I have always seen chemistry between Jane and Lisbon. Romantic chemistry. There are enough instances of things that make me say, "If one of my brothers talked to/looked at/acted like that to me, I would need to put continents instead of just time zones between me and the rest of my family."

Whereas for me (which isn't talking about my personal life, nor non-existent brothers) it's one of the most fraternal/sororal relationships on TV bar Pete/Myka (don't say anything).

Who gets to stay fraternal?

ita, I'm with you on Mykes and Pete. They have always felt different to me than Lisbon and Jane.

My wanting no Romance is not because I don't see chemistry. It it because between eight and ten freaking years have passed without Jane making a move. My feeling is that Lisbon should have moved on, regardless of chemistry.

Also, it is one thing to put up with Jane's shit as a co-worker and friend. Can Lisbon really survive Jane's bullshit 24/7/365?

And why would she want to?

this. is. it.

Brenda: your comment made me look for the "Like" button.

It it because between eight and ten freaking years have passed without Jane making a move. My feeling is that Lisbon should have moved on, regardless of chemistry.

It's not like it has to be a thing burning at your pants with an expiry date. I've gotten together with a guy after about that long (though apparently we had chemistry because people (including him) thought we were dating). It was fabulous.

Jane has a laundry list of reasons to avoid him, even if I did see it. He won't behave better because they're fucking, it'll just bother her more.

My wanting no Romance is not because I don't see chemistry. It it because between eight and ten freaking years have passed without Jane making a move. My feeling is that Lisbon should have moved on, regardless of chemistry.

My theory of this ship is that it hasn't really been ten years of unrequited/undeclared love for Lisbon. If you have seen the 100th episode which is a flashback to Jane's entrance to the CBI, there isn't much feeling there from Lisbon to Jane other than compassion. He's a stray she takes in, to some extent. She does not find him attractive, the way we see in early episodes like "Red Hair and Silver Tape". While it is possible that Jane for his part may have glommed on to her in a much deeper fashion, he's also fresh out of the hospital and wounded beyond the telling of it. I doubt either of them fall in love at first sight. It is only after years together that they forge anything remotely resembling a partnership. And it is over those years that they certainly become work spouses. The fact that neither of them have any significant others waiting at home conspires to create a deeper level of intimacy than would ordinarily form between work spouses. Then add to that a growing awareness of each other's physical desirability, these factors cause them to slowly fall for each other. Jane hasn't been dangling Lisbon on a string for a decade. It's possible he had feelings he was about to confess during "Strawberries and Cream" when they broke in on the guy who had strapped the bomb vest to Lisbon (and really, would he have stuck to her the way he did if he didn't realize he didn't want to live without her?)

As for Lisbon, I don't know when she might have actually fallen for Jane beyond a raw crush. Her old mentor Bosco certainly thought he saw something, but I don't think Lisbon had realized it for herself at that point. I believe that there were years when she suppressed her feelings, deliberately treating him as a troublesome brother in order to keep him in a safe category in her heart as it slowly creeps into her awareness that her affection for him is deeper and more dangerous than she can control. I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't really admit it to herself until he absconded to Vegas.