Disclaimer: Nope.

Summary: From the same universe as "The Jester and The Princess", but it's not necessary to read that before this. Talia Jane gets a brand-new fairy tale for her 8th birthday. Jisbon family.

A/N: I have been (at least temporarily) cured of my writer's block by that delightful finale. What else could explain another one-shot written and posted so soon after my last one? Well, there is one other thing: my friend Schroll91's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR!

The fairy tale Jane tells in here could be considered a version of "Kate Crackernuts", or any number of others where the ultimate rescuer is female.

Tessa, Who Knew No Fear

"Come on, Daddy, I KNOW you have one!" Talia Jane cried in frustration.

Patrick Jane smiled at his daughter's impatience. Every year, she developed more of a personality of her own, but it still tickled him how much there was of Lisbon and himself in her. He carefully rearranged his face into a look of complete innocence. "I'm sorry, Tali, but you got all your birthday presents at your party. There's nothing else to give you."

"Don't tease, Daddy," she said, "Every year you make up a new story for my birthday. You've just got to have a new one; I'm 8 today!"

"Oh," Jane said, feigning confusion, "That's what you meant. I thought you meant you wanted more furniture for the dollhouse or another fairytale collection."

"No," Tali continued, "Those are nice, but my new story is what I've been waiting for."

"Oh sweetie," Jane said, nearly overwhelmed by affection. He collected himself quickly, however, and began to speak seriously again. "Well, it's a bedtime story, so you'd better get ready for bed."

He chuckled as Tali dashed out of her room to brush her teeth and put her nightgown on. In only a few moments she was back, jumping into the bed and looking at him expectantly. "Wow," he said. "If only you always moved that fast at bedtime. Mommy said you dragged it out for 20 minutes last Monday."

Tali shrugged and said nothing; already she had learned it was best not to argue about anything her mother had said.

Jane settled into the rocking chair, newly even more comfortable with a back cushion, and breathed in deeply. "Should we call Mommy in to hear, too?"

"Mmhmm," Tali hummed with a nod. "She never misses the new ones."

"Teresa!" Jane called.

In a moment, Lisbon was standing in the doorway. "Time for the newest birthday story, Patrick?" she asked as she walked in and sat heavily in the armchair beside the bed, another new addition to Tali's room. Lisbon's right hand moved to rest on her swollen belly; their second child's conception may have come as a surprise to both of them, but his arrival was already greatly anticipated.

"All right, everyone ready?" he asked, pretending to stall.

"Yes, Patrick, get on with it," Lisbon said with a smile.

Tali scooted down under her covers. "Yes, Daddy! Go on, please."

Jane grinned. "Well, since you said 'please', okay. This year's story is called Tessa, Who Knew No Fear."

"Good title," said Tali with a nod. "I like it already."

"Glad you approve," Jane replied with a wink, and began.

###

Once upon a time, a long way from here and a long when from now, there was a beautiful young woman named Tessa. She was good-hearted and quick-witted, but she wasn't very fortunate in her life. Her parents had both died when she was young, so from an early age she had to work hard and fix her own problems. It wasn't easy, but it made her strong, inside and out. She feared no misfortune, no person, and no fate.

She went into service, and spent long hours helping to take care of the needs of a large household. In exchange for her efforts, she was given food and clothes, and the use of a small cottage at the edge of the woods.

Tessa never complained about her circumstances; she did not mind working hard and liked helping people. She was never cold or hungry, so she considered herself luckier than many. It made her very easy to love, which most people did. There were some, however, who did not.

The highest-ranking servants of the great house, the butler, the valet and the lady-in-waiting, were unkind, jealous people. They resented Tessa for her beauty and popularity with the noble family, and plotted to cause her great trouble.

"What shall we do?" asked the lady-in-waiting. "Every day it seems more likely that I will be sent packing, and Tessa put in my place."

"I am sick of hearing of her cleverness from our master," agreed the valet. "He seems prepared to start going to her for advice on matters of the estate, instead of me! How can we ever be rid of her?"

"Easily," said the butler. "We shall set her with three impossible tasks, and when she fails at them she'll be dismissed."

The three of them smiled wickedly at the butler's plan. They did not care that dismissal could mean poverty or death for Tessa. They were too callous to think of anything but their own interests.

Tessa, of course, knew nothing of the plot, until the day it came to pass.

###

"Daddy, is this story going to have a happy ending?" Tali asked suddenly.

Jane looked at her, and saw worry clouding her face. "Baby, do any of my stories end sadly?"

She thought for a moment. "No… they usually start out bad, but it always turns out all right in the end."

He smiled. "Then I don't think you have anything to worry about. I have a feeling this one will go the same way."

###

One morning in May, Tessa was working in the garden. She was helping the high gardener lay out the summer vegetable seeds. This was not one of her usual tasks, but Tessa would often help anyone who needed it. Any work that needed doing was fair game in her mind.

She stood to stretch her back, and saw the valet coming towards her. In his hands there was a large sack, which he thrust at Tessa.

"What is this?" Tessa asked.

"In this sack is a mixture of sand, earth and seeds. It would normally be cast into the ground as it is, but the proportions are all wrong. You must separate out each component completely from the others by nightfall. You may go back to your own cottage to do it, but you must return with it complete," the valet said sharply. "Otherwise, do not return at all."

"If it must be done, I will do it. I am not afraid," said Tessa, and it was true. Even the apparent impossibility of the task did not frighten her, though she wondered in her heart how it could be done.

Hoisting the sack over her shoulder, Tessa dutifully carried it back to her own cottage. She laid a clean white sheet out on the lawn, and poured the sack's contents onto it. Painstakingly in the morning light she began to sort it, grain by grain.

The noon hour came and went, and Tessa had only three small piles sorted. The amount still left to be done seemed overwhelming. Tessa never cried, never feared, but she did shake her head in resignation. "No matter that I can't do it, since it is impossible. But must I lose my home and position because of it?"

"You shall lose nothing at all," said an unfamiliar voice. Tessa looked up, and coming from the woods was a handsome man she'd never seen before. He reminded her vaguely of someone she knew, but she could not place him.

"Can I help you, sir?" she asked him politely, figuring that was the safest question.

"No, Tessa," he replied, "But I can help you. This task is not as hopeless as it seems, and I shall show you why."

Tessa watched as the man walked to the pile of unsorted material. She looked on in amazement as he took handful after handful and spun them rapidly in a bowl he drew from his cloak. When he was done, each item had separated by its different weight. In less than 2 further hours, and long before the end of the day, the task was done.

"Thank you, my lord," Tessa said. "I don't know how I could ever repay you."

"I am not your 'lord', Tessa, but you can call me Paddy if you like. And as for repaying me, nothing could be simpler. Grant me the pleasure of your company until the sun sets, and we shall call it even."

"Gladly," Tessa readily agreed. "Though that hardly seems enough."

"Trust me," Paddy said. "I have done much more, for much less."

They sat in the shade and spoke quietly for hours. Tessa was surprised at how much they had in common, though their clothes were of such different make and their pasts so very dissimilar. Paddy talked of a childhood in a great hall, a brother he'd loved and lost, and a bad decision that had let him to his current situation. But exactly what that decision had been, and what his situation was now, he refused to say.

"But if you have troubles, maybe I can ease them," Tessa argued. "How will you know if you do not try to confide in me?"

"Perhaps tomorrow, if you will see me again?" Paddy asked, side-stepping her questioning once more.

"If you will come, of course I will be happy to speak to you again." Tessa said immediately.

Paddy then looked at the sky. "It's getting late. The sun is nearly down, so I must leave you now. Good luck, Tessa; I fear your tasks will grow more difficult before they become easier." He clasped her hand once, and then hurried towards the line of trees. Before she could even focus on the grey material of his hood, he was gone.

###

"Ooh," said Tali. "This is good so far. Was he right, Daddy? Did the tasks get harder?"

"Why don't I continue, and you'll find out?" Jane replied.

###

"She cannot have done it!" exclaimed the valet, after Tessa had presented him with three separated sacks. "It was Impossible!"

"Yet here is the evidence," said the lady-in-waiting. "The entire sack, sorted out to the last grain. Your task was too easy. I plan to set her a far more difficult one."

"You had better," said the butler. "I don't want everything to depend on me."

Tessa was sitting in the kitchen one week later, mending some aprons when the lady-in-waiting swept in. "Tessa, come here," she said.

"Yes, ma'am?" Tessa said politely, though she had never liked the lady-in-waiting and her icy, superior manner.

"There is another task you must complete, and again it must be done before sunset."

"Another?" Tessa asked. "Who is setting these tasks? The master of the house?"

"Never you mind," said the lady-in-waiting sharply. "Now, you must make an object of neither gold nor silver yet of both. It must be small enough to fit in a pocket, yet large enough and strong enough to protect a human being from harm. You must conceive it and make it all in a single day."

"If it must be done, I will do it. I am not afraid," said Tessa, and setting her mending aside, took her leave.

She walked back to her own cottage, and began to pace in her yard. "First thing's first. What is neither gold, nor silver, and yet both?"

"Electrum," said a voice from behind her. Tessa turned, and there was Paddy once more, walking towards her from the trees. "Hello, Tessa," he said kindly.

"Hello, Paddy. Have you come to help me again?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes," he said. "But we don't have much time. Tell me the conditions of the second task."

Tessa dutifully repeated what the lady-in-waiting had said, and watched as a slow grin spread over Paddy's face. "Is that all? I can create just such an object, with your help. Build me a fire, hot as you can. It will need to be hot enough to cast soft metal."

Paddy dug a small hole, and revealed a fair-sized nugget of electrum. Tessa didn't believe for a moment that it had truly come from the earth in her yard; she suspected he'd brought it with him, and had produced it with slight of hand. But she dutifully built the fire he'd requested.

She watched as he melted the metal, and poured it into a delicate mold. Before sunset, it had cooled, and he opened it to show her what he had created.

"Miraculous!" Tessa cried. For in the palm of her hand lay the solution to the riddle: an electrum thimble. "You are so very clever, Paddy," she praised.

"Not so clever as all that, Tessa," he said. "But I am glad I could help you."

"What will you take as payment?" she asked.

"The same as before: merely a few hours of your company," he quickly replied.

"Of course," Tessa said with a laugh.

They talked and talked. Tessa began to feel as though no one had ever known her as closely as Paddy; she told him things she'd never spoken aloud to anyone.

But as for his part, while he was free with his words on many subjects, there were still several things upon which he remained mute.

"Will you still not tell me your troubles, friend?" Tessa asked. "Don't you believe you can trust me?"

"I do trust you, Tessa, more than you know. But I do not wish to burden you with sorrows not your own. Let's talk about something more cheerful before I leave you once again."

Tessa reluctantly agreed, but forgot her cares quickly as the conversation turned lighter. She barely noticed the last hour slip by, until Paddy rose to leave.

"Must you go so soon?" she asked him, placing her hand on his. "Why not stay, and share my supper?"

"I wish I could, but I have to leave you. Take care, brave Tessa; I have the feeling that the last task will be the most difficult of all." He raised her hand to his lips, and kissed it softly. Then he all but ran into the woods, disappearing before her eyes.

###

"Why does he keep running off?" said Tali in frustration. "And why won't he tell her his secret?"

"Maybe he wants to protect her from something," Jane replied. His eyes flicked briefly over to Lisbon, who raised an eyebrow. There was still so much that Tali didn't know.

"He should at least give her the choice, right, Mommy?" Tali asked then, turning to her mother for support.

Lisbon smiled. "I'm not sure why, but I have a feeling he will. Let Daddy continue with the rest of the story, honey."

###

The butler turned an impressive shade of purple when the lady-in-waiting showed him the electrum thimble. "Neither gold nor silver yet both, small enough to fit in a pocket, yet large and strong enough to protect a human being from harm. Tessa has done it, and you have fared as poorly as the valet!" he shouted angrily.

"It wasn't my fault!" the lady-in-waiting cried. "She must have someone aiding her in these tasks; we should have specified at the beginning that she must do them by herself."

"No matter," said the butler, finally calming down. "This last task is not to be beat. I will give her nearly an entire month to complete it, and still she will fail. Tessa will be gone by the next full moon, friends; you can count on that." He smiled wickedly, and went to set Tessa her final problem.

Tessa was helping the herders to guide the estate's herd of sheep back to their pen when the butler approached. "Come here at once, Tessa," he said imperiously.

"Please give me a moment, sir," she requested. "I must keep this side of the herd in line."

"Forget those stupid animals and do as I say, girl!" the butler ordered, and she had no choice but to obey him.

"Yes, sir. What can I do to help you?"

"Do you know of the master's brother?" the butler asked slyly.

Tessa was confused. "The master has no brother, sir. Would I not have seen him in the great house, or come to call from his own home in my years here?"

The butler shook his head. "You have not been all that long, Tessa. Nine years ago, before the master was married, his younger brother rode out one full-moon night and never returned. From that day to this, no one has seen him nor heard any news of him."

"That's terrible," said Tessa, truly feeling sorry for the nobleman. "How awful to lose your only family."

"Indeed," agreed the butler. "Your third task is to find him and bring him home."

"The brother?" she said. "How can I, if he has disappeared? What if he has died?"

"Well, if he has died you must find proof of that fact. This task is harder than the others, so you may have more time to finish it. You have until the morning after the next full moon. But you must not be late, or you'll lose your place here forever."

"I still don't understand. I don't even know where to begin," said Tessa.

"That is for you to figure out, not I. You have a few weeks. Use them well," advised the butler, and then he left.

Tessa barely noticed the errant escaped sheep as she wandered back to her cottage to think. She sat down on the front step and rested her chin on her hands. She began to think so deeply, that it wasn't until a gentle hand was placed on her shoulder that she realized she was no longer alone.

"Tessa?" Paddy asked, looking down at her. "What's wrong?"

"This last task is different, Paddy," she said unhappily. "I'm not quite sure even how to start."

"That's easy, at least. Start by telling me what it is." He moved to sit on the step beside her, and gently took her hand. "You must know by now that I will face any obstacle with you."

Tessa smiled. "It's the butler's request; I might have known he'd be the most difficult, the sour old dragon. I'm to find and bring back the master's younger brother, missing for nine long years."

Paddy was so silent that she turned to look at him. She nearly gasped at the stricken look on his face. "Paddy, what's the matter?"

"Oh, Tessa, you have lost," Paddy answered, in a voice steeped in sorrow. "For this last task they have set you truly cannot be done."

She was startled at how quick he was to give up. He'd always been so hopeful in the past. "Well, I don't know. Perhaps it is not so bad," she ventured. "I have almost a whole month to find him. The biggest problem to begin on is that I don't actually know where he went."

Paddy closed his eyes. "I do."

"You do? That's wonderful! Then you can help me one more time," she began, but trailed off as she watched him shaking his head. Concern edged her voice when she continued, "How do you know what happened to him, anyway?"

He sighed deeply. "I know, because I am he. The lost brother of your noble lord. Nine years gone from my home and family, and I cannot return even to help a friend with her very last task. Even to keep her from being cast out of her home, much to my grief."

"You?" she asked doubtfully, but found she was not as surprised as she might be. The nobleman and Paddy shared some features, and their bearing and manner was very similar. The more she thought about it, the less hard to believe it became. "Why did you never tell me?"

"It didn't matter. Old mistakes that are impossible to correct should be left behind. I must pay for my bad choices, but you shouldn't have to… although it seems you will, in spite of all my efforts to shield you. I'm sorry. Forgive me."

"Enough secrets. Enough hints and riddles and references without substance," Tessa said, losing her patience with Paddy for the first time. "Tell me what really happened nine years ago. Right now."

He leaned imperceptibly closer, and when he spoke again it was no louder than a whisper. "One full-moon night, I took my favorite horse and rode off alone into the woods. I chanced upon a rich and beautiful party feasting in a clearing, and I went and sat with them."

Tessa frowned. "The Fair Folk? Didn't you know any better?"

"I did know better, Tessa, or at least I thought I did. I did not give my true name. I did not eat or drink. I thought I was safe."

"Fool."

He nodded. "Yes. I have no excuse; my head was not muddled by wine or fine food. I was bewitched by smooth-tongued flattery. So I agreed to play one of their card games. I gambled badly, and lost badly, to the King of the Dark Elves."

###

"Uh oh," said Tali. "I guess now we find out why he always runs off into the trees, huh."

"Shh," said Jane, but smiled as he did.

###

Paddy continued. "In payment of a debt that I could settle in no other way, I agreed to give the dark king half of my life. From sunrise to sunset, I am myself, free to do and think as I please. But from sunset to sunrise… I must return to the king and take my place in his court. I am in his power there, with no true will of my own. And so it will be until the end of my life."

Tessa remained silent, but her mind spun with the secrets Paddy had finally revealed. "So," she said, when it was clear he had finished, "You are the person I seek, sitting next to me on my own stoop, yet you will not help me?"

"I cannot help you, Tessa, for I cannot help myself." The sadness in his voice nearly overwhelmed her.

"And there is nothing I can do, either?" she pressed.

"I'm afraid not. I'm so sorry, Tessa," he repeated, and took the hand of hers that he still held and kissed it gently.

"I need not leave tomorrow. I have a while yet," Tessa said. "So let us keep meeting each day. If there is truly nothing to be done, at least I can enjoy the company of my friend for a while longer."

Paddy smiled again at last. "Yes. There is always that."

In the days that followed, Tessa continued her duties in the household. But she often delayed them until nightfall, so she could spend as much time with Paddy as possible. As time passed, she realized she was falling in love with him, and wondered if he felt the same. He was still as kind and caring as ever, treating her with deep affection, but did that equal love? She wasn't sure.

The night of the full moon drew nearer and nearer. Finally, it was the afternoon before, and Tessa and Paddy sat and talked quietly. Side by side, they sat on her stoop, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I should tell you, Tessa, that even if you were going to remain here past tomorrow, we still would not be together," he said.

"Why not?" she asked.

"The dark king plans to move his court tonight. While I am under his spell, the elves will mount their horses and ride away into the darkness. So even if you were not being cast out, we would still never see each other again."

Tessa grew impatient with him. "Could you not stay if you wished? Would you have to go anyway?"

"If he commanded it, and he would. He has already, last night, and I must obey. I must leave you in any event."

His helplessness, which to this point had simply made her sad, began to anger her. "Why don't you defy him? How can you sit here with me and say you'd leave regardless? Don't you care for me at all?"

Paddy turned to look her in the eye. His right hand lifted and touched her face. "No, Tessa, I do not care for you. I breathe for you. I wake each day and face my fate again for you. You are the dearest person to me in the sunlit world."

Tessa couldn't resist wrapping her arms around him. "Then I will not give up on you so easily, Paddy. And I certainly won't let you throw yourself away."

Paddy drew her close, and nuzzled her soft dark hair gently. Then "Perhaps there is one chance," he whispered softly into her ear.

"Tell me," she murmured, not daring to speak any louder than he. Who knew what ears might be listening?

"It is old magic, simple and powerful. Only you can do it… but do you dare, Tessa?" he continued softly. "Are you prepared to risk losing your life?"

"Why should I not?" she replied. "I've already lost my heart." And her eyes fluttered closed as he kissed her in response.

"Very well," he said after a long moment. "Tonight, once the moon rises, you must put on your cape of green and come into the wood. Stay on the path until you reach a grove of almond trees. There you must hide and wait. At midnight, the king and his court will ride through the grove. Let the first rider in the robe of red go past; that will be his majesty. Let the second rider, the one in black, pass also; that is his lady behind him. But the third rider, in a cloak of grey, will be me."

"What do I do when I see you?"

Paddy continued urgently. "Run quickly then, Tessa, and pull me from my horse. Hold me tight, no matter what. I can do nothing to help you. I will be in his sway, and I will not know you. I will struggle in your grasp, and his Highness will turn me into all manner of horrible things to try and make you let go. If you do let go, we will both be lost. But just you hold me tight, until I am myself again, and I will be free forever."

"If it must be done, I will do it. I am not afraid," said Tessa, and watched a gentle smile cross Paddy's face.

"I believe you. I must go now, but I will see you tonight," said Paddy. He stood, and drew her up with him. "I will not blame you if you fail… and I will always be grateful that you tried."

Tessa kissed him again, softly. "I will not fail. I'll hold you tight, and set you free. I swear it."

###

"My goodness, it's getting late," said Jane, looking at the wall clock. "Do you think I should continue? Or save the last bit for tomorrow morning?"

"Are you kidding?" said Lisbon, before Tali even had the chance to protest. "Like either of us would be able to sleep until we found out what happens!"

"Yeah!" Tali agreed. "Go on, Daddy. Let's hear the rest."

Jane smiled. "Well, if you're sure…"

###

That night, Tessa crept from her cottage and into the woods. The grove of almond trees was easy to find, but there was precious little cover. There was a rough moment when she worried that the plan could not possibly succeed, since she couldn't even find a place to hide. But as the full moon began to climb, a patch of shadow formed that she could curl up in unnoticed. Tessa did so, and waited.

Minutes passed, until she began to hear the tinkling sound of bells. –The Fair Folk, and the silver bells on their horses' bridles,- she thought. –So they are coming this way, after all.-

She watched as the first rider, obviously the leader of the company in his rich red robe, passed by. The lady in black she saw also, lovely and youthful, but with cold cruel eyes and an unpleasant smile. Tessa held her breath, and waited, until she saw the rider in grey.

Before she could think and hinder herself, she darted from the shadows to the side of his horse. Grabbing two handfuls of his cloak, Tessa pulled with all her strength until he toppled from his saddle. She heard his cry of pain, the gasp of surprise from the lady in black, and the roar of anger from the dark king.

Tessa pulled Paddy close, but his eyes held no recognition in them. He struggled and fought her hold on him, crying out unintelligible things. –It's alright, Paddy,- she thought as her grip tightened. –I know you are under his spell, but you do know me, and I mean you no harm.-

The dark king turned his horse, and waved his right hand. Teresa looked on in shock as the man in her arms changed into a giant worm, boneless and slippery. It felt so awful that she shuddered violently, but her hold never slackened.

The king changed Paddy again and again. Once he was a pillar of ice, freezing Tessa to her bones. Then he changed to a burning length of iron, and the flesh of her arms seemed to sear away. Tessa shut her eyes against the pain. But she didn't fear, didn't let go, not even for a moment. –I'll set you free if it kills me,- she promised. -I won't let you fall into darkness forever.-

Again and again he transformed, each form more outrageous than the last. Until at last there was a single clap of thunder, and Tessa opened her eyes to behold her own Paddy in her arms again. He was naked as a baby, and weeping softly as though he'd been reborn into the human world. Tessa removed her cape and wrapped it around him, shielding him as best as she could from the chill night air.

Then the dark king dismounted. He glared at Tessa briefly, and then he spoke. "I might have known you'd be trouble, Tessa-who-knows-no-fear." His eyes burned like coals, and his anger was obvious. "You have stolen back what I have taken."

"Yes, your Highness." Tessa answered.

"And here I was beginning to think that at last he'd resigned himself to his fate after nine long years. Had I known of this treacherous plot, Tessa, I would have cut out his heart of flesh and put in one of stone," he said cruelly. "Had I but known."

"Yes, your Highness." Tessa repeated. She spoke with careful respect, and no more words than necessary.

"Still," the king continued, "It is an ancient spell you have cast, and even I would not stand against it. Paddy is returned to your world; his life, his whole life, is his own again."

"Thank you, your Highness," Tessa said, keeping Paddy clasped tightly to her.

At that, the king's eyes blazed once more. "Oh no, no, Tessa, do not thank me, for now we are enemies. This was a dangerous trick to play with our world, and even in winning there is always some loss."

"You would go back on your word?" she asked him.

"Never. I have said what is, and it is so." The dark king glanced over at his lady, and then back at the long line of riders trailing off into the dark of the woods. "We will ride away into the night, and we will not come this way again. Paddy will remain here, as will you."

The king climbed back onto his horse, and cast a last unfriendly look at her. "But you will not be welcome in this forest after tonight. You will be known forever as no friend to our kind. And should our paths ever cross again… I will show no mercy, to either of you."

Tessa held her head high. "I will not expect any, your Highness."

"Then fare you well," the king said, and clicked to his horse. He turned quickly and rode away, with the silent and vast dark company following behind him. And though their numbers seemed countless, passing by her endlessly, Tessa saw that all had vanished long before dawn.

The first rays of the sun woke them both. Tessa stood, and pulled Paddy up to her. And together, they walked out of the forest and back into the human world once again.

###

"Wow. So, did Tessa win?" Tali asked.

"Yes, sweetie," Jane said. "She brought Paddy back to the great house, and the nobleman was overjoyed to see his long-lost brother. The wicked servants who had put Tessa through all of that hardship were sent away forever, and everyone was happy again."

"Did Tessa and Paddy get married?" Tali said with a giggle.

Jane chuckled. "Yes, and they lived happily ever after, too. The way all stories should end. Happy birthday."

"Yay!" Tali squealed, clapping her hands. "I loved it!"

"Oh good. I worked hard on that one, you know. I'm so happy you liked it." Jane said, grinning. "And now it's time for you to go to sleep."

He walked over and bent down to kiss Tali's forehead. "Goodnight, baby," he said, but before he could straighten up he felt her hand slip into his.

"Daddy?" she said softly, and her voice was different from even just a moment before.

"Yes, Tali?" he said.

"Is the story real?" she asked.

Jane's eyes met Lisbon's again, and he saw her shake her head ever so slightly. "It's just a fairy tale, honey. Fairy tales aren't real."

"But Tessa and Paddy… they sound like Mommy and you. They are you, aren't they? So is the story true, Daddy? Did something bad happen that hurt you and stole you away? Did Mommy have to rescue you?"

"Patrick," Lisbon said, and her tone was full of warning.

"It's all right, dear," he said. But he sighed as he sat down on the bed next to his little girl. "Talia, there are things about the world that you don't know yet. Not because you don't deserve to know them, but because you deserve to not know them for a while longer. There are things you'll find out as you grow up, and that's the way it's supposed to be."

"But, Daddy, if something bad happened-" Tali began, but Jane shushed her.

"Baby, when you're older… we'll tell you about some of the things that happened in our lives before you were born. Some of them will be scary, and some of them will be sad. But Mommy and I will be right there with you, and I promise that we will do our best to help you understand."

"But what can you tell me now?" she insisted.

Then Jane smiled once again. "I can tell you that there were times when I was lost. There were times when I was hurt. There were even some times when I couldn't help myself," he said, and looked over to see that Lisbon's eyes had filled with tears. "But Mommy always found me. She always helped me. So in that way… yes, sweetheart, the story is true."

Then Jane scooped Talia out from under the covers and hugged her tight. Lisbon struggled out the armchair and sat down on the bed next to them, and Jane put an arm around her as well. And instead of putting out the light and leaving, they stayed cuddled up until Tali fell asleep between them. Only then did they make their way to their own room.

"Eight is still a little young, I think," Jane said, climbing into their bed. "But she's so bright, Teresa. She's going to figure things out on her own soon if we don't tell her."

"Yes, I know. And we'll have to perform one of those unhappy duties of parenthood," Lisbon sighed as she settled in beside him. "Removing a part of your child's innocence in protection of their life. I admit I'm not looking forward to it."

"Neither am I," Jane agreed. "But at least we can give her something to be hopeful about as well."

"Oh yeah, and what is that?"

Jane grinned. "That in our case, in spite of everything, the happy ending was true, too."

And Lisbon laughed as he kissed her.

The End