Chapter 3

Jane was ashamed of the time that took him noticed the distance that Lisbon was putting between them. Almost three months.

The first signal had been the fact she'd been only once in the attic and it was just to informed him about Lorelei's death. The entire ride to the crime scene had been in silence, she didn't say anything but one "Sorry, Jane." He touched her hand needing her warm for a moment, just to reminded himself that there were still good things in his life.

He checked Lorelei's body and felt new levels of anger and frustration thinking that it would have been different if she'd just told him Red John's identity.

"I'm sorry." He said to Lorelei's body paying his respect and then left.

Jane couldn't stand been there for much longer after that.

He'd been occupied finding the right nurse that could pass him reports about Lennon's condition without Homeland's nose in the middle. He found Sheila a nice nurse that helped him to get in the hospital wing where Lennon was but Lisbon called him to inform him that they had a new case, and then Kirkland showed up forcing him to go.

Jane arrived at the crime scene but his mind was stuck in the hospital, Lisbon noticed it and they ended arguing which he hated because they never argued; they bickered all the time but Jane could count with his fingers the number of times that they'd fought during their ten years of partnership.

"Like Lorelei, right?" Lisbon said and he had to hide his surprise. That comment wasn't something that he would expect from her. Lisbon was never mean even when she had the right to be. That was one of the many things that he liked about her; her companion.

Jane tried to read her face and took a step closer to her but the only thing that he saw was Lisbon pulling away from him. An emotional withdrawn. He started to feel something close to fear.

The next couple of days Jane noticed that Lisbon avoided him and he allowed it, the consultant should give her some time to cold off after their argument but after four days he decided that it was enough.

He wasn't an idiot. The blond was aware of how his fake breakdown created cracks in their relationship. She was more guarded. The walls that he tore down the firsts years of their relationship were back on. Lisbon used to be translucent to him but now that wasn't true anymore.

"You promised me that you wouldn't listen."

Sometimes, it was difficult for him to understand her. There were times when he couldn't follow her thoughts but it was better to keep pretending that nothing had changed between them than faced the alternative.

"Good luck Teresa. I love you."

Of course, Jane loved her. What man with blood in their veins could spend that much time with her and not fall in love with her? Bosco was a married man and couldn't avoid it and Jane never claimed to be any stronger.

"He does love you, how could he not?"

Lisbon was honest, kind, fierce, and so beautiful despite how much she tried to hide it. Jane remembered every man that had shown interest in her, it wasn't a shortlist. She attached men like honey to bees. It was a good thing that often they were too intimidated by her to actually try something.

She was like fresh air after being drained for a long time. Teresa had brought him back to the land of the livings. Sophie had made him functional. The psychiatry made him move, talk, and eat but Teresa was the one that had made him want to be alive.

She was the first person since his wife and daughter that expected something from him. She made him want to dress up again, gave him an honest job, and helped him to create new relationships. Lisbon was the first person in a long time to actually had standards for him and let him know when he fell to meet them.

"I cleaned up, like you, uh, told me to." He told her pointing at his jacket but she didn't look impressed.

"It's a process, huh?" She replied leaving him alone.

"I'm a fraud." He exclaimed clearly upset.

"I believe you. But whatever it is, it's a gift. I figure, why not use it?" She said softly looking at him with those green pools of hers.

"One last time— are you sure you want to do this?" She asked him.

She meant everything to him but Jane couldn't make any more promises to her. He broke the few ones that he made in the past. Not with Red John in the picture besides other than one rushed declaration that he had pretended to forget, he hadn't given her any reason to wait for him even though there were times that he wanted to (so much) but Jane wasn't that selfish.

He founded her in the theater and after they left Deandra, Jane tried to rile her up but it didn't work. She avoided his eyes.

"I thought that you were busy, that's all." She replied trying to sound casual when he asked her why she didn't call him. Still angry he concluded.

Jane tried to go back to their usual interactions and it worked. Sadly, it didn't last long. After a moment her expression changed and he narrowed his eyes trying to find out what caused it but then again she avoided his gaze.

He was finding a pattern. And he didn't like it.

Jane was annoyed.

Lisbon had a meeting with Kirkland, just a day after he told her that the homeland security agent most likely killed Lennon. And he had to fish it from Cho and Jane suspected that the agent only told him because he knew that the consultant hated Kirkland.

Jane entered her office and sat on the couch to wait for her, thankfully he didn't have to wait a long time, she came in looking tired. "Why did you meet with Kirkland, Lisbon? That guy is dangerous." He exclaimed standing out. He forced himself to control his temperament knowing that she would never talk to him if he crossed that line. Anger never worked with Lisbon.

She exclaimed calmly that it was just a coffee and tried to reason with him that they didn't actually have any evidence that supported his theory. Jane rolled his eyes. Like he needed evidence to be right in most cases. Lisbon started to talk again but was interrupted by Rigsby who came in and informed her that the chief of the town didn't show out at the crime scene today. Jane said he would go with her before she could escape.

While they were in the car, they argued. Again. Lately, it felt like the only thing that they do.

Jane tried to work into the real issue but she cut him off surprising him. "It is not an excuse. I'm giving you space to focus on your list. Isn't it what you wanted, Jane?" Lisbon said softly. She was right but he didn't like it. He felt a rush of anger. Lisbon didn't understand how difficult this was for him. Jane didn't want to distance himself from her but there wasn't another option. Red John was closer than ever and Jane couldn't put her at risk.

Lisbon brought him back to reality, finally telling him about her conversation with Kirkland. Jane felt a rush of pride when he heard her theory about Kirkland. Jane knew that she was probably right but it never hurt to be safe. The homeland security agent was definitely digging on the Red John case. Now Jane just needed it to see if Kirkland would fall into his trap.

A week later, Jane picked out the broken toothpick from the floor. He went to Lisbon's office and opened the door without knocking as usual. She was sitting on her desk filling the last case report.

"Someone broke into the attic," Jane informed her.

She looked at him surprised; her green eyes were wide open. "What? What makes you say that?" She asked him leaving her pen on the paperwork.

"Someone moved my board and I let broken toothpick stuck in the attic door but when I came back it was on the floor." He explained calmly sitting on her couch.

"The cameras up there haven't been fixed since the Hightower incident." She said standing up from her chair. Hightower made sure of breaking all the cameras in the area before locking herself in the attic with him.

"True." He said tapping his index finger with his lips; he wasn't expecting any video to be honest.

Lisbon looked puzzled probably wondering why he didn't look worried about the fact that someone saw all the information that he got from Red John. "What did you do?" Lisbon asked him curiously, leaning on the table in front of the white couch.

"Whoever broke into the attic got wrong information about the case," Jane said shrugging his shoulders. "I put different suspects and information all over the board." He explained pleased with the fact that his con was working in the way that he wanted to.

"Paranoid too much." She said incredulously raising her eyebrows.

"Paranoid doesn't mean that they're not out to get you, Lisbon. I'm betting money on Kirkland." He said casually.

She rolled her eyes. "You two are obsessed with each other," Lisbon commented amused crossing her arms over her chest. It was the first time she was laughing with him for a long time. Jane felt pleased to see her eyes sparkling at him and decided that it was enough chitchat about Kirkland for the night.

He checked the time; it was the perfect hour for some dinner. "What about some dinner? I saw this new Italian restaurant the other day and I heard that they made their own gelato." He asked standing up from the couch and closing the distance between them.

Lisbon looked at him nervously and went to her desk putting distance between them. He hid his disappointment. Before Las Vegas Jane took her to different places and made her laughed doing cold readings of the people at the other tables. During those dinners she let him paid for her often knowing that it pleased him but after he came back from Vegas those evenings were cut off and he missed them.

"Actually I already have plans for the night." She lied making sure that voice sounded even without looking at him.

Jane scrutinized her. His eyes were following every movement. "Mmm what kind of plans, my dear? Hot date?" He teased taking a few steps and walking around the desk until he was next to her.

Lisbon refused to look at him and started to put her phone and car keys in her purse. "Yeah, something like that." She replied sounding vague.

Jane could tell that she desperately wanted this conversation to end. "Good night, Jane."

Lisbon didn't bother to close her office anymore after the first year that she started to work with him. He would just break in every time that he wanted to, so she invested in a drawing lock for important documents.

"Night Lisbon." He said smiling without humor. Jane stayed a couple of hours before leaving the CBI; he didn't feel like sleeping in the attic with his demons tonight.

"Jane, what the hell are you doing here? You also gave me a heart attack." Lisbon screamed the next morning when she found him sitting on her couch.

"Good morning Lisbon, how was your imaginary date?" Jane said ignoring her question. He was tired and didn't sleep last night.

"Why did you break into my house?" Lisbon asked trying to remain calm but didn't quite make it.

"I needed to talk to you," he answered seriously.

She sighed, then crossed the room on shaky legs and started the coffee maker. "We just talked yesterday and you know they invented these things called phones years ago, they allow you to talk with people without breaking into their houses." She regarded him suspiciously.

"Somehow I felt that this conversation we need to have in person." He said shrugging and walking closer to the kitchen.

"Ok, out with it. What is this about?" She asked tense, crossing her arms.

Jane sighed and took out a white rectangle from his jacket pocket. "I found this in my car last night." He said giving her that card. Jane saw her reading the card that invited him to a meeting tonight in a dinner outside of the city. It wasn't signed up. Lisbon looked up surprised.

"Do you think that is from—" She started to ask but he interrupted her catching the end of her thought.

"Kirkland? I don't know but it doesn't look like something that he would do. I imagine that he would be more straightforward in his approach."

Lisbon looked at him worried for a few seconds. "You are going to this meeting, aren't you?"

"Well, there's only my way to find out who is behind all this."