Lizzy didn't get married to Darcy until she was four months' pregnant.

Mere weeks after Byron, she felt some bodily changes. Her nipples were sore.

Darcy was sucking them one evening when she said "They're a bit sore," she said.

"Am I sucking them too hard?" he asked.

"No, you're sucking them normally," she said, and was thoughtful. She hadn't had her period yet but thought this was normal since it had only been weeks since she got off the pill so her cycle must be out of whack.

"But...?" Darcy queried as he noticed her pensiveness.

"I need to take a pregnancy test." she responded.

Darcy was still.

His mind went into overdrive. He left her and put some clothes on and was about to leave the bedroom when Lizzy said, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to the chemist." He said.

"By yourself?" she asked.

"Who else?" He responded.

"Me? Am I not coming with you?" Lizzy asked. She was still naked, her sore breasts still exposed and he was leaving her like that! Not on!

"Well put some clothes on!" Darcy said exasperatedly.

If Lizzy was pregnant, that would mean he would be a father in nine months' time. He was excited and shitting himself at the same time. It was too soon! It was too long! It couldn't come soon enough! What was he going to do?

"You can wait five minutes can't you?" She said annoyed.

Darcy sighed.

XXX

After 10 minutes, she purposefully walked down to the garage where he was impatiently waiting - his fingers were tapping incessantly on the wheel.

"Will, it's not going anywhere so you'd better chill," Lizzy sighed.

She thought this was going to be an incredibly challenging nine months if she was indeed pregnant. Will was just OTT at times with his planning. He had OCD and she sighed again how worse a baby would trigger it.

"Just preparing my love," Will said as he thought of a shortlist of names already.

Lizzy looked at him. She knew him too well.

"What are you thinking?" She asked.

"Names." He said. She smiled and nodded at this.

XXX

When they arrived at the chemist, Darcy bought 10 pregnancy tests from several different brands just to make sure they were accurate in case one or several of them failed.

Lizzy screamed internally.

"I'm only going to piss on one so don't expect me to use the rest!" She said exasperatedly.

They went home and Lizzy did the test. He was going to the toilet with her when she told him to leave.

She did what she had to do and exited the bathroom. She held the test in her hand as they both waited for the confirmation.

She was pregnant. Her boobs don't lie.

Darcy's heart leapt. He was going to be a father! He was ecstatic. He was also proudly chuffed with himself. He didn't realise he was this potent and fertile with such a high sperm count. Lizzy's eggs were toast as far as he was concerned. They were no match for his swimmers!

Lizzy was thoughtful as she knew what it meant. Again.

So for that first month, she was annoyed that she had to take time off work and pause her career sooner rather than later as she had to start all over again as she did when she was pregnant with James.

She hadn't prepared for this! Well, she kind of did but it was supposed to be months! Not weeks! She hadn't planned this far ahead! She thought about how she was going to break this news to Bob, her boss. Might wait until after the first trimester, she thought, just to be safe and in case there were problems.

XXX

After the first gyno visit to confirm the pregnancy and the different checkpoints and plan for the delivery, Darcy brought up the subject of marriage in the car and how she felt about making it official.

"I do not wish to be your trophy wife." She told Darcy.

Darcy tried to convince her he didn't mind her having a career and he was there to support her in any way he can, and that she could keep on working until she wanted to stop.

"I would not mind being your trophy husband," he countered.

XXX

The second month they finally told their families, and Fanny screamed the house down.

James knew that his mother was pregnant and decided that he'd stay with them more. Though, he thought, if the baby was a screamer, he'll go back and live with his grandparents.

Jane and Charles were pleased that there would be two Bennet cousins close in age. Georgie was back in Bali and she expressed her delight during FaceTime that she would have a nephew or niece. The Darcys were a singular bunch so she looked forward to having more family around her.

XXX

The third month Darcy became rather wistful about legitimising their child and formalising their relationship.

"Is the prospect of marriage to me so disgusting to you?" He asked sadly.

"I wish you wouldn't say that. You don't disgust me, and no, you don't repel me either. I'm just not sure yet. You'll be the first and last man I'll ever marry." She pointed out.

"Then, why don't you?" He responded.

Lizzy was ambivalent because technically James was an illegitimate bastard. Both her children can share the same 'stain'.

Maybe, she thought, she should only birth illegitimate bastards and damn the judgement of society - a big fuck you to the great dysfunctional families of England.

While Lizzy dealt with her inner marriage conflicts, Darcy distracted himself by nesting and rearranging the home. He wanted to turn one of the rooms into a gym and a fencing piste but was now undecided as he thought about where the nursery for the baby was going to be.

XXX

The fourth month, she finally relented because he proposed to her properly and romantically this time.

Darcy took her kayaking to Clark Island for a lover's afternoon picnic. James was with his grandparents.

"We need to get away and have some fresh air," he suggested.

Lizzy agreed. Darcy had painted the designated nursery room in several shades of yellow and white from the Porter's Paints catalogue but he still didn't like the colour. Maybe he'll wallpaper it instead if he can't decide.

They landed on the island and he spread out the picnic blanket and some of her favourite cooked foods.

"You can't have soft cheese and sashimi anymore" he said.

She wistfully agreed. That was the downside to pregnancy. She couldn't eat her favourite foods nor could she drink.

After awhile, Darcy spoke up "Lizzy, since I've met you, you have changed my world for the good, for the better. Frankly, I don't know how much happiness and contentment I've been able to experience since you - and James - came into my life."

Lizzy smiled and interrupted his monologue, "I feel the same, you've brought me much joy and happiness. I feel content with you. And now that we're going to have a baby together, I hope you'll be around for the baby, and for us, and to see the baby grow and be there for the baby when it needs us."

Darcy nodded. She was fatalistic that he'd die like James' dad. That wasn't going to happen. He was always careful, especially with his chopper.

After awhile, he started again. He was not good at this but he would go ahead anyway. He took a deep breath,

"You know that I love you. Deeply. Immensely. It grows daily. It makes me stronger, gives me courage. I will be here for you, and James, and now for our baby together. Whatever happens. I cannot imagine my life without you. I've asked you this before but it came out wrong. So I'll ask you again."

As the sun started setting on the harbour, it provided a nice background for what he did next.

He bent down on one knee and asked "Will you accept me to be your lifelong husband? Will you be my wife and my forever partner in life? Will you be eternally mine?"

He looked so expectantly vulnerable. Because even after all this time together, he was still unsure about himself, and their love.

She cried.

And he wasn't too sure if she was crying because she was about to say no, or if she was hormonal with the pregnancy or if she was simply crying because of the romantic setting.

"Yes," she whispered through her tears.

Her Darcy loved her and wanted to make it official. She couldn't really think of any objections.

She kissed him and he was blissful. He finally would have Lizzy as his wife.

A few minutes later, there were fireworks on the harbour celebrating their engagement.

"Did you do that?" She asked.

He nodded and smiled. And she kissed him again. He was so romantic.

Darcy presented her engagement ring that belonged to his mother's - a green emerald in the shape of a heart surrounded by little diamonds. It matched the earrings that he had given her for her birthday.

They were both part of the Darcy parure - which he hadn't told her about, much less the diamond and emerald Darcy tiara she was to wear at the wedding.

There will be time for all that, he thought, as they watched the evening lights sparkle on the harbour and rang a water taxi to pick them up and their kayak.

He hoped she wouldn't get too mad when she sees the Darcy jewellery vault. If they had a daughter, he would furnish them to her.

XXX

The following week they had a simple wedding in the garden at Hunters Hill with James playing Mendelssohn's wedding march as his mother walked down the aisle and married Darcy.

She wore a simple A-line satin empire waist dress which allowed her not to be too conscious about her pregnancy while giving a boost to her bust line. Not that she needed anymore boosting but Darcy loved her boobs so at least he had something to look at during the ceremony.

She wore the Darcy parure though she thought it was OTT:

"It's part of my family's tradition!" He pointed out.

"Fine", she said. She wasn't used to this much bling. She felt like busting Jenny from the Block and tell Darcy don't be fooled by the rocks that I got.

She adored him though she thought his traditions were eccentric. Bloody poms! They were so eccentric!

In attendance were family members and close friends because those were the people that mattered to them the most and to them, that was what life was all about.

Charles' sister Caroline had checked herself into a Kangaroo Valley retreat when she found out that a) Lizzy was pregnant and b) they were getting married that weekend. She was not invited, neither were Louisa and Rupert. They wanted a destination wedding so who cared about another Sydney wedding?

Darcy brought back the Londoners for the wedding. Georgie came along with Wayne introducing him for the first time to everyone. In attendance were a select few members from the fencing club - Tony, Charlotte, Tomasz and Sandy. They formed an honour guard with their sabres as Lizzy and Darcy walked the aisle for the first time as a married couple. Darcy refused the foils and epees because they weren't as strong,

"They'd look shit in the photos. All floppy and bent." He pointed out.

She relented.

XXX

They honeymooned at the Whitsundays and a week afterwards, Lizzy told Bob she was pregnant but would be working until after her second trimester. She told him she'd take the maximum two years' maternity leave from her job so she could enjoy being with her baby without the stresses of her experience with James. It was quite a contrast.

She was content.