Disclaimer: I do not own The Mentalist.

A/N: Hope I did it justice!

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Marcus asked, and tried to look playful. But even he was fading. The hospital had discharge her just a day after her surgery; apparently it wasn't that serious. Jane hadn't been back to see her so Marcus had driven her home.

Lisbon furrowed her brow, "No thanks. I want to be alone."

He sighed and turned to leave. Then he turned back around. The play was gone from his face and replaced with seriousness, "Look, Teresa. You're a beautiful, wonderful woman. But I need to know now, are we ever going to work out?"

She looked at him and felt a twinge of sadness, "I don't think so."

He nodded, and turned back to the door, "Goodbye, Teresa."

Once he was gone Lisbon heaved a relieved sigh, admittedly. He was supposed to make things easier, not more complicated. He was a nice man, but he deserved better than the wreckage she brought to the table.

She crumpled down on the couch. Her back hurt, her insides hurt, her head and heart hurt. Everything hurt. She thought of Jane and things hurt even more. What was wrong with him? Why was he shutting her out, just when they had gotten so close? She didn't know where there decision sprang from, but before she knew it she had grabbed her keys and headed out the door. She wanted to confront him about how he was acting. She still needed to get the truth off her chest. She had to stop living like this. Something had to give, and the drive to where his big silver bucket was parked only convinced her more of it.

With a deep breath, she eased herself out of her car and walked up to the door, knocking on it a little more forcefully than she had intended. Jane looked surprised to see her, but she didn't leave him time to say anything.

"We need to talk."

Jane's heart was about to pound right out of his chest. He hadn't expected her to show up. But she was here, and as drained as she look, he could see the determination in her eyes. Nothing was going to stop her from saying what she needed to say. He swallowed and let her in, "Do you want some tea?"

She ignored his question, "What's going on Jane?"

"Well," he started carefully, "I was just planning to make some tea-"

For once, she wasn't amused, "You're shutting me out. Stop it."

"I'm not-"

"Stop it. Tell me the truth," She crossed her arms like it forced him to get serious. It didn't have to, but it did.

He felt himself growing more frustrated, "The truth about what?" Why did she have to push?

"About everything, Jane. Why are you upset with me?"

"I'm not upset with you."

She took a step towards him and hissed, "Bullshit."

"I'm not upset with you," He repeated. Everything felt like it was flying out in the air now. Everything rode on this fight. He needed her to know it was nothing to do with her.

"Then why did you leave me in the hospital like that?"

"Pike was visiting you," he tried to answer, but he knew she didn't buy it.

"I asked you to stay," She countered. He looked away, clearly distressed. "I needed you, Jane."

His eyes snapped back to her, and he said with startling force, "Did you, really?"

"Yes!" She replied with equal power, even though his directness made her want to run away. She couldn't afford to lose him. "You're my partner!"

His voice was low and intense. She could tell all his focus was on this fight now, "Am I? Because I don't feel like it. And you said yourself, on the plane, that you didn't want to work with me."

She stared at him, shocked for a second he was even bringing that up, "Wh- Jane, I was upset! You ran away from me, I had barely even gotten you back!" Her voice cracked a little more than she meant it to, "That didn't mean I never wanted to work with you again."

He shook his head. He wasn't one for bringing old fights back up but he couldn't get it out of his mind, "You were right, you know. I'm not considerate of you. So, you know, why did you even bother coming back?"

His last words stung but she pressed forward, "I'm used to you calling me out of the blue for help, Jane. I'm used to you wrecking my schedule with your crazy plans. I don't mind it. Hell, I even like it a little. What I'm not used to is you shutting me out, and leaving me behind." He stared at the ground quietly. "But you know, if you want me to leave, then fine. I will."

His looked back up at her, "Don't make this my fault." He was grasping at straws now and he knew it, but he didn't have the courage to say anything else and he couldn't let her leave.

"Really?!"

"I'm not the only one who's hiding, Lisbon,"

"I'm trying, Jane! Fine, you know what? I'll tell you the truth," She didn't know what motivated her to say it but she was fed up with this back and forth, "You are the most frustrating, annoying, infuriating, challenging man I have ever met. You make me want to rip my hair out sometimes, but..." She trailed off.

"Well that's a good start," He interjected.

"But you're also the most incredible, generous, thoughtful, extraordinary man I've ever met and you try to hide it, god knows why, but I know you. You're all I have. And you're being selfish."

He was silent for a long moment. She was right, he knew. He was being selfish. It was a selfish move to ignore that she loved him simply because he was afraid, and he could barely remember how he convinced himself otherwise. After a while he replied softly, "I know."

Lisbon's heart was pounding but suddenly everything was more quiet. She knew part of Jane had only been putting on this angry front because he was too afraid to open up. She would keep pushing until he did, "So?"

He took a deep breath and looked up at her. He didn't really know when everything had gotten this bad, or where to start fixing it, but he had to try. "I did hear you. At the house. Before you blacked out." She was obviously taken aback, but he persisted, "I didn't tell you, because I was afraid."

"Of what?" She asked finally.

He stared down at the ground. He knew how pitiful it would sound be he couldn't stop himself, "Everyone I care about gets taken away."

She looked at him quietly. Is that why he was shutting her out? Because he was afraid of losing her? "I'm not going anywhere, Jane."

"I almost lost you. I can't- I can't lose you."

"Jane... that's stupid," She fought the desire to hold him. That time would come, but for now they had to keep talking, "Me, Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt, we're all still here. We're not going anywhere. Pushing us away isn't going to help. Pushing me away," She added quietly.

"I'm sorry, Lisbon," he tried to turn away but she grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"And besides, do you think I want to lose you either? When you called me and told me you were alone in a the house of a murderous drug lord, how do you think I felt?" Her question left him silent. She sighed, "Jane, I'm scared too. Believe me. But I don't... I'm tired of wasting time."

"You deserve better, Lisbon," that was his last card to play before all bets were off, "You deserve someone who can give you what you need. That Pike guy-"

"We broke up."

He stared at her, "I'm sorry to hear that." Not that sorry, though.

"And don't try to tell me what I deserve, Jane. I don't deserve anything. I want you," She was shocked she managed to get that last sentence out but she did, and she held Jane's eye contact unwaveringly. His face softened and he reached out slowly, brushing her hair behind her ear. His hand ghosted against her face and she could have drown in that touch. Then he dropped it back to his side and they remained an arms length apart.

"Will you-" He began sheepishly, "Will you say it again?"

She blinked at him, "Say what again? I love you?" He nodded and she stepped forward, placing her hands on his shoulders, curling her face up to his ear. She had to stand on her toes and he rested his own hands on the small of her back. "I love you," she murmured. He pressed his face against her neck and slowly wrapped his arms around her shoulders, drawing her into a tight hug. "What about you?" She added.

"Hmm?" He mumbled into her neck.

"Tell me you love me."

He pulled his head back and placed a soft kiss on her mouth. "I love you," He breathed.

She smiled into his mouth. She felt as though she should say something witty or sexy but all she could come up with was, "Good."

A/N: Soooo there it is. While I was writing this I kept coming up with a million different ways I could have taken the story but this is how it came out eventually! I hope it lived up to everyone's expectations satisfactorily, and thank you to everyone who reviewed/faved/followed etc.. You made my first fic in months quite an enjoyable experience :)

I've published a separate M-rated epilogue (I want to keep this rated T for those who aren't comfortable with M-rated (sexually explicit in this case) material).