The next few will be shorter.


Lizzie was about to explain when William started talking.

"Lizzie and I worked put some of our differences. We provided each other with clarification and some points with further illumination, and everything else is none of you concern." He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close.

The door opened and Gigi stuck her head out. "Lizzie, its time."

"Time for what?" William looked down on her with a smile.

"Clarification." She paused. "And speeches. Good bye Wickham."

The two of them followed Gigi back to the reception and Lizzie took her place by the mic. "Hello everyone! We don't do things normally here in the Bennet-Darcy family. Yes I am giving a version the groom's speech. No, I am not the groom." The was a little chuckle from some of the audience. "My name is Lizzie Darcy, and I'm going to thank some people by telling you a story." She looked and Charlotte who, along with Gigi, Jane, Lydia, and the rest of the table sang her theme song. She ducked her head to hide her laugh and started. "A very special person told me I was a good story teller," she saw William duck his head, "I'll let you be the judge of that. But first, thanks mom for loving us in your own special way, and dad for putting up with a house full of women." She saw her mother fanning herself and her father shaking his head. "On with the story! I met William Darcy at a wedding. This brings me to my first round of story thanks: Ellen Gibson and her husband. I caught the bouquet and William did likewise with the garter. Needless to say it was-"

"The most awkward dance ever." The entire table interrupted her and the hall laughed slightly.

"Yeah... Anyway, I ranted and complained and my best friend, Charlotte, sat there and took it all, amongst other people. So thank you Charlotte for being my bestie. You deserve all the honey walnut shrimp in the world. Then we went to remodel our house, and to stay with Bing Lee. Bing, thank you for dragging William down to Meryton with you, having us stay for a month, and putting up with everything everyone threw at you with a smile. But mostly, thank you for falling in love with my sister." Jane and Bing clasped hands on top of the table, Jane's engagement ring sparkling in the lighting. "Thank you Jane, for being super sweet and never saying one bad thing about anyone, even if you could only say they were tall. Then, after we got home, I began shadowing companies for my graduate project. Thank you Mr. Collins, table number 2 seat 5, for having me. There I met the one and only Fitz Williams, who shortly became my new buddy. Thank you Fitz, for being a really bad wingman, but telling the truth."

"Anytime Lizzie D!" He put an emphasis on the change in the last letter or his nickname.

"And by the way, pirates totally beat ninjas. Shortly after Collins and Collins, I went to Pemberley Digital." She put a hand on William's shoulder. "And was greeted by my newest little sister. And she was crazy." She felt his shoulder move a little in laughter. "But thank you Gigi, for shoving me into The Lizzie Trap. You are really good at interfering in your brother's love life. But certain events unfolded and I had to go home. So thank you Lydia, for being my baby sister, for letting me in, for the 15 reasons why I am no longer perpetually single. You truly are the Ly-di-ah. But I have one last person to thank. To my agoraphobic lobster, who has saved so many people, I thank William Darcy. You have put up with so much from me, from bad impressions to awkward conversations. You once asked when I started loving you, and now I know. I was in the middle before I even knew I'd begun, so I guess I have loved your from the very start. Thank you for coming to see me on my birthday two years, three months, 14 days ago. It was truely illuminating."

Before she knew what was happening, William had stood up and pulled her off her feet and was kissing her. The hall erupted in applause and she could feel him smiling against her lips. The two of them broke apart and William took to the mic.

"Well that will be hard to follow." He looked at Lizzie and ducked his head in a smile.