A/N: Alright! I know it's been a while but this piece took longer to write than I thought. I like this one, but it has some touchy subjects.
Warning: Contains child abuse, so quite ironically, be warned!
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.
'Removed'
They enjoyed life together, the way they had always been supposed to share it. He loved waking up next to her, every morning, the two of them always making sure to sleep at home, even if it was difficult sometimes with her job. When she would have to sleep away from home, they would call each other before going to bed, explaining how much they loved each other, so it would feel like they were together.
Her pregnancy went smoothly, the only downside the high risk her age presented, but it never posed a real threat, at least according to her physician. He appreciated the fact that she was feeling so good, because he understood how intense a pregnancy could be, and he didn't want her to feel too bad.
"Anything you need?" he asked as he was about to step into the living room. She looked up and their eyes met.
"Just some tea."
When he returned, she kissed his lips, taking the cup from him. She turned, putting her feet in his lap, and settled down once again.
Another thing he loved doing: massaging her swollen feet, making sure she took proper care of them and if she didn't, he would. She always appreciated his attention, even if she hardly asked for it.
"How's the little one doing?"
She smiled and rubbed her belly. He was amazed by it, their baby so big already despite their young age. Lisbon was only about six months pregnant, but she already looked like she was about to burst.
"He's kicking in there." He covered her hand, indeed feeling their baby kick against their hands. He couldn't wait to hold them.
They hadn't had a confirmation of the sex, but she knew for certain it was a boy. He knew that the guess of the mother was usually right. It really wouldn't matter to him either way, but he'd had no way of showing her that. He just hoped she would believe him after the birth.
"Patrick? I love being pregnant."
He smiled against the skin of her neck as he scooted even closer.
"I'm really happy we get to experience this," he whispered. She nodded, entwining their hands on her belly.
"I think I never want to stop having kids."
And he knew, even if they would be surrounded by six little ones, he would cherish all of them, and their mother, too. He would give her anything she could ever wish for, and more.
~...~
They kept a garden together, with vegetables and fruits, but it was not enough to sustain them, which was okay. It gave them something restful to do, to clear their minds, make them able to enjoy life even more. He often looked at her walking around the garden, her belly always supported by her hands whenever they were not occupied by tending the plants and pulling out the weeds. When she was satisfied, she walked over to him and kissed his lips, something he'd had to get used to in the beginning of their relationship, but was fully accustomed to by now.
"We need some more fertilizer."
"I'll pick it up next time I go to the store."
"Oh, when you're going there, can you also pick up some of my vitamins? I'm almost out of them."
He couldn't mention it enough, but he loved this familiarity with her, this family life, even if they weren't quite a family yet. He never knew that he would enjoy talking about cleaning the bathroom so much, or discuss what to have for dinner, but honestly he took every opportunity into his hands to talk to her and see her, so close to him.
"Will do."
~...~
Their closest neighbors lived about ten minutes away, the area filled with people seeking for peace and calm, but despite the silence, Lisbon and Jane got an enormous amount of energy from their surroundings.
Lisbon had been born and raised in Chicago, a city where no matter the time of day, you were bound to hear and see people in the streets, car horns, ambulances and fire alarms. And even when she had had to move to the West Coast for her work, she was always surrounded by sounds and people.
Right here, in this lovely spot from Mother Nature, the only thing she could hear were birds chirping, trees rustling, ducks splashing around in the pond. And, of course, she could clearly hear the sounds her husband made while sleeping, or him humming while he was working in their garden.
Living here, together with her beautiful husband, made her a better person, less stressed, more appreciative of what beautiful things life had in store for her.
She met their neighbors from time to time, usually to discuss how the weather had been, or whether there were any newcomers to the area. Most of the people here were friendly, albeit a bit strange, outsiders perhaps. Did people think like that of her and Jane, too?
One family was especially odd, but not in the 'they're so strange but we love them either way' kind of odd - whenever she had come across them in her off time, she felt this sort of dread hanging around. She wondered why that was.
For as far as she knew, the family had one kid, a little girl of around seven. While Lisbon had never seen the girl, she had heard of her from the other neighbors.
Lisbon thought it was weird that they never showed their faces - the kid needed to go to school, right? Perhaps they had found a quicker way without having to use the main road. She needed to stop taking her work with her. Not everybody had a secret, after all.
Speaking of her work, she was on near permanent desk duty, and she didn't even mind. She would've liked to be in the field more often, but she didn't like the risk it brought with. She didn't want Jane to have to deal with her being shot, not knowing how he could ever cope, and she didn't want her child to grow up without a mother, like she herself had had to. So, desk duty it was. In any case, it left her with more free time than she had ever had.
Free time that was usually spent with Patrick Jane.
Now, however, she had an afternoon off and he'd had other appointments, likely for their cabin which he still considered unfinished. She loved every square inch of the place, knowing it was the perfect spot for their child or children to grow up.
She decided to go out for a walk, not getting nearly enough movement these days - before she got pregnant, Jane already spoiled her senseless at home, and it had only gotten worse after they found out she was expecting. On top of that, her belly was too big for her liking already, and her muscles always ached, preventing her from doing most things in her life. Still, she enjoyed being pregnant, the knowledge that a small human being was growing in her belly exciting her beyond belief.
She made sure she left a note for Jane so he would know where she was, and struggled to put on her shoes. When she was done, she breathed a sigh of relief and stepped into the gorgeous nature that was practically her home.
It wasn't long until she saw the first person to also wander the environment, but it did surprise her that it was a young child. Really, a little girl this young shouldn't be walking here on her own, without somebody to protect her.
"Hey there," she said softly, not wanting the little girl to get scared and leave.
She merely looked at Lisbon, not saying anything, flashing a look that said that she didn't trust her.
Now Lisbon really wanted to know what was going on with this girl.
She lowered herself to the ground, one of her knees resting there, but she soon realized that she needed both knees to be able to stay upright.
"I like your dress." She smiled gently, but it got no real response from the girl. Instead, she just continued staring at her with clear look of distrust. "My name is Teresa."
This was not going to work. The girl wasn't responding to her words. Now might be a good time to back out of this situation before you get yourself in another pickle, Teresa Lisbon.
"Faye."
Okay. That was good. She was opening up a little.
"Nice to meet you, Faye." The girl was looking down at her feet, and it was the first time that Lisbon really looked at her appearance. The dress was indeed nice, but there were some stains on it, she discovered when she inspected it better. Sure, she was playing outside, so she was bound to have dirty clothes, but paired with her shy behavior and the overall vibe she got off the girl, Lisbon felt something was seriously off.
"Faye, where are your parents?"
Faye pointed at a place in the distance, still not meeting Lisbon's eyes.
"Do you want me to walk you home?"
Now, the girl's head suddenly shot up, and she furiously shook it, fear in her eyes.
It reminded Lisbon of herself, many years ago. Her maternal instinct took over and she knew she needed to help this girl, whatever the cost.
"Okay, alright." She got up to leave, knowing that Faye wouldn't let her help her if she didn't want to. Yet Faye stepped towards her, and it made Lisbon stop in her tracks.
"Do you want me to stay?"
"Yes."
"Then I'll stay."
She sat down again, but Faye remained stood.
Lisbon wandered why she was doing this. She had seen kids play in the fields and forests around here before, and she had never worried, because she knew they would be alright. But something about this girl told her that she was not out here to play.
"I know how to make a flower crown. Shall I make one for you?"
Faye nodded and sat down, too. They just sat like that, Faye looking as Lisbon made a flower crown for her. Jane had taught her, of course.
"There you go." She handed it over to Faye, who took it and put it on her head. They smiled at each other.
Lisbon was incredibly intrigued by this girl and the story that chased her. Especially because she knew for certain that there was something up.
Faye looked at her pink colored watch. "I need to go." She stood up, the flower crown showing off proudly on top of her head, surrounded by stubborn dark brown curls.
"If you need another crown, or anything else, I live in that house," and Lisbon accompanied her words by pointing in the general direction of the cabin. Faye nodded and turned around, walking away.
It pained Lisbon to let her go, but the only objection would be that she had an ungrounded suspicion of anything shady going on, and she didn't want to involve herself in more drama than she wanted to. She had been through enough of that during her years.
~...~
She couldn't get Faye out of her thoughts. She was worried, and she had promised herself that she wouldn't get involved in drama, certainly not if she could help it.
Jane caught on to it. He had gotten home from his appointment with a bouquet of very nice flowers in his hands, and had taken one look at her and knew that something was wrong. He sat her down, put the flowers in a vase, and then sat next to her.
"Hey."
He didn't need a lot of words to get the truth out of her, and honestly she couldn't keep anything that was bothering her from him. He was her biggest support, always being able to tell him anything she wanted, and she knew the same applied for him.
"I went for a walk and I saw this little girl. I don't know, Jane… I didn't get a good vibe."
She sighed, looked at his face, and she saw he was waiting for her to continue, not wanting to force anything out of her. She scooted towards him, leaning her back against his side, and looked for his hands, placing them on her belly.
"Well, your instincts are hardly wrong."
"I want them to be wrong." She looked up, seeing he was looking down at her. "I saw myself in her, Jane. I always tried to keep up appearances, but I knew a lot of people could see. I didn't want to go home so I stayed at school, doing extracurricular activities, or I stayed at a friend's place."
She paused, thinking about what to say next.
"I asked her if I could walk her home, and I saw panic in her eyes. I don't want her to end up like me and my brothers."
She felt Jane kiss the top of her head, and she knew, even though she still had no confirmation whatsoever that Faye was abused or neglected, that it was this kind of familiarity and support that she wanted Faye to have, too. Someone to hold her, love her, protect her.
"I swear, it's this baby making me more emotional."
"It's understandable. You have been through tough times in your life and you want to prevent somebody else from feeling that pain." He rubbed her belly. "We'll just keep an eye on the situation. We don't know anything, but we'll do something as soon as we do."
She turned so she could look at him directly.
"Thank you for understanding."
He shook his head but didn't say anything else. She knew he would always support her, no matter how idiotic or strange the situation was.
"Can we make love now? I've been tense all day, and I want to have you close."
That beautiful smile she had fallen in love with appeared on his lips, and she could never stop herself from kissing them, she didn't have to.
"You know you don't need to ask, Teresa," he whispered, already moving to place her in the best position possible, so he could kiss her senseless, and make her forget everything but him.
No matter what happened, he would always remain the most important figure in her life. He had shown her what it meant to be in love, and she always looked forward to being close to him.
"I like the flowers," she sighed. It made him smile brightly against the skin in her neck.
"You want to talk about the flowers now?"
"When else?"
"When I'm not trying to make you lose your mind."
"And when's that?"
He chuckled, which grew to laughing, and she looked at him the entire time, her heart swelling. He continued tending to her body, and she loved the little cocoon they had created, where it was just him and her, Patrick Jane and Teresa Lisbon.
And soon, their little baby.
She forgot all about Faye.
~...~
He often woke her up with breakfast, often not even meaning to do so. Yet she would be laying in bed, and the first thing she would notice was the incredible scent of fresh eggs and bacon in the air. She grabbed her bathrobe, flung it around her only barely and shuffled to the kitchen. She wasn't even fully awake, but it didn't matter.
"G'morning," she croaked, rubbing her eyes, and she looked over Jane's shoulder at what he was cooking.
"Morning, sleepy head." He turned to her with a smile, and she saw his ruffled curls, plastered to the side of his face a little due to sleep, and she couldn't help but brush them out of his face, putting them back in their rightful place. "I still can't believe how beautiful you are."
She smiled and wrapped an arm around his waist, kissing his shoulder. He raised his arm and pulled her to the front a little, so he could wrap his arm around her, too.
"This is the part where you say how beautiful you think I am."
She laughed, looking up.
"Don't I tell you often enough?"
He shrugged. "I always like to hear it."
She smiled and put a hand in the back of his neck, pulling him down, and she kissed his cheek, caressing his curls.
"You're the most beautiful man I have ever met. And I look at you every morning when I wake up, and I thank my lucky stars that I got to meet you."
"Good." He smiled at her, and they both reached in to link their lips in a brief kiss, and eventually she pulled away, sitting down.
They had breakfast in peace, and she really loved living with him, no matter what day or mood. She knew she said it often, but she liked to confirm her feelings.
~...~
They went to their separate jobs, but not without kissing each other, reminding the other that they would see each other once the job was done, and as she was about to step into her car, she noticed a figure between the trees. She didn't need to look more to know who that was.
She walked away from the cabin and towards the figure.
"Faye? Are you alright?"
She didn't get a response, and so Lisbon stepped closer, ducking to avoid the branches hanging low. She was met by the sight of little Faye, in the same dress as the day before, her hair even more a mess.
Lisbon wanted to say more, but when she reached out her hand, Faye raised her hands and covered her face, small sobs escaping her, and Lisbon felt her heart breaking into tiny pieces. Even the tiny baby in her belly let himself be known, perhaps wanting to comfort Faye, too.
"Come to me," Lisbon whispered, opening her arms, and it took Faye a few seconds until she lowered her hands and stepped closer. Lisbon closed her arms around the little girl, and hoped that her proximity would be enough to soothe her for now.
When Faye calmed down, she pulled away and rubbed at her face - Lisbon lowered the girl's hands and wiped her tears away.
"What happened?"
Faye shook her head.
"Alright. You don't need to talk about it if you don't want to."
Lisbon needed to hear her say it, even if it was hard, because otherwise she couldn't help the girl. There was no way any well-respected police department would investigate a child abuse case based on suspicions.
Kimball Cho would. Perhaps she could discuss this matter with him.
"Can I stay with you?" Faye whispered, her hands clutching Lisbon's clothing.
Lisbon knew enough. The police would tell her that she was just making assumptions, and if she were them, she would do the same. Yet she knew that there was a reason Faye didn't want to go home, that her clothes and hair looked like a mess, and that she sought affection from a stranger she had only encountered once before.
It all felt too familiar to Lisbon.
She was about to tell the girl no, but she soon realized that she couldn't leave this girl alone, not here anyway. She would never forgive herself when she would hear that something bad had happened to her.
So instead of telling her no, she brushed Faye's hair out of her face and stood, grabbing her hand.
~...~
Her own legs were shaking a little when she rang the doorbell, but she had to do this, had to have confirmation of her suspicions. Thankfully, she had had enough clarity to go to this house alone, because she didn't know if the situation would escalate if Faye had been here, too.
The door opened and the first thing she was met with was an overwhelming scent of alcohol and sweat. She almost threw up but she recovered at the last moment. It wouldn't do anyone good if she rid herself of her breakfast.
A man, probably in his late thirties, greeted her, except he didn't, for all he did was stare at her, his balance just a bit off.
"Yeah?"
"Hi. I'm Teresa, I live next door. I just wanted to ask you a brief question, if that's alright with you."
"No, it's not, actually." He moved to close the door but Lisbon put her foot in between. "Look, lady, if this is about my scumbag daughter, I'm sorry if she misbehaved. I will not be held liable for her however and I will not pay you back any money if she broke anything. Kids be kids."
Lisbon had worked for the police most of her life now - she was able to assess what kind of person somebody could be, and really the two people that she had read wrong were Patrick Jane and Sheriff McAllister. This man, standing in front of her, didn't have the best intentions for his daughter's well being, Lisbon was certain of that.
Now that she saw him in the flesh, she knew it for sure.
"Okay. That's all I wanted to know."
She walked away from the house and towards hers, where Faye was hopefully still waiting for her. Lisbon hoped Faye trusted her enough to accept her help - even then, she would do a lot so that another child didn't have to experience what she had in her own childhood.
~...~
Faye never let go of Lisbon's hand, not even when they were on their way to the office. As they entered the building, they were followed by countless of curious eyes that were looking at them intently.
"Cho," Lisbon stated when they stepped into the bullpen, and said man and Jason Wylie looked up at them. She knew they would be confused with the picture they saw in front of them, but they knew her long enough by now. She made Faye sit down on Jane's old couch. "Can I talk to you? Alone."
He nodded and joined her to the nearest fishbowl, and he closed the door behind them.
She explained the situation to him, including the conversation she had had with Faye's father before coming to work, and she saw Cho's facade changing a little with every word she uttered.
As she fell silent, he didn't say anything for a long time. Lisbon took the opportunity to look at Faye, who was now accompanied by Wylie. He really tried his best, but it was obvious that she did not have any attention for him whatsoever.
"We need to contact Child Services."
"I agree."
"But we'll not inform her father. It might make things worse."
She nodded, and as Cho pulled out his phone, she sat down, her hands folded over her belly. She couldn't help but shake the feeling that she had made a terrible decision to include the police at this stage.
When she walked back into the bullpen, Faye jumped up and into her arms. It was hard for Lisbon to hold the girl like this, with her swollen belly massively in the way, but she tried her best.
"It's okay," Lisbon whispered. "I'm here."
~...~
Child Services arrived a little later to pick up Faye, and separate police officers came to start investigating.
Faye didn't want to go, however. The social worker had introduced herself to Faye, had given her some candy even to try and break the ice, but nothing would work. Faye remained seated next to Lisbon, painfully holding Lisbon's hand, and Lisbon's heart broke in a million pieces, if it hadn't already.
"Are you coming, Faye?"
She shook her head. Lisbon leaned in close so only Faye could hear what she said.
"You can always come visit me, Faye. And I'll give you my number. If you want to talk to somebody, you can talk to me if you want."
"I don't want to go, Teresa."
"I know. But they will take good care of you, more than I can."
Faye had her doubts, Lisbon could tell. But it wouldn't be good for Faye if she would stay with her now. Lisbon couldn't offer her any support, she would only be confronted with her own childhood, and it wouldn't help Faye.
They parted with a big hug, and Lisbon promised to herself that this wouldn't be goodbye. In any case, she couldn't let this girl go, no matter how much she should.
~...~
That evening when Jane joined her on the couch, she couldn't keep the story to herself.
"Jane? I have to tell you something."
He looked down at her, in his arms, and shifted a little, before nodding.
"Spill. You've piqued my curiosity."
She told him what she had told Cho, except in this version of the story, she remained less clinical and linked it to her own father, so much so that towards the end, she was near shaking with anger. Jane caressed everything of her that he could, trying to calm her down.
"I've only known her for two days, but I want to protect her with my life. This is the reason I attract drama and troubles."
"What, because you are a fundamentally good person? Teresa, anybody else would have turned a blind eye on the situation, even I did, but you trusted your instincts and it might have saved a young girl's life."
She let his words sink in, and she knew he was right. It was her duty as a cop, but also as a woman and a soon-to-be mother to notify anybody of any signs and hints of child abuse, or abuse in general. She owed it to her young self, who had hoped somebody had informed the authorities.
~...~
Faye was placed in a foster family, and Lisbon had asked the social worker on Faye's case to keep them updated. She wanted to know if Faye would be better off, and if she would be okay.
Faye had had to tell her story to the police and Child Services, but Lisbon had insisted that everybody be there and that the entire thing would be filmed, because she didn't want the girl to have to repeat the same mentioning of her traumatic experiences if she would get a new social worker or foster family. Lisbon also insisted on watching the tape afterwards so she knew what the story was, even if it was hard to do.
So hard in fact that she had sat in front of the TV screen and had sobbed in Jane's arms, the same Jane who also admitted that his heart had broken, too.
She had not only been grossly neglected, whenever her father had paid attention to her, it was only to satisfy his own needs. He had hit her, kicked her… worst of all, he had sexually abused her, which explained why she didn't trust men, why she had acted so defensively around Wylie, and Cho and Jane.
It wasn't her fault. Right now, she just needed to have someone who wouldn't judge her for all the traumas it might have brought her, and who would support her even long after she had recovered.
~...~
Faye had trouble settling in with her foster families, having seen three already within a month. She was stubborn and wouldn't listen to anybody, and she was in a lot of fights with her peers.
Or at least, that was what the social worker, Loni, had said. Lisbon didn't recognize Faye in that picture at all, for every time they had spoken, Faye had been incredibly sweet, showing interest in Lisbon's pregnancy, and accepting most of her hugs.
"I don't understand," Loni told them, obviously about to pull her hair out. She was the one responsible for a correct placement of Faye for her well-being, but it just wouldn't work, no matter where she was situated.
"I do," Jane said. Even if Faye hadn't opened up to him properly yet, always a bit wary of his presence like she had been with all men who wanted to be her friend, Jane continued to show her that he wanted to help her, just like Lisbon did. Baby steps, really.
Lisbon frowned at him. He nodded and stepped beside her, looking at Loni.
"Teresa was the first and only adult who offered to help her, and who was genuine about it. Faye trusts her, and her alone."
Loni nodded, walked around her desk and sat down, crossing her arms.
"I agree, Patrick." She opened a drawer and got out some papers. "Which is why I believe it might be a good idea to see if Faye can live with you."
"But I don't have any experience with this. I can't help her the way she should be helped."
"She will still get our support. We'll help you. But she needs to be somewhere she likes to be."
Lisbon looked at Jane, who was looking back at her, both of them thinking about the possibilities.
"But what about the baby?"
"We have enough time and space to take care of Faye, too."
She let the information sink in, but she didn't need to think much longer about her decision. They signed the necessary paperwork, and afterwards Loni informed them of any responsibilities they might have with foster care, or any phone numbers they might need in case of an emergency.
When Loni went to fetch Faye, Lisbon and Jane took their time to look at each other, sitting together.
"I'm sorry that I got us into this mess."
"What mess?" He had asked the question but both knew it was rhetorical. "I enjoy seeing Faye, too, even if it might take her some time to get used to me. I am excited to be starting this adventure with you, Teresa. We can do it."
"Patrick."
He entwined their hands, nodding.
"I love you."
He smiled and kissed her briefly, one of his hands letting go of her hand to brush her belly.
"And I love you." He bowed down to kiss her belly instead, and she caressed his curls. She really did love his curls, that even with intense grooming would never do what Jane wanted them to. She liked them like this, stubborn. "And I love you, too, little one."
Faye was brought in a little later, and she was a bit hesitant at first, looking around the room until she saw Lisbon, and everything faded away. She fell into Lisbon's open arms and didn't let go. Over Lisbon's shoulder, she looked at Jane, who smiled at her. For the first time since they met, she acknowledged him, nodding her head.
~...~
The only bed a child could sleep in at their place was a crib for the baby, and Faye was obviously too big for that, so for now the only option was for her to sleep on the couch. Lisbon made sure the girl was properly tucked in, was comfortable enough with pillows and blankets, but she just couldn't leave her alone.
"Teresa?"
"Yes, Sweetie?"
"Can I stay with you, forever?"
Could she? Lisbon wasn't really sure of that, but if the possibility presented itself, she would try her best to get Faye into the most favorable living arrangement, and if that was with them, they would make it work.
"We'll see what happens, okay?"
Faye nodded. Lisbon brushed the girl's hair down and kissed her forehead.
"Sleep tight, Faye."
Yet just as Lisbon moved to get up, Faye grabbed Lisbon's arm. Lisbon looked back at the girl, and she saw fear in her brown eyes. She couldn't stay here, not with her swollen belly, her back would hate her in the morning.
"You can sleep with me," Lisbon whispered, "but Patrick is also there."
Faye nodded. Lisbon offered her hand, and they shuffled to the bedroom, where Jane was awaiting them. He hoisted both of them onto the bed, not even questioning why Faye would join them.
When they were all tucked in, Faye in between Lisbon and Jane, she broke, again. Lisbon felt tears in her own eyes as she saw that the girl was so sad, sobbing so much, and eventually Lisbon cried, too. She felt Jane's hand covering hers.
"I know it's scary now," Lisbon whispered, "but we are here for you. No matter what happens."
Faye nodded. She scooted close to Lisbon so she could wrap her arms around her neck. They fell asleep like that, their arms around each other, and Jane was left to look at the image, feeling love spread through his body. He knew his relationship with Faye was more complicated, and the only reason for that was her history with men. He only hoped that she would trust him eventually, like she trusted Lisbon. For now, the only thing he could do was tuck both girls in, and kiss their foreheads.
~...~
He woke up early, as he did most days, and he always blamed his need to wake his Teresa up with sone breakfast in bed, or her mandatory cup of coffee. Now of course she couldn't have caffeine but he still kept his tradition in place.
He was surprised to find only Teresa in bed, fast asleep. He couldn't stop himself from kissing her lips, hardly in reach for him under all her sleep tousled hair and her hand that was tucked underneath her chin.
He knew that no matter how long he would live with Teresa Lisbon, he would never tire of looking at her.
He set off on his way to look for Faye, knowing that since she might still be a little confused by what happened, he had to make sure that she was doing okay.
He found her on the couch in the living room, the throw spread over her body, but he could tell that she wasn't asleep.
She looked up when he approached her.
"Did you sleep a little?" he asked her, sitting down on the low table in front of the couch. She brushed her hair out of her face.
"Not really. But it's okay."
"Why did you move here?"
"Because you love Teresa and I was in between you and her."
He leaned forward. He wanted to tell her that it was totally fine if she wanted to sleep next to them for the time being, but he realized that she needed all the space she needed, even if she didn't want space, and even if she wanted to have a few hours to herself.
"Is there anything I can do for you? Anything I can get you?"
She shook her head.
"Alright. I'm going to make breakfast for Teresa. Do you want to help?"
She nodded. He had discovered over the few weeks that he had known her that she was a girl of little words, but it didn't mean that she didn't speak her mind if she wanted. Around people she trusted, she was honestly a little bit of a blabbermouth.
They prepared a small breakfast together, not solely for Teresa, but for them as well. After all, it was a Saturday, and they didn't have to do anything that day. He showed her where all the cups, plates and cutlery were, then let her prepare scrambled eggs, assisting her where necessary.
He was careful not to touch her or say anything that would make her doubt him. She had a bad track record with adult males, and he didn't want to be more confirmation to her that she shouldn't trust men. He wanted to be quite the opposite for her - he wanted her to feel comfortable with him, wanted her to trust him and know that he would never do anything that could possibly hurt her.
The scrambled eggs looked like they wouldn't turn out the way she wanted them to, and she got frustrated to the point that she simply dropped everything and wanted to turn and leave. Her frustration grew so big that she got visible tears in her eyes.
"Faye," he said softly, "come. We'll do it together."
He could save the eggs and maybe show Faye that a lot of things can be fixed, even if people believed that it was a lost cause. It didn't matter if she didn't think as deeply as Jane did. As long as she knew that he would support her when she needed it, and that he wouldn't give up so easily, Jane believed that his message was understood.
"See? It wasn't so bad after all." Faye nodded, sniffling, her frustration still in her tiny body, he was sure. "Why don't you pour us some orange juice? I'll round up the eggs."
She did as he told her, and as they filled the platter with everything they had prepared, they looked at it and he smiled.
"We did a good job, didn't we? Teresa is going to love this."
Suddenly, she inched closer to him, and he watched what she was doing, curious to see what she wanted to do. When she shyly wrapped her arms around him, he startled, but he recovered quickly. He was mindful not to hug her too tightly, providing her the opportunity to step away if she wanted. Her hands soon clutched his shirt, and he ran a hand through her hair, and his heart reached out for this little girl's. He wished that he and Teresa could take away her heartache, her trust issues, her bad memories, but the only thing they could do for her was give her structure, love and affection. He wished he could do more, but he had to let that hope go. It would come eventually, he hoped.
She pulled away from him, and he was met by a small smile, the first she had flashed him. He couldn't help but brush her cheeks, and she didn't flinch away.
It would take a while, but they would get there.
~...~
She was thriving in their presence, knowing she was loved and respected by them, and it really did her well.
She had temper tantrums from time to time, usually when things didn't go her way, but more often she just pulled away and grieved her disappointment in herself alone in her room.
Her room, which Jane had decorated with her wishes. He hasn't expected to work on such a room so soon, but he loved doing it, loved listening to the ideas Faye had. She was incredibly creative.
When she was having her good moods, she loved snuggling into Teresa's side, but she had never acknowledged the swollen belly that was obviously in her way. She wasn't stupid, far from it, but perhaps she just wanted to focus solely on Teresa, and not on the unborn baby who might soon join them.
At one point, they were on the couch watching TV when Jane had been distracted by the baby who was once again kicking in Teresa's belly. He smiled at Teresa, and as always he hadn't been able to keep himself from kissing her belly, feeling the little kicks and bumps.
He saw Faye looked at them, doubting whether she wanted to join them. He waved for her to come closer, and he took her hand, putting it right on the spot where the baby was making itself known.
Her eyes widened and she pulled her hand away, only to put it back immediately when her curiosity got the better of her. She was silent for a long time as she inspected the incident, until she looked up at them.
"Is it a boy or a girl?"
"We don't know yet. We want it to be a surprise."
Faye smiled. "I like surprises."
And she continued to be amazed by Teresa's belly, long after the kicking had subsided.
"What is the baby doing in there?"
"He's swimming!"
"Swimming? Does he have goggles too?"
When Jane and Lisbon chuckled, Faye acted a little offended.
"What? If I get water in my eyes it hurts, too!"
"You're right, but maybe the baby has his eyes closed?"
Faye took in this option as a viable one, nodding seriously. Then, her expression formed itself into worry, and her lower lip stuck out a little, too.
"I don't think I've seen a baby before. Uh… maybe on TV, or in the books with the pictures… but never a real one."
Neither Jane nor Lisbon knew what to say to that, so they just decided to look at the girl who was going over her own options of what to say.
"What are babies like?"
"Well… they're really small. He won't be able to play with you immediately, because he'll be too busy getting adjusted to being in the open air. It might take a few weeks until he's able to smile a little. And he might cry, a lot, actually he will cry, a lot. That's his way of talking. He cannot say that he's hungry, or that his diaper is full."
"I don't want the baby to cry."
"I know. Nobody does. But if we give him enough love, I'm sure he won't cry so much."
Faye nodded. She rubbed Lisbon's belly again, her face still showing curiosity. Lisbon was glad the girl was this interested, and she enjoyed answering her questions.
They sat like that for a while, just the three of them enjoying the beauty of new life right there, until Faye lowered her head and left a small kiss on Lisbon's belly.
"I will love you even if you will cry, little baby."
~...~
Lisbon and Jane had decided not to get involved in the case against Faye's parents, but considering Cho had all the details, and Lisbon saw him nearly on a daily basis, she was bound to hear some information. Like the fact that her father's abuse behavior had affected her mother, too, but instead of protecting her daughter from even more harm, she had channeled all her frustration towards the little girl. The two adults had, as a group effort, hurt the girl to the point of breaking, and when Lisbon had met her, she had nearly been there. Lisbon's maternal instincts had saved Faye from that fate.
Both parents were sentenced to a prison sentence of a year for child abuse and neglect, but Lisbon had hoped that they would get a higher sentence. Nothing she would do or say would change it, however, so she let it go.
In light of the trials, Loni had contacted them more and more, and one day she showed up at their cabin.
"I have good news for Faye!" she said, enthusiasm in her voice. Lisbon could hear the sound of small feet behind her. Faye held on to Lisbon's clothing, and Lisbon looked down at the girl. She was curious to find out what Loni was here to tell them.
"We found a permanent family for Faye. They live about an hour away, but they have a very nice house, two dogs, they are very, very nice…"
Faye lost it. She screamed, cried, threw items at Loni, and Lisbon wanted to hold her down but the girl was so angry that she feared for her unborn baby. Jane had undoubtedly heard the commotion, too, because he joined them, only to pull Faye away from the women to prevent her from doing harm.
Lisbon was crying as Faye's anger and sadness washed over her, and Jane held the girl close to him, his steady breathing calming her down. The sight of the two confirmed her feelings, and she knew this was the moment to settle this once and for all.
Lisbon took in a deep breath and faced Loni.
"No. She's not going to a different family. She's staying with us."
"But Teresa, you can't do that."
"Why not? You put her in our care because you believed that we would be the better option at that point. She's doing so well, can't you see that?"
"Of course I can!"
"Then why are you tearing her away from that?"
Lisbon looked at her husband once again, who was still trying his best to calm her down. The system had failed once again, if ultimately it decided that she had to settle in again, and again, not knowing what would be awaiting her next.
"We'll adopt her."
Loni voiced her objections, but it didn't matter anymore. No matter what, Faye would stay with them, if she wanted to. Even then, she deserved love, and love was what they could give her.
She joined Jane and Faye when Loni had left, and the girl was now silently crying, her hands clutching his curls, something they had in common - if Lisbon was feeling a bit down, his curls always grounded her, and therefore she loved touching them. She brushed Faye's tears off her cheeks.
"I don't want to leave."
Lisbon shook her head. "You don't have to."
Faye moved so she could hug them both, and she hardly stopped crying, but it felt less tense this time.
"I love you," Faye whispered, and she was met by teary-eyed smiles and hugs and kisses, for it was the first time she had uttered those words, and the fact that she had meant the world to Jane and Lisbon.
~...~
Despite the fact that Lisbon had spent years filling in paperwork at work, it was definitely Jane who was a pro on that field. He knew exactly what words to use to let Child Services know just how much they wanted Faye to stay with them. The process was slow, but hopefully they were booking some progress.
Meanwhile, they were slowly easing into the idea that Faye might soon be their legal daughter, but they knew it wouldn't technically change the way they behaved.
Sometimes Lisbon thought back to the day she met Faye. She had been desperately looking for someone to help her, craved affection, but the main reason was plain survival - her parents didn't provide her with the care she needed, the basic needs like proper food, protection, and understanding. The fact that she had clung to a stranger so much had only confirmed Lisbon's feelings. When the two had gotten to know each other, Faye had opened up to Lisbon for more reasons that needing to feel protected and loved, and it had freed her from her prison.
Just because she had roamed the area pretty much every day, didn't mean that she was free. When she would come home, the misery would start.
Lisbon and Jane's love, not only for each other but for Faye, too, worked therapeutically. In the midst of their compassion, she could let go of everything that had ever bothered her, could cry when she wanted to, could seek out a hug or a kiss, and could be a child again.
At one point, Faye and Lisbon were sitting on the couch, Lisbon's back towards the girl. Faye was braiding Lisbon's hair, and both of them loved this specific task, calming them and showing their love.
"Teresa?"
"Hmm?"
"Can I call you Mom?"
Lisbon startled, but she had thought about this very topic before, and had discussed this with Jane as well.
"Of course. Only if you want to, though."
Faye hesitated, and Lisbon caught on to it, and she reached behind her head to make the girl let go of her hair. She scooted close and pulled Faye close.
"Dear little Faye," Lisbon whispered, "I know it's a little weird sometimes to live with us, and not with your parents. But the only thing I want for you is to be happy, and how you fill that in is completely up to you. If calling me Mom is going to make you happier, then do it."
Faye nodded, and they sat like that for a while, just the two of them, until Jane came into the room and made a fuss of being excluded. She knew he was merely joking.
"What were you girls doing?"
"I was braiding Teresa's hair."
Jane made Lisbon turn her head so he could inspect her hair, but of course the braid wasn't finished.
"Uh, Faye," he started, everything in his voice showing them he was about to tease the heck out of the girl, "the trick to finishing a braid is wrapping an elastic band around the ends."
Faye hit his arm, and he took the opportunity to pull her close so he could hug her too.
"I wasn't finished yet!"
"Riiiight. Say, Faye, why don't you braid Teresa's hair again? I'll braid yours."
As they settled in a little train, both Faye and Jane started working on the hair in front of them.
"I'll show you how the professionals do it," Faye murmured, and Lisbon couldn't stop the grin from appearing on her lips.
Not many people knew how to deal with Patrick Jane. She would even go as far to say that she was the only one who could control his whims. Yet Faye was smart and quirky, and when it came to personality, she was Jane's spitting image. With the arrival of Faye came another individual who knew how to keep Patrick Jane grounded.
She heard Faye and Jane bantering behind her, covered her belly, and she felt part of a family for the first time since, well, ever. Even if one of their little ones wasn't even born yet, and the other wasn't officially theirs, yet, they were a family.
~...~
"He's so small," Faye whispered, tracing the little fingers and toes, but the boy was fast asleep, a satisfied smile on his lips. "Is he supposed to be this tiny?"
Jane smiled and brushed her hair out of her face.
"If he was any bigger, he wouldn't have fit, would he?"
Faye took a break from admiring the baby to take in Jane's words. She nodded eventually. "I guess so."
"Do you want to hold him?"
"Can I?"
"Of course you can! Sit down next to Teresa so you can hold him properly." Faye did as he told her, settling in Teresa's arms. Teresa, who was exhausted but still had enough power in her to show these three individuals how much she loved them.
Teresa showed her how to best hold the baby, and when Faye could close her arms around her baby brother for the first time, it was visible in everything she had that she would devote her entire life to make sure that this boy would be protected the rest of his life.
"He's so cute," Faye whispered, gently tracing the baby's head. "I love you so much, Quinn."
She took her time taking in all of the little details, shushing Quinn when he was fussing, until she looked up at their parents.
"I love you, Faye," Teresa whispered, caressing the girl's cheeks.
"I love you too, Mommy. And you, Daddy."
After having uttered those meaningful words, even if she didn't know how much it meant to the two adults who were sitting on the same bed, she pulled up the little bubble around herself and her baby brother. She didn't get out of it until she had to go home.
A/N: Might just make a sequel but only if there is enough demand for it. Even then, it will take some time to be thought of and written. Anyway, let me know what you thought of this fic! I poured a lot of love into it so I hope that was visible! Thank you for reading!