The dying flames danced, twisting and turning, crackling and popping, violent orange meshing with the dark black burns. Drew her hood closer around her face and stared and stared. Caroline had left wordlessly after dropping her bombshell and shattering Lizzy completely. And now here she was at 3am, staring into someone else's fire surrounded by the litter of someone else's party, winter's chill biting into her flesh, alone. Alone again.

Always alone really.

She didn't expect the fire to give her any answers but still she stared. Because to move would mean a decision had been made. Either way. Another proverbial crossroads. How many of those were going to present themselves to her? Was she just not getting the hint? So many opportunities, so many chances to get out of this game, to become someone else all over again. We're always changing, in every life you're so many people it's impossible to count. What is it Darcy had said? 'I've been many people, some good, some bad, most somewhere in between'. Was it time to change again? To just let it fucking go, be done with all this. Lying, cheating, scamming, repeat, repeat, repeat. An hour ago, she'd been on such a perfect high, just making this come down even more fierce. Remembered the first time she'd tried Ecstasy as a fifteen-year-old, reveling in the euphoria, of the lights blinding her eyes, the way the anger disappeared and the love bubbled up, filling every inch of her. And then came the crash the next day, the dry throat, the aching limbs, the self-loathing. Temporary fixes are only ever temporary. But this? This was even worse than that. Back then she'd been on a road to oblivion anyway, what did it matter? Now however she'd been working for something for years, molding herself into a Grifter, a professional liar, someone who could be something in this fucking mess of a world, someone who could do something. She was going to have the world, wasn't she?

Stupid fucking naivety.

She didn't want to become like Caroline Bouzid. She didn't want to live like that, hide the parts of her that made her her, lie to her friends and family, becoming who she needed to be, not who she wanted to be. She'd always seen Grifting as the opposite, a way of life entirely your own, dictating the terms and conditions, outside of the controlling minority, apart from a brainwashed majority who worshipped false idols and revered men and women who made fortunes off the back of countless suffering. Famine and death and pestilence and war. But now she saw Grifting for the con it was, Caroline had showed her that.

Hands brushed against card as she ran it through the grass damp with dew, picking up a battered cigarette box probably left by Darcy. He smokes too much, she smiled despite herself. Flicked the lid open and took the solitary and lonely stick out, placing it between her lips and leaning down towards the wailing corpse of a fire, cupping the flame with two hands. Inhale deeply, exhale slowly, two thin streams of glorious destruction blowing out from her nostrils. Why were the most perfect things in life always the ones that destroy said life eventually? Cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, love, Grifting….

Was scared. A new one for her really. Even when things were at their most desperate, before all this, before Jane, she'd never been afraid of anything, not properly. So brave. Always brave. Always alone, but always brave. Bravery that came from ignorance and a remarkable lack of self-worth, a blatant disregard for herself that manifested itself in fearlessness. She wasn't that person anymore. She had things to lose now. And she felt it slipping away, that surety of direction dying right alongside the fire. For so long she'd wanted to play the Long Con, to be mentioned in the same breath as the greats, to find a place. Always alone. Always looking for a place. It's why she'd latched onto the Bennet's and put up with all of Frances's shit for all those years. She just wanted to belong somewhere. And she latched onto Grifting because she was good at it, and she wanted to be good at something. It never leaves you, you see. Being an orphan never leaves you, however much you may try to run from it. Without a family, without a home, without the fucking basics. You start with nothing and work it from there. How can you do that? Well, when you find something to live for whether it's worth it or not, you put everything into it, replace the void with something at least, with anything.

It was already changing her, that was the worst thing. The way she'd attacked Charlotte, her dismissal of Jane only hours previously, the way she hadn't spared her old friends a thought in months. Better than them now, bigger than them now. No time, no time. A score to be played, progress to be made, costumes to dress up in and masks to put on. Walker, not Bennet. The con was changing her. She was on her way to becoming just like them.

'Just do me a favor, don't become like me, don't lose sight of who you are.'

Who was she? Where did she start and end?


"I've never seen you smoke before." a quiet voice she knew all too well sounded next to her. She didn't turn to face him, didn't want him to see her like this. Not him.

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Darcy." she attempted to brave it out, but the break in her voice gave her away.

It was this moment when everything changed. It had been coming, she knew that subconsciously at least, the game the two of them had been playing had changed now, morphed into something different. She didn't see him how she used to, didn't see him as the objectionable and arrogant man he came across as.

It wasn't what he did in that moment, more what he didn't do. He didn't try to talk to her, he didn't press her for anything, he didn't demand anything from her. He just sat down next to her and stared into the fire with her, the two of them lost in a different kind of potent silence. It wasn't the charged electricity she was used to, it was just … Well it was just comforting. A silence of acceptance. And as he took the cigarette from between her fingers and blew smoke out into the night air, she chanced a glance at him. He didn't make eye contact, but he knew she was looking and he just shrugged with a small laugh. And she laughed back. Two people who had always been alone, aware of what they'd done to others and each other, aware of the mess they'd made of their lives.

"How's Charlie?" she finally broke the silence.

"Not great," Darcy admitted with a sigh. "It became very clear that I was the last person he wanted to talk to. I left him with Richard and a bag of weed, in Richards eyes there is no problem that cannot be solved with drugs. Maybe he's right. God, I miss drugs…."

She laughed at his candid admission.

"I'm sorry," she said after a while. "Sorry for forcing your hand with him."

"We'd have had to tell him sooner or later," he dismissed her apology. "It's better this way. He'll come around eventually, he's too fucking decent to hold a grudge. He's not like me."

"Not like us." Lizzy corrected with a tight smile.

"Perhaps. Do you think ….. Well do you think that she'd ever forgive him?"

"I don't know," Lizzy answered honestly. "It's a hell of a thing to get over, innit? The man you thought you loved turning out to be a fake."

"You're right of course. I hope …. Well shit I don't know….."

"The great Will Darcy admitting to not knowing something," she teased lightly, bumping her shoulder into his. "Have we gone to some alternate reality?"

"Very amusing." he smiled back.

"Thank you, I am hilarious."

They were close now. She hadn't moved her shoulder away and she was leaning slightly into him. Felt safe, felt comforted. Didn't feel alone.

"How can you live out here, in the middle of nowhere," she looked around them. "It's too quiet."

"We're a twenty-minute drive from one of Europe's premier cities, Lizzy, we're hardly in the middle of nowhere." he laughed.

"Alright," she conceded." But you know what I mean though."

"It's home I suppose," he said. "Where I grew up, where my parents lived, where my family has always been. And as you know, I spent an awful amount of time attempting to get it back, it would all be for nothing if I turned around and said I didn't want to live here. Mind you, it might be worth it to see the look on Caro's face after all the shit I put her through. God, she'd be furious. But no, this is where we need to be right now, Georgiana and I."

"I met her the other day," Lizzy revealed. "Did she tell you?"

"She rarely tells me anything," Darcy frowned. "What did you think of her?"

"She's like you." Lizzy shrugged.

"God, don't tell her that, she'll probably punch you," Darcy laughed, but there was a sadness behind it as well.

"I met her as Anna Hayward. She saw through me straight away."

"She's been around liars for too long," Darcy said. "Comes a point where you can spot them a mile off."

"How's she coping?"

"Truthfully, I don't know," Darcy let out a heavy sigh. "She's always been difficult to read I suppose. Even when she was younger. And with prison, well, it changes you I guess. I went to meet her at the gates when they let her out, God I was terrified. Have you ever seen the film The Third Man? No? Long story short, the final scene is at a funeral where two characters see each other for the first time in a long while, two characters with a history, who have been through so much together. And she sees him and then ignores him completely, head held high and aloof, walks straight on by. It's fucking devastating. And it was all I could think about in the days leading up to her release, what if she did that? What if she just looked straight through me? The worst thing was I wouldn't have blamed her. But thankfully she didn't. She acknowledged my presence at least. She was cold and distant, but she was there. And she's still here."

"It'll take time."

"That's what Richard keeps telling me. It's hard though. The way her eyes constantly dart around, the way in every room she's in she keeps to the edges, back against the wall. The way she flinches when someone gets close. I don't know how to talk to her, I don't know how to even begin making up for all I've done to her."

"It's not your fault, Will. Not all of it. Just …. I don't know, be there for her. Shit, I don't deal with this stuff any better than you do."

"Quite the pair we make, eh?" Darcy chuckled. "Two criminals who have no fucking idea what they're doing."

"No-one knows what they're doing," Lizzy mused. "Not really."

They sat for a while longer, each lost in their own thoughts. Lizzy leant her head on his shoulder, reveling in the warmth, in the companionship, in something real. Something real for a change. No motives or hidden agendas, just two worn out people. Directionless people. Because even though in many ways they were polar opposites, despite their backgrounds being worlds apart, she thought he might perhaps be the one person who understood. Understood her and what she was going through. He was an orphan too, a man who had always been alone in the end, a man who still hadn't worked out how to deal with that. Who had no outlet for the anger she knew was within him. Much like her. They were just on different timelines.

"Come on," he nudged her. "Time to get back. I'll walk you."

"I'm Anna Hayward, remember?" she sighed reluctantly. "We can't be seen together."

"Lizzy, I grew up here, I own this hotel. I know how to sneak in with no-one seeing us."

"Just give me five more minutes." she said, leaning back onto his shoulder, wishing time could just slow and slow some more.


She had to go back eventually. The sun was peeking through the night, snickering at the moonlights pale flicker when they made their way slowly back into the forest, using the trees as cover. And as they walked and talked, Lizzy felt the weight lifting with each passing step in his company. For a while she could just forget who they were and what they'd done. She was currently laughing at Darcy's upbringing, an easy source of comedy as always.

"Honestly, you private school types are always so fucked up."

"Yes, because you are such a shining example for the state school system being superior." Darcy shot back with a grin. When he smiled he looked ten years younger.

"I'll be honest, my school attendance was not exactly exemplary."

"Explains a lot." Darcy joked back, and she swatted him on the arm.

"I attended the University of Life."

"Ah, what was the course, 101 Grifting? And what were the modules? Pickpocketing, poker and The Badger?"

"Precisely. Got a first and everything."

"If I'd of known there was an institution offering such a course I would have transferred instead of dropping out of reading Economics at Cambridge."

"Reading Economics at Cambridge.." Lizzy impersonated his voice with a laugh. "How did you ever survive on the London streets with that accent? Fucking class tourist….. Oh God, you didn't try to fake it did you? Mockney accent and all that."

"Admittedly I did occasionally have to fake it," he cringed. "The people me and George were stealing from were not exactly the types to forgive a posh boy."

"Please do it for me," she smirked at him. "Give me your best working class."

"Certainly not," he laughed. "It would not be worth the lifetime of abuse."

"Lifetime?" Lizzy teased him with a raise of her eyebrows.

"Well…. Um… um," he stuttered. "I didn't mean um …. Obviously, we probably won't see each other again … Oh shut up."

He'd caught sight of her barely holding in a laugh and gave up, looking away with a blush.

She made Will Darcy blush.

"Anyway," she took pity on him, saving him any more embarrassment. "It's a shame, I think you speaking London slang would be one of the best things to ever happen."

"You're a horrible person." he replied.

"Come on then, a test. Let's see if you've still got it, mate. So, what would you do if I said 'crep check'?

"Crep check?" Darcy looked confused. "I don't know, check the pancakes are ready I guess."

"You may be my favorite human," Lizzy cracked up. "I knew this was going to be funny, but that is literally the poshest thing you could have said!"

"What? It's accurate! Crepes are pancakes."

"Not in London, pal," Lizzy gasped for air. "Creps are shoes, trainers. Crep check means check out the shoes."

"That's just ridiculous." Darcy chuckled.

"This is too much fun. Ok, next one, what's a roadman?"

"Someone who works on the motorway? Shit I don't know."

"Nah, it's someone who knows The Ends like the back of his hand."

"What the fuck is 'The Ends'?"

"The neighborhood." Lizzy replied, smiling all the way. This really was fun.

"OK, OK, next." Darcy sighed, but Lizzy knew he was enjoying this, knew he enjoyed being around her. And she enjoyed being around him. What was happening?

"Alright, what about 'peak'? As in this weather is 'peak'."

"So logically, the peak of something is the best of it, so I presume 'peak' means very good."

"I see your thinking, but slang doesn't work logically I'm afraid, Darcy. Peak means the opposite, something very bad. As in you, Darcy, are peak."

"Thanks very much."

"No problem." she said lightly. "Ok, last one, 'peng'."

"I have literally no fucking idea. Londoners are ridiculous."

"'Peng' means fit, good looking. As in you, Darcy, think I, Lizzy, am peng."

"Do I now?" he raised an eyebrow, causing Lizzy to suddenly jolt. She'd said it without thinking really, had been so caught up in the easy banter and light flirting that she hadn't realized she'd stumbled into dangerous territory again. She suddenly felt nervous, hesitant, and it was her turn to blush and look away. Felt his gaze still on her, could imagine his brow scrunched slightly in confusion, could even imagine the small crooked smile that could fill her with warmth if she allowed it to.

"Don't worry about it," he laughed quietly and with a hint of uncertainty. "We both know it's true so let's just leave it at that."

"It's not….. It's not that…" she stumbled, unsure how to precede. She could change everything now if she wanted to, it would be so easy. Reach out a hand, touch him lightly. Part of her wanted to. But the other part of her, this newly awakened fear wouldn't let her.

"What time do you leave?" he asked, changing the subject.

Chances slipping and slipping, crossroads ignored and ignored.

"Soon," she sighed. "Back to London for a bit and then wait to see if Eddie and Stacy want to keep me on. I doubt it after all this."

"You saved their score, Cold Deck or not, you saved it with the way you worked me. They won't forget that."

"You knew it was a Cold Deck then?"

"Not initially. At the races, it became clear."

"You know I'd never have done it, don't you?" she said quietly, almost desperately. "I'd never have gone through with….. You know ….. What I offered you."

"Of course not," Darcy confirmed to her relief. "It was beautifully done. You used what you had on me to make me change my mind. It was a master class in grifting on the spot. Any crew would be lucky to have someone like you, someone who can do that. It was art."

"It sounds like it turned you on, Darcy."

Couldn't help herself, could she? Couldn't help but say it, play the game. But was it a game? Were they still playing?

"It did a bit." he admitted in a quiet voice.

They weren't moving anymore, stood stock still under the trees, avoiding each other's eyes.

"I'm sorry," Lizzy touched his hand. "I didn't mean to….. I didn't mean to…. Shit I don't know…"

"It's fine." he murmured, staring at their now entwined hands.

"No, it's not. I can't help myself sometimes, can't help it, you know? I think I'm losing myself in all this, Will."

"What do you mean?" he looked down on her, eyes filled with concern and warmth and something else entirely. Something so fucking real it almost pained her.

"Why do we do this, Will?" she asked in a small voice. "Grifting. Why do we put ourselves through this shit? These days I'm just more confused than ever."

"You know why. We do this because it's all we've fucking got."

"But it ain't," she argued. "You've got a business, a sister, friends. I've got friends back home, people to live for. But they all come second to this, we push them away so we can chase another fix, another score. Why do we do it? Why can't we just be fucking normal? I'm losing myself in all this, Will, it's changing me the way it changed you."

"Then don't let it," he shrugged. "Find a different way of doing things."

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" she asked in frustration.

"My version of the game is not absolute, Lizzy. Me, Caroline, the Gardiners, the fucking Ton. We did it one way. You can do it another. You're not built to be a follower. As much as the Gardiners are excellent Grifters and I'm sure they can teach you a lot, it isn't you, Lizzy. It just isn't. It's not making you happy. So answer me this, when was the last time you were happy? Does Grifting make you happy?"

Did it?

"It used to," she said. "When I was with Jane and Lydia and Kitty, when we were running the streets I think I was happy. But it's not sustainable is it? I've always wanted to play the Long Con, I've always wanted to make something of myself. I can't go back on that."

"Do you want my advice?" he asked softly.

"Ok." she looked up at him, they were close again now.

"I remember what you said to me all those months ago at the Netherfield. About how short con players like yourself found doors constantly shut on them because of the inherit snobbery of the criminal fraternity. You can change that. Go home, Lizzy, go back to London and find those people, find people like you. People who want to have the world. Have the world together. You don't need to start at the bottom, you don't need to join a crew, make connections in The Ton. Do it your way, no-one else's. Kick the doors in, break the wheel."

"Do you think I can?"

"I think you can do anything you want."

She leant up and touched her forehead to his.

"I was happy ten minutes ago," she answered his other question slightly breathlessly. "Just you and me, talking and laughing. I was happy."

"Me too." he sighed.

"Do we have to go back?" she whispered.

"You need to see it through, Lizzy," he said reluctantly, moving away from her, looking down at the ground, pulling his hand away. "They can't get away with it remember. Just be brave again."

They set off back towards the hotel, the pace quicker now. She sighed at his back. The moment was gone. The moment where everything could have changed between them had disappeared into the Scottish sunrise.

Always so brave. Never scared. Always alone.

Only one of those was true.


It was all a blur as she became Anna Hayward for the final time. Had snuck back into the hotel, said a wordless but loaded goodbye to Darcy, and then headed for the shower, letting the hot jet run over her body, washing away the smell of burning, of cigarettes, of Will Darcy's cologne. She'd wanted to kiss him. She'd wanted him to kiss her. She'd wanted to feel his body pressed against hers as they poured all their sadness and anger into each other. But she hadn't been strong enough. And he'd been hesitant, she knew he didn't trust her totally, knew that there was a part of him that was still smarting from their confrontation at Rosings. Could they ever trust one another ever again? Were they even capable of it?

Wig on, sunglasses on. Inhale deeply, exhale slowly. Looked into the mirror. Just once more. Once more for old times' sake. Looked around the room and out the window one final time, the majesty of Pemberley in all its glory. Could have been hers she snorted. Would she ever see it again?

Knock on the door.

Once more.

"Hugo!" she threw her arms around him as soon as she'd opened the door. "Are you leaving already? It's barely seven o'clock!"

"Business, dear Anna, always business," he explained patronizingly before sniffing her hair in the hug. "Have you been smoking?"

Cigarette smoke never hides as well as you think.

"Please don't tell Mummy and Daddy," she begged, covering as well as she could. "It was just one after last night. I was a little tipsy and some woman offered me one. I didn't like it though."

"Look at you, all grown up," he laughed at her. "Don't worry your secret is safe with me. Speaking of your folks, I better go and say goodbye, just popped down to say farewell to my favorite Hayward!"

"Thank you so much for this weekend, Hugo," she threw her arms around him again. "It's been truly wonderful. And Daddy seems much happier."

"I expect he does," Hugo chuckled. "Mum's the word, Anna, but I think your fortunes may be changing very soon, but you didn't hear it from me, ok?"

"What do you mean?" she asked girlishly, but he just gave her a nauseating wink and took his leave.

"I'll see you soon, Anna!"

"Hugo! Hugo! What do you mean?" she shouted after him playing the part, but he kept on walking like she'd known he would. He was so predictable. Cold Deck indeed.

Shut the door and leant her back against it. It was done. Thank God Hugo had arranged a hire car for them so they could have a lie in and not drive back with him at this godforsaken time of the morning. Didn't think she could have dealt with a five-hour drive back to Yorkshire with him.

Was brought back to reality by her phone buzzing in the locked draw. Moved quickly to unlock it and answered rapidly.

"Jane," she greeted with relief. "Thank God, I really needed to hear your voice. How did you know?"

"Look I don't have time for whatever it is, Lizzy. We've got bigger problems right now."

Of course.

"Lydia," Lizzy stated with a sigh. "What's she done?"

"It's bad, Lizzy."

She knew from Jane's tone that this was serious. It wasn't one of the typical Lydia incidents, she hadn't just got herself locked up or pissed off the wrong Grifter. She'd done something big this time.

"What's happened?"

"It's… fuck, I don't know!" Jane half shouted, worry seeped in her tone. "I haven't seen her in weeks and last night when I was over at Tommo's these two men barged in, demanding to know where she was. They had guns, Lizzy, fucking guns! Tommo managed to talk them down with some creative name dropping of criminals he knew, but they were fucking serious! They said that if Lydia didn't turn up then they'd be forced to take action. What the hell has she done, Lizzy?"

It was always on the cards. Lizzy punched the wall in frustration, in anger. They could have stopped this. She could have stopped this. If she'd just been more present, more patient, more forgiving, she could have stopped this. Lydia had always been a loose cannon, had always been capable of crossing the line. Should have been better, they were family. But no, score to be played, costume to dress up in, mask to put on. Bigger than them now, better than them now. Her own fucking family.

"There's another thing, Lizzy," Jane breathed out. "They asked about George Wickham as well."

George Wickham. The man who'd stolen from Darcy, who'd put Georgianna in prison. The man who hid his cold heart behind his easy charm. Of course Lydia was involved with him. Of course she was. Should have seen it coming, should have seen it coming.

"That fucking cunt!" Lizzy raged, punching the wall again. Why hadn't she said something? Why hadn't she done something?

"Look, we don't know how he's involved yet…"

She remembered she hadn't even told Jane. She'd kept George Wickham to herself, Darcy had asked her too after all. She'd thought nothing of it. He'd lost interest anyway, hadn't seen him in months. They had nothing to do with him and he had nothing to do with them. No harm done.

"Look, Jane, I know some things about him, some not good things. She's in deep shit. God, what's he done to her?"

"What do you mean?" Jane asked sharply.

"He's the one who got Will's sister locked up…" she trailed off in a small voice.

"Will? Will Darcy, you mean?"

"The very same."

"And you know this how?" Jane asked suspiciously.

"It doesn't matter, I just do," Lizzy dismissed. "So, what's the plan?"

"You on board now then, yeah?" Jane said with the slight edge of a snarl. "Thought you were busy…"

"Let's not do this now," Lizzy sighed. "We need a plan, what do we know? What's Tommo doing?"

"We've got a name, Alexander Laska. Tommo's asking around, but so far we've got nothing. No idea who this guy is. And Lydia and Wickham have disappeared. Frances hasn't left her room yet, she's fucking broken, keeps wailing and shit. It's all gone to shit, Lizzy."

"Alexander Laska," she turned the name over in her head with a growing sense of dread. "It doesn't ring any bells. You know what that means right?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid I do," Jane confirmed. "If we haven't heard of him it means he's probably big time, organized, connected."

"How the fuck could she be so stupid!" Lizzy continued to vent. "Going after someone who's connected? It's fucking suicide!"

"We don't know yet, it might not be her fault. It could have been an accident, could be a misunderstanding, something, anything."

"No, this has got Wickham all over it." she said through gritted teeth. "Ok, I'm coming back, I'll be in London by tonight. Go and see Cyclops, have him run this Alexander Laska and see what he comes up with and then grill Kitty, the girl has to know something…"

"I tried, Lizzy."

"Well fucking try again!"

"Ok, ok."

"And Jane, please be careful. I know she's family, but please don't take any risks. Please."

"As you said, she's family, Lizzy," Jane replied coldly. "I'll take whatever risks I have to."

With that she clicked off. Lizzy stared at the blank screen for a minute before throwing it hard against the wall, the plastic and metal crashing with a sickening sound. Should have seen this coming.


Knew what she needed to do. Without hesitation, without thought for consequences or risk to her current score, she burst out of the room and down the corridor. Got to the lift and hammered in the button.

"Come on, fucking come on!" she shouted, much to the shock of a couple passing by for early checkout. Finally, the lift arrived and she got in, hammering the ground floor button within an inch of its life. It seemed to take an age to reach the destination. She pushed the doors open as soon as she heard the judder and ran straight up to the reception desk, greeted by a confused Mrs. Reynolds.

"Anna? Is that you?" she asked. "I thought you were a redhead."

She'd forgotten the wig. She must have yanked it off during the phone call.

"If you're looking for Hugo I'm afraid he's just left." Mrs. Reynolds was saying, much to Lizzy's relief. At least that hadn't gone wrong.

"I need to see Darcy, now." she said breathlessly.

"Darcy? As in Mr. William."

"Yes, yes, Darcy. I need to see him."

"Anna, it's half past seven, business hours don't start until nine for him. I can't interrupt his down time."

"No, no!" she yelled. "I have to see him now!"

"What's the matter, dear," Mrs. Reynolds asked, concern etched across her face. "If something's happened then I'm sure I can assist you, just tell me….."

"It's ok, Rey," a Scottish woman sounded from behind her. Lizzy whirled round to see the narrowed eyes of Georgiana Darcy. "I'll take it from here."

"Georgiana have you been out all night again?" Mrs. Reynolds admonished, judging by the ripped sleeveless top and the denim shorts and fishnets it certainly appeared that way. "I've told you before…"

"I don't have time for this!" Lizzy threw her hands up. "I need to see him now!"

"Relax Miss Hayward," Georgiana smirked. "Follow me."

Georgiana took off quickly, as if grasping the importance of the situation, Lizzy followed behind, matching the quick pace. They walked in silence through corridor after corridor, lounge after lounge until they finally came to a grand oak door. Georgiana keyed in a code and pushed it open to reveal a resplendent reception room. Lizzy had no time to be impressed.

"Where is he?" she asked.

"Wait here, Anna, or whatever your name is." Georgiana ignored her, disappearing through a set of double doors.

Time ticking and ticking. But she needed to be here. He could know something, he was more wired into the criminal world than anyone she knew. And he knew George Wickham. He could help, he could know something.

"Lizzy?" Darcy questioned confused, emerging from the same doors Georgiana had disappeared through in sweatpants and a t-shirt, wiping the sleep dust from his eyes. He was beautiful. No time to think like that. Tick tock, tick tock.

"So that's her name," Georgiana had followed him in. "Told you, girl, told you you were a liar."

"That's enough Georgiana." Darcy said sternly.

"Whatever you say, dearest brother," she smirked back, taking a seat on the breakfast bar and putting her chin on her hand with a glint. "So, this looks like it could be quite the tale. Keeping things from me again, brother?"

"I need to talk to you. Alone." Lizzy shot a glance towards his sister. Didn't want her there for this, didn't want to bring Wickham up in front of her.

"Now I'm even more intrigued…." Georgiana laughed.

"Give us a minute, Georgiana." Darcy sighed.

"Spoil all my fun why don't you," she muttered darkly, but she rose all the same. "About time you got yourself a girlfriend anyway, Will. I applaud you, she's fit as fuck."

Georgiana left with that, not before raking her eyes over Lizzy's body with an admiring smirk, leaving her feeling slightly uncomfortable truth be told.

"Sorry about her," Darcy said, eyes on the door Georgiana had just shut. "She's a little…"

"Wickham's got my sister." she said baldly, cutting him off, causing him to drop the mug he had just picked up back into the sink. Landed with a clatter.

"What?" he took several strides towards her.

"I don't know!" she threw her hands up. "Jane phoned me, said some men came to the house with guns looking for Lydia and they asked about George as well. No-one's seen either of them for weeks and now this? They've done something, Will, he's done something bad."

"Shit…." he breathed out. "You're sure?"

"No, yes, I don't fucking know!" she collapsed onto the sofa, head in hands. "Alexander Laska, you heard of him?"

If she'd been looking at him she would have seen the colour drain from his face, would have seen the slight shake of the hand, the spark of dreaded recognition. But she wasn't so she didn't and by the time she raised her eyes to his, his face was as impassive as it always was.

"Laska you say… No, I'm afraid I haven't. He's the one who's looking for them?"

"It's the name we've been given," Lizzy sighed. "Tommo's asking around and Jane's doing what she can, but no-one knows who he is which we both know is not good news."

"They need to be careful," Darcy warned with a frown. "There's a chance he could be.."

"Connected," Lizzy finished for him. "Yeah, we've also come to that conclusion."

"Or he could be a nobody," Darcy argued. "Could just be some chancer."

"We can't take that chance. Look, if there's anything you know, please tell me. Anything about George or where he might hide, places, people, anything. I need something!"

"I haven't been friends with George for nearly eight years," Darcy said softly, patiently. "I don't know where or who he spends his time with these days."

"Your sister then…" Lizzy attempted.

"No," Darcy shook his head. "Absolutely not. I will not bring that man back into her life for anything. For anyone. I'm sorry Lizzy, but I can't. I just fucking can't."

"I understand." Lizzy nodded because she did. Understand. Darcy didn't owe her anything, Georgiana either. They were guilty of sins, but they were not guilty for this. This was Lydia's mess. It was a Bennet mess.

"I'll make some phone calls," Darcy was saying. "Sit tight here and I'll ask around…"

"No, I need to get back to London. I should be going."

"Wait," Darcy stopped her. "Do you have a plan? You can't just go barging into things down there, you need to stop and think…"

"No, I need to find my sister, Will." she spat back, all the anger let out. "I need to find Lydia before someone else does. I need to sort this."

He raised his hand, as if he was about to touch her face before he pulled it away with a frown.

"Take my helicopter, it'll be faster than the airport." he said, Lizzy could hear the tone of reluctance but right now she didn't have time to dwell on it.

"Of course you have a helicopter just waiting…." Lizzy attempted to find some humour but neither could summon a smile.

"I'll call the pilot. Go back to your room, he'll pick you up in half an hour. I'm sorry I can't help you more."

"It's fine. This is not your mess. Thank you." she nodded at him.

It was strange how things changed so quickly. Strange how only hours previously they'd been laughing together in the forest, carefree with their troubles forgotten. But real life had a habit of getting in the way of things. She allowed herself one last look at him before she turned away attempting to memorize every inch of his face, every line on his forehead, every stray curl atop his skull. Tried to remember how he looked earlier, smiling and laughing, teasing and joking. But she couldn't. All she could see was him now, the worried man with another weight on him. She attempted a smile, but it just came out as a grimace. Didn't want him to remember her like this. Angry and upset and grimacing. But it couldn't be helped. So, with one last lingering look she turned and walked away from him, feeling guilty that in that moment she wasn't thinking about Lydia at all.


Darcy watched her walk away. He should stop her, hell he should force her to stay. But she would never acquiesce. Even if he told her how dangerous the situation she was about to walk into was. It was one of the things he loved about her. Yes, he still loved her. Pathetically when Georgiana had burst into his room saying Anna Hayward was here to see him, hope had risen in his chest. He could have sworn she'd wanted to kiss him earlier, sworn she was leaning into him. But he'd been too scared to take the chance, too scared of another devastating rejection. Had she come to see him to…? Well no, she hadn't. It was George Wickham again.

But George had surpassed himself this time. Alexander Laska. Fucking hell.

The decision was made for him. From the moment she'd walked into the room, this was what was going to happen.

Walked quickly into his study and over to the safe, unlocking it with still slightly shaking hands. Pulled out the address book and quickly flicked to the 'J' section, browsing until he found the right name. Took a deep breath and dialed the number.

It rang and rang until it was finally picked up.

"Is she in?"

"Maybe, who's asking?" a voice replied.

"It's Will Darcy. Tell her I need another favor….."


AN - At least it wasn't five months this time. Thanks to those still reading after the extended break this story took, I didn't expect anyone to still be interested so thank you. Hope you enjoyed this one, drop a review if you have the time.