THE ISLAND

Once they landed in Jane's one-time tropical-paradise-exile, he began leading her through his favorite places, introducing her to his favorite people (or at least the ones who remained), going through favorite experiences with her, letter by letter. The women at the post office were beside themselves when they saw him, and they held both hands to their hearts when he introduced them to Teresa - the recipient of the daily letters he'd mailed with their help.

She was so fulfilled by the whole trip, and was so enamored with the loving care he took with her each day. The beachside bar was a great place to read, and to people-watch (she especially enjoyed watching Jane - when had he taken up surfing?) She giggled as she watched him being fitted for a new shirt. And she argued in favor of the epaulets, alongside his tailor - much to Jane's surprise and feigned indignation (which made her laugh even harder).

One night, he hired some mariachis to serenade her at dinner, then took her out dancing. (She was the one he had wished to have been with, on the night he went out with Fisher, after all). Then, managing to not get beaten up on the way home this time, he guided them toward the beach for a moonlight stroll.

'You make a really good beach comber, Patrick! I could seriously get used to this look on you!' Lisbon didn't think he could get any cuter than he did when he wore his trademark vest, but he was downright gorgeous tonight.

'And you, my dearest Teresa, are more beautiful than the night sky in that sarong.' he gushed. He didn't remember ever seeing her so carefree. And the way she walked with the ocean breeze right now took his breath away. He had been trying so hard to build a firm foundation for them - not wanting to move too quickly to the physical side of love. He hoped that their foundation was as strong as it seemed, because he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out - especially with her looking so ravishing.

He stopped to look up at the moon, so she looked up, too.

'I remember thinking, while you were gone, that at least we were still under the same sky. I prayed for your protection every night.' She shared.

'And now we're under that same sky, side by side.' He breathed in the whole scene - overcome with affection for her in that moment. Leaning down to capture kiss after kiss. Pulling her ever so much closer. Feeling the need to be so close to her that he'd cease to see himself.

'Let's get back,' she said, suggestively.

Jane was in no shape to decline, so took her hand and started walking toward his old apartment - which he'd managed to secure, after calling in a favor from his old friend Franklin (the same one who had told him about Abbott's arrival so many months before).

Once he'd closed and locked the door, he turned to see Teresa slowly removing her new sarong and flowing shirt, revealing a familiar red teddy beneath.

He had never concentrated so fully to control his breathing and heart rate. Don't mess this up, Paddy, he thought to himself, as his concentration began to unravel.

She only had to whisper a single word,

'Please…'

to fan the embers smoldering inside him.

He moved ever so slowly, pulling her close…

Showering the entire surface area of her skin with gentle kisses, each one intentionally inviting her into shared physical incandescence…

A slow burn…

A sensual firestorm in slow motion - where both hearts in its path felt every sensation a bit longer, and a bit stronger than in a typical fire. Both hyper-aware of the other's every action, every reaction.

Building entirely new wings to their memory palaces - making space for the cataloguing of each pleasure, each breath, each kiss, each promise, each quiver, each quake, as the flame that had been kindled years ago grew, deliberately, in intensity until it finally overtook both of them, in throes of purest love and deepest passion.

In the afterglow of their long-awaited (and extremely satisfying) consummation, they wound around each other tightly, as if they would never be able to pull closely enough to one another.

Each clinging to the other in desperation, against the night… against the air that threatened to come between them if they relaxed their grip…

She thought she felt Jane shaking, after a while. Then she felt a dampness on her shoulder.

Was he crying?

She tensed up at once, fearing that he was having second thoughts - that this had happened too fast for him. She should have known better - he was still so fragile when it came to matters of his heart!

Before the lump in her throat grew too large, Jane caressed her cheek and spoke up.

'Teresa, my dearest love - please understand that these are not tears of pain or regret - quite the opposite.

I have always worried just a little that once I opened myself up to loving you - to truly feel every part of loving you - that I wouldn't be able to handle all of the emotions that would most likely be hitting me at once. And that is close to the truth of what's happening with me right now.'

After some controlled breathing, he continued,

"Lovely Teresa, I am just so overcome by the intensity and depth of the waves upon waves of love, joy, and absolute ecstasy I feel just now - giving myself fully to you, body, heart & soul - that I honestly can't contain the onslaught of complete rapture and euphoria that has come over me. The tears and sobs are simply the joy that has leaked out around my edges, allowing me to not just combust from these feelings that have shaken me to my core. Teresa, you are my home, now. I can never express the depths of my love for you. I honestly may bawl my eyes out each & every time we make love - I can't imagine how I could ever hold such intense joy inside of me."

Now Lisbon was the one sobbing, and unable to contain herself. "You are home to me, too, Patrick," were the only words she could say before folding once again into his arms, feeling more loved, safe, and content than she had ever remembered feeling before.

The date of their return came much too soon for either of them. But, even though Lisbon suggested extending their stay, he insisted they stick to their schedule - not wanting her to miss her deadline at the Austin field office.

He conceded that they could probably have made it happen, but explained - with some mystery - that he had one more stop in mind.

Her curiosity piqued, Lisbon tried to guess what that destination might be, and failed epically - much to Jane's delight and amusement. That reaction won him a playful slap on the arm.

As they checked in at the airport, she noticed that their flight ended not in LA, but in Sacramento. Hmm… the CBI was long-gone. Was he planning to take her on some memory lane style trip through their old hometown? Maybe the ice cream place was still there? Did any of their friends still live nearby?

As Lisbon continued to silently wonder - visibly fascinated at their destination, Jane snuck away to make a phone call.

'Did they have it?' he spoke into the phone, hand covering his mouth to passersby - and to Lisbon.

'Yeah - everything is all set! Got the lighting just right, too - Grace and I even ran up to check that everything was authentic!' chimed the enthusiastic voice of Wayne Rigsby.

'Thank you - both of you! Truly, this means so very much, Rigsby!'

'Happy we could help!' He could hear Grace's sincerity and excitement through the receiver.

He returned to Teresa's side – she was still in deep thought, trying to solve the puzzle of what to expect - as the boarding announcements began.