Southern Comfort (24/?)

Author- Midnight Faith

Spoilers-

Distribution- FF.net, AOH anyone else just ask :)

Pairing- Lilah/Lindsey

Rating- R

Summary- Gunn returns…

Disclaimer- not mine… yadda, yadda

"I hear congratulations are in order." Gavin grasped hold of Lilah's arm forcefully, pulling her into the first alcove branching off from the main corridor of the courthouse.

"Gavin," Lilah said, battling to keep her voice neutral due to the rising panic flowing through her veins. She looked around subtly hoping for someone to come and rescue her. She was tired and didn't feel well and *really* didn't want to be talking to him right now. "Congratulations? What do you mean?"

"Don't play the innocent with me… it's not in your nature. Stop me if something sounds familiar: Whirlwind romance, accident child, engagement to former rival…"

Lilah looked him straight in the eye, despite herself.

"How did you know?" she asked him suspiciously.

"You think I don't have eyes and ears everywhere… it's amazing what a waiter in a restaurant will do for fifty dollars…" he told her with a slight laugh, "I guess you'll be needing some money then. Since I had personnel drain all your accounts." He gave her a cold smile.

"We'll manage…" she told him, fighting to conceal the doubt in her voice.

"Really? And a baby costs six hundred dollars… minimum. Right now you couldn't scrape together six. If you ever need any money… all you have to do is ask…"

"Very funny, Gavin."

"No, I actually mean it," he said taking a pen and cheque book out of his top jacket pocket, scribbling away furiously and then showing her the cheque. He showed her the figure in the right hand box.

"Ten thousand dollars…" she read off.

"Its more than enough," he tempted her, "You could give your baby anything. Nice wedding too. Go on. Take it."

She looked left then right before going to snatch the cheque out of his hand.

Predictably he pulled it back out of her reach.

"I'm surprised at you, Lilah," he told her, "You know everything in this world comes at a price. I want you to come and work for me. I want you back in *my* division. I mean what have you got to lose? All that money… all that power…"

"Lilah…" Gunn's voice came from behind her, "He bothering you?" He stood behind her protectively, his hands on her shoulders.

"No, Gavin was just leaving…" Lilah said, suddenly finding her assertiveness under Gunn's support.

"Think about what I said," Gavin said, walking away, showing her the cheque one last time.

"Say anything to her again and I'll rearrange your face." Gunn yelled after him.

"That's great Gunn," Lilah told him by way of greeting, "Add verbal abuse and threatened physical violence to the case against us too…"

"I'm sorry," he said, turning to faced Lilah his face full of concern, "You OK? He didn't hurt you did he? Because I really *will* kill him if he did…"

"I'm fine," she told him awkwardly, "Gavin didn't touch me. I thought you were in New York anyway."

"I was… I caught an early flight home. I thought maybe you could do with my support." He paused for a moment before saying, "I had this idea that we could go somewhere… and maybe talk…"

"Gunn… I can't…"

"Because you're marrying Lindsey? Cordy told me. Congratulations."

"Thankyou. That means a lot."

Gunn lead Lilah over to the window seat.

"Is he all you want?" he asked her.

"Yes…" she told him, "I love him. That's all that matters right?"

"I thought maybe… I'd give you time and you and I could give it another go…" he told her, "But now I realise we really can't…"

"We really can't…"

"I get that now… but I still really want to be friends with you… I really need you in my life… if not as my girlfriend then as just a friend…"

"Friends…" she told him.

He leaned forward and pulled her into a close hug.

"I missed you…" he said into her ear.

"I missed you too…" she told him, "I missed you just being around…"

"Can I still take you out for that ice cream I promised you this weekend? Just as friends?"

"I can't… Lindsey's taking me away for the weekend… we're going to Nevada to visit my sister… Hardly exciting… I know… but I haven't seen her for three years… I have a niece I've never even seen…"

"It's good you're re-building family ties…"

"Lorne was right when he read me… all my life I've ever been craving is normalcy…"

"Lindsey's a very lucky guy…"

"And I'm lucky to have finally found him…"

Gunn hugged her again.

"How did I ever let you get away?" he asked her.

"Lilah…" Lindsey's voice came from the other side of the alcove.

She jumped away from Gunn so she stood directly between the two.

"They're ready for us to go back in…" Lindsey told her, "Gunn," he said politely by way of greeting.

"Lindsey."

"I thought you were out of town."

"Came back early… is there a law against that?"

Lilah felt trapped between the two of them. They seemed to stare each other down, seeing which one would break first. Her eyes nervously flitted between their two faces.

"Congratulations… you must be very happy," Gunn eventually told Lindsey before angrily walking away.

"Gunn…" Lilah called, following him out into the hallway, staring at his retreating form.

Her eyes were drawn to Lindsey's… the dejection contained there told her he's figured out what had passed between her and Gunn…