Author's notes: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, as always, I really appreciate all the support. I am grateful for every one of them. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Jane's lying on the couch turning the toy car David gave him, over and over in his hands, all the while wondering how the boy is doing. He hears familiar footsteps approaching, the slight increase in his heartrate it causes, doesn't go unnoticed by him. He smiles as his feet are nudge off the cushion. He sits up carefully, and feigns irritability:

"Hey woman, you have a perfectly good chair of your own."

"Yes, but the woman carrying your child, deserves to share your couch."

"Can't argue with that."

She nods her head at the car.

"Would you like to see him before we go home?"

As much as Jane loves keeping people off balance, he's discovered he missed having someone in his life who knows him as well as he knows himself, and sometimes better.

"I would. Hey did you say, going home?"

Lisbon grins and nods her head.

"Yes, Cho says you've added to the investigation enough for one day, and that you deserve to go home and rest from your adventures. In fact I was given orders to force you. But I see that's not going to be necessary."

Wiley is getting information on the name Jane found and a team's on standby to bring him in, none of which Jane or Teresa will be helping with.

"Excellent! Let's unlock the chains and escape."

Truth be known Jane's body is screaming at him. Laying down on the couch has stiffened his bruised bones. Jane places his hand on the cushion and prepares to stand up.

"Not so fast."

"Awww."

Jane flops back against the couch with a deep sigh.

"I was just stopped by Agent Perry. You've left him a quivering mess. He asked me how I put up with you. Did you have to be so hard on him?"

Jane opens his eyes in shock and surprise.

"I..I..I wasn't hard on him. I only gave him a lesson on how to loosen up.

Lisbon looks at him sceptically, not believing a word of it.

" What did you answer him?"

"Answer him?"

"About how you.."

Jane makes quotation marks with his fingers:

"..put up with me?"

She smiles sweetly at him as they stand and make their way to the elevator.

"That I used to ask myself that question a hundred times a day when you first came to work for me. But you proved useful and now I only ask it three times a day."

Jane pushes the button to call the elevator to their floor.

"That's the best you could do. I'm useful to the team."

Lisbon bites her bottom lip and nods her head. Jane shakes his. They step into the empty car. Lisbon leans towards him and whispers huskily:

"I couldn't very well tell him the real reason, he would have died on the spot."

Jane turns to her and wraps his arms around her.

"Now that's better."

He kisses her on her neck and blows gently in her ear. She closes her eyes, as electrical pulses course through her body.

"Don't start something you can't finish."

He pulls back.

"What do you mean?"

"I see how you're moving. We go see the young boy, grab some food and then it's home and bed."

Jane eyes twinkle.

"That's exactly what I had in mind."

The doors open and they step out.

"The Spirit is willing but the body is weak, you're not as young as you used to be."

"Now that's hurtful."

Lisbon strides off, proving her point as he struggles to match her and falls behind.

"Hey wait!"

They hear movement deep within the house as they wait in front of the door. As Patrick looks around him, he notes that it's a completely different neighbourhood than the one he was in earlier. The houses are at least four bedrooms, and he suspects, that some of them have more. Each house is elaborate in its design and each one must cost at least two million dollars each. But, as he learnt from experience, it doesn't matter how many things you own, how beautiful they are, tragedy still finds you and it all too willing to cast its fatal blow.

The man who answers the door Jane only saw for a few moments at the scene, he'd scooped up his son and buried his face in the boy, as he held him tight. The father and son had quickly been whipped away as Jane was bundled forcefully into the ambulance. But Jane notes that the man before him has aged ten years since then, grief deepening wrinkles that were only traces on his skin that morning. His eyes filled with disbelief and weariness. Jane recognises the heavy burden he's carrying. The man doesn't recognise them at first, even though Lisbon had left his home only a few hours before. She speaks softly to him:

"Mr. Machin, I was here earlier. I'm sorry to disturb you, this is my colleague Patrick Jane.."

Jane's name brings the man out of his fog. He holds out his hand towards him.

"Mr. Jane, a pleasure to meet you, I want to thank you for what you did for my son."

Jane's takes his hand and shrugs.

"No thanks needed. I wondered if I could see him for just a few minutes?"

"Of course. He talks about you all the time."

He opens the door wider and steps back to allow them entrance.

"Follow me."

Jane motions Lisbon in first and follows. His hands are clasped loosely behind his back as he walks down the wide hallway. Pictures of the family, in happier times, line the walls. He stops in front of a stunning photo of Lucy. She's dressed casually, her hair blowing in the wind, sand gracing her jawline. The camera's captured the pure beauty of the young mother, her smile wide, her joy oozing off the canvas. Jane surmises it's her husband taking the photo from the love that shines in her eyes. He becomes aware of him standing by his shoulder.

"It's a beautiful picture. You are a talented photographer."

"The subject made me good."

Jane turns to him, suspecting he's talking about more than just his talents as a photographer.

"I'm truly sorry for your loss. I only interacted with her for a short time, but I read people very well and it was obvious to me that she was a lovely woman."

Tears glisten in the husband's eyes.

"She was. I know every husband is going to say that, but she truly was. I was mystified and grateful every day for her choosing me."

He shakes his head.

"I don't know what we're going to do without her."

"I can only tell you that there will be many dark days ahead, but they will get better."

The man studies him.

"You've lost someone."

Jane nods slightly.

"Along time ago."

"Mr. Jane!

They both look towards the excited voice, David is hurling himself towards them. The husband stands in his way and stops the boy in his tracks.

"Steady son. Mr Jane looks like he's a little sore, he doesn't need you barrelling in to him."

Jane makes a conscious effort to stand up straighter, he's, obviously, doing a bad job at hiding his physical condition and follows the Father and son down the rest of the hallway. They enter a large living room, decorated in a soft pastel peach and white. Lisbon's sitting on a deep corner couch filled with cushions of various styles and soft colours.

"Take a seat Mr. Jane."

"Please, call me Patrick."

The husband nods his assent.

"Call me Jason."

Jane sits next to Lisbon and looks to David.

"I wanted to thank you for the car."

The boy breaks into a smile.

"You like it?"

Jane nods.

"I do, very much."

"I have lots of them, would you like to see."

Jane stands.

"Lead the way, if it's alright with your Dad of course."

Jason nods his approval and Jane follows David, who has ran ahead. He leads him to another room off the living room, it seems to be where the family watch television, and from there through another door to the kitchen. In a corner of the large kitchen is a family area which includes a mishmash of chairs a shelf full of books and a toy box. It's obvious from the half- drunk mug of coffee on the counter and the toys strewn on the floor, that this is where Father and son were before He and Lisbon disturbed them.

Jane sits on a chair beside the toy box as David searches through, pulling out cars as he finds them. Soon his has about thirty scattered around his feet.

"That is an impressive set of vehicles.."

Jane just stops himself from declaring him a lucky boy. Jane reaches down and picks up a miniature DS Citroen. A different model and colour than the beloved car he left in Sacramento but it still tugs at his memories.

"I used to own a car like this one."

"Would you like to keep it?"

Jane smiles softly and shakes his head.

"That's very generous of you but the one you gave me is great."

The boy accepts it and returns his attention to his toys, lining them up in a specific order that's important to him. Jane takes the opportunity to study the boy. It's good to see that the boy's showing interest in his toys, that being with his father, has softened the trauma of the morning. There's evidence around his eyes of many tears, he suspects they're always close to the surface.

"Daddy's sad."

Jane moves down on to the floor with the boy.

"He will be for a while, just like you."

David looks at him.

"I want it to be morning again, I want to wake up and start this day again, so we can be happy."

"I would like that too."

"I don't think I will ever be happy again."

David wipes furiously at the tears falling on his cheeks and stares down at his cars. Jane sits with his legs crossed.

"Can you look at me David?"

David raises his head.

"You will always miss your Mom, but it will get easier You will be happy again."

Jane lowers his voice:

"Your mommy loved mornings, didn't she?"

David nods his head.

"She thought every day was an adventure, which she wanted to share with you."

David wipes at his eyes and nods again.

"When you wake up in the mornings she'll still be with you, sharing your day. You'll feel her."

Jane reaches towards him and touches his chest.

"You feel her right there."

The boy's face brightens a little, his eyes moves to behind Jane and Jane turns around to find Jason and Lisbon standing there. He turns back to David.

"It's time for me to go."

"Will you come see me again?"

"I certainly will. You can count on it."

David throws himself at Jane, who manages to catch him lessening the body blow. Jane's taken aback when David kisses him on the cheek.

As Jane fastens his seat belt a thought strikes him.

"Where's my car Lisbon?"

"It's in the FBI parking lot, Cho had an agent drive it there."

Jane looks out towards the house as Lisbon pulls out of the driveway. It seems to radiate the sadness found within. He hopes that tomorrow will be a better day for David. Once again Lisbon shows how well she knows him.

"I'm sure what you said back there will help him cope."

Jane looks to her, his heart full of love for her and gratitude that she's by his side. He thrusts aside the scary thoughts that threaten of how quickly everything can change. He reaches out and takes her hand, using the feel of her to ground him.

"I hope so."