A/N: I've left this story hanging too long. Excuse me for that longing, readers... ;)

I've changed the début song again. This time, I've chose Far Away, still by Nickelback.

9. Not breathing can be dangerous.

"I keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go Stop breathing if I don't see you anymore"

Before I could even think about it, I was in a carriage, heading for Netherfield, where Charles had decided to host a ball for Jane. Everything seemed to be fine, apart from Am' being stuck with Collins of course. I was riding with them, and Mr Creepy looked even more disgusting in the faint light. Don't want to be locked in a dark room with that perv'!

Amanda and I just had a long and difficult conversation about my feelings for George. As much as she didn't want me to end up with him, she respected I couldn't help it, and just gave me advises as to make him turn to Lydia instead. I was sad, of course, that he would end up with someone else, but it was how the story had to go. I wouldn't interfere.

As soon as we got out of the carriage, we ran away from Collins, only for a while as we had to wait for him for the introduction. I took my cousin's arm and gripped it firmly.

"It'll go perfectly well, Angie. Just avoid him." She gave me an encouraging peck, and went to take the arm of her fiancé. Huh.

"Miss Amanda Prince, Miss Angelina Johnson, and Mister William Zeal-of-the-Lord Collins." I choked when I heard his middle name. As did Amanda. I heard her talking about it to him while I went hiding behind a column. After curtsying the hosts of course.

Then I saw Amanda going to dance with Collins, and ending up dancing with Darcy. The git was obviously not appreciating her at all. He looked before him with that horrible air snobs have, you know, as if they had a huuuuge... whatever. My trail of thoughts suddenly was interrupted as Darcy left the dance floor, soon replaced by no one else than George. I overheard him.

"Darcy has many virtues. Gallantry on the dance floor is not one of them." I was torn between the feeling he had already forgotten me and the impression he had tried to ease my cousin's shame as her partner left her like a shit.

"For God's sake!" I heard Amanda say/shout before leaving him and going to sit in a corner to mumble against Darcy's snobism. She was totally all over him!

"Are you avoiding me, Miss Johnson?" I jumped on my seat. He was just behind me!

I got up and turned as swiftly as I could seeing the situation. "Oh, Captain." I curtsied. "I'm not a partying woman. I'd rather have stayed in Longbourne, but Amanda begged me to come with her. The poor girl." I looked over at my cousin, still looking sick at the approach of her "wedding".

"Yes. Would you wish she wasn't to marry the Mister Collins?" George's whisper tickled my ear, but I didn't turn around.

"Yes, I would."

He bowed to me and went to talk with the three Bennett girls. Bad omen. What have I just pushed him to do?

I giggled nevertheless and got out of the house to visit the marvellous gardens, which in the darkness were looking even more mysterious. After a while, I heard a cry inside the house, so I turned around, and saw Amanda being nicely kicked out of the house by Darcy and Bingers. What has she done again?

I ran towards her. "Amanda? What's...going on?" My voice got lower as I saw she was the most upset person I've ever seen. Her gaze softened a little as she saw it was me, but her voice was still sharp as a blade.

"Your boyfriend told Lydia my father was a fishmonger. It got to Collins, of course, and he broke the engagement. I kneed him in the balls." She sighed while I burst into laugh. "What? That's not funny, Angie!"

"I'm so sorry, Amanda. You kneed him?" I bowed to push on my already aching ribs. "You're the best!"

She took my arm and pulled me behind her as she walked towards the carriages. "Anyway, I've been kicked out of the party by Annoying Snob and Puppet Bingers. We'll have to go home by foot."

I took her hand. "You really are shaking this world's rules, Am'." I kissed her cheek.

While we started to walk towards Longbourne, which wasn't that far from Netherfield, thanks the Lord, I sensed her ease. "Have you seen him? Wickham?"

I nodded in the dark. "I'm afraid he only said that to Lydia because he wanted to make my dreams come true." I suddenly felt bad. "Oh my gosh! If Jane marries Collins now, it'll be my fault!"

"I didn't think about this eventuality, I confess." I turned around in a spin, soon followed by my stunned cousin.

George was standing in front of us, gripping a horse by the reins. "Geo-Captain? What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't let the two of you get home by foot, by night!" He bowed a little to Amanda. "Are you still angry with me?" She snorted. "Anyway, take my horse. I guess Miss Price can't ride, so her safety is in your hands, Miss Johnson."

He out the reins in my hand before kissing it. "I can't take your horse. You won't be able to get back to your regiment without it."

He giggled. "I will ask your most charming hostess to accept me in their carriage. I'm sure she won't say no." He started walking back to the ball. "Good night, ladies."

"Thank you." I watched him go until Amanda cleared her throat.

"How on Earth do you want me to climb on that?"

"Come here." I drove the horse towards a decorating rock, made her climb on it and pushed her bottom up to sit at her ease. "Now don't move, I'm climbing behind you." I twisted the length of my dress to climb, and soon we were heading much quicker towards Longbourne. "You're lucky I've watched the way we came by."

She was gripping the horse's hair as if she was in danger of death. "I know I'm lucky, now get me there soon before I faint!"

I giggled as I kicked the horse's side to make it go faster.

Wohoo! I was trying to make Angelina not seeming that obsessed with George's presence, but I failed. I promise it'll get better in the next chapters. She'll finally decide to have fun and make him beg for it. Clever girl!

Review please!