Peace From the Past

Lilly pulled up to the courthouse and looked for Raylan but noticed his parking spot was still empty so she grabbed her jacket and headed inside. He would be there soon enough considering he had a hero's welcome for bagging Drew and a suspension notice for that fiasco with Hunter waiting for him.
When she stepped off the elevator to head into the marshals office Rachel glanced up from her desk and smiled as she held out a cup of coffee "Morning Lil" Lilly's smile widened as she took the cup and praised Rachel "Have I ever told you that you're not only my best friend but my favorite co worker as well?" which earned her a laugh from Rachel and Tim responding "Dude I'm right here Lil" She winked at him before heading into Art's office and teased "Yea I see ya"
She stopped just outside the threshold when she noticed Drew and Vasquez in the conference room and Vasquez did not look pleased. "Lilly is something wrong?" Art asked when he noticed her standing there so she pointed into the conference room "Vasquez has that look he usually reserves for Raylan" Art chuckled standing to walk over next to her before saying "Yea Drew is scheduled for transfer as you know but he is now trying to make changes to his deal" "As in?" she asked turning to look at him but his gaze landed on Raylan walking into the office so he motioned for her to follow him back out into the bullpen where everyone was clapping for Raylan.
Lilly joined in which earned her a glare from her brother as he begged everyone to quiet down because he was on the phone. He finished his call quickly so Art asked "What's wrong with you can't handle a little positive attention?" Raylan grinned answering "Of course can we continue?" Tim shot a look at Lilly who shook her head so he turned back to Raylan and retorted "naw moment's over"
Rachel laughed and joined in on the gentle teasing by questioning Raylan if this meant he was gonna get a haircut and Lilly had to fight to keep a smirk off her face at the offended expression Raylan had because someone didn't like the shaggier look he was sporting as of late.
"Don't count on it" He replied to Rachel before telling Lilly "and Winona made me promise to tell you that you have a niece on the way" That news put a genuine smile on Lilly's face as she thought back over the numerous little girl outfits she'd been eyeing she was now green lighted to buy. "Yes! told you it was gonna be a girl!" She boasted. Tim spoke up and said "Congrats Raylan but let's hope she acts like Winona and not the females in your family" as he cut his eyes at Lilly teasingly who threatened "Easy there Gutterson" His straight face turned into an easy smile as he exclaimed "Come on Lil you know I'm kidding but honestly would you want a little girl running around with your temper? Not to mention Art saw your aunt Helen shoot at Arlo"
Lilly had to admit Tim did have a point she'd been born with a temper her upbringing had fueled further. "With Raylan as her daddy what's the chances of the kid not coming out swinging on the doctor?' she argued making Tim crack up laughing in agreement.
Art offered his hand to Raylan who shook it before Art told him "Congrats and here's a present" handing him the red folder everyone knew accompanied a suspension notice. "Remind me why I'm getting suspended again?" Raylan asked cutting his eyes towards the conference room while Art retorted "Want me to run down all of it or just do a greatest hits kind of thing?" "What's going on there?" Raylan finally asked so Lilly responded "changing his deal or trying to at least Art was about to tell me details when your entrance interrupted" Raylan loooked back at her before tilting his head towards the conference room "Let's go find out" so she stood to follow him and Art into the conference room.
"What the hell kind of change he wanting to make?" Raylan demanded before Lilly managed to get the door shut behind herself. "He's wanting protection for a woman" Vasquez answered making Lilly and Raylan both shake their heads "No. You're gonna hold up your end of the deal before you start trying to make demands" Raylan spoke and Lilly added "Or you can go into gen pop until Tonin's flunkies catch you and fillets you" "I promised I would keep her safe so I'm not saying anything until I keep that promise" Drew pushed making both Art and Raylan groan in frustration.
"Come on" Lilly said to the two who followed her out the conference room and into Art's office. "Drew Thompson and the hooker with the heart of gold. What you think it is with him and her? maybe he thinks it's like that movie with ol what's his name and Julia Roberts?" Art chuckled sitting down behind his desk while Raylan and Lilly chose to stand in the middle of the office. "Yea well Ellen May aint no Julia Roberts and to be honest I was never a fan of hers..great smile though" Raylan responded making Lilly roll her eyes when Art added "Great legs too" "yea well Drew ain't no Richard Gere either. Raylan you think this is a parting shot at Boyd?" Lilly bawked at the idea of Drew screwing up his chance at surviving after this many ideas just to screw with Boyd but had to ask nonetheless.
Raylan shrugged and offered "hell I don't know Lil. Let's go get her and see" "Like hell Raylan you're suspended. Lilly can go alone" Art bit back and Raylan shook his head "us two can run down to Harlan, get the girl bring her here sit her in front the asshole say here asshole then he talks and happiness abides" "Then let Lilly take Tim and Rachel and go after her" Art retorted so Lilly took a step back making it clear she wasn't involving herself in this particular disagreement. Raylan cut his eyes at her then realizing she wasn't going to help turned his attention back to Art "Let me finish what I started. Hell I'll take Lilly,Tim and Rachel. We will be on our best behavior but come on Art push my suspension by one damn day"
Art sighed and finally asked Lilly "Will you pull back the leash if need be?" she nodded and assured him "Yes sir I won't let him do anything too god awful stupid" Art didn't seem too thrilled at the idea but nodded before adding "still take Rachel and Tim. Two teams are better than one and maybe the calmer ones can cancel out the crazy ones" "Which are which?" Lilly quipped making Art narrow his eyes at her "Depends on what day it is. now go before I change my mind and suspend both of ya" "Yes sir" Raylan quickly responded pulling Lilly out the door behind him.
Rachel and Tim looked up from their desks as Lilly and Raylan walked out Art's office. "Come on we're all going to Harlan" Raylan spoke looking at Rachel who asked Lilly "can you explain?" she pointed back towards the conference room "Drew won't talk unless Mary Ellen is safe" "So we're going on a wild goose chase?" Tim asked and Lilly shook her head "not exactly. Her last known location was Nobles Holler so we got a starting point" "Well then we better get a move on" Rachel spoke as she stood to grab her jacket and vest while Tim did the same.
When the four made it down to the parking lot Rachel glanced at Lilly "Who's driving what?" Lilly pointed to Raylan and said "I'll ride with him. You ride with Tim" Rachel nodded and headed for Tim's suv as Raylan told him "Try to keep up" Tim grinned and responded "I think I know Harlan well enough by now" Lilly had to laugh at Tim saying that because she knew she or Raylan could still lose him easily in Harlan but he was learning and she had to give him that. "Something funny Lil?" he asked turning his blue eyes towards her and she smiled sweetly before saying "If I remember I'll tell ya later"
On the road to Harlan Raylan broke the silence in the car first by stating "Lilly I don't know shit about girls" She nodded watching the scenery whip by before saying "Raylan remember when I was six and kept having that nightmare about someone coming in my window?" He chuckled "Yea I ended up sleeping on the floor between your bed and the window for a week" She smiled seeing his mood changing and continued "Remember my first date?" He cut his eyes at her and growled out "Yea my fifteen year old sister going out with a smart mouth seventeen year old" even though Raylan had only been twenty three at the time he had put the fear of god into the kid and he'd ended up taking her home by eight thirty.
"What about my high school graduation?" she pondered and he nodded again remembering hos proud he was to see his little sister walk across that stage especially knowing she already had plans to join the marshal service.
"What's the trip down memory lane about?" he insisted so she turned slightly in the seat to look at him before answering "When I started school you were twelve. I remember you laying out my clothes and fixing me breakfast more mornings. Then if mama weren't in the shape to do so you would walk me to one of your friend's house before school so their mama could fix my hair. You were the one making sure I had a decent supper and a good night's sleep. Now I don't blame our mother but you were the one protecting me from everything all the while making sure I was strong enough to take care of myself when I needed to. You were in your early twenties saddled with a preteen and you never abadoned me. You worked two jobs so I could go to school. You had no clue what you were gonna do the day you left Harlan with me but you followed your gut and if you don't mind me saying so I think I turned out just fine for the most part."
Raylan was silent for several moments thinking over what Lilly had just said before a grin spread across his face and he said "thank you Lil" her words had soothed some of his more immediate fears and that was apparent so she smiled before saying "No thanks needed. It's the truth. You can take care of a little girl just fine. she's gonna love her daddy"
When the turn for Nobles Holler came up Lilly glanced back to see where Tim and Rachel was and to her surprise they were just two car lengths behind. She smiled to herself before announcing "Damn Raylan we must be slipping Tim kept up" He chuckled glancing in the mirror and promised "If we ever get him down here not on a case we'll get him lost. Deal?" Lilly laughed and held out her hand which Raylan shook before she said "deal"
Raylan watched her glance back a few more times before commenting "I said I'd stay out your business but I do have eyes" She whipped her head around towards him and asked "What you mean?" He motioned to the mirror and responded "You've taken a liking to Tim and he to you"
Lilly let out a surprised laugh honestly taken aback by Raylan's words "Naw big brother me and Tim are just friends. besides in this family relationships just don't work"
Raylan pulled the car to a stop in front of Limehouse's barbeque joint scoffed "Maybe that's true but doesn't change the truth there in" She rolled her eyes in response before climbing out the car.
Bernard one of Ellstin's men spotted the marshals and alerted him to their presence so he walked out to meet them with a forced smile "Marshals what the hell do you want?" "Maybe we just came up for some pulled pork" Raylan bit back which bought a laugh from Limehouse as he pointed to Rachel "Maybe little sister here hell maybe even Miss Lilly but you two crackers wouldn't know pulled pork from a pig's ass" He turned his full attention on Rachel and asked her "How you been little sista?"
Lilly took a step towards Rachel who fumed "you calling me little sista like you putting me in my place" Limehouse snickered "Well what am I supposed to call you. Gun on all big and bad but all I see is a little aunt jemima taking orders from the man" that comment was enough to make Lilly drop the hometown girl act as she growled out "How about you back off her Ellstin?" Rachel held a hand out towards Lilly and responded "He wants to see if he insults me enough if I'll break rank and put him in his place but if he keeps talking shit he's gonna find out" "Ohh wee fellas we got us a fiesty white girl and a fiesty little sista"
"People been up here asking bout this and that. I dont like it" Limehouse said turning his attention to Raylan who was actually holding a calm demeanor. "Who's been asking?" Tim spoke up making Limehouse look at him as if he just appeared "Who the hell is he?" he asked looking at Lilly and she was about to light into him when Rachel stepped in front of her "He's gonna help Lilly pull me off you when I shove my foot up your ass in front of all your boys" Lilly caught movement from one of Limehouse's guards out the corner of her eyes and said without looking "you'll be down before you pull"
Raylan who'd had enough by this point stepped in front of everyone else and told Limehouse "We asked out of curtesy we know her last location was here so we'll tear this place apart" "Feel freee" Limehouse answered with a smile and Lilly could see the muscle in Raylan's jaw clenched when he motioned for the rest of them to follow him back to the cars.
"Stop at the end of the road" Raylan muttered and Tim nodded as he stepped into his suv.
Once they were parked at the end of the road leading to Limehouse's barbeque joint Tim questioned "We're actually gonna search every henhouse,outhouse and doghouse for a girl we don't actually need?" Raylan shrugged "Call the staties in they love this shit. They'll have dog teams and be here within a half hour" "But again why?" Tim pushed and Raylan grinned "I told him I was gonna do it if I don't I'll look like a pussy besides he was borderline rude to Lilly and downright nasty to Rachel" Tim cut his eyes at the two women before nodding in agreement "Well maybe we can get some barbeque while we wait"
"You can I'm going to Harlan" Raylan declared making Lilly raise her eyebrows "Excuse me?" "Yea Captain America we're up here covering your suspension" Rachel retorted so Raylan smirked at her "Then come with me. Tim and Lil can handle this until the staties arrive then they can catch up"
"Ok no offense to Rach but why do I gotta stay?" Lilly grumbled. Raylan flung a hand in the general direction of Limehouse and reiterated "Rachel didn't exactly hold her temper while you actually did and no matter the situation Limehouse is gonna take it better seeing you hang around for a while then he would Tim by himself" She couldn't argue with that logic so she instead asked "going to Boyd?" Raylan admitted "you know me too well. call when the state police get here and I'll let ya know where to meet" Lilly nodded in agreement before pleading with Rachel "don't let him do anything too stupid Rach" She gave Lilly a half a smile before promising "I'll try to keep him contained"
Raylan patted the roof of the car "Well Rachel let's get a move on. Tim you two behave" Lilly shook her head while she watched the car disappear leaving just a trail of dust in it's wake.
"Well this should be fun" Tim said looking back at the guards who followed them. Lilly leaned against the suv and waved at the guards before turning back to Tim "This is a first. You're bitching about survelliance and I'm not" He smirked and responded "No I'm bitching about standing here when we know Ellen May aint here. Rachel and Raylan get to do something while we wait for the state police" "What don't like being alone with me?" She crooned cutting her eyes up at him while doing her best to seem distraught at the idea but Tim saw right through her and bit back "yea it's unbearable being alone with you" before laughing at the look on her face.
He turned towards her slightly adding "I could think of alot better places we could be alone than out here" then realized what he said. Lilly laughed "Well if that didn't sound suggestive as hell I don't know what would" "Lil you know I didn't mean it like that" Tim stammered rubbing the back of his neck nervously so Lilly responded "I know Tim just had to take the opening you gave me" only realizing what she had said when Tim busted out laughing this time.
"Shit I wish those staties would hurry the hell up" She groaned which made Tim lean towards her to whisper into her ear "Sick of me already?" His warm breath on her neck made her squirm away from him slightly which only made him chuckle. She was about to answer the question but she guessed the guard's angle of Tim whispering in her ear looked alot less innocent because one let out a whistle so she looked around Tim and blew a kiss to the group which the whistler returned with a wink.
Tim tensed slightly at her side his hand brushing her back as if he didn't exactly appreciate the guards heckling her but she chose not to mention it because she heard a car approaching both of them turning it face it Lilly taking a step away when she realized her back was basically against Tim's chest and didn't want the state police to get the wrong idea.
"Call Raylan see where he needs us while I fill them in" She said and saw Tim digging out his phone while she headed to the nearest Trooper's vehicle.
"Yea we want every place checked. tear it apart" Lilly reported to the trooper who nodded "yes ma'am. want the dogs ran through too?" Despite knowing Limehouse didn't even keep drugs on his property she figured why not and replied "knock yourselves out"
"LILLY WE GOTTA GO" Tim hollered as he hung up from talking to Raylan. She looked at him for an explanation "Colt's going after Ellen May" She told the trooper "It's all yours" then ran to the suv hopping in and slamming the door as Tim threw it into drive and slid down the dirt road.
"Where's it coming to a head?" She questioned her hand subconsciously resting on the butt of her gun. "Cassie's church" Tim answered taking the turn at an angle that made Lilly rethink her stance of him not knowing Harlan roads that well.
Any animosity she felt towards Cassie gave way for worry about her safety "She won't let Colt take Ellen May without him killing her too" "Exactly" Tim agreed his eyes never leaving the road.
When they made it to the church ground Tim threw the suv into park and both of them jumped out weapons drawn as they headed for the main tent.
"Colt no" Lilly heard Ava plead. The sight they were met with was Colt having Ellen May by the arm clearly meaning to drag her out with him while Ava and Cassie both tried in vain to stop him.
"Stop right where you are" Tim demanded training his gun on Colt while Lilly added "Drop the gun Colt" eyeing the piece in his right hand. "Well God damn I can not catch a break" Colt huffed in response watching the marshals carefully.
Tim moved further towards Colt herding Ava,Ellen May and Cassie alike in Lilly's direction and she wondered for a moment if Colt may try to run considering the opposite wall of the tent had been rolled up to show the area surronding it but her attention was on the three women.
She spotted the gun still held loosely in Ava's hand and shook her head "Ava you didn't have it in you to shoot Ellen May or Cassie so please don't make me shoot you"
Lilly let out a breath when Ava tucked the gun into her waistband before turning to run out the church. "Cassie you and her stay behind me" She spoke and the two women quickly obliged putting her between themselves and any danger.
Tim could hear Lilly talking down Ava and knew she'd let her leave but that wasn't his concern. She was gone and as for Cassie and Ellen May Lilly would keep them safe. Now he could finally get answers. He motioned towards the gun in forty five in Colt's hand "Drop it" Colt smirked and retorted "Maybe in a minute" as he went to reach in his jacket causing Lilly to bring up her gun and warn "Don't"
Colt looked between the two of them and said calmly "Relax" and showed that he was going after a pack of cigarettes. "Gonna quit tommorow" He joked before putting the cigarette to his mouth and lighting it.
Lilly watched Tim as he breathed "I'm gonna ask you one time. Did you kill my friend?" Colt met her eyes before looking back at him to answer "You know what it's like to be in the shit. You go back there enough time bad things happen"
"So you did kill him?" Tim pressed and even from the distance there was between them Lilly could see his hand tense ever so slightly with the urge to put a bullet into Colt then and there.
"Do something" Ellen May whispered. Lilly shook her head eyes never leaving the two men as she answered "I'm doing my job by protecting the two of you" Cassie spoke quietly as she told Ellen May "Just keep your focus on me" and Lilly smiled ever slightly at the woman wondering if maybe she had indeed underestimated her the same way people did Bob.
Colt took another drag off his cigarette before admitting "Collateral damage I'm afriad but I am sorry about what happened to your friend Mark" he paused to take another drag before adding "if you ask me though a part of him died over there" That alone made Lilly want to shoot him for being so damn arrogant. Tim shook his head "I'm only concerned about the part that died here. Now last chance put the gun down"
Colt hesitated for a moment but when he smiled at her she knew he wasn't going to comply "Guess I'll quit today" he said turning his eyes back to Tim before raising his gun. Tim popped off two rounds into his chest before he managed to get the gun all the way up. Ellen May let out a small squeak as Colt's body fell heavily into one of the pews.
Lilly met Tim's eyes and asked "You good?" He nodded so she turned back to Ellen May and Cassie "Come on" Ellen May attached herself to her arm while Cassie walked next to them out the church and sat at one of the picnic tables.
She knew Tim would need a minute so she went ahead and dialed the emergency line to request troopers and a coroner to the church. She was relieved to see Raylan pull up and headed towards his car despite having to pull Ellen May along with her.
"What happened?" He asked and she looked back towards the tent where Tim was standing watching the coroners who'd just arrived grab their gear "Colt. everyone else is good" Raylan nodded and pointed to Ellen May "Keep her attached to you" then walked across to the tent presumably to look at the scene but also to ensure Tim was intact.
The troopers arrived and needed to speak to Tim so Raylan left him to it and found that Ellen May was still clinging to Lilly while the two stood next to his car surveying the scene. "We're gonna take you to see Shelby" Lilly assured her but Raylan shook his head and reminded her "You're a fellow marshal that was on scene. You gotta make your reports and clear it same as Tim" When Lilly opened her mouth to argue he quickly added "besides wouldn't hurt for Tim to have someone to talk to"
Lilly knew her brother well enough to just agree and changed her statement to Ellen May "Well Raylan is gonna take you to see Shelby" before she realized they were missing a marshal and spun around towards Raylan "Where the hell is Rach?" He smiled replying "on her way to Lexington with a couple troopers and some of those detroit boys" Lilly nodded and started to walk off but stopped to pat Ellen May's back and reassure her "It's gonna be ok now"
She held the passenger door open for Ellen May and once she was in caught Raylan's eye "Have a safe trip big brother. Call me when you get to Lexington" He walked around the front of the car to meet her and pulled her into a loose hug "Yes ma'am" and laughed when she swatted at him before walking around to the driver's seat.
She watched the car disappear from sight before Captain Williamson called her "Deputy Marshal Givens can I speak with you for a moment?" She turned to face him responding "Yes sir"
While she gave her statement and assesment of the situation she couldn't help her attention being drawn to where Cassie was talking to Tim. She took a breath and kicked herself mentally as a reminder that this was her lively hood and any personal feelings were to be laid to the side every morning she slid on her badge. "Well that's all I need Marshal. If there was ever a justified killing it was this one. Three witnesses including yourself as a leo stating that Marshal Gutterson warned Mr Rhodes multiple times and that Mr Rhodes drew his weapon first. Case Closed" Captain Williamson extended his hand to her so she shook it with a smile.
Deputy Wooley got her attention once she was done with Captain Williamson "Well hell I was starting to think you and your brother were the only shooters out the bunch" he sneered at her. She spun to face him seething "Oh honey Rachel is next in line for Chief and Tim was a sniper in the rangers. Way I see it you're pissy because we're always four steps ahead of the bunch of local yocals down here in Harlan or you don't like me because the two of us are working for two different sides which is it?" "You're a real bitch you know that?" he stammered thrown off bu her words so she smiled and drawled "Oh but that's just half my charm"
Tim stood from talking to Cassie and spotted Deputy Wooley next to Lilly and knew from body language alone she was becoming extremely irritated with whatever Wooley was saying. He called Captain Williamson over and asked "Am I free to go?" Williamson looked over the papers in his hand and nodded "Yea you're clear"
Tim thanked him then walked over to Lilly touching her back lightly to get her attention. She turned tensed but relaxed when she saw it was him. "Ready to go?" He asked and she nodded before throwing at Wooley "I'll be seeing you around count on it honey"
Tim wondered what conversation he'd missed because if he didn't know Lilly that would have sounded more like a promise than the threat it was.
"What about Cassie?" Lilly wondered glancing back to see the picnic table was now empty. Tim shrugged and said "Guess she'll move on"
Lilly sat with her head leaned over on the window watching the trees whip by and Tim wasn't sure if she'd fallen asleep or not so the third time he glanced in her direction she rolled her head over to face him "yes?" she questioned with the barest hint of a smile. Honestly she was worried how he was going to handle the aftermath of shooting Colt considering all the similarities he shared with him. Hell they were literally two sides of the same coin just like Raylan and Boyd. Both cases shining examples of how the smallest of choices could have the biggest impact on your life. "Thanks for backing me..not just today with Ava but with Boyd too" he spoke after another moment of silence and Lilly was surprised at him thanking her.
She turned further in the seat resting one of her knees against the console in the suv before saying "I'd back up any fellow leo against a criminal with a gun. Especially one that's friends with my brother" she realized what she said and added "oh well and friends with me too"
He barked out a laugh "nice Lil love how you worded that" she grimaced and apologized for the oversight but he smiled and told her "it's fine I'm just messing with ya"
She looked out at the scenery again and even checked her phone to be certain Raylan hadn't texted or called before finally biting the bullet on what had been weighing in her mind despite knowing she should let it go. "I'm glad you got justice for Mark and saved Mary Ellen but too bad you had to take him down in the church I think Cassie could've really liked you"
"Yea his death couldn't go unanswered and Mary Ellen is the key to Drew talking...wait you think Cassie liked me?" Tim laughed raising his eyebrows at her words but not taking his eyes off the road.
She rolled her eyes at his denial exclaiming "Come on. Blonde,Blue eyed, Pretty aint that every man's type?" He shrugged and admitted "Yea she's cute and sweet but not really my type"
Lilly wanted to stop there and not speak on the subject and further but Raylan saying something made her wonder and hell it wasn't like she was a blushing virgin so she decided to ask "Well Mr Gutterson what is your type?"
Tim got quiet for a while turning onto their exit and she wondered if she had actually offended him but he was thinking of a way to answer her question without simply telling her to look in the mirror "oh you wanna know what type of woman I like Miss Givens?" He teased and she rolled her eyes before responding "Only if you feel like sharing" He nodded and kept his eyes on the road as he said "My type would be a woman who knows how to handle herself rather it be in a fight, a gun or just not taking any shit. A woman who's just as beautiful with makeup on or caked in blood and mud from doing her job. A woman who will stand toe to toe with anyone. A woman who'll back up those she cares about the ends of the earth.Oh and if she runs on coffee and supressed issues that seems to draw me in even more"
Lilly opened her mouth to respond but when no words could be formed she shut it right back.
Tim cut his eyes at her as he took the turn to the courthouse trying to gauge the fact that she'd read between his not subtle in the least lines and when she didn't look pissed or appalled he broke the silence by saying "Well Miss Givens do you feel like sharing your type?"
She smirked slightly before looking out the window then back at him and nodded "Fair enough..well first and foremost my type of man has to get along with my brother. A man who from the moment you meet him despite everything you trust him to have your back. A man you can joke around with one minute then have a heart to heart the next. A man who doesn't blink an eye at any of the shit we see because he saw alot more than that while my ass was finishing up college and joining the marshal service. A man who isn't the in your face alpha type but he'll protect his own and those that can't protect themselves. and if that man happens to have saved my brother's life with his sniper skills and recently showed me how to light a molotov cocktail with jumper cables well that's just a plus" "Well sounds like we have very definite types" Tim commented as he pulled into a parking place two down from Lilly's car and turned in the seat to face her.
A sudden burst of self assurance hit Lilly so she leaned over on the console leaving her face mere inches from Tim's before admitting "Well if you aint figured out by now Tim you're kind of my type of man" her heart sped up waiting for a response he smiled and said "well good to know Lil or else this would be awkward" "What would?" she asked barely above a whisper.
Tim leaned even closer cupping her face with his left hand as he let his lips brush gently against hers in a soft kiss. When she reacted eagerly he deepend the kiss pulling her closer while both of them gave into feelings they had been burying for months.
Lilly's phone ringing broke them apart and they stared at each other in silence both working to catch their breath so she could answer the phone with a rushed "Hello?" "Lil you alright?" Raylan asked from the other end of the line and she nodded before realizing he couldn't see her "Um yea Raylan I'm good. We just made it back to Lexington. Tim's dropping me off at my car. Is there anything else we need to finish up here at the courthouse or are we good?" Raylan chuckled and for a moment Lilly wondered if he knew more than he was supposed to before he responded "no you're good" "Ok Raylan well I'll let you go" Lilly stammered trying to end the phone call. "Night Lil Love ya" Raylan said and that made her smile before saying "Love you too"
She hung up and stared at the phone for a second trying to process what had just happened between her and Tim. She finally let out a shaky laugh and raised her eyes to meet his and he smiled before saying "I like you Lilly. I have for a while and we're not frickin high schoolers any more"
She chuckled because honestly her lips were still tingling from where his had been moments before but she didn't want to complicate either of their lives by a relationship blooming then imploding. The hesitation she felt shown clearly on her face. Tim reached over and grabbed her hand before saying "I'm not pressuring you into anything coming of that but I'll be damned if it wasn't one hell of a kiss" she let out a small laugh before admitting herself "yea I've pretty much had a thing for you since you managed to talk me out of killing Arlo" He cut his eyes up at her and grinned "is that right?" she laughed and pulled her hand free of his using hers to pull him back to her for another kiss.
With her iniating the kiss Tim let his hands roam up under back and pulled her across the suv partly into his lap causing a small gasp of surprise to leave her mouth at the sudden movement. She smiled and shifted slightly causing a groan to escape his lips at the feel of her so close.
Lilly pulled back from the kiss making Tim wonder if he had done something she didn't like until she smiled reminded "We're in the parking lot of our job" and climbed back across the suv to the passenger side a slight blush coloring her lips as he chuckled and commented "we are aren't we?"
"So um what do we do now Tim?" she asked smoothing her hair and jacket. Tim watched her for a second before saying "whatever you want Lil. I just know I like being around you alot better than not being around you. You're beautiful, smart and only scared of someone you love being hurt. you're an amazing woman" She blushed a shade deeper and seeing her act shyly knowing how confident of a woman she was only reinforced what he already knew. He'd never met a woman like Lilly.
Lilly leaned up and Tim met her halfway letting her kiss him gently this time barely a brush of the lips before she pulled back to say "I like you too Tim. You're handsome, brave and loyal to a fault. you're a good man in a sea of assholes" he grinned at her confession waiting for the but he knew was playing on the tip of her tongue but she was cut off by her phone ringing again so he leaned his head back against the seat with a sigh "Damn sweetheart you are popular tonight"
She glanced down and saw it was Rachel before answering "Hey Rach.what's up?" Rachel sounded a little off as she answered "Hey Lil you make it back to Lexington?" "Yea something wrong?" Lilly asked a thousand bad scenarios going through her head before Rachel responded "Nick's sick and the pharmacy closes in thirty. I was wondering if maybe you would go pick up his meds. I'll give you the money for the copay but mama can't handle him puking like he is on her own" Lilly smiled and said "Of course Rach. Tell Nick I'll grab that new Marvel comic while I'm there too" Rachel laughed "That's why he loves auntie Lil. Thanks a ton girl" "You're welcome see you in a bit" Lilly replied before hanging up.
"Nick's sick" she annouced and that made Tim sit up the worry etched across his face "He ok?" she nodded and assured him "He is still interested in the offer of new comics" Tim relaxed and smiled "Well then we know he is still feeling somewhat like his usual self"
Lilly turned to exit the suv and Tim not expecting anything else simply said "night Lil" she stopped halfway out and leaned back in bracing herself on one knee to lean over towards him so again he met her halfway tentatively kissing her while he let his hand rest on her hip nearest him. She pulled back and smiled again before saying "night Tim. I'll see you in the morning" "Goodnight Lil" He said with a small grin pulling his hand away so she could climb out the suv and head to her car.
He replayed the last few minutes in his head and muttered "Yup one of the Givens are gonna be the end of me yet one way or another" to the now empty suv. He made sure she was pulled out the parking spot before pulling out behind her watching her tail lights until she made the turn into the pharmacy.
Lilly watched his headlights in her rearview mirror until she turned into the pharmacy. She knew this would probaly end in flames but she also knew she was smiling for no other reason besides Tim and that was enough to not regret telling him the truth or what came after.