A/N: HEY GUYS. JUST WATCHED 5X20 AND MAN THAT WAS SOME EPISODE. NOT ONLY WE GOT RIGSBY AND VAN PELT TOGETHER (FINALLY!) BUT I THINK WE ALL NOTICED THE 'JISBON' GOING ON IN THIS EPISODE (I MEAN JANE ASKED LISBON ABOUT HER 'FETISH'. NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL PROGRESS). SO INSPIRED BY THE EPISODE I'M HEREBY WRITING THIS SMALL TAG. ENJOY! AND OH! NOT TO FORGET THE CUSTOMARY STIPULATION-
"I DO NOT OWN THE MENTALIST AND ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. GUESS I'M NOT AS LUCKY AS BRUNO HELLER FOR THAT MATTER"
"Ok fine Cho! Emma, you said. Right?"
"Yes boss. She's the victim's sister"
"Jane and I will go talk to her. Meanwhile you and Rigsby go and track the husband."
"Ok boss"
Lisbon enters the bullpen, her steps directed towards her cabin but her instincts tell her that she won't find Jane there so she turns back and heads to the stairs. Lately he had been spending so much time in that ugly attic which has become his sanctum now. After Lennon died, he had closed himself in that garret and he hardly gets out. And his board is getting more and more complex with each passing day, adding victims and places with such perfection that she could never imagine.
Lisbon misses the Jane he was before. Although he still comes to the crime scenes and the goofy side of him is still intact, and he clearly hasn't stopped annoying her. But she misses him sitting by her couch all day, reading a novel and sipping tea in his old blue saucer. She misses the way he'd look at her whenever she'd be doing the paperwork and just when she'd catch him he'd turn to reading the novel again and she'd let him think she didn't see it. But now it's all about Red John. It's been days since she'd talked to him, really talked to him. No doubt, the case closure rates have gone higher. It's like he want to get over with the cases as soon as possible so that he could go in that creepy attic of his and pursue Red John.
*footsteps approaching*
I'm not really sure he'll open this time. I know he gets annoyed every time I ask him to open that door even though he doesn't say it. I really don't wanna push him for this. Lisbon reaches on the doorstep.
"Lisbon, I can hear you skulking around out there" he says.
How the hell does he know it's me? Am I the only one who comes here?
"What is it?"
"We've got a case. You can deal with Red John later."
"Yeah, Missy Roberts. I already broke that wide open"
Lisbon hears the reluctance in his voice. She wonders what he's doing in there. Probably, sorting out the names of the 408 suspects in his diary or decorating his boards with more victims.
"Jane we've to go talk to the victim's sister"
I know for sure he won't come today. But I cannot watch him rot inside this cell, not with all the murder victims around. I cannot lose him this way. I need him. He's all I've got.
"Jane, I need you"
*long silence….*
God I'm such a fool. I know he won't open. Red john is clearly more important to him than this case, more important to him than me. I should probably go now.
*the shutter clicks open*
Jane looks at her. A brief glance is all he needs to examine her. He notices she'd done something different with her hairs today; they are pulled back neatly enhancing her perfectly built jaw line. She looks beautiful as always.
"It's nice to be needed" he says "Anything for you, Lisbon "
He closes the door. A slight smile crosses her lips. She gulps the tension she'd been building. She realizes it's been a long time since he's been with anyone. He's forgotten what it's like to be needed by a loved one. Forgotten that he's even worth being needed.
XXX
"Some Buddy something... I don't know" Emma cried."Umm, henner, or..."
"Buddy Hennings?" Lisbon said orotund tone.
Shoot! Why did I say this? Now Jane's gonna ask me all sorts of questions.
"Lisbon, I know you're a fan"
"What? No. I've just listened to it in my car a few times. Nothing more."
"Alright. I'll go talk to him while you check out the shady bakery"
"No. I'll go to the radio station with you."
"Ha-ha! Cause you're a fan"
Hell! I can't keep my mouth shut. Can I? And how does he always get to know everything? That was supposed to be a secret.
Lisbon and Jane strode into the radio station. He pulls the door and gesture her to go in.
God he can be such a gentleman sometimes.
"We're not a couple"
"Ours is more of a platonic love"
Lisbon looks at him in shock. Did he really say that? She wonders if it is what he meant when he said-'LOVE YOU' to her in the cabin. Or was it more? May be Jane had forgotten about it but she always wondered what he really meant that day.
XXX
Lisbon stepped to the kitchenette holding a coffee mug in her hand. She was tired and probably creeped out with all the things she got to know about the love doctor, Buddy Hennings. The innocent girl inside her always wished for happy endings and Buddy hennings somehow made that happen. After months of hearing him reconcile the loved ones she'd become a fan of him. Until today, when she got to know the kind of person he truly was. She had a hard time believing it was all just for a 'fetish'.
She sees Jane leaning over the sink, holding his blue cup in his hands and drinking his favorite cinnamon tea. She knew he was staring at her but she decided not to look.
"Your brow is furred. You have that squinty look in your eye."
Not again! I hope he doesn't talk about hennings.
"You wanna talk to me about the whole foot fetish thing but the catholic schoolgirl in you tells you it's not necessarily appropriate."
There you go. Damn it!
"You're right. I can't wrap my head around it."
"You know, everyone has their thing. It's human nature."
"I don't"
"Oh come on, Lisbon. Don't deny yourself that freedom. There is definitely something that works out for you that flips your switch."
Flips my switch! What does he mean? Is there something mixed in his tea?
"Like turtlenecks."
Am I that easy to read? God! I must get outta here before he starts stringing his theory about the turtlenecks.
"You're right .it's inappropriate."
She leaves the kitchen in a hurry. She finds Cho working on the computer.
"Hey Cho. What are you doing up so late?"
"Finishing the paperwork"
"I told Rigsby to do that. You completed your share last week."
"He left early. Probably a lot for him to take in one day."
"How'd you know?"
"Everybody knows. It was a live show"
"Good to see you care about him. Ok then, good night and don't work too late"
Lisbon got inside the elevator and just when the elevator door closed she realized she'd forgotten her car keys on the desk. She got out and headed for her cabin.
She entered the cabin to find a beautifully wrapped golden present lying on her desk. The note on it read-
"YOU DESERVED A BETTER ONE. GO ON. OPEN UP."
She opened the present in a haste to find beautiful black stilettos with a bow adorned with a diamond on the front.
"Oh god Jane, I thought you forgot about me but you didn't" she whispered to herself.
"I'm never gonna forget you, Lisbon" a voice came from behind.
Lisbon turned back to see Jane leaning on the door.
"Sorry they are no good as turtlenecks but they'll look good on you." Jane teased
"hush Jane. They're beautiful" Lisbon said looking at the shoes in her hands.
He came towards her, his blue eyes glistening in the amber glow of the lamp.
"Jane you didn't have to do this."
"Like I said. Anything for you, Lisbon."
He leaned towards her and placed a light kiss on her cheeks. She trembled in confusion, her hands still holding the stilettos.
"Now. I've to go pursue Red John. Good night!"
"Good night" she managed to speak.
She watched him go out the door. Still shocked by what just happened. She touched her cheeks relishing the feel of his lips.
She just realized, she was in love with him.
A/N: I KNOW I'VE TO WORK ON 'THE RED CAKE' BUT I COULDN'T RESIST WRITING THIS. I HOPE WE GET A JISBON KISS IN THE FINALE EVEN IF IT'S ON THE CHEEK. JUST SO YOU KNOW ,REVIEWS ARE ALWAYS WELCOMED.