Disclaimer: Ahh…yeah.
Jane was busy with a bottle of Jack Daniel's when his doorbell rang. He groaned in dismay before putting the cap back on, and then walking to the door.
"Lisbon," Jane said in shock as he took in his former co-worker's appearance. She was soaked from head to toe and resembled a wet dog's human form. Visibly, she shivered and had her arms wrapped around her body.
"Can I come in," She asked as her teeth chattered. From her facial expressions alone, he could tell that she had been doing some thinking and was ready to do the talking that came along with it.
"Yeah, sure," Jane opened the door wide enough to let Lisbon in, but not too much to let the water in. "It is pouring down outside; why were you standing out in the rain?"
Lisbon was shivering too much to give her host a coherent answer.
"How about we get you out of these clothes and into the shower," Jane suggested as he led her upstairs. "I'll get you a change of clothes and make some tea while you're in there."
Jane showed Lisbon where his bathroom was, and then went about picking her some clothes to wear and towels to wash up and dry off with. He set the things outside of the door, and then went downstairs to put her clothes in the washer before fixing her tea and deciding to make her a meal as well.
Lisbon took a rather quick shower and quietly stood and watched Jane go to work in the kitchen. He seemed determined and very at home in the kitchen. She smiled fondly to herself as she rubbed on her stomach. It was then she noticed that she was wearing nothing but an oversized dressed dress shirt that Jane couldn't fit and a pair of never worn boxer briefs. She felt much better now and would feel even better when she ate Jane's meal.
"You should sit down, you know. All that standing isn't good for a woman in your condition," Lisbon was seven months along and pretty big. There was bound to be pressure put on her back and too much would cause her excruciating pain.
He gestured for her to take a seat on the stool.
"No thanks, I think I'll take that couch," Lisbon turned around and went into his living room.
Jane handed Lisbon another cup of tea as she finished her plate.
"This was delicious," Lisbon said as she burped, and then blushed. "Excuse me."
Jane smiled flirtatiously. "You're excused." It was different to see Lisbon in a relaxed condition. He was used to her being guarded and professional.
He tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear before trailing his finger along her jaw line. She was absolutely stunning.
"Jane, I came here to talk you," Lisbon leaned in and placed a moist kiss on Jane's lips. For the briefest of seconds, he forgot who they were and responded in like. He abruptly pulled away not soon afterwards. "Carter, right?"
"Yeah, Carter," Jane got up and began to pace. "Lisbon, you married the guy and is having his child—you—you even admitted to still being in love with him. How do you think that makes me feel?"
"This was a mistake," Lisbon got up suddenly and looked around for her things. "Where are my clothes?"
"What?" Jane looked honestly confused as to what Lisbon was doing.
"Jane, I am in love with you and I have been for a long time," Lisbon admitted as she put her hands on her hips. "I know you feel the same about me, but how can we ever have a future together if you can't put the past behind you?"
"Lisbon..."
"Lisbon. Lisbon what," She yelled as she got in his face. "I understand that Red John—Carter killed your wife and child, but guess what? He killed my fiancee and deceived me as well. I am pregnant with a serial killer's child! How do you think I feel? Fucking fantastic!"
Jane stood motionless in the middle of his living room as he watched Lisbon gather her things. Was he really being selfish? Yes, was the answer to the question and he knew it. But, she came here because she loved him, despite his selfishness. She came here to tell him that she loved him, despite all that has happened to her because she felt it was important for him to know. She wanted to be with him and give it a go at a relationship.
Truth be told, he loved her too, but it had always been hard to express his love for her because she wasn't his wife. He wasn't supposed to love her. How could he? For Jane, moving on meant forgetting his first wife and daughter. It seemed like he would have to put his family behind in order to create a new life. And even the strongest memories fade with time. He would forget and didn't want to.
He loved them so much.
But, he loved her too.
Jane was in love with Lisbon and they both knew it, which is why he reacted strongly to whatever she did. He was more critical of her actions and opinions than he would be of others. How could he love her? She didn't hold a torch to his wife. But, she did and hers burned just as bright and fiercely.
For too long of a time, Jane had denied his feelings for Teresa Lisbon, and it was time for him to embrace them. No, he would never be complete again, but he would come close to it. He loved her and she was his last chance at happiness. No one would ever understand him the way she did and no one ever would again. Perhaps, they were so hard on one another because they were just alike. How does someone look the truth in the mirror and react? First, they fight it, and then they deny it, until one day they come to accept it.
They've finally accepted one another.
"What does that say about me if I am still in love with a serial killer?"
"That you are perfectly sane," Jane replied. For ten minutes, he stood and watched Lisbon as she silently cried against his wall and lovingly caressed the Red John's signature.
It was the first time in years that he actually understood someone. In that moment, he felt an unbreakable bond between Lisbon and himself form. Red John was the reason they met and the source of their pain as well. He was a lot of things to them, but different reasons obviously.
Jane walked over to Lisbon and pulled her away from the wall. Initially, she tried to fight him, but she was much too weak, so she gave in and cried in his arms instead. He tenderly rubbed the woman's back and, for the first time ever, he didn't hate Red John because he killed his family, but he hated Carter for hurting Lisbon. It was easy to see that she ached for a normal life filled with love, support, and understanding.
Sometime later, they ended up lying in Jane's bed; Lisbon's head was on Jane's chest and her eyes were closed as she caressed her human pillow.
"Why did you marry Shane's brother?" Jane asked pointblank. He thought about beating around the bush, but they had come way too far for that.
"He made the pain go away," Lisbon said softly. "I was handling the pregnancy and Coop's death on my own and Carter just started coming around. Then shortly after Nathaniel was born, he asked me out. I flat out told him no and he kept pursuing me, but was gentlemanly about it. So, I thought about it and I realized that I did have feelings for him and he'd treated me great, so I agreed. Our relationship progressed rather quickly and we were married within five months of dating. I don't know what I was thinking. Yes, in my mind it seemed wrong that Carter was his brother, but I didn't want to go back to being lonely…I saw what it could do to a person."
Lisbon felt Jane pull her closer to his body. He was lost in his thoughts when she spoke again.
"What happened between you and Kristina?"
Jane tried to vocalize what exactly when wrong between him and Kristina. The answer was quite simple actually, but it took him a while to figure it out. At first, he was happy, but then he started to want more than she could offer. It wasn't that she did not want to give her more, but she was unable to. He wanted someone she was not, Teresa Lisbon. Kristina could do things to improve herself and their relationship, but she could not be another person. They concluded that the demise of their relationship was because he wanted someone specifically and not just a set of characteristics.
"She was not prone to violent threats," He answered.
Lisbon squeezed his nipple tightly in defense.
"Oww!" He laughed as he rubbed his nipple. "That's my girl."