Missing scene fic written for October Fest at livejournal...

Season 2 Premiere - Redemption

Missing Scenes fic - to fit in with the head canon which has taken over my mental brain lately.

Summary - Patrick's quitting the team has a deeper effect on one of the agents.

Cho had to walk away, Patrick's pathetic excuses for leaving left him feeling colder than usual. Cho thought he was acting more like a spoiled brat who'd had his toys taken away - they were all mad about Minnelli taking away the Red John case, but they had to deal with it and move on. Patrick was angry and quitting was apparently his only option, despite all they'd been through together none of them were enough for him to stay evidently.

As he walked to the elevator with Rigsby he delibrately ignored Patrick still packing away books into a box, Patrick's words lingering in his head, 'there's not a whole lot here for me'. A fling was a fling and that's all that existed outside the office for them. So why did the words sting so much?

He was just about to reverse the car when he spied Patrick in the rearview mirror heading for the van. He wondered why he didn't head for the car, it was nearer, but he brushed the thought aside. 'Grow up Kimball', he told himself listening to a sudden bleep of the van' s siren. Van Pelt was evidently still getting to grips with the controls.

At the crime scene he was back in agent mode, asking questions, tracking clues, trying to ignore Patrick's presence and the small hint of relief he was feeling that Patrick was still around, for now. Once more he was back in the car, watching in the mirror, Patrick talking to Lisbon, Van Pelt and Rigsby. Whatever it was he'd said left them evidently bitter as Lisbon slammed the doors shut, leaving Patrick standing and as he watched the van pass by none of it's passengers looked happy. Patrick was rolling up his sleeves looking about, probably for a lift back and Cho was half tempted to leave him in the lurch, it would serve him right. Instead he set the car in reverse and moved back to find out what Patrick had actually done to piss off the rest of the team.

They both had things to say concerning Patrick leaving, but neither of them spoke of it. Instead they spoke of the case, clues, leads and anything but the Red John case and Patrick quitting. Or how and if it would affect whatever it was going on between them. Patrick was back to his old tricks at a house up for sale but refused to be drawn on it, Cho let it be. He'd find out in time.

Rigsby couldn't help but talk about it, because he was the kind of guy who talked until it made sense.

"So, think he'll stick around?" he asked.

Cho gripped the wheel a little tighter, not wanting to be drawn on the subject. "I think Jane will do what he wants like he always does."

"Yeah but don't you think we need him? I do," Rigsby replied.

"We managed fine before, I'm sure we'll manage fine now," Cho said. "Our jobs don't revolve around Jane and his games."

Cho knew he probably sounded bitter, but he was tired of speculating. The team would survive Patrick leaving, but it was the personal situation that had arose between he and Patrick that had him edgy. It hurt that he suspected Patrick would just as easily walk away from him as he was so willingly able to leave the CBI. Despite trying to keep things simple between them, emotionally Cho had found he was more invested than he'd first realised.

Later, back on Patrick's game of trying to catch the killer going back to the house they'd first visited, Rigsby was again full of questions. Cho wished he'd shut up but instead played nonchalant. No doubt Patrick would see through him but Rigsby wouldn't pick up on it.

"So, you really leaving?" Wayne asked Patrick as they drove to the house.

Cho stared out the window to avoid catching any of Patrick's gazes, though he felt eyes watching him from the back seat.

"Nah, think I'll stick around for a while." Patrick replied easily, "You guys need me."

Cho bristled at the barb though it was meant lightly, a joke, a jest to ease the tension. He wondered if he needed Patrick like the team needed him. He wondered if Patrick needed him in the same way, or was it all just about the sex and attraction that they'd allowed themselves to get caught up in.

"Plus I've nothing else to do with my time," Patrick added a little soberly.

Once at the house he couldn't help but go along with Jane when it came to winding Rigsby up. Wayne was too easy at times and despite his protestations at not 'following the rules' Cho only smiled and let Jane have his way. Wayne reluctantly left for the library leaving them once again alone and Patrick, explaining their being there to Cho, sat back with a satisfied smile. After a few moments the tension was rising again, because they still hadn't spoken of the small quick descision Patrick had made in the morning and his equally swift change of mind by the afternoon.

Cho wondered if it even mattered now, Patrick was staying so he should be happy. But he still bristled at the undercurrents of what he'd felt at the idea of Jane leaving. They were silent until Jane spoke.

"Can I come over tonight?"

Cho looked at him, not even trying to hide surprise from his face. He found himself weighing up the question, considering whether he wanted Patrick to come by. He didn't answer directly.

"When you said you were quitting today, did that mean us as well?" he asked.

"I'm not quitting," Patrick replied with a shake of his head.

"But if you were?" Cho pressed for an answer.

"Well, it's not exactly like there's much going on between us," Patrick mused a little coldly. Cho wondered why the words hurt a little more than they should do if there was little to care about.

He sat back further in his chair and looked away sharply, not sure how to react to that.

"Maybe you shouldn't come over." He finally said, keeping his voice neutral.

"Kimball," Patrick started but Cho cut him off.

"Found anything else in that evidence box?" Cho turned a cold look towards him, determined to speak of nothing else but the case at hand.

Patrick didn't reply immediately but stared intently at him before picking up the book about fax machines, opening it to the first page.

Case closed Cho finished his report and set to tidying his desk before he left for the evening. Patrick was at his couch looking through files and glanced up as Cho pulled on his jacket.

"See you tomorrow Cho," Patrick said with a lingering glance.

Cho gave a small inclination of his head and turned to go. "Yeah, tomorrow."

"Unless of course you've changed your mind," Patrick teased with a smile.

Cho was tempted, giving Patrick a look, trying to figure a piece of him out as he always did. But it had been a long day and he had things he needed to straighten out in his head.

"I haven't," he forced himself to say before walking out with a hurried 'goodnight'.