Time
Author: Miss_Peg
Word Count: 14,233
Rating: T (there are 2 very brief incidents of swearing)
Summary: Jane and Lisbon's relationship changes, but when something happens that neither of them expected, will it bring them together or tear them apart?
Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist, but I did create a couple of random characters.
Notes: Alternate future following on from episode 5x01. Written for The Mentalist Big Bang over on LiveJournal. Thank you first and foremost to my lovely artists, I've not seen all of the art just yet but I'm very excited to see what you've both created for me.
This story is a rather delayed Stocking Swap fic (over on Paint It Red) for tromana. The idea came to me then and it was a little too big for me to handle at the time. I hope it was worth the wait.
Chapter One
Time passed by quicker than Teresa Lisbon had ever intended it to. Since the death of her father she'd gone to college, become a police officer and sky rocketed up her career of choice. Of course, it hadn't all happened in a couple of weeks or years, it had taken twenty. Sometimes she forgot how old she really was, that the lines around her eyes were wrinkles and not something more youthful. She'd barely scratched the surface of the lifelong ambitions that she'd had as a child; a career, marriage, children, travelling, she hadn't had the time. Or she hadn't made the time, as was a more accurate description.
As a young girl Lisbon had expected that everything would fall into place, that fairytales happened and women could have both a family and a job. Then her mother died, her father spiralled out of control and her whole world was rocked by his suicide. Time became nothing more than someone else's property. She lived only for her brothers and when they went off to school; her time belonged to the state of Illinois.
She didn't despise the time she'd spent living out her dreams of a career in the police, on the contrary, she'd enjoyed each and every moment. The only expense was the rest of her hopes, the things she didn't get to do because she had been too busy working towards that glittering career. Her achievements far outweighed anything else, for a while, but like everything, with time the success became a little bitter.
'I think you're a little bit in love with her.'
'I'm not your girlfriend.'
The last few days turned over in her mind, repeating itself until she could barely hear her own thoughts any longer. Lisbon knew that her rant at Jane had been unprofessional, whether she was his girlfriend or not, the CBI was neither the time nor the place for her to bring up such a subject.
'Love you, Teresa.'
But life was never as simple as it seemed, her world had become a tangled web of deception. Jane's actions no longer made any sense, the things he said could have been real or they could have been fabricated in the same way he seemed to fabricate his feelings for Lorelei Martins. Only, she didn't think it was a complete lie. She'd seen the way that he looked at her, heard how they talked so freely between themselves. Lorelei was the first person that Jane had slept with since his late wife; she didn't blame him if he did have feelings for her.
Except that she was Red John's girl.
Time had failed to heal his wounds, to dissipate his desire for revenge. If anything, time had only caused it to all spiral more out of control. Jane was losing track of himself, Lisbon was losing track of him and she did her very best to keep him close by. Things had taken a turn and she had no idea how to turn it back.
'Jane, I need to speak to you,' she said, standing in the doorway of the bullpen. He raised his head from the couch, furrowed his brow, then followed her into her office. She didn't even know what she was going to say, only that she needed to spend some time alone with Jane. He was lost in a sea of long term grief and a need for vengeance, she worried about him on a daily basis and the recent events had only caused more stress.
'What is it, Lisbon?' he perched on the edge of her couch, his eyes sullen with the lack of sleep and the strain of a difficult week.
'Lorelei,' she began, but he cut her off, shaking his head incessantly.
'There's nothing to discuss, Lisbon, I'm fine.'
'Bertram wants you to take a break, I think he's right.'
He pursed his lips tightly, the ever so slight sound of his teeth gritting together. Lisbon knew the line she was blurring. Bertram had warned her that if she made the same mistake she'd made a few weeks before, then her job would be over. She didn't know whether the threat of termination scared her, or excited her. Jane's absence in her life of late had only made her realise how much she needed him there, keeping her happy, allowing her the space to be something more than an average cop.
That didn't mean she didn't worry about him though.
'I'm fine,' he repeated, standing up.
'Then it's an order. You will take the next couple of days off, go watch a movie or learn to skate, I don't care. But don't come back until you've taken some time.'
'Lisbon,' he whispered, his voice trailing off.
'I'll see you on Thursday.'
The door closed abruptly and Jane's footsteps echoed across the floor, fading as he got further from the office. Lisbon returned to her case files though she couldn't concentrate on the mundane task of paperwork and notes. Her mind had left with Jane and there was little she could do to bring it back.
She took some personal time. The latest case they'd been working on was over; Cho had been tasked with finishing up as much of the paperwork as possible. He'd been eyeing up a promotion for some time, had even been given her position for a brief period when LaRoche joined the team. He was more than ready to handle the demands of the position which made it that little bit easier going home early.
x
A bubble bath, Chinese take-out and a glass of wine settled her overactive mind quickly and before Lisbon knew it, she had fallen asleep on the couch.
Her phone rang out, piercing her vague dreams. Lisbon tossed around for a few moments, until she realised the reality of her cell phone buzzing loudly on the coffee table. She rubbed her eyes and reached for the handset, barely glancing at the silly photograph of Jane on her screen.
'You put a personalised picture on my cell?' she asked, without even greeting him. Instead of the Jane-like comment she expected in return, a heavy breathing filled the void. 'Jane?'
'Lisbon,' he whispered, his voice fragile. She frowned and listened carefully, waiting for him to say something more. 'I need you.'
Lisbon's instincts were enough for her to hang up the phone, get into her car and drive halfway across town to Jane's motel room. There was a reason she'd only had one glass of wine and though she usually wouldn't have driven having had any, it seemed imperative that she follow Jane's request.
'Lis, s, bon,' said Jane upon opening the door, a grin spread across his face and his eyes lingering upon her chest for a moment longer than she'd ever expected. Lisbon pushed him back into the motel room and closed the door behind them.
'You're drunk.'
'You're sexy.'
Before Lisbon could say something in response, his lips landed against her own. She froze, shocked by his actions and the desire he emitted. She thought about it carefully, for a brief moment, until she couldn't help but follow his lead. His lips guided hers and she lifted her arms around his neck, bringing him closer to deepen the kiss.
'No,' she snapped, pushing him hard against the chest. This couldn't be happening. He leant back in, but she couldn't allow it to continue. He was persistent, a quality that in many ways would be endearing. Had he not drank a whole bottle of wine and thrown himself at her the moment he'd opened the door. He thrust his tongue into her mouth before she slapped him hard across the cheek.
'Ow!'
'I asked you to take a break, Jane, not throw yourself at me.'
He rubbed his cheek, looking anything but apologetic, his eyes semi-closed as he walked back towards the bed. Lisbon watched him stumble onto the pulled back sheets where he mumbled into the cotton.
'Jane?'
'Goodnight, my angry little princess.'
The situation was worse than she'd expected it to be. Lorelei had really thrown him off course, the thought that they were about to apprehend Red John had spread across the team. They'd all hoped it was their lucky break, only for it to be cruelly snatched away by the FBI. That didn't mean he had any right to treat her in such a way, only, life wasn't so black and white. Lisbon's hand moved to her lips and she closed her eyes as the unwanted memory of his mouth pressed against hers filled her mind. She couldn't leave him now, not when he needed her so much.
So she sat down in a chair and tried to stay awake. She watched Jane sleeping, his back rising and falling with every breath, until her head lolled against her chest and sleep stole her away.
She woke early to find Jane's bed empty, the shower running in the bathroom as she stretched and yawned. A night in a chair did nothing for her posture and she knew she'd regret it later that day. Eventually the shower stopped and not long after, Jane returned to the room. Lisbon had barely moved from her seat, except to check her cell phone.
'Good Morning,' said Jane, his voice groggy as he rubbed his hair with a towel. Lisbon turned her gaze to the floor, the thought of seeing Jane's torso shouldn't have bothered her, but after the events of the night before, she didn't want to overstep the mark any more than she already had.
'Is it?' she asked, throwing her cell phone into her purse and standing up. 'I have to go home and shower before I go to the office.'
'I'll see you later then.' Lisbon glared at him as he smiled. 'Or not.'
'You promised you'd take some time off,' she reminded him, slipping out of the motel room without so much as a farewell.