Pride & Prejudice
By Simarillion

Fandom: TV show RPS (Supernatural, Prison Break, House M.D., Gilmore Girls, One Tree Hill, Smallville, Coupling, Grey’s Anatomy, Numbers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ally McBeal, Desperate Housewives, Will & Grace)
Rating: G to PG-13
Pairing: of interest: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki, Wentworth Miller/Hugh Laurie
Warnings: AU, slash, M/M, evil! Chad
Beta: draft version (unbetaed)
Summary: There's nothing of greater importance than gossip. Besides marrying your children off. So when Mr. Padalecki announces the opening of a new Padalecki gallery on Third Street, it comes as no surprise that both gossip and marriage plans are on the daily schedule.
Disclaimer: None of the herein presented happenings and events are true. Everything is 100% fiction and that includes the sexuality of the characters. We don’t claim to be in the know about their relations and private affairs and we don’t make any money with the creation of this story.
Notes: The idea of a Jane Austen AU cames to me a very long time ago, with a different Austen novel as the plot and in a completely different fandom. It re-surfaced this summer though, and when talking about it with duchess_of_hell, it soon became clear that the writing of this story would be my summer project.
I absolutely adore the cast of the fic and it took me and Susi hours to decide which actor would be the right one for which character. It was great fun though, and made us laugh so hard at times, that people were looking at us funny.

[Previous Parts]



Chapter Sixteen

Upon Wentworth’s arrival in Santa Monica he quickly mourns the absence of his older brother. Sandra Morgan constantly complains about the plainness of this year’s Christmas decorations, and she does not tire to refer to the tasteful decorations Mrs. Alona McDowell picked for their house. After the third day of monologues about the merit of knowing how to properly decorate for Christmas Jeffrey D. Morgan forbids his wife to talk about the holiday at all. Unsurprisingly this order irks Mrs. Morgan even more.

Her new retreat is the attic which used to be the Yoga chamber before Sandra Morgan decided to be an artist. A course she attended with her friend enabled her to use painting as an outlet for the emotional stress she has to endure. Ever since Mrs. Morgan’s new hobby the whole house is decorated with choice pieces from her creations.

Wentworth refuses to attend any Christmas parties and so he can be found in the study, reading and studying for his classes. The young man relishes the relative tranquillity that fills the house at times when the rest of the family is off to their various diversions. Even Boxing Day is calm. It is one of the scarce events where even Sandra Morgan feels the desire for peace and silence.

Two days later Wentworth Morgan receives an e-mail from Jensen who recounts the holiday celebrations in New York and informs him about the newest developments in the Padalecki affair.

From: Jensen Morgan (jensen-the-demonslayer@hotmail.com)
Date: Thursday, 27th of December 2007
To: Wentworth Miller
Subject: The long awaited N.Y.C. update

Hi Wentworth,

I apologise for the lateness of this update but the holiday celebrations and the life here in New York are keeping me busy. There is so much to do and see that I will have to leave before experiencing only half of it. Our dear aunt and uncle do their best to make my stay a memorable one and I wish you would have come with me.

Concerning the real reason for my coming to New York City I have not made any progress so far. My attempts of calling Mr. Padalecki failed, and my e-mails are not being answered.

Yesterday I frequented the fitness club he favours at the exact time he is supposed to be present but I only happened upon his brother Milo Padalecki. His pleasure of seeing me was somewhat shallow but he promised to call upon me at our relatives’ house.

When he arrived he made it quite clear that he found the visit to be quite tiresome and he informed me that his brother is travelling around the country.

Considering this recent development and taking into account the situation at the end of the summer holidays I must conclude that Mr. Jared Padalecki does not care for me the way I do for him and that the notion we got at the beginning of our acquaintance with Mr. Padalecki was wrong.

I will write to you in the afternoon and tell you some more about what life in the Big Apple is like. Until then enjoy your holidays at home and take good care.

Jensen

On the same day Wentworth Morgan receives not only another update from Jensen but an invitation is being issued by David Hatcher, who asks his friend to visit him in Washington D.C. where he is spending New Year’s Eve with his fiancée. The young Morgan cannot deny a certain curiosity concerning the situation between David Hatcher and Ms. Calista Patterson and so he eagerly accepts.

The journey to the capital is uneventful and Wentworth arrives five hours later at the Washington airport where David Hatcher is already waiting to pick him up. The two friends are happy seeing each other since they did not get the chance to meet during the holidays. It had been decided that the Hatchers would celebrate Christmas with their future family-in-law at an earlier time.

Wentworth learns about the preparations for the summer wedding, which is scheduled to take place here in Columbia, and the two friends exchange information about shared friends and college live. They drive out of Washington D.C. to the Patterson home, which is located in Wheaton, Maryland.

The young man receives a warm welcome by the family and even Ms. Calista Patterson exuberates happiness upon seeing Wentworth. Mr. Patterson inquires after Wentworth’s father and expresses an interest in visiting Santa Monica the coming summer. Both parents are of a very kind and likeable character and Wentworth finds it difficult to understand how the character of Calista Patterson deviates so greatly from the character of her mother and her father.

It takes the young Morgan only half a day to understand the dynamics between David Hatcher and Calista Patterson. During a walk through the neighbourhood to the Park, the two young men discuss Mr. Hatcher’s current situation.

“How do you like this place?”

“It is a very charming neighbourhood but Mr. Patterson explained to me that there are arrangements made about an apartment in Washington D.C.?” is Wentworth’s cautious answer.
“Why yes, Calista is to live half of the time in Los Angeles and she will have an apartment in Washington as well.”

“But you will not move there?”

“I would rather prefer to buy a house here in Wheaton.” The response tells Wentworth more than the words would suggest.

“How could you live with your wife so far away from you?”

“Oh, I find that I could live with that quite well.”

Upon their return to the house later on Ms. Patterson greets them with the apparently formidable news of an invitation to the illustrious Mrs. Bishop for lunch the next day. This most beneficial change in tomorrow’s schedule is discussed of great proportions by Calista Patterson, and even though none of her dinner companions ever warm up to the topic to the same degree as she does, Ms. Calista does not tire to talk about Mrs. Kelly Bishop and her protégé Ms. Katie Holmes.

In the evening Wentworth retires early, excusing himself from the party. The jet lag from the five hour flight has unfortunately caught up with him and he feels the need to rest to be properly prepared for Mrs. Bishop and Ms. Holmes. The young man is curious about Mr. Laurie’s future wife to be.



Chapter Seventeen

Mrs. Kelly Bishop is the widow of the former Congressman Bishop. Her penthouse is located in the city centre close to the U.S. Capitol Grounds and the United States Botanical Garden. The party, which consists only of Ms. Patterson, David Hatcher and Wentworth, arrives to the point since Calista Patterson continuously pointed out the importance of timing.

The first impression of Mrs. Bishop is of a strict and determined woman who does not tolerate objection of any kind and kindly imparts good advice about everything. Wentworth becomes a spectator of the authority that is Kelly Bishop, and quickly he realizes that society in California is much less strict and rigid than here in Washington. Mrs. Bishop’s knowledge and wisdom covers everything from etiquette to gardening practices and she most imperiously forces her opinion on her hapless guests.

“You are from Santa Monica, are you not?”

The question surprises Wentworth Morgan for their host has not made any attempt of conversation with him so far.

“That is true. Yes, my family lives in Santa Monica but my mother is from Boston originally.”

“Ah yes, she is from the Boston Oh family. What a pity she married a nobody from California. I remember her mother’s devastation upon learning of her daughter’s decision to marry.”

The remark irks Wentworth who deems it none of Mrs. Bishop’s business to comment on his family.

“And you do not live with your family anymore?”

“No, me and my brother live in Palo Alto when studying in Stanford,” explains Wentworth.

“So do you have any other siblings besides this brother of yours?”

“Yes, two brothers and one sister. They are all three younger than me and attend High school in Santa Monica.”

“And are any of your younger siblings out?”

“Why yes, all of them,” says Wentworth.

“All of them?” is Mrs. Bishop’s aghast cry “Surely not all of you go out together.”

“Oh no, my two youngest siblings mostly go out on their own without me or my older brother accompanying them.„ Wentworth has to hide the amusement he feels.

“Surely you are joking. The youngest who are still in High school go out on their own? I have never heard of such impropriety!”

“Well, one cannot expect them to stay at home and not enjoy themselves just because none of the older siblings want to go out? That would be most unfair for the younger ones, and might even result in them sneaking out in secret to get their share of diversions.”

Mrs. Bishop eyes Wentworth closely. “You surely speak your mind rather decidedly for someone so young. But I have to say that this is all very strange to me.”

The mood lightens somewhat when Ms. Katie Holmes arrives and joins the party. She is a young woman that is completely under Mrs. Bishop’s clutches. It pleases Wentworth to find Mr. Laurie’s fiancée to be so disagreeable.

The lunch is spent agreeing to Mrs. Bishop’s various suggestions and demands. It is young Wentworth Morgan, who is Kelly Bishop’s sole counterpart in the discussion that takes place at the table, since all the others prefer to keep safe from their host’s wrath.

As the three young visitors prepare to leave in the afternoon it comes as a surprise for everyone when Mrs. Kelly Bishop makes them promise to visit again on the next day. She invites the whole Patterson family to an afternoon brunch and assures them that some more visitors might be present to join them as well.

Later that day Wentworth calls his brother, who eagerly asks about the famous Mrs. Bishop and the poor Ms. Holmes.

“And Ms. Katie Holmes is such a boring young woman. I cannot help but feel sorry for her though, since she is to marry none else but Mr. Laurie. The poor girl, there is nothing worse than being condemned to spend a longer period of time in Hugh Laurie’s presence.”

“From your characterisation of Mrs. Bishop I cannot decide who is worse to deal with, Mr. Laurie or Mrs. Bishop,” comments Jensen.

“Too true. I could almost feel sorry for even Mr. Laurie, having to deal with this woman since his earliest childhood.”

“Wentworth?”

“I said I could feel sorry. I did not say that I do,” laughs Wentworth.

The two brothers talk till late into the night and Wentworth finally gets a more detailed recapture of what happened so far in New York. It pains the younger brother to hear of the fruitless attempts to contact Mr. Jared Padalecki and Wentworth tries his best to console Jensen.

It is almost midnight when the two Morgans say their goodnight and promise to talk the next day so that Wentworth Morgan can share his newest Kelly Bishop adventure.



Chapter Eighteen

Once again Wentworth is on his way to meet Mrs. Kelly Bishop but this time the group is joined by Mr. and Mrs. Patterson. Ms. Calista Patterson gives last minute instructions about the proper conduct when facing Mrs. Bishop and her anxious airs have the other members of the group soon in a state as well.

This time when the group is invited in the servant girl informs them that the other guests have already arrived. Curious about the identity of the mysterious guests, the family and friends are led into the same living area as the previous day.

It comes as a great shock to Wentworth Morgan to recognise one of the strangers as Mr. Hugh Laurie. The second visitor does not recognise though. The whole assembly settles down and Mrs. Bishop introduces her guests to each other. Wentworth finds out about the identity of the stranger he did not know. Dr. Robert S. Leonard is a cousin of Mr. Hugh Laurie and together they are visiting and staying at Mrs. Kelly Bishop’s penthouse.

Conversation just like the day before is rather one-sided and only when brunch is served do people relax somewhat. During the discussion earlier on the young Morgan offspring noticed the intense stares of Mr. Laurie. He decides to avoid talking to Hugh Laurie by engaging Dr. Leonard in a conversation about Princeton-Plainsboro where the doctor is the head of oncology.

Once the two men are finished with brunch they excuse themselves to talk some more.

“I have heard quite a lot about you, Mr. Morgan, and the remarks made do you no justice.”

“Remarks? I dare not ask what you were told and who told you.”

The reply amuses the older man and Dr. Leonard assures that the remarks had been of a positive nature and that the person who made them was none else but Mr. Laurie. When young Wentworth Morgan refuses to believe such, his conversational partner even offers to have Hugh Laurie repeat what he said.

Their companionable talk is interrupted when the talked about man joins them. The amusement his appearance incites has Mr. Laurie ask for an explanation.

“Young Mr. Morgan refuses to believe that you talked about him most favourably. He is determined to believe you talked ill about him.”

Mr. Hugh Laurie confirms the positive nature of his rendering Wentworth’s character. Furthermore he praises the young man’s wit and knowledge, referring to several occasions where Wentworth gave his opinion in a discussion.

It surprises Wentworth Morgan that Hugh Laurie recalls their conversations, and remembers particular opinions and remarks that even he himself cannot recall in such detail anymore. If the desire to dislike Mr. Laurie was not so great, Wentworth would be rather flattered by the attention that the older man apparently paid to him.

“Did you know, Hugh, that our young friend is also a very skilled artist? He described to me in detail a design he did for a tattoo.”

“It is nothing worth being mentioned, honestly. It’s just some dabbling in the arts.”

Hugh Laurie demands to be explained what his two conversational partners are talking about. He shows great interest in the description of the tattoo and enquires about the particularities of the design; most of all the significance of the symbology fascinates him.
“But pray tell me how the two of you met?” is Dr. Leonard’s demand.

“It was a worse start than a bad one, and Mr. Laurie did not improve upon closer inspection that evening. It was at the opening vernissage of the Santa Monica gallery Mr. Padalecki opened. The rooms were full of people with varying degrees of interest in the art exhibited. I was just talking with a friend about a photograph that was of particular interest to us when Mr. Laurie suddenly appeared and insulted my knowledge and taste about art. He thereafter gave me the recommendation to stop talking about something that I know nothing about.”

Wentworth’s recapture of the ominous evening raises a laugh from Dr. Robert S. Leonard. “Why yes I can easily imagine such a situation.”

“I am not a people person and situations where I have to deal with so many strangers are always difficult for me. I cannot confer with strangers as easily as I would like to,” says Hugh Laurie in his own defence.

“I do not draw as well as I would like to but I always assumed that to be my own fault for I am not taking the time to practice.”

The conversation is abruptly stopped when Kelly Bishop arrives with the rest of the party and demands her share of the conversation. And so the afternoon continues very much like the day before. The party agrees with Mrs. Bishop and the widow relentlessly lectures her guests about every topic that comes to her mind.