A/N: Agent Fischer, or whatever her name is, doesn't exist here. I guess this is kinda AU of sorts. Oh and 1 character death, sorry.
Spoilers: For spoilers for epi 6x09. (how is that for a sentence)
Disclaimer: I own a couple of seashells but that's about it.
He had been suspicious from the start. A deal like this was too good to be true. But it had proved solid. All charges would be dropped and he'd already gotten to come back to the US - his main reason for accepting this arrangement in the first place. He had fences to mend, some pretty banged up once, and here two years after they could only have gotten worse for wear.
He hadn't seen her yet, he didn't know what he had expected - a welcome wagon? But then again he had only been back in the country for little over two hours. His escort - apparently they didn't trust him enough to come here by himself and he didn't blame them - had taken him straight to FBI headquarters, where debriefing after debriefing had followed. Now he was just waiting..., waiting like a caged lion to be let out into the wild again. He spent the time pacing back and forth in the tiny interrogation room. His abounding set of ruffled, golden curls and the relatively full beard he was sporting, did little if not add to the comparison.
-.-1-.-
Agent Abbott entered. "Mr. Jane." He said in way of greeting. "It's been a long time."
Jane nodded his agreement. "When can I get out of here?"
"I feel a sense of urgency here. Do you have somewhere to be?"
An eerie reminder of the last time Jane had been kept from doing what he wanted by this man came to mind. "Yes."
"And where might that be?" Jane was about to answer, but Abbott cut him off. "To see Teresa Lisbon I presume."
Jane said nothing, knowing the other man was right in his presumption.
"Well Mr. Jane I'm going to have to disappoint you. That won't be possible."
"And why not?" Jane's tone had shifted to a more defensive one.
"Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Miss Lisbon had an accident two days ago, hit and run, she died yesterday."
Jane's whole world crumbled. "What?" He managed to choke out before his legs gave way under him and he sank to the floor. His frailly mended heart breaking all over again. "No! No. You're lying. Why are you lying to me? Why can't I see her?"
"I'm truly sorry Patrick. The guy will be caught I promise you that. But this changes nothing, you will begin work come Monday morning." Abbott said and left him to grieve alone.
One day. He had missed her by one day. This could not be happening. Not again. Why was he always denied happiness? For two years he'd longed for a chance to see her again, to hear her voice. Now he'd never be able to do either of that again. Revenge, no matter how well deserved and how just, had come with a terrible price. Still had he had the chance to do it differently he wouldn't have. When it came to Red John he had no regrets. But when it came to Lisbon he had plenty.
-.-2-.-
Into the room came a strutting Agent Abbott with him he carried a brown paper wrapped package. He put it down on the center table. "Long time no see, Mr. Jane." He said.
Jane eyed the square package suspiciously. "And yet you're still here." He said warily, poking at the man's unfulfilled ambitions.
Abbott smiled, he wasn't going to be baited that easily. "I brought you something." He pointed at the box.
"For me? You shouldn't have." Jane said putting on his best sarcastic voice, but still he opened it. When he saw what it was he felt a little tug in his chest. He carefully lifted the object out, letting his fingers caress its surface as he brought it closer to his face, studying it in the bright lights of the room.
"We want you to come work for us full time." The man's deep voice interrupted Jane's thoughts.
"And what, this is some kind of a bribe?"
The man gave a short, little laugh. "I don't think this could qualify as such. It's not that valuable. You should think more of it as a gift of good will. A peace offering if you wish."
"It's not the same." Jane remarked.
"What is?" Abbott seemed confused having always seen Jane as a clever man, but now he was just stating the obvious.
"This teacup. It's not the same." Jane explained calmly.
Ahh now Abbott got the gist. "No. I can't see how it could be. That one was busted into a million pieces years ago. It's not like we kept any of the things from the CBI in a special storage space. But this is a similar one."
"Not the same." Jane said again. It wasn't just the cup that had been his favorite, but all the memories attached to it, something this new cup, however similar, would never have.
"Look..." Abbott began but Jane interrupted him.
"No you look!" He was getting a bit worked up. "You and your feebs come here with your big talk and fancy suits and take me away from my life, offering me a deal, and a job, gives me a cup and expects me to accept it all just like that, like magic everything is just fine and dandy. That's not how this works." Jane gently put the cup back to its saucer in the box.
"So how will this work?" Abbott asked.
"First you let me out of here."
"And then what?"
"We'll see."
Abbott moved to the side letting Jane pass him out the door, purposefully leaving the blue teacup behind him.
-.-3-.-
The door opened and Agent Abbott entered, following right behind him was a woman. Leather boots, jeans, a police officer shirt, brown, curly just below shoulder length hair and a pair of green eyes he knew too well. Lisbon.
His face lit up like a Christmas tree.
"You have 5 minutes." Abbott said and left again.
Jane didn't think nor hesitate, but closed the distance that time and space had created between them, and swooped her up into a tight hug. Only then did he fear her reaction. There was no need to worry though, as he felt her hug back instantly. God he'd missed this.
"I missed you." He said to the back of her neck as he burrowed his head deeper into her soft curls.
"I missed you too." She whispered back.
It all felt so familiar. There was a thousand questions burning in both their minds, but they didn't have the luxury of time, not now.
"They want you to help them out the rest of the Blake association." That was his Lisbon, straight to the point.
"They've had two years, and they're not done yet?" He mocked.
"Not everyone can spot a criminal after two interviews, you know." She teased.
"Who needs two?" He said faking insult.
"Old men like you." She bit back.
He smiled and changed the course of the subject a little. "So they send you to do their dirty work? Since when did you become an errand boy for the FBI?"
"They gave me no choice Jane. Things weren't exactly easy after you left. And as a chief, even in a small town, I can't go around doing things willy-nilly."
Jane understood. "Do you think I should accept?"
"To be honest I don't know. I don't know the details of what they have offered you. But I think you better consider it."
"Do you think I can make it a package deal?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you were part of the deal, I'd say yes in a heartbeat."
She blushed. Another thing Jane had missed. "Jane," Her voice was regretful. "I have responsibilities elsewhere. You know that."
"I can come work for you then. It's all law enforcement."
"I don't think catching bike thieves arresting shoplifters was what the FBI had in mind when they brought you back here."
"It certainly isn't." Agent Abbott said as he reentered.
"But if I can't work for Lisbon, can she work for you?" Jane asked. "If you know anything about our partnership, you'll know it'll only work in your favor." Jane urged.
"I'm sure we can work something out. It's up to her." Abbott said as they both looked over at her.
"What do you say, Lisbon?"
-.-4-.-
In came Agent Abbott and Cho. Finally a familiar face Jane thought.
"Cho." He said.
"Jane." His old colleague nodded.
Jane tried to make conversation. "You look good. I see you went over to the dark side."
Cho being the same old Cho answered short and concise. "You left none of us a choice Jane."
That pricked a little at his guilty conscience. "How have you been? How are the others?"
"Fine." Well, now he was just being evasive, Jane thought.
No point in wasting any more time so he asked pointblank: "Okay so what do you want?"
"Your help."
Jane was surprised. "My help with what?"
"Catching bad guys."
"Why? I should think you have enough resources here. I'm sure the bathroom is bigger than the bullpen was."
Abbott who so far had watched the exchange silently interjected. "After this whole Blake association mess. People seem to have lost trust in the authorities. And with your previous closure rates and the media appeal - being the man that killed Red John and outed his organization - you would be a valuable asset for us in rebuilding that lost trust."
"That's not my life anymore. I don't do that." Jane was adamant.
"Think about it Jane," Abbott was just as bullheaded "Are you really happy right now? This way you'll have something to do with your time again."
"It was never about that."
"You can't tell me it was all about getting your revenge." Cho stated.
Jane didn't have an answer. He had loved working at the CBI, but he'd only done it as a means to an end.
When no answer came, Cho continued. "Think about it this way then..., you'll have a chance to right some of the wrongs you have caused over the years."
Jane sighed and looked down at the floor in shame, knowing exactly what Cho was referring to.
Abbott intervened again: "We'll give you whatever you need. As you so deftly pointed out before we have the resources. Just say the word."
"What I want...," Jane said looking up at Cho, knowing he would understand, "Money can't buy."
-.-5-.-
When nothing happened for two hours Jane felt he had been cooped up for long enough. He reached across the table for a lonely paperclip that had fallen off of the stacks of debriefs papers the feebs had brought with them. No one had bothered picking it up or taking it with them. Well their mistake, he thought and took it in one swift motion, so as to not attract unnecessary attention to himself, since he had no doubt the room was being monitored.
He walked nonchalantly to the door, and it took him exactly two seconds to pick the lock and get it open and another two seconds to escape. He walked down the desolated hallway, and only just managed to duck into a utility closet when two men turned a corner. He listened as they walked past the door, then released a breath. They hadn't seen him. He turned on the lights, rummaged around a little bit, and as luck would have it he found a set of clothes probably belonging to a maintenance worker of some kind. Even the FBI had to have their light bulbs checked and changed occasionally.
Jane changed into the sand colored clothes, picked up a toolbox, a few utilities and put on a matching cap, before peeking carefully out the closet door. Being satisfied the coast was clear, he went out walking further down the corridor as if he belonged there. He passed the security guards, whom winked him through the checkpoint without giving him much notice. Ahh the invisibility of the low income working class was definitely playing in his favor. He really was hidden in plain sight. He continued on, straight through the front doors. How long would it take for these pinheads to realize he was missing? He didn't know and he didn't care. He was free again, lose to roam the United States. They would hunt him down, of course, he expected nothing less. He was playing with the big dogs now. But he knew a trick or two himself. And there was one important thing he really needed to do before they found him again.
A/N: Started this before the RJ reveal, then forgot what I had in mind and wrote something different, then remembered again and so it ended up like this. Guess which one was my first thought.
It's the first time I'm doing one of these with: one scene - different scenarios.
I don't really like how it turned out. But I felt like I had to finish & post it before the new epi airs tonight, so here goes...
… Also looking forward to seeing what team Heller has in store for us with this The Mentalist 2.0.