Author's Note: Hello, back again after a lengthy absence. Been busy lately with something called life. Anyway, so here's my new fic. Tell me what you think. :)

Chapter 1

Sacramento, California 1937

My name is Patrick Jane. I'm a private detective. That is, I'm in the employment of a private detective by the name of Virgil Minelli of Minelli & Wainwright Investigations. Wainwright was Virgil's old partner, but he got himself popped a few years back. Virg just never bothered to take the name down. Sentimentality I suppose.

I grew up in the carnival making my living as a fake psychic. They called me The Boy Wonder. I didn't like the carnie lifestyle and neither did the woman I fell in love with, Angela. We ran away together, got married . I continued my work as a fake psychic. Ang didn't like it, but I was good at it, and I got a thrill out of conning people, as twisted as that sounds.

We had a beautiful daughter; her name was Charlotte... was. She died, Charlotte and her mother. Actually they were murdered. By a serial killer named Red John. It was my fault. I won't go into details, but let's just say I wrote something I shouldn't have and he killed them to punish me. I hunted Red John for ten years and finally put him in the ground with the help of the California Bureau of Investigation. Sounds made up I know, but honestly, it does exist. It's like the Bureau of Investigation (now called the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI), but more conveniently located.

"Jane."

That's my partner, Lisbon. She's... yeah, that's right, Lisbon is a woman. Unusual sure, but it does come in handy sometimes. Anyways, Teresa (that's her first name), is pretty much my better half to be honest. I met her several years back when I was still working homicide with the CBI. We'd caught a case she was already investigating and instead of letting us take it over she fought for it. She wouldn't give it up just because we got called in. She was (still is), feisty. I liked that about her. Truthfully I don't think I made a very good first impression, but then I hardly ever do. Not if I'm being my honest-to-goodness self.

She got used to me eventually, I made sure of that. I kind of drove the poor girl nuts for a while, but she fascinated me. There aren't a lot of people that can hold my interest for any real length of time, but she sure did. So after I got Red John about two years ago I finagled a job out of Virgil and came to work for Minelli & Wainwright Investigations. The arrangement didn't sit well with Lisbon at first, however, in the end I won her over hook, line and sinker. Now we're practically best friends. Not exactly the place I wanted to be, but you know...

Oh, I'm not saying I don't want to be her friend, it's just, over the years I've got it into my head we should be more than that, but she's rebelling against the idea and I don't know why. Well, that's not quite true. I know why, sort of. I am kind of a complicated mess I guess, considering my past, but I'm definitely better than I used to be, thanks to her. And that's why I'm going to keep at it till I get her, because she's worth it. I love her like I never thought I'd love anyone again. And she doesn't want to admit it, but she loves me too. So I'll find a way to eventually convince her we're a 'match made in heaven' as they say.

"Jane."

Oh, she's irritated now. Lisbon hates repeating herself.

"Will you get the lead out and come on? Minelli wants us."

I wait a few moments just to raise her hackle a bit more.

A sudden kick is the punishment my poor old couch receives for my tardiness. Apparently I waited a few seconds too long.

I decide to play with her a bit as retribution for the harm done to my most beloved piece of furniture.

I stretch out languidly in my prone position and then blink up at her sleepily.

"Oh, hey Lisbon. What's up?"

"You know darn well what's up Jane. Now come on."

"Very well," I reply through a yawn.

Although she's used to this kind of behavior from me her ire is still stirred up when I, as she defines it, act like a spoiled brat.

For the most part she simply walks away when faced with my childish moods and this time is no different. She spins sharply on her heel and heads toward Minelli's office without me.

Sensing this is the right moment to switch off irritating five year old and turn on the charming, mature adult, I hop off the couch in a sprightly fashion and catch up with her before she can make it to Minelli's office door.

"This better not be about the Tolliver case, 'cause I'm not going to take any of the heat for that shemozzle."

She must be having a bad day. She's usually not this short with me. In fact, most of the time she's amused by my antics... Okay, not 'most of the time', but about twenty-five percent of it.

"Nah, he already nearly fired me for that one," I reassure her.

"Good."

"Lisbon really, how is it good that he nearly fired me?" I make myself sound offended.

"Why don't you grow up Jane?" she scolds as she knocks on Minelli's office door, a little harder than necessary. She really much be having a bad day. Perhaps I should ease off of the teasing for a while, but of course, my own advice never works on me.

"What fun would I be then Lisbon?"

She gives me a cold look.

Alright, that was the last jab for a little while... maybe.

A muffled "come in", sounds from inside the office and Lisbon opens the door.

The aging man behind the desk is doing paperwork. I pity him, personally I hate paperwork. Not that I actually do much of it. I prefer to leave it to Lisbon, and she doesn't really mind. She says when I do it I just make a shambles of it anyway.

"Hey Boss," Lisbon greets Virgil.

"Lisbon, Jane." he responds. "We have a case."

"An interesting one?" I query.

Lisbon rolls her eyes.

"How does that make any difference?"

"Well it may not to you Miss Dull'Grumpy, but it happens to mean a great deal to me," I reply with zest.

Out of the corner of my eye I catch Minelli shaking his head at us. He thinks I'm a pain in the... well, you know, and that I make Lisbon's life a misery. What he doesn't know is that she loves every minute of it. Without me her life would be as dull as an old shoe. In fact it was before I came along. I saved her from a life of boredom and yet, have I ever been thanked for it? Of course not. But I'm drifting off topic here.

"A high society broad by the name of Erica Flynn thinks her husband is cheating on her," Virgil interjects.

"How droll," I mumble, completely deflated. We haven't had a good case in weeks and, to me, it's beginning to show. As Agatha Christie's Poirot would put it, the 'little grey cells' are in constant need of exercise.

"Hush Jane, it's a job," Lisbon admonishes.

I huff softly, a little irritated with Lisbon for shushing me.

"She wants us to tail him," Minelli continues.

"High society means that if he is having an affair he's most likely meeting up with his mistress, or mistresses at social functions." Lisbon says. "High society social functions," she emphasizes. "We'll stick out like two women in a barber shop in that kind of setting."

"Expenses are paid for." Virgil explains. "You can buy whatever you'll need for a night on the town in Snob City and it'll be covered."

"Shopping?"

Lisbon's voice and face show her distaste of this prospect. I, however, am tickled pink. Maybe this won't be as tedious as I had previously thought.

"Wonderful Lisbon, we can go together," I announce joyously.

"You're pulling my leg," she says, unbelieving of my sincerity.

"No pulling," I reply. "Shopping for clothing together is essential. High society couples color coordinate."

"Couples?" she questions.

"Of course, how do you expect us to be able to incorporate ourselves into the upper class to spy on Mrs. Flynn's husband if we're too busy fending off admirers?"

"Excuse me?"

"Don't kid yourself Lisbon. It's a lion's den in Big Wig Town. Anyone who is attractive and available is promptly trounced."

"I think you're overestimating your physical appeal Jane."

"How do you know I wasn't referring to you, dear?"

She colors very slightly and it's such a light blush I barely catch it before it fades.

"Masquerading as a married couple will give us the advantage of going almost completely unnoticed by the locals."

"Yeah right," Lisbon growls. "You just want the satisfaction of forcing me to try on uncomfortable clothing."

"Couldn't be the furthest thing from my mind," I lie.

"Fine," she gives in none too happily. "We'll go shopping together."

"Excellent."

I rub my hands in glee. This is going to be so much fun.

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