Jane was sipping tea and stealing glances at Lisbon who was savoring hers coffee.
She called Hightower and asked for days off. For the seven years they´ve worked together she never had a day off. Well, only those suspension days from the mess he made.
He must really be a wreck if she did that for him.
A grateful wreck indeed.
A grateful wreck who slept for twelve hours straight. And cried on her shoulder like a child.
A wave of anxiety flew through him as he though about that. The cup in his hands started to shake a little so he put it down hoping Lisbon would not notice.
He was not used to that kind of display of feelings and Lisbon was the same. They both carried a lot of baggage but tried not to mention it. Or talk about it. It was easier that way.
"You okay? "
He looked at her, her emerald eyes fixed on him with a concerned look.
„ Sure Lisbon, I´m fine. "
Is she becoming a mentalist herself for real? God, he got some impact on her.
She smiled at him a little and then her stomach made a loud growl again.
Her smile faded and her cheeks turned red. She does not have anything eatable for sure.
Ah, yes, this is his Lisbon.
"So, Lisbon, correct me if I am wrong, but there is nothing eatable in your house right now. "
Her cheeks turned from red to crimson.
„ I...have some ice cream... "
Jane chuckled and went to her fridge. He opened the doors and saw...nothing. Just some beers and tequila.
Oh, yes, and baking soda there in the back.
„ Lisbon, this is not right, you need some real food. "
She looked embarrassed.
„ As I said I have some ice cream. "
Jane rolled his eyes.
„ Ice cream is not real food. Do you ever go grocery shopping? "
She shrudered a little.
„ Uh, sometimes... "
"When you ran out of coffee? "
"Well, yeah, I mean I usually eat at work so there is no need for me to have a lot of groceries at home, it´s not like I am cooking when I get home."
Jane closed the fridge door and got back to his tea.
"So the only food you eat are those sandwiches and bearclaws and take outs? No real food? "
There was a frown forming on her forehead.
„ That is real food. "
Jane shook his head and sipped his tea again.
Then, Lisbon said something, that he would have never expected her to say.
„ But I got your point, in fact I was hoping that we could go shopping today. "
Lisbon and shopping? With him? Well, that should be fun.
„ You know, maybe you could help me pick up few things. Just the essentials."
„ Well, Lisbon I´ll be honored. "
The grin that followed his sentence made Lisbon feel afraid. Very afraid.
Lisbon drove her car to Jane´s apartment first, he wanted to change his clothes. This time she stayed in car while waiting for him and thoughts were floating through her mind.
The truth is, she should feel terrified but she feels rather fine. Jane needs her help and she wont just stop giving it to him because she might be hurt. He hurt her before more than once and it was worth it. Under that self-absorbed exterior of his is a man that survived what others could not. She did not approved of his revenge first, but in the end she could see why he needed to do it.
He was the only one. Only one of Red John victims that done it. Devoted his life in search of the psychopath and got him.
He didn´t find a new life, he never stopped at anything and now, well, now the world is a little safer place.
She just needs to keep helping him, no matter what...
Although, that was the same thing she kept saying to herself after her mother died.
She wanted to help her father. So much. She tried, took care of her brothers, paid the bills, cooked the food, she became the responsible one. God, but she was twelve. And she could not help him. No matter how hard she tried. It did not matter, nothing mattered to him. He left her at the end. Left his whole family.
What if it is the same with Jane?
No matter how much she devotes herself to help him, in the end, would it matter?
Having no answer to that Lisbon bowed her head down. Thinking about her father always made her feel like she was not enough. Not enough for him to stay with her, with her brothers. It was just a feeling, and she could never get rid of it.
Thinking about it made her realize just how much care she gives away and how much is ever coming back. Not much. Not that she cares. Anyway.
Jane was getting dressed in one of his three piece suits when he spied Lisbon in her car. Her head was bowed down. He felt a pang of guilt. It was a new guilt. A Lisbon shaped guilt.
Maybe he should leave her alone, maybe he could spend this night in this horrible motel room, filled with his worst fears and his vivid imagination...
But...how? He certainly did not want to. This was the first night in such a long time he felt safe. And he was able to sleep. Sleep deprivation was no fun. He was used to it, but from time to time the tiredness got to you. And he was tired. Hell, he is tired.
He will see. How today will go, and then decide what to do next. If he makes Lisbon unhappy he will have to man up and leave her to herself. He certainly don´t want to pressure her into taking care of him. Even if he needs it.
On their way to the mall Jane acted all cheerful again but Lisbon kind of sensed that something was bothering him. Something that did not bothered him before. Asking him what it is was pointless.
She was sure he would not tell and steer the conversation somehow different.
They approached the mall silently. It was not a weird silence, they both were lost in their thoughts.
„ So, Lisbon, ready to buy some essentials? „
She looked at him with a little frown.
„ God help me. "
Jane chuckled.
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Thank you for reading this :)