A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! It's good to know that people find the story still interesting.
Chapter 8
Abbott had called Dr. Carter explaining the situation and the urgency of it and the psychiatrist had immediately agreed to see Jane. Abbott and Cho would then go to the office to see what they could find out about Jane's mysterious stalker and to see if Wylie could pull up anything from the traffic cameras. That left Lisbon to go fetch Jane and sell the whole idea to him and she wasn't sure how she would succeed.
Lisbon was just about to step out of the hotel room when Cho stopped her with a hand on her arm.
"Jane will be shaken," he said quietly.
"I don't think you will have any problems getting him to agree to this plan," he continued.
Lisbon frowned at him and nodded before closing the door behind her and making her way to her car in the car park. Now she was even more concerned. If Cho thought that Jane was breaking apart, it had to be something fairly obvious and if Jane had really showed his vulnerability, it could mean that there was a disaster waiting for her.
XXX
Jane was still sitting on the sofa, but his thoughts were calmer now. However it was only through his years of mental training that he managed not to break apart from the seams. He was still close, but for now he was keeping himself together.
Nightmares were nothing new to him, even Red John ones, but what made him so scared was the impression of being Red John. Always before he had had nightmares about people close to him being killed and of course finding his family in his dreams night after night had haunted him for a long time, but never before had it been him who had wielded the knife.
He had also always been totally confident that he couldn't intentionally harm Lisbon and then found out that he had tried to strangle her. That had shaken him more than he cared to think. He looked down at his hands, half expecting to see blood on them.
He hadn't told anyone that he had also started having flashbacks and sudden images and sounds, even in the broad daylight. He dismissed them as memories triggered by the nightmares and tried not to think about them. However it was getting more and more difficult, especially as every memory and sound was full of violence and he felt surrounded by a continuous nightmare.
He was still staring at his hands, deep in thought when the front door opened.
XXX
Lisbon drove home and parked the car. She walked through the small garden to the front door and opened it with trepidation, she had no idea what she would find.
It turned out to be a haggard and tired looking Jane with eyes red from crying staring at his hands on the sofa. The sound of her coming in made him jump and the haunted look in his eyes made Lisbon to quickly close the distance and reach out for him. To her surprise he shuffled backwards out of reach.
"Please, Theresa, you are not safe around me," he said with a scratchy voice, his eyes avoiding hers.
Lisbon sat down on the other end of the sofa to try to keep the agitated Jane calm.
"You are awake and I don't believe you can hurt me," she simply said.
XXX
Jane almost jumped out of his skin when Lisbon made a move to comfort him. Didn't the woman have any self-preservation? When she stopped, he relaxed a little and tried to concentrate on her voice and her strong belief that he wouldn't harm her as he didn't really trust himself anymore.
"I'm worried I'm losing my mind again," he finally whispered, still not looking at Lisbon.
"Why do you say that?" asked Lisbon.
Jane hesitantly explained the dream again and how it felt like he was Red John, how the other images and sounds were bleeding through even when he was awake. Then he felt Lisbon's hand in his and became completely still. He focused on the feel of her small, warm hand in his and tried to anchor himself on that feeling while the world around him spiraled into madness.
XXX
Lisbon was getting more and more concerned and when Jane finally confessed what he had been going through, she couldn't just sit there and do nothing. So she reached over to him and held his hand. When he didn't withdraw, she gently started stroking the skin in the back of his hand trying to convey her feelings and her support. When Jane finally looked up straight into her eyes, she felt warmth spreading through her; at least she was getting through to him and he seemed to find strength in her touch.
"I'm afraid," he said quietly as Lisbon carried on stroking his hand. At that confession she made up her mind. She slowly scooted over and gently gathered him in her arms and held him tightly. This time Jane allowed the contact and seemed to fold into her, all strength gone.
XXX
After some time, Lisbon spoke up still holding Jane while slowly stroking his hair.
"I have something to tell you," she started.
"Last night when Cho was outside, there was somebody else there too," she said.
Jane stilled and Lisbon continued to tell what had happened and how they were trying to find out who it had been and what was going on. That they suspected that somebody was tampering with Jane and by the sound of it had been keeping an eye on him ever since.
Jane stayed silent as he absorbed this information.
"I can't see when somebody would have had access to me to be able to do something like this and surely I would remember it," Jane finally said.
"We have no idea when it would have happened or what format it would have taken or even why it has been done, but that would explain a lot," Lisbon countered. Then she thought to just say it and get it out of the way.
"Dr. Carter is ready to work with you to try to figure out what has been done to you and how to stop it," she said trying to stay calm. The slow movement of her hand in Jane's hair focused and calmed her as well so she carried on while dreading Jane's answer.
After a long silence, Jane finally gave his answer.
"It think you are right," he said and shocked Lisbon to her boots. Jane really was intensely worried about his mental health, but at least he was being honest about it. And having gone through a trauma before, he recognized when he needed help and support to overcome what was happening now. And it was the threat that he had become to Lisbon that made him overcome his inherent suspicion of psychiatrists.
"He's waiting for you in his office if you feel like it," Lisbon said.
Jane finally sat up and looked at her.
"I need a shower and a change of clothing."
XXX
In the office Abbott and Cho weren't making much progress. The license plates were stolen and initially reported in Napa County. Wiley couldn't get a good view from any of the traffic cameras and the face of the stalker stayed mystery. They were going through records to see if there had been any disturbances reported near Lisbon's house or if there had been anything suspicious in the area in the past few months and came up with nothing.
"This is a waste of time," Cho finally said in frustration as he slammed shut the cover of the last report he had been reading. Abbott glanced at him from the other desk and also closed the report he had been looking.
"At least we know that whoever it is, he has been careful and probably has planned his observations in detail," he said.
"I hope Lisbon managed to talk Jane into seeing Dr. Carter," he continued.
"I don't think she had any problems. Jane seemed really rattled," Cho said seriously.
"I hope he remembers something as otherwise we have to wait until tonight and take the stalker down and interrogate him," Cho continued.
"I'm sure he will struggle," he carried on deadpan.
Abbott raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.
"If Jane remembers a time when something seems to be out of place, at least we would have a timeline to try to find out where he went and if anybody had an opportunity to do something to him, but as long as we have no idea there isn't much we can do," Abbott said.
"Let's have a break and hope that maybe Dr. Carter can give us something," he continued and ushered Cho out of the office to get something to eat.
XXX
Lisbon had driven Jane to Dr. Carter's office. It was in an airy and bright corner of the FBI building with quiet corridors and only few people visible moving about. Lisbon knocked on his door and it was opened by an old, wiry man with a shock of white hair, white beard and gold rimmed glasses.
He vigorously shook Lisbon hand and said, "You must be Theresa Lisbon. I'm so pleased to finally meet the woman who tamed Patrick Jane."
Lisbon was ushered in as she was still processing that statement and the man held out his hand to Jane.
"You look awful Patrick," he said as he ushered him in too.
He directed both of them to sit on a comfortable sofa in a corner of the room and sat himself in an armchair next to it. He just observed them for a while in silence before speaking.
"What have you gotten yourself into this time?" he said calmly as he looked at Jane who weakly smiled at him.
"I think it might be better if I talk with Patrick alone, if that's okay with you, my dear?" he then directed towards Lisbon.
Lisbon looked at Jane who gave her another weak smile and nodded.
"It's okay. Believe it or not, but I trust him," he said.
"Okay then," Lisbon said and got up, but not before placing a kiss on Jane's forehead. She then nodded at Dr. Carter and left the room. As she was stepping outside, she heard him say, "Tell me, what has happened and what have you tried so far?" before she closed the door.
If Jane trusted the good doctor, then she had to trust him and hope that he could help Jane.
Lisbon made her way back to the office and hoped that Abbott and Cho had come up with something.
XXX
At the end of the day Lisbon was as frustrated as Cho. They had found absolutely nothing and now it seemed the only way forward was to catch the observer in action, but they needed to use Jane as bait. And there had been no signs of him yet, which worried Lisbon. Surely they would have told her if he needed admission or some treatment. Maybe Dr. Carter was somehow involved, her paranoia was whispering in her ear, which she promptly dismissed. Jane would not trust the man if he had any doubts and his instincts rarely let him down.
As she was thinking about Jane and his instincts, the man made an appearance with Dr. Carter at his side. Abbott and Cho both stood up to meet them and Lisbon warily got up from behind her desk. Jane looked tired and distracted, Dr. Carter was frowning as he waved them closer.
"Something has definitely been done to Patrick and we suspect it is false memory imprinting," Dr. Carter said.
"The problem is that he has his memory palace full of memories and details, especially about Red John, and some of the more painful ones he has suppressed, so it will take some time to find exactly what has been tampered with and how and that should lead us to who," he concluded.
"We agreed to talk more tomorrow, but for now it's best if he gets some rest as insomnia is just going to strengthen these false memories. I have prescribed some strong sleeping tablets for now that should knock him out," he said as he put a hand on Jane's shoulder.
"I don't like taking them, but I think at present it's the only thing I haven't tried," Jane commented.
"Nonetheless I don't feel comfortable Lisbon being in the house with me," he continued looking at her. Lisbon went to him and against all their rules of not behaving like a couple at work, she reached and held his hand.
"That's fine. We had planned on taking down the stalker anyway tonight so it actually works pretty well if you go home and go to bed and we stake out the guy," she said.
Jane looked alarmed.
"I should stay awake in that case," he said as he looked at Lisbon, Cho and Abbott in turn.
"No, you better carry on as usual so that the stalker doesn't realize we are onto him. And anyway he has never physically approached you, so you will be safe," Cho said.
Dr. Carter listened as they explained their plan.
"At least Patrick should get the chance to rest, you will catch the guy and hopefully he can enlighten us what's going on so that we can sort out the whole mess," he agreed.
XXX
As the evening fell, Jane was back in the house sitting on the sofa as usual and drinking tea to calm his nerves. He had taken the sleeping tablets and had decided to stay on the sofa as otherwise it might give him away to the mystery observer. He started to feel drowsy and lied down pulling a blanket on top of himself. He had closed the kitchen door and had wedged a chair underneath in the hopes that if he did sleep walk again, it would deter him from finding any knives. He left the light on though as he didn't want to wake up to darkness.
He fell asleep.
XXX
Lisbon, Cho and Abbott had left their cars quite a way back in an effort not to rouse suspicion. They had hidden themselves deep in the woods, while still maintaining a visual contact with Jane, who now was sleeping on the sofa. There hadn't been any signs of the stalker and they had started to doubt whether their plan would work. Then they heard a car approaching with lights switched off. The car came to a stop and soft sounds announced the door being opened and closed. Footsteps were coming their way and finally they saw a silhouette of a man looking down at Lisbon's house.
The game was on.
TBC