A close call

Jane closed his eyes, trying not to focus on the slight throbbing in his temple or the pain in his hand. A shadow moved in front of him and he creaked an eye open.

"Your tea," Abbott said and a smile lit up Jane's face.

"Exactly what I needed; thank you Dennis."

He took a sip of the tea. It was a horrible brew and didn't have much to do with tea... but it was better than nothing. And it wasn't as if he'd expected anything better in a hospital.

"How are you feeling?" Abbott asked, as he sat down on a chair besides his bed.

Jane took another sip, before he answered. "I'm still fine, as I was ten minutes ago."

He put the tea down on the small table.

"How's Cho holding up?" he asked his boss in turn, nodding with his head towards the other end of the room, where Cho was out of sight behind a blue curtain.

"Equally annoyed as you that he's still in the hospital."

Jane grinned.

"He's currently giving his statement to one of the police officers."

Something else that seemed unnecessary. Jane was relieved, that he'd already gotten over the questioning part.

Abbott seemed to sense his annoyance. "It's protocol, Jane. They're only doing their job. It doesn't change anything that you're FBI agents - or consultants. Police has to look into every traffic accident."

Jane leaned back in his bed. "It wasn't an accident," he said, closing his eyes for a moment and remembering the crash.

"Which makes it even more important that they look into it."

Jane sighed. "Isn't it enough, if we investigate, which we'll do anyhow? Couldn't you tell them that this is now an FBI business. I mean there must be some advantages to being part of a state agency."

Abbott didn't answer und Jane could feel or rather hear him tense on his chair. He knew that this could only mean one thing.

He opened his eyes and found hers immediately. He swallowed; she looked pale as she stood there in the door.

"Hey," he said in an, what he hoped, reassuring voice.

She smiled at him, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Hey you." She stepping closer to the bed. Her eyes flickered to Abbott for a moment. He gave her a short nod. "Lisbon."

She put her hands in her pockets. Jane suspected that it was partly to hide that they were trembling, and part to keep herself from reaching for him. He wouldn't have minded the latter.

"I'm unharmed," he told her, before she could voice the question. She seemed sceptical and her eyes flew to the bandage around his left arm.

"Meh, that's nothing," he made a dismissive waive with his right hand.

"Nothing in this case would be a hairline fracture of your left wrist."

Jane glared at the doctor who just had appeared at his side that moment. The rather young man seemed unimpressed by his stare and instead flipped through the pages on his clipboard.

"I just got your X-ray results, Mr Jane. It's a clean fracture on your radius, about one inch above the joint, no displacement of bones took place. It won't be necessary to operate."

"Well that's a relief," Jane said drily, still slightly annoyed that the doctor had chosen to tell him this in front of Lisbon. She had grown even paler since he'd mentioned the word fracture.

That moment though, she threw him a rather annoyed glance, telling him unmistakably to be more polite.

"If no surgery is necessary, does this mean I can leave now?"

The last thing he needed, was that they decided to keep him for the night. The doctor flipped through the pages again. "Mh...," he said after a moment. "You didn't lose consciousness, but you were hit pretty hard. We can't exclude a slight concussion. However, as long as someone looks after you every few hours to make sure everything's alright, I don't see any objections to you leaving."

Jane sighed in relief. The best news since they'd brought him here.

"Great," he said, attempting to get up.

"Not so fast," the doctor interjected. "You need a splint for your hand and there's some more paperwork that needs filling out. I'll send someone to fit your brace in a moment."

Jane sighed, but he bite back a remark as he caught Lisbon's eyes. He'd hoped that by acting annoyed and not at all affected by what happened, it would help her see the situation the same way. The haunted look in her eyes hadn't disappeared though and his heart sank.

"How's Cho?" she asked, her voice unsteady.

Abbott was faster in replying. "He's uninjured. He's giving his statement to the police now, but then they'll release him."

"What exactly happened?" Lisbon asked, after the doctor left them alone. Jane looked at Abbott, but his boss avoided looking at him. It seemed he would need to be the one to break the news to Lisbon this time. Jane didn't know how much Abbott had told her when he called her, judging by how anxious she seemed, it had been enough.

The ringing of Abbott's phone gave him a few more minutes.

"I have to go, " Abbott told them, after he hung up. "You sure you're doing alright?" he asked Jane again.

"Yes", Jane answered, very firmly, wishing that people would stop asking him that question. Abbott looked at Lisbon for a moment and she hold his gaze.

"Be careful," he told them, but only looking at her. "Both of you."

Lisbon nodded. "We will."

Abbott put his hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeezes before he left them.

"You shouldn't have come here," Jane said softly as soon as they were alone. Anger flared up in her eyes and he hastily added, "I just mean, you shouldn't be seen with any of the agents, especially not Abbott or Cho. You're supposed to be all on your own, remember?"

Lisbon sat down on the chair, Abbott had vacated moments before.

"Do you seriously think I care?" she asked him incredulously, "You've been attacked..." she stopped, struggling to say the next words. "You could have been killed!"

"But I haven't," Jane took her hand, "I'm fine."

She detracted her hand from his and got up again, apparently unable to sit still.

"I told you," she said, agitated. "I told you he'd come after you."

"Lisbon..."

She only shook her head, looking everywhere but at him.

"Teresa," he tried again, "Look at me."

She finally met his eyes, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"They didn't try to kill me." He spoke very calmly and controlled.

"No!" she said angrily. "Don't, Jane - Don't keep pretending that nothing happened. A car drove into you for god's sake! Of course they wanted to kill you."

Jane stood up and put his hands on her shoulders, ignoring the stab of pain in his left wrist.

"I don't deny that it was an attack on me, or Cho, but they didn't want me dead."

He hold her gaze and after a moment she lowered her eyes, taking a deep breath. It seemed to take her all the effort to calm down.

"Why do you think that?" she asked him finally and he could hear how much she struggled to keep her voice down.

"I was talking to you on the phone, moments before it happened," he explained as he sat down again, on the edge of his bed. "I was standing there, beside my car - well your car actually - I would have made the perfect target."

She sat down besides him with a sigh. It was obvious she didn't believe him. She spoke very carefully, as if she was afraid he couldn't handle the truth.

"Jane-"

"Let me finish," he stopped her. "I saw the car. I didn't even realise it at the time, but I saw a black car a few yards down, parked alongside the road - waiting. Why didn't they do it then? There was no way I would have gotten away! Caught between your car and the approaching one..." his voice trailed of, but there was no need to finish the sentence. She knew as well as he, that he wouldn't have survived such a crash - no one could have.

"But no, instead they waited...until I was inside the car with my seatbelt on. And on top of that, they mainly hit the front of the car. Why not come towards us in a different angle instead, hitting the drivers side full force? It doesn't make any sense."

Lisbon pinched the bridge of her nose.

"But why?" she finally asked said. "What was the attack for then? They didn't possibly hope to kidnap you out in the open?"

Jane shrugged. "I don't know. It would be the worst place ever for such an attempt. We were at a crime scene, with at least two police cars close by. I can't explain it to myself."

A short moment of silence followed his words, then Lisbon asked.

"What happened to the driver?"

"He got away," Jane said. "They found the damaged car a few blocks away, but no trace of the driver. They have him on camera though, it's only a matter of time until they find him."

"That's good, isn't it?" Lisbon sounded a tad hopeful for the first time since she'd entered the room.

"Maybe; we'll see." Jane didn't expect too much from the apprehension of his attacker. Volker had proved over and over again how careful he was. It would be more than surprising if they'd be able to trace this back to him. He didn't dare mentioning his suspicion though, not to smother the spark of hope in Lisbon's eyes. Even though he was aware, that she deep down had to suspect the same.

Almost an hour, a splint fitting and an annoying amount of paperwork later, Jane stepped out of the hospital with Lisbon at his side.

"I'm sorry about your car," he said, as they waited for the cab. Lisbon laughed and hearing that warmed Jane's heart, after having seen her looking downright miserable for the most part since she came to the hospital. He grinned apologetically as she looked at him, "I'll buy you a new one; a better one."

"A better one? I'm not sure I trust your judgment in cars, remembering what you used to drive around the country." She shook her head at him. "And I'm not even talking about the airstream."

"Hey!", Jane warned her, "don't say anything against the airstream."

She chuckled and to his surprise linked her arm with his. It was the first time she'd initiated touch since his accident. It was even more striking, because they were out in the open, where people could see them.

"How's your hand?" Lisbon asked him softly, nudging his right shoulder. Jane looked at the splint on his left wrist.

"Fine." He moved his fingers, that were luckily not covered by the splint.

"I'm glad it's not a cast," he mused, "will make it easier to take it off."

"Take it off?"

"You know, if it get's to annoying..." he stopped as he saw her frown. "Not today of course, I just mean-"

"You're not taking this off unless a doctor tells you to!"

"Wouldn't think of it," he said as innocently as possible. He already prepared himself for another warning, but Lisbon didn't reply. Her eyes were wide open and transfixed on his left hand. She wasn't staring at his splint though and after a short moment of confusion the truth dawned on him.

His wedding ring... it wasn't on his finger. They had asked him to take it off for the X-ray and he hadn't put it back on. With everything happening, it just had slipped his mind.

"Your ring..." Lisbon said, still staring at his hand. Jane slowly reached for the ring hidden the front pocket of his vest, very aware that her eyes followed his every movement. The metal still felt warm against the palm of his hand. Part of him struggled to believe, how he could have forgotten that he wasn't wearing it anymore. It felt odd seeing it lying in his hand, instead of being on his finger, where it belonged...or used to belong? It was a strange thought keeping it off, but then...he closed his fingers around the metal, as a sense of uneasiness overcame him, as he imagining putting it back on.

He looked at Lisbon; it hadn't taken her long to notice the absence of his ring. She never had said anything about it; had never asked why he still was wearing it. Not after his return from exile and not even after he'd confessed his love for her. More so, Jane knew she would never had said anything on her own account. It was one of those topics they never had talk about...and probably never would, if he didn't take the lead. Which didn't mean it hadn't crossed her mind, maybe even had her worried occasionally, or questioning his feelings for her even if only in the deepest part of her subconsciousness - it would have been only natural. Jane swallowed, closing his fist around the ring. It was the last thought, the idea that it might pain her, even if she would never admit it, that helped him to come to a decision.

He put the ring back into his pocket and while his fingers were slightly shaking as he flattened his vest over it; he felt strangely relieved as if a burden had been lifted off him. It was the right choice.

"Are...are you not going to put it back on?" she asked him, a slight tremor in her voice giving away how nervous she truly was. Jane shook his head, feeling her tense beside him.

"No." He searched her eyes. "I think it was time."

She swallowed, breaking eye contact first. He'd scared her, he could see it in her eyes. But more than that, he'd also seen a glimmer of hope hidden beneath her fear. It definitely had been the right choice.

"I don't need to wear it to remember them," he said gently. "I should have taken it off a long time ago. I want to live in the present now, I want to move on."

With you, he finished the sentence in his mind, but didn't dare to say it out loud, not to freak her out even more.

"Okay", she said softly.

That moment his phone rung, interrupting their conversation.

"It's Abbott," he told her, before he picked up. The call lasted only a few minutes.

"They caught him?" Lisbon asked, as he pocketed his phone.

"Yes," Jane said slowly, "he's been arrested and they're brining him in now. Abbott asked me whether I want to be there for the interview."

"We have to go," Lisbon said immediately, clearly surprised by the hesitation she surely could hear in his voice. "This might be the chance we were waiting for."

Jane paused for a moment. "You know that you can't go, don't you?" She flinched and Jane saw a flash of anger in her eyes as she recognised the truth in his words. Anger and frustration.

"I'm sure Cho and Abbott are capable of handling the suspect," Jane said, burying his hands deep in his pockets.

"You're not going?"

He shook his head, not looking at her. He wanted to go, he wanted to ask the man himself, but he couldn't leave her alone. Not after what had happened. He'd misjudged Volker once, he wouldn't do the same mistake twice. He wasn't recklessly enough to say it out loud, but he wouldn't let her out of sight before this was over.

"No. I'm tired and injured, I think I need some rest. I'd rather go home with you."

Lisbon looked at him and he felt exposed under her searching eyes. He suspected that she saw through his lie. She knew him well enough to know, that he always wanted to do interviews himself, even more so if it was personal. She had to know his real motivations, but she didn't call him out on the lie; at least not for the moment.

Lisbon stopped in her tracks, a cup of tea in her hands, and simply watched him. Jane was lying on her couch, eyes closed, but she knew that he wasn't asleep. The black splint on his wrist looked odd, foreign; it shouldn't be there. Lisbon shuddered as she recollected for the probably hundredth time how close she'd come to losing him that day. Maybe he was right, maybe they hadn't intended to kill him... but just as likely they could have; Volker could have and there would have been nothing she could have done to protect or save him.

She couldn't help herself from shaking at that thought and some tea spilled over.

"Damnit it," she cursed, as the hot water burned on her skin.

"You alright?"

Jane had sat up, looking slightly worried.

"I'm fine, I just spilled your tea." She walked over to him and placed the cup on the coffee table. She was on the point of returning to the kitchen to find a cloth when Jane hold her back.

"Leave it, it'll dry." He looked at her, almost pleadingly and with a sigh, Lisbon gave in and sat down besides him. He smiled at her, before he reached for the cup and took a sip. He sighed in contentment and closed his eyes for a moment.

"That's so much better than the tea I got in the hospital," he said, opening his eyes again. "Thank you, Lisbon."

"I'm glad that I at least cleared that bar," she replied drily. Jane grinned. "I said it's much better, which means far more superior. I can assure you, your cup of tea would also hold it's place against most diners."

He kissed her on the cheek, which in retrospect probably only served to soften his next words.

"Give it a few years, and it'll be as good as when I do it myself."

"Hey," she softly hit him on the arm - the uninjured one.

Jane chuckled and took another sip of his tea. Lisbon leaned back against the cushions, feeling strangely calm now, which probably had been Jane's intention all along when he started to tease her about the tea.

"How's the pain", she asked him after a moment, nodding towards his hand. Jane put the cup back on the table.

"Not too bad. I might take another pain killer before I go to bed, but for now it's fine." He moved closer to her, until their legs and shoulders were touching. Lisbon didn't complain, instead she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"You never told me what you learned at the schools this morning," he reminded her.

"No, I didn't." Lisbon closed her eyes, feeling very tired suddenly.

"Well...", he softly nuzzled her neck.

Lisbon sighed and turned her head towards him. "I didn't get a name, if that's what you were hoping for."

Jane shrugged. "I didn't hope for anything, I just remember that you sounded rather positive on the phone, so it can't have been too bad."

He put his left hand on hers and Lisbon very gently interlocked her finger with his, careful not to put any strain on his wrist.

"As expected, it was an anonymous donor that bought all the cars. However, because schools are not allowed to accept gifts of such a magnitude by private persons, it had to be done over a fundraising organisation. The principal immediately gave me all the details and I forwarded them to Van Pelt. If there's anything dodgy about that organisation; she'll find it and consequently we might trace it back to Volker."

"How did you convince the principal to tell you all this?"

Lisbon grinned at him smugly. "Wouldn't you like to know? See, you're not the only one that manages to get things done without a badge."

Jane sulked. "Come on, Lisbon, that's not fair. How did you do it?"

She considered letting him hang there a while longer, but she couldn't resist his pleading eyes.

"Fine, I'll tell you." She grinned. "Nothing special really, I simply pretended to be writing an article about this act of kindness for the neighbourhood. Making sure to drop how I'd mention the school that was loved by everyone." She tilted her head to the side. "I might even have mentioned that the principle's name might feature in the article in a flattering manner. He didn't even want to see an ID after that. I must make a pretty convincing journalist."

Jane smiled at her. "I'm sure you do." He looked proud and as ridiculous as it was, it warmth her heart.

Jane's phone on the table hummed and he reached for it.

"From Cho?" Lisbon asked, feeling slightly nervous all over again. Jane nodded, handing her the phone and settling back against her side.

Cho texted him that they'd stopped the interview for the day, hoping that a night in jail would make the suspect more likely to talk.

"Maybe you should go in tomorrow," Lisbon suggested, after she threw the phone back onto the table.

"Maybe, " Jane said. "But, let's not talk about this now." He nuzzled her neck and she could feel him yawn. He did seem tired. Which on second thought, might have something to do with the pain killers they'd given him.

"Okay," she said, lifting a hand and run her fingers through his curls. "Why don't you lie down for a while and try to sleep? I can cook us some dinner while you rest."

He chuckled, his warm breath tickling her neck. "I don't think I want to risk that."

"Hey-," she protested, but he hadn't finished yet.

"I will take a nap though, but only if you stay here with me."

"That's blackmail."

She could feel him smile against her skin. "When did that ever stop me?"

"Fine", Lisbon conceded. "I'll take a nap with you, but then you're going to do the cooking afterwards. Splint or not."

"Deal," Jane said and pulled her down with him immediately, as if he was afraid she might change her mind. He put his arms around her and Lisbon settled against him, her head pillowed on his chest.

"Am I not hurting you?" She was sure that he had to be bruised from the seatbelt, but he shook his head. "Never Lisbon, never."

He pressed a kiss to her hair and she could feel him relax. Lisbon allowed herself to close her eyes for a moment, focusing on the slow and steady heartbeat under her ear. He was alive and well and for now that was all that mattered. She could feel her eyelids dropping, his warmth making her sleepy. She fought it for a while, trying to stay alert, but in vain. She knew that the house was under surveillance; nothing could happen to him as long as he was here; there was no reason to stay awake. Very contrary to the situation when he left the safety of her home. She considered asking him to carry one of her guns when he left the house next, but his deep breaths told her that she had to put the question off for later and she finally allowed herself to give in to sleep too.

A/N: Thank you so much for all your lovely reviews and for still reading my story. We're slowly approaching the end of this, only a few chapters left.