A/N: I say it so many times. But thank you to my reviewers! ^_^

Chapter 11

'I'm sorry, Sam,' Lisbon murmured, looking into her lap, 'I don't know what's wrong with him.'

'Really, don't worry. I shouldn't have told him.'

'Um...let me go and talk to him...if I can find him.'

Bosco nodded, meeting Lisbon's gaze as she stood from her seat. Lisbon tugged her jacket around her tighter.

'I'll be back in a minute.'

Lisbon swiftly left the room, and once out, searched left and right as if Patrick might have left a trail of breadcrumbs along the cold linoleum floor. She took a deep breath and chose left. The reception was that way.

The words that had fallen haphazardly from Patrick's mouth kept running over and over again in her head. It tied her brain in knots. If she understood correctly, he had admitted that he loved her...but had accused Bosco of being involved with her brother's death at the same time. She wasn't sure how to react when two, so very different feelings had been presented in such a short space of time. Or how to react when the man admitted feelings, but still told people that he was married...

Lisbon looked down at the floor passing underneath her, her arms tightly wrapped around her waist. She took another deep breath. She knew that Patrick couldn't possibly have meant what he said about Bosco. He was just troubled right now. Everyone was. Red John had got into the CBI without raising any alarms. That would trouble anyone.

She hoped that someday, they would be able to catch the serial killer. To let Patrick find some sort of peace. To let him live life without the dark shadow looming over his head and to have a life outside of Red John. But right now, he needed to stay stable, not lose his head. Every time the serial killer made a move, they got closer. They got new clues. And that was what the focus needed to be on.

Lisbon reached the reception desk and snapped out of her silent reverie. Her eyes skimmed over the area in search of the blonde consultant that she so desperately needed to talk to, checking every seat. But he didn't present himself. Only rows of waiting patients could be seen in the clinic, sitting with each of their ailments, having been assured by the receptionist that a doctor would be with them soon.

Lisbon proceeded to walk from the entrance and again, scan for signs of Jane-life. From right to left, she saw bushes and benches and solid concrete floor, but eventually came to rest on Patrick, sat on a weathered bench just to the left. He sat on the edge of the seat, his elbows resting on his thighs and his head buried in his hands. Lisbon's arms dropped to her side and she let out a slow melancholy sigh. She began her slow walk towards him, wondering whether he could see that she was there. She watched his jaw clench and unclench tightly. The sign of frustration and annoyance.

Shifting Patrick's jacket to the side, Lisbon perched herself beside him, the bench creaking slightly under the added weight.

'Hey...' she murmured quietly.

Patrick suddenly sat up, sniffing slightly. He gave Lisbon a quick sideways glance before looking straight on, as if the small plant in the neatly laid out flower beds was of extreme interest to him.

'Are you alright?' Lisbon asked, placing a hand on his forearm carefully. Patrick nodded briefly, but then paused and rethought.

'No. No, I don't think I am.'

Lisbon's face contorted sympathetically.

'Jane. I know that the new Red John thing has set you off...but I need you to keep control for me. I don't want to see you fall down. I know you can be stronger than this. Don't let Red John get the better of you, because you know we need your help to catch him. And this new lead could give us so much. And we need you...'

Patrick looked more fully at Lisbon, as if searching for reassurance. He didn't like the feeling that he was almost touching back with who he used to be when he was locked in that bland white room with Sophie, the smeary smiley that he'd drawn on the wall in his own blood so vividly pictured in his mind. He shivered slightly, despite the heat. He absentmindedly traced the fading scar that tracked down his forearm, marring the soft skin, with his finger tip. It caused the hairs to stand on end with the sensitivity.

'I'm sorry...for everything I said back there Lisbon. I didn't mean to...'

'I know. I know it wasn't intentional.'

Patrick nodded.

'Well...are we ok then?'

'Why wouldn't we be?'

'Because I was being an ass?'

'It wasn't your fault, Jane. You're just a bit mentally disorientated because of the Red John thing.'

Patrick nodded slowly again. 'I'm glad you're so understanding Lisbon...really, I'm very grateful.'

Lisbon smiled softly. 'Well, that's nice to hear, especially seen as I don't understand you half the time.' She nudged his shoulder.

He looked at her, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

'Well...I think we should be going,' Patrick said eventually, decisively. He stood up, patting his stomach while his eyes scanned the area.

'What? You're not going to stay here any longer?'

'Well...I don't think Bosco'll want me in there. Do you?'

'Oh, come on, he didn't take it seriously Jane. He knows what you're like.'

'Well let's say I wouldn't be comfortable being in there anymore.'

'Please Jane, I would appreciate it if you stayed...'

Patrick's brows knitted together. 'You would? You actually want my company?'

Lisbon looked at him frustratedly. 'Well, yeah, sometimes you make good company. And I want to talk to you about something anyway.'

'What would that be?'

'Um...sit down.'

Patrick looked at her questioningly.

Lisbon nodded to the space on the bench beside her. The consultant inwardly grimaced. He knew what she was going to ask about. And no, he didn't particularly want to explain it. He shouldn't have said it in the first place; when he knew he had his family to think about right now. And Red John. He couldn't fathom why those words had slipped into his rant at Bosco. And it frustrated him. Maybe she would drop it. That would be...good? Or would it? Did he really need to push her away? But anyway, before he got too deep in those kinds of thoughts, he should probably listen to what she had to say first.

He reluctantly reclaimed his seat on the bench and draped his arm over the back, crossing his legs.

'Yes?'

'What you said...other than about my brother...'

Patrick took a deep breath and looked into his lap, scratching the tip of his index finger with his thumbnail.

'I...wasn't thinking straight. Like you said. It didn't mean anything,' Patrick replied, not waiting for her to expand any further.

Lisbon averted her gaze into her lap as well. She was evidently hurt by the bluntness of Patrick's answer, the cruelty that it seemed to have. 'Oh...'

'I'm sorry. I didn't mean it.' Patrick continued, seemingly unaware of how much this was hurting the woman sat beside him.

'Of course...' Lisbon could feel tears stinging at her eyes like a swarm of bees. But to be honest, she wasn't sure why she had expected anymore than she got. He was still attached to his family like they were still alive, and he was all too focused on Red John. He wasn't about to show any feelings for anyone else. She shouldn't have brought it up. She should have known he would become all closed up when directly asked about it.

Patrick stood up again, gathering his jacket up from the other side of Lisbon and walked away towards the road.

Lisbon sat there for just a moment, glancing round the area, trying to banish the tears in her eyes. She was definitely stronger than this. She could take rejection from a broken man...couldn't she? Of course she could. She was being silly, expecting Patrick to simply open up and take her into his arms. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She gathered herself up. Stupid. She walked back to the hospital entrance, towards Bosco's room. 'Damn it, Teresa Lisbon,' she told herself, 'Pull yourself together!'

Patrick cursed in his head too many times to count. Too many. He really hated himself sometimes. What the hell had possessed him to say that to Teresa? Why did he always have to run away? Why did he always have to try and escape from anything that would make him remotely human? He always hurt people when he got too full up with Red John...the avengeance of his family. He wished it wasn't so. He wished he could focus on something else as well. But at the most important times, it would come through, and his hunger to hunt down Red John would kill anything else. Make him become a jerk. So thoughtless and detached from what others might feel.

He knew all too well how much he'd hurt the team, mostly Lisbon, when he'd gone to try and find Red John on his own, with a man that would have taken his life if Lisbon hadn't been there at the crucial moment. He had all too many things to thank his boss for, but all he seemed to be able to do when it came down to it was throw it back in her face. He didn't deserve her. Even if he'd said yes. He didn't deserve such a perfect woman...

His foot lashed out at a passing car, slamming into the tyre, not even caring whose it was. The alarm blared loudly, but he couldn't care less as he began the walk from the car park back to the CBI.

Van Pelt tapped impatiently on the keys of her laptop, waiting, waiting, for the system to give her some kind of information on the Ford Mustang 1968. She prayed to all she held dear that something would come up. Her eyes flashed over at Rigsby, who was poring over file after file, searching for something that might be of use, when suddenly the computer blipped. Her head snapped back round and she quickly scanned over the screen. The car, a blue Ford Mustang 1968, registration plate: SY89 OTG was registered to a Bliss Matthews, who lived just outside Sacramento. 34 Westofer Road.

'Wayne...we've got a hit.'

Rigsby promptly raised his head from the mound of paperwork on his desk and passed the message onto Cho as the other agent walked into the bull pen with a mug of steaming coffee. They both paid full attention as Van Pelt read over the information that her screen provided.

'She's clean. No previous offences. Maybe the car was stolen?'

'Or maybe she's related,' Cho offered.

'Check it out?'

'Definitely,' Rigsby replied, gathering up his jacket and pulling it round his muscular shoulders.

An hour later and Van Pelt, Cho and Rigsby were stood outside the door of 34 Westofer Road, the dust from the track in front of the house flying through the humid air. Taking a deep breath each and glancing around their group, the agents stepped up to the front door, Cho rapping his knuckles on the splintered wood.

'Mrs Matthews!' he called.

Soon, the door opened a crack and a worn, wrinkled, tall, dark haired woman peered out.

'Mrs Matthews? We're from the CBI. We need to talk to you.'

The woman's jaw clenched suddenly and a nervous twinkle hit her eye. She became a little fidgety. She seemingly checked that the chain was on the door before she answered.

'Um...could you give me a minute? I'm in a dreadful mess in here,' she told the three agents while trying to control the edgy shake in her voice.

Cho thought a moment, his deadpan expression not changing in the slightest. 'We don't mind mess.'

'But, please, I really wouldn't want you coming in just yet.'

Cho looked around at Van Pelt and Rigsby. But the door was slammed shut before he could reply.

'Mrs Matthews! Open the door!' Cho knocked on the door heavily.

Behind the front door, Bliss ran for the kitchen, snatching up the phone and slamming the speed dial button for her son. Her heart pounded as the rings echoed in her ears and the pounding on the door filled her head. The phone line crackled and the line was open.

'Timmy! Don't come home! Please, don't come home. They've found me...'

She slammed the phone down on the speechless man at the other end of the line as the door was smashed open by the CBI agents. Bliss panicked and tried to make a run for it. She thanked the lord that her daughter wasn't here. She made for the back door, her fitness not quite drained of her yet. She beheaded dandelions and brownie flowers as her shoes clipped them heavily, pelting through the back yard, not having a clue where she was supposed to run to. After all, she wasn't young enough to start jumping over and clambering up fences. But she just had to run. At least try to escape.

But the CBI agents were too fast for her and soon she was handcuffed on the ground where she had fallen. Then being dragged unwillingly to the back of the CBI SUV. She wondered how they had been found...she knew Timmy was always so careful. What had he done? What had he left behind?

An hour after walking back into the hospital, Lisbon said her goodbyes to Bosco, ready to go back to work now. She had told Bosco what had happened. After all, he'd been the one to say that Patrick had a thing for her before the consultant had kicked off. Bosco had been supportive, and friendly, as he always was towards her, managing to cheer her up. She sighed heavily as she clambered into her SUV, almost wanting nothing more than to go home and watch a film with some ice cream. But she was a CBI agent, and she had work to do. Glorious paperwork. Not.

Bringing the engine roaring to life with the twist of the key, Lisbon pulled out of the car park and began the drive back to the headquarters. She flicked the radio on, hating the silence that the car provided. Susie Suh began to sing out of the speakers located around the car. One of her favourite songs. Feather In The Wind. She was tempted to close her eyes and just sit back, letting the gentle music fill her up, but that would most likely mean crashing. Into Patrick. Wait...what? She had to take a double take, glancing back at the edge of the pavement, where her colleague was sat in between the brush scattering the concrete paving.

Her brows knitted together, wondering why he was sat there. Her heart began to pound faster as she considered picking him up. He looked all too depressed, miserable, just to leave him there. But at the same time, she wasn't really sure she wanted to sit in the same area as him quite yet. But despite this, she found herself watching his forlorn figure through the rear view as she backed up towards him, the road thankfully empty. Stopping beside him, she reached for the door handle and flung the door open.

'Jane?'

Patrick looked up into the SUV, his face full of sad anger.

'Come on,' Lisbon took a deep breath inviting him onto the seat.

'I don't think I should.'

'Why not?'

'I might end up hurting you again.'

'What? You didn't hurt me,' she lied.

Patrick laughed dryly. 'Course I did, Lisbon. I know I did.'

'Well...I should have known better than to raise it up. I know the position you're in. I shouldn't have expected more.'

'Still. I don't think it's a good idea for me to get in.'

'Don't be silly, Jane. I'm not leaving until your ass is parked in this seat.'

Patrick looked up at her, his eyes telling how he felt. Lisbon watched him expectantly. Eventually he submitted, but was wondering why Lisbon was acting so normal considering what he'd said. Pushing himself into the soft leather seat, Patrick shut the door quietly after him and turned his gaze out of the window. He felt the car pull away and watched the white line race away along the side of the road.

'Mrs Matthews,' Cho began, sitting himself down in the seat opposite.

'I'm not telling you anything,' Bliss snapped.

'You want to tell us why you ran?'

'No.'

'Maybe you're protecting someone?'

'No comment.'

'A violent man.'

'No comment.'

'A dangerous man.'

'No comment.'

'A sadistic serial killer.'

'No comment.'

'Maybe he threatens you and you keep quiet. Maybe he threatens what he does to his victims, on you, Mrs Matthews. Is that why you're protecting him?'

'My Timmy does not threaten me. He is my son. And I'll go to any lengths to protect him.'

Bliss glared distastefully at Cho, the over head lights causing her wrinkles to stand out and make her just a bit more threatening.

'You're protecting a very dangerous man, Mrs Matthews.'

'He's not dangerous. He's my son.'

'So if you don't think a serial killer is dangerous, Mrs Matthews, what do you consider as dangerous?'

'You lot. CBI. The ones trying to catch him and throw him in jail! My Timmy has good reason for what he does. You're threatening him.'

'And what would that reason be?'

'No comment.'

Cho rolled his eyes frustratedly, leaning back in his chair.

'Y'know, agent. I'd be fascinated to meet...what's his name? Jane? Patrick Jane.'

'Why would that be?'

'My son was very pleased with his work on that one. I'd be interested to meet him...what kind of a mother doesn't show interest in their children's work?'

'A bad one.'

'Exactly.'

'I'm sorry. You can't see him.'

'Oh...' Bliss sighed disappointedly, 'Well, I'm sure he'll come of his own accord.'

Cho stared blankly at Bliss. He hated people like this; people who gave them nothing and simply tried to play around with them. He didn't look forward to Patrick arriving again. He would be on her like a ton of bricks. He knew all too well about what Patrick could be like around the subject of Red John. How dangerous his talk could get.

Cho folded his arms, ready to engage further interrogation...

A/N: We're getting closer, we're getting closer... :D Reviewsies? ^_^