'Turning over a new leaf.'

'Moving on.'

'New Year.'

There seemed to be a theme, every New Year. It made sense, of course. As one season draws to a close, you think about what happened during it and reflect on the good and bad, the ups and downs. You realize that there seemed to be more bads than goods and more downs than ups, even though you'd promised yourself last year it would be different. Then you had sat around in paradise and done nothing despite your firm repetitions that you were moving on with your life.

Those last two were probably not so common, now that Jane thought about it. No, those were probably mostly unique to him. Especially the last one.

But he'd come back, had realized he had to, and he'd gotten the charges revoked and he had a new life (again) and Red John was gone and Lisbon was back and…

You know, this year he reallywas turning over a new leaf. This year he really did have a new life.

He had a whole entire year to look forward to, actually.

A whole year to tease— "work with"— a whole new team. A whole year of breaking in his new couch. A whole year of being with Lisbon, personally, back actually with her…

He was repeating himself.

Anyway.

This year was going to be different. Better.

It couldn't possibly be anything less.

Not if Patrick Jane had anything to say about it.


A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! Just wanted to dash this little one off real quick, before 2014 gets here. (mostly because one of my resolutions is working on my novel before fanfiction) I view this one as...well, I dunno, after a happy Christmas spent with Lisbon, like in hardly loquacious' fic Making Yuletide Bright. (read it if you haven't) that's also where the couch comes from. that and the Mentalist wouldn't be The Mentalist without Jane and a couch. new year, new couch. it fits.

Again, happy new year!