Disclaimer: No infringement was intended.
A/N: I did not expect to have so many reviews for this one. Thank you so much. Also big thanks to everyone who has alerted and added to their favorites and just read this. This chapter is for all of you...(well obviously) I get dorky when I'm tired.
Not such a great day...some lady told me I was going to hell because I have a daughter, I'm young and I'm not married. People are quick to judge aren't they? It irks me, like she really knows anything about my life? And another thing...you know it's fine if you think stuff like that, everybody can have their own opinions but she said it to me right in front of Arabella! Oh, how I wanted to punch her....and I was engaged months before I got pregnant so TAKE THAT LADY! Okay sorry for the rant. Well now I'm just all pissed off again...
Van Pelt was worried, she'd never seen Lisbon so out of control before and Jane hadn't bothered to call to let them know if she was really okay. It wasn't like there was anything they could do but she couldn't help but fret. Lisbon was her boss, her mentor, her friend. They had really become close, all of them, throughout the loss of Christian, the pregnancy and raising little Arabella. It was something Van Pelt hadn't ever really thought possible. Lisbon always hated mixing personal life with professional but somehow the lines had blurred. She couldn't concentrate. She wasn't the type of person who could just sit at a desk after seeing someone she looked up to fall to pieces.
"Cho, have you heard from Jane?" They all knew Minelli had made the consultant take her home but that's as far as their knowledge went.
"Nope." She glanced over at Rigsby but he just gave her a shrug and flashed her a small smile.
"Do you think we should call?" She wasn't trying to sound too concerned but it was bugging her to no end. Jane would surely call them if she wasn't okay, wouldn't he? "Maybe we should stop by after work, just to check."
"I can take you, uh if you want...me to." Cho rolled his eyes at Rigsby's stammering and gave Van Pelt a pointed look that screamed for her to put the poor guy out of his misery. Everybody knew Rigsby was in love with her, everybody. It was just common knowledge.
"Thank you Rigsby, that'd be great. Cho are you gonna come with us?"
"And have Rigsby glare at me for interrupting his alone time with you? I'll pass." Grace went back to her work, a light blush covering her cheeks. The man who had been watching her and smiling quickly turned and gaped at the Asian man - a more intense blush on his face. She wondered what he would do when he found out that she planned to ask him to dinner tonight. She had finally come to the conclusion that it was stupid of her to push away such a sweet and caring man when she had feelings for him too.
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The wind was blowing at his hair, the sand warm beneath his feet and a small hand held his own. Looking down he saw the face of his daughter smiling up at him, her eyes wide and inquisitive. In front of them walked his wife, her hair whipping in the breeze and her laugh echoing through the air. Everything seemed so perfect, that's when he knew he was dreaming. The crashing of the waves intensified, the once clear blue sky turned a dark and dismal gray; almost black. The water that washed onto the shore turned a deep crimson and when his eyes searched for the daughter he'd been walking with, she was gone. Replaced by a cold that chilled him to the bone. He searched frantically for them but there was nothing around, nobody was there.
Jane knew this was when he usually woke, but this time the dream kept going; playing out like a movie in his mind. A violent streak of lightening lit up the sky as a low rumble filled the silence. He waited for an impending doom that he assumed would be coming but it never did. The cold storm and crimson water were there one second and gone the next as a hand touched his shoulder. The clouds started to dissipate when he turned to see who had approached him. Teresa Lisbon was watching him, her eyes searching his face, as she reached up to caress his cheek. This hadn't ever happened before. The weight of something filled his arms, stunning him when a smaller hand touched the opposite cheek. He was holding Ara, he wasn't sure what this was supposed to be about. His family had been with him, then they were gone in a split second and now Lisbon was standing in front of him.
Waking slowly, Jane pulled the woman occupying his arms closer. He decided not to dwell on whatever his brain had conjured up in his subconscious state. It wouldn't do him any good and he'd rather think of the way Lisbon's breath was coming out in soft puffs against his neck. She was still sleeping, rather deeply and it was obvious that she really needed it. He knew that it would feel good to have her wrapped in his arms but he hadn't known that she would fit so well. Her small body melded against his, their legs tangled and he felt a fire flare within him. A fire that had been slow burning until the kiss. That had just added fuel to the flame. He let his hands travel over her back, bunching the shirt she was wearing -his shirt. He hated that shirt.
Cautiously maneuvering her onto her back, he watched her face for any sign of waking but she remained relaxed against the pillows. He propped himself up on one elbow and studied her carefully. He hadn't ever been able to openly observe her, not while being able to touch her too. It was a new experience that had him lightly ghosting a finger along her jawline and leaning in to kiss her cheek. The soft murmur that fell from her lips sent a shiver of need coursing through his entire body. He wanted her, he had for a long time and seeing her in those shorts and his very own shirt made it ten times worse. It didn't help that the soft curve of her hip rested against a very sensitive area of his, he needed to either wake her up and proceed to make love to her or he had to get out of the bed.
He couldn't bring himself to wake her, she was too exhausted and the purple and red side of her face reminded him why. He hated that bruise, he hated the gash that went with it and he hated that it marred her beautiful skin. All because she'd been hit with a good sized rock. Jane allowed himself a little more indulgence before forcing himself to move. He brushed his mouth across the bruise and he let his fingers dance across the few inches of her stomach that was peeking out from the button down. He really liked that shirt and its tendency to come unfastened. She was warm, her skin was so soft. It was tantalizing him, begging to be revealed. He wanted to wake her with a soft kiss, to peel her out of her clothes but he couldn't. There was want and need overriding his thoughts but he couldn't let himself go too far, not yet.
Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he rolled off the bed. He had to get out of the room before he did wake her up. There were things that needed to be said before they could do anything. He had to make sure she was clear headed and he'd seen the look in her eyes after their kiss. He knew they needed to get things out in the open. Stealing one last glance at her from the doorway, he smiled softly when she turned to her stomach and hugged the pillow. The shorts she was wearing had dangerously ridden higher, a lot higher, he could see her blue panties sticking out from beneath the scrap of cloth. Swallowing roughly, he quietly slipped out of the room and headed towards the soft giggles he heard.
"Daddy!" As soon as he had stepped into the living room, the tiny girl was at his feet with her arms stretched up above her head and like the sucker he was he bent down to pick her up. Lisbon had warned him from day one that she would make his life hell if he spoiled her daughter. He had her spoiled but Lisbon was just as bad as he was. "You was s'eepin' with Mum-mum."
"Mhm, and mommy is still sleeping so we have to be quiet." When talking to Ara, no one ever referred to Lisbon as mum-mum, they always said mommy but the young girl wouldn't give in. No matter what they said she always called her mum-mum. They had no idea where she got it from. Ara placed her finger to her mouth and made the shushing noise that he had taught her a few months ago. "That's my girl."
Jane smiled warmly at Nellie and took notice in the way she was nervously toying with the hem of her shirt. There was something wrong but he didn't know what it was. He'd guess it had something to do with the cell phone sitting in the middle of the coffee table. The one he'd got her as a birthday present, the one she was staring at.
"Nellie, something wrong?"
"Hm? No, everything's fine. Just thinking about what clothes I'm going to pack." She was lying, he could see it in her eyes but he'd let her think she got away with it for now.
"You want to go now? I think we should." He wanted to see her reaction, and just as he expected her eyes widened a little in fear. Not enough to be noticeable to most people, but he wasn't most people and that's when he knew this had something to do with her brother.
"I thought we were waiting until after dinner."
"Meh, we have nothing better to do." Glancing over towards the clock, he was a little shocked to see that he'd been asleep for over three hours. "And it's supposed to be 'after' dinner now."
Nellie didn't want to tip him off about the rather disturbing phone call she'd received from her brother but she also no longer wanted to go to her apartment. Not even with somebody with her. She couldn't tell him that or he'd figure it out, he was too smart. The only advantage she had over him was her own powers of observation and mentalist abilities.
"Sure, let's go." Plastering a fake smile on her face, she grabbed her phone and shoved it into the pocket of the ripped up jeans she was wearing. She had thrown her clothes in with the laundry so she wouldn't have to borrow any. Her main reason for doing so was that her combat boots didn't really go with anything that Teresa wore but the truth was that she just didn't like wearing other people's clothes.
"Ara's not going with us, give me a minute." Jane didn't want to take the mini Lisbon with him in case Nellie's brother was around. She didn't need to be anywhere near the guy, and he wouldn't expose her to anything like that. Once again he found himself standing in front of Lisbon's bedroom. He hated the thought of waking the beautiful woman but it was that or take Ara which he wasn't willing to do. He found it ironic that he had forced himself to leave just minutes earlier because he hadn't wanted to wake her and now he was back with that sole purpose in mind.
"Mum-mum s'eepin'."
"We're going to wake her up." Ruffling Ara's hair playfully, he sat her down on the edge of the bed and then leaned over the sleeping form of Teresa Lisbon. He pressed his lips to hers softly. Something told him that he was now addicted to those lips. "Lisbon."
"Mum-mum." Ara had crawled onto her mother's chest as soon as Jane had kissed her. He watched the small girl pat Lisbon's cheek affectionately before he trailed his hand along her arm.
"Teresa, wake up." Her eyes fluttered open as she moaned softly and met his gaze. So many emotions traveled through that one look, he all of a sudden wished Ara wasn't with him and that the door was locked. Those pretty greens were staring up at him with that confused just woke up daze. "Hey, I'm going to take Nellie to her place to get some things. I didn't want to take Ara just in case." He let the sentence hang, knowing she understood what he meant by the slow nod.
"How long have I been asleep?"
"Almost four hours." Lisbon was surprised to hear that, she had expected maybe a couple hours but not four. Letting her arms wrap around the baby lying on her chest she nuzzled her face into Ara's cheek and kissed her gently. She needed some alone time with her little girl anyway, and this would give her plenty while knowing that Jane would be back. Pushing herself up into a sitting position she cradled Ara and draped one arm around Jane's neck.
"We have to talk when you get back."
"I was fixing to say the same thing. Until then, just relax and enjoy spending the day with Arabella. We'll probably stop and get dinner so don't worry about cooking tonight." A smile lit up her face when he mentioned that she didn't need to cook. A part of her thought she didn't deserve to be happy with him, not after what she did to Christian but another part was so overwhelmed with love that she wasn't sure which part to choose. She would have to work it out later, for now she let herself have a taste of what could be if things went right. Closing the gap between them, she melded their lips together. She had to force herself to keep it short by remembering that her daughter was in the room, otherwise she would have pulled Jane back into the bed and kept him there. She let her mouth slide against his lazily before pulling back quite reluctantly. It was so hard to stay in control around him.
"Kisses!" Ara clapped her hands together and pressed a kiss to Jane's cheek as well as to Lisbon's. At least she didn't seem to mind their relationship change.
"I'll be here when you get back Jane."
"And then we'll talk." They were both a little nervous about the 'talk' but they couldn't avoid it and Jane didn't want to. He wanted her too much to mess this up, he loved her too much and he was pretty sure she felt the same way.
a/n: This one is a little fluffy filler chapter but I hope you enjoyed it anyways. If you see something that isn't right or the grammar is off, feel free to tell me. I make mistakes and most of the time I don't catch them when I proof read. Also, I tend to get sayings wrong sometimes, English is my second language. ~ Rina
