Glad to be free, but even more glad to be held captive in Jane's loving arms once again, Lisbon walked slowly out of Pike's house. Her left arm was around her husband and her head was on a swivel during that exit, checking the reality of the upstairs against the suppositions she'd drawn in her mind from the basement and crawlspace. She and Jane also kept loving eyes on the children, as they guided them by the hand - Brendan attached to Jane, and Meghan attached to Lisbon.
The family was greeted with a group hug, on the front lawn, that included Jimmy & Tommy Lisbon, Danny, Cho, and Dennis, along with Pete and Sam. Annie joined in, too, right next to Meghan and Teresa. As the happy group moved their conversations closer to the construction and command center areas, leaving the cleanup to the DC team, Jane grew anxious - not quite knowing what to do about Alex.
He still harbored a great deal of anger and distrust towards the man, but he couldn't deny that his family's safe and successful escape had absolutely hinged on the old con's expert skills today. Still, he wasn't quite ready to trust the man enough to allow him near his children, or Lisbon.
Teresa noticed how nervous and flustered her husband suddenly looked, but before she could ask about it, Danny pulled him aside.
"Hey Patrick - Alex wanted me to let you know how grateful he was to be able to do this job with us. He's already on his way back home. Said he was sure you'd be more comfortable that way. Still, he hopes that someday you might be willing to have a sit down with him and clear the air. He'd love nothing more than to be a part of your life and to know Teresa and the kids, but he said he'd done enough to mess you up so didn't want to put you on the spot today."
Jane's posture visibly changed to one of relief. "Thanks Danny. I admit I was just starting to worry about how to handle that situation."
Danny handed him a Pink Gorilla business card. "Here. His number is on the back. He figured you'd get a kick out of it being on the card you thought up for the gag." His brother-in-law smiled and patted him on the shoulder before leaving, himself.
Jane waved as Danny left, smiling at how things had changed between the two of them, in recent years. He allowed himself a short moment to wonder if that sort of change could ever be a reality for him and Alex, before shaking off the thought and pocketing the business card.
Annie was playing chase with the two little Janes, while their parents debriefed with Abbott and Cho.
"So, after being arrested, Eric confessed that Pike has had the basement 'home' in place since before shooting Jane 5 years ago." Cho began. "He had hoped then that he would be the 'soft place' for Teresa to fall, and had anticipated turning that basement into a playroom and bedrooms for their eventual children."
Lisbon gagged in disgust, more relieved than ever that the jerk was dead. Feeling the poetic justice, in that it was her bullet that put him down.
Pike had had years of jail time to envision what could have been - if only Patrick Jane had died, like he was supposed to. It was in those years that Pike had begun picturing himself taking Patrick's place. Keeping digital tabs on Teresa and the children as best as was possible from the prison library. Instructing Eric to send him updated photos of the three, every few months, to keep the basement staged and clean, and to see what he could find out about the kids' schools.
So, when he'd become infuriated at Jane's unbeknownst appearance on the Karen Cross episode, it was fairly simple for Pike to use his and Eric's research to plan. Then he had easily found a flower shop van to 'borrow' and grabbed the three Janes.
Eric also revealed how exactly Pike had broken free in the first place:
During his time at the FBI, but well before he'd met Lisbon, Pike had played it loose with the rules in a certain art case. Erica Flynn had been involved, and had encouraged his lack of discipline using her usual methods. Basically, Pike had looked the other way during a sting, allowing an art dealer/forger, who was an associate of Erica's, to go free. At that time, the dealer had made it known to Pike that he had considered the act a favor, and that he owed Pike a favor someday in exchange.
Marcus had called that favor in, during his stay at the federal penitentiary. Through a random conversation at his post in the laundry room, he learned that the inmate with whom he'd been working for the past few months was an associate of the dealer in question. He further learned that the dealer already had a plan in place to free that inmate, he so needed him on his team. At Pike's request, after telling his story and asking the inmate to remind the man of the promise he'd made, he'd been allowed to join the escape (which - on brand for the bland Pike - occurred as a completely trite and predictable trip through the prison gates whilst hidden in a tub of damaged towels, being driven to a secondhand charity).
As afternoon turned to evening, Lisbon and the children got cleaned up, donning fresh clothes that Jane had brought for them from home. The Abbott's had graciously offered their home to the family, as the Janes began to reclaim their sense of normal. And since the FBI had secured transportation to Austin the next morning, Dennis and Lena had insisted on sitting down to dinner with their friends that night. Annie was invited to attend, too, to watch over her young cousins, when the conversation got too boring or too mature for them.
"So, Lena, what did you think of the tropics?" Jane grinned. He and Teresa had been curious to hear about the vacation they'd gifted the couple at Dennis's farewell party years ago. Dennis had mentioned once that they'd finally gotten a chance to go, but hadn't specified many details.
"It was the most relaxing trip I can remember. Thank you both again for that thoughtful and personal gift! Also, Dennis got quite a kick out of the parts that hearkened back to his finding you all those years ago, Jane." Lena laughed lightly, tapping the table with her hand. Then, she became more sincere. "Despite that humorous history, though, I can completely understand how you and Teresa connected on such a deep level, when you revisited the place as a couple months later. It is such a beautiful scene... Just an enchanting spot!"
"It really was a magical time." Lisbon chimed in, glowing at her husband as she did.
"And thank you, Jane, for hooking us up with Roberto as a local guide!" Dennis added. "Having that inside connection made it feel so exclusive. He really took great care of us!"
"I'm glad to hear it." Jane smiled wide. He felt more at ease than he had in ages. Knowing that his and Lisbon's gift had affected their friends in such a positive way… Reveling in the safe return and close proximity of his beloved family… Secure in the knowledge that the threat - this one, at least - had been permanently neutralized. He leaned back from the table in his banquette seat, and lovingly wrapped his arm around Teresa's shoulders.
With a nudge, Lena communicated to Dennis that they should clear the table and start cleaning up in the kitchen - thereby allowing their friends some much-needed alone time at the table. Once Dennis had grabbed the last plate and wiped down the surface, he disappeared into the cooking area to help Lena with the dishes.
In the familiar domestic din of running faucets and clanging pans, Jane and Lisbon cuddled and whispered gratitude and affection to each other.
"It's been really nice visiting with Dennis and Lena." Lisbon observed.
"I agree! We should definitely make more of an effort to get together… Under better circumstances obviously."
"Agreed! A simple flight would be much more agreeable than a white van!" Teresa chuckled with some remaining anxious energy.
At those words, Jane pulled her into the strongest embrace the bench seat would allow. "I've missed you terribly these past days. And I still haven't quite recovered from this incident - or the nightmares I'm sure to have for the foreseeable future."
"I missed you too, love… And so did the children." She massaged his cheek tenderly, with her free hand, as she told him how the very thought of his pain had been her strongest motivation in finding a way to escape. "I flat-out refused to allow it. You deserve a happy ending, sweet Patrick. There was no way in hell I was gonna allow that creep to steal it from you." Tender kisses and an earnest, loving gaze punctuated her words.
"Well, I don't know about deserved, but I am very happy," he sparkled back.
"Stop it." Lisbon playfully slapped her husband's arm, at his self-deprecating comment. Rolling her eyes and slightly grinning at his half-joke. Glad to be in what felt like a normal conversation with her favorite jokester.
"I am quite disappointed about one thing, though."
"What?" Lisbon was suddenly puzzled.
"I had planned so many wonderful things for our anniversary, my dear. And this incident changed them all."
"Yeah. I had some plans of my own to spring on you, but obviously didn't have a chance to." She leaned into him more closely, speaking in a sultry tone, "You know, I'm sure that Cho will allow us some time off after all of this fear and craziness…" she glimmered, "We will just have to make the most of that time, and re-create all of those plans." She smiled wide when she saw Jane's reaction to the flirtatious wink she finished with.
"Indeed, my love… indeed…" he sparkled, grinning full-wide with anticipation.
The two cuddled closely for a few more minutes, then wandered, whispering, to the guest room where their two young loves were already sound asleep.
"I'm impressed that you thought to bring their sleeping bags on this rescue mission, Jane!"
"Lisbon! You wound me with your lack of faith!" He teased, as they climbed into bed - heavy with exhaustion after such a long ordeal, but also lighter than air with the joy of being together once again.
"Very funny!" she smiled. "God, I've missed you."
"I feel the same way," he glimmered, holding his arm open for her to slide comfortably in beside him.
Each overjoyed and deeply relieved at their long-awaited reunion, the two fully enveloped one another, and fell into a comfortable, restorative sleep.