His small dark motel room next to the overpass was a far cry from his shabby little apartment in South America. It was cold and retro-ly decorated with heavily patterned wallpaper and a stale, musty smell. He was pretty sure the comforter on the bed had been there since the 80s, as was the TV. He sighed. After a night of very little sleep, he was eagerly anticipating his first day of work as an official FBI consultant.

He braved the glass halls once more and took the elevator to the eighth floor. As he emerged, he headed towards the open plan bullpen, complete with floor-to-ceiling views of Austin, multiple screens showing various statistics and news feeds, as well as the main screen for briefings that presented the photo and profile of a skin-headed man. A group of people gathered in office chairs in front of the screen, intently listening to a commanding Abbott.

"And here he is," Abbott said as he caught sight of Jane approaching "our new asset. Mr Jane "

"You called me an asset, how touching," Jane replied

"Yeah well, I'm an optimist," Abbott bemused as he continued briefing the agents.

The case was the disappearance of a key security analyst for the pentagon, William Blunt. He had disappeared from his residence in Montpellier, Vermont after evidence of a struggle and traces of blood left on the scene. With much of the New York and Chicago offices tied up with other pressing matters, the Austin office had been asked to assist as a matter of national security. Jane's eyes scanned the room eagerly as he listened to Abbott drone. He felt his face light up when he noted Lisbon in the room, glimpsing the back of her head. Things were going back to normal. Well, a new breed of normal anyway, with a new town, new bureau, but the most important things stayed.

The briefing ended and its audience dispersed to start a busy workday. "Mr Jane," a small statured young lady in a grey pant suit with her hair slung back in a tight, low ponytail approached him holding out her hand "Agent Michelle Vega, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Welcome to the FBI, I look forward to working together." He shook her hand tentatively, while watching Lisbon's actions across the room out the corner of his eye.

"If you'd please follow me," she led him into the bullpen to an empty glass desk with a computer and an assortment of stationery. "This will be your desk-" she started

"Oh, I don't need a desk," he interrupted "just a couch. Why are there no couches in here?"

"A couch?" Vega repeated confused

"Yes, good for thinking, opening up the mind. Why do you think shrinks make you lie down? We'll definitely need a couch in here," he continued

"Uh, you'll have to talk to Abbott or Cho about that one. I wouldn't be able to authorise anything like that, I'm still fairly new here myself," Vega explained.

"Yes, I can see that" said Jane "From a military background, yes? Army if I'm not mistaken."

"No, no military background," Vega said elusively.

"Hmmm, interesting you would lie to me so early on in our relationship. I can see it in your posture. Military, no-nonsense, stickler for the rules" he chuckled "it's going to be interesting working together." He sighed audibly with amusement.

Vega ignored his comment and moved on. A shy, blonde man approached them with his tightly tucked and buttoned shirt paired with cheap aftershave with a slight nick on his face from shaving, giving him a distinct computer geek vibe. "This is Jason Wylie, our IT analyst" Vega introduced as they shook hands and Wylie took a seat at his desk. 'The new Rigsby and Van Pelt' he thought to himself as he caught a flicker of nervous tension between the pair.

Jane followed Vega further across the bullpen, "I believe you know our unit leader, Special Agent Kimball Cho," she continued.

"Ah yes," Jane said, "we've done a case or two together, it's good to see you, Cho."

"Jane," Cho acknowledged indifferently.

"What's the matter, Cho? Did they put a chip in your neck or something? " he probed "you don't seem very happy to see me?"

"It's good to see you, I just wish it were under different circumstances," Cho elaborated

"Why's that," Jane asked

"I just don't think you and the FBI aren't going to get along very well. I don't think they understand how you operate," he said flatly.

"Eh," Jane dismissed "They'll loosen up when they get to know me"

A rare half smile crept onto Cho's face as they moved on to the next desk.

"And the last and newest member of our unit, Agent Teresa Lisbon. She transferred here from the serious crimes unit at Seattle PD about a bit over a month ago," Vega continued as they approached Lisbon's desk.

"Ah Agent Lisbon," Jane said with a mild hue of sarcasm, reaching out to shake her hand. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Lisbon rolled her eyes, stood up and shook it anyway, doing her best to mask a smile, "Good to have you back, Jane."

"Oh right!" Vega interjected "Of course, you've worked with Agent Cho before, you must have worked with Agent Lisbon too"

"Something like that," Jane offered, exchanging somewhat of a soulful look with Lisbon as he flashed her a devasting smile.

"It's like when you first started with the CBI, you've got that homeless man vibe about you," Lisbon said, looking him up and down.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing? Its island bespoke meets FBI business."

"Its Hawaiian shirt meets ill-fitting 10-year-old psychic trash," she teased as she sat back down.

Lisbon had mixed feelings about Jane being back on the team. She'd missed him over the past two years, gosh if only he knew how much she had missed him. The way she hugged him in the break room the day before, feeling his taut, strong arms around her pulling him in close, his smell, a soft coconut, not something she was used to in him, but there was still that familiar, heartening scent that was unique to him, those golden brown locks, and that smile, gosh damn, that menacing smile. It made her heart flutter and stomach turn in ways she would never admit to anyone, nor did she completely understand.

But it was almost like seeing him in the workplace again immediately gave her a tension headache. The stress, the lies and deceit, the tomfoolery, the career jeopardising schemes, the people he'd anger and the messes she'd need to clean up. There was nothing ordinary about a workday with Patrick Jane, and she'd grown quite accustomed to the ho-hum monotony of procedure. There were so many things she wanted to scream at him, about how everything went down, about how he used her under the ruse of a partnership, but it was always about him. She still bore such underlying frustration and anger about how he treated her, but of course, a flash of that smile and it all gets repressed to a place where she knew that wouldn't be healthy.

"Ok everyone, don't get too comfortable" Cho announced "We're all off to Vermont, flight leaves in two hours."

As they boarded the plane, Jane expressed his distinct displeasure to anyone that would listen that they were flying coach . They were FBI for goodness sakes, couldn't they take a private jet or at least fly business class? They found their seats, Jane sitting in an aisle seat, the agents scattered across the plane. Lisbon found her seat across the aisle from Jane in the middle, a middle-aged balding man separating them.

"Excuse me," Jane leaned across to engage the man across the aisle as he settled into his seat "there seems to be a bit of a mix up, I specifically asked the airline for me and my wife to be seated together," he started, indicating at Lisbon, whose expression quickly changed to shock and disgust.

"I am not his wife!" she spattered incredulously.

Jane cheekily pointed at the wedding ring still on his finger and beckoned the man closer "I really need you to do me a solid man. See we're on our way to our honeymoon now, but she caught me with her sister on the wedding night and ugh, I was just a little drunk and nothing really happened, but god, am I in the doghouse now. I need to straighten this out. Please, will you trade seats with me? I'm begging you."

The man, touched by Jane's plight, quickly and eagerly complied. Lisbon didn't even try to disguise displeasure on her face as the two men swapped seats.

"Is everything out of your mouth a lie?" she hissed as he sat down "you just can't help yourself, can you?"

"Thought this would be the perfect chance for a catch-up, it's been too long," he said "How's it going old friend? What's new with you?" he continued jovially.

"Nothing," she said bluntly as she picked up the SkyMall catalogue and thumbed through it.

"Have I said something wrong?" he replied. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing, I'm fine" she offered again, the fake politeness forced in her voice.

"Oh, come on" Jane insisted "Lisbon, I can see something's up, you know you can't keep anything from me. What's the problem?"

"You Jane" she hissed through gritted teeth "You're the problem. And what's worse, you can't even see it."

He paused with mild surprise at her answer.

"It's always the same way with you. Lies. Tricks. Deceit. Not thinking of anyone else but yourself. It's always about what you want, who cares what anyone else wants, you do whatever it takes to get your own way without half a thought to anyone else. You disappear whenever you like, without half a thought to how that might affect the people around you. And you think you can just waltz back into my life, like everything's okay, like everything's normal?" she exploded, two years or festering, her past feelings and frustration bubbling to the surface.

"I stuck out my neck for you time and time again, put my life and my job on the line, and still, you continue to lie and jerk me around. Your dishonesty is unbelievable, completely despicable, incomprehensible. You use people Jane. You used me, I've always been just a convenience for you, an enabler. God, I can't even look at you," she spat as her voice increased in volume and intensity.

The balding man across the aisle gave Jane a sympathetic look as Lisbon continued her cascade "You promised. You promised me that I'd be there when you took him down. You left me there stranded on the side of the road without any way of knowing, wondering, scared of what was happening and if anything had happened to you. You'd only let me be part of things if it was convenient for you. I got arrested for you, I lost my job for you, I did everything you wanted . And what did you give me in return? You broke my trust, looked me in the eye and lied to my face, time and time again, and it didn't phase you in the slightest, so long as you got what you wanted in the end."

She was slightly surprised in herself that this was all spilling out of her so soon. Maybe the lid to the bottle wasn't on as tight as she thought, or maybe Jane was just innately capable of flipping her lid. But once it started, there was no reigning it in.

"But you know what?" she continued, the same animosity flavouring her tone, "maybe I'm to blame too. I never learnt. Again and again, I forgave you. Every time, I forgave you. And you made out to be a fool," she ranted on. She calmed and poised her tone "and you have the nerve to ask me 'What's the problem?'" she finished, returning to the SkyMall catalogue.

For what was a rare moment in his life, Jane was speechless. He'd thought this before. She was right. He knew it. He deserved the tirade and more. He was so unilaterally focused on his own personal goals, he never gave any thought to Lisbon. He had taken her for granted every step of the way, ignorant to the integral role she had played in completing his mission. She was there for him in every sense. Yes, she got angry sometimes, but she was right, she always forgave him and supported him, especially when he needed it most. She made so many elements of the journey possible, even in the end - her firearm, her car, sticking her neck out for him against Abbott . It meant so much to him and she didn't even know. How could she know? The way he kept treating her was far from any indication of it. Hearing it all out loud, and the emotion strung from her voice, was a real humbling reality check. It stung.

After some time, he finally broke the silence.

"You're right Lisbon. You're 100% right," he turned to her with a soft sense of humiliation in his eyes.

She turned and looked at him. "I am truly sorry," he said, gazing into her deep green eyes.

She scowled and turned back to her magazine. They didn't speak a word for the rest of the flight.

Montpellier looked like it belonged on a postcard. Classic architecture with strong red and white themes, row after row of perfect tree-lined streets, the beautiful simplicity of lush, green nature in every direction. They met with Blunt's family, examined the residence where he was last thought to be, the lounge room in disarray from the apparent struggle, blood on the carpet. Cho asked questions about the dysfunctional security cameras and Jane strolled the room, looking around.

He noticed the way things had fallen and the spill patterns of the broken objects didn't match the directions of how they should have had a fight taken place. He noticed the smell of cleaning products, bleach in particular, which had been masked, like a clean-up had happened before they arrived. Someone was hiding something, they'd gone to the effort to clean it all up, then gone to the effort to mask the clean-up before the police arrived. And then went to all the trouble to stage a scuffle. The only true part of this crime scene was the blood on the carpet. Sarah's grieving wife routine wasn't all too convincing either, but he gave her credit for trying. So Blunt wasn't dead, he wasn't missing, he must have needed to lie low for some reason. Maybe he was hiding with whatever they were trying to hide.

"Did your husband have any enemies? Anyone who might want to see ill of him," Lisbon continued with her questioning.

"This scuffle was staged" Jane announced interrupting all conversation obnoxiously. "You're clearly just trying to hide something. Is it money related or was someone sleeping around a bit?" he asked pointing a Blunt's wife, Sarah, with a grin.

He babbled on, explaining his theory to much skepticism and animosity of the family, especially Sarah, who, after yet another baseless accusation, slapped Jane clean across the face with an almighty 'CRACK.'

Vega gasped. Lisbon laughed silently. Jane was back. First day in and he's already getting deservingly assaulted by grieving spouses.

"AHH," Jane protested, "oh okay, so you're definitely hiding something. Care to just tell us what and just save us all the time?"

"LEAVE!" Sarah demanded. "I'll be in touch with the senator about your blatant disrespect and unprofessionalism"

"That's assault!?" Jane sulked turning to Cho and Lisbon, "Shouldn't we arrest her?"

Cho and Lisbon exchanged knowing glances, but didn't say anything.

"I'll figure it out," Jane called out over his shoulder, clutching his stinging face, as Lisbon pushed him towards the door. He dodged her hands and ran back in.

"Just so you know, we'll be back with a warrant first thing tomorrow to search this place," he managed to get out, before Lisbon managed to grab his arm and pull him out the door.

They walked out the front of the house as Cho's shoulders slumped in realisation that he was lead of a unit that contained the one, the only, Patrick Jane. Lisbon flashed him a sympathetic knowing look of mild amusement.

"Why are you talking about a warrant? We don't have enough for a warrant? Especially on a family as connected as this, no judge will sign of on it," Lisbon asked. "What's the play?"

"What makes you assume there's a play?" Jane asked.

"Because there's always a play," Cho answered instead.

"Or maybe I'm just that stupid," Jane offered.

Vega's phone went off. Lab results were back, the blood did not belong to Blunt, but to an unknown male. Cho gave each of the team assignments, initially pairing Jane with Vega, before changing his mind and making Lisbon go with him. A young, relatively naïve girl who had never worked with Jane before would only spell disaster, Lisbon could handle him better.

Vega protested. "Sir, I'd like the opportunity to work with Jane. With his closing records, I'd like to see how he operates."

Cho stared her, "No" he said dryly "I'm sure you'll see soon enough anyway."

As they made their way back to their cars, Jane told a very unimpressed Lisbon "I've already solved the case, why don't we just play hooky, go grab a bite to eat."

"Oh you have, have you," she retorted "then tell Cho, why waste everyone's time?"

"Ehh, let him do is digging, its due diligence. Besides, I can't prove it until much later tonight"

"Well, what's the plan?"

"Let's discuss it over lunch, I could really go a sandwich"

"I am not disobeying orders, and you will tell me now!"

"I do like it when you get all authoritarian over me. But you're not my boss anymore, partner," he winked.

Just like the old days, an aggravated Lisbon thought as she slammed her car door shut.

"You're still just a consultant," she steamed.

"You used to call me your partner," he piped up in reply.

"Yeah, well a lot of things have changed, haven't they?"

"Gosh I thought you'd be happy to see me, but it's been nothing but miss cranky pants since I've been back," Jane sighed

"It is good to have you back," she relented slightly, "I'm sorry, I just forgot how frustrating you can be. I'm out of practice. Just tell me what you've figured out already."

"Okay, okay" he resigned "He's not missing, he's hiding. He's probably in that guest house, he's in kahootz with his wife, someone else was killed or gravely injured in that room, money related more than likely, there'll definitely be a cash trail in the daughter's name and there's something in the house the wife doesn't want us to find that she's dying to get out."

"Ok so how do we know where he is or what they're hiding. How do we prove that?" Lisbon asked.

"Ah, it's not that simple. They're hiding something, they need to come out and show us"

"And how do we do that?"

"Well now that they think we're getting a warrant to come back in the morning, they gotta get whatever they're hiding out and Blunt needs somewhere else to hide," Jane explained.

"But we can't get a warrant, you know a judge won't sign off on one," Lisbon reiterated.

"Yes, but they don't know that. I said they think we're getting one. They'll have to make their move, night fall more than likely," he continued.

He detailed a theory which involved staking out on the roof of the neighbouring building for a good vantage point of the yard, a spotlight, and a couple of armed agents waiting in position.

"See, look, trustworthy! I told you everything, all the details" Jane argued

Lisbon picked up her phone promptly and called Cho, explaining the theory, much to Jane's displeasure.

"So, you blabbed on me," he relented "can we at least get lunch now?"

"Nope," Lisbon denied, "time for own due diligence," as they drove off to Blunt's sports club. As they arrived, Jane disappeared promptly, leaving Lisbon to conduct interviews on her own as he hunted down the sandwich that he had so badly craved.

The sun had just disappeared below the horizon as Jane and Lisbon sat perched on a concrete slab on top of a building behind the Blunt residence. No solid leads came from their interviews and investigations today, that would indicate who the kidnapper might be or who the blood in the home might have belonged to. The concrete was cold, and the wind piercing, but they could see from the back door, all the way through the garden, to the door of the guest house. Wylie and Vega sat in an unmarked vehicle out the front, while Cho took a more covert position out of sight down the path that ran adjacent to their yard.

Lisbon's teeth chattered as she rubbed her hands desperately to stay warm.

"Come here" Jane innocently suggested, holding out his arm and gesturing her to come closer.

She screwed up her face and shook her head.

"Suit yourself" he said. They sat quietly and watched and waited.

"You left me again, Jane," her condemnations breaking the taciturnity.

"When? What at the sports club? I told you I wanted a sandwich," he replied surprised at her apparently annoyance over a very known and regular habit of his.

"Once again, I look around. You're supposed to be there, but you're not. And I just have to go about my business alone."

He should've known it was about more than just the sandwich.

"You're right Lisbon, what can I say… you're right about everything," he started, his tone sobered. "Sometimes I don't even stop to think about how my actions affect you, until it's too late and all I can do is look back with regret."

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up, hey? You never think about me ," she spat.

If only she knew how very untrue that was. He had once told her how much she meant to him, or at least that she had no idea how much she meant to him, how much she means to him. But actions speak a lot louder than words, which was quite unfortunate to him.

"I've been thinking a lot about what you said on the plane earlier. I'm a terrible person. I am. I was so consumed with the hunt for Red John, I stopped at nothing and I hurt someone I truly care about. It wasn't my intention," he said sincerely. "I promise I'm going to try and make it up to you. That chapter is closed. My new agenda is making it up to you. Making it right. No matter how long that takes. I will redeem myself." He took a deep breath, "If you'd let me."

Lisbon sat pensively. Could Jane be anything other than a deceptive liar? It was ingrain in him, that's just how he was. But his earnestness was touching, she had to at least let him try. She liked seeing that he could show humility, actually admit he was wrong.

"I'd like that," she finally replied, her voice still harbouring temperate hostility, "but you have a lot of work to do," she warned.

Jane smiled. "I know, I know," he said "I might need a little patience and a little guidance, but I'll do it. With a God as my witness."

"You don't believe in a God, so that doesn't mean anything."

"True, but you believe, and that should be enough to smite me down if I wrong you."

She giggled, her teeth chattering louder than the trepid laughs escaping her.

"Seriously, your lips are turning blue, come here, let me start with defrosting you a little," he instructed again, holding out his outstretched arm.

She felt like her cheeks were turning into ice bricks and relented to his offer with one last look of protest and a huff. She shuffled into him, his warmth muchly welcomed against her shivering body. She looked up at him and their eyes locked for a moment. The closeness, his heat, his gentle warming faint coconut smell, her body against his, the look in his eyes… it sent a volt of electricity through her. She uncomfortably broke eye contact as she cleared her throat and surveyed the area they were watching. Jane did the same, rubbing her arm to provide warmth, the corner of his mouth slight raised with amusement, as he had felt it too.

The seconds turned into minutes, the minutes edged into hours as they waited, moving closer and closer in an attempt to retain heat as the unrelenting cold of the Vermont night assaulted them.

"Nothing's happening Jane," Lisbon uttered, her jaw nearly frozen shut.

"Patience, woman. Just wait," Jane reassured, "it will."

They began the conversation Jane had attempted earlier on the plane. The events of the past two years. Lisbon explained what had happened after he had left. The interrogations they all went through, the complete disbandment of the CBI, losing their jobs. Lisbon's strong track record led her to a prominent team within the Seattle PD's serious crimes unit, a cold and rainy corner of the country that kept her pretty well occupied for most of the time with its own fair share of drama.

She explained how Cho went straight for the FBI, completing his training at Quantico top of his class to no surprise. Rigsby and Van Pelt chose a quieter path, settling into married life having their first child, Maddie, just months before. They'd opted for a civilian life, starting their own business.

Jane hung on her every word, it was good to hear about all he'd missed. He didn't get to have many conversations in Venezuela, he confessed, no one spoke much English and his Spanish was terrible. Being understood was an underrated pleasure.

"How about you?" Lisbon prompted as there was still no movement in the yard. "Two years in a foreign exotic land, I'm sure you have plenty of stories."

He shared tales not too different from those detailed in his letters. Pods of dolphins so close to the shore, the diner where he'd always see the friendly Alfredo, playing soccer in the streets with the local children. He mainly kept to himself abroad. Kept his head down and enjoyed a simple, isolated life.

"I spend most of days thinking of you, to be honest," he concluded, showing a bit more honesty than he intended. "I really missed you."

"I missed you too," she replied genuinely, looking up into his eyes.

"Like, really missed you," he insisted.

"I know," she whispered shyly.

They were already sitting so close together, her head perched in the crook of his neck as he held her tight to shield her from the cold. As she looked up to him, their faces were mere centimetres away. She could feel his warm breath against her ice-cold cheeks. They held each other's gaze with bated breath, the centimetres changing into millimetres between them. His nose touched hers, and she closed her eyes, the hair standing on the back of her neck with anticipation as goosebumps ran down her spine. There had always been something so magnetic about Jane. She thought she felt his soft gentle lips brush against hers, and she parted her lips ever so slightly.

CRASH

A pot plant being knocked over, and a man and a woman's voice quickly yanked them out of their moment. Sure enough, as they looked into the backyard, they saw their not-so-kidnapped Blunt helping Sarah maneuver what seemed to be a body wrapped in plastic across the backyard. Jane triggered the spotlight. Lisbon spoke into her radio, commentating the happenings as Cho and Vega stormed the backyard. Caught redhanded, Blunt and Sarah were cuffed and whisked away as Jane and Lisbon made their way off the roof, Lisbon desperately avoiding eye contact.

He smiled with a glint in his eye. It had been a good day. Proved himself as an asset to the FBI and shared a special moment with a special someone. It was good to be back.