AndromedaMarine: Will it discourage you from reading the stories if I told you that there wasn't a "real" kiss planned for the series in the first place? I say 'in the first place' because now it seems like I have to change my plans...
I tell you what. There are two parts left. And after that, I will leave the decision to my dear readers :)

Note: The episode of the next story was the one that gave me the idea for the whole series :) For everyone who makes me so happy with all those lovely reviews!!

TEN - Changed Behavior

Another take on the last scenes of "Red Brick and Ivy" (beginning with the Goodbye scene between Jane and Sophie). Though here, Jane doesn't want to take Lisbon's offer to drive.

There he was again, Prince Charming, the man obviously no woman was able to resist. He was sitting at the bank with his former doctor and smiled so brightly she might have been blinded, hadn't she known this special, very special attitude of him. This smile that left women little chance not to fall for. She herself had to admit that she had already fallen for it, at least a bit.

Teresa Lisbon had no idea if he was doing this on purpose, if he had realized what this smile was doing to women. Patrick Jane was by no means stupid, nor was he naïve. Quite the contrary, he knew people, their behavior, and how to read it, better than anyone she could even think of, leave out knew. But that didn't have to mean he also knew of this certain effect of his certain behavior.

Sometimes she really wondered about his ability to possess people and their minds, to make they act like, and say what he wants them to. Mostly to solve their cases and always successful.

She often watched him act around women, suspects as well as witnesses or simple family members and friends of victims. He didn't make much of a difference between all these women, acting around every one them the same. But as different the women were, he was always successful. If he would give classes, he probably would be the most popular man in the country. On the other hand, without this smile...

Teresa rolled her eyes and slapped herself mentally. No, she wouldn't dote on him. Especially because while he was indeed flirting with her too, the true Prince Charming he only was with other women. Not that she was complaining.

Her side mirror just confirmed her thoughts with the picture it was showing - Patrick Jane kissing his former doctor, his former psychiatrist, at the corner of her mouth. Though Lisbon was sure that they haven't been lovers in the past, Sophie didn't turn away, but seemed to like the gesture.

It was strange in some way for Teresa to watch the scene, so she decided to ignore the awkward feeling in her stomach and try it with some light mood when he walked towards the car.

"Jane kissed a girl," she sing-sang when he stopped at her side.

Patrick Jane usually didn't let himself get caught off guard. But now, knowing that Lisbon just had seen him kissing his ex-psychiatrist, he felt a bit embarrassed, although he knew there wasn't a reason for feeling like this. Unfortunately, rationality and emotions didn't go hand in hand.

"Well, you know, it's…" He stopped for a moment, unsure what this was about. Then he simply said: "Yeah, on the cheek."

Teresa would have been really blind to not notice his uneasiness. And this was just too good to let it pass.

"Still counts," she continued teasing and laughed inwardly when he became defensive, his hands now resting on his hips.

"Counts for what?" he wanted to know and gave her a challenging look.

"Nothing. Just saying." Her tone was still light and playful and finally, the typical smirky smile showed up on his face again. At least in his eyes. She grinned when he walked around the car and got into it on the co-driver's side. She looked at him, her mind working.

"You want to drive?" she then offered, and he frowned - he gave her a smile, but still frowned at her.

"That's a very sweet offer. Do I really seem so sad?"

"What?" she immediately defended herself, and it was more than obvious to Jane that she didn't want him to notice that she actually cared. "I was just asking if you wanted to drive."

"You don't like it when I drive. You despise it," he contradicted.

"You drive way too fast."

"I drive just fast enough." He paused for a second, waiting for his mind to finish the analysis of the situation. "You hate not being the one in control, and yet you're willing to overcome your irrational fears to cheer me up. That's a beautiful thing, Lisbon."

He smiled his trademark smile that made her heart beat a bit faster for a moment, then he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you," he added to his previous words, and leaned back again into his seat.

"You're… welcome" she responded, a bit confused, yet she couldn't suppress a smile.

"By the way - does that count, too?"

She couldn't help but giggle, what was enough as an answer to him. When she started the car, his eyes and mind were already lost to world on the other side of the windshield.

And unaware of the other's reaction, they never saw each other smiling like little school kids who had just discovered their first love.

END