AN: It has been over a month since I last posted, and this is not the chapter that I promised my readers. It isn't even the next chapter that I expected to write for this story. I apologize. I am still working on the third chapter of Need Not to Know. It was more complicated than I expected, because Abbott needs to figure out what he is not seeing before he figures out what Jane and Lisbon are not seeing, which is what impels him to intervene. Add to that my busiest summer ever and limited access to the internet, and I feel like I have let my readers down. For all the encouraging reviews and interest, I am very grateful. I want you to know that I intend to follow through on these stories, even if it takes me a while. And if you all lose interest in the meantime, I fully understand, but I know how sad it is to find a story you enjoy and just never find an end to it, so I would hate to inflict that on anyone kind enough to stick with me.

Anyway, I could not bring myself to shelve the NNtK chapter, and working on the Wiley POV segment will take at least as much focus as the one I am currently working on, but it occurred to me that a simple dialogue could tie up some of the loose ends from previous chapters and point ahead to the direction I mean to go. Also, it gave me opportunity to at least allude to a character that I am developing for my current NNtK chapter, in hopes that it might arouse curiosity or at least maintain some interest in both stories at once. Abbott's wife has only briefly been mentioned on the series, but I got thinking about what sort of person would be a good match for Abbott (my favorite of the new characters, which is really saying something.) And Leah Shulamith Abbott is one of those characters who just seem to come to life while you create them. I just love her, and I can hardly wait to introduce her.

Thank you so much to everyone patient enough to stick with these stories.

And as usual, none of these characters are mine, except the lovely Leah who is only mentioned herein. And I don't make any money when they talk to each other in my head or in pixels.

Chapter 6: Interlude

"So what did you find out?"

"You were right. There is definitely something going on between Lisbon and Jane."

"And is it likely to jeopardize the team?"

"If you really want my opinion, the biggest danger to the team is if things between them fall apart. Which unfortunately looks rather likely at the moment."

"How so?"

"I…listen, I can't explain all the details here. It feels like betraying a confidence. But will you trust my judgment if I just give you a general overview of what I observed?"

"Fischer…Kim. You know I trust your judgment. That's why I asked you to head this team in the field. You tell me what you think I need to know, and I'll let the rest go."

"Okay. Thank you, sir."

"Don't mention it. But you were saying?"

"Working together for so long under such trying circumstances clearly forged a very strong bond between Lisbon and Jane. She knows his flaws, but she also knows his strengths, and she knows what he has been through. She'll defend him to the hilt, but she's also terrified of getting too close to him. She doesn't like to be vulnerable, and he has given her plenty of reasons not to trust him. As for Jane, he teases her, shows off for her, he's attracted to her, but he plays the truth of his feelings so close to his chest he might not be fully aware of them himself. I think they have both suffered so much emotional trauma in their lives, they don't want to admit how much they care about one another. I'd bet a year's pay that casual flirtation is as far as it has ever gotten. But watching them tonight… I just don't see many married couples that know each other as well, or push each other's buttons as effectively, as those two."

"Alright. Rest assured you haven't betrayed any confidences so far. I had worked all that out on my own. But you said that there were problems? And that those problems might affect the team?"

"If I am reading her right, Lisbon wants to be in control of her own life, but she keeps hoping that Jane will make a move, to prove that all that she risked for him, all that she has done for him, was worth while. I mean, she lost a job that she loved, risked her freedom and reputation to ensure that he could escape prosecution or retribution, and after two years left another job where she had gotten comfortable to be on his team here. But he still wears his wedding ring. And it isn't like they get a lot of time together on the job."

"Yes, yes, that one's on me. I told you not to put them together too much. I can see now that may have been a mistake. Certainly tonight they showed what an effective team they can be.'

'Right. Even when they are at odds with one another and on completely different wavelengths."

"They were?"

"Oh, yeah. You missed their big blow-up before you and Pulaski arrived."

"Let me guess. The dress."

"Right in one. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Jane obviously appreciated how she looked in it, and Lisbon was fine with that. But Jane was also trying to protect her by reducing her to just another pretty face. When she caught on to that aspect of the plan, she lost it."

"Well, it didn't seem to affect her performance. Pulaski was clearly convinced."

"Sure, she played it well. But it wasn't quite the way Jane wanted it played."

"Which was…?"

"Cool. Calm. Understated. She was supposed to set the mark at ease, not draw focus to herself."

"Now you sound like Wiley. I don't mind using cons to catch criminals, but do we have to talk like con men?"

"When in Rome..."

"…speak Latin. I get that. But how was it a problem that she improvised a little? Didn't her extra attention to Pulaski make him more susceptible to your advances later on? And why should Jane have all the fun?"

"Listen, I'm not complaining about Lisbon's act. I thought she was great. But didn't you see Jane's face when she came on to Pulaski?"

"I certainly did. That was something, wasn't it? Jane is usually so good at hiding his reactions. I bet even Pulaski could read the jealousy off him. Fortunately, that worked in our favor."

"I hope Pulaski didn't also see the terror."

"Terror?"

"Jane was petrified. Didn't you notice? He thought he had planned for everything. Thought it was all under control. And then Lisbon goes off-script and makes certain that Pulaski will never forget her face. Which means that if things go awry, she's a target."

"Good thing Lisbon can take care of herself. Jane has to know that. She's usually the one that has to protect him."

"What Jane knows and what his heart tells him are two different things in this case. Remember that he still blames himself for his wife's death, all those years ago. If his actions put Lisbon at risk…"

"Point taken. So are you concerned that his judgment is impaired? Will it endanger the operation?"

"That isn't what worries me. If anything, this development will keep Jane on his toes. He can't afford to be complacent if a lapse in judgment could mean Lisbon's life. He will be hyper-vigilant."

"So what is the issue?"

"Their relationship is the emotional heart of this team."

"…That's…well, yes. I can see that…"

"Right now their relationship, such as it is, is coming undone. Jane loves her but he doesn't dare make a move. Even the small moves that he has tried to make so far wind up alienating them further. He's afraid that he isn't good for her. She feels manipulated, taken for granted, and undervalued. If it goes on like this…"

"The whole team could disintegrate. What can we do? There must be some way to get a handle on this. Do you have any idea how much I have invested in the success of this unit?"

"Abbott. Dennis. Don't get worked up. You need to appear in control of yourself, whatever happens. It's serious, yes. It's your life's work. And the best thing I've ever been part of, hands down. But to Jane and Lisbon, it's even more than that."

"It's their whole lives. Their hearts are on the line."

"Right. And after all that they've faced, all they've given to the team, don't we owe them some consideration? It's not like our attempts to micromanage them have done much good up to this point."

"But…Are you recommending that we do nothing?"

"We've already agreed that keeping them separate was a mistake. So we need to let them work together more and hope that they work it out. I don't know what else to suggest. I don't want to blunder in thoughtlessly and just wind up making things worse. This isn't something that rules and bureaucracy can solve."

Silence.

"Hm. I wonder what your wife would say. You know, Dennis, Leah is probably the wisest woman I know."

"Yes. She's the wisest person I know too. Without question."

"So what do you think she would say?"

"I think she would say to pray about it. Leave it in larger hands. And then look for ways to be channels of blessing."

"It doesn't sound like much of a solution."

"I know. But it has worked for us before."

"Will you ask her, though? Let me know if she has any more…practical advice?"

"Sure. I'll talk to her first thing tomorrow morning. 'l'll find a way to pass on any other ideas she may have. And if I have anticipated her correctly, I'll let you know that, too. I'll, uh…I'll compliment you on tonight's efforts."

"Heh. Then I'll have to pretend to appreciate the compliment."

"If you'd rather…"

"No, no, that's fine. But pardon me if I'm hoping for more concrete suggestions rather than a pat on the back."

"All the same, you've earned it. Thank you for taking this job. There was no one else who could have handled the assignment with such grace and integrity."

"Whatever else happens, sir, thank you for the opportunity. It has been an honor. And an education."

"Good night, Agent Fischer."

"Good night, sir."