The next day, Jane wore a transparently regretful face as he met his daughter in the front room. His eyes shone with the start of tears as he drew her into a warm hug.

"My dear Meghan Elizabeth, I'm so deeply sorry for breaking your trust last night." He slowly released her, stepping back, to ensure full eye contact. "I was so on-guard, with it being your first date, and with it being my first experience with that from a 'dad' point of view. And I know I always tend toward over-protection - which I blame partially on my long-ago history, with losing your sister, Charlotte, and Aunt Angela. But still, I was wrong not to trust you… not to allow you the gift of making - or avoiding - your own potential mistakes… It's just that I love you so much, my dear, and I would do anything to safeguard you and your heart."

At the mention of his first family, Meghan's face softened to one of Lisbon-like empathy, with an underlying expression that confirmed she'd suspected his tragic past may have been a factor in his decisions that night.

"Dad, my heart has been broken for you on that point ever since I truly understood what the word 'death' meant. And then it broke more when I grew into an understanding of 'murder,' and then, after reading the FBI volumes with Mr. Abbott in them – I was so excited to know anybody who was actually in a book! - my heart broke even further, as I came to a more detailed understanding of what truly transpired between you and R—"

"WE… don't say his name anymore." Jane interrupted sternly, stepping suddenly to one side, with a tinge of panic - producing a mildly alarmed look on his daughter's face.

Jane quickly recovered, and gently put an open hand on her shoulder to calm her obvious worry that she'd done something terribly wrong or hurtful. "It's OK, dear, you didn't know… it hasn't come up before," his soothing hypnosis voice being repurposed in the current moment to reassure his beloved child. "But your mother and I feel that monster took enough of our time, and we refuse to allow him to steal any of our present or our future. Suffice it to say, I know who you mean." He winked with an easy smile, "Please, go on."

Meg nodded and smiled back, in understanding. "As I was saying, I understand, and I'm so sorry for everything that happened with Aunt Angela and Charlotte." Meghan paused to wrap Jane in a hug. After a few seconds though, she got a glint in her eye and stood back a bit, with a slightly cocky teenage posture.

"She'd be on my side about Blake, though… Charlotte, I mean. You know it's true!" Meg's eyes sparkled with her father's own mischief as she awaited his response.

Jane smiled adoringly at his clever girl. "Though I never got the chance to know her as a teen, I'm sure you'd see things through the same eyes, on this!" He chuckled freely, before noticing a somber change in Meghan. Oh no… He'd always worried about this. Better nip it in the bud…

"Meghan, my dear, it's true that I often wonder how much like you Charlotte may have been had she been given the chance to grow up, but I want you to understand that when I look at you, I see Meghan and only Meghan. I love you for who you are. There is no way that anyone could replace Charlotte, but it's also true that you, my sweet Meghan Elizabeth, whom I adore, are irreplaceable. And if someone came up to me today and said that I could have Charlotte and Aunt Angela back, and that I could erase the mistakes I'd made, I would turn them down flat, because that would mean that I would never have had you or Brendan or your mother in my life. I love you dearly, Meghan, and I miss, and love Charlotte. But I never get the two confused, and neither should you."

In that moment, Meghan didn't seem to mind having a human lie detector for a father. She was relieved that he accurately read and assuaged her worries about exactly where she stood in his heart. She snuggled back into his arms and squeaked out an emotional "Love you, Daddy!" as Jane held her tight.

"Love you, beyond measure, my dear." Jane answered, gratefully.

Eavesdropping from the next room, like the seasoned detective she was, Lisbon was quietly sobbing with thanks, after having overheard the entirety of the healing exchange between her loves. Not only was she glad to see things smoothed over between Jane and their first-born, she had found her husband's comment about 'saying no to changing his past' both exhilarating and clarifying. To hear the words from his own mouth, that he was more full of love than regret now, was an answer to her decades of hopes, dreams, and prayers for him. He was so beautiful, and she was endlessly grateful at seeing him grow so fully into his true self, over the years.

"And hey, Dad," Meghan started, sensing an opening, "I know that you don't believe in this, at least not yet, but I know that you'll see them again someday. I feel it in my heart and soul." She sparkled a smile that reached to her eyes.

Jane laughed just a little, and smiled at his daughter's tender heart. "You're right, Meghan, I can't bring myself to believe that. But I do hope that I'm wrong. If I believed in miracles, this life that I have right now would definitely be one of them, and it has all stemmed from my connection to your mother." He looked in Teresa's direction, speaking that last part more loudly, having suspected she might be listening in. "She is so amazing." He smiled, as his wife grinned through an eyeroll at being caught spying. "But even though my life feels more miraculous these days, I have done so many terrible things in my past. I just don't see how they would ever let me in the gate." He grinned his orneriest grin, and kissed his daughter on the cheek before walking to the kitchen for tea.

Just then, Brendan called to Meghan from upstairs: "Meg, come here! I've gotta show you this audio trick I learned from Trey!"

"Coming!" She called back, quickly shifting gears in her brain and hopping up the steps, skipping every other one.

Meanwhile, Lisbon grabbed a mug and joined Jane in the kitchen.

"So, I guess I'm busted then." She joked, having been outed for her earlier eavesdropping.

"I would have been disappointed in you if you'd not been listening in, Agent Lisbon. What kind of detective would you be, had you not?" He teased.

After a self-conscious chuckle, Teresa's gaze turned sincere. "Did you mean what you said?"

"About what?"

"About turning down the chance to change things? To get your family back?"

"You are my family."

"You know what I meant."

"Yes, I do… And yes... I meant every word of it." He moved around the table, taking the chair right next to Lisbon, then gently rested his hand on hers, looking deeply into her. "Even after all these years, you still thrill and amaze me, my dear. The idea of being apart from you, no matter the circumstance, is completely unacceptable. I would be so lost without you."

Teresa beamed at her amazing love, eyes glistening. "Aw, sweet Patrick. I feel the same way." She leaned into him gratefully. "It makes me so unbelievably happy to know that your joy outweighs your pain, my love."

"That's the truth, Teresa, and that change began the day I first laid eyes on you, lovely Lisbon."

"I will never stop thanking God for that day." She pressed into him further.

"Neither will I…" Jane paused, leaning back, with a thoughtful finger to his lips, and lowered eyebrows, "but he doesn't take my calls."

"Stop!" Teresa snorted, gently slapping his arm.

Her phone chose that moment to ring.

After sliding her chair far enough from Jane to allow a reach into her pocket, she answered, still glimmering at her joker-of-a-husband. "Lisbon!"

"Sorry to bug you on the weekend, but we have a situation here." It was Cho.

"No problem, what's the situation?"

"It's hard to explain over the phone. Would you and Jane mind driving in?"

"On our way, Boss!"

"Please don't call me Boss - It freaks me out when you do that… Boss..."

Teresa erupted in laughter. "Sure thing, Cho!"

"What was that about?" Patrick inquired with curiosity.

"Cho's got 'a situation' that he's not comfortable discussing over the phone. Get your bag, we're going in."

"Okay - I'll tell the kids!"

Jane jogged up the stairs and peeked in on the teens. "Hey you two, Mom and I need to run into work and help Uncle Cho with something. Can you guys cook dinner tonight?"

"Sure, Dad!" Meghan answered. "Should we cook for two, or for four?"

"Unclear right now. Maybe plan for four. If we don't make it back in time, we'll reheat ours whenever we get home."

"It's a plan!"

With that, Lisbon and Jane jumped in the car and started for the FBI. While Teresa drove, Jane made a phone call.

"Hey Danny! Yeah… Fine… No, just calling for a favor." He smiled with a calm expression, as Teresa glanced over. "Can you 'happen to be in the neighborhood' later tonight, and drop in on the kids? The hottie and I got called into work." He flinched when Lisbon gave him an embarrassed, corrective punch for the 'hottie' comment. "Ouch! No… I'm fine… yes, the hottie…" he winked at his blushing wife, gleaming with mischief. "Okay thanks Danny. We both appreciate it. I'll let her know, thanks!"

"I'm afraid to ask…" Teresa mumbled, with a smirk.

"Danny says hi!" Jane paused a moment, to adequately preserve the suspense. "And also to stop blushing, because I'm completely correct about the 'hottie' thing."

"Oh my God!" Refusing to make eye contact, Lisbon blushed even deeper, as she laughed away her mortification.

Jane gleamed brighter than ever, his trademark smile glowing with glee, as the car sped toward downtown.