A bit of Jisbon Angst in this one. :D I would like to thank AngelOfDeath07 for reviewing all chapters since Chapter 3. ^^
Thank you so much!

~ Chapter 7 ~

Lisbon woke to find herself snuggled against Jane's chest, his arms wrapped protectively around her waist. At first, she lay motionless; truly surprised to find herself and Jane in such an intimate position, although considering the situation it should not have come as much of a surprise at all. She raised her eyes to Jane's face and jumped slightly when she realised he was awake. He looked at her with his eyes half closed and responded by smiling sleepily.

"Morning gorgeous," he said brightly, despite looking half asleep.

Lisbon quickly pulled out of his arms and slid over to the other side of the bed, almost falling off in the process. Jane's smile turned into a grin as he observed her shocked expression. It was nice to have this moment, before they fully remembered where they were or who they had lost.
That thought made Jane's smile dim slightly.

Lisbon quickly grabbed the clothes she'd laid out on the chest at the foot of the bed and retreated into the bathroom. It wasn't long before Jane heard the sound of the shower and hazily wondered what her response would be if he decided to join her.

"Lisbon!" Rigsby pounded his fists against the door. "Jane! Let me in!"
Jane quickly undid both bolts, though he would never admit he locked both to keep himself safe from a seemingly fictional monster. Rigsby flew through the door as soon as it opened, once again letting hit the wall and Jane was sure he heard it splinter.

"Rigsby? Are you ok?" Jane asked as Rigsby doubled over, supporting himself on his knees. He was panting heavily.

"I can't find Cho,"

Lisbon was standing in the doorway of the bathroom, halfway through drying her hair with a towel.
"Where have you looked?" She asked, letting the towel drop to the floor.

"Everywhere, the breakfast room, the lobby, the gardens…"

"You can't have looked everywhere. Maybe he's in the town, maybe he went to look for Van-Pelt. We can go look for him now…"

"We won't find him." Jane said solemnly, "He's gone."
Lisbon looked at him for a moment, his expression as defeated as it had been last night. It was so unlike him. She considered what he had said for a moment longer, then met his eyes defiantly.

"You're wrong!"

***

Lisbon looked up at the hotel and noticed how much it had changed since they first entered the town, but maybe it was only her perception that had changed. It loomed over her like a monster and almost seemed to grin at her with long Iron teeth. She backed away slightly, reminded of the times she used to walk passed an electricity pylon on the way to school. There had been a danger sign nailed to the steel fence that surrounded the pylon, depicting a man being electrocuted by an arrow shaped bolt of lightning. The sign read 'DANGER OF DEATH, KEEP OUT!'.

She had always been nervous walking past that fence, as if she could be electrocuted just by looking, and she could never quite bring herself to tough it, or run a stick along it like the other kids.
Of course even then she knew no harm would come from touching the fence, the fence wasn't electrified. She knew she was in no danger, that even by climbing over the fence and walking right up to the pylon and kicking it she would most likely not come to any harm.

But she wouldn't touch it… she would never touch it, because it screamed danger, screamed death!
The hotel was screaming at her now, the same way the fence had, the same way the pylon had… and she would not touch it.

She had been looking for Van-Pelt and Cho for over an hour now, she had even started asking round the neighbourhood, but with every person she asked she was met with the same blank stare. It wasn't that they hadn't seen either Van-Pelt or Cho, or even that their face was just expressionless. Each person had the same hollow eyes, like they were solid all the way though, with no feelings or emotions. She felt as though she was seeing into their soul, and yet finding there was no soul to see.

Rigsby had given up the search about half an hour ago, and Jane hadn't even bothered leaving the hotel. She hated what this was doing to him; he was usually so strong and passionate about things. She missed that. She missed his ability to form a solution to even the direst situations, she missed how he challenged her, how he contradicted her, the way his eyes sparkled whenever he had new plan. She missed his integrity, his charm, his humour, and she missed knowing that if she was in trouble, he would be doing everything he could to help her.

Cho had been missing for at least three hours and Van-Pelt for over a day, but he hadn't even tried to find them. He had been the one to insist that they not look for them, insisted that it would not do ay good, and she hated to admit that he was right.

Lisbon sat on the wall on the opposite side of the road from the hotel and rested her head I her hands. If she was taken, would he look for her? Would he even care? She looked up to find Jane standing in from of her, his eyes searching hers, already reading everything she thought she kept so well hidden.

"Did you find them?" he asked, keeping his face blank, and for a moment she saw the people of the town, their hollow eyes staring vacantly at hers.

"You know I didn't, and you knew I wouldn't. Don't patronise me Jane," she replied, with a resigned expression with was unsettlingly reminiscent of his own. She stood and was about to brush past him when he caught her wrist. He pulled her roughly against him, his face only inches from hers.

"Lisbon…" he whispered, and she felt his breath dance over her lips.

He released her wrist and his arms wrapped round her waist, pulling her closer until her head rested against his chest and his was nestled in the crook of her neck.

"I won't let anything happen to you. I promise!"

Lisbon slowly moved her arms from where they had been crushed against Jane's chest and rested them on his shoulders. They stood there for a while, and Jane contemplated whether what he had just said was within his power. After all, Cho had been with Rigsby, they were both strong, trained agents.
Lisbon stepped back a little, and Jane quickly kissed her jaw before he pulled away, keeping his arms wrapped loosely around her waist.

"You mean so much to me Lisbon," he continued, reaching up to brush the backs of his fingers across her cheek. "You're always so strong and determined, and you've saved my ass more times than I can even remember." He said the last part with a small smile, but Lisbon did not return it.

"Why do you do this Jane?" she asked suddenly, and he looked genuinely confused. "One day you act like a complete jerk and the next you tell me how much you care about me, how you trust me. You lie to me and you manipulate me and then expect me to just forgive you when you say you're sorry, regardless of whether you even mean it."

Jane took a step back, letting his arms fall to his sides. He was used to her being angry, even to the point of her physically wanting to hit him, but he had never seen her look so hurt, so betrayed. He had never meant to hurt her.

"I risk everything for you and you don't even care. I've lied for you; always done everything I could to protect you. My career is constantly on the line because of what you do and you've never attempted to change or even consider what consequences your actions might have." She had moved closer towards him, forcing him to step back.

"But I kept going, I stuck with you because I hoped you would change, that one day you might actually listen to me. I've had it with your manipulation and your mind games." She dropped her arms, letting her shoulders sag and the anger in her eyes was easily overpowered by defeat.

"If we ever get out of here," she continued, half turning away for him. "I'm having you transferred, and if they won't move you then I'll have myself transferred."

"Lisbon, please…" He reached out to stop her but she was already half way across the road.

Her fear was gone now, and she strode into the hotel ignoring its screams. She didn't look back to see if Jane followed, or to see if her words had had any real effect on him. She hoped they had, but it was the same hope she felt every time he said sorry, every time his hand touched hers or their eyes met. She thought she heard him call her name a second time but she was already through the door.

Jane watched Lisbon disappear through the hotel doors, his arm still stretched out in front of him as if he could bring her back by power of will. He had never meant for her to feel this way, he only lied to her to protect her. He knew they disagreed on most things but had thought that they got along; he even thought she enjoyed working with him, that being mad at him was just an act.
He made her smile and even laugh on a couple of occasions, and she was beautiful when she was happy. It was a shame she didn't smile more often.

Was that because of him? He had to admit that he did like to annoy her and to tease her, but it had always been good natured, he had certainly not intended to hurt her. What if she disappeared, if he woke up the next morning to find she'd been taken? What if he went up to her room now and she wasn't there?

At this thought Jane realised he was already walking though the hotel doors, for once not even glancing at the two stone lions, who appeared to remain still as if sensing he had no interest in them. He reached Lisbon's room and entered without knocking. Lisbon was stood in the centre of the room.

"Lisbon, I…" but she cut him off before he got the chance to finish his sentence.

"Rigsby's gone."


I know two characters disappeared in one chapter, ah well.
Hopefullymore Jisbon and creepiness to come.