Chapter 10

"Miss Tess!"

Charlotte runs down the hall to Lisbon's office overly excited to share the things she knew about her mother. It was the best day of her life, she finally discovered things about her mother and now she has a friend to tell. Jane follows Charlotte in silence, glad to see her happy but disappointed with Lisbon. This was all her fault after all, what would Angela say in this situation? Wasn't Jane doing the right thing by keeping Charlotte in the dark, wouldn't Angela do the same? He tried not to look at the stairs leading to his attic, the drive to drink his belladonna coming back. He couldn't do this to Charlotte, what kind of father falls into drugs?

Jane can imagine the warm, red tea. The sweet scent of cherries filling the atmosphere and suddenly Jane can't take this anymore. One drink would be enough right?

"Charlotte?"

She stops and looks back at him.

"Yes?"

"I was thinking, why don't you spend the night with a friend-"

"Like-like a sleepover!?"

Charlotte's all laughter and smiles as she hugs her dad, elated that she was going to have a sleepover. Totally unaware of her father's true intentions.

"Dad you're the best!"

"What's going on in here?"

Teresa says, leaving her office to see what the commotion is about. She makes eye contact with Jane and he looks away, ashamed of what he's doing. Charlotte looks up at her overjoyed to see Teresa.

"Dad's letting me have a sleepover!"

"Oh really? Well isn't that nice. Charlotte do you think you could help Van Pelt for a moment? I think she's lost something."

"Okay!"

Charlotte cheerfully replies, practically walking on air. Jane tries to make his escape by retreating to the attic but Lisbon won't have it. Not this time. She catches him at the stairs, her stubborn yet determined stance catching Jane off guard.

"What do you think you're doing!?"

"Teresa please-"

"Don't 'Teresa please' me! Answer the question!"

"I just-you wouldn't understand."

"Actually I do understand, I told you about my past so you should understand this by now!"

"This isn't suicide, I'm not going to go like your father I just want to see Angela."

"I know what belladonna does to people Jane I've experienced it first hand, this isn't about Angela either it's about your addiction."

"I am not addicted!"

"Really? So you never thought once about Devils cherry? You weren't imagining the taste?"

He knew she was right, Teresa was always right about these things. Jane craved it, that hot cherry tea that helped him hide away from this harsh cold world.

"Patrick please you've been doing so well, you haven't taken it for two whole weeks. Why are you going back to it? What is going on?"

"It numbs it."

"The pain?"

He nods and looks away from her, he's so close to the attic. Just one drink won't hurt right? Teresa doesn't say anything which makes him feel uneasy, blue meets green and the grief in her eyes becomes evident. She felt betrayed, Teresa was always there for him and yet even now he chose a drug over her.

"Teresa I just-"

"I love you so don't make me say I loved you."

She leaves, not looking back at Jane and Jane being the coward he is does nothing to stop her. Instead he goes into the attic not even bothering to close the door and he sits on the make-shift bed. Did she really just? Jane looks down at his hands, What have I done? Crystal tears begin to fall but Jane doesn't even try to hide it. He lost his wife to murder, betrayed his daughter, and now he's lost his only friend. There's a light tap on the door as his daughter peeks in, asking him what friend she should invite but he isn't listening he's only falling apart. Charlotte immediatly goes to him trying to figure out what's wrong.

"Dad?"

Jane pulls her into his arms and begins to weep, afraid of losing her to.

"Daddy what's wrong?"

He had to tell her, he had to make things right. Jane was so tired of losing the people he loved but that would change, he wasn't going to lose Charlotte and maybe, just maybe, he'll find a way to get Lisbon back.

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Hello so here's the chapter, I'm sorry for not updating in so long!!! I'm currently working on Forbidden Love with Skyrezo and I promise to post the next chapter soon ; ) you should check out her stories! They're amazing!