Chapter 12

After Darcy left for lunch with his sister Lizzie set about her jobs for the rest of the day, but she was in such an emotional stupor from her encounters with Darcy over the past week, that she was doing everything on autopilot, and was finished within the hour. With nothing left to do she decided to go home early, instead of sitting in her office staring at Darcy's office door all afternoon.

"I'm heading out Charlie," she said, popping her head in his office door on her way out.

"Oh, all right Lizzie, I'll probably see you tonight when I pick up Jane," he blushed.

"You're going on another date with my sister Charles?!" She exclaimed, "Do I have to sit down and ask you about your intentions?" she teased, but he didn't bat an eye.

"You know very well what my intentions are Lizzie," he pronounced.

"I was just teasing you Charlie," she smiled, "I know you love her very much, but would you please define your relationship already! There's only so long I can tease the two of you. Ask the woman to be your girlfriend already!" she exclaimed.

Charles sighed, looking rather guilty as he fiddled with his desk blotter.

"I have been terrible haven't I?" he asked, "I mean we've been seeing each other for months now! How could I be so stupid? Has she said something to you, does she hate me for it?"

"Oh Charlie, no, she doesn't hate you!" Lizzie assured him, coming into his office properly and sitting across the desk from him.

"I know it was weird for you guys, when you started dating after being friends for so long. But trust me, you are a great couple, I just want both of you to be happy. Jane really likes you Charlie, but she's in denial because you aren't 'officially' a couple."

"So what should I do?" he asked.

"Just tell her how you feel about her, and tell her you want to be a real couple!" Lizzie declared with wisdom beyond her experience.

"That simple huh?" he asked with a sly smiled, "I didn't know what an expert you were!" he was teasing her.

"I'm far from an expert, Charlie" she chided.

"I'll ask her," he assured her and she nodded her approval and got up to leave, "But!" he stopped her "You have to promise to work things out with Will," her face soured.

"I mean it Liz!" he cried, "I see how you're both struggling with this new stuff between you, but you need to work it out. He's not the bad guy Lizzie, and I think you know that."

Lizzie paused a minute to think about what Charlie was saying, was there more to Darcy that she'd given him credit for? Maybe… She knew she could be pretty stubborn sometimes, it wouldn't be the first time she'd misjudged someone and been too stubborn to see otherwise… nor the last she was sure.

"I'll see you later Charlie," she said finally, "Bye!"

Then she fled his office, she'd been doing a lot of running away this week, maybe it was time she stopped running away, and actually dealt with her problems… maybe.

Jane was sitting on the sofa grading papers for her eighth grade English class when Lizzie got home at four. She'd beat peak hour on the tube and made excellent time, so Jane hadn't been expecting her.

"You're watching Dirty Dancing again?" Lizzie teased her, seeing the DVD playing quietly on the television, "You must be more depressed than I thought!"

"Did you see Will today?" Jane shot back, ignoring Lizzie's jibes and doling out a few of her own.

"Shut up," she mumbled back, "So, you're going out with Charlie again tonight?" she asked, dumping her stuff on the kitchen bench.

"I am, we're going out tomorrow too" She smiled, following her into the kitchen.

"Two date nights in a row! Hallelujah!" Lizzie joked, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"He's coming over, I'm cooking him dinner. You can join us if you like." Jane offered.

"And be subjected to several hours of you two staring lovingly into each other's eyes like love struck puppies?" Lizzie teased, "No, thank you!"

"We are not love struck puppies!" Jane argued with a pout, "You wouldn't be intruding."

"It's okay Jane, I have a date tomorrow night anyway," she explained.

"A date?" Jane cried, "With Will?" she asked excitedly, Lizzie rolled her eyes.

"No Jane, with George," she admitted, Jane tried not to frown "Look, I know you don't like him Jane, but he hasn't done anything wrong by be, and he's perfectly nice, so why shouldn't I go out with him?" Lizzie asked.

"I would think after everything that happened with Will you might, I don't know, break it off with him?"

Lizzie scoffed.

"Why? Jane, it's not like what happened between Darcy and I has changed anything. It wasn't some inevitable encounter after years of sexual tension that's going to lead us down the path of happy endings!" That comment received an arched brow of suspicion.

"You're ranting," Jane interjected, "Look, I'm not saying that. All I'm saying is that there is more to your relationship with Darcy than you're admitting. You have history with him. You don't have anything with George, and to be honest. He's a bit smarmy," Jane shuddered "He gives me the creeps."

Lizzie sighed, she knew Jane had a kind heart, so for her to feel this way about George who she hardly knew, Lizzie had to give it some merit.

"Be that as it may, I won't cancel on that alone," she pulled Jane into a hug "But I appreciated your concern for me Jane."

After their talk Jane went back to grading her papers and Lizzie went to her room and changed into her pyjamas to have another pity party, at least that was her plan. As it turned out she spend most of the evening lying across her bed analysing every interaction she could remember having with Darcy over the past three and a bit years, and before she knew it, it was dark outside and she'd fallen asleep hugging her pillow.