Will watched as Lizzie sat there spinning in her favorite chair in the studio with her guitar on her lap randomly strumming chords. She'd kicked off her shoes almost as soon as she'd walked into the room and they sat haphazardly by the door. Jake had wanted them to wait for a while before actually going into the studio to start recording. Lizzie hadn't grumbled once about the wait. Which was surprising since they had been sitting there doing nothing for the better part of an hour. Instead of getting irritated, Lizzie had a victorious grin tugging at the corners of her lips.

Suddenly Lizzie screamed and then turned beet red as she set her guitar down next to her so that it leaned against the chair and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. Apparently she'd forgotten that it was on vibrate. Lizzie looked at the caller ID and sighed before flipping her phone open and pressing it to her ear. "Hi Mom," she said as she stood up and placed her guitar in the chair and grabbed her jacket before walking out of the room. Will was a little disappointed that she hadn't stayed. He'd wanted to know what her mom had called about, but he couldn't let her know that.

"Hold on a minute Mom and let me get out of the studio," Lizzie said into the phone, never giving her mother a chance to talk as she weaved her way in-between people and shrugged into her jacket as she made her way outside. "So, isn't this a little early for you to be out of bed?"

"ELIZABETH NICOLE BENNETT HOW DARE YOU REFUSE EDWARD COLLINS!" her mother screamed into the phone. "There that poor man was, offering you marriage, a stable home, money, and everything you could ever need to be happy, and you go and turn him down!"

"Mom," Lizzie sighed. "I am not going to marry anyone as frog-like as Edward Collins. His proposal was so completely insulting! I refuse to marry anyone who accuses me of mind games and thinks that I would stoop so low as to toy with a man's affections to get what I want."

"Lizzie, I want you to call Edward Collins right this instant and apologize and tell him that you would be happy to marry…"

"Bye Mom," Lizzie said before closing her phone with so much force that she had to open it again and make sure that she hadn't cracked the screen. She slipped her phone back into her pocket and stormed back into the studio. Will was not prepared for Lizzie's sour disposition when she walked into the room, slamming the door behind her. "I have never been so glad that I moved to Nashville!" Lizzie cried out in frustration as she leaned against the door and closed her eyes. Will didn't deserve her anger, not then anyway, and she didn't want to take out her frustrations on anyone else.

Will wisely decided to remain silent as Lizzie stood there, instead he watched as a thousand different emotions played across her face. She went from angry, to disappointed, to hurt, back to angry, and finally she looked so sad that it was all Will could do not to take her in his arms and tell her that whatever was so wrong would be alright in the end. But he knew that she would not react kindly to that and so he let her stand there and get herself under control.

Suddenly Lizzie's phone rang again, this time it wasn't on vibrate, and Lizzie pulled it out of her pocket to stare at the caller ID. It wasn't her mother, so she figured it was safe to answer. "Lizzie, do you have any idea why Edward Collins is at my apartment?" Charlotte asked.

"Sorry Char," Lizzie replied with a sigh. She thought about walking back outside, but arguing with her mother left her emotionally drained and she really didn't feel like expending the energy it took to make her way back through all of the people milling through the lobby of the recording studio. "I don't know how he got your address. Probably the same way he got my car keys. Just kick him out if you want. But whatever you do, don't send him back to my place."

"Lizzie, he seems really upset," Charlotte told her as Lizzie sank to the floor and let her chin rest on her knees. "Why don't I let him stay here for a few days and get him back on his feet before we send him back to wherever he came from?"

"Do whatever you want with him as long as I don't have to see home again," Lizzie replied. "Listen Char, I've got to go. I'll call you later and see how things are going with him. If he gets too annoying, just go ahead and send him back to Rosings Park. I don't really care what happens to him as long as he's out of my hair." Lizzie said goodbye and then hit her head against the door and closed her eyes.

"What was that all about?" Will asked curiously, then immediately could have hit himself for letting that pop out. The last thing he wanted was to make Lizzie even more upset than she already was.

"Edward Collins felt the irresistible urge to ask me to marry him this morning," Lizzie replied as she stared up at the ceiling. "I have now had a huge fight with my mother about how I am not going to marry him and have pawned him off on my best non-related friend. I spend more time arguing with my mother than I do anything else, so that doesn't really bother me. I just feel really bad for Charlotte."

"And it's not even noon yet," Will muttered sympathetically.

"You said it," Lizzie replied and rested her forehead against her knees.

Two weeks went by before Lizzie could blink. She'd been in the studio every day with Will and her uncle. For some reason the song just wasn't sounding right no matter what they did to tweak it. So, Lizzie was standing on a stage of a stadium in Nashville. Jake had decided that it would be a good idea to try to record the song in a stadium rather than in the studio. Lizzie sat down on a speaker and swung her feet as techies ran around trying to get everything ready. "Excuse me Miss Bennett, but we need to move that speaker now," one of the techies said and Lizzie immediately hopped to her feet.

The snow had started to fall again and Lizzie was feeling as if she had already been in that situation. Snow flakes were clinging to her hair that was hanging in loose curls down her back. Her puffy white vest made her skin look a little paler than usual, but made her hazel eyes sparkle and Will could hardly look her in the eye without getting lost in them. Lizzie took a seat on the edge of the stage and once again started swinging her feet, looking adorably childish and making it very hard for Will not to kiss her again. Suddenly her phone rang. Will watched as she put the phone to her ear and said hello. Suddenly her face turned as white as her vest and the phone clattered into the band pit.

Lizzie stood up and fled. She just started running across the stage and outside of the stadium. Will watched as she burst out the back stage door and into the alleyway behind the stadium. Lizzie stopped as soon as she got out of the stadium and fell back against the bricks. She heard the door open and close as someone walked out. She didn't open her eyes but knew that whoever had walked out was leaning against the wall next to her. "If I keep my eyes closed long enough, then do you think that I can start today over?" she asked, figuring that her uncle was the one next to her.

"Well, I don't think this morning has been all that bad," Will replied. "But based on your reaction to that phone call, then I can imagine why you would want the day to start over. What suddenly made your day so horrible?"

"Do you know of any good female drummers who are looking for a job?" Lizzie asked unexpectedly. "Because my drummer is getting married to the one man in this world who I would like to see hit by a bus."

"That's a little harsh," Will replied as Lizzie opened her eyes and looked at him.

"My best non-related friend is getting married," Lizzie stated as she blankly stared at her boots. "And I didn't say anything. I just destroyed a three-hundred dollar phone. Jane is going to kill me. I've officially lost the only slightly talented musician in my band. She's marrying the one man in the world that I can't stand. Did I mention that Jane is going to kill me for destroying that phone?"

"I am beginning to understand why you are not a morning person."

"Why?" Lizzie asked sarcastically. "Because when I'm up before ten o'clock, my world crashes down around my head periodically?"

"I think that about sums it up," Will replied. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I was serious about the whole drummer thing…"

Three days later Lizzie was taking Will back to the airport. It felt like something out of an old movie. He was driving. It was her car, but he'd insisted. It wasn't actually raining, just drizzling, but it made the world seem gloomy. Lizzie sat there staring out of the window, watching as the world past by. Charlotte was insistent on marrying Edward Collins and Lizzie had been unable to make her believe that she was making a mistake and the worst part was, Lizzie had to go and suck up to some of the big wigs of her record label as soon as she'd seen Will off.

Will parked the car in the parking garage and both got out. Will popped the trunk and got his suit cases and then he and Lizzie walked into the airport. Will had a meeting with his own label as soon as he landed in New York and so he was already dressed in a suit. Lizzie was wearing a halter top yellow sundress with little blue and green flowers sprinkled all over it. The cut of the dress and her upswept hairdo made her look like some old film star. If only everything was in black and white, that would have really made it look like a movie from the 40's.

So, they stood there at the terminal gate waiting for Will's flight to start boarding. Lizzie sat quietly in one of the hard black chairs staring down at her high heeled sandals while tapping her fingers on the arm rest to some unknown beat. Jane had forced her to go and get her nails done and so Lizzie stared at her exposed toes wondering how she hadn't noticed that they were painting her toe nails pink. She really hated pink.

"First Class Boarding for Flight 456 to New York," someone called out over the P.A. system.

"That's your flight," Lizzie said as she stood up and smoothed her dress. "Listen Will, thanks for all of your help with this single and everything."

"I didn't mind," Will replied as he got to his feet as well. "So is your friend still planning on marrying that Collins guy?"

"Yeah," Lizzie sighed and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "I don't think I'm going to be able to talk her out of this. I guess I'll just have to be her friend and see how things go from here."

"That's all you can do," Will assured her and ran a hand through his dark hair. "Well, I guess I better be going. See you around."

"Yeah, see ya," Lizzie replied and just as she was about to turn around and walk away, Will's arm shot out and circled her waist, pulling her close. Lizzie thought that he was going to kiss her and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed when he didn't. All he did was hold her close for a long moment, inhaling the scent of her hair. Lizzie had just wrapped her arms around his neck, awkwardly returning his embrace when Will broke away and, while blushing rather like a tomato, pretty much ran onto the plane.

Lizzie stood there for a few minutes after he had disappeared onto the plane and watched as people filed onto the plane. Suddenly the moment didn't seem so much like something out of an old movie. If it had been, she would have received one big kiss before he'd gotten on the plane. She didn't analyze her disappointment over not being kissed, because that would require analyzing her feelings for Will Darcy. But she was okay with her reality. For some reason, Will not kissing her was more romantic than a kiss would ever be, not that she was looking for romance or anything. As the flight attendant made the final boarding call, Lizzie walked away from the terminal and out of the airport. Then she looked at her watch and broke into a run, despite her stilettos. That lunch she was supposed to be at had started half an hour ago.

And so, two months later on a bright March afternoon, Lizzie found herself standing up in front of a large crowd of people in a pink organza bride's maid's dress giving a toast to the happiness of her best friend and new husband. You would think having formerly been a member of a band, Charlotte would be immune to the urges that cause brides to force their poor innocent bride's maids to wear ridiculous dresses and hideous shoes, but Lizzie and Jane were not that lucky. First of all, Lizzie hated the color pink, and second of all, she hated not being able to fit through doors easily because of the voluminous skirt of her dress. "To Charlotte and Edward," Lizzie finished finally. "I hope that all of your days are filled with happiness."

The wedding had gone surprisingly well; Edward assured them all that the thanks for that belonged to his esteemed employer, Mrs. Catherine de Bourgh. Lizzie, Jane, and Charlotte's younger sister Maria had been the bridesmaids. Charlotte had looked lovely in her white taffeta wedding gown. Taffeta had been Mrs. de Bourgh's choice, not Charlotte's. Charlotte had wanted satin. The gown had been stunning when Charlotte had slipped it on that morning. It had been lovely throughout the ceremony. It had been fine when she first arrived at the reception hall. But after countless hugs from family and friends, the car ride to the reception hall, and sitting down for two hours for the sit down dinner, the dress was horribly crushed.

The food from the reception had been edible; even though Lizzie could pronounce less than half the names of the things that she'd been served. But Lizzie had been very disappointed to learn that the cake had some strange raspberry filling. She was highly allergic to them and wouldn't be able to eat a single bite. She could have just eaten the frosting off Jane's piece, but the icing was raspberry flavored. Lizzie had never been so disappointed by a cake.

Lizzie quickly downed her champagne in one gulp and stepped off the small stage where the band was performing. That was her third glass of champagne in half an hour and the alcohol was just starting to cause the edges of her vision to be a little bit fuzzy. She would later assure herself that the alcohol was what caused her to trip and land right in Will Darcy's lap. Will also had consumed a little too much champagne and his arms instantly went around Lizzie, holding her in place.

After recording "Pride and Prejudice," Lizzie had decided that Will might not be as bad as she once imagined. He could be charming when he put his mind to it and Lizzie had to admit that they sounded good together. She hadn't seen him since she'd seen him off at the airport after they'd finished recording.

Will still wasn't sure what he was doing at the wedding. His aunt had some how secured his promise that he would attend in her place. She said that she had been feeling ill and couldn't possible make the journey to Longbourn. But Will had only been introduced to Charlotte once and didn't have any fond memories of Edward Collins. But Catherine de Bourgh was not a woman you just said no to, especially when she owned your record label as well as one of the most prestigious concert venues in the country. So, Will had been sitting there at a table entirely to close to the band downing champagne as fast as the waiters could refill his glass.

"Elizabeth!" Mrs. Bennet called loudly, causing Lizzie to wince. She'd been sitting there quite comfortably on Will's lap. His eyes had locked with hers and their lips had been slowly becoming dangerously close. Will almost cursed aloud when Lizzie's mother had shattered their moment.

Lizzie swiftly tried to stand up, only to be forced back down by Will's arms. "Let go," she hissed quietly and then broke away from him. "What is it Mom?"

"Well, I hope you are very happy with yourself, Lizzie," Mrs. Bennett said harshly. "Because there went the only man who will ever want to marry you."

"Mom, you've had too much to…"

"No Lizzie, you are going to listen to me this time," Mrs. Bennett retorted as she grabbed another glass of champagne off the tray of a waiter who was passing by. "You really need to give up this band and concentrate on settling down and getting married. You aren't getting any younger and men are going to get tired of waiting for you."

"Mom, I don't really care about getting married…" Lizzie began with her hands resting in fists on her slender hips.

"Well, you should care, Elizabeth…"

"Lizzie, may I have the honor of dancing with you?" Will interrupted. For some reason, watching Lizzie's normally straight posture crumble under her mother's tirade was painful to him. Lizzie had looked almost like a lost child as her mother yelled at her, and Will had the inexplicable urge to save her.

Lizzie smiled at him gratefully and took his hand in hers so that Will could lead her out onto the dance floor. "Thank you," Lizzie whispered gratefully as she wrapped her arms around his neck. As they'd walked out onto the dance floor, the band had started to play a slow song and Lizzie was more than willing to let Will lead her around the dance floor if it kept her from having to deal with her mother. "My mother isn't usually like that…"

"You don't have to explain anything to me," Will whispered into her ear. "Just dance."

"Why do I feel like I have to?"

"You don't," Will assured her. "Do you always talk while dancing?"

"When I feel the need to."

"You don't need to."

"Are you always so bossy?" Lizzie asked impatiently.

"I don't recall giving you an order," Will replied with a heavy sigh. "I just told you that you didn't have to do something."

"Just forget it," Lizzie groaned as she pushed away from him and almost stalked off the dance floor. "Will, maybe this is the five glasses of champagne talking, but you need to learn to accept people as they are and not judge them based off of your standards of perfection. You don't say a word, but the way you look at people says volumes. You have so much pride…"

"I'm judgmental?" Will asked incredulously. "You should listen to yourself. You hardly know me and yet here you are making all these accusations. You're so blinded by your own prejudice…"

Lizzie didn't stay to hear the rest of what he had to say. She ran out of the building into the cold night air. She wrapped her arms around herself and looked around the parking lot. In the darkness she could just make out a ball of pink organza sitting on the low rock wall that surrounded the property. Lizzie instantly recognized Jane and made her way over to her sister.

"Have I told you just how much I hate weddings?" Jane asked as Lizzie took a seat next to Jane on the wall. Jane sat there with an empty champagne glass in hand and a nearly empty bottle sitting between the two of them. "Because I really do hate them." Jane had slipped out of the reception long before Lizzie had given her toast. She hadn't wanted to stick around and here everyone talking about how happy Charlotte looked and gamble on how long the marriage would last. She couldn't look at all of the people without thinking of Charlie and how at Christmas, she'd thought that she'd be the one getting married in a few months.

"Janie, what's wrong?" Lizzie inquired with a puzzled frown. Jane hardly ever complained about anything.

"I've just officially been a bride's maid three times and you know the old saying 'always a bride's maid never a bride," Jane replied, her words tinged with a drunken slur. "I'm never going to get married. I keep thinking that I've finally found 'the one' but then I just get left alone in the end. What makes me so disposable, Lizzie? What's wrong with me?"

"Oh Jane," Lizzie sighed and wrapped her arms around her sister. "You're not disposable at all. I don't know what I'd do with you."

"I'm not talking about you, Lizzie," Jane explained as tears started to roll down her cheeks. "I thought that Charlie was my 'one.' I thought that he really loved me, because I was so head over heels in love with him I couldn't see straight. But then he just left. He hasn't called, emailed, faxed, nothing!"

"Jane, would you like to take a vacation?" Lizzie asked unexpectedly.

"Where did that come from?" Jane replied as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Is my makeup smeared?"

"You look fine," Lizzie assured her. "But as I was saying, Uncle Jake was telling me how Aunt Margaret is going to New York for a few weeks to do some shopping and I was just thinking that a nice long shopping trip is just what you need."

"Maybe you're right, Lizzie," Jane sighed and stared down at her empty champagne glass. "I certainly don't need anymore champagne." Lizzie chuckled and scooted back a little further onto the wall. "By the way, what caused you to come running out of the building?"

"We're not going to talk about that," Lizzie said decisively.

"Oh, come on Lizzie," Jane sighed. "I just spilled my guts. Now it's your turn."

"I've had more alcohol in the last three hours than I've had in two years," Lizzie replied with a shrug. "Does that count?"

"I know you're not happy over that, but you ran out of the hall as if demons were chasing you," Jane said impatiently and started drumming her fingers on the stone. "Now, come on and spill the beans."

"I'll go back in, retrieve our purses, and call a cab," Lizzie said as she slipped down off the wall and smoothed her dress. "And I'll take the champagne back to the bar where it belongs. How did you get it anyway?"

"You're right Lizzie," Jane replied with a smirk. "We'll just talk when we get home." Lizzie stared at her sister incredulously for a moment and then turned to walk back into the hall, shaking her head as she went, her shoes crunching against the gravel.

A/N: I just want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Ya'll are totally amazing. Now, let's see if I can get fifteen reviews before I post the next chapter. Oh, and sorry that this chapter is kind of short as compared to the others. We're rearranging our house and my dad is going to take the computer apart so that he can move the desk, so I may not be able to write for a while.