He woke up, to find Teresa asleep on the cot. He wasn't sure what time it was, although the shadows in the room indicated it must be close to evening.

His stomach rumbled, and he tried to move, but the relentless ache of his wounds cautioned him to be still. The fall he'd taken earlier that day hadn't helped and he suddenly wished for something to help dull the ache. He really didn't do pain at all well.

He turned his head and gazed at Lisbon as everything that had happened that day came flooding back.

She had told him she loved him. She'd broken up with Pike because she loved him. He slowly shook his head. He had convinced himself that Teresa was no longer going to be a part of his life – that she had chosen Pike with whom to build a new life for herself.

As painful as that had been (and as hurt as he had been at her not telling him) he had understood. He had truly wanted the best for her. And the truth was, he'd never honestly believed that she would want him in that way – that she loved him like that.

Oh, he knew she had feelings for him – had known for a long time. But he'd thought she was too wise to let herself fall totally in love with him. Because – he was honest enough to admit – he wasn't the best human being in the world.

But she had told him she loved him – and she'd given up the chance of a happy, normal life for him.

Suddenly, the fear began to overwhelm him and he had trouble breathing.

He loved her – of course he did. He'd loved her for years, although it had come on gradually. For the first few years he hadn't been ready to love anyone – he was too damaged and still grieving for Angela. But slowly, over time, he'd begun to heal – and his feelings of friendship had turned to love.

Teresa was the person who had been with him on his journey – not just his journey for revenge – but his journey back to life.

So, how could he not love her – passionately and totally! He knew that without her his life was meaningless.

For a brief moment today he'd been deliriously happy, on knowing that she felt for him what he felt for her. He was the luckiest man in the world to have won such a beautiful human being.

But now, reality was rearing its ugly head. What had he been thinking? Teresa deserved someone so much better than him. She deserved someone who was good, someone who wasn't scarred and screwed up, someone who could give her all the things she deserved.

She didn't need a man who had little to show for his life, someone who had spent over ten years on a vendetta. She didn't need a man with no education, no real home and little to offer her other than his love and his loyalty.

He closed his eyes and sighed. He lay there in pain – both physical and emotional.

"Here," her soft voice startled him and he opened his eyes, to see her standing by the bed, handing him something and holding a glass of water.

"Your pain medication," she said gently. "You're hurting and you need it."

Part of him wanted to say no – to continue to suffer, since he felt he deserved it. But after a second's hesitation he nodded and took the pills and the water. He downed them quickly and then handed the glass to Teresa and lay back down.

After setting the glass down, Teresa lowered herself to the edge of Jane's bed and stared at him for a few seconds.

"Don't, Jane," she said, finally.

"Don't what?" he frowned, although he was pretty sure he knew what she was going to say.

"You're getting all worked up and are worried about us and about what's going to happen."

"Mmm," he shrugged, not wanting to agree, but knowing she'd catch him in a lie.

"I get it – this is new, and I'm scared too. But Jane – I love you, and I'm not going anywhere."

"What if you – change your mind," he asked softly, his doubts rising to the surface. "What if you decide Pike's a better deal? He's a good guy – honest, hardworking - with a future. Me – I'm," he shrugged again.

Her eyebrow went up and she stared at him for a second and then she shook her head. "You're – what?"

"Not a very good deal," he admitted, softly. "I'm practically indentured to the FBI, I don't have an education, or anything to show for my life. I spent most of my life conning people until I lost my family and then I spent the next 10 years obsessed with vengeance. I've lied to you, tricked you and done a hundred other things to hurt you. I've left you and yet always expected you'd take me back without complaint."

She chuckled at that and reached out and gently put her hands through his hair. "Jane – I think you're a great deal – and believe me, I know exactly what I'm getting with you." She paused again and then looked at him tenderly. "I'm getting a kind man – an honorable man. I'm getting someone who hates injustice and always looks out for the innocent and vulnerable. I'm getting someone who doesn't suffer fools at all and isn't afraid to say the truth. I'm getting someone who makes me laugh, who brings wonder to my world, who shows me things I normally wouldn't see. And I'm getting someone who loves me – with all my faults – and who I know will always be there to save me. I can't imagine finding a better deal anywhere. And I'm not going back to Marcus. It's over and we both know it was a mistake. I chose to stay with you."

He tried to take a deep breath, but it was shaky – not because of the pain he was in, but because he was overwhelmed by her words.

"Teresa," he finally said, softly. He reached out and she took his hand in hers.

"So, are you going to stop this nonsense and just relax? We have plenty of time to figure things out."

"You're sure?" he managed to ask.

She nodded. "Yes, I'm sure." There was a brief pause, and she looked rather uncertain. "But what about you, Jane. I know – I mean, I know you said you loved me, but – are you, do you -", she stopped, and sighed and put her hand through her hair.

"Tell me," he urged, gently.

"I know how much you loved your wife," she told him, speaking quickly. Biting her lip, she paused again. "I don't expect you to feel for me, what you did for her," she stopped again and then with a breath continued. "I just – I'll understand if you can't ever love me the way you did her."

Talking about his feelings – about his love for Angela, and now his love for Teresa, wasn't something that came easily to him. After his mother had died, his father had taught him to hide his true feelings – to never let anyone into his thoughts. He'd learned the lesson well and rarely, if ever, was honest about how he felt.

Except he had been with Angela. He had trusted her completely, and he had let her in to his mind and, more importantly, into his heart. But he'd lost her – and after that he'd closed off, even more, to people around him. There was no way he would ever open himself up again – because that way led to the potential for more hurt, more pain.

But slowly, over time, he'd opened himself up to Teresa. Like Angela, she was someone he knew he could trust completely. But now the question was – could he tear down the protective walls around his heart and welcome in Teresa, fully and completely.

Now was the moment of truth. He could go forward, or he could go back. He could let fear make the choice, or love.

He looked once more at Teresa, whose face was frozen, still waiting for his answer. He knew that she had armored herself and her emotions, waiting for his possible rejection. He could easily tell her that Angela still had most of his heart and that he wasn't ready for love. It would be the easy way out, the cowardly way out.

But it wasn't true. Oh- he did still love Angela, and he always would. But she was gone – had been gone for a long time. And the heart did heal and could open itself to love. And he loved Teresa – with every part of himself, he loved her.

And now he had to make the decision: move forward, or end it now.

He closed his eyes, imagining his life if he said no to her now. He knew it would be a lonely one, a desolate one. He would go on, but it would be a half-life, with no hope and little joy. He would let fear take away any possibility of happiness.

And then he imagined if he told her how he felt about her, that she was everything to him. He would have a life with the potential for happiness, and companionship – but he would probably spend every moment of every day afraid that it could come crashing down.

Which life was better?

Jane slowly opened his eyes and looked at the woman he loved more than any other living human being. Although it had felt like a long time, he knew that only a couple of minutes passed since Teresa had asked her question. For her it must have seemed interminable as she waited for his answer.

He swallowed, knowing this moment would change his life forever.

He took another shaky breath and began to speak.

"Yes, I loved Angela," he told her. "She was the best thing that had happened to me and we had a good life together," he told her. "Then, when Charlotte came along, I knew I was the luckiest man in the world." He paused and licked his lips. He was no longer looking at Teresa, but had his eyes focused on his hands.

"But – as happy as we were, it wasn't perfect," he admitted. "She didn't like what I did, and wanted me to change – to do something worthwhile. But I didn't listen to her. I was more concerned about prestige and wealth than I was about my own family. In my arrogance I thought I knew best." He stopped and finally looked up, a crooked smile on his face. "You know how that turned out."

"Oh Jane," she said softly.

"I knew, after that, that I didn't deserve to love or be loved, and I knew I could never chance losing someone. I couldn't – can't live through that again."

"Jane," she said again, although this time she closed her eyes, looking lost and sad, sure now that there was no hope for them.

"I was also sure that I could never love anyone as much as I had loved Angela," he continued, softly. When she didn't look up, or say anything, he continued.

"I was wrong."

That did cause her to look up – her eyes wide with a glimmer of hope.

"Meeting you – having you give me something to do, bringing some purpose to my life meant the world. I don't know if you realize how you changed my life, that day you asked me to help find Winston Dellinger's murderer. That was the day that I started to heal, although it took years to get to a point where I could open myself up to loving someone again. But I have, Teresa," he said, so softly she could barely hear. "I'll always have scars, and I'll never stop loving Angela and Charlotte – but they're gone now, they're my past."

He gave her a crooked grin, although his eyes were shining with unshed tears. "And I discovered – that I can love someone as deeply as I loved her, and I do. Angela was my first love – but you're my present and future love – if you'll have me."

Teresa smiled as the tears rolled down her cheeks. She leaned into him and laid her head on his chest. "Of course I'll have you, you silly man. Isn't that what I've been saying?"

He laid his hand on the back of her head and allowed himself to feel happy. He knew the fears would be back – but he had committed to this, to her – and he was going to allow himself to live and love again, with Teresa by his side.

"It is indeed, Teresa," he said, as he leaned down and kissed her head. "I guess it's time I listened to you."

"Damn right, Jane," she smiled. "Damn right!"