"Crap, crap, crap" grumbled Lisbon between her teeth. Nothing in the living room, nothing in the kitchen, and nothing more in the bedroom.
In despair, Teresa caught her keys, exited her house with firm steps and entered her garage. She rummaged through her car, but with great disappointment, she had to admit that the bag was nowhere to be found. Obviously, the present for her niece she had had so much trouble to find and that she eventually bought this very afternoon had disappeared.
Upset, she came back to her house and sinked onto the couch. Jane was immersed in his book. "It's not in the car either, apparently", he remarked with a calm tone.
She shook her head no.
"Did you stop between the store where you bought the present and home?"
"Well, I came back to the office to finish a late report, then I went to the drugstore around the corner to grab a pack of whashing powder on my way home…"
"It is…" Jane looked at his watch "… 40 past 7 pm. Call the office, perhaps Wiley is still there, and can check if you left it over there".
"It's what I was going to do" Lisbon answered, pouting and grabbing her mobile phone. She bit her lower lip anxiously. After several ringtones, the phone of the young computer specialist went to voice mail.
"He doesn't answer, he must have already left. And nobody stays so late at work on a Friday evening anyway! How stupid is this! I wanted to make a package and send it to Chicago by tomorrow morning, to be sure she gets it on time for her birthday…"
"Abbott."
"What, Abbott?"
"Try Abbott's number. I am ready to bet my favourite pair of hand knitted socks that he is still at the office."
Jane had every chance to keep his shoes. Because Abbott was the type of boss who stays at work on a Friday night, whereas everyone else had already left for the week-end.
"Boss? Yes, no no, everything's fine. Are you still at the office? Good. I was wondering if you could do me a small favour. Can you look into the bullpen, see if there is a red paper bag onto or beside my desk? With a box inside. Thank you."
A few dozen seconds later, the face of Teresa lit up with a big smile. "It's there? Thank you Boss, I thought I had lost it. No, it doesn't matter. Well in fact, it does. It's a gift for my niece and I had to mail it imperatively tomorrow… But it's not that bad. Not not, don't worry. Thank you again. See you on Monday."
Teresa cut her phone and sighed. "Seems I'm going to have to go back to the FBI tomorrow…" Jane only hoped that she didn't intend to go there too early the next morning. Because he intended to sleep in. But to sleep in with Teresa Lisbon.
••••••
Jane vaguely heard the door bell, far far far away through the haze of his sleep. He felt the mattres move, listened to the noise of ruffled sheets… He only started to figure out that Teresa had got up when she gently shook him by his shoulder. He grumbled.
"Jane. Jane... Listen to me. Don't get up, and above all, don't go out of the bedroom."
"Are you really waking me up to tell me that?" he asked with a hoarse voice. "Do you realize that if you'd let me sleep, these are two things that I had no chance to do?"
Actually, by the expression he saw on her face, he knew she was in the process of doing it. "And now you realize that I have only one desire : to get up and go out of the bedroom... "
"No! I said do not move! Or I swear, you'll be very sorry!" she hissed with a threatening tone.
"Ok ok, don't shoot!" Jane replied, raising his hands in surrender, a smirk on his lips. "At least, tell me why?"
"... Abbott."
"Abbott?"
"Abbott is down there, at the door."
"Here? On a Saturday morning?"
The doorbell rang again. Three rather impatient rings.
"I have to go down. Jane, please? You do as I asked."
"He knows."
"Hush."
"He knows, Lisbon."
"Shut up!"
And right after this, she turned over, retied the belt of her bathrobe and rushed down the stairs.
"Hey! Hello boss, what brings you here so early?" said Teresa, opening her front door and putting a slightly forced smile on her face. Then realizing her rudeness, she opened the door wider.
"Uh, come in, come in."
"An important thing Teresa" answered Abbott, stepping across Lisbon and following her in the living room. He took pity when he saw the questioning big green eyes of his agent, so he slid his backpack from his right shoulder, put it on the floor, opened it and handed her a red paper bag with a big smile.
"The present! But... Oh, you didn't have to bother with it…"
"No problem, dear Miss Lisbon, I had to go get my wife's cousin this morning for a family reunion, and it happens she lives about one mile away from here. I thought I could take a little detour. It would be cruel to deprived a girl of her birthday present, right?"
"Mr. Abbott, you are a big softie. No, seriously, thank you, that's really nice of you."
"My pleasure. We are a team, after all" he said, kneeling to close his backpack. Lisbon noticed the inquisitive look of her boss while his eyes were quietly scanning the room. She blushed in spite of herself. What could stand in this room that could betray her, betray them? She was thinking fast.
Jane's suit jacket? No, it was in the bedroom, she was sure of that. A tea cup on the coffee table? No, she had cleard it last night. Jane's worn shoes? In the front closet. Wait, not so sure. Ouch. His boxer shorts? Oh no, for pity's sake...
"Uh, yes, a… a team. And a good one."
An awkward silence settled, which lasted only a few seconds. It was brutally interrupted by the sound of a toilet flush from the first floor, followed by the sound of a door opened and closed smoothly.
A mischievous smile spread slowly on Abbott's lips, his eyes riveted to Teresa's. Suddenly she felts like a little rabbit caught in the headlights of a car.
Shit.
"Morning Jane! "Abbott shouted jovially, without letting go of the eyes of the woman standing in front of him.
"Hi Dennis!" Jane's distant voice reached them, just as cheerful and casual.
With a fluid gesture, Abbott replaced his bag over his shoulder, and added "Good weekend Lisbon, have fun."
Teresa nodded. She would say something, but it seemed that her neurons were no longer able to connect. She mechanically walked to the entrance, opened the door and let her boss out. His smile was so wide she could almost see all of his thirty two teeth.
Still, once on the threshold, she managed to stammer "See you tomo… uh... on Monday... and... and thank you again."
"You're welcome Lisbon. And don't forget to go to the post office!"
A last wave of the hand and Abbott was already walking down the garden path towards his car. Lisbon swore she heard him chuckle.