AN: This might be considered a tag to White Orchards.
Cannon established Lisbon is Catholic and a person with strong beliefs. So she would have questions about her child's faith and religious upbringing. Also had circumstances been different I believe she would have wanted a church wedding. I have read and reread this chapter several times and any mistakes are still mine. Hoe you enjoy and please let me know what you think.
In This House of Prayer
Chapter One: Questions
Working on the house took up most of Jane's time that and watching his wife bloom in front of his eyes. She was more beautiful then he'd ever seen her marriage and impending motherhood was something she wore well.
Jane looked at their wedding photo sitting on the mantle piece. The first personal item added to their new home. They looked so happy standing in the open field surrounded by nature and their family and friends. He smiled, family, he finally had one again. The Lisbon boys and their respective mates and children had opened their hearts to Patrick Jane. His CBI family showed up for the big day. The people who had his back for some many years. And of course their unexpected little of bundle of joy was with them. Room was left on the mantle for the baby pictures and family portraits of both the new and past variety.
Knowing how much her faith and beliefs meant, he'd been surprised Teresa hadn't insisted on a church wedding. Suspecting she'd once again sacrificed her dreams for him his heart sank and soared at the same time.
Teresa came into the living room chatting on the phone.
"Morning," She leaned over and gave her husband a kiss, "Karen says hello."
Her sister-in-law was a big help to Teresa having had four children herself. Between Karen and Grace Teresa was armed with first hand information that "What to Expect When Your Expecting" couldn't match.
Jane smiled up at his wife as she poured her first and only cup of real coffee for day.
"Pancakes" He mouthed. An enthusiastic shake of the head told him that morning sickness had subsided for the time being and the notorious Lisbon appetite was back.
"I'm planning on it. Do you think there will be a problem?"
The silence on Lisbon's end of the conversation and the wrinkles in her brow told Jane that Karen was imparting some troubling information.
"OK thanks Karen I'll check it out. Love to Stan and the kids." Lisbon finished her conversation and sat down to her freshly cooked breakfast.
"What was that all about?" Jane jested to her forehead and worry wrinkles still on display. "Bad news?".
"Nothing just baby talk. And why are there eggs on this plate? I thought you said pancakes."
"Eggs have protein which you need and they are right next to the pancakes. And please after all this time you are still trying to lie to me? Really?"
"It was nothing Patrick really just boring baby talk." She saw the skeptical look on his face.
"What?" Silence answered her question. "I'm not lying"
"OK if you say so." Jane surged his shoulders and got up from the table.
"Well I have to go to work. Cho wants me at the office to look over a case. You my dear have the day off. So relax."
"I can't just sit around and do nothing all day. I'll come with you."
"You could do the laundry. I'm out of underwear." Jane told her before he ducked out the door to a barrage of very bad words.
Teresa sat on the outside porch enjoying the view. How her husband got there new home livable in less then two months was a miracle best filed under "things Jane just dose". She knew he had spent a considerable amount of money and pulled in all sorts of favors. There was still more to be done before the little one arrived and some nights were still spent in the "Silver Bucket." But all and all it was home.
Jane arrived at FBI headquarters going straight to Cho's office.
"Hey Cho."
"Morning Jane. How's Lisbon doing?'
"Pretty good considering she is growing a whole little human inside of her."
"Nice description Jane thanks for the visual"
"What have we got that was so important I had to show up today?"
Cho handed the consultant a file.
"Usual, rich kid ran away from home parents contacted every important person they know and called in a favor."
"Last seen when?" Jane asked with a forced interest.
Teresa was busy searching the Internet for a definitive answer to her big question.
"Can a Catholic married in a civil ceremony have their child baptized"
She had never discussed their child's religious upbringing with Jane assuming he would go along with whatever she decided.
Not until Karen mentioned that not being married in church or by a priest could impair her desire to baptize her child did she even think about it. Her sister-in-law was very devote. Not that she would look down her nose or be rude to someone with out her beliefs. That was not her way but she knew Teresa had a strong faith and frankly was surprise by the civil ceremony.
Lisbon explained the time factor and there's the whole issue of Jane being a non-believer. Non believer she typed that on the screen,
"Can Catholics married to a non-believers have their children baptized"
Still no definitive answers. It did seem her child could be baptized if the non-Catholic partner wold allow the child to be brought up in the Catholic faith and work toward a valid marriage. Damn she should have waited and gotten married in church. Of course this would mean Patrick lying to a priest which she had no doubt he could do with a straight face and a smile. She could always lie and say she was a single mother.
Patting her scarcely visible baby bump she shook her head.
"What are we going to do little one? God knows how many laws and commandments I've broken for your Daddy what's one more."
But the thought was quickly dismissed she would not no could not ever do that to Jane.
Jane came home to find Lisbon sound asleep on the coach. She looked so peaceful he couldn't bring himself to rouse her from her slumber. An afternoon nap had become a luxury when she wasn't in the office. He wanted her to stop working all together but had reluctantly agreed on a compromise of three days a week desk duty only until she went on full maternity leave.
Lisbon moved when he kissed her forehead but eyes remained shut and Jane tiptoed in to the kitchen to make dinner.
Pouring a glass of wine while the water boiled for the mashed potatoes he thought back to the morning. Something Karen said had upset Lisbon but she didn't want to share. Looking through the doorway to see if she was still sleeping he spied the computer in the other room. It was still on and several windows open. What was Lisbon researching so diligently.
No time to do anything about it now. Now it was time to to keep his angry little princess well fed. It was the best way to keep her calm and happy.
Lisbon walked into the kitchen just as the food hit the table.
"Hey sleepyhead"
"Something smells good. Woke me up."
"Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, fresh asparagus and of course gravy. All your favorites."
"You are so good to me"
"I try no one likes a crabby Lisbon." Jane leaned in for his thank you kiss.
Lisbon asked about his day as her husband enjoyed his own cooking.
The case wasn't all that complicated the kid ran away with a much older girlfriend Fearing the wrath of his family and hoping to get some "skipping to Mexico" money. He staged his disappearance oldest con in the book. Not a case that needed Jane's type of expertise. He suspected that Cho was giving Lisbon some needed alone time despite her protest to the contrary.
"So did you and Karen get an answer to your question?" He asked with shameless innocence.
"What question? I told we were just discussing boring baby stuff." Lisbon quickly filled her mouth with more mashed potatoes and gravy. Her audible groan of delight made Jane smile.
"Should I be jealous of those potatoes? You seem to be enjoying them way too much. I can hear you moan all the ways on the other side of the table."
Lisbon licked her lips and gave him a sensual smile.
"Not getting enough attention from the wife Mr. Jane?" Her pupils were dilated and turning very dark. She slipped her hand under the small table eyes never leaving her husband.
Jane let out a small laugh. "No I thinking we're doing fine in that department."
Indeed they were pregnancy had raised Lisbon's libido to new and nearly impossible to satisfy heights. In fact just the other day Jane had asked for a break from his husbandly duties for at lest one night. Had a bit of a sensitivity issue he told his disappointed wife. Who then disappeared into the bathroom for a longer than usual shower.
After the dishes were done and the kitchen cleaned of all evidence of the evening meal Lisbon retreated back to the office, That's where Jane found her slumped over the computer yet again sound asleep. He couldn't help but smile at the beguiling scene in front of him and remember once again he was a very lucky man.
"Teresa," Shaking her just enough to gently wake her but no startle her into consciousness.
"Oh, Jane" She looked up eyes half closed and moth slack. "Why are you in my office. I have paper work to do before we can go home."
"Teresa. Honey, we are home. You're in the back office of our house. You fell asleep."
"Oh." She looked at him sleepy eyed and confused. "Home? When did I get here?"
"You've been here all day. Are you feeling OK? Do I need to call a doctor?"
Lisbon finally cognizant of her surroundings gave her husband a shy grin. "No I'm fine just a little embarrassed."
Jane helped her stand up and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Hey it's hard work living for two people." He patted her just slightly showing baby bump.
"Bed?" He kissed her again and picked up her discarded shoes.
"Oh yeah, I'm toast and I need to go to work tomorrow."
"You know you can always..."
His words were cut of be a hand on his mouth.
"No I can't stay home. In a few more months and I'll be too big and too tired to work. I need to get done what I can now.
"It was worth a try."
As Lisbon laid in bed getting comfortable she told Jane to go downstairs and enjoy his evening cup of tea and the silence to read in peace.
Like that was going to happen as soon as the even breathing was heard on the other side of the bedroom door he was off to the office to investigate the mysterious computer search Lisbon as conducting.
Jane sat in front of the computer looking at the many page his wife has accessed during the day. Baptized! Of course she wanted their child brought into the church. Lisbon was a devote Catholic. Well as devote as an atheist loving potty mouthed kick ass cop could be anyway.
Even after going through all the websites available there still didn't seem to be a definitive answer. Jane's frown turned into a smile when the solution to the problem presented itself in his mind. They would just have to have a church wedding. And he knew just the church for the occasion!
Patrick finished his tea and made an attempt skimmed two chapters of the latest Tim Winton book before heading to bed. His mind wasn't really on the novel but on how he was going to pull this second wedding off before the bride refused to "waddle" down the aisle or take a short honeymoon.
He made a list in order of importance and time needed to get the tasks down. His plan needed some luck, a few well placed bribes and a bit of carny magic. Luckily he knew who to call for all of them.