SSA Scottley - A collection - S.R.

DRSE

"Let me guess..." Lily mumbled, as she looked down at her tea again. "You're here to tell me not to give up?"

"You want to give up?"

"Yes." Lily nodded, before frowning a little and shaking her head. "I mean, no. I mean... I'm not sure."

"Why would you want to give up?" Oliver asked.

"Because... Because it's just so hard and I'm just so tired." Lily complained. "I mean... I'm tired of fighting all the time and if I just... If I just let go now... I could stay here, right? With you?"

"Yes." Oliver nodded. "But I don't think that's what you truly want."

"What do you mean?"

"You have friends waiting for you over there, darling." Oliver smiled gently, as he reached across the table to grab both of Lily's hands in his. "Not only that... You have a fiance that loves you so much and a son."

"Olly..."

"Don't you dare apologize for this, Lily." Oliver cut his eyes at her. "You're happy, darling. And you deserve to be happy. He makes you happy in a way I couldn't anymore."

"You... You aren't mad at me?" Lily asked, as Oliver rolled his eyes at her.

"Of course not." He shook his head. "I watched you being miserable after I've died, did you know that? I was looking out for you. All I wanted back then was to just... Hold you and comfort you, but I couldn't. Spencer could, though. And he did. And he put a smile back on your face and he keeps doing that after all those years. Do I wish it was me instead, sometimes? Holding your hand and kissing your lips and making you laugh? Yes. But, if anything, I'm glad it's Spencer instead because he loves you Lily. Almost as much as I've loved you."

"Almost?" Lily asked, through her tears as Oliver chuckled.

"Almost." He confirmed, bringing Lily's hand up to his lips and pressing a kiss to the back of it.

"I miss you, did you know that?' She asked, as he nodded.

"I miss you too, darling. And I'm sorry we didn't have a chance in the life we've wanted, but you do have a chance now."

"Do you... Do you think I should... I mean, fight back?" Lily asked. "Do you think it's worth it?"

"I'm not here to tell you what to do, darling." Oliver smiled a little. "I'm here to show you what could be. So... Eat up that piece of cake because we have somewhere else to be."

Lily didn't argue. Instead, she just smiled, enjoying the cake, her tea and the company, but, as soon as she was done, Oliver grabbed her hand again and walked out of the cafe with her. As soon as they stepped outside, however, Lily frowned. They weren't in the streets of D.C. anymore. Instead, Lily felt grass lapping at her ankles and she frowned as she noticed all the trees and bushes around her.

"Where are we now?" Lily asked, as Oliver just shrugged.

"That's unimportant." He said. "This is not about the place. This is about who we came to see."

"And who did we come to see?"

"Us."

Lily's eyes widened. She would recognize that voice anywhere. If she heard it the day before or seven years before, she would recognize it. So, letting go of Oliver's hand, Lily spun around in her heels and felt tears prickling in her eyes.

"Daddy..." She whispered, rushing over to James as the man laughed and opened his arms to receive his daughter in a hug. "Oh, dad, I've missed you so much. I... I'm so sorry, I..."