SSA Scottley - A collection - S.R.

Luke

Episode: 14x06

It had been a tough case. Especially for Luke, considering it had been rather personal and, not only had his girlfriend Lisa had been put in danger, his best friend had been caught in the middle of it and gotten killed. Of course, this team was a family so, whenever it was personal for one of them, it was personal for all of them and, of course Lily understood why Luke had decided to go rogue after he had been told by Emily to sit that one out, but still, he had been reckless and he had dismissed a direct order, so it was only fair that Emily would reprehend him for it.

Luckily for everyone involved, Luke hadn't killed the unsub and his restrictions could be revoked eventually, but it would take some time, but that was not what was worrying Lily at the moment because, from the window of her office, she could see Luke at his desk at the bullpen, gathering all of his stuff to leave, but still practically shaking in anger. So she decided to try and help him out a little.

Walking over to Luke, Lily knew he wouldn't want her to make a scene out of talking to him, so she approached him professionally.

"Hey." She smiled a little, before nodding gently with her head to the direction of her office. "I sort of need your signature in a few files about the case. Can you come with me, please?"

Realistically, they all knew Lily was lying. They were all profilers and they all knew Lily for a long time now, but they also knew what she was doing, so no one questioned her and just continued with what they were doing as Luke stood up from his seat to follow Lily into her office. On the way there, he didn't show much emotion - or none at all, really - but, as soon as he stepped inside Lily's office and watched as the woman closed the door after her and all of the blinds around, Luke breathed out in relief for what seemed like the first time in hours.

"Do you want anything?" Lily asked gently, her eyes searching for Luke's even though he was still refusing to look at her. "I... I don't have much, but I have some chocolate bars if you want them."

"Chocolate bars?" Luke smiled a little, almost amused.

"I'm always prepared." Lily shrugged with a chuckle, before walking around her desk and pulling open a drawer as she reached inside and pulled out two candy bars. "Here."

"Thanks." Luke nodded at her as he grabbed the chocolate bar from Lily and followed her around like a lost puppy, sitting down beside her on the couch in the far end of her office when she did too.

"You don't have to tell me anything." Lily assured, her eyes on the chocolate bar in her hands as she ripped it open but her voice gentle, to let Luke know she meant no harm. "But I feel like it would make you feel a little better if you did."

And when Luke lifted his eyes up to meet Lily's, he finally understood how she was so good at her job. He had always been amazed at how well she dealed with people in general, but especially the victims' families and even traumatized children. Luke could handle them fine, but Lily had always seemed to be able to pull from them as much as they were willing to give and Luke never truly understood how. That was, until today, as he sat beside her, looking into her green eyes as they shined with nothing but care and reassurance. Luke felt relaxed beside her and he wasn't sure if it was just because he had grown rather fond of her on their time together, but, regardless, as he looked at the woman beside him, he felt like he could tell her anything. She would keep his secrets. She would comfort him if he needed it. She would keep him safe.

Luke sighed then and Lily almost gave up on pulling anything out of Luke, but just before she could try and change the subject, Luke spoke up.

"I met Phil Brooks on August 10, 2007." He said, looking away from Lily and down at his lap instead. "After an attack on Mosul. Body count was high. The highest I'd ever seen. And this little girl... This little girl died in my arms. Phil was there. It sounds stupid, but, hum... He was the first guy that I ever cried in front of."

Lily nodded then, silently encouraging Luke to continue. For most people, it would probably sound stupid, how Luke bonded with Phil because he had seen him cry, but Lily knew better. Luke was a tough guy and if he had cried in front of Phil... It meant something. It meant a lot.

"And we both got into the FBI. When we thought he lost his legs, we... We cried again." Luke said, his voice cracking as he finally turned to look at Lily again, his own resolve almost breaking entirely when he saw how tenderly she was watching him. "Sometimes it's hard, you know, this job."

Luke sniffled then, his eyebrows furrowing as he tried hard not to cry. Lily bit her lip, though, reaching out a hand to place it on his shoulder. Because, yes, of course she knew. Luke had heard all of the stories about Lily and everything she went through because of this job.Hell, he had seen it before. Everything she lost because of her badge, everything she almost lost... And yet, there she was, stronger than ever, yet caring and kind like nobody else Luke had ever met in his life.

And willing to help him.

"What do you mean?" She asked gently, still trying to get him to open up and, in normal circumstances, Luke would be pissed at her for using psychological methods to get him to keep talking. She wasn't a therapist, after all.

But, right now, sitting alone with her in her office with a chocolate bar in hands and a warm, welcome touch on his shoulder, he didn't particularly care.

"It's just..." He sniffled again, feeling the tears coming up on his eyes. "It's hard to find someone that you feel safe with."

And that was all it took for his damn to break. Within seconds, Luke was crying and sobbing, letting out all of the pent up anger and emotion he had been keeping in for so long now. For a moment, he felt pathetic, he felt weak, letting someone see him so vulnerable. But when that someone slid closer to him and wrapped him up in her arms as she let him rest his head against her shoulder as he sobbed, he remembered who it was and decided he was okay then.

"It's okay..." Lily's gentle voice assured him quietly as she rubbed a hand up and down his back. "You're safe with me, Luke. You're always safe with me."

And as he continued to cry in her arms, Luke knew Lily meant it. He was safe now, he realized. He was safe there and he was safe with her. And that was all that he needed in that moment, really.

"I'm a fighter. I believe in the eye-for-an-eye business." - Muhammad Ali