Chapter 42 – Preparations & Positivity

The door to the motel room opened and Lisbon strode in, followed quickly by Cho and Jane. Forster glanced at each of them in turn with varying degrees of worry. While Cho remained impassive in his expression Lisbon's lips curled slightly at the edges, signifying a course of action had been decided upon. Jane's expression mirrored Cho's mostly apart from it being a little more proud and self satisfied.

"You're going to help us," Lisbon told the man on the bed. Without waiting on a response she added, "You're going to sign a statement that Bret Stiles was the one who told you to send that text."

Forster frowned and looked at the other two men in the room.

Jane smirked, "Well we now know at least that Jeff here hasn't been indoctrinated into the cult like his buddy Ray. He has no idea who Stiles is, Lisbon."

Her opening gambit had been discussed and decided upon when they'd talked outside. They wanted to discover if Forster was a Visualize member and this seemed the easiest way of making certain.

"I've heard of him," Forster said with a note of panic in his voice. "Visualize, right?"

"Ah, so you do know him, then?" Jane said as he walked over to him.

Forster shook his head rapidly. "No...Ray...well he mentioned it to me a couple of times...Visualize, I mean...thought it might help me but...no...I never joined."

"Well I'd say that was a smart choice if I didn't already despise you," Jane smiled.

Forster turned to Lisbon again. "I don't understand. Why would I do that? I don't even know Stiles. If I do that I'll have Visualize after me as well as Red John."

"Never mind why. But if you do I give you my word you'll be protected. We'll put you somewhere they can't find you."

He pondered her statement then shook his head vehemently. "No. No way."

"You say that like you have a choice," Cho said, crossing his arms across his chest. "If you don't do this you're dead because we'll fabricate the statement anyway."

His eyes widened. "You...you can't do that! You're cops!"

Lisbon's eyes darkened as she fixed her eyes on him. "No? Watch us."

Jane smiled thinly at her at her badass best and licked his lips, getting a little hot under the collar at the display of determination. He cleared his throat. "It's your choice, Jeff. Tucked up somewhere you're safe or have the CBI, Visualize and Red John all after you. Hardly a choice at all, is it?"

"I came to you because Ray said you'd keep me safe," Forster explained to Lisbon. "He said you were a by the books agent and that I could trust you-"

"Well he was wrong," she smiled. "At least in this case he was. But we'll keep you safe against my better judgement so maybe not entirely."

"This statement will never hold up in court," Forster said to her. "If they can't find me you'll never be able to prosecute Stiles for whatever your problem is with him."

"We know that," Cho said.

Forster frowned, "Then why-"

"Enough talking," Lisbon said. She pulled a laptop from her briefcase. "Start writing. We'll use the printer here when you're finished. Just type what we tell you and then you can sign it."

As Forster was giving his false statement to Cho, Jane caught up with Lisbon outside the room where she'd escaped to grab some air.

"You were great in there," he smiled as they leaned against her SUV drinking water.

"Yeah, a real masterclass in how not to be a cop," she sighed, taking a large gulp.

"Second thoughts?"

She shook her head. "No. This will give us Stiles. Or at least a warrant to bring him in to question him. I just hope he's in the country and takes the bait."

"He will," Jane said. "He'll know it's a bluff, of course, but won't want his name associated with the attempted murder of a CBI agent. Or the implication that he's Red John. Bad for business."

"Yeah," she nodded.

"I was worried earlier when I couldn't get in touch with you," he said quietly as he looked at his shoes.

"Forster got the jump on me. I was just lucky I was able to turn the tables on him."

"More skill than luck but you need to be more careful when going anywhere alone, Teresa."

She glanced up at him at the use of her first name. "Jane, we know the risks. They've always been there."

"And even more so now," he sighed.

Rigsby pushed a strand of red hair from Van Pelt's cheek and ran his fingertips down it. Her parents had gone to the cafeteria to get something to eat to give him some time alone with her.

"Hey," he whispered. "Now I know you enjoy your sleep but now it's time to wake up, sleeping beauty," he added with a pained smile.

He looked at her in the hospital bed, her skin almost translucent from loss of blood and her body battered and bruised. He took her hand with a deep sigh and tears ran down his face, droplets falling on their hands entwined. "Please wake up, Grace. I can't..." he took a deep breath and sniffed. "I can't live without you. You know that. I'll be eating burritos for breakfast and be the size of La Roche in no time," he laughed through his tears. "You have to wake up, baby. You have to wake up and tell me you love me and the rest we'll figure out."

He waited, hoping for a miracle like in the movies where she'd wake up at the sound of his heartfelt words. But she continued to lie there still in front of him, only the sound of the monitor beside him beeping to break up the silence in the room.

"That's it?" Lisbon said to Cho when he handed her Forster's statement.

"Yeah, it says Stiles was blackmailing him over his gambling debts."

She looked questionably at Jane. "It's a little farfetched, isn't it? That the leader of Visualize would blackmail a lowly CBI agent over something like this?"

Jane shrugged. "People believe what they want to believe, Lisbon. And the FBI have wanted something on Stiles for years. If they can pin this on him they'll take a chance on it. And Bertram will be chomping at the bit by now to give the Press something. It'll help his career if he can assist the FBI with their case against Stiles. Get his face across a few broadsheets into the deal, it's a win win situation even if they all know this is bull. Gives them another crack at him."

"Apart for from Stiles if he's innocent," she argued, looking at the paper in her hand.

"The last thing Stiles is is innocent and you know it," he replied. "He didn't do this but there's plenty he has done in the past. And for all we know he is Red John."

She nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay. You're right. Let's drop this in Wainwright's lap and see what happens next."

Cho said, "I'll drive Forster upstate. Get him tucked away with a friend of mine who owns some cabins there. I'll bring a couple of Mashburn's people with me to watch over him. I'll be back here by morning."

"Okay," Lisbon said. "Be careful." Uncharacteristically she hugged Cho briefly. It served to make Jane smirk in amusement and make her second in charge highly uncomfortable. Lisbon herself, when she released him, appeared almost as embarrassed as he was.

As they waved their goodbyes Jane laughed. "Well that was the most awkward hug I've ever seen. Wish I'd got it on film."

"Shut up," she said, averting her eyes and still blushing at her spontaneous outward display of affection before she got into the driver's seat.

After leaving the statement with Wainwright and explaining that Forster was under their protection for fear of a reprisal from Visualize Jane and Lisbon left the CBI together. It was obvious that Wainwright knew there was more to the story than he was being told and that he wanted to know Forster's whereabouts but, as per his agreement with Lisbon, he asked no further questions on the matter. Jane suspected he was just pleased he finally had something to share with Bertram. Jane figured Bertram wouldn't be so agreeable when he heard the news but that was something to be dealt with further down the line.

"The hospital?" Jane asked as he sat beside Lisbon. He'd read her thoughts as she'd become increasingly quiet on the drive to the CBI. "We could see her tomorrow," he suggested when he saw the tiredness around her eyes. "You look exhausted."

"Gee, thanks," she said with a roll of her eyes. "You don't look so hot yourself."

"Meh, I'm always hot and you know it," he grinned.

She laughed and took a breath. "Let's just stop by quickly then we'll grab some takeout and go back to my place. We'll wait and see what new horrors await us tomorrow."

"Sounds good," he smiled. It seemed staying over at her place was the new status quo he was very pleased to note.

Lisbon took a deep breath when she approached the waiting room in the hospital. She talked to Mashburn's security and a CBI agent posted there to keep watch over Van Pelt. They told her that Rigsby and her parents were currently at her bedside as they waited for her to regain consciousness. She fiddled with the sleeve of her jacket as they approached it, hoping they could tear Rigsby away for a moment or two. "This is good news," Jane said at her side.

"Yeah, we need some," she said as she saw two further guards at the door to her room and showed her ID to them. She opened the door and three faces looked back at her. She would have known Van Pelt's parents anywhere; she had her father's eyes and her mother's hair.

"You must be Agent Lisbon," her mother said, getting up from her seat.

"Yeah," Lisbon said with a frown and a furtive glance to Rigsby who had also got to his feet. "How did you-"

"She showed us photographs, of course." Noticing Jane standing behind Lisbon she broke into a weary smile. "And you must be the irrepressible Patrick Jane. I've heard a lot about you, in particular."

Jane smiled and shrugged, "I guess I must be," he said with some nervousness, somewhat embarrassed in the circumstances they were meeting.

"How is she?" Lisbon asked her.

Her mother stood beside her daughter again and brushed her hair softly with her hand. "I'm sure she'll be awake and telling us off for looking so morose any time now."

Lisbon caught her breath and nodded, "I'm sure you're right," she smiled as tears pricked at her eyes. Jane placed his hand on her lower back and rubbed it gently. To his relief she didn't pull away.

"Boss," Rigsby said quietly with downcast eyes, clearing his throat, "can I talk to you for a minute outside?"

"Of course," she replied with a nod.

Jane asked her with his eyes if she wanted him to tag along but she shook her head indiscernibly and so he said instead, "Okay if I keep you company?" to her mother.

On the way out Rigsby regarded him sheepishly and Jane nodded with a smile, a silent apology and acceptance offered and accepted between them.

When they were outside Rigsby started immediately, "Look, what I said-"

"Don't worry about it. Please, you were more than entitled, Wayne."

"No I wasn't. Jane was right." He laughed shakily. "Like he always is."

"Yeah, it's kind of annoying that that's the case so often," Lisbon replied with a small smile.

"Yeah, it is," he agreed. "I shouldn't have taken it out on you. Cho called me earlier, I know you guys are doing everything you can to find the bastard. Going all out no matter what it takes. I...I appreciate it. Just wish I could do something to help track him down too."

"Hey, she's family and so are you," Lisbon said softly. "And you're exactly where you should be right now."

The door behind them opened and Jane popped his head through. He grinned at both of them then focused on Rigsby. "Are you going to stand there shooting the breeze all day or are you going to talk to your fiancée?"

Rigsby's eyes widened and he croaked, "She's awake?"

Jane nodded, "And she's asking for you so get your ass in here."

As Lisbon was engulfed in the quickest hug of her life Rigsby bolted from her side back to Van Pelt's room.

"Wayne?" Van Pelt breathed as her mother held her hand.

"Yeah," he said, rushing to her side to take her other one. He took a breath. "Yeah, I'm here, sweetheart, I'm here."

"I'm...sore," she said through a painful and short breath. "What happened to me?"

Medical staff had ushered them all out of the room as soon as she'd regained consciousness to assess her and the five of them stood in the corridor outside. "She doesn't remember the attack," Rigsby said. "Could be short term memory loss, right?"

"Could be," Jane said. "Or she may never remember." He shook his head. "Might be better that way for her."

"But," Rigsby ran a hand down his face. "I hoped she'd be able to tell us-"

"Hey, she's alive and talking. That's all that matters," Lisbon grinned. "To hell with the rest, we'll figure it out for ourselves."

"Well said, Agent Lisbon," her father said with a grin of his own. "I can see why my daughter looks up to you."

She blushed furiously, always discomforted by a compliment. "Uh...thanks."

"Maybe we should go," Jane said, pointing to himself and Lisbon. "Let you all catch up with her properly."

"We'll stop by in the morning," Lisbon said to Rigsby with a huge smile.

After another exchange of hugs and a promise to bring pastries with them the next day and tell Cho the good news they left the hospital and went back to Lisbon's place, having picked up some clothes from Jane's motel room and a takeaway on the way.

Their spirits and bellies restored an hour later Lisbon relaxed on the couch with Jane beside her. For the first time in days a genuine smile graced her lips.

"I know we still have a way to go but I think the end's in sight at last," she said.

He slipped an arm around her shoulders and brought her closer to him, smiling when she snuggled slightly into his side. "Feeling more optimistic, my dear?"

"Am I crazy thinking that way? Normally just when things look brighter is the time when all hell breaks loose. And we have this whole Blake Association thing to deal with now as well. How we do that is beyond me."

He laughed and kissed the side of her head. "Well that optimism certainly didn't last long. One thing at a time. We omitted any mention of Blake from Forster's report for a good reason."

"Yeah, I know. We catch Red John first. Then we go to the Feds about Blake. If we can find an honest one. Let them deal with that mess. You think Ray is part of it?"

He shrugged. "Certainly possible. If you'd slept with him like Mashburn then we'd know for sure," he said with a smirk that earned him a dig in the ribs.

"Why don't I just have sex with every man I meet, then? We could go through the elimination process that way," she deadpanned.

"Hmm. That list would include Bertram and Wainwright, you realise too. I know you're a slave to your job, Lisbon, but that might be going above and beyond the call of duty."

She made a face at that thought that had them both chuckling. "I think we're getting hysterical with sheer tiredness," she pointed out.

"You're probably right," he smiled, placing his head back on the couch and pulling her closer as he shut his eyes.

"You sure it was Red John who killed Janet Walker still?" she asked him. "That mark she pointed out must be the three dot tattoo."

"I'm sure," he said with conviction. "I saw it in her eyes that it was him, Lisbon. I've seen that terror before," he added quietly.

She wrapped her body closer around him, her heart melting at the implication of his last words. Undoubtedly he was referring to when he found his family butchered.

After a few seconds she tilted her head so she looked at him. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Opening his eyes he smiled at her and said, "I don't exactly know what I'm being thanked for but you're welcome." He took the opportunity to steal a short kiss.

"You didn't leave," she said.

He frowned and blinked. "You thought I would?"

She shrugged. "I wasn't sure. I thought you might. You thought about it...I could see it going through your head when Grace was attacked."

He nodded. "I thought about it. But only briefly. Only because I thought it might be easier. That he might stop and turn his attention back to me if I did."

"Why didn't you?"

He caressed her cheek. "Why do you think?" He sighed and put his other arm around her. "I meant what I said the other night. I want this to work between us. It wasn't idle chatter, Teresa. Or pre or post coital ramblings. And running away...again...that's hardly going to accomplish that, is it? No matter what might happen in our lives. Either by his hand or someone else's."

She touched his bare wedding ring finger and looked up at him again. "I do want to believe you, I really do. But-"

"You're afraid to entrust your heart to me again. I understand that. It's okay. As long as we keep moving forward and not backwards, I'm good." He kissed her again, longer and with more feeling. "All right?"

She kissed him and placed a hand on his cheek, drawing his face closer and lengthening the kiss until he moaned. "All right," she smiled, releasing his lips with a smirk.

He grinned. "Okay, let's go to bed. Better get some sleep before all hell breaks loose tomorrow as you so succinctly put it. Should be interesting to see what Mr Stiles' next move is going to be."

A/N: For any of you not aware yet I've started a new fic called Broken that you might want to check out. It's another flashback one like this one that I'm excited to be writing. It's M rated (for both subject matter and sexy times(!)) so you'll need to adjust your normal filters to find it.

Thanks and thanks again for all the support for this one as it hurtles towards its end.