A/N I personally love this chapter- is it bad that I keep watching the 'scene' in my head, even though it doesn't actually exist? :S Anyway...thanks so much for all the reviews on the first chapter! I'm so glad you all enjoyed it! Mental note: if you think it ends abruptly, yes, it will be followed up in Chapter 4. Sneaky grin.

Disclaimer: Do DVDs and a calendar count?


'Envy slayeth the silly one'

Job 5:2

It was meant to be casual. She couldn't remember why it started, and she didn't know when it had started to get complicated. But it had.

A soft knock on the door of her hotel room, seeking comfort in the night. The sound of her doorbell on the anniversary of her mother's death, because he knew how much she needed him. Then a few days in between, just because they could.

And it would never be talked about. It was the typical 'morning-after' scenario, if in fact either one of them stayed until the sun came up. The sixth time he had turned up at her apartment (she had yet to venture past his entrance hall), Lisbon decided to break the silence.

"Stay," she had said softly, lying naked in her bed and watching him fasten the zipper on his pants.

Jane shook his head, and she let him go, listening to the front door shut behind him. She never brought it up again- he'd turn up, they'd have sex, he'd leave. And Lisbon continued trying to make herself believe that there were no feelings involved.

He made her laugh. Always made her laugh. Sometimes made her cry. Rarely made her do both at the same time.

Making her believe that he wanted her, gently making her fall in love over and over again with every smile.

Lisbon forced herself to move on, to forget about whatever feelings she thought she may have had for Jane, and instead found herself with a boyfriend. Eric.

Jane was caught between a rock and a hard place, and just like that she was gone. Now he was stuck seeing her every day, seeing her and not being able to touch her like he wanted to, seeing her dance with Eric.

Two weeks after Lisbon introduced him to Eric, Jane took off his wedding ring.

"You should tell her," came the voice from his elbow, and Jane turned, frowning slightly.

"What?"

"You should tell her that you love her."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he lied, turning back to the bar. Van Pelt sighed heavily, knowing it was pointless trying to convince him, and left him alone with his drink.

Jane downed the rest of his whisky, wincing at the burning in his throat.

Yes, tonight was going to be fun.


Lisbon glared over Eric's shoulder, catching the knowing smirk Jane was sending in her direction. His own dance partner was tall and curvy, long blonde hair to match her seemingly endless legs.

Seeing her consultant's hand drop lower down her back, Lisbon gritted her teeth, pressing herself more firmly against Eric.

"What do you say we heat things up?" she said with a flirty grin. He blinked in surprise, but Lisbon was already wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Uh...sure."

A few feet away, the muscle in Jane's jaw twitched ominously when a pair of unfamiliar hands spun his Lisbon around. The woman he was dancing with was, admittedly, very attractive, as was the man currently whispering in Teresa's ear.

She laughed. The son of a bitch made her laugh. Jane's brow creased almost imperceptibly, and anyone who knew him could see the menacing glint in his eyes.

"Patrick?"

He couldn't remember her name. Amy...Andrea...Anna? She had been the first woman to approach him after he headed towards the dance floor three hours ago, and Jane had seized the opportunity to lose himself in another woman.

"Amber?" he echoed with a charming smile. She unconsciously leaned closer, her body moving in time with his.

"Spin me."

He obliged, for no other reason than having her facing away from him meant she couldn't see that his eyes were fixed on the small brunette grinding her hips against the Rob Lowe lookalike three feet to his left.

Lisbon bit her lower lip, watching the blonde Barbie doll laugh at whatever Jane had just whispered in her ear. He looked up, and then blue eyes were meeting green in a challenging clash of wills, daring the other to break first, a blatant reminder of other things, more exciting things, they could be doing right now.

Jane dragged his hands up Amber's sides, watching Lisbon stiffen and jerk in her boyfriend's arms.

"Teresa, are you OK?" he asked. She pasted a smile on her face.

"I'm fine," she replied quickly, leaning up to catch his lips in a kiss. She could almost hear the clenching of Jane's jaw.

"Patrick...you're hurting me..."

Jane blinked, and loosened his grip on Amber's waist.

"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly, "I get caught up in the music. Care to dip?" He dropped her suddenly, her fall broken only by his arm. She giggled.

"You're quite the dancer," she laughed. Jane's gaze flicked to Lisbon just in time to see her look away. He smirked to himself.

"Oh, you have no idea."


"Am I keeping you from something?"

At the frustration tingeing his voice, Lisbon looked up at Eric in surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"Your colleague," he clarified, spitting the word out, "you've barely taken your eyes off him all night."

Lisbon felt her eyes narrow, and dropped her arms from around his waist.

"I'm looking out for a friend."

"A friend? So why has he been looking at you like he's imagining you naked?"

A blush shot up into her cheeks, images of two sated bodies lying tangled together flashing through her mind. Lisbon cleared her throat.

"Thank you for tonight," she said, "I'll call you."

It was a lie, and they both knew it.

Ignoring the curious stare Jane was levelling at her, Lisbon grabbed her purse and jacket from the table.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she muttered. Van Pelt nodded mutely, and Rigsby frowned in concern, eyeing a spurned Eric in distaste.

"You want me to walk you out, boss?"

"No, I'm good."

Seeing Lisbon disappear out of the door, and catching the dirty look Eric tossed him, Jane carefully removed Amber's hand from his waist. He flashed her a brief smile.

"Would you excuse me for a minute? I'll be right back."

She sighed in defeat, stepping away.

"Don't bother."

The smile slid from his face.

"Amber..."

"Come on, Patrick. You've been staring at her all night."

"I don't..."

"I'm not the jealous type," Amber said quietly, "but I think your Lisbon is, and I don't want to get caught in the middle of whatever you two have going on."

He smiled.

"If I wasn't already in love, I think you and I could have had some fun," he pointed out, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek and disappearing after Lisbon.

She was already halfway across the car park when Jane caught her wrist, pulling her to a sudden stop.

"Why are you running away?" he demanded. Lisbon yanked her arm from his grasp.

"Go away, Jane. You've already ruined my evening."

"By dancing with another woman?"

"By making me feel like nothing!" Lisbon exploded angrily, "By flaunting your dead wife in my face."

All humour was gone from his face, replaced by a look that cut deep into her heart.

"Teresa..."

"I'm not stupid. I've seen the crime scene photos, remember? I know that she was tall, blonde..."

"Is that what you were jealous of?" Jane interrupted, "Amber? A woman I met three hours ago?"

Lisbon bit her bottom lip, realizing that this argument was fairly pointless and would do nothing more than hurt them both.

"I'm going to go home now," she said. Jane took a step towards her.

"Alone?"

"Yes, Jane."

"What about us?"

"There is no 'us', Jane!" she replied incredulously, "You can't just keep me hanging on because you're not sure whether you want me or not! We had a stupid fling, and now it's over."

Lisbon got halfway into her car before she heard his voice calling after her.

"What if I don't want it to be over?"

She hesitated, one hand on the roof of her car, the other hanging loosely at her side.

"Jane..." she pleaded.

He spoke again, but this time his voice was close behind her, and Lisbon could feel the warmth of his body against her back.

"What if I'm done watching you waste time on other guys?"

She couldn't move, despite her whole body wanting to turn to face him.

"Wasting my time?"

"I know what you look like naked," he murmured, and Lisbon heard her breath hitch as his tone turned teasing. Jane chuckled softly, turning her around and pushing her against the car.

"Now we've determined that a jealous Lisbon is not such a pretty sight, maybe you'd care to make a deal with me?"

"What kind of deal?" she asked warily, hating that she gave in so easily.

"No more men."

"No more women," Lisbon challenged. Jane grinned, leaning in to capture her lips.

"Except you, my dear, obviously."


Nobody else really stood a chance, did they? Sigh. If only the writer's would give us all a break...anyway, leave a review if you have a moment! :D