April Showers

A/N: This is sort of an oneshot AU scene from Pride and Prejudice taking place a few days before Darcy proposes the first time to Elizabeth, while she is staying with the newly married Collinses. I don't own any of this as well just the plot idea, just so we're clear on the matter.

For the duration of the holiday so far the weather had been quite lovely in Kent, sunshiny and bright a quite cheery air about the place although in most respects the company was sometimes lacking, but the spacious grounds of Lady Catherine de Bourgh seemed to make up for that aspect. To bad today had to be so different from the rest.

It was most unexpected when the rain began to poor down massively from the clouds, as if the Lord himself were weeping, for the good of something or the worse none could tell, but if Mary had been present it could be assumed she would vow the later.

Charlotte and her sister were out somewhere, they had told Mr. Collins that his accompaniment was unnecessary, and since he could not work in his garden in the rain, was forced to stay inside. This made a most uncomfortable situation to Ms. Elizabeth Bennet who could not join her friends for she suffered a very nasty headache.

Mr. Collins, as he always seemed to do, made conversations of the most unflattering nature not even knowing the course of which they took, honestly the man could talk to a board of wood for hours non stop just about the fire places at Rosings park. But soon enough, Elizabeth was able to remove from her tired presence a very flustered Mr. Collins, she had nearly screamed at the man, but it hadn't been in ill taste, he just kept rambling on about God knows what, and quite frankly her mind and her ailing head couldn't take it anymore. She had tried her best to courteously dismiss herself, coping she felt very ill, which she did, and that she would like some privacy, in the sanctity of her own quarters. She hadn't waited for Mr. Collins to reply and much darted out of the room.

Elizabeth decided that something along the lines of a nap would be in order, after all, she did not expect someone to call upon her in this weather, and if they did well ,she was rather ill tempered at the moment they would just have to excuse her for that.

Mr. Darcy was not a man who tolerated a rainy day rather well, unrenowned to most people he rather enjoyed sunny days when he could ride as he pleased through his aunt's grounds and get away from her overly babbling conversations. Today that would not be the case however, but he wished to do something with his time, he was rather loathe to admit such, but he was bored. No grown man in his position and youth should ever use the term, but that was what it was. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy was bored.

Honestly not wanting to endure a trifle of his aunt's uninteresting conversations, and be around his sickly cousin, the girl rarely spoke as it was, surely a day such as this would make her even more so timid, he decided most impromptu to call upon the Collins family and their guests, one particularly Ms. Bennet, but he wouldn't allow that thought to be held in his mind, after all, he had not paid them a visit in over two days, not that he cared about making appearances, but it was the polite thing to do.

The ride from Rosings was a rather wet one, but Mr. Darcy made it all the same. Nobody was present to take care of his horse, but he really didn't mind, he couldn't blame the people for being inside or leaving, after all who would come to call on a day such as this. Ah yes, him.

As he knocked on the door to make his presence known it was silenced by a rather loud echoing of thunder at the same moment. He jumped a bit, but luckily no one was around to see, a man like him jumping at mere thunder, the idea was preposterous. Giving up any types of formalities, which was so very unlike himself that even he could find no wrong in it at the moment, promptly opened the door and saw himself in. He was sopping wet, he needed to get out of that weather as soon as possible.

What greeted him on the other side of the threshold was a very contrite Mr. Collins, who appeared to be shaking and muttering a prayer under his breathe, eyes squeezed shut, he had somehow been unable to hear the door open and close. Feeling rather uncivil today for the oddest of reasons and ones he would rather not discuss with his mind at the moment, he snuck around the quivering clergy man, and went in search of Ms. Bennet's quarters, no one appeared to be in the house so he hopefully would not be caught. The thrill of sneaking was rather exhilarating and he found he rather liked it but he wasn't about to say that.

Mr. Darcy quickly found his way to the room he was in search of without further incident, and just as he put his hand onto the door knob, it had been as if he had had an epiphany. What in Christ's name was he doing sneaking around some one's home, which he hadn't been invited into, on a rainy day, and was about to enter the room of a women whom he was quite sure, but not entirely so, hated him. It did seem rather unlike his character did it not? If the situation had been otherwise and he hadn't been the main one involved in it he would have laughed and rightly so. This was utterly ridiculous!

But he had come this far, and Mr. Darcy, never a man to leave anything unfinished, slowly opened the door to Ms. Bennet's room. When he was met by no objections, which surprised him greatly, he continued on, wanting to make sure, but assuming as much, that she wasout, just as everyone else seemed to be. What he saw nearly made his jaw drop.

There, lying on the bed, was Elizabeth Bennet napping in her dress and everything else she was to wear for that day, her fine eyes he was unable to see due to the fact that they were closed. He nearly slammed the door in haste, but not wanting to wake her or seem an even bigger fool, did not. How entirely improper this was, the woman was asleep, and here he was staring at her like a buffoon, o what would she think of him now?

Elizabeth could feel someone watching her as she slept, well at least tried to sleep now, as when one is sleeping you normally don't feel eyes upon you. It was a rather unsettling feeling to have, but she was rather afraid to open her eyes, she wasn't quite sure why but it didn't seem the best thing to do at the moment, even though her mind was screaming otherwise.

Then a noise sounded just in front of her and she couldn't help but open her eyes in curiosity. What beheld her vision was a sight indeed, but had never been in her wildest dreams one she had ever expected to see.

There in her doorway stood none other then Mr. Darcy himself, sopping wet, a total and ungentlemanly mess, leaving little puddles of water were he stood. She was rather to stunned to react but only sat up rather slowly, as if the whole event really were a dream, and she was afraid to break it.

Darcy blanched when he saw her lovely eyes open to gaze upon his figure, what ever must she think of me now! He wasn't quite sure what to do and both parties stared at each other in surprise.

He was quite reminded at the moment of the time when he had encountered the same woman on her way to visit her ailing sister at Netherfield, but then she had been the one most uncommon place, walking the whole way, and she hadn't been drenched in water, just her dress muddy, and hair disastrously out of place, which had been pointed out most ungraciously by Ms. Bingley. But unlike now, she had behaved with up most dignity, while he was well, very unrefined at the moment. And their first encounter was in good reason, now he had just barged in on her most unexpectedly, and at an awkward moment no less. He found himself rather surprised she hadn't cried out when she realized his presence, but then again he found himself secretly thanking her for that, it would have been most embarrassing to be found by another in this position, not that the situation already wasn't embarrassing.

Darcy wasn't even sure why he thought of all this at such a time, Ms. Bennet just sat there staring at him rather bewildered . Well, don't just stand there you git do something! Anything!

He stepped slowly into the room, very very unsure as to what the protocol was to a situation such as the one he found himself in, most likely non existent, so he had to make it up as he went along he supposed, how grand that shall be.

Mr. Darcy cleared his throat as if to speak, and Elizabeth sat up a little straighter, all her contempt and hatred for this pride filled man nearly forgotten in his sudden unplanned appearance, which left her, for once in her life, rather speechless.

"Good day, Ms. Bennet," He bowed his head slightly and she did the same, still looking at him so strangely.

"Good day , Mr. Darcy."

"How fair you on this," he paused searching for the right words, "downcast day?" If this really hadn't been happening Elizabeth would have laughed outright, but as it was she refrained, and answered his question as if him coming into her room while she was sleeping, soaking wet, was an every day occurrence.

"Rather well now, I thank you, but quite earlier I suffered a terrible headache. My small rest ended that though." At her words he seemed to blush, and she realized he was still standing rather near the doorway as if ready to bolt any second.

"I' am rather sorry about waking you…."

"O please do not trouble yourself over such matters, I was going to awaken anyways, you just helped me to do it." A lightening bolt streaked across the sky for a moment illuminating the room in it's light, and for the oddest reason Darcy thought she had never looked more beautiful, her appearance not immaculate, but of someone who was relaxed. Under the circumstances he had briefly forgotten about her family and their lack of wealth.

"Mr. Darcy you may have a seat, you do trouble me standing like that as if you are scared of me." He nearly blushed again but merely walked all the way inside, but did not take the offered seat, he was wet after all. Elizabeth had somehow overlooked this factor.

"I' am glad to hear you are in better spirits."

"Yes, I thank you." There was silence for a moment only broken by the dripping sound of water falling off the man in the room when Elizabeth's curiosity got the better of her. "Mr. Darcy, I don't mean to be rude, but why on Earth have you come to call on a day such as this, and better yet, why have you done so, and then come barging into my room, whilst I was resting, although you did not know that." Elizabeth greatly had to resist the urge to raise an eyebrow at the man, who had once stood tall but now looked rather defeated and at a lose for suitable words. All his pride seemed to have flown out the window, and she couldn't help but think how more becoming he was when he was without his stubborn arrogance.

"Well, you see Ms. Bennet… it's quite… well." He was utterly flabbergasted and quite honestly it was the most uncomfortable he had been in his whole life, and now he was shivering from the cold. Ms. Bennet continued to stare at him patiently with a questioning gaze, she must think I' m the stupidest man alive for certain. "You see Ms. Bennet, it appeared to me that I had not come to call upon the Collinses and yourself, in a couple of days and felt it my duty to do so." Now that was just pathetic.

"And you decided to do this, Mr. Darcy, on a rainy day?"

"Yes."

"You walked here in the pouring rain?"

"No." Elizabeth was quite puzzled, how on earth did he get here then. She couldn't quite help herself to were her thoughts wandered but he looked much more attractive wet, obviously that was not a good sign.

"I' m sorry, Mr. Darcy, I don't quite understand..."

"I rode here, on horse back, Ms. Bennet." Her response was an "o" shape of her mouth, and she self consciously began pulling at her hair and dress realizing she probably wasn't in the best of appearances.

"But why did you choose to do all this on a rainy day?" The question should have been one he would have expected, but surprisingly he didn't, what was wrong with him today?

"Ms. Bennet, I already told you I came to call…"

"Yes, yes, you told to me that, but why have you on today, you could have just as well come tomorrow or the next day. Could have saved yourself the trouble of getting all wet." So she had caught him, well wasn't like it was going to be hard.

"Well.." Again he was truly afraid to speak his mind, what would she think if he told her he had been bored? Why did he care so much for her opinion all of the sudden? " I was rather in the midst of doing nothing so I decided to came and call, is there a problem in that Ms. Bennet?" She ignored the last question and answered with another of her own.

"So, Mr. Darcy, you rode, horse back, here, on a rainy day because you were bored?" She had hit the nail right on, and he couldn't find his voice to answer, it seemed like an accusation. Elizabeth just continued on.

"Well, Mr. Darcy, I daresay if you continue with these treks of boredom in the rain, you shall catch cold, or fever, maybe even die, did you think of that?" Well obviously not! What exactly had he thought about, o yes he remembered now, the thing sitting in front of him, but he wouldn't admit that to himself.

"Ms. Bennet, I' am sorry I disturbed you , I hope you are as well rested as you need, and that I shall see you in good health again. Please try to forget this little encounter if possible. Good day, and yesIdidcomeherebecauseIwasbored."

Before Elizabeth had time to even ascertain his last sentence he had quickly rushed out the door and slammed it shut, leaving her, if possible, even more confused then before. So he had been bored, fancy that? This experience just proved even more how enigmatic a character Mr. Darcy was, not that it left her hating him any less, she just held him now at a stranger level then she had had before.

Growing quite tired again rather quickly from completely new exhausting events, Ms. Elizabeth Bennet had decided to again take another nap, perhaps it would shed light on the situation and it would do good to rest her rather confused mind. But before she did so she couldn't help the few giggles that escaped her person at the events just passed, it was rather hard to keep from guffawing in a rather unladylike manner, after all he still must be outside the door. That Mr. Darcy was quite a puzzle, a puzzle indeed.

As Darcy leaned against the door, a pair of very fine eyes still pictured in his head, he thought himself the biggest fool in the world, just running out and shutting the door like that! Well, he had come just as abruptly ,so maybe leaving so could be accepted as well, after all there was no protocol for this sort of thing, and if there was he didn't know it.

He pulled himself up, and tried to dust off his clothing quite forgetting his clothes were still wet, and began walking back to the houses entrance, hoping that maybe Ms. Bennet would think this all a rather strange dream, and that he wasn't as mad as a hatter. When he reached the door a hiding Mr. Collins jumped out at him with an umbrella, and was screaming at the top of his lungs, then realizing who he was about to attack quickly recomposed his manner in a way Mr. Darcy wished he could master.

"Mr. Darcy! What ever are you doing here, at this time of day, with no prior telling, and in the rain as well?" Fitzwilliam just opened the door before him, the down pour a little less ominous, took the umbrella out of the shorter man's grasp and replied, quite unlike his character which did not seem quite uncommon on this day.

"Just going for a walk in the rain Mr. Collins, just a walk in the rain."

A/N: Now I know this was completely random, but it was just an idea that popped into my head and I decided to go with it. I've just finished watching the first three hours of the BBC presentation of Pride and Prejudice, and felt a surge to write something so this came out. I hope it was ok, I found the idea rather funny, although Darcy I think was way out of character, and Elizabeth quite a bit as well, but it was fun to write, I hope you feel the same. Please R&R, anything is welcome, if it sucked tell me, because I honestly want to know.