Just a bit of fluff, Jane gives Lisbon something she's not expecting.
"The Mentalist" characters and ideas are not mine.
Not What You Think by PJ Meh
It was the last day of work before Christmas and the mood at the CBI was light. Cases were closed, paper work was filed, mostly. Van Pelt had been humming Christmas carols for the better part of the day and Rigsby couldn't help but smile every time she walked by. Even Cho's facial muscles had twitched on occasion.
Jane lay on his couch, he tried not to spoil everyone's' mood each year. Just because Christmas was a rough time for him didn't mean he had to bring everyone else down. Everyone knew, in Jane's own words, he just didn't "do" Christmas.
As the end of the day drew near Jane spun up and around and got off his couch. He strode over to Lisbon's office. She was finishing up the last of the paperwork he'd caused to double on the last case. Jane poked his head through the door way and smiled lightly at her. Only her eyes left the papers on her desk but she raised an eye brow at the somewhat mischievous grin on her friend's face. This couldn't be good.
"What is it Jane?" she asked without stopping her work.
Jane took that as an invitation (not that he needed one) and strode casually into her office, hands in his pockets, he stood in front of her desk and rocked back and forth on his heels. The smile still on his face he just looked at her.
Lisbon put her pen down and sat back in her chair, eye brow still raised and a curious smile creeping up one side of her mouth. Jane hadn't said a word. He pulled one hand out of his pocket and held an open empty palm out to her. Swiftly he turned his hand and closed his fingers, and when he reopened them a gum ball seemed to appear out of nowhere in his palm.
"A gum ball?", Lisbon asked suspiciously, not at all impressed by his slight of hand.
"Oh wait" Jane said, with that now annoying Cheshire cat grin on his face, "That's not right."
He swept his other hand over the gum ball and in its place there was now a small ring box. He placed it gently on the desk in front of her, and stood back.
Lisbon cocked her head at him and looked at the box. Tentatively she picked it up and slowly opened it, half expecting something to jump out at her. Inside was a small antique butterfly broach, gold with red rubies making the wings sparkle even in her dimly lit office. Lisbon's hand shot up to her mouth, her eyes wide in amazement.
"What.. how… this… this looks exactly like the broach my mother had, I've been looking for it for years.. how did.. you?" she stammered, ".. You really are psychic?" she laughed in disbelief.
Jane snorted, "Hardly, Tommy told me about it." He paused for second, "Oh! And I promised I'd get this back to him" he said as he pulled a small brown envelope from inside his jacket. He placed it in front of Lisbon. She opened it to find a very old picture of her mother, wearing the exact broach.
"But.. how did you..? Where in the world did you find it? Everything had been sold, this looks just like it!"
"Oh, you know" Jane said tilting his head, "I know people that know people, took some doing, but you know me, I have ways."
Lisbon's eyes began to well up and Jane backed up another foot, "Oh are you going to cry? Cause you know I'm not really great with…" And at that Lisbon pushed back her chair and half walked half ran to Jane, box still in hand, she threw her arms around him and hugged him close. "Thank you" she whispered. Jane hugged her back gently, feeling pleased with himself but also a little awkward. He always felt a little awkward about being thanked.
Meanwhile the rest of the team had been able to see what was happening through the glass walls of Lisbon's office, but could not hear a word. Curiosity as the scene unfolded got the better of them as they gathered around Van Pelt's desk. When Lisbon threw her arms around Jane, Rigsby chuckled, "Do you think he proposed?" Van Pelt smiled and Cho in his typical dead pan manner said, "No, then she'd probably have punched him".
Back in the office Lisbon sniffed back her tears and again looked down at the broach. Suddenly her smile dropped as she looked at Jane and said, "Oh Jane, I didn't get you anything, I thought you didn't *do* Christmas?".
"Oh, that's not a Christmas present Lisbon. More of a thank you gift, you know, for putting up with me all year, and the years before."
"Oh well, I mean, it hasn't been that bad.."
It was Jane's turn to raise a brow.
"Okay, well it has… but not *all* bad. Not all the time anyway…" she grinned at him.
"Liar", he snorted and then smiled.
Lisbon smiled back, and for Jane that was the best thanks of all. He left the office still grinning. As he walked past Van Pelt, Rigsby and Cho looking at him curiously he grinned wider and said,
"She said yes."
Their curious smiles quickly faded as they glanced at one another and practically tripped over each other to get to Lisbon's office. Jane lay back on his couch put his hands behind his head, closed his eyes and thought,
"3…2…1…"
And then Lisbon's annoyed voice shouted, "JANE!"
Eyes still closed, Jane smiled.