Disclaimer: I still don't own the Mentalist.
A/N: Thank you all so much both for sticking with this story through its slow updates and for leaving such encouraging reviews! I hope that you enjoy (and are perhaps a little surprised by) the final installment.
Chapter Thirteen: The Big Reveal
(Still) Monday, December 24, 2012
Lisbon had known Cho for years. They had a good working relationship and a close friendship of sorts. But she'd never once thought that…
Maybe there was some mistake. Then again, she had a hard time imagining Cho willingly donning a Santa hat – let alone in public – without a very good reason.
"Cho?" she repeated, walking over to him. "What are you doing here?"
"Hey, Boss," he said, glancing up from his soda and laying his book down.
"Look," she began hesitantly, "I –"
Suddenly two other very familiar men wearing Santa hats converged on her, one holding a small baby.
"Rigsby? Jane? What's going on here?"
"Merry Christmas, Lisbon," Jane said, smiling widely. "Are you surprised by your admirer's identity?"
"I… don't understand," she admitted reluctantly.
"It was Cho's idea originally," Rigsby said, bouncing Ben.
"Don't blame me," Cho said.
"No need to be modest, man," Rigsby said. "Cho made a comment one day that you deserved to be appreciated more. Grace was the one who came up with the secret admirer thing – oh, and she wanted me to tell you that she's sorry she couldn't be here, by the way. Jane set it in motion and drew up a schedule of who got what day and snuck most of the presents into your office."
"Rigsby is downplaying his contribution," Jane said. "He's the one who thought up the idea of mailing you some of the gifts with the return address as your office or apartment."
Rigsby shrugged, cheeks pinking ever-so-slightly.
"We know that we don't show it enough," Jane continued, "But we all appreciate and admire you, Lisbon."
"You're a good boss," Rigsby said.
"A damn good agent," Cho agreed.
"An incredible friend," Jane finished.
To her horror, Lisbon felt her eyes watering.
No one had ever done anything so sweet for her.
"I –" she stammered. "Oh, come here, all of you."
And with that, she roughly drew the three men into an awkward group hug.
"Thank you," she added quietly.
"No, Lisbon, thank you," Jane said.
And although the words were unbelievably cheesy, his face was earnest.
Rigsby looked a bit teary-eyed himself.
"That's beautiful, man," he murmured.
Cho let out a snort.
"'No, thank you?'" he quoted flatly. "Seriously?"
"I will have you know that Christmas is a time for cheesiness," Jane said with faux-primness. A grin creeping across his face, he added in a loud voice, "It's a Christmas miracle, ladies and gentleman! Kimball Cho is laughing!"
Cho gave Jane a look of disapproval, but the amusement still dancing in his eyes gave lie to his scowl.
Lisbon shook her head as she watched her three boys begin to bicker.
It wasn't Christmas yet, but she had already received a gift beyond her wildest dreams.
-–- -–- -–- -–- -–-
Lisbon's Twelve Days of Christmas Sing-Along:
On the first day of Christmas, SCU gave to me… a cartridge in a box of pear tea.
On the second day of Christmas, SCU gave to me… two turtles and two 'Doves,' and a cartridge in a box of pear tea.
On the third day of Christmas, SCU gave to me… Trois Oiseaux hen, two turtles and two 'Doves,' and a cartridge in a box of pear tea.
On the fourth day of Christmas, SCU gave to me… four singing Byrds, Trois Oiseaux hen, two turtles and two 'Doves,' and a cartridge in a box of pear tea.
On the fifth day of Christmas, SCU gave to me… five pineapple rings! Four singing Byrds, Trois Oiseaux hen, two turtles and two 'Doves,' and a cartridge in a box of pear tea.
On the sixth day of Christmas, SCU gave to me… six goose matryoshkas, five pineapple rings! Four singing Byrds, Trois Oiseaux hen, two turtles and two 'Doves,' and a cartridge in a box of pear tea.
On the seventh day of Christmas, SCU gave to me… seven Swan's Neck vodkas, six goose matryoshkas, five pineapple rings! Four singing Byrds, Trois Oiseaux hen, two turtles and two 'Doves,' and a cartridge in a box of pear tea.
On the eighth day of Christmas, SCU gave to me… eight Maiden Milk Bars, seven Swan's Neck vodkas, six goose matryoshkas, five pineapple rings! Four singing Byrds, Trois Oiseaux hen, two turtles and two 'Doves,' and a cartridge in a box of pear tea.
On the ninth day of Christmas, SCU gave to me… nine Spice Girls dancing, eight Maiden Milk Bars, seven Swan's Neck vodkas, six goose matryoshkas, five pineapple rings! Four singing Byrds, Trois Oiseaux hen, two turtles and two 'Doves,' and a cartridge in a box of pear tea.
On the tenth day of Christmas, SCU gave to me… ten Labs a-sleeping, nine Spice Girls dancing, eight Maiden Milk Bars, seven Swan's Neck vodkas, six goose matryoshkas, five pineapple rings! Four singing Byrds, Trois Oiseaux hen, two turtles and two 'Doves,' and a cartridge in a box of pear tea.
On the eleventh day of Christmas, SCU gave to me… eleven Piperales, ten Labs a-sleeping, nine Spice Girls dancing, eight Maiden Milk Bars, seven Swan's Neck vodkas, six goose matryoshkas, five pineapple rings! Four singing Byrds, Trois Oiseaux hen, two turtles and two 'Doves,' and a cartridge in a box of pear tea.
On the twelfth day of Christmas, SCU gave to me… twelve soldiers drumming, eleven Piperales, ten Labs a-sleeping, nine Spice Girls dancing, eight Maiden Milk Bars, seven Swan's Neck vodkas, six goose matryoshkas, five pineapple rings! Four singing Byrds, Trois Oiseaux hen, two turtles and two 'Doves,' and a cartridge in a box of pear tea!
A/N the second: I hope none of you feel too cheated by the lack of Jane/Lisbon (or Cho/Lisbon, for that matter); this was the ending that I'd always planned for this fic. But hopefully I've left things open-ended enough that you can either read the J/L dynamic as a proto-romance or simply as a close friendship.