Okay, I'm going to need everyone take some deep, calming breaths. No use passing out from shock before you get to read- finally- chapter thirteen.
Why did it take me so long to update? I have a million excuses, but the bottom line is that this past month has been crazy, and I just didn't have the time. But I'm back! And, for making you all wait so long, I've made this a looooong one. Not only that- I put two chapters up - at the same time! Come on… you know you want to forgive me… ;)
So I hope this chap in some way makes up for the fact that I haven't updated in ::shudders:: almost two months.
It's been too long, and I know - but I gave you a nice present ... :)
What is it? Well, you'll just have to read to find out. Enjoy!
Ps- just a reminder- Will is Fitz to everyone else, except Caroline, who calls him William.
Pps- I'm so mad- I spent all day writing this out and twiking it here and there and I go to post it and is messed up and wont let me! Sigh... luckily, though, I had two docs on there anyway, so I just copy and pasted. Go me!
Chapter Thirteen
A long overdue Party
"The blue one." Lizzy said decisively. "It matches your eyes."
Jane tossed the sundress she was just holding up to herself onto the bed were Lizzy was currently lounging. She picked the blue one up again and held it in front of her while she looked at the full-length mirror.
"But I was going to wear that long blue dress for dinner. I don't want to wear too much blue." she replied.
"Hmmm. What bathing suit are you going to wear?" Lizzy wondered.
"That green one." Jane responded, turning to add the blue sundress to the growing pile of discarded clothes on the bed.
"Then here." Lizzy said, pulling herself off the bed to walk through the connecting doors that led into her own room. "Try this one out."
Lizzy handed her a dark green dress made out of thin material. It was sleeveless and stopped just above Jane's knees.
"Perfect." Jane smiled, relived. She quickly changed into her bathing suit and slipped on the borrowed dress while Lizzy filled her in on all that the cruise had to offer.
Not much time had passed when there was a knock on the door. Without comment, Lizzy hurried over to the connecting doors and hid in her room with the door opened just a crack.
"What are you doing?" Jane, too used to her sister's sometimes odd behavior to be to bewildered at her actions, was just mildly curious.
"Giving you some privacy." Lizzy responded in a loud whisper.
"You're still here." Jane pointed out, laughing.
"He doesn't know that. Get the door already!" Lizzy commanded, smiling.
Jane shook her head in amusement, but did what she was told.
"Hey." Lizzy could only make out Charles voice from this angle.
"Hey." Jane she could see, but only the back of her.
"You look great." Charles said with obvious sincerity.
"Thank you." Jane, Lizzy imagined, was smiling shyly back.
"Ready?" Charles asked after a slight pause.
"Yes, let me just get..." Jane trailed off, turning back into the room to get the small bag she packed with a change of clothing.
Lizzy caught her eyes and gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up, but backed farther out of sight when Charles also stepped into Jane's room to take the bag from her hand.
"Let me." he said.
There were a few more muffled words before Lizzy heard Jane's door close. She peeked in again, just to be sure they were gone and almost jumped out of her skin when a deep voice began talking behind her.
"What are you doing?" Will asked.
Lizzy whirled around to face him, holding a hand to her beating chest.
"You scared," she paused to take an exaggerated breath in. "The crap out of me."
"Aren't you a little old to be spying on your sister?" Will asked crossing his arms and smiling.
"I wasn't spying," she said with false haughtiness. She closed the door that connected her room to her sisters and walked past Will to sit on her bed. "She knew I was there."
"So what do you call it?" He asked, turning to follow her movements with his eyes.
"Giving moral support." she replied triumphantly. "And what do you call sneaking into a girls room when she's not looking?"
"Your door was open," he pointed out.
"That's beside the point." She replied.
"It isn't sneaking in if the door is open." he said.
"It doesn't matter if the door is open," she told him. "It's sneaking if I don't know you're there."
He pretended to think about it for a minute until Lizzy broke down and smiled. "So what did you come sneaking in here for?"
"I'm still not sure I snuck in - but I wanted to see if you felt up to doing something, since Jane is going off with Charles." Will asked.
"I thought you had 'business to take care of'" Lizzy quoted, smiling.
"Yeah, you know, I thought I did. But it just occurred to me that I've already taken care of it. Funny how those things slip your mind, isn't it?" Will said conversationally, but there was a smile tugging at his lips.
Lizzy smiled, knowing the only reason he'd said he had something else to do was to give Charles and her sister a chance to be alone for awhile. She knew he wouldn't have wanted to be a third wheel, but she was happy that he made it seem like a conspiracy between them.
"What did you have in mind?" Lizzy wondered.
"Well, we could go over to the resort and get some food, if you're hungry." He suggested.
"Hmm..." she said, thinking of the fleeting breakfast she had that morning before all hell had broken loose. "I could eat."
Will and Lizzy, after sneaking out before Caroline could invite herself along, had spent the rest of the day together. After lunch, Will took Lizzy on a tour of the grounds, showing her his favorite parts and telling her what it was like growing up in a private resort.
They had come to a quite spot at the top of a trail. There was a giant bolder that looked like it was stuck to the side of a hill and as Will took her closer, she saw that they were facing the ocean. At his assurance of safety, they both sat on the rock to rest while she encouraged him to tell her more of what it was like growing up at Pemberley Waters.
"It doesn't seem to abnormal to me." he told her. "What you grow up with seems perfectly normal when you're a kid. I had private tutors until I went to a real school when I was thirteen. I knew we had more money then some of the other kids at my school, but I didn't know that none of the other kids ate most of their meals at a restaurant inside their own resort."
Lizzy was blown away. On the surface, Will and she were a lot alike. They shared the same humor, liked the same music, books and types of movies, but their backgrounds were total opposites.
Something puzzled her about his story. "You and Georgiana are ten years apart."
"Yes." he prompted, knowing it wasn't a question.
"And you didn't go to school until you were thirteen." she stated.
"Yes." he repeated, wondering were she was going with this.
"Well, who did you play with when you were growing up- before you went to school?" she wondered. He shrugged nonchalantly, but Lizzy noticed he frowned slightly at the memory.
"There were some kids who's parents came regularly to the resort; but," he admitted, "I didn't know what real friendships were like until I went to school. I couldn't believe some of the kids had been friends for years. It was a lot to get used to, and I didn't really fit in well. It was all too foreign to me."
Lizzy digested this, feeling sorry for the younger Will. He was thrown into school at the beginnings of the awkward adolescent times for a child-just-turned-teen and, on top of that, was expected to blend right into a world he knew nothing about. She now understood more of his sometimes shy, sometimes outgoing nature.
"Did you make any friends?" she wondered.
"Some. I was quiet and I got good grades, but I also joined the soccer team, so that helped me get to know some of the kids. But I wasn't really close to anyone until I was about fifteen."
"What happened then?" She asked.
"I met Charles." he smiled.
"You did?" She was surprised they'd known each other that long, but happy he'd met an obviously good friend when he needed one.
"He got transferred to our school, and we had homeroom together. I sat in the back, and the only free seat was next to mine. He was friendly from the start, but like I said, I was kind of shy. Most of the other kids didn't really try to talk to me much after they realized I didn't talk back. I think there was a rumor going around that I was too proud to socialize with the other kids. That I thought I was too good for them." Both reacted to this statement. Lizzy got indigent on his behalf and Will frowned deeply at the memory.
"But, Charles followed me around- we had quite a few classes together- and he was a little behind as his school hadn't gotten as far as ours did, so I helped him catch up. Once I realized he'd heard what kids said about me and he obviously didn't care, I opened up more around and we became good friends pretty fast." Will finished. His easy smile at remembering how Charles and his friendship came about disappeared and he was frowning again.
"What?" Lizzy asked, curious why his mood had changed so quickly.
"How did you do that?" he asked.
"Do what?" Lizzy asked in reply, more confused than ever.
"That. Didn't we start off talking about you? How did the conversation turn onto me?" Will wondered.
"Search me." she shrugged, but was smiling.
"Well then, what was it like for you growing up?" he asked pointedly. Lizzy sighed, turning her gaze back to the sea below them.
"Pretty normal, I guess. Growing up in a house with five girls, there was always something going on. Jane and I liked to escape sometimes though. Well, I think I liked to escape more than she did, but she came with me." She said, lost in memories.
"Where would you go?" Will asked.
"Oh, around the neighborhood. Of course, we'd go to get away from everyone, but usually kids from the neighborhood would spot us and some walk with us. We started to have our own friends when we were about twelve. Before that we were all just a big group, but Jane started to do too many girlie things, and didn't want to go fishing anymore, or walking down by the canal, or play sports." Lizzy and Will shared a smile.
"That's when you met Bobby?" Will asked. Lizzy was shocked he'd remembered.
"Yeah. He lived over the footbridge that connected his neighborhood with ours, but we didn't actually meet until the first day of school. We got paired off and had to do a get-to-know-you thing. Then we found out we lived near each other and liked the same things, so we started hanging out.
I was like you, in a way. I had a lot of friends, but I didn't hang out with anyone until I met Bobby. I was close with our next-door neighbor, Charlotte, but she went to another school and was a few years older than me, so we didn't have a chance to hang out much. Of course, I always had my sisters, especially Jane." she said.
"I always wondered what it would be like to have a brother or sister growing up. I was so happy when I found out my mom was pregnant with Georgiana, but I was ten by then." Will said.
"I always wanted a brother. I remember wishing Katie and Lydia would be boys." Lizzy said, smiling.
"But not Mary?" Will asked with a slight smile. Lizzy was once again surprised he'd remembered something she told him so long ago.
"I was only two when Mary was born." She reminded him, grinning back.
"Ah yes. Well, I wanted Georgiana to be a boy, too. I wanted to have a younger brother to teach things too, and-" Will cut himself off when they heard the sound of something moving through the brush towards them.
Lizzy stood on instinct and Will rose to follow. "There's not... bears or anything in these woods, are there?" she asked, unconsciously taking a step closer to him.
Will grinned down at her, reaching around as if to put an arm around her. It either wasn't his attention or he chickened out; either way he only patted her on the shoulder and dropped his hand back to his side.
"Don't worry - it's probably just someone coming up the trail." he assured her, still smiling.
"Probably?" she frowned to hide the smile that threatened to emerge at his good humor.
Before he could answer, two girls and two boys no more than eighteen broke from the trail, obviously intending to occupy Lizzy and Wills spot. In silent communication, both moved as if they had been heading back to the trail before the group showed up.
Will and Lizzy exchanged polite hellos with the group. The two girls were openly staring at Lizzy and the couple wasn't five feet away before they heard one of the girls whisper to the others, "Do you know who that was?"
By the time Will and Lizzy made it back to the estate, Caroline and Georgiana were just sitting down to dinner. Lizzy would have liked to skip it, but lunch was a long time ago and she was starving. She and Will went to their respective rooms to change, but Lizzy took her time in getting back to the dining room.
She definitely didn't want to return before Will, least she have to face the questions Caroline would no doubt have about what she and Will had been up to all afternoon. Part of her was also half hoping Jane and Charles would show up to defuse any awkward conversation Caroline would force on her, even though she knew from experience that Jane wouldn't be home for hours.
When she was sure Will would have returned, and reminding herself that Georgiana would be there too, Lizzy finally made her way back. She entered the room to tense silence that made her sure her name had just been in the conversation. She ignored it with practice and took the seat Will offered that sat across him, and next to Georgina. Caroline sat on Wills right and opposite Georgiana, as far away from Lizzy as possible, for which she was grateful.
Another tense silence followed before Caroline launched into a long detailed report on all she'd done for the party that afternoon, effectively cutting Lizzy from any conversation she might have had with Will. A few times during dinner, Will tried to turn the conversation to include Georgiana and Lizzy, but Caroline always expertly pulled it back. Lizzy didn't mind though. She'd immediately turned to Georgiana and started up a conversation about school, and was happy to note that the younger girl was becoming more comfortable in her presence.
After dinner, the four moved into a different room where all three enticed Georgiana to play them something on the piano. She obliged and began playing a complicated classical tune that had Lizzy staring in amazement.
"Georgiana, I'm sure you've heard this a million times, but you play wonderfully." she said, joining her at the piano when she had finished. Caroline was still desperately trying to make up for losing Will to Lizzy for a whole afternoon, and was going on to Will about something Lizzy had long since lost interest in.
"Thank you." Georgiana said with a pleased smile. "Won't you play something? You have your guitar, don't you?"
"Oh- no. Well I mean, yes I do have my guitar but I couldn't play." Lizzy stammered out.
"Why not?" Georgiana asked, smiling.
"How can I play anything after that performance?" Lizzy asked, smiling when Georgiana laughed.
"Oh come on. You're a famous rock star, surely you're not shy about playing in front of a few friends?" Georgiana asked, but didn't wait for her response before turning around to face her brother, who had been listening intently to their conversation. "Fitz, tell her she must play something for us."
"It's only fair, Elizabeth, you made Georgiana play something." Will informed her with a smile.
"I made her? I seem to remember the whole room insisting she play." she replied, with mock outrage.
"Well, the whole room is insisting you play now, so you'd better go get your instrument." Will told her.
Lizzy highly doubted Caroline would be included in that statement, but recognized a losing battle when she saw one. Grumbling good naturedly, she made her way up to get her guitar.
She didn't really mind playing for Georgiana and Will, but Caroline would be a kill joy. Still, she could do what Caroline had been doing all night - pretend she wasn't there
"Since you forced me into submission, is there any requests for what I play?" Lizzy asked after warming up.
"Whatever you want to play." Georgiana said.
"I'm not that up on classical music, I'm afraid." she said with a grin. "But how about a little Simon and Garfunkel?"
"Oh Will loves Simon and Garfunkel." Georgiana said before Will could reply.
"Perfect." she shared a smile with Will, and then started plucking out a tune.
Many's the time I've been mistaken, and many times confused
Yes and I've often felt forsaken, and certainly misused
Ah but I'm alright, I'm alright, I'm just weary to my bones
Still you don't expect to be bright and bon-vivant
So far away from home, so far away from home
And I don't know a soul who's not been battered
I don't have a friend who feels at ease
I don't know a dream that's not been shattered or driven to its knees
But it's alright, it's alright, for we lived so well, so long
Still, when I think of the road we're traveling on
I wonder what's gone wrong, I can't help it I wonder what's gone wrong
And I dreamed I was dying, I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
And looking back down at me, smiled reassuringly
And I dreamed I was flying, and high up above my eyes could clearly see
The statue of liberty, sailing away to sea, And I dreamed I was flying
But we come on a ship they called Mayflower
We come on a ship that sailed the moon
We come in the ages' most uncertain hours and sing an American tune
And it's alright, oh it's alright, it's alright, you can be forever blessed
Still tomorrow's gonna be another working day and I'm trying to get some rest
That's all I'm trying, to get some rest
Lizzy smiled shyly while they clapped, Will and Georgiana a bit more enthusiastically than Caroline, who was beginning to get a sour look on her face. Lizzy ignored it easily, and then convinced Georgiana to do a duet with her. Both started searching their brains for all the piano/guitar duets they knew, and for some songs, Lizzy just sang while Georgiana played.
They played a few more songs, the last couple with even Will joining in every once in a while. They were in the middle of the Eagles 'Hotel California', which they all loved and knew the words to, but couldn't exactly remember the order that they came in. They were good-naturedly arguing when Jane and Charles joined them, finally home from the cruise.
"Jane - Thank god. Would you please tell the Darcy's that the lyrics are 'We are all just prisoners here' not 'We are all just visitors here'?" Lizzy said as the couple once again claimed the loveseat.
"Jane, would you please tell your sister that 'Her mind is Tiffany-twisted' comes before and not after 'So I called up the captain'," Will said before Jane could reply to Lizzy. Jane and Charles shared a smile.
"I'm glad to see you're getting along so well." Charles joked.
"What are you guys doing?" Jane redirected their questions so she wouldn't have to pick a side. Lizzy saw through her sister, but just smiled and didn't call her on it.
"Entertaining ourselves. Have you heard Georgiana play yet Jane? She's amazing." Lizzy replied, making Georgiana blush.
"I could never sing as well as you do, Lizzy. You voice is beautiful." The younger Darcy replied honestly, hoping to take the focus off of herself.
"We could argue all night," Lizzy replied with a smile. "But how about we just agree that we're equally talented in our own ways."
"Deal." Georgiana replied, returning her smile.
"Do you know," Jane spook up with recollection in her voice. "That Lizzy hated to sing when we were kids?"
"No." Will said disbelievingly. "Really?"
"I didn't hate to sing." Lizzy corrected, running a hand through her hair. "I hated when mom kept putting me on display for all her friends, and when she made me join the church choir."
"Mmm, yes." remembered Jane with a half grimace, half smile in her face. "That was... eventful."
"The Church choir?" Charles asked, clearly amused. He made a show of scrutinizing her. "Nope. Can't picture it." he said finally, earning laughs.
"Ha, ha." Lizzy scowled at him to hide her smile.
"What happened?" Will wanted to know.
"Oh Lizzy did everything she could to get out of it." Jane replied.
"Disappeared before church." Remembered Lizzy with a smile.
"Pretend she couldn't sing when she got there." Added Jane, sharing a grin with her sister.
"Pretend I couldn't remember the words. I think it finally ended when Ms. Roberts told me I'd never amount to anything and kicked me out." Lizzy said, her voice full of amusement.
"Which was, of course, exactly what Lizzy had wanted." Jane pointed out.
Lizzy joined the rest of the room in laughter. "Now, of course, they tell everyone who'll listen how I spent my happiest moments there, under the tutelage of the woman who couldn't stand me."
"Her words, not theirs." Jane added.
"William." Caroline, who had been unusually silent through most of the evening - that is to say she didn't make half as much snide comments at Lizzy as she'd come to expect- finally called attention to herself. "Maybe we should call it an early night. Tomorrow is a big day, you know."
For some reason, she threw a superior look at Lizzy, who was trying not to laugh as Caroline called the little party to an end, sounding more like a mother sending the kids off to bed. It was, in her opinion, not the best way to get the guy you liked to look at you differently.
Georgiana chose that moment to yawn widely, and Will looked guilty. "I guess it is late, and you two must be exhausted after all the things you did for tomorrow."
"Oh Fitz, I'm not tired at all." Georgiana argued instantly. Lizzy caught a glimpse of what it must have been like when there were younger and smiled fondly.
"Well I am." Charles piped up.
"Me too." Jane agreed with a sigh. Lizzy fought the urge to tease them and instead turned her attention back to the room.
"Yeah, I'm pretty beat." She agreed.
"You two are coming to the party tomorrow, aren't you?" Will asked as they all stood.
"I..." Lizzy looked to her sister. Jane didn't looked surprised they'd been invited, or curious at what kind of party it was and Lizzy guessed Charles had told her all about it already. "I guess so."
"Great. It won't be anything big, and security is really tight, so you don't have to worry about anyone sneaking in." Will said walking up to her and taking her guitar. "Let me help you up with that."
"Thanks." she said with a appreciative smile. She chanced a look at Caroline and wasn't surprised at all to see the look of total hate she was giving her.
Jane and Charles were already slipping away, so Lizzy decided to give them as much privacy as she could and stalled her goodbye with Georgiana. After saying goodbye for about five minutes, however, she knew she couldn't push it anymore and Will and she made their way slowly up the stairs. He seemed content with taking their time and they carried on a murmured conversation of they different bands they liked.
When they reached the top of the stairs Charles and Jane were not, as she had expected, saying goodnight to each other. Well, Lizzy amended, maybe, in a way, they were. But she was so shocked by the sight of her shy and reserved sister kissing someone, out in plain sight and with obvious enthusiasm that she was rooted to the spot momentary. Luckily, however, Will kept his wits and pulled her around a corner before they were spotted.
"Oh, my god." Lizzy said, rubbing her eyes. "Were they just...?"
"So it would appear." Will said with a grin. "I guess they made up."
"So it would appear." Lizzy echoed back earning a laugh from him.
They were silent for a few minutes before Lizzy asked about the party. "It's nothing major." he told her. "Just something we do every year, invite most of the island for a some drinks, a buffet and dancing. Some go swimming, most just lay out." Will explained.
"Sounds like fun." Lizzy smiled.
"It can be. I'm... glad you're coming." he admitted in a low voice, not quite meeting her eyes.
"I'm glad you invited me." she replied, grinning at his sudden shyness. "I had fun today."
"I did too." he smiled once again meeting her gaze after he realized he didn't make her uncomfortable with his admission.
They heard Charles walk down the stairs, and peeked around the corner to make sure the coast was clear. Seeing the hallway deserted, Will and Lizzy came out of their hiding place.
"The guests usually start arriving at around one tomorrow." Will told her as they stopped just outside her door.
"So is it formal, causal, semi formal, semi-casual?" Lizzy asked, already wondering what she would wear.
"Casual." Will replied, smiling. "Jeans and a t-shirt causal."
"I think I can manage that." Lizzy replied. They shared a smile before Will cleared his throat.
"Well, goodnight." he said and she took his guitar from him with a thanks.
"Night." she said, not making a move to go inside.
Will took this as encouragement, and leaned down towards her slowly, giving her plenty of opportunity to back away. When she closed her eyes and tilted her head up towards him, Will wasted no more time in brushing his lips with hers. He kissed her softly and, when she responded, brought a hand up to cup the back of her neck, effectively bringing her closer. With her free hand, Lizzy caressed his cheek, delighting at the small stubble she felt.
They broke apart at the same time, both with matching grins.
"Well," he repeated, clearing his throat again. "I guess I'll see you in the morning."
"Yeah... Night, Will." She said, still smiling as she turned to open her door.
"Night." he replied, waiting until she closed the door before finally making his way back downstairs.
The next morning, Lizzy dressed in long black jeans and a light blue and white plaid shirt. She headed downstairs at around ten after finding Jane already gone. Before she even made it all the way down, she could tell the whole bottom floor was a bustle of energy. People weren't exactly running around like crazy, but there was a definite hurry in the air. She stopped just a few steps short of the ground floor and looked around, hoping to spot a familiar face. To her delight, the first person that caught her eye was Will. He was talking to someone holding a box and gesturing with his hands, obviously giving the man instructions. Lizzy slipped through the crowd and came up behind him.
"-freeze them?" the man holding the box asked.
"No, no. They'll need to thaw just a bit. Put them in the refrigerator- ask Len which one." Will answered, still not seeing Lizzy.
"Yes, sir." the man nodded, then hurried away.
"Ohh 'sir'. I keep forgetting you're such a big shot, Mr. Darcy" Lizzy teased, smiling when Will turned around with a surprised look on his face.
"Hey, you." he said, smiling widely.
"Morning." she replied. "Where is everyone?"
"Well, Jane and Charles cut out kind of early, I think they went to have breakfast in town, and Caroline has Georgiana trailing her, as they finish up some last minute decorations." Will said with a wary smile. "Are you hungry?"
"I could eat." Lizzy replied.
"Great, why don't we-" Will was cut off as another worker approached him.
"Excuse me, Mr. Darcy- they're having trouble with the stoves. They Chef's going a little crazy, sir." he said and Will sighed.
"Tell him I'll be right there." he said, then turned back to Lizzy. "I'm sorry, I have to-"
"Don't worry about it. I'll get out of you're hair." Lizzy smiled. "See you later?"
"I'm counting on it." he grinned. "Head over to the resort for breakfast if you like. The party doesn't start until one, so you have some time to kill."
"I think I can amuse myself in a world class resort for a few hours." Lizzy teased.
"I had a feel you might be able to." Will bantered back before someone called his name. "See you soon." he said, running a hand from her shoulder down to her elbow in a quick caress.
They parted then, Lizzy making her way outside and Will heading towards the kitchens.
It wasn't that far from the Darcy private quarters to the main Pemberley resort, but the weather had turned hot and Lizzy had over dressed in her long black jeans. After eating breakfast in the cool air-conditioned restaurant, Lizzy was hesitant to walk back so soon. She wondered around the resort for a while, but eventually decided to go back so she could at least change her clothes. Maybe Jane would be back, and she could ask how the night with Charles went.
'No need to ask how the night ended, however.' Lizzy thought to herself with a grin. She wouldn't tease her sister about what she saw - Jane would be too embarrassed to take any humor in it- especially if she knew that Will had witnessed the scene as well.
It was half past twelve when she got back and, to Lizzys surprise, the whole bottom floor was deserted, save from Jane, Charles, Georgiana and Caroline sitting in the living room.
"Hey all." Lizzy greeted, claiming a seat next to Georgiana. Everyone greeted her in turn. "Where is everyone?"
"Will is giving them his last minute 'does-anyone-have-any-questions' speech." Georgiana replied just before Will himself walked into the room.
"I think we're all set." he announced as he took the last remaining seat- next to Caroline, who immediately perked up.
"You poor dear, you must be exhausted." Caroline cooed to him.
Lizzy grinned, about to make a comment when Jane caught her eye and gave her a look, apparently making an effort to get along with Charles sister. Lizzy just rolled her eyes, but kept her tongue in check.
"The guests should be arriving soon." Will ignored Caroline, giving Lizzy a funny look. "Aren't you hot in that?"
"Aw Will, you think I'm hot? I'm flattered." Lizzy teased, earning laughs from everyone but Will and Caroline, the former who was blushing, and the latter who was scowling.
"I meant," he said, feigning frustration, "That long black pants are probably going to be uncomfortable in this weather."
"Oh." Lizzy, in response, feigned disappointment. "Yes, actually you do have a point. I think I'm going to go change."
"I'll come with you." Jane said, and the two sisters made their way up to their rooms.
It wasn't long after that the first of the guests arrived. Will was too busy greeting everyone to notice that Lizzy hadn't come back down. When he got a chance, a half hour after she went up, Will realized that only Jane had returned. Instead of questioning her sister, Will slipped upstairs in search of her.
"Elizabeth?" he asked, knocking on her half open door, not wanting another lecture on sneaking up on her.
"Come on in." she replied.
He walked in and saw her sitting on her bed, looking over a laptop, still in the same clothes.
"I thought you were coming up here to change." Will asked.
"I did." Lizzy relied, then looked down at herself. "Er, I mean I will. I have some clothes picked out, I just got hit by inspiration, and I wanted to..." Lizzy trailed off, typing something down.
"Oh." Will said, not knowing what to think.
"Don't sound like that. I'm coming down. Just give me a minute, okay?" she asked, looking up at him with a smile that he had no choice but to return.
"Okay, I'll see you down there." he replied, heading out when she just nodded, turning back to the computer.
After another half hour passed, however, Will made his way back up.
Will found still her sitting on her bed, still working on her laptop.
"Are you ready?" he asked dubiously. She was still dressed in her jeans and T-shirt and didn't look as if she'd moved at all since the last time he was here.
"In a minute." She replied distractedly. Her face hadn't left the screen since he'd walked in, and after her reply she began typing furiously on the keyboard.
Will sighed at her lack of attention. Deciding to make himself comfortable, he perched on the arm of the loveseat, his feet dangling off the side.
Five minutes passed with just the sound of her fingers pounding away until Will decided she'd forgotten he was even there.
"Elizabeth?" he asked, but got no response.
"Lizzy?" Will tried again.
She finally looked up from the computer to scrunch her nose at him. "Did you just call me Lizzy?"
Will had only been trying to get her attention, but now that he had it he got sidetracked with her question. "Well, it's what everyone calls you, isn't it?"
"Yeah but…" she shook her head. "Only my friends."
Will looked slightly hurt at this statement and Lizzy hurried to explain herself. "I mean…" But she didn't know how to explain. How was she supposed to tell him that every time her full name passed his lips she felt it like a caress?
When she hesitated at explaining, Will looked away, eyes downcast. Lizzy sighed at her inability to express what she meant. She decided to do the next best thing. Standing, she crossed to him and stood between his legs to get as close as possible.
"I like when you call me Elizabeth." She whispered to him, caressing his cheek
Unexpectedly, he looked up and grinned. "I know you do." His arm snaked around her waste and he leaned his forehead against hers.
Lizzy was caught between two emotions. Pleasure at his touch and to find he wasn't really upset and curiosity at why he pretended to be. Then it dawned on her. "You little sneak. You were just trying to get me to stop working." She accused, pulling back away from him.
Will laughed, then sobered and tried to look guilty. "Me?" he questioned, sounding hurt that she'd even suggested it.
"I'm so not falling for that." She said. Will gave her a look. "…again." She added, smiling.
"Come on, Elizabeth. You promised you'd come down." Will reminded her, taking her hands in his.
Lizzy sighed, looking back at her computer. "I'm really on a roll." She said, then turned back to see Wills disappointed look. "But I guess I could use a break."
"Are you sure?" he asked, trying to mask his enthusiasm.
Endeared at his eagerness for her company, she dropped his hands to impulsively reach up and ran her's through his hair. "Yeah, I'm sure. Give me a chance to change though, huh?"
Will looked at her suspiciously. "I am so not falling for that again." He echoed her words back at her. Lizzy laughed and Will couldn't help but smile at the sound.
"I mean it this time." She assured him. "I promise." She said when he still looked doubtful.
"Okay. But if you're not out there in ten minutes, I'm coming back and carrying you out." He warned and Lizzy smiled.
"That should cause some nice gossip." She said and he gave her a lopsided grin in return.
"I'll risk it."
Lizzy changed into some white shorts and a dark blue sleeveless top, fixed her hair so the top layer was pulled back out of her eyes and held with a clip while the rest lay unbound. She was out in the main part of the house in nine minutes and thirty seconds.
She immediately sought out Will, who was chatting with a man she didn't recognize. She held back, not wanting to interrupt their conversation, but made eye contact with Will to let him know she'd kept her promise and that bodily force wasn't necessary.
He smiled so widely at her appearance that she blushed and turned away, pleased. When she did, she spotted Georgiana standing by Caroline and another woman. Georgiana seemed to be listening to their conversation, but not really joining in so Lizzy made her way over to her.
"Hey Georgiana." Lizzy greeted.
"Hey Lizzy." Georgiana returned, smiling more openly. Lizzy was glad to see Georgiana relaxing in her company.
"Oh Eliza." Caroline said in a way of greeting. "Isn't this a surprise."
"Is it? I was pretty sure you were there when Jane and I were invited." Lizzy replied.
"Yes well, not everyone pays attention to things involving you and your dear sister." Caroline said pleasantly, shooting a sly smile at her friend.
"Oh, that wasn't why I thought you'd heard. It was just that Will was the one who invited us and I know how much you… pay attention when he speaks." Lizzy said, equally pleasant.
A shocked sort of silence fell upon the three women. Caroline looked like she couldn't believe what Lizzy had just implied. So, for that matter, did Georgiana, though she looked more like she wanted to laugh than to tell Lizzy off.
But Caroline merely looked at Lizzy with disdain and said, "I don't believe I have the pleasure of understanding you." Then, before Lizzy could reply, turned to her companion and said, "Come Amelia, I think I've spotted Rodger." And the two women took off.
"Well, that was nice." Lizzy said with satisfaction.
"I cannot believe you just said that to Caroline." Georgiana said with awe in her voice. "I mean, of course everyone knows that she's obsessed with Will, but no one actually ever says it to her."
"Well then I'm glad I was the first. Serves her right, and maybe now she'll learn how to say my name." Lizzy laughed.
"What did you just do to Caroline?" Will's amused voice came up from behind the girls and they turned to face him.
"Me? Do?" Lizzy asked innocently.
Will gave her a look, and then glanced over at where Caroline was now seething across the room.
"Yes, you. You walk over here and a minute later she goes flying as far away from you as she can get." He explained with humor in his voice.
"Why Mr. Darcy - have you been spying on me this whole time?" Lizzy asked, with false surprise.
"Don't change the subject." He dodged the question. "You said something to her, didn't you?"
Lizzy glanced at Georgiana who was watching their exchange with amusement.
"I don't believe I have the pleasure of understanding you." She said and the girls broke out into giggles.
Will looked at them incredulously. "Elizabeth-"
"Will, sometimes girls need to keep some of their secrets. It adds to the mystery." Lizzy patted his shoulder, then took Georgiana's arm. "Come, Georgiana, I think I've spotted Rodger."
This just caused Georgiana to erupt into more giggles while Lizzy led her away. When they had taken a few steps, Lizzy glanced back and winked at Will before turning back to walk with Georgiana.
Will couldn't believe this was his shy and reserved sister, laughing out loud and willingly leaving his side to be with a stranger. Well, not really a stranger. Elizabeth and Georgiana had gotten to know each other that day at the beach and then more so during and after dinner last night. Obviously Elizabeth had worked the same magic on his sister that she'd worked on him. Will smiled.
Where's the present I promised? The fact that I updated- that's the present ….. no, no, I'm jk. J
The present is in the next chap (not to mention the fact that there is a next chap.) So go, go - read!
Wait- don't forget to review, if you can contain yourself from reading the next chapter for a second… hello?… anyone? ;)