A/N: Okay guys, this is the last chapter, buckle up for some fluff!

Apologies to those who wanted Emily to reappear in this story, I know I said she would but I couldn't figure a way of dropping her in naturally and wanted to finish this before people got bored.

Chapter 24 – The Future

As Lisbon drove them back to their hotel after dinner Jane looked out the window. 'Well, I'd say that was a success. Not a tear shed or a drop of blood spilt.'

'Better than most of my family reunions' Lisbon laughed.

It had gone better than he had expected. There was talk of the wedding and he enjoyed embarrassing Lisbon at every turn about it being in a vast cathedral, to a sailboat, to a hot air balloon. His father had regaled them with how he had proposed to Hannah, a tale that involved a horse driven carriage but where the horse had severe flatulence that made them abandon it and he ended up proposing to her on the street. He watched as his father turned into full storyteller mode, a part of the old showman still there. Jane had inherited those genes certainly. Aisling had played a tune on the flute for them after dinner. She was really quite remarkable he decided but that may have been the big brother in him suddenly coming out. He looked forward to her visiting them and getting to know his sister better. His father and he had shook hands at the door, a better understanding having passed between them.

He chuckled beside her, sighing contentedly, turning to study her. He grinned as he saw the ring on her left hand. 'They like you.'

She nodded, stealing a glance. 'And why wouldn't they? I'm pretty great' she smiled, teasing him.

'Yes, you are' he replied softly, sincerity in his tone.

Even in the dark he knew she was blushing.

'So, are you going to tell me about those plans of yours, Agent Lisbon?' Jane asked as he got into bed beside her.

She pulled the covers over them both and turned to her side to face him. He dropped a kiss to her nose. 'Spill.'

'Okay. Well, it's a few things really. A few ideas. First is about us leaving the FBI-'

'Teresa, I've told you I'm going to be better with that whole thing-'

'Let me finish' she warned him, her eyes narrowing.

He sighed, 'Okay. No more interrupting. Go ahead.'

'Well, I should say first that I don't want to leave the FBI.' She saw him about to say something and she shot him a glare. He rolled his eyes and nodded.

'I don't want to leave the FBI. But...I talked to Abbott earlier this evening-'

'When?'

It was her turn to roll her eyes. 'When you were talking to Aisling. Now, if you're going to jump in at everything I say I'll never get through this.'

He made a gesture that he was locking his lips.

'I was asking him about team leader positions. What I would need to do to be one.' She saw the anxiety cross his face at the thought of her being in what was only an extension of the job she already did. 'In the training division.' She let the words sit for a moment for him to digest.

'Quantico?' he confirmed.

She nodded. 'Yeah. They don't just train rookies there. There are a number of training programs, driving skills, firearms training, tactical, survival Skills, intelligence gathering. And so on. They even train other Law Enforcement in Leadership skills. I don't want to leave Law Enforcement but I thought...it would be a good compromise.'

His words came out hoarsely, 'You'd...you'd do that for me?'

She smiled. 'For us. Besides, it's not a desk job. Well, not all of the time. I'd still be able to shoot people, even if it is with blanks. And kick people's butts when I had to. You know I've missed being a boss. Being able to help people become better agents like Cho has. I think I'd be good at it.'

'You'd be great at it. Abbott agreed?'

'He said he'd recommend me. There's some training involved and may take a little while for the paperwork to go through but he said they'd be lucky to have me.'

'Well, of course they would.'

'He said he'd recommend you too, if you wanted to do that but...I have another idea if you're really tired of Law Enforcement on a full time basis.'

Jane propped an elbow under his head and smiled, his heart already singing that Lisbon would be away from field work in the near future. 'Oh?'

'Well...I've been thinking about us and...our future...once we're married.' She bit her bottom lip. Jane nodded, encouraging her. 'Well...we've never really talked about having a child.'

He swallowed a lump in his throat. He knew by proposing this question would undoubtedly come up between them. He wasn't entirely sure of how comfortable he was with it nonetheless but if it was something she wanted then he would try to be - for her. 'You want to have a child?' he asked softly.

She shook her head and he frowned in return.

She took a deep breath. 'I'm a little too old in the tooth to be starting a family at my age-'

'Women your age have children, Teresa, all the time-'

'I know and you're right, they do. And...for them maybe that's the right thing, it's what they want.'

'But you don't. You don't want to be a mother.'

'I didn't say that. At least not in the traditional sense. I thought...well...there are a lot of older kids in the system. Foster kids. I thought that we could be foster parents. We've both had rough childhoods. I think we'd understand some of what these kids go through with their real parents. I think we could help them-'

She was interrupted by Jane kissing her fiercely.

As his lips left hers she laughed, 'I take it you think it's a good idea then, huh?'

His eyes were moist and he took a breath. 'I think it's the best idea I've ever heard. And I'm guessing that's what my role would be. House husband keeping a band of unruly pre teen and teenagers in line.'

'Well I don't think we'd get a house full of them right away but...if everything's good with the first one then...who knows I guess. And, you could work part time in Quantico, keep that brain of yours alive and get yourself a roomful of rookies to impress some of the time.'

He laughed before becoming serious. 'You know you say goodbye to foster kids. They don't stay forever. You think you'd be okay with that?'

'I do. I've spoken to some foster parents-'

'Huh?'

'Well, I've been thinking about all of this for a few weeks. I didn't know we were going to get engaged as soon as we did but I've been looking at it just in case. I went onto to some forums and, as long as we do a good job then that's what matters. We can cope with a few tears after they go. We've both coped with much worse. Better that than wanting them to leave. It's hard work, no doubt about that. But rewarding too.'

The more he thought about the idea the more excited he got by the prospect. 'Just one question-'

'No. You're not allowed to teach them how to pickpocket. That'll probably be why some of them will be with us in the first place.'

He grinned and kissed her again. 'What about my shady past? Might get in the way of the application.'

'You don't have any charges pending. Abbott said he'd sponsor or do whatever needed to be done to help matters along. It's not like adopting, there aren't as many hurdles to go through.'

'You really have been a chatty Cathy this evening, haven't you?'

'You think you're the only one who can form secret plans? I've learned a lot from you over the years, Patrick Jane.'

He pulled her close and began to chuckle.

'What?' she laughed.

'Well, for all of my brilliant plans over the years I think you've just topped them all, my dear.'

'There's one more thing' she said after a moment.

'I don't know how much more I can take tonight, Teresa. We've just planned on a complete change to our lives within two minutes. Okay then, my little plotter, what now?'

She dug him in the ribs for the 'little' remark. 'When we get married I want to go on honeymoon.'

'Well...naturally Teresa, that's what one does.'

She rolled her eyes. 'God, you never tire of interrupting me, do you? Anyway, I was about to say that while I'm waiting for my transfer to Quantico and we're waiting on our fostering application to go through then we should take some time off. Do some of the things you'd like to do for a few months.'

'Sail around the world?' he grinned.

'Oh please, not that. But some travelling, sure.'

'Okay then, so where would you like to go?'

'Europe to start with. Never been. Maybe we could look up our ancestors in Ireland to begin with.'

'We'd probably find out that one of yours arrested one of mine.'

She laughed, 'No doubt. Anyway, there and maybe Florence, it's supposed to be beautiful, Paris of course-'

'Lisbon'

'What?'

'No. Lisbon, Portugal. We have to visit your namesake on our tour of Europe.'

She grinned. 'Okay then.'

'You know where I've always wanted to visit?' Jane asked.

'Where?'

'Australia. Great scenery and wildlife. Might even try my hand at surfing.'

'You? Surf? Yeah, right.'

'Who knows, I might be a natural. And I can put on a stunningly good Australian accent.'

'Really? I've never heard you do it.'

- THE END -

A/N: Okay folks, another one bites the dust. Couldn't resist finishing on some silliness. Hope you liked the ending. Thank you all so much for all the wonderful reviews and words of support throughout.

BTW For those that don't already know I have a new fic called 'Missing' out at the moment. It's pretty angsty (for a while) but will have brighter moments if you can get through the rough beginning. Check it out, it might appeal to you or it may not!