Chapter 1.
The car pulls in to the car park from the main street, away from all of the
traffic, where people are on their way home for the weekend, except for one. He reverses into one of the vacant spaces facing a very specific window; the curtains are drawn but the light behind them reveals two shadows, as far as Jane can tell. He's had a hunch for the past two days that something would happen, Red John possibly, it was just something that has been bothering him. There had been something odd with the last case where a small town business woman who had been laundering money was killed, the killer had painted the blood red smiley face that Jane knew all too well. It was an open and shut case for the CBI, someone close to her had tried to stop her but ended up killing her and trying to blame it on Red John. The tell-tale sign that it wasn't the elusive serial killer was that the circle of blood was drawn anti-clockwise. With yet another copycat, Red John would resurface, make a scene so that people would know how powerful he was and the easiest way is to go after Jane or one of his colleagues. Van Pelt has Rigsby by her side 24/7, and Red John wouldn't go after Cho, which just leaves Lisbon. That's why, for the second night in a row, he is staking out her house. As far as he knows, she hasn't clocked onto his antics just yet, but Lisbon being Lisbon, it wouldn't be long until she would work it out.
On his dashboard is a flask accompanied with a few biscuits and a Tupperware box filled with sandwiches. The air is muggy, so the window is open just a crack to let the sweet smelling night air in, ruffling his short blonde curls. Reclining his seat back a little, he takes in a deep breath. Seven names…seven… he closes his eyes, deep in thought, two shadows. His eyes flick open, there were two shadows…he straightens up and looks around in the car park, there are only another five cars with him…none of his colleagues' cars are there. Then, at the end of the row, closest to the street is a Lamborghini, a bright tangerine coloured one, too posh to be around in this neighbourhood, which points to the owner being a visitor. And it's extremely possible that this person is visiting Lisbon. That, tied in with the car, points to only person…Mashburn. He didn't particularly like the guy, having twice been a murder suspect, but he knows that he and Lisbon had had a thing a few years ago, he could tell – it was as obvious as when Grace and Wayne were sneaking around together – but that wasn't any of his business. His heart sinks a little, though he tries to ignore the feeling, it reassures him that she is not alone. With that thought, he leans back and closes his eyes once again. It's been a long day and he's tired, he'd only managed to catch an hour or two back on his couch at the precinct, but after a long and difficult case, he welcomes the chance to catch some rest. Lisbon's safe…she's safe… and with that thought, he drifts off into a deep sleep.
"Dad?" he sees his daughter Charlotte across the dark room.
Surveying it, it seems familiar to him, he's definitely been in here before. She's sitting down on a chair behind a metal desk, a light is overhead swinging from side to side. He sits opposite her and reaches across to hold her outstretched hands.
"Charlotte," he smiles.
"Dad, how are you?"
"Not too bad, how are you?"
She does not speak, but smiles in reply.
"It's great to see you without, y'know, being under the influence of drugs and all."
She laughs, a single tear rolls down her cheek, "I miss you," she cries.
"Hey," he lifts his hand to wipe away the tear, "don't cry. I miss you too, I miss you so much." Only now does he notice that he is crying too.
"Dad, you have to wake up," she sobs, "please wake up."
The light above them turns crimson, making the room appear that its walls have been painted with blood.
"Dad, wake up, please! You need to wake up!"
Patrick's eyes burst open to see flames eat up the curtains that had blocked his view into her apartment.
"Lisbon?" he whispers.
He gets out of his car and moves closer to the building. There are people screaming, amongst the constant whine of the fire alarm and fire engine sirens that are approaching. They won't be able to get to her in time…but he can. Without a seconds thought, he races to the stairwell and battles with the oncoming tide of other residents. They tussle down the stairs, crying children accompanied by their concerned parents. After weaving through the mass of people, he manages to get to Lisbon's front door. Smoke pours like liquid nitrogen from underneath the solid door.
"Lisbon!" He shouts, but there is no reply, "Mashburn!" Still no reply, "Guess there is only one thing for it." He tells himself.
He shifts back and then charges at the door, his shoulder bearing the brunt of the force. The door doesn't budge, so Jane tries again and again and again until the door buckles, as well as his shoulder blade. Smoke envelops him as he cries out, he can't breathe, but he can't go back without her. Bravely, he blindly enters the burning flat. Frantically, he tries to remember the layout as he shuffles along, his arm clinging to his jacket to support his shoulder. He faces down, trying to avoid a face full of thick smoke.
"Teresa!" he shouts.
Then he shuffles into something on the floor, too heavy to be anything other than a body. The smoke clears long enough for Jane to see Walter Mashburn's body, his throat has been slit and his eyes remain open. With his free hand, Jane closes them out of respect.
"I'm sorry," he tells the man, before stepping over him and continuing to find his partner.
Flames reach out to grab him, the fire is spreading quicker than he imagined, he hasn't got much time. He reaches the bedroom door, where a chair has been wedged underneath the handle so it can't open. With a single kick, it breaks apart and the door swings open. There is less smoke in the bedroom so it's a little easier to breathe.
"Lisbon!" he calls out again, "LISBON!"
"Jane?" a faint whisper escapes the darkness, followed by a cough, followed by "Jane, is that you?"
"Where are you?"
"Over here."
He finds her by the window, soot covering her face and pyjamas. She's shaking.
"How…?" she tries to ask.
"Questions later, let's get out of here."
"What…about…Walter?"
Jane shakes his head and she wipes her eyes.
"C'mon, we need to get going."
She clings onto his free arm and they both shuffle out of the bedroom, coughing. From outside the front, they can hear the shouts of the firemen, which they use to guide them to the door. Again they run into Walter, although Jane tried to avoid him. Immediately, Lisbon knows what she collided with and clutches onto Jane's arm tighter.
"It's alright, we're gonna be okay," he repeats twice before Lisbon elbows him in the ribs.
They emerge from the smoke coughing and shaking, thankful for being out in the fresh air. Their eyes begin to adjust to the night.
"Hey, get some oxygen over here! We've got two survivors!" Someone shouts from the top of the stairs.
Jane turns to Lisbon, "you okay?"
"Yeah," she coughs.
Before they reach the stairwell, they each receive an oxygen mask and then guided to the car park where Rigsby, Van Pelt and Cho are waiting for them. They all rush over when two paramedics lead them to waiting ambulances.
"Thank god you're both okay," Rigsby tells them, "What happened?"
One of the paramedics places a blanket over Teresa's shoulders, when she sits down on a nearby bench. Jane is rushed into one of the emergency vehicles. Cho joins him whilst Van Pelt and Rigsby stay with their boss.
"How'd you get here so fast?" Cho asks Jane.
"Just passing by." Jane replies.
"Liar," Cho counters, "there's a flask of tea and box of sandwiches in your car, you were staking her place out weren't you?"
"No," Jane tries to sound as innocent as possible, which doesn't work with a professional like Cho.
"Why? You knew that something like this was going to happen?"
The paramedic pushes a needle into Jane's wrist, he winches and tries to get Cho off his back.
"I think that I've broken something, can this wait?"
"I'm coming with you, just give me a sec," Cho tells him, then retreats back to the rest of the team, "I'm going with Jane to the hospital. He's broken something."
"I'll stay, Lisbon wasn't the only one in there," Rigsby informs Cho, he pulls him aside before adding, "Walter Mashburn was with Lisbon when the fire started, he didn't make it."
Cho nods a reply, and then climbs into the back of Jane's ambulance, which shortly after, drives off.
"Are you going to the hospital too, boss?" Van Pelt asks.
"No, I'm gonna stay." Lisbon firmly replies.