A/N: I started this fic quite a while ago, and I took it down, and now I'm revising and re-posting The first part of this chapter will take place probably right around the time the Grace joins the CBI. Enjoy! Oh, and I don't own the Mentalist, but I kind-of wish I did.
Mae's bad day was about to get worst, it was Friday, of all days why did have to be a Friday? She was 13 and in middle school. She walked into her house after a bad day of school, hoping it would get better.
"Mom, I'm home," she called as she walked into the kitchen.
Usually when Mae got home her mom was in the kitchen getting dinner ready, but she wasn't there. Mae walked to her dad's office and knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Mae cracked the door open.
"Dad?"
There was no answer. Usually Mae's dad was in his office. Where could he be? She asked herself. Both of her parent's cars were in the driveway, but where were they? There was only one other place they could be, their bedroom. Mae walked upstairs to her parent's bedroom. The door was cracked open.
"Mom? Dad?"
Again, there was no answer. Mae opened the door and the sight that greeted her was horrific. On the wall opposite of the door were two smiley faces made from blood, and on the bed were her parent's dead bodies. Mae froze in fear and her breathing became heavy. She pulled her cellphone from her pocket and called her aunt.
It was a slow day for agent Lisbon and her team at the CBI.
"I thought a slow day would be nice, but I'm all caught up and extremely bored," said Rigsby.
"Get over it, boring is a part of life," replied Cho.
Suddenly, the phone rang.
"If we're lucky, it will be the mayor saying his wife has been assassinated," Rigsby responded.
"Don't get your hopes up, if we're really lucky, it will be the mayor who gets assassinated," said Cho.
Van Pelt picked up the phone. "Agent Grace Van Pelt."
"Aunt Grace, Red John, Red John, Red John!" yelled Van Pelt's niece.
Van Pelt pulled the phone away from her ear. "It's my niece and you all should hear what she's saying." Van Pelt put her niece on speaker. "Mae, calm down, and start from the beginning."
"Red John!" Mae screamed.
Patrick Jane, the team's consultant, slammed his book close and perked up.
"Mae, what do you mean?" Van Pelt asked.
"Two smiley faces in my parent's bedroom, their dead!" Mae wailed.
"Is the house torn apart?" Van Pelt questioned.
"No," Mae said.
"Are you still in the house?" Van Pelt inquired.
"Yes," Mae replied.
"Get out and stay calm, okay," Van Pelt responded.
"Okay," Mae said.
"All right, I'll be there soon," Van Pelt replied before she hung up.
"We're going," Jane responded.
After getting off the phone with her aunt, Mae went and stood outside and waited for her to arrive. Before too long the police arrived, they tried to talk to her, but she couldn't bring herself to talk, the only person Mae wanted right now was her aunt. She was extremely hysterical, and she couldn't stop crying. About fifteen minutes after Mae called the CBI, her pulled into the driveway and hopped out of her car.
"Mae," she called as she motioned her over.
She ran over to Grace and flung herself into her arms.
"Aunt Grace!" Mae cried.
"It's all right, I'm here," Aunt Grace said as she rubbed her niece's back.
The rest of the team searched the house and deemed it clear. Mae knew it was coming, but she wasn't ready for it, Agent Lisbon asked her what she saw. She barely got through telling her what happened when she got home. The whole time she clung to her aunt.
"Van Pelt, you two can leave if you want," said Lisbon.
"Do you want to leave?" Grace asked.
Mae shook her head. She didn't want to leave.
"Why don't you go lay down for a little while?" Grace suggested.
Mae nodded, and then went and lied down in her room for a while. About an hour after Mae lied down her aunt woke her up.
"This has officially been deemed a crime scene, you can't stay here," said Grace.
Mae nodded.
"Is there any one you want to stay with, a friend perhaps?" Grace asked.
Mae shook my head.
"Would you like to stay with me?" Grace questioned.
Mae nodded.
"All right, pack up, and come and find me when you're done," said Grace.
5 years later
Mae had recently graduated from high school and summer was here, and she couldn't wait to see what it had in store for her. One day she received a strange text. It read: "You don't know me, but I'm your uncle, meet me at the old Chestnut Tree Cafe tomorrow at noon. Your Uncle R.J."
"Aunt Grace," Mae called from the doorway of my bedroom.
"I'm in the living room," Grace called back.
Mae walked into to the living room where her aunt was sitting on the couch.
"Aunt Grace, I received this weird text, do you think you can trace it for me?" Mae asked.
"Mae, you know I can't do that, besides, it's not work related, but let me see it," Aunt Grace answered.
Mae handed Grace her cellphone and she read the text.
"Should I go?" Mae questioned.
"No, for all we know, the person could be a creep," said Grace.
Mae sighed as Grace handed her phone back to her.
"I really don't feel like cooking, call something in, the money is in my purse, you're limit is $35. I'm going to go take a shower, it was a long day at the office," Grace added.
The next day Mae went met her so called "uncle RJ" at the old, rundown, Chestnut Tree Cafe, which had been abandoned for years. She had the hood up on her jacket so he couldn't see her face, she also had a knife concealed, and it wasn't a wimpy pocket knife either, it was a hunting knife, and her aunt taught her how to use it too, that was one of the perks of living with someone who worked for the CBI. About five minutes after Mae arrived, an old, beat up, black car with tinted windows pulled up, and a man got out. The hood on his jacket was up so his face was concealed. The door of the cafe opened and the man who got out of the car walked in.
"Are you going to lower your hood?" the man asked.
"Are you going to lower your hood, and are you armed?" Mae questioned.
The man pulled back his jacket to reveal that he was not armed.
"I bet you are wondering how I'm related to you," said the man.
"Yes," Mae replied.
"I'm your father's twin brother," said her uncle.
"If you are my father's brother, then why weren't you at his funeral?" she inquired.
"I travel a lot, and I didn't get the news about his death until after the funeral," her uncle replied.
"Sure, whatever you say," Mae responded. She didn't believe what he was saying.
"I bet you're also wondering what R.J. stands for," said her uncle.
"Yes, tell me what it stands for," she replied.
"Two words: Red John," her uncle responded.
Mae gasped and took a step back. "What do you want from me?"
"I want you to help me. I'll take you under my wing and give you anything you want, I'll rescue you from that horrible orphanage you must be living in," Red John answered.
"I'm living with my aunt," Mae said. She wasn't going to mention that her aunt worked for the CBI
"I don't have a sister," replied her uncle.
"My mom's sister," Mae responded.
"Oh, well, come and work for me and I'll give you all that your heart desires," said Red John.
"I'm perfectly..." Mae started.
"You can have your own apartment, or even a mansion if you so desire, you'll have more money than you will know to do with, you can have any pets you want, and any boy. You like a boy, don't you?" Red John replied.
Mae didn't answer his question, but there was one boy shed liked, ever since her Freshmen year, but she didn't know if he liked her. His name was Steven, and he was one of the most amazing people ever, he was extremely multi-talented, he can sing, dance, he writes songs and poetry, he loves to read, he played football, he was on the weightlifting team, and he's really nice, not to mention that he is extremely good-looking.
"There is someone isn't there?" Red John questioned.
Mae didn't answer but instead asked one of my own. "Why did you do it?"
"Why did I do what?" Red John inquired.
"Why did you kill my parents?" she asked.
"Your father threatened to tell your mother, I had to keep him quiet," Red John answered.
"So you killed your brother and sister-in-law?" she exclaimed.
"I do what I have to do, now you're coming with me," said Red John as he tried to grab Mae's arm.
Mae pulled out her knife and Red John stepped back.
"Put it away, you don't know how to use it."
"No, I will not put it away, and yes, I do know how to use it," she replied.
"Let me guess, your aunt taught you," Red John responded.
"Yes she did," Mae said as she started to move toward the door. She never took my eyes off Red John, and he followed her outside. "Just to be safe." Before getting into her car she slashed her tires, and then she ran to her car, jumped in, and drove off.
Soon Mae arrived home, and as she walked into the living room she saw her aunt and Rigsby making out on the couch, if it had gone on for about another ten seconds Mae was sure Rigsby's shirt would have come off. She cleared her throat. Rigsby and Grace looked up.
"Oh, hello Mae, where were you?" greeted Grace.
"No! Wait until I get up to my room," Mae said as she started towards her room.
"Mae, your aunt said you got a strange text the other day," Rigsby replied before she could leave.
"Yes, yesterday," Mae responded.
"Can I see it?" Rigsby asked.
She pulled the text up on her phone and handed her phone to Rigsby.
"Wow, this guy sounds like a creep," said Rigsby as he handed her phone back to her.
"Mae, where did you go?" Grace questioned.
"I went out," Mae replied.
"Out where?" Grace inquired.
"I went to go get some lunch," Mae responded.
"Where?" Grace pried.
"Burger King," Mae said.
"Let me see the receipt," Grace replied.
"You know I never keep the receipt," I responded.
"What did you get then?" Grace pressed.
"Chicken fries, union rings, and a Dr. Pepper, you know, the usual," Mae said. She was starting to become nervous, she hated lying to her aunt; Mae hoped she couldn't see through her lie.
"You're lying, you went didn't you?" Grace said.
"Yes, I went, but in my defensive, I was armed and he wasn't and I had to know," Mae replied.
"Mae, I told you not to go, but you did anyway, what if the person tried to mug, or heaven forbid rape you, what if there was more than one of them?" Grace responded.
"I took all of that into account, and I'm sorry, but I had to know, and I did learn a few things," Mae said.
"What did you learn?" Rigsby asked.
"Well, the guy really is my uncle," Mae answered.
"I don't have a brother," Grace replied.
"He's my father's twin brother," Mae responded.
"I didn't know your father had a brother," said Grace.
"Neither did I, I also found out RJ stands for," Mae replied, the last part slipped out.
"What does RJ stand for?" Grace questioned.
"I've said too much already," Mae responded.
"We hear that at the office all the time, I'm not going to take it from you just tell us," said Grace.
"No, really, I've said too much, if you were just family, then maybe I could get away with telling you, but since you both carry badges, I can't," Mae replied.
"Mae, just tell us," Grace responded.
"No, if I say anything else he's going to kill me," Mae said.
"You think that, or you know that?" Grace inquired.
"I know that," Mae replied. She instantly regretted it. When was she going to learn to keep her big, fat mouth shut?
"Mae, what does RJ stand for?" Grace pried.
She pretended to zip her lips shut and throw away the key.
"Rigsby, get Lisbon on the phone, tell her to bring Cho and Jane and to come here," said Grace.
"That really isn't necessary," Mae replied.
"Oh, look, we got her to say something, she won't stand a chance against Lisbon or Cho," responded Rigsby.
Soon Lisbon, Cho and Jane arrived. While Grace and Rigsby were busy talking I tried to sneak into her bedroom. She almost made it to the door when I felt a hand on her shoulder. She tensed.
"Sit down," said Rigsby.
Mae repentantly sat down in the living room along with Grace, Rigsby, Lisbon, Cho, and Jane.
Jane looked at Mae intently. "You just been scarred for life and traumatized and you've done something illegal, good job." Jane held up his hand for her to hi-five, and she did so quite reluctantly.
"All right Mae, show them the text," said Grace.
Mae pulled up the text on her phone and handed it to Jane.
"Well, this guy sounds like he know what he wants, and will stop at nothing until he gets it," Jane replied. Jane handed the phone to Lisbon.
"Mae, we're you hoping we could trace the text? You know we can't do that, even though your aunt is on the team," Lisbon responded.
"I explained that to her already, and I told her not to go, but did she listen? No, she went anyway," said Grace.
"In my defensive, I had to know," Mae replied.
"And also in her defensive, she was armed and he wasn't," Rigsby responded.
"Don't encourage her," said Grace.
Mae mouthed the words "thank you" to Rigsby, and he smiled and winked at her
Lisbon handed the phone to Cho.
"Creepy," said Cho.
They all sat there in silence for a few minutes, and then Grace broke the silence.
"Either you can tell us what we are thinking, or we can ask."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Mae replied.
"What does RJ stand for?" Grace asked.
"I told you, I've said too much, if I tell you all, he'll kill me, because I already knew who he was before I met him," Mae answered, the last part slipped out. She was kicking herself on the inside.
"Mae, just tell us," said Lisbon.
"I can't," she replied.
"You're nervous," Jane responded.
"No I'm not," Mae said.
"Yes you are, you're smacking your gum, you keep shifting, and you're playing with your hair, all signs of nervousness," Jane replied.
"Is this person a murderer?" Lisbon questioned.
"Yes," Mae responded. Again she kicked herself on the inside.
"How many murders?" Cho inquired.
"I don't know how many exactly," Mae said. That part was the truth.
"Are we looking for him?" Lisbon pried.
"Oh yes, you're looking for him, especially since he joined the team," Mae replied as she pointed at Jane.
The room became deathly quiet. Instantly everyone seemed to get it; everyone stood up and started coming toward her. Her breathing became heavy. Rigsby and Cho were trying to block the way to her bedroom. Mae stood up.
"Stay away from me!" she exclaimed.
"Mae, we're not going to hurt you," said Grace.
"NO!" Mae yelled as she ran out of the living room and toward her bedroom.
Grace was at her heels, she made several attempts to grab Mae's arm, but to no avail. As Mae tried to close her door, Grace tried to force her way in, but in the end, Mae won out and locked her door. As soon as she was sure Grace was gone she flopped down on the bed and began to cry. They wanted to kill her, even Grace wanted to kill her; love only ran so deep.
Van Pelt went back to the living room defeated. She sat down on the couch next to Rigsby.
"Give her 15-20 minutes to cry herself out, and then one at a time try to get her to come out, wait about five minutes between, and when it comes down to the last one, she'll find it annoying and come out," said Jane.
"I don't want you anywhere near her right now," Van Pelt replied.
"Why?" Jane asked.
"Because I know how you are when it comes to Red John, now get out of my house," Van Pelt answered.
"But..." Jane started.
"NOW!" Van Pelt exclaimed as she pointed to the door.
Jane threw his hands up in surrender and walked outside.
"Go see if he's outside," said Van Pelt to Rigsby.
Rigsby got up, went to the front window, pulled by the curtain, and looked outside, sure enough, Jane was outside, but wasn't on Van Pelt's property.
"He's out there, but technically, he's not on your property, so there's nothing you can do," Rigsby replied as he came back into the living room.
"So, who's going first?" Lisbon questioned.
"I'll go first, she's my niece," Van Pelt responded.
"Fine, then I'll go next," said Lisbon.
"I'm not going," Cho replied.
"Oh yes you are," Lisbon responded.
"No, I'm not," said Cho.
"Yes, you are, end of discussion," Lisbon replied.
"It's settled then, I'll go last," Rigsby responded.
Cho looked at Lisbon.
"Deal with it," said Lisbon.
About 15 minutes later Van Pelt went to Mae's room and tried her luck.
Mae had cried my eyes out for about fifteen minutes when there was a knock on the door. She jumped and her breathing became heavy.
"Mae," said Grace.
"Go away," she replied.
"Please, come out, no one is mad at you," Grace responded.
"Leave me alone!" Mae cried.
"Mae, please," Aunt Grace pried.
"NO!" she exclaimed.
"What if I make everyone else leave, and we can order from your favorite restaurant, please, at least talk to me about it," Aunt Grace said.
"No," Mae replied.
For about another five minutes Grace tried to get Mae to come out, but she wouldn't have it. Finally, she left.
Five minutes after Grace left, there was another knock on the door.
"Go away!" Mae exclaimed.
"Please come out, we just want to talk," said Lisbon.
"NO!" Mae screamed.
"We're not going to hurt you, if that's what you're thinking, and I know you are, I give you my word as the team leader that we won't hurt you," Lisbon replied.
That what she said, but she didn't mean it, Mae could tell.
"Just go away!" Mae yelled.
Lisbon tried to lure Mae out for another few minutes, but to no avail, she finally gave up.
Another five minutes passed after Lisbon left when there was a knock on the bedroom door.
"Go away!" Mae exclaimed.
"Come on, come out," said Cho, his voice was deadpan as usual.
"NO!" Mae screamed.
"Come on, we're not going to hurt you," Cho replied.
"Just go!" Mae yelled
Cho made a few more feeble attempts, but they all failed.
"You know you can't stay in here forever, and you also know who is up next," said Cho as he left.
About five minutes after Cho left there was yet another knock on the bedroom door.
"Go away," Mae said; she was getting fed up with everyone trying to get her to come out.
"Not a chance," Rigsby replied.
Mae let out an annoyed sigh. "What do you want?"
"Come out, we're not angry at you, well, your aunt is, but not for what you found out, but because you went in the first place," Rigsby answered.
"No, I'm not coming out," Mae responded.
"Why not?" Rigsby asked.
"Because if I do, I know that you all will want to know every single detail, and I'm not willing to share that," Mae said.
"Well, if you figured that out all by yourself, then you are absolutely, positively, 100 percent, without a doubt, smart," Rigsby replied. Suddenly, her door opened. "But so am I."
"But...how?" Mae questioned.
Rigsby held up a bent paper clip, of course, he picked her lock.
"Get out."
"No, come out to the living room," Rigsby replied.
"If you think that I'm going down there willingly, then you have another thing coming to you," Mae responded.
Rigsby came in and started looking around her room. "Nice room."
"Thanks," she said hesitantly.
Rigsby stopped at her shelves and picked up a stuffed animal that had definitely seen better days, then again, it was Mae's favorite when she was little.
"Put it back."
Rigsby ignored what Mae had said, he looked at a picture of her and her parents, and he then looked down at the stuffed animal. "Your parents give it to you?"
"Yes," Mae replied.
"It's okay that you miss your parents," Rigsby responded as he came over and handed Mae the stuffed animal.
Mae took it from him and held it close. "That day is still etched in my mind."
"I'm not thrilled that we met that way," said Rigsby.
"That was the worse day of my life, at school, I had to deal with bullies, I got an F on a test, and I thought I did really well on that test too, and then to come home and find my parents murdered by Red John," Mae replied.
"I can only imagine how hard it must have been on you," Rigsby responded.
"And then to find out that the man who killed my parents is my uncle," Mae said.
"I know, it must be hard, now come on, come out to the living room," Rigsby replied.
"No," Mae responded.
Rigsby went over to the window. "Fine, if you don't come down, I'll send him in."
"Who?" Mae inquired.
Rigsby motioned for her to join him at the window, and she did. Mae looked out the window and saw Jane standing on the sidewalk, he waved at them.
"Please, no," Mae said.
"Come down, or else you'll have some one on one time with him," replied Rigsby.
"Can I have five minutes to make myself presentable?" Mae asked.
"I suppose, but if you're not out in five minutes, I'm sending him in," Rigsby answered.
"I'll be down, I promise," Mae responded.
"You better be," said Rigsby as he left.
Five minutes later Mae walked out of her room, and just as she entered the living room, Jane walked into the apartment. Mae glared at him.
"Well, someone's touchy," said Jane.
"Mae, what happened?" Lisbon asked.
Mae told them everything, from the text she received to when she drew my knife on Red John.
"Earlier Jane mentioned that you did something illegal, what was it?" Lisbon replied.
"I slashed his tires," Mae responded.
"Mae, you know you can be arrested for that, right?" Lisbon questioned.
"Yes, I'm aware of that, but in my defensive, I didn't want him following me, and besides, do you really think that a mass murderer is going to press charges for slashing tires?" Mae said.
"No, but he might," Lisbon replied.
Suddenly, Mae's phone vibrated.
"If it's one of your friends, tell them you will talk to them later," responded Grace.
"Okay," Mae said. She opened my phone and saw that I had received a text message, the text was from Red John. It read: "I don't appreciate that you slashed my tires you brat, but it just shows that you got what it takes. I want you to know that you can't avoid me forever, I will get you, you will be mine. R.J." Mae's hand began to shake.
"What does it say?" Grace asked.
Mae handed her phone to Grace, and she read the text.
"Oh, my word," said Grace.
She passed Mae's phone to Rigsby, and he read the text.
"Holy... Wow, he's serious," Rigsby replied.
He passed the phone to Lisbon, and she read the text.
"Mae, keep us posted, tell us anytime that he texts, calls, or contacts you in anyway. How did he get your number anyway?" Lisbon responded.
"Will do, and to answer your question, he's Red John, he has his ways," Mae said.
Lisbon handed the phone to Jane.
"I'm going to get him, if it's the last thing I do," Jane replied.
He handed the phone to Cho.
"Creepy," Cho responded.
Cho closed the phone and handed it back to Mae.
"What should I do?" Mae questioned.
"Be careful and don't go out alone," Lisbon said.
"Will do," Mae replied.
If this was the beginning of her summer, Mae wondered how it would end. For the rest of summer Mae was going to be babysat by her aunt and her CBI team.