Chapter Thirty-Nine: Pink Cotton Candy
Jane felt relaxed. Really relaxed.
It was a nice feeling, and he let himself float in it, bobbing lightly, not even trying to open his eyes. Everything was pleasantly fuzzy.
After a while, he became aware of motion. Soft bumps and easy turns.
Other things drifted in, too: the smell of cotton candy and buttery popcorn, the feel of a very small, very warm someone cuddled up beside him. Jane snuggled closer, breathing the sweet scents.
They must have taken her to the fair…
A trip to the carnival was always pure magic for the little golden-haired child next to him…and bittersweet, for her parents. But hearing his daughter's squeals of delight on the Ferris Wheel, seeing her hugging some ridiculous purple unicorn he'd won her, the joy far outweighed the sorrow.
Jane must have fallen asleep on the way home. He felt like he had been sleeping for years.
Jane knew he should wake up, offer to drive for a while. But he was so warm, so relaxed…
So incredibly, inexplicably happy.
The car made another turn, slowed, and eased to a stop. Jane felt the engine tick off, and heard the soft hiss of the tired car, decompressing after a long journey.
Jane smiled sleepily.
Home…
A door opened, and shut. Another door opened, and humid, blanket-warm air billowed inside. Long hair tickled against Jane's face.
"Rise and shine, sleepyheads – we're here."
Not his wife's voice. Jane's smile froze. The child next to him squirmed groggily. He reached over to stroke her hair, and felt straight, smooth tresses – no ringlets. He opened his eyes and saw not gold, but red. Up front, Rigsby was slumped over in the passenger seat, a tuft of pink clinging to the corner of his mouth.
Reality was a swift dagger, right to the chest.
Jane could barely breathe around the pain of it. For just a moment, he'd thought…
Lisbon stood in the open door, peering inside. She held out a hand to help Penny Jorsten climb down, then looked at Jane, who hadn't moved.
"You all right?" Lisbon asked.
Jane smiled at her, his heart still gushing blood. "Right as rain."