A/N: Hey everyone! So this is my first very own fanfiction, I'm pretty excited and nervous about it. I admit I probably must've re-read this piece around 20 times before deciding to post it...

Anyways! This idea wouldn't leave my head: what if Lisbon had been abble to answer her phone at the end of the Red John episode? Would Jane've told her the truth about his feelings then? Because it seems like our friend needs to be confronted to extreme situations to even consider expressing how he truly feels (bomb tapped to Lisbon's chest, fake shooting Lisbon, Lisbon on a plane about to leave his life forever... Just saying).

Disclamer: I don't own The Mentalist (not even in my dreams, *sigh*)

Her phone rang from the evidence bag, making all four of them jump.

The FBI agent supervising them, Mallows, had received a call from agent Abbott and had left the room, not without casting them a warning glare. Yet none of them had moved, or had even exchanged a word; the situation they were in was quite overwhelming. Was it only two days ago when the bullpen was still buzzing with agents, her team glued to their desks working harder than ever to catch Red John? It sounded surreal, especially when the dark and empty room they were currently in didn't feel one bit like the one it was days ago. Nothing felt right anymore.

"You knew this day was coming. It's here. "

And only now was she fully taking in the meaning of Jane's words. She had waited, anticipated, dreaded, and even longed for this day to come, had tried to imagine every possible scenario, but nothing could've prepared her for what she was living now. It was as if all hell had broken loose and they were all trapped here, alone as ever and as useless as could be. Nothing was ever going to be the same again, and turning back was not an option.

The second ring had her crashing back to reality, at the realization of who might be trying to call her. Cho, Grace and Rigsby had all raised their heads, knowing how crucial this phone call could be.

"Take the phone, Boss, I'll watch," Rigsby said in an urgent voice as he rose to his feet and stalked to where Mallows had left.

Cho and Grace stood up too as she quickly turned to the table and tried to extract her phone from the evidence bag with her shaking hands. It's Jane, she told herself. If it wasn't him then...it... She couldn't even bring herself to think of the other man who could be calling her; the same man who had called Patrick with her phone several weeks ago.

Her head spun. She hadn't registered pressing the answering button, or even pressing her phone to her ear for that matter, but when she heard the familiar voice of her consultant saying "Lisbon, it's me.", she found herself gripping the table with her free hand, her legs suddenly failing her. She released a breath she didn't know she had been holding, and found her vision blurred with tears of relief.

"Jane," she said softly, but loud enough to be heard by her old team.

"It's over, it's done," he said breathlessly. "I just want you to know I'm OK."

Lisbon closed her eyes, thanking God. He was fine, he was alive, and that's all that mattered right now.

"Thank you for calling." Her voice caught in her throat, because she knew what this meant. This was goodbye.

"I'll miss you," he said in a hoarse voice, confirming her thoughts.

"I'll miss you too," she replied in the same tone of voice as his, eyes burning with unshed tears.

"Tell Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt I never would've made it without them. Without you. And that I'm sorry, for everything."

"I will," she assured him, glancing at them. Her voice cracked at her next words, knowing it was probably the last ones she'd exchange with him. "Take care of yourself, Jane, will you?"

"I will," he promised her back.

She swallowed, waiting for him to say goodbye; time was in the essence, in both their cases, yet she couldn't bring herself to say it first. She could still hear him breathing hard. But the next words that escaped his mouth weren't the ones she had braced herself to hear.

"Good luck, Teresa, I love you," he choked, and she sucked in a shaking breath, her heart clenching painfully in her chest as her pulse quickened at his declaration. He was finally admitting what he had taken back a year ago.

A single, lonely tear slid down her cheek as she diverted her gaze to the roof before closing her eyes shut.

"I love you too," she murmured back softly, intimately, lovingly.

She opened her eyes again as another tear escaped. She firmly held her phone against her ear a couple of seconds, listening to Jane's ragged breathing as he was doing the same, neither of them wanting to hang up. Then suddenly Rigsby's voice shattered the moment, his urgent "Boss," making her jerk her head towards the entrance as Mallows' footsteps could be heard. She had to hang up now, had to let go; but Jane had probably heard Rigsby as the next sound she registered was the monotone beep signaling the line was dead. He had hung up. And just like that, Patrick Jane was gone, for God knew how long this time.

She slowly lowered her phone, then bowed her head as she wiped the moisture off her cheeks. As she straightened up she met Grace's watery eyes, and quickly focused on something else. Pity was the last goddamn thing she needed right now. Lisbon was so lost in her own thoughts that she barely registered Mallows coming in, but only turned around as he barked "What the hell happened here?"

Only then did she realize she still had her phone gripped tightly in her right hand.

A/N: I'd love it if you shared your thoughts about this, what went and what didn't. Also, should I leave it as an OS or continue until they reunite again?

Thanks for reading!