fic: Mentalist - Meet Cute (4)
Yep, that took me very long, I know... but there is this other fandom that is quite um captivating :D
However, here we go with part 4 of the Meet Cute series :)
Meet Cute
- Series part 4 -
Rating: P14
Contents: Meet cute - the encounter of two potential romantic partners in unusual or comic circumstances.
Characters: Jane & Lisbon... mostly... again :D
Disclaimer: This masterpiece of a TV show, The Mentalist, unfortunately wasn't my idea. The lucky man who has every right to pad himself on the shoulder is Bruno Heller, as the show belongs to him, Paramount Television and CBS.
"Step By Step"
The name already should have made her turn around and leave as fast as possible. It should have told her: This can't end well. But she didn't listen to her gut and the voices in her head and what else was screaming to her to just ignore her brother's words. Well, challenge, actually.
She wanted to show him that she wouldn't make a complete fool of herself after she had claimed that she could dance. After he had challenged her to prove it at a 'Family & Friends' evening in about two and a half weeks. So now she had 16 - no, make that 15 - days to learn.
Teresa Lisbon had 15 days to learn at least the most important basics of dancing. In a dancing school called "Step By Step".
A mouse hole would have been more helpful at the moment. Preferably one with nice mice that would grant her asylum for a long time.
Lisbon sighed. It didn't help. She had to face the enemy, and she had to go inside and take those damn dancing lessons. She would show her brother - and the rest of the family - that she wasn't the social looser everyone always thought she was, and she would dance.
Only thing she needed to do now - besides learning to dance - was to make herself believe it, too.
Step by step. Well, wasn't such a bad idea for a start. And so she walked, step by step, up to and then through the door.
"Hi," she was immediately greeted by a young woman with happily bouncing red locks and an inviting smile. "You've been standing outside for a while, I noticed. Let me guess - you're not so sure about learning how to dance?"
Lisbon wanted to tell her that this was none of her business, but the woman's voice was full of warmth and sympathy, and so the CBI agent only nodded.
"Well then, let's see what I can do for you. First of all - sorry, my manners - I'm Melanie Jane, the owner of this dancing school. But my students call me Mel, so..."
Had 'Mel' not have been so busy showing Teresa around, she probably would have paid more attention to the dancing school owner's full name, but due to Mel's happy babbling and friendliness, there was only a tiny notion in the back of Lisbon's mind.
Half an hour later, Teresa and Mel were sitting in the owner's office, and Lisbon was signing her contract for a crash course of dancing lessons, including all basics and one dance she was free to choose.
---
Already the next evening - it was a Friday - Lisbon had her first lesson. She arrived at the dancing school about fifteen minutes early and wanted to wait in her car, but Mel had been outside just when she had parked her car and spotted her before she could hide.
"Teresa! I'm glad to see you here. I have to admit I was a bit afraid that you wouldn't show up. Well, come on in, I'll introduce you to your teacher."
"Um... there's a coffee shop across the street and I wanted to get myself a coffee... there are still some minutes left, aren't there?" Lisbon, walking while she spoke, was already a few meters away from Mel, but the red-haired woman called her back.
"But we have coffee here as well! Come on, it's good to know your teacher before you start. And you will like Bill."
With a defeated sigh, the CBI agent followed Mel into the school. There wasn't any chance to escape anyway, so it didn't matter if she was going inside now or in a few minutes.
Bill Rowley was indeed a very nice and friendly person. And, above all, extremely handsome. Dark eyes matched dark hair and although he was more or less the cliché of a Latin lover, he lacked of typical macho manners. He was just friendly, a gentleman. He reminded her a bit of Patrick Jane.
But that thought she shoved away very quickly.
---
"Alright, dear class, one week of dancing lessons and you already move like pros. I'm very proud of you. Now that you understand the basics, we'll go on with your chosen dance."
Content murmur was heard from the small group and Lisbon smiled up at Bill who was standing next to her. She indeed had had a nice week; she had been better than she had thought and not as clumsy as she had feared, but she knew that much credit for this also went to Bill. He was a great and very patient teacher and above all, he was funny and a real gentleman. After five days, he had taken her out to a nice little restaurant, and they had spent a wonderful evening together; he had brought her home and said goodnight with a gently kiss on her cheek.
And Teresa knew that she was more than willing to make a lot more of this harmless kiss.
She took Bill's hand when Mel explained that this evening was also for learning, but mainly for fun. There was going to be some small party, and it should help the students finding their own personal rhythm. Bill squeezed her hand lightly and she couldn't help but grin.
She loved these dancing lessons more and more.
"But before we start, I'd like to show you my favorite dance - the Slow Foxtrot, also known as Slowfox. Therefore, I need a partner with perfect dancing skills," Lisbon was about to release Bill's hand, sure that Mel meant him, "and that would be my brother - Patrick." And she released her partner's hand - but of shock. She didn't even notice him excusing himself and leaving the room; she was completely paralyzed by the blond man next to Mel. She didn't want to believe that it was really her colleague and personal nuisance - okay, very helpful nuisance - Patrick Jane who now began to dance to some beautiful music.
Not so much of a surprise - knowing Patrick Jane - he was quite a good dancer. He was twirling his sister over the dance floor and it looked like he had never done anything else. They floated, they flew, they didn't even seem to touch the ground. They were lost in their own world, a world that obviously didn't know any laws of physics. They were glowing with happiness; they were perfection.
Hadn't Mel been his sister, Teresa would have been almost jealous.
Lisbon snapped out of her fascination at that thought. Jealous? She didn't even have the right to be jealous. She never would have. No, never.
She stopped herself from thinking any further and tried to concentrate on the couple again, but failed; she simply couldn't focus. Sighing, she carefully made her way through the small crowd she had been effectively hiding in, hoping that Jane wouldn't spot her, and slipped through the door. Some cold water in her face would do wonders, she was sure.
Lost in thought, she ran into two young men - one of them she recognized as Bill, the other she had never seen before.
"Hey," she greeted her dancing partner and teacher happily, briefly wondering when he had went outside, and smiled widely when he leaned forward and kissed her - even though it was again only on the cheek.
"Tess," he replied warmly, using the nickname he had found for her, "may I introduce you to someone? This is my boyfriend, Adrian. Would you mind if I dance with him once or twice this evening?"
Suddenly, there was one word in big, fat letters written over the picture of the couple in front of her: Cliché.
Shaking her head, she forced herself to smile when she managed the standard answers - Nice to meet you! and No, of course I don't mind! - and then said that she needed to use the bathroom, only to escape as fast as possible. This had to be a physical law either - whenever one of her days started well, they had to end in a disaster.
She considered going home, sure that she would make a complete fool of herself if she not already had. She just hoped Bill hadn't noticed her glowing - in the true sense of the word - interest in him.
The cold water did wonders to her completely messed up mind. A cold shower would have been more effective, but she took what she got; it was better than nothing. She took a long look into the mirror, looking herself into the eyes. Why couldn't just one evening like this one go well for once? It simply wasn't fair, the chaos in her private and especially her love life.
Which love life? - Oh, shut up!
---
"Good Evening, Miss Lisbon," a well-known voice greeted her warmly as soon as she entered the dance hall again.
So much about plans that didn't work out. Avoiding Jane - status: failed.
"Jane. Nice to see you," she responded, not looking at him, but concentrating on the people on the dance floor, and as hard as she tried, she couldn't held back the sigh escaping her lips while she spoke.
"Especially since you didn't even look at me," Jane gave back with a hint of amusement in his voice. She continued trying her best to keep herself busy watching the dancing couples; but when his hand slid into hers, she knew that she didn't have a chance anyways, and so she finally gave in and glanced over at him.
"Would you allow me that dance?" Simply nodding, Lisbon let herself pull towards the middle of the dance floor.
The song that was playing was slow and gentle, and exactly like that Jane adjusted her body against his, her hands in his and on his shoulder, and his free arm around her.
And then he moved. Simply moved, without waiting for her to analyze the music so she would know where to put her feet. Without waiting for her to be ready. He just moved and expected her to move with him, to know which steps to take, where to go... and she did.
She just moved. Knowing instinctively where to set her feet, how to swing and turn her body. She didn't hear the music - she felt it. With every fiber of her body felt it and let it lead her. As well as she let Patrick lead her. Her feet barely touched the ground, she felt light; she felt right there. What she had thought before about Jane and Mel happened now for her. It was like she, like they had never done anything else. She forget to concentrate, she just danced. In Patrick Jane's arms.
When the song ended, she only unwillingly stopped her movements. Patrick smiled at her when she looked up, and then leaned close.
"You're friends will be speechless," he whispered into her ear before he let go of her.
END
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