A Face in the Crowd

Get Ready For a Showdown

Chapter 13: Get Ready for a Showdown

Lisbon decided that she would have to go a little longer with that blemish on her face. She wanted Jane to feel some sense of safety and security knowing she was right there, so at least he would be willing to go into CBI and work some cases with her. Thank goodness it had happened the way she wanted it to happen with Jane, at least this once, because that's where they were right now.

"Don't you think you've been cooped up in here long enough? You should get out there and talk to Grace or Rigsby, they've missed having you around. They still can't believe that you're doing this good after being blown up."

"I can't. You have no idea, how I wish I could go out there and just chat with Grace or even banter a little with Cho, but I can't. Their faces aren't theirs and they are not even the faces that they had yesterday."

"What?" she asked confused.

"It's not consistent, It's not like your faces are different and they stay that different way. Every day when I see people, they are completely different than the day before. Van Pelt is never Van Pelt and she's never the Van Pelt that I've seen just the day before. Even when I look at my own reflection in the mirror it's different. Sometimes it's hard to remember what I look like, and it hasn't even been that long since I shaved." He sighed.

"Maybe you should talk to someone Patrick. I'm here for you and you know that, but am I enough? Maybe when you talk to Lorelei this afternoon, she can recommend someone."

"The two of you are a first name basis now?"

"We have uprooted her from her home, we have someone following her, keeping her safe. Yea, I think that we deserve to call each other by our first names. Besides, she's helping you in the ways that I can't. I'm grateful for her."

"It's you Teresa, if I didn't have you, I couldn't get through this." He told her and he brushed his thumb across her scar.

"Well we better get you to your appointment, I think we wasted that time you could have used getting reacquainted with the gang. We don't wanna keep her waiting." She told him turning away.

"I'm sorry for putting you through this, I know that it's not much of anything and just a dab of concealer would well conceal it. I just can't be alone right now Lisbon. If you were to leave, I'd truly be lost."

"It's okay, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for as long as you need me."

"What if I decide it's forever?"

"What?" she asked a little mind-boggled

"What if I decided that I wanted to stay with you forever?" he asked coming closer to her.

"I... I mean Jane it's just... I'm... We're going to be late." She told him as she abruptly left him standing there unanswered.

*AC*

Lorelei Martins looked around the café nervously. It was all coming to the climax and she wasn't sure if she wanted it to end this way. Patrick was such a good man. He was so much better than she had thought he would be, and now she thought maybe it was a bad idea to be a part of the agenda. She had committed to this though, she had put herself in this predicament and now she had to do it. She was going to have to kill Patrick Jane.

"You seem nervous." He stated sliding into the booth across from her.

"Why would I be nervous?" she asked not skipping a beat.

"Patrick can get under your skin, you can think that he's sweet, or that he's kind, but he's not. Under that shiny facade, he is pure evil, so much more evil than I could ever be. He loved his money and his fame more than his family and it is up to me to show him that, you do still understand this right? You are still a part of all of this right? Or should I just look for help elsewhere?" he asked.

She knew what he was really asking. She knew that he was really saying, are you going to kill him, or am I going to kill you? She didn't want that.

"I know what I was brought on board for sir."

"Well then, let's stop getting lost in his eyes and do what you're being paid to do. Make it happen!" he shouted rising from his seat.

*AC*

Grace Van Pelt sat at her desk trying and failing at making contact with the sleeping consultant. She was still worried about him. He had left that morning with Lisbon and they seemed happy. She hated what was happening to him, and really hated what happened to Kristina, but she couldn't help herself but be a little happy that he and Teresa were sharing their feelings.

That was the thing though would it forever be like this? What would happen when it didn't matter about concealer, when that scar finally healed? What would he do then?

"Hey Grace." Jane shouted startling her from her thoughts.

"Jesus Jane, you almost gave me a heart attack! Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Not really. My appointment got cancelled and Lisbon won't let me in the field, so I thought I'd come and say hello."

She noticed that he was talking to her but he wasn't making direct eye contact with her. Was it really that hard to look at her? Did she dare ask him? She didn't want to seem like it hurt but it did and she knew he wasn't doing it intentionally, but she had to know.

"Is it really that hard to look at me?" she asked. Immediately ashamed the moment she did.

"It's not like it's hard to look at you Grace. I could look at you all day, but it's not you. It's just some girl in your clothes. If I take the time to get to know this face as Grace it'll be in my memory palace permanently and that would be good if I never get cured of this, but the sad thing is, when I leave and come back to you an hour later, you won't be the same. You will completely change, without even trying."

"Is it that bad?" she asked curious.

"I would rather be blind. When I was blind and you spoke to me or touched me. I knew it was you. I couldn't see your face but I could smell you, and hear you walking. You were Grace, but now. Now it's different, I can smell you, and see your walk, everything that is Grace is truly radiating from you but when I look up it's like someone stole what makes you - You. It can be very troublesome with someone with a memory like mine. It's like you were stolen from me too, it makes me sad."

Grace was shocked that he was so open with her, and she knew that it was genuine. It hurt her to see him in such pain, no wonder he was clinging to Lisbon. She truly was his lifeboat right now.

"Oh Jane." She reached out to touch him, but he flinched away.

"Sorry Grace, really I am. I'm trying, I hope you see that."

"Yes, I do. Hey, why don't you sit here, and I'll grab us some tea."

She got up. She needed to get up - anything so he wouldn't see her cry.

Patrick watched her walk away. He hoped she knew that even though she didn't have her face he wasn't stupid. He had hurt her being so honest. Listening to Dr. Martins and Lisbon was truly messing up everything. She had excused herself to have a little cry. He would let it slide for now. He would even drink her cup of tea even though he knew it wouldn't be right. He started to smile once he felt the vibration of his phone in his pocket.

There was a text that brought a smile to his face: Hey Jane it's me, meet me at your place. I can solve this thing, but I need a little help from you.

He smiled at the thought of meeting Lisbon. He missed her, and right now he needed to get away from everyone. He smiled as he got up to leave the precinct, guess he wouldn't have to lie about that tea after all.

*AC*

The first thing Lisbon noticed is that she's tied to a chair. The second thing she noticed is that her cell phone is gone. She just hoped someone would find her soon. She was certain if her kidnapper came back before the rescue party, she was surely going to hurt them.