Summary: Jane decides to take you out for a spin all day long and it proves to be the time of your life...
Warnings: None
A/N: Inspired by that one episode where Jane empties a bag of leaves at a baseball field and lets them fall all over him for the Heck of it. Also - (y/f/b) means (your favorite book) and listen to the Beatles while reading this...you'll see why. Particularly, Hey Jude!, Ticket to Ride, Yellow Submarine, and All You Need is Love. In that order. Enjoy!
Oh wait, last thing...
Can we appreciate the accuracy of the gif above?
Comment if you'd rather hit or hug Jane. ok back to the show...
~~~~
Well, you'd done it again. You'd lived through another day of murder, affairs, jealousy and theft; you filled out the paperwork; made the arrests; and filmed all the confessions you needed. Usually Vanpelt and Rigsby were the first to go home, though they had to stack their exits to avoid anyone taking a jab at their relationship. It was secret afterall, but between being around Jane and just knowing the two agents...it wasn't exactly rocketscience to put two and two together. Cho was leaving now, and Lisbon was probably gonna be shut up in her office late into the night.
That left you and Jane out in the offices.
As you began to pack up, you heard Jane stirring on his couch.
"You awake?" You called out from your desk.
"Well yes," Jane paused. "But I wasn't necessarily sleeping."
You slammed the top drawer of your desk shut and threw your bag over your shoulder, finally turning around to the corner of the room where Jane had been quietly resting for a few hours. He was alert now, sitting himself up and stretching his arms towards the ceiling. When he'd rolled his shoulders, he spun towards you.
"Oh," He smiled in an arrogant, knowing manner. "I know that look. Honestly, (Y/L/N), you have enough to worry about without worrying about me."
"Me worry about you?" You scoffed.
"Yes. You worry more than even you know."
"Maybe it's because you don't worry enough about yourself," You replied, holding Jane's gaze. "Someone has to."
"No, you just enjoy it," Jane pointed out.
"Why not? Rather you than..."
Jane raised a brow, smiling that insufferable smile of his as you fumbled to finish my thought.
"Point is, you and you have fun together and we both know you don't get enough of that."
"We'll have to do something about that, then!" Jane shot up off the couch, taking his discarded dresscoat with him. He stepped towards you quickly, only pausing when he was directly to my left. Jane eyed me from an angle, smiling softly as he continued, "It sounds like someone needs a day of fun, with the master of fun himself..." Jane paused and then tilted his head. "That'd be me."
"And what exactly," You shifted closer to Jane. "Does a day of fun mean?"
"You'll see," Jane winked as he headed towards the elevator. "Tomorrow morning, 10, be dressed for the...unexpected."
The unexpected? What unexpected? "Wait - Jane? Jane!"
But he didn't stop. He didn't even look at you until he was in the elevator and the doors were sliding shut over his sparkling eyes and startling smile.
*Time Gap brought to you by Cho and Rigsby in Bert and Ernie costumes*
Be dressed for the unexpected. That's what the bastard said, but you couldn't figure out how to make it happen, so you settled on a comfy t-shirt, skinny jeans, sneakers and a light amount of makeup. Just as you were slipping on a jacket around my waist, Jane rang my doorbell. you knotted the sleeves of the jacket and hurried to the door. As usual, Jane was wearing his button up shirt, dress pants, coat and vest, looking like a man who never left the office. Though you had to hand it to him, he never ever looked like he was trying too hard.
If anything...he had this laid back air. His hair was combed, but it was so curly and wild that it always looked gently tossled.
No matter what, Jane always looked handsome.
But you'd rather die than admit it
"Woo!" Jane whistled. "I think you dressed more unexpectedly than I expected unexpected would mean but..."
You laughed - a little nervously - and smiled. "Thanks? And you look...like you."
"Good, wouldn't want to be anyone else," Jane offered you his arm. "Ready for a day of adventure?"
"As ready as you'll ever be."
Together, you climbed into Jane's cute, oldies car. As he drove off, you started scanning the glove compartment for a music disc.
"Where's your Beatles?"
"My Beatles?" Jane shot you a look.
"Come on Jane, with this car and your personality?" You smirked. "Plus, you heard you humming 'Yellow Submarine' in your sleep."
Jane shook his head. "Busted." Taking one hand off of the steering wheel, he gestured to the pocket behind my seat. "Behind you."
Just as you predicted, he had three albums tucked away in the passenger seat pocket. You found the disc with your favorite song and stuck it into the CD player, tapping your foot to the beat of the anticipated song as you waited. Jane's eyes darted to your feet and recognition flickered in his gaze, but he kept silent. Then, 'Hey Jude' started up and a huge grin tugged at Jane's lips. You couldn't help but smile, his expressions were so raw, so contagious. So you leaned back in your seat and sang along to the song, screaming along with Paul near the climax while Jane drummed his fingers on the wheel and kept the naaa na na na-na-na-naaa, na-na-na-naaa, hey Jude! going. The wind whipped through the open windows of the ancient car, tugging at your hair and throwing it around, but you didn't care, you were lost in the music, lost in the sound of your voice and Jane's, perfectly mixing as you jammed out.
You were so caught up, you didn't notice Jane's adoring gaze settle on you, slipping as sadness clouded his greyblue eyes.
As you drove, you spotted a baseball field off the next turn and nudged Jane.
"Look."
Jane locked in on something small on the far corner of the baseball field and he gave the steering wheel a sharp twist, sending the car around and into the parking lot. You squealed and grabbed onto the seat as you skidded to a stop.
"Jane ohmygosh!"
Aaaaand the insufferable smile was back! "Wooo! Still got it."
"This is why Lisbon doesn't let you drive," You scowled.
"Oh come on," Jane rolled his eyes, grinning wickedly. "Live a little."
"I'll try," You promised. Then, turning your attention out the windshield to the empty playing field where some mexican workers were riding lawn keeping vehicles and racking. In the corner where Jane had spotted something were giant blue blobs...bags maybe? "So...are we watching a baseball game today?"
Something along the lines of disappointment showed on Jane's face. As you climbed out of the car, he clicked his tongue.
"Who goes to a baseball field to watch baseball?"
"Um, normal people."
Jane smiled. "Exactly. We're not normal, are we?"
"Are we?" You repeated.
"I-" Jane hesitated. "I don't know, you were supposed to answer."
You laughed as you shut the car door. "Just tell me what we're doing here."
Jane gestured for me to come around the car and once you were at his side, he offered his arm. "Shall we?"
As long as you don't get us killed, you thought to yourself. Because if you were being honest, everything you did today was going to be illegal in some way, shape or form, so as long as you didn't lose a finger, you'd be happy. If you knew Jane, which you did, he'd probably want you to stand on top of the fence around home base and shout something ridiculous. Over my dead body.
But you didn't climb any ladders or dodge any 'no trespassing' tape. You just marched across the field, kicking up sand and dirt as you went only stopping once you'd reached the blue blobs. You eyed them suspiciously. You were right, they were bags. There were four, huge, filled to the brim bags and they had dying leaves poking out here and there. You peeked at Jane from the corner of my eye, waiting for him to do something crazy. He pulled his coat off and threw it on the grass and then faced you with a joyous gaze.
"Ready?"
"For what?"
"For a day of fall in summer!"
"A day of-"
Suddenly Jane seized the closest bag of leaves and flung it into the air, releasing plumes of colorful leaves. They fluttered in the early morning breeze, flowing around you like a cloud of fairies. Red, orange, gold and brown flickered about you while Jane twirled and spun, flinging the blue bag this way and that.
"GRAB A BAG!" Jane yelled.
Giggling like a little girl, you grabbed a bag of your own and you launched the leaves into the air. Both of you were smiling and laughing like idiots, trying to catch leaves on your palms, dancing through the rainbow downpour. Then, once most of the leaves had settled, Jane clasped your hand and pulled you down onto the ground. You laid there, still laughing, shoulder to shoulder as the last of the leaves rained down on you. Oh it smelled like autumn! Like spice and crisp weather even though the summer sun was beating down on you and the green grass tickled your skin. You flexed my hand to reach out for a browned oak leaf when you realized it was still laced with Jane's.
Your heads turned, nearly brushing when you faced one another. Jane raised a brow as if to ask: So?
"...does this mean we're going to go skiing for a day of winter in summer next?" You teased.
"Ah (Y/L/N), you really do know how to ruin a moment-" Jane retorted.
"It's amazing." You interrupted. You were serious too. The leaves...the laughing...the spinning and jumping and...
It was incredible.
"Thank you," You replied, giving Jane's hand a squeeze.
Jane scooted closer to you, reaching out for your face. He pulled a leaf from your hair and held it out between the two of you, eyeing you fondly when-
"iQue hacen aquί! VÁYANSE!"
"Oop." Jane - now void of any previous sillyness - gave you a panicked look that made your stomach clench with worry. Without warning he gave your arm a hard tug, hauling you to your feet before he took off running to the car. You pushed yourself as fast as you could run, keeping up with Jane just barely. For all the trouble he got himself into, he could flee from it with the agility and speed of a deer. You dashed around a small building where a fence blocked the way.
Needless to say, Jane cleared that sucker in one jump. You struggled to climb over it behind him. The angry Mexican Lawn Keeper stopped at the fence, apparently not pissed enough to clamber over it after you. He continued to hurl rapid fire Spanish insults your way, swearing on Mary and Joseph like we'd just marred a temple or something.
"I don't know Spanish," Jane yelled out. "But you think he's angry!"
"No kidding!"
You hopped into the car. Jane hit drive and the Beattles music came back on instantaneously. 'Ticket to Ride' started up, fading in and out with the rush of wind flowing through the open windows as Jane speeded. You crossed your fingers behind your back that no local cops caught him today. Especially with you, a CBI agent in the car. What the Hell would Lisbon say?
She'd probably ask what we were doing, you thought with a smile.
"WHERE TO NEXT?!" You bellowed over the music.
"JUST A PLACE!" Jane yelled back.
Three more Beattles songs passed, one of them being 'Yellow Submarine'. This one really got Jane singing. You joined in too, but quietly...his voice was so perfect. He hit all the right notes at the right time. There was something so natural and happy about him when he was like this, driving at his usual illegal milege and singing like no one was watching. No one but you. And Jane didn't mind.
That had to mean something right?
Unlike earlier, when Jane took the turn ahead like he was James Bond, he cut it smoother. This time you weren't pulling up to a sports stadium either. You'd merged onto a store lined street where people were milling about, enjoying a normal Saturday afternoon. Parents pushed strollers, teeangers laughed and clustered together, buisnessmen on their lunch breaks talked over sandwiches. Nobody seemed to notice the way you were shaking from that close encounter with the Mexican guy. Jane however, did notice and tapped you on the shoulder.
"You alright?"
"Sure, if that's what youre supposed to be after a Mexican guy calls the spawn of Satan and a fairy mistress..." you mumbled.
"That's what he said?" Jane pondered your translation. "You speak Spanish?"
"Por supuesto hablo Español mi amigo rubio," you replied easily.
Jane's eyes went wide with delight. He smiled excitedly as he locked his car doors and stepped up onto the sidewalk. "What's it mean?"
"It means add some Spanish in your mind temple."
"Mind palace," Jane corrected.
"Potato, potahto," You argued.
Jane cocked his head. "Nobody says 'Potato, potahto'."
"I just did."
"Yes, by which the logical deduction of a syllogism would determine you-" Jane pointed at you. "-are nobody."
You rolled your eyes and ignored the backhanded comment. Jane was smiling dazzlingly at you and your gut was full of butterflies and still being called a nobody made you want to slap him. You've done it before. Punched him, slapped him, handcuffed him to a chair once to keep him from getting into trouble. Lisbon expects you to watch after CBI's consultant because he and you get along. She hasn't yet realized that that means he drags you along into his trouble.
"Alright enough Mentalist Deduction crap, what are we doing next?"
"Well," Jane shifted his weight. "I mean, 've been in the fresh air long enough - what do you say we head into a shop? Then get something to eat?"
"Okay..." you narrowed your eyes in suspicion.
Shopping and having lunch was far too normal. He had to be getting at something. But you had no choice except to let him lead you onward. You strolled down the side of different small businesses, peering at store front displays and people. Jane made his little deductions of everyone you passed, whispering them in your ear as we walked, just like he did at cases. One woman was on her last day of living, doing whatever she could before death took her; a man and his sister were looking for a gift for an old friend who was in town; an old man feeding the birds was thinking about his new granddaughter...
"And her- oof."
A little kid had stumbled and fallen against Jane's leg. The tiny tot was staring up at him with wide eyes, golden curls similar to Jane's falling around the girl's face. She caught Jane's shock and giggled.
"Hi."
"Hello." Jane squatted down. "Someone wasn't looking where they were going."
"I was!" The child stated indignantly.
"Oh no I know that," Jane sucked in a guilty breath. "I meant me. But it's kind of her fault too," Jane pointed his thumb over his shoulder at you. "She didn't warn me."
"Jane," You grumbled.
"She's dwumpy." Remarked the little girl. "Is she your fwiend?"
"Yes, yes she's my friend. Can I tell you a secret?"
Predictably the girl nodded, giggling as she leaned her ear to Jane's lips. Jane's hands, as big as the kid's face, cupped her tiny little ear and he whispered loud enough for you to hear:
"Sometimes she acts like my Mom, it's annoying."
"Hey!" You slapped Jane's shoulder. "Only because you act like a child!"
"Eh," Jane gave the little girl a silly look while he shrugged me off. "So, where's your Mom?"
The little girl stuck her head out to the right and pointed a stubby finger out to the woman Jane had started to assess before the kid ran into him. "Over dere."
"Well, better get back, don't want Mom to worry," Jane's eyes twinkled. "A worried Mommy is a grumpy Mommy."
In fervent agreement, the girl nodded. Then, somewhat hesitant, she shifted on her tiny sandaled feet. "Tan you tell you a seetwet?" With Jane's approval, she leaned in close and mumbled. "Maybe your fwiend wikes you and it makes her wowies a yot."
Just then, the little girl's Mom called out for her, so she skampered away, leaving Jane squatting at her height with a big ol' smile plastered on his face. When he finally stood up, he nodded towards a bookstore across the street. You smiled, books were the best. You didn't see a bookstore and not go inside. Jane was a reader too, but compared to you? Let's just say your whole HOUSE was consumed by shelves apon shelves of books. It was the same with this little bookshop. Hardly anyone was inside, but there were enough books for a thousand people to buy two each.
You could feel your own eyes light up as you spun in slow circles admiring the rows of bindings, all different colors and sizes.
"Let me guess your favorite book," Jane offered.
"Oh come on you can't possibly know where it is-"
"No, but you do." Jane smiled, "Please?"
"Alright," you offered up your arms for Jane's little party trick.
Still smiling, Jane took your right wrist in his and laid your right arm over his shoulder and kept your left wrist in his hand. You steeled my gaze to meet his, refusing to look to the corner of the shop where the book/series you loved lived. Jane's foggy blue eyes pierced your own darker ones, probing you for some twitch, some compulsion that would lead him to the book. Instead, you let your eyes dart the opposite direction of your favorite book.
Your trick belly flopped.
Jane directed your body towards the right corner of the shop. You looked further to your left, but this encouraged Jane. He began to walk backwards, tugging you into the corner of the shop until your eyes couldn't help but settle around the area surrounding (Y/F/B). Jane raised a brow, slowly gesturing with your fist towards the wrong shelf, then he moved your fist the opposite direction. The determination on Jane's face split into a prideful smirk. His eyes sparkled as he let you go and grabbed a small volume from an overflowing shelf.
" '(Y/F/B)'," Jane examined the cover. "Good choice."
"You already knew that was my favorite." You argued.
"Maybe, but I know you're looking for a new copy because yours is tearing at the seams and we both know I like to show off..." Jane held up the book and shook it. "As payement for your cooperation with my insufferable party tricks, I'll buy you your replacement copy."
"Jane, really you don't have to..."
"Well, technically I do. I might have borrowed your copy at the office for some reading and..." Jane cringed. "I confess I...I damaged it," Jane pinched his fingers together. "Just a little."
"A little!? Jane! It's falling apart!"
"Ah," Jane waved you off. "I'm getting this for you."
"Just buy it already," you plopped into the store's window seat. "I'm hungry."
After getting your 'apology' gift, Jane paid for lunch. You sat for a good thirty minutes eating. Out of the restaurant window, Jane saw people grabbing kanoes and heading into the nearby grove of trees. He insisted you follow them and took us deep into the forestry, only stopping once you'd nearly toppled over the ledge of a cliff into the river below. The kanoers were on the water, paddling away. Jane and you scaled the cliffside carefully, taking calculated steps until you were at the river bank, dangling our feet in the water.
"Oh it's cold."
"You think this is cold?" Jane laughed. "Let me guess, you shower with the knob all the way to hot and you come out with your feet bright red?"
Yes. How the Hell- "No."
Jane smirked and pointed at you accusingly. "Liar."
You slammed you foot into the water, sprawing droplets all over him and his cocky attitude. Jane gasped for breath. His bouncy blonde curls were dark from the dounce of river water and he shook his head out. You bit your lip to fight the oncoming laugh. Jane peeked an eye open. You blushed.
"I'm sorry - AHHH!"
A wave of cold water fell over you. Jane laughed hysterically.
"OH IT IS ON!"
"All is fair in love and war," Jane reasoned.
"This isn't war," You seethed, "This is...REVENGE!"
And so you ended up wading into the water, splashing the Hell out of each other until you were exhausted and soaked. Kanoers craned their necks to see what was going on in your section of the river. Freezing cold, even in the heat of the summer, Jane and you made our way to the car, getting weird looks from people on the streets. The wind helped dry you again and just in time for some more chananigans. As the day plummeted into evening, you snuck into a Movie theater, ate way too much ice cream, and danced around an empty warehouse.
The day went by so fast...
The more you did together...
The more you realized how much you loved it. You were having fun. Fun with Jane. Two things you never got enough of. But the day was coming to a close. Jane promised you one last stop before he took you home, and you found yourselves parked on the beach, all by yourselves. Side by side, you stood against the car, listening to the remaining Beatles tracks as you both admired the sunset.
"Jane...thank you, today was..."
"Magnificent? Stupendous?" Jane winked. "Fun?"
"Something like that," you laughed.
"Good," Jane replied, turning his face to the waves. The dying sun illuminated every curve and crease in his features. The way his eyes and cheeks wrinkled when he smiled and the unique form of his nose. His curls fluttered in the evening breeze. "Beautiful view."
"Yeah..." You sighed, unable to tear my eyes away from Jane.
He caught you staring, you knew it.
"(Y/N)..." Jane cleared his throat. "I'm sorry if I got you into any trouble today. I know I'm a pain in the ass, but I like to think I try. Sometimes."
You shook your head in disbelief. "Patrick Jane, you are the world's most insufferable, annoying, smart mouth but don't foor one second think that makes me hate you. You're more than a genius or an asset, despite CBI rulings. You're kind, and gentle...you mean, look at how good you are with kids! It was amazing, watching you with that little girl, how natural you are," You let out a sigh. "You are amazing."
"You really think so."
It wasn't a question, it was a statement.
But an uncertain one.
"Jane," you stepped towards him. "You...you've been through a lot in life, so much that sometimes my heart just ahces for you. Aches for you and your loss, for the torture you're put through...and then you give up your time and your heart to people like that little girl and you just..."
All of a sudden, the final Beattles song came on.
"There's nothing you can see that hasn't been shown..."
Jane was so close to you, your faces inches apart. The beach breeze blew over you as you closed the gap between you two, standing on tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips.
"All you need is love!"
Your mouths danced together as Jane leaned you against the car, his hand cupping your face as he proceeded, cautious. You? You were taking it faster, coaxing the locked up passion out of Jane.
"Love is all you need....love is all you need..."