A/N: Hi I've been watching the mentalist during this lockdown and I just keep thinking over the fact that Jane was such an asshole during season 5 and I just wonder about the possibility of Lisbon getting tired of his bullshit and I wrote this just to get it out of my head.

Disclaimer:

This story starts in season 5 episode 16, right after Jane and Lisbon argued in the house where Lorelei and Jane reunited. Jane confessed to Lisbon that he felt something for Lorelei.

I know that Lisbon seems a little out of character at the beginning of the story, and one of the main reasons why Lisbon and Jane ended up together was because of Lisbon's capacity to forgive his mistakes but I just want Jane to suffer (just a little bit) and accept his mistakes.


Prologue

Just breathe, Teresa. She repeated in her head.

Lisbon jogged to her SUV leaving Jane behind in the house on Orchid Lane.

The agent sat and held the steering wheel with both hands so hard that it was actually surprising that blood was flowing through her fingertips.

This is your fault, Teresa. Said a voice that sounded like her father and sadly, it was the truth. Jane has always been honest about his plans.

"If we catch Red John, he's not walking anywhere. He's mine."

She was the idiot who thought that would be capable of changing his mind with time.

Never try to change a man. Never

The worst thing was that she'd been stupid enough to fall in love with the man. Oh, God. What a mess.

It has been such a long process that Lisbon didn't notice until it was already too late.

First, he'd won her sympathy when she saw how fragile he looked when she first met him. Then Jane invaded her thoughts making her worried every time that he was out of her sight when she discovered how easy it was for him to find trouble, with time he gained her trust (He invaded her personal space, asked questions that no one else dare to ask before and demanding her attention almost all freaking time that they were in the same room) She gave him her friendship freely despite everything that he had done (almost ending with her career more than once) and finally, he won her heart without even trying to.

And the blond just told her that he had feelings for Lorelei, that he felt something for Red John's mistress after helped her to escaped (again) before she arrived.

"I'm always going to save you Lisbon. Whether you like it or not," he promised her inside of that shipping container years ago.

It was a lie because Red John would always come first to him. Jane left her for six months knowing what it would do to her. Not answering any of her messages. Not apologizing properly for everything that he put her through. Denying that he said that he loved her. Kissing Lorelei. Using her feelings for him against her.

"You're sweet."

"Good luck, Teresa. Love you."

"What did I said? I was kind of hyped up."

"We were lovers. He and me. Did he tell you that?"

"I would ask her to marry me I thought she would buy it."

"Yes, well it's sort of a general-purpose apology. Use it for your top issue."

Throwing breadcrumbs at her. Making sure that he was keeping her close but not too close. Yeah, she was an idiot but that was about to change.

She'd enough.

Teresa started the car and focus on the streets. She won't say anything about Jane and Lorelei's relationship in tomorrow's meeting with Bertran despite what she just told him before in the house but starting tomorrow Lisbon was going to draw a line between her heart and Jane.

No more late-night conversations in her office. No more lunches and dinners together. No more worrying about him when he spent too much time in that hateful attic and going up to check on him. No more driving together to crime scenes. No more letting him drag her to whatever stupid idea was planning. No more spending time together alone in her office.

It was going to hurt like hell but it had to be done because Jane's path had only two endings: a lifetime in jail for killing Red John or 3 feet under the ground in a coffin and she wasn't going to spend the rest of her life grieving a man that wasn't hers. That wore his wedding band. That had feelings for a woman like Lorelei.

That night she cried until she fell asleep but in the morning she felt much stronger.

Those were the last tears that she spilled because of him.

She made the right call.


Lisbon faced the prospect of the meeting with Bertram with such dread that for a second she considered calling in sick but it would be worst for her and it would definitely call more attention.

So she sat for half-hour listening to her boss voiced aloud some of the questions that she'd had from the moment Lorelei told her that they slept together with Kirkland as a witness to increase her discomfort. Lisbon lied through her teeth and when she finally escaped from Bertran's office knowing that they didn't buy anything of what she'd said.

It was safe to assume that she was having an awful day.

The brunette went back to the CBI and saw Jane waiting for her in her office looking like a child in the principal office she knew for sure that someone out there was torturing her and enjoying it.

"Thanks for not telling Bertram," Jane said when he read her face and found that she lied for him (again)

"I don't want to be thanked." She told him honestly.

Lisbon wanted to be trusted but that wasn't going to happen.

He had put all his faith in Lorelei, not on you Teresa.

"Too late." He answered before leaving her office (again).

Too late indeed, Jane.


The bold dialogues are from the show.