A/N: I still don't own Pride and Prejudice. A reviewer asked if I was going to have Lizzie forgive Darcy when she reads his letter. She said she was sick of Wickham tricking Lizzie. Well, I'm sorry to this reviewer, but I'm going to follow the Jane Austen canon. Wickham tricked Lizzie in the book and he's going to trick her in my story. So without further ado, I present to you…CHAPTER NINE!

Chapter Nine: Somewhere Out There

Lizzie's POV

I was worried about leaving Jane alone with Mary while I went to visit Char in NYC. Thankfully, Aunt Sophie and Uncle Ed were coming to Meryton for Easter and Aunt Sophie promised to keep an eye on Jane while I was gone. So Holy Thursday night, I went to Mass with my family, which Lydia and Katie complained about the whole way to church and the whole way home; apparently we were ruining their lives, or something like that. Uncle Ed, Aunt Sophie, and their kids all came as well. After Mass, we all went back to Longbourn for coffee and conversation. I love my younger cousins. Ben, Emma, Karl, John Michael, and Elana were all there as well as Jenna, Dylan, and Kristina. Ben, Emma, Karl, John Michael, and Elana are great kids; I love them. But more importantly, they love Jane and she loves them; they were really lifting her spirits.

My aunt Grace and Uncle Ken were there with their kids, Jenna, Dylan, and Kristina. Jenna is way too young to do all the stupid things that Aunt Grace lets her get away with but Uncle Ken is rich and doesn't care what his kids do. So Jenna pierced her cartilage at 13 while I had to wait until I was 18 and out of my parents' house before I could pierce mine. Yeah, it makes a lot of sense. But they let their kids get away with murder compared to the tight leash my dad kept Jane and me on. Heck, my own little sisters get away with murder compared to Jane and me. But that's the way life goes. Your parents get less strict with each kid.

"So Lizzie-belle," Uncle Ed said. "Are you still planning to visit us this summer?"

"Of course," I replied; I love visiting them. The kids are great fun, the parents always take me to see a show, and Aunt Sophie and I always spend one day just shopping together. "I'm really looking forward to it. I was thinking I would come down on July 5 and stay until the 19 or 20. Does that work for you?"

"Actually, we were wondering if you would like to join us on our family vacation this summer and stay with us until the 30th," Aunt Sophie explained. "Ed and I would like to take you to see Wicked as a birthday present. And of course, you and I will go shopping together. Would you like that?"

I smiled. "I'd love that. It sounds delightful."

"Then we look forward to your visit," she replied.

The next morning, Katie and Lydia drove Maria Lucas and me to the airport. The whole way there, which was over an hour, Maria slept while I had to listen to a discussion of which guy in Katie's class was the hottest. Apparently, it was a toss-up between Paul Smith, the golden boy, and Nick Logan "who has the most gorgeous eyes you've ever seen," Katie sighed. "He's tall, dark, and handsome. Basically, he's the ideal guy."

I wanted to laugh partially because Paul and Nick are my students and partially because I went to high school and college with Nick's older brother, Steve Logan. Steve is about 6'4", skinny, dark-haired, olive skin, and soft, dreamy brown eyes with long, luscious brown lashes. Oh, and he's engaged to Becca Gilbert, one of my closest friends. I'm actually going to be in their wedding this coming September and I'm pretty excited about it. Becca and Steve have known each other pretty much forever, but they didn't start dating until our senior year at Grand Valley. But they're a really great couple and I'm glad they're together. Oh and I'm really exited about being in the wedding.

"But Paul has that amazing curly hair," Lydia protested. "And it's just so gorgeous; it's like a halo on him or something."

"Yeah, but I really just prefer guys who are tall, dark, and handsome. Like, do you remember Charlie Bingley's friend, Will Darcy?"

"You mean that really rich guy who tended to be a complete jerk to treated people like they were lower than dirt just because they weren't as rich as he is?"

For once in her life, Lydia had described something perfectly. She had just encompassed Will Darcy in a nutshell. If you weren't rich and snobby like him, you were subhuman. This was why he was going to marry Caroline Bingley, or maybe he'd marry his cousin. I think Damien told me that Will's aunt want him to marry his cousin. Now I know that's illegal, but I bet when you're really ridiculously rich you can make things like that happen with just the wave of your finger.

"Okay so he was rich and snobby, but that's not my point. My point is that he was really good looking. He was tall and well-built."

"Yeah, he would have looking yummy with his shirt off," Lydia sighed.

"Oh he would have, but you're still missing the point. He didn't really have dark skin but he had really dark hair and these amazing dark eyes." She turned and looked at me in the backseat. "Lizzie, don't you think that Will Darcy was a great piece of meat?"

I sighed. "Katie, will you please stop objectifying men? I know Will was a jerk and all, but you don't have to treat him like a piece of meat."

"She's in love with him," Lydia pronounced. "She's secretly in love with him and she doesn't want anyone to know so she's refusing to do anything other than criticize us."

Oh how I couldn't wait to get away from these two. My one comfort was that Katie would be graduating from high school in May and then would be going on to college; okay so she was going to Meryton Community College for a year, but then hopefully she could go to someplace further from home and Lydia. Lydia has a stronger personality than Katie does so therefore Katie always does whatever Lydia tells her to do. It's really a sick, sick cycle.

"Lizzie, do you think Paul Smith is hot?" was the next thing I heard out of Lydia's mouth.

"Katie, first of all, no, I happen to think that Paul is actually kind of ugly and secondly, he is seven years younger than me. That's illegal and disgusting." I sighed; I really wanted to kill someone. Why couldn't someone else have driven me to the airport? I knew Mom wanted to talk to Aunt Sophie without these two around, but they were on spring break; it wouldn't be that hard to get them to shut up and bug out, would it? I guess I haven't lived with my parents' for a while.

"You're dumb," my youngest sister replied. "Paul is so dreamy."

When I die, God had better have a good explanation for my sisters. Maybe they're adopted. I've wondered about that for a few years now. I think I started wondering that when they both became obsessed with Malibu Fashion Barbie at the exact same moment in time; it was Christmas thirteen years ago. Lydia was almost four, Katie was five, Mary was eight, I was eleven, and Jane was twelve. Mary's big present from Grandma Gardiner that year was a dictionary. Mine was a gift-card to the local bookstore. Jane's was a gift-card to the mall. And Lydia and Katie were each given a matching Malibu Fashion Barbie. And that was the end of it. While I was thinking of all the books I could buy, they were talking about the fashions their dolls were going to wear. And I knew someday they were going to need some very expensive psychiatric help.

My sisters kept babbling about boys the rest of the way to the airport. I'm not sure they noticed when Maria and I got out of the car and left them. But I got out of the airport, took my suitcase out of the truck, and headed into the airport. I was flying from the Meryton County Airport to Chicago O'Hare. From there, I was flying from Chicago to New York's Kennedy Airport where Char and Ethan were going to pick me up and take me to St. Patrick's Cathedral for the Good Friday service. And after that, we were heading back to Char's apartment. She and I were going to hang around there until Sunday when we were heading out to Ethan's boss's compound in the Hamptons. We'd been invited to her family Easter dinner and apparently it was going to be very exciting.

When the plane landed in New York, I was exhausted. I'd woken up at five-thirty that morning and it was barely noon, but I'd still been up for over six hours. Okay so my life is actually like that most days, but most days I drive twenty minutes to Lakeview Academy instead of driving an hour to an airport and then spending about three hours on airplanes and another two hours waiting for flights. Yeah I was tired and I really wanted to relax on a couch. I did not want to have to deal with anyone shrill or obnoxious for the next week. I just wanted to relax and not think about anything. I needed a week free from the drama of my life in Meryton.

So I was pleased to see Char without Ethan when Maria and I got to baggage claim. "Where's the boy?" Maria asked. "You told us he'd be here."

She sighed. "He wanted to get to church early to impress Mrs. DeBourgh. Apparently she believes that piety and religious devotion are a very important part of life, so he's doing everything in his power to show her how devoted he is to his Catholic faith. Apparently, she will be there with her daughter and three of her nephews. One of her nephews is bringing his family and her daughter also has two children who will be there. So you'll probably meet them today; Ethan is saving us seats with them."

"Oh, goodie," I said as Maria sighed. I knew we were both thinking the same thing. So much for a relaxing week…

Darcy's POV

Aunt Catherine dragged us all into Manhattan to go to the Good Friday service at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Never mind that we could have gone to church some place much closer to her house; she wanted to go to St. Patrick's because it's so famous. Yep, that's my aunt for you; she likes attention. So that's how I ended up sitting by the three empty spaces Ethan Collins wanted us to save for his fiancée and her friends. I was also holding my one-year-old godson, Logan. Logan is my cousin's younger son and he's one, almost two; his older brother, Connor, is almost four. Evelyn, their mom, is expecting their third child in May and she's really hoping for a girl this time. She loves her boys but I think she wants a female presence in her house. Connor and Logan are great kids, but I could understand wanting a daughter in the house; I think Rick wants a son almost as much as Evelyn does. I love Logan and Connor and I'm always glad to visit their house, even if just four a few hours. The boys are so lively and a breath of fresh air after being around Aunt Catherine or when I'm too caught up in the business affairs related to Pemberley. After the insanity of my visits to Meryton, especially after the whole messed-up affair with Charlie and Jane, I spent most of the following Saturday playing with Connor and Logan.

I was slightly stunned to see Charlotte Lucas, Maria Lucas, and Elizabeth Bennett come up beside me and sit down. I moved so Charlotte could sit next to Ethan who was seated to my right and Maria followed her, leaving Logan and me sitting next to Elizabeth. She didn't complain about sitting next to me but I could see by her face that she wasn't happy about it either. I didn't particularly care. I enjoyed her company and more importantly, I was enjoying the company of my godchild. Lizzie looked stunned to see me holding Logan; I suppose she wasn't aware that I knew how to relate to small children. But she was as civil as she could be; I suppose you can't really be rude and insulting in the middle of an extremely solemn church service.

After the service, Aunt Catherine invited us all to her house, but Charlotte said that Lizzie and Maria needed to rest at her apartment for a while. At this proposal Aunt Catherine invited herself and all of her family guests over to Charlotte's apartment. I felt embarrassed on my aunt's behalf, but found myself being dragged there against my will. I didn't think it was appropriate for us to go to the apartment when Maria and Lizzie were probably exhausted from traveling. But Aunt Catherine was insistent that we drag our large group over to the small apartment.

When we arrived, I was convinced that we really shouldn't have come. Maria fell asleep two minutes after sitting down on the couch and Lizzie looked positively beat. She was curled up in an easy chair holding with Anne DeBourgh's baby daughter. She was a natural with the small child. Isabella doesn't generally take to people holding her, but she just fell asleep in Lizzie's arms and that was that. The baby was sleeping and Lizzie was actually peaceful. "How was your flight, Miss Bennett?" my aunt asked. "Did you enjoy it?"

"As much as one can enjoy flying," she replied. "Take-offs and landings make my ears pop and the flights give me motion sickness. I usually take Dramamine when I travel but I discovered last night that I had run out of my supply. So while I'm not exhausted like Maria, I don't feel very well."

"Would you like some Sprite to calm your stomach?" Charlotte asked her.

As Lizzie nodded, I realized that her face was a bit gray and she didn't look very well at all. She was very peaceful and serene, but she also looked a little dazed. Her long dark brown hair was hanging loose over her face, as if it were a veil. She brushed it away from her face, but it simply fell back as it was before and she sighed, leaning back into her chair. But no one seemed to be noticing this. Rick and Evelyn were busy trying to keep their children from destroying Charlotte's apartment. My aunt and Anne were inspecting the apartment and Ethan was trying to please them about every little detail. Lizzie was holding Anne's daughter, Isabella, and her son, Ryan, was sleeping on the couch next to Maria.

And I decided that no matter what my aunt wanted, I was going to give Maria and Lizzie some much needed peace and quiet. "All right, if you folks don't mind, I'm going to take Alfalfa and Spanky back home now. The little rascals look like they're getting pretty tired."

"Dear Darla, I hate your stinking guts. You make me vomit. You're scum between my toes. Love, Alfalfa," Lizzie recited from her nest.

I smiled at her. "Yeah, well, Logan and Connor are a little young for girls, so we'll have to wait on a Darla for a while yet."

"You can't leave, William," my aunt protested. "We're enjoying Charlotte's lovely apartment. It could use a bit of sprucing up but I suppose since you're getting married next Christmas, it's not worth putting that much work into your place."

Charlotte smiled grimly. "It is only a temporary home and I don't really spend that much time here. But I do like this place; it has a few homey touches."

"Who are all these people in this portrait? Are these your cousins or your nieces and nephews?"

Our hostess blushed under my aunt's inquisition. "No, actually, I'm the oldest of eight children. That's a picture of my family that was taken last Christmas."

"Oh dear, eight children, that certainly is a large family. How could your father afford such a family?"

"My father owns a large hotel resort near Lake Michigan and he's done very well for himself. We've all been able to attend private schools and we're always well-dressed, well-fed, and never neglected. Our lives have actually been pretty wonderful. I've never felt at a disadvantage just because I'm from a large family."

"What about you, Miss Bennett, how large is your family?"

"My parents have five daughters, five children, in all," she replied.

"Including you?" my aunt queried.

"Yes, Mrs. DeBourgh," Lizzie replied. "I have one older sister and three younger sisters."

My aunt looked like she was about to say something else when I repeated my earlier desire to leave. "I know you're enjoying the apartment, but I don't mind getting a taxi and taking the boys home."

Anne sighed. "Will, if you're going to take Connor and Logan home with you, would you mind taking Ryan and Isabella with you as well?"

"Not at all," I replied. Within ten minutes, I had two children in car seats, two diaper bags, and four small children ready to return to the Hamptons. Thankfully, my cousin, George, offered to go back with me and help me. Then Rick and Evelyn decided to come back with me as well. This left only my aunt and Anne at Charlotte's apartment. I'm not sure why they were insisting on staying, but they were. So I said good-bye to Ethan, Charlotte, Maria, and Lizzie knowing that I'd see them all on Sunday at my aunt's house for dinner. What I didn't know was that my crazy aunt had rented a place in the Hamptons for Charlotte, Maria, and Lizzie just for the next week while Maria and Lizzie were in town.

The next day and a half was filled with family time. I spent most of that time with Logan and Connor. I spent a little time with Isabella and Ryan, but they were with their nanny most of the time. Anne was busy socializing with various friends of hers who were in town. She was such a socialite; she had two great kids but she seemed to be busy to actually care about them. I really didn't understand Anne; I worked with her but I still didn't get what was with her. She was in love with the pool boy, she was a hypochondriac, she had two children, and she was a socialite. She always wanted to help me with high profile cases, but she didn't actually want to do any real work. I think she wanted money and attention. Beyond that I couldn't figure her out. I had no clue why she'd gone to law school.

I really liked Logan and Connor though; they're great kids. Logan is a little blonde-haired kid with big brown eyes while Connor has brown hair and bright blue eyes. Half the people who meet them don't believe they're siblings, but they are. Logan looks like his mother while Connor looks like his father; if you know Rick and Evelyn, it's actually quite believable.

Spending time with my two nephews mostly consisted of watching Disney movies and other cartoons. Logan wasn't really into TV yet; Evelyn didn't want him watching it yet. But Connor loved Thomas the Tank Engine; we watched it together every time I was at his house. Because of Rick's kids, I knew all about Thomas and his friends. Because of Anne's kids, I had started to learn Spanish. Isabella and Ryan were great kids. Their mother loved them but didn't know what to do with them. Many times they ended up at Rick and Evelyn's house because Anne was always leaving them with the nanny but then she was also forever firing nannies. It was weird. Basically, she didn't really trust anyone except Evelyn with her kids but she'd never admit that. She was learning that I could handle her children, especially Ryan, but I doubted that she'd admit that one either. Enrique wasn't really interested in his children, but I actually cared about those two little kids. I figured someone had to. Their father didn't care about them, their grandmother rarely acknowledged their existence except when it benefited her to do so, and their mother didn't know what to do with them. I was planning to spend as much time as possible with Logan, Connor, Ryan, and Isabella this week. They're all great kids and I wanted make sure that someone paid attention to them in the middle of all this chaos.

A/N: Please review! I'm working on making the chapters longer but my muses don't seem to be interested in longer chapters. But I'm working on it…Anyway, please review and I'll try to update soon.