A/N: YAY! Chapter 15. I feel really happy right now cos I just finished this chapter and it's super long, which makes me happy, and I'm listening to a happy song, so YAY. I hope you enjoy :3 It just took three attempts to spell 'enjoy' right... :P

Chapter 15. The Good Doctor Lisbon.

'Well he's definitely under hypnosis,' Dr Daniel confirmed, looking closely into Jane's eyes, 'But that's the easy part.'

'Now you have to find the trigger, right?' I replied, looking over his shoulder.

He stood from his crouching position in front of Jane's chair and turned to face me, 'Exactly.'

'Is there anything we can do to help?' My gaze flickered to Jane's as he watched us talking.

'Well, do you have any idea what the trigger could be? Any idea at all? It could be physical contact, something he's seen, or heard.'

'No...'

'No matter, we'll find it eventually,' Dr Daniel assured me, 'And... is this a place where he's likely to feel safe?'

'Uh...yeah, he would.'

I would have suggested his couch to be the safest place for Jane, but that was too much in the open, with too many people walking past. This needed to be private.

'Ok, well, I guess I'll start then. Do you want to stay? You're quite welcome to if you want.'

'Yes. I'm staying,' I replied automatically, barely giving it any thought.

'Ok then.'

I stepped back a little, moving to the opposite side of the table to where Jane and Dr Daniel were. I wanted to stay to make sure Jane would be ok. Besides, it would probably be good to have someone familiar in the room.

'Now, Patrick,' Dr Daniel started, using first names to create a more relaxed and informal atmosphere, he had told me, 'I want to make sure you know what's going to happen now.'

I knew that Jane should, and would normally know exactly what was going to happen right now, but the apprehensive look he directed my way told me that the hypnosis had affected him badly. I was wondering whether the sudden switch of direction in feelings had tangled his mind up a bit too much, or whether it was because his mind was so sharp that it was trying to escape the clutches of the hypnosis itself and getting deeper and more stuck in the process, but either way, Jane was lost in there somewhere, and I hoped against all hopes that Dr Daniel would be able to fix him without complications.

'You're in a deep sense of hypnosis, and I need to fix that for you. So how about we just close our eyes... just shut everything out but the sound of my voice. Listen to my voice as you concentrate on the sound, and sensation of the air passing into, and out of your lungs... You're relaxing as you listen... in and out...'

I watched as Jane's eyes fluttered closed, and his shoulders relaxed, his whole body relaxing as Dr Daniel spoke his soft, calming words to him. I never thought I'd see the day when Jane's head would be getting messed around with all the hypnosis and mind control business, but here I was, watching the Doctor lull Jane into a peaceful, tranquil state of mind.

'In... and out... ok, that's good. That's good Patrick. Now, just continue to concentrate on that feeling of relaxation you have inside. I'm going to try and find the trigger now; the key to unlocking you again. Just maintain that sense of calm... Don't let anything spoil it...'

As Jane seemed to sleep, the Doctor lifted his hand, and gently patted the side of his knee, waiting for a reaction, but observing none but a slight jerk in his hand. He slowly moved up to mid thigh, continuing to carefully observe as he patted Jane's arm. I could see a slight twitch in Jane's expression as the Doctor continued; a flicker of discomfort. The next few pats brought it on stronger and I couldn't help but move forward and crouch beside Jane, taking his hand in my own to try and provide some sort of comfort. I ran my thumb across the back of his hand, drawing small circles.

'It's ok...' I murmured softly.

Dr Daniel looked over at me as I continued my attempts to try and make this easier on Jane, a flicker of an understanding smile on his lips before he turned back to his subject.

'Don't worry about anything Patrick, there's nothing here that will hurt you. Just try and untangle your mind... keep twisting, and unravelling, and slowly pulling yourself out... you're just like a Chinese puzzle... unravel... release the tension...'

Dr Daniel switched to the opposite side of Jane's body, and patted his right knee, carefully monitoring his reactions as he completed the rest of the trigger attempts.

My contact seemed to be helping in some sense. Jane didn't seem to be feeling as much discomfort now as I continued to rub soothing patterns into his hand, and let my warmth transfer to him.

'Well, I can't seem to find a physical trigger,' Dr Daniel whispered to me, 'And visual and auditory triggers could literally be anything... Do you know who hypnotised him? The trigger is likely to be more personal to the one doing the hypnotising, or something important to do with the relationship between the two.'

'Yeah, we know who did it,' I told him, feeling a twinge of anger, 'Let's say their relationship hasn't exactly been a good one.'

Understatement of the year; well done Teresa.

'Is there anything you can tell me about it?'

'Uh...' I started, letting out a deep breath, 'He killed Jane's wife and child.'

I suddenly felt a strong reaction coming from Jane. His hand had jerked inside mine, and as I looked up, he seemed to become more and more distressed, his expression contorting with pain and discomfort.

'Jane?' I spoke, taking his hand in both of mine, stroking up and down his arm soothingly. He was shaking violently.

'Hey, it's ok,' I murmured, 'It's ok...'

I stood, keeping one hand around Jane's, and bringing the other up to stroke his cheek softly, brushing back his hair as he continued to panic. 'Jane. Come on, it's ok.' But no matter how much I tried to talk him out of it, he wouldn't calm. It had been a reaction to what I said to Dr Daniel, I was sure. Jane was vulnerable, and I had mentioned his wife and child loud enough for him to hear, and react, even within his safe cocoon of Dr Daniel's calming words. I cursed myself as I looked down to the Doctor for help. He placed his hand on Jane's knee, squeezing it softly as he began to speak.

'Patrick, whatever you're seeing right now is not real. Come back out of it; follow the sound of my voice... just step out of it. It's safe here...'

With another squeeze on Jane's knee, he broke out of it, his eyes snapping open as a slight sweat made his forehead sparkle dully in the glow of the overhead lights. His eyes darted left and right, a fear that I had never seen before reflecting in the soft green pools.

His gaze briefly met with mine.

'Jane, it's ok, you're safe,' I tried to assure him.

He seemed to ignore me, or maybe didn't believe me as he shot up out of his seat and pushed through me and Dr Daniel on his way out of the room. I immediately made after him - I wasn't about to let him escape again. I needed to keep him here so we could fix him.

Just as I got out of the door, I saw Jane disappear round the corner towards the elevators, causing many eyes to look in our direction as I chased after him.

'Damn it...' I cursed under my breath. If he escaped...I ran as fast as I could, finding him stabbing the button to the elevator in the hope that the elevator would arrive, and the doors would open faster.

'Jane!' I called, as I came to a stop. He looked back over his shoulder at me, his expression unreadable. It was only a few seconds before the doors pinged open, and he was dashing inside, pushing a button for what I assumed was the ground floor. I didn't even think of the dangers of being in a small box, high above the ground with an unstable man in panic-stricken flight mode. I ran forward, slipping through the gap as the doors were closing. I was straight away met face to face with Jane. I stared into his eyes, barely able to form words as his accusing gaze scorched me.

'Jane...don't leave. Y-you need to stay. We need to help you...'

His jaw clenched as his stare persisted. The wind was almost knocked out of me as he pushed me back to the elevator wall, his hands either side of my head as I grimaced in pain, my back having hit the hand rail hard.

'Just leave me alone,' he whispered harshly.

'I can't do that...' I replied, swallowing thickly, 'I...I'm not going to let you leave.'

I could feel the elevator slowing as Jane's angry gaze bit into me. My heart was pummelling. Any moment now, Jane would be trying to run from the elevator and out of the door, yet I couldn't seem to move to be able to do anything. It would be approximately three seconds before the elevator came to rest, and another four before the doors opened. Seven seconds. If I couldn't escape the fix he was holding over me in those seven seconds, he would be out the door.

I watched his jaw clench again. I could see his brain working, figuring out something I didn't know. Suddenly, his lips crashed down on mine, and he almost sucked the strength out of me as his lips worked over mine. I could barely respond before the doors had pinged and he had broken away again, dashing out of the doors and making a run for the exit. It took a couple of seconds to bring myself round again before I could make chase. It felt like I would fall over as I ran; my legs felt like jelly.

'Stop him!' I yelled, knowing that I wouldn't be able to catch him on my own. Not now. Jane knew that it would slow me down. He must have. I caught the attention of almost everyone in the lobby, and it wasn't long before a few security guards caught my drift and began to run after Jane. I fell to a walk, and finally to a halt in the middle of the floor, feeling that I would collapse at any moment. I pushed a hand through my hair in frustration.

I couldn't even begin to describe the relief though, when the security guards returned through the door, bringing Jane with them. He was in handcuffs again, struggling against his captors. I let my head fall back, shutting my eyes and wiping my hand over my forehead.

'Thank you,' I sighed, giving them a nod before taking Jane from them. I noticed a slight graze on his forehead as I took him back to the elevator. It was when my hand felt hot and sticky that I found thick scarlet liquid on my fingers, and realised there was blood dribbling from his elbow. They must have tackled him to the ground hard...

I stabbed the button for the elevator, opening the doors automatically this time, and guided Jane inside. He made a clear effort to resist, but I wouldn't let him out of my grip.

'You're not going anywhere, so just stop, ok?'

He stopped when the doors snapped shut, but he wouldn't look at me. He looked in the opposite direction to me, finding the wall more interesting.

'Don't make this hard, Jane. I'm trying to help you,' I told him.

He didn't reply, but I saw his jaw clench frustratedly.

'I thought you trusted me.'

Jane's head snapped round, looking me deep in the eyes. I refused to be taken in and manipulated again. I stood my ground. His gaze drifted again as the elevators opened once more. I could see my three agents stand from their seats as I brought Jane back in. I wasn't in the mood to explain, I simply took Jane back to the interrogation room where Dr Daniel was waiting before I went to fetch some warm water, cotton buds and band aids.

I was washing my hands and filling a bowl with water from the faucet when Rigsby entered the break room behind me.

'What's going on, boss?'

I cast a brief glance over my shoulder. I felt tired, wiped out, and I could barely muster up the effort to speak, but I managed it all the same.

'Jane did a runner. We caught him before he got too far.'

'Are you alright?'

'I'm fine,' I replied, 'Just need to sort Jane out.'

No matter how hard this was on me, I didn't care. I knew this wasn't about me, and I wasn't about to make it that way.

'I'll sort out his grazes and get back to fixing him again with Daniel.'

'Do you need help? We're here, y'know.'

I nodded, recognising the fact that Van Pelt, Rigsby and Cho were all sat outside waiting upon news that Jane was ok again. 'We're fine. But I promise I'll tell you everything that happens, ok?'

Rigsby nodded, and I thought he had left again, but as I turned off the tap, I felt hands on my shoulders, turning me away from the sink. I was confused at first, but I let out a sigh as Rigsby looked down at me worriedly.

'I'm ok, I promise,' I lied feebly.

'Don't lie,' he told me. I was wondering what he was doing still holding my shoulders. Rigsby looked deep into my eyes, with a concern that I almost couldn't take. I let my eyes trail away from his.

He suddenly pulled me into a hug, wrapping his arms around me. I nearly complained, but thought better of it when I realised how much I needed it. I let my arms circle round his back, my fingertips just touching.

'Thanks...' I murmured.

He gave me a gentle squeeze before pulling away and smiling reassuringly, 'Don't worry. I know you'll be able to help him, and we'll all be there when he comes out on the other side.'

I smiled weakly and nodded, gathering up the things I needed from the counter and taking them to the interrogation room.

When I returned, Dr Daniel was speaking to Jane again, calming his anger enough for us to be able to continue. I brought the items round to Jane's left, crouching beside his chair and dipping a cotton bud in the warm water to clean off his arm. Squeezing out some of the excess water, I cleaned off the blood that had dribbled down his arm first, gently wiping it away until the cotton bud was saturated with crimson. I picked a new one. I continued my work, despite Jane watching me like a hawk, twisting his arm slightly to see what I was doing. Once the blood was cleared, I peeled the paper wrapper off one of the band aids and stuck it carefully over the graze.

Dr Daniel stood up out of the way so I could get to clean Jane's forehead.

'Are you alright, Miss Lisbon?' Dr Daniel asked, watching me with concern.

'I'm fine,' I replied defensively, beginning on a smaller dribble of blood above Jane's right eye. Jane grimaced slightly as I applied a little pressure to clean off a dry scarlet stain, 'And it's nothing that concerns you.'

Dr Daniel seemed to back off. I didn't mean to be harsh, but I was feeling frustrated. I was tired of the games that Jane was playing on my mind. Obviously it wasn't his fault. It was Red John. But I just wanted it to be over now. I was sick of feeling like my head was doing back flips and tangling itself, spinning round and round in loops until it was hard to think. I was sick of seeing Jane sat right in front of me, yet he was no where near at the same time. I pressed the second band aid to his forehead and turned away from him, ignoring the green orbs following me like if he let his gaze wander for one second, he would fall away into dust.

'Keep trying, Doctor, I'll be back soon,' I told Daniel, taking the kit from the room again.

I didn't return straight away. I poured myself a mug of coffee, simply standing against the counter in the break room, the mug held close to my lips. I blew across the surface of the steaming liquid absently, both my hands encompassing the caffeine-filled ceramic. I took a slow sip every now and then, staring ahead, but not really seeing anything. I guess that's called staring into space. I was staring into the space I could feel between myself and Jane. Not just the physical space, but the mental space; the space between where my mind was, and where his was. If I could just walk back into that dully lit room, and the first thing I did would bring him out of it, I would be running there right now, but I didn't know how long this was going to take. Red John was a bastard. It wasn't going to be that simple.

I was stood there for ten minutes before I had drained my mug thoroughly. Every time it appeared as though I had finished, I let the coffee remnants dribble back down to the bottom, forming a new pool before drinking that, and so on. Another five minutes and I really couldn't get anything more out, not even a tiny droplet. I ditched the mug in the sink and sighed heavily, pushing myself off from the counter and making my way back to the interrogation room. I still hadn't noticed the strange girl on the couch, staring at me inquisitively every time I walked past the bull pen.

I looked up from my card game, watching the dark haired lady cross the corridor for the fifth time since she'd arrived. I wondered who she was. She was the one who had brought Patrick Jane back. She seemed scared. Not on the surface, but underneath. She looked like she had the same feelings I used to get when Jacob had first left me at the hospital. But she also seemed to be frustrated and tired. It was because of Patrick Jane, I was sure. I had seen the way she looked at him. Despite the bad feelings, she had other ones, special ones. Just for him. But she was worried about him now, because he was sick.

'When you get better, she's going to be so happy...' I murmured, turning back to Patrick, 'You just wait.'

I placed down a card on the pile in the middle of the couch, 'Snap!' I grinned excitedly, '...Y'know, you're supposed to try and answer faster than me, because otherwise you won't win.'

I placed down a card from Patrick's deck for him.

I looked up briefly when the phone rang on Grace's desk. She picked it up and held it to her ear as I returned to the game to place one of my cards down.

'Dr Newman?' I heard her say. My head shot back up and I watched Grace, a strange feeling growing in the pit of my tummy.

'What? She's gone?' Grace said down the phone, giving me a look. I pleaded silently that she wouldn't let me go back with them. I didn't want to sit in a white room while people in white coats stared at me and studied me. I wasn't sick anymore. Grace had helped me, and I would rather stay with her than go back to that place. Grace was my friend.

'No, I don't know where she is... we haven't got her. She was meant to stay there for her safety.'

Grace smiled softly at me, and I returned it, happy that she wasn't going to send me back. When she finished the call, a few minutes later, I ran up to her and wrapped my arms around her.

'Thank you, thank you, thank you!' I told her happily.

She laughed from underneath my hug, 'That's alright.'

I broke away and grinned at her before skipping back and jumping onto the couch. The piles of cards tumbled and skidded across the leather as I landed.

'Oops...' I murmured, giggling a little as I gathered them all up again, 'Sorry Patrick. But I'm really happy; Grace isn't going to send me back to the hospital! I didn't like it there. What's your favourite color? Mine's blue, but the hospital was all white. It was boring. I mean it's not like it's going to hurt if I had a blue room? Blue's pretty. Blue would have made me happier. I know it's a chilly colour, but I used to make blue cupcakes with mom. It always made me happy when I was sad. Maybe I'll make you a blue cupcake and then you'll be alright again...'

It was nearing the end of the day, and I was shattered now. The late evening was approaching, and Dr Daniel hadn't managed to solve Jane's predicament. I would have asked him to continue searching if it weren't for the fact that I was yawning every few seconds, each time making my eyes go blurry with sleepiness. We were going to leave it for the night; leave Jane in a holding cell, safe and sound.

Daniel brought Jane round from his trance, and I carefully walked around to his side, offering my hand to him and nodding towards the door, 'Come on. Time to get some rest, ok?'

Jane nodded, easily complying and taking my hand in his own.

'Thank you for your work so far, Doctor... see you tomorrow.'

Dr Daniel nodded with a soft smile, pushing his hands into his pockets. 'No problem.'

I guided Jane from the room, stifling another yawn behind my fist. It was easier to feel at peace when I was too tired to care. I squeezed Jane's hand softly. I was glad that he'd been able to stay still for the rest of the time Dr Daniel had been working with him. I'd also been careful not to mention Jane's wife and child again.

We were stood by the elevator, waiting for it to arrive so I could take Jane down to the holding cells. I didn't like the idea of having to leave him in a cell like he was some kind of criminal, inside the cold and unkind concrete walls, but it was the only place where he would be safe, and he wouldn't be able to run off. The doors pinged, and I was about to take Jane into the elevator, but I was stopped by a rough grapple on my shoulder, yanking me backwards away from Jane, and the open doors. Within a couple of seconds, I had a sharp blade pressed to my throat, and I was spluttering for air. My heart pounded as Jane swung round to see what had happened.

'Kristina...' he murmured.

It was her? I knew she wasn't right from the start. This had to be Red John's back up plan or something.

'Kristina...what are you doing?' Jane asked her.

'You failed to do what Red John asked of you, Patrick. Now I have to do it.'

'What?'

'Red John asked you to kill her, Patrick, and you didn't. You let yourself get caught. I'm the back up plan!' she laughed softly, pressing the blade to my neck a little harder. I swallowed hard, causing a momentary spike of pain as the movement caused the blade to dig in slightly.

'Think about what you're doing Kristina...' I murmured, my throat dry.

'You don't think I'm thinking about it? It's racing through my head, Agent! Just keep pressing the blade until there's just a teeny bit of blood, and then... swipe! She's gone!'

'Kristina, don't!' Jane pleaded. I could see he was itching to run forward.

'Why not? It was the plan all along wasn't it? It was my instruction! If Jane fails, you do it, Kristina!'

'You can't! Because...' Jane stopped, 'Because I love her...'

I almost forgot to breathe for a moment. I felt tears crowd my eyes in a split second as the blade pressed harder, and the words sunk in. It didn't matter that Jane was under hypnosis right now. It was him saying those words for me. I let my head fall back slightly as I pulled in extra breaths. My throat ached with the emotion and a single tear trembled as it ran down my cheek.

'You love her?' Kristina scoffed.

'I do. You can't do this.'

'Oh really? You're weaker than he must have thought...'

'I won't let you do it.'

'You're going to stop me?'

Jane's gaze flickered to mine briefly. I could see the fear in his eyes. But the loss of eye contact was enough for Kristina.

I let out a half-strangled cry as the blade skimmed across my throat, leaving a shallow cut lengthways. I could feel a droplet of warm blood trickling down my chest as I squeezed my eyes tight against the pain.

'Teresa!' Jane yelled. His voice seemed to be swimming inside my head, fluctuating in volume and pitch. I felt dizzy but I did my best to stand upright. I controlled my breathing... in and out... in and out. I could hear Dr Daniel's voice in my head from when he'd first spoken to Jane.

'Listen to my voice as you concentrate on the sound, and sensation of the air passing into, and out of your lungs... You're relaxing as you listen... in and out...'

I blocked out the sound of Kristina's soft laugh, I concentrated on the air swirling inside my lungs, filling my chest, and blowing out between my lips, deflating my chest...

It was then that I took my chance. In the space of a millisecond, I had my hands on Kristina's arm, yanking it away from my throat and pushing it down until I could spin on the spot, pulling her arm up behind her. The swift motion and the pain that I imagined to be shooting through her arm caused her hand to release the knife, sending it tumbling to the floor. I grappled my handcuffs from my belt, thankful for having taken them off Jane when I was confident he wouldn't make another run for it. I quickly snapped them around her wrist, bringing it down to meet the other so I could secure both behind her back. She cried out in pain as I jerked her arms, but I didn't care. I had blood dribbling from my throat. A slight ache in the limbs was nothing.

'Jane, with me.'

I pushed Kristina towards the bull pen, holding my fingers to my neck to try and stop the dribble of blood. It was in the break room that I found Cho lingering. I wasn't sure where Van Pelt and Rigsby were.

'Boss? Are you ok?'

'Take Kristina to a holding cell would you?'

Cho nodded, taking Kristina as I pushed her his way, 'What happened?'

'Red John's plan B. I'm fine, don't worry. Just get her out of here.'

Cho nodded. He was more worried than he sounded, but he complied with my orders anyway; one of the things I valued in him sometimes.

I moved over to the sink as Cho left and Jane followed me. I grabbed some kitchen paper from a roll beside the sink and ran it under the cold tap, before holding it to my throat to cool the heat and ebb the trickle of blood. I took a few deep breaths, letting my head hang over the sink, and my hair fall down in curtains on either side of my face. I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder as I listened to the slight wheeze in my breathing. I turned a little, seeing Jane behind me. I circled round from the sink and leant back on it. He moved forward, taking the tissue from me and dabbing my neck; cleaning away the drying blood. He carefully wiped up the trail that had dribbled down my chest, before holding a clean side of the tissue to my neck. His eyes flickered to mine.

'Thank you...' I said.

I stood in front of Jane as he sat on the bed in a holding cell. I'd brought down extra cushions and blankets from his couch if he wanted them.

'Goodnight,' I told him, a soft smile lifting the corners of my lips as I dug my hands in my pocket. Those three words he'd said had drained all the bad feelings I had now.

'I'll come get you in the morning alright? Make you a cup of tea or something before we get going again.'

He nodded. 'I do love you,' he murmured quietly.

I smiled a little more, resting my hand on his neck as I leant down to press a kiss to his forehead. I turned on the spot, wandering to the door...

'Uhh...Lisbon? Why am I in a holding cell?'