Author's Note:

I know it's been 11 days since I last updated, but I got wicked sick last week. I don't know if it was the flu or just a pre-summer cold. But whatever it was, I didn't have the energy to do anything and I actually didn't think about this until this past Saturday and I had my friend over for a visit. I am truly sorry for the delay though. I promise that I won't take as long updating this time; in fact I'm already tossing ideas around for chapter 10. This chapter was inspired by "Slow Life" By Grizzly Bear.

Shout-Outs: Jane Doe51, Guest, Marcia Santos, and Nerwen Aldarion for reviewing chapter 8

Disclaimer: I'm too young to own anything Mentalist related.

Rated: T

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Chapter 9

Kane Reynolds – Sacramento, California

"And brother will deliver brother over to death." Mark 13: 12 (ESV)_

He was pretty sure that his life was over. He had tried to assault a federal officer and he had gone against his boss all at the same time. He had managed to ruin his life in a matter of a few seconds. And now he was probably headed for jail.

Or worst, the morgue.

Because Red John certainly wasn't exactly the forgiving type, he didn't even hold a grudge. When he was really angry with somebody, their death certificate was as good as signed. There wouldn't be a shot at redemption or any second chances. His good opinion once lost, was lost forever.

Kane sighed and downed his Bloody Mary, reluctant to go back to Lorelei. There was no way that he could drag her into the mess he had made. She was probably in enough trouble already, because she had failed to seduce her target.

Suddenly, all he wanted to do was grab Lorelei and get out of the hell they had created for themselves. But leaving was the ultimate cardinal sin. They had plunged too many knives into an unsuspecting victim, left too many calling cards in bloody red smiles. They had signed a deal with the devil. There would be no getting out alive, or happily ever after's.

The only thing there would be were two more mangled bodies in a morgue, two more coffins to buy, two more funerals to plan, and one more death that Patrick would blame himself for.

And he was already shouldering too much guilt with the deaths of Charlie and Angie. As much as Kane hated his brother, he didn't want him to have his death on his conscience. For some reason, it just didn't seem fair to do that to him.

Although, Kane was pretty sure that the morgue and Patrick's guilty conscience was going to be inevitable regardless if he stayed with Red John or not.

He ordered another drink and for a moment, he stopped trying to figure out what to do.

He was pretty sure that there was somebody out in the world somewhere already figuring it out for him.

.

The next day, he woke up with a pounding headache and his brother making coffee with the Kruger in the makeshift kitchen.

"Where's Lorelei?" He asked, the room spinning around as he got to his feet.

"I sent her to go and get some breakfast," Patrick answered. "I needed to talk to you alone."

"She's pressing charges, isn't she?" Kane asked, as he fell back into bed and covered his eyes with his arm.

"Lisbon is not pressing charges," he replied, coming to his bed and putting a mug down on the nightstand.

"Lucky me," Kane muttered. "What are you doing here anyways? Did you come to beat me up some more?"

"Don't tempt me," Patrick said dryly.

"Then what brings you here? Why aren't you with your precious Teresa, trying to reassure her that everything will be okay?"

"She doesn't need me to do that, she's stronger than she looks. I need to talk to you though. What on earth were you thinking, Kane? You tried to assault an officer of the law in a federal building no less!"

"I wasn't thinking, Patrick!" Kane lied.

"You weren't thinking?" He repeated.

Kane didn't have to open his eyes to know that his brother was staring at him with a look of disbelief on his face.

"You don't understand," he said, ignoring the wave of nausea that washed over him as he got back up and pushed past Patrick.

"I want to," Patrick told him, following him to the bathroom. "Why can't you talk to me? Why won't you talk to me?"

Kane whirled around and looked him square in the eyes. "For somebody so smart, you sure miss a lot! I hate you, Patrick! I've always hated you."

For a moment, Patrick looked stunned. And then he shrugged, like hearing the words I hate you was an everyday occurrence for him. "Okay."

"Don't you even care?" Kane asked, wishing that he would do something. . . anything that would validate his hatred towards him.

"What difference does it make if I care or not? You're still going to hate me regardless."

Kane sighed and scrubbed his face wearily. "Just leave, I'm not in the mood for you right now."

"I'm not leaving until you talk to me," Patrick replied stubbornly. "Tell me why you did it."

Kane shook his head. "No. It's a long story and it will most likely get me into trouble."

"All I want to do is help, Kane."

Kane looked at him. "Why? Why do you want to help me so much?"

"Because I love you," he answered simply.

"Well don't love me! I don't want you to love—"

"Lorelei's pregnant," Patrick blurted out, stopping him mid-sentence.

Kane's mouth dropped open. "What!?"

"Lorelei's pregnant," he repeated. "With your child, Kane. Do you still not want my help?"

"I don't understand, what do you mean that Lorelei's pregnant? She can't be. . . we weren't even supposed to be together. . ."

Patrick shrugged. "Things happen."

"Hold on a second, is Agent Lisbon not pressing charges because Lorelei's having a baby?" Kane asked.

"Partly," Patrick said.

"But what if I don't want it? Any of it? Lorelei. . . the baby, a nice normal life with a dog and a house? Is she going to press charges then?"

"Lisbon and I didn't talk about it. But I'm pretty sure that we don't need to. You'll do the right thing."

Kane shook his head. "Don't be so sure, Patrick. I've never done the right thing before."

"There's always a first time for everything," Patrick told him, smiling in the way he did when he knew a secret that nobody else did.

"Don't be so sure," Kane replied. "I'm not a family man. I'm not even a one woman kind of man. Lorelei has lasted the longest—"

"Are you done making excuses yet? Because if you are, we still have a lot to talk about. I want to help—"

"What are you going to do? Whip out your wallet and wave your credit card around or shell out a couple grand to magically make everything all better?" Kane asked sarcastically. "I'm not interested in charity and I'm definitely not interested in hitching myself to Lorelei for the rest of my life. She's fun, but she's a tramp."

"So what? It isn't like you're going to bring her home to father and mother. Dad doesn't care a thing about either of us now that we can't make him a fast dollar. And as far as I know, you haven't talked to your mother in years. I'm the only family that you've got right now, and I don't care about who Lorelei is just as long as you do right by her."

"You only say that because you don't know a thing about who she is or what she does. If you did, you'd be singing a completely different tune,"

"Stop saying that I don't know anything and start talking to me!" Patrick all but demanded. "Because I want to know, I want to understand."

Kane decided to go with half-truths.

"Lorelei and I got involved with the wrong people."

Patrick frowned. "Well, can't you get out?"

Kane shook his head. "No. Once you're in, you're in for life. The only way out is in a body bag."

"Kane—"

"I know you don't understand, Patrick. But that's all I'm going to tell you. For the past 18 years, these people have been my family. You don't betray family."

As he said this, Kane cringed.

Because it wasn't true.

Sometimes you did betray family.

He had done it on more than several occasions. He had betrayed his brother for the price of being a mad man's disciple. He had betrayed Angie and Charlie for the price of seeing Patrick suffer. He was betraying Lorelei and the little life growing in her womb for the price of his life.

He was the world's biggest hypocrite.

Betraying his family was his specialty.

"I know what you mean," Patrick said, breaking into his thoughts. "I would never betray any of my co-workers."

He had a far off look in his eyes and Kane just knew that he was thinking specifically about Lisbon, wherever she was.

A wave of guilt crashed down over him.

"Patrick," he said without thinking. "I know who Red John is."

TBC. . .

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Author's Note:

So, the big reveal. I am anxious to hear your thoughts about this chapter, drop a review and tell me! Meanwhile, I'll be working on chapter 10.

Until next time!

Holly, 5/29/13