AN: I'm really sorry for the delay, I was very busy. I will be faster with next chapters, I promise it! Enjoy this chapter!
How to deal with disappointment? She didn't know it, even if she had met failure a lot in her life but that kind of disappointment, born from the illusory hope that something great would have happened soon, hurt her more than everything. She hated that she had fallen in love with a man, a trap that she had always been able to avoid until one month ago, apparently, and while she was starting to enjoy that new sensation, embracing a sweet weakness that made her feel more human for once, everything had crumbled even before starting. That didn't diminish her feelings toward Jane though, at the contrary it made them even more powerful if it was possible. She had just met a new friend called jealousy that was slowly eating her alive, especially while she kept torturing herself with images of Jane and other women half naked in his house. Maybe that was what she deserved, she had just left her possible future husband in front of all the team for another man and in a blink of an eye, she would have called it Karma if she wasn't deeply Catholic. Time to move on, focus on her job and employ her energies in something else, or better in someone else who caused her different feelings. She hadn't forgotten about Thomas Volker, she simply couldn't but it had been easier to deal with him alternating those distressing moments with pleasant ones that answered to the name of Patrick Jane. It had been a week since that night when everything had changed, a week of freedom from Marcus and a week of imposed separation from Jane.
"Lisbon, a word." Minelli said, entering in her office.
"Hey." Lisbon smiled surprised, trying to hide the embarrassment; she hadn't really talked to him since his birthday.
"How are you?" He asked, sitting on the chair in front of her desk.
"Great." She replied, hoping to sound convincing.
"It doesn't seem to me, since you spend almost every night closed in your office, doing basically nothing." He said to her.
"I like my office." She protested weakly.
"Teresa."
"Ok, things could be better.. what about you? What about.." She wasn't able to end the question.
"Marcus?" He asked and then saw her nodding, "Marcus is fine, despite everything.. I bought him a trip in Hawaii to cheer him up a little."
"Wow, I need to be cheered up too, then." She said ironically, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt him." She added then sincerely.
"I know, but you've done it anyway." He said kindly. "Look, you talked about another man, how about him?"
"Nothing, I was wrong." She replied quickly.
"That was fast." He said.
"Well, it didn't work." She explained.
"Or you ran away as always.." Virgil said.
"Please, leave it." She asked softly.
"I will.. for now at least." He said, gauging her reaction.
"Look, about Volker.." She said tentatively, changing subject.
"Teresa.." He warned her.
"Wait, let me finish.. I reflected about it, I have an idea and it's pretty good, I guess." She said.
"Go on." He surrendered to her.
"What if we've started with the wrong approach? What if we try a different one?" She asked, noticing the confusion painted on his face. "We attached him since the start, we've accused him, let's say we haven't been very accommodating with him.. so, I was thinking, maybe, I should apologize to him, for a start?"
"Apologize?" He asked incredulous.
"We need to try something different, I play nice, I apologize.. I could also.."
"What?" He interrupted her.
"Look, I think he has a crush on me.. or at least he is attracted by me.. I don't want to sound presumptuous, I swear, but I can feel it, besides, he asked me out more than once." She explained.
"Let me get this straight, do you want to seduce him?" Virgil asked worried.
"Seduce is a strong word.."
"Do you think he will be so naïve to trust you?" he asked amused.
"No, that's why it will be a long path.. small steps in this direction.. keep your enemies close they say." She said to him.
"I don't know Teresa, if Volker is really that kind of man you think he is, it could be too dangerous, the situation could get out of hand.. it's too risky." He told her.
"Let me try." She said, almost begging him.
"The truth is, I'm worried, because I don't know how many lines you've willed to cross to make him pay." He said.
"What are you talking about?" She asked confused.
"You know what I'm talking about." He answered.
"We won't reach that point, oh God, don't let me think about it, please." She replied horrified.
"Let's start with the apologies and then let's see." He said at the end.
"Great." She replied, her eyes sparkling. "I already know when there will be the first contact."
"Where?"
"We took his agenda during the search, we didn't find anything useful on it, obviously, but at least we know his movements now.. there will be a social event tomorrow, he has been invited and I thought I could go, finding an excuse or something." She explained to him.
"That's ok, but take Cho with you and don't get too far with this thing." He said and she thanked him.
She had finally found something that could make her feel better, even if it comported meeting Volker again. She didn't know though, that Volker wouldn't have been the only man to upset her, that night. She hadn't any idea about the evening that was waiting for her, she only knew that a certain Miss Flynn had arranged an inauguration party for her new matchmaking agency, inviting all the coolest people of the city: actors, models and rich people and this had given Lisbon an easy excuse to contact her and to offer her a private security for the party, seen the importance of the guests in question; a proposal that Erica Flynn had immediately accepted, thrilled to have unusual guests to her event, but recommending an elegant dress code. They organized a fake security team that she would have coordinated with Cho's help. This decision made her able to wander around the party without being busy in those affairs.
Cho was waiting for her outside her condo, she looked at herself in the mirror for a last time and then reached her partner in the car.
"Hey Boss, look good." Cho said with a rapid glance toward her. She had chosen an emerald gown, strapless, a choice she would have regretted soon after spending all the evening pulling up the dress.
"You too, Cho!" She said, admiring his lucid tuxedo.
"I hate this crap." He said back and she chuckled, sharing the same discomfort.
"Maybe you'll find the woman of your dreams, Kimball." She teased him.
"I just hope to avoid those matchmaking crappy games." He replied impassive.
"Oh God." She said, terrified.
The party was in the lovely terrace of the Mozart Hotel, one of the best in town and she started to feel nervous once arrived, sensing a strange vibe around her. She spotted Volker almost immediately, he was chatting with Erica Flynn, she had recognized her because her face was on every possible poster of the event. She waited for their conversation to be over and then she approached him, deciding to end the matter as soon as possible. Cho nodded in her direction, giving her his silent encouragement. The moment Thomas Volker saw her, she felt naked in front of him, since his obstinate gaze that was undressing her from head to feet.
"Miss Lisbon, you never stop to surprise me." He said, grabbing a flute of Champagne from a tray and handing it to her.
"Thanks." She said, smiling to him and drinking the Champagne, without leaving his eyes.
"You're beautiful tonight, so classy." He said to her.
"Well I could say the same about you." She replied, fearing to have exaggerated a little, judging by his incredulous reaction.
"Miss Lisbon, you're strangely nice tonight, is it because you're off duty?" He asked mischievously.
"Actually, I just wanted to apologize to you.. I've been unfair toward you, totally unprofessional and I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have treated you like that." She answered, hoping to sound convincing.
He looked at her with a mix of surprise and smugness, "you never stop to surprise me indeed." He said, scanning her face.
"I'm the first to admit when I'm wrong." She said softly to him. He kept staring at her in that way that made her totally uncomfortable. "Why here anyway? You're searching for your soulmate?" She asked teasingly.
"Oh I don't like this matchmaking thing, I'm attracted to women totally different from me to be honest." He replied seductively.
"I'm with you, besides, it's hard to believe that a man like you needs this kind of things to find a woman." She said smiling.
"What about you?" He asked her.
"I'm just enjoying an alternative evening for once." She answered casually.
"I really like this mundane side of you, Agent." He said to her.
"Then, I think you will see it more often now.. anyway, I'll go around a bit, see you later." She told him.
"I count on it." He said, winking at her.
She walked fast in the opposite direction, wanting to put a considerable distance between them. She didn't like the way Volker looked at her, with lust and determination like she was his next prey to catch but she was satisfied about the outcome of their brief exchange. It was the first step, the first of many steps, and she needed to get used to his presence. She saw Cho near the pool with a lovely girl next to him, at least someone was having fun tonight and she didn't want to interrupt the sweet scene. Made curious by a little crowd, collected around a makeshift stage, that was laughing and clapping hands enthusiastically, she approached it, finding out they were taking part at one of those matchmaking games that Cho had wisely predicted before. Erica Flynn was leading the act with passion and gaining a lot of luxurious gazes by the men around her. She was incredibly beautiful.
"Thank you Elizabeth and Tom, you make a great couple." Erica said, clapping her hands. "Let's find another couple.. you know it's your turn now." She said smiling and looking toward someone that Lisbon couldn't see from her position. "Come on, you promised me, come here Patrick!"
The moment Lisbon saw Patrick Jane reaching the stage with a sheepish smile on his face, she cursed the day she had decided to join that event. The only thing that she knew in that moment was that she needed to escape as soon as possible because she wasn't ready to face him and maybe she was still in time to avoid the inevitable. She turned, ready to leave the crowd when Erica's words stopped her.
"What about that lovely woman dressed in green.. hey you, don't run away, please, join us!" Erica said excited.
Lisbon stopped abruptly and she was pretty sure that people around her had heard the unequivocal "shit" that had left her mouth in that exact moment. She turned slowly and despite the fact that her intention had been to ignore him as much as possible, her instinct betrayed her, since the first thing she did was to meet his gaze and to succumb to it immediately. She reached the stage with an insane anxiety.
"Here you are, what's your name, dear?" Erica asked her.
"Teresa." She replied weakly.
"Teresa meet Patrick, Patrick, this is Teresa." Erica introduced them. They shook hands embarrassingly but Lisbon noticed the way his fingers had tried to linger on her skin during the brief contact.
"Ok, let's start guys." Erica said excited. "First question: do you believe in love at first sight?"
"No." Lisbon replied.
"Yes." Jane said instead.
"Good, well it's only the first question, don't worry, let's go with the second: When was your last relationship and how long did it last?" Erica asked professionally.
"Great." Lisbon muttered to herself, "it ended a week ago and it lasted almost an year." She replied, lowering her gaze.
"Five years ago, lasted a lifetime." He replied in a whisper and Lisbon met his eyes sweetly.
"Ok, let's try with easiest questions." Erica said disconsolate, "How do you prefer to spend the holidays?"
"Mountain."
"Sea."
Erica sighed exasperated but didn't give up, "Is religion important to you?"
"Deeply."
"No way."
"Oh God." Erica muttered to herself. "Dogs or cats?" She asked hopeful.
"Dogs."
"Cats."
"Really? Ok, how do you feel about relatives visiting?" Erica asked with a hint of irritation.
"I barely have relatives."
"Same."
"See?" Erica said triumphant, "finally something in common. Ok guys, this one is good, how is your ideal date?"
Lisbon replied, "Uhm.. I don't know, I.."
"She would love a brunch between hills and grapevines on a hot-air balloon with some good wine to make the experience sweeter and more exhilarating at the same time." Jane said, interrupting her and looking at her to gauge her reaction.
"That sounds so romantic, Patrick." Erica said dreamy.
"Unconventionally romantic, the way she likes it." He added, never leaving Lisbon's eyes.
"Well, what about you, then?" Erica asked him.
"Me?" Jane said.
"He doesn't have an ideal date, he just wants to impress the woman that he takes out and to make her feel the luckiest girl on the planet because he's the kind of man who doesn't like receiving gifts, he likes to make them to see the joy painted on the faces of the people he cares about." Lisbon interrupted him, returning his gaze.
"Wow." Erica said, breaking the atmosphere, "did you guys already know each other?" She asked them and they shared a small smile in response. "Ok guys, last one, what is the one thing about yourself that you would like to tell him?" She asked, looking at Lisbon.
Lisbon contemplated the question, almost tempted to decline it, then she changed her mind, "I.. I have no regrets for what I've done, despite everything, I would still do it, I would.. I would always choose you." Lisbon said looking at him and ignoring a confused Erica Flynn next to her.
"Patrick?" Erica called his attention.
"I will never give up on you.. you can keep running away but I'll reach you every time and everywhere." He replied, never leaving her eyes.
"Well, a big applause for this amazing couple." Erica said excited. "Thank you guys, you've been amazing!"
Lisbon took advantage of the fact that Erica was thanking and greeting Jane personally to leave the stage and to try to find Cho. She took her phone to call him but she found a text from him saying that she could leave without him because he had found an alternative lift. She smiled at the screen, happy for his friend. She was about to put away her phone when it suddenly rang.
"Lisbon." She replied.
"Teresa? It's Volker here." Like she hadn't recognized his voice immediately.
"Hey, why do you call me?" She asked, ignoring the nervousness she was feeling.
"I was thinking about a dinner together, what do you say?" He asked smitten.
"A dinner?" She echoed nervously.
"Well yes, since you seemed so eager to apologize, I thought it would be nice." He said.
"Yes, ok.. that's ok." She replied, hoping to sound convincing.
"Tomorrow night?"
"Tomorrow night, that's a date." And then she ended the call.
"Wow, you've already replaced me?" A voice asked beside her.
She turned to find Jane who had obviously eavesdropped the conversation. "It's a work thing." She replied casually.
"I meant what I said before, you know it right?" He asked, approaching her.
"I know." She said shyly, lowering her gaze.
He stopped in front of her and took a lock of her hair in his fingers, playing with it. "You're lovely tonight." He whispered to her. She covered his hand and she brought it in her hair, making entwine his fingers in it. He inhaled her smell, loving her proximity.
"You owe me an explanation." She said, trying to remain lucid.
"I know." He replied sweetly, interlacing his other hand in her hair, now taking her face in his hands.
"Take me home." She said eventually and he kissed her forehead, smiling.
Next chapter seems to be an important one, let me know if you like this one, please.