There are so many other things I should be writing – updates, fics I've promised, etc, but this came into my head tonight after I watched the episode and figured while I had the inspiration in my head, I might as well tap it out.

I own nothing, of course. Not that there's much I'd change anyway!


"Jane," Abbott said, walking away from the thieves and clearing his throat. "Take Lisbon back to headquarters, please? I think she'd like to be back in the normal routine, don't you think?"

"Certainly, boss," Jane said, taking Lisbon by the arm and squeezing it gently as they moved off into the brush.

"So...you found all my clues," she said, smiling over at him.

"I did," he said. "Good job." Then a smile. "You did learn from the best, after all."

"Minelli did teach me to be a very good investigator," Lisbon agreed, a small, playful smirk on her face.

It wasn't the sort of answer Jane was expecting, and he stopped walking and stared at her. Then he tipped his head up toward the sky and smiled, rolling his eyes because it was exactly the sort of response he should have expected.

She was grinning at him, then her face grew slightly more serious. She took a step, eliminating the space that separated them, and put her arms around him. He hugged her back. "I missed you."

She responded by hugging him tighter.

"What do you think about swinging by your place before we go back to work?" Jane asked, pulling back and looking down at her. "Get you into clothes that are, well...yours. Though this casual convict look does work..."

"My own clothes sound absolutely fantastic," she said. "And my own shower, that actually gets hot and has a floor that doesn't want to kill me."

"Alright then," Jane said. "Car's that way." He grinned mischievously. "Last one there gets tickled!" He turned on his heel and sprinted off.

"Hey!" Lisbon's reaction time was fast, and within a second she was racing after him. "You had a head start!"

He stopped suddenly and turned around, causing her to almost run into him. He grabbed her around the waist and started tickling.

"Jane!" She said, trying to wiggle herself around to face him and put a finger to her lips. "Everybody is right over there!" She pulled herself away from him, dropping to the ground and curling up into a ball to protect herself from his tickling.

"Hey now, don't want to get those clothes dirty!" Jane said. "They aren't yours!"

She got up slowly, making a show of brushing the dirt and leaves off her tank top. "I have learned from the best," she commented casually. "And now you are going to lose!" Jane cocked his head, processing her comment.

He figured it out a split second after she resumed their mad dash toward the car.


I know it was short, but hopefully you guys enjoyed it!