A/N: This story was requested by WadeH who after reading The Star of the Morning who wanted to read a story where Jane had become that avenging angel. This is that version. I do not own Pride and Prejudice. I also do not own the quote about the star of the morning, that belongs to someone else but until he asks for it back I'll keep it. I do own the idea for the story though. The songs My Way from Sing, The Trouble with Angels by Brooks and Dunn, and Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood inspired the direction of the fic.
Before He Cheats
Lizzie had barely closed the door before Bingley started talking. "Jane Bennet, I know that I messed up and I am sure you suffered some because of what has happened. But will you marry me?"
Jane froze for a moment. Did he not realize the damage he had done? Did he think that proposing made everything magically better?
"You said I was the star of the morning, the light of your life, that I was your angel. Then you were gone without a by your leave! I was given a story of what had happened from your sisters! I got the real story from Darcy!" Jane mentally admitted that Darcy had told Lizzie not her. But that was still beside the point.
"Since the beginning, you have been too much of a coward to face me!" He had a look of shock and confusion on his face. "Jane?" He asked somewhat dazed.
"You said that you loved me. Yet you left without even a word. A coward refusing to tell me why you left. Yet you act like I have no right to be angry. No reason to strike back? That I am supposed to be calm, gentle, and content Jane? I cannot be controlled like that. You want sympathy for your suffering when it was your choice, your decision? While you had ladies fawning over you and I was dealing with heartbreak? Yet I am the one who is not being sympathetic for you?" Bingley looked like he was about to run out of the room screaming but Jane was not done yet. He had not said these things but she could read the implications of what he had said.
"Do not move. You have had your chance to talk, not that you used it, now it is my turn. I need a man who will see my value and stick around, rather than running because he does not think he is enough. I need someone who will show me with his words and actions that he cares for me. I need someone whose family will see my value. Did you honestly think that I did not notice how Caroline and Louisa acted? Acting as if money put them above those of good breeding and lineage. They acted as if they were performing some great favor to recognize me. They forget that Society places me above them. And yet you did nothing to control them. Instead, you spent so much worrying that you were not enough for me that, guess what you have turned into the man you feared. You're a coward, Charles Bingley." Jane internally winced slightly at the look on his face when she said that. She at one point had promised herself not to be hurtful to a man who proposed to her. She had broken that promise now but she could not bring herself to feel very guilty about it.
"You will find happiness again, I am sure simply because it is in your nature to search for things that make you happy. But it will not be with me. And one day, something will happen to make you realize that you missed out. That you need me. That I would have been good for you. That I understood you so well. That I never demanded too much of you. But when you realize that, I will not be there. I will not ever be there for you again. You said I was your angel, the star of the morning. Did you not remember Charles? Angels can fall. Those avenging angels can cause damage. After all isn't the devil merely a fallen angel?"The look of shock on his face at hearing that made her even madder.
"Did you not realize I had brains, Bingley? Clearly, you knew me even less than I thought you did. The sun is both gentle and harsh. You've seen my gentle nature. Did you never think enough to realize that I must have a bad side?" She laughed then at the look on Charles's face a mixture of confusion and shock, "No, and that is truly the problem, isn't it? You did not take the time to think. You saw something that you wanted and that made you feel good about yourself and you took it. Then you got bored and just decided to drop it, me. But you did not think enough to realize that is not going to work with me." Bingley at this point had cycled through most of the colors a face could turn and now appear likely to collapse.
Jane took a deep breath and tried to calm down, "Do you know what the sad part is? I still love and care about you. And from your reactions and what Lizzy has told me, I suspect you care about me too, in your own way. But you said once I deserve better, that you did not want to hurt me. Well, you did and congratulations this is me listening. Goodbye Mr. Bingley. I hope you find what you're looking for and that you figure out who you want in your life. Though it will not be me." Jane turned and left the drawing room. She had done it, after imagining this for months. She had finally been able to show Mr. Bingley what he had done to her. He had always said that he did not want to hurt her. What better revenge than to let him see what his decision had done to her? Her revenge on him had begun, but it was nowhere near complete. She started wondering what it would take to catch Colonel Fitzwilliam's eye. After all, the second son of an Earl would be a pretty nice catch and Darcy had indicated that he was a man of his word and stuck with his people. Both traits that Jane found particularly attractive at the moment. Maybe this would help Bingley grow, maybe next time he'll think before he cheats another girl out of her naive happy ending.