From One-shot,. the story has been promoted to multi-chapter, although I'm not quite sure how many more you'll have; Many of you asked for a sequel, and so, I thought about giving a bit more of space to Annie and the marvelous Jisbon romace we're still waiting to see in "reality"; I'm well aware that I said this chapter was going to be a bit shorte, and, in my defence, I still thought it was going to be, untill I started to write it, and I realised it was coming to life on its own, without I could do anything about it...
Still no Annie, though (she'll be back in the next chapters), but I've finally decided to make Hightower appear...
As always, thanks to everyone who, with reviews, or putting my and the story on alert or on fav, gave me resons to go on with this story.
And, please, keep in mind: I still don't ow the mentalist...
As soon as the investigation about Stern's death had been declared closed, with Special Agent David cleared of all charges (it had been pretty clear right from the beginning that the woman had acted only in self-defense, while facing a well known and extremely dangerous serial killer), Patrick and Teresa decided to throw the protections in the garbage, meaning, it was time to tell Hightower about the marriage.
Jane, on his side, didn't care too much about what the big boss was going to say; he was ready to show her that there was no article that said that relationships between a senior agent and his/her civil consultant weren't allowed; worst case, had she decided to throw in their faces some kind of legal technicality, he already had in his jacket his resignations (not that Teresa was aware of this fact, she didn't need to, she was already too nervous as things were). Was this unfortunate scenario going to become true, he knew he'd have missed her and having his Teresa around the whole day, bickering as colleagues by day and as a couple by night, but he knew it was worth it. Besides, they were already trying to have a baby, so, once he or she was born, he would have time for the little kid and the little kid only…
Teresa, on her side, was nervous, even if Patrick was sure that defining her as "nervous" was some kind of rhetoric figure, since she was a way beyond that point. Once they had decided to confess, she was done sleeping, spending her night moving in their bed or walking in circles in the house, multiplying, against all his advices, of a good 3 times her daily caffeine dose, which just made her sleeping issues worse (his idea that his now forgotten insomniac problems were the worst thing a human could go through had left his mind, after having seen Teresa in this unfortunate state of mind.)
On Monday, the poor man was busy holding Teresa's sweating right hand, trying to calm her down a bit and avoid a freak-out in front of their boss; his idea of calming her down didn't seem to work, though, since, the more he tried to comfort her, the more agitated she was, since Teresa was sure he was trying the opposite of what he claimed he was doing because he had always enjoyed, not so secretly, seeing her nervous. "Teresa, darling, the fact that I find you adorable when you're nervous doesn't mean that I'm actually trying to make you nervous right now – he told her while rubbing the skin of her wrist, knowing too well what she thought before she could be even aware of what she had thought in the first place) - you know I don't have such a death wish, right?" Giving her his best grin, he kissed the skin of said wrist he was still holding, making her sure he was indeed trying to make her nervous, and obtaining only to make her turn in a certain shade of dark pink that was pretty adorable, and that has driven him crazy for her in the first place a long time before.
"And here I thought it was the idea of sleeping on the couch, all alone and on your own, for an undetermined amount of time…." Biting her lips in that way who drove him to have very inappropriate thoughts about the two of them and her office, she smiled, a bit more comfortable, suppressing a laugh after heard the guttural sound her husband had emitted while she had done that action that, she knew, had almost an aphrodisiac effect on him. She sat at his side on Hightower's couch, and allowed her husband to nuzzle her, and, suddenly, when their met, all the calmness of the previous, probably, 30 seconds, went again away, vanishing like it hadn't been there to begin with, and, again, Teresa was walking across the whole office, frantically, biting the skin of one of her fingers like a nervous child, suddenly totally focused on her feet and her hands; If Patrick though that his little statement of honesty could have a calming effect on his wife, he found out that he had been, obviously, wrong.
"Teresa, here" he was serious and resolute, calm, while only indicating the seat where she had been until moments before, and, Teresa had to admit, it was rare: Patrick had been serious only about Red John before, and then with her, in the moments they were alone, and seeing this aspect of him just made things worse for her: she was sure that there was something about at least one of them contractually obligated to be in freak-out mode.
"Patrick, it's just that, I want you to understand, there are things I'm not ready to give up, now or never – she took her seat, the one he had indicated her, and looked t him in the eyes, being totally honest like he had always asked her to; she took a brief pause, and, understanding where her husband's mind was probably going, she took a big breath and went on, clarifying her position – I'm not talking about work, Patrick, not just work, at least. Of course I love my work, but what I don't want to give up is working with you." Smiling one of those sad smiles he knew so well, Teresa cupped his face with a hand, and he put his hand on her one, kissing in tenderly, like many times before, like it was pretty usual for them.
"I've checked everything, Teresa, she can't say we're not allowed to be together, and you know it as well"
"I know! – she stood again, panicking again, walking again, one hand on her hip, the other at the forehead – but you know Hightower, and she had never been too impressed by me!"
Noticing the sudden change in her behavior, from nervous to mad, he smiled a bit, just to immediately recompose himself as he noticed that his wife was sending him a look that said clearly that she had noticed his amusement, and that he wasn't allowed to be amused in the first place.
"Oh, the person I was looking for! – Hightower entered in her office while Lisbon was still on her feet, eyeing Patrick a bit mad, smiling one of those "I don't like what you did" smile, looking at Jane like her subordinate – Mr. Jane, I'd need a word with Special agent Lisbon, alone. If you don't mind…"
As Hightower ordered her husband around, all the tensions vanished from her body, and Teresa knew exactly what she had to do, and what she had to say, the hell with consequences; Hightower wanted the war? She was going to give her that, and even more, she was tired of having to listen to her boss' complains about her and her unit, when they were the best unit of the whole CBI!
"Yes, actually, he minds." Hands on her hips, Teresa looked at Hightower, with a firm and proud voice, who sent Jane's knees on jelly, forcing those inappropriate thoughts to reappear; amused and with an idiotic grin printed on his face, a bit stunned by his wife's declaration of war, stunned, he make himself comfortable on the sofa, waiting for the outburst that was going to come – from which side, he was no longer certain.
"Fine – Hightower went to seat at desk, and didn't even bother to look at them, focused on the paperwork she was processing while talking with the duo, not caring too much about the fact that Lisbon was still on her feet, hands on her hips – Agent Lisbon, the Governor isn't impressed in the way the red John situation has been dealt with."
"If I can interrupt – Jane said looking from Lisbon to Hightower, who still wasn't acknowledging their presence, lifting his hand like a kid at school, trying to lower the tension a bit with his usual half-sarcastic (very sarcastic, not very half) - I'd like to remember you that we did catch him, and, mostly, I haven't been the one who killed him. I'd say it's a pretty good result"
"NCIS did catch him – Hightower closed the files, and looked finally at Lisbon, hands crossed over her chest – Now, I don't have to remember you how fragile your position already was, right?"
"Let me get this straight – Lisbon looked at her boss, almost laughing, so crazy the situation was – if Jane doesn't behave, I lose my job, and, if he does, I risk it as well?"
"Lisbon, you know what I think. I have a vision of what the CBI should be. Jane is part of the plan to make us the biggest Investigation Unit of California. He isn't expendable. You are."
"If you fire her I'll give my immediate resignations!" he said in one breath, without thinking too much about it; he tried to stand to make his point more clear, but Lisbon turned to look at him, fire in her eyes, and he gave up. Hell, she was really making things hard for him, when she behaved that way she was as hot as hell… how the hell was he supposed to push away all those inappropriate thoughts when she made her best to multiply them?
"You want to send me away, fine. If you think this is the only job I can take, you're wrong. I'm a hell of a cop, and all the districts in California and behind would love to have me on their side; hell, last year the FBI asked me join them, and the offer still stands, so it's no big deal. You think the only reason we solve case is Jane? Well, I'd suggest to give a look at our files, you know, the ones before he joined us. My unit was the one who closed more cases already back then – she crossed her arms, grinning a little – no, wait, let me clarify this; we didn't close cases. We SOLVED cases."
"Yes, but, you'll admit that, after I joined your unit, the number of cases you solved just…"
"Jane, shut up! – She shout at him, facing him, before to turn to face Hightower again, talking, this time, with a normal tone of voice and quite calmly – you want me out, Ok, but I want to see what my Unit will react to this- she paused, grinning, taking a seat in front of her boss- Or Jane, for what it matters. I'll never let you see the end of this, you know that, right? And if you really think that you could find someone else to handle him… well, I don't doubt that there could be someone at the CBI who could, effectively, handle the situation better than I do, but, what will happen when said person will have to bring him out of jail? Or when this person will have to deal with his unconventional methods? I think we both know that the only reason Jane solves cases is because he does have unconventional methods. Let's face the truth; the day he'll have to put them aside, he'll become useless."
"Are you two threatening me?" She asked serious, looking into Teresa's green eyes.
"Yes" he answered, while Teresa did the same, but with a very different answer.
"No, I'm not threatening you. I'm just standing for my team, for Jane, and for me as well, I'm doing what I should have done for Rigsby and van Pelt, what I should have done the day you told me you were ready to fire me, the day you suspended me., that – Teresa said standing again and looking into her boss' eyes – is what I'm doing"
"Rigsby and Van Pelt's story was…"
"Oh, please, like we don't know that every rule has an exception! – She stormed, facing her, as determinate as never before, pointing a finger at her – they had never done anything wrong at work, they had never compromised a case, they had never behave unprofessionally; they started to behave unprofessionally, to compromise cases after you asked them chose between love and work, when you forced them, two people who had been lucky enough to find what many people never do in lifetime, to break up! You compromised my unit, and I've been so scared of you that I allowed you to, but I'm done, ok?" Throwing a piece of paper she had took from her jacket pocket on Hightower's desk, she stormed out; she wasn't even at the door that her boss, given a quick glance at said paper, called after her, forcing Lisbon to turn, while Jane was still speechless on the sofa, taken aback by his wife's behavior.
"Agent Lisbon, Teresa, you are telling me you're ready to resign because…"
"Because you don't appreciate my work, and you don't respect nor me nor my team, that's why"
"What? She wants to give her resignations? – Patrick stood and reached Hightower, taking the piece of paper from her hands and studying it, then turning to look at Lisbon - We never talked about giving your resignations! I'm the one who's supposed to resign in the first place!" he turned to face Hightower again, and gave her HIS resignations as well, turning to face then Teresa – see, they are already written!"
"No, you'll not give her this satisfaction! – she said serious and cold while taking his resignations from Hightower's desk and making them in pieces- I want to know that she had to deal with you as I had for years!"
Oh, Lord, she really hated him… she was making things worse by the seconds; now he not only had inappropriate thoughts, now he felt the psychical need to jump on her right there…
"I don't want either you resignations, I'd just like to…"
"How did he behave in the last, let's say, 8 months?" Teresa suddenly asked, calm and serious, crossing her arms over her chest, facing Hightower that seemed to say "Don't you dare to lie"
"I'm well aware that in the last months the amount of paperwork requested by Mr. Jane's usual behavior has reached the quota of almost zero, if it's what you're asking me. The last complains I received was from the man who you discovered was the killer…" Hightower was looking at them suspiciously, trying to understand what Lisbon's point was.
"And what do you tell me about the cases, or, his professional behavior?"
"Mr. Jane behaved in an impeccable way and the amount of cases he helped your unit to solve was as high as always."
"Do you have any complains about him?"
"No"
"Do you have any complains about me, Red John case apart."
"No, and considering that he hasn't been killed by Jane as we already expected to, and that you even were able to close few cold cases we weren't aware of weren't connected with him in the first place, I'd say you did a pretty good job, after all."
"And what if I told you that in the last 8 months, the same amount of time Jane has learned to behave, we have been dating for two and married for 6? – Listening to that, Hightower almost laughed, but, when Lisbon took from her neck the thin gold chain where her engagement and wedding rings were, throwing them in her face, Hightower went silent and went serious again – Although I've kept and I will always keep my surname, I've been Mrs. Jane for the last 6 months, and the only thing that changed was that he has finally learned to behave as a normal human again"
"It's true, we're married. I'm living at her place right now. Oh, and we're trying to have a baby and…" Again, he was using his half-serious tone, in the futile attempt of lowering the tension and making things easy for his wife.
"Jane" she silenced him with a word, his surname, and a look.
"If I lose you, I lose Jane as well, and probably your whole team…. – Hightower suddenly found herself focused on her hand sand the wood of her desk as she reflected on the situation – and, as I said, he isn't expandable… like your whole unit. Teresa – she said waking up and going in front of a shocked Mrs. Lisbon-Jane, offering her right to shake, a smile of pride printed on her usually serious face – I've told you many times, and I'll say it again. I like you, but, I have to admit, right now I like you even more, because you showed me how you can stand up for your people. Although I'd prefer to be informed about such things as weddings and pregnancies first thing for the time being, I don't see why I should complain. Besides, from now on, you and your team, and I said – she remarked, smiling like a vixen – you and your whole team, can do what you want in your free time. Until it doesn't interfere with work, it's obvious."
"Boss, I'm touched, I'm glad you understood my point. I promise that you'll not regret your decision" Teresa said shaking her boss' hand before to leave, followed by a still speechless, for once, Jane, who was doing his best to contain himself in the building.
"Lisbon, Jane, one last thing – she said as they stopped by the door as Lisbon had done just minutes before, to turn to look at their boss – congratulations at the both of you, and, when you'll need to be put on desk duty or on maternity leave…"
"I'm considering taking paternity leave as well- he said stopping Hightower, letting her go on after his sudden need to talk – sorry, you can proceed"
"Well, when you'll need to be put on desk duty, Lisbon, or you and your… husband… will need to take paternity and or maternity leave, feel free to inform me, ok?"
"Thanks boss and, I swear you'll not regret this. – Lisbon turned inside again, and gave a look at her boss, a bit uneasy, like she was struggling to find the words or was scared to say them- for what concerns that letter I gave you…"
"What letter?" Hightower asked as the aforementioned piece of paper ended in the bin, in millions of tiny pieces.
