A/N: Wow! I must say I wasn't expecting such a great reaction! Thank you so much to all the reviews and alerts and whatnot! You've persuaded me to continue indeed. I'm surprised to be able to make an update this quickly, normally I'm not this snappy. Perhaps the positive feedback is to blame, eh? ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own the Mentalist. I have not the self-control that Bruno possesses, keeping Jisbon at bay! Haha

Anywho...

Four weeks earlier…

Senior Agent Teresa Lisbon was a master at compartmentalizing, or at least she felt that she was. Whether or not she believed that to placate herself or others was anybody's guess. Fully aware of her tendency to bottle up feelings, Lisbon simply denied their existence at all. However, this time denying her emotions could not be done. This time, exactly when she thought she'd tucked those nagging creatures away for good, they'd sneak right back up on her.

Much like the black, Fed issued sedan currently trying to "discreetly" follow her home from work. The agent was not thrilled to say the least. Oh, she'd noticed the beast before and its caravan, often times following her blonde-haired Consultant around like a lost puppy. After all, the Feds were the reason for this sudden change inside her. That awful black pit that once had consumed her as a child making its reappearance well-known in her stomach. An acidic hate, aged to a fine all-consuming poison. Teresa Lisbon protected those she called family, and it was that reason alone that she named responsible for the unbidden desire to destroy Agent Darcy for even thinking of maiming her friend. She didn't care whether the maiming was physical, mental, and emotional or just on his permanent record, Darcy was not going to lay a finger on Patrick Jane. That she had decided almost instantly after hearing of the Feds new target of interest.

Seriously, though, following a Senior Agent? Lisbon had to think the Feds were either naïve or just plain brazen and that's why she slammed her vehicle into reverse practically on reflex, not thinking twice. Almost causing the sedan to back-end her, and throwing the car into park she jumped out. Keeping her hand on her still holstered gun, she walked up to the black vehicle, a grim determination settling over her. Knocking on the driver side window, she could see the "oh shit!" look on the young rookies face. Slowly the powered window drew down.

"You can tell, Agent Darcy that if she has any problems or questions, to take them up with me at my office. Tell her she can keep her damn rookies out of the private business of myself and my coworkers! You hear me?" She said, her voice so deadly sounding it almost hurt to acknowledge it as her own. Satisfied with the boy looking about ready to piss himself, she turned away with a new spring to her step.

Xxx

The next morning was an early one, a far too early one. It was always too early, when the female Agent had to be dragged out of bed by the voice of a petulant patrol officer on the other side of her phone. Thankfully it didn't take too long and soon they were finished with the crime scene. She sped hastily to Wainrights' office, expecting to get the briefing over with. The new boss creeped Teresa out, he seemed all too friendly with her at times and having to be around him alone was always a bit nerve wracking. Especially since she knew little to nothing about the man, and as she came up to his office her stomach clenched even tighter, now with putrid hate. Darcy and he were having an intense conversation; one that she could only assume was a direct effect of her actions last evening. Having not been noticed by the two, she crept up close and to the side of the office, intending to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"-She's an abomination! Don't you see, he's converted her to his cause!"

"Now, Agent Darcy really? Teresa could not possibly be in cahoots with-"

"That's exactly what you're supposed to think! You're just letting your juvenile crush on the woman get in the way of your insight! Remember you're on my side, you're supposed to be watching Jane and that wretched Agent! If I'm going to prove my hunch I need all the information you can provide!"

"I-I do NOT have a crush!"

"Oh, please! Do you think I'm a moron? You were totally on board when it was just Jane we were bagging, but now that it's dear old Teresa, you balk! You won't even call her by her title!"

"Alright, that's enough, you can leave. Don't ask me for anymore help either, just GET OUT!"

Teresa Lisbon's eyes almost bugged out of her head as she overheard this exchange, realizing she was definitely in the wrong place at the wrong time! Tip-toeing as quickly away from the door and towards the attic's staircase as possible, she burst into a sprint almost tripping up the said stairs as Darcy came flying out of the office. Ducking forward as the Fed ran by, Lisbon was not at all overly surprised to feel her form projected into a warm body. Looking up into the blue eyes of her best friend, she was shocked to see little more than complete confusion and humor there. Apparently the king know-it-all did not have any idea of what she'd just witnessed. At that moment, it may have been a stupid, selfish, unwisely made decision, but the Senior Agent aimed to keep that secret solely to herself.

Xxx

"So…you aren't going to tell me why you were high-tailing it so fast to my attic, that you completely missed my being there and knocked into me?" Patrick Jane dragged out, suspiciously. Lisbon had just finally gotten out of an awkward briefing with Wainright, and was now trying to peacefully lounge in her desk chair awhile. Too bad her Consultant had a better idea apparently. Rolling her eyes and releasing a deep sigh, she turned to Jane who was currently eying her.

"Nope." She replied, with a pop. Despite his furrowed brow and his admittedly cute pout, Lisbon remained immune, refusing to give in to his charms, the man must have realized it was a lost cause because he actually let it go. Shrugging he returned to the white couch and pretended to sleep.

Though the presence of her coworker was soothing, Lisbon couldn't help thinking about how she might fix the problem at hand. Darcy was obviously mad about her little spiff with the rookie, and now mad at Wainright too. Which brought her to that situation as well, Wainright had a thing for her. Ew. Talk about uncomfortable, but she had to give him credit where it was due. He quit spying on Jane for Darcy, and if that meant she might have to flirt with the kid to keep it that way, then so be it. To think that her own boss had been spying on them, well Jane, this whole time made her nauseous. Sneaking a glance at Jane laying on her couch, she almost felt compelled to share her worries. However, she refrained, knowing that he'd only wave them away as nothing. The FBI was not "nothing" though, and she was beginning to think that perhaps the only way out of the situation, would be deception. Meaning, she was going to have to pull on her big-girl pants and fight for the stubborn man herself. She knew he wasn't going to do anything about it even if she told him, so she'd have to, it was just that simple. Although perhaps deception was a strong term, Teresa would think of it as a plan instead, just one that Jane had no idea about this time. As if making a final attempt to dissuade her, the man rolled over in his nap, making one of his adorable sleepy mews. Lisbon sighed sadly, that damn mew only managed to reaffirm her position in this mess.

A/N: Hope I've caught interest! I promise not all the chapters will be so Lisbon-centric, I just thought it made for a good platform. I had no plan for this story originally, but now... well we'll see! :))