A/N: Hello you guys :) Okay this is my first "long" story and I hope you enjoy it! Again special thanks to Nerwen Aldarion for betaing and SteeleSimz for her support!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist, but I really would like to!

Under Covers

(1)

Lisbon wasn't sure how to react on Gabe Manchinis offer. It had been two weeks since she joined him and some other high league people on the poker game and since then he'd asked her out for coffee twice. It had been nice and a welcome distraction from some frustrating cases and Jane's very awkward behaviour since the FBI took Lorelei away from the county prison.

Despite her wariness, Manchini was a nice guy, but she wasn't eager to work with him and the FBI more than necessary. "The Enemy", how Jane had called them.

He was sure there was a Red John mole in the FBI and Manchini was one of the prime suspects on his little list. Jane made no secret of disliking her spending time with the handsome Agent, but it was none of his business.

Damn it!, she thought, Jane had no right to influence her private life with telling her who to meet. It was not like she'd slept with Manchini, they'd had coffee! So all of his fears weren't grounded. She could spend time wherever and with whom ever she wanted. Just because Manchini was kind of handsome and charming, even funny sometimes, it didn't mean she'd tell him all of their secrets. Did Jane trust her at all?

"Teresa? You didn't answer my question, yet", Manchini interrupted her train of thought and she flinched. God. Why did he have to come to her? Did the FBI have some kind of staff shortage? There was this mischievous glint in his eyes, when he leaned forward: "Are you just as speechless that you don't know what to say?"

"Of course not!", she said and shot him a short smile.

Nobody ever made her speechless, except maybe Jane. What should she do? She couldn't give Manchini a straight answer yet, could she?

"This is a really nice offer, Gabe, but I'm afraid I've got a lot of work to do with my own unit. We just got another case, so..."

"Nonsense. Look, Teresa, I really need you on this one. Come on. My boss already talked to your boss and he said it's a great idea to show how good the collaboration between our agencies is."

She chewed her lip. Of course he wouldn't give up that easily.

"Yeah, well... My team needs me." This was a lie and he knew it. The team would be fine with her being absent for a few weeks. Her only problem was that she didn't know if she really wanted to go.

"I think Agent Cho is capable to lead your team two weeks on his own. It's not like he's doing this for the first time. It would be good for the image of our agencies and it would also do a positive remark in your file." Lisbon sighed. Manchini was right.

Since the incident with Red John two months ago, the image of the two agencies had gotten some scratches and lost some of the trust from the public. Agent Wainwright's death was a great loss and they did not have anybody to replace his position, yet. It seemed like there was a curse on this job since Minelli had left. First Hightower then LaRoche and Wainwright… Bertram worked hard to gain trust back and of course an undercover mission with a positive outcome in cooperation with the CBI and the FBI would be good press for both agencies. But why did it have to be her?

"Maybe you should ask someone from our Undercover Unit. They're really good people and I have to admit, I didn't do anything like this before."

"So it's time to learn how to do it. It's really not a tough job. We've just got to find out who's the boss of this drug and arms deal and nail him to the ground. Within two weeks you will be back and everything will be just like it was before."

Why did this man have to invalidate all her arguments so quickly? She didn't even have time to find other excuses. "I have to talk to my boss first..."

"I already did, just like I told you. So this is a yes?"

"I... I..."

"Or are you afraid to have me as a partner? I know this is your first time undercover, so I promise I'll be very gentle... in any way."

Lisbon blushed a little and shook her head: "No! Of course not! Well... I'll go with you under one condition." He raised an eyebrow and grinned. "This... this will remain total professional, even if we are going to play a couple!"

"I would have never thought of anything else. It's not like I'd try to seduce you over a stakeout."

She raised an eyebrow and he grinned: "So it's set?"

"Uh, I guess. But still we have to talk about..."

Suddenly the door burst open and Jane rushed inside: "Lisbon, we..." He stopped abrupt on the sight of Manchini and his face eclipsed. "What's he doing here?!"

"Well hello to you, too, Jane. Usually people knock before entering a private office, but you…" "What's with me, huh?", Jane hissed and stepped forward.

"Guys!", Lisbon shouted and stood up, to separate the men because she feared, this might end in Jane getting punched in the nose or Manchini hypnotized.

"Jane, leave it. Gabe, I think you should go now. Thank you very much for your offer, I'll talk to you after I spoke to Bertram, okay?"

Manchini smiled and flashed a last quick glance at Jane. "I'm looking forward to it, Teresa. Call me at any time." He left the office and went straight to the elevators.

"What the hell was that?!", Jane asked and turned around to Lisbon, who shot him an angry glance.

"Look, Jane, I know you don't like Manchini or working with the FBI, but this is no excuse to behave as a complete jerk towards him! We have to be cooperative and work together."

"Don't talk about being cooperative, Lisbon. They took Lorelei and my only chance to get Red John." Jane stepped to the white couch and sat down while the Agent sighed.

"I know Jane and I'm sorry, but my hands are tied."

"It's not your fault, Teresa. I should have hid her, before the FBI even got the chance, to talk to her."

"This is nonsense and you know it!"

"Is it?", he asked and closed his eyes. Lisbon wanted to add something, but got back on the file she was working on. The silence remained, until Jane finally had the balls to ask her the question she'd waited for since Manchini left. "What did he want?"

"Who?", she asked innocently and could see how he rolled his eyes underneath the closed lids.

"Don't play dumb, Lisbon. That doesn't suit you."

"Guess", she said and grinned. Usually he was the one to play mind games with her, but now she felt like she could surprise him with her intention of doing something he obviously wouldn't be pleased with.

"This is boring. Just tell me."

"Oh, is the Master of Manipulation afraid he won't find it out on his own? Fine, I'll tell you." Jane perked up his ears. "Gabe asked me to accompany him on an undercover case and I agreed." If Jane was surprised, he didn't show it. This bothered her. She'd rather have him angry with her than remaining silent.

"You're serious."

"I am."

He slowly opened his eyes and stood up, walking towards her. "You can't do that."

"I can and I will, Jane. This has nothing to do with personal reasons but with the image of the agency."

"Bullshit! How many times have I told you, that every FBI Agent could be Red John's possible mole?", he shouted and apologized immediately. "Look, Lisbon. Last time he asked me to bring him your head. Who knows what will come next?"

Lisbon sighed and leaned backwards in her chair. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm capable of protecting myself. If – and I say if - Manchini is one of Red John's moles, I will find out."

"But maybe it's too late then! I'm serious."

"I've got a gun."

Jane smiled a little while rolling his eyes. "You have more than one gun, dear."

"See? And this is why I'm gonna go undercover with Manchini as a couple…" Damn how she wished she hadn't said this word. Jane stiffened and he looked angry.

"Couple? You're going undercover as a couple?"

"Shall I spell it out for you? Where is the problem with that? You pretend we're a couple all the time, if you include me in one of your crazy schemes!"

"You cannot actually compare that!"

"Of course I can! Gabe and I will pretend to be a couple. We actually aren't one."

Jane let out a quick laugh: "Oh you two are already calling each other by your given names? This was fast. You said you'll pretend to act like a couple? Do you really think he invites you for poker and coffee just because he likes your company?"

"How dare you intervene with my private life! It's none of your business. Have you even considered the possibility that he is neither a Red John mole nor just interested in one thing but actually likes me as I am?!"

"Then I will accompany you..."

Her eyes widened in anger: "No! No, Jane, you will not! Please, just leave my office, I've got work to do."

"Like calling Manchini back to confirm you'll join him on your little tête-à-tête?"

"Now you're just acting stupid. Are you jealous or what?!" The words left her mouth accidentally, but somehow his facial expression which he wasn't able to hide fast enough confirmed her. Jane gasped and turned around to leave her office immediately.

He went into the bullpen, where the team was working on some paperwork leftovers from the last case and laid down on his favourite brown leather couch. It was obvious for him that the team got wind of his and Lisbon's little argument, but he was too stirred up, to answer on their questioning looks towards him. All he did was staring at the little Elvis figure on top of him, which helped him thinking about what just happened.

Lisbon would go on an undercover mission with stupid FBI-possible-Red-John-mole-Manchini. Things have gotten even worse than he thought they would. It was not like he didn't trust in Lisbon's judgement, but after all what happened, they couldn't be careful enough when it came to other agencies. She had to trust in his judgement, when it came to this.

Did she just agree to accompany Manchini to show him he was wrong? Why was it impossible for him to believe that Manchini really just needed her help without having any ulterior motives? Maybe because this guy was just a man like all the other ones who had fallen for the hidden magic of Teresa Lisbon. They saw her independent and strong appearance, but they didn't know her as well as he did and still there was a lot to figure out about her.

He always knew what she wanted, what she needed, in which mood she was – all of this with just one short look into her lovely emerald green eyes… Jane shook his head and rubbed his eyes. What the hell was he thinking? She wasn't his, would probably never be more than just a very close friend if he kept on acting like a jealous fool.

Sighing he thought about what happened a few weeks ago, his faked break down and the trap he set up to catch Red John. He had abandoned her, never called her to let her know if he was okay, if he was still alive. Her messages have been more than clear, she was worried. He could stand the first ones, where she shouted at him, threatened to kill him if he wouldn't call back immediately but when those messages changed to her begging him to come back, he couldn't stand it anymore.

At first she called him more than once a day, but that decreased. Once a day, once a week… And in the last two months of his vanishing, she must have given up, thinking he'd never come back. She should know he didn't do it on purpose, that he had to sacrifice the eventually loss of their friendship to make his break down believable. While thinking about it, he had never caused Lisbon anything but pain and this pain was shown in every message she sent him.

He had kept every single one on his phone, unopened as a silent reminder that there was someone waiting for him. After their short conversation in the church, where he nearly got her crying by popping up out of nowhere and wanting her help, he wanted to torture himself. What would be better than making himself even feel more miserable by listening to Lisbon's unheard voice mails?

The last one had been the hardest.

She had cried, begged him to come back, promised him to do anything if he would just give her a sign that he was alive, that he was okay. Jane had swallowed hard, tossing his phone aside, willing to throw all his achievements over board and telling her what she really meant to him. But he couldn't. Red John's death was too important to him at this time.

At the time he walked into her office, gun in his hand and a glint of fear in his eyes, he wasn't so sure of everything anymore.

"Love you", he'd said and meant it, even if he denied it afterwards. Jane couldn't have borne the thought if losing her or dying eventually with never having told her. What would have been, if they had talked about it? Sometimes he wondered, if she was thinking as much about this day as he was. Their silent ride to Las Vegas, the night they spent together in the storehouse, before the team arrived the next day…

Why was everything slipping through his fingers again? Why couldn't he just get Red John down, have his revenge and finally move on? Jane grunted angrily and stood up from his couch.

"Is everything alright, Jane?", Van Pelt asked concerned, but he shrugged her question off with a wink of his hand. While walking to the kitchen, he tried not to think about his feelings for Lisbon – not that he'd ever admit he had any.

The procedure of making tea always calmed him down and cleared his mind. Routine, yes sometimes a little bit of routine was good for him. Water, pot, cup and saucer, milk and the teabag. After the water boiled, he dumped a little gulp of milk inside the cup, before he put the bag and water inside. Inhaling the scent of the tea, he went back to the bullpen, critically eyed by the rest of the team.

"Jane, do you have any idea, why Manchini visited Lisbon again this morning?", Rigsby asked. Apparently, the team had been drawing straws to find out who of them had to ask him. Poor Rigsby.

Jane sipped his tea and sat down on his couch again. Yes, now he felt way more comfortable than before. "This is a really good question Wayne, but I'm afraid Lisbon will shoot me, if I tell you."

Cho raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Are they sleeping together?", he asked as if he was talking about the weather. Rigsby chocked on the chocolate bar he was eating and had to cough, to remove the little piece of chocolate from his lungs.

Jane smiled, before he took another sip and sat his cup down on his knee. "Don't worry kids, it will be alright between Mom and Daddy." "

"Excuse me?!"

Jane glanced up and saw Lisbon standing in the doorway, looking at him with a mixture of annoying and blush.

"The team is worrying whether you are sleeping with Manchini or not, so I told them not to worry, because you're a grown woman and know what you're doing at least most of the time. Can we help you, Lisbon?"

She blushed even more and met the curious glances of her team. "Damn it Jane! I'm not sleeping with him", she defended herself, "Really, I am not!"

"None of our business, boss", Cho said and leaned back in his chair.

Lisbon sighed and threw Jane an angry glance as he started to chuckle. "Listen guys, I just wanted to tell you that I'll be on a job in the next few weeks."

"She's going to do an undercover mission with no one else than Mr. Manchini from the FBI", Jane announced in some kind of showman voice to the rest of the team.

"You're going undercover, boss?", Van Pelt asked excited and turned around to meet her eyes.

Lisbon nodded silent and stepped forward into the bullpen, turning her back to Jane showing him she excluded him from the conversation. "I can't tell you much about it, because it's a FBI case, so we'll leave some time next week and stay there about two weeks up to a month. It's all about how long it'll take to complete the mission."

"Don't forget telling them you are playing a couple", Jane interjected grinning.

"We are… Oh shut up, Jane! Could you for once mind your own business? You'll stay here with the others anyway. Cho, you'll take over my place as the team leader while I'm away and I officially give you permission to shoot Jane if he does anything stupid."

"Will do so", Cho answered in a neutral tone, but Jane knew he'd take Lisbon by the word, if it was necessary.

"Ouch, Lisbon. That hurt."
"Good!", she answered pleased with herself, "I'm going to tell you everything when I get the permission to do so. Keep on working, guys, you're doing a great job." With this she turned around and went back to her office, without throwing him a last glance like she usually did.

Jane needed time to think, and he wouldn't get the needed silence in the bullpen with all the ringing phones, keyboard ticking and conversations between the agents. That's why he stood up, grabbed his cup of tea and made his way up to the attic, his little safe haven, where he hid most of the time.

Except for Lisbon, no member of the team had ever visited him here and this was good, because although he liked them, he didn't want them to invade his personal space. With her, it was something slightly different.

She was allowed to see his bad sides, know his dirty secrets and didn't judge him at all. No, she was always looking out for him, saving him, she was his saviour, his Lisbon. The following thought may be selfish, but he wanted her for his own. Jane was sure, that he was about to lose her, if she actually went with Manchini to this stupid mission, she just agreed to because he pushed her into it.

He groaned and let himself fall down in the makeshift bed. The question was how he could make Lisbon stay here. Making her angry at him wouldn't help, she'd just be glad to get away from him in time and let Cho deal with him. Besides, he didn't want her to get angrier than she was anyway.

No, forcing Lisbon to stay here because he did something stupid wasn't good either. He had to keep an eye on her, had to keep her occupied, so Manchini wouldn't try anything and she wouldn't be tempted to try something either.

Suddenly Jane started ginning like a fool. He had a plan. A really stupid plan, but it might work, if he timed it perfectly. To his surprise, it was completely legal too, so Lisbon would have no choice but live with it.

Two weeks later...

Lisbon was suspicious. Jane had been acting strange the last two weeks. She didn't know whether he was ill or had some game in motion, but his behavior was more than abnormal. He behaved.

He had neither upset any suspects, nor any members of the law enforcement, who were usually his most favourite victims. She even looked in his file to see if it was any special day for him like the birthday of his wife or daughter, their wedding date or something else. Nothing. Patrick Jane played by the book for once in his lifetime.

Maybe she should mark this date in her calendar, so people would believe her, if she ever had to tell anyone. Jane never behaved, never. Not even if she begged him to. This was the reason, why Lisbon knew something was going on in the crazy mind of his.

She wondered, if she should talk to him, ask him what it was, but on the other side… it was good to know he might not pull any kind of crap during her absence which would get Cho in trouble.

Furthermore, she had no complaints on her desk, no scheduled appointments with Bertram because of his irreproachably behavior and no additional paperwork. It felt like working with a completely normal consultant for once. What did she do to deserve this little piece of heaven?

Deep down she had a hunch that his demeanor was because of her undercover mission with Manchini coming closer and closer. If he thought she'd cancel it, because he acted like a normal person, he was very mistaken. Quite the contrary, Lisbon was kind of relieved that she was about to leave him in Cho's custody without having to worry about the trouble he would start while she was away.

Sighing, she closed her last file for the next few weeks and put her jacket on. Tomorrow morning, she and Manchini would be on their way to Carmel Valley, one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in San Diego.

He'd sent her the information about the case a few weeks ago. The FBI had taken aim at a drug and arms deal, whose boss was supposed to live in this area, right at the border to Mexico. They wanted to catch the big fish, so they could stop this business once at a time. It was a difficult undertaking, but if they'd be able to nail the boss down, CBI and FBI would get huge positive publicity and the negative press they got since the Red John incident, would be forgotten.

Lisbon switched the light off and headed towards the bullpen, where her team was still working over their reports from the last case. It was Van Pelt; who recognized her first and put a smile on her face:

"You heading home, boss?"

Lisbon nodded and leaned in the doorway, her eyes wandering over the members of her team.

"Our flight is scheduled for tomorrow morning and I have to get some things ready before leaving though. I hope it won't be too long. If anything happens, don't hesitate to call me, okay?"

Cho raised an eyebrow, which made her feel quite uncomfortable.

"I mean… uh. You know what I want to say, Cho. Stop grinning, Rigsby! Look, I'm just worried, that…"

"Everything will be fine, boss", Van Pelt reassured her, "Just enjoy your little trip to San Diego and maybe bring us something, when you get home. You deserve a little vacation."

Lisbon's eyes narrowed, and she crossed her arms: "I'm not on vacation! We have to find the boss of these arms and drug dealers and…"

"While sipping cocktails on the beach. We got it, Lisbon", Cho said with a hint of a smirk in his face, "You just go, I'll bridle the two them. Have fun."

She struggled a bit, debating whether to finally leave or not. Cho was more than able to… wait. The two of them? Why only two? Her team contained five members, including herself!

Suddenly she realized, that one very special person was not in the room, worse, she hadn't seen him all day!

"Where the hell is Jane?", she nearly shouted, stepping inside the bullpen and shooting them a death glare, "I haven't seen him the whole day!"

The three of them gave each other knowing looks, but none of them said anything.

"Where is he?! I accept every answer except prison, kidnapped or…"

"Vacation", Cho said finally.

"What?", she answered surprised and searched for a lie in the eyes of the other two members but it seemed like Cho was telling the truth. Why should he lie about something like that anyway? If it was any other person, Lisbon would shrug it off, but Jane?

"Jane never takes vacation and you know it! What does he have in mind and where is he?! He didn't ask me for vacation and I didn't sign any papers, so he has no right to leave the CBI!"

"Actually he has", Cho pointed out and held up a sheet of paper, "It's signed by Bertram – and before you ask, yes I have checked it up. Bertram agreed, since he had no real vacation since he joined the CBI."

"He should have told me! I'm the leader of the team and his boss."

"Well, he did not have to, boss. Since he asked for vacation while I have the leadership for the team, he is my responsibility and actually it's none of my business whether he wants to go on vacation or not"

"What about his six month fake-breakdown to catch Red John! Wasn't that vacation enough for him?", she asked sarcastically.

"Since it was officially part of his undercover operation, no."

Rigsby and Van Pelt tried hard to hide their smiles, but didn't succeed. This might be the longest argument Cho and Lisbon had ever had!

It made Lisbon even more furious about the whole situation. This was anything but funny. Of course Jane would do something, to ruin her undercover mission. She should have known! Great, now she could call Manchini to blow everything off, get an embarrassing dressing down from Bertram, because her consultant ran away again and if it got even worse, chuck in her job. Groaning and frustrated, she kneaded her nasal bone, debating what to do now.

"Van Pelt, put an APB on his car and track his cell-phone. Cho, I want you to retrace his last steps and see what could have made him run again. Rigsby, we're heading off to his motel room and find out where he's gone. Maybe this time he left us a letter or something."

"Have you considered just calling him?" Cho asked while the other Agents didn't knew if they should follow their bosses orders, since they knew Jane had his reasons not to tell.

"What?" Lisbon seemed a little surprised, "No, I… I…" She searched for her cell-phone and pressed the number one button on her speed dial.

"Take it, take it, take it", she mumbled and turned her back to the team.

It didn't take long and she could hear Jane's cheerful voice at the other end of the phone.

Jane had already left Los Angeles behind, so San Diego was only a stone's throw from now. With the nearly empty road, the long drive had not been that exhausting, but still. He was a little tired and his mind wrapped up in thoughts he had, while driving cross LA without visiting his house in Malibu. Knowing that it would only bring back bad memories, he had decided not to stop there, but drive along.

He was a man on a mission and as sorry as he felt for making himself not to think about his dead family, the game he had in motion was more important now.

The consultant wondered when Lisbon would finally recognize his absence from the CBI. He hadn't said goodbye to her yesterday evening, but brought her a very delicious self made sandwich as some kind of pre-apology for what he had in mind to do today. Oh she would be pissed off, when she found out about his vacation plans.

He already could imagine the scene, when she got into the office, asking for him and find out about his leaving. The poor team. She'd force Van Pelt to put out an APB on his car and track down his phone or something, maybe even make one of then drive to his motel room.

His decision, to tell the team a few minor parts of his plan, gained him an advantage. Of course he wouldn't tell them everything, just what they needed to know, mixed with a few little lies and everything was set.

The thought made him smile a little. Lisbon had been so suspicious of his accurate behavior, which - he had to admit - had bored him out of his mind. Really, his job was no fun, if he couldn't piss off any suspects or lawyers, who threatened him afterwards.

Well, it was one of the things one did for a greater purpose, he thought sighing, but started grinning while remembering his little visit to Bertram two weeks ago.

xxTMxx

Jane hated to sit inside the anteroom of Bertram's office; waiting for the damn secretary to finally tell him he was able to enter his boss's office. The middle aged woman wore a stiff trouser suit and looked like something in the room smelled bad, combined with a hint of sadness in her eyes. He took a quick smell at his jacket and considered, he was obviously not the reason for the women's bad mood. She worked here since he joined the CBI a decade ago and seemed to have begun to hate her job after Bertram took over the place of the former director.

Let's see what's new, Jane thought while leaning back in his wooden chair. He'd analyzed her years ago, but today, something was a little different about her. He hadn't anything to do anyways.

Still no sign of an engagement ring, so she's not married. Her job takes too much time away for her to go outside a lot… scratch that, she's not the dating-type anyways. She gave up waiting for her prince to come a long tome ago. Oh, look at that! A new frame on her desk!

He stood up, pretending to take a closer look at the drawing on the right wall next to her desk.

"Can I help you, Mr. Jane?!", she asked annoyed when she caught him glancing at the photo on her desk.

"Is this your mother?"

"Yes", she whispered and touched the frame carefully, "Why do you want to know?" Her eyes shimmered a little.

Oh no. He should have just stayed on the damn chair.

Jane cleared his throat and laid on a neutral expression: "I'm sorry for your loss."

"I wasn't able to go to her funeral yesterday, because I had to work. Director Bertram said he needed me, so I couldn't fly over to Pennsylvania. "

Well, that explained her anger at her job. The poor woman. Bertram could really be an ass sometimes. No offense to the grieving secretary, but he had more important things to do now! What took Bertram so long to let him come in?! Did he enjoy making his visits look like Jane was some teenage boy who was called into the headmaster's office?

As if someone had heard his silent plea, the phone on the secretary's desk rang and Bertram told her to send him in.

Jane opened the office doors and went straight to one of the seats in front of Bertram's desk.

"Mr. Jane. To what do I owe the honour of your visit?", he asked sarcastically.

It was no secret that the consultant and the director didn't like each other, but except for Bertram, Jane always enjoyed playing with him.

"Oh well Gale, an honour it is indeed. The last time we met here, you wanted to quit Lisbon's job and split the team up."

"And you threatened to go public with what really happened with Wainwright."

"Threat is such a harsh word. I just pointed out your options. But that's water under the bridge, isn't it?", Jane pulled a sheet of paper out of his jacket, "I need you to sign off my vacation papers."

Bertram took the document he hold out towards him and skimmed it over.

"You want vacation? What for? Weren't the last six months you spent in Vegas drinking your ass off enough vacation for the rest of the year?"

"Like I said, it was all for a greater purpose."

"Oh you mean sleeping with Lorelei Martins? Yeah, that is really part of a greater purpose."

Jane flinched at the name of Red John's minion, but tried to stay calm. Before he went here, he had counted on Bertram throwing the past six months into his face, but hearing everything so shamelessly pointed out hurt more than he would have thought.

"Look, we can do this the easy way, you signing off my papers and I'll leave, or…"

"Is this a threat again, Mr. Jane?"

"If you want to look at it like it was one…"

"Give me one reason why I should sign off these papers? What are you up to? Another faked breakdown? Or wait, fake your death to draw him out?"

Well, that wouldn't be a bad idea, Jane thought, but shook his head.

"It has nothing to do with Red John."

Bertram raised an eyebrow: "Look, Jane. I don't have time for this."

"Then sign off the papers."

The consultants facial expression was hard and the director hesitated a second, before he sighed and finally signed on the line.

"Don't make me regret it, Jane. Because next time I won't falter to fire Lisbon and you for your actions."

Jane stood up smiling, taking his vacation papers and going to the door. Before he went out, he turned around one last time: "The game is up then."

xxTMxx

The hot summer heat outside made him sweat in his suit, although he had already gotten rid of the jacket and vest. Since his old car had no air condition, he had to wind down the window and enjoy the little cooling breeze of the air stream.

It was then, when his Phone began to ring and Lisbon's name popped up on the display.

"Finally", he grinned and grabbed the phone which had been liying on the passenger seat the whole time. Jane turned the volume of the radio down and answered the call in a cheerful innocent voice:

"Lisbon! It's nice hearing from you. How are you? Don't you have to be at home, packing for your big journey instead of chasing my track down like I was some terrorist? I can assure you, that…"

"Cut the crap, Jane! Where the hell are you?!"

Oh oh, she was mad. This would be fun!

"On vacation", he answered simply, which made her even more furious. He loved to mess with her head. Hopefully Van Pelt did as promised and tried not to track him down, otherwise his "surprise", how he called his plan, wouldn't work out.

"You are never taking vacation Jane, you're driving."

She must have figured it out while he had been thinking, hearing the noise of the road through the speaker of the phone. Well, there was no point in denying.

"People drive to get from one place to another, Lisbon. There's nothing uncommon about driving. About your assumption me never taking vacation, well… I do now. We all need a little from time to time. By the way I'm sorry for having not informed you about my plans, but you were so busy with preparing your "undercouple" mission with Manchini, so…"

"Under what?!", she snorted and he could see her giving him her Annoyed-with-Jane-look.

"Never mind", Jane smirked and waited for her to say anything, "Look, Lisbon, if it's not something very important, would you mind, if we talk about my vacation plans later? I really have to take care of the busy road." Well that was a lie. There was no car in sight and he'd arrive in San Diego in less than an hour and had plenty of time left, until his excellent plan would strike.

"Jane, I want you to come back immediately."

"I'm sorry, but that's not possible."

"Then at least tell me where you're heading to, so I know that you're okay." Her voice became much softer now, with a slightly undertone of worry in it.

Jane pressed the phone closer to his ear to hear her breath coming in and out, and awkward silence filling their conversation. She really was worried, worried that he'd vanish again for an unknown part of time and leave her once more. It made his heart ache a little. He didn't want her to be afraid for him or making everything her business.

"Look, Lisbon. I'm fine, really."

"No you're not, Jane. You asked for vacation and you have been acting strange the last two weeks, there's no way in denying it. You were anything but your usual annoying self. What is wrong? You know that you can tell me anything. Is it because of Lorelei? We do anything to find her, you know that. Maybe… If I play on Manchini's good side, he'll tell me where she is eventually."

This thought made him smile a little. Oh his lovely, selfless Lisbon, his good Samaritan, who was always there for him. Whatever he did to deserve this woman – and he knew de did not deserve her - he would never be able to pay her back for all the pain he'd caused her over the years and especially in the last six months.

"Teresa. You don't have to worry about me. I assure you, I'm fine. Never felt better and you should not agonize over my actions. I truly am sorry for not telling you goodbye, but we'll see each other sooner as you think."

"What is that supposed to mean?", she asked suspicious.

"Well, since the FBI needs your help, you will get this drug baron for this incapable agency and kick his ass."

"But we don't know how long it'll take, Jane. Please tell me where you are so I can leave you with the knowledge that you're not in trouble." Her voice was concerned now.

"I'm on my way to Malibu", Jane lied, "I have to take care of some things."

Lisbon gasped surprised, but didn't say anything else. He could feel that she was a little relieved to finally know his destination and it made him a little sad to know that he'd lied. When she'd find out the truth tomorrow, she'd freak out and haul him over the coals.

"I hope you'll find what you want", Lisbon said.

"You, too. Have a nice journey, Lisbon. See you!"

With this be hung up and tossed the phone back on the passenger seat. Everything was set now, the game could begin.

Grinning, Jane turned up the volume of the radio, listening to the saxophone solo playing. Carmel Valley was 50 miles ahead.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed it so far! Please tell me what you think, I'd really appreciate that :)