AN/ The idea popped up after watching (for the I-don't-count-anymore time) Pride and Prejudice, and it stayed on my mind for some time. I started to label the characters and fill up the holes with others picked up directly from the show (at the end of each chapter, I'll put a kind of 'casting' for any references).

I had a hard time thinking about how I could join up the characters of the Bennet family without having to change their name and sticking to the story at the same time (I neither liked the idea of 'Teresa Minelli' nor 'Grace Minelli' or even Virgil Van Pelt or Lisbon :D

So, enjoy the first chapter of this new version of P&P!

Disclaimer: I do not own Mentalist or Jane Austen's book at any point. I'm just a fan with a twisted mind and quite an obsession for Mentalist & AU xD

Disclaimer:You don't like Mentalist and P&P? give it a try you never know ;D. I also want to point out it's past one am (computer overdose again) so I might make even more mistakes. Hope you'll still enjoy it (won't blame you if you don't xD)

Glares and Mockery

1. Welcome to the Minelli's

The sun was slowly arising in the not-so-quiet countryside. Bird's pips started to resonate in the trees and the last nocturne animals were moving in the bushes. A lone rabbit ended its race in its burrow, escaping the figure hurrying on the paddled path longing the woods.

The silhouette enveloped in a hooded cape maintained a quick pace. Her sharp and ragged breath ejected a light cloud fog out of her mouth as she rushed in silence, hiding her frame behind the bushes. If anyone caught her, she was a dead duck; but thankfully, she knew where to go.

She hid behind the closest tree and checked her surroundings. Except for the goose guardian leaving the courtyard, no one was in sight. She waited until he had turned his back to her and ran to an unclosed window. She silently slipped through the opening in a small dark room where coats, closets and hanging clothes were everywhere. Once inside, her damp coat was quickly took off and hanged with the others on the wall. The young woman detached her tied hair, shook her head to loosen them and pulled out of the closest drawer a towel to dry them from the humidity of the outside. After she'd be done with it, all she had to do was to go back upstairs, sneak in her bedroom and more important, not wake up…

"Again with your escapades? I swear, Teresa you are incorrigible."

The annoyed voice made Teresa Lisbon froze. In the doorframe, a young woman in her early twenties was glaring at her. The added effect of tone and glare would have been more efficient if she had been really dressed instead of in her nightdress, and more important if her hair hadn't been messy from the past night. Lisbon couldn't stop grinning.

"Sorry Grace. I couldn't resist watching the sunrise from the cliff. It's magical! You should come with me one day."

The redhead shook her head, resigned, and then allowed a small smile to break on her face.

"Mother has already gone to visit her friend, she should be back soon; and grandfather is going to get down at any moment. You will have to thank Julie; she was the one to wake me up and make me realize you weren't in bed anymore."

Lisbon winced; knowing it meant her ten years old sister had a nightmare again.

"Sorry I wasn't there."

"You should take her instead of me" Grace went on, smiling softly. "I've seen enough sunrises for a lifetime with my father."

Lisbon nodded, understanding.

"Let's get the girls up, and we'll go eat breakfast" Grace said. "And you better change dress before anyone notice that the bottom of your dress is soaked."

-G&M-

Waking up her sisters was something Lisbon did not look forwards to. Thankfully, Julie was in the bedroom she shared with Grace, waiting for them, still awakened. The blond little girl was actually lying down, humming some song and playing with the covers when they passed the door. Immediately, she was on her bare feet and beaming.

"Good morning Tessa!" she said, running towards her with arms wide open.

"Hello little one'" the dark-haired young woman replied cheerfully, hoisting the girl in her arms. "Are you okay sweetie?"

Julie just nodded and buried her face in her neck. Of course, Lisbon thought. Even though she considered Grace like her sister, Lisbon was always the one she would turn to if anything was wrong. The redhead rubbed the little blonde's hair and kissed the top of her head in support, before leaving to get dress. After putting Julie back on the floor, Lisbon checked her wardrobe for something dry. A few minutes later, the two elders were ready to leave and Julie looking very forwards for the next objective.

Their sisters, Emma and Maya, were identical twins, apart from their hair colour. For some genetic reason, Emma was undoubtedly blonder than her sister. That didn't change their manners, for both of them shinned by their desperate lack of common sense and didn't know how to hold themselves in company of strangers. Another point Lisbon disliked, the twins were the deepest sleepers God have ever created on earth. Opening the curtains wide, shaking them, speaking loudly…nothing would pull them out of their slumber. The manor could burn and crash down, burning in flames, Lisbon was certain they wouldn't even budge. So she always used the hard way. The ultimate, unique, Glass of Water.

Splash

"TERESA! JULIE!"

"That's not funny!"

Both cries assured the dark-haired woman they were wide awake now. Julie was grinning with the empty glass on the other side of the bed, and squealed when Emma straightened herself up and tried to catch the little girl.

"Grandfather will soon be up. We must be ready" she reminded.

"But…"

"No buts Maya" Grace replied firmly, frowning. "Get up, right now."

Reluctantly, they both stepped out of bed and started getting dressed. When they were all ready and went downstairs, their grandfather Virgil Minelli was already there. Despite his age, he was still a solid and strong man, retired from the army. He was quite respected in town, yet no-one really liked to be confronted to his sharp humour. He often clamed for example that his years of training as a soldier hadn't been a mental and physical preparation for war, but for the two silly gooses he still dared call his granddaughters living with him, namely the twins.

"Good morning" the old man said, nodding to them without lifting his eyes from his newspaper when they entered the kitchen. "Do you happen to know if my dear daughter is at the house of that voluble friend's of hers?"

"She is grand-father" Grace replied, leaving an empty chair between the old man. "Did you have a good night sleep?"

He grunted a 'yes' and continued reading. Unfortunately for Minelli, the peace he inexorably cherished was quickly broken by the noise of breakfast, the twin's incessant chatter, and a few minutes later, by hurried footsteps.

"You must hear the news!" Rebecca Van Pelt storming out of the door, her face red with excitement. Her black hair despite being tied in a tight bun, escaped from the elastic in messy locks, and she hastily took off her coat to sit down in the empty space Grace left earlier. The middle-aged woman was the oldest of the three daughters of Minelli. She was the first to marry a brave man, Roger Van Pelt, who died of disease when Grace turned ten. Minelli rolled his eyes and just ignored her. Lisbon couldn't really blame him. The woman always had the oddest and useless news to announce.

"We have a new neighbour! Mrs Lucas was telling me that her husband met him yesterday! She was so unnerving about it. Always rambling about his fortune and nice furniture and big manor and everything…Oh father, you need to greet him at once!"

"I already visited him my dear" he replied boringly. "He's indeed a plan and polite young man, but nothing exceptional."

Rebecca's face reddened with anger and embarrassment, while the two elders looked at each other in amusement and the twins giggled not too subtly. Julie observed the conversation with wide and curious eyes.

"B…but father! Why didn't you tell me sooner! This Mr Rigsby could be a very good husband for one of your granddaughters! He's awfully rich and successful; and he'd be a very good match…"

"Mother" Grace intervened "why don't you try the eggs? They are going to turn cold, and Manna made sure they were fresh from this morning. I assure you they're delicious."

Grumbling, the middle-aged woman plunged her fork in her plate and ate without complains. Apart from Minelli, the only person capable of reasoning the impulsive woman was her daughter, Grace. Perhaps due to the fact she took up most features and behaviour of her deceased father.

Lisbon smiled slightly when the woman had called them 'granddaughters'. Despite being the children of her younger sister Rowena, Rebecca had never put Grace before the four girls. When Lisbon and her three sisters had come back living with Minelli, their aunt adopted them immediately. Rowena was her cherished little sister, and her death had hit her pretty hard. Maybe the fact that Lisbon was a perfect replicate of her mother helped her overcome her grief and made easier the acceptance of the four children. Or maybe it was the fact their father wasn't as loving as he used to be, after their mother's death and she pitied them.

"Is he coming to the ball?" Emma asked, wiping her hands in a napkin. "I mean, he must come to the ball! He's a newcomer and what's the best to meet new people? To go to…"

"We got your point Emma" Lisbon cut when she noticed the frown on Minelli's face. He looked at the girl's expectant face, and sighed, folding his newspaper.

"For you Rebecca, I will give my consent to any of my granddaughters he chooses. And for you Emma, yes, I believe he will come to the ball."

If any walker happened to pass by the Minelli's manor at that very moment, he would have heard the nigh-pinched squeal of a very, very cheerful girl.

Yeah, I really reorganized the family tree. So here's the summary of the thing & a few clarifications:

Virgil Minelli is the grand-father. His three daughters, Rebecca, Rosalind and Rowena, married in their young age with (respectively) a Van Pelt, a Harker and a Lisbon.

Rowena Lisbon died when Teresa was twelve and left behind Teresa, Maya and Emma (twins) and Julie in the hands of their father

Rebecca is Grace's mother. Mr Van Pelt died when Grace was 10, and Minelli took them back under his care. He did the same for the four Lisbon children when he discovered father Lisbon was mistreating them.

Virgil Minelli lives now with his eldest daughter, Rebecca, and five granddaughters, Grace, Teresa, Maya, Emma and Julie.

I know, I have a twisted mind ^^". Anyway here's the "casting" for the Bennets:

-The Bennets / The Minelli's

-Mr Bennet: Virgil Minelli

-Mrs Bennet: Rebecca (2.(1-8) - Bosco's secretary)

-Jane Bennet: Grace Van Pelt

-Elizabeth: Teresa Lisbon

-Mary, Kitty, Lydia:

-Emma and Maya (1.23 Red John's Footsteps; twins one kidnapped –the other was murdered by RJ)

-Julie (1.4 Ladies in Red –Victim's daughter)

Thanks for going so far :)