Author's Note: Thank you so much for all your reviews, follows, and favorites! It's been a tough week for the fandom so it was hard to get myself in the proper frame of mind for this final chapter. But finally my muse came out of her funk, so here we are. Thanks for coming on this journey—the M-zone is still new territory for me, so your support was much needed and greatly appreciated!

Chapter 14

Jane was forced to stay overnight in the hospital, with Lisbon curled up in the chair beside his bed. But she persuaded the doctor to discharge him the following day and took him home with her. Getting up the stairs was painful, but snuggling into Lisbon's bed was worth it. He was afraid it would be a while before he would be up to any strenuous activity, but being surrounded by her scent was inexpressibly comforting. He felt sure he would heal faster in Lisbon's loving care than in any medical facility.

She curled up with him at night, careful not to lie too close in case she accidentally touched his taped ribs or his tender head, but close enough that they could reach for each other when nightmares struck. Several times he woke with his hand clutched tightly in Lisbon's or woke himself up gasping and shuddering, only to be calmed by her lips on his forehead, cheek, or lips. He hoped she was seeing the benefit of sleeping together even when sex wasn't a possibility.

Lisbon stayed home with him during the day, too, until he could get up and down the stairs on his own. He missed her tremendously once she went back to work. Cooking, light housework, and a steady stream of books from Cho occupied the long hours until she was home again to tell him about her day and treat him to her sweet kisses.

As he slowly healed, Jane became restless and started going for short walks after he could safely do so. On his way back to the house, he always picked up Lisbon's mail, intent on being useful to her. About two weeks into his recovery, he found a padded envelope in her mailbox and passed part of the afternoon trying to figure out its contents. He knew better than to start opening her mail—that would probably remain a no-no even after they were married.

When Lisbon got home that night, he greeted her with a kiss and the news that dinner would be on the table in five minutes. She followed him into the kitchen, sniffing appreciatively and sorting through the mail. She paused when she got to the envelope, glancing at him thoughtfully.

"What?" he asked.

"It's nothing." She paused. "This is just my automatic prescription refill. For the pill."

"Ah." He'd already figured that out, having always known she was on it. His prudent Lisbon wouldn't risk an accidental pregnancy and single parenthood, which would be practically impossible with her job.

"And I...was thinking maybe I would...stop." She bit her lip and watched him closely.

Jane grinned at her, delighted. "I would love nothing better than to make a baby with you, my dear. Whenever you like."

"Whenever you're healed," she corrected him. "You're really okay with this?"

"I am if you are. I confess I thought you'd rather wait until we're married." He peeked into the crockpot and decided the chili was finished. "Could you get some bowls down?"

Lisbon obligingly reached into the cupboard for two big bowls. "Well, I, um, I've been talking to the priest at Saint Anthony's. And it seems like there's a long process we'd have to go through to get married in church. So I thought we could just elope. But not to Vegas." She moved to start ladling the chili into the bowls, so Jane stepped back to let her, reaching into the refrigerator for the shredded cheese and sour cream.

He waited until they were seated at the table to say, "Teresa. If getting married in church is important to you, then it's important to me. I want you to have whatever you want. We can go through this process; there's no rush. It will probably take us a few months to conceive, anyway."

"If I can at all. And...there are risks at my age. But I want to try." She looked at him nervously.

"Then we'll try." He reached for her hand, twining his fingers with hers and smiling gently. "There's no reason we can't multitask."

"Good. Because I'm done wasting time. I...I was so angry at myself when I thought Volker was going to shoot you. Because I wasted so much time confused about Marcus, and I realized I really didn't want to die without that life you promised me. I want you to move in here and marry me and do your best to knock me up, all as soon as possible."

He chuckled. That was Lisbon—once she was in, she was all in. "I think we've pretty much accomplished the first part. I will marry you at any time and place of your choosing, and I am very much looking forward to devoting considerable time and energy to impregnating you."

They beamed at each other, and Lisbon picked up their clasped hands and brushed her lips against his knuckles. "Do you want a Claddagh ring too?" she asked.

"I would love one," he replied. He intended everything about his second marriage to be new, so a different kind of wedding ring would be a good place to start. "Eat up, love. I think my ribs have healed enough to make love if you're willing to do most of the work."

She grinned. "I work all day and come home exhausted and you still expect me to do all the work in bed? Sheesh."

"Only until I can use my abdominal muscles without wanting to cry," he assured her. "And maybe you wouldn't be so exhausted if you'd let me come back to work."

"We'll see what the doctor says tomorrow. About both." She was firm, and he knew he wouldn't change her mind about following his doctor's instructions to the letter. Despite considerable wheedling on his part, she was resolute in her determination to protect his recovery from setbacks.

So he'd just have to make sure the doctor agreed with him.

mmm

Jane grinned as he accompanied Lisbon through the FBI lobby, the doctor's note clearing him for light desk duty folded carefully into his pocket. Lisbon looked less happy, having voiced her objections to the doctor and been overruled.

She insisted they not get on the first elevator because it was crowded and she didn't want him jostled, so they waited for the second one to arrive. It was empty, and they had it to themselves until a hand inserted itself into the nearly closed doors. Lisbon stepped in front of Jane as the doors sprang open again to reveal Marcus.

"Marcus!" Lisbon said as they stared at each other, surprised.

"Hey, Teresa," Marcus smiled. "How are you? Jane, good to see you. I heard you got a little banged up."

Jane squelched his impulse to be sarcastic, not wanting to seem ungracious in front of Lisbon. "Yeah, both banged up and beat up. How have you been?"

"A little heartsick. I was seeing this really beautiful, amazing woman and she dumped me," Marcus replied.

"My condolences," Jane replied, noting Lisbon's discomfort. "How's the art world?"

"Can't complain. Keeps me busy," Marcus replied. "So, Teresa, quite the coup getting Volker, huh? Promotion can't be far behind!"

Lisbon managed a smile. "I'd rather he stayed in prison in the first place."

"Looks like California has more housecleaning to do," Marcus said.

Jane frowned, wondering why the man was being such an ass. But his next remark brought enlightenment.

"So," Marcus said, "the rumor is you two got engaged."

Lisbon's voice was calm as she replied, "Yes, we did."

"Congratulations." Marcus sounded anything but pleased.

"Thank you!" Jane said, with an obnoxiously cheerful smile. "We're very happy."

Marcus ignored him, focusing on Lisbon. "I hope you will be. I just wish you'd told me the truth in the beginning, Teresa. So I wouldn't have fallen for you."

Lisbon shifted her weight, a sure sign of discomfort. "I never lied to you, Marcus. I just...things changed. I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"Well, you did."

Jane resisted his instinct to draw Marcus' attention away and give Lisbon a moment to regroup. This was, in a way, not his business. This was Lisbon and Marcus facing the end of what had been their promising relationship, and he needed to let them do it and get whatever closure they could. She wouldn't thank him for putting his nose in. He was fortunate just to witness this ending, so he could get closure for the pain and doubt this relationship had cost him before Lisbon had made her choice.

Lisbon said softly, "I'll always be sorry for that."

"Yeah, well." It was Marcus' turn to shift awkwardly. "Me too, Teresa."

"I hope you find someone," Lisbon said. "Someone better."

Marcus shook his head. "I don't think there's anyone better than you. But maybe I can find the next best thing." He sighed as the elevator doors opened, and he stepped forward, holding the doors open as he paused to look over his shoulder. "I hope you'll be happy, Teresa. And I hope you know what a lucky bastard you are, Jane."

"I do," Jane assured him.

Marcus stepped off the elevator and turned to watch the doors close, looking at Lisbon like he was memorizing her face. Jane didn't need to see her expression to know she was hurting, so he laid a comforting hand on her shoulder once the doors had closed.

Lisbon turned suddenly and tucked her face against his neck, breathing in his scent as he slid his arm around her shoulders for a quick cuddle. They only had two floors before Lisbon stepped back, composing herself as the doors opened. Then they went out to the bullpen, where Cho and Wiley got up to greet them.

"You're looking better," Cho said to Jane.

"I feel a lot better," Jane said, heading for his couch.

Lisbon hurried over to help him ease himself down onto it, and when he was safely seated, asked, "Tea?"

"You are a jewel beyond compare, my dear. Thank you," he replied, smiling at her. She smiled back before heading to the break room.

Fischer came out of her office, looking surprised. "Jane. Welcome back. Are you here by permission, or did you escape from someplace?"

Cho smirked for a split second, unseen by everyone but Jane. Apparently Fischer was finally beginning to catch on, although if she had truly figured him out she'd know that Jane wouldn't choose this as his hiding place when he had access to Lisbon's bed.

"I have a permission slip." Jane withdrew it from his pocket and handed it to her with a flourish. "Cleared for duty."

"Light desk duty," Fischer read. "With the word 'light' underlined. Twice."

"I can look over the files and help with the interviews," Jane said. "You just need to bring them to me instead of me going to them."

"Bored, huh?" Cho said.

"My mind is a powerful and complex machine. We wouldn't want it to get rusty from disuse. Ah, Lisbon, my ministering angel." He reached for the tea cup she handed him, letting his affection show in his face and voice.

Cho asked her, "Did he hypnotize the doctor?"

"No," Lisbon answered. "But he did his best to charm her socks off. I think from now on he needs to have male doctors. He's not to leave this building except to go home and rest."

"Agreed," Fischer said. "Fortunately, we've just about wrapped up the Joyner case. We just need to find something in his brother's financials to prove he hired the hit man."

Wiley took the hint and hurried off.

"Meh. Let me see what you've got," Jane said. No matter how often people told him the culprit was usually the obvious suspect, it was always worth looking at the less obvious ones.

Lisbon rolled her eyes, exchanging a glance with Cho. Jane grinned unrepentantly at them as Fischer handed him a file, then flipped it open with one hand and took a sip of tea with the other. He enjoyed this feeling of settling back into his work routine, and though Lisbon wouldn't admit it, she did too. Work would be their stable ground while they figured out how things worked in their new blended home life.

Catching bad guys by day and making babies by night: They could learn to live like that. Quite possibly happily ever after.

mmm

It was another two weeks before Dr. Nichols cleared Jane for moderate physical activity. By then, he was going quietly crazy; the knowledge that Lisbon was off the pill and fertile was sexy as hell. Their forays into mutual self-gratification and pleasuring each other with their fingers and mouths were certainly enjoyable, but he longed to plunge inside her and do his best to give her the baby she'd asked for.

Unfortunately, not an hour after Jane returned to the office with the doctor's note, Abbott sent him off with Fischer to Los Alamos, New Mexico, for a murder case that was much more convoluted than Jane liked just at this moment. Lisbon and Cho joined them a day later after Jane dramatically widened the suspect pool, but the exhausting nature of the case and Lisbon's desire to prove she could still act professionally despite their engagement meant separate rooms for them.

So by the time they got home, he was half out of his mind with lust. He dropped his suitcase at the door and kicked it closed, reaching for Lisbon and pressing her up against the wall. She melted into him, her kiss ravenous, until she pulled back to gasp, "Upstairs."

"No," he panted, putting his hands on her ass and lifting her so their hips aligned. He grunted a little as his healing ribs protested, and Lisbon gave him a gentle shove.

"You're not nearly healed enough for that," she said, her cheeks flushed and eyes bright. "Bed."

"Fine." He wasn't going to waste time arguing.

"Lock the door," she ordered, kicking her shoes off.

For once, Jane didn't argue, toeing his own shoes off as he threw the deadbolt. But he did pause for another knee-weakening kiss before letting her tow him toward the stairs. The part of his higher brain that was still functioning appreciated how cleverly she teased him up each step with brief little kisses, stepping up and away before he could deepen them. The rest of him wanted to carry her up the remaining the steps and take her on the floor of the hallway, hard and deep. But she was quick to twist out of his hold every time he tried to get a firm grip, grinning at him as she reached the top step and straightened to unbutton her blouse.

"Tease," he huffed.

"Oh, you're one to talk," she chuckled. "Giving me those puppy dog eyes every night and whining because I wouldn't let you into my room, even though you knew Fischer was right next door and those walls were definitely not soundproof."

"So? We're engaged; everybody knows we're having sex," he pointed out, shrugging out of his jacket.

"Knowing is one thing. Hearing is entirely another," she replied, letting her blouse fall to the floor and grabbing fistfuls of his shirt, pulling him toward the bedroom.

"Are you saying I'm loud?" He teased, letting her deal with his shirt while he unfastened his pants.

"I'm usually screaming too much to judge," she grinned as they reached the bedroom. "You're sure you're up for this?"

"If we stop now you'll have to take me back to the hospital," he groaned.

"Well, we can't have that," Lisbon said with mock sympathy. "Especially since we have a day off tomorrow. I was thinking we could go down to the courthouse and get married."

"Just like that?" So much for a romantic ceremony, but he'd marry her whenever and however she wanted.

"I guess we have to get a ring first. And I thought we'd invite Cho."

"Of course," Jane said. "Whatever you want." He pushed his slacks and boxers down and stepped out of them, his erection bobbing eagerly with his movements.

Lisbon bit her lip, a sure sign of uncertainty. "I know you probably want something more elaborate."

It wasn't quite a question, but he answered anyway. "Not elaborate. A romantic setting would be nice, but as long as we get married, the rest of it isn't important."

"Good answer," she smiled, giving him a kiss. This time she deepened it, sliding her hot little tongue against his and further inflaming him.

He moaned when she pulled away, shedding the rest of her clothes with quick, graceful movements and sitting down on the bed, scooting back and spreading her legs. The glimpse of glistening pink amid her dark curls made him groan, his hand going to his cock reflexively.

"Get in here," Lisbon said, her pupils huge as she licked her lips.

That was one order he intended never to disobey. He felt his smile go feral as he climbed onto the bed on his knees, carefully bending forward to rest his hands on either side of her as she wriggled back a little more, trying to make things easy for him.

"You okay?" she asked, frowning in concern.

"Oh yeah," he breathed, lowering himself to his elbows and taking in her scent as she spread her legs wider to receive him. "Ready?"

"I'm way past ready," she assured him. "Verging on frustrated—ah!"

He echoed her cry with his own as he slid into her hot, wet depths, feeling her softness stretch around him. Once he was all the way in, he paused, panting lightly as she tilted her hips to let him slide a fraction of an inch deeper. He loved being joined with her this way, welcomed into her body with the same generosity she had shown in accepting him in her life and heart. And tonight, part of him might take up long-term residence inside her, becoming half of a wondrous new life.

Lisbon, not a fan of drifting into deep thought during sex, moaned and squirmed restlessly beneath him. "You're not falling asleep, are you?"

"No," he assured her. "Just savoring the moment. You feel amazing."

"So do you," she breathed. "Oh, I missed this. Now get moving."

He chuckled into her ear and pulled back with agonizing slowness until only the tip of his cock was still inside her, grimacing as her muscles clenched around him in protest. Then he plunged back in, grunting as she met his thrust and her hands flew to grip his butt.

"Control freak," he gasped, grinning madly.

"But you love me anyway," she said, smiling up at him.

"Oh, yeah." He let her guide him into the rhythm she wanted. "I'm going to spoil you rotten."

"Yeah?"

"Like you won't believe," he assured her. "And—oh yeah—when you're worn out from waddling around all day, I'll massage your sore feet. I'll go out at two a.m. and buy you strawberries and chocolate ice cream and pickles. And whatever other cliche you can think of."

"And you'll let me break your hand during labor?" she teased.

"If you insist, but that'll make it hard for me to—ah!—hold him when he's born." Jane paused as his ribs began to ache. "I need to change positions, love."

Lisbon made a protesting noise as he pulled out of her and straightened, his rigid cock dripping. She quickly figured out what he needed and got on her hands and knees, gripping the headboard to brace herself. Jane gripped her hips and guided himself back inside her, sighing out her first name as he pushed even deeper than before.

"Oh, yeah," she moaned. "Harder."

He slammed into her, grunting a little with the effort. "Love you."

"You too. Oh, God, yes!" Lisbon threw her head back, her hair falling across the pale skin of her spine and sliding to her shoulders. She began pushing back against him frantically, and he felt a wave of relief that she was close, because he could feel his own orgasm building.

"Teresa, my love," he crooned. "Come for me."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she wailed. "God, Jane, oh—oh!" She came hard, wringing a cry out of him as her orgasm triggered his, his mind short-circuiting in ecstasy.

He managed to roll them to their sides as their shaky limbs gave out, still embedded in her as they tried to catch their breaths. Jane silently urged his little swimmers on, hoping they'd reach their goal and splaying his hand on her lower abdomen as if he could feel the moment the miracle happened.

"You okay?" Lisbon asked after a moment.

"Mm. Better than okay." He was feeling no pain, his system still flush with endorphins. Pressing a kiss into her hair, he asked, "We getting married tomorrow?"

"Yeah." She yawned, threading her fingers through his. "Don't worry. I'll make an honest man out of you."

He snorted in amusement. "Ambitious Lisbon. Next you'll be gunning for Abbott's job."

"No. I'm done being your boss," she murmured.

"Maybe at work," he said. "But you'll always be the one I listen to, Teresa. Forever."

"Good," she sighed as she drifted off.

mmm

Fifteen hours and twelve minutes later, they exchanged vows and rings in a courthouse with Cho as their witness. It was simple and straightforward, just like Lisbon wanted, and Jane was over the moon to have come so far so fast. With her ring on his finger, there was no need to ever be jealous of any man who might come sniffing around. His wife's honest nature and kind heart were all the guarantee of fidelity he could want. He thought he would never be happier than this day.

Ten months, two days, and three hours after that, they announced to their friends and Lisbon's family that they were expecting a baby, and Lisbon was taken off field duty. With her difficult first trimester now behind them, they settled in to their preparations for the expansion of their family. The day they finished the nursery and Lisbon settled into the rocking chair, looking around her with a contented smile as she stroked her rounded belly, Jane thought he was as happy as it was possible for him to be.

Eleven days, thirteen hours, and thirty-seven minutes later, Jane held his squalling son in his arms, blinking down at the newborn through his own tears. After a minute, he reluctantly relinquished the baby to his mother's eager arms, smiling at her tears of joy.

As Jane looked at his family, precious and hard won, he was sure that this was the moment of maximum happiness in his life. He felt suffused with it, overwhelmed by the love and protectiveness crashing through him. There would be many moments of joy in their future, but never another like this.

But one thing he was sure of: there was absolutely no one on the planet he would change places with. He was the luckiest man alive.

And he would never be jealous again.

THE END