Disclaimer: I make no money from fanfiction and no copyright infringement intended.

This story was going to just be a one shot but I suddenly found inspiration to continue it!

Striding into her office, Lisbon threw her jacket onto the hook in the corner and unholstered her gun, laying it on the right hand side of her desk, alongside the computer monitor. None of the team were in yet, though it wouldn't be long before Van Pelt, Cho and Rigsby arrived. As for Jane, well who knew. Maybe he'd turn up mid-morning. More likely, he was already here, barricaded in his attic like he thought that the bailiffs were coming.

Flicking on the monitor, Lisbon logged in and started to browse her inbox. Meeting with Bertram at 10am. Scheduled time 30 minutes. Oh hell. And before that, she had a team to co-ordinate. To bring up to speed on the latest developments in the Julia Howard murder/Lorelei Martins case, since they'd left at a reasonable hour last night. At least Jane didn't need to be involved in that one, so she didn't have to set eyes on his arrogant smirk this side of a good mug of coffee. She'd stick to telling the minimum. That she and Jane had tracked down an Orchid Lane address that may or may not have something to do with people disappearing from the shelter and that there was evidence that Lorelei had been there but she wasn't there when she, Lisbon, arrived. She just hoped that her team didn't ask too many questions. She neither wanted to tell them about Jane's behaviour – it hurt her and it would hurt them and the team wouldn't function if they lost their trust in the consultant – nor did she want to lie. Nor was she going to lie.

They did have productive work that could be done. Tallying the records from the shelter against missing persons and cold case files. Tracking down former employees and volunteers. Looking for anything in Julia Howard's background that linked her with Miranda or Lorelei Martins or Red John. People to call in, interviews to arrange. Property deeds to search. Cho and Rigsby could go and do the house to house round Orchid Lane. Van Pelt could get started on the records.

10.20am.

Lisbon walked into the women's restroom, and, after a cursory check that it was empty, leaned back against the wall, scrubbing her face with her hands. Just when she thought that this couldn't get any worse. Bertram had humiliated her, picked up on her ambivalent feelings toward Jane, read her for the liar that this case had made her and told her that Kirkland was back on chewing their tails. Did she ever wonder what Jane and Lorelei got up to? Only ever other hour or so. Or whenever she closed her eyes or tried to sleep. Then the other one. Could she, and more tellingly, the CBI, trust Jane? Well she knew the answer to that one. It was no.

Just a few short hours ago, she'd been ready to have it out with Jane. Force him to choose sides and moderate his behaviour or leave. Now, one of her team was threatened. There was only one thing she could do. Circle the wagons and protect her own. It didn't matter whether Jane was innocent. He clearly wasn't. But he was still one of the team and therefore she'd still swing for him. That's just the way it was. But he needed to be warned, and warned soon.

Grabbing a double espresso from the kitchen, Lisbon returned to her desk, noting the still empty couch as she passed through the bullpen. Her heart turned over at the memory that once Jane would have been there for her. Plying her with coffee and bear claws. But that was pre-Vegas and the new love of his life. Whilst there had been a few times since then that it looked like their friendship would mend, things were nothing like they'd once been.

Still, no time like the present. And she wasn't going to look for Jane. He was coming to her now. She picked up her cell phone and speed dialled number 1.

10.50am

Lisbon stomped round her office, moving and straightening, scattering and reviewing. Cho, Rigsby and van Pelt watched from the bullpen with a degree of trepidation. It was clear that Jane had upset the boss, though he'd walked from her office looking totally unruffled and retreated upstairs. Now the boss had migrated onto polishing the glass of her door. Yep. This was bad. Very bad.

11.05am

Lisbon sat back in her chair and tried to think. Of all the insufferable… condescending….patronising….arrogant….

She forced herself to stop. This was getting nowhere. Yes, she was mad. Mad as a baited badger. But more than that, she was hurt. Hurt and betrayed. It wasn't the first time that Jane had treated her like dirt. But this was a new low, even for him. And, whilst she'd done questionable things for him before, now she truly was compromised. An unfit cop in the eyes of the law, and in her own eyes. Was it never going to end? Maybe she should just go to Kirkland, turn herself in.

But that wouldn't happen. She'd never understood the men and women who turned a blind eye. Who protected those that they'd have to have suspected were serial killers or rapists. And yet here she was. Protecting Jane, who didn't deserve it, and therefore by extension protecting Lorelei.

She picked her badge up and ran her fingers over the raised metal surface. She remembered the day she'd received it. The vows of office. To serve the law and protect the people of California. For so long now, this had been her everything. Her purpose and calling. Her identity.

Still, there was always paperwork.

A short while later, she realised that she must have frozen, staring at her computer screen, since her list of forms to complete hadn't got any less. A minute later, her phone rang. The message left her feeling more irate than ever.

"OK, guys, we're up."

Lorelei Martins had struck again. At a conference centre this time.

For a few moments, she seriously considered not telling Jane. Going without him. But then she acknowledged that they kept him around for a reason. And it gave her a chance to watch him. To figure out exactly what lengths he would go to for that bitch.

Reaching for the phone again, she dialled. "Jane, we're up. Lorelei again. Meet us at the Plaza."

She didn't wait for an answer. Just hit the disconnect button and gathered her things. Yes, Jane was coming with them, at least if he could be bothered, but he could damn well drive himself. She was outta here and the team had already gone.