CHAPTER 7 – THE BREAK-UP

Jane could hear music blasting from his hut as he came closer. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon and he was tired of his swim. No point in knocking because Teresa was not going to hear him – so he walked in. The music was blaring from the bathroom and he walked over to see what was going on. Teresa was blow-drying her hair wearing nothing but the same tank top and underwear she'd had on earlier. He blinked a few times – she was dancing, and he was surprised that it turned him on, then found his voice and knocked on the open door. Teresa yelled in surprise and when he saw her face he could tell that she'd been crying.

"Turn it down," asked Jane.

"What?" shouted Teresa.

Jane motioned to her to turn it down.

"Sorry – this is the best part," yelled Teresa over the music and returned her attention to her hair, hoping Jane would go away.

Jane could see that she'd made herself a few drinks. What happened in the last two hours? He ran his hand through his hair and leaned on the door frame with his arms crossed and waited.

She stopped the hair blower and stared at him in the mirror. "What are you doing?" she said loudly over the music.

He just stood there and waited. Finally, she turned down the music.

"What?" she asked annoyed.

"You're upset about something and we should talk," said Jane.

"I'm all talked out, Jane," said Teresa.

"C'mon… You've been crying. What's going on?" he asked and came closer to her. "Is it Pike?" he looked in her eyes. "Yep – it is Pike. Did you argue?"

"Stop it, Jane," she said turning around so he couldn't read her.

"Then talk to me. I hate seeing you like this," he said.

"Why do you want to talk all of a sudden? We never talk. Not about anything important anyway. Why do you even care?" she asked, spoiling for a fight with him – the alcohol spurring her on.

"I care – you know I do," Jane said, searching her face.

Teresa just stared at him in the mirror instead of looking at him directly. He was too close to her right now and she could smell the ocean and sunshine on him. He hadn't shaved yet and it made her fingers ache to touch his face and feel the stubble on her face when she kissed him. She looked down at the counter, so he couldn't read her – she was exhausted from having those kinds of thoughts in her head lately.

The break up with Marcus was hard… he was upset and kept asking her if it had anything to do with Jane. He wanted a reason and didn't accept that she didn't love him the way she should. He thought she needed more time or was just having cold feet. It was messier than she'd expected since this was her first break-up in over a decade. She was in a mood and decided that she might as well go for broke and talk to Jane too about going to D.C. She summoned her courage, turned towards Jane, and looked him in the eyes.

"I broke up with Marcus. It's over." – She watched Jane for a reaction. – "And you might as well know now that I've decided to take the job in D.C…. I start in two weeks."

Jane's eyes narrowed in surprise then changed to concern. He rubbed his hand over his mouth in a downward motion.

"Why did you break up with Pike? I thought it was serious," asked Jane.

"I don't want to talk about it," said Teresa.

"Okay. Why are you moving to D.C. if Pike is out of the equation?" he asked

Teresa expelled a long breath and leaned against the counter.

"It's a great job. It will be great for my career and a fresh start with my very own team again," she said more evenly than she'd expected.

"You're lying, Lisbon. That's not the reason you're leaving," said Jane.

"You can think what you want Jane. Look – I have to finish getting ready." She waited for him to retreat but he didn't.

"I'm not letting this go. You have a great career right now and a fresh start in Austin. You'll get a team in time. Why D.C. now?" Jane was trying to read her. What she said didn't match what he was seeing on her face. He was missing something really important and he had to figure it out. He couldn't let her leave him.

Teresa couldn't believe that he wasn't dropping this. She didn't want to talk about it. Why did he want to put them through this?

"Let it go, Jane," she said. "You don't need to know why, because it's not important to know why." Teresa tried to reason with him.

"No… I'm not leaving this bathroom until you tell me why you broke up with Pike and why you're still going to D.C."

Teresa maintained silence and started re-arranging her toiletries on the vanity with force. She was getting madder the longer he stared at her. He had no right to demand this of her. He never gave her the time of day when he decided to leave her and now she had to justify herself! She was so mad. Well, she wasn't him and since he wanted to know so bad – why should she spare his feelings. She would give him the honesty he's never given her.

"Fine-" she said, as she looked up at his face in the mirror.

Jane could see that she was upset by the way she'd been roughly moving her things around on the vanity. He gently grabbed her arm, so she wouldn't hit him. "If you are going to break us up and go to D.C., you can look me in the eye when you tell me."

Teresa saw that his eyes were red with emotion and she immediately felt deflated. She knew that he didn't want her to go. He didn't want to lose her – she understood that feeling. But it wasn't for the same reason as her. She was just someone that he was used to.

She didn't know where to start when he was looking at her that way and he was so close that she could feel his body heat radiating.

"Why did you break up with Pike?" Jane asked again.

That got her all fired up again – why was he on that again?

"Because," she said with a high-pitched voice throwing her arms up. "I didn't love him, and it was the right thing to do. He deserved someone that loved him the same way." She couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"And that upsets you," said Jane evenly. "If you don't love him, why are you so upset?"

"Oh my god, Jane. Please, just let this go. Please," she begged. She wiped the tears of frustration from her cheek.

"Tell me," he pleaded.

She looked up to the ceiling not knowing how to even answer that. "I don't know what you want me to say? I don't love him – so I broke up with him."

"Did he do something to hurt you?" probed Jane.

"No… no! He was great actually! Marcus made me feel safe. He was always honest and open with me… reliable and… he didn't blow hot and cold! And I knew that he was never going to leave me without a word… and break my heart over and over again." – She took a big breath and added quietly. – "He's everything I ever wanted… but I couldn't love him… he deserved better." She'd said too much, she knew. She needed some space.

Jane's eyes darted back and forth from her profile to her face in the mirror. This wasn't about Marcus – she was talking about him… he didn't understand. But before he could absorb what she'd just said, she continued.

"I'm going to D.C. to get away from you," she said. "I can't do this anymore," – She waved her hand back and forth between them. "I need for this to end."

Jane couldn't process what she was saying. His head was buzzing from her words. She wants to get away from him. She wants them to end, forever. How did everything go so wrong? Teresa pushed him out of the bathroom and closed the door. He wanted to knock on the door and beg her to stay, but what would that give him. He turned around and headed out on the balcony feeling aimless, not knowing where to go or what to do – he needed to think.