A/N: I'm a little late, I know...I had to arrange two Christmas parties and I had no time at all – although I really wanted to write a Jisbon-Christmas story. ;_; Finally I only managed this little one and I'm trying very hard to finish it until tomorrow! (No promises though.)
Beside some romance there'll be some Hurt/Comfort but also Humor (at least I hope so :D), so I decided to label it only as Romance.
Anyway, I still wish you Merry Christmas!
Christmas Wish
Chapter one
It was a Sunday in December, the last one before Christmas.
CBI consultant Patrick Jane was strolling towards the park. All his colleagues from Serious Crimes Unit were at home – or elsewhere. They weren't at work, that is. And for a change Jane himself wasn't in the mood to brood alone in the CBI attic. He liked his dusty place of refuge, dearly, but sometimes it felt like a cage.
Besides, it was a chilly but sunny day in California, absolutely meant for a decent walk.
Jane breathed the fresh air and roamed past some playing children. They were completely caught in their game, screaming and laughing. A little boy almost ran into him and called a breathless "Sorry!" over his shoulder before he rushed back to his friends.
Jane shook his head with a smile and was about to go on, when a sudden voice stopped him.
"Kids, huh?"
Turning around he found an old man sitting on a bench by the wayside. He had a cozy big belly, a fluffy white beard and his wrinkled face was framed with white curls. He wasn't the youngest anymore, undoubtedly, but his expression was vivid and his vise blue eyes gleamed impishly.
He obviously had been the one talking and judging by his eager look he had obviously addressed Jane with that.
"Yeah." Jane frowned and scrutinized him.
"Come on, son, sit by me." The old man patted the empty space next to him.
Jane wanted to refuse but the man smiled so warmly and friendly at him that Jane couldn't deny him that.
As he sat down, the old man introduced himself as Sanson.
"But feel free to call me San. Everybody does that," he added.
"Patrick." They shook hands.
"So, tell me, Patrick, what brings you here?"
Jane relaxed against the backrest and watched the playing kids.
"Well...I've nowhere else to be," he answered vaguely.
San eyed him from the side and uttered a musing sound.
"Hmm...I see."
They stayed silent for awhile until the silence was broken by San.
"Sounds like a good thing...not having to be anywhere."
Jane gave him one of his small fake smiles. "Not so sure about that."
San nodded thoughtfully.
"What about you?" Jane wanted to know politely.
San blinked. "Oh you know...Christmas is near."
Jane furrowed his brow in wonder. Not even he was able to tell what the other one meant with this cryptic reply.
San sensed the question in the air and turned to the consultant completely, giving him his full attention.
"Tell me, Patrick, do you have a wish for Christmas this year?"
"Uhm..." Jane was taken by surprise.
His need for revenge hardly was an appropriate Christmas wish and definitely the wrong thing to tell a stranger, so he answered evasively.
"Not yet."
"Then you better hurry, son." San slapped him firmly on the shoulder. "There isn't much time until Christmas anymore. And fulfilling a wish takes some time, you know."
"Excuse me?"
San waved his hand soothingly. "Don't worry, it's not too late, yet. " With a groan he pushed himself off the bench and muttered under his breath, "Holy sh...I'm getting old. Ah well."
He smiled fatherly at Jane. "You still have time to think about your wish, Patrick. Just let me know as soon as you find out."
"Why?" Jane couldn't help asking. This old man was kind of weird. Or just...old, and confused, even though he didn't seem to be.
San beamed at him like the afternoon sun and spread his arms. "Because that's what I'm here for."
He winked and started to move. "Goodbye, son." With that he strolled away, humming loudly 'We need a little Christmas' and leaving a confused-looking consultant behind.
XxxChristmas WishxxX
"Hey, Jane. ...Jane?"
"Hm? Oh hey, Lisbon."
Lisbon raised her brows as she eyed him meaningfully. It was Monday morning, the morning of Christmas Eve so to say, and her consultant had just come into her office, tea cup and saucer in his hands, and stood still in the middle of the room, obviously being deep in thoughts.
"Everything all right?"
"Yeah, sure...I just...I had a strange encounter yesterday." Still musing he sat down on her couch.
"Strange? How so?"
"Ah, I don't know. I guess it was just a strangely confused old man."
"You know, most of the people you piss off on a daily basis would describe you in the same way." Lisbon smirked.
Jane looked at her, eyebrow raised. "That's neither very nice nor true, Agent Lisbon."
"Whatever you say, Jane, whatever you say." She bit her lip to stifle her laughter. Her green eyes glimmered teasingly.
He couldn't help it, his lips twitched into a smile. To see her in such a relaxed and amused mood had been a rare thing lately. The past months had been tough on her. Mostly because of him.
His smile faltered. A sudden feeling of guilt banged into his gut – and for once it wasn't because of his family's tragedy.
Lisbon saw how his expression abruptly turned serious.
"Jane?" There was only a hint of unease in her voice, as if she wondered whether she had offended him – even though she knew better.
He blinked and gathered the control over his mask.
"You wounded me, Lisbon, deeply!" He gripped his chest in mock sorrow.
She snorted.
"Poor baby. Has your big bad boss offended you?"
"Yes," he answered with a sad sigh.
She tried to stay serious but failed and chuckled. "Well, then, please tell me how I can make it up to you."
His eyes lit up immediately and he sprang to his feet to walk over to her.
"I've got the perfect idea, my dear!"
"Oh no..." She looked at him with pure horror.
"Nah, don't worry. You'll love this one, I promise. ...Would you stop looking at me like that?"
"Sorry, can't help myself. So what's this great idea of yours?"
"Around the corner a new ice rink has been opened a few days ago. So we're going to go ice skating, you and me."
"What? No way!"
"Don't be afraid, it'll be fun. And this way the old man can show you how fit he actually is."
"I'm not sure I'm willing to risk that. It's my job to protect you from physical harm."
Jane pouted. "You know, more insults are not making it up to me."
Lisbon bit her lip again. He could see she was considering it. Her inner turmoil was mirrored on her face. Jane was pretty sure, that she secretly loved to go ice skating. So he pushed just a little bit more.
"Well? Please, Lisbon? What could possibly spread more Christmas spirit than ice skating?"
"Do you want a list?"
"Come on! You don't have any other after work plans anyway. And this way both of us would be in nice company this evening."
They stared at each other for another minute until she huffed in resignation.
"Fine!"
He grinned triumphantly and returned to her couch to sink down on it with a satisfied moan, while Lisbon muttered some curses under her breath.
XxxChristmas WishxxX
They arrived at the ice rink in the late evening. Since it was Christmas Eve there weren't many people in the hall anymore.
Despite her earlier hesitation Lisbon had some difficulty to hide her excitement. During the whole day at work and after releasing her team into their well deserved holidays she had been looking forward to that. The truth was, while she was expecting her brother Tommy, his daughter Annie and Virgil Minelli for Christmas Day, Jane had been right about her plans for tonight. And eventually his idea had sounded much better than the few unspectacular ones she had thought of.
While Jane put some lent skates on Lisbon eyed her own critically.
"I haven't used them for years. I think they need to be sharpened."
Jane nodded towards the skate renting. "I'm pretty sure they can do it. You just have to ask nicely."
She rolled her eyes at him, but agreed though. "You go ahead. I'll meet you on the ice in a few minutes."
"Sure. I'll be the gracefully slipping one."
Lisbon looked at him as if to say 'Can't wait to see you trying' and turned away.
When she reached the renting service no one was in sight. She leaned over the counter.
"Hello?"
There was a muffled sound and then a paunched old man with white hair and beard appeared in front of her. "Hello, young lady, how may I help you?" He smiled friendly and revealed some perfect white teeth.
Lisbon was about so say something because of the form of address but then she just smiled back instead.
She explained her request and handed her skates over.
He took them and examined them through his half-moon glasses.
"Ah...I see. That won't be a problem, my dear. Good old San will have it done in no time."
"Thanks."
After sharpening the blades and returning the skates to her, he watched her putting them on.
"So Christmas is coming very soon, huh?"
Lisbon looked up and smiled. "Guess so."
"Do you have a Christmas wish, my dear?"
She blinked in confusion and eyed him with furrowed brows, biting her lower lip unconsciously.
San tilted his head, scrutinizing her, and then his smile brightened. "So you do have a wish for Christmas...but you're not ready to admit it yet."
In a comforting gesture he put his huge warm hand on top of hers. Lisbon looked down on their hands and back to his face. Under usual circumstances she would never allow a stranger to invade her personal space, but she simply couldn't help it. He was like the grandfather she never had, with the air of mystery and magic around him, and hypnotic blue eyes.
"Don't you worry, young lady, you'll get to that. Soon." San squeezed her hand softly and let go afterwards. With a last smile and a conspiratorial wink he waved and disappeared into the backroom.
"What the hell was that?" Lisbon wondered. Weird. It definitely was weird.
Shaking her head she walked towards the ice. When she stepped onto it and looked for her consultant, all the wonder vanished from her mind.
An unbelieving laugh escaped her throat as she caught sight of Jane.
With a smirk she slid towards the point where he all but gracefully stumbled on the frozen water.
She stopped next to him and pointed at his shaking legs. "That's the way you wanted to impress me, Jane?"
"Oh hey Lisbon." His smile was only slightly distraught while he clung to the boards. "Yeah...well, it's been a while, I guess. Ice skating obviously isn't as simple as I remembered it to be."
Lisbon grinned mischievously and just to rub it in she glided around the ice skillfully.
Jane raised an eyebrow when she came to a halt next to him again.
"Why, Lisbon, I'm impressed now. That looked pretty graceful to me. You're quite good at this."
She shrugged. "I taught my brothers how to skate. I had to be good."
"Well then" He let go of the boards and grabbed her shoulders instead. "You can help me not to fall on my behind."
Instinctively Lisbon reached out to steady him.
"Oh you mean, because I'm the one who saves your ass all the time anyway?" she asked dryly.
He grinned. "Exactly."
Lisbon rolled her eyes in mock annoyance, but tightened the grip around him nevertheless.
She took some powerful steps forward and pulled him with her. Jane shrieked in a very unmanly way and clung to her even more.
"Not so fast, Lisbon!"
"Oh boy, would you just relax?! I hold you."
He stayed quiet for a moment before he turned his head to hers.
"Yes, you do."
It was only then that she noticed how close they actually were. She glimpsed at him and felt a soft blush creeping over her cheeks.
"Concentrate on the task at hand, Jane."
"Sorry."
For awhile Lisbon led him safely across the ice.
Step by step he became better, his feet finally remembering how to do it. He felt safer and could walk freer with every move – as long as Lisbon was still holding at least one of his hands.
After half an hour Jane decided to take a break and give Lisbon the chance to skate as she pleased and without a clinging consultant.
She felt his eyes on her while she slid away, but she didn't care. They were the last ones on the ice now so she could totally enjoy the cool wind in her face, caused by her fast and precise movements.
"Do you know any jumps?" Jane called, when she passed by him backwards.
"I used to do Axels. Actually I managed the double Axel, but that was twenty years ago."
Jane waved reassuringly. "You're in top condition, Lisbon, I'm sure you can still do it."
She only hesitated for seconds, checking if they were indeed alone, and then she sped up, turned forwards and jumped.
Jane clapped his hands when she landed safely on her foot again. "See?! I knew it!"
"Yeah..." she replied a little out of breath, adrenalin pumping through her veins. "But that was just a simple Axel. I was too slow and not high enough." This time she didn't hesitate. "I want to try the double again."
She started again.
Lisbon didn't know that Jane was so fascinated by her actions that he made a few steps to get a better look. And she also didn't know that he suddenly wasn't able to stop himself on the ice just when she landed after a successfully completed double Axel.
It happened what had to happen due to Murphy's Law. They were the only ones on the huge frozen surface and yet they managed to collide. Lisbon had no chance but to crush into Jane with a surprised yell and both of them went to the ground, moaning painfully.
"What the hell, Jane?" she panted breathlessly. She had fallen on Jane and was currently partly lying on him and partly sitting between his legs.
"Sorry," he whined while he clung to her once more - even if for a different reason now, since his intention had been holding her this time. Not that he had succeeded, obviously. "My feet had been faster than my rational mind."
"Well, that's a first! Under usual circumstances your feet only are faster than your mind when you outrun a person you insulted."
"What can I say..."
"Do me a favor and say nothing at all," she retorted dryly and tried to push herself from his chest. "Give me your hands, Jane, I'll pull you up."
His hands slid from her arms so that he could do so and she climbed to her feet. However, when Jane put his blades on the ice his feet immediately slipped away and he slumped on his buttocks again, pulling her with him again.
"Ouch!"
"Seriously, Jane?" Lisbon shook her head but then paused when she saw Jane's terrified expression. She followed his look and understood what got him pale. Her knee had landed very close...between his thighs this time. That could have ended pretty badly.
There was silence for a moment. When their eyes met Lisbon felt it - the increasing prickling in her throat. She simply couldn't help it and started snorting with laughter.
"I'm glad my pain amuses you," Jane commented dryly but grinned nonetheless.
"I'm sorry," she replied between two chuckles. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, but this is getting really humiliating."
She burst out laughing again even though she tried to stifle it. This whole moment had been so hilarious and simply laughing hearty felt so good that she wasn't able to stop.
Jane watched her with a smile. The cold ice was wetting their clothes already but neither of them made another effort to get up.
"You should have seen your face!" Lisbon pressed through her teeth, shaking and almost crying with laughter.
She was so caught in the memory that she didn't noticed Jane's hand until he put it softly on her cheek.
Lisbon looked at him and the laughter slowly died in her throat as he held her gaze. His palm was cold and yet it burned her skin. His eyes were as deep as always, but it was the first time she lost herself in them in an instant, suddenly feeling like falling in a very different way.
There was this look again. The same expression he had worn in her office earlier that day. It was so full of...regret? No, it was guilt. And something else. Something so deep and meaningful she almost couldn't bear it.
And all of a sudden she wondered if she was the reason for it.
"Jane?" she whispered a little helpless, his intense stare making her feel all exposed.
Instead of an answer he let his fingers stroke her face fondly.
Lisbon swallowed while her heart hammered in her chest with a surprising passion, she noticed and it made her shivering. Beyond that she wasn't able to move a single muscle. She had been in love with her consultant for years but she had never lost control over her body like this before. Even the jealousy she had felt because of Lorelei hadn't paralyzed her that much.
He was so close...
She smelled his cologne. She saw the tiny green speckles in his eyes. She felt his warmth beneath her fingers. Not only beneath her fingers! His warmth was surrounding her, making her dizzy.
She tasted his breath on her tongue.
And she heard his voice which had never sounded affectionate like this before. It was almost like a verbal caress.
"You should laugh more often, Lisbon...I wish I could...For once I really wish I could..." His voice broke.
Lisbon wanted to say that it wasn't his fault, but when his thump touched her upper lip the words got stuck on her tongue.
An unbearable longing pulsed through her veins and she inched forwards, but that little movement did it. Jane finally came back to his mind and averted his gaze, letting his hand fall down and thus breaking the spell.
Lisbon blinked, found herself back in reality and blushed.
"Sorry." She didn't even know what she was apologizing for.
After taking some deep breaths she stood up a bit shakily, and this time she succeeded in setting Jane back on his feet.
"I don't know about you but I have had enough skating for today." She attempted to make her voice sound normal and bring them back to familiar territory.
"The bruises on my back are giving me the same thoughts," Jane agreed – both to her suggestion and to the normality.
Lisbon nodded in sympathy. "Come on then, old man."
And while they were finding back to the usual light banter on their way to the exit, both of them refused to let go the other one's hand - silently agreeing that Jane's insecurity on the ice was the perfect excuse.
TBC
Reviews, pretty please? ö_ö