A/N: So sorry this took longer than expected! To make up for it, the chapter's longer than expected! Yay! I wish I could say that more enthusiastically, but I have no voice.
Disclaimer: If they were mine, I'd say everything enthusiastically. But they're not.
The first thing Cho, Rigsby, and Van Pelt heard was a clicking sound. Having just been through the aftermath of an explosion, the sound set them on edge. When the sound was followed by a glimpse of the smiling face of Patrick Jane, they all thought that they were done for. They let out their collective breath when the dangerously charming man was followed by their boss. She was grumbling something along the lines of "I could have driven better than you did blind." His reply was a simple smirk as he led her into her office and sat her down in the chair behind her desk.
"Thanks, Jane," she said, annoyed and distracted. She hated needing help. All she really wanted was a hot cup of tea and, if she was lucky, a nap. What she would probably get was a couple of painkillers in a futile attempt to numb the throbbing headache that was threatening behind her eyes. "What am I supposed to do," she asked him, realizing for the first time that day that her blindness rendered her pretty much useless.
"Not to worry," was the cheerful reply. Lisbon started worrying. Jane was beaming at her, she could feel it. The worst part was not being able to shoot him a warning glare. She had the urge to take the bandages off to do just that, but decided it wasn't worth the hassle. She heard a muffled thump, and then Jane's hand was on hers. She jumped at the sudden touch, just barely stopping herself from snatching her hand away. "Relax, Lisbon," Jane murmured into her ear, putting her hand on the smooth, plastic, angular object that he had placed on her desk. His large hand around her little one and his warm breath on her neck made Lisbon shiver a little. When Jane felt this, he chuckled a little, and she wanted to punch him. Her angry feelings melted into a completely different emotion when he breathed into her ear again. "These are the tapes from the interviews that Rigsby and Cho conducted with friends and family while you were in the hospital."
"Thanks," Lisbon tried to choke out. It came out hoarse and strangled. She cleared her throat. "Thank you, Jane," she said in a more professional voice, trying to ignore the effect his proximity was having on her. He put both hands on her shoulders, trying to rub out some of the tension that was centered there and Lisbon had to bite down hard on her bottom lip. He snickered quietly to himself again, but Lisbon was in no condition to want to cause him physical harm this time. He was carefully making very sure of that.
Van Pelt's cough at the door caused Lisbon to jump. She twisted, trying to get out from under Jane's hands, embarrassed to be seen with the consultant so close to her. Jane, despite, or perhaps because of, her obvious discomfort, held on more tightly to her, thumbs rubbing at the tensely knotted area in between her shoulder blades until she gave in. Then, he turned his full, charming, grinning attention on Van Pelt. "What can we help you with, Grace?" he asked her cheerily with one of his most high-wattage, white-toothed smiles.
Lisbon could hear the stutter in Van Pelt's voice when she spoke. She was still dazzled by Jane, despite her obvious feelings for Rigsby. Lisbon really had to speak to him about that-it really wasn't fair of him to do that to nearly every woman with in a ten mile radius. They would never stand a chance against the beautiful mask that he always wore. "I-I need to, h, show-I mean-have you listen to a couple of things that Cho found in his search, boss," she said, and Lisbon knew a deep blush was painting the poor girl's face.
Lisbon nodded and then turned to Jane. "Please, I'm begging you. Please don't break anything, get arrested, or in any other way inconvenience me, yourself, or the department while I'm gone. Are we clear?" she asked, knowing she was hoping for the impossible. Jane's snicker was the only answer she got. With Van Pelt's help, she got up and walked out the door.
xxxxx
She was trying to avoid help at all costs, even the stupid stick that they had given her at the hospital to avoid running into posts, walls, and people. Lisbon knew that her decision would probably mean trouble, especially with Patrick Jane lurking around the building, but she was too stubborn to care. She was the boss. Besides, she knew her way around the office. She reached her office door, strode quickly and purposefully through…and tripped. She flipped over on her back and landed on something smooth. She sniffed. Whatever she had landed on smelled like leather, and Jane's cologne. A strong arm snaked around her waist, right as she was about to twist quickly around and demand angrily and impatiently, "Jane, what the hell is your couch doing in the middle of my office?"
He laughed when she landed on top of him, stretching lazily. "Really Teresa, you're very attractive, but don't you think we should at least go out to dinner first?" When her elbow darted threateningly towards his stomach, he gave her a slightly more serious answer. "I don't feel safe leaving you alone. You obviously can't be trusted even to walk by yourself. That doctor, annoying as she was, told me to keep my eyes on you. I don't want to be uncomfortable while I'm following her instructions, hence my couch, which is, by the way, to the side, not in the middle of your office," he said, all with his most brilliant smile on his face. He had no idea why he was smiling, as Lisbon couldn't see him, but he did anyway.
She grumbled, pushing against his arm, trying to free herself and get back to work on the interview tapes waiting for her on her desk. Jane, of course, tightened his hold on her. "Oh, no you don't," he said contentedly into her hair. "You need sleep, and I intend-" He paused for a moment as she tried to get up again, then continued, "to make sure that you get it. Just relax, Lisbon. It'll help you think more clearly. Really, how do you think I get all of my most brilliant ideas? I nap." He laughed again, but it was a softer laugh.
Lisbon was trying to be angry. She was outraged at being held captive against her will, but she was tired. As she gave in just a little bit to him, she could feel in her bones how much she needed a moment to rest. With a deep exhale, she muttered "Okay." Jane smiled wider, and ran his fingers through her hair soothingly. "But seriously, wake me up in fifteen minutes, okay Jane?" He made affirmative, comforting noises. "I mean it, Jane. I have to get back to work." He just kept mm-hming until she finally surrendered to the tiredness in her body and the calming rhythm of his hands going gently through her hair.
Jane could feel when Lisbon's muscles completely relaxed. She let out all of the tension in her body and just settled in next to him. Jane didn't want to admit to himself how easily he could get used to that feeling. Instead, he just placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head and said, "Sleep well, Teresa," before he let himself slip into sleep alongside her.
