Hey guys! I told you there'd be another story from me rather sooner than later and I can proudly admit that I decided to write an AU this time.

Special thanks to my beta Nerwen, who put up with my grammar and spelling mistakes and of course the lovely totorsg who encouraged me a lot :)

This is an extreme AU, so please give it a chance and dive into a new world full of Romance, Humor and also a tiny little bit of Drama ;)

Because we're in an alternate universe, the characters won't always act like you expect they would, but I hope most features will remain true to the original.

While you start to read, there surely will be some questions about the background stories of the characters, but I assure you, you'll get to know everything when the story continues. Some mysteries must be kept, right ;)

Now some of you might have a problem to imagine Lisbon as a hooker, but I beg you to not get overprotective here. I know the Lisbon we know from the show would never do something like this. Also, Jane might seem a little bit like the conman he was before his family died. I can assure you, this is all on purpose.
Please just give it a try, that'd make me very happy :)
Now have fun!

And since I wasn't able to post the original summary, because it was too long, here it is:

Summary:

Teresa Lisbon is a desperate young hooker, who lost all faith in life, until she meets Patrick Jane, an arrogant and rich businessman, who turns her world upside down. With Teresa being the first woman in a long time to surprise him, Patrick is on his way to become a better person, whereas she has the chance to finally get away from the streets and start her life all over again.

A tribute to my favorite movie "Pretty Woman". Extreme AU, but please take a chance! Romance/Humor

Disclaimer: All rights belong to their real owner - which is not me ;)

Pretty Red Lady

(1)

The fat ugly businessman next to her snored like a chainsaw. Annoyed, she pulled one of the cheap pillows over her head, try to get at least five minutes of sleep tonight. Just then, he grunted loudly, continuing his snoring even louder as if he wanted her to stay awake on purpose.

A quick look on his big golden watch on the night stand, told her it was almost six o'clock in the morning. Time to leave anyways, she thought sighing.

The woman with the red hair got out of the small bed and started to get dressed. Darn, that idiot had almost ripped her panties last night. He'd been so turned on by her; he'd almost made a mess on the floor when she'd pulled his pants down.

Disgusting bastard. She hadn't had anyone this bad in bed in a long time, but in the end it didn't count. It was her job to bring them pleasure, not the other way round. She didn't do this for enjoyment, but because she had to. Sex had nothing to do with feelings, she'd been that taught early. The only goal was to please the clients so some of them would come back and maybe getting a good tip in the morning for all of the effort. One had to switch every single feeling off, do everything in the well known routine she'd been taught. She was a prostitute, yes, but that meant she didn't have to like what she was doing.

Be thorough, she told herself, be strong. You know why you're doing it.

She made a quick run towards the bathroom, splashing some cold water into her tired face and combing through her red hair with her fingers. Oh god, she looked like a mess. For a second, she thought about showering, but she'd do it when she got back to her own room. There was no way she'd want Mr. Fat to wake up before she was gone.

The woman threw her ripped panties into the corner and pulled her tiny black leather skirt up. Where the hell was her bra?

After she got dressed, she took her purse and counted the money lying on the night stand.

Seriously? A fifty dollars for one night? He was kidding, right? They'd agreed on hundred! She wasn't one of the cheap prostitutes you could pick up on the streets, giving you a mouth fuck for fifteen dollars, she was supposed to have a little more style and that cost.

Throwing the sleeping man on the bed a disgusted look, she picked up his trousers and checked the pockets for a wallet. "Here we go", she grinned, after she found an expensive black leather wallet, filled with lots of cash.

Mr. Fat, how she'd decided to call him, said something in his sleep, but he drank so much last night he wouldn't wake up even if she started a bulldozer right next to him. It was always easier when they were drunk. For once, she could turn off her emotions better and she could easily pretend he'd spent all the money for drinks and stuff later on, if the clients woke up before she was gone or she picked their pockets while they were showering.

"Now let's see… You gave me fifty. Well, there goes twenty more, because you ripped my panties, five, because you wanted me to call you Daddy, fifteen, because you didn't stop snoring… and ten more, because you are just ugly." The prostitute counted her money with a satisfied grin. One hundred bucks. She could take more, but she didn't want him to find out and maybe get back to her. She stored half of the bills inside her bra, the others inside her purse and quietly left the room, hoping to never see Mr. Fat again.

"Yo Trixi, ya did him good last night? Could hear ya fake screamin' down here", a big black man told her, just when she came down the stairs. His arms were filled with tattoos, that made his skin look even darker than it already was. He sat behind an improvised reception desk, waiting for some "guests" to arrive, who needed a room for a few hours. Since it was six in the morning, the business was going slowly.

"Yeah, thanks Big D. How's business going?", Trixi asked, trying to his the sarcasm in her voice.

"Oh stop it. Since that white guy on the other side of the street opened up his rat hole, I get less 'n' less customers here. His rooms are cheaper than my mama's one's when she opened up her business here. But you and the others are still coming. I know I can count on Red John's girls, right?"

Trixi swallowed hard, before she nodded in approval: "Of course you can. I'm sorry, but I gotta go Big D. See you next time."

"Bye baby. And make sure to send me one over tomorrow. It's ma birthday."

"Your birthday is every two weeks", she answered with a smirk on her lips, before she went out of the building that smelled like sex, desperation and cheap perfume, a fragrance she knew all too well, because she was wearing it too.

Trixi shivered a little when she exited the motel building and stepped out on the street, a fresh breeze blowing through the alley where it was located. Only a few people were out at that time of the morning, mostly garbage collectors and a few drunkards who were sent home from the bars. She mostly tried to avoid them out of personal reasons.

The sky was darkened by heavy rain clouds, reflecting her mood perfectly. Maybe she should hurry, before the first raindrops fell and with little she was wearing, she'd get sick. Sin City wasn't what it used to be. She'd been told all the tails of a glamorous showgirl life, but behind all the glitter, lights and money people were only looking for their own advantage, everyone giving a shit about the others.

Sometimes she wished she'd never come down here at all. Her life now felt as dry and lifeless as the desert that surrounded the city.

The prostitute wrapped her arms around her small frame, rubbing her cold skin gently to get a little warmer. It was a fifteen minute walk to the building where her single room apartment was located - hidden in an alley, right behind the famous "Red Mill", the most visited high-society strip club in whole Vegas.

She'd picked up her "client" there last night too, but since the "Red Mill" officially hadn't anything to do with prostitution, they'd taken a cab that'd brought them to Big D's motel.

Trixi walked up the two stairs that lead to the wooden front door, which she opened with a key. The house was silent and she hoped to get into her room without to be seen by anyone. Carefully, she climbed up the first five steps, avoiding the third, because she knew it was the one that creaked if you stepped on it.

Arriving on the first floor without making any noise, she listened for voices coming out of the rooms, but it seemed like either the girls were already asleep or not home yet. Time to climb up the second stairs, quickly before she'd run into…

"Well, well. See who tries to sneak into her room without to be seen", a voice behind her said.

Shit! Trixi fringed and turned around slowly meeting the other woman's cold eyes. She had shoulder long black hair, was tall and skinny but with perfect curves. Her short dark blue dress showed more of her body than Trixi was comfortable seeing with, but she tried to give it no notice.

"What do you want, Lorelei?", she asked annoyed.

"I shall inform you, that they want you to be at the bar around nine tonight", the woman said with a wicked grin. Her hand went up to play with a necklace she wore around her neck.

"And that couldn't have waited until noon? What happened to my day off? I thought Ally was supposed to be at the bar tonight."

"Ally is sick."

"For how long?", the petite woman answered with an annoyed tone.

"She's got the Nine-Months-Sickness, so until we found someone to take her place, we'll spread her shifts on you and the others", the head mistress answered.

Trixi nodded in disapproval, since she couldn't change it anyways. "Are you finished? I want to go and shower now."

Lorelei shook her head: "You just come home from a client, right? Now you know what you're supposed to do afterwards. It's the end of the month, you know."

How could I forget. Trixi hesitated, but she knew it wasn't worth it. Sighing, she opened her purse and pressed the fifty dollars into Lorelei's waiting hands, before she turned around to head up the stairs.

"Na, na, na. Not so fast."

"What is it, Lorelei?! With the fifty, I paid what I owe him and you know as well as I do that I'm allowed to keep the rest for myself. I'm tired and I want to shower and sleep. Do you have a problem with that? Fine."

Lorelei smirked and came closer to Trixi, her hand still playing with the necklace. "You made a contract with the boss before you came here. You owe him five years of your services and there are still four to go. I don't care what you need the money for, but I know you're hiding some of it from me under the loose plank in your room…"

"You've been sniffing through my room again?", Trixi snapped offended. It was just then, when her gaze fell on the necklace Lorelei had been playing with the whole time. "What the… How dare you! Give it back to me you bitch!"

She reached for the golden necklace with the cross around Lorelei's neck, but the woman stepped backwards.

"Don't you believe it's ridiculous for a hooker to believe in God? You know what he says about people like us, the wages of a dog."

"You know nothing!", Trixi said, her voice still raised, "Now give me the cross back."

"Or what?" This time Lorelei wasn't quick enough to take a step backwards, before Trixi could hit her face with her flat hand and ripped the necklace off her neck.

"How dare you, you worthless little piece of shit!", the tall woman screamed, rubbing her neck in pain. "I'm going to tell the boss about this and he won't like it! See how you can get yourself out of that one! You just screwed up your chance to get out of here ever again!" With that, Lorelei turned around and left her standing in the hallway.

Don't cry!, she told herself, Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry! Running up the stairs, she busted into her little room and locked it up. Only then she allowed herself to let the tears go. Trixi threw herself on the bed, sobbing violently, clutching her arms around the pillow.

This was not fair, just not fair. What did she ever do to deserve something like this? Hadn't she been through enough in her short life already? "Why?", she asked aloud, her voice filled with tears. "Oh God why?"

She took the necklace with the cross that belonged to her mother and held it close to her heart. Tomorrow it would be exactly one year since she was here. One year where she'd gone from a poor girl with great dreams to a cheap hooker with no way out of her situation.

She knew she couldn't leave, because she belonged to him for another five years at least. That was as long as she could pay the rent and do what she was asked to do. She belonged to Red John and his business, like a modern slave. He'd given her food when she was hungry, a job and a roof over the head, when she'd needed it, but the price she'd paid had been too high. Five years of her life in his services. Until then, she couldn't leave. The ones who tried had vanished from the surface.

Her mother had always told her about people who made a pact with the devil, but she'd never thought she'd be the one to make it. Sometimes, she thought, she should just kill herself and put an end to everything. Four more years! There was no way she could survive it that long.

Stop thinking things like that, the voice in her head told her. You need to be strong for them, you need to be strong for your brothers. Now stop whining around.

Trixi wiped away her tears and grabbed for the framed picture on the night desk next to her bed. It showed four siblings – three boys and one girl – in front of a lake. They were all smiling happily into the camera, one of the boys was even showing his tongue. Times had been good back then, happy.

It'll get better. One day, after you're out of here and have enough money to finally fulfil your dream, things will be better. Just hold on. Hold on. She pulled the red haired wig from her head and threw it into the next corner. Long dark chocolate brown waves of shiny hair were revealed, falling down on her shoulders in tousled strands. It was time to take a shower and catch a little sleep before she had to work through the night again.

Trixi put the picture of her and her brothers back on the night stand. The lump forming in her throat made it hard to breathe and to hold back the new rising tears. She really wanted to get out of here soon… but the chances were small.

Patrick Jane stepped out of the black limousine, which stopped in front of a tall modern building with the fancy golden description "Mashburn Avionics". With his dark blue suit, a phone pressed to one ear, a dark brown briefcase in his hand, he looked like most of the in and out coming employees of the firm.

"Listen, Erica, I told you I'd be back I about a week", he tried to appease the woman on the other line, who seemed to be very furious with something."

"Well Patrick, I have the feeling I'm talking more to your secretary than to you!"

"I don't have a secretary, dear. Please darling, I thought we talked this through the last time I had to go to Chicago. If you want to keep up with all the shopping you're doing for unnecessary clothes and beauty articles, fine! But some people on this planet have to work to support your shopping habits!" He walked through the glass doors, greeted by the receptionist and right into one of the free waiting elevators.

"Are you implying I'm shopping too much? What else am I supposed to do when you are never here?"

"Have some fun with your boy toy, maybe?", Jane muttered under his breath, knowing it wasn't just said in the off-hand way. He'd smelled some other man's perfume and found a shirt that definitely didn't belong to him last time he came back to his apartment in New York.

"This is enough Patrick, I'm not going to put up with this crap anymore. I'm done with you!"

The elevator doors pinged open, leading him directly to his bosses office on the roof top. Since a great part of the building was glazed, he could see the beautiful skyline of Los Angeles and the sea, a shimmering line at the horizon.

Jane sighed, hearing his girlfriend throwing unfriendly scolding's towards him through the phone. "Just make sure to take all your stuff with you, Erica. I don't want to see anything that's left from you when I come home."

"That's it, Patrick?! After all we've been through?"

"You mean after I gave you money, when your dating company failed to pay your depts? Or after you needed new outfits for random upper class parties? Or are you talking about what we've been through, after I found out you've been on me right before you moved in? Oh, we've been through a lot Erica. You're done? That's good, because I am too. Make sure to throw your key into the mailbox after you leave."

"No, Patrick, you can't just…"

He didn't wait for her to finish before he hung up his cell phone. "Women!", he cursed. Looking right up, he saw the gaze of Walter Mashburn's petite redheaded secretary lingering on him. Jane gave her an excusing smile, putting the phone back into his pocket. "Present ladies excluded of course, Miss Sarah. Tell me, why are women these days so easy to please? Where is the challenge? Give them a credit card and some bling-bling and they eat out of your hand."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Jane, but I don't think I'm the right person to answer this question…"

"Oh don't be shy, Sarah, go on. Tell me what you think."

"Uhm… maybe you're looking for the wrong kind of woman. A relationship means hard work and I think the right woman for you should be one to challenge you as much as you challenge her."

Jane seemed to think about her words for a few seconds, before he flashed her one of his extremely charming smiles: "Very wise words, my dear. Are you sure this is the right job for you? Anyways… Do you know if Mr. Mashburn is available right now?"

Sarah smiled back at him, buzzing her boss inside the office and asking if he had time to receive a visitor. "Sir, Mr. Jane is asking for you."

"Send him right in, I'm waiting for him."

"I heard him", Jane answered quickly, going towards the heavy oak wood doors. "Mind if I help myself?" Without waiting for an answer, he pushed the door open and entered the modern office. Walter Mashburn, boss of Mashburn Avionics was awaiting him, standing at the window and watching outside.

"I thought I told you to meet me yesterday morning", he said.

Jane walked over to the big glassy desk and sat down on a black leather chair. "I had a meeting with one of our clients in New York, I told you about this, Walter. Now please don't pretend you forgot."

Mashburn turned around, giving him a patronizing smile: "Patrick, just because I made you to my ambassador for the northern and eastern parts of the country doesn't mean you can do what you want."

"Did I come all the way here you so you can give me a lecture about what I can and cannot do, Walter? Please." Jane leaned back, arms crossed in front of his chest, waiting for Mashburn to finally tell him, why he had to come here all the way from NYC.

"I know you don't like California since it happened, but I have a big new assignment for this company here and I need you for this. You're my best man and the only one I think I can trust with this."

"Mind if I have some tea?", he asked disinterested.

"Sure, I'll ask Sarah…"

"Don't bother her, I can help myself." He stood up and went over to a small separated kitchen area, where he set up a kettle with hot water. Mashburn followed him with a hint of annoyance on his face.

"This is really important, Patrick. Have you ever heard of "Minelli & Son"?"

"The iron manufacturer? I think I saw Virgil Minelli on one of your charities once. Seemed like a nice old man to me. What's with the company?"

Now Mashburn started to grin. He always did that when he had the feeling a deal would be good for his own company. "Well, I've heard that Minelli and Son bankrupted last week and desperately need someone to buy out their company before it's getting worse."

"Let me guess, this someone is you." Jane took a cup and poured a little milk inside, before he poured the hot tea on it.

"I'm one of many who wants to own this company either for their own advantage or to buy it, rip it, and sell the pieces to increase their funds. That's why I need you. I want you to persuade dear Mr. Minelli and his son that we are the best company to sell it too. I know you have certain methods to persuade people. That's why I hired you."

Patrick took a sip of his tea, seeming to be very pleased with his drink. "When you hired me, Walter, you didn't have a clue who I was or what I could. I conned you into giving me this job", he said in passing.

Mashburn followed him back outside, feeling a little patronized: "Yes, you conned me. And instead of suing you, I let you have your job and made you to one of my best men. You owe me, Patrick. So, what are you saying? Do you think you'll get old Virgil Minelli into selling us his baby?"

"I always like a good challenge", he grinned and took a file Mashburn hold out to him.

"That is good, my friend, very good. I already arranged everything… How is Erica by the way?"

Jane raised an eyebrow. Mashburn was such a curious gossip girl, sometimes it annoyed him. "I don't know… A little furious maybe, because I just told her to move out of my apartment before I get home."

"So you broke up?", Mashburn asked a little panic in his voice. "This is bad."

"Yes, a few minutes ago, why? You never really cared about whether I had a girlfriend or not." Well this was interesting. He knew Walter didn't really like Erica, because she preferred Jane over him when he made her an offer.

"I arranged a dinner meeting with Minelli and Mr. Rigsby, his stepson, who told me he'd bring his fiancée along, the day after tomorrow. Now I hoped you could ask Erica to come, to charm her way into their lives, like she usually does. Actually I already told them you'd bring some lovely female company."

Jane sat his cup upon Mashburn's desk, eyeing his boss in annoyance. "Why would you do that? You know that I always separate work from private life. Just tell them I won't bring anyone."

"But it'd make our company look better if you bring a woman who pretends to get along with the future Mrs. Rigsby. I want our company to appeal to them. Tell them all they want, fulfil their needs and once we have them, we'll do what we want."

"I don't need a woman at my side to do that."

Mashburn rolled his eyes: "Look, I know some pretty ladies I can call if needed. Don't worry about finding someone, I'll arrange something. Do we have a deal, Patrick? I want to have the signed contract that Minelli & Son is ours on my desk on Friday next week."

"I'm on, it, you can count on me." He raised, emptying the cup of tea.

"Uh… there is one other little thing you have to do before. I tried to reach you earlier and that's the reason why I expected you to meet me yesterday. I need you to go to Vegas, to seal the deal with Bajoran for me."

"The helicopter company?", Jane asked interested, "I thought you were enemies since Marie left you for him. Why would you… aaah. Right. You get his baby after he got yours."

Mashburn shrugged and pretended to read an article on his desk. Patrick Jane smiled knowingly: "Why can't you go to Vegas and look him with a triumphant smile in the eye when he signs the contract?"

"Because if I send my bagman, it'll look like I don't care a bit about his company's future."

"No, I think you don't want to go, because he still has Marie to hold on to, even if you rip him out of his money, social status and wealth."

"I just gave you a new task, Jane. Why don't you go and work your magic? Since the flight I booked for you went off one hour ago and my private jet is in use, you have to go to Vegas by car."

Jane's face darkened immediately. "You know I don't drive anymore since it happened."

Mashburn gave him an apologizing smile: "I know. That's why one of my cars is awaiting you outside to bring you to your hotel and back to Vegas. The appointment with Bajoran is at 4 pm, so you'll have enough time to get there. Don't screw it up. Just so you know, the driver's name is Cho. Last time you were here you said he was a very pleasant driver."

"He doesn't talk a lot and ask stupid questions, that's why. Fine, I'll go, Walter, but you owe me now. I'll see you tomorrow evening then."

With that, the blond man stood up and walked over to the office doors, without looking back. He hated to go by car since the incident five years ago, but there was no other chance. Sure, he could charter a jet for himself, but Walter wouldn't pay for that, so he came to terms to get mentally ready for the 4 hours drive to Vegas. At least he had the Asian looking driver who minded his own business during the drive.

Jane said goodbye to Sarah, before he took the elevators downstairs. Like Mashburn told him, the fancy car was waiting right in front of the building, with the Korean leaning against the passenger's side.

"Mr. Cho", he greeted him friendly, shaking his hand, "What a pleasure to drive with you again."

"Good morning, Mr. Jane", Cho answered shortly and opened the door so Jane could get in.

"Back to my hotel and then off to Vegas please", Jane ordered, leaning back against the cream colored leather.

"As you wish", Cho mumbled and hit the gas.

In the back, Jane sighed. Life wasn't very easy at the moment, but he had to get his head clear for the new tasks like sealing the deal with Bajoran and setting up a plan to persuade Minelli and his son into giving them his company. He didn't want to get started on the mess that's await him once he got home. Hopefully Erica wouldn't break his expensive Sui Dynasty china tea set he just purchased in her wrath.

Busy one and a half weeks lay ahead of him.

Whew okay that was the first chapter and I hope you had a good time :) I really did while writing it! Some of you might have been confused a bit in the first scene, but that's normal and that's what I wanted. Did you know it was Lisbon all along? Or when did it hit you? ;)

Now if you liked it, I'd be very happy to hear what you think and maybe share some of your theories with me. So don't be afraid to write a review, they are always gladly appreciated!

I hope to see most of you guys next chapter! Thanks a lot for reading and have a nice weekend!

Also, if you want updates on my stories, like when the new chapter will be on, or just discuss some awesome The Mentalist stuff, you can follow me on Twitter. My name is "glindaloveshoes" there too.

Liefs