A/N: Hey there guys!
So I rewatched Red Velvet Cupcakes yesterday and this tag came to my mind. I know the episode is long over, but I just wanted to share this with you. This is a warning: SERIOUS FLUFF AHEAD. My beta already melted into a puddle of fluff hehe ;)
So all in all, this is just a little Jisbon story to shorten the last 8 days until the season 6 premiere :)
I hope you enjoy!
Episode Tag: 5x22 „Red Velvet Cupcakes"
It was late at night in Sacramento. The CBI building was empty, except for the cleaning staff and the night guards. The peaceful sound of silence waved through the corridors and the bullpens, no humming of computers, ringing of phones or the noise of people talking about their latest case.
Patrick Jane, who was lying on his makeshift bed in the quiet of his attic, cherished these moments most. He was an insomniac, couldn't sleep well anywhere and especially now that he was trying to figure out who Red John was, night was the time his mind was in its most productive state.
Standing in front of the board, eyeing his collected information closely, he had to suppress a yawn. The latest case hadn't been a very difficult one, but it still irked him that he'd been wrong with the killer. He'd never suspected Henning's wife to be the murderer of Missy Roberts. All of this, because none of them had been able to talk about the important things in their relationship.
Couples could prevent so many problems if they would just talk. Too bad that most of the time it was the talking that was difficult for them.
Sighing, he turned around and went over to his makeshift bed on the two wooden planks he'd found the first time he went up here. He still had to finish reading Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities", since he'd been interrupted by Lisbon yesterday morning.
After Cho called him and he helped them finding a lead through the phone, he thought he could stay in his attic, brooding over Red John. Well, he hadn't counted on Lisbon back then. "Jane, I need you." Not we need you, or I need your help with the case, no. "Jane I need you." These words were humming through his body like the warmth of the summer sun. Oh, Lisbon knew how to play him.
He'd heard her pacing around in front of his attic door more than one time, but she never brought up the courage to knock and ask him for help. Maybe she was sick of him pushing her away all the time. If she only knew she needed him as much as he needed her…
A smile popped up on his face, when he remembered the moment, when he found out Lisbon was a fan of Buddy Henning's Love Doctor show. Deep inside the tough-as-nail-Agent was a hopeless romantic. It'd been cute to see her little fangirl crush, when they met Henning's for the first time.
There was only one little thing that bothered him. When the woman at the front desk had ask them to fill out the forms, when she thought they were a couple, Lisbon's answer had been "Please, we're not a couple." Well, they were a couple! Not a couple-couple, but they were partners, weren't they? And they were in a relationship. That's why he'd answered "Ours is more of a platonic love."
Platonic or not, he just realized he'd read ten pages, without actually reading them. He hated when his mind was so caught up in something else so he didn't pay attention to the important task. Why was he even thinking about the question whether they were a couple or not? It wasn't like they were madly in love with each other, right?
After he told her he loved her and pretended to forget, Lisbon hadn't said anything. So the topic was off. It had to be as hard as it seemed.
They couldn't. Even if he wanted to, the timing was totally wrong, with Red John on their heels, so he had to ban all of these ridiculous thoughts into the dark dungeon of his memory palace, not letting them out until his quest for the murderer of his family was finished.
Annoyed, he tossed the book on the floor. Dart it, he couldn't work like this. Maybe he should try to doze of for an hour or so after all. Jane stood up and went over to his desk to tune on the old radio, he'd brought up here not long ago, to find the soothing channel with the sound of waves and the sea.
Aah, it was still on the jazz channel. He really liked jazz and old music, but this wasn't what he needed now. The consultant pushed the button, so the radio would find the next sequence and had to suppress a laugh, when he heard the lead music of Buddy Henning's Love Doctor show.
His wife had just been arrested and the man was already back on his job. Shaking his head, he was about to push the forward button again, when Henning's started to talk:
"Welcome Sacramento to a new episode of "I don't know what to do with him/her" with Buddy Henning's, where you can share your unlucky-in-love-story and will get advice from our listeners on how to deal with your problem! If you want to help with your advice, please call 800-4007-111.
"The first one to call in today was our lovely Teresa from Sacramento. Hello Teresa."
Jane suppressed a laugh. Well that was funny. He'd have to tell Lisbon tomorrow that a woman with her name called in at Buddy's show. Wait, better not, otherwise she'd banter with him about the fact that he actually listened to the show himself.
"Hello, Buddy", the voice of a woman in the radio said.
"Well, Teresa. You would like the advice from some of our listeners to your problem with a guy?"
"Yes… that's why I called." She sounded shy and hesitant, something that made Jane smile. Only from listening to her he could tell that she wasn't used to talk about her feelings, especially not on the radio with people she didn't know in person.
"Well then, Teresa, Sacramento is listening, so it's time to share your story."
He could hear the woman taking a deep breath as if preparing herself to be thrown into a pool with ice cold water. This was quite interesting, he could look for the sea sound channel later.
"Hello everyone, I'm Teresa. I have this colleague… well, he's more like a friend to me than a colleague… actually we are partners. We've known each other for over nine years now and in the last three years, I feel like there's been some kind of change in our relationship."
"Can you tell us more about this change?", Hennings asked friendly.
Jane's eyes were wide open. This couldn't be true, could it? No, he must be mistaken. There was no proof the Teresa in the radio was his Teresa Lisbon, Senior Agent of the SCU… Although he didn't believe in coincidences, this had to be one. But the voice… the voice was so similar to hers.
"I don't know… He's crazy. First he does all this stuff for me like giving me jewellery or a very special birthday gift, then he takes me out for dinner to different places – not that this is unusual for him – but then we flirt alot and he told me he loved me."
"Now if he told you he loved you, where is the problem?"
"He pretend to forget when I asked him later… It was a kind of a very weird situation where that happened."
"Hm", Hennings said, "Do you really think he forgot?"
The woman laughed a little, before she said: "He never forgets anything."
Jane needed to sit down on the wooden chair that was next to the desk. This couldn't be true. This… this was Lisbon on the show and she was talking about him. For a second, he felt sick. She must be really desperate to call in on a show like this. The Lisbon he knew would never discuss something so private like her love life in public.
She continued: "I agree that this might not have been the best situation to come clear with what we feel, but it's like it never happened. He… He has a lot of emotional baggage and this obsession. I'm afraid I will lose him over this, but I can't, you understand?"
"Because you're in love with him." Hennings stated.
The consultant held his breath, waiting for the answer of all answers. He should stop listening to this, pretend he never heard it, but he couldn't. He needed to hear this now.
"Yes", Teresa whispered. The consultant almost choked and put a hand in front of his mouth. There were few things that could surprise him, but Lisbon admitting to be in… in love with him was… His breathing increased and he needed to calm himself down.
Jane knew she wouldn't give much more about his personal life away, letting the real facts in the dark. If she ever spelled that out, she could fill dozens of radio shows.
"Now the question is, does he love you, or what are you supposed to do with him, right?"
Again a "Yes." followed.
"Well then, Teresa. Let's hear what our love advisors say to that. This is Ellie on line one."
Hennings turned some romantic music on, that was playing along in the background, while a woman named Ellie told her what she thought of her situation: "Listen, honey. You seem like a very smart girl. Don't run after someone who doesn't want you. If he took back that he said he loved you, he doesn't deserve you."
Well, that woman was right, Jane thought. Of course he didn't deserve Lisbon. But there was still this very selfish part of him that thought he did. Even more, that hoped she would wait for him once everything was over.
"Thank you for your advice, Ellie. What do you think about that, Teresa?"
Lisbon had been very quiet the whole time. Her voice sounded sad, when she answered: "I wish it would be that easy to forget him, since we work together and I see him every day. I want to help him. I want him to see that there is more to live for than his obsession and that there are people who care about him, who need him."
Jane's heart clenched violently. "Oh Lisbon…"
"Maybe Karen's advice will help you with this", Hennings suggested. Again, the music was on and he could hear a woman talk to Lisbon on the radio. This was the moment when he decided to pick his phone up and call the advisor number.
"Hey Teresa, this is Karen. In my opinion the only way you can solve this problem is through talking with him about your feeling whether he wants to hear it or not. To me it sounds like you two are more than partners and if you really mean something to him, he'll come around."
"Thank you", Lisbon answered, "I hope you're right. It's… I think I do mean something to him. He's always watching out for me and maybe… I just don't know."
"Come on", Jane mumbled, while he was waiting for someone to pick up the line. Relief washed over him, when a woman picked up, asking him for his name and told him to wait until Buddy opened his line to speak on the show. Instead of staying in his attic, Jane made his way downstairs while speaking. He had the feeling Lisbon was still inside the building. Hopefully he wasn't wrong.
Xxxxx
Lisbon listened to two more advices of the women listening, but she couldn't get her mind off the fact this whole thing was a stupid idea. These people didn't understand anything. She couldn't tell them that the man she was in love with was obsessed with a serial killer who killed his wife and child, that he slept with his mistress just to call him out.
"Well, Teresa. We have one last caller, who'd like to give you his advice. The line is yours, Patrick."
Lisbon's heart stopped for a moment, before it started beating like mad again. This is just a coincidence, this is just a coincidence. She closed her eyes, holding her breath, waiting for the man named Patrick to speak.
"Teresa? This is Patrick. Please don't hang up, okay?" Lisbon didn't answer, since she lost her speech. It was him. No, please no… Damn it!
"I hear what you said about your colleague. First of all, he's an idiot. And if you ask me, he doesn't deserve you in any way possible, but he's a very selfish man. You shouldn't care about him this much, shouldn't put your career, health and hopes in him, but you do and I admire you for that. I don't think he wanted to hurt you when he pretend to forgot what he said that night. Believe me, he just thought that neither of you were ready for such a commitment.
You mean more to him than he ever could admit, because he's afraid if he did there would be no turning back."
There were tears in Lisbon's eyes. "Maybe that's what I want", she whispered. She could almost hear him smile through the phone.
"Times are difficult, dear. He's in denial. I believe the temptation to just give into his feelings is quite big, but it's not the right time, nor the right place. He would, if there was any chance he could without putting you in danger. Your friend's got a lot in his mind right now and he doesn't tell you, because he wants to protect you."
"What if I don't want to be protected, what if the only thing I want is him?", Lisbon asked confidently. She waited for an answer, but that didn't come. Buddy Hennings cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry Teresa, it seems like the line is dead…"
Just in this moment, Lisbon looked up, to Patrick Jane leaning in the doorway, a serious look on his face. She forgot to breath and her phone dropped out of her hand onto the desk. They could both hear Hennings' low voice asking for her through the phone, but neither of them said a word.
Carefully, Jane stepped forward, not wanting to scare Lisbon who just looked like she saw a ghost. "I guess", he started slowly, "If the only thing you want is him… He's got no chance but to finally admit to himself and you, that the only thing he wants is you."
"Jane, I…", Lisbon whispered, but Jane had stepped around the desk and stood in front of her. Much too close. He leaned down, kissing her softly on the lips. She was so stunned, she didn't respond at first. Just when he started to cup her cheek with one hand and wrapped an arm around her hip to pull him up, she gave in and slung her arms around his neck.
He picked her up and carried her towards the white couch he bought her years ago, before he deepened the kiss once more.
"What are we doing?", she asked silently after they both stopped to catch a breath.
"Something we should have done a long time ago, Teresa. I was just too stupid to give into my feelings for you." Lisbon smiled happily and let him push her down, spreading feather light kisses over her whole face. "But really, Lisbon. Calling in on a radio show with the Love Doctor? Didn't you learn anything from our case?"
"Well, it worked… So shut up and kiss me."
Jane grinned one of his mischievous grins: "There's nothing I would rather do." With that, he leaned down, giving her the mind blowing kiss he'd wanted to give her in a long time.
A/N: I hope you're still with us hehe ;) Thanks so much for reading and if you feel like it, make sure to leave a review. I hope I was able to brighten up your day
Liefs
P.S If you want to read more of my work, make sure to check out the new chapter of my current AU story "Pretty Red Lady"!
