A/N: This is it then! Thank you for joining the ride and I truly hope that you enjoyed the story. Happy holidays!

Chapter 11.

Jane was sitting on his bed leafing through his paperwork that Cho had picked up for him from his house. He really needed to get his house sold as there was no way he could live there now, but he needed to talk to Lisbon first as he was hoping he could stay with her until he found a new place. He knew he was nervously fidgeting with the paperwork, the thoughts merrily going around in his head, but he couldn't help it. Today he had agreed to talk about his injuries and his experience in that basement with the psychologist and he wanted to ask Lisbon to come with him. Partly to avoid repeating himself, partly to have someone know what went on who could explain it to the team, but mainly because he was desperate for her solid presence, someone to anchor him to this reality so that he wouldn't become trapped in his nightmare of a memory.

It had been agreed with all the doctors treating him that if things went reasonably well, he would stay for the night and then be discharged tomorrow. All out patient appointments were already booked and sorted, as well as his paperwork that just needed his signature.

Jane was relieved that he was getting out. He was getting twitchy and inpatient and although he was worried about entering the outside world again, he was confident that Lisbon would help him. He just wished he could somehow show how important she was to him. He smiled to himself, he had been sneakily touching her more, in a very innocent manner mind you, but she had seem to welcome the contact and he was thrilled. Maybe showing her how much he cared about her, would be a start in paying back all the things she had done for him.

Minelli had also dropped in to Jane's relief and they had had a good chat about his future in CBI. Minelli had told him that he would be on paid sick leave for another month and then if he felt like it, he was welcome to come back as a consultant. Jane had hesitantly asked if it would be all right for him to stay in the office more and not to interact with the suspects directly, at least to start with and Minelli had been very receptive to the idea. He had left leaving Jane positive about his future although he was sure that Minelli was more relieved to have him causing less trouble with suspects and witnesses than before. All practical details were falling into place, now if he could just get this house sold off.

Jane gave a frustrated huff and dropped the papers. Maybe he could forget about the coming meeting if he slipped off to the pediatric ward. To the delight of the young patients, he had been entertaining them with tricks and he was loved by the staff and patients alike. Jane claimed that he went there to practice his arm and shoulder, but the nurses and himself knew that he genuinely wanted to brighten up the children's day. He was also distantly aware that this was something he might have not done before in an attempt to not think about his lovely daughter, but he had found that the memories of his daughter and wife didn't produce such anger and blinding vengeance as before. He still felt the grief and sadness, but he could deal with that.

Jane carefully took himself out of his room, giving a heads up to the nurses where he was going to be and took off to see if he could delight some children.

XXX

Lisbon arrived to Jane's room to find it empty. She stood there for a while, burrowing her forehead, until a nurse called out in passing that Jane had gone to the children's ward. Lisbon relaxed as she was still hypersensitive whenever Jane wasn't where he was suppose to be. Lisbon sat down in the chair and thought about how good it was to see Jane interacting with children. He had found out that he wasn't freaked out by them even if they climbed to sit in his lap or were tugging his sleeves, so he was happy to keep them company.

She didn't have to wait for long for Jane to turn up, a wide smile lighting up his face when he saw her. Lisbon couldn't help but smile back at him. Jane came to her and gently hugged her as had become his habit of greeting her and she hugged him back. She was careful to follow his lead as she didn't want to cause any more problems for him and her jumping him would be counted as a problem.

"Teresa, I have two favours to ask", Jane started hesitantly sitting down on his bed. Lisbon sat down next to him trying to peer at his face while he stared at the floor.

"Go on", Lisbon encouraged him wondering what he might need, but at the same time having already decided that she would do whatever he wanted.

"I'm going to put my house up for sale, but need to stay somewhere in the mean time. Could I stay with you?", Jane asked looking at her hopefully. To his relief Lisbon broke out in a smile and replied, " That was the plan to start with. I'm going to come and pick you up tomorrow and you will stay with me as long as you want".

Jane looked happy for that answer but then became hesitant, which was still startling Lisbon as hesitant Jane wasn't something she was used to seeing.

"Could you come with me to the psychologist's session today?", he asked quietly, almost pleading with his eyes for her to answer yes. Lisbon was deeply touched that he trusted her so much that he was comfortable to have her there while he was opening up about his traumatic experience.

Lisbon took hold of Jane's hand stroking the knuckles and said, "If you want me there, I will be there".

XXX

The session had been difficult, Jane breaking down in tears many times while going through his nightmare as well as realising the extent of his injuries for the first time. Lisbon had sat next to him, holding his hand and holding him while he cried, fighting back her own tears and the fury she felt while helplessly listening to what had taken place. But they managed to get through it and Jane was calm, although emotionally and physically spent afterwards. Jane was lying down in the bed while Lisbon was sitting next to him, absent mindedly stroking his hair while lost in thought how close she had come loosing him.

All of the sudden she felt Jane gently stopping her hand and pressing a kiss on to her palm and when she looked down at him in surprise, Jane was looking up at her with an expression that she hadn't seen on his face before.

"Is this all right?", Jane asked and pressed another kiss, this time on her wrist. Lisbon blushed and felt all tingly all of the sudden as in her mind she was doing a little happy dance.

"Yes", she whispered and was met by Jane's beautiful eyes when he sat up, staying very close to her while looking straight into her soul as only Jane could. They were already almost nose to nose, when Jane leaned a bit more forward and gently kissed her pulling back again gauging her reaction, which didn't disappoint him. With dark eyes Lisbon moved to close the short distance and tried to pour into the kiss all her feelings and was rewarded in turn by the avalanche of Jane's emotions.

They stayed in their own cocoon of a world until they were interrupted by a grinning nurse telling Lisbon that the visiting time was over. Lisbon leaned her forehead against Jane's and murmured, "I better go".

Jane held onto her for a moment longer and then let her go. This had been waiting to happen so neither of them were surprised or feeling awkward, they felt content. Lisbon promised to come back the next morning to take him home and he fell asleep dreaming of Lisbon.

XXX

The night had gone well, Jane not waking up in terror and he hadn't had any panic attacks either so the doctor's were happy to discharge him to Lisbon's care. She was finalising some of the paperwork while Jane was getting dressed and getting his things together.

"It's such a great joy to see Mr. Jane going home feeling so well", one of the nurses was gushing at Lisbon.

"He's so lucky to have people who care about him as much as you do. Too bad that his brother couldn't bring himself to go in and visit him", the nurse continued shaking her head.

Lisbon's head shot up, while her hand froze.

"Jane doesn't have a brother. What are you talking about?", she asked feeling the all familiar dread creeping back to her belly.

"A man, who said that he was Mr. Jane's estranged brother, has come in every week to see how he's doing without visiting him as he said he doesn't want to cause any more emotional trauma before he's sure that Mr. Jane is ready to talk to him", the nurse answered baffled and now alarmed when she saw Lisbon's face. Lisbon took her mobile out and numbly noticed that her hands were shaking.

"Cho, Red John has been here masquerading as Jane's brother. We need all the surveillance tapes and I want a 24 h protection for Jane", Lisbon explained and was relieved to have such a wonderful team when Cho promised to sort things out immediately.

Lisbon walked back to Jane's room and he could tell straight away that something had happened and his smile slipped.

"What is it, Teresa?", he asked worried.

"Red John has been here pretending to be your brother to get information of your condition", Lisbon explained truthfully. Jane seemed torn, he didn't know what to think of the situation.

"I don't want to put you in any danger. I can stay at a hotel", Jane said in the end looking defeated. Lisbon stepped to him and hugged him close.

"The only place where you are going is my place, is that clear?", she said to his chest, managing to sound her normal bossy self even when her face was pressed against his shirt. Jane was amused by the fierce protectiveness of Lisbon, but then he should have known better. He was part of her family now and she was known to look after her own.

A mobile started ringing and Lisbon reluctantly let Jane go to answer it. To her concern it was from an unknown number.

"Lisbon", she answered.

"Agent Lisbon, what a pleasure to speak to you again. I'm glad you found Mr. Jane in time", a soft, familiar voice reached her ears.

"What do you want?", she angrily asked.

"Oh, nothing really. I though that you might want to know that I have been keeping an eye on Mr. Jane and it seems that he genuinely has changed and as such is less of a worthy opponent for me. I won't bother him. For now.", and the line went dead.

Jane looked at Lisbon worriedly, he could guess who she had talked to and was worried what had been said. Lisbon turned to him, looking confused.

"He said that because you have changed that you are not a worthy opponent any more and he won't bother you", she explained to Jane.

"I wouldn't believe that", Jane said quietly.

"Neither would I, so we just have to keep our eyes open. But I have arranged a 24 hour surveillance for my flat for now", Lisbon continued.

"Does that mean that we have to behave all prim and proper?", Jane pouted while wrapping his arms around Lisbon's waist and kissing her gently, to which Lisbon whacked his arm trying to get him to be serious. Some things never changed.

XXX

He was watching them getting out of the car and walking slowly in to Lisbon's flat. He might believe that Jane was truly a changed man, but he would keep an eye on him and act accordingly if it seemed that he had been lying. He smiled to himself, maybe the best of games was still ahead.

The end