Hello.
First, let me apologise to anyone following this story for not updating sooner but some real life traumas got in the way and then I had no real motivation to finish before now. Then I got writers block with how I wanted the end to happen put down into words... BUT with a lot of encouragement from a few lovely people that I know, I have finally manage to finish the story.
There will be a epilogue chapter to follow very shortly and I want to personally thank everyone who has followed, fav my story and for all the lovely reviews that I have received since starting this ff story. Having that support is what keep writers writing so I want to thank you all for reading and taking the time.
Be warned this is a long chapter but as it's the finale I think it's allowed ;)
I dedicate this one to Mayzee, Hannah, Shena and for anyone else who has PM me over the last few weeks encouraging me to finish. Thank you. Xxx
Disclaimer: I don't own The mentalist, if I did I would be a very happy woman.
The finale.
Jane sat swivelling the golden liquid around the bottom of his tumbler glass. His eyes fluttered closed for a few seconds as his head began spinning along with the liquid.
"Patrick, do you want me to call you a cab home, honey?"
Jane lifted his head back up dazed and confused as to when he had laid his head down against the cool varnished bar. He reopened his eyes wide trying his hardest to focus on the blurred figure standing before of him with a soft feminine Texan accent.
"Come on handsome, I think it's home time for you." The woman's soft voice distanced as she moved out from behind the bar.
'I-I am fine." Jane felt a small arm snaking around his waist helping him down off the bar stool. The bright lights and sounds from the pinball machine made him flinch back, accidentally head butting the small person holding him.
"Steady soldier, unlike you I need all the brain cells I have." The female giggled in his ear. "Let's sit you down there and let the fresh air help sober you up." Jane felt the warm night breeze hit his skin as he was lowered to sit upon a hard wooden bench outside of the bar.
"Michaela, I will be fin-ne," Jane slurred, clumsily removing his cell from his jacket pocket and dropping it down onto the dirty wood underneath his feet. "Honestly. I am fine. Must have just been something I ate."
"Yeah, right and I am Bill Clinton," joked the barmaid. "You can't continue on like this Patrick, I am not sure your poor liver can handle much more to be honest." Jane felt the old bench dip beside him. "This is the third time this week you have got yourself in this state."
"Who are you? My AA counsellor? "Jane said snidely, attempting to slide along the wooden bench but not getting very far as his heavy drunken body wouldn't allow it.
"I will ring you a cab." Michaela sighed, standing back up and looking at the sorry state of the FBI consultant.
"No, don't. I can walk home from here. It's not far."
"I don't think that is a good idea, there's no moonlight tonight and you could fall down a ditch and seriously injure yourself. I doubt you could find your own shadow out there, let alone your home Patrick..."
"I said I will be fine. Not the first time I have walked around this area drunk. How do you think I found my home in the first place?"
"Patrick, you are-..."
"I said I am fine Michaela," Jane snapped angrily. "Stop fussing woman, you're my barmaid not my wife." The minute his harsh tone left his mouth he felt the sense of guilt flood over him.
"Okay. I will leave you to it. Take care of yourself Patrick." Michaela stepped back to the doorway of bar.
"Michaela, I am sorry... I... Sorry. Just a bad time for me right now," Jane said regrettably and hoping she wouldn't hold his outburst against him.
"Listen, I have got to lock up the bar but if you give me twenty minutes then I will drive you home myself." Jane held up a hand to protest to her suggestion. "Please Patrick, let me, I couldn't live with myself if you got hurt in this state."
"Okay. Thank you." Jane nodded in acceptance, his eyes focusing clearly on the woman for the first time since having left the bar.
"No worries, besides we don't want your wife coming home to find you with a broken leg or arm now. Do we?"
"I don't think my wife is ever coming back..." Jane replied sadly, attempting to put his cell in his front jacket pocket but failing miserably.
"just sit tight, Mr." Michaela gave the drunken man a sympathetic nod before leaving him sat slumped up against the outside wall of the bar to sober up.
As the car pulled up outside Jane's newly built home, he fumbled around trying to unclip his seatbelt. "Come here, let me help you." Michaela chuckled as she helped the harmless drunk out of his restraint.
"Thank you," Jane said pulling open the door of the car. "And thank you for dropping me home. You're a good woman."
"No worries. Take care of yourself Patrick and I am sure you are wrong about your wife. Why would she come looking for you if she didn't care? Huh?" Michaela said in an upbeat tone trying to remain positive for the broken man.
Jane felt moist warm lips lightly peck his cheek. He knew the barmaid was a little sweet on him especially since he became more of a regular at the bar near his home in the last few weeks. He had made it his purpose to go to that bar and act the damaged harmless drunk whose whole world had recently fallen to pieces and with Michaela's naturally sweet friendly nature the act had clearly worked on her. He just hoped she wasn't the only one buying his broken man act.
He pushed opened the door of the car stumbling as he went. Making his way over to the stairs of his darkened cabin he approached the wooden veranda and instantly spotted the small piece of tooth pick he had planted in the joint of the door before he left lying idly on the door mat.
"Wait!" Jane shouted out as Michaela's car started to reverse up the gravel drive way. "Michaela wait!" The barmaid killed the engine and exited the vehicle, clearly concerned by his sudden cries.
"Are you okay Patrick? What's wrong?" She stepped around the driver's door, quickly making her way over to a swaying Jane. As he steadied himself gripping on to her shoulder he swiftly wrapped his arms around her body pulling her drunkenly against his. As he pulled back an inch he slipped his cell phone unseen into her jacket pocket.
He kept his voice low whilst cuddling her. "Michaela, listen to me. I need you to ring Agent Cho for me immediately. Do you understand?"
"Huh?" She replied, confused, as he kept her in a hug position but also noting the seriousness in his voice.
"Michaela, listen to my instructions. I need you to get back into your car and drive away. Then when you are half way home I need you to use the cell that I have just placed in your left jacket pocket to call an Agent Kimball Cho for me. Tell him the plan has finally worked. He will know what it means, do you understand?"
"Yes, but I-..." Michaela stuttered.
"No time for questions, just do as I say. Trust me," Jane said pulling himself upright and starting to quickly sober up praying the small woman in his arms wouldn't think his words and actions was the alcohol talking.
Jane placed a long sloppy drunken kiss to her cheek. He watched as Michaela reluctantly got back into the driver's seat, giving him a very confused look. No matter how drunk he may have got over the last five weeks he had always remained a gentleman towards her, unlike some of the other regulars who came into the bar, so this sudden over friendly behaviour was very out of character and Jane only hoped that once she had contacted Cho she would realise he was just acting this way for a good reason, putting her safely out of harm's way.
"See you sweetheart!" Jane shouted loudly into the night air stumI'm bling back towards the cabin again. He made his way back up to the front door discreetly disregarding the small tooth pick with his foot. After a few moments he eventually managed to get his keys in the lock and entered the dark cabin.
Fischer placed her book down watching as Lisbon awkwardly tried to lower herself onto her very soft comfy couch.
"You ok?"
"Yep, just got some discomfort in my stomach, but I am fine." Lisbon hissed grimacing as pain in her stomach and back hit her simultaneously.
"Are you sure? You're not going into early labor again?" Fischer asked growing increasingly more worried as Lisbon's face contorted in agony. Lisbon had spent the whole day travelling with Mikey and was concerned it may have set off another premature labor.
"Kim, relax I am fine, it's nothing I promise..."
"But you look really pale and it's clear you're in serious pain, maybe I should I call your doctor..." Fischer quickly stood to grab her cell off the side, not wanting to take any risks with Lisbon being in her condition.
"Kim, relax... it's trapped wind." Lisbon mumbled slightly embarrassed as Fischer began dialling the number.
"Oh! Oh. Really?" A small grin spread crossed Fischer face at Lisbon's own diagnosis. "It's wind?"
"Yes, one of the many joys of pregnancy unfortunately."
As Fischer sat back down she couldn't contain her amusement any longer and let out a small snigger. Lisbon also started giggling despite her initial embarrassment. She lifted her legs up on the couch placing a soft scatter cushion behind her back. Carrying two babies was certainly a lot more hard work and being over seven months pregnant it was starting to take its toll on her petite frame.
She had flown back from Chicago earlier that day, where she had spent the last four weeks staying with her brother Stan and his energetic family. Jane's plan to catch the stalking doctor was taking much longer than they had all expected. In the end she felt like she and Mikey had outstayed their welcome and decided to head back home to Texas. Fischer had kindly offered her spare room and that was where she and Mikey would stay until this whole nightmare was over with.
"Anyway, enough of my embarrassing woes. How are you?" Lisbon asked.
"Me? Oh. I am fine. All great. Working mainly." Lisbon heard Fischer's voice rise, a clear sign that she was lying about something "Abbott has been going back and forth to Washington quite a bit, so I have been in charge of the new cases coming in. He hasn't said anything yet but I think he may be looking to transfer."
"Interesting. And how's Dan? Is he around?" Lisbon turned her head expecting to see Fischer's husband arrive but noticed that Fischer's head dipped avoiding direct eye contact with her.
"Uh...no. No, he's not."
Suddenly the sound of Mikey crying out from the spare bedroom interrupted their talk. Lisbon groaned in frustration before awkwardly attempting to swing her legs back off the couch.
"Please. Teresa, let me go," Fischer suggested. "If that's ok with you."
"Of course it is." Lisbon smiled, just relieved she didn't have to move or roll herself off the sofa again. "He probably just wants his teddy bear. He sometimes throws him out of the travel cot." Lisbon sat back against the pillow as the pain in her stomach increased. She vowed she would never go through pregnancy again; carrying two of them was a lot more hard work than it had been carrying Mikey. The sound of Fischer's house phone began to ring out and for a moment Lisbon wondered if she should answer it but allowed the answer machine pick up instead.
"Uh, hi Kim, it's me." Dan's deep voice crackled over the speaker. "I wanted to know if Saturday would be a good time for me to come get the rest of my stuff. I thought I would come by whilst you were at work, making it easier for us both."
Lisbon frowned in confusion as she had been unaware that Dan had moved out. "Look...I...I am really sorry about everything. I know you don't want to hear that again but it's the truth. I never meant to hurt you, you're a great woman and I am sorry about how things turned out. I never planned this but sometimes these things are out of our control... (Dan sighs)... Anyway let me know if Saturday is okay with you. I'm sorry."
The answer phone beeped off and for a few moments Lisbon sat staring at the red light blinking on the box, a little stunned that she hadn't been aware of how bad things were with her friend's marriage.
"You were right. It was just his bear had fallen out, he is back sound asleep now, "Fischer remarked re-entering the room and catching the strange look upon Lisbon's face.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I am fine. Are you?" Lisbon asked softly, amazed by Fischer's strong upbeat attitude.
"Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because Dan just rang."
Fischer's smile dropped at Lisbon's statement, knowing she couldn't get way with hiding the truth any longer. "Kim, why didn't you tell me?"
"Because you have enough going on with everything at the moment. And I was embarrassed. We haven't even been married one year and it's already over. Besides my marriage problems are the last thing you needed to hear about with everything going on." Fischer took a large gulp of her wine, flushing pink and coming over all embarrassed by her truthful admission.
"What happened? Is it really over?"
"Well. It turns out all his trips to head office in Washington weren't just case trips. He has met someone else. Tiffany. Apparently she is the new love of his life, he thought he knew what love was but that was before he met her apparently. Turns out I was just a test run..." Fischer stated bitterly, her voice breaking off as she rubbed the palms of her hands anxiously down her legs.
"Oh Kim, I am so sorry," Lisbon replied, her heart breaking for her friend's sad affairs.
"Ah, don't be. I am better off. Besides this way I can focus on my career again." Fischer gently dabbed her eyes composing herself. "Some people just aren't meant for the happily ever after and I am clearly one of them." Fischer began arranging the scatter cushions to distract herself from Lisbon's sympathetic gaze.
"I will go make us some tea, it might help with your little...eh...gas problem." Fischer smirked over at her friend fully in control of her emotions once more and making her way over to the kitchen area.
"So, how's it been? I mean without Jane..."
"Okay."
"Okay?" Fischer raised a questionable eyebrow up at Lisbon's short sharp reply. Lisbon rolled her eyes knowing it was her turn to come clean and confess. "Fine, I'm missing him."
"I mean at first I was angry but I realise this isn't his fault, it's Dr Miller's. Now I just miss him. Especially with the twins' due date getting closer and closer. I really need him back and to be back home. I need him with me."
"Hmmmm. Four weeks is a long time to be apart, especially in your condition. Do you really think he can pull this con off? I mean it's pretty hard to achieve even for a master manipulator like Jane."
"Well, it's not like he hasn't done this sort of thing before." Seeing Fischer's eyes narrow in confusion unsure what she was getting at, Lisbon continued. "Las Vegas. It was a few years ago when we were at CBI. He did a big con for six months to catch Red John and no one saw through his act. Not even me."
Lisbon ended her explanation and sat quietly remembering how hard that time had been when he had first left California. It had also been the first time she had openly acknowledged that she had more than just platonic feelings for her troublesome consultant.
"If anyone can pull this off then its Jane, he had plenty of practice at playing the lonely damaged broken man. Plus when he sets his mind to achieve something nothing is going to stand in his way." Lisbon's voice softened when she realised just how far Jane had come over the years and how proud of him she was.
On first look, nothing looked out of place but the fallen tooth pick by the cabin door had confirmed someone had entered their home. There was also a faint whiff of perfume lingering in the humid cabin air and it wasn't Lisbon's. He inhaled a deep breath trying to calm himself. He had spent the last three weeks waiting for this moment to come and needed for it to go smoothly.
Two weeks into the plan to catch the doctor he had started to doubt if it was going to lure Dr Miller out of her hideout. His confirmation the plan was working came when Michaela the barmaid had confirmed that a blonde haired woman had come into the bar looking for him, asking several questions on his welfare and his current whereabouts. The sweet barmaid had just assumed the woman was Jane's wife and Jane hadn't corrected her on the error, just in a case the doctor decided to come back.
He had spent the last decade being patient so he could track and catch his family's killer. This time around only four weeks in however it felt hundred times worse. Back then he had been a lonely broken man with no life. His only purpose of being was to get revenge but now he was a better man with a new life, a new family, a new home and he desperately wanted all of that back.
Switching on the reading lamp by his leather couch Jane made his way over to the drinks cabinet pulling out his favourite brand of expensive malt whiskey and glass. He drunkenly removed his suit jacket throwing it over the back of the leather armchair opposite. Jane settled himself down on the couch shutting his weary eyes and resting his head against the cool brown leather. If he was going to pull this con off then he was going to need to pull off his best game. Doctor Miller was no fool and if anyone knew about how to read others, given her profession, it was her.
After ten minutes a dark figure quietly stepped out from the hallway slowly moving into the soft warm glow of the living area.
"Hello Patrick." Sophie's tone was soft but firm. Jane immediately jerked his head up looking towards the woman secretly hiding in the shadows. Jane remained seated as he watched the blonde approach the couch and chairs his eyes narrowing then widening in surprise at seeing her.
"Sophie? Wh-hat are you doing here?" Jane slurred, hoping his tone was coming across as stunned. He placed his untouched whiskey glass down on the coffee table in front of him. She basically looked the same as the last time he had seen her but he did notice there were some darker circles around her eyes, ageing her a little.
"I came to see you Patrick," Sophie replied taking a quick glance around at the state of the messy cabin. "I came by earlier but you weren't in but then I saw the front door was left open so I let myself in, hope you don't mind."
Jane knew he had locked the door. He had made sure of it so the only way the doctor had let herself in was with a key or she had picked the lock. Sophie made her way across the room carefully stepping over empty whisky and beer bottles sprawled haphazardly on the cabin floor. She sat down on the leather armchair opposite Jane.
The once warm immaculate new home was started to look a mess. There were empty whiskey and beer bottles all over the floor, dirty half eaten take away boxes scattered over the surfaces, and Jane's unwashed shirts and suits lying abandoned over different items of furniture. Studying him for a few moments Sophie raked her eyes over his scruffy drunken appearance.
"You look a mess Patrick," she stated sadly. Jane let out a small chuckle scoffing at her remark. He picked up his whiskey glass taking a large sip showing his total lack of care to her observations. Jane eyed her suspiciously over the rim of his short tumbler glass. "Why are you here?"
"I flew back into Texas for some business yesterday and I ran into Dr Wilkes. He informed me that you cancelled all your therapy and treatment sessions with him. I was concerned about you. I also heard you were suspended from your job," Sophie replied leaning back against the leather. "Unruly drunken behaviour at a crime scene apparently."
"Well, well, well. You are a font of knowledge aren't you Dr Miller?" Jane sighed irritably, pouring himself another drink.
"I take it by looking at the state of the place Agent Lisbon is no longer living here."
Jane noticed how the doctor's lips turned up a little as she asked the question she clearly already knew the answer to. He knew she knew Lisbon was gone but played along. Leaning down Sophie picked up an empty whiskey bottle that had been rolling nearby her foot and placed it upright on the coffee table.
"No. She left me," Jane replied with a tightness in his voice.
"Left for good?"
"Well, I think her filing for divorce and wanting full custody of my son is a clear answer, don't you?" Jane aggressively threw down an A4 envelope on the coffee table towards Sophie. "Apparently I am not husband material. Can't blame her I suppose, got my first wife killed and now I've pushed my second to the brink of a breakdown."
Jane quickly knocked back his drink watching as the doctor sat studying the fake divorce forms in her hand. "She left a few weeks ago, took my boy with her." Jane's voice broke as Sophie refocused her attention back to the drunken man sat opposite her. "We had a big fight after Mikey was involved in a serious accident. Then child services got involved. It was a mess. She said that my lack of trust in her was the last straw. That she couldn't take my crap anymore. Then I found out she has been secretly in contact with her ex fiancé, Pike, since we have been married."
Jane poured himself another shot of whiskey feeling his blood pressure rising naturally at the thought of Marcus Pike attempting to win his wife back. Sophie nodded in sympathy, her eyes beginning to soften more and more at Jane's woeful troubles, letting him know the broken man act was working successfully on the doctor.
"I don't know why I am surprised; it was never going to work between us, was it? I mean you said yourself that feelings that are created out of bonded circumstances never really last. Well looks you were right... Besides she doesn't understand me," Jane stated his voice quiet as he leaned back against the leather deflated by his own words. In his last meeting with the doctor she had tried to convince him Lisbon would never truly understand him so he was using her own words to try sucker her in.
"The whole Red John saga showed our differences." His teary eyes focused on his wedding picture on the side table across the room and saw the sad pity now in Sophie's eyes. All he had to do was keep playing at the broken man in need of her help and the doctor would be putty in his hands.
"Despite what she said, she wanted me to arrest that sick son of bitch. He kills my family and she wants me to give him a cosy little cell!" Jane said angrily shaking his head in disgust. "Sometimes people have to do things that aren't always right in this world. That sometimes there are deadly consequences to actions, especially when that psycho takes everything and destroys your world."
The sound of the leather creaking alerted Jane that the doctor had moved to sit on the couch beside him. He turned his head away from his wedding picture to look at the woman sat beside him.
"She never deserved you Patrick. She doesn't understand you, she never has. She is a woman who believes in some greater goodness and faith," Sophie said, rolling her eyes skywards mocking Lisbon religious beliefs. "She is someone who follows rules and believes in 'the law'. Someone like Agent Lisbon has no idea how people like me and you work. People like us will do and sacrifice whatever it takes for the ones we love. Anything..."
Jane eyes focused on the Doctor's hand as she slowly began caressing his knuckles with her fingertips. Every part of him wanted to snatch his hand away but knew he needed to see this through if this nightmare in his life was ever going to end. He gave a kind smile as their eyes met; fully satisfied he had won her round with his tales of his broken life and marriage.
"I am surprised you are here," Jane asked taking another small sip of his drink. "I wasn't very nice to you the last time we saw each other. Was I?"
"Yes, well, I know better than anyone Patrick that people can say things they don't truly mean in the heat of the moment. Plus we have been friends for a long time and in my world, true friends don't just walk away. I know you better than anyone Patrick and I want you to know I will always be here for you. Always..." The delusional words of the Doctor made Jane want to vomit but he just gave Sophie's hand a quick squeeze in gratitude. After a few silent moments of just sitting and holding hands Sophie smiled happy to see Jane had welcomed her back into his life.
"Why don't I make you some coffee and see if we can tidy this place up a bit. I mean, if you are going to fight for your son you can't let them see you living in a dump."
"Fight for my son?" Jane asked, surprised.
"Yes. Custody. I assume you will be?" Sophie said carrying a couple of empty beer bottles in her arms out to the kitchen then reappearing again in the doorway. "The Patrick Jane I used to know wouldn't just roll over like this. He'd fight for his child, like you did with Charlotte and getting her justice." Jane inhaled a deep breath trying not to let himself respond as the psycho mentioned his late daughter. "You said yourself you don't trust Teresa with Mikey's welfare after the lake incident. So you need to fight for him."
Jane gently bit the inside of his cheek at her mentioning the lake, he hadn't told Sophie any details of Mikey's accident and her mentioning the lake confirmed that she had definitely been involved in that awful event somehow. He quickly swallowed the anger down that was rising inside of him again.
He now had Sophie totally convinced by his sob story, he had spent the last four weeks acting the drunk broken man knowing the Doctor would be listening and stalking him and he had come too far to ruin the plan even if every part of him did want to strangle the Doctor with his bare hands for putting his baby son at risk.
"You need to put Mikey's safety and needs first. Besides a boy needs his father around and I am sure they can use Agent Lisbon's own past misdemeanours against her to sway the courts in your favour. She has some violent tendencies and with her violent childhood on top of that, all these little things will play a key factor in helping your case to getting your son back. Mikey belongs with you Patrick and I will be here to help you get him."
"Well, bringing up a child alone isn't something to take lightly. With my job and the cases I work. I don't think I could manage alone with a young child," Jane said watching as the Doctor swiftly began tidying the cabin up around him.
"But you won't be alone," Sophie said confidently.
"No?"
'No of course not. You will have Mikey's nanny Fran and I will be here to help you. I am thinking about moving my private practice permanently to Texas. I just needed the right incentive," Sophie replied giving him a seductive smile.
Again, Jane hadn't given Sophie any personal details about Mikey's nanny so the Doctor was letting her creepy stalking slip out without even realising. "You are not alone Patrick, you never have been." Sophie stood lovingly gazing over at him before moving back into the kitchen and picking up a few empty beer bottles off the cabin floor as she walked by.
Jane made his way to the doorway watching the Doctor move around his home as though it was her own. It suddenly dawned on him that she probably had been snooping around his home quite a bit since Lisbon had left. He had only started leaving the tooth pick in the door when the barmaid had confirmed that his plan was actually working.
"Here, drink this!" Sophie handed him Lisbon's favourite mug filled with coffee. Seeing Teresa's mug pained him. He hadn't spoken to or seen her or Mikey at all for the past four weeks. If the plan was going to work he needed to cut all contact with her. He only had Fischer's updates that they were doing fine in Chicago with her brother and his family. Every morning he woke he struggled not to dial her cell phone number. In the first few weeks he had left Lisbon several drunken messages as planned pretending to beg her back but that stopped as the waiting for Dr Miller got longer and longer and he needed to detach himself.
In six weeks time she was being taken in to be induced to give birth to the twins but after her premature labor with Mikey everyone was aware if could happen again as her time got nearer and he hated the fact that he may miss his babies' birth. He had already missed Mikey's birth and that still broke his heart.
"Thanks. I am glad you are here," Jane said shyly glancing up. Sophie placed her mug down on the kitchen work top and closed the gap between them slowly wrapping her arms around him and he let her do it.
"I am too. And I am going to always be here from now on. I won't leave you Patrick, not like she did."
"Our marriage broke down because we didn't have trust anymore. If you don't have trust then a relationship will never work," Jane said as he placed his head on her shoulder and allowed her to nuzzle his neck.
"I agree. Trust is key."
"And honesty. That's something I seem to struggle with though but I am trying to change it. I couldn't be totally honest with her over certain things." Jane stepped back breaking their hug. "Not like I can with you."
"That means the world to me Patrick. You can always tell me anything and know I will support you. I hope in time I can do the same with you."
"You can," Jane stated shyly dropping his eyes and bringing her knuckles to his lips placing a gentle peck against them.
Feeling the doctor's body shudder at his sensual touch he knew his charms were working and hoped he wasn't going to have to pretend or act anymore physically than he already was. "I know I can," Sophie agreed softly.
"Then what really happened with Amanda Groom?" Jane lowered her hand from his lips but still kept a gentle but firm grip on her wrist. Instantly her felt her pulse start to race and she stepped away in shock by his question. He could only hope he hadn't played his ace card too soon and scared her away.
"Please Sophie. Talk to me. Like you said we are friends, you know you can trust me," Jane remarked, feeling his own heart and adrenaline start to quicken. Sophie took an anxious few steps backwards to the kitchen sink. For a few seconds he considered following her across the room but didn't want to go over top with the fake physical contact he was giving. Sophie eventually turned looking out of the kitchen window at the lake and the starry night sky.
"I did what I had too," she whispered quietly.
"And what was that?"
Sophie let a small ironic chuckle. "She threatened to ruin everything that was important to me Patrick. And I wasn't prepared to let that happen."
"So you killed her?"
"Yes," Sophie said dipping her head a little but kept looking out of the kitchen window not wanting to face Jane behind her.
"And the boyfriend. You framed him for the murder?"
"That part was easy. He was so high and off his face when he came to the apartment that night. I just gave him a laced alcoholic drink of drugs and prescription sedatives and bang, he overdosed within the hour," Sophie said smugly sipping on her coffee and turning to face Jane again.
"And what did you do with the real murder weapon?" Jane asked curiously but saw Sophie frown, becoming more suspicious by his line of questioning. "I only ask as I am curious. Though Amanda was stabbed with a knife several times that wasn't the weapon that originally caused her death. The forensics teams searched that apartment block from top to bottom and found nothing that could be the weapon. The only conclusion is the real killer took the weapon with them and you know how I love a good puzzle." Jane gave her a sexy wicked smile, hoping the Doctor would believe that it he was actually impressed by her deadly deceit and lies.
Sophie tilted her head smiling a small smug grin back at the consultant. "It's in the lake. Your lake in fact. I threw it in there a few days after Amanda's death. I came by here to talk to you but you were all out. Anyway, that mess is all in the past now. I've moved on. Just like you will, Patrick." Sophie picked up some more trash and began clearing up the kitchen. "Do you fancy something to eat? It's my treat. There's is a lovely new Thai place just opened in-... Patrick?"
Sophie cut short her suggestion when she noticed Jane's face had sobered and was staring at her with utter disdain. Finally dropping the broken man act and placing his coffee mug firmly down on the kitchen worktop making the hot liquid splash over the rim he took a few steps narrowing the gap between them. His eyes raked over her in pure disgust as she stood in front of him holding an old pizza box in her hands.
"I don't think so Sophie. We are done. Or should I say... you are," Jane stated coldly.
"What? I-I...I don't understand," Sophie replied followed by a burst of nervous laughter suddenly thrown by his change of tone and demeanour.
With Jane's cold harsh words lingering between them he pulled out a square black plastic device from his pocket, placing it down on the kitchen island for the doctor to see. He instantly saw Sophie's confused look fall and be quickly replaced with one of horror as she recognised the random object in front of her.
"Do you recognise this?" Jane asked.
Sophie remained silent staring down at the object swallowing nervously. Jane noticed her bottom lip started trembling. "No? Well, let me remind you Dr Miller." Jane made sure he used her professional name in a cold and detached tone. "This is a listening device, you planted it mine and my wife's bedroom. Remember now?"
"That's ludicrous. You're drunk," Sophie retorted nervously and continued to clear up the kitchen.
"Please, don't try to lie. This is me you are talking to and if you know me as well as you claim to then you will know lying to me is pointless." Jane watched as Sophie froze thinking on what her next move should be.
"Ok. Yes. Yes I did. But only because I was worried."
"Worried? You bug my home and have been listening in on my private life for months because you were worried? What were you exactly worried about Sophie. Hmmm?" Jane snapped angrily. He had pushed his anger down long enough that now the con was up it was slowing seeping out.
"You. I was worried about you. She's not right for you Patrick," Sophie replied her voice turning all frantic. "She gives off this saintly Angel act, the poor martyred wife routine, but I knew she was doing you wrong and look, I was right. She was keeping things from you, lying. She was still in contact with her ex fiancé and probably doing a whole lot worse behind your back. She isn't right for you! She has never been. I did it all for you Patrick, for us, we belong together, me and you, it's our destiny. We are the same me and you, we understand how things really work in this world. There was a reason you were put in my care and why we met. There was a reason Red John came into your life Patrick. I know you feel like he destroyed your world but really he gave you a new one. Don't you see? He put you on the path to the right life, a life with me."
Jane raised a shocked eyebrow at her panicked ranting but remained silent.
"Teresa has just been a road block but you said yourself she has gone now that means we can finally be together. We can be happy. I know I can make you happy Patrick, so much more than she ever could. Just give me that chance."
"Wow," Jane whispered to himself slightly horrified by the Doctor's disturbing and delusional outburst.
"So, let me get this straight. You think Red John did me a favor in killing my first wife and daughter and your excuse for bugging my home and family is that you were worried my wife was some secret devil woman and it's our long term destiny for us to be together?"
Jane shook his head in disbelief tapping his finger against his lips. Jane studied the frantic looking Doctor for a few minutes, he could see the fear in her eyes that she was about to lose everything she cared about. Him.
"You know that stalking carries a sentence of seven to ten years minimum plus with the first degree murder charge on top of that, I think it's a safe bet you won't be sharing your days or your destiny with anyone. In fact Texas holds the death penalty so there's a good chance you may get to see if there is really a higher faith you doubt so much." He couldn't help but express a satisfied grin as he firmly burst the crazy delusional woman's bubble.
"I... No you can't! No one will believe you," Sophie stuttered angrily, her eyes darkened and her fear subsiding for rage. "It is only your word against mine Patrick."
Jane let out a loud burst of laughter moving around the kitchen island coming to stand opposite the doctor. "That is where you are wrong Sophie. See this..." Jane picked up the forgotten listening device that sat idly in front of them. "This isn't the one you planted it in my home. This is actually a replica; the one you installed is still hidden in place, behind my bedside unit where you placed it in fact. This device is a very similar FBI listening device unit instead."
Jane lifted the box nearer to his mouth to speak clearly into the mic. "Say hello Dr Miller to my colleague Wylie and a few others of my FBI colleagues."
Sophie's eyes slowly widened in panic by Jane's latest gesture. "Modern technology is a marvellous thing! On the other end of this device those FBI agents have been listening to everything you have just told me. I knew you had been listening to me weeks ago. I discovered all your listening devices at that rundown apartment you secretly rented. I will admit I didn't expect my own plan to go on for so long but I needed to get you to come out of hiding but hey I am expert on waiting and I always get my man, or woman in this case, in the end," Jane said smirking as the color drained from the doctor's face.
"And whilst a good lawyer may have been able to argue a good case and even got you off, the stalking charges, the fact that you have now confessed to the murder and to where you hid the murder weapon..." Sophie watched as a bigger grin grew wider across his face clearly enjoying himself as he delivered the final blow. "...Well. I think it's quite clear that the only thing that will get you out of this certain destiny, Dr Miller, is a miracle."
Jane chuckled throwing the listening device up in the air catching it out of the air before slipping it back in his pants pocket. Jane made his way out of the kitchen happy that the Feds had enough evidence to put Sophie Miller away for a very long time. His broken drunken man con over the past four weeks had worked like a treat and he had got the outcome they all wanted. It was very clear that the once very sane doctor now needed her own psychiatric help and had been living in a world of her own delusional fantasies, but that wasn't his problem.
As Jane pulled his cell phone out of his vest jacket pocket to call Teresa he felt a sharp pain hit him across the back of the head. Before he could figure out what had happened, his legs gave way and his body fell forward landing him face down on the floor of the cabin. Groaning in agony he lifted himself up rubbing the back of his head, he saw the doctor was now towering over him with a broken beer bottle in one hand and a small hand gun pointed straight at his head in the other. She clicked the chamber of the gun tilting her head slightly as it was her turn to watch Jane's fear grow, he felt a small trickle of blood ran down the back of his head and his curls.
"Did you think it would be this easy? That you would trick me and I would let you walk away. With her. If I can't be with you Patrick, then no one can."
Jane's eyes widened as the doctor's eyes glazed over and her finger began squeezing the trigger. He never expected his plan to end so deadly, whilst he was aware how unhinged the Doctor was, he hadn't realise she had been carrying any weapons on her. Jane closed his eyes tightly, his last thoughts of Lisbon and Mikey, feeling devastated that he would never get to meet his two unborn children.
The sound of loud gun shot rang out across the cabin and Jane fell back against the wooden floor as Dr Miller's body slumped heavily to the ground beside him. Jane slowly opened his eyes releasing the huge large breath he had been holding.
"Jane. Jane you okay?" Cho asked crouching down beside the Doctor and placing his fingers against her neck to find a pulse. "I need medical assistance immediately. Suspect is down and injured," Cho said clearly into his FBI receiver. Within minutes Jane's cabin was a swarm of FBI agents and paramedics as he was taken outside to get medical treatment to his head.
Jane sat on the steps at the back of the ambulance holding a large bandage to the back of his head. "Jane? You okay?" Abbott asked as he nodded for the paramedic to give them some space.
"Yeah yeah I am fine. Is she..." Jane voice broke off unsure how he felt about the Doctor being dead.
"Dead? No. Cho's shot is the best. She is going to need medical treatment for a few weeks but then we can transfer her to maximum security prison. You did well. I have rang Fischer and Lisbon to let them know it's all over."
"Thanks. Uh Dennis," Jane said as his boss began to walk away. "You may want to get Sophie Miller a full psych evaluation done."
Abbott turned quickly surprised by his request. "But if we do that you know she probably won't be trialled for murder? She will spend the rest of her-..."
"Days in a high security mental facility...Yeah I know," Jane said sadly wincing as the paramedic returned applying a wrap securely around his head. "But she needs help professional help. I get the feeling if she goes to prison she will probably commit suicide. At least this way she will have to live with what she has done for the rest of her life. Being sorry is worse than being dead," Jane stated calmly watching as the doctor was being wheeled out of his cabin on a gurney.
"Okay, if that is what you want," Abbott replied giving Jane's shoulder a friendly squeeze and making his way towards the other ambulance and several other law enforcement officers.
The sound of a car moving across the gravel made Jane look around. He first spotted Fischer exiting from the driver's seat followed by Lisbon from the passenger side. Lisbon's head quickly twisted back and forth searching for her husband. Jane stepped down from the ambulance and he smiled warmly as he caught the eye of his heavily pregnant wife. It had been four weeks since he last saw her and they hadn't parted on the best of terms. He noticed her bump had grown even bigger and she looked even more amazing, pregnancy really did suit her. She had left her hair down all naturally wavy and her skin glowed even though she had no makeup on.
Her eyes cast upon him and she quickly made her way over to him. As they approached each other, both stilled for a few seconds taking the sight of the other in. "Hey," Jane said biting his bottom lip unsure of what her reaction was going to be. "Hey," she replied back gently, tears filling up her eyes. Before Jane could respond she flung her arms around him squeezing him tight.
"God, I've missed you," she whispered, her voice breaking as the tears fell down her cheeks. She had known she was missing him but to see him standing in the flesh confirmed just how much.
"I've missed you too," Jane said, his own tears threatening to fall. He nuzzled deeply into her neck hugging her tightly against him taking in her warm cinnamon scent and feel of her wrapped around him once again. It had been a rough few weeks living without her by his side, even if it was only a pretend act, he had felt empty and got a glimpse of what his life would become if he did ever lose her. She was his world, his light, his home, his everything and he was now even more determined to keep it that way.
"Come on, let's leave these agents to it and get you some rest, you look a mess and you need a shave," Lisbon chuckled wiping away the tear off his cheek with her thumb and running her other hand along his jawline and over his unruly soft blonde beard.
"Yes, ma'am. I love it when you get all authoritarian on me," Jane replied cheekily, smiling, feeling overjoyed to be following his beautiful wife's bossy instructions once again.
Epilogue to follow.
