Plot: Marcus Pike heads a highly efficient task force for many years now and his career is going up and up. She on the other hand is trying to organize her life from a trying ordeal when an unexpected event put her life on a spin again.

Character: Marcus Pike and female reader [For convenience's sake I gave her a name but feel free to change it]

AN: Marcus Pike was a guest character in the show The Mentalist. If you don't like the character, okay. I get you. Don't read the story. I respect your opinion BUT this is MY story.

CHAPTER 7

I would rather be told the uncomfortable truth than be put into a situation where I don't feel like I can trust you.

Tell the truth.

I can handle it and we will manage it together.

~Kalen Dion

Marcus carefully lifts the stacked folded shirts in his wardrobe. Hmm, one of his favorite shirts cannot be accounted for and a pair of black pants too. On the bed, his heavy duty luggage is open halfway filled with his clothes. He stops and suddenly clicks his fingers. "Laundry!" He plucks two other shirts which he tosses into his case. 'Laundry." He mumbles, closes the wardrobe and steps out and into the hallway towards the front of the house.

Marcus's watch tells him he'd better finish his packing quickly because Tessa's nap suggestion sounds good. In reality he needs one. He tried to do that when he wasn't thinking about Tessa, the meeting and the discussion that transpired at the embassy yesterday. These were still heavy in his mind and that has not been easy to set aside.

This is of a scale of massive proportions that Marcus is still trying to wrap his mind on what will and what might happen. He was told he would be included in the critical part of the planning when his new position has been endorsed and signed by Washington. They were just waiting for his acceptance and confirmation of his new job title for his government to set the ball rolling on this part of the world.

Enjoy your R & R until you are summoned, Director Pike, he was told. But don't go too far. Was the postscript.

'Don't go too far' means no trip to the beach or up the cool mountains to the north or to do some scuba diving off to the sea to the smaller islands just to the south of the main island. He'd been thinking of some activity or something to do to fill up the time but he did book an appointment to his regular shooting range by the end of the week. His shoulders sag in regret; he couldn't bring Tessa there because they know who he is and that would be a big shit of trouble.

The lack of broader options makes Marcus feel a little antsy. He likes activity where his body and mind is challenged. He misses the members of the mountaineering group he met years ago where they went up a volcano.

So far there were no calls from the Bureau or the embassy but he's sure that his team must be having some noisy meeting about the change of leadership.

There's nothing to worry about since it's probable they're still coordinating the nitty gritty of things on both sides. It's much too early.

When it comes to the 'situation' so far no one has known anything. Yet. But…sooner or later something would get accidentally leaked out. That is what he has been trying to be careful about. Secrecy has been a part of his existence. This SOP was not hard to do until everything changed after…after…

Oh, hell no…not again!

Marcus stops when he got to the dining area. Hands on hips he shakes his head with amusement followed by a confused head scratch. Poor girl, all that cleaning must've tired her out again.

He quietly approaches and shook Tessa's shoulder. "Tessa?" Nothing. He tried one more time calling her name a little bit louder. "Tessa!"

"Hm!" It was a high pitched whine, a protest. Like a drunk Tessa tries to brush off whatever it is annoying her shoulder.

Marcus leans over but very watchful on that dangerous flailing hand of hers "Hey!" Tessa's forehead broke into a frown. Is she awake or not? "You're taking a nap here. Again."

"Baby…there…' she mumbles. A limp finger points to thin air.

"Baby?" Marcus whispers, flabbergasted. Bingo! She's a sleep talker!

"Baby…oh!" Tessa's head turns to her other arm facing Marcus. "Beautiful...look!"

Amused, Marcus hurriedly sits beside her; settling his chin on his crossed arms. "What baby? Whose baby?" he whispers, close to Tessa.

"Jun…uncle Jun…hey," Tessa's hand flail as if waving someone over.

"Uncle Jun?" He said a quiet 'whoa!' Hmm, Tessa has only one sibling and her sibling has one child, Jun. So…. Marcus feels as if a happy butterfly in his chest wants to burst out fluttering and flitting in the air. "Who's the daddy?" he eagerly whispers with a big grin.

"Daddy…the daddy…" she moans in her sleep.

"Yes?" Marcus leans his ear in, face full of expectation.

"Jun…who is…who…" frowning, still asleep, Tessa scratches her head mussing up her hair and a bunch of it fell on her face.

"The daddy! Ask him!" Suddenly she turns her head to the other side. "Hey…Tessa? Tessa? Hey, Tessa…tell me. Who's the daddy?"

Tessa begins to snore. Damn it!

-o0o-

"Hey! That smells delicious!"

Marcus smiles. Tessa's awake but still on her spot from the table, head pillowed on an arm. "Spaghetti Bolognese. You like it?"

"Love it!"

"I'm glad because this is lunch."

"Hey, you're looking fresh…"

Marcus felt that smile and the look she slid over him. "Well, I had a lot of time to clean up because someone I know…" Marcus motions sleeping and drool dripping on his face then he points to Tessa.

She gasps, indignant. "Fine! I get it! I slept on the table. Again!"

"Good sleep?" He kept stirring the pot.

"Yeah!" Tessa stretches her arms up high. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"What the hell was that?" Marcus looks in horror at the contortions she's doing.

Tessa's face is scrunched up. "My back….I know! I slept…"

"…on the table again!" Marcus laughs.

"Need help?" Tessa leans over Marcus's shoulder.

"Okay, you check the pasta." Marcus lowers the heat on the ground beef he's been sautéing while he opens a jar of tomato sauce. "Fuck shit!" he scowls muscles straining, hand grips tight the lid of the sauce.

"Here. Give it to me."

"What?" Marcus snorts, "No way can you open this!"

"Yep." Tessa hold out her hand. "Care to bet?" the upturned hand calls to him.

"Bet?"

"If I open this you answer questions from me."

"I admire a woman of confidence." his voice challenges her, dares her.

"You can't stir that pot forever."

"Give it a try, Schwarzenegger." She gave him a wink when he put the accursed jar in her palm.

"See, I like this sandwich spread very much when I was a kid. My aunts would get the largest jar because it's just great on bread, on crackers…and on pasta."

"Oh." He narrows his eyes. "You're making me hungry. What kind is it?"

"It's a cheese spread."

"Even better…" That purr would shame a cat.

"You have no idea." Tessa opens the silverware drawer and looks inside. "And you know what?"

"What?" Marcus frowns as she took a utensil from the drawer. She held the spoon up for him to see and Marcus still has no idea what she'll do with it.

"One of those big jars is just impossible to open. I wasn't strong enough to open it by myself but…"

"But….?"

"So I looked at the jar and I saw this note here." He follows her finger running the side of the lid.

"What note?"

She taps the words as she reads them. "'Pop the lid open.'"

"Fascinating." Frowning, eyes narrowed, he went back to slowly stir the meat in the pot. The chopped onion wilted quite well. "But I really need that sauce."

"Brute force isn't necessary to open a tightly closed lid, you know." Tessa places the jar on the counter. "You slide the end of the spoon up between the lid and the glass and…" she gave the spoon a twist and the lid made a small pop. "There's your sauce."

Tessa almost laughed at his baffled face. "I told you, you are amazing."

"Did you go out again?" Tessa turns and inspects the packs and ingredients scattered around the kitchen counter.

"No, that's online delivery."

"Oh! I didn't think about that."

"You should use it more often." The pot sizzles as he dumps the chunky sauce in.

"Good idea. Here."

"Do you read minds?" He took the mug of hot water from her to dilute the remaining sauce in the jar.

"You always make sure you get all the sauce. That's what my aunt does."

"I know that." He winks at her. "Just testing you." Marcus took a deep breath and squares his shoulders. "By the way I know this shop where you can get delivery any time of the day. Just give them my name as member."

"Okay. Uh, here; I wrote this down."

With a rueful smile Marcus reads what Tessa wrote. "Wow."

"Why 'wow'?"

"It's been a long time since a girl gave me her number." He waves the square piece of paper.

Tessa rolls her eyes which made Marcus pout. "And you want me to believe that?"

Marcus slips the paper deep in his back pocket. "That's the truth."

"I won the bet, Mr. Pike."

"Yes." Marcus thanks his nerves that his hand manage to stay steady as he stirs the pot. "Yes, you did."

"Who was she?"

"Theresa."

"Ah…Theresa…I see," Tessa nods several times, face serious, "so what happened?"

"She's in love with someone else."

"How long ago was it?"

"Quite a while ago. Nice!" Marcus closes his eyes in approval of the sauce. He turns off the stove.

Tessa took Marcus's hand and tasted the sauce from the spoon. "It's good!"

"Hold it. Sauce on your chin…"

By this time Tessa's learning how to regulate her breathing with Marcus's face so near her neck, "Have you noticed?"

"I have to be more careful this time because this cloth is rougher than my own face towel. Coincidentally it's still in that corner up to this time."

His murmur so very near her vibrates through bones and to the softer parts of her; "You like cleaning me up."

"You're right" Marcus drops the towel on the counter but traps Tessa at the counter between his arms. "Because you're always getting yourself dirty..." Marcus's eyes drops at the throb at the base of her throat that's thrumming like a drum.

"Marcus…I like that you're so concerned about my cleanliness." Tessa slides her eyes the arms on either side of her; strangely she's not trying to move away and out of the trap. "Are you going to kiss me again?"

"Again?"

"You did."

"Bloody hell! When did it happen?"

"Yesterday." As she's still trapped in his arms she reached over to continue stirring the still hot ragu' to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

"How did I do it?"

"Uh..on the lips. The pasta." As soon as Marcus released her from the trap of his arms Tessa drains the noodles on the prepared colander in the second sink.

"And?" He shrugs as he plates the food.

"And you left."

"Bloody hell!"

"You still sound British."

"Can't help it, I was there for a while."

"I heard you when you talked to Mike."

"Oh, I forgot about that."

"That was a few days ago."

"Tessa…I'm sorry…"

"That you kissed me or that you kissed me?"

"Huh?"

"Either you're apologizing you don't remember kissing me or that you regret giving me that kiss. Which one?"

Marcus pauses in ladling sauce on pasta. "There are times you sound like a lawyer, do you know that?"

"So what is it?"

"The former."

"I think this is the second time you forgot things."

"What do you mean?"

"The first day you were here you forgot Mike and family went back home…or was it that you forgot they were here at all. Which one?"

"Choices again?"

"Not my fault you're forgetful."

"I'm not forgetful."

"You forgot you kissed me."

"Before I answer; can I ask a favor?"

"Sure."

"Can you make coffee again?"

"Hmm," She steps back a few paces and studies his face with such intent that makes him twitch a little, "I think you're avoiding the question but sure, okay," she shrugs her assent. "I'll make it."

"Thanks. And no," he wags a finger at her, "I'm not avoiding it."

Tessa takes the flask from the dish drainer then fills the kettle from the dispenser. "As you can see I'm doing as you asked so…I want you answer."

"'Want?'"

"Yes, 'want.'"

"I think I forgot."

"Which one are you answering?"

"Your question."

"There were two of them."

"What was the question again?"

"I'll rephrase the question: Did you forget that Mike left for the States?"

"This awfully sounds like a courtroom interrogation. Okay, fine," he holds up a hand when Tessa raises a brow at him. "it might have slipped from my mind. I was busy. I lacked sleep and…"

"And…?" Tessa peeked out from the fridge where she took the coffee grounds.

"I met Theresa."

"THE 'Theresa' Theresa?"

"Yes."

"The 'Quite a while ago' Theresa?'"

"Yeah, that Theresa."

"Then what happened?"

"Nothing." Marcus squared his shoulder when he faced Tessa. "Nothing!" He hated that his voice sounded defensive when Tessa raised another brow at him. Those bloody brows were intimidating when she uses them.

"Give me the tea."

"Tea?"

"Background, behind the scenes…"

"Gossip."

"It's not gossip when you're the one sharing it."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, you do. You've kissed me and I'll hold it against you!"

"Hold it against me?!"

"You heard."

"That's beastly of you!"

"I'm beastly?" Tessa looks like she's about to blow. "You're the amnesiac kissing bandit!"

"You make it sound like I'm a pervert. Cheese?" He asks as he hands her a plate of Bolognese.

"Yes, I want a lot. That's why you don't go kissing women around!"

"What the…!" Marcus turns around and searches in the plastic bag.

"What are you looking for?"

"Look for parmesan cheese. It's in a can."

"How many bags did you get?" Tessa put down her plate.

"Three bags."

"There's no cheese here, Marcus."

"Are you sure?"

"Nothing." Tessa shook the bags upside down but no can fell out.

"Bloody hell!" Marcus marches to the side table and grabs the keys and Tessa's hand. "Let's get Parmesan!"

-o0o-

"Have you noticed?" Marcus asks as soon as he clicked the seat belt around him. Cursing in British fashion he had to go back to the house and grab his laptop bag where most of his devices is stashed.

"What?"

"This is the second time we went out."

"So?" Tessa shrugs and finishes putting on her seat belt.

Marcus looks to his left side of the road where a big truck full of cement bags is rumbling a little slowly. Tessa didn't prod him for an answer because Marcus seemed to be more careful on the road than he was this morning. She focused on the passing scenery on her side of the car while her mind is full of the things Marcus said back at the house. She gave the man behind the wheel a glance; she disturbed him and it showed at how he wanted to get out of the house. Tessa is unsure on how much Marcus is willing to share and open up to. He might not know it but his eyes have a guarded look to it.

"Not my ideal date." Marcus said all of a sudden.

The shoelace she's been trying to tie fell off from shocked fingers. "Date?!"

"Nothing!" Now that the cat's out of the bag he thinks he wants to shoot himself.

"Marcus, what do you mean?"

"What?"

"What the hell does that mean?" Now that he said something telling the damned guy's eyes is solidly and frustratingly avoiding eye contact

"I…I like you."

Tessa could feel his struggle in the way he said those words. "I think I know that. Pull over, Marcus." She whispers.

"Okay." He finally faces Tessa after he parked the car by the roadside. Tessa took note that they were traveling to the opposite direction of the nearest mall. "Are you going to leave me?" he was anxiously looking at the door imaging Tessa jumping out and walking away.

Tessa passes a hand over her face. "We need to talk."

"Sure." He sighed with Tessa but their sighs have two different meanings and reasons.

"You're sweating." Tessa swivels the car AC flap to Marcus.

"I'm fine." Despite his anxiety he leans in to Tessa's attention as she wipes his forehead and the rest of his face. "Okay. Say it."

"About?"

"Give me the bad news."

"What do you want me to say?"

"Anything."

"I have no answer." Tessa whispers after she tied her shoe.

"God, that's worse."

"Should I lie?"

"No…no, that's not what I mean."

"I don't want to lie to you."

"I didn't know what I mean." His knuckles were pale and strained around the wheel. He would rather submit to one of the art cartel's torturers than do this but he can't go back now.

"I'm not having the best two years of my life." she looks forward, shoulders low. "And I'm tired."

"I'm sorry."

"Why? You're not to blame for what happened to me."

"Hey, I'm not saying that to pressure you, Tessa."

"It's…I'm… not in a good place right now, Marcus. I do not trust anything or anyone right now, you know? Not even myself. Shirley is right; I just need to discover who I am."

"Like I said…" He clasps Tessa's cold hand in his. He was relieved that he could still do so. Damn it!

"I'm …I don't think I'm ready for anything right now." outside the car life continues; a passerby slid the car a glance at the tense faces of the occupants in the SUV and put two and two together. The man walked faster, eyes down.

"I wanted to show how I feel about you."

"I like the way you do it."

"I'm glad…" But he already knew her answer as soon as he sees the hand she's been trying to hide.

"Theresa." He almost missed the glance she quickly threw at him.

"I loved her, yes. I was destroyed when she chose him."

"You will go back to her."

He shook his head but he couldn't blame her for the look she gave him, "How about you?"

"No."

"You sound sure."

"There's no reason on this earth why I would go back."

He took a deep breath; he had been imagining the kind of hell Tessa went through. "I see."

"Did you feel anything when you saw her?"

"Shock. I never expected to see her."

"In the UK."

"Yes."

"What did you talk about?"

"Just catching up."

"Does she have kids?"

"One son…"

Tessa waited until Marcus's eyes stopped looking lost. "Marcus?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you go to her now?"

"Uh…"

"Did you imagine having a son with her?"

"You're terrifying. You could become one of our best…"

"Hmm? One of what?"

"Forget I said that."

"What's her status?"

"They're still married."

"That doesn't guarantee anything."

"She's still special to me."

"That's good…and bad."

"So…"

"What do you want from me? Honestly."

"Many things. Things that a man wants."

"Is a child among that?"

Marcus shrugs, "Could be."

"I envy her."

Marcus will never forget that tone and how he had to strain to hear her. Shit. "Tessa. It's okay."

"We can't be anything right now. I can't promise anything. I don't know when …."

"Your honesty is painful but…" he holds out a hand to stop her retort. "I respect it."

"I wanna tell you something…"

"Oh, great!" His knuckles got whiter as he braced himself. The leather creaked. "Bring it on. More bad news."

"No. I like you…too."

Marcus wanted to shout and throw his hands up in the air but instead let out a tight quiet 'yes!' "Sorry."

"I feel safe with you. I got scared when we first met but yes, but I feel like I can trust you." The smile tightened his chest in happiness but her words…

A shrill noise broke the silence in the vehicle. They both jumped in surprise. "No! Not right now!" Marcus blindly reaches behind his seat. "Wait. It's the…" He finally grasps the laptop bag and drags it forward. He placed it between him and Tessa.

Tessa gestures 'go ahead.' "…your office, I get it." Tessa crosses her arms and leans further in the seat as Marcus hooks a Bluetooth device on his ear.

"Yeah? Now? Yes, but I'm not dressed! Yeah, it's decent but….can I just go back and change? God damn it….okay. Okay!" He looks at Tessa as he clicks off the device. "What a nuisance! I'm sorry. We won't get that parmesan now. I'll drop you off at the village gate. Is that okay? Good."

"No."

"No?"

"I'm coming with you."

"No, I'll just drop you off."

"Why can't I go with you?"

"I don't know how long this'll gonna take and I might be sent out the country…"

"Don't you want me to know where you work?"

"Whenever I get there things are insane. I barely put down my bag and I'm inundated with issues. I have no time to give you a tour or entertain any other guests."

"You look scared."

"Why would I be scared?" Yeah, he sounds scared, he was quick to deny as blood pounds in his ears.

"You don't want me to see where you work."

"It's not the kind of place where people drop by."

"A call center?"

"What?"

"Ashley said you work for a call center…"

"Right." Marcus sighed loudly, "But it's not that kind of call center. It's a high security central processing hub."

"Don't worry I'm not gonna hack the computers. I just wanna see where you work and…"

"Tessa, I can't argue with you right now. I'm needed ASAP! I can get a taxi for you or I can drive you up to the village gate. Pick."

"Let's go."

If only she'd have a tantrum or violet reaction but damn that calmness … "No. You need to go home and eat the spaghetti Bolognese and you have classes this evening."

"You're hiding something."

"No one's allowed in. It's high security."

"I don't need to go in it."

"Tessa," he checks his watch, frowning. "I'm running late. Although I like you my job comes first." The car came alive and after a few turns on the block they were back in the mainstream traffic.

"Can you answer a question?"

"Shoot."

"I wanna know what kind of job you have that you need to bring a gun with you." Tessa points at the laptop bag.

Shit.. The car jerked to a stop at the red light. "That's not a question."

"This is a question; why?"

"For protection; I work at nights or early mornings. It's registered. I have a license to carry. Tessa, if I don't go now and they call I'll be in big shit. Where do you want me to drop you off?"

"You don't have to. Bye Marcus." At Marcus's shock Tessa opens the door got down and slammed it closed. Without looking back she weaved through the vehicles in the middle of traffic until she got to the other side.

Then she turned around to look at his open-mouthed expression.

The light turned green.

Marcus jolts at the blare of horns behind him.

He could see Tessa in between the pass of the cars, trucks, vans, jeeps….then she was gone.

-o0o-