Disclaimer: Still have no rights to the show.

A/N: Thanks to all those who helped beta this story.


Crossing the Red Sand Desert.

Lisbon looked over the photos with concern. Each photo showed a member of her team spending time with those they were closest to. It didn't escape her that the ones that contained her also contained Jane. The two of them were close and after last night they became closer, but knowing that Red John knew about them taking the next step in their relationship frighten her. She looked through them once more before handing the stack to Jane.

"Who else knows about these?" She inquired.

"No one. We thought that it would be better if we kept it between the team for now." Cho told her as Van Pelt and Rigsby nodded in agreement. Lisbon said a silent thank you; she didn't like the team knowing that her and Jane slept together yet alone the entire CBI.

"What do we do now, boss?" Rigsby asked.

"We do nothing." Jane blurted out.

"First you aren't the boss Jane." Lisbon said as she turned to face him. "And second I make the decision about what we do or don't do when it comes to Red John."

"This isn't Red John." Jane spat as he tossed the pictures back at Cho. "Those could be from anyone."

"But you just said." Rigsby stated.

"He was watching me which is why these photos were taken. He isn't watching you three but rather he has someone else doing it." Jane informed them.

"Why?" Van Pelt asked.

"Because he is a deranged serial killer." Rigsby stated.

"He wants to know everything. He is showing that he now knows our weakness and strength and will use them against us when the time comes." Jane said solemnly.

"Which is why he went after Tommy." Lisbon concluded as she walked away from Jane.

"Yes." Jane dropped his head a little before speaking again. "Last night made me happy and it was the only time in which he wasn't the first thing on mind when I woke up."

"So your happiness got my brother killed." Lisbon said harshly. Jane opened his mouth but quickly closed it.

"What do you want us to do?" Cho asked as he studied the two of them.

"We find and talk with Lorelei." Jane replied.

"Find?" Van Pelt caught the word. "I thought we had her in custody already."

"She went missing." Jane stated as he tried to avoid the looks from Van Pelt, Rigsby and Cho. Lisbon and him had agreed not to tell anyone else that Lorelei wasn't in FBI custody when they went to get her.

"Which is why we need to find her as soon as possible." Jane added.

"How is she going to help us?" Lisbon asked pissed.

"She knows where he is at."

"Oh, and she is just going to give this information up to you willing." Lisbon said sarcastically.

"I can make her talk." Jane told her.

"Yeah I have heard that story from you before." Lisbon spat and she walked to her door and grabbed her bag.

"Where are you going?" Jane asked.

"To my brothers. Unless you have a problem with that?" Lisbon snarled at Jane. The two shared a heated look before she broke away and walked out slamming the door behind her.

"We need to find Lorelei." Jane said after a few seconds of quietness.

"I agree." Van Pelt nodded.

"Grace we don't know where she is." Rigsby pointed out. Van Pelt glared at him.

"Then we search for her Wayne. She is the best connection we have to Red John." Van Pelt reminded him.

"That is if Red John hasn't killed her yet." Cho spoke up.

"He hasn't" Jane stated firmly.

"Where is your proof?"

"He doesn't want to kill her. If he wanted to do that then she would have died in custody." Jane told him.

"I don't think Lisbon wants you to do this." Rigsby told Jane.

"She isn't thinking clearly at the moment. After she grieves she will understand." Jane said as he walked to the front door and motioned them to follow.

"I highly doubt it." Cho told him as he walked out the door.

"Always the optimist," Jane muttered as turned the lock on door and closed it. Jane turned around and came face to face with Cho

"Cho."

"You know she isn't going to see her brothers."

"I know."

"Then why didn't you stop her?" Cho asked.

"Would you have tried to stop her?"

"Yes. But she doesn't listen to me the way she listens to you." Cho told him before turning around and heading to the SUV.

Jane took a deep breath and then headed to his own car. Getting into his car he laid his head against the steering wheel to gather his thoughts. His brief chance with true happiness again had once again caused pained to someone he loved. He needed to find Lorelei soon and before a certain someone else did. A slight tapping on the window made him raise his head and look to his right. Van Pelt was standing outside the passenger door. She opened the door and got it.

"I thought you were going back with the boys." Jane watched her as she snapped the seatbelt in place.

"You are going to need help to find Lorelei." She told him.

"Thank you." Jane told her simply as he started his car.

"Where do we start?" Van Pelt asked.

"The prison, and we must get there before Lisbon." Jane told her as he put the car into drive.

"Lisbon?" Van Pelt looked at him shocked. "But I thought she was going to see her brothers."

"No. She is going to go after Red John the same way we are." Jane told her.

"Then why not work together?"

"Because this is what he wants." Jane told her.

"So you two are going to give him what he wants."

"Yes."

"That didn't work out so well last time."

"It will be different this time." Jane said as he kept his eyes on the road.

"How can you be so sure?" Van Pelt asked.

"I just am."


Sacramento County Jail

"I already told the other agent." The guard said annoyed.

"Tell us again." Van Pelt said as she put her badge away.

"The prisoner you describe was the one that came in. I don't know what happened after that." The guard told them.

"Did anyone else ask for access to her?" Van Pelt studied the guard.

"No."

"Then how do you mix up prisoners?" Jane questioned.

"Do you know how many people come through this building a day?" The guard was frustrated.

"Too many obviously since you can't seem to do your job." Van Pelt snapped at him.

"Lady I can do my job."

"It's agent and if that is the case then tell us what we want to know." Van Pelt ordered.

"Only two people were transferred out of the prison that day." The guard stated.

"What are their names?"

"I don't know and that is the truth."

"Let's go Grace." Jane said as he waved to the guard.

The two of them made their way out of the prison doors and headed to Jane's car. Getting into the car they closed the door before Van Pelt spoke.

"He is lying." Van Pelt told him.

"Yes, which begs the question of to whom he is covering." Jane explained as he pulled the car out of the parking lot.

"Maybe someone working for Red John works for the prison."

"It is a possibility." Jane confessed to her.

"So what do you think Lisbon did?"

"She came to the same conclusion and went on to the next clue." Jane smirked slightly.

"You knew this was bound to happen." Van Pelt stated sometime later.

"Yes, I knew Lorelei would manage to escape or get killed before long."

"That's not what I was referring to."

"So what were you referring to?" Jane asked as he tighten his grip on the steering wheel.

"You knew Red John would go after someone Lisbon cares about." Van Pelt replied.

"It was a possibility but-" Jane started but closed his mouth.

"But?" Van Pelt knew she was pushing him.

"I figured he would go after her first." Jane had spoken so softly that she had barely heard him.

"Because you love her." Van Pelt acknowledge the one thing Jane feared that everyone else had already known.

"Yes." Jane replied as he looked at her quickly and then turned back to focus on the road.

"We will figure this out." Van Pelt offered him moral support and Jane nodded his head. "So where are we going?"

"Back to the CBI."

"Why?"

"Because I need you to find the name of those two people who were transferred out." Jane told her.

"I don't need to go to the CBI to find that out." Van Pelt stated as she pulled out her phone and began to type something on the screen.

"The two people were," Van Pelt began, "a younger woman by the name of Claire May. The second is a middle age woman by the name of Tracy Spear."

"Where did they transfer Claire?" Jane inquired.

"They didn't. She got released." Van Pelt said.

"Got an address?" Jane asked with hope.

"Yup." Van Pelt told him the address just as he stepped on the gas pedal harder.


Home of Claire May

"Isn't that Lisbon's car?" Van Pelt stated as they pulled up to the house.

"Yes." Jane said as he turned off the car and got out quickly.

Jane was about to knock on the door when it opened and Lisbon came out. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Jane.

"How are your brothers?" Jane asked.

"Jackass." Lisbon mutter before turning to look at Claire. "Thank you for your time."

"Can I help you?" Claire asked as she noticed Jane.

"You don't need to talk to him and if he continues to harass you then call the cops." Lisbon told Claire as before making her way to her own car.

"Have a good day." Jane smiled at Claire before turning around and walking away.

"How did you find her?" Lisbon asked he approached her car.

"Grace."

"Of course."

"Sorry boss." Van Pelt said as he came up to the two.

"Can you give us a minute?" Jane asked her. Van Pelt nodded and started to walk away.

"No need to Van Pelt." Lisbon told her as she unlocked her car. "I'm leaving."

Jane slammed the door closed just as she opened the door. "No, you aren't."

"Take your hand off the car." Lisbon growled.

"Don't think I don't know what you are doing."

"Remove your hand before I remove it for you." Lisbon threaten and Jane removed his hand.

"Please just listen to me." Jane begged.

"No. I'm done listening to your crap Jane." Lisbon answered him.

"Let's work together." Jane suggested as she got in the car.

"No." Lisbon said firmly.

"Why?"

Lisbon looked directly head before speaking. "Because I can't trust you."

She closed the door and started the car. Never once did she look at Jane as she pulled away from the house. Jane made his way back to his own car and got in.

"Are you okay?" Van Pelt asked.

"More than okay." Jane answered. "Everything is working out as we planned."


It took every ounce of strength she had not to look back in the rear view mirror at Jane as she drove away. She wanted to hate him for what happen but she knew deep down that she couldn't. Taking a deep breath, she calmed her nerves as she headed toward her next location. She started to let her mind wander as she drove down the freeway.

She knew that Jane would be right behind her since he had already manged to find Claire, well since Van Pelt had already managed to find Claire. Claire hadn't given her any information that was helpful. Actually the entire thing had been a bust, so here she was on to the next inmate that was transferred out. The address given to her was a place that was about two hours away from Sacramento.

Lisbon clicked the road on and flipped to a local jazz station, hoping it would distracted her from her current thoughts of Tommy. She had finally called her brothers and Annie. Her voice was raw with emotions when she promised each of them she would find the killer. She then called the local police and asked them to send out someone to watch each of them in case Red John or one of his minions decided to kill again. Those conversations had been the hardest ones she had ever had and she felt emotionally drained from the entire thing. It didn't feel like just that morning she had woken up in Jane's arms for the first time.

She noticed the exit sign she needed and pulled on to the off-ramp. She listened to the direction being given by the GPS system which lead her to a low rent apartment complex. Pulling into a parking space, she got out and headed to the door. She knocked three times and waited for an answer, but nothing came. She twisted the doorknob, hoping that maybe it was unlocked. but no such luck. She knocked again just to make sure as someone spoke to her from next door.

"That lady hasn't been there in forever, " the neighbor stated before closing the door again.

"Thanks." Lisbon muttered under her breath before walking back towards the car.

At least now she knew how Lorelei had gotten out of prison. Despite what she had told Jane, she knew he was correct when it came to finding Lorelei. She was their only connection to Red John and she need to find her before she found him. Getting back into her car, she looked at the clock on the dashboard. She had two options; either she finds out more about Tracy Spear or go her other option. The second option was a safer bet. Pulling out her phone, she typed in two numbers in and then sent text containing the numbers 723346873. Shaking her head, she started the car again and headed back to the freeway.

It was already dark outside when Lisbon pulled the car into an empty parking lot. Getting out, she grabbed her phone and gun before locking it up and walking away. She heading over to another row of cars before she spotted the person she was looking for. She nodded and then placed her phone on the ground before smashing it with her foot. Sighing to herself she walked over to the car and got in.

"Long time no see." The person said as she got into the car.

"Yes." Lisbon replied as she closed the door.


"Jane, we have been here for several hours." Van Pelt stated.

"We are waiting." Jane replied.

"For what, exactly?"

"Patience."

"Jane, we could be checking out leads-" Van Pelt started to say when Jane phone buzzed. He looked down quickly and then smiled.

"Hey, let me borrow your phone for a few moments." Jane told her as he held out his hand for the phone.

"Why?"

"Trust me."

"Fine." Van Pelt said as she handed him the phone. Jane got out of the car.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Just gonna stretch my legs." Jane said as he lifted his arms over his head. Van Pelt rolled her eyes and looked back at the house. A few seconds later Jane entered the car again and turned it on.

"We are leaving now?"

"There is nothing here." Jane told her as he pulled the car into the street. A crunch sound was heard just as they left the house behind.

"Jane?"

"Yes."

"Where is my phone?" Van Pelt asked but already knew the answer.

"Back there in several pieces." Jane smirked.

"What?" Van Pelt shouted.

"No need to shout."

"Tell me what is going on now."

"I can't."

"Jane." Van Pelt warned but Jane only smiled.

"Have a little faith, Grace." Jane told her with a smile. Van Pelt groaned and leaned back against the seat. To this day she still can't figure out how Lisbon deals with him.

It was close to nine at night when Jane parked the car into abandoned parking lot. He got out and motioned Van Pelt to do the same.

"Why are we here?" Van Pelt asked.

"We are meeting someone." Jane told her as he looked around.

"Who?"

"You'll see." Jane said as his eyes finally caught what we was looking for "Ah."

Jane made his way to another beat up car and dropped to his knees. Reaching under the car he pulled out a small box. He opened the box and showed Van Pelt a pair of keys to the car. He unlocked the door and got in. Stretching across the seat he unlock the door for her.

"We are changing cars now?"

"We need to." Jane told her as he started the car up.

"Are you going to tell me what is going on?" Van Pelt tried again.

"The less you know, the better."

"Does this have to do with Red John?"

"Deniability, Grace." Jane replied as he focused on the road ahead of him.

Van Pelt sighed and watched as the city turned into more country followed by forest. It seems as if Jane knew exactly where he was going or she at least hoped he knew where he was going. They soon pulled onto a dirt road that lead deeper in the forest. Van Pelt sat up a little straighter as she tried to figure out where they were but the darkness from the trees made it hard. Finally an opening appeared and she saw a small cabin in the middle. There was light coming from the cabin which meant that someone lived there. Jane pulled up next to a car that was by the house and turned it off before getting out. Van Pelt opened her door and closed it quickly before running to catch up with him.

"Who lives here?" Van Pelt whispered.

"Quiet." Jane respond as he knocked on the door softly.

It took a few moments but the door opened. Van Pelt gasped as the person on the other side of the door spoke. "Hello, Patrick."

"Hello, Madeleine."

To Be Continued.