Is this a date? -Lillian-

[Austin Jace Spencer (Riley)]

Austin sat in a booth at what seemed like the only Irish Pub in town. The food was better then most places he's eaten at and since he was doing his best to get in with the Conners he didn't much go to the other side of town. So the Irish pub was the best place to go. He sat alone with some food and a beer in front of him. He often ate alone. In his line of work he didn't get to build a lot of good relationships. Mostly cause the people he was around, he was working to put away. Though he did miss the idea that he could have a life once in a while.

But that would be to much to ask. So yet again he sat alone. One day, he'd quit being an undercover cop and just be a cop. Quit having to lie to people. Ok well maybe just one person in general. She was the reason he no longer was so focused on taking the Conners down. He'd come to care about this girl. And had started working on a way where this assignment wouldn't hurt her. He didn't want to hurt her. She didn't deserve that. One day he'd tell her the truth and tell her to get out before things happened. So she didn't go to prison. She didn't deserve that.

[Lillian Harper Kovack]

Lilly walked into MacKenna's after work. More often than not, when she finished her set at the club, she booked it home and took the longest, hottest shower she could stand, as though she could wash away the sleazy gawkers from the club, just scour away the slimy feeling that their lingering looks always left her with. But, from time to time, she needed a god damn drink, usually as result of having to do a little bit something extra for her bosses. Sometimes it wasn't so bad. Passing the drugs along, that was fine. She didn't like it so much, but she could handle it. It was when they had more creative tasks for her that she wanted to run out of there as fast as she could. Tonight was one of those nights. She'd been pulled aside and told about a young DA who'd be coming in tonight, how she had to make him feel special, how she had to get on his good side, make him trust her. To what end, she didn't know. She never really knew what happened to the 'marks' after she got them to do whatever her bosses wanted, but she could only assume it wasn't good. She'd done what they wanted though, and the poor young lawyer left with a big smile on his face. He'd be back, she was sure of it, and god knows that whatever it was they wanted, it wasn't going to end well for him. She sighed a little, making her way up to the bar, the guilt and shame, that's what made her want to put the shower on hold until she could numb herself a little bit.

She ordered a whiskey, it was not the kind of night to sugar coat things, while she repeated her mantra Two more years, only two more years and school will be done. You can escape this place and these people. Two more years. She thanked the bartender, taking the glass and going to sit down. She recognized a few of the people here, she usually did. It was why she only came to this place alone. She would hate if any of her friends found out about what she did, it was hard enough constantly being worried that a classmate would walk into the club, she didn't need that extra stress here. Her eyes settled on Riley, sitting alone, and she smiled slightly. She had to deal with so many people, so many of whom were part of the mob. It would be easy to hate them all on principal. The problem was, some of them were good people, and she found herself enjoying their company, despite what they did. She supposed a lot of people could say the same about her, so she couldn't really judge. But Riley was one of those people. She'd spent some time with him, she liked him, for all that he was one of the 'bad guys', he was pretty cool. She hadn't planned on talking with anyone. She planned on downing her drink and going home, but instead she found herself walking over to his table. “ Hi Riley.. mind if I join you?”

[Austin Jace Spencer (Riley)]

Austin was pulled out of his thoughts when someone was speaking to him. Not many people spoke to him that didn't want him to work. When his eyes looked up he saw Lilly. Lilly was the girl he'd been so fond of. He went out of his way to make sure she was protected when things were happening. He used to think that things were so black and white but it was her who made all this grey area. He'd come to find that she was a really good person, and the reasons she made all these bad choices were so she could do something good with her life. He didn't think it was fair the lengths she had to go to put herself through college.

He offered her a smile. "Yeah of course you can sit down" She was probably the only person he'd made an actual relationship with. Like one that actually mattered to him. And one that he was going to be disappointed when it was no more after his assignment was up. "How are you this late evening? Judging by the drink in your hand I'd guess it was kind of rough. Wanna tell me about it?" A question he never minded offering up. Especially to her. Even if he never planned on using it in the investigation. He cared enough about her to ask about her day.

[Lillian Harper Kovack]

Lilly smiled a little, pulling out the chair from the table and sitting down, crossing her ankles together, she took a sip of the whiskey, letting the cold alcohol burn down her throat. If she hadn't decided to sit with him, she would have downed the thing back in one go, the quicker it was insider, the quicker it could help numb her.. Why she felt the need to give the pretense of being 'lady like' around a man who'd seen her dance around barely clothed for money, she had no clue, but she wasn't going to guzzle the thing back in front of him. “ Thank you.” she said taking another sip. She pushed her hair back from her face. Good conversation should be just as much of a distraction as a stiff drink, and really if there was anyone from the Murphy's side of her life she could talk too, it was Riley. He was a good guy, and she found it easy top open up to him, telling him about why she was there, what she was trying to do with her life.

Her nose scrunched a little when he commented about it being a rough night. She supposed one of the nice things about talking to other people involved with the damn Connor family, is that they understood. She could tell him about the crap that went down, the shit that they made her do, and it was fine. Really, the fact that he wouldn't bat an eyelash about what they asked of her really shouldn't be a bonus, but it was nice to know she had some people she didn't have to censor herself around. She just wasn't entirely sure she wanted to talk about it. She felt guilty, and someone comiserating over it wasn't going to really help. She looked down at her drink. Ah screw being a lady. She picked up the glass, downing the rest of the liquid. “ Yeah it was a little on the rough side. Something I'd probably just rather forget about... how about you? Why are you here all by yourself Riley? No hot date tonight?” she said with a smile, hoping to change the subject

[Austin Jace Spencer (Riley)]

Austin couldn't help but smile at her while she was trying to act like she didn't want to down that and go for round two. He knew she was a dancer at the strip club on this side of town. And he knew that the Conners had her do other things as well. What, well he wasn't entirely sure. Like tonight she never much wanted to talk about it. And that was ok with him. But he was always kind enough to give her an outlet. Someone to talk to if she needed to and he assumed one day, after keeping it all in, she'd need to talk and he'd be there for her when she did.

He watched as she changed her mind about the lady thing and emptied her glass. He leaned over some getting the waitresses attention and pointed to Lilly's glass. "Are you hungry?" He figured he could afford it. After two years of doing this, the checks from the department piling up, he was going to be a rich man, or well in his books he would be. Her tab tonight was on him. "I usually eat alone. Don't usually have much call for hot dates. Though if I was going to have a hot date tonight, she's already sitting right in front of me." He smiled at her. They weren't dating, but he'd ask her out if he thought he had a chance with her. But someone as smart as her had no business with an undercover cop such as him.

[Lillian Harper Kovack]

Lilly was contemplating her empty glass. Another one was probably not a good idea. She wasn't planning on drinking herself to a stupor, that wasn't going to help. Sure, she'd done it a couple of times, when things just got to be too much, but she couldn't make a habit of it. She had too much else she needed to think about. Hell, even one tonight was probably a bad idea, she had class in the morning, she needed to not be hungover as hell. But while she was considering it, Riley waved the waitress over, ordering her another. Well it would just be rude, wouldn't it? Turning down the drink when he already got it for her. That's what she told herself as she smiled at him.

“ Thanks... and I am starving actually. I didn't have time to eat before my shift tonight, I had a lab that ran late and couldn't stop anywhere before I started... I would literally kill for some nachos or something.” she said with an embarrassed little smile. The one benefit of all the dancing was the work out it gave her. She needed it, considering how often she just ended up grabbing fast food on her way from school to work, it kept her in shape at least. Thank goodness for small miracles. She laughed a little, shaking her head at his comment “ Oh, that was pretty smooth Riley, I bet you pull that line on all the girls” she said with a smile. The waitress came back over, putting a new glass on the table. Lilly smiled at her in thanks, and took the glass. She took a small sip of this one, the warm rush from downing the first serving as enough of a buffer to stop her from doing the same with this one

[Austin Jace Spencer (Riley)]

Austin smiled back to her. Anything to keep her company as long as possible. He didn't go out of his way to cross paths with her but when they did see each other he fell for her more and more. But he didn't want to make it to obvious cause he figured she'd never go out with a guy like him. She didn't see the cop. She saw the scum bag he pretended to be. She saw the guy who wanted to work his way up in the organization. She didn't know why he wanted to do so. Or at least not the real reason. So why would someone as beautiful and smart as her want to go on a date with him.

"No .. Just one." His smile grew a little more. His cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "There's no sense in starving yourself. Order anything you'd like to eat. It's on me tonight." She needed to save her money, he didn't. Besides any guy who'd make a pretty girl like her pay for anything while she was sitting at a table with him was a jerk, and a jerk with no manners. And he was taught better than that. Always to take care of the ladies. And so when he could, he took care of Lilly. He had quite a soft spot for her.

[Lillian Harper Kovack]

Lilly smiled a little, she couldn't help it, Riley had that effect on her most of the time. Which was why when there were a dozen of the other guys from the organization here, she had singled him out. They were scum she couldn't wait to wash away he... well she supposed he was too, one of the guys that did any and everything to make their way up the ladder, but she found it easier to look past that with him, there was just something about him that was different. And there was the fact that he had a pretty damn nice smile that crinkled up in the corners of his eyes, it was hard to not respond to that. If they had met somewhere else, if she wasn't doing all this, she could easily see him as .. no, it was useless to dwell on that. They hadn't met elsewhere. They'd met while he was doing god knows what for the mob, and she was taking off her clothes for money and probably getting lonely gullible men killed. Nothing about that screamed romance.

Her held tilted a little to the side, was he blushing? She looked down at her drink, not wanting to draw attention to it or make him self conscious or anything. But she couldn't help but think it was adorable. “ Oh... well... I guess that's ok then.” she took another quick sip of her drink before looking back to him. “ Oh you don't need to do that, it may have been a rough night, but I made plenty in tips.” she insisted. She sat a little straighter in her seat, looking around for the waitress to order food from. Now that it was brought up, she could feel her stomach getting ready to start rumbling, which she rather would avoid.

[Austin Jace Spencer (Riley)]

Austin couldn't let her pay for dinner. He was to much of a gentleman. Any one of these guys in here would make her pay. But he had sense enough to listen to him mother. Women loved a boy with manners. Or maybe that's just what she told him so he'd have some. Kind of like the lie she told about vegetables giving him super powers. She did that just so he'd eat them. He never got super powers. He was pretty disappointed. But he did however stay healthy. And for that he couldn't stay angry at his mother.

"Look I insist. Save your tips for a rainy day." He smiled some. "If I ever had the courage to ask you out .. on a real date, would you shoot me down?" Why, why, why was he persuing this subject. She was way out of his league. And she would be nice, probably to nice to tell him that but he just couldn't help it. And he knew dates were bad for his job and really they were frowned upon. Any real relationship made was frowned upon. When you stopped looking at people like an assignment and started looking at them like actual people it was time for you to work in a differect field. But he wanted a relationship with her. He didn't expect her to strip for him just because. And he wouldn't ask her to give up her job. Stripping was perfectly legal. But she deserved so much better.

[Lillian Harper Kovack]

Truth be told, Lilly didn't have all that much experience with gentleman, her most active social life when it came to dating had been in high school, and really, what high school boys are really gentleman? After that she'd been too busy, and when she found time, she had a knack for picking jerks. Someone actually offering to buy her dinner because they were nice and polite, and not because they wanted to get into her pants, was a rare occurrence. Or she thought it was at least, she wasn't all that great at deciphering people's motives, she just assumed most guys were trying to get laid, wasn't that why most of them did most things anyways? So when Riley offered, she had a moment where she couldn't help but question his reasoning. If it had been anyone else, she probably would have expected the worst, but again, Riley just didn't seem the type. “ Well.. thank you. I appreciate it” she said with a small smile and a nod.

She lifted her drink up, putting it to her mouth and taking another sip. One which she nearly choked on when he made his next statement. Maybe she had been wrong a moment before, maybe the buy her dinner thing was all about getting some. Why else would he ask her out, or, hypothetically ask her out at least? Guys didn't want to date strippers, they wanted to screw them. She'd learned that quick enough. She bit at her bottom lip, looking over him, and was struck again that he just didn't seem like the type who would say or do things just to get someone into bed. So what, did that mean he wanted to take her out? That was baffling enough on it's own, almost as baffling about what she should answer. Sure, he was attractive, and without a doubt, he was nice and she enjoyed at hanging around him, talking to him... but that was hardly a good idea, right? She wanted out of this whole mess, she didn't want to get dragged further into it. But then she didn't want to hurt his feelings... and it was hypothetical after all.. and more importantly there was a part of her that would jump at the chance, regardless of what either of them did. After a moment, she shook her head “ I wouldn't shoot you down. she finally answered with a little smile

[Austin Jace Spencer (Riley)]

Austin nodded when she thanked him. It was always nice to hear someone say thank you. He wanted so bad to just tell her the truth about him. That he was really Austin and he was a cop not a crook. And that he was really and all around good guy. And that all he was trying to do was make the world a safer place. But if he told her all that then he couldn't make the world a safer place cause if he told her all that he'd blow his cover. He'd been doing his best to make things difficult for the Conners while not blowing things.

When she said she wouldn't shoot him down he couldn't help but feel a little relief. Well maybe she liked him too. Maybe she did see him as someone she could date. Then he cleared his throat some. "Then Miss.Kovack," He smiled some. "Will you go out on a date with me, like one where we actually plan on seeing each other" Knowing she wouldn't shoot him down didn't stop his heart from racing while he waited for her answer. She could come up with a million excuses as to why she couldn't go on a date with him.

[Lillian Harper Kovack]

Lilly was looking down at her drink again, wondering a bit about the direction the night had taken.  She couldn’t keep looking at Riley after she’d answered his question, because it made her nervous and had her stomachs a little in knots.  Not necessarily in a bad way, but knots nonetheless.  How could she go from playing some poor unsuspecting man for a fool at the request of her bosses, to casually talking about going on a date with one of the people who worked for them?  It just didn’t seem normal.  And yet, here she was.  She was damn sure no one else in her class had to contend with nights like this.
 
She brought her face back up when he cleared his throat.  She really should have seen this coming, but a big part of her hadn’t really thought he was serious about it.  It went back to the whole ‘men didn’t actually want to date the stripper, just screw her’ thing.  But here he was, actually asking her out.  Despite what she said in the hypothetical situation, she really should say no.  Nice as he was, attractive as he was, and as much as she enjoyed talking to him, it all came back to the same point.  She wanted out of this life, not to draw herself further into it.  But looking at him, she wasn’t really thinking that.  She smiled a little, tucking her hair behind her ear.  “ Yeah Riley.  I’d love to go on a date with you.” probably not the best choice, but it was done.

[Austin Jace Spencer (Riley)]

Austin waited for what seemed like a life time for her answer. He guessed that's how you felt when you put yourself out there. And he had just given her the chance to stomp all over him and crush him into a million pieces. He's liked her for a long time. She was one of those people that if her life was in danger he would blow his cover to rescue. And he wouldn't do that for anyone really. But her, she was one of a kind and hard working and she deserved better than what she had. Maybe a cop boyfriend was a lot better than a mobster boyfriend. Though she had no idea she was getting the good guy and not the bad guy.

He couldn't help but smile when she said yes. That made him feel on top of the world. He almost wanted to jump out of his seat with excitement. Ok so maybe that was a little nerdy but he could be that way sometimes. "When's the next day you're free .. You won't be disappointed I promise" He also didn't give himself enough credit, mostly cause he thought she was way out of his league. But that just meant he needed to work extra hard to make her see why dating him would be a good idea.

[Lillian Harper Kovack]

Despite the logic in her head telling her that this whole endeavour was a bad idea that she was just getting herself in more over her head than she already was, Lilly couldn’t help but smile. Disappointed, yeah that was a word that didn’t even cross her mind when she thought about it. Excited, happy, worried, those words were there, but she wasn’t in the least bit scared that she’d end up disappointed on a date with Riley. On one hand, he was undoubtedly a bad guy. He worked for the mafia for god’s sake, even if she wasn’t clear on exactly what he did for them, no matter what it was, it couldn’t be good. But she also figured that she was a decent judge of character, and in that respect, Riley seemed like a really good guy. She just needed to separate the ‘work’ from the man, and not remind herself that she was getting herself into a sticky situation.

“ I don’t think I’m going to be disappointed Riley” she said with a grin and a shake of her head. She picked up her glass, twirling it in her hands as she thought about when she was actually going to be free for a real date. That was the problem, between work and school, she was fairly busy. Weekends were almost always out, since those were the busiest times at the club. For the sake of a date though, she could forgo the normal study/homework routine one weeknight. “ I’m free this Thursday actually.”

[Austin Jace Spencer (Riley)]

Austin's smile grew when she said she could never be disappointed. Just when he thought his smile couldn't grow any more she pulls out another couple inches. You were your toughest critic and Austin was pretty tough on himself expecially when it came to girls like Lilly. She was super smart and he was super not. He was good at being a cop. And he didn't make all that much money. Not like being an engineer. And he remembered small details so when it came up in conversation breifly he remembered. That's what made him a good cop, he remembered things.

"How about I make it early in the evening so you can even get some studying time in as well. I know classes are important." He was probably one of the few that actually remembered she was in school. Not that people didn't always see a book under her nose, most people just didn't care to remember things about people who weren't themselves in this specific world. People looked out for number one and Lilly she wasn't like they she seemed so caring and compassionate. She cared about how he was doing just as much as he cared about how she was doing.