Everywhere she isn't

Plot: Lisbon decides she has had enough and quits the CBI without so much as a warning.

I've noticed that I haven't written a nice romantic fluffy piece in a while, and I'm afraid I've forgotten how to! So I'm attempting to do this. Basically, the fluff is going to come in when he sees her everywhere she isn't. See what I did there? ;)

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine

There wasn't anything that set it off. No dramatic case, no annoying stunt, no emotional breakdown… Nothing.

After all of the above happening over and over for the last few years – thousands complaints on top of all the murder accusations, fake-breakdowns and threats against the job if she didn't control a madman – she certainly had more than enough reason to get fed up. But it happened late one night, when she was alone in her office. It was a clean-cut case; a senator's son killed by his mistress. If anything, she was annoyed by the stiff-lipped bigwigs looking down on her and her team as if they couldn't do their jobs. It left her tired and frustrated and annoyed, filling in the last bit of paperwork. She sat back in her chair, huffed out a deep breath and closed her eyes for a bit. Before exhaustion could take over her and carry her away to dreamland, a though crossed her frazzled mind: Why was she still here?

After giving years and years to this job, this was the position she would be in forever. She was under no illusion that Patrick Jane was going to get her fired one day. She knew that from the day she realized exactly how dark he was. She knew that someday, he would mean the end of her career, whether it be that she failed in stopping him from killing Red John or simply that his rebellious behavior would be the last straw on the camel's back and they'd fire her for that. And she somehow made herself accept it. But why was that?

What if she stopped? Just stopped? Just left?

She was incredibly good at her job with credentials anyone would be jealous of. She'd have no problem getting another job, a job without a consultant that was certain to mean the end of it all. She loved her team, she loved the people she worked with, and there were times when she had to admit she loved Jane in ways that scared her. But isn't that even more reason to get the hell out of here?

So she left. She jumped up from her desk, sped home, packed her bags and drove. She'd call Hightower in the morning, notify her resignation. Right now she just needed to get away, no matter where that may be.

Right now, the only thing she even registered was the way the Interstate snaked far beyond the horizon; the way her hair blew all around her face from the wind violently streaming through the window that she allowed open for once. A song she didn't know blared at full volume from the radio and her bare foot stepped on the gas pedal, allowing the car to speed down the highway much faster than she would ever in any normal circumstance.

And for the first time in a long, long time, she felt free.

X

"Where's Lisbon?" Jane walks into the bullpen with his customary cup of tea.

"Dunno. Hightower called me this morning with the case. She couldn't reach Lisbon." Cho answered.

Jane frowned. "Really? It's not like Lisbon to not answer a call from work… or to be this late. I wonder what's up?"

"Maybe she just had a late night; overslept?" Rigsby offered.

"No, late night suggests that Lisbon has a life outside of work. And bless her soul, she does not."

"I don't know, Jane. You shouldn't write her off like that. Anything's possible." Van Pelt handed him the file. "The victim's Audrey Joy, daughter of an upmarket handbag designer, who happens to be close friends with a state attorney, which is why we have this case. These are her financial records. She bought a bunch of irregular things in the last few weeks; see what you can make of it."

Jane nodded and took the records. As he sat down on his couch, sipping his tea and reading the records, his mind started drifting to Lisbon. Where on earth was she? It was completely out of character for her to be AWOL. For a moment, he entertained the thought that she'd had a late night; met up with a few old friends and lost track of time. Or maybe she went to a bar last night and got chat up by a handsome stranger… Jane felt a sharp pang in his stomach. Surely not jealousy? Why would he be jealous of a hypothetical situation where Lisbon does something impulsive, which will surely only do her good?

Jane shook his head, expelling the thought. More important things: The case! He's sure Lisbon's fine. She's a big girl; she can take care of herself… Surely she can take care of herself, right? Why did he suddenly feel like the bullpen was abnormally cold and… empty? This felt different, weird. Like something important was missing. Someone important was missing. And not in an accidental oversleeping-way either?

Jane suddenly missed her and he didn't know why. All he knew at this moment was that he's never wanted anything more than to smell the scent of cinnamon…

Okay, I hope that last line was okay? I wanted to achieve a metaphory-thing, but now I'm nervous it just sounded dumb. Please review and tell me what you think about the first chap and if I should continue or not?

Lurv

Zanny x0x