The Alternative (Formerly Currently Untitled)

By Marsha

Jump to new as of September 26, 1999

Chapter I ~ An accident, a stranger, and a snub

Posted on Sunday, 8 August 1999

A young man in the blue Mustang cranked up the volume of his stereo. He was so caught up in the beat, the car momentarily lost control and went straight in the path of a giant tourist bus. The passengers screeched and driver cursed and swerved trying to avoid the inevitable collision. All too late he saw a girl in gray trying to cross the street. The screech of breaks was the last thing Lizzy Bennet heard.

She opened her eyes some time later. I am alive she thought incredulously. How could that be? I have to be dead. That bus ran over me. She gingerly lifted her hand. There was blood on the expensive suit (Half my salary gone right there she thought resignedly), but the skin was remarkably free from even the smallest scratches. You were born lucky, Lizzy she congratulated herself mentally. Lydia won't believe it! Her head hurt, with a funny, persistent ache, but when she tried to lift it and explore further, she realized she was lying on someone's lap. Tilting her head she saw an aquiline profile the owner of which seemed to be talking to the people surrounding them in a quiet, British-accented voice. Whatever he was saying seemed to be working, for the crowd around them was thinning. His voice was soothing, and she was so tired...She closed her eyes again.

The next time she opened them, the crowd around them was gone, she was sitting on a bench nearby, and the young man was sitting next to her, regarding her (she thought with indignation) with amusement.

-I was waiting for you to come to yourself. There are a few things I should explain.

Explain? thought Lizzy.

- "What is there to explain? I got ran over by a crazy driver but my luck held. With the sort of the day I've been having, it should have...to compensate" she told him. "I do want to thank you for your assistance, Mr....?"

"Adam Pierson" The girl was looking at him with a friendly smile. Oh why, oh why do I get into situations like this? thought Methos. Altruistic was never my style, and I should never start something new so late in life. Maybe it's the bad company I keep. But it truly would have created an appaling situation if she woke up in the middle of the street, without anyone to smooth over the strange "results" of the accident. And he did happen to be there...

-I am Lizzy Bennet, ex-reporter at your service...Do you know what happened to that driver? I would really like to give him a piece of my mind...not completely his fault though...five years on the paper and I just got fired today, and was not watching where I was going I guess...but I did think he would stay to at least make an explanation and an apology! Did you get his license number by any chance?" she felt she was rambling.

-No. I actually told him I am a friend of yours, and that since you were fine, there was no need to linger. Since you were obviously unhurt, he went away quite relieved.

Her eyebrows rose. "And what gave you the right to do so? I have seen you for the first time a few minutes ago!"

Sighing, he began his explanation.

Five minutes later, Lizzy thought that either he was a fellow victim of the accident, or that he must be crazier or more drunk than he looked. He looked normal enough, but you never could tell.

Great! First you get fired, than an accident, now a nut! Your day is going just fine, Lizzy!

-You don't believe me?-asked the stranger

-"Of course I do. People who live forever, fight with swords, and cannot be killed by such a small thing as a bus. I wonder I did not think of this before, as the simplest and most natural explanation. Mr. Pierson, I am grateful for the assistance and the, um.... entertainment, but I must go now. Good day."

She rose, but he rose with her.

-"Look at the blood all over your suit, Lizzy. Don't you wonder how your suit is so completely ruined, and yet there is no bruise, no cut on you?"

He heart gave an unpleasant jolt, but she did not intend to believe such nonsense, she couldn't!

-"I suppose you'll tell me next you are one of them too," she challenged.

Damn, it always came to that part sooner or later he thought. Ignoring her protests, he rifled in his bag for something sharp. Nothing! What luck. He really should leave. But he did start this... Then he found a keychain with a small pen-knife attached, and wincing, cut his finger slightly.

A few seconds later the wound completely disappeared. Lizzy was staring at it, blinking rapidly.

-"Oh G-d, all that stuff was really true...Oh G-d, Oh G-d! Welcome to the Twilight Zone!"

He was too used to all sorts of reactions to pay much attention to this particular one.

-I'll explain it on the way, now I will take you to a friend of mine. He's a good teacher, and you'll need one! I'll explain the rest on the way.

By the time they walked into the posh house on a secluded street, Lizzy was dazed. Her reasonable self still refused to believe all this, but there it was. A whole new, confusing world.

-"Your friend does not seem to suffer from poverty,"-she commented on seeing the winding driveways, and the intricate carvings. "Must be some really long-term investments. Like 200 years ago."

Apparently her companion knew his way in. They walked into the house unannounced. The furniture was antique and tastefully decorated, but Lizzy's eyes were on the two men sitting near the fireplace. Her head suddenly pounded again, in a sign she was beginning to recognize... The older of the two, a dark-haired, good-looking man, but with an arrogant twist to his mouth, cautiously turned around, but strode forward once he saw who they were.

The blond man also bounced of his chair. Smiling at Lizzy in unabashed admiration, he introduced himself. "Charles Bingley, here." Lizzy smiled warmly up at him. She liked him at first glance.

"And over here, looking like a statue, is my friend Fitzwilliam Darcy" Darcy coldly extended his hand.

"So, what brings you here, Adam?" continued Bingley. But he addressed his question into empty air, for Adam drew Darcy aside in the corner and was obviously trying to talk him into something that this gentleman was truly reluctant to do.

Pouring himself and Lizzy a drink from a decanter on the table, Bingley continued his cheerful chatter.

Suddenly, and with unfortunate clarity, they heard Darcy's voice. "You know I will not take on students. She looks promising enough, I grant you, but not promising enough to tempt me."

Lizzy choked on her drink.

Chapter II ~ A new teacher, a new watcher and a Really Old Guy

Posted on Thursday, 12 August 1999

Before she had time to do anything (such as pouring the remains of her glass over Darcy's head), Bingley exclaimed indignantly:

"Really, Darcy. I never knew you to be so lacking in manners! And towards such a charming lady too!"

Methos looked on in silent amusement as Darcy stiffly made an old-fashioned bow towards Lizzy Bennet. "My comment was not meant to be overheard," he said uncomfortably. "But my position still stands. No students means no students. And especially no women. I am sorry, ma'am if my sentiments annoy you."

-"Not at all," replied Lizzy sweetly. "I am sure they were common when you first took your lessons."

-"If you find my beliefs so old-fashioned, I wonder you would want to train with someone as out of date as me."

-"You needn't wonder any longer. It was Adam's idea, not mine! Though at the rate this is going, if he expects anything, he's got to be the naďve optimistic type around here!"

-"Well, in this case, my, uh...naďve optimism, seems to have been quite misplaced. No doubt it will be corrected with more experience in life," drawled Methos. "But we are not concerned with me now, are we? There's still a little matter of teacher for Lizzy."

-"And if you are so eager to find her a teacher, Adam, why don't you volunteer yourself?" asked Darcy, switching to the attack.

Methos began ticking off the reasons with his fingers, "unlike you, I truly haven't taken students on for a considerably long time, and am very out of practice in the proper procedure. Plus my hedonistic side won't stand the strain. Thirdly, some of us do have time consuming jobs, however hard it is for you gentlemen to believe. And most importantly, beautiful young women with sharp objects in their hands make me understandably nervous: too close for comfort...oh, and yeah, I've done my good deed for the day."

-"Well, since you can't and he won't, I can leave right now," snapped Lizzy. "In any case, what I need right now is not a teacher, but a job! Starving to death is not a pleasant alternative even for an immortal. And I intend looking for one, before I will get involved in what looks to be like a cold-steel chapter of the NRA."

-"No need for all that fuss, Liz," Bingley entered the conversation. "I'll be your teacher. Darcy has a thing against female students, and Adam...Adam's too lazy to bestir himself, but doesn't mean I have to be."

Lizzy had to laugh at the look on Darcy's face.

Five minutes later, having accepted Bingley, and walking out to his car, Lizzy still was not sure if she did it because she wanted a teacher, she was tired of arguing or because she enjoyed the look the offer put on Darcy's face.

She had bid a civil farewell to Darcy, but his words rankled, and the look she gave him was cold. A pity someone as nice as Charles Bingley had such a disagreeable friend.

Adam watched them as they got into Bingley's car.

-"Are you going to check on your charity case?" smiled Lizzy

-"I'll visit you sometime soon, to see if you make any progress. Bingley is so easy-going, I doubt it, but one can always hope for the best."

-"Good. See ya," the car revved up and was gone.

"Mac's not going to believe this," muttered Methos.

-"Darcy isn't that bad of a chap really, once you get to know him," tried Bingley in the car.

-"I am sure," replied Lizzy noncommittally. After all, the man was a friend of his.

-"He can be difficult, but there is nobody I'd rather turn to in trouble," persevered Charles. "he just has...you know...moods."

"I don't object to his moods" replied Lizzy, "I just don't like being the victim of them."

Charles decided to drop it for the time being.

All alone in his house, Fitzwilliam Darcy looked out of the window. He supposed he really did hurt that girl's feelings. And it was unpardonable of him to have said it loud enough for her to hear. Still, he hadn't meant it, so it was no reason for her to get all fired up...her eyes did sparkle so when she was all angry though. Almost made a fellow wish to anger her, just to see that sparkle.

She probably thought him an uncivil boor. Well, it couldn't be helped. He just could NOT have a student. He could not face that nightmare again. Not after what happened to his last one. Not after Georgiana.

In another part of town, Joe Dawson, head of the watcher organization for the area, smiled at a beautiful blonde nervously standing in the doorway.

-"Do come in. I believe you came to ask about your first assignment."

The girl smiled shyly.

-"Oh, and congratulations on finishing first in the watcher academy. I believe you will go far."

-"Thank you," said the girl in her soft voice. "I do mean to try and make a success of it. A new start."

-"Very well. Here is your assignment then. She is a new immortal. Here's her picture and stats. Named Lizzy Bennet. Wish you all the success you deserve. You'll report to me of course, Jane."

-"Of course," answered Jane Tenneb.*

*Tenneb is just Bennet spelled backwards, of course!

Chapter III ~ The Waiting Time

Posted on Sunday, 22 August 1999

Jane opened the door of her apartment to be greeted by the sight of her thoroughly dusty, thoroughly tired and thoroughly mad roommate Charlotte.

"Have you seen that dratted bag of mine anywhere," was her greeting. "I misplaced it again..."

Jane wearily sat down in the only clean space in the living room, now full of scraps of the most unimaginable stuff she had ever seen. Charlotte was ransacking the place again. And Jane had no doubt as to who would do the cleaning.

"Oh, and yeah, and who is your assignment?"-Charlotte lifted her head from a pile of old clothes she was now digging through so diligently. "Anybody famous? Anybody interesting...Anybody good-looking?" she asked, with less and less hope as Jane shook her head negatively after each of her questions. "Oh well," she sighed philosophically. "It rarely is. At least yours is alive."

Charlotte Lucas was a Watcher also. A watcher of long standing, and a great reputation for thoroughness, professional neatness (so sadly lacking in her dealings with personal life), a good eye, and total, clinical detachment. An ideal Watcher, in fact.

With Charlotte it is so easy. Everything is so compartmentalized, clear-cut...how I wish I felt that way, about anything" thought Jane, and then stopped herself guiltily. Charlotte took you in, gave you a place to stay. Found you a job. Ungrateful!

Charlotte was on "leave". The Immortal she had been watching, Walter Elliot, had been so unwise as to get into a sword fight with a much more powerful Immortal than himself. As a result, he had lost his life, and Charlotte her assignment.

It was lucky for Jane. Charlotte, with nothing to do, with nothing to occupy her mind, was all ready for something unusual to happen. When she bumped into Jane on the street one day, she decided the matter was interesting enough to pursue further. Wandering in the streets after the "incident" she tried so hard to forget, after the near-exterminating humiliation, Charlotte's brusque kindness almost seemed out of place, so twisted her life had become. However, when Charlotte, recognizing and pitying the desperation in her eyes, offered her a place to stay, she had no desire to refuse. And later, after she recuperated a bit, Charlotte told her about the organization she belonged to, and offered to fix it with the powers that be, so Jane could be accepted into Watcher academy.

Jane was determined to start a new life. Away from all the trouble she had known. She was going to build a life for herself, in the new world she was so suddenly in.

Across town, in a posh district of Netherfield, a new Immortal named Lizzy Bennet was trying the same thing.

Chapter IV ~ Of books, opposites, and Henry III

Posted on Saturday, 25 September 1999, at 11 : 13 p.m.

To her relief, but not to her surprise, Lizzy found Bingley more than an adequate teacher. He showed her the exercise programs she was supposed to be doing, and started teaching her the rudiments of sword-work. He was very, very good. She, on the other hand, wasn't. Or not yet. "It's not all bad," he told her during one of her glum sessions. He was the most cheerfully determined person Lizzy Bennet had ever met. But even Bingley had to confess that the idea of strangers dropping in on her, to casually propose dueling to the death had its negative sides.

A few of his friends dropped by occasionally to see her train. She didn't recognize most of them, but Adam stopped by a few times as well. Mainly to sit in the armchair, and give a lot of negative, but surprisingly effective, advice. That friend of his, Darcy, stopped by a few times too. He didn't say anything. Just sat there and stared. Stared an awful lot. Probably storing up all the negative points he could find! thought Lizzy rebelliously. It was a pity he was so good-looking. What a waste of a fine body, as Lydia would say.

He took care to be there only when Bingley was around. She could not decide, whether that was a result of a flattering fear of her new skills, or of a hideous belief of his irresistibility.

On this Monday morning however, she was completely alone when a startled Darcy walked in. Bingley had an emergency call from one of his old friends, and had gone, giving her a day off. She was so deeply immersed in her book, that when the sensation of another Immortal hit her senses, it was quite a shock. She relaxed when she saw only Darcy. Granted, the man was an annoyance, but at least he wasn't an enemy!

He was plainly ill at ease at being alone with her. Does he think I am going to jump him and rip his clothes off? wondered Lizzy. Nodding to him, and telling him that Bingley was out for the day, she returned to her book, in a plain signal of "leave me alone."
Amazingly, he made no move to depart, but instead asked her what book was she reading. Plainly, he existed just to annoy her!

"Sharon Kay Penman's "Falls the Shadow"...hmmm, I see." His response was non-committal.
"Not everyone was there!" she replied stung.

"Henry III was before my time, too," he pointed out.

Perversely, his "best" behavior annoyed her all the more. But before she had time to make a retort suitable for her feelings, the doorbell rang, and a very tired Bingley walked through the door.

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