Chapter 12

Darcy sat at his temporary desk but his mind wasn't on work. It was on Lizzie. He needed a plan to win her. Possibly even a convoluted plan he thought wryly. The first step in a good plan was an outline he thought as he grabbed a pen and froze. His outline, his horrible insulting outline he wrote yesterday evening was sitting in his note pad at the hotel. If as Lizzie saw it; he cringed unable to finish that thought. He'd written some things down that he now realized were horrible and hurtful. He had to get back to the hotel and get that piece of paper before Lizzie saw it.

As he rushed out if his office he barreled into Fitz coming in.

"Darce, where's the fire?"

"Now is not a good time Fitz. I need to get back to the hotel. I left something there."

"About 5foot 2, dark red hair, kinda snarky?" Fitz joked.

"Not Lizzie, a piece of paper and I need to go get it right now. Before Lizzie-"

"This piece of paper?" Fitz said as he pulled it out of his pocket and unfolded it. "By the way Lizzie isn't at the hotel anymore. I took her back to Charlotte's already."

"Where'd you get that? Did, did Lizzie give it to you?" Darcy ask staggering back.

Fitz was pleased to see that Darcy not only recognized the paper in his hand, but he was eyeing it up like it was a treacherous poisonous snake. He didn't believe Darcy meant to be so insulting but was relieved to see proof that Darcy regretted what he wrote. It would make this conversation easier. But he was still going to make Darcy squirm. GiGi would have to settle for metaphorical punching.

"No Darcy, Lizzie didn't give me this piece of paper. I nicked it off your note pad last night. You really should be careful of what you leave lying around."

"Thank God," Darcy said as he sagged with relief.

"It certainly is an interesting piece of paper."

"Fitz," Darcy said in a low voice reaching out his hand, but Fitz refused to hand over the paper.

"A proposal to hate you forever perhaps? Concerned she didn't have enough reasons? Ooooo, I know, you wanted to let her know how she wasn't good enough for you? The list of reasons is right here. Shall I read it?"

"Fitz," Darcy said weakly.

"Odd family," Fitz went on ignoring Darcy, "because your Aunt Catherine and Annekins are models of normalcy. At least hers are loving and not malicious. Financial troubles. Does this refer to her student loan debt or does it refer to her family, that she loves, who are struggling like so many others today. How dare she not be born with a trust fund?"

Each word Fitz said felt like a punch in the gut to Darcy. He was pale and unmoving but Fitz wasn't done.

"Different social classes. Let me guess her state school education cannot compare to your Harvard education. How embarrassing for you to have to take her anywhere. She might use the wrong fork or wear non designer clothing. Imagine the horror if she tried to strike up a friendly conversation with one of your associates, she might say something rude and offensive. Far better if she acted like a haughty snob, maybe Caroline can give her lessons on proper comportment, or you can. After all-"

"I was wrong, so very, very wrong. I don't feel that way, you know I don't," Darcy broke in.

"Do you Darcy because you wrote that you expected better for yourself. If Lizzie isn't good enough for your expectations maybe you don't deserve her. She's a great girl and deserves someone who will appreciate and value her."

"Lizzie is too good for me. I realize that. I could do no better than her. I know I have to become a better man for her. I want to be a better man. I love her Fitz, more than I ever thought possible. Without her love I'm nothing. I was such an arrogant ass. I was becoming someone I couldn't like. If not for her-"

"You aren't nothing without her. You have been in the past an arrogant ass but you have always had plenty of redeeming qualities. You just tend to hide them. Honestly I think you are just the man Lizzie deserves and needs. Just like she is what you need and deserve."

"Thank you Fitz."

"Don't thank me yet. There is still one more issue I want to clear up. Bing."

"Bing," Darcy said quietly.

"You told me you saved him from a gold digger this summer. Either he was seeing more than one woman, or you separated him from Lizzie's sister Jane."

"It was Jane."

"Jane Bennet, practically perfect, nice sweet girl, she's a gold digger? I'm not buying it Darce."

"I don't know Fitz. I realize after last night that I misread her. And that Caroline lied, she claimed that Jane didn't really love Bing. You saw the videos, it was clear she did-"

"And if Caroline watched the videos, which we know she did, then she knew Jane loved Bing."

"Exactly. But what I still don't understand is her indiscretion."

"Who's indiscretion?"

"Jane. Caroline and I saw her kissing another man at Bing's birthday party."

"That doesn't seem like the Jane Bennet from Lizzie's videos."

"No it doesn't. But I saw it with my own eyes."

"Did you tell Bing?"

"Of course, it's why he agreed to leave ultimately. Nothing else would convince him."

"What did Jane say about it when he ask her?" Fitz paused, "He did ask her about it didn't he?"

"No. I persuaded him to just leave. To make a clean break of it."

"God Darce-"

"I know. It was a bad move. It was wrong."

"So Bing just up and left Jane without bothering to try and work out the problem?"

"I insisted he should just leave. It's all my fault. I should have told him to talk to her. Bing avoids confrontation but I should have demanded he talk to Jane. Instead I did the opposite."

"Darcy, Bing is old enough that he shouldn't need you to make all his decisions for him. Leaving Jane with no word is on him, not you."

"I told him to leave her, he trusted me and he listened to me."

"While you gave him some lousy advice, he chose to follow it. What about Caroline?"

"What about Caroline?"

"She was with you when you saw Jane and another guy. She knew about the videos and therefore Jane's real feelings. Doesn't something about all of that seem suspicious?"

"It does. That is why I'm going to confront her after I speak to Bing. I need to understand what happened."

"You're going to tell Bing about the videos?"

"I don't know. He may have moved on already. You know how Bing is. I haven't seen him for a few weeks."

"If he hasn't moved on?"

"I still don't know."

"Why wouldn't you?"

"What if Jane has moved on?"

"Ask Lizzie if she has."

"I can't talk to Lizzie about this. She'll hate me again. If she finds out I separated Jane and Bing-"

"The type of relationship you want with Lizzie doesn't have space for secrets."

"I plan on telling her someday, but if I tell her now, I might lose my chance with her. I can't Fitz. 24 hours ago she hated me."

"24 hours ago you thought Jane was a gold digger."

"For some reason I think giving Lizzie that particular reason for the deterioration of Jane and Bing's relationship won't go over well."

"Just consider talking to Lizzie, okay?"

"I will consider it," Darcy said with a sigh. "It would help to know where Jane's heart currently stands."

"I can ask Lizzie if Jane has moved on-"

"Fitz-"

"Don't worry, I'll work it into conversation. It'll seem like I'm curious after watching the videos. It would be strange if I didn't ask after seeing her vlog. By the way you better get going so you aren't late."

"Late?"

"To pick Lizzie up from Charlotte's. She wanted to shower before coming in to shadow today. We left her car here yesterday evening. I assumed you wouldn't mind giving her a ride?"

"I don't mind. I'd be happy too," Darcy said a wide smile breaking out on his face.

"Yea, I thought you would."

...

As Darcy stood outside Charlotte's door he took a deep breath and knocked. Lizzie opened the door and smiled up at him. "Hi Darcy," she said cheerfully.

Darcy stood there silently and stared at her. He realized he should speak so he said the first thing that entered his head. "Your lovely," he blurted out.

"Thank you. You're a lovely person too."

"No I meant you look lovely. You are also a lovely person-"

"Ah so it was a double compliment. Let me grab my stuff." Lizzie disappeared and quickly reappeared lugging a heavy bag. "I don't like to leave my stuff at Collins and Collins, so Charlotte brought it all home for me last night when she left the office," she explained.

"Here I can carry it for you," Darcy said taking the bag from her.

"Thanks for breakfast this morning," she said with a mischievous grin.

"I hope there was something you found palatable."

"You really do use four or more syllable words don't you?"

Darcy raised an eyebrow at her.

"Pa-la-ta-ble. You could have just ask if I liked any of it."

"Well did you like any of it?"

"It was surprisingly palatable."

"Surprisingly?"

"I was a bit skeptical about the lack of processed sugar and chocolate."

"Those wouldn't be healthy choices for a hangover."

"But delicious. Most hangover food is about deliciousness, not nutritional value."

"After a night of heavy drinking your body needs carbs, potassium, protiens-"

"Your body might need those, but mine wants sugar."

"But then you will have a sugar crash later."

"Not if I eat more sugar."

"So your plan to handle a hangover is too eat sugar and then keep eating it so you don't crash."

"I drink coffee too."

"Caffeine dehydrates you. During a hangover your body is already dehydrated."

"I know. But I do it anyways."

"Would you like me to stop at Starbucks?"

"Na, Charlotte will have some from the company coffee pot waiting for me. She knows."

"The company coffee isn't very well, it isn't very good is it?"

"Ricky bought a massive quantity of it for a great price online."

"Oh"

"The best part is it actually tastes better reheated."

"How?"

"Microwave Darcy."

Darcy rolled his eyes and said, "I know how to reheat coffee. I use my laser heat vision part of my programming to reheat my coffee personally. Works better then the microwave."