Red Lights and Ruby Lips

Title: Red Lights and Ruby Lips

Summary: "No, no. No need for introduction, I've been dying to meet you Mrs. Dubois," Jane interjects with a half-smile.

Prompt: 03 "Dreams" (via mentalistprompt)

Category: The Mentalist/Medium

Author: Sakura123 (weber_dubois22)

Rating: G/(K)

Characters: Patrick Jane; Allison Dubois; Grace Van Pelt; Teresa Lisbon

Spoilers/Warnings: None that I can think of.

Word Count: 1171

Disclaimer: Both The Mentalist and Medium are property of their respective owners (Bruno Heller, Glenn Gordon Caron), plus CBS.

Authors Note: This is my first attempt at writing anything concerned with The Mentalist; So far I've only seen the first season (which is just one disc away from completion). The idea for this crossover tale was inspired more or less by the fantasy of watching a verbal back-and-forth between Jane and Allison, seeing as she's a genuine Medium and he just used to pose as one for attention (among other things). It's short, I kinda wish there was more Allison in it. I just wanted to experiment with the idea. Let me know how it reads, constructive criticism helps heaps.

Grace Van Pelt was as ambitious as she was trusting; a firm believer in the afterlife, God and psychics regardless of his own opinions and evidence that debunked their existence. Thus, it was no great surprise when out of all them, she was first to greet the short little blonde that followed Lisbon into the crowded office of CBI headquarters. Jane sipped quietly on his tea as he strolled from around Van Pelt's desk and watched as the young woman strolled toward the reserved woman, hand extended in greeting.

"It's so good to meet you Mrs. Dubois," Van Pelt declared, excitement evident in her tone. 'A real-live medium', she's probably thinking, or maybe she's thinking of her cousin Yolanda. Either way, Grace isn't hiding the fact that she's been eager to meet the notorious Allison Dubois of Phoenix, Arizona, ever since Lisbon announced she would be helping in their investigation.

"You actually agreed to this, Lisbon?" Jane inquired dryly, sitting on the edge of her desk. "The woman is a pariah, bad press for the CBI."

"No worse than you are," Lisbon remarked.

"I resent that."

"I'm aware of that, Jane, but it matters very little to me at the moment," She paused and gave him a pointed look. "Play nice, don't be a nuisance when she gets here. I don't like this idea anymore than you do, but Minelli was insistent that she be included in the investigation."

"Why? What for?"

"Apparently she has viable information on where the red light killer will strike next."

"I could've told you where the killer was going to strike next."

"Oh, yeah, then why didn't you?"

Jane could only offer a shrug. "I thought it was obvious."

Lisbon rolled her eyes.

Since then, Jane busied himself with research, what little could be found on the comely Allison Dubois; she was a failed law student and intern at the Phoenix D.A.'s office and believed she could see the dead and experienced dreams from the point of view of murder victims and their perpetrators, depending on the person. And somehow, after initially being turned away, she managed convince a once credible attorney and a shady homicide detective to believe they were true, all, he believed, out being right about the facts without knowing any information prior to that.

It was no different than what he did he supposed, but he was less than pleased that Minelli was actually letting her help them. It'd hardly been a year since she was outed as the D.A's "secret weapon" and it begged the question of "why?" Who did Minelli owe a favor to? The man wasn't exactly crazy about mind readers last he checked.

He watched Allison converse with Van Pelt who was doing her best to make her feel welcome in their territory (where she didn't belong). Cho and Rigsby stood up, but remained at their desks, sharing the occasional looks of suspicion or directing their attention toward him whenever he coughed.

"Van Pelt, I think she gets the idea," Lisbon gently nudged the junior agent away from the bemused medium, giving her a clear pathway to either of the two agents (plus one consultant) who had yet to come forward and introduce themselves like gentlemen.

"These are agents Rigsby and Cho," Lisbon pointed toward the two stoic men, and then focused her attention on the mentalist standing at the end of the room. "And that is Patrick Jane, our consultant." Allison nodded to the two agent's first; Cho approached her and gave her hand a firm shake. "It's a pleasure." Rigsby's sentiments were of the same mind when he repeated the friendly gesture.

Allison shifted her gaze over to Lisbon who maintained her polite demeanor. "I hope I'll be able to help," She said.

"We hope so, too, Mrs. Dubois," Lisbon replied. "It's very nice to meet you all," Allison smiled, the lipstick on her lips seemed to thin when her eyes fell upon Jane. He kept his guard up as she approached him, studied her from head to toe. Working mother of 3, comfortable in her marriage, something of a insomniac, thinks she sees dead people... the list went on and on in his mind. She opened her mouth to speak when Jane interrupted her. "No, no. No need for introduction, I've been dying to meet you Mrs. Dubois," Jane interjects with a half-smile. "Van Pelt's such a fan, she's been talking about you all week, couldn't stop her if you tried."

"Jane!" Van Pelt cried in aghast. Allison smiled in genuine amusement at the man's admission. "Really, she has?" Allison replied. "That's a first."

"I assume it would be. The folks back home aren't exactly welcoming at the present are they, Mrs. Dubois?"

"No, not really," Allison stated. The tiniest shadow of regret crosses her sharp features; Jane knows he's hit a sore spot. "But I suppose you already knew about that, didn't you, Mr. Jane?"

"Call me Jane, and, yes, I did know. Who doesn't?" He asked with a shrug. "You're quite the celebrity, Allison."

Allison's hand slipped away from Jane's hand, her soft features became rough with dislike. "I'd hardly call being crucified on national television and the newspapers celebrity," Her voice is tight now, fraught with hidden emotion. "Do you have any idea how my children must feel? How my husband must feel?"

"Terrible, I imagine, but I suppose they expected - or at least your husband did - this would happen. Trust the wrong person, did we?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Alright, Jane, that's enough," Teresa interjects, appearing out of nowhere next to Allison. "We didn't bring her here to be interrogated and you have very little room to talk, not without sounding like a hypocrite yourself."

Jane stepped away from the seething woman, hands raised in surrender. "Your absolutely right, Lisbon," He said. "I apologize, I was just thinking out loud."

"You do that alot around people you don't like," Cho deadpanned.

"Nevermind, that," Lisbon interrupted again. "Mrs. Dubois, I apologize for Mr. Jane's behavior. He's not terribly practiced at public relations. Please, step into my office, we have a lot to talk about." Allison nodded numbly and followed Teresa past Jane into the office behind him, Jane watched them go, mildly impressed by the turns of events. "I think that I went well," He says once the door shuts.

"Do you always have to be such an ass?" Van Pelt frowns at him, her arms are folded across her hest. "What did she do to deserve that?"

"Other than presume we need her help? Not a thing."

"You're jealous?" Rigsby asked.

"Not at all," Jane answered.

"He's so jealous," Van Pelt affirmed.

"Definitely," Cho seconded.

(FIN)