Faded

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It has been three days since Jane brought her home from the hospital and to her horror the pill didn't only take the strength in her hands away, but also in her legs.

This morning was the same as every morning, Jane talking to the team on the phone downstairs as to try not to wake her. Lisbon would do what she could to get out of bed, she'd put one foot on the carpet and then the other down. Staring at her feet she says a silent prayer before standing near the bed.

Smiling victoriously she tries to take one step forward but her legs twist awkwardly and she tumbles to the floor. By the time Jane gets to her room she's crying as she tries to stand back up but stumbles again and this time Jane catches her. He cradles Lisbon in his arms and gently shushes her as she cries on his shirt.

"I-I can't stand. I can't stand!"

"Shhh I know, I know."

"What if-if this doesn't get better? What if I stay crippled?"

"You won't stay this way, you are the strongest woman I have ever met and there is no doubt in my mind that you will heal from this."

Lisbon lets out a ragged sigh and leans on him.

"I guess so."

"Where did you want to go? Let me take you there!"

Jane says cheerfully, trying to lighten the situation.

"I wanted to see the team, that's all."

"Alright, to the CBI!"

He picks her up and carries her downstairs, to her surprise he wasn't talking to them on the phone, they were here the whole time!

They all cast worried expressions her way as Jane sets his princess on the couch and sits next to her. She gives her team a weak smile.

"I missed all of you."

Grace is the first to speak.

"We found something! A video, of a man walking into your house. Could you identify him?"

The team crowds around Lisbon as Grace clicks play on the laptop sitting on Lisbon's lap. Jane instinctively wraps a arm around her shoulders as she studies the video in silence.

There's a black SUV with a covered license plate an a long indent on the right side door that drives up to her house with its lights off, the passenger gets out and the SUV drives away.

The killer unlocks the door to her house, a gun in his other hand, and he enters.

Then he comes back out and calls for the SUV to come, which it does, and he disappears into the night.

"Do you recognize anything?"

Rigsby asks.

"That SUV is Matthew's rental car, I helped pick it out. It has the same indent on the side door. I don't know who the man is though, I don't think I've seen him before."

Silence falls on the room, could Matthew be the killer? But she would no right off the bat wouldn't she? then again whose to say that Matthew isn't an accessory to the crime?

"Matthew wouldn't do this! You're wrong! You're all wrong!"

"Boss-"

"No! He helped do surgery on me to get rid of the drug! If he wanted me dead that was a perfect opportunity!"

Cho chimes in, voicing everyone's suspicion.

"That's his SUV."

She's on the verge of tears as she looks to Jane for help.

"He wouldn't do this Jane, he wouldn't do this to me I know him."

But Matthew could be playing the hero, trying to cover up his mistake. After all, as a doctor if he didn't notice those drugs he'd be arrested immediately.

Jane gently wipes away her tears, giving her the benefit of the doubt.

"Alright, so Matthew isn't the killer. You said it yourself that he wouldn't do this to you, so clearly he's being framed right?"

She looks away.

"Just give me a phone, I want to talk to him. He's innocent, this is just a huge mistake."

Grace looks at Rigsby who gives Lisbon a house phone, it takes her a while to grasp it but she eventually dials the numbers.

"Hello Matthew...I'm fine thank you the team believes you helped in my attempted murder, not Jane though he's the only one who believes me...Can you come over to my house?...If you don't they'll arrest you...okay thanks and bring the SUV with you. Seriously? You lost it?...Forget about the SUV then and just get over here!"

She hangs up and glares at her team.

"He is not an accessory and don't you dare arrest him. Like Jane said, Matthew's been framed."

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