I have now read four pages worth of Lassiet fics to prepare me, and have re-watched all of seasons 3 and 4 of Psych (plus some other episodes here and there.) I'm feeling ready.

After deciding on Ca' Dario for dinner, the two partners set right in on planning.

"I honestly didn't know they planned to come in at all, but I guess Lloyd has some accounting seminar here the week after next. Normal people might think, Hey, I'll go see my daughter during the few days I'm here. My parents have decided to stay here for nearly two weeks instead."

"Are you going to have to take off work? I'll cover for you with Vick if I need to, though I would be hard pressed to accept a temporary partner."

She shook her head. "That's not really my plan, so far. I don't really know what they are expecting, to be honest. With how busy everything has been, I haven't really seen them in years."

He parked in front of the Italian restaurant and shut off the engine. "Well, we could both take a few days off if needed."

She looked at him in surprise as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Do my ears deceive me? Did Carlton 'Crime Never Takes a Vacation' Lassiter really just offer to take time off for me?"

He shrugged slightly, glad for the shadows of twilight to hide the coloring of his cheeks. He got out and went to open her door, but she got out before he could. He locked the door, then quickly walked to the restaurant door to hold that one open.

"You didn't have to do that," she told him with a smile.

His blush deepened, and he quickly changed the subject. "So do you have to get them from the airport, or..."

She shook her head. "No. Since-"

"Table for two?" The hostess asked.

Juliet nodded.

"Right this way."

"As I was saying, since Lloyd has that convention thing, they are renting a car. The email said to expect them around 7 PM."

He nodded his understanding as they slid into opposite sides of the booth.

"And how long are we meant to have dated for?"

Juliet thought for a minute. "At the very least, I would say since... um... June of last year?"

"But that's over a year."

She nodded. "Yeah, it would put us at about a year and two months. Can you handle that?"

He looked doubtful. "Do you think I can handle that?"

She nodded. "We've been partners for years, and I can honestly say that no one here knows me as well as you do. If anyone can pass for my boyfriend of over a year, it's you."

"Can I get you something to drink?" a waitress asked.

Carlton glanced over the wine list. "We'll have the Petite Sirrah. I'd like the whole bottle, but please don't bring a decanter. We can pour it ourselves."

The young woman nodded, then scurried away.

Carlton noticed his partner's surprised expression. "Is that okay? 2008 was a great year for Sirrahs."

Juliet nodded. "I love a good Sirrah. It's just... that's a $56 bottle of wine, Carlton."

"I'll pay for it," he assured her, "I just figured it would be good to have a nice wine around your house."

She smiled. "You are so sweet. Speaking of my house, though, I need some of your stuff."

He shot her a look of confusion.

"We're meant to have been dating for over a year, so you ought to have shirts and stuff at my house. We can get an extra toothbrush and deodorant for my bathroom. I still have shampoo left over from when Donny stayed with me a few months back, but we can get some other kind if you don't think it's something you would use. I already use cinnamon toothpaste."

"You, uh... you know I won't actually be sleeping over, right?"

Her smile dropped for just a second, then reappeared slightly more forced. "Yeah, uh, yeah. I know."

"Not that I'm completely opposed to anything or anything, I just wouldn't want it to get awkward."

"Right, right."

They were spared any further delving into that conversation by the reappearance of the waitress with their wine.

"Okay, so be at my place Saturday around 10 AM and we will set everything up and do our shopping," Juliet instructed as he pulled up to her car at the station.

He nodded. "Will do. I'll see you tomorrow."

She flashed him a bright smile before getting out and switching to her own car. She rolled down the window and called out, "Goodnight, Carlton!" before speeding off toward home.

He hit his head against the steering wheel. What have I gotten myself into?

To say Karen Vick was surprised with what she was hearing would be an understatement. "So you're telling me that not only will you both potentially be taking off work at points during the next couple of weeks, but you are also pretending to be in a long-term relationship?"

Her two top detectives nodded simultaneously.

"I can't say I approve of either the deception or the potentially taking time off, but I will approve whatever you need. In all my years as your chief, I have never seen either of you take so much as a sick day. Let me know what you need, and I will do my best to help."

"Thank you, Chief," Juliet gushed. "It means a lot to me. Maybe you could come to dinner with us some time this week?"

Both Carlton and Karen looked nervous.

"I think I'll pass for now," Karen told her, "Only because this is a very busy week and I have never had a personal dinner with either of you."

"Well, consider it for the week after then. Please? I know my mom would very much like to meet you," Juliet pleaded.

Karen sighed. "I will consider it."

"Thank you," Carlton said walking out to his desk.

Juliet made to follow him.

"Oh, and O'Hara?"

"Yes, Chief?" she asked, turning back around.

"Be careful. The stake in this, for both of you, may well be higher than you know."

She sent her chief a curious look at this cryptic statement, but nodded and continued out of the office.

"Have lunch with me?" she asked her partner.

Carlton nodded without looking up from his report.

"Now?"

He looked up at her, then looked over at the clock. "Oh, I didn't realize how late it got! Let's go, O'Hara."

"Mony's sound good?"

"Yeah, I could go for a taco," he replied as they walked out to his car.

"Jules!"

Both turned around to find Shawn Spencer barreling toward them like a puppy on roller skates.

"What do you need, Spencer? We were just on our way to lunch."

"Ooh! Mind if I join you?"

Lassiter shot him a look, but did not answer. He instead looked to his partner to make the decision.

"Not today, Shawn. We have to work out some stuff while we eat."

"Ooh, like a new case? Count me in!"

"Not like a new case, Spencer, and it doesn't concern you anyway."

"Everything concerns me. Including your ears; can you hear babies crying in Ventura with those things?"

Carlton scowled, and Juliet shook her head.

"That was downright mean, Shawn," she replied. "We're leaving now."

The two partners turned and walked to his car.

"Wait," Shawn called.

"Make it quick," Juliet responded in a surprisingly Lassiter-like bark.

"Woah," Shawn retorted, "Someone woke up on the Lassiterian side of the bed."

"Cut it out, Spencer, we don't have time for your games," Carlton told him, getting into the car.

Juliet put her hands on her hips and scowled. "I am really quite hungry, Shawn, and I'm losing my patience."

"Okay, okay! No need to get all snippy. I'm sensing your parents are coming into town."

"And?"

"And I'm sensing they want to meet your boyfriend."

"What's your point, Shawn?"

"Well, I could pretend to be that boyfriend."

"Ha! No thanks, Shawn. I've got it covered." She walked over to the passenger seat and got in. "Let's go."

They left Shawn behind sputtering, "But... But... But..."

"So what kinds of activities are your parents into?" Carlton asked once they were settled in with their tacos.

Juliet shrugged, "They never really have had a chance to see the sights out here. I was thinking we could show them some of the cool places in Santa Barbara. Like the zoo."

He nodded. "Stearns Wharf and the Botanic Gardens would be great spots to show them, too."

"We could also take them to the beach. They haven't been in the Pacific before. They never came here before I moved here."

"Do they like museums?"

She thought for a moment. "Yes, I believe so."

"Well, we can take them to the Museum of Natural History."

"I'm sure they would enjoy that."

"We could also do the Carriage and Western Art Museum one evening, then take them to dinner at Toma after."

"Great idea!" Juliet smiled and reached across the table to squeeze the hand he had resting there. "Thank you for doing this for me, Carlton."

He blushed. "I... uh... I'd do anything for you, Juliet." He cleared his throat. "What are partners for, right?"

She laughed, "Well, I definitely have the best partner of all."

The next few days went by fairly quickly. The two spent the weekend together. They watched movies, prepared her house, and quizzed each other on all the information a long-term couple would likely know. By the time Tuesday night rolled around, Carlton and Juliet were ready.

They went by the Farmer's Market to stock her house with fresh groceries, then decided to cook a beef stir fry.

Juliet was surprised to discover that Carlton really knew what he was doing. She really enjoyed watching his long fingers as he chopped up the beef.

"Uh... Juliet?"

"Hmm?" She bit her lip and tried to pretend she had not been staring at him and daydreaming.

"Are you going to go let them in?"

When the doorbell rang for what she assumed to be the second time, she rushed over to her front door.

"Julie!"

Both of her parents rushed in and scooped her up into a big hug. "It's so great to see you guys!"

"So, where is this boyfriend of yours?"

"Mom!"

"What? I'm just excited. You've been refusing to talk about this elusive boyfriend, and the suspense is killing me!"

Carlton walked out of the kitchen carrying the pan of stir fry. "Hello."

He set it down on the table and walked over to them.

"These are my parents, Lloyd and Maryanne French."

He extended a hand. "It's so nice to finally meet you! I'm Carlton."

"Carlton... Isn't that the name of your work partner?" Maryanne asked her daughter.

Juliet nodded. "He is my work partner, yes. Which means no one at the station knows we are dating except the chief, so please don't say anything if you meet any of our coworkers."

Maryanne mimed zipping her lips.

"So, what's for dinner?" Lloyd asked as they walked over to the dining room table.

"Stir fry," Carlton replied, pulling out chairs for both Maryanne and her daughter.

"Oh, thank you," Maryanne told him with a smile. She then whispered to Juliet, "He seems like a keeper."

Juliet smiled.

"So how did you two meet?" Carlton queried as he passed the stir fry to Lloyd.

"Well, when I first met Maryanne, I was counseling her in her accounting. And I found, oh, so many discrepancies. But the one thing that I said to Maryanne is 'accounting is a puzzle, but I like to solve puzzles.' And she said, 'Well, I am also kind of a puzzle.' And I said, "Well, I can solve the puzzle of you.'"

Awkward laughter broke out from Juliet and Carlton.

"It was really much sweeter than that," Maryanne clarified.

The rest of dinner passed with light small talk, and soon it was time for Carlton to go.

"Are you sure you must go?" Maryanne asked.

Carlton nodded. "I have some business to take care of at home, but I'll be back bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Alright, see you then!"

Juliet smiled. "I'll walk you out to your car."

He unlocked his car, and she gave him a hug. "Thanks again for doing this, Carlton. I think they really liked you!"

He awkwardly hugged her back, but relaxed fairly quickly. "I'm glad. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

She nodded, then reluctantly let him go. "See you tomorrow."

He smiled and climbed into his car, then drove away.

I don't often do a lot of planning before writing, but I actually have been for this fic. I want it to go well. Anyway, let me know what you think!