A/N: This is a little earlier than I expected, but I was too happy that I (FINALLY!) submitted all my courseworks that I decided to celebrate by writing another chapter! I've been toying with this idea for a while, but I didn't write because I didn't have the courage. I've never had a single drink in my life and I don't know how a hangover feels like. Actually, I don't even know if orange juice works, but my friend swears that it does! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Orange

Patrick Jane's head felt like it's been under a jack hammer for the whole night. No scratch that. A jack hammer and a steamroller. "Last time I get myself in a drinking game," he thought to himself.

13 shots of whiskey. That was what it took for Danny Travolski to start prattling his mouth off about the "great foolproof murder" he had carried out on his lover. Damn the man for having a high alcohol tolerance.

13 shots of whiskey. That was what Jane had to match to get the damn idiot to talk. And he was paying for it the next morning. Catching the culprit didn't stop the hangover from attacking his poor, bruised and battered head. He was thanking his lucky stars that he, too, had a high alcohol tolerance, or his headache would have been much worse today.

The pounding in his head got greater with the sudden loud ringing of his phone. Movements stiff, he grabbed the phone beside him and answered it, muting the ringing in both the phone and his head. He tried to say hello, but it came as a grunt, "Ngh?"

"Jane? Where are you?" Jane heard Lisbon's voice come out of the receiver.

"Upstairs," he said with great difficulty.

"Are you okay?"

"...Hang... Over..." Jane said.

Lisbon chuckled over the phone. "That's what you get for accepting his challenge. I'm surprised you could last that many shots."

Jane grunted in reply. His mind was in no shape for an exchange of wits. It wasn't even in shape for proper conversation.

"I'm going up," Lisbon said.

Jane grunted again and snapped his phone shut. Sighing, he buried his face into the pillow. The pounding in his head grew as his partner came in, boots clacking in the wood. "You're too loud," Jane said, his voice muffled.

"Is that how you treat someone who's brought you the cure for hangovers?" Lisbon said with mock hurt.

"The only cure is time, and I think the Sandman is the only who can bring me that right now," Jane said, pushing himself up from the bed as he massaged his aching head.

Legs dangling off the bed, he didn't look up as Lisbon walked over towards him until she shook a small orange container in front of his face, the sound making giant waves in his head. Scowling, he snatched the container from her, his eyes begging her to stop making loud noises.

"Aspirin and water; They work wonders," Lisbon said as she sat beside him on the bed, taking out a bottle from her pocket. "And orange juice. To boost your vitamin C."

"When did you become a pharmacist all of a sudden?"

"When you decided to play a little drinking game with Danny Travolski to get a confession out of him. After the sixth shot, I figured you wouldn't be able to stand up straight today. I still owe Rigs twenty bucks. Didn't think you'd make it past the eighth shot," Lisbon said.

"Yes, well, I took nine. Not that much of a difference," Jane said. He popped two pieces of aspirin in his mouth and drowned them with the bottle of water that Lisbon had handed him. When he had emptied the bottle, Lisbon took it from his hand and replaced it with the orange juice.

"Drink this. It helps, trust me," Lisbon said.

"Do you know how horrible orange juice tastes when you have that taste of yesterday's bad decision in your mouth?" Jane asked miserably.

"Yes, I do. College teaches you that. Also, college teaches you that OJ is one of the best things to have the next day, damn the taste. If you don't like it so much, pinch your nose and drink it," Lisbon said exasperatedly.

"I'll drink it, I'll drink it," Jane mumbled as he took a swig from the bottle, face contorting in distaste. "Tastes disgusting."

"Don't be a baby. Come on, finish it up."

Jane looked at his partner bleakly, but she only gave him a frown in return. Sighing, he took the bottle to his lips again and downed the entire contents of the bottle in a single swing. His face twisted in disgust as the vile liquid rushed down his throat. "Tastes as bad as the whiskey yesterday."

"Might just have tasted worse," Lisbon said wryly as she stood up. "Get some rest. I'll be in my office doing paperwork if you need me."

Holding Lisbon's arm, Jane laid back down on the bed. When he was comfortable, he let his grip on her arm go slack, giving her the opportunity to go back to her office and do work. It was after a few loud steps that he realized he hadn't thanked her yet.

"Hey, Lisbon," Jane called out as he propped himself up on one arm, making the petite woman stop and turn. "Thanks."

"No problem," Lisbon said, smiling. She turned around and continued her exit from the room.

"And you really should wear a pair of sneakers the next time you come up here."

"And miss giving you the headaches I get when I deal with you? Dream on," Lisbon laughed and walked out the room, clacking her boots on the wooden floor deliberately harder.

Jane cringed at the amplified sound in his head, but he couldn't help the small smile that formed on his lips. With a soft groan, he landed on his pillow again, arm over his eyes. The acrid taste of the orange juice coupled with yesterday's whiskey was still on his tongue. The aspirin was taking its own sweet time kicking in as the headache spread across his entire head. It was going to be a long day ahead.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Reviews are much appreciated! If you spot any errors, do tell me! (I don't know if the floor is wood, but I'm taking liberties.) Also, I'm not sure when the next one-shot, "Yellow", would be up. Exams are coming so I most probably might not have a lot of time writing. But I'll try! Do look forward to it!