Meet me in the middle
Chapter 1
"You two keep on bickering like an old married couple. Have you ever realized that?"
Jane paused a moment before taking another sip of his beloved tea. Annie Lisbon for sure delighted in asking pert questions to everyone she met. He had no intention of taking her hint, anyway.
"Yeah", he answered casually. "I think it's because we've been working together for so many years".
Annie tilted her head to one side – clearly not fooled by his pretense of not understanding her meaning.
"Come on, Patrick. You like her. That's kind of obvious".
"Of course I like her. Your aunt is a great boss. She's brave, loyal, feisty… even a bit of a spitfire sometimes. Though I'd really appreciate if you don't tell her about the last one".
That earned him a mocking snort from the girl sitting on the armrest of his couch.
"Please. I know you're smarter than that. It's clear that you have a soft spot for her – as much as she has for you".
"Well, maybe you're right. I reckon that's what people usually call friendship. Have you ever heard about it?"
"Oh, you're hopeless", she shrugged as she got up and made to leave. Then, suddenly, a new idea crossed her mind.
"You gave up your quest for revenge in order to save her. That does mean something, doesn't it?"
Jane was taken aback just for a moment.
"I actually got my revenge. Red John is dead, and it doesn't really matter if I'm not the one who fired that bullet".
Thank goodness Cho was an excellent shooter, or Lisbon wouldn't be there now. Even if he had actually helped her too – distracting Red John from the real danger that was threatening him.
"So you're saying you would have done the same for – let's say – Rigsby? Or even Cho and Van Pelt?"
There was a brief pause which didn't escape Annie.
At last Jane replied: "Yeah, of course. They're my friends too".
He would have done that. However, he knew that it would have been a harder choice than that about Lisbon. He hadn't hesitated a single moment when he had understood it was her life that was at stake.
His dearest, wonderful Lisbon…
"And what are you planning to do now?", the girl inquired innocently. "Do you really mean to remain faithful to your dead wife for the rest of your life?"
Her eyes were glinting with mischief – as if she knew she was kind of touching a raw nerve.
Damn all the Lisbons and their uncanny insight…