Shout-outs: MissDonnie, NeverMessWithTeddyBears, ShellGrad, couchpotato565, Country2776, Wldwmn, chymom, & Totorsg. . . glad you guys liked this so much
to everybody who favorited this story and put it on story alert. Thanks to you guys too.
Author's Note:
I was going to wait until Monday or Tuesday to post this chapter. But I could resist posting it earlier than planned. There's a lot of stuff going on in my life right now, so I don't know when I'll be posting or not posting exactly.
Without further ado, here's chapter 2.
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Chapter 2
"I brought coffee!" Jane said when he met Lisbon at the airport bright and early on Friday morning.
"How'd you know I didn't have time to make coffee this morning?" Lisbon asked, accepting the drink.
"I don't know," he answered. "Your whole entire family is coming in for the holidays, and you guys haven't spent Christmas together in eight years. . . you're totally stressed out about this whole thing. You're not thinking about little things like coffee."
Lisbon took a sip, smiling with pleasure when she realized Jane had splurged and bought one of the specialty drinks from Starbucks. "Thank you."
"What I want to know is why you're so stressed out. They're your family," Jane said.
"They're going to be here in five minutes, and the first thing they're going to ask me is if I have a boyfriend. And when I say no, they're going to tell me that I need a life. Especially my sister-in-laws, they're the worst," she said, indulging in another sip of coffee. "And you saw how it was with Tommy when he was here a couple of months ago. . ."
"Meh, your sister-in-laws probably just want you to be happy," Jane said.
"I just wish there was a way to avoid this whole mess."
"The sticky conversation of whether you're intimately involved with somebody or not," he clarified.
"Yeah." Lisbon looked at the Starbucks cup and traced Jane's name. Suddenly, she got an idea. "What if. . . what if you pretended to be my boyfriend?"
Jane looked shocked. "Teresa Lisbon, you didnot just suggest that I pretend to be your boyfriend!"
"You're always pretending crazy things like that!" Lisbon said. "Jane. . . please!"
"They'll see through it in a minute!" Jane argued.
"No they won't!" She replied.
"Yes!" He said. "For one, you're always calling me by my surname and two, we can't go a day without arguing. I'm sorry Lisbon, but you're on your own!"
"Why do you have to say nonow!" Lisbon asked. "You've always liked to play elaborate games before!"
"To play a game like this, you have to be believable."
Lisbon sighed. "And we're not?""
"I didn't say that. . . I like you better than anybody. But I'll have to spend a lot of time with you and your family. I just don't want to hear about how we don't belong together the whole time."
"You know what. . . you're right. Forget I even asked."
Jane grabbed her wrist and checked her watch. "Your family's plane should be landing soon."
Lisbon groaned.
"Come on, it'll be okay," he assured her, ushering her through the airport doors.
Lisbon drained the last few drops of her coffee and tossed the empty cup into a nearby trash can. She observed Jane and felt a flush of embarrassment by her request, and Jane's reaction to it. But she didn't have too much time to think about it, because James was coming towards them with the whole Lisbon clan in tow.
"Auntie Reese! Patrick!" Annie squealed, dropping her bag and bull-rushing them both in a group hug.
"Hey sweetie," Lisbon said.
"Hi Annie," Jane added.
"Who's this?" James's wife, Maura asked.
"This is Patrick Jane, he's my—"
"Boyfriend," Jane cut in, "I'm her boyfriend, we're dating."
"Sincewhen?" Tommy asked when he joined them.
"It's kind of recent," Jane answered. "Right darling?"
"Right," Lisbon replied, her cheeks flushing pink.
Annie's face broke into a huge smile. "Ohhhh! I was hoping. . . Iknewit!"
They were joined by the rest of Lisbon's family before she had a chance to reply to her niece's comment.
Lisbon made the rest of the introductions, and they gathered up the luggage while Tommy and James went to rent a van.
"Where's Edward and Donna?" Lisbon asked Maura.
"They'll be here in a couple of minutes," Maura answered as she watched Jane entertain Annie and her cousins. "Donna needed to feed Chance, he was fussy."
"So, did the trip go well?"
"Pretty much, yeah," Maura replied.
"That's good—"
"Hey Reese!" Jane called out. "I'm gonna take the kids and split. I'll meet you at your apartment."
"Okay, but take the SUV and leave your car with me," Lisbon replied. "More room."
Jane nodded and approached her to exchange keys. Maura was watching them, so he bent down and gave her a peck on the lips.
"See you later, darling."
"You too," Lisbon answered.
"You sure got yourself a catch," Maura commented as they watched Jane lead the children out of the airport. "What's the story?"
"The story. . . there isn't any story," Lisbon replied. "Besides, Jane likes to tell the story. So, ask him."
"Sorry we're late," Edward Lisbon said as he and his wife Donna came up to them, juggling a baby and a couple carry-on bags. "What did we miss?"
"Teresa has a boyfriend," Maura answered, getting up and relieving Edward of his son.
"Really!" Edward's wife Donna shouted, eliciting funny looks from passing patrons. "Since when?"
"Two weeks ago," Maura replied for Lisbon.
"Where is he?"
"He took the kids and left," Lisbon answered.
"Allof them?" Donna asked. "Boy, does he have his hands full."
"He can handle it," Lisbon assured her sister-in-law. "Besides, he had a child a long time ago. So, he loves children."
"Teresa, you're dating a divorcedman!" Maura asked in shock.
"No!" Lisbon answered. "His wife and daughter passed away about eight years ago."
When she didn't offer any further explanation, Edward launched into telling her how trying to transport gifts at the airport was murder. Airport security had unwrapped all of the presents, so they had to find a CVS to buy more wrapping paper and tape.
"I'll do it," Lisbon offered as Tommy and James returned to collect the suitcases and their wives. "Tommy knows the way to my apartment, and Jane should be there by now. So, you'll be able to get in."
"Thanks!" Edward replied. "We were saying before our flight landed that we could all use a nap."
Lisbon smiled. "Tell you what, have Jane – er – Patrickmeet me at Marie's with the kids. It'll give you time to nap and get settled without all the ruckus."
They all agreed and followed Lisbon out of the airport before going their separate ways.
.
"Are we going in?" Jane asked half-an-hour later as he and the kids piled out of her SUV. "The kids are saying that they're hungry, and would love some doughnuts. Damon here loves Bear Claws, just like his aunt."
Lisbon pulled a face. "I do take the time to know my nieces and nephews likes and dislikes, Patrick!"
"I never said you didn't—"
"Please can we eat?" Damon Lisbon whined. "I'm starving!"
This started a chain-reaction of complaints from the other six Lisbon children. So, Jane and Lisbon stopped their bickering long enough to usher the brood into the little café.
They ordered hot chocolate and an assortment of doughnuts. While the kids ate their sugary treats, Jane and Lisbon discussed what they were going to do with them for the morning. Finally, they decided to take them downtown to see the outdoor Christmas tree display.
So, after they locked up Jane's Citron they all piled back into Lisbon's SUV and went to the heart of Sacramento, singing along with every Christmas song that came on the radio. Lisbon was fairly surprised that Jane joined in, especially during religious songs like JoytotheWorld.
She was even more surprised that he held her hand during the whole entire expedition. She hadn't thought they'd have to put a show on for the youngest members of her family. They could have cared less if she had a boyfriend, or not.
Lisbon wasn't going to lie, Jane's hand in her's did feel nice. . . it was a perfect fit. A part of her didn't want to ever let go while the louder, more logical side reminded her to keep everything in prospective. They were only pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend. It would all be over once her family left after New Years day.
Finally around five 'o clock, they got a call from Maura asking where they were. So, Jane helped her gather up the kids while she put an order into her favorite Chinese food restaurant.
"Are you staying for dinner?" Damon asked as they drove back to her apartment.
"I don't know. Your aunt didn't invite me," Jane replied, smirking at Lisbon.
"You don't live together?" Lisbon's youngest niece, Ellie asked.
"No!" They said together, a little too quickly.
"Why would you think that sweetie?" Lisbon asked gently.
"My best friend Morgan lives with her mother, and her mother's boyfriend lives with them," Ellie explained.
"Well. . . Patrick and I don't. We just started to date a couple of weeks ago. Besides, you shouldn't live with a man until you marry him," Lisbon said. "But he's morethan welcome to stay for dinner if he likes."
Jane took his hand off the wheel for a second and squeezed her knee. "I would love to, thanks for the invitation."
Lisbon denied a shiver that was brought on by his hand on her knee, and the special look that was meant all for her. She leaned over and turned the radio on, hoping it would help clear away her total loss of common sense.
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"So, Teresa says that you like telling the story about how you two got together," Maura said as they all sat around the living room eating egg rolls and Chow Main.
"I'm sure she did," Jane said looking over at Lisbon, who was smiling innocently. "Well. . . you probably know by now that we work together, and have for a while now—"
"We've worked together for eight years," Lisbon interjected.
"Right. . . eight years," he agreed.
"It took you guys eight years to get together?" Damon asked.
"I was. . . preoccupied," Jane said to the fifteen-year-old boy. "But just because it took us eight years to get together, doesn't mean I didn't notice her. Because I do, er. . did."
"Cut to the chase!" Maura ordered.
"So, one day two weeks ago, she needed a date to a CBI event. So, she asked me to be her escort since I was already going. I agreed, because we always go together if she can't get a date. We went, and had a great time. And that's when I realized—"
"Realized what?" Damon asked, shoveling fried rice into his mouth.
"Shhh!" Maura and Donna said together.
"I realized what I felt for her went beyond friendship, and I wanted to get to know her outside of work."
"Is this when it gets good?" Damon quipped.
"So, I said to Lisbon—"
"Teresa, I really like you a lot," Lisbon cut in. "In fact, I've liked you for a while now. . . and I mean as more than a partner, and as more than my best friend. I'd like to get to know you better. What would you say to – possibly – dating me?"
"Then she said, but Jane you're always saying that you know me. So, why should I date you?"
"Which really threw him through a loop," Lisbon said, faking a smile for the sake of the made up memory.
"I thought the subject was closed," Jane admitted. "So, you can imagine my surprise when she pulled me aside privately the next day and said that she would like to date me."
"We went out every night, and by the end of the week he had asked me to be his girlfriend!"
"How cute!" Donna said.
"How highschool!" Tommy added. "That story was soboring!"
"Pretty run of the mill," Edward agreed, pushing his empty plate away.
Lisbon just smiled and broke open her fortune cookie. She read her fortune, her eyes widening at the words.
As promised, a boyfriend for Christmas.
She almost tore the piece of paper into pieces, but at the last minute she shoved it into the pocket of her jeans.
"Well, I better get going," Jane said, pocketing a fortune cookie for later. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
"By Patrick!" All the Lisbon children chorused together. They had talked it over earlier, and they were all agreed that they wanted him to be their uncle.
"I'll walk you out," Lisbon said, standing up and following him to the door.
"Today was nice," Jane said when they were alone. "I enjoyed myself."
"I think we all did," she answered. "Now kiss me. . . everybody in the apartment is watching us."
Jane looked behind him, and sure enough all of the Lisbon family was peeking out the window at them. He smiled mischievously and took Lisbon in his arms. If they wanted a show, that's exactly what they were going to get. He dipped her and pressed his lips to her's, causing her to gasp quietly.
She hadn't expected Jane's kiss to feel like this. Fireworks exploded in her head, and she almost lost all ability to breathe. She was even more surprised when Jane brought her to her feet without breaking the kiss for a second. It was growing far too serious, far too fast. Lisbon was just about to push him away when he broke the kiss on his own.
His cheeks were flushed and he was breathless. "I'll see you tomorrow Reese."
"Okay," Lisbon agreed, catching her own breath and not bothering to ask how he was going to get the time off.
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"Wow Reese!" Maura said when she joined them again. "That was some kiss!"
"Yeah. . . it was," Lisbon replied. "It really was. . . I'm tired, I think I'm going to bed now. I'll see you guys in the morning. Goodnight."
She didn't wait for their reply, and she was in her room faster than she had ever been in her life.
TBC. . .
Author's Note II:
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Personally, it's one of my favorites. . . well, it's one of my favorite kissing scenes that I've ever written anyways. So, you know the drill. . . if you liked this even a little bit, tell me! And you can tell me if you didn't like it as well. . . I'm not picky. Just make sure the review is constructive and not something against me or the characters.
Love you all,
Holly, December 4th, 2011_