Pulling into the RV Park, Lisbon shook her head in disbelief. She still couldn't get over Jane settling for a silver travel trailer of all things. Not when there were perfectly nice condos in her building. Then again, she wasn't so sure she wanted him for a neighbor. He commandeered enough of her life as it was. She'd never get away from him if he lived in the same complex! Oh, and she wasn't about to contemplate what having Jane around full-time would mean for the non-existent love life she hoped wouldn't remain nonexistent forever.
So, maybe this wasn't such a bad situation. There were certain perks to having Jane on one side of Austin and her on the other. Especially considering they were both about the same distance from FBI Headquarters. Yes, on second thought, it all made perfect sense.
Exiting her vehicle, she grabbed the wrapped bottle and covered pan from the seat beside her before heading towards Jane's abode. She wasn't all that surprised when the door swung open long before she got there. He must have been watching through that convenient window in the door. Or, more likely, he heard her pulling in the drive.
"Hello, Lisbon." Jane opened the door a little wider. "You're early as usual."
He almost made that sound like a bad thing.
"Yeah, what else is new?" Lisbon pressed the pan and bottle into his waiting hands. "That's like saying you're always late."
It was nothing more or less than a statement of fact.
"I suppose it is." Jane pushed the door closed with his rear end. "I put the roast in the oven about a half hour ago. It should be ready about the time we're ready to eat." He carried her offerings into the kitchen. "I don't believe it. You baked my favorite apple crisp. Thank you Lisbon."
"Since you're cooking everything else, the least I can do is fix dessert." Lisbon took a look around the place. "Well, it looks homier than it did a couple of weeks ago."
Still spotless; but, with a few lived in touches like the clear round vase overflowing with brightly colored Hyacinths and the recently purchased salt and pepper shakers.
"That's because it is." Jane agreed. "I think we picked the best one don't you?"
"I don't think that whole rice paper and Zen theme really suited you so that let out Travel Trailer Number One." Lisbon remarked as she settled at the dinette table deciding she liked the off white Ultraleather even if would be hell to keep clean. Somehow, she didn't think Jane would have any problems. It wasn't like he had children or animals or was likely to acquire either any time soon. "You really didn't like that whole yellow, green, and brown theme going in Travel Trailer Two so, by process of elimination that left you with Travel Trailer Three so here we are."
"Do you honestly think I settled for a home I didn't like to make Abbott happy?" Jane asked as he took a spoon from the drawer before snagging a bite of apple crisp. "This is delicious, Lisbon. I'm not sure we shouldn't scrap the rest of the meal and just go for the dessert."
"I don't think so." Lisbon said. "You aren't getting off that easily. Not with how good the roast smells."
"Fine, be that way." Jane smoothed the lid back over the apple crisp before reaching for the bottle of wine. "How's the settling in at your place going?" He asked more seriously.
"How do you think?" Lisbon wiggled into a more comfortable position at the table. "You're in way better shape than I am. The last of my things just got here a couple of days ago so I've still got a spare bedroom of boxes to unpack. This starting over crap is for the birds. Especially twice in two years. "
"I guess it has been a lot easier for me than it is for you." Jane agreed as he released the bottle of wine from its decorative wrappings. "All I've had to unpack is what we recently bought." Not all that much considering his storage space. Just the practical things he needed for everyday living like wash clothes and towels, pots and pans, and the new outfits Lisbon had helped him pick out. "This is a nice vintage." He remarked as he removed a couple of glasses from the cabinet before uncorking the bottle with practiced ease.
Lisbon wondered briefly if there was anything the man didn't do well.
"It should be. I don't like cheap wine and we've got a lot to celebrate. As for the starting over being easier for you than me, I wouldn't necessarily say that." Lisbon accepted the glass he offered her. "If it is, it's because you're starting from scratch without all the accumulated clutter. I'm fortunate my new place is big enough to hold most of the furniture I bought for my last place. What I can't use is going with the house."
She was also fortunate she hadn't footed the bill for hauling her belongings halfway across the country. Some unknown party had. To this day she was clueless whether Jane had coughed up the dough or if a certain federal agency had. All she did know was she'd received a receipt marked "Paid in Full" and she'd left it at that.
"That sounds practical." Jane remarked sliding onto the bench across from her. "I hope you're not losing too much. I know how proud you were of your house."
"One bedroom suit, a formal living room, and the formal dining room." Lisbon decided she really hadn't liked her dining room set all that much anyway. The price had been right and it matched the molding so she'd gone with it. She'd felt the same about the rest of it. She'd lucked out in that one of the higher end furniture stores in a neighboring town was going out of business after fifty years so she'd taken advantage of the savings choosing not to go anywhere else. At the time, between the house and the furnishings, it had seemed like everything was finally falling into place after a scary six months. Now, she knew differently. If anything, her world was finally falling into place now. "No big deal since I didn't really like the stuff that's staying anyway. The price was right when I needed it."
"That's good." Jane was glad to hear it. "I'd hate to think you were parting with anything you really liked."
They both knew that was a lie. What were a few sticks of furniture compared to getting to work together again? Not that much in either of their opinions.
"As if I would." Lisbon snarked. "I'd have just gotten a bigger place and put it on your tab."
"I have a tab?" Jane stared at her through the bowl of his glass deciding Lisbon looked rather interesting through a maroon haze. "I wasn't aware of that."
"You've had one for years." Lisbon informed him positive she'd brought the point up a few years ago when she'd gotten really mad with him for bringing about the ruination of her expensive leather coat. "I'm pretty sure you owe me a lot by now." Lisbon said.
"For what?" Jane asked knowing she was going to tell him. "I don't remember agreeing to that."
"I don't remember asking." Lisbon replied checking out the whole purple haze thing that seemed to have him so fascinated. "But, we can start with that brand new pair of leather booties that got waterlogged when I had to run through that busted fire hydrant to stop that drug dealer from bashing your head not long after you joined the team." Jane snorted recalling the incident from a good ten years ago. "Then there was my brand new suit that got covered in paint…." From five years ago. "Then there was the car seat I had to get replaced because you got blood all over it…." That one was three years ago and it hadn't even been his blood.
"I'm sure that list goes on and on." Jane casually remarked more amused than offended she'd kept a running note of his transgressions.
"Damned skippy." Lisbon snarked. "One day I'm going to collect on it, too."
"I bet you will." Jane's look said he was so afraid. "One day, I'll probably let you."
"That's nice to know." Lisbon rolled her eyes at him knowing that was never going to happen; but, it was fun to mess with Jane. "One day."
"Just say when." Jane watched her rise to her feet to root through his refrigerator before giving a triumphant squeal. "What are you after now?"
"What do you think?" Lisbon held up the deli bought Chile Con Queso and the bag of tortilla chips she'd known Jane would have on hand when she was coming over. "I knew you wouldn't let me down."
"And I know you're a bottomless pit." Jane watched her scoop out a generous serving of cheese sauce and enough tortilla chips to feed Wayne Rigsby before putting everything away. "You really should save room for dinner."
"Have you ever known me not to clean my plate?" Lisbon asked as she carried her take over to the table. "Want some?"
"No to both questions; but, I have often wondered how you eat so much and stay so small." Jane teased knowing she rarely over-indulged and when she did, she worked it off in the gym. "But, hey, it's fine with me if you want to make a pig of yourself."
"Oink, oink. That's a good thing." Lisbon immersed a chip in dip and carried it to her lips. "I skipped lunch today and I fully intend to make up for it."
"Go right ahead." Jane agreed filching a chip and slathering it in cheese. "I won't stand in your way."
"Good thing since I won't let you." Lisbon indiscreetly licked a smear of cheese off her fingertip. "I do have a question for you though."
"Ask away." Jane dipped another chip in cheese amused to watch Lisbon crunching out on two or three chips to his one.
"Why an Airstream?" She fixed him with a penetrating look. "You could have gotten a larger fifth wheel with pull outs and a more spacious feel if you'd wanted."
"Why do you think?" Jane answered her question with a question. "You should know."
"Other than the fact you didn't, I really don't know." Lisbon said. "I wouldn't have asked if I did."
"Recall everything you've learned about me over the years." Jane urged. "If you think things through, you'll figure it out. I clearly didn't want anything else."
"I guess you didn't." Lisbon fixed him with her patented "but that doesn't make sense" look. "It still doesn't tell me why you did want an Airstream of all things. While a nice RV, it's still a sardine can compared to my place."
"But, it's still what I wanted." Jane studied the deep cassis liquid in his glass. "Besides, it's plenty of room for a single man."
"Jane, it's tiny." Lisbon said. "Compared to my place, it's little more than a metal closet. You don't even have a bathtub for goodness sakes."
That was clearly a fate worse than death in her opinion.
"Since I don't take baths, it isn't an issue." Jane's mouth tilted up as he fought laughing out loud at the taken aback look on her face. "I'm perfectly happy with my shower which is very nice by the way. There's plenty of hot water and the pressure is surprisingly good. You should try it some time."
"That's nice to know." Lisbon nearly choked on the unladylike slurp of wine she'd mindlessly gulped to mask the inappropriate nature of her thoughts. "I think I'm okay for the moment."
If he wasn't seeing things, and he wasn't, Lisbon eyes crossed briefly at his words. He didn't have to be a psychic to know the woman sitting across from him was quickly losing the battle against impure thoughts involving him and the boxy shower down the hall. It was wasted effort as far as he was concerned. Their relationship had been subtly changing in the weeks since they'd reconciled. If he could feel the difference, she had to as well. Adding to Lisbon's discomfort, this was probably not the first time she'd entertained such thoughts even if she'd vehemently deny it. Though he'd deny the truth at the moment as well, he'd had a few salacious thoughts in her direction over the years.
"Let me know if you change your mind." Jane's tone was more teasing than serious. "As for this place, it's nicer than anywhere I've lived in the past dozen years. It beats the hell out a solitary or a padded cell. Besides, the size of my new home really shouldn't bother you. You're rather tiny yourself so you fit right in."
Again, that was clearly a fate worse than death in her opinion.
"It doesn't." Lisbon dismissed his final comments. Jane knew how much she liked being called "tiny," especially by him. It didn't matter he liked her diminutive size (or that he wasn't that big himself.) She didn't. She'd spent the majority of her career busting her ass to outdo the boys and be taken seriously because of it.
"Really?" Jane watched Lisbon's hackles rise at the familiar smirk gracing his lips. "That's not how it sounds."
"Hey, I don't have to live here." Lisbon reminded him. "You do. But, that doesn't mean I'm not curious about your reasoning. Why you'd pick a travel trailer over a condo or a house. We both know the FBI would have given you anything you wanted within reason."
"Probably; but, I didn't want a condo or a house." Jane informed her. "Honestly, Lisbon, I'm appalled at your deductive abilities." He teased. "It should have taken more than a couple of years in the boonies babysitting the natives to dull your keen senses. You need to work on that. We work for the FBI now."
"Right." Lisbon snorted. "We both know you don't work for anyone."
"While you may be correct, they don't know that and I think that's in both of our best interests to keep it that way." Jane reached out to pat her hand. "I know you won't tell and, unless it becomes absolutely necessary, neither will I."
"I'm not saying anything." Lisbon agreed. "I'm hoping to get a few good paychecks behind me before you make them regret ever taking you on."
"You'll get a lot more than a few paychecks." Jane reassured her. "Don't forget, I solve cases and that's all that matters in the end. As for the other," Jane decided to put her out of her misery. "The answer is familiarity."
"Familiarity?" Lisbon gave him a puzzled look. "Oh." She'd clearly just recalled what she'd seen in carnie land the couple of times she'd been allowed to visit.
"You finally figured it out." Jane responded as the light went on in her head.
"You were raised in one." Lisbon was clearly having a "Duh!" moment. "I can't believe I didn't think of that."
"Most carnies are." Jane reminded her. "At least the ones I traveled with. It's the sardine can of choice no matter your position in the ranks."
Even in Angela's case except hers had been a whole lot newer, bigger, and nicer than the one he shared with his Dad.
"Angela, too, I suppose." Lisbon cast a glance at the ring still hugging his finger and wondered what happened to that whole "It's time" spiel. He'd clearly rethought his position over the course of his solitary confinement. Whatever, he'd take it off again when and if he was ready.
"Oh, yeah." Jane smiled a little remembering how hard it had been sneaking out the front door late at night. "It was a good thing her bed was by the door and her parents were heavy sleepers."
Oh, joy, as rough as her early life had been in a lot of respects, she'd never had to sleep on a bed created out of flipped over couch cushions.
"You were sneaking around?" Lisbon leaned in a little sensing a story. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"
They certainly weren't getting it on with her parents a few feet down the hall.
"In the early days, yes, it was the only way we could see each other." Jane agreed. "It wasn't like my father would have approved my choice in dates any more than her family did. Angela wanted to leave the life as much as I did so she was a bad influence his eyes. As for her family, forget that I was a trained con…Most of us are…It was that I was a Jane and Alex Jane's son in particular. Not high recommendations on either side.
However, once we got caught, it didn't matter what anyone thought any more. We wouldn't stop seeing each other. Everyone finally threw up their hands in resignation and let us be. You know the rest of the story."
"Your wife was that stubborn?" Lisbon twirled her glass already knowing the answer to her question. "She'd have to be to handle you."
"She was a lot like you in that respect." Jane agreed. "Quite stubborn when necessary."
"Yeah?" Lisbon smirked as she took a sip of wine. "I guess she was a glutton for punishment, too, since neither of us left when the going was good."
"Low blow, Lisbon." Jane agreed smiling at his memories. "You know you'd be bored out of your mind if you did."
"Probably." She agreed. "What about your Mom? How did she feel about the two of you?"
Lisbon couldn't believe the question tumbling out of her mouth. While she knew a little about his father, Jane had never mentioned his other parent and she'd never asked. The subject had never felt any more open than it did now.
"She wasn't around." Jane didn't elaborate so Lisbon was clueless if she'd died as her mother had or if she'd abandoned her son to his father. For all she knew, it could be neither. "From the smell of things, I'd say dinner is ready."
"I think you're right." Lisbon agreed realizing he'd effectively closed the subject without really saying a thing. "I'll finish the salad while you take care of the rest."
"Sounds good." Jane said as he removed the roasting pan from the oven as Lisbon opened the refrigerator door. "By the time we're done with the salad the beef will be ready to cut."
"It smells delicious." Lisbon commented absently as she poured the homemade Caesar dressing over the salad. Tossing the ingredients together, she scooped the savory concoction onto two chilled salad plates before setting them on the table. "If you'll grab the bread, the salads are ready."
Lisbon watched Jane do as she requested before taking her seat at the table. Watching him settle across from her, she smiled. While the setting might be different, the scene wasn't. They'd done this a hundred times before.
#
You know, you're welcome to stay on my couch for a change." Jane commented referencing all the times he's crashed at Lisbon's pad. "Or, you can have the bed and I'll take the couch if you'd rather."
"I might take you up on the offer." Lisbon studied her glass of wine. "It's been a long day and I'm tired enough this is going to head more than usual." She tilted her glass for emphasis. "Yeah, I think I'll stay. If the company's good."
"The company's always good." Jane said. "You know that."
"Yeah, it is." Lisbon agreed taking another sip of wine as she watched Jane walk down the "hall" to remove something from a drawer.
"Here, you'll need this shirt." Jane fixed her with a knowing look. "But, you don't need to fib. We both know it would take a lot more than a glass and a half wine over two or three hours for you to feel anything. Especially given how much you've eaten. Just admit it. You want to stay and I like having you around."
He'd almost said, "And I want you to." but that statement was open to interpretations better left unsaid.
"I don't know what's gotten into you." Lisbon accepted the tee shirt. "Are you a pod person and where's the real Jane?"
"Real Jane…No pod people here." He admitted. "It's just been a long time since we've done anything like this and I've missed you."
The last time had been at her place with his "handlers" lurking in the shadows. The ambiance hadn't been the same. Now, he was a free man or as free as he could be. He wasn't foolish enough to think he wasn't being watched or his movements monitored. He most certainly was. There was probably a GPS tracking device attached to his trailer somewhere.
It was more that Abbott's dirty little spies were finally staying far enough away he could ignore their presence. He'd ignored Red John's tools for years. If he hadn't he couldn't have functioned so effectively. Now wasn't any different. As long as "they" stayed out of his personal life, he wouldn't put a lot of effort into to making their lives a living hell. If they didn't; well, all bets were off. They'd get out of his hair one way or another before he was done.
"I like being around." Lisbon agreed. "We have a lot of fun together."
"Good."Jane drained his glass before refilling it. "Then we're on the same page."
"I guess we are." Lisbon conceded.
"You don't have to stay out here." Jane casually remarked. "A queen sized bed is big enough for both of us you know…Perfectly innocent of course."
It wouldn't be the first time they'd shared a bed. Usually, he'd been too far gone in his grief and nightmares to care when Lisbon had taken him by the hand and led him to her room yet again. It wasn't like either of them thought anything inappropriate was going to happen. They didn't and it hadn't. In hindsight, their little forays into questionable behavior had simply been his constant holding him until he drifted into a troubled sleep. That she'd still been there when he'd opened his eyes the next morning was a testament to Lisbon's compassionate heart. She'd pulled him through many a rough patch over the years. It was only natural he'd want to return the favor.
The only problem was they weren't the same people now and he doubted things would be quite so innocent. From the look on Lisbon's face, she felt the same. From what he could see neither of them was interested in finding out at the moment.
"I don't think so." Lisbon said not thinking that wise at all. Not with Jane looking as good as he had all evening. "However, I would like to use your bathroom to change so we can finish our wine and watch that movie you promised me."
"Go right ahead." Jane gestured in the direction of the hall. "Why don't you use my bedroom instead? There's a lot more room. I'll change into my pajamas out here while you do."
"I can do that." Walking into the bedroom, Lisbon slid the privacy door closed behind her and quickly changed into the tee shirt. "You decent?"
"Yes, Lisbon, I'm decent." Jane watched the door slide open. "Are you?"
"Yeah, I think so." Lisbon's tone said she wasn't so sure. "I'm not sure how I feel about this."
"You're adequately covered." Jane said hoping she wouldn't have the sudden urge to slip back into her jeans.
He was enjoying looking at her legs.
"If you say so." Lisbon laid her neatly folded clothes on the dinette seat.
"I say so." Jane stated firmly. "What do you say to watching that movie now?"
"Works for me." Lisbon grabbed both wine glasses en route to the couch.
Settling into her corner she waited for Jane to join her. Grabbing the remotes, he settled in beside her as Lisbon subconsciously leaned into him. Flicking the television on, he found the right channel and started the movie.
Tamping down on the part of her that felt just plain weird sitting on the couch by Jane wearing nothing but an oversized tee shirt, Lisbon reminded herself the man had seen her in various states of dress over the years including bottom bearing hospital gowns more than once. Besides, she was more than adequately covered at the moment even if she had shucked her blue jeans a while ago. It wasn't like she was wearing revealing undergarments. Her serviceable panties and bra weren't showing as much as a bikini would and she'd never hesitated to wear one of those. Added to that, even though Jane wasn't that much taller than her, the shirt he'd given her still fell almost to her knees so it was obviously long on him. Lisbon reluctantly admitted she was being ridiculous. He'd seen more skin years ago when they'd been hanging Dr. Carmine on his own petard.
"Watch the movie, Lisbon, or I'm going to eat your crisp as well as mine." Jane chastised her as he dragged her bare legs across his.
"Touch my crisp and you'll die." Lisbon snapped as she grabbed her whipped cream laden apple crisp protectively. "It's mine."
"Then stop all the wiggling. I can assure you that I can't see a thing I shouldn't. Even if I could I certainly wouldn't mind." Jane informed her running his hand over her calves. He wouldn't mind and he wouldn't tell her if he could either. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, My Dear, you're a lovely woman."
"Hush, Jane." Lisbon responded as she had a million times over the years. "We aren't crossing those lines."
"Why not?" Jane asked idly more out of curiosity than anything else. "I don't work for you anymore."
"No, you don't; but, we still work together." And the lines were even murkier than before when he'd supposedly worked for her and hadn't. "There's also the fact you're still wearing that."
Lisbon tipped her head in the direction of his ring finger. She wasn't inching a blink past friendship as long as that circle of gold still gleamed against his skin. She wasn't a fool and that would be beyond foolish. Not that she was sure either of them wanted to anyway. They certainly hadn't discussed it.
"Yes, we do." Jane agreed. "Personally, I don't see the problem. As for this, we'll talk about it later." Jane wiggled his finger. "Right now we have a movie to watch."
Gesturing to the opening credits, he directed their attention back to the newest Hobbit movie. It was only fitting this was film they'd settled on. They'd watched the whole Ring Trilogy at Lisbon's place life time ago and the first Hobbit movie more recently. Personally, Jane thought it beat the hell out of another chick flick or action movie.
"Works for me." Lisbon said as she rested her head against Jane's shoulder deciding she was much too weary for a serious conversation anyway.
The movie seemed like way more fun.
She purposefully ignored the part of her thinking this whole situation felt a too much like a date anyway. There was plenty of time to deal with reality later. Besides, nothing could be farther from the truth and they both knew it. They were two friends enjoying an evening the same way they had a hundred times before and she'd leave it at that.
The future would take care of itself.
It always did.