Author's Note: GGGUUUUYYYYYSSSSSSS! This is the last chapter. :( That makes me so sad that it's over. I wrote this while I was snowed into my house. Literally. There was SO MUCH SNOW. Anyway. This chapter is quite happier than the last two chapters and I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer:...
The next few weeks were quite busy. Tommy and Annabeth were recruited to help James and Melody move to Sacramento, Lisbon did take partial custody of Melody and James signed Melody up for a new school. Jane also had to come clean to Millie and the rest of the hospital about pretending to be Melody's father to be able to ride in the ambulance, which they didn't take as badly as Lisbon had expected. They seemed to find it funny. One of the most dreaded items on Lisbon's list of things to was confess to the team about her and Jane. No one was surprised, much to her chagrin. At all. Van Pelt seemed relieved that it was finally admitted and then returned to her work, Cho just nodded and returned to reading his book and Rigsby gave them a thumbs up before looking back at his computer. Lisbon was not sure if their unsurprised reactions were a good thing or a bad thing. But it was done, and that's what mattered.
"All that's left is Melody's toys and some of the other stuff in her room." Tommy said as he placed another big brown box near the others that were clustered by the door.
"We can't leave all my stuffed animals." Melody said, taking Lisbon's hand and dragging her with them into her old room.
Lisbon hadn't realised the extent of Melody's stuffed animal collection. Everyone seemed to buy her stuffed animals. She felt like she had died and gone to a stuffed animal toy store heaven. And Melody had a name for all of them. Every. Single. One. "Tell me you didn't buy her all of these, James."
"Of course not." James shook his head. "Tommy and Annabeth bought a few. I think Stella bought most of them."
"Daddy, we have to say goodbye to Stella."
"We'll see if she's free." James patted Melody's back.
When the first box for Melody's room was filled, Lisbon carried it out and placed it by the door. Who knew that a bunch of stuffed animals could be so heavy?
"You got it okay?" Melody asked, approaching her. "You didn't drop it?"
"No, I managed." Lisbon smiled at her.
A knock on the door drew both of their attention.
Lisbon looked through the peephole in the door as Melody stood next to her. Lisbon took Melody's arm and pulled her gently behind her before opening the door to see their visitor. "Can I help you?" she tried not to sound so irritated with the other woman's existence.
"Hi, Teresa." The other woman smiled and greeted bubbly. "Is James around?" She had medium brown hair that was worn in loose waves and blue eyes.
"He's busy." Lisbon said plainly.
"I just need to talk to him for a second."
"Sorry, Janis. Lots to do."
Melody poked her head around from behind Lisbon's leg to look at the woman at the door.
"Hi, Melody." Janis leaned down, smiling.
Melody's face displayed her confusion and worry as she held onto Lisbon's pat leg. "Hi."
"How are you? I haven't seen you in a long time."
"Because you never want to see me." Melody reminded her.
"No, sweetie. That's not it. I'm just really busy."
"No you're not."
"I am."
"No. You just don't want me. That's what you told Daddy. Remember, Mommy? You told Daddy to give me to adoption." Melody shuffled closer to Lisbon.
"How about you go help the others." Lisbon suggested to Melody. "I'm sure they'd love your help."
"You come, too." Melody looked up at her.
"I will. I'll be there in a moment." Lisbon assured her.
"Now."
"In a minute."
"No."
Lisbon sighed heavily. "We're busy." Lisbon said to Janis. "Come back later. If you even had a good reason for coming in the first place."
"How dare you." Janis gasped. "I come to see my child and her father-"
"I doubt you just came to see them." Lisbon interrupted.
Janis crouched down. "Melody, come here." She reached out to touch Melody, but the young girl stepped back, pulling Lisbon's leg with her.
"O-kay." Lisbon got her balance after a moment and picked Melody up. "Please. Just go home, Janis. You're upsetting her."
"You're just her aunt. Let me talk to James."
"Oh, no." James moved Lisbon to the side. "What is it now?"
"I'm here to take Melody for a few days."
"Excuse me?" James was shocked. "Teresa, could you…?" He tilted his head away from the door.
"Yeah." Lisbon nodded and went over to the kitchen area, cuddling Melody.
A few minutes later James shut the door and Tommy and Annabeth appeared from Melody's room carrying boxes.
"Who was that?" Annabeth asked, setting her box next to the one her father had put down.
"No one important." James shook his head and made his way over to the kitchen area to take Melody from Lisbon.
"By 'no one important', do you mean Melody's…other parent?" Jane inquired as he strolled in.
"Oh, thanks for your help carrying everything." Annabeth rolled her eyes.
"No problem. Anytime." Jane shot her a smirk. "Am I right, though."
"Yes." Lisbon said quickly, hoping to end the subject.
"Ew. Why would she come around here?" Annabeth wrinkled her nose. "She's such a bitch."
"Annie!" Tommy scolded her.
"I'm just saying what she is."
"Lets get everything in the in the trucks." Lisbon suggested to give James and Melody some space and they all set about their task.
-Mentalist-
After Melody and James had officially settled into their new apartment, life took on its new version of normal where Melody was in the CBI offices every few days when James was at work or at the hospital and Jane was especially bored with work. Rigsby's babysitter for Benjamin had happily accepted babysitting Melody as well.
"Ahem!" Jane cleared his throat loudly as he walked into the bullpen, everyone at their desks and Lisbon talking with Van Pelt. "Everyone, if I may have your attention."
He did have their attention.
"What's this about?" Lisbon asked, folding her arms and leaning on Van Pelt's desk. The last time he had walked into the bullpen like this, it was followed by him and Melody performing The Itsby Bitsy Spider.
"Why don't you join me over here to find out." Jane gestured for her to join him.
"I'm not performing The Itsby Bitsy Spider with you." Lisbon shook her head, smiling.
"I guarantee that there are no spiders involved. Or anything else that's itsy or bitsy. Come."
Lisbon rolled her eyes and walked over to join him where he was standing in the middle of the bullpen. "Okay. Are you going to try and scare me or something?"
"Better." Jane smiled.
Oh, no. What was that supposed to mean?
"We've known each other quite a few years." Jane continued.
"Yeah…"
"Things have happened. Things have changed.
"Yeah. Okay…"
"And I really only have one question for you."
"Uh-huh…" Lisbon tried to act casual, but could feel her cheeks warming up.
"We love each other and I was wondering…"
Everyone watched Jane, waiting for him to continue as he glanced at one of the entrances to the bullpen.
"We love each other and I was wondering…" Jane repeated a bit louder. Still nothing. "And I was wondering…" He said again, just a bit louder.
"Oh!" Melody ran into the bullpen and over to them. "Teresa! Will you marry Patrick!?" Jane picked her up as she fumbled with the little red velvet box, forgetting which side it opened on. Finally, she got it and held the open box towards her aunt, smiling.
Lisbon was speechless for a moment, unable to keep the smile and blush off her face. "Yes." She managed after a moment.
"Yay!" Melody cheered as Jane put her down and took the ring out of the box.
Lisbon let Jane put the ring on her finger before they hugged each other tightly and kissed.
There were cheers and woof-woof whistles throughout the bullpen.
"Ew." Melody giggled, closing her eyes and then placing her hands over them.
"Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present." - John Rohn
THE END
Author's Note: And that's the end of this fanfic. I am planning on a sequel, so keep your eyes out for it. I have enjoyed writing this fanfiction a lot and I thank you all for your continued support and encouragement to keep writing. It's so bittersweet to finally have finished it because I'm proud of myself for doing so and sad it's over. I'm usually so bad at being able to finish stories, but I managed to finish this. Please leave a review and let me know what you think to the ending. It was the best way I could think to end it. See you all later! I LOVE YOU GUYS!