Author's note: okay, I'm a bit nervous about this... just let me know what you think of it...

Watching over you

Weariness finally overcame her and she collapsed to the ground.

Her team was never going to find her in time. She might as well curl herself into a ball and surrender to death.

Still she clutched her wound in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding.

She didn't want to die. Not as much for her own sake – well, even that of course – as for Jane's.

Losing another wife would surely kill him.

Damn her and her confidence that she could chase a murderer into the woods all by herself. And now here she was, in what was probably the loneliest spot of California – no signal, no traveled route, nothing at all – bleeding to death while her team was at least ten miles away.

How very smart of you, agent Lisbon…

It didn't help that the bastard was lying dead somewhere in the same wood. What difference would this make when she might follow him at any moment now?

She felt so exhausted that her eyes shut almost of their own accord.

"Don't do this, Teresa. You have to stay awake."

Sheer astonishment prompted her to struggle with her heavy eyelids. She wasn't alone after all. Maybe she could still have a chance.

Everything was just a blur for a moment, then she could finally make out the silhouette of the woman standing above her.

"Help me, please."

The stranger kneeled beside her and laid a reassuring hand on her arm. "Hold on, Teresa. It won't take long for them to find you. Just don't give up yet."

"How do you know my name?"

"Don't talk. You're too weak for that. Breathe slowly – in and out. Okay. They're almost here now."

She took a good look at the woman – long chestnut hair hanging loose about her shoulders, hazel eyes staring at her with warm kindness.

"Who are you?"

A smile showed on that regular features. "Your guardian angel, maybe."

"Am I going to die?"

"You're a fighter, Teresa. I'm sure you'll make it through."

"But…"

"Hush. Don't waste your precious breath."

A gentle finger pressed briefly on her lips. Then she heard someone calling her name.

She closed her eyes just for a moment – only to find the woman gone when she opened them again.

A few seconds later Cho showed at the further side of the clearing, immediately followed by Rigsby and Van Pelt.

Teresa heaved a sigh of relief before finally passing out.

...

When she woke up later at the hospital – the glee in her husband's eyes so obvious it almost made her cry – she wondered for a moment whether she should tell him or not.

She felt too tired to do it right now. Perhaps she would think about it later.

What she really wanted to do was holding Patrick's hand. All the rest could wait.