Billy smiled, leaning back in his chair. He tossed a silver ballpoint pen onto his desk, and observed his elder brother, who father time had been very kind to. "I'm not sure where you get your gossip Jack, but you're a bit off the mark."

"So you didn't pick her up, and carry her out of the room, and I quote, ‘like a handsome blonde knight in shining armor.'"

"Well...that part is true." He chuckled. "By the way, you really need to stop getting your gossip from Esther."

"What makes you think it was Esther?"

"Oh, I don't know, the handsome blonde knight part, might have tipped me off, or the fact that I know you had breakfast with my Mother."

"Guilty, but I can't believe Lily fainted." Jack shook his head. He knew his baby brother well enough to know that he'd enjoyed whatever scene had taken place Friday night. He just hoped enjoying was the only thing he intended to do during his stay in Genoa City. "I hope...you know what you're doing."

"Relax Jack," Billy smiled, remembering how right she felt in his arms, "I got this."

"Fine, just don't let this get in the way of our project," Jack said all jokes aside.

Billy picked up a small silver metal ball from his desk, and rolled it between his fingers. He'd purchased it years ago, after talking with a colleague, who said it helped him to think. He'd tried it, and discovered that it helped him decide his next choice of actions, or sometimes just helped him calm down when his temper would have gotten the best of him. "Jack, let us not forget that I brought the project to you, so I highly doubt that I will be screwing it up."

Jack watched the small ball roll from one finger to the next, before Billy palmed it. "There is a lot at stake."

"It's one company, Jack," Billy said standing up and making his way around the desk, where he sat on it, in front of his brother. "Symphonic Smells, is really an inconsequential company in the scheme of things." He continued when Jack through him a look, "However, it will be a good addition to Jabot."

"A good edition," Jack said at his brother's blasé attitude, "Organic fragrances and beauty products are all the rage. Acquiring this company would be a major boon for Jabot."

"And Newman," Billy said finishing his brother's thought. "You can say it Jack, we both know that the Mustache wants this company," and would probably bargain his son, or at least his son's wife for it, Billy added silently.

Jack didn't like the dangerous gleam in his brother's eyes. "You better not be using the company as way to get your ex-girlfriend back."

"Jack, Jack, Jack," Billy sighed, turning his impenetrable blue eyes on his brother, "Don't tell me what I better not do. You maybe the CEO of the domestic part of Jabot, but I am the king of the international market. The same market that has kept Jabot in the black and free of poachers the likes of Newman Enterprises, who would have swept in and stolen what our father worked so hard for. You know... like the last time, when you...were in charge."

"You've done-"

"I'm not finished," Billy said interrupting his brother. "I know it's been a while Jack, but I am not the same twenty-two year old who left here seven years ago, wet behind the ears and easily led. I am almost thirty years old, and although you are old enough to be my father, you are not."

Jack was quite certain that the look in his brother's eye was one that he'd never seen before. He'd never witnessed this side of Billy. He'd heard that his brother was ruthless in his dealings, but this, seeing it, was like meeting the man before him, for the first time. The old Billy would have smiled, or gotten angry and initiated an argument. This Billy, was quiet, he never once raised his voice, not even the slightest decimal. And yet each word held steel. Jack could say that in the almost thirty years he'd known his brother, he'd never been more proud of him. Jack steepled his fingers, "I understand. Just as long as you understand that if you attempt to use the company for your own personal quest, you and I will find out who's the top dog at Jabot."

"Some day," Billy said, and smiled although it never reached it eyes, "But not today."

The brothers stared at each other for an indeterminable time, both taking in the other, measuring what they knew about them, their strengths, and their weaknesses. But they knew, that no matter what happened between them, if any outsider stepped in the middle, they would be quick to have the other's back.

"Where are with the new fragrance?" Jack asked breaking their silent standoff. He was older, so it didn't make him feel any weaker for doing so.

"Everything is ready to go." Billy replied. "I spoke with Daniel, who assured me that the marketing for the new fragrance is ready to roll. We just need to buy up some ad space in the top women's magazines.

"And you're still sure about the name?"

"The name... is gold," Billy said resting his hand on the edge of the desk, "Besides, it's a bit late in the game, for a name change."

"Tiger Lily," Jack said shaking his head. "Don't you think it's a bit...well, obvious?"

"Jack, you called me four months ago, because your team couldn't come up with a proper name. And after smelling the fragrance, it was the first name to pop into my head." Billy could remember the first time he'd taken a whiff of the soft floral scent. It was as if they'd taken the bottle and slid it against her skin, capturing her essence to perfection. He didn't believe in signs, but after smelling the scent, and then seeing the picture of her a few weeks later, he knew in some cosmic way, that he was sure Jana could describe for him in detail, Lily was calling to him, and Billy intended to answer. "It fits, and that's all that matters."

Billy was right. The name oddly fit the smell of the fragrance. It hadn't even occurred to Jack at the time, that Billy was naming the fragrance the same pet name he'd given his ex-girlfriend, one Lily Amanda Winters. Jack remembered his brother calling her his Lily, or his Tiger Lily. No matter what the name, Billy always called her his. Shit, Jack thought to himself, Nick was going to shit a brick. Jack stood, preparing to make his exit. "Promise me something."

"Tell me, and I might oblige you," Billy said walking with his bother towards the door. He grabbed his navy blue jacket of the hook, and slid it on as he walked with Jack down the hallway towards the bank of elevators, silently awaiting his brother's request.

"Promise me that you will take her feelings into account, before you bulldoze your way back into her life."

"Whatever I do," Billy pressed the down button, "I'm doing it with her feelings in mind." The elevator doors opened.

Jack stood back to let Billy enter. "And why don't I believe you?" he asked, watching his brother walk into the elevator.

Billy turned, pressed the button for the garage and stared at his brother, "And why don't I care?" he asked as the doors closed in Jack's face.

***
Lily Winters wasn't having the best day. It wasn't as if anything major had happened. No one had been rude to her. The magazine hadn't suffered any surprise losses. Everything was the same as it was everyday. Well almost everything. She sighed, and swiveled around to look out the window in her office. Everything wasn't really the same. He was back in town, and everyone knew it. She'd come in to work this morning, to find her entire staff, well at least those that were present at 8:00am, congregating in one corner of the office whispering about her. She didn't have super hearing powers, but she'd known that they where discussing her, by the simple fact that they'd stopped, and scampered away at her entrance, like naughty children being caught by their mother. Although, it could have very well been that they should have all been working, and not standing around chit chatting, but she'd known. She'd felt their eyes following her around the room, down the hall and into her office, with mixture of curiosity, smugness, and sympathy. Her assistant, Georgie hadn't even been able to look her in the eyes.

Why had she fainted? It wasn't as if he'd come back from the dead. He'd been alive all these years, living it up in London, and she'd known it. Her reaction to him hadn't made any sense. Billy Abbott was just...He was just... "Ugh," she said frustrated beyond all reason. The man had broken up with her to go off and "be free." His words, not hers, and here she was acting as if he were some deity, who was so magnificent that he left her speechless, and unable to form a coherent thought. Why was he back? She'd been asking herself that very question, since the moment she'd woken up on that couch, and all through the weekend. The weekend that she'd spent trying her hardest, to convince her husband, who hadn't even so much as mentioned the incident, that she was fine. She'd been grateful to Nick for not asking her about her silly fainting spell. He'd kissed her forehead, when she'd awakened the next morning and asked if she was okay. She assured him that she was, and they left the matter at that. It was the truth, because there was nothing to say, she fine. She was, she really was, now if only she could convince her heart of that, because every time she thought of him, her heart squeezed, and her mind shut down.

"Lily," Georgie called from the door, addressing her boss by her first name, since Lily hated Georgie calling her by her married one. She said it made her feel old, which was ridiculous being that Lily was only twenty four. It may have had more to do with the fact that Georgie was two years younger.

Lily started, at the sound of Georgie's voice. It was so unlike Georgie, to stick her head in her in office door, when she could have just paged her. "Yes, George what is it?" Once she'd turned around.

"Sorry, I wasn't sure if you were still in here," at Lily's look of confusion she said, "I rang, but you didn't answer.

Lily flushed, "I'm sorry, I was...I'm sorry. Was there something that I could do for you?"

"Mr. Newman called. I dialed your extension several times, and even I told him that I would check your office, but he said that he had to run into a meeting, and would call you when he got out."

"Fine, thank you Georgie," Lily said, feeling her stomach churn. He was checking up on her, making sure that she didn't...she thought and then berated herself for thinking such a thing. It wasn't as if Nick didn't call her everyday, when she as at work. He always called her, just to tell her that he loved her. Nick was thoughtful that way, and she loved him for it. Yes, she loved him...Nick, she loved her husband. "Was that all?"

Georgie bit her lip, not really sure how to say this next part to her boss, who'd been half way out it all day. "Um, no, ma'am," Lily blinked at the ma'am, Georgie only called her ma'am, when she as nervous. What on earth did Georgie have to be nervous about? Lily thought, although she didn't have long to find out, when George said, "There is a Billy Abbott to see you."

Of course, Lily thought, of course there was, and why not, her day wasn't going all that great to begin with, might as well add a little carbon dioxide to her already poisoned atmosphere. "Does he have an appointment?"

"No,"

"Well then...He needs to make an appointment."

"I told him that."

"And he..."

"He said," Georgie started with a blush, her pale pink cheeks turning crimson, "That you two," she cleared her throat, "Were old friends, and that you wouldn't mind the intrusion."

How typical, Lily thought.

"And that he wanted to... get...reacquainted," Georgie said avoiding her boss' eyes, "With you."

Lily wasn't sure why George was so flustered by that, but on second thought knowing Billy, those words probably held a thousand and one innuendos that would make a farm girl like Georgie blush. Hell, Lily even felt her own skin beginning to get warm at the thought of how his eyes probably looked as he conveyed the message. "Please inform Mr. Abbott, that I have a busy afternoon, and will be unable meet with him today. If he would like to meet me at a future date, then he needs to go about the proper channels."

"Why?" said a lazy voice from her door, "You don't look busy." His eyes swept over her, starting at her loose curly hair, and moving to the top of the blue wrap dress that revealed a small hint of her cleavage, to her folded arms resting on her desk and ending at the six carat diamond on her left hand. Well at least they were wearing the same colors, he thought, as he strolled into her office, dismissing her assistant with wave of his hand, and taking a seat on the small beige couch perpendicular to her desk.

Lily looked at Billy, who looked perfectly relaxed, as if he didn't have a care in the world. She turned to Georgie, "That will be all." Georgie paused at the door, as if she was unsure if Lily really meant it. "Georgie..."

"What should I tell Mr. Newman...if he calls back?"

"Nothing" Lily replied sitting up straighter in her desk. She could handle him. Billy...Billy was her past, and no one to get bent out of shape over. "If, my husband calls, please...put him through."

"Yes ma'am." She said, exiting the room. She didn't think that it was possible to choke on testosterone, but she'd felt it coming off Mr. Abbott in waves, when Lily said the words "my husband." Georgie was certain, that whatever was in their past, was about to be brought into their present.

***

"Colleen," Kate said startling CC, who'd been looking at some of the layouts for their up coming issue.

"My god Kate," Colleen said, putting one hand over her heart. "Have you ever heard of knocking?"

"What's the point? You still would have jumped. You were so busy with those layouts that you didn't even hear him."

"It's called work, and what are you talking about?" Colleen asked confused. "Who didn't I hear?"

"Your jerk of an uncle, that's who."

"Billy, my Uncle Billy is here?" Colleen pushed back her chair so hard, that she nearly fell over.

"Uh, yeah...How many jerk uncles do you have?"
Colleen rolled her eyes, as she walked around her desk to meet Kate, who was standing in the center of her office. "What is he doing here?"

"Yeah, I really spend my time keeping track of Billy Abbott."

"It was a rhetorical question," Colleen ground out.

"I know."

Colleen didn't have time for this. She loved Kate, she really did. Colleen and Lily had met Kate fifteen years ago, when she'd come home for the Christmas holiday. They hadn't hit it off right away, thanks in part to Kate's particular brand of humor, but slowly, over time, they'd built a up a strong friendship. One that was so strong, that after two years of letters, and short visits, Kate had rebelled one summer break, by refusing to return to her Connecticut Boarding school. Her mother, Esther, had relented thanks in part to the three girls protesting, by locking themselves in the Carlton attic, refusing to come out until their demand was met. Colleen's father, Brand Carlton, could have called the locksmith, but didn't bother, because Kate, in all her wisdom, had boarded up the door from the inside, which would have made it pointless. They'd all been grounded, but it hadn't mattered, because in the fall, Kate joined her two best friends at Walnut Groove Academy.

"Fine, where is he?"

"Colleen seriously," Kate said, "Where do you think he is?"

"Oh no," Colleen groaned. She'd known, but she had to ask. There was a small part of her that hoped he'd be waiting outside, wanting to take her to lunch. Stupid, she knew it was stupid, but it was better than the alternative.

"Oh yes."

"We need to intercept him. Is he already there?" Colleen wanted to head him off at the pass.

"Yep," Kate said, and then sat down in one of the two matching Georgie O'Keefe inspired wing chairs.

"Why...Why are you sitting down?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"You came into my office, startled the wits out off me to tell me that my uncle is here, more than likely trying to seduce our best-friend..."
"I didn't say anything about him trying to seduce her."

Colleen ignored her, "And you just sit down, as if we don't have a care in the world."

"What do you want me to do? I went by her office, and he was already inside." Kate said making herself more comfortable. "Do you think I just stood there, and waited?" She didn't wait for a response. "No, I ran out my office, as soon a Rafe told me that he was in the building, but I was too late. And may I just add, that it is not easy running in five inch stilettos."

"I'm sorry for your plight," Colleen commented sarcastically. "You could have at least gone in there."

"And say what?" Kate asked, crossing her legs. "Hey asshole, get out...and leave my friend alone."

"It wouldn't have hurt." Colleen sighed and sat in the chair next to Kate.

"It would have embarrassed her." Kate knew that Lily wouldn't have appreciated being treated like a child who couldn't handle her own problems. She'd gotten enough of that from all of the men in her life. She didn't know what it was about Lily that made just about every man who came into contact with her, want to protect her.

"You're right," Colleen said looking over at Kate, whose head was tilted up towards the ceiling.

Kate sighed, she'd usually take this as an opportunity to say that of course she was, she was always right, but she just didn't feel the urge. "She can handle him."

"Yeah,"

"She'll be alright."

"Yeah," Colleen sighed, easing down in the chair, copying Kate's position "So, what do we do?"

"Wait...We wait," Kate said, sliding her legs down, so that they were stretched out in front of her.

"She'll be fine," Colleen said, following her lead.

"Yeah," Kate said, but neither was truly convinced, as they sat in silence, listening as the clock tick the seconds away of Lily's past, moving her into an uncertain future.