Hey Fanfiction and all you Jisbon fans.. okay so in my last chapter I switched from the scene between Jane and Van Pelt to Lisbon's point of view.. and now in this chapter you probably won't hear from Lisbon for a while.. "mwahahahaha!" (evil laugh) so I'm switching back to the Van Pelt/Jane scene! Hope that sort of cleared it up.. sort of! Enjoy!

Warning: The characters in these oncoming chapters will be a lot more OOC than they appear on TV!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Mentalist.

Halloween at the CBI

Chapter 9

Recap (from ending of chapter 7):

When the song ended, Grace released Wayne and excused herself, while he "went to thank Hank for the party invites." Although she knew he was just going back for more food. God, if he didn't keep in shape, she was sure he would end up the size of a hot air balloon by this time tomorrow. Laughing to herself, she returned to the table momentarily and grabbed her purse, then made a dash for the Ladies' room.

But it was amidst her travel there when she spotted a lonesome and yet familiar figure sitting alone at the bar.

Excited and hoping to share her happiness with someone, she sat done to join him. But she was just about to explode with happiness when he turned to see her and she saw the look in his eyes.

"Jane?" she placed a suddenly worried hand on his back as he turns to her. "Are you okay?"

Grace slid onto the bar stool beside Jane, just as another song began to play. Oddly it sent a sort of relaxing mood, coaxing Jane to speak up.

Her eyes glided over the man sitting beside her. But this was not Patrick Jane. No way. Patrick Jane was always smiling, pranking people and taking advantage of people by playing mean and mysterious mind tricks, in order to get what he wanted. Patrick Jane flirted with her boss and drank tea on his favourite leather couch all day.

No, this was definitely not the Patrick Jane she knew. Instead the man beside her sat over a glass of expensive white wine as casual as anything, his face however holding an entirely other emotion.

Sitting alone at the bar, in the middle of a fantastic party, with a drink that would go untouched all night, Patrick Jane was not a drinking man, no matter how bad things got. And Van Pelt could tell something was wrong.

But as soon as she looked down and saw Jane had taken off his wedding ring, she knew.

"She's gone?" she asked. But it wasn't a question. Jane gave a little nod, but didn't take his eyes off the ring he was twirling around in his palms.

Instead he continued to stare at the ring like it was some strange unknown galaxy far away, as he spoke.

And when he did finally speak, he poured out his heart and soul.

For anyone who knew them, knew the team and understood, it was a true sight to behold. The much older consultant pouring out his feelings and inner most emotions in front of a much younger junior agent.

What neither of them noticed was the dark figure dressed in a wine coloured devil's costume, who sat watching, listening to them from the other end of the bar.

Jane told her about everything that had happened between Lisbon and himself that night. He told her about the way his senses exploded when he was with Lisbon. How after that last Red John case, when Hardy had tried to take his Lisbon away from him, how his heart had pounded a million miles an hour. The adrenaline he'd felt and how the only thing in his mind in those crucial few seconds had been 'not her.' The thought that Lisbon could just suddenly be gone at the mercy of one bullet, like that, to disappear in a puff of smoke, made his heart and soul ache. He couldn't lose her, he just couldn't.

Jane told her about how, lately he'd started to realize things about Lisbon that he hadn't noticed how much he loved. The way she smiled when he brought her coffee in the morning, the way her cheeks blushed that lovely shade of crimson red when he teased her with childish flattery, how he loved to make her laugh and that breath –taking smile that she only saved for him. The feeling of electricity, that rocketed through him whenever her skin brushed against his. Her dazzling emerald eyes, with that unique sparkle and her gorgeous raven –black hair. And the way she said his name, even if she was yelling at him!

These were only a few of the things that Jane had grown to love, things that he suddenly could not live without if Lisbon was somehow gone. He had realized only after the events that she had almost been taken away from him that these were things that he had loved from the start. But only now had he realized them, had he realized the true feelings he had for her.

And when he had, suddenly Lisbon became Teresa.

Jane explained how after that day, his whole world had been turned upside down. How suddenly, after so many years, he had totally forgotten about Red John, about his promise to his past family, about his worries and plans for revenge. Suddenly, it was all forgotten and there was only Teresa and a wagonload of 'what ifs'.

What if…the timing had been different…

What if…I could move on..

What if…I could forgive and forget, then maybe..

What if…she could some how love me back..

What if…there was a chance for a happy ending..

What if…they could put their pasts behind them..

Jane went on telling the concerned young red head, about how after the almost deadly events of that evening he'd saved Lisbon, he hadn't been able to think about anything but her. He hadn't slept at all that night and the next morning he'd gone straight to Minelli's office and persuaded him to change the dating rules within their team.

Here was a man, a truly hurt and guilt stricken man, who braves the light of day wearing a mask of smiles and mind trickery, to cover the pain and heavy emotion he feels. A man, who had after being riddled by the mind-numbing obsession of revenge, had only just realized he was in love. And after so many years of grieving he wasn't so sure that it was a good thing, that maybe he was so out of practice that it couldn't work.

"I'm scared," he said softly his words coming out in a whisper, as he struggled to keep himself together. "It's been so long and so hard and for the past years all I could think about was my past and…"

Grace watched as the man who hypnotized suspects and manipulated his co-workers into bending the rules, broke down in front of her. And it stabbed a gapping hole through Grace's heart.

When Jane had finished speaking, he turned back to the ring he was holding in his hands and said "I'm deeply in love with her, Grace. I just don't know if I can move on."

Grace went quiet for a few moments. She didn't even think about the awkwardness of the situation they were in, or the fact that a man much older and considerably wiser than anyone her age, was asking her for relationship advice and more importantly had just confessed his undying love for her boss.

Nope, instead she took the matter on head -first. Grace had always had a thing for match making, and in her eyes as well in everyone else's in the CBI, and maybe even the planet- Jane and Lisbon were about as perfect together as it got.

It still frazzled her how, even with everyone agreeing they were in love, everyone knew except for them. She'd always thought they'd just hidden their feelings and were too scared to go against CBI rules, but truthfully, it was a little of both. Until recently, neither Jane nor Lisbon had even known they were in love.

"Patrick," it felt too weird using his first name, but this wasn't Jane, anyway. This was the other side, like Jane –unplugged. This was the emotionally scarred, depressed and scared of new love- Patrick. "You've just admitted you love her, if you can do that, I know you can move on. I'm not quite sure I'm the best at giving advice, but if I know Lisbon, she's devoted to her work. Before you came around she wouldn't dream of bending the rules to solve cases. And now she follows your every word. I've seen the way she looks at you, and you, her. The way she acts around you. But you it's her you should be telling, not me. She needs to know how you feel. I'm sure she's at home by now and I am positively certain that she loves you too. "

Jane looked up from his sadness. The look in his eyes then, was one of thanks and gratitude. "Thank you Grace. I will tell her, I'll go tell her now," he said standing and regaining a part of himself, including a small smile. Then he bent picking up her hand and kissed it gently, before rushing off into the crowd.

Again what neither of them noticed was how the mysterious devil costumed man, from the end of the bar, got up as Jane passed and followed him into the crowd.

"Mwahahahahahaaaa!" **cough wheeze cough** (slightly unpolished evil laugh)..well hmm, I wonder what happens next? and yes these chapters are beginning to get a bit slow, but I try to keep it suspenseful! ;S..pls pls pls pls pls pls review! I know you know how to do it..yes theres a review button below! click it NOW! and pls pls pls review..the more reviews the faster the updates!

luv jamhead XD