A/N: And that completes my fifteen stories and fifty thousand words about Pride and Prejudice on Fanfiction. Well, now I am a certified P&P obsessed. Anyways, just wanted to say thanks to all those who have taken the time to read my works and leave your feedback. It just really means a lot.
A week, a week has passed since the website was taken down. There was some normalcy in the general household, well as normal as it can be. Mrs. Bennet was still blissfully unaware of the mystery surrounding her three daughters. At least she stopped talking about the 'most handsome man' her youngest was dating when Lydia laconically told her about a break-up. Bing was back and working out the issues with Jane, together with no interference whatsoever from whomsoever. And if Lizzie! was to be believed, they'll be making rainbows shine and angels blush in no time.
Lydia was recovering well and took a serious look at her outlook of life. She enlisted the help of her sisters and father and embarked on a journey of self-discovery. In consequence to this, a few glimpses of The Totes Adorbs Lee-Dee-Ya were showing.
Lizzie, well Lizzie, was drowned in her thesis, Lydia and thoughts about a certain C.E.O. She would often remember the day, they had toured San Francisco or the day he had worn a flowery hat and an afro wig, just for her. She would remember when he had said 'Good Afternoon, Lizzie' in such a pleasant tone. But she would stop herself there. No fantasies were coming true; she was never seeing Tolstoy with him or playing Just Dance with her lobster. Her lobster, she thought and smiled.
"What's up, nerd?" Lydia asked as she made herself comfortable beside Lizzie.
"Just editing the video for tomorrow," Lizzie said as she cast aside her laptop, "But I can do this later. What's up?"
"You don't have to do that, you know. I know you're here for me."
"I am just so sorry, Lydia."
"I know and I am sorry too," Lydia said, returning her sister's hug. "I wanted to ask you something."
"Yes?" Lizzie asked.
Lydia was silent for a few moments but finally asked, "Would you have said yes?"
"To what?" Lizzie replied.
"To Darcy," Lydia stated confidently.
"I don't know but it doesn't matter, Lydia. That's a closed chapter. Right now, I am here for you because…"
"You want to…I know that, Lizzie." Lydia cut in.
A silence took over. Lizzie shifted in her posture and took a pillow from behind her. She pulled it up to her chest and looked over to Lydia, who was still waiting for an answer. But she need not, it was written all over her face. "Well, maybe," Lizzie finally conceded.
"Do you like him?" Lydia asked, without losing a second.
"I don't like where this is going." Lizzie had had this conversation with Jane the day before and it had led her to admit the truth. The truth was glaringly obvious, obviously. Her refusal was all that was required for confirmation on Lydia's part.
"Just answer the question, big sis," Lydia stated firmly.
"Maybe,"
"I am not going to get anything from you, am I?" Lydia got up and took charge of Lizzie's laptop. "In that case, just watch a few things. I think it'll be illuminating." Ignoring all the protest from her sister, Lydia just pulled up Pemberley Digital's channel up and started the second video. "Watch these. He'll probably not approve of this. But I had to tell you, Lizzie. Your man-cake and you are just too stubborn," Lydia said and darted out of the room, before Lizzie could reprimand her for her words.
Refocused to the screen, Lizzie played the video. She watched as he appeared with huge bags around his eyes, her hands instinctively touched the part of the screen where his eyes were. Checking herself, she removed her hand almost immediately. She played the next videos and consciously kept her hands firmly tucked between her and the pillow. Fifth video and she could no longer keep calm. Seeing Gigi talk to that man, she was almost in tears herself. When Wickham addressed Gigi as peach, Lizzie quite literally wanted to squash a peach on his face. So brave, she just wanted to hug Gigi, that very moment.
And then she played the last video…No words could describe what she felt then. Her words, however, cleared how she felt about William Darcy. "You're a nut, Darcy. A mental nut, how can you not know…Never mind," she said to herself and then shouted, "Lydia, I need you here."
In the meantime, while waiting for Lydia, she watched the last video again, again and again.
"Gosh, you're blushing," Lydia said, by way of announcing her presence.
"Am not," Lizzie said and blushed even more.
"Whatever floats your boat," Lydia said and once again took her place beside Lizzie.
"Thank you," Lizzie said after composing herself.
"He is not so unforgiving," Lydia replied with a gleam in her eyes.
Lizzie just tweaked her eyes and put the laptop aside, once again. "He looks like a good guy, Lizzie. You don't want him to slip his man…"
"Okay, I get it, Lydia. You need not finish that sentence."
"That's totes how boys talk."
"I think I should call him," Lizzie said.
"Boring. You should visit him,"
"I am not going to SF anytime soon," Lizzie said as she stood up and walked across the room to where her phone was kept.
"He isn't in SF. He is at Netherfield," Lydia said as she followed her.
"Netherfield?"
"Breathe, Lizzie. He came this morning. I saaaw hiiim," Lydia said, prolonging the last sentence in a sing song manner.
"But…"
"Stop with the- buts and just go there and kiss him senseless," Lydia said.
"Lydia," Lizzie tried again.
"Lizzie, you're such a nerd. So I am going to explain this to you in simple words. You like him. He likes you. He's good and you are good. He makes you happy and you make him happy…"
"I get the picture."
"Well, then off you go," Lydia said and slightly nudged Lizzie.
"I need to think…"
"He doesn't care about that and he's not going to sue you for not coming up with big words."
"What's with all the Darcyisms?"
"I just wanted to see how far I can push this," Lydia said with a huge smile, "And Darcyism? Reason number five as to why Lizzie Bennet is … there goes my adorbs list down the drain. You better make it worth it."
"Thank you, Lydia," Lizzie said and did what she had been told- off she went.
Should I or Should I not? Lizzie kept repeating it like a mantra while she walked towards Netherfield. A walk, she thought, would help her formulate some kind of speech. But when she came face to face the person of her thoughts, all her well-crafted lines went out the window and she said, "You are an infuriating man, Darcy." He just stood there, in front of the sofa, frozen in his shoes. Lizzie continued instantaneously, "Darcy…Why haven't you asked me to call you William yet?"
"I don't understand,"
"Of course you don't," Lizzie said and launched herself to embrace Darcy in a huge hug. It took a moment for Darcy to respond but he did reciprocate the hug by folding his own hands behind her back.
"Lizzie, I…"
"Thank you, William," Lizzie said, when he could not continue.
"For what?" Darcy said as they broke the hug.
"For everything. I saw the videos," Lizzie said in a whisper.
"It was the right thing to do. But I don't want you or anyone to feel…"
"Darcy, thank you for everything…for Lydia, for Pemberley and… for just being you."
A silence was building up again, no one was leaving, nobody was backing off but the silence was there.
"Lizzie, my feelings have not changed…I…Ah… If however, you feel the same way as last year, I will never bring this matter up again," Darcy said, a gulp forming in his throat. They were standing less than a feet apart, both of them had no clue about what to do with their hands. Their eyes, however, were fixated on each other. Lizzie could not bring herself to form a coherent reply, all that came out was, "I don't, Darcy."
"Understood," he said and almost started to back off when Lizzie took his hands and said, "I don't feel the same way. In fact, it's the opposite," she said, not once her eyes left his facial features. She saw them being drawn into an eerie silence and then saw them being graced with a dimpled smile. "I like you, William Darcy and before you say anything. Those videos have nothing, well, they certainly sped up the process of me getting here, but that's it. I liked you before watching them," Lizzie said, clearing up the air before pulling his tall self down for kissing him, senseless.
They sat, cuddled, on the sofa for a little while when Darcy broke the silence, "How did you find about the videos?"
"Don't be mad at Lydia and please don't tell her I told you but she showed them to me."
"I am not," Darcy replied. His few words always spoke volumes. The entire message was conveyed in those few well meant words. Lizzie remembers the time when he had said that he won't sue her or that he doesn't care about the videos. She can't help smiling.
There is the silence again but it's mutually comfortable this time. She contemplates on how much, in that particular moment, she owes this man beside her. And the man in question ponders the same thing about the woman beside her.
"Darcy," Lizzie began.
"William," he corrected her immediately. She smiled as she continued, "William, I would have said yes, in case you were wondering."
"Yes?"
"Yes," Lizzie said, more confidently this time. She did not elaborate. If he wanted to figure out the mystery behind this one syllable, he'd have to do it himself. But as smart a man that Darcy is, he did not take long to understand and his lips twisted in a little smirk. A smoulder for Lizzie, but still a smirk.
"What! I think I am allowed to rejoice in the fact that Lizzie Bennet has agreed to go on a date with me!" Darcy said as he enveloped Lizzie into another hug.
"Yes, yes, you are," Lizzie said, "You are allowed to rejoice for a little while, at least."
"What do you mean?" Darcy asked, suddenly concerned.
Lizzie just smirked and in a perfect southern accent said, "Oh Mr. Darcy…William, dear what is your favourite dish? I shall have it prepared when you come here to pick up my dear Lizzie, tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? I was thinking today," Darcy said, enjoying those few moments in which he could out-wit his partner, until she smacked him on his shoulder.
A/N: It will be canonballed in a few days but then that's the fun thing about fanfiction.
Don't forget to Review or as I like to call it, DFTR. That's totally a thing or should be...
