Here it is, finally! I apologize for the wait, I really do! I'm reading the Cather in the Rye right now and he always says things like 'I meant it. I really did.' So I guess that it may be rubbing off on me a bit :p Anyway, sorry again for the long wait! But here it is, the final chapter, dun dun dun. Thank you so much to every one who reviewed:

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Okay, I'm sure you've had enough of my rambling, on with the story!

Scarlet Fever

Lisbon was in her living room, on her couch staring at the television blankly. She was alone on a Friday night; she thought that having a boyfriend would remedy this pathetic tradition of hers, but no. Jane needed the day to be alone, to accept that the mad man who had been torturing him these past eight years was dead and gone. She knew that he needed to do this alone and she respected that, so she stared blankly at the television set without spite or anger.

Jane had gone to his house to gather his boxes that held all his memories of his family in them. He didn't know what he was going to do with them all he knew was that he wanted them close on this day. He didn't want them in the house in which Red John had killed his wife and daughter, so he put them in his car and drove. He drove past the park where his daughter used to play, he drove to his wife's favourite tea shop, and he drove past the place where he'd first met his wife. He drove to the church where his wife and he were married in holy matrimony, he drove past the hospital where his daughter had been brought into the world, and he finished at the cemetery where they were buried. He spent the whole day allowing himself to remember the amazing memories instead of the tragic ones. He knew that in doing so, he was healing.

There was a knock at Lisbon's door. Who could be at her door at this ungodly hour? She knew that most of the city would be sleeping, herself included. But her bed was lonely without the comfort that was Jane and she couldn't sleep. She grudgingly got up and opened the door to confront whoever was the source of the knocking and was faced with none other than Patrick Jane.

"I thought you were going to be gone today." Lisbon said quietly. She hadn't expected him here today and she was caught off guard.

"I was gone." Jane said. He stepped through the doorway and into Lisbon's living room. "And now I'm here."

"Are you okay? I understand if you don't want to be…with me, after what's happened. I mean, you probably need some more time, and if your feelings have changed, then that's fine too. I mean, I can handle it…" Lisbon rambled nervously.

"Teresa." Jane said. She looked up at him, braced for rejection, her eyes betraying her fear. "I love you. Nothing is going to change that. I took today to remember my family, before they died. It was cathartic and it was exactly what I needed. I know I'm not completely over what happened, but I know that they would want me to move on and that's what I'm doing, what I'm trying to do with you. It won't be easy, it won't be instantaneous, but I'm willing to travel this road as long as you're beside me. "

Teresa had tears in her eyes, but they were not ones of sadness, or grief, they were tears of joy, of new promises, of love. She wrapped her arms around his neck and touched her lips to his. She mapped out his face with her hands, traveling over the smooth planes of his cheeks, forehead, and neck. She poured her love and commitment into him by way of their lips. All of her emotions flooding from her to him now that the dam was broken. She caressed his lips again and again, never wanting this to end, never wanting to let him go. When the need for oxygen became too great, she reluctantly pulled away. She didn't get very far, leaning her forehead against his.

"I'll be right beside you." Lisbon whispered against his lips.

"Next time, will you come with me?" Jane whispered tentatively.

"Of course." Lisbon said. She pushed her lips to his for a reunion. She pulled him impossibly closer, not getting enough of him. She felt his passion and found herself addicted to it. She needed her fix of him and she needed it now.

Lisbon pulled away, backing up and leaving a slightly dazed Jane in her wake. He opened his eyes to see her walking backwards towards the stairs with a wicked smile upon her gorgeous face. He quickly gathered his wits and chased after her, sporting a playful smile of his own. He loved that they were able to transition from serious to playful so easily.

Lisbon turned to run up the stairs and got about halfway up to her room before Jane's hands encircled her waist and turned her around to enrapture her in kisses. She lost herself in his passionate embrace. She finally managed to pull away and take his and in hers, pulling him as she walked backwards to her room. She got to her doorway before Jane had his hands all over her, pushing himself against her and her into the doorframe. He desperately undid the buttons on her blouse, needing to feel his skin against hers. She was defter in ridding him of his shirt than he was with hers. He finally managed to rip her shirt from her, giving up on the buttons and he caressed every curve of her torso, extricating a loud moan from Lisbon's throat.

She'd had enough of their foreplay, wanting to go straight for the touchdown. She pulled him into her bedroom forcefully, vehemently. She needed him and she needed him now, she was not a patient woman at the best of times and he had her body humming of anticipation, a fire burning within. She adored him and desperately wanted to show him this much, she appreciated all he'd done for her over the year, all culminating in this. She would show him that he was the most important thing in her life and there wasn't anything but him that could push her away, and he was erotically pushing himself against her.

She shut the door, locking out their doubts, their fears, and their past. All that mattered was them in that moment, nothing and no one else.

xxxx

Lisbon lay in Jane's arms, completely sated after hours of lovemaking. She'd always been sceptical of love and of the term 'lovemaking' but she found that in their situation, nothing else applied. She loved him dearly and he requited her love.

"I'd like to tell you what I did today, if that's alright with you." Jane said, breaking the silence.

"Of course, you can tell me anything." Lisbon said, pressing a kiss to his collarbone.

"I went to all the places that held the good memories of my family. I went to the place where I first met my wife, it was a gorgeous day and she was sitting in the park, just staring at the clouds. I was bold, but she didn't mind." Jane chuckled. He told her about all the memories of his family with only the slightest nostalgia because he knew that he had a family in Teresa Lisbon. She was listening with utmost attentiveness despite that late hour; it was so late it was almost early. She knew that she wasn't competing with his late wife and she loved that he trusted her with this information.

"I had one last stop to make before coming here." Jane whispered after he'd finished telling her of all the places he'd been and the memories they held. He shifted their position so that he could look into her eyes. He pulled out a box from out of nowhere; Lisbon's eyes went wide when she recognized what it was.

"Teresa, I love you and by some miracle, you love me too. Despite all my past mistakes and future ones, you love me. You think that I can read you like a book, but that's never been true. In fact, it's you that crept past all my barriers and walls and it's you that knows me better than anyone ever could. We both have troubled pasts, and this won't by any means be easy, but will you, Teresa Lisbon, work towards a makeshift happy ending with me? Will you be mine and accept me as yours, will you marry me?" Jane asked, presenting her with an intricate, yet modest ring.

Tears invaded Lisbon's vision, clouding her view. She'd never thought that Patrick Jane would propose to her. Yes, she'd dreamt of it but this was different. This was real, not just a dream. She felt all the emotions within bubbling to the surface and a tear leaked out and slid down her cheek. At this, she saw Jane tense, so it was true that he couldn't read her like a book. She paused for a minute, she could she that Jane wasn't sure what she'd say and was bracing himself for rejection just as she'd done mere hours ago. She decided to put him out of his misery.

"Do you even have to ask? Patrick, you are my life now and I would love nothing more than to be yours. Yes, I will marry you." Lisbon said with a brilliant smile on her face that she reserved just for Jane, she allowed him to slip the ring on her finger before ravishing him in kisses. She thought to herself about how she'd never thought she'd be here.

This was everything she would have asked for if she'd known what she really wanted.

That's all folks! Thank you so much for reading my story, it was so much fun to write! This is my first story, as I've already mentioned, and I think that it was a success. Again, thank you so much for your support and everything :D I hope you enjoyed it. Since this is the end, how about you let me know your thoughts? :D *hugs and kisses all around*