Authors Note: Ok, I know this is late, but LAST NIGHT'S EP WAS FREAKING AWESOME!!!! And as such I spent the time I was supposed to be writing re watching the episode. Eps like that are the reason I feel in love with the Mentalist to begin with. I used the name P.J. in my original fic for my creative writing class. Just thought I'd share, cause it's late and I ramble when I'm tired, and didn't Grace look pretty in Red Badge? Oh, and a special thanks to those of you who noticed that I accidentally called Brian by the wrong name at one point. Peter is the name of a guy in the pice I'm doing for my creative writing class. I've been working on it, and the name jsut came out. Their personalities are similar, I've been doing it all week.

Disclaimer: The quality of my writing is nowhere near the writers of this fine show, so, no, I don't own them or anything to do with them. I'm just using them for my enjoyment.

What if? Chapter 37: Happily Ever After?

"Oh, right there, that's the spot." His hands continued the gentle ministrations on her neck and shoulders.

"I don't know why you let yourself get so stressed out and tense before you do anything about it. Really, I should be doing this at least weekly."

"Yeah right, Jane. Just be glad you're good at this or I would have broken your hands when you first tried to touch me."

She could almost feel his deep chuckle vibrating down his hands. "I don't understand what has you so stressed out."

"It's the wedding. Now that we've set a date, it's just started getting more and more stressful."

"Isn't that why you have a wedding planner?"

"She thinks that the bride needs to be involved with every step of the process. She fails to realize that planning this wedding is not the most important thing in my life right now."

"Shouldn't it be?"

"You're as bad as she is. That's what we have her for, so I don't have to think about it."

Jane didn't say anything to that. Really he had wanted to ask her why it was that she didn't want to think about it, but knew if he did she would just pull away from him, and he really didn't want that to happen. He knew it was wrong, but lately he'd wanted to spend more and more time with her. It was as if those emotions he had buried almost two years ago were coming back to the surface. He wondered if it was because they were coming up on the one year anniversary of Sarah's death.

"Hey, P.J.'s birthday's coming up." He needed to get his mind of other inappropriate thoughts.

"Yeah, I know." He felt her tens under his hands and sighed internally, she would be pulling away soon.

"We're just having a small family party, me, Abby, the nanny. I'd like you to come." He paused, "Brian too if he wants to." It killed him to say that, but he needed to be a good friend.

"I'd love to come Jane. I wouldn't miss it." She pulled away from his hands, just like he knew she would. "We should get back to work. I'm supposed to go out to dinner with Brian tonight, and he's been upset that I've been working so many late nights."

"You didn't work late last night, you were over at my house for dinner, you helped Abby with her homework."

"I know that." She stood from where she had been sitting on the small sofa in her office and moved around the back of her desk to sit in her chair. "But Brian doesn't know that. He thinks I was working late."

Jane spoke before he could stop himself this time. "Why is it that you don't tell Brian that you're spending time with your friends after work? Surely he does the same thing."

"He does, but, this is just easier. He wouldn't mind if it was just Abby, or if I was going out with Van Pelt, but, it because you're a guy. He's just insecure, and there's no reason to add to that."

"And you don't think that you should be worried about that? That maybe that's a sign of things to come?"

"I didn't ask for your opinion Jane."

"Just tell me one thing," he stood and walked over to her, leaning over her desk, moving into her personal space. "Why did you say yes? I was there at the restaurant that night when he proposed. I say you, that look on your face was not one of love and affection."

"I just want a chance of happiness Jane, and Brian is the best I've got, so please, just leave it alone."

He could tell by the sound of her voice that she was done talking, even if he hadn't gotten a satisfactory answer to his question.

"Alright Lisbon, next Friday, 7:00, P.J. will miss you if you're not there." He smiled at her slightly as she left the office.

Lisbon sat staring at the papers on her desk, sometimes she wondered what made her chose Brian I the first place, then just gave up. She remembered alright, she had seen Jane at that restraint and wanted what he had so much, wanted to be the one at his side, her hand in his, that smile focused on her. Her phone ringing startled her from her memories

"Lisbon."

"Hey honey. I'm on my way, want me to come up?"

She looked out her office window, seeing Jane chatting with Rigsby and Cho in the bull pen. "No, I'll come down and follow you to the restaurant."

This was the right thing, she loved Brian, she was going to marry him. She wasn't too old for happily ever after. Was she?