Elle awoke the next morning with the sun shining down upon her pillow. She remembered being too tired to close the blinds the night before but was glad she hadn't. Elle lay there for a few minutes waiting for her eyes to adjust when she heard a knock at the found door. She turned towards her door in the hope that she might over hear and discover who it was.

"Mr Bingley how lovely to see you again." Elle's eyes when wide when she recognised the high-pitched voice, it was her mother. Praying that she was only dreaming she turned to look at the clock which read 11:50. She had overslept and to make matters worse she felt like she was in the middle of a nightmare.

After sending out a silent plea for some kind of confirmation as to what was happening, she heard another voice. "Hello mum… what are you doing here?"

Elle jumped out of bed and raced around the room grapping whatever looked clean and throwing it on, barely looked in the mirror before sprinting down the hall. As she didn't have time to brush out her messy hair she simply pulled it up into casual ponytail as she ran.

She was about to turn the corner and down the stairs, when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her eyes were still puff from sleep, and her face was swollen and slightly greasy. She stopped to look in the mirror, pulled out a tissue from her back pocket and began wiping her face.

While trying to make herself look presentable she still continued to listen to what was being said below her. She could hear the giggling of what could only be Lydia and Kitty. As Elle descended the stairs she noticed Mary looking around in distaste, Kitty and Lydia giggling and lifting different ornaments, and her mother flattering Charlie which even in her own mind screamed insincerity. God only knows what everyone else thought. She scanned the hall for Jane and saw her standing slightly apart from the main group.

This sight made Elle inwardly cringe as she looked about and found that she herself was embarrassed. From the look on Carol's face she seemed to be enjoying the show. She stood to one side with Will, and watched with wide eyes and a poorly concealed smirk. Charlie was bearing Mrs Bennet with his good humour and easy going demeanour. Will's face was once again unreadable but the space between his eyes seemed tense, even s little strained and his eyes never left the action that was unfolding.

"Elle there you are," Jane practically ran to greet her and grasped her arm tightly before walking both of them back to the group.

"There you are Elle. It is very rude of you to sleep in so late and what are you wearing?" Mrs Bennet cried. Elle looked down at what she was wearing and could see no problem with it, apart from the fact that it was slightly creased.

Jane jumped in before Elle had a chance to reply, "Mum are you here to take us home?"

"Yes I couldn't have my poor baby sick and me not around to care for her."

"Funny how she only seems to think like that once she's better, isn't it," Carol whispered bitterly but loud enough for Elle to hear. Will however ignored her comment and was once again looking at Elle. He was also taking in what she was wearing but with a different reaction to the one her mother had. He found her wrinkled and extremely casual clothes to be a very welcome and refreshing change. He also thought her clothes make her look cute in comparison to Carol's attempt to look casual, but like always Carol's case screamed that she was trying too hard.

"Mum why don't you come upstairs and help me pack?" Jane asked but was already moving to the stairs. Mrs Bennet agreed and followed Jane out of sight.

XXX

Elle was walking towards her mother's large blue people carrier with Carol. She had come to help Jane get her things packed. That was the first time Elle had seen Carol do anything close to nice, after all she only helped to get the sisters out of the house faster. Jane of course pretended not to notice and gladly accepted the help.

As they came to the end of the gravel path Carol spoke, "What an interesting family you have."

Elle bit back a quick remark, for Jane's sake and acted as though Carol had not said a word. She stood back for a moment to let Jane said her goodbyes to Charlie before she said her own.

"Thank you Charlie for letting Jane and myself stay. I can honestly say she was more comfortable here than she would have been at home." She smiled gently at him and gave him a warm hug.

While all of this was taking place Will stood facing them with his usual unreadable expression. His face didn't change when Elle turned and said goodbye but his eyes did light up a little and this didn't go unnoticed but Charlie.

As Elle was about to reach for the door of the car, an arm emerged from behind her and opened the door for her. Her eyes travelled from the hand, up the arm until she had a face to match the action, Will's.

She nodded her thanks and slipped into the car. The two men watched as the car drove off, Carol had gotten too cold and returned inside. As the two were walking up the path back towards the house Charlie kept sneaking glances at Will. He tried to ignore it for as long as possible but after Charlie looked at him for what felt like the hundredth time he spoke up.

"Why to you keep staring at me like that Charlie?"

"I was just thinking," Charlie replied think I smile.

"I have known you Charles since we were at school together, I know when you are not telling me something." Will replied with the beginnings of a smile.

"I was just thinking about how the heart of a Mr Darcy may be being to beat for something or should I say someone." Charlie laughed before sprinting towards the house.

Will didn't react for a few moments. He seemed to be thinking over what had been said and only after that did he realise it's meaning, then he too sprinted towards the house.

XXX

"Mr Bingley is wonderful, did you see the way he was looking at Jane," Mrs Bennet shouted to no one in particular.

The noise in the car was practically unbearable. Between the sounds of the radio, three teenage girls and her mother Elle could barely hear herself think.

"Mum can you let me off here please," Elle spoke up as the car stopped at a red light. They had just pasted the school when Elle remember that Ms Frizzle had asked her to come in.

"Why, is your play more important than Jane's happiness?" Mrs Bennet asked while looking at her daughter through the mirror.

"Mum it's ok. Elle go on and do what ever it is that you need to do," Jane answered hoping to avoid another argument.

Elle acted as though she hadn't heard Jane speak. "Fun I thought you were talking about how their relationship would benefit you, and in effect make you happy."

The three other sisters continued as of nothing was happening. Elle and Mrs Bennet had these types of vocal confrontations all the time, so they thought nothing of it. Before Mrs Bennet had the chance to reply Elle got out of the car just as the traffic lights changed.

Elle ran towards the drama theatre and was almost at the door when she walked into someone causing her to drop her bag.

"Here let me get that for you," The person replied as they reached for her bag, "You must forgive my clumsiness, I was not looking where I was going.

Elle looked up and say a tanned face with slightly long blonde hair. She smiled at the figure as she took the offered bag. As she was about to speak she was cut off by Ms Frizzle.

"Good Elle, it appears you have already meet your leading man. This is George Wickham who will be playing your Edmund Bertram."

Sorry it has taken me so long to upadte but I had a lot of stuff to do. Hope you like this chapter, I would like to know what you think. Until next time.