A/N: So, some of you have been wondering why Lizzy reacted so oddly to the events of the last chapter. Hopefully, this update will make it a little clearer, and, if you still don't understand, don't worry. It's getting there :P

Chapter 5: Morning Dew

The bright glare of the morning sun was seeping into her room through a crack in her curtains. Her alarm had gone off no less than five times, and each time she'd smashed the snooze button so violently that her fingers were beginning to redden. The broken staccato of a half-heard bird-song filtered through her window, and, just outside her room, Charlotte was humming to herself in her usual off-key fashion as she fixed a cup of coffee. Put simply, early morning proceedings were going as per usual in the dingy London flat Lizzy Bennet called home.

And still, she slept.

Somewhere in her subconscious, the hidden thought behind her actions was that if she slept, maybe it would seem like it never happened. Maybe she'd wake up and realize it was all a nightmare. However, even in slumber, Lizzy's ever-present rational mind tickled against her conscience. Wake up, it seemed to whisper. Wake up and face your fears. Isolation won't make them magically disappear.

This nagging part of her brain was a persistent little bugger. No matter how many times she squeezed her eyes close shut with a vengeance or forced herself to tune out the damn logical voice, it just wouldn't leave her alone.

Maybe because, somewhere deep inside, she knew it was right. She was Elizabeth Bennet, for crying out loud! And right now, she was no better than pathetic girls who cried themselves to sleep with a pint of ice cream while watching a soap on TV. What was the point of this? Eventually, she reasoned, reluctantly opening her eyes, she'd have to get up anyway. And, like her father always told her, "The sooner the better, but rather late than never."

Groaning, she peeled herself from the alluring call of her duvet and wiped the crust from her eyelashes. A glance in the mirror above her desk confirmed that she looked just as terrible as she felt. Her hair, which had never been shampoo-commercial worthy to begin with, was now piled around her head in a manner reminiscent of Medusa, the tangled knots framing her face like a lion's mane. The hollows beneath her eyes were dark with the evidence of fitful sleep, and she'd fallen back into her old stress habit of biting her lip as she slept, and the bruises were raw and tender.

The chirping of the birds rang in her still-fuzzy mind caused her to grimace. What were they so bloody cheerful about? Sighing, she stood, hating the sudden lightheadedness she felt as the result of Charlotte's ghastly concoction. It was going to be a bloody awful day.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty!" Charlotte trilled as an extremely groggy Lizzy shuffled into the kitchen. Her voice was just as carefree and warm as ever, yet Lizzy could sense an undertone of caution hidden beneath it. Like everyone else, Charlotte seemed to be worried for her mental health.

Making a face, Lizzy griped, "Don't you start, Char! I swear, if you start treating me like a loony, I'll really go round the bend." She rested her forehead against the warmth of the coffee mug Charlotte had insistently pressed into her hands. "Damn, my head hurts."

Eyeing her roommate warily, Charlotte took the chair next to her masking her face with a guarded expression. Tentatively, she ventured to ask, "How are you….feeling, Liz?"

"Like crap." Normally, Lizzy wasn't one to grouse, but at that moment it felt as though all the memories she'd so carefully pushed away came flooding back to her. "Charlotte, who the hell invited him in the first place?"

Charlotte frowned. "I'm not completely sure, actually. I reckon it was Lydia, but I talked to Jane about it, and…"

"Jane called?" Suddenly, Lizzy's head shot up, as anxious as she was to change the topic. "How'd she get on with Bingley, then? I meant to ask her, but …."

"Lizzy!" screeched Charlotte, completely exasperated at this point. "We didn't talk about that because we were a bit too concerned about your bloody mental breakdown yesterday! Maybe we were wrong to worry, though, since you seem to have forgotten entirely about the whole damn episode!"

Lizzy was silent. Then, slowly: "I'm sorry, Char. Just….hang on a bit, yeah? I'll talk about it, I will, but just….just not right now."

Haltingly, Charlotte released a long breath. "I'm sorry, too. It's just…Lizzy, we were so worried about you! You just took off – no one knew where you were, no one had seen you outside. We were this close to calling the freaking police!" She seemed on the verge of sobbing now, and Lizzy wasted no time in enveloping her friend in a bear hug.

They'd somehow ended up on the sofa again, and Lizzy decided it was about time to confide in her best friend.

Carefully, she began, "I went to the park. I needed a place to be alone – for a bit, anyway. I just sat there, I'm not sure how long. It helped clear my head, anyway." Glancing at Charlotte and seeing that she wasn't about to interrupt anytime soon, Lizzy continued, "Nothing really happened, I suppose. Nothing worth telling you, anyway. When I was done with my pity party, I went straight back to the house."

Charlotte cut her off, saying, "I know. I was there…not that you noticed, anyway. You were way too busy storming into your room."

Her cynical tone was just what Lizzy needed at the moment. The signature twinkle had crept back into her eyes, and she managed a whole-hearted smile. It turned into a full-blown laugh when she met Charlotte's eyes and they both collapsed in fits against the cushions, their hilarity born not so much out of anything comical about the situation, but rather the simple relief that came from unloading a burden.

Suddenly Charlotte's giggles morphed into silence and, in a somber tone, she said, "Liz, just tell me one thing. Why did you react like that when you saw him? Why did you scream when William tried to help you? Lizzy, please be honest with me here ….do you still love him?"

At the question, all the humor was drained from the atmosphere. Lizzy, suddenly pale, looked up at her friend with wide eyes, suddenly at a loss for words. Faltering, she said, "I don't know." Her voice broke as she turned away, ashamed of the hot prickle of tears that stung behind her eyelids. "I know what you want me to say but…I just don't bloody know."

If Lizzy had strained her ears at that moment, she'd have caught the swiftly uttered swear Charlotte muttered under her breath upon hearing this news. As it was, she only felt the warmth of her friend's arms wrapping around her shoulders consolingly as she murmured silky, empty words of comfort. "It'll be okay, Liz. I promise. It'll be okay."

And at that moment, the only clear thought swirling about in Lizzy's hopelessly tangled mind was: But it won't be.

Charlotte left the flat after noon, claiming to have a few errands she still needed to run. Lizzy had watched her leave, perched on the window-sill, and found herself unwilling to move long after the last roars of the engine were merely echoes in the garage. So she'd sat, and watched the dazzling rays of the sun fade to a burnished gold. The sky, like a painter's canvas, had changed with it – the garish blue had been replaced with a soft plum color, the shade of mulled wine staining pink lips. Distortedly, Lizzy had thought about how beautiful it all was. And how, before today, she'd never taken the time to notice.

The computer screen was flooding the room with bright, white light – and, in the dark of the room, it gave the illusion of a lifeline to Lizzy. She sat in front of it like a corpse, unmoving, unblinking, her eyes focused on the page in a farce of reading while her brain didn't seem to register anything.

Lizzy –

I understand if you never want to see me again. Hell, if I were you, I probably wouldn't either. But I know you, and I know you'll give me another chance, if only so I can explain myself. But before I begin to assume you'll forgive me, just know this: I never meant to hurt you. My actions were out of necessity, and you don't know the whole story. Please, just hear me out. Meet me tomorrow, in our spot, after your classes.

I never stopped loving you, Lizzy.

- George

Her hands were trembling, but she only hovered over the button a minute before pressing it down, hard, with an air of finality about the action. Delete.

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Once again, thanks so much to everyone who took the time to respond to this story - I love you all! Remember, reviews make me smile! :D