Title: Sanctuary

Disclaimer: If I owned The Mentalist, bad things would happen.

Rating: T for one lewd comment, tipsiness, and way too much fluff.

Summary: Sometimes, Lisbon thought, it isn't easy being with him…but we make it work. RJ/TL.

Firstly, I write Red John/Lisbon. Secondly, it is possible to write fluff for a serial killer/heroine. Thirdly, this was one of my fifteen fics for 15genres1prompt over on livejournal; I just like stockpiling fics.

"Believe it or not, Teresa." Red John calmly stated, as he and Lisbon finished a meal one evening together. "I do enjoy playing all types of games." Lisbon eyed him skeptically from across the table. "Chess is my absolute favorite, but you've denied us from ever playing it."

"You're a championship chess player." Lisbon answered. "It's practically cheating."

Red John chuckled. "I guess so."

Lisbon brought her fork to her mouth. "What game did you have in mind?" Red John coyly smiled, and Lisbon frowned. In the past five years of their clandestine and extremely complex relationship, he had never tried to jerk her around behind closed doors. Red John knew she hated playing games, because they played enough games by pretending to be adversaries. Sometimes, Lisbon thought as she set her fork down on her empty plate, it isn't easy being with him…but we make it work.

"Well," Red John responded. Lisbon blinked. "I was thinking we could play Clue."

She hesitated. "I…" She had to be at work early tomorrow morning, thanks to a postponed budget meeting Wainwright had decided was appropriate and if she was late—somebody (read: Jane) would start shoving his nose where it didn't belong. Jane couldn't ever know that she was in an intimate relationship with Red John, because it would completely destroy her career and she'd have to ultimately kill him.

"One game, Teresa." Red John interrupted with a tight frown. "You've been working late nights, and I rarely get to see you now." Lisbon almost retorted that it was his fault for all of her late nights, but she kept her mouth shut. "I've got two wine glasses, and the best bottle of red wine to persuade you."

Lisbon sighed, she could never say no to wine. "Alright."

"I really need to get home." Lisbon remarked, after her third glass of wine. She could handle her alcohol, but the idea of going into work with a semi-hangover wasn't exactly appeasing. "It's late, and I…"

"We're tied, Teresa." Red John interjected as he intensely studied the cleared game board. "If you leave now, I'll claim myself as the winner and declare that you forfeited." Lisbon narrowed her eyes. "It's your call, dear."

"I do have work tomorrow morning." Lisbon threw. "I've got paperwork to do, and I'm in the middle of solving a case..."

"Is it an interesting one?" Red John asked with a quirk of his lips, while he continued to reset the game board. "I briefly thought about anonymously tipping you off yesterday, just so I could lure you to an abandoned part of town and abduct you." He handed her a red token, which she sat down in its proper space.

Lisbon raised her eyebrow. "Now, you're just becoming a nuisance."

"In the past five years our relationship, we've never once taken a vacation together." Red John told her. "I bring up you using your vacation time, and you mention you're working on my case. I didn't do anything for months after; because I had hoped that you would take the initiative and take a vacation."

"I can't just take vacation time, J…"

"You can, you just won't." Red John interceded, as he sat and shuffled the cards and then, passed them out. "Your career is vital to you, Teresa. I've always admired that about you, but I want to spend more time with you without the clearly visible targets on our backs." He paused, and she shifted. "I want to walk along a beach with you, and not worry that you or I could be shot at any moment."

"Okay then."

"Okay then?" Red John repeated. "Okay then to what?"

Lisbon shrugged with a quick glance through her procured game cards. "Kidnap me, just don't inject me with drugs or use chloroform. I'd like to remain coherent upon crossing the border."

"Why would I do that?" Red John asked, incredulously. "Drugs are expensive, and I don't exactly have a jar of chloroform sitting around for miscellaneous use."

"I thought everyone had a jar of chloroform sitting around for miscellaneous use." Lisbon responded, slyly. Red John chuckled. "Where will we go?"

"Wherever you want to go, but I'll have to smash your cellphone." Lisbon frowned; she happened to like her cellphone, a lot. "I don't want to be interrupted by anybody but you on this vacation."

"You'll buy me a new cellphone?"

"Of course." Red John answered. "We'll also have to fake your injuries, because I refuse to lay a finger on you out of fabricated anger."

Lisbon chuckled. "We do plenty of fingering in bed together."

Red John eyed her, and the empty wine glass perched near a lit candle in concern. "You're drunk, aren't you?"

"No, I'm tipsy." Lisbon responded. "There's a huge difference."

"Drunk or tipsy," Red John added. "You're not driving home tonight; you're staying here with me."

Lisbon frowned again. "I have work tomorrow morning, I…"

"You're also being kidnapped tomorrow afternoon," Red John interrupted again, as he leaned across the board and captured her lips in a gentle kiss. "I'm sure your boss will understand later on."