A/N: Apologies for the lack of updates, life has been getting in the way again. Enjoy chapter nine! and I hope to update soon.

Chapter Nine

Saturday came around rather quickly for Elizabeth. In all honesty, she had been looking forward to the weekend because it meant that she could buy the car that she had spent the last six weeks saving for and actually get out of the house this weekend. Her parents had been having an almost-week-long argument, on a subject she had yet to discover, and she wanted more than anything to avoid spending any time listening to her mother's loud shrieking and her father storming out of the house just to get some peace. That morning she had ate her breakfast as quick as she could, gotten herself dressed and had climbed into Will's car at nine-thirty just as Jane had pulled up outside to drop Lucy off so she could have some time with Peter.

"Morning Lizzy." Mia greeted brightly from the backseat.

Elizabeth clipped her seatbelt in and turned to face the little girl.

"Good morning Mia. Did you sleep well?" she asked.

"I did. Daddy says we're helping you choose a car this morning."

"You are. Do you think you can help me?" Elizabeth asked.

Mia nodded with a smile as Elizabeth turned to greet Will.

"Did you sleep well? I heard your parents arguing as you came out of the house." Will said quietly, pulling out of his parking space.

"Not really but I'll be fine. If I save hard for the next few months I can get my own place." Elizabeth sighed.

Will placed his focus on the road ahead but gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Have you given any thought to what kind of place you'd like?" he asked.

"A house preferably. Maybe a two-bed so my niece and nephew can stay over sometimes. I'm not fussy."

"Are you thinking of renting or buying with a mortgage?"

"It depends how much of a deposit I'd need for a mortgage. I'll see what my situation is like in September." Elizabeth said.

"If you'd like any help…" he offered.

"Thank you," Elizabeth smiled, "I'm sure I'll come to you at some point."

They continued to drive to the first car salesroom that Elizabeth had found on a quick google search and parked up the car. All three of them stepped out of the car and within seconds were greeted by an enthusiastic salesman in a suit.

"Good morning, what a beautiful family you make!" the man greeted.

"Oh uh…"

"What can I do for you lovely people today?" the man asked.

"I'm here to buy a car." Elizabeth replied politely.

"I can certainly help you with that. Have you thought about a particular make and model?" the salesman asked.

In truth, she hadn't thought about what type of make and model of car she wanted. She just wanted something that was safe, not that old and was practical to drive her around and those she needed to drive around too. The three of them followed the salesman into the showroom to look around the selection of cars they sold.

"The cars we sell are second hand but are in very good condition. We offer a finance option or you can pay outright. All our cars are cleaned and polished every other day to maintain a high standard of cleanliness and are regularly checked with MOT testing carried out the day before the buyer takes possession of the car. We also offer a twelve-month warranty on all vehicles we sell." The salesman informed them.

Elizabeth looked around at the various cars, stopping for a few minutes at a few that had taken her interest. The few she had looked at were within her price range. After all, she was getting paid a lot more than a normal childminder would because William Darcy wanted to pay generously for someone to care for the most important person in his life. It was only thanks to her employer's generosity that she was able to get her own car so quickly and through her own determination to save her money rather than spend it so quickly.

"Do you offer test drives so Elizabeth can get a feel for the car?" Will asked.

"We do. However, it's company policy that a member of staff accompanies the customer on every test drive." The salesman replied.

The next half an hour was spent trying out two cars that Elizabeth had taken an interest in. Will and Mia had waited for her back at the salesroom for her and when she had arrived back after taking the second car for a quick test drive up the road, she had made her choice. A blue ford focus that was four years with a good MOT history and wasn't too expensive to insure and tax. An added bonus was the mileage and only had minor repairs needed on previous MOTs. Happy with her choice, the salesman promised that she'd be able to pick her car up the following week after a new MOT had been carried out and the paperwork had been drawn up for her to sign.

The three left the showroom and climbed back into Will's car.

"Do you need anywhere to be today? I mean now that you have your car sorted?" Will asked curiously.

Elizabeth shook her head.

"No. My dad is babysitting my niece and nephew today and my mum has decided to avoid the house today. But still, it will be tense when she eventually decides to return." She replied.

"Well if you'd like to…Mia and I are having some family over for a barbecue this afternoon and we'd really like it if everyone got the chance to meet you." Will offered.

An invitation to a family barbecue. This would be interesting. But she didn't know whether or not to accept Will's invitation.

"Oh…I don't know…wouldn't it be weird?" Elizabeth asked.

"Not for us. It's only my father and sister who are coming. Maybe a cousin or two depending on whether they can make it."

"Come to ours Lizzy, please." Mia pleaded from the backseat.

Meeting Mia's pleading and playful gaze, she laughed. She could see it in the little girl's eyes that this was something that would mean a lot to Mia and as she glanced at Will, she could see it would mean a lot to him too if she agreed to meet his family.

"Okay. I'll come to the barbecue." Elizabeth said brightly.

Mia gave a little cheer and Will smiled widely as they clipped their seatbelts in and drove away from the car showroom.

ooOoo

Jane sat nervously at the table, her fingers tapping slowly against the mug she had cupped in her hands. Her heart was beating fast in her chest and despite the air conditioning blowing ice-cold air above her table, she still felt the sweat dripping down her back. It had been years since she had done this. Years since she had gotten to know someone of the opposite sex. But ever since she had text Charles asking him to meet her at this little café not too far from her parents' house, she knew that she had to do this. For so long she had felt isolated, she didn't know anyone else who had a child with additional needs and her only interaction with adults were with her parents, sisters and her business partner for a long period of time.

The café door opened with a little ping of the bell above the door. Jane looked up and saw Charles walking towards her table. She smiled nervously at him as he sat opposite her.

"Hi, I'm glad you came." Jane greeted.

"I was happy to hear from you." Charles smiled.

There was a few moments of silence as the waitress came over to take Charles' order and offered to refill Jane's coffee. When the waitress went back behind the counter to make their drinks, the two's eyes met again.

"So…how have you been?" Jane asked.

"Busy…trying to decorate my new house…working…trying to avoid my sister…" Charles replied, adding a laugh at the last part of his sentence.

"So you have a sister? Is she that much of an annoyance to you?" Jane asked, showing interest.

Charles pulled a face, one that Jane associated with the man feeling mixed emotions towards his sibling. Of course, her sisters had annoyed her plenty of times as they were growing up together but now she was thankful that Lizzy and Lydia supported her where and when they could.

"Caroline…she's my sister and of course I love my sister…but she does things that I don't like. She has this habit of being sneaky and sadly it doesn't seem like she will ever grow out of it."

Jane pulled a sympathetic face as the waitress came over and placed their drinks in front of them. They both thanked the waitress and looked at one another with ease, it seemed natural falling into conversation with each other. She just hoped that he wouldn't mind getting to know her first before pursuing anything more.

"Is your sister truly that bad?" she asked.

"At times. She's currently staying with me on an extended visit." Charles sighed.

"I'm sorry to hear she's a pain in the arse." Jane said.

Charles chuckled, his blue eyes sparkling as he met her gaze.

"I suppose it's natural to feel that way sometimes towards your siblings." He mused.

"I guess. I certainly felt annoyance towards my sisters when we were growing up."

"I suppose you get to witness it with your twins."

Jane's face fell. If anything her twins didn't fight like normal siblings. Lucy didn't understand boundaries and often liked to play on her own instead of with Peter. Very rarely did her daughter take her aggression and frustration out on her twin brother; she took it out on the adults around her who tried to soothe her outbursts.

"So…tell me about your children." Charles requested with a smile.

"Well…they're four years old and will turn five in October. They're wonderful, funny, amazing little beings. Peter likes football, going to the park, painting, Lego. He likes going to the zoo. Lucy…she likes Peppa Pig, fluffy things, painting." Jane started.

"I like their names." Charles complimented.

"Thanks. I named them after my paternal grandparents…well my nan was called Lucille so I shortened it to Lucy for my little girl."

"I think it's lovely you named them after people who mean a lot to you."

"They did," Jane confirmed, "Sadly, they both passed away the year before I felt pregnant with the twins. But they lived a full life."

Charles gave her a small smile before taking a mouthful of his drink but his blue eyes remained on her. It reminded her of the times when she and George were first together, how he would look at her with such interest until he had proven himself to be the exact opposite of the man she thought he was. This time, she was determined to get to know someone before she opened her heart to romance again. What she couldn't deny was that she was attracted to Charles, he certainly made her heart skip a beat as he took an interest in what she said. How easy it was to have a conversation with him with no awkwardness. The genuine smile of a man who seemed perfectly nice.

But she had to take this slowly. It wasn't just about her anymore. She had two little people that gave her purpose, who she lived her entire life for. And while Peter and Lucy didn't remember their dad, she certainly wasn't about to introduce a new man into their lives and then have them disappear when it got tough, right after the twins had bonded with a new potential boyfriend. She didn't want to think Charles was like that but at the same time, not many men would be willing to step up and accept her children; especially when one of her children had a disability.

"Is the children's father involved? I mean…you said you're a single mother and you don't have much free time. You can tell me if I'm being nosey, I won't take offence." Charles said.

Jane shook her head.

"No. He walked out on us when the twins were two." She replied.

"Oh…I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. He walked away and didn't look back, he wasn't made for it. The best thing that came out of my relationship with George was the children and I don't regret it."

"I know that I don't really know you…but hearing the way you talk about your twins…it's admirable and shows how strong you are to do it by yourself." Charles whispered.

Jane blushed, averting her eyes down to her coffee. Charles leaned over the table, placing a finger under her chin and gently bringing her gaze back to his with a confused expression on his face.

"I'm sorry…have I upset you?" he asked quietly.

Jane shook her head.

"No. I'm not used to hearing people describe me as strong. Unless they're family." She mumbled.

He smiled again. God his smile was infectious. She felt the corners of her mouth twitch into returning it.

"I'm not a parent so I can't imagine how hard it is to be a single parent raising two children. But I'd like to see you again. If you're willing that is. No pressure. But I want you to know that I like you and if you want to get to know me slowly, as friends, as more than that, whatever you want; I don't want to go anywhere unless we aren't on the same page." Charles stated warmly.

"I'd like to see you again. But it would have to be slow because I can't promise you anything. Peter and Lucy come first and my life is very complicated and stressful."

"To slow steps." Charles said, raising his cup of coffee.

"To slow steps." Jane agreed, mirroring his actions.

ooOoo

After quickly dropping back home to inform her father that she would be out for the rest of the afternoon, Elizabeth headed back to the Darcy residence with Will and Mia. Alice had already begun to prep food in the kitchen, ensuring there were enough rolls, burgers, sausages, kebabs, drumsticks and steak for everyone to eat. Heading outside into the garden, Elizabeth felt herself surprised with how much outdoor space Will and Mia had. The garden stretched so far back she could only just make out the end of it by squinting. A large oak tree stood magnificently at the bottom of the garden, with it's great branch holding up a manmade swing which was evidently Mia's. A large summerhouse was built to the side of the tree, sat perfectly under the afternoon sun and contained a small side table and a comfortable sun lounger. A bike shelter stood opposite the summerhouse housed three bicycles which Elizabeth assumed belonged to Will, Alice and Mia. All the while she stood on a well maintained deck with a large patio table with six chairs and a large gas barbecue on the other side.

"Can I help with anything?" Elizabeth asked.

"Come and choose a drink if you'd like," Will offered, turning on the barbecue.

Elizabeth headed towards the kitchen, offering to help Alice with the food as the housekeeper walked passed carrying an armful of plates to which her offer was declined with a warm smile. She carried on to the kitchen, looking around for something to drink and seconds later Will entered the room.

"What would you like? We've got white wine, red wine, prosecco, cider, beer. Or if you'd prefer a soft drink we have coke or lemonade. I believe we have some squash left." Will asked.

"Just some lemonade please. I don't want to go home buzzed if my parents are arguing again." Elizabeth replied.

Will opened the cupboard and took out a glass before closing it again. He placed it on the counter top and turned to face her.

"What do they argue about so much?" he asked curiously.

Elizabeth watched as he went over to the fridge and pulled out the bottle of lemonade and walked back over to where the glass stood on the counter.

"Anything. Everything. Lately it's been about my father staying out with his friends when the pub shuts down for the night. They argue about babysitting the twins-"

"They argue about looking after their grandchildren?" Will interrupted with a frown.

Elizabeth nodded.

"Yes. Not so much about looking after Peter but my niece is a complex child and difficult to look after at times. My mother focuses on the 'bad' things instead of focusing on Lucy's strengths. My dad loves the twins unconditionally and wants to spend as much time with them as possible. Basically, they disagree on how much of a break they should give Jane and it's starting to stress my father out." She sighed.

"It must be really difficult for you." Will said sympathetically.

"I'll be moving out soon. I just hope that the dust will settle."

"I'm sure it will. In time."

Elizabeth smiled slightly as she watched him pour her the drink and place the bottle of lemonade down on the counter and handed her the glass. She took it, thanking him quietly and for the briefest moment their skin touch each other's. A featherlight brush of the hand. Her eyes met his, so warm and…a lovely shade of brown.

Before their conversation could continue, the doorbell rang. Will gave her a parting smile and left the kitchen to answer the door.

ooOoo

The afternoon had been a success. Upon the arrival of his dad and his sister, Will had immediately introduced his family members to Elizabeth after walking everyone through to the kitchen. But instead of introducing her as Mia's childminder he had introduced the beautiful brunette as his friend.

"A friend eh?" his father had asked curiously, all the while eyeing him up with a smirk.

Luckily, Elizabeth hadn't seemed to have noticed that his father was already amused with the fact that this was the first woman he had introduced to them since Natalie's death. To Elizabeth it may have come across as a friendly introduction but to Will; he knew that his father was already putting together in his head that there was a possibility that Elizabeth was more than that.

Once outside when everyone had helped themselves to a drink, the curiosity of his father didn't cease. Reginald Darcy was definitely taking an interest in Elizabeth. His father had quizzed the poor woman on practically every aspect of her life. If she felt uncomfortable, she didn't show it or voice it. In fact, she seemed very at ease and was only too happy to converse with his father and even managed to get Georgiana to come out of her shell a little when the two women were talking about their mutual interest in literature.

They had eaten plenty of food between all of them, with Georgiana expressing disappointment that their cousins, Anne and Richard, hadn't been able to make this family barbecue. Mia had then proceeded to start a water fight to which everyone joined in and Will found himself unable to take his eyes off Elizabeth. Watching her squeal as a water gun drenched her and bowls of water were chucked in her direction, the sound of her musical laughter and the pure happiness and light in her green eyes made him truly enjoy the afternoon. It was magical to see someone that happy despite all the hardships she had recently endured.

As late afternoon headed into early evening, the water fight ended and he found himself standing on his driveway with Elizabeth, the two of them alone as they waited for her taxi.

"Are you sure you want to take a taxi? I don't mind giving you a lift home." Will said, for the third time.

Elizabeth smiled gratefully.

"I appreciate it but we're all worn out so I don't want to tire you out further." She replied.

"Okay. Just let me know that you got home safely, you can't be too careful with taxi drivers these days."

"I will."

As the taxi pulled up outside the house, Will felt a surge of surprise as Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you for today," she whispered, "It's been the best day I've had in a long time."

Before he could reply, she let him go and climbed into her taxi, driving off into the evening. Will took a few moments alone before he headed back into the house and walked through to the kitchen. Georgiana, Mia and Alice were watching a film in the living room whilst his father appeared to be waiting for him in the kitchen.

"Elizabeth seems like a lovely girl." Reginald mused.

"She is," Will confirmed quietly, "Did you like her?"

"I did," Reginald said in just above a whisper, "I was surprised to learn from my granddaughter that she's also your employee?"

Ah. He had forgotten to mention that little detail.

"Well…she's my childminder…but we've sort of…bonded I guess. She's becoming a very good friend." Will stuttered defensively.

Reginald smirked again. That bloody smirk.

"I don't doubt it son. But the last time I saw you react this way to a woman, it was when you first met Natalie."

So that's what his father was thinking. That he was romantically interested in Elizabeth.

"Dad…I know where you're going with this…I assure you that Elizabeth and I are just friends. We are keeping a professional relationship separate from our friendship and we know how to prevent them from overlapping." Will said quickly.

"Even so. I hope you find some happiness again with a woman, Fitzwilliam, and as first impressions go, Elizabeth definitely gave a good one. But getting romantically involved with your employee can be messy. If the path you are on does proceed down a romantic one, I urge you to be careful. For everyone's sake." Reginald cautioned.

With nothing more to say, Reginald left the kitchen to join the others in the living room for the film; leaving Will to think about his father's words.