A/N: Thanks to everyone who's continuing to read this. Can't believe I have over 100 reviews already!

Chapter 11- Getting Closer

Aisling looked nervously towards the kitchen and bit her lip.

Lisbon sat opposite her, fidgeting with her hands. 'I'm sorry we haven't been able to track her down yet, Aisling. It may look like we haven't gotten anywhere yet but we have someone back in Austin looking over the security cameras from the mall. See if we can catch a lead.'

Aisling nodded, looking at her feet. 'Thank you for trying. I appreciate it, Agent Lisbon.'

'Haven't we already agreed it's Teresa?' Lisbon smiled, causing the young girl to look up and cast a soft smile in her direction.

'Do you think she's still alive?' Aisling's eyes were as wide as saucers and full of hope and stunned Lisbon into silence momentarily.

'We won't give up trying to find her. You don't know Jane, I mean Patrick, too well but he closes every case he's ever worked on. He won't stop until he finds out what happened to her.'

Aisling looked away from her and bit her bottom lip again.

Lisbon leaned in towards her. 'Aisling...I know you've probably read some stuff that he's done in the past but...he's a good man. I hope...I hope you get the chance to find that out for yourself.'

Aisling glanced at her again, 'You don't just work with him, do you?'

Lisbon blushed immediately. 'Um...no I don't. You're right. We've been together a little more than six months.'

Aisling nodded. 'But you knew him for years before that.'

'That's correct.'

Aisling raised her eyes to her, 'You both took your time, didn't you?' she smiled.

Lisbon smiled and shrugged. 'Yeah, we did. There were a lot of reasons why we...well why nothing happened until recently.'

'Red John being one of them I'd guess.'

Lisbon was in fear of this conversation turning into something that should be discussed between brother and sister without her involvement. 'I think it'd be better if you spoke to Patrick about that time in his life. But yes you're correct, he was a reason.'

'What's he like?' Aisling asked, 'I mean now. What does he like to do in his spare time, what kind of stuff does he like?'

Lisbon thought for a moment and stated the first things that came to her mind. 'Tea but he's particular about how it's made. If you get it wrong you never hear the end of it. Blueberry muffins. Scrambled eggs on rye toast. Leather couches. In his spare time, um...reading. He reads a lot. Pretty much everything he can get his hands on. Sudoku. He likes walking on beaches, likes to feel the sun in his face. He likes to...annoy the hell out of me-'

Lisbon and Aisling had begun to smile as Jane and Alex walked in, making Lisbon drop her smile as she noticed the tense atmosphere evident between them.

Jane said, 'What do you mean I like to annoy you, Lisbon?', smiling to break up the tension for Aisling's benefit. 'It's just a by product of me always being right.'

He smiled at Aisling. 'This one giving you the inside scoop on me, is she? Can't trust anyone these days.'

Aisling smiled at him, 'I just thought that...well...if we're related then I'd find out the kinds of things you like.'

The blatant honesty from her made him blink rapidly for a second before he nodded, 'Did she mention tea?'

'It was first on her list. You'll have to show me how you like it.'

He nodded again, unable to respond. It finally hit him that he had a sister and an overwhelming urge came over him to protect her.

Lisbon, noticing his shaky disposition, said to him, 'I'm going to check in with Wylie, see where he is with the mall footage. You want to come outside with me to speak to him?'

He nodded again and managed to respond to Aisling, 'I'll be happy to show you if you show me how to play a tune on the flute.'

Aisling was taken aback. 'How did you know I played it?'

Jane shrugged. 'It was sticking out of your backpack last night.'

After Jane and Lisbon went outside Jane told her about Alex's involvement in his wife's disappearance and gave her the names of the people she'd mentioned to him. She told Alex she took a cab to a deserted bar on the outskirts of town where one of Lomez' men would pick her up, blindfold her and drive her to where he was holed up before dropping her back at the bar.

They called Wylie and gave him the names and got him to delve into Lomez and the charges the FBI had on him.

Wylie's voice crackled over the phone. 'Eddie Lomez...Mmm bad dude. Been involved in racketeering for years, money laundering and you already know about the casino boss. I have a list of associates here so I'll add them to my program, see if anything pops sooner.'

'Okay Wylie, thanks. When you find something on the footage that might relate to him or his associates let us know. Thanks again' Jane said, hanging up the phone.

Lisbon said, 'You've told your father you won't mention any of this to Aisling?'

He nodded. 'Not for his sake but...there's no point upsetting the kid until we have to.'

She wrapped her arms around him.

'What was that for?' he smiled, wrapping his around her waist.

She kissed him softly on the lips. 'No reason except...you're a good man. You need to be reminded of that every once in a while.'

'I thought I annoyed you' he smiled.

'Only sometimes' she grinned. 'Now, let's go to the bar, see if we can find any clues there.'

They found nothing of note from the bar staff except what they already knew. They got some descriptions of the men who picked up Hannah but the security footage was on a 24 hour loop so there was no videotape that they could search through. They walked outside and Jane stood at their car, surveying the desert scenery around him.

Lisbon said, 'How long did it take her to get to her destination? Did she have any idea?'

'My father says she never said but did mention that she stayed with Lomez for about half an hour to forty five minutes to make sure the medication was working on him. So if it took, say ten minutes in a cab to bring her here from Laurie's house and ten minutes to get her back, maybe adding on another five for waiting time then-'

'Then if she was gone for around two hours then the journey time to Lomez' hideout is between 25 minutes to just over half an hour, factoring in the same journey back to here again' Lisbon finished.

'Precisely.'

Lisbon sighed, 'Doesn't cut down the possibilities too much.'

Jane opened the car door. 'Oh, I don't know. There aren't too many buildings in this wilderness I'd hazard a guess. Let's get a map and plot out the area we're looking at.' He seemed to have found a renewed confidence.

'I'll get Wylie to flag up any that could be used as makeshift operation suites' Lisbon replied, as she got into the car, a spring back in her step too.

Jane buckled his seatbelt. 'Told you we make a good team sometimes' he said, smiling over at her.

She smiled and rested her hand on his for a second. 'Yeah, we do. Although you'll owe Wylie big time for all the help he's been on this too.'

'He has been a help but I'm not planning on thanking him the way I'll thank you when this is over with' he replied with a raised eyebrow.

As she blushed profusely she said, 'Hush, now drive.'

A/N: For those of you awaiting the continuation of the Jane/Lisbon wedding on another story of mine, I hope to have it posted tomorrow. Thanks.