Disclaimer: I don't own the mentalist and get no money from this

Author's Note: Hello readers! This chapter is slightly better and the next one is all action, finally what I origionally planned is happening! I was so excited I carried on with the next chapter but you have to wait for it, 2 updates is spoling you rotten! Also thanks to my awesome reviewers rigspeltforeverxx, jisbon-sessed and Eternal Darkness007 for revewing, hope you like the chapter :)


Dan was humming merrily to himself as we pulled up outside of a liquor store, he half dragged me out of the car to buy himself some bottles. I had a resigned feeling of doom, I knew I was going to die I had known for days but I really wasn't going to care until it actually happened. I still tried vainly to think of some way out of this, at least for the Lisbons.

"Had to get some booze, been awhile since I last drank. More than 24 hours, imagine!" he exclaimed as he paid for the goods and went back to the SUV.

We carried on our journey and in the time it took us to get to from the store to the elementary school he had already downed an entire bottle of Jack Daniels. I couldn't help but hate him, his kind expected pity because they had lost their wife but drowning their sorrows clearly didn't work and abusing their own children? How could anyone do that to Teresa? And her brothers, Chris was five! I tried not to think of the similarities between my Dad and him as I went inside with him.

Any hope I had of the principal not allowing him to pull Matt and Chris out of school was dashed by the principal's incessant eagerness to be helpful, he did actually pity him. Dan's thick jacket covered the handcuffs and he introduced me as a cousin visiting, he said Teresa had taken a turn for the worse and needed Chris and Matt to be there. I couldn't exactly contradict him, still being mute. Damn my weakness!

"Daddy?" questioned Chris uncertainly before he noticed me, "Patrick! Patrick!" he exclaimed hurtling towards me as he hugged me tightly crying quietly, "I... was... scared... you... were... dead!" he wailed miserably.

Dan immediately shoved him away glaring furiously at his youngest son, "shut up Christopher if you want him to stay alive."

"Who's... Christopher?" he sniffed before Matt joined us.

While Matt had more control of his emotions he still gave me a relieved smile when he saw him, I couldn't help but feel touched by their concern especially Matt who had hated me a short while ago.

"Come on then," ordered Dan as he led us back to the SUV.

"Where are we going?" asked Chris after Dan drove off, starting on another bottle.

"To see Tessa and James," answered Dan smiling in a twisted way to rival John's.

"Can Patrick still not talk?" pressed Chris looking slightly disappointed when Dan was the one to answer and not me.

"No he cannot."

"Why do you hate him? Why do you keep hurting him? He saved my life twice and everyone's," protested Chris corageously and my heart went out for him.

"Why don't you shut up?!" growled Dan, "Matt make him be silent, I want silence!"

He got silence as Chris shut up as we continued our journey to the hospital, by the time we swerved into the parking lot he was drunk. This may or may not be used to my advantage, I noticed trying to force my exhausted mind to work as we strolled in there and up the corridors to Teresa's room. I couldn't help but smile inwardly at the thought of seeing her again.

She was sleeping when we got there, her eyes were closed and her expression peaceful as she lay comfortably in the hospital bed. Her monitor beeped and her chest gently rose and fell indicating she was actually alive, it was the happiest I'd been in days. Dan only grunted as he shook her violently awake, I saw her eyes widen and her heartrate increased as he clasped his hand over her mouth.

"Do not scream, 'kay?" he slurred and she hesitantly nodded as her eyes found me, "ge' dressed," he commanded removing his hand.

"What if I don't?" she whispered defiantly.

"Patrick dies," he sneered showing her the gun at his hip, her face whitened and she nodded slowly. Dan took us back to the door and faced outwards to allow her some privacy to change, a few minutes passed before she joined us hugging me tightly.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she murmered into my ear, "I'm so sorry about all of this, I bet you wish you'd never met me."

I pulled away quickly and violently shook my head to tell her it was not true before hugging her again, I hoped she understood.

"Quit with tha' huggin'!" snapped Dan yanking me away, "we gotta go ge' James."

So he led us down the corridors in the direction of James' room, I noticed a short nurse passing us with a bobby pin in her hair. I grabbed it quickly as Madam Bella's lessons came back to me, she'd taught me how to escape from handcuffs with one as had Cragen in case of either I was arrested or simply to help him escape in his magic act.

"Why'd you steal that woman's bobby pin?" Teresa asked me quietly so Dan wouldn't hear, I nodded to the handcuffs and comprehension dawned on her.

My plans of escape were ruined when we reached James' room however where Albert also was sitting, with a black eye from Dan's attack on him earlier. Now him I did pity, poor guy'd lost his wife, his daughter before discovering his grandkids were being abused and their lives were endangered before having Dan beat the crap put of him! Poor guy.

"Patrick thank goodness you're alive," he exclaimed genuinely relieved, "Teresa why are you out of bed? Dan let Patrick go."

"No!" snarled Dan angrily grabbing the key to the handcuffs and flinging it out of sight, "them's is my kids an' they're comin' with me. Get dressed James."

"Dan, look Teresa and James need more time to recove-"

"They'll be fine," interrupted Dan firmly.

"I'll call Minelli."

"Go ahead," challenged Dan pulling out the gun and pointing it at my head as he pulled me closer to him, "but Patrick will die."

Albert gulped nervously as his frail face paled as the hopelessness of the situation dawned on him. James had pulled the curtain across and was presumably getting changed already, I swallowed equally nervously I really didn't like guns anymore.

"At least tell me what do you want with them?" pleaded Albert desperately.

"None o' your buissness," replied Dan sharply.

"Why are you doing this?" Albert said instead looking utterly miserable.

"It's for the best," Dan answered firmly before James pulled back the curtain dressed, he looked paler and thinner than normal but alive none the less. For now...