CHICAGO
As they boarded their Chicago-bound plane the next day, they were already planning.
"Thank you for suggesting my family's church, Patrick. It means a lot that you support my faith, even when you don't really believe in it," she smiled. "But if we want to marry quickly, I'm not sure that will work. The Catholic Church requires a 6 month waiting period along with marriage preparation classes, unless there's an emergent reason to speed things up."
"After loving each other from afar for over a decade I consider this to absolutely be an emergency! Let me talk to the bishop - I know he will see reason."
"Jane!" Lisbon said with alarm, "You can not hypnotize the bishop!"
"I had no intention of doing so, my love!" Jane laughed at the conclusion she'd jumped to - though with his history he certainly didn't blame her for thinking that. "I simply believe that anyone who knows our story would understand why we don't want to delay."
She loved this man so completely. Loved how he loved her. Loved how he was already defending their marriage even before it had officially begun.
"I love you so much, you know" she smiled to him.
"I do! And it makes my heart skip a beat every time I think about it. And about how completely I love you back," he said, with deep sincerity, moving the armrest between their seats so he could pull her close.
"Patrick, if the bishop says no, let's marry at the courthouse or something. I don't want to wait, and we could always add a small Catholic ceremony 6 months from now, to ensure we're recognized by the church?"
"It's a deal!" He sealed it with a kiss.
"Auntie Reese!"
Annie shouted, surprising Lisbon as she and Jane emerged from the jetway at O'Hare.
"Annie! Tommy! I thought we were meeting up later?!" Lisbon exclaimed, happy for an earlier reunion.
"I couldn't wait!" the girl gushed, squeezing her Aunt with a strength that belied her petite size.
"Aw, I'm so glad!"
"Hey Reese!" Tommy was next for a hug & kiss. "So what's with the sudden visit? What's the big surprise you talked about on the phone?"
"It's sort of a long story - so I'd rather tell it to all of you at once. I've reserved a table at Giordano's tonight for us - Jimmy, Stan & Karen too. But for now, I'd love to get settled in, and show Jane around the city a bit - maybe even the old house!"
"Oh yeah - hi again, Jane!" Tommy extended his hand for a shake. "Gonna teach Annie more pickpocketing tricks?" He joked, but with a look of wariness in his eyes.
"I wouldn't dream of it!" Jane grinned - prompting a smile from Annie, and an eyeroll from Lisbon.
They all chuckled as they meandered to baggage claim before Tommy drove them to the house.
Once there, Tommy grabbed their bags and started carrying them inside.
"We're able to stay here?" Lisbon was pleasantly surprised.
"Stan says it's far enough along that it should make a great AirBnB for you guys this week!" Tommy assured her.
"Wow - that's wonderful!"
The group moved inside, carrying the remaining collection of bags Jane & Lisbon had brought.
"Well, I'd love to stay and catch up, but Annie and I have a job today. We'll see you for pizza tonight, though - the suspense is killing both of us, Reese!" Tommy and Annie gave hugs and waves as they left.
Lisbon showed Jane around the city. She insisted they take the El to get downtown - that's how she'd always gotten there. After hours of sightseeing (Jane was fascinated with finding their reflection in The Bean - at every angle possible), she led them to Buckingham Fountain. Taking in the gorgeous view of Lake Michigan, Jane took her into his arms.
"This is just beautiful! Such a serene spot in the middle of a metropolis!" Jane marveled at the scene.
"I used to come here as a kid." She explained. "Sometimes to let my brothers run around, but many times to get away and clear my head. This is one of my favorite places in Chicago," she smiled as the breeze from the lake blew her hair back in a movie-star sort of way.
"Then let's have the first wedding here!" Jane exclaimed - delighted at how the setting brought out Lisbon's beauty… Her peacefulness with herself… She just seemed so at home right here in this spot.
"First wedding?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The one that lets us marry this week, rather than 6 months from now?" He reminded her, gently.
"OH! So you're seriously okay with that? You don't mind a second wedding later this year? You'd submit to all those classes and the rules of the church?"
"Regarding our marriage and being true and loyal to you? Absolutely!" He insisted. "I would walk through fire if it meant we got to be together afterward, Teresa. Nothing is too much to ask, if it makes you happy, my love."
She pulled him in close, thanking him with a slow, deep kiss, as the lake breezes embraced them.
It was getting late, and Teresa wanted to beat her family to the restaurant that night. So, the lovebirds taxied back to Lisbon's family house to get ready.
While she busied herself with a shower and deciding what to wear for the occasion, Jane did what he usually did in a new place - nosed around a bit.
"Which was your room, Teresa?" He called up the stairs.
"Top of the stairs on the right!" She called back from the bathroom.
Jane ran up, and peeked into his lover's childhood. He was immediately drawn to some artwork in the closet - where young Lisbon had left her time capsule in marker and crayon, on the walls.
There was a box in the closet, so Jane sat on the floor and began to go through the contents. Old report cards (her straight A's didn't surprise him in the least, he smiled). A school picture from 4th grade - featuring an impressive number of freckles, (he thought how he would've fallen in love with her then,too). Some Nancy Drew novels - "appropriate for a future detective, my dear" he whispered out loud. And a framed picture of her family - complete with both parents and a fluffy white dog.
Jane thought he might burst as he looked through these moments that helped to build Lisbon into the amazing woman she'd become. He loved her more with every passing minute.
"Whatcha doin?" Lisbon interrupted his train of thought as she stepped in, wearing jeans and a black top, drying her hair with a towel.
"Research," he grinned - holding up her freckly school portrait.
"Oh my gosh I'd forgotten about that one!" She laughed, then gasped, "NANCY DREW! She was my hero!"
Jane couldn't stand it - she was so adorable right now with her wet hair and rosy, freshly showered skin and her giddiness over Nancy Drew.
Then she saw the family picture and sighed, "This is the last one with my Mom," she told him, sadly. "I'm going to miss her this week more than I have in a long time. Gonna miss my Dad from this pic too. This guy would've been great to have walked me down the aisle. He really was a good Dad before Mom died."
Jane held her for a long while after that, not having any words, for once.
Jane did a marvelous job of navigating the loop, she thought, as they rode to dinner. He probably has the entire metro line memorized already, she pondered, amazed at the very real possibility.
They arrived and were guided to their table. Both were pleased to see that their reservation was actually in its own alcove - a rather large one, that almost seemed like a private room!
After thanking the hostess, Jane slid into the chair beside Lisbon, facing the restaurant doors.
"It's going to be fine, Teresa," he spoke calmly, rubbing her back, knowing how nervous she was to see the reactions to their news. "They will be so happy to see that you're happy, that they won't care how we got to this point," he smiled.
"I love you," she smiled back.
"I know," he grinned proudly, garnering a playful poke in the ribs.
Jane let out a quick yelp in response, just as Lisbon's family walked in the doors.
Annie saw them first, and lit up with a smile as she sat on the other side of Teresa. Tommy sat next to her, then Jimmy, Stan, and his wife Karen, all filled in.
"Thanks for coming, everyone!"
"As if we'd miss an apparently huge 'mystery announcement!''' Jimmy quipped, promoting laughter around the table.
After ordering enough pies for an army (though still an amount that would probably not survive her brothers, she joked), Teresa spoke to Jimmy's comment:
"Let me start at the beginning," Lisbon began, explaining that she and Marcus had broken up, that it had been her choice, and then began explaining why.
"I'm so sorry, Jane! I haven't introduced you yet!" She interrupted herself. She had meant to do the introductions first.
"You've all at least heard me mention Patrick Jane, my longtime partner at the CBI, and now at the FBI?" There were nods of recognition around the table.
"Well what I've never mentioned, is how he and I have been living in denial for years and years."
The nods were replaced by furrowed brows.
"I had a real scare just before I was to leave for DC with Marcus."
Jane hated hearing her talk about that time in their lives, but worked to maintain a neutral expression.
"That scare woke me to a reality - the reality that I simply could not live without this man," she smiled, gesturing to Jane.
"We have spent the past couple of weeks traveling together, talking, and meeting each other's families."
Murmurs began from the chairs, guessing what she might say next.
"We've realized and admitted to each other that we have loved one another for a very long time, indeed."
"Patrick has asked me to marry him, and I said yes!"
A cheer erupted as Annie squealed, Tommy gave Jane a pat on the back, and Karen ran over to hug Lisbon.
"There's more." she continued as the cheers died down,
"Since we have been together, in some capacity, for so many years, we want to be married right away! We would love it if you would all join us this Saturday at the fountain, for a lakeshore wedding!"
More cheers followed. But Karen voiced a concern.
"Teresa I am overjoyed for you both! But aren't you worried about not being married in the church?"
"We've got a plan for that too, Karen! Though Jane is hoping to convince the Bishop to make allowances, based on the romance of our story, and hardships we've both suffered in our pasts, our backup plan is to have a second, cathedral wedding, following church guidelines, in 6 months time."
"I think that's a wonderful solution!" Karen hugged her again.
Back at the house, Lisbon was smiling through exhaustion. Between the day in the city, and the emotional night with her family, she could barely keep her eyes open. Still, she wanted to be awake enough to thank Jane for agreeing to this. The wedding plans - both of them - the location, the trip, the dinner, all of it.
He walked in after a shower, hair still damp, skin glowing. Her jaw dropped at the gorgeous sight of him.
"You were right," she said, "everything went perfectly tonight." She was full of adoration and want as she smiled at him. "I know what you keep saying but I don't know - I think maybe you are a psychic!"
He turned to argue, but then he saw the seductive gleam in her eye. "Well I'd argue that point, but right now I think I actually can read your mind." His voice was irresistible. He was irresistible.
She put her arms around him, as he lowered them to the mattress on her bedroom floor.
Their lovemaking seemed to get more intense, more gratifying, more meaningful after every obstacle they'd overcome during these weeks together. Tonight was no different. With the successful announcement of their engagement and imminent marriage, Lisbon was especially uninhibited. And he reveled in it - leaning fully into this newly revealed, more unrestrained side of her.
"Thank you," she panted, as they clung together, still glistening from the love they'd just shared.
"For what?"
"For this trip. For the wedding…'s'…" she giggled at the plural she snuck in. "For braving the gauntlet of dinner with my family. For being right about the outcome. For all of it."
"Anything for you, my dear." He smiled into her hair as he held her tenderly. And there they stayed, blissfully entangled, until morning.