A/N: Alright! I'm already in the festive mood as you can see, and I was craving some Jisbon fluff, so this is the result! Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.
'Bundle Up Tight'
He never tired of looking at Teresa Lisbon. He enjoyed her facial expressions, she never managed to keep her annoyance to herself. He liked the way her eyes twinkled when he complimented her, praised her beauty, and she almost always blushed, not wanting to accept the words but enjoying hearing them anyway. He loved waking up next to her, seeing her still fast asleep, before he would make her breakfast, always waking her up in the process. Perhaps it was the smell of fresh coffee that drew her to him, but in any case he loved seeing her show up there, still pretty much asleep, eyes nearly closed and hair ruffled.
If he had known that life with her looked like this, he would have told her he loved her sooner. Still, he had his entire life to spend with her, and he couldn't wait to see what life could bring them.
After having had breakfast, they just lay in bed together, sometimes kissing, but mostly just looking at each other, enjoying the view. Their hands were lazily entwined on her swollen belly.
"I want to get away before the baby is born," she whispered, lifting one of his hands to kiss his fingers.
"Where do you want to go?"
"I don't know. Just anywhere." She raised her head. "It's almost Christmas."
He nodded. It wasn't their first Christmas together, considering they had been friends for years, but it was their first Christmas together, as a married couple, with a little one on the way. It hadn't crossed his mind because he had been so busy with other things, but now that he had time to think about it, he knew he had to make this Christmas extra special.
"We could go north, to the snow. Rent a cabin with a fireplace, make love while we're snowed in."
She rolled her eyes. "You and your fantasies."
"They often involve getting you the best of the best, so you have nothing to complain about."
She scooted closer and kissed his lips, brushing his cheeks with her soft fingers. "You're right. I'm very lucky."
That she was. But the luckiest person currently alive was him, because he had Teresa Lisbon to pamper, to kiss and hug and make love with, and to call his wife.
For her, he would do everything.
~...~
They put up a Christmas tree together, and he got to know the side of her that was excited by brights lights, glitters and fake snow. Her curious eyes made it so she reminded him of a child, enthusiastic for Christmas to arrive at long last.
"I haven't celebrated Christmas often," she whispered, staring at a Christmas ball in wonder. He already thought that what she had said would be the truth, but he had still hoped he would be wrong.
He wasn't any different, really. After Angela and Charlotte had passed away, he didn't see the need to celebrate the pretentious holiday anymore. It was supposed to be a time when you spend even more time with your family than you already did, a time to be together with those you loved, and he didn't have that anymore. But now that he was with Teresa, he felt this desperate need to bring back the holiday, only this time with a different family. He wanted her to know what it could be like, how its warmth could spread throughout your entire body.
"Me neither. Not after they passed away. But… we have a good reason now to start a new tradition."
She smiled. "Which is?"
"Decorating the Christmas tree, of course." He looked up from where they were sitting on the ground, admiring their six feet tall Christmas tree. It towered over his tiny wife, even when she was on tiptoes, and she had fought to keep down joy when he had brought it in. He had seen it, of course. It just confirmed that they needed to bring Christmas back into their lives.
When he looked back at her, she was smiling at him, and she reached out to brush his cheek.
"You're right." Her hand found its way to the back of his neck, caressing the curls there, and he loved how much she enjoyed this specific action. Whenever she was upset, or needed to calm down for whatever reason, she pulled him close and brushed his hair. Perhaps she did it because he was unable to keep his content from his face whenever she did it. "As long as I can buy you a gift each year and you'll accept the surprise."
He rolled his eyes, but nodded. "Fair enough."
He continued looking at her for a few more seconds, until he refocused on the decorations in front of them. When he stood to hang a tiny snow angel, she heard her soft voice again.
"Love you," she whispered, and he looked down at her, her smile bringing one to his own face. He knelt quickly, kissing her lips.
"I love you, too." He continued with the tree, and he wasn't even a little disappointed when she decided to just sit and look at him. Eventually, though, he moved her to the couch, so she could sit more comfortably. She gave him instructions on where to put certain ornaments, and when they finished, he sat down beside her, pulling her into his arms.
"What is it that you want more than anything else in the world, Teresa Lisbon?"
"You, of course," she answered him without missing a beat. He knew she felt this way, but he liked hearing it. "But you knew that already, didn't you? Otherwise you wouldn't have asked, because I wouldn't be able to stroke your ego."
He laughed and noticed how she pulled him closer, no doubt smiling herself.
He couldn't wait for the rest of their lives spent together. With their little one on the way, he knew it would certainly get much better than this, even if it seemed almost impossible at the moment. His life was perfect, and he knew it. It was all due to Teresa Lisbon, the beautiful woman who was in his arms.
~...~
The cabin they had rented for a few days was not too big, just big enough so that the warmth from the fireplace filled most of the place. While he had placed their bags in the bedroom, she had inspected the interior, only to return with a satisfied smile on her face.
"Yep. I approve." He smiled at her, and they settled, before deciding to go into town and get some fresh air. In any case, she didn't get nearly enough movement, and he didn't really blame her. Her belly was gorgeous but it was big, and it didn't allow for much movement. Often times, she needed him to assist her with everyday tasks, such as getting out of bed or tying her shoelaces. He loved helping her though, knowing he was partly responsible for her current state.
His arm was wrapped around her waist, and he hoped that in that way, he could help her move. He couldn't shake the feeling that no matter what he would do to help her, nothing would be enough.
She admired all the decorations that were presented in the shops, the lights and shimmers and miniature towns. Christmas might just turn into Teresa Lisbon's favorite holiday of the year.
They sat down sometimes because her back would protest, and about the third time in, he decided to get them something to eat. It turned out to be two waffles, covered with chocolate, and he knew his wife would love it.
She settled into his side, her scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, and he used it as leverage to pull her towards him for a small kiss.
"I love how you love me," she stated. She accepted the waffle, taking a bite, and he could obviously tell that she enjoyed it.
"What do you mean?"
"Well," she started, taking another bite, "I've had relationships before, but I've never felt as cherished as when I'm with you."
"Good." He smiled at her. "Because I love being around you. I always have. And I feel you deserve to know how much I love you. After all these years, you stuck by my side. The least I can do is return the favor."
They were silent for a while, enjoying their waffles. She turned to him eventually.
"I didn't know you thought of it like that." She looked at his face. "You know I don't blame you for that… right?"
"You might not blame me, but I blame me."
She shook her head, but all the months they had been together had taught her that she wouldn't be able to get through to him when he was in these moods.
Even he didn't know where it came from. He was happy, with this beautiful woman as his wife by his side, and a baby on the way, but still there was a small voice in his head that told him that he wasn't allowed to have this, or be happy.
It was really a work in progress. He hoped that he would be able to stop thinking like this, if at least for her sake.
"We have been alone for a long time. Both of us. But we deserve each other, we really do. I know you're insecure sometimes, but you know that I believe that there is no need. With you, I couldn't be happier." She grabbed his hand. "I don't know what I would do without you."
He cracked a little smile.
"You'd probably be fighting crime like a total badass."
She rolled her eyes. "I'm serious, Patrick. I don't know where I would be without you. I have known you for so long now, and I've loved you for more than half of it. I… even if I would have stayed with Marcus… I would never have been able to move on from you. And I don't have any demands, just that you stay with me. Because I will fade away if you ever leave."
"I won't leave."
"Good." She brushed his cheek, and her touch made his heart swell, like always. She just smiled, a little giggle escaping her, and she focused on their surroundings again.
She loved him so much, he knew that. Sometimes, she couldn't even voice her love, too overtaken by the emotions, so the only thing she could do was show him. And he sure loved it when she showed him, because it always meant he would get a kiss, a hug, or one of her beautiful smiles.
He loved her so much, too. Wasn't he the luckiest man he knew for being in her arms?
She shivered and he looked at her critically.
"Are you cold?"
"No."
He stared at her. She could be so stubborn, but perhaps she just did it to challenge him, yet why he didn't know. He shrugged his jacket off and wrapped it around her shoulders, and she looked at him as though he had just grown a second head.
"You'll catch a cold like this."
"You don't catch a cold from a breeze."
"But the cold emphasizes a virus you might already have. Thus, the risk of you catching a cold like this is big."
She was smarter than he always thought, and he was faced with that fact on a daily basis. Then again, he had never thought that she was stupid, for he knew how well she could think, especially when he was concerned. Whenever he had found himself in a tricky situation, she had talked him out of it, proving to be his saving grace.
"I would gladly battle a cold if it means that my heavily pregnant wife stays healthy."
"Whatever," she murmured, but the smile on her lips was visible, especially to him.
~...~
When her feet and back had rested enough, they continued on their way back to the cabin, walking past the few final shops when her attention was piqued by something behind one of the shop's windows. He followed her inside, curious to see what she was interested in, but she pushed him out.
"I'll be right back," she stated, and he could merely smile at her at how cute she was sometimes. He knew he could be expecting a surprise very soon, and if her reaction to it was any indication, it would be a nice one.
With a paper bag containing her newest purchase in one hand and his arm in the other, they walked back to the cabin.
~...~
They claimed a quiet night that evening, enjoying the big bathtub together, after which they retired to bed. When she had fallen asleep, he had gotten up quietly to finish his surprise for her on Christmas morning the next day, before slipping beside her again.
Her arms seemed to be made especially for him, because he fit there perfectly, everything of her beautiful face within his reach. He had never known how much holding someone, or being held by someone, could work so therapeutically. All of his troubles and fears faded away when he would just close his arms around her.
Even if now, in her current state, their baby was in the way of holding her flush against him.
That following morning, she awoke slowly, and her stirring had made him wake up, too. He didn't let it be known to her however, as she got out of bed, hopefully checking if there were any presents stored anywhere. He heard her small feet shuffling around the cabin, until he heard a loud scream that sounded suspiciously like-
"JANE!"
He jumped up and followed the sound of her voice, but instead of finding her angry like he had expected her to be, he found her lying crossed on the couch, her hands on her belly, and she was loudly laughing, tears running down her cheeks.
"What? What's wrong?" he asked her, still worried something was wrong. She pointed to one of his gifts, and he couldn't help but smile, too.
There, on the table, was a picture frame with his photo, a bow stuck to one of the corners. It was one of his best pictures, he had to admit.
He sat down beside her on the couch.
"What is wrong, Teresa?" he asked her, yet this time he said it to tease her. He knew exactly what was wrong, or, right.
When she had recovered from her laughing, she looked at him with wet eyes.
"I know I said that you were the biggest gift I could ever receive," she whispered, not yet trusting her voice, and she giggled, "but this is ridiculous."
Her smile told him that she loved it, however, and that was all he needed to see from her side. She looked at the picture a little longer, then back at his face.
"It's a good picture."
"Exactly. Can I open a gift, too?"
She nodded, and she put the frame on the coffee table lovingly, her eyes lingering on it a little longer than she probably had meant to. It sent sparks to his brain, this display of adoration another telltale sign of her love for him.
He had put up a small Christmas tree for them to put gifts under, and he loved to see that she had gotten him gifts, too, even if she had likely bought one right under his nose. He liked her surprises. They were always thought through.
It were mostly shirts that he had needed for a long time but hadn't managed to buy, one mug which said 'I'm the crazy dad everyone warned you about', and a wooden frame with an unmistakable ultrasound in it. At the top, it was written '3 weeks until I meet you', and while looking at it, he got a lump in his throat, thinking about the prospect of their little one.
"It's beautiful," he whispered. She instinctively inched closer to kiss his lips, always knowing exactly what to do when he was feeling this way.
He wasn't crying because he was sad, and by now she knew it already. At first he might have been conflicted, images of his precious Charlotte flashing before his eyes, recalling his short but beautiful time with her, and he had wondered if maybe he was actually ready to be a father again. But when he had noticed how happy Teresa was to be pregnant and to share this wonderful thing with him, all of his doubts had faded away. He was proud to be able to say that he was the one who could make Teresa Lisbon a mother, something she so deserved.
"Don't be sad," she whispered, wiping his tears away.
"I'm not," he reassured her. "Far from it."
He rubbed her upper arms, kissing the tip of her nose.
"You make me the happiest man I've ever known."
She smiled and snuggled into his hold, and it was the first time that day that he took the opportunity to check how she was doing. Her rosy cheeks told him that she was far from cold, but there was something else about her that felt a little off.
"How are you?"
"I'm okay," she quipped, and he looked down at her.
"High voice."
She sighed. "It's just growing pain, I think."
"What is it you feel?"
"A pressure… ish. I don't know how to explain it."
"Point it out. Maybe I can help."
She stared at him, and maybe she knew what he was thinking, too. She must know. After all, she almost always knew what he was thinking.
"It can't be, Patrick," she whispered, suddenly very serious. All humor had left her eyes, and it was replaced by worry.
"Of course it can. She can survive outside of the womb at 24 weeks. We're at 37 now. She can do it."
"Not here though. Not now."
"I know. It could take a while, still. Let's hope she will wait until we're at home."
She nodded and they fell into a comfortable silence again.
"I can't wait to hold her, though," she whispered. Even if they didn't know for certain if their baby would be a girl or a boy, she had a suspicion that it was in fact a girl so that was what they would go with. "I want to know what she looks like."
He nodded as well, and he shared her curiosity, wanting to know too whose nose she would get, whose eyes, what hair color. He hoped she would look more like her mother, because he would love to see what a mini-Lisbon could look like, with a few hints of Jane in the mix.
"Oh, I forgot." She pushed away from his body, signaling that she wanted to get up, and he helped her. He watched as she disappeared briefly, before returning with a small box in her hands.
"I didn't have time to wrap it," she whispered, "but Merry Christmas, Patrick."
He turned it so he could look at it, discovering that it was a clear Christmas ball, reading 'Our first Xmas as Mr and Mrs', furthermore decorated by patches of snow and glitter.
"It's not our first Christmas together," she whispered, "but it's our first Christmas, together."
He nodded, taking in the beautiful gift.
Just as he thought. He loved her surprises.
"Oh, I love you so, Teresa Lisbon."
"I love you, too, Mr. Jane."
He smiled as he looked down at her.
"Mrs. Jane." She chuckled and he kissed her, always taking up the chance to kiss her while she was laughing.
~...~
During the night, it had started snowing, but they had been so caught up with resting and opening their presents that they hadn't noticed. When Jane had opened the curtains, they were met by a bright, white world.
"Oh my God! Snow!"
He had had to force her to put on some warm clothes in her enthusiasm to get outside and enjoy that piece of her childhood again. After all, she was born and raised Chicagoan. She had pretty much grown up in the snow.
He knew of her pain, even if she didn't tell him. She had always been bad at hiding pain from her face, whether physical or psychological. Right now, from time to time, she showed clear discomfort, perhaps even pain.
He didn't want their baby to be born here either, but it looked like that was what was going to happen. He had hoped it might take a while and that they might have enough time to get back to Austin, but he wouldn't put her in a plane now, she wasn't even medically allowed to fly. Even then, if the process would suddenly speed up, he guessed they would have to put the plane on the ground again.
She walked up to him and it was obvious to him that she was tired and wanted to rest. She needed all of her strength.
"Where is the nearest hospital?" she asked him. He hadn't looked into that, neither before their trip nor now, even if it was obvious that she was definitely in early labor.
"I will find one." She nodded and grabbed his arm, sighing. "Do you want anything to drink?"
He got up to get her some tea she wanted, and when he came back, he saw she was in distress. He quickly sat down beside her after having put the cup of tea on the coffee table and pulled her into his arms.
"Hey. What's wrong?"
"Patrick, I'm scared."
"Okay. Alright. That's okay. What are you scared of?"
"I don't know. Everything. I'm afraid something will go wrong with the birth, or the baby, or that I will not be able to be a good mother."
He held her close, comforting her, and he told her that everything would be okay, even if he didn't know how this would work out. He didn't know how long her labor would take, but he would let her sleep so he could call hospitals in the area to ask if they could accept them.
~...~
He was preparing a bag to take with them to the hospital, but they didn't have a lot to bring with in the first place. Of course, he had known that there might be a chance it might happen here, but he hadn't actually thought it would happen.
She walked around the place trying to take her mind off the pain, and she helped him with the bag, but a small gasp got his attention and he looked at her.
"I think my waters broke," she whispered. He knew in that moment, even if this didn't necessarily mean that she was close, in their case he felt it probably was.
"Okay, we need to stay calm. I'll get the bags into the car, I'll get you in a moment."
He rushed to do what he had said he would do, wanting to start the car so they could leave instantly, but he soon noticed that the cold had probably killed the engine.
Of course. He hit the steering wheel in anger so hard, he thought he had single handedly broken his own bones. He rushed back to the cabin, finding her on the floor.
No. Why didn't their baby stick to the plan? Now, they had no transportation to the hospital, and Teresa was likely very advanced in labor.
"The car won't start. I'll get someone to help from the town-"
"No!" she exclaimed, clutching his leg. "Don't go. Don't leave me alone." He sat down beside her, taking her hand in his. "We'll do this here."
"Here? Teresa, what if something goes wrong? I wouldn't know what to do!"
"Then we call someone to help us over the phone." She reached over to pull him close and she whispered in his ear. "You're not leaving me, Patrick Jane."
"Okay. I'm staying." He moved so he could pull her into his arms and she could lean her back against him. With one hand, he brushed her arm, while with the other he called their midwife, Melissa.
"We have a problem," he stated, and right on cue Teresa starting showing her pain, groaning and sighing. Melissa seemed to know enough.
"Where are you two? Are you at home? I'll come to you."
"We're not in the neighborhood."
"Patrick, where are you?"
"Jackson, Wyoming."
Melissa, quite understandably, started to bombard with questions, asking them why they had gone without informing her, why they had gone so far away, but eventually she just stopped because he wasn't responding, instead focusing on getting Teresa through her contraction.
"How is the spacing between contractions?"
"I haven't counted yet. Tell me how to do it."
"Okay. From the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next. Just tell me when it starts, I'll time it here."
"Understood. Melissa?"
She let it be known that she was listening.
"If I would have known this would happen, we wouldn't have gone."
"I know. I hope you two had fun nonetheless. You ain't getting much of that the next eighteen years at best."
He smiled and focused on Teresa once again, seeing that her contraction had ebbed away.
"You're doing great, Teresa," he whispered, and she just sighed and leaned her head back.
"If she's deciding she wants to celebrate Christmas with us," she breathed, "she better be here soon."
Jane followed all of Melissa's instructions down to the letter, all the while supporting his puffing and panting wife. The contractions quickly increased in intensity, until she could hardly take a breath in between them. He had moved them to the bed, settling her against the headboard with enough space for either pillows or him.
Melissa had arranged for a local midwife to show up, but all of them knew that it might take too long. It was going so fast now, and he barely managed to get her something to drink or get some damp towels to clean her forehead.
"Is it too late to go back?" she murmured. He smiled and brushed her hair out of her face.
"Yes. Yes it is. But, look on the bright side."
"What bright side could there possibly be to this… this… nightmare?"
"Our baby," he whispered. She pulled his hands close, her back still to his chest.
"She better be worth it."
"She will be. I know it."
She nodded, looking up at him, and for the first time since her labor had really set off, she brushed his cheek.
"I know. I'm sorry if I say bad things. It's the pain talking."
"It's okay. I'm so proud of you."
She smiled and it warmed his heart, but then her face contorted as it had so often in the past hour or so.
He hated seeing her in so much pain, and wished he could share in her anguish, but the only thing he could do for her was be her coach, like they had practiced sometimes when they had had parenting classes.
Melissa was still on the phone, the call on speakerphone now, and she had taken in all of the numbers he had thrown her way, until the only thing she could determine was that Teresa had to push.
"Don't hold back," he whispered. "I know it hurts, and I know it's scary because it's just us, but she'll be fine. The harder you push, the sooner she'll be here."
And she listened to his words, deciding now was not the time to be stubborn. He switched from his position behind her to kneel in front, between her spread legs, and listening to Melissa's words, they delivered their baby together.
The entire world stopped turning when he held their baby for the first time, and he knew he would dedicate his entire life to this little wonder, would fight with his life to protect her, care for her, make sure she was loved, not only by Teresa and him, but also the entire world.
He looked up to Teresa, who had tears streaming down her cheeks and who had fallen against the pillows in exhaustion.
It was quiet for a while, not even the little one in his hands letting out a single noise, and it drew his gaze away from Teresa as panic started building in his body.
Just as he looked down, she started crying, and the relief he felt outed itself in tears.
"Patrick," Teresa's tired voice filled the room on top of the little girl's screams. Jane shot out of his trance and carefully settled down beside her, placing their little one in Teresa's arms.
"Definitely a girl," she croaked, looking down at the precious wonder on her chest. He kissed the side of her head, once again brushing her hair out of her face.
"I love you so much," he whispered, but as he looked at Teresa admiring their baby, all of his words melted on his tongue, and all he could do was look at her, look at them, his beautiful family.
All of Teresa's pain seemed forgotten when she held her newborn daughter, and this was everything he had ever wanted for her, the opportunity to have a child, and call it hers. To be the mother she had always been supposed to be, deserved to be.
Melissa gave a couple of instructions for the afterbirth but mostly left them alone. It wasn't until about ten minutes later that he heard a knock on the door.
The midwife, who had introduced herself as Valerie, congratulated them on their new addition to their family, and commenced her work.
"You did very well," she stated. She had carefully taken the baby from Teresa to check up on her, and Jane took this chance to scoot closer to her.
"Both of you." She quickly turned towards them. "May I call you by your first name?"
"Of course."
"Alright. Patrick, do you want to help me?"
For the rest of the day, they lived on cloud nine, focusing almost entirely on their newborn baby daughter.
~...~
Apparently, she just couldn't wait any longer to meet her parents, and her timing might have been off, but her parents couldn't be happier to welcome her into their life.
Little Florence Evelyn Jane. Beside her mother, she was her father's great love, the reason he should be the best version of himself so he could be her support.
She was sleeping on his chest, and he liked to believe that his calm and steady breathing calmed her down, too. Her mother was cuddling his side, caressing his hair, occasionally brushing little Florence's hair, too.
"I forgot to give you one last Christmas present," he whispered, and she glared at him, probably thinking why he was thinking of that now, of all times.
"You want to do that now, of all times?"
He chuckled and nodded.
"Well, alright. What is it?"
He looked down at their Florence, who slept like a, well, like a baby.
"Florence?"
He merely smiled and it caused her to raise her eyebrows. But she smiled eventually, reaching up to kiss his lips.
"She's the best gift I'll ever get," she whispered, kissing the top of Florence's head, too. "But I made her, too."
He chuckled, shaking head. "Everything's a competition with you."
He knew she couldn't really argue with that fact, but it kept both of them engaged and on their toes.
"Merry Christmas, Teresa Lisbon."
"The same to you, Patrick Jane." She lowered her head so she could kiss Florence's cheek. "And Merry Christmas to you, too, little Florence."
Florence would likely never know how happy she made her parents.
A/N: There you go! Let me know what you thought in a REVIEW, thank you! And I have just started with a new AU story, but we'll see what comes of that!