Authors notes : Thank you for the follows I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Mentalist - Sigh!
Jane arrives at Lisbon's door and notices the absence of a wreath. He puts down he rather large shopping bags and rings the bell. Lisbon opens the door, looks at Jane and then at the bags. First she shows surprised but then recovers:
"You moving in Jane?"
Jane grins he loves Lisbon's banter.
"It does look like it but no, step aside and let me in."
Lisbon obediently moves back and Jane picks up the bags and places them down in the middle of her living room. He stands with a hand on his hip and looks around.
"Just as I expected Lisbon not a decoration in sight."
"I wasn't planning on being here. I take it you heard the weather report?"
"Besides the point Lisbon, we both know you don't have any decorations, you only put up the christmas cards you receive. But never mind I am here to rectify that."
Jane delves into the bags and pulls out tinsel, baubles and even a tree.
"Jane what are you doing?"
"Well if we are going to spend Christmas together it needs to look Christmassy."
He hands her a wreath:
"Go put that on your door."
"What makes you think I am going to spend Christmas with you?"
Jane stands up from unloading the bags and gives a theatrical sigh:
"Because you don't have anyone else and you have always been curious about how I spend Christmas. We will watch Christmas movies tonight and cookies..."
Jane stoops and produces some cookie dough mixture from a bag:
"...And tomorrow you will come along with me, a helper for once would be nice."
Lisbon stares at Jane who looks a picture, ridiculous and endearing all at the same time, with strings of tinsel adorning his neck. She had not been looking forward to spending the evening alone and she really did want to see what Jane got up to at Christmas. So what if she had to endure some Christmas mess.
"Alright but I go to midnight mass and you better have some ice cream to go with those cookies"
"Of course, that would be like forgetting the turkey"
Lisbon looks horrified:
"Don't tell me you have a turkey in one of those bags."
Jane grins:
"Calm down women, we will be eating out tomorrow. Now where do you want the tree - the tinsel is beginning to itch."
Lisbon woke up to the smell of coffee. It brought, in an instant, the reminder that Jane had spent the night on her couch and she stretched and smiled at the memories of last night.
It is decided the corner between the door and the outside wall is the perfect place for the tree. Jane said he had tried to get a real one but the tree lots were empty. The tree he bought, although a fake was perfect, it didn't take up too much room. Jane has thought of everything. He has a Christmas cd to play as they put the tree together and decorate it. It has been a long time since she had sang along to Frosty the Snowman. Finally Jane is disrobed of his tinsel and he insists that she has the honour of putting the angel on the top of the tree. They turn the lights off and admire their work. Jane produces some seasonal candles which they dot around the room. It is decided they will not put the lights back on. As they are clearing up the mess the doorbell rings. Jane almost runs to answer it and comes back with some Thai take out in his hands.
"Jane you really do think of everything."
"Thai is my Christmas eve tradition, though Angela used to cook it herself. I would set the table out on the deck after Charlotte was in bed dreaming of sugar plums. We would talk about our dreams for the coming year and exchange a silly present. The last thing she bought me was a small teapot shaped as a magician's hat - she said it was fitting as tea seems to hold magical qualities for me."
Lisbon listens scarcely breathing as it isn't often Jane shares memories of his family. Jane looks at Lisbon intently as he is speaking so she oud know that he is sharing this memory with her. He then breaks out in to a big smile and produces a gift from behind his back.
"It has been a long time since I have been able to keep that tradition."
Lisbon is fighting down her instinct to protest knowing it isn't the right thing to do at this moment. It is a container filled with 100 pencils. A broad smile crosses her face as she reads the attached note:
'An endless supply to throw at me for the coming year and I promise to help you use them.'
"It's the best I could do at this late hour."
"It's wonderful but I'm not sure about the promise, you can break that one! Thank you."
They share a hug. Lisbon has witnessed Jane's discomfort when victims love ones hug him out of gratitude but she always finds him a great hugger, he hugs with his whole body and conveys his depth of feelings. They always make her feel good.
"So what she we watch. I have a collection of Christmas movies here from the traditional to the more modern. They decide to start with fun one and put on 'Muppets Christmas carol. When it is all over it is time for dessert. The cookie dough is opened and soon the house is filled with the delicious smell of baking chocolate chip cookies. With a plate of cookies and a bowl of ice cream each they settle down for the second choice of movie which is 'A Miracle on 34th Street' After finishing the ice cream Lisbon settles back leaning against Jane with a blanket over the both of them. They watch in companionable silence. When the film finishes she realises that Jane is asleep. She carefully removes his arm from around her and climbs off the couch. She covers him with the blanket and notices evidence of tears on his face. She goes in to her room and changes clothes and leaves for the Midnight Mass.
As she listens to the service her head fills with thoughts of her best friend. He has given her a wonderful evening that she will cherish forever and she says a silent prayer for him. Jane is awake when she gets back with two mugs of hot chocolate and marshmallows in his hand.
"Thank you Jane for a lovely evening, you saved my Christmas."
"I promised I would always save you Lisbon."
Lisbon looks at his wicked grin and laughs:
"Yes you did. So what are we doing tomorrow?"
Jane touched the side of his nose with his finger
"Now that would be telling. anyway you don't really want to know."
Lisbon realises that no, she didn't want to know, she was quite happy to be led by the hand by this man and that she can trust him to give her a wonderful Christmas, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.
"You expect me to just trust my Christmas to you. I may not like what you have planned."
Jane has taken her mug and was heading to the kitchen, he turns around:
"Now woman, you're just being difficult. We both know that I can come up with something much better than your 'watching tv, eating the scraps from your fridge'"
Jane ducks quickly in to the kitchen laughing as a pencil goes sailing by his ear.