I'm so sorry for the long delay in posting. I definitely haven't forgotten this story! I'm writing another story, for another fandom, and hadn't written anything for that for a long time. I was feeling guilty for my other readers so spent some time updating that one. And then I got the flu and didn't write anything for a week.

So I'm back - with only a short chapter I'm afraid – but I will update regularly from now on (and thanks for the nudges folks – they really do inspire me to get updating).

So … is everyone else loving Season 7 as much as me? I'm dying that there are only 6 episodes to go. What will I do without my weekly dose of PJ and TL? Sigh. We'll just have to promise to all keep writing TM fanfic!

"So, what does it say?" Teresa asked curiously.

Jane lifted his head, his lips held tightly together in that look he'd get when not sure whether to share or hold something back. Finally he passed her the letter for her to read.

Patrick (at least I hope it's you reading this):

I figured if there was anyone who could find the clue and where this box was hidden, it was you. I hope you don't mind that I left it where I did. I knew that Angela would look after things for me.

Teresa looked up at Jane at this point but he just shrugged. She assumed that he knew why she was looking at him and that he was telling her it was okay. She returned to the letter.

At first, when Edward Johnson appeared I thought my luck had changed. I wanted to provide a good life for Em and Lily but I'm not really trained in anything but the con. Things were tough and I needed money and he promised me a job.

It sounded too good to be true – and it was. Don't laugh Patrick. I know you're sitting there thinking I should have known better. All I can say is my perspective changed after we had Lily. It wasn't too long before Edward approached me to do him a favor. He told me a friend of his had some cash and needed to bring it across the Mexican border to avoid paying huge taxes on it. He said it would be easy and that I wouldn't get into any trouble. Yeah right! Now who was being conned?

Anyway, I agreed – the money was good and I figured I could put a bit of a nest egg away for Lily, for college maybe. Hey, wouldn't that have been something – a Ruskin actually going to college? I would have done it and thought nothing of it except I happened to go by to see Edward one day and overheard him talking with some guy. It turns out he was dealing with the Mexican mob.

Teresa stopped reading. "Oh no!"

"Yeah – not good", Patrick nodded. "Keep reading."

I decided then and there I wanted no part of it, but it was already too late. I was in too deep and my dearest brother-in-law informed me that I was going to have to help him out on a regular basis from now on. I told him no and that's when things got a bit dicey.

I took what's in the box and hid it. I told him to leave us alone and was going to leave with Em and the baby and disappear so he couldn't find us. If you're reading this my plan obviously didn't work. I just pray that Lily and Emma are okay.

Please take what's in here and hold on to it for them. When Lily's old enough to need it you can cash them in. No one will know. Just look after my girls for me Patrick.

Danny

"He must have done this before the will and the other letter to you."

"Yeah, maybe. I wonder where they were going when they were killed?"

"Do you think they were leaving town? But they wouldn't have left Lily, would they?"

"To protect her? Maybe. But I don't think so, at least they weren't planning on it that night."

"So what's in the box", Teresa asked.

Patrick handed her one of the pages. "They're bonds, made out in Lily's name. They total ten million dollars."

"Ten million? But – where's it from? What's this about?"

"Money laundering I expect. That must be what Johnson was doing when he did runs into Texas. He wasn't bringing illegal immigrants across the border, or goods, he was taking money from the Mexican mob and bringing it up to the States to launder. No wonder they couldn't find anything."

"God, why would Danny take a chance like this?"

Jane shook his head. "I don't know but I do know why Johnson wants Lily."

"Why?" she frowned.

"Because as her guardian he can cash these in. He didn't want her, he wanted the money."

"But he doesn't have the bonds and didn't even know where they were."

"No, but he was hedging his bets. He had to know that they'd turn up eventually. He knew that Danny would want to look out for his family. He's probably told his partners that he's looking for them. I expect the Mexicans want their money back sooner rather than later."

"God, if they find out we have them, they'll come after us!"

"That's true", he nodded. "But what if they think Johnson has them, that he took the money and blamed Danny."

"They'd kill him", Teresa said with a frown.

"Or we could give him a choice", Patrick said.

"A choice?"

"Have him give up all claim on Lily and admit to the money laundering and the murders of Danny and his wife, in exchange for protection from the Mexican cartels."

"Do you think he'd go for that?" she asked skeptically.

"Have you heard what the cartels do to people who betray them?"

"Yeah, there is that. But how are we going to convince them that he has the money? We don't even know who he was dealing with."

"I don't know – yet. But I'll figure it out." Suddenly Patrick smiled. "Things are definitely looking better."

She laughed. "Only you would say things are better now that we're dealing with money laundering, a Mexican cartel, and a murderer."

"Yes", he grinned. "It'll be fun and I'll get to keep Lily."

She shook her head at him. He was incorrigible!

They chatted for a while longer, both throwing out absurd scenarios, but eventually realized they were both too tired and too dazed by all that had happened to come up with anything that had an even remote chance of working.

Teresa finally stretched and stood up, announcing it was time for bed. "Lily's out like a light and I'm pretty tired, so I think I'll head back to my room."

Jane stood up as well and walked with her to the door. Nothing more had been said by either of them about their now admitted feelings. Just as Teresa went to open the door, he reached out and put his hand on hers.

He turned her slowly and smiled. Then he bent and gave her a gentle kiss. "Sweet dreams Teresa."

She smiled all the way to her room, only allowing herself a small thought that she would have preferred to stay in his room. But she acknowledged it was too soon for that. They had too much to figure out.

She unlocked her door and closed it carefully behind her. She then twirled around and threw herself on her bed. Yes, there was a lot to think about, but she wasn't going to, not right now. Right now she was simply going to enjoy the fact that Patrick Jane told her he loved her – that, and the fact that he was an amazing kisser.

Jane had trouble falling asleep that night; there was so much going through his head. He knew he had to figure out what to do about Johnson and the bonds and Lily, but right now all he could concentrate on was Teresa – and the fact that she told him she loved him.

He should be happy, right? Yes, he should be ecstatic. It's what he'd wanted, what he'd thought about and planned for – and a big part of him was happy. But another part of him was full of fear and guilt.

What if he screwed this up? What if he lost her, either because of his own stupidity and carelessness, or because she got in the way of a bullet from some madman? If either of those things happened he knew he wouldn't survive. He couldn't survive another loss.

"You've already had this conversation Paddy, me boy", he whispered. "Nothing ventured and all that". Teresa loved him for goodness sake. Why couldn't he just enjoy that fact?

He closed his eyes and took a number of slow, deep and steady breaths. With each breath in he said how much he loved Teresa, on each breath out he repeated the fact that she loved him. Eventually he began to relax and to think about nothing but her, and how lucky he was to have her.

"I love Teresa", he breathed, "and Teresa loves me." The fear started to fade and the happiness started to grow. He fell asleep with a smile.

And woke up to crying! He'd slept so deeply that he hadn't woken up as quickly as Lily would like. He untangled himself from the covers as quickly as he could and retrieved her from her crib. "Hey there sweetheart, don't cry! Daddy's got you."

It didn't take her too long to settle down and Jane was able to bathe her quickly and get her dressed. He fixed her a bottle and was feeding her when there was a knock on the door. Holding her while continuing to feed her, he made his way to the door.

"Morning!" A fresh-faced, dressed and put together Lisbon entered the room with a smile. She looked at the thoroughly disheveled man wearing sweats and with his hair going in all directions and couldn't help but grin. "Rough night?"

"No, it was actually a very good night", he told her, sitting down with the baby. "I slept too late and Lily wasn't very happy with me."

"Would you like me to finish with her so you can shower."

He smiled and stood and handed her the baby. He then leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. "I'd like that very much. I'll be quick."

"Good, because I'm starving", she called after him. Once she'd settled in the chair with Lily, who had calmly continued sucking on her bottle when transferred to Auntie Teresa's arms, she allowed herself a smile. She must admit she loved seeing the rumpled, morning Patrick. He seemed much less in control and definitely very cuddly looking.

He was out of the shower in a few short minutes and dressed and ready to go to breakfast. Now carrying a very happy baby, Teresa walked beside Patrick down the hall and towards the elevator.

It hit her that to any casual observer they would look like a family on their way to breakfast and she immediately got goose bumps on her arms. She had spent so much time thinking about her feelings for Patrick, and wondering about his, that she'd never given any thought to the idea of a future with him. But he now had a child and a future with him would also mean a future with Lily – as a family.

She stopped dead, a stunned look on her face. Patrick stopped as well and turned to her with a frown. "What is it?"

"Huh?" She shook herself and took a breath. "Uh – nothing. I just thought of something."

"What?" he smiled.

"Nothing", she repeated. "Nothing important."

He took a couple of steps over to her and regarded her seriously. "I know Teresa. This is all – new – and we're both – trying to figure this all out. But please know that I meant what I said last night and I want to figure it out, with you."

She gave him a slow smile. She should have known he would understand what she was feeling and thinking. She nodded. "Okay. I'll try and just – enjoy, but you know it's hard for me not to know what I'm doing, don't you?"

"To just let things go and not worry? Yeah, I know. But as long as we do what feels right for both of us, we'll be okay."

She nodded again and then took a deep breath. "I'm starving!"

"Well then lets go feed you woman! You don't want to see Auntie Teresa when she's over hungry Lily. It's really scary!"

Teresa snorted, but suddenly felt more relaxed. How could she possibly be worried about Lily? She loved the little girl to pieces."

After a leisurely breakfast they made their way back to their rooms and gathered all their things together so they'd be in time for their flight, which left just after lunch. They'd done all they needed to do in California and it was time to head home.

"I can't believe that I actually think of Austin as home now", Teresa said, as they sat in the Taxi on the way to the airport. "I was in California for a long time."

"Do you miss it?"

"Sometimes", she said. "I felt a bit nostalgic when we got there. There are a lot of good memories."

"A lot of bad ones too", he said seriously.

"I'm sorry", she frowned, suddenly realizing what she'd said. Occasionally she could still stick her foot in her mouth.

"That's not what I meant", he told her. "I meant for you. Your career didn't exactly go as planned." He stopped and took a deep breath. "You could have gone a long way if it wasn't for me. I'm sorry."

"What? Are you kidding? Jane, our team had the best case closed record of any team in the CBI. I was – I am incredibly proud of that."

"But the Blake Association? Having your team disbanded – hell, the whole CBI disbanded. That wasn't good."

"Well, we were also responsible for helping destroy Blake. Once the FBI cleared us even they admitted that. And we caught lots of criminals that would have gone free if it wasn't for us. So there's nothing to apologize for because you played a huge role in that. And anyway", she looked at him out of the corner of her eyes, "I had fun."

"Really?" he smiled. "I thought I drove you crazy?"

"You did, but at least I wasn't bored."

He laughed at that and reached over and put his arm around her. "I'm glad. I would have hated be to boring."

She laughed as well and spent the rest of the ride playing with Lily.

They got home late that evening, the time change adding a couple of hours. Patrick convinced Lisbon to stay at his apartment in the guest room rather than trying to drive home so late.

She had to admit that she was starting to feel like she was living with Jane already. She also had to admit that she was getting used to it.

The next morning they got Lily ready and dropped her off at the daycare and then made their way into the FBI building. It was time to get help.