A/N: This is my first Mentalist multi-chapter fic. I am looking really forward to this. I have the story mostly written out, so I know where I am going with this story and updates should be swift. I am on the fence about Jane and Lisbon's relationship, but I hope to resolve some things by the end of this story. I began this not too long after I saw Cheap Burgundy because it's just an idea I had about the storyline and Agent Darcy. So, this is definitely before the "big" reveal about Red John being on the prowl for Lisbon. Also, I am a sadist, and I couldn't resist writing a story about Lisbon being kidnapped. The team will play an integral part in this fic. Even though there will be some scenes between Rigsby and Van Pelt (a couple I certainly love), there will not be a Rigspelt coupling in this story. This story will be rated T for some coarse language and some graphic scenes. Here goes it!

Also, I own nothing

He had always known this was a possibility, but now that it was a reality, it seemed surreal. She was gone. Teresa Lisbon was gone. She was gone without a trace of anything except a red face painted on her wall in blood. It was him; Red John had gotten to her.

It had begun as a typical Saturday. Lisbon and Jane had been spending nearly every free Saturday they had in pursuit of Red John. They were reviewing old cases, rethinking old case files, and trying anything new that they could come up with to find any new leads on Red John. Mainly, this was because of Agent Darcy. Lisbon was determined to find anything to prove that Jane had nothing to do with Red John and his sinister plans. She had full faith that Jane had nothing to do with that bastard, but her trust in Jane would not be enough to stop Darcy's inquiry. Therefore, they reviewed everything and left no stone unturned. Like every other Saturday, Jane arrived at Lisbon's place around 10am. She typically met him at the door in a state of near somber as she wasn't really a morning person, especially on Saturdays. Only today, she didn't meet him at the door, so Jane decided to let himself in, all the while plotting interesting ways to wake a sleeping Lisbon. However, when he entered her apartment, he found the grisly killer's calling card on her living room wall. He froze. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe, for he of all people knew what this meant: death.

Slowly, cautiously, Jane began to search Lisbon's home. He was absolutely terrified by what he was likely to find. He'd been here before, and he wasn't sure if he could come back this time. This couldn't be happening again. How could Red John possibly know what they were doing? They hadn't told anyone about their Saturdays, let alone what they did. This couldn't be happening again. Lisbon had become his best friend. Unlike most people, she had hope for him. She cared about him. Though he could never admit it, he cared about her. While the Red John case may have driven him, she kept him going, and most importantly, she kept him from going over the edge. His relationship with Lisbon had been the only relationship he could maintain since the death of Angela and Charlotte. This is what horrified him the most. How could Red John have known just how important his relationship with Lisbon had become? Was this his sick way of punishing him even more? Lisbon's death would become another tally mark on the list of innocent people whose lives had ended abruptly because of Jane. After conducting a room by room search of Lisbon's home, he saw no sign of her. He was relieved not to have found Lisbon's mutilated body, but he was fearful and uncertain about what Red John had planned. He kidnapped Kristina Frye, and he returned her. However, she was no longer herself. Jane took in his surrounding and he knew what he had to do. It was time to call in the cavalry.

He was able to reach Cho first. He didn't want to cause a panic, or tip off the FBI if they had been listening, so he just told him an emergency team meeting had been called at Lisbon's. All of them should get there as soon as possible. Cho took care of the rest. One by one, they began to arrive at Lisbon's place. Jane was waiting outside greeting each of them while contemplating how he would break the news. How could he? How could he tell them he had lied about Red John to protect them all? How could he tell them their boss, their friend had been taken by Red John and would likely never be seen again? He had so much to say, but he, a man who could always roll with the punches, was finding it hard to find the words to say. There were no words that could cover this. That's right. Patrick Jane couldn't find the words to say.

"So do you know why we're having an emergency team meeting this morning?" asked Van Pelt, who had been the first to arrive.

"Hmm?" asked a distracted Jane. "I think we should wait for the others." Jane was most worried for how Grace would take the news. In their last confrontation with Red John, she had paid the biggest price. She lost the most. Thankfully, Jane didn't have to sit with her too long because Cho and Rigsby pulled up at almost exactly the same time. Jane stood up and led the team inside. Rigsby had been the first to notice the gruesome calling card in dark red.

"Oh my God," said Rigsby as he pointed Cho and Van Pelt to the symbol that had rendered him speechless.

"What the hell?" asked Grace. Cho, as usual, stood silently with a scowl before looking to Jane. It was show time, unfortunately for Jane.

"He…has her," struggled Jane. "Red John has Lisbon."

"But Red John is dead," responded Cho.

"No, no he's not," softly replied Jane. His voice was ready to betray him. He wasn't a man who was easily shaken, but he could see this for what it was. Lisbon was gone. She was possibly dead or worse, and it was his fault. It was his fault that their friend had been preyed upon. He let it happen again.

All eyes were on Jane now. He had some explaining to do. "I figured it out after my trial. I shared with Lisbon. At first, she didn't believe me. Then, after the Panzer case, she knew it, too. She agreed to keep it quiet so as to not wake the sleeping dragon, metaphorically. As of lately, Agent Darcy has grown suspicious about Red John. She thinks I am Red John, or that I am one of his disciples. Lisbon and I have been getting together every Saturday morning to go through old case files, check out new leads, and come up with theories. When I came this morning, I found this."

There was a very awkward moment of silence. No one knew what to say. "I can't believe you knew and didn't tell us," said Van Pelt. "I mean, what the hell is your problem? There's a twisted psychopath on the loose, and while the world thinks he's dead, he's kidnapping and killing people! You know? Maybe Darcy's right. Are you Red John? Do you work for him? Because you sure as hell seem to get off on this twisted game. And, if you're not him, then you're no better than he is for going along with all of this."

Cho and Rigsby had remained silent during Grace's tirade. Admittedly, her words stung Jane. Cho could see the panged expression in his face at Grace's words. Jane had expected them to be upset, but he wasn't expecting this tongue lashing to come from Grace, not "Gullible Grace" as he used to call her. She certainly wasn't gullible anymore. Not since O'Laughlin. He had taken the spark from the redheaded rookie. In some ways, he had hardened her heart. Rigsby turned to Grace and softly mumbled, "Let him finish, Grace."

"Grace, you of all people should understand why I didn't want anyone to know, to get hurt," responded Jane.

With that, Grace could feel her eyes begin to water, and she spitefully remarked, "You son of a bitch." She quickly took off with a quiet Rigsby in suit.

A/N: So what do you guys think so far? Please feel free to review…