A/N: Hi! I wanted to let everyone know that the first chapter is slightly different - the events are slightly altered, so I recommend you check that chapter one before you read this chapter. A big thanks goes to my betas prevail upon me and Tina95 for their amazing work. Please enjoy the chapter!

UPDATE: Thanks goes to my new beta Strike300. She has been very good in helping me, and she gets the edits done so quickly. I really do appreciate her help and advice!

Blessing in Disguise

Chapter Four

Definitely Crazy

Never before had she witnessed such a blatant display of fake affection as when she met the famous Caroline. Lizzie was not at all shocked by the reputation that preceded Caroline because she had acted in the exact way that Lizzie had expected. Condescending and rude and just phony. Lizzie narrowed her eyes as she characterized Caroline in her mind. She despised inauthentic people, and she had a feeling that she was not going to like Caroline. However, she tried to hold in her snarky remarks for Jane.

Jane was constantly mouthing her sister an apology and Lizzie could not help but feel guilty for even thinking of leaving her sister in the clutches of the lioness known as Caroline Bingley. Lizzie must have heard Caroline mention her accident five times in the twenty minutes she had been there. And her stitches were in a place that could easily be airbrushed or be hidden with makeup. The stitches on her right forearm were barely noticeable, unless you were looking for it. Darcy was pulled into the situation when Caroline remarked that it was so kind of him to take on the case. He, however, looked at Lizzie and replied that he only took on the case as they were family friends. Lizzie could only hope that he was true to his word of what he promised earlier.

Once everyone was settled within Jane and Lizzie's petite apartment, Jane was able to escape the tension that was already forming in the air by excusing herself to tend to the dinner. "Dinner should be done in about twenty minutes. I'll go check on it right now." Jane looked up and caught Charlie's attention. "Would you like to help me, Charlie?"

Charlie beamed at his girlfriend, declaring, "Sure, I'd love to."

Lizzie smiled at him while Will's scowl and Caroline's eye-roll did not go unnoticed by her.

"Jeff?" Louisa's rather lazy husband merely looked up from his slouching position on the loveseat. Jane smiled, "Would you like something to drink?"

Jeff grunted, "Some beer would do."

"Everybody else?"

Everyone had declined. Nodding, Jane went into the kitchen with Charlie following her. Louisa rolled her eyes while leaning back into the sofa with her Blackberry in hand. Caroline followed Darcy's gaze which fell onto Lizzie. Uneasy, Lizzie kept glancing between at the clock and at the television, unsure of what to do or say. It took every ounce of willpower Lizzie had not to hide in her room.

Caroline, to everyone's surprise, was the first to speak. "So, you are Eliza?"

Confused, Lizzie looked around and when she realized that she was being addressed to, she pointed to herself in question. "Me?"

Rolling her eyes, Caroline replied, "Yes."

Lizzie raised her eyebrows at Caroline's indignant tone, replying with such a tone that would rival hers. "It's not Eliza. It's Lizzie."

Caroline spat out, "Whatever."

Lizzie glanced out of the corner of her eye at the remaining guests. Louisa remained unaffected by the conversation, while Darcy sat back, staring at Lizzie. His compelling stare did not waver even though Lizzie was now directly staring at him as well. Miffed, Lizzie turned her attention back to Caroline, confused and rather creeped out by Darcy's insistent stare.

"So, I hear that you are a student at the NYU," Caroline spoke, as soon as she too noticed Darcy's gaze at Lizzie. Wanting to move his attention to somewhere other than her, Caroline said, with a slight condescending tone, "I hear that is so time-consuming. I personally did not attend college, because I got a modeling contract straight out of high school."

Lizzie forced a smile, while Jeff snorted in his sleep. She glanced at his figure but took a double take, wondering at just how quickly he had fallen asleep.

"That's great, Caroline. I know that you are a model, from the umpteenth time you told us of your accident and how you were grateful that they didn't stop your contract. I'm surprised that they didn't, given how barely noticeable it is," Lizzie replied, annoyed.

Caroline let out an inaudible gasp, while Darcy leaned back in his seat in the sofa chair. He had never seen a woman like Lizzie, especially someone who actually talked back to Caroline. Feeling a newfound admiration and unrecognizable feeling stirring in his stomach, he excused himself. He also wanted to avoid smiling in front of Caroline at her shocked reaction. Just who was this woman? he thought, unable to understand the feelings. What was he going to do? After little thought, he coped in a way he only knew how to do: throw himself into his work. He placed a call to his secretary, wanting to go over the notes for the case he had to defend in court tomorrow.

Lizzie let out a sigh of disbelief as she watched Darcy leave the living room to the privacy of the dining room, to do what she assumed was to make a business call. A call at a time when he was a guest? Lizzie felt this was consistent with his usual haughtiness, but was still disgusted by it. Typical.

Caroline finally took notice of the apartment, looking around disdainfully and leaned over to whisper in her sister's ear. Both of them started to laugh, as Caroline pointed to something in the living room. After, Caroline narrowed her eyes at Lizzie and spoke to her rather loudly, "What, my dear Eliza, do you want to do with your degree? What was it again?"

Lizzie noticed Jeff's steady snoring slightly stutter and Louisa's eyes peer over her Blackberry - in curiosity to the answer to her question, she thought. She could see Darcy's back and when Caroline had asked that question, his phone stayed still in his hand, pressed against his ear, and his back was straight and firm.

Unsure of what to make of these responses, Lizzie simply replied, "I'm majoring in Biological Sciences, minoring in Molecular."

Louisa was surprised, signalled by her raised eyebrows while Jeff's snoring went back to being steady. "My, my, that's definitely an undertaking, Eliza. What exactly was it that your parents do again?"

Charlie had interrupted when he came to give Jeff his beer who was still sleeping. He shrugged as he placed it on the coffee table and left to help Jane. No one really noticed him until he left the room.

In response to Caroline's question, Lizzie narrowed her eyes and tried very hard to hold back her nasty remark that was just about to roll of her tongue, but she was saved by Darcy's arrival. Or so she thought. He muttered, "I had to take a business call."

"Oh, Will, you work so hard. You must take a break once in a while," Caroline tried to purr, but came across as a sad excuse with her voice squeaking at the end.

Lizzie raised an eyebrow as she glanced at him to notice his reaction. He seemed irritated by Caroline's incessant remarks. He merely nodded. "I'm doing that right now, aren't I?"

"I have to admit that I was surprised to hear that you were a Registration Specialist though, Eliza, at the hospital where I was admitted for my accident. Didn't expect a person like you to work in a hospital. I guess I'm not surprised. It is a public hospital, for the working class. How can you expect talented people to work there? All you can expect is mediocre care," Caroline spoke suddenly after a few moments of silence.

Lizzie's eyes widened as she almost choked on water she had in her hand. "Excuse me?"

Darcy also understood where Caroline was trying to take this, as he tried to halt her. "Caroline, I don't think you should..."

He was cut off by Caroline's insistent tone, "Of course I should, Will. I just wanted to know a bit more about Eliza here."

Lizzie licked her lips before replying, "And how is it that someone as high-class as you ended up at our lowly hospital? Surely you could have been transferred to another facility more deserving of your patronage." She ended on a sour but mocking note.

Aghast, she replied, "Well, I'll be. You sure have a cheeky tongue, Eliza. One of these days, I believe it will bite you in the behind."

Darcy was once again surprised, but did not show it to her. Putting on a mask of indifference, he shrugged as he checked his Blackberry once again.

Lizzie couldn't believe the nerve of Caroline and Darcy. Noticing the amount of attention Caroline was giving to Darcy, she reckoned that they would be perfect for each other. She smirked to herself, as she reveled in the pair, knowing that Darcy had some kind of annoyance towards the older Bingley sister.

"Thank you for the warning. I'll know how to handle myself when that day comes, Caroline," Lizzie replied softly and succinctly.

Caroline huffed in annoyance as she turned her attention back to Darcy. "Will, dear, have you made plans for Thanksgiving?"

Will muttered, "I don't think so."

"I know that your sister must be hard at work with school, so she would not be able to take a break. Such a hard-working girl! You must come with us, Will. We are all going on a vacation to God knows where, Charlie is picking it out," Caroline chattered on.

Lizzie tuned her ears out as she leaned forward to grab her novel from the counter and read as Darcy and Caroline's conversation turned into a bunch of nonsense. She smiled as she finally was free of Caroline's incessant questions.

She was saved though before Caroline was about to ask Lizzie something once again, when Jane announced that it was dinner.

Smiling, Lizzie stood up and grabbed her sister's arm. She whispered into her ear, "Finally. You owe me big."

Jane looked back at her sister in confusion as she led their party to the designated dining room. All Lizzie could hear was Jeff's muffled and rambling nonsense as he was awoken from his deep slumber.

"That was amazing, Jane," Lizzie remarked to her sister. "I loved your strawberry pecan cake. It was so heavenly." She knew that she had a soft spot for dessert, and Jane outdid herself again when it came to the dessert of that evening.

Charlie seconded her reply as he added, "It was absolutely marvelous. Thank you, Jane."

Jane blushed as she stood up to clear the dishes from the table. "Thank you."

Lizzie stood to help. She received Louisa and Jeff's plates, but was surprised when her eyes met a pair of blue ones. Darcy's compelling eyes looked straight at her and instantly, she felt her heart beat rapidly. She felt her chest tighten, but what really threw her off was when he insisted, "I'll do it."

In any case, she didn't want to let it bother her because she could not stand to be in his presence. He was so haughty! And yet, he was clearing the table! His inconsistent actions puzzled her exceedingly.

The entirety of the dinner had been spent, for Lizzie at least, trying to evade Darcy's stern and focused gaze and engaging in a conversation with Jane and Charlie.

Lizzie couldn't exactly comprehend him, except for thinking that Darcy was thinking of something contemptuous about her and her character. And silently revelling on it himself. In any case, she didn't let it bother her because she could not stand to be in his presence, because he was so daunting and so haughty!

The party had moved to the living room once again. Jeff had settled beside his wife and was instantly asleep, within minutes from dinner. Louisa leaned back into the sofa, lounging as her sister sat upright beside her. Charlie and Jane took the loveseat while Darcy took one of the sofas. Lizzie was opted to the other sofa, which was unfortunately in between Darcy and Caroline. So, she brought a chair from the dining room and plopped it beside her sister.

Jane raised her eyebrows at her rather awkward and weird act, to which Lizzie shrugged.

"Jane, what are you doing for the Thanksgiving weekend?" Charlie asked.

Jane looked at her sister before replying, "I don't know. Our house gets pretty crazy around then. But of course, Mama makes the best cranberry sauce. So we often indulge in good food."

"Why don't you join us for that weekend? I was thinking of surprising my sisters with a road trip. Normally, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but I wanted to take advantage of the holiday. I wouldn't mind if you and your sister joined, " Charlie smiled.

Jane was shocked to have been asked something as huge as this, and so quickly into their relationship as well. Caroline and Louisa were equally if not more surprised at their brother's antics. Invite his week-old girlfriend? Preposterous! Lizzie, on the other hand, thought it was cute that he was inviting them.

Jane looked at her sister in question, to which Lizzie replied, "I don't mind, and I know our mother won't mind. But I think I'll pass - I have a thesis to work on and it's due sometime around then. But Jane, you should go."

Jane's eyes widened when she heard Charlie exclaim, "Great! Then it's all settled. I would be honoured if you would accompany us, Jane."

Jane smiled before passing a stern look at her sister. Lizzie shrugged as she looked back to the novel she was reading.

Caroline piped in, "We have one more to add to that party, Charlie. Will's joining us as well."

Charlie smiled at his best friend, "That's great! The more the merrier!"

Darcy merely nodded before directing his attention back to Lizzie, but tried this time to make it discreet. Moments passed by, before Jane insisted that they do something crazy - crazier than what she ever did before. She suggested that they...

"Dance?" Caroline asked, slightly shocked.

Lizzie laughed at Caroline's question, as she smiled at Jane's suggestion. "Sure."

Lizzie stood up as she turned on her "Dance Dance Revolution" on her Wii from the corner of their living room. The harmony of "Just Dance" poured through the speakers and livened up the room.

Charlie smiled as he asked, "Jane, would you like to dance?"

Jane chuckled as she took his hand and stood up. It took a while before they got one with the music, but once they did, they felt as though it was only the two of them together. And they were scoring rather high as well.

Lizzie laughed as she saw how happy her sister and Charlie were together. After all the guys that her sisters dated, Lizzie figured that it was time a decent guy dated her.

As she was about to stand up and dance, she was surprised when she felt a grip on her arm. She whirled around and was surprised to see that it was Darcy, standing up.

She raised her eyebrows, to which he replied, "Would you like to dance?"

Shocked was what she felt when she heard him ask those words. As soon as she recovered, she told him, offering the brightest false smile she could muster. It looked more like she was ready to bite him for even suggesting. "I don't think that this dance was designed to be danced with partners. I believe that we are competing with one another, are we not?," she replied as another dance song blasted from the television speakers.

With that, she turned on her heel and jumped in the middle of her living room, in front of the television. She started off with a few rather absurd moves, but she didn't care. She loved dancing, and she wouldn't let anyone get in the middle of it.

Darcy sat back in his chair, rather impressed by her. Caroline noticed the direction of his gaze, as she leaned over to whisper to him. "I think I know what you must be thinking. Dancing in the middle of the living room? What a joke!"

His gaze didn't waver as he muttered, "No, I don't think you know what I am thinking. I am just thinking about how compelling a pair of eyes can be, especially after some healthy competition."

Caroline was surprised that he was lay down a hint to her so evidently. "And whose eyes are these?"

"Elizabeth's," Darcy replied, his gaze still directed at Lizzie who was laughing with her sister.

"Oh," Caroline let out, as she was rather shocked by his confession. "I'm astonished." She leaned back in her seat and sulked beside her sister.

As he noticed her dance across the floor, he let out a sigh. His eyes were narrowed and his lips pursed in determination. For Darcy, cold, hard doubt about Lizzie turned to steely resolve in an instant. She was definitely crazy. But for some reason, that compelled him towards her all that much more.

Always exploring and unleashing,

ღ 'rEd RoSe-StArFiRe-RoSeFiRe'

that's what I am doing right now