Prompt: Solo

One thing Grace Van Pelt noticed about Patrick Jane was that he preferred to do things alone. Even when he did accept the help of others, he rarely told them every detail of his plan. When Van Pelt first joined the team, she hadn't been used to this sort of behavior and found it bemusing, but over time, she just… got used to it. She developed her own role on the team, and eventually fell in love with Wayne Rigsby and started dating him. Secretly, of course, since their relationship was prohibited. But Jane knew. It was obvious in the way he looked at them and smiled at them. Jane definitely knew.

It took Van Pelt a while, but she eventually realized she had feelings for Jane too. They had developed a friendly relationship during her time in the CBI team, and like Van Pelt had quickly gained feelings for Rigsby, she gained them for Jane too. Jane was charming at times, annoying at others, but he was Jane and that was what made him perfect.

Watching her boyfriend, Van Pelt found out that he had feelings for Jane as well. More buried than hers to the point that Van Pelt wondered if he was even aware of the existence of those feelings, but they were definitely there. Their feelings were not a problem since they were both dating each other. They could easily bring a third person into their relationship…

If only Jane would let them.

It was rare for Jane to get seriously injured during one of his stunts, but this time, he did. The culprit had shot at him and struck his leg, and now he lay at the hospital, injured and in pain. Van Pelt and Rigsby hurried to see him.

Lisbon and Cho were already in the room, having been at the scene when Jane was shot. When Jane saw Van Pelt and Rigsby hurry in, he grinned. "Oh, hey guys!"

"Hey, Jane," Van Pelt breathed out, coming to stand by his side. "Are you okay?"

Jane rolled his eyes. "Of course I am. Really, these hospitals are horrible. Can I get out soon?"

Rigsby gaped at him. "You were just shot!"

Jane waved it off. "Ah, it's okay. A little bullet wound isn't worth the stay in the hospital."

"He is a horrible patient," Lisbon told Rigsby and Van Pelt flatly, and they both nodded in agreement. He was the same way that one time he went temporarily blind. They even discharged him because of how annoying he was.

Well, Van Pelt thought, looking at his leg. I hope they don't discharge him yet this time. He's too injured to be walking around CBI Headquarters.

Eventually, Lisbon and Cho left, but Van Pelt and Rigsby stayed with Jane, having conversations with him until they, too, eventually had to leave. Once they had gotten in Rigsby's car, Van Pelt said, "I don't want to see him injured like that again.

Rigsby glanced at her. "Same here," he said.

"I'm in love with him," Van Pelt finally admitted. At seeing Rigsby's startled and hurt expression, she quickly said, "And you're in love with him too. Don't you realize that?"

"No?!" Rigsby nearly shouted, still looking startled.

Van Pelt sighed. "We're both in love with him, Wayne. And that's why I want to do whatever I can to make sure he isn't hurt like that again." He always tries to do things alone. He's always flying solo.

"I… understand that feeling too," Rigsby admitted.

"Because you're in love with him," Van Pelt pointed out.

Rigsby sputtered. "I am not!"

Van Pelt sighed. "We'll see about that."

The next time Jane tried to pull his disappearing act, only days after he had been discharged, Van Pelt followed him.

Jane turned his charming smile on her. "Ah, Grace! What are you up to?"

"Following you," Van Pelt admitted.

"Did Lisbon put you up to this?" Jane questioned. "Or did you just decide to do so on your own?"

"...the latter," Van Pelt answered.

Jane drummed his fingers against his leg. "Oh? Why?" When Van Pelt opened her mouth, he held his finger up. "Oh, oh, wait. I know. You just wanted to make sure I didn't get myself shot again."

Van Pelt nodded. It was true, after all.

"I'll be fine, Grace," Jane said cheerfully. "You don't need to come with me."

"If you'll be fine, then you shouldn't have any complaints about me staying with you, right?" Van Pelt questioned. As the elevator doors opened, they both walked in together. "I'm coming with you."

Jane looked at her curiously, then said, "Rigsby tried to come with me too. Of course, I said no, but he also tried to be stubborn."

"What stopped him?" Van Pelt asked.

"Lisbon," Jane said. "She wanted Rigsby to do something, and that was my chance to sneak off."

"I'm assuming you found the culprit?" Van Pelt questioned.

A slow grin spread across Jane's face. "Of course I did."

What was up with culprits and their guns?

Like the last one, this one pulled a gun out on Jane. Van Pelt pointed her gun at him as well, but the culprit refused to lower her own.

Van Pelt soon found out the reason why when the culprit's son came out with another gun and aimed it at Van Pelt.

"CBI! Put your hands up!"

Van Pelt turned, startled, to see Rigsby and Cho head towards them, both with their weapons. Soon, the culprit and her son dropped their guns and were handcuffed by the two CBI officers. Rigsby turned towards Van Pelt, concerned. "You okay?"

Van Pelt nodded mutely and turned towards Jane. "You said you would be okay," she hissed out.

Jane shrugged. "I was okay."

"You wouldn't have been if it weren't for Wayne and Cho!"

Jane shrugged again. "Yeah, that's true. Aren't you glad they came along?"

Van Pelt sighed then turned towards Rigsby and Cho. "Cho, could you handle both of them?"

Cho nodded. "Yeah. Lisbon's here too, making sure there's no one else in the house. She can help."

Van Pelt looked at Rigsby. "Come with me and Jane. We'll take his car, but do not let him drive."

As Jane voiced a complaint, Rigsby sat down in the driver's seat and Van Pelt next to him. Jane gave them curious looks as he laid down in the back.

"You're too reckless, Jane," Van Pelt hissed out.

"So?" Jane questioned. "I'm fine."

"You could have died!" Van Pelt almost shouted.

"But I didn't."

"Jane, stop it," Rigsby snapped, and Jane looked at the other man in surprise. "Grace and I are worried about you."

"I can tell," Jane said. A moment of silence, then he said, "And I know the reason why as well."

Van Pelt and Rigsby exchanged surprised glances. Did he really?

"I feel that way towards you, too," Jane admitted. "But I'm not going to let anyone other than myself risk their lives. I can't let any of you die."

Oh, Van Pelt understood as Jane looked at his ring. That's why.

"We don't want you to get hurt either," Van Pelt pointed out softly.

Jane looked at her, then smiled. "Yeah, you already told me that."

The rest of the car drive was spent in silence.

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Upcoming Works

-Entwined Souls

Date: 9/16/2022

Fandoms: Detective Conan

Series: Friday Funtimes

Pairings: Shinichi/Heiji

Summary: Heiji always knew that Kudo Shinichi, the great detective of the east, was his soulmate. So when he mysteriously disappears, Heiji immediately goes to look for him - and is surprised to find out he is now a child named Edogawa Conan.

-Gambling with Chess Pieces Chapter 1

Date: 9/18/2022

Fandoms: Detective Conan, Magic Kaito

Series: Nico's DCMK Events

Pairings: Saguru/Kaito

Summary: The identity of Kaitou Kid was discovered when Kaito was still in high school, and for the past few years, he has been on the run, searching for Pandora. But now, Saguru - the boy he was always in love with - is determined to help. Written for HakuKai Week 2022.

Upcoming Events

-HakuKai Week 2022

An event that I am hosting, celebrating the pairing of Hakuba Saguru and Kuroba Kaito. Prompts are now on my friend's tumblr (Radibe5), as well as on my AO3 collection, and reblogged on my own tumblr!