A/N: Okay, I'm sorry for my brief hiatus. I've been trying to write more for some of my other stories, but my muse just likes this one the best! Though I do promise to write a little bit more. So either Monday or Tuesday you'll have a new chap!

The next chap will be a bit angsty I think...

Love you reviewers!

Allie XD

"May I borrow you cute little dog here for a minute? Teresa, my dear, needs a bit of cheering up,"

"Sure, Cowboy, anything for Teresa darling. She's lucky to have such a handsome man like you,"

Patrick and Helen had gotten to know eachother quite well during the past half an hour. Although Helen still thought that he was Lisbon's boyfriend. Oh well, he would let Teresa tell her what she wanted.

It was time for him to get out what he had bought at the Halloween store.

Jane grabbed his bag, hoping desperately that he could be forgiven.

He wasn't sure how he had remembered that Helen had a dog when he had gone to the costume store, but now he realized that the dog was what woke him up the morning after he spent the night at Lisbon's. The little pug, Cucumber, would look extremely cute in his Batman outfit. He hoped desperately that Lisbon would laugh, or at very least give him a tiny smile. It was all that he needed.

Jane ran through the musty smelling apartment in chase of Cucumber, only knocking down vases or collector's spoons every once in a while. Together the pair went over the couch, under the table, through the kitchen, and into the bathtub. After five minutes of dodging obstacles in pursuit of the dog, Jane gave up. He couldn't ask Helen to help him because she had gone to play bingo with Bartholomew, the 30-year old Italian from the second floor, to go square dancing.

He really didn't want to, but he needed to ask Lisbon for help. He knew that she was good with dogs, and he just didn't have enough stamina to keep up with the little rascal. He grudgingly headed towards her apartment.

Jane knocked on the door. As Lisbon opened it she was licking her fingers of chocolate frosting.

"This is supposed to make me smile? Just the sight of-," she stopped at the sound of Jane laughing. "What is it?"

Lisbon was getting annoyed.

"You, umm, you have frosting on your…" he trailed off as his thumb brushed over Lisbon's lip to wipe off the chocolate-y goodness.

She watched him as he stuck his finger in his mouth, the whole while he was staring at her to see her reaction.

"Jane?" She asked uncertainly, staring intently back at him.

They just watched each other for a minute.

Jane was the first to pull out of the sort of trance they were in.

"This isn't what was supposed to make you smile, my dear. I sort of need your help," he told her.

"Patrick Jane needs my help? I don't think I can pass up the opportunity,"

Jane snorted.

"You have helped my more than you know, and I needed it just as much," he said to her truthfully.

As Jane got out of the doorway so Lisbon could follow him, he felt an overwhelming urge to pull her closer with an arm around her waist, but if he did Lisbon would probably push him away.

She must've seen it in his eyes, because she started walking a little bit closer to him. Lisbon may not have fully forgiven him yet, but she was on the way. She hated seeing him giving up something for her, even if it was just the sudden need to touch her. If that's what he needed, she would give it to him. No matter what it cost her.

To her surprise, Lisbon and Jane made their way to Helen's apartment. Jane pulled out a key, seemingly from nowhere, stuck it in the keyhole, (and sucked it! No, just kidding, I have a wacky sense of humor, and couldn't resist adding it. So yeah, I'm weird. Deal with it,) and gracefully opened her neighbor's door.

"So now you're trying to tell me that you're having a secret affair with my neighbor, and that's why you wouldn't have sex with me?"

"No Lisbon, she's a bit old for me, don't you think?" He asked grinning. "And for the record, I'll never have sex with you,"

Was she really that bad that Jane wouldn't even think about having sex with her? She struggled to keep her tears at bay, and decided that if she went down, she would do it fighting.

No fighting words came to mind.

"Am I really that awful to you, Jane?" She inquired. "Because I would have sex with you any day of the week,"

Dammit, she thought as Jane walked inside the apartment while she stood in the doorway. I didn't need to give the bastard any more fuel to add to the damn fire that's my life.

She felt her cheeks go red. She just told him she wanted to sleep with him, even though he most likely already knew it. It just hurt that he would never reciprocate.

"Is complimenting you such a bad thing, Lisbon?" He asked her.

"Complimenting me?" She said in disbelief, "You just told me you would never sleep with me,"

Jane grabbed her wrist, staring intently in her eyes.

"I said that I would never have sex with you,"

"That's pretty much the sa-," Lisbon started, but finally figured out the meaning of his words.

"Oh," she said. "Oh,"

"Yes, my dear, it would be making love, not just sex to me,"

"Jane, I, I have to go," she told him, turning around to walk back to her own apartment.

"But Lisbon, I need your help,"

"And I need you. Doesn't look like either of us are going to get what we want,"

"Lisbon, you need me?"

"Yeah, Jane, when you make comments like that it kinda turns a girl on,"

"Lisbon, we aren't at that stage in our relationship yet,"

"I know that, Jane. Why the hell do you think I haven't touched you yet?"

Jane was about to respond when he noticed Cucumber braking out into a full sprint heading towards Lisbon.

"Uh, Lisbon," Jane stopped talking as the small pug knocked her to the ground. "A little doggie named Cucumber is about to jump at you with full force,"

"Thanks for the warning," she glared at him, then smiled and started giggling.

"Does that count?" He asked. "As the smile, I mean. 'Cause I didn't think that just the dog itself would have you grinning,"

"Were you going to do something else?"

"Well thank God I don't have to wear that speedo anymore," Jane muttered.

"Jane, you were going to wear a speedo for me?"

The smile that plastered her face barely contained her laughter.

"Jane, you are definitely going to put that on for me," she told him.

"Maybe another day," he said to her.

Lisbon pouted, which was slightly out of character for her.

Jane, noticing this, grinned inwardly and said, "How about I put his batman costume on for you instead?"

Lisbon huffed. "Okay,"

A few hours later, the pair was sitting on the couch. It had been a long day for both of them, and they were pretty worn out.

They had spent a while chasing Cucumber throughout the apartment building while in his batman outfit. That had definitely been fun. Jane and Lisbon had been acting like a couple.

And as mindless TV shows plagued the television screen, a question haunted Jan's mind. He couldn't get rid of it.

"Lisbon?" He asked hesitantly, "Do you love me?"

A/N: Teehee, a cliffie. What do you think Lisbon will say?

I'd like to have 45 reviews before I post again, so that would mean seven more! If all of you followers would give me just a tiny piece of feedback?

Oh, and I would like to offer my beta-reading services to any of you who would like one. I'm always happy to help. :D