Title: Kryptonite
Summary: Five Times Lisbon Saves Someone and One Time She Needs Saving
Prompt: Superman, Saving the World
Notes: Written for the Mentalist_BB Community on LJ which is run by the amazing and talented Tromana. Special thanks to my artists Lilsmiles and Agent_Era for the artwork they will be providing! I know it will be amazing! Visit the community to see it! I'll post links when I get them :)
This story is unbeta'ed and is a little rough at places because I haven't written in forever. I'm planning to start working on my crossovers and one day finish Evergreen before starting anything else new. I also haven't seen any of the current season so this may not be canon. Each section is a separate story, but there is some continuity among them. I really enjoyed writing them! They ended up getting a little fluffier than I meant too...hahahah! I've really missed writing Jane and Lisbon it seems!
I.
"I can't stand to fly-I'm not that naïve
I'm just out to find the better part of me/
It may sound absurd, but don't be naïve
Even heroes have the right to bleed/
Up, up and away, away from me
Well, it's alright, you can all sleep sound tonight."
-'Superman', Five For Fighting
"Bread, milk, peanut butter, and tooth paste."
"Bread, milk, peanut butter, and tooth paste."
Teresa Lisbon determined not to forget what she needed repeated the shopping list like a mantra. She had finished the last of her bread three days ago, and cereal every night was getting quite mundane especially now that she was out of milk. She exhaled heavily. It was past ten and had been a dreadfully long day. Her fingers clenched the steering wheel and she took one hand off the wheel and painfully flexed it. Normal people were tucked inside their homes getting ready for bed which left the street depressingly empty. She'd been working longer hours now that Jane wasn't there to force her to go home at a decent time. She never realized how much she had come to depend on his nightly alarm. Without his annoying presence, the hours passed more quickly in the evenings despite her promises to the team that she'd follow behind them shortly. She'd deny it if anyone asked, but the past two weeks she had found herself still at her desk after midnight seven out of ten work days.
She rubbed her eyes tiredly.
Jane.
He was a whole different problem. It had been months since he had walked into the elevator and out of her life, and she told herself that she was just fine with that. She always knew he wouldn't be a permanent attachment to her team- he had made that abundantly clear since his first disruptive day. In fact, she was better off without his scheming ways. Just because she didn't want to talk about him or had refused to have his couch moved out of the bullpen didn't mean she cared. Nope, she told herself. She didn't care one bit about that unruly, insulting, and conniving man that had almost wrecked her painstakingly built career. Her throat tightened, and she pushed back the sudden swell of emotion that threatened to break free whenever she thought of Patrick Jane.
It was much easier to hate the man than accept the fact he was one more person to walk out on her without a word.
She was surprised at how much his actions had upset her. She had learned long ago that nobody stuck around. People left. People didn't care. And she was okay with that. She remained aloof, and being the boss gave her a reason to keep everyone at arm's length. She had friends. There was Nina in the condo next door that took care of her house when a case got rough. She had stopped by Nina's son's tenth birthday party just last week. There were a several girls from school she kept in touch with, and her old co-workers back in San Francisco. Contrary to CBI belief, she wasn't a social pariah doomed to become a crazy cat lady and lock herself in her house. She snorted. She just didn't feel the need to share her personal life with her co-workers. There was nothing wrong with a little bit of privacy.
Jane could go fuck himself.
Flipping on her blinker, she pulled into the parking lot of the store and tried to clear the man from her thoughts. The little corner mart near was on her way home from the office, and they were open twenty four hours. She was positive she was Mr. Lashmi's best customer after all her late night shopping trips after work. He was a nice man and had owned the store for the past thirty years. He always inquired about her cases, and he made a mean strawberry smoothie. She made a note to ask if his youngest child had recovered from the flu yet. She parked at the side of the building in her normal out of the way spot and slid out of her SUV. She reached back in to grab her wallet before shutting the door.
"Bread, milk, tooth paste..." she started. "Shit…what else was it? Peanut butter!"
Turning the corner towards the front door, she suddenly froze. She could see the faint outline of Mr. Lashmi holding his hands up with a slight tremble. Ducking down, she crept back to her car and grabbed her phone out of the cup holder. She quickly dialed in an 'officer needing assistance' call with one hand while she reached down to take the safety off her gun with the other. She drew her weapon and kept in by her side. Keeping low, she sidled towards the back of the store where she saw a tan sedan with the driver door open. No one else appeared to be around. She noted the license plate and headed back to the front of the building. She was almost at the front door when her blood ran cold.
From this angle, she could see two young children clinging to their father just beside the gunman. The two girls appeared to be around the ages of five and seven, although she was no expert. The younger girl clutched a bag of chocolate while the older one clung to the glass bottle of a chocolate Yoo-hoo drink. Their father was crouched down beside them, drawing them both into his grasp and trying to shield them from the events happening in the store. Now that she was closer, she could hear the raised voices as the robber demanded more money than she knew Mr. Lashmi kept on site. She had given him pointers to prevent such a robbery long ago, but the well-lit store and visible security cameras did little to detract this man. He waved the gun around, and the dead look in his eyes alerted her to the fact that this could get very bad very quickly.
She decided on a direct approach.
"Hey Mr. Lashmi! How are you tonight?" she called loudly as she threw the door open.
Surprised by her arrival, the gunman swung towards her firing off two shots. The father used the distraction to pull his daughters back farther while they started to scream. Mr. Lashmi clutched his arm and ducked behind the counter, and no doubt reaching for the pistol she knew he kept under the register. Not that he needed it now. In less than a second, she raised her Glock and fired hitting the armed robber directly between the eyes. He slumped to the floor with a crash. Breathing heavily, it took her a few seconds to realize she had even been hit. Shrugging out of her blazer, she covered the dead man's face and pressed a hand to her side. It was a glancing blow- enough of a pain to bleed heavily, but wouldn't require more than a bandage and some painkillers to fix it up. Besides, the girls didn't need to stare death in the face at their age.
"My name is Teresa Lisbon, and I'm a state agent. Are you all right?" she asked the man holding his children.
He looked at her blankly, holding tightly onto the youngest girl who was sobbing loudly. The chocolate was scattered around the floor, but the child didn't seem to even notice she'd lost her grip on her treat. After a moment, the man nodded and let out a shuddered breath.
"Is he dead?" the older girl asked with wide eyes.
Lisbon stared at the serious expression on her tiny features as the child clutched her drink tightly in both hands. She crouched down and looked the girl in the eye.
"Yes," she answered. "You're a really brave girl. Do you think you can look after your dad and your sister for me?"
Blonde pigtails bounced as the girl nodded. Lisbon smiled softly.
"Hold on tight to them, okay?"
Grimacing, Lisbon got to her feet and looked around. She could feel the blood pool between her fingers, and hoped the responders would arrive soon.
"Mr. Lashmi?" she called.
"Teresa?" a shaky voice asked.
Walking to the side of the counter, she spotted Mr. Lashmi leaning against the wall. His face was pale and drawn and he was bleeding heavily from his shoulder. She hurried to his side, and knelt down beside him. Ignoring her own wound, she pressed both hands to the man's shoulder to stem the bleeding.
"He demanded so much money," the Indian man rambled. "I didn't know what to do. Those children were right there. I just kept hoping you'd come in tonight."
"Shhhh," she shushed. "You're going to be fine. They'll stitch you up and you'll be good as new in less than a week."
She could hear the sound of sirens in the distance. She wasn't sure how much time had passed when the doors were flung open and the building was full of paramedics and officers. Mr. Lashmi was loaded onto a stretcher and shot her a tense smile as he disappeared into a waiting ambulance. The body had been removed, and the police quickly took the statement of the father. She leaned against the counter, her eyes closed, when a voice startled her.
"Ma'am, you're injured. Let us take a look at you."
She feebly protested, but didn't pull away when they lead her outside. She refused to go to the hospital, and insisted they could treat her right there in the parking lot. Masking a flash of pain, she remained quiet while they disinfected the graze and bandaged it tightly. She pulled her shirt down, and looked around the parking lot, half expecting to see Jane racing into the parking lot. Swallowing the hard lump that formed in her throat, she started to clean her hands with alcohol wipes and brushed off the concerned paramedic. She tiredly gave her statement and turned over her gun for processing before gingerly sliding into her car- eager to get home and into bed.
The next morning dawned too soon, and she stiffly stretched when her alarm chirped. A flash of sadness crossed her mind when she thought of the bear claw and coffee that Jane would have left on her desk to make her feel better if he had still been there. Her mood soured, and she rolled back over, deciding she deserved an extra hour of sleep. When she eventually arrived at the office, her team looked up in concern. She was never late without letting them know why. She graced them with a tired smile before heading to her office. Cho's voice stopped her before she could leave the bullpen.
"You alright, boss?" Cho questioned.
"Got shot," she answered flippantly.
They instantly leapt from their desks, voices pooling in unison. She dismissed them with a wave of her hand.
"I'm fine- it was just a graze. There was a robbery at the corner store last night. Suspect's dead."
She left it at that and disappeared into her office without another word. From her chair, she could see them exchange glances as they continued to talk in hushed voices. Ignoring them and thankful for the quiet morning, she proceeded to catch up on paperwork. A knock at her door sounded, and she looked up to see Van Pelt standing in the doorway clutching a cup and a bag. A quick look at her computer told her she had been sitting for at least two hours.
"Come on in, Van Pelt," Lisbon murmured.
The redhead entered nervously and set the cup down as if it would burn her. Lisbon lifted her eyebrow quizzically.
"Normally, I know-," she paused. "Well, I brought you coffee and a bear claw, boss. I hope you feel better."
Lisbon's eyes widened in surprise. Van Pelt set the small bakery bag beside the cup, and quickly left without waiting to see her boss' reaction. Inclining her head thoughtfully, Lisbon took a sip of the steaming beverage and smiled.
The bear claw was gone within the hour.
II.
"Did you see the news today?
They say the danger's gone away
But I can see the fires alight
Burning there into the night
Superman where are you now?
When everything's gone wrong somehow."
-'Land of Confusion', Genesis
~*~*~*~*~*~
Grace Van Pelt nervously adjusted her shirt and blazer after getting out of the car. It was her first day at the CBI, and she wanted everything to be perfect. The outfit was the hardest part. She wanted to be professional, but not too masculine. And functional enough in case they had to go out into the field. She'd eventually decided on a pair of black slacks with a fitted lavender t-shirt that had a small ruffle around the collar. Her flared gray blazer tied it all together, and she had tied her hair back in a sensible braid. The final touch was a pair of diamond studs that had once belonged to her mother. She felt a surge of confidence. Apparently her boss was a woman, but she had yet to meet the infamous Teresa Lisbon of SCU. Virgil Minelli had handled all of her paperwork and interviews, and she was feeling positive. Surely her boss would accept her immediately as another woman in a male dominated field.
Swallowing, she fought to contain the butterflies in her stomach when she neared the building. Her heeled leather boots clacked against the pavement, and she enjoyed the additional height they gave her. She thanked the security guard who kindly held the door for her despite his lingering glance. Letting out a slow, soft breath she waited for the elevator and tried to ignore the stares of the other agents who crowded in beside her. She kept a polite smile on her lips and continued to stare straight ahead wondering if she should reapply her lipstick before meeting her new boss. As everyone piled out, she quickly pulled a tube of peppermint lip gloss from her pocket and brushed it across her lips.
Perfect.
Slipping out at the second floor, she took a moment to look around and get her bearings. Steeling her nerves, she walked towards the bullpen that Minelli had pointed out to her when she had flown out for the interview. She paused at the empty cluster of desks, and gave a thoughtful glance to the couch against the wall. The sound of footsteps approaching made her turn with a ready smile. The tall man in front of her fumbled for an introduction with a perplexed expression and offered her a cup of coffee. Grace thought it was sweet.
"Can you tell me where I can find Agent Lisbon?" she asked.
"Uh, yeah, sure," he started while pointing towards a wall of small glassed in offices. "She's in the first office on the left."
"Thanks, Agent Rigsby."
"Please call me Wayne," he responded with an earnest expression.
She agreed with a nod and headed to the small corner office. The blinds were drawn, but she could hear the faint sound of voices within. She knocked on the door and waited. After a moment it was opened by a stoic Asian man who seemingly appraised her with a single glance before turning back to the brunette behind the desk.
"Tell Rigsby that if either of you hear from him before his suspension's lifted to tell him not to set foot near a crime scene or I'll handcuff him to his damn couch for the rest of the week!"
"Sure thing, boss."
"Thanks, Cho," she said with an annoyed shake of her head that sent a few long stands of brunette hair loose from her pony tail.
Cho nodded at Lisbon's comment and walked past her without a word. Grace tried to brush aside the almost hurt feeling she felt at the other man's manner. Stepping forward, she extended her hand with a winning smile.
"Agent Grace Van Pelt, ma'am."
Lisbon raised an eyebrow at the address and Grace felt herself flush. Lisbon grasped her offered hand, and gestured for her to sit down.
"Call me Lisbon," the brunette started without any opening small talk. "I've read your file- it's quite impressive and I've been looking for someone to fill a more technically based position on my team. Cho's been handling it for now, but I need him in interrogation."
Grace tried to focus as her new boss continued to outline her expectations, but she couldn't help feel horribly overdressed and mortified already. The woman sitting across from her was clad in jeans and a long sleeved blouse with a collar. She could see the leather jacket hanging on the back of the Lisbon's chair. Grace pushed her lips together willing her shiny lipgloss to fade away. She was determined to suck it up. Even if she didn't fit in here, this position could be a stepping stone for her career. Realizing she hadn't been paying attention for the last few minutes, she hurriedly steered her attention back to the woman in front of her.
"There'll be a probationary period of a month. If your performance is satisfactory, we'll go over a more permanent contract at the time. Feel free to choose a desk, and get yourself situated. Cho and Rigsby can brief you on our current work load."
Lisbon was interrupted by the festive tones of La Cucaracha. Her brow furrowed before she realized the sound was coming from her own pocket. With a disgruntled huff, she snapped the phone up to her ear and dismissed Grace with a wave of her hand.
"What the hell, Jane?! I told you to leave my phone alone!"
Grace quickly slipped out as the senior agent's voice began to rise. Shifting her laptop bag, she stopped at the first empty desk in the bullpen. She let out a heavy sigh, and sunk into the squeaky chair. That would definitely have to be replaced. Proper lumbar support was especially important if she was going to be in front of a computer constantly.
"You're the new agent?" Cho questioned.
"Grace Van Pelt," she said with as much confidence as she could muster. "Agent Lisbon was telling me you could brief me on the current cases before she was interrupted."
The two men exchanged a glance.
"Jane's trouble," Rigsby said with a heavy sigh.
"Jane?" she questioned.
"Our consultant. He closes cases, but get used to the boss' raised voice. And don't agree to any of his plans without checking in with Lisbon," Rigsby responded with a shudder.
She nodded in agreement and fought back her intrigue at the man named Jane. She wondered if she could get Rigsby to tell her more about the team on their lunch break. He was definitely the most sociable of the group, and was at least willing to talk to her about more than work business. She adjusted her laptop and waited for it to load while Rigsby continued to fill her in on their current cases. Apparently, they were in a rare slow period of time which meant they would be getting a big case relatively soon.
They were called out on a simple call an hour later as a favor to one of the other units.
Lisbon strode into the bullpen and studied her with a thoughtful expression before calling her along leaving Rigsby and Cho to follow up on paperwork back at the office. Grace watched the brunette quickly retie her hair back in a pony tail and grab the leather jacket off her chair before heading to the elevator.
"Why the CBI?" Lisbon asked her with a fixed gaze once the elevator doors pinged shut.
"I wanted to get out of Iowa," Grace responded and steeled herself for another round of interview questions from the senior agent.
"That's as good a reason as any," Lisbon retorted with a half-smile.
Grace was confused by the following silence and wondered if she was supposed to ask any questions. Swallowing, she opted to get a better understanding of what they were headed into as they walked to a dark SUV.
"Is this a routine call?" she asked and she thought she saw a flash of approval in the brunette's eyes.
"We're normally not sent out for cases like this, but Robertson's group is out of town and they've been waiting for this lead. We're just going to take a statement of a woman they've been trying to get to testify against one of the rising gang leaders. If she agrees, we'll call in a protective detail and try to get her moved to a safe house ASAP."
They drove in silence and Lisbon handed her the case file so she could catch up on the background. Melissa Cowell had witnessed a shooting weeks ago, but had been too afraid to speak. She had recently decided she was tired of looking over her shoulder, and had contacted the CBI hotline. It was the final piece in a long and drawn out case that should be able to get Luther Kyle off the streets.
The woman who carefully answered the door was holding a baseball bat. Grace saw Lisbon hide a smile at the unexpected method of defense. When they entered the living room, the choice of weapon made sense among the framed softball pictures and certificates. After offering them beverages which were politely declined, they settled onto the couch. Melissa's face was drawn, but she looked angrier at having her life interrupted rather than scared.
Questions were asked and answered and Grace knew Melissa's statement would add another nail in Kyle's coffin- perhaps the final one. The woman was reliable and had the foresight to write down many of the details despite remaining silent initially. A quick glance at her boss told her that Lisbon was pleased. Melissa agreed to police protection but declined the safe house mainly for a decent night of sleep, and Lisbon quickly made the call. The on-call unit arrived shortly after the call and locked down the house.
Standing, they both thanked the young woman for her help and headed towards the front door. Lisbon smiled. Robertson would be pleased with the development. Hopefully, his team could get this case closed without too much trouble. It wasn't until they started down the porch stairs that a shot rang out. Lisbon swore, and both agents quickly drew their weapons. The front door cracked open, and the senior agent yelled back and ordered the officers in the house to stay put and keep an eye on Melissa.
Pressed up against the side of the house, Grace watched as the senior agent leveled her gun and fired at a man that was running around the side of the house. He was hit in his shoulder, and went down with a howl. The wounded man stumbled to his feet as a red sports car shot around the curve and down the road. Lisbon was about to dart after the injured man when two patrol cars squealed into view. The man was quickly apprehended although Lisbon didn't lower her weapon until the suspect was handcuffed. Sighing softly, Lisbon let her shoulders collapse as the flood of tension left her body.
"Well, that was-," the senior agent started to say as she turned back towards Grace.
Grace watched as her eyes widened slightly and in the blink of an eye, Lisbon brought her gun back up and had fired off two shots right passed Grace's head. Shuddering slightly, the red head turned around only to see the splayed body of another man in the grass less than three feet from her. A large hunting knife had fallen from his grasp and landed by his feet. Grace let out a slow hiss as she began to shake. Less than a minute later, several other agents rushed up to them and Lisbon explained the situation. Casting a worried glance her way, the brunette pushed away no doubt giving excuses for leaving the scene. Putting her hand on the redhead's shoulder she gently pushed the younger girl towards the SUV. They buckled in silence, and pulled out of the neighborhood and onto the highway.
"I guess I can mark almost making a fatal mistake off of my 'Things Not To Do At My New Job' list," Grace muttered despondently as she stared out the window.
She thought she heard a muffled snort from the driver's side of the vehicle. She continued to watch the scenery flash by for a few more minutes. When she turned back, Lisbon flashed her a smile.
"You handled the situation well," the senior agent said.
Grace got the feeling her boss wasn't in the habit of handing out compliments.
"My first time out in the field when I was in San Francisco, we were pursuing a suspect near Fisherman's Wharf. I was almost close enough to tackle him when a lady with a stroller turned in front of me. I tried to dodge around her, but I tripped on a coiled rope and fell right off the pier. I smelled like fish for days."
Lisbon shook her head as a faint smile played flickered across her lips at the memory. Grace felt herself relaxing as she smiled at the thought of the careful woman beside her tripping and falling into the water. She accepted the lesson that Lisbon bestowed on her, and told herself she wouldn't be distracted in the field again. They pulled back into the CBI parking lot, and Lisbon jumped out of the vehicle. Grace got out slowly and watched the senior agent confidently stride back to the building. She grinned at the sudden thought that passed through her head. Her boss was bad ass. As if she could read her mind, Lisbon turned back towards her with a quizzical expression. Van Pelt cleared the smile from her face and rushed to catch up.
"Hey boss," she said. "Thanks."
III.
"You called me strong.
You called me weak.
But still your secrets I will keep.
You took for granted all the times I never let you down.
You stumbled in and bumped your head
If not for me then you'd be dead.
I picked you up and put you back on solid ground."
-'Kryptonite', Three Doors Down
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Mo-om, Reese is touching me."
"I am not. You're the one who wanted to sit in the middle seat, James. So scoot over."
Eleven year old Teresa Lisbon rested her forehead against the cool glass of the backseat window. They had been stuck in this traveling sardine can for hours, and her legs were starting to cramp. She tried to stretch as best as she could, earning her a glare from all three of her brothers. She rolled her eyes in response and pulled out another mystery from her bag. Sometimes, she wished she had a sister like George or Bess in the Nancy Drew series. They'd spend all their time solving crimes or catching her brothers red handed. She sighed heavily.
"Are we there yet?" Joseph complained as the siblings joined in the refrain.
"I have to go to the potty," Tommy whined earning an exasperated glance from the adults in the front seat.
"Can you hold it another ten minutes?" Catherine Lisbon questioned her youngest son.
"No mommy, I have to go NOW," he pleaded with an emphatic head shake.
Catherine exchanged a glance with her husband silently asking Jimmy to pull off at the next exit. The familiar shape of the McDonald's Golden Arches came into view, and the children immediately burst into a chorus of pleading.
"Can I have some fries?"
"I want an apple pie!"
"Pleaseeeeee- I won't touch James for the rest of the ride."
"I'm hungry!"
"Can we all get apple pies?"
"I still have to go-"
"If we can all use the bathroom and be back in the car waiting silently in less than five minutes, I'll get milkshakes for everyone," Jimmy Lisbon announced.
An instant silence fell over the car. As soon as they came to a complete stop, seat belts were thrown off as the children quickly dashed in. Catherine and Jimmy exchanged a humorous look, as they rushed to keep up with their children.
"You spoil them," she said with a smile.
He shrugged, his eyes sparkling.
"It'll keep them quiet the last fifteen minutes of the car ride," he explained gruffly.
Catherine let out a peal of laughter as she leaned over to kiss her husband's cheek.
"Ya big softie," she said as they entered the restaurant.
Four and a half minutes later, each Lisbon child was buckled into a seat while holding a cold paper cup. The sounds of slurping could be heard as the car pulled out of the parking lot. Teresa leaned against the door as she held her book with one hand and her strawberry milkshake with the other. She glanced over to check on her brothers and snickered at the sight of them seemingly having a race to see who could finish first. She giggled when James pulled back from the straw with a pained look on his face.
"Brain freeze!" they cried in unison, and the backseat dissolved into giggles.
The car turned onto a gravel road sending everyone bumping up and down. The large frame of a wooden cabin loomed in the distance, and beyond that, the faint sparkling of blue water could be seen passed a short pier. The children jostled for position so they could see out the window. They 'oohed' and 'ahhed' over the groves of trees to climb and the open space to run while Catherine sighed in relief at the sight of a rocking chair on the wrap-around porch. The car slid to a stop.
"Well, here we are," Jimmy's voice boomed. "Home sweet home for the next week! Go explore!"
And with those words the children were off like a rocket as they pushed and shoved to be the first one out. The adults just shook their heads and laughed before sedately unbuckling and grabbing a few bags to tote in. While the boys headed straight for the trees, Teresa kicked off her shoes and walked slowly through the grass towards the lake. She smiled at the feeling of the prickly grass between her toes- it was a feeling not often felt in the heart of Chicago. The wood of the pier was warm beneath her feet, and she left her shoes in a pile with her bag. She paused and went back for her book. The wind picked up slightly sending her long hair rippling. At the edge of the pier, she sank to the ground and carefully stretched her toes down to meet the water. She let out a small shriek at the coldness before jerking her feet back up. Rolling over, she stretched out on her stomach and flipped to the next chapter.
"I thought I'd find you here," her mother's voice interrupted some time later.
"Have they found the statue yet?"
Teresa looked up into her mother's eyes and closed her book.
"Mrs. Conger knows she's being swindled, but I don't think the statue really whispers. I think it has something to do with the wind," she responded in a matter of fact manner.
Catherine chuckled at her ever-logical daughter and sat down beside her.
"Who knows Reese, you might find a mystery to solve while we're here," she said.
Teresa's eyes lit up at the prospect of solving a case. She had almost finished The Mystery of the Whispering Statue and she had only brought one other book to occupy her time.
"I'm going to be a detective when I grow up," the young girl stated.
"I'm sure you will, darling. But now, it's time for dinner and the only mystery there is if your father burnt the meat again!"
They laughed as they collected their shoes and headed back towards the cabin.
The next few days passed by in a blur of fishing, exploring the land, and roasting marshmallows over a campfire. Teresa had climbed up into the old loft one afternoon while everyone was outside under the guise of taking a nap and carefully combed through dusty old boxes to see what she could find. Sighing with frustration, she was about to climb back down the ladder when she saw a flash of color sticking out of the corner floorboard. She tried to pry it out with her fingernails, but it was too deep in the crack. Suddenly, she remembered the tweezers her mother kept in the bathroom and she quickly scampered off to find them. She returned minutes later, and carefully extracted an old piece of paper that was missing the bottom left corner. She quietly rolled up her prize and returned everything else to it's proper place. Climbing into the top bunk, she carefully unrolled the paper and studied it.
It looked like a map of some sort. She could see where the lake was drawn and it looked like a square had been marked to clear land for the cabin. Her finger stopped over what appeared to be a well. She furrowed her brow. She didn't remember seeing a well anywhere out there during their hours of exploring. She beamed. That must mean it was hidden! And things that were hidden often held secrets! The sound of footsteps startled her from her thoughts, and she quickly slid the map under her pillow and closed her eyes.
The next day, she filled her backpack with a flashlight, two bottles of water, a whistle, a sandwich and a granola bar and slipped out after lunch. The map was carefully folded in her pocket, and Teresa quietly made her ways through the trees. It was a delightfully warm day, and she removed her jacket and stuffed it in her bag. After walking for about fifteen minutes, she looked around her surroundings with a thoughtful sound of rustling leaves made her freeze. Moments later, Joseph came tumbling down the small slope and Teresa gave an exasperated sigh.
"Joey, why are you following me?" she asked with a huff.
Her brother just grinned.
She ignored him and continued to walk, slowing making a circle back to the cabin so she could dump her brother back with her parents before exploring again. She tuned out his incessant chattering, and sighed in relief with she spotted the lake in the distance. She was about to turn back towards her brother to return an annoying comment when she heard a loud yell. Both siblings stopped and looked at each other before staring back behind them.
"Did you hear that?" she asked.
Joseph's eyes were wide and he took a step closer to her. They heard the faint call again, and before Teresa could think she found herself running back down the path they had just traveled. She stopped in the clearing and looked around. Joseph's footsteps crackled behind her and they quietly listed for another sound. The faint echo of crying came from her left and she quickly walked towards the noise. Her stomach plummeted when she saw the hole in the ground that must have been covered by leaves and rotting wood. She tested the ground and carefully inched forward. Tommy's tear-stained face looked up at her from the dark pit.
"Reesey-" he whimpered. "My leg hurts real bad."
"Shhh," she hushed. "We'll get you out of there in no time."
She exchanged a look with Joseph and handed him the whistle in her bag. With a nod, he took off running towards the lake where they had last seen their parents. Teresa grabbed one of the bottles of water and took a long swig. She leaned over and stretched her arm as far as she possibly could and tried to hand Tommy the water. His fingers brushed air after several attempts, but he was finally able to grasp the water. He drank greedily, and she could tell by the color of his face that he may have broken his ankle.
"Reece," he whispered suddenly. "I think there's something in here."
His eyes were wide with fright and Teresa wondered how she could get him out by herself. If she climbed down, they might both be stuck, but she might be able to lift him up enough where he could scramble out. While she was thinking, her hand brushed the jacket tied around her waist and she had an idea. Ripping it off, she tried to remember one of the knots her dad had shown her earlier this week when they were tying the boat up. She made one of the sleeves into a small loop, and carefully lowered it down. The well had filled in over the years and wasn't too deep, but it was wet and damp and who knew what was living at the bottom.
"Okay Tommy, I want you to grab the loop I made and hold on. I'm going to pull you out, but whatever you do, don't let go."
He nodded seriously and grabbed the sleeve with both of his hands. Teresa knew her brother wasn't that big, and she had helped her father with that fifty pound bag of bird seed before. Surely she could pull him up. Digging her heels in, she started to walk backwards while she pulled with all her might. She could feel the zipper cutting into her hand, but she tried to ignore it. Grunting, she almost screamed when a pair of hands encircled her waist and pulled her back. Her father took the jacket from her grasp and pulled once more allowing Tommy to scramble to the top. Jimmy scooped him up, and took off running towards the house as Catherine knelt by her daughter's side. James scooted closer to the well, curious to see what had happened.
"I'm sorry," she whispered as her lower lip trembled. "I was exploring and they followed me,and it's my fault Tommy got hurt!"
"Hush now," he mother soothed. "You got him out of the hole, and that was some pretty quick thinking. Plus, you sent Joseph running back with your whistle which let us know something was wrong. You did well, Teresa."
Teresa leaned into her mother's embrace.
"Now, let's go get you cleaned up. That hand of yours needs to be washed out."
"Mom?" James said with a funny expression on his face.
The girls looked back to where he was standing near the well. He had inched away, but was still able to see down.
"There's a snake in there."
Catherine shuddered, and held her daughter tighter before leading her other two children away. The whole situation could have been much worse if it hadn't been for her quick-thinking daughter.
IV.
So here I am doing everything I can,
Holding on to what I am, pretending I'm a superman.
I'm trying to keep the ground on my feet.
It seems the world's falling down around me.
And I'm so confused about what to do,
Sometimes I want to throw it all away.
-Goldfinger, "Superman"
Alexander Chavez tiredly rubbed his eyes while taking a long drag of his cigarette. He held the smoke in his mouth for a few seconds and savored the burning feeling before softly blowing it out with a small hiss. He leaned against the railing of the second floor balcony at the CBI headquarters long after most of the other agents had departed. Bending down, he scooped up his stainless steel travel mug that was filled with the swill they called coffee on the first floor. He made a mental note to purchase a better machine if his nights continued to run this late.
"That's gonna kill ya someday," a soft voice said from the open stairwell.
Chavez chuckled before taking another drag.
"Seems we've both picked up habits that are going to kill us one day, Lisbon," he replied after a moment.
The brunette joined him and rested her arms on the glow of downtown Sacramento lit up the night sky, but the stars were faintly visible in the distance. Leaning forward, she rested her chin on her hands.
"That's what everyone tells me," she said with a wry smile. "Maybe I'm just tired of always doing what people expect of me."
Chavez laughed.
"People expected you to take in Jane. It's what you do."
Lisbon rolled her eyes.
"But they didn't expect me to keep him."
"Touché."
"Besides, what business is it of theirs?"
"You know the water cooler whiners- always hungry for the latest piece of gossip or anything they can read into," Chavez said with a waggle of his eyebrows. "It's a public service really."
He paused and Lisbon turned towards him with a raised eyebrow.
"You've kept them entertained for years!"
Lisbon reached over and swatted him in the shoulder. He laughed and feigned injury.
"Oh you," she retorted with a smile. "So what's the news this time?"
"Clearly you and Jane have been having a mad love affair for months, and the verbal sparring you two seem to enjoy carries over into the bedroom or his couch. There's a toss up."
Lisbon spluttered and turned red.
"You're not sleeping with him, are you?"
"Of course not!" she announced much too quickly.
"But there is something there," Chavez said with a grin.
Not bothering to denounce his statement, she settled for a threatening glare. He threw his hands up in the air and backed away.
"Don't blame me! I've known you since the academy, Teresa. It's not my fault I can read you like a book!"
"It's not that, Alex. I'm just tired of being all everyone talk about. Just because I don't seem to care doesn't mean it doesn't bother me."
Chavez wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.
"It's too bad we didn't work out," he said and tickled her in the side.
"You know we're much better off as friends. We wouldn't have lasted a year," she said with a chuckle and a warm smile.
"It's 'cuz I burnt the chimichangas, isn't it?"
"Well, there was that-"
"In all seriousness, can I give you some advice?" he asked suddenly.
"Of course, Alex," she said and turned toward him once more.
"If you get a chance, go for it."
"Go for - ?"
"You know what I mean. If he makes you happy, and if he allows himself to be happy. He looks at you, you know."
"Well, most people who have eyes look at things," she responded comically.
The conversation had taken a slightly uncomfortable turn, and he knew she wanted to change the subject.
"You've been through enough. He looks at you, Teresa. Like I look at my Rosie."
They stood in comfortable silence until the blaring sound of a car horn followed by loud cursing echoed through the streets. Lisbon shook her head with a smile. Chavez rubbed the butt of his cigarette against the sole of his shoe before grinding it under his boot. Together, they walked back towards the stairwell and Chavez pulled the door closed behind him and made sure it locked. They clomped down the stairs and she waved to him as she headed back towards her office.
"Thanks, Alex. I'm lucky to have you as a friend."
"I know you use me for my Latina charm and good looks!" he called out with a dashing smile.
She shook her head with a snort as she opened the door to her office.
"What was that about?" Patrick Jane asked as he stepped out of her darkened office.
"Damn it, Jane! I've told you not to do that."
"Do what?"
"Lurk in dark corners!"
She pushed passed him and turned her office lamp on. The room was cast in a golden glow. Jane stood in the door, and continued to stare at the retreating agent. He furrowed his brow and tried to decide if he had ever seen Lisbon with that man before. What was his name? Alan? Alex? Either way, he wasn't sure how he felt about the familiarity between the two of them. Turning back to the senior agent, he cocked his head at the amused expression on her face.
"What?"
"You're jealous." she proclaimed, still smiling.
"Of course not!" he announced.
"Mmmhmm."
"I'm not. I was merely curious."
"Curiosity is when you introduce yourself and ask how they know me. That was jealousy."
"Meh."
"Why are you still here, anyways?"
"Fiona was lonely."
"Fiona?"
"Fiona!" Jane proclaimed and held out the fern that normally sat on her bookshelf.
"You named my fern?"
"She was feeling neglected. You really should talk to your houseplants."
Lisbon closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. It was a surefire sign that she was developing another Jane induced migraine. What she really wanted to do was curl up in her bed with her new king-sized sherpa throw and go to sleep, but Jane's escapades of the day and their resulting paperwork prevented her from doing just that. In fact, she had gone up to the roof to clear her head before starting the next set of triplicate forms.
Noticing the pained expression flickering across her face, Jane set Fiona down on the corner of Lisbon's desk. He leaned against the bookshelf for a second before collecting her jacket and scooping her keys from beside the computer. One green eye cracked open to ascertain his intentions. Clasping her shoulders, he gently pulled her to her feet before she stiffened and pulled away.
"Do you even know the definition of personal space?" she muttered wearily.
"You need to go home," he said quietly. "The papers will be there tomorrow."
"But they're due tomorrow," she practically whined.
"And we won't have a case, and I'll leave you alone. But right now, you need to go crawl under that new blanket I know you purchased off Amazon."
She quirked an eyebrow.
"UPS tracking e-mail."
"I just changed my e-mail password yesterday."
"And it's still much too easy to guess."
She muttered something unintelligible under her breath. Her shoulders tightened and then collapsed and he knew that he had won. Placing his hand at the small of her back, he escorted her to the elevator after she grabbed her shoulder bag. Lisbon tried to hide her yawn when the elevator finally dinged open, and Jane grinned at his reflection. Tossing her keys and catching them again, he whistled softly as he led her out of the building. She allowed him to open her door, unable to muster the energy to argue. She buckled her seatbelt, and then held her hand out for her keys. He grinned and then jingled them just out of her reach. She narrowed her eyes and he tossed them too her without a sound. She cranked the engine and then slowly backed out of her parking space. Glancing up in her rearview mirror, she could see Jane watching her with his hands in his pockets. Backing up further, she rolled down her window.
"Get in the car," she said tiredly.
His mouth quirked but he did not budge, and she resisted the urge to run over his foot.
"Get your stubborn ass in the car, Jane."
"Well, since you asked so nicely..."
The blonde walked around to the passenger side as Teresa Lisbon literally growled at his behavior. He slid into the front seat with a sigh, and she sped off before he even had time to buckle. He reached his right hand down and located the lever to recline his seat back. He folded his arms under his head, and let the soft whir of the motor lull him into a deep state of relaxation. The slam of a car door forced him to open his eyes and marvel at the fact he had managed to drift off for-. He looked down at his watch. Ten minutes. Lisbon was already unlocking her front door, and he quickly got out of the car and slowly walked towards her. He still wasn't quite sure what had possessed him to take advantage of her offer, but here he was and it was a long walk back.
"You weren't going to wake me up when we arrived?" he teased.
"You hardly get enough sleep as it is. I was tempted to treat you like a toddler and drive around for thirty minutes to keep you sleeping, but I didn't want to crash and kill us."
"How thoughtful of you."
"I'm exhausted, and you're annoying me."
"You didn't have to bring me home."
"I didn't bring you home. That is how rumors get started. I simply collected you from wandering around like a lost puppy. It was a responsibility."
"Does that mean I have to sleep in the kitchen?"
"If you'd prefer it, then be my guest."
And with the final word, she turned and quickly disappeared upstairs leaving Jane to lock the door and turn off the lights. He stood in her living room for a moment and removed his shoes and vest. He placed them on the arm of her couch and then paused. He could hear the upstairs toilet flush, and he made up his mind. Padding up the stairs softly he slowly opened the door to her bedroom.
"I'd yell at you for not knocking, but when has that ever stopped you," a muffled voice came from under a pile of blankets.
Jane stifled a laugh.
"You look like a hamster."
"Seriously, Jane?"
Exasperated, she poked her head out and glared at him in the darkness. Moonlight spilled across her bed basking her in an ethereal glow. His breath caught.
"You've nested."
"I don't have time for this. Either come test the wonderful sherpa blanket out for yourself and let me get some sleep or go back to the couch. You're the one who proclaimed I needed to rest."
He pursed his lips together and took a step towards her bed. She quirked an eyebrow at him before flopping over and burrowing in her blankets once more. He took another step. And another. After a moment he carefully sat on the bed. Reaching out his hand, he moved the blanket aside to swing his legs up.
"It does feel like a cloud."
A muffled snort came from under the blankets, and quickly developed into a full-fledged laugh.
"The hell, Jane? Are you high?"
"The reviews on Amazon were correct. Sherpa blankets feel like clouds."
"I'm glad we've settled that existential crisis."
"Thank you, Lisbon."
She stilled, sensing his sudden seriousness. Rolling over, she sat up and looked him in the eye with a quizzical expression. Her hair hung loose around her face, and he resisted the urge to run his fingers through it.
"You've saved me from becoming someone Angela would have despised. You don't hear it enough, especially from me, but thank you for everything you do."
She brushed her hand across his shoulder and gently ran it down his arm until she was able to grasp his hand. She squeezed it once before rolling over and pulling his arm with her. She released his hand giving him an opportunity to pull away. Instead, he tightened his grip around her waist, and settled in behind her. Sighing contentedly, she rested her hand on top of his.
"Go to sleep, Jane. We can talk in the morning."
"I don't know who I'd be without you," he said softly as he nuzzled her hair.
It wasn't a big step in their tumultuous relationship, but it was a step in the right direction. There were no tricks, no hidden agendas, just two people with a long road in front of them if they decided to follow the path that had been set in motion the first day they met.
V.
"Superman where are you now?
Everything's gone wrong somehow."
-Land of Confusion, 'Genesis'
Kimball Cho had only been in Sacramento for a month, and he still wasn't positive about his new position. It wasn't that he didn't like being a cop, in all actuality he enjoyed finding another outlet to serve his country. No, the biggest problem was that he still wasn't sure how he felt about his boss. When he had been hired, he was told they were creating a new unit from the ground up. Once he found out that the senior agent in charge was a woman, he wondered who she had slept with to get top billing. But then he met Teresa Lisbon and she wasn't at all what he expected.
She had been upfront about her expectations from the start and refused to take shit from anyone including Walters down the hall. She had a proven case record and even though it was hard for him to admit, she was a better shot than him. Being one of the few women in the agency, and one of the best looking at that, her name was often bandied around the men's room and the local post-work hangouts. Kimball stayed out of it for now. He had been impressed by what he'd seen so far, but he wasn't willing to go to bat for his new boss just yet.
And in return, Teresa Lisbon wasn't entirely sure she'd made the right decision when selecting her first team member. She'd known he would be difficult, but she'd liked his no-nonsense attitude in addition to his background. She was more than aware it would take some time for him to trust her judgment, but he'd followed her orders with no questions asked so far. But that wasn't what she wanted. She didn't want to be some general in the sidelines sending soldiers into battle to do her bidding. She wanted to form a team that would respect her authority, but wouldn't be afraid to chime in and problem solve. She never claimed to have all the answers, and she wanted honest opinions when she asked.
They had been working together for six weeks exactly when everything changed.
"Lisbon, will you and Cho tag along with narcotics this afternoon? They're two short since the flu has been going around and Johnson's kids came home sick with it a few days ago," Virgil Minelli asked as he strode through the bullpen.
"They've been planning that raid for weeks now."
"No problem," the brunette responded and Cho started collecting his things.
"I have a Wayne Rigsby and a Collin Hensen coming in for round three interviews. I'll send their files to you if they pass this interview."
"Thanks, boss."
The pair grabbed vests before heading to the floor below to meet up with Ramirez. They were quickly briefed before everyone loaded up into the three waiting armored vans. An informant had tipped off that one of the local cartels was moving an important shipment this afternoon. The weather had been unusually nice and the river was sure to be filled with kayaks and canoes making the drop difficult to spot. Lisbon swore when they reached the port district, and Cho instantly knew why. The number of civilians in the area was alarming. Cho's level of respect for the brunette grew as se intelligently analyzed the situation and provided insights on how to adapt the raid. Even more impressive was the fact the other team seemed to actually heed her advice. One of the younger agents noticed his attentions and leaned closer.
"Chavez and Lisbon both came up through the Academy in San Francisco under the legendary Sam Bosco. She knows her stuff."
Cho nodded his thanks as the van came to a silent stop. Fifteen minutes later, they were empty handed. Tempers were short thanks to the wasted mission, and Cho couldn't help but feel like they missed something.
"Hey Charlie, since we're all geared up, wanna run through the underground?"
Lisbon's voice echoed back, and Cho found himself nodding with his boss's suggestion. In the late 1800's Sacramento's underground had been raised a level to help prevent the rampant flooding that plagued the city. Most of the tunnels and old basements had been filled in, but there was still some subterranean access. Their popularity as an underground base of operations had faded with the criminal population after realization that they could still become easily flooded, but that didn't stop kids looking for a hookup spot or criminals in an emergency.
"Can't hurt," Charlie responded with a shrug.
It proved to be the right decision.
They split up as they entered the tunnels. Water dripped and faint beams of sunlight crept through the drainage gates bathing the area in an eerie glow. Lisbon swung her flashlight along the edge of the tunnel before choosing the path to the left.
"Why left?" Cho asked, wondering if she had some secret mental map of underground Sacramento.
"Why not?" she retorted and he relaxed.
They inched along slowly, but the reverberations in the tunnels made it difficult to distinguish where the voices were coming from. Suddenly, the tunnel lit up and Cho cursed softly as a bullet whizzed past him. The voices were angrier and louder, and she could hear the yells of the rest of the unit as they closed in on the drug smugglers.
"Cross fire," she whispered. "I don't think they've noticed us yet."
Out of nowhere, a tall man came running towards them with guns ablaze. Lisbon shoved Cho to the side to avoid the spread of bullets. With a muttered growl, Cho watched as Lisbon picked herself up and took off after the escapee.
"Cover me," she yelled to Cho as she gained on the suspect.
Seconds later she launched herself and cleanly tackled the runner with thud. Sitting on his back, she whipped out her handcuffs while reading him his rights. Cho kept his gun trained on the man hen he realized where they were or more accurately, what Lisbon had landed in.
"Is that-?" he questioned.
"Yup." Lisbon responded with a baleful look.
"Well, shit," Cho answered with a slight grin as he met Lisbon's gaze.
She couldn't help but grin back.
VI.
Who's going to save you when the stars fall from your sky?
And who's going to pull you in when the tide gets too high?
Who's going to hold you when you turn out the lights?
I won't lie. I wish that I could be your superman tonight.
-Bon Jovi, 'Superman Tonight'
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Lisbon's in a good mood today," Van Pelt stated one afternoon.
"It's probably because things are finally settling back to normal," Rigsby replied as he wiped off the picture frame containing the team shot from Benjamin's most recent birthday party.
"I don't know," Van Pelt trailed off as she watched Lisbon finish the last set of paperwork for the case they closed the day before. "She seems different."
"What do you think Cho?" Rigsby asked the other agent.
"I'm not in the habit of speculating," he answered off-handedly and flipped a page in the book he was reading.
Van Pelt made a face at him and Rigsby tried to stifle a laugh.
"Oh! Maybe her new blanket came in!" Grace exclaimed. "I've been telling her to get one of those sherpa blankets for years."
Cho and Rigsby exchanged a look at her outburst.
"What?" the redhead defensively replied. "They're pretty awesome."
"I'm sure it's the blanket," Rigsby placated.
"Why don't you just ask her?" A voice said from the hallway.
The three agents jumped and exchanged guilty glances while Jane entered the bullpen with a grin and a cup of coffee. His eyes twinkled and he paused to lean against Grace's desk.
"No takers?" he asked the group. "Hey Lisbon!"
Her head shot up as his loud voice rang throughout the office. Instead of the usual flicker of annoyance that Jane's voice produced, the team was surprised to see a bemused smile pass across her pretty face. Jane crooked his finger at her and held up the cup of coffee. Lisbon inclined her head thoughtfully, before pushing out of her chair and striding into the bullpen. Stopping beside Jane, she plucked the cup from his hands and took a long sip. Her eyes closed in blissful delight.
"I love their seasonal flavors. I didn't know they were serving them already," she said. "What did you want?"
"Why are you so happy today?" Jane said bluntly causing Rigsby's eyes to nearly bug out of his head.
"I didn't think I made a habit of being constantly unhappy," she slowly stated with a furrowed brow.
"Of course not, boss!" Van Pelt interrupted. "It's just that you're happier than normal today."
"Oh," Lisbon replied as she thought back through the day's events. "Well, I did talk to my brother Tommy today. He's thinking about moving closer so Annie can attend a better high school."
"That's wonderful!" Grace exclaimed.
Rigsby and Cho nodded in agreement. Lisbon shot them one last puzzled look before heading back to her office, coffee in hand and Jane at her heels. She paused, free hand on the door frame.
"That blanket you told me to get came in too, Grace. Thanks!"
"It feels like a cloud," Jane said in agreement.
Lisbon smacked him in the stomach while the others stared open mouthed.
"What? I got one too!" he said with a teasing grin before following Lisbon into her office.
"You don't think-"
"Did they-"
"You two gossip like high school girls," Cho muttered and picked up his book again.
A little bit later, Lisbon stepped out of her office once more with her purse on her shoulder and her jacket over her arm.
"I'm headed to the bank before it closes. I'll be back in thirty. Anybody need anything?"
"No thanks, boss," they replied in turn.
Twenty minutes later, a flurry of activity and raised voices captured everyone's attention. Even Jane who had been napping in Lisbon's office stepped out to see what the commotion was about. One of the agents from Major Crimes rushed in. Breathless, he tried to get the words out.
"There was an explosion at First National. They're calling in all available units. It's... It's bad."
There was a loud crash, and everyone turned to look at Jane. The remnants of a teacup were scattered around his shoes and his face was stark white.
"You okay, man?" Rigsby questioned.
They had never seen the consultant quite like this.
"Lisbon... Teresa-"
"Oh God," Van Pelt whispered when she realized what Jane was trying to say.
In a flash, they all pounded down the steps in a rush to get to the SUV. Cho slid into the driver's seat and activated the sirens without question. The tires squealed as they peeled out of the parking lot, and made record time to the bank a few blocks away. Before they had even come to a complete stop, Jane had launched himself from the vehicle.
"LISBON!" he bellowed.
The team caught up to him quickly as they hurried to the blackened building. The windows were shattered, and shards of glass crunched underfoot. The building groaned as the support structures crumbled, and flames licked the sides of the building. Onlookers were wondering around dazed while the Sacramento PD was setting up a perimeter. It looked like a war zone. Van Pelt raised her hands to her mouth as Jane seemingly came unglued beside them.
"You can't go any closer," a fireman yelled as he ran up waving his arms. "The building's unstable."
"Have you seen a brunette woman in her late thirties wearing jeans and a leather jacket?" Cho questioned, drawing the man's attention from Jane.
"We haven't found any survivors yet, and no one matching that description- HEY! Sir, you need to stop. STOP."
The fireman took after after Jane who darted towards the shell of a bank as soon as he noticed the distraction.
"The building looks like it's going to come down any moment," Van Pelt said while wringing her hands.
"If she's in there, you know he'd rather be too," Cho stated quietly and the others lapsed into silence as the seconds painfully ticked by without sign of their boss or the consultant.
The building rumbled again, and the fire leaped higher. Van Pelt started to tremble and Rigsby stepped in closer to her. Other agents had arrived since the news back at headquarters had spread like wildfire. Soft whispers wove around them as they waited for what felt like eternity.
"Look!" A voice called out as a figure emerged from the building.
Cho quickly sprinted towards Jane as the man fell to his knees cradling something close to his chest. He staggered to his feet, unwilling to let go of the woman in his arms. She was bloody and dazed, but alive. Her arms cradled her abdomen protectively as Cho called for paramedics. Before they arrived, the building gave one last shudder before collapsing with a crash. Lisbon let out a strangled gasp at the sight before meeting Jane's eyes once more. By the time the paramedics got to them, she had started to shiver, and her body sunk into shock.
"Ma'am- does anything hurt?"
"There's a fucking ballpoint pen in my stomach," she slurred and dropped her hands from her body.
The team gasped as they saw the wound. The explosion had turned everything into shrapnel, but the paramedics said that luckily it didn't look like it had hit anything major. Lisbon was feeling well enough to argue the semantics of her abdomen being major- after all- they weren't the ones with a pen embedded into their stomachs. She was quickly loaded into a waiting ambulance and Jane crawled in beside her. They agreed to meet at the hospital.
Hours later, they found Jane sprawled in a plastic waiting room chair. Grace handed him a styrofoam cup of tea and he took it gratefully.
"How's she doing?" Cho asked.
'She should be out of surgery by now. Besides the pen, she had two fractured ribs from being thrown against the counter and some lacerations from the glass."
He paused, his voice shaky.
"She was headed to the bathroom. That's why she survived. She was the farthest from the explosion."
Grace put her hand on his shoulder.
"She's tough, Jane. You found her in time, and managed to get her out of there."
They were called back to her room shortly after. The doctor had frowned upon seeing the large group, but a flash of their badges and a resigned sigh later allowed them all in for a quick visit.
"Hey boss," Rigsby said quietly as Jane took the seat by her bed.
They ignored the consultant as he ran his fingers through the brunette's hair. Lisbon fought to keep her eyes open through the impromptu scalp massage.
"Do they know what happened?" she questioned always in work mode.
"A gas leak and a faulty pipe," Cho answered with a shake of his head.
"Figures," Lisbon muttered. " We face down criminals with guns, bombs, and knives, but it's shear dumb luck with being at the wrong place at the wrong time that almost killed me."
She snorted, then flinched in pain.
"Sorry guys. Pain meds make me loopy," she added.
The team smiled, relieved she was going to be fine.
'We'll let you sleep, boss."
"I'll remove all the pens from your office," Cho added with a straight face.
"Thanks. I'm developing a sudden hatred for ballpoint pens," she added tiredly.
The team filed out as Lisbon's eyes started to close, but Jane remained in the chair. His hand dropped down to her temple and he gently caressed the side of her face that wasn't marred with bandages and cuts. She smiled softly, and blinked slowly. His grip on her hand tightened, and his thumb rubbed gentle circles along the back of her hand.
"I told you the paperwork was going to kill you," his voice started out light but tightened into a gruff choking sound at the end.
"Hush, Patrick. Everything's fine now," she whispered, her voice raspy from the smoke inhalation.
She coughed and a surge of pain wracked her body. Jane saw her grimace, and pushed the call button. A nurse arrived shortly and adjusted the IV drip. Lisbon tried to keep her eyes from fluttering, but she could feel herself sinking down into the warm comfort the Dilaudid drip provided.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Always," Patrick Jane responded. "Always."