Jane was both happy – happier than he'd been in years – and exhausted. He grinned at himself – knowing that he was also rather loopy as a result of both states. He looked over at Teresa – who was sound asleep – and smiled. He then looked in the bassinet beside her and his eyes misted over.

Aiden Christopher Jane, 7 lbs 9 oz, was 2 hours old and already the joy of his parents' lives. He'd taken his time coming into this world, hence the exhaustion – but had arrived healthy and whole – thus the happiness. Teresa had been in labor for almost 33 hours, and Jane had been with her the whole time.

Of course he knew that to compare his exhaustion to hers wasn't fair. He hadn't had to do the hard work she had done, so he felt guilty even admitting to being tired. He looked at her again - sleeping the sleep of a woman who had just brought a new life into the world.

He smiled when he remembered that incredible moment when he'd caught the slippery, squirming body of his son in his hands. He couldn't describe how he'd felt at that moment, only knowing that his life had come full circle – how or why he'd never be able to explain. He was just grateful that it had.

He knew he should probably head home and shower and change – he'd been in the same clothes for almost two days – but he was so tired he just wanted to rest. Maybe if he closed his eyes for a few minutes he could then head out. He needed to be back at the hospital in the morning to take his family home.

His eyes drifted shut but the smile remained on his face.

He took a deep breath of fresh air and stretched. It was so beautiful here – sitting beside their pond with the trees dipping their leaves into the sparkling water. He felt a sense of peace wash over him and closed his eyes.

"Here you are," the bright voice interrupted his musings and he blinked and looked up, to see his daughter standing and grinning at him. Before he had a chance to speak she lowered herself beside him, her knees bent and her arms wrapped around them.

"Nice day," she said cheerily.

He looked at her suspiciously. "Yes, it is. Uh - what are you doing here?"

"Well that's not a very nice thing to say to your own daughter," she replied cheekily. "Don't you want me here."

"Of course I do," he told her, trying to get a handle on what was going on. "I just wondered – why here, I guess?" he gestured towards the vista in front of them.

"You tell me," she told him. "You're the one who picked this place. I've never been here before."

"Oh – okay." Jane picked up a leaf beside him and began to play with it. "So, how have you been?" he asked casually.

"Me? I'm fine. The question is how are you doing?"

"Um – good, I'm doing good."

Charlotte regarded him closely and then nodded and grinned. "I think you are – finally," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Hey – no need to be sarcastic!"

"Okay fine," she said with a grin. "But you know it's true. It took you long enough."

His expression turned sober and he stared out to the water. Finally he spoke. "Do you think that losing you and your mother was something I should have gotten over quickly?"

His daughter sighed and straightened her legs. "We know it was because you loved us so much, Dad," she said softly. "It's just – we hated to see you like that. You drove yourself for a long, long time – and for what?"

He turned to her. "I told you – for you, for your mother and you – to get justice."

"Or vengeance," she said, looking him directly in the eye.

He paused again, and finally nodded. "Yes, and for vengeance."

"And was it worth it?"

At this he let his head drop onto his uplifted knees and thought about her question. It wasn't a new one – but rather one he'd asked himself many, many times. Had a ten year hunt for his family's killer – and then his final act of revenge – been worth it?

"I don't know," he finally admitted. "But I'd do it again," he told her with a small smile. "You know – and certainly your mother knew – that I can get -"

"Obsessed?" Charlotte interrupted.

He gave her a dirty look. "Focused on things. And anyway, I didn't do it just for vengeance. I also wanted to stop him from continuing to kill and torture others."

At that his daughter nodded and again looked out over the water. "Well, I'm glad it's over."

"So am I."

"And now you're happy?"

He smiled – this time his full blown, real smile. "Yes, I'm happy. I – didn't expect to be, ever again." His lips straightened out and he turned towards Charlotte. "I don't want you or your mother to think it's because I don't still love you -"

"Stop!" Charlotte said. "We know that Dad. We know you'll never stop loving us – but we love you too and we want you to be happy. We want you to let us go – at least the sadness and guilt. Just remember the happy times with us, okay?"

"I'll try," he told her, his throat tightening with emotion.

"Remember when we went on that picnic together, just you and me? We went down to the beach and laid down a blanket and I pulled out all of my tea things. I remember you sat with me and drank tea out of a little cup – and you hated tea."

He swallowed. "I don't now," he told her. "It reminds me of you."

"Really?" she grinned. "That's kind of cool. Patrick Jane drinking tea! But I do remember you loved those strawberry tarts Mom made. You ate the whole box!"

"Yeah, I remember," he told her, his eyes glazed as he thought back to that magical time.

"And remember my tricycle? I loved that thing! I'd zoom around on it all over. I just wish I'd gotten to ride a big bicycle."

"Your mother and I were going to buy you one," Jane told her, his voice breaking. "We – I never - it was too late."

"It's okay," Charlotte told him. "You'll have another chance."

He frowned and opened his mouth, but she interrupted.

"Oh, not with me! I don't need that kind of thing now, to be happy. I mean – you'll have the chance with someone else."

"Someone else?" At that precise moment Jane heard a sound beside him. He turned, confused, to find a tiny, swaddled baby wriggling on a blanket beside him. He was sure it hadn't been there a minute ago. "What?"

"Pick him up Dad, before he cries!"

So Jane carefully picked up the squirming bundle and looked into the unfocused, silvery gray eyes of – his son! Oh God! How could he have forgotten his son? He held the little boy up to his face and kissed him, his heart filled with wonder and love. He turned to his daughter and again felt that same wash of love. "My son," he told her, and then his face bloomed into a smile. "Your brother."

She grinned and peeked down at the baby. "Cute! Looks like me except he's got dark hair. Do you think it'll be curly like yours?"

"I hope not!" he said, laying his cheek against the velvet soft face of the baby.

"Ah, I think that would be cute!" Charlotte laughed. She leaned over and stroked the tiny hand of her baby brother. "He's a lucky little boy," she said.

"Why?" Jane looked at her curiously.

"Because he's got you for a Daddy," she said. She looked up at her father, her expression serious for once. "You were you know, a good father – a great father. I know you don't think so, and I know you feel guilty, but you have to let that go. What happened wasn't your fault. So – just love him, okay?"

He could feel the sting of tears, but he nodded. "I will," he whispered, "I do. And I love you so much Charly – I just wish -"

"Yeah, I know," she smiled. "But it's okay. I'm happy Dad – and so is Mom."

"Really? Are you really?"

"Yes. Don't you understand - you're happy – so we're happy? For a long time you pretended, but we all knew that inside you were in pain. But now – well it's obvious that things are good. So now, we can just love you and we can – rest. We don't have to worry about you anymore – and you don't have to worry about us." She leaned forward and gave her father a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Just love my brother – and love Teresa, okay."

"You know about her?"

"Mmm hmm. I figured you were sweet on her the last time I was here. And I knew she was in love with you – otherwise she wouldn't have put up with you all those years!"

"Hey!"

She grinned. "It's true! Oh, and Mom likes her too. She wants you to know that you did good in falling in love with Teresa. She said there aren't many women who could handle you – but that she can." She stopped for a moment and then gave her father a gentle smile. "And she said that Teresa is lucky to have you to love her – that you're a good man and you were a wonderful husband and father."

Jane blinked rapidly and looked up to the sky, trying desperately not to break down. He felt Charlotte lean forward and nestle her face in his neck, her arm around him. "I love you Dad," she whispered.

He closed his eyes and breathed her in. His little girl! He then felt the warm bundle of his son in his arms, and felt at peace.

"Patrick – Patrick - Jane!"

He woke up, startled, and took a sudden deep breath and opened his eyes. He was sitting in the chair by Teresa's bed and she was looking at him tenderly.

"You fell asleep," she told him. "I was worried you'd get a kink in your neck."

He blinked to clear his eyes. "Hi," he finally said, his voice gruff with sleep. "Hey Mom! How are you feeling?"

"Me?" she smiled. "I'm fine. A bit sore and a bit tired, but mostly wonderful."

He smiled back at her and then stood and leaned over and kissed her. A sound made him turn to glance in the bassinet, where his son was, his face all red and crumpled up.

Jane laughed and picked him up just as a piercing cry reverberated throughout the room. "I think someone is hungry!" he said.

"Like father like son," Teresa said, adjusting her bed so that she was sitting up and unbuttoning her gown to feet him. "Come here you," she said to the baby as Jane handed him to her. "Let's see if we can figure this out together!"

Jane watched in awe as his wife fed their child. He was still half groggy – but a feeling of rightness, of peace and contentment filled him. He glanced up and smiled.

"Thanks Charlotte," he whispered. "I love you too!"