Authors Note: SO I was almost asleep when I realized that it's been ages since I posted the last chapter and I still needed to get the epilogue up for this little gem of mine. Oops. I totally spaced it in amongst real life and all that. But, school is going decent,I'm technically NOT failing any classes, but it's still a bit iffy. Anyone know any thing about cognition that they'd like to share? Yeah, that's what I thought. Anyway, thanks to everyone who read this little story of mine, and thanks to every one who reviewed. Sorry I took so long at it.

Epilogue

The sun was shining, and the waves were crashing on the beach as Jane watched three young children playing in the sand. It had been a week since Don had tried to become the next Red John. And yet, it seemed like a million years had passed. He'd been spending time with Lisbon and Janie since then. He hadn't left, as he'd promised.

He hadn't realized how closely behind him Cho had been when he'd left the hospital, and by the time Sammy had made it outside with the children and called Van Pelt and Cho, they were already almost to the house. Had Jane waited just sixty seconds before going into Lisbon's room, they would have been there. He wouldn't have had to kill a man. But he had. And he'd do it again.

"Stop thinking so hard; you're hurting my brain just looking at you." Jane jumped, startled that Lisbon had come up beside him without him hearing.

"I'm not thinking hard, just thinking." He turned to smile at her before returning his gaze to the group playing in the sand.

"I'm not moving."

"I didn't ask you too. But really? I killed a man in your bedroom."

"I can change the carpet."

"The view is amazing."

"And Janie doesn't even know what happened."

"Does she miss Don?"

"No, she never really liked him. She was nice to him – she's nice to everyone – but she never really liked him. Not like she likes you."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here from the beginning."

"It's okay. What matters is that you're here now." They stood in silence for a few minutes before she spoke again. "What did it feel like?"

"What?"

"You've been living for revenge for so long. What was it like when you first met him?"

"He was such a sad, pathetic man. Nothing like I'd imagined. There was just something about seeing him sick and dying in that hospital bed that made me realize that it wasn't important any more. Look what almost happened because of my quest!"

"But it's over now. It's not going to happen again."

"No, it's not." Jane reached out and grasped her left hand, fingering the ring that he'd placed there just that morning. They weren't going to rush in, but Jane wanted to prove to her that he meant what he said. He wasn't going to leave her again; he wasn't going to let her leave. He was going to be with her, forever.

scarlet shore