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! I'm sorry for the long delay so I made a longer chapter than usual.
Disclaimer: Lalala, all characters and plot references belong to Jane Austen. If I owned them...I not sure what I would do.
Plot Summary: oh my goodness, Lizzy meets Darcy! ;)
Enjoy!
--
With the number of trips to the dress shop that Charlotte ordered Lizzy to attend, that certain park became Lizzy's regular haunt and meeting place with Georgie.
"Fancy meeting you here, miss," Lizzy gruffly whispered in Georgie's ear as she crept up to her friend.
In response, the girl jumped up in surprise and when greeted with the sight of her grinning companion, punched her lightly on the arm in mock annoyance.
"Lizzy!"
"So how's life been treating you, Georgie?" asked Lizzy as they seated themselves on the familiar park bench that had brought them together.
"Good," Georgie began brightly but looked downcast, "but I miss my brother."
"Your brother – older I presume?"
"Yes, older. Will is the brother on the planet," she pronounced excitedly, launching into a tirade counting off his fine qualities: "he's just wonderful, kind and sympathetic…and he spoils me rotten."
"He sounds like a paragon of virtue," commented Lizzy, then switching to a mock accent, "how very dull."
Georgie gave an indignant huff. "Well say what you want, but everyone says that he's very handsome."
"Is he indeed? Very well you impertinent miss, describe him to me."
Her friend smiled happily and launched into her ample description. "He's very tall and works out so he's not fat or anything. He doesn't look like me at all. I have this boring dirty blonde hair and plain blue eyes while he has this nice wavy dark hair and midnight blue eyes—"
"If you weren't his sister, by the way you have that look in your eyes, I'd have suspected that you were in love with him yourself," teased Lizzy.
Georgie responded by wrinkling her nose. "But he's old, older than you I think. I never asked how old you are Lizzy."
"18."
"He's 23 right now…I think—"
"You think?" chuckled Lizzy.
Georgie shrugged ruefully, "he acts so old that he seems much older. It's been like this ever since…ever since…" she trailed off, looking away.
"Ever since…?" Lizzy gently pressed.
Her friend took a deep breath and whispered, "ten years ago, my father passed on. I don't remember my mother much, I was pretty young, but other than Will, father was the only other direct family I had, even though he wasn't the best of people."
Lizzy was shocked – this young girl had lost both parents. Suddenly, she felt a respect for this 'Will' who in spite of all brought up this wonderful and intelligent girl. "I'm so sorry," she said sympathetically and gently embraced her friend. "He must be a wonderful brother; it takes more than appearance to raise such a wonderful girl as you."
Georgie gave a small smile at the compliment and the conversation lightened and moved on to easier subjects.
At another meeting, Lizzy inquired whether Georgie's brother was here or back at home.
"He's in London immersing himself in his studies and work," she replied and huffed, "he should come here and spend more time with me, I want you to meet him," she pondered thoughtfully.
"And your cousin? How is he?"
"Oh, just squirreling up and down town these days, I'm getting pulled along to some exhibitions and some even that he's really excited about." Then came the usual phone call summoning Georgie away and had the friends bidding each other goodbye until they met again at the usual time.
--
The cell phone that had been hastily dumped on the bedside table the night before began ringing the "dad" ringtone. Lizzy hastily travelled the distance of her room, picked up the device, set it on speaker and answered the call.
"Hey dad."
"Hey Liz," came the disembodied voice, "you know, it's the annual Lit function coming up right this week?"
"Yeah?"
"Mark it down on your calendar, you are coming this year Lizzy," the voice ordered.
"Right dad," the daughter answered and rolled her eyes in exasperation. Parents.
"Good girl, would you tell your mother than I'll be a bit late for dinner."
"Okay no problem," she answered, mind already occupied on other tasks.
"Thanks kid," and her dad hung up. With eyes still fixated on the computer screen, she backed out her room and yelled down to her mother down the corridor about her dad's message, and immediately returned as she saw she had a new email.
Clicking on the icons, she soon found herself reading a short note from none other than Georgie.
To: Lizzy Bennet
From: Georgie Darcy
RE: my brother!
Hey Lizzy,
Just to let you know, Will called and he said that he'll be here before the end of the week – so you can meet him.
I'll do my best to set you to up ;)
Georgie
Lizzy huffed at that last line, scheming brat, she thought. Well do your best Missy, do your best.
--
"Lizzy are you done yet?" yelled Charlotte who was standing impatiently in the Bennet's main foyer, hollering repeatedly for Lizzy who was still upstairs. "You know your dad will kill you if you're late," she threatened.
Lizzy yelled right back. "Yeah, well too bad for him. Or is it because you're impatient to see your Prince again?"
"Shut up and hurry up will you?" Char practically snarled in response.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," came the reply that was soon accompanied by the muffled thumping of feet. Lizzie made her way down the carpeted stairs, jumping down the last few steps, and dashed for her jacket and keys.
"You know you could have gotten up just a bit earlier and spared yourself this hectic rush," scolded Charlotte.
"Well you know it's a known and accepted universal fact that Elizabeth Bennet despises mornings. Why does dad have to organize these events so damn early?"
"Because this is not early for normal people."
"Right."
With Lizzy still grumbling, they got into the car and drove away to the college campus. Walking quickly to the entrance to avoid being late, Lizzie checked her watch. "Crap, we're going to be late!"
"No shit, Sherlock." And the two women practically sprinted up the steps and into the doors.
Inside was James Bennet, standing patiently, arms crossed and grinning welcome to his daughter and her friend. "Good job girls, ten milliseconds to go. This is definitely a record," he announced.
"Right dad, whatever makes you happy," Lizzy panted out, trying to catch her breath from that impromptu sprint.
"Morning Mr. Bennet," greeted Charlotte like the older, more mature person she was. James happily shook her hand and repeated the welcome, gesturing for her to join the already buzzing crowd of friends, family, students and alumni.
"C'mon Liz, let's go join the merry ton of people over there – I think you two are the last ones here."
Lizzy looked up and around her asking where Charlotte went. A voice from behind her answered her question. "Ditched you, apparently."
Lizzy turned around quickly to identify the source of the voice that whispered in her ear, and squealed in delight at who she saw. "Richard!" she cried and launched herself into a big bear hug, "where have you been?"
"At these events, that you prefer not to come to," answered her dad, "have fun kids," he called and was off, heading to the crowd of people.
She turned back to her companion and looked him over, "well Richie, what have you been doing with yourself -- not looking too bad, eh?"
"You mean other than promoting my sex idol status?"
"Yes," Lizzy answered with a straight face, then failing miserably and burst out laughing. "Yes, other than …that."
"School."
"School? You mean graduate school?"
"Indeed."
"Well I'd never! I truly didn't think that you were the type," she was still open-mouthed in shock. "So how is it?"
"Suits me very well, amazingly enough. It takes up most of my time, and the rest is spent hounding my cousins – which I want you to meet," Richard replied, taking her arm and guiding her through crowd to the destination he sought. "Lizzy, I'd like you to meet—" Richard began, gesturing to a feminine figure that suddenly turned at the sound of his voice.
"Georgie?" cried Lizzy in recognition.
"Lizzy!"
The two girls rushed to each other excitedly and hugged leaving Richard confused. He stood there awkwardly while they exchanged pleasantries and quickly caught up. Then they turned to face him with perfectly innocent faces. "Yes, Richard?" they inquired sweetly.
He looked from his cousin to his friend and shook his head in exasperation. "Do I even want to know how you guys met?"
"Well," Lizzy began, "it all started with a dog one day in park—"
"The park? Oh, it was you who she was meeting practically every other day. I began to suspect that something was up considering Georgie loves her indoor activities…"
"You make me sound like a couch potato, Richard," admonished the cousin.
"So you're happy it was me and not some ill-intentioned person who was taking up all of her time."
"Why, of course I'm relieved."
"Don't talk like I'm not here you two," interjected Georgie, "I'm not that irresponsible – it's not like I'd run off with some random person or get mugged in broad daylight."
"We're talking possibilities you little brat," chuckled Richard, "besides, I'm not scared of the kidnapping part, I'm scared off what your brother would do to me afterwards."
"It's nice to feel loved isn't it?" They fell into a comfortable silence that Georgie finally broke by asking whether he brother had arrived yet.
"He did call a few minutes before Lizzy's mad-dash entrance and said that he'd be here soon. I bet he's bringing his friends again…ugh."
"Charles Bingley, his sisters, and brother-in-law in all possibility," offered up Richard as an explanation to Lizzy.
"Should I assume that these…friends…are not particularly wonderful?"
"Oh, not Charlie," spoke Georgie, "he's as nice as ever and always smiles. He's a wonderful friend to me and Will's best friend from college—"
"But his sisters are the total opposite?"
"Exactly," replied Richard and muttered to Georgie "the lion, the witch and the wardrobe"
"The lion, the witch and the wardrobe?" inquired Lizzy, overhearing.
Georgie grinned in response. "Caroline is the lion, the predator, and chases after Will like he's the prey—"
"It's all quite amusing," Richard guffawed, "but I pity the poor fellow."
"Lousia, her older sister, is the witch. Just as mean-spirited as her sister so we call her 'the hag'. And the wardrobe…well it barely fits by referring to Mr. Hurst, Louisa's husband's ability to hold down all that liquor."
"They sound wonderful."
"And here they come," said Richard, gesturing to the group making their way over. "Shields up and man battle stations," he muttered under his breath.
At the head of the pack was a tall, dark-haired gentleman who Lizzy could tell to be Will Darcy from Georgie's general description. She was right thought Lizzy as she looked him over, he sure is eye candy. True enough, the impeccably dressed Will had thick wavy dark brown hair that, along with eyelashes to die for and well shaped cheekbones, accentuated what Georgie aptly described as eyes of midnight blue. Except that those blue pits were now trained onto her.
Feeling slightly uncomfortable, she looked towards the other members of the group, starting with the tall and willowy blonde clutching the man's arm. Her hair was obviously arranged at a salon, and she was dressed from head to toe in numerous designer brands. The other lady, remembering their talk earlier, Lizzy remembered was the sister. Though shorter and plumper, she too was dressed in similar designer brands and sported the same condescending sneer. At her side was a short, pot-bellied man, balding and obviously disinterested in this whole event. This, conjectured Lizzy, would have to be Mr. Hurst.
"Damn witches," Lizzy heard Georgie muttered as the party approached, but noticed that it was true enthusiasm that lit up her face when she caught sight of her brother.
"Will!" she cried as she ran into his arms and gave him a hug which he returned. The rest of the party politely waited as Georgie and her brother walked over to where Richard and Lizzie were still standing.
"Fit—Will" Richard greeted his cousin heartily, slapping him on the back in welcome. Lizzie couldn't help but wonder what the glare Richard received was for.
"Will," said Georgie, catching her brother's attention and gestured to Lizzie, "this is Miss Elizabeth Bennet, my good friend."
Lizzy held out her hand to be shaken. It was grasped but to her surprise, instead of being shaken, he bowed over it in the old-fashioned tradition. "Delighted, Miss Bennet," he said sincerely and straightened.
"Knock off the act Will, or people will think you have issues. The regency role-playing was while ago," scoffed Richard from behind them.
Hearing a suppressed giggle, Lizzy looked at Georgie who gestured at Lizzy's hand. Lizzy blushed a deep red when she realized that Will Darcy still had a hold of her hand. As she extricated it slowly, her companion turned the same colour as he realized what he had done. Richard snorted in the background and Georgie hurriedly started up small-talk to cover up what was now an awkward silence.
"Did I tell you, Will, that Lizzy was the one I kept meeting in the park?" drawing her brother's attention.
"No you didn't," was the response, "but I'm glad you made such a great friend. I had asked Richard who it was you were meeting and I threatened that if anything unseemly happened he would," and ended his statement with a neck-slicing motion to emphasize his point. Then turning to Lizzy he added, "I'm deeply grateful to you Miss Bennet for keeping my sister company."
"I'm grateful for your sister's wonderful company Mr. Darcy," Lizzy replied with a smile. "You know Mr. Darcy, as Richard said, the regency role-play is over. But if you insist on sticking to the propriety rules of that period, I would be Miss Elizabeth since I do have an elder sister."
Darcy stiffened at the correction before he relaxed and realized that Lizzy was only teasing him and smiled in return. "My apologies, Miss Elizabeth." Georgie gave her cousin a knowing look which Richard responded with a smirk.
The Bingley sisters, having observed what they thought was a proper time for family reunion between Will and Georgie, now decided to come over and join the conversation. Georgie, having spotted their movement, quickly grabbed Lizzy's arm and steered her away into the crowd. "Lizzy you promised to introduce me to your family and your friends, right?" she pleaded. Lizzy saw the begging look in her friend's eyes and nodded an affirmative. They looked over their shoulders and waved a goodbye to Will who was still standing there with Richard.
Seeing his opportunity to leave the scene as well, patted his cousins arm, saluted a farewell and set off in the opposite direction citing that Mr. Bennet was calling for his favourite alumni.
"No, please, Richard—"
"Sorry pal, familial duty only goes so far."
Will Darcy then sighed reluctantly and schooled his features from that of a stricken deer-in-headlights look to one of neutrality. Then he turned to face Caroline, looking very similar to prey before the predator.
--
"Will is going to kill after this for ditching him," Georgiana chuckled as she glanced over her shoulder to the sight of her brother being cornered by Caroline Bingley. Lizzie followed her friend's lead and also looked back.
Her eyes travelled from the tittering blonde to rest on Will's face, their eyes locking.
The Assembly to be continued…!
-------------------------------------------------------P&P
So what do you think?
I promised I would reach Meryton and I did! (Merry ton, Meryton. Aha – I know it's terrible, sorry) I promised I would write Collins…but I haven't yet sobs
A current obsession with rpg games left lonely and forgotten …
I love you reviewers! As always, just bring on the suggestions.
trek-elly
