Crimson High – The Jane Story

A/N: I have decided to update these two stories together because it will maintain the flow of the story. This is the second to last chapter in this story. Please enjoy.

Chapter ten

Anthony was in the middle of his swing when I launched myself at him over the sofa. His fist didn't catch Teresa cleanly as I collided with him. I caught him across the chest in a flying tackle, causing both of us to tumble to the floor. I refused to release my grip on him, but Anthony was a big man. He struggled, and I felt my grip slipping. Teresa stood against the wall, too stunned to move. Anthony managed to free one arm, which he swung wildly in my direction. I ducked, but the blow caught me behind the ear, stunning me momentarily.

Anthony used his advantage to break my grip and struggle to his feet. I got to my feet as Anthony lunged towards me. I managed to get out of the way of the drunken mass, who crashed into the wall by the door. He used the wall as leverage, and pushed himself in my direction again. I ducked the swinging fist, and dodged his charge towards me. I turned to face him, but wasn't prepared for the stunning blow I received to the face. My cheekbone felt like it was on fire. I staggered back under the force of the blow, tripping over the rug on the floor. I toppled backwards and landed on the telephone table next to the door. It shattered, and my head caught several jagged shards of wood as I fell. They sliced me open, and blood began to ooze down my face and neck, soaking my shirtsleeve.

I shook my head as Anthony advanced on Teresa, trying to clear my senses. The blood was still dripping down my face. I watched as Anthony grabbed Teresa and began to slam her into the wall. I heard the back of her head crack into the wall, and I lurched to my feet. I got my balance and stumbled over to them. I wrapped my arm around Anthony's neck and pulled.

I watched Teresa drop to her knees as I dropped to the ground with Anthony. He began to wrestle for control with me. Being a lot bigger than I was, he managed to get on top. He swung his fist at me, but I blocked the punch with my arm. The blow hurt my arm, and I tried to retaliate with a punch of my own. It was no use, because there was no force behind my punch. I could feel the blood running down my scalp and dripping off onto the floor. A lot of it was beginning to congeal in my hair and on my face.

I felt two strong hands wrap around my neck, choking me. I struggled to breathe with his bulky weight on top of me. Wondered idly if he had ever done this to Teresa. I figured he probably had. I was beginning to fade out of consciousness, when suddenly, the pressure disappeared. The hands were gone, and the weight on my chest was gone. I lay there for a moment, regaining the use of my senses. I sat up, and realised why the weight had disappeared. Teresa had tackled Anthony off of me, smashing into him like a freight train. She had managed to get to her feet, but the way she was clutching her arm meant one thing to me. She had broken her collarbone in the process. I watched as Anthony got onto his hands and knees and attempted to crawl towards Teresa.

I staggered to my feet and over to Teresa. "Are you okay?" I whispered, eying her broken collarbone.

She nodded. "We need help."

I glanced at the sofa, and realised that we could use it to save both of us.

Teresa stepped away from her crawling father, and moved towards the sofa. Anthony swore and threatened her as I went behind the sofa and gripped the underneath. Teresa glanced at me, and I nodded that I was ready. She stepped out of the way as I tipped the sofa over onto Anthony. He was trapped beneath it. A whole variety of swearing and yelling that I didn't recognise erupted from beneath the sofa, but I ignored him. I watched Teresa collapse, and the scream that erupted from her was one of absolute agony. James came rushing down the stair and to her side. He glanced once at the sofa. "Get some ice," I said. "We need ice to stop it swelling."

James nodded and vanished. I headed over to the broken table and picked up the cordless telephone. I headed outside with it, and dialled 911.

"911, where is the location of your emergency?" the woman on the other side said.

"My name is Patrick Jane," I replied. "And I just witnessed a serious domestic dispute?"

"What is the nature of this dispute?"

"My friend's father just got home from the pub and tried to beat both of us up. She has a broken collarbone, but doesn't appear to have sustained any other serious injuries."

"Where is her father now?"

"He's trapped under the sofa." I laughed sheepishly. "It was the easiest thing I could think of to save her from him."

"What is the address?"

I gave the dispatcher the address of Teresa's house, and she told me to wait outside for the police and an ambulance to arrive. About five minutes later, a cop car and a large ambulance pulled up to where I was standing. Two police officers got out, and the paramedics followed just behind them. "This way," I said, turning and walking back towards the door.

They followed me into the house and across to the living room. The room itself was a mess, with an upturned sofa and broken table. Little pools of my blood spattered the floor. Teresa sat with her back to the far wall, clutching the ice to her broken shoulder. James straddled the sofa, holding it down to prevent Anthony from escaping. When the police walked through the door, he slid off onto the floor. "Her father is under there," I said, pointing at the sofa.

The cops lifted up the sofa and put it right side up onto the floor. Anthony stirred at the sudden release, but didn't get much further. The police put him in handcuffs and dragged him to his feet. The escorted him from the room, reading him his rights.

The paramedics went over to Teresa. The one – a young woman – examined Teresa's arm. "This is a bad break," said the woman. "We'll need to take you back to the hospital to set this properly." She turned to me, and eyed the congealed blood in my hair and down my face and shirt. "You will need to come too. That gash needs checking."

I nodded at the paramedics helped Teresa to her feet and out to the ambulance. James and I went upstairs to fetch Michael and Tommy. Both of them were still awake, and Tommy clung to my hand. The four of us headed down to the ambulance, where we all rode to the hospital.

XxxxxxxxxxxX

I sat in the hospital waiting area with the three boys. James sat next to me, and Tommy sat on my other side. Michael sat next to Tommy. My head had been checked and bandaged, with no need for stitches and staples. I could feel a nasty bruise forming on my cheekbone, and my neck felt a little stiff. The nurse came through to me and nodded. "You can go through to see her now."

I smiled and nodded. I turned to James. "See you in a bit."

He smiled tiredly and put his head back against the wall. I followed the nurse to where Teresa was, anxious to talk to her. She was deep in thought when I poked my head around the door. "How are you doing?" I asked her, examining the sling across her chest.

She grimaced. "Been better. You look like death warmed up."

I laughed. I had to admit that I felt that way too. "I admit I have felt better."

She sighed, and turned onto a less casual subject. "How's dad?"

I pushed the door shut behind me and went over to her. "The police are looking at charging your father with assault and battery." There was a more pressing discussion we needed to have. "But I also know that you are worried about your brothers being separated."

"Tommy's just eight," she replied, staring down at her hands in worry. "I don't want him to grow up without his siblings around for support. He needs all of us."

And idea suddenly occurred to me, and I rushed to the door. "Excuse me for a few minutes please, Teresa," I said, opening the door abruptly. "I will be right back, I promise."

She nodded as I headed back down to the lobby. The social services people were already at the front desk, asking about the Lisbon children. I pulled out my cell phone and dialled my mother's number. "Mom," I said as she answered. "How would you feel about fostering three boys?"

"Patrick," she said. "What on earth are you going on about?"

I hurriedly explained the situation, and then headed over to the people at the front desk. "Excuse me," I said to them. "I have a solution concerning the Lisbon children. Their older sister has been living in California, and so it would be better if they were all kept together and moved down there to be with her."

The agent in front of me nodded thoughtfully. "But then we would need to find a person willing to foster the three boys, and that could take ages."

I shook my head and handed him my cell phone. "On the phone right now is a woman willing to foster the three boys."

The man took the phone and began to ask my mother questions. After about thirty questions, the man nodded and handed the phone back to me. "We would be willing to let this woman foster these boys."

"Thank you," I said, grinning happily.

"And we will leave them in your care until you all go back to California."

I smiled and nodded as the man turned and left with his partner. I headed back up to Teresa's room, and found her lying back on the bed. "It's all been sorted," I said to her, pulling up a chair next to her.

"What has?" she asked in confusion.

I smiled gently at her. "Your brothers. My mother spoke to the social services people now. The boys are coming to live with my mother and me in California."

Teresa sat up abruptly. "What?!"

The movement jerked her injured shoulder, and she grimaced in agony. "Just relax, Teresa," I said. "I called my mother and explained the situation. She had always wanted more children, and was more than willing to foster your brothers. The social services people were happy to oblige. It meant less paperwork for them to do. I don't think your brothers will even be entered into the system."

Teresa breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. She lay back onto the bed. The painkillers appeared to be kicking in, because she remembered the most arbitrary thing. "Patrick," she said. "I remember something you mentioned about Red John, about him having a twisted sense of right and wrong. What did he do to you?"

I grimaced slightly, but decided to tell her anyway. "Red John caught me breaking into his room. I was looking for some stupid alarm codes for Craig and JJ, but wouldn't pay Red John's high prices for them. Red John caught me stealing the codes and tied me to a chair. He cut the back of my shirt open and carved his signature into my skin with a sharp knife. Nothing could be proven, because I refused to admit to stealing the codes, so he got away with it."

Teresa tried to sit up again. "What was it?"

I pulled my shirt off and turned around. The scar, I knew, would still be visible. "I can't tell the police how I came to get this scar, because I could get a record for stealing."

Teresa sat up. Even drugged, she was still highly intelligent. "Why not tell them that Red John is selling private details to students? Surely he can be arrested for that."

I shrugged, not really caring about Red John. "He could be. I never thought of doing that."

Teresa smiled sleepily. "The staff wants me to spend the night. Please look after the boys for me."

I stood up, and bent over her. I gently pressed my lips to hers. Teresa got a bit of a surprise, but soon wound her free hand into my hair to pull me closer. Her lips were soft and gentle, but I knew I couldn't kiss her for too long. I pulled away far too soon for Teresa's liking, apparently, because her lips slipped into a cute pout. "Teresa," I said, gently caressing her hair. "You need your sleep."

I could see the effect the painkillers had on Teresa. She snuggled back into the bed, and I pulled the blanket up over her. "Thank you, Patrick," I heard her mumble.

"No problem, Teresa," I replied, stroking her hair.

"I love you," I heard her mumble.

My heart stopped momentarily, before breaking into a dead run. She had finally admitted that she loved me. "I love you too, Teresa," I whispered, watching her drifting into a deeper sleep.

A/N2: Thank you for reading this chapter. Please review and tell me what you think of it. Thanks.