Patrick Jane lay on his couch in the CBI enjoying the sun on his face and listening to the comforting and familiar sounds of Rigsby, Van Pelt and Cho. Grace was sighing and figuring out how she was going to get all of this paperwork done and get home at a decent hour, Rigsby was tapping a pen to the "Queen" song he was listening to while pretending to work on his laptop, and the gentle swish through the air of papers and the clunk of draws being open and shut indicated that Cho was organising his desk. They were a good team. Good people. It still amazed him that after all he had been through, he still felt at home here, more so than anywhere else since the death of his wife and daughter. Teresa was right. They really were a family now. A side of his mouth quirked up as he realised what he'd just thought. Teresa. He almost always called her Lisbon, even in his head. Lately though, particularly since the Las Vegas incident, he had found himself thinking and calling her Teresa more often. This is getting dangerous, a voice inside him warned. You know what happens to people who you get close to. He flinched internally as images of a blood red smiley face and Kristina Frye's blank expression darted through his mind. He wouldn't let that happen to anyone else. He couldn't. He wouldn't survive it. Despite the frequent guilt and reminders of Red John's continued torment against Jane and the people he loved, somehow Teresa had slipped through his walls. He resisted and denied, but the truth was, she had gotten to him. He cared about all of their little team, but Lisbon most of all. There was something special about their banter and interactions. She knew him. The idea was as alarming as it was wonderful. To actually let someone in, and see all sides of him, not just the ones he chose for them to see, was something that Patrick hadn't allowed in a very long time. Well he'd be damned if the little firecracker hadn't blasted away the deceit and façade and forced him to be honest with her. She would never force anything out of him unless it was life threatening, but she did make sure that when he chose to speak, he wasn't feeding her lies. A gentle squeeze on his shoulder interrupted his musings and he found himself staring into the bright green eyes of the woman he had just been thinking about. "You ready to go question Lorelei?" Lisbon asked, looking at him slightly warily. He couldn't blame her, she knew the lengths he would go to in order to get information out of Red John's little friend. It went against her by-the-book approach, although hopefully by now Lisbon had realised that by the book wasn't always best method. He nodded, immediately swinging his legs into the floor so he could get off the couch. "Let's go" he said firmly, a hint of steel in his voice. Lorelei would talk. He'd make sure of it. And she was not getting away. He was too close to getting concrete information on Red John now to let ethics dissuade him. Just before they went into the interrogation room, Lisbon caught his hand to stop him. When he looked at her questioningly, she bit her lip. Interesting. Normally she was unflinchingly honest and just said exactly what was on on her mind. "Look, you know that I want to get information as much as you do, right?" she asked softly. Ah. So that's why she had hesitated. She wanted to talk about his conduct with Lorelei and make sure he didn't do anything too rash. That's why she was picking her words so carefully. "Yes, I know that Lisbon" he replied with an encouraging smile. Let her try her best to persuade him. It wasn't going to work and she knew it, but her conscience was compelling her to at least try. "Just….please don't question her alone? We already have the FBI breathing down our necks, the last thing we need is to make it worse" she urged, looking at him, silently asking him him to agree. "I'm sorry, but I can't agree to that." "Damn it" she muttered "I should have known better than to think you'd act rationally for once". "Oh Teresa, now where would be the fun in that?" he replied with a grin. Pulling the door open, he made sure to hold it for her as the interrogation began. He did, unfortunately, get Lisbon into quite a bit of trouble. The least he could do is be polite.
Teresa watched Lorelei and Jane nervously from her chair, eyes darting back and forth as though she were watching a tennis match. Jane looked….intense. He was very different to the carefree, charming almost innocent Patrick Jane that she saw most days. Lisbon knew how much he needed the information Lorelei had, it just frightened her that she had to wonder if there was something he wouldn't do to get it. Lorelei looked annoyingly pretty, even after 3 weeks in a holding cell. She was lazing back in the chair, looking at Patrick with a relaxed smile on her face, dark eyes amused. "Oh Patrick, I thought we'd been over this before? You won't get anything out of me and I'll be free soon". Her voice was surprisingly gentle for someone aiding such a monster. Unable to hold in her irritation with the other woman any longer, Lisbon jumped in. "Oh really? And how do you figure that one out? You'll be under 24/7 surveillance with four guards escorting you anywhere you go. You'll be trapped in a cell for the rest of your days and never see a drop of sunlight again- unless, of course, you co-operate and give us information about Red John. In which case you'll be safe and put into a witness protection program". "Lisbon's right, Lorelei" said Jane, leaning forward over the table. There was something about those blue eyes of his that was magnetic. "We can protect you, keep you safe. Surely you realise that you're just a pawn? Easily disposed of and replaced. Red John doesn't care about anyone but himself". "That's not true" Lorelei protested earnestly, leaning forward in response. "He cares about you, Patrick. He truly does. That's why he extended an offer of friendship". I had to hold back an unladylike snort at that. Right, the serial killer who murdered your wife and child just wants to be friends. "He wanted to manipulate me into doing things I didn't want to do" replied Jane, his eyes flicking to Lisbon for a brief moment. "Don't you think you're worth more than being a serial killer's errand girl?" He was almost whispering now, and his gaze had locked onto Lorelei's. Lorelei's smile faltered a little as she considered Jane's words. "Because I do" Jane continued, joining his hands together on the white table. "You're an intelligent, beautiful woman and you could do so much. You can have a whole new life, a fresh start". Lisbon admired Lorelei's resolve, whenever Jane talked to her like that, she tended to fold and do whatever he wanted. His genuineness whenever he was like that with her was incredibly endearing, it melted the distrust and reservations she sometimes had around the former con artist. "I-I can't" whispered Lorelei, chewing her lip. "I've made so many mistakes and I'm in too deep….." "None of that will matter if you tell us what you know" breathed Jane. Lisbon could see he thought they were getting close. He had tensed slightly and seemed unable to look away from the woman sitting opposite him. This stirred up some weird feelings in Teresa's chest for some reason, and she focused so that it wouldn't show on her face. With surprise she recognised it as jealously. All she was able to think was, he never looks at me like that. She focused on the task at hand, refusing to acknowledge such silly thoughts that could only lead to trouble. Lorelei was now shaking her head, amusement sparkling in her eyes. "You're very persuasive, lover, and I bet that works on a lot of women. Bet it works on Teresa, here, too" she commented, throwing a bright smile at Lisbon. Lisbon opened her mouth with a snappy retort on her lips, but Jane put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head, making eye contact with her for the first time since they'd sat down. Don't let her rattle you, Lisbon, his gaze said. Easier said than done. "Aww, you two really are sweet" commented Lorelei, "so protective of each other! It's a pity that the people around you don't tend to last long, now do they Patrick?" Jane kept his face completely blank, ignoring the taunt. Lorelei looked defiantly at Jane, resolve settling on her features. "You didn't seriously think it'd be that easy, did you? I'll stay here the rest of my life, but I will not tell you anything. You of all people, Patrick, should know that there are very very few places that he doesn't have access to." Jane looked at Lisbon and then back at Lorelei. "What if it was just me? Could you talk to me then?" he asked. Lisbon shot him an accusing glance. The one thing she asked him not to do, and he goes and does it in the second interrogation! Then again, it was Jane. She exhaled in frustration, a feeling that was not helped by Lorelei's smirk. "I guess you'll just have to come alone next time and find out" she replied with a wink. "I'll see you soon" warned Jane, getting up and motioning for Lisbon to follow him. She glared at the woman who even had the audacity to look good in the horrible prison jumpsuits as she got up, sending a silent warning of her own. Mess with him, and you mess with me.