Chapter 42

Friday November 23

GiGi grinned at him. Darcy took a nervous breath. They had arrived at the Bennet household. Now it was time to surprise Lizzie. Lydia had according to GiGi promised their mother would be gone. Black Friday shopping evidently was a serious draw for Mrs. Bennet.

"Come on William," GiGi said unbuckling and letting herself out of the car.

Darcy quickly unbuckled himself and followed GiGi to the front door. He was nervous. He hadn't seen Lizzie in almost 2 weeks. He had missed her desperately. GiGi on the plane ride had counseled him not to stare at Lizzie like she was the last slice of pumpkin pie when he saw her. GiGi knocked. A minute later Lizzie opened the door. Her eyes got wide, GiGi shouted surprise as Darcy pulled her into his arms and placed his lips hungrily on hers.

"Geez Darceface, get a room " Lydia called out brightly as she hugged GiGi. Darcy was to occupied with kissing Lizzie to hear her.

"I told him not to stare at her like she was the last slice of pie. I didn't realize I should warn him about trying to gobble her up like she was the last slice," GiGi told Lydia with a giggle.

"I totes made sure she opened the door. Oh you haven't met Jane," she said turning and calling back into the house, "Jane!"

Jane appeared in the hall and walked over to the door. "Oh," she said in surprise seeing Darcy and Lizzie. Lizzie pulled back from Darcy with a red face. He held her tightly in his arms refusing to let her go.

"I'm Jane, you must be GiGi," Jane said sweetly. "Please come in."

Darcy reluctantly let Lizzie go but kept a hold of her hand as they entered the house.

"I can't believe your here," she softly told him.

"It was GiGi and Lydia. They knew how much I missed you Lizzie."

"GiGi said he was totes a miserable wreck. And grumpy," Lydia told her.

Darcy blushed.

"He was," GiGi assured Lizzie. "We had to do something. There was no way he would survive until I was done with finals. So Lyds suggested this mini visit for the weekend."

"It's perfect," Lizzie said smiling at Darcy and squeezing his hand. "I missed you."

"Before you two start making out again let's give GiGi the tour."

"Wait you guys are staying here?" Lizzie ask worriedly.

"Totes no. Mom would flip and potentially lock you and Darcy in a room together demanding Grandbabies."

"Mom would be much more subtle then that," Jane reprimanded her youngest sister.

"Ah no, she totes wouldn't," Lydia argued back. Then to Darcy, "Mancake you can suck Lizzie's face off later. Stop looking at her like that before she totes has a panic. Me and Gi made plans for us."

"I tried to suggest a locked room but Lyds said no."

Lizzie was bright red. Darcy had been intently staring at her but it wasn't quite as uncomfortable as she remembered even though she didn't think the level of intensity had gone down.

...

Darcy contentedly sat in a booth at Carter's with his arm draped around Lizzie. He couldn't stop himself from having some form of physical contact with her constantly. He missed her so much. Lydia gave him a wicked grin. He subtly shifted uncomfortably. Her grin grew. He wanted to reflexively swallow but wouldn't allow himself to show a weakness.

"Darceface, I think Lizzie owes you a game of Just Dance."

"I of course would be honored to play with Lizzie," he said.

"I'll totes film it. Maybe Lizzie can use the footage for Monday's video."

"Lydia," Jane said in reproval.

...

Darcy gently kissed Lizzie goodnight. He wished he could bring her back to his hotel with him. He was tempted to ask, but that would involve her mother potentially discovering her with him. Something she was adamantly against having happen. Someday she would be comfortable enough in their relationship for her mother to know he reassured himself.

Lizzie sensed his disquiet.

"It's not that I don't want my mom to know about us because of you. I don't want her to go all crazy about you and scare you off," she explained.

"Lizzie, she could never scare me off. I'll love you forever."

"You say that now," she teased.

"Because it's the truth. I love you, I hope to spend my life with you."

"You don't live with her. Trust me, she'll scare you off. And I really, really don't want that," she said going up on her tiptoes and kissing him.

"She couldn't," Darcy said and kissed her again. He was touched Lizzie didn't want her mom to scare him off. He realized though that Lizzie's mom could scare Lizzie off still, something he didn't want to have happen. It perhaps was best Mrs. Bennet didn't find out about their relationship yet he thought.

...

Saturday November 24

"Shopping GiGi?" Darcy ask in dismay.

"Well that's what Mrs. Bennet thinks the girls are going out to do. And Jane doesn't lie, so we have to shop a little bit. Come on William. We are supposed to meet them at the mall," GiGi told him enthusiastically.

Darcy sighed.

"The mall will be a perfect place to separate Lizzie out from the herd," GiGi said innocently.

"You make it sound like I am hunting her, " he commented dryly.

"Aren't you though?" GiGi said and gave him a very Lydia-esq wink.

Darcy looked thoughtfully at his sister. Her and Lydia were most likely up to something. He'd happily hand over his credit card to the duo he suspected if it meant he got a few hours alone with Lizzie, which could be part of their plan. He wandered how much damage the two really could do on it with Jane and Charlotte supervising. "Let's get going to the mall then," he told his sister.

Once inside the mall, Darcy looked at the large crowd of people in dismay. His sister grabbed him by the elbow and dragged him to an empty table in the food court. She looked around smiling and said, "It really is a bit of a zoo in here."

"You totes made it!" Lydia shrieked when she spotted GiGi and Darcy. "Lizzie needs to go buy my birthday present," she said with a pointed look at her sister. "So she doesn't forget and get me some lame book this year."

"I'd be pleased to accompany you Lizzie " Darcy told her.

"You can totes pick out a birthday present for me to Darcface," Lydia told him.

"Lydia, Darcy does not have to buy you a birthday present," Lizzie protested.

Ignoring Lizzie, Lydia said, "I like expensive things, spend as much as you want."

"Darcy and GiGi bought us all Ghiradilla chocolate yesterday Lydia, it isn't gracious to ask for more," Jane reprimanded her.

"I have to tell him what I want or he might get me something lame. Like the book he brought for Lizzie, it was a children's story."

"The Jungle Book is a classic," Lizzie protested. She had adored the first edition book he had shyly given her yesterday. He had requested that they read it together sometime like they had Peter Pan.

"Better plan," GiGi spoke up, "William goes with Lizzie, you show me what you like and I'll take him shopping later."

Charlotte announced she'd stay with Jane to help her. Lydia tossed her head and said, "We don't need babysitters, but you and Jane can totes come with us."

The group decided to meet back up in two hours for lunch. Darcy slipped his hand into Lizzie's as they strolled away from the rest. He appreciated Lydia's scheming and knew he would be sure to buy her a birthday present she would appreciate.

...

"So, what did you get me?" Lydia demanded as Lizzie and Darcy slid into the booth.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you," Lizzie said firmly.

"I totes surprised you with Darcy for the weekend, don't you want to run it by me and make sure I'll love it?"

"No," Lizzie told her.

Lydia pouted. Then winked at Darcy.

...

Sunday November 25

"Goodbyes suck," Lizzie said with a pout. "First Charlotte left this morning and now you guys are leaving."

"I could stay," Darcy told her sincerely.

"No, you need to go back to work. You can't hang around here just because I'm here."

"I believe I did that over the summer."

"You didn't stay here just because you liked me."

"It wasn't the only reason, but it was the primary reason no matter what I tried to tell myself."

"Will," she said softly kissing him. "I was such a blind idiot. Forgive me for not noticing you? Or rather misunderstanding you and not noticing you properly?"

"I didn't deserved to be noticed by you then Lizzie."

"I beg to differ."

Darcy held Lizzie close. If she knew how arrogant he had been she wouldn't say that he knew. The terrible things he had thought about her family, about her, that he was stupid enough to believe he had to overcome to be with her. He was so thankful he found her vlog before he declared his love for her in such an offending manner. If he had she quite rightly would have rejected him. Winning her love would have been much harder, maybe even impossible. Finding her vlog had given him a chance to win her love.

"Now go," Lizzie said reluctantly stepping away from him. "I will see you in three weeks, Will."

"I'll miss you," he quietly told her. To his surprise she grabbed his suspenders and kissed him passionately. Then letting go suddenly she backed away and whispered, "GiGi's probably getting impatient waiting for you."

He nodded and turned around to enter the airport. Gigi had taken the rental car with Lydia so Lizzie could drive him. She would pick Lydia up at the rental office.

"I'll miss you too," she called to his retreating back.