Into The Red Forest

Chapter 9- Loose Ends

Chapter 9: Loose Ends

A/N: That dream Lisbon had was basically just to show Lisbon's fears if the tables had been turned and it was Jane in trouble and not her.

Lisbon slept for two days and Jane and the team visited her each day. She would not remember the dream she had in surgery when she awoke. The first day, Grace brought her a balloon bouquet and a small teddy bear and Jane brought her flowers. It was intended to be a friendly gesture because no one was supposed to know that they were romantically involved. No one knew except Grace and she intended to keep it that way. On the third day, Tommy called Grace to tell her that Lisbon was awake. Jane and the team rushed to the hospital to see her. When they arrived they saw that most of the color had returned to Lisbon's cheeks and she was smiling while playing cards with Annie. She was sitting in an eggshell white room in a light beige bed. A hospital meat sat untouched on the tray next to an open cup of red jello with a spoon stuck in it. She was hooked up to a number of IVs and machines, wearing a pale blue hospital gown.

Lisbon smiled when she saw the team and Jane in the doorway. "Hey."

Grace smiled. "Hey, how ya feelin', Boss?"

Lisbon shrugged as Jane and the team stepped inside. "I'm kinda sore and it hurts when I laugh or cough but I'll live. Thanks for the balloons and the bear, by the way."

Grace shook her head lightly. "No problem, boss. We were all worried sick about you."

Lisbon put her cards down and took a bite of jello, picking them back up again. "You're sweet. Got any threes, Annie?"

Annie smirked. "Go fish." She turned to Jane and the team. "Hi, guys. I'm just kicking Aunt Teresa's butt at Go Fish. No offense, Aunt Reese, but you suck at this game."

Tommy smiled. "She sucked at poker too. When we were kids, we used to bet cheese doodles and I beat her everytime."

Lisbon reached over to his seat by the bed and hit him in the arm. "Shut up, you know I always got a crappy hand."

Cho and Rigsby waved. "Hey, Boss."

Lisbon smiled at them. "Hey, guys."

Jane looked indignant. "We've been here five minutes already and you haven't said a word about the flowers I brought you." He indicated the yellow daisies in a vase on her bedside table.

Lisbon smirked. "Oh, I hadn't noticed. Thanks."

"Ha-ha." Jane said, smirking back.

"Ok, when you two are done doing…whatever it is that you're doing, I'd like to tell Lisbon why I was working with Red John." Grace said.

Lisbon nodded. "Yes, please do."

A moment later, another voice was heard in the doorway. "Allow me to assist you, Agent Van Pelt."

Lisbon and everyone else looked at the man.

"Oh, hey, Minnelli." Lisbon said.

Minnelli nodded at her. "Hello, Agent Lisbon. I hope you're feeling well." He nodded at the team. "Agents…and Jane."

"Better, thanks. This is my brother, Tommy, and my niece Annabeth. Guys, this is my boss, Agent Minnelli." Lisbon explained.

The agents nodded their hellos at him.

"Hello, sir." Jane replied.

Annie and Tommy both said their hellos and Grace started the story. "Agent Minnelli approached me one day about getting into Red John's inner circle. He knew Red John probably had assistants in the CBI and knew he would be eager for one that no one would suspect, so he chose me. I was in deep cover for months, building relationships and trust. We decided it was best not to tell anyone because we knew if Jane figured it out he'd jump at the link to Red John and possibly jeopardize the mission. I also didn't tell Lisbon because she never would've let me go undercover where Red John is concerned. One day, I heard Red John talking about a hideout he kept in the woods by the campground we went to so I told Minnelli and he devised the camping trip to trap Red John. I told Red John about it and he, of course, jumped at the chance to corner Jane. I fed him all the information I could about the team. I had to tell him the truth because if I didn't, it would have blown my cover. He would've seen right through me." Jane and Lisbon shared a quick glance, knowing she was being vague so she wouldn't out their relationship.

She continued. "It was no accident that you found that note either, Jane. I wanted it to lead you to me. I left it there on purpose, knowing you would find it. I knew your would devise a plan that would lead you to the identity of the assistant. Once Jane told me he was going to meet Lisbon in the forest, I told Red John I would give you guys a sign of his presence and capture you there."

Lisbon's eyebrows furrowed. "Why put Jane and I in real danger like that?"

Grace sighed. "When I went out to get the gun, I texted Cho and Rigsby our location. You were supposed to be saved before anyone got hurt. I guess they got the message too late. I'm sorry. But you're both safe now."

Lisbon nodded. "It's ok, but go behind my back again and I won't feel that way."

Minnelli held up a hand. "I'm sorry, Lisbon, it was my fault. She was only following my orders. It won't happen again. That was reckless. I wasn't thinking."

Lisbon nodded. "It's alright, sir."

Minnelli smiled. "Get well soon, Agent Lisbon."

Lisbon smiled. "Thank you."

Minnelli left soon after.

Grace looked around the room at the team when she noticed Lisbon and Jane were discreetly smiling at each other. "Cho, Rigsby, why don't we all get some coffee?"

Rigsby frowned. "But I don't want-"

"Coffee, Rigsby. Now." Grace muttered.

"I'd do what she says." Cho advised.

So, the team left the room for a moment to go get coffee.

Annie piped up and gave her dad a pointed look. "Hey, Dad? Can we go get some hot chocolate? I think we should bring Aunt Teresa some too."

Lisbon smiled at her. "I'd like that. Thanks, kiddo."

Tommy got up. "Sure, kiddo. Can I get you anything, Mr. Jane?"

Jane nodded. "Tea would be nice, thank you."

When Annie and her Dad started to leave, Lisbon mouthed "Thank you" at her and Annie winked.

Jane took Tommy's chair next to Lisbon's bed and took her hand. "I thought I lost you…"

Lisbon nodded. "I know…I promised you I would fight, didn't I?"

Jane pressed his lips gently to her forehead. "You did fight, love, and you won."

Lisbon leaned forward and got her jello, wincing as she laid back on the pillow. "I hope you didn't worry too much about me." She smiled, eating a spoonful of the red gelatin.

Jane sighed. "Actually, Teresa, when you…passed out on the way to the hospital, and they said your pulse was dropping…I cried. You scared me. Since we've been seeing each other, my biggest fear through everything that's happened, has been the possibility of losing you."

Lisbon felt a blush rising in her cheeks. "Me too. My biggest fear was losing you."

Jane kissed her hand. "It's ok."

Lisbon looked in his eyes. "Is he…dead?"

Jane nodded. "Red John, yes. I heard Rigsby shot him when he released Grace."

Lisbon took a bite of jello and swallowed. "Oh."

"We've been here ten minutes, finally alone and safe, and you haven't had the urge to kiss me?" he teased, a boyish smirk lighting up his face.

She smirked back, putting her now empty jello cup down. "Maybe I have, I'm just better at controlling my impulses."

"We'll see about that." he told her, chuckling. Jane leaned his head down so she could reach it and she tilted her chin up and kissed the smirk right off his face. He placed a careful hand on her cheek, and it made its way into her dark hair as they kissed, not focused on anything but each other.