In Lieu of Retrospection
Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Rating: T
Spoiler: Six months after 2.22 (Red Letter)
A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed Part I and II, especially the anonymous reviewers to whom I could not give an individual reply. Also a quick shout out to forthecoast for her awesome editing job and lil smiles for providing the prompt. In this whole story, there are two chapters that are absolutely my favorite and this Part is one of them. I hope you enjoy!
xxx
Part III
The brush of something soft against her cheek rouses her from sleep. Yet, Lisbon doesn't open her eyes right away. Instead, she snuggles deeper into the fabric covering her, inhaling the calming scent of what she assumes is her comforter at home.
Except, even in her sleep filled haze, she realizes that her comforter doesn't have this particular, unique scent of male cologne, and her eyes fly open in panic. Her body rises quickly into a sitting position before she can comprehend where she is or how bereft she feels without the warm cover.
"Even though you're more of a Snow White, I'm tempted to say 'good morning, Sleeping Beauty.'"
She's just barely running her fingers through her tangled hair when she looks over to her left to find Jane sitting comfortably on the other end of the couch, smiling with a hint of amusement at her.
Lisbon suddenly feels very self conscious but tries not to show it, as she crosses her arms over her torso and fixes him with a frown,
"Don't tell me you let me sleep here through the night."
She says, defaulting to her natural position of annoyance with him in order to mask her embarrassment.
"I figured if I tried to wake you, you'd get violent. Besides it was nice to have some company while I worked, even if you do snore. I had a remote idea that surveillance tapes were boring, but I wasn't fully aware of how much."
"I do not snore," Lisbon exclaims indignantly in return, swatting Jane on the arm none too gently. Jane reacts as expected, overly dramatically, but Lisbon finally notices that he's missing his jacket and realizes that he draped it over her at some point during the night.
Thankfully, Jane doesn't let her dwell too much on the thought by goading her again,
"Don't worry; your snore isn't anything like a trucker's. It's actually more reminiscent of a small child or an animal."
It's apparent by the impishness in his expression that he's merely teasing, and Lisbon just rolls her eyes in response, glad to have some diversion from the blush invariably rising on her cheeks.
Jane says nothing about it but catalogues the memory and files it away for later. He won't dare admit that he finds the flush on her pale skin absolutely adorable, or that he didn't want to wake her partially out of selfish reasons.
It really was comforting to have her nearby, even though he was unable to sleep himself. He can't quite pinpoint what this feeling is, but knows he can't delve into it now, not when they have a case and especially not when he's in Lisbon's presence.
Instead, he realizes, looking down at his crumpled button down and creased vest, that he really needs to get a change of clothing. A plan forms in his head, before he can stop it.
He looks at Lisbon to find her staring at him with a soft expression on her face, concern lining her forehead in the form of noticeable creases that beg to be smoothed away.
"What?"
"You really went through all the rest of the security tapes? There must be another dozen I didn't get to." She says, eyes momentarily shifting to the stack of security tapes lining the spare table in her office.
"Uh, well there isn't anything useful on them. I made some notes, but really, nothing stands out and I didn't expect it to, which is why you should have gone home last night. But since you are a stubborn one, I didn't press the issue. You can have Cho take a look later on if you feel like it. By the way, he called a little after you dozed off. They got nothing from Royal, airtight alibi. Apparently he was with a lady friend who was more than willing to corroborate his story. Now in the mean time, it's still a little too early to pay the Creggs a visit and I'm in desperate need of a change of clothing, so shall we?"
He says this all in one steady stream of words and Lisbon realizes it's a little too early to be arguing with him, so she acquiesces and lets him lead her out of the CBI under the pretense that he'll drop her off at home, before meeting her at the Creggs'.
It's only when they pull up to a sprawling apartment complex half way between her neighborhood and the CBI building that Lisbon feels a little anxiety in the pit of her stomach.
Jane cuts the engine; the tension in the car is undeniable.
"I'll only be a few minutes. You can wait in the car if you like." He says in a quiet voice, fiddling with the car keys.
The offer to remain in the car is tempting, especially considering that for the last few seconds she's been wondering if going in with him will finally erase all doubt from her mind that they're not just colleagues anymore.
However, the way Jane looks at her, so unguarded and hopeful, ensures that any agreement to his suggestion will evaporate from her mind. She knows that regardless of her personal misgivings, Jane is exposing a deeper part of himself willingly, without force. Suddenly her anxiety transforms into cautious excitement.
"No," she says quickly, maybe a little too earnestly, but there's no time for embarrassment. "I don't mind. Maybe you'll even have some decent coffee up there." She adds with a smirk before getting out of the car.
Jane chuckles for a moment, but quickly rebounds joining Lisbon by the hood of the Citreon and smiling at her almost indecently, "Coffee? Woman, do you not know me at all?"
xxx
She expects it to be awkward, stepping into Jane's home like this, a home she didn't know he even had. She's overcome with a strange sense of guilt as they mount the stairs, realizing that she never really paid mind to where he went after work, even after they started to spend time together outside the office.
The shame makes her anticipation dissipate slightly. However, aside from the sparse furnishing, the apartment brings in a lot of light and is aesthetically pleasing. It's not exactly a space that exudes hominess and comfort, but Lisbon figures she'd be more shocked if it did, considering that Jane doesn't seem to allow himself any personal indulgences besides his suits, his tea fetish, and sometimes shameless flirting.
Looking around the room, she catches Jane watching her from the corner of his eye, as he places his set of keys on the small table next to the door and shrugs out of his ancient brown shoes.
"Make yourself comfortable, I'll only be a few minutes. Who knows, maybe if you dig hard enough, you'll find some coffee back there."
He gestures towards the kitchen, and Lisbon ducks her head, smiling to herself. The moment passes quickly as Jane excuses himself down the darkened hallway, leaving Lisbon standing alone in the living room.
For a moment, she's not sure what to do. Despite the relatively inviting feeling of the living room, she thinks it might be a little too weird to simply sit and wait. Then, at the most opportune moment, her body reminds her that their dinner was interrupted the night before, and she's heading into the kitchen without a second thought, a task already in her mind.
xxx
He's so focused on buttoning his left shirtsleeve that he only realizes someone is cooking through the delicious smells coming from the kitchen. He steps into the room to find Lisbon standing over the stove, jacket shed and hanging on the back of one of the stools around the breakfast bar. She's dressed casually enough for his mind to wander into forbidden territory, indulging in fantasies he didn't know he had, such as picturing Lisbon in his kitchen not just as a colleague.
He shoves the thought away, to find Lisbon looking at him a bit uncertainly, lower lip pressed between her teeth. Jane doesn't say anything but attempts to communicate his gratitude by maintaining eye contact. By the time Lisbon sets the two plates on the table, all vestige of awkwardness between them disappears.
"You are never allowed to criticize the contents of my fridge, ever again." Lisbon announces as she pulls two forks out of his drawer.
Jane grins before accepting the utensil, secretly marveling at her ability to construct a meal from what little the refrigerator contained. He only really comes here for a shower and a change of clothing, sometimes the occasional night of restless sleep.
He opens his mouth to explain, but then halts, the words lingering on the tip of his tongue. He watches as she starts eating slowly, and decides not to spoil this moment by bringing up unnecessary issues.
Instead, he chooses to appreciate the moment for what it is and thanks her for the perfectly cooked eggs.
"It's the least I can do," Lisbon admits quietly, picking at her plate, "considering how often you've been cooking for me lately."
She chooses her words carefully. Jane senses this, but she doesn't say anything overtly, thus giving him the opportunity not to acknowledge what's really lingering beneath her words.
He considers challenging her for a moment or shifting the conversation in that direction, but he wants to selfishly hold on to the normality of this moment, something he rarely gets to experience.
His mind flashes back to months ago, a rainy day, them sitting together in a car, him openly admitting that he wishes for a normal life sometimes too, and his decision is made before he even opens his mouth.
Lisbon doesn't seem all that surprised when Jane shifts gears, asking her if she thinks the boyfriend had anything to do with Kyla's murder.
xxx
The Cregg residence is a surprisingly modest, charming two-story home situated on the edge of an upscale community in a suburb of Sacramento. The only inclination that something horrific has happened to one of the families is the swarm of paparazzi and news vans lining the sidewalk.
Lana Cregg is a petite blonde with shining blue eyes and a stern but approachable demeanor. If there was any doubt that Kyla had been her daughter, it would be erased as soon as they met the health care attorney.
In her career, Lisbon has seen her share of politician homes, and this one is by far the homiest and most comfortable one she'd ever been to, not to mention the least pretentious.
As if reading her mind, Mrs. Cregg dabs the corner of her eye gingerly and speaks,
"We tried to give Kyla the most normal upbringing. We only moved into this community for security reasons, otherwise we would have been happy to live elsewhere."
Lisbon looks at the blonde sitting across from her and can't help the sympathy rising inside her. From the corner of her eye, she spots Jane observing family photos by the mantle, absorbed in his task until he notices the housekeeper breeze into the room with a tray of tea and cookies.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Mrs. Cregg. I do have some questions if you don't mind."
"Did Kyla have any close friends? Maybe a boyfriend before she ran away?"
Jane tears his eyes away from the graduation photo and situates himself besides Lisbon, before helping himself to a cup of tea.
Lisbon, having gotten used to his penchant for spontaneous questioning, simply flips open her note pad and declines a cookie the housekeeper offers.
"What does it matter? It's obvious someone who she met after she ran away from home did this."
From his spot by the window, Jeff Cregg joins the conversation, a deep frown etched on his face as he scowls at the sheer amount of news crews and cameramen surrounding his home.
"What makes you think that?" Jane counters his comment, finally getting the taller man to turn and look at him.
Lisbon has seen him in pictures, in the newspaper, on television; however, the pursed lips and grief stricken eyes paired with his extremely pallor complexion and lithe frame do not intimate Jeff Cregg's political stature or his usually vibrant smiles. Instead, they are all signs of deep anguish and sorrow; he's the picture of a mourner.
The way Jane narrows his eyes at the man screams trouble, so Lisbon quickly interrupts the possibly explosive questioning.
"We just want to cover all bases, Mr. Cregg, that's all."
It takes a comforting eye and a lot of finesse on Lisbon's part to coax the hardness out of Cregg's eyes, and he gives an imperceptible nod, before returning to gazing out the window. Lisbon shoots Jane a minute look of disapproval, but he simply takes a sip of the tea and hums his appreciation, smiling garishly at the housekeeper, who stands by the couch.
"Most of Kyla's friends are in college back east at the moment, but she had a good friend named Derrick Lancaster, who is local. He was a little bit of a problem child. Kyla was assigned as his tutor through the program at school, and they remained friends. He improved in his studies and is now attending UC Davis, so you can probably speak with him there."
Mrs. Cregg explains, before accepting a proffered teacup from the woman standing beside her. "Thank you Agata," she adds a little tearfully, "you don't have to stay."
She places a soft hand on the yet to be introduced woman's arm, but the other shakes her head adamantly, tanned hand clutching the small rosary around her neck as she replies in broken English, "No, no Mees Cregg. I am not going nowhere. I am here for anything that you need."
There's a pause as Mrs. Cregg places her teacup on the table and gives Agata a grateful smile, "thank you, thank you very much."
At that point, her eyes shift to Jane and Lisbon and realization dawns.
"Oh dear, where are my manners. Agent Lisbon, Mr. Jane, this is Agata Espejo. She used to be Kyla's nanny, now she just comes in a couple times a week to help me out. She's practically family."
Jane leaps off the couch to extend his hand to the dark haired woman, earning him a suspicious look from Lisbon. Agata doesn't seem too keen on taking the strange man's hand, but she acquiesces. Though when Jane smiles, keeping his charm in full force, she drops her hand and turns to Mrs. Cregg.
"I will be in the kitchen." She nods and the blonde thanks her again before returning her attention back to the investigators.
"I'm sorry for the interruption. Where were we?" She clasps her hands across her lap, looking expectedly at Lisbon.
"No problem. I am sorry I have to ask where both of you were last night. It's standard procedure."
If Mrs. Cregg is surprised by the inquiry, she doesn't show it, instead she glances down at her lap, "Jeff and I had to attend a benefit for one of the hospitals I represent; they just added a new maternity wing. We were there from about 7:30pm, until we got the call that Kyla was…" she pauses slightly, voice cracking just a little bit, then she regroups.
"Rebecca called us at around 10:00 o'clock and we came straight home."
Lisbon musters up a half smile, filling her eyes with compassion for the woman in front of her.
"My secretary will be glad to give you more information." She adds, and Lisbon thanks her.
"Seems like you do this type of thing a lot." Jane comments a little derisively from his position reclining on the couch. Lisbon already feels the pull of an oncoming headache. Does she really need to pull him aside? Remind him yet again that despite how calm things have been these last few months, Hightower would still be extremely unhappy if Jane pisses off another influential member of the community.
Regardless, before Lisbon has the chance to apologize on the behalf of her colleague for the umpteenth time, Mrs. Cregg sets her warm eyes on Jane and smiles.
"I am an attorney, Mr. Jane. I may not work homicide cases, but I can understand the procedure better than anyone."
She obviously isn't offended, and if she is, she's an incredibly talented actress. Though Lisbon is almost positive the grief and sentiments exuding from this small but powerful woman are genuine.
She glances briefly at Jane to find him equal parts amused and humbled, yet trying to retain his usual composure. Lisbon can't help but like Mrs. Cregg a little bit more. Lisbon is about to ask further questions when Jeff Cregg again interrupts.
"You're wasting your time." He says somewhat dejectedly, and Lisbon still can't reconcile the man with the state assembly title.
"I don't want to pass judgment, but from what I've learned of this dancing group, it can't all be nice people over there. I think there's more of a chance that someone from that part of her life did it."
He pushes off the wall and his quiet resolve finally begins to remind Lisbon of her previous image of Jeff Cregg. "Now if you'll excuse me," He says clasping his hands, " I have some arrangements to make. You can direct further questions to Rebecca and she will let me know."
Before either Lisbon or Jane can protest his statement, Jeff breezes past his wife and out of the room. Mrs. Cregg's concerned eye follows him out.
"I'm sorry for Jeff. He's just distraught, as you can imagine. Kyla was definitely a daddy's little girl."
Seeing an in, Lisbon shoves away the twinge of discomfort she still feels even after dozens of next-of-kin interviews, and speaks delicately,
"Mrs. Cregg, if you don't mind. Can you tell us a little bit about Kyla?"
xxx
"Daddy dearest is hiding something."
Jane declares as soon as the front door shuts behind them. Lisbon has half the intent to remind him that he thinks most people are "hiding something", but this time she feels it too, so she nods,
"Yes, I do too. I'm going to get Van Pelt to check out their alibi."
She pulls out her Blackberry as Jane follows her to the car. "Hey, Lisbon."
"Yeah?"
"Mrs. Cregg mentioned they did a press conference from their home shortly after Kyla disappeared. We wouldn't be able to get our hands on the recording of it, would we?"
This grabs Lisbon's attention and she tells Van Pelt, who picks up at that moment, to hold on.
"We probably can, why?"
Jane looks contemplatively at the ground for a moment, and Lisbon can literally picture the wheels turning in his head. He finally looks up at her, focused expression dissolving into a wide, bright smile.
"That's fantastic, I'll need to take a look at those."
He divulges very little as usual and Lisbon can't help the annoyance seeping into her.
"Why do you need them?" she pries again, but Jane merely diverts her inquiry,
"What would be the fun if I told you?" He says grinningly, before sliding into the driver's seat. Lisbon heaves a sigh, realizing her lack of coffee this morning is slowly catching up to her, morphing into the beginnings of a tension headache.
"Jane, seriously. Why can't you for once just tell me what you're planning?" She snaps, getting into the car, and buckling her seat belt.
Jane seems unperturbed, even a little amused by Lisbon's spontaneous rant. She'd seemed relatively calm all morning. Perhaps they should stop by a coffee shop on the way to CBI, he thinks as they pull out of the driveway.
"Well?" Lisbon catches his attention again, arms crossed over her chest and eyes peering at him expectedly.
Jane smiles before teasing her about her lack of patience, knowing that it will set her off, which it does. Regardless, he sees the sparkle in her eye as Lisbon berates him, and he knows she's enjoying this as much as he is.
Neither one notices that Van Pelt has hung up a while ago.
TBC...