RAINBOW TALES
Author: CK
Rating: P12 / T
Contents: Life has many colors - as has love. A Patrick/Teresa one shot series.
Disclaimer: I'm glad this fabulous show belongs to series creator Bruno Heller and his team, because I think they make a great job, and I wouldn't wanna see "The Mentalist" in other hands.
Author's Note: I always wanted to do a color series of some sort. I started writing the series, but suddenly my muse run away ih all my ideas and my inspiration... So I have a terrible writer's block at the moment, and I hope that posting what I already have of this series convinces my muse to stop... blocking me and come back...
RED - A Sweet Apology
She couldn't count the times anymore she'd been cursing Patrick Jane. It was his third year on her team, and he hadn't yet stopped being a nuisance. Certainly, a mostly useful nuisance, but nevertheless, he brought so much trouble that sometimes, Teresa Lisbon wasn't so sure if it - he - was worth it.
Still, he was a part of the team, and despite all the problems he caused, he also helped a lot. There was only one thing she needed to teach him - to follow rules and orders.
Their latest case started seemingly easy. A murdered woman in a strawberry field, and a jealous, vengeful husband running away when they appeared at his doorstep was what they were prompted with. But, of course, Jane contradicted the obvious suspicion. The husband wasn't the murderer - that was what he said. It wasn't unusual for Jane to not go for the easy solutions, and it also wasn't unusual for him to be right with his suppositions, what was proved only a short time later. They also knew he liked to go his own ways of investigation and as long as one of them - normally Lisbon - had an eye on him, those ways tended to be successful. And less harmful.
Yet sometimes, the consultant managed to sneak away. Like this time - much to his boss's annoyance. However - it, admittedly, resulted in a rapidly solved case.
As well as a total of seven complaints filed against him.
And Lisbon was angry. Solved case or not, it was her who had to deal with the complaints, it was her who had to explain them to their superiors, and in some way it was also her who had to take the punishment. Rather would she have worked a bit longer on finding the real murderer. Seven complaints during one case - a questionable record, and with the consequence for her that the time they'd been saved she couldn't invest in some free time activities, but instead in working late. For him.
What, above all, annoyed her personally, was that due to the fast solution and closing of the case, she'd been denied a chance she'd hoped for ever since they'd received information about the crime scene. Harvest some strawberries off the field. This one time, she even wouldn't have cared if she had committed a crime by taking two or three of the really huge berries. It had been almost a torture to withstand the temptation of those delicious looking fruits and her cravings when they'd visited the crime scene. Of course she couldn't admit her secret passion in front of the team, so she had hoped for some following visits at the victim's house. And the nearby field.
But with the case closed, she had no reason to return; quite the contrary, she would only raise suspicions if she would show up at that place. The husband had been furious at them for suspecting him, and Jane's special ways of investigation hadn't made anything better. Not even finding the murderer of his wife had helped.
When she turned off the lights this evening - or night, to be more exact - and left the building to head to her car, it was with a rumbling stomach and a dangerous lack of sugar in her system. Dangerous for everyone who would have crossed her way then.
Lucky for anyone, she made her way to her car without any encounters.
Instead by a person she was met by a surprise when she opened the driver's door. There, on her seat, lay a little red box with a fine red ribbon - and when she took a closer look, she also saw the tiny, dark red heart printed onto the box. Lisbon looked around, searching for any sign that would tell her where the present came from. Her car had been locked, so anyone obviously had taken her keys...
... which left only one person. She rolled her eyes and sighed. Yes, there was a lot he still had to learn. Although she doubted he ever would.
Curiosity won over before she could start the car. She had wanted to go home first, but suddenly she couldn't wait to see what was inside her little present, knowing from whom it came. A smile ignored every resistance and took over her face when she opened the box and saw what was lying there on a small pillow of velvet.
One perfect strawberry of the richest red color she'd ever seen, and its sweet smell filled the air around her and left her in a state of deep contentment.
Of course there was one person who knew of her secret cravings and passions. At least of this one. She wouldn't want to think about any others right now. Seriously; she feared she'd blush, and she feared it even though she was alone in her car on a deserted parking lot.
The first bite told her that the strawberry was as sweet and juicy as it looked. She barely dared to swallow it, too afraid was she to lose that wonderful, heavenly taste on her tongue.
And even though she knew he was watching her from the bureau's window - right at that moment, she was thankful enough to let him take part in her pleasure and delight.
END