A/N: Okiesss, so, final chapter peeps. Shocking. I'm not quite sure where all my usual reviewers toddled off to for the last chapter, but hey...COME BACK! she cries. :P Enjoy!

Chapter 18

'Uh...the funeral...it's at the weekend. You'll come, right?'

Patrick cocked his head, looking slightly insulted. '...Why wouldn't I?'

'No, sorry, I didn't mean it like that.'

'Of course I'll be coming.' Patrick laid his hand atop of Lisbon's. She nodded a smiled softly. Patrick leaned across the small expanse of couch between them and placed a feather light kiss on the corner of her mouth. The corner of his mouth lifted in a gentle smile.

'Thank you for the dinner, Patrick.'

'You've thanked me several times Lisbon,' Patrick smiled.

'Well, it was more than I expected...' she paused, 'Or maybe I'm just a rubbish conversationalist.'

Patrick laughed softly. He looked up at her, that gorgeous, natural smile chiselled into his features.

Lisbon dropped her coffee mug onto the tea table before them and shifted across the couch, snuggling into Patrick's side and pulling his arm around her waist, letting her hand rest over his.

'Y'know, I think these past few weeks have been the most ridiculous of my whole life...' Lisbon murmured.

'You could be right there.'

'I'm exhausted.'

Patrick nodded softly in agreement. 'But don't fall asleep.'

'Why not?'

'Because I like talking.'

'Can't guarant-'

Patrick looked down at Lisbon as she descended into silence.

'Just kiddin' ya,' Lisbon murmured.

She ran her thumb gently over the back of Patrick's hand and almost lost herself in the warmth radiating from him. It made her drowsy.

'Did you like me before all this happened?'

'What do you mean?'

'Did you have feelings for me before?'

Patrick cocked his head slightly and thought. 'I...don't know. Maybe,' he replied slowly, 'Why?'

Lisbon shrugged against him, 'Just wondering.'

Patrick's eyebrows creased slightly. 'What about you?'

'I don't think I ever thought about it much... I mean, it wasn't a suitable feeling to have around you, knowing about your family.'

Patrick nodded. 'So, you did think about it?'

'I guess I did. Whenever you were happy...normal, I think I realised there was something there for you. But when it came back to Red John...your past, I realised it was just a fantasy. It wouldn't happen.'

'I think...that's how I felt too.'

'Really?' Lisbon asked, lifting her head to look into Patrick's eyes.

'Yeah...'

Lisbon's mouth twitched with a smile.

'But now it's happened.'

'So it has,' Patrick smiled.

'I'm glad you're happy.'

Patrick sighed softly. 'Me too.'

Lisbon felt her eyelids grow heavy as they continued to talk, Patrick's soft voice lulling her further and further towards a state of sleep. Everything about him made her feel safe. The warmth that snaked around her and pulled her in, the gentle voice that fell like honey from his lips, the feel of his arms encompassing her, making her feel like she was untouchable.

'Look,' she murmured drowsily, 'I might have to ask for permission to sleep in a minute...'

Patrick smiled softly. 'If you must.'

'Ok...' she started, snuggling into his chest a little further, 'Patrick Jane, may I please ask your permission to fall asleep?'

'I suppose, my dear.'

The room descended into silence as Lisbon automatically fell asleep on Patrick's say so. Patrick laughed quietly.

'Any chance you might be able to get up the stairs first though?'

Lisbon breathed in deeply and murmured a quiet reply, 'Do I have to?'

'Yes. I need to go.'

'Why?' Lisbon whispered sleepily.

Patrick thought. He didn't actually have a good reason for wanting to leave. Was it just part of his heart telling him that something wasn't right? Or was it just that he couldn't fully imagine ever leaving his old life behind? He closed his eyes gently, telling himself to stop being such a hypocrite and nestled his arms underneath Lisbon's loose body, gently lifting her up. He pressed his lips feather light to her forehead and carried her towards the stairs. He shivered slightly as her soft warmth leaked into him. He slowly approached the darkness at the top of the stairs, his whole body seeming to quake, but he didn't know why. His eyelids grew heavy, tired as he climbed, beginning to fall shut of their own accord.

Stop.

Patrick froze.

Rigsby watched Van Pelt smiled weakly back at him as she made to leave the CBI building, heading home. He hoped against hope that she would truly think about what he had said, what he had proposed to her. He truly did love her, and he couldn't hide it any longer. She was the only one he had ever truly thought about since she had walked through the door on that first day. He couldn't imagine himself with anyone else.

So as he watched her perfect form waltz out the door, his eyes couldn't look anywhere else, and he found himself breaking into a run after her. He threw open the doors and jogged towards her, catching her arm and pulling her round. Her wide eyes met his as his lips crashed onto hers. Van Pelt's initial shock faded, and she couldn't help the wave of desire that drowned her. Rigsby's arms snaked around her thin waist and pulled her closer against him, letting months of tension and desire flood out of him. He refused to let up as he took Van Pelt hostage in his embrace, trying to pull her even closer, show him how much she truly meant to him. He felt her hands trail up his chest and rest either side of his neck, and he knew how much she had wanted it as well. He smiled softly against her lips.

Eventually, they broke apart, their foreheads resting together. Rigsby smiled weakly again.

'I love you, Grace. Please say yes,' he murmured, pushing another kiss to Van Pelt's lips. Van Pelt breathed heavily, just staring downwards. Then she quickly, wordlessly took Rigsby's hand in hers and pulled him across the car park, towards her car. Her heart pummelled in her chest as she released the central locking system and pushed Rigsby towards the passenger seat, but she didn't doubt for a second what she wanted to happen. For that moment, she didn't care about the rules. She only cared about Wayne Rigsby, and how much she truly loved him. She was breathing heavily as she clambered into the driver's seat, and she smiled quickly across at Rigsby before keying the ignition and speeding away from the CBI headquarters.

All four chambers of his heart slammed to a stop, refusing to pump blood until they realised they had to beat to keep him alive.

His vision shook violently, blurring with tears as he watched the little girl stand silently on the top step. Her large blue eyes stared down at him, crystal tears lining them. Her delicate hands clutched at a small bear, its fur matted and worn. A white, frilled dress adorned her small frame. Her skin was deathly pale. Her head tilted gently. She blinked once. A single, lonesome tear tracked down her pale pink cheek.

'Daddy?' she whispered quietly.

Patrick's breath caught in his throat, almost choking him. Trying to breathe, his throat closed up, blocking his lungs. He almost dropped Lisbon as his muscles became weak and heavy. He barely heard her as she murmured something from her drowsy state. His eyes could only fix on the girl at the top of the stairs.

Every ounce of his control was needed to stop him from crumbling and tumbling down the stairs. The girl continued to stare at him.

'Daddy?' she repeated.

Patrick swayed gently, his eyes crowding with tears. He shut his eyes tight, the stinging feeling that drowned them, doubling, tripling, and tears squeezing out, trembling down his cheek. His face became pallid, a sick feeling taking command of his stomach.

'Patrick?' Lisbon's voice sounded slurred to his ears.

Lisbon stared up at him, 'What's wrong?' She grew worried as she saw the glistening tears falling in torrents down his pale cheeks. 'Patrick?' she said more earnestly.

She felt Patrick's arms bring her slowly down to the stairs, resting her feet carefully on the step before him, but never taking his gaze from the top step. She followed his gaze, but saw nothing. Looking back, she moved down to his step and placed her hand on his cheek, bringing his eyes round to look at her. His gaze reluctantly tore from the girl, and tearful eyes stared at Lisbon.

'What's the matter?'

Patrick turned back to the top step.

'Daddy? Mommy says thank you,' the little girl said.

'Wha...' Patrick trailed off, barely managing to form the words through the tears that had a chokehold on him, 'Why?'

'Mommy says thank you for starting again.'

Patrick's face was hot with the tears that poured over his cheeks, but he made no move to wipe them away.

'She's happy now. She's happy you're not hurting anymore, Daddy.'

She began to fade, a small smile crawling onto her face. 'I love you, Daddy.' And she was gone; in a wisp of smoke.

Patrick's chest compressed, choking out sobs.

'Patrick?' Lisbon asked quietly. She stepped up and stood in front of him, ducking to look into his eyes, 'Please tell me.'

Patrick didn't know what to do. Go up the stairs, go down the stairs, crumble to the ground...

'Jessie...' he whispered, quiet as a mouse, his voice lined with age old pain.

Lisbon's eyebrows creased.

Patrick's lips creased carefully into a small smile, despite his tears. His arms wrapped around Lisbon and tightened, his wet face buried in Lisbon's shoulder.

'They're happy...' he whispered.

Lisbon couldn't help her own eyes from tearing up as she felt Patrick's embrace, and his tears slowly tumbling onto her shoulder.

Eventually he looked up into her eyes and smiled again.

He nodded towards the top of the stairs and grasped her hand in his, leading her up. His feet padded on the soft carpet, and took him to the doorway of Lisbon's room. He stopped and Lisbon walked in, looking back at him.

'Come on,' she said, holding out her hand, 'Stay.'

Patrick stepped in, taking Lisbon's hand again. Lisbon motioned for Patrick to get into bed while she stepped out of her dress and slung it across the back of a chair and pulled her long football shirt on. She approached the bed and snuggled under the cover, pushing back into Patrick's shape and allowing his arm to fall around her waist. Patrick pushed his head into the valley of Lisbon's shoulder, wriggling into her warmth.

A smile crossed his lips as sleep began to claim him. 'Goodbye...' he whispered, inaudible to Lisbon.

A/N: Tis the end. *cries* Thank you to EVERYONE who reviewed and hopefully will review now. I love you all so much. It's been great writing this, and hopefully, you might check out some of my other works. I do intend to write more mentalist in future, how could I not? Thank you again, and good luck with all your stories ^_^