The warm afternoon sun streamed though the open windows. Flowing through the bullpen, the sunbeams tangled in Patrick Jane's golden hair and slid down his light gray vest to pool around him in a halo of warmth. Lisbon hesitated at her office door. Jane looked almost peaceful as he lay on his worn leather couch. His breathing came deeply and evenly, but the small grin tugging at the corners of his lips told Lisbon that he wasn't actually sleeping.
"Night Boss." Cho's quiet voice called her back to reality.
"Night Cho." Lisbon smiled. "Have a good weekend."
Glancing briefly at Jane, Cho raised an eyebrow at Lisbon making her grin. "You too." He murmured quietly as he slipped out of the bullpen. Turning back to the couch, Lisbon caught the smirk that Jane quickly hid beneath his feigned sleep. Oh! You are so not sleeping! Slipping a pen out of her jeans pocket, Lisbon lobbed it across the room, bouncing it neatly off Jane's shoulder.
"I don't think I deserved that." Jane muttered, not moving an inch.
"I'm making tea." Lisbon stated calmly as she passed the couch on the way to the small kitchenette through the opposite door of the bullpen.
"Yes please!" Jane called from his couch, smirking when he heard Lisbon's responding chuckle.
By the time Lisbon returned with the tea, the bullpen was deserted except for a certain grinning consultant who, it seemed, had given up on his pretend nap. Flashing his megawatt smile, Jane accepted his tea with a nod of thanks. Allowing himself to relax, Jane took a slow sip of his tea as Lisbon settled next to him with a sigh.
"Ready for the weekend?" Jane's quiet voice made Lisbon relax visibly.
"I'm ready for some serious sleep." She replied. "How 'bout you?"
"I don't sleep." Jane flashed another quick smile. "My nap was refreshing enough though." Mischief sparkled in his blue eyes as he took another sip of tea.
"Yeah I'll bet." Lisbon snorted.
"Oh, that reminds me!" Reaching behind Lisbon's ear, Jane made a pen "appear" in his hand. "I think someone may have dropped this."
Making her eyes wide, Lisbon cocked her head to the side and stared at the proffered pen. "Hmm… that's odd. It doesn't look like one of mine. Maybe it's Cho's?"
Patrick's grin widened. "Yeah probably." He agreed amicably. "I'll have to be sure to ask him on Monday." Jane slipped the pen calmly into his pocket and returned to his tea.
The sun was setting beautifully by the time they had finished their drinks. Yawning widely, Lisbon relaxed deeper into the cushions. She let her eyes drift shut as she mentally prepared for the long drive home. Jane watched as she battled her weariness.
"Lisbon." He whispered. "You're going to fall asleep."
"SHH!" She absently waved her hand in his direction. "M' waking up. Give me a minute." Chuckling at his fierce little boss, Jane stood and gathered the tea cups. Taking them back to the kitchenette he dutifully washed them and the tea pot and returned them to their proper cupboards.
Entering the bullpen once more, Jane paused in the entryway. Lisbon lay curled on her side, head nestled against the arm of Jane's couch, her breathing deep and even, she quietly dozed. Jane watched, fascinated, as the setting sun colored her dark hair with rosy highlights. The pink glow settled around her, coloring her cheeks with an artificial blush and suffusing her with a false delicacy that Jane found oddly charming on her relaxed features.
"My angry little princess." He murmured fondly, before he silently crept forward. Tugging the blanket from the back of the couch he carefully tucked it around her. He knew she would be grumpy that he hadn't woken her up, but he was a big enough boy to handle it, and she needed her sleep.
"Good night Teresa." He breathed, brushing a quick kiss across her temple. "You'll need this again when you wake up." Jane chuckled as he slipped her pen into her pocket before he retreated to her office, fully intending to steal her couch the way she had stolen his.