Note: Jello-Forever Forum – August Challenge Prompt: Mistakes Somewhat OOC, but since this is a future fic where Red John's already been caught we don't know how or if they would change.
Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Mentalist' or any of the characters from 'The Mentalist'. If I did own them, Jane would be living with Lisbon and they would be kissing in every episode.
Van Pelt hadn't meant to do it, really she hadn't. It was a mistake. She was screwing around instead of working on her paperwork from the team's last case. She was just goofing around and now she was either going to get fired by her boss or utterly humiliated by the team consultant. This was all going to happen because she made the mistake of sending an email.
Now normally she wouldn't be so upset about this, after all accidents happen. This email though was about the boss, consultant, a possible relationship between the two of them and a bet about said relationship. It was the weekly update to the betting pool and who has what days for the coming week. It also included the new dates that people were betting on.
It still wouldn't have been so bad for her to say send the email to say her boss' boss, Minelli, since he's got money down for today. But no, she had to send it to the very people that the email is about. That is what makes this mistake so bad to where she's sitting and staring at her computer screen trying to figure out how she could make it out of this situation with her job and dignity still intact.
Her time has run out though, as she hears the signaling ding that marks that there is a new email for someone. Cho and Rigsby both open the email and skim through it before they look at the addresses at the top. Rigsby jumps up and turns to Van Pelt with a horrified expression that promises that she's doomed. Cho turns and looks at Van Pelt, his expression just slightly worried as he says, "Run. Fast. Now."
Jane opens his eyes at Cho's words, sitting up and looking at the three agents with faint amusement shining in his eyes and a smile on his lips. The amusement increases as he watches them. Van Pelt pales and her eyes dart around in her panic. Rigsby looks like he'll be sick and Cho just levels his patented stare at Jane.
Jane quirks an eyebrow and his grin widens at the trio's behavior. Standing, he ponders over what would have them all acting as if they were in trouble. Van Pelt's behavior in particular peeks his interest since she acts like she's about to face a firing squad or worse yet Lisbon in a snit. He ponders on this puzzle for a moment longer before he remembers the date and it all makes sense.
It's the betting pool email day concerning when Lisbon and he are going to get together. Van Pelt's behavior suggests that someone on the team, most likely her, must have somehow screwed up when they sent the email further on down the chain. Since Lisbon and he are not supposed to know about the bet, he's guessing someone sent it to one or both of them.
His grin softens a bit as he turns his thoughts to his green-eyed puzzle and her possible reactions to the bet. He walks over and into her office, wanting to see if she's gotten the email and if she has, what her take on the possibility of a relationship between them is. He knows she won't be upset about the bet in and of itself; well maybe a little since it's about them. She won't be anger though on the actual betting pool since she's in on the pool about Rigsby and Van Pelt's relationship.
Lisbon looks up from the magazine questionnaire she's answering as Jane walks in. Frowning slightly since he didn't knock and he seems a bit preoccupied, she can't help but admire how good he looks in his suit. Shuffling some papers around to cover the questionnaire and her answers, she asks, "What do you need Jane?"
"Check your email. I think someone finally slipped up and sent one of us the email on the bet concerning our relationship."
She grins at his answer, knowing that she's going to get to at playing at being pissed. The question in her mind is who will be baring the brunt of her anger. Clicking through the couple of internal memos sent to her and sending a couple of messages to her junk folder; she gets to the email she's looking for and reads through it.
"Minelli and you have today. So what do you want to do about us finding out?"
"Well... If Minelli's in on the pool then he can't really object to us being together."
"True... Does this mean you want to let the others know?"
"It's probably for the best if we do."
She thinks about his answer for a moment, before nodding in agreement. "Okay, let's tell them. But, how and when do you want to tell them?"
"Meh... I'll figure that out the how, just no shooting me," he replies with a mischievous twist to his grin.
She raises an eyebrow at his comment, "I wouldn't shoot you. I will just kick you out of bed."
He pouts, "Oh, that's cruel and unusual punishment. As for when, let's do it either today or Wednesday. Though if we do it today, Minelli will be happy for winning."
"You don't care about Minelli, you just don't like to lose. You have control issues."
"Pot, kettle. So we do it today?"
With a roll of her eyes, she replies, "Sure."
Jane leans over the desk and kisses her cheek before turning to leave, "Good. I'm off to plot exactly how we'll break it to them."
"Nothing to outrageous!"
He grins and heads to Minelli's office to talk. Minelli's secretary tries to flirt with Jane as he waits, but the he just grins and deflects the woman's attentions to other matters. After a few minutes, Minelli sticks his hand out and motions for Jane to come in. Minelli is wondering as to what exactly Jane wants or has done now, especially since he's here without Lisbon. Jane sits in the comfy swivel chair that's in front of Minelli's desk and waits for Minelli to start.
"What have you done now Jane?"
"Nothing yet. I just want to let you know that you want to follow me back to the bullring."
"Why is that?"
"The betting pool, more specifically the pool on Lisbon and I, will get their answer today. The one on Rigsby and Van Pelt is still going to have to wait since neither one is willing to make a move yet."
"Oh the betting pool... Wait, what? You knew about the betting pool?"
"Of course. In fact, Lisbon and I both know about it."
"Yes, of course you know about it. What was I thinking? Nothing goes on around here without you knowing about it," Minelli replies sarcastically, "Fine. I'll go with you to the bullring."
Both gentlemen walk to the bullring, while being followed by the secretary who wants to know what's going on, to be greeted with Cho and Rigsby both trying not to laugh at Van Pelt. Van Pelt who is looking at Lisbon in fear as she receives a tongue-lashing from the diminutive agent. Van Pelt's look of fear increases when she spots Jane and Minelli behind Lisbon, thinking that if Minelli is there she is really in deep trouble. The spike in fear is so much that Van Pelt sinks low into her chair and causes Lisbon to look behind her for a possible reason for the increase.
"Lisbon."
"Yes, boss?"
"Jane said you know."
"Oh he did, did he?" she replies with a quick look at Jane before focusing on Minelli, "Did he also tell you what he's planning?"
"Well... No-"
Jane interrupts Minelli by stepping forward and kneeling at Lisbon's feet with a big smile on his face, "Lisbon, my dear. I know you want me and I know I want you, so what do you say we start dating?"
Minelli quickly steps back away from Jane like he's afraid of being shot; as the team's mouths drop open at his audacity and the rest of the CBI agents and workers walking the hall by them all stop in surprise. Lisbon's lips twitch as she tries not to laugh at Jane's question and the reactions of the others. To the others it seems she's in shock, but Jane knows she's just holding back her laughter and his grin widens.
She pretends to think about her answer for a moment before grinning, "Jane, Patrick, we are dating. Now get up before someone trips over you or you get stepped on."
Jane jumps up with, "I know we're dating, but they don't."
"True, they didn't. Now they do."
Jane leans in and presses a quick kiss to Lisbon's lips before turning to the others and saying, "The bet's been resolved. Pay up people."