SHOEBOXES AND BOXERS

The Airstream pulled into the driveway well after dark. Both Jane and Lisbon were feeling quite sleepy after a day of driving, but were still deliriously happy with the way things had gone at the carnival.

They agreed to leave most of their things in the camper 'til the morning - Though Lisbon insisted on bringing in her prized gorilla and both of Sam's gifts to her. Jane scooped his wedding band out of the drawer he'd put it in, and carried it inside for safe storage.

Once inside, they did a quick walkabout to survey the work Fred O'Malley had so expertly done with his team. The whole place looked shiny and new! Even the upstairs bedroom looked peaceful, fresh, and completely unencumbered by its own past.

The bones of the place hadn't changed, and Fred had been kind enough to carry the furniture back in from the storage shed after he'd finished the construction work. So, they each went back to the same guest rooms they'd slept in before.

Lisbon opened her top dresser drawer to get out some fresh sleeping clothes, but was puzzled to find boxer shorts instead.

Meanwhile, Jane was searching for pajamas, and instead found a very revealing, red teddy. His eyes grew big as he picked the garment up, and admired each stitch (also noticing the portions without stitches - or any fabric at all). He may have to see this fashionable item modeled for him sometime soon, he thought lustily, imagining how much better it would look with his favorite sexy cop inside of it.

As he folded it back into the drawer, he noticed a shoebox buried a few layers beneath. Just as he began to get curious about that, Lisbon walked into the room laughing, and carrying a pair of his underwear. "So I think Fred got the bedroom furniture mixed up!" She chuckled. "I do love boxer shorts, but I don't usually wear them myself!"

"Ah! That explains why my pajamas are much smaller than I remember!" He joked back to her, the teddy dangling from his index finger, eyebrows high.

Mortified, Lisbon snatched the garment from him, blushing the deepest red shade he'd ever seen on her.

"Aw, don't be embarrassed, love! It's really quite stunning! I was thinking how much I'd like to see it on you sometime!" He searched her for a reaction, happy to see a sly grin on her face.

"But hey - what's with the shoe box in your top drawer? Isn't that an odd place to store shoes?" He teased.

Her face softened completely, as she explained. "It's not shoes. The box holds some mementos that are precious to me, so I like to keep them close, but hidden for safekeeping."

"Secret treasure?" He was totally drawn in by this new mystery. Wondering what could be so meaningful to her that she'd carried it with her from Austin. Wondering what new things he might be about to learn regarding his favorite human.

Still smiling demurely, she hinted, "Well they aren't really a secret - not to you, anyway."

She paused for a delicious moment, allowing him to wonder, and stew a bit. Then she tapped the box and said "Open it!"

He lit up at that, and gently lifted the lid.

Then he froze like a deer in headlights, as his brain sorted out what he was looking at. Two years' worth of envelopes, neatly sorted by month and year, all with well-worn edges (having been read many times over).

He looked up, surprise on his face and tears forming in his eyes.

"Are these?" His throat closed before he could finish the sentence.

Lisbon began to tear up too, seeing how affected he was by the contents, and by what it meant to him that she'd not only kept them for all these years, but that she'd apparently read them so often.

"Yes, Patrick - they are all there. Every last letter, card, trinket - everything you sent to me from the island is all in there. These were my lifeline during those years - and I continued to read them, now and then, even after you'd returned."

He was in such awe that he wasn't able to respond, so she continued.

"I used to dream that I was with you there. The cold grey skies of Washington would temporarily turn to full color warmth while I slept, and the blue of your eyes were my sky until morning. I missed you so much - I even surprised myself with how important you had become to my life. I mean - I knew we were close friends and I knew we saw each other routinely - that I was used to seeing you everyday. But your absence left such a cavernous hole in me, I couldn't fill it. Once the letters started coming I tried to fill that hole with your sun-soaked words. They were like a breath of life to me."

As Jane's expression changed from awe to heartbreak at how much she'd been truly hurt by his leaving, Lisbon rushed to him, holding him tightly. "Please don't do that," she begged. "Remember that we promised to throw out the old scorecards and start over. I didn't mean to bring up past hurts, but wanted you to know how important your letters were to me - and they still are. I can hear you reading them to me each time I scan the words."

Jane struggled to control his emotions- not wanting to upset her. Then, as his head cleared a bit, he wondered aloud: "What if we went there next?"

"To the island?" She asked incredulously. "Do we have enough time for that? We'd need flights and passports and…"

"We have all that we need, Teresa." He said calmly. "I'll reserve our flights and we both have passports here. What if we bring the letters too? Or copies of them to keep the originals safe? Or I could re-read them for memorization? I just really have a strong urge to recreate as many of those moments as possible with you."

Lisbon leaned in closer, with excitement as he went on.

"I so much wanted you to be there with me. It just wasn't possible then, but it is now. Please, Teresa? I'll make sure we don't overstay - I promise you'll get to Austin in time!"

Jane had such a look of desperation in his eyes, and Lisbon really had always wanted to have been there with him too.

"Let's get packed first thing in the morning!" She agreed.

Her decision was fully validated by the amazing look of joy, gratitude, and relief she saw on his face - and by the force of the embrace that followed, as he virtually collapsed into her arms – tumbling to the bed - completely melting into her.

"Please stay with me tonight - just like this," he pleaded.

"Of course, my love." She answered, as they both cuddled close, and drifted to a peaceful, reconciling sleep.

Jane awoke to the emerald green of her eyes.

"Good morning, beautiful!" He smiled, gently kissing her cheek. "Ready for some shopping?"

Lisbon looked puzzled. "Shopping?"

"Yes! We're going to a tropical island! Did you pack for that when you came out to look for me?"

"Well, no… But -"

"But nothing, Teresa! Just come with me to grab a few things for the trip - please?"

She knew they'd get to the island faster if she just went along with whatever plan he had in motion.

"Fine." She said dejectedly with a teasing eye-roll.

Secretly though, she really did love the way a 'Jane plan' always seemed to come together. His mind was so amazing, and - though she had vowed to never let him know (fearing she'd never hear the end of it) - she found his intelligence and his cleverness to be nearly as attractive as his blue eyes and blonde curls.

After a while, they returned to the house, bags in hand. Jane had made the morning into a virtual shopping spree - insisting that Lisbon have an outfit for any possible tropical occasion. Sunglasses and swimwear, a sarong and some casual wear for beach combing, a couple of stylish sandals as well as some breathable shoes made for running on sand.

For himself, Jane kept things more simple - planning to find his favorite tailor once they arrived - hoping he could re-create a couple of the shirts he'd worn when he was there before.

Within the hour, they had moved their purchases from bags to luggage, carefully packed Jane's letters and their passports into carry-ons, and left for LAX.