The Thin Line between Love and Hate

A Pride and Prejudice- story

By: jakeline

Summary: A modern P&P with a Shakespearean twist. He said she wasn't pretty enough and she threw punch at him. After 12 years Darcy is back in Meryton and Lizzie still hasn't forgiven him.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to be Jane Austen and most definitely not Shakespeare. I just borrow their work as an inspiration to this story, loosely basing it on Pride and Prejudice and Much Ado about Nothing.

Author's note:Sorry about the delay folks. Apparently my muse thought I would focus on other things. As other stories and perhaps starting a new forum for writers…

Chapter 21: Love is a Funny Thing

Elizabeth was experiencing the most peculiar feeling. Her body was all warm and fuzzy and she realised that she was becoming one of those girls she had always despised. The lovey-dovey-gooey sort. She really didn't care that much. She was with a man she loved. She had never thought she could feel this way, let alone for William Darcy of all men. But in his embrace she felt safe, and it felt completely and utterly right for them to be in a billiards room, in an old house making out like a couple of teenagers. She didn't worry about tomorrow or the future. They would face it together and that made her confident that they would manage to sort everything out, together. They would face their mocking friends, together. Everything was going to be all right.

"Isn't it funny," she said, "that we should be here together, like this."

"I wouldn't go as far as to say it's funny," he said. "Surprising, sure, but not funny. Love isn't funny."

"To think that there is such a thin line between love and hate..." she mused.

"Did you really hate me?" he asked, looking at her intently.

"Hate is such a strong word, but I did dislike you, very much."

"I didn't care too much for you either. But then... I saw you in a different light. And now, here we are... "

"Yes, Peter said you fancied me," she smiled.

"I don't know where he got that idea from..."

"So you don't fancy me, then?"

"Is that a trick question?" He raised an eyebrow with a playful smile.

"No, I was just wondering... "

"Well, I did hear that you have papers with Elizabeth Darcy scribbled all over them," he teased.

"What?" Elizabeth exclaimed. "I do not!"

"Then your sister really must check her eyesight, because I am sure I heard her telling Charlie you did," William said. Realisation dawned on Elizabeth. They had been tricked. Little lies had been put before them and made them think the other had feelings for them, making them re-evaluate their own feelings.

"I'm so going to kill Jane and Charlotte. This is so their doing." Elizabeth sighed.

"And Peter, don't forget Peter. I bet Charlie's in on it too."

"We were tricked into liking each other," Elizabeth sighed.

"So, if you hadn't heard that I had feelings for you, you wouldn't have given me another chance?"

Elizabeth shrugged and looked away. Truth be told, she wasn't sure. "I don't know," she said truthfully. "Would you have come on to me like you did, if you thought you had no chance?"

"Honestly, I didn't think I had a chance. I was sure they were all very wrong. But I had to try."

"I'm very glad you did, because I wouldn't have the guts."

"Oh, I think you proved that you at least had lukewarm feelings for me when you kissed me after you saved me."

"Hey! You kissed me! Or were you too dazed to know what you were doing?" She nudged him lightly in the side, burying her face against his chest. She inhaled his now very familiar scent and felt like home. She was kind of embarrassed for giving in so easily to him. Just because someone said he was into her. It was not like her at all. She was supposed to be sensible, rational, realistic.

"I so don't want to fight right now," William said, kissing her on the head.

"Me neither," she mumbled into his chest.

"Shall we finish our little game?" She peered up at him.

"Did you have something else in mind?"

"No, not really," he said, cheeks slightly redder.

"Very well then, let's get this over with."

-xxx-

William bit his tongue, he didn't want to continue playing. He wanted her to be in his arms, not on the other side of the pool table. He liked the way she felt in his arms, as if she belonged there. Of course he felt embarrassed about being tricked into loving her. But he wouldn't have fallen so easily if there hadn't been some attraction there before, right? He figured that it had to be the same for Elizabeth. They were too rational for that. They had just been pointed in the right direction by considerate friends. Friends who were so getting a piece of his mind in the morning. Though in a way he had to admit he was thankful.

"Are you in a hurry to get you butt kicked?"

"When we have finished this, there still might be time for other things..." she let the sentence hang there, with a very suggestive smile on her face. William raised an eyebrow.

"I see," he said, swallowing, trying very hard to focus on the game again. That was not an easy task with her so close to him.

"Still up for the truth and dare-part?" Elizabeth asked.

"We have to finish what we started, right?"

"Oh, there are so many questions," Elizabeth mused. "And I do have some dares in store for you."

"Oooh," William said, "I'm so scared."

"You should be," her eyes narrowed, but she smiled. William was sure he had nothing to worry about. He smiled and took his place by the table again, getting ready to shoot. She stood on the opposite side and smiled as she vacantly caressed the cue stick. She was really trying his patience and self-control. He took his aim and missed. Her smile widened, "Truth or dare?"

"I'll go with a dare this time," William answered, bracing himself for what was about to come.

"I dare you to…" Her eyebrows wriggled. "… Kiss me." He let his breath out and took the few steps to her and placed his lips on hers. Before he knew it the kiss had deepened and her arms were around his neck, hugging him closer.

They were interrupted by giggles from the hallway. They broke apart, embarrassed, and saw Peter and Charlotte erupting in giggles by the door.

"Will and Lizzie, sitting in a billiard room, K I S S I N G…" Peter sang. William and Elizabeth's faces took a matching tone of red.

"Aw! You two are so cute!" Charlotte exclaimed.

"I'm so going to kill you!" Elizabeth exclaimed.

"No, you love me too much," Charlotte retorted.

"You know me too well," Elizabeth sighed.

"Peter, as your boss, I must say that this behaviour is frowned upon," William said with threatening voice, towering up over the slightly shorter cousin.

"I just wanted you to see what was right in front of you," Peter said, not at all apologetic.

"Anyway," Charlotte said, "we have some news for you. About Jane." William stepped back from his cousin and turned to her with some interest.

"It wasn't Jane who snogged Zorro," Peter said.

"Yeah, we figured," Elizabeth said.

"Here's the tricky part," Peter said, looking at William anxiously.

"It was Georgie, right?" William said.

"Yeah," Peter breathed.

"I knew it!" Elizabeth had turned white.

"I should have told everybody about George!" she exclaimed, angrily. "This is all my fault." She walked away, chewing on her bottom lip.

"You couldn't have known," William tried to soothe.

"No, but I should have made him leave!" Angry tears glistened in her eyes. "Poor Georgie, who knows what lies he has told her!"

"Actually," Charlotte began, "this isn't really his fault, Lizzie."

"What? Of course this is his fault! It's George fucking Wickham we're talking about!" William was getting more and more worried about his sister. But she had seemed fine when he last spoke to her. Hopefully no harm was done to her. Just Jane and Charles, but that was harm enough.

"No, Lizzie, it was Caroline who was behind it all. She set the whole thing up!" Peter said. Both Elizabeth and William turned to him and just stared, dumbfounded. William had known Caroline was vicious, but not like this. William felt his face go white and cold.

"Caroline did this?" he said through gritted teeth.

"According to George, yes," Peter said.

"And you believed him?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes, I did," Charlotte said. "And you know how I feel about him."

"I need to find Georgie," William said, starting for the door.

"I'll come with you," Peter offered. William shot him a thankful glance. After all, they were both her guardians.

-xxx-

"That bitch!" Elizabeth exclaimed as soon as the men were out of the room. She immediately missed William as soon as he was out of sight, but was too angry to think of him. "Who does that to their own brother?" She was totally dumbfounded. Sure, she had never liked Caroline, but she wouldn't have thought her capable of something like that. Elizabeth was almost shaking with anger, and Charlotte tried to calm her down.

"I'm sure all of this will be taken care of. William and Peter are perfectly capable of dealing with both Caroline and Wickham as they see fit," Charlotte said calmly, putting a hand on Elizabeth's arm.

"Oh, I have no doubt, but still! Poor Jane! Poor Georgie!"

"I know," Charlotte said.

"I'm going to give Caroline a piece of my mind, right now," Elizabeth said resolutely, turning toward the door.

"I don't think that is such a good idea," Charlotte said, and the grip around Elizabeth's arm tightened. "You have been drinking. Let's not do anything rash, shall we?"

"Okay, fine," Elizabeth said, darkly. She hated when Charlotte was right. "But I am so doing it in the morning!"

"Good girl."

"Don't patronise me!" Elizabeth slumped down on one of the chairs, feeling quite exhausted. The evening had been more eventful than she would have hoped for. Suddenly she realised how tired she was, a glance at her cell phone told her that it was well after three in the morning. Perhaps it was time to call it a day. She yawned and that settled it. "Better get some sleep, I guess."

"Yes, that sounds like a plan," Charlotte agreed. They left the billiards room arm in arm and nearly bumped into a tall man who was turning into the room.

"I do beg your pardon!" he exclaimed with reddening cheeks.

"Oh, hi Bill!" Charlotte said and brightened up. "Elizabeth, please meet Bill Collins, the man who told us about told us about Caroline's deal with Wickham."

"I see," Elizabeth said, shifting her glance between Charlotte's blushing face and Bill's wide smile. This was unexpected. If there was someone Charlotte should be blushing in the presence of, Elizabeth would have thought it would be Peter Fitzwilliam, not this meek Bill Collins that had come from nowhere. This development was slightly disturbing. Even if she wanted Charlotte to find a man to settle down with, she didn't want her to settle for this man. "Nice to meet you, Bill. I'm Elizabeth Bennet."

"Yes, I know. We are related on a very far distance on your father's side," he said. Elizabeth's brow furrowed as she tried to remember the connection.

"I don't recall anyone named Collins of our relations?" Elizabeth made it a question.

"No, you wouldn't, our side hasn't talked to yours for ages, due to some dispute about entailing some property some 100 years ago…" He smiled a funny little smile. Elizabeth wondered what that was about. But, she let it slide as she was too tired to worry about that right now. Like she didn't have enough to worry about.

"Okay… Well, we were off to bed so, perhaps we can talk some more in the morning?" Elizabeth said pointedly, tugging at Charlotte's arm.

"Don't let me keep you up," Bill said, hastily, with an apologetic smile. "I know how you women need your beauty sleep." Elizabeth just looked at him with astonishment. Should she laugh or cry? Charlotte on the other hand giggled. Elizabeth looked at her amazed, she had never seen her friend like this.

"Oh, Bill, you're so funny. Isn't he funny, Lizzie?" Elizabeth looked at her friend as if she saw her for the first time.

"Are you drunk?" she finally managed to say.

"What?" Charlotte asked, slightly pink.

"Never mind," Elizabeth sighed. "Good night, Bill. It was nice to meet you."

"And you," he said, with a slight bow, which made Charlotte giggle, and Elizabeth roll her eyes.

As soon as they were out of ear shot Elizabeth halted and turned to her friend with a sceptical look on her face. "Seriously, Lottie?"

"What?" Charlotte asked, looking ever so innocent.

"Bill Collins?"

"What about him?"

"You were giggling like a teenager," Elizabeth pointed out.

"I most certainly was not," Charlotte said, indignant.

"Lottie, I know you. I have never, ever, since kindergarten, heard you giggle like that."

"It's nothing," Charlotte said, getting even redder. She feigned a yawn and said, "Let's go to bed already." Elizabeth really wanted to go to Jane, but when she got to her room, all she wanted was to lie down and sleep. She decided it could wait till the morning. Everybody else was asleep anyway.

-xxx-

Peter and William did not find Georgiana that night. She had apparently already gone to bed, and seeing how late it was, they let her rest. They could talk to her in the morning. They all needed their rest. So much had happened. William felt both excited and anxious at the same time about the next day. Excited, because he would see Elizabeth again, anxious about his sister and what had happened with her and this Wickham guy and Caroline. The name made him clench his teeth in anger. This time she had gone too far. Being Charles' sister wouldn't help her now. Not even the fact that his mother and her mother were close friends would help her.

-TBC-

Author's note:I had some troubles with this chapter. Hope you found it ok though.