Thank you all so much for your reviews. I just realized that I hadn't turned on the ability to receive anonymous reviews - but that's all taken care of now. Sorry it took so long to update, exams have been taking up practically all my time - but they're almost done and I have tons of new ideas for this story now. So here we go!

Chapter 3:

I took my time fixing my dress in the bathroom. As I was checking my hem inside a stall, I heard the door open and two pair of heels clicked across the floor toward the full length mirrors.

"Caroline, you and Will make an absolutely gorgeous couple!" I heard a woman in a high-pitched voice say.

"We do don't we?" Caroline responded in a tone that suggested that her mind was slightly off in some dream land. "You know Leah, Will was in London and wasn't expected in till next week. He came early and surprised me for my birthday."

"That's so romantic" was Leah's reply, followed by a breathless sigh.

"Yes, it is." Caroline's voice indicated that she snapped herself back to the present moment "Well, I've left Fitzy waiting long enough, I'm sure he's eagerly waiting my return in the ballroom by now" I rolled my eyes as the heels clicked their way back out of the bathroom.

I then came out of the stall I was in and quickly checked my hair and make-up. Not that I was vain, but come on, I just fell and could look like I walked through two tornados and a hurricane with this curly hair of mine. I then re-entered the ballroom myself. I scanned the room and found Jane, dancing what looked like some form of the jive, with a guy who wasn't Charlie. Deciding that Jane was doing just fine on her own, I decided that now was an ok time to slip out and head home. I located Charlie just on the edge of the dance floor, watching Jane as if he was just waiting for the perfect moment to cut in to Jane and her partner and claim Jane back. I began to head toward him.

Just as I was about to reach him, Charlie raised his hand and motioned for someone to come over.

"Will" ah, dang it. Of course, Will strode over to Charlie's side. "Hey man, you haven't danced since the first dance with Caroline, what's up?"

"I just don't feel like dancing tonight, there are a lot of people here that I don't know."

"Well what about Jane's sister, Liz? You met her earlier this evening so she counts as someone you now know. And, she's really pretty" Why was Charlie pointing me out to Will when he's dating his sister? Will chuckled.

"Not a woman in this room is as pretty as your Jane." Charlie beamed with pride

"That is true, Jane is an angel, both inside and out." Now I was liking what I was hearing.

"But I'll admit, Liz is attractive." I smiled to myself, although still confused by this conversation between Caroline's brother and boyfriend "but then again, so are 75% of the women in this room. Besides, Liz seems to be a bit of a klutz, she tripped over her own two feet earlier as the dancing was beginning, and I kind of value my toes." My jaw just about hit the floor.

"I'm sure that something else must have happened to cause Liz to fall." Awww, Charlie's such a nice guy. Will just shrugged his shoulders. "All right, suit yourself" I took that as my cue to approach the two of them.

"Hey Charlie?" The two men turned around. Will had the slightest look of discomfort on his face, as if he was wondering if I overheard what he just said. Well, he can just keep on wondering. "I'm not feeling to great so I'm going to head home. Would you mind letting Jane know?" Charlie instantly became concerned.

"Are you ok? Maybe I should go get Jane right now to take a look at you, being that she's a doctor . . ." I chuckled.

"Charlie, it's just a headache, I'll live. I just really want to go home, take some aspirin and lay down."

"All right, would you like my driver to take you home?" I shook my head

"No Charlie, it's fine. I'll hail a cab."

"But –"

"No buts Charlie, I'll be fine in a cab. Now go dance with Jane and make sure to give her the message."

"Ok, good night. Feel better"

"Thanks, good night" and I nodded at both of them.

I retrieved my shawl from the coat check, and headed out to hail a cab. Once I got outside I decided it was such a nice evening out that I wouldn't mind a bit of a walk to the nearest subway station to take a train back to the apartment, and besides, it would save me some money which is always a good thing for a law student (more money for coffee). As I got started, I heard footsteps pounding the pavement behind me. Instinct took over, and I grabbed my house keys from my bag and slipped the end of each key in between my fingers to create some form of a weapon. As a hand clamped down on my shoulder I whirled around raising my hand that held the keys. A strong hand caught my wrist.

"Liz, whoa!" It was Will. A breath that I didn't even know I was holding whooshed out of me. "Calm down, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Well you did." My heart was still racing like a freight train. "What do you want?" I was surprised how hostile my voice sounded, even to myself.

"Where are you going?"

"You heard me when I told Charlie, but I'll repeat myself. I'm heading home"

"Doesn't look like you're hailing a cab."

"What are you, the transportation police?! If you must know, I decided to take the subway instead."

"On a Friday night? At this time?"

"It's 10:15"

"Exactly, it isn't safe." I laughed at that

"Oh please, it's perfectly safe, I take the subway home at this time all the time."

"You really shouldn't."

"You have no say in what I should and should not do, you don't know me, you have no involvement with me. And would you let go of me." Will looked down and seemed to suddenly realize that he was still holding my right shoulder and left wrist. He then released both as if burned.

"I'm sorry. And you're right, I have no say in what you should be doing, but allow me to take you home." I shook my head.

"No thank you, I'll be fine on my own. Besides, I think your girlfriend will get pretty upset if you suddenly disappear from the party, and to take me home at that." Will looked confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Well no girl likes it when their boyfriend disappears on them, and certainly not to take another girl home"

"I really don't think my girlfriend will care."

"And why is that?" His eyes bore into mine.

"Cause my girlfriend and I broke up 6 weeks ago." That took me by surprise.

"Then I would suggest you have a talk with Caroline cause she obviously didn't think whatever happened 6 weeks ago constituted a break-up."

"Caroline? I've never dated Caroline. She's just my friend's sister"

"The way the two of you were acting, one would think otherwise." Will then cursed and dragged his hand through his hair.

"Look, you've got the wrong idea. Caroline and I are not together. She just has always liked the idea of it happening, despite my discouragement." I was skeptical.

"Not that it's any of my business, but why then were you letting her hang off of you like that and why did you give her the first dance of the evening?"

"You're right, it isn't your business, but since I'm attracted to you and don't want you to get the wrong idea about me, I'll explain. I allowed Caroline to hang off of me earlier because she's the birthday girl and I didn't want to embarrass her in front of all of her guests. The reason why I danced the first dance with her because I wasn't supposed to be here tonight. I came in from London early, and wasn't informed of the party until I got here. I didn't have a gift for her, so I gave her the first dance. That's all, nothing more." Ok, wow, I was wrong. But I wasn't about to admit that.

"Thanks for clearing that up. Good night." And I turned away.

"Liz, my car is the other way."

"The subway is this way"

"Please let me take you home."

"I'm fine on my own."

"I'm not saying you aren't but I'm still offering. Look I'd feel better taking you home so that I know you made it there safely." I turned back around

"I don't know you. How do I know you aren't some creepy stalker person?" Will smiled and even in the dark I could see his dimples. Damn, he's cute.

"You don't. You'll just have to trust the fact that I'm friends with Charlie, and that Charlie wouldn't be friends with a 'creepy stalker person'." I thought about what he said for a minute.

"Well, your logic is flawed in that reasoning, but ok."

"You'll let me drive you home." I nodded. "Thank you. My car is this way" He pointed in the opposite direction. I walked back toward him and he looped my arm through his and together we set off for his car.

It isn't a whole lot, I know. But it does clear some things up regarding Will and Caroline. Hopefully I'll have another chapter soon, but please PLEASE review and let me know what you think about how this is going so far.