Author's note: Written for the Paint It Red December 2012 Monthly Challenge - prompt: "when lies become the truth".
All That You Can't Say
As a little kid, he was a bit of a daredevil. His mother used to scold him every time he pulled one of his stunts; he always said he was sorry, but never really meant it.
It was only when he was standing beside her grave that he finally understood what being sorry actually meant. Unfortunately, it was too late for him to make it up to his beloved mom.
…
Angela begged him to quit his psychic business time and time again. It wasn't the kind of life that either of them deserved – especially Charlotte.
He always made amends to her, promising he was going to change tomorrow.
Then one night he came home to find their lifeless bodies sprawled on the bed, and a bloody face mocking him from the wall. He vowed he would spend the rest of his life trying to earn their forgiveness, but he knew that nothing he could do was ever going to be enough.
…
Right from his first day at the CBI he knew that he had to gain Lisbon's trust somehow. That's why he put on an act and pretended he actually cared for her.
What he hadn't taken into account was that the lie would become the truth somewhere along the way. Teresa Lisbon wasn't just another pawn in the game he was playing with Red John anymore.
She was his friend, his savior, and the only woman he could ever fall for. He even told her once, but was too much of a coward to admit it when it was all over.
In the end it was Teresa herself who said the words. And he was secretly grateful that she'd decided to take charge of things once more.