A/N: New story! This is my first Mentalist fic so I apologize if it's slightly OOC. I did try to focus more on emotions and imagery in this, so the dialogue might be a bit lacking. This could probably stand alone as a oneshot but I'm hoping to continue it. It mostly depends on everyone's feedback. As always, reviews are encouraged and appreciated!
He saw the way she walked. Slightly heavier steps. More careful. Hand on her back for support after any kind of strenuous activity. Like chasing down a hefty fugitive for instance. Something he thought she did much too often. Then there were the bags under her eyes due to lack of sleep, not to mention the way she wrinkled her nose and turned an unpleasant shade of green at just the mention of closed case pizza. And, of course, the swell of her breast that was definitely… larger than normal.
And suddenly he knew.
It was so obvious he could have slapped himself silly.
Teresa Lisbon was pregnant.
Jane did some quick calculations and was sure without a doubt that he was responsible for her condition. Not that he would have had a doubt in the first place. He would know if Lisbon was seeing someone, wouldn't he?
Regardless, he needed to have a serious conversation with his "boss", very soon. Because if he was right, and Patrick Jane was always right, then their lives were about to drastically change.
The fact that Lisbon, or anyone really, could be pregnant with his child, terrified Jane. He'd been so focused on avenging his family's death and capturing Red John for years, that he never stopped to think about what he would do afterwards. And he definitely hadn't thought about having another family. Every time the thought even prickled the back of his mind, he had pushed it away fiercely. Part of him felt like it would be a disgrace to his wife and daughter, and the thought of trying to replace them made him sick to his stomach.
But ever since the death of Red John, and consequently his one night with Lisbon, Jane hadn't known what to do with himself. It was as if his life had no purpose. His goal had been accomplished, and it was time for him to move on and start fresh. But he had no idea how to go about that. Maybe this baby that Lisbon was carrying would be the place to start…
Jane knew that his wife would have wanted him to move on and not to wallow in his tragic past. And he couldn't deny the feelings that he'd been having towards his raven-haired senior agent. And that fact was only accentuated by their night together. It might take time, but Patrick knew that he would warm up to the idea of having another child. After all, being a father had been his greatest passion. And he knew that he would never forget his previous life and the family he lost, but maybe starting a new one now was just the right thing to do. Patrick Jane didn't believe in fate or a higher being, but maybe some things werejust meant to happen a certain way. He knew that Angela and Charlotte would be proud of him for the steps he was taking forward, even if they were baby steps.
Lisbon had warmed up to the idea of having a baby quite quickly. She had always wanted to be a mother, she just hadn't known if she'd ever get the opportunity. She'd never pictured herself with the 9-to-5 working husband, 2.5 kids, and a dog hiding behind her white picket fence. But now that she was actually expecting, Lisbon couldn't be happier her about the turn her life was about to take. What was really freaking Teresa out was the father of said baby. Lisbon knew she had to tell Jane soon but she was wary about what his reaction would be. She knew to always expect the unexpected from him.
The way she saw it, there were two possible outcomes. Number one, he would freak out. He would break down and/or run away terrified, and she would never see him again. She wasn't worried about raising her kid alone, she knew she could do that. What scared her the most was losing Jane's friendship. She needed him in her life. Option two, was that he would be thrilled. He'd become over-protective and overbearing, and nothing short of enthusiastic at the prospect of being a father again. Teresa felt her heart flutter at the thought of option two, even though she knew it was the least likely. She pushed the thought out of her mind, not being totally comfortable with the sudden and unexpected desire she had for Jane to want to start a family with her. She knew it wasn't rational. Lisbon knew that Jane was mentally and emotionally unavailable but she still had to go and get herself knocked up by him. And just to complicate matters more… she could feel herself falling in love with him, too. Great, just great.
Lisbon sat her desk trying to figure out when she should talk to Jane about what was happening inside her body, and what was the best way to approach the subject. She heard her stomach grumbling and grimaced at the thought of the salad that was waiting for her in the teams fridge. If there was one thing that Teresa was, was a junk-food junkie. Eating healthy wasn't one of her favorite hobbies, but she knew it came with the territory and she wasn't going to put her baby's health in jeopardy just because she had a sweet tooth.
Jane was in the kitchen making himself a nice cup of tea when Lisbon walked in, presumably to quench the hunger he could see written all over her face. It was the first time they'd been alone since Jane's rather large realization and he stared at Teresa's small form, taking it all in. She swallowed her first bite of salad and glanced at Jane questioningly.
"What are you looking at?" She asked, a small grin playing on her lips.
He jumped slightly, as if being disrupted from a nice dream, but recovered quickly.
"Oh, nothing." he responded casually, looking into her eyes for a few seconds before turning back to the sink.
Lisbon saw the intensity in his gaze and it brought her back to the night they shared. She remembered the way he'd looked at her, while caressing her most sensitive skin. It was the most erotic part of the night. Even more arousing than the soft touches and gentle kisses. It was the way he locked eyes with her, the whole time. And now every time she looked into his baby blue's she was brought back to the look on his face in the moment when he finally found his release.
Lisbon berated herself for thinking of such thoughts while on the job, and she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. Jane of course, noticed as well. But for once he decided not to draw attention to the pink tinge that was so beautifully coloring her face. He knew what she was thinking about. He was thinking of it too, after all. In fact, he often found his mind wandering back to those few hours when he finally felt safe. Safe, secure, and most importantly… free. For the first time in years.
They had never talked about what happened between them, they didn't need to. It was an unspoken agreement. A silent promise that occurred with one lock of the eyes on a chilly fall night, tangled under layers of blankets and completely wrapped up in each other. It was all the pent-up sexual tension that had accumulated over the years, coupled with the intense emotional overload that accompanied the death of Red John, that finally brought them together for a much-needed release. They didn't need to feel embarrassed by it, and they had both been content to never bring it up again. But now… now they had to talk about it. Because now it wasn't just about them.
Lisbon rolled her eyes knowing that there was no way that Jane would give up what he was really thinking about. Instead, she turned her attention to the elephant in the room. It's now or never she though, sucking in a deep breath.
"Uh, Jane…" She spoke warily.
Jane turned around to look at her once again with those piercing eyes of his, and she suddenly lost her nerve. She'd had every intention of inviting Jane over for dinner to tell him the news, but just thinking about the conversation made her sick to her stomach.
"Hm?" Jane asked, waiting for Lisbon to continue. He had a feeling he knew what she wanted to ask, but one look at her face and he knew she wouldn't be able to follow through. They needed to talk about this, and Patrick didn't want to wait any longer.
"C'mon." he said, holding his hand out to her.
"Um, what? Where?" she asked, thoroughly confused, and yet somehow not surprised.
"C'mon, lets go." he said again, nudging her arm and nodding his head back in the direction of her office.
Lisbon saw the look on Jane's face and knew he was up to something. But, being truthful she just didn't have the energy to fight him today. She grudgingly took his hand and followed him, still wondering what he could possibly have up his sleeve this time.
Let's just say it wasn't what she expected