Lizzie slept restlessly for the next few weeks, her mind churning. She was now fully convinced that she'd made a mistake in not returning Darcy's affections and now Lydia had fully lost her the chance she might have had after visiting him in California. They'd had such a nice time...

Lydia was coming home soon with Mr. Bennet and George, and Lizzie wondered what she'd do. Would she yell at George? In her mind she would, though she doubted she could in real life though she'd no trouble yelling at Darcy before.

The few times she spoke with her father before their flight, he sounded tired and mad. She'd never heard him so angry before, and it seemed that he'd finally realized that structure was best for foolish little girls. Lizzie almost felt bad for Kitty, who'd be getting the brunt of the scolding when he got back. There'd be no more dating for her until college, not like there was much before.

The day of their return was extremely difficult for most of the family. Kitty walked around like a wounded puppy, Jane was extremely disappointed in Lydia but could hardly say anything in front of her father, Lizzie was downright furious, and Mr. Bennet was tired of all the drama. Mary tried to stay out of it for as long as she could, escaping to her bedroom to make music on her laptop. Lizzie thought that her mother was the worst of it all, she was beaming, singing, and just too happy to be normal. No matter how many times Jane and Lizzie tried to explain to her that having a married daughter not out of high school yet was unnatural, she was just ecstatic.

Lydia was oblivious to the pain she inflicted on most of the family. She strutted about the house acting like the Queen of Sheba, and whenever she could she made a point of kissing her new husband. Lydia wasn't stupid enough to do it in front of her father, but showed affection to her single sisters often. "Isn't he just perfect? It's such a nice feeling to have someone, don't you think? Oh wait..." then she'd giggle and Kitty would run away in tears.

George was actually silent for once, having taken one look at the disapproving faces of Lizzie and Jane. He decided that they'd found him out and stayed clear of them for as long as he could.

It was impossible to hide from everyone during dinner, and Lydia boasted about her elopement to anyone that would listen. At some point or another, someone would tell her to shut up, but she kept on blabbering.

"And then Will told me that..."

Lizzie, who'd been picking at her dinner for the past half hour, not hungry enough to even consider eating, seemed to wake up after hearing these words. "Which Will?" she asked, somewhat panicked.

"Will Darcy of course," Lydia rolled her eyes, and on purpose slowly dragged her left hand across her face in what she thought was a thoughtful manner, but was intentionally trying to show off the ring. She then giggled. "Oh, I'd forgotten that I wasn't supposed to tell you! Oh well."

Lizzie was incredulous. If Will had known where she was, why hadn't he told her? "Why was he there?" she asked in a rushed voice.

"He found us a day after we married! He paid for everything, he must have known Georgie had no money, especially after the marriage! He'd borrowed everything from his friends the week before to pay the press off for another car accident. "We used a lot of the money to pay back his friends. You know he's had three car accidents this year! Isn't he so hardcore?" Lydia had this dreamy look in her eyes that disgusted Lizzie. Now convinced that she'd learned everything she could from her youngest sister, she was left to ponder his motives.

'If he had a debt to everyone... he wouldn't have had enough money to support Lydia. Besides, they were already married at that point so it wasn't as if he could have prevented it from happening!' Lizzie thought in a hurry, and she smiled. 'He wanted George to start off with a clean slate.' She felt giddy with elation, so proud of Will. She couldn't believe that at one point she thought he was selfish. Why, he was the most unselfish person she knew! Who else would help Lydia, of all people?

No one had long to wait before the news that Wickham was needed back again in the Capital came around. Lizzie stayed wisely in her room, but she could hear Lydia's wailing that she belonged with her husband.

"You've done this to yourself, young lady! You will stay here and finish high school! And since you think this is so unfair, you'll be working for your own keep in this house! You seem to think that life's a game, don't you? Well, you'll be paying rent since you seem to think you're such an adult. When you graduate, then you may live with your husband. But only then!" Lizzie then heard her mother's shrieks coinciding with Lydia's. "Don't bother to change my mind, both of you! It won't happen, not this time!"

Lizzie smiled into her pillow, though her heart ached for Will, she felt as if things were starting to get right.

***

Though Lydia remained in her room all the next day, Mrs. Bennet was not to be shaken. "He'll change his mind," she repeated firmly. "He always does." Their mother went about the house, cleaning happily, and it was around three o'clock when her friend Priscilla called her and a giant screech came from her bedroom.

Mrs. Bennet rushed down the stairs and to the kitchen, where a bored Lizzie and Jane were playing a game of war.

"Charlie has come back to Cape Cod!"