Joan Blake's dark eyes swept bemusedly over the crowds of people, both young and old. She wondered, absentmindedly, whether she had ever seen so many people in one room. Eyeing the petite fours that sat proudly on the refreshment table, Joan decided that only her sister, Penelope, could throw such a feminine anniversary party for their very unfeminine friend.

Kaylee Cole had been married to David Cole for fifteen years. Joan shuddered. She could hardly keep her countenance when talking to David for fifteen minutes. There was such a pomposity in his manner, an arrogant edge to his words that gave Joan an inclination to resort to violence.

She spared him, though. More than likely he could hardly hold himself in a fight, verbal or physical whatsoever. Joan didn't particularly want to provoke him into such a battle of the wits; there was danger he would fall into praise of his esteemed patroness, and Joan rarely found herself in the mood to discuss the many, many windows of her estate, or how excellently she advised certain shelves to be placed in certain closets.

Joan fixed her eyes on Penelope. She, too, had been married for fifteen years, to a Mr. Jesse Bailey. Jesse was everything charming and amusing, and Joan was truly happy for them. They certainly deserved the continued happiness of their marriage, having undergone so many trails and interferences. Joan thought of a man of her acquaintance for a few moments, but quickly dismissed him from her thoughts.

Many a time, late at night, staring the ceiling, Joan felt entirely alone. She couldn't even pretend she was happy anymore. Hell, she wasn't even content, and at least Kaylee was content in her atrocious marriage!

Joan's mind wandered far back in time, fifteen years ago. She was so romantic then, dreaming of gallant knights on horseback riding her off into the sunset. Joan scoffed. Perhaps she hadn't been that bad. She remembered, in a clarity that startled her, one late night talk with Penelope.

"I am determined," she had said, "that only the deepest love will induce me into matrimony."

And Joan hadn't broken that promise. She had never married, never been in love, and never questioned this vow until as of late. Joan was thirty-six, an old maid! If didn't fall in love and accept a proposal by the end of the evening, she may as well give up.

Joan immediately challenged that thought. She couldn't have become that desperate.

She noted, with some hope, and perhaps some vanity, that she wasn't completely devoid of charm. Joan had received, in her time, four marriage proposals. Two of them were actually from each of two identical twin brothers, who were really very nice men, but they finished each other sentences, lived in the same house, and were inseparable, that Joan reasoned she couldn't possibly tell them apart if she wanted to.

Another one had been from David Cole, before he and Kaylee were married. His patroness had decided it was high time for him to have a wife, and Joan honestly had no idea why he had picked her from his best friend's cousin's friend's daughters. She supposed he put all their names in a hat and her name had been the first to be drawn. Her mother, ever the matchmaker, could not have helped the situation.

The last man to have offered his hand to her was probably the only man that had truly loved her. But oh, how she despised him at the time! She blamed him of cruelty towards a man, and separating of her sister and Mr. Bailey, two accusations that she had honestly thought were justified. To her mortification, he came to her the next day and explained that the man she though he had been malicious to was really a villain. He said that he had truly had thought that Penelope had no feelings, mistaking her shyness as indifference.

Slowly, she had justified everything he had said. He was no longer a monster. But he was still an ass. Joan had told him so, and Kyle Darlington walked out of her life forever.

Well no, not forever. Joan's youngest sister, Leslie, feel victim to the aforementioned villain, and Kyle had saved her, and then proceeded to bring Penelope and Jesse back together. Joan had discovered this quite by accident, and when they met again at Penny's wedding, she was too in awe and perhaps embarrassment to meet his eye.

Joan sighed. Would've it really been so bad, now that she knew he was a decent man? No. She would've have been miserable, even less content than she was now.

Joan thought of her love life, or lack thereof. It didn't seem quite fair. Everyone her age would've already been married by now, already with kids and kisses and bliss. What was wrong with her? When did this small problem spin so out of control?

00

Kyle had finally given up on trying to not stare at Joan Blake. It was impossible; his eyes traitorously strayed back to her petite form on the sofa whenever they were somewhere else for more than ten seconds.

She was as beautiful as ever, with her sparkling dark eyes and infectious laugh. Tonight, however she was unusually subdued. Joan sat gloomily on the sofa, staring into to space. She was thinking, he could tell, even from across the room. Kyle remembered that peculiar tilt of her head.

Kyle couldn't stand it any longer. He walked stiffly over, sitting next to her. Startled, Joan looked over at him with surprise.

"Kyle." She said. Despite the indifference of her tone, it felt wonderful to hear his name coming from her lips.

"I was wondering if you are truly as unhappy as you appear." He winced. It was a touch too blunt than he had intended.

Her expression hardened. "Spare me the concern, please. I am far from being as despondent as you, sir, so there I'm afraid we cannot sit dejectedly together. If you do desire my company, you better prepare yourself for actually conversing with me. "

"Would you like to go outside?" He asked, not quite sure where his words were coming from. She arched a brow at him, and he explained, "For a walk." Silenced ensued for a moment, but she nodded and followed him out the French doors to the patio.

They didn't exchange any words of serious conversation as they walked through the garden, sticking to mundane, safe topics that really held no interest to either of them. Each was distracted by the other's presence, not quite sure what to make of their actions.

Joan looked up through the trees at the moon, shivering. Without a word Kyle shrugged off his jacket and placed it on her shoulders. Joan mumbled a thank you, but wondered if he had heard her. Kyle continued to look impassively forward.

Suddenly Kyle turned towards her. "Joan, I love you."

Joan colored, and looked at him with wide eyes. How could he still love her, after fifteen years? It was impossible. He was out of his mind. She should get away from this insane person; just walk away and never let him enter her life again.

She didn't move. "Kyle, I…" Joan looked up and saw his piercing gaze. "I don't know what to say." She finished, trembling, feeling very much like twenty-one instead of thirty-six.

"I just wanted you to know." He said this very quietly, and Joan strained her ears to hear him. "And, I guess…I want to know if there's any hope you could care."

Joan was thoroughly amazed. She had no idea of what she thought of him. He was a good man, a gallant one at that. He was reserved, that was true, but it was mere shyness, not pride. On many occasions he had exposed a sort of dry sense of humor that Joan found appealing. Of course, everyone would think she had lost her mind, pursuing a relationship with one of biggest snobs of their acquaintance. But he was so sweet…

Joan nearly laughed. She was weighing the pros and cons like an accountant.

Looking up into his anxious face, Joan decided that yes, she could learn to love this man who had waited fifteen, maybe even sixteen years for her to realize what a fool she had been.

And that's when she kissed him.

A/N: Well, A hope you like this sweet one-shot. I had an inkling that basically consisted of: why is it that the Elizabeth and Darcy figures are always so young? And so that is why I wrote this. I also wanted to escape writing chapters for both of my other P&P fanfics.

In case you didn't guess, Joan is Elizabeth, Kyle is Darcy, Jesse is Bingley, Pennelope is Jane, Kaylee is Charlotte, and David is the bumbling Mr. Collins.

I would be eternally grateful if you would review. )

Becca