Imma back. Here is where things start to get messy. Can I point out here that Rich will end up happy and so will Darcy and so will Lizzy, just wait and see... Please review, it gives me motivation to write more...
xx faithinfools
You're like twenty-two girls in one
And none of them know what they're runnin' from
Was it just too far to fall?
For a little paper doll
Paper Doll - John Mayer
Lizzy opened her eyes to see white. Pure white. She looked around her and almost had another panic attack to see that the air mattress was metres below and that she was holding onto a snowy ledge above her. She looked below her again and tears began to fall from her face as she saw him. Henry. Henry was down there. All she could see now was Henry, Henry lying lifeless beneath her. She kept screaming his name but he wasn't listening, he wasn't responding. She let one of her hands go, reaching out to him, if only she could just grab his arm, or his collar, then she could take him, take him to safety.
"No Lizzy no!" A voice above her shouted. But she didn't listen. She didn't hear. All she could see was Henry. Henry broken. Henry dead. She let go with her other hand and let herself fall. But she was yanked upwards sharply. She wriggled and wrestled, trying to get free from whatever was above her. "Lizzy you can't, I beg of you, don't let go!" The voice above her shouted.
"No!" She screamed. "I have to get him. He's just there! I can almost reach-"
"No Lizzy. Look at me." She wouldn't look up. She couldn't look up. She couldn't lose sight of him. "LIZZY LOOK AT ME." The voice screamed desperately. She whirled her head around to look up. The green eyes looked at her intensely. "He's not there Lizzy." She turned her head to look down again but was stopped by the voice." Don't look away from me Lizzy." Rich said harshly.
"He's there, we have to rescue him, you have to help me! Please, he's there and I can almost reach him. Please… Please…" She broke into tears as she sobbed loudly. Rich was holding onto her hands as tightly as he could but he needed her help if she was going to come out of it alive.
"Lizzy look at me." Rich said gently. "Look at me Lizzy." She looked and saw a pair of loving eyes. "Whoever it is, he's not there. Lizzy he's not there. It's just the air mattress. So don't let go or I swear to God I'll never forgive myself for this. Please." He said quietly. "Look Lizzy. Look down there. He isn't there." She looked down again and he was gone. Henry was gone. It was like he had vanished into thin air. She began to sob uncontrollably. "Lizzy calm down. Just hold on tight and I'll lift you up." Slowly Rich started to pull her up over the edge of the snowy ledge and when she had finally gotten onto solid snow again she unclipped her board and began to cry harder. He was there. He was so close. She felt it. "Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy. Come here." Rich said gently and pulled her into a hug and she leaned into his embrace and he hugged her tightly, quietly until her tears turned into the occasional sob. "Lizzy. What happened? What happened to you?" She looked up. Those eyes were so compelling, so loving.
"I can't Rich. I am so sorry but I just can't." She said miserably, sobbing once more into his chest.
"Shhhh Lizzy. Shhhh. It's okay. It's okay." She looked up to him as he wiped away her tears with his thumb. His eyes looked into hers, asking for her permission, she gave it silently and as he leaned in, her eyes closed. She breathed a sigh as his lips met hers, kissing her gently, wiping away the few tears that lingered on her lips with his tongue. She kissed him back, amazed at what she felt for him. Soon they couldn't get enough of each other, kissing each other passionately until they heard voices screaming their names in the distance. "I'll always be here for you. Whenever you're ready, I'll be here, waiting to listen." She smiled up at him gratefully.
"Thanks Rich." He kissed her again before the voices came into sight.
"What does this mean?" She asked him, bewildered at the emotions she was feeling.
"It means that you find me attractive." He said cockily. She smiled and pushed him away. He chuckled. "Which is a good thing considering I find you extremely attractive too." She smiled again as he helped her up before giving her one last quick kiss.
"Lizzy!" Jane screamed in relief as she saw her sister standing quite closely with Richard. She would have to quiz her sister on that later but for now she was safe. She ran towards them hurriedly. "God you gave me a heart attack when Georgie here found me to tell me you fell."
"I know. I'm sorry Jane."
"You shouldn't have."
"I needed to." Jane fixed Lizzy with a stare showing her that this talk was not over.
"What happened?"
"I tried the jump and I fell and Rich saved me from ending up from being a human pancake."
"Lizzy!"
"Sorry Jane. Anyway. I think I need some rest after the crazy day I've had." Rich, Georgie and Jane nodded.
"I shall join you, I think I've had enough of the mountain today, besides we've got a family dinner tonight and you need to look alive for that."
"Wait... What family dinner Jane?"
"The one that you agreed to go to yesterday." Lizzy had no recollection. Then she narrowed her eyes at her sister.
"Was this the one where I stupidly agreed to without knowing what you were talking about?"
"Maybe..."
"JANE! You know I don't listen to a word you say when Doctor Who is on!" Jane just smiled but Lizzy could tell it was forced. The look in Jane's eyes gave her away.
"Well maybe next time you should."
"Do I have to go?"
"Of course. The Bingleys and The Darcys plus Rich are invited." Lizzy narrowed her eyes.
"She did it on purpose didn't she. She just wants to fawn over your new boyfriend." Jane blushed.
"Are you going Rich? Georgie?"
"Of course." They both replied promptly.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Rich said, watching Lizzy closely. She smiled quietly to herself, avoiding his eyes. Jane narrowed her eyes. She would definitely have to quiz her little sister later. But now was not the time.
"Well I guess we'll see the both of you later tonight."
"See ya!" Georgie said delightedly.
"What the hell was that?!" Jane said loudly after her sister emerged from her bedroom.
"What the hell was what Janey?"
"Don't you dare play dumb with me Miss Elizabeth." Jane said sternly. "I saw you and I saw Rich." Her voice softened. "What happened out there Lizzy?"
"I was boarding down the hill, I thought I could do it. It's only a mattress. And so, I jumped but as soon as I did all the memories came back and I just freaked out and... Oh Jane. I saw him. He was so lifeless." Jane pulled her sister tightly to her, wrapping her arms around her little sister.
"Oh Lizzy... I know that must have been tough for you." Lizzy nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
"Let's talk about something else. Please." Lizzy said softly.
"Sure. What was that young woman?" Lizzy pulled back to look at her sister, her eyes showing her bewilderment.
"What was what?"
"I saw that look." Lizzy sighed. Nothing was going to escape past Jane when she was in her 'must get this out of Lizzy' mood.
"I like him. He likes me. We may or may not have kissed." Lizzy said as she walked away towards the kitchen, determined to get a snack before Jane could stop her.
"YOU WHAT!" Jane shouted, reaching out to grab Lizzy's arm and swing her around.
"Just exactly what I said Janey my dear."
"Does that mean I can start calling your boyfriend pet names like you do with Charlie?"
"Chuck knows he secretly loves it. And he's not my boyfriend, he's just a friend. And no."
"So... does that mean you go around kissing all your friends?" Jane asked cheekily. Lizzy blushed and pouted.
"Jaaannnneeeyyy!"
"So he is your boyfriend." Lizzy just sighed in response. "I shall call him Squishy and he shall be mine, and he shall be my Squishy." Jane said satisfied.
"Oh god. Please no. Keep your love of Finding Nemo out of this."
"Too late." Lizzy just sighed exasperated and walked down the hallway scowling, getting ready to try and survive the latest of her mother's brilliant ideas. A family dinner. With the Bingley duo Chuck and Caro. And the Darcy duo, Jackass and Georgie. And Rich. And of course she couldn't forget Collins. She was going to need whisky. And a lot of it.
So next time should be the dinner and the Bingley's party and the departure of a few of our favourite characters.
xx faithinfools
