A/N: I know that i have to work on Red Highschool and i will but i finally saw the season finale and was inspired.
Teresa Lisbon was fed up. She had dealt with Patrick Jane's stupid childish antics for five years now and she couldn't take it anymore. He was being stupid and childish and it wasn't fair to her or her team. She wouldn't let him do this to them any more. She couldn't let him do this to her anymore.
She cared very deeply for Patrick Jane, maybe even loved him. But that was no reason to continue letting him wreak havoc with her feelings. If he wanted to commit suicide by Red John then fine, she would let him. But she would not let him use her team to do it.
She wasn't at all surprised when he slammed into her office. She carefully kept her head bent to her paperwork fighting the urge to look and see how she had broken his carefully sculpted mask. "Careful Jane, you'll break the door," she said neutrally.
He ignored her baiting. "Why?" he demanded.
She looked up at him. "Why what?" she asked carefully.
"Minnelli just told me to hand in my badge," he stated. "I asked why and he said you wanted me gone. I think I deserve an explanation."
"Close the door," she said quietly. For once he did as she asked and then sat quietly in the chair opposite her. Teresa took a moment to study him. It wasn't often that you could catch Patrick Jane off guard but she had managed to do it. Now she wanted to look at what was beneath the mask. It was there on his face but it was clearly hanging by a string. She could catch glimpses of his fragmented emotions as they moved through his face.
Finally the silence wore thin. "Well?" he pressed.
"I did it because you're a loose canon," she stated, "Because this newest lead with Red John showed him just how close to the edge you are. I can't be a party to whatever you're planning and I can't let you use and manipulate my team anymore. I'm sorry but you can't work at CBI anymore."
"You knew how was when you hired me," he accused, "There's something else here. Something that you think you can't control and because of that you want me off the team. That's not fair."
"Off the team?" she repeated, "Since when has there ever been a team with you Jane? You're always trying to show up everyone else and I don't think I haven't seen it. If we're going to function we can't do it with you anymore."
As she stared at his face it seemed like he couldn't decide between being hurt or angry. "I have helped you solve hundreds of cases," he pointed out, "Do you really want to lose your track record?"
"You help solve cases because you know the long you work here the more people won't question you snooping around the archives," she said. "Don't act like you're surprised, you and I both knew you were doing it. You were looking for things you could use for your hunt for Red John. That's what your life has become. And if you want to be selfish and childish then fine. But don't do it here where you could cost one of my team their lives."
"So that's it," he sighed, settling back into the seat. "You're just going to have Minnelli fire me."
"I need to protect my team," she stated, "And if that means having you leave CBI then so be it."
Jane's normal mask was gone now. It had been replaced by one of stone as he looked at her with eyes that seemed to peer at her soul. "IS that so Teresa?" he questioned.
Teresa bit the inside of her cheek. He had never called her Teresa before. Obviously it was a tactic to throw her off guard. It wouldn't work. "It's the way of the world," she said, using his own words against him.
Jane nodded once. Then he stood and placed his card on her desk. "If that's how it has to be that's how it has to be," he agreed neutrally. "Good day to you Agent Lisbon." With that he walked out of the office and her life for what could quite possibly have been forever.