A/N—Okay, I got right to work on this because y'all were begging me. You owe me! :P (P.S- You can pretend you're the doctor.)

Chapter Four

"Mr. Jane, you cannot go in! Agent Lisbon has just finished surgery," the doctor argued. She was losing.

Jane regarded the doctor. She seemed lonely and heartbroken, as if a friend had left her. There might be an angle. He took the doctor's hand, and wrapped his arm around her waist protectively. "How about we go to her room together, so you won't have to do it alone." The doctor was stunned into silence, and she allowed Jane to lead her to Lisbon's room. Jane couldn't help but think that he was too skilled for his own good.

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When he entered the hospital room, Lisbon was still sleeping off the anesthetic. He quietly pulled a chair up to the bed, and took her rough hand in his. He had spent the last four hours worrying himself sick. Jane's mind kept going around in circles, throwing out worst-case scenarios to torture him. He had imagined everything from her death (severing an artery and losing too much blood), to amputation (an infection that they couldn't treat), to never being able to fire a gun again (a severed muscle never rejoining properly). Now she was here in front of him, almost whole again. It was almost too much for him to believe.

Jane began tracing circles on the back of her hand with his thumb. It was oddly comforting, and it made him lose track of time.

"You're going to wear a hole in my hand," Lisbon teased. She had awoken, and was fully alert. "I'm glad you came."

Jane smiled slightly. "I'm going to stay out of the field from now on. I could have gotten you killed. The doctors said that 'Psycho-chick' nicked an artery."

"Actually, if you hadn't been there, I would have had to take her on by myself. And I just may have lost—"

"—it was unlikely—"

"—but it could have happened. And that's another reason why I allowed you to come along. An extra pair of hands is always useful."

"They were also my hands."

Lisbon was ready to rebuke him, when she thought better of it. "You're right. I enjoyed having you around. However, I have to admit: there's a certain satisfaction in taking you down a peg by making you stay in the car." Jane couldn't repress his smile.

"So…" he started.

"So let's make the best of this."

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*takes deep breath* FIN!!!!!!! Thanks kathiann. Owe you!