Don't worry. I'm still working on all my other stories. I just got this idea in my head and had to do something with it. I hope you like it, I think it could be fun!
Reminder, I don't own anything. Never have. Never will.
FRIDAY
"Decent enough!" Lizzie pulled Jane into a corner. "That's what he said about me. I was 'decent enough!'"
"Lizzie, sweetie, aren't you over reacting?" Jane said calmly.
"No, Jane! He hasn't even met me! How can I be decent enough if he hasnt even met me?"
"Ladies please come to the center of the floor." Charles's voice went over the loud speakers.
"Time for you to show what you got!"
Jane recently single, wasn't eligible for the gentlemen auction. It was Lizzie's favorite Meryton tradition. They walked to the center of the hall and saw Charlie standing center stage.
Charles Bingley was one of the city's most eligible bachelors until last year. Last year he came dow over the summer to rent Netherfield Hall, the old plantation house at the edge of the farms. He was entered into the gentlemen auction and bought up by Lizzie. Now Charles Bingley was engaged to her sister Jane, and Lizzie never felt so happy.
"Okay ladies, settle down and let me explain the rules. Each of the 12 bachelors behind this curtain have a number. I wall call the number, say three things about him, and then start the bidding. You won't see he until the entire auction is over and I call the winners." He smiled at Jane. "As a recent contestant, I can assure you all of the are scared out of their minds. Lets start the bidding."
He called out the first number, read three facts and Lizzie knew who was. Carson Lucas, her best friend in the world. She called out a number and started the bidding. Everyone knew Carson, so his price ended up high.
"Sold!" Charlie called out. "To Elizabeth! Do you plan on setting him up with another one of your sisters, Lizzie?" He teased.
"I didn't set you up with my sister. You made goo-goo eyes at her until I had to lock the two of you in an empty restaurant so I wouldn't be sick!" She yelled back and the entire hall erupted in laughter.
The auction continued and soon they were on the last one. "Number 12 is another city boy like me. He enjoys his work and has one sister."
Lizzie didn't know who this was. This man was new. She opened the bidding, and won quite quickly.
"Now lets bring out the bachelors, Elizabeth you won number one, Carson Lucas!"
Carson walked onto the stage and hopped down smiling at Lizzie. "Thanks." He whispered in her ear as they hugged.
Two through eleven were called and Lizzie anticipated meeting the city boy she would break.
"Lizzie, you also won number 12 who is none other than city legend, and close personal friend, William Darcy."
The entire room gasped as the man came on stage. Lizzie remembered hearing about him when she moved into town. Everyone loved him, and made a point to keep tabs on him at all time. Apparently his mother was from this town, his father one town over and he was rich beyond everyone's wildest dreams. She heard whispers from some of the gossip club that his yearly income could pay for their bills and taxes and still have enough to pay his own with money to spare. He was also 'decent enough' boy, so it was no wonder he was such an ass, his suit and posture and frown said it all: spoild, selfish, pompous ass.
He walked down the stairs and met Lizzie in the center of the hall.
"Mr. Darcy." She held out her hand.
"Elizabeth." He said stiffly and shook her hand.
Statue-esq? Check. Cold as the Antarctic? Check. Snob? Check. This will be perfect. All the more fun to break tomorrow. She reached onto her pocket and pulled out her address card. "Be at that address tomorrow morning at 7. That's our date."
"Date?"
"And now a reminder to the gentlemen, the ladies are planning the date they won with you. Please live up to the title of the auction and do as they ask." Charles spoke once more.
"It was nice to meet you, Mr. Darcy. I have to go. Please be on time." She smiled and punched Carson in the shoulder. "And you owe me for this!"
"Ow!" He rubbed his arm. "I said thanks!"
"I'm not talking about thanks! You owe me some free bales!"
They both laughed. "Whatever you paid for me I'll give you in bales." He conceded.
"Thank you." She bounced her voice from one octave to the next. "See you in the morning. I'm going to pay."
"See you."
She left the stuck up Mr. Darcy standing next to Carson, probably confused out of his mind.
William Darcy sulked his way across the hall. He hated being here! He hated towns like this. They reminded him of his parents, and all that he had lost.
"Darcy!" He heard Charles call out his name.
"Why didn't you tell me it would be a date?" He sighed.
"Cause I knew you wouldn't do it. Listen, you're lucky you got won by Lizzie."
"Lucky! She is totally-"
"My future sister in law." Charles said sternly. "And the only woman her who won't try to either sleep with you, marry you, or set you up with someone else."
"Wait... Sister in law?" He panicked. "She's Elizabeth Bennett?"
"The one and only." Charles smiled. "And try not to be a self absorbed ass while you're on your date with her. She'll kick your and your sorry ass to the next county."
"Charlie!" The both turned to Jane. "You will never believe what- oh." She stopped. "Hello, Mr. Darcy. Charles has told me so much. Its so good to finally meet you."
"Miss Bennett." He nodded. "I have to confess, how much Bingley talked about has been giving me a headache."
She blushed. "Well I hope you've heard nothing but good things. I have to warn you, however, if you continue to use 'Miss Bennett' as an address, you will have three very confused ladies on your hands."
"Three?" He said stiffly. He had too much on his mind to be here making small talk with Bingley's fiancée.
"Myself, and my younger sisters Lizzie and Mary. You've met Lizzie and Mary is at home this evening." She smiled.
"So you have two sisters." Two more people to ask Bingley for money...
"Oh no. I have four. But two are half sisters and they do not live in Meryton. They live in the city."
"Four." Four people to as Bingley for money...
"Yes. They enjoy a very... Different sort of life." Of course they do... I'm sure its expensive too. She sighed and then brightened. "What you need to know about Lizzie, shes tough. Shes the older brother I never had. And if you mess with her, on your own head be it."
"Whats this address that she gave me?" He fished the card out of his pocket and showed it to the two of them.
"Your date. And whatever time she gave you, plan to be there fifteen minutes early." Charles smiled. "Ready to go Jane?"
"Yeah. I have a call with the gallery in the morning, but then I'll be clear the rest if the day."
"Are you sure you want to keep that job? They don't treat you well and-"
"Yes I want to keep my job. And I still want to sign-"
"No." Charles covered her mouth with a finger.
"Should I leave?" Will started backing up.
"You're staying with us, right?" Jane said over Charlie's finger.
"Yeah."
"Then your coming with us." She smiled.
FRIDAY NIGHT
Lizzie collapsed on the window sill of her room. Mary was sleeping and Jane was staying with Charlie tonight. She was used to being alone, but when her sisters came to visit, she always missed her father. She stared up at the sky and looked at the familiar constellations.
"Now Lizzie, remember, even though the stars seem constant, they are still changing. Not so quickly that we can see it, but they are going out. And just like stars, we all have are time before we burn out."
"Daddy..." She whispered as a tear went down her cheek. "Its not time for you to burn out."
"Lizzie..." He sighed and coughed. "Stop fighting. Its my time."
"Daddy."
"I love you Lizzie." He whispered
The machines beeped and Thomas Bennett was gone, leaving Lizzie everything.
She sighed and got into bed. "Tomorrow should be interesting..."
William stared at his laptop screen. The numbers, charts, and work sifted through his mind. He had wanted to do so much more. Not just tonight, but with his life in general. But he couldn't. Not when the door knocked all those years ago.
"Mr. Darcy? I'm Detective Manson."
"Yes."
"Your parents are Ann and William Darcy?"
"Yes. "
"I'm sorry, son."
He had just graduated from college. That was six years ago. And he still could't get G's cries out of his head from when she found out. His mind then turned to Elizabeth Bennett. There was something about her that was different. She didn't know who he was, for one. And if she did she didn't care. Her eyes glowed with something too... He slammed his laptop screen down and got into bed.
"Tomorrow should be interesting..."
Before you ask;
Yes, Charlotte is a man named Carson. Wanted to mix it up a little!