Please note that the characters are not of my own making but rather by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The premise of the story is still somewhat in the essence of her wonderful work but with a modern twist. The characters are OC but expect ODCs to appear as in the book. This is my first FF and English is not my first language. Constructive criticism with gentleness and respect is greatly appreciated.

AN: Thank you for taking the time to read and review my work. It has been a great encouragement to me, and I will strive to make this as interesting as possible. I have other work that I started. It's an internal battle on which to work on as ideas compete for my attention. Anybody else have this problem?

Third sighting

Elizabeth got up really early for the surgery she's going to perform in two hours. She readied herself. She couldn't wait for everything to finish so she could go home instead of going back to Jane's place. She didn't want to inconvenience her more than she already has, but her location was perfect proximity to Mercy Memorial Hospital. She could easily check on her patients, saving her an hour commute. It's going to be a long day and night. She's been preparing for this procedure for over a month with frequent visits to the coroners to access real brains. She's still uncertain of its success as it has never been done before, but her courage always rises as necessary.

Darcy on the other hand has developed an obsession with the mysterious Miss. B. Since the awkward meeting at Firenze. He is swallowed up in his embarrassing remarks that were unfortunately heard by the goddess herself! How can someone recover from that? To top it off, he has no way of knowing how to make amends for such behavior. It could take another couple month for the opportunity to arise. In the meantime, he will keep his eyes peeled and ears open for any possibility of encountering her again. He is bothered by his infatuation despite the fact that she is married, gorgeous, and successful. She's been the subject of his musing day, night and dreams! God have mercy!

Jane got off early from work and decided to invite Charley and Darcy for dinner. Shortly after getting home, the men showed up. Jane was rummaging through the refrigerator when she heard the buzzer. She shouted, "It's open!". The guys came in while she's in the kitchen. The flat was simply decorated and gave off a peaceful atmosphere. Jane came out of the kitchen announcing that she'll have to walk to the local grocery store to pick up ingredients. Charley asked to come along, and she consented. Mr. Darcy begged off and asked if it would be ok for him to take a nap in one of the chairs in the corner of the living room. She agreed.

Surgery was a success; for now. It's hard to gauge the long-term success of brain surgery, especially a new procedure, one that she pioneered. She looked at her watch. She is tired. She decided to go back to Jane's flat. It's just as well since she doesn't know how the patient will fare during the night. She got a text from Jane that she'll be at the grocery store and will make dinner tonight. She texted "thumb up".

Mr. Darcy came out of the bathroom, but the occupants had already left. He walked around the living room and looked at the pictures. He can't deny that the siblings are quite beautiful, particularly B. He chuckled at B's picture showing her hanging upside down on the ballet bar. She looked to be around 3 years old. A graduation picture caught his eye. She's the youngest of the group of what appeared to be a doctoral graduation. She couldn't be more than 20 years old! Another is a wedding picture action shot of a man and B twirling around in complete bliss taken at the beach. He could almost see the green ocean through her green eyes. The sparkle in her eyes, and her carefree laugh looks are quite alluring. She and her husband looked so happy. The love radiates between them as he lifts and twirls her around. He thought back from the night they were introduced. He didn't see that same sparkle. Behind her beautiful face exudes a hint of sadness. Finally, he decides on a corner what looks to be a reading nook. He spots a leather wingback chair and sits down to relax and rest his eyes.

Mr. Darcy awakened to the sound of a door unlocking. He feigned sleep in the corner. In walked the mysterious Ms. B! She looked so tired and was still wearing her scrubs. Oblivious to her surroundings, she placed her messenger bag on the end table. She reclined on the couch and turned on a video recording on her phone.

Video:"

Elizabeth: "Is it on Charlotte?"

Charlotte: "Yes, it is. I'm recording you right now."

Elizabeth: "Today we are going to find out the sex of our baby. Are you ready Michael?

Michael: "I've been ready. Please end my agony so we can get on with baby shopping."

Technician: "Ok. Just relax and hopefully the baby cooperates today. It's going to be a little bit cold. Oh, there you are baby. Give us a peek cutie please.

Elizabeth: "So cute. I think this little one will look beautiful in a dress."

Technician: "Nope, I don't think HE will look good in a dress. See he's even frowning."

Michael: "Oh sweetheart a son. Our son!

Technician: "He's measuring at 20 weeks. He's going to be a big fellow."

Charlotte: "Congratulations guys! I can't wait to be Aunt Charlotte!"

She turned off the video and accessed sound recordings. She listened to her baby's heartbeat for about 30 seconds then switched to her saved voicemail and put on speaker mode. While listening, she fingered the wedding band that is attached to her necklace. She closed her eyes and kissed the ring. Then she fished out of her scrub an even longer chain with a locket. She opened it revealing a 3D ultrasound picture. She kissed it and closed it back.

"First saved message. Hi gorgeous! I love you and can't wait to see you tonight. I have a surprise for you. I know you're probably wondering what it is. Here is a hint. You'll need a passport. I'm sending the limo to pick you up. Tonight, we'll be dining at Firenze. See you soon. I love you my dearest Dr. Bennet."

"7th saved message. I love you my dear wife more than life itself. Can't wait til you get off work. Thank you for loving me."

Elizabeth listened to a few more saved messages as her tears continued to flow. She whispered, "I miss and love you Michael always and forever." It was the most heart wrenching sight Darcy had ever seen. Oh, to be loved by someone like her. Then her phone rang. It's the hospital. She listened to the caller then replied, "Prep the patient ASAP!" She hung up and made another call. "Hello, James, please come and get me NOW!" Her control is beginning to slip. She grabbed her things and left. In her haste, she dropped her ID card. Mr. Darcy picked it up and caressed her picture. The card read: Mercy Memorial Hospital Dr. Elizabeth Bennet Chief Neurosurgeon. He murmured "Michael, you were indeed a lucky man.".

It was almost 10:00pm when Elizabeth came back to the flat. She was beyond exhausted. As soon as she got in. She leaned against the front door then passed out. Jane and the men were in the dining area drinking coffee, when they heard a thud, and rushed to the door. There they found Elizabeth laying on the floor. Mr. Darcy sprang into action and picked her up. Jane directed him to Elizabeth's bedroom. Just as he was laying her down to bed, Elizabeth momentarily opened her eyes and smiled sweetly. She reached for him and kissed him on the lips. "Goodnight Michael. I love you." Then she was gently snoring. Jane took her shoes off and tucked her in bed.

Mr. Darcy's POV

The sound of a thud propelled me to run to the door. I thought that there might be an intruder. When I got there. The figure of Dr. Bennet was sprawled on the floor, driving me to panic. She was laying down with her curly hair partially covering her lovely face. Her lips were slightly parted, and she was steadily breathing. I scooped her in my arms. She is small and light. The subtle cherry blossom scent from her hair sent my senses into overdrive. Man, it feels so good to hold her! I was so focused on her that I didn't realize that we reached her room. Jane pulled the covers. As I was laying her down, she opened her beautiful green eyes and gave me the sweetest smile. Then pulled me towards her waiting lips and kissed me soundly for what seemed like an hour, but in reality, it was only a couple of seconds. Her lips are so soft. It tasted like her strawberry lip balm. I desperately wanted to kiss her back. Then she muttered, "Goodnight Michael. I love you.". It's quite obvious that even in her sleep, she's still deeply in love with Michael. Though the kiss was intended for her husband. I didn't feel like a thief in enjoying the misdirected affection.

The three met back in the dining room. There was an awkward silence. The men have never seen anyone passed out from exhaustion. They found a new appreciation for what doctors go through.

"Is that typical for Dr. Bennet?" Darcy asked with concern.

"Yes, but she usually makes it to bed. Sometimes, barely making it there." said Jane.

"Who is Michael?" asked Charles.

"He was B's husband. You guys aren't going to tell anyone what happened between B and Mr. Darcy are you?" Jane pleaded.

"Of course not." The men replied.

"I guess you already know that she's a doctor. She is actually a neurosurgeon. She also specializes in rare cases, which earned her the nickname Dr. Lasthope, because she's the only one willing to tackle cases that other doctors are too afraid to attempt." said Jane. 'What a remarkable lady,' Darcy thought.

They moved over to the living room, where Jane continued to tell them more stories about Dr. Bennet. Turns out she was the youngest neurosurgeon ever graduated in Australia. She scored nearly perfect on her MCAT at 14yrs. old and was sought after by multiple medical schools in Australia, US, and England. On her twelfth birthday, her father gifted her a cadaver to study on. It turned out to be Dr. Bennet's all-time favorite gift. By the time she turned thirteen, every part of it had been memorized. She spent hours at the coroner and eventually was given the privilege to be an assistant. It thrilled her to no end. She likes being busy even at a young age and is quite driven. She continued going to school all through summer. Like I said. Her appetite for learning was and is still unquenchable."

"She is always busy. Is there anything she does for fun?" said Mr. Darcy.

"I only know a couple of things she does for fun only because she invited me to join her. She likes horseback riding, hiking, and surfing. She took to water like a duck and at four years old became quite good at surfing. She loves to read particularly if it improves her knowledge." said Jane proudly.

The conversation eventually turned into other things that Charles and Jane seemed to be the only people interested in. The pair inadvertently slipped into their own little world, and Mr. Darcy is once again the third wheel. He didn't mind because he is quite preoccupied with the lady sleeping in the other room. He replayed the event in his head. Her hair smelled like cherry blossoms. Though the kiss was not intended for him, he was thrilled to be the recipient of such affection. Her lips were soft and tasted like strawberry lip balm. It's going to be a long night for him. At 11:30, the men finally left.

The kiss incident is permanently imprinted in Mr. Darcy's mind. His mind is in a circle of sweet hell or perhaps purgatory, both of which he has no control over. Who knows how many more weeks or even months before he encounters her again. His situation is hopeless. Even with Jane around doesn't guarantee meeting, let alone interaction. Since that night, his dreams have decidedly taken a different turn. He is no longer "alone" at night, at least in his mind. 'Wait, did Jane say, "...was her husband?". Was!' A look of elated hope spread over his face and gave him inexplicable happiness.