Too Fluffy For You?

The team looked at Jane with confusion, and I thought I could detect some genuine fear in their eyes as well. I searched my mind for a reason, but my imagination was far from being dependable. The only thing I could think of was them seeing Jane with a yellow and pink pegasus and concluding that he was a mad scientist with a passion for cute girly fantasy creatures It wasn’t everyday someone brought a live pegasus to work after all.

Of course, Grace spoke first, she was always the one to get down to business, but she did have a tendency to poke into other people's personal problems. “Jane, why is there a pegasus in the office?” She paused for a moment, her eyes widening and she clenched her fists around her long red hair as if she was going to tie it back. “In fact, why is there a pegasus at all? That isn't possible, is it?”

“Grace,” Jane sympathized with a smart grin curling up his cheeks. “Have some imagination, you can’t possibly know everything there is to know. The world is full of mysteries.”

“I know there is no such thing as a pegasus.” Cho mumbled as he walked into the office, in his arms was a folded tie. Wrinkles spread across the black leather as if he hadn’t yet ironed it, and dark bags lumped under his tired eyes. I felt bad making them all come in so early. The FBI were definitely looking for ways to pin my team. I can’t let that happen. If someone comes in late, they’ll have something to scold me about. My only choice is to start work early. I’m not scared of the FBI, but I can’t risk my team, no matter the cost.

“Maybe Jane is a mad scientist or something.” Rigsby chuckled from his cluttered desk. I couldn’t resist laughing to myself as he pin pointed my exact thought. But that quickly reeled into horror. Imagining my curly haired consultant in a lab coat bent over dangerous chemicals made my head spin with fear. The damage he could do was frightening and endless. Shivers ran down my spine as Jane tapped my back, his fingers slipped right through the short fur and touched my skin. All I could think about was him with poisonous bottles and sharp needles.

“Maybe I am. Maybe I conjured up this little pegasus with a solution of chemicals, or maybe it’s something more plausible.” Jane replied curtly.

Anger flared through my veins, replacing any sensitive emotions I may have had seconds before. He was edging them towards the truth, towards the embarrassing fact that I was a frilly delicate mare. Quickly I struck out with my back leg. Pleasure coursed through me as it smacked into Jane’s knee. I felt his leg buckle in protest as my surprisingly strong hoof smacked him hard.

“We should get back to the case.” Jane stuttered quickly,  sending a challenging frown my way. I shot a glare back at him, a twisted smile stretched across my cheeks.

“But where's Lisbon?” Grace questioned.

“She’s . . .” Jane stopped, and I knew why. I had put him in a corner. He knew me well, too well. He knew I wouldn’t want the team to think I was ill, that I wouldn’t want them to think I was upset about something. I never missed work unless I was suspended, which seemed to be happening more often than I would like. For me to be absent there would have to be a good reason, a strong one.

“Her brother Tommy came down, she told me she wanted to spend time with him while she could, you know, since she never sees him?”

No! That’s completely wrong!

“She would leave work to have a family get together?” Grace said warily.

“Give her a break, she works hard, and she never sees him. Wouldn’t you do the same? Family is important to her, you should know that.”

I doubted anyone else could see it, but he was pleading them to believe him. At that moment I knew he was loyal and that he wanted the best for me. He will do whatever it takes to keep my problem a secret from the CBI. That didn't change that the fact he used my past as an excuse didn't hurt me.

“Let’s just leave it, I’m sure Lisbon has a reason.” Cho spoke, he had settled himself at his own desk now. The surface was practically spotless, much cleaner than Rigsby’s. It was also more organized than Van Pelt’s. “What do we know?”

Clearing her throat, Grace scanned the papers. “The victim is Jessie Landor. She was murdered in her own house. The witness isn’t sure when, she said that the body seemed cold.”

“Who was the witness?”  Jane said. He took his hand off my spine and slipped it into his pocket.

“Laura Granet. Apparently her and Jessie were best friends.”

I was about to order Grace to search for Laura’s address when I quickly stopped myself, remembering the circumstance. Frustration clawed at my brain and I tapped my hoof against the ground. I wanted to be in control, I wanted to tell them what to do, and guide them, but I couldn’t. I had lost my role and now could only watch as my team went on as usual. Surprisingly they seemed to be alright, I shouldn’t be so surprised. They were smart, loyal, and definitely dependable.

“But we still need Lisbon, she’s our boss.” Grace said from her computer after a while of silence. Frustration rushed through me and I resisted the urge to swear aloud. But Cho spoke up and saved me.

“Someone could step in for her today.”

“What about Grace?” Rigsby suggested. Grace shot him a rueful glare but he put up his hand and continued. “I’m just saying, you’re like Lisbon, except less manly. You’re softer than she is, and dare I say more lady like?”

That was it, I didn’t care what anyone thought, this was all getting out of hand. I drew in a breath, ready to make him eat his words, spit them out, and eat them again. Then Jane kicked my side, it wasn’t to hurt though, just to remind me to keep my mouth shut.

“Grace do you have an address yet?” Jane said as he hurried them on.

“Yeah. How about Cho and I go see Laura? Jane you take your pony home and then meet Rigsby at the crime scene.” Grace answered, a new commanding tone blooming in her voice.

Jane nodded with a laugh and pushed me towards the door, I only walked a few paces before my hooves became entangled with each other. Wobbling dangerously, I let out a yelp and tried to straighten myself, but it was no good. My legs locked and I slammed against the ground chin first, of course spilling out swear words under my breath all the way down.

“Lisbon?” Grace whispered with disbelief as she stared at me. I looked over my back and tried to get up, but I had become knotted together with legs and hair so I just puffed my cheeks and frowned at them with anger firing in my eyes. Underneath me my wings crumpled in a heap of splayed feathers. I waited impatiently for everyone to stop laughing, and even after minutes had passed they still hadn’t stopped. It hurt a little, but I would never let them know that.

“I don’t know anyone else with a mouth like that!” Rigsby bellowed as he slapped a hand on his knee. Meanwhile, Jane had walked over and was starting to help me up off the freezing ground, which had started to bruise my stiff bones. Warmth and gratitude spread throughout my body as Jane slipped his hands under me and hosted me to my “feet”, taking the pressure off my now bruised elbows. Swiftly I pushed Jane away, the blush tingling in my cheeks made me worried he would read right through my used to be tough disguise.

“Someone has been murdered and you’re just standing around here laughing? That is not the team I guided!” Rage flushed my cheeks as they only gave my words partial notice. Even Cho was laughing, and I always thought of him as an emotionless statue.

“EVERYONE SHUT UP AND PULL IT TOGETHER OR I WILL PERSONALLY DEAL WITH YOU ONE BY ONE!”

They stopped.

“You seem like you know what you have to do.” I said after composing myself and taking a breath to get my words back. “Van Pelt, I want you and RIGSBY to go to the the crime scene? I’ll take Cho and Jane with me to speak with Laura Granet.”

Reluctantly, Grace and Rigsby exited the room, I could catch a small hint of blush on Grace’s face. he would have worked well with Cho, but I needed the team to know that I was in charge still. That meant giving them my own orders.

Cho had already left to go the the car, Jane followed him. His hands tucked tight inside his  vest pockets. Watching them go, I contemplated weather or not it was really a good idea for me to go with them, seeing as I wasn’t exactly scary at the moment. I couldn’t hold a gun, or electrocute anybody, which did make me kinda sad.

Ringing echoed through the silent hallways as the clock struck 7am. People would be arriving soon enough and I wasn’t something they would want to see in the work area. Slight panic pricked at my thrumming heart and I shot down the halls, my mind made up. I’d go with my team to Lora’s. It wasn’t like I would have to ask the questions right?