Title: The Best is Yet To Come

Summary: That title sucks but oh well. This is a L/S at some point and time in the story, but not the first sentence. I might let them flirt a bit and think about it some first.

Disclaimer: I don’t own them….but I just borrow them for my amusement.

Chapter One: An Old Friend In Town

Stillman walked out of his office and saw the male detectives sitting around Vera’s desk talking, but the two females were no where to be found. “Hey guys, where is Miller and Rush?”

Scotty looked up. “They went to the library to check out Damon’s story just to see if the little punk is lying to us.”

Vera looked over at Scotty and then back down. “Oh he is.”

“Well when they get back don’t let Lilly leave yet, she has a surprise coming.”

Jeffries looked at the boss and smiled. “What surprise is that?”

“This week is a big Lieutenant meeting and they are coming from all over the United States, first time they ever did this in Philly. Anyway her friend from Tennessee is coming, Lt. Brown. He is going to be here soon, I invited him to hit Jones’ with us tonight.”

Vera looked over at Scotty and smiled. “Didn’t you see that girl down there for awhile?”

“Yea, Charlene but we broke that off. She is seeing a buddy of mine, he was going to propose a couple of months ago.”

Stillman sat down. “Why did you break it off with her?”

Scotty smiled, he didn’t want to tell the exact reason. “She wasn’t going to leave Nashville and I ain’t leaving Philly, hard to keep going. Plus I was interested in someone else at the time anyway.”

Stillman smiled at his detective. “Oh who was that?”

Scotty shook his head. “Doesn’t matter, nothing ever came of it. I got too nervous to ask her out so I just gave up on it.”

They heard a female voice and Scotty jumped. “Gave up on what?”

The guys all turned and saw Lilly coming in with Kat. Vera looked over a the women. “Scotty broke it off with Charlene in Nashville over some woman that he was too chicken shit to ask out.”

Lilly sat down beside her partner and smiled. “Oh do tell Scotty.”

“No Lil, not important now.”

“So you are not even going to tell me, your partner and best friend who she was?”

He leaned close. “Not even you Lil. So did you ladies find out anything?”

Kat spoke up as she sat down. “Yes, Damon is a damn liar we found that out. He was not in the library that day, the day before or the day after.”

Jeffries smiled. “So where was he?”

Suddenly they heard a voice from the door. “I was told I could find Little Sister in here.”

Everyone in the group was so surprised when Lilly’s eyes got big, she smiled and then jumped up. She ran across the room and straight in the arms of the man that spoke. “Well Big Daddy, what are you doing here?”

“I’m here for the Lt. meeting but John invited me to go out with all of you tonight so we could catch up and I could get to know everyone.”

Scotty walked over and shook his hand. “Lt. Brown, how are you doing sir?”

“I’m good Scotty. Charlene and Sam send their best, I hear you are going to be best man at their wedding?”

“That is what Sam said when he called. Only right since I did fix them up.”

“How is that other thing going? I hear you broke it off with Charlene for a sweetie here in Philly?”

“It didn’t work out, I never asked her out.”

The older man winked at Scotty. “From what I was told, maybe you should have.”

Scotty smiled at him. “Well it’s water under the bridge now.” He looked around. “Come on over and meet everyone, Lil want to introduce him to the squad?”

“Sure will. Guys this is Big Daddy from Nashville. Big Daddy this is Kat Miller, Nick Vera, Will Jeffries and of course Lt. Stillman.”

They all shook hands with him addressing him as Lt. Brown, he smiled. “Folks back home just call me Big Daddy, just like Little Sister here. Either one is fine.”

Kat looked at the older man and smiled. “So how did Lil get the nickname Little Sister and how are you still living calling her that?”

Lilly smiled. “Long story, we can tell it over a drink. Come on Big Daddy, you can walk over there with me.”

“Be glad to Little Sister.” They watched as Lil took his arm and walked out with him.

When they got to Jones’ Tavern, Lilly sat down between Lt. Brown and Scotty. After they got their drinks Kat reminded them about what they wanted to hear. “So Big Daddy, you were going to tell us how Lil got her nickname from you?”

“Well we were questioning Ty Sugar when the two of them came to Nashville to investigate the murder of Truck Sugar. I was told that they left all of you back here to work this end of it. Anyway we were interviewing Ty and he said some things were private and was that okay. Little Sister here looked at him like she could back him in a corner and make him beg to get out and she said it’s not okay. So I walked over and said we are going to start this interview over, is that okay with you Little Sister? And she said I’m okay with that Big Daddy.”

Will smiled and held up his mug. “Another solve and another person that really can rest in peace. Let’s here it for our squad and our friends in the South.” Everyone held up their mugs and cheered.

Lt. Brown smiled at the group. “That case inspired us in Nashville to dig out some cold homicides and start looking at them again. I put Sam Nichols in charge of looking over them for me. He is one great detective.”

Scotty smiled. “He is and I hear he loves Nashville. Before he moved to Nashville he had his sites set on Lil.”

Lilly looked over at Scotty and then she leaned into him. “He knew that he couldn’t measure up to my best friend.” They all laughed at her statement. Everyone noticed that after the trip to Nashville the partners were closer and since the shooting they had become the best of friends.

The group talked for awhile about Nashville, Philly and even the shooting. Lilly hated talking about it but Big Daddy was concerned about her, so she talked about it for awhile anyway. Scotty thought everyone forgot and he was relieved, it was getting late and they would all be leaving soon. Then Big Daddy mentioned it.

Lt. Brown looked over at Scotty. “So Scotty, why is it you decided not to pursue this lady you were interested in?”

Scotty rolled his eyes but then explained. “I saw her with some other people not too long after I split with Charlene and found out that some other guys were interested in her. She could do so much better than me, so I let it go.”

Lilly looked over at him with concern in her eyes. “Scotty, that is terrible. You didn’t even give her the chance to say if she was interested in you or not? Did you even make your feelings known to her?”

“No Lil, I didn’t. She has no good reason to be interested in me but at least a thousand reasons why she should hate me.”

The voice in Lilly’s head was telling her that it could be her and then the other voice shouted that it wasn’t her. She was even close to being his type, plus they were best friends. “Do one favor for me? Think about it and then maybe tell her. You have so much to offer someone Scotty.”

He smiled at her. “Sure Lil, I’ll think about it.”

Nick laughed and cut in. “In other words Lil, he isn’t going to tell her. Just tell us who it is Scotty.”

Scotty shook his head. “No, I don’t want you to poison her mind against me.”

Kat looked over at Scotty, she was beginning to get the feeling she knew who it might be. “So we know her?”

Scotty shrugged. “You might, but Nick would go out of his way to find her.”

Lilly scooted her seat back. “Well I need to get home and feed my cats.” Then she looked at Lt. Brown. “Are you going to be around before you head home?”

“Sure, I’ll stop by in the morning and then I will come to see you before I leave town.”

“Sounds great.” She leaned over and hugged the older man. “Goodnight Big Daddy.” Then she looked around the table. “See all of you tomorrow.”

Scotty stood up when she did. “I need to get going too, can I give you lift home?”

She always refused and argued that she could take care of herself, so everyone was shocked when she smiled and nodded. “Sounds great, thanks.”

Scotty shook the older man’s hand. “See you in the morning Lt. Brown.” Then he looked around the table. “Goodnight guys.” They watched as Lilly and Scotty walked out together with his hand on the small of her back.

Stillman looked over at Lt. Brown. “You know who she is, don’t you?”

“Yes, Charlene and Sam told me.”

Will laughed. “Oh please share with us.” They all laughed.

He shook his head. “Sorry, I can’t because they told me in confidence. Well after they accidentally told me they asked me not to say anything. Besides, Scotty needs to make that decision in is own mind.”

Scotty and Lilly walked back to the precinct and to his car, he held the door open for her. When they got in she smiled. “I really appreciate the ride Scotty.”

“I told you Lil, anytime. Tonight you won’t have to call me and let me know you made it home okay.”

She laughed. “But you will, don’t forget.”

When he walked her to her door she reached out and hugged him. “I hope you know just how special you are Scotty. She would be lucky to have you and a fool to reject you.”

“You are just saying that because I’m your best friend.”

“I’m saying that because you don’t know how great you are. Please, tell her.”

“I said I’ll think about it and I will.” He waited while she opened her door. “Goodnight Lil.”

“Night Scotty, call me when you get home.”

She locked up and fed the cats, then waited for his call. Just when she was getting ready to call, her phone rang. “Rush.”

“Hey Lil, I just got home. Got behind a wrecker moving a car from a fender bender, so want a ride in the morning?”

“Sounds good Scotty.”

“I’ll pick you up at 7:00, we will have time to stop for coffee before we go in.”

“Okay, goodnight Scotty.”

“Sleep good Lil. If you have a nightmare, you call me and we will talk through it. Promise?”

“I promise.” Scotty was the only one that knew about her nightmares, one more reason she knew she could trust him. “Night.” She hung up and got ready for bed. When she opened her t-shirt drawer she found Scotty’s shirt in there. He had left it after they went running one day and she forgot to give it back. So she put it on. For the first night in months, she slept without a nightmare.

TBC

Review….I know this is a weak beginning but it will get better….with some encouragement of a review it could get much better.