A/N: Thank you for that incredible response for the first chapter :) I'm glad you guys enjoyed it! So I thought I'd take on the challenge of another weather phenomenon. Thank you to Madaboutthementalist for the inspiration (I'm leaning towards the latter part of your suggestion). Hehe, in any case, this is extremely OOC and would *never* happen but I just couldn't post the original ending I had written. With that in mind, extreme fluffiness alert. You have been warned. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: This is the part of my fic where I complain how life is unfair and that I don't own the Mentalist.
Hailstorm
"It must be nice working with your husband."
Lisbon had been mindlessly saying goodbye when the woman's comment stopped her dead in her tracks. Her ears must have been fooling her.
"Excuse me?"
Before the woman could explain, Lisbon felt an arm go around her waist.
"Oh, she loves having me around, isn't that right, Darling?"
Jane smiled at Lisbon with a twinkle in his eye. Her lips only pursed for just a moment. It was obvious to Jane she was trying to restrain herself from strangling him in front of a potential witness. To his delight, she forced a smile to match his own.
"Of course, Snookums, never a dull moment with you."
To add to the effect, she pinched his cheek, hard. A satisfying smirk crinkled the corners of her mouth. Jane was holding back a wince when she removed her hand as the woman grinned widely.
"You two are just so adorable. If I remember anything else I'll be sure to give you a ring."
"Thank you, Mrs. Kirkland, we really appreciate it," Jane said politely.
The woman blushed as she bustled back inside of her home. When she was gone, Lisbon angrily removed Jane's hand from her hip.
"What the Hell was that for?" she demanded hotly.
"She thought we were married, what was I supposed to do?"
"Gee, Jane, I don't know, tell her the truth?"
"And ruin this lovely afternoon with my depressing life story. I don't think so."
Although the teasing tone in his voice hadn't faltered, Lisbon still felt guilty for her glib remark.
"Jane…"
"It's okay," he brushed off, smile still in place. "Besides, Snookums, really? Is that the pet name you'd give me?"
Lisbon was rolling her eyes at him when something landed right in front of them. The object was about the size of the golf ball, white, and shattered into pieces when it hit the concrete. Before she knew what was happening, Jane grabbed her elbow. Another golf ball would have smacked her straight on the head had it not been for Jane's quick reflexes. He had dragged her under the protection of the vinyl canopy of a condemned hardware store before a deluge of white pelted down from the sky.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied. "Is that hail?"
"Looks like."
"Perfect," she grumbled. "We're stuck in the middle of Hicksville caught in a freak hailstorm."
They spent some time staring at the falling ice, bouncing off the flimsy awning they were standing beneath.
"This is all your fault," Lisbon muttered, breaking the silence.
"How is this, my fault?"
"We just had to talk to Mrs. Kirkland today. It couldn't possibly wait for tomorrow and what did we learn from her? Nothing, aside from the fact the woman's only companions are of the feline variety."
"Could explain the kitty litter trace found on the victim's shoe," replied Jane thoughtfully.
Lisbon opened her mouth but nothing came out.
"And I thought we worked through our trust issues, Lisbon. I'm so terribly disappointed."
She frowned at him.
"Why didn't you say anything? We could have brought her in for further questioning."
"No, I think Mrs. Kirkland is innocent. She was so sweet to us."
"Oh, so sweet old ladies can't possibly be capable of murder."
"Well, not all sweet old ladies, but this one isn't."
"Oh really?"
"Really."
They were so busy bickering that Lisbon only realized Jane was still holding onto her arm.
"You can let go now," she ordered.
"Nah, I don't want to."
"Jane, let go."
"No."
She groaned, before deciding to switch tactics.
"What, are you scared of a little hail?"
"Don't be ridiculous," he scoffed. "If anyone's scared it's you."
"Then why are you the one holding onto me?"
"Because, my dear, you subconsciously want me to."
"So now suddenly you're psychic," she quipped, rolling her eyes yet again.
"There is no such thing as a psychic."
"Then how do you know what my subconscious is telling you?"
"Again we've been through this before, you're translucent."
Hail or not, Lisbon couldn't take anymore of his shtick as she shook off his grasp and calmly walked out from beneath their makeshift shelter. Her timing couldn't have been worse. Just as a sizable piece of hail was ready to knock her out, Jane once again jerked her out of the way. Lisbon stumbled, sending the two of them reeling backwards. When they both regained their balance, she found herself pinned between Jane and the boarded up door of the shop. His face was so close hers, she could see tiny golden-green flecks speckling the cerulean blue irises of his eyes. She had never noticed those colours before. He was too damn close.
"Thanks," she said, her voice sounding oddly breathless.
"No problem."
She could feel his strong steady heartbeat against her own. His gaze held hers as his arms wrapped tighter around her.
"What are you doing?" she demanded.
"You're cold," he said simply.
"I'm fine."
His head dipped forward.
"What are you doing?" she repeated.
"What do you want me to do?"
She glared at him, trying to suppress the uncontrollable panic rising inside of her.
"Answering my question with another question is childish."
"I prefer the term endearing."
Their foreheads were touching now.
"You want me to kiss you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I-I do not," she stammered.
"Why do you insist on lying to me?"
"I am not lying."
He simply grinned at her as he tipped her chin towards him. Instinctively, her lids slid shut although her mind was screaming at her not to. Just when she thought he was going to kiss her, his lips brushed against the tip of her nose instead. Her eyes snapped opened. An amused smirk played on Jane's lips.
"Disappointed?" he asked.
She blinked before shaking herself out of her semi-trance.
"No, don't be ridiculous," she exclaimed.
She forcefully shoved him away from her. He staggered backwards, but the smirk on his face refused to go away.
"The hail stopped," he announced.
"Great."
Lisbon stepped out onto the sidewalk and silently headed towards her parked vehicle while Jane regarded her closely. Her mind was still swimming from what had happened moments earlier or rather what nearly happened. She hated hailstorms. The irrational thought was undermined by the feeling of Jane's watchful stare from behind. Suddenly, she halted mid-stride and spun around.
"Stop it," she said irritably.
"Stop what?"
"You know what. You and your analyzing crap or whatever it is you do, just stop it."
"Observing," he corrected.
"Whatever, Jane."
"There's no need to be so grumpy, Lisbon, if you wanted me to kiss you…"
He was cut off abruptly. Lisbon had pressed her lips against his. One arm snaked its way around his neck while her other hand gripped onto the lapel of his suit jacket. She only pulled back when oxygen became an issue. He cocked his head to the side, clearly impressed by her brazenness.
"That's one way to shut me up," he quipped after a moment.
"If only I…"
This time Jane cut her off, reclaiming her mouth with his. Lisbon felt her eyes flutter shut. Maybe she had been too quick to judge. Hailstorms weren't all that bad.
Fin for now, Jello forever
