New Story

I woke up with a headache like I did everyday, but I would take that any day as long as they prevented me from dreaming. I rolled over on my side and looked at the red light coming from my clock. Crap! Seven o clock already? I sprung out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. I turned the shower tap on and started to get in when I had the eerie sensation that someone was watching me. I whirled around but nobody was there. Come on pull yourself together Ava. After I had a shower I dried my hair and then straightened it. I looked at myself in the mirror and then knew I was doing the right thing by joining the CBI task force, one day that is. I went into the kitchen to find my mother and father sitting at the big oak table eating their everyday breakfast.

" Hey mom, dad" I said but none of them turned around or even said a word to me like usual. I was getting tired of all this nonsense I mean it was my body I could do whatever the hell I wanted with it. In case your wondering what I` m talking about my parents had a child before me my brother and he was born with some spinal disease, so the doctors suggested that they have another child that could donate spinal fluid to him at least once a month. So I was basically born just for someone else` s sake. I had helped my brother out for 16 years and just last month I decided that I couldn't take it anymore and that I didn't want to do the spinal taps anymore. My parents were furious at me but its not like they weren't like that all the time anyways. It almost felt to me that they resented my and wished they never had me. Even my brother didn't seem to like me, he never thanked me or even tried to have conversations with me. Even after the worst possible thing could of happened to me about three months ago nobody cared. But I would rather not go into that at the moment cause I knew I would cry again.

I walked to the fridge and opened it and grabbed an apple and an orange like I always did. I looked at the mirror on the wall beside the door to make sure that I was presentable. Today was my first day at the CBI, well it was my first co- op day at the CBI I was still in high school so it wasn't like I could be an agent or anything. I opened the door and thought about saying goodbye to my parents but then decided against it. My parents sure weren't going to drive me so I decided to take the bus.

As I sat in the back of the bus like I always did I started to think about what I would be doing today when I got to the office. I had a full day there today because it was a half day at my school and I had co- op in the morning, so I just told them I would be able to stay for the whole day. I watched as I passed my high school, the barber shop, and then the bakery. Five minutes later and I was walking up to the CBI gates.

" Excuse me but can I see a piece of ID" the man asked at the gates.

I was told this would happen so Agent Hightower gave me a card with my picture and name on it and everything. It was exciting in a way because I felt special or important when I wore the piece of ID.

" Yeah sure, just one sec, oh umm… OH! Here it is!" I said showing it too him he gave the card a look then me and then back at the card again.

" Alrighty miss Harlow, you have a nice day now" I gave him a smile and then started to walk towards the CBI building. I started to hyperventilate when I got up to the doors, I was so nervous and I didn't know why. Actually I knew why I just didn't want to admit it. I was going to meet the Patrick Jane today, the one who was so obsessed with the Red John case, just like me in some ways. I heard that he could read people like an open book. I was nervous because I didn't want him to read me, I didn't want him figuring out or learning my secrets. The ones that I have held in for so long, and had not even told my best friends. Only people back in my hometown really knew one of my secrets but it was all over the papers in that town. And my parents and brother of course knew but they didn't care even one bit, I wish they would care but they never do and I have learned to live with it all my life.

I was in the elevator now watching as the floors went up 5, 6, 7. And then the sound of the elevator opening. I took a deep breath and then walked out of the elevator. I saw everyone in business suit even for the girls. I was glad I decided to wear my black pencil skirt with a white blouse, I felt more professional in it. Although I had my light brown hair pin straight down to my stomach. Oh well I thought, I don't think it's a big deal.

" You must be Ava" I heard someone say from behind me. It was agent Hightower. She walked towards me with a smile on her face and held out her hand.

" I want to formally introduce myself I am agent Hightower, I must say that it is a pleasure to have you hear at our office. I toke a look at your grades throughout your high school, and must I say they are quit impressive."

I smiled at her, I liked being recognized for something good that I did.

" Well thank you very much, Im so thankful that your allowing me to do my co op placement here. It really means a lot."

" Oh its really no problem at all, I should take you to your desk I thought it would kind of be fun if you had your own desk, and the team should probably meet you too. Although I must warn you about Patrick Jane, he can be…. Well a handful." She said while walking towards a large open room with several desks and a large burgundy couch at one side of the room. A man was lying on the couch with his hands behind his head and his eyes closed. There was a red haired women sitting at her desk with a computer typing something. A man sat beside her, as they both stared at the screen.

" Agent Lisbon, I would like you to meet someone very special." Agent Hightower said as she walked towards Lisbon and as I followed her. Lisbon turned around with a smile on her as she looked at Hightower and then to me. Her face kind of looked confused for a moment but she quickly hid it with a smile again.

" This is miss Harlow she is going to be doing a co op placement here at CBI. She will be with your team for the entire year. She is extremely brilliant and she could be of great use to you and your team. She` s kind of like Jane in a way but less of a menace." She said as she winked at me.

" Well then it's a pleasure to meet you miss Harlow, I look forward to spending some time with you." Lisbon said.

I looked around and noticed that the rest of the team members were eyeing me suspiciously except for the man on the couch who remained perfectly still. I felt kind of awkward standing in the middle of the room where all of these agents were staring at me.

" This over here can be your desk, you can put some things on the desk to make it feel more at home, and you said that you had a laptop that you could use right?" She said while looking at me.

" Yes I brought it with me just in case." She smiled at me, and I smiled back.

" Well I think that I shall be leaving you all to do your business, again it's a pleasure having you here." She smiled at me and then walked away.

I walked over to the desk and sat in the rolling black chair. I got out my laptop and set it on the desk along with some pens, pencils and a notebook.

" Is that a Mac computer?" I heard someone say from in front of me. A taller man was walking towards me, and then he reached my desk and sat on the chair beside it.

" Oh, yeah, yeah it is, I got it when I saved up money from my job." I said back. He was tall with messed up brown hair and a curious look on his face.

" Wow, you bought this yourself? I defently thought it would've been a Christmas present or something like that….. Oh by the way I am Agent Rigsby its nice to meet you.. Harlow is it?" he looked at me with real curiosity on his face.

" Ha, ha nope I bought it all by my little ole self, and its actually Ava Harlow is my last names, so you can call me Ava." I said smiling at him. I was starting to like this guy, it seemed like he had a good sense of humour.

" Oh wow, that's a pretty name, you don't really hear that one often do ya?" he said while laughing. I laughed with him too because he was right it was a unique name and I loved it. I saw the man on the couch sit up stretch and then letting out a big yawn. He got up and started to walk out of the room but then he stopped dead in his tracks and looked over at me. It was then that I saw it was Patrick Jane. He had a smirk on his face as he walked over to my desk. That would take a while to get used to ' my desk'. I looked down and heard his footsteps and then nothing. I looked up and saw him standing right next to Agent Rigsby with a big smile on his face. I couldn't help but smile too.

" Well who is this?" he asked still smiling.