A/N: This is going to be a collection of one-shots about The Mentalist, or more precisely about Jane and Lisbon. Some of them will be tags to specific episodes (indicated in the chapter title), others one-shots that happened after the finale of the series and are therefore not linked to any episode. They won't necessarily be in chronological order, but I'll try to use the chapter titles to avoid any confusions when it comes to the timeline.

I know there are many one-shot collections out there already (by far more talented writers than myself) but somehow writing helps me to deal with the fact that my favourite tv-show has ended; it's my way of keeping the characters alive.
The stories will be across all genres, from very fluffy to angsty, but I can promise you that they'll never end on a purely sad note, I'm just not made for unhappy endings, not even in one shots.

Reviews (especially also critical ones) are very much appreciated. English isn't my first language and I'm eager to improve.

I have no idea where that first chapter came from. Pure fluff.

Home

The blinds of her bedroom were open and the dim light of the moon, or rather even if less romantic, of the streetlights illuminated the three new bags with baby stuff on her dresser.

Lisbon sighed: "That's it", she said, "we're not going to buy any more things before we move." She could sense Jane's grin more than she saw it. The covers rustled as he moved closer and put his hand on her slowly growing baby bump.

"I'll remind you next time we're in a shop." – "No", she pointed at the bags and tried not to think about all the other stuff all over the house. "This has to stop, Jane. Moving is annoying enough without adding more and more things to my…", she corrected herself, "to our household."

She laid her hand on his. "I'm only four and half months in…if the house really is more or less ready in two months, we'll have more than enough time to buy all the rest afterwards."

Whether that'd be the case was a different question, but Lisbon was determined not to worry about that. Jane promised her he'd deal with everything house related and knowing him, he'd find a way; even if it meant bribing the workers or hypnotising them. The less she knew, the better. She hadn't said this to him, but Lisbon was secretly relieved that Jane had decided to get some professional help to speed the whole process up. She very much doubted that reading books, even if it was many of them, or having helped to fix a caravan once in a while 20 years ago, enabled someone to build a house.

Jane chuckled. "I don't think one or two boxes more will make such a huge difference –" "Boxes? I'd happy if that'd be all. If I hadn't stopped you today, you would have bought that crib and hell knows what else."

Lisbon had always hated moving, like everyone else probably, but it was even worse now. She'd had her fair share of packing and unpacking boxes in the last few years and wasn't that eager for another round.

"Meh". Jane mused: "Besides, it's not as if you'd had that much stuff, anyhow. I think we'll be able to move all of this pretty quickly". He took her hand in his, suddenly more serious.

"I'm sorry you'll have to move again."

Lisbon turned on her side to face him. "Why would you say that? I like the land you got us", she smiled at him, "and the cabin, even if it doesn't really deserve that name any longer. "

Jane grinned: "It'll always be our cabin to me. But I'm glad to hear that. It's just… I'm afraid I'm not entirely guiltless of the numerous relocations, or relocation attempts in your past."

Lisbon raised an eyebrow at him, surprised that he'd even go there.

"You could say that." She pushed a strand his of hair back. "However, it wasn't your fault alone and I don't regret that my last attempt to move failed, not even for a second." she whispered and kissed him, very softly. His hands cupped her face and for a while no one said a word.

His forehead was touching hers and Lisbon had closed her eyes, just basking in his presence.

"It is a nice house though, I can understand that you don't like to leave it behind." She opened her eyes and pulled back to look at him. That thought hadn't even entered her head. The moving was annoying; leaving this house on the other hand didn't bother her at all.

She shrugged. "I don't care about the house. It's just a place, as good as any other." She'd realised that a long time ago. She didn't grow attached to houses, it just wasn't like her.

"It never felt like home for you, didn't it?"

It was a weird question and Lisbon answered without thinking. "Of course it did." Or didn't it?

"What does home even mean?", Lisbon continued. "It's a nice place, and it's warm and safe; I think you'd call that a home. It served me well. And I've never heard you complain either. It's a far cry from the airstream, that's for sure."

She didn't really mean her last words. She couldn't explain why, but she grew to love the airstream.

It struck her out of nowhere, but to her horror she realised that she would miss the airstream more than her house.

Jane remained silent, just looking at her.

If she was honest with herself, this house indeed never had felt like home. The same was true for her house in Washington. Everyone that visited it had loved it, even envied her for the fireplace…but not her. She'd enjoyed the fireplace, no question, but it hadn't felt like home. Not the kind of home Jane had been referring to. It hadn't felt like her place, like a place she loved to be, a place she'd miss, a place she'd wanted to go back to. It just had felt lonely.

Jane seemed to feel the tinge of sadness that occupied her thoughts and pulled her closer.

"Maybe there's a bit of a carnie in me too, deep down", she tried to joke. "I don't need a house or flat, this could also explain why I can't hate the airstream. And believe me, I tried."

"Or you just haven't found the right place yet", Jane said softly. He looked at her intently and she knew that he needed to hear the truth, that he deserved to hear the truth. She still was getting used to this. Since she'd told him for the first time that she'd loved him on that bench in the park, surrounded by her family. Slowly she was learning to open up completely, to lay bare everything. She trusted him and she wasn't any longer scared to seem vulnerable.

She touched the ring on her necklace, without even realising it.

"No, I found that a long time ago. I'm just afraid it isn't a place, or a house." She traced the line of his cheek, her fingers slightly trembling.

"My home doesn't have four walls or a roof", she whispered.

Home, she thought and closed her eyes. All she saw was him and everything that reminded her of him. That's why she'd loved her office back at the CBI more than her flat in Sacramento, or the seemingly perfect house in Canon River. That's why she felt more at ease in the tiny airstream than she'd ever had in this house, or any other house for the matter.

She opened her eyes again. Her vision was slightly blurred and she blinked the tears away.

"Damn hormones", she murmured, slightly embarrassed. Jane laughed and pulled her close, burying his face in the nape of her neck.

She took a deep breath, inhaling his scent. Being close to him made her feel calm, and save, and loved. It made her feel at home.

"I love you", she whispered as he tightened his grip around her.

Jane pulled back and smiled at her. His eyes were suspiciously shiny.

"And I love you."

There was so much joy in his eyes, so much open affection. Her heart rate spiked, at seeing him like this, seeing him so happy.

"We'll just have to be each other's home, then", he said. She felt his hand on her stomach.

"And we'll provide the best home there is for him, or her."

Lisbon smiled through the tears that filled her eyes once again.

"We will." She sealed her words with a kiss. A kiss full of love and hope, a kiss that felt like coming home.