Author's notes: Thanks to Jane Doe51, Thommo75, Wolfhound159, Louisekurlyo, zats, MissDonnie, and the two guest for reviewing the last chapter, it's really kind of you to take the time. Also thank you to the new favs and welcome to the new followers. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

"Lisbon, my office."

His tone has Teresa sharing a look with Cho, asking if he knows what the boss wants and what she's done wrong? He shrugs. She puts her phone away as she makes her way to his office. Abbott's sat behind his desk when she arrives.

"Close the door and take a seat Agent."

Teresa does as she's told, taking the first seat, sitting on the edge. She looks at her boss.

"Have I done something wrong Sir."

Abbott leans back in his chair.

"No, no, I'm sorry if I gave that impression, it's just leftover frustration from the meeting upstairs.. I heard you talking to Jane. How's he doing?"

Teresa relaxes into her chair and smiles.

"He's doing well. He remembering things, slowly. He remembers coming here, though not agreeing to work for you. But he at least remembers you now."

"That's good news. How about the wedding?"

"Nothing about the wedding, yet Sir, just the odd little thing about our life together, but I'm confident it will come, and things are good between us."

Teresa's minds casts back to the first night he slept in their room. Moving in and then playing hungry hippos, and everything things else the children called on him to do, had tired him out, so he was ready for bed early, but put it off while she finished doing her paperwork she'd left undone in her rush to be home. Despite her insistence that he go to bed, he wanted them to go together their first night. It was like being transported back in time to the days at the old CBI. Patrick sprawling out on the couch while she sat in an armchair with her laptop on her knee, typing. How she loved those times spent together at the end of the day when he would come in and keep her company as she finished her reports. She realises, in hindsight, it was during those times she began to fall in love with him.

When they finally made it to bed, things were a little awkward, at first. They laid on their own half of the bed, each on their backs, staring at the ceiling. A distance between them, reminiscent of their time at Hightower's, each not quite knowing what to do. She didn't want to rush things by moving over to him, despite that they'd made love once, she wasn't confident in their intimacy. She could hear a quite thump, she sidled a look at him and he had his hands crossed over his chest, gently hitting himself with his thumbs. The slight turn of her head must have made a noise against the pillow, making him aware that she was looking at him. He spoke:

"I'm sorry, I didn't envision this being so difficult."

He turned his head towards her with a small apologetic smile that always melts her heart.

"It's okay. What do you want to do?"

"Hold you."

She smiled at him.

"That's what I want too."

Then deja-vous hits her in the stomach when he replied with the same tone and expression as years earlier:

"That's lucky."

She couldn't trust herself to speak so nodded her head.

Then he'd turned on his side facing her and held out his arms. She quickly moved inside his embrace, his arms wrapping around her. She didn't want sleep to come as his scent filled her senses and she felt his chest rise and fall beneath her, until she finally succumbed, the rhythm of his heartbeat being her last memory.

Since then, things have proceeded at a slow, tantalizing, pleasurable pace. There isn't the frantic, hungry response of a new love, nor the familiar routine of an established relationship, but gentle, tentative, exciting exploration, that she's finding very satisfying and delicious. Not that she will share any of this with Abbott who's looking at her as if he's expecting an answer. She feels her cheeks redden under his gaze and shifts in her chair.

"What was that Sir?"

Abbott has a slight smile on his face, like he knew exactly what she was thinking, and she feels her face go even hotter.

"I asked if it the hours were working out. If Jane was coping at home."

"Yes, he loves being with the children, in fact we were just discussing last night about me, maybe, adding another day to the week at the end of the month. With looking at coming full time the following month, if that's possible?"

" I can't see it being a problem. You don't see Jane coming back to work?"

"Not at the moment, but should it become possible then we we'll go back to the arrangement we had before. I know it's a lot of messing…"

Abbott puts a hand up to silence her.

"It's no problem whatsoever. Jane was hurt in the line of duty. He can take all the time he needs. I understand if he decides not to come back, but I'm hoping that eventually he will return, It's not just his mind that's missed. I miss his friendship too."

Teresa nods in understanding, and makes a note to talk to Patrick about inviting the team over for dinner. Spending time with them might help jolt some memories as well as expanding his world. She's kept it to just the family, except for their trip to California, not wanting to tax him, but he's stronger now and she can't help but feel it will do him good.

Abbott dismisses her and as she leaves his office she feels her phone vibrate in her pocket. She digs it out and the screen announces a text from Patrick. It opens to reveal:

'We just wanted to say hi.'

'Hi, from me'

' Hi, Mommy – from, the next Einstein, Austin,'

'jlisugh - from, self-expressionist Maddie'

She laughs and types a reply on her way back to her desk.

Author's sidebar: I leave on holiday on Sunday, visiting the very beautiful country of Italy, for eight days, so this will be the last update of this story until I get back.