow collided with his chest.
"You," she said, pointing an accusing finger at him, "let me get drunk."
Scotty chuckled incredulously.
"I let you get drunk? I wasn't even there! Nah, Lil, you let you get drunk, and I stopped you from doin' anythin' more stupid than you already did." Her head appeared above the duvet, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"What kind of stupid?"
Scotty sat down on the end of her bed, grinning.
"Singin' 'Summer Nights' from Grease."
Lilly rolled onto her stomach, burying her face in the pillow.
"Oh God," she groaned. His grin grew, and Scotty lay down beside her.
"An' here I was thinkin' you hated musicals..."
"Why are you on my bed?"
"...but you really brought somethin' to Sandy, Lil, and..."
"Get off my bed."
"...you gave it your all, considerin' you could barely stand up straight, but..."
"GET OFF MY BED!"
Giving him a hard push so that he fell backwards on the mattress, Lilly winced at the pain in her head. Her partner's laughs did nothing to ease the ache, and the blonde detective pulled the covers up over the pillow, hiding beneath the sheets.
"Shut up," she grumbled. Scotty propped himself up on one elbow, smiling down at the sheet-covered detective beside him.
"Hey," he said gently. Lilly slowly peeled the sheet from her face, looking up at him with big blue eyes. "Go take a shower. I'll put on some coffee, make you some toast..."
She stared at him for a moment, confusion swimming in her eyes.
"Get your ass outta bed, Rush," he prompted, giving her a slight nudge. With a groan, Lilly rolled towards the edge, wincing as her feet touched the cold floor.
"Hold the toast. I think someone put a blender in my stomach."
He laughed.
"Trust me. I've had my share o' hangovers, an' eatin' somethin' helps."
"If you say so," she muttered, all but crawling towards the bathroom. Scotty watched her retreating back, waiting until the door shut behind her before he made his way to the kitchen. You really know how to make life difficult, Lil.
As the steam fogged up the glass, Lilly let the hot water trail over her body, allowing it to wash away the remnants of yesterday's makeup, and the stench of stale smoke from her hair. She could hear Scotty sorting through her cupboards, presumably looking to prepare breakfast, and the thought sent warmth spiralling through her chest.
There was something missing from her memory. She remembered his warmth surrounding her as they stumbled back to the car, his breath dusting the back of her neck as he led to the front door, his teasing smile, the slight pressure of his...
Her eyes widened, and the soap bar slid from her hand, crashing to the floor.
"Holy shit!"
A few minutes later, while the radio announced the time, Scotty whistled cheerfully, smiling down at the two cats hovering around his feet.
"You ladies lookin' for somethin'?"
They purred in satisfaction, rubbing against his leg and daintily stepping around him. He chuckled, and with a shake of his head, continued stirring the pancake batter.
"You kissed me."
Scotty jumped, the spoon clattering to the side as he spun around. Lilly was leaning against the doorframe, dressed in a pair of loose joggers and a t-shirt that was so impossibly tight it should have been illegal. The colour slid from his face, and he blinked rapidly.
"You...you...you remember that?"
Lilly remained in a thoughtful silence, studying him with an unreadable expression. Scotty cleared his throat, his heart sinking further with each moment of silence.
"Say somethin'. Please."
"You son of a bitch."
He winced.
"But don't say that," he muttered. She shook her head in disbelief.
"You son of a bitch! I can't believe you were just gonna walk out of here like nothing happened!"
"Nothin' did happen, Lil. You were drunk."
"You actually believe that, or are you just sayin' it to make yourself feel better?" she snapped angrily. Scotty sighed heavily.
"Look, Lil, you got drunk. You called me, I picked you up. You kissed me. I brought you home, put you to bed. Spent the night on your damn uncomfortable sofa! So yeah, I wanted to walk out o' my own will, rather than you kickin' me down the drive like I knew you would when you found out what happened!"
Lilly's blue eyes held his, burning into him across the room.
"But you were too damn scared to even ask me about it!"
"You were drunk, Lil! I didn't exactly think our first kiss would have you tastin' like whisky an' vodka!" he said in frustration. Lilly's eyes shot up to meet his.
"You've thought about our first kiss?" she questioned in a small voice. Her partner blushed.
"Well, yeah...I mean, how could I not? I work wit' you every damn day, an' what if all I can think about is how hot you are, huh? So maybe it wouldn't hurt me to imagine sometimes, OK?"
Lilly's eyes had attached themselves to the floor.
"You're an ass," she mumbled, and the male detective breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the anger leave her voice. He coughed slightly.
"Look, Lil. I'm sorry I didn't say anythin' this mornin', but I was gonna wait an'..."
"It's not that, Scotty," she interrupted quietly, "It's that you were all set to completely forget this ever happened. You didn't even want to know why!"
Scotty shrugged.
"It was just the alcohol," he muttered. From the corner of his eye, he watched a bright blush stain her cheeks, watched her look away guiltily. Hearing his own breath catch in his throat, he took a step towards her.
"Wasn't it?" he asked gently. Lilly glanced up, and then back to the floor. After a few moments of tense silence, she began to speak.
"The alcohol didn't...make me kiss you, Scotty. Well, I mean, it did, but..." Her voice trailed off. Lilly hesitated, and then took a deep breath to continue.
"I was drunk, yes. But that's not why I kissed you. It maybe what made me kiss you, though," she explained in a low voice.
"But then...that still don't explain why," Scotty replied. The blonde detective smiled uncertainly.
"I kissed you because I wanted to. Have done for a while. I guess getting drunk and calling you was my way of summoning up the courage."
If Lilly had wanted to say anything else, all words were driven from her mind as Scotty's lips descended on hers. Her hands found the back of his head, pressing her lithe form against him. When they finally broke apart, breathless and with clothes ruffled, Lilly stared up at him. A cocky grin spread across Scotty's face.
"Coffee and peppermint," Lilly blurted suddenly. He raised a questioning eyebrow. She blushed, and taking a step back, quickly averted her eyes.
"You taste like coffee and peppermint."
Sensing that there was more to come, the male detective held his tongue. His partner glanced up shyly, her cheeks flaming.
"I like coffee," she said softly, "and sometimes I like peppermint."
Scotty slid his hands to her hips, bringing her closer.
"Only sometimes?" he murmured, "An' here I was thinkin' peppermint was your favourite."
"But..."
Her protest was lost as Scotty kissed her again, this time more deeply. Peppermint really wasn't that bad, she realized. As she began to relax into her partner's soft embrace, Lilly smiled.
It's official. Peppermint definitely is my favourite.
RETURN OF THE FLUFF! Yay! I just had to get this out of my system. Hope you enjoyed it! Maybe you could just leave me a review? It's been such an awful long time since I got one...sniff...