Author's Note: Hey, everyone! Sorry this took so long. I had it started but then I got really busy. How about that finale, huh? Hahahahaha...*quiet sobbing*. Gonna miss the show a lot. I still have this fanfiction. I hope you guys are still with me. I've got lots of big plans for it! Thank you to all of you guys that have favourited, followed, reviewed, and have stuck with me through this story and the first one. I honestly thought I was going to have maybe ten people that liked the first one, but so many liked it that I did this and wow. I've made some amazing friends and talked to some great people so thanks for the support!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Mentalist.

"Glad it's Friday?" Jane asked teasingly as Melody threw her backpack into the back seat and got in the front passenger seat.

"Yes." Melody groaned as she did up her seatbelt. She leaned her head back against the headrest and closed her eyes.

Jane watched her for a moment before he shifted the car back into drive. Melody looked exhausted. Of course, he wasn't surprised. School had thrown her multiple tests and lots of homework; then, on top of that, her gymnastics coach had been pushing her really hard in training. "You have the weekend to relax a little bit, at least." Jane offered as they drove home.

"Thank god." Melody muttered, still not opening her eyes. "Where's Teresa?"

"She's at home. She started dinner. I'm going to help her when we get back and you can take your shower."

"Cool."

"It's your favourite spaghetti we're having tonight."

"Awesome." Melody smiled.

The rest of the ride was spent in comfortable silence.

Melody opened her eyes when they pulled into the driveway.

"You head inside. I'll grab your bag for you." Jane told her.

"Thanks." Melody said, getting out of the car and walking very sluggishly up the front steps to the door. She lifted the house key on the lanyard that she wore around her neck to the lock and unlocked the door, shuffling in. Melody held it open for Jane and stepped to the side to take her shoes off.

Jane placed Melody's backpack down, wondering how she managed to make the thing always seem so light. What did she carry in there? A rock garden?

"How did school and gymnastics go?" Lisbon called from the kitchen.

"Good." Melody replied noncommittally.

Lisbon joined them in the entrance, looking at Jane. "I've started chopping all the stuff for the sauce if you want to get the stove and everything ready."

"Of course." Jane quickly pecked her on the lips as he headed past into the kitchen.

"Welcome home." Lisbon smiled at Melody once they were alone.

"Thanks." Melody tried for a smile, but it looked more lopsided than happy.

Lisbon opened her arms in invitation for a hug that Melody accepted. "You seem tired." Lisbon kissed Melody's head.

"I am." Melody rested her forehead on Lisbon's shoulder.

"Well, you go take a nice long shower and relax. Patrick and I will make dinner. Watch some TV maybe. Or you could have a nap and I'll come get you up when dinner is ready?"

"No, it's okay. I'll probably just watch some TV in the living room."

"Okay. You do what you want. I know you've had a long week, sweetie."

"Thanks." Melody kissed Lisbon's cheek and then shuffled upstairs to shower.

Lisbon watched her until she was out of sight, then went back to the kitchen. "She really used all her energy up this week, huh?"

"Tell me about it. I think she dozed off on the way back from the gym. Only for a minute, but I'm almost sure that she did."

"Even Ellie was looking tired on Wednesday when she was over." Lisbon moved the chopped vegetables from the cutting board into a big bowl. "They're really hitting them hard this month with the work."

"It is almost the end of the school year." Jane thought aloud. "She's going to high school next year. Remember? We've got that high school tour thing next week for that new one Melody and Ellie want to go to that was just built."

"Right." Lisbon groaned. "I don't understand how they say that it's mandatory that kids go to a high school and then make it so that they can be turned away from some of them."

"You'd be mad if Melody had to go to 'community' high school?" Jane teased. "And not a super fancy elite high school?"

"That's not it at all. Just seems too early to make kids feel that kind of pressure for something they're told in mandatory."

Jane nodded. "It's no fun for us home schooled kids, either."

"You were actually taught things from the school curriculum? I thought it was all breaking and entering, and swindling lessons for you." Lisbon joked.

"Not quite." Jane smirked. "My dad gave me the school learning books and basically just told me to learn it all for the test."

"Test?"

Jane nodded. "They do this test at the end of each year to make sure that all the home schooled kids know the same things as the kids in the school system. History. Math. English. All that same stuff, but I just took one giant test every year. You get this certificate thing if you pass and then you can move on to the next 'grade'. If my dad hadn't let me do it then child services would have taken me away because not giving me a proper education is considered 'neglect of a minor'. He had no choice."

"I never thought about that." Lisbon was surprised.

Jane shrugged. "You learn something new every day. There was a whole lot of pressure on those tests. Who wants to have to go back and rewrite the test with a bunch of younger kids? For grade six –I think it was- I met this one kid who had failed it three times. Three times! He was a year older than Melody is right now and he was writing a grade six year test with eleven year old me. I had heard that people would fail one or two different tests, but that guy scared the hell out of me. I didn't want to be taking the same test three times."

"The school curriculums do change a bit each year." Lisbon noted.

"True, but I still didn't want to do it three times."

"Understandable."

They both got the sauce ready, heating the pan and stirring it, adding all their extra ingredients. They heard Melody shuffle downstairs and into the living room as they turned the heat down to low so the sauce could simmer. Jane and Lisbon heard the TV get switched on and then went back to their cooking.

"How's it going in here?" Jane asked, walking into the living room. He saw the goofy cartoon that Melody sometimes liked to pass the time with on the TV screen and Melody laying on her stomach on the couch in her pyjamas.

"Fine." Melody replied distantly, Jane was sure she was half asleep.

"You want to just take a nap and we'll save you some dinner?"

"No, I'm fine." Melody sounded a little irritable at the repeated suggestion.

"Okay." Jane said, patting Melody's shoulder. "Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes. Teresa will come get you."

"Okay."

Jane kissed Melody's head and went back to the kitchen.

"Dinner!" Lisbon called to Melody from the kitchen. She got the plates from the cabinet as she and Jane waited for a response. "Melody?" She and Jane shared a look. "Melody Teresa Lisbon, don't make me come get you." Lisbon called in mock irritation.

"How much you want to bet she's passed out on the living room couch?" Jane grinned.

"No bet. She's definitely passed out on the couch." Lisbon put the plates down on the counter and went to the living room. She saw the TV was still on, now showing a commercial. She smiled gently at Melody, who truly was fast asleep sprawled out on the living room couch. Lisbon took the remote from under Melody's arm to switch off the TV. Then, she took the folded blanket on the back of the couch and placed it over Melody, tucking it around her niece. Before going back to the kitchen she kissed Melody's forehead, running her fingers through Melody's hair. "You rest. We'll save some dinner for you. Sweet dreams."

Jane had a plate made up for himself and another for Lisbon by the time Lisbon joined him again. "On a scale of one to 'she might be in a coma,' how asleep is she?" Jane grinned.

"She may be in a coma." Lisbon chuckled.

"Good thing we didn't throw the pasta and sauce in the same pan to mix. She better wake up soon because it's not as good reheated. Best when it's fresh."

"At this point, I don't think it matters that much to her." Lisbon grabbed her plate and sat down at the little table in the kitchen they usually ate at.

"That's true." Jane agreed, grabbing his own plate and sitting down.

"Hard to believe we've gotten here, huh?" Lisbon said, taking a sip from the cup of water Jane had placed on her spot at the table.

"Hm?"

"I mean, Melody starts high school next year."

"Is that tension I see in your shoulders?"

"Don't read me." Lisbon groaned.

"Well when you throw comments like that at me…What else is a man to do?"

Lisbon rolled her eyes, shoving a forkful of spaghetti into her mouth and avoiding his gaze. She really should have just not said anything.

"Oh, I see. It was that same thing you were worried about for Annabeth."

"Wha'would y'know 'bou tha'? Lisbon replied around a mouthful of spaghetti.

"Manners, Teresa." Jane teased.

Lisbon just glared at him.

Jane returned to being serious. "The thing." He simply said.

Lisbon swallowed her food. "Yes, you're right. The thing. You really got me there."

"No need to be sarcastic about it." Jane huffed. "I don't know what else to call it. It's the thing that makes you apprehensive about your nieces becoming teenagers."

"I am not apprehensive."

"Yes, you are. I bet I know why."

"You do not."

"Is it because your mom died around that point in your life and you don't want them to struggle the way you did?"

"I really don't want to talk about this." Lisbon stabbed her fork into her spaghetti and left it there, placing both her hands in her lap to stare Jane down with a frown.

"Okay. Sorry. I thought you might want to get it off your chest." Jane grumbled sipping his own water.

"Yeah, because I'm the only one that's ever had problems we need to talk about." Lisbon spat back.

"I never said that. That's not what I meant."

"No, of course. You just need to know everything and you can't-" Lisbon cut herself off to lower her voice so that she didn't disturb Melody in the living room. "You can't handle just minding your own business. You want to know? Yeah. I get nervous for them because teenage years were not exactly the highlight of my life. I wasn't popular, I wasn't a prom queen and I wasn't happy. And I want better for my nieces. Tease me if you want."

"I wasn't teasing-"

"Well that's not what it felt like."

"Could you please stop jumping to conclusions?"

"Jumping to-"

"Yes. That's what you do. All the time."

"What are you saying? This argument is my fault?"

"Not at all. I just wish you'd hear me out more."

"The paperwork on my desk would say I hear you out too much."

"I've been better."

Lisbon didn't respond.

"Look, I don't want to argue with you. I'm sorry I pushed. I just get concerned about you when you start thinking things like that. The same way that you get concerned about me."

Lisbon's eyes dropped to her spaghetti.

"Are you sure that you're okay? Those pain killers from a few weeks ago really had you in some weird moods."

"That's why I quit the prescription after two days." Lisbon mumbled.

"I thought you quit them because of the nightmares."

"They weren't nightmares…not exactly."

"Okay, well…" Jane reached out and took Lisbon's hand. "I don't want to fight with you. I love you and I'm sorry I pushed. Can we finish dinner happy? We can talk about something else. Whatever you want."

"Well…I don't know. What is there to talk about?" Lisbon shifted a little uncomfortably in her chair, embarrassed at her outburst.

"I could tell you that your hair looks lovely."

"You tell me that every day." Lisbon rolled her eyes, smiling a bit.

"And I'll tell you that until it's not true."

"It's already not true."

"What you just said isn't true." Jane grinned, glad that they were back to easy chatter.

Lisbon blushed slightly and glanced away before looking back at him sheepishly. "I could tell you that your suit looked especially tidy today."

Jane squeezed her hand and puffed out his chest a little. "So, you noticed? Thank you."

"You're welcome." Lisbon couldn't help the warmth that started in her stomach, and it wasn't the spaghetti.

Jane got out of his seat and leaned over to kiss her lips affectionately. "This is much better."

"Agreed."

Jane kissed her again.

"At this rate, we'll be eating reheated spaghetti with Melody." Lisbon teased. "Didn't you say it was better fresh?"

"Using my words against me, eh?" Jane raised a brow as he sat back down. "Okay, have it your way. I wouldn't want to subject you to having reheated spaghetti when you could have it fresh."

Lisbon laughed and they ate the rest of their dinner with happy chatter.

Jane poked his head into the living room to check on Melody. How could she sleep for so long? He thought that at least the smell of spaghetti would wake her up. The scent of food usually had that affect. But not this time.

"Maybe we should wake her up." Lisbon joined him, speaking softly. "Get her to eat something and then send her up to bed. I'm sure she must be really hungry."

"I bet she is." Jane agreed, adjusting the blanket over Melody.

Lisbon took one of Melody's hands in her own, running her thumb over the knuckles.

"What's that face about?"

Lisbon looked at him for a moment and then shook her head, smiling softly. "I'm just thinking."

"Does it have something to do with that heart to heart you and Melody had a while ago that you still won't tell me about?"

"Kind of. Not really."

Jane stepped closer to her, hand on her back. He kissed her cheek and whispered, "she's going to be okay, Teresa. The three of us did a good job."

"The three of us?"

"James, you, and I. At least…I like to think I had something to do with it."

Lisbon let go of Melody's hand, giving it a little pat, before she turned to face Jane. "You have. Really. And I'm glad that you've made that effort. I'm grateful. It means a lot to me…and to James. I know it's not always easy for you, but you've been wonderful to her and I couldn't have asked anything more of you. I almost feel bad getting all this…and then I still yell at you…"

"Maybe this is a conversation for another place." Jane's voice was low with emotion.

Lisbon looked over her shoulder. "Probably."

"Let's get her fed and off to bed so that she doesn't eat all the food we've got for breakfast tomorrow."

"Sounds like a good idea."

"I'll go make sure everything is still warm enough." Jane kissed Lisbon softly before leaving.

Lisbon sat down gently on the couch. "Melody? Sweetie, it's time to wake up." She shook Melody's shoulder lightly.

"Mmmnnnnhhhh…" Melody mumbled, snuggling into the couch cushion more.

"Come on. We have your favourite spaghetti waiting for you. And then you can go to bed. Don't sleep on the couch anymore. Wouldn't you rather sleep in your bed?"

Melody's eyes fluttered open. "No. I don't want to get up."

"Don't you want something to eat? You must be hungry."

"I don't want to move. Everything is sore."

"Gymnastics?"

"Yeah."

"Come on. I'll help you up."

Lisbon helped Melody sit up and get off the couch.

Melody ambled into the kitchen, followed by Lisbon.

"I was just getting the spaghetti ready for you." Jane smiled at Melody as she sat down at the table.

"Thank you." Melody yawned.

"I take it that you're still feeling tired after your nap?" Jane placed her food in front of her.

"Mmmmm."

"Eat up. Then you can head to bed."

Melody picked up her fork and began to lazily eat, her movements very sluggish.

"How about that high school open house thing." Jane teased.

Melody groaned loudly.

Lisbon smacked Jane's arm. "Leave the poor girl alone. Let her eat. Maybe you should help me put the stuff away."

Jane laughed and headed over to the pantry to get some containers for the leftovers.

-Mentalist-

Melody had eaten and gone to bed, giving both Lisbon and Jane good night hugs and kisses before heading upstairs.

Jane and Lisbon had put everything away and cleaned the kitchen before heading upstairs to bed as well.

Lisbon hesitated in the doorway of their room for a moment. Jane was adjusting the blankets to make himself comfy, not yet paying attention to her. Lisbon made her way over and sat down on the edge of the bed, not moving to lay down.

"Is there something wrong?" Jane asked, concerned with her nervous energy and the fact that she didn't want to lie down.

"I thought that maybe we should finish our conversation from earlier…"

Jane sat up, scooching closer to Lisbon. "We can, if that's what you'd like."

"I mean, what you said about how you liked to think that you had a part in how Melody turned out-"

"I didn't mean to overstep any boundaries-"

Lisbon shook her head. "No. You didn't. That's not what I mean. I just want you to know that you have. Had something to do with Melody being the way she is, I mean. And James…James really appreciates it, too." Lisbon's eyes watered a bit. "I know he...He feels really bad about everything with him being in the hospital all the time. He didn't want Melody to feel like she was cheated out of having a father as well, but, um, you really stepped up and I don't really thank you. So, thank you."

Jane pulled Lisbon into a hug and kissed her head. "You're welcome. I wouldn't have done things any other way. And I know you appreciate it. I'll admit that it's nice to hear you say it, though."

"I appreciate it."

Jane smiled into Lisbon's hair. "Seeing you and Melody happy is thanks enough for me."

Lisbon buried her face in Jane's shoulder, hugging him tighter as a few tears soaked his shirt. "Sometimes I remember that one time that I took Melody to the cemetery. I used to wonder if I really should have taken her. I just didn't want to leave her in the office and by the time I had changed my mind, it was too late."

"No, it was okay that you took her. It was nice seeing someone besides me remembering them. Even if neither of you had met them. The flowers were very nice."

Lisbon pulled away and looked at him, wiping at her cheeks.

"I used to think that it would be really sweet if maybe Charlotte was like Melody's guardian angel now. It's kind of stupid and I know you don't believe in that stuff, but I just thought that would be nice. I just think that Charlotte would be proud of you. I didn't know her, but I'm sure she was a sweet little girl and she wouldn't want you to be miserable. And I…I don't want you to be miserable, either."

"I'm not, Teresa." Jane pulled Lisbon's hands away from her face to kiss her forehead. "You make me very happy. I love you."

"Even when I snap at you?"

"Yes."

"Even though this is all really hard? With my family baggage?"

"Of course. It's my family baggage, too. I wouldn't have it any other way. Melody is a great kid. Annabeth is a wonderful young woman. Your brothers are good people. You're an amazing woman. I know that sometimes I retreat and I push you; and you snap and sometimes you overthink things, but I promise that there isn't an argument that we've had that I've not wanted to fix. There hasn't been one fight that left me wanting to walk away. Not today. Not yesterday. Not even that one we had a really long time ago that sent me sulking to the attic and had you holed up in your office."

Lisbon was left just looking at him; seeing all the emotion and sincerity in his eyes left her unable to speak. She didn't know how to respond to such a declaration. Of course, she should tell him that she felt the same way. She did. She just didn't know how to say it. "Sometimes I get so mad at you that I forget how fortunate I am." Well, that was not what she'd wanted to say.

Jane couldn't help but laugh softly. "I'm the one that was really fortunate, but thank you for thinking so highly of me." He kissed her lips gently.

"I married you. I would hope that I think highly of you."

"I thought you married me to keep a closer eye on me."

"There might have been that, too." Lisbon grinned.

"Devious." Jane kissed her again.

"Would you have done any of this differently knowing that?"

"No, so you're safe."

"I'm glad."

"Now get in bed. I'm tired and I want to sleep." Jane moved back over to his side to make room for Lisbon.

"There's one more thing I wanted to ask you." Lisbon said, tone becoming serious again.

Jane stifled a sigh, meeting Lisbon's gaze again. Lisbon and her overactive brain. "What did you want to ask?"

Lisbon lay down on her side, looking at him. She ran her fingers through his hair. "How are you sure about all of this? You always seem so sure that everything is going to be okay and that we can fix it."

Jane smiled at her gently. "Because I know it will be. You taught me that." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "I gave up a long time ago and you convinced me that there was a reason to start trying again. Trying to be happy and trying to have a life. And now that I'm trying again, I've decided that I'm not going to stop. I told you, I'm happy. Everything is going to be okay because we will make it okay. It's as simple as that."

Lisbon held his gaze as his words settled in. "I really taught you that?" She whispered.

"Among other things."

Lisbon smiled widely in reply.

"Go to sleep." Jane kissed her gently. "We don't want to waste any of our Saturday."

-Mentalist-

Lisbon and Jane both lay in bed for a few minutes before getting up and starting breakfast. Melody was still asleep, but they figured the smell of breakfast would wake her up.

Jane kissed Lisbon's shoulder as she set out the bread for the French toast.

Lisbon smiled and blushed, turning her head to look at him.

Jane kissed her then and they were both lost in each other, breakfast temporarily forgotten.

"Oh my god!"

Lisbon jumped at the unexpected voice and the couple turned to see Melody in the doorway of the kitchen, shielding her eyes with her hands.

"Gross! My eyes! My beautiful eyes!" Melody gasped melodramatically.

Jane laughed. "One day you'll kiss someone as well."

"Please." Melody scoffed, shuffling over to the fridge for some orange juice. "Obviously I'm going to be single forever. All I wanted was some food, but now I'm not sure I have an appetite."

Lisbon blushed and went back to preparing breakfast.

Jane and Melody were now locked in a staring contest.

Lisbon sorted more ingredients out, reaching past Jane, who took her hand in his.

Lisbon gave him an odd look, but before she could say anything, Jane leaned down and kissed her again.

"Okay." Melody gagged. "Patrick, you're officially my least favourite uncle!"

"Officially, huh?" Jane laughed as Lisbon smacked his chest.

"You deserve to be." Lisbon added.

"Whose side are you on?"

"Melody's, obviously." Lisbon smiled. "She's a Lisbon."

"Well, that's just not fair at all!"

Melody stuck her tongue out at him. "You should have thought of that before you married in. Now you're stuck with us."

"I'm sure Annie will stick up for me against you two when she and Tommy come to stay in two weeks." Jane retorted.

"What?" Melody asked, surprised. "They're coming to stay?"

Lisbon tilted her head. "Yeah. We agreed on that last week. Don't you remember?"

"No!"

"Uh, Teresa. I think we may have forgotten to tell her."

"Why did you forget to tell me?" Melody looked offended.

"We didn't mean to, Melody. We all just got really busy. I thought I'd told you. I'm sorry."

Melody huffed. "It's fine, I guess. When are they going to get here?"

"The Friday after next. They will be getting in at about two in the afternoon." Lisbon answered.

"Good luck to them for sharing the couch." Melody chuckled.

"Melody." Lisbon gave her niece a stern look. "You're sharing your room with Annabeth."

Melody burst in to laughter. "Nice. I'm totally not."

"You have the extra bed." Lisbon told her.

"So?"

"So you're sharing you room."

"Not a chance." Melody shook her head.

"Yeah, you're sharing your room." Jane seconded. "You can argue all you want, but you're going to share it."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because she's your cousin, Melody." Lisbon told her. "And because I say you have to. You live here, you'll do what I tell you."

Melody looked at Jane, eyes wide. "Did…did I really just get the 'my house, my rules' cliché?"

"Yes." Jane laughed. "I think you did."

Melody wrinkled her nose. "Gross. You're going to have to better than that, Teresa."

"I can take away your cell phone, if you'd like that instead."

"Okay, okay! I'll share my room!" Melody rolled her eyes.

"Good." Lisbon smiled.

"Now it's just Peter and Tommy that need to figure out how to share the living room." Jane joked.

"Why didn't you tell me Peter was coming to begin with!?" Melody threw her arms in the air. "Honestly. I'd rather give my extra mattress to Peter."

"No, Melody." Lisbon sent Melody a look. "That's not at all appropriate and you're not going to harass Annabeth's boyfriend."

"Who said anything about harassing him? I just want to get to know him a little better."

"I'm sure your intentions are pure." Lisbon rolled her eyes and went back to making breakfast.

Melody opened the fridge to get her orange juice as Jane set the table.

Author's Note: So, that's it for now! I was going to include the visit with Tommy, Annabeth and Peter in this chapter, but I realised that it would make the chapter just super long and it would look really weird to have that big of a jump in one chapter. Next chapter you all see Annabeth and Tommy and Peter come to visit though! It might even take more than one chapter, we'll see what happens. The next chapter may not come quickly because I have lots of stuff going on. I have work and then my birthday is on Sunday so I'm going to be busy with that so I don't know. I'll get it up as soon as possible, though! Have a nice day/night and I hope to see you guys at the next chapter!