"Gus! Shawn, what are you two doing here?" Gus face lit up like a Christmas tree, only telling Shawn that Juliet had found them. Rubbing his face with his hand, he sighed as Gus stuck a relax pose against the wall, pointing at his disbelief friend. "Our friend here just made a blind date with Lassiter without knowing it." Juliet mouth opened a little in shock before she busted out into laughter. Gus soon joined her, leaving Shawn to glare at them both.
"This is so not funny you two!" He snapped, causing Gus to clench his teeth to stop his snickers. Juliet only clapped her hands in girlish delight. "Oh Shawn that's so sweet of you! And I for one, think it's a great idea."
"Really?"
Gus and Shawn stared at her in confusion as she nodded, looking over her shoulder. "Oh yeah, He been off for a couple of weeks now. Its almost depressing. But I think something like this will cheer him right up! When's the date?" Shawn pressed his lips a little, the little ping of jealousy starting to rise in his belly. But he held up Valeries Card sighing. "Don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead." Snatching the card from Shawns fingers, Juliet pulled out her phone and began to dial. "Hey-Hey now! What are you doing?!" She only smiled, placing the phone to her ear as she waved her hand to Shawn face, hushing him. "Hi, Miss." She looked to the card, "Drew? Hi! This is Detective O'Hara, Lassiter Partner. Yes! Oh no, everything's fine. I just wanted to ask you a few questions." Turning her back, she began to walk off, leaving Shawn and Gus dumbfounded.
"Did she.."
'Oh yeah." Gus agreed, his eyes admiring the way Juliets hips swayed as she walked. "How could she do this to me!" Shawn hissed, causing Gus to shake his head. "Setting Lassiter up, this is like her stabbing me in the back man! Not cool!" His best friend crossed his arms with a shrug, "Um, you know she doesn't know about you having a crush on the guy." Shawn was quiet for a moment before letting out a curse. But soon Juliet appeared back in front of them, a smile on her face.
"Its been set."
"Playing match marker are you?" Shawn asked acidly.
"You know it. Lassiter is off tomorrow night and I told Valerie to be ready then. I got the perfect place for them to eat. It'll be so romantic and perfect and Lassiter is going to thank me when this is all over. Oh! Gus could you help me make a few calls? I need to find a good take out for the dinner." Gus only happily hoped at the chance to work beside the women he liked, leaving Shawn to want to fling his arms in distress and stomp out angrily. This was not good at all!
*******************************************
Lassiter just wanted to go home. Walking to his desk, he grumbled and huffed, taking his papers and tossing them into his brief case. He was sweaty, dirty, tired and down right annoyed. His lead case ended up a flop, causing him to run non-stop threw a dump! Looking at his dirt covered hands, he wiped them helplessly on his pants. Damn lead, can't trust any of those criminals. But even thou the day was shot and everything seemed to have gone to hell, at least he got the bliss of going home to his nice, clean house and taking a nice LONG hot shower. Brushing the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his arm, he began to make his way out.
"Oai! Lassiter!"
His foot steps came to a slow stop as a deep sigh left his lungs. He waited for those sharp clicks of heels to get closer, letting Juliet happily little filled voice squeal in his ear. "Are you off?" He looked to her, his eyes showing his annoyance and stress. "Yes and if you will excuse me. I would like to go home." He managed to make it one step before his partners body stepped forward, blocking his path.
"My god Lassiter, You smell awful!"
He twitched from his now growing anger as he took a side step to get around. "Well that's how any man would smell if they ran threw a dump." But she stepped with him, keeping him at bay. He went right, she went right, he went left, she went left. Try as he might, she could not let him pass. Finally the last straw of control broke. "WOULD YOU STOP IT!" He snapped, causing Juliet to jump. But as quick as he shouted, she grabbed his arm and pulled him, causing his fingers to let his brief case fall onto the ground. With a tug, he yelled out as she dragged him out of the station, his feet stumbling over themselves. "Have you lost you're mind?" He yelled, his body struggling not to fall as he was pulled down the steps. He glared at the back of Juliets head, not being able to see or read her face. She most likely HAS lost her mind. But with a grumble, he simply followed, figuring the sooner he found out what she wanted, the sooner he could go home. But stopping sort of what seem to be a clearing of fresh grass. He was pulled roughly to the side. Looking down at Juliet, he grumbled and glared at her as she wiped his face with what seem to be tissues and struggled to fix his hair. "Are you going to tell me what you're doing?" He asked again, only to get a glare from her. "You'll find out." She smiled before frowning. "I just wish you didn't smell so bad." He gritted his teeth but she only shrugged, "but we're outside so hopefully she wont notice."
"She?"
Juliet smiled before pointing over his shoulder. With a brow raised, he turned and stared in shock from the sight. Across the field of grass, there seem to be Chinese lanterns glowing in the nights, circling a small area of what, he came to find out, was a park. He frowned before noticing as well, a table set up right in the middle of the display and what seem to be someone….female.. Sitting. Before he could ask, Juliet pushed him lightly whispering, "She's waiting for you." He looked back to Juliet as though she had lost her mind but she only waved him off, "It'll be rude to keep her waiting Lassiter.' He couldn't believe this, did Juliet just set him up on a date?! His shoulder slumped as his eyes turned back to the display. This was not his night, not at all. The last thing he wanted to do was go out and eat with a stranger. But glaring at his partner, he muttered, "What are you thinking? You didn't even think to ask me about this did you? Now I have to go and tell this women to leave, no one is suppose to be on this grass, she'll be lucky if I dont give her a ticket!" She only frowned watching him make his way to the table. Hopefully, Juliet prayed that he didn't do anything to mean.
Even thou he was not in the mood for something like this. He had to hand it to Juliet. The Chinese lanterns gave just enough light around the pure white cloth covered table. What made his heart stop for a second, was who he met at the table. When he approached, a young women stood up and he had to admit. She was very lovely. Her brown hair were done up in soft curls, tickling her high cheek bones that were glowing red. Soft green eyes looked nervous as unsure fingers curled and uncurled on her purse. Her body was hugged lightly in a sun dress that did nothing for her beauty. A soft blue hugging her bust, the straps laying gently on her shoulders, baring her sliver necklace. The dress went on to hug down her stomach to her hips where it flared out, stopping at her knees showing off her slender legs, right down to her sliver covered heels. How did she walk in the grass with those? He wondered. But looking back to her face, her pink painted lips gave him a shy smile. "Mr. Lassiter. I'm glad you made it. I was starting to worry…"
He rose a brow for a moment before he spoke. "Miss. Drew?" She gave him a true smile then, placing her hand out to him. "Please. Call me Valerie, you solved my best friends case. I wanted to thank you personally for all the help you did." He rose his hand to take hers but seeing the stain dirt that still lingered on his finger tips and palms, he only shoved his hands back into his pants pocket. "Um.. You're welcome.. Valerie.." He saw the quick look of embarrassment as her arm lowered back to her side. "I.. Just wanted to ask you out for a drink." She chuckled, looking at the display slowly. "Thou I think you're partner went a little over board." He joined her in the glance, before slowly agreeing. "Yes.." He watched her wave to the other chair, taking her own. "Please, sit! I wanted to talk to you for some time now." She watched him stand there for a moment, staring at his chair. The feeling in her chest grew slowly, spreading as she watched him fight with his choice. But he sat himself down, his hands resting on the table top, picking at the sliver wear quietly. He kept his eyes busy, glancing from the plate to the glass to the basket on the ground to the lanterns. She looked down to the table top silently. She had waited all day for this moment, getting her hair done, her nails done, going out to buy a whole new dress just to impress him. She went the whole nine yards and thought about what they could talk about, she pictured how it would go… But she never thought it would be like this. Her heart raced nervously at the silence between them before she finally bit the bullet. "Do you mind if I call you Carlton?" His head snapped to her for a second before he gave a helpless shrug, his hands flexing over the table cloth before falling to his lap.
"Sure."
She smiled at him then, there she got something started. Reaching down, she opened the basket. This was almost kind of childish, a picnic at night.. But she couldn't help but think it was romantic at the same time. Lifting the lid, she pulled out a bottle of wine with a chuckle. "Oh, I think we should pop this open and have a little…" When she looked back to him, she saw her date staring at his watch. Watching the time go by. Her heart sank a little but she kept her smile on her face. Placing the bottle down in her lap, she spoke lightly.
"You don't want to be here do you?"
Those soft blue eyes looked back to her, they showed nothing. No emotion, no reaction. But she saw it in his face, his lips pressed telling her she was right. With a shake of her head, she gave him a warm smile, her fingers reaching out to close the lid of the basket. "It's okay. At least I took a shot right?" She looked away, missing the frown. Her fingers curling into the wine bottle a little as she chuckled. "I just wanted to say thank you for your help on my friends case Carlton. You don't have to stay here, I don't want you to force yourself to stay in my company." She laughed a little, her fingers brushing a loose curl back behind her ear. "I'm not that desperate for attention! So… if you don't want to be do this, you can leave. We can, you know, forget this ever happened." She looked to him then, waiting to see his reaction or what he would say.
What she got made her grip the bottle tighter.
He looked at her with those blue eyes for what seemed like hours before he pushed himself to his feet. His fingers lingered on the table top, she kept watching him, waiting. Soon he let out a deep breath he was holding, letting her ears hear him whisper, "Sorry." and with that, she watched him leave. She kept her small smile, waiting in till he made it to the side walk and disappeared back around the corner. Only then, did she let her smile drop. Only then did she let her eyes slowly fill. Only then, did she lean forward, her arm pushing the plate and sliver wear from their spot, letting her arm cradle her head, her shoulder trembling as she quietly sobbed. Her free arm hugging the bottle tightly to her chest, needing something to hold, anything to make this feeling go away.
From afar Juliet gripped the bark of the tree she stood behind, watching Valerie sob on the table. She looked back down the side walk, seeing Lassiter stop his walk, turn around and take a few steps back before stopping himself. Go back to her! She wanted to yell, but to her dismay and rage, Lassiter simply turned right back around and walked back to the station. Leaving behind everything Juliet planned behind.
"That's harsh." She whispered, looking back to Valerie, watching her shoulder tremble. "Even for you Lassiter.."
