A/N: A completely random oneshot inspired by the snow falling outside my window. Hope you like it.

A moment in time

It was past midnight, the night silent and dark, the sky covered with heavy clouds with the promise of snow. Lisbon stood still next to the window in the corridor, just staring outside.

They had just solved a case, which had brought them here, in the capital of middle of nowhere just after Christmas. They had luckily been quick in closing the case, but it had been late therefore they decided to stay in this small bed and breakfast, which felt like they were guests in somebody's home, which they in all purposes were. That's why it was dark in this little narrow corridor and Lisbon was able to see so clearly what was going on it the dark of the night.

She had only just recovered from the loneliness and grief of Christmas, her armour still battered in places and the cracks still visible. This time of the year was always hard on her as her mother had died on Christmas Eve. And it wasn't like she had people to celebrate the holidays with anyway. Usually she had time until the New Year to reconstruct her defences, to mortar herself into her shell a little bit deeper, but this year her team had been on call and of course they had landed with a case.

Lisbon had been worried about Jane as the man knew no boundaries and she wouldn't be able to hide from him if he started prodding and poking so she had taken to avoiding him and made sure that she was always paired with Cho. Now that the case was over, she revelled in the moment of privacy, at the same time longing for her mother's arms, longing for someone to hold her, to shelter her and make her feel safe.

In the darkness of the night she felt safe in admitting to herself that she desperately missed her mother. She was slowly lost in all the memories of their time together. She didn't notice the trail of tears on her cheek, neither did she hear the soft padding of bare feet behind her.

XXX

Jane had noticed the change in Lisbon's demeanour and the way she seemed to be sinking into herself, although to his eyes she was still leaking visible signs of distress. When it became evident that she didn't want him near her Jane had decided for once, to play along while at the same time keeping a close eye on her from afar. Waiting for the right time to offer a shoulder of a friend as he knew about her mother and what this time of the year meant for Lisbon. Not to speak of the fact that he knew for sure that she had been alone for the whole of Christmas.

So when he had heard her stepping out of her room, he couldn't leave her alone. This strong, stubborn, amazing woman needed to know that she could trust him and to lean on him when she needed. That it wasn't a weakness to need someone, that she deserved someone to take care of her. Jane acknowledged that he wasn't the best person to talk about leaning on other people, but he didn't want her to become like him.

Jane got out of the bed dressed in a long sleeved t-shirt and pyjama pants. Although he was a chronic insomniac and slept even less in an unfamiliar place, he had packed warm night clothes for this trip as he preferred to be warm and sleepless to a frozen insomniac.

He stepped into the dark corridor and saw Lisbon's silhouette at the window, deep in thought. He padded closer and frowned when it was clear that Lisbon wasn't aware of his presence. Jane came to stand behind her, studying her standing shoulders hunched, leaning against the window frame in her sensible pyjamas. Her eyes were turned inwards to another time and place and he could see the track of tears on her cheek. Jane felt an unfamiliar tug on his heart at the sight of her.

He gently brushed Lisbon's dark hair away from her face, tucking the strands behind her ear. Lisbon startled at the gesture, but instead of pulling away, she looked down at her feet letting her hair to fall forwards hiding her face.

"Please, Jane…", she whispered with a raw voice, still scratchy from crying.

Jane wasn't sure whether she was pleading him to go or to stay, but his body had taken reins into its own hands and he stepped even closer, enveloping Lisbon gently in his arm. He was rubbing her back in slow, small circles with his left hand while his right was stroking her hair. Lisbon had stiffened under his touch, but didn't pull away.

"Teresa… Please, let me be there for you. Let me lend you the strength and comfort when you need it. Please…", Jane whispered to her hair while holding her close to him. To his relief Lisbon relaxed and raised her arms to circle them around his waist and lowered her head on his chest, tucking her head under his chin.

Jane continued quietly with the soothing motion while following the now falling snow flakes in the window, blanketing the hills and forests. Lisbon started shivering and burrowed deeper into Jane's chest, but when Jane peeked at her face, she was almost half asleep, exhausted by her emotions and finally trusting someone to shelter her, to catch her when she fell. She looked like a sad, lost child.

Jane wasn't physically a strong man, but Lisbon was tiny and she was clearly exhausted and her whole being cried out for someone to take care of her and to shelter her, therefore Jane found himself doing something he had never done before. He bent down to put his hands behind Lisbon's knees and gently lifted her up. He steadied his hold on her, which made her snuggle closer to his chest.

Jane smiled sadly to himself, this was probably the only time that Lisbon would ever give away the control, to bare her raw emotions to him without being self conscious, thus he was steadfast in his promise to himself that he would do everything in his power to be there for her tonight as tomorrow would see the return of Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon and he wouldn't be able to reach her like he could now and he couldn't bear the thought of leaving her bruised and crying under all that armour she carried.

Once in his room, Jane slowly lowered Lisbon on his bed to find her dark, bare eyes watching him sleepily.

"Sleep, Teresa. I will watch over you", Jane hushed her while gently stroking her hair causing her to close her eyes. He lied down next to her and pulled the duvet up to cover them both. After a brief hesitation, he drew her gently to him giving her time to protest, but Lisbon came willingly curling next to Jane, who protectively held her close.

While Lisbon slept, Jane kept watch over her and whenever she became unsettled or was gripped by a nightmare, he calmed her down and lulled her back to sleep. The snow outside was dampening all the sound and in the quietness only the slow breathing of two people was heard. Tonight was theirs, the moment here and now. Tomorrow would come soon enough.