I wrote this first chapter many months ago, but, having not yet developed my current nerves of steel for writing Jane/Lisbon romance, I quickly floundered and got stuck. When I rediscovered this yesterday, I wrote the rest of it in one sitting. It has 5 short chapters, and I will post the rest over the next few days when I've had a chance to give them a once-over. It is intentionally as light and insubstantial as a soap-bubble, a vehicle for banter and feel-good moments, so I hope you will receive it in the spirit in which it was intended.

Disclaimer: No dead bodies, no angst, 100% Jane and Lisbon fluff... you do the maths!

A Little Favour

Jane popped his head around Lisbon's office door.

"Hey, Lisbon," he said, "can I ask you a little favour?"

Lisbon looked up enquiringly, her body language relaxed and unconcerned. Encouraged, Jane came into the room, shut the door and sat down. Lisbon tensed immediately. What kind of 'little favour' required a closed door?

"Don't look so worried, Lisbon. It really is a harmless little favour," Jane said, immediately picking up her change in demeanour. He chose his next words carefully. "I've been invited to this wedding that I'd really like to attend, but I can't go without a date and so I was wondering if you'd go with me, as a favour to a friend? I would really owe you one."

Lisbon made a face. Attending some strangers' wedding was not a way she'd willingly spend her free time. Formal-wear, small talk, boredom and discomfort... it sounded like a pretty big favour to her.

"Whose wedding is it and why do you have to have a date?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Ah, that's the good part. This is one of the social events of the year, Lisbon. Remember that case last year where Senator White's son was the lead suspect until we caught the real killer?"

Lisbon nodded. It was one of the few cases where people in powerful places had commended them on their crazy antics, instead of wanting to sue and/or fire them. Jane had been quite the golden boy on that particular occasion, and he'd made the most of it, basking in the senator's wife's adoration and scattering charm about like largesse. Needless to say, he'd been a hit.

"Well, the senator's daughter is getting married, and I've been invited to the wedding. Mrs White included a special hand-written note in my invitation saying how much she hoped I could come. She said it wouldn't be the same without the man who had single-handedly saved their family." Jane beamed at Lisbon.

Lisbon snorted. "Single-handedly? Were the rest of us invisible?"

She was amused that Jane still seemed to have a bit of a crush on Mrs White (and vice versa, it appeared). He'd been unusually taken with her during the case, though it hadn't seemed to Lisbon that his interest was sexual or romantic in any way, especially since Mrs White was a good 15 years older than Jane. She had thought perhaps the woman reminded him of his mother. In any event, she'd made an impact, and Jane clearly didn't want to turn down her invitation.

"Well, come with me and remind her that you were there too," Jane said, grinning at her.

"Why do you want to go with me?" Lisbon said, still reluctant. "I'm sure there are lots of women who would jump at the chance to go."

"Such as?"

"I don't know." Lisbon waved her arm vaguely to indicate the world at large. "There are plenty of women out there, aren't there?"

Jane glanced out of Lisbon's office. The only woman in sight was Van Pelt.

"Hmm. I don't think Van Pelt would be an appropriate choice, given everything that's gone on with her and Rigsby, and I don't really know any other women."

Lisbon rolled her eyes.

"Don't be silly, Jane, you know lots of women, almost all of whom would be delighted if you asked them out."

"Almost all?" Jane said. "And who are the hold-outs, pray tell?" When Lisbon just looked amused, he continued, "Anyway, therein lies the dilemma. I don't want to go with someone who's inevitably going to think it's a date. I want to go with a friend. Which means you're it."

Well, when he put it like that...

"Fine," she said, giving in. "When is it?"

Jane actually looked both relieved and grateful, which, Lisbon had to admit, did warm her heart a little. He whipped the invitation out of his pocket and handed it to her with a flourish. She cast her eyes over the various details, then stopped in dismay when she read the address.

"L.A.?" she exclaimed. "Funny how you never mentioned that it was in L.A., Jane!"

She glared at him.

"Oh, come on, Lisbon, live a little. We go to L.A. all the time. And you won't have to worry about a thing. I'll make all the arrangements and pay for everything. All you have to do is show up." He pulled out his wallet and extracted a credit card. "In fact, if you don't have a suitable dress, that's on me too. I'll even help you shop for it if you want."

"Jane! This is not Pretty Woman! I don't need you to buy my clothes for me!" Lisbon's voice had gone up a notch in consternation.

Jane looked a little startled and embarrassed at the comparison.

"I didn't mean it like that," he said. "I just didn't want you to have to go to any trouble or expense on my account. Why do you always refuse my gifts, Lisbon? It's as though you think I have some nefarious purpose in giving them to you."

Lisbon just shook her head and ignored the question.

"I already have a dress I can wear," she said, then added in a resigned voice, "This is going to take the whole weekend, isn't it?"

"Well, the wedding starts on Saturday afternoon and will probably go on till quite late, so we'll need to fly down that morning and check into our hotel. We can fly back the next afternoon."

"You're going to owe me big time for this, Jane," Lisbon said, wondering how she always let him talk her into things she would never normally consider doing.

"Just add it to my tab, Lisbon," Jane said, pleased with the success of his mission. Then he grinned at her and kindly left her to her reflections.

TBC