Hi there! After a few requests (seriously, I was surprised that fic was ever appreciated lol) here is the sequel to Red Psycho. Like its predecessor, it will be a short fic of few chapters. And expect a more or less bittersweet ending, I'm in the mood for angst these days –that's why it came up so quickly, by the way xD.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mentalist, just my crazy mind. My English grammar isn't he best. Hope you'll enjoy it anyway : )


Red Healing

Lisbon fell backwards against the wall of her bathroom with a loud 'thump'. The letter she was holding hit the ground unceremoniously and she raised her hands to her mouth. A wave of nausea hit her again, and she stumbled clumsily against the sink. No. It couldn't be happening. It just couldn't.

Tears tickled her eyes and she bit back a sob. Breathe deeply. In and out. She closed her eyes and repeated the motion in the hope of cooling down. Her limps were still shaking slightly, but the destabilizing feeling was gone now. The small woman rested her forehead against the glass of her bathroom mirror and sighed. The coolness of the glass created a contrast with her burning skin, and she instantly felt better. She hated it, not being in control of her actions, of her thoughts. And what was happening –possibly happening- to her was out of control.

It was supposed to be reassurance. After the Carmen incident five weeks prior, after being forced into Jane's arms, she had been feeling weird, acting out of character. Van Pelt had booked an appointment with a doctor she knew out of concern, and the said doctor made a few test. The results were written black on white, on the fateful mail she opened only five minutes ago.

She was pregnant.

She was pregnant with Jane's child, after an unwilling sexual intercourse orchestrated by her former shrink and a mad hypnotizer woman who both swore revenge on them. Now, the latter was dead –she and her team had to go for confirmation of the body- and the former in jail for quite some years. Of course, they hadn't planned she'd survive, and by extension couldn't know she'd ended up this way, but once again, Lisbon couldn't help but feel completely shaken. Jane had been right; the two criminals had managed to fuck up their life greatly. If Dr Carmen knew, she could see the huge smirk already.

Another dreadful thought formed into her head. What was she going to say to the team? To her boss? Van Pelt will want to know what the doctor said, worried like she usually was. Cho and Rigsby will soon notice something was off with her, and blame it again –rightfully- one Jane's sudden departure.

Lisbon pushed the idea aside and headed to her bedroom, letting herself fall on the bed backwards. Her right hand slipped on her still flat stomach and tears formed again. Pregnant. She was pregnant. She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes, pushing the salted drops to slide along her cheeks. She didn't want that baby. She didn't want that baby yet she knew more than anyone how precious and fragile a life could be. Her job pointed it out to her everyday single day. Denying the right to live to this baby was like…murdering it. And she couldn't let that happen, no matter if she wanted it or not.

Fingers stroke her stomach slowly. The gesture soothed her just a little, before something else came nagging her.

What was she supposed to say to Jane? What was she supposed to do, after all this time?

Flashback

Jane was nowhere in sight when she entered the bullpen, so she assumed he didn't want to show up immediately. Somewhere, Lisbon felt relieved, and at the same time terrible to feel so. He wasn't responsible for his actions like Rigsby was, but there was still a difference between hitting a suspect and trying to push a colleague off a roof and a real rape. For both their sake, she hope she'd be able to cope with him the next few days. Her subordinates hadn't arrived yet, so she settled in her office, waiting for them to arrive.

Melissa Hawkins' case had been closed, and the familiar task of paperwork was awaiting her now. Lisbon buried herself in the routine, acknowledging her colleagues' arrival by greeting back when they saluted her. None of them dared bother her and she was grateful for it. Indiscreet questions and nosiness was for Jane only. Speaking of Jane…she checked her watch and realized he should already have been there for some time. She was about to phone him when Hightower arrived with an announcement that stunned them all. He had left them.

End flashback

At the time, she couldn't believe her ears. She was furious. Literally furious he hadn't told her. Cho and Rigsby were livid and Van Pelt bitter, but contrary to the others, not that much surprised. The redhead was anticipating something like that, saying he did it for everyone's sake. The fact she could 'understand' him so well created tensions between her and Rigsby. Or more accurately, created doubts about their apparent –and obvious- closeness. Van Pelt had been the only one convinced he wouldn't hurt Lisbon the whole time, and that detail screamed she and Jane had been talking out the CBI walls. When anyone mentioned it, she would politely request them to stay out of her business.

And so, she hadn't called him for five weeks.

Lisbon laughed bitterly at the irony. Despite hating him for his sudden decision, she understood him. His latest visit was a 'goodbye', his move was to literally give her space; she knew she could join him whenever she wanted it. And Hightower had been clear; it was just a temporary transfer. Knowing him, Jane would have managed to piss off every team of San Francisco in less than what…three, four months tops? The thought made her smirk. She really was an idiot for allowing his stunts to go on…

Her cell phone rang. Lisbon stretched her arm reluctantly and caught it from her nightstand. She hoped this was a case. At least, she would be distracted for some time. Ah, Cho calling.

"Lisbon" she greeted, her voice sounding tired at her own ears.

"Boss, we have a new case…" Just like expected. At the trailing of his voice though, she smelt something fishy, so she waited. "It's one of his…"

Her blood froze and her eyes widened. Damn, the man just had to reappear at this precise moment! The hand on her stomach stilled. She thanked Cho, assured him she would be soon at the scene. When she hung up, she knew what she had to do next and dialed a familiar number. No matter how dreaded she felt about seeing him again, she knew it would be worst if she kept that from him. Jane was the only one who could understand the criminal named Red John after all.

To her utter relief, she fell on his answering machine and left a quick, awkward message. Something in the lines of 'Hi…he hit again, so I guess we'll be expecting you soon…bye". The underlined mention of Red John would be enough for him to come back anyway. And while she stood up and picked randomly a clean outfit, she left a bitter laugh, once again.

Fate really loved to torture her lately…


'Fate' has a name in this fic...and it would be mine niark. How was it for a beginning?

Next chapter, Jane comes back…

Thanks for reading so far!