Thank you all who reviewed! It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside! BUT! I am an impatient person, and for some reason seem to think a space that doesn't even equal 36 hours is enough for me to think only a couple of people have read, or liked it. But like I said, I'm selfish when it comes to stories, so I will keep writing… or typing… for my benefit only! YAY ME!

"Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride- where there is real superiority of mind, pride will always be under good relation." Chapter 11.

Lizzie jolted awake as the shaking from the car stopped. It was around 7:00 in the evening, and she was bushed. The party had ended around 6:00, so she had stayed around to help the servants and Charlotte clean up the brunt of the mess, before finally leaving.

"Did you see how that girl hung on him? Hilarious!" Charlotte cried happily, tossing a few cups into a trash can on wheels.

"He seemed to be enjoying himself." Lizzie replied, smiling as she remembered the pained expression he held.

"Aren't you mad though, that he did that?"

"Really, not much. At first, I was pretty mad, but now it seems really silly." Lizzie tossed the remark over her shoulder as she tossed out a few more bottles of champagne. Charlotte smiled as she saw her friend's straight back, and head held high. That was Lizzie for you though. Charlotte smiled as she remembered when someone had called both of them ugly. Lizzie had hit the boy so hard, that his glasses had been broken. She then told him to never call her friend ugly again. Her friend? Lizzie was like that though. She stayed angry when people insulted her friends, but never stayed angry about it when it was her. Let her be mad for a minute or two, and then she was fine.

Thankfully, she hadn't run into Mr. Darcy again, for he seemed rather interested in ignoring everyone, and puffing out whenever he heard the word money. He avoided her, and she avoided him. The rest of the evening was spent talking to mere acquaintances like they were friends, and she ended up dancing a few more times too.

Jane spent the rest of the evening dancing with Charlie, and then talking with Charlie. She spent a little bit of time with his sisters, talking and laughing awkwardly. Jane drove them back to her mother's house, where the next events unfolded.

"We had a lovely time dear! Immediately after Mr. Bingley met our dear Jane-" (she then proceeded to put a think and chubby hand on Jane's shoulder) – "They spent almost the rest of the night with each other! There was no one else he could be happier with! Except for the one time he asked that nasty Charlotte Lucas to dance! That vexed me greatly, but no matter! He then danced with our dear Jane! I always knew her beauty would bring her into the higher societies." She rambled, not even noticing that her husband was dozing softly, and not even listening.

"Mother, Charlotte is NOT nasty. She's one of my closest friends." Lizzie snapped, not too tired to grouch at her mother. Jane shot a warning look at her, but merely leaned across her chaise, and flipped her sister the bird. Lizzie smirked, but said nothing more.

"I don't see how you can be friends with that… that wench!" Mrs. Bennett grumbled, but her husband woke up, startled at the word wench, and glanced around blearily.

"His friend though… he wasn't nice at all." Lydia chirped, glancing devilishly at Lizzie. Lizzie wearily glared at her, but Lydia merely smiled, and began filing her nails.

"Oh yes! He insulted Lizzie, yes he did!" Kitty squealed, much to the displeasure of Mary, who had succeeded in falling asleep.

"He insulted Lizzie did he…?" Her father asked sharply, suddenly awake. Her mother glared at him, and then Lizzie for being so close.

"It was nothing of importance dear." Mrs. Bennett dismissed it quickly, "Really, he shouldn't have danced with Charlotte, it ruined his image."

"Mother, don't talk about Charlotte like that-"

"Dear, if some man thinks he can slight my Lizzie without having repercussions, then both he and you are wrong."

"Dad, really, I can easily forget that incident! It's nothing more than simple folly!"

"Mother, we really should be going-"

"Lizzie, she really is ugly-"

"HAHA! Lizzie's seeing-

"SHUTUP LYDIA!"

"Lizzie don't you dare-"

"Dear, I think we should go to bed." Came the calm idea from Mr. Bennett. Everyone went quiet as they saw him stand up, grab his wife gently, and lead her away, tossing a wink to Lizzie as he went. Lizzie was actually standing up, heading towards the door. Jane grabbed her, and led her gently out of the door, that was held open by an annoyed and sleepy Mary.

Once outside, Lizzie began to laugh a little bit at the stupid situation she was in. Jane laughed with her, and they joked about it, laughing when their father finally woke up from his nap. When the discussion turned to their mother, Lizzie went slightly silent though. It wasn't an angry silence, it was more of a thoughtful silence that made her seem almost brooding in a way.

It was no lie that Lizzie was jealous of the bond that Jane and her mother shared. Jane knew that Lizzie would rather be the one who was loved by her mother (scolded for not being married) but loved. Instead, she was the hated one who could never do anything right. She took too long getting into collage, she wore the wrong dress, she wasn't as pretty, she never got along well with others, she breathed too loud, and most importantly, didn't want a husband to tie her down to any one place.

"Lizzie, you know you're better than that." Jane said softly. Lizzie blinked and looked at her.

"What?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Oh, nothing…" Jane mused lightly, realizing that she once again accidentally answered what she was thinking. Lizzie's mouth opened and closed, and she smiled.

"You saw the look on dad's face when Kitty blurted that out?" Lizzie said, smiling as she took a few deep breaths, the tension of the night slowly ebbing away. Jane smiled good-naturedly, and squeezed her sister's shoulder comfortingly.

Jane turned on some music, and Death Cab for Cutie came on, the CD playing lightly. The gentle tunes slowly eased Lizzie into a stupor, and then a light, jolting sleep. Jane glanced over every now and then, and would smile every time she saw her sister take a deep breath, and jolt awake slightly at the smallest turn. She loved her sister very much, but something was still bothering her. Why would Darcy say that about her sister? In everyway was her sister beautiful, so why would he make such comments? It seemed like he was at least cordial around everyone else, so why would he say something about her sister?

Sighing, she turned up her favorite song, and let the melody play around with her head. Humming lightly, she tossed a pillow at her sister, and watched with slight amusement as Lizzie half awake, half asleep, pull it over her head, and moan in annoyance.

Darcy sighed as the limousine glided smoothly through a turn, grumbling silently as Caroline repeated her night's unfolding.

"Really, these people have no idea what fashion is! The cocktail dress someone wore looked like last year's fashion!" She snickered as Louisa giggled delicately. Charles glanced over at them with surprise flitting across his features.

"I thought that girl was rather pretty." He said defensively. Darcy raised an eyebrow in his direction, but didn't say anything. He was much better occupied with the thought of very pretty eyes. Even avoiding her, he managed to see her flit around a corner, laughing with her friend. A couple times, he had seen Charlotte glancing at him, hiding mocking laughter. It seemed that after speaking with the girl in question, they began to joke about it. That merely goes to show another reason why she isn't worth my time. He thought darkly.

"The prettiest girl there had to be Jane." Charlie stated firmly, bringing Darcy back from his musings.

"Oh yes, Jane is a sweet girl. We must better get to know her if we really want any entertainment while we're here." Caroline said as she smiled, showing too many teeth for Charlie's comfort.

"I heard Caroline, that her sister, Elizabeth, was also considered a beauty too." Louisa said with a hinting smirk.

"What do you say to this, Mr. Darcy?" Caroline crooned, drinking from a wine glass, closing the mini fridge, and looking at him pointedly. Mr. Darcy sighed, looking away from the window, and glancing at the group.

"I would soon call her mother a wit." He said smoothly, looking back out of the window. That was true in itself, for he had noticed that the girl's mother had no social graces, or any brain for a proper conversation. She reminded him of a tabby, eying everyone up for their money before talking. She shied away from the Lucas' when the guests of honor had arrived, and had set out to meet them, and talk with them.

"Oh Mr. Darcy you savage!" Louisa shrieked, and Caroline clapped her perfectly manicured hand over her mouth. Darcy stiffened at the word "savage" but calmed down slightly when he saw that it was in good humor. He let Charlie ramble on about what an angel Jane was, for he knew it to be nothing but a crush. In New York, it had been Lacy who was the beauty; in Atlanta, it was Rachel; in Los Angelos, Bradie; and when they visited London again for a year, it was Michelle. Charlie fell in and out of love like a fashion designer does with his new styles. Darcy knew he had nothing to worry about, with both of their predicaments. He would never see the second youngest Bennett daughter, and when Charlie and them left to check in on his Derbyshire estate, they wouldn't see the oldest Bennett daughter again either, and that was the end of that.

"Jane, would you like to dance?" Charlie asked with a smile as Jane (blushing lightly) accepted. It had been a week since they had seen the entire party of people. Now, her aunt and uncle were throwing a party. It was a modest one, to say the least, but it was a less uptight dress. More cocktail dress, and less elegant. Lizzie liked less elegant. At least she wasn't dulled too much in comparison to her sister.

"Oh Lizzie, look at my Jane. She really is pulling him in farther than I thought she would. Always doing what's best." Mrs. Bennett crooned, taking a small plate, and a few snacks off of a tray.

"Really mother, you have to admit, she probably really likes him." Lizzie offered the statement, hugging her mother around the shoulders. It was times like these when they got along. They both agreed that Jane was the prettier one, and the one who snagged the guys. It was why or how she got them is how they differed.

"Jane is a beauty indeed! The interns are basically pining for her! We should hold a party that let's one get to know another, just so that they can all meet her!" Mr. Forester exclaimed. Mr. Forester was a man of a large business of models. He held many different companies that brought in workers by the bucketful. The pay was good, very good in fact, but they had to be trained to walk the walk, before they could make the bucks.

"Oh yes, do hold a party at least! It would be very beneficial to your models if you actually had them entertained for awhile. Their minds are so fluttery that you would need someone like Jane to keep them company! Don't you think so Lizzie?" Mrs. Bennett asked with a delicious gleam in her eye when she gazed at the very steamy guys lined up by the speakers.

"Oh yes, they are a lot of fun. And I'm sure that Lydia would enjoy it very much." Lizzie said with a discreet hint in the direction of her sister. Lydia was at this point, flirting, and squealing amongst the models, many of them watching her avidly.

Charlotte walked past, and gave a significant poke. Lizzie raised an eyebrow, and then walked after her slowly, but with an assured pace. When she got to the refreshment table, Charlotte pulled her aside, and whispered discreetly, "Your Mr. Darcy has had his eye on you all night, Lizzie. If it was not you, I would not have said anything, but…there he goes again!"

Lizzie looked across the table to see that Darcy was in fact looking at her, his dark eyes searching hers for something. Lizzie felt slightly open, and vulnerable when he gave that look, and it made her uncomfortable. Is this the look that a lawyer gives when he's waiting for someone to confess? She thought to herself, her eyebrow raised in challenge.

"He was standing right next to you when you and your mother talked of another party. He very covertly managed to follow us all the way over here!" She said out of the corner of her mouth.

"Did you not think it slightly interesting, the way we tried to goad Mr. Forester into giving us a ball, Darcy?" Lizzie asked, drawing his attention from his deep thoughts, and back into the real world.

"Very well done, but every woman's attention is drawn when a party is mentioned." Darcy replied, his deep monotone voice drawing her attention is a most interesting way. He had the accent, but Darcy didn't have the "lingo" that most British used. Interesting, very interesting. Lizzie smiled at this, and replied vaguely, "You are severe on us."

Have you ever seen such a saucy behavior? Darcy couldn't believe his mind, and could only raise an eyebrow is suggestion, and walked off slowly. Lizzie smiled at this, and turned towards Charlotte to see her trying to cover a stifling laugh. Lizzie kept it in mind to avoid his boring behavior.

However long she managed to avoid him however, it was in vain. Jane, Charlie, and Lizzie were talking with Charlotte, when Lizzie spied her sister dancing in a rather suggestive behavior. Knowing that someone was going to get in trouble later if her mother saw, Lizzie set off to put a stop to it. On her way though, she was stopped by Charlotte Lucas' dad, who was talking with Darcy.

"Oh Mr. Darcy, though I know you don't like dancing, I hope you'd take her as a desirable partner, Lizzie is a very good dancer, and I'm sure you wouldn't mind for one song." Mr. Lucas said brightly, grabbing Lizzie's hand, and presented it to Mr. Darcy. Lizzie's eyes grew wide, and she yanked her hand back.

"I hope that you don't think I came all the way over here for a partner to dance with!" She exclaimed, taking a slight step back, almost daring herself to roll her eyes, but stopped just in time.

"I hope you'd do me the honor of dancing with me for one song, Elizabeth." Darcy asked, surprised, but not disgusted at the thought. Lizzie gave a smile, and was about to say no, when her sister walked past, and said, "Of course she'd be happy to! Lizzie is all politeness."

Lizzie glared at her sister, promising to put something nasty and wet in her bed… very soon. Darcy looked at her with those same eyes, that flashed hopeful for a moment, (she chose to deny she saw that look later) and then went entirely blank.

"Er… of course." She mumbled, taking his hand, and he led her slowly out to the dance floor. Her hand burned when she swung her slowly into the waltz position, and then let them fly across the dance floor.

"What's going on with them dancing together?" Charlotte hissed in Jane's ear as she saw what was going on. Jane smiled simply, and replied, "Love."

"But she hates him!" Charlotte retorted, folding her arms at the thought. Jane once again simply smiled, and then gave a soft laugh as Charles grabbed her, and whisked her onto the dance floor.

Will didn't know what to do. He was glad that he was dancing with her, but she didn't seem so. His whole body felt warm, and a tingling where her hands were placed made him go crazy. Darcy looked around the room with a slight contentment, until he realized that he should probably say something to ease the tension he felt radiating off of her.

"So…" He began awkwardly, raised eyebrows, and stiff demeanor. Lizzie laughed, and his heart hammered in his breast. Can she hear it? He thought, panicked. After reassuring himself, he asked, "And what, may I ask, is so funny?" She merely looked at him, and replied, "I think that you can not base a conversation on, 'so,' Darcy."

"Oh really." Was all he could respond with. The song ended thankfully, and Lizzie left his as quickly as she had come. With that departure, Darcy felt slightly left out and lacking.

"Do you think you could come over?" Charlie asked Jane over the phone the next day. "Caroline and Louisa really want your company tonight."

Lizzie made kissing faces at her as she dried a dish. Stifling laughter, Jane replied that she'd be delighted, and hung up after brief farewells.

"Is he going to be there?" Charlotte asked with excitement as she and Lizzie jumped around the front room of their apartment, laughing. Jane blushed a furious red, and looked down.

"No, I don't think he's going to be there. Will Darcy and him are going to be elsewhere, looking at their business in a different city." She managed to reply, looking back at the dishwasher, and pressing the start button.

"Well that just won't do! You're going to have to get sick, or spend the night or something!" Came a high pitched shriek from the doorway. Lizzie's ears hurt, and she didn't have to turn around to know that her mother had heard the whole thing, and she still didn't know the meaning of privacy.

"Hello mother." Jane said brightly from the kitchen, her eyes alight. She cleared her throat, as her mother came and gave her a critical eye.

"You'll need to change. And you will walk there from my house." She decided curtly, before ordering Lizzie to go and get an outfit for Jane.

"The Prada or the Chanel, Lizzie. I see those girls dressed in that mess all the time." Charlotte whispered as Mrs. Bennett began to lay out a game plan to Jane. Lizzie tossed a pitiful look to her sister, and ran to her room, picking up the speed as she looked through her sister's wardrobe, picking out a pair of Pucci shoes, dress slacks from Valentino, and a shirt and jacket from Chanel.

The Bennett's father pulled in a lot of money from his business, and because of that, they pulled in the very nice designer clothes, and were well met by many of the designers themselves. Taking the fact that the Bingley's have probably seen and talked over dinner with these designers, Lizzie took a special care in picking out sheik, but fashionable.

"Lizzie, are you ready?" Jane asked as she walked into the room, and picked up the shirt, worry was plain on her face as she slipped into it, and tied the halter. She pulled on the jacket, and then pushed her sister lightly out of the room.

"And maybe you can convince Lizzie to get a new boyfriend!" Mrs. Bennett called from the living room, watching T.V. Lizzie sat down on the arm of the chair, and watched as the talk show reported on the high school drop outs.

"Freddy, I have a lawyer here, and he is actually here to help you! He wants you to see how it is beneficial for you to graduate!" The lady cried with enthusiasm, and swept an arm to a well dressed man, his hair a businesslike mess.

"The thing is, is that if you don't graduate, than you don't get to look like me." Mr. Darcy said, his lips forming into what was supposed to be a smile. The people off-stage laughed, and he looked at them severely before continuing.

"Dropping out of school is fine. If you want to look like you've just stepped out of a trash bin, and smell like it as well. It wouldn't be the best look for anyone I'm sure." He said, and once again, paused as the audience laughed. With a sigh, he continued. "If you do graduate, you get money. I know how you like money! What person doesn't like money?" Again, a pause for laughter, "If you graduate high school, and then collage as well, you get what someone really wants, which is money." He leaned back slightly in his chair, and watched the crowd clap, and laugh.

"Is that what you really believe? Is all you want, Darcy, is money?" The boy asked with a smirk, slouching slightly more in his chair.

"Who's asking the questions here, Freddy?!" The hostess lady asked kindly, and more laughter.

"I'm just saying, Darcy, is that who wants a world where people only want money? Is money all that really matters? Are you even married?" Freddy asked with a laugh, and rolled his eyes. Lizzie looked at the screen, her eyes twinkling as she waited for his answer.

"If you want to get what you want, Freddy, you need money to buy it. It's easier to get the necessities when you have money. It's much easier to buy something than it is to steal it." Darcy replied hotly, raising an eyebrow. Lizzie snorted, and rolled her eyes, before turning to see her mother grumbling.

"Such a snooty, ill bred, not at all handsome, oh Lizzie, I'm glad he slighted you because if he didn't, you might have liked him." She said angrily, glancing at her daughter before looking back at the T.V. screen.

"Believe me mother, I don't think I would have ever liked him." Lizzie replied, as the camera zoomed in on Darcy, and then a smiling Freddy. The host was brought back into the picture, and she gave a laugh as she said that they'd be back after the credits.

They didn't talk much as the commercials sped through, and when Jane was ready, she begged Lizzie to come with her as far as their house on Longbourne DR. With a smile Lizzie said she'd be delighted. Only for her sister though. That much was obvious.

The ride there was quiet, save for the quiet mutterings of plans to grasp Charlie in her hands for good. Jane gave ever quieter interjections every now and then, but other than that, it was an awkward silence that was broken once by the violent coughing of Elizabeth.

"Oh Elizabeth, stop your violent coughing, it grates on my nerves!" Mrs. Bennett snapped as she drove, glaring in the rearview mirror at her daughter.

"Am I cutting into your orders for Jane?" Lizzie asked with a smile, restraining a cough.

"No, no you aren't. I was finished a while back, really, you should pay attention." Mrs. Bennett replied as she turned on the music in order to drown out her daughter's cough.

"Now you may cough Lizzie. Mother can't hear you!" Jane said kindly as she turned to look at her captured sister. Lizzie smiled, and then gave such a loud, racking cough, that it made Mrs. Bennett jump in her seat, and swerve violently as she turned to look at her daughter, and scold her.

"Mother, the road!" Jane cried, grabbing the steering wheel, and guiding the car back into the lines. Lizzie smothered the impulse to burst into laugher.

Lizzie was sitting, curled up in her spinning chair, her Juicy (brand) sweats, and puma tennis shoes showing her relaxed thoughts for the day. She clicked on a few avatars, and saw her e-mail pop up. Worried slightly seeing it was from Jane (who had never come back from Netherfield the night before), she clicked on it, and read-

Lizzie,

Don't expect me back, for it seems that I've caught a sickness on my walk along the beach to Netherfield. The beach was pretty, with coloring along the sky that would take your breath away, oh Lizzie, but it appears that I didn't notice the down pour of rain, or the abrupt cold that left me shivering by the time I got here! Charlie arrived here and demanded kindly that I stay until better, but I disagree. They are being so kind to me, for besides a headache, a sore throat, a lot of nausea, and a high fever, there's nothing really the matter. Don't fear for my health, I'll be perfectly fine.

Love,

Jane

Lizzie read the e-mail three times before it registering. With a yelp, she jumped up, ran down the stairs of her mom's house, and into her father's study.

"Dad!" Lizzie exclaimed as she opened the door, and stumbled inside. In the room sat her mother, and her sister, Lydia. Lizzie's dad was apparently in the middle of a lecture, because they all looked up, his face grave, her mother's tense, and annoyed, and Lydia's filled with boredom.

"Yes, Lizzie? I don't think it's something simple, you seem quite flustered." He commented, a hint of amusement on his face.

"Jane's sick! She's at Charlie's house, and he says she can't leave until she's better!"

"I knew this would happen! Don't worry about it, Lizzie this was my plan at the beginning!" Her mother said sharply, looking at her like she was stupid. Lydia peeked at her, and flashed a look of gratitude. Lizzie waved it off, and pressed, "You planned on her to become deathly ill?" She snapped.

"She's not deathly ill, and you don't need to worry, it makes you look the fool. She won't die from this Lizzie, you mark my words."

"Maybe not from this, but she might from the shame of having a mother who lets her rampage around in the cold, and freezing rain." Lizzie retorted, and tossing a wink to her dad, flounced out of the study, and then out of the house.

The sun was rising slightly, nervous it seemed from the rampaging storm that Lizzie had once again slept through like a rock. Reaching into her pocket, she produced an ipod, and turned it on, letting "Bowling for Soup" blast through the earphones. With a smile, and a hop in her step, Lizzie set off, humming lightly as she did.

I almost got drunk at school at fourteen

Where I almost made out with the Homecoming queen

Who almost went on, to be Miss Texas

But lost to a slut, with much bigger breast-es

I almost moved on to L.A

Where I was almost famous for almost a day

Lizzie took a short-cut along the beach, and gasped. Jane had not been joking when she said that it really was a beautiful sight. The sun rise (most like the sun set) was magnificent, its swirling colors causing Lizzie to stop. The hues, pinks, yellows, and a hint of green tipping the edges slightly shook out any nerves she had been feeling, and she stood there for quite some time. The sun rise was fast, and quick, the eager rays wanting to set high in the sky before it was covered with clouds again.

Laughing, Lizzie burst into a jog, feeling much more exuberant than before. At one point, she veered into the water, getting her shoes sandy, and wet, but she ignored this, and kept going. Her ipod blared Boys Like Girls, and she turned left, jumped a fence, and landed in slippery mud.

"Hmm…" She mused as she saw her puma shoes covered in mud, sand flecked on the shoelaces, and soaked. Shrugging, she saw the house, and deciding to wing it, she burst into a sprint, letting her worry for Jane fuel her pace. As she skidded to a stop, Lizzie knocked on the door, taking deep, slow breaths, and put a smile on her face as she turned to unintentionally face Will Darcy.

"Oh… uh… Will, hi!" She said brightly, sticking out a hand.

Darcy heard the slight knocking on the door as he was walking to the Library. With a slight detour, he beat the butler to the door, and he opened it to reveal a flushed, sweaty, mud spattered version of Elizabeth Bennett. Her eyes sparkled with mirth of a good run, and her hair clung to her head, sweat glistening on her forehead.

"Elizabeth Bennett!" He said, overly excited. Idiot! He scolded himself severely, You aren't supposed to be happy to see her! She's below you, and what's that on her shoes?

"Did you walk here?" He demanded his voice more distant, official.

"Yes… a little bit of walking and running actually… is that a problem?" She asked with a quirk in her eyebrow. Darcy cursed himself repeatedly, and tried again.

"You've heard of your sister then, have you?" He tried a different tact, noting how her face lit up at the mention of her sister. Her eyes were a bright green in the light, and it lit up gold flecks. Darcy's heart hammered, and he stepped aside, letting her enter. She smelt of fresh grass, and a mixture of beach, and a light hint of lavender. Darcy breathed in deeply, his eyes closing slightly.

"I will take you to see her." He told her lightly, watching with amusement as she struggled to pull off her wet shoes. Her hair fell out of her ponytail, and she blew it out of her face as she pulled on the set strings, wincing as they squeaked.

"What's so funny?" Lizzie snapped, looking up to see Will laughing. He smothered a grin as she pulled at her shoes in vain effort, and stomped on it.

"Oh my, Lizzie, it seems like you've got your shoes stuck on your feet." Drawled a voice from behind Darcy. Claw-like hands gripped his arm, and Will smiled weakly in the face of Caroline.

"Yeah, they'll come off though… don't worry about it." Lizzie said, waving a dismissive hand, but still struggling to pull them off. Darcy began to smile, but covered it quickly with a scowl.

"Oh, I wasn't worrying." She drawled, and pulled Darcy away, exclaiming in a false high voice, "Oh will, I was just thinking about going to the library!" They were almost around the corner when Caroline gave a high pitched shriek.

Will winced in pain, and covered his ear. He turned to see a wet shoe imprint on Caroline's back, and a soggy, muddy puma shoe on its side, on the floor.

"Hey, Caroline, look! I got one off!" Lizzie exclaimed, pulling the other off with a sharp tug. Darcy looked at her, surprise flitting across his features, and he began to laugh. Lizzie gave him such a look of surprise that he laughed harder, almost leaning against a pillar in the hallway for support. A smile broke across her face, and she almost started laughing when Caroline stomped past her. Eyes lighting up even more in mirth, Lizzie kept her mouth shut, but Darcy could see the tell tale dimple on the side of her cheek that she was fighting to hold it in.

"Lizzie! Jane was just asking for you!" Charlie interrupted unknowingly; flying down the stairs so fast it was as if he had simply slipped down. Darcy's face carefully went back to its simple, brooding stare, and he turned away.

"Oh, I've kept her too long!" Lizzie exclaimed, standing up, and rushing up after a laughing Charlie. Her shoes now lay in a desolate clump by the door, wet. When a maid walked past, Darcy asked her to wash and dry them, so that when she guest left, she would have clean shoes.

Will walked into the study, his gaze now thoughtful. Picking up a book, he sat down in a chair, and leafed through the pages. Still, his mind would not quiet, even though the familiar setting of a library was around him. She had gotten him to loosen up so easily, but how? There had been no magic word, no gleaming look in her eyes. But wait! There was a gleaming look! Her eyes that changed with the light, and with her laugh is what had entranced him at first, and now he couldn't stop thinking about it. Now, Will Darcy couldn't stop thinking about her.

That is what females did though. They trapped you with something of theirs that they know you would like. It was their magic spell, and as of right now, Will Darcy was trapped by a pair of very, very fine eyes.

Lizzie was shocked. Her sister was way worse than she imagined. She was paler than her usual cute complexion, and her forehead was covered in sweat. She would sometimes murmur about something or other, before leaning over the toilet. Lizzie had never felt so helpless, or so bad about something. She could only adjust pillows, saying soothing words, and wipe the sweat from her forehead.

Another reason why she felt so helpless was because when her sister was sick, she felt horrible. She was helping as much as possible, but her thoughts kept straying. They kept straying back to Will Darcy. He was a strange man, one moment brooding, the next laughing because she chucked a shoe at his girlfriend. She didn't know why it mattered, but really, it was getting old. He was cute, but he was cold. He had a great smile – which had shocked her so bad she couldn't say anything… he was really, really hot when he smiled- but a distant demeanor. It was unnerving, and she didn't know how to handle it.

"Lizzie… thanks for being here." Jane whispered between her pale lips as her voice scratched against her throat. Lizzie grabbed her hand, and whispered, "I would be here, even if I had to wade eight of those Caroline Bingleys!"

"That's what's great about you… you are always there for me… I wish I could to the same…"

"Jane! Don't you dare think you aren't there for me! I wouldn't survive mother's rants without you! Don't you ever think otherwise!" Lizzie hissed good-naturedly, squeezing her sister's hand. Jane smiled, her pasty complexion scaring Lizzie worse than her sister's words. She held her sister's hand the rest of the day, or until she got hungry, that is.

Stomach grumbling, Lizzie quietly walked down the hallway, and tried to follow her nose to the dining room, where she could now see Darcy, Louisa, and her two siblings eating. Smiling hesitantly, she walked into the room.

"Lizzie! We were wondering if we were gong to have to go up after you! You've been up there with her for all day! How is she by the way?" Charlie exclaimed with exuberance, his eyes lighting, and his hair a ragged tuft sticking straight up.

"She's not as well as I had hoped. If there's any way to get her to our house, I think that-"

"Don't even think about it! Both of you will stay until she is recovered! Now, please sit down and have dinner with us!" Charlie interrupted; he was so pressed on this, that he had stood up when he said it. Eyes wide with appreciation and surprise, Lizzie sat down in the closest seat –unfortunately the one next to the bi-polar Darcy.

"Darcy…" Lizzie greeted hesitantly, waited for some way or another that he might hate her, or glare at her in that creepy, wanting sort of way.

"Elizabeth, how are you this evening?" Will asked cordially, promising himself that he would refrain from talking anything past greetings.

"Very fine thanks. I hope you are well too." She replied, and tucked into her food with gusto, not noting the watchful stare of Darcy, she was so hungry.

"So Lizzie, I hear you had a problem with your shoes this morning." Louisa said conversationally, raising an eyebrow. Lizzie grinned mischievously.

"Yeah, but I got them off eventually, with Caroline's help of course." She added, tossing a wink at the thin, glaring red head. Darcy nearly choked on his steak as he tried to stifle laughter. Her eyes flashed to him, and then back to her food. They were a deep brown color now, and they sparkled.

After dinner, they all went to a small sitting room that held an e-box, and a few computers. Caroline instantly went to a table, pulling out cards from a drawer as she did so.

"Will, would you like to play?" Caroline asked as Louisa sat down next to her. Declining politely, Will and Charlie plugged in the x-box, and began to play some random game with guns. Lizzie sat down to watch, and it unnerved Darcy so much that he kept losing.

"Man Will! You've never lost this much in a long time!" Charlie exclaimed with happiness as his character did a back flip as it progressed to the next level. Will kept silent, and then proceeded to win the next five rounds with gusto.

"How's Georgia these days, Will?" Caroline asked as her and her sister shuffled cards, and played B.S. with boredom.

"She's fine, thanks." He replied as he shot a random zombie before it could tear his face off.

"She's very talented at the piano, I hear. She can do many things of course, but her piano pieces are the best by far." She drawled with impatience at not being noticed.

"I think it's crazy that you girls can have the patience to be so practiced and all." Charlie commented as he shot down a row of zombies in one round of ammo.

"Well, thinking about it, not a lot of girls can really boast of being able to do all sorts of things. I can hardly think of half a dozen. If you are talented at one, people seem to think you could do it all." Will commented. Lizzie raised an eyebrow at this, feeling challenged.

"You must think a lot about that, to have come to that conclusion." She said, ruffling through a magazine page as she did so.

"Well, dear Lizzie, a girl does have to be able to play an instrument, know at least three languages, be able to hold nice conversations, throw parties, and know what to wear on what days. Also, there had to be something in her air… and manner of walking." Caroline drawled, trying to catch Will's eye. He shot a few cops who were running at him, and nodded vaguely.

"Then I'm not surprised at you guys knowing about six of those people. I don't think I could name any at all." Lizzie exclaimed, giving Charlie a wink. Caroline and Louisa then began to rant about knowing several dozen girls, while throwing in at the end of their rant, "Are you so severe on your own sex, dear Lizzie?"

"I've never seen such a woman. She would be very scary to see, I think." Lizzie commented airily, catching them at their own game. They only know half a dozen at one point, but now can name so many at once? She thought sarcastically, smiling slightly. Charlie laughed right out, looking from his game, to glance at her with humor.

"Walk around the room with me Lizzie!" Caroline cried, grabbing Lizzie's arm, and tugging lightly. Lizzie raised her eyebrows, but stood up anyway. Caroline was getting annoyed at Will not paying her attention, so she decided to use Lizzie as a way to get his attention. Sure enough, he unconsciously set his controller down, looking at her as she rose from the couch, and had her arm linked with Caroline's.

She had a light, pleasing figure that intrigued him to no end. Darcy watched them walk for a bit, before he noticed he was staring.

"Oh, come Will, will you not join us in our little stroll?" Caroline asked with a smug smile on her face. Lizzie turned her head, her eyes flashing with humor, and that look itself prodded Will to reply, "Caroline, knowing you, you could only have about two motives for walking. I would definitely muss things up for you if I joined."

"What does he mean?" Caroline demanded, turning to Lizzie, and staring right at her.

"I'm sure it's nothing of importance. It would be better of us to tease him by not asking." Lizzie dismissed his words with a careless flick, but Darcy saw the gleam in her eyes of understanding. With a shriek of laughter, Caroline demanded to know.

"Well, either 1; you have secrets to spread, or two; you know that your figures are pleasing to the eye," He said, his eyes fixed wholly on Lizzie, "If it's the first, then I would definitely get in your way…"

"And the second?" Caroline prodded, her eyes fixed on his in a sickening way. Lizzie rolled her eyes, and looked at him.

"The second, I would certainly be able to be entertained by it while I sit on the couch." He said, eyes boring into Lizzie's. They widened in surprise, and she smiled, a dimple appearing. Caroline's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with mirth.

"How sick, how should we punish him?" She asked Lizzie, her wide eyes making her look slightly demented.

"Why, laugh at him of course. You know him the most, so you should know how to do so." She replied, eyes dancing, now a bright blue. Darcy blinked, and looked again. Definitely a blue, but a darker color, almost like his. Caroline retorted vehemently that Will was not to be laughed at.

"Why not?" Lizzie asked sharply, breaking from Caroline, and rounding on Will. "Are you too proud to be made fun of or something? Now, Darcy, would you think things like vanity and pride a fault, or something to be pleased at having?"

"That I'm not in the place to say. Vanity is a weakness, but pride… when a prideful person has a reason to be proud… then there should not be a problem." He replied, his eyes lingering over her face, and her shape. Lizzie turned away, so he didn't see the smile of victory that crossed her lips.

"You're done interrogating him? What's the result dear Lizzie, I'm dying to know."

"Darcy has no fault. He has a justification for everything, therefore, no sin." She snapped, eyes alight. Darcy raised his eye brow at her, and was so surprised at her tone, that he said quickly, "Of course I have faults! Mine may be the fact that I can't control my anger. Once someone loses my good opinion, they will never get it back."

"That is sad! Really now, I thought it would be the fact that you hate anyone, and everyone." She said, giving him that droll look he both hated and loved.

"And yours, Lizzie, is the problem of mistaking anyone, and everyone." He replied swiftly, and went back to his game, for now he was several levels behind a laughing Bingley. Lizzie left a few moments afterwards, and everything lost its luster, in Darcy's opinion. He played his game, and it was easier.

"Lizzie is the type of girl that tries to make herself look so cute and adorable by insulting people around her to make herself look good. Really, some girls do stupid things."

"Anything a girl tries to do to make them noticed is stupid." Charlie said with a shrug, zapping a zombie in mid-lunge.

"I won't forget what she did today, Louisa, she looked horrible, all sweaty, nasty, and covered in mud! Her Juicy sweats were covered about a foot thick in mud. I didn't recognize her until she threw her shoe at me! Only Lizzie would do such a horrid thing!" Caroline exclaimed, rolling her eyes disgustedly. Darcy had to choke back another laugh at the scene that morning, and he kept on with the mind-numbing video games. After about an hour longer, and he couldn't take it anymore. After killing his character, Will retreated to his room, running his hands through his hair, and he slumped on his bead.

The war with words had gone perfect. He had gotten her attention in more than the simpering sort of thing, and she had responded with exuberance. Will tore into the bed covers, his only clothes boxers, and a wife-beater. He lay there for awhile, wondering if Lizzie was sleeping comfortably. When he did finally manage to sleep, his dreams were riddled with her. They were riddled with his Elizabeth.

Lizzie snuggled into her covers, mind reeling. What did he mean by that? What had Darcy meant when he said that she misunderstood people? By his little speech about pride, she had found out right from his mouth, that he thought he had a right to be proud! And then to say he could watch them walk around better as he sat, what was the meaning about that? Really, all Will Darcy was doing was making her annoyed, and Lizzie hated to be annoyed. Better to treat him civil, and let just ignore him other wise.

Lizzie turned off the light, and lay there for many more hours, trying to figure out why he made her think so much. What was there about him that made Lizzie want to think about him? Nothing, that was what! He was cute, but he was a prat! Concluding that to herself, Lizzie fell slowly asleep, in a house she barely managed to describe, because her thoughts were riddled of his words, and trying to decipher what they meant.

Yay me! I finally got a chapter done! It's taken forever, but now I think I managed a pretty cool chappy! Happy dance! So, she finally finds out about his contentness to being proud… not to happy about it either. And, her sister's sick! NOOOOO! Well, sorry, but it had to happen… that's how she sees the arrogant man himself! YAY KARMA! Oh… no, that was a spoiler… crud. I hope no one reads this stupid stuff I type at the bottom!

Thanks for all your reviews! They make me feel all fuzzy wuzzy on the inside! YAYA FUZZIES!