A/N: Penultimate chapter! I didn't want to leave you on that cliffhanger for too long. I'm not that cruel. Or am I? I don't know. x tromana
Part Nine
She had seen it out of the corner of her eye. Without even bothering to excuse herself from the conversation with Minelli she flew out to the road and scooped Caitlyn out of danger without a second to spare. Both crashed down into the gravelled pathway leading up to the church and Lisbon felt like her heart was going to tear itself out from her chest. Scrambling to a kneeling position, she placed her daughter onto her feet before clutching her close and refusing to let go. Caitlyn had burst into tears and threw her arms around Lisbon's neck, and for the first time ever, she found it a welcome relief.
"Don't ever do that to me again," Lisbon whispered as Jane approached them. "You scared me then."
Standing up and lifting the little girl with her, Lisbon winced as she attempted to put weight on her right ankle. Jane tried to take Caitlyn away from Lisbon, but the girl stubbornly refused to let go. All eyes were trained on them and everyone had fallen into a deathly silence. Van Pelt let go of Rigsby's hand quickly and approached tentatively.
"She's okay," Lisbon breathed. "We're okay."
"Oh thank God," Van Pelt murmured. "Thank God."
"You're not," Jane replied. "You both need checking over."
Lisbon laughed shakily. "Yeah, perhaps she does. I'm sorry, Grace."
"Not a dull moment with you around, boss," Van Pelt smiled, ignoring the outraged look on Lisbon's face. "Get yourselves sorted out."
Lisbon nodded and apologised to the couple for 'ruining' their day. Both laughed it off and asked to be kept updated on what was happening. It had, after all, been a very close shave. She had to limp to Jane's car, her daughter not even willing to relinquish hold for the relative safety of her father's arms. It took Lisbon a good five minutes of soothing talking to persuade Caitlyn to sit in her car seat.
"Here." Jane was holding out his jacket. Lisbon frowned and he elaborated, "your dress took a bit of a beating."
"Oh, yeah," she muttered in response. "I didn't notice. Thank you.""No, thank you Teresa. You saved her life."
"Well, she is our daughter."
For the first time in an age, Jane ignored his desperate urge to speak. Lisbon's demeanour around Caitlyn had changed entirely within the ten minutes. Instead, they sat in the car in relative silence as Jane drove them to the hospital. Once they arrived, Caitlyn refused the open arms of her father and burst into tears at the idea of anyone other than Lisbon holding her.
"Are you sure you're okay with that?"
"Of course I am, there's no need to be so smothering," Lisbon snapped in response.
"How is your ankle?"
"Painful," she admitted.
It turned out that Lisbon had broken her ankle in her heroics, something she immediately took into her stride. She had broken several bones, been shot and received countless other injuries in the past so it was only another addition to a long list. Caitlyn, mercifully, was fine aside from a few cuts and bruises, and a little bit of shock. Jane breathed a sigh of relief as he strapped her into the car, fast asleep after both mother and daughter had received their treatments. It had long since gone past midnight and he made a mental note to update Minelli, Cho and Rigsby in the morning.
"Are you sure you want to stay…"
"Yes, Patrick."
"A lot has happened today, though."
"I'm sure. Stop worrying."
"I could have lost you both today."
The car pulled to halt as Jane parked in his allotted space at the apartment complex. As he went to speak, she placed a finger gently on his mouth, threaded a hand around the back of his neck and tentatively pressed her lips to his. It took Jane a few seconds to realise what was going on, but eventually he was kissing her back, keeping it soft, gentle and sensual. Though they had been happy to share cuddles and the odd gentle touch, neither had been willing to be so forthcoming since her return. As they parted, Lisbon smiled and Jane snatched a quick peck against her forehead.
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Don't," Jane murmured. "Don't make promises you can't keep."
Lisbon frowned, but didn't have the energy to fight back. She quietly accepted the crutches she had been supplied with back at the hospital before Jane opened the back door of the vehicle and picked up the sleeping Caitlyn. The little girl stirred as they made it back into the apartment and with some difficulty, Lisbon and Jane eventually managed to settle her for the night. Having decided that they were not yet tired, Lisbon and Jane found themselves curled up on the couch, each with a steaming cup of tea in hand.
"Teresa?"
"Patrick?"
"You seem less nervous around Cait since this afternoon."
"I know," she broke out into a weak smile. "Just four years too late."
"Better late than never."
He encouraged her to sit closer and he quickly wrapped an affectionate arm around her shoulders. They fell back into silence again, only interrupted by the occasional car roaring past outside.
"Patrick? Is parenthood always this scary?" she asked nervously.
"Oh yes."
He placed his teacup on the arm of the couch and stroked some hairs out of her eyes.
"Okay."
He smiled as she snuggled down further, quite content. He was about to state that she could take the master bedroom for the night and he'd be happy with the couch but suddenly didn't have the heart to disturb the peace. Eventually, Lisbon fell asleep in his embrace and Jane pulled the throw on top of them. He glanced at the digital clock, blazing the time at him; it was already gone 3am. Caitlyn would be up in a few hours. This wasn't quite how he planned to spend the night, but if she was comfortable than so was he. Besides, he was happy. Despite the accident, it looked like he could be hopeful that one day, they would be a family again.
TBC...
