A/N thank you for all the wonderful reviews, you all make me so happy =]
"Jane… shouldn't you be heading back to the office?" Lisbon asked in an almost regretful tone. Truthfully she was loving the company but she didn't want to come across too desperate.
"Meh…" Jane mumbled in reply. "It about time we let them take the reins. Cho's more than capable at leading them and Rigsby and Grace need to stretch out of their comfort zones."
Lisbon nodded in response, somewhat relieved.
"Besides…" Jane said with a cheeky grin plastered to his face, "I thought I would bring the office to you."
Right on schedule, three very worried looking agents scrambled into the room. Lisbon looked at Jane in wonder, having no idea when he had managed to ring the team, before she was 'attacked' by Grace in a tight hug.
"Careful Grace, be gentle." Jane said rather protectively.
Grace jumped back as if Lisbon had turned into a snake and walked to stand by Rigsby, slightly red in the face.
"No Grace, its fine. Honestly." She said trying to console her younger agent. She shot Jane an annoyed look before turning back to her team.
"How are you boss?" Cho asked from his spot against the wall.
Lisbon shifted to a more comfortable position, batting away Jane's hand when he automatically reached out to help her. He put his hands up in defence and stepped back from the bed.
"I'm ok… well… I will be ok."
"What happened?" Grace chirped from her spot next to Rigsby.
Lisbon looked helplessly at Jane. She didn't know how to handle this kind of situation. How do you tell your team there's something seriously wrong with you?
At Lisbon's pleading gaze, Jane stepped in.
"I went around to check on Lisbon this morning, and I found her very dehydrated… dehydrated to the point she was delusional." He saw her blush and knew she must be thinking about her dreamt up marriage. Deciding not to step on her pride, and let the team in on her secret, he continued in the same monotone voice. Even Cho was giving his emotionless state a raised eyebrow. "Anyway, I called the ambulance, they brought her here, and now they're pumping all sorts into her veins." He made a point of stopping there, deciding they should hear the rest from her.
Lisbon suddenly felt very nauseous… sickness that had nothing to do with the food poisoning. She had no idea how the team was going to react to her news of kidney damage. Would they pity her? Would they turn away in disgust, thinking she was now incapable of doing her job? Would they disown her as their boss? She looked at Jane again, trying to find some strength. Catching his eye, he gave her the confirmation she needed to be able to blurt out the words.
"My kidneys were damaged."
Grace's eyes widened in shock. Rigsby sort of closed his eyes, deflated, and Cho… Lisbon would never know how Cho had taken the news, as his expressionless façade didn't even twitch.
"The doctors say it's reversible… I just need to rest and rehydrate... which would be a lot easier if I would stop throwing up." She muttered the last few words.
This time Grace warded off Jane's gaze and walked over to the bed to tentatively hold Lisbon's hand.
"We're all gonna be there for you boss. No matter what."
"Yeah…" Rigsby said stepping forward. "You don't need to worry about a thing. We can handle anything that comes our way."
Lisbon smiled softly, before turning to Cho.
"You're in charge while I'm away."
He nodded grimly in response. He really is a man of few words. But she could see the compassion hidden in the depths of his eyes. She knows he cares for her.
Jane, who had been watching Lisbon carefully during the conversation, was almost stunned to see Lisbon's face drop three shades paler, and take on a nasty shade of green. Stepping forward, he hustled the team into the corridor before handing her the basin and gently helping her into a sitting position.
While she retched up the foul contents of her stomach, he rubbed soothing circles on her back with one hand, and pulled her hair out of her face with the other. When she was done, he brought the cool cloth and placed in on her forehead.
"I'll go get a nurse." He whispered. If she was vomiting again, the anti-nausea must have long worn off, and she was probably due for her next course of medication anyway. He saw the confusion in her eyes as he gently brushed his finger along her cheek. He felt the familiar pang of guilt whenever he thought endearing thoughts about Lisbon, but brushed them aside before leaving the room.
Lisbon had been lying there, feeling the nausea build up after her announcement… she had thought it had just been the nerves of telling her team. She was honestly thankful that Jane had been there to get her some privacy before she made a complete idiot out of herself. Sure the team had just told her they were going to be there for her, and sure Grace had been there when she was sick at CBI – which reminded her she needed to thank her for convincing Jane to drive her home – but there was only so much one person could take. She was still their boss and she doesn't like coming across as vulnerable… because that makes her look weak… and looking weak is extremely dangerous in her line of work.
When Jane had brushed his fingers tenderly across her cheek, she had found herself enjoying the contact far too much. Seeing the loving look in his eye… she almost felt as if she was back in her delusions… that's how he had looked at her when she thought they were married.
She closed her eyes, and begged her stomach to calm down. She would be getting nowhere with the rehydration if she kept throwing up all the liquids in her body.
She heard the door reopen quietly and cracked her eyes back open to see Grace creeping back into the room.
"Jane said I should keep you company while he finds a nurse." She said quietly.
Lisbon could see she was nervous, standing awkwardly with her hands in her pockets.
"Thanks Grace." Lisbon replied, truly touched at the younger agents concern.
"How are you boss… like really?" Grace asked as she came and took the seat by Lisbon's bed.
"I'm ok Grace… like I said, plenty of rest and liquids and I'll be back to normal in no time."
Grace nodded unconvinced.
"I'm gonna be ok Grace." Lisbon repeated.
"Then why did Jane look so worried when he told me to come keep you company?"
Lisbon thought about that for a while. There were many reason's Jane could be worried for her at the moment. He knew that her job was everything to her, and if she was to deteriorate, then there was a high possibility she would have to go on a transplant list… to have a kidney transplant… then there was high risk of her not being able to do highly physical activity… and therefore be banished to office work. He knows her too well… he knows she wouldn't handle not being able to go for her morning run every day. It's how she de-stresses.
She sighed.
"Because I'm still vomiting, it means that whatever poisoned my body, is still in my system… and the longer my body tries to expel it, the longer it takes to completely rehydrate me… and the more chance there is my kidney damage won't be able to be reversed."
Grace nodded in understanding.
"It will all be ok boss. It has to be." Grace said reaching out to rewet the cloth on Lisbon's forehead. "Besides," she continued after placing the cloth "I know Jane wouldn't let anything happen to you." She said, a small sheepish grin playing on her face.
Lisbon couldn't help return the small grin.
"I know what you mean Grace." Lisbon said. "Oh and Grace, thank you for getting Jane to take me home yesterday."
Grace only shrugged good naturedly in reply.
The two female agents sat there in a companionable silence waiting for Jane to return with the nurse. Lisbon actually managed to fall into a light doze for a few minutes.
When she woke up again, Jane had replaced Grace on the seat. Lisbon looked out the window to find it pitch black outside… ok so maybe it wasn't a light doze.
"How long was I asleep for?" she asked.
"Just over an hour." Jane said sleepily. Obviously he had managed to have a wee nap as she had. "I sent the team home. Grace promises she will come back and see you tomorrow."
Lisbon smiled at that. She likes the younger agent. She has great potential and an amazing caring nature. Lisbon could imagine that when she was younger, she would have been the type of child to bring injured birds home and nurse them back to health.
She saw Jane smile, and was caught slightly off guard. It was almost as if he was reading her thoughts.
"How are you feeling?" he asked softly.
"Ok… better than before anyway." She answered.
Jane nodded in approval.
"The nurse apologizes about the mix up." Seeing Lisbon's confused expression, he explained. "Apparently there was a mix up with rosters and one of the other nurses was meant to come and give you another dose of the anti-nausea and your meds. I think it's very irresponsible of them." Jane muttered.
Lisbon shrugged.
"As you said, it's my body trying to get rid of the poison, so I was bound to get rid of it… somehow. To be honest I would rather vomit." She blushed.
"But what if it was something important… like medication to keep your heart going. It's stupid mistakes like this, that make me hate hospitals."
Lisbon smiled at that.
"Liar. You hate hospitals because you don't like it if someone knows more about something than you do. You don't like someone else being in control of a situation, especially if it has anything to do with you… and I know you secretly hate needles." Lisbon replied, a smug smile forming on her face when she saw by his expression she had hit home.
Jane shook his head.
"You're truly a worry Teresa Lisbon." He said with a small smile.
Lisbon smiled back, before she felt her eyelids beginning to get heavy. Jane, seeing this, reached out and tucked the covers up to her chin.
"Good night Lisbon." He said, leaning forward and pressing his lips softly to her forehead again."
Lisbon sighed at the contact. This was dangerous! But she would cherish it while she could.
"Night Jane." she mumbled, before sinking into a relieving state of oblivion.
Jane smiled down at the exhausted woman beside him, before settling back down in the chair for the rest of the night.
OK so I know it was short… but I had to get something posted as I have exams coming up. I hope you enjoyed it anyway… please leave me a review and let me know what you think x