Thanks to everyone who reviewed and put me on alerts…and I am sorry for the long wait once more. Besides the writer's block, work, classes, parenting, computer issues, and much more, I have had almost no time to write, but on the bright side, I am alive.

And I remembered that The Mentalist is premiering in almost two weeks, so that has put me in a better mood than I have been in.

Nine

Lisbon smiled as she observed Ray sitting in Jane's lap. The young boy looked slightly happier than he had a few moments ago, but anyone could point out that something was bothering him. Now he was remaining quiet and stacking blocks with his pediatric ward friend and 'Michael'. She shook her head and handed a spare block to Jane who handed it to the young boy.

She watched as Jane placed a hand on top of the boy's head, ruffling the shaggy dark locks before placing a quick kiss into his hair. Jane looked back up towards Lisbon and smiled slightly, "I'll be right back," he shifted Ray out of his lap gently and stood up, brushing his pants off slightly before extending his hand out to Lisbon who gladly took it. He pulled her up carefully so he could be sure he would not do anymore damage to her body.

The two walked slowly away from Ray, casting slightly nervous glances back at the boy, "What do you think?" Lisbon folded her arms over her chest, "Do you think he will ever recover?" it was all different to her. Sure she had seen gory murders where children had witnessed it all. She had lost her mother at a young age, but she was not sure a child as young as Ray would entirely understand what has happened.

Jane sighed and rubbed the back of his neck softly, "Too hard to tell," there was a slight pause, "He might seem healed in time but may bury questions and images deeper into his mind," she nodded slightly. He was right, the little boy they all knew could…and probably live with the fact that his sister was murdered right in front of him while his parents were killed downstairs by one of the most wanted serial killers in U.S. history.

They needed more time.

…

She now lay in her bed, sleep about ready to overtake her. Her mind couldn't help but go back to Ray's smiling face before Red John killed his family. He would run around and be so carefree; to him nothing else had mattered but the present. A crystal-like tear formed in her eye, she blinked and felt it run slowly down her cheek. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, she reached up and wiped the stray tear off her cheek and brought it back down to her belly.

"Lisbon?" she heard his voice beside her, he would not leave her side until he was sure she was safe, "What's wrong," he also knew better than to ask her if something was bothering her.

"When will we go back to Sacramento?" she wanted him to think that was bothering her…he probably knew it wasn't.

There was a slight pause before he finally answered, "In two days, you get released tomorrow," he could see her head nod, "Something is telling me that Ray is coming with us."

"It's what Matt would have wanted, I don't want to see him go into foster care," her hand was moving around her belly, her maternal instinct prohibited her from giving Ray to foster care, she felt she was the only one who could protect him, Peter couldn't give him that. Mary's father died a couple years ago of cancer, her mother was in an assistant living facility, and she couldn't deal with Ray.

"He's going to be okay," she took in a breath, "I know he will be, I need you to know that," she bit her lip and nodded slightly.

There was a slight moment when neither of them dared to speak, the silence was much needed for him to think of what to say next, he was not sure if this would actually make her react. Earlier he had weighed the pros and cons but brushed them off when he was back in Sacramento…when she was too. Now it was especially needed.

"Lisbon?"

"Yes?" her reply sounded groggy, as if she was trying to sleep at that moment…he didn't blame her, Elizabeth was the same way when she was pregnant with Sophie, he should consider himself lucky that Lisbon's hormones haven't gotten too bad.

Back to what he needed to address, "We need to buy a house," she didn't say anything, "Your apartment isn't big enough for Ray and the baby," and me! He wanted to shout.

"We?" she had caught on to that, he had kind of hoped that she wouldn't.

He cleared his throat, "Yes, I'm going to be in my daughter's and Ray's life," she turned over in the bed slightly, now folding her hands together and placing her head on top of them. She was now facing him, "And I've been looking for a while…and so has Grace."

She blinked, probably still thinking over his request for her to move in with him…for child caring purposes only, "Lisbon?" she blinked again, "Teresa, hello?"

She blinked once more and raised her head slightly, "Sorry, Jane, it's just that there's so much to process," she cleared the lump that had formed in her throat, "You just asked if I would move in with you?" he nodded, "I'll have to think about it."

"You're going to say 'yes," he smiled at her.

She rolled her eyes and grit her teeth, "Fine."

…

The next morning Jane felt…slightly happier. He now knew he could watch over Lisbon and their daughter until Red John is gone and out of their lives. He would make sure no harm would come to them; he would die before he would let that happen.

He know found himself stirring a hot cup of tea in the hospital's cafeteria, he smiled and waved at a few nurses, causing them to turn their attention back to what they had been doing previously. He simply smiled at himself and took a small sip.

That is, until someone interrupted him.

It was Peter Lisbon.

Peter was now sitting across from him, obviously still on edge around him. In his hand he had his own steaming hot cup of coffee, they were both silent for about two minutes, "Um, hello?" Jane offered him a smile, "What can I do for you?"

Peter looked up at him and set his coffee down on the table, "How do you feel about Tess?"

This threw Jane off, he was not expecting this…not that he was expecting any violence, but some hostility nonetheless, "I care about her," Peter nodded.

"How much do you care about her?" Jane knew Peter would not be satisfied by a simple 'I care about her' answer, he would probably pester him like a mosquito until he got the answer he wanted.

"More than she knows," he took a sip of his tea.

"Would you ever leave her?"

Jane shook his head, "Only if it would save her life," Peter leaned back in his chair, "I sent her here to be safe, she was still attacked by Red John."

"Take care of her."

"I will," Jane nodded.

"I will kill you if you hurt her," both men stared for a couple of seconds, not daring to speak from Peter's last but true statement. To Jane, he did look like the kind of brother that would beat up whoever hurt his sister.

"One more thing Mr. Jane," Peter was now getting up from his seat.

"Fire away," Jane cleared his throat and reached forward for a napkin from the dispenser.

"Do you love her?"

Jane stopped reaching and looked up at Peter, confusion written across his face. He knew that this conversation would come down to this in the end.

He looked down at his ring finger; a slight tan line marked what he used to be. Was he ready to move on all the way? Suddenly his jacket pocket became heavier, her cross, it was in his pocket, had been.

He nodded, "Yes."

"I do love her," he wanted to cry, cry out that he loved Teresa Lisbon.