A/N: Okay, first of all, I am so sorry for the lateness of this update. I have been completely swamped with schoolwork. I had written out most of this chapter before hand and today I wanted to put the finishing touched on it. Unfortunately my computer deleted the file, so I started from scratch today. So that's why I separated chapter seven into two parts, the other one will be uploaded in the next few days. I just wanted to get an update out there so y'all knew I was working. I actually have a plan for the whole thing so I do hope to finish it. Anyway, this is part one. I decided to give Caroline a bit of a backstory, and let me know what you think. Next chapter will focus on Jane and Bingley, and the upcoming Collins/Charlotte wedding. Anyway thank you so much for the reviews! It really means a lot (seriously I grin stupidly at my screen at every single one). I hope you enjoy.

Chapter Seven: Part One

Jane felt her cell phone buzzing in her pocket, and reached into her jeans to answer it. The caller ID showed that it was Charlie calling her. Immediately, she stopped her work and turned in her chair as she pressed the phone to her ear.

"Charlie?"

"Oh, hey, Jane," Charlie began, haphazardly playing with some scattered pens on his on desk.

"Hi," Jane smiled; she had never been in a relationship that made her this happy before, "how's your day been?"

"Oh, good," he replied mildly, "I was calling because my sister just texted me to tell me about a birthday party she's throwing for me this weekend. I was wondering if you wanted to go?"

"When is it? I don't think I have any plans this weekend."

"It's this Saturday, you can come over anytime, but I think Caroline told everyone it was going to start at eight. And you can bring Lizzie, of course," he added.

"Sounds good, should I bring…" Jane began but could sense her voice being drowned by a voice of someone else on the other end, something about lab reports.

"Oh, sorry Jane, I was just talking to one of the doctors, I have to go, but I'll talk to you later," and with that he hung up.

Jane sighed quietly while she spun her chair back to her computer. After staring blankly at the screen for a few minutes she picked up her phone again and dialed in Lizzie's number.

"Jane please don't make me go," Lizzie was still donning her pajamas and despite Jane wanting to leave in fifteen minutes, had not showered.

"You wouldn't make me go alone with all those strangers,"

"Charlie isn't a stranger, and based on past behavior I don't think he's going to let you go unattended all evening," Lizzie sat crisscrossed on the couch.

"Lizzie, he invited you and it would be rude for you not to go," Jane sat beside her, desperately wanting to have someone at this party that she knew besides Charlie, "please."

Falling victim to her sister's pleas was commonplace for Lizzie, and this was no exception. Her sister was simply the sweetest person on the face of the Earth, and Lizzie wanted nothing more than to make her happy.

"Fine," she caved, and Jane smiled, "but when I decide when it's time to go home,"

"Then you're the designated driver,"

"Fair enough,"

"Caroline this party is ridiculous," Charlie sat sadly on the couch surrounded by people who he was certain didn't really like him.

"Charlie, please," Caroline sipped champagne from a crystal glass, "just because your girlfriend isn't here yet doesn't mean that the party sucks, just the opposite, I'd say,"

Charlie sighed and leaned back on the couch; Caroline took another sip of champagne before locating Will Darcy and promptly left her brother to coax his friend into some alcohol.

"Will, have some champagne," she thrust a full glass in his direction.

"No, thank you," he said stiffly, "I don't drink,"

"Ever?"

"Never." He confirmed.

"How am I going to get you to finally kiss me, then?" she flirted, mildly under the influence, and instantly regretted what she said when she saw his reaction. Pained confusion crossed his face.

"Excuse me?" he almost scoffed. Was her plan really to get him drunk enough to kiss her? It almost seemed too conniving to be Caroline.

"Just a joke, Will," Caroline smiled, hiding her somewhat hurt expression, "but seriously, drink. It's a party and you're not driving later."

Caroline had wanted Will to want her since Charlie brought him home Christmas of his freshman year. She was still in high school, but she was determined to go to UCLA to be with him. Once she graduated and went to his school, she was certain that he would finally see her as a love interest, but Will was dating some perfect brunette pre-med student, and she was just a freshman marketing major. Eventually they broke up when he went to Stanford and she went to some fancy medical school that Caroline didn't remember, but she was no longer able to see him. He had never shown any interest, but she couldn't imagine her life without her longing for him. And now he was close again, and she was determined to make him love her. Then Lizzie Bennet ruined her plans; she didn't think Will was even aware of it yet, but he stared at her constantly, and brought her up in conversations constantly, and Caroline was certain that if she was telepathic, he would think of her constantly.

"I just don't enjoy feeling like I'm not in control, and I would appreciate it if you would respect my choices," he said before abandoning Caroline in the middle of the living room with two glasses of champagne.

Almost as soon as he had left, another man stood where Will had just been standing.

"Hey, you're hot," he slurred, clearly drunk, "wanna get outta here?"

Caroline weighed her options, "fuck off," she replied as slid past him to go outside.

Caroline was quickly sobered in the fresh air, and located her car in the dim streetlight. When someone grabbed her wrist.

"You bitch, you can't just walk away from me," the same intoxicated man from earlier said as he pulled her to face him.

"Let go of me," she replied coolly.

"Like hell I am," he smiled and breathed on her neck, "You're going to apologize to me,"

"Let go of me!" she repeated, this time much louder and with a sense of urgency.

He laughed into her neck, before a force knocked him from her, and he stumbled to the ground. Caroline looked over to see Lizzie, with a concerned Jane standing a little bit behind her.

"Caroline are you ok?" Lizzie asked immediately, "I heard you shout, and I just shoved him off you, I hope I didn't come too late,"

Despite the two not liking each other since the earliest moment of knowing each other, Caroline had never been so grateful for her existence, and Lizzie didn't want to subjugate anyone to harassment when she could stop it.

"You came just in time," she glanced at the man, now passed out from alcohol on the ground, "I cannot thank you enough,"

"Nah, it's no big deal," Lizzie looked back at Jane, "We'll walk you back inside, if that's alright."

"Actually, I'm just leaving," Caroline explained, remembering her embarrassment with Will, "but my brother is waiting for you two, so you should hurry up," she tried to laugh.

Lizzie and Jane shared skeptical glances, but decided not to press her. The said goodbye, and decided to leave the passed out man there on the ground. Caroline was alone again, and succumbed to her sadness and fear from the man's actions as she drove; tears fell without warning as she drove eight blocks to her newly redone apartment. She settled herself in her bed, and for the first time in her life, questioned the choices she had made.

"Have you seen my sister?" Lizzie asked Will, the only person she knew, and the only person left at the aftermath of the party. It was late, and Lizzie had wanted to go home for the past hour and a half, but could not find Jane anywhere in the house. She finally overcame her pride to ask Will for help in her endeavor, and she simply wanted him to stop watching her every time she walked into the living room.

"No, I haven't," he replied, "but I haven't seen Charlie in a while, so I suppose they're together,"

Lizzie sighed, "That's not helpful because I want to leave, but I can't leave Jane here,"

Will could not take his eyes off of Lizzie. She looked absolutely stunning in her dark purple dress. Her hair was let loose and fell carelessly around her face. Typically, she pulled her hair up in a ponytail, but on the occasion she wanted to look nice, she wore it down. And the purple in her dress, for whatever reason, made her eyes almost glow.

"I'm sure she'll call you or come back here, soon," he said, trying to engage her in a conversation.

Lizzie decided, now that she had searched the entire house that she might as well just wait for Jane. No sooner had she sat down on the couch, she heard loud footsteps coming down their stairs. Charlie walked into the living room, disheveled and clearly upset; he made eye contact with Will before walking out the door and slamming it behind him.

Will immediately stood up, looked briefly at Lizzie before following Charlie out the front door.

Lizzie crept up the stairs, suspecting Jane's presence up there. She heard muffled crying coming out of a darkened room. When Lizzie walked into the room and turned on the light, she saw her sister sitting on the floor with her mascara running from her eyes. Lizzie quickly rushed to her sister's side.

"Janey, what's wrong?" she asked, but it only made Jane cry louder.