These characters are not mine. I make no money from fan fiction. And this bit of subtext from Lisbon's POV is from Red John's Friends, from season 1.

Working on my drabbles for this episode has so far been challenging in several ways. One is that it feels dreadfully unballanced to leave out Lisbon's point of view. Important things happen in the series in this episode, and Jane isn't even present for all of them. So here's a bit more nostalgia fanfic, just in case any of you still have an appetite for more of such.

I did this free form, but found when I had completed the body and saved it, it was exactly 500 words! How fortuitous! And the complimentary reflection of Lisbon's point of view calls for some explanation as well. The quote here is actually something that remains unsaid, although that doesn't mean Jane doesn't "hear" it anyway. Because caring about Patrick Jane means never having to say...

"You're Lying."

When he made his pitch to Minelli, I came along for moral support. But I knew what the response would be. Deep down, Jane must have known too. But the man never admits his limitations, not even to himself. He thinks he could sell snow to an frostbitten Eskimo.

And maybe he could. But the boss was not buying.

It took him a while to acknowledge that Minelli meant what he said. The case was closed and could not be reopened. We couldn't touch it.

It took me less than a second, even without seeing his face, to know that Jane didn't mean a word of what he said next.

Not that I have any special insight into Patrick Jane's head. For all that I've worked with him for two and a half years, he still catches me by surprise more often than not. I have a sense of when I should be worried about him trying to pull one over on me. Which is most of the time.

But I know where his heart is on Red John. And he has convinced himself that somehow this Jared Renfrew can give him information that will crack that case. The only one that Jane hasn't solved, so far.

The only one that really matters to him.

Platitudes from Jane's mouth are so out of place that my skin crawls, and its a wonder to me that Minelli doesn't immediately see it and call him on it. But of course, Jane has been very forthright with me about his intentions. Minelli knows that Jane has his heart set on catching his family's killer himself, but this is the first time I've heard Jane say straight out to anyone else that his purpose is vengeance.

Does Minelli have any idea what that means to Jane? The lengths he would go to? The intensity of his fury?

If he doesn't, I won't be the one to tell him. I'm still hoping that Jane will think better of his plans, that I won't have to arrest him for whatever he thinks would balance the scales with the serial killer. That he'll trust justice to the courts of law. That he'll leave room for divine retribution, even if he doesn't believe in it himself.

But I mean to stick close to him, just in case. Because I'm not about to stand by while this brilliant, broken man becomes a cold blooded killer, or worse. Not after all the good he's done. Not when there is so much more that he could do.

I need Jane to trust me. Which means that I won't intentionally give him away, not even to the man I most respect in law enforcement. I keep my face as neutral as I can, hoping to God that I'm not as transparent to Minelli as I apparently am to Jane.