This may be the longest part so far, but it's definitely not my favorite. I really hope you'll like it and that it doesn't get OOC too much.

I was so happy to read that I managed to write the Jane and Lisbon in character - thank you very much, it means a lot!

SIX - Clasp(ing)

Set after Jane has given the team the presents in "Red Handed" (and before they leave for dinner). There are some minor changes for the following scene(s) then. And I wasn't sure if they all had stayed in the hotel or if it had just been Jane (because it had been their CBI office in the "gift-scene", I think), so I'm sorry if there are any mistakes...

"I'll be with you in a second," Lisbon called after the team, quickly slipping into her office. She had left her mobile on her desk - and she wanted to put on the jewelry. Placing the gift box on the desk, she took her mobile and put it into her pocket; than she opened the box. She still couldn't believe Jane had done it. It was against the rules. But then what was wrong about him making them presents? It wasn't like he wanted to buy their attention or affection with it; he just had wanted to rejoice them by giving them the presents. This wasn't exactly what one would call bribery. This was just... Patrick Jane. The man who didn't care about regulations. And the man who helped them with his unconventional methods - in many ways.

A knock on the door made her look up. Before she could even react, he was already standing in her office, closing the door behind him.

"A woman shouldn't have to put on such jewelry all by herself."

"It's okay, Jane, I can handle that, thank you. Maybe Van Pelt needs help."

"Don't worry, she has help. Rigsby was very obliging about that."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course."

They looked at each other for a moment. It was okay to be uncomfortable around each other, but it wasn't okay not to know why, Lisbon mused. It was quite an awkward situation; since when was she so uncomfortable in his presence and, moreover, since when was he at all uncomfortable in anyone's presence, let alone hers? And it was more than obvious that right in this moment, he actually was uncomfortable.

Awkward situation, definitely.

"So... may I?" he suddenly asked, pointing at the box on the desk.

"If you insist," she sighed, but smiled nonetheless, giving him the jewelry box which he took gratefully. While he tried to handle the collier, she put on the earrings. Then he laid the collier around her neck.

"I knew they would match your eyes," he exclaimed happily and she was momentarily confused due to his sudden change of behavior and mood. When he noticed her look, he explained: "I was hoping that the color would be the perfect match for your eyes' color - and they are. You know, green looks fantastic on you."

She blushed a bit and coughed slightly to hide her embarrassment. She could handle crime and murderers - but she wasn't so good with compliments. And him standing so close to her, his hands handling the clasp of the collier behind her neck while his eyes obviously read from hers like from an open book wasn't exactly helping.

With every second his face seemed to come closer to hers, and her mind was working fast. Should she draw back? Should she use some trick, like, there's something in her eye? Should she just let it happen? Was there anything that was going to happen anyways? Would it change... oh no, she couldn't let it happen. This would probably make a lot things ver...

"Here we go!" She jumped at his words and looked around bewildered.

"What?"

"It should be fastened now. Ah... we'll wait downstairs," he told her and was out of the door before she could take the breath for an answer.

---

It had been a long day, and although it had ended nicely with the team around, Teresa Lisbon was happy to be finally at home. Stretching out on her bed seemed like a very good idea right now. She yawned and took off her jacket and shirt, letting both clothing items fall to the ground. Normally she was the tidy type, but tonight, she didn't mind. She would take care of it in the morning.

She was on her way to the bathroom when a knock on her door made her stop. And frown. She wasn't expecting anyone. And she wasn't in the mood for visitors. Unfortunately, her unknown visitor didn't seem to want to give up - another knock sounded from her door. She sighed and padded, feet bare, to her apartment door, looking through the peephole.

She was surprised to spot Patrick Jane outside her door - so surprised that she opened the door immediately, completely forgetting that the only clothes on her upper body was her bra. It was his sly smile and then him looking away that made her realize that something wasn't as he had expected it and it took her hardly a second more to understand what it was.

Shocked, she slammed the door shut and searched desperately for her top, but obviously the floor must have eaten it because it was nowhere to be found. So she just grabbed her jacket and wrapped it around her body before she opened the door again.

He was still grinning.

She rolled her eyes at him. Sometimes his childish behavior was really annoying her.

"Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Actually, yes, there is." Jane held up jewelry - her jewelry. She was about to protest, but he didn't let her say a word, but continued: "Please. I will give it back, I promise. I... if you don't mind, I would like you to put it on one last time and... maybe let me take a photo of you with it?" He sounded almost hesitantly.

Sighing and shaking her head, she let him enter her apartment. "You have ten minutes," she said, the twitching corners of her mouth belying her adamant tone of voice.

"Sure," Jane acknowledged her words, but nevertheless used a few seconds of his ten minutes to scan the living room they were standing in quickly. Then he took a step towards her. When he offered her the jewelry in his hand, she took the earrings and put them on, knowing that he would take care of the collier as he had done it in her office earlier this evening. He did as expected and laid the jewelry around her neck. It was the same procedure than before. Almost.

"This had been easier a few hours ago," he murmured after a minute, and added apologetically: "I have to see the clasp." She nodded and lifted her hair when he walked around her. He carefully pushed down the collar of her jacket to get himself better access to her neck, and to his surprise, she moved the piece of clothing so it was still wrapped around her, but now left her neck - and her shoulders - bare.

It took him a few seconds to handle the stubborn thing, as he called what was some kind of security clasp, and she desperately tried to keep still while he was working because every time his fingertips touched the sensitive skin of her neck, they left it tingling, and that made her knees weak. Concentrated on the feeling - or more, on ignoring it - she nearly missed the kiss he gave her on her shoulder. It had been very light and it hadn't been the sexy, erotic kind of kiss, although he had kissed her where she would only expect a lover to kiss her.

He came around her again and her eyes met his. He didn't move, didn't make any attempt to do... anything. He was standing there, close to her. And it began to unnerve her. This probably was what people were calling a déjà vu.

"I... thought you wanted to take a photo?" she finally broke the silence. He just smiled widely.

"I already have." He tapped against his head. "All done." He looked at her, taking in every detail. "You are very beautiful. Those emeralds indeed look lovely with your eyes," he repeated his earlier words and made her blush.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she decided for herself that he made her blush just a bit too often in the recent past. But right now, she simply accepted it as something that just happened while being around Patrick Jane.

END