This is my first fan fiction. I love the TV show The Mentalist and have felt that Grace Van Pelt's character isn't explored nearly enough. She's awesome and has been through so much; she has a story to tell! This is my own way of making that happen since the show is coming to an end and there won't be much chance on there. There will be more to come, one a week hopefully. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

When Duty Calls

As her cell phone rang violently on her bed side table she tossed in the sheets. After a few more angry buzzes she sighed and gave in, lifting her head from the pillow. Her red hair was messy and knotted as she brushed it out of the way to hold the phone to her ear.

"Hello, what is it?" The deep, gruff tone in her voice alerted the caller that they had just woke her up. Not that it was surprising, since it was barely six in the morning.

"Hey Van Pelt, sorry to wake you." It was Theresa Lisbon; her boss at the CBI (California Bureau of Investigation). Sighing heavily she sat upright and rubbed her eyes until they stopped blurring her vision.

"Its okay boss, what's up?"

"We've got a body. Just off the interstate near the shore, when can I expect you here?" Rolling her eyes Grace swung her legs over the bed, slightly annoyed that her boss just expected her to be able to go.

"Give me forty minutes." Grace tried to keep her voice civil.

"Alright, see you then." Her boss hung up. Grace stared at her phone, wishing it hadn't waked her up. As she went to stand up a hand went over her shoulder and pulled her back to a sitting position.

"Oh no you don't, where do you think you're going?" Grace chuckled and put her hand over the one on her shoulder.

"I have to go to work, sorry." There was no reply to her apology. She did get a light kiss on her collar bone though...and then another one on her neck. Then she got the reply.

"Don't apologise...just be back soon." Turning around Grace smiled, leaning forward to kiss Anna (the girl who lived in the apartment below her, 2B) on the lips.

"I will, as soon as we break for lunch. I'll call you." Getting out of the bed Grace turned to her dresser and brushed through her matted hair.

"Am I okay to go back to sleep here?" Anna asked from the bed. Grace looked at her in the mirror and smiled.

"Of course, make yourself at home." When her hair was unknotted she threw it up in a pony tail and pulled open a drawer. She pulled on some underwear and fished for a bra. When she successfully had the bra on she turned to her wardrobe to look for a shirt. She found Anna propped up on one elbow, watching her intently.

"Can I help you?" Grace asked her mockingly as she settled for a plain white t-shirt.

"No thanks, I'm just enjoying the view." Anna replied with a wicked grin. Grace threw another shirt at her playfully and pulled on a pair of jeans. Quickly pulling on her boots, fastening her belt and clipping her gun and badge to it Grace stood in front of the mirror, ready.

"You look great. Now go and catch some bad guys." Anna told Grace who nodded, bent over the bed for a goodbye kiss and grabbed her jacket and keys on the way out. Jumping the stairs of her apartment block (since her elevator was broken and the landlord had no intention of fixing it) Grace used the time she had until she got to the crime scene to compose herself. None of her work colleagues knew about Anna and Grace wanted to keep it that way. So she just had to act normal. That doesn't seem so difficult does it? But when she worked with someone like Patrick Jane it was extremely difficult. When she arrived at the crime scene she was ready to do her job, Anna pushed firmly to the back of her mind. Crossing the threshold of the yellow crime scene tape was like wiping the slate clean for her, it cleared her mind more than anything else.

"Hey Van Pelt, you look good considering the early start. You okay?" Patrick Jane was right behind her.

"Oh hey Jane, yeah I'm good thanks." When she reached the body she stopped and waited for Lisbon to tell her what was going on.

"You look especially...glowing today." Jane pointed out. Van Pelt didn't look up to him, although she had a millisecond of panic rush through her. What was so special about her today? She just nodded and closed her phone over, smiling up at him.

"Thanks Jane, you too." Her brush off tone was enough to tell him that she didn't want him to define how he found her extra 'glowing' today. Lisbon walked over to her and gave her a smile.

"Good morning, Grace. Our victim is mid twenties, male. Timothy Walters. Looks like a robbery gone wrong but we need to cover all the bases. I'm sending you and Rigsby to his work. He was a vice president at Lyle & Walters estate agents. You good to go?" Grace gave her a nod and turned to Rigsby who had been listening quietly behind her. Wayne Rigsby was Grace's ex-boyfriend, a friendly guy. Grace was glad they were able to be friends.

"You ready? We might as well stop for coffee, the place doesn't open until eight thirty." Wayne told Grace as they walked toward her car. She checked her watch and saw it was just past seven.

"Yeah, okay. You want to drive or should I?"

"You can, I got a ride with Cho today." Cho was another detective on the team. Nodding Grace opened her car and got in the driver's seat. Wayne happily got into the passenger side and buckled up as Grace pulled the car back onto the interstate.

"So what did you get up to last night?" He asked Grace as she steered with her left hand and buckled up with her right.

"Nothing really, watched some TV, tried to get my dumb ass landlord to fix the god damn elevator. No use though...ass hole." Wayne laughed a little.

"I can't believe you put up with that guy. I'd be so out of there." Grace just nodded, not really sure herself why she put up with him. She pulled off of the interstate and stopped at a red light that lead to town.

"So, any preferred coffee shop?" Grace asked Wayne as the light changed from red to amber.

"Not really. There is one on the corner here." He pointed out of the window and Grace nodded, turning and pulling up outside of the shop. It hadn't been open long and the fresh smell of coffee beans was welcoming. They both got out of the car and went into the store. There was a young girl - no older than twenty - behind the counter and she was standing at the till, waiting for a customer.

"Good morning, how may I help you?" The girl was polite and smiling. Grace smiled back and pulled her jacket back to rest her hands on her hips. The young girls eyes flashed down to Grace's belt where her police badge was. The girls smile faded slightly. Grace kept her smile intact.

"I'll have a coffee black with two sugars please." Wayne ordered first.

"I'm just going to the bathroom." Wayne told Grace as he gave her a five dollar bill and moved toward the restrooms.

"I'll just have a coffee please, milk and no sugars." Grace asked the cashier. Handing her the cash Grace pocketed Wayne five and reminded herself to give him that back later, buying his coffee from her own money. When the girl handed the coffee, receipt and the change back Grace nodded a little and sat at a table near the window. The girl had resumed her place by the till and was waiting patiently. Wayne returned and sat opposite Grace who handed him the coffee.

"Thanks." Wayne told her as he took a sip. Grace frowned when she put the change back in her pocket. On the back of the receipt was a scrawled note.

'help me guy with gun behind counter' Grace fought the urge immediately take action. She knew the girl wouldn't be standing there if that was a possibility.

"Hey Wayne, I got your coffee." Grace told Wayne as she fished the five dollar bill from her pocket.

"No, don't worry about it. The next one's on me." Grace caught his gaze and shot him a stern look.

"No, really, I insist." She passed him the note and the five dollar bill. He read it then pocketed it before mouthing something to her.

"What should we do?" Grace didn't answer because she had no idea.