...'Cause I Already Know...

The Melody

Special Agent in Charge Teresa Lisbon was a woman with a lot of obligations.

Her three brothers, the members of the Serious Crimes division, Patrick Jane, basically the lives of the millions of people residing in California.

It was her job.

Her first obligations though were of a result in the need to protect her younger brothers from their father. While being devastated that their mother died because of a drunk driver accident, at the same time needing to provide their own needs and avoiding getting beaten by their father. For instead of taking care of them, he obsessively drank away the sorrow of losing his better half - which makes him experience blackouts and just beat his children up.

In her whole life, she embodied the essence of a good cop ever since she was a child - something which had become synonymous with her name over the years. She always took care of everything and always had followed the rules. What would she do; the rules being the only constant things of her life?

She was, as you can say, a protector at heart. A guardian angel, even.

Starting off as a Sacramento Police Department Detective, she worked on California Bureau of Investigation. Took on the task of leading a team that brings justice to the suppressed and the dead - the Serious Crimes division which mainly comprises of Kimball Cho, Wayne Rigsby, Grace Van Pelt, and Patrick Jane.

All of these, lost with just one incident.

“Hmmmm… Agent Lisbon. How can I help you?”

The joys of being in law enforcement.

“Good Evening Lisbon! I now know who killed Angel Ramirez!”

So much for going to dreamland early.

“Jane, this better be good. You know that it’s not even our case anymore since we took the case of Dean Kings, remember?”, Lisbon said with a sleepy voice.

“And we already solved Dean’s case. I’m about to go to your place. Get up and wear something good. Chop chop.”, Jane said, his tone mocking Lisbon’s “authoritative” tone.

“Be specific, Jane. I don’t like to deal with your antics this time of night.”

“Wear a dress, Lisbon. We need to blend in.”

“Blend in my ass, what is all this about?  Where are we going?”

“Like I said, to catch the killer of Angel.”

“I’m not dressing up. Not my style.”

Patrick didn’t retort, which made Lisbon feel smug about not falling under Jane’s ruse.

She put down the phone and rubbed her eyes. Slowly, she got up and went straight to the showers. Before she gets the chance to remove her garments, she heard knocking on the door.

Is today “Disturb Agent Lisbon” day?

She answered the door and here comes the man who contributes almost all the stress in her life.

Smiling. In a bloody damn suit. Dazzling even in the ungodly time at night.

“For me, Lisbon? Please?”

Lisbon sighed. “You owe me one, Patrick Jane.”

I HATE YOU, JANE. I don’t belong here.

Lisbon, feeling stuck in a rich-ass business gala in some hotel near Hollywood, itched to know who the killer is so she could get out of the place. With her hair down, wearing a pixie-style black dress that she kept years ago for special occasions, a grey purse, and black flats, she felt like she wasn’t fit for arresting. Instead, she feels like the girl in the movie Miss Congeniality. Gun strapped on her right thigh and handcuffs and badge on the other, she makes a mental note that the feeling sucks.

Patrick Jane owes me more than one.

There were a lot of people in the ballroom, and Lisbon hated arresting people in public unless necessary. She hated the crowd reaction, and wanted to bring out a suspect in an orderly fashion.

A quick look and it confirmed that all the suspects to the case are here. Their primary suspect, Angel’s father Juanito Ramirez, is hosting the gala. Ex-husband and boyfriend are attending it, too.

A familiar song plays. Someone tapped her back.

“Lisbon.”, Jane said with a mega-watt smile.

She remembers the dance they shared long ago too clearly. Dancing to the same song, getting close to her consultant.

She couldn’t resist to start the banter.

“Oh god, I used to love this song.”

“Loved the song?”

“I used to love this song.”

“You love this song!”

She decided to change it up. “No.”

“Dance with me.”

“With you? No.”

“Oh, come on Teresa. I know you want to.”

Lisbon smiled. Both because of the memory and the offer.

“No funny stuff.”

Once that they swayed together to the beat, she inhaled his scent. He smelled of masculine cologne and most importantly, of fresh leaves. Must’ve been with the teas that he’s been drinking.

His arms were wrapped around her like he handles a porcelain doll. He starts to hum the song silently.

They dance to the song in sync, and in that moment, it feels like it was only the two of them in that room, dancing. She starts to contemplate the moment.

I’ll cherish this moment just like the first dance.

After some seconds, Jane faced her and spoke.

“Uhmm Teresa it’s been too long and…”

“...And?”

No response, but Jane’s hands are making it harder to maintain even the tiniest of spaces between his body and hers.

Having nothing to say - that doesn’t happen to Jane. Unless he’s hiding something.

She tried again. “Jane?”

She heard a man shout from the distance. She felt Jane’s clutch on her body loosen, and she ran to the source of the scream.

Thank god for wearing flats.

While running, she reaches for her trusty service firearm and got ready for combat. and she realized that she has reached the hotel ballroom veranda.

Thud!

And everything went black.