Teresa was at home, her old home, in Austin. Fortunately the house hadn't been sold yet, also because it was still full of her boxes and things, so after she had talked with the realtor and found a new agreement, she just needed to unpack and mostly, realize what had happened in the last two days of her life. They had left Miami just as Jane had been released, the flight to Austin had been calm, relaxing and full of whispers and promises; she hadn't been able to be apart from him, from his touch, especially after their first sweet kiss that had literally took her breath away. She had slept the entire flight, without leaving his shoulder that in fact had been the best pillow of her life. Now she was at home, she needed some time alone to think, to process things and to start her new life with Patrick Jane.
Patrick Jane, the man who had always represented her entire universe, the man who she had been ready to leave only two days before and forever even if against her true will. She believed that it would have been better to start a new life, without him, without the constant hope that something would have changed between them, that one day he would have fallen for her with the same hopeless love that she felt for him. When she was finally ready to move on, he had surprised her once again with the sweetest and also painful declaration in the world; she kept repeating in her mind every single word, enjoying them like the first time and she kept thinking about his eyes, his expression, his tears.. she had never seen him like this, so fragile and desperate, so in love.
She immediately took a shower, a really long one, enjoying the hot water and the smell of clean and at the same time she was submerged by a lot of questions and doubts that only a man, her man could raise.
They had been friends for a long time and the thought of a relationship was so scaring but exciting at the same time.
Two hours later a knock on the door informed her that the man in question, her new boyfriend, because he was now, had arrived. They had planned this once they had arrived in Austin. She opened the door for him and at his first sight she threw herself in his arms like they had been separate for years.
"Hey, I'm glad to see you too!" he said holding her tightly and burying his face in her neck delighted by the smell of cinnamon and lavender, his woman always smelled divinely.
"I've missed you! I know it's stupid and silly but I've really missed you," she answered smiling against his chest.
"No, it's not and I've missed you too for the record. So, what are our plans for tonight woman?"
"Mmm, let me think, what about relax and lie down on that couch without worrying of anything in the world?"
"It seems like an excellent plan to me my dear, let's lie down." And make love, he wanted to add.
They rested pressed on the couch, legs untangled, Lisbon lay down resting her head on his chest, playing with one hand with the buttons of his shirt. He started to caress her hair with one hand, the other busy to make her shiver touching her bare back through her blouse.
"Jane, can I ask you something?"
"You can do everything you want Teresa, just call me Patrick, please."
"Ok, Patrick then.. I was wondering about.. you know, wh-when did you realize you were in love with me for the first time?"
"Who said I'm in love with you? " She slapped him on his chest just as the words left his mouth, he chuckled but then was ready to answer.
"Wait, let me think.. you know, it's not an easy question, I mean, I kept pretending not to be in love with you for a long time that it's really hard to remember the exact moment.. I think it's been a process but I can say that I felt something the first time I saw you.. it wasn't love of course, but it was a strange connection, an understanding.. but maybe I should blame these big eyes of yours.."
"So, there wasn't any particular moment or something like that?" She was a bit disappointed but to be honest she understood his point.
"Actually there was a moment, a moment when I was really afraid to lose you for the first time, it was when O'Laughlin shot you.. I know there have been plenty occasions in which you had been in danger before but in that moment I wasn't with you, I wasn't next to you and the only thing that I could do was listen to your breathing through that damn phone. I was terrified Teresa, I was in shock and in that moment it was like the world had stopped. I was in a sort of bubble in the next few days, I had killed a man and almost lost you, the only person I trusted and the only person who filled my life every day.. then I saw you, like an angel with a broken wing came to visit me, to believe me once again and as I saw that you were fine I've started to breathe again."
"You're such a romantic Patrick Jane.."
"Maybe, a little bit." He chuckled in response.
"So, why have you left me then? Why Vegas? You have no idea how much you hurt me Jane.."
He sighed, "I know and I will never be able to tell you how bad I feel for this but I didn't have a choice at the time, Teresa, I had to keep you safe and the only way was to keep the distance.. I wanted so badly to end this Red John affair, I wanted to move on, to begin a new life and that was the only solution.. I'm sorry, I really am."
"I know. But the fact is that you left me again then and I know you needed time to process things, that was hard but they have been the worst two years of my life.. I was so alone, I had lost everything I loved, my job, my team and you, especially you. We have been through a lot, haven't we?"
"Yes, we have and this makes us stuck together forever my dear." He kissed the top of her head, pulling her closer as possible.
Then he resumed to talk: "and what about you, uh? I mean, of course you fell in love with me the first time you've seen me in all my beauty and charm, I just need a confirmation."
"Oh hush please.. well I have to be honest, maybe I was a bit attracted from the start, only because of the way you solved the cases, or the way your mind worked even if I always thought you were an idiot sometimes.. and I have to admit that I've always had a thing for your damned hair. Then I've started to be with you every day, to enjoy to be with you.. and I've begun to depend to your presence a lot, I mean you were basically the only man in my life and I was flattered by the idea of being important to you in a certain way, I thought you felt less alone with me and I wanted to heal your pain so much, you have no idea.."
"You did Teresa, a lot." He whispered softly in her hear.
"But actually there was a moment in which I've realized that maybe I was really in love with you."
"When?" He was curious now.
"Remember the first time we met Erica Flynn?" He nodded and she resumed, " well, that day you made a sort of interview speaking about your ideal woman, or better the woman you wanted in your life and.. I know it was a private thing but before leaving the CBI that night, I was searching my laptop in your attic and I've found the recording of it.. so I've started to listen every single word and suddenly I've realized that I wanted to be that woman so badly, you know, the one you could trust, the one in peace with herself.. strong.. that knew the worst part of you but still loved you.. there wasn't anything I wanted more."
"You were, you really were.. I was only scared to admit that." He was speechless then, astonished by her confession and started to kiss her with all the passion he had.
She interrupted the kiss, "promise me one thing, you won't leave me again, never, for any reason, please Patrick, just promise me this."
"I won't. I promise you.. and for the record, being apart from you for two years has almost killed me. I kept spending the days thinking of you, of your voice, your laugh, your soft hair and your shining eyes, you know I even thought of your freckles and the way you scrunch your nose.. I kept imaging to make love to you in every possible way, on the beach, in the sunset and in the sunrise, through the waves savoring the salt from your skin.. you were in all my dreams Teresa."
And then she couldn't stop herself, his words had literally melted her heart, her soul, her everything. She turned putting herself on top of him and she started to kiss him senseless, moaning between the kisses and exploring his mouth with her sweet tongue. She begun to lose control and started to unbutton his shirt with the desperate need to feel his skin below her fingers.
"Hey woman, slow down." He whispered to her, speaking against her lips and breathing heavily.
"Why?"
"Because you're so beautiful that I won't be able to stop eventually."
"Then don't stop."
And he wanted so bad not to but he wanted their first time to be unforgettable, he wanted to take it slow.
"I want everything to be perfect Teresa, I want to take you to dinner tomorrow, I want to enjoy your company, I want to see all the men's eyes envious of me to be with the most beautiful woman of the restaurant.. I want to see your cheeks going red because of all the wine that we'll drink and then I want to take you home and make love to you all night."
"It sounds like a good plan," she answered blushing and hiding her face in his neck. She was a little disappointed to have to postpone her plans but the prospect of a date and an entire night with him was really thrilling.
"It is." He kept caressing her hair, her cheeks, her nose almost as he wanted to store every part of her.
"If you'll keep caressing me like this I will fall asleep in seconds."
"Then sleep my love."
And she did.
