A/N: A couple of people have asked if I'm planning to continue the series - right now, my goal is to do one chapter for each episode of season 1. After that... we'll see. Trying to commit to more than that at the moment feels a bit daunting, especially as I continue to plug away at Beyond Measure (and another AU that won't leave me alone). For this series, my intention is to keep each tag consistent with canon (although I will be adding a few missing moments here and there), so there won't be any original story development on this one.

xxx

There was really no other word for it. Kurtik, Jane thought, was a grade-A slimeball. If Jane were still in the business, so to speak, he would have enjoyed fleecing the man for all he was worth. He thought he was so smart, with his expensive clothes and fancy lawyer. Thought he was untouchable. He thought he could take advantage of that girl and get away with it.

Kurtik smirked when he came out of interrogation and saw Jane. He made a point to come over and gloat before he left. "Just so you know," the odious man said, "I'm going sue the CBI and the Attorney General's office for wrongful arrest and unlawful imprisonment. I'll drop the suit when they fire you and Agent Lisbon."

Ha. Like Jane cared about this job. And over his dead body would Lisbon be fired over this waste of oxygen. "Best of luck."

Kurtik tossed back a parting shot, but Jane wasn't really paying attention anymore. Kurtik wasn't worth spending any more brain cells on.

Disappointed in his attempt to bait Jane, Kurtik nearly ran into Lisbon on his way out.

She didn't bother concealing her contempt at the sight of him. "Keep walking, Mr. Kurtik, or I'm going have to arrest you again."

He bent down to look her in the eye. Made a point to trail his eyes over the full length of her body. He leered at her. "If you were fifteen years younger, I'd give you a shot."

A silver hot thread of rage unfurled in Jane's chest.

Lisbon looked back at Kurtik, disgusted but otherwise unmoved. She'd undoubtedly heard worse in her many years as a cop. Jane, on the other hand, was unprepared by how badly he suddenly wanted to bash in Kurtik's stupid, smirking face. He imagined wrapping his fingers around Kurtik's neck, crushing his windpipe like a plastic straw. Lisbon met his eyes and he smoothed his features, taking care to hide his revulsion.

Kurtik sauntered past Lisbon and left. Good riddance, Jane thought. He'd be back, though. He'd pay for what he'd done to Christine. At least if Jane had anything to say about it.

Lisbon straightened and stepped away from the post she was leaning on. She was upset about something, Jane noted, taking stock of the downturned corners of her mouth. Not Kurtik. She knew he wasn't worth the time. Something else. Hm. He'd have to devote some thought to the matter.

In the meantime, he had a plan to hatch.

Xxx

After his plan had borne fruit – four arrests for one murder, not bad – he went to find Lisbon so he could bask in her appreciation. Well, so he could relish his victory in her presence, anyway. Lisbon was generally not inclined to outpourings of praise, especially where he was concerned. On the contrary, she seemed to think his ego needed deflating. She'd apparently taken this on as a personal mission – she was more likely to greet him with a snarky remark than an expression of congratulations or thanks. Still, he did rather enjoy watching her roll her eyes and pretend not to be impressed by the effectiveness of his plans.

He heard Jack Tanner's voice coming from a room down the hall. "Statutory rape, huh?" he said, his voice hollow. "What'll he get?"

"He probably won't serve time," Lisbon responded. She sounded resigned, but not unsympathetic. "Not without Christine's testimony. But we'll have fun trying."

That was Lisbon. Ever the pragmatist. Jane resolved then and there that he would do everything in his power to make sure Kurtik spent many of the years to come locked up in a cold, dark cell. Even if for some reason his creative powers failed him and Kurtik managed to evade jail time, he'd find some other way to make him pay. He was Patrick Jane, after all. He could certainly think of more than one way to ruin a man's life.

"You have good kids," Lisbon said. There was something bigger on her mind. She'd debated with herself whether to bring it up. Jane could hear it in her voice, in the hesitant pause before she'd spoken.

He stood stock still in the hallway, rooted to the spot. He probably shouldn't be listening to this.

"Yeah. I do," Tanner agreed.

"You're all they have," she persisted.

"Yeah, I know." Tanner's voice was sheepish, ashamed. He stepped out into the hall. Jane imagined he wanted to escape Lisbon's clear, honest gaze boring into him. He knew the look. Not judging, just… seeing. He could sympathize with Tanner's instinct to flee. It was an uncomfortable thing, being seen, when one was accustomed to hiding from the world.

Lisbon's voice followed him, devastatingly quiet. "Be good to them."

Tanner turned, defensive. "I am good to them."

Lisbon pursued him out into the hall, determined now. "My father was a good man, just like you are." She met his gaze squarely. "And after my mother died, he was a self-pitying drunk, just like you are." She swallowed. "Killed himself. Damn near killed me and my brothers, too."

Jane was frozen. He… she… what? He'd known she'd experienced trauma in her youth, that she'd cared for a dysfunctional parent. He'd guessed it after knowing her less than five minutes. But this wasn't some vague, unsubstantiated guess. This was… specific. Real. Suddenly a thousand times more difficult to ignore, to sweep under the rug. This had happened to her, and he hadn't known it. He'd known her over a year, and he hadn't known.

She'd never told him.

She pulled out a card, held it out. Her voice was soft now. "Get some help."

Tanner hesitated.

"Your kids deserve it," she continued, her arm extended. Still, she didn't press the card upon him. She waited patiently for him to take it himself. If he wanted it, he was going to have to meet her halfway. More quietly, she added, "So do you."

Tanner looked at the card in her hand, then raised his eyes and met her gaze. Their gazes locked for a split second, and something passed between them that Jane couldn't understand. Tanner swallowed, then reached out and took the card. Their eyes met again, but then Lisbon cut her eyes away.

There was nothing more to be said. Tanner turned and walked away, the card in hand.

Jane realized he'd stopped breathing somewhere along the line.

She turned. Saw him.

He forced himself to breathe normally.

She met his eyes. Gave him the briefest nod of acknowledgment.

For once, he had no idea what she was thinking. She had to know he'd heard the exchange, but she didn't look angry or upset. He looked into her eyes, and she looked back. Her eyes were deep, fathomless.

Mutely, he jerked his own head in acknowledgment.

She turned and walked away, her narrow shoulders set straight and strong.

He watched her for a few seconds, then turned and walked in the opposite direction, trying to marshal his spinning thoughts.

Of course she hadn't told him. Lisbon guarded herself fiercely. From everyone, but especially from him. She didn't want anyone to know her secrets, to see her vulnerable. Of course she hadn't told him. But she had blithely shared this information with a semi-complete stranger, for the sake of two children she'd only just met. Because she believed it could save him. Because she believed it could help save all of them.

She was so kind. So good. Her willingness to put her personal inclinations aside for the sake of this small, broken family amazed him. He was fall-on-your-knees humbled by the sheer depth of her compassion. At the same time, the thought of the events that had sown the seeds of that compassion horrified him.

Damn near killed me and my brothers... He had no idea what to make of this revelation. He was seized by the urge to demand she tell him what had happened. What the hell did that mean? What exactly happened? He could guess, but he wanted to know.

Damn near killed me… The thought filled him with irrational panic. He took a deep breath, calmed himself. Her father hadn't killed her, obviously. She was here, with him.

He resisted the urge to interrogate her on the subject. Normally, he wouldn't hesitate to make a nuisance of himself until she told him what he wanted to know, just to get him to stop bothering her, but this was different. Like him, Lisbon preferred to keep people at a distance when it came to things that really mattered. She wouldn't thank him for prying into her affairs. He could respect that. He would try, anyway. For now.

No matter how desperately he wanted to know.

If he knew, maybe he could…

Could what? Provide comfort? Solace? These were two things he was singularly ill-equipped to provide anyone, let alone Lisbon. Even if she would accept them from him, which was doubtful. The truth was, even if for some reason she did decide to confide in him on such a personal matter, he didn't have a clue what he would do with that information. Had no earthly idea.

He hated this feeling of being uncertain and wrong-footed. Especially when it came to Lisbon.

He took a deep breath. He needed to calm down. He'd regain his equilibrium. Eventually. At the moment, he was certain of two things. One, Kurtik was going down. Two…

He didn't know Teresa Lisbon half as well as he thought he did.