AN: Thank you so much for the reviews. They make me want to update for you. So here is an update! :) Watched the season 4 finale again last night to refresh my memory. Poor Lisbon!

It had been months, and Lisbon was still so worried about Jane. She'd always known that he must have suffered some anxiety, insomnia, and maybe depression. It made sense, after all he'd been through. But he'd been improving, she thought. She had brought herself to believe that their friendship had helped him see how life isn't all about sadness and anger and vengeance. She thought that he knew her, and cared about her enough, to know the toll that leaving her like this would take - the worry she would endure - the helplessness she would feel.

But he didn't.

Clearly Jane was having some sort of a break down - and was running away, blocking himself off completely from her and anyone else they knew. It was midday Sunday, and Lisbon stared at her phone laying idle on her night stand as she chewed on the salad she'd prepared herself just earlier. No more junk food. She'd decided. Yes, she was worried about Jane, but nearly crashing her car had clicked her brain back into being rational. Accidentally killing herself was no way to help the situation. She figured that she had to - not let go - but realise that there was only so much she could do to try and help him. And clearly he, at this moment, did not want her help.

So she'd wait. She'd tie her hair up, get in her car (thankfully still functioning, with just a scratch where it had brushed the tree), go to work, close cases and help people. She'd do what she's always done - work towards a better world, knowing that it would never be perfect.

She didn't end up staying home on Monday, like Cho had suggested. They'd gotten a fresh case and she knew it was better for her that she get into it as soon as possible. Missing the trip to the initial crime scene wouldn't be doing anyone any favours. She called in Monday morning during her cab ride to the scene, and spoke to Wainwright about ways he could reach out to Jane, but he refused, and though irritated, she understood why. Wainwright had figured it has only been a couple of months - if Jane needed help he knew where he could get it.

She turned up to the crime scene, pretending to be oblivious to the looks her team and some uniformed officers were giving her - particularly Grace. Van Pelt was always caring too much, sticking her nose into other peoples' business in the hope that she could help. It wasn't that Lisbon didn't appreciate the concern, but to be honest, she was a bit over it.

The body was a latino man in his late twenties, looked like a drug deal gone wrong judging by the area. She walked over to the body, acknowledging the uniformed officer as she knelt down beside it. Rigsby stood behind her and told her what he knew.

"Name is Talo Marinez. 28, according to his ID."

"Cause of death?" Lisbon asked, her eyes observing the bullet wounds in his side, only just visible amongst the deep red stains on the man's navy shirt.

Rigsby paused for a moment, thinking it was rather obvious, but said anyway, "3 bullet wounds to the gut?"

Lisbon stood back from the body, nodding, and ignoring Rigsby and the team's questioning expressions.

"So it looks like a drug deal gone wrong, given by the area and method of killing." She said, "Do we agree?"

She looked at her team, and saw the corner of Cho's mouth turn up to a subtle 'she's back' grin, before he said "Yep, looks like."

The next month went by a lot quicker than the first 3. Lisbon was back into work, and still called Jane every few days, sometimes updating him, sometimes asking questions, but always - always asking him to just tell her if he's okay.

To say that Jane's refusal to reply to her calls and messages no longer bothered her, would be a lie. However, it did no longer surprise her. Their case closure rates had picked up a little since their initial drop after Jane's departure, but in comparison to what it what when he was there, their rates were still low. Lisbon was well aware of this, it was hard not to be, with Wainwright's constant reminders, but there was only so much they could do.

The team had somewhat employed Jane's techniques in their investigations. On the odd case, while Cho was questioning a suspect in their own home, Rigsby would ask where the bathroom was - and have a quick snoop. It wasn't very successful, but it did help them close their most recent case. So, in a way, the old Jane was with them still.

For some reason, though she had, to an extent, recovered from Jane's sudden departure, and managed to suppress her worry for him, Lisbon couldn't forget what her shrink had told her: Just keep remembering the good times, the old Jane. That advice certainly wasn't helping her get over him. It kept her awake some nights, less crying, just staring, just hoping, praying - that he was okay.

The more she thought of what used to be, the more she felt her feelings of admiration and longing for him grow. She finally had to agree with the phrase 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'.

But what was the point of her heart growing fonder, if she may never see him again? It was the end of the fourth month he'd been gone, and she still hadn't heard a thing.

AN: Thank you so much for reading, please review when you can! :)