Disclaimer: I hate repeating myself…

Van Pelt was plagued with worry as she thought about her former boss. She hadn't heard from the older woman since she was released from jail three months back. CBI had lost track of her, but they weren't concerned since Red John was dead. They figured she had to get away from it all as she did with her previous encounter with the serial killer.

"What's on your mind, Grace?" Jane asked while he made a pot of tea. Grace contemplated her answer as to what she might say to the man. "You already know it is pointless lying to me, so why even give it thought?"

"Jane, sometimes people would like their thoughts to just be their thoughts," Grace said as she crossed her arms and looked defiantly at the fake-psychic.

"Oh, I know what this is about," Jane poured himself the freshly made tea and began to reach for some milk. "You're upset because you haven't heard from Lisbon."

"I'm not upset, just worried," She defended as she walked closer to Jane.

"No, you're both." The consultant picked up his cup of tea and walked over to his sofa and sat down. Grace had followed him to his sofa and stood before him.

"Am not."

"Of course you aren't, which is why you are standing in front of me defending yourself when you could have easily just left the conversation alone," Jane settled comfortably into the sofa. "It is understandable why you are upset: your former boss, who you looked up to may I add, just picked up and left without a word. Years later, she reappears again for the murder of Red John only to disappear once more when the charges were dropped. You saw her reappearance as a way to bond and now you are clueless as to where she could be."

They both knew that Jane was right, but it was hard for her to admit. It was hard being a female in a male dominated field. When Lisbon was her boss, she was relieved even though she was slightly afraid of the woman. But, for once, it was refreshing to have a female for a superior who didn't fit the stereotypical mold. Although Lisbon didn't particularly dress feminine, you knew she was a woman by the way she carried herself, but at the same time she was strictly professional.

As much as she enjoyed the company of her male companions, she yearned for a female companion as well. She wished that she could share her thoughts with another woman where either they could discuss or laugh about the antics of men. Despite the fact that she never did it while Lisbon was there, she knew that Lisbon feelings mimicked her own without vocalizing the words at all. Sometimes, they would give one another a glance or a knowing grin that said, "Men".

"It's just—how could she leave?" Grace held her head in her hands. Without looking at her, Jane knew that the female agent was beginning to tear up.

"She didn't," Jane confessed.

Grace wiped her face and looked up at the consultant slowly. "What do you mean she didn't leave?"

Jane contemplated whether or not if he should tell Grace the truth or bits and pieces of it. In a way, she deserved to know, but at the same time, it was none of her business. He already confessed that she was still in town, but should he take the next step and tell her the whole truth?

"Lisbon never left town to begin with," Jane took a sip of his tea as he read Grace's expression. It reeked of betrayal.

"What?" She inquired as she stared intently at Jane. "Where is she?"

"The week after Lisbon was released from jail, she came to talk to me," Jane sat his cup to the side and folded his hands on his lap. "It was concluded that she was better off staying here than she would anywhere else."

"That still doesn't tell me where she is," Grace raised an eyebrow as she folded her arms.

"I'm staying with Jane," Lisbon said as she walked into the bullpen. Nostalgia chilled her bones as she walked through her old work place. Grace was surprised to see her former boss, especially pushing her newborn child in a stroller. The older woman looked at ease with herself and the world considering all that has happened to her.

"Lisbon," Grace whispered.

"Hey Grace," Lisbon smiled at her former employee as she locked the stroller into place beside Jane, and then sat next to him. "Where are Cho and Rigsby?" She directed toward Jane.

"Rigsby went out to get food and Cho is in a meeting with Hightower," Jane replied as he took the infant out and began to rock the child. "Jane, unless you want to stay up with Lily until the wee hours of the morning, I suggest you put her back down before she wakes up," Lisbon warned as she gazed at her daughter. She reached out and lovingly caressed Lily's cheek and the child whimpered softly.

"I already stay up with her until the wee hours of the morning," Jane reminded her as he threw her a dazzling smile.

It was true, Jane stayed up with Lily when Lisbon slept. He insisted that she should get her sleep because she would be physically tired for a couple of months and needed all the rest she could get. Whenever Lily cried, Jane was there to rock her back to sleep or stay up with her until she settled down. Jane figured it was a good thing that he was a light sleeper because he woke up as soon as the wailing began. Lisbon, on the other hand, was a heavy sleeper and it would take a while for her body to register the sound of her child's cries. He didn't doubt Lisbon's capabilities as a parent considering she was raising Nathaniel as well. But, she needed a break and as mentioned earlier, she was physically exhausted and emotionally as well.

By a twisted turn of events, Jane was raising Red John's child as his own and he found that he was quite smitten with Lily. It was hard for him to fathom that the man he hated and the woman he loved could create a child so beautiful and enchanting.

Grace looked to the both of them trying to figure out what exactly was going on. Were they simply roommates and Jane was helping raise the child? Or was it that they were together now and playing house? Never in a million years would Grace vocalize these thoughts because it was rude in her mind. Lisbon could see the question lingering on the younger's woman face and she found that she could answer without any insecurity on her part. In the past, she was very reluctant to tell any personal information about herself, but now it didn't faze her. Why should it with all that she has been through? For years, she denied herself happiness based off of fear of rejection and judgment. She was never truly comfortable in her own skin because she felt as though others didn't get her. In turn, she thought she would have to change herself to please someone else, but she refused to. So, she chose to be alone instead because she wasn't going to be someone that she wasn't. She couldn't; it wasn't in her.

Her new outlook on life wasn't because of Jane, but rather, another glance at the sad life she had lived. The only real thing she had going for her was a career that fell into the hands of Jane more or less. But, at the end of the day, it wasn't emotionally fulfilling as having an actual relationship. She didn't have someone she could talk to or confide in and that was what hurt. It was hard not having someone to share the hardship and pain. It was hard to do it all alone—not just the parenting, but the living as well. But, that was not her reason for choosing to be with Jane because, truth be told, she did love him and was in love with him. Lisbon decided to be with Jane because even her arguments with him were worth more than being with another man. He just got her. Jane could handle her at her worst, so she knew he could definitely handle her at her best and he did. No one could make her smile the way he did.

"We're together, Grace," Lisbon confirmed.

Surprise flittered across Grace's face as a wide grin began to appear. 'Finally,' Grace thought to herself as she started to ponder why they decided to get together now.