Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.
Summary: Lisbon, Jane, and their first Christmas together post-"Blue Bird". Shortish, little angst or plot, mostly fluff. I got the warm fuzzies and I'm sharing. Mild language, still K plus.
A/N: I originally did this story as a Christmas present for PetitJ, but with a little revision (and an OK from her) I decided to post it as a holiday after "blue Bird" vignette. Christmas in August, because I'm too hot…
Lisbon Tough Love
"Yes, I really am sure," Lisbon said into her phone for what felt like the hundredth time. "I love you all, but I'm staying with Jane this Christmas."
"But you always come back at this time of year!" Tommy complained. He'd moved with Annie back to their old Chicago neighborhood, and was trying to wrangle her and the other Lisbon men without his sister's help.
Lisbon sighed, and began to pace back and forth in her kitchen. "I know I do, and I'll come home at New Year's. I promise! But look, you all have each other, right? Jane has me. Just me. That's how it is right now. And he's my…" She paused here. Despite it being months later, she still hadn't broken the news about her and Jane to her family yet. "My best friend," she went on awkwardly, "So I'm not leaving him alone at Christmas."
"Hasn't he asked enough of you over the years?" came her brother's annoyed reply.
"He didn't ask me for this," she said, and fought to keep her voice calm. "I asked him to stay with me." She took a deep breath, and then continued. "I'll talk to you in a few days. Tell Annie I love her and I'll see her soon, okay?"
"Fine," Tommy grumbled. "Talk to you soon."
"Bye, Tommy, I love you."
"Love you too."
Lisbon put her phone back in her pocket, and turned to see Jane quietly watching her from the kitchen doorway. "How long have you been standing there?" she asked.
"Just a moment or two," he lied smoothly. Crossing the room to stand next to her, he put his hand on her arm. "You didn't have to do this, you know. You could've gone to see your brothers and niece like normal. I'd be fine."
"I know you would," Lisbon said with a huff. "But Christmas deserves better than 'fine', doesn't it? Anyway, I'll see them in a week. Tommy knows that; he's just whining!"
Jane laughed and gave her a quick hug. For what was maybe the hundredth time since he'd admitted how he felt he rejoiced that (finally) he could just throw his arms around her whenever he pleased. "Lisbon tough love. I get it," he said, with a smile and a nod.
"Come on," she said, taking his hand and tugging him into the living room. "Let's finish decorating the tree."
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They worked for another hour, and finally the tree was finished. There were a number of nice ornaments, but what pleased Jane most this year was Lisbon's choice of a number of small silver butterflies. It gave him an odd mix of happiness and sorrow in his gut… because Angela and Charlotte Anne had loved animal ornaments best, too.
It felt odd to be thinking of them and feel only an ache, Jane realized. The sharp stab of loss and crushing guilt had faded over time in South America; burned away by realized revenge or the heat of the relentless sun, he wasn't sure which. Now at last there were fond memories to visit again, colored by sadness but not overwhelmed by it. Strange. He wondered whether this was what the last stage of grief felt like, but he wasn't sure of that, either.
There was one thing he was sure of, however: the small box in his pocket felt heavier with each passing moment.
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"Can I give you your present now?" Jane asked, making her jump slightly. He'd been silent for the better part of an hour; Lisbon had started wondering whether he might have fallen asleep in her armchair.
"Yes, sure," she said. "I mean, we can exchange gifts whenever you want, Jane. Do you want to go first, or should I?"
A flutter of nervousness welled up in his stomach. Damn it. "Maybe you should go first, after all," he replied. He poured them each another glass of wine.
Lisbon got up and went into her bedroom. She came back almost immediately with a small green envelope. Jane could see an irregular-shaped object in it, but for once he couldn't guess what it could be. "Go ahead," she whispered as she handed it to him. "Open it."
He carefully pulled up the flap, and shook the envelope out over his palm. Out of it fell…
A very familiar set of car keys.
"My Citroen?" he asked, dumb-founded.
Lisbon grinned. "It wasn't totally wrecked. I knew a good garage in Sacramento and I… had them fix it up. Then you left and well, maybe I always hoped you'd come back one day. So I've been paying to have it stored and maintained."
"Oh my dear," he started, but cut off. "Oh Lisbon, I'm completely surprised in the best possible way. Thank you so much." He opened his arms, but this time let her close the distance between them for a hug.
She squeezed him, and then pulled back. "You're very welcome. You can pick it up whenever. Or at least, whenever your handler will let you." She couldn't help a harmless dig at Agent Kim Fischer. Even on Christmas.
Jane took a deep breath. Good grief, were his hands actually shaking? He felt even more nervous than he had before. Terrific.
Before he had the chance to chicken out completely, he dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out the little velvet box. He set it in front of her. "Before you open it," he quickly said, "I want to tell you a story about it."
Lisbon reached out and took the box, but merely held it. She nodded, and he plunged ahead.
"One day I was puttering along on the beach, just watching the tide go out, and a stranger to the island came up to me trying to sell something. I knew he wasn't from around there; he sounded more like a Mexican than a local even if he did speak nearly the same Spanish. I asked him what he had. Perlas, was the reply. Pearls from the Sea of Cortez. I had been right about Mexico." He paused to take a sip of his wine.
"So I asked what colors he had, and the only color I recognized immediately was azul, blue. I nodded that I would look at the blue one, but when he dug it out… the sun caught it just right and it shimmered a perfect green. You'll think I'm a sentimental old fool, Lisbon, but at that moment all I could do was think of your green eyes. And I swear I missed you so much I almost couldn't breathe."
"I bought it right then and there. And then I went into town and had a metal smith make a ring setting that looked like the ocean curling around it. And I saved it, thinking that once I got back and saw you again, somehow I'd get up the courage to take off my old wedding band and tell you how much I love you. Then I'd ask you to marry me."
Lisbon's gasp sounded unnaturally loud in the quiet room, but Jane didn't pause. "I know it took me a while, but I got there in the end, right? So I guess all there is to ask you now is: would you be my wife, Teresa? Of course I wouldn't blame you for saying no, but I-" but whatever else he'd planned to say was cut off by Lisbon pressing her lips to his.
"You idiot," she murmured between kisses. "You jerk, you moron," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him. He did the same, and held on tight.
"Is that a yes?" he asked, stroking her hair. "More Lisbon tough love?"
"Oh shut UP," she growled, and kissed him again.
But she held out her left hand for him to slip the ring on.
The End