A/N: Okay, so this story is just a shitload of fluff, just because I was feeling like it. I don't have much to explain, you should just read it!

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.

'Little Ivy and Big Bear'

Teresa Lisbon loved sleeping next to Patrick Jane. She had always thought that it would be some other, random woman who got this honor, who got to kiss him and hold him at night, but she was reminded on a daily basis that it had turned out to be her.

And she enjoyed it thoroughly, often simply looking at him long after he had fallen asleep, just to admire his beauty, and perhaps even his innocence in sleep - it was difficult for him to make people's lives hard while he was contently catching some z's.

She knew he did the same thing when she was asleep, admiring her even if she had trouble imagining why he could admire her so much. But she knew he did - it was visible in everything he did, from the moment he woke up to the moment they fell asleep in each other's arms.

She heard some familiar sounds coming from the hallway, and she sat up slowly, not wanting to wake Jane. She got out of bed and opened the door, only to be met by sleepy yet frightened eyes, a whole mess of dark curls and tears. It was not an unusual sight, as this had happened before, but it still broke Lisbon's heart time and time again.

"Mummy," the little girl whimpered, new tears escaping her eyes.

Lisbon lowered herself to the girl's eye-level and put a careful hand on her arm.

"Hey Ivy, sweetie," Lisbon whispered, "what is wrong?"

Ivy shook her head and stepped into Lisbon's arms, her head instantly resting on Lisbon's shoulder. It was obvious to Lisbon that she didn't want to talk about what was bothering her, but Lisbon knew it was most likely a bad dream.

She picked up Ivy, feeling how she got calmer already in her mother's protective arms, still crying however, and went back to her and Jane's bed. Jane had gotten wind of what was happening, too, having woken up and looking at them getting into bed.

Jane took Ivy from her while she settled in, and Ivy cried softly against her father's shoulder, her hands clutching the shirt of his pajamas.

"Did you have a bad dream again, Ivy?" Jane asked, his voice soft and gentle, his hands stroking her hair and back. Lisbon looked at him comforting their child, so familiar yet still so surreal. She could never have imagined that this could be her life, that she could have this small taste of domestic bliss with this man. She had always felt like he was unable to love again, like his human feelings and emotions had been torn out of him years ago, only to be replaced by guilt, anger and grief. But he had shown her over the course of a few years that he could be exactly what she needed in life, a companion, a sweet husband and a good father to her child.

She was eternally grateful for him opening his heart like that, for allowing her to pour in her soul. She knew she couldn't fix him, he had had months of therapy trying to get over his traumatic life, but she also knew that her patience and love had given him a goal in life, had allowed him to soldier on.

"Do you want to talk about your nightmare?"

"It was the one with the man with the burps," she whispered, her tears still rolling freely but her sobs had somewhat subsided, causing her to be able to breathe properly again.

"It's okay to be scared," he whispered. "Okay? It was just a bad dream. And everything you dream of, can't hurt you."

Ivy nodded, rubbing her eyes. Tears spilled onto her hands, getting them everywhere.

"Is there anything we can do to help make the nightmares go away?"

She shook her head. "Can I stay in your arms a little longer, daddy?"

Jane's eyes softened even more than they did before, and his arms closed around her, snuggling her close. "Of course you can, little bear."

Any other woman would maybe feel jealous if her little ones would prefer her partner's hugs, but Lisbon totally agreed with Ivy - Patrick Jane's hugs were the best hugs that ever existed, he made you feel like he could shield the entire world from you, protecting you against everything you ever feared and hated. If anything, she sometimes felt jealous that she couldn't be in his arms when Ivy was. Their hugs looked so snug and comfortable.

He looked at her from over their daughter's head, and he smiled, that perfect smile that usually tickled her tear ducts, that made her fall in love with him again and again.

Jane gasped, and it got both Ivy and Lisbon's attention.

"I know the perfect thing," he stated. "Mummy will make sure there isn't any mean Mr. McBurp in your room, and when she comes back, you can be a big girl and sleep in your own bed again. Can you do that?"

Ivy hesitated, thinking over his plan, then nodded, albeit hesitantly. Lisbon smiled and got up, walking into Ivy's bedroom and pretending to check, knowing Ivy and Jane could walk in any moment, and just as she lay on the floor checking the space underneath her bed, the two entered the room.

"It's okay, Mummy," Ivy stated, her voice still somewhat small, but Lisbon could tell that she would try to sleep again. "I can do this."

"I know you can. Give me a big hug."

They tucked her in, giving her the last bit of strength she needed, and soon, they were back in their bed.

Jane always pretended like nothing had happened, like he hadn't been incredibly sweet to their little girl, even if she knew that it should be normal, everyday stuff.

He smiled at her as he pulled her close.

"I love you," he whispered. "And I love Ivy. Loving her… comes naturally. Before she was born, I'd never thought I could love her this much. I still… thought of… Charlotte, often. But… the moment she was born, the moment you gave birth to her… it was the best moment of the past countless of years, since losing them. I still can't believe that she exists, that she's here. I thought that maybe, because of me putting off telling you how I felt about you, that we would never be able to have kids… this way. But… it's a miracle. The best miracle I have ever witnessed."

"She is, isn't she?"

She remembered the four years the little girl had spent on the surface of this earth so far, the years having flown by, but still she remained Lisbon's baby, would always stay that for as long as they both lived.

"Hey, let's not be so deep and stuff this late at night." She brushed his cheek. "We might end up crying for hours."

He chuckled and nodded, taking a few breaths, his upcoming tears already forgotten.

He kissed her lips, drawing her close to his body, and even after all these years, she still fell in love with him anew from time to time. She couldn't help it. She was the luckiest human being alive to be sleeping next to Patrick Jane. The Big Bear, as Ivy sometimes called him, simply because one of Jane's favorite nicknames for her was 'little bear'. Big Bear tucking in Lisbon and Ivy, too, making sure they were well fed, well rested, well loved.

She couldn't be happier.

A/N: I'm thinking of making this a series, but I'm not sure what more I can write about. Do you have any ideas, anything you want to see? Let me know please, I enjoy writing these fluffy fics for y'all and it would be my pleasure to continue to write them for you!