Jane was a little nervous, but mostly confident as he stood outside the team's new office. He'd been surprised when he found out that Lisbon and the others had formed a private investigator company. Even more surprised when he found out that not only had Lisbon not gotten a promotion like he'd assumed, but the entire CBI had been disbanded. On the plane ride back to the states, he'd gone over multiple scenarios and possibilities in his head, but he had to admit he hadn't considered this one.

He supposed he should have realized that the CBI would be too corrupt to salvage, and he felt guilty that his former teammates had all lost their jobs. But they'd landed on their feet, and now he could offer Lisbon a much better career opportunity at the FBI. He was sure she'd jump at the chance. This might work in his favor, actually, as he wouldn't be trying to lure her away from a high ranking position at a place she'd been for over a decade.

Jane wasn't stupid. He knew things wouldn't instantly go back to the way they were. But he was confident that Lisbon would be waiting for him, like always, and she'd be there for him, like always. He was sure she was bored without him and he was looking forward to re-establishing their partnership.

He'd thought about the possibility of more, during his time on the island. But he didn't think he could really commit himself like that again. And Lisbon had always been fine with how things were, so why change? They had a good friendship, a good relationship. That was enough.

He could be content with just friendship from Lisbon. He'd missed her and he was determined to get things back to normal as quickly as possible.

He took a deep breath, fixed a smile on his face, and pushed open the door. His eyes automatically sought out Lisbon when he entered the office. His breath hitched a little. Her hair was different. Beautiful, still, but different. He blinked. He'd always known she was beautiful, but it seemed his memory palace really had not done her justice during his time away. She practically glowed, her hair shiny and bouncy, her skin perfect and freckled. She looked up and Jane's heart gave a strange lurch as he saw her green eyes for the first time outside of his memory palace in two years.

Lisbon's eyes widened, but before Jane could say anything, Van Pelt caught sight of him. "Jane? Oh my gosh! What are you doing here?" She came towards him and gave him a hug, smiling affectionately. The others crowded over, but Jane only had eyes for Lisbon. She was smiling at him, a soft look in her eyes.

"Don't I get a hug, Lisbon?" Jane tried to shake off the weird sensations he was feeling and held his arms out with a winning smile.

Lisbon laughed as she came over and gave him a quick hug. Too quick, really. He hadn't been able to tell if she still smelled like cinnamon. Jane let his smile grow to increase his desire to frown. Why had she hugged him so briefly? Was she still upset with him about killing Red John? And why did he feel unhappy that she hadn't hugged him for longer?

"Well look who decided to show up! Did you get tired of the lazy beach life?" Lisbon grinned at him, and began teasing him about his tan.

Jane laughed and tried to be subtle as he examined her face and body language for signs of anger. No, she seemed fine. Not mad or upset, genuinely glad to see him…but there was something missing.

Cho and Rigsby made their way over, Rigsby hugging him enthusiastically so that he felt his bones creak and tried not to wince. Even Cho gave him a semi-affectionate clap on the shoulder. But Jane could tell there was distance between them now. Really, he should've expected it after two years apart. And he had, in a way. But not from Lisbon.

He'd gotten used to seeing deep affection in Lisbon's eyes when she looked at him, maybe even love. But now she was looking at him with nothing but mild affection, like an old friend who was now more of an acquaintance. It shook him, though he didn't let it show. How could this have happened? He'd written to her! He hadn't stayed in contact with anyone else, and it had been a risk to send her even one letter, let alone the dozens he'd written. Why would she feel distant from him?

Jane tried to cover his growing anxiety with conversation. "Tell me what you've all been up to!"

Cho leaned against a desk and folded his arms. "You mean you can't just guess?"

"Well I thought I'd be polite and let you tell me."

"Your skills are probably rusty," said Cho. "You are getting old."

"Not that old!" Jane felt somewhat offended and tugged at his shirt. He wasn't old. He was in the prime of his life, really.

"You do look scruffy," said Lisbon, eying his outfit critically. "What happened to your suits?"

Jane tugged at his shirt again, starting to feel a little self-conscious.

Rigsby laughed. "I guess that's what happens when you just hang out on a beach for two years."

"Which beach was it?" Grace asked. "Do you have pictures? The way you described it, it sounded lovely."

Jane looked at Lisbon, who smiled. "I bring in your letters to the office whenever a new one comes. Cho and Rigsby have a bet going on which island you were on."

"Closest gets $500. Where were you?" Cho asked. "I could use some extra cash."

"Hey, I might win!" Rigsby protested.

"You placed your bet on a beach boys song," said Cho. "If you win, I'm going to be annoyed."

"So are you here illegally? Because if you are, I'm happy to arrest you."

Jane laughed, though he wasn't entirely sure whether or not Cho was joking. He also felt odd that Lisbon had shared his letters with the team. He shouldn't, really. They hadn't been that personal, couldn't be too personal, in case someone else were to look at them. But still, he had assumed that she would keep them to herself. He realized with an internal wince that he'd imagined her treasuring them and keeping them somewhere special.

He smiled brightly to cover his growing dismay with how things were unfolding. "No, no, the FBI actually offered me a deal. I work for them for a few years, and they forget about the little technical details."

Lisbon rolled her eyes. "Typical. It sounds like someone looked at your closed case record and forgot to look at your complaint records. I don't envy the person who gets stuck with that job!"

Jane laughed a little, fiddling with a button on his shirt that felt a little loose, and wishing for a moment that he was wearing one of his old suits. He'd felt fine without them on the island, but now he felt bare and too visible. "Funny you should say that, Lisbon, because one of the things I asked for–"

Lisbon's phone rang and she held up a hand. "Sorry, Jane, I have to take this. Hold that thought!" She answered her phone with a brisk "This is Lisbon. Yes. Ok. Yes, we can be there in about 20 minutes. Ok. See you there."

She hung up and looked at Cho. "We're up. The local police found something on the Johnson case." She looked at Jane apologetically. "I'm sorry about this, Jane, but Cho and I have to run. How long are you in town for? Maybe we can all grab dinner or something?"

"How about that new place on 8th? Their food smells good," suggested Rigsby, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of food.

"Oh, good idea! How about tonight at 7?"

Jane nodded and made the appropriate sounds while Lisbon and Grace hammered out the details. He felt a little lost. He'd expected things to be different. Or rather, he'd expected things to be the same, and they weren't. And yes, he'd changed, a bit. Change was inevitable. But they'd changed, in unexpected ways. Especially Lisbon. She looked good. Really good. And healthy, though still a touch too skinny. Had no one been reminding her to eat? He certainly hoped she wasn't still subsisting on bear claws and coffee. But still, she seemed surprisingly happy with her current life and he couldn't figure out why that should be upsetting to him. He wanted her to be happy, after all. He just…had been counting on being the one to make her happy. He wasn't counting on her finding happiness without him. And if he couldn't offer her a better job, a better life, what did he have to offer? How was he going to entice her to join him now?

As Lisbon and Cho headed out the door, Jane spent a few more minutes catching up with Van Pelt and Rigsby, complimenting them on the pictures of their baby, exclaiming over how much Ben had grown, and agreeing that their children were very attractive.

After he made his excuses and told him he'd see them later, Jane headed back to his hotel, feeling restless. How was he going to convince Lisbon to come work with him at the FBI? Really, he thought as he paced his hotel room, it shouldn't be that hard of a sell. Obviously Lisbon's situation was different than he'd anticipated, but she would still jump at the chance to work with him again, especially at the FBI. Yes, their little practice seemed to be doing well, but she could do a lot more with her talents. He ignored the nagging voice in his head that whispered that she seemed happy where she was, and that she would find his attitude condescending and obnoxious. Which, his inner voice reminded him, it was.

Jane huffed and looked at the time. Several hours stretched in front of him. He eyed the couch in his hotel room and decided that he might as well try to get a nap in. After all, he was still a tad jet lagged. As he settled into the couch, he wondered whatever had happened to his old couch.

Jane arrived at the restaurant early. He fiddled with his ring nervously, waiting for Lisbon, and everyone else, to show up. He flexed his fingers and forced himself to relax. He had nothing to worry about. Lisbon was transparent. He might have been gone for two years, but he could still read her. He still knew her better than she probably even knew herself. She'd be mad at him for assuming she was interested in the job opportunity, but she'd let herself be persuaded. She'd missed him too much.

He caught sight of her and his heart skipped a beat. He'd forgotten how much he liked her hair. It was such a deep, shiny color. His fingers twitched as he remembered the very few times he'd gotten to feel the silky strands. Stolen moments. He stood up, smiling, ready to wave her over, when he noticed the man next to her. The one holding her hand.

She brought a date? His smile tightened, but he kept his voice light as he greeted her and she introduced her boyfriend, Greg. What an utterly boring name. And the name of her previous fiance. Shouldn't that be a warning sign? He opened his mouth and Lisbon narrowed her eyes at him. Jane smirked at her and decided to keep quiet. For now.

Jane examined Greg as everyone crowded around the table, laughing and chatting. He was tall. Too tall, really. And he had very bland features. His ears were too big. What did she see in him? He still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that Lisbon apparently had a boyfriend. She'd never dated before. Granted, she hadn't had much time, but still. Lisbon didn't do relationships. She did one night stands and short flings. Except, apparently, with men named Greg. Jane was beginning to hate that name.

Jane smiled at Greg, trying to appear friendly. "So, Greg, however did you meet Lisbon?"

Lisbon glared at Jane, but Greg smiled. "A mutual friend introduced us. I was immediately taken with her, but she held out a little longer."

"Hmm. Let me guess, you two have been together for…2 months."

Lisbon rolled her eyes. Greg laughed good naturedly. "A little longer! It's been over a year, actually. Hopefully the first of many." He gazed at Lisbon with obvious love and Jane turned to look at her, expecting her to look wildly uncomfortable at this public declaration of love. But she didn't. She smiled back. And, a year? They'd been together for a year? How had he been so off on his guess?

He watched as Greg put his arm around her, as she smiled at him, as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Jane felt sick. He wasn't sure why. He could see that Lisbon was happy and he wanted her to be happy. He did. Really. But then why did it hurt to see her smiling at Greg? Why did the thought of her finding someone, maybe even contemplating the next steps of a serious relationship with someone, make him feel like he'd swallowed broken glass? He went through the rest of the evening on auto pilot, making jokes and teasing everyone, but inside he felt off kilter.

When Jane got back to his hotel, he sat down on the bed, his head in his hands. He hadn't expected her to settle down, to have a life she might not want to uproot to come with him. In fact, he'd never even considered it. He realized now how stupid that was. Why had he assumed she'd stayed in stasis for the past two years? Did he think she'd done nothing, just sat around, waiting for him to come back? Apparently he had.

Jane felt like an idiot. He knew Lisbon. He knew she was a workaholic, that she thrived on helping people and seeking justice. She was brilliant and great at her job. Of course she hadn't let herself be stopped by the CBI closing. Of course she hadn't settled for a crappy job that she needed to be rescued from. When had Teresa Lisbon ever needed saving? He felt the beginnings of panic setting in. What was the point of coming back if Lisbon wasn't available?

He paced around the room, anxiously running his hands through his hair. Where had that come from? He hadn't come back just for Lisbon. He'd come back because he was bored and he wanted to have a real life again. Of course he wanted Lisbon to be part of that life, she was his best friend. He loved her. Not like that, of course, but as his friend and partner.

He stubbornly ignored thinking about all of the ways he'd treated her as more than a platonic friend over the years, the times he'd flirted with her, the excuses that he found to be near her and touch her.

Teresa Lisbon was off limits. Women in general were off limits for anything more than mild flirting. After what had happened to his wife, he didn't deserve a second chance. After all, if he did it would surely end in tragedy again. And Teresa deserved more than that. She deserved everything. So he'd shut down every thought, every feeling, every fantasy. They were just friends. Because even if he could risk it, he knew Lisbon wouldn't be interested. Lisbon didn't do relationships. Sure, she might think he was attractive. He could tell. But she never pursued anything with someone who might want more. And if they did, like Walter Mashburn, she kindly but firmly shut them down. Just like she'd shut him down if she ever thought that he was interested. Which was fine, because he wasn't.

Except… how to explain Greg, then? He'd never thought Lisbon wanted anything other than her job. He'd never thought that she might want a real relationship. Living together. Marriage. Maybe even kids and a dog. And the thought that he'd been wrong, that apparently she did want that, just with Greg, instead of… Someone else, made him feel like he'd been punched in the stomach. Repeatedly.

But out of guilt, he assured himself. Because he felt guilty that she hadn't found it sooner, because of Red John and his obsession. But he was happy for her. He was. He must be. Because he was her friend and he'd never wanted anything more than that. Right?

Jane refused to think too much about why the thought of Lisbon moving on without him, with someone else, made him feel such deep anxiety and pain. He'd talk to her tomorrow. She couldn't be that serious about Greg. After all, they'd been together over a decade, she wouldn't throw that away for some guy she'd known for less than a year. He'd explain his brilliant plan, the job offer, and she would be annoyed, but interested, and eventually after some bribery on his part, she'd agree to go with him.

Feeling a little more confident, and pushing his uneasy feelings deep down, Jane went to bed.