Shadow of the Past
Chapter 3
Disclaimer: Not mine, probably never will be.
"What have I done?"
"That is a great question,"
Jane found himself standing next to a dark haired girl. Her eyes were strangely familiar, but he could not place them. And her smile, he was sure he had seen it before. But where, was another question.
"Who are you?"
The girl adopted a faux spooky expression, "I am the ghost of the future! I am here to haunt you!" she wiggled her fingers in a witchy manner, smiling broadly the whole time.
"No, what's your name?"
The girl paused and thought about his question for a moment before responding cheerfully, "Kate."
"Okay, we're halfway there. Last name, my dear?" Jane asked irritably.
"Hmm… that's need to know, and you don't." Kate grinned mischievously at the blonde, succeeding in frustrating him further. "All right, let's go then."
"What no smoke and mirrors?" Jane stared at her, still trying to place her face.
"Nah, that's your area of expertise, d- Jane. Now are we going to do this?" Kate waved a hand, in a familiar fashion.
"Have we met?" he squinted down at her in concentration.
Kate's nose scrunched up and she said, "Not yet. Now, seriously, Jane are we going to do this or not?"
"Fine, fine. You aren't dead are you?"
"In a manner of speaking, no. Okay, no more questions. We're going now. First we're going to see what happens if you and M- Lisbon don't make up."
The scene seemed to shimmer before his eyes and faded into the main level of the CBI. The team was working diligently as always. Cho was focused completely on his paperwork. Rigsby and Van Pelt were shooting secretive glances each other's way.
"Are they back together?" Jane mused, more to himself, then to the mysterious girl.
"Yep,"
Jane's eyes swept across the familiar room, taking in the whole scene. Something about the general feeling was off, "Ha! There I am!"
"Great," Kate drawled sarcastically. "I am so happy for you,"
"Where's Lisbon?"
Kate pointed towards the woman in question's office. The shades were pulled tight, and the door was closed. "Come on, d- Jane. Let's go see what damage you've done."
Jane hung his head in shame, knowing that all of the pain that Lisbon must be going through.
Lisbon was seated behind her desk as usual, working diligently. But her eyes, normally bright and lively, were as shaded as her office. Once again, Lisbon was frail, looking as if she was about to break. But there was a sharp set to her jaw.
"What happened to her?"
"You never made up. It broke her. She loved you, you jackass." Kate's eyes were flashing with anger, but Jane was unsure of how and why she cared so much.
Jane, for once in his life, was at a lost for words. This unknown girl seemed to harbor massive amounts of hate for him.
"Uh… yeah… I suppose."
"What happened to the famous mentalist? Cat got your tongue?" she bit out harshly. "So now you see the physical reaction this fight had. Okay, moving on. Let's go see Red John."
Jane raised one eyebrow on her sudden change in emotion. "Do I get him? Please tell me I get him."
"That's where your priorities are? Geez, you really are a piece of work, aren't you? She was right."
"Who was right?"
"Not important." Kate shot back touchily.
"But, please. Tell me, did I get Red John?" He grabbed one of her hands pleadingly. Blue eyes met blue in an imploring gaze.
"See for yourself," Kate nodded towards the scene unfolding in front of them.
Jane stared wide-eyed at the dark, dank room. Three figures were visible in the darkness. Two were standing across from each other, circling like birds of prey. The third person was crumpled on the ground, either dead or incapacitated.
Jane was shocked to see the tangle of dark curls of the person on the ground. "Lisbon?"
Kate nodded stiffly, not bothering to talk to the man.
"Patrick Jane," he would recognize that voice anywhere. Its nasally, gravelly undertones chilled him right to the bone, "I'm so glad you could come to our little party. Sweet Teresa and I were having so much fun, weren't we, my dear?"
The person on the floor he assumed was Lisbon did not move a muscle or say a word. This earned her a pointed kick to the ribs. Even though there was a slight twitch on impact, Lisbon did not make a sound.
"Let her go, John. She isn't involved." Jane pleaded softly, keeping his hand steady, aiming his gun at Red John's chest.
Red John's laugh was harsher than nails across chalkboard. It sounded and felt like you had just been slapped across the face with a cold, long dead fish. Both Janes flinched at the sound. But neither Lisbon nor the puzzling girl reacted.
He was unsure if Lisbon's apparent strength was really stemming from pain.
"Oh, as soon as you joined her team, Ms. Lisbon has been apart of it."
"It's Agent," gritted out Lisbon, ghost Jane and the other Jane, as a force of habit.
"I apologize, Agent Lisbon. But Patrick, you made her a piece in our game. It was you who brought her in with your little secrets and plans. And might I add that your little stunt last year was particularly offensive. What do you take me for? A fool?"
The ghosts could hear the faintest whisper of, "Yes," from Lisbon's prone figure.
But the two men facing each other paid her no attention. They still shadowed each other's footsteps, dancers in a dangerous waltz. Red John held a gun and knife with ease and authority. Jane clutched at his own weapon, knuckles white and bony.
With no warning, Red John lunged forward, yanking Lisbon up by her elbow. His knife rested lazily on her collarbone, and his gun was held across her small waist. Red John Held her in such a way that Jane would never be able to make the shot. Cho, maybe Rigsby, and defiantly Lisbon herself would be able to make it. But Jane never used actual weapons, he used his words
Both Janes let out audible gasps. The Jane with a gun took a tentative step towards Red John and his captive.
"Please, let her go."
"I don't think I will. She's rather beautiful, isn't she?" Red John raised one long bony towards Lisbon's jaw and was rewarded with a vicious snap from the woman. "And feisty. Hm, I like that in a woman. Pity you won't be with us much longer. Because you see, our dear Patrick is going to have to choose."
"Stop it. Let Lisbon go," Jane asked, despite knowing his answer.
"Oh, I prefer not to. Maybe I'll just kill both of you and be down with it."
"No," came Lisbon's strangled cry.
"Oh dearie me! You love the unattainable. The tough Agent Teresa Lisbon fell in love with her own consultant." His beady eyes scanned across both of their faces. "Oh! And he didn't know. Ah-ah-ah, Teresa, secrets, secrets are no fun, unless you share with everyone." He taunted cheerily. His putrid breath washed over Lisbon's ear as he leaned in closer, "He'll never love you, and even if he does, you will always be second best to his precious Angela."
Jane, forgetting that no one could see him, reached towards Lisbon, wanting to comfort her.
"Jane," Kate whispered, pulling him away from Red John and Lisbon.
Tears were visible in the green eyes of his partner. But she was not allowing them to escape.
"Patrick, it's your choice. Shall I slit her throat or shoot her? Or you let me leave and I'll release your little girlfriend."
Jane could see the cogs in his own mind working furiously.
"Jane," Lisbon called out weakly. The blonde raised his eyes to her, his eyes, normally filled with mischief, was filled with conflict. "Please,"
"Yes, Patrick, please hurry,"
"I can't," his voice was cracked and small.
Lisbon's face filled with a familiar determination, but neither Jane had any clue as to why. Red John was baiting the indesisive Jane, unaware of Lisbon's movements. In a flash, she yanked the gun from Red John's grip and pressed it to her own abdomen.
"Patrick, stay safe. I love you." BANG! There was a bright flash that accompanied the noise. Two bodies crumpled in an instant.
"Teresa!" Both Janes cried out. Jane rushed to her side. While the other Jane turned away, he looked to Kate for any information.
"She shot herself, to kill your enemy. She knew that you wouldn't be able to make the choice. So she made it for you." Kate replied with the very minimum of emotion.
"She had no right!"
"What? To shoot herself? Or to kill Red John?"
"Both! I don't know! Ugh, why would she do that?"
There was another crash from the doorway. In the doorframe stood Cho and Rigsby, their guns raised. "Boss, Jane! What happened?" Rigsby asked.
"Call an ambulance. It's Lisbon, she's been shot." Jane managed, cradling her head in his hands. "Teresa, please, stay with me."
"…I'm fine…" she breathed out, "why aren't you…smiling…? You got… Red John…" her eyes squeezed shut in pain.
Jane managed a weak smile as he looked down at her, "Open your eyes," somehow Lisbon managed to peel her eyes open. Even then the green of her eyes was foggy, and sleepy.
"Sir, we need to get her in a bus." Before he knew it, a paramedic was yanking Jane away from Lisbon.
"No," He fought visously against the man's arms to get back to his partner.
"We're trying to help her. Sir, please."
And then he was passed to someone else, Cho. "Jane, let's go. We'll get you to the hospital."
The scene changed and the ghosts found themselves in a standard hospital waiting room.
The entire team, and Bertram sat in one corner, all looking miserable. Van Pelt's face was red eyed and splotchy from tears. Rigsby laid a large hand on her knee in an effort to comfort her. Minelli and Bertram were casting furtive glances at each other, neither speaking. Cho, with his usual stoic attitude, stared blankly ahead.
Jane was fidgeting abnormally. His hands were jumping like he was playing the piano, and his knee was jumping to a random beat. He was still in his suit, covered in Lisbon's blood.
"Jane, why don't we go find you some… uh… different clothes and a cup of tea?" Cho offered, as softly as Cho could be. Jane nodded stiffly, still looking blankly ahead.
"Geez, you look like crap," commented Kate, slouched in a plastic chair.
"You really know how to compliment a guy."
"Eh, you can take it."
Jane blinked once and he saw his future self in an odd ensemble of sweat pants and a t-shirt. And he now had a cup of tea.
But he still had that haunted look.
The doors of the ER slid open with hiss and two people came hurrying in. All eyes flicked to the newcomers as they moved towards the CBI group.
Tommy and Annie Lisbon were looking frantically around the waiting room. They stopped in front of the CBI team, unsure of what to say. Tommy managed to find his voice and quietly asked, "Is it true? Was Reese shot?"
Flurries of worried glances were shared among the group. Cho, now in charge, nodded stiffly, "Yes, it's true."
Annie clasped on to her father's arm, paling drastically. "No, no, no. Aunt Reese? No," she murmured quietly. Her eyes fell on the disgruntled looking consultant, "Jane, what happened?"
Jane looked up, his eyes wide and blank. "Red John. Shot herself. Saved me."
"What?" Tommy exclaimed, now glaring down at the blonde. "Repeat yourself."
"Mr. Lisbon, please calm down," Bertram intervened. Tommy whirled on him, seeming to have mastered his older sister's glare of death.
"I wonder if they practiced that as children or if it's inherited…." Kate's broke Jane out of his strange trance with her random musing.
"Hm? Oh, that," Jane's eyes left the little group in front of him, and began to study Kate. He had gone through his memory palace, and came up empty handed. It was like the eyes and the mouth didn't match the hair.
In that split second he looked away, hell broke loose. Tommy swung a massive fist and made satisfying contact with Jane's jaw. Jane crumpled in his chair, not even bothering to fight back. Cho and Rigsby were up in an instant, restraining their boss' brother.
"Tommy, calm it down," Rigsby growled in his ear, his arms still restraining Tommy. Tommy stopped struggling, but his green eyes were still glaring poisonously at the blonde.
"Jane, you alright?" Cho asked gruffly.
Annie sank down in the chair next to Van Pelt, shock scrawled across her face. Van Pelt touched a wary hand to the girl's shoulder. Annie looked up, wide-eyed, at the red head. "Is she gonna be okay?"
"I don't know, honey."
"That looked like it hurt," Kate noted, a smug grin on her lips. Jane's hand instinctively went to his nose, now knowing what was in its future. "But you deserved it." She added sharply.
Jane's brow furrowed, immensely confused by the anger this girl had towards him. "I didn't ask her to shoot herself."
"No, she sacrificed herself for your damn cause. She did it because she knew you would hate her if he got away."
"I wouldn't hate her," protested Jane, but it was weak, unconvincing.
Kate's eyebrows rose in a familiar manner, "Really?" Jane gave feeble shrug, returning his gaze to the future him.
"Jane, please tell me what happened," Tommy implored, looking rather like a kicked puppy.
"Yes, Mr. Jane, I think we would all like to know that," Bertram said, staring down the consultant with no pity in his eyes.
The haggard Jane searched the group, looking for a way out. He slumped in his chair, sensing defeat. His eyes fixed on a spot on the sterile, white floor. "Red John kidnapped Lisbon, I found them. He had a knife and a gun." He gulped down breathes of air greedily in an attempt to calm himself. "Then he was using Lisbon as a shield. He said… he said… that he would let Lisbon go, if I let him go."
"You bastard!" Tommy hissed, jumping to the inevitable conclusion. "You let him shoot her? So you could kill him?" The man was on his feet again, lunging towards Jane. Jane did nothing to protect himself, instead looking more like he wanted Tommy to beat him up again.
"No," Jane continued, "Somehow, she got the gun, and shot through herself to get Red John."
"No, no, no. Reese wouldn't do that." Tommy said, more to himself then anyone else. "This is your fault." He spat before walking off, his phone in hand.
"Where's a doctor? Maybe they know how Lisbon's doing," Van Pelt suggested timidly, trying to break the painful silence that had fallen. She stood up, pushing her long red hair over her shoulder as she made her way to the desk. "Hi, I was wondering if you had any information on Teresa Lisbon?"
The grouchy looking woman glared up at her irritably. "Who?"
"Teresa Lisbon, gunshot wound to the abdomen." Grace elaborated.
"Who are you?"
"Grace Van Pelt."
"Family to her?"
Grace paused, unsure of what to say. She thought of the team as family, but the nurse meant blood relatives. And Tommy was nowhere to be seen. "No, "
"Then I can't give out any information."
"Nope, if you're not family."
Grace sighed; frustrated it had come to this. She yanked her badge off her belt and flashed it in the woman's face. "This is part of an investigation, if you don't give me information this instant, I'll have to arrest you."
The nurse's glare did not fade, instead it grew. "No,"
Van Pelt began pulling out her handcuffs.
"That won't be necessary." A new voice interrupted. Van Pelt spun on her heel to face the newcomer. "Hello, I'm Doctor Maggie Rogers. I was operating on Teresa." She held out a hand to Van Pelt, who accepted it gratefully.
"Agent Grace Van Pelt, I work with her."
"Maggie!" Tommy rushed over, closing his phone as he ran. "Thank god! How's Reese?"
Van Pelt narrowed her eyes, "You two know each other?"
"Yeah!" Tommy said with a slight smile, "Maggie lived down the block from us when we were kids. She and Reese moved out here together." Then his face fell again, "Is she okay?"
"I wouldn't exactly say okay, but she'll make it. She sustained quite a few knife wounds before she was shot. She's sleeping right now."
"Oh thank God!" Tommy sighed, relief washing over him. Jane was feeling a similar feeling as he heard these words. Tommy's phone went off with a shrill tone, "Sorry I have to take this. Mark, c'mon. You can spare a day. She's been shot. Man…" his voice faded as he left the waiting room.
"So she'll make a full recovery?"
Maggie nodded, "The bullet didn't hit any vital organs. I swear Tess has the luck of the Irish, times two." She let out a nervous laugh.
"That's great. Can you tell the rest of our team?"
"Yes, I can." Maggie followed Van Pelt back over to the small group. "Hello, I'm Doctor Maggie Rogers." Jane looked up, still bleeding slightly from his nose, "Okay, so Teresa lost a lot of blood, but the bullet went clean through and somehow missed all vital organs. She's sleeping right now. Also she sustained quite a few knife injuries, and a few cracked ribs, but those should heal with time."
"When can we see her?" Cho asked.
"First her family can see her, and then you guys can go in by twos."
Annie stood up shakily, eyes slightly red from tears. "I don't know where my dad is,"
"I'll send him in when he gets back. Follow me," Maggie led Annie back through the hospital. Kate dragged Jane with her, despite his protests.
"You did this, so you have to see her." She ordered, not even blinking at his fierce fighting.
Lisbon was asleep on a standard hospital bed, surrounded by wires and monitors. A set of colorful bruises dancing up her arms and shallow cuts stood out stark on her pale skin.
"Aunt Reese!" cried Annie, covering her mouth in shock. Maggie ran a soothing hand down Annie's back.
The scene changed again and Jane found himself watching himself stand in front of Lisbon's house, knocking halfheartedly on the door.
Someone from the inside yanked the door roughly open, revealing a tall, dark haired man. His eyes were narrowed and glaring sharply at Jane.
"Hello, is Teresa here?" Jane asked weakly, looking a little worse for wear.
The man scanned Jane's face, looking for a lie. "Why? Who's asking?"
"Mark, it's fine. Let him in." Lisbon called from inside. She appeared on a set of crutches, wincing ever so slightly as she hobbled up. "Hey Jane." She smiled softly at the blonde.
"Wait, I thought she and Mark didn't talk," Jane said, his brow crinkling in confusion.
"I guess that your sister getting shot and almost dying makes up for almost 15 years of hating each other." Kate said with a shrug. "It kinda puts things in perspective."
"Hmmm…." Jane nodded, not exactly understanding the strange relationships of the Lisbons, but not bothering to get a further explanation.
"Reese, I'm gonna get a sandwich. I'll just be a few blocks away if you need anything," The two siblings shared a quick glare before Mark nodded and disappeared out the door.
"Jane, let's go in to the living room. It's kinda hard to… you know, move around," She explained with a slight smirk.
"Oh, yes, of course." Jane nodded quickly, following her to the couch. "How are you feeling?"
Lisbon let out a small snort, "I've been better. But how are you?"
"Good ol' Saint Teresa," the past Jane muttered under his breath. Kate shot him a quick glare, but Jane either did not notice or ignored it.
"I'm doing okay. But I'm not the one who got shot," Jane flashed his trademarked grin at her and it widened as a blush rose in her cheeks.
"I'm just tired of being cooped up in here. How's the team?"
"Grace and Wayne are back together. Turns out, Cho has a steady girlfriend. Bertram's grumpy. Nothing new." Jane lifted his shoulders limply.
"That's great about Grace and Wayne. They deserve to be happy."
"So do you." Jane shifted ever so slightly towards Lisbon. Her eyes grew even bigger when he pressed a hand to her knee.
"Jane…."
"Teresa, I meant what I said that night. When we faked your death…." Lisbon's breath came in short, quick breaths. Their faces were millimeters apart, their breath mingling together. "I meant every word of it." Green eyes met blue and Jane brought his hands to her face. In an instant, their lips met.
Kate turned her head away; her nose crinkled in what could've been disgust and even embarrassment.
When they pulled away, Lisbon's eyes were still closed, but her lips were turned up in a smile. Jane grinned broadly at her when she opened her eyes, "Patrick," she sighed.
"Teresa," began Jane, but her lips pressing into his again silenced him.
"I'm struggling to see the downside here." Commented the other blonde as the scene faded and reappeared.
Could I just start by saying that this chapter has been kicking my ass? I have probably written and rewritten this so many times, I can't even count. I sincerely apologize for the severe lateness of this. And this is just part of the ghost of the past chapter. There will be at least two more.
I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter.
Please leave a review if you don't mind!
hoagie
