"Do you think it's going to explode slime all over your face?"
Lisbon jumps and drops the envelope she's holding. Pike bends down and picks it up.
"I'm sorry honey, I didn't mean to make you jump."
He hands the envelope back to her.
"Are you going to open it?"
"It's from Jane."
"How do you know?"
"I found it in my pocket and it wasn't there before Jane came and talked to me, plus I recognise the handwriting."
She shoves it into her pocket.
"I'll open it later, it's Jane messing about."
Pike rubs his hands together.
"Good, let's go for that dinner."
Lisbon has an early start in the morning so Pike says good night at the door. Lisbon closes it behind him and while she walks to her bedroom she shrugs off her jacket and lays it across the couch on her way to her bedroom. She's in the bathroom wiping her face clean when she remembers the envelope from Jane. She retrieves it from her jacket and turns it over in her hand.
She's curious about what's inside, but on the other hand he's been acting so strange lately. It's nothing she can put her in to words, but there's definitely something off with him. She has a feeling a wariness about the contents. Her worry may not be exploding slime but she can't shake the feeling that she'll be metophorically opening a bomb. She shakes her head as if to rid herself of her ridiculous thoughts and opens the envelope. Inside is a post it note with one word on it: Sophmoric. She stares at it puzzled, it stirs a memory but she can't quite put her finger on it. She shakes her head and screws it into a ball and throws it in to the trash can. She mutters to herself:
"Definitely something off with him."
The next morning she sidles up to Jane at the morning briefing.
"Good morning Lisbon, hope you had an enjoyable evening."
"I did. What was the note about Jane?"
"What note?"
"The one you put in my pocket."
Jane looks at her dumbfounded, and then points to himself.
"I put a note in your pocket?"
"Yes you did, it was your handwriting."
"I guess I did then."
Jane shrugs and turns his attention back to the briefing. Lisbon scowls at him and does the same.
"Fine if you're not going to tell me."
A slight smile plays on his lips that he quickly turns to a look of concentration as he feels Lisbon glance at him.
Lisbon puts on a baggy sweater and shrugs her feet in to her slippers and makes her way to the kitchen. As she enters the kitchen she jumps out of her skin when Jane greets her.
"Good morning Lisbon."
He's at the stove and turns handing her a cup of coffee, which she takes stunned. He pulls a chair out that's tucked under her small table and invites her to take a seat. She remains standing, the action of taking a sip of the coffee having brought her back to her senses.
"What are you doing here Jane?"
"Breakfast."
He moves back to the stove and points to the frying pan where he adds some pancake batter.
"You shouldn't be in my house, I didn't let you in."
"I wouldn't normally break in but I didn't want to wake you. I know you like your sleep ins on your day off."
The pancakes smell so good that Lisbon decides to let the matter drop with just a firm warning.
"Well don't do it again."
"I won't. He places a couple of pancakes in front of her.
"What would you like on your pancakes? I have maple syrup.."
Which pulls out of a bag on the counter and places on the table, and then he continues to pull items out of the bag.
"...chocolate sauce, bananas, strawberries, margarine, cream, peanut butter, strawberry sauce, banana sauce, toffee sauce, cranberries, apples.."
"I think that's enough choice Jane."
"Oh, oh, oh, there's ice-cream in your freezer."
Lisbon chooses the maple syrup and bananas. Jane sits down opposite her with his pancakes and prepares his with strawberries and chocolate sauce.
"So what's the deal Jane?"
"No deal, just having breakfast. Almost forgot."
Jane gets up and puts some muffins on the table.
"Blueberry."
And that's as much as Lisbon gets out of him. There's definitely something off about Jane.
Lisbon and Fischer each sigh deeply after leaving the house of the witness they were sent to question. To relieve the tension they both feel Fischer decides to start a girlie chat.
"How are things with Marcus Pike? He sure is a dish."
"It's going. He's a nice man, we have a good time."
"I only hear good things about him. Easy to work with, gives everyone a voice, always willing to listen to other peoples opinions. Rarely angry and reliable with a capital R."
"Yes he's all that and more. He's makes me feel safe."
Fischer mumbles under her breath.
"Mmmm all the things Jane's not."
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Have you been to bed with him yet?"
Lisbon colours a little.
"Ah I'll take that as a yes."