Hey, something I was playing around with in my head. It's just a one-shot at the moment, but it might become a multi-chapter story, I haven't decided yet. Let me know what you think, if you enjoy it tell me because it gives me warm fuzzies, and if you have suggestions to make it better, tell me about those too!

Just to clarify, this is a Modern AU, diverging from the classic plot line when Darcy doesn't get the nerve to tell Lizzie that everything he did to help Lydia was for her, they just become friends (instead of realizing they both love each other) There you go!

Elizabeth Bennet did not lose control. She did not break down. Elizabeth Bennet did NOT cry.

Yet as the toast and cheering and dancing swirled around her, that is exactly what she was about to do. She had to get out of there. No one noticed her leave, everyone's attention was focused on Jane and Charles, who were both glowing with newly acquired marital bliss and making goo-goo eyes at each other. No one noticed her leave, except one person, who watched her leave the room, and followed after a moment later.

Elizabeth lengthened her stride the moment the ballroom was out of sight. Blinking away hot tears that were filling her eyes she pushed through the double doors, out into the gardens, breathing in the cool night air. Quickly she strode down the path until she found a bench tucked off to the side and collapse upon it, no longer able to keep her composure she let the tears fall.

This was ridiculous she chided herself. It's not like Jane died, or moved out of the country or something. Her sister was now iridescently happy and Lizzie was trying her best to be happy for her, and truly she was thrilled her sister and Charlie finally got together. But now Jane was married, and all the assurances in the world couldn't make Elizabeth feel like she hadn't just lost her best friend.

She heard footsteps, and a pair of shiny black shoes stopped before. "Elizabeth?" she inhaled sharply, and hurriedly attempted to wipe away the makeup she was sure was running down her face. "Elizabeth, are you alright?"

After a few moments she looked up into Darcy's concerned face, trying to keep a false smile from sliding off her own, "Will, hey, I'm fine, I just needed some air, it was really stuffy in there." Okay not her best lie.

He wasn't convinced and he sat down on the bench beside her. "Elizabeth, you're crying, what's wrong?"

They were friends now, since he'd reconnected Jane and Charles, and with all he'd done to help with the Lydia fiasco. When Lizzie had thanked him, he'd wanted to tell her it was all for him, he'd wanted to ask if she still felt the same way about him, about them, as she had last fall, but he just couldn't quite muster the courage to ask, but at least they had parted friends.

That friendship had grown as they fulfilled their roles as Maid of Honor and Best Man, helping Jane and Charlie plan the wedding. Late nights stuffing confetti into wedding invites and making most of the decisions for the all too good-natured couple definitely helped bring them closer.

Elizabeth sighed heavily, sniffing a bit, "It'd dumb…" she told him, trying to shrug it off. "It's just all these wedding emotions flying around, they've gotten to me is all, figures, I'm more like my mother than I thought!"

"Lizzie," He looked sternly at her, (he was the one person who called her Elizabeth normally, and Lizzie when he was being serious) "I can tell it's not that, please, you can tell me." He stared at her intently, and she could see he wasn't going to let it go, he really did care how she was doing.

"Jane-" the tears came back with a vengeance, "It's just she's married," Elizabeth sobbed burying her face in her hands again. "It's going to be all different now." She told him, her voice muffled. "We can't just stay in our pjs, eat Chinese food, and watch old movies for an entire weekend without talking to another human being. I won't be able to just go jump on her to wake her up in the mornings I miraculously wake up before her. I can't go talk to her at three in the morning about how our mother is certifiable and driving me insane. And I love Charlie, I really do, but I feel," she shook her head, "I feel like he's stealing my best friend, and I'm going to be all alone…"

Darcy wrapped his arm around her shaking shoulders, and Lizzie curled into his chest, her tears sliding down her face and dripping on what she was sure was a very expensive suit. "It's going to be okay," he told her sincerely, "It will be different, but Charles is hardly going to lock your sister away from you forever now is he? I'm sure there is very little the man could do to keep the two of you apart, even if he had any desire to, which I assure you he does not."

"I know, I know, I'm being dumb." Elizabeth nodded, sniffling. She felt so embarrassed about Darcy seeing her break down like this, though the arm he had wrapped comfortingly around her was making her feel a bit less so (which was funny, she did not like to be touched, especially there). That arm (and maybe the flute or two of champagne she'd had close to pre-break down) was infusing her with warmth, and was slowing making the world seem less like it was about to end.

They sat in silence for a while and tears eventually subsided. Unwillingly Elizabeth drew herself to sit upright and unfortunately out of Darcy's embrace. "Thanks Will." She told him softly, smiling gratefully.

"Better?" He smiled gently; patting her back reassuringly, the way she arched slightly away from his hand escaped his attention, which was fixed on her face.

"Yeah." She nodded, though it sounded a bit like she was telling herself to be, "We should get back, Charlie looked pretty eager to escape when I left.

Darcy chuckled, a warm sound, as he stood up, offering his hand to help Lizzie up and escort her back to the reception. "Yes, I do think he wouldn't mind having Jane to himself. Your sisters, I believe, have been very diligent chaperones."

"On Dad's orders I'm sure." Elizabeth laughed, pulling her phone out from a pocket (because what vintage bridesmaid dress doesn't have pockets) to check her reflection in the screen. Her makeup wasn't as much of a mess as she had feared, and was quickly fixed.

She allowed Darcy to walk her back to the party, where the newly married Bingleys were indeed looking to depart shortly. "Lizzie, where'd you go? We couldn't leave before saying goodbye to you!" Jane told her, pulling her into as much of a bone crushing hug as the slight woman could manage, she was one of the few, if not the only person that Lizzie hugged like that. Jane glanced at Darcy and grinned, "Darcy was with you?"

"Yes, we were talking." Lizzie rolled her eyes, her sister was still convinced that Will loved her, though Elizabeth was fairly certain (and perhaps a little disappointed) that he thought of her only as a friend now. "Ugg I'm going to miss you!"

"We're only gone for two weeks; I'll be back in no time." Jane promised earnestly.

"You swear?" Lizzie asked, blinking away tears.

"On Cary Grant's perfect hair." Jane assured her, swearing on what they both acknowledged as flawless and forever.

"Love you!" Elizabeth squeezed her sister tight one last time before regretfully letting go of her.

"Love you too!"

Jane went to hug their Darcy goodbye, and Charlie walked over to Lizzie. "You take care of her, you hear." Elizabeth told him, side-hugging her new brother-in-law. "Otherwise you'll have me to deal with, okay?"

"I wouldn't dream of crossing a Bennet woman, former or present." He promised, knowing how hard it was for the two sisters to part.

"I knew my sister married a smart guy." Elizabeth gave a watery smile as "Bye!"

Charlie collected his bride from her father and fawning, sobbing mother, and the two of them walked arm in arm through a torrent of confetti, out the doors and to the waiting limo outside. Elizabeth watched them go and sensed someone coming up behind her. "They'll be back." Darcy told her, touching her arm comfortingly. "Don't worry."

"I know." Lizzie nodded, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "Gosh I feel like my mother right now!"

"I think you're holding up a bit better." Darcy teased, looking towards the table where Mrs. Bennet had collapsed sobbing, Mr. Bennet patiently patting her hand and waiting for it to pass. "Though, Jane did leave me with very specific instructions for your care."

Elizabeth turned around to look at him confused. "What?"

"I'm serious," He said, taking out a piece of paper from his jacket pocket and reading from it, "Apparently if you have no other plans for tomorrow night we are supposed to watch either Sabrina or Casablanca, and then the next night we are supposed to watch something called Downton Abbey…" He let his eyes wander down the page. "She's made plans for us for every single day she and Charles are gone." His brow furrowed, "Though I am assuming some of these are jokes as it would be rather inappropriate for us to have a sleepover and you jump on me to wake me up…"

Elizabeth laughed, shaking her head; it took her a while to calm down enough to breath. "Oh Jane," tears of mirth ran down her cheeks as she held her sides. Darcy handed her the paper, to prove he wasn't making this up, and he wasn't. Jane's neat writing assigned an activity for the two of them every day, all things that Lizzie would miss. There were several nights where she and Darcy were to watch the sister's favorite old movies and British Television shows. Jane had even scheduled the pair to go shopping at vintage stores all over town, which was something the two girls did almost weekly. The next Saturday apparently Darcy and Lizzie were going to the theatre to see the modern take of Much Ado About Nothing, that she and Jane had been excited to see, tickets were already purchased in her and Darcy's name.

"So, do you have plans tomorrow night?" Darcy asked expectantly.

"You know you don't actually have to do this right?" Elizabeth told him, surprised by his question.

"Quite the contrary," He replied, completely serious, "Your sister made me swear to follow these instructions, though as I said already, I do think we'll forgo the sleepover. So shall I pick you up at seven? I do believe Georgiana has the assigned movies, we can watch it in the theatre room."

"Sure," Elizabeth smiled, "Why not," she shrugged, "I'll bring the popcorn."