Chapter 1:

Authors' Note: Okay, this is my second shot at long Mentalist stories, it's another AU and I expect this one to be better than the other. Also, thank all those readers who reviewed and supported me during my first try. Hope you also follow this one and I think that's all.

I know it's been very long since my last update, and that I promised I would update more often now that I'm on holiday, but I had to study for my First Certificate Exam. Yay! I hope I've passed it. Fingers crossed. Anyway, I also know I should not start a new story while having another still unfinished, but I run out of inspiration for the other and I had this weird dream , thought it was worth a try. Because I'm still new I don't know if many people like what and how I write, so please, leave a comment below.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I sadly don't own TM.

16 year-old Teresa Lisbon was admiring the figure reflected on the full lenght mirror in her room. She had pulled her hair in a messy bun and left a few wavy strands hanging. She was wearing a spaghetti strap velvet dress that hugged her upper body but flowed down until just above her knees. To finish the outfit, she put on a pair of black wedges on her feet. She was rubbing her foundation-stained tips on her cheeks when the door opened to reveal her younger brother Stan.

"Reese, everyone is downstairs waiting for you! Daddy wants you to hurry!" He said while popping out his head from the door.

"Tell him I'll be there in no time, I just need to finish putting on my make up." Teresa assured her little brother, while drawing a very thin line of eyeliner on both her eyelids.

With a sigh, Stan closed the door and went back to the living room. When Teresa finished putting on her last touches of makeup, she gave herself one last look in the mirror before walking down to where everyone was waiting for the party to begin. They were celebrating the engagement of her father and Miss McGhart. Teresa was happy for her father, he had lost the love of his life and had been through a lot since then. She remembered those long nights curled up on the armchair, waiting for him to come from God knows where, and helping him to the couch when he was too drunk to go upstairs to his room. Then Lydia appeared. They met while he was saving a little girl from a building in flames; she was already in the ambulance, having the paramedics desinfecting all her scalds and wounds. Some might say it was love at first sight, others would say it was sympathy that turned into more. Some might have not seen it until they started dating, but Teresa, being the one in charge of his father during his weak period, sensed the change of his behavior immediately. He gave up drinking, and started taking care of himself again.

They had invited almost all their friends and family; they had even hired a pair of men coming from the local circus in order to have some entertainment for both kids and adults. She greeted her father and her soon-to-be mother with a kiss on the cheek. She knew Lydia would never replace her biological mom, but she made her father happy, and she took very good care of her brothers and herself. All in all, she liked her.

After Teresa had gone around the house greeting the guests, she decided to go to the kitchen to have a drink. As she made her way through the crowd, the youngest Lisbon sibling, Jimmy, came running to her. "Reese! Can I have a glass of diet coke? Pretty please?" he asked, giving Teresa his best puppy dog eyes. "Jimmy, we've talked about it. You should not drink beverages with caffeine at this hour of the day, because afterwards, you will not be able to get any sleep-" Something caught her eye. Among the heads of the guests she saw a head full of blond curls. Said head was heading her direction, and as it came, she found herself lost in blue eyes and a mischevious smile. The boy had 'trouble' written all over himself, but Teresa found it quite attracting. He didn't seem older than 17. He approched them.

"Ah... the lady in charge." he said "Hello, my name's Patrick Jane. I'm tonights' entertainment."

"I thought we had paid for two men, not a young boy." she answered.

"My father is not part of the show, he just collects the money. Why? Don't you think I'm enough?" Patrick said, offering her his most charming smile. Teresa shook her head. His smile faded away. "Let me show you then." He went to take her hand, but she hid it before he could even reach it. "Come on, give me your hand. No tricks, I swear." Teresa, still looking unsure, slowly pulled out her hand and gave it to Patrick.

"Now, imagine there's a screen between us. I want you to mentally write your name in it."

Jimmy, who had witnessed the whole thing, watched impatiently as her sister 'wrote' her name. When it seemed she had finished, Patrick waited a moment or two before speaking. "You have a lovely handwriting Teresa." He smiled and turned around, leaving both Jimmy and Teresa astonished.

Tadaaa!

That's Chapter One. I think it's the longest I've ever written. Hope you liked it. Please, click on the button below which says 'Review' and leave your comment. Pretty Please?

Nan.