AN: Here we go, last one. 6 years to the day I started this series, and we're finally here. This was actually one of the very first ones I wrote but I knew almost immediately it was one I wanted to finish on. I found this character fascinating and really enjoyed putting her to paper, I hope that in some small way I've done her and the others and this amazing show some justice. Thank you sincerely for all the views and reviews and for sticking with me on this over the years. I always love the background characters, so thank you for indulging me with your support on this one. It's meant the world.

It is late; late. Evening died and night fell hours ago. Madeleine sits in her car. She looks at her watch. It's getting later, later. Always later. Looking in the rear view mirror, she sees Mimi look vacantly out the window as Will dozes in the back of the car.

It is then that her phone starts to ring. A number unknown to her. It looks like a payphone. She shouldn't answer it, she knows - she's in hiding, for heaven's sake; she knows the risks, but she has a feeling. She answers her phone and sliding out of her car seat, she closes the door quietly but firmly behind her, and stands leaning against her car. Will sleeps on.

"Hello?" she asks.

"Madeleine." The voice on the other side is sure.

"Patrick?"

"We had a deal, I believe?" She hears him cough. "It's over," he says.

"Wha-" Madeleine's voice falters, and she feels her heart fall to her boots.

"It's over," Jane repeats.

"Christ," Madeleine swears. "When?"

"A few hours ago," he says. "I wanted you to hear it from me. So that you'd be sure."

"Where are you now?" Madeleine breathes. "Are you alright? Who was it? Who was it in the end?"

"I'm sure you'll hear all about it," she hears him say. "Goodbye, Madeleine."

"And Lisbon?" she asks quickly.

Silence.

Now she's got him.

"I did what I had to do, Madeleine. You understand."

"Oh, I do, Patrick. I understand. I'm just asking." She speaks more firmly now, insistent. "Lisbon. What about her?"

"What about her?"

Madeleine swears.

"After everything Jane? After it all?"

"She's fine, if that's what you mean." He pauses, weary. "I'm leaving the country," he says quietly. "I'm on my way. Come dawn there will be but a trace of my time here."

Madeleine is fuming. "So that's it, is it?" she snaps. "That's it?"

She can hear him becoming frustrated. She's sure he's had one hell of a day. "What do you want me to do?" he asks. "I have to go. I have to."

He clears his throat.

"Somewhere nice. Somewhere warm," he says, and through the strain in his voice she can tell he's trying to make light of the reality of the situation. "Beautiful this time of year, perhaps all year. We'll see."

"You'll see," Madeleine says. "You're on your own now, you've made sure of that."

"I've been on my own a long time, Madeleine."

Madeleine can feel her patience running out. She draws a breath, breathes it out. She speaks quietly, firmly, threatening. "That's a damn lie, Patrick Jane, and you know it." She pauses, stronger, angrier now. "There may have been times when you've thought Minelli or I have let you down, but that team of yours – Lisbon – that woman's had your back since you joined the damned CBI, you know that's the truth."

"Oh, back to Lisbon now are we?" Jane scoffs.

"Don't interrupt me," she hisses. "Since the day you walked into Teresa Lisbon's office you've never once been on your own. Don't you even try and fool yourself. You dragged that woman to hell and back and she went with you willingly every time, so don't you dare say a word against that woman to me."

"Madeleine-" he's pleading with her now.

"Yes, Patrick," she says, as though she were speaking to a child.

"Lisbon knows," he says. "Lisbon knows what I had to do. She's fine. She will be fine. You've said it before yourself, she's better off without me. She'll move on. She doesn't need me. It's a better life."

"Don't get so defensive, Patrick; I'm on your side." She doesn't mention that it sounds to her like he's trying to convince himself. "I know she doesn't need you, I just wonder did it ever occur to you that you might need her?"

He ignores the question. "I know you're on my side. I know," he says and she can imagine his accompanying half-hearted gesture, a careless swish of the hand. "Rough day."

Madeleine hums her agreement.

"It will be fine. She'll be fine. Maybe she'll come visit me."

Madeleine laughs but there's no humour in her voice. She can't help her reaction, it's been a long time coming. He's been taking Teresa Lisbon for granted for far too long. "Yes Patrick, because all these years, you know that's the ending Lisbon's been hoping for."

Patrick is turning; angrier now, rawer, sadder.

"What do you want from me Madeleine? What good is anything I say to you now?" he fumes, almost shouting. Madeleine refuses to flinch away from her phone, letting the loud yells ring and cringe in her ears. She doesn't pull away. "You knew it would end like this, you must have known, and so did Lisbon. She's known for a long, long time. She didn't like it, but she understood."

Jane is emotional, angry, Madeleine knows. He's on a high, she can hear it in his voice. He sounds out of control, passionate, raw. She's rarely heard him like this before, the last time she did he was pointing a gun at her in his damned little attic. She thinks he might be recalling the memory too. She can hear him stiffen at the thought.

"You've got to know, Madeleine," he says, quiet now, slow, his voice rough, barely more than a whisper. "You of all people have to know. I didn't want this. Any of it. I never had a choice, Madeleine, I never did."

Madeleine hears him sniff. Between the angry outburst and her enforcing what has been some kind of guilt-tripping realisation on him, she thinks he might have a let a few tears escape. She worries she may have pushed him too far, but stops herself feeling sorry for him. She reminds herself that he deserves this, at least when it comes to Teresa Lisbon.

"I didn't want any of this," he insists, and his voice sounds like a child's. "But I had to, just like you. We both had to do things we didn't want to do. Of course I'd rather stay there; with Lisbon – and the team, and the work," he adds hastily; an afterthought.

"I know," Madeleine says.

"It is – it was, the closest thing I've had," he says. "the closest thing I've had since... -since."

"Yes," she says.

"Would that I could stay here; would that I could, but I can't, and I won't; and I- I have to do this, I have to go. I must."

Madeleine says nothing.

"She knows," Jane says, and she doesn't need to ask who he's talking about. "She knows I didn't have a choice. I never did. I did what I had to do. I did what I had to do," he repeats.

"Yes, you did," she says.

Jane clears his throat. "I'd recommend laying low for a while," he begins. "Red John is gone, but you never know. Give it a while, let this all blow over. Then come home, Madeleine, get your life back. You've been hiding long enough."

"And you're hiding's just beginning," she says.

"Yes," he says, and she can imagine the sad smile. "Yes."

"I won't lie to you, Patrick, it's hard. I won't be sad to see it go. I'll be glad. Very, very glad."

"Good," he says. "I'm glad, too. You're getting your lives back. Make it a good one, Madeleine."

"Thank you, Patrick. I will. Me – Will, Mimi – we've got our life back thanks to you. Thank you."

"Make sure she's okay."

"I- what?"

"Lisbon, Madeleine. Please. When you come back, when it's all over. Just, make sure."

"Lisbon's a big girl, Patrick. She-"

"Please, Madeleine, please. I'm asking you. Please."

Madeleine softens at the tender despair in his voice. "Of course, Patrick."

She pauses.

"She will be fine, you know. She will. She's made of strong stuff, our Lisbon."

"I know," Jane says.

"Goodbye, Patrick," she whispers. "Thank you."

"And you, Madeleine," he says. "Be well."

She hangs up and lets out one, two, three shaky breaths, puts her hand to her head and breathes out through her mouth. Then she opens the car door and gets back inside. Mimi has fallen asleep too.

That's alright.

It's all alright now.

She'll put them to bed tonight and in the morning, she'll let them know.

They're already on their way home.