This is a tale from the time between… Neal is working for the FBI as an independent, yet he and Sara have not exactly made up, at least not as a couple. Yet.

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Future Perfect: A June Yenta

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Neal stopped on the landing as he walked wearily up the stairs to his apartment, and looked out the window. Of course the coded exit system at work would be out on a day like today, making it hard for him to leave. And of course the alarm system here at the house would seem to have the same problem letting him in.

Not only had the meeting with Hughes at the agency gone long, but the heads-up meeting - when they reviewed all the cases that were in the wings – had made it absolutely clear that there was going to be another meeting afterwards. It was late, and the rain had come down in buckets almost all day, adding to the general gray mood. And of course he had chosen to walk this particular day, as well. His shoes were soaked, his knee hurt from when he had taken a fall earlier that week chasing a suspect, his head hurt on general principles, and his landlady was evidently waiting up in his apartment.

That's right, he thought. I was supposed to help her move some furniture tonight. She's going to be ticked. He shook his head and leaned his forehead against the cool glass of the window. Maybe not as ticked as Hughes was when I told him I finally had to get going, but ticked. Not that she'll show it.

He stared out the window into the dark, looking up at the stars for a moment as the pain settled out of his leg. The moon was a bright crescent in a now amazingly clear, rain-washed sky. He took a deep breath and blew it out, giving the celestial show a grateful smile before heading up the last flight.

At the top of the stairs he paused, fumbling through pockets for his keys, and heard laughter. Curious, he moved closer to his door. He recognized his landlady's laugh from a mile away, but there was someone else in his apartment, clearly female, and it didn't really sound like Samantha, or even Cindy. Whoever it was, they were certainly amused. He opened the door slowly. "Hello?" He looked in at the kitchen area of his loft and didn't quite manage to keep the shocked look off his face.

Sitting at the kitchen table across from his landlady was a woman wearing a pair of his sweat pants and one of his favorite shirts. She looked up at him, still laughing at something his landlady had said, and then down at what she was wearing, covering her face with her hand. "Oh, good Lord. Neal. I am so sorry –"

"Don't apologize to him, dear. I'm the one who gave you the clothes."

"Yes, but really, Ms. –"

"Sara, please. Call me June." She stood up to greet Neal, who was still looking a bit stunned. She reached up to brush his cheek with her hand affectionately. "Hello, dear. You look exhausted. Hungry?" Neal blinked at her, frowned, opened his mouth to speak and stopped, frowning again. She gazed calmly at him, then nodded. "So it was that kind of day, was it? All right. Why don't you go hop in the shower, and I'll warm up the pasta for you. Would you like some wine?"

Neal stared at her, then turned his head to stare at Sara. The woman blinked hazel green eyes at him and sipped a glass of merlot delicately with a grin. "It's really good, Neal. You'll like it."

He found his voice, finally. "I'm sure I will." He looked back at his landlady, who was giving him a familiar smirk, and shook his head at her. Leaning over to give her a kiss on the forehead, he whispered near her ear. "This better be a good story." She chuckled lightly as she patted his cheek again and moved over to the stove. Glancing briefly back at Sara with puzzled blue eyes, he shook his head and wandered off to his bedroom.

Sara grinned at his landlady. "I don't suppose that was exactly fair."

"Why?"

"Well… I mean, it's not that we're not speaking, or not able to be friends… but still. Me sitting here in his clothes must have been a bit of a shock."

"Oh, he'll be fine. More wine?" June was refilling her glass before she nodded.

"Honestly, Ms – June. Good thing I took a cab."

"Oh, I'm sure you can stay here."

"I'm not sure how Neal would feel about that…"

Neal's landlady laughed. "Oh, please. You think he'd let anyone not stay if he was worried?" She shook her head as Sara grinned. "How long have you known him?"

"I know, you're right. But I'm fine… and I don't want to make it any more awkward than it already is."

June saw Sara glance nervously toward the bedroom door. "I know, dear. Can you get him a glass, please?"

A few minutes later, Neal wandered out of his bedroom, still toweling off his hair in an outfit that came close to matching what Sara was wearing. He took the glass that his landlady held out to him, and sat down at the table. "So. You ladies want to tell me how I came to have two such charming dinner companions… in my apartment at the same time?"

Sara rolled her eyes. "It's my fault, really. I stopped at the store to get some mozzarella, and I saw June, and thought I recognized her… and we started chatting, standing under this awning in the rain…"

June took over. "Oh, it was pouring. And we were having a lovely conversation, and this truck went by –" She looked at Neal as his eyes widened. "We were fine, of course, but Sara was in front of me, and got absolutely drenched with muddy water. I told her she had to come with me to get clean and dry. It was a bit of a near thing, but I managed to talk her into it."

Neal looked back to Sara, imagining how that discussion might have gone. She smiled at him. "So… I came back here. And my things should be out of the dryer soon."

June moved from the stove with a plate of shrimp and asparagus swimming in garlic butter over linguine and put it in on the table in front of Neal. "I'm going to go check her clothes now."

"But June, I can –" Sara wasn't able to stand up before June stopped her.

"No, you keep each other company. Make sure he eats. I'll be right back."

She slipped out the door and it was quiet for a few moments in the roomy apartment. Neal looked at Sara and shook his head. "She tends to take over. Just a little."

"Yeah, I wondered how she kept up with you." He rolled his eyes and she went on, smiling. "I think she's great."

"I do, too." He tasted the pasta and smiled. "Not to mention the food's always excellent when she stops in."

Sara practically snorted into her wineglass. "No kidding. Good thing she doesn't cook for you that often. You'd have to work out three hours a day just to use up her cooking." He grinned at her and she was more pleased than she would have imagined to see him looking relaxed. She almost didn't want to ask. "So… how is it going?"

He shrugged, took his time answering. "They're accepting me as a consultant. Some people still don't quite trust me." His eyes darted to hers and away. After a moment, he shook his head and sipped his wine. "It'll be okay."

"I'm sure it will. You're good at working people." Her eyes widened for a moment, and she hurried to add, "I mean with people. In a good way. Really."

He grinned down at the table with something between shyness and amusement on his face before lifting his eyes to look at her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." They looked at each other for a long moment before Neal nodded, a smile quirking his lips, and returned to eating.

June walked back in, breaking the pleasant but slightly awkward silence as he finished his pasta. "Looks like you're here for a bit longer, Sara. Evidently the circuit that took out the alarm system took out the dryer with it. A very nice man is fixing it, but said it would probably be another hour or two."

She took Neal's plate and moved to the sink. Or tried to. Sara was on her feet and Neal had taken the plate back before she really got a chance.

"No way. You do not get to cook dinner and clean up. House rules."

"Don't be silly, you've been working-"

"June." Landlady and con man attempted to stare each other down as he held the plate up out of her reach. Eventually he gave her a smug laugh, his smile bright. "You're gonna lose this one. Trust me."

She shook her head and laughed at his expression, throwing up her hand dramatically. "Fine. Who am I to argue with my most loyal boarder?"

"Excellent question, I've always wondered that…" She smacked him on the behind with a throaty chuckle before she walked away, taking her wine glass and glancing at her watch.

"The Daily Show is coming on, anyway. I'll go visit with Jon for a while."

Sara giggled, and Neal turned to look at her. "You can keep her company."

"Nope. You don't get to have your landlady feed and clothe me and clean up alone."

"Sara…"

"House rules."

She gave him a hard look and he dropped into the same stare he had used on his landlady.

"You'll lose."

Sara shook her head, stepping closer. "I doubt it." They were a hands-breadth apart, staring with grim determination into each others eyes.

Then there was a moment, just a moment, when the joke faltered and Sara felt herself wondering what would happen if she leaned just a bit closer… something in her gaze softened with genuine affection for the man standing so near, smelling so wonderful, looking so… Neal suddenly blinked and swallowed hard, looking toward the sink.

"Okay, you win. I'll wash, you dry."

She nodded quickly and grabbed the towel that hung from the stove. "Sounds good." For a while it was quiet as they worked with easy efficiency.

Listening outside the door, a landlady stood and wondered if she'd actually have to hit them both over the head with something before they could see what was standing right in front of them. With half an ear she heard joking conversation start up again, and smiled. Ah, well. They'll figure it out.

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