Authors Note: Another written for the mentalistprompt community's prompt fic meme on LJ. This time the prompt is: fear of flying.
Thank you to FreekyDisaster18, Jisbon4ever, Viktorija, Iloveplotbunnies, tromana and Lisbon94 for the review on either/both of Substitutes and Keep to Your Strengths.
Disclaimer: Don't own the prompt or the characters.
Lisbon was at the head of the bullpen table with the rest of the team sitting in front of her. She had just been informed that her unit were invited to go to the FBI headquarters in Washington D.C. to "discuss tactics" which really meant they wanted to know about Jane.
"Lisbon, dear, why do I need to go? I'm not a real part of the team, I am only a consultant?"
"I don't know. You think I want to spend a journey back and forth with you? But Hightower says we are all going, even when I brought up the fact of you not being an actual member she told me to stop being so pedantic."
None of the others seemed to be much bothered about the upcoming trip but Jane still had more questions. "Does that mean we'll be flying there in an aeroplane?"
"No Jane, we're taking a road trip around all fifty states. Of course we're flying!"
"Do I really have to go then?"
Her eyebrows automatically scrunched together, "Oh don't tell me you're scared of planes."
"Just a teeny tiny little bit. Nothing to worry about."
"Oh great so not only do we have to go up to Washington with you but now you're going to irritate us with an irrational fear."
"Irrational? Plummeting through the air is your definition of irrational?" Lisbon just breathed out a deep sigh and turned away, going to seek solace in her office, knowing that the plane ride was going to be one of the less entertaining events to happen in her life.
"Jane, didn't you bring a book or something to play with?" Lisbon looked to the man in the aisle seat next to her, it had only been seven and a half minutes and already she was annoyed by his silent worrying.
"Yes."
"Well why don't you get it out?" She felt like she was his mother or something; telling him what to do and simply sounding like one.
He shook his head gently from side to side without looking at her, "Don't want to."
"And here was me thinking you couldn't get any more amusing, your short answers are making all of my fears go away."
He tilted his head and looked at her, "You know, maybe if you told me what your fears are then I might calm down."
Lisbon couldn't believe that she had managed to walk straight into this, "Jane, we're not getting into this."
But by then he was too intrigued, his eyes had that mischievous glint in his eyes and a smile starting to play on his lips.
"Go and ask Rigsby or Van Pelt about theirs, ask Cho if you must, theirs will be more interesting than me I can promise you."
"But Lisbon, I asked you; I want to know about what you are scared of." Jane's pleading lasted another ten minutes before she finally gave in, "Okay then, I'm scared of stray dogs."
"Oh come on Lisbon, everyone is scared of rabies-infected strays, tell me something more personal to you. I promise I'll then get a book out, stop thinking about the plane suddenly losing control and begin to hurtle through the sky, and be quiet until it lands."
She bit the inside of her cheek, trying to think up something she could say, it would be no use lying because he would see right through it, but all her true fears were rooted in her past and those were never welcomed memories. "I'm terrified in case I become dependant on something which will eventually destroy me or the people close to me." Jane could guess she was referring to her father's drink problems and all he now wanted to do whilst sitting on this plane was tell her she would never end up like that and that she was better than what she had grown up like. By this point he had more or less forgotten they were currently sitting in the vehicle he was most afraid of in favour of simply looking at the brunette agent to his right hand side whilst she started begging him to get his book out again.
When they finally reached D.C. Lisbon was close to commiting a very serious crime thanks to the fact Jane had never got anything out of his hand luggage to play with and had sat staring at her and asking her even more questions about her fears or just her life in general. They were now on solid ground, heading to the car that would transport them over to the FBI headquarters.
Lisbon turned to Jane with a raise of her eyebrow, "So did you really feel scared on that aeroplane?"
"Yes, I was terrified but some how hearing about another person's deep-setted fears made me feel less anxious and your pleading green eyes are always more amusing than what is actually going through my head."
"Do you think it will be possible to rent a couple of caars to drive back there, I really don't think I will cope with a return journey if you're sitting next to me?"
"I could always sit by myself or next to Cho."
"I am never allowing you to sit by yourself in case of all the problems that would arise by you being left alone with any one of your thoughts and Cho really would put you in physical pain in he had to deal with you."
"So I guess that settles it, sitting next to each other on the way back. It's a date." He said before turning away to tease Van Pelt and Rigsby about how close they had been on the plane.
Lisbon muttered to his back, "Patrick Jane, if you say we have a date one more time I will seriously kill you."
"No you won't. You will eventually agree to going on one with me." Lisbon rolled her eyes and shook her head. A plane ride was enough time with him, dating him would be far too much to put up with. Well for now she couldn't think about that, for now it was enough to work with him. His hatred for Red John was still there somewhere but it had been almost a decade since he had had his family ruined because of teh killer, and he was finally beginning to see there was the possibility of moving on with his life. But she would wait a little longer, she didn't think she was ready herself yet.