A/N: I'm sorry, I've been so lazy with updating. Truth is I'm almost completely blocked on both this and Verdigris. I just dislike both fics. This means I'm cutting this story down significantly. It's only going to have 2, maybe 3 more chapters tops, with the (currently slim) possibility of a sequel, if I ever feel the need to revisit where this will be left off. Also, I've been working on my Big Bang fic, which won't be posted until the New Year.

Anyway, enough rambling. Thank you to: JelloFanatic123, autumnftw, LSR-7, Koezh, Jisbon4ever and kate tidly for reviewing part twenty four. Also to lil smiles for betaing.

For Twin, for reminding me to actually update as this has been sitting on my hard drive for a week or so.

x tromana

Part Twenty Three - That's Not Fair

Two and a half years later

"Tea!"

Lisbon paused at the door, her hand hovering just over the handle as she heard her husband call out his pet name for her. She spun on her heels to see Jane charging at her, rattling a tub of pills and carrying a glass of water.

"What… oh. Medication."

"You know it's important not to forget. We don't want a repeat of six months ago."

With a sigh, she nodded and accepted the pills from Jane. They were a necessary, but arduous, part of her life now. Unfortunately, she had a habit of losing track on occasion; they just weren't something she found easy to keep track of what with having to balance home life with work. Grudgingly, she swallowed two before handing them back to him. He smiled brightly, placed everything down on the side and enveloped her into a crushing hug.

"Are you sure you're well enough to go to work? You look a little pale."

"I'm fine, Patrick. Honestly."

"Okay, okay, I believe you."

She stared directly into his eyes and knew he was lying. It didn't stop her from being relieved that he was willing to let the matter drop though. Just because she wasn't feeling one hundred percent, it didn't mean she wasn't capable of working.

"You sure you're okay staying here with Lysha? We could always ask…."

"I'll be fine," he interrupted. "I'm sure she'll charm Mrs. Andrews before I even have a chance to work my magic."

Lisbon narrowed her eyes. She didn't much like the idea of Jane being distracted from their daughter by a client. Felicia had hit the terrible twos with a vengeance and was sometimes more tornado than little girl. Knowing their luck, their daughter would probably choose to ransack the house during the brief hour when Jane would be distracted by work.

"Do you have to see her? Can't you just postpone until…"

"I can't, you know that," he interrupted, placing a feather-light kiss on the tip of her nose, as if that would make things better. "It'd be unprofessional and rude."

"Yeah, because pretending you're a psychic in contact with her deceased husband is such an honorable way to fleece an old woman out of her life's savings."

"Teresa…"

"No, Patrick. I don't understand why you can't just come and work at the CBI. Put your talents to some real use instead of lying to people all the time. I'll be back later. Bye."

Jane watched as she stalked away, having somewhat expected her short outburst. She still didn't feel comfortable with what he did for a living and part of him wasn't sure she ever would be. It wasn't surprising that she was still so resistant of his career. She'd accepted it for a while; it took her longer than expected to get back on her feet again post-pregnancy and it was only now that she was beginning to feel strong enough to fight everything in her path once more. That meant she had started fighting his career as a psychic. It was obvious that his increasing popularity unnerved her. She was torn between worrying that he'd leave her and their baby for a pretty young thing or that it might start influencing the CBI. The last thing she wanted - or needed - was hoards of rabid fans hanging around headquarters to try and get a glimpse of the 'gory' side of his work or worse, an autograph and photograph opportunities, for that matter.

Poppy looked up at him inquisitively and automatically, Jane gently rubbed the dog's ear. The golden retriever wagged her tail enthusiastically. Despite being a senior citizen for her species, she was still full of life and had taken to the child exceptionally well.

"C'mon, Pop. Let's go see if Lysh is ready for some breakfast."

xxx

Lisbon mumbled under her breath angrily as she parked. Jane was refusing to listen again. Now she was back to working full time, there was absolutely no need for him to carry on working as a psychic. With him consulting for the CBI and herself as lead agent, they wouldn't have any money problems. He would also have more time to spend on their daughter rather than having to waste cash on an overpriced babysitter. It was a win all round. However, he was almost addicted to the buzz of showmanship and she knew it. If he wasn't careful, the whole thing could come crashing down around his ears and she didn't really want to think about the potential repercussions. In a way, his career choice was almost as dangerous as hers, just for very different reasons.

"Boss?"

"Yes, Cho?"

"You look like crap."

Lisbon smirked into her mug of coffee and sipped at it. Cho was never one to butter up his opinions and she liked that about him. Always direct and straight to the point.

"We have a case. Red John."

"Pardon?"

She had been listening, she just wanted to check she wasn't hearing things. Red John had virtually disappeared off the radar for the past three years or so. Lisbon knew Cho wouldn't lie to her. This specific case was important to both of them, despite the fact that it had been a cold case for quite some time. It had bothered them both, especially Lisbon. She hated failing and as Red John had been responsible for the deaths of so many innocent people already, she was desperate to bring him to justice. If only to give the relatives of the victims the closure they deserved.

They traveled to the crime scene in a moody silence. Van Pelt, the least experienced member of the team, had only been present at one Red John crime scene prior to his hiatus. Though she understood the irritation of a murderer slipping through their fingers all too well, she didn't quite understand the importance of this specific serial killer. She just hadn't been around them when he was such a threat before. When she saw the painted smiley face on the wall, she thought she understood. It didn't help either, when she looked down and saw the two bodies. A young brunette woman and her daughter, barely a year old. How could somebody mercilessly slaughter an innocent child? Her boss looked dour, and justifiably so. Cho and Rigsby were wearing matching grim expressions as they picked through the girls' belongings.

"Boss?"

Van Pelt was apprehensive as she picked up the piece of paper with a gloved hand. She wasn't quite sure what drew her attention to it, except for the couple of spatters of blood decorating it. When she had seen what was written on the other side, her blood ran cold. Lisbon needed to know about it and immediately.

To my dear Agent Lisbon,

I have missed you so. Been rather quiet of late, though you know that all too well. That was planned, my dear. I thought it unfair for you to have to cope with recovering from such a traumatic experience of childbirth as well as trying to find me. Now you're better, back to being the worthy adversary that you are, I'm back.

And now the gloves are off.

You made my life hell once. Consider this payback.

"You okay?" the red head asked quietly as Lisbon opened an evidence bag and placed it inside neatly. "You're shaking."

"I'm fine, Van Pelt."

"What happened?"

It was Rigsby who piped up, closing the distance between them with two long strides. Van Pelt opened her mouth to talk, but Lisbon cut in, immediately stating that everything was fine. Rigsby stared at her skeptically, but knew that she wouldn't elaborate, however hard he tried. Whenever Lisbon decided to clam up about something, it was almost impossible to get her to open up unless you were her husband. As Jane wasn't present, Rigsby knew they had no hope.

"I'll tell you later," Van Pelt mouthed and he nodded. It was better than being left in the dark, after all.

xxx

"How was work?"

"Fine."

"If I believed that, I'd believe anything."

"Damn it, Patrick, just leave me alone," she snapped as he tried to wind an arm around her waist. "I'm not in the mood."

"You never are. Now, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You've said that before and I didn't believe you then."

"Where's Lysh?"

"In bed."

"At this time of day?"

"Yes, she's coming down with a cold."

"Great, just what I need."

Jane glowered at Lisbon. He may have been practicing as a psychic, but it didn't mean he could actually read her mind. From the moment she had walked through the front door, she had been fractious, ready to pick a fight with him. It seemed that work had only made her mood intensive and yet, she was being as cagey as ever.

"Teresa, just talk to me. I can't work out what's wrong if-"

"Yeah, but you can solve all your client's woes, can't you? Just tell them stuff they already know deep down and they'll pay-"

"That's not fair."

"And neither is a serial killer getting away with murder!"

"Red John?"

"Yes, Red John."

They fell into an uneasy silence. Both of them had always known that Red John wouldn't stay silent forever - it just didn't fit with what they knew about the man's character. Though, Jane had fallen into a sort of complacency. Because the serial killer had disappeared, it had become all too easy to focus on everything else instead. Just as Jane was about to speak, he was interrupted by the shrill tones of Lisbon's cell phone. With a frustrated growl, she dug it out of her pocket to answer. This was the last thing she needed right now.

"Lisbon," she answered shortly, holding up a hand to silence Jane.

"Red John has struck again," Cho announced over the phone. "Can you get here in fifteen minutes? Minelli wants Jane too, if you can get a babysitter."

"Sure," she sighed, "we're on our way."

TBC…