(A/N): Okay, so I'm not quite sure what to make of this one, but I finished it and can't think of anything else I could put in to make it better, so here is what you get. It includes a lot more than the episode this time, but I hope I haven't spoilt it for you. That would suck. A big thank you to everyone who followed and favourited this story, but a humongous thank you to everyone who reviewed:

lili87: I know, I loved the ending. I was just thinking, "I can't have poor little Julie with nowhere to go" and I couldn't resist throwing a little humour in there after how serious the rest of it was. Still, I'm glad you liked it.

LouiseKurylo: Thanks. I wouldn't have wanted to be Lisbon in that episode either hehe.

HeavenJu: Thanks! And here it is, the next "episode", though I'm not sure how good it is. Enjoy!

Chocolate498: Thanks for the support! I hope I don't disappoint.

sen: Thanks, and here is the next update. I hope it's as good as you want it to be.

JanaDKatic: Aww, thanks sweetie! I think it's wonderful that you love my fiction so much! I don't like this chapter personally, but I'm hoping you do, so enjoy!

Okay, so I'm sorry I took so long to update (studying at college sucks). If anyone has any tips on how to pass college, or any revision tips that would help someone easily distracted (AKA me), I would love to know.

Disclaimer: I do not own the mentalist. If I did I would not be forcing myself through college, or university.

I hope you all enjoy it, despite my feelings on this chapter, and I'll see you all for the next isntallment.

HeavenSkye x

Through Thick and Thin.

Chapter 5.

Redwood. (1x05).

"Hey, Reese."

"Tommy." Lisbon responded as she fought her way into her jeans, one hand pressing the phone to her ear. Jane walked over and helped her get her jeans on silently, smiling softly at her. They'd just gotten a call out to a crime scene, and Lisbon hated early morning wake ups. And Jane knew she would be grumpy today. Her brother had just called, which meant that she wouldn't have enough time to consume any coffee before heading to the crime scene. He pitied whoever was in charge of that particular scene. In-Charge Lisbon wasn't the best person to deal with, but an un-caffeinated In-Charge Lisbon was much, much worse. Smiling to himself, he gathered up her t-shirt, and began to try to get it over his wife's head as she continued her call.

"I, uh, just wanted to tell you that we're gonna be in Sacramento this weekend. Me, Annabeth, James, Myra, Katy and George. We'll come round on Saturday."

"Tommy, I don't-" Lisbon tried, only to be cut off by her younger brother as her husband managed to get the t-shirt over her head.

"No, Reese. We've gotta see you. Annabeth misses you loads. I still don't get why you couldn't come down at Christmas."

"I was busy Tommy." Lisbon responded. In reality, she'd spent Christmas with her husband, even if he had tried to convince her to go to Chicago to see her family. She wasn't leaving him all alone, and he had actually been ill up until late on Christmas Eve, so it wasn't like he would've been able to accompany her.

"You're always busy. Hey, maybe we can meet your new boyfriend!"

"What new boyfriend?" Lisbon asked as Jane started silently laughing, pushing her arms into the sleeves of the t-shirt and tucking it into her jeans before retrieving her belt and feeding it through the loops on her waistband, before fastening it. He then snuck a kiss to his wife's lips as she swatted him away playfully.

"No new boyfriend? Damn, that means I owe James ten bucks."

"Tommy." Lisbon responded disapprovingly. She and Jane had actually invited all three of her brothers to the wedding under the pretence of a vacation so that Red John wouldn't find out about it. All three brothers had declined. Tommy had had to deal with a custody battle for Annabeth, James had been on his own honeymoon with his wife Myra, and George had been travelling the world, and hadn't wanted to cut it short. So, none of them knew about their sister's husband, and Lisbon had never found the right time to tell them. Jane didn't mind. He knew they'd find out eventually. It wasn't like she was hiding him in a broom closet or anything. She wasn't hiding their marriage on purpose.

At least if they found out, they couldn't convince their sister out of it, Jane thought, grinning as Lisbon finished up her conversation. Technically, they couldn't encourage her to be a runaway bride if he'd already married her.

He handed her her jacket and stole another kiss from her as they made their way out of the door. "So, what's up with Tommy?"

"All three of them are visiting this weekend, and insisting that I see them."

"Okay. Are you going to?" He asked as they climbed into the SUV. They were going to swing by the other three agents' houses on the way.

"I don't know. Part of me doesn't want to, in payback for missing the wedding."

"And the Saint Teresa part?"

Lisbon rolled her eyes, whacking Jane in the arm playfully. "Will you stop? I'm no saint. But the other part of me loves them, and wants to do as Tommy asked."

"We'll figure it out." Jane promised her, raising her hand to his lips and kissing the back of her palm gently. "Together. It's only Tuesday, my dear. We'll have it all figured out by Saturday, I can tell."

"Like a Psychic thing?" Lisbon asked with a grin as they turned onto Rigsby's street.

"No, my darling wife. I'm just confident in it, that's all."

"Just to be clear, except in special circumstances, we don't help out. We take over. You need to be okay with that." Lisbon told the sheriff at the crime scene shortly as they walked up to the yellow tape cordoning off the area. She really hated early morning calls, and couldn't take her mind off of her brothers. Without turning round, she knew Jane was grinning a little. He always found her bad moods funny until she turned that anger and mood onto him. Then he did his best to run for the hills.

"Okay. I guess." The older man replied, lifting up the tape for her. Normally, she'd have thanked him, but her attention was caught by the car in the middle of the crime scene and she ducked under the tape, Cho following her diligently.

Jane stopped by the sheriff, his face displaying a rare show of sympathy for the older man. He hated being on the wrong end of his wife's bad moods, and pitied anyone else who did, especially if they'd done nothing to deserve it as this man had.

"She's not really a morning person." Jane told the man in a low voice, careful not to be overheard by the woman in question. She wasn't that far away, after all. "She'll improve." He concluded with a nod before ducking under the tape himself. He glanced at the tense posture of his wife and repressed a sigh. He'd have to think up a solution to her problems, and quick, before anyone else felt the sharp edge of Lisbon's mood.

"Do we know if she's armed?" Kyle asked, hands on his hips. Jane winced almost imperceptibly. To anyone else, he was his usual self, but he was watching Lisbon carefully. He'd known that the minute she'd heard about Nicole, Lisbon's protective drive had kicked in. He could also tell that after glancing at Kara's body, his wife didn't think Nicole was the one responsible for her best friend's death. But, as always, Teresa Lisbon was a professional, which didn't work out so well for Kyle in this instance. Jane settled back and waited for the fireworks to erupt.

"What do you know about this case?" Lisbon demanded, her eyes narrowing at the ginger man wearing glasses. Assumptions weren't usually tolerated on cases unless it came under the title 'Jane Hunch', and even less so on cases where people were missing.

"Same thing as everybody else, I guess." Kyle said as he turned to Lisbon, his posture that of one trying to exude authority when in reality he probably had very little, if any of. "Some badass town-y girl got mad drunk, stabbed her friend to death, and ran off into the woods."

Jane and the sheriff exchanged glances, both aware of the dressing down Kyle was about to get. Lisbon's stance went a little wider, her entire demeanour exuding the genuine authority that Kyle lacked.

"Kara Palmer died from loss of blood. Nicole Gilbert is missing." Lisbon told him firmly, ignoring the looks from both Jane and the sheriff. "Maybe she ran off, maybe she was abducted. We don't know. Don't assume anything."

"Message received and understood, ma'am." Kyle responded, even though it looked like it pained him to say the words. "Alright, fellas." He motioned to the other men and they followed him reluctantly. Jane noticed the respectful looks they were throwing Lisbon, and stifled another grin as Lisbon and the sheriff began talking once more.

"You knew Nicole. You think she did this?" Lisbon asked. Jane searched the sheriff's face. He was uncertain. He didn't think Nicole had killed Kara, but he was withholding judgement until he got the fact in. Hence the uncertainty.

"Who knows what others are capable of?" The sheriff responded, looking at his shoes for a moment. "She sure had built up a lot of bad karma. But, I don't know. She seemed to be turning her life around." The sheriff offered his honest opinion, quickly realising that honesty was the only way to go with the CBI team, especially its team leader and its consultant.

"Bad karma doesn't have an expiration date." Lisbon replied, her tone softer than before.

Jane suddenly turned to face his wife. "Actually, it does. According to traditional Buddhist teachings. I'm counting on it." He said matter-of-factedly. Lisbon frowned a little at her husband before her expression cleared and she focused back on the job at hand.

"Let's go."

"Karma?" Lisbon asked later in the search for Nicole, making sure they were out of earshot of the sheriff. Jane glanced at her a moment before nodding and looking through the trees again.

"I figured that it couldn't hurt."

"Oh. So, it also has an expiration date?"

"That it does, my dear."

"When?"

"I think it was about the time I met you."

"Seriously, Jane."

"Seriously? I'm not sure. But I still believe my bad karma ran out the minute I met you."

Lisbon had to smile. "That's corny."

Jane grinned back in return. "I know. But you love me all the same."

"Soon as she's well enough, I'm charging her and taking her to jail." The sheriff stated. Jane glanced at Lisbon in time to see her protective side take charge and her eyes narrow dangerously at the older man. He felt instantly sorry for the sheriff again.

"Sheriff, you have custody of Nicole, but CBI is leading this investigation. I decide when to file charges. We don't have the full facts yet." Lisbon told the sheriff firmly, obviously not taking no for an answer. She'd go over his head if she had to, but she'd get the right person in the end, and her gut kept telling her that Nicole wasn't the killer, and for once she was going to listen to it.

"Facts? She's covered in blood. She's carrying what looks to be the murder weapon which the forensic guys say has Kara's blood on it. What more do you want?" The sheriff countered angrily.

Lisbon pursed her lips in annoyance before turning to face Nicole's doctor, effectively ignoring the irate sheriff. "Is she well enough to speak to?"

The doctor glanced between Lisbon and the sheriff, mentally weighing all the pros and cons of the situation before finally giving in and nodding his consent. "As long as you're gentle with her."

Jane pulled Lisbon to one side as they entered Redwood Point Town Hall where they'd been given a large room to use as a base whilst they were there. Lisbon looked up at Jane, worry shining in her eyes.

"You think Nicole's a victim."

"I do." Jane nodded as her encircled his arms around his wife's waist, engulfing her in a loose hug. Lisbon rested her head on Jane's shoulder.

"Thank you." She muttered into the fabric of his suit jacket. "I needed this."

"Of course, my dear. Now then, have you thought any more about this weekend?" Jane asked, hoping to distract her. It had the desired effect, as Lisbon immediately groaned and hid her face even more into her husband's shoulder.

"No. Why did you remind me?"

"Because you were trying to forget. All I'm going to say for now, Teresa, is that you can't put it off forever."

"I can try." Lisbon muttered stubbornly as she pulled back and her face set back into a worried expression. "But come on, we have to solve this case first."

"Of course."

Jane watched as the old woman playing the piano morphed into a memory of his daughter, Charlotte, playing the exact same song, his wife, Angela, sat at her side helping her along. Fur Elise by Beethoven. Oh, how proud Charlotte had been of accomplishing that song. She'd spent months perfecting it, and when she'd finally gotten it all right, she'd insisted that her daddy be the first one to hear it. He'd just gotten in from another tv appearance, and had been extremely tired, but Charlotte had insisted, and so he'd sat and listened to her play it through three times, a proud smile on his face throughout the renditions. Charlotte had begun to teach him how to play it too, around a month before she'd died. He'd only gotten the first minute of it right before he no longer had a teacher. He hadn't wanted to learn after that.

He smiled sadly as in his mind's eye, Charlotte looked to him. "Daddy, listen." Angela sat behind Charlotte, smiling widely at him, one arm around their daughter's shoulders. A single tear rolled down his cheek. Oh, how he missed them.

The vision faded as soon as his phone interrupted the wonderful music his daughter had been playing, and he answered swiftly, though he knew he voice had a slight catch to it. "What?" He listened to the other end. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be there." He hung up and put the phone back in the pocket of his vest. Maybe he would do a private concert later.

Time to get to work.

Jane and Lisbon stood a little away from the interview. Lisbon's skin was practically crawling at how creepy the suspect was, and Jane was feeling a little protective of his wife. However, Lisbon couldn't help but want to pull Van Pelt away from him too. She knew he was periodically checking both female agents out, no matter whom he was supposed to be answering.

When Cho commented on the man's size with exercise and a diet, Lisbon couldn't hide her smirk and had to look away. Cho was far too blunt sometimes, and it usually had a comical effect. It was part of the reason she'd picked him as part of her team. That, and she had wanted to give him a chance. No-one else would go within a foot of his file, just because he'd been in a gang as a kid. Lisbon had been the one to see that yeah, he'd been a messed up kid, but he was making amends for that past. She'd been the only one to actually hand in the file and personally request him. She'd done the same with Rigsby's too. But in the end she wouldn't have had it any other way. They were a family. They certainly acted like overprotective brothers towards her often enough.

Lisbon focused her attention back on the interview. Unfortunately, creepy and persistent weren't crimes, and she honestly didn't think he'd killed Kara, so they were going to have to let him go. Back to square one.

"Pineapple. He smelled like Pineapple."

"Pineapple? What the hell? Go-" Lisbon cut herself off as her husband's words registered. Pineapple. Where had she seen a pineapple before? Her face tightened as it hit her. Of course, the air freshener in Kyle's car had been a pineapple. That was when she realised, the description that Nicole had given matched Kyle perfectly. Pair that with the Pineapple air freshener, and she was almost certain it was him. And she was alone in the middle of the woods with him, without backup. She could only think of one word. Crap.

"Okay. Good." She responded instead, making it sound like Jane had cut her off instead, and was telling her something else. "Listen, tell Rigsby, Teresa needs his help." She spoke to Jane, remembering that Kyle didn't know her first name. "Me?" She asked, again making it sound like Jane had asked her a question, though the man hadn't said a word. "I'm at the Eagle Pine Lodge off Route 6."

"Okay. Love you."

"Me too." Lisbon stated before slipping her phone into her jacket pocket, still connected to Jane's cellphone. She then span to face Kyle, one hand on her holster. "Kyle, let's stay calm and think this through."

"Think what through?" He asked, attempting to sound as though he had no idea to what she was referring to, though his hand also made it to his weapon. Lisbon noticed immediately.

"I really don't wanna shoot you, but I do have to take you into custody for killing Kara Palmer. What are we gonna do about that?" She asked as she unbuckled her holster and started pulling her weapon out slowly, eyes focused on Kyle.

He grinned, even as he started to lift his own weapon out of its holster. "It's not like I set out to hurt anyone." Kyle stated. "I just wanted to talk to Nicole."

"Before she ran off and got married?" Lisbon queried. Kyle nodded.

"I've noticed her around town for a long time. I didn't want her marrying that guy, Jason. She's too good for him."

"Please Kyle, I really and truly do not wanna hurt you." Lisbon told him gently, trying to end the situation peacefully.

"You like your chances, do you?" Kyle returned with an almost manic grin as he pulled his gun on her at the same time she pulled hers on him.

Then the shooting began.

As soon as Lisbon entered the motel room that night, she was engulfed by her husband. Jane hugged her to his chest tightly, clinging to her for dear life. Lisbon hugged him back just as tightly.

"Thank god you're alright Teresa." He muttered into her hair. "I already lost Angela and Charlotte. I can't lose you too."

"I'm still here Patrick. And I will be for a long time." Lisbon murmured back, running her fingers through his blonde curls soothingly. Jane shook his head before pulling back and kissing her, pouring all his emotion into it. Lisbon kissed him back just as passionately, before breaking free on a gasp.

"Are you okay?" Lisbon asked as she panted for breath, still in his arms. Jane nodded as he buried her face into her hair again.

"I want to show you something when we get home. Do you own a piano by any chance?" He whispered into her brunette locks. Lisbon nodded slightly.

"Uh huh. You know I do. It's in the spare room we have downstairs."

"Okay."

"Patrick?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, Teresa."

The next morning was Thursday, and they packed up everything and made their way out of the town hall, where they were stopped by Nicole and Kara's father, who both thanked the husband and wife duo before walking down the street together, Kara's belongings in a box carried by her father.

Jane handed Lisbon the car keys as they bantered seamlessly all the way to the car and out of Redwood Point. Everyone had agreed that after all the overtime pulled on this case, as well as the one before that, the SCU team could have an early weekend with the rest of Thursday and Friday off, barring any emergency.

Suddenly, Lisbon bit her lip. "What are we gonna do about Tommy and the others?"

"We tell them." Jane responded. "Really, it's as simple as that, sweetheart. They're gonna find out. I'm just thinking that you may want to set a time for them to come round to the house so they don't find out before you actually tell them. That could make it worse."

Lisbon groaned. "Dammit, why couldn't they have just come to the wedding? It would've been so much easier."

Jane grinned. "I'm still surprised you didn't back out at the last minute."

"So am I." Lisbon quipped dryly before shaking her head. "It was a no brainer, Patrick. I love you, and you love me. We weren't into the soppy crap that makes up a lot of the dating aspect today, and we wanted something permanent."

"You sound so romantic." Jane teased, causing Lisbon to whack his arm playfully as they pulled into the driveway of their house.

"Please, I proposed to you, remember? That counts as romantic." Lisbon pointed out as they entered the house.

"Ah yes, point for you, my dear." Jane conceded as he shut the door and pushed his wife against the wall, kissing her as he led her to their bedroom. "However, I like to believe we can both be romantic when the mood strikes."

"Auntie Reese!"

The next morning, Jane and Lisbon awoke to the yell of a child. Opening their eyes blearily, they saw a ten year old girl with long brunette hair pulled back into a braid and chocolate brown eyes jumping up and down on the end of the bed, smiling widely at the two adults. Lisbon smiled in return, though she was still half asleep. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was glad that in the middle of the night, both she and Jane had put their nightclothes on, so at least it wasn't too embarrassing.

"Annabeth, you're making me dizzy." Lisbon warned, causing Annabeth to bounce once more before landing right in the middle of the bed.

"Auntie Reese!" Annabeth yelled again happily, diving on top of her aunt and hugging her tightly. "I missed you!"

"Missed you too, kiddo." Lisbon replied, hugging her niece tightly. "Where's your dad?"

"Downstairs. He and Uncle James wanted to surprise you by showing up a day early." Annabeth rolled her eyes. "I think this situation will surprise them more."

"Annabeth." Lisbon stated in her best warning tone. Annabeth shrugged before looking at Jane curiously.

"Who're you?"

"Patrick Jane." Jane supplied smoothly, amused at the girl's antics. Annabeth looked thoughtful.

"Can I call you Uncle Patrick?"

"Sure. You're Annabeth, right?"

"Yep." Annabeth replied, popping the 'p' at the end of the word. Suddenly, she squealed, causing both Jane and Lisbon to sit up in alarm.

"What's wrong?" They asked in unison. Annabeth pointed at Lisbon's left hand, where she'd left her wedding ring on. There wasn't much point in hiding it if they weren't in work, especially if they were just lazing about the house a lot, as they had intended to do for their unexpected long weekend.

"You guys are married!"

Lisbon and Jane made their way downstairs, Annabeth between them, skipping and laughing over her aunt and uncle as they rolled their eyes at the happy child. Tommy was the first to notice them and his mouth hung open in shock and embarrassment. "Reese, I'm so sorry, if I would've known, I never would have sent Annabeth up there!"

Lisbon waved it off awkwardly. "It's fine Tommy. We were only sleeping."

Annabeth grinned up at her aunt. "Yeah, I woke Auntie Reese and Uncle Patrick up!" She proclaimed before dissolving into a fit of giggles. Tommy glanced curiously between his daughter, his sister, and the mystery man before focusing on his daughter.

"Annabeth, sweetie, who's Uncle Patrick?"

Annabeth pointed at Jane. "He's Uncle Patrick. He married Auntie Reese, and anyway, he said I could call him that when I asked."

James glanced at the ten year old in shock. "Uh, Ann, can you repeat that?"

"He said I could call him that when I asked." Annabeth repeated instantly. James shook his head.

"No, the bit before that."

"Oh. He married Auntie Reese."

"What?!"

"Do I have to repeat it again for you?"

On Sunday night, Jane and Lisbon curled up on the couch together, enjoying a glass of wine each. After the initial explosion from Lisbon's brothers over their marriage, and around an hour of her brothers trying to convince her into a divorce, they'd finally accepted him. It helped a lot that Annabeth had taken an instant like to him.

Jane suddenly sat up, holding out his hand to Lisbon, who took it, frowning a little in confusion. He led her through the room until he reached the spare room that housed the small piano Lisbon had bought when they'd moved in together. He sat down, lifting the cover and resting his fingers on the keys.

"My daughter loved to play." He whispered. "She was teaching me right up until she…" He trailed off as Lisbon sat down beside him.

"Go on." She encouraged him gently. Nodding, he allowed his fingers to find the familiar keys, and began to play, just as his daughter had taught him to. When the notes he knew finished, he faltered a little, only to jerk in surprise as Lisbon took over for him, finishing the piece softly. She smiled gently up into his teary eyes. "They're gone, Patrick, but you don't have to forget them. I can teach you the rest, and you can play it all in your daughter's memory."

"I'd like that."

TBC…