A/N: Hi guys! This is just a little something that kinda embedded itself in my brain today while playing football. And resulted in me getting a slap of the ball in the face. I swear my nose is throbbing. :(
Anyway, in case anyone is curious about my other fic, Confessions, it'll be a while before I'll be able to post anything, 'cuz I'm a little confused about where I'm going with it; so a little thinking will be required! Plus I'm (supposedly) studying for my "very important" exams. In reality I'm reading fanfics and watching the Mentalist and Friends on a loop. What's a girl to do when Patrick Jane is offered up like that?
Please please please, if you get a chance after reading, leave an 'aul review. I can guarantee that it'll be greatly appreciated!
Just on a side note, the whole premise of this story was influenced by the song 'Stay' by Hurts. Look it up on Youtube, it's a great song! And without further ado and mindless rambling, here is the oneshot! Enjoy!
Oh the disclaimer..gosh darn it! I don't own it. Yeah ok, no need to rub it in. What I wouldn't give...
Cho was pacing. Agent Kimball Cho of the CBI: stoic, cool, calm Cho was pacing. Suffice it to say that he was not one to partake in such a public display of inner turmoil or agitation. The only cause for Cho to do so would be a threat of some sorts to his coworkers: Van Pelt, Rigsby, Lisbon, even Jane; or Elise. And although his reason for doing so now was strange in a sense, it still threatened the wellbeing of two of his team members, and that unnerved him.
He tugged at his tuxedo collar, feeling suffocated by the fabric. What he wouldn't give to be at home, or even at the office. Anywhere but here, in this lavish, extravagant cathedral on the outskirts of Sacramento. It was beautiful, undoubtedly, albeit in a rather "in your face" manner. His reason for being here was quite simple. A reason that shouldn't have been causing so much stress. His boss, Teresa Lisbon, was getting married.
He was outside her suite, pacing, debating, vacillating between two seemingly innocent options. To tell or not to tell. To wait or not to wait. That was the $100 million question. The sound of heavy footsteps approaching from behind, broke Cho from his thoughts. As he turned around, he was presented with the vision of his partner Wayne Rigsby, an expression of disgust etched onto his features. He too was pulling at his collar. He inclined his head to Cho, by way of greeting.
"Hey man, what's up? You're pacing."
Leave it to Rigsby to point out the obvious. Cho sighed, before running his fingers through his hair, another uncommon sign of his agitation.
"I just got a call from Mercy General."
His eyes darted towards Lisbon's room, as though she was listening through the oak panelled door. Rigsby's brows knit together in confusion.
"As in the hospital? Why?"
Cho sighed again before rolling his eyes.
"No, the sweet shop. Of course the hospital."
"So? What's up?"
"Jane's been in an accident."
Rigsby's eyebrows, if it were possible, mashed closer together. Jane, in an accident? It was plausible, given the speed that the man drove at. God knows Lisbon had reprimanded him more than once about it. But he was supposed to be sick. Dying with some cold or virus or something. Cho spoke as though he had read the taller agent's mind.
"You didn't really believe that BS about Jane being sick, did you?"
Now that Rigsby thought about it, it had seemed off. Jane had called the boss yesterday from his sickbed in his recently purchased apartment, claiming that he was too weak to attend her wedding to her boyfriend of a year, Nathan Kerrigan. Jane never missed a chance to spend time with the boss, especially after the apprehension and subsequent death of Red John.
Jane was on his way here. Lisbon. Wedding. Jane's story about being sick.
Why would he lie, especially when it was the boss' wedding? Unless... but no.. Jane couldn't really be-
"Worked it out Einstein? Jane was on his way here, about twenty minutes away, when his car collided with a drunk driver doing 180 in the wrong lane. He's pretty banged up, he's in surgery now."
And banged up he was. Multiple contusions to the head, suspected rib fractures, punctured lung, and a broken leg. The EMT hadn't told him much, only his preliminary guesses. He was worried for Jane, he was, but at the moment his options were limited with regards to helping him. The only thing that he could do now was tell Lisbon. And such a thing should not have been a big deal, were it not for the fact that Lisbon obviously cared for Jane, in a way that went above and beyond the call of duty.
Rigsby was still shell-shocked by this sudden development.
"Jane.. loves Lisbon? Since when? Where was I when this happened?"
Sometimes, Cho wondered how Rigsby ever became a cop. It was obvious to a blind man that Jane had feelings for the boss. How many times had he followed her round like a lost puppy, teasing her, angering her, sometimes openly flirting with her? Countless. And yet the man had to leave it until her wedding day, her wedding day! to tell her.
And it was equally as obvious that the Boss reciprocated the feelings. People believed Cho to be unobservant as he was impassive, which was a rather foolish assumption to make. But really. She often looked at him, when she thought no-one was watching. Really looked at him. And Cho was always watching, observing. The woman couldn't have made her feelings more obvious if she jumped up on the roof and yelled for all the world to know.
"Since he joined the team. And only openly after you killed Red John."
And killed Red John he had. Two bullets to the back of the head. Rigsby wouldn't forget that day for as long as he lived. Lisbon lying motionless in the corner of Jane's Malibu living room, blood oozing from an angry wound on her forehead, hands bound behind her back. Jane stood protectively in front of her, reiterating over and over again that it had nothing to do with her, weaponless, vulnerable to any attack that the sadistic serial killer may dream up.
And the man himself. All that Rigsby saw of him in life was his back. In death the man was weak, small and mousy. Brutal and perverse, undoubtedly. But weak. Like any other man, the "guy next door".
He shook his head, in an attempt to dispel any lingering images of Red John's corpse from his mind.
"You have to tell her man. She'll never forgive you if you don't."
Cho knew that. He knew it. Lisbon wouldn't openly display her feelings on the matter, but many years of working with her provided Cho with all of the experience he needed, to be sure of the fact that Teresa Lisbon would never trust him implicitly as she did now, if he refrained from telling her something as important as this. And she certainly wouldn't forgive him.
"I know."
Rigsby sighed, before a sudden thought struck him.
"But, how come they called you? Wouldn't Lisbon be-"
"Yeah," Cho interrupted, "Lisbon is his emergency contact. EMT said they rang her six or seven times, but she didn't pick up. So they rang the next on the list."
Cho didn't think much of the fact that he was Jane's "go to guy" after Lisbon. He'd put money on the fact that both Rigsby and Van Pelt came after him. It was common knowledge that they were the only people that Jane really had. And it was to be expected that the boss would be first. Common sense.
The only people that Jane had. Jane needed them now. And more than anyone else, he needed Lisbon. The thought instilled a resolve in Cho. He would tell her. Screw the wedding. He didn't really like Kerrigan anyway. Too cocky and smarmy for his own good. He ran his fingers through his hair again.
"I'm telling Lisbon. And then I'm going to the hospital. You coming?"
It took Rigsby but a second to reply, determined.
"Of course. I'll grab the SUV, bring it round front."
Cho turned towards the door of the plush suite, as Rigsby's footfalls became softer and softer. He sighed heavily, before rapping his knuckles against the mahogany wood. The door opened, revealing a smiling Grace, radiant in her jade green bridemaids dress, red hair pulled to the side in an elegant French plait.
"Hey Cho," she beamed "Lisbon looks great, seriously you should see her!"
Noticing the grave expression on his face, she felt her joyful countenance slide from view.
"What's wrong?"
"I need to talk to the Boss, Grace. It's important. It's about Jane."
It's completely and utterly random, I know. A lot of it probably doesn't make sense. But, I dunno. I was thinking that maybe I might continue it, like maybe do Lisbon's reaction or something, if people are so inclined. Let me know if you'd like to see it! Thanks for reading! :D
Mash 3