In the grand tradition of inter agency co-operation (or conflict would probably be a more accurate description), CBI agent Teresa Lisbon generally did not get along with FBI agents. Neither did Cho. Rigsby had picked up on their vibes during past joint cases and thus wasn't fond of the fibbies himself. Grace hadn't had the chance to form an opinion, but she was a good agent. She'd stick with the team.
To Jane, the FBI agents were just more chess pieces for him to manipulate. Normally, the feds spent about 2 seconds in his company to decide they hated the mentalist and begin demanding Lisbon reign him in.
Yeah, like that ever worked out well.
Oddly enough, the FBI agent in charge of their side of the joint task force seemed intrigued by Jane. Agent Laura Devlin had a reputation of being an out of the box thinker who got results. Unlike so many of her colleagues, she was willing to indulge Jane's eccentricities, recognizing, like Teresa did herself, that he definitely helped close cases.
Teresa had also noted the way the woman had looked Jane up and down, several times throughout the day, clearly appreciating the view. Of course Jane had noticed as well and seemed more amused than offended, as he usually did in such instances.
By the time Devlin, Jane and Lisbon were set to retire for the night (they'd sent their respective teams off to catch some sleep a few hours earlier), Teresa was feeling a bit steamed. Jane was her consultant and who was Devlin to horn in, bouncing ideas off of him, trying to pull connections out of his clever brain. She had also dropped a few hints that she'd like to continue working with Jane after this case was concluded.
As the elevator stopped on the 3rd floor, Devlin said, "Well, this is my stop." Turning to them, she continued, "I'll see you both in the morning. Sleep well, Patrick."
There was a clear invitation in her tone, but Jane simply gave her one of his superficial smiles, bright and cheerful but it didn't reach his eyes. Teresa could read disappointment on the agent's face as the elevator doors slid shut.
Alone in the small elevator, Jane's eyes ticked over to her and he said, "She's…nice."
Teresa only nodded, so he continued, "And, for an FBI agent, rather pleasant to work with…."
Before she over thought things, Teresa's hand shot out, hitting the emergency stop button to halt the elevator as she spun towards Jane. The consultant was clearly startled, eyes wide as he looked down at her as she advanced on him, backing him into the wall.
Poking a finger into his chest, she said, "Don't go getting too chummy with her, Jane."
Really, this was a bit of an over reaction…more than a bit, but maybe she was a tiny bit possessive of Jane. Besides, Teresa didn't like the way Devlin was looking at him, eyeing him like she really wanted to peel him out of that three piece suit and run her fingers through golden curls until they were a ruffled riot….
Okay, so maybe Teresa had a similar thought from time to time, but Devlin was supposed to be there to help catch a killer, not pick up a consultant.
Jane wet his lips and Teresa couldn't help but glance at the newly dampened skin as he asked, "But isn't that what were doing here? Working together, pooling information, sharing…expertise and abilities?"
As he spoke, he reached up and gently brushed her hair back behind her right shoulder before straightening her collar. The tip of his index finger, slightly rough, brushed the smooth skin of her neck for an instant and she smiled.
"Jane," she said, knowing her voice was saying a hell of a lot more than her actual words. "I. Don't. Share."
His response, slight dilation of his pupils as he echoed her earlier gulp, was immediate. She was more than a little delighted to see the faintest flush spreading across his cheeks.
Since their trip to Mexico in the shipping container, Teresa had noted a small change in their interactions. During his little stunts, Jane had always been tactile with her, but he'd been sure not to let any touch linger. He kept himself at a distance to protect both himself and others, as she knew he was far more fragile and emotionally damaged than he liked to let on.
Not that she couldn't understand that. Red John had a habit of leaving shattered people behind in his wake.
Plus, they were colleagues. It would be totally against regulations to allow anything more than friendship to develop…still, there was as spark, a connection between them. It wasn't love. Jane was far too damaged still, but it was real. She knew he cared for her, had killed a man to save her.
She'd do the same for him.
And she really didn't like Agent Devlin trying to insinuate herself into the equation.
"This no sharing rule," Jane said, a small smile playing on his lips, corners of his eyes crinkling happily, "Could make working together problematic."
"Why should it?" Teresa asked, hitting the button to restart the elevator. "As long as she knows to keep her federal paws to herself, we'll be fine."
"Okay," he said, allowing her to lead the way onto the 5th floor when the doors opened again. When they reached their rooms, side by side, he turned and asked, "You got a lot of 'Does not play well with others' comments on your grade school report cards, didn't you?"
She smirked. "Maybe. I could play nice if I wanted to. I suppose you just had everyone wrapped around your little finger?"
Jane chuckled and swung open his door. "Now, now, Dear Lisbon, you know I didn't go to school…but, if it's of any interest, I far prefer playing nice with you."
He flashed one of his full, mega watt, honest smiles at her and ducked into his room before Teresa could formulate a proper response. She stood there for a moment, in the open door of her room, smiling to herself. Life with Jane around wasn't always the easiest, but she wouldn't have it any other way, 'cause, at some point when she hadn't been paying attention, Patrick Jane had become hers.
Probably not what Virgil Minelli had envisioned when assigning the faux psychic to her team, but life rarely followed a set plan. Then again, maybe Virgil had been feeling Puckish that day.
Odder things had happened…though she couldn't think of any off the top of her head.
There was a thump on the wall that separated her room from Jane's and she heard him, muffled by the plaster. "Good Night, Lisbon."
Laughing, she called out, "Go to sleep, Jane. Good night!"
Dropping down onto her bed she laughed and shook her head. Time for sleep. She could deal with Agent Devlin in the morning…or she could just let Jane mess with the woman's head until she ran away.
That was kind of an intriguing prospect.