*dum dum dum duuum* So, this is my first attempt at a "The Mentalist" fan fiction. I'm not quite sure whether it's a complete disaster or somewhat acceptable. Well, we'll see how you like it.
CAUTION: English is not my native language so grammar mistakes might attack you while reading. ^___^
The story was inspired by a weird text message I received a while ago and a tremendous amount boredom late at night did the rest.
Disclaimer: Ah yeah ... I don't own this show BUT! I own a very handsome looking DVD which contains all the episodes of season 1 and some very nice pictures of the team in the booklet :D
One year. It had been one year since she had last spoken to her team, her little dysfunctional family, the ones she could always rely on. Now she was sitting on a bench somewhere in the middle of a busy city, surrounded by people talking rapidly in cell phones, running hastily from one place to another. She always wondered how people could find rest in such a blur of actions. Thinking of such things brought her back to Patrick Jane. How he lay on his brown leather couch, feigning sleep while being enveloped in unpleasant office noises and violent conversations about death and crime. Teresa Lisbon closed her eyes and tried to recall his features. How his eyes lit up when he realized one of his lunatic plans turned out just the way he wanted it, the impertinent smile that occurred on his face whenever he could make her blush. She let out a defeated sigh. This was something she really shouldn't think about. Primarily because this was the exact reason why she was now sitting on a park bench far away from the town she once used to call 'home' and secondarily because she had other things to do right now. Again letting out a deep sigh she stood up, hesitantly as if she wouldn't trust her feet to carry all this weight that was resting on her shoulders. When she was sitting in her car, coming closer to her own personal hell, Teresa Lisbon started to doubt her actions. She was never really one that strayed from her trail once she set her mind to a matter. But right now coming closer to this devil's town that used to haunt her in her sleep, she really wanted to run away. Far away. She clutched the steering wheel tighter. This had to be done. Loose ends never were a good foundation for anything. If she wanted to be liberated from this burden imposed on her so many years ago, she had to face it one more time. Getting out of her car and locking it securely she approached the old house tentatively. Gripping the house keys tightly she unlocked the old door and closed her eyes. She waited a few moments for the demons to come and crush her but the only thing she felt was a light breeze that ruffled her silky brown hair. Warily she opened her eyes. Everything was in its supposed place. She felt herself drifting back oh so many years ago. Young Teresa Lisbon stepped over the threshold and swiped the dust of a framed picture to her left. It's been some time. None of her brothers ever visited this place again, she knew why. This place wasn't exactly something you wanted to cherish. She looked around. The brown blanked still lay neatly folded on the light cotton couch, the flowers, now withered with hanging leaves, on the little table in front of the couch seemed to display the tragedy that took place within these walls all those years ago. Teresa stepped further into the house when she stumbled over something. Looking downwards she recognized a little stuffed bear that had certainly seen much better times. One ear was missing, his fur dirty and holey. Teresa Lisbon was thrown back in time. She clutched the little animal to her chest and closed her eyes. This little fellow used to keep her little brother company when he lay scared under the blanket and prayed to a God that their mother used to tell them about. He was a good, kind creature, she said. But why did he never rescue her from that car or told their daddy that he was scaring them. The petite woman smiled sadly, wrapping the cross around her neck in one of her fists. No, this God her mother was telling them about doesn't exist. Slowly she opened her eyes again and walked, somehow careful of the steps she took, toward an old escritoire.
Taking in a deep breath and squinting in the sun she stuffed the documents she removed from the escritoire. The first step was taken. Now the house and the land it was standing on could be sold and she could erase all the memories that came with it from her mind. She always wanted to be the girl her mother wanted her to become: a successful woman with a respectable job and her own little family to manage. Well, she was a very successful working woman and the family part might be not that far out of reach. Once again her thoughts travelled back to Patrick Jane. How they used laugh and banter over the most insignificant things. How he took her out to the strangest places, driving her around in fancy cars happily provided by bored millionaires. She smiled happily. Now that everything was taken care of she could go back to that life. No loose ends would keep her away from her happy place; no taunting memories could hurt her now. On her drive to Sacramento she had a smile on her lips. How she missed this sunny town.
One year ago Teresa Lisbon decided it was time to come to terms with her past. She left the CBI for an unknown period of time for 'personal reasons'. She always intended to return, of course. CBI was her purpose, her safe haven. Now returning to this job she felt truly happy. The bad guys would be chased again and put behind bars. Justice would be served. She could see her team once again and, above all, accept Patrick Janes offer for dinner. They had been, kind of secretly, dating for a few months and Teresa Lisbon dreaded to take this somewhat strange relationship to the next step. But before the highly anticipated reunion with her team and friends she had to go home. Maybe do some cleaning and thanking Ms. Green for taking care of her place for so long. When she opened the door of her apartment, a huge bunch of flowers greeted her. Ms. Green seemed to expect her. Next to the bouquet was a huge pile of letters and cards. She smiled and picked up the letter that lay on top of the little 'mail-mountain'. It was a thick, white envelope that had little white doves and a bridal couple on the bottom left corner. She smiled: a wedding invitation. Maybe VanPelt and Rigsby finally took the next step. But when her eyes met the consignors address her world came tumbling down.
Patrick Jane
This was an invitation to Patrick Janes wedding, Patrick Jane marrying another woman. Teresa Lisbon did the only thing she could think of: running. Far away.
Running away never was a solution to a problem and Teresa Lisbon would have laughed at her behavior if she ever opened the letter. Next to Patrick Janes name sat in beautiful calligraphy the name of the woman he wanted to propose to all these years but never did due to his blinding quest for revenge:
Teresa Lisbon
He thought it a rather marvelous way to propose…
A/N: So that's it. I'd love to read some reviews. (wow it took me 2 min to spell this word correctly. XD I probably should go to bed now. Night everyone)