A/N: Yes, I am back at last and with a short update to this story. This is mostly some fluff but I have an exciting ending planned over the next few chapters where you will finally get all your answers to the plotline. Should be an exciting rollercoaster of a ride to the end from next chapter on. Thanks again for all your wonderful support!

Chapter 36 – Pillow Talk

Lisbon finally drew her eyes to him. Her face ruddy she said, 'Okay, you don't have to look so smug about it.'

He kissed her bare shoulder, laughing as he did so. 'God, I love you' he chuckled.

When he looked back at her a moment later she bit her bottom lip and said quietly, 'I...I love you too.'

'Well, that may be the endorphins talking but I'll take it' he grinned. 'At least it didn't take as long as the first time you told me that.'

'Well, it could have hardly been a surprise to you.'

'Actually it was.' He sighed, pulling her into his arms, 'It had been a long time since someone had said those words to me.'

As she lay with her head on his chest she noticed a purple bruise on his side, 'What happened here?' she asked, prodding it gently.

Jane winced slightly, 'Just got a little lippy with one of Dawson's people and paid the consequences. It's nothing to worry about.'

She moved her lips to the bruise, kissing it softly. Jane closed his eyes as she continued to plant soft kisses to the area. Slowly she began to move her kisses to his stomach, empowered by his lack of control as he breathed heavily, seemingly unable to vocalise thoughts any longer. As she reached his waistband with her lips and went to pull it back with one of her hands Jane stilled it once again. 'Um...hold up' he uttered, breathless.

Moving her face back up to him he caught her look of irritation and apprehension. 'You...you don't want me to?...I mean...you don't like...that?'

He laughed nervously, blushing. 'Have you ever met a man who didn't?'

'So what's the problem then?'

Almost tongue tied by sheer awkwardness the words came stumbling out, 'Well, when you do that it tends to lead on to...other things. And...if you do that then well...I'm not sure I'll be able to stop myself from taking things further tonight. Well...of course only if you wanted to take them further that is. Which...from experience...you normally want to. After...that.'

He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. 'It's no wonder teenage boys don't do as well in school as teenage girls. Brain power is decidedly lost with heightened arousal. Never mind the ability to communicate coherently.'

She laughed as she saw his obvious embarrassment and leaned in, kissing him passionately. As she released her lips she said seductively, 'As always you're right. I want us to make love. Tonight.' She paused and kissed him again and breathlessly murmured 'Patrick' against his lips.

The sound of his first name spoken so alluringly almost made him lose his train of thought and give into the moment. Awkwardly, he pulled away from her, trying to distance his body's reaction to hers pressed against him. 'But we can't' he exhaled, rolling his eyes.

She moved away from him and pulled the covers over her, clearly annoyed. 'Why the hell not? Because, no offence, but your body is sure as hell telling me a different story.'

'One very good reason, Lisbon.' He paused, gaining better control of his faculties before he continued, 'This past month you haven't taken any birth control, correct? I mean, why would you, newly widowed and all that?'

She closed her eyes, exhaling a loud breath, cursing her obviously rampaging hormones into not thinking this through earlier. 'Damn it.'

Jane tilted his head from side to side. 'My sentiments exactly' he muttered under his breath, equally as exasperated.

'You should have told me to get some condoms when I went shopping earlier.'

'Really, Lisbon? Well, I'd loved to have seen your face if I'd been presumptuous enough to have suggested that. I think I've had enough physical mistreatment for one day, thank you. I don't have a death wish into the bargain.'

'I'm sorry' she offered, shrugging.

'It's fine' he replied, clearing his throat, attempting to get himself back under control.

'I sincerely doubt that' she smiled, taking a little delight in his rather obvious discomfort.

He glared at her sideways but with a smile on his lips as he picked the nightgown up from the floor where it had landed and passed it to her. 'Though I think you better put this back on. There's only so much temptation a man in my predicament can take.'

She laughed as she dressed herself in it, Jane pulling her back into his arms again straight after. They both closed their eyes as Jane focussed his thoughts back on the case and away from carnal desires. After a few seconds Lisbon asked quietly, her face hidden from Jane's view as it lay on his shoulder, 'Have we ever talked about having children?'

He noticed the trepidation in her voice immediately. 'No' he replied softly. 'I...I wish we had, though.'

Lisbon persevered, 'Why haven't we talked about it? It's not like I'm getting any younger.'

'I guess...I guess we both avoided the subject.'

She moved so she could look at him and he opened his eyes, brushing a hand across her cheek. 'I think perhaps you were afraid of mentioning it to me. Afraid of what my reaction would be. And, to be truthful, I never really thought it was high on your list of priorities. You never mentioned you were interested in having children when we worked at the CBI.'

She nodded seriously. 'You don't want to have another child.' The words came out half statement, half questioning.

He shook his head. 'If you had asked me that before you were abducted then I honestly don't know what my answer would have been. It's still so new for us to be together in this way and well...you know me...I don't adapt to change very well.'

'And now?'

He kissed her softly. 'Now I've seen firsthand what an amazing mother you could be. Now, I'd love to see a child in our future if you wanted that. And I'd very much like to be a father again to our child.'

Tears pricked at her eyes as she thought of the little girl she cared for just days ago. 'I feel like I want to know what that feeling is like, for real I mean. To be a mother. What it would be like to have a child of my own.' She sniffed and shook her head, 'But maybe that's just part of the suggestion, you know, the remnants of the hypnosis that's making me feel this way now. What do you think, is that possible?'

Jane smiled softly at her. 'Not a chance. I think you just got a glimpse of a different kind of life where your career isn't all consuming. And you liked it. That simple, really.'

'But you were right in what you said before. I never really saw being a mother in my future. Too focussed on my job to even really contemplate it. And besides that, I didn't exactly get serious with anyone for the conversation ever to come up.'

'You were just waiting on the perfect man to sweep you off your feet' he grinned.

She rolled her eyes. 'Yeah? Tell me when he shows up, will you?'

He chuckled softly, 'Seriously though, I mean I don't see you as the stay at home mom type but I think a mixture of career and motherhood would suit you very well. I'm sure you'd find a way to balance both. And...well...I'd be there to help too hopefully if things go well tomorrow. It's been a while but I'm a dab hand at changing diapers.'

She settled her head back on his shoulder as she drifted off to sleep, thinking of a drawing she had scrawled in crayon as a child in her house in Chicago. A picture of a happy family. She silently said a prayer that tomorrow wouldn't scupper her chances of that childhood fantasy perhaps coming true one day soon.