A/N: Just my thoughts on what 7.02 might be like (but will probably be nothing like it!). It'll be a few chapters long. My aim is to get it finished for Thursday morning before the episode airs in Canada. Hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist, the wonderful Bruno Heller does.
Greybar Concerns
Abbott walked into the bullpen as Lisbon sat at her desk, Jane lying on the couch behind her, his eyes closed.
She glanced up at Abbott as he approached before putting her head back down. She presumed he was here to see Jane, to tell him off for pretending to sleep during the day or to get his help on a new case. She was surprised when he stopped in front of her desk and she raised her head again.
'Lisbon, I have an undercover assignment that I need your help with, up for the challenge?'
She heard Jane turn his head towards her back and could imagine his raised eyebrows as he asked, 'We have a new case, Dennis?'
Abbott glanced at him briefly before turning his attention back to Lisbon. 'Yes. Lisbon, information has come to light on the name of a head of a car theft ring. But we don't have the proof we need to prosecute.'
As Abbott spoke, Jane moved from his couch to stand beside her.
'Why are you talking to Lisbon about this?' he interjected.
Lisbon glared at him and he realised the interpretation behind his words. He stammered, 'I mean...not that you shouldn't speak to Lisbon but...why not the whole team?'
She rolled her eyes at him and looked back at Abbott. 'What can I do to help, boss?'
Abbott replied, 'We need his girlfriend to turn on him. From the information we've obtained so far we're confident that she knows about his involvement in the operation and can point us to the proof that we need.'
Jane studied Abbott and frowned. Something was wrong with this situation. Lisbon was a superior agent but these kinds of problems where persuasion was necessary were normally his area of expertise.
Abbott added, 'The only problem is that she is currently in prison on an unrelated crime. She has a few months to go and we've heard that the gang her boyfriend runs is planning a major operation in the next few weeks.'
Lisbon replied, 'You've offered her a deal I presume already to cut short her time.'
'Yes, we have but so far she's standing by him. She won't fold. So, I thought a fellow inmate may be able to change her mind. As you'd expect, she's distrustful of cops or any kind of law enforcement.'
Jane moved forward a little, a frown line between his eyes. 'You want Lisbon to go undercover in a prison to get this woman to co-operate' he stated, a glimmer of hesitation in his voice, hoping he had come to the wrong conclusion.
Abbott nodded before turning his attention back to Lisbon. 'So, Agent Lisbon? Think you can make a convincing criminal?'
Lisbon replied, 'Absolutely. Just give me an hour to go over the information we have so far.'
Jane's head turned sharply towards her making her look at him. 'We should talk about this before you agree to anything' he said to her, the line between his eyes more pronounced.
Abbott raised his eyebrows towards her. Jane and she were still keeping their relationship a secret but they both suspected (knew in Jane's case) that Abbott was more than aware of the change between them. She had to show that she was still a FBI agent at the end of the day and not just Patrick Jane's girlfriend.
After a quick glance at Abbott she said to Jane, 'No, we don't. It's my decision.'
Jane shot her a withering look and shook his head. 'Lisbon-'
'Jane. I'm more than able to handle this.'
She turned back to Abbott, pretending to disregard the mixture of worry and anger stretched across his features. 'I'm in' she stated.
At the sound of those words Jane stormed off to the break room.
She found him a few minutes later, sipping a cup of tea with his back to the counter. He raised his eyes when he saw her before taking another sip.
'Jane, what the hell was that all about?'
'We're a couple aren't we now, a partnership? If you're going to put yourself into a position where harm could come to you don't you think we should discuss that first, Teresa?'
She rolled her eyes. 'Jane, harm could come to me every day in this job. You've always known that.'
He nodded, sighing. 'I know but that doesn't mean you have to volunteer where that is more likely to be the case.'
She raised her eyebrows to him. 'Seriously? After all the times you've put yourself in danger, you're throwing that back at me? A little hypocritical, don't you think?'
Jane put his cup down and shrugged before looking her straight in the eyes. 'Yes. Immensely hypocritical. I agree. But I can't help the way I feel.' He looked down to the ground, his shoulders sagging.
She moved a little closer to him and said quietly. 'Look, I get it. Your need to want to protect me. Your fear of something happening to me...It's...only natural that you'd feel that way, especially now. But you're being over protective, Patrick. Even on the last case when Spackman was telling me off for whining you jumped to my defence. I admit I was flattered that you did at the time; it was nice you sticking up for me like that but I don't need you to fight my battles for me every time. Just because we're together now I'm still my own person and more than capable of fighting my own. And of making my own decisions where my career is concerned.'
He nodded, looking around to make sure they were alone before touching the edges of her jacket and pulling her a little closer. 'I know that. Look, it's not that I don't think you're capable of doing the job. And I apologise if I came across as some kind of chauvinist jerk telling you what you should do just because we're together now. I'm...I'm just worried, that's all.'
He exhaled loudly. 'But...you're right. You should do what you want to do. I'll be fine with it once I've got used to the idea.'
She glanced around and bit her lip before kissing him quickly on the lips. 'I promise I'll be careful.'
He nodded. 'I'm going to miss you.'
She smiled, 'I'm going to miss you too.'
'Just watch yourself in there, please. Just get the job done quickly and come home to me safe.'
She grinned when he used the word 'home'. They weren't actually living together but he stayed most nights with her since they got together and it was the first time he'd referred to her place as their place.
'Will you visit me and bring me a blueberry muffin?' she said, smiling.
He nodded, flashing her a dazzling smile. 'Of course. And I won't settle for cranberry like you did.'