A/N: Many thanks to Make-Mine-A-Kiaora for a helpful offhand suggestion about economy of word use that made it much easier for me to get Cho's voice. I knew posting here would stretch and challenge me! Also thanks to those who read and reviewed. It is very encouraging. I hope that you all enjoy this week's installment

Chapter 3: Choreography

At fifteen hundred hours, I get up from my desk. Reports saved. Memos read. Time to prepare for tonight's efforts.

Abbott meets me at the elevator. "Good to see that you're ready. Thanks for making time this early. We'll beat the end of the day rush. That's your costume, I take it?" He nods at my bag.

"Yes, sir." I had to duck out during lunch to get the clothes. Wardrobe was part one of my assignment. Part two, the choreography, is next on the agenda.

The elevator doors open, and we step in. The basement floor has a gym. It should be quiet. A good place to plan our moves.

"Good. Let's get this show on the road."

He smiles. It suits him. He used to be always stern, straightlaced. Like he had an iron rod up his back. Unbending. Since Jane came, he has loosened up. Maybe he likes closing cases quickly. Maybe he likes Jane's style. Whatever the deal, it makes life more pleasant for everyone.

I change in the locker room. Abbott is warming up when I enter. I see a couple other agents on weights, one at a treadmill. Abbot is on the mats, stretching. The jacket Jane got for his costume is on the back of a chair. He turns towards me. Sizes me up. "I understand you've done some street fighting before you joined law enforcement?"

I nod.

"Want to show me what you can do?"

After some warm-ups, we spar. The adrenaline feels good. Perks us both up. We're men of action, and this is just the kind of action we like best. We are evenly matched. He has a slight advantage in mass, and it's more muscle than I had thought. His discipline is impressive. When we finish, we are both breathing hard.

Applause. The crowd in the gym has grown. They have stopped to watch us. Seems they like what they see.

He looks at me sideways, slight grin, grudging respect. "You'll do, Cho." He takes a swig of his water bottle and passes it to me. I accept it, pour it down my throat and wipe my face. The circle around us disperses.

Abbott leans in to speak. "Well, we probably want to keep this simple. The idea is to make Pulaski trust me so that he'll leave the bar with me and I get him to Jane. I think to get us out, maybe I have to let you win."

"Not necessarily. You knock me down, he figures you have his back. I come back up with a gun, and you've got a perfect reason to leave."

Approving nod. "You've got something there. So first I get him comfortable, then you come and attack him."

"What for?"

"You'll come up with something. Think you can take him?"

I've read his file. He's big, tough. Experienced. But I'll have the element of surprise. If Abbott does his job, probably he'll be intoxicated. "Not a problem."

"Good. Once he goes down, I'll take you down in one…"

We practice the moves. Try a couple variations in case Pulaski doesn't go down easy. We mark it, but we both know that Abbott will need to connect. Hard. Pulaski should have no doubt that it's real. I'll dive, too, but my jaw and Abbott's hand will be sore afterwards.

Nobody said this job was easy.

When we're satisfied that we have it down, we take another breather.

"Can I ask you something, Cho?"

I recognize the tone. Rigsby used it sometimes. This isn't strictly business. But he's the boss. I nod.

"You worked with Jane a long time, right?"

"In the CBI? Almost 10 years."

"And you trust him?"

"Trust him for what?"

Abbott does a take. Then he just looks at me. Waiting. I know what he's looking for. And he's the boss.

"Patrick Jane is a good guy. Sometimes overthinks things. But he wants to do the right thing. He also likes to play. When you play along, you get the bad guy. Might also lose face along the way, but its worth it."

"He likes to play…" Abbott's wheels are turning. "Like the toys?"

I smile, remembering the jumping beans. I see Abbott smile big in response. "That was Jane inviting us to play with him." Abbott nods. Then looks around at the gym, beginning to fill up with agents that end their day with a work-out.

He lowers his voice and asks, "You think he would bolt?"

That sets me back on my heels. "What for? You gave him everything he asked for."

"Did I? What about Lisbon?" Ugh. I see where this is going.

"She seems to like the work here. She does her job, regardless."

"I don't think that she's entirely happy, though. And I'm not sure just working with her was what Jane had in mind."

Do we really have to go there?

As the boss, it's Abbott's job to care if an agent's personal life affects the team. But I steer clear of my team-mates' love lives. One reason I don't seek out promotions.

Abbott notes my hesitation. His eyes scan the gym. Wary. He grabs the jacket. "Let's take this to my office, shall we?"

We get some looks, going against the tide. Most people are leaving the offices. We're going back. Dressed informally in a sea of suits. I ask myself what I should tell him. What I should hold back. Knowledge is power. How do you know how much to trust someone with personal power? Over people that you care about?

He closes his door. Motions me to a seat. Takes another next to me. His eyes go to a closed drawer. Whatever he keeps there, he wants to take it out. But he fixes his eyes on me instead. "What do you think Jane wanted when he demanded to work with Teresa Lisbon?"

"Don't ask me what Jane has on his mind. But he wouldn't ever pressure Lisbon, or let her be hurt if he could help it." He better not. I'd kill him. "As long as she's working here, Jane will be as loyal as they come." My skin crawls just saying it. It feels like a betrayal.

"And do you think she's happy?" Abbott will not let up. I try not to bristle. This is not my story to tell. Even if I knew for certain that I could speak for her.

"It would be a mistake to mess with Lisbon and Jane. Whatever the deal is between them, they need to figure it out themselves."

Abbott softens. "I don't just ask because I want Jane's cooperation, you know. Lisbon is a fine agent. She was always a good cop. When the CBI went down, it was my responsibility to test the character of each individual involved. I had to be sure of who was compromised, and who was not." Abbott's eyes wander back to the big drawer. He distracts himself by taking another drink from the water bottle still in his hands. "She passed with flying colors. Her only weakness was her loyalty to her team. And to me, that's not weakness."

I wait. Where is he going with this?

"She cooperated on the whole investigation of Red John and the Blake Association. I read every report she ever wrote on the subject. They were detailed, thorough. Except that I knew she left some things out. She never mentioned Jane's obsession with revenge on paper. It took hard questioning to confirm that she knew about it. You all did, right?"

"I knew." I'm not ashamed to confess it. But I won't speak for anyone else.

He shakes his head. Rueful smile. Like he heard the part I hadn't said out loud. "Loyalty. Integrity. Personal responsibility. Your whole team at the CBI was like that. These distinct elements, coming together to make something more powerful. That's what I wanted my team to be like. I kept wondering, how does that happen? I mean, I know it was Jane that brought the case closure up. Lisbon's reports gave him complete credit for his ideas. But he didn't work as well for anyone other than her. And it was clear that you each had a part to play. Without your team, the Blake Association might have stayed in power indefinitely. By the time I finished that investigation, I knew that you were the best crime fighting machine I had ever heard of. I never hated my job more than when I had to take that machine apart."

His eyes are locked on mine. He means it.

It took me a long time to stop hating Abbott after that business. Hearing this is hard. But now I understand better.

"What I wanted most was to build a team just like it. When you accepted my offer to join the FBI, I was delighted. You know, Lisbon had nothing but commendations for everything you did. All through her paperwork, again and again. I got sick of reading it. 'Kimball Cho's quick thinking,' 'Kimball Cho's penetrating interrogation,' 'More fine investigative work by Kimball Cho.'" He smiles. "It didn't take long to see that she was not exaggerating. If anything, she showed some restraint. Even I have to resist the urge to brag you up, sometimes."

I blink. High praise. Abbott doesn't give out insincere compliments. Neither did Lisbon. But I won't tell him that I asked Lisbon to tone it down. My work should speak for itself.

"But one fine agent does not make a team. I never thought Teresa Lisbon would join my team. In her eyes, I dismantled her livelihood. She was never hostile to me, just cold. Reserved. I can't say that I blamed her. But I needed her. If anyone could tell me how to catch lightning in a bottle like that, it would be her. Of course, being a small town sheriff didn't exactly use her capacities to their full potential. And whenever I showed up, she shut down. So I decided that the one thing my team needed most was Patrick Jane. I tried everything I knew to get to Jane. Lisbon was my best lead, such as it was. If it weren't for the letters, it would have been useless. She would never have intentionally given up any information that would lead us to Jane."

"It was a lucky break for me that Jane insisted on working with Lisbon. And lucky for both of us that she agreed to it. And after witnessing the Rigsbys in action, I can't tell you how much I wish I could have convinced them to sign on too. "

I say, "Under the circumstances, you can't blame them." But the thought of having our old CBI team together leaves a weight in my chest.

"Of course not. They need to keep their family safe. I want my people safe, too. More than that, I want them to thrive. And Lisbon… I'm not sure why, but she seems uncomfortable, to me. Don't get me wrong, she does excellent work, and I wish I had ten of her. But sometimes it seems like her heart isn't really in it. I would really appreciate your thoughts on the matter."

I consider. "What makes you think that I would have any insight here?"

"You've worked with Lisbon for a long time. You knew her when she was happiest and most productive. You were a key part of the team that made that happen." He pauses. "And I know you care about her. Like family. What would it take to make her feel at home with us?"

Deep breath. He was asking my input. I decide to take it on faith that he was serious about putting the team's interests first. "I can't speak for Lisbon. But I can tell you what I see. It might help you with the overall team dynamic."

Abbott leans in. "Please continue."

"When I joined up here, the thing I missed most was the camaraderie. Our team was like a family. We looked out for each other. Lisbon made sure we didn't deviate too far from the rules, but the rules weren't the point. Rules, procedures, all those things… they were there to keep us safe. They were there to help the team operate smoothly. And when the needs of the case, or the needs of the team, required rules to be bent, we did that. Because the goals and the relationships were the priority."

Abbott's brow furrows, but he nods. He wants to hear it all.

"Now I appreciate efficiency. I like honest boundaries. But as a whole, the FBI is way too stuck on the appearance of perfection. The suits, the fancy equipment, even the architecture… it sometimes feels like a charade. Like we're conning somebody. Maybe even ourselves." Glancing up at Abbott, I see him nodding thoughtfully. "It's as if we're trying to convince ourselves that we're above human failings. Human feelings."

"So… you think I need to relax a bit? Be less demanding?"

"No, I was talking about the FBI in general. I think you are doing a great job. It's just a matter of setting priorities. Like you've done on this case. You're letting Jane lead. You didn't demand to know the details of the plan when he was still working them out. You let Wylie be the one to brief us. You even agreed to play Jane's thug because that's where you fit best in this plan. In your position, it would be easy to stand on status. Get worked up over details. But if your priority is a team that clicks, you have to be willing to trust. It's like a dance. You may be leading, but you have to be responsive to your partner. It just takes time to learn what that means with each partner."

The boss just thinks for a long time. Then he inclines his head to me. "Thank you for teaching me." Then he chuckles, shaking his head.

"Something funny?" I don't usually talk so much. He better have been listening to understand, not to mock.

I watch him try to suppress the smile. "Sorry, Cho. I just have to ask. Do you dance?" I could see him trying to picture it.

I decide to take my own advice and kill my pride. "I'm full of surprises." My mouth quirks into a smile. It feels good.

Abbott rises, still smiling. "Thank you for the work-out, Cho. See you in a few hours." He walks to that drawer and turns to see me, still watching him. He pauses. Considers restating the dismissal. Then stands up very straight and opens the drawer. Takes out a colorful toy figure and sets it on his desk. Prominently. Looks at me as though daring me to laugh at him.

"Vehicle Voltron. Nice. I loved that show. See you soon." I get up and leave, not waiting to see Abbott react. He already knew I respected him. Beats me why he asked advice from me. Or why he let me see so much into his head. Could be he needs a friend.

I think I can do that.

Heading out, I see Lisbon and Fischer. They're dressed to the nines in the outfits that Jane chose for them. Their heads together, talking in low tones. Lisbon does look flustered. Maybe Abbott's right. At the CBI, she was never this unsure of herself, even when Jane asked her to do something really out of her comfort zone. "Cho!" Relieved to see me, she franticly beckons me over. "I need a man's opinion. Does this make me look like a floozy?"

"I keep telling her she's gorgeous, but she won't believe me." Fischer rolls her eyes. Amused smile. And completely sincere, not a hint of competitive posturing. Maybe because she, too, looks completely stunning.

This is awkward, but I know what needs to be done. "You could make any outfit look classy, Lisbon. And Jane knows what suits you. You'll knock 'em dead tonight."

"See?" Fischer says, almost smug.

I try to keep my eyes on Fischer's face. Which should not be so hard. "And Pulaski won't even know what hit him." Why did I even say that? Agent Fischer needed no reassurance. Now it's her turn to look flustered. I really did not intend that.

"Um, thank you." I see Lisbon's smile when Fischer briefly loses her typical poise. Distracted from her own unease for a moment. I grab my cue stick from my desk.

Lisbon follows me, while Fischer returns to her own desk. "Seriously, why did Jane put me in this situation? He knows that I hate heels. And I don't do cleavage!" I look at her, not showing my concern at her reaction. This has really thrown her. "Besides, he says I'm a bad liar, so why give me such a prominent role?"

I could give her my guesses. Maybe he will find the view inspiring. Maybe he wants to keep her close to be sure that she doesn't get hurt or blow the con. Maybe he thinks being his besotted partner in crime won't be a big stretch for her.

But any one of my guesses could shake her confidence further, and I don't really want to be punched out more than once tonight.

What could I say that would be helpful?

"Jane likes working with you. Lately you've been on separate assignments. He probably misses you and grabbed the chance to monopolize your company while Abbott is being agreeable."

It was a good answer. Her face lightens immediately. She stands up straighter. Considers the idea with some satisfaction. "Do you really think so?" The thought clearly cheers her.

Jane better make tonight fun for her.

"I have to go set up. Break a leg," I say, squeezing her shoulder. It feels slightly strange to me, but she needs the physical contact.

She smiles warmly. "You too, Cho."

Looking at my cell, I realize that time is short to find a good opponent before Pulaski gets to the bar. I hurry to leave the building. The elevator seems slow, there is a large crowd in the lobby, and just as I'm about to leave the building, Agent Pike of the art squad pulls me aside.

"Hey, have you got a moment, Agent Cho?"

I chafe. But this is his case, so I stop. "Barely. What do you need?"

"It's about Jane. Do you think…I mean, he and Lisbon are working the case tonight…"

I can scarcely control my impatience. "Get to the point."

"Are they, um, together?"

This has nothing to do with the case. This is the third time this afternoon someone has forced me to deal with my colleagues' personal relationship. And I am running behind to prepare for my actual job. Pike is by all reports a good agent and a decent person. But I feel like hitting him.

"Why would you ask me a question like that?"

"I was thinking of asking her out, after all this is over. But I don't want to step on Jane's toes."

Who do people think I am? Dear Abby?

Why am I the go-to guy for personal advice?

I know why. Even a fool is thought wise if he holds his tongue. So says the proverb.

I'm no fool. So they all think my reserve means I'm brilliant. In some ways, it's true.

But with relationships? Not so much. You'd think they would notice. How often do I go out with a woman? Never. Since I came to Austin, nobody has had cause to gossip about my love life. Still, they think I can help them manage something I don't have.

They'd know better, if anyone examined my romantic history rationally. If I would share it, that is. Which I would not.

And if I don't share my own, why would I comment on someone else's?

"Sorry, Pike. Can't help you. I've got to get ready for Pulaski." I turn quickly. Not quickly enough to miss his face.

This could be bad. Really bad. As I run for my car, I feel my gut clench. I know Jane can dance, but he has more on his card tonight than he realizes. He better lead Lisbon with care, or someone might cut in on him.

But I'm not the boss, and I'm absolutely the wrong guy to give advice to the lovelorn. I just have to trust that they can manage it. I have a dance of my own to do.