SSA Scottley - A collection - S.R.

Reflection of desire

"You like it?" She asked as he laughed once more.

"You look beautiful anyway, Lily." He complimented, as he guided her toward the stage. He stood a few steps to her right and as soon as she stopped behind the table, all eyes and cameras tuned to her.

"Let's start." She announced, causing the journalist to pull out their recorders. With one last glance at Spencer, she began. "Penny Haley went missing two days ago. We have received over three thousand calls. Her family is obviously deeply worried and is looking forward to her prompt and safe return."

"Is Penny Haley yet another victim of the Hill Ripper?" One of the journalists asked.

"Right now, all we know is that Penny is missing."

"Did they send a photo, just like in Kelly Landis' case?" Another asked.

"We'd like to take this opportunity to reach out to the public." Lily said, avoiding the question. "Penny was last seen here, leaving Union Station."

"You mean she was taken by the Hill Ripper."

"There are rumors that Penny was found with her lips cut off."

"We are not prepared to discuss the details of Penny's case."

"Was the mutilation, in fact, what you call a signature?"

"Penny Haley's name has caught the attention of not only the nation, but also of the entire world. This photo..." She said, as Spencer held up the image of Penny. "Is the most recent one we have. We believe it was taken and sent by the person who has her. We ask..."

"I want to say something! I want to say something to the sick son of a bitch that has my daughter."

Lily looked up just in time to see Penny's father walking through the crowd of journalists. Great.

"Mr. Haley, we all want to find your daughter, but now I need you to calm down." Spencer tried to reason, but he wouldn't listen.

"I want to say something." He insisted.

"Mr. Haley, don't do this."

"You know, I say something, she dies... I plead for her life, she dies... I don't have any money, my wife passed away two years ago..."

And as he kept talking, Lily started to grow worried. What was she supposed to do? As he was finishing his plea for the unsub, Spencer subtly gave Lily a note.

"Ladies and gentleman..." She said, trying to get the attention of the public again and, somehow, managing it. "I just received an straight order from the police, asking for the people to reduce their movements, around M Street, Georgetown, for the next few hours."

"Agent Scottley, do you have any leads in the Hill Ripper's case?"

"No we don't." She said. "We have an address."

And with that, Spencer reached out as Lily walked down the stage. He guided her to a secluded area, as they both ignored the buzz of the press. Spencer pulled out the wig from her head as he looked down at her, noticing her heavy breaths.

"Are you okay?" He asked, placing both hands on her arms, just to assure her she was safe.

"Did I do it right?" She asked, in the verge of tears.

"Yes, you did." He cooed, pulling her in for a hug again. "You did amazing."

"What now?" She whispered, burring herself in his chest.

"We wait." He answered. "We wait for our team to catch him."

***

Now that she worked as a liaison, Lily was usually one of the last ones to leave the office, alongside with Hotch and Penelope, who, for some reason, always seemed to have some kind of work to do. As soon as she filled in her last report on the case, she picked her purse up and the files, before handing the latest to Hotch, wishing him goodnight before walking toward Penelope's office.

"How come you are always here?" She asked, as she leaned against the door frame.

Penelope jumped slightly, before spinning around in her chair, as she turned to face Lily, a hand over her heart as it sped up.

"Dear God, Lily! You scared me." She said, before smiling as her best friend pulled up a chair to sit down. "Are you heading home, already?"

"Yeah, I've just finished the reports and everything, but I... I sorta wanted to talk to you."

"Okay." Penelope said, as she typed something, before rolling her chair closer to Lily. "Shoot."

"So... I take it you saw the press conference I did today." She started, as Penelope nodded.

"Yeah, and you were great too, Lily! Really, I could tell you were nervous, but I remember JJ's first time in front of the cameras. Poor girl was shaking, and she was trained for this type of stuff."

"Yeah, I've never felt more scared in my whole life." She breathed out, as she ran a hand through her hair. Penelope sent a look of disbelief, but Lily just nodded. "It's true! The media is... Anyway... That's not what I wanted to talk about."

"Lily... Talk to me..." Penelope cooed, taking her best friend's hands on hers. "You're scaring me."

Lily took a deep breathe.

"Look, before the press conference, I was so scared... I thought the whole team was going to go after the unsub and leave me alone. But Spencer didn't. He stood there, and he calmed me down, and he assured me everything was going to be okay." She said. Penelope's lips formed the most radiant smile ever, but as Lily was so focused on letting everything out, she didn't even noticed. "Now... He's my best friend, and I'm sure he would've done it for anyone else, but I just... I felt something. Just... Just having him there, you know? It calmed me down in a way no one has ever been able to do. I just... I just don't understand..."

Penelope let out a squeal of delight and that was the moment Lily looked up, just in time to see her best friend beaming as she stared at her.

"You like him!"

"Yeah, of course, he's one of my best friends, but I..."

"Don't play dumb with me, Doctor Scottley." Penelope shook her head, pointing a finger right to her face. "You are in love with him and you know it!"

"I am not!" She retorted. "I'm not in love with him, it was just... Circumstances. Yeah. That's it. I was nervous, and he was there, and that was all."

"Oh come on, Lily... Just admit it and make it easier for everyone." Penelope kept pushing.

"I'm not in love with him."

"Yes, you are. And it's only a matter of time until you realize it."

"No." Lily shook her head. "I can't be in love with him."

"Look, if you're going to give me that co-worker rule thing, I swear..."

"I can't be in love with him because the last guy I fell in love with died!" She yelled as Penelope gulped.

"Lily..."

"Good night, Penelope." She said, picking up her purse and leaving the room harshly. "Thank you for your time."