Chapter 1: Unexpected Encounter

In the film, several of the main scenes of the encounters between our protagonists were removed, such as the dance and the reunion at Pemberly. I think both scenes are necessary for the plot.

I especially liked Pemberly's as it mixes the BBC version of the series and the zombie world, but it falls short. So there goes a filler fanfic of that part.

Darcy POV:

"Good morning" I said thinking it would be the last time I would see her, trying to be kind and polite when I just wanted to hug her and ask her for another chance. God, what the hell was I thinking when I proposed to her like I did, I practically demanded that she be my wife and added I disrespected not only her but her family... And on top of that, I was surprised and angry with her refusal. Oh my God, but I did end up fighting with her until I understood that I had nothing to do, that even though I was fighting with her, my whole being reacted in an ungentlemanly way to her proximity, so much so that I almost kissed her several times to say the least. What a good job... It doesn't matter, I'm a man without heart or soul. "Come on Giorgiana" I don't want to leave and not see her anymore, but I don't have any rights, I don't have any time, the front is waiting for me.

"My lord, my lord!" was heard from the lake where one of my adjutant's sons was running desperately toward us. "On the way, they attack us!" he shouted. Without thinking twice, I ran to the place the boy indicated. I had only the axe from the previous skirmish with me, I had left the katana on my horse by the lake, very clever of me. Not seeing a better alternative, I thought: Anyway, she's not going to think worse of me and it's urgent, so I gave a loud and unrefined whistle to Combat who instantly ran out to meet me, jumping into it. Already on horseback and with weapons, I could better cope with anything.

On the way were a group of about a dozen children of all ages forming a defensive circle, with the little ones on the inside with daggers in their hands and the older ones on the outside attacking everything that came their way. They were doing very well, but the attack was too severe, with no less than 40 zombies getting closer adding to the ones they had already dispatched. Fearing that I would not arrive in time, I threw the axe at the one who was about to win the battle against little Charly, his remains falling at the feet of the little boy. I swooped down with my horse on the group of zombies outside the perimeter, jumped katana in hand, destroying everything in my path. Hope returned to the defensive circle, them defending and me attacking. All in all, the opponents were too many and I wasn't the main target, I couldn't hurry any faster by dispatching each and every one of them, but it wasn't going to be enough! I don't know how many had already fallen by my hand, but I had many more to go. That's what I thought until I looked up and saw Elizabeth on the other side of the road destroying everything in her path. My God, between the two of us we had dispatched practically an entire horde in a moment.

How can I not be in love to the soul of this woman, she is a warrior with all the letters, with a fair soul, a feline intelligence and also, so beautiful in her totality that she is directly light in my soul. And there I am, still wet from my dip in the lake, barefoot, in pants and shirt before a goddess. Darcy's composure... close your mouth, you still have it open and take care of the children.

"William, Amanda, are you all right?" I asked the two older ones who were as dumbfounded with Elizabeth as I was.

"Yes, we are fine because of you. We were already finished, to be honest," they answered.

"I'm not so sure, you were doing great all of you, you must be very well trained," Elizabeth told them with a smile.

Amanda blushed at the compliment and replied shyly "well Miss, we all take self-defense classes pretty seriously, in the end our life depends on it."

Elizabeth asked in surprise, "Do you all attend self-defense classes?"

To which William replied very surprised, "Of course, it's mandatory. Without wanting to be impertinent, I don't understand what he's surprised about."

"In the region from which Miss Bennet comes, attendance is not compulsory until the age of 10, hence she is surprised at your ability," I interjected, with a knowing look at Elizabeth, and hoping that the conversation would not go any further. It was no surprise that she understood. I took the two youngest who were still frightened, the poor ones would not be more than four years old, and we went to the main house.

"Amanda, where are you going?" he asked of the way.

"To your house Milord, Miss Darcy required that all the children in the region who had not been evacuated to the islands be moved to the main house," she replied and added looking at me very worriedly, "my lord, is there expected to be an increase in attacks?"

"I don't think they'll get that far, but it's always better to be prepared," I replied with much more confidence than I felt. Elizabeth looked at me perplexed but pretending to be my own security in front of the children and making it clear that we had a pending conversation.

On the way to the house, we joined Giorgiana and Elizabeth's family, who looked at me quite perplexed and it was no wonder, with the painting she presented.

"Then you explain it to me," I said quietly to Giorgiana, to which Elizabeth smiled mischievously.

When we reached the height of her carriage, Elizabeth and her family turned to me with the intention of saying good-bye. Not wanting to risk anything else after two attacks in a row, I said: "Miss Elizabeth, please accompany me to the main house where you can recover from the attack and we will see the best strategy for the continuation of your journey. The truth is that I am concerned about the strong resurgence in this region where it is usually very quiet." To my utter relief, the proposal was accepted.

Waiting for us at the entrance were my housekeeper and other servants of the house. "Mrs. Reynolds, see to it that these brave group are able to wash, eat something, rest, and provide them with clean clothes. They are Miss Bennet and her family Mr & Mrs. Philips, guests of the house." As diligently as ever Mrs. Reynolds set off, at one point all the children including the little ones she was carrying disappeared into the service area with two maids after the promise of hot chocolate and sweets, "Milord, in 5 minutes two rooms will be ready where your guests can rest and change clothes while we see to it that yours are prepared." I don't know exactly how she does it, but it's a luxury to have people like that at your service. "Thank you so much Mrs. Reynolds and if you haven't already, ask for a bathroom to be prepared for me too." Their gaze couldn't say more with less, they were obviously already taking care of it.

"Giorgiana, please accompany our guests to their rooms. I must do a couple of errands and I'm not going to be able to do it myself. You are at home, anything you need you just tell one of the maids and Mrs. Reynolds will take care of what is necessary," I remarked, and with a bow I went to the stables before they could protest.

Elizabeth at my house, I couldn't believe my luck. At the point I'm at, I don't care if I've made a fool of myself in her eyes just to have her around. I can't stop thinking about her, remembering each and every one of the words or looks we've exchanged. I've got to do better... I've got to do better... Come on, show her who you are and what she is to you while you can. You've seen how black everything can get without her, unless she remembers you on good terms and not hating you.

Elizabeth POV:

"Good morning," he says, turning around as he lovingly throws an arm around his sister's shoulders, with a gesture so natural that it is surely something common among them. I can't help but be stunned by the man I thought was so proud of and the picture he presents right now. Barefoot, only in his shirt, wet, axe in hand, being much more courteous and attentive than necessary to us and all affection to his sister. It's a bucolic vision, everything that for me should be the man of my dreams in front of me. With his letter my feelings towards him had been greatly softened, and I thought of him with affection and gratitude, but seeing him now... It's not affection that I feel, but rather longing for something more, than we could be if I hadn't been so blind. Well, to be honest it's not just longing, I think it's stronger than that, added also that oh my God, he can't be more handsome. I knew he was a strong man, but the wet clothes, close to the body and practically transparent, leave little to the imagination. That a man with such power should have felt anything for me still seems unreal to me, and since it happened, I know that I am doomed to be a spinster. No man will ever be able to compare with the one I have lost and see moving away from me.

Realizing that I am still looking at him with a longing face and my aunt and uncle behind me, who surely could not be more perplexed, I realize that in Pemberly, with how far away it is, there has been an attack and they are going to evacuate Miss Darcy to a safer place, I see Loungbourgh in danger, I turn around worried, urging my aunt and uncle to leave as soon as possible.

"Milord!, Milord!" was heard from the lake where a child ran inconsolably towards us, "on the way, they attack us!". Mr. Darcy seemed to know the boy, and he ran off in the direction the boy indicated, axe in hand, whistled loudly, and his horse galloped out from the lake to meet him. With a leap worthy of an acrobat, he was already seated and armed to help a group of children who were being attacked. In the blink of an eye, he was there. Without realizing what I was doing, I had run after him to help in any way I could. My God, I had never seen him in real action beyond the skirmish in the kitchens at Netherfield, but he seemed like the Greek God of war, I had never seen that ability in anyone. Everything he did from riding, throwing the axe or the movements of his sword were so accurate and precise that they seemed effortless, he is the best warrior I have ever seen. I arrived in time to help put an end to some of these lost souls, but I don't know if my intervention was really necessary, everyone seemed to know very well what to do, the truth is that I was really perplexed with the performance of the group of children and overwhelmed with the warrior that I had underestimated. I think I did something wrong, for they all stared at me with astonished faces until Mr. Darcy seemed to take pity on me and diverted the attention I had aroused.

"William, Amanda, are you okay?" he asked the boys. OHHH... He knows them by name, surprising since their clothes don't look like they belong to well-to-do families.

"Yes, we are fine because of you. We were already finished, to be honest," they answered.

"I'm not so sure, you were doing great all of you, you must be very well trained," I said with a smile trying to relieve the tension. The older girl seemed to blush at the compliment and replied shyly "well Miss, we all take defense classes pretty seriously, in the end our life depends on it."

I was perplexed, "do you all attend self-defense classes?" to which the boy replied very surprised, "of course, it's mandatory, without wanting to be impertinent, I don't understand what you're surprised about."

"In the region from which Miss Bennet comes, attendance is not compulsory until the age of 10, not from the age of 3 as here, hence I am surprised at your ability," said Mr. Darcy with a knowing look to me, "Please follow me in the lie." He took the two little ones in his arms and led to meet Giorgiana and my family. Wow, in addition to being a God of war, he is handsome, rich, affectionate with his own, he is affectionate with all children regardless of their condition. Very well-done Elizabeth, you have an impeccable judgment. It only improves it by also providing self-defense classes in schools on a mandatory and free basis to all children in the region. To crown herself with having despised such a man as the one before me for the lies of a ruffian, I could not be more sunk.

"Amanda, where were you going?" asked Mr. Darcy

"To your house Milord, Miss Darcy required that all the children in the region who had not been evacuated to the islands be transferred to the main house," she replied and looking at him asked very worriedly, "My lord, is there expected to be an increase in attacks?"

"I don't think they'll come that far, but it's always better to be prepared," replied Mr. Darcy, more confidently than he felt, so as not to frighten them any further.

"Then you explain it to me," he said to his sister in low when we reached their height, a smile escaped me acknowledging complicity between brothers.

Ready to leave and not prolong this torture any longer, but Mr. Darcy said before I could say goodbye, "Miss Elizabeth, please accompany me to the main house where you can recover from the attack, and we will see the best strategy for the continuation of your journey. The truth is that I am concerned about the strong resurgence in this region where it is usually very quiet." My uncle, who was quite worried, accepted immediately, to my utter embarrassment.

Some workers were waiting for us at the entrance of the imposing house "Mrs. Reynolds, see to it that these brave group can wash, eat something, rest, and provide them with clean clothes. They are Miss Bennet and her family, Mr. and Mrs. Philips, guests of the house," reported Mr. Darcy, and almost immediately they all set out, all order and diligence.

"Milord, in 5 minutes two rooms will be ready where your guests can rest and change clothes while we take care of yours being prepared," said the housekeeper.

"Thank you so much Mrs. Reynolds and if you haven't already do, ask for a bathroom to be prepared for me too." A smile escaped me when I saw the housekeeper's face making him see that she had already left everything ready and requested. Did I just see a blush on Mr. Darcy's cheeks?

"Giorgiana, please accompany our guests to their rooms. I must make a couple of arrangements and I'm not going to be able to do it myself as I would have intended. You are at home, anything you need you just tell one of the maids and Mrs. Reynolds will take care of whatever is necessary," he said and with a bow disappeared. Wake up Elizabeth, he's a man you've humiliated, he's not going to be with you more than is strictly necessary.

The house was stunning, elegant without being overwrought, created with real taste and not by the power of money. But the truth is that I didn't care much, the owner of that house, which is what was of interest to me as soon as he could, disappeared. He had been more than attentive, more than pleasant when education demanded neither. As soon as I reached the room that had been prepared for me, as magnificent as everything else, I burst into tears, aware of my own feelings and of being totally in love with the man I had lost. Elizabeth, it is what it is, you have made a mistake and you are going to have to accept the situation, put on a good face and be courteous, fair and kind, that they have good memories of you.