A/N: I'm sorry it took me so long, I don't even know what happened. But here it comes now and I really hope you guys like it! Thank you so much for your reviews, they really mean a lot to me. And again, a huge thank you to tamariskie for betaing!

Teresa came back down an hour later, wet hair hanging over her right shoulder, wearing nothing but one of Jane's shirts. She was so small and petite that she could drown in it. It was adorable. She was adorable. Even without any make up, he still found that she was the most beautiful woman on earth, though perhaps his love for her might have blurred his objectivity.

Jane was still in the kitchen, waiting for dinner to be ready. He smiled broadly at her when she came in, eyes lingering a bit longer on her bare legs than necessary.

„Where's the coffee?" she asked, eyes peering through the kitchen.

Jane rolled his eyes at that, opening the fridge and pulling out a bottle of wine.

„Meh. No coffee for you, my love. How about a glass of wine instead?"

Lisbon leaned against the counter, raising an eyebrow at him.

„Fine."

„How can you even want to have coffee now? It's past 8 already."

„There's never a wrong time for coffee."

Jane gave her one of the filled glasses and kept the other for himself.

„You're round the bend, woman. Too much caffeine is not good for you."

Lisbon took a sip from her wine and looked up to him, grinning smugly.

„Yeah. You've been telling me that for a decade, but you never managed to convince me."

„I could easily get you off your coffee addiction. It takes only three minutes of preparation and two sentences. I haven't done it yet because I was afraid you'd hate me."

„Oh, I would, trust me. I love my coffee in the morning."

„Yeah, and the five following cups each day."

Lisbon stuck out her tongue at him, before bending down to have a look in the oven.

„You know how to make pizza?"

„Of course." Jane grinned smugly and came over to her, so close that she was literally pinned to the counter.

Teresa smiled up to him, while taking another sip of wine.

„Can I keep you?" she asked.

„I'm all yours." He smiled happily now, wrapping his arms around her waist, leaning down and pressing his lips longingly against hers. Teresa put her glass down and wrapped her arms around his neck, while he tightened his grip around her waist to lift her up onto the counter. His hands were roaming over her body, while he slowly removed his lips from hers to kiss her neck. She moaned with pleasure, relishing the moment, still slightly bewildered by their new intimacy. It was an utterly positive kind of bewilderment, though. She'd waited so long for this.

It was her loudly growling stomach that disrupted their moment. Jane pulled away from her and couldn't help laughing. He really laughed, loudly even, and Teresa suddenly realized that she barely ever heard him laugh. He grinned and smiled a lot, but she wasn't sure she'd ever heard him laughing with pure joy.

She hopped down from the counter and punched him on the arm, which made him laugh even harder.

„I think…" he started, unable to pull himself together again „I think dinner is ready. Let's slay the hungry lion inside of you."

„It's not even that funny. Actually, it's not funny at all." Teresa said, feigning a pout.

Jane's laughter faded slowly. „Meh, maybe not. But if there's something you can laugh about you should do it."

„Yeah. Well, then, next time you get yourself into trouble, I'll just be standing outside of the holding cell laughing at you."

This time it was Jane's turn to poke his tongue out at her. She returned the favor, before taking two plates out of the cupboard and putting them down on the table, while Jane served the pizza.

„Et voilá. Pizza alla Jane. Charlotte used to love this one." Jane mentioned his daughter without even thinking about it and when he realized it, he flinched. For a split second Lisbon could see the pain on his face, but he did his best to put up a facade pretty quickly. She hadn't heard him saying his daughter's name very often since she'd first met him. He avoided saying it, because thinking of her always filled him with unbearable pain.

Lisbon looked at him softly, head tilted to one side, smiling sympathetically.

„Look, Jane… you don't have to hide your feelings from me. I thought we were over that. I understand if you don't want to talk to me about Angela and Charlotte, but tabooing their names won't do any good. I think…" she sighed and sat down, following the call of her repeatedly growling stomach. Jane sat down next to her, his expression unreadable.

„I think you should try to remember the good times you had with them and how happy you were. Stop reducing them to their dead bodies and to the fact that Red John took them from you. You owe them as much. Let them live on through your good memories." She grabbed his hand and softly caressed the back of it. Jane swallowed hard before he looked up to her again. She'd never dared to tell him something like that before. She'd given him advice when she thought he needed it or when she was worried about him, but she'd never been so direct before.

Jane felt his walls building up inside of him, like they always did when someone mentioned his family, but he knew, of course, that she was right. It was part of moving on and he would have to deal with it. There was no way around it.

He didn't say anything, though, he just nodded and freed his hand to reach for the knife to slice the pizza. Teresa sighed, her eyes lingering on him.

„I'm sorry." she said „I shouldn't have…"

Jane cut her off. „No. You're right. Don't be sorry."

He smiled sadly at her, placing one slice of pizza on her plate.

„Someone has to tell me these things sometimes. And if you don't do it, then who will?"

Teresa returned his smile and took a bite from her pizza. „It's delicious." she said.

„Remember when you told me years ago that you'd always be there for me? And you really were… most of the time, if you don't count Vegas or Venezuela… or that one time you ditched me at that beach, or betrayed my trust in you…" she paused for a second and frowned „but anyway… my point is, I realized I never told you that I'll always be there for you, so I'll do it now. I'll always be there if you need me and I'll never leave you as long as you don't want me to, you understand?"

„You may have never told me, but you didn't need to. You were always there, Teresa. I know that. And you have no idea how grateful I am. I…" He shook his head, smiling. „I don't deserve you. Not even the slightest bit. But I'm also too selfish to let you go. I need you. More than you could ever imagine."

Teresa frowned at that, putting her slice of pizza back down on the plate.

„You're not selfish. Well, you are, often enough, but you weren't when you sneaked onto that plane. You were ready to let me go… you gave me a choice. And that was actually what triggered me to run after you. You didn't trick me into staying by saying all those things… You let me go and I decided to stay because I wanted to. What you don't understand is that I need you just as much as you need me. I was a mess when you were gone… you should have seen me, really. And… I admittedly have some trust issues, but I think I'm finally ready for a committed relationship… with you. Don't ask me why or how, but you got me. You got to me like no one else ever did. Stop having such a low opinion of yourself."

She managed to keep her voice calm and controlled, but she was struggling on the inside. It wasn't easy for her to open up like that. There was a reason she never really had a proper relationship in almost two decades. She had issues with committing to someone, giving up a part of her freedom, of her independence. No one ever seemed to be worth overcoming those issues… no one except Jane. She knew she loved him. He was the first and only man she ever truly loved. And for him, she'd overcome her anxieties and even the trust issues she still had when it came to him. It was not like she didn't trust him at all… she was just cautious, because he'd betrayed her often enough in the past. It didn't matter to her anymore, but it was still saved somewhere in the back of her mind.

„Meh, I'm sure you were doing fine when I was gone. Anyway… it's funny, because most people would probably disagree with you and call me a narcissistic asshole."

„Well, that's because they don't know you. That arrogant behavior is nothing but a disguise, a facade you put on to protect yourself. Doesn't mean you can't be an asshole sometimes, though."

Teresa gave him a smile and he returned it, keeping his eyes locked on hers.

„I love you." he said and she leaned over to kiss him shortly on the lips.

„I know." she said with a smirk, before turning her attention back to her slice of pizza.

„First night in our new home." Jane said a while later, when Teresa was doing the dishes, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and leaning his head on her shoulder.

„Yeah. Sounds terrifying. I still can't believe I'm really doing this."

„Doing what?"

„Mhm, well, let's see: committing my whole life to you, living together after roughly two days of actually being together, spending 24/7 with an annoying idiot like you… should I go on?" Lisbon said, not being really serious.

„Meh. Basically we've been together for years. We've known each other longer and better than most married couples who celebrate their first decade together. Also you're lying. You never really found me annoying, but rather intriguing… although you always denied it."

She snorted at that. „Yeah, just keep telling yourself that."

Jane started to kiss her neck then and she smiled, tilting her head slightly to the back and closing her eyes to relish the feeling of his soft lips on her skin. Moaning quietly with pleasure, the turned around in his embrace to smile at him and find his lips with her own. While she kissed him, she unbuttoned his shirt and shoved it roughly over his shoulders to touch his bare skin.

For someone who spent most of his time lying around on a couch, drinking tea or eating ice cream, he was surprisingly toned. Maybe he secretly used the gym at work sometimes after all. She'd ask him some time, she thought.

His tongue was brushing over her lips, inviting her to play. She deepened their kiss by parting her lips slightly to let him in and welcome him with her own tongue. Once again electricity started sizzling between them, filling both of them with a pleasurable, prickling feeling, with lust and longing.

Without further ado Jane pressed her against him, picking her up and carrying her out of the kitchen and up the stairs to the bedroom they'd picked out to be theirs earlier. He laid her down on the bed and crawled over her to continue kissing her lips, her neck and every part of her body he could reach. He didn't need much time to remove his shirt from her petite body, followed by her panties and his trousers. Teresa looked up to him, biting her lip and giving him a challenging smile.

His fingers brushed over the scar on her shoulder, where O'Laughlin's bullet had hit her years ago and he stopped for a moment, just looking at it.

„Almost feels like it happened just days ago, doesn't it?" she asked quietly.

„Hmm… for a few moments I thought I'd lost you. I still remember that dreadful feeling in my chest… that I've caused another death; that Red John took the only person left who I truly cared about. But then I heard your voice… and I've rarely ever felt so relieved like I did in that moment."

Teresa swallowed. She still wasn't used to him being that honest with her, basically wearing his heart on his sleeve.

He kissed her scar then, softly, his lips barely touching her skin.

„You are so strong. And brave. So much more than I could ever be." he said, kissing her neck and the sensitive spot behind her ear.

„You are brave in your very own way, Patrick." she said with a smile, closing her eyes and relishing the feeling of his lips on her skin.

Much like their first time, their second time in bed together was gentle. Soft, tender and full of love and longing. It felt more intense than anything Teresa had ever experienced before. And even more intense were the orgasms he gave her. She felt like she could fly, like she was transferred to another, better world.

For him, it was the promise of a second chance. A new life and a brighter future. When he looked into her deep green eyes, he knew that she was everything he needed. She was his savior and he would provide her with all the love he could give. And when Patrick Jane loved someone, he did it completely and with all his heart. There was nothing he wouldn't do for his loved ones. He'd proven it once by killing a man and he would do it again if it was necessary. But this time he'd be more careful in the first place. He'd protect her. Forever.

Just as Jane had predicted, they didn't need much time to find a routine with their new living situation. Lisbon's stuff arrived a few days after they'd been back to Austin, along with a very short but snappish note from Pike, saying „You two deserve each other. In order to spare my Karma, I won't add anything else." Jane had a good laugh at it, even though Teresa wasn't amused at all, probably because she still felt guilty.

Now, one week later, their new home started to actually feel like home. They learned more about each other every day. Teresa had to learn that Jane had no talent for doing the laundry at all, after she'd found half of her white blouses turned to several shades of pink. Jane had to learn that Lisbon had absolutely no talent for cooking. And just like that, their roles were forming, without any difficulties, just like Jane had predicted.

Teresa found that she liked living together with another human being, especially with Jane. Some days he would drive her crazy, but others he would make her laugh and smile and feeling like dancing around the house. That was probably all one could wish for in a relationship.

During those first weeks she saw him smiling more often than in the previous 12 years altogether. She hugged him and kissed him whenever she felt like it and it made her utterly happy to finally be able to do so. They'd survived some very, very rough and dark years and now that they finally found themselves together, everything seemed to be so much brighter.

The darkness wasn't gone completely, though. They were on a good way, but some dark shades would probably never vanish.

One night at the beginning of their second week together, Lisbon had to learn that Jane's scars were still there, even though they didn't matter that much anymore. She woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of him struggling and screaming and crying. He had a nightmare. He was sweating, face distorted with agony.

„Jane!", she said carefully in an attempt to wake him up. „Patrick."

She shook him at the shoulder, but he was literally captured by his own dream.

„Patrick. Wake up. It's just a nightmare. Wake up."

Then, finally, he bolted upright and opened his eyes, breathing heavily. He looked around, slowly realizing that everything was fine.

„It was just a dream." Teresa said with a soft voice.

He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

„I… I'm so sorry."

„You don't have to be sorry. I have nightmares more often than I probably should myself… it comes with the job. Dead people, bad guys… we see them everyday and they follow us in our dreams."

„Red John should be gone. Gone forever. But he's still there, in my head. The bastard."

Jane laid back down and Teresa wrapped an arm around his waist.

„I know. He's in my head too. Sneaky bastard. He manages to haunt us even when he's dead."

„It's the night he caught you, isn't it? It's still haunting you."

„Yes. Yes, it is. It's hard to forget something like that. He could have killed me so easily…"

„He wouldn't have. He knew it would have destroyed me and then he would have lost his antagonist… or his toy, if you want."

„Well, you've won the game. And I'm so glad you did. Even if I'd have preferred a more legal way of getting rid of him…"

„You know that wasn't possible. Half of the CBI agents were corrupt. He'd have been out again before he'd even been in."

„I know. I know. It was the right thing to do."

„You do?" Jane propped himself on his elbows to be able to face her and raised an eyebrow.

„Yes. I do. And it would have been my pleasure to kill him myself. I can say that now, because I'm not on the case anymore."

„Well, you never cease to surprise me."

He leaned over her and kissed her tenderly.

„You're the best thing that happened to me after I lost everything."

Teresa kissed him back, caressing his cheeks softly with her fingertips. He was still a bit sweaty, but she didn't care.

„I love you." he said and was on the verge of tears again.

„I love you, too." she said, before she rested her head back on his chest.

It was the first of many nights on which one of them would wake up screaming because of a nightmare. But now they could give each other the comfort they so desperately needed and that was worth a lot.

She bolted upright in bed, screaming and crying, terrified to the bones. She needed a few seconds to realize that it'd only been a nightmare and that she was safe. Relief flooded her and she laid back down, breathing heavily. Her bedroom was dark and she was lonely and cold. She stared at the ceiling, shivering. Her heart was racing like she'd just done a 500 meter sprint.

With shaking hands she opened the drawer of her small bedside table and reached for her gun. It was still there and she immediately started to feel a bit better. She was a cop, she was strong and she was able to protect herself. Even from Red John.

She wasn't so sure about Jane, though. He was the subject of her nightmares more and more often these days. She'd seen him laying on the ground with wide opened, cold eyes in a pool of blood. She'd dreamed about situations where he was shot right in front of her and she wanted to reach him, but she just couldn't. The feeling that she couldn't protect him was devastating. The sheer thought of losing him was… killing her inside.

She took a deep breath and reached for her phone. It was 3am. It didn't matter. She needed to make sure he was okay. Without even thinking about it, she dialed his number.

„Lisbon?" he didn't need long to answer, but he sounded like she'd woken him up. „What's the matter?"

„I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up. It's nothing, actually… just… just I nightmare. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be bothering you like that."

„No! No, it's okay. I'm always there for you, Lisbon, you know that."

„Are you… are you okay?" she asked, feeling a bit silly for even asking.

„I'm fine. Are you?"

„I guess… Look, I really am sorry. I should just hang up and let you sleep."

„Well, apparently you're not okay. And that's perfectly understandable after everything that happened, no need to be ashamed. I can come over if you want?"

„No! No, it's fine, really. I just wanted to know if you're okay. It's silly, I know."

„It's not. And if I could undo what happened I would, but I can't. It's my fault and I'm sorry, Teresa."

„Now you're being silly. It's not your fault. Things like that happen in my job, it's what I signed up for. Look, I'm sorry that I bothered you in the middle of the night, I'm fine now, I promise. Just… just go back to sleep Jane, okay?"

Jane was silent for a moment.

„Okay. Fine. But you can call me anytime, Teresa. You could never bother me."

Lisbon closed her eyes. „Good night, Jane."

„Good night."

She hung up then and put her phone away again, before wrapping her blanket tightly around her to keep the cold away and trying to find back to sleep.

„We have to go back to work soon…" Lisbon said two days later while they were having breakfast. „I have no idea how to face them all… do you think Abbott told them?"

Jane looked up from his book and raised an eyebrow.

„Told them what?"

„About us."

Jane chuckled then and laid his book down. „No. Abbott loves schadenfreude and he knows you'll be terrified."

„Schadenfreude? What's that supposed to be?"

„It's German for liking to see someone else suffer or be happy to see someone else suffer."

„Great." Lisbon said, obviously horrified. „There's a word for that?"

„Yes. They even have a saying for that: Schadenfreude ist die schönste Freude."

„And what does that mean?"

„That schadenfreude is the most joyful or pleasurable kind of joy."

„I didn't even know that you can speak German." Lisbon said, suddenly a bit grumpy. The prospect of announcing their new relationship at work had spoiled her mood, probably for the whole day.

„Meh. Not really. A few words. I tried to read the original version of Goethe's Faust once, but I failed."

„Wow. Patrick Jane failed at something. Now that's a new one." she said sarcastically and grinned smugly.

„Habe nun ach! Philosophie, Juristerei und Medizin, Und leider auch Theologie! Durchaus studiert, mit heißem Bemühn. Da steh ich nun, ich armer Tor! Und bin so klug als wie zuvor; Heiße Magister, heiße Doktor gar, Und ziehe schon an die zehn Jahr, Herauf, herab und quer und krumm, Meine Schüler an der Nase herum - Und sehe, dass wir nichts wissen können!" (*Johann Wolfgang Goethe - Faust I)

Lisbon stared at him, a bit lost.

„Da hab ich dich überrascht, huh?"* he said slowly, not all that fluently.

(*„Now I surprised you quite a bit, huh?")

„A few words, huh? I didn't understand a word of that."

„Well, I read a lot when I was a kid and when I hid in the attic at the CBI. We also had some carney friends with German roots. They taught me a bit."

A big smile was forming on Teresa's lips.

„Actually, I can say something too."

„You can?"

„Yes."

„And what is that?" Jane grinned, a bit excited.

„Ich liebe dich."

„Aw. Well, that is beautiful. Ich liebe dich auch."

„I can also say it in Finnish."

„Finnish, huh? Interesting."

„Rakastan sinua." Teresa said with a smile. „And Portuguese and Irish, actually."

„Fascinating."

„Te amo. Taim ingra leat."

Jane raised his hands in surrender. „I give up. You beat me."

She didn't, of course, because Jane had a lot of languages saved somewhere in his memory palace, but he just loved how she smiled at her victory and he couldn't take that from her. She was so beautiful when she smiled, it was like he fell in love with her all over again every time she smiled at him like that.

Teresa poked out her tongue at him and reached for her cup of coffee.

„I know I didn't. But I'll let us both be happy by believing I did."

„I have to admit you've learned a lot over the years." Jane gave her another smile.

„I did, didn't I?"

She took a sip from her coffee, giving him a challenging look. Jane just shook his head in amusement and picked up his book again. She certainly was an original. One that actually managed to win arguments against him. And that was something very few people were capable of.

A/N: That's it for now, but I'm already on the next one. I hope it won't take me that long again. xx