I had this written already, so I may post in haste.
Having some trouble with the tenses and keeping the story strictly from Lisbon's pov. Hey I don't write more than once a year! (And not to mention the mysteries of quotes and commas and fullstops when people are speaking/thinking...)
They all turned to watch her as she stepped-out. Her smile released the pressure and her three agents all returned it. Grace visibly relaxed. Even Cho turned one shade less inscrutable, was that a fleeting smile from her stoic friend?
Jane swung into a sitting position, his own smile was like a sunrise.
"Lisbon! Welcome back from your exile. When can we start?"
"All business aren't you Jane?" She shot at him.
"Well, you know me Lisbon." He dipped his head and darted to his feet, clapping his hands once.
Do I? She thought, smiling more than she wanted to. With a shake, she brought her attention back to the others.
"For a start you can all relax. We are not fired, and we are still on the Red John case."
Jane put his hands in his pockets and swung back and forth like a child.
"What else Lisbon? You look .. determined."
She shifted her hips and folded her arms. "I am Jane. You are looking at your new Chief."
"Wha?—" Rigsby and Grace gasped. Cho nodded abruptly, a man of few words.
"That's great Teresa!" Jane, jumped over to hug her.
The others all stood and Grace started clapping, "Wow boss. This is big."
Teresa was wrestling Jane, pulling one arm off as another found new purchase.
"Get off you!" She giggled.
He bowed and stepped back. "I always knew you had it in you."
"Well thank you Jane. Thanks all of you." She looked at each of them. "But this does leave a hole in our team."
As she said it, they realized. Who would replace her as their immediate boss? She moved some papers from Cho's desk and perched on the edge.
"I haven't decided yet. One thing is certain, it won't be Jane."
"Ow, ah!" He mocked. She rolled her eyes.
"Look, it's been crazy. I won't keep you in suspense. Tomorrow, okay?" She spoke to them all, not looking away from Jane.
He caught her aside after that. "You do know we have a lead sitting in our cells?"
"I am not likely to forget that Jane."
Her face must have conveyed ire because he glanced down, leaving her eyes.
"There are two FBI agents protecting her. What more can we do right now?" She waited for him.
"Break her." He replied.
His words forked like her universe. I am not going to feel sorry for myself, she thought. I am not broken. This thing is really quite simple.
All those lonely nights and long weekends stretched out like reflections between mirrors. She used to burn through them, getting to work early, staying late. Work was all and she was her work. I'm a cop, damn-it! It's what I do. But not anymore. Not all the way.
She looked at Jane, for once just leaving her eyes on his face. She could see his frustration. It was the same as hers. Let's finish this. Let's close the book. Ah, but what was Jane after that?
What was in his mind? What was in his heart? Was there a heart at all?
It didn't matter. She was going to do what she wanted and the cards would fall.
"You have done quite enough breaking for one week." She finally said, still looking directly at him. He flinched. "You've done enough for the last year."
"Lisbon — I'm sorry." He even sounded it.
"Forget it Jane. Until tomorrow. Go home." She walked away, leaving him standing in surprise, a statue.
..xx..
It was a long night. Another one. She got home late and tired, yet sleep eluded. Her traitor pillow was hard and unfriendly. She turned from side to side.
"I'm never gonna sleep." She said to the ceiling.
No. No more of this. She moved into a comfortable position and forced her hands to her sides. She took deep breaths and counted them, a trick she'd heard Jane explain. There would be fewer nights like this — alone — in her future. It was her abiding thought as she winked out.
The alarm roused her. She felt rested and a little triumphant about her victory over the sulks. She wondered where Jane was, what he was feeling. She pictured him prowling his small room atop the CBI, waiting to get his fingers into Lorelei's brain.
This made her sad, for a moment, but she resolved it. It didn't matter what Jane wanted anymore. It was about herself for once.
Today was the start of it. Teresa got ready and was the first into the office.
..xx..
"Lisbon." He caught her just as she rounded her desk.
"Jane." She gave him a small grin.
He pounced repeatedly, heels to toes. Every motion calling her to action.
"Patience Jane, soon."
He looked at her quizzically. Was she outflanking this superbly complex man, just a little bit? It's bloody well time, she thought.
She lifted her cup, "Go. Fill." It waved in the air before Jane took it and wafted out.
She avoided him for another hour until the team arrived.
"Okay, here's the talk." her voice roused them from hibernation. She waved them closer and they gathered.
"Cho, you're it." She pointed at him. "Grace, I'm sorry but he has seniority."
Grace exhaled, "I'm glad of it boss." Teresa looked at her, a little surprised.
"Ahem." The cough came from Rigsby.
"You are a new dad," her hands at her hips, "Next time."
"You will be the Chief forever," Jane spoke up. "I will see to it."
Teresa felt proud and a little warm at his words. She new what he meant. Life seemed short and brutal at the top of the tree and Red John was still out there, holding the axe.
"I intend to. And I am relying on you all to keep me there. The way I see it is: we can live in fear or we can do our job. We have to be better than all the others," Bosco's face floated into her memory, "and we have to be better than Red John."
There was a general sound of agreement.
"Can we start?" Jane.
"In a moment. You and I have a conversation pending. The rest of you, get jumping. Help Cho. You know what to do."
She spun around and Jane quickly followed.
"Right, you heard the Chief." Cho flowed into his new role as if he had always been there. "Rigsby, I want to know what that limo has to say. Van Pelt, get onto the morgue and find what Wainright's body can tell us."
He eyed them. There was a moment of stasis. "Go." And they got.