AN 1:
There was some confusion with the whole "Collins is Lizzie's ex" thing. I'm adding in some stuff in this chapter to clarify it. TWO CHAPTERS IN 1! LUCKY YOU!
It was clear in my head and then I forgot, you guys aren't in my head! Sorry about that.
ENJOY!
Chapter 5a
It had been three months since the Collins debacle. Caroline also stopped by that same day. In the skimpiest dress she probably owned. Needless to say, Lizzie went to town on her and she wasn't coming back anytime soon. She and William laughed at the look on Caroline's face when she left until they cried.
"Lizzie. You told me once that Collins was your ex. I don't remember the two of you being together." William had said to her once they caught their breath and fell into the sofa.
"Yeah. You wouldn't. It was my mother's doing." Lizzie sat down next to him.
"Care to elaborate?" He snuck an arm behind her.
"It was during our whole getting to know you phase." She laughed a little.
"Oh. You mean where I was a pompous jerk and pulled your hair until you cried, then you kicked me, and then we realised we were slowly becoming best friends?" He laughed with her.
"Yeah." She looked down at her hands.
"So in, like, seventh grade." He looked surprised.
"Yeah. You remember my mom. 'There is no way I am letting my daughter go on to college without a boyfriend. She has to be married before the end of her schooling. Richard Collins is perfect for her!'"
"No! She did not arrange a marriage for you in seventh grade." He shook his head in disbelief.
"Yeah, she did. And Collins liked the idea. And you know hormones in kids." She shifted uncomfortably. "Anyway, one day he proposed, mind you this is seventh grade, and I said no. He told my mom, who intern yelled at me, then went and told Collins to try again. He did. This time he cornered me at the far edge of the play ground and kissed me. It was awful. I told a teacher, next thing I knew, the Collins were gone, and we were on our way to becoming inseparable. I didn't see him again until after college. Then after that, not until last night. He's always acted like that around me." She sighed
"I never knew." He pulled her into a hug.
"Its not something you want to advertise." She smiled. "What about you and your ex? Tell me more about your relationship with Caroline, I don't remember much."
"Well, it was during the part of the relationship where we would hang out together all the time, but scowl at each other continuously and not say a word." He laughed.
"So freshman year?" She interrupted.
"Yes, freshman year. Anyway, I asked her on one date, hated it, and then she started talking about our future together. I swear, she would be the girl who wrote 'Mrs. Caroline Darcy' on the corners of her paper. Anyway, I never asked her out again, and she never let it go." He shrugged it off.
"Come on. There has to be more than that!"
"Well, I asked her out again senior year, when you were gone. We made out. And after, that was all she wanted to do. It was horrid kissing too. I broke up with her, again, and I guess she never took the hint." He smiled nonchalantly.
"Real Don Juan, aren't you?"
"You know me. Always smooth with the ladies!" They broke out in laughter. That had to be the farthest thing from the truth. William Darcy was dreadful with the girls. One more reason why Lizzie thought the world of him.
Chapter 5b
William had landed the Denny building downtown and had devoted most of his time to that. He had to admit that since he had taken over the company, he hadn't done any designing, and to do this building personally felt good. Denny seemed to like his ideas and William had begun to almost consider him a friend. Almost. Denny still flirted with Lizzie, even though she hadn't encouraged him and William was about to talk to Denny about keeping his hands to himself. At least its Friday. Fridays are slow, William thought. His mind shifted to the weekend and the upcoming football game when his cell vibrated in his pocket. When he picked it up, he heard the same sobbing the day that he and Lizzie had struck their deal.
"Lizzie? What's wrong?" He heard a deep breath, followed by a few sniffles.
"I'm at the vet. Bruce isn't looking too good. William, they say he'll need to be put down if he doesn't get better soon." She started to cry again.
"I'll be right there." As he left the office he realized that he had never been connected to an animal like Bruce before. William had given him to Lizzie the day they graduated college seven years ago. He remembered he had a fish growing up, but didn't feel anything for it even when it died and both he and Lizzie hated their neighbors cat. But for some reason, he had grown attached to that lab. He ran into the clinic and saw Lizzie sitting by herself in the corner. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. He could feel her shaking underneath his arms. A door opened behind her and a vet came out.
"Mrs. Darcy?" William let go of her as she turned around. The vet handed her a thick grey collar. "We tried. I'm sorry." She took the collar and William wrapped his arms around her again as she melted into a quiet sob once again.
That night, William knocked on Lizzie's door. She was seated cross-legged on her bed, looking at a picture of her treasured pet and fingering the collar in one hand. He walked in and handed her a bowl of chocolate ice cream. "I know you don't want dinner, but at least eat this." He sat next to her and she began to nibble on the spoon. He wrapped one arm around her shoulder. When she finished the ice cream she buried her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist. He lay down on the bed and she moved her head to his chest. He had no idea what to do, so he just rubbed her back like he did in high school when a boy would dump her so she would feel better. He knew it wouldn't work like it used to, but it was worth putting in an effort.
The next thing he knew, it was morning and Lizzie was asleep on his chest. The doorbell rang and she jolted awake. She rolled off him as he slid off the bed. As they walked downstairs, the window on the door showed that is was one of William's father's lawyers. William took her hand for support as he opened the door.
"Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, sorry to trouble you." He stepped into the house. "It seems that your cousin, Anne, is claiming that you two are not really married." William jolted and looked at Lizzie, who was looking at him, eyes still puffy from yesterday and dried tears staining her face. "She claims that you two plan to divorce shortly after your one year anniversary. Is this true."
"Absolutely not." William was surprised that he hadn't said it, Lizzie had. What is she doing? This guy is trained to see past people who lie for a living, how can she fool him?
"The only reason that I bring it up is that I didn't see her at the wedding, and she didn't seem to receive and invitation."
William thought fast, pulled Lizzie close to him by her waist and came up with the best response, the truth. "Well you can see why we didn't send her an invitation. We both decided that we didn't want her to come. Now if you don't mind, we both suffered a very great loss and would appreciate you leaving." The lawyer headed for the door.
"Don't think that this is over Mr. Darcy. Even I think that your marriage is fishy." And with that he left.
"William, what-"
"Don't think about that. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." He rubbed her shoulders. "Let's go get some breakfast."
"I'm not that hungry." Lizzie mumbled.
"Not even for a chocolate milkshake?" He held her close.
She smiled a little. "Okay. Maybe a little hungry."
"One chocolate milkshake coming up." He pulled her into the kitchen and soon, handed Lizzie her breakfast.
"If you don't mind, I'm going to drink this upstairs."
"Sure." He nodded as she headed towards the stairs. "Lizzie?"
"Yeah?" She turned.
"I'm gonna miss him."
"Me too." She sighed and went upstairs.
AN 2: Sorry it ends in an angst fest. That's just the way it happened. It gets lighter, I promise!