A/N: Alright, so I'm injured right now... I hurt my leg, I'm not allowed to walk on it, or stand on it, or do anything on it, so, that means I have more time to write stories =). But I also decided to make this story, just to make someone suffer with me =). I know, it's very mean of me, but yeah... =)
Disclaimer: If I owned The Mentalist, I would've made the time go faster. Another five days till the first episode of season 4! Can't wait! But no... I don't own The Mentalist... What a pity...
Lisbon hopped into the bullpen, still struggling to stand up. She hated crutches. The last time she needed to use them, she spanked her ankle. She needed to look after Hightower's kids. They were nice, yes, but taking care of two hyper-active children and walking with crutches was anything but a good combination. She just hoped she wouldn't be busy today, she didn't liked being helpless.
"Lisbon? What happened?" Jane asked, but Lisbon saw a subtle smile on his face.
"Get that smile off of your face, or I'll hit it out of you." Lisbon hissed, and walked straight to her office. Jane got out of his couch, and followed Lisbon.
"No, seriously, what happened?" Jane asked, this time with a slight sense of worry in his voice. Lisbon frowned. Jane, being worried?
She looked over her shoulder, looked at Jane, but continued her way to her office.
"Hey boss! Whoa... What happened?" Van Pelt came walking out of the canteen. Lisbon sighed. That was exactly the reason she didn't called anybody. She just didn't liked being helpless. Van Pelt frowned at Lisbon, but then walked away. That was probably the best reaction. Now she just hoped Jane would go away.
"Let me help you." Jane said, and wanted to grab Lisbon's arm, when Lisbon shot a killing gaze at him, and he immediately drew back his arm, and threw them in the air.
"Sorry, Miss Naggy, for being nice!" He chuckled, and walked into Lisbon's office. Lisbon wanted to open her mouth, wanted to tell that pain in the ass to go away, and add a swipe with one of her crutches, but he already took place on her couch. She sighed. How could one man be so annoying?
She hopped behind her desk, with a lot of trouble. She sat down on her chair, and looked up. Jane was watching her, still with a smile.
"Jane, will you-"
"Yeah yeah, I know, get this smile off of my face, or you'll hit it off, I know the deal." Jane sighed, and threw up his hands again. Lisbon frowned, but logged in on her computer to finish some paperwork. She looked up again. He was still watching her.
"Jane, what the hell is wrong with you?" Lisbon exclaimed. Jane chuckled.
"Sorry, I'm not used to seeing you injured." Jane coughed, and removed his gaze from Lisbon. He knew she didn't liked someone watching her. Especially not Jane. But he couldn't resist.
"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Jane asked. Lisbon sighed, and dropped her pen.
"No, Jane, I do- Well, I can need some water, ac-"
"Okay, water it is!" Jane exclaimed, and jumped out of the chair. Lisbon couldn't stop a small smile. He was pain in the ass, but a cute pain in the ass. That kind of pain that goes away with time. The one you actually like, in a weird kind of way.
"Here it is!" Jane got back, in a record time, with a glass of water. He put it on her desk, and dived into Lisbon's couch again. Lisbon looked at him. She was really worried. A caring Jane was scary. It was hard to say, but she preferred the 'hunch' Jane, the Jane that always did what he wanted, never listened to orders from her, or from Hightower.
"Jane, what did you do?"
"Nothing, my dear Lisbon, nothing to worry about." Jane smiled.
"No, really, why are you so nice?" Lisbon asked, almost losing it.
"Alright... If you want to know... I care about you, Teresa-"
"Lisbon."Lisbon immediately interrupted Jane. She had very less rules, but this was the most important one: Never call your co-workers by their first names, it's not professional.
"Yeah, whatever. What I'm trying to say is: you must let me help you." Jane sighed. Lisbon frowned.
"Is that it? No background story on how you once felt when your precious dog was hurt, no long, good talk about how we co-workers have to look after each other, 'cause trust is the most important thing in this kind of relation? Nothing? That's it?"
"Yeah, pretty much. Lisbon, I do care about you, maybe I even care too much about you." Jane said, while turning on the couch to face her.
"Jane, you know what I-"
"Yes! Yes, Lisbon, I know that, but let me help you first!" Jane exclaimed, and jumped up. Lisbon shook her head.
"I'm fine, Jane, I'm perfectly fine. Now, go focus on your work, or whatever it is that you do in that couch of yours, just don't bother me, okay?" Lisbon said, and waved her hand to Jane, pointing out he had to leave. He pouted.
"Don't be so immature, Jane, we're not kids anymore." Lisbon called after Jane, who opened the door and left her office. Lisbon sighed. As much as she wanted Jane to help her with everything, she just couldn't let him. It was not professional, they were co-workers. And thought helping isn't quite romantic, knowing Jane, it could turn into something romantic. She couldn't let that happen.
Jane took place on his couch. But he didn't lay down. He looked over at Lisbon's office. Why wouldn't she let him take care of her? He knew how much she hated crutches, with the last time she had to use them in mind. There had to be another reason...
"Um, Boss, we can't find Jane... We saw him in his couch ten minutes ago, but he seems to be missing since then." Lisbon looked up. Van Pelt was in her office, followed by Rigsby, and they looked concerned. Lisbon shook her head.
"I'm sure he will show up eventually. Don't worry!" Lisbon said, trying to comfort them. She knew how much her team cared about Jane, even though they could kill him sometimes. She cared about him as well, maybe it went beyond caring for him.
"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Rigsby asked, and Lisbon sighed again.
"No, I'm fine, thanks. How late is it?" Van Pelt and Rigsby looked at each other.
"Well, fine, go home!" Lisbon smiled, and Rigsby and Van Pelt nodded in excitement.
"Thank you boss! Take care!" Van Pelt exclaimed, and ran out of Lisbon's office. Even though Van Pelt and Rigsby broke up, they were still kind of best friends, so Lisbon gathered they were going for a drink or something. She grabbed her crutches, and walked out of her office. Well, walk, she almost fell out of her office.
"Cho? Cho, are you there?" Lisbon exclaimed, and within less than two seconds, Cho was standing beside her. He had to teach her how he did that. He must be a ninja in his free time or something.
"Cho, have you seen Jane?" Cho shook his head.
"No Boss."
"Okay, thank you. You can go home if you want?" Lisbon insisted. He nodded.
"Thanks Boss.", and Cho walked back into the bullpen again. Lisbon smiled. How could you ever be so short off?
She walked to the elevator, determined to go home and have a nice cup of tea. She was tired, all that hopping around on those crutches was more intensive then she thought.
Lisbon arrived at her apartment, and got her keys out of her bag. That was strange: The lights were on. She was sure she put them down this morning.
She opened the door, carefully walking inside. There was nothing, no one that could've come into her house and turn the lights on. She immediately dropped one crutch and drew her gun: You could never be too careful. She continued her way through the house. Arriving in the kitchen, the lights were off. Lisbon looked around-
"Hi Lisbon!" Lisbon looked around, weapon drawn.
"Jesus Christ, Jane, you scared the hell out of me!" Lisbon exclaimed, and threw her weapon to Jane. Jane smiled. He was laying on her couch, arms and legs crossed. She was going to kill him with her crutches. Jane got up, and sat in one corner of the couch.
"What are you doing here?" Lisbon hissed, and fell down in the couch, next to Jane.
"Just watching after you."Jane said. "Lovely home, by the way, I've never had the chance to really look at it. Really Lisbon-like."
"Jane, get out of here, I never asked for you to take care of me!" Lisbon hissed.
"Lisbon, let me ask you something: Why is it so difficult for you to let people help you?" Jane asked, not looking straight at her. Lisbon's eyes widened.
"It's none of your business!" Lisbon exclaimed, and slapped Jane on his arm.
"Ouch!" Jane said, and rubbed his arm. "No need for that! But seriously, why won't you let people take care of you?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Curious."
"Oh yeah? Since when are you curious about me?"
"Since I began to love you."
"WHAT?" Lisbon gasped, and turned to her side to look at Jane. He smiled. He was happy it was finally said.
"You do what?" Lisbon replied.
"I love you, Teresa Lisbon." Jane said, and grabbed her hands. Lisbon's jaws almost hit the ground. This was not what she expected him to say. She figured he wouldn't love anybody after what happened to Angela and Charlotte. Not that she minded, though.
"Come again?" Lisbon said, still confused.
"I love you." Jane said, really slow. And slowly, a smile appeared on Lisbon's face. It made Jane smile as well.
"You do?"
"Tsk... Lisbon, Lisbon, since when did you become so unsure about yourself?" Jane said, dryly, and shook his head, smiling.
"I didn't, I'm just... stunned. Confused. I didn't saw this coming." Lisbon said, still smiling.
"Well, if you're still not sure I do in fact love you, here's some prove that can help you." Jane said, and leaned forward, connecting their lips. To her surprise, Lisbon wasn't surprised. She liked it. This was what she wanted, even thought she denied it. She couldn't lie to herself, not for so long, not for those seven years.
Jane felt Lisbon smiling beneath his lips. He smiled as well. This was what he wanted, and he didn't made it a big secret. He couldn't lie to Lisbon, not for so long, not for those seven years.
A/N: Maybe I'll make a few chapters after this, but I need you to tell me, 'cause I don't really know =).
Hey, you, look down. Yeah, down, beneath this line... You see that 'Review this story' button? It's pretty lonely, you know... Maybe you can click it, it will make him happier =).