Stay
A Jane & Lisbon Story
By Brown Eyes Parker
Summary:
Jane and Lisbon's budding romance is threatened with the return of billionaire Walter Mashburn. Who will Lisbon choose? The man who can give her empty glamour? Or the one who's been there all along? Inspired by "Stay" by SafetySuit.
Dedicated to:
watchyouwalk (Autumn), because we were IMing one night, and she helped me come up with the idea of Jane and Lisbon's romance being threatened by Mashburn's return. Thanks for being my muse Autumn.
To Jisbon4ever (Laura), just because she's totally awesome, and one of my best friends on (Love Patricia)
Love,
Holly
Disclaimer:
I don't own anything. If I did, I wouldn't even be writing this story right now.
Author's Note:
I had a long week. I don't even WANT to talk about it. It was literally a roller-coaster ride though. It culminated in a sleepless night for me, where I was up in the wee small hours of this morning watching "Family Tie" reruns, and desperately trying to get some sleep on the couch. I don't see what Jane finds so attractive in sleeping on a couch, honestly. Here's to a good night's sleep.
.
Chapter 9
It was starting to rain when Jane made his way up to his father's door.
"Teresa's not with you this time?" Garrett asked as he let his son in.
"No, not this time," Jane answered, scrubbing at his face. "I think I lost her dad."
"Nonsense!" Garrett protested. "Jane men never lose their women!"
"I don't know what it is," Jane said mostly to himself. "Maybe I didn't show her enough affection? I mean, I didn't even kiss her until today—"
"Oh, she is long gone!"
"Thanks dad," Jane said dryly.
"Garrett!" Debra scolded, coming out of the kitchen.
"You have company!" Jane sighed. "I'll go—"
"She loves you Patrick!" Debra said. "I could tell from the way she looked at you."
"Everybody keeps saying that, but I didn't see it. . ."
"Oy-vay! Did I not teach you anything?" Garrett asked. "If I did, you wouldn't be here questioning the way she feels about you."
"You don't understand! She's been going out with Walter Mashburn. . . in fact, she's with him right now!"
"Walter Mashburn is just a man like you and me," Garrett said. "You should know that, are you forty-two, or a thirteen-year-old teenage girl with a crush on David Cassidy?"
"Dad, you really don't understand. . . she's – you know – been with Mashburn before."
Garrett rolled his eyes. "I understand, I wasn't born yesterday."
"Patrick, listen. . . he's Walter Mashburn, he goes through women like children go through clothes," Debra said. "She'd be a fool to choose him over you."
"She's not going to choose him over you," Garrett added. "What does true love have over empty-glamour? Not very much at all. . . except sometimes it can be more fun."
.
"Walter, I'd like to introduce you to Cindy Williams," Lisbon said. "Cindy, this is Walter Mashburn."
"Cindy, it's a pleasure," Mashburn said, offering her his hand and a charming smile.
"Same here!" Cindy replied.
"Now tell me, how do you and Teresa know each other?"
"She and Mr. Jane solved a case for my family," Cindy answered. "We kept in touch afterwards."
"I was actually a suspect in two cases that Teresa and Patrick were working on," Mashburn said, strangely proud of the fact.
"Speaking of Patrick, where is he?" Cindy asked, looking around the café. "You and he are always joined at the hip. I mean, if I didn't know any better, I would have said that you two had a secret thing for each other."
"Actually. . . we are seeing each other as more than friends and co-workers now," Lisbon said, nodding.
"How delightful!" Cindy's face lit up like a child's at Christmas. "But he's not here?"
"Not tonight," Lisbon answered. "Um. . . we kind of had a miscommunication."
"Go to him then!" Cindy said. "I'll be okay by myself. It isn't every day that a girl meets a handsome, single, multi-billionaire. And it isn't every day that two people so perfect for one another other, actually find each other. Even when they've been together for a really long time."
"She's right," Mashburn added quietly. "You and Patrick are perfect for each other. . . and I would hate to see you screw up your relationship with him. Especially because of me. If you go to him right now and tell him how you feel, I'll keep my word. I won't ever bother you as more than a friend again."
Lisbon stared at him with disbelieving eyes. And then she smiled. "Thank you Walter. . . that means a lot to me."
"Goodbye Teresa, best of luck," he replied.
.
"Where's Jane?" Lisbon asked, bolting over to Van Pelt's desk. "I've looked for him all over the CBI and I haven't been able to find him."
"I think that he went to his father's house," Van Pelt replied. "Is everything okay Boss? I thought you were with Mashburn, and you're drenched—"
"Everything's going to be fine," Lisbon assured her. "I just need to find Jane."
"I'll call him and see if he's still at his father's," Van Pelt said.
"There's no need to do that Grace. . . I'm back," Jane said.
Van Pelt stood and grabbed her keys. "Then, I'll just. . . leave you two alone."
Jane looked at Lisbon and crossed his arms. "What are you doing here? I thought you were with Walter."
"Patrick. . . I-I-I-" Lisbon sighed, at a loss for words. And suddenly, something came to her. She said, "You have five smiles. . . one when you think people are idiots, one when you're teasing the team, one when you have the perfect cup of tea, one when you get a big lead in a case, and one when. . . when you're looking at me."
Jane looked up surprised.
"I didn't sleep with him. . ." She almost took a step towards him, but held back. "The whole entire time Walter was here. . . I didn't sleep with him. The thought never even crossed my mind. I'll admit, I was confused about my feelings for you after Walter came back. But all along it was you. And I realized that, days after he came here."
"Me?"
"My right choice was you," Lisbon explained. "You were right in front of me this whole entire time."
Jane sighed. "Lisbon. . ."
"I understand," Lisbon said, cringing at the way he referred to her by her last name, she turned to go. "I'll just go now. It's okay. I don't know what I was thinking, coming back to you—"
"Stay," Jane said.
"Stay?" Lisbon repeated, looking back at him hopefully.
"Yeah. . . stay," Jane answered, coming towards her and pulling her into his arms. He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, and she responded. It wasn't like the previous kiss he had given her. That one was filled with desperation and longing. This one held the promise of death 'til us part, and healing.
"I'm staying," Lisbon assured him in a whisper as she reciprocated his tender kiss.
"I welcome you inside my life
For what you do, oh you make me happy
So very happy once again
Hear I stand, so inspired to take your hand and never take for granted what I was granted once again
I never thought I could love again
I never thought I'd let somebody else in
I never thought I could trust and then, here I am in love once again
You touched my heart
Now I can breathe
You saved my life and still I can't believe you made it happen
You made it happen once again"
Once Again, Frankie Jordan_
TBC. . .