A/N: This chapter enters M territory at the end, so if you're not particularly into this stuff, just skip that part. In any other case, enjoy! :)

Chapter 7: Strong Desires

Jane drew a long pin from the pocket of his vest and started using it on the locker; Lisbon fidgeting impatiently by his side; her hands buried in the warm pockets of her coat. She observed the adept movements of his fingers and had a sudden flash of the sensation of them trailing her skin. She tried to focus on their surroundings, disinclining herself from the alluring thought.

She was worried someone would witness them trying to trespass on a state property, which was kind of ironic, considering their history in it.

Jane was right, though. It was thrilling. She could feel the rush of adrenaline in her blood vessels; could feel her heart throbbing in her chest. This was the sound of freedom; the sound of letting yourself loose. And she owed it all to the man that was standing next to her. It was the kind of adventure she secretly longed for her entire life. One she was too much of a chicken to seek on her own.

Before she had met Jane, she couldn't bring herself to bend her morals. She was afraid that the slightest form of indulgence in herself would result in her becoming like her father. Following the rules was her only defense against the life of greediness he had inspired. On the downside, that also meant she could never have fun. Not really. At least not until Jane had come in her life. His carefree and troublesome nature, though annoying, had made it easier for her to loosen her armor and have a little taste of the fresh air on her bare skin.

The sound of metal parts fitting with each other reached her ears. Jane turned his face toward her and let his lips stretch to a devious smile. She grinned at his expression. With a gentle push of his palm on the surface, the door unclicked.

…..

Volker had heard of desires so strong, they became illusions; had heard of desert men longing for water so desperately, their minds drew oases on the scorching sand. But he had never imagined the amount of truth in them before this moment.

And yet, it was really them. In flesh and bones. Though he had no idea as to what they could possibly be doing here. He was prepared to travel to another state to find them and now these two idiots made his job a lot easier. Though, admittedly, he did have to find out their purpose and the amount of time they planned to spend here.

Carefully, he drew himself out of his hiding place, casting an examining look on his surroundings. The whistle of the main road was a distant sound from where he stood, which gave him enough of a cover. He rushed across the street with a feathery stride. Reaching the entrance of the building, he gently placed his fingers on the thin opening of the door and crept inside.

…...

"It's really cold in here. Maybe we should head back to the car", Lisbon suggested, wrapping one hand around her frame; the other holding a flashlight.

"Don't worry. I have already cared for that", he said, raising his remote hand to show her a small casket he was holding.

"What's this?" she inquired.

"You'll see", he said enigmatically.

She rolled her eyes at him.

By then, they'd reached the dreary part of the building that used to be the bullpen. Their feet didn't guide them further than the entrance. Lisbon felt a bitter feeling in her gut, seeing what had become of the place that once constituted a huge part of her life. Her mind painted it with colorful memories of the past. The team gathered around a desk in the middle, discussing a case; Van Pelt sitting behind her computer, Rigsby trying to steal glances at her; Cho trying to concentrate on his book… a sleepy consultant lying on the couch. All drained in the desolate blackness that enshrouded it now.

She had expected to feel like visiting an old friend. Instead, she felt like she was standing before a grave. Because there was nothing there. No feeling of fulfillment or nostalgia. Just the dull frame of what used to be their lives here. It was like expecting to find solid ground and falling in a ditch instead.

"Let's go upstairs", Jane suggested and she could hear her own gloominess in his voice.

A few moments later, they were standing on the small external area that was attached to the attic where Jane used to work. It was the only place that was left unscathed, which meant there were still empty boxes and buckets on it. Jane took one of the boxes and tore it apart in pieces.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm making us a little fire", he said cheerfully.

"A fire", Lisbon scoffed, though there was the hint of a smile in her voice.

"Well, you did say you were cold", Jane said, hauling a bucket in the middle of the balcony and putting the torn pieces of carton in it. She watched as he drew a lightening match from his pocket and lit a fire.

As the flames intensified, Lisbon started feeling at unease. "What if someone sees us?" she worried.

"They won't. It's a secluded area. No one's passing from here right now", Jane comforted her.

Then, with a playful smile, he finally opened the casket. Lisbon took a look inside and felt her excitement grow.

"Marshmallows?" she enthused.

Jane smiled shyly; shrugging his shoulders with modesty. As if he hadn't planned it all to fetch her enthusiasm, she thought.

They sat on the low wall near the window. Jane drew his arm around her shoulders and she curled further into his warm embrace. They both grabbed one of the smears Jane had brought along, put their marshmallows atop and hovered them above the fire. Once her marshmallow was sizzled enough, Lisbon let its sweet; seared taste melt in her mouth; licking her lips with her tongue.

She turned to Jane to comment on the taste, only his dilated eyes drawn upon her mouth made her forget what she wanted to say. Her gaze fell on his lips that were slightly apart. There was a leap in her heartbeat, when they started moving toward her. She felt trapped in his force field. As if every part of her body was screaming for his touch.

His lips gently caressed the corner of her mouth. Then, drawing himself slightly back, he tasted them with his tongue. One part of her mind—the only one that was still conscious—realized she probably had gelatin on her lips. But other than that, she did not think at all. Her hand hooked around his neck and pulled him back to her lips, devouring his mouth with thirst. He returned her kiss with equal force, drawing a quiet moan from her lips. The familiar overflow of emotion encapsulated her. She was so used to his gentleness and need for control, whenever this raw passion spurred out of him at moments like this, it completely overwhelmed her.

For a while, she could only hear their puffs and the sizzling sound of the fire. Then, another sound came abruptly in her ears. A distant thump inside the building.

She broke the kiss; her lower lip, trapped as it was between his teeth, lingering a little longer in his mouth.

"What was that?" she worried, sounding breathless, her gaze darting through the opaque window. The interior was soaked in pitch black.

"What was what?" Jane returned, voice lethargic, eyes dark like the night that enveloped them.

"That thud. Didn't you hear it?" she asked him, the alarm growing in her voice.

Finally, Jane seemed to come around. "I didn't hear anything", he said, following her gaze.

A hollow feeling begirded her heart, making her shiver. The bleak; barren quality of the place was suddenly very protuberant in her mind.

"You know what?" she said. "I think we should go find a hotel. This place isn't that welcoming anymore".

"Scared of the dark, are we?" Jane teased her, but rose on his feet anyway. "It's too bad for the marshmallows though", he added in a joking manner.

"Oh I'm sure we'll find something to do", she remarked, her voice sounding raspy.

…..

Volker strode toward the exit with accelerating steps.

Ironically, the electronic monitor around his ankle had managed to forewarn them of his presence, by scuffing the frame of the door. He'd totally forgotten about it. He wasn't supposed to be here.

And yet, it was against all his wishful thinking to leave. He was this close to getting his revenge. But at the same time, he didn't want it to be something rushed. When the opportune moment presented itself, he would enjoy each single second of her begging for his mercy, before he finally granted her death. Of course, that would be after he killed Patrick Jane in front of her eyes.

Patrick Jane. Who would have thought that she would fall for that guy?

He had made it out of the entrance by that moment. Seeing their car, parked on the side of the pavement, he hesitated. As much as he wanted to be thorough, he couldn't ignore his lucky chance to encounter them both here. What if he failed to find them in the future?

Fate was a strong card; used carelessly once could result in it never chancing upon your hands again.

Casting a glance over his shoulder toward the exit, he scuttled toward the vehicle. The rear window was slightly opened at the top. Without wasting time, he fumbled for his cell phone in his raincoat and pushed it through the thin slit to the dark space in front of the back seat.

Having a bugged phone wasn't that bad after all, he thought as he ambled away.

….

The moment they crossed the threshold of their room, all Lisbon wanted to do was get in the shower and scrub off the smell of dust from her skin.

Well, it wasn't just a room, she realized as she took in the sight of it. Jane had ordered them a suite. And, judging from the linen sheets spread on the enormous bed, the over-supplied bar and the striking view from the balcony door—a very expensive one.

She turned to face him, a smile already evident on her lips. Once he noticed her expression, his characteristic grin made its appearance; the laugh wrinkles at the corners of his eyes becoming deeper. It was rather selfish of her, but she found a certain satisfaction in seeing him revel over the fact that he'd pleased her. It was so… human.

"You keep spoiling me", she tried to complain, but failed in it.

"I think you like me spoiling you", he returned.

She smiled lopsidedly, raising her chin suggestively.

Slowly, he moved closer to her.

His fingertips lightly brushed hers and she used her other hand to caress the soft cotton of his jacket at the side of his waist. There was tenderness in his familiar sea-green eyes. That, along with their sudden proximity, triggered a sudden chemical reaction in her stomach. It gradually filled the way up her body until it exploded in her chest. Words she never thought she'd say to him molded her lips.

"Do you… want to shower together?" she asked tentatively.

He became stiff under her touch and for a moment, she was afraid she'd gone too far. After all, they'd only ever seen each other naked in the refuge of darkness. Having a shower together implied that all their body parts would be exposed to light. It was a whole other level of intimacy. One she wasn't sure he was ready to enter with her.

His eyes examined hers and she wondered what he had read in them, because the next thing he asked was: "You're sure?"

She couldn't help a little smile, as she felt her confidence return. Then, growing sober, she held his eyes in a firm gaze so that he could have a clear image of her thoughts and nodded.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the sight of his eyes growing dark. His hands circled her waist as he pulled her in his arms and conquered her mouth.

She tugged on his shoulders to maintain her balance, clinging her body further into his. The force of her movement pushed him back, causing their lips to separate for a fraction of the second. She took the chance to remove his jacket. Once it was on the floor, he drew her back in the warmth of his embrace and the sweetness of his moist lips. Her fingers caressed the nape of his neck and moved further to bury themselves in the silkiness of his hair.

She opened her lips to give him full access to her mouth. His tongue found hers and they started fighting for dominance over each other's oral concavities. His hands moved restlessly on her body, as if he wanted to jump in her skin. The love in his touch consumed her, making her heart pound in her chest.

They slowly moved toward the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothes in their path.

The sweep of his fingers on the bare skin of her waist triggered a tickling sensation, causing an abrupt giggle escape her lips, relieving the overflowing tension of her body. She felt his lips recede to a knowing smile. Her being ticklish, though it certainly embarrassed her, seemed to utterly entertain him. Of course he'd find amusement in her most annoying habits.

The shake of her laughter did weird things to their bodies, altering the mood around them once again. Steadying her with one hand, he used the other to open the door of the shower and let the hot water flow inside, spewing clouds of steam. She stepped inside first, letting the water soak her hair and leave wet trails throughout the rest of her body. Soon, she felt him join her under the spray of water, sliding the door shut behind him.

Seconds passed with them staring at each other through the damp curtain—an encounter of bare souls in a moment of uninhibited vulnerability. In that moment, she saw him exactly as he was. Broken and defenseless and a little uncertain. This was him showing her his true self; the man under the mask of arrogance and coquetry. And she loved every single inch of him.

She laid out a tentative hand and placed it on his heart. His body responded to her touch with a shiver, his eyes fluttering shut. She drew confidence in that and pulled closer to him. Her hands formed a grip around his neck and he leaned down to eliminate their height difference. Her lips landed on the soft skin over the arch of his neck. Slowly; tenderly; she left a trail of kisses all the way to his chest. She heard his breath hitch; his hardness pressing against her stomach.

The next moment she found herself flat on the wall of the shower, as he regained control and pressed all of his body against hers. She sprung like a flower under his touch, letting every single one of her petals spread open. His hands capped her breasts, stroking their peaks with his thumbs. Her body arched in response and she wanted to scream at the sensation. Instead, she heard an unvaried moan escape her lips, though it was lost inside his mouth. Just as she thought she couldn't reach a higher level of pleasure, his lips replaced his hands. She grazed his locks with her fingers and let her head fall back, reveling in the sensation that was entirely and solely Patrick Jane.

His hand went further down her stomach and stopped just over her abdomen. It didn't linger there for long, but it was enough to drive her crazy, making her expectation grow stronger and stronger until finally she felt the warmth of his touch against her core. Heat spurred in her abdomen and she knew it wouldn't be long before it released itself. He stroke her clit and slipped a finger inside of her.

She came. Hard and fast. His hands held her steadfast as she shook violently, her nails dipping in the flesh of his shoulders.

She stayed in his arms for several moments, waiting for her breath to calm, his fingers making soothing movements on her back. Then, after a while, she started applying soap on him, brushing her fingers over every inch of his body. His hands mirrored hers short after.

They finished their shower washing off the foam from their skin and hair. Once they were done, Jane grabbed a towel from the stanchion near the shower and wrapped it around her frame. He draped a second one around his waist. Then, with no warning at all, he gathered her up and threw her over his shoulder, making her produce an embarrassing squeak.

"Jane!" she shouted among giggles, banging her fists on his back.

She didn't need to see his face to know that he was grinning.

He carried her out of the bathroom and onto the enormous bed. His quiet; hearty laugh soon accompanied hers and once again she swore, the sound of his happiness was the most beautiful music she'd ever heard.

She felt the mattress give under the weight of his body. He poised himself on his shoulder and pulled her under him.

Then, very thoroughly and very aptly, he finished what they'd started in the shower.

A/N: So, yeah, this was mainly a Jisbon chapter, but I promise I will write more about the case in the next one. (And btw, of course I wouldn't let them have sex in front of Volker :p That would be creepy lol). Don't forget to review and comment on this chapter! If you have an account, log in so that I can personally thank you.

Next Chapter: Well, you'll see! :)