A/N: Hey, everyone! Like always, I want to apologize for how long it takes me to update this story. It's just so easy for this to get lost in the shuffle of everything that I am doing, but hopefully since school is almost over this year, I will be able to devote more time to this story (and others!) this summer!

Just some clarification/reminders:

I have always said that there will be a happily ever after for almost everyone in this story. However, I am not planning on all of our favorite characters getting their happy ending in the most traditional manner. So if you're patient and stick with me, I promise that even though for a while everyone is going to be going through a lot of rough stuff, at the end of the story, most of the characters will be happy! So just be patient!

Also, the line breaks are POV changes, and I just wanted to apologize for some confusion in the last chapter, when there were a lot of flashback scenes that added to the confusion. In this chapter, though I usually stick to Elizabeth and Darcy's POVs, this time I am adding a few scenes from Richard and Jane's perspective, as well.

Again, a huge thank you to everyone who has followed this story-your reviews mean the world to me!

xx-M

"My dear, how are you holding up?"

"You could have warned me how...formidable...your aunt is."

Lord Fitzwilliam only laughed and said, "Nothing I could have said would have prepared you for her, my dear."

Elizabeth cringed at the words 'my dear', but said nothing.

Instead, she responded with a laugh, "She surely is to comment on us being out here by ourselves without a chaperone. It's hardly proper."

They were walking around the garden together at Rosings. After the engagement, summons from Lady Catherine herself were offered to the Bennets, and then subsequently the Bingleys to spend the month in the grand mansion. Fortunately, Mr. Bennet insisted that only Jane, Elizabeth, and Mrs. Bennet go.

Richard laughed, and dared to grab her hand. "Let her say anything she wants, but now that we are engaged, it hardly matters what we do in the privacy of my aunt's garden."

Uncomfortable with his insinuation, Elizabeth changed the subject.

"She is terribly unhappy with my being here, isn't she? She does not want you to marry someone of my station."

"You should know that I do not care what my aunt thinks. I do not care what anyone thinks. I love you. That is all that matters to me."

Elizabeth gave him a small smile, and, touched at his words, placed a chaste kiss upon his cheek.

"How did I ever get so lucky?" She asked quietly.

"I believe that I am the lucky one, Miss Elizabeth."

"Lord Fitzwilliam..."

"When are you ever going to call me Richard?"

"Perhaps when we are married. Or maybe after our first child. Or grandchild!"

"Always teasing," Richard said, tapping her nose with his finger.

"Always flirting," Elizabeth said, wrinkling her nose. Richard stepped into her, backing her into the hedge behind her.

A throat cleared behind them, and they startled away from each other.

Anne de Bourgh and Mr. Darcy were standing behind them. Darcy averted his eyes from the scene, but Anne looked on with curious eyes. Elizabeth resisted the urge to glare at her.

She surely could do without clinging to Darcy's arm so tightly.

Georgiana and Caroline Bingley quickly appeared behind them, and then came Jane and Charles.

Seeing the laugh that burst forth from Caroline and Georgiana's stricken expression, Richard realized that he was still standing awfully close to Elizabeth, and his arm was still wrapped around her waist.

He quickly dropped his hands and stepped even farther away. Elizabeth was blushing furiously, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from Mr. Darcy. He looked like he had just been punched in the face. This is your fault, she wanted to say.

She turned away when Georgiana stumbled forward, and made excuses about being tired and wanting to go lay down before dinner.

Darcy started to follow her, but Richard stepped forward. "I'll go check on her, Darce."

He turned to Elizabeth, "Are you alright finishing the walk with Jane and Charles? I need to check on Georgiana...it hasn't been easy for her to come here...the last time she was here was when she met Wickham."

"Of course," Elizabeth said. "Give her my love, and I'll see you for dinner."

"I love you," Richard whispered as he ran after Georgiana.

"Hardly proper," Caroline mumbled as she gazed at his retreating form.

"Running?" Elizabeth asked incredulously.

"And being stumbled upon in a compromising situation in the garden. Or was it the apple orchard? I forget."

Elizabeth was rendered speechless. "How do you know about that?"

Caroline smiled. "Loose lips sink ships, Miss Eliza, or in your case, reputations. And our dear Mr. Darcy's lips are much looser after a bottle of port."

Elizabeth hastened away from her, and began walking with Jane and Charles.

"I am sorry to intrude, but I can't stand walking another second with that dreadful...oh, I'm sorry Mr. Bingley, I'm so..."

Charles cut her off with a laugh. "Don't worry, Miss Elizabeth, I know how you feel about my sister."

"That doesn't give me leave..." She trailed off when they turned the corner and found Darcy and Anne laughing heartily together, and Darcy's arm wrapped around her waist.

"They seem close," Jane commented.

"Yes, Lord Fitzwilliam did mention something about them..." Elizabeth commented, trying not to appear too interested.

"Yes, well, as always with Richard and Darcy...it's complicated."

"Pray tell," Jane said teasingly. "Don't be so cruel as to leave us hanging, Mr. Bingley, you know how Lizzy loves her gossip!"

Charles laughed, and continued, "Well, Lady Fitzwilliam, Mrs. Darcy, and Lady Catherine are all sisters, and when Richard, Anne, ad Darcy were children, Lady Catherine tried to arrange a marriage between Anne and Darcy, because, at that time, Richard wasn't going to inherit anything. Naturally, Mrs. Darcy refused the betrothal, because she didn't want to force Darcy into anything, but his father wanted to expand the family fortune and reputation. However, Darcy wasn't made aware of any of this until his parents passing, so it is ultimately still his decision. Regardless, Anne, Richard, and Darcy were very close growing up. The complicated bit is that, though neither Darcy or Fitzwilliam have any feelings for Anne, Anne has always ...fondness for Richard."

At this, Charles cleared his throat.

"Does Lord Fitzwilliam know about...her feelings?" Elizabeth asked delicately.

"Oh, no. Anne confided in Darcy last summer about her feelings towards Richard, and has asked that he not tell Richard."

"But Darcy told you?" Elizabeth asked.

"There is no need to sound so incredulous, Miss Elizabeth, I believe last summer Darcy felt too weighed down with secrets. Besides, I've spent summers here at Rosings for as long as Darcy and I have been friends. For as long as I can remember. Anne trusts me, too."

A heavy look passed between them.

"Not to mention, I am Darcy's best friend." He bumped Elizabeth's shoulder playfully. "Or, at least, I used to be."

Elizabeth hated the word friend.

"You'll have to forgive my manners, Fitzwilliam. I know it is improper to be so forward, but is there something going on between you and Miss Elizabeth?"

"What makes you say that, dear Anne? She is betrothed to Richard."

Anne ducked her head. "I know that, believe me, I am well aware of that fact. But when we came upon them earlier..."

"I should have a word with your mother about that. She should get rid of these maze-like hedges. It is much less easy to come upon two people sharing a moment if there are no convenient hiding places."

"Feel free to converse with her about the topic, Will. But don't expect her to budge on this issue; those hedges make her feel like the queen of England."

"God forbid your mother is ever the queen, Anne," Darcy chuckled.

"Her first order of business would be arranging our marriage, no doubt."

Darcy laughed heartily and wrapped his arm around Anne's waist.

Anne smiled at him. "There he is," she said, poking him in the chest. "I've been waiting for you to show up since you've arrived. Tell me, what did I say to make you come out of your shell?"

Darcy glanced behind them, where Elizabeth was walking with Jane and Charles, and looking on them with unforgiving eyes.

He attempted a small smile and turned to Anne, "You just reminded me of someone I miss dearly."

"Elizabeth?"

Darcy nodded and pulled her into the most intimate hug they had shared since childhood. "Keep teasing me and I might tell you the whole story, dear cousin."

"Only if I still like her at the end of this story, Will. I don't think I could stand it if Rich married someone I didn't like."

"You shall not have to worry about that, Anne. If Miss Elizabeth has a fault, it is only that she enchants everyone she meets."

"If only her mother had that effect."

Richard had to run inside to catch Georgiana before she locked herself in her room.

"Georgie!" He caught her by the arm gently, and pulled her into him.

"Richard, leave me alone, please," She said, pushing against him.

"Is this about Wickham? Because if it is..."

"It's about everything, Richard! Just let me... Just leave me alone. Contrary to popular belief around here, I can take care of myself."

"Is that right? Because suddenly memories of a few months ago are flooding over me, when you said those exact words, and then I walked in on you with your wrists slit open and an empty bottle of port in your cold dead hand! So forgive me..."

"How dare you bring up that night? Here? Now? How dare you?"

"Georgie, please!"

"What did you expect, Richard? That coming back here would be easy for me? That Wickham, that everything would be easy for me? Because it isn't! But I'm not...I'm not the same girl from last fall. You of all people should know that."

The door was slammed and locked before Richard could think of a proper comeback.

Richard rushed off to the study, already pouring himself a tall cup of brandy before he realized that Caroline Bingley was waiting for him, holding a half empty cup herself.

"Sure this is proper, Caroline?" Richard asked, taking a swig.

Caroline laughed quietly. "I can handle my liquor, Richard. Don't you remember?"

Richard gave her a shallow smile, and sat across from her. "I'm surprised you do."

"Why? Because I haven't tried to force you into a marriage yet?"

Richard raised his glass to her. "Precisely. That was the biggest surprise of that whole summer, which is saying something. Was it because I didn't have money yet?"

Caroline smiled. "You really do think little of me, don't you? But maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Everyone does."

She took a long swig. "Yes, it was partly because you didn't have money yet that I never told anyone and forced your hand. And it was partly because I don't think Charles would have believed me even if I had told him...and by the time your brother died and you gained his inheritance, he definitely wouldn't have believed me. But I think...I think it was mostly because I was in love with you."

Richard's mouth dropped open. "Me? But you've always had a soft spot for Darcy!"

Caroline threw her head back and laughed. "True! So true, I do love to make him blush. And he would make a wonderful rich husband. Plus he would be an amazing father. But that summer, here with you?"

She laughed again.

"You made my heart race, Richard. You set me on fire for you. I was infatuated...I was in love. I wanted you to propose because you wanted to, not because I was blackmailing you because of one night. And then after, when I realized the entire summer had just been...that you weren't in love with me, you just wanted to use me for my body, Darcy was there. And Darcy was kind, always kind. But he never wanted me, either. Not really."

She finished her drink.

"Perhaps that's why I hate Elizabeth Bennet so much. She enchanted both of you without even trying."

Richard took a bitter swig.

"It's so strange being back here," Caroline said quietly. "This house is chalk full of secrets."

"Do you think she's in love with him?"

"Elizabeth? In love with Darcy?"

Richard nodded. Caroline folded her hands in her lap, and pursed her lips at him.

"If there is one thing I know about Elizabeth Bennet, it is that she believes in the idea of true love. If you think you were her first marriage proposal, think again. She held out for love. So I would stop cutting glares at Darcy. Elizabeth held out for you. Stop second guessing yourself."

"I see her look at him. I would give anything for her to look at me like that."

"It's in your head, Richard. She doesn't love him."

"Here's to hoping you're right," Richard said, raising a glass. "Because I love her too much to consider the possibility of you being wrong."

"So you're in love with her?" Anne asked incredulously. Darcy had just finished the entire story, all the way up to Elizabeth confessing her love to Richard in front of him, and accepting Richard's marriage proposal.

"Fitzwilliam Darcy is in love?"

"You say that like it's the most preposterous thing in the world."

"The fact that you're in love? Yes, that is the most incredulous thing in the world. But you giving her up? Letting Richard have her? Sacrificing your feelings for everyone else? That is so typical of you. I've always said your selflessness will be your downfall."

"Most people think it's my pompousness, or my ridiculously good looking hair," Darcy teased.

Anne shoved him. "What does Elizabeth think your downfall is?"

"Undoubtedly my pride. And my unwillingness to forgive. We share that quality."

He smiled thinking about the memory of that conversation.

"Eventually, you are going to have to forgive Wickham, Fitzwilliam. If not for Georgiana's sake, because it has to be awful carrying around the guilt for your brother's anger, but for your own, because it's doing no good to you carrying all of that fury around with you."

"Okay," Darcy said. "Done. But first you forgive Powell."

Elizabeth smiled at him, caught. "Touché, Mr. Darcy," she curtsied at him, bowing her head only for a moment.

She sat down, and he sat next to her. He was surprised when she took his hand, but he didn't dare to pull away.

"It should be easier, you know?"

"What should be easier, Elizabeth?"

"Everything." She laughed, and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Forgiveness. Life. Being happy."

He pulled back and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Only Jane thinks it's easy, and that's only because she's an angel. The rest of us mere mortals struggle to wake up in the morning, let alone forgive people who have wronged us so irreparably."

Elizabeth laughed hard, leaning her head into his chest. Darcy smiled down at her. "Jane, an angel! On that we can agree, Fitzwilliam!"

They sat like that for a while, holding hands, Elizabeth's head against his chest, Darcy's arm strewn around her shoulders.

"Do you think it will be easy for me one day, too? Being happy? Forgiving?"

Darcy pulled away and grabbed both of her hands, looking deeply into her eyes. "I wish it, Elizabeth. I wish it more than anything."

"Will? Will come back to me!" Anne grabbed his shoulders and gently pulled her chin to face his. "Where'd you go there for a minute?"

"I'll give you three guesses."

"You've got it bad."

"The worst part about it is that she loves me, too. She doesn't deny her feelings. She just loves him so much...more. I can't be selfish with her, Anne. She deserves the world, and I can't stand in her way. She deserves it."

"I understand," Anne said. "Believe me, I do. The only difference is that I know Richard doesn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve her. He deserves nothing. But he's just so damn charming."

"You still love him?"

"Undoubtedly."

"Elizabeth, there you are!" Mrs. Bennet called from the sitting room. "Girls, how was your walk?"

Elizabeth and Jane had just returned from the garden, and Charles had excused himself to the study to be with Richard. They walked into the sitting room, where Lady Catherine, Mrs. Bennet, and Lady Matlock were sitting around various cloth samples, and pictures of elegant ladies holding elegant flowers wearing elegant dresses. Caroline was standing over them, gesturing theatrically.

"Lovely," Jane answered.

"Yes, Lady Catherine, you have the most excellent grounds," Elizabeth added.

"Quite," Lady Catherine agreed.

"We've just been going over some wedding plans. We'd love to hear your opinions," Lady Matlock said gently. Elizabeth smiled warmly at her. She had just met Richard's parents, but she absolutely adored his mother.

"I certainly have several opinions about the ceremony," Lady Catherine said.

"Well, I am sure that your opinion is without flaw, Lady Catherine. Seeing as I have little experience with weddings, I will surely default to your esteemed ladyship for all advice and decision making."

Jane couldn't help but hold back a grin, and Lady Matlock giggled a little. But what was most surprising was a loud chuckle from the door.

Anne was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. "May I offer my assistance, as well?" she said, striding to the table. "I am not one for elaborate wedding planning, but I don't think I could stand to miss this." Her lips twitched as she sat across from her mother.

In Elizabeth's opinion, wedding was the most meticulous thing to ever undergo. If it had not been for everyone's subtle degradation of Lady Catherine, Elizabeth would have drowned herself in samples of lace and silk and stabbed herself in the chest with the stems of flower arrangements.

She also often found Anne studying her, like she was trying to see into her mind and find out all of her secrets.

It was disconcerting being in a room surrounded by people that she didn't know, and so it was a huge relief when dinner was announced.

She stood, and was met with Anne taking her arm to escort her to the dining room.

"I think you and I are going to be excellent friends, even if you did steal the love of my life." She whispered as the entire party entered the dining room.

As soon as Darcy walked into the room, Elizabeth felt as if she had been physically struck by his presence. Her entire body ringed, her bones tingled. God forbid he look at her, or she would surely burst into flames.

"My dear, how was your afternoon?" Lord Fitzwilliam whispered in her ear.

"Too much wedding planning," Elizabeth said softly, overcome by the smell of alcohol on his breath. "I feel like stabbing myself in the eye with embroidery needles. How is Georgiana?"

"I..."

"Everyone, please be seated!" Lady Catherine said from the head of the table. Elizabeth rushed to find her place card, and take her seat, only to turn and face Mr. Darcy, who was assigned to the seat next to hers.

Jane had to hold back a laugh when she saw the conflicted look on Elizabeth's face when she saw that Darcy was sitting next to her. The entire situation was so, so infuriating. Who knows what force controls her sister's emotions?

She turned to Anne de Bourgh, who was winking at Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy was trying his best not to smile.

"Did you just wink at him?" Jane asked in a low voice.

"I might have...changed our seating arrangement."

"He told you? About...him and my sister?"

Anne nodded. "It is as complicated and melodramatic as he made it seem?"

"Most likely more so."

Anne laughed. "Nothing can be easy, can it?"

During the second course, Darcy couldn't resist any longer.

He waited until Richard was involved in a conversation with his mother across the table. "How are you?" he asked in a low voice to Elizabeth.

"I'm still recovering from a recent insult, Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth said coldly, wiping her mouth and then taking a drink. "Apparently, I am not quite tempting for the tastes of some."

"Please let me explain," Darcy pleaded.

"It's a little too late, for that, Mr. Darcy," Elizabeth said. "There is nothing left to possibly say."

"Miss Elizabeth," Aunt Catherine crooned from the head of the table, "pray, what is your age?"

Without thinking, without pondering the consequences, without even daring to breathe, Darcy slid his left hand underneath the table cloth.

He was no longer listening to the conversation, he was just hoping, praying that Elizabeth would not misunderstand, that she would get his message.

He slowly and deliberately found her thigh underneath the table, and began to spell out letters over her dress with his finger. It was a game he would play with Georgiana when they were little.

He felt Elizabeth gasp next to him, and repeated the message over and over again until she looked at him and nodded.

Elizabeth hated herself for gasping. She hated herself for that stupid small moment of weakness, and she hated even more the blush that followed.

She prayed that Richard wouldn't notice that Darcy's hand had gone missing, and that she was blushing and had fallen oddly silent.

At first, she didn't realize what Darcy was doing. And for a few moments, she didn't care that it was improper, she didn't care that she hated him for hurting her, she was so overwhelmed by the intimacy of his touch and the warmth and the feelings that arose in her because of it, that she couldn't help but gasp and move closer to him, praying that he wouldn't stop.

But then she recognized a pattern in his movements, and after several moments, she finally understood the message he was trying to send her.

I-M-I-S-S-Y-O-U-C-O-M-E-F-I-N-D-M-E

It was all she could do to nod, and she felt weak in the knees when his hand left her body.

She didn't know what it felt like to touch Mr. Darcy until she couldn't anymore. She thought back to all of their encounters in the mornings, how carefree she was around him, how easily and readily and naturally she would brush against him or steady herself, hands to his chest, or even bump into him or rest against him.

How could she not have noticed how much life his touch gave her until she couldn't feel it anymore?

Jane was, in a word, uncomfortable. Richard was sitting two seats down from her, next to his mother, who was lecturing him about drinking. Awkward.

On her other side, Anne de Bourgh was talking with her mother and Charles, and Jane, for the first time in her life, wished she could rip out her mother's vocal chords so she could cease embarrassing herself and her children.

And on Jane's right side, next to Richard, Caroline sat, hiccuping.

"Are you drunk?" Jane asked her in an undertone.

Caroline giggled. "Richard and I might have broken into her ladyship's liquor cabinet while you guys were walking."

"You and Richard?" Jane asked.

Caroline sobered suddenly. "Jane, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, Caroline," Jane said.

"Would you lie to someone if you thought it was in their best interest?"

Jane thought for a moment, and then said, "If it was in their best interest, yes I suppose."

"How does she do it?" Caroline asked wistfully.

"Do what?" Jane asked.

"How does she make everyone fall in love with her like that?"

Jane followed Caroline's gaze to Elizabeth, who was looking down at her soup while Richard and Darcy stared longingly at her.

"You'd think Darcy would at least try to hide how he's feeling," Caroline snorted into her soup.

After the women and the men separated after dinner, Elizabeth excused herself from the wedding planning.

"I'm terribly tired, and I'm sure you all will make quite capable decisions in my absence, but I fear I would be no help to you now."

"You could at least pretend that you care, Lizzy," Jane admonished, but Elizabeth yawned and left the room.

Somehow, she knew. It was like he was drawing her towards him.

She stepped onto the balcony outside of her bedroom, and suddenly she couldn't breathe to save her life and it felt like the entire world had come crashing down in this moment and nothing mattered anymore because

There.

He.

Was.

The wind had blown his hair back and his top button was undone and the moon was casting long shadows making him seem even more perfect.

"You shouldn't be here," Elizabeth said, only she meant, "I can't stand missing you,"

"I know," Darcy replied, instead of saying, "I think I'd rather die than have you marry Richard."

"We shouldn't be doing this," Elizabeth said as she took a step closer to him.

"I know."

"I can't do this," Elizabeth said, and her voice broke.

"I know."

"No, you don't!" A tear slipped from her cheek. Darcy stepped closer to her.

"I am so angry with you." She said.

"I am so sorry, Elizabeth..."

A sharp crack filled the air as Elizabeth slapped him hard across the face.

"You don't get to call me that anymore! You don't get to write secret messages on my knee! Whatever this is, whatever we had... You insulted me. You hurt me. You pushed me away, so many times. I chose Richard. You don't get to miss me."

"But I do."

"I don't care."

"Then why did you come? To hurt me? To slap me?"

"I CAME BECAUSE I MISS YOU TOO, DAMN IT. BUT YOU DID THIS. You're the one who rejected me. You're the one who only wanted to be friends. I can't be your friend, Darcy, not like this, not in secret, and not when Richard is so insecure about our relationship. I'm sorry. But we can't do this anymore."

"What about you? What about your feelings?"

"What about them? I am so tired of getting hurt by you. Goodnight, Mr. Darcy."