I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG the schoolwork has been so horrible this semester! I'm so excited that the whole semester (exams and all) will be done in a month! Then I finally get to sleep.

I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in the longest of time, as you can see things have been crazy (and as it is I can't believe I'm posting since I have a huge deadline Monday). But here I am, haven't abandoned the story at all.

I don't have the time at the moment to write individual notes to everyone who reviewed but I'm going to give a shoutout to Geril this chapter for prodding me to get myself moving with the next chapter.

As to everyone else, thank you so so so so much for all the support you've been sending my way. It's such a boost when you have complete strangers rooting for you in addition to your family and friends. And welcome aboard to everyone who has recently just joined this story train. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it.

Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 20:

Darcy kept true to his word. From the time I returned to Darbing through Christmas Eve, Darcy made himself scarce. I wanted to talk to him, to apologize for the things I accused him of, to maybe work things out between us, so that perhaps both of us could have proper closure, but I didn't even see him once.

Christmas and New Years were odd affairs this year. Dad finally came to accept that I wasn't going to come home and work for him after law school and mentioned that he finally hired a new associate that was desperately needed, who would start after the holidays. Jane was quiet and somewhat withdrawn, her thoughts on leaving for Africa the week after New Years. I, on the other hand, fully enjoyed spending the holidays with Logan and Woof and taking pleasure in Logan opening his gifts Christmas morning (including the pirate's treasure chest filled with toys that I got him).

Unfortunately, Jane and I couldn't find someone to room with me for only six months until Jane returned. We were, however, able to find a professor on sabbatical for the spring semester, who decided to do his writing in New York and was bringing his wife and small child with him. We sublet the apartment to them for six months. Being that there was now an empty bed in the dorms at school due to Charlotte, I moved into the dorms for the spring semester. I was able to get Charlotte's old apartment dorm, which was great, cause I already knew her former roommate. Jen and I were on law review together and had spent many long hours in the law review office working on our weekly assignments and griping about the editorial board. We would get along just fine as roommates.

So began the spring semester. I missed Jane terribly, but after everything that had gone on the previous semester, I couldn't say that the change of scenery, and perspective was completely unwelcome. Without Jane and Charlotte, and living in a new place, I felt like I was starting the semester with a clean slate.

Gathering my thoughts, I turned off the water to the shower and grabbed a towel. Wrapping it around me and ringing out the excess water from my hair, I quickly twisted my hair up into a bun and secured it with an elastic before I stepped out of the bathroom.

"Hey, Liz?" Jen called from our extremely tiny living room.

I walked to the end of the hallway and braced one hip against the doorway to the living room.

"Yep?"

"Do you have anything big today?"

I thought for a second.

"Aside from studying, not really. It's going to be a laid back Sunday for me, thank heavens."

"Can I ask you a huge favor?"

I shrugged

"My group for my business drafting class needs to meet today to draft our contract. It is the only day that we can meet where one of us doesn't have a scheduling conflict."

"And?"

"And I was supposed to be one of the student ambassadors greeting the accelerated students moving in today. I was supposed to show one of them to their apartment, take them around the school etc."

"So you want me to stand in for you?"

"Would you mind terribly?"

I shook my head.

"No, Jen, it's fine. I like to meet the new students. I was a student ambassador last semester. I know what to do."

"Liz, you're a lifesaver!!! I don't know what I'd do without you!"

"Not have a contract?"

"Probably. So, everyone is meeting in the atrium at noon and you'll be paired off then."

"I suppose I should get dressed then being that it is all ready eleven."

I went into my room and threw on my favorite pair of jeans, noticing that they were starting to wear at the stress points, a Columbia Law sweatshirt, and a pair of sneakers. I put a little mascara on (okay, I'm a little vain) and grabbed my cell phone and wallet, which I was able to find quickly being that it was too early in the semester for a monsoon to have blown threw my room just yet, and I was good to go. All that was left was to grab my winter jacket as I headed out the door.

I met the group in the atrium and could easily tell from those who I didn't already recognize which ones were the new students. They were the ones who stood there with the expression of pure fear on their faces. I felt bad for them, but the feeling was normal. Almost everyone has it. In a few weeks none of them will have those looks on their faces, mostly because they'll be too busy to have time to be fearful.

Once it seemed like everyone had arrived the Dean of Student Services raised her hand for attention. Within a minute the chattering seized and everyone had grown silent.

"If the student ambassadors can please pick up their information from the table in the back please we can get this started."

I recognized one of the assistants standing in the back by the table and made a beeline for her.

"Hey Alyssa, Jennifer Colby couldn't make it today, she asked me to step in for her. I hope that isn't a problem"

"Hi Liz. Jennifer e-mailed us earlier to let us know you were coming, it isn't a problem. Here's the packet containing all the information for the student that you are showing around today." She handed me a white folder with information.

"Thanks Alyssa."

I stepped away from the table to open the packet. Inside was all the housing information, course schedule, book lists and other odds and ends for the new student. Inside was also a picture and brief bio of the student. I scanned for a name and finally found one at the top of the bio. Julia Darcy.

I did a double look. The name stayed the same.

Julia Darcy.

It couldn't be, right? Right?!

"Julia Darcy" I called out, my voice just a tad hoarse.

A hand raised in the air.

"I'm Julia." The person attached to the hand, but hidden behind another student, called out.

The other student moved and I got my first look at Julia. Yeah, it was. She looked just like him. Hazel eyes, black wavy hair that was half pinned up and the other half fell to about 3 inches below her shoulders. She was approximately 5 foot 7 inches and naturally willowy and slender. All and all, she was gorgeous.

I walked over to her.

"Hi I'm Liz Bennett, I'm going to be showing you around today Julia."

"Please call me Julie and it's nice to meet you Liz."

Now I was able to hear the British accent in her voice.

"Julie it is." I said with a smile. "It looks like you are staying in the dorm apartments. Just next door to me in fact. Would you like to go there first? Or would you like to start with a tour of the school? Or perhaps a bite to eat for lunch?"

"Um" she started, nervously chewing on my lip "Can we start at the dorm? I'd like to drop my bags off and in case some of my stuff has arrived, I'd like to get it inside."

"Sure, no prob. And Julie?"

Her head snapped up.

"I don't bite. At least not at you. There's no reason to be nervous."

She smiled.

"It's just all so new. I'm not used to New York, I've never been here for long stretches of time. And now I'm starting law school in a city I don't know. I'm just one big ball of nerves." She babbled.

I grinned.

"New York is one of the greatest cities in the world. It might seem daunting at first but within a few weeks you'll feel like you lived here all your life."

She nodded. We began walking toward the dorms.

"Where in England did you grow up?"

"Mostly in London. I travelled around the world a bit when I was a child but when my mom died we pretty much stayed put in England and would stay in London most of the time with occasional trips to the family estate in Northern England until my dad died a few years ago."

"I'm sorry about your parents."

Julie shrugged.

"It's ok. How could you have known?"

If only she knew.

"Do you know what areas of law you are interested in yet?"

"Not really. My family has a firm that is very big on corporate law so I suppose I'll need to learn about that but I'm not sure if there's anything else I want to look into."

"Well, you'll have time to figure it all out. As I'm sure you'll already aware, you have to take only mandatory classes your first year, which will be on a variety of subjects, such as criminal, contracts and torts. Those will probably give you a better idea. If not, you can always speak to upperclassmen and professors. I'm going to be next door all semester so if you need anything . . ."

Julie's face lit up.

"Really?! That would be wonderful Liz! I'll try not to bother you with too many questions."

"Don't worry about it. In fact, I have your class schedule here and I had some of your first year professors, and others I know people who had them. I should be able to get you some study materials to help you out with those classes."

"Wow! I'm so glad I met you today." She smiled, then wiped her cheek and looked up. "Was that a raindrop?"

One then splattered on the top of my head. I nodded and pointed since we had arrived at the dorm complex. We both made a mad dash under the awning.

"Did you receive your ID card yet?"

"Yes it was the first thing I received when I arrived."

"Ok, that is going to be your key card for access to the building. We'll pick up your dorm key from the front desk when we go inside. Give your card a try to make sure it works."

She swiped her card and the light turned green and we heard the lock on the door click open. We went inside and got her dorm key from the front desk and then proceeded up to the fourth floor. When we got off the elevator, the first thing I noticed was a pile of boxes piled near the door next to mine that had not been there when I left.

"I take it those are yours?"

Julie nodded.

"Do you want some help with them?"

"No I'll be ok. Those are the light boxes, the heavy ones are arriving later. I can lift them."

"Ok. I'm going to go to my room and grab a drink." I pointed next door. "Meet you back here in 30 minutes for lunch and a tour?"

"That sounds good."

Thirty minutes later I found myself going back into the hall, this time with an umbrella as the rain had not let up, to meet Julie. As I turned away from the door to my dorm, I bumped straight into a hard and very muscular chest and automatically breathed in a familiar scent.

Oh no.

Strong arms gripped mine to keep me from falling.

"I'm sorry miss, I wasn't looking where I was going."

Oh god Oh god Oh god Oh god.

I looked up.

He looked down. The shock was evident on his face. He released my arms immediately.

"Liz!"

"Hi" I squeaked

"What are you doing here?"

I shuffled my feet around a bit.

"Um, I live here now."

He gave me a look.

"While Jane is in Africa, that is. I'm living in the dorms while Jane is in Africa."

Julie popped out of her room.

"Liz? Oh hey Will, I see you met Liz, she's showing me around today. Liz, this is my brother Will."

And up went his eyebrow.

"Julie, you should probably grab an umbrella or something. It is still coming down out there." I told her.

"Yes, Jules, you know that you'll melt if you don't cover yourself up and get wet." Darcy said, with a grin on his face

"Haha Will. I'll go get one, but it might take a minute for me to figure out which box I put my umbrella is."

"Not a problem, I don't mind waiting. Take your time."

She walked back into her dorm and the door closed behind her. I turned back to Darcy.

"I swear I didn't know she was starting today. I didn't even know you had a sister, let alone one who was starting Columbia Law. I wasn't supposed to be serving as a student ambassador today, I filled in last minute for a friend. I swear Mr. Darcy, I didn't know you were going to be here."

He shook his head.

"Liz, please call me Will outside the office. It's fine. Of course you didn't know about Jules starting Columbia, I don't talk about her at work so how would you know? And if you didn't know about Jules starting how could you possibly have known that I was going to be here? Besides this is your territory, I'm the one who is infringing."

"I don't have to show Julie around if you don't want me to. I can find a friend who can do it."

He shook his head again.

"Actually I'd prefer it if you did. I trust you and I would rather my sister learn what she needs to know about the school from someone I trust than someone I don't even know."

I nodded and then came the awkward silence.

"Um, Mr. Darcy –"

"Will" he interrupted.

"Will"

He smiled at me, damn it.

"I need to, I mean, I just wanted to –"

"Liz" he coaxed gently "there's no reason to be nervous. Just say it."

"I wanted to apologize for the horrible things I said to you in December. I know now that they weren't true and I feel horrible about saying them –"

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about. Based on the information you had that night you were correct to jump to the conclusions that you did. Besides, I hadn't exactly treated you up until then the way that you should be treated. I was a arrogant idiot. I'm the one who should be apologizing."

"No, really, I need to apologize. I should never have said those things –"

"Well, this is a first for me. Generally both sides of an argument think they are right and both refuse to apologize. It seems like we are taking quite the opposite approach."

He smiled again.

"Since we can't seem to decide who should apologize, why don't we just let it rest and put it behind us. Better yet Liz, can we start over? I'd like to think that if we hadn't met in the office that we could be friends and I'd like to be friends, especially since you are going to be playing a role in Jules life now."

I grinned.

"I think I can do friends."

"Hi, I'm Will Darcy, Julie's brother." He extended his hand out for a handshake.

I shook it.

"Liz Bennett. I'm Julie's student ambassador. I'll be showing her around the school and helping her transition into her new life at Columbia."

"I appreciate everything that you'll be doing for Julie. In gratitude, Julie and I would like to take you out to dinner tonight when you are done showing her around."

"Ooooooh Will, you're taking us out?!" Julie said as she popped back out of her room.

"Of course shrimp, how else are you going to find the best places to eat if I don't take you out?"

"You know, I'm only a shrimp because you are so damn tall."

He shrugged.

"Anyway, I'm ready to go if you are Liz."

"All right, let's hit the road."

"Bye Will, see you this evening, say 7 p.m."

He nodded.

"That works for me. Liz?"

"That's fine. It was nice seeing you Will."

"Same here. I'll see you tonight."

A nice long chapter for y'all. And the good stuff is coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know how long I'll be with my next update, so I'd recommend that you set up a story alert if you haven't already done so. That way you'll know when the next chapter is up. And of course, as always, REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!