Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the 'Mentalist' in any way and make no money from fanfiction. Thanks to Sue Shay for her help with earlier chapters. I'm rushing this one through ahead of Sunday's season 6 start in the US. No start date yet for us UK folks.

Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed or favourited. I really appreciate it. Particularly thank you to the guest reviewers and those without private messaging, whom I can't contact directly.

Here is the last chapter and epilogue.

Lisbon startled awake, unsure as to why. No light filtered round the curtain edges so not yet dawn. She sat up, ears keyed in to detect the slightest disturbance. No, there was no sound or other indication that anything was wrong, but her cop senses were still on alert.

Yawning as she swung her feet out of bed, Lisbon knew that there was nothing for it. She was going to check around her home. There would be no chance of sleeping if she didn't, and also there was the slight matter of Jane. He should be asleep on the couch but she would prefer to make sure. Given his insomnia, there was a good chance that he was awake and brooding.

Flicking on her bedside light, she ran her fingers through her sleep-tousled hair a few times, dragging it into order. Pulling on some sweatpants, she surveyed herself in the bedroom mirror. Sufficiently presentable. After shoving her feet into the pre-tied trainers, Lisbon lifted her Glock from the bedside drawer and checked that it was loaded.

Now to make sure all was well.

Pulling open her bedroom door, she led with the gun, checking the hallway to the left and then right. Nothing. Next the bathroom. A deep breath. Grabbing the handle, she pushed the door back smoothly and completely and flipped on the light. Clear. Lastly, the guest bedroom. Another sweep. Again, nothing of concern.

No signs of disturbance or anything untoward upstairs. So now for downstairs.

As she reached the top of the staircase, a soft light cut through the living room darkness. Her table lamp. It looked like Jane was awake. Quietly, she called out as she started down the stairs, gun still at the ready.

"Jane? That you?"

Jane's voice drifted back to her from the kitchen door. What was he doing? Making another drink?

"Yeah, just me," he confirmed. "Go back to sleep."

Holstering her revolver, Lisbon hurried across the room to join him. As she'd suspected, he was raiding some more of her tea supply. One china cup was already on the worktop and the kettle was heating up.

"Ah, Lisbon. Care to join me? It's lemon and ginger. Zingy and refreshing."

Much as she would have preferred coffee, Lisbon agreed. Perhaps sharing some of his beloved tea would help build a rapport with the man. And God knows she needed to. At least she could now put down the gun.

Jane took the boiling water and brewed each of the teas to perfection. Raiding the cookie jar, he set the two cups and saucers and some biscuits on a baking sheet. The flat metal doubled as a tray in Lisbon's kitchen. Returning to the living room, he set the tray down on the occasional table in front of the sofa, before handing one cup to Teresa whilst indicating that she should make herself comfortable.

"I'm sorry if I woke you."

Wrapping her fingers around her cup, Lisbon sank onto one end of the sofa whilst Jane took the other. It looked like he'd been sleeping in his shirt and slacks, since his jacket and vest were neatly hung up behind the front door and his shirt had a well rumpled look.

"S'Okay." Teresa lifted the cup and inhaled the fresh scent before taking a sip. "Wasn't sure what it was so I had to check."

"Of course. Cop instincts, I know. I… err… I threw off the blanket but it caught the edge of your photo frame, which clattered against the table on the way down." He gestured towards said frame. "No harm done."

Teresa squirmed a little, burrowing back into the cushions. Jane looked almost relaxed but his pallor and the grey bruises beneath his eyes gave witness to his insomnia. It seemed a bit mean to re-open the discussion from the car but there were still things to talk through and this was the best chance she was gonna get. Swallowing one more mouthful of tea for luck, she turned to him.

"Did you get any sleep? I mean, if you want to talk…"

Jane glanced at her, the edges of his mouth curving upwards in spite of himself, before looking straight ahead and shaking his head. He turned back to her, assuming his best gentle mockery pose.

"Mother Teresa, I'm fine. Please stop worrying."

Lisbon reached over to put her cup down on the table, before turning to face Jane, one foot drawn up underneath her.

"Are you? I mean… I was thinking about what you said earlier. About being unable to walk away because the stakes were too high? How you needed Lorelei?"

"Mmm-hmm." Jane carefully interlaced his fingers in his lap. Was this a conscious effort to prevent himself from twiddling with his wedding ring?

"So, what now?"

Jane reached up with one hand, running it through his curls, whilst the other smoothed down his wrinkled pant leg.

"Look, Lisbon. It's OK. I've had a couple of weeks to get used to the idea that Lorelei was a dead woman walking. And she betrayed me. That's not something that I can ever forgive her for.

"But, in a way, she did help me. As you know, she told me that I've met Red John. Shaken hands with him. I can work with that. It does take me forward.

"And then there's the other thing tonight showed clearly… If she couldn't get to Red John, knowing him so well, I stand no chance if I turn vigilante. I'm not going to go after him alone now. I promise you that."

Lisbon felt her spirits rise like maple sap in the Spring. Alleluia! Her prayers were being answered. She couldn't stop the grin that broke on her face so she reached over and punched Jane on the arm, trying to deflect his attention.

"So no more vanishing or running off? I can rely on you to stick with me and the team?"

"Ouch, woman." Jane rubbed his upper arm like she really had hurt him. "What's with you and the aggression? Like I said, I'm sticking around. And, if it comes down to it, I can live with not killing Red John myself. If you or one of the guys take him down then that's good enough for me. And I trust you to do that."

Jumping to her feet, Lisbon stared down at him.

"Jane! That's pre-meditated murder.

"Yes, I am thankful that you're less focussed on doing Red John harm when we catch him, but you can't assume that either me or one of the team will kill him. If there is a due cause – for instance danger to life – then sure. One of us would take him down as we would any criminal. But… if he poses no threat, then, in accordance with the law, we will arrest him. And that is my final word on the matter."

Jane took her hand and guided her back to the couch.

"I hear ya. But I am going to console myself with the thought that Red John is unlikely to come quietly, so everything should work out in the end.

"And Lisbon, I mean it when I say I'm sorry for how I treated you and the team. You are the only good things in my life and I took you all for granted."

"Hush." Lisbon rubbed gently across the ball of his thumb. "It's OK. You made peace with Cho and Rigsby and the team is functioning again. Van Pelt will probably never hear the full story anyway. And as for me? I forgive you. For an intelligent man, you can be a complete jackass, but it's part and parcel of who you are, and I accept that. As long as you mean what you say – that you're not going all 'Lone Ranger' again – then that's good enough for me."

Dragging her back to her feet, Jane enveloped Lisbon in a bear-hug.

"Oh, my dear, you've no idea what that means to me."

After a few moments, Lisbon broke free of the embrace. By this point, it threatened to evolve from friendly into something else entirely. Dropping back to the sofa, she grabbed her tea and took a mouthful. Jane grabbed his own cup, mirroring her movements. Then he turned back to her.

"So, Long Beach eh? Why did you all head down there? It wasn't like you went round the Queen Mary and anything else you could have found nearer, I'm sure."

Lisbon let her head drop back into the cushions as the warm memories flooded through. It had been a good weekend. Something that she really should do more often.

Jane watched her, an answering smile on his face.

"So why didn't you do the Queen Mary? With all those old movies that you like, you'd have loved it. Prancing down the promenade pretending to be Vivien Leigh. Or Mae West, if you prefer?"

Lisbon just laughed. "Nah. Not Tommy's kind of thing. Or Annie's for that matter."

"But you." Jane peered at her earnestly. "You'd have loved it."

He paused for a second, as she shook her head, before continuing. "Yep, there it is. I can see it. You can't hide from me, you know."

Laughing, Lisbon got to her feet, gathering the two cups and saucers to take back to the kitchen. Jane followed her, leaning on the door jamb as she placed the crockery in the sink.

"If we ever get through this Teresa – if there's a life after Red John is dead – I'll take you there one day. You can pretend I'm Clark Gable or Humphrey Bogart."

She turned, leaning back against the sink and eyeing his curls critically.

"Nah, you've not got the looks. At least, not without a lot of hair dye and Brylcream."

Jane just beamed at her. "Anything for you, my dear. Anything for you."

Grabbing a glass of water, Teresa became serious again.

"If you're sure that you're alright…"

"I am."

Jane wandered back to the couch whilst Lisbon killed the kitchen light and made her way to the stairs.

"Goodnight then. Try to get some sleep."

Jane pulled the blanket over him as he threw himself flat on the couch. "You too."

Returning to her bed, Lisbon promptly fell asleep, not stirring until the alarm clock blared its 6.30am warning. Waking, she felt refreshed, despite the broken sleep. For the first time since before Jane had pulled that stupid Vegas stunt, she was collected and in control. It was going to be a good day. She could feel it.

Epilogue

Three and a half weeks' later.

Lisbon stood in front of Bertram's desk. "You wanted to see me sir?"

Bertram leaned back in his seat, considering her.

"Do sit down Agent."

As she complied, he picked up his pen, tapping it on the edge of the desk as he composed himself.

"So, Lisbon, you must be wondering why I've summoned you here today."

"He paused for a microsecond to allow the rhetorical question to hang in the air.

"It's like this.

"As you know, I have been liasing with Bob Kirkland from Homeland Security, and he took on the Lorelei Martins and Red John cases after some concerns which he and I shared."

"Sir." Lisbon kept her eyes downcast, trying not to shiver as she remembered her last visit to this office.

"To cut a long story short, Lisbon, Bob has been through your team's work on the Red John case and has examined it in fine detail. Apart from the whole sordid Martins' business, now concluded owing to her untimely demise, Kirkland has assured me that there is nothing in the files which raises any flags for him or Homeland Security. Yes, some of the methods are unorthodox, we all know that, but there are no longer any concerns over National Security.

"And, with Ms Martins out of the picture, Jane is once more proving himself a valued member of the team and you are controlling him effectively."

Lisbon glanced up but quickly resumed her downward gaze.

"So, Agent. Now that van Pelt has returned from her course, and the team is once more at full strength, it is my pleasure to hand this back to you."

He picked up a stuffed brown folder from his in-tray and past it over to Lisbon.

"The Red John case is back under your jurisdiction. I trust that you will do nothing to make me regret my decision."

"Ah, no sir. No." Lisbon hated the stammer she could hear in her voice but nothing she could do about it.

"In that case, Agent Lisbon, you are dismissed. Good day to you."

Bertram picked up the phone to call his PA, ignoring Lisbon as she stood and scurried out of his office.

At this point, she wasn't sure whether she wanted the Red John files back or not, but she knew that it would be a boost for the team. A vote of confidence. And as for Jane, well no surprise how he was going to react. She'd best get back to the CBI as fast as possible.

At least it proved one thing. The SCU were the best. Better than the other CBI departments – not only on case closed record – and better than Homeland Security. This was their bag and they were the people to deal with it.

Cho, Rigsby, van Pelt and Jane. Her talented and dedicated team. It was time for a celebration.