Author's Note: Hello, everyone! I'm sorry for the long wait between updates again! I just had some stuff to do and a bit of writer's block(ugh, I hate writer's block). But, thank you to Marcia Santos and marshmallowdeviant who reviewed the last chapter. Also, there's a forum for anyone who ships Jisbon. It's Jisbonfans. Freeforums. com. If you ship it, I think you should join! So, here is chapter nine and I hope you all enjoy it!
Disclaimer: Not mine.
"Come on, Teresa." Jane sat on the side of the bed and gave Lisbon a gentle shake. "Melody's going to be here soon. Don't you want to greet her when she gets here?"
"Right." Lisbon mumbled and slowly sat up.
"You okay?" Jane asked, tilting his head. "You look a little sick."
"No." Lisbon shook her head. "No, I'm fine. I think I just need a hot shower."
"You sure?"
"Yeah." Lisbon reluctantly got out of bed and dragged her heels into the bathroom to take her morning shower. It was a good thing she had today off because she really didn't want to go to work. Not with how miserable she felt.
Jane headed downstairs to make something for Lisbon to eat as well as a snack for Melody and himself. Jane heard the water for the shower turn off just before there was a knock at the door. He went to answer it, unlocking and opening the door. "Hello." He smiled at Melody and James.
"Morning." James smiled.
"Hi." Melody greeted.
Jane held out his hand and James passed him Melody's overnight bag. "Her p.j's and everything is in there, I know she has some clothes and stuff here, but it's just extra. Thanks again."
"No problem." Jane smiled, slinging the bag over his shoulder.
James knelt down and face Melody. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow. Be good." He kissed her forehead and gave her a hug.
"I will, Daddy."
"You always do, don't you. I love you."
"I love you, too, Daddy. Good luck at work."
"Thank you." He smiled and left with one final wave to Jane and Melody.
Jane let Melody in, casting James a glance as he got back in his car. He had lost a significant amount of weight since Jane had first met him, despite the fact that he ate almost as much as Rigsby. But, Jane had to give him credit. James Lisbon was kicking.
"Where's Teresa?" Melody asked as she took off her jacket and shoes.
"She's upstairs taking a showering." Jane answered, shutting the door, taking Melody's jacket and hanging it up. "She's tired today."
"Oh." Was all Melody said as she put her shoes on the rack.
"I made us all some food, though. Maybe she'll perk up with some food." Jane led Melody into the kitchen.
"What did you make?"
"I made you a peanut and jelly sandwich." Jane told her, handing her the plate with her food on it.
"I like these." Melody smiled.
"I know." Jane smiled back.
"Hello, Melody." Lisbon entered the kitchen.
"Hi, Teresa." Melody smiled at her aunt brightly.
Lisbon kissed Melody on the head and then headed over to the counter.
"I made you eggs and toast." Jane proudly informed Lisbon.
Lisbon smiled, but once her eyes fell on the food, her stomach lurched. Under normal circumstances, the full plate of food would have looked very appetizing and she would have gladly forked all of it into her mouth. However, today, it didn't look appealing at all and all she wanted to do was turn away. "I'm not hungry." Lisbon shook her head. "Maybe later."
"But they're fresh now." Jane's brows furrowed. "You love my eggs."
"I'm just not hungry this morning."
"You have to eat something."
"Do you want half of my sandwich?" Melody offered, holding her plate up higher for Lisbon.
"No, sweetie. Thank you, though." Lisbon looked back up at Jane's questioning face. "Fine. You're eggs look great." She grabbed the plate and sat down at the table with Melody, Jane joining them.
Lisbon didn't eat much of her eggs or toast. Opting, instead, to pick at the eggs with her fork while nibbling occasionally on the eggs and toast.
"Maybe you should go back to bed, Teresa." Jane said when he was finished his own sandwich and got up to put the plate in the sink.
"What? Why?"
"Because you haven't touched your food, you don't look well and I think you're half falling asleep. You're obviously sick."
"I am not sick." Lisbon retorted, stubbornly.
"Of course you are. Don't worry. Melody and I won't ruin the place while you're sleeping."
"I'm not sick." But, of course, at just that moment Lisbon's stomach decided to flop around and create a very unpleasant feeling. "I need to go to the bathroom." She excused herself and all but sprinted up the stairs.
Melody and Jane looked at each other.
"She's sick." Melody said.
"Well, at least one of you Lisbons agree with me." Jane sighed as he reached for a phone.
It wasn't long before there was another knock on the door and Jane answered it. "Hello. Thanks for coming. She's still being stubborn, so I guess that's a good sigh, but I thought a professional opinion couldn't hurt."
"No problem." Millie smiled as she stepped inside. "I usually get Saturdays off anyway and my day has been incredibly uneventful until you called. Josh is working and nothing needed doing."
"We always seem to need you at times that are eerily convenient." Jane grinned. "You messing with us?"
Millie laughed. "Yes. I just troll around and make sure that one of you will be sick so I'll have something to do when I'm bored." She joked.
"That's not very nice of you." Jane teasingly scolded. "Here, let me help you with your coat. How far along are you now?" He glanced at her swollen stomach as he took her jacket and the bag she'd brought with her.
"Twenty-four weeks."
"Know what you're having yet? Or are you going to wait?"
"No way could I be patient enough to wait." Millie shook her head and they both headed up the stairs. "It's a boy. He started kicking about a week ago. Give or take a few days."
"Any names picked out?"
"Oh, Josh and I are such a mess with those. We can't come to a solid decision."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." Jane opened the room door for her and let her go in first.
Millie flicked on the light and Lisbon groaned in the bed, putting her hands over her eyes.
"Hi, Millie." Melody waved from where she sat on the edge of the bed.
"Hello, Melody. Goodness, you get bigger every time I see you."
Melody smiled. "Thank you. But it's because Daddy makes me eat vegetables. They're really yucky, though."
Millie chuckled. "They're not always very tasty, are they?"
"Nope." Melody shook her head.
Millie kissed Melody on the head and then turned to attend to Lisbon. "How are you feeling, Teresa?"
"I'm fine."
"You threw up." Jane reminded her.
"And now I feel fine…Fine enough to have a nap, at least."
Millie smiled at Lisbon's stubbornness. "Can I have my bag back, Patrick?" She held out her hand and Jane passed it to her. She placed it next to her and put one hand on Lisbon's forehead while placing her other hand on her own forehead. "Yeah, you're warm." Millie confirmed, reaching into her bag and pulling out a thermometer. "Put this under your tongue."
"What am I? Six?" Lisbon groaned.
"Open up for the choo choo train, Teresa." Millie teased.
Lisbon just groaned and opened her mouth so Millie could put the thermometer in.
"Any other symptoms?" Millie asked her. "Dizziness? Weakness? A bad or phlegm-y cough?"
"Well, I don't feel as strong as usual."
"But you can move around? If you had to, get up and walk?"
"Yeah." Lisbon nodded.
"Have you eaten anything different? Anything questionable?"
Lisbon shook her head.
Millie looked over at Patrick, who had sat next to Melody and had his arm draped over the girls shoulders. "Anything Patrick hasn't also eaten?"
Lisbon thought for a moment. They ate mostly the same things. "Well, I had this cupcake yesterday…"
"Wait. The ones on the break room counter?" Jane asked.
Lisbon nodded.
"Teresa. Those cupcakes were getting thrown out."
"What?"
"They were expired. Gone bad. They were supposed to get thrown out."
"How come no one said anything? There wasn't even a note!"
"It's okay." Jane patted her leg. "I'm sure you'll be fine tomorrow."
Lisbon glared at him.
Millie pulled the thermometer out of Lisbon's mouth and looked at the temperature. "You're warm, but you're not completely burning up. It was probably the cupcake. You've probably just got food poisoning. Patrick's right. You'll probably be fine tomorrow."
"That's good news." Jane smiled.
"Yay." Lisbon added sarcastically.
Millie cleaned the thermometer and then put it back in her bag. "Lots of fluids, some light snacks and lots of bed rest is what you need. You'll be fully functional tomorrow."
"Thanks." Lisbon mumbled tiredly.
"No problem." Millie grabbed her bag and stood up.
Jane looked at Melody. "How about we see Millie out?"
"Okay." Melody slid off the side of the bed.
"We'll be right back." Jane kissed Lisbon's forehead and then got up to see Millie off.
"Millie?"
"Yes, Melody?"
"Is it true that when a baby is born, they go through a magical portal in the mommy's tummy?"
Millie sent Jane a strange look before looking back at Melody. "Yeah. That's basically it." Of all the fabricated stories she'd ever heard from kids about where babies come from, a magical tummy portal was probably the strangest. Oddly enough, though, it was the most accurate.
"Good." Melody said. "Daniel said that a bird drops the baby off on the mommy and daddy's doorstep. That's just stupid. Why would a bird want to deliver a human baby? And how would the bird get the baby out of the mommy's tummy? I told him it makes no sense. And to make the baby, the mommy plants a magic bean in her bellybutton, right?"
Behind them, Jane pursed his lips together and tried not to laugh.
"Well, that would only make sense, wouldn't it?" Millie replied. "If it's a magic bean."
"That's what I told him!" Melody threw her hands in the air. "Birds have nothing to do with it. A magic bean at least makes sense."
"It sure does." Millie tried not to laugh as she reached for her jacket and Jane helped her into it before she got her shoes on.
"Can it talk yet?" Melody asked.
"What?"
"The baby." Melody elaborated. "Can it talk yet?"
"No." Millie shook her head. "But, if you listen really closely, you might be able to heart its heartbeat."
"Really?"
"Yep."
"Can I try?"
"I'm sorry." Jane said. "We don't mean-"
"No, no." Millie waved her hand dismissively. "I don't mind. Go ahead. Put your ear against my tummy and be very quiet. See if you can hear his heartbeat."
Melody took a careful step closer, placing her hands gently on Millie's tummy and then slowly pressing her ear against it. She listened intently. "I hear it." She whispered.
"Yeah?" Millie asked.
"Mhm." Melody continued to listen. "Ah!" Melody took a step back and placed a hand on her cheek, glaring at Millie's stomach. "It kicked me."
"He." Millie corrected. "And that means he must like you."
Melody looked up at Millie, confused. "But he kicked me."
"He can't say he likes you any other way. When he gets excited, he kicks because it's all he can do to show it. I'm sorry. He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"No. I'm okay."
"Glad to hear it. You want to hear his heartbeat, Patrick?"
"I'm okay. Kids seem to like me and Teresa hits me enough as it is." Jane joked.
"I guess she has to keep you in line somehow." Millie grinned. "Anyway. I'll let you guys attend to your patient upstairs and head out. Goodbye, you two. Are you all still coming to the baby shower in two weeks?"
"Of course." Jane nodded.
"Okay. Just making sure you remembered."
"How could we forget? Have a safe drive, and if you ever need us for a change, feel free to call."
"Oh, if I need anything, rest assured, you'll hear from me." Millie waved at them as she stepped out the door and headed for her car.
Jane shut and locked the door behind her. "You want to come with me and make sure that Teresa is tucked in properly? Then we can watch a movie if you'd like."
"Okay." Melody and Jane went back upstairs to see how Lisbon was doing.
"Here you go." Jane placed a garbage can at Lisbon's side of the bed. "Just in case you have a sudden need for it."
Lisbon just grumbled and pulled the blankets closer to her chin.
"We'll let you nap. We're going to tuck you in. " Melody said as she helped Jane tuck the blankets around Lisbon. "Let us know if you need anything."
"Thank you." Lisbon mumbled.
"You're welcome." Melody smiled. And with that, she kissed Lisbon head, climbed off the bed and headed back downstairs with Jane.
"What movie do you want to watch?" Jane asked as he opened the movie cabinet. Lisbon's movie collection had done a tremendous amount of growing since Melody and James had moved to Sacramento.
"Tangled?" Melody suggested.
Jane scanned the movie cases and pulled out the one he needed. "Tangled it is." He set up the TV and put in the disk before joining Melody on the couch.
Melody snuggled into his side, watching the TV screen in anticipation. "Patrick?"
"Yes, Melody?"
"Is Teresa going to be sick all day?"
"It looks that way." Jane nodded.
"Oh." Melody went back to watching the movie.
When the movie was over, Jane put the DVD back in its case and then returned it to its shelf. "Should we take Teresa a snack?"
"Yes." Melody nodded. "She's probably hungry now."
They both got up and headed for the kitchen. Jane grabbed some grapes from the fridge and a banana. He put a few grapes on a plate as well as some banana slices, splitting the rest of the banana between himself and Melody.
"Patrick?" Melody asked as they walked up the stairs, Jane had assigned her to carry the plate and she took her job very seriously.
"Yes?" Jane carried a glass of water.
Melody glanced at the closed door they were standing in front of and gestured for Jane to lean closer. He obliged her and she stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear.
Jane smiled. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."
"You think so?" Melody's cheeks dimpled.
"Of course. But first, we have to give Teresa her snack. Then we'll work on it, okay?"
"Okay." Melody nodded and they entered the room. "Teresa. We brought you a snack to help you feel better."
"Mmmnnn…" Lisbon moaned and peeked an eye open at them. "For me?" She tried not to sound too grumpy.
"Yeah." Melody nodded as she placed the plate she was carrying on the bedside table and then jumped up on the side of the bed. "Grapes and some banana."
"Oh, yummy." Lisbon slowly sat up and leaned against her pillows.
"Feeling any less sick?" Jane asked, handing Melody back the plate.
"I'm feeling a bit better. Not much, though."
"This will help." Melody held out the grape she had just plucked off the stem. "It's healthy."
"Well, thank y-" Lisbon was interrupted as Melody shoved the grape in her mouth. Lisbon sputtered in surprise and bit down on the fruit.
"Gentle, Melody." Jane patted Lisbon's back lightly.
"Thanks." Lisbon said once she had swallowed the fruit.
Melody and Jane hung around and made sure that Lisbon finished all of her snack before tucking her in again and heading back downstairs with the empty dishes.
"You pick a CD and then we'll get started right away." Jane told Melody as they put the dishes in the sink."
"Okay." Melody beamed as she hurried out of the kitchen. She already had something in mind.
-Mentalist-
Two water breaks, one snack break and two more check up on Lisbon breaks later; and Melody and Jane were ready. At least, they felt ready. Jane took the CD out of the player and carried it upstairs, Melody following close behind.
"You awake, Teresa?" Jane asked softly as he poked his head inside the room.
"I am now." Lisbon slurred tiredly as she sat up while Melody and Jane entered the room.
"Good." Jane smiled. "Melody and I have a special surprise for you. It was Melody's idea, really."
"Yeah? What is it?" Lisbon perked up.
"You'll see." Melody smiled as she hurried to stand at the foot of the bed.
Jane turned on the bedside lamps, Lisbon flinching at the sudden onslaught of light, but didn't protest. Then, Jane went to the CD player and inserted the CD and pushed a few buttons before pressing pause and grabbing the remote.
"What are you guys up to?" Lisbon asked.
"Ssshhhhh." Jane shook his head. "Just sit back, relax and enjoy."
Lisbon settled against her pillows again as Jane took his spot at the foot of the bed next to Melody, both their backs facing away from Lisbon. Jane extended his arm to hit play on the remote before pocketing the device. There was a very short moment of silence before the song started.
"Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want…"
Lisbon bit her lip, holding back a laugh. 'Wannabe' by The Spice Girls. Oh, no.
Melody hopped and spun around to face the bed, arms held over her head and fingers spread out with Jane mimicking the action next to her. They then proceeded to plug their noses and wiggled into crouching positions in the 'drowning swimmer' dance move, before popping back up to repeat it once more in time with the music. Jane reached over and took one of Melody's hands, spinning her twice, and they hopped passed each other with Melody passing in front and repeated the 'drowning swimmer' move. The hopped to the right and clapped, hopped to the left and clapped and then spun a full 360.
Lisbon smiled widely and couldn't help but laugh and wiggle a bit in her spot to the music as well.
When the performance was over, Lisbon clapped for them as they took their bows and then Jane went to turn off the CD player. "That was great."
"You liked it?" Melody hopped up and sat on the side of the bed.
"Of course. It was wonderful." Lisbon reached out and fixed Melody's ponytail.
"We worked on that all afternoon for you." Jane flopped down on his side of the bed.
"Thank you."
"You look like you're feeling a lot better." Jane placed a hand on Lisbon's forehead.
"I'm feeling a lot better. Not completely normal yet, but much better."
"At least you're feeling better." Melody put in. "You'll be all better tomorrow."
"I think I might." Lisbon smiled at her.
"Come on, Melody." Jane got up after glancing at the clock. "Lets get you some dinner and then it's bedtime."
"But I don't want to go to bed." Melody protested. "I'm not tired."
"But it's almost bed time." Jane repeated.
"But, I'm not tired." Melody looked at Lisbon for support.
"Bedtime is bedtime." Lisbon shook her head.
Melody pouted.
"At least I'll give you dinner first." Jane held out his hand.
Reluctantly, Melody took his hand and followed him downstairs for dinner.
-Mentalist-
"Do you want me to read you a bedtime story?" Jane asked after Melody had her p.j's on and they were brushing their teeth.
"Just you?" Melody asked.
"Teresa's not feeling well right now."
"But, we can't have bedtime stories without Teresa. We just have to. That's how it always is. It would be like going to Chicago and not visiting Uncle Tommy and Annabeth."
Jane thought for a moment, trying to find a solution. Maybe he could see if Lisbon was up for a bedtime story. It wasn't such a huge task.
"I know!" Melody looked at him. "I could tell Teresa a bedtime story!"
"You mean read?"
"No." Melody shook her head. "I could tell her one. One time, Daddy told me a bedtime story because I didn't want to read any of the other books. It was a good story."
"That's a fantastic idea." Jane nodded. "You're on a role today, I tell you."
Melody giggled. They finished brushing their teeth and headed back so Melody could tell Lisbon a bedtime story.
"Melody has a special treat for us." Jane said as he and Melody re-entered the room.
"Hmn?" Lisbon opened her eyes to look at them. She was half asleep.
"Melody wants to tell us a bedtime story."
"A bedtime story for me?"
Melody nodded.
"Oh, I can't wait." Lisbon patted the empty mattress next to her. "What are we reading?"
"Nothing." Melody said as she and Jane settled onto the mattress, all three cozying up to each other with Melody in the middle. "I'm going to make it up."
Lisbon sent Jane a curious look. "Okay."
"Okay." Melody nodded, all three lying on their backs and facing the ceiling. "Once upon a time, there was a princess named…Smelly. She was named that because she smelled nice. Like flowers."
"What kind of flowers?" Jane asked.
"Nice flowers? Lilies. I don't know." Melody rolled her eyes. "It's not important."
Lisbon and Jane looked at each other, both trying not to smile at that.
"Anyway." Melody continued. "Princess Smelly had a pet unigon named Puff."
"Unigon?" Jane inquired.
"Half unicorn, half dragon. Duh?" Melody sighed.
Both adults had to hold back laughter at that.
"Can I finish the story?" Melody huffed.
"Of course." Lisbon said. "Please, continue. I need to know what happens with Smelly and Puff."
"Okay." Melody wove a tail about how Smelly's kingdom was invaded by evil brustle sprouts, plotting to overtake the Land of Sweets. Puff and Smelly had to defend the land with their liquorish lassos, candy corn cannons and Puffs magic fire that turned all the brustle sprouts into sugar cubes. Then they also had to save Smelly's best friend whose name was Jell-O. In the end, the brustle sprout army was defeated and the Land of Sweets could finally live in peace once more. All thanks to Smelly and Puff.
"I think that was the best bedtime story I've ever heard." Lisbon grinned and kissed Melody's head.
"Wonderful." Jane agreed as he sat up.
"Thank you." Melody also sat up.
"And now, it's bedtime." Jane told her. "Say goodnight."
"Goodnight, Teresa." Melody gave her aunt a hug.
"Goodnight, Melody." Lisbon smiled.
Jane left to tuck Melody in and then returned a few minutes later, once Melody was safely tucked into bed. He turned off the bedside lamp as he crawled under the blankets and snuggled against Lisbon. "We should have asked her for bedtime stories a long time ago. I've never even heard of a unigon before. Where does she come up with this stuff? It's gold. We should make it a children's book and sell it to a big publisher."
Lisbon laughed. "You are not going to exploit the creative mind of my nine-year-old niece."
"Exploit? Teresa. The world needs to hear about Smelly and Puff. We'd be doing the world a great service."
"Shush." Lisbon giggled. "It's time to sleep."
"You've been sleeping all day. How are you still tired?"
"Food poisoning will do that to a person. Now, sh."
Author's Note: That's it for now! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, hopefully I'll have the next one up faster and return to my weekly kind of schedule. Please leave a review and let me know what you thought. It's always appreciated! :)
