A/n Thank you for all the lovely reviews on the first part, they really made me smile. Here is the second and final part, thanks for reading and I hope that you enjoy.

/

Part II

She has never seen him in pyjamas before, in all the years she has known him. It is like she has just unearthed some deep secret and Lisbon cannot help herself scanning him up and down. The navy-blue silky pyjama set certainly doesn't match their setting. "Do you want to come in?" He asks, breaking through her thoughts although he did notice her blatantly checking him out. His brow is raised at the action and she only just manages a hum before following him inside the trailer.

Now she is in his home, any confidence she had has seemed to disappear into thin air. "Would you like some tea?" Perhaps that is a good idea. Shyly she nods and he indicates for her to sit down.

A silence fills the Airstream whilst he works at preparing them some hot drinks, she takes the opportunity to examine her surroundings, interested to know how Patrick Jane lives when he isn't camped out on the couch at the FBI office. It all seems pretty basic, and she doesn't think she could live in such a way, but this is a man who grew up as part of an underprivileged carny circuit, she is sure this is a nicer mobile home to the one he lived in as a kid.

He observes her scrutinising his home but doesn't say a word, he is too busy trying to work out why she is here and what she could possibly have to say to him. Is it about her leaving? Does she want to stay? Is that why she was upset earlier? Jane has so many questions but currently no answers and that isn't a feeling he particularly enjoys. Being in control, knowing what's going on is important to him but, not for the first time, she has managed to elude the consultant.

Once he has made their tea, he sits opposite her at the small table after putting a mug of the hot liquid in front of her. She was never a tea drinker before she met him, but he has gradually converted her – although she continues to be loyal to her morning coffee. "So, you said you had something to tell me?" He questions and then takes a sip of his beverage to try and make the situation a bit more relaxed, casual, when on the inside he is fretting about what she could possibly say.

"Yeah… because I think you have a right to know."

"Okay…?" Lisbon hesitates in responding, internally shouting at herself to open her mouth and say what she has to say. "Teresa." He urges, almost begging.

His tone is enough to get her talking however it isn't calm or measured but instead comes out like a wordy chaos. "I've been waiting for you to say something, to try and stop me from leaving but I am done waiting now. I am done hoping that you speak up, but I've realised the reason is that you don't love me, not romantically anyway." All those years of longing, she is shaking her head. "I should have known."

Jane is a little bewildered by her ramblings because they don't quite make sense, it is like she has missed out part of the explanation. He is also surprised because this is so unlike her, whatever she is trying to declare must have been eating her up inside. His brain starts to catch up and he queries, "Who says I don't love you?"

"Well, you've not said you do, and I've given you plenty of opportunity."

Now that she mentions it, this is probably true. In the hospital, outside her house with a bag of cannoli… "Why? Do you want me to say it?" He is generally confused what she wants from him. In a few days she is meant to be leaving, with another man, yet she is sat here talking about their love... it doesn't make sense to him and he doesn't know what to think. "Lisbon, why?" He presses.

"Because..." She trails off and averts her gaze, a slight tinge of pink painting her cheeks. "Why does it matter?"

"It obviously does matter!" He exclaims, now sounding frustrated, his raised voice forcing her green eyes to dart back and look at him. "Teresa, please." His tone is insistent, strained, and she watches him swallow nervously.

They are so close to one and other, the small table wedged between them, and in this kind of proximity she can really take in each and every one of his facial details. The little flecks of green in his sea blue eyes, the laughter lines on the edge of them, the slight stubble growth lining his jaw and chin. He really is very handsome and that, along with his pleads, and she wants to tell him.

It will be like ripping off a Band-Aid, surely… "Because I love you." She chokes back a sob as she clenches her fists so tight that the knuckles turn white, a stark juxtaposition against the navy china of the teacup. "Don't worry. I know you don't feel the same." The words come out rushed and immediately she is feeling embarrassed, her heartrate increases as his throat constricts and mouth goes dry. His silence terrifies her, and it is then that he wishes that she was psychic so she could read his mind and understand that his stillness isn't a bad thing.

The brunette cannot stay here, she decides and then starts to stand without having touched her tea. "I shouldn't have come here. It was a mistake." Her announcement causes his heart to shatter, with her edging away from seating area and heading towards the door.

Jane is quick to stand, ditching his cup and saucer on the counter before catching her wrist with his hand, to stop her from leaving. Her pulse is hammering, and he can feel it in his fingertips, there is something so intimate about that. "Please let me go." She almost implores, the defencelessness in her tone making him loosen his grip so she can depart and as soon as he lets go, she does just that.

The truth is that he is gobsmacked. Speechless. Dumbstruck.

How long has he hoped to hear those words come out of her mouth? A long time. Years that's for sure, and now she has said them, and he didn't say a word back. To make matters worse, he let her leave.

The realisation is very sobering, and he rushes out of his Airstream and in the direction of her car, but she is already driving away. Tears staining her cheeks.

xxx

Lisbon has lost count how many times her phone has vibrated from the coffee table after she gets home. She knows that she should probably check it in case it is something to do with work, but she cannot bring herself to because it also could be the man that she has just proclaimed her love to. It was a mistake. He just stood there dumbfounded and now she is embarrassed, more than embarrassed, she is mortified.

Why did she have to make things complicated? Three days until she leaves and now her final shifts at the Austin office will be clouded by awkwardness between her and one of her oldest colleagues and friends. Has she ruined their friendship for good?

If the knock on the door is anything to go by then apparently not. Her stomach performs somersaults as she makes the short journey from her couch to the front door, and she doesn't have to consider who could possibly be her visitor because she knows Jane. He is proactive and when she started to ignore his calls then this was the obvious next step, maybe a part of her even wanted him to show.

He is no longer in his pyjamas but instead dressed in the same clothes he wore during the workday. "I liked the pyjamas." Is the first thing she says when answering the door, taking in his new attire but also the look of uncertainty on his face.

"Thought I would make more of an effort." She steps aside to let him in, her heart pounding in trepidation of what is to come. Him coming over must be a good sign though…right? They both stand motionless in the hallway, neither of them making the move to lead the other into the living room. It feels safer out here, like if things turn bad or awkward then at least he can quickly leave, or she can kick him out.

Patrick takes a deep breath to steady his nerves, his eyes searching hers for some kind of clue about how she is feeling but he swiftly realises that she isn't going to let him in. Today she reached her vulnerability quota for the year and it is something that never comes easy to her, so he makes the first move. "I'm sorry-"

"Oh, here we go." She snaps, tears prickling her eyes just from hearing two words. "You don't have to feel sorry for me."

"I'm not! I'm not." He is quick to interject, his hands out in front of him to add to his point. The last thing he wants is for her to think that. "I'm sorry that you were under the impression that I don't love you because that is a bad reflection on me, because I do, and I've obviously done a shit job at showing it."

This revelation flummoxes her, he does? "You do?" Her eyes are wide, head cocked to one side and her mouth has fallen agape, she looks genuinely surprised at this admission and that makes him guilty.

"Of course I do!" Jane exclaims, and she can tell from his almost pleading tone that he does in fact mean it. "I just didn't think you felt the same."

"But-"

"You are moving to a different state with another man." Okay, he has a fair point, and it causes her to silence because it makes her realise that she has been looking at this all wrong.

Lisbon may have wanted him to speak up, stop her from leaving, but why did it all have to come down to him? It was her that decided to leave with Marcus, he didn't push her to. "You always seem to say what's on your mind, yet you didn't about this."

"I didn't want to hurt you or make things difficult for you."

"There's a change." She sarcastically replies with a roll of her eyes. "I just thought if you did then you would have said something."

Jane frowns at this, she really was waiting for him to speak up whilst he thought that he was doing the right thing by not doing. "Why couldn't you say something?"

"I have."

"No… I mean before now. Before it was almost too late." Almost, he is hoping that it isn't but then a grave thought hits. "Wait, it isn't too late right?" His voice goes small, like he is scared to know the answer because what if it is too late? For them. This morning when he greeted her in the bullpen it hurt that it was potentially one of the last times he could do so, but now that there is an inkling that he has a chance with her, it would pain him too much if that was taken away.

"I hope not." She murmurs, barely above a whisper, the helplessness etched onto her features making his heart ache.

Patrick tentatively steps forward and takes hold of one of her hands, he then proceeds to lead her to the living room. He hasn't actually ever been inside her condo before, it is much nicer than the place she had in Sacramento. Bigger, looks homely, even with the stacks of boxes dotted around, although considering she is due to leave in a couple of days, he is surprised that she hasn't done more packing than this. It is a clear indication to him about her second thoughts.

She knows that he is analysing her home, but she is more focussed on the feeling of her hand in his, it makes butterflies flutter inside her and a smile creep onto her face. It calms her.

When they reach the couch, he lets go of her hand and immediately she is missing the contact, although they sit close enough to be aware of each other's body heat and it is hot. They must have sat like this, this distance apart, countless times before but this time it is different because they are tiptoeing into unchartered territory. They have the chance to bare their souls, be open and honest which is unusual for them. "Did you mean what you said?" His query confuses her, and she finds herself frowning, deep in thought. He is about to provide clarification but then he observes the realisation wash over her and she is smiling coyly.

Absentmindedly, Lisbon drags her bottom lip through her teeth with their eyes locked together, the sight makes his stomach perform a flip, and that is before she proclaims her love for him all over again. "I love you, Patrick Jane." He is pleasantly surprised when she continues. "I love how your couch is now behind my desk so that you're always close by. I love how at peace you have become since returning from the Island. I love that you're still passionate about the job even though there isn't something fundamental keeping you here."

"There is something pretty fundamental keeping me here." He interrupts her spiel, not taking his eyes off her for a second.

Jane shuffles up nearer to her and snakes an arm around her waist, pulling her close into him. His other hand is in her hair, enjoying the sensation of the dark locks running through his fingers but this isn't the feeling he is seeking. Their lips find each other, and they are kissing, hopefully their first kiss of many and it is perfect. They move seamlessly in time and he is mentally cataloguing every aspect of this moment, from her grazing his lip with her teeth to the noises that she is making.

He is so glad, glad and relieved, that she spoke up when he was finding it so difficult to. If she left then… he doesn't know what he would have done. There would have been little to no point in remaining at the FBI, but if he didn't, he doesn't know what else he would have done. The truth is, he would have been lost without her. "I love you too." He murmurs against her lips and she swears her heart skips a beat on hearing those words. "And it makes me happy to be able to say that to you."

xxx

It is after midnight now; the world is still outside her condo and inside it is quiet also as she sits snuggled into his side. Both of them are in deep thought, thinking about what the next steps are. He is quite happy, simply staying in this position, his arm wrapped safely around her body whilst experiencing wonderful serenity because this is everything that he ever wanted. "What are you thinking about?" He mumbles to her, sounding so calm that it makes her smile.

Lisbon knows she now can't leave, she doesn't want to, but organising the cancellation of her transfer and telling Marcus is going to be so difficult. She has handled a lot of tricky situations in her life, but she has a feeling that this one will be particularly hard to manage. "Thinking about what I am going to say to Marcus." He thought that's what she was mulling over, and he appreciates that this is going to be incredibly tough for her. "I'm a terrible person."

"You're not. You are human." His thumb rubs circles on her arm comfortingly. "Pike… he will err, he will be okay. I think he'll understand."

"Yeah." It isn't going to be easy though. "You are probably right."

It has been a busy and very emotional day, so it is no shock when she then yawns tiredly. "You should get some sleep."

"Hmm." She sinks further into his side, "Will you stay?" The brunette twists slightly in his arms so she can gage his reaction at her question, he looks a little surprised but mainly pleased. "No funny business, I just…" She sighs. "I don't want to be without you."

"You won't have to be without me ever again."