A/N: I've tried to add some humour and sexiness to this chapter as they've been lacking over the last couple to balance out the drama. Hope you enjoy. I can't reply to the guest reviewers but thank you so much for taking the time to read my (not so little now) fanfic and for leaving your comments.

Chapter 32 – Avoidance

They were still standing with Abbott as Cho and Fischer walked out of the other room. Cho remained stoic as usual, nodding to them both but Lisbon saw pity for her in Fischer's eyes as she walked by. Jane noticed it too, knowing Lisbon hated appearing weak and being pitied perhaps more than even he did.

When Abbott walked away Jane said softly, 'Let's go home, shall we? There's nothing more we can do here today. I think we both could do with the break.' He smiled gently, keeping his tone light.

Lisbon looked around, knowing she would crumble if she looked at him directly. 'Yes, okay, good idea' going towards her desk to get her bag. She kept her head down, just in case she caught another look of concern from Fischer. Jane stood at the elevator waiting for her.

As they both got in, he went to put his arms around her but she pushed them off, still avoiding his eyes. 'Don't Jane, okay, wait until we get home, I don't want to become a blubbering mess here.'

He nodded and moved back, standing beside her, both of them looking towards the door. After a few seconds she reached for his hand that he gladly gave her as they both rode down to the parking garage.

Jane drove them both home, observing her in his mirror as she sat in silence looking out of the window. He knew her thoughts were back there, back to when she was a teenager. In all the years they had known each other she had rarely spoke of either of her parents. He knew the bare facts of course and could imagine what her life had been like then but no more. He had respected and understood more than anyone that need in her to keep those walls up and had never asked her any questions on the subject. It was the only topic he had been afraid to broach with her as they became friends. He knew that her father was an alcoholic and an abuser but didn't know precisely how bad it got for her. Eva was right, had his manipulation and toying with her all those years really been any different to the abuse she had suffered by her father? Had she traded in one man who physically abused her to a man who emotionally abused her instead? He sighed heavily. The noise shook Lisbon out of her thoughts and she looked at him. 'You okay?' she asked. He nodded, fighting back his own tears now.

When they got to the house Lisbon put her bag on the table and threw her jacket over a chair. Jane came behind her and said gently, 'Is it okay if I get a hug now?'

She turned round and fell into his arms, sobbing finally into his chest.

He stood there, stroking her hair with one hand and the other firmly around her waist. He whispered, 'Ssh, it's okay, just let it go Teresa, just let it out.'

After a few minutes she moved away, a little embarrassed at the outburst. 'Sorry', she mumbled, still not catching his eyes.

Jane came closer again and took her chin in his hand, making her look up at him. She tried to glance away but he moved his face closer so she looked at him. 'Never apologise for showing your feelings to me Teresa, I love you. I'm here for you, just let me be, okay?'

She looked into his eyes and nodded. 'I need to clean myself up' she whispered back, heading to the bathroom to wash her face.

Jane busied himself in the kitchen, making a pot of camomile tea for them both.

She came back and took a cup, giving him a gentle kiss. 'Thank you.' She sat down on the couch, grimacing slightly at the taste.

Jane joined her. 'Camomile, good for stress. I think caffeine would be a bad idea at the minute.'

She nodded and shot him a faint smile, taking another sip.

He put his tea down and sat back on the couch, putting both his arms around her, gently kissing her on top of her head as she gradually curled up beside him, stroking her hair again and wanting nothing more for her than to feel safe and loved.

'Are you okay?' she asked. 'I wasn't the only one getting a few shots thrown at me back there.'

'Meh, I'm fine. I'm used to people trying to mess with my head by now, it's like water off a duck's back.'

Lisbon nodded. She didn't entirely believe him but he was certainly more experienced in someone playing mind games with him than she was. 'Sorry. I shouldn't have let her get to me.'

'Will you stop apologising please?'

He was about to ask her if she wanted to talk about what Eva had said earlier but sensed she wasn't ready to discuss this yet so decided to change the subject, going back to their default position of avoidance, for now at least.

'Shall we go out to dinner tonight?' he asked.

Lisbon turned around slightly and replied, 'Go out to dinner?'

He nodded. 'Yes, dinner Lisbon, you know where people go out for a meal together? I was just thinking that we've never even had a proper date yet and here we are living together. It occurs to me that we're not following the usual social conventions of a romantic relationship.' He tilted his head, his heart swelling when he saw a smile forming on her face.

She put her cup down and looked up at him, a broad smile beginning to light up her face now. 'Yeah, like we're such a normal traditional couple.'

Jane shrugged, beaming himself now. 'Well, why don't we try for tonight to be just that, Just two people who love each other going on a dinner date? A night of love, romance and music!'

Lisbon laughed 'Who do you think we are, Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire?'

'I've always preferred Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds myself.'

'Oh, Singin' in the Rain, huh? Yeah, that's a good movie.'

'I never knew you liked musicals, why was that?'

'It would have only been another thing for you to tease me about.'

Jane answered, caressing her cheek, 'I never knew you were such a romantic at heart.' After a moment he added, 'Teresa, our love will last until the stars turn cold.'

Lisbon answered, recognising the quote from the film, 'See now why I didn't tell you? I'm going to be getting cheesy lines thrown at me from now on.'

Jane insisted they get dressed up for dinner. Well, he insisted Lisbon put on a dress for their first proper date. He was in his normal suit, lying on the couch watching TV, waiting for her to get changed. She had resisted initially but had succumbed in the end, secretly excited about going on a real date with Patrick Jane after all these years. She shook her head at the thought, they were living together and she was feeling almost nervous as she zipped up her dress, they really were a strange couple. She hadn't wanted to go somewhere flashy so they had decided on a cosy Italian restaurant that served pizzas and pasta nearby they could walk to.

Lisbon walked out and Jane did a double take, eyeing her and letting out a wolf whistle. She was wearing a knee length midnight blue lace dress, fitted around the waist, slightly flared with a v neck.

'I take it you approve then' she said coming towards him. She added 'You better because these shoes are going to kill me.' Jane looked down to see she was wearing heels.

'If I have to carry you I will, my sweet.'

'Really? You don't want to do your back in at your age.'

He sat up on the couch as she came closer and looked her up and down again, the smile on his lips becoming wider each step she took.

As she bent down to kiss him gently he held on to her hips. 'Although you know, maybe we could just stay home instead' he said, beginning to move his fingers over then underneath the fabric of her dress.

She pulled away quickly. 'No, this was your idea, now let's go before we do some more damage to that poor couch.'

He smiled and shrugged, pulling her in for a deep kiss before she reached the door. 'Okay, that should hold me for a little while' he said as he opened the door for her.

When they arrived at the restaurant Jane ensured they were seated in a cosy table at the back. He didn't know how much self control he had to stop his hands wandering and knew Lisbon would be a little more amenable if she was not in full view of the other diners.

They ordered a bottle of white wine and looked at their menus. Jane put his down after ten seconds to gaze at Lisbon instead, his eyes taking in every feature of her face in the dim light of the restaurant. He began to move his eyes down to her cleavage, the v neck of the dress and a push up bra enhancing her assets considerably, a devilish grin evolving on his face. Seeing this out of the corner of her eye she said without looking up from her menu, 'Stop looking at me like that, we're in public.'

Jane replied seductively, 'No I don't think I will, it's not my fault the other diners here don't have someone as beautiful as you to stare at.' He added, 'Or touch', placing a hand underneath her skirt on her smooth bare thigh under the table.

Lisbon turned her face at his touch, putting her menu down slowly and gazed back at him, eyes widening. He had thought she would have shoved his hand away immediately but she smiled instead. He wondered if she was really daring him to go further. He was trying to read her as the waiter came over to take their order. Jane jumped at the interruption, knocking over a glass of water with his free hand.

As he removed his hand to dry the table Lisbon whispered to him, 'Smooth, real smooth', grinning widely.

They ordered dinner and flirted some more. Lisbon ate mushroom tagliatelle ravenously while Jane had seafood risotto. They talked some more about musicals and Italian food, enjoying each other's company without discussing work for a change. Lisbon finished and sat back, sighing happily. She said 'That was delicious; I think I ate too much though, this waistband is digging into me.'

Jane grinned. 'Well, I could always loosen it for you', his hand sliding to the zipper at the back.

She pushed his hand away and answered, 'You didn't learn your lesson from earlier? Now you've had a couple glasses of wine you're feeling braver now, huh?'

He grinned back and then said, more seriously, 'A little yeah, are you ready to talk about what Eva said yet?'

The smile fell from her face. 'No, not really. I know I'm a hypocrite, I've been at you for years to let me in, for you to open up to me and now it's me that can't open up.'

Jane nodded. 'It's okay Teresa, take as much time as you need, there's no rush, honestly, just tell me whatever you want when you want.'

Lisbon smiled a little and nodded.

Jane kissed her hand and picked up the dessert menu.

After a few moments she said, 'Thanks for this, for tonight, Patrick', seeing the glint in his eye as she spoke his first name.

He turned away from the menu and replied, 'Now that's not fair, Teresa. You know what saying my first name does to me.'

Lisbon tilted her head and replied, feigning innocence 'I'm sure I don't know what you mean...Patrick' whilst moving closer to him and placing her hand on his thigh, moving her fingers up and down coming tantalisingly close to his groin.

He let out a low growl making her smile more.

Then he leaned in closer and whispered in her ear, nibbling it as he did, 'You sure you want to play this game with me?', moving his lips down to the pulse point in her neck.

Her breathing quickened as she felt his warm mouth and tongue against her skin. She closed her eyes and bit her lip, moving her hand further up. He gulped a little, the strain on his pants taking hold of him and he finally moved her hand away unable to resist her touch any longer, exhaling and taking a sip of water to recover.

She smiled in victory, taking a sip of wine. It wasn't often she got one over on Patrick Jane.