Authors: This was written as a Christmas present for Eve 215. I know, it's January, but it's the thought that counts, right? Anyway. Major spoilers for "Price above Rubies". This was intended to be a one shot, but, if I get enough requests I ma be able to be persuaded to make it longer. Oh, and thanks to lgmtreader for the beta.
Disclaimer: So not mine, because, you know, I'm not a big fan of Rigsby/Van Pelt, and they seem determined to go on with it in the show.
She didn't know why she kept putting up with him. He said he loved her, but since they'd been sleeping together he hadn't done much more than take her home and sleep with her. They rarely went out, too much chance of someone seeing them. And when they did, he was distant. Sure, Jane knew about their relationship, but Jane didn't care a lick about the rules. That much was evident by his little stunt with the diamond earlier.
She'd been thrilled with the thought that Wayne would do something that sweet for her. That he would have found the diamond and slipped it to her, even if she knew she couldn't keep it. But he didn't even play along with Jane, he'd just denied it outright. She'd never wanted a rock that big, but it was the thought… and Wayne had just killed it.
She wasn't the type to sleep with a guy before she'd had a real date. Or even on the first date, but with Wayne it had been like… They'd been working together for over a year at that point and it felt like they'd known each other, so when he'd told her in that basement walkway that he loved her, this time not high or under hypnosis, she had felt like it was finally happening. Then she pulled him into that room at work and kissed him senseless… and the rest was history.
But now, she wondered if she had given herself to Wayne to soon. Maybe she should have made him work for it a bit longer before she'd given him, well, everything. She hated feeling unsure about herself. She really did. And this whole relationship with Wayne was leaving her feeling very insecure indeed.
She'd stayed late at work today, a sad attempt to avoid Wayne. She knew if it was too late he didn't want to come over. He was NOT a night person and did much better when he got to bed before 11:00 at night. She looked down at the clock on her computer and noticed it was after 10:00, she was safe; no having to deal with sex with Wayne tonight. Not that it wasn't fun and exciting, but, sometimes she just wanted to go out.
"Avoiding Rigsby? What'd he do to end up in the dog house?" Grace jumped, startled. She hadn't realized that Jane was still here.
"No, I'm not avoiding him; I just had work to do still." She said, feeling color rising to her cheeks at being caught.
"You, my dear, are almost as bad at lying as Lisbon is." Jane said sitting on the edge of her desk, closer than he needed.
"Is that some sort of backhanded compliment?"
"No, just pointing out that you're lying. It wasn't the diamond, was it? I'd hate to think that I was responsible for a fight between the two of you."
Really? "I'm not stupid Jane. I know you know that we're together. I don't know what you're trying to do, always messing with us, but I'd really like you to stop." She didn't know why she'd snapped at him, maybe she was taking her frustration at Wayne out on Jane, but she didn't care. Jane deserved it.
"Is that a hint of animosity I hear in your voice?"
"Animosity? No Jane, not animosity, maybe a slight bit of dislike for your methods. But never animosity."
"Was that a joke?" Jane asked; a grin on his face.
Grace sighed. "I'm sorry Jane, I'm just… frustrated."
"I could tell." The look on his face was the same one he used on all of the witnesses that the team needed to open up. The look he used with weeping widows and scared children. The look that caused everyone to open up and spill all of their secrets; and though she knew that look, knew that it was dangerous, she still found herself opening up.
"He doesn't want to tell anyone about our relationship. He knows you already know; I bet Lisbon suspects, though she wouldn't say anything unless it started to interfere with our jobs, but he doesn't want to tell anyone, not even our parents. 'What if they tell someone,' he says. But you know, I don't think I care anymore. I'm just fed up."
Jane had pulled a chair up to her and was now sitting in front of her, leaning forward slightly, hands clasped in his lap, giving all the appearance of being a friend concerned and listening. "I can understand how that would be frustrating. You just want to be able to show him off as your boyfriend and he just wants to keep it a secret, like it's something to be ashamed of."
"Exactly. I don't even know why I bother." She sat back in her chair, clearly aggravated with the whole situation.
"Have you talked to him about it?"
"I've tried, but he always says that it's not the right time. I want to know when the right time is going to be. He won't talk about it when we're at work, but when we're not at work he's only got one thing on his mind."
"Well, can you blame him?" Jane asked placing a hand on her knee. "You are rather attractive. If we'd met under different circumstances I might well be in his position right now."
"What?" He couldn't mean that he found her attractive, could he?
"Grace, you are a beautiful, strong woman. There is no reason that you have to be with a man who only uses you for sex and refuses to share the joy that is being in a relationship with you with the rest of the world. If it were me I'd be shouting it from the rooftops, damn the consequences."
She didn't know what to say and was just opening her mouth to speak when Jane leaned forward and placed his lips over hers, effectively silencing any comment she might have been able to come up with. Shocked as she was, she didn't push away at first, actually responding to his soft and un-pressured kiss before realizing what was happening and pushing him away.
"Just think about it Grace, that's all I'm saying. He should really be willing to give anything for you." Jane said as he got up and quickly left, almost as if fleeing, though Grace knew he'd never really do that.
For her part she just sat there staring into space, trying to wrap her mind around what had just happened. She'd been kissed by Patrick Jane, and, despite the fact that she knew it should bother her, she was surprisingly ok with it.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled it out to see a text message from Wayne.
Done with work?
She glared at the message; it was late, almost later than his usual bed time. What type of grown man had a bed time anyway? And she wondered what was up. Sighing, she responded back, almost without thinking, Jane's words and actions still fresh in her mind:
We need to talk
She grabbed her coat and headed out of the building, whether he wanted it or not, talking was what was going to happen tonight… ONLY talking. And if he couldn't handle that, then there was really no point in going on, was there?