This is it, the final chapter. Thank you everyone, regulars and guests alike for your wonderful comments and reviews. They are the lifeblood of a writer! Here is the last chapter. I am already thinking about my next story, so give me a bit of time to get that going. Enjoy!

You Don't Know Me

Chapter 34

Jane's Revenge

The next day mid-morning, Bertram finally deigned to come around to visit Jane. It was a very odd confrontation. A knock on the door alerted Jane to his visitor. Bertram poked his head in and Jane granted him entry.

"How's the arm Patrick?" asked Bertram, going through the motions of caring about his consultant's welfare.

Jane looked down at his bandaged arm and painfully moved it a fraction of an inch. "Oh my bum wing is on the mend. Good thing Murf's drone knocked Boyd's aim off at the last minute" he smiled. He could play nice.

"Good to hear it. Now, I want you to take as long as you need to recover completely Jane. No rushing back to the office before you're ready" Bertram admonished Jane like a dear friend. His attempts at being decent were highly amusing. Now Jane would have some fun with him. Jane had had a long time to think about how to give Gale Bertram some payback for his callous treatment of him and the other CBI staff members. He could be punitive, and cause Bertram some actual, physical harm, or he could be annoying, and bother Bertram for the next while. Maybe a bit of both would suffice.

"I'm glad you mentioned my recovery Gale. I was planning on going to the beach. Sun and the waves are just what I need. Swimming might be good therapy, don't you think?" Jane grinned broadly, not intending to return to work until he was good and ready.

'If you say so…" agreed Bertram cautiously.

'I do say so. And I think after all the extra work Lisbon has had to do with her diminished team, I expect a week off at the beach is just what she needs too Gale" Jane suggested, sure it would happen. Whether Lisbon wanted it was a minor detail to be ironed out later. Every time Jane used Bertram's first name, he saw the man flinch. Which is exactly why he always did it.

"Well I don't know about that Jane. We're pretty busy back at the office, I may not be able to sign off on that request" Bertram said, not wanting to grant such a big request for Jane's benefit.

"I have faith in you Gale" Jane beamed brightly. "I know you can make it happen."

Jane picked up a silver spoon that was sitting on his table top by the bed. "Have you ever watched the waves come in and go out at the beach Gale?" he asked soothingly. He made a show of twisting the spoon back and forth, moving it around as he talked to Bertram about the benefits of being near the water. He described watching waves, how they crept up onto the shore in a seemingly random pattern, only to rush out to the ocean again and again. Up and down, back and forth, the spoon sailed through the air as Jane made swooshing noises like waves The waves crashed in and out he said, in and out, lifting and falling, foam spilling into foam and creating new waves. Patrick droned on, waving his spoon around in the sunlight, lulling Bertram into a light trance. God that man was so susceptible to hypnosis. After all, most of Bertram's personality was based on bluster but not deep thought. Like taking candy from a baby.

Now Jane took his time planting his suggestions in Bertram's mind, all to the benefit of one Patrick Jane. By the time Patrick was done with him, Bertram had granted both Jane and Lisbon a week off when he was feeling well enough to go, wherever they wanted to go. Throwing in a guest house to recuperate in once he was released from the hospital was a last minute request that Jane decided to make, having Bertram pony up for the expense. Bertram would wonder weeks later why he had thought to put Jane up in such a nice place instead of letting him go back to his grotty motel. Jane would let Bertram tell Lisbon of his generous plans. While Bertram was still hypnotized, Jane planted another suggestion in the mind of the man across from him. Again he would hit him where it would hurt, his wallet.

Bertram was a well-known lover of poker. Lisbon sometimes was invited to join in the games he played with senators, judges and D.A.'s. Gale Bertram liked to think he was a smart player, and indeed, he often won a nice pot of money. That kept him happy, and that made life around the CBI better for everyone. But maybe Jane could tweak what he did with his winnings just a bit. The subject of poker was introduced and Jane told Bertram to donate the money from every second winning game to the youth facility that would soon be anonymously donated to the city by Jane. One winning pot of money for Bertram, one winning pot for the kids of Sacramento. And Bertram had to keep it secret. Jane did not want any glory or accolades to be bestowed on Bertram. As for the money, why should that jerk keep all of the winnings when homeless kids needed it more?

One more idea occurred to Jane while Bertram sat dreamily in front of him. The suggestion that paperclips would burn his hands had served its' purpose by now, making Bertram look ridiculous to everyone around him. Time to have a bit more fun. Jane lifted the paperclip fear and replaced it by an abhorrence for elevator buttons. Bertram would not be able to punch the down or up button to get on the elevator by himself. Once he was on the elevator, any elevator, he couldn't touch the button indicating the floor he wanted. He would burn his fingers if he dared to try. Either get help and look like fool, or take the stairs everywhere he went. The gossipy whispering would soon begin behind Bertram's back! By the time Jane roused Bertram from his trance, he felt like he had spent a very refreshing morning visiting a dear friend. As he waved goodbye to Jane, Bertram got on his phone to organize a poker game as soon as possible. Jane watched the man who so richly deserved his contempt leave with a contented sigh. Bertram's happiness would soon end when he tried to take an elevator down to the lobby of the hospital!

Jane decided that it had been a very good visit with his contemptible boss. He was going to recuperate in a nice place, he and Lisbon were going to the beach, the kids of Sacramento were going to benefit from the influx of money donated by a secret benefactor, and Bertram was going to be zapped whenever he touched elevator buttons. Beautiful!

Carlson was allowed to go home after 3 days in the hospital, facing a few weeks of rest before he returned to the SAC PD. When he did it was with the knowledge that his job was still waiting for him, due to Burney's good graces.

Cho stayed in St. Marks Hospital for 4 days, then went home to heal as well. What he had not planned on was the after-care he received from one very pretty nurse. Claire had grown very fond of him while he was her patient, and was bold enough to offer to come around and check on him every day either before or after work. Cho soon began to look forward to her visits, and by the time his stitches were removed, she was with him for the procedure and looking forward to their first official date. The ribbing he got from Rigsby was well worth it just to be with the lovely Claire. After a month, his incision was totally healed and he was given the green light to return to work.

Each day Jane felt a bit stronger, and when he could get out of bed by himself two days later, he felt he had reached a milestone. Van Pelt and Rigsby came to visit, as had Cho when he was able to be brought up to his room in a wheelchair. Lisbon came every morning with his breakfast and again after work to fill him in on the latest cases. She even left a few case files with him to occupy his brain so boredom didn't lead to complaining to the staff. It seemed to do the trick.

One afternoon a few days after his surgery, a heavy knock on Jane's door signalled the arrival of someone new. The door slid open a crack and a shaggy mop of sun-bleached hair appeared.

"You alive Dude?" asked Murf tenuously.

"See for yourself Murf!" beamed Jane, so happy to see his lanky friend. "I thought you went back to work?"

"I did man, but I had to come back and check up on you Bud" smiled Murf, standing uneasily at Jane's bedside. Jane indicated the chair and Murf sank down, slouching into a comfortable heap, his resulting form slightly resembling a shag rug.

"So how's the wing Dude? Got shot huh?" Murf stated the obvious.

"I don't recommend it. Hurts like a bitch" Jane admitted, letting down his guard. Murf looked at the bandages on Jane's arm and around his chest uncomfortably, not sure just what to say now that he was here. Jane let him off the hook.

"Murf, I'm glad you came. I need to thank you for saving my life" Jane began. Murf looked surprised and cut him off.

"No way Dude, it's my fault you got taken in the first place! If I had run over to the house faster that Boyd dude wouldn't have taken you. I should have stopped him!" Murf said guiltily. He blamed himself for Jane's kidnapping!

Jane was surprised Murf could be so misguided. "Murf, Boyd had a gun. He had already killed a girl in my kitchen. If you had tried to stop him I know he would have killed you too."

Murf looked at Jane in shock, this was a new idea to digest.

"You saved me Murf by calling Cho and sending up your drone. Without you thinking so clearly, no one would have known where to find me. You're a hero Dude!" Jane smiled. Being around Murf, you tended to talk like him after a while.

Murf blushed and looked at the floor, embarrassed and proud at the same time. Looking up at Jane suddenly, he burst into a wide smile and reached over to give Jane a bear hug.

"Ahhh! Don't!" Jane squeaked as the pressure on his chest and arm sent waves of pain through his body.

"Sorry sorry sorry!" blubbered Murf, backing away with alarm. "Sorry Dude! Got a little emotional for a minute."

Jane composed himself and waited for the pain to subside. "Just warn me before you hug me again OK?"

Murf turned pink. "Totally."

The visit continued on a much more relaxed note now, with Murf promising to return and teach Jane and the whole CBI team how to fly a drone when they were all well again. He would also have to spend time in Sacramento when Boyd stood trial some months in the future, so he would have plenty of time to visit with his new friends.

A new person entered Jane's life on day 4 post-surgery, when a physical therapist came to see him. A young man so impossibly fit that he looked like he should have been on someone's Olympic team came in with an enthusiastic gleam in his eyes. Much to Jane's horror, he told Jane that it was time to get his damaged arm moving. The muscles would tighten up rapidly if his arm was not used, so the very painful exercises began. Although the first session was only ten minutes long, Jane was sweating with effort and discomfort by the time his therapist Mark left. Mark returned later that day to do it all over again, and so it continued twice a day every day until Jane had to admit that his arm did feel better and moved with less pain. Tiny steps.

Finally the day came a few days later when Lisbon picked him up from the hospital to take him home, his arm resting in sleek black sling. Trust Jane to make a sling look sexy. Dressed comfortably in his dress pants and his white and blue striped linen shirt, Jane looked elegant but casual, as usual. Instead of driving Jane to the dreary motel where he really only slept, she pulled up to a lovely guest house, set back off the road and surrounded by lush gardens and umbrella covered patios. Jane's smile broadened as he realized this was where he was going to be staying for the next little while. Bertram had done well! He feigned shock and surprise at Bertram's uncharacteristic generosity. Teresa was muttering to Jane about the way Bertram had told her about doing this, and how odd it seemed. Jane dared not give away the role he played in this whole charade or else Lisbon would have been all over him with her righteous indignation. Once settled into his second floor bedroom, he joined Lisbon out on the patio for a drink in the shade, the scent of roses adding to his pleasure. His arm ached from the trip over, but he was finally out in the world again. Jane had weeks of therapy ahead of him yet, and would return to work only as long as he just consulted and rested on his sofa. That he could do. In the meantime, he had a lovely house to ramble around in for a week, stuffed full of new books to devour, and the companionship of the lovely Teresa Lisbon whenever she dropped by, sometimes with Cho, Rigsby and Van Pelt as well. All of it was at the expense of the Gale Bertram. The physical therapist visited him every day, working on his arm and making him move it in ever increasingly large circles. By the time Jane was ready to go to the beach a month later, he was able to face the waves without fear of being bowled over.

On a sunny day three weeks after he was almost killed by a bolt from a crossbow, Jane rejoined his team at the CBI. With a cup of tea in hand, he lovingly sat on his leather sofa and smiled deeply. Good had prevailed over evil. Hannigan would be in prison for two years for his vicious attack on Jane and would face an uphill battle to find work once he got out. Boyd found himself the target of the other able bodied prisoners once he was out of the prison infirmary. Every single moment of every day from now on he would have to watch his back if he wanted to survive. But wasn't that what he boasted he did best? Survive?

Lisbon joined Jane on the sofa and smiled at him. He had a magazine in his hands and was immersed in reading reviews for beach houses for rent.

"Going somewhere? You just got back to work" she stated.

"Yes and no. Yes, I'm going to the beach next week with you, and no I'm not going anywhere this week except here and Maries. Also with you."

Lisbon stared at him in disbelief. What did he just say?

"Back up… what about me going to the beach? 'Cause I'm not you know…" she smirked. The very idea was absurd.

"The beach, as in sun, sand and surf. And yes, you are going because Bertram gave me a week off to exercise my arm in the waves, and you are coming because you never took your full vacation for the last three years. Use it or lose it Lisbon. And I'm paying, so relax!"

"But… but I can't!" she blubbered, too stunned to speak.

"You can and you will. Cho is well again and perfectly capable of taking care of things, like he always does, when you are sick or on holiday. So relax and buy a new bathing suit" he grinned at her.

'Oh God' Lisbon thought, 'he's serious! And so is Bertram! And that means Jane will see me in a bathing suit!' Jane saw the conflict in Lisbon's eyes and laughed. He took her hand and patted it.

"I think emerald green would suit your eyes, but if you want to go for polka dots I won't stop you" he suggested with a leer.

"Stop!" she barked, smacking his arm, which made him yelp in surprise.

"You hurt me Lisbon!" he said with a false declaration of injury.

"I'll do worse Jane. You're kidding, right?"

Jane just grinned at her like it was a 'fait accompli'. Lisbon leaned over and saw that the magazine listed several very nice looking properties on the water. "Oooh that looks nice…" she admitted, pointing to one glossy photo. Jane laughed with her and they both studied the listings, making sure the rental came with two bedrooms.

A week later, after Lisbon got used to the idea, she met Jane at the beach house he had moved into. She came a day after he got there and would leave a day before he did to make sure tongues didn't wag back at work. She needn't have bothered. Everyone knew how she felt about Jane. Both returned to work tanned and refreshed. The trials Jane had suffered at the hands of Boyd and Carol were starting to lose their hold on him as he got busy at work once more. Soon his physical therapy sessions would end and he would be back to full health. Once he knew he could swing a hammer again, he made plans to start renovations on his old house. Lisbon was still the only person who knew what his plans were for the house once it was done. She had kept his secret. What she didn't do was keep his plans to work on the house a secret one bright sunny fall day. Jane arrived at the house on that Saturday morning armed with the essentials: his tool kit, work gloves, steel toed shoes, work clothes, and a fresh supply of tea. He knew what it took to work well. What he didn't plan on was the arrival an hour later of Cho, Rigsby, Van Pelt and Lisbon, all dressed for construction and armed with their supplies for the day: beer and donuts.

Jane was inside hammering when he saw the gang walk in, grinning and wearing matching hard hats labelled CBI. They handed one to Jane and asked where to begin. Jane was overcome with gratitude that they would do this for him, even if they thought the house was just for himself. By the time they stopped for donuts and a drink, he relented and told them of the real purpose for the house. He was rewarded with back slaps of encouragement for doing such a wonderful thing. Then he swore them to secrecy as well. And so it went, Jane working whenever he had time to slip away from the office, sometimes working alone, sometimes with extra help from his team mates. By Christmas the house was ready for the city to assume the reins of running it. The first kids moved in over the Christmas holidays, for once not spending the most special day of the year on the mean cold streets of Sacramento.

The city was able to furnish and outfit the house with the generous donations from various charities as well as a few steady incoming anonymous donations. Bertram was still playing poker and winning, but only half of his money ever reached his pockets. Jane was OK with that.

EPILOGUE

Murf stayed in contact with the whole team and visited often when he came to see his mother. On one very special day later that autumn, he stood proudly in the CBI boardroom, dressed resplendently in a black t-shirt, flip flops and long khaki pants with his mother seated beside Teresa and Patrick to witness her brave son be honoured. Director Bertram gave a wonderful speech, always his main strength, and after much fanfare, handed Murf a citation for service to the community in the rescue and safe return of one Patrick Jane. Murf's mother wasn't quite sure what it was all about, but she was thrilled to be out with him at a very special event. After many handshakes and congratulations, he took his mother back to her nursing home and then went out for drinks with his CBI buddies. When he got home he resolved to hang his award in his car, where he spent most of his time between work and the beach. He remained one very cool dude.

Boyd stayed in the hospital long enough for his leg wound to heal over and then was escorted under guard to the prison hospital. He stayed at the Harriston Federal Prison until his trial 4 months later. By then he was walking using two crutches. Jane, and everybody else at the CBI who had been part of the kidnapping and rescue in the woods, was called to testify. Murf showed up too and his video of Boyd and Carol breaking into Jane's house to plant evidence was irrefutable proof of Jane's innocence and their guilt. Forensic evidence was damning, all proving what Boyd had done to Jane and Carol too. Her dying words, as well as Jane's eye witness testimony regarding Carol's shooting, convicted Boyd of her first degree murder. All of the other charges were levelled, and when the jury returned their verdict, Boyd was found guilty on all counts. He would die in prison.

Like father, like son.

The End.