A/N: I don't really know where that came from. A small tag to 6x14 (Grey Water). I'm not really happy with the result, but I just needed to write something (in the hope that it gets me out of my writing block so that I finally can finish my other story) and the idea of writing a one-shot to that episode stuck to me ever since I saw it for the first time (it's one of my least favourite episodes. Everything in it just seemed off). So here it is, feel free to criticise and comment on it.

Responsibility

A heavy knock at the door of the Airstream jolted Jane out of his thoughts. He sighed, it couldn't be more than an hour since he finally managed to escape Fischer and now she was back already, presumably with a new case.

Another knock could be heard; more forcefully. The woman didn't have any patience - at all.

"I'm coming," Jane called irritably, before she could hit a dent in his new car. "This better be impor…" the words died on his lips as the door swung open an he was faced with Lisbon and not Fischer. His heart lurched in his chest.

"Lisbon!" He couldn't believe that he hadn't recognised her knock; he was getting slow.

"Where have you been, Jane?" She didn't bother with a greeting. Angry and impatience seemed a pretty accurate description of her state though, he'd at least gotten that part right.

"I was working," he said after a short moment, feigning innocence. He hadn't expected her, but now that she was here, he had a pretty good idea what this was all about. She didn't wait for an invitation, but moved past him into the airstream. She hadn't seen it yet. He'd offered her a ride during their last case, but her reaction had made it clear what she thought of his new home and he hadn't dared to mention it again.

He followed her every movement with his eyes, observing her reaction. It was ridiculous, but having her in the Airstream made him nervous. He couldn't really explain why it was of such importance to him, whether she liked his new home or not.

Lisbon turned around to face him, studying him in turn. Jane shuffled slightly, seemingly at unease when she focused solely on him. He smiled at her, but it didn't reach his eyes - it was a rather feeble attempt at distracting her. Well, it wouldn't work, she'd had enough of his evasive tactics. For the first time in a while, she actually took the time to look at him and her heart sunk. She saw a weariness in his eyes, she hadn't seen in a very long time - not since his return from South America. He tried to hide it, but now that she'd seen it, he couldn't deceive her any longer. The lines around his eyes looked deeper too - he hadn't been sleeping well.

"Where have you been?" she asked him again, not taking her eyes off his.

"I told you. I've been working the case with Fischer-"

She didn't let him finish. "She's back since an hour, I saw her in the office."

He avoided her gaze and sat down on his couch.

"I tried to call you", Lisbon continued after a moment, as it became obvious that he didn't intend to give her an explanation. He flinched at her words. It was almost imperceptible, but knowing what to look for, Lisbon hadn't missed it.

"My battery must have died. I'm sorry." He looked up at her, his mask in place again. "You found me now, so what did you want?" His voice sounded cold - disinterested. She couldn't believe he'd just asked her that. Lisbon swallowed, biting back what she actually longed to say - or rather shout. He wanted to provoke her, that much was obvious, but she wouldn't let him, not before he told her the truth. She remembered him flinching and the glint of guilt she'd seen in his eyes. He knew exactly why she was here. What she didn't understand was, why on earth he would pretend otherwise.

"Do you want a cup of tea", he asked her as she struggled to find the appropriate answer to his remark.

"No", she said vehemently, harsher than she'd intended to.

"I'm afraid I don't have any coffee.." his words trailed off as she glared at him.

"The hell, Jane." He flinched again and this time it was impossible to miss.

"What is wrong with you?" She pointed at the window, through which the FBI building could be seen. "Grace and Wayne are inside with Cho, trying to figure out who attacked them and you're hiding in here?"

He didn't look at her, which made her even angrier.

"I guess that means you don't want a tea," he murmured unimpressed.

"Did you even hear what I said?" She asked him again.

"I've heard you clear and loudly." He looked up, seemingly annoyed. "What do you expect me to say, Lisbon? I told you, I was working. I didn't choose to be away the whole day, it's not my fault someone got murdered."

"Bullshit," Lisbon called him out. "As if something like his would have ever stopped you in the past." She glared at him. "If you'd wanted to help your friends, you would have found a way to ditch Fischer, or at least to be back earlier."

Jane couldn't miss how she particularly emphasised the word friends. He remained silent.

"What the hell is going on, Jane?" Her voice was softer now, rather worried than angry, which made Jane feel even worse.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, well, then let me explain. Ardiles and LaRoche are dead and our friends were almost killed by some maniac too. But instead of doing everything you can to help them, you're using every excuse to get away from them.. and from me."

Jane blinked, but didn't waiver under her gaze. She apparently wasn't yet finished with him.

"I'm not blind, Jane, I can see that something's wrong. You hardly spoke to Rigsby and Van Pelt since they arrived. Why do you act as if you don't care?"

He shrugged. "Maybe because I do not care. Did you ever consider that?" He'd expected her to look hurt, hoping and fearing at the same time that she'd give up on him and leave him alone.

Instead her face softened. "I know that's not true, Jane. I can see how much it affects you, how much it affected you ever since Ardiles' death. You don't sleep well, you're broody, you're…" she stopped, hesitating for the first time since she came into his airstream. She took a deep breath before she continued, "you remind me of a version of you I never hoped to see again."

Jane swallowed and his chest tightened painfully. He hadn't realised how easily she saw through him these days, maybe always had. For years she'd been the only person that had cared enough to have a closer look, to see through his mask however hard he'd tried to keep her out. It was terrifying and relieving at the same time, learning that she still cared for him, that not even two years apart had changed that.

"Talk to me, Jane." She was almost pleading now and Jane felt his resolution waver. Something else she seemed to sense, because she chose that moment to sat down beside him, her hand brushing against his.

He resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands - she was already worried enough.

"This is all my fault," he said finally, not looking at her.

"What?"

He sighed, trying again. "It's my fault, all of it. Ardiles, LaRoche…."

"No, it's not." Lisbon said stubbornly, standing up again. "Why on earth would you even think that, Jane?"

He looked up at her, sadly. He should have known, it was pointless, she wouldn't listen.

"Because it's the truth. Just think about it, for a moment." He lifted his hands as she opened her mouth to object. "Let me finish. All of this started the moment I came back. It's more than two years since the CBI was dismantled. Why would they wait for such a long time?"

"You don't know that, Jane. Maybe they were in prison, or they needed time to develop a plan."

He shook his head, staring at his hands. "No, whoever is behind this, they're trying to get to me, I'm sure of it."

"God, you're an idiot." Lisbon said exasperated and he looked at her in surprise.

"That's why you're avoiding everyone? Because you feel responsible?" She shook her head at him.

"Not everything bad happening is your fault, Jane." Now it was his turn to try to object only to be stopped by her. "And even if," she continued, "and I don't say it is, but even assuming you're right and they are after you, how does you isolating yourself help anyone? Can you tell me that? And while we're at it, a crazy murderer attacking you or the rest of us, wouldn't make this your fault!"

Jane murmured something unintelligibly, staring at his hands again.

"What?" Lisbon asked.

"Maybe I should never have come back," he said quietly, but it couldn't have hit her more if he'd shouted the words. Lisbon felt as if the air had been knocked out of her.

"i'm only causing all of you problems." He couldn't forget how she'd shouted at him on the plan. For the first time he'd realised, that maybe she didn't want him back, didn't want to work with him again. And now people were dying - again - because of him, or at least very likely because of him.

He looked up and took a sharp intake of breath. For a moment, the pain and terror was obvious in her eyes, then she managed to hide it behind anger.

"That's your solution? Wishing that you stayed on your damn island? Running away?" Lisbon asked incredulously, her voice shaking. After what he'd just seen in her eyes, Jane wasn't sure whether it was because of anger or worse, something else. He felt a sudden urge to reach for her, but knew better than to try it. In her current state it would only fuel her anger; she might even punch him. A sudden rush of excitement swept through him at that realisation. She'd looked horrified at the idea of him leaving. He knew it shouldn't please him, but it did. Then it dawned on him what he'd just done. He'd left her so many times in the past and with one careless sentence he'd reinforced the idea in her mind, that he wasn't to be trusted, that he might leave her again at any moment.

She turned away brusquely, unaware of the turmoil going on inside Jane's mind.

"You know what," she said, "do whatever you want. I'm don't care. I'm done." She walked to the door, but Jane came to his senses and stopped her; his hand on her arm.

"Teresa, wait!" He didn't continue until she looked at him. "I'm sorry", he began, "I didn't plan to say that."

"But you did mean it?" Her eyes bore into his.

"No. I didn't…it's just", he let go of her arm, rubbing a hand over his face. "I feel so helpless. This wasn't supposed to happen. You and the team were supposed to be safe and not targeted by a crazy killer. That's not how I imagined my return to the U.S."

He looked up, as he felt her hand closing around his upper arm.

"No, it wasn't supposed to happen this way, but it isn't your fault, Jane, or mine. We can't change what's happening, but we can do what we're best at, we can catch those bastards."

For a moment they both lapsed into silence.

She sighed. "I'll probably regret saying this, but we could use your help."

He chuckled, the tension that had filled the room moments before gone. "Are you saying that the joint forces of the former CBI and the FBI aren't enough to crack this case?"

"Let me rephrase it," she hadn't let go of his arm. "I don't need your help, but I want it. I'm sure we'd find a solution without you…just might take a wile longer and on the plus side cause Abbott less trouble."

It didn't happen often that Lisbon asked for help, Jane knew that better than anyone. And in this instant it meant even more than that. He could feel her grip around his arm tightening for a moment and she cleared her throat, a tad embarrassed, afraid that she might have given away too much. She'd tried to tease him by adding that last part, but it hadn't distracted him from the importance of her request. She not only wanted him to help, it was her way of telling him that she wanted him to stay. He smiled at her, the first sincere smile since she'd entered the Airstream.

"Well then, let's get to work."

He could sense the relief in her, as she returned his smile. "Good. The others are in the conference room, looking over what we've got so far."

Jane motioned her to lead the way and closed the door to the Airstream behind them.

"Well it's not Wagner or Volker, this isn't organised out of a prison and its not their style. Not sophisticated enough, besides Volker would make sure to let you know that he's the one behind it. Hutton is also out after today, but I never thought him to be our guy anyhow."

Lisbon tilted her head and looked at him from the side. "How comes you know what Cho and Rigby found out? I thought you weren't interested in the case?"

He shrugged, looking slightly guilty again. "I never said that, and just because I was working another case doesn't mean I hadn't time to think." He sighed theatrically. "It was a two hours drive to the fracking site, not even counting that it felt a lot longer with Fischer in the car. Believe me, I had more than enough spare time to contemplate the case."

She smiled, even though she knew she shouldn't encourage him to tease their colleague even further. He was making Kim's life difficult enough as it was, and while a small part of her rejoiced at the fact that he treated their superior with less respect than he'd treated her, she on the other hand felt bad for Fischer. She'd grown to like her, despite everything.

"They boys might wanna go out for some drinks afterwards", she told him on a completely different note. "You should join them."

He raised his eyebrows at her, but she only shrugged in response. It would do him good to get out once in a while.

"I'll think about it," he said vaguely, even though he'd already decided to go with them. He wouldn't admit that to her, at least not right away. The thought made him grin. It was bad enough that she'd forced him out of his shell, he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of following her orders again. She rolled her eyes at him and he suspected that she knew exactly what was going on in his head; at least for the moment.

A/N: I might add another tag to 6x15 following up on this one..I'll see whether I find the time and motivation.