Hello everyone! I can't believe we have already come to it: the final chapter of Reactions! sniffle I've had a lot of fun writing this and I hope you guys have had just as much fun reading it. If you have any suggestions about anything you think I should write in the future, I would be happy to receive them. Just put them in the reviews.

NOTE: In the last chapter I mentioned a Mrs. York as the person who told Darcy where to find Wickham. I WAS BLOODY WRONG AND SHOULD SUFFER HORRIBLE PUNISHMENT FOR HER NAME IS YOUNGE NOT YORK. For those of you who caught it, my thanks. Honestly, I don't know why the heck I wrote it. Oh well.

Okay guys, here we go!

Disclaimer: Nothing you haven't heard before. Nothing is mine; I just like to play around with it. We all know that all characters belong to the lovely Jane Austen.


The two men trotted down the road, side by side on their horses. Their moods matched the coloration of their horses exactly, one being white and the other black. The one riding the white horse was clearly in a state of excitement. He seemed to want to press forward even faster, no matter the risk of tiring their horses. His eyes gleamed happily and a broad grin kept stealing across his face. Every now and then, he would chat animatedly to his friend, expressing his hopes that the ride wouldn't be much longer and every mile put behind them seemed to only increase his happiness.

His friend on the other hand, wore a serious expression as he rode his black charger. His green eyes were curiously vacant and brooding; his attention was clearly not directed towards his friend as he only replied with grunts and silence to the other's excited chatter. Dark, curly hair threw shadows across his face and his chin sunk onto his breast as he rode along. Clearly, he was seeking inner counsel from himself.

Suddenly, the rider on the white charger gave a glad cry.

"Darcy!" he shouted, turning with a happy look to his friend.

"Hm?" the other grunted. Roused from his thoughts, he looked up and around him, noticing the house in the distance. His face changed slightly as he registered the structure.

"We're close!" the first said. "Come on!" With that, he spurred his horse into a gallop across the fields, unable to hold in his excitement.

A strange mix of apprehension and hope crossed Darcy's face before he too kicked his horse into a gallop.


Inside the Bennet's house, there was a great stir when the gentlemen were sighted galloping towards Longbourn.

"Jane!" Mrs. Bennet called. "You must hurry and get ready for here is Mr. Bingley coming!"

"Why, he has someone with him, Mama!" Kitty cried. "Who can it be?"

"It doesn't matter, Kitty, come away from the window and help Jane dress," Mrs. Bennet called back. "She must be ready in time!"

But Elizabeth, already dressed and in the room reading when this announcement was made, started at the news. "Another rider?" she whispered to herself. "Could it be..."

Without even bothering to finish her though, Lizzy threw down her book and ran to the window. The horsemen were approaching at a full gallop and it was easy to recognize Mr. Bingley. Beside, on a black charger, did indeed ride another man. His curly hair blew in the wind created by the speed of the horses, and, as they drew nearer, he looked up.

Elizabeth gasped in shock. It was Mr. Darcy! Flustered, she patted her hair and her dress. Oh! she thought suddenly. What if Lady Catherine has visited him and told him what I said?

Again, she lifted the curtain and peered out the window. Now, she fancied she could see expressions on the faces of the riders. Bingley simply had ecstasy and happiness on his face at being so close to his fiancée. But Darcy's face was harder to read. He seemed to be bent on something and he rode crouched over his horse's neck. Hastily, Elizabeth dropped the curtain and sat down to await their arrival in a dignified manner, albeit an anxious one.

Darcy grinned to himself as he rode ever closer to Longbourn. He had seen the figure at the window and he had recognized that form and hair, even the face, although he was still some distance.

Yes, I come. Elizabeth. His mind whispered to her across the distance. But how will you react to my arrival? I hope favorably, for my dear aunt has given me reason to hope...


If one had not experienced the excitement and hurry as everyone ran around the house making themselves presentable and preparing for the arrival of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, one would not believe that it had ever happened. For when the gentlemen were shown into the drawing room, all the women were busy embroidering, sewing, studying, or reading. Jane looked up with a smile on her face as Bingley entered the room and he went straight to her after the necessary bows were completed. Darcy simply stood on the side as was his custom and watched Elizabeth carefully. She was still standing, but would not meet his eyes. Instead, she examined the floor.

"My dear Mrs. Bennet," Bingley cried. "How good it is to be back! I was wondering if perhaps we could all go on a walk. I see the countryside is quite beautiful now and Darcy here hasn't had the chance to experience it yet."

"Oh, of course!" Mrs. Bennet agreed. "Gather your things, girls."

Within a few minutes, the party set out, minus Mary who had begged to be excused as she didn't feel very well. At first, everyone stayed together, but Mr. Bingley and Jane soon dropped to the back and fell behind as they wished to be alone. Heads together, they pretended not to notice the distance growing between them and the other three, although that was really their purpose. Soon, they were simply dots in the distance.

Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy, and Kitty walked on, the latter wishing to be free of the imposing Mr. Darcy's presence. Elizabeth was nervously quiet, unsure of what to say. Mr. Darcy simply wished to be rid of Kitty since there were certain subjects he wished to discuss with Miss Bennet that he felt could not be broached with her younger sister there.

As they came upon a road leading away from the path, Kitty suddenly looked up at her sister.

"Lizzy, could I perhaps visit Maria for a moment?" she asked, adding for good measure, "I long to see her and haven't in sooo long."

"Yes, yes, of course," Elizabeth replied in a distracted tone. "But I don't think we all need to visit. Give them my regards, Kitty."

With a nod, Kitty ran off down the lane, glad to be free of the imposing presence of Mr. Darcy. The said person simply heaved an inward sigh of relief. Finally, he had Elizabeth alone. But before he could say anything, Lizzy started to speak.

She spoke quickly and firmly. On behalf of her family, she thanked him for saving Lydia and their family from shame and humiliation. Darcy listened to all this with some slight impatience. He enjoyed hearing Elizabeth's voice, but he hadn't been thinking of her family when he had sought out Wickham. He had been thinking only of her and he quickly told her as such. Seizing his opportunity, he continued on,

"You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever." (A/N: that's a direct quote from the book) Now for the moment of truth, Darcy thought. Has she come to care for me as my Aunt Catherine's recounting of her visit has made me believe?

Elizabeth could only blush and look down for a moment. She had hoped to hear those words for so long. And now they had been spoken. Darcy did still love her and he was giving her another chance at happiness. Still, hearing the words was a bit of a shock and it took her a few moments to catch her breath and collect her thoughts.

"Mr. Darcy," she said haltingly, still examining the ground. "Y-You cannot know what... joy those... words give... me."

But Darcy felt he could as he looked down at her, hope diffusing across and lighting his face. A great feeling of warmth was rising in his chest and he waited impatiently for her to go on.

"I know that last time, I... said that your... attentions were ... un-unwelcome. But... now I-I only feel the greatest joy... and I must confess that... that I have come to... love you." Elizabeth blurted out the last two words quickly, then looked up to witness the reaction of the man next to her.

Darcy could only look down with a broad grin across his face, eyes sparkling with love and joy. It felt as though his heart was going to blow out of his breast it was beating so hard. At that moment, with those two words hanging in the air between them, he felt that he could jump in the air and fly, so great was his joy. Catching his love's hands in his own, he longed to hear those words from her lips again.

"Are you serious, Elizabeth? You love me?" he questioned, feeling it too good to be true.

"Yes, I love you," she responded, more sure of her answer in the face of such happiness.

Ecstatic, Darcy kissed the hands that where clasped in his strong grip. He left off his ministrations for only a second to kneel down, not caring if the road was dirty.

"Elizabeth Bennet, I love you. Will you marry me?" he asked, not wanting to wait another second to make the lady he had sought for so long his.

"Yes," she whispered, her eyes sparkling with tears of happiness. "Yes, of course."

Springing off his knees, the man grabbed the woman tightly. "Mrs. Elizabeth Darcy," he whispered to her as he brought their faces close together. "I like the sound of that."

Without pausing for an answer, he closed the gap between them, bringing his lips to hers. He had hoped and waited so long for this moment. And now, she was his.

Elizabeth was slightly shocked when their lips touched, but it felt so right to be together like this, and she remembered their last kiss. She begrudged him nothing as his lips moved over hers and opened her mouth slightly as he deepened the kiss and held her closer. Her hands reached up and tangled themselves in his curls as they pressed together, losing themselves in the intensity of their kiss.

All too soon for both of them, they had to stop for air, although Darcy kissed her eyelids and cheeks, getting rid of the tears of happiness that rolled down her cheeks. When they pulled back slightly, Lizzy grinned impishly up at him.

"I like the sound of that too, my lord," she replied. She looked so adorable that Darcy simply had to kiss her again. She made no protest and responded eagerly, pressing up against him and caressing him.

But Darcy had to remain the gentleman and, even though she was now his and his body demanded more, he knew that they first had to announce their marriage to her family.

Not to mention our wedding night must be perfect, he thought to himself. So he had to content himself with dropping a kiss on Elizabeth's nose as she pouted up at him. Suddenly, he let out a great laugh of joy and started spinning Elizabeth around and around in the middle of the road, not caring who saw or heard. She shrieked in delight at this new form of entertainment and flung her head back to view the spinning world.

Breathless, they were eventually forced to stop and Mr. Darcy looked with adoring eyes at Miss Bennet. Soon to become Mrs. Darcy, he corrected himself in his head. Giving a small bow, he held out his arm to the flushed woman.

"Shall we walk on, my lady?" he asked lovingly.

"Certainly, my lord," she replied, taking his arm. She smiled up at him and Darcy felt a lump rise in his throat. This beautiful creature had just pledged her life and happiness to him. In that moment, Fitzwilliam Darcy swore to himself that he would deserve this woman. One would have to be blind not to see the love and trust that brightened her eyes and her face. He swore never to break that trust or that heart.

So they turned, walking along the road of life and love together; not caring where they were heading as long as they were together.

Finis


sniffle It's done...

A big THANK YOU to all my reviewers!

Princess Persephone: the death raises eyebrows... I nearly cried, but I definitely think book 6 was really good... she has definitely moved to more mature subject matter though... I'm glad I made you happy that I updated

Severus-Fan: I hope your vacation was fun. Well, you just finished reading the next and last chapter.

Maria Teresa: See above rant for the Mrs. Younge/York mistake. I'm glad you really like this and Darcy makes me swoon no matter what the context.

BJ Hendy: here's more! I'm glad you think my story and writing are good.

Stargazer starluver: Glad you love it. I didn't update really soon, but I hope this wasn't too late either.

Kyra3: Thanks soooo much for reviewing On the Wings of Song, by the way. I'll agree with you that Harry Potter is definitely now geared for a more mature audience. Colin Firth is amazing... especially in a dressing gown.

Terriah: FOUR HOURS! Demon person!

Intoxicated by eriks music: Love the name... Thanks.

thesupernugget: glad you like it... won't comment on updating quickly, though

WhiteCamellia: I hope you liked this next part.

Magewhisperer: glad you think it's sweet. I was trying to go for a softer attitude and stuff, so I guess I succeeded

Quantuminferno: Darcy is wonderful and I'm glad you love it

Lucy: Glad you like it. Darcy indeed knows what he wants.

Kiss-of-cuteness: I'm glad you love it. It is really an honor to be told that this is like what Jane forgot to publish.

Crazycar60: okay, it is sappy, but I am on a romantic kick; I think my next project will be p&p again, but this time... Darcy will have a sword! violent side begins to show through

Annecordelia: what can I say? glad you love it though... Jane had to keep with the times. I'm glad you like my writing

So now it is finished. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I have. For those of you who read or saw Sense and Sensibility, can you please R&R my story about Colonel Brandon?

'Til next time then!

I remain, as always, your humble servant

Percyismine