AN: Poor Lisbon…. Here we go! Also thank you so much for the reviews :)
Lisbon had spent her first week off being kind of pathetic. Well not kind of - extremely pathetic. She had basically locked herself inside her apartment with nothing but junk food, crying to old romance movies. Everything around her reminded her of Jane, or how she'd let down the team, or how her golden reputation would be forever tarnished by this irrational episode of hers.
Eyes sore and dry from a week off, Lisbon pulled on her work clothes to head in to see the shrink. Looking at herself in the mirror made her so embarrassed that she wished she could call in sick to the doctors, but she'd finished ice-cream anyway - so she might as well go out. Using as much makeup as possible to remain subtle but not look like an overly-emotional teenager, she was soon looking herself enough to head out the door.
When she arrived at the shrink's office, she remembered the time Jane had helped her catch Roy, her old shrink, for murdering William McTeare. A smile tugged at her mouth as she knocked on the door - for once, feeling like the old Jane was still with her, instead of dwelling on her hatred the last Jane she saw.
A woman's voice answered her knock at the door with "Come in", and she pushed it open, heading straight for the new (and surprisingly comfortable-looking) couch.
"Tea? Coffee?" the unusually young shrink asked.
"I'll have a tea, thanks." Lisbon had no plans to drink the tea - she wasn't in the mood to risk being drugged by another shrink - but wanted to stall enough to suss out her new acquaintance.
The shrink was about Lisbon's size and build, but younger, and more tanned. She had fake fake blonde hair, but a kind face, and dark eyelashes. She really didn't seem like the type to be a shrink, more like a surfer, or some other action-filled occupation.
She placed the tea down in front of Lisbon and introduced herself.
"Hello Teresa," he voice was smooth and calm, "My name is Lorry Marshall."
"Hi." Lisbon said, her guard completely up, and her 'this is a waste of time' expression already planted firmly on her face.
"So I take it you aren't one to open up right away, and that's understandable." Lorry said, taking a sip from her own drink, "But I think you know how this goes."
Lisbon did know how this went. And she knew that Wainwright was waiting for this Marshall lady to check Lisbon off as sane, happy and ready to work as soon as possible. But Lisbon couldn't think of how to speed things along, so waited for Lorry to start with the questions.
"I can tell you're the type to want to get straight to the point. So I'm gonna head there." Lorry began, opening a file but not really reading it. "This… Patrick Jane. What's the go with him?"
Lisbon usually would have been shocked to be asked such a question, but found the shrink's straight-forwardness refreshing, so answered.
"Jane's been working with our team around half a decade. He's smart, causes trouble, but closes cases."
"I know that Teresa. What I'm asking is who was he to you. No point pretending his absence hasn't affected you."
Lisbon did not want to get into this, but she wasn't stupid. She knew she needed help - and maybe this was the way to get it. She let out a sigh as her walls came down a little.
"Okay…" She sat back in the chair and looked away from the shrink, up at a picture on the wall. "Jane and I have been working together for a long time, and I guess over that time, I've learned that… even though he argues and is a total pain in the ass… I feel like…"
"Yes Teresa? like what?"
"Like - I dunno. Like he needs me." Lisbon caught herself. "Need-ed… me."
"Wow…" Lorry said, taking notes, "This Patrick, he obviously means a lot to you."
"We've been though a lot together," Lisbon said, her emotions starting to take control again, causing her voice to crack a little as she spoke.
"Don't push yourself. Baby steps, kay? That can be all for today. You get home, get some rest. We can talk more about this next week."
Lisbon liked this non-intrusive shrink a lot better than her last. Lorry Marshall seemed satisfied with just the fact that she cared about Jane. Even just finally talking about Jane to someone had made Lisbon feel a little better, and she decided, as she shut her front door behind her, that her second week off would be a little more productive.
AN: Thanks for reading guys! Reviews always appreciated :)