Green Ice, Mermaids and Espresso

Fischer walked in "Hej" he greeted Elsbeth and then turned to Zen "I called him - he'll be here after he has tea with his breakfast." Fischer made a face and sat down. He opted to not say anything else - although he noticed that Zen was holding Petersen in his arms…perhaps just a little too close for it to notlook provocative. Luckily, there was no one else in there to see or say anything. In the hallway, he's seen Tania giving him the evil eye as she darted off. She was a real piece of work - Fischer thought.

Hearing thunder, Petersen glanced at Fischer and remarked "We brought the weather with us it seems."

"You did it then," he laughed "It was sunny when I got here."

"What are you two talking about?" Zen countered, curious.

Petersen smiled "Just the weather. Now about Karen's report… "

Zen glanced at Fischer and interrupted her – "We'll be back in a bit. Fischer – you're in charge. Let me just get my coat…" Aurelio squeezed Elsbeth's shoulders and slipped out of the room. She watched the door close and spoke quietly to Allen "What's troubling him?"

"I think it's his love life… but don't ask me. How long have you known him?"

"I used to spend time in Venice with his family when I was a child. We loved to play when we were tiny."

"I bet."

She didn't rise to the bait. She simply asked if he knew if Gaby had received the records from the University –but before Fischer responded Zen returned in his coat with his car keys in one hand and a bouquet of white roses in the other. Elsbeth smiled, quietly wondering who the flowers were for. Someone lucky she thought - white roses were her favourites - they had an almost superstitious appeal for her.

"Skid… (sh#t)" Fischer muttered under his breath… "So the flowers were from you… eh?" Zen said nothing - but he raised one elegant eyebrow and shot a dark look at Fischer. The silence was full of implications. Elsbeth wondered what Fischer was on about.

Without another word Zen guided Elsbeth out into the hall – and she ventured a quick quiet comment – gesturing at the flowers "Are those for your fidanzata? (girlfriend)" pronouncing the z as 'tz' like a Venetian – and Zen, surprised - turned to stare at her. Elsbeth just looked up at him - unaware of the implications of her remark. Tania turned a corner carrying a pile of documents, and saw the two of them standing directly in her way. It was too late to avoid a confrontation. Zen was aware of Tania standing there - but his eyes never moved from Elsbeth's face. "Ms. Moretti - these lovely roses are for Professor Petersen, I expect you to take good care of them as we'll be out for a while. Do you understand?" Only now did he look at Tania and she visibly withered under his icy green gaze.

As they approached the door, Elsbeth felt quite confused. "My dear – what's going on?" she half whispered to him.

"Just trust me." he answered.

They swept out into the rain, two people who - in all of Rome it seemed were apparently not afraid of the coming storm.

Tania watched Zen and his tiny little foreign freak walk out the door – he'd humiliated her. She'd told Aurelio not to be so possessive but now that damned 'Fizchur' had exposed her and ruined everything. Well, she couldn't touch him but she'd have Zen back just where she wanted him … she just needed some time.

…..

Ensconced in Zen's car, Petersen turned to look at him. He sighed and leaned back in the driver's seat. "I just needed to get away - we can go over everything - about the report - about Dr. Magnussen … just… just - not here…"

She nodded quietly.

Elsbeth didn't really notice very much about the restaurant that Ari took her to. He ordered coffee and some sparkling water and antipasto. As they waited she watched him gradually unwind. Taking his hand in hers - she said quietly "Talk to me cousin, please."

"Do you remember when we were little?" Zen added, not wanting to focus on anything painful just yet.

"Yes I do …But do you remember? Silly - I remember wandering about your neighborhood - getting so lost when I was tiny. With my poor Italian I ought to have been more afraid but I wasn't frightened at all - children only learn fear from adults - and of course I knew that you would find me. Do you remember one time - I think I was about four or so, we were looking for some sweets I think - or – was it Ali Baba's magical cavern? Yes! You thought that there was a way into a magical treasure house and that the local grocer was really Ali Baba - he was your neighbor - but he didn't look like the sketch in the picture book I had - so I didn't believe you…"

Aurelio interrupted her, the memories all flowing back to him "I told you that the djinn had disguised him so he would look like the local grocer and that we had to get three magical items to break the spell."

"Ummmm - A golden fish, a little silver star – what was the other thing that we needed?"

Zen felt a great tightness in his chest grow and then relax - and he started to laugh. "We had to find a mermaid."

They both started laughing and spoke in unison - "Yes – we would had to go back to Copenhagen to find the mermaid!"

…..

Back at the Questura, Izkandr had arrived and was waiting to meet with Fischer – he kept an eye out for Petersen, but he didn't see her and no one seemed willing to tell him anything. He was starting to feel uncomfortable and a bit irritated by all this. He noticed the dark haired administrative assistant, in her snug black dress as she walked over to his seat in the empty conference room - leaned low so that her cleavage was right at his eye level. She held a cup of steamy espresso provocatively close to her décolletage "It's hot and you know that you want it. Take it." she purred breathily at him.