A/N: Still not mine. Song and lyrics by Counting Crows.
xxx
Chapter 2: Accidentally in Love
Well I didn't mean to do it,
But there's no escaping your love…
xxx
"How much do you love me?"
Lisbon sighs loudly and switches the phone to her other ear.
"What do you want, Jane?" she asks.
"First tell me how much you love me!"
More than you know.
She quickly shakes aside that (completely inappropriate) thought and frowns.
"Umm…more than getting shot, less than a root canal."
"Li-is-bo-on!" Jane wines. "Be serious!"
"I am," she says wryly. "Now, what do you want?"
"A ride."
"A ride," she echoes. "What happened to your car?"
"Got towed." He sounds so pitiful (adorable…) she has to bite back a laugh. She shakes her head sharply. She needs to get a grip.
"How did that happen?"
"I'm at this park," he explains, "and I guess you're not supposed to park on the grass…"
She rolls her eyes. "Okay, fine. Where are you?"
"Roseville."
Amusement gone, she growls in annoyance. "Jane! That's 20 minutes away without traffic! I'm busy here!"
"Please?" he whines. "It's getting hot out here and I'm hungry."
She sighs. "Okay. Give me directions."
"Thanks Lisbon! I knew you loved me. Even more than a root canal!"
"Don't bet on it," she mutters, hanging up.
Five minutes later, after explaining to the team where she's going, she's in her car.
Of all the bloody things. Only Jane would manage to get his car towed for parking it on the grass in a public park. Only Jane would ever park there in the first place.
At least he's not in jail this time. Yet.
She really has to stop bailing him out. He's come to expect it and he rarely even tries to stay out of trouble anymore. He's insufferable.
Then again, he will probably insist on taking her out for dinner for her trouble. Granted, he'll poke, prod, tease, and annoy her until she'll wish she'd simply gone back to her (empty, lonely, depressing) apartment for Chinese takeout and a bad TV movie. But he'll try. And tomorrow she'll probably find one of his obnoxious (cute, charming, surprisingly well made…) origami animals on her desk. And he'll proceed to behave for a little while. Maybe.
When she gets to the park, she finds him sitting in the grass making a dandelion chain. When he sees her, he hops up and runs over, creation in hand.
"I made you this," he says. "Thanks for coming to get me."
She rolls her eyes and takes the chain. "Lovely," she says sarcastically. "Reminds me of the ones I made when I was five."
"You do call me an overgrown child sometimes," he grins. "Come on. I'll buy you dinner. Then we'll track down my car."
She smiles to herself—she knows him (far, far) too well.
Xxx
Her doorbell rings, a succession of quick buzzes as though the visitor is leaning on the button. Groaning, she hefts herself up and shuffles to answer it. Who the hell…?
She stops short. Only one person would ring the bell like that.
Jane…
Damn him. She's taking her first sick day in two years and he shows up.
"What do you want?" she croaks, swinging the door open.
"I'm here to check on the patient," he says cheerily. "Hightower said you were sick." He holds up a couple of shopping bags. "I brought food."
Too tired to argue with him, she lets him in and heads back to the couch. He tags after her eagerly and plops down beside her.
"How are you feeling?" he asks, reaching out his (soft, cool, remarkably gentle) hand to feel her forehead. "Damn, Lisbon, you're burning up!"
"I'm fine," she says hoarsely. He rolls his eyes, ignoring her.
"I brought chicken soup," he tells her. "And some pie if you're up for something sweet. Oh! And some buttered noodles from that new Italian place!"
She makes a face. "I really don't want anything, Jane." She doesn't tell him that the way her stomach's been churning, she hasn't been able to keep anything down all day. Being Jane, however, he seems to guess.
"Tea and crackers, then," he decides, hopping up. Before she can protest, he's taken off for the kitchen, bags in hand. She closes her eyes and leans back on the couch.
What the hell is he doing here? Doesn't she get enough of him when she's healthy? Not to mention she must look like absolute shit…
He returns a few minutes later with a plate of crackers and a steaming mug.
"Crackers and peppermint tea," he says, setting them in front of her. "Good for settling the stomach."
"Jane…"
"Just a few nibbles," he urges. "That's all." He flashes his signature (charming, sexy, megawatt) grin and pushes the plate closer to her. "Please?"
Sighing, she picks up a cracker and nibbles at it. When it goes down okay, she picks up another. To her astonishment, this little meal of his seems to be helping.
"See?" he says proudly, seeming to read her mind (of course).
She ignores him and focuses on eating slowly. When she's done, she shoves the plate and mug aside. Her stomach does feel a little better but her head's still pounding and she feels cold and achy. In spite of the hot tea and the warm weather, she's shivering. He, of course, notices.
"Chills?" he asks. When she nods shortly, he moves closer to her. "C'mere."
Yes, please.
"No."
"Come on!"
"No! Besides, I'm probably contagious."
He slides an arm around her and tries to tug her closer. "Doesn't matter. I can use my psychic powers to ward off disease."
"No you can't."
He pauses. "No. I can't. But I don't care. Come here." Not waiting for a response, he pulls her forcibly toward him, settling her against his (warm, broad, surprisingly well muscled) chest.
Involuntarily, she relaxes, letting her head sag against him. He rubs her back, soothing her aching muscles.
"Better, right?" he brags.
Yes. Oh, yes.
"Maybe."
"Liar." He laughs softly. "Just relax. I promise to behave myself."
"Yeah, that'll last," she mumbles sleepily. He's rubbing her back and shoulder and it's remarkably soothing. She feels a little like she's melting away.
His voice is soft and gentle in her ear. "For you, Lisbon," he murmurs, "I'll do my very best." He pauses a beat before adding, "Until you're healthy again, of course. Then you're fair game."
She laughs softly, glad for the flash of normalcy. "That's good, Jane," she says. "Don't tell anyone, but I wouldn't have it any other way."
As the words fall from her mouth, she can't believe she actually spoke them. She can't even believe she thought them. Jane is annoying and arrogant and pompous. He has a flagrant disregard for the rules that he tosses in her face regularly. (And he came to check on her and he's holding her because she's sick and he's not even teasing her about it…)
She is so screwed…