Of Many Things
Chapter Ten

With the warmth they shared as a reminder that at this moment, even if it wouldn't last, they were both still alive. They had to carry on living. It was no more complicated than it had been when they had first awoken this morning; ready to face the monotonous day ahead. They were still those two people. That hadn't changed. They were just two people, playing a game of truth or dare.
'Truth.'
'Lisbon! you are supposed to let me ask you first..' Jane whined like a small girl; most probably with pig tails, Lisbon thought. The mental image, although leaving her a little disturbed, causing a grin to tug at her lips. Luckily for Jane, he couldn't see her expression, and was saved from enquiring into it.
'I'm waiting.'
'Goodness, aren't you the bossy one tonight! Truth or Dare my little lion cub?'
Teresa would forever be baffled by the names that Jane came up for her, which was something she really rather enjoyed. 'Truth.'
Jane wasn't sure why, but he suddenly needed to ask something of Teresa. Something that would most definitely change the emotions of their night. An uncertainty that was burning through him.'Are you scared?'
Lisbon looked up at Jane, shocked by his words; by their abruptness,but he was never one to cut corners. She supposed that she should be glad of it, that he hadn't changed, she thought that it perhaps meant he truly cared. But who was she to go around thinking things like that. He was the mentalist, not her.
Her breath almost failing her, she decided that it was the time for truth; it was literally now or never. 'Of many things, yes, but not of this.' She saw her words hit him. She had done the impossible. She had shocked Patrick Jane.
His eyes began to water as he looked deep into her own. They had lost their sparkle. That forest green, normally so deep with passion, was slowly being washed away. Replaced by something altogether more grey. He didn't understand her answer. How could she not fear this? How could she seem so ok about it all? She was dying. She was dying, and she wasn't scared. Was there anything this woman feared? Sometimes he thought that perhaps there wasn't. Perhaps she just didn't have that emotion within her. But she had just admitted that she was scared of many things, and he felt an odd kind of responsibility to take away her fear, the least she deserved was to die knowing that nothing in her world could harm her. No one should die with fear in their heart.
'You don't understand, do you?'
Jane thought about her brutal honesty, and then about his own. No. He really didn't understand. How could there be no fear in death? Wasn't it the one thing that made us all the same. That made us human.
'I'm not scared of dying; i'm scared of not living. That my life will end, without ever really beginning. Even when i was a little girl, all i ever wanted was to be great. For the world to be a better place because of me. Because of what i have done. I thought i had time. I thought i had time to find greatness. I don't Patrick, i don't have any time left. All that is ahead of me is pain, and suffering, and grief. That is my legacy. So no, i am not afraid of this. I am angry. I am pissed off. But i am not afraid. I have refused for many years to live with any fear, and i will certainly not die in it.' Hot, fierce tears were flowing freely from Lisbon's sea green eyes, unable to keep her well built guards up any longer. They fell into salty pools, and onto the safe shoulders of Patrick Jane. She knew then that he was the only man she would ever allow to her like this. So free from everything. The naked truth. The dark realisation. Teresa lay in the arms of only man that she had ever loved, something she had always been too afraid to admit, and vowed to show him before her time was up. Maybe it would lead to rejection, heartache, insufferable pain. But maybe, just maybe, it would lead her to greatness.
Jane, instinctively sensing that Lisbon was lost to her own thoughts, let her stay there. Gently stroking the soft skin of her back, left bare by her hospital gown. He had no words to stop her tears. He had no need for them either. This free fall of emotion, it was a good thing. It would make saying goodbye easier on her. No unfinished business to attend to. No feelings to be set free.

'Truth or Dare?' Lisbon, through watery eyes, looked up into the face of Patrick Jane; every ounce of her being willing him to pick dare. She had a plan for both choices, but the later would prove to her once and for all if Jane loved her back. Heartache, or greatness? It was all down to the actions of one man. One beautifully broken man.
'Dare.' There had been something in her eyes that made Jane choose dare. Something her couldn't quite figure out, but trusted all the same. This was Lisbon after all, he would lay down on the train tracks for her.
'Kiss me.'

I guess a little bit of a cliff hanger to end, but it will all be resolved soon.
Thankyou again for reading. And to all those who left a review of the last chapter.
Katie.