Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist.
Freezing winds swirl around Teresa Lisbon's shivering form, prompting her to pull her coat that much tighter around her body. The more rational part of her brain knows she should be inside her apartment where she's safe and warm, that being on the street at night is never a good thing, but at the moment she just doesn't care. For now, all she wants is to forget.
She wants to forget about the phone call she received only moments ago, she wants to forget about the way his voice had sent pangs though her heart and a thrill up her spine, she wants to forget that he ever existed. That he was a permanent part of her life now, whether she liked it or not.
"Boss?
"Lisbon whirls around, surprised that she isn't alone out here. But then, ever since he'd left they'd been on her ass, worrying about her sanity. She knows she should be grateful but at the moment, all she feel is annoyed.
"Hey Rigs," she greets. "What are you doing out here?"
"Grace called me."
Lisbon resisted the urge to roll her eyes and just stuffed her hands deeper into her pockets. She was so tired of this. Tired of being whispered about, tired of being followed and checked up on. Tired of being treated like she was going to fall apart any second.
"I'm fine," she sighed. "I just needed some air, that's all. Why don't you go back inside?"
"Why don't you come with me?" Rigsby suggested. "It's not safe to be out here this time of night."
"I can take care of myself," she assured him. "I'm a cop. I just needed to clear my head for a minute, that's all. I'll come back in soon."
Rigsby hesitated, clearly stuck in between wanting to make sure she was really ok and wanting to escape the cold. After another reassuring smile from Lisbon, he nodded and turned back towards the apartment building.
"Rigsby?" she called.
"Yeah, boss?"
"Tell Grace I said thank you."
"Sure," he smiled, before hurrying back to the warmth of the building.
Lisbon exhaled slowly after he was gone, thankful she was finally being left alone. She was grateful to her co-workers and friends for being so attentive towards her, but she was fine. Why the hell couldn't she see that? Just when she'd finally gotten them to back off a little, one simple phone call blew up whatever progress they may have been making. Damn him.
"Lisbon," she greeted.
"Teresa," a familiar voice crooned. "Long time, no see. How've you been?"
"Jane?" she whispered, an icy feeling running through her body.
Grace's head snapped up at the mention of his name, but due to the sleeping toddler sprawled across her lap, she couldn't exactly jump up. Lisbon took a few, deep breaths and mentally prepared herself for the infuriating conversation she knew was coming next.
"Jane," she repeated, her voice stronger than before. "What do you want? Why are you calling me?"
"It's been a long time," he mused. "I thought I'd check in and see how you're doing."
"I'm fine," she snapped. "Tell me why you're really contacting me."
Jane chuckled, the familiarity of his voice sending thrills up her spine. She hated herself for feeling this way, hated that after so long he still had so much control over her. That after everything he'd done, he was still allowed to make her feel this way.
"Teresa, why must you assume there's always a secondary motive?" he sighed.
"Because with you, there always is."
From across the room, Grace was signaling for her to hang up but Lisbon just frowned and waved it off. Jane had called for a reason. She wanted to know what is was.
"I'm in the neighborhood, you know," Jane announced. "I was thinking we could get together some time. What do you say?"
"Like hell we will," Lisbon growled. "You stay away from me Jane, I mean it. I don't want anything to do with you."
"Well you don't really have a choice, my dear."
"And why's that?" Lisbon demanded. "Because if you come within a hundred feet of me, I will shoot you. You can count on that."
"I may not be a cop," Jane chuckled. "But I'm almost certain you need a restraining order for that."
"I don't need a restraining order to fire a weapon," Lisbon fired back. "I'm not the same person you ditched three years ago, Jane. I've shot plenty of men since you've left and I'll be damned if I don't shoot you as well."
"So defensive," Jane replied. "I'll be seeing you, Lisbon. Take care"
She could practically here the smirk in his voice, and she wanted nothing more than to knock it off his face. He'd always been an arrogant bastard and apparently three years had left him unchanged.
"Stay with the baby," Lisbon ordered, before rushing out the door. "I'll be right back."
The sound of footsteps crunching behind her was enough to bring Lisbon out of her trance, and she whirled around.
And came face to face with a familiar pair of baby blue eyes.
Her heart stuttered and stopped, before hammering inside her chest so loudly she was certain he could hear it. A knowing smile crossed his painfully beautiful face and she couldn't stop the longing from washing over her, outweighed only by the burning anger bubbling up inside her. He stepped closer, causing her breath to hitch, and instantly took a step backwards. Away from her.
"I told you I'd be seeing you," he reminded her. "You didn't believe me?"
"I didn't want to," she spat out. "I thought maybe you'd respect me enough to keep your distance like I asked."
"How long have you known me?"
He had her there. He'd never followed an order from Lisbon if he could help it, and by telling him to stay away she'd practically begged him to come find her. Challenged him even.
"What do you want?" she demanded. "Just tell me why you're here, Jane. Tell me so I can take care of it and send you on your way."
"You're just going to give me what I want?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "Just like that, no questions asked?"
"Just like that."
"Why?"
He was clearly intrigued, with a hint of amusement bubbling beneath the surface. He wanted to be in control, to be playing the game on her instead of the other way around. Lisbon would never just willing give him what he wanted, not without a fight.
"I want you gone," she answered honestly. "I don't want to deal with you. I have more than enough to worry about, without wondering what you're going to do next."
"You want me out of your life for good," he surmised. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"
"Well?" she asked impatiently. "What do you want?"
"You're hiding something from me," he announced. "There's something going on that you don't want me to know about. You know if I stay in town long enough something will slip and that scares the hell out of connected to me somehow."
"So what?"
"So what is it?" he asked curiously. "Something big."
"You know what?" Lisbon snarled. "I don't have time for this. I'm not going to sit around and play your mind games any longer, I'm not going to put up with your antics or deal with your drama. I'm done, Jane. I was done long ago. I haven't had to deal with you in almost three years."
"Touching speech," Jane smirked. "Surely you know you won't be able to get rid of me that easily."
"I am not the same person you left!"
"I have no doubts."
"I'm different, Jane."
"I believe you."
"Go ," Lisbon ordered. "Go do something with your life. Go put yourself to use, go do something other than badger and belittle me! Did I love you once? Yes, sir. You were the sun and the moon and the stars all wrapped up in one, but you know what? I've moved on. I've changed my life for the better, and I've done without you."
"Say what you need to say Teresa," he chuckled. "Please, don't hold back."
"I don't intend to," she hissed. "Stay. Away. From. Me."
And without waiting for an answer, she turned and began making her way back to her apartment building. Jane's voice however, stopped her in her tracks.
"You say you've changed but your still the same Lisbon I've always known," he informed her. "You still have your holier than thou complex, you're still trying to take care of everyone around you while struggling to take care of yourself, and you're still trying to push away the people who want to help you."
"Help me?" she repeated incredulously. "You honestly want me to believe you want to help me? You're a lot of things Patrick Jane, but I never pegged you as delusional."
"I wasn't referring to myself," he snapped, the first signs of irritation showing since he'd shown up. "I was talking about Rigsby. I'm not here to help you Lisbon, that ship sailed long ago."
"Then why are you here?"
"I'm here to take back what's rightfully mine. What has always been mine and what you kept from me all these years."
Cold realization washed over her in waves, and she automatically reached up to tug at the locket hanging around her neck. So this was it. What he came for. She'd known it all along, deep down. Know this day was coming. Known his true motives since the moment he'd called her up.
"I…don't know-I don't know what you're talking about," she whispered hoarsely. "I-"
"Save it," Jane cut in. "I'm here for my son, Teresa. And I'll get him. For now, that's all you need to know."
He turned and began walking away, not at all surprised when she grabbed a fistful of his jacket and yanked him back. Swinging him around, she slammed him against the side of her apartment building and aimed her Glock at his throat. He stared down coldly at her, no fear evident in his eyes. Nothing.
"Listen to me you bastard," she hissed. "No one is taking my son away from me. He's mine, do you understand that? I raised him, I'm his mother. His family. I'm all he knows."
"Because you're all he's allowed to know," Jane shot back. "You never even gave me a chance."
"What'd you expect?" Lisbon shouted. "That I'd just let you walk back into my life? That I'd let you be apart of his after you ruined me? I almost died Jane, did you know that? I almost killed myself, because I couldn't take it anymore. You took the most precious thing from me, and I won't allow you to take this as well. He's my child!"
"He's my child too."
"No!" she snarled. "He's not. You lost that right a long time ago. He's mine."
"Ours," Jane corrected, wincing when she shoved the gun harsher against his throat. "Go ahead. Shoot me. I'm already going to get him as it is. Can you imagine how much fun my lawyer's going to have with "mother holds father at gunpoint?"
"Shut up!" she shouts. "Just-just stop it! Shut up!"
"Lisbon!"
Lisbon turns at the sound of her voice being called, allowing Jane to wriggle lose. He dances out of her grip, silently daring her to do something with his eyes. Grace is rushing towards them in horror, watching the scene unfold.
"Jane," she gasps. "What's going on here?"
"Van Pelt," he nods. "You're as lovely as ever."
"Are you alright?" Grace asked, ignoring Jane. "What's going on?"
"Where's the baby?" Lisbon asked.
"Rigsby's with him," Grace confirmed. "He's fine, but-"
"He knows," Lisbon sighs, holstering her gun. "And he's come to take him away from me."
Is Jane serious? Or is he just busting her chops? Review!