A/N: thanks to you all reviewers (guests especially, as I can't say in person thank you) and followers, who keeps sending me alerts and reviews and the sort... your reception of this story is amazing, and it really makes me happy! (of course, if you could rounded up with the number of reviews, it would be amazing :P)

Few weeks after having formally accepted Jane's proposal (minus the ring, still missing from the scene), the team worked again with Pike's unit, and at the end of the case, he invited them to his engagement party, showing that (a) he didn't have any class, and (b) Teresa truly didn't know he thought he was. Or maybe it was (c), and Kim was right and Marcus was allowing Francine to do as she wished with their lives- parties included.

When he turned to face her, with that smile she now knew to be fake, Teresa tried to seem lost in her thought, she pretended to be concentrating on something with all her might.

"You know, I'm not sure I'll make it. I think Patrick has something arranged for that night…" She said, half in panic, improvising desperately.

"Uhm, Teresa, I haven't told you the date yet." Marcus said, clearing his throat. Hands in his pockets, he was rolling on his heels, biting his lips, and Teresa understood that it was option c, indeed. Marcus didn't want to ask her there, he was just being polite because he didn't want to tell Francine that he had been sleeping with Teresa at the same time he did with her (when he probably claimed they were exclusive), and because he didn't want to look back with his bosses and coworkers.

"Oh, really?" she said, trying to hide her embarrassment and her little gaffe. God. She hoped that Jane was right and she had, indeed, improved as an actress in the last few years. She didn't want to give Marcus the satisfaction of knowing that he had broken her heart and that she was still suffering. "Well, I must have heard around it's Sunday…"

"Saturday evening, actually." He said, as she castigated herself for not paying more attention to the gossip going around the office. Now he was going to expect her there, because, well, she was supposed to be over him- and to have slept around, too.

While was still trying to find a way out, trying to bring back to memory the name of people Jane knew he may have mentioned since they moved to Austin, saying that he was planning to visit them and introduce his lovely fiancée, the aforementioned man arrived at her back, and protectively put an hand on her shoulder; but Lisbon felt there was something else too. Apparently, her fiancé was in alpha-male mode, and was marking his territory with her ex. She didn't know if she was supposed to be flattered (well, two handsome males fighting over her… it was sexy) or annoyed (Jane remembered she had agreed to marry him, right?) by the grip on the skin of her shoulder. Also, it was even a bit painful, and Jane was so taken by his display of male predominance and possession that he wasn't paying attention to the messages she was trying to send him with her body.

Patrick Jane wasn't getting an hint: it said everything.

"Of course we'll both come, Marcus. I know we are free Saturday." He said, smiling charmingly, in a way that seemed to say I'm too sexy and smart and handsome for you to hate me.

"Yeah, I think we'll manage" Teresa said, feeling trapped. But ehy, at least she wasn't going to be there alone, and Jane would be a knight in shining armor once again. Because, thinking about it… she had to go. There wasn't any guarantee that she and Marcus wouldn't work together again, and she wanted to be polite with him. Also, she didn't want to let him know how much power he still held over her, how much she still felt for him- despite the fact that she was engaged to another man. Because even if Jane kept talking like it was already in the past, she had discovered the "betrayal" just few weeks before; it was still recent, and the (awkward) invitation had reawakened the hurt. So, when she was alone, in the days and hours before the party she spent a lot of time brooding, trying to remember every word and every action of her ex, trying to see if something had escaped her attention back then, a signal that things weren't' for him as they were for her.

The night of the party, Jane came to her apartment to drive her to the restaurant, and for almost the whole drive she kept her hands clasped together in her lap, her eyes fixed on them; sometimes along the road, though, Jane stopped the car, and leaned over her seat to take something from the glove compartment. She gasped silently, eyes open wide in shock, when she realized it was a small black velvet box, of the jewelry kind, and suddenly remembered his words from few days before…

"I'll buy you a ring. Would it make it real enough for you?"

Without looking at her, he opened the small box, and once retrieved its content, he threw it in the back of the car, completely carelessly.

"Give me your hand." He said, with a voice laced with mirth, and she did as she was asked. Slowly, he slid the white gold band with its shining emerald, cut in the shape of a leaf, on her ring finger. He took her hand in his own as he felt her trembling, and smiling he kissed her hand, just above the ring. Teresa couldn't take her eyes away from his gift; it was exquisite, simple but not too much, and it wasn't going to give her problems on the job.

"You don't have to be nervous." He told her, smiling, letting it go of her hand to get back on the road.

"I'm not, it's just, you know, nerves." She said. Nerves for what… she wasn't sure. Marcus and Francine? The fact that people was going to see and compliment her over her ring? The fact that she was going to marry Jane? It was a question she couldn't answer herself.

"Bridal nerves already? Man, I'm in troubles. I'm not so sure I want to marry you, after all…" he joked as he speeded on the road, taking again her hand in his own. Teresa, at his sarcastic and humorous attempt, laughed, showing him off a little- which made him laugh in return. But it was a good thing, because between his laughter in her ear, and his hand in her own, she felt better, and almost forgot where they were going.

When they arrived, she saw that there were already few cars parked outside the venue, and she was glad when, once entered, she saw that Francine and Marcus were entertaining quite the crowd, making it easier to gloss over any meeting with her ex; but, towards the end of the reception, she had excised herself and gone outside to take a bit of hair, feeling flushed by the constant presence of Jane's hand on her hip. She was enjoying at closed eyes the late night breeze, such a rarity in Austin these days, when she felt a familiar hand on her shoulder- familiar, and yet wrong.

Marcus.

She turned to face him, and she felt a cloak of darkness enveloping her; Marcus was looking at her like nothing had happened at all, like they were two people who worked well together and were friends, but nothing more; and yet… yet, he had crashed her, and even if she knew it to be true, she couldn't bring herself to hate him; not with her whole heart, at least.

"So… enjoying the party?" he asked, hands in the pockets on his slacks, looking not at her but in the distance, at the park right before them. Lisbon eyed him suspiciously; there's was something…odd about him. A part of her was relieved, even thrilled, but he, too, was still moved by whatever had been between them. that maybe he felt guilty about what he had done. A dangerous thought crossed her mind, one she hadn't considered until that very moment: what if they break up?

She shivered, feeling guilty and ashamed at the same time, because Jane had been so dear with her, had been through so much, he didn't deserve to have her thinking such things a month before they got married.

Marcus turned to face her, looking at her quizzically, with a small smile on his lips, and Teresa understood he was still waiting for an answer. She wanted to laugh- hysterically- at his face, because she couldn't believe he was even talking with her, let alone chic-chatting and small-talking, after… after everything.

"Yeah." She said, hoping that it would be enough to get rid of him. But it wasn't, and she was herself, Saint Teresa, and even if she was hurt, there were things she couldn't lie about, had to be honest. "Francine's nice. You're lucky." There was an edge in her voice, that she didn't feel until the words were out of her mouth. She had been working with Francine in a couple of occasions since Marcus' new girlfriend had moved to the Austin office, and she could only say good things about her rival: she was good at her work, had heart and the right amount of attitude. It wasn't her fault if she had fallen- required- for Marcus.

And it wasn't her fault if Marcus was a big, fat liar, either.

Teresa took a big breath, and then, trying to sound as she wasn't interested at all, she casually dropped a "You know, you could have told me." But the way she spoke the words, she hoped he understood we are friends and you can always speak with a friend. Even if it was a far cry from the truth.

Marcus looked at her quizzically, like he didn't understand what was her point, but when she refused to say furthermore, his expression changed to annoyed, and he snapped his tongue against his palate. Teresa had touched a sore point, she realized with a bit of pride. But… it didn't make it any better.

"Listen, Teresa…" he said, with a tone better suited for a kid, and not the grown-up woman she was. We were just friends… with benefits, but nothing more. And not because of me."

She felt like he was accusing her of something, and the worlds came crushing down on her; he was blaming her, saying that things hadn't been important between tem, and all because she had preferred the "family" and stability of Austin, instead of a place in Marcus' team back in Washington. But how could she? Yes, she had been offered the job, but what if things didn't work out? She wouldn't have been able to move back there, where her position would have been filled already. She had tried to explain this to him, and he seemed to have understood, even if he had tried, sometimes, to pressure her into accepting the job already.

"And, anyway, it's not like you were waiting around for me, right?" he said, chuckling. Anguish and sorrow filled her, because that had been exactly what she had done, but she couldn't say so: not when engagement was supposed to have happened prior to Marcus' one. "And as you didn't tell me you were seeing Jane… there's no reason for you to be peeved about Francine." He snickered.

Teresa wanted to scream and shout, wanted to hit him, tell him everything, insult him with every bad word she knew and few others too. Only, she couldn't. She felt rage filling her whole being, as he accused her of being unreasonable and peeved. Because she wasn't: she was frustrated, yes, because she couldn't act as she wanted. She was opening her mouth to reply to his last statement, when she saw a silhouette approaching in the darkness, and even from afar, she immediately recognized Jane.

"Ehy." He said once he was at her side. "Sorry to interrupt. Just wanted to tell you they are serving the champagne." Je looked at her, trying to read her emotions and understand what was going, and his hand never left her side. Teresa leaned in him, her head on his shoulder, and inhaled his scent. Better, she thought, sighing.

"Do you mind if we call it a night? We had a terrible week, and I want to check a couple of shops tomorrow…" she turned to face Marcus, and smiled as politely as she could. I'll be so sweet I'll kill you, she thought. "You don't mind, right Marcus?"

It took him a while, but then, Marcus said "Nah" and shook her hand and Jane's one- her hand, just like she was someone he barely knew- and they went back home. For the whole trip, he never touched her, and Teresa guessed he was somehow mad because she had been speaking with her ex; she didn't see why he was supposed to mind, and she had never thought him to be jealous, not of women, at least.

When they stopped in front of her place, they stood in the car for a short while, both of them expecting the other the break the tension; Teresa looked at Jane, trying, as she had done right from the start, to read him, and like every other time, she failed completely.

"Can I come over?" he finally asked, tentatively. Teresa only nodded, and when they left the car, she allowed him to guide her inside, with an hand on the small of her back. It didn't feel sexual, and even if Teresa was well aware of the increasing sexual tension between them, and had always felt some kind of chemistry, she knew that Jane hadn't asked her in because of sex. He wanted her, and yes, she wanted him too, and as she wasn't with anyone else (and she was supposed to be his fiancée) it was ok for them to sleep together. But, she felt that desire was far away from his thoughts, and she was proven right when Jane, instead of trying to steal kisses or feeling her up, went to sit on her couch, elbows on his knees, finger crossed at his chin.

"What were you and Marcus talking about?" he asked, without preambles. His voice wasn't filled with mirth or sweetness like often when it came to Jane, but by rage and a possessiveness she couldn't believe he was feeling.

"Nothing." She replied after a moment, getting a drink for herself. She didn't want to answer him, because she didn't like his tone. Also, the mere idea of thinking back to the rage and pain she had felt, it was breaking her heart in tiny little pieces again and again. Jane, obviously, wasn't all right with her answer, as he stood and joined her, and took away the glass from her hand, dropping it on the kitchen counter with a soundly thud.

"Don't lie to me, Lisbon. I saw that you were upset. So I'll ask again: what were you talking about?"

She decided to give as good as she could, so she looked at him, sternly, in the face, deciding that she wouldn't feel bad about any of this. "I asked him for an explanation, and he told me why it didn't occur to him to inform me of his whereabouts with Francine."

"Was it really cheating?" Jane asked, suddenly, still serious but a little less dark. "I know you said you loved him; but were you sure about his feelings?"

"He used to tell me that he loved me. And I used to think that I would have married him." She said, shaking her head, with finality. "I guess I was wrong."

"You should never take for granted a man's feelings- especially if he only expresses them in the heat of passion."

Lisbon chuckled. "Oh, really?" she looked at him, and wondered if he was feeling like the hypocrite she thought he was, in that moment. Jane, mostly, wanted to marry her because he wanted her- as in, her body, and she wondered if it didn't make him just like Marcus. "Do you honestly think we are doing the right thing? Getting married for the right reasons?" she asked, a bit rhetorically.

Jane looked at her, hard, closed fists. You don't know the real reason why I want to marry you, he thought, but he didn't say, as he thought it was too soon to reveal his real feelings to Lisbon. "If you really cared for him," he started, a breath of air between them. "If you really cared about him, you wouldn't be made. You would be heartbroken. This is just pride talking, Teresa. Not love. Don't fool yourself."

"Of course I love him! I'0ve loved him for over two years! And yes… I care about him! Do you honestly expect me to forget him just in few weeks?" You haven't forgotten your wife in fifteen years, she wanted to add, but she left unsaid- he knew what she wanted to say when she bit her lips to avoid going too far.

"Ok, all right, I guess that I can't expect you to forget about him so soon, but…" he paused as he paced the room, following Teresa who was doing the same, with her arms crossed. "But few days ago you we all right with the idea of getting married. I mean, I know you and Kim were looking at brochures for our honeymoon… what changed?"

"I was in shock when I agreed." She simply said, her voice just a whisper in the differently quiet room.

"No" he said, shaking his head. "No, when I told everybody we were engage and you followed me, that was shock. But after I proposed, it took you days, days, Teresa, to give me my answer. So, sorry sweetheart-you were calm and rational when you agreed to be my wife."

Jane paused again, and lifted her chin with his right hand, forcing Lisbon to look into his eyes. Teresa gulped as she did so, because he was as open, as honest as never before; she could see he felt somehow hurt, but maybe it was just the betrayal of her giving up, taking back her words. She couldn't say: there was still too much they hadn't talked bout.

"I know you, Teresa. I know you were sure of your decision, but now you are having second thoughts. And if it's because of something Marcus told you…don't, please. He was tipsy, and no man should be held guilty because of the things said to you, not when the moonlight enlighten you like some ancient goddess…"

"Jane…" she begged, shaking her head. For what, she didn't know.

"Did he kiss you?" he asked, his breath hot on her neck as he bit the tender skin of her lobe, making her gasp, her fingernails leaving angry red marks beneath the cloth of his shirt.

"No…" she managed to say at least, her voice a low moan. "He… is engaged... to someone else.."

"As do you!" he said with a tone that made sure she knew he owned her, who she belonged to; and to mark his territory, he bit her, hard, in the skin of her shoulder. It wasn't for others- but only for Teresa to see. And remember. "Or did it slip your mind?" he asked her, chuckling, as she pushed him away with indignation and fire in her eyes. Those emerald green flames that turned him on, drove him as crazy as nothing before.

"I know." She said, the words hissed between her teeth; she wasn't screaming, but, amused, Jane realized it was exactly what she wanted to do. It wasn't like she was looking for a fight, far from it; she just wanted to show him, she was still in control, that she wasn't being childish or whatever. "But I'm starting to think it was a mistake!"

Jane's expression turned grim, but when he was her eyes glassy with unshed tears, hope filled his whole heart once again; his features softened with a smile full of understanding, and offered Teresa his hand, but she refused to run in his arms, shaking her head in a silent no; she knew that, had she accepted, she would have changed her mind, married him on the spot and done whatever he would be asking of her.

But Jane didn't listen to her; he stalked her, until her petite frame wasn't clocked between the wall and his body, his arms at each side of her neck; she knew that she could have easily escaped him with her training, but the way he looked at her with his dilated pupils, the way he licked his lips mere millimeters from her mouth, it drove her crazy, unable to think or do anything: she was bewitched, prisoner of his spell.

"Let's kiss and make up, Teresa…" he ordered her as he nuzzled her face, his breathing hot on her skin as he kissed and bit tenderly her neck.

"But… we have to talk…" Teresa protested, barely. Her words were stopped every now and then by moans and pleasure, and she felt Jane grin against her neck, felt his chuckles reverberate all the way from her skin to her throbbing core.

"Later." He said, and afterwards, his mouth closed over hers, and in moments she opened his lips to him, her tongue battling with his own as he seductively persuaded her to follow him. When he stopped kissing her, he didn't let it go of Teresa, but allowed, and maybe forced, her to bury her face in his shoulder, his hands running up and down her back. He chuckled again, and then said, "Well, we can't be wrong about this, right?"

"Someone once told me to avoid listening to what men say in moments of passion. Besides, I know I'm not exactly an expert on the topic, but I think there may be more than sex and heated kisses in a marriage." Teresa said with a smile on her lips, trying to make a bit of fun of the whole deal, as she parted from him with her head, and looked at him, her hands caressing his chest. "Seriously, though, we'll get married in less than a month. I don't understand why we can't wait just a little while…"

He rolled his eyes, and made an "Uhm" guttural sound, like a growl. "And, this little while, how long is it, exactly?"

"Until I'm sure we are doing the right thing, Jane." She said, exasperated as she moved away from him and crossed her arms. But Jane shook his head, hands on his hips.

"Last week- heck, yesterday- you were sure. Now, you're not. You could be sure and unsure again. This could go on and on for years…"

"Of course not! I'm just asking you few months! At least until I'll not know the date of M…" but she bit her lips, panicking as he almost run into her, eyes filled with rage. It wasn't because she was hesitant about marrying him- it was the reason, the man responsible. Jane would have probably accepted fear, nerves, whatever. But this- probably also considering how she had ended things with the man in question- absolutely not.

"What? You don't know what, Teresa? You don't know the date of Marcus' wedding?! For God's sake, Teresa, grown up! You can't have your cake and eat it too! If you really don't want to marry me until there's a slim chance that Marcus may be free again, then let's break up here and now. I'm not going to stay here and wait for you to choose me as second best once Marcus will be out of reach once and for all! Who do you think I am?!"

As he said the words, she wondered how he could still be putting up with her, when she sounded like a monster; after all, it was more or less what a small, stupid part of her brain had been thinking about; owning to her thought, what she wanted, made her feel ashamed. "I'm sorry." She breathed. But Jane didn't answer; he just stared at her, hands still on his sides.

"well? Now what? Do we call it off, or do we go on with the wedding?" she didn't answer, and, tired, he run an hand on his face, through his curls. "No more games, Teresa. I need you take a decision, and I warn you: this is your last chance. If you decided to marry me, we get married as we had planned. But if you back out now, don't expect me to be around waiting for you after Marcus marries Francine. It's either a genuine commitment or a final and clean break."

She gulped, understanding that what he was giving her was an ultimatum. She guessed he wasn't so wrong, after all. It was better if he knew there and then, instead of living with uncertainty, despite the lack of romantic love between them.

And in that moment, she knew.

She couldn't lose his friendship, because they had gone too far to return to the old days, the easy banter and the childish arguments. A final and clean break, he said, and yet they would see each other every day: she had refused a work in DC once already because she loved Austin too much, and he had still few years before being granted pardon after Red John's murder and the felonies committed after and before reaching his goal. This would always be between them, a barrier impossible to cross. It would destroy and hurt her: more than losing Marcus did.

She would lose them both, she understood. Marcus wasn't going to break up with Francine, and he… he wasn't there. But Jane, on the other hand, Jane was there. He was much more important, his loss would matter more than anything to her. As much as she looked for a way out, there wasn't any.

"I'll marry you in a month, as planned." She said, looking for his eyes, her voice uneven.

"Are you sure?" he asked, finally looking at her. She simply nodded, not trusting her own voice gain. "Good. Then.. I'll guess it's time for me to go back home." And without adding anything, he left. He didn't take her in his arms, didn't kiss her goodnight. He just left, making her feel like a disgraced child.

She took a big breath as she closed the door once she saw he had left the spot in front of her apartment, and rested her head against the wood, sighing; there was no breaking her promise to him this time. Because she knew that Jane would find a way to make sure did as she had said- or punish her if she decided to take her word back.