2 chapters in 2 days. What's going on?! I might have slightly a little bit changed my route with this, but it's simply a minor detour to add a bit of drama...

I'm sorry in advance.

Disclaimer: If you didn't know by now... I don't own the Mentalist *sigh*

Lisbon and Jane had rushed back when they had heard about the find, both full of praise for Grace, who simply shrugged it off still believing she should have spotted this earlier. They all saw the same thing, they all read the same thing and so they all knew what had to be done now. The note was clearly from the killer, it had been left there maybe out of guilt, a small level of conscience causing them to leave the smallest clue. Once they had all seen it they sent it down for analysis, ensuring that it was listed high priority. Of course they knew it would still be a good while until they got results but at least it was something. Unfortunately this meant waiting, and none of them were very good at that especially in this case where emotions were running high but nobody wanted to show that small lapse of strength.

Everybody had noted how Rigsby had moved to sit with Grace, to keep her calm, and Jane especially used this as a source of amusement during the waiting period. He was watching them, discreetly, just observing the interaction between the two and how Grace's mood changed almost immediately when he was there. She was still in a bad mood, she was very much distracted but it was a completely different kind of distraction to when he wasn't around. When Rigsby wasn't there, Grace was angry, she was angry with whoever had killed this little boy more than any of them - probably because her nephew was the same age, Jane noted, and she was scared of losing her family as she wondered if this could happen to anyone else. However when Rigsby was there that all disappeared, not completely but essentially that was not the problem anymore. In this situation she was scared of letting her emotions lose, scared of making her feelings for him transparent as if she thought something bad would happen if she did. Little clues would slip through, the odd smile at things that weren't funny, the hugs that they would share when they believed nobody was looking and of course that kiss that Hannah and Joe had told him about. It was simply all too obvious what was going on to him, and it made him quite sad in a way that she wouldn't let go now. Nobody cared anymore if they were to get together, even Lisbon had a fair idea of what was going on and Jane sensed she felt the same as the rest of them about it all.

Grace looked at the clock once more. They had been sat there for hours, it felt like days, and it could still be a lot longer before they had any results given how backed up the lab had been all day. She knew they'd all be going home soon, she knew it would soon come to a time where Lisbon would tell them all to leave and that they would be called in if and when they heard back. And they would all go home and nobody would sleep until they knew... they'd been here before. She looked at the clock again. The childminder would be leaving in an hour, she had to go home soon and it wasn't like she didn't want to go home, she was just scared of that phone call coming in the middle of the night when she had nobody to look after the kids and she wouldn't be able to get the bastard that did this, and see him go down for a long time. It felt selfish, but at the same time she felt the need to see this close, the need to have this gona from her life completely so she could get back to enjoying herself, albeit whilst ignoring her growing feelings for the man sat next to her.

He'd been talking for a while now, just little things, pointless things and she didn't really know what he was saying but that didn't matter. Simply the hum of his voice in the background of her thoughts stopped her from screaming in frustration. Only when Libson came over did she realise they were genuinely trying to speak to her so she tuned in slowly.
"...come on let's go. Grace?" Rigsby looked concerned, she wasn't entirely sure why.

"He's right Grace. You two should go and be with the kids, they'll only worry again. I'll phone you if we get anything alright?" Lisbon looked concerned too. Had they been talking about her? Whatever was going on, she struggled to form any form of argument against this so she simply nodded and allowed herself to be led back to the car.

"I'm really concerned about her Jane, it's all so out of character. This case must really be getting inside her, maybe I shouldn't have had her out with us on the original call..." Lisbon was pacing the room. Jane had yet to look up from whatever it was she was reading, but he did speak.

"It's not the case. Well, it's not really the case. That's not helping, but it's not the problem." Lisbon looked over at him, confused. What was he on about? Of course the case was the problem. A 7 year old boy had been killed, the killer was still out there and Grace has an 8 year old nephew who she is essentially bringing up. Jane was smart, how could he not be seeing this? "You're doubting me Lisbon. But do you really not see it? The problem lies closer to home, the problem lies with her love life." Rigsby? Really? No way was he the problem here that didn't make any sense... but Jane answered her as if he could read her thoughts. Sometimes she wondered... "She's scared of allowing herself to love him. She's scared of losing her job, she's scared of losing her friends, she's scared of losing him and most importantly she's scared of hurting her children."

"But she shouldn't be scared anymore. I thought I'd made it clear that I wouldn't tell if they didn't. I'm pretty sure we won't have the same problem as last time, I've got more control over that now. They'd be safe, and they'd never lose their friends. Everyone is just fed up with them not being together now... and it's clear Hannah and Joe love Rigsby, she shouldn't be scared..." Lisbon sighed, she realised what she was saying to the man she felt that way about. Only recently had she realised but she was scared too. At least Rigsby loved Grace back of course...

"Relax dear Lisbon. I'm sorting it." That didn't sound good. What on earth was he planning? Once again, he read her mind. "The children and I have been thinking. We'll get them sorted... Come, sit, I'll fill you in." Jane smiled, and once she had sat down, he told her everything they had planned.

As soon as they arrived home Grace found herself jumped on by the kids, and she managed to put on a good front as they pulled her over to play with them. She smiled at Wayne, who nodded and went in to the kitchen to put the oven on once he had seen the childminder out. She spent the next hour with them, trying to make everything seem normal for them as they played and danced around. They were both happy, and she wanted it to stay that way. She didn't want them being upset because of her, it simply wasn't fair when they had been through so much in such short lives. Dinner was much the same as always, and she laughed and joked along with them even if she didn't feel up to eating much. When they cleared up, Wayne sent the kids upstairs to get ready for their baths and Grace started washing up.
"Leave that, I'll do it in a bit okay? You need to rest Grace you look shattered..." Why was he so nice? Why did he have to make this all so much harder.

"I can do it. I'm not ill you know? Stop mothering me Wayne." She hated being so harsh, but that was the only way she could get through this recently, and it did bother her that he wouldn't let her do anything since the 'little incident'.
"You've been working hard, you've clearly not been sleeping. I'm just worried about you." No. He needed to stop worrying about her, he needed to stop doin geverything for her. She was not an invalid! Something in her snapped then, she wasn't sure why but it did. She turned around to look at him, she couldn't stop herself from reacting.
"I don't need you worrying about me! I don't need your pity! I don't need you hanging around here all the time Rigsby just stop it! LEAVE ME ALONE!" She watched his face change to shock, then upset, and then he just left. She didn't expect him to go without a fight but he did.

When he had left, she found herself sat on the kitchen floor. She didn't know how she had got there but she certainly felt the tears on her cheeks. Maybe she didn't need him to do those things, but she needed him...

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. *hides*

Next chapter will be up asap I promise. Cross my hearts (I've been watching doctor who...)

xx