Because of advice from a friend, I have decided not to immediately publish stories after I write them. Instead I put them away for a few weeks then bring them out for a final edit. So I wrote this a few weeks ago and am quite satisfied with it.

Enjoy!!

"Lizzie I don't understand why you're so upset," Charlotte said reasonably, sitting at the island to her friend's small house.

"I knew, I knew he was a bastard, but I didn't say anything," Lizzie said, angrily slamming the pots she was washing.

"But its not your fault he went after Lydia," Charlotte protested.

"Do you know why he went after Lydia?" Lizzie said, turning to look at Charlotte, who shrugged. "Somehow, Wickham found out that Will loved me. By going after Lydia, he knew Will wouldn't want to be associated with a family that involved him. And he could get back at me in one fell swoop."

"Why would he want to get back at you?"

"A few months ago he told me he loved me. We ran into each other at the mall. I was furious; I spent a good five minutes yelling at him, after I slapped him. Then I called security and he spent the rest of the day down at the police station. He was charged with disturbing the peace and public intoxication."

"Oh, that's a bit awkward then. He told you he loved you, then went and knocked your sister up."

Lizzie nodded glumly, "just a bit."

"But that doesn't explain one thing."

"What is that?"

"Why you almost fainted when Lydia said that Will Darcy was with Wickham when he proposed, and why you've been re-reading that letter over and over again." Charlotte watched in amazement as Lizzie went from red to white in about five seconds. She gasped, "You're in love with him?"

Lizzie dropped that plate she had been drying, bending to pick up the broken pieces she mumbled, "no."

"Yes you are! Oh, I should have noticed before, you avoiding talking about him, Rosings, the fact that you conveniently forgot to mention you saw him in Derbyshire last month…it was all there!"

"Fine."

"Lizzie, that's wonderful! Everyone knows he loves you. I mean when you and Jane stayed with Charlie he stared at you the whole time, and you were the only person he talked to besides Charlie and Caroline."

"It seems everyone knew he was in love with me before I knew," Lizzie said cynically.

"What do you mean?"

"I had no idea he even liked me until he told me he loved me when we were at Rosings."

Charlotte's eyes widened, "What did you say to him?"

Lizzie laughed contemptuously, "I had just found out from Caroline that it was Will who convinced Charlie to break up with Jane."

"You didn't…"

"Yep. I told him I hated him, never wanted to see or hear from him again, and then proceeded to tell him that I thought he was a selfish, heartless, and vain excuse of a human being. Then I slapped him and left.

"He wrote me a letter to 'explain his motifs'. George Wickham got his sister Georgiana pregnant when she was fifteen; Georgiana miscarried, but was heartbroken, and has major trust issues. After Charlie's party Caroline cornered Will, who was drunk, and convinced him that Jane didn't love Charlie, and that they should encourage him to break up with her. Will agreed, then passed out. By the time he woke up Caroline had done her work and Jane and Charlie were broken up. I misjudged him Char," Lizzie finished quietly, wiping tears from her eyes.

"What happened in Derbyshire then?"

"He was…amazing. Polite, an amazing host, friendly…everything he wasn't last fall. Everything was perfect until we heard about Lydia, I left thinking I'd never hear from him again. Then Lydia comes back telling us Wickham had proposed and they were going to get married, and that Will was there with Wickham. I was shocked, I thought he was going come back and…I don't know. But it's been a month, I guess neither him nor Charlie are coming back, I expected Charlie to come back…but I guess not."

The girls were silent as Lizzie stared out the window into the starry July night and Charlotte fiddled with her drink.

Their silence was interrupted by a knock on the door, "I'll get it," Lizzie grumbled, taking her rubber gloves off. "Charlie," she said in surprise when she opened the door.

Charlie just stood there fiddling with his baseball cap Lizzie waited patiently for him to speak. Suddenly out of the darkness behind Charlie came the amused voice of Will Darcy, "say 'hello' to Lizzie Charlie."

"Hello," Charlie mumbled, still fiddling with his hat.

Chuckling, Will stepped behind Charlie, "now say why you're here."

"I need to see Jane," Charlie said so fast the words tumbled over each other.

"She's in her bedroom, you can go on in. it's the second door on the left, just knock first."

Lizzie stepped aside to let Charlie rush in. "What's going on Will?" she asked the tall dark-haired man still standing outside.

Will laughed, "let me in and I'll explain."

Lizzie led him into the kitchen where Charlotte was rummaging through the fridge, "Lizzie," she called, not looking up. "Where's that stuff you made for dinner the other night? The green nasty-ish stuff? I just saw Charlie run through here, he looked a little spooked." Poking her head around the door, she spotted Will. "And I was just leaving, Maria's expecting me."

"Bye Char," Lizzie said as her friend winked at her before leaving. "Do you want anything to drink?" she asked Will, who was making himself comfortable in the seat Charlotte had just vacated.

"Water would be great."

Lizzie got two glasses and began filling them, "so?"

"I'm only here because I had to drive Charlie down. He was so nervous his hands were shaking. He's going to beg forgiveness, then if all goes according to plan, propose," he clarified.

Lizzie gasped, "Propose? As in getting married proposing?" Will nodded, "that's so sweet! She better give him hell for a while though, he deserves it."

Will laughed, "it has been one hell of a year. Can you believe we met you last September?"

Lizzie nodded, "yeah, so much has happened. Look Will, about Lydia…"

"I don't want to hear it. It's in the past," His face was unreadable.

Lizzie sighed, "fine." Glancing at her sister's bedroom door she continued, "do you wanna go for a walk, we should probably give them some privacy."

Will nodded and followed Lizzie out of the house, "where are we going?"

Lizzie shrugged, suddenly she grabbed his hand and begin pulling him down the road, "We'll go swimming!"

"It's eight o'clock at night!" he protested, but didn't pull his hand away.

"I know the beach will be empty. It'll be great!"

They held hands all the way into the center of town; they were crossing the street when someone behind them called out, "Elizabeth!"

Lizzie turned, "Oh, hello Gabriel," she said, wincing slightly.

"I just spoke to your mother! She said you were free to go out on a date with me tomorrow night, is that true?"

Panicked, Lizzie glanced at Will, "I uh…"

"Sorry, Gabriel, was it?" Will said politely, but coolly. "Lizzie and I are going to dinner with some friends of mine tomorrow night."

Lizzie let out a relieved sigh, glancing thankfully at Will. Will grinned and squeezed her hand in response. Gabriel caught that and stared at their joined hand dismayed. "Maybe another night?" he suggested desperately.

Lizzie shook her head, "I doubt it."

She pulled Will across the street, "thank you. You're my hero!"

Will laughed, "he reminded me of Bill Collins."

"They were friends in high school," Lizzie giggled.

They sat on the beach and took off their shoes, "are you sure its safe?" Will said skeptically.

"Of course!" Lizzie said making her way to the end of the dock. With an impish grin at Will she clambered up on to a post and dove in, disappearing under the water.

She re-emerged, laughing, "Come on Will!" she called, treading water and grinning at him.

He shook his head and dove in, appearing next to her. "Lizzie," he breathed. "It's been three months since Rosings, and I…I just need you to know that I've thought about what you said, and I completely agree."

"Agree? With what?"

"I was rude and selfish and heartless. And in Derbyshire I tried to show you I could be a good person…but you were there for such a short amount of time. I just need you to know, even if you still feel the same, that I… I love you. Even more than in April, if that's possible. If you still hate me I promise never to speak of this again…"

"I never hated you," Lizzie said softly. She reached up and smoothed his hair back, "and right now…my feelings for you are precisely the opposite of hate." She smiled at him softly, "after I got your letter I thought about it and you for a long time, and was decidedly horrified at my actions, I can't believe I misjudged you so. Do you know why I acted so dreadfully towards you?" Will shook his head; "I liked you when we first met. I had talked to Charlie about you and thought you sounded like a wonderful person. I was terribly offended, more than I ever admitted, when you snubbed me. I decided that you weren't worth my good opinion, and looked for anything to use against you."

"It wasn't that hard, I was in a terrible mood that week," Will interrupted. "I understand, Lizzie. And all is forgiven."

"Good 'cuse there's something I've want to do for a while."

"What?"

Lizzie silenced him with a kiss. It was short, sweet and loving. "I love you Will," Lizzie breathed.

"I love you too, Lizzie."

Please, please review if you liked it, and even if you didn't please leave a review telling me why. I always want to improve my writing