Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Mentalist' or any of the characters from 'The Mentalist.' If I did own them, Jane would be living with Lisbon and they would be kissing in every episode.
One Year and Ten Months Prior:
"Agent Lisbon, you and your team will be going to the hospital to investigate the mysterious deaths of several psychiatric patients. I am warning you now to control your consultant or else, Lisbon. We don't need any complaints from the hospital about him," orders Minelli.
"Yes, sir. I'll make sure he behaves himself," answers Lisbon before she turns to leave his office to tell her team about their new case.
"One more thing, Lisbon. There is already a person of interest in this case, who I am sure you remember, a Doctor Sophie Miller. I want you to make sure that this will not be a problem for Jane. If it is, you know what to do."
"Yes sir, I will handle it," she states as she finally leaves Minelli's office, her voice tightly controlled so as to not give away her thoughts on dealing with Dr. Miller again. She is so lost in her thoughts and the file that she walks right into one of the people she is thinking about, though her thoughts are rarely off of him.
Patrick Jane quickly grabs a hold of Lisbon to keep her from hitting the floor after she runs into him. Concerned, he asks, "Are you okay, Lisbon? Is it the new case Minelli called you into his office for?"
Looking up and seeing the concern in his green eyes, causes Lisbon to smile slightly. "I'm fine. The new case is a cause for concern though. Someone is killing psychiatric patients while they are locked in their rooms."
"Oh," says Jane, his face completely blank. His mind in turmoil as his memories of the time he spent in the hospital play like a movie he can't turn off.
"Jane, that is not all that has me concerned about this case. Besides all the victims being in the hospital, they were also all in the same ward and they were all being treated by the same doctor," her voice soft with concern for her consultant.
He forces a grin onto his face, "Oh really? I would guess from your concern that I know this doctor and that they are a person of interest in this case. I would also guess that since I know this doctor and the victims are psychiatric patients that the doctor in question is one Dr. Sophie Miller."
Lisbon watches him closely as she asks, "Will this be a problem? If you don't think you can do this, it would be okay for you to sit this case out."
"I'll be fine," he says before turning away from her, walking back down the hall to the team's office area and his couch.