SSA Scottley - A collection - S.R.

Love me or leave me

LMOLM - Part 4

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." - Lao Tzu

"Lily's not here yet?" Blake asked as soon as she left the bathroom that morning.

It was already 11 a.m. and Lily Scottley hadn't showed up for work.

"No." JJ answered, taking the phone out of her ear, after trying to reach her friend for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "And she's not picking up her phone either."

"Okay, guys... So I found her phone, but it says it is in her apartment." Garcia said, as she entered the bullpen, running as fast as she could in her high heels and placing her computer on JJ's desk. "I tried to call her several times too, but she won't pick up."

"Maybe she's sick." Blake offered.

"She would've called Hotch." Morgan shook his head. "She wouldn't have just missed a day of work like this."

"He's right." Garcia nodded. "Lily's just not like that. She's the most hardworking woman I've ever met. No offense." She added, as JJ and Blake gave her a weak smile.

Morgan was about to say something else, but stopped when he saw no one other than Chief Strauss walking into the BAU. She gave them a quick glance, before looking away and headed straight to Hotch's office.

"What the hell is Strauss doing here?" Morgan asked.

"I have no idea." JJ said. "Are we in trouble again?"

"Again?" Blake frowned.

"Long story... "

"Hey, pretty boy." Morgan called out to Spencer, who hadn't said a word until then. "Do you know what's happening?"

"No." He answered weakly. "No idea."

While the rest of the team discussed possibilities as to why Strauss would be talking to Hotch that day, they missed the fact that they both went to Rossi's office so the three of them could talk.

"So I've received a call from the D.C. Police." She said, as the two men stood there in silence, allowing her to talk. "They went to check a crime scene and found Agent Scottley's credentials there."

"Where?" Hotch spoke up.

Lily hadn't showed up to work yet and to say he was worried was an understatement. He was going mad, trying to call and find her just as much as the rest of the team. Strauss sighed and told them the address the police had given her.

"That's Lily's apartment." Rossi noted.

"We have to go there." Hotch decided, as he started to make his way out of the room.

Before he could leave, though, Strauss spoke up.

"You can't go. This team is too involved. And you weren't invited for a case."

"One of our agents is missing, Erin, and you expect us to just sit here and wait?" Rossi asked quite annoyed.

"That's exactly what I expect." Strauss nodded. "I'm sorry, but it's the rules. I don't want you working this case, do you understand me?"

Rossi was about to protest, but got interrupted by Hotch, who politely nodded.

"We understand the situation." He said.

"Good." Erin nodded, before leaving Rossi's office.

The older man waited for a few seconds just to be sure she was out of earshot before speaking up.