A/n This is the final instalment of Alone Together. Thank you so much for everyone who has read it and commented, I'm so glad that people have liked it. There will be more Jisbon fics in the future I am sure so keep an eye out.
Chapter title explained:
"Let's be alone together.", is a lyric from "Alone Together" which is a track from Fall Out Boy's 2013 LP, "Save Rock and Roll".
Check me out on Twitter ( heclosescases) if you want and I hope you enjoy this final chapter!
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"Let's be alone together."
Like when she is awake, Lisbon is just as beautiful when she sleeps and this way, he can take in every little detail of her features without her blushing out of embarrassment. It is adorable when she blushes, her awkwardness when any sort of compliment is thrown her way is something he finds endearing. He will continue to compliment her until the end of days.
The sun is rising in Austin over the sleeping city as the early birds begin to start their morning routines; there are even some runners already on the streets. Jane glances over to the window to catch the sight of first light peeping between the curtains. He definitely sleeps better with her beside him, but he still tends to wake a couple of hours before her. It doesn't bother him though; it means that he can greet her with a coffee or sometimes even breakfast for when she rouses.
He looks back to her snoozing form and smiles to himself. How did he get so lucky? This incredible woman who he has had the honour of being close friends with for quite some time is now so much more than that. Sometimes he feels like pinching himself just to check that he isn't dreaming.
Her dark hair has fallen over her face slightly, masking half of her features, and he has to stop himself from sweeping it behind her ear. He doesn't want to wake her up because despite their love, she is really not a morning person.
She is naked under the sheets (he is too), a symbol of their lovemaking from the night before. It was wonderful, tender but still fiery, and still as special as the first time. They drifted off with him spooning her lovingly.
For a few minutes the blonde sits in the peaceful silence, propped up against the pillows, thinking about what they could do today. He will probably be needed at the FBI so he doesn't want to get his hopes up that he could spend the day with her, but it would be nice. The sooner she is back at work with him the better because it isn't the same without her. She is the only benefit of working in law enforcement, especially now that his revenge mission is well and truly over.
He is at peace now.
Waking up with Lisbon by his side is a blessing and he knows that he is incredibly lucky. She deserves so much better, a man without such a rocky history and with so much baggage, but he is glad that she has let him in.
Jane decides that he will go and get her morning coffee from the small café down the street today. It will probably be an hour before she gets up and he could do with the walk, it is a great way to kill time whilst also clearing his head. When on the island, he spent a lot of his time walking and he discovered how much good it does for his wellbeing so since being back, he has tried to continue certain behaviours that improved his mental health – although the three months in solitary confinement did throw that off a bit.
He carefully, whilst trying not to wake his girlfriend, slides from under the covers to get out of the large double bed. She stirs slightly at his movement but doesn't rouse, so he lets out the breath he didn't realise he was holding before silently walking over to the chest of drawers at the other side of the room in search of today's outfit.
Oh yes, he has a drawer now. She cleared it out a couple of days ago so that he has access to a clean change of clothes without having to go back to his Airstream. It is perfect for days like today. He grabs a clean shirt, underwear and a pair of socks, as well as his trousers from the day before, and quietly heads to the bathroom to get dressed without disturbing her.
It isn't long before he is on the streets, enjoying the freshness of the morning air as he walks. The easiest course to the coffee shop only takes about twenty minutes but he decides to take a more scenic route, away from the busier roads, which are starting to fill with traffic.
Moving to Texas was just the change he needed. It may have not really been his decision, but it was still a good one. If they were still in California, surrounded by the haunting memories of the past, then he thinks it would have been less likely for them to get together.
Here they've been able to have a fresh start with new people (and Cho) and without the constant reminders of their history. Every block doesn't remind them of a different crime scene and the bad guys they've put away. Obviously, the longer they reside here then they will start to associate parts of the city with different cases but for now not everything has been poisoned.
There are two disadvantages about not living in Sacramento, however. One is that they are no longer close to Rigsby and Van Pelt, Jane feels like this is a real shame especially because of how much they did for Lisbon during his time away.
The other reason is that his family's graves are in California and a part of him is a little guilty to be so far away from them. Although he does know that it is their memory inside him that makes them live on, it doesn't really matter where they are buried, and he has promised himself to go visit periodically.
In the café he doesn't have to wait long for his order of a coffee and a tea. The server does flirt with him a little as she makes the drinks which he politely plays down. He doesn't want to be rude, but he is also now in the good position of flirting not being an option anymore, not with anyone other than his partner anyway.
He takes the direct route back, not wanting her coffee to be completely cold before she gets it, and cheerfully says "good morning" to anyone he passes. Being in a good mood seems to be a normal part of life for him now, and for that he is so glad but also relieved.
Jane walks up the path to her condo, slowing slightly to bask in the sunlight, hoping that she is now awake otherwise the knock on the door won't be at all pleasant. Balancing one takeout cup on the other, he gives the front door a quick rapt before waiting patiently for his girlfriend to answer.
It doesn't take her long to open the door which she does so with a cheerful, "Hey." Lisbon is now dressed for the day in a flowing grey tank top and black pants, he is glad that he didn't wake her.
"Your coffee." He announces whilst passing it to her which she takes with a thanks. "It's a beautiful day. You want to sit out here?"
"Yeah, you can just push all that stuff to the side. It's going in the garage." She indicates to a stack of boxes in the porch.
"I'll take it around there in a minute." When he left her for a couple of hours yesterday to run some errands, she spent the time sorting through her possessions because although he isn't a man with many material belongings, if there is ever a day that he wants to move in then there needs to be room for him.
They take a seat in the porch and start to sip at their drinks with them now being a perfect drinking temperature. "Should think about getting you a key to this place, huh?" The suggestion internally thrills him, although he keeps a cool look on his face.
Yes, she cleared a drawer for him and yes, she sorted through her things to potentially make more room for him, but this, a key, is a symbol that she is one hundred percent committed to this and nothing makes him happier. "Well, that's a step." He replies calmly. "Uh, it would make things easier."
With that settled he moves on the conversation knowing that although it was her idea, she will now be feeling a little awkward about it. That's his Lisbon. Like him she finds the mushy chats slightly embarrassing.
Jane loves the feeling when she links her arm with his and despite the open setting, it seems very intimate. "Thank you for helping move all this."
"It's my pleasure." He tells her earnestly because it is. There is nothing that he wouldn't do for her, moving a couple of boxes is hardly difficult.
"It's been nice." It really has, the past couple of weeks have been the best he has had in a long, long time. "We're gonna have to get back into the real world at some point though."
"Yeah… really?"
"Really." In a fairer world, where crime is no more and the FBI doesn't have to exist, then perhaps they could stay in their blissful bubble for a little while longer. "You want to talk about how we're gonna do that…maybe…?"
"Sure."
Her nervousness about returning to work and what goes with that he finds charming. He is not exactly sure what all the fuss is about but maybe that's because he's loved her for quite some time now and doesn't feel the need to adapt his behaviour too much in the workplace setting.
When her cell phone rings and it is Abbott calling, Patrick quickly realises that this heaven is about to end as not only will he be called into work, but it looks like she is going to be also, cutting short her leave. Patiently, he sips at his tea whilst wondering if they are going to tell the team about their relationship, his question is quickly answered when she acts like she doesn't know where he is to their boss. Ah.
He doesn't mind really because although he would quite like to shout about their relationship from the rooftops, he also understands why she wouldn't want to do that. It is not because she isn't committed, the drawer, the boxes and the hypothetical key is proof of that.
Lisbon looks a little shifty when she puts down her phone and he is quick to say, "You really have no idea where I am?"
"It just seemed like the thing to say."
"You embarrassed?"
"No! God, no." Phew, he cannot help but think.
"It's okay if you're embarrassed."
"It's just, things with Marcus just sort of went down, and I just would like to keep my private life private just for the moment, not forever or anything, and…" She rambles, getting a little flustered but manages to force herself to stop. "Is that okay?"
"Yeah, sure. That's fine. It's fine."
"You're sure?"
"Yeah. I understand."
Jane has known her for a long time, and she has always been a fairly private person, keeping any aspect of her personal life secret, so it definitely surprised him that she let her relationship with Marcus Pike become office gossip. He is okay with being her dirty little secret, for now anyway.
The inevitable phone call from Abbott comes and he manages to keep up the pretence of not expecting the call in the first place. When he pockets his phone at the end of the conversation, he ends up softly sighing.
The past few weeks have been so great, all the time they have spent together without really worrying about the outside world. Now they're going to be "colleagues" once more and with her wanting to keep their relationship secret, he doesn't know how difficult that will be. "Stop worrying." She tells him seriously and when he turns to look at her, he sees that her brow is furrowed.
"I'm not." He replies but she raises an eyebrow. "Okay, I'm not feeling overly enthusiastic about the prospect of work but not I'm worried."
"It will all be fine, you'll see." She leans to give him a quick peck on the cheek before saying determinedly. "Right, I need to change."
"Why?"
"Because this isn't appropriate work attire." She says in a matter-o-fact manner, but he just shrugs because he thinks that she looks great. Then again, he always thinks that. In unison, they get up off the step and brush down their pants to try and rid themselves from any dust. "Thank you for the coffee. I will see you at the crime scene?"
"Yes, you will." He replies with a nod.
The brunette peers out at her road, checking to see if anyone is observing them, before she tentatively wraps her arms around his waist while standing on the balls of her feet, inviting her boyfriend for a kiss. He happily accepts with one hand resting on her side and the other cupping her face, helping guide their lips together.
Each kiss makes them buzz with excitement and if weren't for them having a body to inspect then they would definitely find other ways to spend their day.
Reluctantly, they separate but both of them are beaming with delight. They say their goodbyes and she lingers by her open front door for a few moments, watching him walk down the path until he is out of sight.
Once she is inside and the door is shut, Lisbon smiles to herself and pauses briefly to collect her thoughts. She didn't know how life with Patrick Jane as her boyfriend would be but so far it has been paradise. He is considerate, always thinking of her needs first before his own and making every element of her life easier. It is unbelievable to her that this is the same man who she was forced to work with all those years ago back at CBI.
If it weren't for him breaking countless laws by jumping that airport fence and gate-crashing her flight then she would be starting her new job in D.C. today, a job that was found for her by the man she almost married. It is crazy how close she was to almost losing the person she cares about most.
She shakes her head at the thought, banishing it away because it doesn't matter now, she is still here in Austin with the man she truly loves.
The reality is that it's been all about him for quite some time now and although before there were things getting in their way, now there is nothing. They can be together and that's a beautiful thing. It won't really shock anyone that knows them that they're now an item. Not Abbott, Rigsby, Van Pelt, Minelli, Hightower, Wylie, not even Cho really.
From colleagues to friends to best friends to lovers, they've always been partners, the two of them against the world, and it will continue to be that way for what they hope is forever.