Shout-outs: In The Name, mamacrime25, reig, Ray08, Totorsg, Katy-alice Cullen, Chymom, klcarr892, AngryLittlePrincess, TheLifeILive, fadedSorrow, April, Aerolover16, Country2776, Wldwmn, & blueeyedmentalistfan. . . once again guys, thanks for the support. It's wicked encouraging!

Author's Note: My song for you today is "Standing in Front of You" by Kelly Clarkson. It's one of the most INCREDIBLE Jane and Lisbon songs that I've heard all year! I want you to listen to it for yourself, so I won't give too much away. Check it out and tell me what you think!

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Chapter 10

The last couple of days leading up to Christmas seemed to drag out forever. Lisbon checked her cell phone constantly, hoping that Jane would call her.

She knew that she didn't have a right to call him and ask him to come back. . . not after the way she had treated him. Not after she had rejected his honest declaration of love for no good reason at all.

Still, those facts didn't stop her from calling him on Christmas Eve and leaving him a message to say that she and her family would be at midnight mass at the Catholic church a couple blocks from her apartment.

She didn't expect him to come, but she asked all the same. Hoping against all hope that he would find it in his heart to forgive her. . . to take her back, and to give them a try; for real this time. She had the right to hope afterall, if the gift he had given her was anything to go on.

Finally, it was eleven 'o clock on Christmas Eve and the Lisbon family was getting ready to leave for midnight mass (which wasn't an easy feat with an apartment full of people sharing one-and-a-half bathrooms.)

Lisbon had opted to get ready last, and now she was looking at herself in the mirror and fiddling with her cross necklace. Grabbing her lip gloss, she sighed and glanced at her cell phone again for the umpteenth time in five minutes.

She was sure he would have returned her call by now.

"Reese?" Tommy poked his head in the bathroom door. "You know a watched phone never rings."

"Ha, ha, ha. . ." Lisbon replied, screwing the cap back on her tube of lip gloss.

"We're all ready and waiting to go," Tommy said.

"We still have some time. It doesn't take that long to get to the church from my apartment," Lisbon said. "So, why don't you have another cup of coffee? We don't want a repeat of what happened at Emmy Emerson's wedding."

"Are you always going to remind me of that?" Tommy asked, making a face. "It's not my fault the girl decided to get married at midnight!"

For the first time in four days, Lisbon's smile was genuine. "Come on, I'll make you the coffee myself."

"Wait a minute! You're still sad!" Tommy said. "You're man still hasn't called?"

"It's complicated Tommy. . . you wouldn't understand."

"I understand that he makes you happy," he replied. "And after everything you've been through, you deserve to be happy."

Coming from Tommy, this statement was almost like saying I love you.

"Come on," Lisbon said. "I could use a cup of coffee too."

.

They had just finished singing Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent when Lisbon felt somebody sliding in between her and Damon. The priest was praying, so she opened an eye to see who the newcomer was.

It was Jane.

And suddenly, the church service was all but forgotten. He had gotten her message and come to church. . . for her. She leaned over to take a nubby pencil and visitor's card from the pew in front of her. She flipped the card over and wrote a quick message to him, placing it in his lap when she was through.

He read it quickly and then slipped his hand into her's, holding on tightly, he led her past her family and out of the church sanctuary.

It was snowing softly when they got outside, and Lisbon wished for a coat the minute the cold air touched her cheeks. It was as if Jane had read her thoughts, because he quickly shrugged out of his grey pea coat and slid it over her shoulders.

"Patrick. . ." Lisbon whispered, pinching the wool fabric between her fingers.

But she didn't have a chance to finish her sentence. Jane had wrapped her up in his arms and was kissing her tenderly.

It was the first time she was acutely aware of him. She reveled in his warmth; the smells of his Dove soap and Old Spice cologne invaded her senses, as she pulled him closer. When he finally broke away, he framed her frozen cheeks with his warm hands.

"Reese. . ."

"You got my message?" She asked breathlessly, hooking her fingers through his green tie.

"I was going to come even before I got your message," he confessed, dragging his fingers towards her jaw and holding onto her chin so they could have full eye contact. "I love you and I was an idiot not to fight for you the other day—"

"It was mostly my fault. I shouldn't have let you go," Lisbon replied, not knowing exactly what she was saying. "You were right. . . I was scared. I've been hurt so many times before, and I just didn't want to deal with the heartache again."

Jane dropped his hand from her face. "It sure is cold out here."

"Is that all you're going to say?" Lisbon asked, feeling slightly colder without his hands on her face.

"The weatherman said we might get snow."

Lisbon kind of laughed. "Snow in Sacramento. . . that would truly count as one of Annie's Christmas miracles."

Jane's lips twitched. "And it was my fault too. I should have known better than to get my hopes up that you'd want to dive head-first into a real relationship."

She found Jane's tie again. "Well, I'm ready to dive now. . . if you'll dive with me."

"It's a little too late for that, but I'll catch you when you jump," Jane said quietly as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her temple.

She sighed and melted into his embrace, resting her forehead against his chest.

"Hey," he whispered. "Don't look now, but it's snowing."

Lisbon rose her head and watched as the flakes, large and fluffy, fell from the sky and touched their faces.

"Do you believe in Christmas miracles?" She asked.

Jane's eyes lit up as he pushed her hair away from her face and kissed her again. "I think I'm beginning to."

"Yeah. . . me too," Lisbon said, kissing him back.

TBC. . .

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Author's Note:

Okay, we only have the epilogue left! I know the end of this chapter was totally cliche. . . but who doesn't like a little of the same-old, same-old in their Christmas stories? Please review for old time's sake!

Until tomorrow.

Love,

Holly, 12/23/11