Hi everyone! Thank you all for the wonderful feedback on last chapter, I'm always thrilled to read that you like what I write! :)

Here is the new chapter, I know it's a bit late but it is actually the longest chapter I've ever written... I thought about splitting it into two then decided against it. I really hope you are going to enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own this amazing show!

Chapter 14

Lisbon closed the front door, stepping back into her apartment, looking at the strange package in her hand curiously.

She had no idea what it could be, but by the feel of it, it was something soft. She noticed the letter attached to it and tore it off the wrapping paper.

She was eager to find out who left it at her door, but before she could unfold the note she noticed something written on the outside of it. She grinned in amusement as she read the words.

'Open the present first!'

She walked to the counter and put the letter down and started to carefully unwrap whatever it was inside, with butterflies in her stomach. As she slowly peeled the dark blue paper off the present, it revealed something fluffy and green. When it was all open she turned it around and couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up her chest. It was a plush frog with crystal blue eyes and adorable smile.

Of course in that instant she knew who the present was from. Jane was the only one who could have thought of such a thing.

Lisbon clutched the soft frog to her chest and reached for the letter. As she unfolded it she saw that it was too long to be a simple birthday note even for Jane so she started to read it, keen to find out its purpose.

Dear Lisbon,

First of all, happy birthday! I hope your day will be full of laughter and joy and love. You of all deserve it more than you think! I wish I could share all of this precious day with you, but I know that no matter how sad that makes me, it's not my place to be by your side today...(Well, practically tomorrow, but never mind!)

I think I owe you thousands of apologies, but right now I'm going to focus on this one. I am so sorry to hurt you all the time and sometimes not even realizing I do… I know I'm selfish and arrogant and I also know that you are too noble and dear to say so. You deserve so much better than me and now I know that. I know that I have to stop thinking about myself all the time and see that you are happy as you are. Without me…
And as much as it hurts me to accept, I will do it for you. I love you. I always have and I always will love you from the depths of my unworthy heart!

I'm not going anywhere before you start to worry! I will stay right beside you and be your friend as long as you want me to. I will do my best to make up for the times I caused you pain and work for your trust all through my life. But I won't stand in the way of your happiness with other men. I swore to fight for your heart 'til the end of my powers and more but then something made me change my mind. It was you and your happiness. And seeing that, it occured to me that I never wanted to stand in the way of your happiness again. So I'm backing off. I'm taking a step back and giving you space...

But I want you to know that whenever you need a comforting embrace, a joke, someone to yell at or just a friend I will be right here, ready to be whatever you need!
I wanted to give you a special present, one that is better than anything you've ever received then it occurred to me that the most appropriate gift would be an apology frog. So here it is, with the hope that it will bring a bright smile to your pretty features.

Enjoy your birthday and I'll see you at work!

With love,

Patrick

Lisbon sank down on a chair as she read the letter, her eyes tearing up at the heartfelt words. She stroked the plush frog in her hand absent mindedly.

She didn't know what to do. Call him? Or go over to his place? No, Derek would be here in minutes, she couldn't leave. Instead she folded the letter and walked into her bedroom, opening a small box where she kept her most treasured possessions. She opened the lid and slipped the note inside with a soft sigh.

Then as she was making her way back to the living room to text Jane she heard a knock at the door. It sounded much like the one before she got the package and she hurriedly opened it to see Derek's grinning face.

"Oh hey!" she said covering her slight disappointment with pressing a loving kiss on his lips.

"Hello!" he murmured against her lips. "Were you expecting someone else? You seem confused." he told her as he stepped inside.

"What? No!" she shook her head, wondering if she really was that transparent. When he raised a questioning eyebrow she added "I just... I just got Jane's present and I thought it was him." she knew it sounded lame but she couldn't help it.

"Jane's present?" Derek asked with wide eyes and she nodded.

"Yes, a nice plush thingy..." she shrugged and saw the hint of a smirk on her boyfriend's face. "What? It's really kind of him, don't you think?" she defended the frog sitting on her counter.

"Yeah, it's adorable!" he agreed then he held up his hand with a brown paper bag. "I've got us some dinner. You hungry?" he changed the subject and started to unpack the bag.

"Starving!" she said and stepped next to him to help. She decided she would talk with Jane the next day.

Lisbon woke to the soft pressure on her neck and she let out a pleased moan, turning slightly so she was closer to the source of the tender touch.

"Good morning, beautiful!" a voice whispered into her ear and she let a smile spread on her face. "Happy Birthday!" murmured Derek, his lips finding hers.

"Hmm... Morning!" she sighed as she stretched. She felt relaxed and fresh, like she had a long rest. Then she noticed the sunshine on the floor of her bedroom, way too light for it to be only 6 am. "What time is it?" she asked in a confused tone, looking at Derek's shy smile and guilty expression.

"It's 10 o'clock..." he admitted and she immediately sat up, running a hand through her messy hair.

"Ten? I'm so late! We are both... How could you let me sleep for so long?" she exclaimed and swung her leg over the edge of the bed when she felt his hand on her arm, gently pulling her back under the covers.

"Calm down, we both have the day off!" he told her and her eyebrows shot up questioningly. "Jane arranged your day off at the CBI!" he added, reading her mind.

"Jane?" she asked incredulously, but Derek only nodded. "Since when do you talk with Jane?"

"Since it's your birthday!" he told her gently and nuzzled her cheek.

"Hmm…good!" she smiled and turned back to kiss him fully on the lips.

"Now, we have some plans for today, so… what would you like for breakfast?" he asked as he sat up, slowly getting out of bed.

"We have?" she asked back surprisedly. She would have been happy with a day full of relaxing in bed.

"Of course! So, pancakes? Waffles? Eggs?" he looked at her with crinkled eyes, listing the options as he put on a shirt and a pair of boxers.

"Umm…" Lisbon stuttered, momentarily distracted by the view of his muscular chest and legs. The sound of his rich laughter tore her out of her trance and she blushed a deep crimson as she looked up into his eyes again. Her breath caught in her throat when she met his eyes, his pupils dilated with the fire of desire, making his eyes darker than usual. He leaned back down and crushed his lips on hers in a passionate kiss, pushing her back on the bed with the force of it. She wound her arms around his neck eagerly and breathed in his scent as he devoured her mouth.

His hands pushed away the sheets and he lowered himself above her carefully as their kiss became more and more heated. She pulled the shirt over his head again and tossed it back on the floor, to almost the same spot he found it moments before.

"I was going to say waffles, but this is good as well…!" she gasped into his neck when they finally broke apart for air, his mouth finding her collarbone and smiling into her skin when he heard her playful remark.

"I'll make you waffles later!" he promised and his lips collided with hers again.

An hour later they were sitting in the kitchen, showered and dressed, eating the promised waffles with strawberry jam and whipped cream.

"So where are we going today?" Lisbon asked after swallowing a huge bite of her food.

"It's a surprise!" he told her and with a light smile he reached out and wiped the corner of her mouth with his finger, then licked it off. Lisbon couldn't help but be reminded of Jane by this sentence. He used to say this to her all the time. And no matter how many times she told him how she didn't like surprises he always insisted that they would have fun. And they always had fun indeed. So now Lisbon had to realize that thanks to Jane, she no longer hated surprises…

"All right! But it's not a surprise party, is it?" she asked suspiciously.

"No!" he chuckled, shaking his head in mock indignation as if the thought of a party would be so outrageous.

"Okay then. We can go if you're ready!" she announced as she finished her coffee and put her plate in the sink.

"Let's go!" he said excitedly and grabbing his car keys, Derek led her out of her apartment.

The drive proved to be longer than Lisbon had expected and she was alternating between gazing curiously out the window, guessing where they could be headed and shooting Derek, who had an undeniably amused and smug grin on his face, questioning looks, urging him to tell her their destination.

The landscape started to change slowly and Lisbon caught sight of the ocean every now and then. Her heart fluttered in nervous excitement, but she didn't say a thing until they finally left the highway and started to follow smaller streets, indisputably heading for the shore.

"We're almost there…" Derek said as he pulled over and parked the car.

"I hoped so!" she teased as they both got out, breathing in the fresh, salty ocean air. Lisbon closed her eyes and enjoyed the sunshine on her face, letting the wind blow her hair for a few seconds. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Derek a couple of feet away, looking at her with a gentle smile. "Sorry…" she told him with a blush, walking to his side.

"You don't have to be!" he said and took her hand. "I'm a bit nervous!" he admitted and she couldn't contain a chuckle.

"What? Why?" she inquired, more and more curious by the second.

"I just… hope you are going to like this!" he said self consciously and Lisbon's heart almost melted at his cuteness.

"I already love it!" she murmured, stopping in their walk to step in front of him and press a soft kiss on his lips. "Thank you!"

They continued their lazy stroll but Lisbon could feel the anxiety in him from the way he squeezed her hand. She squeezed back reassuringly and had a guess that they were indeed headed to the beach because the street ended three blocks from where they were.

And just like she thought they didn't stop until they reached the beach. She felt the sand under her feet and fought the urge to stop and take off her shoes to feel it between her toes. It was more windy there and she slightly pulled her jacked tighter around herself.

"Are you cold?" Derek asked worriedly and she shook her head.

"Nope, don't worry I'm fine." She told him and turned towards the endless sea. "This is amazing!" she sighed, her eyes wandering over the surface of the water, marveling how the sunbeams were dancing across it, making it glitter.

"Yes it is!" Derek agreed and they both stopped for a minute of two to just take in all the beauty of it, Derek's eyes eventually leaving the sea and settling on Lisbon's awed expression. He gave her some more time, then decided it was time to go on, his excitement getting the better of him. "Come on! Let's go…" he pulled at her hand and without much protesting she let him drag her onward, her eyes still glued to the sight next to them.

As a kid she always thought there wasn't anything more mysteriously fantastically stunning than the infinity of the ocean. She believed it to be the source of adventures and secrets and great beauty and when she first saw it live she thought it was out of this world. The sound of waves hitting the shore soothing her nerves, relaxing her to the point of forgetting about the whole world. She was certain she could sit on a beach all day long and watch the water, listen to the waves as they licked the rocks and just think about nothing at all.

And even though she lived on the West Coast most of her adult life, Lisbon didn't really spend much time seaside despite her love for the ocean. It was a shame, but she never had the time to just leave her work for a few days and come out here to relax. But as a result of this, it was always a special time when she was there.

Her eyes came to rest on a half cove nearby, created by smaller rock which hid the beach from view as well. She cast a sideways glance at Derek and saw his eyes on the rocks too, a coy smile tugging at his lips.

Lisbon's heart began to thump crazily as the approached and she felt Derek's nervousness radiate and seep into her. He led her right to the edge of the water and paused.

"We kind of need to take our shoes off..." he said hesitantly with an apologetic smile. "Through water is the only way to the cove, that and climbing the rocks but I figured this might be better." he offered as an explanation but she didn't really need it. She was already bending down, untying her laces and slipping out of her shoes and socks. Then she tugged her jeans up so they wouldn't get too wet.

Derek was only stepping out of his own shoes when she took a step towards the water, letting out a gasp as the cool waves surrounded her feet. She heard him hurry after her and felt his fingers tangle with hers a second later.

They walked slowly, getting used to the water on their skin but also enjoying the feel of small stones and sand beneath their feet.

Then they rounded the cliffs and Lisbon was taken aback by the sight that unfolded in front of her. She was absolutely not ready for the unspoiled beauty of nature that the bay provided. It was like a private glimpse to a magical land.

There was a huge blanket on the narrow beach, just at the foot of the rocks and a few steps away from the sea. A basket in the middle of it and the whole scene surrounded with dozens of flowers. As they got closer she recognized the exceptional and unmistakable scent of lilies and she took a deep breath to let the smell pervade her senses.

"Oh my God…" she gasped and turned to look at Derek who was standing by her side with a grin, eyeing her face to see her reaction. "Is this..?" she asked, nodding towards the scene to make sure.

"Happy Birthday Teresa!" he told her gently and she leaped forward to hug him.

"Thank you!" she murmured into his neck and felt his arms tighten around her for a bit as he squeezed.

"Now, shall we?" he asked and when Lisbon nodded, he took her arm and led her ceremoniously out of the ocean.

They got to the blanket barefoot, their shoes in their hands and Lisbon could feel the sand between her toes. The ocean air mixed with the smell of the flowers and the sun was beaming down at them with full force.

She couldn't really find the words to express her emotions so Lisbon stayed quiet while they sat down and Derek removed the lid of the basket. He took out boxes of fruits and some sandwiches. Two bottles of orange juice and a pack of caramel. He also found some cutlery in there as well as napkins.

"This is amazing!" she told him with a smile, taking the napkins from him and unfolding some to put the food on it.

"I'm glad you like it!" he said with slightly flushed cheeks. "You look so beautiful! Did I already tell you that?" he asked and she felt her own cheeks burn.

"No, you didn't…" she muttered and opened one of the boxes to reveal sliced apples.

"Well, then I'm telling you! You look absolutely wonderful!" he said and pulled her face towards him to kiss her softly.

"Thank you!" she said, her eyes fixed on her lap.

They ate the late brunch while talking and staring out at the ocean, getting lost in the sight or in each other. Lisbon was sure that she had never been treated to something as romantic as this and it gave her a weird feeling in her stomach. But she was enjoying herself all the more and she couldn't help but believe Derek when he told her over and over again how pretty she looked and take delight in the way his eyes were sparkling as he looked at her.

They spent the whole day on that small secluded part of the beach then as it started to get chilly they packed the basket up and folded the blanket inside it. Derek took her hand and they made their way back out to the main beach through the water.

"Would you like to take a short walk before we head home?" he asked from her with a sly glint in his eye.

"Yeah, sure! That would be nice…" she nodded and looked out at the sea again, admiring as the sun went down, casting a deep red and orange color over the surface.

Derek took the lead again and she let him, her eyes running over the beach in front of them, watching a man with a dog a couple of yards ahead. The dog was playing with the waves, sprinting in and out of water and following his owner who seemed to be on a jog. Then she noticed two children building something out of sand, their parents sitting on rocks not too far.

She didn't even realize they stopped walking until Derek pulled at her hand to get her attention. She looked up and saw that they were standing in front of a small building. A nice looking beach restaurant with a small, wooden terrace and a modest entrance.

"Derek, what is this?" she asked in a confused voice.

"I thought we could have some dinner here…" he offered and she let a warm smile spread on her lips.

"I'd love to!" she told him and her heart swelled at the sight of his happiness. She took a step towards the restaurant but he held her back and she raised her eyebrow.

"First, I have something for you!" he said and Lisbon was confused when he reached into the basket and took a gift bag out of it.

"How the hell did that get in there?" she blurted out and Derek chuckled.

"It was there all along, you just never saw it! Now, take it please, it's your birthday gift from me!" he nudged her hand with the bag.

"I thought this whole day was that!" she teased but took the bag from him.

"Yeah, but I still would like to give that to you!" he said and waited for her to open it.

She pulled the bag open with a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she reached inside. She pulled out the item which felt like some kind of clothing and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the glamorous deep green chiffon of which the knee-long dress was made.

"Wow… this is…breathtaking!" she said as she grasped the fabric.

"It will be on you!" he winked at her and pushed her in the direction of the restaurant. "Will you wear this tonight?" he asked hopefully and all Lisbon could do was nod.

Ten minutes later she stepped out of the bathroom of the restaurant feeling like a princess. She nervously smoothed the dress down and gripped the gift bag with her casual clothes in it. Derek was waiting for her at the desk, turning towards her as he heard her footsteps. She saw his eyes widen and a smile spread on his face when he set eyes on her.

"Wow, you look incredible!" he complimented her for the thousandth time that day.

"Thank you, really!" she smiled and let him take her hand.

A waiter came and led them to the back of the building, opening the door of a separated room. Lisbon shot Derek a questioning look but he only smiled at her and pressed his hand on the small of her back to assure her.

"I didn't know you made reserv..Oh...!" she said but her sentence was cut off as soon as she got sight of the room.

It was dimly lit by candles and the only table was placed in the middle of the room. There was a small bouquet of flowers on the table and several other vases full of flowers on a side table. Soft music was playing, giving the room a cozy atmosphere.

"Derek..." she gasped but he kissed her on the cheek to silence her.

"It's not all my credit." he admitted as they stepped to the table and he pulled out her chair for her.

Her eyes fell on her plate and her breath hitched in her throat. She reached out and traced the single flower on her plate with her finger. It was a magnolia...

"Jane had been a tremendous help for me throughout planning and arranging this!" Derek said but his words only registered at the back of her mind. It was like she heard them but couldn't understand what he was saying.

Suddenly everything clicked into place. The whole day was just too perfect, it was her dream birthday. The previous odd feeling in her stomach was supposed to remind her that there was only one person who she had told her dream birthday about. And it was no other than Jane.

Lisbon picked up the magnolia and turned it between her fingers, gazing at it. She was touched by what Jane did. He wanted her to have this day, but he knew he couldn't be the one to give it to her, so he helped Derek. It wasn't really a thing Patrick Jane usually did. It was special, and it made her birthday all the more perfect.

"Teresa? Is everything all right?" Derek's worried voice brought her out of her thoughts and she blinked at him, the flower still in her hand.

"Yeah, it's… it's fine…" she stuttered and forced a smile on her face. Her attempt was feeble but Derek generously let her get away with it, probably oblivious to the thoughts that were running through her head. "Let's eat!"

It was dark by the time they got back to Sacramento. They barely spoke on the ride and Lisbon felt sort of guilty about it. And about the things going on in her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about Jane. About the letter he wrote her and about her feelings for him. Who was she trying to fool for months now? She fell for him all those years ago and no matter what she did it wouldn't change.

He arranged this beautiful day for her, completely selfless, giving the opportunity to make her happy with it to Derek. Her happiness, that was the important thing for Jane just like he wrote in his letter. And that was something no man has ever done for her.
She felt horrible about it, but from the moment she realized that this whole day came from Jane's mind she couldn't help but wonder why it was Derek there with her and not her blond consultant? Wonder how much of this was Derek's idea?

But of course she knew why Derek was there with her. Because Jane thought that would make her happy. He gave her space, took a step back just like he said he would.

And she thought she wanted just that. But now she had to figure out that she was wrong. Because no matter how much Derek tried, he couldn't possibly be the one man she needed for her happiness. He couldn't be Patrick Jane.

The ride back seemed shorter than the one to the beach, probably because she was deep in thought the whole time. She didn't bother to change back into her casual clothes and her dress was splayed on the seat as she pulled her legs up and tucked them under herself.

Derek must have felt that something was off because he stayed quiet as well. His eyes were fixed on the road most of the time, but at red lights Lisbon felt him looking at her in confusion. She avoided his eyes, smiling at him every once in a while.

Finally when they arrived at her apartment Derek unbuckled his seatbelt but stopped his movements as he realized that she wasn't moving.

"Teresa? We're home…" he murmured gently and placed a hand on her arm. She stared out of the windshield and regarded her street.

She knew what came next. She had to choose. Jane or Derek. She was happy with Derek, she felt loved and cherished. But she also knew that the feeling wouldn't last forever, it would die out and leave them both feel empty and bored. She didn't want this to end in boredom. Neither of them deserved that!

If she let him get in the house with her now, that would settle it. And she needed to talk to Jane tonight. She needed to clear things up, she needed to talk to him.

She very slowly unbuckled her own belt and turned to him in her seat.

"Derek? We need to talk…"

Jane spent the whole day trying to divert his attention from Lisbon. However, he always ended up staring into nothing, wondering what she could do at the moment. Where she could be? And whether or not she enjoyed herself…

He imagined her glorious smile as she got sight of the ocean, as the first whiff of ocean air got caught in her brown waves. Her reaction to the little cove he found. The dress… He wished more than anything he could see her in that lovely green dress. He couldn't help but think about the moment she noticed the magnolia. Would she realize it was from him? Would Derek tell her that he helped in the planning? Would she understand what it meant, or would she think it was just another flower? One from the thousand other in the room?

He was useless all day. He couldn't focus on cooking or on housework. He couldn't come up with crazy theories or ways to annoy his co-workers. VanPelt had sent him home after lunch when she saw how distracted he was. He wound up in the park, sitting on a bench near the pond, watching kids and pigeons and everything and nothing in particular. Just staring in front of himself, thinking about Lisbon.

Was his decision to let her go a mistake? Would he regret it? Would he be able to keep it? He was afraid not…

As it got dark around him, he left the park and headed home. He wanted to go to Lisbon's place just to see her when she got home, just to see her face, see the pleasure of the day in her eyes. Even if that meant that he had to see her with Derek, he had to witness as the two of them made their ways inside and closed the door. And his imagination would no doubt get wild, and he would see all the things they would do that he wasn't able to do with her anymore…

He knew it would be too painful. So as soon as he got home, he lay back on his bed, fully clothed and stared up at the ceiling. He watched the light of the passing cars reflect and the beam of the streetlight on the wall, concentrating on keeping his mind blank.

His insides were burning with it, aching for her. He knew he couldn't have her though, and he had already made up his mind. He had to stick to it even if it was the hardest thing he ever did. He promised to himself and to her.

He didn't know how much time passed, it could have been hours or just minutes, he just lay on his back, his hands clasped on his stomach, tired eyes half closed. He would have waited for dawn like that, he would have waited until he had no other choice than to get up, have a shower and get a grip on his feelings so that he could go to work. So that he could pretend for her sake that it was all right, that he didn't hurt like millions of knifes were stabbing his heart every time he thought about letting her go. He would have gone through it for her, to be there for her as a friend. He would have been selfless for once and only thought about her happiness just like he managed to do for her birthday, he would have done it if it weren't for the knock on his door.

His eyes snapped open and he waited for a moment. He was about to get back to his miserable thoughts, sure that it was only his imagination playing with his mind when he heard it again. He went rigid on the bed, frozen like a statue, his heart rumbling in his chest. He listened carefully, waiting to hear footsteps when whoever was at the door realized that he wouldn't be home, or he wouldn't answer and just leave. But he heard nothing until a third, hesitant knocking came from the front door.

Jane sat up on his bed, his hair falling into his eyes and he ran a hand through his curls. He jumped out of bed and headed for the door through the living room.

He was standing in front of the closed door, staring at it, trying to calm his racing thoughts, trying to be rational. He wasn't sure he could survive the disappointment when he opened the door if he allowed his hopes to blossom. He waited one more moment to see if the visitor would give up but they didn't, so he took a deep breath and reached for the doorknob.

When he pulled the door open his mind finally went completely and totally blank for the first time that day. All he could do is widen his eyes and stare at the striking, angelic creature in front of him.

Lisbon was standing on his doorstep, her hair rumpled from the night breeze, her cheeks flushed, her eyes… her amazing emerald eyes sparkling with so much emotion that it was too much to take. She was in the dress he chose, in that forest green beauty that he knew would fit her like a glove. And how right he was!

In the second he set eyes on her, he knew he would never be able to keep his promise!

"Lisbon…" he whispered, his voice too hoarse to come out properly.

"I don't want space. I don't want you to take a step back. I don't need anyone else but you! I need all of you! And right now, I need you to kiss me!" Lisbon said and she barely got time to finish it before his arms were around her. His eager, tender lips pressed against hers in the most sensual, most passionate, most adoring kiss that either of them could have imagined. The kiss of true love! And with that one kiss Jane promised her new things. He promised her his full heart and soul, he promised her that he would be there forever, that he would trust her and that she could trust him. He promised that he would never give up on them. That was how it was supposed to be because their hearts belonged to each other.

So, this was it. The final chapter! What do you think guys? All thoughts would be appreciated! You know how much I love to read your opinion, so please leave me a review! It would mean the world to me... :)

I have an epilogue planned for this story, so practically one more chapter to go!

Thank you for reading and a huge thanks to those of you who take the time to review! You are all true inspiration for me!

The epilogue will be up in about a week!

Until then, xxx