There's something different in the air on her second day back in the office.
It isn't just the fact that everyone's back from vacation. It isn't just the way the city traffic flusters her up even before she's stepped foot into Pemberley Corp.
There's talking, and buzzing, and people readjusting their offices a little too early for spring cleaning.
When she walks down the hall on her floor, glass walls on both sides of her, she catches glimpses of people talking in clusters - people who abruptly stop whispering when she walks by, only to resume when she's farther away. Either people sneak peeks at her, or they walk up to her with overt friendliness and say, "Congratulations!"
As far as she knows, there's no reason for everyone to treat her like this.
So is she or is she not in an alternate universe?
"Lizzie!" Charlotte greets her at lunch, a bright smile on her matronly face.
It's not as if Charlotte looks old, per se. She just always looks so - married.
"Hey." Lizzie smiles. "It's been a long morning."
"I bet." Charlotte settles down with her food. Lizzie follows suit.
It's nice to be back. There really is nothing like a big, grand, ballroom adventure to make you miss the permanent coffee smell of the break room.
"So - how is Mrs. Darcy?" Charlotte jumps right in, a fork in the air.
Lizzie refuses to blush. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Are you telling me two holiday family trips didn't do anything to the two of you? The mistletoe, the fireplaces, the sweeping dances - nothing?"
Now, Lizzie is sure she's blushing.
"It was a work trip," she insists. She uses a bite of salad to shield her smile. "And I think we did a good job convincing everyone."
Charlotte scoffs, in a light-hearted way. "I bet you did."
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, obviously, you have the board convinced." Charlotte unwraps another corner of her sandwich. "They didn't wait long announcing the promotion."
And slowly, the smile slips off Lizzie's lips.
"Promotion?"
"You haven't heard? I hope I didn't spoil any surprises he may have for the night," Charlotte explains the life-altering news as if she's reading off a lunch menu. "They've promoted him officially. I am now the executive assistant of Pemberley's company director."
The lettuce crinkles and wilts in Lizzie's stomach - much like her spirit does.
"I see."
"You two must have put off a heck of a show at the New Year ball."
Lizzie can't even bring herself to smile for real. "I guess we did."
He waits in the lobby, his briefcase on the floor beside him. It's hard to escape unnoticed, but at least a curt nod seems to be sufficient in warding off further conversation anytime someone calls out, "Congratulations, Mr. Darcy" on their way out.
It's half past six - and Lizzie really should be done any minute now.
He glances at the cluster of elevators ever so often. He's grown to know her so well - from the scent of her perfume to the rhythm of the clicking of her heels that it's near impossible for him to miss her.
He checks his phone again, before the elevator dings - and the telltale rhythm begins.
"Lizzie!" He calls out a little more loudly than he originally intended when she strides past him, rushing towards the exit like she has somewhere important to go.
She doesn't have anywhere to go.
At least, he doesn't think so.
"Lizzie!" He calls again, with half the previous distance between them. She slows to a stop right before he catches up with her completely. "I'm here."
She doesn't face him directly.
But when she finally pivots around and looks up towards him, her face is blank and pale.
"Lizzie?" He frowns. "Are you alright?"
She doesn't answer right away, and he wonders if there is something she is holding against him. Georgiana does it, sometimes. It's always bewildering trying to guess what he might have said or done that may have caused some inadvertent offense.
But he hasn't even seen Lizzie all day.
He hasn't had any chance to cause any inadvertent offense.
Has he?
"Liz - "
"Congratulations." She holds her purse in front of her, both hands on the handle. It feels almost like an artificial barrier. "I heard about the promotion."
"Oh, I was hoping - to tell you myself." For the first time all day, Darcy feels slightly abashed. He smiles. "I see good news travels fast."
"It does." Her words are soft and indistinct. They feel like fairy dust - insubstantial and fleeting.
She's not her animated self.
Has he tired her too much over the holidays? Maybe he should have insisted that she return to work later. The charity circuit can be exhausting under all the press and glamor.
"Should we head to The Mode?" He is a little anxious to leave the very public lobby. They are official, but he's never been one to publicly live out his private life. "I don't have a reservation, but it shouldn't be too busy in the evenings, what with it being a business district and all. Or perhaps you prefer to take food home - to your place? Or mine?"
He wants her to get some rest, wants her to unwind beside him while he tells her all about the way the board surprised even him with their sudden announcement this morning.
"It's okay - don't bother." She sounds resigned, even a little upset.
"Lizzie, is everything alright?"
"You don't have to let me down easy." She meets his eye briefly before turning to the side. Her arms are still in front of her. Her body language warns him to keep some distance. "We can just end it, right here, right now."
There is no context to her words. There is no sense.
"What do you mean?"
"You got your promotion, and I've placated my family. I say we've done a pretty impressive job at the whole thing." She shrugs, still looking away. "I guess we both got what we wanted, huh?"
And when she looks up at him again, her eyes are dead - dead cold.
"I - " He has no words - not a single one. "Lizzie, I - "
"It's okay." She reaches a hand out to pat him on the arm. It's brief, and rigid. "Thanks for all your help. I couldn't have asked for a better fake boyfriend."
"We are - breaking up?" The words feel foreign on his tongue. He's never had a break-up before. He's never truly been in any relationship before - before her.
"Why drag it out, right?" She laughs. Her laughter sounds hollow, and cold. "You're a free man, William Darcy. Thanks for all the help - really."
He watches helplessly as she turns away.
"Oh, and congratulations again."
Darcy blinks. His chest feels tight, and his head feels heavy. His surroundings fade into grey.
"Thank you," he replies on auto-pilot, but she's already out the door.
"I need the Rotham files now!" Mr. Darcy yells into the receiver.
Charlotte pauses to collect herself.
"They were sent out this morning, sir."
"And Merisco?"
"Yesterday."
Her boss grumbles loudly. Figuring that things can't really get any worse, Charlotte takes the effort to enter his office.
"Mr. Darcy?"
"I wanted the Lestrade proposal yesterday!" He thunders, unprompted.
"You signed them this morning, sir."
"Financial is late again, and we need the figures for budgeting."
"I've followed up. They'll submit within the day."
"What's on tomorrow morning?"
"The press conference, sir." Charlotte stands up straighter. "Regarding your recent change in status."
"Well, dammit!"
"Sir - "
"I've been back an entire week, and they choose the one morning that - "
"Sir!"
"If PR doesn't know what they're doing, they have no business - "
"Sir!" She shouts loud enough to stop him. He's breathing hard, fire in his eyes.
Charlotte tilts up her chin. "Is it Lizzie, sir?"
He looks at her, a crouching tiger.
Then, the crouching tiger growls. "Women who don't want to fall in love have no business making others fall in love with them."
Charlotte waits for his own words to hit him.
"Then tell her."
"Tell her?"
"Tell her how you feel." Charlotte crosses her arms. "I think she's looked like hell the past week. The break-up's been hard on her."
"The fake break-up," he spits.
"Or, judging from both your reactions, the real break-up - from a real relationship."
He continues to glare at her, but now with a hint of uncertainty.
"Just my two cents." Charlotte shrugs, deposits the stack of folders on his desk, and walks out the door.
A/N: Charlotte isn't having it! I somehow missed a week with my updates (the new year threw me off), so I will be posting Chapters 9-10 very soon so we can get back to the angstfest that is The Child. Hang in there!