Title: on the threshold of a decent conversation

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"Sure," Lisbon tells him, as the paramedics are loading Jane into the ambulance. "You're fine. If fine means hitting your head and losing your vision."

"There's no need to be snarky, Lisbon," Jane replies on the stretcher. "I'm already going to be tortured by the doctor. Do you have to make it worse?" Despite her worry, she can't help but laugh at him. "I'm failing to see how this is funny."

"You're failing to see at all," Lisbon points out, as she joins him in the ambulance and the paramedic slams the door shut behind her. Jane grimaces at her attempt at humor. "Have you learned your lesson about playing cat-and-mouse with bombs now?"

"Someone meant for me to find him and the bomb, Lisbon."

"But did you really have to go and try to find it?" Jane says nothing to her question and Lisbon sighs. He's like a petulant child. "I'm glad you're okay, Jane."

"Okay? Define okay," he snarks back and she glares because the alternative could have been so much worse. Not that she thinks about that, of course. "Because I can't see."

"Did you need me to point out the alternative?" Lisbon asks. "Because you should be lucky that you aren't dead right about now."

Jane shrugs. "You're overcomplicating the situation."

"Oh I am, am I?" She glances at him. "Minelli specifically told you to stay put. Did you listen to him? No. As usual, you went off and got yourself in this mess." Lisbon shakes her head. "Maybe this will teach you to follow directions, but somehow, I doubt it."

Jane flashes his teeth at her in an attempt at a smile. "Worried, were we?"

"Not at all," Lisbon lies.

"Liar," Jane answers, after a moment of silence.

Lisbon blinks. What was she supposed to say in response to that? Yes Jane, I was worried that you might have gotten yourself killed-now, shut up. She shakes her head again at the thought. They might be good friends, but she's not about to tell him how she truly feels.

"Are you shaking your head at me?" He asks her, staring straight at her.

"I thought you couldn't see."

"I can hear your hair whipping back and forth," Jane explains and Lisbon nearly snorts, because he most certainly cannot. "Should I feel your face to prove that you're lying?"

She grimaces. "Touch my face and I'll have you arrested for aggravated assault."

Jane chuckles outright before he flinches. She touches his arm in concern. "Aren't you supposed to be keeping me calm like the nice paramedic said?"

"No offense to the paramedic," Lisbon says, "but nothing about you is calm." She remembers their first meeting and his general homelessness vibe. Nothing about Jane back then had screamed calm. "You might as well be Pandora's Box."

"Is it nice to refer to the injured as an uncontrollable problem?"

"Only when the injured is you," Lisbon points out with a small smile.

Something tells her, he'll be just fine.