A/N Since it's my birthday I thought it would be a good time to write a birthday fic for Jane. Hope y'all like it. Title is inspired by that wonderful birthday song of the same name.
Only time will tell if it was time well spent--Trip Around the Sun by Jimmy Buffet & Martina McBride
Trip Around The Sun
The Serious Crimes Division of the CBI had just finished up their latest high profile case after working almost nonstop for several days. Since it was such a late hour lead agent Teresa Lisbon had ordered the team to go home and work on the in the morning. And due to the fact the floor was being refinished during the overnight hours Patrick Jane had reluctantly headed for his house to spend a mostly sleepless night.
It was nearly 6:00am when he finally gave up staring at the ceiling and just get up and start the day. Making his way to the bathroom he stared in the mirror sighing at the weary unshaven face peering back at him. Always aware of the passing of days he didn't need to look at a calendar to know what this particular day was. It didn't matter to him that it was his birthday; he'd long ago ceased celebrating birthdays and holidays. Now the only day that mattered to him was the day he'd finally exact his vengeance on Red John.
Arriving a the Statehouse Patrick headed for the CBI offices and immediately flopped down on his worn couch to observe the agents with the endless paperwork and if no one bothered him to perhaps take a well deserved nap.
It was noon when Lisbon stepped out of her office to say, "It's time for lunch so you can finish that up later."
"Lunch? What's on the menu?" Patrick asked without opening his eyes.
Van Pelt spoke up saying, "I made us reservations at the Luau Lounge. I thought it would be a nice place to have a birthday lunch."
"Birthday? Who's birthday?" he asked feigning ignorance as he sat up.
"Yours," Lisbon replied as she followed the others toward the door
"Lisbon you know I don't do birthdays," Patrick said quietly as he fell into step beside her.
"I know. But Van Pelt went to all the trouble to plan this so the least you can do is pretend to enjoy yourself," the agent replied.
"All right. But I am not wearing any silly party hat," Patrick stated.
"I'll see what I can do," she told him.
The sea food restaurant bore a somewhat tropical theme and as they strolled in Patrick was not at all surprised to hear Jimmy Buffet in the background singing something about a trip around the sun.
"Party of five?' the smiling hostess in a tropical print dress asked.
"Yes," Van Pelt answered, "We already have a reservation."
"Ah yes. Please follow me," the hostess replied leading the way to a table in the non smoking section. At each seat was a brightly colored lei and one had also a straw hat.
Patrick stopped dead in his tracks and announced, "I am not wearing that."
"Oh, come on, Jane. Play nice and I'll let you order whatever you want to drink," Lisbon cajoled.
Cho and Rigsby had already taken seats and were self-consciously slipping the leis around their necks. Patrick took the seat with the hat shrugged and placed the purple and pink lei around his neck before putting the hat on at a rakish angle.
"Very nice," Lisbon commented taking the seat between Rigsby and Cho.
Quickly perusing the drinks menu the consultant settled on a bottle of beer. Most of the other selections had involved umbrella straws hurricane glasses fruity flavors and names like sex on the beach and those he didn't particularly care for.
An equally attractive and similarly clad waitress approached order pad in hand and asked, "What can I get you to drink?"
The team quickly made their orders and sit back to look over the menus. "The beachcomber special looks good," Rigsby commented indicating the picture in the menu.
"Does it come with a big bottle of the pink stuff for the stomach ache you'll have after eating all that?" Lisbon asked.
"Don't need anything. I have a cast iron stomach," Rigsby announced.
"Even cast iron doesn't last forever," Cho reminded him.
Later his own meal finished Patrick sat back sipping his beer and watching his team mates. Even though he often took a childish and sometimes perverse pleasure in keeping them off guard and at arm's length when it all came down to it they were the ones he'd most rather spend time with. And just maybe today was turning tout to be a happy birthday after all.