So basically, after reading the 8/28 spoilers about Lisbon "discovering feelings for Jane" a few friends and I got this idea into our heads that she will, in some way, shape, or form, confide in Cho about her feelings. (We're insane, don't mind this crazy premise. :P ) So Brit (SergeantFuzzyBoots) and I decided to make one shots about this idea and publishing them to see how much they were similar or different. This is my version, just a short one shot with a very limited backstory setup, I will admit. Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: As per usual, I don't own anything.

It was the end of the day before Lisbon worked up the courage to take Cho into her office and apologize for that day, for her almost not seeing the suspect's wife sneaking up on him until it was too late. If her reaction time wasn't so fast, he would be dead right now. "Cho, I would like to apologize to you for my behavior today. I wasn't focused, I didn't show the leadership that I'm supposed to, and I snapped at you unnecessarily." She paused. "I've…been distracted recently. That's no excuse…I understand if you're upset with me, that's completely rational, and I promise that I'm going to make sure that I do my job. It's not fair to you or the rest of the team." She shook her head. "I failed you as your boss, and I am deeply sorry."

Cho looked at her for a long minute, his face not changing. Then he spoke. "I understand. Your feelings for Jane are affecting your work. Happens to the best of us. Feelings, I mean. Not necessarily feelings for Jane."

Lisbon had frozen at his words, staring at him until he finished speaking and then blinking. "Excuse me?"

"You don't have feelings for Jane?"

Cho asked it as a question, but his voice didn't go up at the end of the sentence like it should, making it sound like a statement. It didn't matter; Lisbon knew he was asking her to deny it. She folded her arms. "No."

"A very forceful response," Cho noted.

"Who are you, Jane?" Lisbon asked.

"Come on, Boss," he said in his usual deadpan. "We've worked together a long time. I can see you have feelings for him," Cho said. "You have had them for a while now, not forever, but a while and you're just now starting to realize that you have them and what they are." He shrugged. "And it's startled you."

Lisbon wanted to protest. She wanted to tell Cho that whatever she felt for Jane was none of anyone's business. She wanted to order him to leave and tell him that he wasn't allowed to speak to his boss about her personal life like that.

Or maybe she wanted to tell someone. Not in a giddy way, God, she was feeling anything but giddy about this, but in a way that her feelings were beginning to weigh on her and feel like too much to handle all by herself.

Especially given the situation. There was Lorelei. And there was Red John. And there was Charlotte and Angela.

And it's not like she could chide Agent Cho again. She'd already failed him on multiple levels today.

So instead, she sighed and lowered her head slightly. That was as good as a "Yes, you're right." If not that, it was definitely an "Okay. Maybe." She met his gaze for a second, and he blinked and gave the tiniest of nods, as if to say "that's what I thought." So Lisbon shrugged, uncomfortable with the situation but feeling as if she owed Cho that much honesty, after all that she hid from him. "I don't know…exactly," she said, feeling strange to even admit that much. "I just know I've been distracted. Preoccupied. I have things that I need to…" she stopped, searching for the right word for probably an awkwardly long amount of time before offering, almost too quiet to hear "to define. But," she stated in her normal tone of voice, holding up a finger, rushing forward away from the admission because it was embarrassing, "that is no excuse for my behavior as your boss these past few weeks. Again, my most sincere apologies for earlier."

Cho nodded. "Okay. Thank you, boss." He turned to exit her office.

"Cho!"

He turned and looked at her. She stared back, knowing what she wanted to say but not sure how to go about it. "Kimball," she said in a quiet voice. She stepped a little closer to him, her eyes locked on his. "Don't say anything to him."

"Yes boss," Cho said. "I will try to restrain my usually uncontrollable urge to gossip." He allowed what looked almost like a smile to come across his face as he opened the door. "Have a good night."

in·fra·red: adjective

Having a wavelength just greater than that of the red end of the visible spectrum.