AN: Thank you all, one last time, for your support for this story. It was truly a joy to write, and I'm glad that it seemed to resonate with you all as well. I hope you enjoy this last chapter!

Also: It's Lisbon's first Mother's Day!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist.

Chapter 10: Be Wild

Her fingers struck the keys, and the slow tune that resulted was soft but strong. If she concentrated hard enough, she could imagine a guitar and drums in the background, and the song took on an almost-bluesy feel. It had taken her a year, but the melody she'd started when they'd first arrived on the island finally had words to go along with it.

Maybe she'd just finally realized the story she wanted to tell.

Lisbon's voice was low, almost but not quite straining at the deepest notes. Her voice and the sound of the piano twisted together as though in some mystical, intangible form of dance, and her music permeated throughout the small beachside apartment.

She finished the song sans flourishes, letting the music wane, and the sound of waves breaking gradually returned to her.

"You're ready to go back, aren't you?"

Jane stood at the entrance to the family room, leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed across his chest and his expression thoughtful.

She looked at him, her brow furrowed. "A week ago, had you asked me that question, I would have said no," she began. "But…" she gestured to the piano. "I've been working on this song for a year now—since before the tsunami. It's finally done. And somehow…somehow I think I could say the same for our time here. This place…it's been a safe haven for us. It's been paradise. But—"

Jane nodded. "But it will never be home."

"Well…yeah."

The soft crash of ocean waves nearly drowned out her quiet words, but he understood.

"You miss your family—and your friends," he said.

Lisbon turned around on the piano bench and surveyed him. Over the past year, his hair had grown longer and blonder, his skin had acquired a light tan, and his smile had begun to appear with greater ease. She blinked once, thinking about all the ways she had changed as well.

Then she thought about all the ways they had changed together.

Jane had opened himself up to her, and in turn she had taught him about life. And they were still learning from each other.

Lisbon hoped they would never stop.

She pulled her attention back to their current conversation.

"You are my family," she said emphatically. "At least, you're a big part of it. But yes, I do miss my brothers—and I miss Cho, and Van Pelt, and Rigsby. It's been a year since I've been able to contact any of them."

"You're torn," said Jane in understanding. "You know it's safest here, but home is where the heart is."

Lisbon smiled. "Well, there's an argument to be made that my heart is wherever you are—and if it really was safer for us here, I think I could be content to live in South America with you forever. But if there's even the slightest chance that things have changed—that it's safe to return…" She shrugged, knowing she could never find the right words but needing to try nonetheless. "This year we've spent away—I think it was necessary in order for us to heal. It was necessary in order for us to truly set Red John behind us. But I miss my life," she said simply. "I miss my family."

A look of pure adoration crossed Jane's face, and she was floored by the sheer intensity of his gaze. "I'm ready to go home, too," he said, walking towards her and leaning in to kiss her forehead, his slight stubble scratching gently against her skin. His eyes sparkled as he pulled away, and he smiled mischievously at her.

"What?" she said, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Nothing," said Jane quickly as he straightened up. "It's just funny that we should have this conversation right now, what with the old friend I just ran into." He gestured behind him, and Lisbon's eyes were drawn to the kitchen—and more specifically, to the person now standing there, his arms crossed and expression as neutral as ever.

"Cho!"

Lisbon abandoned the piano to rush towards the former CBI agent and throw her arms around him. She was pleased to note, just before his arms reached up to hug her tightly in return, that the broadest of all smiles had crossed his face.

"It's good to see you, Lisbon," said Cho, and his arms tightened around her once more before releasing her.

Lisbon took a step back to truly take him in for the first time in over a year. He was clad in jeans and a dark gray t-shirt, and she was surprised to see that he wore flip-flops instead of his usual practical closed-toe shoes. Despite his footwear, he looked as intimidating as ever. She grinned.

"I missed you, Kimball. How have you been doing?"

"I just finished up at Quantico," he said, smiling in spite of himself.

"So you're FBI Agent Cho now?" Lisbon bumped her shoulder against his companionably. "Sounds about right. Good for you, Cho. That's amazing news. Congratulations!"

"Thanks," he said.

An inkling of fear cut through the happy reunion. Lisbon's eyes flashed to Jane. "If Cho could find us…" she began, her voice laced with anxiety.

Jane put one hand on her forearm. "Relax, Teresa. I told Cho—and only Cho—where we'd be before we left. I figured at some point, we'd want to know when it was safe to return. And I don't trust anyone more than Cho, apart from you, of course."

Lisbon thought of Jane's biofeedback tricks she had learned recently and managed to slow her heart down. Then, as she realized the implications of what Jane had said, her heart sped up again.

"It's safe?" she asked. "We can come back?"

Cho nodded. "Got a call from Abbott right after I graduated from Quantico about a month ago, claiming that he'd rooted out the remaining Blake Association members. He did quite a job—there were even guys at the FBI who he exposed. I've spent the last four weeks checking up on the case, making sure all the loose ends were tied up. And I agree with him. You guys can come back."

Lisbon hugged Cho again and gave Jane's hand a squeeze. After her initial excitement had worn down, she examined Cho's face again, noting there was something there she couldn't quite read.

She shot a glance at Jane, whose expression told her he'd seen the same thing.

"Why don't we sit down," said Lisbon, gesturing for Cho to sit on the couch, where she joined him. Jane sat across from them on the piano bench. "You got some more news for us, Cho?"

"I do," he said, and in typical Cho fashion, he skipped any additional niceties. "Here's the thing. Abbott just got promoted for his work on the Red John case. He's putting together a team in Austin, Texas, and he really wants a diverse set of skills. I'm already on board, as are Van Pelt and Rigsby—though they want the amount of field work they undertake to be limited."

"Grace is pregnant?" asked Lisbon incredulously.

Cho's expression gave nothing and everything away.

Lisbon smiled and made a mental note to call and congratulate her friends as soon as she landed in the States.

Cho continued. "Abbott wants at least two more people on his team, possibly more. He's really hoping to put together an experienced group."

Lisbon looked at Jane, wondering how she could possibly refuse the offer. "I've always wanted to visit Austin," Jane said.

"Before you decide," said Cho, clasping his hands together and leaning forward so that his elbows rested on his knees, "Abbott wants you both to work a case with us—you know, make sure you like the dynamic. The FBI does things a little differently than we did in California."

Lisbon's eyes narrowed, knowing Cho was withholding something.

"Spit it out, Cho," she said.

Cho looked from Lisbon to Jane, impressed. "You been giving her lessons or something?" he asked.

Jane grinned. "Something like that."

Cho shook his head in disbelief, and his face because solemn. "Listen, Lisbon. This case that Abbott wants you to work…it's far more important than merely seeing if the team is a good fit for you."

Despite the heat of the day, a chill spread throughout Lisbon, settling deep in her bones.

"What is it, Cho?"

"We were given a cold case from Chicago," he began. Out of the corner of her eye, Lisbon watched Jane as he stood up and walked towards her. He stood behind her, his body warm at her back and his presence soothing. "Though the case—a reported suicide of a Chicago fireman—was investigated thirty years ago when the incident first occurred, new evidence has caused the FBI to reopen the file. The evidence says the suicide was staged—meaning the firefighter was murdered."

Lisbon tensed. Jane's hand rested on her shoulder, and his touch gave her the strength to get out her next words.

"Who's file is this? Whose death would we be investigating?"

Cho looked from Lisbon to Jane, who must have showed some sign of encouragement, and back to Lisbon. Lisbon had seen this look on Cho before.

It was the look he wore when talking with victims' families.

Lisbon placed her hand on top of Jane's. Cho cleared his throat and spoke.

"Your father's."

AN: So before anyone gets too upset about that ending...

Before I began writing When I Fall, I knew the direction I wanted to take with its sequel. So though this ending may seem like an unnecessary cliff-hanger, my real intention was for it to be a promise to you, dear reader: I will continue writing.

I won't leave things how they are now. I will resolve Jane and Lisbon's return to the US, and we'll get to see how she handles the case that Cho mentioned. I promise I will share that story with you - though it might not get written until summer begins, it will get written!

Until then, I have a list of oneshots to write (feel free to add to that list with some prompts, by the way). So I'm planning on sticking around, and I hope you will too.

Thanks again for being the best fandom ever.

~Hope