Chapter 2

"Lisbon, pull over. Take a break. It's been a rough day."

"No Jane, unlike you I have responsibilities. I have people that count on me. You wouldn't understand that." She made no attempt to hide the venom in her words.

She pressed harder on the gas, refusing to go along with Jane's antics. It was nearing the anniversary of Charlotte and Angela's death, and Red John's activity was only making the situation worse. Jane was depressed, more so than usual, and it was tearing at her as well. Dealing with death and destruction of human life was stressful enough, without adding a cynical Jane to the mix.

"Fine." She sighed, "I'll take a break on one condition, you will not go anywhere near this case."

"Lisbon." He begged, "You can't do that. This could be my chance to end this once and for all. You have to let me go Lisbon. I'm your consultant and most valued team member, you can't stop me."

"Watch me." She hissed, pulling into a café parking lot, "You want to work the case? Walk your sorry ass there yourself." She took the paper with the address and shoved it into the palm of his hand before jumping out of the car, slamming the door.

"I'll see you later. Tell the team I got sick or something, your good at manipulating people." She hissed, storming into the café.

Upon entering the café, Lisbon sat down at the coffee bar, letting out a sigh and placing her head in her hands.

"Can I getcha anything Doll?" A peppy female voice asks.

"Uhm yeah.. I guess." She mumbled through her hands, "Black coffee and a bearclaw if you have it."

"Comin right up!" She replies cheerily as her heels click away.

A bell on the door rings and Teresa hears someone sit down on a stool beside her.

"You okay there?" A calm make voice asks, "A pretty girl like you shouldn't cry."

Lisbon picked up her head just in time to see her coffee and bearclaw arrive, distracted by the attractive man beside her. He appeared to be about forty, his dark brown hair slicked back, his brown eyes sparkling as he took in Teresa's dissheveld appearance.

"I'm Teresa." She reaches out a hand to shake his, "I'm sorry, I'm not usually like this."

"Anthony." He smiles and shakes her hand, "The beautiful ones always have baggage."

She blushes a bright red as she sips her coffee, not used to this kind of attention from men.

"I have to go." She replies shyly, "I'm a cop and the world needs saving." She tries to joke, picking up the bearclaw.

"Let me walk you to your car, see if I can save your world." Anthony teases and Lisbon nods and smiles, awkwardly biting her upper lip.

Lisbon drops a ten dollar bill on the counter and gets up to leave, followed closely by Anthony. She pushes the door open and the two exit, Lisbon continuing to bite her lip as Anthony moves closer.

"Listen to me and listen closely." He whispers in her ear as he places the barrel of a gun to her back, "I have a friend who'd really like to meet you. He's quite fond of you and Patrick, needs your help with something he's working on."

He pushes her towards a van, opens the door and forces her inside, removing the handcuffs from her pocket and slapping them onto her wrists.

"We're going for a ride." He grins and removes her gun from its holster, "He's gonna like you."

"Go to Hell!" She yells as Anthony shuts her door and gets in the driver's seat. He watches her in the rear view mirror as she struggles to get out of her bonds.

"What's the matter Teresa, scared of meeting the devil?"

All credit goes to patrickscupoftea!