Author's note: This story is in the process of being completely rewritten. I re-read it and hated a lot of parts so I went back and re-worked the entire story. It no longer switches perspective and I think it is easier to follow. Keep and eye out for updates to this story and eventually a re-working of the sequel, "Oh What Men Dare Do!". I am not British, I have no idea how they speak or live, or how the monarchy and nobility works, so please forgive any inaccuracies. I've done my best to be as accurate as possible. The Shakespeare lines (including the title) are from Sonnet 116, Sonnet 29, a Midsummer Night's Dream, and Hamlet.

The Course of Love: A Modern Retelling of Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 2

Riding. It was exactly what Darcy needed, especially if he was most likely going to be cooped up for the day or two because of snow. He told Charles he was leaving his mobile so he could have peace and quiet, but that he would stay the trails on the south side of the estate, and close to the house, if Charles needed him. But the look of the clouds and the light snow falling as he turned to go back made him worry, and instead of a nice trot or canter, he spurred his horse into a full gallop, trying to get back to Netherfield before the storm hit. Bloody weathermen never got it right.

Charles caught up with him quickly and told him the storm was on its way. This was no preview, it was the opening number.

"Will, keep an eye out. Jane said Lizzie went running this way early this morning and isn't home. She texted and said she wasn't hurt and that she'd be home soon about ten minutes ago." Charles explained. "She might already be at Longbourn, but keep your eyes peeled."

Darcy just nodded. He was certainly going to keep his eyes peeled. Elizabeth, out in this weather? No. Darcy would not rest easy until he knew she was safe.

Lizzie was concerned when the first flake hit her. She was five miles from home at least. Hopefully this was just a little preview show before the afternoon's events, but knowing her luck, that was likely not the case. Then she remembered that Netherfield was less than two miles away. She could possibly get there before the storm, or at least in time to join Jane in driving home from what Caroline had changed to a breakfast. It was only little before ten in the morning and the snow wasn't supposed to come for hours yet. It had even been sunny when she left that morning at eight. Lizzie made it a little over a mile before the snow became difficult to see in and started to be difficult run through. It was just when she was starting to worry a bit about catching cold that two horses rode up to her.

"Lizzie! Is that you!" Charles shouted over the din of the wind.

Darcy shook his head. Of course it was her! But then, Charles hadn't spent all of his time watching Elizabeth, so he didn't know her gait and her face, half hidden though it was with her scarf, sunglasses and hood. Lizzie nodded, she was dressed for the cold and not for the wet, so needed to get inside as soon as possible.

"Charles, go on ahead, get warm clothes for us all, I'll get her." Darcy yelled and held out a hand to Lizzie. Darcy wasn't going to trust her safety to anyone else. He pulled her on the back of the horse and spurred the animal on. A shock of electricity ran through him as she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his back. Not a very good rider or horse lover, Lizzie practically had his waist in a vice grip but she did not care. The horse was better than the storm, but only slightly. She had to admit, Darcy felt very fit and had a pleasant, faint woodsy scent. Finally, the noise died down along with the wind. Darcy noticed that she didn't release him, and finally realized that Elizabeth had her eyes shut and had no idea that they were safely in the stable.

"Elizabeth?" Darcy said softly. "I can't breathe. You have to let go."

"Sorry." Lizzie blushed and released him. He got down and helped her down almost effortlessly. "Thank you."

Darcy was surprised by how light she was. He felt like he could scoop her up and take her to his room and – no, he would not go there. He could not. So lost in his thoughts and remonstrations, he took a moment too long to reply to her soft thanks.

"No problem. I thought this bloody storm wasn't supposed to hit until later." He shook some of the snow off his hair.

Lizzie, despite the fact that she was soaked, frozen, terrified, and tired, couldn't help but admire the way Darcy's hair curled when it was wet. Or how strong he had felt gently lifting her from the horse. He was certainly an attractive man, and had he been less of a jerk, she would be in real trouble of falling for him.

"I looked at the weather before I left. I should not have strayed so far from my house and opted for going in circles instead." Lizzie sighed and shivered, though she wasn't entirely sure if was from the cold or the way he was looking at her.

"Where is Charles?" Darcy looked around, frustrated that she was cold and he couldn't help her. Then it hit him, his coat would be warmer than her deliciously tight running gear. He took it off and handed it to her. "It's not the driest thing, but it is warmer than what you are wearing. Let's get inside."

Charles met them at the door with a pile of clothes and blankets and a very worried Jane.

Jane flew at Lizzie to hug her. "I don't care what race this is, you are never going for a long run on a day like this again, do you hear?"

"Yes ma'am." Lizzie tried to sound flippant, but her teeth chattering made it sound more pathetic than impertinent.

"Jane, follow the housekeeper, she will take you to a room where you can help Lizzie warm up, I'll take care of Darcy. You will both stay here tonight, I doubt the roads will be passable until tomorrow." Charles said, taking charge. He practically marched Darcy to his room and ordered him to take a warm shower and get in dry clothes, which Will was thankful for. At the moment, the only thing on his mind was Elizabeth; he couldn't bother to think of taking care of himself.

All Lizzie could think about was how cold she was and, in the back of her mind not occupied with being cold, she thought about how young and handsome William Darcy had looked shaking the snow out of his hair. The shower felt so good and once Jane had braided her hair out of the way, she felt almost human. Charles had chosen the clothes well, including a pair of sweats, a t-shirt, and a sweatshirt. Big, warm, and comfortable. The housekeeper had arrived to take her wet things and have them washed.

"Miss Bennet, surely this is not your coat?" The housekeeper held up the large black jacket Lizzie had worn earlier.

"No. That is Mr. Darcy's." Lizzie said, fighting the blush.

"I'm so glad they found you." Jane sighed. "I was worried. I sent Mama a text saying you were all right."

"Thank you." Lizzie nodded. "I was heading here, I was less than a mile away when they found me. Why were Bingley and Darcy out?"

"Charles had eaten breakfast with Caroline and I. Will had decided to go for a ride before the storm hit and he was trapped indoors. Like everyone else, he thought the storm would come later in the day. Once we saw the storm coming up faster than expected, we started to worry. Charles knew where Darcy was riding and went out to warn him. I told him to keep an eye out for you because I knew you had gone for a run and Mama said you weren't back yet." Jane explained.

"Thank you for being concerned over my well-being. Jane, we could be stuck here several days with weather like this. The car is not going to make it." Lizzie sighed.

"We will just make do." Jane shrugged, not seeming the least bit saddened by the fact.

"I wish it would stop!" Louisa groaned for what must have been the twelfth time that evening. The power had gone out just before dinner, and Charles insisted on everyone moving into one wing on the first and second floors and light fires so as to not strain the generator in heating the whole of Netherfield, and instead only heating a wing. As a result, there were only two common areas, and Charles wanted everyone in the same room to conserve the candles and the power. It also gave time for the housekeeper, the butler, the cook, the maids, the stable masters, and farmhands to eat in peace in the dining room. Charles had wanted everyone to eat all together, but they couldn't all fit. The result of all of this was Charles, Jane, Caroline, the Hursts, Lizzie and Darcy all in one room attempting to entertain each other. Mr. Hurst had suggested poker and everyone but Lizzie agreed. She just couldn't handle trying to talk to the incredibly shallow and false Bingley sisters, the dull Mr. Hurst and she really, really wasn't ready to deal with her sudden and absurd attraction to Will Darcy. So Lizzie, wisely in her opinion, grabbed The Scarlet Pimpernel from the library and curled up near the fire to read one of her old favorites. No one bothered her for a solid half-hour, when, for some reason, Charles decided to invite her to join them. Normally, Lizzie would be extremely irritated with anyone who disrupted her reading, but Charles's smile was so friendly, she couldn't stay mad at him for long.

"No, thank you. I love this book, it is an old favorite." Lizzie smiled.

"Yes, Charles, leave her be. Eliza Bennet is a great reader and takes no pleasure in anything else." Caroline said, almost smug.

"That is not true at all. I am not a great reader, I have only read a small portion of what is out there to read, and I take pleasure in many things." Lizzie was curious as to why Caroline was suddenly on the offensive with her. True, she did not care for Caroline or care what she thought, but this was certainly a change from the polite disdain they always sort of held each other with.

"And what are you reading that keeps your interest more than a room full of people playing poker?" Charles asked.

"The Scarlet Pimpernel. I confess it is partially my lack of skill that keeps me from joining you, and now I am into my book so I do not want to leave it." Lizzie answered.

"Ah yes. 'They seek him here, they seek him there, those Frenchies seek him everywhere'. I love that book." Darcy said, almost smiling.

Lizzie was surprised. The Scarlet Pimpernel did not seem like the type of book the esteemed Earl of Devon would read. Sure, it was technically literature, but it was light and adventurous and fun. "This is not the book I had you pegged as liking."

"It's about a swashbuckling Englishman, how could I not like it?." Darcy nodded. "I like the intricacy of all the clever little plans to deceive the French. You, I assume, like the romance?"

"I enjoy it, yes. But I really like the character development and the swashbuckling quality as well. I really enjoy how they are both so trapped in a prison of their own making and if they would only talk to each other, as husband and wife should, they would have freed themselves much sooner." Lizzie shook her head, a little irritated that he would assume, though he was partially right. "I nearly cried when I read the scene in the garden where he-"

"Kisses the ground she walked on? Yes." Darcy smiled. "It didn't make me cry, but I have always believed that to be the kind of love that should drive someone to marriage."

"And what kind of love is that, Will darling?" Caroline batted her eyes at him, suddenly very interested in their little discussion.

"I believe Darcy is referencing real love. Not attraction or chemistry or fondness, but genuine lay-down-your-life love." Charles smiled at his friend. Darcy clearly had been unable to drive the lovely Miss Elizabeth Bennet from his mind because Charles had never heard his friend discussing the romantic qualities of a book. Ever.

"And he is right, I think. The marry without love would be...awful." Jane shuddered. "And to think so many still marry for all the wrong reasons. Money, fame, looks, social pressure."

"Yes but we are fortunate to live in such times that we no longer, as women, have to marry to secure our futures." Lizzie said. "Though I always felt like Marguerite Blakeney could take care of herself."

"I for one am glad someone is making use of the library. I wish I appreciated it more but there always seems so many other things to do." Charles shrugged.

"You are in luck, Elizabeth," Darcy said dryly, "you are the first person Charles has ever complimented for reading. I am always berated."

"That's because you are always reading when I want to do something!" Charles laughed.

"Elizabeth has just refused you wanting her to join in the card game. Hypocrite." Darcy accused his best friend.

"No offense, my friend, but Lizzie is a great deal prettier than you." Charles merely shrugged, grinning. "Jane, I cannot believe that you two are truly sisters. That such beauty should be all in one family hardly seems fair."

"You are very sweet, Charles." Louisa said in what Lizzie suspected was supposed to be a teasing tone. "And what of the women in your own family?"

Lizzie had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing. Shallow she-dragons, the pair of you! She thought.

"We are indeed spoiled with such company of family and friends. Are we not Darce?" Charles said, smiling.

"We are." Darcy nodded and Elizabeth fought to keep the smirk off her face. One look at Darcy, however, let her know he shared her sentiments of the Bingley sisters. Lizzie was not vain by nature, and she knew she was not half as pretty as Jane, but Caroline and Louisa were unnatural and not in a good way. They looked painted, their hair didn't move, and while Louisa was very, very thin, Caroline was more so. Compared to them, Jane and Lizzie just looked healthy. And part wondered if Darcy was merely agreeing with his friend for the sake of politeness, or if he really didn't believe his early pronouncement of her being "barely tolerable".

Darcy was hoping Elizabeth would take his comment to mean that he was being a jerk when they first meat. He now knew that Elizabeth Bennet was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, not solely based on her looks, but on the combination of her looks and personality. Darcy had now seen her eyes shine with humor, intelligence and joy and felt that they were brown pools he would happily drown in.

"Are we going to play or chit chat? Because if we're going to chit chat, I'm going to bed." John Hurst grumbled, irritated at the lack of attention to the game.

"Go right ahead. I am perfectly entertained." Lizzie shrugged and turned back to her book.

The snow stopped overnight, but started again in the morning. It was nearly lunchtime when the power returned. Jane was telling Charles all about the many walks of Netherfield so he could know where to send the gardeners to work in the spring, Darcy was writing an email, and Caroline was checking to see all the news she had missed without the Internet. Lizzie contented herself with drawing in a borrowed sketchbook, and her designs for the new villain in the community theater show somehow kept looking like Caroline Bingley. Soon, though, Caroline grew tired of her own laptop and made her way over to Darcy.

"What a wonderful long email you have written Will darling. Do tell Georgiana that I was so impressed with that little guestbook she made for Charles. And I do hope to see her in London after New Years." Caroline said sweetly.

"You have a computer and email and text messages Caroline, you can tell her yourself. As for the length of the email, for one who communicates mostly via text, it only seems long from your perspective." Will said.

This little scene piqued Lizzie's curiosity. Caroline was either oblivious to Darcy's lack of interest or obstinate in spite of it.

"Still, such a long message. You are a great brother to her." Caroline smiled.

"I wasn't aware you had a sister, Darcy." Elizabeth said, looking up form her sketching as curiosity had gotten the better of her.

Darcy minimized the email to show Elizabeth his desktop, a young girl smiled up from the screen. If there was one thing that always brought a smile to his lips, it was talking about his sister. "Her name is Georgiana, she is ten years younger than me, and I have cared for her most of my life."

Lizzie felt her heart soften at the tenderness in his voice when talking of his sister. "She is beautiful. She doesn't look a thing like you, except for the eyes."

"Yes. My sister was fortunate enough to inherit traits mostly from my mother. But we both have my father's eyes. She studies piano at a conservatory in London so I prefer to email her so I do not disturb her practice." He nodded, and he wondered how Georgiana would like Lizzie and vice-versa.

"She must be talented indeed to be studying at a conservatory at so young an age." Lizzie made sure he could see her smile was genuine. She wanted to be sure he understood she meant no criticism on his sister. Darcy couldn't help but return her smile; he was very proud of his sister and glad that Lizzie thought highly of her. The room lapsed into silence and they both resumed their previous activities.

They passed the next few minutes in comfortable silence, but then another idea seemed to hit Caroline.

"Eliza, would you show me where the walks are? I'll never get it out of Charles." Caroline asked. "I'd like to know which ones could be seen from the window."

Lizzie shrugged and joined her, mostly out of curiosity as to what the incredibly creative Caroline Bingley would do to flirt with Will Darcy. They walked from window to window, and Caroline was not listening to a word she said about the walks so Lizzie started spouting nonsense.

"Join us, Will darling." Caroline said. Will found her voice grating but had watched them because of Elizabeth. At the moment, he was biting his tongue to keep from laughing, Lizzie had just finished telling Caroline about the best walk to get abducted by aliens on and it was all clearly falling on deaf ears.

"Thank you, no. Since you are clearly not listening to Elizabeth, you have only chosen this activity because you are bored or you think you look better standing. If the first, I cannot help you, and if the second, the view from here is much, much better." Darcy shrugged, trying out this teasing humor Elizabeth seemed to enjoy so much.

So you do have a sense of humor! Lizzie thought, smiling at him.

"Shocking." Caroline teased. "How should we punish him?"

"Tease him of course." Elizabeth said. Will hoped she could find something little to tease but nothing major. He wasn't used to this sort of interaction.

"On no, Will Darcy is not to be teased. He is without fault." Again, Caroline was ridiculous with her attentions.

"Faultless? And do you consider pride a fault or virtue Darcy?" Lizzie asked, teasing.

"Pride is fine when regulated." Darcy shrugged; this was an interesting observation from her. "And though I am not without faults, I try to avoid the ones that would expose me to ridicule. But, for one who makes a joke of serious things, I guess it wouldn't matter."

"I would never dream of making fun of anything sensible, but the silliness of others, their more ridiculous traits, I enjoy laughing at. Take my friend Charlotte for example. She has never been in a relationship longer than three weeks and yet she will be the first to hand out relationship advice." Lizzie explained.

He thought for a moment. He understood what she meant but was having a difficult time in finding one of those traits in himself. He did have a fault that he considered not entirely rational but it was a bit serious. "My temper is not good. When someone loses my good opinion, it is usually irreversible."

"So your fault is to hate everyone." Lizzie nodded, taking his seriousness and giving it a bit of levity with some gross generalization.

"And yours is to willfully misunderstand them." Darcy smiled, returning the favor.

It was then that the Hursts joined them and they all went in to lunch, ending Elizabeth's somewhat invigorating verbal sparring session with Will Darcy. Not only was he cute, he was intelligent, though perhaps a little too serious.

Another day passed before the ladies could go home. Lizzie was happy to be away from Bingley's false sisters and Mr. Hurst. On one hand she wanted to get as far away from Darcy as possible and on the other she really would miss seeing him everyday. Charles she liked a great deal, and was sad for her sister that they had to leave, Jane almost seemed at home at Netherfield.

Darcy was conflicted as well. He was glad to see them go because Elizabeth upset his equilibrium so much that he hadn't had a good night's sleep since he met her. Having her just down the hall was…maddening and wonderful at the same time. Darcy needed to think, to deal with this attraction. Not only had Elizabeth invaded his dreams, she had apparently taken up residence in his head, involving herself in his every thought. Darcy hadn't really realized how bad it was until he received a reply to the email he sent Georgiana after the power came back.

From: gdarcy

To:

Brother,

I'm glad you are enjoying Charles's new house! It sounds exciting. I would be so glad to join you there for Christmas but I already promised Aunt Rose I would stay with them. So you better just come to London and be with us. Andy and his wife are going to be there for dinner Christmas Eve, and then they are off to her family's estate in France. I, as little sister, hereby demand that you join us for dinner, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Then you can go back and have all the fun you want with Charles. Please?

Now you have to tell me more about Elizabeth. I can tell by your email that she has to be pretty. How old is she? She sounds so funny! I can't imagine anyone teasing you, but sometimes I think it would be good for you. You never got to be a young man, because you had to take care of me. I will always be thankful for that, but sad because I think you grew up too fast. You must really like her; I have never heard you praise one woman so much.

I'm glad you gave me a blow-by-blow. Caroline is crazy, stay away from her clutches, brother! I want to meet this Elizabeth; I feel like she is everything I've always wanted to be in public but am too shy. I admire her dedication to running, I remember when you trained and you had to run in all this awful weather. I'm very glad she is safe and that you were her knight. And she's read our book!

I hope you don't let your doubts stand in your way. Because every doubt you have you seem to have another trait of hers that balances it out. See you in three days Brother. I mean it!

Love,

Sister

Will chuckled as he read the email again. He was glad to see Georgiana was starting to sound like her old self again. Making demands but adding "please" and her warning to him at the end had him thinking. He hadn't heard from Rick but that was normal. Perhaps, though, he had gotten the advice he was seeking from his cousin via Georgiana.

She was probably spending a great time with the Fitzwilliams now that Christmas was so close. Normally, the whole family would spend the Christmas season in Derbyshire, the Fitzwilliams in Matlock and the Darcys at Pemberley, but they would all come to Pemberley for Christmas. Georgiana had several performances this year and it was easier for the elder Fitzwilliam brother to see his family and then head to France with his wife from London than from the north. Darcy had always intended to Christmas with his family, but he enjoyed Georgiana's demands all the same.

Georgiana would like to meet Elizabeth. She thought she was a good influence on him. He couldn't disagree, and he knew Elizabeth would be a wonderful influence on his sister. She was grace and elegance rolled into a tiny firecracker of a woman who knew how to speak her mind and display good manners at the same time. Perhaps it was time to stop fighting his feelings for her and give it a try. But then again, what he told Charles wasn't a lie. She was very, very young compared to him. With a family like hers...Darcy threw up his hands in frustration.

"I'm resigning myself to fate." He shook his head, speaking to the ceiling. "I'll just go where fate takes me."