Special thanks to my beta HappyAbbey and one more chapter to go!=)
"Hello? Is somebody there?" a voice yelled, walking into what seemed as a room from a fancy catalogue. Giana walked into the living room and tossed her keys at the nearby table.
"What's up, squirt?" a cheerful Richard spoke from the living room.
"Nothing. Just checking how my to favorite brother and cousin are," Giana said, settling on the couch next to Richard.
"Well I am the same as usual, your brother is another story."
"How is he? Last time I came he barely said a word to me."
"Well the past two days he hasn't changed much if that is what you are wondering."
"I am really worried about him, Richard. It has been almost four months! All he does is work and mope around. He has to get a hold of himself and be the person he was before he met Lizzy."
"I wish I could do something but just like you, we have to wait until he decides to move on," Richard spoke, his tone sober.
"Are we doing the right thing?" Giana worried. "I feel so hopeless just watching him suffer. Jane told me that the last time Lizzy decided to run, she was gone for almost half a year. What if that happens again? Will won't be able to recover from this."
"And how exactly do you know what I can and can't suffer?" Darcy's baritone voice said from the door surprising Richard and Giana. His tone was not angry seeing as how for the past four months he stopped showing much emotion for anything. In fact since Darcy found out Lizzy left without a word to anyone, Darcy had started to fall into a small depression. Most of his day was spent working without breaks and it came to a point where his cousin forced him to leave the office and made him move in with him until he thought Darcy was capable to be by himself.
When Darcy's thoughts were not concentrated on work, he started to reanalyze all his past mistakes not only with Lizzy but also with Caroline and everyone before that. To say that he had a small revelation was an understatement but the only problem was that he did not know what do with his new found understanding. Therefore the only thing he could do was work, work and more work.
The only thing that was good about the arrangement was that Pemberley Corporation was working more efficient than ever before but even the CEO's preferred the old Darcy instead of the new efficiency. Everyone in the office saw how Darcy was working himself to death.
"Will, have you eaten yet?" A worried Giana hugged her brother, who had gotten much skinner.
"Yes I have. Richard made me eat breakfast this morning."
"Breakfast? It's almost two in the afternoon! I will make you something to eat, for both of you and there is nothing that you can do."
"When did she get this way?" Darcy asked once Giana went to the kitchen.
"What do you mean? When did small little Giana grow up and stand up to her big brother?" Richard laughed.
"Yes, when did that happen," a wistful Darcy spoke. Darcy knew his younger sister was just as shy as him, even around family members. He knew without a doubt that Lizzy had a role in her transformation. With Lizzy's guidance the shy Giana had been transformed into an independent and confident woman he had been seeing for some time. He wanted to thank Lizzy for everything she did not only in Giana's life but in everyone else's as well, including his own but then again, he also wanted to hate her for all the pain he was going through. The problem was that he was divided into two and the pieces of him were fighting over what was right and wrong at every moment.
"Where in the world are your skillets?" a frustrated Giana yelled. "Why is it that everything in this house seems so organized? I would have thought that with two bachelors it would mean a messy house but no, it is cleaner than the White House." she rambled.
It had always been a running joke that Richard kept a clean and organized house, which was the opposite of what everyone would have pictured his house to be. However, what most people did not realize was that Richard was barely at home and he hired a housekeep to come every week to keep his house clean and equipped with all the necessary things.
"Do you have all the necessary ingredients or should I go to the store?" Darcy asked.
"Oh no you don't! Last time you said that you didn't come back until the next day. I am not taking any chances Fitzwilliam."
"How many times have I told you not call him that, Giana? You know my simple mind will get confused," Richard grinned.
"And how many times do I have to tell you that I am not hungry?" Darcy replied. "I am going to my room and ask not to be disturbed."
"Fitzwilliam Darcy! You will come into this kitchen and eat what I serve you without any questions or else," Giana demanded.
"Or else what?" Darcy countered. "You will call mom and tell her I am not eating my vegetables?"
"No." Giana had a wicked grin. "I have been getting calls from Aunt Catherine and she has been asking for your cell phone number."
"You wouldn't." Darcy tried to dismiss but with one final glance at his sister he gave up, "Just one bite, nothing more."
"I can take that." She sent a wink to Richard who was amused by the small confrontation.
"You do understand you have just entered his hit list, right?" Richard mentioned when Darcy returned to his room.
"If that is the price for getting him to eat something then I do not regret it."
"Has Aunt Cathy actually asked for his cell phone number?"
"No but he doesn't know that. She asked me for it years back but I thought it would be just the thing to make him agree."
"That was very clever. Remind me never to get on your bad side," Richard laughed. "How is everything at school?"
"Good. Spring semester is so much better than fall but I think it's because I have gotten used to my school schedule now." Giana had by then started to make fried chicken which she remembered Darcy liked. "But I do not think you care about school."
"Why do you say that? Am I really that easy to read?"
"No, but I am your cousin and know you better than others. And because I know there is a small situation going on. "
"So have you heard from Lizzy?" he asked after he made sure Darcy was not around.
"She called two days ago but it was weird. She usually calls only once a month or so but for the past month she has been calling every week but they usually only last three minutes tops," Giana informed sadly.
"What do Jane and Josh say? They must be worried about her."
"They were at first. But now, it seems as if nothing happened and Lizzy never lived in the apartment. From what I can tell it's like they are used to Lizzy leaving that they are not even worried about when they will see her again. They know Lizzy will come back when she is ready but I can't stand around and wait until she makes her mind up, especially after what Will is going through."
"I know what you mean. The poor guy has been feeling bad for himself for far too long. You should have seen him when he found out James was gone as well. He still thinks they are together somewhere in London."
"But I thought she is somewhere in the East coast?"
"To tell you the truth even I don't know where she is. The first time she asked me if she could work from the New York branch but about a month ago she called me from the Pennsylvania branch."
"I have never asked but how does she still have a job? Don't get me wrong I really do care about her but I don't think I can forgive her after everything we have been through. When she left she not only effected her life but ours as well."
"Even if I wanted to fire her, Darcy would never forgive me if I did. In any case she has been working and e-mailing me everything she has done."
"Has she done a lot?" Giana asked cautiously.
"I think she is competing with your brother to see who makes the most money. While she was in New York she got two more contracts and while in Pennsylvania she got three. Out of everyone, except perhaps your brother she has been doing more work than ever before."
"Do you think she is coming back? I don't want to give Will hope just so that Lizzy can run away with James."
"Remember we are not sure she is with him."
"But he hasn't called for months. When Josh got a hold of him James refused to tell him where Lizzy was, meaning he knows something. Otherwise he would have been surprised or denied his involvement. They left on the same day, Richard. It could not just be a coincidence."
"Careful or you will let the chicken burn," Richard tried to calm Giana down.
"I'm sorry but I just can't believe this is happening. Everything was working out just fine. Will had finally dumped Caroline and gotten together with Lizzy and then, in one night everything just comes crumbling down."
"I understand kiddo but both Lizzy and Darcy are grown ups and they have to deal with their own problems, even if it kills us to see them suffer."
"I just wish Lizzy would come back and tell Will if they have a future or not. It would help Will move on once in for all."
Throughout lunch slash dinner, none of the three family members talked about anything important or in Darcy's case didn't talk at all. Even though Darcy ate more than the one bite he promised, it was still a small portion considering how tall he was. Hoping to keep Darcy out of the his temporary room which doubled as an office, Richard suggested that they go see a movie. This was met with enthusiasm by Giana who started to name all the new movies that had come out.
"I really would love to go see the new movie with Keira Knightley but isn't Beauty and the Beast still out in 3D? Belle isn't my favorite princess but I would enjoy going to see it."
"There is no way you can drag me to see a Disney movie. In any case, Belle isn't even a princess, they just clump her with all the rest because she wears a big dress in the movie," Richard declared.
"Come on! We always end up watching a movie you like, why don't we just for once watch something I like. Who knows, you can find someone at the theaters."
"Are you kidding me? Who in the world would I be interested that would willingly go see a movie that has been out for years and is a kids movie."
"No it is not! Will, tell Richard I can pick the movie," Giana whined but when she noticed her brothers pale color she started to get worried. "Will? Are you alright?"
"Darcy! What's wrong?" Richard tried to get his cousins attention but it was all in vain. Darcy had a glazed expression, one that Richard recognized when he was thinking of Lizzy.
"I am going out for a walk," were Darcy's only words as he got up and left the house. Even though it was almost mid-April, Los Angeles had been receiving a few inches of rain every couple of days, giving it a bleak grey color instead of the usual clear California sky it was known for. The perfect weather for Darcy's mood.
Darcy started to walk to the only destination that seemed to clear and at the same time confuse his mind; the park. It was at the park where he met Lizzy every Saturday while she was working out, even though he always made it seem as a coincidence. Apart from the office, the park had been the place where he also had hallucinations of her. Therefore, Darcy started to work out more than usual making him loose weight in the process.
Running gave him a small escape from reality. While running he could pretend everything was normal. That Lizzy was at the office or even running somewhere in the park. However, it also gave him time to think about everything he ruined, because even though everyone insisted it was not his fault, he still blamed himself for pushing Lizzy away.
Having worn sweatpants and a plain grey t-shirt, his outfit was fit for running even though it was not planned out beforehand. Once in the park, Darcy took off without much thought until he passed one corner where a woman was waiting for something. Darcy saw something familiar with the woman, the way her body moved while she paced, the color of her hair, the small gestures she made as if someone was standing in front of her. Darcy tried to shake away the image she presented. It had happened countless times when he confused random strangers with her. The only difference was that the women did not evaporate into the air like some of his allusions. She was still there and in the same way as he imagined.
The woman at the corner must have seen him moving because she looked straight at his direction and both went completely still.
"Hi," was the woman's only words. All the rehearsed lines that she had been thinking for the past days left her mind at the sight of him.
"Elizabeth? What are you doing here?" Darcy frowned surprising both of them. His tone and words were like pure venom for the woman, even though she had expected him to be angry. He on the other hand had thought about that moment numerous times and in none of them had he spoken angrily.
"I needed to talk to you and I thought this would be the best place."
"How long have you been here?" he asked, with the same angry tone.
"Depends to where you are referring to. If you mean in California about two days now. In LA about a three hours and if you mean the park about an hour."
He could not bear seeing her face, which was just as pale as his. Turning away from the one person he had longed to see again, Will tried to speak without emotion. "Why are you back? Did you get tired of your little adventure?"
"Please don't say that. You have to try to understand me," Lizzy pleaded.
"Understand what? That you just left without saying anything to anyone? Or that you already made your choice?"
"I came to explain why I left, please just look at me. I can't deal with seeing you reject me like this." Tears were starting to shine in her eyes.
"What about me? Didn't you think of me once when you decided to leave? Didn't you think I had the right to hear it before you made the decision to exclude me from your life?"
"I had to do this by myself, you have to see that."
"Yourself? HA! You think me stupid and naïve. I know you were with him this entire time, don't try to deny it."
"I don't know what you're talking about, please just let me explain." By then it had started to sprinkle even though neither noticed.
Will turned around and gave her a look of incredulity. "About your relationship with James? About how you took me as a fool and tried to get me to think he was only Josh's brother? Don't give me that surprised face, I knew all along your history with him."
"How?"
"Everyone had decided to let me know what I had gotten myself into when I came back from New York. Richard and Charlie told me about all the time you two spent together in the office. Even Jane warned me about the relationship you had with him and what did I get from you? Nothing! Not one word from your past, not one hint of what he meant to you. It was as if you thought you could hide him from me."
"I didn't do it on purpose, you have to believe me," Lizzy pleaded while her face was being overtaken by tears.
"Why? Because I was your new toy to play and leave? I know about all the times you went running to him and here I was a fool thinking I was special. That I knew parts of your life that others didn't. I was a fool to believe we could work."
"You can't say that! We can still make this work out."
"No. You decided the fate of our future when you chose him over me." His tone was once again without emotion as he turned around and started to walk away.
"I chose you!" Lizzy's voice was strong even though her emotions were in a frenzy. She continued when Will stopped moving. "James gave me an ultimatum that night and I picked you. I picked our future and what could have become of it. I didn't even know James left until I called a couple of days later."
As much as Will wanted to leave, he stood there without caring that it was raining harder with each passing moment. This, however did not deter Lizzy from having her say in the situation. "I realized that I was tired of running. James represented everything that I hated in myself and yes, I always sought him for comfort but I never knew why until you came along. With you I don't feel like a coward that has to run away from her problems but someone that can fight and win. I might have loved him once but it never came close to the way I feel about you."
Will turned to look at the same face he dreamt about every night and pictured every day. The face that would leave him speechless and amazed with one look but also the same face that gave him a reason to wake up.
Lizzy started to walk closer to Will. "I know that leaving was not the best idea but I had to do something before I could restart my life. I am sick of running, I am sick of having ghost haunt my life. I want to be someone you deserve. I will explain everything you want to know just give me an opportunity. I need you to understand it won't be easy for me but I need your help to overcome it."
They stood staring for what seemed like an eternity, letting the rain drain out all the negativity, not only physically but emotionally as well. Neither knew who moved first but the next moment they were in each others' arms. With one simple step they were forgiven for all their past mistakes and with it came a comfort knowing that the person they cared about more than life itself was willing to accept them.
"I have missed you!" came Lizzy muffled words from his chest.
"Not as much as I have missed you. Promise me you will never leave without at least telling me where you're going."
"Promise me that you'll stop me if I do try to leave," she retaliated, even though it was a promise both were willing to make.
After being away from each other for so long, it felt great to once again feel the warmth and comfort coming from the other.
"As much as I would love to stand out here and just hold you, I think it would be better if we go somewhere warm and dry," Will spoke, giving Lizzy a kiss on her nose.
"My car is just a few steps from here." Lizzy led the way. "I went to the apartment just before coming here."
"Where do you want to go? I have been staying at Richard's for a couple of months but I think your apartment is closer."
"Actually I was wondering if you have to work tomorrow. We still have a lot to talk about and I need to do something before I can leave my past behind."
"I suggest we get dried off and then we can go anywhere you want to. How does that sound?" Will asked getting in the passenger seat of the car.
"My apartment is close by and I doubt anyone is at home, unless Gigi is."
With that planned out, Lizzy drove to her apartment where she was able to dry off, and also get some food and clothes for the next day. Without much waiting around, both headed back to the car after Will called Richard to let him know he was taking the next day off and to not be worried about him. Learning from Lizzy's mistake though, he assured both him and Giana that he would explain everything the next day.
Once on the highway, Will realized where they were heading, Meryton. Will had actually gone back a week after Lizzy left almost four months ago. He doubted she would be there but it was the last option he had. Parked in front of the house, Lizzy and Will entered the all too familiar house. Will noticed that someone had been there beforehand. The fireplace was lit and some lights had been left turned on.
"You stayed here?" Will asked surprised. He had remembered her confession about hating to come to the house all alone.
"I had planned to visit you the moment I got back but I chickened out the last moment and needed a place to stay. The only place I thought of was here," Lizzy explained, leading Will to the sofa in front of the fire.
"Why did you leave the fireplace on? It is a fire hazard you know."
"I know but just like my parents I forgot to extinguish it before I left. Are you hungry? Thirsty? I have some coffee somewhere around here or I can make hot chocolate if you want."
"Coffee would be fine." Will got up with Lizzy. Now that they were together Will wanted to spent as much time with her as possible, and Lizzy was not complaining.
With Lizzy laying halfway on his chest both stared into the fireplace, hypnotized with every flame and spark it let out.
"I am really sorry I left without telling you," Lizzy's voice broke through the spell of the embers.
"Why did you leave? I felt horrible thinking I was the one that pushed you away. I am a very selfish creature when it comes to you and I do not regret it one bit." They both spoke in hushed tones.
"I heard what you said to James that day. I had tried to sneak in but then I heard your voice and I had to see you again. To my surprise you were yelling at him."
"I would be ashamed if I hadn't meant every word."
"I think we both needed to hear it. Me and James I mean. I felt so stupid and ashamed of what I did when I heard you two yelling because I was the reason for it. It was all my fault why everyone was being miserable and hurt.
You don't know how I felt when you told him you were willing to stay with me no matter how much I pushed you away and, looking back at it, I regret leaving you without at least a note. I talked to James afterwards, I realized that neither of us were able to move on. I was sticking to my past, hoping that everything would get better as long as I never showed my true feelings. It was my fault that James was still hoping I would choose him in the end. I always gave him reasons to expect something while leaving nothing behind in the end. He truly cared for me, I am sure about that and the worst part was that as much as I cared for him, I never loved him. All the pain he was feeling was because I was too afraid to let go.
In the end he gave me an ultimatum. Him or you. Either keep this cycle of suffering over things I can't change or fighting for freedom and happiness."
"How did you decide?"
Lizzy turned her face to look at him. "I looked into his eyes and all I pictured were big blue eyes that sparkled when they have an idea. That have this special twinkle moments before you are about to tease someone. Or grow dark as the night when you are serious and passionate. I kept picturing you and the way you looked at me. It was so simple to pick you over him. It hurt to tell him that I would pick you over and over again no matter what happened between us but I knew it was the best thing.
The next morning I felt better than I had in a long time and I knew I had made the right decision but I still had so much to do. I wanted to run over to the office and tell you everything that happened but then I realized I needed to finish everything by myself. When I got to the office I finished the deal with Mr. Knightley and I was going to wait until you got to the office to tell you at least something but then I took the coward's way out. I told Richard I needed some personal time and we made the arrangements. I took the next plane I could get to New York."
"What did you do in New York?" Will asked.
"Have you ever heard about Jane's sister, Charlotte?" With a simple nod, Lizzy continued with a sad smile. "When we were growing up Charlotte was my best friend. I liked to think we balanced each other out. I would be spontaneous and outgoing while she would be calm and almost shy. She made me think and see the world in a different perspective and I admired her. She was like a role model to me and the moment I needed her the most, she disappeared. In fact, after my family died everyone disappeared. The Lucas's, the family I thought I could count on for everything stopped talking to me. Charlotte came to me a few days after the funeral and told me she was moving to New York.
I wanted to beg her to stay with me but I couldn't be that selfish. You have no idea how much I wanted to be but I wanted her to be happy and days later she left. The next few days I found myself alone. I would enter any building and a hush would fall. My friends were afraid to say something stupid that would make me cry so they stopped talking to me. Everyone left but James. He was the only that stayed and I pushed him away before he would leave as well."
"By pushing him away you were in control of his leaving. It would have hurt more if he left by himself." Will tried to understand.
"That was why I would find him when I needed someone for comfort. He was the only one that hadn't hurt me by abandoning me. I feel so bad for taking advantage of James but I never realized why until that day. I then realized that he wasn't the only one that prevented me from moving on. I never understood why Charlotte left. She had been going to school at Cal State and then from nowhere she tells me she was going to city college in New York?
I would have understood if she was going for a better opportunity but to go from a four year university to a two year college? I never asked her why until last month."
"What did she say?"
"That she regretted leaving Meryton and that the only reason she did was because she had to be as far away from me as possible."
"What? In time of need she just abandoned you on purpose?" Will was starting to get angry.
"William listen to me!" she tried to calm him down. "I know it sounds harsh but I understand why she did it."
"You can't possibly be defending her? Your parents had just died and all she was thinking about was herself? That is not what a friend does, no matter what excuse she came up with."
"Charlotte didn't know everyone would abandon me," Lizzy explained. "She thought I would be given extra attention."
"She was jealous?" Will asked astonished. As much as Will didn't want to jump to conclusions, he could not help but hate Charlotte. He had always pictured Charlotte as another Jane, but even his opinion of Jane had fallen after what Lizzy said.
"You have to remember she was the oldest but she was always in our shadow." Lizzy moved so that they were sitting facing each other. Feeling the loss of her touch Will moved to hold her hands which also gave Lizzy extra strength to finish her story. "I never understood Charlotte thought this way until I went to talk to her. It was so strange. We used to have this understanding of each other that was sometimes scary. I would tell her everything, even Cindy didn't know all my secrets but Charlotte did. Then I find out that deep down she hated me?
Charlotte said that at first it was fun being the oldest. And looking back at it I see why. I would almost worship everything she said and I used to follow her around. I was never liked when I was in elementary school. I was short and ugly. All the other kids would pick on me and I was always a loner. Then one day I got so fed up that I punched the other kid."
"Josh?"
"I'm not even going to ask how you know that but yes. After that people would talk to me but it was more to get on my good side because they were afraid I would hurt them too. By the time I graduated from fifth grade I had a few friends but not that many. Mostly it was Charlotte, Jane and Josh. In middle school it was a little different but high school was when everything changed. I started to be more outgoing around strangers and I started to have friends everywhere I went. I guess by that time I was no longer following Charlotte around but I made my own friends because of who I was not because I hung out with older kids.
I never thought myself as being popular. My group of friends were like everyone else. I hated to think myself better than everyone so I tried being friends with everyone, just like I wished they were friends with me when I was younger. But it turned out Charlotte hated that. She said that by the end of freshman year everyone thought of her as 'Lizzy's friend' or 'Jane's sister'. She hated being the follower when she was the oldest.
I know this all sounds horrible but I know she really cared about me. She never showed this hatred because she hated herself for feeling like this."
"And how do you know? What if she was just playing with you when she told you all this?" Will still could not believe her.
"Because at the end of the day she was still my best friend. She was the person that listened to me when I needed to rant or when I was happy. Charlotte cared about our friendship. We might not be the best friends as before but we do have an understanding. As much as I love Jane, Charlotte was the one that got me through school and I owe her a lot."
"I will trust your judgment when it comes to Charlotte because I have never met her but why did you need to know this?"
"Everyone had a reason why they left but Charlotte. Little by little people started talking to me and it once I was at USC it was like my life was back to normal. Sometimes I even imaged that I would have someone waiting for me back here in Meryton. Charlotte never came back and somehow it didn't let me have that closer I needed. By going to New York I came back with all the answers I needed," Lizzy finished with a smile.
Will knew that he was being trusted with a part of Elizabeth's past that not many people knew. However, one part of James speech still kept nagging in his head that Will knew this was the moment to bring it up. Taking a deep breath Will asked the question that could ruin the trust Elizabeth gave.
"Elizabeth? You told me you had heard my conversation with James the day before you left, right? There was something he said that I really want to ask you about but I don't know if it is the best moment or not."
"You mean about David?" Elizabeth asked consciously.
"Yes, but if you don't want to tell me, I won't make you."
"No. You really need to know about him because he was a part of my past that I also need to let go." After a few moments of silence where she looked again at the fire she continued. "I was a sophomore when I had a strange dream. I was standing in this field covered with daisies and I felt such at peace. Even in my dream I could feel the sun beaming down on me and as I looked up the sky was the bluest I have ever seen it. Then all of a sudden it started turning black and a scream was heard in the distance. It started getting louder and louder until I couldn't take it anymore and I fell into what I thought would be the daisies but instead of daisies it was blood." Her face seemed haunted as if she was reliving the scene instead of only describing it. There were tears in her eyes that Will knew would be coming down at any moment. "Then I saw them. My family was standing in front of me frowning. I had always seen my dad smiling but not that time.
They started blaming me for their death. My mom started yelling at me for going to see my dad instead of her. Dad started telling me he was disappointed in what my life was turning out to be. That all his dreams of me becoming a doctor were worthless. Cindy was telling me it was my fault they died. That I was being selfish for not taking her with me. That none of them would have been in that car if it were not for me. They were blaming me."
"Oh sweetheart." Williams heart went out to Elizabeth. To have seen her family die would have been a nightmare for anyone but to dream about them blaming you would be dreadful. The only thing he could do was hold her in her arms as she cried all the emotions she felt.
"I couldn't deal with thinking about them so, just like always, I left," she explained once she was under control. Neither released the hold of the other; they were both seeking comfort and strength. "The first person I thought about was James. I can't explain why but before I knew it I was on a plane heading to London. I never told him the exact reason why I was there but he never asked for any details. I think he was just happy that, out of everyone else, I went to him.
I was able to get permission for a temporary leave from university and I started to attend Oxford a few weeks later. Everything seemed fine but I couldn't let James pay everything for me so I started to look for a job. My father had some connections in England so before the week was out I found myself working for the UK Interpol. Don't make that face," she said at his surprised reaction. "It was not as cool as it sounds. I was serving coffee and tea to some of the members. In other words I was a low class secretary and I was fine with it. I wasn't planning on staying for too long, I just needed to get money quickly. Three months into my stay I met one of the officers.
The first thing I thought was: charming. He was everything I had thought a gentleman had to be. Funny, caring, intelligent and had this authority about him that made him stand out from the crowd. I learned quickly that everyone liked him. I asked him once what he did in the Interpol but he replied with a cheesy line like 'If I tell you, I have to kill you.' I thought he was joking around and never thought about it afterwards.
He and James got along well enough but once I started dating David, James started getting jealous. I understood his warning but at the same time I thought it was my life. I started falling for him but there was still a part of him that I couldn't accept. He was never harsh or demanding but sometimes I felt as he wanted me to change to fit this image he had. I let him because he was perfect. I would have been a fool if I had dumped him and as time went by I started to depend on him more and more without getting the same from him.
One day I just couldn't take it. We were out having dinner when he told me I should cut back on dessert because I was starting to gain weight. Later that day he told me to skip work the next day because he wanted to take me out for a special day. It took that moment for me to realize that I was turning into someone I didn't recognize. I broke up with him that moment and left.
I was ashamed that I didn't talk it over with him or make him understand why I was leaving but I didn't have the courage to tell him. It didn't matter because two days later he went to the small flat I was renting and told me I was in danger. I thought he was crazy at first but there was something in his eyes that made me trust him. I felt like a complete fool when he drove to the country side. But then he pulled over and started to explain to me that he had been working undercover.
Of course I thought it was absurd because on the first date he told me he had an office job. I often saw him at work to believe it. As it turned out David had just come from Russia where he was able to stop trafficking of drugs and weapons."
"What did that have to do with you?" The story seemed so fictional that Will couldn't believe what he was hearing. To be connected to something that dangerous was only something he heard about on the television.
"I asked him the same thing. As it turned out a few of the main smugglers were able to escape and they wanted their revenge. I wouldn't have been connected if it hadn't been for me dating him. David was the ring leader of the operation and he was at the top of the hit list and, as his girlfriend, I was in danger as well. I don't even believe it now, let alone back then. We went to Derbyshire for a few days. He never left me alone until one day he got a phone call. David told me to lock the door and not leave until he came back and before I knew it he left. I trusted him so I did what he told me to. A part of me still thought it was completely stupid so I didn't worry about being alone.
It was midnight when he came back and told me to change into some clothes he bought back and then we left. I had only been in England three times so I didn't know where we were. By then I was a little scared because he had this look about him that was not like the David I knew. He was nervous and panicking. He kept looking at his watch every few seconds.
We were in the middle of nowhere when he told me to take off all my jewelry. He told me that about two miles ahead was there was a place where I could go hide." Her expression turned haunted again which scared Will more than the first time. "He told me to call James as soon as possible and leave the country in one week. He told me I shouldn't leave beforehand and that I shouldn't wait until afterwards to leave this area as soon as possible because the wrong kind of people would find me. The last words he told me was that he loved me and that he was sorry he got me into his mess.
I was confused and couldn't say anything. The next thing I knew, he was unbuckling my seatbelt and pushed me out of the car. Before I was able to stand up I heard an explosion. The car I exploded just a few feet from where I was." Tears were freely falling from not only Elizabeth's eyes but Will's as well. "It felt like déjà vu. Just like my family, I was the last person that saw him. My mind was foggy and my brain didn't want to cooperate with my body just like the first time.
He somehow knew it was going to happen and saved me just a few seconds before. I wanted to run towards the car but it was in a ball of flame by the time my brain started functioning again so I ran towards where he pointed that someone would be."
"Where did you end up?" Will asked in a hushed tone.
"You wouldn't believe it but I ended up at Pemberley. I found a small cabin owned by an elderly couple a few miles away and after a while I found out I was only ten minutes away from Pemberley. I asked if they could take me and the owner gave me lift."
"You've been to Pemberley?"
"When I was a child I went with my dad on a special invitation by your parents. Gigi wasn't born yet but you had been at one of your uncle's house that summer so we didn't meet. We only stayed for a few days but I fell in love with the place. After my family died I asked your dad if I could use the place for a few days again. For some reason that house always gave me a sense of security. I followed David's rules and a week later I found myself back in LA with Jane and Josh.
It took me a long time to get over the whole situation. I was still too raw when Bill came into my life to make important decisions. I think that is why he got away with so much. He was able to boss me around and make me miss things just so that I would stay with him." Will grasped why Elizabeth was angry when she missed the meeting with Knightley. She had remembered about Collins and it pained Will to know he did that same thing as Collins, even if it was not his intention. "I wanted to leave him so many times but I would think about David and I felt guilty. The perfect guy had died because he wanted to save me. I felt guilty so as a punishment I lived with all the things Bill did."
"Did he hurt you badly?" Will questioned, remembering their conversation after the accident with Giana.
"At first it was small things. A small bruise here and there then he started getting more controlling and abusive. I started wearing long sleeved shirts to hide the bruises on my wrists, then pants because he started hitting me on my legs." Instead of the tears Will was expecting Elizabeth had a calm expression as if the memories from Bill didn't hurt. "I can't blame anyone for my cowardly behavior and I am not trying to justified it either, but part of me is fighting to keep the past alive while the other part wants me to be someone knew and forget everything from my childhood. Bill represented my past, David my future but you…you represent the best of both and I want that. I want to remember while still being able to look forward to all the new experiences in my life."
"Thank you for sharing your past with me," he said honestly. "I will do anything in my power to make you happy. I hope you never have to regret being with me. I love you so much, Elizabeth; there are not words enough to describe it."
"I love you too, William," Elizabeth said for the first time. It came out without hesitation and it felt so natural that she knew there love was special.
Having heard the words he had longed to hear for so long, William couldn't help himself but kiss her with all the feelings he felt for her. The kiss started out gentle and soft but turned very passionate within a few seconds. Without hesitation, Elizabeth stopped Will's hands from roaming over her body and led him into the guest room where they became one, in not only body but soul. The love they felt for each other was strong and unique. Neither cared about the outside world or what the next day brought, they only cared about the person laying next to them. The person that had captured their heart with one single look and three special words. Years later Elizabeth and William would look back at that night and remember how two lost souls finally found their other half. In the present, however, all they felt was a passion and desire to please the other. Most importantly, they tried to show each other how much they loved one another in the only way lovers could.
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