Chapter 1

It was the 10th anniversary of their daughter's disappearance and yet, for some reason, they hadn't given up hope. Patrick Jane sat at the kitchen table, Red John files spread out in front of him with a map of California on the wall marked where the crime scenes were located and where he had searched for his Marie. He was relentless in his research, studying page by page of Red John case files not noticing it was past midnight. Jane feels Teresa's hand rest on his shoulder, her very presence giving him comfort.

"Patrick, it's 2:30am you need to rest."

"It's Marie's birthday today Teresa, she would've turned 15. We've missed ten years of her life: ten Christmases, ten birthdays...I have to keep looking! Every minute we don't have her Red John does!"

His wife takes off her wedding ring and sets it on the table in front of him.

"I love you Patrick which means that even if you don't want me to I have to take care of you, and right now you need to sleep. Now I'm going to call Minelli and let him know you've gotten sick and we need a day off. That way you can sleep and carry on the search later."

"But-"

Her sad smile tells him everything: she's just as in pain as he is.

"Jane, you need your rest."

".....Alright."

He sags his shoulder in defeat, she needs him as much as he needs her.

Teresa's POV

I watched as Jane slowly gets ready for bed and gets in bed next to me, his tired blue eyes staring into mine as we lay together but alone.

"You are safe, you are wise, and-"

"You are loved."

Jane interrupts smiling at me, that familiar glint in his eyes coming back. I feel his arms wrap around me and hold me close to him.

"One day, it's going to be the three of us: you, me, and our sweet little girl. My new beginning, my wonderful wife and my daughter. Safe."

I wish I could say the same but unlike him, I let go. Hopefully Patrick will stop searching and we can move on.

****

More of a prologue really. But do comment?