A/N: So sorry for not updating in almost a month! I tried to get my other Pride and Prejudice fanfic started, and real life has just gotten so busy. I hope this chapter makes up for my absence! Next chapter is the Netherfield Ball, so stay tuned! And oh, check the tumblr often; I update it rather regularly!

Please enjoy this chapter!

P.S.: Thanks go to Strike3000 for her awesome work as my beta. Her advice is absolutely amazing! This chapter, right now, hasn't been beta-ed, but will be soon!


Blessing in Disguise


Chapter Nine

Staying Away


She never did get to go on that date with George that night. He said that he really regretted that he wasn't able to, but his boss had him working for the better part that night.

Though she was a bit disappointed by being turned down for that date, she had time to revel in what happened that night. Lizzie couldn't help but feel a tad guilty when she opted out of the dinner, especially with the promise she made to Jane. Oh well, she'll forgive me. She always does.

With that thought, she continued on studying with her midterm. And just as she predicted, her sister was angry at her, but instantly forgave her once she heard what had happened.

That night was the first night, though, Lizzie dreamed of a certain British man with intimidating eyes.

Days had gone by, and it was already the last week of November. Lizzie and her sisters were busy with school, finals creeping up way too quickly. Jane and Charlie were as steady as ever. And now, they finally went on solo dates, never dragging Darcy or Lizzie after the fiasco with Wickham. He never did call her back though.

Lizzie hid her disappointment and poured her energy into working and studying. She was better adapted at the hospital, enjoying work at the Registration immensely. Exposure to many new experiences and cases had given her a newfound appreciation for the work in healthcare and the pressure of being a doctor.

She knew that this was what she was supposed to do. She, however, was still anxiously waiting for the results from medical school. She wanted to show people that she didn't worry about it, but her insistent and obsessive behaviour of refreshing her email on her phone and laptop every five seconds didn't go by unnoticed by those around her.

"Lizzie," Charlotte muttered as she sat across from her in Starbucks on a chilly afternoon.

Lizzie looked up from her Motorola Photon and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"You know, if I maybe stick your phone into my drink, then maybe you wouldn't…" Charlotte replied as she leaned forward to grab her friend's phone.

"Hey!" she retorted as she kept her phone close to her.

Charlotte raised her eyebrow. "Can you put it away, just for ten minutes? So we can get in a decent conversation?"

There was a long moment of silence, before Lizzie gave in reluctantly. "Fine," she muttered dejectedly as she placed her phone into her purse.

"You know, I really need to get a replacement phone. If you're like that with having your phone next to you 24/7, image how I feel?"

Lizzie looked up from her gaze on the purse that currently harbouring her phone. Maybe if she just checked it one more time…

"Lizzie!"

"Sorry," she muttered sheepishly. "You were saying something about your phone? Are you sure you couldn't find it anywhere?"

Charlotte sighed as she took a sip of her White Chocolate Mocha. "Nope, just going to have to call Verizon."

Lizzie nodded, unable to provide a reply. She looked down at her drink and contemplating getting another one when she heard an extremely annoying voice.

"Eliza! Fancy meeting you here!"

She cringed when she recognized the source of the voice. Looking up, she saw Charlotte's eyes widen at the man behind her. Closing her eyes and inhaling deeply, she turned around and plastered on a fake smile.

"Mr. Collins, what a nice surprise!" Lizzie muttered as she saw William Collins behind her, in his traditional three piece suit.

"My dear, I am so happy to have run into you. I was just at my hotel, thinking about you and wondering if I could call you. But I was dearly craving some Starbucks and here I am," he replied gleefully.

Lizzie rolled her eyes and looked at Charlotte, who in turn was looking at her in irritation.

"Oh! Mr. Collins, this is my best friend, Charlotte Lucas. Lottie, this is Mr. Collins," Lizzie introduced the couple.

Charlotte simply smiled while Mr. Collins' eyes brightened immediately. "Oh my, New York certainly has their share of beautiful women. It must be the polluted air."

Charlotte blushed, while Lizzie tried to cover her laughing, but it still came out as a snort. What in the world is he going on about?

Charlotte asked, "Would you like to seat, Mr. Collins?"

Collins looked down at the empty chair in between the girls and to the drink in his hands. "I would love that. Please, call me Billy. Thank you for bestowing your…"

"Actually, Mr. Collins, Charlotte and I were just leaving. We do have our finals coming up and we were going to…"

Charlotte kicked her shin underneath the table. Lizzie yelped in pain, as she rubbed her shin. She glared at Charlotte, who simply looked back at Mr. Collins. Innocently, as though she did nothing. Lizzie narrowed her eyes at her friend, not entirely understand what Charlotte was doing.

"You are welcome to stay," Charlotte started as she remembered, "Billy."

Mr. Collins' lit up with excitement as he grabbed the chair and sat down. He began to introduce himself and the work he did in Miami, not failing to mention Lady de Bourgh's name.

Lizzie sank back into the chair, wishing a hole would just swallow her. Then again – she looked back at her purse and then at Charlotte who was engrossed in Collins` introduction. She quickly took out her phone and checked her email.


"So did Lottie ever mention what she did about her phone? I hope Verizon sends her a replacement phone," Lizzie muttered as she placed her keys onto the kitchen counter. It had been another trying day at school and work, and all she wanted to do was snuggle with her quilt and fall asleep.

Jane shrugged, as she placed her coat into their small jacket closet in the entrance of their apartment. She had picked up Lizzie from the library and had gone home together. She replied, "I hope they do. Charlotte has other things on her plate, and this just couldn't have happened at a worse time."

Lizzie looked at her sister, before sighing deeply. She placed her purse on the counter beside her keys and leaned against the counter, facing Jane. "Yeah, I just wish we could do something for her. But you know, Charlotte, she would bite us before accepting help from us."

"Yeah, but I don't really understand why though."

"I think I do. It isn't her pride, though, that's for sure. I think it's just the embarrassment of not being able to cope, especially when other people her age are able to."

Jane was currently focussed on the letters in her hands, but when she heard her sister convey her opinion, her attention was back on her sister. "Hmm?"

Lizzie shook her head, not wanting to talk further on the subject, "So, anything interesting in the mail?"

Jane laughed softly at her sister's sudden turn of conversation. She looked down as she perused through their mail. Once she came to a beautiful, silver encrusted card, she smiled. She gave it to her sister to read.

Lizzie's eyes furrowed as she reached over to grasp it from her sister's hands. She looked down at it and smiled to herself as she read its contents.

You have been cordially invited to the

Netherfield Winter Gala

Hosted by

Business Students' Association

On the 10th of December, 2011

At 6:30 pm

Students, Staff and Alumni of NYU are all welcome to attend.

Dinner will be served at 7, followed by a formal dance.

Lizzie laughed at her sister. "I guess I have finally found the perfect occasion to wear that dress I bought last week."


After Lizzie had called back George multiple times, unwilling to let go of what she thought was an instant attraction, George had finally agreed to a date. Lizzie snagged about two dates with George at Starbucks – just a quick drink, before he indulged her with a movie date. The coffee dates were nothing too spectacular, a little lackluster, but Lizzie simply dismissed it as them both being rushed into have a ten minute date during their breaks from work and school.

After watching what Lizzie thought was the worst movie in history, he treated to a nice dinner on uptown New York.

After they had settled down and were halfway through their meals, the elephant in the room was finally addressed when Lizzie couldn`t control her curiosity.

"So, how do you William Darcy?"

George was about to take a bite out of his risotto, but dropped his fork once he heard the question. He wiped his mouth with a napkin before placing it onto his lap once again. "Finally, we talk about our mutual acquaintance. But let me ask you first, what do you think of Will Darcy?"

Lizzie looked up from her gaze on her plate and pursed her lips. "The harsh truth? Or the sugar-coated lie?"

He raised his left eyebrow as he laughed slightly. "I'm not sure if I want to know now."

She smiled, as she took a sip of her water. She looked back at him and replied, "Well, if it wasn't obvious that night, I'm not necessarily his number one fan. I think he's rather a conceited man, and I'm pretty sure he hates me as well."

George silently approved and was rather happy of her opinion of the man, but successfully masked what he was thinking by muttering, "Someone hate you? I find that hard to believe."

Lizzie giggled, well aware that George was flirting, but still – she was a woman. She'd like to indulge in these from time to time.

"So, what is the deal with you and Darcy? You weren't exactly on agreeable terms."

George laughed humorlessly. "That's putting it lightly."

Lizzie looked uncomfortable, as he begun to relay his tale. "Darcy and I knew each other since we were in primary school. Wait, I mean elementary. My father was George Darcy's personal assistant for many years, and Darcy's father loved me as though I was his own."

Lizzie was shocked. "You guys were friends? But you didn't look like it."

George smiled, "Just wait. I still have to get to the juicy parts. So, where was I? Oh yeah, so about twelve years ago, my old man died. It was hard, because it was just me and my dad for the longest time. But George Darcy and his kind heart took me into his home and provided for my education."

"Wow," Lizzie muttered, as she tried to take in what she had heard.

"Yeah, I guess it's pretty amazing. But, Darcy was always jealous of his father's treatment of me. I suppose, in his eyes, I was a threat to his father's love. He always had it in for me. Always blamed me when he got in trouble. I even covered for him when he crashed his father's car. So, when George Darcy died, about seven years ago, I wasn't surprised when Darcy cut my university funds."

"Oh my God, Darcy did all that because he was jealous?" Lizzie asked, shocked. She knew that Darcy was a rude, conceited jerk, but was he really that ruthless?

"I know, it's pretty shocking to me too. I mean - I saw him as a brother, but all he thought of me was a threat. I guess all those years of friendship didn't mean an ounce to him. I wanted to become a lawyer, but with the little money I had, I knew that I wouldn't have been able to afford it. So, I came to America, hoping to get a fresh start. I did some online courses and I managed to get a degree in electrician training from Penn Foster Career School."

"Penn Foster…isn't that in Scranton? Pennsylvania?" Lizzie asked. "What are you doing in New York, then?"

George laughed as he gazed into her doe like eyes. "You sure are mighty curious, aren't you?"

Lizzie blushed as she lowered her gaze.

Laughing again, George replied, "I was just joking. Yeah, I graduated at around last June, so I moved to New York when my buddy hooked me up with an apprenticeship. And here I am, having dinner with you."

Lizzie smiled, unsure of what to think of his story. Sure, it seemed plausible, but was it really? Was Darcy really capable of resorting to these measures because he was jealous? But he was Darcy, she had to admit. She knew absolutely nothing about who he was, besides from knowing he was a proud, rude and conceited man who she wished she never had to see again.

"I hear he has a sister. Is she as proud as her brother?"

Something flickered in his eyes before he smiled sadly. "Georgiana. She was such a sweet girl when I lived with them, but I have to admit when their father died, she turned as proud as her brother and was as happy as her brother to see me gone."

Nodding, Lizzie raised her hand to grasp his and looked into his eyes. "I'm sorry you had to go through with all that."

George looked down at their clasped hands and smiled at her. "I'm happy though that I am here with you."

Lizzie blushed as she quickly let go of his hands and looked down at her phone. She realized that it was only a couple of days away from the ball and she needed a date. Gaining newfound confidence, she asked him, "If I'm not being too forward, there's this charity event at NYU this Saturday and I was wondering if you wanted to come…"

George smiled as he leaned forward from his seat and grasped her hands, "I'd love to."

She smiled, but it faltered when she realized something. "Will Darcy might be there."

She noticed a look in his eyes but he quickly dismissed it as he smiled. "Nothing can stop me from being there with you, Lizzie."

Ecstatic to have a date for the Netherfield Gala, she continued with her meal and basked in his company. Unknown to her, about five minutes before she asked George to the Gala, someone else was thinking of the exact same event.

Darcy walked into the restaurant and checked his watch, smiling in satisfaction that he was about five minutes early for the dinner with a client.

While waiting to be seat, he checked his Blackberry. When he looked at the date, he realized that only three days away was the Netherfield Winter Gala. The thought of the event brought in memories of the woman who continues to haunt his dreams at night. Knowing that she was a student there at NYU and her sister dating the President of the Business Students' Association, avoiding her there would be impossible.

He never felt that way, but he knew that he must not have left a favourable impression the last time they talked. He couldn't blame himself though – Wickham brought out the worst in him. Speaking of the devil, as he looked up from his Blackberry, he noticed the very doe like eyes that haunted his every waking moment.

He noticed that she was with a man, and that she was clasping his hands over the table and stroked his hand with her thumb. Unable to extinguish this feeling he felt in his stomach, he strained his neck trying to see who it was. When he noticed, by the profile of the man's face, his stomach dropped.

He immediately told the waiter that he had to leave and to mention to the other party that his assistant would reschedule. He had to get out of that restaurant. He stormed out, clenching and unclenching his fists.

Once he was outside, he looked back into the restaurant and he was still able to see her and Wickham. She was now smiling at him as she drank from a glass of water.

He couldn't help but admonish and hate the girl for being so stupid. What in the world was she doing with Wickham, especially when he told her to stay away from him? Maybe, Darcy finally realized, in his limo ride home, that he should stay away from her.


Always exploring and unleashing,

ღ 'rEd RoSe-StArFiRe-RoSeFiRe'