Into The Red Forest

Chapter 7- Red Handed

Chapter 7: Red-Handed

A/N: I know you guys are probably worried right now but just know that I do like Grace and I have a plan, just trust me. Ok, carry on. Enough of my rambling. Sorry this one is kinda short. LOL

Red John took Lisbon's limp body out of the chair, setting her on the bed in the room. He picked up the scalpel and pressed it to her throat. He was just about to slit her throat when he heard banging at the front door and the sound of it being kicked open.

"CBI!" Cho and Rigsby yelled in unison.

The two agents found them in the bedroom and started to step closer.

Red John smiled, the scalpel still on her throat. "She's alive, barely, if you take another step I doubt her chances will be so good."

"Drop the scalpel!" Rigsby ordered.

"Gentlemen, it doesn't work like that. It just so happens that I'm the one with the leverage here. You let me escape and I will let you get your boss the medical attention she so desperately needs, or you can let her die. Your choice."

Rigsby frowned, his gun still trained on the smirking serial killer. "One last chance. Put the scalpel down and get on your knees with your hands behind your head."

Red John turned to Grace. "Ready the car."

Grace glared at him. "No."

Red John looked puzzled. "What did you say?"

"I said no." Grace repeated evenly.

Red John looked at her furiously and pulled her to him, turning her around holding the scalpel at her throat. Jane looked from Rigsby, to Cho, to Red John and to Grace, a concerned expression his face. His eyes then lingered on the weak Lisbon on the bed, bleeding out.

"Let me pass or she dies too." Red John ordered. He had Grace positioned in front of him in such a way that they did not have a clear shot at him. Seeing no other choice, they relented and let him through. Jane caught Grace's eye as Red John made his way out of the bedroom and out of the cabin, Grace in front of him.

"You go get the boss, I got him." Cho told Rigsby, keeping his gun trained on Red John and Rigsby nodded and rushed to help Lisbon. He applied pressure to her wound and quickly dialed 911 and explained the situation. Jane worked fruitlessly on undoing the bonds Red John had put on him. A few slow minutes later, ambulance and police sirens were heard. Everything that happened next seemed to happen in slow motion. Grace twisted Red John's hand back and he howled in pain, releasing his grip on her. He stumbled back and righted himself and Grace dived out of the way as Rigsby took a shot. The shot exploded from Rigsby's gun and burrowed itself in the serial killer's forehead. Red John's body teetered back and fell to the forest floor with a thud. The paramedics and police rushed inside and soon Lisbon was carried out quickly on a stretcher. The police freed Jane and he ran outside to accompany Lisbon in the ambulance.

He sat next to the stretcher, squeezing Lisbon's hand tightly, his eyes welling up with tears. "You can do this, Teresa, you're strong. Stay alive, I lost Angela and I can't lose you too. Please, fight. Fight this. I need you. You're everything to me and I love you just as much as I loved her. Don't leave me, Teresa. Please don't leave me…"

Lisbon struggled to turn her head to look at him. "I…won't, Jane. He won't…win."

The paramedics set an IV with fluids into her arm and examined her. "Pulse rate is dropping, we're losing her." He reported, and for the first time in a long time, Patrick Jane put his head in his hands and cried.