A/N: Hey guys and welcome to my first ever Pride and Prejudice fanfic! I read it for English and I didn't enjoy it at first. But when we watched it I understood it more. Then read it again and fell in love with Mr Darcy! So, enjoy!
Mrs Bennet was in the sitting room along with four of her daughters. Jane and Elizabeth were discussing possibilities for Jane's wedding dress, when they were interrupted by Mr Bingley.
All of the girls rose and curtsied. Mr Bingley bowed and the girls returned to their seats. Mr Bingley wore a grave expression, very unlike the usual happy one he had worn ever since his engagement to Miss Bennet. "I have come bearing some bad news. Mr Darcy told me he is going to throw himself off the cliff. He did not explain why and I do not believe he wished me to tell you this. I thought you might know how we can prevent him from doing so." Mr Bingley said.
The Bennets' reactions were mixed. Mrs Bennet looked at Mr Bingley with a false expression of sorrow. "Oh, how terrible this must be for you, Mr Bingley." She said. Kitty and Mary exchanged looks; Jane instantly glanced at Elizabeth who wore a horrified expression. "You must tell me which cliff and take me there at once." Elizabeth said to Bingley, rising to put on her cloak. Her mother looked at her in confusion but Elizabeth ignored her. She rushed out of the room with Bingley behind her.
"I am very sorry, Miss Elizabeth." Bingley said, once they were outside. Elizabeth stopped to look at him. "It's not your fault, it's mine." She replied. Bingley helped Elizabeth to mount his horse. "The cliff is about a five minute ride and this is the fastest horse I own. Good luck, Miss Elizabeth."
Elizabeth gripped the horse's reins in her hands tightly and off she rode. She had never been fond of riding but it was the only way she could get to Darcy in time. She hoped. If I had not rejected him twice this would never have happened. I have caused him pain time and time again. When will I ever learn from my mistakes?
In minutes the cliff was in sight. It was covered almost entirely by trees which meant that she was unable to spot Mr Darcy. Elizabeth's heart began to pound as she stopped under a cover of trees and dismounted the horse. Elizabeth ran through the forest until the cliff was visible.
There he was. Standing near the edge of the cliff facing her was Mr Darcy. He had his eyes closed; an expression of pain was visible upon his face. "Mr Darcy!" Elizabeth shouted but Darcy's eyes did not open. Elizabeth ran into him, almost knocking him over. She clung to him so he didn't go anywhere. Mr Darcy's eyes remained closed but he smiled as he inhaled. "Mmm, this cannot be. It smells just like Miss Elizabeth Bennet. I must be dead." He said.
Elizabeth tightened her grip on him. "You're not dead and neither am I! Open your eyes!" Elizabeth ordered him and slowly he opened them. "Now, would you care to explain as to why you were about to throw yourself off a cliff?" Elizabeth asked him.
Darcy took a deep breath, trying to order his thoughts. "I felt life wasn't worth living if you did not want me. No woman has ever held the amount of attention that you hold for me." He answered.
"I am very sorry for all of the pain I have caused you." Elizabeth said.
Darcy looked at her, curiosity in his eyes. "I have a question for you: Why did you come here and save me?" Elizabeth stared at him in shock. He hurriedly continued, "I'm glad you did though."
"I don't know. When Mr Bingley told us, we all reacted differently. My mother pretended to be concerned, Kitty and Mary looked at each other, Jane glanced at me and I was horrified. Bingley lent me his horse so I would hopefully get here in time." Elizabeth explained.
Darcy stared at her in amazement. "I thought you couldn't stand me. If that was true, you wouldn't have saved me." He said finally. Elizabeth blushed at his comment.
"I didn't realise that I had been lying to myself until I heard you were going to throw yourself off the cliff." She replied.
Darcy smiled at her. "What have you been lying to yourself about?" He asked her gently as he carefully unwound her arms from around him. He thought he knew what she'd been lying about but he it would have been better to hear it from her.
"I've been lying about how I feel…" Elizabeth's whisper trailed off.
"How you feel about?" Darcy asked, smiling in encouragement. She took a deep breath and tried again. "I've been lying about how I feel… about you." She whispered.
Darcy bent his head towards her ear and whispered, "How do you feel about me, Elizabeth?" Elizabeth shivered as his pleasant, warm breath tickled her ear. She loved the way he said her name. "My feelings are so different to the other day. I am actually grateful for what your feelings have been towards me because no-one has ever had those feelings for me." Elizabeth confessed.
"That's not a proper answer." Darcy teased her. "Answer this question with either a yes or no: Do you like me?" Elizabeth was taken aback by this question.
"Yes." She said simply, despite the colour rising in her cheeks. Elizabeth took his right hand, lifted it to her lips and kissed it. She had never noticed before how soft his hands were.
"Miss Elizabeth, I still love you very much. As much as I did last April. As much as I did a few days ago. That will never change." Darcy admitted to her. Elizabeth smiled at what Darcy said. "This must be a dream because no man would still be in love with a woman who has rejected him twice."
Darcy stared deep into Elizabeth's eyes. She gasped as she understood his expression: love. He had meant it when he said he still loved her. Elizabeth gently squeezed Darcy's hand, encouraging him. This is it; she wants me to ask her again. I can tell by her expression. Darcy saw that Elizabeth was looking at him with love in her eyes. It was something that he never thought he would see. Darcy took two steps back, letting go of Elizabeth's hand.
He got down on one knee and took her left hand in his own. "Miss Elizabeth. I have said this before but I will repeat it again as it's true. I love you, most ardently and not wish to love another day without you. Please will you marry me?" Darcy smiled up at Elizabeth.
She gasped. The first proposal had been a surprise because she thought he couldn't stand her and because of their differences. The second proposal had also been a surprise because no woman is ever given a second chance. And yet, here she was being given a third chance. Elizabeth smiled down at the man whom she had recently learnt to love. "Yes, of course I'll marry you!" She said.
Darcy's face broke out into a wider smile as he fumbled in his pocket. He pulled out a little black box and opened it. Inside was a simple gold ring with a diamond in the centre. He slipped it on her ring finger and stood up. "Thank you." Darcy said and kissed the ring on her finger.
"Thank you for giving me a third chance." Elizabeth replied, still smiling. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. "This is the happiest day of my life. I wonder what my family will say." She added.
"Don't worry about your family, we'll work something out. My dearest Elizabeth! I have never been so happy." Darcy said and he wrapped his arms around Elizabeth's waist. He bent his head towards her and his lips finally touched hers. They kissed with a passion that was so new to both of them. Elizabeth deepened the kiss and twisted her hands in his luxurious hair.
Darcy was the one to pull away much to Elizabeth's surprise and disappointment. "I needed to breathe. It's easy to forget when you're like this with me." He explained with a smile which made Elizabeth blush. "Sorry, I think I might have lost some of my self control. That was amazing." Elizabeth sighed.
"What should I call you, Miss Elizabeth?" Darcy asked her. Elizabeth considered before answering. "You can call me Lizzy, everyone else does."
Darcy smiled at her. "I love you, Lizzy. More than words can say." He kissed her again.
When they broke apart, Elizabeth had a question for him. "What should I call you, Mr Darcy?"
"You can call me Fitzwilliam, seeing as that is my first name, although most people call me Darcy."
"Fitzwilliam." Elizabeth breathed, liking the sound of the name. Darcy liked the way she said his name. "You have heard my name before; I put it in that letter I gave you when you were staying with the Collins's." He reminded her. Elizabeth had actually forgotten all about that letter.
"I forgot all about that letter long ago." She said apologetically.
"I'm glad you don't remember what it said. I'm still ashamed of what I wrote."
"Don't be. I think we ought to return to Longbourn with the good news that you're alive." Elizabeth smiled, unwrapped her arms and loosened her hands in his hair. She took his hand in her own.
"That's not the only piece of good news. Our engagement." Darcy reminded her as Elizabeth led the way through the forest to Bingley's horse. Darcy helped Elizabeth climb onto the horse and then he climbed up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. The newly engaged couple rode off in the direction of Longbourn.