Author's Note: Writer's block is a... well, it sucks. I know where I want to go, I'm just having trouble getting it to go there, so my postings may be rather further apart for a while.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Mentalist and would not be foolish enough to claim to.

Jane had noticed it from the very beginning. The way Rigsby's eyes followed Van Pelt, the lost puppy look he often gave to her retreating form- it didn't take a genius to work it out. Rigsby wanted Grace Van Pelt and he wanted her bad. However, he couldn't seem to pluck up the courage to ask her out.

Grace could see it, at least a little bit, Jane knew she could. She even seemed to reciprocate the football players feelings, but something was holding her back. Maybe it was the stigma of being one of the new kids. After all, she had only just started at this school in the beginning of the school year. Maybe it was the fact that her father was the assistant coach of the football team. She wouldn't want to ruin anything for him by making it seem like her father had good reasons to play favorites. Whatever the reason, the two skirted around each other like scared herring, ready to bolt in either direction but unable to really part.

It was almost physically painful to watch. Jane tried to be encouraging, to give Rigsby openings when he could tear his own gaze off of Lisbon, but the guy was too scared to actually do anything.

So the rest of the week passed by before he knew it. The weekend was upon them... and Jane had a promise to keep.

:)

The carnival was a place of gaiety, of enjoyment, but mostly- it was a place of noise. People laughing loudly, screaming as they zoomed past on large metal rides, or just talking together as loudly as possible to be heard above the din surrounding them.

Here, unattended children were free to ran happily down the narrow corridors between rows of stalls all designed for the sole purpose of assaulting the senses with lights, sounds, and smells of all kinds. There were healthy lines in front of all the rides, and even some before games like dart-throwing and the fishing booth.

The heavy odor of popcorn and fatty, deep-fried foods filled the nostrils, combining with a layer of sugary confections, a tiny cloying hint of vomit, and a dash of sweaty bodies.

A heavy curtain, one dashingly embroidered in gold thread, was carefully draped out of the way but it still cut the assault down to a gentle roar, which allowed Jane to observe the chaos outside without seeming like he was a part of it. Seeing a child begging for cotton candy through the gap, he smiled indulgently. This was home, far more than any other place had ever felt in a very long time, with the possible exception of Mrs. Ruskin's house.

Slightly bored, Jane shuffled the tarot cards before him, trying to remind himself that this was worth it. He had gotten to school early enough to get Lisbon to notice him, to begin the process of getting to the bottom of the mystery she posed and Annie got a psychic for the weekend.

It wasn't that he minded the ruse. He had done it so many times that it was literally second nature to him by now. He and his father had practically lived on the mid-west carnival circuit for a solid four years, before his father had decided it was paltry trimmings compared to what lay in the outside world.

Look where that had gotten him.

"Patrick Jane, sit up straight."

Startled, Jane did and then grinned when he turned and spotted Sam sticking her head through the back curtain.

The black girl smiled back, obviously proud that she had caught him unawares. With a smug little twist of her lips, she pushed her way inside the tent. Her black, frizzy hair was braided close to her scalp and then allowed to halo around the back of her head. She was still in her apron with 'Elephant Ears' splayed in bright blue lettering across its front.

"Aren't you supposed to be busy?" He asked mockingly as the small girl lifted her hips and sat on the table near his crystal ball.

She picked the hunk of marble up casually and started flipping it from hand to hand. "Aren't you?"

"You know the psychic crowd doesn't really start till evening." He chided.

"So why'd Annie want you set up so early?" Sam asked mischievously.

He shrugged. "That woman would squeeze blood from a stone if she could. We made a deal."

"You're crazy." The girl offered succinctly.

"Probably." He answered good-naturedly. "But unlike you, I keep my promises."

"Hey." She said indignantly, standing up. "Don't go impugning my good name." From a pocket under her apron she drew out a bundle wrapped in brown paper and handed it over.

Jane stared at it, a little startled she had actually come through for him.

"And don't say I never did nothin' for ya." She whispered, bent close, and pressed her lips against him cheek before skipping her way out the front entrance.

He watched her leave with an amused smile surprised onto his face. That girl... Slowly, he shook his head and stowed the package out of sight as his next customer entered the tent.

:)

Jane took a moment to look around at the crowd as he cradled his hot dog near his chest. It was a warm evening, made even warmer by the press of bodies. There were a few people he recognized among the crowd, from school and even a few from around town, but mostly it was a sea of strangers glancing back at him. Not that he was surprised. Most people came on Fridays and Saturdays so they were bound to get a lot of traffic he didn't know yet. In fact, he might have recognized more if there weren't so many of them packed in such a small space.

He took a bite of his food, feeling the ketchup slide into the crease at the corner his lips.

It was Saturday, waning on into sundown, which was why he had decided to get his dinner while he could. Even as he people-watched and ate, he became certain he'd never be able to pick someone specific out of this crowd.

Except there was no way he wouldn't recognize the dark hair and emerald eyes. He almost dropped his hotdog in shock. Then, like a deer caught in the headlights, he could do nothing but freeze and stare.

Lisbon was slowly making her way through the press on the other side of the aisle. She had her hair back, pulled into a low ponytail at the nape of her neck. She could, now that her black eye had faded to only a slight shadowing no one would notice unless they were looking for it. He blinked down at her body. Too his utmost surprise, she was actually wearing a dress. His jaw slowly dropped as he took her in, dress and all.

It was black, with cropped sleeves and a hemline just below her knees. The edges were done in a narrow band of dark purple and white which matched the small scarf around her neck. She looked- an odd combination of beautiful and adorable, which made him feel like he'd been hit by a club.

Oh yes. Totally and completely lost.

There was a boy at her elbow too, one that looked too old for her in Jane's opinion. The kid had expensive tastes, from the car keys dangling from one hand, to his wrist banded with a large, ugly gold watch.

Only excessively expensive things were that gaudy.

Lisbon's panning eyes caught on him.

He turned away a little in panic, worried she would see the stupor she had put him into, but then took firmer control of himself. It wasn't like he wasn't supposed to be there or that she shouldn't see him- as long as he could pull himself together. Slowly he made a show of scuffing something on the grass as though he hadn't seen her and looked back up.

She dimpled a smile his way, seeming almost excited to see him.

Or was that his imagination?

Before he could wave her off, she motioned to the boy beside her and the two made a beeline for him.

"Jane! Hey, I didn't know you were coming to the carnival today." One hand moved as if she was going to put it into her pocket, realized the dress didn't have one, and settled to fold behind her back. "Wish we'd known. We would've invited you along with us."

Her companions expression clearly said 'don't count on it', but they both feigned a smile anyway and shook each others hands.

"Walter Mashburn."

Mashburn? Where had Jane heard that name before?

"Patrick Jane." He answered, trying to sound amiable though he felt anything but.

"Walter goes to our school." Lisbon said a little uncertainly, looking between them. "He's a senior."

Yes, much too old for Lisbon.

"You must be new. I thought I'd met everyone in the senior and junior years." Mashburn commented.

"Just started." Jane said with a faint, fake smile.

"Jane's in a few of my classes." Lisbon explained. "He's a... a friend."

A warmth infused Jane's cold chest.

"Well, friend- it was nice seeing you." Mashburn made to walk away, moving his hand to possessively cradle the small of Lisbon's back to bring her with him.

She gave Jane a hesitant smile in farewell.

A thought occurred to him. Lisbon... alone with Mashburn. Yeah, that was going to happen-never. He caught them, reaching out to lightly touch her arm near the crease of her elbow. "Actually, I'm working. Just-" He held his hotdog aloft. "Stopped for dinner. Would you like to come see?" He tilted his head back over his shoulder.

Lisbon looked surprised, but also somewhat intrigued. Slowly, she nodded.

Eyebrows up, Mashburn peered at him, narrowing his eyes at something he saw. His expression darkened to a bit of a scowl as he looked him up and down. However, when Lisbon glanced toward him, he cleared his features and nodded amiably.

Once she had turned away again, a fire entered his eyes and he smiled challengingly at Jane.

Ah-ha.

The guy was seriously eying him like a competitor advancing on his mate, smugly certain he would come out the victor.

Jane almost laughed. He wanted competition? He would get it.

As Lisbon stepped to follow him, Jane maneuvered to walk side-by-side with her, effectively shutting the young man out.

Mashburn scoffed quietly but Jane ignored him.

Lisbon looked over at him as they walked together.

"Want some?" Jane offered the hotdog.

She surprised him once again by smiling and leaning toward him. Her lips parted and his heart stopped. It wasn't a dainty bite like some women Jane had seen. He'd offered a bite and a actual bite she would take.

This time, he didn't stop himself from laughing. Lisbon was awesome.

Blushing mildly, she put her hand in front of her mouth as she chewed because she was trying not to break out in a smile.

He almost felt sorry for the guy trailing behind them.