It technically was still nighttime, and though Patrick normally got up and diapered their baby before bringing said child to their bed for a nighttime feeding, this night-turning-into morning, she was already awake. And so, once the first cries came from the room down the hall, she beat him to the punch and now found herself comfortably ensconced in the glider rocker, five-month-old blissfully lolling off into Baby-Jane dreamland with a sweet smile and her breast slipping away.
Yes, the impossible happened when that solitary Jane sperm wended its way into her body and encountered that apparently ready and more-than-willing Lisbon egg. Not only was a beautiful child created, but Teresa Lisbon, the one and only from the CBI, had turned into Teresa Lisbon Jane, apparent Earth-mother.
Cho, as her supervisory agent in charge, had inquired about her return to work after the standard federal family leave of three months, and she'd promptly burst into tears upon hanging up. Patrick Jane had stressed once more that she do what felt right for the three of them, and so she signed up for another three months of mommy-only duty. It was still difficult to fathom that money apparently was no object for her husband.
She burped the little one and then continued rocking the babe to sleep. Patrick would have a field day if he saw her doing this, as she was always haranguing him for doing the same instead of making the child go to sleep on its own.
Sleep. She'd better not get too used to it, she reflected. Because just two days before, she'd discovered that the date of her wedding was again going to be the day she surprised her husband with the happiest of news.
Yes, Baby Jane Number Two was on his or her merry way, disproving the adage that full-time breastfeeding was an effective contraceptive during the first year.
Once again, they were both over the moon, each again receiving a gift they'd never anticipated. And to be honest, if you were going to have two kids in diapers, Patrick Jane was the perfect partner, the perfect father. Though he rightfully accused her of having control issues, Teresa and those around her had no idea of what the word 'controlling' meant until they encountered a Patrick Jane in the full throes of fatherhood.
Teresa chuckled in spite of herself, and wondered if an FBI guard would again be standing outside the room she'd labor in. The first time, she tried to convince Patrick that having Cho and Wylie and god knows how many miscellaneous FBI agents right outside her door was not conducive to laboring. Her husband had actually coached poor young Jason Wylie in breathing techniques so that, should something untoward happen to him, he'd be able to fill in! When she appealed to Cho for sanity, he wryly pointed out that you could never know when someone might need Jane's skills.
She looked down at her baby, who was now sound asleep. Unfortunately, said child had a built-in altimeter and was prone to noticing any change in elevation, so she decided to continue rocking. She thought ahead to the day to come. While the baby was napping, she planned on checking out the awesome gift Patrick had presented her with on their anniversary: her very own shooting range! It turned out that 24 acres was a lot of property, and he'd managed to set up what looked like a serviceable range for her to practice and maintain her skills. She'd probably check it out this afternoon since the rain had stopped.
Two hours later, with the sun well on its way to being fully risen after the night's drenching, Patrick Jane entered his baby's room and found mother and child peacefully sleeping, with Teresa fully reclined in the now-motionless rocker. He stood in the doorway, almost unable to breathe-how could this be his life? Just the month before, he'd set foot in a church-Teresa wanted to have their child baptized. The priest, having obviously been coached by Teresa before meeting him, had stressed words like redemption, and Patrick tried very hard to not think of how his first family had to die in order for him to have this happiness in his life, this personal redemption.
Fortunately, the Lisbon clan, with Stan as godfather and Karen as godmother, provided a welcome distraction. But the fact remained: how could this be his life? He'd silently said his final goodbyes to his first family by the side of the pond as he awaited his bride Teresa, but from time to time, despite his efforts to stay on the bright side, sadness would overwhelm him. Having his wife and new baby helped him get through those times.
It sometimes astounded him, that since marrying Teresa, very little had gone wrong and just about everything had gone right. Teresa's working for Cho had proved to be more than fortuitous, in that Patrick quickly learned that he had a fervent and willing co-conspirator in the "Keep Lisbon Safe" department. The pregnancy proceeded normally and the birth was uneventful, except for the fact that it was their personal miracle. Holding their newborn in the same hands that had avenged the baby's sister, Patrick Jane knew once again that he owed everything to his child's mother. Without her, he'd be dead, no question about it.
He tiptoed over to the rocker and gently removed the sleeping child from her chest; cradling the child in his arms, he paced the room. "You're going to have a little brother or sister," he whispered. "I'm going to need your help keeping him or her in line, partner."
"G'morning," he heard Teresa sleepily announce in a sleep-slurred voice.
He turned to her, smiling. It was no longer an unfortunate thing to be Patrick Jane.