A/N: Thank you for deciding to give this a read. It's my second P&P fic but I'm dipping out of the normal classic scenario and decided to try writing a modern day AU using the characters. There's a few OC of my own and the characters ages have been lowered a little bit to help the story run a little more smoothly. To avoid confusion Mr Collins in this fic is called Bill because I've decided to shorten Darcy's name to William(well everyone calls him William instead of Fitzwilliam). I've added my own sort of back stories to the characters because it's Modern Day AU so I hope you'll stick with this story and give it a real chance. The story is also set in my childhood hometown. I get my inspiration from the BBC series, as you may have know if you've read my E&D oneshot.

I kindly request that if you disapprove and don't like Modern Day AU P&P fanfictions, please stop reading after the author's note has finished. If however you happen to give this story a chance, please let me know what you think in a review but please don't be brutal ;)

Disclaimer: I own nothing, most characters belong to Austen, I'll just use them for my own creativity and inspiration now and again :)

5am on a Monday morning. Some citizens of Portsmouth were already showered and getting a quick bite to eat for their breakfast before they headed for Fratton train station for their jobs in investment banking in London. But for one person, she was hitting her alarm clock and groaning at the pounding in her head. Lizzy, you need to stop going out on Sunday nights even if it's your best friend's birthday, she thought to herself as she scrambled out of bed and headed straight for her bathroom.

Elizabeth Bennet, a twenty-one year old student at the University of Portsmouth had started to think that she had taken too much on in life, but on the plus side she had finally gotten her life together; moving away for university had proven that she had made the right choice, even if her family couldn't understand why. She turned on the shower and stripped from her pyjamas, climbing in and gasping at the ice cold jet on the top of her head; perfect thing for a hangover. After her shower she dressed into her work clothes: a pair of black shorts and a navy blue polo shirt that had the word: Fagin's cafe stitched on the left hand side. She tied her wavy brown hair into a ponytail and applied her formal name tag of Elizabeth, happy to serve underneath the work shirt logo. She locked the doors to her balcony before switching off all the lights in her one bedroom flat located in Southsea and left, heading into the city centre to start her day.

Monday mornings for Lizzy would consist of this until she graduated in two months time. She would rise at 5am for the open and start her shift at Fagin's cafe before finishing at twelve to grab some lunch before she started her placement at a children's home as part of her course. In four weeks she would be finishing her placement that was required for her course: Early childhood studies with psychology and would be qualified to enter the job field she wanted as a social worker. She had started her placement four weeks ago and after a tough first week working with the children in care, she enjoyed it, one child in particular who had started out rough in his seven years of life had grown attached to her and she had grown attached to him. This is what she loved about her placement was that she wanted to change somebody's life for the better.

The walk to Fagin's only took twenty minutes, the sun was starting to come out and the commuters could be seen popping in to the local McDonald's for a coffee before heading to the train station at the other end of the high street. She gave a little nod to one to of the men who worked for Colas(the city's maintenance and cleanliness people) who came in for his breakfast around eight everyday and unlocked the door to Fagin's, entering the cafe and locking the door behind her.

"Paige, are you here?" she called, walking through to the little staff room to put her bag in her locker.

She heard the walking and saw her colleague stop before her. Paige Forster had worked at Fagin's for a lot longer than Lizzy had in her three years of service. The blonde haired woman had been at Fagin's when the original owners had run the cafe, Paige was the best chef that the cafe had although the customers always asked for Lizzy's bacon sandwiches in the mornings over Paige's.

"You look rough." Paige laughed.

Lizzy smiled, shutting the door to her locker and placing the padlock over it, "Charlotte and Maria's birthday last night, we went down Guildhall for a couple of drinks." she explained.

"And Albert Road by the look of it."

"We may have ended up along Elm Grove at The Honest Politician! and then the One Eyed Dog. Luckily for me those bars are within walking distance of my flat so I saved money on a taxi. Of course it was an expensive night, even for a Sunday. Going out for a twins birthday is a double night so when you buy your best friend a drink, you have to buy the twin sister one too." Lizzy yawned.

Paige smiled, "Students," she muttered, "Just so you know, Charlie boy's coming in today."

"Charles Bingley visiting his little cafe in Portsmouth?" Lizzy asked with a mocking tone to her voice.

"I know, he mainly leaves the running of the place to you, me or Mary."

Lizzy nodded, between her, Paige Forster and Mary King, Fagin's was usually kept running on a day to day basis with the odd few part timers coming in for the odd shift here or there. Charles Bingley had bought the cafe from the previous owners four years ago and had taken a shine to Lizzy and they quickly became fast friends. Charles owned various businesses up and down the country and lived in a manor estate with his family not far from where she grew up in Hertfordshire.

"I wonder what brings him to Portsmouth?" Lizzy mused, exiting the staff room with Paige and tying an apron around her waist.

"He didn't say, he just called last night not long after I'd put Harry to bed and said he'd be popping in around ten to see us."

"What time are you here til?" Lizzy asked, popping her staff code into the till.

"One thirty, Mary starts at one. I was supposed to be here until two but Patrick goes back to the army barracks today and I had nobody to watch Harry." Paige explained.

"Do you need someone to watch him next week? I only do my placement on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I have my usual Monday morning shift, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. I also have Saturday and Sunday open next week so if you need someone to watch him on Tuesday, I don't have any plans." Lizzy offered.

"Thanks Lizzy, I'll let you know." Paige said, heading back into the kitchen.

Lizzy turned on the coffee machine and the fridge that contained their cold drink selections. Paige brought out the freshly made muffins and cookies that were quite popular with their regular customers before starting on making some sandwiches to be brought out before the lunch time rush. Her shift had started at six o'clock and in the hour that she had clocked in and before the cafe opened for business, she and Paige had practically gotten everything in place ahead of the lunch time rush that started at eleven o'clock.

The cafe opened each morning at seven, the regulars came and went as they usually did. Paige was busy cooking the sausages and bacon for fry ups whilst Lizzy kept herself busy serving on the till and cleaning the tables. At ten o'clock on the dot, Lizzy had just finished clearing the tables when she saw the man she hadn't seen in months. Light red hair, blue eyes and a huge smile stood Charles Bingley. He seemed taller than she remembered, she returned his smile and embraced her friend, not caring that others might deem it unprofessional to hug her boss.

"Lizzy, how are you?" Charles asked.

"Very well, yourself?"

"Happy as ever, is Paige around?"

"In the kitchen," Lizzy replied, "She's just cooked another fresh batch of bacon."

Charles went through to the kitchen to say hello to Paige as Lizzy went back behind the counter and placed the plates and cups into the dishwasher. The door to the cafe opened again and by the time she had turned her attention back to the customer, she saw a handsome little boy staring up at her; sandy blonde hair and blue eyes, an innocent looking face and a button like nose.

"What can I get for you, young Sir?" Lizzy asked.

"A cookie, Uncle Will can I have a cookie?" the boy asked, turning to the man stood behind him.

Lizzy's gaze went to the man, the nephew had none of his traits. He was tall, curly brown hair and brown eyes but he looked almost sombre and pompous. He wore a black suit and tie, it was a bit late in the morning to get a businessman in the cafe. Most of them came around opening time.

"You may Leonard." the man replied stiffly.

"My name's Leo," the boy said directly to Lizzy as he pulled a cookie out of the display cabinet and placed it on a plate for the boy, "What's yours?"

"Elizabeth." she replied with a smile.

"That's a big name."

Lizzy chuckled, "You can call me Lizzy," she said, "Anything for you Sir?"

"Coffee." the man replied.

Charles and Paige came out of the kitchen as Lizzy started to pour the man's coffee, noticing that her colleague was deep in conversation about scheduling conflicts with the part timers who didn't want to increase their hours.

"And Lizzy graduates in July and she's on this placement, I can't ask her to do more than what she already is." Paige pointed out.

"Is this right Lizzy? You graduate in July?" Charles asked.

She gave the man his coffee and took the money to the till, "I do," she confirmed, "My placement ends in four weeks, it's a requirement for me graduating."

"I understand that but are you leaving once you graduate? Moving on to bigger and better things so to speak?"

Lizzy smiled as she handed the man his change, "Charles, I have no idea what my plans are. At the moment I'm focussing on my work here and my requirements for university. When I graduate I have no clue as to what my plans will be. At the moment I'm thinking of going home for three weeks in the summer to visit my family but one thing for certain is that I'm staying in Portsmouth for the foreseeable future."

"Well speak to me when you know what your plans are, I will be staying in Portsmouth for a while."

Lizzy raised an eyebrow, "You're staying? That's quite unlike you." she said, surprised.

"I know," he chuckled, "Allow me to introduce my friend, William Darcy and his nephew Leonard Fitzwilliam. Darcy this is Mrs Paige Forster and Miss Elizabeth Bennet, friends of mine and two of my best employees."

"Mrs Forster. Miss Bennet." Darcy replied with a nod to each of them.

Charles took to a table with Darcy and his son, the three of them chatting. Lizzy overheard some snippets of the conversation, something about Darcy's new house by Canoe Lake and looking at schools for Leonard. By eleven o'clock, Lizzy was unloading the dishwasher when a familiar face from the night before came into the cafe, looking severely hungover and in dire need of a bacon sandwich.

"How is it that we go on a pissup and you look as pretty as you did before." Charlotte groaned behind her sunglasses.

Lizzy smiled, "Feeling rather delicate are we? How's Maria?" she asked, pouring Charlotte a coffee.

Charlotte took to an empty table as Lizzy brought her coffee over, "Let's just say I'm worse than any of you two. I regret having that sambuca." she muttered.

Lizzy took her best friend's money and placed it in the till before shouting to Paige to make Charlotte a bacon sandwich. She went over to her best friend's table and sat opposite her for a few minutes.

"I find that a cold shower helps with the hangover hence why I'm not as grumpy as you. However, you seemed quite content going home with Bill last night."

"He's on the train back to Kent, can't be kept away from his duties to the De Bourgh family."

"I suppose that's what you get with trainee vicars." she laughed.

Paige brought out the bacon sandwich for Charlotte and headed back into the kitchen. Charlotte took a sip of her coffee, "Are you up for round two tonight, some of us are going to Tiger Tiger if you're up for it."

Lizzy shook her head, "I think I'll sit this one out, I've still got to finish my dissertation."

"Now you're getting sensible." Charlotte complained.

"I like a night out just as much as anyone but not every night, my bank balance suffers enough." Lizzy replied.

Their conversation was put to a stop when Lizzy overheard Darcy, who was sat behind her, say in a not too quiet voice, "Bingley, do you always allow your staff to be lazy and speak about their personal lives on shift?"

Lizzy turned around, "I'll have you know, Mr Darcy, that in my three years of service at Fagin's I've never been late, I've never phoned in sick and I rarely take a break."

Darcy turned around to face her, their eyes meeting and him staring intensely at her. What was it about this man that she found he could be quite intimidating? It didn't bother her that he was trying to, her barriers were raised well high for that but she wouldn't stand for rudeness.

"In some establishments, Miss Bennet, you would be fired on the spot for speaking to a customer in that manner." he shot at her coldly.

Lizzy smiled, finding amusement in his scolding at her, "In some establishments, Mr Darcy, the staff wouldn't have the nerve to tell rude customers that manners don't cost a penny. I may have to start charging you for lessons." she teased.

Charlotte almost choked on her bacon sandwich as she tried to stifle a laugh, Charles burst out laughing to which Lizzy was rather grateful that he didn't take offence at her teasing his friend.

"I have missed your teasing Lizzy, I should come and see you all more often." Charles chuckled.

"I should get back to work. Have fun tonight Charlotte." Lizzy said quietly.

She bade her friend goodbye as she went to clean the coffee machine, loading the dishwasher once more and serving the last few customers before Paige took over at midday. At twelve, she hung up her apron and grabbed her bag, deciding to change at the children's home out of her work uniform. She stopped by Greggs and picked herself up a cream filled belgian bun before stopping at the bus stop that stopped by the children's home. She ate on the bus, thinking about the intense man she had met, William Darcy. Lizzy didn't understand what could make a man so rude and...and proud? By appearance alone he seemed to have a thing with pride about him, perhaps that was just his character? From what she had overheard from his conversation with Charles was that they were staying in the house he had recently bought by Canoe Lake, a good spot for little Leonard where there was the play park, the lake and the swan shaped peddle boats, the Canoe Lake cafe and the model village. By the sound of it, he was going to live right near the seafront and all children loved the beach; the only disappointment about the beach that it wasn't a sandy one, it was a rock one. She wondered why a man like Mr Darcy would want to live in Portsmouth? He seemed more like the type to prefer living in London.

Lizzy got off at her stop, having finished her belgian bun and began to walk into the children's home; a converted victorian house that currently had eight children staying in. It provided a large kitchen and dining room, a spacious garden for the children to play in which included swings and slides, a sitting room with games consoles and space for the staff to go. It also included two offices where the care workers would convene for meetings or to file paperwork. Lizzy hung up her bag and changed in the staff toilet into a pair of jeans and a shirt that she packed before her night out with Charlotte the day before. When she had finished changing, she was greeted by Elaine, the head care worker at the home.

"Good afternoon Elizabeth, how are you?" Elaine asked.

"Very well and yourself?"

"I'm okay, I'm due to have a meeting in five minutes with some potential foster parents for Keira. Can you just check on Jacob? He's in the sitting room, he's been sent home from school for biting another child. If you need help, Isaac is in the dining room finishing up lunch with Toby and Lisa, the other children are still at school." Elaine instructed.

Lizzy went into the sitting room, seeing that Jacob was sat in the corner with his arms around his legs and his head resting on his wrists. It pulled at her heart strings to see Jacob like this. Elaine had filled her in on his background after an incident during her first week there, Jacob had been in foster care since he was eighteen months after his mother had lost him due to being a drug addict. He hadn't had the easiest life, no-one wanted to foster a child who had been diagnosed with a mild form of autism because his behaviour was unpredictable from time to time but Lizzy had seen his struggle. She knew from her past three years that children diagnosed with autism or any other similar disorder saw the world differently and liked things to be done a certain way.

She sat next to him, tapping him lightly on the head. Jacob looked up and sniffed before placing his head back on his wrists.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lizzy asked quietly.

"You hate me, don't you?" he asked with a muffled voice.

"No! Jake, why would you think that?"

The six year old looked up and sniffed again, "I bit him, Elaine says I'm naughty." he cried.

"Jacob, tell me what happened." she said softly, patiently.

He unfolded his arms as she placed a sympathetic arm around his shoulders.

"It's Kieran's fault! he started it! He said I was stinky, he said nobody loved me because I was in care!" Jacob insisted.

"Well Kieran is a very naughty boy isn't he?"

"He said I didn't have a mummy and he's right!" the boy grumbled.

She hated seeing Jacob in this state. A seven year old shouldn't know about the situation on why he was placed into care, not yet anyway. He shouldn't know that his mother was unable to cope with the responsibility of looking after a child, he shouldn't be made to feel by other boys that he wasn't wanted. Jacob was quite a sensitive little boy and having understood after her first week that he had a lot of issues, she was rather patient with him.

"Jacob, you must not listen to Kieran. He's a very nasty little boy who says nasty things. Shall I tell you something that my mother told me when I was your age?"

The seven year old nodded, looking up at her with a small smile.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me. When Kieran decides to say something nasty to you, next time instead of biting him, tell that to yourself and walk away. Can you do that for me?" Lizzy asked.

The boy smiled and nodded his head in agreement before heading up to his room to make a start on his homework whilst Lizzy went to help tidy up the lunch that Toby and Lisa had been eating. Toby and Lisa, although only both three and two years of age, made a lot of mess as a lot of toddler did. She helped Isaac to clear the floor before having some play time with Toby by playing with the train set whilst Isaac put Lisa down for her afternoon nap.

Her placement at the children's home required her to work there for eight weeks for six hours across three days and because she was working Monday afternoons she had to help with the lunch clear up, making sure that Toby was entertained and that Lisa had her nap before Isaac went to collect Keira, Hayley, Joseph, Peter and Isabel up from their schools in the minibus and once the children were back at the home, she helped them with their homework in the dining room before helping Elaine with the dinner which was served around five in the evening.

Once the children had eaten dinner and Isaac had his break, she helped to put the younger children to bed and made sure that Jacob had done his reading for school before saying goodbye to the rest of the children and leaving the children's home in North End, beginning to make her way back to her flat in Southsea. Portsmouth was the only island city in the country and although it might be a small island, it would take her forty-five minutes to walk from the top of one district to the other. She had found Portsmouth to be the perfect escape from everything that had happened back home, she had met wonderful people and worked with some of the bestest friends that she had ever made and she was finally moving on from the shambles that had happened in Hertfordshire.

As she made her way across the road, her phone started ringing. Pulling it out of her pocket, she smiled to see the familiar picture of her elder sister popped up on the screen.

"Hello Jane." Lizzy greeted happily.

"Oh Lizzy, it's so good to finally speak." Jane replied.

"How are you?"

"I'm doing okay. I'm being kept busy, trying to teach a class of thirty seven year olds can be exhausting but they're sweet little things." Jane replied.

Lizzy carried on walking, passing St Mary's church as she reached the district of Fratton. A little bit further, another twenty minutes and she'd be in the comforts of her own home.

"That's good to hear, you're enjoying the school then?" she asked.

"Definitely, how are you? how's uni? how's work?"

"I'm very well overall, my hangover and late night is starting to catch up with me now though. University is going well, my placement ends in four weeks and I don't want to leave. As for Fagin's that's still good, Charles is actually in town for a little bit."

"Your boss?"

"Of course Jane, how many people named Charles do I know?" she questioned.

"You seem a bit friendly with him that's all." Jane answered.

"Because he's a friend Jane, I'm not romantically interested in my boss nor anybody else for that matter."

"Lizzy, while we're on the subject of romances, there's something you should know." Jane said quietly.

She paused as she reached Fratton bridge, hearing the sound of a train pass by underneath. There was an eery silence and Lizzy knew it only meant one thing, Jane had some bad news for her.

"Jane? What's wrong?"

"Lizzy, I don't know if Mum told you but an army regiment has come back to Meryton, setting up base for training. I swear I didn't know that he was back...he had gone not long after you left for university and he swore he would never come back to Meryton."

Her heart started beating faster in her chest, the one person who had almost destroyed her life, Jane had to be meaning someone else.

"Lizzy, George Wickham is part of this regiment. He's back in Meryton."