Oh wow, I didn't expect it to take this long to update. It was beautiful over the holiday weekend, and then I started work this week, along with school and things kind of snowballed . . . . it's been driving me crazy to finally get this up!!!! I'm so so sorry it took so long and had to make you all wait for it. I really did appreciate all the wonderful reviews that came in the interim.

But it is finally here! So enjoy (then review)

Special shout out to honuangel, who has reviewed every single chapter I've written!

Chapter 7:

I breezed through the doors of Darbing on Monday morning with about 5 minutes to spare. An extremely rare occurrence for me, and I hoped that it was a good sign. I grabbed a cup of coffee from the cart in the lobby and then made my way up to the 17th floor.

As I sat down at my desk and booted up my computer, I noticed that the usual Monday morning chatter was lacking. Guess that is what happens when one of the big partners that normally isn't in the office comes to town. From what I could get from staff gossip, nobody could remember exactly when was the last time Mr. Darcy came to spot-check and work in the New York office. It had been at least five years.

I checked my e-mails and noted that there was one from Charlie asking me to meet him on the 19th floor at the reception desk as soon as I got in and saw the e-mail. I noted this was odd, considering that Charlie's office, being a partner, was on the 21st and top floor. I suddenly recalled what was on the 19th floor, gasped, then quickly smoothed my black slacks and blue blouse and then ran a hand through my hair, which was straightened and pulled back into a French twist. Once I ascertained everything was in place, I flew towards the elevators.

I got to the 19th floor and as indicated in the e-mail, Charlie was waiting for me at reception along with a woman impeccably dressed in a black sleeveless dress and pearls with her red curly hair pinned back. The woman seemed to be about 15 years my senior. Charlie noticed my arrival and grinned.

"Liz, good morning. Can I guess that you figured out what this is all about?"

"It took me a minute but I believe so." I was smiling from ear to ear.

"Your student practice authorization came in over the weekend. You can now represent clients in our pro bono department under the supervision of an attorney. Essentially you are going to be doing only attorney's work, the only catch is that a licensed attorney has to review and sign off on it."

"So that means –"

"You're off administrative duty, Liz. No more photocopying for you." If my smile could get any larger it would have. "Allow me to introduce you to your new supervisor, Margaret Gardiner." Charlie indicated to the woman in the dress. "This is Elizabeth Bennett"

I shook her hand and she smiled warmly at me.

"Please call me Liz. I'm very excited about this Ms. Gardiner."

"I can tell, and am eager to see what you've got. But please, call me Maggie. Ms. Gardiner makes me feel like I'm 75 and while I'm certainly not your age, I'd rather not feel like I was headed in the direction of old and senile."

"I think the two of you are going to get along famously." Charlie threw in.

"I believe we will." Maggie responded.

Charlie then turned to leave.

"Oh, Charlie, one quick question." I called after him and he turned around. "Now that I'm under Maggie's supervision . . ."

"You'll be transferring up to the 19th floor. This morning would be preferable."

"What about any work that is currently assigned to me?"

"Give it to Caroline. Lord knows she doesn't do anything being that she gives her work to her staff members."

My jaw dropped.

"I know all about it Liz. Unfortunately, she's my sister and does have some stock interest in Darbing so I can't exactly kick her out. Besides, aside from dropping her work on someone else, she's pretty efficient at managing the support staff, probably because most of them are scared of her."

"And if she assigns me new work?"

"Then you don't accept it and you have permission to tell her off, in whatever words you choose. She already knows about the transfer and that she shouldn't be giving you more administrative work."

My smile was totally still there, and probably looking goofy at this point.

"Welcome aboard Liz. Just make sure you move your stuff before 11 because that is when Darcy is scheduled to meet with the pro bono department."

I nodded and Charlie left. I turned back to Maggie.

"Why don't I show you to where you'll be sitting and then you can go downstairs and then you can go downstairs and pack up your stuff and clean out your files and move up here?"

"That sounds good."

Maggie and I went down the hall, chatting about non-important things until we stopped by a door.

"Liz, this will be your office." She swung open the door and behind it was a real office, with real walls, and a real window. There was a nice mahogany desk with all the office supplies I would need, a big executive chair, two chairs for visitors when interviewing clients and a fern in the corner.

"No way." My eyes got wide. "No Way!!!" I turned to Maggie. "I know I'm sounding completely unprofessional, but I'm used to a very small cubicle. I'm not even an attorney yet."

"To us, essentially you are equal to one. Your caseload is going to reflect that and therefore your office space should too."

"This is amazing!" Maggie smiled warmly.

"I'm glad you like it. It will get everything off to a good start. Now why don't you go downstairs and get your things." I nodded and headed back to 17.

When I arrived back on 17, I grabbed an empty box and filled it with all my personal items that I was taking upstairs. I then gathered all the files on my desk and walked them to Caroline's office and knocked on the door. When I had the ok to enter, I opened the door. Caroline sat at her desk, wearing a lime green suit, chatting on the phone.

"Leah, I'm going to have to call you back. Some employee who doesn't know how to do their job is at the door."

I rolled my eyes as Caroline hung up the phone.

"What do you want Beth?" She sneered.

"Only to give you back the files that are assigned to me but are still pending."

"Not capable of doing work that is assigned to you?"

"I'm quite capable. In fact, I'm overqualified for it. However, I'm under instructions to give them to you for you to handle."

"I don't handle files. I'm management. So you are going to take these back, and the 15 files currently waiting in your inbox."

"Actually, Ms. Management, I'm not. If you haven't bothered to check your e-mail this morning, I've been transferred to the 19th floor. I don't work under you anymore."

"Like I care what floor you're on, you will always work for me. I am a Bingley and therefore a member of this firm's partnership."

"Actually, no you aren't, you're a limited partner, you don't have any say in the day to day activities of the firm, and the other partners can vote you out at any time."

Caroline was speechless.

"See, this is why they are moving me up to 19. I know these things, it's what I do. I'm essentially the same as an attorney now and therefore, you no longer have any control over me."

"We'll see about that"

"Frankly, Caroline, you could go to hell for all I care. I'm under no obligation as part of my employment with this firm, to do your grunt work. It's time for you to do it yourself."

"You can't speak to me like that! Consider yourself fired!" She screeched, her face starting to turn red.

"You no longer have the authority to fire me. If you don't believe me, check with your brother. Have fun with those files." And with a smile, I glided out the door, grabbed my box of personal items and headed back up to 19.

As I was setting up my new office, my desk phone rang. The caller ID indicated that the call was from reception. I picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Bennett, this is Marilyn at reception. Mr. Darcy has arrived on the floor and has asked that all attorneys meet him in conference room 19A. Maggie indicated that this now includes you."

"Thank you Marilyn, I'll be right over." I hung up the phone. I then did another check of my outfit and hair and set off for the conference room.

When I arrived at the conference room, the attorneys were all filtering in and taking seats around the long, oval conference room table. I took a seat and noticed the Darbing portfolio in front of me, along with a pen. Nobody else was opening theirs, so I followed their suit. Maggie then stood up at the head of the table.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for arriving so promptly. As you all know, Mr. Darcy has arrived from the London office to help fix some of the departments that have been problematic, as well as to play a hands on role in departments that are flourishing at Darbing that the firm would like to expand. I am pleased to inform you that the pro bono department is one of those departments that are flourishing and will be expanding. To give you all the details on exactly how that will be done, and what will be expected of each of you, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy." Everyone around the table politely applauded as the gentleman seated to Maggie's right stood up and buttoned his suit jacket. He turned to face the table and I had to stifle a gasp.

It was Will.

Kind of a cliffhanger, I know. You all probably have different feelings or ideas about this. Wanna share them? Then please review!