More weirdness ensures... Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. :) I promise more Jisbon in the next chapter. (not much in this one i'm afraid)

~ Chapter 4 ~

Jane lay outside Lisbon's door, his legs stretched out in front of him, almost reaching the far wall. It was 4 am, an hour and a half since his almost-accidental-near-but not quite-kiss with Lisbon. He had been lying in the hall, head propped up against her door, ever since, remembering how adorable she had looked, sitting on the floor, cheeks flushed, hair mussed, like a teenager caught… well... kissing. Her T-shirt had slipped of one shoulder, exposing the smooth cream flesh above her right breast. He knew he shouldn't think of her like this but he couldn't get her out of his head. They had only paused for less then a second but they had paused all the same, his lips against hers.

Jane was pulled from his sweet thoughts of Lisbon by a strange squishy, slithering noise, like something large and wet was slinking down the hall below him. Something, green and slimy, covered in weeds and algae, crawling in and out of the unlocked rooms.
He didn't know why that thought had come to mind, it was probably nothing. It was definitely nothing. Why on earth would he think of a slimy, supernatural boogeyman when it was most likely nothing more than a faulty water heater?
Despite knowing this, it still put him on edge. He could hear it, whatever it was. Sliding up and down the hallway, leaving its trail along the floors and walls. Watching as it spreads across the ceiling, over the doors and windows, over sleeping people… Jane shook his head in an attempt to dispel the image from his mind.

He could hear it clearly now, slowly gliding up the stairs, its long claws grasping at the handrail and clawing at the carpet. He imagined its twisted, drooping face, collapsed on one side, dark holes where the eyes should be. Its mouth gaping, showing rows of long, sharp, piranha-like teeth, green slime oozing from the corners. He imagined it climbing the stairs, one by one, until it reached him lying by the door, until it devoured him.

Before he had even finished the thought, Jane was inside his room with the door securely locked behind him. He felt stupid for being afraid of something created by his own imagination but still he envisioned the monster slithering down the hall towards his room.
Still thought he heard it outside his door.
Still thought he heard it try the lock.

Jane sat against he far wall and stared at the door until morning.

***

When Rigsby woke the next morning, he found Jane asleep on the floor at the foot of the bed. Not that Jane was in the habit of sleeping in beds, often preferring the couch in Lisbon's office, or perhaps it was Lisbon he preferred. At that moment, Jane woke, lifting his head and hitting it on the wooden bed frame.

"Damn it!"

"Rough night?" Jane sat up, turning his head to find Rigsby sitting on the edge of the bed, looking amused.

"I should think so, considering who I was sharing a room with," he stood and headed for the bathroom, clothes in hand. "Those noises aren't natural. Seek help."

Lisbon woke early and had already dressed and showered before Van-Pelt had even opened an eye. It had been a long night, one that she did not feel was going to appear in Bravo's top 50 long nights, although it wasn't without its benefits. Drifting back to the brief moment Jane's lips had touched hers, she sighed at the memory before almost walking into a door. She mentally throttled her memory before she found a notice stuck to her door with a thumb-tack. It read

Breakfast Is served at 8:00.
We have pancakes.

- Gustav

That was odd, she thought. The notice was stuck on the inside, and when she tried the door she found that it was indeed locked. She was quite sure that it had not been there when she had left the room last night, nor when she had come back. Although, it had been dark. Maybe she just hadn't noticed it. She shivered slightly as she remembered the events of the previous night, especially those involving Jane and a loose floorboard. She mentally slapped herself with a fish and began to get ready for breakfast.

***

The fog floated through the town like smoke form a cigarette, drifting silently over the streets and wrapping the buildings In its shadows. It filled the alleyways and dark, narrow avenues, and made even the most ordinary things seem out of place. Jane left the hotel expecting the hard, scorching sunlight of the scrubland, but instead suddenly found himself in a soft, muffled world covered in a magical white mist. Faded people glided over the sidewalks like ghosts, floating sluggishly past the white picket fences and neat rows of crocuses and primroses. They didn't stop, or change pace to admire a bush of beautiful red roses. No one paused to say hello to a neighbour, to comment on the weather or even exchange a look or nod. In fact, it was like they didn't see each other at all. He half expected to turn around and find that the hotel had been replaced with a fantasy landscape of moons and stars and that he was no longer on earth at all but floating through space.

"Jane!" called Cho from the top of the hotel steps. Even though he was only a few feet away, he was almost completely concealed by the fog. "Rigsby and I are going to find a gas station, hopefully we'll be able to leave in about half an hour," he continued.

"Yeah. Have you seen Lisbon?" Jane asked, when Cho was standing beside him.

"Not since breakfast, maybe she went back to her room," he suggested.

"Maybe" said Jane, looking up to see Rigsby leaving the hotel.

"Hey, lets find the gas station so we can get out of here. This place gives me the creeps." Rigsby said as he neared where Jane and Cho were standing.

"Me too," Cho agreed, "The way it just appeared out of nowhere, we couldn't possibly have missed a whole town." Rigsby and Cho walked down the street, leaving Jane standing alone in front of the hotel, and he suddenly felt rather small in comparison. When they had first entered the town, the hotel had looked quite small itself, but now, looking up at its mahogany doors and high windows, it gave the impression of something with great strength and power. There were two stone Lions on either side of the door, which almost seemed to glower and snarl at him as he made his way back up to the entrance. Jane strode passed them, and pretended that he didn't think he saw them slink towards him out of the corner of his eye.

***

Cho and Rigsby entered the small gas station and glanced over the various chocolate bars and magazines until they saw a teenage boy sitting behind the counter with his feet propped up in front of him, reading the latest edition of Sports Illustrated. He had long brown hair that hung just passed his shoulders and a cluster of pimples on his chin. He didn't look up as they approached him, nor when they stood in front of him at the counter. He finally raised his eyes to theirs after Cho faked a cough for the third time in an attempt to get his attention. The boy looked at them over the top of his magazine but did not venture a statement or observation, not a "How may I help you," or "What can I do for you this fine morning." Instead, he continued to stare at them, turning the page of his magazine without glancing down.

"Agents Rigsby and Cho, CBI," stated Rigsby, raising his badge. It wasn't entirely necessary as no crime had been committed, but it was something that became impulsive in an awkward situation.

"Never heard of it," Replied the boy, which was often the response in said situations, thus making it all the more awkward. This situation being especially awkward since the ID was not relevant in the first place.

"We just need a gas can." Cho intervened, seeing there was no other way to salvage the conversation with even a little dignity. The boy reached bellow the counter and Cho imagined him pulling out a gun or harpoon or maybe even a small canon, but he only pulled out a standard red gasoline can. Cho had found that happening a lot since they got here, imagining seemingly impossible scenarios without any real basis or relevance to the events taking place. Although it was odd that a gas can was placed so conveniently under the counter, and from the looks of things there wouldn't be room for much else.

"two dollars, fifty cents," the boy said, dropping the can on the counter. "and bring the can back," Cho paid for the gas and left, followed closely by Rigsby.

"That was weird," said Rigsby, when they were out the store.

"No weirder than the rest of this place." They quickly made the way down the street, which was once again deserted. Soon they made it passed the entrance sign, which shone brightly in the morning sun. All traces of the previous fog had since vanished, leaving Cho wondering if it had ever been there at all.
As they approached the car, Cho unfastened the cap on the gasoline, letting it drip from the nozzle on the dry, cracked earth. He let it flow into the fuel tank, removing the nozzle from the car when the can was empty. Trying the key in the ignition, the car seemed to growl like a bear before spluttering like a guinea pig in a bath.

"What happened?" asked Rigsby, leaning through the open window. Cho checked the fuel gage.

"It's empty."

So, the stone Lions are based on 'The Shining', but watcha gonna do?. (I'm Stephen King Obsessed)