Author's note: This is my first attempt at a modern fanfic (the regency one I tried to do still remains on hiatus unfortunately) Please be forgiving!

Disclaimer: Lalala, all characters and plot references belong to Jane Austen. If I owned them...I not sure what I would do.

Plot Summary: Anne get's married and then there is little Fitzwilliam Darcy. Juli goes back to England…but what greets her there?

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While Anne Fitzwilliam had to face nothing but parties, Juli was faced with nothing but books. She had come to New York, where she had applied and been accepted for a teaching position at an elementary school as well as to being and complete a doctorate. All her life, Juli lived in a society where she had been treated according to her father's wealth, success and her mother's hosting abilities. She had inherited her mother's looks, good ones of course, and somehow being beautiful and blonde meant that there was no need for intelligence according to some people. So Juli had it in her to prove the stereotype wrong. She worked hard in school academically and socially, and came out with excellent grades. Now she wanted to complete her dream, of getting a doctorate, and she was in NY City to focus on doing exactly that.

A summer went past, then a fall, and with spring as young men's' love blossoms, Anne fell in love. The wedding scheduled at the transition from spring to summer, clashed exactly with Juli's exams. Juli could only smile sadly at the packet of pictures sent from England. Picture after picture had Anne and her new husband's happy faces. Juli looked back at the letter that came with it –

I'm just so happy Juli! Henry is everything I ever wished for. I'm so disappointed that you couldn't be here for my special day. How about coming later this year? I really do wish to see you again. Please write soon!

With love,

Anne Fitzwilliam Darcy

The letters, usually coming every two weeks, then reduced in frequency to almost a stop. A letter finally came in March announcing the birth of Fitzwilliam Henry Darcy –

and here is darling Fitzwilliam. I know that you're probably going Fitwilliam? It's a Darcy family tradition apparently. Henry and I discussed it and we would like you to be his godmother…

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With the news, Juli flew back to England for a visit and met with a delighted Anne and her month-old son. Juli smiled nostalgically, remembering the old sights and views as they sped through the countryside. That is a beautiful house, she thought as the car travelled up a hill and they could see the area. To her surprise, it was where they stopped.

"This is your house!" gasped Juli in awe as they stepped out to the magnificent grandeur of the Pemberley Manor in Derbyshire.

Anne smiled softly. "We stay here in the summer, but with my health these days, it is usually longer—"

"— your health? What's wrong with it?" Juli exclaimed as she spun quickly around, very concerned.

"Oh nothing, you know. Just little passing colds, that's all," Anne hurriedly assured her friend.

The sniffles turned to coughs; and the coughing to wheezing. One day Juli, holding Fitzwilliam, coming back from a visit to the park took notice of the house's suddenly quiet atmosphere. A maid hurried into the hall and took the child into her arm, motioning for Juli to come with here.

"I've been instructed to take you upstairs ma'am, the missus isn't feeling very well," she whispered and looked very worried.

Thoughts ran through Juli's mind as she hurried up the stairs and into a room that yet another maid opened the door to. Stepping through the doorway, a sense of dread appeared, as she took in the surroundings. Anne's pale figure was lying quite still on the bed, and the air smelled of sickness and hospitals. Gently, Juli sat on the edge of the bed and stroked her friend's hand. Anne's eyes fluttered open and she managed to whisper: "Juli".

"Shhh love," she quieted her, "sleep." And with that, she moved away from the bed to get some information from the doctor. "What's wrong with her? Why is she suddenly like this?"

"I'm very sorry if you weren't aware miss," the young doctor began, "this isn't a sudden occurrence. It's just this time is the worst that it's every happened. You see, the missus had a heart problem since youth that has surfaced ever since the birth of her son, and she has been frail and easily ill."

"So what's happening now?" Juli asked, now even more deeply worried.

"Mrs. Darcy is pregnant, and the prospects are not looking good," he answered very grimly. Juli gasped, amazed at the news yet very overcome by the sudden knowledge of Anne's health situation.

That night, as they were sitting around in the parlour after their evening meal engaged in light conversation, Anne walked into the room.

"Anne! Shouldn't you be resting?" cried Juli, getting up and helping her to a seat. Anne answered that she was fine and the night passed like all the others, with no trace of the incident.

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Time had come for Juli to leave England and return to her home, job and studies in New York. Their bittersweet parting evoked memories of their first such parting and left Juli very wistful. The very next day, an express package appeared along with a note.

My darling Juli, it read, here are copies of the photos we took during your stay. I have the picture of the three of us, you, Fitzwilliam and I, framed. I hope you'll like them all and allow you to remember us fondly from time to time – with love, Anne.

The precious memories were arranged carefully in photo albums and put away with care with all the rest of the objects from her life in England.

Seasons sped past as Juli continued her studies and Anne, her life in London. Though letters were few, they were marked pain and hurt from each miscarriage that Anne suffered in succession. The following winter, Anne was confined to bed and awaiting what would be her fourth child. As the date of delivery drew closer, Juli flew back to England to support her.

And thus began the confrontation of Juliana Simmons and Henry Darcy.

It was all a simple matter, a butler would arrive at the airport to pick up Juli and bring her to Pemberley. Much like her last visit, the house was milling with servants, but always the Mr. Darcy was nonexistent. As she swung her godchild up, she wondered where Anne's husband always was. Out of her last stay, she never even saw him once. The very night, her desire came true. And as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.

Juli was lounging in the library, nursing a cup of tea over her favourite book (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen), she heard the door slam open and wondered who other than herself would be up at that time of night. She turned, and to her surprise a man, though well dressed, obviously drunk, and swaggered into the library walking towards her.

She stared in confusion as the figure brandished a wine bottle at her and roared: "who are you? And what are you doing in my house?"

So this is the master of this house, she thought, and so disgracefully drunk. "Juliana Simmons – and you are Mr. Darcy I presume?"

"HOW DARE YOU PRESUME ANYTHING?" Darcy yelled to great effect. "I know not any Juliana Simmons, I can have you thrown out and arrested you trespasser!"

"I am a guest of your wife, here to support her during her delivery. If you were responsible enough to actually be here at this important time, I wouldn't be here. But you are a disgrace, a miserable drunk—"

"How dare you?"

"I dare. I dare a great deal. Not only has Anne been my childhood friend, she is my best friend—"

"Childhood friend? So you're that American wannabe bitch that was influencing her—"

"Influencing her?" now Juli was truly confused.

"Yes, influencing her. Made her believe that true love soul mate crap that made the courtship that much harder. Without your stupid ideals, she would actually be the real wife that I wanted!"

Juli stared in shocked silence, realizing that her friend's marriage was a sham. What she thought was true love between a happy couple was more of a one-sided affection and a cunning man. She felt the anger boil up within her and she lashed out:

"You BASTARD!" she screamed. She saw a blur of movement and a stinging pain before her mind succumbed to a blissful numbness.

The servants, having heard the screamed expletive came flooding down and was greeted by the ungainly sight of their practically non-existent master and their mistress' friend on the floor unmoving.

"What is wrong with all of you? Pick this garbage out and throw it out!" the drunk man raged, emphasizing his point by kicking his victim hard in the stomach once more. "Never let that whore enter my house again," was all he said before slumping and passing out.

The servants, highly faithful to their mistress rather than the master for obvious reasons, handled the situation delicately. The butler lifted their master to the housekeepers room and not without malice, dropped him onto the bed. The maids took care of the handling of Juli, calling an ambulance, seeing her safely to a hospital and packing her belongings. Those still left in the house were alerted of Anne's situation as once again a shriek from the master bedroom brought them to attention. Anne's labour had started – the doctors were called and the household waited in desperate hopefulness. They all knew the chances their mistress faced. Low with success and even lower with failure.

It was a long and torturous labour, but morning brought on the wails of the newborn. The staff, rejoicing in the birth of a baby at last, celebrated, nearly forgetting the events of the night before.

One figure, however, did not forget, for it was emblazoned in his mind. The previous night, little Fitzwilliam Darcy had snuck out of his room for a midnight stroll and walked past the library. There he saw his father, acting very strangely. Catching view of his auntie Juli, he walked closer to the door. It was then he saw the truly menacing figure his father had become and watched in horror as an arm was brought up and a fist connected with his auntie's head. The footsteps of the servants brought him to attention, and he scurried into the shadows, remaining hidden.

He was introduced to his baby sister; Georgiana he was told, and inside him stirred a passion to protect. Against evil tyrants like…father he thought, immediately quashing it. To think about it caused too much pain, nearly too much to handle, and he didn't want to think about it anymore. He purposely and willfully suppressed the memories until they did fade into an undecipherable blur.

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Anne, though weak, soon asked were Juli was, puzzled that her friend would leave in the middle of the night. The servants tactfully answered that their guest was suddenly sick, and was transferred to the hospital. Juli however, only suffering from a mild concussion, was in no real danger. She knew that the truth of her injury would tear apart her friend emotionally, and she really could not return to that house.

Dear Anne, she wrote, I'm sorry to leave you like this, but the doctor wishes me to fly back to New York where I can undergo a more complete examination. I will visit again soon. Love, Juli. She felt bad for fibbing, but Anne's home was no longer a beautiful place, rather the beauty a mask over the true despair. She left Anne, her son, and most of the memories behind, unknowing that her friend had birthed a daughter.

But destiny is funny that way: tearing apart and uniting, creating bonds that truly last.

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Thank you so much for reading!

Please R&R, and if you had ANY ideas do advise!

Once again, I thank you from the depths of my heart – trek-elly