Oxford

September 2011

"Happy for all her maternal feelings was the day on which Mrs. Bennet got rid of her most deserving daughter. With what delighted pride she later visited Mrs. Darcy, and talked of her role in naming Mr. Darcy so the name magic could bring them together, may be guessed. I wish I could say, for the benefit of her family, that the accomplishment of her most long held desire in establishing the union of these two children produced so happy an effect as to make her a sensible, amiable, well-informed woman for the rest of her life; though perhaps it was lucky for her husband, who might not have relished domestic felicity in so unusual a form, that she still was occasionally nervous and invariably silly."

"That's not what it says Daddy! Read it properly!"

"I thought you wanted to hear mine and Mummy's story, Anna?"

"I want to hear the proper ending! The story that made Grandma Bennet and Grandma Darcy give you magic names so you could find each other when you were grown ups! Plus, Grandma Bennet isn't in, in, invar-able silly! She's very clever actually. Mummy said."

"Of course, she's clever." Darcy replied. "She's a Bennet lady, and they're the cleverest ladies around."

"Are the Darcy ladies clever as well?"

"Yes sweetheart. The Darcy ladies are the cleverest ladies around too. And my little Annie-bean is doubly clever, because she is a Bennet and a Darcy!"

Alice giggled. "Thank you Daddy. I am very clever!" she exclaimed, with the wonderful mix of Lizzy's enthusiasm and his own earnestness that tugged at his heart. "I got all my spellings right at school today. I told Grandpa and he said that was only because he had rigged the system. But he didn't! I learned them all myself."

"Of course you did my darling. If anyone is invariably silly it's Grandad Thom! Now time for bed Annie-bean, lights out."

"Ok Daddy. I love you!"

"I love you too Anna"

Darcy joined Lizzy at the door to Anna's room. "It's funny that I'm the librarian, but you're the one she always asks to read the bedtime story."

"A research librarian isn't exactly the same as a storyteller. Plus, I'm the one trained in bedside manner."

He was using his extra special patronising voice again, but now it was his joke voice and he knew she had a bit of a thing for it, not that she would admit to any such weakness.

"Of course, almost-Dr Darcy, how silly of me..." she smirked.

"Remember when I thought wedding vows meant you would obey me?"

Her smirk grew larger. He wanted to kiss it right off her face.

"Why does your modified version ignore Wickham?"

"Apart from her being a bit small for that kind of story?"

Lizzy waited.

"Ok, it's the magic."

"The name magic, you mean?"

"Yes. I don't want to activate it. Thank God we haven't had a Wickham so far, but I don't want to do anything to encourage the universe to think any differently. Especially while Georgie's still 15. The idea alone terrifies me!"

"Oh Will, you old romantic."

"It's not romance, it's pragmatism. I'm covering my bases. If there is any chance the name magic is real, and I think there is a very high one, I'm not provoking it."

"Well, I'll admit I'm glad that Lydia is a dog instead of sister in real life," she laughed.

Will shuddered. "Imagine two 15 year olds to look out for at the same time! No thanks! I'm glad Georgie can look out for Anna at school a bit. It's hard to believe our baby is older than G was when we first met."

"She's the same age as Thomas was."

"Still crazy! How do we have a 6 year old? We're still babies ourselves."

"The heady effect of celebrating a graduation and an engagement on the same night. And champagne. Mostly the champagne. And the lack of a..."

"Lizzy," he half scolded. He reminded her a little of Jane when he used that tone.

"Sorry, was I being too realistic again? Do you prefer to chalk it up to the book magic? You spoke about our future children, I recall."

"It's turned out ok, though, hasn't it? You don't regret it?" Vulnerable Darcy was back. She couldn't tease vulnerable Darcy; he was just too bloody adorable.

"Darling, everything turned out wonderfully. How could I ever regret our beautiful life and our lovely girl? Besides, you're the one who has made the most sacrifices, almost-doctor."

"I loved staying home with Anna. It was brilliant. We had such wonderful times together. I didn't want to miss out on family life anymore. I'm so grateful to you for giving me that chance. And it allowed me the head space to think about what I really wanted, to truly decide if medicine was my idea or my dad's. No regrets at all. You had to be pregnant your final year. And work when she was a baby. And support me going back to study."

"No," Lizzy was adamant. They had spoken about this many times before, and she knew Will carried guilt that was very undeserved. "Maybe I'd feel differently if I was older, but I didn't want to stay at home. I love Anna, but I never wanted to live my Mum's life. And I hardly support you now; we live in your parents house, and the trust pays for so much. It's them looking out for us really. I'll concede that morning sickness while writing my dissertation and being the size of a whale during my finals weren't my favourite moments. But I remember participating quite enthusiastically in the cause of that scenario."

Her quirked eyebrow was very provocative. He had to kiss her.

"Would you like to participate in something equally enthusiastic right now, Mrs Darcy?"

"I could be persuaded, Mr Darcy."

"Oh my dearest, loveliest Elizabeth... let me please you... you are a woman so very worthy of being pleased."

-x-

And they all lived happily ever after. Pretty much.

Fin.