After landing in Austin, Cho dropped some clues that led the family to finding the mustang in short-term parking.
"There it is!" Teresa called out, relieved to see her favorite vehicle once again. She was anxious to have it fully cleaned and detailed - maybe also checked for bugs and tracking devices - after being soiled by Pike's madness.
"Spot 3D! I knew it!" Meghan chimed, thoroughly proud of herself for decoding "Uncle" Cho's clue.
"Well-done, Meghan!" Jane praised his favorite budding investigator.
Brendan broke into a silent pout. His guess had been different, and he was sad that it hadn't been the right guess.
Jane saw his son's disappointment right away, and swooped in to lift the boy into his arms.
"Aw, Brendan, it's okay, love! Even Daddy isn't right all the time."
The boy was shocked, "Really, Daddy?!"
Jane laughed just a little at his son's disbelief that he was fallible. "Okay it's true that I'm right much of the time… Maybe even most of the time…" He pretended not to see Lisbon roll her eyes at him, with a smile, "But no one is right all the time. And that's okay. What's important is that we use our wrong guesses to learn. Learning from mistakes will help us to have better guesses the next time." He smiled at the boy, and Brendan smiled back, hugging his daddy as mightily as his three-year-old muscles would allow.
Lisbon slid her hand around Jane's free arm and gleamed at him. "I love you, Patrick Jane."
Jane beamed, "I know!" His eyes sparkled with mischief, as they met with Lisbon's playfully narrowing gaze. Her nonverbal payback for his lighthearted grandstanding was met with good natured laughter. "And I absolutely adore you, Teresa Lisbon! I've missed you so much, my dear!"
The whole drive home was accompanied by nonstop storytelling from Meghan and Brendan, each sharing their own version of the recent adventures. Jane and Lisbon frequently caught each other's eye, always a smile simmering on their faces. Jane kept one hand resting on Lisbon for the full length of the trip.
Upon arriving at home, the Jane children practically ran to their bedrooms - they had so missed their special spaces and all their familiar toys and things. Lisbon and Jane stood holding each other beside the kitchen table, within reach of the still-posed paper frog and Washington monument replica.
"They don't seem all that affected by being kidnapped and held hostage, Teresa? How is that possible?" Jane was happily astonished.
"I did my best to remember every last one of your biofeedback techniques to keep myself calm, and I told them the whole thing was a series of games. They didn't really know about any of the danger until the last few hours. Also, I have to admit, your daughter knew something was up. She's definitely a Jane!" The two laughed with pride and in relief at being home safe.
"That she is! But I think she's a lot tougher than me… definitely inherited a healthy dose of Chicago." Jane sparkled as Lisbon visibly puffed up at that comment.
"She's a tough cookie! And Brendan, he missed you so terribly… his sweet, loving heart was on full display throughout the whole ordeal." Teresa's eyes looked adoringly at her husband, pressing closer to him. "Jane you would have been so proud of both of them, love. More than once I said prayers of thanks for them, and for you… the wisdom and strength you instilled in them here at home during their youngest days. Their trust in themselves and in me, their even temperament…"
"Definitely NOT a Chicago trait!" Jane interjected with a snort, and was greeted almost instantly with a playful poke in his most ticklish rib.
"…and how they took every moment in stride - whether we were eating a breakfast that was barely edible or playing 'the quiet game' for the umpteenth time, so I could play detective, or cuddling up together in the same bed for sleep time. Patrick your influence and love was so clear in them through all of this. I have never been prouder to be your wife… And I have never loved you more."
Jane melted at her words, and rested his cheek tenderly on her shoulder. "Aw shucks… Thank you, love. It's so gratifying and validating to hear that. I poured everything I had into them during those 'stay at home dad' years. And while it was just as exhausting as everyone always claims, I was on cloud nine every single second of it. It was my joy and my honor to have that responsibility to them and to you, my dear Teresa. I will always be so grateful to you for trusting me with their early childhood development. That truly meant more to me than you could ever imagine, that you would trust me that much."
"Of course, I trust you that much, Jane! I've always been in awe of you, when it comes to children. And I'd like to think that I've always been able to see your true heart, love. If I had my pick of anyone in the world to care for them and teach them, I still would have chosen you." Jane was glowing with pride and gratitude, as his wife spoke. "They are growing into extraordinary people, and that in large part is because of the wonderful and masterful start that you have given them. Sweetest Patrick, every day with you reinforces in my mind and heart how right I was to choose you… to fight for us as a couple… to bear with you during the harder times. Saying yes to you has been the highlight of all my life decisions. I love you so dearly, you amazing, loving, brilliant, magical man."
Jane couldn't find words to respond, but his warm tears puddling on her shoulder and the desperate squeeze in his embrace told Lisbon everything she needed to know.
Since everyone was tired from travel and from recent events, Teresa ordered some takeout for dinner.
At the table, Jane leaned over to Lisbon with words of praise for how she had handled being a detective and a negotiator while also being a mom, without passing any of her stresses or fears on to their children. "I have always been in awe of your ability to keep a cool head in stressful situations my dear. You have mentioned your frustration with your own skittishness when it comes to interpersonal or emotional things, but I can't express strongly enough how amazing you are when the heat is truly on, my love. It's riveting to see you in action, cool as a cucumber, seemingly immune to the aggression and snark that gets thrown your way by so many creeps and imbeciles. I was a mess during most of this last incident, but the one thing I knew for sure was that our children were in the best possible hands. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that if anyone could get them home unharmed it was you, Teresa. You are so incredible, love."
Lisbon leaned to the side, and pulled him toward her for a half-hug. "We all really missed you. Brendan even made a song about it."
"Ooh can I sing it for Daddy?" Brendan's little voice chimed in.
"Of course, love! I think that's a wonderful idea!" Lisbon affirmed.
Jane pulled his wife close, and relaxed into his chair as Brendan began to sing. He couldn't hide the emotion in his face as the sweet child-voice danced on the air, telling all the ways that he had been missed. Patrick felt his heart nearly burst at the sounds and words pouring out of his sweet son's love for him. He couldn't remember when he had ever been so amazed by joy and gratitude - both emotions being exponentially amplified in comparison to the depths of sorrow he'd reached in his former life.
Teresa beamed her proudest 'Mom smile' at Brendan as he sang, but grew immediately tearful with her first glance at Patrick's reaction to their son's performance. Thank you, God, for this moment, she prayed. Thank you for healing my love… thank you for filling him with joy… thank you for allowing me to have some small part in bringing that healing and joy to him.
When the song ended, the family applauded and Brendan bowed, with one hand to his tummy and the other stretched out to his side, causing a delighted chuckle from both parents. When all had calmed, Meghan was excited to share her story about the magic water machine and the secret passageway she had discovered.
"Wow! So, you're an explorer and a detective, like Mommy?" Jane asked excitedly, eyes twinkling.
"Yeah!" Meghan was delighted at her new titles. "I think I'll write a story about it! I'll be a superhero detective like Mommy!" That sentence triggered the most admiring look from Patrick to Teresa, followed by a shy but amused glance from her back to him.
Meghan bounded away to get her typewriter.
"Ah ah ah, Meghan!" Jane called out, "What did you forget to do, my dear?"
The girl stopped, turned quickly, and moved her plate and utensils from the table to the counter. "Sorry Daddy," she smiled up at him.
"That's okay, love. Thank you for cleaning up." Jane glowed at his little girl.
Brendan chimed in "I wish I could be a superhero detective."
As Lisbon invited him to sit on her lap, Jane said, "Oh, but you are, sweet Brendan."
"How?" The boy asked, with a questioning expression.
Jane dove into the story of how Brendan's tape recorder helped save the day, presenting the prized toy to his son as he did. "You have such a good and loving heart, Brendan. It knew to leave the recorder on the steps for me to find, even though your mind hadn't figured it out yet." Jane beamed with love and pride as he saw his boy's little face light up.
Lisbon sparkled profusely at her husband's loving words with their son. Truly she couldn't have chosen a more adoring father to share children with. As little Brendan skipped happily to his room - recorder in hand - she wrapped her arms around Jane, and held on tight for the longest time.
With that, Jane and Lisbon helped their two loves get baths, then tucked them into bed with a story each. Lisbon watched through joyful tears as Jane gleefully gave them each an extra-long hug before tucking them in with their nightly blessing. "You are loved. You are safe. And you are wise."
As they quietly closed the door after the last tuck-in, Teresa pulled her husband into a tender embrace. "I think bedtime is my favorite part, Patrick," she hummed.
"Favorite part of what, my dear?"
"My favorite part of being the mother to your children," she smiled. "And hearing you bless them each night with love, safety and wisdom pulls at the deepest reaches of my heart, sweet Patrick. I absolutely adore you. I'll never be able to find the words to explain how much."
"I absolutely adore you as well, lovely Lisbon. And I absolutely understand that sentiment. The love I have for you runs so much deeper than any words could describe."
The two held each other, in their upstairs hallway, for the longest time.
"And Lisbon," Jane rumbled softly in her ear, "bedtime is my favorite part, too." He led her to their bedroom. with smoldering eyes. It was wonderful that they had been reunited and were able to cuddle together at the Abbotts' DC place, but Jane had other things on his mind now that they had the privacy of their own room in their own home.
"Mmm… I see what you mean, gorgeous." Lisbon breathed, completely on the same wavelength.
The bedroom door closed, and the two spent the length of the night reuniting completely. Filling in the empty spaces that had formed during their separation from each other. Expressing all of the affections that they couldn't find words for. Each parched for the other, after their absence from one another. It had never been clearer that they were meant for each other. They had never felt more connected. Never felt more whole.