The carriage gently rocked its passengers, under other circumstances, the occupants may have been tempted to sleep. But as it was, both would rather preoccupied. Richard was determined to remain nonchalant. The question is feeling his mind we are fighting to escape through his mouth. Put something had him holding his tongue. Fitzwilliam, for his part, was both impressed and infuriated at his cousins silence. Can you he needed to explain himself, and was somewhat reliant on his cousin to broach the sensitive issue. But as it appeared, Richard was not in an obliging mood. The air hung heavy around them. It was suffocating.

" You know Richard" Will paused a moment, clearing his throat awkwardly he can't " this carriage ride reminds me of the night mother died"

Richards eyes darn near popped from his skull " Your mother?" he was trying to play catch up on a 13 word conversation. Frankly, he had nowhere to go.

"Yes" Will forced himself to relax. 'Well, here we go' he thought. " I was bundled off in the middle of the night in a carriage much like this. I was exhausted, and the rhythmic rocking lulled me into a restless sleep" he looked over to his companion to make sure he had the gentleman's full attention. He did. " I had the strangest dream last night. You see I dreamt I was back at school, in my bed . But there was no one else there. Well, almost no one. You see someone appeared. A little girl. Six years old and she was just stood there in her thin nightgown. Of course I went to her, I was worried that she'd feel ill with a chill. I soon realised through talking to the child that I was in a dream. Sweet little thing she was, she just sat with me as I poured my heart out to her. I cried on her shoulder for my darling mother, and she didn't judged me one jot. And that's when I woke, and she was gone." he let out a small chuckle at that. " I mean, of course she was it was a dream" he finished and once again looked at Richard. Intense confusion was the primary expression that the Colonel wore as he opened and closed his mouth a few times, clearly looking for the right words.

Eventually, he simply settled for " I'm not sure what to say here. Why are you telling me of a dream you had 15 years ago? Good grief Darcy, you'll do anything to avoid talking about whatever it is with you and Miss Bennett" The tone that had started out unsure had fast turned into annoyance. Richard was beginning to feel fobbed off.

" calm yourself old man if you stay with me you'll see I AM telling you. But I must remind you that you were warned that you wouldn't believe us. The story is, well, fantastical. But I assure you, I'll tell you it all, and it is 100% the truth, just as I tell it" it would be a terrible untruth to say that Richard's curiosity wasn't rampant now. He sat back and waved his hand, signalling his younger cousin to continue. Fitzwilliam obliged.

"The next night I was asleep in Pemberley and again I woke to the dream world with the same dream girl. This time she was standing in my personal bedchamber. And like before we talked, only this time she introduced herself, you see the little imp was called Lizzie"

" Lizzie?"

"Yes, Lizzie! Every night from then on Lizzie would appear in my dream. I watched her grow Richard. We talked, danced and even played. Lizzie was so much younger, she loved hide and seek. It was nice. Innocent. I wasn't master Darcy, heir to Pemberley. I was just Will. She gave me support, listened when I needed to just be heard. And I offered the same to her. She'd tell me of her sisters and the neighbour boys that would tease her. We were friends. But she wasn't real, just a dream creature my sleeping mind had conjured up. Well, you can imagine my absolute horror when, at around 22, I realise that I'd fallen in love with her. She was 15 by then, and absolutely amazing. Smart. Fun. Outgoing. A perfect counterbalance to my more sullen, shy nature" Fitzwilliam had to pause his story as the air was now filled with the sound of Richard choking on his own breath.

"What?" he forced out, his face turning an alarming shade of red. Whether this was caused by shock or lack of oxygen wasn't clear. Maybe it was both.

Darcy waited it out, only mildly concerned. Slowly spluttering, calmed, and Richard returned his more natural colour.

"Are you quite done being dramatic?" Sarcasm dripped from his words.

"Dramatic!?" The Colonel barked "Hardly!"

"Well" Darcy huffed " If this is too much for your fragile sensibility, perhaps I ought to stop"

"No! No, do carry on. I wish to hear till the end"

Will hummed to himself, subtly giving his cousin a quick once over "As you wish. Yes, I had fallen in love with this enchanting dream being. How could I not? She had known me at my absolute worst and towering best, and never once did she change her opinion of me. She knew my wealth. Maybe not in Schilling and Pound. But she'd seen my home, my accumulated physical wealth. " His face softened infinitely. " her favourite place to be is the library. I don't think she'll ever be truly content until she has read every book lining its walls." He stopped, lost in the happiness of his own thoughts.

Richard took the opportunity to look at the man before him. Truly look. He was at peace. More so than he's ever seen before. The lines on his face that had hardened over the years, set on his countenance by loss, strain and immense pressure had started to relax. His eyes, usually stern and intense, had a spark in them. A brightness that hadn't existed before. It hit him and left the military man in awe. A time passed, and Richard became aware that his companion had lost himself entirely. He took the opportunity to shift into a more comfortable position in his seat before clearing his throat and gaining Fitzwilliams attention.

"I assume this Lizzie from your dream is somehow…." He waved his hand about, unable to really finish the sentence.

"Hmmm? Oh, just wait. I'm getting to that I assure you" he paused, desperately trying to remember where he'd gotten too. " Lizzie always only saw me. My highs, my lows, my strengths, and my faults. She accepted them all as I did hers. I'm not blind to sharp tongue or fiery temper. But I love her, all of her. And not despite of those traits. But in part because of them. They are all her, you see?"

Richard did not see, frankly, he was just treading water trying to stay afloat in this bizarre, and seemingly pointless story.

"Father died, Lizzie was there. Wickham and Georgiana, Lizzie was there. She was my support and my confidant. Clever too, so very, very clever. I often asked her advice on things and that leads us to one night in particular. I had a problem and I needed her trusted opinion. You see Charles Bingley wanted to rent in estate. Just so he could learn the ropes without having to invest too heavily. He asked for my help, as a seasoned estate owner. I wanted to go of course, after all I know the assistance I could indeed give. However, he had also informed me that his sister would be in residence with him" both men took a moment to shudder. Richard was well aware of the reputation of one Miss Caroline Bingley. "Of course that gave me good reason to hesitate. I gave it to Lizzie and she fast saw the problem, well she advised that I talk to Charles of all my concerns. She completely understood the guilt I'd feel if I felt I'd let down a friend. Especially when I could so easily have helped. Well, I took her advice. And Charles and I came to an understanding. So I agreed to go" Will let out the breath. He hadn't been aware he was holding. ' Here we go' he thought to himself. Refusing to look at the man in front of him, he continued. "Of course, when Charles came into the area, as is to be expected, all the local gentleman visited wishing to make Charles' acquaintance. And very soon an invitation for us all to attend a local ball was offered. I was yet to join Bingley at his home, so had no chance to talk him out of it. Admittedly that was for my own selfish reasons. I do so hate balls, but of course Charles was all for it. Full of excitement and jest. You know how he gets" Will didn't look up so missed his friend nodding his head in earnest as he lent forward in his seat. " I cannot adequately describe how little I wanted to attend when he informed me. I was tired from travelling and my mind was full of Georgiana. I worried the whole carriage ride from London. As I traveled further and further from her I felt my sullen mood overtake me. And when I reached Charles I was a tightly wound spring. I was definitely not in good humor. But what was I to do? I was his guest. That whole interminable carriage ride to the ball Miss Bingley harped on. Her complaining was endless. The society would be poor, the fashion lacking, on and on she went" He raised his eyes to Richard. " I'm sure you can imagine how that soured my already tense mood!"

The atmosphere in the men's carriage suddenly shifted. Fitzwilliam knew it was now or never. Tell him and let the cards fall where they may. Richard for his part edge closer still. Darcy couldn't help but wonder if a single bump on the road would cause the other to tumble onto the floor.

" We entered the ball late. Miss Bingley does insist on making an entrance, and the room around us stopped. All eyes were on us. Heaven help me I wanted the floor to just open and swallow me up. Of course though that didn't happen. I've never been that lucky. I could feel them Richard. Feel the watching, the gossiping" Leaning right back, he lent his head on the hard wooden back of the seat. " I could hear the ripple of ' 10,000 a year' make its way through the room" he sighed "Bingley, of course, was deaf to it all. He strode in all confidence and smiles. I'm not too proud to admit to the jolt of jealousy I feel every time I see the ease he has in these situations. Caroline was, well, Caroline. Strutting around. A peacock if ever I saw one" Both men let out rather ungentlemanly sniggers "Soon I was being introduced to an absolute gaggle of people. Small town, new blood, I'm sure you can imagine the scene. Family after family, name after name, the constant bowing. I hate balls! And all the time, rumbling in the back of my mind was Georgiana. I couldn't even begin to guess at the names of most of the families I met. Worry was fast consuming and distracting me. But then I saw her. Just stood there, an image before me. It was just another family, the mother, father and daughters. I paid no real attention, but then our eyes met. I don't think I can adequately, explain what it was like seeing her in the flesh. Surprise, joy, insanity, it all flooded me. Hitting me all at once. Of course, I knew it couldn't be real. She just happened to look like my Lizzie. But her eyes, Richard her eyes they were full of the same shock, wonder and fear I knew was shining from my own. I wanted to say something, to reach out and check if she was real flesh and blood. But I just stood there, staring on like an imbecile. Bingley, of course, asked the eldest the eldest Miss Bennett to dance and soon they all dispersed to find their partners. The only thing I remember clearly for the rest of the night is Lizzie. She enjoyed dance after dance, she has always loved a good reel, and I just couldn't take my eyes off of her. And every now and then, just occasionally, her eyes would meet mine. And I just knew, I don't know how, but she was MY Lizzie"

Richard sat as silent is the dead. Mouth gaping, for a tale like this was fantastic. Surely his cousin didn't truly believe such madness.

" That night, the one after the ball, I slept. Just slept. It was a dreamless sleep. Unnerved doesn't even cover how I felt. For the very first time in 15 years Lizzie didn't appear to me. I can't even begin to describe how that felt" He couldn't hold back the growl of frustration at the infuriating memory. "As the days drifted on I convinced myself that I was mistaken. A single brief meeting in a dimly lit ballroom and a few physical similarities didn't mean anything. But then she came, like an angel on the wind. Or a devil on its dragon, depending on Lizzies temper" He chuckled at his own joke " and when she was there, standing before me once again. This time I couldn't deny it." He took a deep breath " It was most definitely her!"

Fitzwilliam could've laughed at the look of pure disbelief on his cousins face. The poor man looked as though he was calculating the time it would take to have his once sane, much beloved Kinsman, committed. As it was, the silent stretched between them. On and on it went. It was beginning to get rather awkward.

" We did warn you that you wouldn't believe us" he muttered petulantly.

" Friends since your boyhood? But only when you slept. You don't honestly expect me to believe this. You're clearly in jest"

"No. No jest, I assure you it's the absolute truth. And you, my dear cousin, are the only person to know the story. Well besides myself, Lizzie and my soon-to-be father in law"

The incredulous look didn't budge from Richards face. But then in a sudden moment it cleared.

"Very well, Fitzwilliam. Keep your secrets. I'm sure I'll one-day convince your bride to tell me the truth of it all" And with that the military man sat back in triumph.

Darcy could not have held back the laughter, even if he'd wanted to this time. And as he's hearty guffaw became a well mannered chortle he simply said " You do that Richard, you do that!"