THE CRIMINAL FILES ~ Mona Lisa's Murder

T W O

/Sleigh bells ring, are you listening? In the lane, snow is glistening. A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight. Walking in winter wonderland. Gone away is the bluebird, in his place is a new bird. He sings a love song, as we go along - walking in a winter wonderland/ ~ Selena Gomez {Winter Wonderland}

Kristen's Perspective

"All I'm saying is that this is a very difficult but important decision," Landon told Joan and I.

We were walking forward while he walked backward. Joan and I had just left the recreation room only to be met with Landon. Joan had elbowed me in the ribs shooting me a smirk while Landon talked. Apparently we were cute together.

Yes, Landon Parker was nice eye-candy. Yes, there was some sort of attraction between us. And yes, he was flirtatious and it made my heart swell once in a while, but that's normal...right?

"Hey! Are you two listening?" Joan nodded while I sort of shrugged my shoulders, bringing my latte up to my lips.

"I'll be in my office. I just need to run through the case before presenting it to everyone." I nodded allowing Joan to leave. However, I felt that Landon was looking at me. I turned my head slightly only to see his eyes following the features of my face. His lips were parted slightly. And his blue eyes - which normally looked hard - were soft. I felt suddenly self-conscious as I pulled the edges of my jacket around my torso.

I watched as he hinted at a smile, his figure soft and calm. He was leaning against the wall. His eyes trailed down to my feet, then back up to my face. His smile turned into a grin as he placed his hands in his pockets.

We stayed like that for a while. Just staring at each other. But not in the creepy sense, but more of the quiet way. It was different and confusing. In Elementary or High-School if you were caught staring at someone you liked you'd turn away. Especially if the person you liked caught you.

But no. This...this was different. I caught Landon staring at me, but he didn't seem ashamed. I moved over to the wall, leaning on it with my right shoulder. Our eyes never leaving the others. "Has anyone ever told you, you're beautiful?"

"Not really, no."

He straightened up, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. He smiled at me once again. It was soft smile. "Well they should. Because, God...you are something..."

I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks. I looked down quickly knowing that I probably looked like an idiot to him with my cheeks flaring with...whatever you felt like when you blushed. I felt his fingers under my chin, lifting my face up to his. "Don't look away. I don't wanna miss out on anything." He whispered. My breathing had steadied itself.

Landon Parker had worked with the FBI for ten months, and in those ten months he had exchanged comments, flirty remarks and words that made me act all giddy and stupid. I was getting bothered by it. And to me, it should've been considered harassment, but yet, every time he said something like what he had just said, my heart would skip a few beats and I would find myself in a whirlpool I had just gotten out of - only to be back in it again.

It was terrible. I wanted it to end. But at the same time...I wanted it to last for as long as it could. Because, the whole situation was bittersweet. Something I knew I'd regret later on, but would love, now.

God, I hate having feelings.

Landon inched closer to me, his chest rising and falling and my heart rate beginning to pick up. I could sense where this was headed...and I was partially terrified. His face was close to mine now, his eyes looking down. Feeling his warm breath on my face, I leaned my face upwards - closing the distance between us.

And just as our eyes began to flutter shut, a squeal resonated in the open bullpen. Landon was looking down at me sadly. I gave him a weak smile and slowly headed to the desks. The glass door was open and as I walked in my heart stopped.

My mind stopped. My breathing stopped. My body stopped. Everything had stopped. My eyes were stuck ahead placed on the door leading to Charity's office where the familiar face I had known for so long had been.

I felt like crying. Tears burned at the corner's of my eyes. Anger began to boil in the pit of my stomach...as my throat went dry. And as if on cue - my eyes met with those of someone I wanted to desperately leave in the far away memories of my mind.

My eyes had met with those, of Owen Christopher Faraday. And he smiled...

Owen's Perspective

Joan had squealed and ran up to me embracing me in a tight hug. A hug I didn't know I missed. I had finished the meeting with Charity and now, I'm back.

I forgot how the Bureau looked around Christmas. Lily probably did it. She always had a thing for Christmas and everything that comes in that package. When Joan let go, my eyes trailed around the room staring at the decorations.

Around Christmas - and any other major holiday - Agent's decided to decorate the Bureau and brighten it up a bit. With all the bad we dealt with, it certainly wasn't horrible. And it wasn't a distraction. I would usually have to be the person to put the star on top of the tree though. Being that I was the tallest and some Agent's were too lazy to get the step ladder.

The tree that we had every year was placed over in the corner with glittery ornaments and bright lights that glinted off the star at the top. Two wreaths were placed on either door leading the bullpen into the outer hallways - and long flat pieces of pine branches and other assortments of Christmas trees accented with red and white berries had been placed along the railing, above the rooms and along the top edges of the wall. And to top it off, there were two balls of mistletoe leaves bunched together hanging on either door with a bell dangling from the bottom.

But what really caught my attention was Kristen.

She had walked in through the front doors and I had to stop myself from chuckling a little. She had the same posture. But her hair was slightly different. What was some-what short and curled, had turned into straight hair with side-bangs.

It had fallen off her shoulders but it wasn't really long. It had stopped a little below her shoulders. And that's when it happened. Our eyes met and a pang of guilt hit me.

Dear Lord, how I missed those eyes.

Even though the color was a little foggy Kris' eyes still seemed to outshine a lot of things for me. Even if it was just me.

I felt as though we were playing a game. Neither would blink or turn away. And if one had, they'd lose automatically.

I tried to stop myself but it was kind of impossible at the moment. I let out a soft smile, and the way she stared at me told me she knew what I was doing. I turned to Joan, telling her that I was going to talk to Kris - who Joan saw instantly. She nodded, but bit her lip slightly and gave me a pitiful look.

I didn't pay much attention to it, but something inside my gut told that I'd wish I had.

I strode over to her, stopping a few inches. We were still both staring. "H-hi," I mustered. Seems 'hi' was the only thing coming off my tongue. Though there was so many other things my mind was telling me to say. Why? I don't know. "How are you?" I asked but felt a sharp pain on my cheek.

Kristen was now glaring at me, and I recognized the pain as her hand. She had slapped me. I didn't think it would, but it hurt.

But then again, ever since I broke-up with Caitlin, a lot of things hurt that I didn't think would. But this, hurt way more than some break up.

This was Kristen. And she...was...mad.