From One-shot,. the story has been promoted to multi-chapter, although I'm not quite sure how many more you'll have; Many of you asked for a sequel, and so, I thought about giving a bit more of space to Annie and the marvelous Jisbon romace we're still waiting to see in "reality"...
As always, thanks to everyone who, with reviews, or putting me and the story on alert or on fav, gave me resons to go on with this story.
And, please, keep in mind: I still don't ow the mentalist...
"Mick, what's the deal?" after the "revelation" of Teresa's pregnancy, Mick and Patrick had migrated back in the living room, and the younger Lisbon had started to behave a bit… weirdly; Patrick guessed that, even if Mick enjoyed a bit (even too much) embarrassing Teresa with male jokes (sex talk), he was, in truth, a bit uneasy. Mick didn't seem to want to talk about it too much, and kept sending weird glances at his brother in law, looking at him while he thought Patrick wasn't looking, to look into the opposite direction when Patrick turned to look at him.
"Mick, what's the deal? - Patrick asked again at Mick, with an amused grin in his face, until he didn't notice how sad the man was, and understood, or so he thought, what he meant – Oh, sorry, I thought… it was stupid, nothing."
"I'm sorry, Patrick, really, I know I should have not thought about it in the first place." Mick was suddenly very focused on his feet and his hands. Everything was good, but not Patrick.
"It's ok, really. I mean, I've never tried to hide the fact that I have a past, and – Patrick took a big breath and tuned to look at Mick again, almost forcing with the strength of his look to convince his brother in law to look at him again- I've already been through this, yes, but… at the same time, I haven't. When my first wife was pregnant, I was too busy, too taken by my life, by myself. I didn't enjoy the pregnancy as I should have, and… and it's not new, but it is at the same time. It's weird, I'm not sure if... –he looked at Mick, almost laughing, happy – do you realize what I mean?"
Mick didn't answered, not with his voice at least, smiling a bit, he went to the next room, emerging with a book that he gave to a stunning Patrick "Enjoy yourself, and, you screw this, you're as good as dead, Jane"
Month one- from a guide to pregnancy for fathers to be
During pregnancy week 1 and pregnancy week 2, you may not even be certain that you are pregnant yet. Many women experience few if any symptoms at all.
Checked, he mentally told himself as, from his couch, Patrick was reading Mick's gift, hidden by the cover of one of Cho's novels; Christmas time was almost over, and everyone was still gathered at the office for the usual work, although his Teresa seemed a bit tense; she was already worried, and a lot, for the baby. And he knew she was excited. Teresa has spent the whole day biting her lips every time she saw their co-workers, trying to suppress the wish to tell them the news. Until, while she was in the middle of the bullpen, on the way for her office, she stood, the decaf in hand, and turned to look at her team, before to come back into her office running; as promised, Hightower had known as soon as they got the news, but with the team, it was a whole other story; they both knew (Patrick first hand, Teresa because of the books she had already red in the previous days) that during the first trimester everything could happen, so they had decided to wait at least until the fourth month to speak of the baby with their colleagues/friends (Besides, Patrick was 100% positive that, had Teresa announced a pregnancy, Rigsby would be pushed by his girlfriend Van Pelt into doing something about it as well, and the man was as scare of children and pregnant women as of hell itself). Anyway, to book was right: until now, all the symptoms Teresa had showed were just a product of her mind, and she didn't even show them until she had admitted the pregnancy out loud…
Your partner will not see dramatic changes during the first month after conception, except that she will tend to crave more rest; some women also may begin to feel a little nauseous, and her breasts may become more tender or may tingle somewhat. Near the end of the first month, many women begin to experience more pronounced nausea, especially in the early morning or evening hours. Also, about this time, most pregnant women will discover a little enlargement of the breasts, with added tenderness.
"Do you think that Lisbon went to, you know, a surgeon? - Come forth week, Patrick heard Van Pelt and Rigsby gossiping in the kitchenette, grinning about what it was about, and how Rigsby had misunderstood the whole topic.- her breasts got a lot bigger and…"
"Rigsby, you're a pervert - the redhead said while leaving, mad with her boyfriend, while, back on his beloved couch, Patrick was looking at Elvis, grinning, enjoying the irony of the situation… - and an idiot." She completed her sentence as she saw her boss running for the third time of the day in the bathroom, smiling of a knowing smile to Jane.
"The damn Chinese was out of date" he told her, the same smile, knowing that, at least someone had spotted them…
Month two
You and your partner will notice that she will gain a little weight around her hips; her general tiredness will increase as the first major changes start happening inside her. This is the time when the umbilical cord is being formed, which is pretty demanding on her body.
By the end of the second month, the levels of progesterone and estrogen are increasing dramatically, which will generally lead to some pretty serious mood swings that start now and continue through her pregnancy.
You will also likely note the beginning of your partner craving some foods and getting sick with the thought of others.
"Teresa, I ordered Chinese, you ok with that?" Patrick was in the kitchen, the takeout menus in one hand, his cell in the other, and was yelling at Teresa to decided to join him; that afternoon, as soon as work was done, she had closed herself in their room (banning him)claiming that he destroyed her life on purpose.
"I hate Chinese!" she yelled back, but, differently from Patrick's tone, she was, indeed, mad. Taking a deep breath, he decided to say a prayer to thank God for the existence of globalization and greenhouses, since they provided him 12 months each year with her favorite fruit; the cook of The Kitchen had raised his eyebrows, but, a couple of words and a free session of hypnosis to free him from his nicotine addiction, had convinced the man to prepare the strawberries with cream, chocolate and shortbread his wife loved so much.
"Tess, what about strawberries?" he was at the door, the tray in one hand, smiling, and he couldn't help but find her adorable as she opened the door just enough to see if he was, indeed, telling the truth.
"I'm so sorry! I should have not yelled at you! I'm sorry I told you you're an idiot at work! I'll never do it again!" Forgotten both strawberries and Chinese, Teresa hugged him with a force he wasn't aware she had, taking her husband by surprise with the sudden mood swing. Teresa was no longer mad at him, and that was good, but he wasn't sure if her constant craving for strawberries (which had worsened with pregnancy) was any good for his financial… or if her mascara on his brand new and (once) immaculate white shirt was either…
Month 3
Your partner will feel totally zapped during this third month-her body is in overdrive as the baby begins to develop; while her sex drive will likely be good, she may just be too tired to enjoy it.
Ok, the sex was good, to be honest, describing the sex with pregnant Teresa as good wasn't even doing justice; that wasn't the problem: the problem was that the damn book was wrong! Tired…Teresa was never tried, and now, instead of food, craved for him, in every possible way; she constantly checked on him (that wasn't new, only, she used to do that to check on him to avoid paperwork and legal issues…) with that puppy voice, and when he was around, he had to hide, because she constantly tried to get rid of their clothes (yes, even at work, and yes, even on his beloved couch, under the eyes of the poor Elvis)…
"So, you and Lisbon are trying to have a baby or what?" Rigsby had asked him one day, after he had left Lisbon's office, shirt and vest wrinkled and out of breath after a heavy make-out session that had been dangerously close to becoming something else. If the man thought he was funny…
Month 4
This is typically the month when the whole world will begin to see the physical changes, but remember that every woman is different; how and when the pregnancy shows will depend on a number of factors.
She will likely have a brief respite from the overwhelming fatigue of the first three months. Usually during the fourth month, she'll begin to feel a little more "in the zone" in terms of the pregnancy; however, there may be some new concerns like aching joints or skin problems. These are the result of the rapidly increasing levels of hormones in her system.
Closed in her office with Patrick, Teresa lifted a bit the fabric of her red shirt, and looked at her abdomen, smiling and bright, skimming over her skin; her husband, from the seat in front of her, looked dreamily at the scene, with something in his eyes that could only be described as adoration.
"Teresa, you don't have to" he almost whispers, unsure if he preferred to look at her belly or in Teresa's eyes; yeah, he definitely wanted to have a baby with her eyes.
"No, it's time to take full-time desk duty, besides, soon I'll have to wear maternity clothes, and I'll not be able to hide it – she made a brief pause, looking into Patrick's blue eyes – Patrick, let's do it, ok?" smiling, she left her seat, and, once in front of him, offered her husband a hand; together, they walked out of the office, standing in the middle of the bullpen like she had already done many times, when she was dying to tell them of the baby.
"Excuse me people, do you mind paying attention for a sec?" he lifted his voice of a bit, seeming, for an instant, at loss of word; yes, that was the Patrick Teresa loved with all her heart, the man who knew everything but was oblivious to his own feelings (and of the people too close to him), the man who always knew what to say, but was at loss of her words when it come to him and to his wife, the man who always talked too much but, in moments like that, was embarrassed…
"Cho – she seriously said, like she was talking about an investigation – from now on, for the next 9 to 12 months, you'll be field leader. I'll be available for the next 4 months, and then I'll be in maternity leave for a while"
"No! - Rigsby said as he went to Cho and gave him, again, few bills, hands on his hips, mad and definitely not happy. – now, you have to tell me how the hell you knew that?"
"Boss, Jane, I'm so happy for you! – Grace hugged both of them, than, standing in front of the couple, clapped her hands, ecstatic – may I organize a baby shower? Please, as soon as you'll know the sex, you'll allow me to, right? Please?"
"Well, I'm not sure, we didn't want to know the sex of the baby and…"
"We didn't? – He said shocked looking at his wife who was lifting her eyebrows at him – oh, right, yes, we didn't want to know the sex. No, I correct myself; we don't want to know the sex"
"Green then – Grace squealed – Green is a universal color that will do fine for both a girl and a boy!"
"Wow – Teresa said not as enthusiastic as Grace, already fearing the baby shower, holding firmly Patrick's hand like he could save her from an invasion of females who just wanted to touch her belly – may I ask how Cho knew I was pregnant?"
"Yes, I want to know! C'mon Cho- Rigsby said madder and madder – tell me how you knew it!"
"Jane hid his guide for fathers to be in the cover of one of my books. I went to take it back while he was out doing one of his numbers, and, instead of a Castle novel, I found an accurate description of sex life during the pregnancy"
With this discover, Teresa quickly let it go of Patrick's hand, and, scarlet in face, run back into her office, wishing to not leave the room ever again…
Month 5
Most pregnant moms think the fifth month is the best of all. A lot of the hard work her body has been doing takes a break. The baby will be moving around a little by this stage. At the right moments, you'll be able to feel the baby moving with a well placed hand on her abdomen.
"How did the scan go?" Claire asked while they were waiting for dinner to get ready at her brother and sister in law.
Teresa was showing a bit more, but she didn't need prenatal clothes yet; the only giveaway – which they didn't need, since they were well aware of her pregnancy- was that she spent the whole time looking at her belly and massaging it, with Patrick at her side, in his usual day-dream state; at this state, defining his looks as of adoration wasn't even enough, he was really worshipping Teresa and the ground she walked on…
"Patrick made a scene at the doctor.- she laughed, satisfied, like she was telling the funniest story of the world, while at the moment, all she wanted to do was disappear – I thought he was going to kill the poor man"
"He called her old." He didn't changed position, nor tone: his head on his elbows, his elbows on the table, he was so calm and quiet, she almost didn't believe that he was the same man who, the previous day, had almost dragged her of the hospital…
"He didn't say I'm old, Patrick. He just meant that the ideal age for getting pregnant for the first time has already passed, that's all."
"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?" Annie asked while putting her book aside for a moment, and looking into her uncle's eyes; she had turned 6 a couple of months before, and was showing everybody how Patrick had been right about her- she was, indeed, a little genius.
"Why honey, you prefer something in particular?" Teresa looked at him with a warning look; she hated when he turned his charm on with Annie, especially when it had to do with promises she wasn't sure they could maintain…like the choosing of a boy or a girl.
"I don't want you to call her Annie if it's a girl or Tony if it's a boy – she looked again at Patrick, serious, while the man had never been so amused in his whole life – I know that the baby will be the new little princess, but I don't want to confuse the baby. Will you premise you'll choose another name, Uncle Patrick? I want to be the only member of the family with this name."
"Oh, sweetheart… - Teresa called her niece at her side, hugging her fiercely, almost killing her so strong she was, with tears in her eyes, and kept kissing her of wet kisses like an old aunt – listen sweetie, why don't help Patrick and me to…" Mild-sentence, Teresa stopped, and, quickly, took, her husband's hand and Annie's one, putting them both on her belly, under the fabric of her shirt.
"Hello, baby cousin! - Annie said smiling, while massaging her aunt's belly. – hurry up because I want to meet you!"
"Yeah, your mum and I can't wait to meet you as well…" With tears of joy, Patrick leaned, and kissed Teresa's stomach, while she put her hands in his blonde curls, crying as well. She wanted her baby boy, because she wanted a boy, to have his father's hair.
Month 6
A little more fatigue will set in during this month; you and your partner will see noticeable changes in her breasts.
She will also generally experience a slight drop in blood pressure during this stage as her body adjusts to the growing baby and the baby's demand for blood
It was few weeks that she had to spend all her time on the damn couch, and the movie night with her family wasn't any different; if, before, she was able to do few steps, now she was no longer allowed to, one, because Patrick didn't want, second, because she didn't even the energy to walk in the first place, especially at evening….
"Aunt, I like the names Nathan and Christopher and Lucas and Thomas for a boy, and Isabella and Madison and Julia and Alexis for a girl…" Annie said while she removed the Beauty and the Beast from the DVD reader; it wasn't the first time they had discuss this, but every other time, she had simply told them that she didn't want the baby called after all (claiming she wanted to be the only Lisbon called Annie), but, until now, she had never told them that she actually wanted to name the baby herself.
"Jeez, your daughter found your old baby name book…"
"It's our daughter, Mick – Claire said to her husband, before to turn to look at Annie – Annie, it's their child; they are the ones who are supposed to choose the name. It's not like with your brother, ok?"
"May we use the middle name of the children? - Patrick suddenly asked, jumping from his seat and looking with hope and Claire and Mick, and then turning to look at Teresa, who was a bit in shock, since, sometimes, he seemed the one with the mood swing, and not her – Lucas Edward Jane, Christopher Edward Jane… Alexis Teresa Jane, Julia Teresa Jane…"
"I simply love Julia… and Lucas…" she said smiling, kissing him like they were alone.
"Get a room, you have an audience here!" Mick said leaving the room, after having thrown a cushion at Patrick.
"Uncle Patrick, dad and mum didn't tell me how babies come… is it a fairy like with the teeth?"
"man – Mick repeated from his position- if id didn't hate you enough for the stories you share, I do now…"
Month 7
During this month as the baby grows more rapidly, your partner will feel some discomfort as her internal organs (lungs, liver, stomach, and intestines) are compressed upward.
It was almost two o'clock- 2 are – and Teresa was still awake, busy rolling in bed, trying to find a comfortable position.
"Tess, you need to sleep." He said half-asleep; Teresa needed to sleep for her and the bay, and he needed to sleep as well. Damn, he was starting to miss how used he was to insomnia…
"The doctor said I should sleep on my back, but you know I've never felt really comfortable that way!- suddenly, resting on her back, she turned her head a bit to face Patrick, who, on his side, was looking at her, eye a bit open – Patrick, you still love me, right, even if I'm fat?"
Oh Lord. Wasn't the swing mood supposed to be over by months now? "You're not fat, Teresa - he tried to reassure her, eyes now totally closed, voice rusty. – You're pregnant. There's a big difference."
"Are you saying that you'd never be in love with me if I were fat?"
"Teresa – he said, suddenly totally awake, kissing her fully on the lips and then going on with the rest of her body – no matter what, I'll always love you."
Month 8
The Mother will likely experience some lower back pain, and may have more difficulty getting up and down and walking. This stage will also affect her ability to sleep; she will have a few wakeful nights during this stage; this lack of sleep, combined with the hormonal issues, tend to make her a little more grumpy and testy. She may experience some swelling in her hands and feet; she may need a larger sized shoe for a while.
Apparently, Teresa saw her pregnancy as something he was the only responsible; meaning: she had banned him again; this time, though, while a collection of porcelains flown in the air (because he had to pay in some way, right?) she had decided that the sofa wasn't enough. No, since he was the one who made her fat and hormonal and made her breast heavy and enormous, and her feet bigger than Godzilla's one, he had to sleep outside.
At least, Mick, already gone through two pregnancies, knew how he may feel, and had been nice enough to offer the couch.
"And I should be the one mad, you know? In the last few months she has called me Simon Baker more than once while we were having sex! - for once, Mick didn't seem to mind the sharing story of "sex life", but was quite intrigued, even if he was more curios, as his eyebrows suggested, to know the identity of this guy Tess called while… while at it - an actor."
"At least she didn't call you Keanu Reeves..."
"Claire did…"
"Yeah, and I don't even look like the man!" drinking their beers, the two men cheered, laughing and telling "war stories" about their work lives…
Month 9
Your partner's breasts will get heavier and may even begin to leak colostrums, which will be the baby's first nourishment after birth. Her organs will further compress and be pushed up against her diaphragm; this may cause an increase in heartburn or shortness of breath. Her kidneys will be working harder, so she'll feel the need to use the bathroom a lot-even more than before. You'll start to see some stretch marks on her abdomen as the skin is stretched. Her legs and back will tend to cramp a lot. Some gentle rubbing and massaging may help relieve the pain
"Tess, calm the hell down" they were extremely awake, especially Teresa, in the middle of the night, in their bed; Teresa, in particular, found very interesting the ceiling, and wasn't too aware of the magic her husband's hands were doing on her ankles.
"Less than a week, Patrick, it's less than a week. – she looked at him, sitting and looking at him, who was sitting, Indian style, at the end of the bed – how the hell can you be so calm?"
"Because I already went through it?" he really didn't know it this was what she wanted to hear, this was the reason he didn't know how to make it sound, if like a question, or a statement. This was her territory, after all…
"Do you think I'll be a good mother?"
Laughing, Patrick come back to his place, and looked at her; she was adorable, simply, simply, adorable… "Why aren't you asking me if I'll be a good father?"
"I've seen you with Annie and Tony, and with all the children we have to see for work. Of course you'll be a good father! - She laughed, getting closer to him, feeling better- Patrick, I'm sure she loved having you as her dad. Our kid will, too."
"It's a boy- he stated, out of the blue, his voice a mere whisper as he got lost in Teresa's eyes, extremely serious and with a voice as seductive and soft as never before, like it was of silk – we will have a boy, with blonde curly hair and green eyes, sparkling like emeralds."
"How do you know?" she asked again smiling and happy, almost kissing him, few inches from his lips.
"Because, love, it's what we want. And God knows we deserve it."
"Patrick?"
Even if he was past asleep, the panicked voice of his wife awakened him in less than half second; he run into the bathroom, where the voice come from, and found Teresa, standing against the doorframe, one hand on her belly.
"Patrick, I think I just broke my waters…"
