There is literally nothing I can say, except I'm very sorry for such a long delay and I'll stop promising what I can't possibly deliver! I haven't forgotten this, but moving countries, starting new jobs and everything that comes with it just meant writing has taken forever and a total back seat. You'll be pleased to know that I have (almost) three chapters waiting for you though, so will have a few quick updates - I just hope to god you're all still reading and haven't forgotten me yet!

Thanks to everyone for sticking with me - sorry if it's a little jarry, I've forgotten half of what I wrote already and if I didn't have time to write, I certainly didn't have to time to read it all again!

Love you all

x

At the end of an eventful Saturday, two sets of siblings were ready to discuss the weekend's wonders over dinner on opposite sides of London – some more eager than others.

Beneath the glittering gold of Park Lane's Palm Court, Giana and Will were musing over menus in silence; but after catching the seventh less than surreptitious his sister sent his way, Will rolled his eyes in despair and sighed.

"Giana, I get enough of those looks from the rest of society, I'd rather you didn't start too. What is it that you're looking for exactly?"

Giana put her menu down in a clatter of fine china.

"Oh, only some sign of the potentially life-changing events that transpired between you and Lizzy last night. Nothing important."

Despite the petulance and sarcasm, he really did owe her the story and had planned to reveal all – but one little word caught in his thoughts.

"Lizzy?" he asked, looking searchingly at her, the word unfamiliar on his tongue, and the bravado became bashfulness. "Ohh, I see… Rich has been filling you in, or vice versa. You could have just waited, I did say I'd tell you over dinner–"

"But it's dinner now, Fitz. I'm getting impatient." She began to bounce like a toddler in her chair.

"Call me old fashioned, but I thought we'd be couth and order first, if you don't mind. Some of us haven't eaten since brunch." His voice dripped sardonically in a manner that Giana, well acquainted with it as she was, chose to ignore.

"Poor Will. Must have been really hard having brunch with your girlfriend and friends... How come she didn't cook one of her amazing meals for you then?"

Her question was asked with an affected air of nonchalance that fooled no one.

"Seeing as you know so much about her already, I clearly don't need to update you myself. You know, you could have ordered by now and be hearing the story already but instead you're wasting time fishing for irrelevant tidbits."

Giana knew well enough from previous experience that Will would carry through a threat like that without a hesitation, and thought it best to back down before he actually did.

"Alright. I want the salmon skewers and the paneer masala. Now spill."

Will raised a brow and simply turned back to perusing his own menu, causing Giana to huff.

"If you're so desperate to talk, how about telling me about uni? How's your course going? Made any new friends? Met anyone… interesting?"

A lifetime of living with her brother meant Giana knew every nuance of his tone and face; this was a completely new one however.

"Why did you say it like that?" she asked, scrutinising him. "'…Interesting'?"

"No reason." A muscle at his mouth twitched.

"No reason my arse. 'Anyone interesting…' – my god, you mean a guy, don't you?"

When there was only another twitch in response, she had her answer. She was hard pressed not to start laughing at his own efforts at fishing.

"Will you've never worried about guys with me before. For a while, I wasn't even sure you realised I was female. Why have you suddenly noticed?"

She watched as his hand automatically found one of his McQueen leather cuffs and twisted it; a Will Darcy sure fire sign of awkwardness.

"Elizabeth may have suggested I was deluding myself in that arena."

Giana was beginning to think this mystery woman of Will's had powers beyond earthly comprehension.

"Well, I must give her some points for accomplishing what the entire family's been trying to tell you for years…" Will's ears grew pink from the tips. "Should there be anything else about my life I'd like you to take notice of, how would I get in touch with this miracle worker of yours?"

Giana wasn't entirely sure how Will would react to introducing Lizzy to her. Significant others were something that had never come up between them; no one had ever been significant before. Sure she'd seen him with girls, but as they were never around long and certainly never came back to the house, this was to be a whole new playing field for the both of them, and Giana was excited about it.

However, she hadn't exactly planned on broaching the subject quite so early on in the meal – she'd planned to butter him up a little first in case he wasn't as keen in the meeting as she – but she had seen the opportunity and taken it. Will however, seemed entirely oblivious to her uncertainty.

"I'm sure when you meet you can swap numbers and talk and tease me till your heart's content. Until then however, you'll just have to tell your stuffy older brother directly, if you can bear to."

Giana couldn't muster being annoyed at his either stubborn ignorance or determined deflection when he looked so abashed and hopeful at her.

"I could probably manage that. Though I can't deny it would be nice to have something like a sister around to talk to about that stuff… I get the impression Elizabeth would be a good person for guy talks." She lost herself in introspection for a moment as Will darted between agreeing with her and dreading what a sex talk from Elizabeth would involve for his little sister. "But don't get your Calvins in a twist Fitz. No on has caught my eye. I'm too busy just trying to stay on top of studies and practice. Maybe next term I can go looking for nookie."

Will grimaced. "Gi…"

"I'm kidding! Stop worrying. Anyway, Rich told me everything I needed to know years ago."

In Soho , Elizabeth hung up the phone to the pizza place and took her seat on the floor next to her sister. She and Jane were sat in Qandisa's staff room, filing the last of the paperwork that had slowly piled on Jane's desk since she found a far better, handsomer way to spend her time than working.

"Here in 25" Lizzy said, brushing her hair from her eyes. "Now that this lot's taken care of, I need to talk to you."

"That sounds serious," Jane replied, laced with concern "I was hoping you'd tell me more about you and Will and what happened this weekend."

"I'll do that too, you only need ask." Lizzy smiled, allaying Jane's worry somewhat. "Though this is kind of connected, and I'd say it's pretty serious. I need to talk about Wickham."

It took a lot less time for Lizzy to update Jane than it had for Will to spill his history with Wickham, but the effect was no different. Jane stammered, stuttered and fell silent, trying to wrap her head about the evils of the man now working for her.

"I knew he was smarmy but I never imagined this…" she said quietly, leaning back on her hands and blowing her breath between her teeth.

"What I want to know is what can we do? We need to tell Sanders to keep an eye out at the very least, but really Jane, I'd feel more comfortable if we just got rid of him. Can we?"

Jane chewed on her lip, cogs turning. "It's entirely possible. We've hired him on a weekly basis, so we could give him one days notice tonight if that's how you felt. The only problem is we have no supportable reason to let him go. We're going to have to come up with an excuse. We could say we simply don't need his services anymore, but I then can't go back to the same agency to beg for different staff. We'd be back where we started – one short on the bar. As much as Will might want to get rid of Wickham, I doubt he wants to take his place…"

Lizzy laughed. "You never know. I wouldn't have believed he'd do it the first time round. The man is full of surprises…"

"Surprises you'll be telling me more of right?"

"As soon as we've sorted out the snake in our midst, dear sister."

Jane beamed.

"Alright. Well, the best I can do is look into other agencies and in the meantime I'll see if I know anyone else who might be willing to lend us some help. We should also talk to Sanders tonight, see what his take is. If he gives us the go ahead and is happy to manage on his own for a few days, we can dispose of George Wickham within the week without a care in the world."

Lizzy smiled at her sister, grateful for her unwavering trust and support. It was a rarity, even in their childhood, that Lizzy was scared or worried about anything, but she knew if the time came, Jane would step up to protect her no matter what.

"Something tells me it wont be that simple, but thanks Jane. What would I do without you?"

"Probably pussyfoot around your feelings for Will a bit more" she countered quickly, before giggling at the surprise on Lizzy's face. "Oh come on, if anyone needs nudging, its you two. Now tell me everything that happened – leave nothing out."

Will's head snapped up and eyes popped.

"Rich told you… That's meant to reassure me?! What on earth did he say to you? How old were you? There's me worrying about what Elizabeth could tell you but nothing and no one could be as bad as Richard. Good god I'm going to kill him…"

Giana couldn't hold back her laughter.

"You really need to get your priorities straight Fitz. If you're going to kill him for anything, do it for flirting with your naked bathing girlfriend in your absence."

His hands ran through his hair roughly.

"Lord you really have been dishing each other the details." He sighed, feeling like he'd suddenly aged dramatically in thirty seconds. "I knew I'd be made to suffer for missing lunch with you. Go on then, what's the verdict between the two of you?"

Giana took pity on him – the baffled and bemused big brother look always had her offering what olive branch she could.

"Only good things – though of course I can't confirm their veracity until I actually meet her. I get the impression you'll have some stiff competition coming from our cousin though. 'If I'd only met her first' was the general gist." Will snorted, grip tightening round his water glass. "But he also said she was beautiful, witty and intelligent, and well on her way to loving you."

There it was; the brightest flush she had ever seen on his face, combined with a giant grin he was desperately trying to fight,

"Well, I don't know about the last bit but the rest is all true" he mumbled towards the tablecloth.

Giana, much like Will, couldn't hold back the ensuing grin. Having never seen him this happy, she hadn't realised just what he'd been missing out on. Hearing of their relationship in its low point couldn't have endeared Elizabeth to her, but now seeing this Fitz, full of smiles and love, she wanted more than anything to love Lizzy too. As the waitress came over and took their order, Giana placed her head in her hands, eager to be pleased.

"Alright Fitz. Let's get the important questions over and done with first. Whose macarons did she prefer?"

Elizabeth watched from below, bemused as Jane performed what could only be termed a victory dance, long limbs flailing as she went.

"Finished?" she asked as Jane started getting of breath.

"Not quite" the performer answered, throwing jazz hands out one more time and collapsing on a chair. "I knew you two couldn't just casually screw each other. Oh Lizzy, he must love you if he wants to go out with you in spite of all his previous assertions about dating. And I bet you love him too."

"Jane, not all of us feel the need to fall in love in a fortnight."

"Oh hush. You were determined to give relationships the elbow after the last time, yet here you are not six months later dating someone. Sorry, not just someone; only the hottest man on the planet!"

"You never tire of saying that do you?"

"Nope!"

Lizzy shook her head in bewilderment.

"I think it's worrying that you're more excited about this than I am."

"You say that, but I can see how happy you are about it. Come on Lizzy, you're practically glowing. Just admit that you want this."

"If I didn't want it, I wouldn't have agreed to it. But it isn't like we're boyfriend and girlfriend dating – we're just exclusively seeing each other."

"Sort of like, I don't know, boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Lizzy could only roll her eyes as Jane levelled teasing ones at her.

"Alright, well look at this way; now that you're together exclusively, what exactly is going to change?"

"Well, the not sleeping with other people is pretty much the deal breaker on that one…" Lizzy replied patronisingly.

"You weren't doing that anyway." Jane dismissed. "You already were monogamous; just because you hadn't discussed that fact doesn't make it any less of a fact. So try again – is there actually any difference between how you were and how you will be now you've spoken it aloud?"

Lizzy's thoughts began to turn, chugging slowly, trying for an answer. What would actually change between them? Would she see him more often? She already saw him as much as they could. Would they go out on dates? They'd already done dinner and the theatre, surely that was a date? Meet each other's friends? He knew Jane and the Qandisa crew and she knew Bingley and had met Rich. Meet each other's families? There, Lizzy snorted. Whilst she had no doubt his sister was delightful as she could hope and he would claim, the idea of any man surviving a meeting with her mother, let alone one this good looking and rich, was utterly ridiculous.

However, she had to admit Jane had asked a fair question – how would they change? If not in what they did, then maybe in their interactions – becoming more romantic with each other? Perhaps that was it. But the image of him, beanied head under her chin and hand on her thigh, snuggled up on the night bus came unbidden; another with shirt sleeves rolled up, hair mussed, grinning directly at her as he worked behind their bar without a second thought; sunlit mornings of waking up to see him smiling down at her…

A score of memories flittered and pricked her thoughts: mumbled husky endearments as they readjusted in their sleep, ever-present unspoken touches on her back, her waist, her shoulder, idiotic puns and pulled faces in drunken merriment… every romantic moment she could ask for that she'd known and experienced well before today.

As it turned out, she'd always had both Darcy her lover and Darcy her friend. The only difference now is that she'd admitted it, to both him and herself. In reality, nothing had changed at all – she was just a little less blind than before. Lizzy looked up to face her ever-knowing sister, realisation starred in her eyes, only to find her gone.

She looked flummoxed about her, then up at the doorway as her sister reappeared, pizza boxes in hand, grin on her lips.

"The dominos guy rang the doorbell a minute ago." Jane explained as she saw Lizzy's face. "Little lost in thought there, were we?"

She dumped the steaming boxes on the floor and handed over a can of coke to her unusually silent sister. "Ahh. I see you finally get it."

Lizzy took the can without word and looked up at Jane for an explanation.

"You and Will. You were never just fuck buddies Lizzy. One look and the whole world could see that. Not just your friends but people watching you in the club, at dinner, at brunch… we can all tell that whatever you guys are, it's meant to be. You just needed time to see it too. And now you have, you should just sit back and get used to someone else taking control once in a while because if you ask me, you're in this one for the long haul."

Lizzy simply nodded in silence, opened the pizza box and ate.

"She spat water in his face?" Giana repeated, gobsmacked and giggling.

"Oh yeah, a lot of it. He was drenched. You should have seen his quiff Gi – flopping and dripping all over the place."

"Words Rich would wish never said about him again, even if it is his quiff!" she replied, chuckling anew. "You know what, I really think I'm going to like this Lizzy of yours."

Will grinned back, a smile Giana had long-missed from his face, and nodded.

"I think you will too, Gi. In fact, I know you will. She's already done me the world of good, I think she'll do the same for you."

"Then I look forward to it." She smiled, polishing off her final forkful and taking in her brother's face. Despite making millions off a brooding pout, this was Fitz at his handsomest – that so few got to see it was somewhere between a shame and a privilege.

"You look so happy Fitz. I haven't seen you this happy since… I guess since before mum and dad died."

Will's face crumpled. "I'm sorry Gi…" he began but was cut off with a palm and a grin.

"It wasn't a criticism, it was meant to be a good thing. You're responsible for everything in this family; you shouldn't be responsible for making yourself smile on top of it all. I'm just glad you've found someone to do the job for you."

His smile didn't quite recover. "You make me smile too." He said penitently.

"Jeez, I know Fitz." And he could see that she did. "But I don't make you smile like this. Lizzy is going to do incredible things for your career if you keep this up. I don't think there's a single person in this place that hasn't checked you out already."

"Did you ever consider they might be looking at you?"

Giana chuckled.

"I know we got good genes Will, but I'm not the one with the glowing look of love about me. You're like a beacon. You could probably guide ships into harbour right now."

Will laughed then, loud and mellifluous, showing off bright teeth and dimples.

"God I've missed having you around Gi."

"I miss you too Fitz. It's seriously strange not having you watching over me, giving me a nudge here and a push there."

"I think we both know I'll always be watching – especially when you begin this 'nookie' quest of yours." He said, a glower passing over his eyes.

"Unless you want me to act like a spoilt little brat to scare off Lizzy you most certainly will not…" His eyebrows flicked up in fear. "I don't think you realise how lucky you are that I never set my cap at any of your friends. That's the entire point of having a big brother you know, especially one surrounded by hot models."

Will rolled his eyes, though deep down he couldn't deny how lucky he had been in that department. There were a fair few colleagues that, had they made a move on his sister, he wouldn't have vouched for their continued good looks.

"Agreed. Though I am slightly surprised you never went for Charles..."

Giana's nose wrinkled before she let out a chuckle.

"Ah Charlie… he's a handsome guy, obviously. I definitely thought so the first time you brought him round. I probably had a crush on him then, though I didn't know or admit it. But now he's like our brother; just the idea of him in that context grosses me out. Nuh-uh."

"I'm sure Jane will be pleased to hear that." Will mused over freshly arrived coffee. "Though I don't think she'll agree."

"Ah yes, this is the infamous sister of the infamous Lizzy, right? The new love of Charlie's life. What's she like? You usually hate his girlfriends…"

"I don't–"

He didn't even bother finishing his denial as he saw her eyebrows rise mockingly.

"Okay, yes, I hated them all. Jane, however, I like." Giana did a theatrical gasp of surprise and shock that Will couldn't but chuckle at.

"Sure you're not saying that because she's related to Lizzy?"

"That might be part of it – there are more similarities between them than you'd first think – but no. She's kind of impossible not to like to be honest. She's remarkably kind and gentle, I think she'd do anything for anyone, but I'm fairly sure she has a little of Elizabeth's fire in her. Pretty funny too."

"So she's a female Charles?" Giana confirmed with a grin, which Will matched.

"Exactly."

"I wonder if they'll ever fight…"

"Oh I don't doubt they could both be stubborn when they want to, but right now they live in a bloody cloud of contentment. If I didn't like them so much, they'd be sickening to watch."

Giana snorted and tried her best to hold in the snickers that threatened and swallow the mouthful of coffee she had at the same time, ending up in a coughing fit. Will had unwittingly used the exact same sentence Rich had at lunch to describe watching Will and Lizzy together. That Fitz couldn't see how he and Lizzy appeared to others – as lovey-dovey as Charlie and his Jane – seemed to show just how hard and fast he'd fallen.

The thwack on her back alerted her once more to her brother's presence and concerned eyes, and she dragged in a much-needed, if shaky, breath.

"I'm fine" she croaked, trying to let go of the giggles. "Just went down the wrong hole. Sorry, you were saying…" The ghost of a knowing smile regained its place on her lips.

"Only that they're ridiculously happy, so though they have the capacity for stubbornness, I can't see them arguing anytime soon."

"Unlike you and Lizzy…" she said, smile still in place.

Will pursed his lips, knowing that yes, whilst he and Lizzy were closer then before, as demonstrated by Friday night, they would never be without bust ups. His mind began to wander to what could have happened, had Giana not sent him back out after her.

"This dinner was meant to be a thank you from me wasn't it? I really am thankful Gi. Without you, I can't guarantee I'd be here and happy."

Giana felt a warmth in her chest at his words; her darling big brother, who needed no one and everyone all at once.

"It's what family is for Fitz. There's not many of us left to look out for each other, either. So whenever you fancy adding someone to its ranks, I'm more than willing to help out."

It was Will's turn to choke on his coffee.

"Are you thinking marriage?" he asked, voice strained and husked.

Giana's smile didn't falter. "Aren't you?"

Will bashed a fist to his chest, clearing his drink from his throat. His head shook in disbelief at his sister's eagerness – one day into monogamy and another, far more terrifying, m word had taken its place. Scary as it was however, he couldn't bring himself to outright crush any hopes his sister might have; any amount of her support meant the world.

"One thing at a time Gi." He settled on. "Lets just concentrate on stopping me from fucking up royally rather than getting down on bended knee."

Giana offered a chuckle and a nod. "That's a full time job right there, big bro."

Her mind however was casting back to another piece of advice Rich had given her at lunch, when he'd been boasting about his ability to woo his newest sexual recruit, Christine.

"She wouldn't have thought of me two months ago, but I soon changed that. Wanna know how?" He would have told her regardless, but she'd nodded. "The power of suggestion Gi. It's the biggest weapon in a seductive arsenal little cuz, and I hand the knowledge down to you. Sometimes you just need to change someone's perspective a little bit. You need to plant the idea they'd never considered before, and let it fester. Their imagination will do all the work for you whilst you sit back and watch. I suggested something rather… explicit to Christine about us a couple of months ago under the guise of a joke. She laughed it off, but once the idea was planted, I just had to wait for it to bloom."

Giana watched as her brother handed over his card to the waiter, a distracted look in his eyes, and she smirked. For once, Rich might have been right.