You are the piece I can't replace
You left a mark that won't erase,oh
No one else can teach me how to love again
cause you left a permanent stain on my heart
And I've been feeling it
Never mind what people say cause they
don't understand
how you left a permanent stain
on my heart
You're never leaving it.
Backstreet Boys
Case Solved: Love Revealed
I know there are other stories with Lisbon's point of view but I had to write my version as well. These are missing scenes from Bluebird after the plane song, Permanent Stain by the Backstreet Boys made me think of Jane and Lisbon instantly. I have all the lyrics at the end of the story.
Disclaimer: Don't own The Mentalist
Please Review
Teresa Lisbon sat in her seat in disbelief of the proclamation of love from Patrick Jane. After he was led out by the security, she immediately spoke " I'm sorry,that was embarrassing" with tears in her eyes. The woman next to her said "Shh, Don't be. All the women on this plane are green with envy." After pondering what just happened the stewardess on the loud speaker, announced "Due to the unexpected interruption, this flight will be taking off in 30 minutes." Teresa thought What should I do? I'm supposed to see Pike and be with him.
"That confession was so heartfelt, I take it that's the first time he said that." The woman interrupted her thoughts. Teresa thought about what she would say to the woman. "Yes, it is." Teresa responded. She wasn't sure if she wanted to tell this woman everything but she needed somebody to talk to so she continued on. "We have known each other a long work together. He is very unpredictable."
"I see. He does things like he just did now?"
"Yes. I don't know what to do. I'm supposed to go to D.C. to be with my boyfriend I've been dating for a month. He got me a job and wants to marry me. I just don't know." She didn't know why she was telling this lady so much. She supposed she needed someone to listen to her. Usually, she would always talk to Patrick. Did she just think of him by his first name? He had always been Jane.
"That seems a little quick! This is just me, Teresa, but I would need some time to get to know a man before I move with him to another state. I'm not trying to influence your decision.I apologize if I'm too honest." The lady explained, then asked "Is that why you told him it was too late?"
"Yes. It's okay. Apology accepted. You're right, m'am. It is quick. It has been hard to think about the decision. Marcus is stable and he is a good man. He's ready for his life. Jane-Patrick like I said before he's unpredictable. I never know what is going on in his head. He's not perfect. However, he has been my best friend and vice versa for many years." Teresa explained.
" Nobody is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. If everyone was perfect, life would be boring. What is your gut instinct, Teresa?" The woman asked.
Teresa thought about her decision she needed to make. She had to be honest with herself. She really didn't love Pike. She thought she could eventually. He was an easy solution for her life. Pike was nice enough and stable, however he was a bit pushy. He was going at a million miles an hour with their relationship and she was on the first mile. She just didn't feel right with him. She was not really ready to move so fast. As soon as she said yes to marry him, she felt a guilty pang that she did something wrong. At the time she was so angry at Jane for tricking her once again that her judgement became clouded and she only said yes because of her anger. It was not fair to Marcus or herself to lie about it. At the time, she did not know what else to do except go to the airport.
She loved Patrick, but she didn't know what he felt until now. He had always been so closed to his feelings. She knew why. He was full of fear because of Red John. She remembered him telling her a few years ago that everytime he got close to someone, something bad happened. It seemed he still had that fear even after he killed Red John. After her thoughts, she suddenly said "I love Patrick. I have to get off this is my gut instinct. I can't go to D.C. It's not right"
The woman smiled. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go find him."
Teresa Lisbon got up from her seat and entered the aisle. Several passengers cheered and clapped and somebody yelled. "Go woman in 12B!" She smiled, slightly embarrassed as she walked through the aisle towards the entrance of the plane. Why did he have to confess so publicly how he felt? She knew everyone would talk about it after she left.
She came to the stewardess and said. "I need to get off this plane. I'm sorry if I am delaying this flight further." The stewardess did not look surprised at Teresa's request. "Good luck, 12B." The stewardess smiled and opened the door for her and Teresa made her way down the stairs towards the airport.
She had to admit somewhere deep inside she expected for Patrick to come. When she was boarding, she had looked back for him as an automatic response.
She did not know what to do at first when she arrived back in the airport. She still had to work through her feelings. She searched around the airport and asked to where the location of the TSA office. She knew she may or may not be able to go in there right away as the officers would have to interrogate him.
Teresa found the TSA room. She saw a guard watching the door. It was the same one that was taking away Jane from the airplane.
"Sir, may I see the man you just brought in. He's a collegue of mine." She held her badge up. "Teresa Lisbon. FBI." She thought showing her badge would help a little.
"Sorry, ma'm you can't see him now. He is being questioned." The guard explained then looked at her. "You're the woman he was yelling for. 12B, right?" The guard asked smiling.
"Yes. I am." Teresa answered.
"Man, I thought a guy declaring his love on a plane only happened in chick flicks." The guard said. He paused, then said. "You will be able to come back in the morning."
Lisbon knew a stunt like this was not unusual for Patrick Jane. It was part of his normal routine, even it meant he would break the law and she would have to get him out. She decided not to tell the guard that part. "I thought so too." Lisbon smiled. "Thank you. I'll be back tomorrow morning."
She went back towards the gates of the airport and sat down in a chair in the waiting area. She decided she would stay here overnight. She wanted to be close. She turned on her phone. Then saw she had two messages-one from Jane and one from Pike. Great, she thought, Casablanca again. She was the woman with two men in love with her.
She listened to the messages. The first one was from Pike asking for flight information. "Hello, sweetheart, just asking for your flight info so I can pick you up. Text me." She realized she did not send the flight information. Now there was none, since she had gotten off the plane and the flight was delayed anyway because of Jane interrupting it. She will have to talk to Marcus sometime. She was not ready for that yet.
The next message was from Jane. "Lisbon, this is Jane. If you get this, call me!Please! Please!" He sounded desperate, like a lost little boy. She could hear the sirens in the background. He must have driven a federal vehicle, most likely Abbott's. She would not be able to call now, because most likely his phone was left in the car or the security had it.
A couple minutes later, her phone rang. She looked at it and saw Marcus Pike on the caller ID. She decided she should answer it and tell him the situation. He had a right to know why she had not come to D.C.
"Hello." Teresa answered.
"Teresa, I'm so glad to hear from you. I didn't get a text and have been worried." Marcus replied.
"I'm sorry, I forgot. It slipped my mind. The flight was delayed." Teresa said. It was the truth. The flight had been delayed at first 45 minutes and then again after Jane came on the plane. She did not say why.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Just tell me when you will be coming. Are you on the plane?" Marcus questioned.
"No. I'm at the airport." She admitted. What was she going to tell him? She wished he had not called. She needed to think of what to say. She had to say something.
"You have not gotten on the plane yet?" Marcus asked. She had to tell him the truth. She knew she was a bad liar. Jane had always told her that. Teresa, stop thinking of him at this second. She told herself. She needed to think of Marcus right now and tell him the truth. It was like Jane was etched in her brain.
"Well, I was on the airplane. I'm sorry, Marcus. You need to know something. I can't go to Washington D.C. with you. I would only be lying to you and myself if I went. You are a good man and you deserve to have someone to really, truly love you. Unfortunately, that person is not me. The truth is, Marcus, I'm in love with someone else and I have been for a long time." Teresa finished, with tears running down her face. How much crying could she take? First with Jane revealing his feelings and now with her breaking Pike's heart.
"What, Teresa! How could you do this to me? You've been lying to me all this time we have been dating. Just today, you agreed to marry me. How could you change your mind so quickly?" Marcus questioned worridly.
" I didn't think when I said yes. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done this to you. It wasn't right. I deserve your anger. I just want you to know that telling you this is hard. I wanted to love you. I really did. I wanted to want to go to D.C. with you. I really did." Teresa apologized. She hated doing this to him. She had no choice. It was not right she led him on so much.
"The someone else is Jane, isn't it?" Marcus replied sadly.
"Yes, he's the one. I was on the plane. He is the reason the flight was delayed. He came on the plane and told me he loved me." Teresa admitted. She hated doing this to Pike.
"You told him it was too late. Right?" Pike asked.
"I did tell him that. He was okay with it. He just needed to tell me. After he was taken off by security,when I thought about it, I wasn't fair to you. If I went to D.C. and married you, it would only be a lie. I'm sorry." Teresa admitted. Telling him was hard.
"So you are choosing a conman and someone who obviously breaks the law over me?" Pike asked angrily.
"I'm sorry. Try to understand. I know it won't be easy. This is for the best." Teresa said.
"Teresa, please, change your mind. You would be so much better with me." Marcus begged.
"I have to go. I'm so sorry. Good-bye, Marcus." Teresa cried with tears running down her face.
"I don't know how I will understand this, but I will try. You are making a mistake. Good- bye,Teresa" Pike angrily said and ended the call.
Teresa put her phone down still crying from telling Marcus the truth. It was one of the most difficult things to say.
After a little while, her tears subsided and finally she sighed a sigh of relief. She finally felt better that she told him the truth. She did not understand why she could not love Marcus. She had to admit she always knew what he was thinking. He was straight with what he wanted to say. He told her what he felt all the time. She let him take her to fancy dinners and parties, which she hated. She did enjoy the attention, even if she did not really love him. It was all an act. She felt that she would take whatever man would pay attention to her.
Lisbon thought about tonight. Jane was trying to tell her something. He had booked the hotel and laid out dresses for her. She did love the dresses. Then she found out he had written the note and booked the hotel before the note arrived at the FBI office. He had tricked her. She was so mad that she agreed to marry Pike so quickly.
Now her thoughts turned to the confession on the plane. She wondered who or what triggered Jane to come or did he decide on his own. She never knew what was on his mind. She suddenly thought about the two years he was gone to South America. She had enjoyed the letters from Jane. She did not know the exact moment she knew she loved him, maybe it was the letters. She liked hearing from him. He had left something in her heart almost like a permanent stain. She knew now at this moment it was never going away no matter how hard she tried. She even tried to forget it with the relationship with Pike. She came back to Jane's confession. She could remember every word he said. It was still in her mind.
"There you are." She saw as he went up to her. She could not believe he came on the plane probably illegally.
"What are you doing here? Lisbon asked.
"I need to say something." Jane said.
"Go away. I don't want to see you." Lisbon said turning her head away. She did not want to appear like she wanted to see him.
"You're right, you're right. I have forgotten how to be a normal human being. And I play games, I lie, and trick people to avoid the truth of how I feel. The idea of getting close to anybody is terrifying for obvious reasons. The truth is, Teresa, I can't imagine waking up knowing I won't see you again. The truth is I love you. Whew! You can't imagine how good that feels to say out loud. It scares me and it's the truth. It's the truth of how I feel."
"It's too late, Jane. It's too late."
"Maybe, maybe. I understand. I needed to get to this and you deserve to hear it. I love you, Teresa."
"Hands in the air."
"I love you. It makes me very happy to be able to say that to you. I love her. That woman in 12B. I love her. Take care of her."
At first, she thought he was going to do his normal tricking and lying when she first saw him. It was the complete truth she knew after he finished. When she saw his vulnerability, his tears and the desperate look in his eyes she knew he was not lying or playing games. It was real. She could see his love for her even when he was willing to let her go. Soon after thinking, she drifted away to sleep.
The next morning, Lisbon woke up in the chair stiff from sleeping there all night. She looked at her phone and noticed it was 6:30a.m. She wondered when she should try to see Jane. She was quite hungry since she had not eaten all night. The places were closed when she was there and at the time she did not feel like eating after talking to Pike. She was emotionally drained.
After getting a roll and coffee, she decided to head towards the TSA office. She saw the same guard from last night.
"You've been here all night?" Lisbon asked the guard.
"No, I just got here. After you left I was relieved by my partner." The guard answered.
"I hope my colleague hasn't been too much of a problem." Lisbon stated. I hope not. He's in enough trouble as it is barging in the plane.
"Not that I know of. Let me go in and check with the guard inside. I will bring you the form to fill out for visitors. Wait here."
Lisbon waited patiently as the guard went inside the room. She was surprised she did not hear Jane. She only heard the guards speak with each other, however she could not make out what they were saying. The guard came out with a form on the clipboard. She filled out the form and the other guard came out and collected it from her.
"Just a minute, ma'am." The guard said, carrying the form with him. Soon the guard at the door motioned her to come in. She saw Jane at the table deep in thought, not noticing her right away.
"Hey." Lisbon said as she sat down in the chair across from him.
"Hi." He responded surprised she was there sitting across from him.
"This is another fine pickle you've gotten yourself into." Lisbon said starting with the conversation lightly thinking of the many shenanigans he has gotten in trouble for along the way.
"Ahh, I've seen worse picklewise." Jane responded not making a deal about this time.
"Yes, you have."Lisbon responded then noticed his ankle wrapped in gauze and on the chair. "How's the ankle?" She asked.
"Oh, it's fine." He responded keeping his gaze on her. "You didn't go to D.C.?" He asked.
"No." Lisbon responded. She didn't elaborate it anymore than that. "Did you mean what you said?" She asked. She wanted to ask this question to make sure.
"Yes." He answered.
"Good." She responded.
"Just to be clear, are we still talking about pickles?" Jane joked. He could never have a conversation without joking.
"No, the other thing." Lisbon said seriously.
"Oh, that." Jane said realizing what she was talking about.
"This is no joking matter." Lisbon said seriously.
"Yes, I meant it. Every word of it." Jane seriously stated, never taking his eyes off her.
"I feel the same way." Lisbon admitted her truth. She wanted to elaborate more but with the guard watching them, her professional instincts kicked in not allowing her to say more.
"That's lucky." Jane flashed his big smile that always made her weak. Then he became more serious, "What about Pike?" He asked. She should have known this question was coming.
"He'll understand." Lisbon answered lightly. Talking about Pike was not important at this time. Hopefully Pike will understand someday. He may not now, but when he finds someone that will love him like he should he will.
They looked at each other a minute.
"Say it again." Lisbon stated. She wanted to hear those words. In reality, she wanted a kiss. Her professional instincts disappeared.
"Say what again?" Jane asked looking at her.
She looked at him again indicating what she wanted. She knew he would read what she wanted without saying a thing.
Jane rose up from the chair despite his bandaged ankle. He moved towards her and took his hand on her chin. She put her hand on his cheek. Then he put his to hers. It felt so good. It was slow at first but became more passionate but they parted and smiled when they heard the guard say "Quit that! Quit that!" and pounded on the glass in the office over the kiss.
"I think w're in trouble." Lisbon smiling, her police instincts came out.
"Ah, who cares?" Patrick Jane responded nonchalantly sitting back down. Lisbon followed suit.
"The guard cares. He nearly had a heart attack seeing us kiss. I think he's coming out." Lisbon said smiling and then noticting the guard going to the door in the room.
The guard burst open the door and went up to Jane.
" Sir, you do realize what you did was unauthorized physical contact with your visitor. " The guard said angrily looking at Jane.
"Sir, that kiss was long overdue. 12 years to be precise." Jane flashed his big smile at the guard and then to Lisbon. "She was the one I had to tell I love you to on the plane." He smiled at her again. " I love you, Teresa."She smiled back.
"We apologize, sir." Lisbon stated. "It was my fault. I seduced him. Lisbon smiled and laughed and then became serious.
"Don't do it again." The officer said sneering at both Jane and Lisbon.
"Don't you have any romantic blood in you. Just because you are not happy, doesn't mean nobody else can be." Jane said. Lisbon gave him a disapproving look that said you're in enough trouble as it is.
Then suddenly Lisbon heard the door open that she came in. She saw Abbott. Abbott came towards them and stood behind the table. "Jane. Lisbon?"
"Hello, sir. I am Agent Dennis Abbott. I talked to your superior this morning and he allowed me to take this man out of custody." Abbott explained looking at the officer and then at Jane. Jane looked relieved.
"I'll get him out of your hair, so you don't have to worry about him anymore. We know he can be a pain. " He looked at Lisbon. She smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Agent Abbott, good, because he made inappropriate physical contact with the visitor here." The guard said glaring at Jane.
"I'm sorry." Jane reacted.
Abbott laughed and smiled at Jane and Lisbon. "Well, really? I got the paper work filled out. We can go now, however, Jane you are on the no fly list for three weeks and will be required to do six months community service instead of jail. That is the agreement the TSA and I came to have you do. He was worried that you were a terrorist I assured them that you meant to cause no physical harm to anybody."
"That won't be too bad." Lisbon stated.
"I can do you,Abbott."Jane said.
"You're welcome." Abbott surprised at Jane's gratitude towards him.
"Ah, Lisbon, I take it you're not going to D.C.?" Abbott asked.
"I'm not, sir." Lisbon answered.
Lisbon got up and right away and helped Jane up knowing he would need the help because of his injured ankle.
"She is such a great caregiver."Jane smiled.
"How did you hurt your ankle in the first place?" Lisbon asked still helping him. Abbott opened the door for them.
"I jumped over the fence to get to the plane." Jane admitted.
"You didn't tell me that last night." Abbott said surprised.
"You didn't ask." Jane said.
"It was about time you did something." Abbott said smiled.
"What?" Jane asked.
"I'm a better observer than you think. You are not the only one, Jane. I know what you said on that plane. I've noticed you two for months. That's why I gave you the keys the vehicle, Jane.
"You are an old softie, Abbott." Lisbon admited smiling.
"Don't get too used it. Truthly, I really didn't want to lose one of my best agents, Agent Lisbon. I have to thank Jane for that. You are one of the best." Abbott explained.
Permanent Stain
Out in the rain, looking for sunshine
I call your name but you're like a ghost
I let you disappear
Should've never let you go
I wanna say just for the record
That you still got my heart and my soul
And though we're worlds apart
Yeah I gotta let you know
You are the piece I can't replace
You left a mark that won't erase, oh
No one else can teach me how to love again
Cause you left a permanent stain on my heart
And I've been feeling it
Never mind what people say cause they don't understand
How you left a permanent stain on my heart
you're never leaving it
Some tried to break through the walls that
I built up but they don't compare to you
one chance and I swear
I never let you go
You are the piece I can't replace
You left a mark that won't erase, oh
No one else can teach me how to love again
Cause you left a permanent stain on my heart
And I've been feeling it
Never mind what people say cause they don't understand
how you left a permanent stain on my heart
You're never leaving it
Wash away the tide
Never gonna fade
no one can touch the flame
or tame the fire
You are the piece I can't replace
You left a mark that won't erase, oh
No one else can teach me how to love again
cause you left a permanent stain on my heart
And I've been feeling it
Never mind what people say caus they don't understand
How you left a permanent stain on my heart
You're never leaving it