Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: I've had this idea toying in my head since December and with some of the spoilers from the finale...well I couldn't NOT do it. People wanted something different from me and this is as different as I can get. Quite honestly, I'm so excited. I haven't felt this way about a fic since Lavinia and The Best Mistake, who knew it could be this fun to be so EVIL!

Deal with the Devil

Part 1: He'll Come to Collect

Chapter 1: The Lesser of Two Evils

Jane was whistling in the break room while he poured himself some tea, Lisbon was mostly ignoring him as she sipped her coffee and flipped through a case file. It was Fischer who watched him intently, trying to figure out what was so different about him these past few weeks. At first she had believed he was merely happy that Lisbon had chosen to stay in Austin after all, cancelling at the last minute her move to DC. But this wasn't just that, this was…way too happy for just being excited.

Lisbon and Jane acknowledged each other with simple nods and smiles. He left to go sit on his couch while she stayed at the table. Now Fischer studied Lisbon, trying to figure out how much that woman knew. She'd turned down the offer in DC, an offer most agents would kill for. Not to mention breaking up with Agent Pike in the process, another dream for almost any woman alive. None of it made sense.

Fischer took a seat at the table, deciding it was time to do some interrogation on the agent and maybe get some answers. Lisbon looked up, expecting her to speak. "Something wrong?"

"No," Fischer said, "Just wondering if you heard from Agent Pike."

A pained expression flashed across her face and she shook her head. "We ended things thoroughly, but last I heard he was doing great in DC."

Fischer nodded. "I still can't believe you decided to stay after all, you had already packed your things."

Lisbon shrugged. "I decided that I wanted to continue the opportunities here."

"As opposed to the opportunities in DC."

She met her eyes. "I've done a lot of soul searching these past couple of years, I don't want to lose the friends I have, they are more important than any career."

She considered Lisbon's words for a moment, reflecting on the fact that she'd already had to say goodbye to two friends in California, not to mention the previous two years without Jane or Cho. It made sense maybe…but not with Jane.

"Then why is Jane so happy?"

"You think Jane should be sad I stayed?"

"No," Fischer explained, "He's just really, really happy. Too happy."

Lisbon gave her an amused look. "You have a problem with him being happy?"

"Of course not, I just…he's got that smile of someone getting laid," Fischer told her. It hit her then and she gave Lisbon a conspiratorial look. "You think he's seeing someone?"

Lisbon started laughing. "Now just because he's happy he has to have a girlfriend?"

"It's different."

She shook her head. "Just because he's smiling a lot doesn't mean he's seeing someone, he could just be having a good day."

But Fischer wasn't satisfied at all. "Something is going on, you know him better than anyone, you'd know if he had a girlfriend."

Lisbon just shrugged as if she didn't care. "He hasn't said anything to me about any girlfriend, if you want to know you'll have to ask him."

"He'll never tell me."

"Nope," she agreed, "but he'd have fun with driving you crazy."

Fischer had to smile at Lisbon's teasing. "You're as bad as he is sometimes."

"Oh no, I'm never like that," Lisbon disagreed, "I just think it's funny that you are obsessing about it."

"I don't care," Fischer told her honestly, "I'm just surprised you don't."

She rolled her eyes. "Please, I've had enough of Jane, I don't need to add anything personal."

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"Fischer thinks you are seeing someone," Lisbon told Jane as they shared a drink in his trailer he left conveniently in the parking lot of the FBI. She was enjoying the taste of the pinot Jane had picked out, letting it settle on her tongue.

Jane quirked his eyebrows as if he was mildly entertained. "Really?"

"Yep."

"What made her think that?"

Lisbon took another sip and smiled at him. "She says you are too happy, a sure sign of a man who is getting laid on a regular basis."

Jane chuckled a little. "That's quite a leap of intuition, I could just be enjoying my life. That doesn't mean I'm seeing a woman."

"That's what I said," Lisbon told him.

"Yes, there are a myriad of reasons I could be happy, just because I'm seeing a woman doesn't mean anything."

Lisbon stopped, finally catching what he said. "You just said that you are seeing someone."

"I did," Jane agreed, he was still smiling.

"So you confess, you're seeing someone and you're happy."

"I said I was seeing someone," Jane repeated, "Just because she is beautiful."

"Oh?" Lisbon said.

"And intelligent."

"Well I hope so, she has to be to keep up with you."

He nodded. "She's also charming and strong."

"Hmm," Lisbon murmured, "Strong. Strong as you?"

"Stronger," Jane told her, "She's overcome quite a lot in her life."

"Then she should know better than to be with you," Lisbon replied.

"True," Jane agreed, "or maybe she's so wonderful that she's willing to take a chance on someone who doesn't deserve it."

Lisbon tilted her head a little and smiled. "Wow, sounds like you made quite a catch."

"Oh I'd say so."

"Who could possibly compete with that?"

Jane shrugged. "I don't know."

Lisbon kept her eyes on Jane; they stared at each other, smiling at each other with a soft gentleness. She was the one who leaned in to press her lips against his, meeting in a perfect sensual kiss of familiarity and warmth. Jane pulled her closer, putting his hands on her back, tangling his fingers into her hair.

She pulled back a little and shook her head. "I can't believe you roped me into such a cheesy scene."

"You enjoyed the compliments."

"I'll kill you later," she told him, "I'm more interested in something else right now."

"And I'm the cheesy one," Jane replied before kissing her back.

He hadn't lied a bit; she was the perfect woman in his life.

Lisbon woke up surrounded by Jane, the same way she'd woken up yesterday and the day before that, pretty much the same way she'd woken up for the past six weeks. She was okay with that, there were worse things than waking up with a beautiful blonde Jane curled up next to you…actually there weren't many things much better than that.

Still she stumbled out of the bed and made it the two steps over to the tiny bathroom, knowing she'd woken Jane up after leaving his arms. "I really hate your trailer," Lisbon remarked as she took a look at herself in the equally small mirror.

"You didn't seem to mind it last night," Jane replied.

She couldn't help but smile there. "It was you I liked but even your good handiwork can't make up for this tin can on wheels."

"Hmmm, either you're hinting that I have room for improvement or you're exaggerating for the sake of wanting a bigger bathroom."

Lisbon stepped out and leaned against the wall, crossing her arms over her chest, she was wearing his shirt and nothing else. Jane was lying back in his bed, the covers rumpled and he looked like he was ready to invite her for a round two…or rather four. "You know what they say about men who live in tiny trailers?"

"That you are making something up because there is no such saying?"

"That they don't have any room in their life for someone else."

Jane scoffed. "There's plenty of room."

"Your bed takes up the entire bedroom," Lisbon reminded him, "You have a tiny closet that barely fits your suits."

"Oh I see what this is, you want closet space."

She threw up her hands. "Well I can't keep stealing my clothes out of my car."

Jane sat up the sheet slipping and giving Lisbon a view she quite enjoyed. "Woman, I'll build you a closet if that will make you happy, but until then." He stood up and opened the second closet door that he'd used to put some of his more amusing odds and ends, including his toy helicopter. But now it was completely empty. "Maybe this one will do."

She eyed him. "How did you know?"

"I read your mind," Jane told her, "that and it was obvious after you started grumbling when you brought your bag in last week."

Lisbon grinned at him. "If we weren't going to be late for work, I'd be tempted to let you show off the bedroom of your trailer again."

"We can be late," Jane assured her.

"Abbott will go crazy," she said.

"We can be late," he repeated, pressing his lips to her shoulder

"It's unprofessional."

"We can be late," Jane said again, now his lips found her neck and she gasped.

"Okay maybe just this once."

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She was a little late to work, not as late as Jane was since she maintained he needed to arrive at least twenty minutes after her in order to avoid arousing suspicion. He always grumbled about that, thinking that hiding their relationship was rather ridiculous. She always pointed out that there were clear rules against it while he simply replied that since the FBI was the one who wanted him, they wouldn't care if they were together. Lisbon wasn't so sure, especially since their relationship was still in the early stages, if any relationship that was twelve years late could be considered "early."

Jane managed to slink into the office as if nothing was different; she went on ignoring him as she was prone to do when she was trying to work. He could nap on his couch if he liked, she would do paperwork and be productive. As far as anyone knew they hadn't spent the night and morning testing out the limits of his trailer's bed.

Still when Abbott called or both Lisbon and Jane to come to his office she immediately assumed the worst.

"You told him didn't you?"

"Told him what?" Jane asked.

"About us," she hissed, "you, me and….and what we are doing."

"What are we doing?"

Lisbon glared at him. "Enough. Did you tell him about us or not?"

"I haven't had a conversation with the man beyond him being angry I was late, I didn't tell him it was because of you if that is what you are asking."

"Then what did you do?"

Jane shook his head, "Nothing."

"You have to have done something."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because Abbott wants to see us!"

He grinned when they walked into their boss's office as she gave him her infamous glare. Abbott didn't seem to find that unusual by any means, just merely nodded at them to take a seat. "A prisoner has contacted us," Abbott explained, "he says he wants to make a deal with us."

"About what?" Lisbon asked, feeling better immediately as it was clear this had nothing to do with her relationship with Jane.

"He claims he has information regarding a new resurgence of the Blake Association," Abbott explained.

Jane didn't look quite as convinced. "You believe another criminal conspiracy has started up again?"

"Well you do have a list of names we didn't find out."

Lisbon gave Jane a look but he wasn't concerned. "But that's assuming those people are the same as the ones this prisoner knows, it's doubtful."

"He has good intel, he shared a cell block with Reed Smithe before he was killed."

Now that was intriguing, Smithe had been killed by a shank in prison that many wondered was actually from a remnant of the ill-fated Blake Association. The prisoner who did the killing was already in for life, he hadn't had a thing to lose and never spoke about why he suddenly up and killed Smithe.

"That's interesting," Lisbon admitted, "But why aren't we sharing this with Cho and Fischer?"

"Because this concerns you, the prisoner only wants to speak to you two?"

"I'm going to guess we know this prisoner," Jane said, a simple cold smile on his face.

Abbott nodded. "Thomas Volker."

Lisbon hadn't been to the United States Penitentiary in Atwater, California in years, but she still remembered it well. Mostly she remembered the story of the guard who was killed by two inmates six years prior, stabbed to death with shanks. Then there was the murder of another inmate two years before that, head slammed against the concrete repeatedly. She knew that this prison had a reputation for bad things in recent years and as far as she was concerned the inmates behind those bars had it coming for them, particularly one she hated above the rest.

The attempted murder and kidnapping of a young boy was enough to put him away for his life, tacking on several suspected murders and proven corruption and extortion and Lisbon had been more than satisfied with the sentence for Thomas Volker. Her favorite part had been watching him slink back to prison after the trial. Actually her favorite part was shooting and punching him before arresting him.

She never wanted to see him again.

But now here they were.

"I can't believe we are doing this," she muttered as they checked into the facilities.

"We don't have to," Jane reminded her, "we could walk away."

"We have to do our jobs," Lisbon told him, "Volker says he has something, then we need to hear him out. It's not like we have a lot of other leads."

"Then maybe I should do it alone."

"He asked to see me."

Jane tugged her arm to make her meet his eyes. "We both know why he wants to see you."

She nodded. "To be the smug jackass."

"No," Jane said, "not just that."

Lisbon couldn't help but shiver, remembering the snake-eyed criminal who undressed her with his eyes. He always made her feel naked and exposed, in a terrible way. She was afraid to think about what fantasies that man had about her, she knew not one ended well.

"I'll be fine," she insisted, "He'll be handcuffed to a chair. The worst he can do is open is mouth."

Jane didn't look like he agreed with her but she didn't wait for him, instead taking the lead as she headed for the commons. She wondered about Jane's behavior, he'd been concerned about her and Volker in the past but this was a bit more extreme. This was being protective to a whole other level, she had to smile at that, he didn't want the woman he cared about being hurt.

They sat down in two uncomfortable chairs that were bolted to the floor. Jane looked around at the surroundings. "This seems familiar."

"Yeah it does," Lisbon replied, "But you should be on the other side of the table."

He grinned then. "For once, I'm not."

"Try and keep it that way."

She saw the guards escorting Volker open the gates and lead him through. There he was in prison fatigues looking pale but still determined, there was that old disgusting smirk on his face. He immediately locked eyes with her and never looked away. She did her best to simply stare back, even if she wanted to hide herself from him.

"Agent Lisbon," Volker said drawing out her name with pleasure, "how lovely to see you again."

"Tell us what you know," Lisbon insisted right away, she wanted out of there as soon as possible.

But Volker didn't acknowledge that order, instead he smiled at Jane. "Mr. Jane, it has been a long time. I was betting I would meet you in here after you killed Red John."

Jane merely shrugged. "Things are different when you kill a monster, people tend to not care so much."

"I'm quite certain Teresa cared," Volker said, now turning his sneer to her. "You were still rather upset that he was gone when we met last year."

Lisbon shifted slightly uncomfortable while Jane actually turned to her in surprise. "What?"

She gave him a quick look that told him to stay quiet. "This is about now, Volker. You wanted to meet with us and here we are, it's time you held up your end of the deal."

"Not so fast, Agent Lisbon," he replied, "I need some assurances that you will come through on your end of the deal."

"And what do you want?"

"To get out of prison."

"Absolutely not."

Volker gave her a sly grin. "You don't understand, if you want my help I need to get out of prison. I'm no use to them if I'm locked up in here, then I can't help you catch them."

"We don't even know if 'they' exist." She pointed out, "We'll need more than the word of a killer."

He leaned forward. "The new group is headed by a man named William Harper, I'm certain that if you look into him you'll find out his father is non other than Thomas McAllister," he gave Jane a smile. "I think you can understand why he would have a special interest in you."

Lisbon stared at him for a long time before shaking her head. "You're not getting out of prison."

"Then we are done here," Volker said, ready to leave.

Jane leaned over to whisper in Lisbon's ear. "We need to talk for a minute." She nodded her head and he led her aside.

"What?" she whispered, "is he lying?"

"I can't tell," Jane told her.

"What do you mean you can't tell, you can always tell."

"I can always tell when you are lying because you are terrible at it," Jane reminded her, "Volker is a bit more adept."

Lisbon narrowed her eyes. "All right, what are you thinking then?"

"I think we need to look into this," Jane said.

"So you believe him."

"No," Jane replied, "but if he is right and McAllister did have a son then there's a very good chance he would like to kill me or both of us, I'm not quite ready to die yet. Are you?"

She stared at him, trying to figure out if he was serious or not, then she shook her head. "No, I'm not."

They made their way back over to Volker who was smiling once more. "We'll look into it. If there is some credibility, then we can see about making a deal." Lisbon suggested.

He grinned, very pleased indeed. "Wonderful, I so look forward to working with you, Teresa. You are still a beautiful woman, how delightful for us both."

Lisbon tensed up and tried not to show how disgusted she was, just motioned to the guard to take Volker away. The two of them remained sitting for a few moments; she eyed Jane to see his jaw was set. He was mad, she could tell. She just wasn't sure if he was only mad at Volker in this situation.

Neither one of them said a word as they made their way out of the prison. She pulled out her cell phone to call Cho. "Hey, Cho," she told their fellow agent, "Have Wiley look up William Harper, see if he has any connection with Thomas McAllister."

The other agent did as he was bid without any questions asked. Lisbon waited calmly for Jane to speak but he was still staying entirely silent. It was starting to get to her. "What is wrong?"

Now Jane did meet her eyes and she saw he was indeed pissed at her as well. "How can you even ask that question?"

"I'm not the one who is trying to play a game with us."

"No, you just went off to meet a psychopath by yourself with out telling me."

She raised an eyebrow at that before crossing her arms over her chest. "That was over a year ago. You were still in Venezuela and Volker tried for an appeal. His lawyer said he wanted to talk with me and I thought maybe he would confess to Amanda's murder. He didn't."

"Let me guess," Jane said, his voice stoic and low. "He remarked about your appearance numerous times, tried to twist your own testimony around and riled you up so you left entirely disgusted and angry."

Lisbon looked down at the ground then. "Something like that." It took her a minute before she met Jane's eyes again. "Why does it bother you?"

"Do you not understand what he wants?" Jane asked, "He's obsessed with you. Whatever plan he has, it somehow involves getting you alone to do some truly horrific things."

"I can take care of myself."

"He isn't a threat you should take lightly."

"I don't recall everydoing that," Lisbon hissed, "you were the one who let me handle him alone."

"And when you realized you couldn't do it without me I helped," Jane reminded her, "What makes you think you will be able to succeed where you didn't before."

"Are you saying I failed?"

"No," Jane told her, "Just that you are going to have to do more than just follow the rules and watch your back, Volker isn't like Red John, he doesn't have any respect for you."

She wanted to make a remark but bit her tongue; somehow she had a feeling that it would be better not to say anything at the moment. She had a lot more to risk now with Jane then just their friendship and partnership, even if he was pissing her off too.

Instead they marched back to their rental car in silence, she had a feeling neither one of them would be talking to each other for a while.

It took a few hours but finally Cho called back with the information they had been waiting for. She and Jane had spent a couple of chilly hours in the hotel room, actually they had two but they hadn't touched the other one since they shared a bed these days. Lisbon put her phone on speaker so that Jane could hear what they had discovered.

"Tracked down William Harper," Cho explained calmly, "mom worked as a waitress and any other odd job for years but she died in a car accident six years ago."

"And his father?"

"None listed on the birth certificate," he explained, "But she was from the same town as McAllister and he helped pay for her son's school and other things, her sister said they were close for a long time, always came by to see William. That he even named him."

Jane raised his eyebrows at that statement but didn't react otherwise. "What about the boy? What's happened to him?"

"Not much," Cho explained, "arrested for trespassing but was let off the hook, a few complaints but nothing that could be proven. He went to college at UCLA for a semester but dropped out, he was working towards the academy too and was doing well until he dropped out two years ago, he cited personal reasons."

"Right around the time Red John was killed," Lisbon pointed out, her eyes on Jane.

Jane still didn't react. "What has he been doing since?"

"Can't find much, he did spend a couple of months in Austin," Cho explained, "he's been traveling in and out of California."

"Find out anything you can, if anyone has been particularly close to has ties to the FBI." Jane told them.

There weren't many other orders given, she was still watching Jane to figure out what he was thinking. They finally hung up the phone and she turned serious to him. "What do you think?"

"That we need to go back to prison."

"So he really is Red John's son."

Jane was calm as he put his jacket on. "Looks like it."

She gaped at him. "That's all you have to say?"

"For now," he told her, "now we have to go talk to one monster to help track down another."

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Neither one of them wanted to go back to the prison but there they were, waiting once more for Thomas Volker to show up. Jane was really not happy about this, she could tell, every muscle in his body was taut and his eyes were a colder steel blue rather than the usually light hearted ocean she'd gotten used to.

When he did come back, Volker was looking confident, as he should, he did seem to be one with the ace up his sleeve at the moment. "I can only assume you have confirmed who William Harper is."

"We believe there is a connection with Thomas McAllister," Lisbon replied, "but that doesn't mean he has restarted the Blake Association or that he wants revenge against Jane."

Jane stared at Volker, not up for playing that game either. "You have to have a plan, otherwise we wouldn't be here and you wouldn't have given up a valuable piece of information unless you have something far more important that you are keeping from us."

He had his entire attention focused on Jane. "This is why I asked for you, I know you understand that some plans need to be outside the box."

"Those were my plans," Jane pointed out, "plans I could control."

"And you disagree with mine."

"I'm not keen on any plan of yours," he told Volker, "because I know you have something else, something you are keeping, some disgusting idea of your own. Involving Lisbon I'm sure since every five to six seconds you look down her blouse."

Lisbon flinched and had to resist the urge to tug her jacket around her. Volker's smug expression disappeared for a moment but only for a moment. "You don't have a choice, it's either take my plan or wander helplessly as the Blake Legacy starts taking out the people you care about. After what happened to lovely Van Pelt and her family, I know you won't want to risk their lives again."

Jane didn't move, just stared intently at Volker. "Then why don't you explain your plan to us?"

Now Volker was really pleased. "The Blake Legacy has quite a bit of manpower but they are little short on funds, fortunately I still have a rather vast assortment of them that the government has kindly frozen for me."

"They are funds you obtained through illegal activities," Lisbon groused.

"They need something," Volker explained, "Something I have."

"You can't get them unless the government unfreezes your accounts."

"Which will be done as soon as I am released from prison."

Lisbon was ready to walk out of there right then and there. "No, you aren't being released."

Jane held up a hand to silence her, which did nothing but tick her off. "You cannot expect the FBI to just let you go on your word."

"I fully anticipate that I'll be monitored, especially since the FBI will have to create the reasons for my release."

"Such as a successful appeal for a new trial," Jane stated, "in which you could be let out on bail and in the interim of a new trial be approached for by the Blake Legacy."

Volker nodded. "I knew you would understand it."

"I understand it," Jane agreed, "that doesn't mean I like it."

He turned to Lisbon. "How many of his plans did you like?"

"Close to none," she admitted, "But I trusted him."

Volker wasn't fazed by her statement, he accepted it. "I know not to accept such treatment, but you have to understand that this is the only way."

"Not from the way I see it," Lisbon told him, "There is never a good reason to let someone like you out of prison."

"You didn't mind bending the law a few times when you took down a major law enforcement conspiracy ring two years ago," Volker pointed out, "in this case you'll simply be doing one thing, tricking the public into believe I am a free man."

"And when this is over, what do you expect? A pardon?"

"No," Jane interrupted, "he knows he's not valuable enough to us for that."

He gave him a tight smile. "I know I don't have your talents." Volker met Lisbon's eyes again. "I'll go through my trial and the judge will rule that I can have a reduced sentence, twenty five years with parole in a little less. Then I don't die in prison and you can enjoy sleeping at night knowing that another conspiracy doesn't want you dead. Or you can walk out this door and watch your back until they finally catch you off guard, it's your choice."

He was waiting for her answer but Jane was the one who found his voice first. "We're not the ones who decide this, we'll get back to you when we have their answer."

Volker still looked pleased. "Of course, I look forward to it." His eyes met hers and she watched as he looked her up and down. "I also look forward to working closely with you, Agent Lisbon. It will be a refreshing change."

This time she felt the shiver crawl up her back and she couldn't hide it. She saw his pupils were dilated and his eyes were boring into hers. The guard pulled him to his feet and she could finally breathe again, too embarrassed to wonder if he'd just been excited or if he'd really been aroused by just toying with her.

Again Jane and Lisbon didn't speak until they made it outside the prison. Then she finally managed to talk. "What do you think?"

Jane didn't look at her. "We need to talk to Abbott, but he'll agree that this is as good of an opportunity as we'll get. We'll have to monitor Volker heavily but he'll agree to that as well."

"You aren't seriously thinking that we go with Volker's plan."

"I'm not thinking anything, I'm telling you what is going to happen."

"Excuse me?"

"Abbott's career is being defined by how he handled the downfall of the Blake Association, a resurgence is not acceptable, it needs to be killed immediately. He'll do anything, even let a prisoner go undercover to do it." Jane explained himself calmly, "You'll be spending a lot more time with Volker before this is over, it'll be hell trying to keep this all from coming undone."

"Meaning you are the only one who can accomplish that?"

Now Jane did look at her in the eye. "You won't be able to keep Volker in line with out me."

"This has nothing to do with me."

"It has everything to do with you," Jane told her, his voice almost ice, "I know you saw what he was feeling in there, you think he's just planning to check out your ass once in a while when he gives us an update. He has a plan, a plan that involves destroying you, you won't be able to stop it."

Lisbon glared back at Jane. "I can take care of yourself."

But Jane just looked back at her. "No…you can't."

They were both still in an unsettled mood when they made it back to the hotel, Lisbon was angry that Jane didn't seem to think that she could take care of herself and Jane was angry because she seemed to think she could. Lisbon was actually glad for the phone call from Abbott but Jane wasn't particularly happy to hear what he had to say.

Abbott agreed that this plan was ridiculous but unfortunately was most likely their best option. It would take some time to get everything in order but they were going to return to Austin the next day and in a few weeks they would get everything prepared.

Volker would be unleashed, under twenty-four hour surveillance, but he would no longer wake up in an cell either. It pissed her off to no end that she was going to have to work with the man but it looked like Jane was even angrier.

"There's nothing we can do about it," Jane said, but she knew he wasn't happy.

"This is a stupid plan," she agreed, "And you're an idiot for wanting to go along with it."

"I don't want to go along with it," Jane corrected her, "we just don't have much of a choice. It's either let Volker out of his cage or stumble around blind as another police conspiracy builds up, this time hell bent on revenge against us."

She glared at him. "Then you should be thrilled, you love stupid ideas like this."

"Not plans that involve Volker getting anywhere near you."

Now she was getting mad for another reason. "I told you, I can take care of myself. I'm a cop, that includes some training remember?"

"He's had three years in prison dreaming about this," Jane said, "you don't think he's prepared for that? Especially when you are likely to run off alone anyways."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

He looked her in the eye. "You ran off alone and let Red John attack you, not to mention seeing Volker on his terms last year apparently."

Her eyes narrowed into slits. "I was following Brett Partridge and doing my job, you were the one acting like you were the one man show all of those years." She folded her arms across her chest. "As for Volker, I was behind a plexiglass wall and trying to help bring him to justice for another crime."

"And playing into his hands," Jane stated, "he wanted to see you, to go back to his cell and fantasize about all of the deplorable ways he'd like to torture you."

Lisbon felt the sting of that but she had another card. "I'm sure he enjoyed you pointing that out to him, after all, you brought it up."

"I was shutting down his game," Jane said, "Something you were oblivious to, and you really believe that you will be able to watch your back when he's around when you can't even notice his lecherous glances?"

"I don't want to hear about this anymore!" Lisbon stated firmly, "go to your room!" She emphasized that order by actually pointing at the door.

Jane's face went from angry to amused in an instant. "Did you really just say that?"

"Go!"

He waved her off as he made his way out of the door, still warring with himself whether to still be upset that she didn't recognize the danger or laugh over how ridiculous she'd sounded as she'd ordered him like a child.

Lisbon had no such battles, she just wondered if she should throw the TV remote at his retreating figure or just a pillow.

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It took a long time for Lisbon to even attempt to get some sleep but it was impossible for her to actually relax enough to actually be able to accomplish the task. As the hours had passed her anger had cooled and clear thinking had filled in its place. Lisbon knew that there was only one thing on this earth that Jane cared about anymore and that was her, and here she was having to work with someone who was hell bent on destroying her.

He was scared…so was she for that matter.

Eventually Lisbon gave up on trying to sleep and grabbed the matching key card to Jane's room and heading out into the hall. She slipped the key into the slot before opening the door; she wasn't all that surprised to see he wasn't asleep either.

They stared at each other for a moment before Lisbon just said, "I couldn't sleep."

He smiled sweetly at her. "Neither could I."

They came together like two puzzle pieces falling into place, discarding their clothing onto the floor to find that solace they both needed. Lisbon had always thought that the men she dated needed to learn, to recognized what she liked and didn't. That wasn't the case with Jane, he knew immediately how to bring her to passion, and instead she found she was the one learning. Not about what he wanted…but about what their desires truly meant.

Sex with Jane wasn't just sex, she realized it was another form of communication between them. Be it letting the other know how much they meant or a way for her to tell him just how pissed off she was about his stupid scheme that day, it took a new level than anything she had experienced with anyone else. This time it was an apology, both of them saying they were sorry for letting their fears get in the way of things. She loved it when Jane apologized with strawberries…but making love was definitely better.

Lisbon lay in Jane's arms, hearing his heart return to a normal rhythm as he laid tender kisses to her hair and temple. She smiled and pressed her lips to his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

He sighed and she felt his smile against her hair. "I'm sorry too." He turned her so she was looking into his eyes, his hand cupping her chin. "I can't lose you, you know that. You're the only thing I have worth living for in this world."

"Yeah, you told me," she said, "on the beach when you wouldn't let me run off the DC."

"Oh I would have," Jane replied, "if it was what you wanted, it would have killed me but I would have." He kissed the tip of her nose, "Thankfully I know you better than you do."

Lisbon rolled her eyes but still smiled. "Or maybe I'm just an idiot, choosing the guy who is completely insane but I can't seem to stay away from."

"You're right, we should probably both get our heads examined."

They laughed a little and Jane pulled her into kiss her once more before letting her rest her head on his chest again so he could tangle his hand in her hair. They were quiet and she wondered if they would both just go to sleep but he surprised her once more. "He wants you, but he won't have you. I won't let him."

She lifted her head to look at him again. "I know. But you know that I won't let anything happen to me, just like you need to watch your back too. This relationship goes both ways, I'm not sure if I can live without you either."

He pushed her hair back and nodded. "Then we'll have to watch out for each other, like we always have."

She leaned forward to put her forehead against his. "Like we always will."

They kissed again, one filled with promise to seal that oath. Then she went back to lying still in his arms, letting him stroke her hair and skin. This was what she loved most, being able to be loved by him and pretend that nothing was wrong.

Even though they both knew they were only fooling themselves.

A/N: Hope that whet your appetite, next chapter is the beginning of Volker's release and start of this tangled web. Oh it's going to be bad, just you wait...