Chapter Ten; The Asshole
From the PDA of F. Darcy
Charles is flying out next week to see me. He is serious about Neatherfield and Iowa and wanted to start another practice in Omaha. He really is in love with Janie. The other reason why he's flying out here. I have to go ring shopping. He barely knows her! They've only been together THREE MONTHS, that's not anything to base a relationship on! But come hell or high water he's doing it. I tried to talk him out of it but he won't listen. Jane is a great girl and I don't doubt that he wouldn't be happy, but what of her, she might marry him just to keep from hurting his feelings. That could grow into love or it could grow into sadness. And if she's unhappy I don't think he could live. But he's resolute so the only thing I can do is pray that she loves him and that this will be happy. If he does move down there that would be sad, I would miss him, but if he moved down there and was happy it wouldn't be too bad.
Text Message
From: 555 - 9626
To: 555 – 3542
Message:
I'm in town, where are you?
Text Message
From: 555 – 3542
To: 555 – 9626
Message:
RICHARD! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?
Text Message
From: 555 - 9626
To: 555 – 3542
Message:
Are you surprised?
Text Message
From: 555 – 3542
To: 555 – 9626
Message:
Yes. Where are you?
Text Message
From: 555 - 9626
To: 555 – 3542
Message:
Williamsburg Bridge, flew into JFK, driving with a friend. Where are you?
Text Message
From: 555 – 3542
To: 555 – 9626
Message:
The corner of Lafayette and Howard Street; the Lady Austin Auditorium. It's in Soho sort of.
Text Message
From: 555 - 9626
To: 555 – 3542
Message:
What are you doing there?
Text Message
From: 555 – 3542
To: 555 – 9626
Message:
Work. There's a ballet company that I take care of. Why don't you come and we get some food?
Text Message
From: 555 - 9626
To: 555 – 3542
Message:
Sounds great, see you in a few.
Richard Fitzwilliam, a coronal in the army arrived at the theater around one. Just as Darcy stepped out to call him. The men embraced lovingly. Richard was a year younger than Darcy but had always been the best of companions. They allied with each other all their lives. The friends relished each other and Darcy ruffled his cousin's hair, it had grown a little, so that in comparison to his standard military cut it was 'shaggy'.
"You need a hair cut hippie boy." He said jokingly. Richard hit him, but laughed as he did so.
"Now what about food? You promised me food." He said. Darcy led the way, about four blocks to the best restaurant he'd eaten in. The dancer's frequented it, Elinor and Eddie had shown it to him about two weeks ago, on his second day. They chatted as they walked, talking about Richard's assignments and his leave. He was recovering from a broken leg, which was why he was in the city. They talked about their aunt, and Richard's mother. And as they entered The Squeeze In Richard finally brought up Darcy's new job.
"Well this place is a favorite of the dancers, its close and cheep. But the sandwiches are to kill for." Darcy said.
"I didn't know dancers ate. Or at least at places that served meat. I thought that they were all anorexic vegetarians." Richard had obviously spent too much time with negative stereotypes, at one time Darcy would've agreed, but after meeting them and knowing Elizabeth he knew better.
"You don't know any dancers. They eat a lot, and are usually too poor to be a vegetarian. At least that's what Elinor tells me." It was true, vegetarian meals cost an arm and a leg.
"Who's this Elinor, is she the one that you met in Hicksville?" Richard asked. They had emailed each other off and on during the summer. Darcy had used him to vent over Charles, the town, and Elizabeth.
"That's Elizabeth. Elinor is a costumer engaged to one of the producers, they're both very nice."
"Oh now I remember, this is the girl that you could only describe using music." Richard said jabbing his cousin. Darcy had no idea how anyone could not remember Elizabeth as her own person. Perhaps it was because Richard wasn't in love with her.
"How is she anyway, I haven't gotten any information on her in a while just her sister."
"Elizabeth is fine; she works with the company actually. She and Luciana Keene are one in the same." Darcy said, "But if you see her you don't know that, she's just Luciana." Darcy said. The men had a bit more of a conversation talking about Elizabeth, up dating Richard on Bingley, and asking about Wickham. As expected the topic was painful to bring up with the man who was at his side through the whole ordeal, but he was thankful that Richard had been. The men agreed that the good coronal should make some calls some time soon. They had just moved onto another topic when in came Elinor, Cathy, Elizabeth and the two young singers walked in. Elinor and Cathy waved at him and he had them come over.
"Hey Darcy." Elinor said smiling.
"Hey, Elinor. Richard, this is Elinor Dashwood, Cathy Tilney, the Luciana Keene, and uh…" He didn't know the younger girls, but the brunette soon took care of that.
"Maggie Dashwood and Elea Tilney." She said smiling and waving.
"I'm Richard Fitzwilliam, this thing's cousin." Richard said patting Darcy on the back. Elinor and Cathy excused themselves to order after a short conversation.
"So, you two can't be out of school yet, why aren't you there now?" Richard asked, Maggie was looking around the diner, so Elea answered with a shrug,
"Bomb threat." Before Richard could do anything other than be surprised Maggie had drug Elea off to a group of young men who were waving at them. Elizabeth smiled,
"Elea has a crush on the dark haired one by the window. Maggie likes to play matchmaker when she can." Richard had recognized Darcy's emphasis on Elizabeth's name, stage as it was and took his cues from the teenager.
"Won't you all join us? I've never had the pleasure of meeting some one infamous." He said, Darcy was worried, but Elizabeth laughed and did sit.
"So you have talked to this man about me doctor." She said. It was the perfect time for a conversation, something they had never really had before but Darcy and Richard's meal number was called and he had to leave to go get it. As he walked up to the counter he heard Elizabeth's throaty laughter and he turned his head slightly and saw her and Richard having a great laugh. Damn his funny easy going cousin! Why couldn't he be like that, it was incredibly rare that he could induce that kind of mirth in Elizabeth, and he has known her for three months. Richard knew her for five minutes and they were best friends. The guy in front of him was way too New York, bitching at the guy behind the counter for ages. And Darcy couldn't get his food. But after some time he was able to retrieve the brown bag and give the guy an apologetic smile. When he returned to his table only Cathy remained. No Elizabeth, no teens, no Elinor.
"Where'd everybody go?" he asked, "are we the 'Left behind'?"
"Elizabeth apparently got another call or something, said she was sick and left. The girls and Elinor went with her; she didn't look to good at all."
"I hope she remembers that if she's too bad to come to me, I have more drugs than Pablo Escobar." They all laughed, but soon Cathy's number was called and she went to pick it up, before she left she told Will that she would personally waddle to Elizabeth and tell her about the offer. Once she was gone Richard turned to William.
"I think I made your Lizzy sick." He said shyly.
"What?" Darcy asked, his cousin wasn't that terrible, and he never thought that of himself.
"Well I was making conversation and Charles sort of got brought up, and I said you were helping him think through some decisions and that he would be here for a while. Then she got all funny and left as soon as she could." Darcy was shocked, shit! He thought.
"Richard, did you not know that Charles was with Jane?" Richard said that he did know, "Did you not know that Elizabeth is Jane's sister?" Again Richard had known. "Then what were you thinking!"
"He's planning on marrying her, so I figured I'd hint at it." Richard said trying to justify it.
"You my asshole of a cousin, suck at diplomacy." Darcy pronounced. "Now if you'd excuse me I have to find Elizabeth. So why don't you go home and maybe call G. But try not to interfere with anyone's personal life would ya?"
Prior to that…
Elizabeth had been up in one of the smaller practice rooms with Madeline and some younger girls. They were working on the snowflake dance for that year's Nutcracker performance. They were drafting ideas when Elizabeth's bag rang out the polytrophic ring tone of 'I'm Not Wearing Underwear Today'. Apologetically Elizabeth rushed to her bag and slid open her phone.
"You rang?" she said, it was Jane's number, but it wasn't Jane's voice. What was on the other end was hysterical and squeaking.
"JANE?" Elizabeth said alarmed. There was a little sound that could be taken as a yes. Maddy made no objection as Elizabeth quickly left the room. She tried to find a private place to converse with her sister, the only place she found was the flies. Clomping up the endless spiral staircase in her point shoes Elizabeth asked,
"What's wrong honey?" After a few minutes of sobs Jane was able to speak.
"He left Lizzy! He's gone to New York and doesn't know when he'll be back. He called me from the airport. He got out of our goddamn bed and didn't say good-bye until I couldn't reach him! Lizzy, he is going to leave me if he hasn't already!" Jane then dissolved into sobs again. FITWILLIAM DARCY MUST DIE! Elizabeth thought, Charles wouldn't leave his lady love without a push, and Darcy was just that kind of guy. But Elizabeth caged her rage for her sister, she deserved better, this was her moment of sorrow and she needed every second of it. Have vented for almost a half hour, and Elizabeth tried to talk her down. At times she felt like an operator for the suicide hotline, but other times she was more of a negotiator talking to a murders villain trying to save a hostage.
"Jane I love you, remember what I told you. Kisses. Bye." Elizabeth said ringing off. She came down and was met by a starving Maggie and Eleanor.
Now Returning to our Regularly Scheduled programming…
Elizabeth was furious. She was shaking with anger, that was how pissed off she was. No body dared talk to her as she burst into the theater. She walked around trying to think straight. This was too much turmoil for even dancing to cure, that was something rare indeed. She really wanted to scream and punch something or some one. Thankfully she didn't have to wait long. Satan himself soon arrived. How could I ever think a good thought about him? And it's not like this behavior is new – look at George. Elizabeth thought.
"Could we have a word Elizabeth?" he asked pointing her towards his office.
"Fuck you, you fucking fucker." She spat at him, he winced. Good, I wish I could hurt you more. But you're too big. Elizabeth smiled maliciously.
"Could we talk about this, about what Richard said?" Darcy ran a hand through his hair.
"Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford No better term than this: thou art a villain! Nay, villain is too weak a word for you, there is none that can describe you. Do you deny? Deny ripping Charles away from my sister who is now broken beyond repair at his loss and it's only been a few hours. Do you deny? Do you deny? Do you deny?" She was getting in his face with her finger, hell fire flaming from her eyes. She was too short to look him in the face so she was bouncing and with one hand the made her stand still. She shook it off and continued on. "I should've known you were a shit before, after I heard about and George, even if he is questionable he is still better than you." She spat, her five foot three inch frame was now much bigger, her presence had swelled to fill the room. Darcy remained calm and began to speak, he needed to explain.
"These charges you've laid at my feet are grave indeed. Are you finished?"
"Yes." She said indignantly.
"May I begin my defense?" He asked.
"Fine." He told her to sit, which she did, her legs crossed matching her arms. He didn't and for a moment he didn't look or speak to her. But after a deep breath he began.
"I don't know where exactly to begin. I suppose I'll got alphabetically and start with Charles. Yes, Charles is right now on a plane here, but –" She started to speak, "Let me finish. It's not because he's leaving your sister, it's quite the opposite, he's going to transfer his practice to Omaha. He's going to move in with your sister permanently. Tomorrow he's making me go ring shopping with him. Charles wants to marry her. Yes I worry about his choice, but not because I don't like Jane. I do like her, but they've only know each other for three months. Charles loves her, but I don't want him marrying your sister when she doesn't love him the same way. That would make her unhappy, because she is too nice and would accept Charles to save his feelings. And then her unhappiness would kill him. And I don't want to see that happen." Darcy said. He had been pacing but stopped to look at her. Elizabeth was still shocked; Charles is going to marry Jane? Elizabeth thought Darcy began again.
"He paid me no head to objections even ones to your mother, and if he can over look her obvious want of marriage so can I. So Richard was shitty at hinting, and I am sorry for any strife, but I promise that there will be a happy ending. He stopped pacing and looked at her. "Now about George Wickham." His mouth pained at using the name but it had to be done.
"I'm not sure what exactly he told you, so I will start from the beginning. Steward Wickham and Mackenzie Darcy were our fathers respectively; they were also best friends and business partners. George was born a month before I and we were raised as brothers. We shared everything for a long time. But we got older and grew apart. In high school I was admittedly a prep and a nerd, but George was a jock. The William Zabka type jock. He also was very rebellious. Around this time Steward began to lose his battle with cancer. My father never checked him because he thought that this was over his father's sickness. After Steward's death my father took on caring for George and Cherlyn. Cherlyn was distraught over her husband's death and was poor discipline. My father was supposed to be the boss but never took the role. We were intended for Harvard, it was a family thing and George was family, my father was ecstatic over it. He had been sick but never did anything about it, ironic since he was the head of a pharmaceutical company. He died a week before we got our letters." Darcy paused a bit sore from sorrow; Elizabeth reached for his hand and did her best to hold it in a reassuring manor. Darcy was surprised but had to finish, there was something that compelled him on.
"I was eagerly accepted into the school, I jumped into study with all I had. I had done that when a man that was my second father died, and I did that when my actual father did. George didn't make the grade, he had barely passed high school, his only saving grace had been his math skills keeping his math and science grades up. I went off to school and George took his college fund and left. I have no idea what he did but in three years it was gone. He came back a few times for money, sometimes I would give in and other times I wouldn't." Darcy still had her hand and gripped it for dear life.
"Now I have a sister, Georgianna, as you know. My G is ten years younger than I am. We both lost our mother young, but I was 15 and she was 5. I love G, everyone did. But I had school and father died. Richard and I are her legal guardians, but we let Cherlyn take care of her. But what we didn't know is that while we were gone Cherlyn would have George come around. George wooed my sister for reasons unknown, perhaps a pay back for me, or the fact that she's just as rich as I am, with equal share in the company and family money. She was young and thought that they were meant to be. At sixteen this got her into trouble. She got pregnant, it was George's. He had told her he was infertile." Elizabeth gasped and clutched what she could of him.
"Georgiana was terrified and didn't know what to do. The thought of getting an abortion scared her more than anything else I've ever know. We took that idea off the table. She was going to keep the baby. We hired a private teacher so she didn't have to go to school pregnant and she was resolute. But then shit happened. She miscarried." Elizabeth felt tears assault her, Darcy noticed and took her into his arms. How strange that HE is comforting ME! It's his life. But she didn't dare leave his embrace.
"She's doing great now. Even gone back to being a little boy crazy. And she's been going out since she got into college. She's fine." He said rubbing her back Elizabeth sniffled and left his arms reluctantly.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. God I'm a bitch." She said. No you're beautiful and I love you. He thought, still reeling from getting to comfort her.
"But in the best way." He said. "Charles is going ring shopping tomorrow, do you want to come along? You know Jane best." Darcy offered.
"Why would you want be with me?" She asked, he almost laughed at loud, but now was not the time.
"I will always value your company." He said her face brightened at these words. Elizabeth felt like a million watt bulb. There was warmth spreading through her, and she wondered about it.
"Charles, Richard and I were going to meet Georgian at Tavern on the Green for lunch and then we were going to go shopping." He said, "Please come." She dabbed her eyes. "I'd love for you to meet my sister." Elizabeth smiled shyly.
"I don't deserve any of this. But I'd be honored to meet your sister." Darcy smiled feeling a million times better. The air was now clear and perhaps they could start over.
Elizabeth laid awake tossing and turning so much that she almost fell off her bed. And when she did fall asleep her dream didn't help any of her confusing.
Darcy stood dressed in dark clothes as handsome as ever. She looked down her self; she was dressed in a white dress, he had her tight in his arms.
"And now Elizabeth, I have you in my clutches, to have my wicked way with you, the way I want to." Darcy said, she was pounding on his chest, and screaming,
"No, no, go away, I hate you!" But then she looked at her face and warmth spread through her again. "And yet... I find you strangely attractive."
"Of course you do! Beautiful women are often attracted to money and power, and I have both, and you know it!" Darcy said tightening his grip on her and bringing his lips close to hers, his black coat swirled around them.
"No, no, leave me alone!" Elizabeth cried, but brought his face to hers in a searing kiss, when they broke for breath she said softly, wispy, "No, kiss me!" He did, yet she trough him away. "No! Stop!" This time he couldn't, his lust couldn't be contained. He brought her to him in every way he could. His lips crashing down on hers and hips crashing as well.
"Yes, yes! Oh, oh, oh!" Elizabeth moaned. He thrust his hips against hers so she could feel his frustration. "Ohhhh, your "helmet" is so big!"
Elizabeth woke with only one thought running through her head. "Oh shit." She said into the dark apartment. Well maybe two thoughts. "Space Balls? Darcy and Space Balls?"
AN: An ubber big thank you to all who have read this and something even bigger to all reviewers, you guy make my days! Celebrating chapter ten and 84 pages of text! Yay!
Wonderful, perfect, prettyful reviewers!
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