Will woke up just after midnight on Sunday morning to the sound of Elizabeth softly crying in the bathroom. Fear clutched at his heart as he got out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. He found Elizabeth sitting on the edge of the bathtub with her head in her hands and Will saw her shoulders shaking slightly with her sobs.

He sat next to her and pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her, "Elizabeth," His voice was soft and comforting, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," She said into his shoulder as she gulped back tears, "I'm just being silly."

"Elizabeth, this isn't like you." Will said as he pulled her tightly against her chest, "You don't cry without a reason."

He stroked her hair and saw the box of tampons in her hand. The color drained from his face as he realized what this meant and he took a sharp breath with strangled sob.

"I don't know why I'm so emotional." Elizabeth sniffled with a gulp, "I know that we shouldn't have a child right now and I never expected the feelings to hit me this hard."

"It's okay," Will crooned softly, "We'll have a child when you're ready." He picked her up and walked her back to bed. "I love you, my darling Elizabeth." He slid into bed beside her and cradled her into his arms until she fell asleep.

When Elizabeth woke up the sun was shining into the room and she was wrapped tightly in her husband's arms. She remembered her tears the night before when she had found out that she had started her period. She lifted her hand to stroke Will's face as she thought about the care he had shown her when he had found her crying.

She slipped out of bed trying not to disturb Will and padded into the bathroom. She ran a hot bath and was soaking in the tub when Will walked into the room.

"I missed you when I woke up." He said softly as he leaned over to kiss the top of her head. He headed over to the sink to brush his teeth and shave while Elizabeth got out of her bath and wrapped a fluffy towel around her body.

While he was standing admiring the beauty of his wife, Will leaned in and captured her lips beneath his with a sigh.

He released her with great reluctance and asked quietly, "Elizabeth, do you want to have a baby now?"

She shook her head vigorously, "No, I don't."

"But last night," Will reminded her, "you were in tears because you weren't pregnant."

She took his hand and led him into the bedroom where she sat down on the edge of the bed, "I don't know where that reaction came from," She told him honestly, "Maybe it was the hormones." Her eyes found his and sought the depths, "It's not the right time for us to have a baby. I know that but somewhere deep inside me I guess I want to have a child with you."

Will's eyes softened with the immense love of his burgeoning heart. He knelt in front of her and took her hands with his, "I'm so happy to hear you say that." His voice was husky with emotion, "You know that I want to have baby with you." He saw a look pass in front of her eyes, "When you're ready."

With a strangled sob, Elizabeth launched her body off the bed and into his arms. He gathered her against him as she said, "I love you, Will Darcy."

"You are my life, Elizabeth Darcy and I don't know how I ever lived before you came into my life." Elizabeth giggled and Will looked into her eyes that were full of amusement, "You find my heartfelt sentiment funny." His tone mocked her as he crushed her lips to his and kissed her with a passionate ardor.

When their lips parted, Will looked down at his wife and she said with a giggle, "I was just thinking about what you were doing before I came into your life." Lines appeared between his brows with puzzlement as his wife grinned mischievously up at him and she explained, "You were doing lots of blonde bimbos."

Will looked stunned as Elizabeth burst into laughter and suddenly he began to laugh with her. With a chuckle he said, "I guess I deserved that."

"Yes, you did."

There was a knock on the door and Elizabeth called, "Come in."

Georgie walked in and saw her brother kneeling on the floor with Elizabeth on his lap and she turned scarlet with embarrassment, "I just wondered what was so funny."

"My lovely wife is a comedian." Will said as he lifted Elizabeth into his arms and stood up, his eyes twinkled with humor, "I don't know why I put up with her."

"Because you love me," Elizabeth filled in for him as she pulled his head down and kissed his lips.

"I must be in love," Will agreed as he set Elizabeth down on her feet, "Otherwise I would never put up with such an impertinent woman."

Georgie excused herself, "I'll see you downstairs."

Will and Elizabeth emerged from their room an hour later looking refreshed and relaxed as they made their way toward the kitchen.

Elizabeth stopped Will before they started downstairs, "I've sent our acceptance to the Ladies League for their Charity Ball next Saturday night."

"Whatever you decided is fine with me." Will sighed, "I don't like to go to these things," He glanced down at Elizabeth and slid his arm around her, "But at least this time, I'll have you by my side."

"I included Georgie in our acceptance." Elizabeth looked down as she spoke not knowing how Will would react.

"Georgie's too young to go to these functions, especially a ball." Will said with a hard set to his mouth.

"I think that she would benefit from this." Elizabeth looked up into his eyes as she spoke, "The guest lecturer is doing a talk on empowering woman to rise above the bad things that have happened in their lives."

The crease formed between Will's eyes as Elizabeth rushed on with her explanation, "I've done research on the speaker and I believe that it will be beneficial for Georgie to understand that she is not alone and that other people have gone through situations similar to hers."

"She has you." Will said quietly as he looked down into his wife's eyes, "You've been so good for her that I don't even recognize her as my shy little sister anymore and that's all because of you."

"I know Will," Elizabeth's eye were shining, "You see, I didn't have anybody that I could open up to and I took a 'don't get mad, get even' approach to solving my problems." She sighed, "I did get suspended for what I did and I was just lucky that my psyche was able to recover from that major blow." She shook her head and closed her eyes, "If I had fallen prey to the fact that I was victimized, my life could have taken a completely different path." She shivered at the thought, "I was very lucky."

Will's heart felt the impact of her words and nodded, "If you feel that strongly then I agree to let Georgie accompany us to the ball."

"There's one more thing." Elizabeth said quickly, "I think that we should allow Georgie to invite Neal to accompany her to the ball."

"You drive a hard bargain." Will laughed, "It seems as though I never get my way anymore." He picked her up in his arms and twirled her around, "Now that you're my wife."

Elizabeth grinned, "You have always gotten you own way so don't think that you're fooling me."

"Not in everything, I don't." Will countered as he raised his eyebrows.

Will finally set Elizabeth down and they walked into the kitchen where Georgie was just finishing her breakfast. She looked at her brother and Elizabeth as she said, "Cousin Richard called and he will be here in about a half hour."

Elizabeth made them some scrambled eggs and they ate in companionable silence. They were just cleaning up the dishes when they heard the doorbell ring.

Will led Elizabeth out of the kitchen when Georgie walked toward them with Richard at her heels.

Will walked up to him and shook his hand, "Richard, great to see you again." He looked over at his wife, "Why don't we go to my study and talk."

"I would like to hear what Richard has to say about George Wickham." Elizabeth said to the astonishment of the men. Their reaction amused her as she said, "You really couldn't possibly think that I didn't know that you sent Richard out to gather information on Wickham." Her smile lit up her face, "Will Darcy, you should know me better than that."

Will didn't even try to contain the laugh that grew from her statement, "Yes, I should know you better."

"I think that Georgie and I deserve to hear what Richard has to say." Elizabeth insisted, "We are stronger than you give us credit for being."

"Elizabeth's right." Georgie said, "We need to know what is happening."

Richard caught Will's eye and he nodded, "I really don't have anything new about Wickham to report." Richard said to his chagrin, "I lost his trail after he left the school and his apartment. I've checked all of his known aliases but that turned up nothing." He sighed, "My guess is that he had already had a new identity before he went to work at the school." He looked toward Elizabeth, "I think the threat to Elizabeth and Georgie is a real one because I managed to find out what happened to Suzanne Carlson, the teacher that Wickham subbed for." There was something unreadable in Richard's eye as he spoke, "She had been dating a man that she wouldn't identify to any of her friends. The weekend before Wickham showed up as the substitute in Elizabeth's class, Suzanne Carlson had made an appointment to get married in a Reno wedding chapel. She left word for the school that she was quitting because she was getting married." Richard closed his eyes and breathed deeply before he finished, "She never showed up for her appointment and the Reno Police Department found her body the next day."

Elizabeth sobbed as her husband gathered her into his arms to comfort her. Richard hugged Georgie as she cried on his shoulder.

Elizabeth gathered all the strength she possessed and eased out her husband's arms, with a trembling lip she said in a shaky voice, "So you think that Wickham is still a threat to me and Georgie."

"Yes." Richard said softly, "He was all ready to disappear when he appeared in your classroom." He shivered slightly, "I don't know what would have happened if Will hadn't found you that afternoon."

"He probably didn't realize that I had driven you to school that day or that you would tell Georgie about your meeting in his classroom after school." Will told her in calm tones, "He probably doesn't understand what a strong woman you are."

"The three of you will need to have full time protection." Richard said, "Wickham was never able to get his revenge against Will and I don't think he's done with you yet. I will protect you and I'll arrange for a couple discrete friends of mine to join me, I'll work out the logistics and get back to you."

"Whatever you think is best." Will said as he closed his eyes briefly, "I just want to make sure that Elizabeth and Georgie are well protected while they are at school." He shuddered at a thought, "It would kill me if anything happened to either of you."

Richard made some phone calls and it seemed that the arrangements were made quickly leaving Elizabeth and Georgie dazed at the efficiency. It was decided that Richard would stay with the Darcy's to keep watch and that his two friends would join them in the morning.

When Elizabeth and Will were finally able to make their way upstairs and to their bedroom they were both emotionally drained and exhausted from the new specter on their horizon. They changed and dragged themselves to bed. Will said in a tired voice, "George Wickham has been a blight on my existence for too long now and I can't let any harm come to you or Georgie."

"Will," Elizabeth sighed, "I'm afraid for you too."

"George Wickham is trying to destroy everything that I care about and that is you and my sister." Will's laugh was harsh, "He wants me lose everything that I love and I can't let him do that."

"Will," Elizabeth's breath was frantic as she said, "Please, promise me that you won't take any risks."

Will looked into her beautiful eyes and his expression softened, "I promise, my darling, I never want us to part." He eyes took on a far away quality, "I want to have lots of children with you and have a long happy life together."

"Me too." Elizabeth sighed as she fell asleep to the beat of her husband's heart.