Disclaimer: I do not own Shakespeare in Love or any of its characters.

Title: Viola's Plan

Fandom: Shakespeare in Love

Author's Note: This does contain spoilers for the entire movie.

Status: Up for grabs/unknown/maybe just a one-shot

*~*~*~*

"Nurse, do you have it?" Viola asked as she came from wishing Will goodbye. She was able to wipe away the tears that came to her eyes just as the nurse came over to help her. She smiled as the small vial was placed in her hands, along with some wine that the Nurse was able to get from somewhere. Viola placed what was in the vial into the wine before corking it and swirling it around. She came back out to Wessex. "My dear Lord – forgive me. It was such a wonderful play!" She said happily.

"Of course, of course," he said, looking a bit annoyed with her. He did not do anything but helped her into a coach that had been called up for them. "What do you have with you?"

"Some wine that I was told was of very good quality. I thought we could have a toast to our marriage before we got on the boat," she said with a smile as she uncorked the bottle and gave it to him to smell.

He sniffed at it and approved, taking a long sip of it. "It is a very good vintage. You were right to buy it. I am very happy to have you as my wife to actually know what you are doing."

"Thank you, my Lord," she said with a smile as he corked the bottle. She relaxed back into her seat as she listened to him speak about this and that. When they were half way there, she started to fully listen to him as he started to slur. "Oh my! My Lord?!" She asked worriedly.

He tried to speak, making different motions at the bottle and then out the window. At least it looked like that. In his mind, he was cursing his wife about the wine now as he slowly felt himself start to suffocate.

She knocked hard on the roof of the carriage and when that did not worked, yelled "Help!" which she knew was heard as the carriage came to a stop. She made herself near tears and a bit crying as the coachman came to see what was the problem. "My husband – something has happened! Please, get a doctor!" She said, a bit hysterical as the part called for. She was glad when the coachman believed her and ran to get a doctor. She just continued to cry, though she knew to herself that they were tears of joy. She moved as the doctor came and went with them to the doctor's office. She waited outside, rocking back and forth as her mother and father came to her. She was hugged by her mother as her father went to speak with the doctor. As she saw the no shake of the doctor's head, she wailed as she buried her head into her mother's shoulder.

"Shhh, it's alright," her mother said quietly to her as she tried to comfort her daughter. The Lady De Lesseps would never say that she was internally happy at this turn of fate. Her daughter did get married and she did not have to move to Virginia where who know what waited there. She just comforted her daughter as she saw her husband make the arrangements and pay the doctor for his time.

"We should get her home," the Lord De Lesseps said to his wife as he helped her get her daughter to a standing position. Viola let herself be led out to the carriage by her parents, looking every part the dazed widow. There was little talk on the way home, the only bits of silence broken every small bit of the way by Viola crying a little bit here and there.

When they were home, Viola went up to her room where she laid herself in her own bed, pulling Will's pillow close to her as she inhaled his scent deeply. There would be the time of mourning, she knew that, but then he could try. He was no longer a penniless player – the bet had seen to that – and she was happy. The Queen will probably not say anything, she thought to herself as she relaxed in bed. She let herself sleep a small bit before rising and seeing the nurse bring in her dinner. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome," the Nurse replied with a sigh. "You really were made for the stage, my Lady."

Viola smiled at that. "Thank you Nurse," she whispered. "I actually am sad that Wessex is gone – mostly due to the fact that I would have liked the adventure of the New World. But I am happy to be here, at home, with you and mother and father. Even though I most likely will be seen as bad luck more than anything else."

"I doubt that," the Nurse replied. "Master Shakespeare has heard of his death and sends his sympathies to you, my Lady. He says that he will more than wait the time of mourning, if you will still have him."

Viola smiled at that, her first true smile all day. "Of course I will have him, if my parents agree to it."

"Considering that he just got endorsed by the Queen today, I doubt they will say no," the Nurse said with a smile. "Eat only a small bit. I brought enough for your usual serving, but you need to be seen that you are in mourning."

"It might be better if I don't eat at all, but I am hungry," Viola said as she looked at the dinner. "I think mother would feel better if I did eat, considering she asked the cooks to make my favorite foods."

"Perhaps," the Nurse said. "Just don't overdue."

"OF course Nurse," Viola said as she ate a small bit, smiling happily at herself. Her plan had worked, even though Mister Fennyman didn't know that he had one real poison in his props. She knew, mostly because she had been curious and looked at it. She nicked it, of course, mostly to end her own suffering. The Queen would have known though and suspected Will, so she turned her plan to the man that she did not want to be married to in the first place. She would wait patiently during her time of mourning and then she would meet her lover. Even though they might not be truly married, she was truly happy for the first time since the play ended.