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...


"Lucas is not going anywhere, Patrick" Jane knew that his son wasn't going to go anywhere- it was logical, since he was barely one week old, and had left the hospital just that same day, but he couldn't help what he was doing; he couldn't help not sleeping, he couldn't help standing the whole night sitting at the crib's side, looking at the newborns creature with a sense of anxiety he didn't remember feeling when he had his daughter.

Of course, that was the problem – he had failed as a father the first time, why could this time be any different? Of course, he no longer claimed t be a psych, and tended to keep his mouth shout when cameras were around, but it still doesn't mean that…

"Patrick, Lucas is not leaving any time soon. I want you back in bed - As Teresa embraced him from the back, giving a quick kiss on his shoulder, he turned, and kissed, in the same time, her hair, while still standing in front of his son. – Patrick, I know how you feel…"

You didn't kill your family he was going to say, but, then, he thought about what this was really about. It wasn't just Red John, since red John was dead, it was something else. He was…he was being a dad. He shivered at the thought of having a teenager daughter… that would be difficult, he knew that. With a hint of a smile on his face, he put his arm around Teresa's shoulders, and guided her back to bed, knowing that it wasn't about killers and maniacs and perps, it was about life. He was being a dad, that's all.

"Sweetie, I know you were used to insomnia- she said as they were entangled under the covers, almost one- but I think one of us should take a nap, once in a while. As you said – she said kissing the tip of his noise, giggling – Lucas took after me in the screaming department"

"Maybe I should have stayed awake, to bring him to you. After all we still have only, what, less than 15 before he'll probably be awake?"

He hadn't ended the question that, as he had hear them talking about him, Lucas decided to perform his father's favorite show in the world, and, first at low voice, then extremely loudly, he made his presence noticeable.

"Have I already told you how much I hate when you are right?" She sat in the bed, adjusting the pillows so that breastfeeding Lucas couldn't be a problem, and happily accepted her son in her arms, making Patrick understand that not only pregnancy had done a number on her – it was being a mother that made her so beautiful and radiant.

"Really, and here I thought it was the reason you loved me so much! – he sat on the bed, in front of her, Indian style, captivated by the sight of his son and of his wife, together, and, when he noticed her grinning at him, he tried to humor her, in his usual way – well, can't say I blame him if her loves his mummy's breasts so much. I love them as well!"

In the past, she would have rolled her eyes at the comment, especially if it was something coming from Jane, but right now, all he got was sending her into giggles. "Thanks for waking up with me" she said, tenderly, removing her eyes from Luc to face Patrick, green in blue, lost and captivated – the both of them; just then, the baby started to make small verses of amusement, signaling that he no longer was hungry, and, as soon as he saw that, like it was an automatic response, Patrick took the baby from Teresa, and, holding him chest to chest while drawing circles on his back, he started to walk across the room, sweetly singing at low voice a melody she had never heard of…

In the dark of the ageless night, between sweet wefts I look for my blue sea. The dreams know what's inside my heart, and with them I'll carry on…

It will open its big wings, and then my sweet dream will walk at my side, like a flying steed you'll be, I want for you to never end.

And now, now, fly, fly away, my flying steed, I'll tighten the grip on you, together we will fly up to the moon and the planets, where already is shining that sweet sun that my thought and my memories will embrace.

And now, now, fly, fly away, sweet song of liberty, with you I'll understand that I can fly on my own; here I am, flying with my azure wings…

"He loves when you do it, you know? - She smiled, as she looked at her husband, holding his son, and singing softly to the baby while gently bouncing his tummy. – He knows that it's you who's singing and talking to him, and he feels…- she stopped, unsure if she really had to use the word or not – you make him feel safe, Patrick"

"He is a good boy, you know- he stopped, as he put Luc back in the crib, still looking at him through the finger of the hands he had used to cover his face, not because he was tired, but because he was ashamed of himself – My daughter… she woke up every hour, for the first 4 months. I didn't keep her safe, Tess. How can I be sure I'll be able to protect him? What if I fail him? What if I…"

"We'll go through this, Patrick. - She said hugging him again from the back – we'll make it work. We found a way to make our story work; I don't see why we couldn't make a family work, right?"

"I know, but… I've always thought that I failed her as a father mostly because I didn't have any parental guidance, any… role model."

"Patrick, this elephant will always be in the room, but you're not the only one with parental issues, ok? – She parted a bit mad with him, tears in her eyes – do you know how many times I ended up in the hospital with broken bones? How many times I had to cover myself up even in summer because of the bruises? My father was the worst man in the world, and yes, even if you don't think so, I'm scared. I'm scared I'll fail as mother that I'll become like him. But, Patrick – she said kissing him – we are in this together. We'll make it, Patrick, together, being at each other's side."

He repeated the gesture he had done just half an hour before, and, guided Teresa in bed, he stayed there, embraced to his wife, thinking.

No, he wasn't going to screw this. He wasn't going to fail this child, this family… he was going to make it work.

With a smile that reached the ceiling, he fell asleep. At least, until Lucas decided he needed to get changed, ten minutes later…