Author's Note: Oi, gosh, it's been a while. I'll just leave this here for you to read and- run away as quickly as possible! HA.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Mentalist and would not be foolish enough to claim to.
"First I have to show you something." Jane swept his left arm out in his very best showmanship design, his right still slung around Lisbon's shoulders, holding her frame close to his. Their winter coats made the distance seem chasmic compared to their usual closeness. "Ta-da!"
Teresa came to a rocky halt on the sidewalk and stared, the smile slipping from her face as her mouth fell just barely open in surprise. "What is that?"
He released her and spun around her to stand to the side with his hands in his pockets, a mischievous and smug smile on his lips as he watched her take it in. "Marvelous, or what?" Turning, he looked it over himself. "It's a classic."
A silver car, bathed an even paler color in the dim light from the house, sat at the curb. It's headlights slanted into the front, the windshield small and rounded. It was a small thing in general, just right for a first car. The Citreon DS 21, one of the most gorgeous things ever crafted.
To him it was beautiful, anyway. He put a hand on the back, where it curved like the tail end of a pod. When he turned back to Teresa, she had a hand over her lips, the other arm folded up to prop her elbow on.
Her shoulders were shaking. "It looks like a metal death trap, is what." She was trying hard not to laugh aloud, but failing at it miserably.
"That's because you have no appreciation for a work of art." He pouted right back at her, passing around the vehicle and opening the driver's door. "Get in."
"Wait, it's yours?" She asked in disbelief, the laughing smile not leaving her face, still not moving an inch from where she seemed rooted to the ground. "Like, really yours, or 'borrowed', yours?"
"A christmas gift from my grandmother." He told her primly. "She said that since I've got my driver's license already, I should have a car to take you around to fancy places."
"So she got you this?" Her tone was incredulous as she finally stepped off the sidewalk and opened the passenger door.
"I requested it." He defended, climbing in and motioning her to do likewise. "My... my mother had one."
Teresa sat and looked at him."Oh." She seemed sorry.
He started the car before she could do something as silly as apologize. "You didn't know."
They rode in silence at first, nothing but the car's wheels rolling against the asphalt to play a backdrop to their tension. Jane couldn't stop a trembling in his hands.
It was definitely a date they were going on now. An actual date. He had to find a way to get her mind on something else besides what he'd said, or what they were doing out alone on Christmas Eve. "Uh... Lisbon, what's Van Pelt's favorite flower?"
Beside him, Teresa glanced away from the road to give him an odd look.
Not unwarranted, he'd admit. He had no idea why he'd brought that up now out of left field.
"Why do you want to know?" She asked a little bit sharply.
He shifted uncomfortably, not sure if he was prepared to handle his... his girlfr- Teresa, being jealous. "I was hoping to send her something, that's all. A present."
Her eyebrows raised in half-amusement and half something else far darker. "Should I be worried?"
"Have I told you how jealousy becomes you?" He shot back far more playfully than his good sense was begging him to.
She snorted and blushed crimson at the same time, lifting her head to peer out the side window from an angle that tried to say 'disinterest'. It stopped just short of 'mortified' instead. "You're entirely too full of yourself, you know that?"
"I do, but you wouldn't like me any other way." He grinned, glancing at her while turning the wheel and taking them off a main road and onto a side street. "So... please? Come on, I want to do something nice for those who have been nice to me, is that so wrong?"
Stealing another sidelong glance at him so she could look him over, probably in case deceit was visible to the naked and untrained eye, Lisbon pursed her lips and tilted her head. "Suppose not. If I tell you though, you're going to have to promise no tricks. Not a single thing that's invasive or that she won't like."
"I swear." He crossed his heart.
She sighed. "Amaryllis and Sunflowers, okay? She likes them."
"I thought you would know." He mused. "Then again, how do you know, if you don't mind me asking?" A glance showed her face to him.
She looked uncomfortable, almost squeamish. "Grace is... she's just one of those types of friends alright? The kind that likes sleepovers and night cream- flowers and-"
"Girl talk?"
She sent him a glare, but still nodded. "Yeah. So, it... just came up."
"Did she make you share your favorite flower then?" He questioned.
"I guess you'll never know." She smirked at him.
"That's okay, don't tell me." He said offhandedly, turning another corner onto a dark street. "I already know what your favorite flower is anyway." Pulling the car over, he shifted it into park.
Teresa blinked over at him. "You do not."
"I do." He grinned back and climbed out. Oh she was a terrible liar. Next thing she was going to try to tell him she didn't like flowers at all. He shook his head and hopped off the asphalt and up onto the curb.
She fumbled to follow him from the car. "Then what is it?" It was a challenge.
Gladly accepted. "You like daisies, dear. Always have." The small endearment slipped out of his lips, but he was having too much fun to care as he started walking up a sloped hill covered in sparse grass that they were parked beside.
"Shows what you know." She huffed, hurrying after him. "I like- w-w..." Her words pattered out once she topped the rise, walking up beside him as he turned to view her reaction.
Slowly he bent close to her ear to whisper, letting his lips brush the soft skin on her cheek and cupping the small of her back to pull her body close to his. "Wildflowers, of course. But wild daisies are your favorite. Blue, or white, though you love the other colors too."
She didn't speak.
He tilted his head to look down on the concert too.
They were at the edge of one of the city's parks and down below was a stage with it's back facing them. The front was surrounded by people, mostly couples dancing in their glittering outfits. Topping the hill allowed the sound of jazz music to hit the two of them, loud and smooth over the speakers as they played on the periphery for some kind of party.
Where they were though, there was no one to see and nothing for him to do but to take her hand and pull her along down the other side of the hill.
"Jane!" She hissed.
"Relax, Teresa." He pulled long the z in her name and felt her stumble slightly against him. Though because of what he said or the uneven terrain it was impossible to tell. "No one will see us back here, and no one would care even if they could. Besides, I've got to give you your Christmas present."
She swallowed, letting him turn to look at her and pull her close again. Her hands were shaking though.
Carefully, he edged the hair at the side of her face back just a little and bent to capture her lips. They yielded to him in the most splendid way, pressing back against him after a moment of startle. It might even have been the longest kiss they'd ever shared, but neither one of them cared to count.
Jane was too lost to. Finally pulling back, he let his forehead rest on Teresa's as they both stopped for air.
"Was that my present?" She grinned, her eyes still closed and brow still pressed to his.
"I would never try to seduce you over a song." He teased, like he had before. A part of him knew that it wasn't really true. He'd do just about anything to make sure that the young woman before him never left his side again.
A stylized version of More than Words by Extreme came over the speakers facing away from them and an seemingly involuntary smile took over Teresa's face. "I love this song."
"Do you want to dance?"
She laughed and tried pushing him away. "Don't be a sap."
"I don't think I was." He grinned too, took Teresa's hands in his and over her protests, he swept her into a dance.
They moved together, neither very experience, but still in sync with one another.
Taking a hard, deep breath, Jane bent close to Teresa's ear again and whispered the words that terrified him more than anything else ever had. "I love you."
Her only answer was to put her arms around his neck and whisper it back.