Authors Note:
Hi guys, sorry I disappeared for a while but you know, life happens. Anyway, I was reading over this and I didn't like what I'd done so I tweaked the story slightly. It's the same plot line and dialogue, I just improved it. I hope you like it! Please review and tell me if you'd like me to add/change anything to the story. Thanks for reading and happy shipping!
In the many years that Patrick Jane had worked with Teresa Lisbon, he couldn't recall one time that she had been late. So he was a little concerned when even he had showed up at work before she did. Usually, he would be napping on his couch by now, oblivious to the rest of the team until they needed him, but today he listened for any sign of Lisbon coming into the bullpen.
"Hey, has anyone seen the boss? I need to give her my report on the Bajoran case." Van Pelt said, glancing into Lisbon's unusually empty office.
"Nope." Cho replied, not bothering to look up from his computer screen.
"Sorry I'm late. I got caught in traffic." Lisbon apologised, hurrying into the bullpen to greet her team.
Jane sat up and noticing Lisbon's poorly concealed smug grin, decided to investigate what could have his usually punctual, no-nonsense boss grinning like a Cheshire cat despite not being on time.
"Lisbon, I'm going to make myself some tea, would you like me to grab your coffee for you?"
Lisbon eyed her consultant suspiciously but gave him a grateful nod anyway and headed into her office, leaving the door ajar for Jane's return.
"You're looking cheerful today." Jane noted from the doorway.
"Well, that's a good thing, right?"
Jane pursed his lips thoughtfully, "It is. But I know you, Lisbon. You'd usually never be this cheerful if you were late."
Lisbon attempted a nonchalant shrug. "So what? I decided not to sweat the small stuff."
Jane nodded and handed over the steaming mug of coffee Lisbon was eyeing. As she leaned over to grab it, he inhaled deeply.
"What in the heck, Jane? Did you just sniff me?"
His eyes lit up with a mischievous gleam "Lisbon, is that men's deodorant you're wearing?"
For a moment, the brunette looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "Oh…yeah. I ran out, uh, this morning so I had to grab whatever they had."
The blonde chuckled "Aw, Lisbon, I'm sure you know better by now than to play this game with me. Just admit it."
"Admit what?" She asked innocently.
"That it wasn't traffic that made you late. That you slept in because something kept you up most of the night."
Lisbon took one look at her consultant's face and knew she was doomed. But she wasn't going down without a fight.
"Jane, what could've kept me up the whole night? I was stuck in traffic, I told you."
He furrowed his brows thoughtfully before his face lit up with glee. "Lisbon, are you wearing Walter Mashburn's deodorant?"
Lisbon felt her face flush red all the way to the roots of her hair. She should've never overslept and then used Walter's deodorant, then Jane wouldn't have been suspicious in the first place. Sheep dip!
"Jane!" Lisbon hissed, glancing at her closed office door nervously, "Keep quiet!"
Jane's grin faltered a little "So it is true!"
"Jane," Lisbon said sternly "I'm not telling you anything, so get out of my office!"
"Lisbon," Jane warned "You know I'll get it out of you sooner or later."
Lisbon grasped her stapler and aimed it at Jane "Out. Now."
"Okay, okay, no need to go throwing stationary around, woman!" Jane said retreating with his hands raised protectively in front of him.
Once Jane had shut her office door, Lisbon gave herself a minute to bury her face in her hands. The last thing she needed to ruin her good day was Jane poking his nose in her personal life. In the midst of her brooding, Lisbon got the call to come in for a new homicide investigation by the Sac PD.
"Okay, we have a case." Her three agents stood up to leave, throwing a questioning gaze at their sleeping consultant.
"Jane!" Lisbon said, trying to rouse their napping team mate. She then turned to Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt "You guys go. I'll catch up with you when Jane decides to wake up."
She kicked the couch, startling him from his nap. "Get up, we have a case."
Jane grinned impishly "You know Lisbon, I don't really think I'm prepared to work a case when my partner is holding out on me."
"Jane, if you keep prying, I swear to god no one will ever find your body."
"Fine," he replied, stretching his arms out in his blue wrinkled suit "Then you can tell me in the car."
The tense silence in the car was broken by Jane. "Lisbon, all it takes is one yes to get me to shut up."
Lisbon laughed despite her annoyance with her consultant "Jane, I don't think God himself could shut you up."
The blonde decided his best tactic to crack Lisbon was to unnerve her into telling him. Lisbon began to feel as if Jane's blue eyes were boring into her, so she caved.
"For god's sake Jane! Yes, I slept with Walter."
"I knew it." Jane grinned, but his smile seemed to lack its usual enthusiasm when he was right.
"Jane," Lisbon warned "I've told you. Now, no prying or being annoying about it. And if the team finds out I swear-"
"Yeah, yeah," Jane waved her off. "They'll never find my body."
Lisbon smirked. "I was gonna say I'll punch you in the nose, but I guess that works too."