A/N: I am participating in July Camp NaNoWriMo, so I will not be updating as frequently. I do apologize for this. I had planned to finish this story before now, but it has ended up being a longer story than I had ever intended. If I go a couple of weeks without updating, I have not abandoned you!

Mr. Darcy and the Bingleys were settling in for dinner at an inn near the estate they were to visit when the messenger arrived with an urgent note for Mr. Darcy. As he read the note, his expression fell and his face contorted painfully.

"I am needed home at Pemberley at once," he said standing. He appeared flustered, something uncharacteristic of him.

"You cannot leave now! Surely it can wait," Bingley said.

"I assure you it cannot. I must go at once. Elizabeth has taken ill."

"Taken ill?" Jane asked, rising from the table as well. "Surely it cannot be serious. She was fine when we departed this morning. What has happened?"

"Here," he said handing her the letter from his sister, "read it. My sister explains all."

"Are you leaving this very minute?" Bingley asked.

"Yes. I am going to acquire a horse and ride home immediately. You can continue looking at the estate if you wish."

"No," said Jane, "I wish to return to Pemberley. You should go ahead on horseback and we shall follow in our carriage."

"Very well," Darcy said before disappearing to find himself a horse.

"What of the letter, Jane?" Bingley asked, "do you think it serious?"

"I am afraid so, dear husband. Georgiana clearly tried to downplay the seriousness so that her brother would not rush home. I fear it must be serious, for Lizzy is not yet awake. In all her life, she has not collapsed before today. The doctor assured them that the babe is fine, but I have a terrible feeling about this whole thing. I just know that something dreadful has happened," she said with tears forming in her eyes.

"Oh, Janie, my darling," he said squeezing her hand, "we shall leave immediately after supper." She opened her mouth to protest but Bingley silenced her. "Jane, we must eat supper. It will do your sister no good if you are both starving and exhausted. You will not be able to care for her in the way you would like if you do not have your strength."

"I believe you are right. After we eat, we will leave immediately."

Darcy rode through the evening and arrived back at Pemberley in the hours after midnight. Members of the household were still awake because they had anticipated his return. He gave the horse to a stable boy and dashed into the house. Mrs. Reynolds was waiting for him at the door.

"Where is she? Her chambers?" asked as he dashed through the halls.

Mrs. Reynolds struggled to keep up with his strides, "Yes sir. She has still not awakened. Doctor Perry is to return in the morning to check on the mistress."

"Tell me honestly. How is she?"

She frowned, "I have never seen her like this in all the time she has been at Pemberley."

"Is she alone?"

"No sir. Miss. Darcy is with her now."

"Good," he said starting up the stairs. "I do not wish for her to be alone."

As he entered the room, he saw that Georgiana was asleep at his wife's bedside. She had a troubled expression on her sleeping countenance.

"Georgiana," he said softly shaking her awake, "Georgiana, wake up."

She stirred slowly and blinked the sleep out of her eyes, "oh brother! You are home."

"Nothing could have kept me away. Tell me honestly Georgiana, how is she?"

"I think she will recover," she answered, but he saw the doubt in her face.

Through the dim light, even he could see how pale his wife was, "she is very pale, is she not?"

Georgiana nodded, "oh brother, I am so sorry for you. Doctor Perry said the babe is fine. And Elizabeth will be fine as well. She is very strong. I am sure she will be up in the morning and scolding you for worrying."

"I hope you are right Georgiana," he said kissing her temple before sending her to bed. He wished to be alone with his wife. He should not have gone away. He should have sensed that there was something wrong with her. Perhaps is he had been with her, he could have prevented this. He should have known that her nausea was a sign of something more serious.

"Elizabeth, my love," he started to whisper as he sat beside her and took his hand in his, "please wake up. I am so terribly worried. I wish to hear the sweet sound of your voice. I do hope Georgiana was right, that you will awake soon to scold me for all my worrying. I know that you are strong and will be fine. I have to believe it. As you have reassured me in the past, you are strong country stock. I have been thanking God each moment since I found out about your illness that our babe is alright," he moved his hands to caress her swollen stomach, "And you little one. I am so proud and pleased that you are all right. You have already brought us such happiness and pure joy." He sighed in frustration. "Oh Elizabeth, you must wake up. Please wake up. I am all agony." He placed a kiss on her temple, avoiding her injury and held her hand until he drifted to sleep at her side. As he drifted to sleep, he was hit with the realization that this was the first time she had slept in her bed since their wedding.

He woke a few hours later, after a restless sleep and did not feel refreshed. He rung for breakfast to be brought up. Elizabeth was still not awake and looked even paler in the light of day than she did in the moonlight.

He was not hungry but he knew he needed his strength and made an effort to eat a few bites. When he was finished breaking his fast, he sent a servant to retrieve Mrs. Wickham.

"Mrs. Wickham," he said as she was escorted into her sister's chambers, "I understand you were with my wife when she collapsed. I am going to need to know exactly what happened. Spare no detail."

She gulped, "alright."