Have I told you that I love you all? Thank you so much for all the reviews; I totally appreciate your opinions!
Sometimes I really wonder how real authors can live without reviews, the immediate answer of the readers...

And about kisses that count... please note the author's note at the end of this part.

ELEVEN - Comfort

Addition to resp. different take on the scene in the motel room in "Red John's Friends". Pretend the call as well as a part of the short conversation hasn't happen (yet).

He was dead. The one person who could have been able to give him the chance to finally find the murderer of his family was dead because of his own stupidity.

Damn idiot.

"Well, you can say it now," Patrick Jane told his boss, Teresa Lisbon, his voice sounding frustrated.

"Well, I don't really feel like saying it," she answered, a bitter smile on her face.

Yes, she had foretold him that something like that was going to happen. Something he wouldn't be able to foresee, and to prevent. But by no means was she happy that she was right. She had wished for him to be successful; to maybe finally chase away the demons of his past. To find his inner peace.

Lisbon knew that nothing was more important to Jane than catching the man who had slaughtered his wife and daughter, and although she hadn't a family of her own, it wasn't that hard to understand. She also knew that he thought it was his fault and that, behind that façade, he wasn't the always smiling, always charming man he pretended to be.

She turned her head carefully to catch a glimpse of the facial expression of the man sitting next to her on the motel room's bed. The always-present smile was gone. He looked sad, somehow beaten; he knew that this time, he had lost, and that knowledge was clearly shown on his face. And his eyes. Teresa would have never expected to see such sadness in them. Not that she was thinking he was a happy man, because she knew he wasn't. But in some way he always tried to show no weakness; he never let his guard down.

Until now. Now that they were sitting alone in the room, the others gone for the moment, he just allowed himself to loose it a bit. She was the only person who knew details from his past he had entrusted her with. And so he didn't care if she saw him like this.

While he didn't, she did. So much that it broke her heart to see him so sad. Without giving it any further thought, she shifted closer and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into an embrace. He willingly hugged her back, and buried his face in the curve of her neck. Soothingly, Teresa caressed his back, and then pulled back a bit and placed a gentle kiss on his temple.

They didn't let go of each other until five minutes later, Rigsby came in to tell them that they were ready to leave.

END

This was the last part... officially. The idea behind the series was to write ten stories with Jane kissing Lisbon (you know, the harmless kind of kiss) to cheer her up, or just make her smile (because we all know she would like it and he would like doing it ;)), and one story with her giving something back, e.g. comforting him and making him feel better. As I said before, I never had the intention to let them actually kiss (not the harmless kind of kiss +grins+).

But judging from all your reviews, I definitely owe you a real kiss, so... I leave it to you - if you want, there may be one, possibly two additional parts.