A/N: I told someone I would do a one-shot, and then...never did. Nothing I came up with was actually good. LOL. So, here it is.
Disclaimer: Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can steal The Mentalist from Bruno Heller? He isn't very giving!
The eight year old girl looked at her mother curiously.
"Mommy, when was your and Daddy's first kiss?"
The startled, dark-haired woman looked over at her husband helplessly, but he just smirked.
The girl tapped her foot impatiently.
"Well?"
The mother closed her eyes for a moment, collecting her thoughts.
*Flashback*
"Come on, Jane! It's not that bad!"
Patrick Jane groaned dramatically.
"Yes it is!"
Cho said, in his normal, stoic fashion,
"It's the wedding of one of your best friends. I think you can handle sitting on the chair for a few more minutes."
Lisbon laughed.
Suddenly, Jane felt a card in his pocket.
He hadn't noticed someone put it there, so he knew that whoever did it was a master at slight of hand.
He pulled it out, and felt his heart speed up. It simply said, "Patrick-I'm watching you." And on the end there was a red smiley face.
He looked around, hoping to see who left the card, but could tell immediately that it was in vain. People were scurrying around all over, talking to each other.
Whoever had left the card wouldn't have looked the least bit suspicious hurrying away.
He couldn't think straight. He was in the building with Red John. And he couldn't get to him.
"Jane, is everything ok?"
Of course, he thought, she would be the one to notice that something was wrong.
He turned to face her.
"I'm fine, Lisbon. Really." He added, seeing the doubt on her face.
Suddenly, the voice of Hightower rang in his memory:
"No one is better off alone, Patrick."
But I'm trying to protect her, he argued silently, before realizing he was talking to a memory, and if he did that too much, people would start to worry about him even more than they already did.
He was shaken from his thoughts by Rigsby's voice.
"Are you sure you're ok, Jane?"
"Are you?" He replied smoothly.
Rigsby quickly turned away to return to his conversation with Cho.
It was no secret that Rigsby didn't like Craig, or that he wasn't happy Grace was marrying him.
Lisbon laughed lightly.
"Jane, be nice!"
He smirked.
Suddenly, he remembered he was being watched, and a sinking feeling washed over him.
It was amazing, he mused, that she could distract him from any problem...just by laughing, or even smiling.
He looked around, not really knowing what he was looking for. It wasn't like he would be wearing a big, neon sign that said, "I am the serial killer that killed your family, Patrick. Come kill me."
"Who are you looking for?"
He returned his glance to Lisbon.
"Oh, no one, just-"
"No one is better off alone, Patrick." He tried to push the memory out of his head, but it was all he could think about at that moment. "No one is better off alone, Patrick. No one is better off alone, Pat-"
"Red John!"
His voice was quiet, but she heard him loud and clear.
"Red John? Jane, aren't you being a little-"
He handed her the card, silencing her.
She gasped.
He didn't know what to do. By the look on her face, neither did she. Suddenly, the wedding march began to play, distracting Lisbon and even Jane.
In walked Grace, her hair in a bun atop her head, her dress flowing down around her feet.
Craig smiled at her. She smiled back, softly.
The preacher gave his speech, and then he said, in an almost monotone voice, "If anyone has any reason that these two should not be wed, let them speak now, or forever hold their peace."
For a long moment, no one said anything. Then, Garce said, "Well, I have one: He's Red John!"
The silence was louder than any anyone had ever heard. People's faces were filled with shock, horror, betrayal, confusion, and a touch of excitement.
Finally, Craig asked, "What are you talking about, Grace?"
Her voice was slightly shaky. "I saw the card you gave him."
He frowned for a moment, debating his options.
Finally, he said, "Well, then. Sit." He pointeed to the preacher.
He sat. Craig continued, "No one call 9-1-1, or else." Before anyone knew what had happened, he had a knife to Grace's throat, and anyone with their phone out put it back.
He continued, "I'll let her go if you, Mr. Jane, will come up here."
"Gladly," He replied, not giving a second thought to what might happen to him. This was finally his chance for revenge!
True to his word, Red John let her go, and she stumbled over to Rigsby, who held her and let her cry.
Now, however, there was a different issue: Red John had Jane, and a knife to his throat. Craig continued, "Agent Lisbon, I would advise that you come up here."
She saw the man move the knife even closer to Jane's throat, and hurried up to join them. Red John glared.
"Now. Kiss."
The two stared at each other. Had Red John just..seriously...told them to...?
"Now!"
They were terrified, but leaned in, slightly confused, but not really in the mood to get hurt. Lisbon thoguht silently,
'Not really my ideal situation, but, I am kissing Patrick Jane...'
They pulled away, actually smiling slighntly, and then heard Red John. "Now, choose which one of you dies."
A look of horror over-took both their faces. Really, they knew they shouldn't have been surprised: This is psycological torture to the max.
Still, they were.
"NOW!"
Jane thought it over: If Red John killed him, he would never get a chance for revenge, and Lisbon would have to deal with watching him die right in front of her. But, if he killed her, she would be dead. And he would have to live knowing that he had gottn three women he loved killed. When he thought about it, the answer was obvious: "Me." He stated calmly.
Lisbon whimpered.
"Boom!"
Red John crumpled at their feet.
They weren't the least bit surprised to see Cho holding the gun, when they looked back at the crowd.
"You know, you really seemed to like kissing me."
*End flashback*
Teresa sighed. What on earth was she supposed to tell her daughter? That a monster had forced them to kiss?
Patrick grinned.
"Mommy dear? Tracie wants to know!"
She returned the grin. "Since you're so good at telling stories, I'll let you explain!"
His grin disappeared, and she smirkingly walked out of the room.
Patrick looked back at his impatient daughter helplessly.
"Ummm..."
A/N: So, was it worth the wait? And to everyone else: What did you think? Review-worthy?