Lizzy stared at his tensed back as he continued to storm away. She was just beginning to turn towards this Wickham character when Darcy stopped moving and swivelled back around, making eye contact with Lizzy. Charles, who had been struggling to catch up with him crashed straight into the taller boy's chest.

Darcy pushed him aside with one hand, as easily as if he were knocking a fly off his shirt.

Still glaring at Lizzy he began to storm back towards her.

Lizzy quickly broke eye contact and glanced around at the others around her. Everyone else was apparently seeing what she was seeing. They were all focused in on Darcy with varied expressions of shock, horror and confusion. Her gaze lingered on George in particular who was slowly backing away from the scene.

Her observations were broken as she suddenly felt a strong hand grip her upper arm firmly.

They had moved twelve feet from the group before she even registered that he was towing her away.

"Darcy!" she hissed, struggling to free her arm. He ignored her attempts and stayed moving until they had turned a corner. Stopping, he roughly swung her around to face him before finally letting go.

Neither spoke. They simply glared at each other. Lizzy felt her arm begin to smart where he had grabbed her and unconsciously tried to sooth it with her other hand. His eyes quickly flicked down to her arm. His expression softened and he lifted his eyes to meet hers.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked softly, surprising her. She ignored him.

"WHAT was that about?" she demanded.

"What?" he asked innocently, stalling for time.

"Don't mess with me Darcy, you know what."

He sighed, closing his eyes and placing his hands on his temples, he leaned against the wall behind him.

When he opened his eyes he suddenly looked so much younger than before. He looked uncertain, afraid almost. Still he didn't speak. Lizzy felt her anger begin to wane.

"Don't make me start quoting Shakespeare at you" she threatened gently.

A ghost of a smile appeared around his lips but he closed his eyes again. Lizzy tried once more.

"Fitzwilliam…" was all she said this time. It worked. He slowly opened his eyes. "You know that boy, George, don't you?" at the mention of that name Darcy straightened up, anger clouding his expression. He nodded curtly.

Lizzy waited for him to elaborate. He did not.

"Why did you drag me away?" she questioned quietly. Moments ticked by.

"He's a bad person, Elizabeth." He quietly replied, finally. She raised her eyebrows questioningly. "stay away from him." He said louder, more forcefully.

"Why?"

"Because I'm telling you to" he retorted coldly. Her eyebrows moved even further up her forehead, his mercuriality would never cease to amaze her

"Excuse me?" she spluttered "you've just dragged me - with near brute force I might add - away from my family and new friends, refused to talk and then when you finally do say something, or rather demand something, you expect me to just follow your orders, no questions asked?" she was incredulous "I mean COME ON! I'm 18 years old! What do you take me for?" she glared up at him, determined not to let his size intimidate her.

"Look" he replied coolly "I've said what I needed to say. Wickham is a bad egg. If you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from him. I have my reasons, but what I do not have is any obligation to share them with you."

"I'm beginning to think that if I know what's good for me I'll stay away from you" she bit back icily. Darcy winced. "Why did you even bother dragging me over here if you won't explain?" he shrugged and looked over her shoulder. "Damnit Fitzwilliam" she sighed resignedly, "for a minute there, I thought we were getting somewhere."

She turned and walked away from one of the most confusing encounters of her life.

Darcy was left in turmoil. He knew he had handled that badly, dreadfully. He had let his emotions run away with him. He couldn't help it. Seeing her standing beside that… that fiend just sparked a fury in him. He had let his anger control him. How could he not after what Wickham had done to his family? No. he thought determinedly. Elizabeth was not his problem; He let her walk away.

Lizzy returned to her group to find only Lydia, Kitty and George Wickham remained.

"So what was that all about?" Lydia demanded.

"oh nothing" Lizzy brushed her sister off easily. Lydia didn't care enough to pursue the topic. Wickham, on the other hand kept his eyes on Lizzy.

"Lydia" he said and she jumped to attention "could you and Kitty grab me some bottle water? I'm parched" a combination of batted eyelids and a smooth British accent had the two girls wrapped around his little finger.

As soon as they left he turned back to Lizzy who was eyeing him carefully.

"Are you okay?" he enquired "Darcy was a little rough with you there" she simply nodded. "Do you know him well?" he tried again.

"Not really" she said cautiously.

"Oh wow" he replied "I just assumed considering…" he gestured in the direction Darcy had pulled her away. She grimaced. "Well" he said easily "I guess he has no problem treating people he doesn't know like dirt either"

That caught her attention, she arched her eyebrow questioningly. It was all the encouragement Wickham needed.

"Well let's just say I know, first hand, that that guys will walk all over you, ruin your life, even if you've been friends since you were toddlers"

Lizzy's eyes widened.

"What do you me-" she began.

"Here you go Georgie!" Lydia burst in, pushing herself between Wickham and Lizzy who had somehow moved very close to each other. Lizzy backed up a few paces, burning with curiosity.

"So Georgie" Lydia began in a totally false, girly voice, twirling her hair about her finger "our friend Philip is throwing a house party tomorrow night, you and 'The Regimentals' should totally come"

"Oh do come!" kitty cooed, echoing Lydia as usual.

Lizzy heard Wickham agreeing enthusiastically and getting the address off her sisters. She initially hadn't planned on going to the party but now that Wickham was going… perhaps it would be her chance to discover what was between him and Darcy.

Making eye contact with George, she nodded. He grinned widely and she turned to leave. Darcy's warning was ringing in her ears but she determinedly pushed it aside.

A.N – Sooooo what do you think? I'm going to be honest her; I don't like the last two chapters; this is the part of P&P that no one likes! But it must be done. I hope my own displeasure doesn't come across in my writing too much. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!