DISCLAIMER: The original story belongs to Jane Austen, while almost all of the dialogue comes straight from the 1995 BBC script featuring Colin Firth. All characters, subplots, and/or scenes you do not recognize are the only parts that are truly mine.

AN: In keeping everything straight, the only true change is Elizabeth and Darcy have switched places, and other changes are reactions to this change in order to keep the story as close to the novel as I can manage. Very few characters have switched gender, just to keep the general plot align with the cannon plot. To accommodate Darcy being a male heir of Mr. Bennet, I've changed to a new back story to explain why Mrs. Bennet dedicates so much energy on finding grooms for her daughters. I promise it works, but please let me know your thoughts. I've spent a lot of time on this concept, and I've rather proud of the outcome.

This chapter is mostly the Bennets, but next chapter will be all Elizabeth to make up for it.

******UPDATE: I didn't believe this would be this much of an issue. However, let me assure you that the main character's name is NOT "Bennet Bennet".

[AT NETHERFIELD]

There were two riders, proficient on the saddle; the lady on a sweet gray Spanish Barb and the gentleman was on a black Thoroughbred. The lady could certainly keep up with any man as she chose to ride properly, instead of the sidesaddle that the shocked Ton preferred of her. The friends enjoyed galloping across the estate they toured. Both smiled with the simple joy of riding when they halted as the house came in view.

Overlooking a nice, green meadow, one Mister Charles Bingley and a Miss Elizabeth Darcy gazed at the estate before them. Mr. Bingley cleared his throat. "It's a fair prospect."

Miss Darcy's eye followed along the tree line. "Pretty enough, I grant you."

Mr. Bingley twirled his hat in his hands. "It's nothing to Pemberley, I know. But I must settle somewhere. Have I approval, my dear friend?"

Miss Darcy narrowed her eyes as she examined the roads closer. "You'll find the society something savage in these parts."

"Country manners," Mr. Bingley shrugged. "I think they're charming."

Miss Darcy gave a slight nod. "Then you'd better take it."

Her friend grinned widely. "Thank you, I shall. I shall close with the attorney directly."

Miss Darcy adjusted her grip on the reins. "Then come. Let us return to celebrate your purchase."

Back at Netherfield itself, Miss Darcy was still wearing her men's riding clothes. She always prided herself in making the fashions of the season practical enough to wear out of doors. No matter how one might come across her, she would always appear the proper gentlewoman expected of her station despite how progressive her attitude reputed her.

She sat down promptly as tea and biscuits were brought to the sunroom where they entered. A servant approached Mr. Bingley with a tray holding a message as he sat down adjacent to Miss Darcy. He quickly tore the note open, reading with a large goofy smile. "Darcy, I've just received word that there's an assembly this evening. I suggest we attend and acquaint ourselves with all of my new neighbors."

Miss Darcy smiled as the servant proceeded to hand her a cup of tea. "Very well. I shall go change for dinner while you inform your brother."

[AT LONGBOURN]

Bennet sat in the corner of the Longbourn library, reading a recent publication of a poet he had heard naught. His father, Mr. Bennet, was always good about making additions to the home library. Often times, the two would lounge for hours discussing various intellectual topics that dulled the rest of the Bennets.

His sisters sat around the drawing room, entertaining themselves silly as usual. Lydia was going on about some subject pertaining to ribbon and bonnets, while Kitty argued that Lydia always stole her ribbons anyhow. Somehow, he could always hear the conversations through the thin wall separating the two rooms.

Bennet sighed. The house grew very loudly as a dispute erupted down the hall. He did not know what made his siblings so foolish, boasting even when there was no company to impress. He glanced from the words on the page with envy to the closed door for a moment as he could hear the current conversation.

As Kitty's cries about Lydia grew louder and involved their mother, she quickly shushed them both. "Oh! Would you tear my nerves in tattered shreds? Oh, Kitty, let her have the ribbons and be done with it."

Kitty exclaimed, "But it's mine. You let her have everything that is mine."

Mrs. Bennet rolled her eyes as a servant handed her a piece of mail. "Oh, what is to become of us all?" She looked down at the parchment. "Jane! Benny! Where are you?"

Bennet closed his book and rose to his feet. "Here, Mama."

Jane chimed in from the hall. "Coming, Mama."

"Wonderful news! Dearest, fetch for your father." Then she turned to her youngest daughters. "God smiles down on us from time to time. Oh, such wonderful news!"

Bennet never missed a detail. He watched as Mr. Bennet did not come as quickly as Mrs. Bennet preferred. His father made his way to his seat in the room, for the family sat here often when they spent time together after meals. "What is it, dear?"

Mrs. Bennet jumped slightly in her seat on the settee. "Netherfield is let at last! I just received word from Mrs. Long!"

Mr. Bennet quietly opened the newspaper he brought with him. Bennet watch silently as his father disengaged already from the conversation. All in the room could guess the direction Mrs. Bennet steered conversation.

Bennet followed suit, and resumed the bookmarked passage of his book.

Mrs. Bennet grinned. "Do you not want to know who has taken it?"

Mr. Bennet peeked his eyes over his paper. "You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."

Mrs. Bennet referred back to her note. "Why then, it is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England. A single man of large fortune, my dear. He came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place. His name is Bingley, and he will be in possession by Michaelmas. And he has five thousand a year! What a fine thing for our girls."

Bennet found it difficult to focus on the inked words when those spoken droned in his brain.

Mr. Bennet frowned. "How can it affect them?

Mrs. Bennet flustered. "Mr. Bennet, how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I'm thinking of his marrying one of them!"

Bennet looked up from his reading. "For a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

Mrs. Bennet smiled softly at her only son. "Yes, he must, indeed! And who better than one of our four girls?"

Lydia began giggling and snorted, only to be chided by Jane for acting out. Then she explained. "What a fine joke if he were to choose me!"

Kitty piped up. "Or me!"

Mr. Bennet turned the page of his newspaper, refolding it to be more manageable. "So that is his design in settling here? To marry one of our daughters?"

Bennet couldn't help the twinkle in his eyes at his father's feigned obliviousness; it was a rare sign of his father's affection for his mother, though she never seemed to know it.

Mrs. Bennet huffed. "Design? Oh, how can you talk such nonsense! But you know, he may very likely fall in love with one of them. And hopefully, the gentleman has sisters or cousins as well, for our son's sake! Therefore you must visit him directly when he comes."

"Visit him? No, I see no occasion for that."

"Oh, Mr. Bennet!"

He folded his newspaper up to set it aside. "Go yourself, with the girls. Or, still better, send them by themselves."

"By themselves?! "

"Aye, for you're as handsome as any of them; Mr. Bingley might like you best of the party."

Lydia snorted again at the joke.

Bennet quickly turned to her. "Behave yourself." It would take very little for Mr. Bennet's quips to turn on his sister, and he could tolerate no more fighting today.

Mrs. Bennet could never get a real answer from her husband. "Fine, you've given me no choice. Our only son will have to go in your stead."

Bennet stood. "Mother, you needn't work yourself up about such things. Besides, nothing can be done while Mr. Bingley is absent." He bowed to kiss her on the forehead, and dismissed himself from the room before she certainly involved him in her schemes.

Despite having left the room, Bennet could hear the continued conversation clearly. Mrs. Hill quietly brought in a tray of tea for the family, for they frequently required refills. Mrs. Bennet flustered. "Oh, Mrs. Hill! I am so distressed! For Mr. Bennet says he will not visit Mr. Bingley when he comes."

Mrs. Hill nodded. "There, there, ma'am."

Kitty crossed her arms. "Mama, can't you reason with him?"

Mrs. Hill just nodded her head. "I dare say it will all be well."

"No, he is bent on ruining us all! And my only son seems to take after his father all too well!"

Jane spoke up. "Mama, I'm sure he's teasing you. He shall call on Mr. Bingley as sure as he would call on any new neighbor of ours."

Bennet rolled his eyes at his mother's answer to the exchange before continuing up to his room. He was glad to have brought his book of poetry up with him, to sit in the rather cozy sitting chair by his window without interruption.

After a while, there was a light knock at the door. Without lifting his eyes from the page of his book, he knew whose knock he heard. It would be Jane come for their nightly ritual of discussing the day's events and the happenings in the world. This was most certainly his most favorite part of the day, more so than his debates with Mr. Bennet.

Jane came smiling into the room, with a brush in hand. "Do not believe, dear brother, that your absence was not sorely missed tonight; for Mama taken it upon herself to find grooms enough for Meryton if it would ensure her children's futures could be secure."

Bennet watched as she sat herself down on his bed to sit across from him. "Oh yes, I'm certain talk of marriage wasn't colorful enough without my own commentary on the subject. I did not want to further distress Mama with anything I may have been inclined to say."

Jane raised a brow as she stroked her hair with the brush. "What do you mean?"

Bennet set aside his book, and leaned forward. "I believe myself capable of loving a woman enough to take her for a mere fifty pounds a year, the same dowry you possess. And if I could find myself in such love, I shall be very well pleased."

Jane beamed. "Yes. It would be grand."

Then Bennet leaned back in his seat. "But very poor. Such a man could hardly be sensible, and you know I could never respect a man who was out of his wits. It shall be an enduring task for our mother to find such respectable gentlemen."

Jane held the brush in her lap. "Oh, Benny. A marriage where either partner cannot love or respect the other; that cannot be agreeable, to either party."

Bennet nodded. "As we have daily proof. But beggars, you know, cannot be choosers."

Jane frowned. "We are not so poor, Benny."

Bennet rubbed his forehead. "Father's estate are entailed away to pay his debts, and without reproach. All of us, including myself despite being the heir, we have little but our charms to recommend us. At least one will have to marry very well." He smiled slyly. "And since you are five times as pretty as the rest of us, and have the sweetest disposition, I fear the task will fall on you to raise our fortunes."

"You kid mercilessly." Then she stared at the boards of the floor for a moment. "But, Benny, I would wish...I should so much like...to marry for love."

Bennet grabbed her hand and squeezed it lightly. "And so you shall, I am sure. Only please take care you fall in love with a man of good fortune."

He was glad when her smile returned quickly. She laughed. "Well, I shall try, to please you of course. And you?"

"I am quite determined that nothing but the very deepest love will induce me into matrimony. So...I shall end an old bachelor farmer, financially supporting my four sisters and their brood until the end of my days."

Jane stood, and kissed Bennet lightly on the top of his head. "I have grown tired. Good night, dear brother. I know your future cannot be so dull."

Then she left the room to say goodnight to the other inhabitants of Longbourn.

The next morning passed by quickly. Lydia running through the home, giddy and laughing. "Everyone! There's such fantastic news!"

The Bennet family slowly popped their heads out into the halls at such an outburst. Bennet was in transit from the library to the kitchen for a quick bite before the evening meal. Lydia bounced before him, "Mr. Bingley has come to Netherfield!"

Kitty chimed in with a frown. "Sir William Lucas has called with him!"

Lydia placed a hand on her arm. "I will go tell Mama."

Bennet nibbled at his cracker quietly. He could only imagine the dramatic scene to come, for he had knowledge that his mother did not of Mr. Bennet and a certain visit to the new neighbor as she had pleaded. Bennet took in a deep breath as he prepared himself for raised voices and harsh exchanges.

Mrs. Bennet turned up her nose. "What should we care for Mr. Bingley, since we are never to be acquainted with him." She drew a long breath. "Don't keep coughing so, Kitty! For heaven's sake, have a little compassion on my nerves!"

Lydia continued as if there had been no interruption. "He has thirty, no, forty servants, and he's very handsome and wears a blue coat."

Kitty chimed in with a squeal. "And he declared to Sir William that he loves to dance! He even promised to come to the next ball."

Lydia laughed. "At the assembly this very Saturday! With twelve ladies and seven gentlemen."

Bennet was quite still. "Too many ladies. My regards to towards the gentlemen, should Mama make their acquaintance."

Mrs. Bennet placed a hand over her heart rather dramatically. "I beg you would stop. For we are never to know Mr. Bingley and it pains me to hear of him."

Mr. Bennet chose this moment to enter the room. "I am sorry to hear that. If I'd known as much this morning, I should never have called on him. I'm afraid we cannot escape the acquaintance now."

Mrs. Bennet jumped in her seat with joy. "Oh, my dear Mr. Bennet, how good you are to us! Oh, children, is he not a good father? And never to tell us. Did you have knowledge of this, Benny? What a good joke!"

Bennet smiled with a twinkle in his eye to match his father's. "I hope he has a strong constitution, Mama."

Mr. Bennet nodded. "And a fondness for silly young women. Well, Kitty, I think you may cough as you choose now."

AN: Please alert me to all spelling and grammar mistakes, as well as any scene or event that feels out of character. I am doing my best. Please let me know what you think of the story thus far.