A/N: I'm baaack! *thunder* I don't even know where this bunny came from, but it held me at gunpoint as I wrote this. No, seriously. Anyway, please watch the Season 1 finale (Red John's Footsteps) and Season 2: Episode 2: Red Badge before reading, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: Every Christmas, "the rights to The Mentalist" is written at the top of my list. Apparently, Santa has trouble reading. So, nope, don't own it.

Warnings: Lots of fluff, possible OOC, and language.

Proving

When Lisbon had set up her office again after arresting Carmen, Jane had offered to help her clean up the props they had used for his plan at her place. Reluctantly, she had agreed. Now they were in her car, Jane praising her for her performance.

"You were great," he was saying. "You almost had me convinced."

"Not all of it was faked," Lisbon said quietly. "You know that, right?"

Jane didn't answer immediately. "I'm proud of you," he said finally.

Lisbon noticed he didn't answer her question, but didn't say anything about it. "What's to be proud of?" she asked.

"You have self-esteem issues," Jane muttered, making her smile, which surprised her. Usually, she didn't fall for Jane's "natural charm." She surprised herself even further when she moved her hand to cover his.

"Thanks anyway," she said. She maintained a bit of her dignity by keeping her eyes on the road as she said this.

Jane didn't even blink. "You're welcome anyway," he replied. he moved his own hand so that he was holding hers. She didn't pull away, but this didn't only surprise her; it worried her, too. Was she falling for him? She had thought this, too, following her little "speech" after Hardy had been arrested. Jane had seemed so intent on giving up his life to catch the bastard, which was absurd and entirely unnecessary. And, perhaps the most important reason he shouldn't think like that, Lisbon didn't know what she'd do without him.

No. She was not falling in love with him. They were just coworkers, friends at most. He obviously still hadn't gotten over losing his wife or daughter. But yet, she couldn't help but think that maybe she like him a little more than she should have if they were only friends.

Lisbon shook her head in an attempt to clear it, and pulled her hand out of his grasp. He just put his hand in his lap silently.

The rest of the drive was pretty uneventful. When they got to her apartment, Lisbon unlocked the door, opened it, and was greeted with the mess that was her home. The bottles of alcohol and pills were still on her coffee table. So was her Glock. And that wasn't the only mess, though the others were out of sight. Her kitchen was a disaster, as was her bedroom and bathroom. She hadn't had time to clean in months, and, she was ashamed to admit, it had gotten way out of hand.

"Lisbon? Are you with us?"

"Yes," she snapped.

Jane held his hands up in surrender. "We'd better hurry. You need to sleep."

"Oh, really?" Lisbon sighed and rubbed her temples. She walked to her coffee table and picked up the bottles of alcohol. "These can go in the kitchen," she said, thrusting them at Jane and completely forgetting about the chaos that he would be walking into.

"Yes, Your Highness," he said. He walked away, not bothering to ask where it was. Lisbon turned back to the table and began cleaning up the pills and putting them into the appropriate bottles. Suddenly she heard crashing and muttered curses. Then Jane ran out, panting exaggeratedly. "Barely got out with my life," he said.

"Jane—" Lisbon began, then stopped herself. There was no point in starting an argument. "Sorry. But don't you dare say anything about me being good in bed."

Jane grinned. "Van Pelt told you 'bout that, huh?" he said, walking over to help her with the pills.

"Duh," she said.

"I get it, I get it," Jane said. Lisbon knew he didn't. "You don't want me to say anything because you don't like to brag." He smirked brazenly.

She blushed. "Asshole," she muttered. "I don't have anything to brag about."

"I think your boyfriend would disagree," Jane said offhandedly.

Lisbon froze. "What boyfriend?" she asked stiffly.

"Oh, c'mon, it's obvious. You're dating someone."

"I am not!" she protested. "Stop being an idiot."

Jane looked at her innocently. "I'm just telling the truth. I thought you were supposed to do that."

"I don't have a boyfriend!" she practically shrieked. She stormed over to her couch and sat down with a huff, glaring at him.

Jane sat down next to her. "Prove it," he said casually, as if he was talking about the weather.

Lisbon scowled at him and huffed again. She thought for a minute, then got an idea. It would prove she was single, and maybe it would help her figure out figure what exactly it was she felt for him.

"You want me to prove it?" she asked.

"Didn't I just say that? I'm sure you have a boyfriend. I'm surprised—"

Lisbon kissed him, a little more forcefully than she'd intended. Maybe that was why Jane started kissing her back. Maybe not. Either way, as soon as her lips touched his, she knew she had, indeed, fallen in love with him. As much as he irritated her, and as much paperwork as he caused, she loved him. But he didn't have to know just yet.

She pulled away and saw a flash of disappointment in Jane's eyes. "Would I do that if I had a boyfriend?" she asked him.

"You just did."

She rolled her eyes and kissed him again. Apparently, he didn't care if she did have a boyfriend or not, because, just like before, his lips were moving in sync with hers. He put his arms around her, too, holding her flush against him. Lisbon thought she heard him moan quietly, but she wasn't sure. She was too busy tangling her hands in his hair to pull him impossibly closer, deepening the kiss. Only when oxygen became necessary did they break the kiss.

Lisbon smirked at him. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"Did what?" Jane asked, a little breathless.

"Pretended to think I had a boyfriend."

"Oh, that? Yeah. I knew you didn't have a boyfriend. You wouldn't have one."

"I resent that," Lisbon said. "Okay, I'll bite: Why wouldn't I have a boyfriend?"

Jane smiled softly, putting his hand on her cheek. "Because you love me," he murmured. "And I love you."

Lisbon smiled and kissed him, letting all the stress of that night dissolve into nothingness. She was finally truly happy, and even though her home was in total disarray, now her life wasn't. She wasn't at all surprised anymore that it was Jane—Patrick Jane—who was making that possible. And she took comfort in the fact that she was helping him move on. He deserved a better life than what he had, and maybe she could take away at least a little of the pain. She knew that it would take awhile, but she wasn't going anywhere soon.

And wherever she went, she knew he would follow her.

A/N: Please please please review! Thank you!!