Chapter 14- Say Goodbye

Lizzy was sitting in Charli's bedroom when her mother found her.

"ELIZABETH JANE BENNET!"

"Oh no," Lizzy gazed around Charli's room desperately looking for somewhere to hide. Her options weren't good, jump out of Charli's second story bedroom without the benefit of a tree to climb down or bush to break her fall, hide in Charli's cupboard amidst the dirty socks, paint smudged jeans and old sandwiches or face her mother. It's not a hard to guess what she chose.

Francis Bennet yanked open Charli's cupboard to find a cowering Lizzy snug between a covered oil painting and Charli's suspicious looking underwear. In one terrible moment she flung the door wide and grabbed Lizzy's arm, wrenching her out of the cupboard and sending her flying across the room in a half circle. "Get home right now." Francis only spoke in a low voice was she was very angry, and for some insane reason - in Lizzy's reasoning- this was one of those times. Elizabeth Jane Bennet was anything but meek and obsequious, but at that very moment, in the face of her mothers anger, Lizzy marched resolutely home, eyes cast down, tears prickling her eyes. Charli stood by the door and gave her hand a sympathetic squeeze, but even she wasn't as supportive as she normally was, every time Billy was mentioned a strange look coloured Charli's face and responses.

At home Lizzy sat in her fathers study, awaiting her mother and father. Daniel Bennet walked in, a concerned look on his face as he looked at this subdued version of his favourite, lively daughter. Followed soon after, walking in with a look that didn't vaguely resemble concern or sympathy, came Fanny Bennet. The only time Lizzy could remember her mother directing that particular look at her before was when she, Jane and Charli had jumped off the roof when they were 5, she came home with a broken arm, and two fractured ribs, Charli had fractured her wrist and Jane had a cut above her eye. Her mother had been furious that her prettiest daughter would be left with stitches, ignore the fact that her other daughter was bedridden, she had yelled at her for almost two straight hours in the hospital. It had been then that her Nan, her fathers mother, gave her the locket, thinking that with the trouble her vivacious granddaughter got into, she might need something special to help her through.

"You ungrateful child!" Fanny wasted no time, "You thoughtless child, obviously I have indulged -Lizzy stifled a laugh here, her mother had done anything but indulge her- your ridiculous behaviour too long, this rebellious phase must end! It's about time you thought about your future, we can provide for you forever, its about time you took some weight upon your own shoulders!" Fanny glared at her least favourite daughter, daring her to argue, and Lizzy staunchly refused to back down from a dare.

"My future?" Lizzy asked her mother in the same quietly dangerous voice, "I've spent my entire life thinking about when I can get out of here, when I can live by my own rules and deal with life my way. If that makes me rebellious so be it, but remember I'm the only daughter you made pay for my own formal dress, the only daughter who has a job and a bank account of my own. I'm the one who was left with Aunt Di whenever you wanted to take the others to the zoo because I couldn't fit in the car. I have thought about my future, I've been already accepted at Monash Uni to do a Bachelor of Arts for creative writing, so I can achieve the dreams I set for my future. If you wanted a say in my future Mama, you should have thought of that before you decided I wasn't worth your attention, as it stands, this is a free country and until I turn 18 your required to provide for me, and once I turn 18 you can't stop me doing what I want. And above all else, you can't force me, or coerce me into marriage, especially not to a slimy pervert like Billy." Lizzy breathed deeply, holding back tears, she hadn't meant to say all that but her Mother remained oblivious to the way she treated Lizzy and she had had enough.

"Hmph!" Fanny made a noise in disagreement, honestly believing that Lizzy exaggerated. "Well, I don't want people to think that I mistreat my children, I have always done what I felt was best for you Lizzy, and I think that Billy would be a marvellous husband for you, and if you refuse him, I..I'll never speak to you again!"

"Is that a promise?" Lizzy muttered under her breath before Daniel Bennet coughed lightly for attention. "Well, Lizzy dearest." He smiled at his favourite daughter indulgently, he had never spoiled Lizzy, but he always had special surprises for her when her mother had ignored her. "It seems you have come to an impasse. It seems that unless you marry Billy, your Mother will never speak to you again," Fanny smiled triumphantly, thinking that her husband was supporting her argument and knowing Lizzy always obeyed Daniel even if she refused to acknowledge her mothers loving, guiding hand. "so from this day on, you must be estranged from one of your parents, -Lizzy hid a smile, seeing where this was going and Fanny's triumph faded, bit by bit- as if you do marry that git then I'm afraid I will never speak to you again." Lizzy threw her arms around her father, thankful that he was always there for her. Lizzy skipped out of the room, giving her mother a blasé look and the hint of a smile. The heavy wooden door to the study drowned out the sound of her Mother's screeching, but the whole house got the gist of it. "My nerves Daniel, what you and that devil child do to my nerves! How could you let her say that? He would have taken her away, taught her to be a real lady. She will run wild all her days!"

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"Lets go up to Netherfeild." Lizzy suggested to Jane as she hung upside down off her bed, her hair strewn across the ground, the curls knotting as she shifted to throw and catch a smiling stress ball. She was bored and wanted to leave the house, a week had passed since the 'proposal' as it had since been dubbed, and bare moment went by without Fanny bemoaning her foolish daughter. She and Lizzy still were not talking, and the house was all the quieter without Fanny's nitpicking and Lizzy's sarcastic retorts, indeed Daniel Bennet had been heard to say that he found the whole thing unnerving. Billy had moved out, he was staying in a Motel for the remaining two weeks of his internship before he moved up to Sydney to become Mrs de Bourgh's assistant. Apparently he knew where he was not wanted, and would not stay in a house with that ungrateful girl. Too bad he took two weeks to realise that that girl most definitely did not want him.

"We can't." Jane's voice was strained. Lizzy twisted to look at her but Jane was sitting at the computer, refusing to turn to look at her twin. Thinking it was best to let Jane tell her if something was wrong, Lizzy resumed the conversation by asking if Caroline had contracted some deadly contagious disease, wondering allowed if they should go and brave it not wanting to face Caroline's tirade when she returned to school if they didn't. Caroline hadn't been seen since the night of the ball, and when she didn't return their calls (Jane's calls) or emails (also Janes, but as her twin Lizzy felt she had some claim to them despite hating the woman with a vengeance).

"We can't."

"Well why the hell not? I'm sure if it was contagious, she'd be in hospital, so we can hang out with Charles and Louisa for awhile, I personally am missing Richie's fruit smoothies, I'm sure he adds vodka to it, I just need to catch him in the act." During her speech, Lizzy had detached herself from the railing and somersaulted forward, knowing -or sensing- something wrong with her twin. Her fears where confirmed when a teary Jane turned to her and waved at the computer screen.

From: Caroline Bingley mailto:
Sent: Friday, 18 April 2008 4:28 PM
To: Jane and Lizzy Bennet
Subject: Adieu ("Adieu? What does she mean adieu? Does she know that means goodbye?")

Janie! Im so depressed, I havta say GB! Im leavin, I dropt out on Mon, who needs skool? (She always was stupid, damn trust fund babies!) Not me! Sides, Will has urgnt work and he's goin, nd ya no he can't servive wif out me!("Haha, yeh right, can't live without you as far away as possible!") So we're all goin, ("But Charles will be so lonely, here….oh") we're gunna be livin' in Qld for lyk 6 mnths! Glamourous! Wills gunna go 2 Derbyshire 4 a mnth ta c Georgiana, shes lyk awesome! She totally lyks Charles, nd I m so matchmkin! ("Eww, his sister is only Cathy's age!") Stay in touch, dear! Friends?

Xoxox

Adieu (it's French, lyk so cute!)

P.S Louisa here, hugs and kisses from the rest of the Netherfeild crew, and tell Lizzy that Richie has packed a whole suitcase of vegemite to take back to the States("Ha, I knew I'd get him hooked") , cause we're not staying in Queensland. Both of you stay in touch.

Xo

"Oh Janie!" Lizzy wrapped her arms around her twin, hugging her tightly while Jane buried her face in Lizzy's shoulder as she cried.

"I always thought Charles liked me Lizzy." Jane said sweetly, as though it wasn't obvious for the world to see, "He kissed me a few times, but always promised he would ask me out when I turned 18, he kept saying it would be a birthday to remember. But I guess this means I was wrong."

"No way Jane!" Lizzy yelled, "Charles really liked you, personally I think it was closer to love, but he most certainly liked you. Trust me Jane, he'll be back within two weeks, he won't be able to stay away." Jane looked at her sister, and nodded, accepting her sisters word. The next two weeks brought much heart ache for Jane and a whole lot of shock for Lizzy.

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"That's both impossible, wrong, gross and impossible." Lizzy said as she stared in shock. "Don't you need to have, like, sex to get pregnant?" She asked stupidly, her wits deceiving her in face of a recent revelation. Charli, her best friend and the protagonist in this phenomenal revelation, laughed weakly.

"Yes."

"But…you…and…" Lizzy spluttered brokenly before her mind clicked back into action, "Who?"

This is when Charli got her famous look again. It was one that was part was bashful, part way guilty and a whole glob of 'I wish I didn't have to tell you'. "You don't want to know."

"Yes I do. You're my best friend and I want to know who knocked you 'forshiz up the spout' so I can go all godmother on his ass. I will be godmother won't I?" Lizzy had already disregarded the idea that Charli would abort the baby.

"Yes, yes of course, but Lizzy, your going to hate me." Charli squirmed, twisting herself round on the swing. Lizzy flipped down off the monkey bars, the full severity of this issue finally hitting her. She sat on the cross of the A bar holding up the stairs and grabbed her friends hands.

"As long as it isn't the hottie from Transformers and Disturbia, Shea whatever his name is, I don't think I can ever hate you." Lizzy knew Charli well enough to know a little humour would ease her discomfort.

"William" Charli mumbled so softly that Lizzy thought she had imagined it.

"What?"

"William."

Lizzy blinked. William? Did she even know a William? William….Darcy? No, Impossible. He wouldn't. Lizzy felt a little fear stab at her heart, a fear that she couldn't understand but she ignored it and spoke instead. "I'll kill him! How dare he get you pregnant, have his fun and leave! That fucking bastard! How dare he!" Lizzy rampaged, kicking the tanbark in her fury.

"Lizzy." Charli said, reaching out to her friend.

"What?" Lizzy snapped, unhinged by this information for some reason. She softened when she saw her best friends face, and wiped a tear away, Charli's lipstick smearing on her hand. As she stared at the lipstick on her hand, a memory niggled in the corner of her mind.

"What do you mean he left?" Charli asked, suddenly frightened. Lizzy looked up at her and saw a bite mark on her collar bone, only half hidden by her top. Suddenly everything was clearer. The lipstick, the obviously recent hicky, the lipstick on her cousins neck.

"Billy?" The bastard, she thought quietly, he proposed to me after getting it on with my best friend. Eww, Charli had sex with Billy. "My cousin Billy is the father of your baby?"

Charli nodded," Yes who did you thin- oh. Darcy." Charli chuckled, "The sexy international man of mystery who has eyes only for my best friend? I think not."

"Shut up." Lizzy scowled at Charli, glad to see her laughing, but hurt, confused and worried by the sudden twist of fate. "But…he.."

"Proposed?" Charli supplied, "I know, well we, err…hooked up. The night before, and I think he felt guilty, since he had been 'paying his addresses' to you. Really Lizzy, did you think he loved you?"

"Of course not!" Lizzy retorted, "I just didn't think he'd propose to one girl while screwing her best friend." Lizzy saw her mistake even as she said it. Charli's eyes hardened, and she was half way home before Lizzy could say sorry.

"Charli! Charli!" Lizzy sprinted up to her friend, "I'm sorry, really. I didn't mean it, I wasn't thinking. I was shocked."

"So am I Lizzy!" Charli turned to yell at her in the middle of the street. "I'm confused, shocked and terrified all at the same time. Why can't you ever think before you speak?" She walked another few steps before saying in a quiet voice, without turning, "We're getting married, next week, I want you and Jane to be my bridesmaid, your maid of honour, of course."

Lizzy understood that was her sign that Charli forgave her and ran over to her friend to hug her, letting Charli cry on her shoulder in the middle of the road, until darkness fell.

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Charlotte Lucas wed William Collins Jr. at 2 o'clock on Sunday May 11. Exactly a week after the twins turned 18. Lizzy thought it was a subdued affair, all the guests knew it was a rushed, hurried thing because the bride had been knocked up and that her husband had proposed to the maid of honour first. As for the bride herself, she was radiant but not quite the blushing bride people expect at weddings, Charlotte Lucas didn't believe in love, and thought getting married to ensure a good home for herself and her soon to exist child, was reason enough. As long as she was provided for and had time to paint, she would be happy. Her bridesmaids easily outshone the bride, even in their traditional ugly taffeta gowns. Matching maroon gowns with more frills and lace that dress, they only reached the girls knees, but with the bubble skirt they made it difficult for Lizzy to stay upright. Jane was the epitome of beauty, as usual, but an air of despondency lingered. Charles had not returned, or called, and all the emails from Caroline gushed about how much he was looking forward to seeing Georg-iana! Jane refused to acknowledge that there had been something between herself and Charles, instead insisting to everyone that they were just friends. Lizzy wasn't sure whether to be happy that her best friend was married and looking forward to being a mother, or sad that she would never find love.

The wedding itself was what everyone expected, all white and lacy with gold trimmings, Mrs Lucas refused to have anything but the best for her daughter and to show the world that her daughter was worthy of Billy Collins. The happiest moment of the entire night was when Lizzy made her speech, recalling scandalous memories of nudie runs and skinny dipping, and Charli's first boyfriend who started her 'punk phase'. Pictures of Charli with black nails, a blue Mohawk and jeans covered in safety pins were projected onto the wall behind Lizzy.

"…but for all that, Charlotte Katreace Lucas, Charli, is a wonderful person, and Billy your lucky to have her. I wish you the happiest life together, and Billy you better take care of my girl or I will come after you." All this was said with a huge watery smile and a scattering of laughter, only a few of the people who didn't know Lizzy very well doubted that she would actually go after Billy.

Lizzy saw Charli into the limo taking the newly weds to the airports, apparently Ms de Bourgh had demanded that they get into Sydney that night so she could see the bride on her wedding day and bestow her best wishes. It was a watery goodbye.

"Lizzy, promise. Promise you will come and stay the two weeks of your next holidays. Promise me!" Charli had her face buried in Lizzy's shoulder, the thought of parting with her best friend at 19 years of age, much more than she could handle on top of her pregnancy and her consequential wedding.

"Of course, I'd be there even if you didn't want me. Asleep on your doorstep." Lizzy promised, kissing Charli's cheek as she guided her into the limo, "Stay safe and we can start thinking of baby names to share next time we see each other." Charli smiled wetly and squeezed Lizzy's hand through the window before the limo left the curb. Lizzy stood teary eyed as she watched her best friend take the next steps in her life. That's how Jane found her, not long after, and silently the girls embraced and watched as life changed about them, and their childhoods finally began to leave them behind.

"Goodbye"

A/N Alright there is another chapter, a little jumpy but I think I will put a revised chapter up if people don't like it. I'm a little eager to get to Rosings and Lizzy's second proposal. My favourite scene out of the entire thing I think. Reviews please