AN: And we've made it to the end! You guys have been absolutely amazing, and I'm just floored by the responses I've gotten. I'm making fangirl eyes at all of you.

Not sure when I'll be back...at the moment, I'm feeling sort of uninspired. However, if you want to hear me occasionally ramble, I'm on Tumblr as starry19. Fair warning: a lot of the time I just reblog pictures of Simon Baker, though I did make a Mentalist drinking game once. Ahem.

Starlight and Silent Nights

Epilogue

"You know this is ridiculous and totally unnecessary, yes?" Lisbon verified, taking the flute of champagne he handed her.

"Not at all," he told her, sipping his own glass. "It's our first official New Year's Eve together, and if I want to do something special, I think I have a right to."

She rolled her eyes, but he saw her hiding her smile.

They were on a yacht, slowly making their way towards Tower Bridge where a fireworks show was slated to begin at midnight. The event was black tie, something he didn't mind, especially since it meant he got to see Lisbon in a dress.

The group of people surrounding them were fairly high class, but he and Lisbon had kept to themselves. She despised rubbing elbows with the top of society, preferring instead to have a beer in a sports bar.

However, he thought she deserved something a little more for their first holiday together, and so he'd made last minute reservations.

It was definitely a good decision, he thought, eyeing her petite form, currently draped in black silk. Of course, he was sure he would like the dress much more once it was pooled on her bedroom floor.

But there was plenty of time for that.

She sipped her champagne, very close to his side, and he tucked an arm around her.

That was one of his favorite things about their new relationship - he could touch her whenever the urge struck him. Unless, of course, they were at work, where he was forbidden from so much as making eyes at her.

Not that he followed directions well.

He smirked, remembering a particular occasion the previous afternoon in the attic. Really, it was an ideal place to make out during the day - secluded, impossible to sneak up on.

They had definitely taken advantage of the situation. He hadn't even had to try very hard.

"Did I mention that you're beautiful?" he remarked casually, loving the blush that crept up her cheeks.

"You don't clean up too badly yourself," she said, tugging gently on his tie.

He smiled at her. "Shall we head up to the deck?" he asked. "It won't be long until the show starts."

"On deck?" she asked. "It's cold. I thought most people were watching from here?" She looked around at the ballroom, where many passengers were lining up against the windows.

"Come on, Teresa. You can't watch fireworks inside. It's against the rules." He slid his hand to the small of her back, increasing the pressure until she moved.

It was breathtaking on deck. He loved the city at night - full of glittering lights and crisp, cool air. It made him feel very alive.

Keeping Lisbon's hand, he walked to the rails that surrounded the upper deck. The atmosphere was making her grin as well, but he could already see the goosebumps on her bare arms and shoulders.

He shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket and wrapped it around her. It was one of his favorite possessive gestures, and he was glad he'd gotten to make it.

She curled into his side, arms slipping around his waist.

They were quiet for a while, both enjoying the moment. The past few days had been relatively intense, and it was nice to just relax together.

As well as they knew each other, being romantically involved was something very different. Lisbon was busy trying to set up ground rules, and he was busy trying to push the limits. Well, he supposed that wasn't particularly different than normal.

She had requested that they not make their relationship public. He had gone along with her, knowing all the while that the team, at least, was going to figure it out before long.

It had taken Cho two days. At which point the detective had approached Jane and threatened to break every one of his fingers and ribs if he ever broke Lisbon's heart. Jane had been happy to reassure the other man, a little touched by Cho's devotion to his boss.

He had known, almost from the first day he'd been involved with the CBI, that Cho and Rigsby were a little in love with their leader. It wasn't something they consciously realized, but it made them both fiercely loyal.

It made him feel better about the crazy situations Lisbon put herself in, knowing that her unit would be willing to sacrifice it all to protect her.

He kissed the top of her head. "Warm enough?"

She shrugged. "All that champagne helped, but I'm still going to need a hot shower when we get home."

Her word choice sent a flare of tenderness into his heart. Home. He'd been staying with her since the first night they'd made love, and he had no plans to change that. He had been alone for enough of the past decade, and he abruptly found he didn't want to be anymore.

His lips moved down to her temple. "A hot shower, you say? I bet that can be arranged." The tone of his voice was husky now, and he felt her breathing hitch in response.

"By myself, Patrick," she said. She had been making a point of calling him by his first name when they were alone, and he couldn't believe how much he enjoyed it. "The last time you showered with me, we were late to work and I didn't even manage to get my hair washed."

He chuckled in her ear, knowing her shiver had very little to do with the air temperature. "True enough, but don't even try to pretend that you didn't like it."

Her cheeks flamed, and he could feel the heat against his neck.

The yacht slowed to a stop, the crew dropping anchor. She turned in his arms, facing outward in anticipation.

Their captain came over the loudspeaker, informing the passengers that there was less than a minute to go before the new year.

Jane found he was very much looking forward to the symbolism of the new year, of a fresh start. The past decade hadn't been anything to celebrate, but it had brought him to Teresa in the end.

He was going to start the year by her side, and he would finish it there as well.

She rested her hands on top of his, fingers lightly skimming. His skin was cold, but there was no longer an icy circlet of gold to worry about.

His ring was currently nestled in her jewelry box, and that was where it would stay. Someday, there would be another one to take its place on his hand. He could be nothing but hopeful about it, the guilt and worry having fallen to the side.

The loudspeaker crackled again. "Ten," the captain announced.

Jane counted along with the man, his breath stirring Lisbon's hair. "One," he whispered. "Happy New Year."

They could hear the dim roar from those below deck, and from the crowd of people gathered near the bridge to watch the light show.

The first fireworks shot off into the night, and he turned Lisbon until he could properly take her face in his hands.

Gold and silver starbursts crackled over their heads, and he kissed her softly, her arms locking around his shoulders.

They broke apart, and she leaned back into him, eyes on the glittering sky.

"Admit it," he said. "This is much better than watching the ball drop on your television."

She laughed. "I'll admit that you're two for two when it comes to holidays. But you've set yourself some pretty high standards."

He smiled. "Oh, you think this was big? This was what I managed to come up with in about three days. Just wait until Valentine's Day. You're not going to know what hit you."

Without looking, he knew she was rolling her eyes.

"I love you," he murmured into her ear. He wondered if the reason he said it so much to her, and he did say it a lot, was because he thought he would never get tired of hearing it back.

She rested more of her weight against him. "Love you, too."

The fireworks continued overhead, and he watched them contentedly, the woman he loved in his arms. He was, undoubtedly, a very lucky man.

His life had been taken away from him abruptly a decade ago, but now he had been given another chance. He didn't intend to waste it.

Almost unconsciously, he ran his thumb over the ring finger on her left hand.

No, he wouldn't waste it.