Black, White and Red All Over: Post Strawberries and Cream. Jane is on Death Row for his crime. Lisbon visits him to end their friendship, but will she stay angry after hearing his side of the story? Much Jisbon.
Note: I wrote this for Jisbon Day 2011. I hope I have done my fellow Jisbon shippers out there proud! Please R&R! (I'll love you forever).
Disclaimer: Yeah, I own the Mentalist…oh wait…nope, still don't. Damn!
Pushing herself out of the complimentary hospital cab with her good arm, Teresa Lisbon looked up at the CBI Headquarters and thought of how different she was since the last time she entered it. It had only been a day, but so much had changed. She was lame in one arm for a start, after that bastard O'Laughlin had shot her in the shoulder. Last time she was there, her job was a sure thing; her career secure. Now, she had no idea whether Director Bertram would ever trust her again, after her team's vigilante mission to find Red John. Last time she was there, she had known exactly where her team – her family - was and what they were doing. Now, she had no idea whether they were even still alive.
Taking a deep breath she strode into the building, looking more confident than she felt. Her heart pounded and a thin film of sweat caressed her forehead as she took the seemingly endless elevator ride to her floor. A stray lock of her wavy, ebony hair floated into her face and stuck to her lip, blocking her vision. Without thinking, she instinctively moved her left arm to brush it away, and immediately buckled as pain shot through her wounded shoulder. She howled, her emerald eyes filling with salty tears of shock and pain, as the elevator doors opened to present a thankfully empty bullpen.
As she hobbled across it, still winded by the pain of her own stupidity, she heard purposeful footsteps clicking along behind her, followed by a low, authoritative voice. "Agent Lisbon!" called Bertram, intercepting her before she reached her office door. She jumped, startled. It was unusual for the director to visit the bullpen. "Morning, Sir," she said trying to smile pleasantly whilst still blinking away her tears. "Lisbon, I need to speak to you." Bertram replied coldly, looking unsympathetically at her slung arm as he gestured towards her office door. "Now." He demanded, striding angrily into her office, leaving the door open. "Of….course…." she said uncertainly, eyeing him with immediate suspicion as she sat down in front of him on the opposite side of her desk.
Bertram regarded her silently for a moment, causing her to shift uncomfortably in her chair. She had never been on this side of her desk before. She realised how intimidating it must be for her team members when she called them into her office, and made a silent promise to herself to change the layout as soon as the Director left. Lisbon looked anywhere but into her boss' gaze as she struggled to find the words to fill the awkward silence. She was bursting to ask what had happened after she was shot, where her team was and if they had found Red John, but from the dark expression on Bertram's face she thought it best to stay quiet.
Finally, the tall, balding man spoke: "Agent, what is black, white and read all over?" Lisbon frowned. Was he being serious? This was the oldest riddle in the book! She gulped, at a loss for words. Riddles were not what she expected right now; discipline maybe, anger definitely, but a brain teaser? Bertram looked at her expectantly. "Well?" he asked again, and although she felt like a bear walking into a trap, she knew from his tone that she'd have to answer him before he elucidated any further. "A newspaper…" she replied, her voice saturated with suspicion. "What does that have to do with-"
She was cut off by a flurry of monochrome slapping the table as Bertram produced that day's Sacramento Bee newspaper. "Exactly." he growled and stood up. "And I take it," he continued, walking around the desk until he was beside her, "That you haven't seen today's or you wouldn't have bothered showing up." Lisbon had stopped listening; all she heard from him was white noise as her green eyes fixed on the headline of the front page. "CBI CONSULTANT ON DEATH ROW AFTER SHOOTING INNOCENT MAN IN MALL." She sat in stunned, disbelieving silence as she struggled through the article, words swimming in front of her face as her eyes misted over again. Jane had killed Red John! Her elation was short-lived as she realised that there was no evidence that the man he had shot was Red John. He had obviously known, he wouldn't have killed him otherwise, but no jury would believe that…wait…she read it again, and finally took in what the article said. No. This couldn't be happening. Jane couldn't be on Death Row. "I…he…" she stammered, but trailed off when she caught sight of her consultant, her best friend staring out of the picture at her.
She gripped the table to support her now-shaking frame, and at its solid, reliable touch she began to collect her thoughts. Setting her jaw, she wiped her eyes and turned to Bertram, who regarded her with a mixture of pity and smugness that made her want to punch him. "Agent, someone's head has to roll for this. That man, that worthless piece of crap, has disgraced this organisation yet again, under your authority." Lisbon bit her lip to prevent the rage seeping out. Her blood boiled at Bertram's audacity to insult Jane, but she forced herself to stay calm and sound sincere when she said "Sir, I apologise. But," she gestured towards the paper, "obviously it won't happen again, so you don't have to worry. I realise that this is partially my fault and I accept responsibility for it. So," she sighed, looking at the floor, "how long is my suspension?"
Bertram looked at her, his eyes twinkling with amusement, and said simply, "Indefinite." Lisbon's head shot up in surprise and confusion, her brain not comprehending what he was implying. He held up a hand to stop the flow of words that was about to pass her lips, and, crouching so they were eye-level and talking very slowly, he spelled it out for her. "Agent Lisbon, hand in your badge and gun. You are officially revoked from your duties as a CBI employee."