Disclaimer: All rights to Disney, I own nothing

She had been coming here her entire life. Anytime anything was bothering her, it was here she would come to escape, to think, to be. The gnarled tree trunks looped through the dusty brown dry earth, moss peeked out of every nook and cranny as she sat huddled in the shelter of it's branches clutching tightly to a worn out copy of Pride and Prejudice. It had been her constant companion since the age of twelve when her mother introduced her the magical world of Elizabeth Bennet, the pages torn as she had affectionately turned them over so many times before. Why couldn't her life be like Elizabeth's? Did she not deserve to a happy ending?

Her eyes were puffy and the outlines of fallen tears from earlier in the day still visible on her face. Her worn out trusty red converse encased her feet, the soles nearly coming off. Her mother had been pestering her to get rid of them, but she couldn't, they held too many precious memories. The soft early summer air, swirled around making the wild flowers come alive. She never ceased to be amazed at the beauty of nature, the way it could be so gentle yet could produce terrifying mid summer lightning storms. Glancing around she noticed it was becoming dark, the sun was disappearing beyond the horizon causing the sky to adopt a pinkish glow, she fondly remembered what her father had always told her "Red sky at night, shepards delight, Red sky in morning, shepards warning". It would be a calm night.

Gabriella had always thought she would find her happily ever after. She thought she had found her perfect match. She never expected herself to be one of those women who left a man at the altar.

"I OBJECT"

As soon as Troy said those words her heart began to race and she fled. She had run home as fast as she could, jumped in her car and come here. The pristine white dress now lay discarded on her back seat and she had changed into her jeans and a white long sleeved t-shirt. She hadn't heard from him in years, not since he left.

Troy had been acting odd for days. He was constantly making sure no one was behind him, he no longer held her hand in public, kissed her goodnight or loved her the way he used to. She had thought he was just going through a rough stage or he was stressed. She had tried to talk to him about it but he had pushed her away continuously.

Even so, it had come as a surprise when she awoke that crisp Saturday morning in November four years ago to a bed that was empty except for the smell of his cologne and a note that said:

"Gabriella,

I'm sorry.

Love,

Troy xx"

She was only twenty years old, and it had pierced a hole in her heart, one so big it never truly recovered. She had screamed, cried, and even cursed his name before she accepted that he had left her and wasn't coming back. She had loved him with her entire being, just like she thought he had loved her.

She had never truly forgiven him for doing that. They had always been so happy, the couple who had to be pried away from each other because they couldn't stand to be a moment without eachother. Why had that changed? Why did he suddenly decide to leave? To leave and take with him her life. After he left she had moved on with her life but she was never completely whole again and for that she didn't think she would ever forgive him. She knew him inside out and him her.

He had looked different today, his boyish face had been replaced with a more masculine one, his jaw more defined and his long hair had been cut short. He had grown taller and filled out into his body, he was defined yet soft. His eyes had pleaded with hers for the split second they had been connected. A familiar spark had run through her body and she felt her body become alive for the first time since he left. It had scared her and she had run.

She awoke to the purr of an engine and the crunch of gravel, she must have fallen asleep she thought to herself. Only one person in the entire world knew of her "special place", they had been there together many times. He had been the only person she trusted enough to share it with. He was drawing closer, the darkness that surrounded her and the sound of crickets clicking informed her it was late.

"Gabi?" he called out softly "please talk to me" he pleaded with her.

She could tell by his tone of voice that he was crying. She stayed quiet, not answering his calls. She turned to face him, still sitting on the same spot. As he knelt down before her he took her hand sin his and softly kissed each knuckle and then the back of each hand.

"I'm sorry" he continued gently "I know it's not enough but it's all I can say"

"Do not call me Gabi" she said back, softly yet forcefully "you gave away that right when you abandoned me!"

"Please?" he was becoming desperate and she could hear the panic in his voice "Give me another chance, I was stupid and I didn't know what I had until it was gone" tears were now streaming down his face matching those on hers.

Suddenly he felt her lips on his, softly yet with enough force to elicit a soft moan from her. He tasted like cinnamon and summer, his tongue traced the outline of her lips silently askeing for permission which she immediately granted. She leaned towards him letting one hand run through his dark hair as the other one gripped his shoulder letting herself feel his muscles tense and relax. She let her tongue dance with his in a fight for dominance which he easily won. She hadn't been kissed like this in years. Not since him. He made her feel so loved, like there was no one else in the world bar the two of them and she had never needed that feeling more than she did now.

They only stopped when air became an issue, his hand resting on the curve of her back pulling her towards him as she nuzzled her face in his neck, she lifted her into him, brought her to his car, took her home and made love to her. Questions would wait.

Right now this was all she had ever needed, all she had ever craved and she had never felt so loved as she did right there, letting his warm embrace surround her bare body until she was coaxed into a familiar peaceful slumber. His body pressed against hers, his face in her hair and his soft breathing tickling her neck.

She had found her special place again.

She had gotten her Elizabeth Bennet ending and she couldn't be any happier!

This is a product of boredom and procrastinating... :)

Like it? I'm not quite ready to do a love scene so I left it at that. R&R

Thank you,

Ella xx