Chapter 14 – Life is simple, life is sweet

As Lisbon gulped her bottled water she was feeling every one of her forty years. Annoyingly, Van Pelt looked as radiant and youthful as ever despite having endured the same torturous Bikram Yoga session.

"Whoever came up with the concept of yoga in a hot room deserves to die staked out in a desert," Lisbon groused as she tried to tie back her sweaty, tangled hair.

Grace grinned. "Oh come on boss, don't you feel great now that it's over? Plus think of all the Christmas calories you've burned in advance."

Lisbon brightened at the thought. "Good point, though this year I won't have nearly as much time to indulge, given all the work with the impending move."

Grace mopped her neck with a towel. "Have you started packing yet?"

"I have but it's taking much longer than I expected. At least Patrick is some help and better yet, I had some boxes still unpacked from my last move that are good to go!"

Van Pelt resisted the temptation to point out that a box unopened for seven years could most likely be safely thrown out. "That's good, and on the plus side, we actually get to see you for the Christmas party this year instead of you being in Melbourne."

Lisbon sighed. "I feel incredibly guilty for not being down there. Tommy's OK but the other two can still be a bit needy. Even though they know they'll be seeing a lot more of me they all want their week with me during Christmas."

Grace nodded. She was well aware of Lisbon's long standing tradition of taking three weeks of consecutive leave during the Christmas and New Year period. She also knew how scrupulously fair Lisbon was in that each week was devoted to one brother so they all got a fair share of her visit. She glanced at her boss who was currently mopping the sweat from her brow. "So you and Patrick… How's that working out?"

The older agent hesitated a second before forcing herself to relax. She'd known this line of questioning was coming sooner or later. She turned her head away from Van Pelt's interrogatory gaze. "Well, I won't say he's the easiest person to live with but he can be incredibly sweet when he isn't driving me up the wall. I don't know what to say other than he makes me happy and he seems to feel the same…"

"I'll say," Grace interrupted. "I've never seen him smile so often and actually mean it."

Lisbon considered Van Pelt's observation. "Patrick was alone for a long time. I think now he's with someone he's making up for lost time. I think he'd be this way no matter who he ended up with."

Grace looked disbelievingly at Lisbon. "You don't really believe that do you? The man positively adores you and the funny thing is that on the rare occasion you get the better of him he seems to love you even more."

Despite being a little stung by the suggestion Jane generally had the upper hand Lisbon felt herself blush with pleasure. "To be honest, Grace, I'm trying not to over think it. Bizarre though it is that we're together it seems to be working so I'm just going with the flow."

Grace beamed. "Well I think you're great together. You might argue over the little things but on the big things you either agree or one of you is happy to compromise." Her voice dropped conspiratorially. "One thing I've wondered about, though, is what it's like being with a man who can mostly read your mind. Most blokes don't have a clue so it must be a refreshing change."

Lisbon thought carefully before answering. "Sometimes it still annoys the hell out of me but if I'm honest with myself I love the fact he's paying attention. Also, it definitely saves a lot of time when someone's on your wavelength."

Grace's expression turned sly. "I bet it would be pretty handy in bed too. Being someone who knows exactly what buttons you want pressed…"

"Hello?! You really think I'm going to discuss my sex life? C'mon!"

Grace laughed. "Sorry! It was worth a try and half the women in the building are dying to know what the CBI's most eligible bachelor is like."

"Well they can die wondering," Lisbon grumped. Seeing Grace's disappointed look Lisbon decided to throw her a bone. She blew out a large breath. "Did I tell you he makes me happy? Very happy."

"Really?" Grace breathed, astonished her boss had revealed even that much. She decided to fish further. "Those hands…"

"Hmm," Lisbon hummed with a dreamy look in her eye before snapping out of it. "Wait! That's not an admission of anything and if you so much as breathe a hint of… what I didn't just admit to, well spending a lifetime in a Bikram Yoga class will seem like paradise in comparison!"

On the way back from a meeting Lisbon saw Cho and Rigsby in a conspiratorial huddle with Jane. Seeing them deeply engrossed she took the opportunity to drift a little closer.

Rigsby consulted a sheet of paper. "What about Walters?"

Cho nodded. "Can play."

Jane made a sceptical noise. "He comes across as a front runner, a real downhill skier. If we're doing well he'll make us do better but if things get tough he'll choke."

There was a short pause. "Walters is out," said Cho. "What about Popovich?"

Rigsby frowned in thought. "He's not pretty but I've never seen him take a backwards step.

"Perfect," said Jane. "He's in."

Unable to hold back any further Lisbon joined the conversation. "What's up guys?"

Jane flashed her a welcoming smile. "Oh not much, just putting together the CBI XI cricket team."

"Riiight," Lisbon drawled. "So why are you getting involved?"

Jane's smile intensified. "Well I have to be involved, my dear. I'm the captain."

Lisbon nearly choked on her coffee. "You're the…"

"Captain. Yes." Jane nodded contentedly.

Lisbon found herself nodding along with him. It was almost hypnotic. "You're the captain, why?"

Cho folded his arms across his chest. This was getting ridiculous. "Jane's captain because he's the best cricket captain we've had in years."

Lisbon didn't even bother trying to stifle her silly grin. "Oh I get it, you're winding me up. Jane playing sport, yeah right," she snorted.

Rigsby stared at Teresa in confusion. "No boss, he really is captain. Done it a few times and always did a good job. "

"That's right," Cho agreed. " Hell we even beat the AFP XI in '11 and '13."

"And we drew then in 2012 on a technicality Jane cooked up," Rigsby chortled. "They're still pretty cut about that one."

Lisbon had been looking backwards and forwards between Cho and Rigby, looking for a sign of deception. "How come I never heard about this?"

Jane re-joined the conversation. "The CBI/AFP annual grudge always falls slap bang during the time you're in Melbourne. Though I am surprised you didn't hear a bit of talk. My sporting exploits are pretty notable."

Lisbon regarded Jane with a speculative look that morphed into one of appreciation. It appeared her boyfriend still had a few surprises up his sleeve. "Now I think of it, I did hear a few things but I always discounted it. Besides, cricket is pretty boring so I never paid much attention to it."

She cocked her head thoughtfully as a new thought struck her. "So do you have a set of cricket whites you could model for me? It might help convince me you actually play sport…" Jane just looked at her and grinned. "What?" said Lisbon a fraction defensively.

Jane shook his head. "Ten years. I've known this woman ten years and only now have I finally blown her mind. Just by playing cricket of all things!" He shared a moment with Lisbon, enjoying her pleased surprise at his 'manly prowess'. Lisbon, enchanted by the novelty, was more than game.

Cho coughed uncomfortably. "We really need to get this team sorted so we can organise a practice session." If Jane and Lisbon wanted to indulge in flirty banter they could do it on their own time.

Jane reluctantly broke eye contact with his girlfriend. "Right you are, Kimball. Now I've heard a rumour we may have a promising young leggie down in financial crime…"

Lisbon grinned and headed for her desk. Patrick Jane actually playing sport! Though to be honest, cricket was the game best suited to his temperament, involving as it did either long periods of sitting outside the dressing room waiting to bat or standing motionless in a field waiting for something to happen. His voice floated from back behind her. "I expect you to be there barracking for me, Teresa!"

Lisbon had cancelled her traditional trip to Melbourne because she needed the time to organise her permanent move there. Despite her trepidations the official job offer came through as promised and she'd wasted no time in accepting. Jane proved surprisingly helpful with packing, providing a useful sounding board on what to keep and what to discard, though his minimalist lifestyle contrasted a little with Lisbon's tendencies for clutter.

Whether it was Jane's declaration on the plane or simply time to adjust to the idea, Lisbon found herself increasingly at ease with the upcoming move. There was a hint of the bittersweet to it all, saying goodbye to the familiar surroundings and especially the team that had become like family for her. Not to mention it was happening so fast, the weeks just running away as she wrapped up her job and organised her move.

Lisbon found she was more than ready for a change, especially with Patrick at her side. Besides, in her new role she suspected she'd be making regular work related flights to Canberra. There would be plenty of opportunities to catch up.

In contrast to Lisbon's growing comfort with the changes in their lives, Jane was finding it increasing difficult to maintain his positive façade. During the day it was easy, just being around Lisbon or occupied at work, he was happy. At night, however, the guilt would start to creep in and he'd leave Lisbon's side to wrestle with it in solitude.

Jane was in the grip of a dilemma. As his love for Lisbon dragged him out from under the shadow of the past he could feel Angela and Charlotte grow more distant in his memory. Letting go of his obsession meant losing the anger and rage that had given such sharpness to his memories of them. There was no heaven, no other family to mourn them. His wife and child remained only in his mind and he was losing them as he sank willingly, happily into simple domesticity.

What did he deserve of happiness, of peace? He felt like a greater fraud than ever he did in his conman days. Sooner or later Lisbon would realise the kind of man she was with; half penitent husband and half tender suitor and a failure at both…

Lisbon woke with a start. She reflexively checked to see if Jane was beside her but wasn't surprised to see him gone. After an initial period of greater restfulness Jane's insomnia appeared to have come back with a vengeance. She rolled over and tried to go to sleep but something nagged at her.

She reflected on the man who was lately so absent from her bed. Jane gave every appearance of being happy, of being confident and positive about all the changes he'd made, and yet at night he was as restless as ever.

She listened carefully but other than the piercing chirps of the cicadas there was not a sound. He was probably in the living room reading a book, she told herself. The Lisbon of previous years, the one that didn't do relationships would have buried her head back under the pillow and avoided any emotional confrontation.

Fortunately this Lisbon was older and wiser, and more importantly, had just gotten the taste of something she wanted a great deal more of. With a sigh and not a little trepidation she padded softly toward the living room.

As suspected, Jane was sitting on her couch, a cup of tea at his arm. The room was dark and he was staring sightlessly out the window. Lisbon was almost in front of him before he stirred and noticed her.

Jane took in her worried expression and sighed, then patted the cushion next to him. Teresa glanced at it and then subtly shook her head. That way lead to her head falling into his lap and him caressing her to sleep. Tempting, very tempting given how tired she was but ultimately no solution to whatever was ailing them.

The situation required direct action. She moved gently forward and then straddled him easily. She capitalised on his surprise by leaning forward and cupping his face gently between her two small hands. "What's going on in there, Hmm?" She whispered.

Jane swallowed heavily. Lisbon was allowing him no place to hide. "I'm starting to lose Angie and Charlotte from my memory." It was as if Lisbon's soft, cool palms lifted the confession straight from his mind for he would never have dared admit such a thing otherwise.

Lisbon stared down at him with a mixture of love and compassion. She dipped her head and planted a soft kiss to his lips. She held his gaze for a long second before continuing. "When we first met at the CBI you were a very hard man for me to like. Yes you were brilliant and closed cases but you were also a dangerous con man and manipulator. I was sure that sooner or later you would get the team into serious trouble. That first thing that made me respect you a little more was how much you clearly loved your family and how loyal you were to their memory.

Patrick, you have to know that you don't have to choose between them and me. I honour and admire them because they were so special to you. They are a huge part of your life, of the man I've come to love. I'd love to get to know them better, if you'd let me."

Tears welled up in Jane's eyes as he took in Lisbon's words. Too overcome to speak he pointed at an album sitting on the coffee table.

Lisbon glanced at the unfamiliar object. "Photos of Angela and Charlotte?" Jane nodded. "Tell me about them in words," she whispered. "But when we set up in Melbourne I want you to put some of them in frames. They're going to be my family too and I'd like to be able to see them."

Slowly, word by word Jane began to talk of his family and the more he saw the genuine interest in Lisbon's eyes the more the burden slowly lifted. Along with his recollection of wife and child he burned a new memory into his mind. That of Teresa gazing down at him with complete understanding and acceptance of who he was.

The day of the cricket match dawned clear and cool, belying scorching conditions to come. Amidst radio warnings of a total fire ban, the first for the season, cricketers across dozens of suburbs assembled at their local grounds to begin the weekend ritual of the cricket match.

The AFP vs CBI meet was an annual two day match scheduled the weekend before Christmas eve. Turnout was generally good as the game represented the a final opportunity for catch-ups and networking before the long Christmas/New Year/Summer break.

As an organisation, the AFP outnumbered the CBI by at least one order of magnitude, if not two. Despite this, in recent years the CBI had given a good accounting of themselves. Partly this was the inevitable grit and determination shown by the underdogs and partly it was due to the inspired captaincy of Jane. Cricket was a slow paced game that had a large psychological component, allowing Jane's skills to express themselves in several ways that gave the CBI XI an edge.

From his customary position at first slip, some 15-20 metres behind the batsman's right shoulder, Jane could make observations on the opponent's batsmanship (or lack thereof). He could also leisurely dwell on their flaws and unsavoury aspects of their personal and professional lives. Jane's ability to pierce the resolve of all but the strongest of psyches meant that opposition batsman were often distracted and not playing to their best ability.

As the wicket keeper Cho was the perfect foil, happy to feed Jane lines all day to let him riff off the batsman's shortcomings. Cho also had a knack for delivering a dry, trenchant observation that nicely encapsulated Jane's wordy put downs into a form almost guaranteed to win a reaction.

Jane was at the ground early, resplendent in his cricketing whites. A text message from Bertram had given him a particularly vested interest in ensuring the CBI won the match, hence his early morning inspection of the pitch.

Over the next few hours the rest of the team trickled in piecemeal and some desultory practice began to take place. Jane took a turn in the nets to get his eye in. While habits good and bad were ingrained from countless hours of junior cricket, there was definitely something to say for knocking the rust loose before facing an opposition fast bowler in full flight.

The AFP team arrived together in a minibus, prompting a muttered 'wankers' from Rigsby. Cho joined Jane at the centre wicket as the opposition wandered onto the field. "Bat first?"

Jane nodded. "Yep. No reason not to. See if we can't put up a nice total and put some scoreboard pressure on them."

Making her way through the spectators in sun dress and large hat Lisbon still had to pinch herself it was actually Jane out there directing the team. The day was already getting hot but he was easy to pick out due to the sleeveless knitted cricket jumper he was wearing in defiance of the heat. It was strange watching him direct the training drills and giving instructions to the team.

Beside her Grace echoed her thoughts. "It's weird seeing Patrick on a sporting field, isn't it."

Lisbon shook her head. "I'll say. Is this the first game you've been too?"

"Nah, I've been to a few. The boys are all pretty handy, surprise to say."

On the field Jane caught sight of Lisbon and jogged over. "Ah Teresa, Grace! Come to barrack for your favourite CBI boys?"

Lisbon grinned at him. "Why so happy? I thought the AFP traditionally wins these games."

Jane frowned briefly. "Well not this time, I hope, or Bertram will be decidedly pissed off." He brightened at a thought. "Of course the best way to ensure victory is to get a token of favour from my lady." He got down on one knee, smiling cheekily the whole while.

Lisbon looked over to Grace for support but she was grinning broadly herself. "Don't look at me! He's your knight in shining armour, not mine!"

"He is, isn't he," said Lisbon with mock exasperation that threatened to become the real thing when she noticed several bystanders were enjoying the spectacle. What the hell, she decided to play along while getting a little of her own back. "What form of token would my knight like?"

Jane's smile broadened, he loved it when Lisbon played along with one of his flights of fancy. "A small item of clothing or piece of lace is traditional." His smile turned suggestive. "A garter, even."

Lisbon tried to keep a straight face. "A garter…" she drawled. "I think we can do better than that. Here, Sir Knight, is a more appropriate token of my esteem." She fished into her shoulder bag and retrieved a Kleenex she'd used to wipe off some excess lipstick a few days previously. Holding one corner of it between her index and middle finger she presented it to him with a flourish and a curtsey.

Jane's eyes widened fractionally at the 'token' but he was nothing if not game. He took the Kleenex reverently from Lisbon's hand and laid it against his cheek for a second before closing his eyes blissfully and wafting it under his nose. "Thank you, Lady Teresa, with this slightly used tissue as a sign of your favour I go forth to do mighty deeds."

He tucked the favour into his vest and sketched a half bow before walking back out to the field just as the umpires were making their appearance.

The crowd was already healthy when the umpires came out to witness the toss. Unfortunately the method employed didn't allow Jane to attempt any legerdemain and so the fair result gave the choice to the opposition captain. He didn't hesitate to elect to bat so Jane made his way back to his team to break the news they were to field.

The day began promisingly with Rigsby taking the new ball and extracting an edge from an opener that carried neatly to second slip. Jane then managed to so unsettle the highly talented but youthful no.3 batsman that he ended up skying a ball from a mistimed hook that dropped neatly into Cho's gloves.

After that the going got tougher as the talented AFP team knuckled down and batted carefully to deny further opportunities. The sun was already scorching and it might have been a punishing day for the CBI had Jane not gotten a couple of batsmen out through clever field placements.

Thanks to those breakthroughs just before the lunch break, the AFP team never really got off the back foot. They were continually on the defensive which in turn allowed the CBI to be more aggressive in pursuing wickets.

The AFP finally managed to post a total of 235 before getting bowled out in the 92nd over. It was a respectable score but not too imposing and the general consensus was the CBI team had the better of the day.

That night Jane relaxed in the bath with a cool cloth draped over his head. Lisbon, still taken with the novelty of Jane as sportsman, cast herself in the role of masseuse and was diligently working away at his shoulders.

"I could get used to this," Jane admitted with a relaxed sigh. "Tell me, what was it like watching your boyfriend captaining a cricket team?"

Lisbon kneaded away for a few seconds, gathering her thoughts. "Well, Patrick, most of my boyfriends were pretty sporty." She dropped a kiss on his temple to take the sting out of the letdown. She gave the question further thought, then biting her lip, made a small confession. "I will, say though, that none of them looked half as good as you did in that vest."

Jane smile threatened to outshine the sun. "Really?" He said, half turning in the tub.

Lisbon resisted the temptation to say something sarcastic. She was learning that for all his pose of self-assurance and confidence he was also a mess of insecurities. For all she knew he might really be comparing himself with her more overtly masculine ex's such as they were. "Really. It suits you and also you lead the team really well. You had them working together, supporting each other and managed to get the best out of everyone."

Jane hummed in satisfaction, then frowned. "I thought you didn't care much for cricket. "how did you pick up all of that?"

Lisbon whacked him on the shoulder gently. "I might not know cricket but I do know leadership and you showed plenty of that." She pushed down on his shoulders to leverage herself to a standing position. She gave him a final pat on the back. That should hold you. I'm taking a quick shower, massaging you is hot work."

Jane surreptitiously watched Teresa strip off her clothes and step into the shower. She was no prude but at the same time wasn't big on casual nudity or exhibiting herself before him. He didn't bother covering a smile as he adjusted the cloth on his face so he could peek through it. The mad passion of their first joining was over, they were neither of them young, but the novelty and excitement still surprised him from time to time.

Lisbon's shower was typically brisk and efficient and over in five minutes. Wrapped in a towel, she stopped at the foot of the bath and looked down at Jane with a suggestive smile. "It's funny, despite that shower I'm still feeling all hot and bothered. It must be all that masculinity you were exhibiting on the field. How about you come out of that bath?"

Outwardly Jane betrayed nothing though his libido was dancing with joy. "Oh I don't know," he said with a sigh. "I'm feeling drained from all that effort."

Teresa's smile turned predatory. "Come on, don't leave me hanging, I promise I'll do all the work."

Jane's mind worked furiously, calculating how much longer he could get Lisbon to play the temptress while he pretended to play hard to get. He decided to risk a half convinced sigh.

Lisbon was about to venture another sally when a quick scan of his body revealed his true interest. "Suit yourself," she said, shifting tactics. She walked out of the bathroom. Jane tracked her movement and saw the towel fall away, revealing her shapely backside.

Lisbon chose that moment to glance over her shoulder to catch his heated gaze. He was so busted. Jane knew it too and nearly did himself an injury in his haste to get out of the tub before chasing his love to the bedroom.

The next day there was a buzz of expectation around the ground. The crowd was mostly pro AFP and the semi adequate total posted by their team meant a likely close finish. Bertram was in his element, talking and gossiping with the big wigs. While doing so he kept an eye on a senior director who would be forced to endorse his extraordinary budget request should the CBI prove victorious.

Jane felt tired but fairly relaxed. All the hard work, tactics and clever field settings had placed them in a strong position. Now it was just a matter of their batsmen going out there and chasing down a very gettable total.

Unfortunately the run chase did not start well as the AFP's fast bowlers were fired up and accurate. Scoring was slow and each time it looked like a useful partnership would develop between two CBI batsmen a wicket would fall. Jane found himself marching out much earlier than he would have preferred with the score at a highly precarious 3/45 and with still an hour to go before the lunch break. The game was on a knife's edge with the AFP only a few wickets away from wrecking the CBI's innings.

He felt familiar butterflies as he walked towards the crease and forced himself into his checking ritual. Helmet, gloves, thigh and knee pads, and protector. He knew without looking he would be facing Tyson Saunders, a lethal quick who struggled for accuracy. For Jane, who was expert at reading the bowler's intent, this was a bad combination because Tyson himself didn't know where his ball would land half the time.

The keeper behind the stumps began sledge Jane even as he took guard. "Bugger me, it's the soft cock Patrick Jane venturing out at no.5!"

"I don't think he realises our quicks are still feeling fresh, " said the short leg fieldsman with mock concern.

The keeper nodded sagaciously. "Old Paddy here never liked the short stuff and Tyson's just raring to give him some chin music, maybe mess up his pretty face.

"Gee his boyfriend would be upset about that," another fieldsman chirped.

"Nah," the keeper said thoughtfully. "I heard that he's gone straight. Well, sort of. He's hooking up with Teresa Lesbian."

The final line was delivered with perfect timing and it was all Jane could do to lunge backwards and clumsily defend a short ball that was heading right for his ribs. He shook his head ruefully. After his verbal shenanigans it was hardly his place to complain about being dished up the same.

For the next half hour Jane survived a torrid examination of short pitched bowling. He ducked and weaved, played defensive shots and when all else failed he simply allowed the ball to hit his body. It was emotionally and physically punishing and every time the over ended or he managed to play a stroke and escape to the non-striking end it was a much needed reprieve.

Normally Jane would have been the last person to put his body in the way of pain but the stakes were high enough he would have done just about everything. Delivering a win would relieve him of the vast majority of his obligation to Bertram, something he sensed was worth almost any amount of pain.

When lunch was called Jane nearly collapsed from relief. The batsman at the other end was the unprepossessing Popovich. What he lacked in attacking stroke play he more than made up for with grit and calm under pressure. Together they'd advanced the score to 75. Slow going but they'd seen off the worst of the attack.

The batsmen were given a warm cheer as they headed for the dressing room. With his helmet removed Jane's blond curls hung limp against his skull with only a few strands flying in the hot breeze. The older watchers were reminded of the English great David Gower, another flamboyant player more known for his pranks and careless demeanour yet with hidden streak of steel.

Despite her general dislike of cricket, Lisbon had been riveted by the game. The threat imposed by the bowlers had been palpable and she'd been surprised at Jane's physical courage and determination to grit things out.

When batting resumed after lunch, conditions improved. Scoring became easier as tired fieldsmen made errors and didn't chase the ball so hard. Additionally the lesser bowlers came into the attack and many a juicy half tracker was dispatched to the boundary. Popovich fell relatively early, undone by an attacking shot that was beyond his skill to execute. The no.6 batsman, however, was a natural stroke player and took full advantage of the conditions, punishing loose balls without mercy.

Jane too came out of his shell and the crowd was suddenly treated to delicate cut shots and sumptuous cover drives as his natural verve came to the fore. The sledges and niggles from the fieldsmen were as little moment as the buzzing of a fly as Jane moved into position to play balls before the bowlers even realised they were going to put it there.

In quick order the CBI advanced to 180, within striking distance of the required total. With the game slipping away from the AFP, Tyson was called on for one final effort. Jane tried to replicate his bravery of the morning but successive bouncers that skimmed the top of his helmet rattled him to the point he barely played a shot to the ball fired in at the stumps. He was guiltily relieved to hear his stumps get scattered and left without even waiting for the umpire to give him out.

He was greeted with rousing applause as he left the ground, recognition he'd played an innings of real quality.

Jane's dismissal brought Cho to the crease and in his usually unflappable way he set about ensuring the remaining runs were gotten with sensible, low risk cricket. The required target was run down without giving the AFP a whiff of hope. Rigsby, to the relief of the team, (and most of all himself) was not required to bat.

The after celebrations were a strange affair with the large AFP crowd somewhat shocked they'd been upset by what they considered a lesser team. This was more than made up for by the passion of the CBI employees who'd shown up almost to a man. The celebrations were capped off by Gale Bertram's enormous smile as he relished getting one over one of his bitterest enemies in the AFP. The nod he sent Jane's way was all that was needed to confirm Jane had squared the ledger with his sociopathic boss.

The mood amongst the SCU was bittersweet as the pleasure of victory was tempered by the thought this might be the last team celebration for quite some time. To brighten the mood Jane returned the token, (by now a sodden mass of tissue pulp and sweat) to Lisbon who cheekily spurned her night errant by making a perfect three point throw into a distant rubbish bin. Jane might be the sports hero of the day but Lisbon was not about to hide her own prowess under a bushel.

Time rushed on and Jane and Lisbon found themselves on the shores of lake Burley Griffin for their final night in Canberra. Everything had already been packed or shipped and Jane insisted they enjoy a quiet evening on the lake. It would be their farewell to the city they'd called home for over a decade.

As they strolled arm in arm Jane steered them to a bench facing the water. They sat quietly for a while, knees faintly touching, lost in their own thoughts. All of a sudden Jane nodded to himself and angled his body a little to face Lisbon before deliberately removing his ring. He studied it carefully, turning it in his hand. The easy mood of the early evening vanished and Teresa felt her stomach tense.

Jane closed his fist for a second, his jaw working with emotion, then relaxed his hand and held the ring between thumb and forefinger. He nervously cleared his throat.

"The man who first put on this ring twenty years ago was very different than the one who sits before you today. In many ways I'm a better person; partly because of the terrible price I paid for my arrogance and partly because you entered my life and inspired me to be a better person."

Lisbon swallowed, her eyes moving from the ring to Jane's eyes and back again. Jane took hold of her right hand with his left, his grip warm and reassuring. "This ring was initially a symbol of my love and fidelity to Angela. When she was taken away from me it became a symbol of my quest for revenge. It was also something to hide behind, something to help me shut out the possibility of moving on.

I won't ever forget Angela, she was my first love and together we brought Charlotte into the world." For a second Jane was lost in memory and Lisbon felt a familiar sympathetic ache as she watched him relive his loss. "I loved them truly but I was selfish and careless. I didn't appreciate what I had."

Jane took a second to compose himself and Lisbon saw the glimmer of tears in his eyes. Blinking them away he continued.

"Like I said I'm a different man. Older and sadder, but also wiser and more aware of how rare and fleeting happiness can be. The strands of fate that brought us together stem from tragedy in both our pasts and yet together we've found something far more than that." Jane looked at Lisbon with an expression that could only be described as pure love, gentle and sincere. "I don't want to hide behind this ring anymore, Teresa. I love you. I want you to marry me; please be my wife."

Teresa tried to respond but she was rendered mute by the intensity of her feelings. She gripped Jane's hand with enough force to turn her knuckles white. Her heart was pounding and she was trembling from head to toe. Her thoughts were helter skelter. There was so much unknown, new jobs, new city. It was too much to process and now he wanted to throw a wedding in the mix?

Jane's expression grew concerned as Lisbon begin to hyperventilate. He grabbed Lisbon gently by the shoulders, surprised by how cold she was to his touch. "You didn't see this coming," he said in surprise.

She glared at him. Of course she hadn't seen it coming! Then her expression turned mortified as she realised she was giving a death stare to the man who had just delivered a proposal so heartfelt as to make Cupid weep.

Against all logic the absurdity of Lisbon's reaction made Jane laugh in delight and like magic, the tension was broken. Lisbon had no choice but to let her face dissolve into a goofy smile as she punched him gently in the arm. Jane quietened though he was still smiling.

Teresa took a deep calming breath. The drop dead handsome man who'd teased, thrilled, challenged and confounded her for the last ten years had just asked her to marry him. What was there to think about?

"Yes!" she all but shouted. She leaned in and give him a quick kiss. "The answer is yes, of course it's yes!" She kissed him again.

Jane didn't bother hiding his surprised delight as he returned her kiss. "Well that's a relief" he said when they finally broke apart. "For a minute there I thought you'd actually resisted the famous Jane charm."

Lisbon looked at her man with deep affection. "Why would I want to resist when it's everything I wanted?"

"Oh I don't know, " said Jane with a gentle smile. "You've been known to be contrary that way".

Lisbon nudged him gently. "Oh hush."

By unspoken accord they got up and resumed their walk, arms linked and leaning close in to each other.

Lisbon smiled up at Jane. "Do I get a nice ring as compensation for putting up with you?"

Jane paused and looked sidelong at Lisbon. "I was actually thinking of us picking out the stones and then having the rings custom made." He hesitated for a second. "If it's all right with you I'd like to use the gold in my old ring…"

Lisbon felt a rush of affection. It was such a Jane idea. He honoured his past while creating something truly unique for the both of them. She pulled him in close and gave him another kiss. "I couldn't think of anything more perfect."

Life had done neither of them any favours and no doubt there were plenty of challenges to come. Yet Jane and Lisbon had found each other, and miraculously arrived at a time and place where they were ready to join their lives together.

The lake rippled in the evening breeze, tiny waves spreading in ever more complex patterns while the water birds trilled their goodnights. The buzz of the city went on heedless, a third of a million going about their daily lives, most of them too busy to appreciate the here and now. Jane and Lisbon walked on through it all, untouched and unheeded. Hand in hand they slipped into their ever after; clear eyed and full of hope.

The End.

AN: Wow, I can't believe I've finally finished this. CBI Australia has easily been the longest writing effort I've ever undertaken so I'm incredibly pleased to have completed it. Hopefully it didn't outstay its welcome.

Apologies for the long wait for the final chapter. I had a house move and new job as valid excuses and procrastination and fear of finishing for invalid ones :-)

I would like to thank everyone who read, reviewed, liked or favourited this story. Special thanks goes to Hayseed Socrates for kindly being my beta reviewer and doing such a great job of making CBI Aus look a great deal more polished and consistent than it would have otherwise. Honest feedback is the most valuable thing for a writer and Hayseed did me a tremendous service by telling me the things that could be better along with the things she liked. Thank you!

I would also like to thank breath-of-spring, Mayzee, Thorntons, Rosepeony, zats, nelapl, DS Pallas, Clover81, Idan, nic73 and Nathalie for their multiple reviews, encouragement and intriguing thoughts on all things TM. I'd like to make a specific thank you to LouiseKurylo for her detailed reviews, story discussions, fanfic recommendations and all round encouragement of my writing from the get go.

Wow, I'm rambling on. Please feel free to stop reading at any time… I'll finish with two things. Firstly, many of you would have noticed that Jane's proposal takes a pretty direct line from White Orchids. I wasn't a big fan of the finale but I thought the proposal scene was damn near perfect and it was a direct inspiration for what I wrote.

Secondly, for those interested in music trivia the chapter titles were all lifted from iconic Australian pop songs. It was sort of a soundtrack to the story, at least in my mind. I won't bore people with the list but am happy to PM it to anyone interested.