Here's the next chapter. A huge thank you to everyone who had reviewed, read and favourited this story. It means more than I can ever express. I don't own The Mentalist.
Lisbon looked over at Jane the look on his face was one she hadn't seen before; he looked scared no terrified, angry and defeated. Slowly he stood and left the table heading for the attic.
Jane needed to be alone; needed to cry for Lisbon in private. He had always been scared that one of the team would be taken and he wasn't afraid to admit that he was more scared for Lisbon then the others but now she was officially the target. Red John had said so himself and Red John always got his man or woman. It was only a matter of time before Lisbon too would be gone and someone else that he loved will have been sacrificed to Red John. Jane's legs moved of their own accord as he paced the familiar boards of the attic floor. He knew that Lisbon would follow, he just hoped she would give him some time.
She didn't. Less than a minute after he arrived in his pseudo-room he heard the distinctive sound of heeled boots walking towards him, he knew it was her.
"Patrick." Her voice was so quiet and filed with concern.
He closed his eyes and let her voice wash over him.
Taking a step into the room she repeated his name once more. "Van Pelt is tracing the origin of the call right now."
"She won't find anything." He cleared his throat trying to get rid of the hoarseness that resided there.
"We might get lucky."
Jane spun to face her "Teresa you know as well as I do that he won't make a mistake not now, not when it comes to you."
"Patrick I…" she didn't know what to say, what to do to make him feel better to reassure him that everything would be okay, that she wouldn't leave him like Angela and Charlotte reluctantly did. Without a second thought she surged forward and wrapped her arms around his waist pulling him towards the cot that he'd spent many restless nights on.
Jane felt the bed sag under his weight. The warm body next to him provided his only link to reality.
"Teresa?" he whispered.
"I'm here Patrick."
Very slowly he curled his body towards her, his fingers clutched to her shirt and his breath became ragged.
Lisbon gripped onto him tighter and rocked their bodies back and forth "Shhhh, It's okay sweetheart."
The second that term of endearment left Lisbon's lips Jane felt tears begin to fall. "I-I can't lose you."
"I know" Teresa ran her fingers through his hair "I know." What else could she say? She didn't want to promise that Red John wouldn't get to her; there was a very high chance that he would. She couldn't lie to him and say that everything would be okay because she didn't know if it would be.
Jane tried his best to slow down his breath, to use the biofeedback techniques that he had mastered over the years but the more he tried the more upset he became.
Lisbon continued to rock him as he placed kisses on his head. Visions flashed through her head. Red John capturing her, Red John killing her, Cho shooting Red John, her beating the crap out of Red John. Yeah that was her favourite image by far.
"We're not going down without a fight Patrick." She whispered the promise into the skin on the back of his neck.
"He'll get to you Teresa, he always get what he wants."
Lisbon placed her hands on his face and gently pulled it so their faces were inches from each other "then we'll just have to want him more." A small smile formed on her lips. "We'll be ready for him, for whatever he throws at us. We'll end this once and for all. He'll go to jail or hell and we'll move one." Her thumbs gently wiped the tears from his eyes "can't believe it took little ole me to get the great Patrick Jane to cry" she joked.
Chuckling slightly he pulled Lisbon to him "we have to beat him Teresa, we have to beat him at his own game. There's no way in hell I am losing you or Cho or Gracie or Rigsby."
Pulling back Lisbon saw a look of determination in Jane's eyes.
Lisbon smiled before sweetly kissing his lips "give yourself a few minutes to calm down and then join us down stairs. We have a serial killer to catch." She stood and slowly made her way to the stairs.
"Teresa."
She turned back to face him.
"Thank you."
Smiling she headed back downstairs to her team.
"Boss is Jane okay?" Van Pelt looked nervously at Lisbon.
"He'll be fine."
"What about you?" Cho narrowed his eyes.
"I'm" she paused to find the right words. "I'm worried for Jane."
"And for you." Rigsby added.
"Nah" Lisbon shook her head "I have a great team who'll keep me safe."
"Cho should take lead." Jane announced as he strode back into the bull pen.
Lisbon looked from Cho to Jane "he's right. Cho you're up."
"Cho just so you know I am not leaving Teresa's side at all" Jane walked over and wrapped his arm around her waist. Lisbon blushed as she looked from one team member to another.
"Are you two?" Rigsby waved his finger from Lisbon to Jane and back again.
Jane beamed at him and Lisbon nodded shyly.
Van Pelt squealed and ran at her boss and their consultant and wrapped her arms around them. A few seconds later she came to her senses.
"Sorry" she muttered.
"It's fine Grace" Jane smiled.
Lisbon was surprised that even Cho managed a small smile.
"I take it you guys are all okay with Patrick and I being together?"
Hey all nodded their heads.
"We're happy for you boss" Cho spoke for the whole team "hurt her and I'll kill you Jane."
"Duly noted." Jane rocked on his heels.
"Same goes for you boss. I will hurt you if you hurt Jane."
Everyone looked at Grace with a surprised look on their faces.
"What? Jane's family too."
Lisbon smiled at Van Pelt "I don't intend on doing anything of the sort but it's good to see that someone has Jane's back."
"So how long has this being going on" Rigsby folded his arms.
"Wayne" Van Pelt chided.
"It's fine" Lisbon reassured her "since Friday."
"To be fair it's been a couple of years in the making." Jane smiled at Lisbon and kissed the top of her head.
"So what's the plan Cho?" Lisbon moved to sit down at the table near her office. Slowly the rest of the team followed her.
"Well" Cho grabbed a chair and pulled it to the table "I think we need to keep this between us. We don't know who we can trust."
They all nodded in agreement.
"I agree but that didn't exactly work out last time. Sarah and I broke up; we all got transferred to other teams."
"I didn't" Jane noted the smile on his face quickly dissipated when he felt an elbow dig into him.
"Boss got suspended" Rigsby continued "and the FBI snooped around."
"Rigsby" Lisbon turned to the tallest member of her team "I completely understand if you don't want to be a part of this, you have Ben to think about." Her eyes scanned the rest of the group "I understand if any of you don't want to be involved."
"I'm in" Cho answered straight away.
"Me too" Van Pelt smiled.
"Ben is with Sarah at the moment so count me in. It's not that I didn't want to help Boss, I just don't want Ben to not have a Dad."
"I get it Rigs. It's fine. Thanks guys."
"We'd do anything for you boss." Van Pelt admitted.
"Boss" Cho grabbed everyone's attention "I also think that you should take some time off."
Lisbon shook her head "no, I need to be here with my team."
"Teresa" Jane called quietly "we can't protect you as well if you are out in the field."
"What if I stay here?"
Jane shook his head "what happened to Bosco and his team is proof that CBI isn't safe."
Lisbon huffed in frustration "so what am I supposed to do hang out at my house and wait for Red John to come for me?" Lisbon heard the quiet intake of breath from Jane who was sitting next to her. Sighing she closed her eyes "I'm sorry. It's just so frustrating. I don't want to be sitting at home doing nothing; I want to help catch the bastard."
"And we want to keep you safe" Rigsby growled.
"Please Teresa"
Lisbon looked into Jane's eyes and saw anguish.
"I can't, I can't lose you too. Just let Cho run this his way."
Lisbon frowned at him.
"Please."
Biting her lip she continued to look into his eyes. "Okay, I'll do whatever you tell me to do. Cho you're in charge. I'll send an email requesting leave. I'm owed some time anyway."
"Alright. I'll get us some burn phones." Grace shrugged "we don't know if our CBI ones are bugged."
"Great. So we're on late shift tomorrow how about we all meet at the Boss' place at 9am?"
They all looked at Lisbon for confirmation. "Only if someone brings Bagels and a bear claw."
"Deal" Van Pelt smiled.
Placing her keys on the coffee table Lisbon shuffled into the kitchen to make tea for herself and Jane. "Well that day sucked" she mumbled to herself.
"Can't argue with that my dear" Jane agreed as we walked up behind her.
"Tea?"
"Mmm please" he whispered wrapping his arms around her waist.
"I can't make tea with you clinging to me" she chuckled.
"You could, you just refused to accept the challenge."
"Jane I'm tiny there's no way that I can drag you."
"And yet you told me what you've tackled guys 3 times your size."
"I have but I don't generally drag them around my kitchen to make tea."
"Fair call" Jane decided reluctantly letting her go.
"So when do you think Red John will strike?" Lisbon wondered as she sipped her tea on the couch.
Jane looked up from his tea cup "most probably when he thinks that we aren't expecting it. He'll wait for as long as it takes for us to let our guards down."
Lisbon sighed and brought her knees up closer to her body. Sensing that she was upset Jane moved closer. She turned her head away from him not wanting him to see the fear and frustration in her eyes.
"Teresa"
She sniffed but continued to look away.
"Please look at me."
"I'm tired can we just go to sleep."
"Please" he touched her arm.
The warm, safe feeling caused her to turn back to him. He swore that his heart sank as he saw the fear in her eyes, the tears falling.
"I'm scared Patrick."
Jane pushed down his own feelings about Red John.
"I'm sorry" she wiped the tears away "I shouldn't be talking to you about this."
"Hey" he whispered taking her in his arms "you can talk to me; you're allowed to be scared, honestly I'm terrified. But that's what he wants right?"
She nodded.
"What are you scared of? Talk me through it."
Lisbon took a deep calming breath "that he'll hurt me. That he'll win, that the team will suffer but mostly what he'll do to you." Shifting herself she sat in his lap "you were so broken after Angela and Charlotte were taken from you Patrick. When you came to CBI you were just going through the motions. Slowly you got better you smiled and joked around."
Jane smiled.
"And then after your fugue, after you can back from it was like it happened all over again. I don't, I don't want to be the reason that you feel like that again. I'm not saying that I'm in the same sphere as Angela and Charlotte but I know if something happens to me you'll-you'll"
"I'll be lost all over again." He kissed her head and let his lips rest there "that's why we can't let him win this time. He won't we won't let him. We have an advantage here."
Lisbon looked up and silently asked him what it was.
Lovingly he brushed hair out of her eyes "Red John thinks that I will want to face him alone, that my pride will get in the way."
"He's wrong?"
Jane nodded "I've learnt that we need to take him down as a team." Slowly his hand ran through her hair "that's how we win."
Slowly she began to feel a calm wash over her she was struggling to keep her eyes open "stay with me?" She mumbled.
"Always."
Lisbon groaned as the sun hit her face. Throwing her arm out she expected to hit the back of the couch but instead hit a body and heard a groan. Opening her eyes she turned her head toward the noise. "Sorry" she croaked after realising she'd hit Jane.
"S'okay. You can really pack a punch."
Slowly she rolled over and kissed him on the cheek "better?"
"A little."
Leaning up on her elbow she pressed her lips to his. Slowly she moved her hand to tangle in his hair. Their lips moved in tandem; the sigh that left Jane made her smile. Warm hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her impossibly closer. Moving her lower body she now lay on top of him. Nibbling on his lower lip her body tingled as Jane hummed and gripped her tighter. Needing air she reluctantly pulled away.
Jane's eyes were wide and dilated "if that's the apology I get you can hit me anytime."
Laughing Lisbon placed her head on his chest.
"How you feeling?" Jane's voice was quiet and soothing as he ran his fingers up and down her arm.
"Better" she confessed "still scared but better."
Kissing the top of her head he glanced over at the alarm clock 7.45am. The team would arrive soon. "We should get up the guys will be here soon."
Lisbon didn't want to get up, didn't want to move from the little bubble that they had created. "I'm going to have a shower." Carefully she rolled off Jane and headed for the bathroom.
"Want company?"
"You wish" she shot over her shoulder before leaving the room.
Smiling Jane stood up and walked downstairs to prepare breakfast and much needed coffee for a certain petite, brunette beauty.
The shower seemed to be just the thing that Lisbon needed to put herself back into the frame of mind of CBI agent. Okay not just the shower, Jane being with her helped; not that she'd ever admit it. His ego was already too big. The smell of coffee hit her as she walked down the stairs. Humming in delight she closed her eyes and allowed the smell of evade her nostrils.
"Coffee?" Jane smiled as he held out a huge cup to her.
"Mmm-hmm" she smiled taking the coffee gratefully.
"Kiss?" Jane puckered his lips.
Rolling her eyes Lisbon played is silly little game and gently kissed him.
"You enjoy your coffee I'm going to have a quick shower."
Nodding Lisbon sat the table and stared in space man I am not a morning person.
Jane still couldn't believe that after years of denial Lisbon was finally his. He was finally Lisbon's. He still missed his family terribly he knew he always would but the pain hurt a little less with Teresa. As the hot spray hit his back he looked own at his wedding ring. A promise to love Angela till death do they part. He scoffed at the irony. He'd honoured his promises to Angela well after her death. Perhaps too long after. He'd been considering taking the ring of for a while now. Since they came back with Lorelai. Since Lorelai and said he was a little bit in love with Lisbon, since he realised she was right. He'd never wanted to make a grand gesture of removing it. He intended to just twist if off his finger, place it in a safe place and keep living. His rational mind knew that Angela would want him to move on and be happy. The firecracker downstairs currently sipping coffee made him happy, deliriously so. It's almost embarrassing. Without knowing it Lisbon had taught him that removing the ring wasn't a sign of failure; failure would be not living, not loving and he was starting to believe her.
Dressed in the clothes he had surreptitiously hidden in a bag under Lisbon's bed he stood and stared at himself in the mirror. He shook his head realising how old he looked. What am I supposed to look like anyway? Slowly he removed the gold ring from his finger. Flexing his fingers a few times he looked down at the indent that it had left. It felt strange to not have the weight there, not wrong just strange.
Sighing he placed it in the pock of his waistcoat and headed downstairs.
"I made you tea" Lisbon announced quietly.
Jane walked to her and whispered his thanks against her lips before kissing her. The tea was made just the way he liked it. Clearly all the times he complained to Lisbon about the travesty of incorrectly made tea had sunk in.
Lisbon smiled as she saw him wrap two hands around his tea, making a mental note to buy him a proper tea cup and saucer she froze as her eyes fell on his now bare left hand. Taking a deep breath she tried to figure remember if he was wearing it this morning.
"Teresa?"
Her eyes locked on his.
"I'm going to do the dishes."
She nodded not trusting her voice.
Walking to the kitchen Jane began to clean up yesterday's dishes. Lisbon sat at the table and closed her eyes. She swore she'd felt the cool metal of his wedding ring on her skin this morning. Frowning she thought back. Yes, yes she definitely had. Quietly she stood and made her way to the kitchen. She was amazed to see how at home he seemed to be. Stepping in behind him she wrapped her arms around him from behind. He jumped a little but relaxed almost immediately. Lovingly he grabbed her hand and placed it to his lips.
"Never took you for a tactile person Agent Lisbon" the playfulness in his voice was evident.
"I guess I just never had the right person." She squeezed him tighter.
"Are you getting all mushy on me?" Jane could feel Lisbon's smile.
"Maybe. Tell anyone and I'll kick your ass."
"Annnnd there's my Lisbon."
She pulled away as he turned around "your Lisbon?"
Jane smiled cheekily at her "you've always been my Lisbon. It just took me a while to admit it. And now you're also my Teresa." His eyes were warm.
"Hate to break it to you CBI consultant Patrick Jane but Lisbon and Teresa are the same person."
Jane laughed and shook his head "no, Lisbon is the hard as nails, spitfire, take no prisoners CBI agent and Teresa" he brushed an imaginary hair from her face "Teresa is the beautiful, slightly shy, angry little princess standing in front of me."
Turning her head Lisbon kissed the palm of Jane's hand. "When did you take your ring off" She asked looking into his eyes.
"This morning."
Lisbon frowned.
"It was time."
"I don't want to replace them Patrick, you can talk to me about them whenever you like."
"I will one day but right now is about you."
Rolling her eyes she stepped away and opened the curtains, breathing new life into her apartment.
Phew this was epic (for me anyways.) What did you think? Hit me up and let me know. Thanks for reading. Sorry for any mistakes was trying to get this up before home time. Yes I typed it at work. Hehe.