As you know, Grace and Wayne are having a baby girl. Congratulations to them J The thing is... I'm having a bit of difficulty choosing a name, and I need your help. So once you're finished reading this chapter, I would REALLY appreciate it if you'd visit my profile, and vote for a couple names at the top of the page. I have a poll going. Thanks! :D

Disclaimer: Not mine.

"I hate stakeouts."

Teresa sighed, opening her eyes and glaring in Jane's direction. "I heard you the first seventeen times."

"You're exaggerating. I did not say it seventeen times."

"Oh, silly me. Sixteen."

"Nah, more like four."

She rolled her eyes and rested her head on the back of her seat.

"Lisbon?"

She bit back a groan, fighting the urge to correct him on her name. "What, Jane?"

"Do you want to play a game?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because you know I'll win?"

"Conceited much?"

He chuckled. "I'm not conceited. Just..."

"Arrogant?" she finished for him.

"Fine. We won't play a game. But I'm bored," he whined. "Let's at least... talk."

"About what?"

"Anything. Anything you want."

Oh, that offer sounded so tempting. Anything. Anything you want.

The truth was, there was a question that had been eating away at her for months. A question that she would be extremely ashamed to ask, and frankly, she was somewhat afraid of the answer. It's an easy guess what this question might be.

They were alone. Why not ask?

"Okay," she said softly. "I have something."

"Go for it."

She didn't meet his eyes. She watched the empty, dark street, wondering how to approach this. Should she ease into it, or get right to the point?

"Why did you come back?" Right to the point.

He flinched. "W-what?"

"Why did you come back to Sacramento?"

Jane looked startled. And almost... hurt. "To visit you all."

She shook her head knowingly. "Jane... I know you."

"No, you really don't."

"You take off without telling anyone. You're gone for five years. Then, you just show up at banquet that you weren't even invited to without anybody knowing you're coming. I catch you staring at me while I'm with my family." She shrugged. "I'm just curious. No, I'm more than curious. I need to know. It has been killing me."

"Maybe I missed you. All of you."

"You're lying."

"Fine. You want to know why I came back?" he demanded.

"Yes, I do."

"I felt guilty."

She stared at him. "Guilty about what, Jane? For yelling at me because I saved your life? Or walking away when I tell you how I really felt about you? Or leaving without saying goodbye? Which part did you feel guilty about?"

"Everything. All of it. Are you happy, Lisbon? I felt awful about all of it." He took a long pause, studying her face. He could see the hurt in her eyes. The confusion. "But there is one thing that I felt even worse about. Something I couldn't shake from my head for half a decade."

"Really."

"Yes. Really."

"And what was that, Jane? Please, do enlighten me. What else did you feel guilty about?"

"Not coming back as soon as I realized I had been falling in love with you."

It took everything she had to hold her jaw in its place, to not let it drop. Had Patrick Jane actually just confessed that he was in love with her? Or had been at one time?

"And when was that?" she whispered.

"Three days after I took off."

As what he said was beginning to process, she realized just how wrong this felt. Nothing was happening. She wasn't cheating on Ben or anything. But it just felt... wrong. Like she was somehow leading Jane on without even realizing it.

"Do you... do you still?" she asked gently.

"Do I still, what?"

She sighed. "Have those feelings for me."

He pondered that for a moment before replying: "I don't know."

Lisbon, at loss for words, just nodded and looked out the window again.

Jane bit his lip, shaking his head. "Please don't just freeze me out."

"I'm not."

"Lisbon, you are."

She met his eyes again. "Stop calling me that."

"Calling you what?"

"Lisbon!"

"That's your name."

"My maiden name. I'm married now, remember?" She held up her left hand to reveal the diamond ring that was placed on her finger.

"Yeah, I remember. Thanks."

"No need to be bitter."

"No need to flaunt."

"Oh, so I'm flaunting now?"

"You know how I feel about you. You shouldn't be waving your wedding ring in my face!"

She narrowed her eyes. "You just said you didn't know how you felt."

He rolled his eyes. "Does it really matter? It isn't like I can actually do anything about it."

Lisbon looked out the window again. "You're right."

"You can't tell me you don't feel something for me, too."

She whipped around, glaring him down. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Do I need to show you my ring again?"

"Answer the question."

"You didn't ask a question."

He groaned, frustrated. "Do you, or do you not have feelings for me still?"

"No," she snapped. "I don't love you, Jane," she said, repeating the same, cruel words he'd spoken to her right before he left her five years ago. "I am married. I have a little girl who I love more than anyone in this world. I may have loved you at one time, but you're too late, Jane. I'm sorry that I sound like a bitch right now, but that's just reality."

He stared at her, stunned by her boldness. "I have the right to certain feelings," he argued.

"True. However, you don't have a right to act on those feelings."

"Did I say I was going to?" His voice was very near to a shout. "I get it, Lisbon. I get that I'm too late. I get that Ben makes you happy. I understand why you love that little girl so much. Why you'd never want to hurt her. I... I love her, too. And I'm not just saying that." His face turned bright red with anger, frustration, confusion, and hurt mixed together. "I never wanted to stand in the way of you and your happiness. You asked me a question, I answered honestly. I came back because I was in love with you. Happy?"

He had shocked her into silence. She watched him, mouth hanging open, surprised by his sudden forwardness. All she could do was nod stupidly, and turn her attention back to the current suspect's home. "I think it's safe to say that he isn't going to be leaving anytime soon," she said softly, referring to the suspect.

Jane just nodded, staring straight forward. "Told you," he muttered bitterly.

I should have left this a oneshot. Haha. Review? And... please vote for a name for the Rigsby baby!