I do not own The Mentalist. Not a single word. Dang.

AN: I am truly overwhelmed by the response to my Season 8 suggestions but I realize it's only an indicator of just how much we all miss our show. I thank each and every one of you for your kind and generous responses to this piece. While I would love to see this season play out in detail, sadly I do not have the amount of writing time available to do one whole episode, let alone all of them. If anyone wants to take a shot at writing any of these episodes in full, please be my guest. I'd love to read your version.

In the meantime, I'll be adding a "Sneak Peek" for each episode, as I find time to write (my schedule is kind of crazy right now. I'm three pages behind just "reading" fanfic.)

I'm going to write these in my own weird made up script format (ff won't accept Final Draft format) because in a sneak peek, we get snippets of various scenes, not sequential and not necessarily related, and I think a script format will work best for that. Please humor me and try and imagine you're seeing these scenes as a sneak peek for the episode. (Scenes won't necessarily follow) For those not accustomed to reading scripts, you'll get the hang of it. (V.O.) means voice over, for instance, which means you only hear the character's voice without seeing them on screen.

To those who are used to reading correct script format, I apologize. (I tried to do it in Final Draft and copy and paste, which was a no go, and there's no tab on the ff toolbar)

Thanks for your patience. After all that yammering, here's my attempt at the first one.

8.01 The Mentalist

Brown Out

A terrorist(?) group with ties to Austin nearly succeeds in knocking out a major portion of the western US grid, and Cho's team is called in to help with the investigation. Lisbon and Jane reveal their baby news to the team. Jane encounters some problems with the remodel.

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INT. AUSTIN FBI HEADQUARTERS - DAY

The team, consisting of CHO, WYLIE, LISBON, JANE, and new agents KAY BRANCH (35) a seasoned, tough cop, and LIAM RAMOS (30) macho but smart, sit around the conference room table. We see two suspects sitting in the interrogation room across the bullpen.

CHO: These guys are good. Very nearly pulled this off. One more step and millions of people all over the southwest would have been without power for days. We need to find out who put them up to this. They're not talking - all lawyered up. What do we have so far?

WYLIE: (perplexed) I can't find anything to link them to Middle East terrorism groups. Or homegrown terrorist groups for that matter.

JANE: These guys are smart, right?

RAMOS: Definitely.

JANE: So why didn't they finish the job? Why would people with such sophistication start something like this, get so close, and not finish it?

BRANCH: (annoyed with Jane) We stopped them, that's why.

LISBON: (annoyed with Branch) We got an anonymous tip with an hour to spare, and then we stopped them.

There is a moment of silence. Jane rubs his fingers together in thought.

JANE: This has been all over the news, right?

RAMOS: Yeah, we came off pretty well actually. (in fake news reporter voice) "FBI Saves Western US from Darkness."

JANE: (thoughtfully) Who are the major solar energy dealers in this area?

Wylie starts pecking away at his LAPTOP.

BRANCH: Oh surely you don't think somebody would-

WYLIE: -Looks like there are four.

JANE: Any of them new to the Southwest market?

Wylie types some more.

WYLIE: Just one. Sun Gatherers, Inc. Headquartered in Ft. Worth.

BRANCH: (incredulous) I can't believe you're-

JANE: -Lisbon and I need to go talk to these people. (with amusement) Sun gatherers, eh?

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EXT. WAREHOUSE GROUNDS - DAY

A SWAT TEAM readies themselves at their vehicles before breeching a warehouse. Cho is in charge, and he positions his people. Lisbon puts on her BULLETPROOF VEST and then hurries over into nearby bushes to VOMIT. She quickly returns to the group hoping nobody notices, but Cho sees all.

CHO: You're sick. You need to go home.

LISBON: I'm fine.

Cho sighs, but says no more. He gives the signal and the team begins its assault on the warehouse. An anxious Jane waits at the FBI vehicles, and notes with satisfaction that Lisbon does not go in the first wave of the group's invasion.

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INT. AUSTIN FBI HEADQUARTERS - DAY

Cho walks into the bullpen, finds Lisbon at her desk. Jane lounges on his couch, one eye open.

CHO: Lisbon, can I talk to you?

Jane pops up to sit on the couch and Wylie takes note as well.

LISBON: Sure.

Smiling, Lisbon awaits what Cho has to say.

CHO: In my office.

LISBON: (with new seriousness) Oh.

Lisbon and Cho go into his office, and Cho closes the door. A nosy Jane and Wylie stand and look across the office through several glass panels, watching.

Cho says something to Lisbon, and she replies. Cho's face lights up with surprise, and then he laughs and hugs her.

Back in the bullpen, Jane looks pleased as punch, and Wylie looks confused. A beaming Jane turns to Wylie to enlighten him.

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INT. JANES' CABIN - NIGHT

Lisbon sits at their makeshift dining table, reading. The scant remnants of a takeout dinner sit on the table in front of her. Jane, dressed in jeans and a rumpled work shirt, sits on the floor, putting screws into the back of kitchen cabinets with a power drill.

LISBON: You know, you don't have to get everything done tonight.

Jane turns to her, drill in hand.

JANE: (with emphasis) M'dear, our own little addition has compressed my time schedule, and I am determined that our home will be ready. If you want me to continue to consult on some cases, night work here will be a necessity.

Jane turns back to the cabinets, and the DRILL WHINES as he buries another screw. He revs the motor to start the next one, when the lights dim and then go out. Everything is PITCH BLACK.

In the dark, there are FOOTSTEPS and a CRASH.

JANE: Owwww.

The LIGHT of a flashlight appears and illuminates a FUSE BOX. Jane peers at the box, and fiddles with the switches.

JANE: (CONT'D) This wiring is ancient. (discovering something) Damn. The big fuse is shot. Can't handle power tools, it appears.

LISBON: You need to call Jimmy and have him come down here and help rewire this place. We don't want it to burn down.

JANE: Hmm. Maybe. (beat) But not tonight. We don't have any more replacement fuses. I'll have to make a trip to town. Home Depot will still be open, will it not?

LISBON: Let's just go to bed. You can get them tomorrow.

JANE: Uhh. Teresa. Hot morning showers?

LISBON: We can shower in the Airstream.

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INT. JANES' CABIN BEDROOM - NIGHT

Bedsprings CREAK as Jane and Lisbon crawl into bed by the light of a flashlight. Lisbon wears an oversized short sleeve T shirt, but Jane wears a full long sleeve set of navy pajamas. Jane flips off the flashlight, and they lie in darkness.

LISBON: (V.O.) You need to get rid of those pajamas. You're gonna roast.

JANE: (V.O.) Ah, no fans. Guess you're right.

RUSTLING is heard.

JANE: (reacting to something surprising and shocking) Teresa? Feeling better, are you?

LISBON: (V.O.) (amused) What?

JANE: (V.O.) Are you sure you're up to this?

LISBON: (V.O.) It's called morning sickness for a reason. (suggestively) And don't worry, my circuits can handle power tools.

JANE: (with a mixture of shock and delight) Tereeeezzza?!

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FADE OUT

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So, what do you think? This first one is an experiment, to see if this is going to work. If so, I'll probably publish two episodes' sneak peeks at a time from now on, as I can wrangle the writing time. Thanks for reading.