11

Ahem, so thanks for the reviews, sorry that this last chapter was so short, I'll try to make this one moderately long, but not too long. You people are hard to please!!! But you know I love you guys! …Not like that you sickos!!!

It has come to my attention that I have neglected my silly little disclaimers. So here's one for you!

Disclaimer- Not mine! And even if I claimed it was, and you sued me, you'd get what, 10 mangas, a couple of CDs, aaaaaaand if I haven't eaten it yet, a box of oreos. Wow, don't you feel special. I mean, I'd so sue for oreos…

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"I mean, can you believe him Charlotte? I thanked him, we were actually getting along just fine, but then he goes and has to bash my friends and my family like that?! I just don't get him!" Lizzie fumed lightly on the phone as she walked down the street, feeling slightly lost in the city. She didn't recognize anything that was around her, and it made her feel slightly off.

"Well, he is a pretty proud person Lizzie; I don't see why you're so surprised. I'm more curious as to how you ended up getting drunk in a closet…" Charlotte trailed off as she waited for an explanation.

"I told you, Charlotte, I can't remember anything that happened last night. I remember Brutus, and feeling awkward, but nothing else! It's like a blank slate for a memory!" She exclaimed as she received glares from some random people in the street. Sitting down, feeling dejected, she gave a small closing to her friend who was getting a call from her… beloved… fiancé. Looking at the small bus route map, Lizzie tried to see something she recognized, but once again, couldn't remember anything.

"Are you lost?" Someone asked with a slight smile in their voice. Lizzie glanced up sharply at the voice, and visibly blanched when she saw who it was. She was lost in a huge city, feeling like crap from her headache, and he just HAD to show up? After the fight in the kitchen, she didn't want to see anyone for the rest of the day.

"Please, I'm just trying to help!" He protested as she stood up, and began to walk away. He raced after her, and tugged at her sleeve, desperation in his voice.

"What do you want?" She hissed as she remembered everything that had happened between them; it only succeeded in making her angrier. He was silent for a second, before answering.

"I just wanted to talk to you!" That got a laugh right in his face.

"You came all the way over here just to talk?" She asked sarcastically as she rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"It wasn't that far! You can't say that you didn't want to see me!"

Lizzie turned slightly, and slapped him straight across the face, anger clear in her eyes.

"Obviously not… ok, I deserved that." He said haughtily as his head snapped to the left, his hand coming up to feel the stinging sensation on his cheek. "You have a nice hit Lizzie. But I've already felt you hit me before."

"What are you doing here, Wickham?" Lizzie asked angrily as she stared him straight in the face. After everything that had happened, Lizzie had hoped never to run into him again. Of course, life has different plans for her, doesn't it?

"I had a job offer here Lizzie, like many other people seeking a life." He muttered in a false dejected voice. Lizzie had to roll her eyes at this, and start to walk away again.

"You're lost in a city, and I can help. Are you not going to take my help because of pride or something?" He asked nastily as he saw her freeze at the word, "pride". He knew he had her there. Her dislike in the mere word of it would bring her to him, if only to unknowingly hand over information.

"I need to get to the hospital next to the assembly hall on 8th street." She muttered as she stuffed her hands into her pockets, and glared at him. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"Very practical. You intern there?" Wickham asked as he tried not to do a happy dance at her trust in those who had suffered. He knew that she still believed that crack-pot story that he had given her about Will, and he knew he still had that over her head.

"Yeah, which way is it?" Lizzie jumped to the point, not wanting to spend too long in the company of Wickham. Looking around, she saw that he was attracting the curious stares of many females that were walking down the streets on both sides. She then noticed that the stares she was receiving were those of anger, and envy. Rolling her eyes at the nonsense, she flipped her wrist in the universal sign for "go on then!" and followed as he walked down the street, whistling.

Jack smiled despite her anger, and began to lead her towards her destination, trying to come up with a plan to get her to go get coffee. He basically needed to get information out about her sister, and even if he had to sink as low as prey that got loose, then so be it.

It as much to the disappointment that when he looked in sea green eyes, he saw only anger, and definitely no hurt. He started to give her a hug, but she stuck out a hand, and shook his briefly with a thank you. Walking up the steps, she turned back, and nodded her head civilly as she saw he was still standing there.

Jack was waiting for something. He was waiting for a smile, or a wave, or if he was lucky an invitation to see her later, but he was disappointed that when she turned back, she simply cocked an eyebrow, and gave a civil jerk of the neck that was supposed to be a nod. Gritting his teeth, Jack turned and walked down the street, heading towards a really nice club that would cheer him up.

Lord knew that in the state he would soon be in (drunk) he would need something to cheer him up when he would later awaken to find himself in a gutter and his wallet missing.

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Lizzie filed papers expertly, rolling her eyes at the "audacious" (as Brutus jokingly called it) job she had been given. It had been a couple of weeks since she had seen anything but file cabinets and coffee machines, and to tell the truth, Lizzie needed out. She never knew that interning could be as boring as, "Lizzie dear, would you get me a cup of coffee?" or, "Lizzie, I need copies of George Brown's sickness, nasty business isn't it?"

"I wouldn't know," Lizzie grumbled to herself thinking of the sick old man with an incurable disease, "I've only gotten the coffee for the people who work on it!"

"Better than having to smile when some bloke puts a well-done steak under your nose and ask why there's no pink in it. You Americans are bloody picky, you know that?" Someone asked with a laugh as Lizzie jumped. Whirling around, she saw to her surprise that Emma was standing right behind her, laughing at her shock.

"What are you doing here?" Lizzie demanded half-heartedly, trying not to burst into laughter at the bright smile on Emma's face. Lizzie was happy to see that she wasn't looking like someone had sucker punched her. She seemed to be moving on from Wickham just fine.

"When I got here with me brother, I remembered that you were here! I had to see if you wanted to go clubbing with me and me brother tonight! If you have any friends though, bring them along too." She added with a laugh as she gave off the location with her thick British accent carrying through the small snack room.

"Oh, that sounds like fun! Lizzie, you better go! Lord knows that you need the fun. Getting coffee for that man all day is no way to spend your life in NYC!" The secretary exclaimed as she looked up from her crossword on her break. She had given Lizzie a hard time at first, thinking she would be lazy and stupid, but Pattie warmed up to her when Lizzie knocked a man flat on his back when he kept trying to come onto Pattie in the middle of the day.

"I'll go if you go." Lizzie said flatly as she took a swig of her drink.

"That's delicious! I have to go though; Fitz is having a bloody fit about what to wear to 'impress La Bennett'!" Emma teased as she sauntered out, and unintentionally stopping a few of the younger doctor's hearts on the way out. Lizzie had to laugh right out at this, and turned to see a red in the face Pattie glowering.

"I can't go! I have lots to do, and I don't know what to wear, and I haven't gone to a club in about three or four years and-"

"And I can help you if you can haggle me out of work." Lizzie said deviously as she grabbed a few files, and jogged up the steps to the Rick's office.

"Lizzie dearest, what took you so long?" Rick exclaimed as he sat on his desk, swinging his legs like a child. With the few weeks she had been there, Lizzie had realized that Rick was nothing more than a child with a smart brain. He was the sort of man who could still have fun on a swing set, but then later go to a banquet and converse with prime ministers and outwit scholars.

"I was caught up in traffic at the coffee machine." Lizzie lied joyfully as she set down the documents, and went over to her laptop to catch up on some research he was having her do.

"Lizzie was always the studious type, wasn't she, Rick?" Asked a very familiar voice in the high backed chair on the other side of the desk. Lizzie rolled her eyes, already knowing that if she turned around, she would find Blaise Fitzwilliam sitting in Rick's chair.

"Oh yes, Lizzie's always reading or studying." Rick replied with a smirk gracing his cute features. Lizzie had to admit that yes, he was cute, but not exactly her type.

"And kicking Blaise for interrupting my work hours!" Lizzie exclaimed as she felt him hug her from around the back. Turning around, she laughed as his hair was standing on all ends.

"Want to explain your hair?" She asked with a smirk when she ruffled it playfully. Blaise laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Static electricity doll, shouldn't you know that by now?" He teased as he whirled her around, and set her in a chair. "Besides that point, I'm sure Emma's already found you and told you to come to the club tonight. I'm sure that Rick would love to give you the day off for it. Besides, all this work doesn't let you see the city lights of NYC like they should be seen."

"Someone else told me that just a few minutes ago…" Lizzie mused, pretending to have trouble with the decision. Fitz picked her up easily, and slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and called back to Rick, saying, "We'll see you tomorrow dude!"

"This is highly undignified Blaise." Lizzie commented as he carried her through a couple of doors, and into the main lobby. Many people glanced over in alarm at seeing such strangeness in a hospital, but seeing that she wasn't screaming, or crying, no one made a comment. If anything, they saw that Lizzie was trying very hard not to laugh.

"TAXI!" Blaise yelled jovially as he hailed the ugly, yellow cab. Pulling over, the driver knew not to ask questions as Lizzie was swung unceremoniously into the Taxi, and another person scrambling in after her. Pattie ran out of the hospital laughing, and climbed in on the other side, to prevent escape.

"I guess this means that I'm not going to be able to help with the Dawson case I was looking foreword to." Lizzie sighed as the cab pulled off, and Fitz congratulated himself roundly to a laughing Pattie.

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"Will, guess who I saw!" Blaise exclaimed as he lolled on a chaise in the Penthouse. Will glanced up from his lunch, feeling slightly invaded by his cousin.

"I don't think I could guess." He droned lightly as he pulled out some papers from a briefcase, and sorted through them. Blaise pulled himself up from the chair, and swaggered to the table with excitement.

"I saw, La Bennett." He whispered into his cousin's ear. It was much embarrassment to Will that his cousin was in such close proximities, but when he whispered the words, he dropped the stack of papers, and glared at his cousin.

"You're kidding." He muttered as he turned red. Unconsciously, he reached into his jacket pocket, and felt the satin threads. Ever since it had been left, he had held it whenever he was shocked, aggravated, or clueless about something. Blaise took notice of this, and poked his cousin in the side playfully.

"What do you have in your pocket mate?" He asked as he poked him again. Will jammed his hand deeper down into his jacket, and grunted something under his breath.

"Excuse me, what was that?" Blaise asked with mock curiosity. He had seen his cousin a few times when he had come over in the past few days reach into his pocket, and grip something in his pocket as if it would help him figure something out. It made him curious, and when curious, Blaise was known to act like a small kid.

"LET ME SEE IT!" He cried as he tackled his cousin, and pulled the damned thing out of his pocket. "A ribbon?" He asked mockingly as he scrutinized it carefully, looking for something that would give the owner away. "A token from fair maiden?" He asked after a few awkward moments of silence. Will sat on the floor, looking defeated.

"It's Elizabeth's." He muttered, embarrassed. Fitz looked back at him, and smiled boyishly, once again congratulating himself on a job well done.

"You need to see her mate. Come to the club with me and Emma tonight. It'll be loads of fun!" He exclaimed brightly, but also with disguised mischief.

"I don't like dancing." Will stated stiffly as he pulled himself up from the floor, feeling more embarrassed than angry or annoyed.

"Oh, come on mate! Just tonight, you really need to get out. Going to banquets is not the way to have fun! I will forever tease you if you don't!" Blaise teased lightly, but Will knew his cousin better, and knew that if he didn't go, he would forever be teased about his small fancy.

Now that Will hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks, Will was sure that he could curb his little feelings about her. Time away from Lizzie Bennett let Will realize all of the reason why he shouldn't be with her. Her status, her class, her personality, her temper, her family, her money, and her education was something lacking, and whenever she wasn't around to muddle his senses with her smell of Lavender, and amber, (but sometimes a hint of vanilla) he could point this out. Yes, Lizzie Bennett was as good as gone.

He was even able to spend Christmas with his sister, and his cousins. That was fun, and that was the reason why his cousin was here. Though, with his always bantering about Lizzie Bennett, Will had wished he had been able to hold his fortitude against his little crush.

"Tomorrow night is New Year's eve." Blaise commented with a smug air as he sat up, and began to eat Will's food.

"So?"

"I was thinking we should go and do something."

"Blaise, I'm not in the mood to gallivant across NYC just because it's new years."

"Who says gallivant anymore?"

"Blaise…!!"

"I'm just saying, who says gallivant anymore?"

"Where did you see her?"

"Now we're getting somewhere!" Blaise laughed as he saw his cousin's face considerably darken in annoyance. Will grumbled something incoherent, but flicked a wrist, the universal sign that meant, "go on…"

"At the hospital. I believe she was going to work harder at her job, just for the hell of it." He answered with a sparkle in his features. Will raised an eyebrow, but refused to be drawn into the trap his cousin had set. All he managed to respond with was an, "interesting, but irrelevant." And then turned pointedly back to his work, where he attempted to ignore his cousin's proddings.

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"Drink's on me!" Emma laughed as she passed a margarita towards a dancing Lizzie. Laughing, Lizzie took it, but sipped slowly, remembering how she unfortunately didn't remember anything from the last time she drank. She wasn't in the mood to go through that again. Emma took note of this when Lizzie had told her, and then ordered a water to flush it out of her system faster.

40 Watt Club was a high class club that attracted the richer parties of people, and had the best sound system anyone could ask for. Bass vibrated from built in speakers underneath the floor boards that were designed like a cork board; tiny holes where the sound could escape through. Everything was illuminated by neon blue lights, and the DJ stand was set right next to the dance floor, but elevated to the second story where the reservations were.

"Where's Fitz?" Lizzie asked as Emma came back with a screwdriver (orange juice and vodka). Emma merely smiled in that all knowing sort of way, and shrugged, refusing to answer. Pattie slipped between them, and swayed her hips to the beat, laughing the whole time. It had been interesting to get the stern 25 year old woman into dancing clothes, and makeup, but when it happened, the tired looking secretary transformed into a beauty. She also let herself chill out a little bit, and had already gotten someone's number.

"We have enough guys Lizzie, why are you worrying about dear old Fitzy?" Pattie asked as a guy she knew barely pulled her closer to dance. Lizzie had to keep quiet about that; she didn't want Emma to know she liked her brother slightly more than a friend.

Someone tapped on her shoulder, and Lizzie turned around. A cute skinny guy was looking at her hopefully, and was asking her something. The music, however, was too loud, and all she got out of his question was "Would-"

"Sorry, what?" She asked loudly as she scrutinized him. Emma gave thumbs down, and Pattie gave thumbs down with a wrinkle of her nose. A double thumbs down meant to ditch him, fast. Groaning something inaudible, Lizzie let the push and pulls of the throng of dancers separate her from the guy in record time. Laughing, she raised her hands up over her head, and let the rhythm take over.

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"Come on Will, let's actually look for my sister!" Fitz exclaimed as he searched the crowd for Emma, Pattie, or Lizzie. So far, his search had been futile, and the guy he had brought for his sister had disappeared into the crowd, leaving him guilty, and agitated.

"For the last bloody time Fitz, I'm looking for your sister!" Will snapped as he nervously straightened his tie. He was dressed simply, a Calvin Klein button up shirt, jeans, and a silk tie. His hair was – was, and always will be- a thick, dark mess on his head, and he hadn't bothered to fix that. He was nervous at the thought of seeing her again. To be honest, his thoughts of forgetting her were very hard to think when he was looking for Lizzie and not Blaise' sister like he said he was.

"Will! I'm appalled! You haven't said anything remotely close to your heritage in so long; I was beginning to wonder where my British cousin had run off to! But cursing isn't a good thing to do Willy, cursing is not something to do."

"Blaise, will you do one thing for me?"

"Yes, what?"

"Shut up."

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"Would you like to dance with me?" A very attractive 24 year old asked Lizzie as she downed a glass of water like a shot. Glancing over at Emma and Pattie, they both gave double thumbs ups, and Emma licked her lips suggestively. Groaning at her weird friend's tendencies to do weird things, Lizzie accepted, and walked to the thrumming dance floor with the guy.

"So, what's your name?" He asked as he leaned right next to her ear so she could hear him.

"Lizzie, what's yours?"

"Well, I'm Blaise Fitzwilliam, and it's a pleasure to meet you!" Someone interrupted with a tone that meant quite clearly, "Back off." The guy stood back immediately, and raised his hands in defeat. Grinning evilly, Fitz pulled Lizzie close, as the dance turned slow.

"How've you been since the time I abducted you?" He asked as he saw her stare at him, shock still on her features. He tried to keep a straight face as she scrutinized him, looking for any sign of mischief, but cooled considerably as he saw her face lighten when she deemed him worthy.

"I've been fine, what are you doing?" She cried as he twirled her around and around until they were off of the dance floor, and towards the upper stairs to the reserved sections.

"We're going on a triple date." He said simply. Lizzie looked back incredulously to see Pattie, Emma, some guy she didn't know, and Will Darcy. They were following slowly, trying to not bump into other people as they walked, and Lizzie turned furiously back to Fitz to see him grinning boyishly at her.

"Who's paired with whom?" She hissed as she was twirled into a booth. Fitz grinned, and shrugged, trying to feign innocence. Lizzie grabbed him by his tie, and pulled him very, very close.

"You'll tell me, or I'll strangle you." She threatened as she glared into his sparkling eyes. His grin was gone, and replaced with mock terror as he observed the situation with interest.

"Emma is with Peter, Will is with Pattie, and I'm with you." He said simply as he waited for himself to be relinquished. Glaring at the thought of being near Will, Lizzie relinquished her hold on his tie, and leaned back into her seat for a more comfortable position. Fitz pulled himself closer to her, and watched with amusement as the relaxed look she used to have slowly transformed into someone who had just been sentenced to death row.

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"What's she doing here?" Will asked angrily as he glared at the small person slumped in the seat. Emma smirked as she pulled her cousin, Pattie, and her date along through the throng of people dancing.

"She's here as Fitz's date." She replied with as much of a straight face as possible when she could see the mixed emotions on Will's face. After being introduced to his date, Pattie, he had tried to be very civil, and nice, but Emma knew that though he hated dancing, and supposedly hated Lizzie, he was very happy to be where she was. As she linked arms with her date, Emma walked up the steps towards her brother to see him pulled dangerously close to Lizzie by the silk tie Emma had gotten him for Christmas.

Smothering a smirk at the disbelief etching Will's face when he saw the small act, Emma led them up civilly to see Lizzie's face set into a stony grimace, like a soldier who was being sent to war.

"That tie was a gift from me. I'd rather it not be torn because Fitzy can't control himself." Emma teased to try to lighten the mood when she saw Lizzie and Will had a small staring match between themselves. Pattie lagged behind, a secretive smile playing across her face.

"Oh, sorry Emma, your brother was just explaining some stuff to me." Lizzie laughed as she finally tore her gaze away from Will's and smiled warmly at her friend. Emma sprang into her seat, and pulled Peter right next to her, winking at Pattie when she did so. Will let Pattie slide in before he slipped in behind her, a grim stare stopping people from thinking he was happy to be where he was.

"Now this is nice. Sound proof walls to quiet down that blasted music, and drinks all around!" Blaise cried out jubilantly as he tried to lighten the mood. The group melted down from their awkward phase, and began to talk lightly, all the while sending drinks around, and trying to ignore the fact that both Lizzie and Will stayed relatively silent.

The night went quickly as they talked, and eventually, a drinking game was brought into the conversation.

"The name of the game is, 'have you never'. The rules are simple, someone says something that they've never done, and if you've done it, you take a shot." Pattie declared, much to the discomfort of Will. He didn't particularly like his date, but seeing as it was one of Lizzie's friends, he tried to stick to it, and ignore the annoyance that struck him every time she said something.

"Ok, I'll start! I've never slapped someone in my entire life." Pattie announced with a laugh. Lizzie and Emma raised their glasses, and downed them, Lizzie then taking a drink of water. She didn't want to get completely wasted.

"I've never went mountain biking." Emma exclaimed lamely, and most of the group took a drink, rolling their eyes at the suddenly sheepish girl.

"I have never interned." Blaise said to beat his sister at lame statements. Will and Lizzie took a drink.

"I've never walked out on a person who was trying to show kindness." Will stated in low tones as he tried to goad Lizzie into talking. He figured that the only way to actually talk to her was argument; that was when she truly came out and captivated him. No one else could hold their own in an argument against Will. Lizzie took a drink with a flourish and winked at Emma.

"You'll find that he thinks horribly of me because I stood up for my friends and family." Lizzie informed Emma, not really talking to just her, but making it seem that way.

"I'm not comfortable with certain company." He grumbled as he saw both of his cousins perk up at her statement.

"You made that quite clear. I've never spoken ill of someone because of their social status."

Will took a drink. Emma and Fitz tried to stifle laughs, and Peter and Pattie made eyes at each other, ignoring present company completely. Lizzie smirked triumphantly.

"I've never been infatuated with a woman before." Fitz said after a moment of silence. Lizzie glared at him, waiting for someone to take a drink, but was very surprised when Will, who was staring right at her, took a drink with a raised eyebrow.

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Ok people, this was (you all have to admit) a very lame chapter. It was more of filler until I can get to the good part. I was trying to slow it down a bit, because I have a tendency to speed through things too fast, but now I'm taking it too slow, and I'm going to speed it up a bit. You see that button below this bold print? The purplish bluish one? Yeah, you know you want to press it, and submit a review!