Surprise-I'm back! It's been so long since I've actually written something. The past couple of years (especially the last year) have been extremely hectic, demanding, and at times distressing as I worked to finish my bachelor's degree. I graduated last month with a bachelor's in English, however (it still hasn't sunk in that I'm a college graduate), and so now have more of my time to devote to other things-that is, when I'm not working.

The plot bunnies have been scarce for a very long time, but I got the inspiration for this last night after listening to a conversation between my mother and sister.

A big thank you to NellietheMarvelous for betaing at such short notice.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Mentalist, but I do own quite a few copies of the Bible...

How many times does the Bible say to forgive?

Up to seventy times seven.

Seventy times seven. Four hundred and ninety times.

Teresa Lisbon doesn't know how long ago it was that she forgave Jane for the four hundred and ninetieth time, but she figures it wasn't too far into their decade-old partnership.

All she does know is that they passed that number a long time ago.

Not for the first time, she wonders if there is something to the moniker of "Saint Teresa" that some within the CBI have started to use for her.

Because you'd have to have the patience of a saint to have dealt with Patrick Jane's shenanigans for over ten years and not have kicked him out yet.

She knows many, including those in her own team (and probably Jane himself) wonder why she hasn't yet.

Honestly, sometimes she doesn't even know the answer to that herself.

She knows this, though: he'll keep on getting into scrapes and breaking her heart and she'll have to pull him back from the brink of destruction (or at least unemployment) time and time again. And she'll forgive him whatever faux pas he's committed this time, because that's what she does. She thinks—she knows—he has potential, and she wants to be there when he finally gets around to doing something mostly right for once.

And she prays that all her forgiving, her prodding him and standing by his side all these years, won't all be for naught. She prays that he'll recognize her sacrifices and steadfast support for what they're worth. She hopes he'll appreciate the more than four hundred and ninety times she's found it within herself to forgive him.

And that's when she knows.

She'll forgive him past the point where numbers end and lines start to blur.

Partially, because she already has.

Seventy times seven? That's only the beginning.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Please review! (The verse I refer to at the beginning of the short is Matthew 18:22.)