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Author's Note:

Dear Santa Claus,

You gave me the second thing on my Christmas list. An epic Jane and Lisbon episode (coming next week). Will you PLEASE send me the first thing though? I've been an awfully good girl this year!

Love,

Holly

.

Chapter 3

Lisbon didn't get much sleep that night. She wasn't lying when she had told her family that she was tired. But just because her body was saying one thing it didn't mean that her mind agreed.

She put her iPod in, hoping that it would clear her thoughts and erase the tingles that were assaulting her. But it didn't help anything, the first song that came on was YouAretheBestThing by Ray LaMontagne. She groaned and pulled her earbuds out, and reminded herself that they were only pretending. Her relationship with Jane wasn't supposed to warrant shivers and the hope of an encore performance of their kiss.

Lisbon sighed deeply and wished that she could just get Jane out of her head. He had never been there before. . . why should it be any different just because of a charade? She shook her head and pulled the covers over her eyes, knowing that she wasn't really being honest with herself.

Patrick Jane had taken up residence in her mind a long time ago.

.

"Aunt Reese! Patrick's here!" Annie said, waking Lisbon up what felt like seconds later.

"Tell him that I'll be right out," Lisbon replied, trying to untangle herself from the sheets and comforter while she figured out what time she had finally gotten to sleep the night before.

She didn't have long to think about it though, because Jane burst into her room singing Baby,it'sColdOutside to her.

"Jane!" She hissed, pulling the covers up to her chin.

"Oh give me a break!" Jane said. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. After all, your family does think we're dating."

"Just go. . . please!"

"Okay," Jane agreed readily. "But hurry up and get ready. I'm treating you and your family to breakfast. I checked and you have absolutely nothing to eat."

"I know, I—"

"No need for explanations! Just get dressed and come along for the ride. We'll pick up groceries on the way home. I'm cooking dinner for you tonight."

"Why do you have to be so perfect!"

Jane looked offended. "Pardon me?"

"I mean. . ." Lisbon got out of bed. "Jane! I know that you heard me! Why do you have to be soperfect!"

"I-I just want you family to think I'm the right one for you," he answered.

"Why does that matter? This is all pretend!" Lisbon snapped. "After New Year's it'll all be over and we'll go back to the way things always are."

He smiled at her oddly. "Really?"

"You know we will," Lisbon answered. "Now let me get ready, and I'll be out in a few minutes."

"We'll be waiting."

"I'm sure you will be," she replied, following him to the door so she could close it after he had left.

.

Five minutes later, Lisbon joined her family and Jane in the living room. She went over to Jane first and made a show of bidding him good morning and planting a kiss on his lips.

Jane didn't do anything wildly romantic like grab her and kiss her the way he had the night before. But he did return the gesture, smiling at her tentatively when they separated.

Tommy cleared his throat. "I don't know about you two, but I'm getting hungry."

"I think they are hungry. . . for each other!" Damon announced provocatively.

Maura gasped at her son's brazen statement. "Damon Timothy Lisbon!"

Lisbon blushed and turned away from Jane.

"Nice one Dame," Annie said sarcastically.

"Enough!" James said, holding his hand out to stop his son from snapping at Annie. "Damon, you're the only one not ready to leave yet. Go and get ready now."

Damon nodded and clicked off his computer. He knew better not to defy his father, especially after the way he had just mouthed off to his aunt and her boyfriend.

"Sorry about Damon," Maura apologized to the couple when he had left. "He's at the age where he says whatever comes to his mind. We're trying to break him of the habit, but it's harder than we thought it would be."

"It's fine," Jane assured her. "It was a lot worse when I was his age."

Lisbon chose not to say anything, and busied herself getting her younger nieces and nephews ready to go out.

.

After a long breakfast at Cracker Barrel, Tommy, Maura, James, Edward, and Donna decided to take Chance and go see the tree display that Lisbon and Jane had take the kids to the day before.

Lisbon knew exactly what Jane's shopping trip would look like, the younger Lisbons would ask for every sugary and salty snack they laid their eyes on. And she knew that Jane would be more than happy to oblige them, even though he rarely ever ate anything terribly processed.

But he couldn't resist children.

Which was an endearing quality in a man. Whenever she found the time to have a real relationship, she wanted him to have some of the same qualities as Jane.

.

As she predicted, Ellie gravitated towards the Little Debbie snacks almost immediately. And before Lisbon could stop her, the girl had pulled a package of Christmas Tree Cake snacks off the shelf and chucked them into the cart.

"I'll pay for whatever extras that my nieces and nephews put in the cart," Lisbon whispered to Jane as Annie put Edy's Peppermint Stick ice cream into the carriage and Damon added Lay's Honey Barbecue potato chips to the growing pile of junk food.

"I really don't mind," Jane assured her. "I want to this for you guys."

Lisbon sighed wanting to pick a fight with him, but Damon and Annie were watching them. So, she left Jane with the junk food junkies and went to pick up the things she had written on the list that she had written on the way over to the grocery store.

When she returned, a Seventeenmagazine, HighlightsForKids, and a SportsIllustratedhad been added to the cart. Jane just smiled good-naturedly, looking way more in his element than Lisbon had ever seen him outside of work.

Lisbon dumped her purchases into the cart and rounded up the children. She ushered them through the checkout line and hoped the packages of gum would go unnoticed by them.

"Aren't you a little too young to have so many children?" The girl ringing up their purchases asked.

"Actually they're not ours," Jane answered coolly. "They're our nieces and nephews."

"They're thinking about getting married!" Ellie whispered to Annie and Damon.

Lisbon sighed and rubbed her temples, to tired to contradict her statement. She was ready to just go home and catch a nap.

.

It was as if Jane read her mind in the line at Raley's grocery store. Because as soon as the food was unpacked and put away, he was ushering the kids back out the door to go and see the latest Muppets movie at the theater. It bought her at least two hours of quiet.

With that in mind, she decided to try and get some sleep. She usually wasn't the napping type, but having Jane and her family around was draining.

TBC

Author's Note II:

Well, you know the drill. If you liked it, review. If you didn't, I still would like to hear your feedback. So, if you feel moved. . . press the little button. And big news! I won the Paint it Red November challenge. It wasn't for a story though, it was for my playlist. The link is in my profile if you want to see it. And then the promo for "Fugue in Red", AHHHHH! I am trying to be patient, but when I stop thinking of the Mentalist, I think of Christmas and the episode. So, I get even more exicted. So, even if you don't care for the story. . . just review to tell me how excited you are for Christmas or the Mentalist episode next week!

Love,

Holly, 12/9/11_