After 25 chapters, I've put Jane and Lisbon through a lot... so here is the last chapter and I hope it meets your expectations. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed this story! I never would have finished had it not been for all of you!

The episode tonight was terrific! His gift for Teresa was so cute! (I don't want to spoil it.) I can't believe it! Also, after an exhausting two-day golf tournament involving 36 holes in the rain and fog, I was so happy when I came home to watch Patrick Jane with a golf club! He called them big fat sticks. Ha ha! :)

He called golf easy! I would love to challenge him. Sorry for the long author's note, but I'm ecstatic!

Rated T

Chapter 25: Kisses

Tuesday, 9:46 PM

Jane followed Lisbon into her apartment. Both Lisbon and Jane's respective cars had been totaled so Jane had driven them home in one of the state-issued SUV's belonging to CBI. He tossed the keys on the counter with a little bit of resentment. Lisbon noticed this and turned towards the consultant.

"I'm sorry about your car." She told him sincerely. Jane turned to her and his face brightened suddenly.

"No worries. I'll get it fixed." He replied as he headed towards her couch and collapsed on one end. Lisbon followed and settled down next to the consultant.

"Patrick, your car is riddled with bullet holes." She reminded him. "It'd be more cost efficient if you just buy a new one."

"Do you have any idea how hard it was to find that one, especially in that color?" Jane remarked. He paused. "I guess I could get a new one in a different color." He shrugged, missing the car he had.

"I don't know." Lisbon shrugged. "I think sky blue suits you." She added. Jane glanced at her, amusement shining in his eyes.

"So you do like my car." He commented. Lisbon rolled her eyes.

"I'm not sure your car can even be considered street legal." She countered. Jane shrugged.

"Well, now it can't." He admitted, a little sad. Lisbon sympathized and leaned into him, placing a light kiss on his cheek in an effort to make him feel better. Jane smiled faintly as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her towards him so she could rest her head against his chest.

"Patrick…" She began. "I think it goes without saying that you can stay here tonight if you want." She offered with a shy smile. Jane returned her smile.

"That's good because otherwise I'd have to stake out your apartment from my-" Jane paused to correct himself, "-the car, which is a lot less comfortable." He admitted with a grin. Lisbon sighed and raised her head to look him in the eye.

"No one's after me." She told him honestly.

"You don't know that." Jane teased. He knew that Lisbon was safe now, but he still felt it'd be at least a week before he'd let her out his sight. He lifted his hand and traced a line down her cheek until he could raise her chin slightly. His blue eyes were thoughtful as they peered into hers. "I thought I lost you today." He confessed sadly, wanting her to see how worried he had been. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes a little sad.

"You don't have to worry about me." She told him in a quiet voice. Jane moved his fingers across her cheek and then to the back of her neck so she could toy with her dark curls. He felt her shiver under his warm touch.

"I know… but I do." He said softly, leaning in and giving her another tender but brief kiss on the lips. She smiled.

"We're okay." Lisbon whispered against his lips. Jane grinned.

"We're perfect." He replied, leaning in for a longer kiss. Lisbon smiled as she placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed him back against the arm of the couch. He obeyed and shifted his body, his lips never leaving hers as he pulled his legs onto the couch and Lisbon settled herself on top of him. She could feel Jane's heart beat faster as his hand held to her hip before slipping down her leg.

Lisbon cringed slightly at the stinging pain on her face as Jane gently kissed her cheek. The pain didn't bother her, but reminded her of the faint scars on her face.

"Patrick, I don't look that great." She told him uncertainly. Jane paused and pulled back so he could read her expression.

"You're beautiful to me." He told her sincerely, still holding her close to him. Lisbon's looked away shyly as her cheeks glowed a deep shade of red. "Does everything I say make you blush?" Jane asked sweetly with a small smile. He tilted his head so he could meet her eyes. "I love it when you blush." He said softly.

"I have pale skin…I-" Lisbon explained, but Jane silenced her with another brief kiss, unable to resist pressing his lips against her smile. "Maybe you're right." She corrected and Jane's grin widened.

"I am." He responded confidently, his breath warm against her skin.

"Not at all conceited." Lisbon remarked sarcastically before her hands slipped under Jane's shirt and he gasped in response, shifting his position under her. Lisbon smiled at this, liking how he could manipulate the blond-haired man.

Lisbon's thoughts drifted back to when she had caught Jane in the elevator with his shirt open. She began to wonder what he looked like with his shirt off, having never seen him without his suit. Her fingers traced the contours of his body and temptation got the best of her as her tongue danced along his lips. She pulled her hands out from under his shirt and moved them to his collar, where she slowly started to pull at the buttons. Her excitement clouded her senses and she didn't notice the subtle change in the way Jane kissed her, the nervous hesitation as he tried to pull away. She didn't notice anything was wrong until Jane's hand clasped over hers, stopping her from taking off his shirt. She froze, her green eyes daring to meet his. He seemed nervous, doubt dimming the brightness in his eyes.

She immediately regretted her action, having thought Jane was ready when he obviously wasn't.

"Sorry," she whispered, her eyes darting away from his as she abruptly pulled away from him, got to her feet, and headed straight for her bedroom, unintentionally slamming the door a little too hard as she left disappointed.

Jane didn't move, his eyes staring at the ceiling as she disappeared. He cringed when she slammed the door and felt frustration welling up inside of him. He had no idea why he had stopped her. He had every intention of going all the way, committing himself solely to her… and yet he had felt fear when she started taking off his shirt. He wanted to prove to her that he really did love her, that he was moving on after his family's murder, and that he didn't hold any reservations about them as a couple.

She deserved better, but he couldn't bring himself to let go of his wife completely. He was still close to her in strange way. When he was alone, he'd talk to her, pretend she was more than just an apparition resulting from his sleep-deprived mind. He had emptied his house of everything that reminded him of his wife and daughter, but couldn't bring himself to take off his wedding ring. He held up his hand and examined the ring clinging to his finger as it reflected the light.

Jane had never gotten to say goodbye… to make the transition from happily married man to grieving widow. One moment his life was perfect and the next it was all in pieces. He had thought he had overcome the emotional barriers, but only now did he realize the real reason they even existed and why he was overwhelmed by guilt at the idea of having sex with Lisbon.

He knew Lisbon wasn't replacing her. To be honest, his wife and Lisbon were very different in many ways. He knew that he wanted to be with Lisbon, that it hurt to reject her, and that she didn't deserve to be put second.

He never put her second.

In his mind, Lisbon had become his priority long before they started dating. His purpose in life had slowly become more than just pursuing Red John as he focused on finding new ways to make Lisbon blush, to annoy her, or to just make her smile. Sure, Jane still intended to make Red John pay for what he did to his innocent wife and daughter, and he wasn't going to let Lisbon stop him, but now there was more to his life than revenge. He had Lisbon. He wanted to keep Lisbon.

He gently held his ring and lifted it off his finger. It didn't resist and came off willingly as if it too agreed it was time. Jane smiled slightly, the ring holding with it so many memories he knew he'd never forget. He then set the ring on the coffee table, got to his feet, and entered Lisbon's bedroom with renewed confidence.

Lisbon deserved better… he loved her.

Jane entered the room unannounced and found Lisbon standing to his left by the dresser. One of the drawers was open and she was about to pull out her pajamas, but paused as she heard Jane quietly slip into the room and close the door behind him. She didn't look up or acknowledge his presence because she wasn't sure what to say. Jane moved towards the dresser and leaned against the side, his eyes trained on Lisbon. She still tried to ignore him, hoping he would leave her alone for a little while so she could regain control of her emotions. After all, it had been a hard few days and they had both been through a lot. Maybe it was best if they just spent some time apart.

Jane tilted his head curiously, watching her eyes intently until she couldn't bear it any longer. She sighed in defeat and reluctantly lifted her gaze to see Jane. Now that he had her attention, his gaze drifted to the pajamas in the drawer.

"You won't need those." He remarked with a sly grin. Lisbon sighed again, using her hand to brush some stray strands of hair behind her ear. Her eyebrows furrowed into a frown.

"Patrick, I'm not pushing." She told him directly in a soft understanding voice, while turning her body to face him. She wasn't mad at him. She was disappointed, but she could never blame Jane. "I know it's hard for you and-" She tried to explain, but Jane interrupted.

"Teresa, I love you." He stated nonchalantly, his lips curving into a cheery, sincere smile. Lisbon froze, not expecting Jane to actually say it. His smiled brightened at her surprised reaction. Her gaze drifted to the floor as she tried to formulate a response. He waited expectantly.

"I know you do." She told him in a quiet voice. "I love you too." She added sincerely, holding eye contact for a moment before her gaze shyly returned to the floor. A light shade of red tinted her cheeks as she tried to hide a smile.

"You're blushing again." Jane observed with a grin. Lisbon surrendered, a smile gracing her lips.

"If you point it out every time you'll run out of breath." She quipped, her eyes meeting his. Jane moved towards her and Lisbon wasn't sure how to respond.

Then she noticed something was different about him and it took her a moment to figure out what. She realized his golden wedding ring was absent from his finger and she immediately turned her questioning eyes to meet his. Jane knew that she had noticed and he smiled faintly.

"I want to be with you." He told her, his eyes soft and thoughtful. He lightly placed his hands on her hips and she let him, her attention centered on his eyes. "Today proved that I can't wait forever." He explained, willing to wait for Lisbon's reply.

Lisbon had no idea how to respond. She was never really good at expressing how she felt, especially not in words. It helped that Jane could read her so easily. His grin never faded and suddenly Lisbon decided a smile was all she could give him.

"You're seducing me." She pointed out with an air of mischief in her bright green eyes. Jane pulled her a little closer.

"Probably… but you like it." He whispered in her ear and she shivered, knowing she had no ability to resist his tempting smile. She leaned in and initiated the kiss, cupping her hands around his face.

The next thing she knew she was lying on her bed with Jane on top of her. She had finally gotten his shirt off and was now running her fingers along his bare chest and along his back. Jane's hands unfastened her belt while placing featherlike kisses down her neck. She shifted below him as his touch sent shivers down her spine. Then her breathing hitched as he slid his hands under her shirt, a smile never leaving his lips as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

His hands now worked diligently on her shirt until he'd pulled off all the buttons and it easily slid off her shoulders. He returned his lips to hers and moaned as he explored her mouth with his tongue. She grinned against his lips and encircled her arms around his neck, her fingers stringing through his blond curls.

Her mind was focused on the rush she felt as he touched her and her uncontrollable excitement as everything in her life was finally coming together, all her fear and anger long forgotten as she peered into Patrick Jane's bright blue eyes.

Wednesday, 1:22 AM

Lisbon was tired and yet she found herself awake after a few hours of deep, restful sleep. She had been pleasantly content in Jane's arms as she had drifted to sleep, but now her mind was racing as it tried to process all the significant changes in her life that had occurred in only the last two days. Her eyes were still closed, but she was consciously aware of the man resting beside her with his arm draped across her waist. Her back was to him, yet she could feel his warm breath against her neck and his body pressed against hers.

He loved her. She loved him.

She felt her heart beat faster as the memories of his sweet voice echoed in her mind. Dreams she had always thought beyond her reach were now a reality and now her subconscious no longer needed to invent dreams involving the blond-haired consultant. She'd rather be awake to enjoy his company than sleep and imagine being with him.

She smiled slightly, her eyes still closed.

Jane shifted beside her and Lisbon, enthralled in her thoughts, didn't feel him lean in towards her ear.

"I feel the same way, Teresa." He whispered and she opened her eyes, glancing sideways at Jane who was sitting up slightly, hovering next to her. She blushed in the dark, surprised to find the consultant was awake. She began to wonder if the man ever truly slept.

"How'd you know I was awake?" Lisbon asked curiously. She could faintly distinguish his light smile in the dark bedroom.

"I'm surprised you didn't ask how I knew what you were thinking." He replied, his voice still quiet and soothing.

"Well then I wouldn't get a straight answer." Lisbon told him knowingly. He settled back down on the pillow and Lisbon turned over so she could face him. He lay there in silence just staring at her before finally giving an answer.

"Your breathing changed…" He explained quietly, "and you were smiling." Jane observed, brushing his fingers along her chin as he placed a brief kiss on her cheek. "You should go back to sleep." He added softly and Lisbon didn't resist, swiftly drifting to sleep.

Wednesday, 9:36 AM

Teresa Lisbon opened her eyes and was blinded by the morning sun shining through her curtains. She slowly processed her surroundings. She stretched out on the bed and suddenly noticed she was alone. Jane was nowhere to be seen.

Lisbon frowned curiously and sat up slightly, pulling the cover with her so she could hide her naked body. His clothes were no longer strewn on the floor, but hers were. His shoes were gone and she listened carefully, but heard nothing in her apartment.

There were a few valid reasons why Jane could have left her apartment so early in the morning. Her first thought was that Jane regretted last night, but she quickly disregarded that idea, absolutely positive that Jane wouldn't do that to her. Her second plausible reason was that he had gone home to get a new, clean change of clothes. Her third idea was that he went to get breakfast because her refrigerator was empty and they hadn't eaten dinner.

She lay back down on the bed and closed her eyes, satisfied with her reasoning. She had no need to worry about the blond-haired consultant. After all, she had a day off.

She was on the verge of losing consciousness when she recognized the faint sound of her front door clicking open. The sound was followed by a distant whisper and the quick pattering of footsteps down the hall and towards her room. Just as she started to think how strange the sounds were, something jumped on the mattress and she suddenly opened her eyes to find a dog standing on her bed looking down at her. She stared; shocked to find a familiar black and white border collie eyeing her cheerily. Her tail wagged incessantly as if proud she had found her. Lisbon's lips curved into a smile.

"Hi there, sweetie." She greeted sweetly, her eyes softening as she reached out and pet the dog on the head. The dog licked her hand excitedly. "Patrick!" She called, her voice hinting at anger. Jane must have been waiting by the door because he appeared suddenly in the doorway with an innocent smile dancing on his face.

"Yes, honey?" He answered sweetly. Lisbon kept frowning even though the way he said 'honey' was so exaggerated that she wanted to laugh. She kept petting the dog that had belonged to Andrew Till, the murder victim from two days before.

"Why is there a dog in my apartment?" Lisbon asked plainly, expecting a direct answer.

"Hailey Till was going to give her to a shelter so I said I would take her." Jane explained honestly with a nonchalant shrug. Lisbon eyed him suspiciously.

"Oh, so it was just a spontaneous thing? You just happened to be walking by her house early Wednesday morning?" She asked skeptically and Jane just shrugged again with a comical grin.

"Something like that." He quipped, finally taking a step into the threshold. He was wearing a clean beige vest and white shirt and Lisbon could tell he had showered already. He must have left earlier than she had originally thought. Jane walked towards the bed and plopped down next to Lisbon, the dog lying down between them. "Her name's Lily." He remarked as he stroked Lily's back. The dog rolled over happily and Jane enthusiastically rubbed her belly. Lisbon couldn't resist a smile as she witnessed the adorable scene in front of her.

She hated the fact that logic was bombarding her mind with numerous reasons why they couldn't keep Lily. She sighed sadly.

"Patrick… we can't keep a dog in my apartment." She stated simply. Jane ignored her reservations.

"Sure we can." He replied confidently as he blew air on the dog's ear. Lily jumped every time and snapped in his direction as if fighting off the air. Jane grinned.

"I don't have a yard and we both work." Lisbon explained. Jane glanced up at her eyes and shrugged.

"She can stay at my house during the day and we can pick her up on our way home from work." He answered, turning back to the young dog.

"You don't have a fence." Lisbon reminded him.

"I'll build one." Jane replied. Lisbon raised an eyebrow. Jane laughed a little. "I'll hire someone to build one." He corrected, turning back to the border collie. "She's cute." He remarked.

"She's adorable." Lisbon agreed, wanting desperately to give in to Jane's childlike reasoning.

"You so want to keep her." Jane observed, watching her intently. Lily enjoyed the attention as she stared up at the two people. Jane leaned back on the pillow, hugging the dog as he did. "She reminds you of your dog as a kid." He added knowingly and Lisbon wondered how he could possibly know about her childhood pet. Jane turned to her and put on a puppy dogface, his blue eyes hopeful. "Please, Mom? Can we keep her?" He whined. Her gaze drifted between Jane and the dog and she immediately knew she had lost, but she didn't mind, secretly wanting to keep Lily.

"Fine, but only if you never call me Mom again." She agreed, fighting back a smile. "It's a little creepy considering we slept together." She pointed out with a sly grin. Jane laughed, victory shining in his eyes.

"Fair enough." He replied. He then got to his feet. "Do you want a treat, Lily?" He asked Lily as he excitedly gestured for the dog to follow him out of the room. Jane had already been to the pet store earlier that morning and had bought pet food, treats, a leash, a bed, and a few toys. Jane was going to spoil Lily rotten. Lisbon smiled.

"I'm going back to sleep, Patrick, and if you wake me again I'll kick you to the curb and the dog can take your place!" Lisbon called after him in a playful tone. She heard him pause in the hall and return to the door with Lily following by his side. He feigned a nervous grin as he quietly closed the door to the bedroom. Lisbon couldn't help but think how cute he was when he was nervous.

"Sleep well, Teresa." He whispered, leaving Lisbon by herself again. She lay back down on the bed. A stubborn smile graced her lips and refused to let her sleep.

Patrick Jane sure was unpredictable.

THE END

I'm addicted (if you couldn't tell). You know I can't possibly end a story there!

Well, I am.

But I'm considering writing a sequel to this sequel (a triquel?), simply because I love building their relationship and it's really fun.

Thank you for all the reviews. I appreciate each and every one!

If you're interested in a sequel, please leave a review.