A Blind Date

By Meghan

Section I, Next Section

Chapter 1

Posted on Tuesday, 6 June 2000, at 10 : 10 a.m.

It was a brisk winter day in the city of New York, but that did not seem to stop the masses from being outside and rushing around. The weather was threatening snow so people were rushing to get to work making the traffic horrible. Elizabeth loved New York even though things were hectic. Elizabeth, an editor for the New York Times, had just stepped onto the subway with a mass of other people. Once again she was smashed into a corner while everyone crowded onto the train. Elizabeth shared an apartment with her sister Jane, but lately, Jane was not home very much since she seemed to have found the love of her life. His name was Charles Bingley and he sat on the board at Darcy Corporation, a large computer company. Elizabeth loved her sister dearly and saw just how much she was in love with Charles. She knew that it would not be long before she would have to search for a new roommate. Elizabeth was very happy that her sister had found someone, but she was mad that it reminded her that she had not been on a date for sometime. Sure, she had dated, but her last boyfriend and made her wary of men. His name was George Wickham and he turned out to be a crook after Elizabeth's money. He seemed like the perfect man to Elizabeth at first, but when he found out about his true habits of gambling and embezzlement, she dumped him immediately, but that did not end her relationship with him. He would follow her wherever she went and Elizabeth was forced to put a restraining order against him. They were never able to convict him for embezzlement, so he remained out of prison. Elizabeth was finally rid of him when he followed a rich women to Europe, but was arrested for having a fake passport. It was a relief to Elizabeth to be finally rid of George Wickham.

When the subway stopped, Elizabeth along with many other impatient New Yorkers exited the subway and walked quickly up to the cold streets. Snow started to fall and Elizabeth was glad that her building was so near. As she came up to it, she rushed inside just as the wind started to blow even harder. The snow did not show any sign of stopping in the near future, so Elizabeth was glad that she had a lot of work to do in her office. She walked towards the elevator and said hello to the security guard. He was a man that had been doing the same job for thirty years and he was like a father to Elizabeth. His name was Charlie Baker and he was very close to Elizabeth. "Good morning Miss Elizabeth. How are you this nice winter day?" he asked as she grabbed a newspaper and a muffin.

"Good morning Charlie. I am wonderful. I just love New York on a brisk winter day," she responded with a laugh.

"Have a wonderful day and thank you again for the wonderful bread you made. It was delicious, but then again everything you make is delicious."

"You're welcome, maybe I should have become a cook instead of an editor." Elizabeth said just before she went into the elevator. She waved goodbye to Charlie and headed up toward her office where she was sure there was a ton of work waiting for her. When the elevator opened on her floor, she saw all of the busy people rushing around. There were deadlines to meet and interviews to schedule. Elizabeth rushed to her desk to find it covered with messages and new stories for her to read. Another long day was in store for Elizabeth, so she got her coffee and then sat down to go through all of her phone calls before the meeting of all the editors in the morning. The first message was from her mother. She knew that it was about another nice young man that she met and wants Elizabeth to meet, so she decided to get her duty over with and call her while she was not irritated. Her family lived in Maryland near Annapolis in a nice house. Her mother was very involved in her community and her father was a retired professor. He taught at the Naval Academy for thirty five years and finally entered into the life of retirement. Besides Jane, Elizabeth had three other sisters, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. She was not very close to them, but did see them at the holidays. At Thanksgiving she was introduced to Mary's fiancé, a nuclear physicist. Mary had always been the brains of the family and now lived in Boston with her fiancé who worked at MIT. Kitty, a student at Yale was away a lot also, but Elizabeth saw her quite a bit when she was on vacation or if they met for lunch. Lydia, however, was a senior in high school and very wild. She was a little t wild and also her mother's favorite next to Jane. Elizabeth knew that Lydia was not well behaved and worried for her. She hoped that she would settle down soon. It was hard hearing about the things she got herself into.

Elizabeth dialed the number and her mother answered the phone. When Elizabeth said hello, her mother started yelling at her already and talking about a new man she met at the country club. She said that she should come a week before Christmas and meet him. He was a doctor and very eligible. "Mother, you know that I have too much work to do up here in New York. Besides, I don't need your help with finding a husband."

"What do you mean you don't need my help!!!! You are twenty eight years old and single. How am I ever to get any grandchildren if you never marry. I hear things are going with Jane. Why couldn't you be more like her. She is involved with a very nice and rich man. At least she is bringing someone home to show her poor parents." Elizabeth could feel a headache coming on, but remained on the phone like a dutiful daughter.

"Mother, I do not need your assistance. Now please, I will talk to you later. I have a lot of work to do. Give my love to dad and Lydia. I will see you at Christmas." Elizabeth could hear her mother complaining as she hung up the phone. It was going to be a long day and this was not the way to begin it.

At lunch, Elizabeth went to meet Jane. Jane worked as a secretary to Caroline Bingley at Darcy Corporations. Elizabeth enjoyed their lunches together. "So, how is Charles today. I hope that you are preparing him for Christmas. Did you warn him about mother. She called here again. She found another husband for me."

"He is great, who is he this time?"

"A doctor."

"Well, she only means for the best. I am afraid that none of us are married yet, well Mary is close, but you know how mama."

"I know. I must be getting back to work. I have a meeting to discuss the subjects of this weeks specials in the paper. I will see you tonight. Will you be home or will I have another date with Emma(the dog)?"

"Yes, Charles had to work late tonight, so I will be there. What do you say to making it a girls night. I will order pizza and pick up some movies on the way home from work."

"Sounds great. I will see you later. Oh, please get something romantic. It is the only romance I get in my life. Have a great day. I hope Caroline isn't in one of her moods again. Bye Jane."

"Bye Lizzy." Jane left the restaurant and Elizabeth gathered her things together. She walked back to her office where yet another pile had accumulated of stories and messages. It was going to be a long day.

Chapter 2

Posted on Tuesday, 6 June 2000, at 12 : 21 p.m.

Elizabeth walked slowly back to her office. She knew that once she got there, people would not leave her alone. Things were hectic at this time of year with Christmas coming. People were taking off for the holidays and there was still a paper to get out. Elizabeth was glad that her job allowed her the flexibility to take off. She was in charge of editing other people's stories, so she could work from anywhere. It was easier for her to take time because she could take her laptop computer and the writers could e-mail or fax them to her.

When got back to her office, she found one of the younger writers waiting for her. "Ms. Bennet, I was wondering if you could help me. I cannot seem to get this article to flow. It is not working and I have been struggling for a few hours with it. I was wondering if you had any suggestions?" The reporters seemed to be getting younger and younger every year and it made Elizabeth feel old and she was glad when she was able to help him. It made her feel like her experience in the newspaper career was advantageous. Elizabeth then looked down at her desk to see a pile of articles there for her to read, so she went to the refrigerator and got out her favorite cranberry juice and went back to tackle the articles. When she finally closed the last one she saw that it was dark outside. She looked at the clock and saw that it was already 6:30. Time to go. She stood up and stretched her stiff neck. After gathering up her things, she grabbed her coat and briefcase and left the building, saying good-bye to Charlie on the way out the door. The snow had stopped, but the masses of people had not stopped. The street lights were all on and she knew that the subway would be crowded, but she took a deep breath and braced herself for the cold and the crowds.

The subway was very crowded and Elizabeth was smashed between a fat man and a screaming baby. She didn't think that her head could get any worse. She hoped that Jane was home and that she had already ordered the pizza because she was in the need for some comfort food. It had been a long day and the busy subway did not help her any. So, when the subway finally stopped at her station, she rushed up to the street and hurried to her apartment. She said hello to the doorman and tried to run to the elevator before it closed, but she was too late. "This day is just getting better and better." she said to herself. When the elevator finally opened she walked in and pushed the button for her floor. She was glad that no one was in the elevator with her because she let out a small scream to relieve her nerves. The elevator came to a stop on the fifth floor and Elizabeth walked slowly down the hall to her apartment. When she unlocked the door, Emma came running over to her for a pet. The dog wouldn't even let her in the door until Jane came running over and moved the dog. "Oh Jane, this has been a long day. I hope you picked up something good for tonight because after the day that I have had, I need some serious recuperation if I am to do it again tomorrow. Tell me again why I do what I do and tell why everyone seems to be getting younger and younger."

"Yes, I know exactly how you feel, Caroline was on one of her rants today. I didn't think that the day would ever end, but that's enough about work. Come on the pizza is getting cold and we have a movie to watch." Jane said as she pulled Elizabeth inside.

"Let me change and then I will be ready. What movie did you get? It better be romantic. I am in the mood for some tears, so I hope it is good."

"I got An Affair to Remember, so hurry up. I will go get plates and a few beers out. We have a great night ahead of us." Elizabeth hung up her coat and put her briefcase in the corner then continued to get undressed. She took off her suit and put on a pair of flannel pants and a sweatshirt. The dog had followed her into the bedroom so she petted Emma and them put on her slippers. She was comfortable for the fist time today. Back in the living room, Jane had everything set up and she put the movie in as Elizabeth came out and sat on the sofa. The both watched the movie, cried, ate, and drank. It was just what Elizabeth needed on a cold winter day.

After the movie, both women decided that it was time for bed. Elizabeth took Emma out for a short walk and then put her to bed before climbing in her own bed. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. The city was still lit up like a Christmas tree, but that didn't bother Elizabeth. She was off in the land of dreams where she dreamt of a tall handsome mad whisking her away to his castle. She was sorry when her alarm woke her up and the man disappeared. "Man, and it was just starting to get good." she thought to herself. Elizabeth slowly got out of bed and grabbed a towel and her robe. The warm shower felt nice against her cold skin. After her shower she looked outside to see that the snow was still coming down. It would be another cold day. She got dressed and pulled her massive amount of dark brown curls up into a bun. She wore a dark blue suit with a white silk blouse. She put on her watch and saw that she was running late. Jane was already in the kitchen drinking coffee when Elizabeth came out. "Bye Jane, I'll see you at lunch. What Elizabeth didn't know was that at lunch today, Jane and Charles were planning setting Elizabeth up.

Charles Bingley was a very nice man who suited Jane perfectly in appearance as well as character. He worked for his best friend Will Darcy. He has been seeing Jane for a long time and was truly falling in love with her. He knew that Jane was the perfect women for himself. Charles felt sorry for Lizzy. He had known George Wickham and heard about what had happened to her with him. He thought that he had the perfect idea to cheer her up and Jane agreed. He would set her up with Will. Will did not date much and was very involved with his company and his sister. His sister, Georgiana, was a sophomore at Harvard and Will was very protective of her. His parents had died when he was in his early twenties, so he took over the care of his sister as well as the family business. Caroline, Charles's sister, had been after him for years, but Will didn't want her. He was looking for the perfect woman, but he just hadn't found her yet. He didn't like to be pushed together with a strange women as some of his friends had tried before, so when Charles suggested Elizabeth Bennet, Will was against the idea from the start. "Come on Will, I know that you will like her," Charles said as he poured himself and Darcy a cup of coffee. "She is intelligent and very pretty. I know you will love her. It is only one date and besides, you never know, she could be the one that you have been looking for."

"Charles, you know that I hate blind dates and I know that I am not going to like this women. Anyone desperate enough to need to be set up on a date is not my type. Besides, I have a lot of work to do."

"Will, you have not been on a date for some time and Elizabeth is a wonderful women. She doesn't even know that Jane and I are setting you two up, so she is not a desperate woman as you call her. It is only one date and you never have to see her again if you don't want to. Please, do it for Jane and I."

"Very well," Will said in an annoyed tone. "I will go out with her once and if I don't like her, that is it. I am never going to let you talk me into anything ever again. Anyway, how are you and Jane? Are things going well with the two of you?"

"Things are wonderful!! Jane is truly an amazing woman." Charles said as he grinned from ear to ear. Will laughed at his friend. He had it bad and there was no cure.

Meanwhile, Jane and Elizabeth were having a similar conversation. "Jane, you know how I am with men. I do not like to be set up. This guy could be horrible and I will feel bad if I don't like him after you and Charles went to so much trouble." Elizabeth whined.

"Lizzy, you have not been on a date in a long time. It is about time you met someone. Will Darcy is a very nice man and I know you'll like him." Jane said, trying to convince Lizzy. Just then, Jane's cell phone rang. It was Charles with information from Will. Will would pick Elizabeth up on Friday at her apartment and then take her to dinner. "Ok Charles, I'll tell her. Bye honey." Jane hung up and told Elizabeth all of the details. Elizabeth complained some more and then left to go back to work. She was not looking forward to this date, but something inside of her told her that it could be promising. She would just

Chapter 3

Posted on Wednesday, 7 June 2000, at 11 : 42 p.m.

I want to dedicate this chapter to my partner in crime Tiki. I couldn't have done it without her. She was a wonderful helper with the outfit for the date.

Friday morning came a little too quickly for the nervous daters. Elizabeth was up early so that she could get a head start on her work in order to have plenty of time to get home and change for the date. Will was in a similar position, for some reason he felt as if this woman was going to be different from the others and he wanted to show her the best side of him. Charles and Jane did not tell him anything about her except that she worked as an editor for the New York Times. Darcy was glad that she seemed well educated. He didn't want to be stuck with some bimbo that would only be after his money. He had enough of those type of women to deal with and he didn't need another one. Will knew Jane, so he hoped that she would be somewhat like her, although he didn't want her to be so nice and angelic. Jane was a wonderful person, but not his type. He liked the more spirited and passionate type. He wondered what she looked like. If she looked anything like Jane he was in luck, although he wished that she would have darker hair. He liked darker hair and he liked curls. A women with curls was his kind of woman. He knew that she was very well respected in her job, but nothing else. Everything else would be left up to tonight when he went to pick her up. All day he had mental pictures in his mind of what she would like . When he went to lunch he wondered if each person that he saw was her. His mind was torturing him and he could not stop thinking about her.

Elizabeth was also having the same problem. She had her perfect man in mind; tall dark and handsome. He was the man that came to her in her dreams and she was afraid to compare the infamous Will Darcy to him. What if he didn't match up to her standards. She had let a man into her heart previously and was hurt, so she didn't know if she was ready to allow another man to see her soul. She hoped that everything would become clear to her and her decision would be made, but she knew that it wouldn't be that simple. If this man was a friend of Jane and Charles's than he must be a nice man, but what if he is too nice and lacks passion. She needed someone that could keep up with her spirit. She needed some one who was willing to accept her for who she was. She was not an actress and she wasn't a puppet. The man that she will fall in love with will love her for who she is, not who they make her out to be. All throughout the day, Elizabeth could not stop thinking about the date. She had been on dates before, but this was different. She was afraid that he wouldn't like her. She did not know what he did for a living. He could be some poor guy that Jane and Charles took pity on for that matter. Elizabeth was in a quandary and this was the state that Jane found her in when she sat down for lunch at her table. "Elizabeth what is wrong?" she asked.

"Oh Jane, what if he doesn't like me? What if I trip and fall? What if I make a fool of myself?" Elizabeth said hurriedly.

"Calm down Elizabeth. Calm down. Everything will be fine. I know that he will love you. You are a perfect match for him. What are you planning on wearing tonight?" Jane asked as she tried to calm Elizabeth down.

"I am not sure, so I was hoping that you could help me. I always wear suits to work and I wanted to wear something different. Perhaps I could wear a dress or a skirt. How fancy is this restaurant that we are going to?" Elizabeth asked of Jane. Although it was more like pleading.

"It is semi-casual, so a dress or skirt will be fine. What do you say if we take off work for the rest of the afternoon and go shopping for something to wear. It will be so much fun." Jane said excitedly. She loved to go shopping and do makeovers, so she was really getting hyper.

"Well, I guess I could finish up my work this weekend. I completed all the things I needed done by tonight."

"Great, Caroline left to visit her sister for the weekend, so I don't have any work to do. The afternoon is yours."

"Okay, let me call my office and tell them to fax the rest of my work to our apartment." Elizabeth called her office and set everything up that needed to be done. She was free to allow Jane to take over.

The two women rushed from store to store until they finally found the perfect one. Elizabeth tried on so many outfits that she thought that she was going to be sick if she saw another piece of clothing, but Jane handed her another outfit. When Elizabeth put it on, she didn't even bother to look in the mirror, she just showed Jane. "Oh Lizzy, this is the one. You look wonderful. Elizabeth had on a black skirt that fell just below the knee with a small slit up the side. For a top, she had a very pale pink shirt with three quarter length sleeves. Elizabeth looked at herself in the mirror and liked what she saw. The outfit seemed to catch her every curve. It flattered her slim yet curvy figure. It was perfect for tonight and she loved it. All she needed now was the perfect pair of shoes and jewelry. Jane led her out of the store after she finished paying for the clothes and took her to a shoe store down the street. There, Elizabeth bought a pair of high healed black strappy shoes. They were the perfect accessory to the perfect outfit. All that was left was to find the perfect jewelry. They decided to go through the jewelry they already owned, so Elizabeth and Jane hurried home since it was getting late and Elizabeth needed to take a shower before he picked Will picked her up. Elizabeth decided to wear a necklace that was given to her by her Aunt and Uncle when she was younger. It was a silver chin with a small diamond. It had matching diamond earrings, so Elizabeth put them aside and jumped in the shower. The warm water felt good on her skin and she let the tension run out of her body. She was not going to worry about this date. Everything would work out and the date would be perfect. Elizabeth washed her hair and rinsed off before stepping out of the shower. She dried off then threw her hair up in a towel. She put on her bath robe then started the long process of drying her long curls. After about a half and hour, her hair was dry, so she went to her bedroom to get dressed. Just as she was finished putting on her makeup she heard the phone rang and she heard Jane talking to Will. He was here and he was waiting for her in the lobby. Now was the time to see if her hard work would pay off, so she sprayed herself with a little perfume, then walked out o show Jane the finished product. "You look absolutely beautiful Lizzy. Will will fall madly in love with you when he sees you. He will not be able to keep his eyes off you all night. He is waiting in the lobby for you. Good luck." Jane said as she kissed Elizabeth on the cheek. "Don't come home too early and I want all the details tomorrow morning. Have a wonderful time." Elizabeth took a deep breath, then she left the apartment.

The elevator seemed to take forever to reach the lobby. When the doors finally opened Elizabeth looked around until her eyes rested on a man standing in the corner. The first thing that came to her mind were three words, "Oh my God."

Chapter 4

Posted on Friday, 9 June 2000, at 9 : 38 p.m.

Elizabeth stood with her mouth open. There in front of her was the man of her dreams. He was better than the man in her dream. He was tall with dark curly hair. He had a muscular build and looked like he was born in a suit. He had not looked up yet, so Elizabeth had time to collect her thoughts and control her breathing. She took a deep breath and walked toward the man hoping that it was Will Darcy. If not, then she was ready to dump Darcy for him. She would follow him anywhere.

Meanwhile, Darcy had finally looked up and saw the most beautiful women he had ever seen, but it was not her body that captured hiss admiration but her eyes. When she smiled, he could read into her soul by looking into her eyes. They were of a color that was indescribable. they were a very dark color that seemed to have specks of blue and violet. She was walking towards him and he prayed that she was Elizabeth Bennet. She had the perfect hair and the clothing that she wore accentuated every curve in her body. Elizabeth was the first to recover by saying, "are you Will Darcy?"

"Yes, and you must be Elizabeth Bennet." he said after he got himself under control.

"Yes I am. How are you?" Elizabeth asked. She was nervous under his intense gaze and was hoping that he was looking at her favorably and not trying to find fault with her.

"I am very well and you?" he replied, extending his hand. She shook his hand and smiled. "at least I am well now" he thought to himself.

"I am very good." Elizabeth answered nervously. She wondered why a man like this had not been claimed already. He must have thousands of females falling all over him. Will motioned toward the door, so they left together. Outside was a black Mercedes. Will unlocked the door and helped Elizabeth in. She had never been in such a nice car and was afraid that she would break something. Will walked around to the other side and got in the car. He started the engine and headed towards a restaurant that had always been his favorite. It was an Italian restaurant that was not very well known, but had some of the best pasta in the city. It was a small restaurant, but allowed for privacy. Will parked on the street then quickly got out of the car and helped Elizabeth out. "Thank you, you are a perfect gentleman." She said as he opened the door.

"You are very welcome, I was always taught to treat a lady as they should be treated." Will said as a faint blush came to his cheeks. Elizabeth thought that the blush became Will very well. They walked into the restaurant and were greeted by the owner. Elizabeth thought that the restaurant was a wonderful little place and she was surprised when the owner knew Will personally. They were seated at a table for two. The table was positioned so that it afforded some privacy for conversation. Will started the conversation by asking her about her job.

"I am an editor for the New York Times. I love my work even though it can be a bit stressing at times. I am mainly in charge of the specials put out by the paper. Now that I have told you about my job, I am very curious about your job."

"Well I m the owner of Darcy Corporations and...."

"You are that William Darcy." Elizabeth interrupted Darcy. "I am surprised that you are still a bachelor. I can't believe that I didn't realize that you were the same person. I mean you are all over the papers."

"Well yes," Darcy said as once again a light blush came to his cheeks. "The women that seem to chase after me never really go for the real me. All they really want is my money and my power. Who I really am doesn't matter to them." Elizabeth smiled. She knew that she was really starting to like this man and that she was glad that she let Jane talk her into seeing him. "Where did you grow up Elizabeth?"

I am originally from Maryland. My parents still live down there with m youngest sister. I come from a large family and I have four sisters. Jane is the oldest and I am the second oldest. I am not as close to my other sisters, but I still see them occasionally. My sister Kitty attends Yale, so I see her more than the other two. Mary lives in Boston with her fiancé, but that is enough about me, I want to learn more about you. Where did you grow up?" Secretly, Will did not want Elizabeth to stop talking. He enjoyed the expressions she made as she talked about her family and he found it fascinating to watch her. She was so alive and spirited. He knew that he was in danger of falling for even though they had only known each other for thirty minutes.

"Well, I was born in England actually, but I moved to New York when I was very young. My parents died when I was younger, so all I have left is my sister who is currently at Harvard. My Aunt Catherine and her daughter live in England still where my Aunt Sara and Uncle Henry live also with their two sons Richard and Edward. I am close to Richard, but I don't get to see him very much since he is a Colonel in the army. I visit my family every summer when my sister and I go to Pemberley."

"Pemberley?" Elizabeth was curious already.

"Pemberley is my family estate. It has been in my family for thousands of years."

"Wow, that is so interesting. I have always loved England. I attended two years of college at Oxford and I go back whenever I get a chance. Does your business allow you enough time to visit Pemberley every year?" Elizabeth asked with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Yes, I have an office in London so I can conduct my business from both places, but surely you don't want to here about all this. I feel as if I have been talking about myself all night. That pasta of yours looks very good. What kind did you get again?"

"It is pesto would you like to try some" Elizabeth said as she held her plate so that Will was surprised at how easily he was comfortable in her company. He felt like he had known her forever. Will reciprocated so that Elizabeth could take a taste of his alfredo.

When they finished their pasta, they ordered after dinner drinks and talked. They were never at a lost for a topic of discussion. Elizabeth looked down at her watch and saw that it was almost midnight. They had been talking for hours and they seemed to be the only people left in the restaurant. "Oh my, it is very late. I didn't realize that we have been talking for so long." Will looked at his watch and couldn't believe how late it was either. He paid the check and they left the restaurant together. When they got to Elizabeth's apartment, Elizabeth invited him up for coffee. Will said that he had to get home, but he invited her to the opera that he had an extra ticket for since his sister was unable to make it home this weekend. Elizabeth agreed and Will told her that he would call her tomorrow with the details. He kissed Elizabeth on the cheek and then left. Elizabeth stood by the elevator stunned. She couldn't move for a second. Her heart was beating and she felt like heaven had opened to her. She had just had one of the best nights of her life. Everything was magical and she was sad that it had to end. She let out a sigh and then rode the elevator up to her apartment where she was greeted by Emma who came bounding to the door with her tail wagging. Jane was asleep so she was careful not to make a lot of noise. She changed out of her clothes and put on some pajamas. She was too excited to go to sleep so she poured herself a cup of tea and got in bed with her book. After reading for about an hour, she fell asleep to dream the same dream that she always dreamt except this time the man was not unknown to her, he was Will Darcy. She was content to dream away. He leaned down to kiss her and she felt as if she was about to faint when she opened her eyes, there on her bed was Emma and Jane laughing.

"Well it was about time." Jane said as Elizabeth realized that she was only dreaming.

"Good morning. What time is it?"

"It is 9:30 and I want details. From the way you were talking in your sleep, I can tell that the date went well." Jane said as she laughed again.

"Oh Jane, it was absolutely wonderful. I felt as if we had known each other for years. You never told me that he was the Will Darcy. The owner of Darcy Corporations."

"Oh, it must have slipped my mind." Jane said as Elizabeth threw a pillow at her.

"I'm sure it did. I must thank you however. Oh and I won't be home tonight."

"Really, another date already. You two must have really hit it off. Where are you going and I still want all the details from last night." Jane said as she moved closer to Elizabeth. She was so happy for her sister.

"We went to this wonderful Italian restaurant. We were there until almost twelve. We told each other so much. I felt so close to him Jane. I really felt as if I had some connection with him." Jane could see that Elizabeth was on her way to falling in love with him and it was only one date. She just hoped that Elizabeth would allow Will to get close. She knew that she never completely recovered from the Wickham incident. He was the first man that Elizabeth had allowed into her heart and she was very badly hurt by him. She hoped that Elizabeth would give men another chance because Will was her perfect match and Jane would do anything to give her sister happiness.

Chapter 5

Posted on Monday, 12 June 2000, at 4 : 20 p.m.

Elizabeth waited by the phone all day for Will's call. She couldn't believe how childish she was acting. She felt like she was back in high school, but she didn't care, so when Will finally did call, she picked the phone up immediately. They were to get dinner and then go see La Traviata. Will informed her that she needed to be dressed formally for this evening and that he would pick her up at 5:30. Elizabeth was so excited. Not only was she going out with a wonderful man, but she was going to the opera. She loved the opera. When she was younger her father would take her to the opera and she found it fascinating. The characters possessed such passion with their voices and she found herself overwhelmed by the power of the music. There was one problem with tonight, she had nothing to wear, so she ran to her fashion expert Jane for help. "Oh Jane, I have a great problem. I have to dress formally tonight and I have nothing to wear. I need your help once again with clothing." The two women grabbed their coats and pocket books and raced out the door. It was already 1:30 and Elizabeth had a short time. Luckily Jane knew of a wonderful place to find a dress.

When Elizabeth and Jane arrived at the store, they found that they were the only customers there so they got wonderful treatment. Elizabeth explained to the owner what she needed and gave her size. The lady went searching for the perfect dress while Elizabeth and Jane browsed through the racks of dresses. There were so many beautiful dresses that Elizabeth had no idea which one would be the perfect one, so when the lady returned with a few dresses, Elizabeth was happy to have all the help she could get. The first dress was a long red dress that had spaghetti straps. Elizabeth liked the dress, but decided to see her other options. The second dress was white and also very pretty. She knew that this was going to be a difficult decision. The third and final dress that the lady brought with her was black. It was long and came up very high with an open back. Elizabeth went to try on the three dresses to see which looked the best. All of them were very beautiful, but in the end it came down to the red or black one. Elizabeth could not decide so she bought both and matching shoes. She was sure that the other might come in handy at a later time so she bought a shawl to go over each. It was almost December and it was very cold, so she needed something to cover her shoulders.

They left the shop and headed back to their apartment because it was already 4:00 and Elizabeth needed to shower and get ready. Elizabeth jumped into the shower while Jane prepared everything for Elizabeth. She hung up both the dresses and made a quick call to Charles. She asked Charles about the dresses and they both agreed that red would look very nicely on Elizabeth. Jane put the black dress away and told Elizabeth that she should wear red. "Red I see and did you come to this decision all by yourself or did you have some help?" Elizabeth asked Jane because she had heard her talking on the phone to Charles.

"Well I called Charles and we both agree that Will will love that dress on you. Now hurry and get dressed, you don't have much time." Elizabeth put the dress on and dried her hair. Jane pulled it up with a clasp and then Elizabeth put on her makeup. When she was finally ready she sat down on the couch waiting for Will to buzz up to her. It was not five minutes until he arrived. Elizabeth gave Jane a kiss on the cheek and then grabbed her coat and rushed out the door. She was anticipating what Will would look like in a tux, but she never expected him to look as good as he did. She saw him standing in the lobby with his coat over his arm. He looked wonderful and Elizabeth couldn't take her eyes off of him. Will was also having the same problem. There before him was Elizabeth in a red dress. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and a blush had covered her cheeks. It was going to be a wonderful evening.

Will led Elizabeth too a limo that was parked outside the building and helped her in. She had never ridden in a limo before, so she was very excited. They did not finally start to talk until the car started moving. "You look absolutely beautiful Elizabeth." Will said as he kissed her hand. Elizabeth blushed and asked and thanked him for the compliment.

"Where are we eating dinner if I may ask?" Elizabeth said as she looked into Will's eyes. His eyes were gazing into her own and no one spoke for a few minutes.

"We are going to a wonderful French restaurant that I am sure you will love." Will said as he offered her a drink.

"Is this your limo or is it rented?" Elizabeth asked.

"It belongs to me. I use it a lot for business affairs when I have to pick up clients or if I need to go to the airport. It is nice to have a driver if I don't feel like driving some place." The limo came to a stop in front of an elegant restaurant. The chauffeur opened the door and helped the passengers out. Will led Elizabeth into the restaurant where they were seated right away.

Dinner was wonderful and Elizabeth and Will talked more about their jobs. Elizabeth was curious at just how rich Will was, but didn't dare to ask. He amazed her with something new about him many times. She wished that they had longer to talk, but they had to leave in order to get to the opera on time. The night was getting better and better. After the completion of the show, Will and Elizabeth took a deep breath and laughed when they exhaled at the same time. "I had a wonderful time tonight," Elizabeth said as she smiled at Will. "I want to thank you so much."

"You are very welcome. I had a wonderful time as well." Will led Elizabeth out of the opera house. Outside a blizzard had started. Will suggested that they go to his place which was not very far away before they tried to make it back to Elizabeth's apartment. Elizabeth agreed that it would be alright, so they quickly got into the waiting limo and braved the storm for the few blocks to Will's apartment building. Will lived in the penthouse, so there was plenty of room.. Secretly her wished that the storm would not let up so that Elizabeth would be forced to stay the night. The couple relaxed and drank coffee in Will's apartment while waiting for the storm to let up. It was getting later and later and the weather was not getting any better, so Will told Elizabeth that she was spending the night. She was a little hesitant at first, but with coaxing from Will, she agreed to stay. Will lent Elizabeth some pajamas that belonged to Georgiana and then showed her to the guest room. It was a pleasant room and as soon as Elizabeth changed and got into bed, she fell asleep. Will peeked his head into the room and saw Elizabeth sound asleep. She looked so beautiful with her curls everywhere. He wished that he was the one covered in her curls, but he knew that it was too early for that, so he whispered goodnight and left the room to dream of the lady in the next room.

The next morning, Will found Elizabeth in the kitchen cooking breakfast. She was still in the pajamas and she fit right into the apartment as if she belonged there. Will stood there in his robe staring at Elizabeth cooking bacon at the stove. When she turned around to get something she saw him and smiled. "Breakfast will be ready in five minutes." she said cheerfully as she handed him a cup of coffee. It was at that moment that Will knew that he was in love with this women. It had only been two dates, but she was definately the one for him.

Chapter 6

Posted on Tuesday, 13 June 2000, at 5 : 47 p.m.

Elizabeth set the table and then waited for Will to return. She walked over to the window and saw that the snow had stopped and the sun was shining. It was the first day of December and there were millions of people out getting their Christmas shopping done early. Will joined her at the window and Elizabeth let out a sigh. She enjoyed being with him and she felt like they belonged together. Perhaps it was time to let another man into her life. He had been so kind to her, so she felt that it was time to let him know about her past. "After breakfast, there is something that I need to tell you. Not many people know about my past and I feel that it is time that you should know. I feel that we have made a real connection and I want you to know the truth about me." Elizabeth said as she looked deeply into Will's eyes. Will understood that what he was about to hear was going to be hard for Elizabeth to talk about and he was going to be there to help her through it. Both of them sat down to eat and after breakfast they sat together on the couch. Elizabeth explained her whole past. She told him all about what Wickham had done to her and she told him that she was afraid to let another man that close to her again. It was a long time before Elizabeth had recovered from the Wickham incident and she told him that she wouldn't be able to go through something like that again. He had hurt her very badly and she was happy when he was sent to jail for a year, but that year was almost up and Elizabeth feared that he would come after her when he got out.

"Do not be afraid. As long as I am around, I will make sure that George Wickham will not harm you or anyone that you love. Hopefully he will stay away." Will said as he put a comforting arm around Elizabeth. She leaned against him and tried to calm herself, but the tears started to fall. Will embraced her tightly and didn't let go until her sobs subsided. He felt that Elizabeth belonged right where she was. She had been through so much and he was going to make sure that nothing else happened to her ever again. Elizabeth looked up at Will. he was so kind and gentle to her. She felt for the first time in a really long time truly happy. Will wiped away Elizabeth's tears then brought her lips to his. The kiss was gentle, but passionate. It was the most wonderful kiss that Elizabeth had ever experienced. She felt safe in Will's arms and she didn't want him to let go of her. When they finally did separate, they were both smiling. They knew that this was going to be a lasting relationship. Elizabeth had always been one for first impressions, but she learned to be careful. After getting to know Will, she felt like he was the man of her dreams. Everything was perfect.

After a little snuggling on the couch, Elizabeth realized that it was after one and she still had work to do. "I really have to go home now and get some work done. I have deadlines to meet and as much as I would like to stay right where I am, I can't." Will gave her another kiss. "I will take you home. You don't have to change back into your dress, I will pick up Georgie's clothes some other time. Will grabbed his coat and car keys while Elizabeth went to collect her things from the guest room. When she was all packed, they left the apartment together and went down to the parking garage. Will went to his Mercedes and helped Elizabeth in with all her things. She hung the dress up in the back seat and put the rest of her stuff on the seat then climbed in beside Will. Will pulled the car out onto the busy New York street while trying to warm the car up. The heat just wasn't working fast enough. Not many people were walking outside because of the cold temperatures. The passengers of the car were silent' Will reached over and grabbed Elizabeth's hand. She looked over at the man that seemed to make everything better. He was going to be there for her and he wouldn't give up on her as other's have done before her.

The car ride was short and Will helped Elizabeth out of the car. They walked hand and hand up to Elizabeth's apartment. Jane was not home, so Will stayed to keep her company until Jane got home. He had his briefcase with him and his laptop, so both Will and Elizabeth sat at the kitchen table typing away. Both had a lot of work to do and when Jane came home with Charles who was carrying a bunch of grocery bags. Will got up to help Charles and Jane bring in the groceries while Elizabeth started putting things away. Emma decided that she would show herself and came running out. She ran right for Will causing him to drop the three bags that he was carrying. Everyone started laughing hysterically while Will was trying to stop her from licking him. Elizabeth finally took pity on Will and called Emma. Emma, however, had other ideas. She wanted Will to scratch her ears, so Will obliged. Elizabeth, Jane, and Charles could not stop laughing. Emma didn't take well to strangers and they were surprised to find her so friendly with Will. Emma got bored, so she went back to sleeping on Elizabeth's bed. Elizabeth picked up the dropped groceries and put them away. "Lizzy, will you grab the rest of this stuff and help me put them away in the bathroom?" Elizabeth got the hint even though she knew that Jane could have carried everything. Elizabeth followed Jane into the bedroom. "So......." Jane said as soon as they were out of earshot

"So what." Elizabeth was enjoying watching her sister beg for information.

"I want details girl." Elizabeth laughed and said that she would tell her everything later. Jane and Elizabeth went back out to the kitchen where the guys had put the rest of the food away and were sitting on the couch with their feet up.

"Well, you guys seem comfortable." Elizabeth said with a laugh. Will pulled Elizabeth down on his lap and Charles pulled Jane onto his.

"Now we are comfortable" Charles said with a blink of the eye to Will. The four of them all broke out into hysterical laughter. When they got their laughter under control Elizabeth and Jane moved to sit beside Will and Charles. Elizabeth rested her head against Will and Will put his arm around her. Jane and Charles got up to make some snacks and some tea. When they returned with the snack, they found Elizabeth and Will sound asleep. Jane covered them up and then went took Charles into the kitchen so that they wouldn't disturb them. Jane was glad that Elizabeth had finally found happiness. She remembered what Lizzy was like during the trial and after. It was really hard for her and she deserved to be happy again.

When Elizabeth woke she found that there was someone next to her. At first she was startled, but then she remembered where she was, so she settled back into his embrace. She looked at her watch and saw that it was 6:00. Realizing that she had a ton of work to do, she jumped up, waking Will up in the process. "Will, I am sorry that I woke you, but it is late and I have a ton of work to do before tomorrow."

"It is no problem. I also have work that needs to be done. I really should be getting back to my apartment. I have to make a conference call at 7:00 and I can't miss it." Will got up and gathered his things together. He kissed Elizabeth goodbye (lingering for a while in her company)and left the building. Jane shouted goodbye from her bedroom where she was working on some things. Charles had left an hour ago and she didn't want to disturb Will and Lizzy.

"Ok, he's gone. Tell me everything" Jane said as soon as Lizzy shut the door. Elizabeth laughed and told her all about the date. She also told her that she had told Will about Wickham. "Are you sure that you were ready? I mean you have only been on two dates."

"Jane, I must confess something to you. I think that I am in love with him. I know we have only known each other for a short time, but I really feel as if he is my soul mate. He knew what to do just at the right moment."

"Well then, I am glad that you are happy. I can tell by your eyes that you are in love. Aren't you glad that you agreed to go on that date. I seem to recall someone who was not happy about that idea."

"Yes Yes, you were right. Thank you so much." Elizabeth hugged her sister then sat at her computer. She had a lot to do before 8:00 tomorrow morning, so she started working not even stopping for dinner.

At 10:00 Elizabeth finally finished all of her work. Jane had fallen asleep, so she was left to fend for herself. She put a TV dinner in the microwave and got a glass of milk. She relaxed and ate her dinner. It was a great weekend!!

Chapter 7

Posted on Wednesday, 14 June 2000, at 10 : 46 p.m.

The next morning, the alarm went off and Elizabeth slammed her hand on it and rolled over. She was in the middle of a great dream and the stupid alarm clock ruined it. "Arghhhhhhhhhh. I'm up, I'm up" she said as she got out of bed and slowly walked to the shower. The warm water felt good and helped her to wake up a little. It was going to be a long day and Elizabeth knew it.

"Lizzy, you are late" Jane called from the kitchen. Elizabeth looked at her clock and saw that she had fifteen minutes to get ready and get out the door. "I made you some coffee."

"Thanks Jane. I am going to need it today. I didn't get to sleep until late last night and with the lack of sleep that I got this entire weekend, I am just exhausted. Although, I am glad at what made me exhausted." Elizabeth smiled as she took a sip of the coffee and ran out the door.
"Bye Jane, I'll see you at lunch."

The subway was crowded as always, but Elizabeth didn't mind. She was floating on a cloud somewhere. Everything was good. She had met the man of her dreams and it was almost Christmas. Things were good, at least they were until Elizabeth got into her office. On her desk
there was a stack of stories for her to read and a million phone messages. Half of them were from her mother. How was she going to tell her about Will. She would never hear the end of it, so she decided that she would call her mother and conveniently leave her weekend with Will out of her
conversation. She dialed the number and her father picked up the phone. "Dad is that you?"

"Hello Liz, how are you?" Mr. Bennet answered.

"I'm great. I am just returning mom's weakly phone call."

"Oh yea, she found another guy for you I think."

"I wonder what this one does. Well, tell her that I am perfectly happy and I don't need her help. Is she around?"

"No, she went over the Marches' house for breakfast."

"Well will you tell her that I called and that I will talk to her tomorrow."

"Yes, I will. So, how is m Liz? Still working hard. I saw the special you did in the paper the other day."

"Yes, I had to write the article because the person who was supposed to do it got the flu."

"When are you going to start writing a novel? I will be your first reader." Elizabeth laughed.

"I think you will have to wait for a while on that one. I have way to much happening in my life right now. I really have to get back to work now Dad, I will talk to you soon. I can't wait to see you at Christmas. I love you."

"I love you too Liz" Elizabeth hung up the phone and started to tackle the papers in front of her. She called Jane and told her that she wasn't able to met her for lunch because of all the work that she still had to do. The pile on her desk slowly started to get smaller. When she lifted the last story off her desk, there was a letter underneath it. Curious, she opened it and saw that it
was from Will.

Dear Elizabeth,

I want to thank you for the wonderful weekend and I was hoping that you had as wonderful a time as I did. Before you read the rest of this letter, I want you to go look behind the picture of Emma on the table by the window.

Elizabeth put the letter down and walked over to the table. There behind the picture frame was a beautiful red rose. A smile lit up Elizabeth's face as she brought the flower back to her desk to finish reading the letter.

Do not ask me how I got this letter and that rose into your office. It is my little secret. I think that you are a wonderful Elizabeth and I am so happy that I met you. I have to admit that you brightened up my rather dull life. My sister is staying with me this week. She finished up
her classes, so she will be with me until after the New Year. I would really like you to meet her. How does dinner tomorrow night sound. I will pick you up. Charles and Jane have already agreed to come and I would love it if you were there. Georgie really wants to meet you. I hope
you can make it. I should be in my office all day. Please give me a call. You will find my private number at the bottom of the page. Thank you again for a wonderful weekend.

Will

Elizabeth couldn't help but sigh. She was so happy that she dialed up Will's number to tell him that she could come and that she would love to meet Georgie. He was not there, so she left a message with his secretary. It was getting late so she decided to call it a day and go home.
She gathered her letter, rose, briefcase, and coat before locking her office. Many people were looking at her as she walked through the office. Kimmie, another editor with whom Elizabeth had gone to college with, came running over. "Hey Liz!!! Did you miss me?"

"Kimmieeeeeee!!!!!!" Elizabeth said as she ran over to hug her friend. "Tell me how was your vacation and how is Steve?"

"We are engaged!!!!" Kimmie showed Elizabeth her ring and Elizabeth hugged Kimmie again.

"I am so happy for you Mrs. Steve Richards. When is the wedding?"

" The invitations are in the mail. The wedding is in the spring and I want you to bring a date. The wedding is in spring on the base. Steve is on leave for Christmas, so I hope we can get together. Oh, I almost forgot, will you be my maid of honor? I have to get back to work. I have a lot of catching up to do. So happy to see you."

"Of course. I would be honored." Elizabeth hugged her friend again and then said her good-bye. She walked over to the elevator and pushed the button for down. When the doors opened, there was Will.

"Will!!" Elizabeth was surprised to see him there. It was as if the Gods were working for her. She got into the elevator with him and as soon as the doors were closed, she dropped her things and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much for the rose and the letter."
Will was startled at first at Elizabeth grabbing him, but he was so happy that she did. He kissed her and she responded. The elevator came to a stop and Elizabeth and Will separated quickly. They did not want to be caught the way they were. Will helped Elizabeth pick up her things then
grabbed her hand and led her to his car. Elizabeth was so happy. The day was getting better and better. Will took Elizabeth home and she told him about her friend's wedding. "Will you come with me to Connecticut for it. She wants me to bring a date. It is in the spring and I will fill you
in later with all the details.

"Wait a minute, what is the name of Kimmie's fiancé?"

"Lieutenant Commander Steve Richards."

"What a coincidence, I grew up with him. I will also be going to the wedding because I am to be the best man." Elizabeth laughed.

"How strange that we have not met before this then. Kimmie has been dating Steve for a few years and your name was never mentioned. Well it looks like you are my date because I am the maid of honor."

Will walked Elizabeth to her door and then left, but not before kissing her good-bye. When Elizabeth opened the door to the apartment, she found Charles and Jane kissing on the couch. She conveniently coughed and when that didn't break them up she motioned for Emma to jump on them. Emma made a leaping jump into the middle of them. Elizabeth burst out laughing and Charles and Jane both blushed. Elizabeth laughed harder. Jane whispered something to
Charles and then ran to Elizabeth.

"We are engaged." Jane said with a big smile as she showed off her ring. Elizabeth gave Jane a big hug and then hugged Charles.

"Well, that makes two in one day."

"Two?" Jane asked confused.

"Kimmie is back and she is engaged to Steve." Elizabeth explained.

"Oh I am so happy for her. When is the wedding?"

"In the spring. The invitations are already in the mail. Are you guys still going to dinner with Will and his sister tomorrow?"

"Yes, we were hoping that you could come too." Charles said as he put his arms around Jane.

"Yes I told Will that I could. Well, I will let you two lovebirds have some privacy. I am going to go to the cafe around the corner for dinner. See you in a little while." Elizabeth grabbed her purse and coat then walked out the door. While she was in the elevator, she called Will. "I have been kicked out of my apartment by Jane and Charles, so I was wondering if you would like to join me for some dinner at the Meryton Cafe."

"I would love too. I remember seeing it on my way home. I will be there in ten minutes. Georgie is staying with a friend tonight, so I was thinking of calling you up, but I guess you beat me to it."

"Great, see you soon. Bye Will"

"Bye Elizabeth" Elizabeth walked to the cafe and got a table for two. She ordered a drink and waited for Will to show up.

Chapter 8

Posted on Friday, 16 June 2000, at 6 : 03 p.m.

Elizabeth sat at the table and waited for Will to show up. When he finally did, she stood up and motioned for him to join her. They ordered their meal and sat and talked together. Will told Elizabeth about his sister. Elizabeth kept silent about Jane and Charles because she didn't know if Will knew about them yet. They had a pleasant dinner together talking about many things. Elizabeth listened intently to Will talk about his family and Elizabeth talked about her family in Maryland. Everything was perfect until Elizabeth all of a sudden went deathly pale. "Elizabeth?" Will asked. "Are you all right? You look like you have just seen a ghost."

"We must leave here at once. Please may we go now." Elizabeth said as she finally broke her silence. Will saw that she was scared to death of whatever it was that she saw, so he paid the bill and then helped Elizabeth out to his car.

"You are coming home with me and we are going to talk." Elizabeth only shook her head. Will put his arm around her and he could feel her body trembling. What was it that had her so upset. He did not see anything out of the ordinary, but he didn't question her. He would wait until they were at his place.

After arriving at Will's place and sitting on the couch, Elizabeth burst into tears. Will put his arms around her and waited for her sobs to subside. He was determined to end whatever caused this. He never wanted to see his Elizabeth in this state again. Elizabeth held on to Will tightly and she felt comforted. If he was there everything would be okay. Will heard the sobs less and less until they were finally gone. Elizabeth sat up and Will put his arm around her. "He's back." was all she said.

"Who is back?" Will asked with a confused look.

"George Wickham." she responded in a muffled tone before starting to cry again. When she calmed down she explained further. "He came into the cafe with some woman. I don't think that he saw me, but he is back and that means that I am in danger. Who knows what he will do to me after I testified against him and was one of the key people that helped to put him in jail. What am I going to do?"

"Do not worry about a thing. I will make sure that nothing will harm you. I am not going anywhere and I will be by your side. You need never feel unsafe. I have a friend that his a private investigator. I will get her to follow him around to see if there is anything suspicious. Her name is Alethea and she has worked for me before. She helped me when I was suspicious about an employee of mine. It turned out that he was slipping secrets to another company. We caught it in time, but it was close. I am sure that she will help in fact I will call her tomorrow morning. Do not be afraid. I want you to be careful although."

"I will, thank you so much. You don't know how much this means to me."

"Think nothing of it. I know that we have not been going out for very long, but there is something that I must tell you." Elizabeth looked up at Will. She saw what he was about to say in his eyes and knew that he would always protect her. "I love you Elizabeth. I think I have loved you from the minute that I set eyes on you."

"I love you too Will and thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. I know that I will be safe with you. Will kissed Elizabeth and then said that she wanted to go home and tell Jane about everything. He agreed that it would be good to talk to Jane and that he would take her home.

At Elizabeth and Jane's apartment Jane and Charles were still on the couch snuggling together and whispering words of love to each other when Will and Elizabeth came in. They quickly separated and got up. Jane saw that Elizabeth looked upset and she could see that she had been crying. Will mouthed to her "George Wickham," and a look of fright came to Jane's face. Charles said that he would leave with Will and both would call tomorrow. Will gave Elizabeth another hug and said that he would drive her to work tomorrow. "The best thing is to go about your normal life. Do not act like something is happening. I will see you tomorrow. He kissed her and the two men were out the door. Elizabeth started crying again and Jane comforted her. Elizabeth told her all about seeing him and about the private investigator. Jane was scared that he would try something rash, but hoped that he would try to be a better person. This was going to be a hard time for Elizabeth and she knew that she and Will would be there to support her. Jane sent Elizabeth in for a bubble bath with a cup of tea to calm her down. While she was bathing, Jane called up Kimmie and Tiki, two of Elizabeth's friends from work. They both knew about Wickham and told Jane that they would watch out for her at work. Elizabeth went straight to bed after her bath, but her night was not good. She had nightmares about being chased by Wickham and no one was there to save her. She woke up in a cold sweat twice. The third time she was awakened by Jane who had heard Elizabeth screaming. She tried to calm her down and after ten minutes finally got her to go back to sleep. She felt so bad for her sister and she knew that Will would make sure that everything would be okay.

The next morning was rough for Elizabeth. She did not get much sleep and she was scared that Wickham would try something. Will showed up while Elizabeth was in the shower and Jane told him about last night. Will said that he was going to talk to Alethea later this morning and set everything up. "If you see anything that looks suspicious, I want you to call me and I will come and get you both. Charles said that you can stay at his place and Elizabeth can stay at mine if anything goes wrong. I will take good care of her. You have nothing to worry about." Elizabeth joined Jane and Will and Will saw that Elizabeth did not look as if she was rested. He could see the fear in her eyes and he went right to her and gave her a hug. She held on to him tightly and he rubbed her back. After a few minutes she felt that she was ready to go, so Will handed her some coffee and a muffin then led her to his car. It was going to be a long day.

At her office, Tiki and Kimmie came over and each gave Elizabeth a hug. "We heard about George being back. Jane called us last night. I want you to know that we are there for you. Don't hesitate to tell us anything." Tiki said as she gave Elizabeth another hug.

"Besides, You will be going home to you family in two weeks for Christmas. Everything will turn out. I am sure of it." Kimmie said as they all walked to Elizabeth's office.

"Thank you both. This mean a lot to me. I am so grateful to have you guys as friends."

Nothing out of the ordinary happened all morning. Will called and told her that Alethea was going to check into Wickham and he asked her if she was still up to going to dinner tonight with Jane, Charles, him, and his sister.

"Of course, I can't wait to meet Georgie. It will give me a good reason to keep my mind off of Wickham. I knew that he was going to be on the streets again sometime, but I never expected it to be so soon. Thank you for everything Will. I love you and I will see you tonight."

"I love you too. I think Charles and Jane are bringing you to my apartment tonight, so I will see you then. Take care of yourself."

"I will." Elizabeth said as she hung up the phone. Only two more weeks until she was going to be going home. She knew that she had enough people looking out for her that nothing would happen.

The work day went by slowly, but it was finally time for Will's dinner party. Jane and Charles took Elizabeth over to Will's apartment where Elizabeth was introduced to Georgiana. Jane knew her already from Charles, but was delighted to see her again. Will gave Elizabeth a huge hug and then said, "Georgie, this is Elizabeth."

"I am very pleased to meet you Georgie. Your brother has told me all about you and I hope that we will become true friends." Elizabeth said as she shook hands with Georgiana.

"It is nice to meet you also. I do hope that we shall become friends. I have heard much about you also." Dinner was pleasant and Elizabeth enjoyed the company of Georgiana a great deal. She knew that they would be great friends and she looked forward to knowing her better.

Will saw that Elizabeth was tired, so he said that he would take her home so that Jane, Charles, and Georgie could continue talking. Elizabeth said goodbye to everyone and Jane said that she would see her later. "It is very nice to meet you. I hope to see you again soon." she said to Georgie as she and Will left. Will helped her into his car and then took her hand as they drove the short distance to her apartment. Elizabeth was glad to be home, but was afraid to be left alone at night. Will said that he would stay until Jane got back, so they curled up together and watched a movie. Elizabeth fell asleep, but was awakened by a knock on her door. Will told her to stay where she was and he got up to answer it. He opened the door to find one of the security guards. "Can I help you?" He said to the officer.

"Yes, is Ms. Elizabeth Bennet here?"

"Yes, she is, but she is sleeping. What can I do for you?"

"I have a letter that was dropped off for her. I would appreciate it if you would give it to her."

"Yes, of course. Thank you." Will closed the door and brought the envelope over to Elizabeth who opened it immediately. Inside was a card and on the card all that was written was "I'll be watching you." There was no signature, but Elizabeth had an idea about who sent the note. She started to cry again and Will wondered what it said. She handed him the card and he started to get nervous. "Pack your things. You are staying with me. I'll call Georgie and tell her to tell Jane what is going on. Elizabeth grabbed her suitcase and threw in all that she needed for a few days. She could not believe what was happening to her. How could he do this? When she had everything that she needed. She, Will, and Emma left the apartment to go to Will's. Will said that Emma could stay at his apartment as well because animals were allowed.

They drove to Will's apartment where they found everyone else. Jane ran for her sister and told her that she was going to stay with Charles until everything was made safe again. Elizabeth said that she would be fine with Will and that all she wanted to do was sleep. Georgie hugged Elizabeth also and Charles and Jane left to get everything that Jane needed while Will called the police and Alethea. He came back to find Elizabeth sitting on the bed in the guest room. She wasn't crying, but she looked like she was about to at any moment. She had changed out of her clothes into her pajamas and started to get up to finish preparing for bed. "Will you stay here with me tonight?" She asked of Will. "It would make me feel better."

"Of course. just let me go change. I will send Georgie in here to talk to you. She would love to get to know you better." he responded.

"Thank you. That will make me feel a lot better. I hope that he is caught and I never have to be afraid of him again."

"He will be, he will be." Will left and Georgie came in to talk. Elizabeth was still shaken up when Will returned, so Georgie excused herself so that they could be alone. Will got into the bed with Elizabeth and he enfolded her in his arms. She decided that there was nothing that they could do now, so she fell asleep in the arms of the man she loves.

Chapter 9

Posted on Friday, 23 June 2000, at 11 : 00 p.m.

The next morning, Elizabeth woke up confused. She forgot that she was in Will's apartment and she forgot that he was in the bed with her, so she was scared for a moment. When she saw Will sleeping peacefully beside her she relaxed and cuddled closer to him. His arms were still wound tightly around her and Elizabeth felt safe in his embrace. Everything would have been perfect except for the face that George Wickham was out to get her. She hoped that Alethea and the police will catch him so that she does not have to worry again. Until they do, she would never feel comfortable by herself.

Elizabeth looked at the clock on the nightstand and saw that she was going to be late if she didn't get up now. She also knew that Will would be late also. He did not set an alarm so she was afraid that he would oversleep if she didn't wake him. She wondered how she should wake him up and finally decided to wake him up with a kiss. She was a romantic and that seemed like the thing to do, so she turned to face him and gave him a kiss. She could feel him slowly responding until he finally opened his eyes. "I know that you must be tired, but you have to get up or you will be late for work. Will looked at the clock and saw what time it was.

"Oh my, I didn't realize that I forgot to set the alarm. It is pre-set in my room, so I have never had to worry about it." Will got up and rushed into the other room to take a shower while Elizabeth went to make some breakfast for herself, Will. Georgie had left early this morning to meet a friend with whom she was to stay with for three days, although Elizabeth had a feeling that the reason she really left was to give Will and her privacy. Will came out of his room all dressed while Elizabeth rushed into the shower and then got dressed. When she returned, she found Will drinking a cup of coffee and on the phone. He was talking to someone from his office she could tell. Elizabeth put her arms around Will and snuggled closely to him. She could hear his voice start to get hurried like he wanted to get off the phone. When he was finally done, he turned around and gave Elizabeth a long and passionate kiss. She responded by throwing her arms around his neck. "Now are you sure that you want to go to work today? I am willing to stay home with you all day if you want me to." Will said once he broke away from the kiss.

"I will be fine. I have my friends Tiki and Kimmie and I will not leave the building alone. I will carry my cell phone and if I get into any trouble I will call you. Don't worry. I am sure everything will be fine."

"I certainly hope so. I don't know what I would do without you. I love you."

"I love you too. Now eat your breakfast because we will be late for work. Well I will be late. I don't think you will be late since you own the company." Elizabeth said with a laugh. They finished their coffee then rushed out of the door. "Wait, we forgot about Emma." Elizabeth said as they had reached the elevator. They rushed back and found Emma asleep in the kitchen.

"She will be fine."

"Are you sure that you want me to leave her?" Elizabeth was afraid that Emma would get confused and she would break something in the apartment.

"Yes, she will be fine. I have had a dog stay there before. There are not many breakables and I'm sure she won't harm anything. Now we better get going before we are late. They rushed to the elevator that took them down to the garage where Will's car was. Will opened Elizabeth's door and she got in. They drove in silence to Elizabeth's office. Will was thinking about Elizabeth's safety and Elizabeth was thinking about what George Wickham wanted.

Will walked Elizabeth up to her office where they were met by Tiki and Kimmie. The two women assured Will that she would be okay, so Will gave Elizabeth a kiss and then left. As soon as he was out of the office, he called Alethea and checked on the progress. "Well Mr. Darcy, I have done a background check on Wickham and saw that he was released on good behavior. He has a parole officer, but did not make his last check in, so he is wanted by the police. I have spoken to the police, and they are going to keep a close watch on Ms. Bennet's apartment and office building. I don't know what Mr. Wickham's relationship was with Ms. Bennet, so until I have more information, I don't know if he is planning on hurting her. I would be careful and make sure that she is never alone."

"Thank you Alethea. You don't know how much this means to me. I will make sure that she is not left alone. Call me when you have more information." Will hung up the phone and then called Jane. He told her everything and she said that she would have Kimmie or Tiki take Elizabeth to lunch and that she would meet them somewhere. Jane however, still hoped that Wickham had changed for the better.

Will drove to his office and his secretary came him to give him all of his messages. He had a lot to do, but he couldn't concentrate with Elizabeth being in danger. He tried to get as much as he could done.

Elizabeth was getting tired of everyone being so overprotective of her, so she went downstairs for a coffee. Tiki saw Elizabeth leave and she followed her. "Where do you think you are going?" Tiki asked when the elevator doors closed.

"I need some peace. I appreciate everyone watching out for me, but I was getting tired of being babied. I needed some peace. The elevator stopped and a group of people got on. It stopped again and all but one got off. It was George Wickham.

"Miss me Elizabeth. I was sad when you didn't write me in jail. I thought that we were close."

"Get away from her you jerk. Who do you think you are scaring her." Tiki said as she stepped in front of Elizabeth. Elizabeth looked as if she had seen a ghost.

"What do you want?" Elizabeth asked with a shaky voice.

"I want you to pay for what you put me through. I was put in jail because of you and I don't think that that was very nice.

"Well you deserved to be in jail." Elizabeth said angrily. She pushed away from Kimmie and tried to get to the elevator buttons, but Wickham pulled out a gun.

"Where do you think you are going?" Elizabeth and Tiki stepped back. "Now listen carefully. I want you two to get out of the elevator and walk to the car waiting out front. Once there I will give you more instructions. When the elevator stopped, George grabbed both of the women's arms and pressed the gun to Elizabeth's back. She flinched when she felt it touch her. What was she going to do? The two women saw the lobby with many familiar faces. George pressed the gun farther into her back. They walked to the car. Where was Charlie and why wasn't he at the elevator? If he had been there she could have mouthed something to him, but he wasn't there. He had always been there. Why did he pick today to not be there.

When they got to the car, George pushed them in the back seat and climbed in. It was a cab, so while the cab driver drove, he sat in the back with the two women. He had already given the driver directions to drive to a parking lot where his car was.

After leaving the cab, George put duct tape over each woman's mouth and around their wrists. He blindfolded them and put them in the back seat. They were both crying and were very scared. "What are you planning on doing?" Elizabeth asked.

"Well, I thought that I would make you suffer a little first, but then I have a great plan for later. I see that you have a new boyfriend and that he is a very rich man. I always knew that you were mercenary Elizabeth. You dump me and go after the richer men." Elizabeth felt the anger start to build in her stomach. "My plan is to make a little money off of you. I am thinking of a ransom for you. I know that your rich boyfriend will pay anything for you. I saw how he looked at you, but I thought that I would let him worry for a day or two.

They drove in silence for the rest of the trip except for the occasional sobs from the two women until the car finally stopped. George led the two women into the house. He locked Elizabeth in one room still tied up and he took Tiki back to the car. "Where are you taking me?"

"I don't need you getting in the way and I want you to give this message to Elizabeth's boyfriend. I have to decided to get the money sooner so that I can get out of the country." He drove Tiki back to the office building. When he untied her and took off her blindfold, she saw that it was almost five o'clock. "If you get any police involved in this I will kill Elizabeth. Always remember that I will be watching at all times. All of the instructions regarding the money are in that note. Give it to Will Darcy and I expect that he will comply. I bid you farewell now. Remember no police or Elizabeth dies. As soon as George pulled away, Tiki ran to the elevator and up to her office where she was met by Kimmie who looked worried. Tiki burst out crying and Kimmie took her to Elizabeth's office where she told her the whole story.

"Do you know Will Darcy's phone number?" Tiki asked after she finished telling the whole story.

"It is in Elizabeth's rolodex. When she found it she told Will to get over here as quickly as possible. He tried to get her to tell him what happened, but she was afraid that someone would overhear and leak to the police.

Will arrived ten minutes later and Tiki told him the whole story and gave him the note. He never thought that Wickham would go this far. What was he going to do? He could not lose Elizabeth and he would do anything to get her back. The ransom note read:

I want you to follow every instruction in this note and I don't want any police contacted or Elizabeth will die. I will always be watching. I want you to bring $5 million in cash to central park. Put it in a duffel bag of some sorts and leave it at bench in the northern part of the park. The bench will have a red dot of paint on it and once the money is dropped I want you to leave immediately. I know that you have a private plane and I want it prepared for take off. Once I am on the plane I will send word as to where Elizabeth is. If anything is not done correctly or any police become involved, I will kill your precious Elizabeth. You have 48 hours to comply with this. I will be waiting.

Chapter 10

Posted on Thursday, 29 June 2000, at 12 : 35 a.m.

Will just stood there stunned. Nobody said anything. Both Tiki and Kimmie feared that Will would do something rash. What could be done? The ransom would have to be paid because both Tiki and Kimmie knew that Wickham would do anything to get money. Will sat down and put his head in his hands. How could this have happened? Why did something so perfect have to be ruined. It was not fair. Will. once he collected his emotions stood up, but he was noticeably paler. He knew that he needed to call Jane and Charles. Perhaps they would know what to do. Will called Alethea first although and she said that she would be write over. After telling her the story he called Jane. Jane started crying and was clearly upset. Will said that he would call Charles to pick her up and bring her to his apartment. They would decided what was to be done once they were all together. Will called bank to have them prepare the money just in case. He didn't know how Elizabeth would get out of this, so he made sure that he had the money in case there was nothing else to do. Alethea arrived and was followed by Jane and Charles. Jane was shaking and still crying. Charles was trying to assure her that everything would be done to help Elizabeth, but Jane could not be calmed. It was her sister and her best friend and if anything happened to her, she didn't know what she would do. It would be like part of her dying. Will felt similarly. If Elizabeth was killed, then he would die with her. There was no question as to what he was prepared to do if it meant sacrificing everything for her. She was his life now and the most important thing to him in the world.

Meanwhile, George had returned. Elizabeth was still tied up and clearly upset. George took the duct tape off of Elizabeth's mouth. She flinched as he tore it away. "Why are you doing this to me?" she asked.

"I spent a year in prison because of you. Don't you think that I have a reason to hate you?"

"Well you have to remember that I am not the only one that sent you to prison. It didn't help that you were involved in embezzlement and using stolen passports. My testimony only put you where you belonged. Too bad they let you out so soon." Elizabeth said angrily. George slapped her and she fell to the ground. He then proceeded to kick her until she was unconscious. He untied her then strapped her to the bed. That is where she was going to stay until the money was paid in two days.

Over the next day, Elizabeth's condition worsened. She grew weaker as the hours passed with no nourishment and the loss of blood that she got from a few of the kicks that George had given her. Her cheek was throbbing and she couldn't open her one eye. There were bruises all over her body and she thought that he broke a few of her ribs. Her whole body felt like it was against her. It was getting harder and harder for her to stay conscious and her hope started to leave also. What if nobody could rescue her or what if George took the money and killed her anyway? "I love you Will. Please come and help me?" was Elizabeth's last thought before she slipped out of consciousness.

Nobody knew how to rescue Elizabeth. They were all staying at Will's apartment and everyone was upset. They didn't realize until now how much Elizabeth was a part of all their lives. She made the world a better place and without her nothing would be the same. Will had spent a sleepless night thinking about her. What was he going to do. Alethea had brought a tracer over just in case George Wickham called. Determined that he wasn't getting any sleep, he got up off of the couch where he was forced to sleep because everywhere else was taken and went to make himself a cup of coffee. He saw down to think of a plan, but nothing came. Jane came to join him and they sat together just staring into space. Neither one could live without her.

Elizabeth slowly slipped back into consciousness to find George looking at her. "Enjoy your sleep my dear?" he asked as she opened her one eye. It looks like my pretty Lizzy has a few cuts and bruises. You won't be so pretty anymore with all the scars." With that said, he slapped her again then left the room and locked the door. She was left in the darkness once again. The only thing that was on her mind was the pain. It was so strong that se couldn't think of anything else. "Be strong Elizabeth." she said to herself. Just then she remembered her cell phone. George never took her purse. It would be a struggle to get it out and call, but if she could just call, maybe Will could find her. She moved slowly, but every motion caused her greater pain. She was able to finally get her purse open by using her teeth, but dialing was going to be a problem. It would take every ounce of strength that she had left, but she knew that it was her only hope, so dialed the phone slowly using her face. She dialed the number and heard it start to ring, but she slipped back into unconsciousness before anyone answered.

Will heard the phone ring and quickly got up to answer it. When he picked it up, all he heard was breathing and he knew that it was Elizabeth. "Elizabeth!! Elizabeth!! Do you hear me? Answer me. I will help you." Jane heard Will screaming Elizabeth as well as everyone else. Alethea ran in and turned on the tracer. It traced the call and before anyone could stop him, Will ran out of the door. Alethea called after him, but it was too late. She called the police and told him what was going on. They said that they would follow him, but not make their presence known.

Will raced to the place where the tracer said that Elizabeth was. He parked the car away from the house and carefully walked closer. He was careful to stay out of sight. He sneaked up to the house and peaked went around back. He peeked in the window and saw that George Wickham was asleep on the couch, but he didn't see Elizabeth. He heard a noise behind him and saw that the police were here also. Someone must have called then when he ran out. He never thought that he couldn't do this by himself, but the police would be a great help. The police motioned for Will to move out of the way. He did because he figured that they would have better luck with their guns than he would without anything, so he went into the woods, by the house to wait for George Wickham to be taken out of the house. He heard some shots go off and hoped that it was not Elizabeth getting killed, but he was relieved when the police brought out a wounded George Wickham in hand cuffs. Once Wickham was away, Will did not even wait for the police to say everything was okay. He just ran into the house and started screaming Elizabeth. "Elizabeth where are you. You are safe now." he yelled as he frantically looked around. She did not respond to his yells, so did an extensive search. He looked everywhere and the only place left was the bedroom. The door was locked so Will went in search of the keys. He found them on the coffee table by the couch where Wickham was sleeping. There were three keys on the ring. One was a car key, so he knew that it was one of the two. He tried the first key, but it didn't fit, so he tried the second and it fit perfectly. He turned the key and the door opened to a sight that he had hoped he would never see. There on the bed was Elizabeth in very bad shape. She was unconscious with the cell phone next to her. He grew pale when he saw that she was beaten very badly. He yelled to the police to get an ambulance and then went to her side. She did not awaken when he tried to talk to her. He didn't want to touch her because he was afraid of injuring her further, but he did need to touch her once to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. How could anyone do this to such a wonderful women? The paramedics came into the room ten minutes latter and assessed her injuries.

"I am afraid that she is in very serious condition. She appears to have some broken bones and a lot of bruises, but there may be internal bleeding." one of the paramedics said as they moved her to a stretcher. Will grew paler still. He looked at her face that was almost indistinguishable because of the swelling and all the blood that covered her. He followed the paramedics out to the ambulance and followed them in his car to the emergency room. There she was rushed away and he was forced to sit in the waiting room. He called everyone at his apartment and told them what had happened. They were all on their way to the hospital. Will hung up the phone and waited for news. One of the nurses came out and told him that they had to rush Elizabeth up for emergency surgery to stop the internal bleeding and that it didn't look good. When the nurse said this, Will had to sit down. Tears that had been threatening to fall started to fall. When Jane and Charles came in and saw Will they knew something wasn't good. Will saw them and walked to them. He told them what had happened and where Elizabeth was. Jane started sobbing and collapsed onto the ground. What was she going to do.

Three hours went by and still there was no word. Everyone was restless and everyone was still crying. They had gone upstairs to wait in the surgical waiting room for word. Just then a surgeon walked in. He asked everybody to sit down. His face did not look happy and Will was afraid that something bad had happened, but Elizabeth was not dead. He knew that she was too strong to let Wickham win. She would pull through. The surgeon started to pace and everyone braced themselves for what he was about to say. They all hoped that the news was good and there was only one way to find out, so they stared at the surgeon waiting for him to begin talking.

Chapter 11

Posted on Thursday, 29 June 2000, at 3 : 21 p.m.

The surgeon started by asking how everyone was related to Elizabeth. When Will and Charles said that they were not, the surgeon asked them to wait outside until Jane was told everything. Jane, however told them to stay and the surgeon continued. "You are the sister correct?" the surgeon asked.

"Yes, I am. My mother and father as well as all my sisters are on their way here. They should be arriving in a few hours, but please tell me how my sister is." Jane said as tears started to fall again. Charles put his arm around her as the surgeon was about to begin.

"Your sister had some internal bleeding as well as many broken bones and bruises. She must have been through a lot. There were some complications during the surgery, but we were able to stop the bleeding. She is still in critical condition, but the next twenty four hours will tell us her fate." the surgeon said. He saw many people in bad shape, but he could not imagine how a man could do something to such a pretty young women.

"What other injuries does she have besides the internal bleeding?" Charles asked the surgeon.

"Well, she has a few broken ribs, a fractured pelvis, he hand is broken in three places, and her face is badly bruised as well as the rest of her body." Will could not stand to hear what the surgeon was saying. How could anyone do this to Elizabeth. She was such a wonderful person.

"Can I see her doctor?" Jane asked.

"Yes, but only family members and only one person at a time. I am sorry, but she is in intensive care and that is the rule." Will started to protest, but it was hopeless He wanted to be the one who was there when she woke up. Even all of his money could not buy back what George Wickham had done to her. If only he had insisted that she stay home with him. None of this would have ever happened and Elizabeth would be fine. Deciding that he could no longer stay in the waiting room he stepped outside to get some fresh air while Jane was with Elizabeth. He called Georgie to tell her what had happened and then went to see what happened with George Wickham. He was brought to the same hospital and was under strict observation. There were guards all around his door. He had been shot in the shoulder and in the leg, but was going to be fine.

"Why is it that Elizabeth is in such terrible shape and George Wickham will be perfectly fine." he wondered to himself. He walked back upstairs to find Jane in tears with Charles trying to comfort her.

"How was she?" Will asked. He had tears threatening to fall as well.

"Jane calmed herself a little and said, "I could barely recognize her. She was so pale and she was all bandaged up. There are so many tubes and wires that..." Jane could not talk anymore due to the fact that she started sobbing again. Will sat down next to her and Jane put her arms around him. They both started to cry and just held onto each other. They were not going to lose her.

After a few minutes they separated and decided to walk to the cafeteria to get something to eat before the rest of the Bennets arrived. If anything happened while they were gone, they would be notified. They sat in silence at one of the tables. Everyone just pushed their food around on their plates. It was going to be a long twenty four hours and Will was determined to stay at the hospital until she was out of danger. He would not abandon her again. He could not help but blame himself for everything. If only he had told her to stay with him, this would not have happened. Everybody decided that nobody was going to eat anymore, so they went back upstairs to check on Elizabeth. Nothing had changed in her progress and Will could see the worried looks that the doctors gave when they told them that nothing had changed.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet came followed by the rest of the sisters. Mary, Kitty, and Lydia were all in Maryland together, so it was easy to find them all. Will had never met Elizabeth's parents before, so he was shocked to see Mrs. Bennet so different from Elizabeth. Mrs. Bennet was loud and overbearing and he could see Jane trying to calm her down. Mr. Bennet looked as if he was in pain. Elizabeth had mentioned that she was very close to her father, so this must be very hard for him. The doctors came out when they heard the commotion in the waiting room. They took back Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and told them what was going on. Will stayed in the waiting room and observed. All of Elizabeth's sisters were there and he saw that they were all different. Jane was the sweet and kind one, Kitty looked to be plain, yet pretty, Mary looked like she was very bookish with her glasses and plain clothing, and Lydia looked as if she didn't care about Elizabeth and was more worried about how her hair and make-up were. He could see her smiling at the young doctors as they passed by. Hew was disgusted with how she was acting. Her own sister was in critical condition and she had men on the brain. It was if she cared nothing for Elizabeth.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet returned and told them that nothing had changed with her condition. "Oh my darling Lizzy. How could anyone do this to her. Well at least she will be around some nice rich doctors."

"Mother!!" Jane said with a horrified look. She looked at Will who looked as if he was about to hurt Mrs. Bennet. "How can you say such a thing when Elizabeth is in danger of dying."

"Oh Jane, you misunderstood me. Anyway, who are these nice young men we have here? I know one of you must be Charles Bingley."

"Yes, Mrs. Bennet that is me." Charles said as he stood up. Will still had an angry look on is face. He understood why Elizabeth did not get along very well with her mother.

"Ah yes, Jane has told us all about you. I would like to welcome you to our family.

"Thank you." Charles then sat down next to Jane.

"And who is this over here?" Mrs. Bennet asked

"This mother is Will Darcy. He is Elizabeth's boyfriend." Jane said as she tried to give a look of warning to her mother.

"Are you the Will Darcy of Darcy Corporations?"

"Yes, Mrs. Bennet I am." Before Mrs. Bennet could say anymore Mr. Bennet interrupted.

"Pleased to meet you."

"Thank you sir. I am pleased to meet you as well." Will responded. He could see that Mr. Bennet was fed up with his wife and that all he wanted was some peace in quiet.

"Fanny, why don't you go back to the hotel with the girls. There is nothing that you can do here and I will call if there is any change." Mr. Bennet said and Mrs. Bennet decided that she would leave for and return tomorrow morning. Mr. Bennet tried to get Will to go home, but he refused.

"I will not leave until there is a change. I left her once and see what happened. I am never going to leave her again." Mr. Bennet saw that his mind was made up. Charles said that he would go and get some coffee for everyone and that he was sorry, but he had to get home. His sister Caroline was expecting him and he had some business to take care of, but that he would be back tomorrow morning. Jane said goodbye to him after he brought the coffee then he left. The three that were left remained in silence. Mr. Bennet and Jane fell asleep, but Will could not sleep. Not when the women he loved most in the world's life was on the line. He roamed the hallway and finally at 3:00 in the morning went back to the waiting room. After a few minutes, a nurse came in and asked if there was anyone by the name of Will. "My name is Will, why"

"Ms. Bennet keeps calling your name. The doctors think that if you come and talk to her, it will help her rest better. She is delirious, so she is not awake yet, but the fever is making her restless. Please follow me and I will take you to her." Will had to prepare himself for the sight that he was about to see. He saw her right before they took her to the hospital, but nothing could prepare him for the way she looked now. There were tubes everywhere and she had many bandages. There was a chair by the bed that Will took. Elizabeth was restless he could hear her murmuring something.

"Will," she said softly. "Please help me. I am scared please please, no stop get away from me. Will where are you?" Se moved her head around and Will wanted to help her, but there was nothing he could do, so he took her hand and started speaking in a soothing voice.

"I am here Elizabeth, don't worry. He can never hurt you again." Elizabeth seemed to calm down and sleep more peacefully. Will just remained by her side with her hand in his. He would no t leave her side.

The next morning, Will woke when a nurse came in to check on Elizabeth. "How is she?" he asked.

"I am afraid that there is little difference from last night. Her fever is still high and her pulse is not very strong. The doctors will be in shortly and they can tell you more." Will looked at Elizabeth. She was no longer shaking and she had quieted down.

"Elizabeth, can you hear me? It is Will. Please don't leave me. I can't live without you? I love you. You are my life and if you die, I will die with you. You have to come back to me." Will put his head down. He could not stand to look at her with all the tubes.

"Will, is that you?" Will shot his head up. Elizabeth's eyes were open and she looked scared.

"Yes, Elizabeth it is me. Oh, I am so happy that you are awake."

"Where am I?"

"You are in the hospital, do you remember anything that happened to you?"

"I remember up to right after I was trying to call you." Two doctors came in and saw that she was awake. They rushed over and checked all of her vitals. Will looked at them and saw that they had smiles on their faces.

"Mr. Darcy, it looks like she is going to be fine. It will take a while for her to recover, but she is out of danger." Will could not believe what they just told him. He knew that she wasn't going to die all along, but hearing it from them was different. He looked over at Elizabeth. The doctors were telling her what had happened.

"I will go get your sister and father." Will said.

"Will, please don't leave me. Can someone else go get them." A nurse said that she would and Will sat down again and took her hand. He could tell that she was very shaken up still and very tired. It was going to be a long recovery, but he knew that Elizabeth was strong.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and Jane came into the room. Jane rushed to her side and Elizabeth and she talked. Elizabeth could not talk for long because of her sore face from the numerous slaps that George had given her. Everyone saw that Elizabeth was trying to stay awake, but was having problems, so they said that they would leave and let her sleep. "Will," she said as he got up. "Please stay with me until I fall asleep." Will was so happy to be wanted and he would stay with her for the rest of his life if need be.

"Of course I will stay with you. I believe that the doctors are going to move you to a different room, butb I will come with you."

"Thank you." she said as she fell asleep. This time her sleep was a little more peaceful.

Chapter 12

Posted on Friday, 30 June 2000, at 1 : 02 a.m.

Elizabeth woke up to find Will sleeping with his head on her bed. A nurse came in and introduced herself as the person who was going to be primarily taking care of her. "My name is Sania and I have been taking care of you. I will be here in during the day for your entire stay. Dr. Jeannette will be in to talk to you in a moment. I suggest you wake up your friend there." Sania said with a laugh.

"Thank you. Do you know how long I will be here?" Elizabeth asked. It still hurt her to talk, but she felt a lot better than she did before. The doctor, a nice looking woman, came in and stood at the end of the bed. Elizabeth woke Will up and they both listened to what the doctor said.

"Hello Ms. Bennet. I am Dr. Jeannette and I will be your doctor. I am going to explain to you everything, so I need you to listen closely. Don't try to talk, I know that you are still uncomfortable." Elizabeth and Will both nodded and the doctor continued. "You will need to stay in the hospital for about a week and a half to two weeks. We need to keep you under full supervision to make sure that the bleeding does not start again. Also, your broken bones need time to heal and not moving will be the most helpful. All of the castable bones are casted and I'm afraid that you will have to remain in that brace until your pelvis is healed. Your ribs will be painful for a while, but I have given you pain medication. If there are any questions please do not hesitate to ask." Elizabeth did not like the idea that she had to be in the hospital for so long, but Will promised that he would visit her everyday. He was so wonderful to stay with her all throughout everything. Elizabeth could tell that Will was exhausted which wasn't surprising since he had only about three hours of sleep in the past two days.

Dr. Jeannette left Will and Elizabeth alone. "Oh Elizabeth, I am so happy that you are awake. I don't know what I would have done if you left me. You had me very scared for a minute."

"Thank you so much for everything that you have done. I don't think that I could have made it through without you. I do not want to stay in this hospital although. Hospitals always remind me of dying. I remember when I was little and I came to the hospital to visit my grandfather. He had cancer and I was so scared to come here." Will saw that Elizabeth was tired. Jane had arrived to give Will a break and Will told Elizabeth that he would come back later. "Goodbye Will, I love you." Will felt his heart skip a beat when he heard he say that. He had feared that he would never be able to hear her say that again, but she was back.

Will drove back to his apartment to find Georgie. He told her the whole story and Georgie said that she would go visit Elizabeth tomorrow. Desperately needing sleep, Will got into bed and fell sound asleep. He slept until 5:00 and then got up, showered, and ate. He decided that he needed to call his secretary to tell her that he was going to be away from the office for a few days. He needed to be with Elizabeth and he knew she needed him during her recovery, so he went to his phone and called Arleen Leah. "Will Darcy's office, may I help you."

"Hello Arleen, this is Mr. Darcy. I just wanted to let you know that I will not be in for a few days." After talking about all the rescheduling that needed to be done, he hung up and got ready to leave for the hospital.

I turned out that Elizabeth had to stay in the hospital for two and a half weeks. She was not able to make it home for Christmas, so everyone brought Christmas to her. She was able to get up and walk around a little bit, but had to sit down after a few minutes. The police had been in to talk to her a few times, but Will was always there to support her. She was having nightmares about her experience and did not feel comfortable being alone. Her family was a great support, but it was Jane and Will that truly got her through the hospital stay until it was finally time for her to go home. Since Jane had moved in with Charles permanently, Will asked Elizabeth if she would live with him. Elizabeth agreed too, so Jane and Will moved everything from the old apartment to Will's penthouse. Georgie had taken care of Emma while Elizabeth was in the hospital, so she was already moved in.

Elizabeth was glad to see that all her stuff had been moved when she arrived at Will's apartment. Elizabeth was still all bandaged up and had to use a crutch, but her stitches were out and she was making excellent progress. Will showed her around his apartment and then told her to get some rest. She had a lot of excitement and she needed to get better. Elizabeth agreed and slept for a few hours. Meanwhile, Will fixed dinner and prepared himself for what he was going to do during dinner. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box with a beautiful engagement ring in it. He was hoping Elizabeth would want to be his wife. He loved her more than life itself and wanted to be with her always. Will had decided to surprise her with the ring before dinner, so he placed it in a bigger box and placed that box in an even bigger box, and repeated the action until the rig was inside of five different boxes. She would never guess what was inside until she got to the last box. The boxes had already been wrapped, so once everything was assembled he got back to dinner. It was going to be a night that he would never forget.

Elizabeth was awakened by the smell of food cooking. She had eaten hospital food for a long time and was ready for a real meal. Her appetite was small, but she was hungry now. She carefully got out of bed and thanked God for pain medication. In the dining room was Will. The table was set and he held out a chair for Elizabeth to sit down. He had made Alfredo and Pesto to celebrate being together. It was the same thing that they had eaten on their blind date and Elizabeth smiled at the memory of it. Everything was perfect. Elizabeth as so happy to be home. Her body was healing and George Wickham's trial was to be held at the end of January.

After dinner, Will cleared the table then presented her with the box. "Another gift Will? You are spoiling me." Elizabeth said with a smile.

"Well I hope you like this one. I dearly hope that you do." Will said. Elizabeth was curious and could tell that this was a serious gift. She knew that it wasn't a ring because it was too big of a box, but she had no idea about what could make Will look so scared at her not liking the gift. Elizabeth carefully lifted the lid of the box and found another box. After she finally got to the last box and opened it she felt like she would jump for joy. (At least she would if she had more control over her body). Will took the ring from her and kneeled down in front of her. "Elizabeth, you are my life. I love you more than words can express. I knew from the very beginning that you were the person that I wanted to marry. Please be my wife." Elizabeth started to cry as he slipped the ring on her finger.

"Oh yes, yes. I will. I love you too." Will stood up and kissed Elizabeth. He was careful not to hurt her. She had just made him the happiest man on earth and he thanked God for her.

The next few months were hard for Elizabeth, but she made a full recovery. All that was left were the scars that were slowly starting to fade. They would never be gone completely, but scars were better than death. Will and Elizabeth grew closer and closer and the time drew near for Kimmie's wedding. Both Elizabeth and Jane had decided to wait until the fall to get married so that Elizabeth had enough time to get better. Tiki and Kimmie visited her a lot and Elizabeth went back to work in March. George Wickham was sentenced to life in prison with no parole. Elizabeth was glad to be rid of him, but the trial was very hard for her. She was still walking with a crutch and still bandaged up at the time, so besides having pain, she had to deal with her emotions. Will was there every step of the way to help her and she got through it.

Elizabeth was still a little weak, so she hired a wedding coordinator to take care of her wedding. It was to be a double wedding with Jane. They all decided to be married in November. The wedding coordinator's name was Coleen and she was rumored to plan the most elegant weddings. Elizabeth liked her sense of humor and got along with her very well. She was sure that everything would be wonderful.

Chapter 13

Posted on Wednesday, 5 July 2000, at 11 : 32 p.m.

Everything was running smoothly for he first time in a long time for Elizabeth and Will. She still had a little pain now and then, and she still had nightmares, but it was less regular. Elizabeth was permanently moved in with Will and finally back to working full time. Tiki had decided to throw a big party at her summer house to celebrate Kimmie's wedding and Elizabeth and Jane's engagement. Tiki invited hundreds of people and they were going to celebrate all the couples. It was going to be a blast. Besides, everyone needed a break from normal life. Elizabeth and Jane were being overwhelmed by Coleen and her assistant Tabbi. There were so many things to plan. Coleen and Tabbi were friends of the family, so planning was a lot of fun. The four women looked at thousands of flowers, cakes, dresses, dishes, etc. There didn't seem to be a day where the word wedding or something having to do with it come up in conversation.

Charles's family was coming to stay in New York until after the wedding. Jane had never met them, but from what she had heard, they were not very nice. Charles loved his sister's, but he warned Jane that Caroline took society very seriously. She had set her cap at Will, and she was yet to find out about Elizabeth. He was afraid to break the news to her. "Oh Charles, don't worry. I am sure that I will love her. Besides, Elizabeth knows how to take care of herself. You don't need to worry about her. Also they are so much in love that I don't think they will notice a thing." Jane said in a soothing voice.

"I guess so, but I just hope she doesn't do anything to ruin Tiki's party. Will and Elizabeth will be there and I am afraid that she will not take to Elizabeth very easily. Elizabeth is just starting to return to her old self. I don't want Caroline to do anything that will hurt her. She has gone through enough."

"Charles, Lizzy will be fine. All that we have to worry about is us."

"You're right, now come here and kiss me." Jane kissed Charles and then they set off to meet Caroline and the Hursts at the airport. They had been in France for the past year. Charles hoped that Jane was right.

The next day, Jane, Elizabeth, Georgie, Kimmie, Tiki, Coleen, and Tabbi all went wedding dress and bridesmaid dress shopping. The wedding party consisted of Kimmie as matron of honor, Tiki as maid of honor, Georgie, Kitty, and Lydia as bridesmaids, and all four of Jane and Elizabeth's Aunt and Uncle Gardiner's children as either flower girls or ring bearers. It was a very large wedding party. The groomsmen were Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam as Will's best man, Steve Richards, John Berry, Nick Brooks, and James Blythe. There were so many things that still needed to be picked out, but the girls decided to go dress shopping and have a girls night out. Elizabeth and Jane tried on so many dresses and the girls were all having a marvelous time modeling. Jane found a dress that made her look like an angel. It was strapless with a bell skirt. Elizabeth had a little harder time, but she finally found the perfect dress. It had spaghetti straps with a tight embroidered bodice. The skirt full and it made Elizabeth look beautiful. She felt like a princess. Both women twirled around in their dresses, then were measured for alterations. Next step was bridesmaid dresses. They all decided on pale pink dresses with an empire waist and spaghetti straps. "Oh girls, everything is going to be so beautiful. I wish that you had been there to help me with my dress." Kimmie said.

"What does it look like? I got my dress, but I never saw yours." Elizabeth said happily.

"Well it has a satin princess style bodice that flares into the skirt with a short train. My hair is curled up with a tiara holding the veil. "

"Oh that sounds so pretty. I love my dress. The pale yellow is so pretty."

"Thank you. Well, I only have two more weeks until the big day then I am off to Hawaii." Kimmie had a blissful look on her face. You could tell she was thinking of a certain man in uniform. After all the dresses were fitted, the group went to a restaurant for dinner. Dress shopping was tiring and it would only get worse as it got closer to the actual day. Everyone was excited for Tiki's big party and that was the topic of discussion. They would all come up and stay the weekend. Most of the other guests were going to only come the night of the party, but Tiki invited everyone who was there to stay. They all agreed, so after dinner everyone went home to rest for the big party in two days.

Will, Elizabeth, Georgie, and Emma packed everything that they needed into Will's Mercedes for the trip to Tiki's house. They were all excited at the prospect of a weekend away from normal life. Will made sure that Elizabeth had everything she needed including any medication that might come in handy. He hated seeing Elizabeth in pain and he wished that she would never have to feel another ounce of pain, but her body was still healing, even though it had been months since the incident.

They arrived at Tiki's where they were met by Tiki, Kimmie, Steve, and Richard. This was the first time that Elizabeth was able to meet Will's cousin the Colonel. Will carried Their stuff up to their rooms while Elizabeth became friends with Richard. She liked him a lot. HE was very friendly and seemed to be very close to Will. She had heard a lot about him, but he was away with the army. Elizabeth noticed Tabbi and motioned for her to come say hello. As soon as Tabbi saw Richard she stopped. Richard also stood staring at Tabbi. Elizabeth could not help but laugh. "Uh Tabbi, this is Will's cousin Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam."

"Hi." Tabbi said as she looked deeply into his eyes.

"Hi." He said as he looked into her eyes. When Will returned he saw the two of them and laughed.

"Elizabeth, Charles and Jane are over there and they wanted me to bring you. Charles's family is here and Jane wanted to introduce them to you. I have to warn you about Caroline although. She thinks that my plan in life was to marry her. Charles told her about you and I am afraid that she is a little mad. She has been after my money for years." Will said as they started walking in the other direction.

"Oh, don't worry about me. I am sure that I can handle her." Elizabeth said with a sparkle in her eye.

"Oh, I am sure you can."

When they reached Jane and Charles, Elizabeth was blinded by a women with bright orange clothes on. "Lizzy, I want to introduce you to my soon to be sister Caroline Bingley and Mr. and Mrs. Hurst. They are Charles's sisters and brother-in-law.

"Hello Eliza, I have heard so much about you." Caroline said with a sneer. "Will darling, I have not seen you in ages. You should have come to France with us. The society is so much classier over in Europe." Caroline said this while looking at Elizabeth. Elizabeth got the hint and just smiled.

"Will darling, I am tired and I need to take some pain medication. I believe that I am going to go to bed. I will see you around later." Elizabeth said as she gave him a kiss then walked toward the house.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Will asked, looking for an excuse to get away from Caroline.

"No, no, you enjoy yourself. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure that you are okay?" Will looked at her worriedly.

"I am fine, just a little sore. I'll see you later."

"Alright. I'll see you later. I love you."

"I love you too." Caroline looked like someone had just smacked her. She hated it that her Will was taken by some woman that was not in his class. She was determined to get Will for herself and she was sure that she would be able to convince him that Elizabeth was all wrong for him and just after his money.

Will excused himself ten minutes later to get a drink. He saw Richard talking with Tabbi in the corner and he saw Tiki talking to one of the guys from his office; James Blythe. He got the drink and decided that he would go check on Elizabeth. She had looked a little pale and he wanted to make sure she was okay. He didn't realize that Caroline had spotted him and followed him upstairs.

Just outside the door Caroline caught up with him. Elizabeth was not asleep, so when she heard voices she went to the door to see who it was, but before she opened it, she heard Caroline and Will, so she decided to listen and see what happens.

"Will darling, I thought you and I were supposed to end up together. I knew that I should have stayed in America. How can you go off and get engaged. I thought that we were a couple. Everyone expected you and me to marry. What will the society columns think. You are marrying below your class and you deserve someone better. Where did you find her anyway?" Will was mad at what Caroline was saying.

"Caroline I will tell you once more that we were never and never will be a couple. I love Elizabeth with all my heart and we will be married in November."

"I heard about Elizabeth's little incident. I bet she didn't really get kidnapped. She probably planned the whole thing out." Will was about to hurt Caroline after she said this, but Elizabeth opened the door. She was decidedly paler, but her eyes gleamed with anger. She walked right over to Caroline and punched her. Caroline fell on the ground and Will gasped. Never before had anyone stood up to Caroline. He was so proud of Elizabeth and he loved her even more. Caroline got up and ran to her room. Elizabeth turned to Will and then collapsed on the ground. Will rushed to her side and she said that she just felt a little dizzy from not eating enough before she took her pain medication. Will was not satisfied, so he carried her into the room and laid her on the bed.

"Do you believe what Caroline said?" Elizabeth asked once she was in bed and Will had changed and gotten in bed with her.

"How can you ask me that?" Will looked at her. She was clearly upset and he could tell that she wasn't telling him how much pain she was really in. He decided that if she didn't look any better in the morning he was going to take her to the doctor. She had to be better for Kimmie's wedding. They laid together and Elizabeth fell into a restless sleep. She had nightmares about the kidnapping, so neither of them got much sleep.

The next morning, Elizabeth was clearly not well. Everyone was worried when they found the note saying that Will had taken her to the hospital and that he would call if anything was wrong. They all waited by the phone for Will's call, praying that she was okay.

At the hospital, Will explained to him what Elizabeth had been through. They checked her out and found that her pelvis had fractured again, but it only meant that she would be back on crutches. She had fainted from the lack of nourishment with her pain medication. "Now I want you to make sure that she eats something with the pills. I have written her another prescription and that should last her throughout the healing of her pelvis, but she should be feeling better in a few hours. Tell her to sleep and she will be fine." the doctor explained. Will took Elizabeth home and sent her right to bed where she slept all morning and afternoon. He told everyone what had happened and they were glad that she was okay. The party was tonight, but the doctor said that as long as she rested and slept all day that she would be okay for the party. Will hated to see Elizabeth like this. He wished that he could make everything better, but he knew that he couldn't so he decided to help her every step of the way and they would get through it.

Chapter 14

Posted on Monday, 10 July 2000, at 9 : 52 p.m.

Elizabeth slept all day and Will periodically checked on her. Everyone was glad that it was nothing very serious, but they felt bad that she had re-fractured her pelvis. They all hoped that she would be able to come to the party. Will talked with all of his friends, but Richard and Tabbi seemed to have disappeared. Coleen had been looking for her, but gave up.

That night, Elizabeth felt well enough to join the party. She brought her pain medication with her so that she could take it after she ate. She hated having to use crutches. They were so bulky and always got in the way, but Will was very patient with her and stayed by her side. Besides the fact that she was on crutches, she had a marvelous time. She spotted Caroline in the corner with a drink. She had a black eye and Elizabeth was glad. Will brought her a plate of food and a drink and Jane, Kimmie, and Tiki sat with her while Will talked with Charles, Steve, and James. The ladies talked about the upcoming events. Coleen came over and sat down. "How are you feeling Elizabeth?" she asked.

"Much better, but a little sore."

"You had us all scared there." Coleen took a sip of her drink and put her feet up. "We can't have you hurt for this wedding Tabbi and I have planned for you.

"Oh I am okay now. I am sure that I will be finally healed by then."

"What happened to Caroline?" Tiki asked.

"She said a few things that were not very nice and came in contact with my fist." Elizabeth laughed and everyone joined her. They all looked over at Caroline and could tell that she was on her way to getting drunk. They just hoped that she wouldn't do anything else. It was getting late and it was the last dance. All of the men asked their ladies to dance. Will took Elizabeth to the dance floor and they just held onto each other and swayed so as not to hurt Elizabeth. Coleen was asked to dance by John Berry, Tiki was dancing with James, Tabbi was with Richard, Jane with Charles, Georgie danced with Nick, Kimmie with Steve, and Caroline just kept drinking. Halfway through the song Elizabeth had to sit down and rest. She felt bad for ruining the party for Will, but he assured her that he was happy to remain with her. Kathy and Charlotte Collins came over to say hello to Elizabeth. They were friends from college that had come to see Elizabeth. "How are you Elizabeth. I heard about what happened. That must have been awful." Kathy said as she sat down on the other side of Elizabeth.

"Yes, it was awful, but I am dealing with it. How have you two been. I haven't seen you guys in so long. I think the last time I saw you was at you wedding Charlotte to my cousin Bill. Where is Bill?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, but he couldn't make it. He is working . He works for your fiancé's aunt I believe. Catherine deBourgh?" Charlotte inquired.

"Oh yes, I have yet to meet her although. I don't know if she approves of me."

"Elizabeth I told you not to worry about my aunt." Will gave her a smile and she smiled back at him. He leaned down to give her a kiss then asked her if she was ready to go to bed.

"Yes, I am tired. I will see you guys at Kimmie's wedding I guess. How long are you in town?"

"We leave the day after Kimmie's wedding." Kathy said.

"Where are you staying?"

"We are staying at a hotel in the city." Charlotte explained.

"Well we will have to get together while you guys are here. I want to hear all the news from Maryland. I didn't get home this Christmas, so I missed all of the gossip."

"Are you still at your same apartment Elizabeth?" Kathy asked.

"No, I am living at Will's. Here let me write down the number." She wrote down the number then said her good-byes. She and Will walked slowly back to their room where Elizabeth fell right to sleep. Will laid beside her and just watched. He was not going to let anything bad happen to her again.

Will was just about asleep when he heard some commotion in the hallway. Elizabeth was still asleep, so he got up to see what was going on. In the hallway was Caroline and she was completely drunk. Her one eye was very swollen and she was singing to herself. Will could not believe the sight in front of him. He never thought that he would see Ms. High and Mighty herself in this condition. She walked over to Will and said, "Oh darling.. hiccup...run away with me....hiccup...we can live happily every after. Besides, you don't need that stupid Elizabeth. We can live in..hicupp...France and go to hundreds of...hiccup parties." Will was once again angry with what Caroline was trying to do.

"Now listen Caroline. I love Elizabeth and we are going to be married. I have never loved you and I never will. All you love about me is my money."

"Oh Will, I love you. You can have me. Take me." Caroline threw herself at Will, but was stopped by Charles who came out in the hall to see what was going on. More people started to come out and they all laughed at Caroline who went running back to her room. Will just stood there stunned and then looked at Charles. Charles looked very upset about what his sister had done. He never thought her capable of this.

"Will, I am so sorry for Caroline. I assure you that this will never happen again." Charles looked up at Will and saw that he had started to laugh. Charles gave a sigh and then both men started laughing. Before they knew it, they were both in hysterics. Elizabeth hobbled to the door to see what was causing all of the commotion and Will immediately felt sorry for waking her up.

"Oh Elizabeth, I am so sorry that I woke you. Caroline just tried to throw herself at me in her drunken stupor. I don't think she will be bothering us anymore." Will laughed and Charles went to find Jane. Elizabeth smiled and wished to herself that she had seen Caroline at her lowest point. Will went to help Elizabeth back into the room, but before she moved three steps she fell onto the ground and started seizing. Will not knowing what to do called for help. This could not be happening again. Will rushed to the phone and called 911. He told them the situation and the paramedics were on their way. Tabbi and Richard came rushing into the room to find Elizabeth seizing on the floor. The paramedics arrived five minutes later and got the seizure to stop. They took her to the hospital and Will followed in his car. He was not going to loose her. She had come too close so many times and always pulled through. She was going to pull through again.

At the hospital, Will tried desperately to find out information regarding Elizabeth's condition. After about fifteen minutes one of the nurses came out to tell him that they had rushed her to surgery. They feared that there was internal bleeding. Will informed the nurse about Elizabeth's medical history and the nurse ran upstairs to tell the doctors. Will was left downstairs helpless. Jane and Charles joined him ten minutes later and he filled them in. Jane started crying and Charles tried to comfort her. Tiki, Kimmie, Tabbi, and Coleen came joined them and went to try and comfort Will. "I can't lose her. She is my life. I don't know what I would do without her. She cannot die." Will sat down and tears started to stream down his face. They all sat in silence waiting and praying that Elizabeth would pull through.

The surgery lasted for three hours. She was alive, but in serious condition. Jane went to see her and the rest of them waited for her to come back. When she returned she told them what the doctors had told her. "The doctor told me that they are afraid that she may not pull through this time...." Jane started sobbing and fell to the ground she could not continue, so Will went to find a doctor while Charles comforted Jane. Will returned with the doctor that had operated on Elizabeth.

"I am afraid that there were complications during the surgery, but we managed to stop the bleeding. We lost her pulse for a few minutes, but were able to restart her heart. She has not awakened yet, but she should awaken in a few hours. Once she awakens we will know more, but the seizure may have caused brain damage. If she does not awaken in the next twelve hours, I am afraid that she will never awaken. If she does, I expect her to make a full recovery. All we can do now is wait. I will allow two people in at a time, but I am afraid that it can only be immediate family. I would suggest that you call her parents. You are her sister correct?" Jane shook her head.

"I called my mother and father, and they are on their way. Mr. Darcy is Elizabeth's fiancé." Jane said.

"Very well, he may see her. If there is nothing else, I must go and check on your sister.

"Thank you." Jane and Will went to Elizabeth's room to watch over her and see if she would awaken. They sat next to her bed each holding one of her hands. She looked so pale, hardly life like. They both started to cry. Will held onto Jane as they both sobbed. Neither of them could live without Elizabeth.

Once they had their emotions under control, they went back to hold Elizabeth's hands. They were so cold and there were so many tubes everywhere. Will looked at Elizabeth's face. He saw the scars that were still present and he wished that she would open her eyes so that he could see that sparkle that was always there. Instead he saw her eyelids with her long eyelashes. She looked like she was sleeping and he prayed that she would wake up, but she kept on sleeping. Will fell asleep with his hand still on hers and that is where he remained for the next few hours until he was awakened by Jane. He shot his head up and immediately looked down at Elizabeth. She was still asleep. "Will, It has been eleven hours. What if she does not wake up?" Will walked over to Jane just when Mr. and Mrs. Bennet walked in. They told them what was going on and they all sat and waited for Elizabeth to awaken. They counted the minutes. Fifty minutes went by and still no response. The doctors came in and checked Elizabeth. They remained in the room for another five minutes. Will looked at their faces he was not happy. He looked down at Elizabeth and she was the same. What was he going to do? He could not live without her. There was only three minutes left and she would be gone. All that was left was to wait.

Chapter 15

Posted on Wednesday, 12 July 2000, at 9 : 14 p.m.

Everyone sat and watched Elizabeth. Out in the waiting room, all of Elizabeth's friends were waiting. They prayed that she would be okay. They looked at the clock and saw that there was only two minutes left and still no word. Why wasn't she waking up. She had to wake up. The world would not be the same without Elizabeth. She was a part of so many lives and without her, many would grieve. Will took Elizabeth's hand again and he didn't let go. There was such little time, but all of a sudden Will felt pressure in his hand. "Elizabeth, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can." He said hurriedly. Once again he felt her light pressure. "Elizabeth open your eyes. I want to see you beautiful eyes. Please open your eyes." The doctors rushed over to her to check her. Will kept pleading with her to open her eyes. Will kept talking to her until finally he saw her eyelashes flutter. "That's it Elizabeth. Open your eyes. You can do it my love." Elizabeth's eyes flew open and she smiled.

"Will" she said with some trouble. Will smiled and held on to her hand tighter. The doctor examining her smiled.

"Ms. Bennet. It is nice to see you awake." he said. "I believe that you will make a full recovery, but I want you to take it easy. You will need to take it easy although. I don't want you back at work for a while and you need to stay in the hospital for a few days so that we can watch over you." The doctor was happy that such a pretty young women had pulled through. Elizabeth was tired, so she went back to sleep while the doctor filled in the family with everything that they needed to know. When the doctor left, everybody left to go and get some sleep, but Will stayed. He sat and watched Elizabeth sleep and he thought of how he was going to make sure that she was never in this situation again.

The next few days were filled with visitors for Elizabeth, so her hospital stay was not too terrible. When the day arrived for her to go home, she was thrilled. Will and Jane came to pick her up. Will carried Elizabeth's crutches and her suitcase, while Jane checked Elizabeth out. The nurse wheeled Elizabeth downstairs and Will went to bring the car around. He helped her into the car, careful not to hurt her pelvis. Jane got into the back seat and they all drove off leaving the hospital behind them. It was a long drive back to the city since the hospital was the one by Tiki's summer house.

By the time that they had dropped Jane off and gotten back to their apartment, it was dark. Will helped Elizabeth out of the car and they went up in the elevator. Emma and Georgie greeted them at the door. "Emma!!! Have you been a good doggie." She said as she petted Emma on the head.

"Yes, she has been a very good dog. How are you Lizzy?" Georgie said. She was happy to see her future sister-in-law looking much better.

"I am feeling much better thank you. I am a little sore, but that is to be expected." Elizabeth sat down on the couch and Will brought her a cup of tea. "Thank you." He sat down next to her and she leaned against him. It felt so good to be home. Will had been so supportive to her through everything. "I love you."

"I love you too, and I think that you should get in bed." Will helped her up and helped her in bed. He got in bed with her and she snuggled up to him. It felt so good to have her in his arms again. Will fell asleep with a smile on his face. Everything was going to be okay now.

The next two weeks passed quickly and Kimmie's wedding day arrived. Elizabeth was almost completely better and no longer needed her crutches. She was still on medication, but feeling a 100% better. The wedding was at noon, but Elizabeth had to help Kimmie get ready, so she drove to Kimmie's house and Will drove to where Steven was staying. Kimmie was running around very stressed. "Oh Elizabeth, so good to see you so well. Thank you so much for coming. Elizabeth as well as the rest of the bridesmaids which consisted of Tiki, Alethea, Kathy, Ellie, Mosylu, Shemmelle, Sarah, Tabbi, Bridget, Sania, and Asia. After everyone's hair and make-up was done they all got dressed in their pale yellow dresses. The make-up artist was still working on Kimmie so, Elizabeth and Tiki went to go get Kimmie's dress and veil ready. By the time they returned, Kimmie was done and still very nervous. Elizabeth tried to calm her down.

"Okay Kimmie. Calm down. It is your wedding day and nothing is going to happen. Even if it does, Steven will not care. He will still love you. Now let's get you dressed and ready to go." Elizabeth got Kimmie to breathe and they all helped her on with her dress.

Meanwhile at Steve's place, there was just as much commotion. Will was the best man and the groomsman were, James Blythe, Lucas Harding, Heath Ledger, Jeremy Preston, Dave Cromwell, Rob Emerson, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, Henry Tilney, Trevor McIntyre, Jeremy Northam, and James Rutherford. They too were all running around looking for different parts of their tuxes while Will, who was already dressed and trying to calm down Steve. They had to leave for the church in twenty minutes and there were guys still looking for their pants.

Kimmie and all of the rest of the women climbed into the two limos. The were off to the church. They arrived after the gentlemen and rushed to finish getting ready before the service at noon. It was a beautiful May day, perfect for a wedding. The church was full and all that was left was for the music to start. Steve was standing at the front of the church with Will while the rest of the groomsmen got with their respective partners. The music started and Kathy and Lucus walked down first, followed by Tiki and James, then Mosylu and Heath, then Shemmelle and Jeremy, then Ellie and Dave, Alethea and Rob, Tabbi and Richard, Sarah and Trevor, Bridget and Henry, Asia and James, Sania, the matron of honor and Jeremy, Elizabeth, the maid of honor, then finally Kimmie with her father. It took a long time for the large wedding party to get up the aisle and they were glad that Kimmie and Steve picked a large church. Elizabeth looked over to Will and they held each other's eyes both thinking that it would be them in a few months.

The wedding went by quickly and before Elizabeth and Will knew it, Kimmie and Steve were kissing. They walked down the aisle followed by all the other couples. It was time to party!!! The reception was held at a hotel and everyone was having a marvelous time. Tabbi came over to Elizabeth with Richard to see how she was. Coleen also came over with a man that looked just like Richard. "Coleen, is it the medication, or am I seeing double?" Elizabeth asked.

"Oh, I forgot to mention it. This is Richard's twin brother Edward." Coleen explained.

"Nice to meet you. Will went to get us some drinks, her will be right back. Please sit down." Elizabeth motioned to the empty chairs at the table. Will came back with their drinks sand they all chatted while they waited to be called for photographs. The photographer was doing just Kimmie and Steve at the moment.

"Would the wedding party please meet for photographs." A man yelled to the room. Everyone in the wedding party got up and went to find Kimmie and Steve kissing each other. Will cleared his throat and they broke apart.

"Okay, first I need Mrs. Richards and her maid and matron of honor." The photographer said as he put them in their places. He shot a few pictures then did the groom with his best man. Next was the two small groups combined with the addition of Jeremy Northam who stood with his wife Sania. Next was a shot of the entire wedding party. They barely all fit in the picture, but everyone looked wonderful. Kimmie was full of life and the happiness radiated from both Kimmie and Steve's faces. After the shots were taken it was the best man and maid of honor's turn. "Now I want you to look at each other with adoration." This was not hard for them to do considering they were so much in love and their love also radiated from their faces. "Perfect. Now for the matron of honor and her husband. As soon as the photographer was done, everyone went back into the reception room.

The night flew by and everyone had a wonderful time. The cake was cut, the first dance danced, Elizabeth caught the bouquet, and Will caught the garter. It was time for the newlyweds to say good-bye. They ran to their waiting limo that was going to take them to the airport for their European tour. Rose petals flew everywhere as they got in the car. Everyone wished them luck and they drove off into the night. The guest went back into the room to continue the party for a few more hours. Elizabeth and Will danced a few more dances and drank lots of champagne. It was a wonderful wedding and it wasn't too long until it was their turn. Only a few more months.

The guests started to leave, but Elizabeth and Will remained with the rest of the wedding party. They all had drunk a little too much champagne, so Will called for a limo to take them all home. They piled into the car with much difficulty due to their drunkedness and large number. The ladies were forced to sit on the gentlemen's lap, which they didn't mind except for the fact that is was extremely hot with all the gowns. Everyone was dropped off at their homes and Will and Elizabeth made their way finally to their apartment. They had some problems walking for they were both quite tipsy, but managed to make it to the room and in bed. They fell asleep still dressed on the floor in the living room.

Chapter 16

Posted on Monday, 17 July 2000

The next morning, both Elizabeth and Will woke up with terrible headaches and very stiff from lying on the floor. Elizabeth stretched and tried to stand up. The amount of pain that she felt when she stood up caused her to fall down on Will. He groaned and grabbed his head as well. He looked at his watch and saw that it was 12:30 and he and Elizabeth were still dressed for the wedding.

"Elizabeth, come we must get out of these clothes. I am going to take a shower. Do we have any aspirin."

"Yes there is some in the bathroom. Please don't talk to loudly." Will crawled off to the bathroom and turned on the shower. He took off his clothes and got in the shower. The water felt good on his aching body, but nothing helped his head. Maybe Elizabeth would give him a massage later. He would like Elizabeth's hands on him. He thought about what her massages were like, but his head hurt to much to think, so he washed up and got out. He wrapped a towel around his waist and went fishing through the medicine cabinet for the aspirin. When he opened the bottle, there was nothing left so this made Will mad. Who would put an empty bottle of aspirin back in the cabinet? He was about to ask Elizabeth when he remembered that he was the one. He had taken a lot of aspirin while Elizabeth was in the hospital.

Out in the living room, Elizabeth was still in her dress, but she was on the couch with a rag over her eyes. Will sat down next to her and Elizabeth took the rag off of her eyes. The sight of Will in a towel was more than she could handle, but also wet. Her mouth went dry. He looked so handsome and she could not bear it anymore. Her headache was forgotten and she grabbed Will and planted a large kiss on his lips. Will was surprised at first, but returned her passion. Elizabeth couldn't seem to get enough of him and Will couldn't get enough of her as well. Things got intense, but ended when they both rolled of the couch and landed on an unhappy Emma. The kissing session ended when Emma let out a howl. She did not like being woken up, especially by two people falling on her. Elizabeth got up and asked Will to help her with her dress. He unzipped it for her and she pulled it off. She stood in her slip with Will staring at her. She felt like he was undressing her with his eyes, so she went to take a shower. Will had to shake his head which was a bad idea because his headache came back and it was worse than ever. He walked slowly to his bedroom and got dressed. His stomach was growling so he went to the kitchen for some food. Elizabeth found him there after she had gotten dressed.

"Will where is the aspirin?" She asked as she sat down at the table.

"There isn't any left. I forgot to get some more. Would you like a sandwich?"

Elizabeth nodded and Will gave her the sandwich he had made and made another. He sat down next to her and they ate in silence. Neither were in a good mood. They both had large headaches and were still stiff from sleeping on the floor. Elizabeth looked at Will and tried to put on her cutest face.

"Will.." she said softly.

"What?" he answered.

"Will you please give me a massage. You give the best massages."

Will could not resist her, so he agreed if she agreed to give him one as well. After both of their massages, Will called his office. Elizabeth was bored so she looked around for something to do. She saw a pillow on the floor behind Will. She picked it up and hit Will over the head. He dropped the phone and turned around. Elizabeth could not help but laugh. Her laughter was contagious and soon Will started laughing. He tried to keep and angry face, but could not. He hung up the phone and grabbed another pillow. For the next hour and all out war raged. The phone rang and Elizabeth answered it. Unfortunately it was her mother. She sat down to listen to her mother's endless chatter about wedding plans. Will sneaked up behind her and hit her in the back of the head with a pillow. She screamed and dropped the phone. Mrs. Bennet called to Elizabeth.

"Lizzy? What is going on over there. Are you okay. Pick up this phone. Lizzy??" Will picked up the phone.

"Hello Mrs. Bennet. Elizabeth is a little busy at the moment. She will call you back later."

Will hung up the phone and went after Elizabeth. She ran out of the room and Will ran after her. Charles and Jane arrived at the apartment and Will buzzed them up while Elizabeth hit him again and again. He turned around and started hitting her back. When Jane and Charles arrived at the door, Elizabeth opened it, but left them outside while she went after Will. Jane and Charles both laughed and came in. Charles got in the way of one of Elizabeth's shots, so he dropped the bag that he was carrying. He decided that he would join Will, so Jane joined Elizabeth. The Pillow war continued for another hour until everyone was tired. They all sat down on the couch and caught their breath. Charles suggested that they all go out to eat and everyone agreed, so Will and Elizabeth changed into some nicer clothes then they all left the apartment. They went to a Moroccan restaurant where they had a marvelous time sitting on the floor and eating with their hands. They talked about their coming wedding and Jane told Elizabeth and Will that they were going to Paris and Venice on their honeymoon.

"Where are you two going?" Jane asked.

"I am not telling. Elizabeth will not even find out until we arrive." Will said with a smileas he looked at Elizabeth. Elizabeth smiled back at him and they remained in an intense stare untilCharles splashed a little water on Will.

"Hey." He said, startled by the water. "Are you guys ready to go. We can go back the our apartment for some coffee." Everyone agreed to this, so Will paid the bill after much argument and they all left.

At the apartment, Will made some coffee while Elizabeth got a pound cake out of the freezer. She defrosted it and then cut everyone a slice. She put a strawberry on the plate with a little whipped cream. Will poured the coffee and they all talked quietly while sipping their coffee and eating the cake.

It was getting late and everyone had to work tomorrow. It was Elizabeth's first day back since her stay in the hospital and she had a lot to catch up on, so, Jane and Charles left and Will and Elizabeth went to bed.

The next morning, Elizabeth went to work to find the everyone in the office clapping when she walked into the room. They all asked her how she was and they had a bagel and coffee waiting for her in her office. Tiki came over to her and gave her a hug. They walked into Elizabeth's office where everything was as she had left it. One of the other editors had taken care of her work while she was gone, so he was happy that she was back and could take her work back. She worked for a few hours then went to meet Jane for lunch. Coleen called Elizabeth on her cell phone during lunch and said that she and Jane needed to pick out a cake and dishes. Weddings were a lot to plan and they wanted everything to be perfect, so Elizabeth and Jane agreed to meet with them tomorrow night. Elizabeth hung up the phone and told Jane that she had to get back to work. At her office she called Will and filled him in with how things were going and told him that she was meeting Coleen and Tabbi tomorrow night. Will informed her that he had to go on a business trip next week for about a week.

"Where are you going?" Elizabeth asked.

"I have to go to London to talk to some clients. I am leaving on Sunday and will return on Saturday. I don't know what I will do for a week without you."

"Oh Will, I will miss you so much. Can't you send someone in your place?"

"No I am afraid not. Also, I will be home late tonight, so go ahead and eat without me. I have to go to a meeting, so I will see you later tonight. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye" Elizabeth hung up the phone and tackled the pile of papers on her desk. What is she going to do for a whole week without Will. She will get a lot of work and wedding planning in.

The week went by too quickly for Elizabeth. Will was leaving tomorrow and they had decided to spend the entire day together. They went for a walk in central park and had a picnic lunch. Emma came with them and they played with her after lunch. They had a wonderful time together. They stayed out until it was dark them went home for a quiet candlelit dinner. They fell asleep in each other's arms treasuring their time together. Will's flight was early tomorrow, so he had packed yesterday.

In the morning, Elizabeth took Will to the airport. "Oh Will, I will miss you so much." she said as tears came down her cheeks.

She ran to Will's waiting arms and he kissed her. He was such a wonderful man and she was so happy that Jane and Charles had set them up. Will held on to Elizabeth. She had brought happiness to his life and he knew that once he left, he would feel like he was missing a part of him. Elizabeth was a part of him and there was no replacing her. Will released Elizabeth then walked onto the plane.

"I love you." she called after him. He turned around and ran back to her.

"I love you too." He gave her another hug then got on the plane. Elizabeth stayed to watch it take off then went home to the apartment. It was so big and lonely without him, so she called Jane and she came over for lunch.

Chapter 17

Posted on Thursday, 27 July 2000

Jane arrived at Elizabeth and Will's apartment with takeout and a copies of Jerry Maguire and Pretty Women. For the rest of the afternoon, the two women satin front of the TV and ate Chinese food. It was just like old times. Emma came over and sat with them. Elizabeth and Jane had a great time together, but once she left, Elizabeth got sad. Will had not even been gone for a whole day and she missed him so much. The apartment seemed so large and empty. A single tear trickled down her cheek and she decided that she should call her mother back. "Hello Mama, It is Lizzy."

"Lizzy darling. Why didn't you call me back sooner. I have so many things to go over with you for your wedding. Where is Will? He should be listening to this. Also when are you going to bring him down here so that I can show him to all my friends. They have all been wondering about how you managed to catch the head of Darcy Corporations. Oh, you make your mother proud." Mrs. Bennet didn't seem to take a breath throughout the entirety of this speech.

"MAMA!!! Will is away on a business trip. He had to go to London for a week. I am sure that we will come visit you before the wedding, but I am very busy and so is Will. The wedding isn't until November anyway. We have plenty of time. Besides, I am meeting with Coleen and Tabbi a few times this week. Everything will be ready in time don't worry."

"Lizzy, my poor nerves. You in New York and me down here. Why did you move to the city and leave me. Maybe I will come up for a few days and help you..."

"Mama, I am afraid that I will be very busy. I have to work and I can't take any time off since I was away for so long. You understand." Elizabeth said quickly. She was not ready for her mother to come to New York.

"Very well. I suppose that I can wait until you come down here. Oh, your father wants to talk to you." Elizabeth heard the phone being handed to her father.

"Lizzy darling, how are you?" Mr. Bennet said.

"I'm okay Dad, how are you?"

"Oh I am okay. Your mother's tongue; however, has not stopped running about you and your rich fiancé. When are you going to bring him down here?"

"Oh I don't know. We are very busy lately."

"Is he there? I would like to talk to him if I may."

"No Dad, he had to go to London for a week on business."

"Oh well. Please come home soon. I miss my little Lizzy. I will talk to you soon. Bye."

"Bye Dad I love you and give my love to Mom."

"I love you too. Bye." Elizabeth hung up the phone and let out her breath. She loved her family dearly, but her mother was very trying sometimes. Not knowing what to do next, she decided to take Emma for a walk. Emma liked this idea and instead of Elizabeth walking Emma, Emma walked Elizabeth.

The air was hot and Emma was panting, so Elizabeth decided to return to the air-conditioning. Elizabeth walked to the apartment complex and found Coleen and Tabbi waiting for her at the door. They knew that Will was going to be gone, so they came to go over so wedding plans. There was still so much to plan and since the wedding party was so large, they had lot of things to order. Jane was on her way back over to go over some details. They all gathered in the living room with pizza and beers. The wedding books were everywhere and they looked at thousands of pictures. When the night was through, they had the dishes and the reception hall picked out. Everything including the church was booked. They made a lot of progress that night and since it was late, the women all stayed at Elizabeth's apartment. They felt sorry for her having to be in such a large place with only a dog. Georgiana was going to come for a visit on Wednesday and Kitty had decided to visit as well, so Elizabeth would not feel so lonely. They knew that she had not lived on her own for a long time.

The next day Elizabeth went to work. She was very productive considering she did not have any distractions. She went to lunch with Tiki and Jane then went back to work. Elizabeth decided that spending her time busy would keep her mind off of Will. She met with Coleen, Tabbi and Jane for dinner and they planned more things for the wedding.

On Wednesday, Georgie arrived and gave Elizabeth a big hug. "I am glad to see that you are so much better." she said as she put her suitcase down and petted Emma.

"Oh thank you. I feel so much better. I believe that everything is behind me now and I am not going to dwell on it anymore."

"Good for you. I know you will be very happy with Will. He loves you so much."

"And I love him very much. He has saved me and for that I will always be grateful." Elizabeth hugged Georgie again before helping her to unpack. "Oh, there is something I want to ask you. I was wondering if you would be one of my bridesmaids."

"I would love to be. Thank you so much."

"This wedding is going to be very large and I wouldn't feel right if you were not involved." Elizabeth and Georgie unpacked Georgie and then went out to lunch. Elizabeth told her all about the wedding and Georgie told Elizabeth about herself and Will when they were younger. Elizabeth loved to hear what her Will got himself into when he was younger. The two women had a wonderful time together. Georgie went to meet a friend after lunch, so Elizabeth went to work. Kitty was going to arrive later that night, so she was determined to get her work done so that she could focus her attention on her guests. Everyone was very helpful to her at work, but she felt that she wanted to be treated as she once was, not with pity.

Elizabeth stayed at work until 6:00, then she went home to find the phone ringing as she walked in the door. "Hello."

"Elizabeth, how are you my darling? I have missed you so much." Elizabeth was so happy that Will had called her.

"I am fine. Your sister is here and Kitty is coming later tonight. How is London?"

"It is cool here. It rains a lot and business is progressing. I wanted to call to tell you that I will be home at 3:30 on Saturday. I can't wait to see you."

"I will be at the airport waiting my love. I have missed you so much. My family and friends are sick of me moping around, so you better hurry and get home."

"I will be there on Saturday and I will not leave your side for as long as possible."

"Good, not that you had a choice anyway. Georgie just walked in the door. Would you like to talk to her?"

"Sure, but I want to talk to you afterwards."

"Alright, here she is." Elizabeth passed the phone to Georgie who talked to her brother for a few minutes. When Elizabeth got the phone back Will told her a little about what he was doing in London and she told him what she had been doing while he was away. Will had to go to a meeting, so he said that he would call tomorrow. Elizabeth hung up the phone and started to make dinner. Kitty arrived at 7:30 and the three of them sat down to eat. They talked all about the coming wedding and what they had been doing. Kitty could only stay until Friday, so she would miss Will, but Georgie was staying until Sunday so that she could see her brother. Elizabeth was sorry that she had to work while they were here, but she met them for lunch and dinner everyday. Georgie and Kitty became fast friends. They were both very similar and decided to go on a little trip to Florida for a week later in August. Georgie had rented a condo and they were going to go down together. Elizabeth was very happy that they like each other and was thrilled that they were going to go away together.

The days went by quickly and it came time for Kitty to leave. Elizabeth and Georgie were sad to see her go and said that they hoped to see her soon. Kitty gave Georgie her e-mail address and her phone number so that they could plan their trip further. Elizabeth said good-bye to her sister then had to go to work. Georgie went to be fitted for her bridesmaid dress while Elizabeth worked. Will was coming home tomorrow and Elizabeth could not wait. She was going to make sure that he never left her for that long again. On future business trips, she was going with him. Separation was not a good thing, although it did allow her to get a lot of work done and she got most of the wedding planned. But, without Will, the world was not the same. She needed him by her side.

The day came for Will to come home. Elizabeth was so happy. She would finally be able to be held in his arms and receive his kisses. Georgie noticed Elizabeth was quite hyper and was glad to see that she was so in love with her brother. Georgie and Elizabeth drove to the airport to find out that the flight was delayed. They walked into a cafe for coffee while they waited. When the plane was announced Elizabeth ran to the gate where he was going to be. When she saw him, she ran to him and he picked her up and spun her around. They kissed each other and Elizabeth laughed with happiness. "Oh Will, I missed you so much. You are never leaving me for that long again."

"I missed you too and I am very happy to be back. Now I want to go home and just sit with you. What do you say? Where is Georgie?"

"She was right behind me. There she is." Georgie came walking over and hugged her brother.

"Let's go home." Will said as he grabbed Elizabeth's hand. He picked up his luggage and Elizabeth drove home. Georgie made dinner so that Elizabeth and Will could have some private time together. They were so wonderful together and she was so happy that Elizabeth entered Will's life. She had changed him so much for the better.

Chapter 18

Posted on Sunday, 27 August 2000

When Will walked through the door he was attacked by Emma. "Obviously she missed you." Elizabeth said with a laugh. Elizabeth could not control her laughter. There was Will on the floor with a large dog on top of him, licking his face. It was just too cute, but Elizabeth decided that it shouldn't be Emma getting all of the kisses, so she got Emma off of Will and took her place. Surprised at first Will then succumbed to the moment. He really missed his wonderful Elizabeth and he was so happy to be home. It wasn't the same without her. Nights were lonely and while he was working he couldn't get his mind off of her. He knew now that he had fallen and fallen hard. She was the woman of his dreams. Will prolonged the kiss which Elizabeth did not mind at all. So there was Will, surrounded by suitcases with Elizabeth on top of him, and Emma lying next to him. This was exactly the way that Georgie found them.

"Ahem, dinner is ready." A slight blush came over her cheeks as she went back into the kitchen. Will and Elizabeth were embarrassed as well, but laughed. Elizabeth got off of Will and helped him up. She could see that the jetlag was catching up to him and she knew that he needed his sleep, so she didn't linger any longer in the doorway, even though she would have liked to stay in the previous position.

The dinner was delicious and Will was very grateful that he was able to have a nice home cooked meal after having to eat out in restaurants for the past week. He was surrounded by the three women he loved most, Georgiana and one end of the table, Elizabeth next to him, and Emma at his feet. It was wonderful. Will told Georgiana and Elizabeth to wait at the table that he had to see to something. Neither woman knew what he was doing, so they waited patiently at the table drinking coffee and eating pound cake. Will returned with a shopping bag and sat down at the table. He opened the bag and handed Georgiana an ornate box. Inside were numerous pieces of sheet music that were not available in the US. "Oh thank you, I love it." Seeing that Will had something to give to Elizabeth that was of an intimate nature, Georgie said that she was going to take a shower and finish packing her things since she was leaving in the morning.

Once she had gone Will took out a box that held some sort of jewelry in it. Elizabeth was excited and couldn't wait to find out what was in it. "Will, you didn't have to bring me anything." she said as she untied the ribbon around the box.

"I know I don't have to, but I like to spoil you."

"Well don't spoil me too much. You don't want me to become greedy do you.?" Will laughed and Elizabeth finished taking the ribbon off of the box. She opened the box to find a beautiful bracelet with tiny diamonds. Between the gold and the diamonds, the bracelet sparkled in the light. Elizabeth looked up to Will and she threw her arms around his neck. "Oh Will, it is beautiful. Where did you find something. It is almost out of a fairy dream. The way the light catches it makes it look like there are little lights all around it."

"I am so happy that you like it. It has been in the family for years. This bracelet dates back to my grandmother. It was given to her by my grandfather when they were engaged. It has been passed down from generation to generation. I am now giving it to you." Tears welled up in Elizabeth's eyes as she thought about how hard it must be to not have you parents alive. This man was a wonderful man and Elizabeth could not believe that he was hers.

"Will you don't realize how wonderful you are. You have always been there for me whenever I needed you help."

"Elizabeth you know that is not true. You must remember that I wasn't with you when you were kidnapped. If I had been there, none of those horrible things would have happened to you. You don't know how many times I wish that I had been there." Elizabeth held her hand to Will's lips.

"You were there Will. By thinking of you, I was able to stay alive. Also, don't you remember that it was you who saved me in the end. I don't want to ever hear you say that it was your fault. The only person who is to blame is George Wickham and now that he is taken care of, I don't have to worry about him anymore. This is the first time we have really talked about that incident. I thought those memories were erased from my memory. It feels good to be able to talk about it. I don't know why I kept it all bottled up inside of me."

"I am always here and will always listen to you Elizabeth. If you want to talk about that, I will listen and be there for support. All you have to do is ask." Elizabeth smiled. Will was so wonderful and he would always be there for her.

"Well, we won't talk about it now. I know that you are tired and it is getting late. You probably have not slept for a while."

"Yes, I am tired, but I will listen if you want to talk to me. I am not that tired." Elizabeth knew that he wanted to know what went on in those few days and she knew that it would feel good to talk about it, so she agreed to tell him after they got there pajamas on and were in bed, so both got undressed and got ready for bed. Will was ready first so he climbed into bed so happy that he was able to sleep in his bed with Elizabeth and not in a hotel bed.

Elizabeth came into the room with her hair down and dressed only in a little nightgown. Will immediately examined Elizabeth, but mentally slapped himself knowing that Elizabeth wanted to talk to him and he wanted to listen, so he took a deep breath and motioned for her to join him. Elizabeth saw Will's expression and secretly laughed for she too was at a loss for words when she saw Will in the big bed all by himself. She climbed in next to him and he encircled her in one of his arms. She let out a sigh of contentment and then started her story. When she was done, she felt like something had been lifted off of her chest. She saw that Will was angry at what he had done to her, but he tried to keep his temper under control. "Will, I want you to know that I am alright and I will always be okay. Yes it was hard at first, but I have accepted it." She leaned over and kissed Will.

"I know, and I am sorry. I will try and keep my anger at him under control. Besides, I don't want to think about him. I think there are other things that should be taking up my mind," Will said with a grin. Elizabeth laughed and feigned innocence.

"And what would that be?" Will burst out laughing and grabbed Elizabeth by the shoulders to continue what she had started earlier.

The next morning Will woke up early and decided not to wake Elizabeth or Georgiana. He took Emma outside for a walk and then made breakfast for everyone. Thinking that this was a good time to call his office he got his laptop and phone and sat down. Elizabeth had to work today, so he wanted to spend as much time as possible with her, but since she was asleep, he could work.

After the brief checking in at the office, he went to finish making breakfast. He tied the apron around his waste and started mixing the waffle batter. He decided that he was going to make his mother's famous waffles with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, so he set to work, and that was how Elizabeth found him when she came into the kitchen. There was her Will covered in flour and wearing an apron. "Mmmm, what smells wonderful?" She said as she looked at what he was making. "Waffles, yum!!! I have not had waffles like that since I was a little kid. My grandmother used to make them for me when my sister's and I would visit." Georgiana came out of her room and joined them in the kitchen. Will told them to sit down and that breakfast would be ready in a few minutes.

The breakfast was delicious and she thanked Will for being so wonderful again. It was just what she wanted. I was getting late and Georgie had to get back to her apartment to finish making arrangements for her trip with Kitty. Elizabeth and Will said goodbye to her and Georgiana said that she hoped to see them sometime before the wedding. Elizabeth had to leave as well, so she finished getting ready and told Will that she would meet him for lunch with Jane and Charles. They were anxious to see him as well and relieved that Elizabeth would not mope around anymore. Elizabeth kissed Will goodbye and left for her office.

Once Elizabeth was gone, Will felt lonely again. He decided to get some work done, so he went into his office for a little while before he met Elizabeth, Jane, and Charles for lunch.

The lunch was great. They talked about the coming wedding and Elizabeth and Jane filled Will in on all of the details that he had missed while he was in London. Elizabeth then informed Will about her mother's invitation to come and stay with her for a few days. Will was hesitant at first, but agreed to go if they only stayed for a few days. Jane and Charles were also going, so Will was more agreeable. Besides, he knew that he had to go sometime, even though he wasn't sure he could handle staying in the same house with Mrs. Bennet. They agreed to go the following weekend and that weekend did no come slowly enough. Before Will knew it, the four of them were on their way down to Maryland to stay with the Bennets. Kitty was not going to be there since she and Georgiana were in Florida, but Mary had come down to see Elizabeth and Jane with their future husbands. Will was glad that Elizabeth was happy, but he wasn't so sure that he would survive the weekend.

Chapter 19

Posted on Saturday, 21 October 2000.

He had been in the house for two hours already, and he was ready to leave. Mrs. Bennet had not shut her mouth since they entered the door. Elizabeth had tried to shelter Will from family members, but there was only so much she could do. He did not know how he was going to survive the entire weekend.

Will and Elizabeth were finally allowed to go upstairs and unpack their things. When they reached their room, Elizabeth saw that it was her old room. It felt weird to be in the room because of all the memories of her younger years. Will smiled as Elizabeth went around the room and took everything in. "How did I ever deserve her?" he thought to himself. He walked over to her and put his arms around her. Elizabeth leaned back into embrace and sighed. She turned around and smiled, a sparkle coming to her eye. "What are you thinking?" Will asked.

"I was thinking, what if after dinner we took a nice moonlit walk along the water. I know my mother is planning some huge family thing for tomorrow, so I say we take advantage of the free time."

"I think that is a good idea, but right now I say we go down and get this first dinner over with. I want to be alone with you and it will be difficult this weekend."

"Let's go then." They walked down to the dining room hand in hand. Everyone was already down there waiting for them. They all looked up as they came into the room and smiled.

"Elizabeth, how are you? Everything okay?" Mr. Bennet asked.

"I'm fine Dad. Everything is okay." Elizabeth said as she kissed her father on the cheek. They were seated next to each other by Mr. Bennet of which Will was greatly relieved.

All throughout dinner, Mrs. Bennet was the main conversationalist. Elizabeth thought that she was going to puke if she heard her mother talk about her and Jane's wedding anymore. She was beyond happiness to be getting married, but Mrs. Bennet was determined to make the event more stressful. Will, however, was being very good. "I will have to reward him later tonight." Elizabeth thought to herself. She raised her eyes to Will and he smiled at her. She could guess the thoughts that were running through his head. They were the same ones that went through hers. Elizabeth grabbed her wine a took a nice long sip, but she almost choked when she felt a hand on her leg.

"Lizzy, are you okay? You are drinking way too quickly. Slow down, it will not disappear." Mrs. Bennet said from the other end of the table as Elizabeth's face grew very red. Will laughed into his napkin and Elizabeth kicked him under the table. Elizabeth picked up her fork, but just as she had put a fork full of food into her mouth, Will's hand had returned. Chills went up her spine and she could not help but sigh. She did not know how she would get through dessert.

Dessert felt like a lifetime, but Elizabeth and Will were finally able to get up from the table. They went into the family room for an hour, but then everyone else went to bed. Elizabeth and Will were left alone, so they decided to go on their walk. The air was cool, so Will wrapped his arm around Elizabeth's shoulders. They walked to a favorite childhood place of Elizabeth's. It was in the woods next to a small lake. The moon reflected off of the water, making it look like glass. Elizabeth could feel the electricity in the air and she looked up at Will. Will lowered his head and placed a kiss on her lips. They were perfectly content to sit there for hours in each other's company, but unfortunately they were interrupted by another couple who seemed like they had a little too much to drink. Elizabeth and Will watched as they practically fell all over ach other. The man and women were probably in their late forties, but they were acting like they were under ten. Elizabeth suggested that they return to the house, but just as they went to walk down the path, the couple ran into them, pushing them in the lake. The water was freezing and both strangers continued to splash around and giggle. "Excuse me!" Will said as he grabbed the man by the arm. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Weeee er...were uummplaying tag." The man said, well tried to say.

"Well, you just got me and my fiancé drenched. Where do you live, I believe we should take you home."

"Artie, help your little Doris out of the big pond sweetie." The women said as she and her husband climbed out. The man helped the women out of the pond and they went frolicking back into the woods. Thinking it better just to leave them alone and because of the cold temperatures, Will and Elizabeth let them go while they tried to rub some warmth back into their shoulders.

"Will?" Elizabeth said as her teeth chattered.

"Yes?

"Thank you for doing this for me. I know that this is a lot to ask of you. You are a wonderful man and I know that I don't deserve you. This past year you have done so much for me. I only wish there was a way for me to repay you." Will stopped walked and looked at Elizabeth.

"Don't you ever say that you don't deserve me. If it is anyone, it is me that doesn't deserve you." Elizabeth tried to interrupt, but Will put his finger to her lips. "I want you to know this now so that you will never doubt yourself again. I love you more thank you can possibly imagine. You are part of my soul and I will never ever leave you or do anything to hurt you. When you feel pain, I feel pain ten times as much. We were meant to be together. Ever since the first day that I saw you when you came off of the elevator at your old apartment." Elizabeth threw her arms around Will's neck and just held onto him. He was the best man in the entire world and she was so lucky to find him.

They held each other's hands all the way back to the house. Elizabeth hoped that nobody was still up so that they would not have to explain their wet condition. Unfortunately, as soon as they walked into the door, they were met by Mrs. Bennet who as soon as she saw them, demanded an explanation. Elizabeth told her about the couple and then told her that she and Will really needed to get out of their wet clothes before they caught a chill. They were allowed to leave, but made to promise to tell everything in the morning. Will and Elizabeth both took showers, then climbed into the warm bed where they promptly fell asleep.

The next morning, both Elizabeth and Will woke up with terrible headaches and sore throats. "This is great. It is bad enough that I have to deal with my mother going on about our wedding, now she will be a nervous wreck with us both sick. I wonder if I just crawl under the sheets, she will forget about me."

"Wishful thinking. I am going to go ask for some medicine, would you like me to get you something?"

"Please, try to find someone other than my mother. Look for Jane, she could tell you where everything is. I believe I will stay right here and not move. It seems to help my head which feels like there are a million knives being stabbed into it."

"I know how you feel, except take that million and double it." Will slowly climbed out of bed and grabbed his head as he stood up. He reached for his robe and walked slowly out of the room while Elizabeth tried to go back to sleep. She hated being sick and worse of all, she hated being sick in her mother's house.

Will returned a few minutes later with Mrs. Bennet in tow. "I knew you two should not have stayed out so late." Elizabeth let out a groan and Will climbed into the bed next to her. He put the pillow over his ears to try and drown out Mrs. Bennet's voice which was making his headache worse.

"I thought you were going to ask Jane?" Elizabeth said under her breath.

"I was, but I ran into your mother in the hallway."

"Mother, can you please give us some medicine and let us get back to sleep. I am sure we will be better later." Elizabeth said as she put her hand to her head.

"We are supposed to meet you aunt for lunch today. She has been looking forward to this for weeks. You are not going to disappoint her are you?"

"If you let us get some sleep now, we will go to lunch with you and my aunt."

"Very well, here is the medicine and some water. I will check back in two hours when it is time to get ready for lunch."

"Alright mother, thank you." Mrs. Bennet left the room and Elizabeth let out a growl. Why did this have to happen this weekend? It is hard enough to deal with my family without a headache."

"Elizabeth, everything will be fine, just get some sleep now." Will put his arm around her and they both fell into a restless sleep.

Mrs. Bennet returned in two hours, but neither Will or Elizabeth felt any better. In fact, they felt worse, but they knew that if they did not go to lunch, they would never hear the end of it, so they got out of bed and got dressed. Downstairs everyone was assembled. "Lizzy," Jane said as she walked towards them, "You and Will look awful."

"We feel awful, but we promised we would go to lunch."

"Are you sure you are going to be okay. We don't need you two fainting in the restaurant."

"It will be much worse if we don't go." The group left the house and Charles volunteered to drive Elizabeth and Will, so they climbed into the back seat where they had a sneezing and coughing contest, well at least it seemed that way to Jane and Charles.

At the restaurant, Elizabeth and Will got worse and worse. Jane did not like the looks of either of them and thought that it was best to get them home and into bed. Elizabeth stood up and got very dizzy all of a sudden, but before anyone could get up, she fainted. The restaurant manager rushed over to her and said that they should get her to a hospital. Jane agreed so she and Charles to Will and Elizabeth to the hospital since Will was just as bad as Elizabeth. Elizabeth woke up in the car and asked what had happened. Jane explained what had happened and then told her that they were on their way to the hospital. "I don't need to go to the hospital. I am perfectly fine. Besides, it is just a cold."

"It is more than a cold Lizzy. I have never seen you faint before because of a little cold." Will and Elizabeth got out of the car when they pulled up to the hospital. Jane also got out so that she was sure that they remained. Charles went to park the car while they waited in the waiting room.

They were seen after about a half and hour. The doctor told them both that they had the flu and that they should remain in bed. He gave them both a prescription for medicine and told Jane to monitor them incase they became delirious. If so, to contact him immediately. There temperatures were already around 103 and any higher would be a sign for caution. "This is great. The weekend that we come to visit my parents, we both get the flu. What else will go wrong?"

The car ride home was quiet. Nobody felt like talking and as soon as they pulled up to the house, Elizabeth and Will went straight upstairs to bed where they remained for the rest of the day. Jane checked on them periodically. She was going to make her routine check and bring them both some dinner, but when she called to them, she didn't get any answer. She walked over to the bed and nudged them both. Elizabeth shook her head and started mumbling something. Will did not make a sound. She knew Elizabeth was delirious and her fever was dangerously high. "Charles, mother, come quickly." she yelled. Mrs. Bennet came running into the room and saw what Jane saw. Charles called for an ambulance for the both of them. This was going to be an eventful weekend.

At the hospital, the doctors checked both Elizabeth and Will out. They both confirmed that they had dangerously high fevers, but that with the proper medication, they would be alright. They also told them that they would have to remain in the hospital overnight so that they could be monitored. Everyone was relieved to hear that they would be alright, but were not happy to hear that they would have to stay at the hospital. Jane talked to the doctors about Elizabeth's previous condition and they assured Jane that they would take extra special care of her. All of a sudden, a nurse came rushing into the room calling to the doctor. "Doctor, Miss Bennet's heart rate is dropping."

Chapter 20

Posted on Wednesday, 3 January 2001

The doctor went rushing into the other room. Everyone that was in the waiting room was in a state of shock. Jane broke the silence by letting out a sob. She was not going to lose Elizabeth now. She had been through so much and she hoped that she could finally be happy. Why did this have to happen?

The doctor returned a few minutes later. He assured them that Elizabeth was fine now. "Ms. Bennet's temperature shot up which caused the drop in her heart rate. I have given her some more medication and we are closely monitoring her. She should be fine now and I don't think we have anything to worry about." the doctor explained to the entire family. Everyone let out a sigh of relief. Everything was going to be fine.

"May we go and see her?" Mr. Bennet asked.

"I really think you should all go home for the night. She needs her rest, so I think that it will be better for her to rest. Mr. Darcy is here with her. Is he a family member?" the doctor asked.

"He is her fiancé." Jane explained. "Would there be any chance to have them moved into the same room. Elizabeth has not had good experiences with hospitals as I told you before. I think she would be more comfortable with Mr. Darcy in the same room."

"I will see that he is moved. Thank you Ms. Bennet. Goodnight. We will see how your sister and her fiancé are tomorrow. They may be able to come home in the afternoon."

"Thank you doctor." The family members all went home. Everyone was worried about the couple, especially Elizabeth. It had not been a year since the Wickham incident.

The next morning Jane, Charles, and Mr. Bennet went up to the hospital. They found Elizabeth and Will looking much better. They were both pale, but their spirits had returned. They spent about an hour with them until it was time for lunch. Will and Elizabeth were allowed to leave later in the day, so Jane, Charles, and Mr. Bennet went home to prepare for their arrival. The rooms had to be remade and new blankets brought in.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Will and Elizabeth were the center of attention. They were looking at a travel magazine. Elizabeth was trying to guess where Will was taking her on their honeymoon, but Will would not say. Some of the nurses and doctors were also trying to guess. They had a little gathering in the room by the time Jane and Charles arrived to bring them home. Their bags were already packed and one of the nurses went to discharge them. Elizabeth and Will walked out to the lobby and signed out. Charles brought the car around and Elizabeth and Will climbed into the back seat where they promptly fell asleep in each other's arms. Charles and Jane looked at each other and shared a loving smile.

"They are perfect for one another," Jane said, "just like you are for me."

Charles squeezed her hand and the rest of the ride was completed in silence.

They arrived at the Bennet household where Mrs. Bennet met them at the door. She pushed them all into the house saying that they would get sicker if they didn't get right into bed, so Will and Elizabeth said goodnight to everyone and made their way to the bedroom where everything was ready for them. They climbed into the large bed and fell right to sleep.

The next morning Elizabeth woke feeling much better. The sun was shining and the man she loves was sleeping next to her. There was nothing that could ruin the moment except...

"Elizabeth? Are you awake? It is past eleven." Mrs. Bennet was standing in the hall yelling and the closed door. Elizabeth grabbed her robe and got out of the bed. It felt good to be up, but she had a feeling that her mother would change her mood. Luckily, Will was still asleep and didn't hear her mother.

"What do you want mother?" Elizabeth said as she opened the door.

"I just wanted to check on you to see how you are. I was also wondering how long you were staying. I must insist that it be at least another week." Elizabeth heard a gasp behind her and knew where it came from.

"I'm sorry mother, but Will and I need to get back to New York. We both have to work and we have a wedding to finish. You wouldn't want our wedding to be less than perfect."

"Of course not darling. I will go fix you some breakfast so that you can get dressed. Wake up your fiancé meanwhile. He can't sleep all day. He will sleep his visit away."

"Alright mother, but we are not going to get anything done if we stand and chat all day." Mrs. Bennet went downstairs while Elizabeth went back into her room. Will was sitting on the bed with a grin on his face. "What are you smiling about?" Elizabeth asked as she jumped on top of him. She rolled around until she was pinned down by his strong arms.

"What are you smiling about almost Mrs. Darcy?" Elizabeth tried to get lose, but Will had her trapped. She felt him release his grip on her arms and she jumped up. Grabbing the pillow from the bed she whacked him on the head. Will grabbed the other pillow and an all out pillow war started.

Meanwhile Jane and Charles were downstairs and they could hear the screams and giggling coming from upstairs. "I guess they are feeling better." Charles said. Jane laughed and they both went upstairs to see what all the commotion was. They came upon the scene of Elizabeth and Will chasing each other with pillows. Charles made the mistake of walking into the room and got knocked in the head by Elizabeth's pillow. Everyone burst out laughing and Charles joined them once he realized what had happened.

"I believe that you are much better today." Charles said between laughs.

"Yes, much." Will said as he placed his arms around Elizabeth. "What day are we all returning to New York. I was thinking the day after tomorrow. I know we all have work and weddings to plan.

"That sounds good to me. What do you think Jane." Charles looked at Jane who agreed with them. Will and Elizabeth got dressed and everyone went down stairs for a late breakfast.

Chapter 21

Posted on Thursday, 28 June 2001

The last few days with the Bennet's went by surprisingly quickly for Will and Elizabeth. Before they knew it, they were back at work with their normal routine. Things could not be better for the happy couple. It was only a week until their wedding and there was so much to be done. Jane and Elizabeth were running around like maniacs trying to make sure that everything will be ready in time. Will and Charles were excited as well, but they found the week a little hectic. Gifts started to arrive from people that weren't coming to the wedding. "Elizabeth is that you? Will said from the living room where he could hear someone coming in the door.

"Yes, who did you think it was? Caroline?"

"Of course not. It could have been Georgie. She is supposed to come today." Will went to help Elizabeth with the packages she was carrying. "Three more gifts and two vases of flowers arrived today. They are on the dining room table. Would you like to open them?"

"Alright, but let me put on something more comfortable first." Elizabeth took off her suit and put on a pair of jeans and a shirt. She walked into the dining room to find Will waiting for her with a glass of wine. "Just what I wanted. You must have read my mind." The packages on the table were very large except for a small one and Elizabeth wondered who could have sent them. She decided to leave the small one for last and opened the first box. The card was from Knightley Computers. "Is this a competing company?" Elizabeth asked Will, "and are they trying to soften you up?"

"George Knightley is a college friend of mine. He can't come to the wedding because his wife Emma just gave birth to a baby and she had some problems. It was nice of him to send a gift."

"Is Emma alright?"

"Yes, she is fine. They have a healthy baby. Are you going to open the gift?" Elizabeth smiled and opened the box. Inside was a crystal bowel and vase.

"They are very beautiful. You should call him and thank him personally." Elizabeth opened the second box from another company. It was a Monet painting. "Well, you friends certainly aren't cheap." Will laughed.

"This small one is addresses to you" Elizabeth took the box from Will and opened it. Inside was a dead rose and a note which read:

Hope your wedding is wonderful

George Wickham

Elizabeth went pale and sat down. "Who is it from Elizabeth?" Will asked worriedly. Elizabeth silently handed Will the card and box. She saw anger pass over his face but it quickly passed when he saw how upset Elizabeth was. "Don't let him get to you. He can't hurt you anymore."

"I know, but every time I think about him, memories of the past come back. You must think I am being dramatic."

"Elizabeth, you have every right to be upset. Never apologize for being upset. I know how much he hurt you." Will hugged her and ran his fingers through her hair. Things got a little steamier and they ended up on the floor, with all thoughts of George Wickham disappearing from the room.

A few hours later, Will and Elizabeth ate dinner and watched TV. They were waiting for Georgie to arrive before they went to bed. She came and they all told each other what was new. Georgie was just as excited as Will and Elizabeth about the wedding. Will had some work to do, so he left to two ladies to talk of the wedding.

"So, now that Will is gone, I want all the details about the wedding."

"Well, it is going to be humongous. The wedding party alone fills four limos. I can't wait Georgie. I am so nervous though. I will be Mrs. Will Darcy in two days." Georgiana and Elizabeth laughed together and talked about preparations until they both grew too tired to stay awake. "I am so happy that you have some Georgie and I am so happy that we will be true sisters. You don't know how much you have helped over the past months. Your brother is very lucky to have a sister like you and I will be even luckier to gain a sister like you."

"Oh Elizabeth, I am the lucky one because you have made my brother happier than I have ever seen him and you have helped me as well." Georgiana hugged Elizabeth then left to go to her room. Elizabeth got up and went in search of Will. She found him hunched over his laptop with papers surrounding him. His shoulders looked tense and he was running his fingers through his hair. Elizabeth knew that he was under a lot of stress with their wedding and trying to get everything ready for their honeymoon. Will had to make sure that the company would survive without him while he was away. Elizabeth walked over and put her arms around Will's neck. He sighed and leaned back against her.

"Problems at work?" Elizabeth asked.

"You could say that. It seems that my company needs to be led by the hand when doing anything. They don't like the idea that I will be away for a while. I am trying to make everything ready for our departure and it is a lot of work; however, I am not going to complain because the reason for my forthcoming absence is worth ten times the stress. Oh, I meant to tell you, Colleen called and said that he rehearsal dinner is all set for 8:00, right after the rehearsal which is at 6:00. We have the whole restaurant and Colleen said that she took care of everything. All we have to do is show up. Did you make the list of who is going in what limo?" Will said as Elizabeth massaged his shoulders.

"Yes, I wrote everything down. I will read it to you to see if you think it is okay."

Elizabeth left the room and came back with a large folder. She pulled out a piece of paper and sat down in a chair next to will. "The first limo will contain Kathy and Lucas, Mosylu and Heath, Shemmelle and Jeremy Preston, Georgie and John, and Ellie and Dave. The second limo will contain Alethea and Rob, Tabbi and Richard, Sarah and Trevor, Mary and Bob, and Bridget and Henry. The third limo will contain Asia and James, Sania and Jeremy Northam, Colleen and Edward, Lydia and Mike, and Kitty and Eric. The fourth limo has me, Jane, my mother and father, Kimmie and Steve, and Tiki and James. You and Charles are to travel in a separate car with Caroline and Louisa and Louisa's husband." Elizabeth took a deep breath once she finished.

"I hope that is everyone. I think this is going to be the wedding of the year. It will be the largest I know that." Just as Elizabeth put the paper away, Will's cell phone rang.

"Hello." Will said into the phone. Will mouthed that it was work and them rolled his eyes. Elizabeth laughed. She knew that without both Will and Charles, the company would be a little hectic, but Will told them that he would not be able to be contacted while on his honeymoon and that they would have to deal without out him for a couple of weeks. This explained the constant phone calls and meetings that Will was involved in over the past few weeks. Elizabeth left Will to his work and got ready for bed. Tomorrow she had a lot to do and she needed to go into work for a couple of hours to make everything ready for her departure. It was going to be a long two days until the big day.

The next morning Elizabeth woke up at seven and went to work, Will had already left, but left a rose and a sweet note on his pillow, apologizing for being so busy. He said that he would meet her for lunch before she went for her last fitting. At work Elizabeth went to a couple of meetings then explained everything to Joanna, the woman taking over her job while she was away on her honeymoon. She didn't know what she would do without such caring people at work. With all of the time she had missed over the past year, Elizabeth was surprised she still had a job, but everyone was very supportive of her. Before she left for work she stopped into her bosses office and told him that she would see him at the wedding. He told her good luck then she left to meet Will at the restaurant where he took her on their first date.

When Elizabeth arrived, she was given a big hug by the owner of the restaurant. This restaurant had become a second home to Will and Elizabeth and the owner was a good friend to them now. He sat them at their usual table and brought out their lunch. Elizabeth and Will ate a quick lunch because Will had a board meeting and Elizabeth had to get her dress fitted for the last time. She gave Will a kiss and the owner a hug before leaving to meet Jane at the dress shop.

At the dress shop, Elizabeth and Jane both put on their dresses and were poked and pinned for the last time. The fitting didn't last long because there were not many changes that needed to be made. Elizabeth went home to find Georgie and Emma asleep on the couch. Emma woke up and came running to the door with her tail wagging. "Were you a good girl for auntie Georgie today?" Elizabeth said as she scratched behind Emma's ears. Georgie woke up and walked to the door.

"Hey Elizabeth. I hope you got done everything that needed to be done. There are a bunch of boxes that arrived today. I put them in the dining room."

"Thanks, yes I did get everything done. I hope you had a peaceful day with Emma."

"Oh yes, we had a nice day except for the constant interruptions by the Fed Ex man. I think they delivered ten boxes today. You sure are getting a lot of gifts."

"Thanks for signing for them. I don't know what I'd do without you. Will is going to be late because he had a board meeting, so we are on our own for dinner. I was thinking that we call Jane and go to the movies for one last girls night before Jane and I are married." Elizabeth suggested.

"Sounds good to me. I will go get my coat and we'll go."

"Great, Jane said that she would pick us up, so she should be here any minute." Before Elizabeth could sit down, the intercom buzzed, letting her know that Jane was downstairs. "We'll be right down Jane"

Elizabeth and Georgiana didn't get home until almost Elizabeth, but Will still wasn't home. Elizabeth called Will at work, but there was no answer. She assumed that he was still in the board meeting. Georgiana said that she was going to go to bed and Elizabeth said that she was going to wait up for Will and that she would see her in the morning. Elizabeth got her book and sat down on the couch, but after a few pages, she fell sound asleep on the couch.

Will came home around 1:30 to find Elizabeth sound asleep on the couch. She looked so beautiful as she slept and he didn't want to wake her, so he carried her into the bedroom and them took off his work clothes and got ready for bed. He crawled in beside her and she nestled up against him. Will loved when she did this. He put his arm around her and fell asleep.

The next morning Elizabeth awoke once again to find Will gone. She was disappointed to have missed him last night and this morning, but she knew that he had a lot to do. Besides, today was the rehearsal dinner and she was really excited. She spent the whole day making the final preparations for the wedding and Will came home around four. They both took showers and got dressed for the rehearsal. They left in plenty of time to get to the church where they were met by the entire wedding part. All of Elizabeth's family was there. They had just arrived in New York today and were happy to see that everything was running smoothly.

The rehearsal was perfect and everyone made it to the restaurant. Will, Elizabeth, Jane, and Charles thanked everyone for coming and passed out gifts to everyone. They had a wonderful meal and everyone left to get some sleep. Elizabeth and Jane went to Charles's place while Will and Charles stayed at Will's. They were not going to see each other again before the wedding.

That night everyone went to sleep with smiles on their faces. They dreamt of the happy day that was only a couple of hours away.

Chapter 22

Posted on Thursday, 23 August 2001

*I would like to dedicate this chapter to my great grandmother who died August 19, 2001*

The morning of the wedding shone brightly. The sky was bright blue with large, puffy clouds that looked like giant balls of cotton. Elizabeth opened her eyes and saw that it was truly the most perfect day. She looked at the clock on her nightstand and saw that it was 6:30, so she had some time before she was forced to leave the comfort of the large bed. Elizabeth heard the shower, so she assumed that Jane was already up and getting ready. She grabbed one of the many pillows and squeezed it to her body, letting out a little happy noise. She could not remember when she had ever been so happy. After a few minutes of contemplation, Elizabeth got out of bed and put on her robe. The crisp air hit her as soon as she exited the bed, but it was refreshing. She walked into the kitchen to find coffee made and two large bouquets of flowers, one for herself and the other for Jane. Elizabeth opened the card and saw that it was from Will. On the card was written, "To my Elizabeth from her Will." Elizabeth's heart fluttered and her eyes brightened up even more than they had been. Nobody could ruin this day because her happiness was beyond expression.

As she sat down at the table to drink her coffee, the doorbell rang. It was her mother and aunt who had come to help her get ready. A few moments later all of the bridal party members arrived. There were people everywhere getting ready for the ceremony. They focused on Jane first so that Elizabeth could take a shower.

Meanwhile at Will's apartment, Will and Charles were waking up as well. They too wore grins that never disappeared. The apartment there was also filling up with all of the groomsmen. Will and Charles were running around trying to make sure everything was ready while people just seemed to always be in the way. In other situations, this would have made them angry, but nothing could upset them today. Someone had turned the radio on, so everyone stopped to listen. The broadcaster said, "Today is the day that millionaire and highly sought after Will Darcy of Darcy Corporations marries Miss Elizabeth Bennet, an editor at the New York Times. Sharing these nuptials is Charles Bingley, one of Will Darcy's board members. Marrying Bingley is Miss Jane Bennet, the sister to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Many famous guests are expected to attend the nuptials. There will be wall to wall limousines and we wish the couples every happiness." Everyone in the room cheered and Richard, Will's cousin called Elizabeth and Jane to make sure they had heard. They said that they had, but could not chat because of all of the preparations that were still necessary. Everything was hectic in both households in preparation for the big day.

Two hours later the men arrived at the church to be met by news media and other people anxious to get a glimpse of the different people that arrived. The police were doing a good job of keeping the people back, but it was a difficult job, especially since this was New York City. Will and Charles rushed into the church followed by all of the men. The bridesmaids arrived not long after followed by the brides and their family. Elizabeth looked at all of the people that were waiting to get a glimpse of her and she became somewhat nervous. She followed everyone into the church and went to finish getting ready as the guests started to arrive. When the time came for the ceremony to begin Elizabeth got in line with her father and sister. Mr. Bennet first looked at Jane and said, "Jane, you look absolutely beautiful and I know you will be very happy. You have chosen well." He then turned to Elizabeth. "Lizzy, you too look very beautiful and will be just as happy. Your husband is a very lucky man." He kissed both of his daughters before the veils covered their faces. Unbeknownst to Elizabeth and Jane, Mr. Bennet let a tear fall down his cheek. His babies were all grown up.

The music of the processional glided throughout the air and the line started down the aisle. Will stood at the end of the aisle with Charles while thoughts from the past ran throughout his mind. He pictured their first meeting where she had absolutely taken his breath away for the first time in his life. Next, he thought of all the wonderful times they had enjoyed later. His mind turned to the unhappy parts with the kidnapping and the suffering, but he told himself that that was all in the past and everything was all right now. He thought of his proposal and the look in her eyes when she saw the ring. His thoughts were interrupted, however, by the starting of the wedding march. He looked up and saw her for the first time today. Nothing would ever compare to this moment because she was the incarnation of beauty itself. She glided towards him like a fairy while her eyes sparkled like two stars poking through a foggy sky at night. The veil made only the sparkle visible until she came closer. The fabric of her dress shimmered and flowed to the floor. Will felt that this bewitching woman would forever hold him in her trap. Elizabeth noticed the look in her beloved's eyes and she smiled. Will had never looked more handsome than the image before her very eyes. All that surrounded her disappeared and it was only she and Will that remained. She was awakened from her dream when her father lifted her veil. He kissed her on the cheek and looked deeply into her eyes. She knew what he wanted to say to her and she shook her head. He replaced the veil and took his seat by his wife to watch as he saw his most beloved daughters become married women. All who observed the wedding felt themselves to have been transported to another world. The church had been transformed into and fairyland. There were flowers everywhere and the smell wafted throughout the air.

The vows were said and the minister pronounced them husband and wife at last. Will lifted Elizabeth's veil after Charles had already done so to Jane and gave Elizabeth the most tender of kisses ever imagined. When their lips separated, their eyes remained locked, conveying every ounce of feeling. Charles and Jane walked down the aisle first to the cheering crowd and then Will and Elizabeth followed. Everyone cheered the couples as they entered into their lives together.

After signing the marriage certificates, they went outside to where a large crowd had gathered to see the new couples. They walked down the stairs of the church and entered one of the many limousines. The rest of the guests left the church to journey to the reception while the newlyweds sat in silence in the car. Nobody felt it necessary to speak for there were no words to describe the thoughts running through their heads. The outside world was gone for the four people in the limousine.

Chapter 23

Posted on Tuesday, 8 January 2002

The limousines left the church and journeyed towards the reception hall where all of the guests were waiting. Elizabeth looked into Will's eyes and he sighed then spoke in a whisper so that only she could hear, not that Jane and Charles knew that anyone else was in the car with them. "I love you Mrs. Darcy and I want you to know that even though our lives have thrown and still might throw barriers in the way of our happiness, nothing will ever change my feelings for you. You are the center of my being. You are Juliet and I am Romeo. Our souls are entwined in an unbreakable knot. For now and forever, we will always be a part of each other and neither will ever truly leave the other." Elizabeth had never heard such beautiful words before, so she kissed Will and gave him a strong embrace. The couple remained in their embrace until they arrived at the reception hall.

Inside the reception hall, all of the guests were waiting for the couples to be announced. Will and Charles exited the car and helped their new wives. It is hard to get out of a limousine in a large dress as Jane and Elizabeth learned quickly. They stood outside of the door to the reception room until they heard the band make a drum roll to announce their presence. "Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time please welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Will Darcy and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bingley. Everyone cheered as the new couples entered the room.

The day was absolutely perfect and no one wanted to see it come to and end. The food was positively delectable and the music was beautiful. When the time for the first dance arrived, the guests cleared an area for the new couples. Will stood first and helped Elizabeth from her seat, Bingley followed in part and both men led their ladies to the dance floor. Tears came to the eyes of every person in the room as they watched the couples float across the floor in loving embraces. Never before had two more perfect couples been in existence. It must have been the work of magic. The music continued and Will looked deeply into Elizabeth's eyes where he saw their familiar sparkle. Time seemed to pass all around them, but in their embrace, there were no interruptions because to them there were only two people in the world.

The sun set and it was time for the newlyweds to depart for their honeymoons. Nobody knew the destination of the Darcys including Elizabeth because Will refused to reveal his secret. The only person that Will had trusted with the information was his cousin Richard who had made sure that all of the arrangements were all in order. Will and Elizabeth were to take the Darcy Corporations private jet in order to assure that Elizabeth would be kept in suspense until their arrival. Before they left, however, they made sure that they said goodbye to everyone and they thanked all who came. Elizabeth hugged her parents and each of her sisters before going upstairs with her new husband to change for the trip. Elizabeth knew that she had to pack clothes for cold weather, so she dressed warmly and she and Will met Jane and Charles at the top of the stairs. They ran down the stairs and through the cloud of rose petals that were being thrown at them. It was a gorgeous night and as they stepped outside, flurries started to fall from the sky and those watching the couples depart could have sworn that there were supernatural forces at work. The path was lit by white lights and it looked like the car was about to embark on a voyage in space instead of into the city. The normal noises of the city were nonexistent to the passengers of the car because to them nothing could go wrong in the world. The day was perfect and was only going to get even more perfect. "So where are you taking me my husband?" Elizabeth asked as she looked shyly up to her husband.

"Oh no you don't. Put those puppy eyes away. You will find out when we arrive. We have a long plane ride, so I thought that we would spend the night in the city then leave for the airport early tomorrow morning because I don't think we want to spend our wedding night on a plane. Besides, I want to be alone with my new wife." Will said as he pulled Elizabeth close to him. They were going to drop Jane and Charles off at their apartment before proceeding to their own.

With Jane and Charles gone, Will and Elizabeth were left alone as husband and wife for the first time and they certainly took advantage of the situation; however, the drive to their apartment was short, so they were forced to remove themselves from each other's arms to exit the car. They did not separate completely because their hands remained together. The snow was still falling, but the couple did not seem to notice. They took the elevator up to their apartment and opened the door. "Now if this is going to be a proper wedding day ..." with this, Will picked up Elizabeth and carried her into the room

"Will, you amaze me everyday. I never know what to expect from you. Will you tell me now where we are going tomorrow? I would love to know what romantic vacation you have planned for us." Elizabeth said as she once again looked up at Will with her puppy dog eyes.

"Do you really really want to know where we are going?" Elizabeth shook her head "We are going into the bedroom right now." Elizabeth threw her head back and laughed. Will tried to put on a serious face as he picked her up and flung her over his shoulder. Elizabeth squealed, but did not try and stop him. He carried her into the bedroom and flung her on the bed.

"Is there something you want Mr. Darcy?" she said with a feigned seriousness.

"Yes, I want you Mrs. Darcy." The night was like no other and by the time that the sun came up, the newlyweds had just fallen asleep in each other's arms.

About two hours later the alarm went off and both Elizabeth and Will groaned, but they had to get to the airport because they were scheduled to fly in two hours. Elizabeth was the first to get up and take a shower. Will went to the kitchen and made breakfast and a lot of coffee. While Elizabeth was still in the shower, the doorbell rang. Will opened the door and accepted the package from the doorman. Will saw that it was addressed to both him and Elizabeth, so he put it on the table next to the food. It was time to take Emma out, so he grabbed a coat, gloves, and her leash and left a note for Elizabeth telling her that breakfast was waiting and that he had gone to take Emma for a walk. On his walk, he passed a newspaper stand. All over the papers were pictures from the wedding and stories about him and Elizabeth. He bought all of the papers and went back to the apartment where Elizabeth was waiting for him. He showed her all of the newspapers and she said that they would have plenty of reading for the plane. They ate breakfast and opened their package. It was from Richard and Georgiana for the flight. The box read, "Do not open until in the air." Elizabeth and Will laughed because they knew that there was probably some sort of joke inside. Will knew that Richard knew the location of the honeymoon, but he hoped that there was nothing in the box that would give it away.

"What do you think is in the box?" Elizabeth asked of Will who seemed to have a smirk on his face.

"I don't know, but I know my cousin and I am afraid to find out. Now enough fooling around we need to finish getting ready because we have to leave for the airport in thirty minutes." Elizabeth and Will rushed around their apartment and got all of their suitcases together. They had a lot of luggage because they were planning to spend a month away. Elizabeth was given permission to be away from work because the person that had taken over for her while she was in the hospital was going to cover for her. They had to make more than one trip to the limousine that was to take them to the airport. The driver helped them bring all of their suitcases down while Elizabeth put Emma on a leash. She will be traveling with them on their honeymoon because Will said that where they were going, they could bring Emma.

When their entourage arrived at the airport and they boarded the plane, Will whispered something to the pilot who was there to meet them, and then he led Elizabeth to the sitting area. "Wow, this plane is amazing. I have never seen an airplane like this before. Whenever I fly, I always have to fly coach where the seats are too close together and where I always end up next to a crying baby. I don't know what to do with so much luxury."

"Well get used to it because the wife of a Darcy always lives in luxury." Elizabeth laughed and kissed Will. They sat down and got ready for the takeoff. The pilot had mentioned that the flight would be about seven and a half hours, so Elizabeth and Will had some orange juice, talked for a little while, then fell asleep. Emma slept at their feet as the plane moved closer and closer to their destination.

When Elizabeth woke up, she saw Will asleep sitting across from her. He looked so peaceful and she remembered that they had not opened the box from Richard and Georgiana, so she went to get it and brought close to them so that they could open it when Will woke up. Elizabeth did not have to wait long because Will's eyes fluttered open after a few minutes. "I knew that we forgot to do something my darling. Shall you do the honors?"

"Of course." Elizabeth ripped open the package and inside there was a bottle of Scotch, a bottle of Champagne, and another envelope that read open upon arrival. Elizabeth laughed at the thought of another few hours of curiosity. "I wonder what is in the envelope. Shall we see what the tabloids had to say about our wedding?"

"Okay, let's see. Shall I read them to you my darling?" With Elizabeth's approval, Will opened the first paper. "Yesterday, billionaire Will Darcy of Darcy Corporations took as a bride Elizabeth Bennet, an editor for the New York Times. The ceremony was shared by the board member Charles Bingley and Jane Bennet, the sister of Elizabeth Bennet." Will continued to read about all of the guests and the comments of the brides. Most of the articles said the same things, but some of stories were interesting. Elizabeth were hysterical over some of the things mentioned like Elizabeth being portrayed as witch who bewitched Will into marrying her so that she could get his money or the one that said Will forced Elizabeth to marry him in order to have control over what the New York Times had to say about his company. "Some of these things are ridiculous. How do they come up with these topics?

The flight did not seem to take a very long time for the lovers because they were happy just to be in each other's company and alone, so when the captain said that they were preparing to land, the lovers were surprised that it was so soon. "Now will you tell me where we are?" Elizabeth said as she put her seatbelt on to prepare for the landing.

"Very well. I suppose I have to tell you now. You don't know how hard it has been for me to keep it a secret for so long. We are about to arrive in London where I will pick up my car at my London flat, and then we will continue to my family's home where I will introduce you to my house keeper who has been like a mother to Georgiana and I. She could not come to the wedding because she has not been well and could not risk the trip. Tomorrow morning we will continue on up to Scotland where we will stay in the Highlands at my family's vacation home. Does this scheme meet with your approval?"

"Oh Will, it sounds absolutely wonderful. I didn't know that you had so many houses. I went to Scotland a few years ago and thought that it was absolutely beautiful. I have been wanting to go back for so long. Thank you so much for doing this for me. I can't wait until we land. London is a wonderful city."

"I am so happy that you approve. I know that you have a great appreciation for the outdoors, so what better place than Scotland. I wonder if there is snow on the ground. The hills will be beautiful covered with snow. I know that I will enjoy every minute holding you in my arms by the warm fire. I can't wait. I was told that Mrs. Reynolds, my housekeeper, prepared everything for our arrival. She has made sure that our stay will be nothing but happy. We have landed, so are you ready for the honeymoon to begin."

The plane landed safely and Elizabeth and Will gathered their things together and got out of the plane. Elizabeth thanked the pilot and all of the crew for the pleasant flight. Will took her hand as they walked toward the airport terminal where the limousine was waiting to take them to Will's London flat. Elizabeth was excited beyond words to be in London. It had been a long time since she had been to this city and she was so happy to be back. Nothing could ruin her happiness.

The limousine ride took about twenty minutes, but Elizabeth didn't mind because it gave her a chance to see more of the city. "If you would like to spend some time in London when we return from Scotland, I can arrange it." Will said as he watched Elizabeth take in her scenery.

"I would love to spend some time in London before we go home. I don't know when I will be back, and I can't come to the UK without visiting London."

"Now that you are married to me, I assure you that we will be traveling a lot and that you need not worry about not getting back to London anytime soon because I spend a lot of time over here in order to take care of my business and the running of my estate."

"I can't wait to start my life with you." With that Will and Elizabeth climbed the stairs up to the flat to start their honeymoon.

Chapter 24

Posted on Wednesday, 16 January 2002

The London flat was not much different from the apartment in New York, but it had a different feel to it. The rooms were large and welcoming, yet there was something about the place that Elizabeth felt. She could not describe this strange feeling and knew that Will would not know what she was talking about, so she chose to keep the feeling to herself. "Oh Will, it is a lovely flat. I hope we will spend time here in the future." Elizabeth said as she kissed her husband who was loaded down with suitcases.

"I am so happy that you like it. I was hoping that you would since I want us to use the place more often. It is so lonely when I am here alone and it will be nice to share it with someone. What do you say to something to eat before we head for Pemberley?"

"Pemberley??" Elizabeth looked at Will with confusion.

"My house, that's right. You Americans are not used to having names for you houses. Yes, the house in England is Pemberley, the main house that has been there for centuries. The vacation house in Scotland dates back to the eighteenth century and it is called Am Measg An Ceň. It means "among the mist" in Gaelic. There is a lot of history behind all of our houses and I hope to be able to share it with you at some point."

"I would love to hear about the history of your family. I have always loved history. In fact that is what my undergraduate degree is, so you will not bore me. It sounds fascinating. Perhaps you could tell me about Pemberley on our way there. How long does it take to get there?" Elizabeth's eyes showed that she was fascinated with what Will was explaining to her. She had always been fascinated in her genealogy, and was curious to learn her husband's.

"It takes about two hours to get to Pemberley, so I will have plenty of time to tell you anything you want to know about my family. I do not know all the particulars, but my father spent much of his retirement tracing the roots of my family. He was able to trace his roots to the eleventh century, so as you can imagine, our family's history is rich and filled with many stories. He was starting to write everything down in a book for our family to pass down and to record in, but he died before he was able to finish it. I have most of his notes, but a large part of the history is still missing. I will hopefully one day be able to finish what he started, but I will tell you this now that my family's past is not always shining. There are moments that I am ashamed to say that the people are related to me. Besides, there are other places that show my family's history. All you have to do is look at the pictures that line the halls and the books in the library. Everything has been preserved, although there was a fire at Pemberley in the mid-seventeenth century, so a lot of the things that used to be in the house were destroyed. In order to fill in the missing places, I require a lot of time to investigate and go through records, but unfortunately I do not have any time to devote to my father's passion. I have resolved myself to wait for retirement and then do as my father did. Of course if you will help me because I know that it would be much easier with two heads than with one."

"Oh Will, I would love to help, but retirement is a long way from now, and I am curious to know what secrets the Darcy family has. Perhaps we can find time now and then to take a vacation from our real lives and go searching for answers. It will also force us to come to England and Scotland more often, and I would do anything for that to happen."

"Elizabeth, you amaze me everyday. I never knew that you would be so interested in the history of my family and it makes me happy to know that you want to help me. My father would have loved you. If only he had lived to see you. I know that he would have embraced you as a daughter of his own. There are many stories that he could tell as he told Georgiana and I at night before bed when we were little. I wish that my parents were alive to tell our children those same stories." Elizabeth noticed the change in Will's tone. He never talked of his parents and she could see the pain in his eyes when he mentioned them even though he was trying not to make it obvious by the way Will did not meet her eyes. Elizabeth knew a way though to get through him and that is with the simple touch of her hand to his cheek. Elizabeth forced Will to look into her eyes.

"Will, I want you to know that you can always talk to me and that you need never try and hide your feelings. I do not know what it is like to lose my parents because I have not experienced it, so I do not know the pain, but I will always be there to listen to anything you have to say. I would love to hear the stories of your parents and I know that they must be wonderful because they raised you and you are wonderful. Please let me into you soul and I will be there to comfort you." Will looked back into Elizabeth's eyes. She understood everything and spoke his needs without him revealing anything to her. How did he find this wonderful person? She was his soul mate and she would never leave him. He smiled at her as a lone tear fell down his cheek. She brushed it away and pressed her lips to his. They shared an embrace that spoke the depth of both of their feelings and then continued loading the car for the trip to Pemberley.

When the car was loaded and Elizabeth and Will had made all of the final preparations, they set off together for Pemberley. Elizabeth was very excited, but anxious all the same. She was about to go to a large estate and meet all of the people that worked for her husband. She felt like she was entering into something out of the nineteenth century when a woman moved into her husband's house after marriage and was introduced to all of the servants as the mistress of the estate. Elizabeth did not want to let her romantic fantasies run wild, so instead she asked Will about the house and what is was like. "Will, how big is this house really. I have heard you mention the actual dimensions, but that means nothing to me and I have heard how many acres you have, but that is more than I can fathom, so if you were to compare your house to something I know, what would you say?" Will knew that Elizabeth was excited about the house, so he tried to humor her and answer all of her questions.

"I honestly don't know how to describe how big the house is because I know of no others that are really like it. As for the grounds, I was hoping to take you on a tour around the grounds. I thought that we could take out two horses that way we could see more of the grounds."

"There is just one problem with that darling. I have never ridden a horse that isn't in a ring with a person holding the reigns. I don't know how well I will fare, but I am willing to try." Will laughed and couldn't wait to see Elizabeth try to ride a horse. He knew that there had to be something that she couldn't do, but up to this point he had yet to learn.

"Well then I will have something to teach you. I finally learn your weakness."

"Don't think that I am not a fast learner. I also look forward to your lessons. Now I will have to look for you weakness." They both laughed and Will told Elizabeth a little bit about who worked at the house. He saw how she took in all of the information and how her eyes flashed from side to side as she tried to grasp every bit of scenery. Will knew that they were going to have a wonderful time on this trip.

When they arrived at entrance to the Pemberley grounds, Will stopped the car. "Why have we stopped?" Elizabeth asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong. We have reached the grounds of Pemberley and I wanted to show you something before we got to the house. That town that we passed through a few minutes ago, Lambton that is, was a place that I spent much time in as a child when my family stayed at Pemberley. I used to run from Pemberley to Lambton as boy."

"Oh Will, the grounds are beautiful. I hope that we will visit often with our children so that they too can run from Pemberley to Lambton." Will started the car again, but drove slowly so that he could show Elizabeth some special spots on the grounds.

"Now I want you to look to you left as we come up to this opening in the trees. You will see the lake and the house." Will slowly drove towards the opening and stopped once the house was in view. Elizabeth gasped when she saw the house. It was humongous and beautiful. It looked like something out of a period movie.

"Oh Will, I have never seen such a beautiful house. It is perfectly situated. I had no idea that it would be like this. I know now why you are so proud of it. It is truly magnificent." Will started the car again and drove up to the house where Mrs. Reynolds met them. She had been watching for the car and saw them coming up the driveway. Will jumped out of the car and gave the old woman a hug. "Oh Mrs. Reynolds, I have missed you."

"Oh Will darling, it is so good to see you so happy. Now I want to meet this wife of yours. I have heard only the best things about her." Will walked over to the car where Elizabeth was waiting. He took her hand and led her to Mrs. Reynolds.

"Elizabeth, this wonderful lady is Mrs. Reynolds. Mrs. Reynolds, my wife Elizabeth." Elizabeth walked into the woman's embrace. She seemed frail and elderly, but when she looked at Will, her eyes glowed. Elizabeth could tell that this woman had an influential part in the life of her husband. Mrs. Reynolds hurried everyone in the house out of the cold. Will was so happy to be back to the house that he loved so much. Many of the people that kept the house running started to appear to welcome Will home. Will introduced them to Elizabeth before they went back to work. Will carried their bags upstairs while Elizabeth stayed to talk to Mrs. Reynolds. Will knew that Mrs. Reynolds had some things that she wanted to ask Elizabeth.

"Well Elizabeth, I see the wonderful influence you have had on Will. I notice a new sense of happiness about him. You have made him so happy and I am so happy to finally meet you. Will has said nothing but the best things about you. I am trusting you to take care of him for me."

"Oh thank you so much. Will has said only the best things about you as well. I know that he loves it here, so I hope we will have many wonderful trips here. It is a beautiful house and the grounds are absolutely spectacular. I can't wait until I can see more of the house. My husband has told me a little about it, but I had no idea it would be like this. I hope to spend a lot of time here in the future." Mrs. Reynolds put her arm around Elizabeth and led her into one of the drawing rooms to wait for Will.

"You two must be famished. Mrs. Potter, the family cook has been preparing dinner for the two of you. She was so happy to have her services used by this family again. She also has been working for the Darcy family ever since Will and Georgiana were little. She made me promise to introduce you, so as soon as Will comes down, I suggest we go meet her."

"I would love to meet all of the people that helped my husband and his family over the years. I know he considers all of you his family."

"It is now your family too Elizabeth, so let me be the first to welcome you to the family."

Will finished putting the suitcases up in the master bedroom and walked toward the drawing room. He stopped to listen at the door and saw how wonderfully Elizabeth was getting on with Mrs. Reynolds. He was so happy that she approved of his choice of wife and was even happier that Mrs. Reynolds was embracing her as part of the family. He walked into the room and Elizabeth looked up at him with a look of love in her eyes. Mrs. Reynolds noticed the exchange between husband and wife and knew that this marriage was going to last forever. The two of them were perfect for each other. "Well Mrs. Reynolds, I'm starving, when will dinner be ready?"

"Oh Will, still only thinking about your stomach. Come along. I told Mrs. Potter that I would bring you and Elizabeth to her as soon as you arrived." Mrs. Reynolds, with some difficulty, got up and motioned for the rest to follow her downstairs. Elizabeth looked at the older woman and knew that she was not well, and knew that she was a very important part of the family. It would be a tragedy to lose such a wonderful woman. She wanted to remember to ask Will what was wrong with her, but focused just then on all of the new people she was meeting.

In the kitchen, was a plump woman bending over the stove. She was humming to herself as she was stirring something on the stove. Elizabeth liked her at once. Will sneaked up behind her and threw his arms around the woman. Mrs. Potter turned her body around and threw her arms around Will. "Oh Will darling. How are you enjoying married wife? Where is this wife of yours? I want to see whom it is who has made you happier than I have ever seen you. Your eyes have a new sparkle to them my darling boy." Will motioned for Elizabeth to come over. Elizabeth approached the two and Mrs. Potter looked her up and down. Elizabeth smiled and Mrs. Potter pulled her into an embrace. "Oh Will, you have chosen well. I my dear am Mrs. Potter. It is so nice to have people in the house again. I miss cooking for this family and I am so happy to see that our Will is settling down at last." Will and Mrs. Potter exchanged news about people that Elizabeth assumed lived near by or were family members of Mrs. Potter. "But enough chit chat. You need you dinner. Go on up to the dining room and I will bring it up."

"Oh Mrs. Potter, is there anything that I can help you with?" Elizabeth asked, but Mrs. Potter scooted them out of the kitchen saying that it was her job to take care of the meals. Elizabeth, although unused to being waited on, said thank you and followed her husband and Mrs. Reynolds upstairs to the dining room.

Later that night when Elizabeth and Will were alone in bed, Elizabeth asked him what was wrong with Mrs. Reynolds. Elizabeth knew that this was a hard subject for Will to talk about, but she was curious and wanted to know. "Well Elizabeth, Mrs. Reynolds has cancer. She lost her husband to it a few years ago. He used to work for my family as well, but died of cancer about three years ago. She has not been doing well as you can see from her appearance. She had hoped to come to our wedding, but she had another relapse and has had to undergo radiation and chemotherapy. The doctor's are unsure how much time she has left, but the cancer has spread and it does not look good. She has always been a part of my family and when she dies, I don't know how I am going to deal with it. I don't want to lose her." Elizabeth put her arms around Will and held him close to her body until he fell asleep. She too hoped that Mrs. Reynolds would get better. She was an important part of this family and would be greatly missed.

Chapter 25

Posted on Wednesday, 16 January 2002

Elizabeth woke up early the next morning because she was so excited about the day ahead of her. She couldn't wait to get up to Scotland, so while Will was still sleeping, she put her bathrobe on and decided to do a little exploring. There were what seemed to be a million doors and Elizabeth was curious to see what was behind each, but she was afraid that she would disturb someone or get lost, so she walked down the halls and looked for rooms that were open. She came to the end and was about to give up on finding open rooms when she came to one finally. She peered into the room and saw a pleasant room with a fireplace and a little sitting room. Over the fireplace was a picture of a woman who bore a strange resemblance to herself. Elizabeth wanted to remember to ask Will about the picture, so she looked around to make sure she could remember where the room was. It was at the end of a long hallway with a window that looked out to a tree covered area. Remembering what was near the room was not a problem; the problem now was remembering how to get back to her husband. She was not really paying attention to where she made her last few turns, so when she walked down one hallway and came to a dead end, she was really confused. She decided that it was best to keep walking since she knew that the stairway had to be around here somewhere. The more Elizabeth walked, the more she got confused as the rooms were getting more and more confusing.

Meanwhile, Will had awoken to find his wife missing. He knew that she was a curious person, so he figured that she was probably exploring. Knowing that he himself could still get lost in the house figured out that Elizabeth was probably also lost, so he put on a robe and went to search for her.

After about a half an hour of walking up and down staircases, Elizabeth was getting very frustrated. She did not think that it was possible to get this lost, but each hallway looked similar and the staircases seemed endless. She sat down on the floor exhausted which is exactly where Will found her twenty minutes later, sound asleep on the floor in the west wing of the house. Will nudged her cheek and Elizabeth's eyes fluttered open. "Oh Will, I thought I was never going to find my way. You are my knight in shining armor. I never realized this house was so big. I will never go wandering again unless I am with someone or have a map. I know what you need in this house. You need those 'you are here' signs." Will laughed and helped Elizabeth to her feet.

"If we are going to make it to Scotland before dark, we need to get ready." Elizabeth and Will walked down the hallway together when Elizabeth remembered the painting in the room. She told Will about it and he said that it was probably an ancestor and that they could go look after breakfast. "My father has a book with all of the names of those in the pictures, so we can look it up after we eat. We must leave for Scotland before lunch though. Oh, and Mrs. Reynolds has Emma in the kitchen with Mrs. Potter. I don't want her to get lost in the house, so she kept her downstairs so that we can eat. I thought we could take her for a short walk after breakfast before we leave." Elizabeth agreed and was looking forward to seeing the grounds and finding out who was in the picture.

Breakfast was delicious and Elizabeth thought that the grounds were absolutely stunning, but her mind was still on the picture in the room upstairs. Will saw that Elizabeth was preoccupied because all he had been trying to talk to her for the past ten minutes and was only getting one-word answers. "Elizabeth, I can see that you are truly very curious about the picture, so why don't I go find the book in the library. Besides, you have not seen the library and I know that you love to read, so you will be able to appreciate it.

The library was absolutely magnificent in the eyes of Elizabeth. Never before had she seen anything like it in the home of someone. Her father was a great collector of books, but he would have been shocked to see anything like this. She would have to bring him to see it sometime. While Elizabeth was perusing the shelves, Will found the book that he was looking for. He motioned for Elizabeth to follow him upstairs and show him the painting. Elizabeth tried her best to explain where the room was and after the third try, they met with success. When Will saw the painting, he too noticed the uncanny resemblance between his wife and the painting. He checked the number on the painting and flipped through the pages of the book he had brought with him. When he opened up the book, he saw a few references to other paintings in which the woman appeared. They were all in various bedrooms and a few in the great hallway. Will looked at the name and then let out a gasp at what he saw. "What?" Elizabeth asked.

When Will had recovered himself he read what was written. "Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy formerly Bennet, born 17**, died 18**. Married to Fitzwilliam Darcy. Mother of Fitzwilliam, Jane, Charles, Abigail, and Thomas." Elizabeth joined Will with a shocked look on her face.

"Now that is just strange. I would love to find out more about this Elizabeth, but I know we don't have time. I will have to wait until we get back, but I cannot get over the fact that that woman who looks like me has my name. I wonder if there are any other similarities. Perhaps we truly are soul mates after all since we seem to model a couple from the nineteenth century. That is so weird and I can't get over it. The woman looks just like me. I am curious now to see what her husband looks like; although, I wouldn't be surprised if he looked like you since he is a family member and there is probably some resemblance." Will looked at the cross reference to find where the page on Elizabeth's husband was and turned to the page.

He then read aloud, "Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, born 17**, died 18**. Married to Ms Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn. Father of Fitzwilliam, Jane, Charles, Abigail, and Thomas." Will saw that one painting was in the great hallway, so he and Elizabeth went in search of it. Will counted the paintings and when he got to the right one he just stood there in front of it. There in the painting was he himself. Neither he nor Elizabeth spoke for some time. This was starting to get really weird. "I don't know what to say. All I know is that I want now to look through the family history even more, but we need to get going because I heard on the news that there might be a snowstorm tomorrow, so we have to get to the house. I promise that we will look into this before we go home." Elizabeth and Will left the hallway and went back to their room. They packed their bags and carried everything down to the car. They said their goodbyes to Mrs. Reynolds, put Emma in the back seat, and got in the car. They had a long drive ahead of them so it was important that they make good time. They were both still shocked at what they had learned this morning, so they sat in silence for a good two hours before Elizabeth spoke up.

"Will, I think we should forget about what we found out this morning and enjoy our honeymoon. I know that we are going to have a marvelous time and if we keep thinking about the paintings then we won't have any fun. It will give us something to look forward to instead of dreading when we have to go back because it will mean that it is close to the end of our trip." Will agreed with Elizabeth, but he knew that his brain as well as hers could not forget what they saw.

"So, I hope you like snow, because I heard this morning that this snowstorm could produce at least a foot of snow." Elizabeth smiled and nodded her head. She loved the snow and couldn't wait to see the beautiful scenery of Scotland. Elizabeth lay her head back and soon she was asleep, but her brain did not stop because all she could think about was the woman in the painting. Her imagination was running wild as she slept, so her dreams were filled with glimpses at the life of the mysterious Elizabeth Darcy.

Chapter 26

Posted on Wednesday, 31 July 2002

When Elizabeth awoke, the green, rocky hills of Scotland were all around. She let out a gasp at the beautiful scenery and did not think there was a place anywhere else like it. The mist seemed to be resting in clumps on the hills. The scenery was out of a dream. She thought that she must have been still asleep because only in dreams could scenery such as this exist. It was as if the land had not been touched by humans and had lain thus for thousands of years with only the fairies to take care of it. The thoughts of the mysterious Elizabeth Darcy disappeared from her head as she looked over to Will. This trip was going to be a wonderful vacation and she knew that they would come back here as often as possible. Neither one of them spoke for the next few hours until they came to the house that was on the edge of a loch, tucked in between two rocky hills. Elizabeth got out of the car and stretched her tight muscles. She let Emma out of the back seat to explore the area. Will walked over to Elizabeth and then put his arms around her. The air was cold and it looked like it was going to snow, but neither seemed to mind since they were warm enough in each other's embrace.

The house was a nice cottage that was not too big, but not too small. It was perfect for the setting. It was away from the village, but close enough so that they could get anything they needed by taking the short half-and-hour drive into the town. When they had driven through earlier, Elizabeth noticed that the people that lived there were very unique. The village including all of the people and the houses and buildings had character. The town reminded her of one that she read about in a novel.

On the first floor of the house there was a small kitchen, a living room, and a small sunroom that led out onto a large deck that overlooked the loch. Upstairs there was a master bedroom, two smaller bedrooms, a bathroom, and a small study. The house was not fancy but was perfect for a vacation home in Scotland. Elizabeth imagined what it was like when Will came here with his family as a young boy. It must have been a big change from all of the luxury that she saw in every other Darcy house. She asked Will about this as he brought in some of the luggage from the car.

"Actually, we came here quite often. This was my mother's favorite place to come. Although she had always grown up in luxury, she wanted to live her life more simply. My father also liked to come here because it gave him a chance to get away from the real world. You saw our house at Pemberley. Besides, this is the one place that we could avoid my Aunt Catherine. She never wanted to come here because it is too rustic for her. She enjoys the life of luxury in which she lives. She can have it too. I love it here because it is a place for me to escape and now I can enjoy it with you. Maybe someday we can bring our children here." Elizabeth smiled at this. "This house has been in the family for a very ling time. It was built in the 1600's, however it has been renovated a few times. There are many stories that go along with this house. But I will save those for later. My grandfather used to sit us in front of the fire and tell us about all of our ancestors that lived in the house. Later today we will go into town and get some supplies. I will introduce you to a couple of people, but after that, it is you and I for the rest of the time here. Let's get the rest of the stuff in the house first and get a fire started. We need to warm the house up so that we don't freeze. I also want to make sure that we have enough firewood because it looks like it is going to snow. There are some heaters in the house, but it can get quite cold here. There are fireplaces in most rooms, so will you start to unpack while I get the wood?"

"Sure, I will make us some coffee too. Then we can go into town before it starts to snow. Where did Emma go? She was exploring the water before, but I don't know where she went."

Will whistled and Emma came running to him. She seemed to have found a mud hole because she was covered in mud. Will tried to stop her, but it was too late she jumped up covering him in mud. He fell over and landed in another giant mud puddle. Elizabeth was hysterical, but Will did not look very happy. She tried to contain her giggles, but soon gave up when she saw that Will started to laugh. They laughed as she helped him out of the puddle. He took the hose and washed Emma off. She didn't like this because the water was cold, but after she was all clean; Elizabeth dried her off and let her inside. Will took off his shoes and then went to jump in the shower. He came downstairs to find Elizabeth waiting with a cup of coffee. Will drank the coffee, and then went to get the firewood.

After everything was set, he and Elizabeth got into the car to go into town. The journey was nice into the town. The snow seemed to be holding off and Will was able to tell Elizabeth about all of the people in the town. "The people that live in this town are wonderful people. You will not meet nicer people anywhere else, but they are also not like people that you meet in a big city or in the U.S.. These people have been living in this town for their whole life and many have never left Scotland. They love this town and it is a part of them. They may seem a bit old-fashioned to one who is not used to living in a town like this, but I am sure they will love you and welcome you with open arms. The people have always had a good relationship with my family and they were wondering when I would ever get married. Many of the older women in this town think that it was because of them that I turned out as successful as I am. These people will always be close to me and I hope that you learn to love them as I do."

"Oh Will, I know that I will like them. From what I have seen of the town so far, I know that the people must take very special care of where they live. They must be wonderful people and I can't wait to meet them. I always love to meet people who knew my husband when he was a young boy. You probably know more about me than I do about you, so I want to learn as much as I can while we are on this trip. So far, it has been full of surprises. I am ready for more."

As they approached the town, Elizabeth saw people peek their heads out of their doors. They passed a few men that were bringing firewood into the town who gave a wave to Will as they passed by. Elizabeth was excited, but nervous. She felt like she was meeting her in-laws for the first time. She hoped that they would like her and would not be too disappointed. She thought that many of them probably wanted Will to marry their own daughters. After all he was a wonderful catch. She was surprised that it was she who had actually managed to capture his fancy. Not that she was complaining.

Will parked the car in front of the market and opened the door for Elizabeth. She could see all of the curious people that were pretending to have some important errand to do, but were really trying to get a closer look at the new Mrs. Darcy. Elizabeth laughed to herself as visions of her own family came into mind. She thought of her mother and her Aunt. They would fit right into this town except for the fact that they would never be able to live this rustically. They were definitely too in need of the amenities of their own lives. She could hear her mother now if she ever came here.

"Where is the mall, and the country club? How can these people live like this? There aren't even real roads. I think that we should go stay somewhere where the animals don't mingle with the people. I demand that we find another town to stay in. I don't know why you like this place so much Elizabeth. Everybody looks dirty. I want to take a shower after just looking at them." Elizabeth laughed to herself then got out of the car with Will.

They walked over to the town store and Will introduced her to Mr. MacDonald. Elizabeth found him to be a very pleasant man. He was quite old and had a very thick accent, so Elizabeth had to listen very closely in order to understand what he was saying. Mr. MacDonald immediately took Elizabeth by the arm and led her over to a group of older women. He introduced her to each lady. Before she could exchange any more than polite courtesies, Mr. MacDonald pulled her outside of the shop to the town center where it seemed that almost everyone in the town had gathered. He made a general introduction to everyone. Elizabeth was quite overwhelmed. She looked over to Will and saw that he had a smirk on his face. She knew that he would have hated to have their positions reversed, but Elizabeth vowed to get him back for this later. There were so many curious people in the town that Elizabeth could not answer the questions a few people first before Mr. MacDonald had pulled her to another group of people.

While Elizabeth was being presented to the town, Will went and got the supplies that they would need for the duration of their stay. By the time he had everything packed in the car, Mr. MacDonald was bringing her to the bakery for some tea and scones. He sat down next to his bride and just watched as Elizabeth answered all of the questions that were asked of her. Before he knew it, the people had switched the topic of conversation to himself. Each person had a different story about what he was like when he was younger. Everyone felt that they had an influential part in the upbringing of Will. Will just shook his head, hoping that they wouldn't embarrass him too much, but he could feel his face getting warm. Elizabeth looked like she was enjoying the embarrassment of her husband and so did everyone else at the table. It was going to be a while before they got back to the house.

Chapter 27

Posted on Thursday, 4 December 2003

Elizabeth sat in wonderment as all of the people told her of the antics of the young Will Darcy. She was shocked that her proper and reserved husband had been quite the little troublemaker, and she knew that her husband was not enjoying having all of his mistakes explained. Elizabeth listened as the one older woman told her of the time that Will had gotten lost with his cousin Richard. Elizabeth was all curiosity, so told the woman, Mrs. MacKenzie, to continue.

"Well, Will was probably about ten at the time and he was up for the summer as his family usually was during his childhood. Will and Georgiana would stay with their mother and their father would join them on the weekends since he had business to conduct during the week. Well, this was one week when Will's Aunt and Uncle brought their two boys up for a vacation. I am sure that you must have met Edward and Richard, delightful young men. You must work on getting young Richard a wife Elizabeth. Do you have any sisters?"

"Oh yes, I am the second of five sisters, but I am afraid that those that are not married or spoken for are too young for Richard and Edward, but I am sure that they will not be single for long. They are both most amiable men and I enjoyed their company in New York very much." Elizabeth said with a smile. She liked this woman very much and hoped to see more of her in the future.

"Well not if they have anything to say about it," Will interrupted. "They are determined to remain bachelors."

"I bet they will soon change their minds about that," Elizabeth responded. "From the way the were acting with Coleen and Tabbi, they both seemed very close to changing their minds about their life choices."

Everyone laughed and Elizabeth motioned for Mrs. MacKenzie to finish her story.

"Richard and Will decided that they were going to go exploring and show how grown up they were by going out into the wild all by themselves. Some of the girls from the village wanted to go with them, but they said this was only for men and that girls couldn't handle going out into the wild. They set off and were gone for most of the day. In the afternoon, some of the girls were out playing on one of the hills when they heard someone scream. They ran over to where the scream was coming from and found Will and Richard down a hole. The girls, after they finished laughing at the sad sight that Richard and Will made, helped them out of the hole. Never again did Richard and Will claim that they were better again. I hope that your husband's ego was fixed. I never saw two more embarrassed boys."

Everyone looked at Will who was bright red in the face. Elizabeth put her arm around Will as she laughed with everyone else.

"I must say he did manage to rescue me when I was in danger, so I think that can count for something." Elizabeth said with a knowing look to Will.

Will hugged her and looked deep into her eyes. "You rescued me right back by agreeing to become my wife."

There was an audible sigh from the group and more congratulations circulated. Will stood up and thanked everyone for the kind greeting and mentioned that it was looking more and more like snow and that they really must be returning. Elizabeth said her thank yous and bid everyone goodbye.

In the car, Elizabeth grabbed Will's hand and they remained thus for the entirety of the journey back to the house. It had started to snow lightly, but showed signs of worsening as they drove home. When they pulled up to the house, the snow was coming down fast. They ran for the door and as soon as they were inside, Will made sure everything was ready for the storm. Elizabeth made some hot chocolate and brought it into the living room where Will was waiting. For the rest of the afternoon, they cuddled together on the couch and watched the snowfall outside. It was the most peaceful experience Elizabeth had ever had. They were both perfectly content to just sit there and enjoy the fact that all was right with the world and that all that they had been through together was finally settling down and they looked forward to a long and happy life.

When the hour grew late, Elizabeth got up to start dinner as Will stoked the fireplace and set the table. They enjoyed a simple meal of pasta. Their life was perfect. There were no interruptions of the big city and no noises of traffic out the window. They could enjoy themselves without having to worry about all the problems in the world. They talked of different things to each other and decided on a plan for the rest of their honeymoon. Elizabeth wanted to make sure that they would get to see some of the surrounding area after the storm and Will agreed to take her on a tour of the lochs when the roads were clear.

After dinner they decided on an early night since they were both tired from all of the traveling, so they went upstairs to enjoy their first night in the house as man and wife.

Chapter 28

Posted on Wednesday, 7 January 2004

Elizabeth awoke to the eyes of her husband. She cuddled closer to him to savor the warmth that they created together. Nothing was better than to wake up in the arms of the man you love and knowing that all was right in the world. Elizabeth closed her eyes again and Will continued to watch her as she drifted back to sleep. The bed was so comfortable with the giant pillows and all of the blankets that kept the newlyweds warm. The fire had gone out over the night, so Will was grateful that he was under the covers. He looked out the window and saw that the snow had stopped and that there was frost on the window. He knew that it was cold outside because he could tell from the temperature in the room. Elizabeth looked so peaceful as she slept. He still couldn't believe that they were actually here and on their honeymoon. The fates had seemed to be against them, but in the end he knew that it would all work out. Will looked at the clock and saw that it was after ten, but still had no interest in getting out of the bed. He was perfectly content to spend the entire day with his arms wrapped around Elizabeth. The peace didn't last for long, however, because Emma came bounding into the room and jumped on the bed, waking up Elizabeth and causing Will to groan in pain as she landed on top of him. After all, she wasn't a puppy. Elizabeth laughed as she scratched behind Emma's ears. "I guess you want your breakfast." Will groaned some more and tried to prevent Elizabeth from leaving the warmth of the bed.

"Come dearest, it is too cold to get up. Stay here with me and I will keep you warm." Elizabeth looked at him and gave him a kiss on the nose as Will tried to put on his most innocent face.

"It is almost eleven and Emma is going to have to go out and be fed. Unless you want to sleep with Emma as well, I suggest we feed her."

"I suppose when you put it that way." Elizabeth got out of bed, but regretted it as soon as she left the warmth of the bed. The air in the room was freezing and Elizabeth ran for her robe and slippers.

"Will, I will feed Emma then let her outside. Would you try and get some fires going? It is absolutely freezing in here." Will finally got out of bed and also regretted the decision. He was tempted to get back under the covers, but he knew that if he ever wanted to get the room warm, he would have to build the fire, so he grabbed his robe and slippers and started the fire. He then went to the other rooms in the house and started fires in all the other fireplaces. When the fires were lit he went to the kitchen to see about making a late breakfast. Elizabeth came into the kitchen after she had let Emma in who was covered in snow. "I think that there is a foot of snow out there, but the sun is out and it is much warmer than yesterday. Hopefully the roads will clear so that we will get to see some of the surrounding area." Elizabeth said as she sat down and the kitchen table. Will handed her a cup of coffee and she accepted it gratefully.

"Well if the roads don't clear, then I guess I will just have to find some way to entertain us in the house and under the warm covers." Will looked at Elizabeth with a mischievous grin. Elizabeth gave him a look. "I mean we could just spend our honeymoon cleaning the house. Elizabeth laughed and Will ducked as she threw a potholder at him.

The rest of the day was spent much in the same way as it began. The snow prevented them from going anywhere, so they rejoiced in the fact that they could lounge around all day and do nothing but enjoy the peace and quiet. Will told Elizabeth numerous stories of the antics that he and Richard had gotten into and Elizabeth shared some of those things that she and her sisters did when they were younger. They each learned new things about he other and were surprised and all the new details that they didn't know about each other. They talked for hours about many things. Elizabeth, after a few minutes of solitude, turned to Will and said, "Tell me about Pemberley. I have never known anyone to own such a great estate, so I don't know what it must have been like for you growing up. My parents lived in an average-sized house and we never moved for my whole life. You, however, had multiple homes in multiple countries."

"Well, I guess I will have to start at the beginning. As you know, I was born in England. In fact, all of my distant relatives still live over here, but I rarely see them. I had a good childhood that was spent in many different places, but since we moved to so many different places because of my father's job, it was hard for Georgiana and I to make friends. That is why she is so shy I think. While we stayed at Pemberley, I was able to play with my cousin Richard and his brother Edward, but Georgiana did not have anyone her age, so I know it was harder on her. Then when I left for college and my mother became ill, she started sinking further and further into her shyness. I graduated from college and came home to England to take care of Georgie. She was still quite young and didn't understand what was happening to our mother. My father tried to give his support as much as possible, but he had a business to run, so I was the one to look out for my sister and my mother. Mother died when I was twenty-three. That year was hard for all of us. My father became depressed, so I took over running most of the business as well as taking care of Georgiana. Mrs. Reynolds was a great help during this time. Especially for Georgiana when I was away in New York. We got through it together and the bond between us will never break. I had to raise my sister and take charge of the family. My father was never the same after my mother's death. He was a ghost of a man. He loved her so dearly that he soon became ill himself. About two years after her death, he too died. I told my sister that he just couldn't live without mother and that he was now happy to be at her side once again. I always wanted to have a marriage just like my parents. They loved each other so much and lived a wonderful life together. Even if it was cut short." Elizabeth gave Will an encouraging hug and he continued with his story.

"After the death of my parents, neither Georgie nor I wished to remain at Pemberley because of all the memories in that house, so we left for America together. I bought the flat I live in now and took up permanent residence. Georgiana was enrolled in school, and I took full control of Darcy Corporations. We would still go back to Pemberley every summer and visit our family and all of the staff at the house. It is wonderful to visit the house, but it still holds bad memories. I just have to remember the good ones while I am there instead of the bad. I still cannot go into certain sections of the house because they remind me of my parents. I grew up very fast after college and in some ways I am thankful. I would never have been so successful had I not been given the responsibilities that I was given at so early an age. The one problem though was that I had shut myself out from the world. I didn't want my heart broken, so I didn't let anyone in. Sure I had friends, but I really wasn't the best friend to be around. I will have to thank Charles one day for putting up with me for all those years. I devoted myself to my work and went through life as if I was disdainful. I went to parties and was miserable. I went on countless dates where I was just civil enough to not have my date walk out on me. I have to admit that when Charles said that he had someone that he wanted me to date, I didn't want to go. He insisted that I take you out and I was prepared that night to have a miserable time. I was so wrapped up in myself that I didn't see how the hole I was digging myself into was getting deeper and deeper. When you walked into that lobby that day, I don't know what happened, but something changed. You rescued me from myself, and for that I don't know how I will ever thank you." Elizabeth sat with Will on the couch speechless. She didn't know what to say. He had just born his soul to her and it gave her a new insight on his character. She couldn't imagine what it would have been like to have been in his shoes. All her life she was loved and supported by her family and friends. She never had to go through the heartache and struggles that Will had gone through.

"Thank you for telling me this Will. I never knew how much you had to go through. I wish that I had not taken advantage of the experiences I had growing up. I took advantage of my four sisters and my mother's antics. I thought that I had it bad when my mother would embarrass me out in public or when my father would make a comment that he shouldn't have. Even all of my sisters are always there for me and I take advantage of that fact."

"You must understand Elizabeth that I never felt that I was deprived in any way. Sure I wish that my parents were still alive and that I didn't have to go through all of that heartache and sorrow, but it has made me the man I am today. We can't do anything to change the past and we must only learn from it in the future. Now it is getting late and we need to start thinking about dinner. Remember that you are the best thing that ever happened to me and if none of this other stuff had not happened, I may never have met you." Elizabeth smiled at this and drew Will into her embrace.

"I want you to know how much I love you Will Darcy. No matter where we are or what happens to us. If we fight, and I know we will. I will always love you and there is nothing that you can do to change that. We are one now." Will gave her a kiss and then they both got up to make dinner. Neither one spoke to each other while they went about their routines. All that was needed was the peace and quiet of this night where two lovers sat and shared their meal in happy times.

Chapter 29

Posted on Tuesday, 3 February 2004

Throughout the day, a lot of the snow had melted, so when Will and Elizabeth woke up the next day, a lot of the snow had melted, so they were able to leave the house. Will wanted to show Elizabeth the surrounding area, so they bundled up in warm sweaters, hats, and gloves and got everything ready for a trip outside. They got Emma's leash so that she could come along. The air was brisk, but not terrible. They walked for a long time in silence, and occasionally Will would point out a certain area or site that was special to him. They came to the edge of another loch and Will showed told her all the different legends that went along with the mysteriously misty water. Will loved to watch Elizabeth's responses to his stories of fairies and monsters. She was so innocent looking and it brought warmth to his heart. It was too bad that someone made to love and be loved had to go through so much in her lifetime. The scars were mostly faded, but they always lay under the surface. Every now and then he would here her talking in her sleep, or she would wake up in the middle of the night screaming. The look of terror in her eyes broke his heart every time. He still blamed himself for not being there for her when she needed him most. He sat down on a large boulder and he watched Elizabeth run around with Emma. Emma had found a large stick that Elizabeth was throwing for her. He would never let her get hurt again.

Elizabeth looked over to where Will was sitting and noticed that he was in a contemplative mood. She knew that he would get this way when he had something on his mind that was unpleasant. She threw the stick one more time then went to sit next to Will on the rock. "What's the matter Will? You seem to be million miles away." She said as she reached for his hand.

"Nothing important. I was just thinking. You looked so wonderful running around with Emma out there. You looked as if you didn't have care in the world." Will tried to brush away Elizabeth's comment. He did not want her to think that he pitied her or that he was thinking about that horrible time. He did not want to bring that moment back to her mind.

"I know that is not what you were thinking about. You looked so sad for a minute. I hope you are not unhappy here. I know you feel the stress of being away from your business for so long, but you made sure that you could be away for a couple of weeks. I know that it is hard to let go, but you have to let others do things for you as well. You are always ready to help others, but not to receive other people's help in return." Will looked at Elizabeth and was glad that she didn't realize what he was really thinking about.

"I know that I left my company in the best hands. I was just thinking about how cold it is and that we had better get back before we catch pneumonia." Will stood up and called for Emma who came running right up to him. He put the leash on her and then put his arm around Elizabeth as they headed back to the house.

Elizabeth knew that Will wasn't really thinking about the cold. She would have to make him tell her later what he was really thinking about. He is usually very good about hiding his emotions, but this time she could tell there was something troubling him. He was very quiet on the walk back to the house and when they got back, he said that he was going to take a warm shower. He went right upstairs and Elizabeth was left alone in the living room confused. She hoped that the shower would bring back the old Will. Forgetting his attitude for the moment, she went into the kitchen to see about making dinner.

When Will came downstairs, he didn't seem much different than before. When Elizabeth asked him about it again, he brushed it off as nothing and then changed the subject to their plans for tomorrow. He said that he was going to drive her to a town north of them where they could look around and all of the little shops and get to see a little more of the countryside. Elizabeth smiled at this and said that it was a great idea, but the rest of the meal was eaten in silence. They cleared the dishes up and then went into the living room for some coffee. They sat in there in silence as well and Elizabeth was about to mention his attitude again, but before she could open her mouth, Will said that he was tired and was going to go to bed. Elizabeth waited for him to ask her to come to bed with him, but instead he left her alone in the living room. She didn't know what to think, but she was not going to let his mood ruin her honeymoon. Realizing there was nothing to be done tonight, she got up and went to bed as well. By the time that she had gotten ready for bed, Will was already asleep, so she got under the covers and spent her first night not in the arms of Will.

When she woke up the next morning, she reached over for Will, but found that the spot next to her was empty and cold, so she grabbed her robe and went in search of him. He was nowhere to be found, so she assumed that he went for a walk. Thinking that she would go in search of him, she went and got dressed in her warmest clothes. The sun was out, but it looked like it might snow again.

When she was prepared for the cold, she started walking along the path that Will had shown her before that led around the loch. It was a very pretty walk, and she had almost forgotten her quest. When she reached the end of the path, she still had not seen Will, so she decided to venture a little further. She walked for about an hour, but there was still no sign of him. She began to worry that something may have happened to him. She remembered the story that she heard in the village about when Will was younger and she hoped that he was not hurt. She kept walking and walking, but she knew that she had better not go any further. She turned around to go back the way she came, but after walking for about an hour, she was in a place that she had never seen before. It wasn't long before she realized that she was completely lost. "Alright Elizabeth, don't panic. You were a girl scout. Use your survival skills and get yourself out of this situation." When she thought back to her camping trips though, all she could remember was that you weren't supposed to go wandering by yourself and to not touch the shiny leaves. "Well, that's good. I will have to remember that the next time I decide to get lost. I don't think there is going to be much poison ivy around here."

Meanwhile, Will had returned from his walk and found that Elizabeth was not in the house. He knew that he had left her sleeping and had hoped to find her thus when he got back. He behaved horribly last night and she had every right to be mad with him, but he did not expect this. He went back outside and called for her, but there was no answer. Emma looked up at him, but he just shrugged. "Where is she Emma?" Knowing that he would get no answer from a dog, he went back inside. Maybe she went for a short walk around the loch. He had shown her the path the other day, so she knew where to go.

He waited for about another half an hour before he really started to worry. It was not like Elizabeth to just wander away and it was not safe for her to wander in this area. Especially since it looked like it was going to snow again. He knew that he was going to have to go and look for her. He just hoped that she hadn't wandered too far.

Elizabeth continued to walk in the direction that she thought led back to the loch, but it only made her more confused, and she kept seeing the same tree, so she knew that she was walking in circles. "If I ever find my way home, you are going to get it Will Darcy!" she said into the wind that was blowing harder every minute. She noticed that the sun was no longer out and that the sky was getting greyer by the second. "Well this is good. Can this get any worse?" She spoke too soon. As soon as she said this snow started to fall from the sky. Elizabeth decided that the best option was to keep moving. If she stopped, she would get too cold, so she walked and walked. The countryside seemed to go on forever, and Elizabeth's spirits got lower and lower. What was she going to do? She was lost and cold.

Will made his way on the path around the loch and then continued on from there. He pulled his hat down over his ears to protect them from the wind and snow. He hoped that Elizabeth was dressed warmly because the air was really getting cold. He had been walking for two hours before he finally caught glimpse of someone in the distance. He called out Elizabeth's name and the person looked up. He then knew that it was she. He ran towards her and as soon as they met he pulled her into his arms. "I was so worried. Why did you leave the path? It is dangerous out here." Will didn't wait to hear her answer because he saw that she was freezing. "Come on, let's get you inside before you freeze to death." Elizabeth nodded her head and Will led her home.

When they arrived back at the house, he made her a cup of hot chocolate and got her all the blankets he could find. He added more wood to the fire and then sat next to her on the couch. He asked her again, "Why did you wander away from the path? You know that it is dangerous." Elizabeth looked at him and he knew that it had something to do with him.

"I woke up to find you missing and I went in search of you. I only intended to go around the loch, but I got worried something might have happened to you. Besides, I am not the only one that needs to explain. What was your problem last night? I went to bed for the first time in a long time feeling as if you didn't care. You were so distant and cold. I didn't know what I did, but you acted like you wanted nothing more than to be out of my site. Then, when I woke up this morning and you were gone, I knew I had to find you. What was the matter with you? It is you who needs to explain." Will knew that Elizabeth was not happy with his behavior of the night before. In fact, he also was not happy with the way that he had behaved.

"It was very wrong of me to act the way that I did. It was nothing that you did that made me get into my dark mood. I was just thinking about our past and all the bad things that happened. You looked so innocent and child-like when you were playing with Emma, that it made me so angry that your innocence was stolen away from you when you were kidnapped. I didn't want to say anything yesterday because I didn't want to remind you of those horrible times."

"Instead you locked me out and treated me like I didn't exist. Is that what you wanted. If there was something bothering you, I wanted you to talk to me. We are married now and I had hoped that after the past few months, we had learned to share things with each other. I guess it was too much to hope for that you would actually really open up to me and feel that you could tell me anything. I know what happened to me and I know that I will never forget it, but that doesn't mean that I can't talk about it. Yes, at first I couldn't, but now that there is so much time from that incident and that George Wickham is in jail, I don't let it get to me. You are going to have to do that too." Will looked at her and nodded. He knew that what she was saying was true. He had acted foolishly.

"I know that I should have told you, and I know that you have faced the past, but I am still having a hard time forgetting it. I thought that I was going to lose you that day, and then when you had all those complications, I never thought you would have a normal life again. I know that you still have nightmares. I hear you wake up in the middle of the night screaming. It kills me to hear the terror in your voice and see the fear in your eyes. I can't help but worry. It wrenches at my heart to see you in pain or scared. I feel so helpless yet again." Elizabeth moved closer to Will and turned to face him.

"Listen to me. I don't want you to feel sorry for me anymore. I know what happened and I have faced it. It took me a long time, but because of you, I feel safe again. I no longer fear being alone. Yes, I do have nightmares on occasion, but they are not real and I know that. I have taken control of my life and you must do the same with yours." Will hugged Elizabeth so tightly. When he broadened the distance between them he held her gaze.

"I love you so much Elizabeth Darcy. Always know that. You are the bravest person I know. You have overcome so much and instead of leaning on me to help you, it is I who must lean on you. You are like no other and I am proud to be your husband."

Chapter 30

Posted on Monday, 9 February 2004

The plans of the day had been thrown aside because of the unexpected turn in events. Instead, Will and Elizabeth had a quiet day to themselves. There was nothing left of the coldness between them of the day before. It continued to snow throughout the day and into the night, so there was no question as whether or not they were going to go touring.

The rest of their time in Scotland passed quickly and before they knew it, it was time for them to return to Pemberley, so the last full day in Scotland was spent packing up the house and taking one last walk around the loch. Will and Elizabeth were sad to leave such a beautiful setting, but they were happy to be going back to some civilization. The world could have been undergoing turmoil, and the newlyweds would have known nothing about it. They had been completely disconnected from the world. Elizabeth was upstairs packing the suitcases, while Will was making sure all of the windows were boarded up and the house was secure to face the rest of the winter.

On the morning of their departure, they loaded the car up and took one last look at their escape from reality. They knew that times like that would be all but rare in the future because they both had busy lives into which they had to return. "I hope you enjoyed your time here Elizabeth. I hope you didn't mind that we didn't go somewhere tropical and romantic, but I thought this would be a better choice: a place where we could truly be alone and not have to worry about the distractions of anyone else." Will said as he loaded the last bag in the trunk.

"I do not think there could be a better place to spend our first weeks as man and wife." Elizabeth smiled and said as she put Emma in the back seat. "Thank you for a wonderful honeymoon. I couldn't have asked for more. Besides, we still have a while before we return to New York and there is still the mystery of the paintings at Pemberley."

"I knew that you would not forget that. I must admit that I am curious as well, so what do you say to heading out. I want to get back to Pemberley before it gets dark." Elizabeth nodded her head and they shared one more embrace before getting into the car. Elizabeth looked back as the car pulled out of the driveway and onto the road. She loved the time that they had spent there, and knew that they would hopefully be able to come back to recapture this moment again in the future. It would always be a place where they could come to escape reality for a little while. She watched the passing lochs and hills as they gradually made their way out of that magical place. There was no conversation in the car, but none was needed. Will had put some soft music on the CD player, and after a little while, Elizabeth fell asleep. Will smiled to himself as he saw her slump in her seat.

When Elizabeth woke up, the sun was starting to set. She looked over to Will, and he said, "Well, sleeping beauty awakes." Elizabeth laughed and tried to wake herself up some more.

"Very funny, I must look a mess. I will not be fit to be seen. She pulled the mirror down and brushed her hair. I am sorry I fell asleep and was not able to entertain you while you drove. I just can't stay awake in moving vehicles."

"You always look beautiful and even more so when you are asleep. You are lucky to be able to sleep on long journeys. We should be arriving at Pemberley in about twenty minutes. While you were asleep, I called Mrs. Reynolds as soon as I could get a cell and told her when to expect us. She told us that dinner would be awaiting our arrival."

"You certainly think of everything. I hope everything was ok in our absence."

"Mrs. Reynolds said that everything was fine and that there is a surprise awaiting our arrival."

"What kind of surprise?" Elizabeth asked.

"She would not say. We will have to wait until we get there, which should be very shortly."

When they pulled up to the house, Elizabeth saw that there was a tour bus parked in front. Will explained that it was very expensive to maintain a house of this size, so they were forced to open it to tours for the public for part of the year. "I am surprised that there is still a group here since the house is usually only open until 3:00." Will parked the car and they both got out. Elizabeth took Emma to a grassy area while Will unloaded the car. There was no one to greet them this time, so when everything was out of the car, they entered the house. Elizabeth entered first. Inside, there was a crowd of tourists listening to a guide talk about the house. When they entered, everyone turned around and stared at them. The guide, who was obviously new, did not recognize Will.

"Excuse me miss, but there are no animals in the house. You will have to leave your dog outside." When Elizabeth didn't move, the guide started to get angry. Will stopped her though from saying anything further by coming around Elizabeth.

"You must be new here. I am actually the owner of this house, and this is my wife; therefore, there is not a problem. Please continue with your tour. We will just get out of your way." Will went to walk by her, but was stopped by her arm.

"I'm sorry sir, but the owner is in Scotland at this time. You will have to leave the premises or I will be forced to call security." Will looked at her with a strange look.

"You are wrong Miss. This is my house. If you will call Mrs. Reynolds, I am sure she will prove this fact to you." Will was growing impatient and he noticed that the entire tour group was looking at him. A short woman in the front then spoke up.

"Betsy, I think this is the owner. I recognize his face. Being from New York, we know all about the famous William Darcy, and I must say, you are much better looking in person. I thought you were handsome in the pictures, but honey, they don't do you justice at all. Your little lady there is one lucky gal." Elizabeth and Will both blushed. They were interrupted by the entrance of Mrs. Reynolds.

"Will, darling. I did not expect you here so soon. You must have made excellent timing." A horrified look came to Betsy's face as she realized her mistake. "Betsy, dear, please finish your tour while I get Mr. and Mrs. Darcy settled. Betsy did not move for another thirty seconds until she finally realized that her group was waiting for her.

"Mr. and Mrs. Darcy please forgive me. This is my first week here and I did not know that you were expected today. I am terribly sorry for any inconvenience that I caused you." Will stopped her in the middle of her apology.

"Please do not worry about it. I appreciate that you were only doing your job. Ladies and gentlemen, you must forgive our interruption. I hope that you enjoy the rest of your tour." Betsy then rushed to lead the tour group into another room. Elizabeth listened to the group as they made their way out of the room. Many of them were talking about how good looking her husband was. Others were talking about how they had read all about the wedding. Some talked as if they had actually been there. She laughed as she heard some people talk about things she also had read in the tabloids that were completely false. Will asked her what she was laughing at, but she just shook her head and went to follow Mrs. Reynolds upstairs.

Once they were alone, Will asked Mrs. Reynolds about the surprise that she had mentioned on the phone. "You never were very patient were you Will." With a shake of his head, Mrs. Reynolds continued. "I suppose I can tell you. Well, your company has been trying to reach you, but I assured them that you were not to be disturbed. They insisted that they had important news for you and I told them that I would take the message and pass it on to you as soon as you got back. When I finally convinced them that I would not disturb you, they asked Mr. Bingley and he said that they could tell me."

"Mrs. Reynolds, if it was important, you really should have called me. I saw that I had numerous messages on my cell phone when I called you from the road, but I knew that someone would have called the house if it were an emergency. What was the important news?"

"You said that you did not want to be disturbed, and I knew that you needed this break, but if it had been really important, I would have called you. I did not want business to interfere with your honeymoon. Besides, Mr. Bingley insured me that it was nothing pressing, but simply to inform you as soon as you got back."

"Well, what is the news?" Mrs. Reynolds laughed at his impatience. Elizabeth had to admit to herself that she too was impatient to learn this important news.

"It seems that because of the success of you company, you have been voted by the magazine Business Today, which I am assured is a very prominent business magazine..." Will knew that she was dragging out the news as long as she could.

"Just tell me Mrs. Reynolds. I know that you are enjoying keeping in suspense."

Mrs. Reynolds laughed and continued. "The magazine has voted you "Businessman of the Year. From what I understand it is a very great honor. I heard that only the top CEO's get this honor." Will was silent as he tried to let the knowledge sink in.

"Oh Will, this is wonderful news." Elizabeth said as she gave him a big hug.

"I can't believe it. I knew that we had very positive response to our latest product, but I did not expect this at all. Why did they choose me?" Mrs. Reynolds told him that he would have to ask Mr. Bingley because she had no more information. He stood there a little longer in a contemplative stance until the beeping of his cell phone interrupted him. He picked it up and saw that he had fifteen messages. "Well I guess there is only one way to find out." Elizabeth gave him a smile as he dialed his voice mail.

The first message was from Charles. "Will, this is Charles. I just heard from the people at Business Today. You have been chosen as businessman of the year. Congratulations. Please call me as soon as you get this message." There were several others from Charles and then a bunch from the Public Relations unit at Darcy Corporations. They all wanted to talk to him about how they were going to use this award for the benefit of the company advertising. The last message was from the magazine itself, congratulating Mr. Darcy and asking to meet with him sometime in the next few weeks so that they could interview him for the article. They also were inviting him to a banquet in three weeks time to give him the award.

Will was speechless. He didn't know what to say, and when Elizabeth asked him a bunch of questions about his messages all he could do was stare at her. "Well, what did they say?" Elizabeth asked, and he answered as soon as he could regain his composure.

"Well, it seems that I actually have been chosen "Businessman of the Year" and that they want to interview me for the magazine. I have also been invited to the awards banquet where they will present my award. The information hasn't been given out to the press yet, but it will be announced after they have interviewed me. I have to call them and set up an appointment for the interview when I get back. I can't believe it. Only the top businessmen get picked for this honor. I would never have thought to be even considered for such an award." Elizabeth hit his shoulder playfully at this comment.

"Will, how can you say that? You are one of those top businessmen. How else do you think you are so successful? You made your company what it is today. When you took over for your father it was small, but now look at it. You now have multiple offices and do business in multiple countries. Government agencies do business with you and other corporations use your products. You can not tell me that you are not on the top. Everyone knows that doing business with you is a safe investment." Will blushed at all she was saying. Elizabeth looked at him so proudly and he couldn't believe that he had just won the award that he had dreamed of when he used to look at his father's magazines as a child. He would think one day that he would be on the cover just like all those other men, but he didn't actually believe that it would come true. All of the men on the covers of the magazine were so far out of his league, but were they really. He stopped to think about last year's winner. He was a man in his seventies who had started making toys for his family to play with because he didn't have enough money. Over time, those toys turned into top selling products. This was a man who was honored for a lifetime of work. He, on the other hand, was still quite young. In fact he thought of all the winners that he could think of, and they were all much older. All of a sudden, as if she was reading his thoughts, Elizabeth said, "This is such an honor. You must be one of the youngest people to win. I always remember hearing about older men winning this award. That is quite an accomplishment Will. I am so proud of you. I know you dad would have been so proud as well. You took his company and made it into what it is today."

"All I did was run it the way I thought was best. I never thought that our products would take like they did."

"You are just a born leader and I feel honored to be your wife. Other companies do not care if their products are the highest quality, but you make sure that yours are always the highest quality. People know that they will not be cheated if they buy one of you computers. When is the banquet?"

"It is few weeks after we get back. They are going to interview me then give the award at the banquet. The magazine will be released the next day." Elizabeth gave him a big hug and a kiss, showing him just how proud she really was. Mrs. Reynolds then told them to go freshen up for dinner because Mrs. Potter had made something special in honor of the big award.

Chapter 31

Posted on Saturday, 27 March 2004

At dinner, the topic of conversation was the upcoming award, or rather the topic of conversation between Elizabeth and Mrs. Reynolds was thus. Will seemed to still be in a state of shock over the recent news. "Will, are you going to pay attention to what your wife is saying, or are you going to sit there in your own little world?" Mrs. Reynolds said to Will to get his attention.

"Oh, I am sorry. You were saying something Elizabeth?" Will blushed and tried to focus on the conversation. He knew that they were both laughing at him, but he tried to push aside his embarrassment and focus.

After the laughter was under control, Elizabeth said, "What I was saying to Mrs. Reynolds, was that we are planning to spend two days here and then go back to London for a couple of days before we go home. I was asking you to confirm our plans, but you are off in some other world."

"Sorry, I just have a lot of my mind. Yes, that is the plan for the remainder of our trip."

"It's ok Will. I know that this award was quite a surprise and that you are anxious to get back to New York. If you would like to leave earlier, we can, but I refuse to leave without looking into those mysterious paintings." Will smiled at what Elizabeth had said. She was willing to give up a few days of her honeymoon for the sake of him. He had been blessed with such an angel.

"I do not want us to shorten our honeymoon. I will have plenty of time to take care of everything when we get back to the States. You are wonderful to be willing to do it, but I think our honeymoon is much more important." He thought about how much his attitude toward his career had changed since he had met Elizabeth. Before her, he took maybe one vacation every two years. He rarely missed a day and nothing was more important that his job. He liked the new life he had, and he realized that he really didn't need to put so much of his energy into his company. It took a lot for him to trust that other people could handle the running of the company while he was away. When he was needed by Elizabeth all those months, his company had run just as smoothly as if he hadn't taken any time off, so he was confidant that everything was running just as smoothly. It was just hard to not be in contact for an entire month at all. "Besides, I too am interested in learning the story behind the paintings." Elizabeth smiled as Will squeezed her hand. Mrs. Reynolds, sensing that they may want to be alone, bid the newly weds goodnight and left them to have their dessert alone. Will poured Elizabeth a cup of coffee and cut her a slice of the cake that Mrs. Potter had left for them.

"Will, I am not too tired. Do you think it would be possible to look in some of the books in the library about the infamous Mr. and Mrs. Darcy?" Elizabeth said this in her sweetest voice and she knew that he would not refuse her.

"You know that I cannot refuse you when you do that. I am not that tired either, so why don't we finish up here and then we can go to the library." Elizabeth put the dishes in the dishwasher and Will put away everything else on the table. They said goodnight to Emma who was going to be sleeping in the kitchen, and then made their way to the library. Elizabeth was once again shocked at how large it was. She had never seen a library this big in a person's house. It would take years to go through all the shelves. Luckily the Darcy family had a catalogue that listed all of the works and their placement on the shelves. She was glad that they were so organized and had everything in the house catalogued. Otherwise it would be a lot harder to solve her mystery. Will had explained that it was a project of his father and grandfather to catalogue everything in the house. A lot of scholars came to use the library because of the wide selection of books, so there was a need to be organized. Also, because the house was now open to the public, they had to make sure everything in the house was accounted for in case of a problem. Will also explained that there were also many things that went with the house in a storage facility on the property. It was impossible to have everything in the house.

When they finally found the books that they needed, they each took a stack and sat down at one of the large tables. Elizabeth was overwhelmed by all of the stories behind every single person in the book. There were numerous aristocrats and political figures. She saw how rich Will's family heritage really was and had to admit that she was somewhat jealous. She had remembered looking at her own family history, which was no where near half as long and was not filled with anyone as distinguished. Realizing that she was not getting anywhere, she flipped past all of the other people and went to the section that she knew would contain the information she needed. With everyone having the name of Darcy and several having the name Fitzwilliam, it was hard to wade through all of the names. She finally found what she was looking for, however, and she called Will over. He brought what he had found and they both looked at the page in front of them. Elizabeth read aloud from the selection.

"Fitzwilliam Darcy was the son of George and Anne Darcy. He took over the care of Pemberley House after the early death of his parents. Also left in his care was his younger sister Georgiana Darcy with whom he had joint guardianship with his cousin Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, youngest son of the Earl of Matlock. Fitzwilliam married Elizabeth Bennet, second eldest daughter of Thomas Bennet of Longbourn Estate. Elizabeth bore Fitzwilliam Fitzwilliam II, Jane, Charles, Abigail, and Thomas. The history of Elizabeth Bennet Darcy can be found in her diary." Elizabeth looked at the footnote and saw that there was a copy of the diary in the library. "Oh Will!! There is a copy in the library. We must find it. I would love to read it. I can't believe the similarities between them and us. It is almost like we were destined to be together."

"Don't you see Elizabeth? We were destined to be with each other. I have always known, but this now proves that fact. Before we look for the diary, I want to show you what I have found in my research. There is more information on the family here and then each of their children has a history. It seems that I am descendant from their son Fitzwilliam who married Lady Isabella Cramer. She was the daughter of an Earl and helped to get her husband a prominent position in Parliament. Apparently he was knighted, in honor of his great work as an Ambassador for the Queen. There is also a memoir of his in the library. I suggest we look for both of these books and then take them upstairs. It is getting late, and as curious as I am about this, I am very tired from the long day today."

"Oh, I am so sorry Will. I forgot that you had to drive all today while I got to sleep. Of course we can go to bed after we find the books. After all, we have two days here to learn all we want. You will have to get used to me becoming obsessed with things. When there is a mystery to solve, I do not want to rest until I have figured it out. I have always been this way and it is a constant joke in my family. They were always yelling at me to go to sleep or put a book down." Will laughed at Elizabeth's story and then went in search of the books. He found the memoir of Sir Fitzwilliam Darcy first because this book had been published. He was a prominent figure in history and apparently had been a great help to the Queen. Finding the diary proved a little more difficult, but not impossible. It was Elizabeth who finally stumbled across the book, which had been placed on a high shelf with several other books of recipes and notes by other Mrs. Darcys. "I found it!" Elizabeth was so excited when she reached for the book, which was not in very good condition. The pages were not all attached to the binding, so she was careful when she handed it down to Will. She climbed down the ladder and joined him at the table. She looked at both of the books and then looked at Will. She knew that he was just as curious, but was also about to fall over with lack of sleep, so she said that they should leave the books here because of their condition and then come back to them in the morning. It was hard for Elizabeth to do this, but she knew that they would have two full days to look at the books. Perhaps they could have them copied so that they could take them back to the States with them. "Come on Will. We will look at them tomorrow. You need to go to sleep." She took his hand and led him upstairs. He saw that she had led him in the wrong direction, but was trying to cover up her blunder by pretending she knew where she was going. He knew also that she would not ask him for directions. She had a stubborn nature.

After about ten minutes of wandering Will was in hysterics, and Elizabeth glared at him. Her face did not last long in this position, however, because she too burst out laughing. They had to sit down in one of the corridors to get their laughing under control. They looked at each other and the laughter subsided and was replaced by looks of love. Knowing that they weren't far from their bedroom, Will picked up Elizabeth and carried her off to their room. She shrieked at the surprise and then put her hand over her mouth, hoping that no one had heard her. The couple did not get that needed sleep for quite some time more.

Chapter 32

Posted on Friday, 30 April 2004

Even though it had been a late night, Elizabeth awoke early. Her dreams had been filled with ideas of what was in the diary. She wanted to know more about her everyday life, and about her life as the wife of Fitzwilliam Darcy. She wondered if their marriage had been one of love, or simply convenience. She hoped that there was some romantic story about this couple. Somehow she knew that a Darcy would only marry for love. At least that is what her romantic fantasies told her and she knew that if all Darcy men were like her husband, she would not be disappointed.

The sun was streaming into the windows and she could see through the slightly parted drapes that it was going to be a beautiful day. Will was sleeping soundly next to her with his one arm around her and the other near his head. He was so handsome while he slept that she didn't want to wake him. He had had a long day yesterday, so she decided to let him sleep and journey down to the library to get a look at the diary. It was only a little past seven, so she knew that there would be few interruptions. Will would probably sleep for another hour or so, so she had plenty of time to herself. She gently removed Will's arm from around her and got up as quietly and carefully as possible. As soon as she had removed herself from Will, she saw him clutch for her and then finally roll over on his side and snuggle up with the blanket. She had to smile to herself at his actions. He was so handsome as he slept. She couldn't believe the luck that she had found him. She remembered that not too long ago she was receiving calls from her mother with possible mates. She was happy that she no longer had to fear who her mother would set her up with next; however, now she would be on her back for grandchildren. It was not that she didn't want children. She would love to have them with Will, but she didn't look forward to her mother's hounding. She hoped that her mother would give her a few weeks at least before she started. At least Jane could share this as well. She hoped that Jane and Charles had had a very nice honeymoon. She forgot to have Will ask him when he called about the award.

She took one more look at her husband before grabbing her robe and leaving the room. For once she found the library without any difficulty, but when she entered, she noticed that there was someone already in there, sitting in one of the large chairs by the fireplace. She moved closer and saw that it was Mrs. Reynolds. She had fallen asleep in the chair reading a book, so Elizabeth went to the sofa where there was a blanket. She brought it over to the chair and covered up the old woman. She looked so frail and small in the big chair. Elizabeth knew that it would be very hard on Will to lose a woman who Elizabeth imagined had kept the family together over the years. She hoped that she would improve in health, so that she would be able to help with the raising of her own children.

Elizabeth stood watching Mrs. Reynolds for a little while, but was startled when she felt some strong arms encircle her. She immediately recognized them as her husband's. She leaned back into his embrace for a few minutes and then Will motioned for her to leave the library with him. He led her to one of the more informal sitting rooms and pulled her down next to him on one of the large couches. They relaxed in silence for a few minutes then Will spoke. "I knew that I would find you in the library. You are as bad as a little kid on Christmas morning." He laughed as Elizabeth tried to put on a pouty face. She did not succeed very well however, because her pout was wiped away by a kiss from Will.

"I can't help that I am curious by nature. You have to admit that you are just as curious as I am."

"Alright, I admit it, but I seem to have prevented your early morning exploration. I see someone else had beaten you to the library."

"Yes, she must have fallen asleep while reading. I did not want to disturb her. She needs the rest. She does not look well Will. Is there nothing else that can be done? I know how much she means to this family and I don't want to see her suffer. I want her to be able to help with our children as well one day." Will tightened his arm around Elizabeth.

"She seems weaker every time I see her. I am worried about her. I don't know what I will do if I lose her. She was like a second mother to me and I don't want to lose my only remaining parental figure. You are so blessed to have both your parents. I envy you." Elizabeth looked deeply into Will's eyes and saw that he was struggling to control his emotions.

"I know Will. I am so lucky to have both of my parents and I know that I take that for granted. I am sorry to complain about my mother to you, but I forget sometimes how lucky I really am. Besides, they are now your parents too. I want you to know that you are now just as much a part of the family as I am. Soon you will be receiving phone calls from my mother as well. I warn you to never give out your work number. Otherwise you will have to hire a new secretary just for her calls." Will laughed. Elizabeth was glad to have the air around them lifted. "Now what do you say to taking showers, having breakfast, and then start looking at the books in the library?" Seeing that Elizabeth was eager to get started on the books, Will led her back to their bedroom where they could prepare for the day.

About an hour later, they were both showered and ready to go down for breakfast. When they reached the kitchen, both Mrs. Reynolds and Mrs. Potter were there having tea. "Good morning you two." Mrs. Potter said as she rose from her seat to check on the eggs that were cooking on the stove.

"Good morning Mrs. Potter. Smells great in here. Good morning Mrs. Reynolds. I hope you slept well." Will said as he pulled out a chair for Elizabeth. Elizabeth took a seat in the offered chair and watched the exchange between her husband and the two older ladies. She enjoyed watching Will in a family setting. Having only really known how Will acted around Georgiana, she wondered how Will would act in his childhood home. She liked what she saw. She saw genuine love reflected in the eyes of the two elder ladies, especially in the eyes of Mrs. Reynolds. It brought tears to her eyes to see the affection in that lady. She really was a great lady. "Are you alright Elizabeth?"

"What? Oh, yes Will, I was just lost in my thoughts. The breakfast smells wonderful. Thank you so much Mrs. Potter. I am going to get used to people cooking for me. I will have to make Will start this when we go back to New York." The ladies laughed.

"I would like to see you try." Will said in response to this. "I will cook if you take care of all the other household chores."

"How about we stick with our current situation where we have the chores split. I think that has worked well thus far. I don't see why we need to change things. Unless of course you wanted to take on some of my chores." Elizabeth said as she ducked from the piece of toast that Will threw at her. "Didn't you learn not to throw your food?" Everyone laughed and they all ate their breakfast pleasantly.

After the breakfast was cleared away, Mrs. Reynolds excused herself to take care of some of the household duties and Will and Elizabeth made their way to the library. The house had been closed to tourists for the duration of their stay so that they could have some privacy. Of this, Will was glad. He didn't want a repeat of the scene from their arrival. Even though this house could be very lonely with the lack of people in its giant spaces, having Elizabeth here made it a real home. He couldn't wait until the day when they would bring their own children here to show them the history of his family. Thinking about a family with Elizabeth brought a smile to his face. He knew that Elizabeth would make an excellent mother. Her generous and kind nature made her a perfect candidate. They had not really talked about the option of having a family, but he knew that he wanted one. Elizabeth mentioned a family earlier and he hoped that she would want one as much as he did. He would have to remember to broach the subject with Elizabeth when they got back to New York. He figured that she would probably want to wait a little while to start a family since she had already been away from work for so long. Another interruption would not go over well with her office. They had been extremely generous already. Perhaps in a couple of years they could start a family. They were still young, but they did have to think about starting soon since they weren't that young.

When they got to the library, they found the books they had gotten out last night right where they had left them. Elizabeth asked Will about the possibility of having the diary copied so that they could take a copy back to New York with them. She didn't think she would have enough time to finish reading everything. Will said that he would call downtown to find out if it was possible. He left Elizabeth in the library while he went to make the call. She settled herself down in one of the big, comfy chairs and opened the diary to the first page. The handwriting on the page was neat and straight. She could tell by the hand that it was a female's writing. The first page read as follows:

The Diary of Elizabeth Bennet

The examination in prose of a simple country girl.

Elizabeth was intrigued from the start. This meant that the diary would start before she married, and would therefore explain how she came to be mistress of Pemberley. There were some very pretty little flowers drawn on the title page and several little sketches of different things from nature, which gave the impression that she had a great fondness of nature, not unlike the present Elizabeth Bennet Darcy. She turned to the first page of text and found more drawings of the same kind in the margin. They were not masterpieces, but complemented the obvious feminine hand. She then began to read the first entry.

Dearest Diary,

I thought that since my dear sister Jane gave you to me as a gift, I should attempt and writing down some of my thoughts. She told me that she had been in the practice of doing so for several months, and it has helped her to sift through her thoughts and solve any confusion that may have arisen in her life. Not that she needed any calming, as she is already the sweetest and most angelic creature. I, on the other hand, being unlike my sister in manner, have decided to take her advice and make you my confidante. Jane says that this is the only place where I can speak my mind and not be judged for what I have to say. She says that perhaps it will help me to think through any difficulties that I may come across in my simple life. Not knowing what to write, I have taken to decorating the pages of my little book, but soon saw that there would be little room left for words if I continue in that manner. The nature is just so breathtaking that I know I am unequal to the task of depicting it; therefore, I will turn my mind to the words as I sit in my favorite spot, under the trees that have little pink and white flowers in the spring. Even though the blossoms have long fallen off the branches and winter is approaching, the branches still afford some privacy. There is little chance that someone will happen upon me. I feel this is the only place where I know I shall be undisturbed. I must admit that it is my haven from the constant commotion of the house. Papa has his library, and I have my grove.

Not having any experience in writing diaries, I feel I am at a loss as to how to put my thoughts down onto paper. I feel they are too jumbled in my head, that if I were to write them all down, they would make no sense. I, however, shall attempt the impossible and risk the fear of writing nonsense to explain to you dear diary what is in my head. For the past few weeks there has been no stop to the conversation of the new neighbors at Netherfield Park. Everyone was anxious to make their acquaintance since the rumor of the wealth of the new owner had quickly spread throughout the county. Besides it wasn't only the owner that the town was talking but the fact that he was bringing along a friend who was more than twice his worth. When the introductions were finally made, however, I must say I was greatly disappointed. Please do not mistake my meaning in thinking that I do not like Mr. Bingley because he is a very agreeable gentleman, and has been quite taken by Jane. I cannot say that I am not happy for her, for I can tell that she too shares in those feelings. I am more than happy for her since I would only see her marry for love and not for money. Being quite five times prettier than any of us, I knew that she would catch the attention of everyone in the room. I am pleased to see that Mr. Bingley is not only a wealthy man, but a kind and respectable one. He will make a good husband hopefully for Jane, but I am getting away from myself.

They have only known one another for some weeks and I am already suggesting they marry. Whatever happens, I know it will be for the best. Now, as for his friend, I cannot have the same opinion. Though he is more than twice the worth of Mr. Bingley, his manners are rude and condescending. He makes it perfectly obvious that he wants nothing to do with the likes of anyone of such low society. As far as I am concerned, he can have his opinions. He and Mr. Bingley's sisters can think themselves all high and mighty because it is of no consequence to me. I find him to be a hateful man. I know that he thinks nothing of me because I heard his say so to Mr. Bingley on the night of the Meryton Assembly. It would be nothing if he did not constantly stare at me. I find his gaze unnerving, as if he is constantly judging me. I can't help but wish he would simply go back to London where he belongs, instead of looking down his nose at me. I may not be of the highest rank in society, but I am not a piece of meat at which to be stared and judged. If Mr. Darcy wants to look down his nose at everyone in town, I don't think anyone would mind. We all care little for his opinions. In fact I promised just this evening never to dance with such a disagreeable man even if he should deign to ask me. I do not feel slighted in the least for him not asking for a dance when Mama asked if he cared to dance. I just wish that Mama had not been so vocal in her opinions of the man. I know that that is just her manner, but I can't help being embarrassed.

I have discussed this with Jane, and she agrees that Mama can be somewhat vulgar in public, but that we should not mention it to her since it would show disrespect. I really wish that I could be as angelic as Jane, but I can't help thinking that I somehow was born into the wrong family. I am like Papa, but none of my other siblings are like me. Jane is the child that every parent wishes for, Mary is quiet and bookish, and Kitty has a head full of young men like Lydia who does not know proper decorum. I love my parents, but sometimes I wish that they had instructed us on how to act more. I look at other families and I see daughters who know exactly how to act in social situations, like Jane does, but I fear Kitty and Lydia will never learn how to act. If only I had befriended them more like Jane and I are friends. Perhaps they could have learned from our guidance. Lydia grows wilder every day, and Kitty is not far behind since she does everything Lydia does. I fear for the sake of our family if her behavior continues in this manner.

I see Jane who has come in search of me, so I must conclude.

Elizabeth looked up from the page once she finished the first entry. The excitement of being able to look into the mind of a former Elizabeth Bennet gave her a thrill like no other. She could not describe how she felt when she read about all of the antics of Elizabeth's sisters and parents. She still felt weird that this Elizabeth seemed to be herself but in a different time period. The fact that all of the names were the same as they were today made her think about her situation. Could fate possibly have played a role in bringing her and Will together? If it had, then it sure had a strange way of involving itself. After all, she was almost lost to Will when she was kidnapped. Perhaps there was a reason for her kidnapping. It did change the way that she looked at life, and it made her realize the love she had for Will and all her friends and family. Fate had a strange way of doing that. She did find it odd that this seemed to be her exact life because all of the members of her family were there. Even all Elizabeth Bennet's siblings had the same names. She had to admit it was quite odd. Wanting to know more, she picked up the diary again and read the next entry.

Dearest Diary,

You must forgive me for being remiss in my entries. I feel I have failed since this is only my second entry and it has been some time since my first. I must admit that I have no one to blame but myself, although, I was forced to spend three days at Netherfield Park nursing Jane back to health. Had it not been for Jane I never would have gone through that torture. I have nothing to complain about with regards to Mr. Bingley. He was always kind and attentive. I could tell that he was sincerely worried about Jane. I know that their relationship is growing stronger every day. I can only hope that all our hopes for an announcement will not be in vain. As to the other residents of Netherfield Park, I cannot have as much praise. Mr. Darcy did on occasion inquire after Jane, but showed himself to care little what the answer was as long as it meant that we would soon be leaving, as I know the Bingley sisters wished us to do. What I must admit to be in a state of confusion over, however, is Mr. Darcy's actions during my brief stay. I caught him constantly staring at me and when I would look at him, he would only look away as quickly as he could. I must say that his manner confuses me greatly. He is constantly picking battles of words with me as if he wants to show the world how beneath him I am. I must triumph in the fact that he has not been able to catch me off guard as of yet. I feel as if I need to be ready at all times, though, when I am around him. I must admit to myself that his character intrigues me, but I must say I cannot stand the man. He is so condescending that I do not know what to make of him. Especially since I have just been made privy to some shocking information about him.

A recently new acquaintance, Mr. Wickham, whom I have grown to enjoy being around, has given me some shocking information about Mr. Darcy. He tells me that they grew up together and that he was the son of the former Mr. Darcy's steward. He tells me that he was intended for the church and that the current Mr. Darcy refused to give him what he was owed. I find it shocking that Mr. Darcy would have such little respect for his father's wishes. I cannot help but feel for Mr. Wickham. He has been treated cruelly by Mr. Darcy. I only hope that he will not leave because of the unpleasantness of being near him. I know nobody else in town will want to associate with him after they know the truth of him. I must say that the ball at Netherfield will be an interesting affair. I will look forward to being in the company of Mr. Wickham again. I find him to be a very pleasing gentleman, and I fancy I find myself thinking about him quite a bit. I know that it is not love, but I hope that our relationship may grow in the future.

Elizabeth was startled when she felt a hand on her arm. She looked up to find Will looking down on her. "I see that you have become entranced with the life of Mrs. Darcy. I have been trying to get your attention for some time now. I found out that it is possible to have the diary copied and the man at the store said that there was a visiting scholar who would do it for us in exchange for an afternoon in our library. It is very hard to get permission to study here because otherwise we would be bombarded with people. My family has always prided itself of its collection of books; so many scholars like to use the library. I decided some years ago that there would be limited access so that there was less chance that anything would be ruined in the process. With the size of the house, the security system is not what it should be. The man, a Mr. Brown, said that we could drop off the book at 1:00 and that he would have it ready by this evening. Is that agreeable to you?"

"That is wonderful Will. I am so happy that I will be able to take a copy of it home with me. I must say it is very interesting. There are so many connections between them and us. I can't believe what I am reading. You will never guess, but there was actually a man who was named George Wickham. Elizabeth claims that he told her the true character of Mr. Darcy, but I somehow doubt that what she was told is completely true. If it is, how could she have married such a man? From what I have heard of this family, it was rare that a marriage was made without equal affection. Also, I can't help but associate the name of George Wickham with anyone but of the Wickham that I know. I find her too trusting of this man."

Will was shocked at all of the coincidences between their life and the life of these people that lived such a long time ago. He was also surprised that he had not heard any of the things that Elizabeth was telling him before. His father and grandfather before him were always telling him stories about his ancestors. He figured it was probably because as a child he did not want to hear stories of love and romance. He only wanted to know about his ancestors who fought the Americans in the War of 1812 or the ancestors who were explorers. "I suppose you will have to read the rest in order to find out what happens, but as for now, I have been sent to summon you to lunch. Mrs. Potter said that you are not to forget that you need to eat." Elizabeth reluctantly agreed to come, but she noticed something when she placed the book down on the table. It had opened to the last page of the diary and where there should have been some type of ending, there was just a break in the last entry.

"Will, look at this. I don't think this is all of the diary. There must be another book because this is not finished. Do you know if there is another book? The reference in the other book I was looking in, only referred to this one book."

Will looked at the end of the diary and checked the reference again. He checked where they had found the other book and said that he did not see any other diary

"Perhaps it is with the rest of her personal belongings. I know that all her belongings are still up in the attic since there was a recent exhibit of Regency life last year and several of the objects she owned were on display. We can have a look after we drop the diary off in town." Elizabeth agreed and said that she actually was hungry, so lunch sounded like a good idea.

Chapter 33

Posted on Thursday, 24 June 2004

After lunch, Elizabeth and Will got in the car with the diary and drove into Lambton. Elizabeth admired all of the places that Will pointed out on the short drive into town. She hadn't realized the extent of the property when they had first driven to the house, and she looked forward to a time when they would be able to come back when it was warmer and the flowers and trees would bloom. The landscape was still beautiful, even though all of the trees were bare and there were still remnants of the previous snow. As Will drove, Elizabeth held onto the diary in her lap. It took all of her self-control not to open the book and continue where she left off. Her thoughts, however, were interrupted by Will. "I know that you want to open that book. Don't think you can fool me." He said with a laugh as Elizabeth looked at him guiltily. They pulled into one of the spots on the street of downtown Lambton and headed for the print store. They were greeted by Mr. Brown who explained that he was a friend of the owner, and would occasionally come and help him out with special printing, like the printing that they needed done. Mr. Brown was a portly man who looked like he had spent his entire life crouched over a book. His appearance was shaggy and unkempt. Elizabeth liked the sight of him because he reminded her of one of her professors from college. Mr. Brown ushered them into the store and then asked to see the book. He examined it for several minutes before he finally spoke again.

"This book is quite old and not in very good condition, so it will take some time to copy, but I believe that I can have it finished by later this evening. I will have it put onto a CD so that you can make as many copies as you want. If you can just write down your telephone number, I will give you a call when it is ready. I usually don't do these jobs in so little time. I couldn't believe my fortune, however, when I learned that I could get a chance to have a look in your library. I have always tried to get into there in the past, but was never able to." Will wrote down the number and then told him that he should call when he wanted to arrange a visit to the library. He told him to ask for Mrs. Reynolds and that she would arrange a time when he could come. Both Elizabeth and Will thanked Mr. Brown and left the store. Will asked Elizabeth if she would like to have a look around the town before they went back to the house, so they agreed to take a little stroll along the main street.

Their walk was pleasant. They held each other's hands as they glanced in each of the windows. Several people stopped to greet them as they continued along the street. Elizabeth was introduced to several more people from Will's childhood, and got to see many of the places to which Will had been when growing up. They stopped into one of the little bakeries for some tea before they headed back to Pemberley. Elizabeth enjoyed the little town and could see why Will so loved coming here. This was his home and she knew that he was most comfortable here. She had always thought that he was a New Yorker through and through, having never really seen him away from New York and all that went on in their lives there. Now that they were here, however, she had a new view of him. Almost as if he was a completely different person, but then again he was the same person as he always was. She knew that she was not making any sense, but at the same time she knew that nothing that had been happening really made any sense. Things just happened and they met each new event one step at a time.

Since the hour was late, Elizabeth and Will drove back to the house so that they would not be late for dinner. They were greeted at the door by Mrs. Reynolds who ushered them into one of the drawing rooms where there was a fire. It was a particularly cold evening, and she didn't want either of them to catch a chill. Since Pemberley was such a large house, it was hard to keep it at a temperature that was really comfortable, especially in the winter. They were told that dinner was almost ready and that she would call them when the table was set. "Mrs. Reynolds, is there anything I can do to help? You are making me feel quite spoiled, always waiting on me. I don't know how I will ever go back to doing things for myself. That is unless Will here would like to fulfill that role." The three of them laughed as Will had an exaggerated look of horror on his face. Elizabeth batted him on the head with one of the pillows while Mrs. Reynolds assured her that she was only doing her job and that there really wasn't much else to do. "I really do appreciate all that you have done for us while we are here." Mrs. Reynolds smiled and excused herself to go check on the progress of Mrs. Potter.

They were not left for a long time in the drawing room. Although they enjoyed the peaceful time by the fire, they were both quite hungry and Mrs. Potter was one of the best cooks in Derbyshire, if not England. Will didn't know how he survived away from her wonderful cooking. She did not disappoint them tonight and everything was top quality. Mrs. Reynolds excused herself early, claiming that she was tired, so they were left by themselves in the huge dining room. As they sat at the table finishing off some glasses of wine, Will was the first to open his mouth. "Elizabeth, I have been thinking. I know that we haven't really discussed this before, but I figured now was as good as any to open the subject." Will seemed nervous and Elizabeth was curious as to why Will seemed nervous about telling her something. He was always open and honest with her.

"What is wrong Will? You know that if something is wrong that we will fix it together." Elizabeth noticed the surprised look on his face.

"Oh nothing is wrong. I just wanted to talk to you about some possible future events." Elizabeth wasn't quite sure that she was following Will's train of thought, but before her confusion could be resolved, the phone rang. It was Mr. Brown saying that the diary was ready to be picked up. Completely forgetting about their conversation Elizabeth's mind was completely taken over by thoughts of the other Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy. Will knew that he wasn't going to be able to have a serious conversation with her now, so he dropped the matter and went to get their coats. Perhaps another opportunity would arise soon where he could bring up their future and whether Elizabeth saw any children there. He didn't know why he was thinking about this lately, but he thought that since they were married now, it was a logical conversation to have. It would just have to be put on the back burner for now. Besides, he had to admit that it probably wasn't the best time to have children with all of the interruptions in their life currently. He also knew that he wasn't getting any younger, so perhaps they could discuss it when they went back to New York. They still had time. After all, they were only married a few weeks ago.

Will helped Elizabeth into her coat and then put on his. They both donned gloves and hats to try and keep out the frigid air. When they picked up the diary and copies, they thanked Mr. Brown again for doing them the favor. Not wanting to stay out in the cold temperatures for long, they made a quick dash back to the car. Elizabeth held onto the diary while Will drove them back to Pemberley. He could tell that she was dying to read some more of the diary. "Go ahead" he said to her.

"Go ahead what?" Elizabeth said as she looked up at him.

"Open it and read some more. You know you want to. You remind me of a little kid in the window of a toyshop. Open it up and read some more. In fact, why don't you read it aloud? You told me the beginning of the journal, so I will know what is going on." Elizabeth did not need anymore encouraging. She quickly undid the package and pulled out one of the copies. Mr. Brown had done an excellent job, so she did not have any problems reading the print. Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy had a very neat handwriting, so except for a few smudged areas that had be caused by age the text was perfectly legible. Elizabeth turned to the page where she had left off, and began reading.

Dearest Diary,

It has been several days since I have had a chance to write, but I assure you that those days were quite filled with events. I have, in fact, just returned from the ball at Netherfield. I wish I could say that I had a pleasant evening, but when I look back, I cannot think in that way. I was greatly looking forward to this evening, but I fear much has happened to take the joy from it.

I will begin with my first arrival when I was greeted by Mr. Bingley whom took pity on me in me and offered to escort me into the main ballroom with Jane. I knew that he really only wanted to be with Jane, so I was relieved when Mr. Denny came to speak with me so that I could relinquish Mr. Bingley to Jane. He, however, did not bear good news. He informed me that Mr. Wickham had been obliged to go into town on business. We both knew that that was not the real reason of his absence. Once again Mr. Darcy has taken pleasure from me. I had been looking forward to having another conversation with Mr. Wickham, but sadly it was not to be so. I did manage to finally find Charlotte and inform her of the new information about Mr. Darcy. I don't know why people seem skeptical about it. He gave me names and facts and Mr. Darcy's temperament must be a sign of his character. From the moment I entered the room, I felt his eyes staring at me. I did not like what it did to me. It made me feel strange and uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the evening did not get any better. Mr. Collins came to claim me for the dance and I was forced to comply. I have never been so embarrassed. He actually made several missteps. He ran into one of the other ladies. I looked up and saw Mr. Darcy try to control his emotions. If all he was going to do was look his nose down at all of us and smirk at everyone, I don't know why he simply didn't remain in his room. Now, what came next was the most surprising. Out of all the ladies in the room, he came over to me to ask if I would dance with him. I was so shocked that I could not think of an excuse as to why I could not dance with him. I wish that I had been more prepared and had a ready excuse because the dance itself was not at all enjoyable. Charlotte seemed to think it showed great honor to me because he singled me out, but I shall never see the honor in this. All he really wanted to do was show how superior he is. Not only did I have Mr. Darcy looking down at me, but I also had my entire family against me. I think they all, excepting Jane of course, went out of their way to bring shame upon us. I am surprised that the Netherfield party has not packed up their bags and left our lowly company. I am too frustrated to write anymore, so I shall close for now.

"It seems to me that if she hates Darcy so much she certainly has him on the brain a lot. It seems like she cares what he thinks of her and why would that matter if she cared nothing for him? I think she really does like him and can't admit it. He is mysterious and she won't admit that she is intrigued." Will said as he pulled into the driveway.

"She is just frustrated with the way he has been treating her. How could she love a man who thought himself so superior to everyone? The only reason she keeps mentioning him is because there is not much else going on in town. She has nothing better to think about."

"Whatever you say Elizabeth. I still think that she is attracted to him and is making excuses about how much she hates him to fool everyone else and herself. We have arrived back to the house, what do you say to getting ready for bed. We have a long ride back to London tomorrow and I would like to be well rested. You will never find out the rest of the story if I fall asleep at the wheel and kill us."

"Oh why do you have to be so morbid? You just don't want to admit you are wrong about them and don't want me to read any more so that you can be proved wrong." Will laughed out loud at this comment. Elizabeth glared at him and tried to get out of the car. She pulled on the door several times, but it wouldn't budge.

"Darling, you have to unlock it. Pulling on the handle won't make it open." Will said as he laughed some more. Elizabeth glared even harder at him and unlocked the door. "You know you and this Elizabeth are just alike. Both of you are stubborn and have terrible tempers." Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at him and made for the house. What she didn't realize was that there was a huge pile of ice by the front door, so when she walked on it, she fell flat on her back. She tried to get up gracefully, but couldn't get any traction and fell down again. At this point Will was practically on the ground himself he was laughing so hard. Elizabeth had to admit that she probably looked ridiculous, but she wouldn't let Will get the best of her. Instead she crawled to the door and pulled herself up. She rubbed her sore behind and entered the house, slamming the door behind her.

"You are so infuriating you know!" She yelled as she closed the door. She walked carefully up the stairs. She wasn't sure which was more bruised, her butt or her ego. She decided that she would go and take a bath and let her pulse cool down. She didn't really want to see Will right now.

By the time Will got his laughter under control, he went in the house in search of Elizabeth. He knew that she would not want to speak to him, but she was only being pig-headed. Somehow she was becoming more and more like the Elizabeth from the diary. He went up stairs in search of her, and found her locked in the bathroom. "Come on Elizabeth. I'm sorry I laughed at you, but you must admit it was funny."

"Leave me alone. I don't want to talk to you right now." She yelled back through the door.

"You have to talk to me sometime. I am your husband." Will said through the door. He tried to sound as pathetic as possible.

"That won't work. As far as I am concerned, you are only my husband in name for right now. Now leave me alone so that I can enjoy my bath in peace." Will decided to let her cool off. He knew she wasn't really mad at him. She could be so stubborn. Instead, he went downstairs to get a glass of milk while Elizabeth finished her bath.

Elizabeth finished her bath and then went back into their adjoining bedroom. She saw that Will was gone, so she got into her pajamas and turned the light off. She didn't want to talk to Will, so she tried her hardest to fall asleep before he got back. She waited and waited, but he did not return. She drifted in and out of sleep until finally she got fed up and decided to find out what was keeping him. He did have to drive tomorrow, so he did need a good night sleep. She looked at the clock and saw that it was almost one. She put on her robe and slippers and went in search of him. She had learned her lesson before about how easy it was to get lost, so she decided to stick to the areas of the house that she knew. She was about to give up when she noticed a light coming from the library. She tiptoed down the hall and pushed the door open a crack to peer inside. There was Will sound asleep in one of the big leather chairs. He had a glass of milk next to him and a book on his lap. She tiptoed into the room, careful not to wake him up. She knew that he would regret falling asleep in the chair when his neck was killing him tomorrow, so she decided that she would wake him up. She tapped him on the arm, but he didn't awaken. She then began to shake him and finally he began to stir. He opened his eyes and screamed. Elizabeth was taken aback and practically knocked the milk on the floor. "Will, Will. It's me, Elizabeth. Will grabbed onto her arm and waited for his breath to get back to normal.

"What are you doing scaring me half to death in the middle of the night?" He asked once he could speak. Elizabeth looked at him and began to laugh. She never expected her tall, dark, and ruggedly handsome husband to be frightened by his wife. She laughed even harder and Will just sat there trying to cover his embarrassment. "Ha, ha. Very funny." He couldn't hold a straight face for long although. Soon they were both laughing at the poor state they were both in. "I'm sorry Elizabeth. Can we stop acting childish and forget tonight. Let's go up to bed."

"I'm sorry too. You are right. I was acting childish and I'm sorry. I can't help it that I'm stubborn. I was born that way." Will took her hand and led her upstairs for their last night in Pemberley.

Chapter 34

Posted on Sunday, 4 July 2004

The next morning, the couple was up early to make sure that they were packed for their long journey to London. It was another brisk morning, and Will and Elizabeth wished they could have stayed under the covers as the fire burned, but alas it was not to be so. When the bags were packed, Will carried them downstairs while Elizabeth did a last minute run through and then went downstairs to see if breakfast was early. They wanted to get an early start because once again there was snow in the forecast, and they didn't want to be stranded anywhere. She met Will as he came in the house. "It is freezing out there. Only a crazy person would willingly go out in that."

"Well crazy person, Emma needs a walk before the long car ride." Will gave her a smirk as she helped him bundle up. "Wait here and I'll go get her. I promise to have some hot coffee and breakfast awaiting your return."

"If you weren't so cute..." Before Will could finish Elizabeth kissed him and walked off towards the kitchen. Will was left shaking his head and sweating with all of his layers on. Elizabeth returned promptly with Emma in tow, who when she saw Will ran toward him and practically knocked him over. After pushing Will and Emma out the door, she went back down to the kitchen to help Mrs. Potter finish breakfast. Elizabeth had grown very comfortable with the people that helped to bring up Will and she would miss them greatly when they went back to New York. She would make sure that they came back often.

After breakfast Will and Elizabeth said their final goodbyes. There were more than enough tears to go around and promises to keep in touch. Elizabeth assured Mrs. Reynolds that they would come back as soon as they could. She also told her that she would love to have her come stay with them as soon as she was able. Mrs. Reynolds assured them that she too would love to see their home in New York. They all bundled up and got in the car. Elizabeth waved goodbye as Will drove away from the house.

"Oh Will, I will miss everyone at Pemberley. Thank you for bringing me here." Will smiled and squeezed her hand.

"You don't know how glad I am to hear that. It was my dearest wish that you would grow to love Pemberley as I do.

The ride to London was as pleasant as a long ride in a car can be. The traffic was light, but surely this was explained by the frigid temperatures. Who in their right mind would want to travel in weather like this? The couple in the car did not mind the weather. They were together and that was all that mattered. Elizabeth fought to stay awake so that she could keep Will company and he was grateful for her attempts. They stopped for dinner at a restaurant at which Will usually stopped on his travels between Pemberley and London. The food was good, and it replenished them for the remainder of the ride home.

They arrived at the flat in London in record time and all passengers were grateful to get out of the car. They did, however, not like the sudden burst of cold air that hit them when they opened the door. While Will unloaded the car, Elizabeth took Emma over to a grassy area. Even Emma did not want to stay outside for long, so they all were able to get inside and up to the flat. Will started a fire in the fireplace and Elizabeth went in search of something in the kitchen that she could fix. She found some hot chocolate mix and decided to make them some to warm them up. Will had called his pilot from the car and told him that they wanted to fly out the day after tomorrow. The pilot told him that they would be flying out at 12:30 p.m..

As they relaxed in front of the fire, Elizabeth got out the diary. She found the spot where she left off and began to read aloud.

Dearest Diary,

I cannot believe it. Mr. Collins, after being rejected by me, actually proposed to Charlotte and was accepted. I don't see why she has agreed to marry such a buffoon. Jane tells me that not everyone is like us. Some people think love in a marriage is unnecessary. I just don't understand how she could settle for him. She has invited me to visit in March with her father and sister. I still can't believe it.

Dearest Diary,

have made my journey into Kent to visit Charlotte. She seems quite content in her situation, but I can't imagine her being happy here. It is a pleasant area and the county is beautiful, but I could never settle like she did. I want to only marry for love or I will not marry at all. Of course Mama says that I will never marry since I refused Mr. Collins, but I don't care. I do want to marry, but I believe that I will be content if I do not. I just want to know what love feels like.

I must tell you of Lady Catherine. She is a woman whom I can tell intimidates all around her, but I am not afraid of her. Mr. Collins is her toady and I can see that it has benefited him. She commands the room and holds court at every visit. I am not intimidated, however, because I refuse to follow every piece of advice she gives or agree to all of her opinions.

Since starting this entry some most interesting news has arrived. I had agreed to take a walk with Charlotte and Mariah and while we were on our walk, Mr. Collins came running after us. It turns out that Mr. Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam have come to stay with their aunt. I could not believe it. With all my luck, Mr. Darcy shows up. And even more interesting, he actually came to call right after he arrived. I could not believe it. I must say that his cousin's manners are in no way like himself. I found him a willing contributor to the conversation and a pleasant companion. The entire time, although, I could barely keep my composure because Mr. Darcy kept staring at me. I do not know why he is always staring. Is he trying to find fault with me? I asked the Colonel if he knew the reason, but he did not give me a straight answer, although it seems that I have been praised by Mr. Darcy to him. How can this be? I am in a stated of confusion. The visit was not long, but I saw them often at Rosings, Mr. Darcy called alone one day, and then I ran into the Colonel in the park. He has told me the most horrible news. I could not believe that he would stoop so low. According to the Colonel Mr. Darcy is celebrating his interference in Mr. Bingley's relationship. Little did the colonel know that I am the sister of the lady that he has separated from him, but I was shocked. I was so overcome that I had to claim a headache and be returned to the house where I could think things through. My solitude was interrupted, however, by Mr. Darcy. He proposed to me. I could not believe it. He actually proposed. His manner of proposal still angers me. All he did was show how much this match should not happen, but he could not get over his feelings, so he decided to ask me. He actually insulted everyone in my family. How could I have been expected to say yes to a proposal of this nature? Then he had the nerve to be shocked when I refused him and pointed out the error of his ways. Our conversation was not long, but I feel that Mr. Darcy finally sees why I could never be induced to marry him. Hateful man and I hope to never see him again.

Elizabeth was shocked at what she read. She could not believe that Mr. Darcy would be so mean to her. How could he expect to receive a positive answer to his proposal by insulting her? Will just shrugged his shoulders and told her to continue reading. Elizabeth turned to the next entry.

Dearest Diary,

I have been very much mistaken in my judgment of character. It turns out that it is Mr. Wickham who is the rake. Mr. Darcy gave me a letter in the park and I almost tore it up, but curiosity got the best of me. All along I thought he was greatly injured by Mr. Darcy, but that is in fact the opposite of the truth. I could not believe that he actually tried to elope with Mr. Darcy's sister. She was so young and gullible. She only knew him as the kind man from her childhood. Who would blame her for fancying herself in love? I truly feel for her and I know that her self-esteem must be very low now. I am still angry with Mr. Darcy about Mr. Bingley. I must begin to see where from whence he made his judgment. It is only because I know Jane so well that I knew she was in love with Mr. Bingley. Even Charlotte pointed out that Jane did not show her feelings. Perhaps he did have his friend's interests at heart and it didn't help that my mother was pushing very hard for the match and yelling to everyone about how rich he was. Of course he would think Jane was mercenary and only doing what Mama was telling her to do. Oh, I have made a mess of things. I really have been a bad judge of character. Now, Lydia wants to go to Brighton with the Colonel of the regiment and I know that will only spell disaster. I tried to explain to Papa about how Lydia's wild behavior needs to be controlled, but he would not see my point. He asked if it has scared away any of my lovers, but what could I tell him. That I have had a proposal from Mr. Darcy and that it was he who pointed out the wrongs of our family, not that I didn't know many of them already. Lydia will go to Brighton and I will go to the Lake Country with my Aunt and Uncle Gardiner. I trip to which I am greatly looking forward.

"There you go Elizabeth. I told you that she cared for him. Why else would she be so obsessed with what he thinks? She has always been attracted to him and did not want to be so because her mind told him he was a bad person, but deep down she was drawn to him. After all, that man takes up the majority of her journal."

"She is only obsessed because it embarrasses her that her family is so misbehaved. Perhaps she does care for him a little, but that only happened after she found out the truth of him. She could not possibly care for him when she thought that he had ruined the life of Mr. Wickham."

"Well read some more and let us see what happens next. We know they eventually end up together, so they must be thrown back into the same company again."

"Well, if I didn't know better I would say you read romances in secret. You really do have an imaginative mind."

"You know that I don't read those things."

"Do I know that? Where else did you get all your romantic ideas that you put into action for me?" Before Will could answer, Elizabeth continued where she had left off.

Dearest Diary,

Well, our trip to the Lakes has been cut short and we are only able to go to Derbyshire. I was disappointed at first, but after having been here for two days, I must say that I feel as if I could stay here forever. It is such a beautiful area. I cannot write of such pleasantries at the moment when my mind is in turmoil. You will never believe what I have to tell you. My Aunt and Uncle convinced me to take a tour of Pemberley, the estate of Mr. Darcy. Only after being assured that all the family was from home did I agree to the journey. It was less than five miles from Lambton, the town in which we are staying. The house and grounds were so beautiful and it seems like nature itself created the house. It is so perfectly situated and nothing is overdone or gaudy even though the house was very large. I must say that had I seen the house before Mr. Darcy proposed, I may have been more convinced to say yes, but really I could in any way have agreed to such a request. I was walking down the hill towards the lake when who do you think appeared. Mr. Darcy!! Not just normal Mr. Darcy, but a wet Mr. Darcy. He had obviously just take a swim. If I hadn't been so embarrassed I would have had a more coherent conversation with him, but I could not help but be flustered, although I cannot say he made out any better. I have to admit that he was very handsome the way his shirt clung to him and showed off the muscles that I knew he worked very hard at maintaining. His curls were ruffled, and I had to force myself not to push mischievous curl off his forehead. Before I knew it, he was gone and there was nothing I could do to get away from the house as soon as possible. What must he have thought of me coming to his house and invading his privacy? When we got back to the carriage, he actually showed up. He must have set some record for getting dressed. I was quite shocked to see him again and he was very pleasant. I find myself now believing all the praise that his housekeeper had for him. He even invited my uncle to go fishing and he asked if he could introduce his sister to me when she arrived with the Bingleys the next day. I feel so honored that he would actually want me to meet her. He must not harbor any ill will towards me.

The next morning when I returned from a walk, I was quite shocked to find that he and his sister were waiting upon me in the parlor. I liked Miss. Darcy very much and found her to be sweet, but a little shy, which is to be expected with what she has been through. Mr. Bingley was with them as well and I could tell he was very curious as to whether or not Jane was still at Longbourn. I was very happy at this. Miss. Darcy then invited all of us to Pemberley for dinner.

Dinner was marvelous. I chose to ignore the comments of Miss. Bingley, but other than that I had a wonderful time. I found my eyes drawn to those of Mr. Darcy on more than one occasion. Our evening was almost ruined when Miss. Bingley brought up Mr. Wickham, but fortunately I was able to cover Miss. Darcy's slip by returning to her and insisting on turning the pages of her music. It was during her song that I had the most wonderful moment. We held each other's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. I don't know what it was that kept me from looking away, but I was transfixed. I don't want you to think dear diary that I am in love with Mr. Darcy, I just see him in a new light. I do admit to being drawn to him, but I am most certainly not in love.

"Ha! She isn't in love is she? I think she is very much in love with him. They can't keep their eyes off of each other." Will said with a laugh.

"Will you stop interrupting? Of course she isn't in love yet. She could not possibly be in love so soon. She only really started to know him in a good light."

"You are doomed to blindness. What about us? I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you that I was in love with you. I know you think that is not possible, but I think it is."

"You really think that you fell in love with me at first sight? Maybe you fell in lust, but not love. That is not possible."

"Say what you want, but I was most certainly in love with you from the start." Elizabeth smiled and kissed him.

"You are so cute you know."

"Am I?"

"I always thought I was more ruggedly handsome." He tried to make himself look debonair.

"Well, now who thinks so well of themselves?" Elizabeth could help but laugh at Will's mock pout. "You are so cute. Can we please get back to the story?" Will folded his arms across his chest and faced away. "You know you are only cuter when you do that." Finally Will's face broke into a smile and he told Elizabeth to continue.

Oh dear, what am I to do? Lydia has eloped with Mr. Wickham. There is no hope for our family now. I was just about to go out with my aunt and uncle when two letters from Jane arrived. I had just finished them when Mr. Darcy arrived. He was very kind to me and very comforting, but once he had heard all, he made it very clear that he wanted to be out of my sight. I know I shall never see him again and I cannot describe what I am feeling. I hate it that I seem to care more about whether I will see Mr. Darcy than whether Lydia gets home safely. Am I a horrible person? What does this mean? Am I in love with him? I can't wait to get home to Jane so that she can explain everything to me. I don't think I can tell her all this though. I have to figure this out by myself.

"I told you that she was in love with him." Will said as Elizabeth finished the entry.

"She didn't say that she was in love with him. She said she didn't know. You may be right that she is in love with him, but there seems little hope now. It is late, so do you want me to continue or should we wait until tomorrow. What are our plans for tomorrow anyway?"

"I was thinking that we could do a little sight seeing. You mentioned before that you wanted to do that. I thought I would show you around town a little bit. We have to pack all of our things tomorrow because we fly out the next day."

"That sounds fine. I love London and I am glad that we are going to have a day here. You will have to show me all of your favorite places. Since we have a long day tomorrow, I suggest we put the diary away. As hard as it is for me to do this, I think it is best. Besides, it will give us something to do on the plane ride home."

"Very well. I am proud of you Elizabeth. I didn't think it would be so easy for you to put the book down right when so much has happened."

"What are you up to William Darcy? Are you trying to get me to read more? Admit it. You want to know what happens even though you say you are not into these romantic things."

"Good night darling" Will kissed her and then went about preparing for bed.

The next day was spent traveling around the city. Will showed Elizabeth some of the sights that a normal tourist would probably pass by without even knowing. They went to many of the touristy sights as well. Elizabeth couldn't get enough of the city and was sad when the day came to a close, but she was excited to get back to New York. They had been gone for a long time and it was about time that they rejoined the real world of responsibilities. When they boarded the plane at Heathrow Elizabeth looked back one more time at her surroundings and then followed Will inside the cabin.

Chapter 35

Posted on Friday, 7 January 2005

Elizabeth and Will settled into their seats on the plane and readied themselves for takeoff. Elizabeth looked out the window and she watched England disappear below the clouds. She was returning home to begin her married life with Will. She settled into her seat and looked over at her husband who was looking out the window, and she couldn't help but smile. She was so lucky to have found such a man. Will looked over at her and smiled back. "What is it?" he asked.

"Oh nothing. I was just thinking how lucky I am."

"Not as lucky as I am. Now what do you say to finding out if our namesakes were just as lucky?"

"So, who is the curious one now?"

"Ha, ha, you know you are curious as well." Elizabeth laughed and pulled out the diary.

Dearest Diary,

I can't believe that Lydia is married. She actually married Mr. Wickham. I wonder how much money it took to make that happen. We are going to be forever in the debt of Uncle Gardiner. I can't even imagine how much his debts alone must have cost. Now Mr. and Mrs. Wickham have come to stay and already I want them to leave. I love my sister, but I feel we are better kept apart. I cannot condone what she has done, but she is my sister and I have to accept it. She doesn't even show any remorse. She thinks she has honored her family and has triumphed over all of us. Little does she know that she has ruined any chance for any of us to make a good match. Mr. Bingley will never come back to Jane, and Mr. Darcy will never come back to me. I can't believe I just said that.

Dearest Diary,

Mr. Darcy is responsible for it all. I can't believe how wonderful of a man he is. I have had a letter from Aunt Gardiner and it turns out that he was the one who made Wickham marry Lydia. Why would he do such a thing? Certainly not for me. He must feel guilty for not revealing to the world the true character of Mr. Wickham, but how can I blame him. His own sister's reputation would have been ruined. Oh, if only this hadn't happened. If only I knew this all those months ago. I guess it was my own fault for being blinded by prejudice. There is a good thing that has occurred, however. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy have returned to town and Mr. Bingley and Jane are engaged. I am so happy for her. If only I could be as happy, but Mr. Darcy has gone back to London. I know he will never think of me again in that way.

Dearest Diary,

You will never guess who came to visit me today. Lady Catherine of all people. I never expected her to actually come to Longbourn. Although, she did come because she thought I was to marry Mr. Darcy. I don't know how she could have thought that. Everyone thinks that I hate him. I was so wrong and made everyone thing ill of him. Of course he didn't help the matter by acting like he did, but he is not as bad as I made him out to be. How could I have been so stupid? I was so insulted when she actually said I was nowhere near his level. Of course I know that I am not of the same level, but what right did she have to come to my home and speak to me in such a manner. If Mr. Darcy does not find fault in the match, she can have nothing to say about it. Even though I know that there is no possibility of him asking me again, but I could not give Lady Catherine the satisfaction. I was so mad that I stormed back into the house. A little later, Papa called me into his office to discuss a letter he had received from Mr. Collins. I don't know how so many people think I am going to marry Mr. Darcy. Everyone thinks that I hate him. How could they possibly believe this rumor? Papa wanted me to laugh at the joke, but it was all I could do not to cry. If only he knew the truth?

Dearest Diary,

I can't believe it. We are engaged. Mr. Darcy told me that he never stopped loving me and asked me to marry him once again. I am the happiest person in the world. Jane says she is, but I don't believe her. I am so happy. We are going to have a double wedding and finally joy will be brought to our family after so much heartache. He is the most wonderful man and I love him so dearly.

Dearest Diary,

I realized that my wedding has kept my attention away from you dear diary, so I have not written an entry in such a long time, but I was quite busy. I am now a married woman! It is the night of my wedding and I decided I needed one last entry before I closed this chapter on my life. From this point on I will be a married woman. I must admit to being nervous about this evening. My mother told me some horrifying stories, but luckily my Aunt informed me of the real truth. I am still very nervous. I hope that I will please my husband. I know he is waiting for me in the other room, so I better conclude. Thank for being my confidante and I will ever look back at you and remember the trials that I went through.

"That's it. There is no more." Elizabeth said as she looked up at Will.

"I am sure they had a happy marriage. They both loved each other and that is what really matters." Will said as he squeezed Elizabeth's hands. Elizabeth was glad that everything turned out so well, but couldn't help but feel disappointed at the end of the diary. She wanted to know what the marriage was like. She hoped they had a happy life together. They did have several children, so they must have had joy from them. Elizabeth smiled at Will and looked out at the clouds. They were so white and fluffy. They looked like a mound of pillows that one could lie on and relax. Everything was so peaceful. The only sound she heard was the engine of the plane and the heavy breathing of a sleeping Emma. She too soon fell asleep while looking out at the clouds and dreamt of the happy life that the Darcys must have had together. She saw them with their children and the happiness that shown from their eyes. She saw them growing older and the children marrying and returning to Pemberley with their own families. Finally she saw Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam as an older couple. They were sitting in a drawing room. Elizabeth was sewing something and Fitzwilliam was simply staring at his wife with a look of love that could not be mistaken for anything else. She knew then that they had had the happiest of marriages.

Her dream was interrupted, however, when some turbulence set in. She awoke with a start and looked over at Will who was asleep and oblivious to the bumping in the cabin. The captain spoke to her and assured her that there was nothing to worry about and that they would be approaching JFK in twenty minutes. They were about to start their descent, so Elizabeth pulled her chair back up and tightened her seatbelt. She woke up Will and told him they were about to land. She wanted to share her dream with him, but didn't say anything because she knew that he already knew the outcome.

The airplane landed and Elizabeth soon found herself back in their apartment. It was so good to be home and she was grateful to be back, even if it did mean that all the vacation was over. She would be going back to work the next week and she was happy to go back because she missed working for the paper. The award ceremony would be in a few days and she looked forward to going shopping for a new dress with Jane shockingly enough. While Will brought the bags in, Elizabeth browsed the large stack of mail on the table. There was so much to catch up since they had been gone for so long. She decided to forgo the mail and instead asked Will what he wanted to do about dinner.

"Why don't we order in? I am tired and don't feel like going out." Elizabeth agreed, but before she had time to pick up the phone, the doorbell rang.

"Yes?" Elizabeth said into the call box.

"Welcome home!!" The voices of Jane and Charles said on the other end. "We thought you two might get hungry and since you don't have any food in the house we brought takeout."

"You read our minds. Come on up." Elizabeth was excited to see her sister again. She missed her while they were away.

Jane and Charles came into the apartment and Jane immediately threw her arms around Elizabeth. Hugs were exchanged all around and the four of them settled down at the table to eat the food and talk about their respective honeymoons. All of them talked about the wonderful times they had had and they all agreed that it was good to be back. Elizabeth stopped Will when he brought up his company and reminded him that technically they were still on vacation. There would be no talk of work until the next day. Will smiled and they switched to other subjects. Jane and Elizabeth made a shopping date for the next day to go shopping for the award ceremony and the men agreed to get together while the ladies went shopping.

"Well, I think we better go before the two of you fall asleep at the table. I can see from the yawns that you are trying to stifle that you are exhausted." Charles said as he gathered the dishes on the table.

"I think you are right. If only jet lag didn't come along with traveling. Please leave the dishes. I'll take care of them later." Elizabeth said as she helped Jane and Charles out the door. When she shut the door behind them she went with Will into the living room. They sat down on the couch that was surrounded by suitcases, but they were both too tired to unpack. They decided to leave the bags and made their way to bed. As soon as their heads hit the pillow they were sound asleep. It was the perfect end to the perfect honeymoon.

The next day they awoke early because of the jet lag. They spent most of the morning unpacking and going through the mail and the messages. There were about thirty messages from Mrs. Bennet, so Elizabeth thought it would be best to get it over with and call her mother. Her mother had a ton of gossip to tell her and when she finally hung up she had to sit down so she could digest the conversation that she had just had. She didn't know her mother could talk so quickly. Will laughed and Elizabeth said, "At least I didn't make you talk to her. I was kind this time, but next time I am going to hand the phone to you."

Will put a mock look of horror on his face and Elizabeth through a pillow at him. Will then called his sister and assured her that they were home safe and sound and gave her all the messages from Pemberley. Elizabeth looked up at the clock and saw that she had to go get ready to meet Jane who would be there in ten minutes to go shopping. She quickly refreshed her appearance and as she was finishing with a little makeup she heard the doorbell ring. Will let her up and Elizabeth grabbed her coat. She kissed Will goodbye and told him to have fun with Charles.

"We have lots to shop for and very little time to do it, so we must hurry." Jane said as soon as they left the building.

"I forgot what it was like shopping with you." Jane stuck her tongue out at Elizabeth and then led the way. All Elizabeth could do was try to keep up with the long stride of Jane.

"We need dresses, shoes, and bags. This is a very important ceremony for your husband, so we must look our best. The media will be there, so we have no time to lose." Elizabeth hadn't up to that moment realized how big this ceremony was going to be. She stopped walking. When Jane realized Elizabeth was no longer with her she stopped and turned. "Whatever is the matter?"

"There are going to be so many important people there including the media. How am I ever going be able to do Will justice? I am just a simple girl who is nothing special?"

"How can you say that? You are far from simple and you are very special. You are going to dazzle them all. This is Will's night and you are going to look divine for him. Now come on. We are wasting time."

Jane dragged Elizabeth to store after store. She finally chose a strapless lavender dress that accented all her best features. Elizabeth was having more difficulty finding a dress. She had tried on so many dresses and she feared that she would never find one. They went into another dress shop and Jane handed her several more dresses to try on. She put on a dress and didn't even look in the mirror before stepping out to show Jane. "That's it. That is perfect. Lizzy, you look wonderful in the dress." The saleswoman helping them agreed. Elizabeth turned and looked in the mirror. The dress was a halter that showed off Elizabeth's curves and had a very low back. It was in the perfect shade of red that made her eyes pop out on her face and it emphasized the highlights in her hair. Elizabeth was tentative about how low the dress went in the back, but Jane assured her that it looked wonderful on her. She bought the dress and they went in search of shoes and bags. Jane chose shoes in the same color of her dress and Elizabeth found shoes that matched hers. They had a stiletto heal and a strap across the toes and around the ankle. They were very simple, but were perfect with the dress. Elizabeth also bought a black beaded purse. The two women returned to Elizabeth and Will's exhausted. Their husbands had dinner waiting for them and begged to see the purchases.

"Nope, you two will just have to be surprised." Jane said as she went to help Elizabeth put her things away. They returned to the dining room and they all settled down to a nice meal. Jane and Elizabeth asked Will and Charles what they did all day while they were out shopping.

"Oh we did this and that. Nothing that interesting." Will said. Elizabeth noticed the look that appeared on Will's face. She recognized it as the face he got when he was keeping something.

"Oh, just this and that. I know that look Will Darcy. What was it that you two were up to all day?"

"That is our little secret. You ladies have your secrets, and we have ours." Elizabeth glared at her husband then laughed. They finished their meal and had coffee before the Bingleys left.

"Now will you tell me what you did all day?" Elizabeth asked Will as he sat back down on the couch.

"Nope. Now what do you say to going to bed. I am exhausted as I am sure you are from all that shopping." Elizabeth agreed and they made their way off to bed.

Chapter 36

Posted on Thursday, 13 January 2005

The morning of the award ceremony dawned bright. Elizabeth awoke with nervous excitement. She was so proud of her husband, but at the same time was nervous that she wouldn't do him justice. Of course Will would call her daft for thinking thus, but she couldn't help the doubts that swam around in her head. She hadn't seen much of Will since they had gotten back from Europe. He was busy catching up on all that he missed at work, and she was busy catching herself up at work as well. She was welcomed back to the office with open arms and found that her replacement did not mind that she was back. In fact he was grateful to be relieved of some of the responsibility. Elizabeth dove back into her work with vigor. Everything was settling back into normal and Elizabeth was happy. She got out of bed and walked into the cold kitchen. Emma followed her around waiting to be taken out, so Elizabeth threw on some clothes and grabbed her coat, careful not to wake Will.

The little area of grass across from their apartment building was surprisingly peaceful in the city that never sleeps. There were hardly any other people out and about and Elizabeth rejoiced in the solitude. She took a deep breath and let it out. She watched the cloud of smoke that excited from her mouth, reminding her of the cold temperatures. She and Jane had a whole day of beauty set aside to prepare for the big evening. They were going to a spa for the full beauty treatment. When Emma was finished, she took her back upstairs and saw that Will was still asleep. She knew he was tired from the busy week he had had, so she let him sleep and went about preparing breakfast. She put two plates on a tray and poured the coffee. She picked up the papers that she had picked up on her way back upstairs. While she waited for the toast to get done she flipped through the paper. When she got to the Business section, there was her husband's picture announcing his award. There was a full layout about the history of his company. Elizabeth was so excited when she saw this that she almost forgot to grab the toast before taking the tray into the bedroom.

She placed the tray on the floor then kissed Will awake. He smiled lazily and tried to burrow further under the covers.

"Come on Will, I wouldn't want the 'Businessman of the Year' to be thought lazy. He is such a famous person after all." With this Elizabeth laid the paper next to him. Will sat up and looked at the article. He could only shake his head as he read. Elizabeth, meanwhile, placed the tray on the bed.

"Why Elizabeth, you spoil me."

"We couldn't have the 'Businessman of the Year' soiling his hands by cooking now could we?" They both laughed and Will kissed her. "Just don't get used to this." They ate their breakfast, but were interrupted by the phone. The phone continued to ring all morning with well-wishers who had saw the paper. Elizabeth took the tray into the kitchen and finished cleaning up. Georgiana was expected at any moment. She was joining her and Jane at their spa day. They all wanted to look their best.

Georgiana arrived and welcomed her brother and sister-in-law home officially. "I'm sorry, but there is little time for pleasantries." Elizabeth said as she grabbed her. "Jane will kill us if we are late for our appointment. We must go get beautified."

"Oh dear, will there be enough time. I don't think five hours will suffice. It will take a miracle." Will said as both women stuck their tongues out at him.

"See if I ever make you breakfast in bed again Will Darcy." With that they were out the door. As soon as they were gone Will called Charles. He had a few things to take care of himself before the big evening.

The ladies enjoyed their spa day immensely. They were treated to every kind of relaxation and then underwent the hours of primping and styling. When hair and make-up were complete they made their way back to Elizabeth and Will's apartment. They were all going to get dressed together so that they could help each other. They only had an hour left and the men laughed as the ladies rushed in the door. "No need to hurry. We have an hour until the limo arrives." Charles said as they flew by him.

"Only an hour! That is so little time." Jane said in response to her husband. Both men shook their heads and went back to watching the basketball game on TV.

While the ladies were dressing, the doorbell rang. Will answered it and allowed the men inside. They had a large case with them. His surprise had arrived. He greeted his friend and invited him to sit on the couch. The men with the case chose to remain standing, so he let them.

"Who is at the door Will?" Elizabeth said from the bedroom.

"That is our surprise, but you ladies better hurry and finish dressing."

"We will be right out. We are just putting on the finishing touches." Will laughed and returned to the couch to await them. When they finally emerged from the bedroom, all the men in the room were speechless. Charles was the first to get up and walk over to Jane.

"You look magnificent my darling." He kissed her on the cheek and then complimented the other two ladies.

"Won't you say something Will?" Will stood and walked over to his sister who was dressed in a pale yellow gown with spaghetti straps. He kissed on the cheek and told her how beautiful she looked. When he looked next at Elizabeth, he couldn't think of anything to say. She was stunning. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a mass of curls. Her lips were red like her dress, but it wasn't the dress that he noticed first. It was her eyes. Elizabeth did a little spin and when Will saw the back he took a deep breath. He was going to have to keep a close eye on her tonight.

"Do you like it?" She asked innocently. All Will could do was nod his head while Elizabeth and the rest of the group laughed.

"I told you it was the perfect dress Lizzy," Jane said from the other side of the room.

"Now are you going to introduce us to your guests?" Elizabeth asked.

"I almost forgot. Charles and I thought the evening wouldn't be complete without a little sparkle, so my friend here has brought over a few things to add to your outfits. Not that you need any additions." With that, the two men with the large case revealed the jewelry that was inside their case. All of the ladies were speechless. "Now these are only on loan, but I am told all of the celebrities borrow their jewels. Please choose what you like." The ladies each chose the perfect jewels to emphasize their dresses. After one last dress check, they all waited for the limo to arrive. They didn't have to wait long, so when the doorbell rang, they gathered their coats and made there way downstairs.

The banquet hall was beautiful and Elizabeth felt like a princess. There were flowers everywhere, and an orchestra was playing soft music as people mingled. The owner of Business Today, Robert Green, greeted them when they came in the door. He shook Will's hand and then Will introduced Elizabeth and the rest of his family and friends. Someone came to take their coats and Mr. Green led them to their table. Elizabeth held tight to Will's arm as she passed many important people on the way to the front table. She did not want to embarrass Will, so she kept her head up and plastered a pleasant smile on her face, although those who knew her could tell she was scared to death.

Will looked down at Elizabeth and knew that she was scared. She was not usually the type to fear strangers, but from the look in her eye he knew that she was scared to death. When they were allowed to sit at the table Will was granted a few minutes to speak to Elizabeth. "Are you okay darling?"

"I'm fine. I just don't want to mess anything up. This is your big night and I want you to look your best."

"Elizabeth, by having you on my arm, I look my best. You have nothing to fear. You will dazzle everyone. Now get rid of that fear and kick in the confidence I know you have inside you." Elizabeth smiled. Will kissed her then stood to talk to several people that had come up to the table. Elizabeth took a few moments to collect herself, and then stood up next to Will. She smiled at the group as Will introduced her to everyone. She knew that she had to put on that brave face, and even if she wasn't totally confident, Will's support helped a lot.

It wasn't long before the ceremony began. Everyone took his or her seats and Mr. Green got up to the podium. He spoke about Will and all the wonderful things that he had accomplished in his young life. He also spoke about Will's father. Elizabeth looked over at Will with pride and could have sworn that she saw tears in his eyes when his father was mentioned. She squeezed his hand and he smiled. She was his strength as much as he was hers.

"And without further ado, please welcome Business Today's youngest ever 'Businessman of the Year' Mr. William Darcy." Mr. Green said as the magazine was revealed behind him.

As Will spoke Elizabeth had to hold back her tears. He talked about how he had gotten to the place he was today. "I couldn't have gotten here today without the support of all my friends and family. They have stood by me through the good times and the bad. There is one special person, however, that I need to thank. She may not have been a part of my life for very long, but I can't imagine a life without her. She is my strength and has made me the man I am today. I want to thank my wife for her support and love. Elizabeth, I love you." Tears flowed from Elizabeth's eyes as she looked up at the man on the stage. He was everything that she could ever have asked for and more.

After the awards ceremony, dinner was served. They were given a few moments to eat their dinner before Will was whisked away to meet all of the other guests. Elizabeth stood and walked over to where her sister was standing.

"Oh Lizzy, this has been a glorious night. You look beautiful and Will's speech was amazing."

"Oh Jane, it has been a wonderful evening. Too bad I haven't been able to spend much of it with my husband. He has to meet everyone in the room." Jane put a comforting arm around her sister. The orchestra began to play the last number of the evening and Charles came to get his wife for a dance. When Jane hesitated, Elizabeth pushed her along.

"Go dance with your husband." She watched Jane dancing with Charles and smiled.

"It is too bad you aren't dancing." A familiar voice said from behind her.

"Well it seems my husband is very popular this evening and cannot spare the time to dance with his wife. Not that I mind of course. He is a very important person."

"Well then, I think this important person needs to dance with an even more important one." With that Will grabbed Elizabeth's hand and led her to the dance floor. In his arms Elizabeth was content. Everything was right in the world. The night had been magical and now she was dancing in the arms of the man she loved. Will tightened his hold of her as she laid her head on his shoulder. Everything else disappeared as they danced.

On Monday morning Elizabeth awoke in Will's arms. Emma had made herself comfortable nestled between their legs, so it was very crowded with the three of them on the bed together. Elizabeth had plenty of time to get ready for work, so she took a leisurely shower. As she was stepping out of the shower, she heard Will's alarm go off and him sigh. She walked out into the bedroom just as he was getting up. "Good morning Will. We are going to have to do something about Emma. Perhaps we should get her a bed to sleep on. We could put it in the corner so she would at least still be in the same room. Three makes things a little crowded."

"I agree and I am tired of waking up with a drool spot on my leg." Elizabeth laughed and said that she would stop at the pet store on the way home from work. She finished getting ready and then kissed Will goodbye. He told her that he would see her later and that he would pick up something for dinner on his way home.

Elizabeth stepped out of the apartment and picked up the subway to her office. It was so nice to have life back to normal. There was no more excitement and she was relieved. She needed a time to relax. At her office she was met with tons of messages as usual. It had taken a few days to settle back into her office, but from the look of things, everything was back to the way it should. Her mother had called several times and there was a stack of articles on her desk waiting to be read. She decided to call her mother first and get it over with while she had energy. Her mother was as usual full of gossip. "Darling, have you seen the paper this morning." When Elizabeth said she hadn't, Mrs. Bennet told her to open it to the business section. She decided to humor her as she flipped through the paper. When she got to the business section there was an article about her husband and next to the text was a picture of them dancing. The caption below the picture read

"An Award of the Heart: William Darcy, CEO of Darcy Corporations and this year's Business Today's 'Businessman of the Year, and wife Elizabeth dance after an emotional speech given by Darcy." Elizabeth smiled and told her mother she had to go. She immediately called Will and told him to open his paper. They discussed the article for a few moments, but they both had meetings so the conversation was short.

Elizabeth met Jane for their usual lunch date. It had been a long time since they had been able to do this, so she was happy to be able to meet her. They talked about the article and many other things. Jane mentioned that she and Charles were looking for a new apartment and Elizabeth said that she would be happy to go apartment hunting with her. Elizabeth looked at her watch and saw that she had to get back to work, but when she stood up, everything started spinning. She sat back down and rested her head in her hands.

"Are you okay Lizzy?" a worried Jane asked.

"Just a little dizzy. Could you get me some water? I will be fine in a moment." Jane handed her a glass and Elizabeth sipped the water. She began to feel better as she drank the water. "There's, no need to worry. I am feeling better already."

"I still think you should go to the doctors. Remember what happened the last time. You ended up in the hospital. At least let me call the doctor and make you an appointment for a check up."

"There is no need. I feel totally better." She went to stand up, but everything started swimming again. She was so dizzy that she couldn't stand anymore, and then everything went black. Jane caught her as she slumped to the ground. She called for a waiter and asked him to call 911, and then she tried to revive Elizabeth. When the paramedics arrived, Elizabeth was just coming awake.

"Really Jane, I don't have to go to the hospital. I am feeling much better."

"Elizabeth Darcy you are not better and I know you hate the hospital, but you need to have yourself checked out."

"I have just been overworking myself. I will be fine." Jane would not hear of it as the paramedics finished checking her vitals. The paramedics said she was ok, but they wanted to take her to the hospital to make sure. Elizabeth put up a fight, but Jane refused to listen.

When they got to the hospital, Jane called Will at his office, but couldn't reach him because he was in a board meeting and there was nobody answering. "Doesn't anybody answer the phone?" She said in frustration. She left messages with Will and with Charles and then went to await news of her sister. She also called Elizabeth's office and explained the situation. An hour later, Elizabeth came out with a dazed look on her face. "Are you okay Lizzy? What did the doctor say?" Jane said as she went to her sister.

"Jane, I can't believe it. I can't believe I didn't know."

"What?" Elizabeth smiled and looked up at her sister.

"I'm pregnant. I guess I have been so busy that I didn't realize it. Oh Jane, I am going to have a baby." Jane threw her arms around her sister and hugged her. "They said I was free to go, so let's go home." Jane called Will and left another message saying that they were going home and to meet them there. When she and Elizabeth arrived back at Elizabeth and Will's apartment, she helped Elizabeth into bed against her protests. "I'm pregnant, not sick."

"Well pregnant women need there rest. Will will be home soon I'm sure, so why don't you rest until he gets here. I am so happy for you Lizzy. I am going to be an aunt!!" Elizabeth smiled and said goodbye to her sister. When Jane got back downstairs, her cell phone rang. It was Will.

"Jane, what happened?" Will said in a worried voice.

"Is Elizabeth okay? Please tell me."

"Elizabeth is fine. She just overworked herself. I just left her resting in bed."

"Oh thank God. When I got your message my heart stopped. Apparently my secretary had gone to lunch, so there was nobody to answer the phone. Are you sure she is okay?"

"She is fine, now go home to your wife." She hung up the phone and smiled. There couldn't be a more deserved joy for two people who had been through so much.

Chapter 37

Posted on Thursday, 16 June 2005

Will cursed as he sat in traffic. He had gotten the call he feared most, and he just wanted to be next to Elizabeth. Jane assured him that she was okay, but he needed to see for himself. Why hadn't his secretary been at her desk? He would have to remember to speak with her tomorrow. "What is the hold up?" he yelled in a frustrated voice. He knew he could walk faster than he could drive home, but he couldn't just leave his car in the middle of the street, as much as he wanted to.

After about twenty minutes he finally pulled into the parking garage of his building. He raced to the elevator and pushed his floor. The elevator seemed to be moving as fast as the traffic outside, and it also stopped on almost every floor. As the floors rose, so did his anger. It was as if he wasn't meant to get to his apartment. Finally, the door opened to his floor and he ran down the hallway. He fumbled with the keys, but was finally able to get the door unlocked. Emma met him at the door, but Will ignored her as he made his way to the bedroom. He quietly went into the room and found Elizabeth sound asleep on the bed. He did not want to wake her, so he undid his tie and took off his shoes. He did not want to leave the room, so he sat down on the bed next to her to watch her sleep. He brushed the curls away from her face and then watched as she shifted in her sleep. She was so beautiful and he didn't want anything to ever happen to her. She had been through more than anyone deserved in her lifetime.

Elizabeth awoke about an hour later and found Will lying next to her. It took her awhile to wake herself up. She put her arms around her husband and snuggled up close to him. Will held her tight and stroked her back. "You scared me Liz. Then, when I couldn't get to you, I was so afraid. If only my secretary had been at her desk to get Jane's call. I am going to fire her tomorrow. What if you had been seriously injured or something had happened to Georgiana. I need to be able to be reached. To think, I was in a Board meeting talking about marketing plans, while you were in the hospital. Oh Elizabeth, I am so sorry." Elizabeth hugged her husband tighter.

"Will, you had no way of knowing that this would happen. There is no need to fire your secretary because I am sure she had a perfectly good reason for being away from her desk. I am fine, more than fine in fact." Elizabeth smiled up at her husband. "There is something that I must tell you."

"But, you must have been scared. I know how you hate hospitals. I should have been there with you."

"You can't be there every second of every day. Things may happen, but there is nothing you or I can do about it. Jane was with me, so it is okay. Don't you want to know what the doctor said?"

"But Elizabeth, you were hurt before because I wasn't there, and now this."

"Will! You are not to blame for that and you know it. Now listen to me because there is something I need to tell you."

"What is it? It isn't bad is it? You didn't find out that you have something horrible? You know you can tell me. I can handle it. Tell me what it is? Jane said you were overtired. I knew we should have taken more time off after we got back from Europe."

"Will, please! Calm down. It is not what you think. The doctor had some good news. Darling, we are going to be parents." Will was speechless. He looked into Elizabeth's eyes and watched as tears fell down her face. He couldn't believe it.

"What did you just say?"

"I said we are going to have a baby. I'm pregnant. I can't believe that I didn't know, but I guess it is because we have been so busy, but it is true. You are going to be a father." Will was still stunned, but finally Elizabeth saw it kick into his brain. He looked at Elizabeth and smiled, and then he hugged her.

"I can't believe it. Really? We are going to have a baby? Oh Elizabeth, I love you so much."

"You aren't disappointed that it is so soon? I mean we have only been married for a short amount of time."

"How could I be upset? You are going to have a baby. I am thrilled. I love you so much Elizabeth. You must rest and cut back on your hours at work. Also I don't want you lifting anything heavy. We must make an appointment to see the doctor."

"Will, calm down! I'm pregnant, not an invalid. There will be some changes that have to be made, but I can still do most things." Will pulled her closer to him and they sat in silence. He casually drew his fingers across her stomach and imagined the life that was growing inside of her.

A little while later, Elizabeth mentioned that she was hungry and that they should think about dinner. Will told her to stay in bed and that he would go fix dinner. Elizabeth, who was grateful that Will was going to make dinner, had to admit that she was more tired than she wanted to be. She hoped that she would feel up to going back to work in the morning because she could not afford to take anymore time off. She decided to try and get some more sleep while Will prepared dinner, so she shut her eyes and fell back into a light doze.

Will checked in on her while the water on the stove was boiling for pasta and saw that she was fast asleep. She was so precious to him, and knowing now that she was caring the product of their love only made her more so. He pictured what it would be like on Sunday mornings when they could all sit in bed together as a family: he and Elizabeth with a little girl or a little boy in between them. He didn't care if it was a boy or a girl, as long as it was a healthy child. Will knew that one day he wanted children, but he didn't dream that it would happen so fast. There were so many things to do to get ready for a child. The apartment alone needed to be redecorated because of the numerous hazards waiting to happen. He looked around and realized how long it had been since there had been a change to the place. He decided that this was the perfect excuse for a change because with a new life, there needed to be new surroundings. Maybe they could think about moving outside of the city to a house. Of course the commute would be inconvenient, but did he really want to raise his child in the city? He pictured having a back yard where Emma could run and he could teach the child how to play baseball or to swing on the swings. These things could not be done in a New York apartment. When did he become so domestic? Will laughed.

"What are you laughing about?" Startled, Will looked up to see Elizabeth standing in front of him.

"I was thinking."

"So that would explain the smoke."

"Ha ha, very funny. Seriously though, I was thinking what if we moved into a house. There would be more room to raise a child and we could have some breathing room from the big city life. We couldn't move very far because of both of our jobs, but I think it would be nice to live in a house again."

"Since when have you lived in a house? Judging from the places I have seen, you have either lived in mansions, vacation homes, or elaborate apartments." Elizabeth laughed. "Seriously though, I think it is something to think about, especially with a baby. I grew up in a house in Maryland and I spent countless hours outside with my sisters and the kids in the neighborhood. The city would be stifling for a child. I think that we should really look into that."

"That settles it then. We will start house hunting." Will hugged Elizabeth and then led her to the kitchen. The water was boiling, so he added the pasta while Elizabeth set the table.

The next weekend, Elizabeth and Will set out to look at several houses that their agent had picked out for them. Elizabeth was shocked at how fast things had come together, but was excited nonetheless. She looked forward to decorating her own house for her own family. She had moved directly out of her parents' house into an apartment, so this was a first for her. It really brought her life into perspective. Even though they didn't find a house on the first day, she was not discouraged. She knew that when they found it they would know it. Jane and Charles were meeting them for dinner in the city, so they had to hurry back into town in order to have time to get ready for dinner.

At dinner they talked all about the plans they had for the future, including the house hunting and the new baby. Elizabeth and Jane made a shopping date to go shopping for baby things while Will and Charles rolled their eyes, although Will was secretly just as excited about buying things for his new baby. While they were eating dinner, Will's cell phone rang. When he looked at the number, he saw that it was from London, so he excused himself to take the call, saying that he would only be a minute. The remaining three continued to talk all about babies and new houses. When Will returned to the table, he did not look happy. "What's the matter Will? Is there something wrong?" Elizabeth asked.

"It seems that there are some problems at the London office. The publicity staff is having problems with the new line's promotional series and I am afraid that I am going to have to go to London for a few days."

"Can't they fix the problem on their own? Why do you have to be there?" Elizabeth asked, not happy at the news.

"Well, it seems like the new man I hired to oversee this is not doing his job, so I am going to have to go in and oversee this major release until a new person can be hired. This is a very important line for the company, and I cannot afford to have this fail. You understand Elizabeth don't you?"

"I understand, but I don't like it. I hate it when you have to go on business trips. How long will you be gone?"

"The new line is set to be released a week from tomorrow, so I should be back in a week, pending there are no more problems. I am really very sorry about this, but there is nothing I can do. Charles, I trust you can hold down the fort at the office until I get back. Never again will I hire someone for a job this important without more knowledge of them. I let someone else do the hiring while we were on our honeymoon and I should have known better."

"Of course I will make sure everything runs smoothly at the office while you are gone, but surely this is not because you didn't hire him. I know that Mr. Ambrose came highly recommended. I am shocked that he has failed at what he was hired to do. You being away does not explain this. I am sure there must be some other explanation. Regardless, this is not the time to talk of business. We are here to have a good time are we not?"

"Agreed, now back to better topics. We were supposed to see some more houses on Saturday, but I am afraid that I will not be here. Do you mind going by yourself Elizabeth?"

"If you like, I will go with her." Jane volunteered. "I love looking at houses and would be glad to go along."

"Oh Jane, that would be a great help. Thank you." Elizabeth smiled at her sister.

That next weekend Jane and Elizabeth looked at house after house but there was still no luck. "I don't think I will ever find something I like Jane."

"Of course you will. Just give it time."

"Well, there isn't much time. I was hoping to be moved in before the birth so that I could have everything set up for the baby. Our apartment is big, but I have a feeling it will get much smaller with all the things that a baby needs." The agent saw that her client was getting frustrated and wondered if the next house would be to their liking. The house wasn't officially on the market, but the couple was a friend of hers and they were leaving New York to go back to the Midwest. The agent knew that the house would go quickly once it was on the market because of the large amount of property and the sheer beauty of the house. If she were in the market to buy a house she would snatch it up right away. "Now ladies, the next house I want to show you has to be between you and me. I don't normally do this, but for you I am going to make an exception. There are friends of mine who are going to be moving who own a house that is not on the market yet and I think you will love it. I'd buy it myself if I could. Regardless, I will give Mr. and Mrs. Clifton a call and see if they would be willing to show it to you. I think it fits perfectly with what you are looking for. Excuse me while I make that call." When the agent returned, she was smiling. "They said that they would love to show you their house. They love the house so much and are sad to move, but they moving back home to be nearer to their children. The Cliftons are elderly and cannot take care of such a big house on their own anymore.

The agent drove them the short distance to the house and once they approached, Elizabeth knew in an instant that this was the house she wanted. The house was an older house, but in wonderful condition. There was a wrap around porch on the front and a large front yard. The agent pulled into the driveway and the Cliftons met them on the front porch. Elizabeth admired the couple and thanked them for letting her see the house. She apologized for the absence of her husband and then followed the couple inside the house. When they walked into the door she immediately fell in love with the place. There was a large foyer with a staircase that led upstairs. Everything was tasteful and not extravagant.

"The house has six bedrooms upstairs and four and a half bathrooms. We have a large family, so it was nice to have so many bedrooms when they came to visit. Please let me show you the house." Mrs. Clifton said as she led them into the living room that was just off the main foyer to the left. The living room was large with a big bay window.

Elizabeth pictured herself in this room entertaining family and she got even more excited. Also downstairs, they visited the dining room, family room, kitchen, and study. Upstairs they first went to the master suite, which was wonderful. There were large cathedral ceilings and many windows that Elizabeth liked. She missed being able to open windows in the spring and hear the sounds of nature. The only sounds she could hear in New York City were the sounds of sirens and cars. Also in the suite was a sitting room and master bathroom. The closet was huge and doubled as a dressing room.

Elizabeth loved everything. As they visited the other rooms Elizabeth knew that she had to have this house. Each room had something special about it and Elizabeth found that charming. It made the rooms unique and she looked forward to decorating them. When they went downstairs she was able to see the finished basement that had been turned into an entertainment area. She knew that her husband would love this. The best part of the house, although, was yet to be seen: the back yard. The Cliftons led them out back first into a sunroom that was very cheery and then onto a deck that overlooked the back yard. There was a large grassy area with a great tree in the corner of the yard. All around the porch and the fences were trees and gardens that made it their own little world. In one corner there was a pond with gold fish, and in another there was a rose garden. Elizabeth loved everything about it. She knew that she couldn't make any decisions without her husband, but she couldn't help but want to make an offer that minute. Jane also agreed that it was perfect, so Elizabeth did the next best thing. She took out her cell phone and called Will in London.

"Elizabeth? Is everything okay?" Will said in a sleepy voice when he answered the phone. She had forgotten the time difference in her excitement.

"Yes Will, everything is fine. I just had to call and tell you that I have found our house. It is perfect. The couple hasn't put in on the market yet, but our agent is a friend and they agreed to show it to me. I wish you could be here to look at it. I know you will love it just as much as I do. The agent is talking to them now about holding off selling it until you get back. I don't know if they will agree."

"Elizabeth I want you to do what you have to do get the house if that is the one you want. I trust your judgment on this and I am sure that I will love it too. I will be back home on Monday and we can finish all the paperwork. See if they will be willing to sign a temporary agreement until I can get there and finalize things. You are a smart person and the agent will help you will the price offer. If you let me talk to her I can tell her what I am willing to offer." Elizabeth handed the phone to the agent and then went to talk to the Cliftons.

"I love this house and my husband and I would like to make you an offer. I know it is not on the market yet, but I know that this is the house in which I want to raise my family. We are expecting a child in a few months and we want to be able to have a house to bring him or her home, so will you please consider selling me your house. I know that we have never met before, but I know you are good people and you can know that we will take good care of this house." Mr. and Mrs. Clifton smiled at Elizabeth and then excused themselves to go discuss with each other. Elizabeth talked with her agent who was preparing the offer while still on the phone with Will. The Cliftons returned shortly and Elizabeth held tightly onto Jane's hand as they awaited the answer.

"My dear, we have decided that we would love for you to have this house. We saw your face light up when you entered the house and that is what we want for our house. We want someone to love this house as we have loved it and we are sure that you and your husband will do just that. We must admit that we are familiar with your husband's reputation. My husband recently retired from a company that dealt with your husband's company a great deal and he always spoke well of the business he did with them." Elizabeth had tears running down her cheeks at this point. She shook both of their hands and the agent was left to negotiate the offer. Fortunately, the Cliftons agreed that the final price could be decided when Will returned from London in two days, so Elizabeth did not have to worry about the financial part of the deal. She thanked the couple once again and then Elizabeth, Jane, and the agent left to return to the city. Everything was falling into place.

That Monday, when Elizabeth picked up Will at the airport she was so excited to tell him all about the house. He agreed that they would call the Cliftons when they got home and set up an appointment with them to see the house and then finish all of the paperwork. Will still had not seen the house, so he was anxious to see where he would be living. He knew that Elizabeth was happy about the house, so that was all that really mattered to him. He would live with her in a cave if that were what would make her happy. When they got home, Elizabeth called the Cliftons and she was happy to tell Will that they had been invited for dinner because their agent was already at the house visiting and agreed to do the deal while they were all there together. This was excellent news to Elizabeth because that meant that they were all the closer to moving in. She was excited to show Will the house and she knew that he would fall in love with it just as she had.

When they pulled up to the house, Will inspected it and smiled. Elizabeth had made the perfect choice. "It is wonderful Elizabeth. I couldn't have picked a better house myself."

"Wait until you see inside." Elizabeth said as she led him up the front walk. As they waited for the Cliftons to answer the door, Will inspected everything about the house. The house had been inspected earlier that day at the insistence of the Cliftons, so they were assured that all the foundations were sound and that there were no termites. All that was left to be done was agree to a price and to sign the papers. They decided to leave the paperwork until after dinner, so that they could enjoy a nice dinner. They talked about the different aspects of the house and Elizabeth inquired about their future plans. The Cliftons had explained that they were originally from the Midwest and had moved for business reasons. Their entire family sill lived in St. Louis, so they wanted to move closer to them in their retirement. Elizabeth told them about her family and how important they were to her, so she understood their move. Will was happy to find out that Mr. Clifton had once done business with his company, so they talked of that to a great extent.

After coffee and dessert, they decided that it was time to take care of business. Will put out an offer and luckily the Cliftons agreed to it without a fight. They knew it was fair, so the papers were signed without a fight. Elizabeth was happy at this because she liked the Cliftons and did not want to fight with them. They discussed the rest of the details and it was decided that the house would be theirs in thirty days. The Darcys were happy at the quickness of this, and the Cliftons explained that they had planned to move that soon anyway because they didn't want to have to be there while the house was shown to many people. They had decided to let their agent take care of everything, so when she called with the news that she had people interested in seeing the house, they jumped on the opportunity.

Elizabeth and Will were quiet on their way back into the city. They were happy with the many changes that were happening in their lives and looked forward to the new beginnings. Although all of these new beginnings had a lot of work that came with them, so they would be very busy for the next couple of months, but it was all for good reasons.

Chapter 38

Posted on Wednesday, 30 November 2005

The next thirty days went by in a haze between buying furniture, getting ready for the move, and getting ready for a baby, there was little time for anything else. Elizabeth's parent's and sisters were coming up to help with the move and to set up house which was supposed to be helpful, but turned out to be more work because Elizabeth felt like her mother was trying to take over and if she had to tell one more person that she was only pregnant and that she didn't have to sit down all the time she was going to scream. When she couldn't take it anymore she went out into the back yard and sat down under the tree. She just needed some space from everyone. The house may be big, but it wasn't big enough.

Meanwhile Will wondered what had become of Elizabeth. He knew that she needed some space, but it had been quite some time and there was still no sign of her. They had to get the rest of the bedroom furniture set up so that they would have a place to sleep that night. He looked out the back window and saw her sitting under the tree. As quietly and carefully as possible he slipped out the back, hoping he hadn't been spotted by Mrs. Bennet or one of his younger sister-in-laws. He made his way over to Elizabeth and she smiled up at him and motioned for him to sit down next to her. "I'm sorry I ran off like that. I was just so frustrated that I needed some space." She leaned her head back against the tree and closed her eyes.

"I know you are frustrated. It is a lot to handle when everyone has opinions about everything. Just remember that this is your house and we have the last say on everything. Your parents are only staying three days and then you can rearrange everything to your liking. Plus, you have to go to work, so that will give you a break from them. I fear what will happen while we are working, but perhaps we can come up with some projects for her to do while we are working. Your father is here also and he can help with her."

"I know you are right and you must think me a horribly selfish person, but I want this house to be the way we make it. I think we can go back in now. I am feeling better. Will helped her up and then put his arm around her shoulder as they walked back to the house. It turned out that having to work was a blessing. Each morning Elizabeth left a project for her mother to do, and there were only a few things that she had to change when her family finally left to go home.

As Elizabeth was helping her mother pack to go home Mrs. Bennet said, "Lizzy, your father and I are willing to stay the whole week if you want us to. I know you will be busy with work and we can't have you overtiring yourself again. You have to think of the baby."

"I'm fine mother. Will is here to help me and Jane and Charles will also be here. There really isn't anything more for you to do. You have been a great help, but really the rest of the furniture isn't going to be delivered until the end of the week and I have hired a decorator to help me, so I won't work too hard. Have a wonderful flight home and give my love to everyone. I will see you in a few months." Elizabeth hugged her mother and then said goodbye to the rest of her family. Will was driving them all to the airport and Elizabeth was staying at home to await the decorator who was coming that evening. The house seemed huge without furniture in most rooms, so Elizabeth looked forward to filling them. Will had stuff in storage that he was having sent over that weekend, so they would have more furniture and things. As of now the only rooms that were complete were their bedroom and the kitchen.

When Will came home he found Elizabeth and the decorator discussing paint colors for the living room. He decided that he would leave her to it and went in to make some tea for them. When he heard Elizabeth bid the decorator goodbye he came into the room and gave her a hug. He rubber her growing stomach and then gave it a kiss. "Do you think the baby will like it's new house?" Will said lazily.

"I am sure it will love it. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow remember."

"Of course. I will be there at 12. Oh I almost forgot. I have a present for you."

"A present?" Elizabeth looked at Will and he smiled and then left the room. When he came back he was carrying a trunk that looked very old. It had hand carvings on it of a fairy princess and her night.

"Oh Will it is beautiful. Wherever did you find such a thing?"

"It was mine as a boy. Mrs. Reynolds had it sent over when I called her and told her the happy news. She thought it might be nice in the nursery."

"It is absolutely gorgeous."

"Open it up." Will said. Elizabeth undid the latch on the chest and inside she found a beautiful christening outfit.

"Oh Will, was this yours? It is beautiful." Elizabeth carefully removed the garment and held it up.

"Yes, it has been passed down for generations. I thought our baby could wear it too."

"That is a wonderful idea. Thank you." Elizabeth hugged Will after he set the trunk down on the floor. He led her to the sofa in front of the fireplace and they both drank their tea and stared into the fire, happy to have peace and quiet for once.

The next few weeks went by very quickly between work and fixing up the house. Elizabeth was getting bigger every day and she swore she wouldn't fit through the door if she kept growing at the rate she was growing. They had a doctor's appoint that afternoon for a sonogram where they might be able to learn the sex. Elizabeth was excited to see her baby, so she arrived early at the doctor's office. Will arrived a few minutes later and they walked into the examining room together. Elizabeth got undressed and got ready for the examination. Will held her hand as the doctor prepared the sonogram.

"How have you been feeling lately?" The doctor asked. She continued asking routine questions and then told her that they were going to do the sonogram. "The picture should be coming up in just a moment." They waited for the screen to change and then there it was. Elizabeth and Will were amazed. They didn't really know what they were looking at, but they knew that somewhere in the moving picture was their baby. "Would you like to know the sexes?" Elizabeth and Will looked at one another. Elizabeth was the first to smile and nod her head.

"Yes, doctor please tell us if it is a boy or a girl." Will said as he gripped Elizabeth's hand tighter. They would soon know if they were going to have a little girl or a little boy. It didn't matter to either one of them, but they were excited to know.

"Well let's see ... hmm just as I expected." The doctor seemed to be talking to herself and Will and Elizabeth patiently awaited an answer.

"You are having a boy and a girl."

"What? Which one is it?" Elizabeth said confused. Will also looked confused.

The doctor smiled and looked at them both. "Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, you are having a boy and a girl. It is twins. I should have known earlier by the size of your stomach Mrs. Darcy. Sometimes babies like to hide behind one another so it is hard to see if there is more than one, but it is quite plain to see now. There are two distinctive heartbeats. See right here, this is the boy and this is the girl." Will and Elizabeth didn't speak for several moments. They stared at where the doctor was pointing. Twins! They couldn't believe it. They finally thanked the doctor after she gave them a few more instructions and some information about twins. Elizabeth got dressed and they left the office together.

"I can't believe it Will. Twins." Elizabeth finally said as they walked toward the car.

"I can't believe it either. Who would have thought? I guess we will have to rethink the nursery plans now." He helped her get into the car and then walked to the other side and got in the car. "I bet everyone will be in for a great surprise. How shall we tell them?"

"I don't know. We could have a dinner party and let everyone know. You can invite your friends from work and I'll invite mine. I think I will call my mother right now and she will take care of the rest of the world." Will laughed and Elizabeth got out her cell phone. The phone rang twice and her mother answered.

"Hello mother, it's Lizzy."

"Elizabeth Darcy what a surprise. I didn't expect to hear from you since you barely ever call your poor mother who worries about you so much. You must know my nerves can't take this. Perhaps I ought to come up and stay with you until after the birth. That way I can help you..."

"Oh no mother. I am perfectly fine. Besides I wouldn't want to take you away from all your responsibilities at home. I know how important you are to the community. I have plenty of help up here." Will tried to keep himself from laughing as Elizabeth tried to talk her mother out of coming up here. If Mrs. Bennet came up for that long he feared he would have to move out. Luckily Elizabeth was successful in talking her mother into only coming for the birth. "Mother I need to tell you some exciting news. Will and I found out today that you will getting two grandchildren instead of one: a boy and a girl."

"Oh Lizzy!! I am so excited. Twins!! That is wonderful. Guess what everyone...Lizzy is having twins. Lydia where is your father? Tell him to come in here. Her mother yelled into the phone and Elizabeth had to hold the phone away from her ear as her mother went on and on.

"Mother, I have to go. Give everyone our love. I'll call you in a few days." She wasn't sure if her mother heard her, but she hung up the phone. Will took her hand and they drove towards Elizabeth's office. He kissed her before she got out of the car and told her that he might be late. "Alright Will. I'll see you when you get home."

The next few months went by quickly and Elizabeth and Will anticipated the birth of their twins. The house was finally finished and the nursery anxiously awaited its new inhabitants. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet were due in at the airport tomorrow at seven and Will and Elizabeth were enjoying their last evening alone before the house was turned upside down. Elizabeth tired very easily these days and was sore all over. She had been to her doctor earlier that day and was told that it could be any day now. She tried to hide her nervousness, but Will knew she was scared. He helped her support her back with some pillows and then massaged her feet and she groaned in happiness. "That feels wonderful Will. Don't stop please." Will laughed and continued to massage her feet.

"We really should pick some names for our children. We don't want to have to call them baby boy and baby girl." Elizabeth laughed and agreed that they needed to decide on some names. Will pulled out the list they had made of all the possible choices they had, but it was quite a long list.

"I always thought I would know the names I wanted to name my babies, but this is really hard." As Will read the list aloud they crossed off more and more names. They each came up with some suggestions but turned them all down. They had fun coming up with several funny names and tried them out for size, but decided they had to be serious, so they returned to the list. "Well we agreed not to name them after ourselves, but what if we gave them our names for their middle names?" Elizabeth suggested

"I think that is a wonderful idea. We now need to find names that go with William and Elizabeth." They scanned the names and Elizabeth got out the big book of baby names. Everyone had been giving her suggestions ever since she told people she was pregnant, but nothing had stuck out. She flipped through until she stopped. "What about Abigail?"

Will tried the name. "Abigail Elizabeth Darcy...hmm I like it. We can call her Abby. That is a very cute name. So are we naming her Abigail?" Will looked up at Elizabeth and she smiled and nodded.

"Abby is a beautiful name. I can't believe we have decided on a name for our little girl. Any luck with boy names?" Will shook his head and they both went back to searching.

"What about Connor, Connor William Darcy?" Will suggested. Elizabeth tried the name out and then tried it out with Abigail.

"Abigail and Connor Darcy...I think they are perfect." Elizabeth smiled and Will knelt down in front of Elizabeth and pulled her to him. They both placed their hands on the restless twins and told them each their name.

"I think you should go to bed. You are going to need all your strength these next few days." Will said to Elizabeth. He helped her get up of the couch, which was quite a challenge. Her hand went to her back to help against the pain that was her constant companion. She started to walk towards the stairs when a sharp pain hit her. "What is it Elizabeth? Are you okay?" Will looked terrified at the sight of his wife in pain.

"I think our children liked their names so much they want to make an immediate appearance." Will ran upstairs to get Elizabeth's bags and then helped her into the car. He called Jane and Charles and they told him they would meet them at the hospital.

At the hospital Elizabeth was checked into her room and Will helped her count the minutes between her contractions. The doctor came in and examined her. "It is good to see you again Elizabeth. Who would have thought that a few hours after seeing me we would be here?" Elizabeth tried to laugh, but another contraction hit her hard. Never had she felt such pain before. Will felt so helpless as he watched her go through the pain. "Everything looks good Elizabeth. You are dilated to six centimeters and have quite a few hours to go. Would you like to talk to an anesthesiologist about something to take the edge off the pain?" Elizabeth said that she could handle the contractions now, but wanted to know that pain medication would be possible later. The doctor told her that she would send the anesthesiologist in to her in about an hour. If she felt like she needed it sooner to let the nurse know.

Shortly after the doctor left Jane and Charles arrived. Elizabeth was happy that her sister was there with her and Will was grateful to have Charles's support. The pain got worse and worse for Elizabeth as time passed that she did agree to take something for the pain so that she could rest up for the birth. Jane called Mr. and Mrs. Bennet to tell them the news. They were of course disappointed that they would miss the birth, but Jane assured them that Elizabeth was doing very well.

After many, many hours Mr. and Mrs. Darcy welcomed two healthy babies into the world and no two parents could have been happier. They were content to sit and watch their children sleep after they were both placed in Elizabeth's tired arms. Will kissed Elizabeth and said, "I am so proud of you Lizzy." Elizabeth smiled and then yawned. She was exhausted and very close to falling asleep. The nurses told them that they were going to clean up the babies and asked if Will would like to come. He looked to Elizabeth who nodded and Will followed his children out of the room after giving Elizabeth another kiss.

Elizabeth was kept in the hospital for several days to monitor her health. She was kept longer because the doctors wanted to make sure that nothing went wrong, knowing her past health problems. When she was finally released Will gathered all of her belongings and the nurses placed little Abby who was quite feisty and had a head full of blonde hair in her arms followed by the much more subdued Connor who only had a few wisps of dark hair. Abby looks just like Georgiana when she was a baby, except for the eyes which are just like her mother's" Will said as he packed the rest of the diapers.

"Well Connor looks just like you, so there is no mistaking who the father is of these children. I suppose I will have to let my boyfriend know that it is too bad they aren't his." Will stuck his tongue out at her and grabbed the final bag. "Who would have thought two little people as small as them would need so much stuff.

When they arrived at home, the whole family was there to greet them and welcome them home. Everyone wanted to see the Darcy children and they took turns passing them around. After about an hour Elizabeth with the help of Will took them upstairs to feed them and put them down for a nap, something she wouldn't mind having herself. Will told her he would deal with everyone downstairs and that she should rest. They would be without sleep for quite awhile that it was best to get all the rest she could now. After tucking Abigail and Connor into the bassinets next to their bed he tucked Elizabeth in and kissed the tip of her nose.

"Goodnight mommy."

"Goodnight daddy."

Epilogue

Posted on Wednesday, 30 November 2005

The new family settled in nicely to their new home. A few years later they welcomed a new little brother and Jane and Charles provided four girls as cousins. They Darcy's watched their children grow up and their lives flourish. Abby, being the only girl took advantage of the fact and had her father wrapped around her finger. There was nothing that he wouldn't do for his daughter. The two boys of course were quite successful in getting what they wanted as well. Mrs. Reynolds was able to see all of the Darcy children before she passed away and it was a very sad day that they said goodbye to her. They never could quite find someone to run Pemberley as well as Mrs. Reynolds. Georgiana enjoyed doting on her little niece and nephews and spent a lot time with them. She was later married to a kind and gentle man who suited her perfectly. They decided to move to England and take care of the estate business there. Will was sad to see his sister go, but he was happy that Pemberley would be in good hands. What started with a blind date resulted in a lifetime of love and happiness. The couple who didn't even want to meet found they couldn't live without one another and they thanked their lucky stars (and Jane and Charles) everyday for joining them together. They spent many happy times together and all lived happily ever after.

The End

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