A/N: Hey guys (or gals, whatever).Chapters entering the double digits! Thanks for sticking with it so far. That's all I have to say.

Ch. 10

Collins dropped Charlotte and Elizabeth off at the front of the hotel. They retrieved their bags from the trunk and were greeted by the doorman.

This lobby was an immense change from Mrs. De Bourg's apartment building. They were greeted with tall ceilings and large chandeliers. It felt open and welcoming, Liz liked it a lot better than Mrs. De Bourg's.

"Great Gatsby! I can't believe we're staying at The Plaza Hotel!" Liz exclaimed. "I feel like Eloise." She added a bit quieter, although some people still turned around to see who was making so much noise.

Charlotte laughed. "But you won't be going around making trouble for everyone else, will you?" She asked in a half-serious tone.

"Hell yea, I will. I get to stay at The Plaza for a week and I'm not even paying for it!"

"Liz, please try to behave. If you get kicked out of a hotel, it also reflects poorly on me." Charlotte said with a playful nudge.

They approached the front desk to check-in and get their room key.

"The room has two queen beds, right?" Charlotte asked as the man handed her the key.

The man looked at his computer and then back to Charlotte. "No, I'm sorry the reservation was for just one king. I could find a room available with two queens if you would prefer." He responded politely.

"Oh, no. I don't want to trouble you. This is fine." Charlotte said as she shifted the key from one hand to the other.

"Well let me know if I can be of any service. Have a nice stay."

Walking to the elevator, Elizabeth threw her arm around Charlotte and whispered, "Maybe Mrs. De Bourg thought we were a couple, Hm?"

Charlotte erupted into a fit of giggles. "You don't really think she does?" She paused for a moment. "Oh, it makes so much sense now. She asked me how long we've been together earlier. I thought she meant working together."

This time it was Elizabeth that burst out laughing. "Well, seeing as our anniversary is coming up soon, i expect something great."

Luckily, Liz and Char were the only the in the elevator, so no one else heard their conversation, or the laughing that filled the small space following their conversation.

As soon as they reached their room, Liz dropped her bag and kicked off her shoes. She was so tired from travel that she flopped on the bed. The soft comforter enveloped her and she almost instantly fell asleep.

At 10:45 the next morning Elizabeth woke up when Charlotte opened the curtains and the sun poured in and filled the entire room with sunlight.

She groaned and lifted her head up. Groggily, she wiped the drool from her face and flattened her hair.

"Morning, Sunshine!" Charlotte chirped. "I have to go to De Bourg publishing now. Collins is picking me up in the lobby at eleven and knowing him, he'll be there right on time so I gotta go now."

Charlotte opened the door and waved goodbye to her sleepy friend.

Elizabeth swung her legs around to the side of the bed to get up. That's when she realized she was still in the clothes she was wearing the day before. Her eyes widened when she realized what time Charlotte had said. She was supposed to meet Richard at Mrs. De Bourg's house at ten!

Jumping up from her spot on the bed she quickly kicked off her shoes and unbuttoned her shirt. Just as she finished the last button, there came a knock from the door.

Liz assumed it was probably Charlotte and that she forgot something upstairs. When she opened the door, she realized she was mistaken.

"There she is, my little China doll!" Richard exclaimed and gave Liz a bear hug. "Do you always greet people at the door like this?" Richard asked, observing her unbuttoned shirt.

Liz pulled the fabric closed. "If you must know, yes I do." She answered defiantly and opened the door further, signaling him to enter.

She walked over to her bag and opened it. "I'm so sorry that I wasn't there at ten. I just woke up and then I remembered that I had to meet you so I started getting dressed in some clean clothes and then you knocked." Elizabeth explained.

"It's cool. I figured as much, so Will and I came here. He bought coffee, but then I lost him in the lobby."

Liz was shuffling through some clothes but paused when she heard the name Will. "Will is with you?" She asked inquisitively.

"Yea, but a bunch of paparazzi were following us so I lost him in a sea of people. I barely escaped with my life."

"I didn't know he was coming today." Liz said cooly as she walked into the bathroom to get changed, as Richard had made himself comfortable on the bed.

"Will wasn't going to come, but he changed his mind at the last second." Richard informed Liz.

"Oh" was all Liz knew to say. She wasn't sure if she wanted him there. He would ruin all the fun, after all.

With one last look in the mirror, she combed her hair with her fingers and swiftly brushed on some of Charlotte's lip gloss that she had left on the counter.

Elizabeth emerged from the bathroom and said, "Alright, let's get this show on the road. What are we doing today?"

The lobby was crowded, but it was nothing compared to the scene that Liz saw when she exited The Plaza with Richard.

"What the hell!" Elizabeth shouted over all the clicks of cameras.

"Hm, there were less when we got here. I wonder where they all come from." Richard said.

"You mean, all of these paparazzi are here for Will? Where is he?"

Rich shrugged, grabbed Liz's arm and lead her into the large crowd. When they got to the center, they realized just what all the commotion was about. Will was actually talking to the paparazzi and even agreeing to pictures with curious fans.

Elizabeth and Rich stared, dumbfounded with their mouths wide open.

"That can't be my cousin." Richard managed to say.

When Will noticed them, he smiled, wider than he had ever smiled before. It was a handsome smile, no doubt, but totally out of character. They had been expecting Will to be sitting in the lobby with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Instead, he was answering questions and taking pictures.

"Sorry, guys. I gotta go." Will said after he took a picture with a teenage girl. He walked right up to Elizabeth, smile still there, and handed her a coffee. He laughed a little and said, "It almost got knocked out of my hands a few times, but I saved it. I figured you would need it."

Elizabeth gratefully grabbed the cup and gave him a small smile and a "Thanks."

Richard clapped his hands together. "Alright, let's get going. I was thinking we could take a walk in Central Park, since it's right across the street."

"Sounds good to me." Elizabeth said and Will nodded.

The paparazzi were still snapping photos as they were crossing the street and asking Will questions. Most were about his movie, but one asked "Who's this Will? Are you dating?" as they pointed to Elizabeth.

Will chuckled and just answered them by saying, "I really gotta go now guys."

Soon, they disappeared into the park. When they were out of earshot of anyone else, Richard asked, "Who are you and what have you done to my cousin? This is so unlike you, Will. You were talking to people⎯"

"And you didn't have that look of constipation you usually do." Liz interrupted. Why is he being...so nice?

"Well, I read your article." Will revealed while scratching the back of his head. "I feel like I have a whole new reputation to uphold around the public. It was a really great article." He finished.

Liz blushed. Will could be really kind when he wanted to. "You don't have to thank me." I didn't do it for you.

At least now Liz knew that he wan't mad about the "off-the record" conversation she put in the article.

The trio walked for a while after that, mostly small talk between Rich and Liz, but occasionally Will would offer a word or two, then become quiet once again. Before they knew it, they were in front of the carousel.

Liz and Will sat down on a bench. Observing the two, Rich spoke up, "I'm hungry. I'll be over there getting something to eat" he pointed to a stand with a hot-dog vendor. "Would you guys like anything?"

"Yes, please. I'm starving. I'll have whatever you have." Liz replied.

"Me too." Will added.

Once Rich had left to get food, Liz asked, "So what brings you to New York?"

"My aunt's company is working on a film-adaptation for one of the books they published and she wanted me to read the script to see if I'm interested." He shrugged.

"Sounds super fun." Elizabeth said sarcastically but with a smile. "Do you think you're interested?"

"I'm only a couple pages in but I'm already bored. It doesn't look very promising." Will smiled, showing his dimples.

The sun shining on his face and his perfectly styled hair made him look especially handsome. Holy shit, he looks really attractive when he smiles. No! Snap out of it Liz! Elizabeth wanted to reach out and touch his face, but had to control herself.

She cleared her throat and carried on the conversation. "Well Jane says that you finished filming, so you must be looking for a new movie."

"Yea, but I don't want it to be just any movie. I don't want anything too cheesy, and that is exactly where my aunt's script is heading." Will said.

"I agree. You don't want one of those movies that are supposed to be serious but it just ends up being hilarious because whoever wrote it just used every cliché in the book."

Will laughed. "Yes, those movies."

"Sweet Baby Jesus!" Richard exclaimed as he walked back over to the bench, popping the rest of his hot-dog in his mouth, with two more in his hand.

"What's wrong?" Will asked.

"These are delicious!" Rich replied with a mouthful of food. He then handed each of them their hot dogs.

They both took the food and bit into it to see what Richard was raving about.

With her mouth full, Elizabeth declared, "It is extremely delish!"

Rich gave her a triumphant smile and sat down on the other side of Elizabeth. "They do have heavenly hot dogs here." He said as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

Elizabeth nodded, not wanting to be rude once again and speak with her mouth full. When she finally swallowed the hot dog she was eating, she look the the carousel and said, "It's really pretty, the carousel."

"Ah, yes it is. Created in 1905 by the Germans, they named it 'Car-oseal,' which of course means spinny-thingy in German." Richard put on a big smile.

Will turned to him, his eyebrows raised, "No, Rich. This carousel used to be in Coney Island, it was moved here in the 1950s. The original was destroyed in a fire." Will retorted, matter of factly.

Elizabeth snorted. "I'm going to believe Will, his story doesn't sound ridiculous."

"Agree to disagree." Richard smirked, bumping Elizabeth, who in turn bumped Will accidentally and caused him to spill his hot dog, mustard and all, onto his pants.

"Sorry." Elizabeth said hurriedly, expecting to see a frown meet her eyes when she looked up to see his face.

Instead, Will met her eyes with a slight smile and a chuckle. "It's okay." He reassured her. "Georgie always tells me that mustard stains."

The name sounded familiar to Liz, but she couldn't place it. Instead, she grabbed one of the napkins that Rich had brought over and awkwardly started to wipe off the mustard from his pants. "I really am sorry, I ruined your pants."

"If anything, I blame Rich." Will said jokingly.

"Alright, I owe you a pair of pants, Darce." Rich chortled.

"Elizabeth, really, you don't have to do that." William said to Liz, gently taking her hand.

"Okay, I think I made it worse anyway." Liz confessed.

"Hah, it's fine, Elizabeth, don't worry about it." Will assured her, gazing down at Liz.

His unusual kindness startled Liz. First, with the paparazzi, then he complimented her article, and now he was giving her an almost heart-melting look. Elizabeth had to admit, he looked good, mustard stained pants and all.

Richard lifted his arm and looked at his wrist, clearly no watch on it at all. "Look at the time." Rich said, "I think we have to get back to Aunty Cathy's place for lunch. Charlotte's going to be there too so we have orders to bring you along, Liz."

Elizabeth broke the gaze and cleared her throat. "Yea, sure. Let's go."

The long walk back to the entrance of the park was relatively quiet. Elizabeth and Will were deep in their own thoughts, about the other person, of course. Rich just let them be. They obviously had some chemistry, and Rich hadn't seem Will act like that since his parents died. There were a few cabs lined up near the entrance to the park, so they took one instead of walking the ten blocks to Mrs. De Bourg's apartment.

"Ready to face the beast living on the top floor?" Richard asked sarcastically as they got out of the cab and Will paid, but Elizabeth thought it was an accurate description of the old lady.

She just looked up to the penthouse suite, where she could have sworn she saw Mrs. De Bourg staring back down at her from the window.