Hey all! Hope you have been having a fantastic week! Just thought I should let ya know that this is my first FanFic so I'd really appreciate any feedback! I'm on mid-year holidays from uni (whoop!) so I plan on updating regularly... Please let me know if I should!! haha
Cheers Desiree
Ooooh also: Cheers to Becca and Kiwi Mystique for the reviews! Really appreciate it girls! D
Disclaimers: I don't own anything... except my fingers, my brain and my laptop.
The next morning, Lizzy was found outside on the back veranda, strumming her father's old guitar and humming a nameless tune. Jane was out doing voluntary work at the local charity. Both Jane and Lizzy loved to help out at the MissionLight Charity; however Jane was much more involved than Lizzy, given that she didn't have a job at the moment. Lizzy was busy between juggling uni, voluntary work and her job as a waitress at a swanky Italian cafe in the inner city. Lizzy could hear her mother calling her but decided not to respond. She knew that she'd be found eventually. Soon enough, Lizzy's mother, Adalina Bennet waltzed through the back door. "Bella, I was calling you! I'm going shopping with Lyds, do you want anything?" she said, eyeing Lizzy's choice of attire: worn out trackies.
"No mama thanks. I've got work in a couple of hours, remember?" Lizzy, ignoring her mother's critical eye, got up and kissed Adalina's cheek before retreating inside. She sighed. Getting along with her mother had become increasingly difficult in recent years. Lizzy commonly thought it was because she was the middle child, however now it was apparent that Lizzy and her mother just didn't match. Adalina was more concerned with fixing Lydia's problems to even ask Lizzy how she was going. Well, this didn't bother Lizzy so much; she knew that she always had a confidante in her father. Nalin Bennet was an intellectual and observant man. Rather than mix himself in his daughters problems, he watched over each of them and was always there to lend an ear. Lizzy found that she and her father were true companions, in conversation as well as in interests. She took this to heart whenever she doubted her relationship with her mother.
Just as Lizzy was walking past Nalin's
office, he popped his head out with a cheeky grin. "Come in
darling." he said, holding the door open. Lizzy smiled and
entered. Of all the rooms in their house, her father's study was her
favourite. Stacked to the ceiling with books and two armchairs next
to the window, Lizzy found that the hours spent in this room simply
melted into pools of contentment. Nalin went and sat in one of the
armchairs and motioned for Lizzy to do the same. As she sat, her
father pulled out a thin envelope from his pocket. "You
remember my friend Mari's son, Bertie? He wrote to me, asking if he
could stay with us for a little while." Nalin could barely keep
the glee out of his voice. Bertie had stayed with the Bennet family
before and had provided vast entertainment for Nalin and Lizzy, both
who welcomed anything or anyone ridiculous and silly. However in his
most recent trip to Melbourne, it seemed that Bertie had developed
quite a crush on Lizzy. Lizzy groaned and looked at her father. "Do
we really have to say yes this time?" Her father was surprised
by her question.
"Well Lizzy, I should have thought that you
would enjoy our ludicrous friend's company! Or are you afraid that
Bertie's small crush on you will grow this time?" Lizzy scoffed
as her father chuckled.
"Dad, it was not a small
crush, it was astronomical!" She cried. Her father looked at
her doubtfully yet kept his merry appearance.
"Really Liz, if
you don't say so yourself. No, Bertie will stay with us, as always. He may be the epitome of preposterous but his mother is still my
friend. He'll probably fly down in two weeks." Lizzy groaned
again and slid down in her chair. Her mobile rang in her pocket,
shaking her out of her reverie.
"Hey ya sexy little chicken!"
Lizzy smiled. Despite their stagnant relationship, Johnny always
made Lizzy smile. "Listen, Robbo just cancelled for the footy
tonight, wanna come?" Jonathan Blake was a good-looking guy of
eighteen. Ever the athlete, after graduation Johnny signed a one
year contract for the Rangers Victorian Football League club. He was
a fun loving guy and whenever they were together Lizzy always had a
great time. "That's not like Robbo, missing a Blues game! Yeah,
I'll come!"
"Great! Do you want me to pick you up?"
Lizzy smiled. What a gentleman, she thought.
"No, no need to
come out of your way. I've got work anyway so I'll be close by, meet
near the ticket box?" They finalised the details and Lizzy hung
up.
Her father looked at her with
interest. "Out with Jonathan again? What's going on with you
two?" Lizzy grinned and kissed her father's cheek before making
to leave the study.
"We're just friends, that's all. Just
friends."
Thousands of miles away, a sombre Will Darcy Jr. and his younger sister, Georgie, boarded the Bingley's business plane. Seeing them off was loyal old Ms. Reynolds, who had known the siblings all their lives. Joined with her was Richard Darcy, the young Darcy's' faithful cousin. A teary Ms. Reynolds hugged Georgie tightly before kissing the young girl and whispering in her ear, "You'll be able to return before long, my dear." Georgie, just as tearful, nodded silently before sitting down and buckling her belt. Then, sighing, Mrs Reynolds turned to face William.
The very image of this young man pained her. He was the spitting image of his father, a most trusting and generous employer. Will Darcy looked down at Ms Reynolds, warm memories of his childhood filling him as he fondly gazed at his old nanny. Will pulled Ms Reynolds into an embrace, whispering thanks into her ears before also sitting on a luxury leather chair. Ms Reynolds had a few words with the flight attendant, no doubt warning her that the utmost care should be taken in regards to the two young Darcys. She then gave one last encouraging look at the two children whom she had come to love as her own, before allowing Richard to help her down the plane stairs. The three cousins had just previously said their personal goodbyes, a process which all found much too heart-breaking to restart after they were interrupted by their personal boarding call.
Will sighed. He hadn't realised how difficult this move was going to be. Sure, he had travelled into Australia before, but never with the intention of living and studying there. Of course, he hadn't intended for a lot of things to happen, he thought sadly. His parents, George-bloody-Wickham... all of the painful memories sneaked back to haunt him during his vulnerable moments. In his deepest moments of despair, Will Darcy found himself to be incapable of all that his parents had wished for him. Studying hard, taking over the company and constantly protecting his younger sister, Will had failed in every aspect of his parent's most earnest desires.
At least Charlie and his parents would be there in Australia to help us get started, Will thought. Although Mrs Bingley was not fond of the idea that William was given the legal guardianship over his younger sister, she had offered the two Darcys all the help that she could provide them with. The two families would be living separately of course; however Mrs Bingley ensured William that their house was only minutes away from the apartment which was available for Will and Georgie. Will, unable to cope with the shock of suddenly becoming a single father, had crumpled in the days following the funeral held in honour of his parents. He had turned to the Bingley family, his parents closest and most trusted friends, for support but most importantly, for advice.
He heard a sniff and quickly looked at Georgie, who tried in earnest to hide her pale face by busying herself with arranging her blankets. Will stuck out a hand and gently brought Georgie's face to turn to his. He smiled sadly at his younger sister, 15 years old and already parentless. His heart broke as he watched her helplessly trying to wipe her tear-filled eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm okay, Will" Georgie whispered.
"No, Georgie, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry about." Will said, stroking her hair. Georgie sniffed again and looked guilty. Will knew she was not just apologising for crying. A shadow darkened his face. "Georgie," Will said, as firmly as the situation would allow. "Please believe me. I couldn't possibly be mad at you. It's all that bastard Wickham's fault. Anyway he's out of our lives now. For good." William was feeling strong today. The goodbyes had been hard but he had experienced worse days leading up to the move. Having not completely giving up hope of guarding his sister as he knew he should have all along, Will immediately set out to make her feel at ease. "Hey kid," he said smiling warmly at his young sister, "I love ya, you know that, right?" His attempt worked. Georgie chuckled and gently punched Will's jaw before settling down into the chair for the take-off.
About 4 hours into the flight, Will's
mobile went off loudly, waking both Georgie and himself. "He-hello?" Will asked groggily, rubbing his eyes.
"Will?"
Charlie's voice came through loudly. The two men had never spent
very long together, however Will could unmistakably detect the
concern in his old friend's voice.
"Charlie, good to hear from
you." William said earnestly.
"And same to you mate."
Charlie replied, "Hey, is my kid sister there?" Georgie
happily sat up.
"Hello Charlie!"
"How are ya,
love?" Charlie asked, concern yet again evident. The siblings
shared a knowing smile before Georgiana replied. Charlie had
continually called since he had heard of Mr and Mrs Darcy's deaths,
simply to check up on his friends. They knew that he was a true,
faithful friend; these past few weeks were enough to prove that. Charlie and Georgie chatted happily before Charlie mentioned that he
himself would be picking up the pair from the airport. "It's no
trouble at all!" he said, "I would worry about you if
anyone else picked you guys up."
"Charlie, chances are you're going to be worrying about us anyway." Georgie was usually a quiet girl but whenever she was in the company of close friends, she always shone as the witty and open girl that Will knew her to be. Charlie laughed.
"That's true mate, that's true. Well, a few more hours and you'll get to see me! So it can't be that bad hey?" After Charlie rang off, Georgie yet again settled herself down in the chair for a nap while Will thought about their conversation with Charlie. He really did trust Charlie and his parents but he knew that he couldn't depend on them for everything. Georgie was under Will's care and he would make sure that nothing would ever harm her again. In fact, he would make sure that nothing touched either of them ever again. Will sighed and ran his hand over his face.
Truth was, Will had absolutely no idea what was in store for Georgie and himself in Australia, and boy, was he scared.
Let me know what you think?
Working on part three, should be up really soon!