Scarlet Evenings

I knew something was up the moment Lisbon walked in the door that morning. There was a bounce in her step and a certain shine to her eyes. She had taken the time to curl her hair and when she walked past me, I noticed that she was wearing a new perfume. My suspicions were confirmed when Lisbon flashed a bright smile in my direction.

I knew.

It was late in the evening and we had finished our newest case relatively quick and had all gone home for the night save myself. I was asleep on the leather couch centered on the far wall. The muted voices of the remaining CBI agents normally lulls me to sleep, but now the office was dead silent and I was alone. The room was dark except for the faint light shining in from the parking lot. I was barely conscious when my ears suddenly picked up the sound of heels colliding with hardwood floors. I opened my eyes and noticed that a light was on down the hall. I sat up, curiosity getting the best of me.

I got to my feet and slowly maneuvered toward the blinding light until I found myself standing in her doorway. Lisbon was crying silently, but I could tell that her breathing was irregular and that she was heaving slightly. Her shoulders moved up and down with each sob and her cheeks were wet with tears. Her hands covered her eyes and she didn't notice my presence. I was torn between walking away and speaking up, but I ended up just standing there.

She would hate for me to see her vulnerable and hurt. Being Lisbon, she would probably yell at me and feel ashamed for showing her emotions. I didn't want her to feel any worse, but I couldn't stand to see her crying so much. I'm normally very good at handling people in emotional states… in any mental state for that matter, but Lisbon was different.

"Teresa." I announced hesitantly. Lisbon froze, her hands slowly moving to rest on her desk. Her eyes were swollen and red. She quickly brushed away her tears and frowned at me.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, more surprised than angry. I just watched her. "Why are you here so late?" Lisbon reiterated, her voice breaking slightly. She searched her desk for some tissues to clean up her face, trying very hard to maintain her composure.

"Couldn't sleep." I answered curtly, finding it as good an answer as any. I noted how her make-up had smeared, especially around her eyes, and from my vantage point I could tell she was wearing a black halter dress that ended a few inches above her knees. I couldn't remember ever seeing her in a dress, which was a shame because she was beautiful in it. It hugged every curve of her body before flowing out at the end. The next thing to catch my eye were her dangly earrings that seemed to shimmer, even in the harsh lighting, and then my eyes drifted to her lips, where she wore a light, but noticeable shade of lipstick.

"What are you looking at?" She questioned, shifting in her seat, obviously uncomfortable under my gaze. Her voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"He didn't show?" I asked, surprised. She flinched as if hoping that I didn't know about her date.

"No," she replied, trying very hard not to cry. "He stood me up." She shrugged. "But it was only our first official date, so I guess that's better than a third date or something." Lisbon tried to downplay the impact that the man's rejection had on her, but failed miserably as some more tears slipped past her eyes.

"He may have another reason for not showing," I explained.

"I doubt it," she replied softly. "I should've guessed he wasn't really interested in me," Lisbon added, her confidence level plunging at a dangerous rate. "It's not like I knew him that well anyways." She shrugged, but she was unable to hide the hurt.

"Plenty of guys would be interested in you." I told her honestly. She looked up at me and faintly smiled before resuming her depressed state, her eyes shifting back to her desk. "I'm serious," I added. I closed the door, moved around her desk, and sat down on the edge, facing her. "You're beautiful, smart, witty… the jerk doesn't know what he's missing," I told her. I reached out and gently brushed my hand along her cheek, forcing her to look at me. She blushed faintly, but didn't push me away. "I promise you'll find someone who deserves you," I told her sincerely flashing a soft smile, "but until then I'm taking you out to dinner." I announced enthusiastically. I took her completely by surprise and in that brief moment of wonder, I grabbed Lisbon's hand, gently pulled her from her seat, and led her to the door. She barely had time to grab her purse.

"Jane, I-I can't go on a date with you. We work together." She tried to argue, but I was leaving no room for discussion as I walked with her down the hall, still holding her hand.

"It doesn't have to be a date if you don't want it to be," I explained, dispelling her worries. "You were looking forward to this all day, took the time to get dressed up, and you deserve a good time." Lisbon blushed again, her lips curving into a shy smile.

"Where are we going then?" She asked, accepting defeat. I smiled.

"I think I know a place."

Possible continuation.