-1Chapter Four

The weekend ended too quickly for the Bennet twins, the following two days were too full of last minute homework and book shopping for them to focus on the pleasanter sides of life, such as perhaps, romance. Lizzy would look up from her English book to see Jane staring out the window towards the reserve, which strangely enough bordered both Longbourne and Netherfeild, and was the only thing between the two estates, making the Bennets and the Bingley neighbours.

When school began, Lizzy and Jane were happy to see that they had English and Australian history together.

"Look, Caroline is in English with us!" Jane pointed out excitedly; Lizzy forced a smile, which grew more pained when she saw Caroline was also in her Legal Studies class and her Literature class. "Oh god, Caroline in Literature, I can just imagine! Who wrote A Midsummer's Night Dream? Err J.K Rowling?" She groaned and pulled her bag higher onto her shoulder before going to find her new locker. She opened it and found her personal class list and timetable inside, and after dumping all her books she grabbed Jane whom already had a perfectly organised locker and her pink and purple painted lock clamped shut. Lizzy had forgotten her lock, it was painted too, and it was blue, green, and sparkly. The three nail polish bottles she had dropped on it, and broken had given it a very abstract look, she liked it. Lizzy was like that, unpredictable, fiery, passionate, it was what made her so popular with people, she found fun in everything she did and nothing she did was boring.

The twins made quite a pair in their uniforms, boring blue checked dresses and knee-high socks. Jane's uniform was perfect, neatly iron, her socks a pristine white, she wore he hair out with a white headband holding it off her face and only a gold chain with a small diamond for jewellery. Lizzy on the other hand was wearing black socks, her uniform was half unbuttoned showing her black singlet with the words "Peace maker" written across the breast, she had six different shades of jade bracelets up her arm, a silver thumb ring on her left hand and different sized rings on every finger of her right hand. Lastly, she wore her customary silver heart locket about her neck, and held her hair back in messy pigtails at the bottom of her head. They girls were greeted left and right as they approached the gym, where the assembly was going to be.

"Oh Jane and Elizabeth Bennet!" A shrill faux posh American accent filled the foyer leading to the gym. Jane looked up smiling while Lizzy cringed and looked for possible escape routes, it was Caroline Bingley and she looked…interesting, was the nicest word Lizzy could think of. Her hair was dead straight, and fell lifelessly down her back; the blunt cut framing her eyes, which had been shadowed with a bright orange colour and red eyeliner, completed the look. She had on so much fake tan she could easily have passed for an oompaloompah. "I am so glad I found you both, we positively must sit together!" She looped an arm about Hanes waist and turned to Lizzy with an arched eyebrow, "Well don't you look…cute." She made the word sound like an expletive. Lizzy growled under her breath and Jane silenced her with a look. For such a nice, sweet girl she had a killer death stare and she thought Caroline's intentions innocent while Lizzy could not help feel that Caroline Bingley was playing some game they did not know.

The weeks passed and Lizzy could not help but notice that Caroline Bingley was, quite honestly the dumbest, shallowest and nastiest person she had ever met. She had seemed to decide that the Bennet twins were to be her posse, and had told them that with her guidance they could be 'really' fashionable, not just to this hick town, but to the world. However, as much as everything she said made Lizzy's blood boil, she accepted her for two reasons, Jane seemed to genuinely like her- but Jane genuinely liked everyone- and because Caroline insisted, they hang around her house, which meant they saw a lot of Charles Bingley. Jane and Charles, Lizzy felt, were meant for each other. Both had amazingly sincere temperaments, never did they get cross or angry, Caroline's irritating nature was somehow endearing to them, and they made friends with everyone they met. They also seemed to be genuinely and sincere falling in love.

"Oh Charli, I'm certain I can put up with Caroline Bingley for the rest of my life as long as Jane is happy with Charles. They are so in love and they have not even been out yet! I think he's waiting for her to turn 18 so he doesn't look like a perverted cradle snatcher." Lizzy laughed, scuffing her feet in the dirt. She and Charli Lucas were on the swings of the playground nearby the local reserve.

"I wouldn't say they are in love Lizzy." Charli began, silencing Lizzy's protest, with a look, "they are falling for each other it's easy to tell, their eyes didn't leave each others once at your school dance. I still can't believe Caroline dragged Charles there just so Darcy could be there, she is so desperate."

Lizzy laughed. "I don't think she had to drag Charles there. If I recall correctly he was the first one in and she came in ten minutes later dragging Darcy in behind her!" The two girls giggled in remembrance.

"But really Lizzy, you should tell Jane to be more obvious about her feelings. We know her so we can tell she adores him, and he obviously adores her, but what if he's not sure?" Charli grew serious but Lizzy just laughed.

"You make it sound like she's trying to snag him to get married. They aren't even dating yet, who cares who knows that she fancies him, as long as she knows and he knows that's all that matters!" Lizzy shook her head, "She still barely knows him, why should she look like some desperate girl, or worse Caroline," they laughed, "before she really knows him?"

"I believe it's better to get into a relationship not knowing anything about your partner, or else you would never find someone who fits your description of the perfect man."

"Don't be stupid Charli, you would never act like that and I know you wouldn't want Jane to end up with someone she couldn't like." Charli just shook her head and hoped for the best.

Fitzwilliam Darcy sat in a tree on the reserve beside Netherfeild. He had discovered it soon after moving in with the Bingleys and thought of it as his private hideaway. A sanctuary from Caroline's long, red manicured finger nails and whining voice, she never came outside and had once referred to the trees in the reserve as a 'like totally wild jungle'. He liked this particular tree because it was easy to climb, and once you were up. you could not be seen from beneath or from the house. It also had one bonus that Will refused to acknowledge as a reason for it being his favourite, it just so happened to have a virtually unobstructed view of a large playground that Charlotte Lucas and Elizabeth -Lizzy- Bennet would often sit on and talk for hours. He had also noticed that Lizzy often came to sit on a bench to curl up and read. Of course he had no interest in the wild looking Bennet twin. She was too free spirited for him, and not in a good way. She always dressed like a hippy, and since school had started, had put a different coloured hair dye in a single streak down her left bang. It was green this week, not that he had been paying any particular attention. Blonde, pink, blue, purple and green, he thought idly. He shook his head. He had in truth been unable to get Lizzy out of his head since he had first met and snubbed her. The look in her deep green eyes sent shivers down his back, so full of anger, passion and a guilt that he found physically pained him every time he thought about it. She really was quite attractive now that he thought about it. He still thought she had a wild look about her but it just made her even more enthralling. He sat back against the tree, smiling dreamily as he imagined her as a dryad, slitting aerily through the trees, her beautiful eyes flashing with the happiness he often noticed when she was talking with her friends, her hair flowing in sensual curls down her back as she climbed his tree and approached him, a different glint in her eye and…he shook his head. Snap out of it Will, she's 17, probably just another fluffed headed high schooler who thinks its cool to, to what? Be herself? He screwed his eyes shut, trying to get her imagine out of his head. It does not matter anyway, she hates you. With that sobering thought, Darcy climbed down from his tree and headed back to the house, prepping himself to be accosted by Caroline.

Lucas Lodge held another big party a month and a half after school started. March 1st was Charlie's birthday, and this year she turned 19. Always a big deal in the Lucas household, this year Charli had requested that it be smaller, her 18th had ended with her and Lizzy getting so drunk they went skinny-dipping and Charli having lost a dare or a bet-they cannot remember what- had run around the block in a pair of six-inch stiletto's. She was not keen on a repeat. The Bennet's were the first to be invited, the Bingleys a close second as Charli and the Hursts had taken quite a liking to each other. Will Darcy was of course invited, it was unavoidable, as Charlotte had told Lizzy who had been dreading listening to "Oh Darcy darling, come here Darcikins! William Darcy, what are you staring at?" Caroline just refused to accept that Darcy was not interested, and Lizzy secretly, and evilly, hoped that she would never pick up on it and plague him for life.

Also invited were some other new comers to Hertfordshire. A local military training ground had been set up in Meryton, the next suburb along, and many of the younger recruits had taken to frequenting the Hertfordshire Pub, run by the Lucas's, and Charli who worked there had made friends with many of them. The militia boys were quite welcome in the area. Lizzy's youngest sisters in particular had taken to walking into Meryton, a short trip from Longbourne, to watch them train. Lydia actually had one young mans jacket in her room, he had lent it to her to keep her warm, she had yet to return it.

Charli's birthday started off well, Lizzy and Jane took her out for breakfast and a salon day. Massages, manicures and a hair job. They headed back to Lucas Lodge midafternoon to help set everything up. By five o'clock, everything was ready and the girls hurried to go get dressed. By six people had started arriving and the girls looked themselves over in the floor length mirror in Charli's bedroom.

Charli looked every bit the birthday girl in her yellow sundress with only her gold bangle- a present from Jane and Lizzy for her 18th- and her usual gold cross. Of course, Lizzy had forced her to wear her hair half pulled back in many little plaits, and let the rest fall in gentle auburn waves down her back, and to finish off Lizzy produced a plastic children's tiara, complete with blue and pink glass gems. Charli laughed, Lizzy had gotten her a new and different tiara every year since her fifth birthday, and she got one for Lizzie, it was their tradition.

Jane looked sweet in her white tennis skirt, and baby blue tank top, letting her hair hang out as usual. Lizzy dressed simply for her. Three quarter high hugging black cargo pants and green singlet with the words 'save our planet' and her silver heart locket about her neck. She had pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

The girls came down the stairs to find the rest of the Bennets had arrived, the Bingley's and Darcy were there and most of the militia boys who had been invited, in fact as far as they could tell everyone was there. As they came down the stairs every male in the room stared. Though Jane and Lizzy were dressed simply their beauty was indisputable, and they both positively glowed with an innate beauty. Charlotte, though ever thought to be a beauty was pretty in an usual way, her auburn hair, soft hazel eyes and a freckled nose, she had something alluring about her. They were quite easily the three prettiest girls in the room, and people noticed it.

"Oh my god." The words left Will's mouth before he could stop himself. She was beautiful, the green of her singlet played up the colour of her eyes, and set of the soft tan of her skin, and the tight pants left just enough to the imagination to provoke a lot of naughty thoughts in his mind. It was simple, appropriate and beautiful.

"Yes," Caroline took his exclamation to be a further snub, "Lizzy looks atrocious. She could have at least dressed up a little!" Will glanced at her before looking back at Lizzy who was smiling and talking to Charles, he felt a momentary surge of jealousy, she never talked to him like that, but no, she was moving aside to let her sister talk. Caroline nudged him and he sighed before saying, "Maybe she dressed down so as not to out do the birthday girl." Caroline snorted, thinking he was being insulting again.

"Yes, Charli," she used the nickname as an insult rather than an affectionate term, and continued, "Is not pretty at all, especially when you consider that a savage could ever possibly outshine her!" She laughed at her wit as Will moved away, stepping over to where Lizzy, Charli and Calum Foster, the highest ranking of the men present, he was in charge of the training grounds.

"Non-proliferation is the only way to prevent nuclear warfare," Lizzy was arguing hotly, "and if America were to start and set an example for the rest of the world it could quite possibly be settled!"

"The only failing of your wistful thinking Lizzy, is the 'quite possibly'. We have no idea how many nations have weapons, or how many have weapon building facilities." Calum argued back.

"That didn't stop them from invading Iraq, did it? Besides I am not saying that America destroy all its weapons, I am just saying that they stop creating more. I'm sure they have more than enough to blow the planet into dust as it is, why would they need more?" Lizzy's eyes narrowed as she noticed Will but she ignored him and continued. "The world would be a better place if we didn't let the corrupt Yanks dominate. We need a proper united governing body, a coalition of nations where every single nation has equal say. If we worked together then we wouldn't need the damn things."

Will watched her in wonder as she got riled up, he could see that Calum was enjoying watching her debate. Her cheeks flushed a pretty pink offsetting the soft freckles scattered over her nose, and her eyes. Damn her eyes, Will thought, if it were not for them I could get you out of my head. Her eyes flashed a deep, sea green. It was the same colour her eyes had been that night he had upset her.

"Oh yes, and all those bloody Muslim countries would vote together to blow us to shit and take over the world." Calum threw in playfully, causing Lizzy to storm off in frustration.

"I couldn't help myself; she is so appealing all fired up like that." Calum held out a hand and introduced himself. "Calum Forster, I'm in charge of the grounds in Meryton, keeping these wastrels in line." Denny, one of the young men, had twirled past with Lydia over his shoulder, shouts of "Put…Me…Down." Called between laughter. Will nodded at Calum and chatted to him for a time before moving back towards Lizzy. He was determined to learn more about her; surely, if he did then he could realise how childish his slight infatuation was and get over it.

"Grr, men are so stupid. Thinking violence is the only answer." Lizzy steamed to Charli who only laughed at her.

"He was stirring you Lizzy." Lizzy only scowled as she looked back towards Calum who was now chatting to Darcy.

"Oh and get this. Bloody Darcy comes over and watches us debate. Does not say anything just bloody stares! What on earth could he want?"

"Ask him." Was Charli's calm answer as she gazed about the party.

"I couldn't! I'm sure he's laughing at me and if I know it for certain then I'll just end up being too cheeky for my own good and next he'll be comparing me to a monkey!" Charli snorted, and her eyes widened as the object of there discussion came over.

"Happy Birthday Charli," He smiled slightly, and Charli smiled widely, pleased he had not used her hideous grandmother name. "Hello Lizzy. That was a very passionate debate you had with Calum earlier." He thought only to praise her, hoping to heighten her opinion of him in her eyes, but Lizzy felt that surely, he was being sarcastic, but the accent put her off a bit, it was just so damn sexy.

"I noticed you stood by and listened," Lizzy smiled mischievously, "but you gave no opinion? Is that because you cannot have an opinion of your own of a matter or because you know nothing of the matter?"

"You are deliberately goading me Elizabeth," His voice grew cold, "I was not apart of your debate and you argued your views to successfully I knew my own opinion could not stand against such passion."

"She is just teasing Mr Darcy." Charli elbowed her friend discreetly, "But if you wait a minute I can present you with an opportunity to tease her yourself!"

"Charli! Don't you dare." Lizzy turned in horror to her friend, knowing what she had in mind. Charli just smiled innocently and walked over to the piano.

Lizzy stood rigidly, uncomfortably aware of the proximity of Darcy, if only he was not so attractive and polite to your face, and his accent was not so knee shatteringly lustful. Deep and rich even when he spoke in his usually crisp voice it was enough to turn a girl to jelly. She wanted so much to hate him that any positive he had, even if it were superficial, annoyed her.

"Attention, attention!" Mrs Lucas was standing beside her daughter, "Charli has just told me that Lizzy is going to sing for us!"

Applause filled the room, while Darcy looked at her in surprise. She thought felt insulted at the look, thinking he was shocked to find that people would think a savage good enough to sing at a party. He was only surprised because he had not known she could sing, in fact it heightened his opinion of her.

She moved forward and instead of sitting at the piano grabbed the guitar beside it.

Slinging the strap over her head, she tuned it quickly. Mr Lucas placed a microphone in front of her. She looked up and spoke into the mic. "I'm so sorry you're all going to have to hear this, but its Charli's birthday and I'll do whatever it takes to make her happy. I'm going to sing "Perfect Day" by Hoku."

As Lizzy began to play, Will was pleased to see she was good, she fumbled a bit, but she sounded magnificent to his ears.

Sun's up
A little after twelve
Make breakfast for myself
Leave the work for someone else
People say
They say that it's just a phase
They tell me to act my age,
Well I am

He smiled as he listened; think that the song suited her.


On this perfect day,
Nothing is standing in my way
On this perfect day,
When nothing can go wrong

She saw him smiled and staring at him with her eyes slightly narrowed she put some more passion into it. "I'll show him."


It's the perfect day,
Tomorrow's gonna come too soon
I could stay, forever as I am

On this perfect day

Sun's down
A little after ten
I pick up all my friends
In my Mercedes-Benz

Charles looked from Lizzy to Will wondering what was happening.


Wake up
Don't tell me it's just a dream
'Cause when I've had enough
You'll hear me say,
Now don't you try to rain on my

Perfect day,
Nothing's standing in my way

On this perfect day,
Nothing can go wrong

Charli watched the intense expression of Will's face and smiled secretly to herself, she would not tell Lizzy, not yet.


It's the perfect day,
Tomorrow's gonna come too soon
I could stay, forever as I am
On this perfect day

La la la
La la la,
Oh, oh

Jane followed her twins gaze to Will, and saw his own stare straight back at her. She could not read him or Lizzy but it made her think.


I'm in the race
But I've already won
(La la la)
And getting there can
Be half the fun
(La la la)
So don't stop me
Till I'm good and done,
Don't you try to rain on my

Perfect day
It's the perfect day

It's the perfect day
Nothing's gonna bring me down
I could stay, forever as I am

On this perfect day
Nothing's standing in my way,

On this perfect day,
Nothing can go wrong

I'm in the race
But I've already won
And getting there can
Be half the fun,
So don't stop me
Till I'm good and done,
Don't you try to rain on my

Will felt his breathe quicken as she stared at him. Seeing her up there, remembering her all riled up, or picturing her snuggled up at the park with a book. She was in his head and she was not leaving anytime soon.


Perfect, day
On this perfect day
On this perfect day

Lizzy finished with flair, smirking slightly at Darcy, surprised to see him clapping and smiling sincerely. "I hope I wasn't as bad as I think I sounded, but thank you for the applause anyway. And I believe now is the time," she glanced back for the thumbs up from Mr Lucas, "to start singing all together. Are you ready? Kumbaya…" she grinned at Denny who had started singing along. "Haha. Ok we all know what we are about to sing and if Charli would come and stand here, and put her tiara back in her hair, we can start. 1, 2, 3 Happy Birthday to you," Lizzy sang into the microphone, her entire countenance lit up with joy for her friend.

Once the song was finished and the cake partaken of, Lizzy pulled Charli onto the dance floor and her youngest sisters grabbed a soldier each and began to dance. Will watched as Charles shyly asked Jane to dance and she just as shyly accepted. They were caught up in their own little world, one that others could only visit for moments.

These peaceful thoughts were interrupted by Mr Lucas who had come to stand beside him and watched the young folk dance. "Wonderful how free young folk are these days is it not William?" Will sighed, he had been having such a wonderful daydream, and Lizzy had walked over seductively and with a beckoning finger pulled him onto the dance floor for a slow dance.

"Yes, I suppose."

"It is the entertainment of the gods dancing." Mr Lucas eyed Will speculatively, he too had noticed Wills gaze on Lizzy through the night and his matchmaking bone was itching.

"Any savage can dance." Will winced inwardly at his choice of words, even now he thought of her.

"But dancing brings such joy that even savages can make it graceful. Why don't you dance William?"

"I don't often dance Mr Lucas." Will said, his eyes following Lizzy as she left the dance floor for a drink, and passed quite closely.

"I insist that you do William." Lizzy looked up as she passed. "Lizzy! William here is looking for a partner and I insist you dance together. You couldn't possibly resist William with such a beauty in front of you," Indeed Will had no thought of resisting, her face flushed from dancing and her eyes full of merriment, he could not have prevented himself if he wanted.

"I do not want to dance." Lizzy's eyes had narrowed at Mr Lucas, knowing what he intended. "I did not move this way in hopes of a partner, I needed a drink."

"Please Elizabeth, I would be happy to dance with you." He held out a hand to her but she stepped back with a "No, I am much too parched to dance." and melted back into the crowd. Mr Lucas sighed and moved away to dance with his wife and Will was left alone to reap what he had sown. If he had not been so rude, then maybe, maybe she would not glare at him each time he approached, or provoke him whenever he spoke, maybe she would even-

"I know what your thinking," Will flinched at the nasal tone and the lethal red nails on the hand upon his shoulder.

"I doubt that." He shrugged her hand off, only for her to move forward and rest her chin on it instead. Good god, he thought, she must be wearing huge heels.

"You are thinking how boring this is. Remembering how much more fun we had in those clubs in New York. Oh I would love to hear a commentary of your thoughts of this gathering." She rubbed her cheek against his and he shuddered in revulsion stepping away from her.

Facing her so he could watch for her next attack, he said, "No I was thinking about a pair of fine eyes and a pretty face." His gaze flicked momentarily towards the drinks table where Lizzy still stood, now laughing with her sister Cathy, but he did not miss the widening of Caroline's eyes or the look of expectation that arose in them.

She stepped forward and ran a finger down his chest. "And whose fines eyes, are you thinking about?" She fluttered her eyelashes.

"Lizzy's."

"Lizzy's?" Caroline stepped back in shock, her hand falling limply to her side. "The savage girl?"

Will frowned, "I was wrong to say that."

"Oh well then I wish you all the luck in the world." She smirked, "Will and Lizzy sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" She giggled at her wit but Will only let the thought of himself and Lizzy alone in his tree wash over his mind as she continued.

She is so petite she could fit comfortable in my lap, he sighed at the thought of his arms around her, and we could watch the stars…

A/N The argument between Calum and Lizzy I thought suited her character better than her desiring a ball. I know nothing about the army and how or where they train so use your imagination please. Calum of course I\is Colonel Forster. The opinions of 'Muslims' voiced by Calum are not my own. The conversation is just one I had with a friend once…I was Lizzy.

And just because you should know imagine Darcy as a cross between Colin Firth's British appeal, Heath Ledger's (RIP) Australia appeal and Johnny Depps Jack Sparrow's sex in a pirate costume.