Author's note: just a piece of fluff, written for LAurore. Hope it's not too sloppy...
Family time
"So tell me, Annie… how're you doing?"
The teenager considered her question for a moment. "Well, pretty good – all things considered".
"Did you find a job for next summer? You told me that you were looking for one".
"I don't know. I mean, the woman that lives just across the street has asked me if I was willing to babysit her kid – but the prospect doesn't exactly thrill me".
"How old is he?"
"He's nine – and as insufferable as a kid could ever be".
"Maybe it's not as bad as you think".
"Come on, aunt Reese! Kids can be absolutely obnoxious if they have a mind to".
Lisbon actually smirked at this. "Don't I know it? You're forgetting that at your age I had three young rascals to look after – including your dad, as a matter of fact".
That had Annie chuckling. "Was he really that bad?"
"Even worse than that, believe me".
"How did you manage to survive then?"
"I had to be very firm, of course. It was kind of useful in a way – I've learned more about leadership skills from that experience than from all the classes I had to take when I joined the police".
"That's why you're able to put up with Jane".
"Yeah. He's the worst of all, obviously – pretty much like dealing with a child of forty, I guess".
"Thank you very much for the appellation, honey", the aforementioned stated easily as he entered the living room.
"It's well-deserved – to say the least".
Annie bit her lip in order to hide an amused smile. She had always noticed that those two enjoyed bickering just like an old married couple – and now that they were actually married they were still living up to that standard.
"Annie's thinking about babysitting a kid this summer", Lisbon clarified. "I was telling her I could give her some useful tips on that subject".
"That sounds great. Practice is for sure the best thing. You might even want to babysit your baby cousin in a year or so".
The two Lisbons in the room stared at him dumbfounded. Teresa was the first to recover from the shock anyway.
"Is that your twisted way to tell me that you want to have a child – or what?"
Jane poured himself a cup of tea – with the clear intent to keep them guessing a little longer.
"Well, yes and no".
"You're pregnant!", Annie almost screamed – gaping at her aunt. "You're pregnant, and you didn't say anything!"
"I'm not…"
She broke off in the middle of the sentence. She didn't think she was pregnant – wasn't aware of it at the very least. However, she couldn't tell for sure that she wasn't.
"What's that, Patrick? One of your wild guesses?"
Annie suddenly felt like a third wheel there. "I… huh… have to call dad now. Excuse me".
As the girl fled from the room, Jane gave his wife an affectionate smile.
"Remember that I've already had a child. I knew that Angela was pregnant with Charlotte even before the thought ever crossed her mind".
A turmoil of emotions was showing across Lisbon's face. Her hand instinctively went to cover her belly. "Do you really think…?"
"Wanna bet?", he asked her with a grin – a moment before luring her into his arms.
...
Ann and Beth Jane were born exactly eight months and two weeks later. And – of course – Annabeth Lisbon was the proud godmother of her two little cousins.