"I don't understand why you won't you go out with me?" said Jane.
"Because." Said Lisbon.
"Because – isn't not a good enough answer. Why are you shutting me out like this? I thought we had fun the other night". Jane was confused and hurt by Lisbon's coldness to him.
They had been working a job together the other night. It was a dinner party… they hadn't meant to, but they had sort of gone together as each other's 'dates'. Lisbon had looked beautiful in her dark long gown… Jane of course was his charming self.
'Sure they had had fun,' thought Lisbon… maybe too much fun. The had danced together. Lisbon couldn't get rid of the butterflies that she had felt when he held her close or the way her heart fluttered when he looked at her. She had let her guard down that night, she hadn't meant to show Jane how much she felt for him. But now the wall was back up. She was shutting him out.
"You're shutting me out because you're scared," said Jane.
"Scared? Scare of what!" asked Lisbon.
"I don't know – you tell me?" snapped Jane.
Lisbon didn't know how to respond. Why was she scared? Jane had proven himself to be a faithful friend… he seemed to be the only one she really trusted. So why? Why was she shutting him out?
"Jane – I – " she was interrupted by Cho. He needed some papers signed. Jane looked at her and held her glance for a few seconds and left the room. Lisbon finished signing the paperwork and was about to go talk to him when her phone rang. She was then busy for the next few hours with phone calls and paperwork. It was late before she had the chance to find Jane. He was in his loft room throwing a bouncy ball up at the ceiling.
"Jane?"
"I'm busy…" he replied flatly.
"Jane, I'm sorry…"
He sat up…"I'm listening…"
"I'm sorry Jane, it's just… maybe I'm not ready for a relationship right now…"
Jane stood up. "I think you know me well enough be now Teresa… you and I get along great. I believe - I know - we'd make it work. But every time I try to get close to you, you push me away. You say, maybe you're not ready for a relationship right now, but I wonder if you're not ready now, will you ever be?"
"Jane…" begged Lisbon.
"Forget it Lisbon, it's your life. You can choose to live it however you want."
He grabbed his coat. "Goodnight" And he walked out the door.
"Fine! Go, LEAVE! See if I care!" she yelled after him. He kept walking and didn't even turn back leaving Lisbon alone in his loft. But the truth was she did care. More than she even wanted to admit and perhaps that was her fear, that she did cared for him, that she loved him.