Author's note: written for the Paint It Red Ficathon - the prompt is a quote from the song "World on Fire" by Sarah McLachlan.
Falling
Chapter 1
"What are you doing, Jane?"
He gave her one of his well-that's-kind-of-obvious looks. "What do you think?"
"Of course I can see that you're packing. What I meant was – why are you doing it?"
"Come on", he said as he tilted his head to one side. "We both knew that this arrangement was only temporary. And I'm feeling much better now. It's time for you to get your privacy back".
Lisbon bit her lip. In a way she'd gotten used to their odd sort of cohabitation. Last time she had had a roommate was at the college – almost ages ago.
Jane prowling around her apartment hadn't been as bad as she'd expected. He had quite behaved as a matter of fact – though that was probably due to the shock he had suffered from in the aftermath of Red John's unexpected death.
She still had nightmares about that day too. The wicked grin the madman had given them just a moment before cutting his own throat… this mere thought was enough to send uncontrollable shivers down her spine.
A twisted triumph for a conceited man like the serial killer was. He had gotten his own way even about his death – managing to escape both justice and revenge at the same time.
He had nearly succeeded in shattering Jane's sanity too. She had actually feared he was going to have another nervous breakdown – that's why she had forced him to move into her apartment.
"Stay close to me, Lisbon", he begged her on that very night. "Don't wanna be alone".
"I'm right here, Jane – you know I'd never leave you alone".
Then she curled up beside him on his bed – the one in her spare room – and began placing soothing kisses on his brow, his eyelids, his cheeks. Just as she once used to do with her younger brothers – every time they were frightened or in pain.
They had slept together ever since – in the most innocent sense of the word. Holding him in her arms had felt so good… it made her believe she could shield him from all the things that haunted him – sorrow, grief, guilt, anger.
She could even pretend that he actually needed her. That he really wanted her to be his friend.
"Earth to Lisbon… are you still between us?"
She quickly pushed those memories out of her mind. "Yeah. Just thinking. Make sure you pick all of your things. I'll see you later at work".