A/N: Thanks again for all your support for this one. Seems everyone was happy I went there last chapter! This one is a little more light-hearted, must be my post holiday buzz...And I know some of you were hoping for some sexy times but I've written so many of them lately for my other stories I thought I'd leave things (mostly) to the imagination on this occasion.

Chapter 5 – The Morning After

When Lisbon woke she felt the heaviness of Jane's hand rest against her hip, his palm splayed out across the bone there. Her eyes drifted to the window, saw the light coming in through the curtain. After waking her twice through the night to make love again he finally looked utterly spent as she turned her head to see his golden curls fanned out on the pillow beside her, his hair longer six months from seeing a barber. A few locks matted to his forehead, his face and upper body gleaming with the sheen of their lovemaking. They had succumbed to each other the night before, lay before each other literally and figuratively and with that came a torrent of intense craving so powerful she'd never experienced sex with anyone else like it. She'd given all of herself to him, unguarded and unafraid, held nothing back and felt he'd done the same. The second time they made love he'd worshipped her body, his hands and mouth moving constantly roving over it, seeming to need to know...to feel she was still there beside him, as if a part of him was afraid that she'd disappear into a figment of his imagination if he lost contact with her. She focused on his mouth, parted slightly as he slept soundly, her pulse racing as she recalled how he'd used it so expertly on her, the scratch of his stubble becoming almost hypnotic as he drew his lips across her body. Her body hummed with desire.

Then her mind began to work and with it panic set in as the significance of what had occurred between them finally sank in.

She'd had sex with Patrick Jane.

Three times.

Holy crap.

She removed his hand from her body carefully and slid out of bed.

Jane awoke, the bottom half of his naked body covered by a thin sheet. He blinked a couple of times, surmising it was morning by the sun warming his back from the window by the door as he lay on his side. One hand lay on his pillow, the other on an empty space beside him, still warm from Lisbon's body where he'd fallen asleep with it draped over her. A noise from the kitchen grabbed his attention and he watched her in silence as she made tea for them both, her back to him, barefoot and wearing only his shirt, her hair a mess of unruly curls after their night together. It was unmistakably one of the sexiest sights he'd ever witnessed in his life. His eyes trailed to her toned legs and his body responded immediately to the sight before him, his control over it shattered by the memories his mind invoked. After their first somewhat rushed tryst they'd made love twice more where they'd taken their time in acquainting themselves with the other's body. He'd kissed every inch of those legs, could draw a map of the freckles on them blindfolded. He was surprised how natural it felt after the initial awkwardness in seeing each other fully naked. How their bodies seem to mould to each other instinctively. He had always considered that beneath her buttoned up personality there was passion hidden inside. He had caught sparks of it many times when she'd been angered by him. But now he'd experienced Lisbon, fervent and determined into giving and receiving as much pleasure as any woman could he felt he'd just unlocked a Pandora's Box of new insights and delights about her. It had been quite simply...amazing. And despite the problems he now faced in tracking Red John down by giving in to his desire for her at this moment he was too giddy with endorphins to care. He grinned, allowing happiness to wash over him, to enjoy this brief euphoric interlude for as long as he could manage.

He'd had sex with Teresa Lisbon.

Three times.

Not bad for a man turning forty and with a severe lack of practice.

His smile grew wider.

Then his stomach growled and he realised he'd eaten nothing since he'd been in lock up. And the food there had been downright pitiful. And he'd exercised amply since then if the aches in muscles he hadn't used in a very long time were anything to go by, making him stifle a moan as he propped himself up on an elbow to see her better.

"There are eggs in the fridge if you're feeling domesticated," he smiled, gaining her awareness.

She turned to face him, slightly reddening as daylight drew recognition of what had clearly transpired between them. He grinned widely at her.

"If you want eggs, get your ass up from that bed and make them yourself," she responded after a beat, her tone commanding but also nervous and an unmistakeable twinkle in her eyes. Her attempt to return herself back into "boss" mode made him chuckle. She was clearly trying to make sense of what their relationship would be from this point on, beginning with endeavouring to reset the boundaries between them.

He yawned languorously. "When I can actually move my body without fear of falling into a heap getting up I'll do that. Although it might be midnight by how I'm feeling this very moment. You've worn me out, woman."

Now she blushed furiously as she brought him his tea. He patted the spare space beside him as she handed him his cup and sat down. "So?" she said edginess evident as she played with the hem of his shirt.

"So," he nodded, taking a sip of tea and sighing contentedly. He watched her over the rim of his cup.

She faced him, troubling her bottom lip, decision made to ask the question that had been rattling around her brain since she woke. "What happens now?"

He leaned over and kissed her softly. "Well right now I say we finish our tea and then you get that cute ass of yours back into this bed."

She gaped at him then began to laugh. "I thought you were exhausted."

"I just mean to talk, Lisbon. Get your mind out of the gutter."

She rolled her eyes. "Why can't we talk like this?" she argued, pointing between them.

He rolled his in return. "Well okay then. Talking plus a little cuddling. I know it's against your principles to spend much time in that area after you've had your way with your men but you'll need to make a concession in this case. I like cuddles afterwards. No arguing about it. It's not negotiable, my dear."

She relaxed a little as he put her at ease with some old fashioned bickering and sipped her tea. After finishing it she crawled into bed beside him and he wrapped his arms around her. "Nice shirt," he said, kissing her head.

"Well my blouse is missing a few buttons."

"Sorry," he grinned.

"Yeah, you sound it," she smiled, moving her fingertips lazily over his bare chest.

"Have you thought about what you're going to do?" she asked a few seconds later. "Red John wise, that is."

Wisely, she wanted to have this discussion before any thought could be put into what was going to happen between them personally.

He puffed out a breath. "I've come up with the makings of a plan but...it's...well...it's extremely risky."

"So are all your plans," she yawned. "What is it?"

"Well, it relies heavily on your acting abilities and as we know...well you're not the greatest actress in the world."

She whacked him on the chest, making him grimace. "Jeez, Teresa, remember I got beat up the other night."

"You didn't seem to feel any pain last night," she laughed while smoothing down the skin she'd just hit.

"Well, I was lost in the moment. Well, quite a few moments actually." He paused for a second, his mind recalling some saucy details of their night under the covers before he carried on. "Anyway...by now Red John is going to know that you came here. And that you stayed the night-"

"You don't know that for sure, Jane."

"Yes, I do. I'm being watched by him. I'm one hundred per cent sure he knows that. And that he has figured exactly what went on between us for you to stay the night." His grip on her became measurably tighter.

She wriggled free a little to look up at him. "I'm not afraid of him."

He smiled sadly at her and kissed her forehead. "Well, you should be. Especially now."

She could see a hint of regret cross his features for giving into temptation and sleeping with her, fear of putting her in more danger after crossing that line. "No, you don't understand. Jane, he's not the first person to want to come after me. I've locked up hundreds of people. Lots of them are out on the streets again. What I mean is that I'm used to checking my back constantly. I do it every day. Drive a different route to work most days, don't have much of a routine at weekends. Alternate where I shop. It's...part of the job I signed up for. I'm careful but I live my life the way I want to, otherwise the bad guys continue to win. That's why I say I'm not afraid."

He nodded. "I suppose there is an upside to you being a cop. But...he's different, Teresa. You know that-"

"I also know he could have killed me dozens of times. You know that too. If he really wants me he'll find a way to get to me no matter what I do."

He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I don't need reminding," he said quietly, his voice hoarse.

"Go on, tell me your plan," she ordered, tapping her fingertips on his side to gain his attention, to make him focus on something apart from his maudlin thoughts.

He cleared his throat. "Okay. So, let's say that he knows you came here and stayed. That we had sex. While there may have been rumours circulating around CBI for years that we've been sleeping together-"

"Hang on, what!"

He laughed softly. "You've never heard them?"

She looked up at him, aghast. "No!"

He laughed again. "Oh, you should go into the Men's Room sometimes. Have to bring a pen in there with me to correct the grammar and spelling on many an occasion. And some of the things written are just anatomically impossible. Although I think we came quite close on a couple of occasions last night."

"Jane!" She shrieked, her face purple. "Why didn't you put a stop to them, for god's sake!"

"Oh relax, I'm kidding about the Men's Room but there are rumours. There always are when two devilishly attractive people of the opposite sex work with each other. Increased by the fact you've let me away with so much over the years."

"Because you close cases," she affirmed.

"Please? You're really still going with that line?"

"It's true!"

"Was true. Currently I'm unemployed."

She rolled her eyes and seethed. "If I ever hear anyone talking like that I swear to god-"

"They're much too chicken to say anything to you. Don't fret. I've had your back. You think it was sheer bad luck that Hollins got a terrible case of stomach flu just before his vacation so he spent it in the bathroom instead of Miami? Or that Flowers got caught speeding on the way to what was an anonymous call to a non existent crime scene?"

"You didn't" she stated, shaking her head.

He grinned widely. "Oh yes, I did."

After a moment she began laughing. "Two idiots."

"Anyway," he sighed, still some pride in his tone. "Enough of that. He knows about us. Will be certain we've had sex. Will be pissed that you coming here has scuppered his plans with Lorelei. So we need to let him feel back in control again. To turn you coming here into a bad thing for me, not a good one. So...we need to break up. Make him see that I've pushed away the only person left who matters to me and who tried to help me. That I...well...had my way with you and then threw you out or refused to go back with you. Something along those lines. Still have to work out the details. Make a scene right outside here in the parking lot before you go home. I'm certain he has someone watching this room."

"You want me to go back to Sacramento without you?" she asked, her green eyes shining up at him. "Are you sure this isn't just because you think by doing so it'll keep me safe?"

"I admit that's a consideration and I'm not about to apologise for it." He brushed a hair from her cheek, rested his fingers on it. "You have to, Teresa. If my plan has any chance on working you need to get away from here. But you need to be doubly...no scratch that...triply careful. Go nowhere alone if you can help it. I would say carry a gun everywhere but I know you've got that covered. While I think he'll focus his attention back on me after you leave I can't be certain of it. You have to promise me you won't go to any call outs alone, just in case they're a trap. Check your apartment for any signs of a break in every time you get home. Make sure you lock and bolt all your doors and windows. Invest in an air conditioner rather than leave a window open."

She already employed all the security measures he mentioned but knew it was important for him to make his points nonetheless, to make him feel she would be more secure by voicing them. "So, what then? We have some made up fight after sleeping together? Won't he see through that?"

He sighed, moved his hand from her cheek to her upper arm, running his fingers over the cotton of his shirt. "I admit, that's entirely possible. That's why I said it was risky. You'll need to act really mad at me to pull it off."

She raised both eyebrows. "Hmm. Can I act mad at you? Think that's one part I was born to play," she said, rolling her eyes.

He smiled and kissed her. "You may be right there."

"Okay, so say I do as you say. What are you going to be doing here?"

"Carry on with my plan. Go back to the Casino; wait for Lorelei to make contact again."

He saw the look of apprehension cross her face at the mention of her name again. "I'm not going to have a sex with her, all right? Besides anything else if she tried to have sex with me after finding out I've just slept with you and screwed things up between us for good then it would be disingenuous of me to go for it. Wouldn't be true to my character, losing someone I cared about and then sleeping with someone else immediately. Red John would see right through that. He might get her to try to seduce me, to see how I'll react but that's it. He'll expect a brush off."

She felt slightly calmed by his words but was still worried. "Jane, this could all still be a trap set by him."

"You're right, it could be. But I don't think it is. Like you said earlier, if he wanted to kill me or capture me he's had six months to do so. He hasn't. So I feel there's something he wants from me. A conversation...some kind of deal...I don't know. Lorelei is the key to finding out what that is. She'll have a message from him, I'm sure of it."

"We could bring her in, question her-"

"No," he interjected loudly. "Nor do I want you to run any kind of background checks on her or put her under any surveillance. Understand?" he stared into her eyes. "We can't risk him finding out I suspect her connection to him. Not until she reveals it to me."

She shrugged in agreement, effectively cutting her off from voicing those exact arguments.

His face softened again. "I know it's not easy for you but please trust me on this, Lisbon."

"So what am I supposed to do? Sit at my desk in Sacramento and just wait for your call?"

He nodded. "I'll be in touch. I promise I will." He looked at her, trying to make her see how sincere he was. "Shouldn't be more than a few days. Once I have a meeting set up with him I'll let you know. And if I don't and feel she's playing me then I'll let you know that too."

"You better," she said, expelling a loud breath. "Okay, I guess I'll make a move soon then."

He pulled her closer into his arms. "In a little while," he breathed, closing his eyes.

In the silence that lapsed between them as she laid her head on his chest she heard his stomach rumble and suddenly remembered that they hadn't eaten since she'd arrived yesterday. As Jane was showing no sign of getting up she raised an eyebrow. "Scrambled eggs, I assume?"

"You're an angel," he grinned, kissing her.

She sighed loudly and padded back to the kitchenette. "Okay. But no complaints about how I make them."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Yeah, right," she muttered under her breath as she retrieved the eggs from the fridge, praying she wasn't about to make him his last supper.