Author's notes: Thank you to every one for your reviews and follows. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
"Cho get the bomb squad here immediately. Jane has a bomb strapped to him. It's set to go off in 45 mins."
Lisbon closes the phone. and takes another look at Jane. He's obviously taken a beating but she doesn't see any other injuries. His arms are pulled behind the seat. She takes a look and finds his hands tied together with many sheets of plastic wrap, coiled in a figure eight. It will take a long time to cut through them as she learned the last time. She hears a groan.
"Jane"
She watches as he slowly moves his head trying to regain conciousness. She crouches down and lays her hand on his shoulder.
"Jane, it's me, Lisbon."
Jane is certain he hears Lisbon's voice but he's still trying to make sense of what the world is telling him. He feels pain. His head feels twice its normal size and there's not a part of it that doesn't hurt. It brings, quickly to mind, being strapped to a chair and the heavy fists that reigned down on him. He's not back in his cell. He's still sitting but it's not the same chair, but something totally different. In fact, there's something familiar about it. He feels fresh air on his face and there's noise, sounds like traffic and Lisbon. Lisbon! He struggles to open his eyes but is hit with a blinding pain. He lets out a groan,opening his eyes is not a great idea.
" Jane, it's alright we'll get you out of here."
He tries speaking,
"Lisbon"
That also hurts but is tolerable, though he didn't recognise the sound he made, was that really him!
"Shh Jane you'll be fine.
He tries moving, but his hands barely move, he tries to concentrate on why but it causes another blinding pain, so, he gives up on that for now. Talking seems his most successful course of action. Even though one word is all he can cope with.
"Where...?
"You're in your car outside my apartment."
Jane struggles with this information.
"Why?"
"They sent you back to us."
That really doesn't sound right. They were going to kill him. He saw the face of each one of them. Lisbon's lying! Why? And then he feels that familiar weight around his waist and he snaps open his eyes.
"A bomb Lisbon!"
He groans and squeezes his eyes shut, and throws his head back trying to escape the pain. He feels Lisbon's hand gently rubbing his shoulder.
"It's okay Jane, help is on the way."
Jane slowly opens his eyes and the pain is less severe. Lisbon comes into view. He's never been so happy to see her but knows it isn't safe.
"Whoever's behind this, is after you. You need to leave."
We have sometime Jane, I'm not leaving you."
There's time? How long."
Lisbon glances down at the bomb, although she knows exactly how long, as she checks it every few seconds.
"Forty-two minutes. I activated it when I opened the door. I'm sorry Jane."
At the mention of door, Jane takes in his surroundings.
"I'm in my car."
"Yes you are."
Jane returns his eyes to Lisbon.
You need to leave Lisbon, You're not getting blown up with me."
"Neither are you Jane. Help is on the way, and I'm not leaving you."
Jane nods his head, knowing he won't win.
"Promise me you'll leave when it gets close. Promise me Lisbon."
Lisbon doesn't answer.
"Promise me!"
"Okay Jane I promise. I thought I'd lost you once, I'm not going to lose you again."
Jane finds it impossible to keep his eyes open any longer and closes them again. He loses himself in feel of Lisbon's touch and the smell of her perfume and he hopes the timer is being truthful.
Lisbon anxiously flits between looking at Jane and the bomb. He seems to have slipped back into unconsciousness. The pain obvious on his face as he talked to her. Where is Cho with the bomb squad? She's not going to lose him again.. She doesn't remove her hand, to comfort herself as much as Jane. It brings home the reality that he's really here. She hears in the distance the sound of sirens.
"They're coming Jane."
Lisbon straightens up as she's approached by Cho and a stranger. Cho looks into the car, checking it really is Jane and nods at her, but it's the stranger who speaks, offering his hand.
"Hi Agent Lisbon, my name is Jonathon Broadman. I'm a trained in disarming bombs, can you show me what we have here?"
Lisbon crouches down again.
This is Patrick Jane, my consultant. He's been missing for around five days, his captors used as a human bomb during robberies around the city. We were made to believe that he had been blown up at a robbery just around the corner yesterday, and then this morning I find his car here with Jane in i,t and there's a bomb strapped around him. The timer says there's 30mins left."
"Let me have a look."
Jonathon glances into the car and then looks back at Lisbon.
"He's been beaten."
"Yes. He's been conscious and talking."
Jonathon nods and puts his head inside to have a close look at the bomb. Lisbon waits impatiently. keeping her eye on Jane all the time. She jumps when Jane speaks.
"What's the verdict?"
"Jane I thought you were unconscious?"
"Just resting."
Jonathon interrupts.
"It's not a very complicated bomb, but it needs a delicate touch and we don't have a lot of time."
Jane lets out a sigh, Lisbon does the talking for him.
"Is there enough time?"
"I will do my best."
Lisbon was hoping for something more encouraging. Jonathon speaks to Jane.
"Are you alright Sir? shall I get a doctor to look at you?"
"Call me Patrick and I'm fine...doctor later."
"I will do the best I can Patrick."
Jonathon stands up.
"Now I want everyone to stand clear. My men are erecting barriers, I want everyone behind them."
"I'm not leaving him. He's my partner and I thought I'd lost him once. I'm not leaving him."
He can see her determination and traces of the trauma she's been though.
"Okay, go to the other side and stay out of the way and you must leave when I tell you too. Immediately!"
Lisbon nods.