In a Perfect World
Author's Note: I already had most of this written and typed up, hence the rapid update :) I'm sorry to say that the next few updates will not be anywhere near as fast as I have to type the whole thing on my phone due to my laptop dying (RIP, Jerry :'( ) but I hope I'll be able to update relatively quickly so as not to leave you hanging to long! I have to appologise for Lisbon being a little put of character in this chapter, Jane just sweeps her off her feet :P
Kourion: All I can say is it will most definately test them both ;)
Any typos and mistakes are mine, and I did write this at midnight last night so tell me if tree are any problems and I'll quite happily correct them!
DISCLAIMER: I've just checked, and no, I still don't own the mentalist :( shame.
Chapter 2: There's always one.
"Counterfeiting were meant to be here half an hour ago; where the hell are they?" Lisbon was more than a little irate at the punctuality of the other team; her attitude probably wasn't helped by the impending arrival of Jane's girlfriend. 'Civil, keep it civil Lisbon' she thought to herself. "Well, they're not here..." Jane said with a playful edge to his voice and lifted up the nearest rock to to the body, "Or here..."
"Oh Jane. Would you stop that? They've gof the info on the victim too!" she grumped.
A black SUV pulled up. 'Think Jane, think! Ahaaa, illness; that's why they can't meet Vanessa! A little cheesy, but no better excuse than one that's been trailed and tested'. Three people exited the vehicle and casually strolled towards the scene, files in hand. "None of them are Vanessa, Jane. Is she ok?" asked Grace, genuinely concerned for the non-existent woman. "She's, uhh, ill today. Got a, errr, headache and stomach bug, you know? That one going round the CBI?" spluttered Jane. "Oh no! I hope she gets better soon, I really want to meet her!" bless Grace, if only she knew...
"Jane... Jane? You coming?" Lisbon called. He didn't realise he'd been stood on his own about 3 metres from the body for nearly 5 minutes by now. "Does the vic..." Jane started. "Jason Michaels." interrupted Julie from the other team. "Umm, yes, ok. Well, whoever. As I was saying, does he have any close friends that we know of?" "None; he was a bit of a loose cannon." she snapped. "Bit like someone I know..." Lisbon mumbled under her breath. No doubt Jane heard that by the smirk that crep across his face as he tried to stifle a laugh. "Well, I think he does." Jane retorted back to Julie in his trademark 'I-know-something-you-don't' tone of voice. "No he doesn't." Julie was clearly offended by Jane's remark that her facts might be wrong. "Ummmm, yes he does." Jane replied matter-of-factly as he rocked back and forth on his heals, his hands in his pockets, standing at the head of the body. "I can assure you, Mr Jane, we have done a most thorough background check. He has none." Julie was now beginning to lose her temper now; Lisbon tried to bite back a smirk. "Would you mind just pulling up his sleeve and showing everybody what's under there, Julie?" Low and behold, on his wrist was a red dragon tattoo with the name 'Samuel Roduiguez' underneath. "I'll bet anyone here $100 that old Sam Roduiguez has a matching tattoo with Jason Michaels written underneath!" "Do you have any basis for this outragious remark, Mr Jane?" snapped a rather frustrated Julie. "Look at his other tattoos. They're all gang related or chains for the added 'tough guy' effect. That one, however, has a name below, it's coloured and intricate unlike the others." He then turned on his heals and walked off, nonchalantly brushing his arm and hand across Lisbon's waist, earning and involuntary shiver from his unsuspecting boss who was dumbfounded by Jane's recent speel and his actions. "I'm done until we find this Roduiguez guy. It was a friend of Roduiguez that did it." he called as he continued back to the SCU's SUV.
"Right then. My team will handle the murder, and your team will handle the counterfeiting connections, correct?" Lisbon took charge, desperate to to try and separate the feuding teams. "No, this murder is part of a circle of counterfeiting gang members, we have sufficient evidence to indicate it is this way. We'll handle the murder inquiry together." Lisbon's face fell as those last few words left Julie's mouth. "Have you ever solved murders before?" Lisbon gave a questioning glance to each of the members of the other team, each gave a vacant, shocked expression in return. "No, I didn't think so. So leave the murder to us. We'll call yo if we get anything. That'll be all." Lisbon snapped and walked in the same direction as Jane, rapidly followed by her team.
What was wrong with her? Must've been Jane's arm across her waist, made her incoherent for a few minutes. Damn Jane, but hey... Two can play that game Patrick Jane.
The team were quiet for the ride back to the CBI, all apart from the radio and Jane whistling along to whichever song he knew, or thought he knew as the case may be.
It was Rigsby who broke the silence, "So, when do we actually meet Vanessa, Jane?" Jane looks startled for a moment, horrified even, but then reassembled his usual calm facade before replying with, "You'll just have to wait and see, won't you Rigsby?" with an added smirk on the end for good measure. "Awwwh, come on Jane! The suspense is killing us!" he whined. Jane turned round to look at his fellow collegue from the front passenger seat and looked from Cho's deadpan expression to Rigsby, and back again and raised his eyebrow and gave a questioning look. " Well, maybe Cho doesn't show it, but he's just as keen to meet her. Right Cho?" he said, giving Cho a persuasive elbow to the ribs. "Yeah, yeah. I'm really eager to meet her Jane!" Cho replied with an edge of sarcasm earning a glare from Rigsby. "But really Jane, when?" Rigsby continued, ignoring Cho's comment. "When the time is right." was the reply he got from a rated shell-shocked Jane who rapidly needed to recover his nerve in the front seat. Seemingly satisfied with this response, the taller agent was silent for the rest of the journey, allowing both Jane and Lisbon to reflect on their 'troubles'.
Lisbon drove down the highway with an outer calm she did not feel, her eyes focussed on the road but her mind was somewhere else entirely. Why did he touch her waist like that? He already had a girlfriend and she was definitely NOT being the 'girl on the side'; not that Jane would ever do that. Would he? No, that was out of the question. Then there was the incident earlier in ther office, where he took her pulse as it raced along all because of him. Method in his madness was there? She could see the madness for sure, method was a little harder to find. It was so damn confusing. Teresa Lisbon never got confused; not unless it contained one curly haired consultant or emotions. And this had both.
Her mind took a dangerous turn then to Vanessa. What did Vanessa have that she didn't? Yeah, ok. She was pretty, tall, the very image of perfect; bet she even had the personality to match. I bet she never got angry, lost her temper or faltered in any way. Damn her. If only there was a way of getting rid of her without harming Jane. She would need a plan, a scheme. Her heart fluttered a little at the thought of her, Teresa Lisbon, scheming to seduce Patrick Jane, the object of her affections, and her eventual goal. She would put her plan into action soon. There's no better time than the present is there?