A/N: A huge thanks to everyone who has read my other fics. Hope you like this one.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist, the wonderful Bruno Heller does.

Strained Relations

Chapter 1 – The Best Laid Plans...

Jane checked his watch as he lay on the brown leather couch in the FBI bullpen.

Lisbon sat at the desk in front of him, typing on a computer screen. 'There's still three hours to go' she said, continuing to tap the keys in front of her.

'Have you acquired eyes in the back of your head, Lisbon?' he asked, hoping she would turn around and engage him in conversation.

'You know very well I can see you in the reflection of my screen' she smiled, picking up a pen and completing a form on her desk. He was still so like a child sometimes, wanting attention when he was bored.

He sighed loudly again. 'I don't see why we can't just leave early. It's not like we have a case.'

Lisbon bit back a smile and continued completing her form silently, looking briefly at the reflection of her boyfriend. It still made her heart jump a little when she thought of him as that even six months into this new chapter of their lives. He was staring at the ceiling, his hands intertwined on his stomach and tapping his foot at the bottom of the couch. She could see his mind was at work, no doubt on a plan to allow them to leave early.

'Don't even think about it' she said, looking back to the sheet of paper. He turned his head and smiled at her back, the vision of her completing paperwork one he had seen a thousand times. He still couldn't believe how lucky he was to have this second chance.

He moved into a sitting position and then got up, stretching before perching himself on her desk so he could see her face. She smiled at the form in front of her but didn't look up. 'Something you need, Jane?' she asked, a smirk on her lips.

'Come on, Lisbon. Play hooky for once in your life. We can get an early start on our trip.'

She was as excited as he was that they were having five days off together. They were taking the Silver Bucket to Yosemite National Park and renting a cabin there for a couple of nights. It was their first trip away that wasn't because of a grisly murder.

She looked up at him, the stern expression on her face already giving him the answer he didn't want before she spoke. 'Jane, you may not have any work to do but I'm still clearing up your mess from the last case. Do you know how much paperwork is involved when someone, namely you, decides to unmask the killer in the middle of a crowded train station, causing trains to be delayed for three hours?'

'Was it my fault Johnson decided to run across the tracks?'

'No, but if you hadn't been too busy grandstanding in front of everyone we could have arrested him quietly.'

Jane sighed. 'Do we have to go over this again? I already apologised and spent a night on the couch for it.'

'You were the one who brought up leaving early.'

He rolled his eyes. 'I'm sorry I bothered now.' A second later he said, 'Coffee?'

'Yes please' she smiled. He smiled back at her. 'Sorry. Again. Okay?'

She nodded, rubbing her thumb against his. 'You're forgiven. Again. Now, coffee?'

He grinned and moved off the desk.

As he turned around Wylie came up to him. 'Hey, Jane. You have a visitor.'

This perked Jane up. 'I do? Is it that widow from the Miller case again?'

Lisbon shook her head. 'Jane, you can't keep accepting gifts from that poor woman.'

He turned back to her. 'We found her best friend's killer and she likes baking. It's cathartic for her while she grieves. She doesn't have any family nearby. I'm doing her a favour accepting her baked goods, Lisbon.'

'She's been in here every day with one thing or another. You're going to put on weight if you keep eating all that stuff.'

He leaned over the desk to her. 'But you have the perfect exercise plan to make sure I don't, Teresa.'

Lisbon blushed, her cheeks going a deeper shade of crimson when she heard Wylie clear his throat. She had forgotten he was still standing there.

Jane grinned at her and turned his attention back to Wylie. 'Sorry, Jason. Where is she?'

Wylie looked from Jane to Lisbon and back to Jane again. 'Um...it's not her.'

Jane's shoulders drooped. 'Oh? Well then tell whoever it is I'm not here.'

'Are you sure? He...he says he's your father.'

Lisbon's eyes darted suddenly from her paperwork to Jane's face. She peered around her desk to see his expression. His eyes studied Wylie's face, obviously causing the young man some discomfort. Jane's eyes blinked twice in quick succession.

Lisbon said to Jane, 'It's got to be some kind of joke, right? Your father's dead.'

His eyes moved from Wylie back to her where he looked at her questionably. 'Why would you think that?'

She leaned forward and said quietly, 'That time we met Sean Barlow, he said your father was a wicked man. You never told me he was still alive.'

Jane shrugged. 'I'm guessing Barlow was referring to the past tense, when he knew him he was a wicked man. Doesn't mean he's dead.'

'So...it could be him. He's alive?' Her eyes were as wide as saucers.

Jane shrugged again. 'I have no idea. Only one way to find out I guess.'

He turned back to Wylie. 'Jason, lead the way.'

Lisbon saw he had placed the mask he wore to most people fully back on his face again. As he began to walk off she got up from her desk and chased after him, touching him on the arm. 'Do you want me to come with you, in case it's him?'

Jane took her hand. 'No. If it is him I don't want him anywhere near you' he said, seriousness in his tone. 'I'll deal with it. Just finish your work so we can get the hell out of here.' He squeezed her hand and walked away.

A/N: So...what do you think? Would love to hear your first thoughts on what you think Alex Jane will be like...