Dressed in his beachy best, Jane arrived at the dinner table where Dennis Abbott sat, wearing his trademark black suit.

"Hey G-man," Jane said casually, from behind.

"Jane! Glad you could make it - please, sit down. Your pal Franklin was right when he suggested this place, it's a wonderful location," Abbott said, jovially, as if this dinner was really a friendly outing amongst colleagues.

"Nice little art film you made for me Dennis," the consultant said evenly, with flat expression and a piercing glare.

Abbott looked shocked. "You saw that?"

"I did. Found your stone cabin on a hike one day."

Dennis looked down at the table top for a moment. "Sorry 'bout that. Truly. That was supposed to be saved as a last resort. I argued against such tactics actually but was voted down by higher-ups."

"I see… forced to tow the party line, eh? Those higher ups give you the torture kit too?" Jane eyed the G-man with suspicion.

Dennis grunted an uncomfortable sigh. "Those were meant to be proof of what was on the film - not to be tools for us to use on you here."

"So you say."

"So I say," Abbott snapped back sternly, becoming suddenly serious. "Listen, Jane, I've been sent to offer you a deal."

"Coerce me into servitude, you mean," Patrick maintained steely eye contact.

"Call it what you want," Abbott waved a hand dismissively, "but it's a good deal, considering that we both know you murdered a man," Dennis raised an eyebrow, awaiting Jane's response to his accusation.

"Do we both know that?"

"Stop playing games, Jane, and stop running." Abbott sighed in consternation. "Look, I'm offering you a chance to get your life back and move on," he raised his hands in a shrug, then collapsed back against his chair, exhausted from needing to negotiate so actively on a point that seemed to him like a win/win.

"I have moved on and I do have my life back. No deal." Jane stood to leave, prompting two muscled characters in dark suits to move immediately to either side of him. "Well, Dennis, I see your offer comes with certain guarantees," Jane quipped unhappily.

Abbott looked oddly uncomfortable as he nodded. "Have a seat, Jane."

As Patrick sat heavily back onto his dining chair, he noticed a familiar face out of the corner of his eye. Clearing a table several feet away from him was none other than Danny Ruskin. Before he could fully register that sight, a waiter came to take dinner orders for him and Abbott.

"I'm not very hungry right now actually." Jane waved away the request without so much as looking at the server.

"Please, I insist," Dennis tried unsuccessfully to soften the mood.

"You sure, sir? We have wonderful eggs here," the waiter offered.

Jane immediately looked up at the employee upon hearing eggs mentioned. Sure, it wasn't such an oddity for him personally, but what professional server would offer eggs as a first suggestion for dinner? Patrick successfully hid his astonishment when he recognized his old friend Jack standing with an order pad in hand at the side of the table.

"Sir?" Jack repeated, eyebrows up.

Looking quickly at the man's nametag, Jane answered: "Okay, Harry," Patrick rolled his eyes internally - of course Hellian would name himself after Houdini for this gag. "I'll bow to your suggestion. Bring me the eggs… AND some tea - hot, please."

"Of course," Jack replied, with a subtle smirk after the addition of the tea.

Abbott began his sales pitch right after Jack stepped away with the orders. He spoke with desperation about Lisbon's alleged kidnapping, stressing the importance to her safety and to Jane's future. "I know you can't want any harm to come to your girlfriend. Not after all those letters you sent her."

Jane bristled visibly at that comment. "What do you know about it? And she's not my girlfriend."

"Pretty smart of you, having your carny friends deliver them to her."

Jane shot Dennis a searing glare. "What's your point?"

"My point is, the smart play here is to come back to the US with me. You will be made a consultant for the FBI immediately, and all charges from your past life will be expunged."

"What's the length of the terms?"

"That I can't currently answer. I will say that certain entities within the organization would like to see it extend indefinitely."

"Can't do it."

"Not even for Lisbon?"

"Dennis, the truth is, that-"

Before Jane could finish, Jack rushed back to the table.

"I don't see tea or eggs, Harry," Jane poked with glee, enjoying his friend's struggle to remain in character.

"My apologies, kind Sirs. There's been a weather alert for the island. We've already re-seated your friends." Jane noted the absence of the muscled men in suits, "Would you please allow me to show you to an inside table?"

Jane and Abbott both looked up at the clear blue sky with puzzled looks before grabbing their water glasses and following Jack indoors, to an opulently appointed, round table at a private booth in the far corner of the dining room, sans Abbott's bodyguard-worthy escorts.

There, waiting, was former CBI Lead Agent Teresa Lisbon, dressed in her most FBI-worthy pant suit, looking quite confident, with an evidence file securely resting between her hands and the white linen tablecloth that adorned the table.

With a nearly imperceptible wink at Jane, Teresa spoke, smooth as a snake, in her most smarmy, 'carny show woman' voice as she motioned the two men over with her outstretched arms: "Dennis! Patrick! Please… Do sit down."

Dennis Abbott was caught like the slimy fish that he was, and Lisbon worked that hook like a pro. Jane had been gobsmacked by his partner before, but never had he been more absolutely saturated with pride, at the same time. Seeing her confidently manipulating Dennis Abbott, like she was, had Patrick quite hot under his gauzy, beach-patterned collar. The exiled consultant actually missed the first few sentences that Lisbon spoke, being preoccupied with a fantasy of making passionate love to her, right on top of the white-clothed dinner table that currently stood between them.

"Jane!"

Patrick's attention snapped back to the present, "Lisbon! It's good to see you!"

Teresa smirked. "Damn straight it is," she winked.

Jane worked hard not to blush - especially not in front of Abbott.

"Did you have more to add, In your defense, Jane?"

Patrick was immediately disappointed in himself for missing Teresa's opening words. It would have been so gratifying to hear his love defending his honor to the FBI's current lapdog. "Um… no, Lisbon. I think you pretty much covered it," he grinned graciously, trusting that his partner had said all that needed to be said; feeling like he may burst into thankful tears, if he wasn't careful, for having the gift of someone in his life whom he could trust like that, again.

Lisbon nodded, before turning back to her mark for the evening. "Now, Dennis, as I was saying. It's been brought to my attention that you intend to defraud my partner, entangling him in some FBI red tape for an undetermined amount of time?"

"Lisbon, I understand your concerns but…"

"But nothing!" Lisbon smacked her hands on the table, causing both men to jump slightly. She thought she saw an aroused sparkle flash in her partner's eyes; she would definitely have to address that with him later, when she'd have more time to take advantage of that sparkle. Refocusing her attention on the operation at hand, she continued her play: "What leverage, aside from my bogus kidnapping and torture, does the FBI think it has to use against this man?" She waited, eyebrows raised, for the reply.

"I'm glad you asked, Agent Lisbon."

"No longer an agent, thanks to you," Teresa snarled.

"I do hate seeing a good cop's career end prematurely, Lisbon. Perhaps I can inquire about a deal for you as well, if you can convince our pal Jane to see reason?"

"You didn't answer the question, Dennis. What's the leverage?" She repeated the question with authority.

"Ah, yes... Would you believe me if I told you that your trusted partner and dear friend was a cold-blooded killer?"

Teresa suppressed a smirk. Now she had the bastard dead to rights. "Do tell."

"I'm sure you've heard the rumors? Patrick Jane finally had his revenge. Sheriff McAllister - aka Red John, died at his hands." Abbott paused, trying to gauge any expression that may play across Lisbon's face at the suggestion. When he saw none, he swallowed his frustration and continued his ploy: "Well, Lisbon, killing is against the law, and I'm required to uphold that law. I could do things the hard way, but since I'm such a nice guy, I'm offering our mutual friend a 'get out of jail free' card. All he has to do is agree to come and work for me." Dennis glinted; confident he had the winning hand here.

"So… killing is against the law…" Lisbon pondered out loud, rubbing her chin with her fingers while she analyzed those words. "Jane, were you aware of that?"

Temporarily thrown, not sure where Lisbon was going by asking him that question, Patrick quickly recovered with typical confidence. "I was, actually. It was why I held Red John to account for what he had done. It was my sworn duty." Teresa knew she could count on him to produce a slick reply to anything, but she was still inwardly amazed at the way her partner had just weaseled his way out of the corner with a semi-reasonable explanation.

"Your sworn duty to whom?" Dennis bellowed. He had had enough of the spin Jane was trying to put on things.

"To my wife and child!" Jane exploded out of his seat, silencing the dining room all around them. Noticing the attention he had drawn, he quietly sat down, waving apologies to the room and speaking more quietly, his voice retaining its sternness. "My sworn duty to his victims."

"We don't get to make those calls, Jane. That is for the courts to decide." Abbott was unyielding in his reply, eyes ablaze at the injustice Jane had just admitted to.

"Don't we?" Lisbon calmly opened the file at her place setting, turning the folder around to face Abbott, and turning the tables on his little game. "Explain to me about this 'Rio Bravo Station' thing, Dennis?" Lisbon opened her hands in invitation, anxiously awaiting the obviously stunned G-man's reply.

But there was no reply. Dennis looked like he'd seen a ghost. The agent could find no words, being affected by a prickly sensation that covered his whole face. The only things he could find in that moment, were shock and petrification.

"Cat got your tongue?" Jane chided, wincing quietly after being kicked, under the table, by Lisbon for his mockery during this, the most perilous part of her trap.

"Abbott? Would you care to explain why killing is against the law outside of the courts EXCEPT when that killer happens to be YOU?"

The interrogation was temporarily suspended when Jack arrived with everyone's dinner orders, assisted by Danny. "Your eggs and tea, sir," Jack bowed slightly as he presented the plate and cup, placing both in front of Jane with a flourish.

"Thanks, Harry," Jane grinned, amused by both Jack's presentation skills and the pronounced discomfort on Abbott's face. His grin fell shortly, though, and his eyebrows pressed together in thought. Something didn't feel right about this. Dennis was clearly appalled at having such a guarded secret discovered by Lisbon, but there was something deeper there. Jane couldn't place it, but the uncertainty guided the rest of his interactions during the course of dinner.

After the wait staff had retreated, Lisbon pressed once more: "Abbott? Ya got any thoughts on your own hypocrisy here?" Teresa held her eyebrows high in that disciplinary expression her dear partner was, himself, so familiar with.

Jane worked determinedly to hold his face in a serious pose as well, despite the warmth he felt glowing beneath his scowl, being so enamored with his partner's threatening expression, right now. He loved that look. And he loved that woman, so completely.

Dennis raised his own eyebrows in acquiescence and exhaled back against his chair. "Well, Lisbon… it seems you have a valid point. What should we do about that?"

"The question, Dennis, is what are you prepared to do about that?" Teresa asked, firmly.

Jane broke in, still feeling uneasy about what he was seeing in Abbott. "Lisbon, you and I agree that you deserve a position of authority in a top agency…" Lisbon shot him a look, irritated at his intrusion in her negotiations and alarmed at the multitude of misguided goals he may be aiming for with that intrusion. "Just hear me out, here," Patrick looked into her with sincerity, trying to calm her, but only managing to rattle her nerves even more; being so forthcoming was unlike him - especially when Abbott was involved.

With some hesitation, Lisbon nodded her approval. "Fine, Jane. Please continue."

"Like I said, Lisbon deserves a job at the FBI much more than I do. So, I'm tempted to suggest you offer her the job instead, and leave me alone," he eyed Abbott slyly. Teresa's eyes threatened tears momentarily at the thought of leaving Jane anywhere, hastening Patrick's next point: "Alas, she and I come as a package deal. If you hire her, then you hire me."

What are you doing, love? Are you trying to do the negotiating on Abbott's behalf? Teresa wondered, half afraid he was attempting to sacrifice himself after all, in order to save her career.

Jane was on a roll, though - sure he could arrive at an outcome that would work for him and his partner, AND resolve whatever storms were destabilizing his reads of Abbott. "However, in light of the point of hypocrisy my partner has so astutely pointed out, I must insist that the terms of any such deal be dictated by myself and Lisbon."

Abbott lifted slightly, sensing a possible victory here - or at least a workable salvaging of his mission. Had Jane just agreed to work for him, after all? "I'm listening…"

Jane grinned wide; they had him, now! "Lisbon? Would you like to start?" Invigorated, the consultant grabbed a pink napkin and pen Jack had conveniently left with their meals, and began furiously scribbling.

Still puzzled, Teresa jumped back into her plan. "Thank you, Jane. Now, Agent Abbott, our first point of contention is that Jane needs complete, life-long immunity from any charges related to the Red John investigation - including any alleged involvement in the jerk's death."

"I think we can do that."

"You think? Or you know?" Lisbon pressed, with a weighty stare, and the aforementioned disciplinary eyebrows.

Dennis took a sip of water. "I know. What else?"

"Wonderful. Next, we insist the length of the terms be no more than five years, with the opportunity for additional time to be added, at our sole discretion; meaning that myself and/or Jane call the shots on those extensions - not the FBI."

Abbott nodded, eyebrows pressed together, analyzing the deal in his mind as Lisbon was speaking it into existence. "Done."

"And Jane has already spoken to the fact that 'where I go, he goes,' and vice versa."

"He has. That's not a problem."

"I'm glad to hear it. Jane? Anything to add?" Teresa looked to her partner, as a point of order, expecting to wrap things up in the next few seconds.

"I do!" Jane sparkled. "May I present…" he shook open the folded napkin he'd been scribbling on, with pride and sparkle, "My terms!"

Teresa deflated slightly, seeing the multitude of items on Jane's list - not to mention the width of Abbott's eyes upon taking in that multitude.

Dennis took the napkin and thoughtfully perused Jane's list.

Jane reached for Lisbon's hand, under the tablecloth, massaging the stress from her fingers. He could see the relief on Abbott's face. The supervisory agent seemed not all that invested in this project, and appeared to be quite glad to have apparently avoided any necessary uses of the stone shack ruse.

Before the G-man could voice an answer to Jane's terms, Jack and Danny arrived at the table with a phone and a cake.

"So sorry for the intrusion… again…" Jack played the embarrassed and nervous waiter role quite well. "But there is a call for you, Mr. Abbott." Hellian held the handset out to Dennis with a white-gloved hand, stepping back once the man had taken it, to allow for privacy.

While Dennis spoke low, covering the receiver with his hand, Danny presented the cake to Teresa, wearing an ornery grin. "Milady... Sweets for the sweet, compliments of your favorite consultant."

Smirking nervously, half-expecting the thing to explode into a cloud of glitter or some such nonsense, Lisbon looked to Jane for an explanation. "Well?"

Jane glimmered with immense adoration and sincerity, despite the close yet currently distracted presence of the FBI. He leaned in, and rumbled quietly: "One, I am bursting with pride right now, love, for the successful completion of your first, full-fledged, official 'plan.'"

"How do you know it's successful?" Teresa murmured.

"Just you wait, he's totally in for all of it - I can tell."

"You can tell. That's your proof that it worked," the former agent raised an eyebrow of doubt.

"Teresa please… just trust me…"

"Okay fine. So, if that's 'one,' then what's the second reason for the cake?"

Jane stifled a snort. "Well, I figured if you weren't gonna jump out of a cake, we should at least get you one to eat?" He shrugged with an ornery grin, grimacing only slightly when his partner delivered another retaliatory tap, under the table. The semi-private chat was ended when Dennis voiced a buoyant goodbye to whomever had called him, handing the phone back to the undercover wait staff.

"Well, I have good news. The head office agreed to your terms, and are prepared to provide those signed and in writing during your intake back in Austin."

"That was fast," Lisbon stated with suspicious surprise.

"It was an easy call. Their - um… OUR main goal was to get Jane onto the team asap. His record - and your own, Lisbon - speaks for itself. Glad to have you aboard, and I'll be in touch," Dennis got up to leave.

"Wait a minute," Lisbon grabbed his forearm to stop him. "We will only consider it a serious offer when the signed and written terms are delivered to this hotel. No setting foot in the US before that."

Abbott nodded, soberly.

"And Dennis, please know that your secret will remain a secret only for as long as this deal remains unbroken and in good faith. Any backtracking or trickery on the part of the FBI will see this file in my hand become front page news. Also know that this is not the only copy, and there are entities who will take action on our behalf even if we are unable to do so, should any breach of trust occur."

With a deep breath and a nod, Dennis agreed: "Duly noted. I will have copies faxed to the front desk as soon as they are ready. We'll be in touch with the staff here, who will reach out to you with any details."

"Have a nice day, Dennis," Lisbon said with a tinge of venom.

"Good to see you Lisbon," the man covered, before waving to his newest consultant. "Jane," he said, quickly, by way of a goodbye.

"So, reinstated Agent Lisbon… shall we eat cake?" Jane sparkled madly, his heart thumping at the gorgeous sight of his love, and his mind tingling with admiration for the gag she had just pulled off, without a smidge of help from him.

"Sounds delicious! But only if there's also ice cream," she winked in acknowledgment of their long-standing case-closed tradition.

Before Jane could answer, a wide-smiling Danny Ruskin floated the most delicious looking sundae down to the table, between the two partners, offering a spoon and a napkin to each. "You kids enjoy now, safe travels!"

Completely charmed, Lisbon glowed at Jane as she called out a thank you and goodbye to the two temporary staff members on the floor tonight.

The couple closed the dinner hour with a slow dessert, full of long glances, grateful conversation, and the occasional poke or blush.

Back at the ranch, Jane was too quiet. Lisbon was beginning to worry he was having second thoughts about things: the FBI, the terms, maybe even their future together. She was trying not to overreact, but she didn't like the distant, thoughtful look on his face.

"Patrick? You okay?"

"He's not what I was expecting "

"Who's not what you were expecting?"

"Abbott… I don't like it…"

"You didn't like him from the start, though, Jane?"

"No, it's not so much that I don't like him; it's more that I don't like what I saw on his face tonight."

"Okay, you didn't like the look on his face back in Sacramento either."

"Yes, Lisbon but my mind wasn't exactly clear about anything other than vengeance in those days. Plus, his goons carelessly smashed my favorite cup, which didn't help"

"So now you think you were wrong about him? Or wrong about something he said?"

"Maybe… he's definitely conflicted about this whole operation somehow. I'll need more time to figure it out, but I'm reading much more empathy under the surface of things than I'd expect. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was here against his own will."

"Well, whatever's going on with that, I'm glad we'll have his signature on the official copy of our demands before we leave the island. And, as insurance, we have his voice on record agreeing to those terms."

"We do?"

"We do. With the help of an employee who is also a friend of Franklin's, Jack and Danny prepared the inside dining booth with a listening device. The feed went directly to Grace, who is encrypting and storing it for any future needs."

"Clever, Lisbon!"

Teresa beamed at having impressed him. "See? We win, and there's nothing to worry about - all the bases are covered."

"Indeed. Hooray, for us," he said without inflection, staring into the night and still bothered by the conflicting emotions he'd seen in Abbott.