Fic: Picking Up The Pieces (Mentalist Big Bang 2011) 5/6
Written for the 
mentalist_bb.
( One)
( Two)
( Three)
( Four)
Five
The wedding guests began to arrive all at the same time until the small room was nearly full. Lisbon stood by the doors watching every guest, expectantly waiting for Tommy to arrive. She checked her phone and her watch repeatedly until the small chapel was full and still there was no sign of her brother. She dialled his number and cursed when it rang out a few times before going straight to voicemail.
‘Reese, where’s Tom? Paula’s supposed to be arriving any minute,’ said Joseph. Lisbon shook her head and ran a hand through her hair. Her stomach was twisted up in knots as she felt nervous for her brother. She took few enough days off work as it was, to have him screw up his own wedding. What the hell was he playing at?
‘No idea.’
‘I’ll call Paula’s dad and tell him to delay as long as possible.’
‘Thanks Joe, I’ll keep trying Tommy.’
She pushed open the door of the chapel and walked off towards the graveyard, she hated using her cell phone in the middle of someone’s final resting place but she had little other option. Again Tommy’s phone rang out before his recorded voice spoke the message which was now imprinted on Lisbon’s brain.
‘It’s Tommy, if you’re hearing this I’m busy, call me back otherwise I’ll probably forget to call you.’
Lisbon drove back to the hotel as fast as she could without breaking the speed restrictions, despite enjoying her opportunities in her work to put her foot on the gas when it came to the rest of her life she was more than happy to stay within the limits.
'Tommy!' Lisbon shouted before banging on the motel room door. A brief conversation with the concierge told her he hadn't even checked out. 'I know you're in there you punk, now open the damn door.'
She lowered her hand and waited in silence for the clunk of the lock. When it came she forced her warmest smile onto her face. 'What is going on?'
She knew better than most that Tommy didn't do things for no reason, she just didn't always know what his reasons were.
'I can't go through with it,' he whispered, holding the door in front of him. She pushed it out of the way.
'Tell me again,' she said staring at the purple bruise forming over the side of his mouth.
He moved away from the door leaving Lisbon to push it completely open. Tommy had returned to his bag which he stuffed with clothes. Lisbon raised an eyebrow. 'What is this? How did you get that bruise?' 'I’m packing up and it's nothing,' he said, zipping up the bag and throwing it to the floor by the door. 'Like hell it’s nothing, you’re supposed to be stood in the chapel waiting for your bride. You're not even dressed, where’s your suit?' 'Cut it out Reese, I'm not getting married today.' She pressed her hand against her right temple, a headache had already surfaced and being there with Tommy only sought to make her feel worse. She’d hoped for a carefree day watching her brother getting married and socialising with her other siblings, instead she found herself having to put her motherly hat on. Again. 'Then get down to the chapel and tell Paula because I sure as hell won't pick up the pieces after this.' 'I can't,’ Tommy replied. ‘I have to go.' 'You have to go.' Lisbon nodded her head and stared at her brother. How many times was he going to get himself into a mess? 'I’m a cop Tommy, whatever has happened; we can try and fix it. But you have to trust me.'
He continued packing up his belongings and tidying up the room. Lisbon stood with her arms folded across her chest. She wasn’t going to let him throw his life away, for the umpteenth time.
'I don't need your help, Reese, if they know you're a cop it'll make this whole thing worse.' 'Worse than abandoning your wedding to go on the run? Where are you even going to go?'
‘Texas.’
‘Texas?’
‘I know a guy in Midland.’
‘You know a guy?’
‘What’s with the interrogation? I have to leave, that’s all you need to know.’
The whole situation was absurd; she could help him, if only he let her in. Instead he was willing to walk out on his whole life and for what? He wouldn’t even tell her. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes. Even if she couldn’t stop him, she could at least try. 'What about Paula?' 'What about her?’
‘You’re supposed to be marrying her Tommy, you don’t walk out on a wedding.’
‘She deserves someone who will love her and not borrow money from the wrong people to pay for it.' 'Loan sharks?' 'No, the fucking Mafia, of course loan sharks. I have to go.' He slipped his arms into his jacket and slung the bag over his shoulder. Lisbon followed him to reception where he handed in his key and when he climbed into his car she jumped into the passenger seat before he could even open his door. 'What are you doing?' 'Trying to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life. You walk out on your wedding day; you won't get a second chance with her.' 'Maybe I don't want a second chance with her, Reese. She deserves better, someone who’ll love and care for her. I'm not that guy. I lied to her about the money.' 'So you made up some story about where it came from, the most important thing is that she's happy. Right now she's gonna be wondering why you skipped out on her.' 'How many times do I have to say it? I don't want to marry her anymore. I tried to make it work but marriage? It's not for me Reese.' 'And what about Annabeth?’
He stopped what he was doing, his hand resting on the key in the ignition as he lowered his head. She felt guilty using her niece to get Tommy to do what she wanted, though it was her only hope. He could be a deadbeat when he wanted to be, but that little girl meant everything to him.
‘She's at that chapel expecting to see you get married and here you are making yet another mistake.'
He shook his head and turned to face Lisbon. His eyes were sad, sadder than she’d seen them since he was a little boy. 'That’s all I am to you isn't it? One big mistake. If you believe that then what are you doing here?' 'I’m trying to protect your ass like I've been doing your whole life.' 'I don't need a mother Reese; I was alright when I was sixteen. I sure as hell don't need one now.'
‘At least go to the church and talk to Paula, don’t burn all your bridges.’
They pulled out of the parking lot and gradually gained speed as they travelled along the highway out of town. Lisbon watched her brother in disappointment. She half hoped she’d have the right words to change in mind.
‘The church is the opposite direction,’ she reminded him; in the hope he simply made a mistake.
He shook his head. ‘I’m not going to the church.’
‘So you’re going to take me with you to Texas?’
‘No,’ he said, staring at her with a mischievous smirk on his face. ‘I’m going to drop you at the first truck stop we come to.’
xxx
The last thing Lisbon remembered when she woke up was sitting in the car beside Tommy. Her head thumped louder than it had an insurmountable time before, how had she skipped three hours? She rested a hand on the fabric dressing covering her forehead. Then a surge of panic rose up inside her and she began to panic, where was Tommy? Was her okay? Had he dropped her at the truck stop and vanished?
‘It’s okay Lisbon,’ said a soothing tone. She looked up to the familiar voice and couldn’t help but smile.
‘Sam. What happened?’
‘You were in an accident.’
‘Where’s my brother?'
‘He’s okay, he broke his leg. He’s in surgery.’
Lisbon relaxed back against the pillows behind her and let out a sigh. She tried to remember the last moment before the accident. Nothing. She smiled again as Sam Bosco took hold of her hand. He had been the last person she expected to see that day, he was working, he wasn’t meant to be at the hospital.
‘They want to lay charges for dangerous driving.’
‘On Tommy?’ Lisbon sat up again, her head stinging under the pressure of her furrowed brow. Bosco nodded. ‘But he wasn’t driving dangerously.’
‘I’m doing everything I can to get him off without a record.’
‘Thank you,’ she whispered, allowing the squeeze of her hand to help settle her back down. She squeezed back. ‘Couldn’t let me have one day off, could you?’
xxx
A couple of hours after Bosco left the hospital to return to work, Lisbon found a nurse forgiving enough to help her visit her brother. As the man wheeled her towards the room, Paula rushed inside and closed the door behind her. When the nurse reached out to open the door again, Lisbon stopped him.
‘Wait, they should be alone,’ she said.
The nurse shrugged. ‘Miss Lisbon, I really should continue my rounds.’
‘It’s okay Andy, leave me here.’
Andy nodded and continued on down the corridor as Lisbon wheeled herself towards the door. She listened in as the voices on the other side of the door raised.
‘You were going to skip town?’ Paul shouted.
‘Because of the money,’ said Tommy, his voice strained.
‘I don’t even know you at all, do I?’
‘Course you do baby, I love you and when I’m better I’m going to marry you.’
‘It’s too late Tom, today was our wedding day and you decided it wasn’t for you. You don’t get no second chance.’
‘But Paula, baby.’
‘Don’t you Paula baby me, it’s over Tom.’
The opened swiftly and Paula appeared with a red face covered in fresh tears. Lisbon sent her a sympathetic smile as she rushed off down the corridor.
( Six)
mentalist_bb.
( One)
( Two)
( Three)
( Four)
Five
The wedding guests began to arrive all at the same time until the small room was nearly full. Lisbon stood by the doors watching every guest, expectantly waiting for Tommy to arrive. She checked her phone and her watch repeatedly until the small chapel was full and still there was no sign of her brother. She dialled his number and cursed when it rang out a few times before going straight to voicemail.
‘Reese, where’s Tom? Paula’s supposed to be arriving any minute,’ said Joseph. Lisbon shook her head and ran a hand through her hair. Her stomach was twisted up in knots as she felt nervous for her brother. She took few enough days off work as it was, to have him screw up his own wedding. What the hell was he playing at?
‘No idea.’
‘I’ll call Paula’s dad and tell him to delay as long as possible.’
‘Thanks Joe, I’ll keep trying Tommy.’
She pushed open the door of the chapel and walked off towards the graveyard, she hated using her cell phone in the middle of someone’s final resting place but she had little other option. Again Tommy’s phone rang out before his recorded voice spoke the message which was now imprinted on Lisbon’s brain.
‘It’s Tommy, if you’re hearing this I’m busy, call me back otherwise I’ll probably forget to call you.’
Lisbon drove back to the hotel as fast as she could without breaking the speed restrictions, despite enjoying her opportunities in her work to put her foot on the gas when it came to the rest of her life she was more than happy to stay within the limits.
'Tommy!' Lisbon shouted before banging on the motel room door. A brief conversation with the concierge told her he hadn't even checked out. 'I know you're in there you punk, now open the damn door.'
She lowered her hand and waited in silence for the clunk of the lock. When it came she forced her warmest smile onto her face. 'What is going on?'
She knew better than most that Tommy didn't do things for no reason, she just didn't always know what his reasons were.
'I can't go through with it,' he whispered, holding the door in front of him. She pushed it out of the way.
'Tell me again,' she said staring at the purple bruise forming over the side of his mouth.
He moved away from the door leaving Lisbon to push it completely open. Tommy had returned to his bag which he stuffed with clothes. Lisbon raised an eyebrow. 'What is this? How did you get that bruise?' 'I’m packing up and it's nothing,' he said, zipping up the bag and throwing it to the floor by the door. 'Like hell it’s nothing, you’re supposed to be stood in the chapel waiting for your bride. You're not even dressed, where’s your suit?' 'Cut it out Reese, I'm not getting married today.' She pressed her hand against her right temple, a headache had already surfaced and being there with Tommy only sought to make her feel worse. She’d hoped for a carefree day watching her brother getting married and socialising with her other siblings, instead she found herself having to put her motherly hat on. Again. 'Then get down to the chapel and tell Paula because I sure as hell won't pick up the pieces after this.' 'I can't,’ Tommy replied. ‘I have to go.' 'You have to go.' Lisbon nodded her head and stared at her brother. How many times was he going to get himself into a mess? 'I’m a cop Tommy, whatever has happened; we can try and fix it. But you have to trust me.'
He continued packing up his belongings and tidying up the room. Lisbon stood with her arms folded across her chest. She wasn’t going to let him throw his life away, for the umpteenth time.
'I don't need your help, Reese, if they know you're a cop it'll make this whole thing worse.' 'Worse than abandoning your wedding to go on the run? Where are you even going to go?'
‘Texas.’
‘Texas?’
‘I know a guy in Midland.’
‘You know a guy?’
‘What’s with the interrogation? I have to leave, that’s all you need to know.’
The whole situation was absurd; she could help him, if only he let her in. Instead he was willing to walk out on his whole life and for what? He wouldn’t even tell her. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes. Even if she couldn’t stop him, she could at least try. 'What about Paula?' 'What about her?’
‘You’re supposed to be marrying her Tommy, you don’t walk out on a wedding.’
‘She deserves someone who will love her and not borrow money from the wrong people to pay for it.' 'Loan sharks?' 'No, the fucking Mafia, of course loan sharks. I have to go.' He slipped his arms into his jacket and slung the bag over his shoulder. Lisbon followed him to reception where he handed in his key and when he climbed into his car she jumped into the passenger seat before he could even open his door. 'What are you doing?' 'Trying to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life. You walk out on your wedding day; you won't get a second chance with her.' 'Maybe I don't want a second chance with her, Reese. She deserves better, someone who’ll love and care for her. I'm not that guy. I lied to her about the money.' 'So you made up some story about where it came from, the most important thing is that she's happy. Right now she's gonna be wondering why you skipped out on her.' 'How many times do I have to say it? I don't want to marry her anymore. I tried to make it work but marriage? It's not for me Reese.' 'And what about Annabeth?’
He stopped what he was doing, his hand resting on the key in the ignition as he lowered his head. She felt guilty using her niece to get Tommy to do what she wanted, though it was her only hope. He could be a deadbeat when he wanted to be, but that little girl meant everything to him.
‘She's at that chapel expecting to see you get married and here you are making yet another mistake.'
He shook his head and turned to face Lisbon. His eyes were sad, sadder than she’d seen them since he was a little boy. 'That’s all I am to you isn't it? One big mistake. If you believe that then what are you doing here?' 'I’m trying to protect your ass like I've been doing your whole life.' 'I don't need a mother Reese; I was alright when I was sixteen. I sure as hell don't need one now.'
‘At least go to the church and talk to Paula, don’t burn all your bridges.’
They pulled out of the parking lot and gradually gained speed as they travelled along the highway out of town. Lisbon watched her brother in disappointment. She half hoped she’d have the right words to change in mind.
‘The church is the opposite direction,’ she reminded him; in the hope he simply made a mistake.
He shook his head. ‘I’m not going to the church.’
‘So you’re going to take me with you to Texas?’
‘No,’ he said, staring at her with a mischievous smirk on his face. ‘I’m going to drop you at the first truck stop we come to.’
xxx
The last thing Lisbon remembered when she woke up was sitting in the car beside Tommy. Her head thumped louder than it had an insurmountable time before, how had she skipped three hours? She rested a hand on the fabric dressing covering her forehead. Then a surge of panic rose up inside her and she began to panic, where was Tommy? Was her okay? Had he dropped her at the truck stop and vanished?
‘It’s okay Lisbon,’ said a soothing tone. She looked up to the familiar voice and couldn’t help but smile.
‘Sam. What happened?’
‘You were in an accident.’
‘Where’s my brother?'
‘He’s okay, he broke his leg. He’s in surgery.’
Lisbon relaxed back against the pillows behind her and let out a sigh. She tried to remember the last moment before the accident. Nothing. She smiled again as Sam Bosco took hold of her hand. He had been the last person she expected to see that day, he was working, he wasn’t meant to be at the hospital.
‘They want to lay charges for dangerous driving.’
‘On Tommy?’ Lisbon sat up again, her head stinging under the pressure of her furrowed brow. Bosco nodded. ‘But he wasn’t driving dangerously.’
‘I’m doing everything I can to get him off without a record.’
‘Thank you,’ she whispered, allowing the squeeze of her hand to help settle her back down. She squeezed back. ‘Couldn’t let me have one day off, could you?’
xxx
A couple of hours after Bosco left the hospital to return to work, Lisbon found a nurse forgiving enough to help her visit her brother. As the man wheeled her towards the room, Paula rushed inside and closed the door behind her. When the nurse reached out to open the door again, Lisbon stopped him.
‘Wait, they should be alone,’ she said.
The nurse shrugged. ‘Miss Lisbon, I really should continue my rounds.’
‘It’s okay Andy, leave me here.’
Andy nodded and continued on down the corridor as Lisbon wheeled herself towards the door. She listened in as the voices on the other side of the door raised.
‘You were going to skip town?’ Paul shouted.
‘Because of the money,’ said Tommy, his voice strained.
‘I don’t even know you at all, do I?’
‘Course you do baby, I love you and when I’m better I’m going to marry you.’
‘It’s too late Tom, today was our wedding day and you decided it wasn’t for you. You don’t get no second chance.’
‘But Paula, baby.’
‘Don’t you Paula baby me, it’s over Tom.’
The opened swiftly and Paula appeared with a red face covered in fresh tears. Lisbon sent her a sympathetic smile as she rushed off down the corridor.
( Six)