A/N: Sorry, another sad chapter, but wanted to address Jane's fear at this point. The next one is a whole lot lighter and all Jisbon so please keep reading.

Chapter 13 – The Fight

They walked silently to the lecture room, each of them deep in their own thoughts. As they arrived, Lisbon straightened her shoulders and walked in. Jane smiled to himself, Agent Lisbon was back in charge now, not Teresa.

'Professor Vance?' she called to the man standing at the desk at the front of the room. 'Can we have a word?' she said, flashing her I.D.

The man looked up as they came closer. He was slim, in his early fifties, with lightly greying hair and wearing reading glasses that he took off to get a closer look at his visitors.

'Agent Lisbon, Mr Jane! I was hoping you would call on me' he said, surprising Lisbon.

He came towards them noting Lisbon's surprise. 'Sorry. But I've read and saw so much about you both online I feel that I know you already.

He looked at Jane. 'Although I seemed to have read that you were indicted recently for McAllister's murder, but yet here you are, still working for the FBI?'

He outstretched his hand to Jane as he came face to face with them, looking at Jane for a response. However, Jane remained silent and impassive, reading every part of the man's face and body language.

Noticing Jane's stare and realising no answer was forthcoming, Vance squirmed a little, dropped his hand and turned his attention to Lisbon. 'Although I have to say, Agent Lisbon, you're much prettier in person', trying his best to sound charming.

Jane stiffened a little as Lisbon ignored the remark and went straight to the point. 'Kerry Matthews was in your class, I take it you've heard about what happened to her.'

Vance nodded solemnly. 'Terrible business altogether.'

Lisbon asked 'What was she like as a student?'

Jane still stood silently beside her, his non motion starting to unnerve her now too. By now he normally would be wandering around the room with his nose in everything.

'Wonderful student, she had a deep fascination in your own...obsession, is that what it was?', finding the courage to look at Jane towards the end of the sentence.

Lisbon's eyes darted again to Jane who still remained silent.

'We're not here to talk about that!' Lisbon replied.

Jane spoke at last, looking directly at Vance. 'Well, why not, Lisbon? If by using a girl's murder helps him get a paper published then who are we to stop him?'

Vance's eyes widened. Mr Jane! How could you think such a thing? I just thought that while you were here investigating anyway-'

'You could pump me for a little information on the side, believe me I understand completely', Jane replied, smiling now, enjoying making this man struggle.

Lisbon interjected. 'We'll need a list of names from you for Kerry's class.'

'Of course Agent Lisbon, I'll get them for you now' Vance replied, relieved at the interruption and scurried back to his desk.

Jane and Lisbon remained where they were.

'So, what do you think?' Lisbon enquired.

Jane sighed. 'I don't think he did it, or at least not by himself anyway, much too nervous and he certainly wouldn't have put the paper in her mouth, it would only draw attention to him. He's not smart but he's not that stupid.'

'But he may have encouraged someone else to do it, is that what you think? Or is someone trying to frame him?'

Jane sighed heavily, the events of the day catching up with him. 'I'm not sure, I need to think about it some more.'

They left the college and went back towards their cars. When Lisbon arrived at the FBI office, Jane was already waiting for her in the parking garage.

'Hey, what's up?' she asked him.

'We need to talk before you speak to Abbott.'

'What about?'

Jane responded, animated again. 'Look, I've been thinking about this on my way back here. This murder was committed in Austin where we both now live. Obviously there is a big connection to both of us by choosing this particular victim and killing her this way. Whoever did this knew that by putting that note in her mouth it would get the FBI, and therefore us, to investigate. Without it the local police may have looked into it instead and we would never have even heard about it. Someone is trying to get our attention in a very loud way, Teresa, someone who knows a lot about us both.' His voice started to tremble slightly towards the end but then picked up again. 'For what reason, I don't know yet but it could well be a trap for us to fall into. I think we should ask Abbott for some protection.'

Lisbon stared at him in total surprise. This was not the Jane she knew with the devil may care attitude, the one who would ditch going by the book at the drop of a hat, preferring instead to set up ridiculous plans so he could have some fun whilst solving a case. She looked at him closer to try to understand and saw something else in his eyes, something akin to fear.

She replied evenly, stroking his arm, 'Jane, we have no evidence to back that up, there have been no direct threats against us and we're still not entirely sure that this whole thing still isn't just a massive coincidence'. She paused and then added softly trying to calm his fears, 'Besides, I'm a cop, I can protect us both.'

He looked at her silently then pulled his arm away, clearly annoyed now. 'Well, if you're not going to do anything about it, then I will' he said coldly, marching towards the elevator, leaving her standing there, stunned.

Jane strode to Abbott's office, telling him all his thoughts on the case and the need for protection. Apart from Lisbon, he had never shared so much information willingly about a case. Abbott looked at Jane, surprised himself that he hadn't had to drag the information from him as he normally did. Jane finally finished by saying, 'If you can't offer protection, then I swear I won't work on this case for another second.'

Jane exhaled and finally sat down, his leg shaking a little.

Abbott sat opposite him, eyeing him for a moment.

'Nice that you finished with a threat. I was beginning to wonder if it was really Patrick Jane standing in front of me as for once I think I got your entire thought process with no lies or pretence for a change.'

Jane smiled back thinly.

Just then Lisbon entered the office. Jane turned his head to see her before turning back to Abbott.

'I meant what I said' he said to Abbott stony faced.

'Agent Lisbon, please join us' Abbott said to Lisbon, motioning to the empty chair beside Jane.

She sat down, her eyes on Jane who was still staring at Abbott.

Abbott leaned back in his chair rocking it slightly looking at both of them in turn. He finally spoke to Lisbon. 'Do you agree with Jane that you both need some protection for this case?'

Jane leant forward in his chair, about to interrupt before Abbott held up a finger to stop him. 'Well, Agent Lisbon?' he asked again.

Lisbon shook her head. 'No sir I don't, there is no evidence at the moment that our lives are in danger.' Jane turned his face quickly towards her, giving her a chilly stare. Lisbon remained with her face towards Abbott.

'Well, then, it seems we are at an impasse' Abbott replied to them both. 'Jane here says he won't work on the case if I don't provide you with some.'

Lisbon turned towards Jane, furious with him now. 'You said that! Stop thinking about yourself for a damn minute and don't be so childish, remember a girl has been murdered!'

'For god's sake, Lisbon. I wasn't thinking about myself, I was thinking about you!' he yelled back.

Lisbon sat back in her chair, her blood still pumping, trying to process his words. Jane sighed heavily and put his head in his hands.

Abbott said quietly, 'I think I better give you both some time to talk about this' getting up to leave the room. 'Let me know what you decide.' Lisbon had forgotten he was there for a second and looked up, embarrassed at the display he had just witnessed. Jane remained where he was.

Lisbon looked at Jane, unsure of what to say at first before Jane spoke softly, his head still in his hands. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said to Abbott, it was just a bluff, you know I'll work on the case.'

Lisbon breathed deeply, placing a hand tentatively on his shoulder. Jane remained where he was and added softly, 'It's just that if anything were to happen to you and I could have prevented that somehow, especially now...'

Lisbon's heart broke and tears began to stream down her cheeks. She touched his cheek and pulled his face towards hers so she could look at him. Tears were also coming down his cheeks.

Jane wiped his tears as they sat smiling sadly at each other, Jane's thumbs moving across her cheeks to wipe her tears away too. Lisbon spoke quietly into his tear ridden eyes and said, 'Nothing is going to happen to me and even if it does it doesn't mean that it's your fault, you need to accept that.' He took her hands in his, looking down at them, a little calmer now.

She continued on. 'I've been a cop my whole adult life, Jane, you've known that since the day we met, it's my job to be in harm's way. If you have an issue with that, if it's too big for you to deal with that in order to be with me, then we really do have a serious problem.' He nodded, his eyes still transfixed on their hands.

'Okay, we'll do it your way' he replied softly. 'For now.'