A/N: Thanks again for all the lovely reviews to the last chapter. This one takes a more wistful turn I hope you'll enjoy. And there is a heap load of action coming your way soon so please stay tuned. I've been having a crisis of confidence with my writing lately so your support means the world to me.

Chapter 25 – Getting Closer

As he weaved his way back through the throng of partygoers towards the bar he caught sight of a flash of chestnut hair, recognising it as Lisbon's instantly. Heading closer his view loitered on her shapely legs, her feet encased in a pair of black stilettos matching the sleeveless black dress she wore. Her hair had been styled gently in soft waves that fell over her shoulders and back. She was striking enough in her everyday attire but when she took longer than ten minutes to preen herself she was positively breathtaking.

He watched as she teetered on her heels, attempting to get served at the bar that was two people deep in customers. Even in three inch heels she was a few inches shorter than the men vying for service around her. As he was about to step forward he noticed a man take an interest in her, his eyes lingering on her frame in much the same fashion Jane had moments before. Dark brown crew cut hair and chiselled features he stood a few inches taller than him. Defined muscles protruding through the black shirt he wore he whispered in Lisbon's ear. She troubled her bottom lip and then nodded, smiling up fully at this tall dark stranger. Jane had never experienced her flirting so outrageously with a man before. Well, not unless he was that man. The tall man, who Jane guessed was in the military by his stiff posture and accompanying haircut, lazily placed an arm around her back as he waved to the barman. It was hardly discernible but Jane noticed her shift slightly away from GI Joe's grasp much to his relief.

He quickly caught the attention of a waitress who was depositing drinks nearby. She looked harassed and was about to tell him to go to the bar when he slipped a hundred dollar bill into her hand. Her full attention gained he nodded to the muscle man beside Lisbon before he spoke to her quietly but with some urgency. A few seconds later he watched with some glee as the waitress "accidentally" brushed into the man beside Lisbon, spilling the remaining dregs of a glass of beer onto him in the process. As he was distracted with drying himself off Jane tapped Lisbon on the shoulder. She blinked twice when she suddenly saw him at her side.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she glared, her eyes a little glazed from alcohol but her speech still coherent.

"Rigsby needed a wing man," he replied cheerfully. "Come on," he continued, "let's get a seat. Standing in those heels is killing you."

She regarded him suspiciously. "It's my turn to buy the next round."

He placed a hand loosely around her waist, moving her subtly away from the bar. "Already taken care of."

She stopped and removed his hand. Firmly, "How?"

"Bribery," he smiled, nodding to the waitress behind her who was apologising profusely to Lisbon's now ill fated love interest.

She arched an eyebrow. "I see. And I suppose the guy I was talking to just happened to have her drinks suddenly topple over him," she stated.

Rolling her eyes and not waiting for a response she moved ahead of him back to the area cordoned off for their party.

He wedged his way in beside her as she talked to a woman there on her other side, blatant in her disregard of him. His drink order came and a cheer went up as Champagne was distributed to the party. Van Pelt shook her head at him but smiled, her eyes gesturing to Clara who had set her mind on another target for the night as she danced with a jean clad rocker who had his hands on her ass. Jane laughed, shrugging, as Rigsby puffed out a breath of relief that his fiancée hadn't been too mad at Jane's solution to her rather hands on friend.

After a minute or two he felt Lisbon relax a little more at his side, her arm brushing against his. He glanced over at Rigsby and Van Pelt who were now whispering sweet nothings to each other, lost in their love and oblivious to everyone around them. He sighed wistfully and moved his arm to the back of Lisbon's seat, brushing his fingers over her hair as he did so. She leaned her head back, clearly aware of the position of his arm. Almost imperceptibly she moved a little closer to him. Gently, he began to twirl a strand of her hair around his finger slowly. He saw her tense for a second then continue in the conversation she was holding beside her. He listened as talk turned to handbags and he smiled as he sipped his water, his other hand still entwined in her hair. There was only so much "girl" talk Lisbon could do. When a song came on that was rather obviously a favourite among the younger women a high pitched squeal went out amongst them and half the party (including the woman at Lisbon's side) raced to the dance floor across the room. She was urged to join them but she pointed to her feet and shook her head. A few moments later just the two of them remained on the couch they sat on.

He continued to play with her hair.

She continued to pay no attention to the fact he was beside her and doing that.

Then she took a large sip of the bourbon he'd procured for her and finally turned towards him. He smiled softly at her and moved his hand to her shoulder, his fingertips ghosting over the top of her arm.

"Having a good night?" he asked.

"I was," she replied, scowling. But she didn't make any attempt to move away from him and continued to stare into his eyes.

"You're looking particularly beautiful tonight, Teresa."

Although a blush came to her cheeks she rolled her eyes at the compliment. "What are you playing at, Jane?"

"Nothing at all. Just stating a rather obvious fact."

She sighed and shifted a few inches away from him, making him lose contact with her shoulder. "I'm not that drunk."

"Ah, for what?" he replied, frowning. "A compliment?"

"You know damn well what."

He raised his eyebrows. "You think I'm seducing you?"

"Aren't you?" she asked plainly.

He paused for a second. "It certainly wasn't my attention to do so when I came here tonight."

She crossed her arms across her chest. "As usual you can never just give a straight answer." She continued, "And what right did you have to get in the way of me talking to that guy at the bar?"

"Oh come on Lisbon, you weren't interested in him."

Sarcastically, "Oh, of course not. Tall. Dark. Handsome. Polite. Why on earth would I be interested in someone like that?"

"So you want yet another man to vie for your attention? Don't you have enough on your plate with Mashburn and..."

He stopped suddenly and drank from his water bottle.

"Mashburn and...?" she repeated.

"You know he's actively pursuing you again," he stated instead of replying to her question. "Mashburn."

She took a large sip of her drink. "Yeah, he made that clear. Not that it's any of your business."

"I just think if you're not interested then you should tell him that."

"Who says I haven't? And again, what the hell has it got to do with you either way?" she replied, her tone gaining volume.

He puffed out a breath and nodded. "Nothing. But...it bothers me, okay? It bothers me seeing you with other men," he replied softly, looking at his feet. "I know I don't have any right to feel that way. Not anymore but...it does in any case." He looked back up at her. "And...I apologise about just now. I just...well you look so good in that dress I suppose I forgot myself for a few minutes. And you didn't exactly do anything to discourage me."

"Yeah, because I've been drinking. My defences are low."

"You just said you weren't drunk."

"I said I wasn't that drunk."

"So drunk enough to allow me to flirt a little but not drunk enough to follow through. Okay," he smiled.

She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head.

He placed his hand from the back of the couch into his lap. "I suppose it's because we've been getting on better-"

She made a disgruntled noise and he stopped talking.

He frowned, "You don't think we've been getting along better lately?"

"I need to use the bathroom," she stated, raising herself from the couch suddenly.

Lisbon smelt the wonderful aroma of tomato and basil as she opened her front door. She followed it through to the kitchen where Jane was stirring a pot of sauce. "Hey," she smiled from the door, "You used the key I gave you."

He turned and smiled back, "I did."

"Didn't see your car out front."

"Left it at the motel and took a cab. Figured I'd have some wine with dinner."

"Well you could have just stayed the night."

"Planning to. Haven't seen you all day."

"So then why not drive he-"

She stopped and sighed. In the time they'd been together he'd never left his car outside her place if he intended on staying the night, afraid Red John would realise what was going on between them if he did.

He pointed to a bottle of red wine on the counter. "Want to open that? Figured we'd celebrate."

She made her way beside him and glanced at the wine. "Looks expensive. What are we celebrating?"

He kissed her softly on the lips. "Two things. One. Our six week milestone-"

"That's hardly groundbreaking," she laughed.

"Well it is for you. In all the time I've known you I've never seen you go out with anyone for more than a fortnight."

"Well that's longer than I've seen you with anyone either since I've known you."

"Touché," he smiled, kissing her quickly again.

"And the second reason?"

He regarded her for a moment. "Well obviously court went well." He narrowed his eyes, "Three convictions?"

"Yeah," she grinned.

"Good. Suppose that means I'll get lucky."

She kissed him. "You never know. Depends on how good dinner is."

"Jesus, you love making me beg for it," he sighed theatrically with a smile. "Here, try this," he added, offering her a spoonful of sauce.

"Hmm. Tastes great."

He pecked her lips again, darting his tongue out quickly to circle them. "Might need a little more pepper." Softly, "Missed you today."

Grinning, "Missed you too. A day in court with Ardiles is not my idea of fun. How'd it go with Cho in Oakland?"

"Meh, waste of time like I told you on the phone. Killer's the brother."

She rolled her eyes at his assured tone. "Well, you working on a plan to catch him?"

"Naturally, my dear."

"Care to share what it is?" she pressed, placing her arms around his waist.

"All in good time," he replied. "Now, you ready for dinner?"

He caught up with her outside the bar, shivering in her dress as she tried to flag down a cab. "Trying to ditch me, were you?" he asked, taking his jacket off and putting it around her bare shoulders.

She glared at him instantly. "Well you're hardly one to talk where running off is concerned. But I've had enough to drink. Time I went home," she said quickly.

"We didn't finish our conversation."

"There is no conversation to finish," she stated, shrugging off his jacket and giving it back to him.

He sighed wearily. "At least let me give you a ride home. It's Friday night. You'll be waiting all night for a cab. Stop being so stubborn."

She looked at him warily and shook her head. "I'll wait," she said.

He placed the jacket gently around her shoulders again and left his hands there. "What are you afraid of, Teresa?" He looked deep in her eyes. "Afraid we won't be able to stop ourselves if we're alone?"

"I have more willpower than that," she said stiffly. "Fine. Where's that contraption of yours parked then?"

A few minutes later she smiled, getting into his Citroen. "You might be sorry you offered me a lift home. Might vomit if you go as fast you usually do."

"If you do then you'll be cleaning it."

"God, that was good. I'll be putting weight on if you continue to feed me like that," Lisbon said, patting her stomach.

"Not with the exercise regimen you have us on," he winked as he cleared their plates.

She got up and noticed a file on the side of the couch. "Is this the Fletcher case?" she asked, opening it. Upon seeing it wasn't their current case her face dropped. "Oh, it's the Norris one," she continued.

Jane came back in from the kitchen, their wine glasses refilled, "Yeah, I wanted to ask you about the tea they tested."

Handing her a glass he gestured to the couch for them to sit. "I'll wash up later."

"What about the tea?" Lisbon asked, sitting beside him.

He took a sip of wine and put his feet up on the coffee table, his free arm around her shoulder. "The forensics report states that a box of tea was tested for toxins."

"Yes, that's correct. Nothing found. It was the first thing I thought to check. Everyone knows as soon as you go anywhere you check out the tea selection."

He smiled, "Indeed. Only one box at Norris" house. What about the tea in the cup I used? I couldn't find a trace of the results of that in the report."

She placed her wine on the coffee table and frowned at him. "Jane, there was no tea to test from the cup. You drank it all, washed it out and put the cup on the drainer."

He mirrored her frown, setting his own glass down and moved forward on the couch. "No. I didn't. I only drank half a cup and then left it on the counter. I used a purple cup with yellow dots."

"Yeah, that's the one that sat on the drainer. Empty."

Realisation hit them both simultaneously. Lisbon stated, "So, the toxin must have been in the tea-"

She stopped and shook her head but Jane was ahead of her line of thinking. "You're wondering how that's possible if the tea leaves themselves were tested and came up blank."

"Exactly."

"The box that was tested. Did it have a little nick in the right hand corner, about a millimetre thick, like someone had opened it quickly and tore the packaging a little?"

She widened her eyes both at his clear recall on such a miniscule detail and how she was expected to remember it with the same clarity. "I don't know, Jane. But it's still in evidence."

He nodded, "We'll dig it out tomorrow. Perhaps the box I used was replaced with another one."

"If you're correct you know what you're saying, right? That a cop or one of the emergency responders lifted evidence from the scene. To be honest it wouldn't have been difficult. After you..." She swallowed at the memory. "After you collapsed there were people running around everywhere. The fact it was already a crime scene was pretty much forgotten."

"Hmm. Interesting isn't it?" he said, dropping a kiss to her head. "Can we get a list of people at the scene? I want to start interviewing them as soon as possible. See if I can read them; find the one who did it. May lead me to whoever poisoned me."

She nodded. "Yeah, I'll get on it in the morning." She paused a moment, deep in thought then felt his arm around her again. "Hey, you okay? It's a good thing, Lisbon. We're getting closer."

"Yeah...yeah I know," she said quietly, suddenly afraid of what they were getting closer to. Swallowing she asked, "Jane, do you think...do you think Red John could have done this?" All at once she was plagued with the notion that her asking for Red John's help was part of a larger manipulation from him in the first place. That somehow he knew she'd ask and he'd engineered Jane's poisoning for just such an event.

When she saw Jane frown she continued, "I mean hiding evidence, targeting you...we know he knows people in Law Enforcement. And everyone knows you make tea everywhere you go. Could Norris be just a random killing to get the CBI"s, and so your, attention?"

He nodded thoughtfully, considering her argument. "I can't see it. Not impossible but highly improbable I'd say. It's more likely that Norris drank the tea and I, like the idiot I am, took a cup after him from the same packet before whoever was tasked with hiding the evidence could do so. Besides, what would his motivation be for almost killing me that particular way?"

His counter argument was just as persuasive and she was in two minds whether it might be time to finally come clean. Then her cell phone rang. "Damn it," she muttered. She glanced at the screen. "It's Wainwright. Looks like we're up."

On the way back to her place Lisbon fell asleep with her head pointing towards Jane as he drove. He kept to the speed limits and glanced over at her occasionally, sighing at her response to his comment from earlier. He thought he was making some headway and that things were slowly improving between them again. But her derisive snort when he mentioned that fact and her sudden rush from the bar meant she thought otherwise. He pulled up at her condo and tapped her shoulder. "Lisbon, we're here."

No response other than a half snore he delved into her clutch for the front door key and exited the vehicle. He opened the passenger door and gently unbuckled her seatbelt. "Teresa," he said softly in her ear. "Wake up."

"Hmm," she sighed.

He grinned, "Come on snookums, your husband will be home any minute. You need to get dressed."

She opened her eyes immediately, blinked rapidly to bring his face into focus. She took a breath, licked her lips to bring moisture back into them. "You ever call me snookums again I'll punch you."

He grinned again. "That's my girl." He gestured for her to get out of the car. "Come on then, up and at 'em."

Glowering at him she acquiesced, suddenly regretting that last bourbon as her head went a little light when the air hit her. Jane placed a hand on her elbow as he guided her up the path to her door. She began to open her bag and he was ahead of her, opening the door. "Got it covered," he said, placing his hand on her lower back to nudge her inside.

"Key," she demanded as he stood on the doorstep.

He rolled his eyes and placed it in her palm. She took it and went inside, kicking her heels off as she did so. "Oh god, that feels good. How can women wear them every day!" she exclaimed, drifting towards the couch and laying her head back on it. Jane walked in after her and closed the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked as he made his way to the kitchen.

Ignoring the question he reappeared a minute later with a large glass of water and two headache tablets, placing them on the table in front of her. He raised his eyebrows at her. "Take the tablets. Drink the water," he ordered her.

Although she rolled her eyes she popped the pills into her mouth and took a long glug of water to wash them down. As he was continuing to watch her with a stern look on his face she stuck her tongue out at him afterwards to show she'd taken the tablets. And well, just to stick her tongue out at him in her slightly intoxicated state.

"Very mature," he stated with a smile as he went back to the kitchen.

Minutes later she had settled her head on the back of the couch again and had almost drifted off to sleep when she felt him sit beside her, the aroma of tea hitting her. She frowned and opened her eyes. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" he replied, turning on the television.

She frowned again, her alcohol addled brain wondering if she'd just entered some alternative universe. "You know you don't live here, right? And that you're not exactly welcome for a social call?"

He smiled beside her. "I'll go when you finish your water and I finish my tea," he told her as he watched television, predictably tuning it to a wildlife channel and turning off the sound.

She huffed and moved forward, glugging the water down until the glass was empty. She raised her eyebrows at him expectantly. He took a tiny sip of tea and placed the cup back on the coffee table again, easing himself back onto the cushions.

"I could just make you leave," she stated.

He chuckled. "In your state? For once I think I'd have the upper hand." He chanced a seductive glance. "Although the attempt might prove fun for both of us if you tried to manhandle me in your current condition."

Exasperated she pulled her feet up beside her and began to rub her toes after wearing her heels all night.

Jane glanced down at her feet and then to her face. "I promise no ulterior motives," he said softly.

He did give the most amazing foot rubs and in her less than compos mentis state and the soles of her feet throbbing she couldn't think of anything better. She rolled her eyes, placing her feet in his lap. "There better not be or you'll get a foot in the face."

"Such poetry," he remarked, beginning to massage the base of one of her feet with his thumbs using circular clockwise then anticlockwise movements. "You really ought to publish a book with such idioms."

She closed her eyes and laid her head back as he continued with his soft and then hard kneading on her foot. "Can't you just do that without talking?" she yawned.

For once he did as he was told. For ten minutes he massaged her feet, smiling as he heard her try to suppress moans of satisfaction when he released a knot of tension. Softly, aware she was almost asleep but also intensely relaxed he asked, "So why do you think things aren't getting better between us?"

She opened her eyes immediately then rolled them. "No ulterior motives, huh?"

He continued to massage her feet, his fingers pinching her toes lightly, "It's just a question, Lisbon. We've no hope of patching things up if we don't talk about this stuff."

She began to laugh immediately. Loud chuckles boomed around the living room as she pulled her feet from his grasp and sat up beside him again.

"Something funny?" he stated.

She stopped laughing suddenly and fell back onto the couch again with a loud sigh. "Just the opposite," she stated wearily, her eyelids drooping.

His head fell back beside hers and for a few moments they gazed at each other. "Tell me," he said softly.

She shook her head. "Not tonight. I'm beat."

"You're deflecting."

"I know," she sighed. "Just don't want to think about any of that stuff tonight. Brain isn't exactly at full capacity."

"Okay. But soon." His eyes flicked to her lips and back to her eyes.

"Don't," she said quickly.

"Don't what?" he replied, leaning his head onto the back of the couch as he continued to stare at her.

"Don't look at me like that."

"Can't seem to stop myself. We had some good times on this couch."

She smiled sadly and moved one of her hands slowly to a few wisps of his hair that had settled on top of the sofa. She brushed the strands with her fingertips carefully, tired eyes focused on what she was doing. He closed his eyes and breathed heavily, moving his head further into her hand so he could feel her soft caresses more. "God, I've missed you doing that," he said, raw emotion in his tone.

"You didn't have to," she said quietly.

He opened his eyes and nodded. "I know. I'm sorry," he replied barely audibly, absolute sincerity in his tone.

"I know you are," she responded in a whisper.

He moved an arm around her waist and pulled her against him, laying them both down on the couch. She didn't struggle and soon they were entwined in an embrace, her back cushioned near the back of the sofa as his arms held her close. He laid his head on her shoulder and she continued to caress his hair as he traced his fingers up and down her back in lazy strokes.

After a few moments she said, "You know this isn't how friends act."

"I didn't think we were friends again yet," was his response.

"Well colleagues certainly don't do this either."

"Really?" he smiled. "I'm sure Cho and Rigsby cuddle up together like this on occasion."

She laughed softly and he squeezed her tighter. "Also we're more than colleagues," he added.

"Hmm. I suppose we don't have a label for what we are now," she stated, yawning. "But then I guess we never did have one."

"I really am sorry about leaving how I did," he reiterated.

"I don't want to talk or think about that now," she said, continuing the soft strokes over his locks.

He kissed her shoulder softly. "Okay. Let's just sleep then."

She nodded; relieved he hadn't attempted to seduce her. She wasn't completely certain she'd have been able to resist if he had pushed things more in that direction. Instead she melted into the once familiar presence holding her, her mind set only on the comfort she felt right now and blocking everything else out but that feeling of warmth and security. It was like a detente of sorts, both of them calling a truce to hostilities to find some reassurance in each other's embrace, even if it might only last for a few hours.

A/N: Just to let you know I'm away for a few days but am working on an update to Chance Encounter next. Hoping to have it posted Monday/Tuesday.