Authors Note: Okay friends. Some of you have read my other Mentalist story called "Within White Walls". After rereading that AND finishing rewatching the series recently, my writer brain has been inspired to write another story. Here's a little snippet I just had to get out of my system to get the ball rolling.
"No matter what happens from this point on, we have to promise each other that we will always look at the bright side."
"Oh, you got called too?"
Patrick Jane appears in the warm hallway of Sacred Heart Catholic School to Teresa, clad in navy pants and a white button up shirt. His sleeves are rolled up, being interrupted from his work around the house to come into the school to pick up their daughter.
"Yes, they've gotten into the habit of calling the both of us for her now," Teresa retorts as he sits down next to her in the hallway, fingers anxiously rubbing together.
Patrick brings the back of her hands to his lips, in hopes of comforting her dancing hands. "It'll be fine. Probably just a misunderstanding."
"Jane, if this has anything to do with another one of those silly pretend psychic tricks you taught her, that's the last one she-"
"Mr. and Mrs. Jane." A woman came through the door opposite the seated couple. Her blonde hair, pin straight skirt and matching blazer helped her strong presence force them to stand with respect, nodding in agreement. "Come right in."
"Thank you, Principal Beale," Teresa complied, taking her husband by the hand and walking into the office. Patrick made eye contact and nodded slightly with an accompanied smile.
The brown haired 16-year old sits begrudgingly in a chair opposite a desk with piles of organized paperwork. She looks up to meet her parents focus, and delight appears from nowhere.
"Mom! Dad! Please, you guys will know I'm telling the truth-"
"Please sit, Mr. and Mrs. Jane." The Principal cut her off, motioning to the two chairs there. Clara kept her eyes on her father, who brought a delicate finger to his lips to motion her not to speak.
"Mr. and Mrs. Jane, this is the fifth time this semester we've needed to call you in regarding Clara's behavior. Do you know that Clara has been pickpocketing other students for fun?"
"I wonder who taught her that." Lisbon hit Jane with the back of her hand on his arm, catching him giving their daughter a thumbs up.
"But, Principal Beale-"
"No, Clara. You've stolen another students wallet three times, and a different student twice. All times stealing their wallets, taking all of their money, and then saying you found it somewhere or leaving it elsewhere to be found."
Jane finally chimed in, "I'm sorry, and how do you know it's Clara who is doing this?"
"Security footage. Your experience in the FBI should've made that your first assumption." Principal Beale responded.
Patrick raised his eyebrows and crossed his legs. "Well, I'm sure she had good reason."
"I did! They're the two school bullies and-"
"Clara, please. You've known from all of your years here at Sacred Heart that we not only have a no bullying policy, but a no stealing policy as well. And, if you recall, "Thou Shalt Not Steal" is one of the Ten Commandments from our Father in Heaven. He would not be pleased with your behavior, Clara."
Lisbon could feel Jane's chest tighten from the religious mention. He couldn't help himself.
"I'm sure he wouldn't be pleased with you cutting her off and not giving her a chance to defend herself," her Dad retorted. "Or are you so silenced in your marriage that you find some sort of pleasure over powering these kids?"
As usual, Lisbon scooped in to save the day after the offensive remark. "Ah, Principal Beale, we're very sorry for Clara's behavior and will be talking with her about it at home. Is there anything else we can do for you? I've got a case at work that I'm needed for at the moment."
The blonde haired principal stared long and hard at Patrick, speaking with disdain and force. "No, thank you. Since this is the fifth violation this semester, we are going to be giving Clara three days of in school suspension to turn from her ways." The stern principal turned to the young, nervous teen. "Clara, we were very gracious to let you skip a grade. You are very bright and all of your teachers say wonderful things about you. With your senior year coming up next year, you can't afford to mess up your academics with other actions. It could make an impact on if you get into college next year."
A phone began ringing abruptly-Lisbon's. "I'm sorry, Principal Beale. I've got to take this. But we understand the consequences and we will be discussing this at home. Right, Clara?"
The young teen nodded, still eyeing her father for peace of mind.
"Good. We'll see you in the library for in school suspension starting tomorrow, Clara. Thank you both for your time."
The couple stood, shaking her hand and leaving the office promptly.
They walked down the wood clad hallway of the school as Clara's mother answered her phone.
"This is Lisbon..." she continued walking. "Copy that, I'll come in right now...Yes, everything's fine."
"So, bullies?" the blonde, curly haired man inquired, putting a relaxed arm around the 16 year olds shoulders.
"Yeah, Dad. Every day they steal someone's lunch money or even just straight out of their wallet." Clara crossed her arms across her chest. "So, I started getting their wallets and giving the money back."
"Seems legitimate to me. You just need to change your tactic, dear."
"But how?"
They walked outside to the parking lot, Teresa hanging up the phone. "Alright. Sweetheart," she put her daughters hair behind her ear with her thumb, bringing another hand to smooth over her shoulder, "I know you had the best of intentions, okay? Fighting the bad guys, that's what we do."
The 16 year old smiled, holding herself with her own arms still across her body. She still felt bad for getting caught and for disobeying God. Especially at school.
"I've got to go into work, but you both have some dinner without me, okay? I'm gonna be late tonight." Her mother brought her in for a hug and kissed her lightly on the forehead.
"I love you. We'll talk about this later?"
"I love you too, Mom." Clara still held her head low, regardless of the commencement from her Mom.
Lisbon looked straight at Jane. "And please use the food I have in the house. We have plenty of food-you don't need to drive through anywhere."
"Got it, dear." Patrick said with a smile before bringing her in for a hug and a delicate goodbye kiss. "Love you. Be safe."
"I will!", the FBI agent shouted as she ran to her vehicle.
"C'mon kiddo," he patted his daughter on the back lightly. He spoke in a mocking tone to make her laugh, "Let's have you go think on what you've done to 'turn from your ways'." He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle as well.
They climbed into the vehicle, Clara breathing out a sigh of relief. Catholic school wasn't as righteous as they say it is if she is the one getting in trouble. They sat in the car in silence for a bit, her knees held up to her chest in the front seat. She leaned her head against the window, watching the terrain pass quickly with small whooshing noises from between the cracks of the car.
"Okay, out with it."
Clara sat in silence further, not having the energy to follow her father's orders.
"C'mon, Clara. You've got this all bottled up. Let's talk about it."
"I don't feel like talking about it."
They continued down the road for a moment, before her Dad relentlessly pursued.
"Alright, if you don't want to talk about it then I'm just gonna read your mind."
"Stop it, Dad," she adjusted in her seat, pulling her long sleeves of her sweater down over her hands. "That was only funny when I was little."
"Eh, you're still little in the grand scheme of things. Still funny to me."
She looked down at her phone, dead set on silence.
"You can at least ask me what I meant."
Clara looked up, eyes active with thought. "Okay, fine. What did you mean."
"You have to change your tactic."
They drove a little further.
"Dad, saying it again doesn't tell me what you meant by it."
"You want some sort of equal justice for the bullying, right? But you're making an extra step. All you really need to do is stop it early on instead of making extra work for yourself."
The 16 year old thought about this for a second, pulling all of her hair onto the left side of her neck. "Hmm."
"Do you know how I mean?"
"You mean facilitate him getting caught in the act as opposed to trying to create secret justice?"
"Exactly." He smiled with content, looking at the road ahead. "See? I told you you're getting better at this."
The 16 year old smiled a little, glancing out the window. "How come Mom works so much?"
"She's stopping the bad guys. Y'know how it is."
Clara nodded, bringing her sweater covered hand to her chin, leaning her elbow against the window edge.
"That's what you're gonna be doing, Clara. You're already stopping the bad guys. First Catholic School, then the world." her dad encouraged, trying to lift the mood.
"Can I at least try the state of Texas before conquering the world?" the 16 year old retorted.
Patrick laughed. "Fine, but THEN the world."