AN: I've had this idea in my head for a while and it wouldn't leave until I wrote it down and finished it. I just love the chemistry and banter between Jane and Lisbon and thought that this story suited them. Hope you like it! Special thanks to PhoenixWytch who gave me advice on this story! Thanks again!

Summary: Lisbon breaks her leg and Jane convinces her to let him make dinner for her at her apartment.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything concerning the Mentalist, unfortunately

Injured

"Lisbon let me help you with that." Jane spoke as soon as he saw Lisbon exit her office and slowly make her way to the coffee pot in the kitchen. He felt bad because she had chased after a guy who was coming after Jane angrily and threatening him with a knife today while on a case. He was getting too close and Lisbon had come out of nowhere and tackled the guy down to the ground. He noticed her flinch as she hit the ground, and knew something was wrong immediately but didn't say anything as he watched he limp over to Rigsby to hand the guy over. He had convinced her to go to the hospital and she reluctantly went. She had broken her leg in two minor places and despite doctors orders she had gone back to work.

"Jane I'm fine, you don't need to follow me around and cater to my every need. I'm a big girl, I can do things myself."

"Can't you just let someone take care of you for once, you're leg is broken and you can barely get along with the crutches the doctor gave you."

"Excuse me but I'm doing just fine with the crutches."

"Yes, but you're tired and your arms are starting to hurt, yet you are still persistent to keep going. You need to go home and rest. Lets say we call it a day and I'll drive you home?"

"First of all I have too much work to do here. And second, I rather have my crutches kicked out from under me and crawl my way back than to have you drive me home."

"You don't mean that, especially when we're over twenty – four miles away from your house. Just trust me. I promise to obey the driving regulations and listen to you if I'm going too fast. And for your work, you don't have that much to do. Since we don't even have a new case yet and you've already finished most of the paperwork from our last case. You can afford to take a half day off."

It would be nice to go home for the rest of the day. And I'm far to exhausted to continue this banter. I hate it when he gets his way. "Fine, just as long as you let me at least do some things on my own."

"Deal. Do you want me to carry you to the elevator and to the car?"

"Jane…" She gave him a warning glare.

"It was just a joke"

THEMENTALISTTHEMENTALIST

"Jane you're not coming in my house." Jane had followed Lisbon up to her apartment, claiming that he wanted to make sure she got upstairs and settled in her apartment alright. They were now standing in front of Lisbon's open door.

"Please, just let me make you dinner, and then I'll leave if you want." He said pushing past her and walking into her kitchen to see what he could use, of hers, that would make a decent meal.

"No." She reached out to close her refrigerator that he had been looking in.

"Please. I'll make you a delicious meal and I'll even make you brownies." He said pulling out a box of brownie mix from the pantry, tempting her to take his offer. "It'll be better than that frozen chicken stuff in your freezer that you were thinking about eating."

"How did you… oh never mind. Fine, as long as we make brownies for dessert."

"I knew the brownies would be the trigger."

"Shut up." She gave him a slight push and walked off to what he presumed was the bathroom. "I'm going to get cleaned up."

THEMENTALISTTHEMENTALIST

"Well, taking a bath, in an attempt to clean up, was a disaster." She said ranting turning around the corner. "Mmm, what smells so good?"

"It's called food, Lisbon."

"Do you need help with anything?"

"Actually, you can peel those carrots over there if you want to. Then you can help me with the brownie mix."

"Okay, sounds good!" Lisbon limped over to the sink to start peeling. Then she finally got a good look at Jane. "I like the apron look. I didn't even know I had one." She said in a mock tone. If the team knew about this they would have a field day.

"You didn't. I brought my own."

"So what? You travel with your own apron everywhere?" She said smiling. He had walked over to her and was now standing very close to her. Lets just say so close that she had thoughts going on in her mind involving the two of them, the counter top, and everything else on the floor. Where did those thoughts come from? She repeatedly cursed herself for thinking such things when he was around and probably reading her mind right now.

"I didn't want to ruin my outfit. You know red sauce stains are very hard to get out of suits. Plus…" He leaned in closer so he was basically whispering in her ear. His breath is so warm, and oh my god he smells good… damnit Lisbon get those thoughts out of your head. "I wanted to look good for you." She shuttered and then blushed. She immediately focused back on peeling the carrots. The poor carrot she had been peeling the whole time had taken quite a beating. She decided that it was too small to be used and tossed it in the trash.

"Did I make you nervous Lisbon? I didn't mean to." He said trying to stifle back a laugh.

"NO, you didn't. Go back to your sauce, apron man."

After a few minutes of silence, Lisbon finally finished peeling and chopping.

"Where do you want these?"

"Right here" he pointed to a pan with a variety of vegetables already into it. She went over to the pan and gently started to drop the carrots into it. She noticed that he was staring at her. Two can play your game, Jane! She 'accidentally' bumped his arm and crept closer next to him. God, she's so beautiful. And she smells amazing! I just want to hold her right here and kiss her. Whoa… where did that come from Jane? I think the fumes from the food are clouding your senses. As he came out of his thoughts he noticed that Lisbon was looking at something on the stove. He looked to the stove and saw that suddenly a pot was starting to boil over.

"Damn." He cursed under his breath and removed the pot from the burner and started draining what looked like pasta into the strainer. "Sorry bout that. That never usually happens to me."

"I must have distracted you." She replied smiling. "Whoops." Her grin grew wider knowing that she had just paid him back for what he had done earlier.

"Touché, Lisbon!" He knew she did it on purpose to get back at him from before. "Well, everything is almost ready so do you want to help make the brownie batter so it can cook while we eat?"

"Sure, just tell me where you want me." He grinned devilishly at her and she winced. Did she just say that? That was not supposed to come out like that.

"Lisbon…"

"Don't comment. I meant, just tell me what to do."

"Okay. How bout I'll give you the ingredients and you can just stand there and stir them in. That way you don't have to limp your way around the kitchen." He responded with a smirk still plastered on his face.

"Fine." She said and stirred in the two eggs and water he handed her from the fridge. "The oil is in the bottom cupboard to your left."

"You read my mind. How do you do that?" He asked in mock amazement. "Viola, your oil madam!" He said bowing to her and handing her the oil to pour in. She just rolled her eyes and focused back on the brown gooey mess in the bowl. "Lisbon, you're stirring it all wrong."

"Jane, there is no specific way to stir brownie mix."

"Yess.. there is." He sounded like a five year old know - it - all, "If you stir it in one direction too long the powder mix won't distribute evenly," She looked at him with a 'are you serious' face. "Here let me help." He stepped behind her, bodies almost touching, and placed his hand on top of hers that was holding the spoon. Surprisingly she didn't move away and let him guide her hand around the bowl. It was silent for a moment as each of them took in the intimate moment.

"Jane…" So many things were going through Lisbon's head. She knew they shouldn't be this close but it just felt too good.

Jane sensed her sudden nervousness and reluctantly let go. Covering his disappointment he decided to add, "See if you do it my way, it becomes thicker and when it bakes it will be nice and fluffy and moist. Just how you and I like it."

Ignoring the fact he knew how she liked her brownies, she started spreading the batter into the baking pan.

"I've made brownies plenty of times my way and they've turned out how I like them to be. You just wanted to show me a different way because you wanted to hold my hand." She said teasingly.

"What if I did? I didn't see you rejecting my offer. Admit it. You liked it just as much as I did!"

Lisbon grew quiet and Jane knew she would never admit it.

"You're a pain, when you read people."

"You always tell me that!" Changing the subject randomly he asked "Bowl or spoon?"

"What?" She asked not realizing the subject change.

"Do you want to lick the bowl or spoon?" He held each up in front of her face.

"Jane, what am I five? I don't lick the spoon or the bowl anymore."

"Yeah right. Here I'll give you both, that way you don't have to choose."

"Thanks" She said sheepishly, licking the spoon. Man does she have to lick the spoon like that? Doesn't she realize what she's doing to me? Calm down Jane. He was too busy to notice that Lisbon had been holding out the bowl and asking him a question.

"Jane, do you want some? I don't want to spoil dinner by eating all this myself."

"Thanks," he said sticking his finger into the bowl scraping the sides to get the batter. The timer went off disrupting the moment between them. Damn these stupid awkward moments and interruptions. This shouldn't be hard. He's just a friend, Teresa, you can have dinner with a friend.

She walked over to him to get her plate but he insisted that she sit down on the couch and wait for him to bring it to her. She then obeyed, knowing that he wouldn't give up on convincing her, and waited for him to come over. "Dinner is served! A side of mixed vegetables, garlic bread, and a main dish of angel hair pasta with a secret red sauce recipe, by the lovely, Patrick Jane!" He said entering the living room and sitting down on the couch next to her while placing a plate in front of each of them.

"Hold it there buddy, lets not boost your ego! Lets just hope it tastes as good as it smells!"

"Ha ha very funny! Would you like some wine my dear?" He pulled out a bottle of wine from behind his back.

"Of course, sir! Thank you!" She taunted his exaggerated politeness as he poured wine into two glasses and set them down on the coffee table.

THEMENTALISTTHEMENTALIST

After dinner they eventually turned on the TV for a while. They were both curled up on either side of the couch. Lisbon was resting her head on the arm of the couch and her feet were curled under her. She looked so peaceful and relaxed. Jane was having a hard time keeping a distance from Lisbon. He wanted for her to rest her head on his lap or shoulder and let his fingers crawl through her hair, but he knew that it would be too soon and sudden for Lisbon's comfort so he put aside his wishes. Looking over at Lisbon he didn't realize how late it had gotten. She was starting to dose off but kept catching herself and kept jolting awake.

"You're tired."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are. You keep falling asleep."

"Well that's because you made me take that stupid pain medication, which makes me tired. So technically it's not my fault I'm falling asleep." She yawned. Jane got up off the couch and started to bend down. "Jane… what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm carrying you to your room so that you can get a good nights rest."

"I can walk by myself." She retorted but didn't struggle to get out of his arms.

"You're too tired and plus we're almost there." He said opening her bedroom door and placing her gently on the bed and covering her up.

He was about to leave and close the door behind him until he heard Lisbon whisper his name, "Jane?" He was debating whether he should turn back or not but he was too tempted to see what she wanted.

"Yes Lisbon?"

"Dinner was amazing. Thank you for everything, Jane. You didn't need to come over and do all this."

"Well I wanted to. I'm glad you actually let me come here and make you something." He said bending down and placing a feathery kiss on her forehead. "I'll come by and pick you up in the morning considering we took my car here and you can't drive anyways. Call me at any time if you need anything."

"I will. Thanks, Jane. Night." She whispered sleepily and snuggling into her sheets.

"Good-night, Lisbon." He said taking one last look at her and exiting her bedroom quietly. This was probably the best night he had had in a while. He might just have to convince Lisbon to do this again sometime, except the part involving her breaking her leg.

AN: I was thinking about writing a sequel to this story but I wanted to see what you all thought about this story first! Please click on the magical button and leave me a message saying whether or not you want a sequel. Or just let me know what you liked or disliked about this story!