"Can you help me unravel my latest mistake/ I don't love him, winter just wasn't my season"

Jane bustled into Lisbon's office, paper bag from the deli down the street in hand. He reached in as she glanced up at him, pulling out a sandwich for her.

"Got you tuna, Lis-"

He broke off as her face paled at the smell of fish, and out of reflexes born from having a child just managed to drop what he was holding and grab a wastebasket. He plunked it down in front of her just in time; she bent forward, heaving, and he moved to gather her hair, rubbing her back encouragingly.

Once she had stopped she swiped a hand across her mouth/ He handed her a tissue and she looked up at him, embarrassment plain on her face.

He waved it off, "No worries, Lisbon. Sorry for what I did, though."

She frowned at him, not quiet trusting herself enough yet to open her mouth.

He pointed in front of her, "Grabbed your recycling box, not the garbage."

She rolled her eyes at him before slowly leaning back in her chair, letting her head flop limply back against the top.

He watched her for a moment, concerned, "You want a ride home?"

"I'm fine. Just give me a minute and I'll clean up."

Jane sighed; she could be so stubborn!

"Lisbon, you just vomited at the scent of fish. You clearly have the flu or... well, you probably just have the flu."

She let her head roll to the side and gave him a one-eyed glare, "Or?"

He tried his best to look awkward, "Well, you know..."

She gave him a confused look as he trailed off, "No, Jane, I really-"

She abruptly cut herself off as her addled brain caught up to his. He leapt forward to grab the basket as she did the impossible and whitened further.

She gently pushed his helping hands away, giving him a breathless and unfocussed, "No, thanks, I'm okay."

He gave her a look, "Yeah? You sure?"

"Um, yeah, you know, I'm just gonna head home. You're right, I can't be throwing up on a report or something."

He put a steadying hand on her elbow as she stood, "Let me toss this out and I'll meet you in the parking lot; I'll give you a ride home."

She gave him a distracted nod, "Uh, yeah, fine; you can drive my car. I just want to make a quick stop at the drugstore on the way."

He gave her a sideways look.

"For some ginger ale and stuff... you know," she replied quickly, flustered.

"Sure," he replied, ushering her out of the office and hiding his smirk.

--

After a quick stop - during which Jane had followed Teresa's firm contention that he stay in the car, but only because he really wanted to get her home - they arrived. She moved past him and to the couch, onto which she collapsed bonelessly, not bothering to stop him from following her in.

He closed the door behind them, following her into the living area and sitting himself down on the loveseat before breaking their silence, "Go ahead."

"And what?" she mumbled, somewhat incoherently, into the cushions.

"Go and take the test; put your mind at ease. You might feel a little better," he smiled at the grunt she gave him in response; he was enjoying toying with her.

She eventually got up from the sofa, dragging herself to the bathroom after giving him a half-hearted glare. Not that she would have been able to hide something like this from him, but she wished that she could have done this part on her own.

--

Five minutes later she returned, letting herself tumble back onto the chesterfield. He watched her for a moment before getting up and moving to leave the room.

"Sit."

He did so, waiting patiently for her to speak again.

"You don't need to go digging through my garbage to find a stick that I peed on, so I'll just tell you now that I'm not."

He smiled to himself, not bothering to respond at first. He was glad that she wasn't pregnant for both of their sakes, but there was something that was bothering him... the idea that she could be, that she had slept with someone recently... well, it bugged him, to be honest. He didn't quite know why - he wasn't ready to move on from his wife - but it did; he could be honest with himself about that at least. He pondered the revalation for a while before speaking again, hoping that she hadn't fallen asleep yet. He was happy to find that she hadn't, and that she had shifted so that she was now watching him, the expression on her face telling him that she was trying to figure him out as much as he.

He gave her a smile and a little chuckle, "Good then. Want me to find us something to eat? There's a great little sandwich place just-"

He broke off as her face changed a nasty shade of green; shouldn't have brought up sandwiches again so soon, apparently. He followed her stumbling dash to the bathroom, holding back her hair again for her.

Between bouts she managed to give him her best rasping yell of, "I still have the flu, Jane, you inconsiderate ass!"

He just kept up a monologue, not letting her trouble him outwardly though he did feel a bit guilty, "There really are a lot of words for this aren't there? Puking, vomiting, throwing up, tossing your cookies, a technicolour yawn, driving the porcelain bus, praying to the porcelain gods-"

"Jane!" her hoarse voice was filled with exasperation.

"-and, of course, my favourite: tangoing with the toilet. You have any to add?"

She gave him a growl before flushing and falling back against him weakly. He grinned, brushing her sweaty hair back away from her forehead and enjoying the feeling of her body against him.

He really was glad that she wasn't pregnant, and he was pretty sure that this kind of scare would cause Lisbon to break it off with whoever the guy was. Or she would cut out the random sexual encounters, which was the more likely cause for this effect.

And for some strange reason, the idea that she would be single and sexless pleased him to no end. His grin grew even wider at that.

Okay, hope you enjoyed; we're ten per cent of the way done! This one's a little odd, I guess, but it just sort of happened, haha. I've only read through it once, so any mistakes will be fixed when I give it another run through; just really wanted to post this before heading to bed. A big thanks to Ebony10 for pointing out an error last chapter; it's always appreciated, so long as it's constructive! I probably just managed to read over it a million times, haha. And thanks to everyone else for your great reviews (some fluff is on it's way, promise!)

More reviews would be great!

Love, Moksgmol

Lyrics from:

Anna Nalick. (2005). Wreck of the Day (CD). Breathe (2 am)