The afternoon breeze breathed lightly across Patrick's face as he stepped out of the car. The sun shone brightly and the day was comfortably warm. Teresa got out on the driver's side and met his gaze. She offered him a small smile and he answered with one of his own. He moved to get the baby out of the back seat. She grabbed the daiper bag and tossed the car door shut. They weren't going far but bringing the bag was already a deeply ingrained habit. She lifted her face toward the sunshine, closed her eyes and let herself soak it in. Patrick's footsteps crunched across the gravel and she opened her eyes to see him standing next to her with a very smilely baby boy. She grinned at her son and couldn't resist placing a kiss on his chubby cheek.

"Such a happy guy today" Patrick said, bouncing him lightly. Then he looked at Teresa with a slightly more sober expression.

"You ok?" She asked him.

He nodded and walked forward onto the grass. Teresa followed closely until they were standing side by side before two familiar graves.

For a moment there was awkward silence. Patrick didn't seem to know what to say or why he had brought his family there. Teresa dropped her bag and sat down in the grass. He looked down at her.

"Come on." She said, patting the spot next to her. He sat down crosslegged, holding Martin in his lap.

The awkwardness quickly dissolved into a comfortable quiet. Martin babbled happily and gummed the little toy that Patrick held for him. He drooled all over it and his dad's hand.

Teresa slipped her arm through Patrick's and put her head against his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and then their baby's fuzzy head. He heaved a little sigh and closed his eyes. Soft breeze whispered in the tree above them. Birdsong faded in and out. A woodpecker sounded not far off and a sprinkler hissed and clicked. In a distant part of the cemetary, a mower droned. Martin's little voice continued its staccato cooing. He unsteadily grabbed at the toy and lurched suddenly back against Patrick's chest. Patrick laughed in surprise. Teresa smiled.

After a little while Patrick indicated he wanted to move and Teresa let go of his arm. He scooted up close to Charlotte's headstone. Teresa watched as he took Martin's little hand in his and traced it along each letter of his daughter's name. When they finished, he hunched over so his face was even with his son's. The baby was still happily drooling all over his toy.

"Your sister, Charlotte." Patrick said.

Instinctively Teresa reached toward the gold ring she wore against her sternum. Tears welled in her eyes as she turned it lightly between her fingers.

The birds chirped and the wind sighed.

Patrick turned back toward his wife. He saw tear streaks on her face but her smile was contagious.

He grinned, stood and pulled her to her feet. He shifted the baby to one arm and pulled her close with the other. She leaned into his chest and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

They stood like that for a bit longer, just looking down at Angela and Charlotte's names.

"You ready?" Patrick finally asked.

She nodded. "Let's go home."

.


This was supposed to be a whole other thing but then just became this simple little moment. Also I don't know why, but Martin just seems like a Patrick Jane's son kinda name and it makes me smile.

The inspiration for this comes from the first line of a song called "Blood Red Sentimental Blues" by Cotton Jones. It goes "I just thought I'd tell you all the demons have been slain." And something about the simpleness of that line really gets me right in the heart. I hope you enjoyed.