Here's chapter 3. . . hope you like it.
Shout outs to my awesome reviewers, Jisbon4ever, Lisbon94, Lis, Pheonixmagic1, lisbon69, ChiisanaMinnako, Frogster, Anna, and Country2766. Thank you!
III. Explanations and Surprise Honeymoons
"Now, there's nothing wrong with you two marrying each other. It's not like Mr. Jane works for us officially or anything, but I want to know why you two got married exactly," Hightower said.
"Why?" Lisbon asked. "So, you can punish me even more than you already do? So, you can find a reason to fire me? Because I am responsible for Jane's actions, right?"
"Agent Lisbon, get a hold of yourself. No, I can't do anything to you for marrying Mr. Jane. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. There's nothing in the rule book about you two getting married. He's just a consultant. It's not like Jane broke into somebody's house without a warrant to look for evidence. It's not like he was manipulative, or anything. By the way, did he manipulate you into marrying him?"
"No, I asked him to marry me," Lisbon answered. "He didn't think it was a great idea to begin with."
"Okay, let's start all over again then. Agent Lisbon, why did you marry Jane? Why didn't you marry Emmett?"
"Emmett. . . Emmett left me, without any explanation," Lisbon replied slowly. "I couldn't bear the humiliation of having to tell my friends and family that another man had dumped me. So, I made it look like that Jane was the man I was supposed to marry all along."
"What about the programs? They must have given away that Jane isn't Emmett."
"You didn't notice that there weren't any programs? They were an expense that Emmett said was unnecessary."
"If you were marrying me to begin with, I would have let you have programs. I would have let you spend all the money you wanted on programs."
Lisbon shot him a look that said, shut up. Then she turned back to Hightower. "If you'd excuse me, I have paperwork leftover from the weekend to do."
"You don't have a honeymoon you'd like to go on?" Hightower asked.
"It was another one of those expenses that Emmett thought were unnecessary," Lisbon answered.
"Maybe you got the better end of the stick then."
Lisbon smiled and looked at Jane. "Sure I did. I got him."
"Hey, that was your own fault!" Jane answered. "I was ready to go out there and tell everybody there wasn't going to be a wedding."
She sighed, like it was something they had gone through a million times already. "Yeah, but I told you. . . I'd rather marry you than be humiliated in front of all my friends and family."
"Why select when you can settle?" He replied sarcastically. "Although marrying Emmett certainly wouldn't have been selecting—"
"I'll see you at lunch Jane," Lisbon snapped. "Don't bother me until then."
Jane turnedto Hightower. "Do you mind if she and I take a little time off? I want to give her a honeymoon."
"I don't mind," Hightower said. "I think she could use the time off. It'll be good for her. And since you two haven't done anything together, except for work, it might be a good thing for you to rekindle your relationship. It started diminishing when you had that little thing with Kristina Frye. And once Emmett hit the scene, it was gone."
"Exactly what I was thinking," Jane replied, ignoring the fact that she had brought up his very short relationship with Kristina Frye.
"So, where are you planning to take her?" Hightower asked, trying to act disinterested but her body language was giving her away. She knew that Jane had lots of money, and that whatever Jane did for Lisbon would be spectacular.
"Well, I was thinking a month in Hawaii. There's this place called—"
"A month!" Hightower exclaimed. "I don't think this unit could deal with your being away for a month. We depend way too much on you and Agent Lisbon."
"Okay, not a month then. Two weeks." Jane said.
"Sounds reasonable," she agreed. "When do you want to leave?"
"As soon as possible," Jane answered. "Today, if we can."
"Well, just fill out the proper paperwork and we'll see you when you get back."
"Sure." Jane glanced at the clock behind Hightower's desk. "Do you mind if I keep Lisbon here and take Van Pelt with me while I go and get all the details worked out?"
"As long as Van Pelt is back here by lunch time."
"Thank you!" He called, rushing out of the office. "See you when we get back!"
"And have a good time!"
"Why did you bring me with you exactly?" Van Pelt asked as she and Jane walked around a high-end fashion boutique.
"Well, I figured since you were Lisbon's Maid of Honor, you'd know her sizes, and style, and things."
"Yeah, what about it?"
"I need you to pick things for a trousseau. I'd do it myself, but I have other things that need to be done."
"A trousseau?" Van Pelt's face lit up. "You're taking her on a honey moon! Where?"
"To Hawaii," Jane answered. "You stay here and pick things out while I go and make a few phone calls. Don't pick out too much though, just in case she wants to do some shopping when we get to Hawaii."
Van Pelt nodded eagerly and immediately started to pull things off the rack.
.
Four hours later, Jane and Van Pelt arrived at CBI headquarters in a limo.
"Okay," Jane said. "Go in there and tell Lisbon that I'm waiting to take her out for lunch. If she protests, text me, but don't say anything. Just let her think she's getting her way."
Van Pelt nodded. "I will. Bon Voyage. I'll see you when you get back. Behave yourself."
"Thank you Grace. You behave yourself too."
Van Pelt laughed and then stuck her head back in the door. "By the way, what does Bon Voyage mean anyways?"
"Bon Voyage means good journey in French," Jane answered. "Now go on! The plane leaves in two hours!"
"What are you doing Jane?" Lisbon asked. "What's up with this limo?"
Jane just smiled and patted the seat beside him. "Get in."
"Are we going to lunch? Are we going to lunch in a limo?"
"Just get in," Jane said.
"I want to know what's going on," Lisbon replied. "Do you know that they took my gun away from me before I left the office? And they said; see you when you get back Mrs. Jane. Have a good time. Now, what was that all about?"
"You shouldn't carry it around unless you're on the job anyways." Jane said, ignoring her other comment.
"If I don't carry it around, how am I going to protect you when you get into trouble?"
"Meh. I'm a big boy; I can take care of myself. And now that you're Mrs. Jane, I think it's time that I start protecting you. Not you protecting me."
"You're always protect me. . . in your own way—"
Jane grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her into the limo gently. "Come on, Mrs. Jane. . . we're wasting time."
"I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me where we're going and what we're doing!" Lisbon protested.
Jane took a tie out from a bag and put it around her eyes. "Hush woman! It's a surprise."
She moaned. "I hate Jane surprises."
"I promise you'll like this one."
"Do I really have to be blind-folded?"
"Yes, and if you don't stop talking, I'll put duct tape over your mouth too."
"Then, I'll divorce you for domestic abuse."
"Meh. I'll take my chances. You're going to get this marriage annulled in a year or two anyways." Jane closed the door. "You can go now Franko, but please go as quickly as the speed limit allows. Or we'll be late."
"Yes Mr. Jane."
Lisbon sighed and settled into the seat beside Jane. Trying hard not to reach out and punch him as hard as she could.
"Hey, relax! This is going to be fun," Jane said, reaching out to take her hand. He rubbed circles into her knuckles with his thumb. And then, he caressed each finger gently with his lips. It was so quick Lisbon thought she imagined it.
"Okay," Lisbon whispered, resting under his touch and finding herself hoping that he wouldn't let go for a long while.
"We're here," Jane said after an hour. He leaned over and took her blindfold off.
"Jane, this is the airport," Lisbon replied, staring in disbelief.
"I'm not stupid. I know." He smiled at her. "Come on, we have to have hurry. My friend won't wait for us much longer."
"Wait a minute! Your friend?" Lisbon asked following him out of the limo, and stopping him. "What are you talking about?"
"I called in a favor," Jane answered. "So, we're taking our trip on a private jet."
"Wait, what trip?" Lisbon asked. "What favor? What friend?"
"If I explain it all to you, will you shut up?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"Okay then. We're going to Hawaii with my friend and his wife on their private jet. He owed me a favor from a long time ago, when I reconnected him and his wife."
"Oh." Lisbon nodded with a knowing smile. "More psychic stuff?"
"You promised me that you wouldn't ask any more questions," Jane said. "But no, it wasn't psychic stuff. It was just me and my wife being good friends. My friend was so happy that we helped him work things out with his wife that he promised me that he'd do anything he could for me. I've never had an opportunity to take him up on his offer. Until now."
Lisbon smiled nervously. "But you said these people were. . . friends with you and your wife. They're not going to. . like me."
"They'll love you, I promise!" Jane assured her. "I swear his wife, Shani, has been trying to get me to date again for four years now—"
"Patrick! You son of a gun! Going off and getting married without inviting us to the wedding! Without so much of having the courtesy to tell us that you were getting married!"
"It was sort of last minute," Jane answered, turning around and embracing the tall, black man coming up to him. "Really, a quick decision. You, Shani, and the kids would have been the first people on the guest list though. You know that—"
"Uncle Patrick!"
"Daisy!" Jane swung the little girl up in his arms and gave her a big bear hug. "I've missed you!"
"I've missed you too," Daisy said twirling one of his blonde curls around her little finger. "You haven't been to see us in a while."
"That's because I've been helping this woman catch bad guys," Jane replied, putting his arm around Lisbon's waist and pulling her closer. "And you know what?"
"What?" Daisy asked, her eyes widening.
"She and I, we got married this weekend. Daisy Cooper, this is Teresa Lis- Teresa Jane. Teresa, this is Daisy."
"Hi," Lisbon said, smiling.
"Hey," Daisy said, scrambling down from Jane's arms, and wrapping her arms around Lisbon's legs. "Are you my aunt now?"
"Would you like me to be your aunt?" Lisbon asked.
"Well, I guess. I mean, you're married to Uncle Patrick."
"Well, then. . . call me Aunt Teresa," Lisbon answered, smiling at Jane.
"Patrick Jane!"
"Uh, Lisbon. . . this is Shani," Jane said, introducing her to a tall, elegant black woman. "Shani, this is Lisbon, I mean. . . Teresa."
"I know, Tavis told me all about her. And the wedding you didn't invite us to."
"Totally last minute," Jane said quickly. "I'm going to help Tavis get the bags on the plane."
Shani turned to Lisbon. "Pleasure to meet you Teresa. This is my oldest, April. And that's my husband, Tavis." she looked down at Daisy, who was still glued to Lisbon's leg. "I can see that you already met Daisy."
"Yes. She's so sweet. It's so good to finally meet friends of Jane's. I mean, of Patrick's. I. . . I didn't actually think he had any. The way he went on, he acted like I was his only friend."
"Well, that's what he'd like you to think, isn't it?" Shani asked, glancing over at Jane and Tavis, who were unloading suitcases. "But he's not as much a loner as he'd like you to think. And he likes you, a lot. Whenever we've seen him lately, you're all he's talked about."
"Really?" Lisbon asked, looking at Jane. "What's he said?"
"Only good stuff," Shani assured her.
"Are you really the agent who caught Olivia and Bradli's killer?" April asked, speaking for the first time.
"April!" Shani looked appalled.
"No, it's okay!" Lisbon nodded. "Yes, I caught Jane's wife and daughter's killer."
April's face broke into a huge smile, and she threw her arms around Lisbon's neck. "Thank you!"
"Okay girls, leave Teresa alone!" Shani said, peeling Daisy off her legs.
Lisbon smiled and put her arm around April's shoulder. "So. . . how old are you April?"
"I'm going to be fourteen in two weeks. Dad and Mom are taking me to Hawaii to celebrate."
"But don't worry; we'll leave you and Patrick alone completely!" Shani hurried on to assure her.
"Oh! Well, you don't have to—"
"Sweetie, it's your honeymoon. Of course, we have to—"
"The bags are on the plane, and the pilot has flight clearance. So, we're free to take off." Tavis said, coming up to them and planting a kiss on his wife's neck. Then, he turned to smile at Lisbon. "Hi, I'm Tavis Cooper. You must be Teresa. It's good to meet you."
"It's good to meet you too," Lisbon replied, holding her hand out so that Tavis could shake it.
"You know, you didn't do her justice Patrick. She's even prettier than you made her out to be."
"Don't I know it though," Jane answered, coming back over to Lisbon and giving April a quick hug. "Hello beautiful. Broken any hearts lately?"
"Uncle Patrick," April said, blushing.
Lisbon shook her head. "Jane, leave her alone."
"Jane?" Shani asked.
"You know, couples and their nicknames for each other," Jane said quickly. "I call her Lisbon sometimes. . . it's just. . . a thing."
Shani nodded and picked Daisy up. "Come on April, Tavis. . . let's go and board the plane. We want to make good time." she threw a pointed look at Tavis. "Unlike the last time, when we went to Russia."
"The Queen has spoken," Jane said to Lisbon, putting his arm around her waist. "We better obey her, or risk her wrath."
"She's not that bad," Tavis said as he was passing them to catch up with his wife.
"Of course you'd say that. She's your wife." Jane winked at him. "You don't want to get on her bad side."
Tavis just rolled his eyes. He took Shani by the hand and squeezed her hand intimately. Shani's eyes lit up, and she leaned over to peck his cheek. None of this exchange was lost on Lisbon, she saw all of it. Usually, such public displays of affection would depress her. But the warm pressure from Jane's arm on the small of her back, and the comfortable way he had pulled her close made it all the easier to watch. For the first time in a while, she didn't feel an insane jealousy pulling her down.
TBC. . .