Title: Little girls dream
Author: j-s-j-e
Pairing: Jane/Lisbon
Declaration: Do not own The Mentalist. Otherwise Jane and Lisbon would be pouring our feelings to each other already!
A/N: So i haven't written fic for AGES. Life got in the way. I'm probably rusty so be nice... I saw this as a challenge someone posted on Tumblr and i felt the itch to write to decided to have a crack and this is what came out of that. Not sure if this will continue. I'll see what the reception is like... Hope you like it!
"Cho, where's Jane?" Lisbon asked slightly annoyed that her consultant hadn't arrived at the crime scene yet. They had a Jane Doe, no i.d., found lying on a park bench covered in rose petals, not a hair out of place and no apparent cause of death. They could really use his help right now.
Not that she'd ever tell him that.
"Called him boss. He said he was running late. Something about picking up his shoes from his cobbler…".
Lisbon sighed reaching for her cell phone. She hit speed dial one and only had to wait two rings before she heard the familiar voice of her blonde haired, three-piece suit-wearing consultant. He never made her wait long when she called.
His voice had an expectant air about it like he had anticipated her call.
"Jane, where are you. You know you're meant to be at the crime scene. Your shoes can wait".
"Lisbon, Lisbon, Lisbon. Haven't had your morning coffee yet?" she could hear the smile in his voice.
Her annoyance grew. "Jane…" she growled down the cell, a responding soft chuckle from the phone seemed a lot closer than she thought.
She turned to take in the sight of Jane, a mega-watt smile and a twinkle in his eye, as he looked at Lisbon, phone still to his ear.
Snapping it shut he took in her appearance, rating her mood. Hand on hip, one eyebrow raised. He was safe, she just wanted to look annoyed but she was happy to see him. He secretly loved that look.
She turned silently and headed to where the team was around the body. The rest of the team still hadn't noticed Jane had arrived. Lisbon watched them work and when they glanced up at Jane's presence, Lisbon exclaimed without turning to face him "Oh! Nice of you to turn up Jane…" and he had to hide his smile at her little quip. Oh, she was in that mood was she.
"Sorry I'm late Lisbon. Had to pick up my shoes, or you'd be stuck looking at those white runners again." He walked past her, a little closer then need be to get to the body, his shoulder touching hers.
His honed observational skills took in the hitch in her breath and the way her upper body stiffened at his touch. He secretly loved that too.
If Lisbon had consciously noticed the brush she didn't acknowledge it as Jane crouched beside the body beginning his mental assessment.
It took him all of two seconds and a sniff to figure out she was a wedding planner and after a quick goggle by Van Pelt on her phone, a very prominent one at that.
Van Pelt read out the bio of the vic from the website. Patricia Gabriel started out as an assistant at a small flower shop, before starting her own wedding planning agency, along with her partner Melanie Cupid, growing it into the substantial money making business it was today. Apparently planning the wedding you had always dreamt of as a little girl was her specialty and people paid her big bucks to make that happen.
Lisbon scoffed at this last piece of information before allocating duties to the rest of the team, sending Rigsby and Van Pelt to inform the family and Cho to oversea the crime scene as she and Jane were to check out her workplace. The team all nodded, responding, "yes boss" before getting to work.
Lisbon set off at a quick pace towards the car, Jane hurrying after her, a look on his face clearly indicating something had peaked his interest.
They were pretty much silent on the drive to the Gabriel & Cupid bridal planning agency, Lisbon concentrating on the road and Jane still with that quizzical look in his eye, that Lisbon was actively ignoring.
It wasn't until they had exited the car and were riding the lift up to the wedding agency that Jane finally piped up. Clearly unable to keep his thoughts to himself any longer.
"So back at the crime scene why did you laugh at the idea of someone getting the wedding they had always dreamt of as a little girl" he questioned looking at her with a serious expression.
Lisbon rolled her eyes "Oh, please…" was the mocking answer she gave.
That was what was on his mind the whole drive here?
She just looked straight ahead willing the elevator doors to open before Jane could do any of his mind probing tricks. But no luck, Jane continued.
"I'm just curious Lisbon, since we both know, even though you are clearly determined to make it seem like you hate them, you actually love weddings and I'm sure secretly have yours planned to a tee, all the way down to what colour you want your napkins to be…" he had said all this while mimicking her appearance, staring straight at the elevator doors but stole a side glance to gauge her reaction to see if he was right.
She refused to look at him and fought the urge to give him a dirty look, willing her body and face to stay neutral and to not give him any indicators, however a slight blush on her cheeks gave her away and Jane smiled to the side, a warm feeling in his chest starting to rise.
Knowing the environment she had grown up in and how her innocence and carefree youth must have been taken away from her at such a young age at least that had not been taken, a little girl's dreams. A little Lisbon's dreams. He was glad for that.
Jane had made a little "aha" noise when he noticed the blush and that's when Lisbon couldn't take it and turned on him.
"What is that supposed to mean Jane? You know I hate this wedding crap." She stubbornly exclaimed.
"Ah Lisbon. I now know for sure that's not true, why's it so bad anyways? I can picture you in a puffy white number, flowers in your hair, walking down a path of rose petals towards… let me see… a man in a turtleneck…" Jane suggested.
Lisbon gave him dagger eyes then.
Luckily for Jane that's when the doors decided to ping open and they were bombarded with a bustling floor full of people running around, many holding clothes, packages, flower arrangements or folders of paperwork and all pretty much with a cell phone glued to their hand.
Jane and Lisbon both looked warily at the décor, the place looked like Valentines Day had puked all over the room and had never left.
Lisbon not wanting to spend any more time than she needed to in this place made a bee-line for reception, clearly still irritated by Jane's teasing in the elevator.
They passed two couples seated on heart shaped sofa's as they reached reception, a sweet looking receptionist with a headset greeting them a sweet smile painted on her face, giving them her full attention despite her phone blinking a million calls on hold.
"Hello and welcome to Gabriel & Cupid, I'm Alyssa, how might I help you today…" She rattled this off clearly having said it a million times before.
Lisbon opened her mouth and began to reach down for her badge when Jane cleared his throat and unexpectedly intercepted her hand, gently grabbing hold of it and placing both their hands on the counter, plastering a smile on his face and addressed the receptionist instead.
"Hello. My name is Patrick. My fiancé Teresa and I are here to see Melanie Cupid. We're so looking forward to planning our wedding aren't we honey. We're just so excited to begin our life together…" at this he looked lovingly down at Lisbon.
The mocking tone is his voice, which was so clear to Lisbon, was evidently not picked up by those around them. Alyssa looked on admiringly at Jane and one of the women sitting on a love seat could be heard scolding her fiancé for not having the same sentiments.
Lisbon startled by this chain of events, was stunned into silence and she could see the cocky, confident look in his eye. He was still mocking her. Wanting to make her feel uncomfortable. He loved to watch her squirm in these situations and that's when her brain kicked into action. Two could play this game.
Lisbon gave Jane's hand a light squeeze so that he would let go and without warning brazenly sidled right up beside him, wrapping one arm around his waist, the other resting lightly on his chest. Defiantly turning her face upwards to look him back straight in the eyes. Now it was his turn to be startled and for once Jane was left speechless.
"Awww… sweetie pie, I'm just as excited as you are…" she cooed and without warning went up on tippy toes and rubbed their noses together, scrunching her face up into a smile.
If possible, due to the proximity of her face, Jane was left even more dumbstruck than before and just continued to gaze at her, mouth wide open.
The receptionist smiled at them both and addressed Lisbon "You guys are so sweet. Now do you have an appointment to see Miss Cupid? She's pretty booked up today, I can have a look through her calendar but I believe her next free appointment won't be until three Saturdays away…" Alyssa sighed, also sounding as if she had said those words many times before.
Lisbon turned to Alyssa with an exaggerated look of devastation in her eyes, playing the part of the over excited bride.
"Oh no honey cakes!" she exclaimed clinging to Jane even tighter.
"We'll just have to call the jet to come pick us up earlier. We'll have to check out some other agencies. Didn't your friend recommend that one in France? We could head over and see if they can fit us in…" She sighed heavily pouting, having emphasized the words jet and France, which weren't missed by Alyssa, who suddenly clicked away on the computer and looked like she was re-arranging some things on one Melanie Cupid's calendar.
"Oh! Look at that. A couple just emailed in a cancellation. We could fit you in now if you like?" Alyssa fluttered her eyelashes, as if that would help convince them to stay.
Lisbon obviously wasn't fooled but her ploy had worked with a giant smile on her face she hugged Jane tightly in feigned excitement.
Alyssa held up a finger indicating she needed a moment as she tapped her headpiece, swiveling her chair to the other end of her area still in the eye line of Jane and Lisbon but out of earshot, whispering a few words into the microphone.
No doubt she was informing Melanie of some lovey dovey couple, who were probably rolling in the dough and looks like would spend big bucks to get the 'wedding of their dreams'.
As Alyssa was still in eye line Lisbon was refusing to give up on the act and started moving her hand up and down Jane's chest and nuzzling the crook of his neck.
At these movements Jane became comatose being unable to acknowledge or recognize anything except the feel of her hand on his chest, her lips on the pulse point of his neck and the heat radiating out of her slight body up against his own. They had rarely been this close and he wasn't going to lie. He loved it. He was definitely going to need more of this.
Suddenly Alyssa swiveled back and happily exclaimed that Melanie would see them now, directing them to the first door on the left.
Lisbon thanked her for all her help and as abruptly as she had begun this little charade she had ended it and dropped her hands, confidently turning and walking towards Melanie's office.
When she was halfway there she turned her head taking in the incapacitated form of Jane, still bewildered by her actions and smiled triumphantly at him.
"Are you coming sweetie…?" She drew out the last term of endearment, clearly emphasizing it to mock him further. Without Lisbon distracting him with her hands Jane found his brain could begin functioning again and he began to make his way toward her.
He had underestimated his Lisbon. She could take a mocking remark but she could definitely dish it out too and it was the last thing he had expected. His ever professional Lisbon had caught him by surprise and he accepted the challenge.
Lisbon thought it was over but he definitely wasn't going to let this be the end of it. Besides, if it meant Lisbon would be all touchy feely again, he was definitely in for round 2.
A/N: Hope it wasn't too bad. Let me know if you wish me to continue by chucking me a review. Hoping for some great Jisbon in the finale! : ) laters!