"What?!" He asks surprised as I win the game. "What sorcery!"
I know he deliberately sabotaged his cards, but I let him think I hadn't noticed. I grin as he pushes over my winnings of pebbles. We'd settled on whoever loses overall buys the drinks this evening.
"Now play properly," I chuckle.
"Are you implying that I cheated?"
"Oh come on..."
"Teresa. Please. It hurts enough already," he grimaces and puts a hand on his heart.
"My winning is damaging your ego?" I ask sarcastically.
"You are," he confirms. "Listen. Get your glad rags on I'm taking you out for dinner."
"I thought it was best of five?" I ask confused.
"Well you're winning, so I'm going to end up losing eventually. Come on!" He jumps up excitedly. We walk into his room and he stops for a moment.
"What's wrong?" I ask waiting beside him.
"Did you read my letters?.."
I'm not sure why he feels the need to question me over this. He should know I read them. If not, he should be able to tell by using his 'powers'.
"Every single one."
"How many?"
"Twenty five."
"... Did... You ever try to contact me?"
"Once, but I gave up."
"Gave up?"
"You didn't want to be found Jane..."
He considers this statement. "I underestimate your... Well... You."
"You do?" I ask, a little puzzled.
"You're intelligent, goodhearted, generous, empathetic, and I didn't realise just how often I took you for granted or underestimated you."
Was... That a compliment?
"Ja-"
"No Lisbon, listen... I know I've done bad, made mistakes, and I know it's impacted your life more than we both wished for. I practically crushed your career to a grain of sand and you've not complained or taken it out on me-"
"Jane..." I interrupt. At my sincerity he stops and looks at me. "I've wanted to kill you. Trust me, anyone who's met you can back me up on that. But what difference will it make if I have a tantrum over it? I have a job and a home. That's all I need."
"No Teresa, you deserve more. You save lives, help others, deal with me."
We both start smiling with how unbelievably true the last bit is.
"Jane, my job was to deal with you. I loved my job, you were part of it. That's how it worked."
"And now we have... This," he watches me as he refers to our 'relationship'.
"Yep. Now we have this."
"What're we going to do?.."
"I don't know..."
"Let's start with dinner?" He asks. But... What is he asking?
I nod nonetheless and look down to the floor, unsure of what to do and where to go.
"I'll get ready," I mutter and make a swift exit. When I reach my room I feel my body physically relax and I let out a sigh. What's happening?
I head to the wardrobe and drawers opposite the bed and retrieve the light blue and white summer dress from the rail. Nothing fancy, but it makes a change. I turn around and walk to my bed, scanning my eyes over the dress. I place it on the duvet and that's when something catches my eye. The red on my pillow. I take a second glance and to my astonishment I'm intrigued even more. I walk towards them and pick out the little card, wedged between the petals and stems.

'This is only the beginning...
U no hoo'

A smile spreads across my face before I can control it. I gently pick up the roses and walk to the bathroom, inhaling the subtle fragrance on the way. I fill a glass with water and place the flowers in it, removing the notecard. I carry them back out into the room and balance them precariously on the bedside table, leaning against the wall. I drop the card onto my bed and go back into the bathroom to sort myself out. I shed my T-shirt and throw cold water over my face then push the door shut to grab the towel from the hook. I brush my hair and decide there's no hope for me having patience to do anything else with it. So I scoop up my top from the floor and lazily swing the door open.
"Crap!" I shout, pulling my top up to my chest to hide as much of my torso as possible.
"Woah!" He grins, chuckling and holding my dress in front of me, not only to pass it to me, but to preserve my dignity. I yank the hanger from his hands and the dress falls off, crumpling on the floor. I crouch down, grab it and storm back into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door. I can still hear him laughing. He has some nerve. If I could've brought my firearm...
I slip my trousers off and throw on the dress. Why am I doing this?
"What are you doing Jane?" I ask, completely exasperated.
"Waiting for you."
"And you didn't think that the words, 'getting ready' meant that someone is most likely changing?"
There's a deafening silence for longer than there should be. "Don't answer that..."
"You know..." He begins. "A simple thank you would have been adequate."
"What?" I shout through the door at him.
He starts laughing, "Oh no, Lisbon. I-I didn't mean-"
I open the door to find him sat on the edge of my bed, grinning stupidly and shaking his head. I frown at him. "I didn't mean be grateful for my sudden appearance as you were stood in your, well... Not a lot-"
"Jane!" I yell, hurling my trousers at him.
"Throwing your clothes at me now! If you'd have told me this is what I'd get, I'd have called you a lot sooner," he smirks whilst looking at me with his charm.
"Don't you dare try to charm your way back into my good book!"
"I wouldn't dream of it," he says calmly, standing up. "Ready? Because you look beautiful."
I turn to face him and send him a warning glare.
"I said no charm."
He raises his hands. "I was just paying a lady a compliment."
I walk out of the room knowing this is going to be a long evening...

The waiter shows us to our table on the rooftop balcony where two other couples are dining. It's getting dark but strings of dainty fairy lights provide an elegant glow. We take our seats and the waiter hands us each a menu then leaves to help with serving hungry locals downstairs. The balcony is on the opposite side of the building that faces the lively village, which remains buzzing, even at night. Instead it looks over the bay. I watch as the moonlight hits the curves of the waves as they gently collide with the cliff face.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Jane says, following my eyes.
"Imagine being able to wake up every morning to know this is just a moments walk away..." I daydream out loud.
"What's stopping you?.."
I turn to look at him across the table and his eyes meet mine. "Stay then Teresa?"
I blink as if that's somehow going to make what he just said understandable.
"If this is what makes you happy?.." He mutters softly, candlelight flickering across his cheeks.
"I couldn't..."
"Why not?"
"Because I have a home, a job-"
"But nothing that makes you happy."
"I like my job," I defend.
"But do you enjoy it?"
I reluctantly stay silent as he leans forward, resting his arms on the table. "You could have a fresh start. Make friends, live life."
"All for what? Because you told me to? Because you want me to have your back?"
He sits back again when the waiter reappears to take our choices, only moving his eyes off of me when he places his order.

"It's a lovely evening," he says, changing the subject, much to my relief, when the waiter walks away.
"Normally like this?" I ask curiously.
"Normally. I don't know about this side of the country though."
I nod in acknowledgement. Our drinks arrive, a bottle of beer and a glass of red wine. I take a few sips of the liquid that triggers memories of letters and fires in my head and decide I'm not thirsty.
"Everything alright?" He asks.
Damn him.
I raise my eyebrows in 'surprise' at his question. "Fine," I reply.
"So, tell me... About Washington."
"What's there to say? Buildings, cars, tourists."
"More specifically to you?"
"A few friendly smiles. Some really nice guys-"
"So why were you alone?"
"Because I didn't want any of them in my house, that's why."
"You saw a few of them then, huh?"
"Only one," I smirk.
"Ah I'm sorry..." He mutters, implying that he's sympathetic for my break up.
I frown in confusion. "Who says I'm single again, Jane?"
"You do."
"Care to explain?.."
"Well, why are you here Lisbon? If there was a guy involved, why would you fly across the continent to see another one?"
"... Because... Perhaps I haven't seen the other one in two years?" I point out.
"Surely you'd rather stay home, or at his home, as you apparently don't enjoy male company at your own?"
"I saw you practically every day for five and a half years, for you to then vanish off the face of the Earth for twenty four months. I missed you."
"... So... You're not single?"
I sigh and fidget uncomfortably. "I didn't exactly say that either..."
He grins and leans back in his chair. "You're a lot more difficult to handle now, you know that?"
"Nope. But thanks for informing me."
"More sarcastic too."
"Who does that remind you of?" I smile.
"... I've missed that smile," he says gently. I divert my eyes, my cheeks burning. "Do you blush every time someone pays you a compliment?"
"Depends whether I think they're genuine or not..."
"You realise that this is a whole new you in front of me?"
"And?.."
"It's extremely difficult to not acknowledge... How lovely you look this evening..."
Crap... What's he doing?
"I-jus-uh-I..."
He starts chuckling and holds a hand up. "It's okay, you don't have to respond. I understand it's not your... Strong point."
I start smiling and bow my head, allowing my hair to fall and hide some of my face.
"Aw, are you shy?" He jokes.
"No, you're scaring me," I reply, the smile still playing at my lips.
"So I can't charm and I can't be polite and I can't be gentlemanly?"
"No, that's not what Patrick Jane's like."
He offers a shaky smirk.
"You should know... The Patrick Jane you knew all those years, wasn't Patrick Jane. Me, now, this is the real one..."
"I know..." I mutter. I've always known. It's the truth. Perhaps I should learn to realise that?

A small whicker basket of bread is placed in the middle of our table for which I say thank you. I take a slice of baguette as Jane does the same, and spread a thin layer of butter over the surface. We both sink our teeth into the bread and start smiling as we realise how stupid we must look being in sync.
"We spent way too many cases together," I grin.
"Meh, nowhere near enough."
"What? You kidding? Much longer and you'd have been investigating my dead body," I joke.
"I'm pretty sure it would've been mine before yours."
"Body?"
He nods and I begin to laugh. The fact he knows how much trouble he is and the consequence for being so irritable, is just unbelievable, not once did he ever try to make life easier!
"Too right!"
"No, but we could never have too many cases together," he smiles, taking the matter more seriously.
I tilt my head ever so slightly to the side. "Why do you say that?"
"Because you didn't notice."
"What?" I sigh.
He leans on the table and lowers his head so we're eye level.
"Not once did it ever cross your mind..." He thinks aloud as I remain to be confused. "Not once... Hmm... That surprises me Lisbon..."
I'm beginning to worry. "What does?"
"Us..."