Chapter 44
Darcy paced in agitation. He had missed GiGi's email earlier. If not for her call he still wouldn't have seen it. The footage GiGi forwarded to him made him want to destroy Caroline. She had deliberately hurt Lizzie by spewing lies mixed in with some truth. She knew Lizzie would call him. Would ask him, and that he wouldn't lie. He didn't know what Caroline's game was. It was clear she was trying to break him and Lizzie apart. She didn't believe he would willingly replace Lizzie with her did she? It was time to confront her. He couldn't wait for Bing to deal with her. He headed towards the kitchen.
Darcy watched from the hallway as Caroline furtively slipped something into a glass of whiskey. A glass he suspected was the one meant for him. A minute later she walked back towards Bing in the family room, a glass of whiskey in one hand and Bing's usual vodka and tonic in the other.
"I assume I'm still allowed to make you your favorite drink," she said. "Where did Darcy go? I poured him some of his favorite whiskey."
"He stepped out to take a call. GiGi, I believe."
"He seems so down. So fragile. He shouldn't be alone. It's good he's here with you. Where we can take care of him."
"Caroline , I know what you just did, " Bing burst out, taking the whiskey glass from her.
"Bing, this is for his own good, " she snapped taking it back. "Everything will work out as it should. I know everything he likes, all his favorites. "
Bing looked at his sister in confusion. He wasn't sure who the he she was reffering to was. And he didn't understand what knowing whoever's favorites had to do with her canceling his trip.
"It might seem extreme to you , but tomorrow when he wakes up with me in his bed he'll have no choice but to believe he impregnated me when I tell him I'm carrying his child in a few weeks. Darcy would never let his child be born a bastard. He'll marry me, like he was always meant to, " Caroline concluded.
"What are you talking about?" Bing ask in horror.
"I believe, " Darcy said stepping into the family room, "she is reffering to what she put in my drink just now."
Bing stared at his sister . "You roofied Darcy's drink? " he ask her in disbelief . "Explain yourself Caroline."
"I'd rather she explain what she thought she was doing at Lizzie's today. GiGi just send me footage sent to her by Lydia, " Darcy said his tone bitting.
Caroline threw herself at Darcy. Trying to kiss him, he warded her off. Bing grabbed, her but she fought like a woman possesed. "Darcy's mine, " she screamed. "I can make him happy. Were an ideal couple. He would have noticed it if that -"
Bing shut his sister up by flinging his hand over her mouth. She bit him. He relased her in surprise with a yelp of pain.
"You won't want your precious Lizzie now, not after George Wickham has had her, " she spat furiously at Darcy.
"What?" Darcy ask harshly.
"He's back in Meryton, it was on her vlog. Didn't she tell you? Do you think he'll be able to resist the allure of Lizzie? Someone he knews you've deluded yourself into believing you care about. He won't be taking no for an answer, " she taunted him. "Then you and I can finally be together."
Caroline, Darcy realized was not stable. She needed medical attention. What she said about Wickham and Lizzie disturbed him. Thanks to her, Lizzie was vulnerable right now and according to Lydia, Wickham was back. "I've got to go Bing. I've got to see Lizzie."
As he left he text his sister requesting Lydia's number.
...
Lizzie slept the rest of the afternoon. Finally she emerged around the evening. With a glint in her eye Lizzie announced she wanted to go to Carter's that night. Lydia for once in her life wasn't so sure a bar was a great idea. Lizzie had just spent all day crying, adding alcohol seemed like a bad idea. Lizzie was insistant though. She talked of going alone. Lydia agreed to go and called Mary to join them.
Inside Carter's they quickly found a booth and settled in. Lydia volunteered to go grab the first round of drinks. She and Mary had a plan to control Lizzie's alcohol intake. She ordered three vodka and cranberries. After a few drinks Lydia planned on switching her sister to just cranberry juice. Lizzie didn't need to be hung over tomorrow when she had to deal with Darcy. Lydia doubted he'd manage to give her sister space for a full 24 hours. She figured he be on their doorstep after breakfast. Her phone rang with a number she didn't recognize, she quickly headed to the bathroom to answer it.
"Hey party people," she said cheerfully.
"Lydia, it's Darcy," he said quickly. "Where are you? "
"Darcy 24 hours, it hasn't even been 6, " she said exasperated .
"Where are you Lydia?" Darcy ask firmly.
"Out. Lizzie totes cares about you. She will talk to you. Right now she is still angry. And totes likely to say or do something she will regret."
"I need to see her. Where are you?"
"Out Darceface. You can stake out the house if you want, we won't be there. "
"Have you seen Wickham? "
"No."
"Thank God. Don't let him by Lizzie."
"Totes obvs. Goodbye Darcy," Lydia said as she hung up and rolled her eyes. She made her way back to the bar. After getting the drinks she turned back to the table. Her eyes narrowed and she quickened her step.
"What are you doing here?" Lydia demanded of Wickham.
"He was just leaving, " Lizzie announced taking a sip from a bright blue drink.
"Enjoy your drink Lizzie. We will catch up later, " he said.
"No we won't. There's nothing you have to say I want to hear ," Lizzie told him.
Wickham winked at her and sauntered away.
"Creep, " Lizzie muttered taking another drink.
"Where'd you get that Lizzie?" Lydia ask.
"The resident douchbag, " Lizzie said with a nod towards the direction Wickham had gone.
"Your done," Lydia said grabbing the less then half full drink from her sister.
"Hey," Lizzie protested.
"Drink this instead, " Lydia said shoving one of the vodka cranberries in front if her. Lizzie shrugged and accepted the drink change.
"Whose is that?" Lydia ask eyeing the empty drink cup on the take with blue liquid left at the bottom.
"Her's" Mary said indicating Lizzie. "Yonder gentelman brought us both one, but It looked disgusting. So she took mine after she downed hers. "
"She downed one of these? "
"Yea he said something about Darcy and she looked pissed and downded it."
"He called Darcy a hipster douche, " Lizzie broke in angrily. "Darcy is not a douche. An ass at times but not a douche. He has more virtues then that rat bastard. "
"I'm confused, do you like Darcy or not?" Mary ask. " You seem to flip-flop a lot on this. Before Wickham -"
"Skeezeball," Lizzie interupted.
"Showed up you said you intended to drink the memory of Darcy's lying ass away," Mary continued .
"As I said on the phone, she's totes conflicted and hurt. She doesn't know how she feels ," Lydia told Mary.
"He has such pretty eyes, " Lizzie sighed.
"Who?" Mary said confused .
"Will," Lizzie said as if it was obvious.
Lydia looked around to see if Darcy had in fact tracked them down and shown up, but didn't see him in the bar. Based on the way her sister was acting Lydia was going to have to call him. Bright colored drinks like Wickham had brought over were dangerous. They could have crazy amounts of booze hidden in them and the drinker often couldn't taste any alcohol. Lizzie had barely eaten anything all day. Lydia knew it wasn't a good combo.
"Keep an eye on her. I've got to make a phone call," Lydia instructed Mary.
Back in the bathroom Lydia pulled out her phone and called Darcy.
"Lydia, I'm almost to Meryton. Where are you?" Darcy answered right away.
"Carter's. "
"You took her to a bar? What were you thinking? "
"It was her idea, " Lydia said defensively. "She was going whether I went or not."
Darcy took a breath and said, "Thank you for not letting her go alone."
"I totes wouldn't. "
"I will be there in about 20 minutes. "
"Good. Wickham showed up and bought her some bright blue drink with crazy amounts of alcohol in it. She's already drunk."
"I'll be there soon. Please don't leave her alone."
"Just get here Darceface. "
…
"I get it, your not my biggest fans right now, " Wickham said once again at their table. "Darcy must have spread his lies.-"
"GiGi, " Lydia said fiercely interupting him.
Wickham looked startled but quickly rallied saying, "It was a shame how Darcy came between the two of us. But right now it's Lizzie I'm worried about. She needs to get outside, get some fresh air-"
"Get the hell away from them George," Darcy said coming up behind him. Wickham took one look at Darcy and quickly spun away from the booth, retreating. Darcy glared at Wickham 's retreating back. Turning to face the booth his face immediately softened as he looked at Lizzie, quickly it changed to take on a worried cast. "He's right, she needs some fresh air, " Darcy said.
"That was totes fast," Lydia said sliding out of the booth so Darcy could help Lizzie out. " Did you speed Darceface? "
"It was necessary I get here quickly, " he said helping Lizzie to stand.
"Jane is perfect for Bing. He could do no better then her. She might even be to good for him, cause she's Jane, " Lizzie said slurring her words a little as she looked at Darcy.
"Agreed," Darcy said supporting her with his arm as she stumbled.
"And I've decided, " she announced as they made their way to the exit.
"Decided what Lizzie?"
"You were a jerk. But I forgive you. Jane would, " she said as the fresh air hit her.
Darcy pulled Lizzie close. "I was a jerk. I don't deserve you, but I love you."
"Is there any other vile things I need to know about?" Lizzie ask him leaning into him.
"I've used women just for sex before, " Darcy blurted out turning red. "I had no intrest in them other then sexual gratification."
"Caroline?" Lizzie ask starting to pull away.
"God no, " he said in disgust pulling her back to him.
"But women like her?"
Darcy nodded his head ashamed.
"My mind does not work, " Lizzie complained. "I need to know this stuff."
"That's cause your totes drunk, " Lydia chimed in with.
"We can have this discussion tomorrow," Darcy promiesd her.
"Good. I'm sleepy."
Darcy scooped Lizzie into his arms. "Let's get you home. "
Lizzie snuggled into him. "I'll probably be mad at you again tomorrow for being an ass but please don't leave me. I lo-"
Darcy glanced down. Lizzie had passed out. "I'm parked over this way. Let's get you guys home."
"You can totes crash in Lizzie's bed Darceface. Our parents are gone for the weekend. Just no taking advantage of drunky there. "
