A/N: Final chapter.

Patrick's Dilemma
(Chapter 3)

Lisbon shut the door behind her. Her home was delightfully cool. After the sweltering heat of CBI and the constant bickering at the office, home was a welcome refuge. She quickly stepped out of her shoes and peeled off the pullover she'd been wearing. There was the sheen of perspiration on her torso as she stood in front of the air conditioner, letting it cool and dry her. She walked over to the ornate mirror she had hanging hear the door and looked at herself. The hours she spent on the tread mill, elliptical and jogging were evident. Her hips were wider than she'd have liked, but her waist was trim and her abdominal area well defined, but not over developed. She grinned. "So Mr. Patrick Jane thinks he's in shape," she mused. "I might just have a surprise for him."

Truth be told, it was Lisbon that had been one of the first to receive a surprise. As the day had progressed, Wayne had intermittently been ragging on Jane. Jane had finally reached a point of verbal frustration. After one Kimball barb, Jane had shot back, "Were you a jock in high school?"

Unthinkingly, Wayne had replied, "Sure was. What where you, the strap?"

Jane grinned. "How come you were only half the word? Everyone knows that dumb-jock is one word."

They both stood and glared and started towards each other. Lisbon looked like a deer in head lights, her eyes wide, and momentarily, unsure of what to do. It was Cho that stood and stepped between them. "It's hot today and we're all a little bit on edge, but let's have a little fun."

"Fun," Wayne and Patrick echoed, unsure of what he meant and having second thoughts about what seemed be about to happen.

"Sure, fun. We could use a break. Why don't you two arm wrestle?

Lisbon smiled. "They were really hot," she thought. "I mean it was really hot," she corrected herself.

They had chosen a desk, cleared a space on it, and lay down a towel so that they wouldn't slip in their own perspiration. They squared off, and after some pulling and breaking grip, selected a grip that seemed to satisfy both. Cho gripped their hands. "When I release, it a go. Go it?"

Both replied through gritted teeth, "Got it."

Cho released their hands, and to everyone's surprise, nothing happened. Their hands were trembling, but it seemed that they were evenly matched. Then it happened. Wayne groaned and his hand went down with a meaty thud, making Jane the clear winner. Neither man moved. Jane put his head on the desk, breathing hard. Wayne was rubbing his shoulder and not moving.

Lisbon had stood and clapped. "Rematch! Rematch! That one was really close."

Wayne raised his head and stared at her. Jane turned to glare at her too. "Do you want to shoot her," Jane asked Wayne.

"No, you do it. My shoulder hurts too bad."

Jane sighed. "My right arm is ruined, and I can't shoot left handed, and besides they won't let me have a gun."

Lisbon grinned at her image in the mirror. "So, Mr. Jane want's to shoot me does he? I wonder if he can hit a moving target."

Friday, seven PM. Lisbon smiled as she slipped into her Lycra cycling shorts. They were white with a black top band, and semi-transparent gray side panels. Wiggling into her sports bra completed the ensemble that she'd planned for "attack" on Jane. She slipped into baggy sweat pants and a baggy t-shirt, picked up her workout bag and headed to her car. She knew exactly where and when Jane would be working out. He was predictable in that manner, and that made life that much easier for her.

Jane was finishing his third sent on the bench. Friday was power night for him, so the 175 pounds on the bar was nothing to be ashamed of. He like the sound of the iron meeting the rack when he put the weight down. There was an almost comforting sound to it. Cho had said that you can always trust the weight. You mother may lie to you. You father may lie to you, but 200 pounds is always 200 pounds. Jane smiled. When Cho has said that, he wasn't sure that he knew what it meant. Now he did.

He walked over to the dead lift area and grabbed a 20Kg weight in each hand and loaded them onto the bar. He went back to the weight tree and got two more and loaded them up, also. He stepped back and smiled. It might only be 225 pounds, and there were guys in the gym doing twice that much with ease, but never in his life had he managed that much and he was very pleased.

He bent and grabbed the bar with a very professional mixed grip. He checked his foot position and pulled the bar a little tighter in towards his shins. "Let's not lose any skin, tonight," he muttered. "Don't lie to me now, baby!" He straightened his knees and back in one smooth coordinated move. As the two hundred and twenty five pounds cleared his knees he leaned back and locked out. Success!

The sound of the weight hitting the floor, the metallic rattle of the plates settling together, after a successful personal record lift is an awesome sound. Jane was breathing hard, sweat streaming down his face and soaking his shirt. His face was flushed and he was grinning like no one at CBI had ever seen him grin.

"I don't freaking believe that!" He heard come from behind him.

He turned and there stood Lisbon. "I don't freaking believe you just picked up that thing," she repeated. She walked over and pushed at it, and it didn't even roll.

Lisbon had obviously been at least warming up. Her hair was pulled back into a pony tail, but loose strands were escaping. The Lycra of her bike shorts and sports bra, both white, were damp with sweat and as white Lycra will, had become semi-transparent. The effect on Jane was just as Lisbon had intended. They were next to the bar he'd just lifted, within inches of each other. She looked up at him and he inhaled the odor of her, which he found totally erotic. She licked her lips as if to speak, but said nothing. His eyes focused on those two glistening petals of red and he realized that he'd stopped breathing.

He tore his eyes away, inhaled and looked into her eyes. Her pupils were dilated and her face was flushed. He smiled at her. "It seems I've gotten better at some sports, doesn't it?" He was referring to her mocking comment of over two months ago. "I'm not that man anymore."

She licked her lips again. "No," she agreed. "you are not." She shook her head. "I'll be honest. I came here prepared to embarrass you, again, but I don't think that's possible, now."

"Hey, Jane! Are you and the babe going to have sex there or can other people lift too?" The large man grinned at them as they turned, startled, and stared at him. "Oh, you can leave your little weights there. I do need to warm up."

Jane smiled at him. "Jeff, one of these day's I'm going to have to embarrass you on that lift. Then what will you do?"

Jeff shook his head and stared doing rows with the 225 pounds. Just to loosen up for the real weight.

Lisbon stared at Jane. "You really aren't the same Jane I know at the office, are you?"

"I think I'm the same person, but I've grown in some ways."

She put her hand around his bicep. "I can certainly see that part of you has grown." Her hand felt soft and warm on his arm. He silently wished that she'd never remove it. It felt like it belonged there.

They had both started to walk towards the exit of the gym, as if by some unspoken directive. As they stepped into the cooler night air, Jane said, "I have to catch the bus or jog. My car is not feeling well and is in the hands of the mechanics."

"Oh, I drove, no problem. I can give you a ride home."

"Fantastic. The reason I jog is so that I'm all warmed up just in case I have to run for my life."

Lisbon laughed out loud. "Very good Jane. You have also gotten wiser!" To herself she thought, "The old Jane would have never engaged in self-deprecating humor. I think I like this new Jane."

They settled into her car and she started the engine and opened the roof vent to allow the hot air to escape. "The A/C is slow, but better than at the office," she quipped. "Before I left for they gym, I made up some iced tea that is to die for. Want to stop by and try some. You've never had tea a la Lisbon."

"Tea a la Lisbon sounds, ah, adventurous, I'm up for it if you are."

Lisbon looked at herself and Jane in the mirror on her wall. "You know, we don't look all that bad together," she said.

He smiled and put his arm around her. "Actually we don't. Would have thought that?"

She turned to face him. He dropped his arm from her shoulders and put his hands around her waist, pulling her close to him. They were both aware of the heat of his body pressing into her and her breasts on his chest. "We," she started. "We, I mean how far are we going to take this?" Her smile was shaky.

He put his arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. He whispered his reply into her ear. Lisbon smiled and kissed him.

FADE TO BLACK!

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