Chapter 9

A/N: I know, I'm awful! I was stuck at procrastination station for a looonnggg time, as well as the fact that I'm outright lazy and wasn't really feeling any direction with this story. But I powered through, and I think I know what I want now. Yip yip. I'm planning to right the next chapter with some of Darcy's perspective. Thanks for reading! XX

"Lizzy, you made it!" Jane's squeal was piercing.

Elizabeth was unprepared to receive her sister's hug, but received it nonetheless. It was 11:30 p.m., twelve hours after she received Jane's voicemail, that Lizzy arrived on the doorstep of Jane's apartment in Greenwich Village. A seven hour plane ride and three hour-time change later, and Lizzy had emerged into the bright city in a less-than fashionable oversized flannel and decade-old pair of Uggs. Bags in tow, Lizzy moved past the exuberant Jane into her modest living, throwing her Vera Bradley set onto the patterned loveseat. She slumped on the white couch, peering around the room through sleepy eyes. "You put up some new art." She gestured to a Pollock esque piece featuring a naked woman adorning the wall opposite.

Jane's eyes followed Lizzy's hand. "Oh, yeah, you like it? I picked it up in a market uptown… so, what're we gonna do? Watch a movie? A Streetcar Named Desire? Dirty Dancing? Mani-pedis? Cupcakes?"

"Whoa, slow down." Lizzy braced her sister's jumping figure. "First, I'm going to need a drink."

"Coffee?"

"Jose Cuervo?"

"Martini?"

"You're a saint, baby." Lizzy smiled as her sister skipped to the kitchen in matching satin pink pajamas, her hair in a blonde braid down her back.

Lizzy got up, moving her bags down the narrow hallway to her sister's master. There was a white comforter on a bed, and a mirror framed by distressed wood in the corner. She took a breath and went back out into the hallway.

"Now, come sit. I desperately need to know why my favorite sister is so damned moody these days."

Lizzy turned to the sound of Jane's voice, joining her fair sister on the sofa. She took her glass appreciatively and turned down the volume of a Frazier rerun. "Moody?"

"Yes. While you're not a typically chipper person dear Elizabeth, I'd usually be victim of multiple stabbing jests by now. What's up?"

Lizzy snuggled further into the sofa, unsure how to answer her sister's inquiry. "Nothing, really - and not all of us are bubbling with the effervescence of imminent marriage." She gave her sister a pointed stare.

"Nothing, hmm? Is 'nothing' code for whatever happened between you and William at the party two weeks ago?"

"William? Mr. Darcy? What in the world could you mean by that?"

"Well, Charlie told me that Will has barely talked to him since the party, and I know you two had a conversation… what did he say to you?"

Lizzy looked her sister in the eye. "You can't tell me you don't have any guesses."

"So something did happen?"

Lizzy looked toward the window. "I don't know… he just… wanted something more from me, and I hadn't… anticipated his proposition concerning his prior behavior."

Jane nodded slowly. "No details?"

Lizzy gave her sister a sad smile. "Not yet. Soon, maybe."

Her sister nodded in understanding. The two sisters sat in silence a while longer.

"So," Lizzy began again, trying to perk her sister up. "Tell me more about the wedding."

Jane lit up, and Lizzy was happy to sit and listen to her sister talk animatedly deep into the night.


The two woke early the next morning, a tangle of limbs under the plush cream of the duvet. Lizzy was the first to acknowledge her consciousness, opening her eyes and squinting at the light streaming unapologetically onto her face.

Lizzy turned on her pillow to look at her sister. "Jane."

"Yes, Lizzy." Jane murmured back, not quite awake.

"We've kissed. Twice. It was almost more the second time."

Jane opened her eyes slowly, but said nothing in reply.

"He wanted more from me. Just sex. I said no… he's been such a douche. And we are working on the same case. Why would he even begin to think I could…" Lizzy trailed off, rolling onto her back.

A couple minutes passed it. "He actually proposed… planned hookups?" Jane's voice was rough with sleep.

"Yeah."

"Wow."

"So, you'd be like… fuck buddies?"

"Yeah."

"Wow."

Lizzy could feel Jane's eyes on her. She flipped over and got out of bed, walking towards the shower, not wanting to discuss the matter any more.


An hour later, Lizzy was following her sister into Tavern on the Green, a traditional brunch spot for the pair.

Jane smiled charmingly at the maitre'd. A booth was presented for the attractive sisters.

"So." Jane picked up a menu. "Are we going to talk about what you said this morni-"

"No." Lizzy cut her off. "I'm fine. Everything's fine."

"...ok."

A brief pause passed.

"What do you have planned to entertain me this weekend?" Lizzy gave her elder sister a sugary smile.

"Well," Jane tucked a wisp of her baby blonde hair back into her messy chignon. "I was thinking shopping and fine-dining today…"

"I approve." Lizzy nodded.

Jane giggled. "And tomorrow, erm… Charles is coming to town…"

"Oh, god, can't stand to be away from your sweet lovin' for more than two days? What happened to that little promise that Charles would not be making an appearance this weekend"

"Stop it," Jane's cheeks grew a rosy pink, but she smiled. "I am sorry, and I didn't lie - he's not staying in Manhattan… he's going to Hewlett Bay Park."

"Hewlett Bay? Swanky. What is he doing there? I've never heard of a traveling pediatrician." Lizzy smiled as the server brought them Bloody Marys.

"He's actually going to stay with William…"

"Ah," Lizzy nodded in sudden understanding. "The famous Darcy estate."

"I was thinking about inviting him to join us tomorrow, a show possibly? I could find tickets? Or maybe some 5th Avenue perusing? Charles mentioned bringing along another one of his groomsmen… Richard something? but of course, you are in no way expected to come, maybe you could -" Jane began to ramble with guilt.

"No, no… I'll um, I'll go with you."

Jane's head whipped up. "You will?"

Lizzy bit off a piece of bacon. "Yes."

"And you're sure?"

She tore off more. "Yes"

Jane stared at her, but Lizzy avoided all eye contact. She was reluctant to see other men even though she needed to. Why get caught up on one man? But, something within Lizzy wanted to see Darcy, and even though she was probably the last person he wanted to see,s he felt drawn to him - unsure about her decision, but determined to eventually clear the air between the two.


It was 8:30 a.m. on Saturday as Lizzy watched Jane twirl around in her closet - a space purposely renovated so that it was almost as large as the living room and kitchen put together.

"How do I look?"

Lizzy laughed. "Babe, I thought we agreed you'd stop asking that question a long time ago, when we both know you look good."

Jane pouted jokingly before her face cracked open with a small smile. Her figure looked stunning in wide-leg white jeans and wide wedges, both accentuating her thin figure.

Lizzy moved to sit on the small stool before the vanity. She rubbed her half-dry hair with a towel and watched as she scrunched her nose in the mirror.

Jane moved to stand behind her, putting on another coat of pink lipstick and fluffing her hair.

"Ugh," Lizzy banged her head on the table. "You make it so hard to be a modern woman."

Jane looked at her. "What do you mean?"

Lizzy didn't move her head. "Just - nevermind."

Half an hour later the Bennett girls sat on the 9 o'clock subway out to 96th Street where they were meeting Charles. Lizzy's brown curls were strewn over the seat, high-in-volume from lack of styling. She wore a short baby-blue bell-sleeved dress and a pair of beat-up Keds, her girlish style a far cry from Jane's high-fashion tastes. Even on the train ride through Manhattan, the disparities between the sisters were evident: Jane sat upright with clean posture, mindlessly thumbing W before moving to a copy of Gone Girl; Lizzy sat across the aisle, lying horizontally across the row with her feet propped on the wall of the train. Her headphones were in, a shuffle of Prince songs scrolling through her mind. Lizzy wondered sometimes, as incredibly sappy as it was, how, despite being sisters, they ever grew to be such good friends.

Her musings keeping her good company, Lizzy hardly noticed when the train arrived at the station. The girls grabbed their bags, and, shielding their eyes from the bright sun, looked out into Central Park.

"Did they take a cab out?" Lizzy asked after several minutes of squinty-eyed searching.

"Actually…" Jane nodded towards a green Jeep Wrangler parked on a side street. The strawberry-blonde mop of Charles appeared out the window, his lanky arm following in a friendly wave.

Jane squealed and jogged to the car. Lizzy shook her head and followed her happy sister.

"Hey, there Liz," Charles smiled good naturedly as his soon-to-be sister-in-law approached the car. Jane was wrapped around his form, giving her fiance an airtight hug. She released him and planted a kiss on his neck, laughing happily.

"Hi Charlie." Lizzy reached up and gave him a quick hug.

A tall, stocky man slipped out of the passenger side of the car.

"This is Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam." Charles gestured to his friend.

"You can call me Fitz… How do you do ladies?" Richard gave Lizzy and Jane a wide, cheery grin.

"I'm Lizzy," Elizabeth stuck out her hand, giving Fitz a broad smile.

Jane gave Richard a small wave and grin, as she remained latched onto Charles's side. "And I'm Jane."

"Unfortunately, Jane has recently become totally attached to Charlie's hip… It's tragic, really… takes her hours to put on pants. We've seen so many doctors, no one can seem to find a cure." Lizzy teased.

Fitz gave a loud, hearty laugh, and Jane blushed. "Let's walk, shall we? Maybe grab some tea at Alice's?" She suggested, eager to pull Charles away from her younger sister's jeering stabs. The pair strolled slowly past Strawberry Fields; Fitz proffered his arm to Elizabeth who accepted it willingly.

"So… Colonel?" Lizzy began, a teasing twinkle in her eye.

Fitz puffed his chest out and adopted a stuffy tone: "That would be correct madam. While I would appreciate some sign of reverence, bowing is unnecessary."

Lizzy took the bait, standing straighter and pointing her nose in the air. "I would expect to be nothing less than totally subservient to you, sir." She huffed, equally haughty.

Fitz chuckled. "I did a couple years at West Point… was deployed after graduation. Now I do some work, here and there."

"Wow. West Point."

"How about yourself?"

"Oh, I was painfully traditional. Four years at UVA, law school at Stanford - my dad teaches there. Of course my mother was dreadfully insistent on my moving back home, but I -" Lizzy blushed. "I just realized I'm revealing a lot of my personal life here." She chuckled shamefully.

"UVA? Stanford? An educated woman… no wonder my cousin likes you so much." Fitz shook his head.

"Your cousin?"

"Will."

"Ah." Lizzy looked ahead with understanding and slight surprise. "I'm not so sure 'like' is the right word… I'm afraid Mr. Darcy looks quite unfavorably upon me."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that… I fear dear William is quite smitten."

Lizzy blushed. "I don't think I could ever imagine Mr. Darcy being 'smitten.' He's rather stoic... "

"Oh yes, Will has mastered the solemnity of the reaper… but those who know him like I do also know what a funny chap he is, bright too, you know, one time -"

Lizzy listened with interest, turning to peer at her companion.

"Actually, I better not tell you any story about my cousin lest I feel the wrath of William Darcy." Fitz looked forward sheepishly.

Lizzy, albeit disappointed, nodded in understanding. She paused before broaching the topic again. "Did you spend a lot of time with Mr. Darcy as a child as well?"

"Loads… I was more an uncle than a cousin, really, to Georgiana. Hell, I helped Darcy raise the girl."

"He did tell me Georgiana was ten years his junior... I have four sisters myself, but we are all so close."

"Oh, it was more than just the age gap… Will's parents were terribly absent. His mother was kind've a society figure - a good mother, but busy. She passed very shortly after Georgiana's birth, Will was distraught. He was very close to his mom, y'know? But his dad, he.. He played around a little bit on the Mrs. Darcy, and, after she passed… I don't know, he suffered from guilt, drove him to drink - Mr. Darcy died shortly after Will's graduation from law school from liver failure."

"God…." Lizzy murmured gazing toward the ground. "I didn't realize - I mean… I don't think I would've treated him any differently… I'm not even sure-" Lizzy trailed off, perplexed in the face of her emotions. Even if Darcy does have this pitiable backstory… can I allow him to treat me like this?

Fitz seemed to read her mind. "The man still manages to come off as a complete ass, but don't… don't count him out yet. There are more layers to him than you probably realize."

Lizzy nodded, looking forward as Charles wrapped his arm around Jane. She was a proud girl, with high expectations - expectations Mr. Darcy had failed, and Lizzy wasn't sure she could rise above the insult to show compassion, but, if anything, she was intrigued, even now more than ever.


Elizabeth flipped her pink day planner: May 1st. She winced slightly. In a little more than two weeks Andrew Crawley's looming case would take place. Lizzy pulled her silk blazer off and twisted her dry curls into a loose chignon at the nape of her neck. San Francisco was pretty and warm, but Lizzy could only squint at the sun with passive irritation, tired from jet lag - she had arrived home from New York only 36 hours previous to her workday - and an itching boredom. Jane hadn't failed to talk her ear-off - about the wedding, of course, as well as drag her younger sister to every overpriced label and frumpy boutique the streets of Manhattan has to offer.

Hours passed. Lizzy had a meeting, got some work done - work I'm gonna have to redo, Lizzy thought cynically, cursing her lack of focus. The end of the day came quick - a surprise since the hours seemed to drag on. Gathering up her coat and briefcase, she drew the blinds of her office close on the warm California sunset. She waved a goodbye to Mariah and plodded in sore feet towards the elevators, ducking stealthily below a cubicle wall at Bill Collins's oncoming figure. Packing into her old Volvo, Lizzy picked up the ring of her phone, not bothering to peer at the contact name.

"Yes?"

"Lizzy?!" a familiar voice shrieked.

"Mother." the corners of Lizzy's mouth turned down slightly.

"Your enthusiasm in greeting your only mother is sheerly overwhelming." Her mother said wryly.

Lizzy smiled at that. She forgot her mom could be funny. "I'm sorry, mom. What's up?"

"Tsk." Fanny Bennet hated slang. "You know Lydia's coming tomorrow right?"

Lizzy's eyebrows pulled together. "Tomorrow? Wait - What… I thought she was coming Friday?"

"If it's a problem…" Mrs. Bennet trailed off, the conclusion to her thought needing no voice.

"It's not a problem," Lizzy huffed, pulling her car out into the road. "I'm just busy. This case is killing me, I'm not sure I can even win, let alone garner a fair settlement, hopefully -"

"Oh my, speaking of!" Mrs. Bennet trilled, interrupting her daughter. Lizzy clenched her jaw. "Lydie told me she saw you talking to that gorgeous Mr. Darcy at the engagement soiree!"

Lizzy swore under her breath. Lydia. "Actually, mother, William Darcy is working on the Crawley case with me." She felt her mother's momentary confusion.

"Jane never mentioned he worked at your firm, how peculiar?"

"He doesn't work at my firm." Lizzy didn't elaborate.

"What do you mean? He's working on the case with - oh. Oh. Oh Lizzy, this is dreadful! You two made such a fine pair, and of course he'll never go with you, now that you've to go all "educated-Lizzy" on him in court… my, what a shame… you know, I -"

"What time is Lydia coming tomorrow, mother?"

"4 p.m. She'll come to your office, I know you work God-knows-what hours. Really Lizzy, if you're going to work so long, perhaps you should invest in some anti-aging cream, I'm sure it would do wonders-"

"Sounds good. I've gotta run, mom." Lizzy pulled onto her street, muttering 'byes' and 'love yous' before ending the call with a pointed tap of her thumb.


Lizzy shuffled into work the next day, a steaming cup of black coffee slowly burning her palm through its cardboard sleeve.

"Good morning Elizabeth."

Lizzy turned to body of the greeting voice. She plastered a smile on her face and chirped back an equally cheery, "Good morning, Mr. Brandon."

Often nicknamed "Colonel", Mr. Brandon was a senior lawyer at the firm, as well as best friends with Mr. Young - one of the firm's partners. Though Brandon had no explicit authority over Lizzy, he treated his seniority as a promotion and was significantly patronizing to the latter. The man was ultimately a rather stale curmudgeon who Elizabeth tolerated. He came up next to Lizzy, shifting a folder under his arm and placing a hand on her lower back - as if guiding Lizzy to her office. She flinched infinitesimally but remained serene.

"I understand you're battling the insurmountable Mr. Darcy soon?"

"Yes… the court date is in a month." Lizzy answered placidly, a layer of ice underneath her features.

"Just let me know if you need any pointers - I've heard he's fiery."

Lizzy almost lost oxygen in an effort to keep from rolling her eyes. Male chauvinistic misogynistic - "Will do, Mr. Brandon, thank you." Lizzy peeled quickly away from Brandon's hovering arm into her office, making eye contact with Mariah's sympathetic gaze before closing her office door.

Lizzy worked diligently the rest of the day, taking a short break around 1 p.m. to answer a call from Charlotte.

"Welcome back, jet-setter."

"Haha." Lizzy laughed, stabbing at a piece of microwaved pasta. "I've traveled more for Jane in these past two months than I have cumulatively in the past three years."

"How was New York?"

"Pretty good. I saw Charles, and I met one of his groomsmen, Richard Fitzwilliam who was actually pretty cool, despite of course, being related to the Royal Ass himself…"

"Speaking of," Charlotte prodded.

"Still not talking about it," Lizzy sang.

"Ok, ok." Her friend backed off.

"So…"

"So…" Charlotte mocked Lizzy's tone.

"So, are we going to talk about the infamous date? You and Bill Collins? Was it bad? How bad? As bad as the puppeteer, or are we talking the sixth-year student living in the frat house?" Lizzy was referring to the date she unabashedly arranged between the two that had miraculously taken place during her sojourn to New York.

Charlotte laughed. "No, no…"

"Oh my god it was worse. Fuck, Charlotte, I don't know how to make this up to you… he's just always loitering around, like some sick puppy - no, not a puppy, like some - some, leech! Yes, he's stuck to my door like a leech, and I didn't know how to pry him off -"

"Elizabeth, as much fun as that analogy is, I don't think it needs to continue," Charlotte chastised. "Actually the date was unlike anything I've ever been on - William was such a gentleman. It's nice having that kind of chivalry around, y'know?"

Lizzy's pasta spilled out of her agape mouth. "Sorry. First off, William? Second, Charlotte Helen Lucas, are you, my best friend in this entire world, telling me that you like Billy Collins?" Sniveling, squelching, squire to Satan, Lizzy continued in her mind.

"I certainly like him. I was quite content with the way he treated me… I haven't felt so admired in such a long time, it was so refreshing - would you stop?" Charlotte interrupted herself to further admonish Lizzy's sputterings into the telephone receiver.

Lizzy shut her mouth. "Charlotte, how many dates did you go on while I was out of town?"

"Three."

"I was gone three days."

"I don't know what to tell you. We just kind of hit it off."

"Did you…?"

"I'm not going to play coy, like some people I know. Yes, we had sex."

"And?" Lizzy ignored her friend's mild subliminal message.

"Not the worst I've had."

"Charlotte, tell me, do you see this going anywhere?"

"Lizzy, it just started, but honestly - I'm so sick of all the men who've treated me like shit, it's just… nice to feel like this again…" Charlotte continued on while Lizzy, no longer ravenous, twirled cold noodles around her plastic fork. As much as she loved Charlotte, Elizabeth had never viewed love as pragmatic as her best friend. Marriage was no necessity - if she found love, yes, maybe she'd get married, but the institution was not some demanding goal that sat forefront in her mind, and she was just 24 after all… but Charlotte was so, defeated - did her poor friend really have no hope left in the population of men as a whole - I have an idea, Lizzy quickly interrupted her own stream of consciousness.

"Charlotte?" Her friend huffed, annoyed at being interrupted, yet fairly used to it. "Have you tried dating women?"

Charlotte paused. "Lizzy, please tell me you don't think dating William Collins to be as deadly as ending any relationship with men, period?"

Lizzy hesitated.

"I know you don't like him, but for my sake, would you please step down from that high horse and get to know the man? Maybe, a dinner, the three of us? You can't honestly denigrate my own judgement so much as to think that William would be that bad of a person?"

"I guess so…" Lizzy finally acquiesced. "Listen, call me later with some dates, I got a pile of work… there's a new pho place right by my office, but I don't know how Billy feels about Vietnamese…"

"Right. I'll get back to you… see you later Liz."

"Bye, Charlotte." Lizzy placed the phone slowly back on its receiver. She threw away her pasta and opened her door. "Any messages for me, Mariah?"

Her baby-faced secretary looked up. "Um, yeah… you have one page from Human Resources - some new form needs to be turned in by Tuesday, and a call from Pemberley, Andrews, & Oxford… your line was busy, so I figured you'd just want me to take a message…"

"Who was calling from the firm?"

"Mr. Darcy, of course, why?" Mariah looked at her boss quizzically.

"Right. Well, I'll listen to the message later, I've got some work…" Lizzy gestured aimlessly to her desk. "Oh, and, I'm expecting my sister in an hour or two… please send her in when she arrives. Granted of course she can even make it up to this floor." Lizzy added the last bit dryly, a tone her secretary didn't seem able to pick up on.

"No problem." Mariah nodded.

Lizzy gave her a quick nodded and headed back into her office.

The hours leading up to Lydia's impending arrival were both glacial and encroaching. Elizabeth made a phone call or two, once in a while peering at the sticky note with Darcy's message on it, before consciously turning her thoughts away from her opponent. She played a game of solitaire on her computer, worked on her case, chatted with another employee, and sat.

Finally, at 4:42 p.m., her wooden door flew open to reveal a giggling girl with two strapping young men, their shoulders burdened with flowery-pink duffel bags. As the boys set the bags down, Lydia turned to her sister.

"Lizzy!" she shrieked.

Lizzy looked to the scene and gave a small smile. "Lydia. Quite the welcome wagon." She quirked her eyebrow but still embraced her sister.

The two boys stood awkwardly by the doorway.

"Are they expecting a tip?" Lizzy turned wryly to her sister.

"That's all… bye now." Lydia waved to the boys, her attention easily stolen by the appearance of her favorite sister.

Lizzy sat down. "My, what a sweet talker… I have to finish up something real quick, do you mind waiting?"

Lydia shook her head 'no.' In appearance, Lydia and Lizzy were very similar - often mistaken for twins rather than the seven year age gap they shared. Lydia's hair was straighter, and her body curvier, but they shared twinkling eyes and full lips. She wandered around Lizzy's office for ten minutes, staring inquisitively at the lack of personal decor, barring the singular desk and shelf of books.

Lizzy finished her email, and, with a quick perusal, hit send. She turned to gather her sweater and bag.

"What's this? 'W. Darcy 1:30'?"

Lizzy turned. "Erm, it's a voicemail… I'll listen to it tomorrow."

"Ooh, a voicemail? From Mr. Darcy?" Lydia sang in a girlish voice. She lowered her eyes, and in a gravelly voice breathed, "is it dirty?"

Lizzy cringed. "Lydia, please don't… c'mon, help me get your stuff."

Lydia put the sticky note down, the 'knowing' glint of a seventeen-year old in her eye, and giggled before picking up the lighter of the two bags. She marched confidently out of Lizzy's office towards the elevator in her tiny daisy dukes, smiling widely at the male interns as she did so.

Lizzy locked her office door, and trudged after her half-nude sister, struggling to walk in her pencil skirt and pumps, as well as carry Lydia's 20 pound bag. She watched as her sister waved flirtatiously and without abandon before boarding the elevator, thinking, This girl is bound for trouble.