A/N: I think I've responded to all the lovely reviews for the last chapter but I've been on holiday so apologies if I've missed anyone off and a blanket thank you to you all just in case! Here's the next one! And Michael's reappearance into Jane's life is coming soon (I haven't forgotten about him (or the mystery of Lisbon's dead husband) and turned this into a blatantly romance only fic, I promise!).

Chapter 25 - Truths

Jane sat on a bar stool later that evening in a trendy wine bar playing with a beer mat, a scotch in his hand and checking his watch periodically. He had called to meet Tara to stop her from spreading rumours and she was evidently running late. She had been excited to get a call from him, obviously excited at the chance of rekindling matters between them and he had given away nothing in his tone to tell her otherwise. She eventually waltzed in a swish of low cut green chiffon, her long red hair poker straight for the evening. She smiled seductively upon seeing him and he smiled back, nodding in appreciation of her attire.

He moved from his bar stool to a table nearby and gestured for her to sit down. 'Martini, three olives?' he asked as she leaned in and kissed his cheek.

'Yes please' she smiled. 'You always remember.'

He nodded amiably and went to fetch them some new drinks, the smile falling from his lips as soon as he reached the bar.

As he set the drinks on the table she leaned in, brushing her fingertips over his hand as she said demurely, 'So, I was surprised to hear from you.'

He kept his face blank. 'Really? Then I'm the one who's surprised. Isn't this the outcome you expected when you met Lisbon this morning?'

Her fingers stilled on his hand and she parted her lips. 'Um-'

He pulled his hand away from hers. 'What did you expect to achieve from that little performance this morning, Tara?' he hissed, keeping his tone low.

He saw her try to back peddle immediately. 'Look, I don't know what she's told you-'

'She, unlike you, has told me the truth. What made you get the idea into your head that we were together anyway?'

She leaned back in her chair and snorted derisively, annoyed that her plan had spectacularly backfired. 'Please, I saw you two, all over each other at your apartment last night. You should know better at your age.'

So, she had come by to try it on with him and had witnessed him saying goodnight to Lisbon. 'Didn't realise there was an age limit on kissing someone' he shot back with.

He sighed heavily, calming down and said softly. 'Look Tara, you need to let this go. Whatever this notion is in your head about you and me...I'm flattered but...I'm not interested.'

She nodded, averting her eyes and wiping a tear from her cheek.

'What the hell has happened to you? You were never like this before you went to Europe. Did...did something happen there?'

He saw her raise her walls immediately and she shook her head. 'If it did it has nothing to do with you, right? That's what you've just told me. That you want nothing to do with me.'

He took her fingers and squeezed them. 'I still care about you-'

He stopped when he heard her laugh. 'Yeah, right. You tell yourself that, Patrick. The only person you've ever cared about in all the time I've known you is yourself.' After a moment she pulled back and crossed her arms over her chest. 'You know what, though? Maybe you do care about her...about your sweet little 'partner'. But can you say the same? I think maybe I got it wrong by assuming you were going to hurt her. You're the one who's going to end up getting hurt in all of this. She's bamboozled you, my friend with whatever she hides under those awful pant suits of hers. She's using you to get over her dead husband. You really believe she sees you as anything more than a stepping stone to move on with someone she truly wants? You really think she sees a future with a playboy like you?'

Lisbon was waiting for Jane to come over to her place after his meeting with Tara. She had showered and changed into a pair of white jeans and a sleeveless aubergine top. It was hardly dressed up but she felt she wanted to make a little effort in what she supposed could categorically be called a 'date'. She lay on her couch, her TV set to a game show she was paying no attention to, a glass of burgundy courage in her hand barely touched. Her eyes met the photographs on her mantelpiece and her stomach churned as her husband stared back at her. Would he approve of her moving on? Was that what she was doing? She sighed, guessing it was.

Jane had teased her about not wanting to become entangled with Tara again because he was holding out for someone else. Holding out for her. She had laughed it off at the time but now she had more time to think then his behaviour in the weeks prior where he dropped off the dating scene suddenly made more sense. Not to mention the way he looked at her at the ball. Could he really be that into her? If he was she had to slow him down, tell him that she wasn't ready for another serious relationship, stop things before they became more complicated than they were already. In part that's what had put her off Peter. Well that and not much of an attraction. With Jane there was certainly an attraction, sexually most definitely. And she had grown to like him before that despite his obvious quirks and getting himself and those around him in trouble with his big mouth. But she had to admit when she kissed him the night before she never imagined their relationship to be anything but some light-hearted fun for however long as it lasted. She had put no thought into it becoming more than that and, as Jane had said he didn't 'do' serious relationships any longer, imagined they were both on the same page. She chewed on the inside of her mouth, considering this as her doorbell sounded.

'Hey' he said brightly as she answered the door, his eyes roving over her form appreciatively. 'You look nice' he added, putting an arm around her waist and kissing her softly.

'Hey yourself' she replied, motioning with her head for him to go on through to the living room. 'How'd it go?'

He shrugged, going into her kitchen and fetching a wine glass, pouring himself a glass from the opened bottle on the counter. He took a long sip.

'That bad?' Lisbon remarked, an eyebrow raised, leaning on the doorframe.

He had thought of Tara's words on the journey over, replaying them in his head. She was angry and hurt and trying to belittle him but he knew there was truth in them too that he had tried to play down to himself since he and Lisbon had kissed the night before.

'Jane?' Lisbon asked, coming closer as she saw him struggle with something on his mind. 'Are you okay? What did she say?'

'Nothing that I haven't thought about myself' he murmured enigmatically. As she frowned he added more clearly, staring at her, 'What is this to you?', pointing between them and saw her baulk immediately, stopping mid-step.

'What do you mean?'

He turned with his back to the counter, studying her body language. 'Doesn't matter, you've just told me' he smiled, looking down.

She approached again until she was facing him. 'I don't know' she said quietly. 'I don't know what this is. But I do know I don't want you to get hurt.'

He met her eyes and drew a thumb over her cheek. 'Might be a little late for that.'

'Jane-'

He leaned in and kissed her, his hands snaking around her waist and pulling her closer, deepening the kiss when he felt her respond with a tiny moan. She pulled back and shook her head. 'I meant what I said.'

'So did I' he responded, diving in again for another passionate kiss.

She pulled away fully, removing his hands from her hips. 'No. We need to discuss this. You know we do.'

He sighed loudly and nodded, picking up his wine glass again. 'Okay, let's talk.'

They sat at the small table in her kitchen, neither speaking for a moment.

Lisbon took a breath and began. 'I like you. I'm attracted to you. And...well it's really that simple I guess. And I...want to explore this further, whatever the hell it is. But...at the moment I'm not ready for much more than taking one day at a time. I don't want to make any long term plans or commitments. Not with anyone. I'm sorry if I've led you to believe otherwise.'

Jane nodded and smiled. 'Okay.'

'Okay? What does that mean?'

He shrugged, releasing a breath. 'It means okay. Let's take this one day at a time. Let's have fun and see where it leads, if anywhere at all.'

'And you're all right with that? Really?'

'I am. You didn't mislead me, Teresa. I'd be a fool if I thought you wanted something serious straight away. So, we'll keep things light.'

She saw him hesitate, lick his lips.

'But?' she prodded.

He laughed softly. 'No buts. But...' he laughed again. 'But have you ruled it out entirely? A day sometime in the future where you'd want something serious again?'

She bit her bottom lip and thought for a few moments. He was asking if she ever thought she'd fall in love again. Whether the pain of losing David was too much for her to bear the thought of even attempting to get close to someone again. He had faced the same question himself she was certain. Finally she shook her head. She replied carefully, 'No. I haven't entirely ruled that out.'

He exhaled at her words, fortified by them and kissed her soundly.

The rest of the evening was spent tucked up on her couch together, Jane annoying her by answering all of a quiz show's answers before the entire question had even been read out. She rolled her eyes as her head lay on his chest. 'God, you're a right know it all.'

'Just because you don't know the answers don't take it out on me, my dear' he laughed, kissing her head, slowly trailing his fingertips over her bare arms, smiling as goose pumps erupted in their wake. He bent down to whisper in her ear. 'Of course you could distract me from the programme and shut me up simultaneously if you'd like. Two birds with one stone and all that.'

She blushed but turned around so she was almost lying on top of him, her chin on his chest. His eyes dark he gently moved some hair from her face, his gaze locked on her eyes, just a glimmer of amusement left in his expression. She licked her lips and saw his pupils dilate further, his look now smouldering, producing a ripple of heat through her body. He moved his hands slowly down her back as he moved his head forward, capturing her lips in a long slow kiss. She moved further up his body to angle her mouth better over his, kissing him back deeply as his hands grasped her rear, roaming over it and gently squeezing her jean clad cheeks, pulling her fully on top of him. They continued this slow dance for minutes, the game show forgotten as their kisses intensified. Jane pulled her up, nuzzling her jawline, neck and collarbone as she gripped his shoulders, arching into him, eyes closed. She dragged his mouth back to hers, their mouths fused together once again. She pulled at his tie, practically tearing if off him, sitting up to straddle him straight after to catch her breath, her lips swollen, cheeks flushed and hair a mess of unruly waves. He laughed and pulled her back down to meet his lips again, chuckled as she emitted a small yelp of surprise at his quickness.

She began to unbutton his shirt and he stilled her hands. 'You don't want this' he said, catching his own breath. 'Not tonight.'

She pulled back from his face. 'Who says?'

'I do.'

'I think I know my own mind a little better than you' she countered.

He nodded after a moment. 'Okay, well perhaps you do. Or think you do at this instant. But I don't want this. Not yet.'

'Why not?'

He looked to the ceiling, asking himself the same question. With her body pressed into his he was rapidly losing his train of thought on the matter. Before he did he turned his face back towards her. 'Because I want the build up.'

'Huh?!' she frowned.

He laughed. 'So eloquent.' More seriously, 'Teresa, I've had years of nights where I've had sex with a woman the first or second night I've kissed them. I...I don't want that with you. I want...the anticipation first; the little moments that lead up to it that will make it more special when it does happen. Plus, I think it would be better for you, too. Not to rush into something you might regret in the morning. You said you wanted to take things slowly so...so we shall.'

After a loud sigh she climbed off him and nodded. She had said that but in the heat of the moment she had forgotten she had. She just wanted more of him instead, her body greedy with lust. And she couldn't help but figure he was probably right, she would have regretted sleeping with him so quickly.

'You want some tea instead?' she shrugged.

He laughed, sitting up, trying to control the blood flow between his legs. 'Probably a glass of ice cold water might be better at this instant.'

'Ice cream?' she responded then giggled as she remembered the last time they had attempted to eat it.

'No' they both said emphatically at the same time, grinning.