A/N: Okay, this chapter is a little bit of a mishmash as I really wanted to get into the personal development between Jane and Lisbon sooner rather than later (I think that's what most people want to read in any case). Later chapters should be much more focussed.

Chapter 10 – Fruit & Familiarity

As they reached the library steps Jane continued, 'I'll have you know I'm extremely generous on a date, Lisbon. Not to mention utterly charming and attentive.'

'Is that so?' Lisbon sighed, wishing she had never mentioned the word 'date'.

Unperturbed he opened the door for her. 'Absolutely.' He shot her a wicked smile as she walked through the door, 'Extremely generous and attentive in every possible way.'

She shook her head, unable to hide a blush as she made her way to the desk, Jane grinning as he followed her.

A bespectacled man in his early thirties with short brown hair and who wore a brown tweed suit looked up as they approached. After showing him their badges he blanched instantly.

'Mr Young, is it? Is there somewhere we can talk alone?' Lisbon said quietly.

The man fidgeted with his hands. 'What's this about, officers?'

'Your office?' Lisbon continued.

Young nodded furiously and stammered. 'Of course, come on through.'

He sat behind his desk, clasping his hands in front of him and rolling his thumbs feverishly. As Lisbon took a seat in front of him Jane stood behind her, tilting his head to read some of the titles in the bookshelves around the desk.

'We believe you know Greta Chambers' Lisbon stated.

'Um...well yes, she volunteers here occasionally. Has something happened to her?'

'When was the last time you saw her?'

'The day before yesterday. She came in for a few hours that morning.'

'So, she wasn't here yesterday?' Jane confirmed, turning around.

Surprised that the man who had been looking around his office in silence suddenly spoke Young shook his head. 'Um...no...what's this about?'

Jane came closer, looking down at the man with a hint of a smile on his lips. 'You sure you want to stick with that story?'

Before he had a chance to respond Lisbon asked, 'If she had visited yesterday would you have seen her?'

'Um...perhaps not...I...I took an early lunch so I suppose she may have come in then.'

Jane took a seat beside Lisbon. 'So, you've just lied to us. Could charge you with that. Not smart.'

Young reddened immediately. 'I...I didn't lie.'

'Yes you did. I asked you if she was in yesterday. You said she wasn't. Now you're saying she might have been here. Which is it?' Jane asked coolly.

'Well I assumed she wasn't here if I didn't see her!'

'Well you know what they say about assuming' Jane retorted. 'Makes an ass out of-'

Lisbon interrupted, rolling her eyes, feeling like she was suddenly back in kindergarten again. Loudly, 'Mr Young, where were you last night?'

As Jane grinned at him Young shifted in his seat. 'I was at home.'

'Anyone who can vouch for you?'

'No, I spent the night alone. What has this got to do with Greta?'

'She said you were with her last night' Jane said.

Lisbon glanced at him sideways but said nothing, wanting to see where he was going with this.

Young stammered, 'No...she couldn't have.'

'Couldn't have?' Jane said, leaning closer. 'Interesting choice of words.'

Perspiration ran across Young's forehead and he removed a handkerchief from his pocket to mop his brow. As he did so Jane rose from his chair and walked around beside Young, leaning on the desk beside him. He glanced at Jane and then at Lisbon. Lisbon said softly, 'Tell us what happened.'

'It was an accident' Young replied, beginning to sob.

It transpired that Young had been in love with Greta and had decided to confess his feelings the evening before. But she had rejected his advances, telling him she was in love with her fiancé. He had become angry, grabbing her wrist to stop her leaving and had ended up picking up the statuette and hitting her with it when she pulled away. He had moved her body and wiped the statue clean, hoping by doing so would hide his involvement in the crime.

Jane and Captain Marshall watched through the two way mirror as Lisbon finished charging him. 'So how did she do?' the Captain asked.

Jane shrugged, 'Meh, not bad I guess.'

Marshall smiled, 'That good, huh?'

Jane grinned as he continued to watch his partner.

When she got back to her desk Jane was in his usual stance, leaning back against his chair with his eyes closed, his feet on his desk. 'How did you know it was him?' she asked.

Without moving or opening his eyes he replied, 'Just a hunch.'

'So that means you're not going to tell me.'

Jane smiled. 'Sorry the first one was a little boring. Hopefully the next one will be a little less straightforward to figure out.'

Lisbon completed the paperwork on the arrest. 'I'll take a straightforward one any day.'

He half opened his eyes to observe her for a few seconds before closing them again. 'Nah, you like a good mystery like I do. Why else join the force in the first place?'

Three months later and Lisbon had become a little more used to Jane's somewhat maverick police work. Kind of. He still did something to make her mad at least once a day and she often wondered if annoying her was part of his modus operandi and nothing to do with finding criminals. A stack of complaints followed him with practically every case and every now and again Captain Marshall would call him to his office to yell at him about them. Jane, of course, would merely shrug and let any tongue-lashing roll off him like water off a duck's back.

And still every day a new piece of fruit greeted Lisbon. Today it was something that looked like a very hairy small coconut.

'Okay, what the hell is this?' she asked as he sipped his tea in front of her, for once completing a form on his desk. Kelly was off on leave and no matter what incentive he promised her Lisbon refused to do his paperwork for him.

'Guess' he smiled, ticking a box on his form.

'I don't like guessing games. Is it even safe to eat?' she frowned, lifting it up and turning it in her hands.

'If you take the skin off, of course it is' he replied, tilting his head and shrugging before writing something on the form. Just because he had to do his own paperwork didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun with it. Instead of a gunshot wound to the upper arm he wrote penetration of humerus by high velocity jacketed lead missile.

'So?' she queried.

'So what?' he smiled, his eyes not leaving the paper in front of him.

Lisbon rolled her eyes, knowing he was exasperating her on purpose but curiosity getting the better of her. 'Jane, come on, tell me, what is it?'

'Say please' he grinned, ticking another box with a flourish.

'Screw you' she muttered, throwing the unidentified fruit at him. He caught it in one hand while his eyes were still on the paper in front of him. She couldn't help smile at his quick reflexes.

'You really should work on your anger issues, Lisbon. So much tension in your body.' He chanced a sly smile. 'And we both know why that is.'

She lifted a stapler and he held both his hands up in surrender. 'Okay, woman, calm down.' He began to peel the fruit. 'It's called a rambutan.' He walked round and offered her a piece of the pale flesh beneath. 'Just like you, my dear, a little sweet and a little sour.'

She eyed the offering suspiciously. 'You try it first.'

He rolled his eyes and took a bite. 'See?'

She took a bite herself. 'Not bad, bit like a grape.'

'You really should open yourself up to some new experiences' he said softly, a small smile playing on his lips.

As she was about to retort about yet another sexual innuendo the internal line on her desk phone flashed. She picked it up and looked at the Captain's office. 'I'll be right in' she said.

'Marshall wants to see me in his office. What have you done now?' she said as he returned to his desk. Recently Marshall had started scolding her for Jane's behaviour, perhaps hoping for some unknown reason that she would be able to rein him in.

Before he sat down he thought for a second. 'Nothing.'

'It'll be easier for me to apologise for you if I have an inkling of what this is about.'

He shrugged. 'Honestly, Lisbon, I haven't done a thing. Well...nothing that he hasn't already chewed me out for recently.' He thought for another second, shaking his head. 'No, he couldn't know about that' he mumbled.

'Jane!'

'There's nothing, Lisbon' he said confidently. 'And as I've told you before, deniability, it's your best friend.'

Rolling her eyes she rose from her desk and walked into her boss's office.

As she opened the door she thought that attack might be better than defence in this case. 'Captain, I have no problem with you reprimanding me for my own behaviour. But as I've told you before I'm not responsible for Jane's-'

The soft tone from Marshall caught her off guard and quietened her. 'Lisbon, please take a seat. This has nothing to do with your behaviour or Jane's.'

She shuffled around to the chair, noting a plastic evidence bag in front of him that he was attempting to keep hidden from her by clasping his hands in front of it and shielding it with his chest. As she sat down she said softly, 'This is about David, isn't it?'

A/N: I seem to be in the mood for cliffhangers nowadays (anyone who is following my other multichapter Missing will testify to that!) I promise not too long to wait for the next chapter.