Chapter 14 – The Pen

After they came out of Abbott's office, Lisbon went to speak to Abbott to update him and Jane immediately slumped on his couch and closed his eyes.

After cleaning herself up in the bathroom, Lisbon got a coffee and went to her desk, welcomed back happily by Wylie and Fischer on the way. It looked like the new case had made the rumour mill shut down on her private life at least, she thought. Despite how awful the day had turned out she was glad to be back. She opened her drawer to find a long cardboard box there with a ribbon tied round it. She looked over questioningly to Jane who by this time was fast asleep so turned back, removed the ribbon and opened the box. Inside the box was a beautiful silver pen, looking closer she saw it was engraved.

To help you complete your idioitic paperwork while I dream of better things to do.

She smiled widely. He knew her so well, she thought, not putting anything too gushy on it that would discomfort her if someone else borrowed it, just a little joke between them. She looked towards him, sound asleep behind her. She had a wicked urge to wake him but after the last hour knew he needed some rest.

She did too but her way of coping with the emotions she had just experienced was by throwing herself into her work so she worked silently for a couple more hours, tiredness then beginning to get to her too. Forensics had been a bust. Wylie was still working on the laptop but so far nothing of interest had been found. The ex-boyfriend still hadn't been found and Kerry's brothers were flying in to be questioned the next day. The idea that this girl could have been murdered because of her in some way weighed heavily on her.

But there was nothing more to be done for the day and she sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes and moving her neck from side to side to loosen her shoulders.

'Need a hand with that?' Jane asked behind her, rising from his couch.

'Jesus, Jane, I thought you were still asleep, you scared the hell out of me! How long have you been watching me?'

Jane smiled. He didn't think she would appreciate the lascivious thoughts he had been having watching her work whilst remembering her exertions that morning and he certainly didn't want to dampen her enthusiasm by making her feel self-conscious in the future. Then he had noticed a tinge of guilt come across her face, a feeling he was all too well accustomed to. He put his hands on her shoulders and began to massage them gently with his fingers. She tensed up immediately, looking around. 'Don't panic, woman, I've already checked, everyone's gone for the night' he whispered in her ear.

'None of this is your fault, you know that, right?' he said softly, his fingers still moving over her shoulders.

She nodded and began to relax a little. It was good to have the kind and light-hearted Jane back. She had been afraid that he would wake up and go back into himself again, shutting her off but instead seemed to need her closeness. He was really trying to make this work between them, to open up to her more. She closed her eyes as Jane moved the last strands of hair from her shoulders and began massaging them deeper.

'No other leads-'

'Shhh, tell me about it later, okay?'

She quietened as Jane's fingers pressed more firmly into her shoulders now, knots of stress being released with each touch. She couldn't help but sigh contentedly.

'Oh god, why have you never told me you could do this before?' she asked a few minutes later, almost purring now.

He chuckled behind her, enjoying the experience of giving her pleasure almost as much as her receiving it.

'Well, if I had I was afraid you would have tried to have your wicked way with me across this very desk and I'm not sure even I would have had enough self control to stop you', running his fingers down her arms and bending down to kiss her neck.

'So, why aren't you afraid of that happening now?'

'Well, it's different now. Now perhaps it's a fantasy, not a fear', he replied softly between kisses on her skin, his hands beginning to circle her waist.

She laughed and turned round to him, getting off the chair and putting her arms around his neck, her hands in his hair. He drew her in closer and pushed her against the desk, kissing her deeper and moving his hands under her blouse, needing to feel her bare skin. After a few minutes like this, she felt his desire for her as he pushed her further into the desk, their kissing become longer and more passionate, until she almost had her back on top of it but she then suddenly pushed him back, coming to her senses.

'Chicken' he said softly, smiling, backing away. 'I was afraid the Catholic schoolgirl in you would come to the surface just as it was getting interesting.'

She looked away from him and smiled again, blushing, and decided to change the subject. 'Thank you for the pen, it's absolutely beautiful, what was the occasion?'

He replied smoothly, 'Oh, you're welcome, just a little welcome back to work gift, would it be cheesy if I said it wasn't as beautiful as you?'

She rolled her eyes and nodded. 'Absolutely.'

She started to gather her belongings from her desk. 'Let's go home so I can thank you properly for it, maybe the Catholic schoolgirl in me will have a night off if you're lucky.'

'Home?'

She panicked at her choice of word and replied stumbling over the words, 'I mean my place... if you want to that is...or if you want to go to your place...be alone I mean... especially after today... that's totally fine of course, I understand.'

She was adorable when she was embarrassed so he stood for a moment letting her stew, a solemn look on his face before breaking into a wide smile, walking towards the elevator.

'Coming?' he called to her as she was still standing at her desk. 'But no takeout tonight, let's stop at the grocery store first so I can make you something a little better.'