Exiting the elevator, Jane fully expected Lisbon to be standing in the hall waiting for him. He'd taken her at her word and dallied until he was a good deal past fashionably late. In fact, he'd hung out on his balcony sipping tea long enough his boss should be frothing at the mouth. She would not be happy with him. They had a case to work. Added to that, he'd not bothered acknowledging even one of several messages telling him to get his butt in gear she'd texted his way.

In Jane's defense, it hadn't been intentional. He hadn't been trying to drive Lisbon batty. He'd gotten a little too caught up in his tea and memories. Actually, he'd gotten caught up traveling down memory lane and making wickedly inappropriate comparisons between the women in his life. The kind he'd never share with Lisbon for fear it would get him shot. No, there was no fear to it. He knew he'd get shot.

The kind of comparisons totally disreputable scoundrels kept tallied in little black book or brazenly on their nifty cell phones. Jane kept his in his head instead where such damning information was far less likely to fall into the wrong hands. Especially considering his ratings weren't predominantly sexual in nature. His preferences were far more complex than that. Walking around the corner intent on sneaking up that staircase to the attic to gather his thoughts before confronting Lisbon, Jane recalled his earlier meanderings.

Beginning with his late wife, Angela had been perfect in every way. She'd been beautiful and feminine in all the right ways. She'd been strong and capable of handling him without really trying. She'd also been the most at peace with herself of anyone he'd known before or since. Perhaps it had something to do with her music. Or maybe it was growing up surrounded by love. A love he'd never known until they met. Jane honestly didn't know. But he did know he'd trusted her to stand by his side and have his back even when she'd known he was wrong. His wife had never let him down in that respect.

He'd done the same for her. Or he'd tried though he'd failed miserably in the end. Angela had been a good woman deserving so much better than him. He was grateful she'd settled. Grateful she'd known every part of him, the dark and the ugly as well as the light, and she'd loved him anyway. As he'd loved her whole heartedly without reservation until her dying day. Their intimacies had been the same. Sensual and loving and totally accepting of each other in that way only soul mates can be. He was fortunate they'd found each other young.

Lorelei Martins suffered greatly in comparison. Though the thought of the woman as anything other than the Red John tool sitting across an interrogation table from him made Jane cringe, he had to give the woman her due. He'd not been totally convinced she was a Red John plant though he'd been cognizant she probably was. But, a part of him had hoped differently right up until she'd let him know of her boss's offer. He'd wanted her to be. She wasn't unappealing and he'd found a strange comfort in her presence.

If Jane were honest in a way he'd never be with Lisbon, he'd admit he enjoyed sleeping with Lorelei and she'd enjoyed sleeping with him. It had been a long time since he'd sought physical gratification. Since he'd known a woman's intimate touch. Since he'd touched a woman intimately. He was lonely. He missed Lisbon terribly and she wasn't here. She couldnt' be. He wouldn't be sleeping with her if she were anyway. He wasn't ready for that kind of guilt. The guilt that came with starting a relationship and a relationship was all he could ever have with his boss. She wasn't a one night stand. Not given how he felt about her or how she felt about him.

A seemingly sweet woman reminding him pleasantly of Lisbon that he'd never see again was a different matter. She wouldn't distract him from his cause. She wasn't that important. He'd eventually forgive himself for giving into urges that had been growing stronger with every passing year. Urges harder and harder to ignore the more he was forced to come to terms with his growing feelings for Lisbon.

He'd sincerely hoped in passing that Lorelei wasn't what he thought though he'd been neither shocked nor upset when she was. He might have enjoyed spending some time with her otherwise. Had their circumstances been different. Had they merely been an attractive man and woman meeting in Vegas. They weren't. As it was Jane was glad he'd put forth a believable enough performance to stay in the game. It would be a shame to have wasted such a perfectly executed con. Jane conveniently forgot things had gone tragically awry later. There was nothing he could do about that.

In all fairness to Lorelei, she was probably a solid 7 or 8 based on her acting ability alone. She'd done a passable job of mimicking Lisbon in so many subtle ways. She'd been a passable lover as well although she'd lacked a little soul in Jane's opinion. Perhaps she didn't have one to share or maybe she'd been holding back. None of that really mattered. Though pleasurable in the heat of the moment, the aftermath of the experience had left much to be desired. He still felt dirty.

He'd been far more shaken by that request for Lisbon's dead body than he'd expected. And far more repulsed than he should have been as he'd known such a request was coming. That knocked Lorelei back down to the negatives. An event not to be recalled.

As for Lisbon, she was off the scale. She always had been. He wouldn't have killed that nicotine gum chewing freak show Hardy for her if she wasn't. Lisbon was the strongest woman he'd ever known and he admired her for it. She was loyal to a fault and, dare he say it, she loved him exactly the way he was. In the same way he loved her though neither of them had said the words. Not openly and probably wouldn't any time soon. But they showed each other in so many ways. And he trusted her. Every bit as much as he'd ever trusted Angela and that was saying a lot. Lisbon was maternal and protective and kick butt fierce. Her list of positive attributes went on and on along with that list of negatives. And while she wasn't as at peace as his wife had been for a lot of reasons, his Lisbon was remarkably comfortable in her skin.

She was comfortable enough to approach lovemaking much as she did tackling a fleeing criminal…with all of her. Jane wasn't sure if that was a cop thing coming from constantly putting her life on the line or if it was just Lisbon. Whatever the cause, he liked it which was probably a very good thing since he didn't intend her going anywhere. Not for a very long time.

Speaking of Lisbon, Jane stopped mid step at the sound of her voice.

"You finally decided to show, did you, Jane? You're what? A half hour late? No, make that a good forty-five minutes or better." Lisbon stood in her doorway with her arms crossed knowing her voice was carrying out to the bullpen. She could see Rigsby's visible flinch in her mind. Van Pelt would be looking at Cho over her computer and Cho would just sit there being Cho figuring Jane getting yelled at was par for the course. "Inside now and close the door."

The Mentalist followed her command knowing by her tone that Lisbon meant lock it as well. It was probably a good thing the blinds were already closed as he had a feeling he was about to get his rear end thoroughly chewed and he didn't feel like being the attraction of the moment. Jane got his butt chewed so often they could sell season tickets. Who was he kidding, someone probably already had. Turning his attention back to his boss, Jane decided he'd taken making it look good a hair too far. Well, actually way too far in Lisbon speak. That last cup of tea had been too much.

Rising from behind her desk, Lisbon walked around to stand in front of Jane. He was somewhat surprised; no, he was greatly surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. Following her lead, Jane allowed his tongue to slip between her teeth. Somewhere along the way, the thought trickled through his lust hazed mind he wasn't sure they'd kissed quite this passionately in their most intimate moments last night. Then again, there had been a lot of other things going on at the time. Things they'd picked up this morning when he'd been first charmed by the sight of Lisbon's long, lean back and rounded bottom then totally aroused.

"Living dangerously, Lisbon?" Jane whispered against her lips.

"Nah, I'm just doing what you were thinking about so I don't have to kill you." Lisbon whispered back. Jane couldn't help the bark of laughter as he lightly kissed her lips. That sounded like his Lisbon…saucy and straight to the point.

"I'm glad to see you too, Lisbon. I find the time apart isn't nearly as acceptable as it used to be." Jane confessed.

"I have a feeling I might feel the same." Stepping back, Lisbon wiped the side of his lips with her thumbs getting rid of any tell-tale smudges that might be there. Her guys were too observant to miss such things. She also straightened Jane's shirt and jacket. She'd not decimated his hair as she usually did. Not yet. Then again, Jane was good at doing that himself without any help.

"Oh, I'm sure you do. You just don't know it yet." Jane said cockily.

"You're pretty darned sure of yourself, aren't you, Jane?" One dark brow rose notably.

"Yeah, Lisbon, I am. But, then again, you are, too. Trust me when I say you gave every bit as good as you got." Lisbon had the grace to blush at the look in his eyes.

"Shush, Jane, and get out there. We need to get to work." Lisbon smiled as he pecked her again. Jane wouldn't feel nearly as willing to kiss her after she said her next words. "I'm going to see Lorelei this afternoon. Cho's going with me." Lisbon informed him.

"Why?" Lisbon knew he meant why not with him.

"Maybe a change of faces will get us somewhere. Cho's going in first." They'd spent a while making plans before Jane's arrival. They knew exactly how they were going to handle the interview from their side. Lorelei was the unknown variable.

"I don't think it'll work; but, it's worth a try." Jane admitted. He'd stay at the office and let Lisbon and Cho have their fun this time. The next time they wouldn't be that lucky. He'd demand to go with them or he'd go alone.

"You're not mad?" Lisbon was mildly surprised by his reaction and waited for the other shoe to drop.

"This is work, Lisbon, and I'm bowing to your wishes as my boss. I think we'll be a lot better off if work is work and personal is personal. Besides, I think I'm ready for a Lorelei break. It's not like we've gotten anywhere. As I've already said, Cho is worth a try." Jane stood with his hands in his pockets looking so very Jane.

While she much preferred him wearing less clothes, or nothing at all, Lisbon couldn't deny that was one fine looking man and she was going to get more grief than she wanted from the water cooler harpy brigade once their relationship became public knowledge. She'd be called every vile name in the book including a few made up for the occasion. Most of them would be to her face. Lisbon could hear it all now. But, she wasn't worried about it. She could take care of herself with or without Jane's help.

"That's very mature of you, Jane." Lisbon would see how long all of that would last. Probably until the next instance when she wouldn't let him have his way.

"Just sensible, Lisbon. I suppose you're about to leave?" Jane watched her shrug back into her jacket.

"Yeah, Cho's probably downstairs waiting for me." Lisbon grabbed her briefcase.

"Be careful." A lot could happen on that trip out to the woman's penitentiary. A lot could happen while they were there. He'd feel a lot better when they were back at the office under his watchful gaze.

"I'm always careful, Jane." Lisbon reminded him. "I'll see you when we get back."

"Yeah, Lisbon, you will." Jane watched her walk out the door before heading for the stairs. There was a couch in the attic with his name on it.

#

Pulling her SUV into a parking space, Lisbon felt her reservations flooding back. She and Jane had a tried and true method of dealing with Lorelei. They usually double teamed her or one or the other of them came alone. Now, she was changing the game. She was introducing Cho. She really didn't see anything good coming from this exercise. But they had to try. None of them knew how long she'd remain alive and none of them were under any illusions Red John couldn't take her out at any time. Even in solitary.

Lisbon looked up as Cho opened her door before unbuckling her seat belt and sliding to the ground. They walked inside discussing how they were going to approach this interview. Making it through security, Cho headed for the interrogation room while Lisbon headed for the observation room. Once in place, Lorelei was brought into the small chamber. All in all, she didn't look any the worse for wear. Her hair was longer; but, other than that, she looked perfectly healthy. Not necessarily sane in Lisbon's opinion; but healthy. Then again, she was probably putting her own spin on things.

Sitting with her pad and pen in hand waiting expectantly, Lisbon wasn't all that surprised when Lorelei turned in her general direction. It was too much to ask that woman not realize she was here. She knew the drill by now.

"Hey, Lisbon, I know you're out there listening in. Is Lover with you? No? That's okay. I wasn't expecting him when I saw Agent Cho. He's nice looking too. Agent Cho is. He isn't Patrick; but, hey, beggars can't be choosers when you're in solitary and a good looking man is a good looking man. How do you get anything done for all the eye candy? On second thought, how do you get all the eye candy? That Rigsby's not bad either; but, I think I like Kimbo better. Wayne's much too tall and not nearly as threatening." Finding the woman's familiarity with her team vaguely disturbing, Lisbon mentally shook herself.

She shouldn't fell this way. Nothing she'd said was surprising. Red John obviously had a complete dossier on all of her team including photographs and he'd clearly shared it with Lorelei. She'd needed the background to reel Jane in. Resisting the urge to walk into that interview room and snatch a knot in the woman, Lisbon watched the brunette settle back with her feet on the chair in front of her instead. It seemed Lorelei wanted to play.

As she listened to Cho going through the whole 'This is Agent Kimbo Cho of the California Bureau of Investigation.' speel on the tape recorder, Lisbon knew she had quite a few long, unpleasant hours to look forward to. She might as well settle in on high alert. She didn't want to miss anything. Least of all anything that might lead them to Red John.

"At what point did you tell Mr. Jane you work for Red John?" Lisbon smiled at the thought Cho was so Cho. That face didn't betray anything.

"As I've already said, I told him the next morning after we became lovers. It would have been rather pointless before don't you think? Who'd want to miss all of that? Jane's a really good lover you know, Kimbo?"

"No, Miss Martins, I wouldn't know." Though Cho's expression didn't change, Lisbon could read the 'and I don't want to know' in his eyes. She knew him that well.

"Really good. You'd think he'd forget something in all that time; but, he hasn't. " Lorelei continued as though he hadn't said a thing. Lisbon was familiar with this little game. She played it all the time.

"And how did Mr. Jane react to that?"

"He wasn't happy. I could see it on his face as he shuffled me out the door. That was okay though. I knew he'd look me up when he was ready to accept our offer of friendship." Lorelei prattled on repeating the same thing she'd already said a thousand other times.

Lisbon calmly tuned her out for a moment to regroup. Breathing deeply, she turned her attention back to what was happening in that drab little room. Lisbon listened silently as Cho conducted his interview. He wasn't asking anything they hadn't already asked. Nor did she expect him to. But, maybe he could jiggle some response out of Lorelei they hadn't. Or may his inscrutable manner would unsettle her to the point she let something slip. It was worth a try. Even if she was going to get nauseous before the interview was over. She always did. There was just something about that woman making her skin crawl that had nothing to do with Jane.

Three hours later, Lisbon watched Cho walk through the door tape recorder in hand. He looked as ready to leave as she was. Fortunately, the guards had gotten Lorelei to leave without a fight a few minutes ago. Now they could go. Rising to her feet, Lisbon grabbed her briefcase and followed Cho out of the room. In a matter of minutes they'd be on their way back to the office.

"Sorry, Boss." Cho matched his steps to Lisbon's.

"About what?" Lisbon pretended not to know what he was talking about.

"Going there." Cho apologized again.

"Going where? You asked perfectly legitimate questions. Everyone knows Jane slept with the woman. I had more crap than I wanted to handle because of that." Lisbon forced her voice to remain neutral when she really wanted to walk into the ladies room and lose her lunch.

"Yeah, I guess they do." Cho agreed though he knew Lisbon hadn't taken the revelation as well as she wanted everyone to think. There was something about her eyes whenever someone brought the subject up. They didn't look quite right. More like she was in pain or she was hiding something. That shouldn't really surprise him. She'd always been close to Jane. Just not that close he'd thought. He certainly hoped not.

"Did you get anything of interest?" Lisbon asked though she knew better.

She'd been listening through the two way mirror and all she'd heard was Lorelei going into sickening details about her intimacies with Jane. The woman had known she was hearing every word and played the situation to hurt her. Lisbon was having a hard time remaining professional knowing Cho was listening to things neither of them wanted to hear.

Lisbon got a hold on her emotions. She knew what Jane had done was all part of a very long con that had paid off in the end. She knew as well that he'd had to make it real for his scam to work. But did he have to enjoy it so much? Then again, who knew if he really enjoyed it all? All she had was Lorelei's testimony and that was hearsay.

Who was she trying to fool? Jane was a man. All man and she could attest to that fact and sex was sex. Even bad sex was good for a man. Being honest, even bad sex was usually good for her. At least it was better than no sex which was what she was usually having. It didn't matter if Jane felt dirty afterwards or if he'd been imagining her. Lisbon was so going to knock the snot out of Jane the next time she saw him for planting that seed in her head. She really was.

Pressing the button on her clicker, Lisbon opened her car door and hopped inside. Cho was already sitting on the seat beside her silently looking at her and obviously past ready to go. He'd enjoyed the Lorelei Experience about as well as she had. Lisbon said a silent prayer they beat rush hour traffic. It was going to be a long night as it was without another couple of hours spent cussing through bumper to bumper traffic.

#

"How did it go, Lisbon?" She'd known Jane would be in her office two minutes after their return. She was wrong. She hadn't even had time to sit down and he already had her door closed and locked.

"How do you think?" Lisbon asked as she took a sip of coffee.

"Not any better than it's been going." Jane visibly wilted in front of her eyes.

"Maybe a little better. I'm not sure." Lisbon admitted.

"Tell me what you think." Jane leaned back in his chair as though he intended staying a while.

"It'll keep. It isn't anything we can run with at the moment and I've got a question or two I'd like you to answer." Lisbon sat back in her own chair with a stubborn set to her chin.

"Shoot, Lisbon. I'll do my best." Jane knew what the set to her jaw meant. Lisbon wasn't sharing if he didn't. He might as well cooperate if he wanted to get anywhere.

"Would you do it again?" Lisbon already knew the answer without asking. Jane had a one track mind when it came to a certain serial killer. That hadn't changed and he never would.

"To get Red John and make him pay for what he's done?" Jane didn't pretend not to understand what she was asking. Lisbon had just come back from visiting Lorelei. He knew exactly what she wanted to know. "Yes, Lisbon, I'd do it again." Though she'd known that was what he would say, Jane could see that his words weren't what she wanted to hear. "To stop him from coming after you as we both know he will? Yes, Lisbon, I would. Even if it ended what's between us, you'd be safe." Jane hoped it never came to that.

He'd recently spent half a year without her and he hadn't liked that at all.

"Jane, none of us are safe. We haven't been since the Red John file landed on my desk and Minelli walked you through my door. We both know that. Psychos come with the territory. I accepted that a long time ago. Why worry about what I can't change?" Lisbon asked.

"Because when we finally catch him you won't have to worry anymore." Jane replied.

"Jane, someone else will drop in that slot when he's gone." Everyone knew that.

"Perhaps, but he won't be Red John." Jane's tone said he was confident he could handle whoever followed. Lisbon rolled her eyes at his arrogance.

"Why do I bother?" She was never getting a different response so why hope she would?

"Because we both know you can't live without me." Or she'd have turned her back on him long ago.

"Trust me, Buddy, I could live without the aggravation." Lisbon wandered over to her desk. "I need to put on my big girl panties when it comes to Lorelei. I know her game. It hasn't changed. She rants about the intimacies between you in graphic detail and about how Red John's going to have my head before he's done. It's the same old crap."

But, this was the first time she'd had to stand there and watch the woman go off in front of one of her guys. Somehow, the fact it was Cho made it worse. Of all of her team, he really got it. He understood the lengths Jane would go in getting Red John and, on some level, he supported it. That didn't mean he wasn't disgusted by the woman he'd interviewed. He clearly was. Or that he hadn't seen how her words had hurt Lisbon. A part of him wanted to drag Jane out to the back alley and rough him up for putting her in such a position. But, the greater part of him just didn't want to go there. He was afraid of what he might find he really didn't want to know. Lisbon knew Cho that well.

"And it didn't change with Cho though she let a couple of things slip we might be able to use that I'm sure she didn't mean to. We're going to have to go over his notes and try to figure out exactly what those are and how they fit in the puzzle."

They'd been cryptic responses that had piqued Lisbon's interest. She wasn't sure they were anything; but, if anyone could figure it out, Jane could. The one thing she had noticed and she'd appreciated was that Lorelei didn't respond well to Cho's enigmatic demeanor. She'd not been able to gauge the impact of her words and it had thrown her off her game. That was why she'd let a few things slip that might be relevant. Only time and digging would tell.

"Maybe we should send Cho in again. Lorelei doesn't like him and she likes you a little too much." Lisbon flipped open a new file she'd just noticed on her desk. Actually, it wasn't new. It was a cold case the Fremont PD thought they might have a break on. Reading the latest notes, she didn't think it was much; but, they'd probably be driving over there in the next day or two to check things out.

"Perhaps we should. How are you holding up, Lisbon? Hearing those threats over and over can't be easy." He knew it wasn't. It wasn't easy for him hearing Lorelei's "Red John's going to get you" mantra and it had to be worse for her; but Lisbon was a trooper. She was also a tough lady cop with years of experience.

"What do you think, Jane? No, it's not easy. But it's part of the job. I remind myself the woman's a broken record and Red John has always been a threat. Nothing's really changed over the past decade.

It looks like Fremont might have a break on that abduction murder we took a look into last year. I think there's a road trip in our future. You up for a cold case, Jane?" Lisbon flipped the file closed.

"Yeah, Lisbon, I'm up for a cold case; but, don't try to change the subject. You're still upset by your visit to Lorelei. I'd prefer you take me with you in the future. Even with Cho. She's more manageable when I'm there." Strangely enough, Lorelei was. While still a venomous shrew she wasn't nearly as nasty as she could be.

"I'll take that under advisement." She certainly wouldn't be sending Van Pelt or Rigsby to interview her. They didn't have the stomach for it. It was all she could handle. Cho had been visibly affected as well.

"You do that, Lisbon. I think I'll take this file and go back to the attic for a while." Jane lifted the Fremont file from her desk.

"What about tonight?" Lisbon fumbled with the papers on her desk.

"What about tonight?" Jane looked at her with a hint of surprise. He hadn't thought she'd be interested in getting together given the day she'd had.

"Your place or mine?" Lisbon asked.

"You tell me. I'm fine either way." Jane answered honestly.

"Your place since it's closer to the office. I'll see you there in an hour." Lisbon watched Jane lay the file back on her desk.

"Then I think I'll leave. I need to swing by the market to pick up a few things. You have a key if I'm late." Jane reminded her unnecessarily.

"Yeah, I do. Don't be. I'm going discuss all of this with the guys and I'll be right along. I doubt we'll be spending the night in Fremont; but, you never know. They need to be prepared." Lisbon decided she'd run by her place before she went to Jane's. She needed to add a few things to that overnight bag just in case. "Jane, make that an hour and a half, maybe two. I need to run by my place to add a few things to my overnight bag."

"I'll see you when you get there. Watch your back." Giving her a light peck, Jane walked out her door wiping his lips deep in thought.

He was always a little antsier than usual after a visit to Lorelei.

But, so was she.

It was just common sense.