"I've been in here before."

"Ah." A few awkward moments passed. "Obviously you enjoyed the show... if you came back, I mean."

"Obviously... Pardon my manners. Would you like a drink?"

"Yes, thank you. Were you just leaving?"

"Yes."

"Don't let me stop you."

Stop me! Wild horses couldn't drag me outta here!!! "I'm not in that much of a hurry."

"Would you join me then?"

Darcy nodded. They sipped on their drinks in silence. Eventually after a few of the patrons left the club, Darcy managed to snag a seat next to Elizabeth. They felt a little easier in each other's company but surprisingly talked till almost 5:00 a.m.

"Lizzy, are you gonna stay here till the sun rises?" asked the tired bartender.

Elizabeth pulled Darcy's arm and looked at his watch. "Oh my goodness! Look at the time!"

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize," she smiled. "I had fun."

"Can I take you home?"

"I only live a couple of blocks away, I'll walk."

"In those heels?!"

She looked down at her shoes and laughed. "I forgot to change!"

"I'll wait."

Elizabeth smiled and ran up to her dressing room.

*****

On the walk home, Elizabeth asked.

"What were you really doing at D de B Autos?"

He smiled. "Fixing my car. The garage isn't supposed to be open on Sundays, so..."

"You thought I'd get you into trouble, so you disappeared," she smirked.

"Well, I did hear that you tried to get me fired," he raised an eyebrow.

"Then I guess your theory was right!" she giggled.

He chuckled. "Something like that."

"Did you really think that line was gonna make me fall for you?"

"Which line?"

She smiled. "The pretty lady, pretty name one."

"No," he laughed. "I thought the one about you marrying me would." Elizabeth stumbled. "Are you all right?" he asked as he held her arm. She looked down at the ground (like we all do when we trip over something that isn't there) and nodded. "Good! I'd better get you home, then."

After a few more blocks, Elizabeth again felt ease in Darcy's company. He was definitely easy on the eyes, no matter how dark it was. He emanated warmth, no matter how cold. He smiled, no matter what she said. He was pleasant company, no matter how they started out. He was all that and a bag of Chips! But he wasn't rich...

They stood outside the apartment building.

"Well, this is where I live."

Darcy gulped. I had no idea! "Nice place."

"Do you... Would you like to come inside for a minute?"

"No thank you. It's pretty late."

"It's rather early," she smiled.

He smiled as he noticed the gray sun coming over the horizon a bit. "Yes it is. But some of us have to work during the day."

She was lost in his smile and was damn near leaning in for a kiss. "Umm hmm."

"Can I call you sometime?" he asked as he came a little closer.

"Yes. I'm in the book."

"Great..." he shifted uneasily. "Well, good morning to you then. Have pleasant dreams."

"Oh, I will." The moment the words slipped out, she blushed, yet stood tall. You're damn skippy I will!

He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing else. Darcy opened the outside door for Elizabeth, watched her wait for the elevator and disappear into it.

****

"Hello, may I speak with Elizabeth, please?"

Elizabeth's heart fluttered. "This is she. Who's calling?"

"This is Will Darcy. Ho..."

"Oh hello!" she said cheerily. "How are you this bright and cheerful afternoon?"

"Fine. And yourself?"

"Just fine." There was an awkward pause. "Did you call me for some reason?"

He chuckled. "Yes. How about some lunch?"

"You bringing or am I going?"

"Whatever you want."

You... Argh! Don't think that! "I need to get out. How about I meet you. Unless you're on Long Island!"

Darcy laughed heartily. "No. I'm still in Atlantic City."

"Oh Good! Because I don't know how I would've been able to meet you for lunch!" she laughed.

"Why don't I pick you up in about an hour?"

"Sounds good. See you then!"

*****

"How'd you get up here?" asked Elizabeth as she opened the door for Darcy. "They normally don't let anybody up here until they call up first."

"Well, uh, there was no one at the desk," he fibbed quickly.

Elizabeth didn't respond, she just grabbed her coat and they left the apartment.

Darcy took Elizabeth to a nice little restaurant at the far end of the beach. They laughed and talked like long-time friends.

"Oh, I forgot to ask how the car's running?"

"Good. Ver y good! We just love it."

"I'm very glad to hear that. It would be very unforgivable to offend the lady twice."

"I'm sure!" she said in her best Jane impression.

They walked in companionable silence to the taxicab stand.

Darcy walked Elizabeth up to the front of her building. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Will... I thought you said you had to work today?"

"Well, um, yes I did. I came here to work on a few of the Bentley's and Rolls' for some of our best clients," he lied.

"Service at the door?"

"Most definitely."

"Won't you come up?" Darcy looked thoughtful, but said nothing. "I won't bite."

"I'm not..."

"Look, it's no big deal. Just come up, warm yourself for a few minutes and leave."

"No. Thank you, I'd better get back to work."

"Okay," she smiled through her disappointment. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Most definitely."

Elizabeth walked though the door that Darcy opened for her, waited at the elevator and waved to him before going up.

*****

For nearly a week, Elizabeth and Darcy met every day for lunch.

Darcy had been in love with Elizabeth from afar for more than a year. He had seen her act at Caesar's one night and now he had his opportunity to pursue her. But I'm going to take it slow. She was young and headstrong, but damn beautiful. If it's going to be for a lifetime, then we need to know each other a little more.

Elizabeth was mad about Darcy, she couldn't stop thinking about him; she hadn't once thought of Wickham. If I get rich first, then it won't matter who I marry! He was a little younger than she was used to; she always dated older men. He wasn't younger than her, but he was younger than she was used to-much younger. He could be molded. He was not ambitious enough, but he was damn gorgeous!

*****

"Lizzy, I don't have my share of the rent money..."

"What?!" she roared. "Why not?!"

Jane cowered. "I quit my job."

Jumping in between Elizabeth and Jane, Anne asked "Jane, why did you quit your job?"

"I want to be more than a cigarette girl."

"So... you have another job, right?"

"No."

"Jane, how do you expect to live without a job?!" shouted Elizabeth. "How do you expect us to stay here without your contribution?!"

"Lizzy, I'm not going to say another word unless you promise to stop shouting at me!"

Elizabeth held back her stinging discourse.

Anne interceded. "Jane... you know how much we depend on your share of the rent, utilities, etc."

"We've managed before..."

"Yes we did, but I had to sell everything we owned the last time you decided your talents were being wasted!"

"Lizzy, calm down!" hissed Anne.

"We can sell this furniture!" exclaimed Jane.

"It's not our furniture, Jane!"

"It isn't?" Jane turned around in the room. "Why isn't it?"

"This apartment came furnished, remember?" Anne breathed in exasperation.

"No," she answered thoughtfully. "But it's pretty though... Trés pretty!"

Elizabeth collapsed in a chair, unable to speak. Jane went to her bedroom, while Anne just stood in the middle of the room, pondering.

*****

One Sunday evening, Darcy had been invited to dinner as Elizabeth had the night off.

"Liz, wasn't there a painting over the mantle piece?" he asked.

Jane answered. "It's at the hock..."

"It's being cleaned!" Elizabeth interrupted.

"Cleaned?" he repeated.

"Cleaned," she mumbled as she glared at Jane.

"And so is the loveseat!" chimed Jane with a smile.

Anne choked on her salad. Elizabeth changed the subject.

*****

Eventually, Anne managed to get Jane a job at the Taj Mahal as a change girl. Still they were more than 1 week behind in their budgeting. Elizabeth even found a gig during the day to help out. Darcy had gone back to Long Island.

*****

"I've been trying to get in touch with you for a week now."

"I'm sorry Will, I've been... busy."

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning just what I said. Busy." She didn't want to tell Darcy that she had been working days and nights for the past 10 days.

"Liz, is there something going on?"

"Nothing at all."

"Okay. Look, I'm coming back in town tomorrow, can I take you to lunch?"

"Tomorrow's not good for me. How about the day after?"

"Okay." There was a long pause. "Do you need anything?"

"Like what?" she snapped.

"I don't know." Darcy had his suspicions regarding the missing furniture and painting. "Do you?"

Elizabeth hesitated. "No." Yes!

"Fine then. I'll see you later."

"Sure."

*****

"Lizzy!" Anne sniffled through the phone.

"What's wrong, Anne?!"

Anne cried "He... he's married!!!!!"

"Who?" No answer, just more crying. "Willie Elliot?!"

"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!" she cried more.

"But... Anne, calm down and tell me where you are?"

A few moments passed. "I'm in The Poconos," she sniffled and blew her nose.

"Is he still there with you?"

"No. He left and I have no way hoooooooooooooooome!" she cried more.

"Anne, please calm down?" Anne quieted after a few more moments. "Tell me exactly what happened."

"Well, we came up here and everything was going rather well for the first few days. Then yesterday, I woke up and saw him putting on his clothes. I asked him where he was going, he told me he was going back to his wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife," she cried some more.

Elizabeth put her head in her hands. "Anne, Jane has the car. But as soon as I find her, I'm coming up there. Okay?"

"Okay," she sniffed. "But you'd better get here soon, there's a snow storm coming in a few hours."

"A few hours?! I can't get there in a few hours, not even in good weather!" Anne wailed horribly. Elizabeth quieted her. "Is there someone around you, any neighbors?"

"No. There's no one up here, there's no snow. That's why Willie... wanted to... come heeeeeeeeere!" she began crying again.

"There must be someone up there?"

"Only the forest ranger..."

"Who?"

"The forest ranger."

"Does he live close by?"

"I think he lives in a small hunting lodge on the other side of the mountain."

"Then call him and see if he'll help you."

"I guess I could do that..."

"Before you hang up, give me his name and phone number."

"Okay." Anne went into the kitchen for the list of numbers posted on the refrigerator door; she grabbed it and ran back to the phone. "It doesn't list his name, but here's his number: it's 555-8901."

"Okay, I got it. Call me the moment you're safe, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks Lizzy."

"For what?"

"For not saying I told you so."

Anne hung up before Elizabeth could say anything else.

Elizabeth called Jane at work, but they said she hadn't come in that day. Elizabeth was quite perplexed and more than a little distressed.

Darcy called and Elizabeth burst into tears over the phone. He told her he would be there in a second and sure enough he was there faster than Elizabeth could have imagined; had she had her wits about her.

Darcy soothed and comforted Elizabeth until she was able to calm down and tell him what happened.

"But what if she doesn't find him? What if she doesn't have anything to eat? What if there's no gas or electricity?"

"Shhh," he quieted. "You lie down here and I'll fix you something to calm yourself."

Darcy went into the kitchen to fix some tea and sandwiches; he took longer than he should have, but Elizabeth was not in the mood to time him.

*****

A little while later, the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Is this Elizabeth Bennet?"

"Yes it is. Who's calling?"

"This is Captain Wentworth..."

"Who?"

"Your friend Anne asked me to call."

"Is she there with you?"

"Yes, but she's sleeping now. She was very upset. I made her some cocoa and she'll be fine. She doesn't want you to worry and I assure you that she'll be all right."

"How do I know that?"

"Well, um, you have my number, right?"

"Yes. And?"

"Call back in about 2 hours and if she isn't awake, then I'll wake her and you can talk to her."

"I guess I have no choice."

"I've notified the local police that we're here, in case the storm gets too ugly. So, you can check with them if you want."

She sighed. "Thank you."

"I'll make sure she's up and ready to talk to you then, okay?"

"Okay... You sound rather young to be a Captain."

"I'm 32. Graduate of the Naval Academy and I fought in Desert Storm. My ship was hit while we were docked, I was wounded and now retired. Is that enough information for you?"

She laughed despite herself. "Yes. Thanks again, Captain."

They hung up.

"Well, at least he seems safe enough."

"I'm sure she'll be all right. Don't worry," said Darcy as he walked up close to Elizabeth.

"Don't worry? You're talking to the biggest worry-wart in history!"

Darcy pulled her close. "I don't believe that."

She leaned into his chest. "You ought to."

He raised her chin with his finger. "Why?"

"Because, that's something I inherited from my..."

Elizabeth never finished her sentence. Darcy placed a soft kiss on her lips, intending only to comfort her, but it turned into something much more. They had never kissed before and before long it turned into a passionate embrace.

*****

Darcy stayed with Elizabeth for over an hour until he decided that he had to go. Things were progressing further along than either had intended.

Elizabeth sat dreamily on the couch and remembered every kiss and caress Darcy bestowed upon her.

Long after he left, Elizabeth pondered over Jane's disappearing act until she came bursting through the front door.

"Lizzy, guess what!"

"Where in the hell have you been?!"

"First you have to guess what, then I'll tell you," she pouted.

Elizabeth ignored her. "Jane I was worried sick about you and Anne..."

"I got married!"

"... and Anne is stuck up in... What did you say?!"

"I got married! Today!"

Elizabeth startled, blinked, and repeated. "What did you say?"

"I got married today," Jane said slowly. "Jeez Lizzy, are you deaf?"

Elizabeth sat heavily into the nearest chair. "How? Why? Who?"

"Charlie Bingley! I'm Mrs. Charles Bingley!"

Elizabeth felt her head spinning. "Who?"

"The guy behind the counter!"

"What guy?"

"At Biggie's! You know... the one that smiled at me that day."

"Jane," she said slowly. "Tell me that you didn't marry a loser?"

"He's not a loser, Lizzy! He's a hard worker and he loves me and... Oh forget it, I knew you wouldn't understand!" Jane ran into her bedroom and slammed the door.

Elizabeth laid her head on the back of the chair and closed her eyes. Oh God! What are we gonna do now? Anne and I can't afford the rent here without Jane! We need money and soon!

Elizabeth rose from the chair and paced the living room. She had to think; she had to plan; she had to scheme. But first, she needed to talk to Jane.

Elizabeth knocked. "Jane, I'm sorry. Can I come in?"

Jane threw open the door and embraced her sister. "Oh Lizzy, I knew you'd come around!" Elizabeth said nothing. "He's so sweet and wonderful!"

"Jane where are you going to live?" she mumbled through Jane's long tresses.

"What?"

Elizabeth leaned back. "Where are you and your husband going to live?"

"I don't know," she shrugged.

"Does he have a place?"

"I don't know."

Elizabeth squelched the urge to scream. "What do you know?"

"Not much."

"Jane, let's just sit down and talk." Maybe I can get her to annul this farce of a marriage! "Have you made any plans for the future?"

"We're going to have lots of kids!"

"But where will you all live?" Elizabeth was losing her patience.

"Well, I'd thought I'd still live here for a while and Charlie will stay wherever he is for a while and we'd meet somewhere in the middle..."

"You don't even know where your husband lives?!"

"Lizzy, I'm not going to talk to you if you're going to continue to scream at me!"

Elizabeth sat on the bed. "You'll have to forgive me, Jane, but I'm a little confused. Please help me understand?"

"What do you wanna know?"

"Could you start at the beginning?"

Jane looked puzzled. "Well, I was born in a little town called..."

"Not that beginning!" Elizabeth put her head between her legs to calm down. "Sorry. I meant the beginning of your relationship with Charlie."

"Oh that!" giggled Jane. "Well, after we went there for lunch that day, I started going back every day for lunch. We'd talk in between his customers, and well, one thing led to anther and another... Then he asked me to marry him!" she sang.

"Let me get this straight. Has he ever called here?"

"Nope," answered Jane as she pulled her suitcase from the closet.

"And you don't know where he lives?"

"Nope," she repeated as she threw some essentials in her suitcase.

"And you've only seen him at lunch time?"

"Nope. I mean yep," she said as she looked in her bureau for something sexy.

"And he's never once taken you out at night?"

"Yep," she repeated as she threw in some undergarments.

"Why not?"

"I told him that he couldn't take me out at night, because that would mess up our plan to marry rich men! Jeez Lizzy, you pounded that into my head a thousand times... Of course I wouldn't forget it!"

Elizabeth blinked; she was struck dumb and said nothing else for more than a few minutes.

"So we're going to stay at a hotel for our honeymoon." Elizabeth nodded. "I just didn't want you to worry about me, okay?"

And with that, Jane finished packing, kissed her sister's cheek, and left a stunned Elizabeth in the room, until the phone rang.

Elizabeth ran to get it. "Hello!"

"Lizzy, I thought you were going to call in 2 hours?"

"Anne?"

"Yes!"

"Oh Anne! Are you okay?"

"Yes, but look, it's snowing like a bandit here, so I'd better free the line up. I just wanted you to know that I was safe and sound. Thank you! Later."

Anne hung up before Elizabeth had a chance to tell her the 'good' news.

Elizabeth had no time to really think on things, she had to be at the club in less than 90 minutes. She got washed, dressed and ran out the door.

*****

That night, Elizabeth had a terrible nights sleep. All of her dreams started the same way: she was being evicted from the apartment. The first nightmare was that she was homeless and living in her car. The second, that she had to go back home to live with her parents. The third, that she had to move back into that little dumpy apartment that she had just left. The fourth, that she had to marry Darcy and move into his little dumpy apartment, wherever that was. But the last seemed to brighten her spirits somewhat, that she married Wickham and they lived in a spacious house with a garden and a white picket fence.

The phone woke her. "Hello?"

"Hi Lizzy, I'm back!"

"George?"

"Yes baby. Were you sleeping?"

She knew what she had to do. "Oh yes. But I had pleasant dreams, they were all about you..."

Sounds promising! "I'm interested. How about lunch tomorrow?"

"Sure thing!"

"I'll be there around noon, then."

They hung up.

*****

Wickham and Darcy accidentally met in the elevator of the apartment building.

"I hope to God you're not coming to see me?" he sneered.

"No, I'm not! I have a girlfriend in the building, is that all right by you?" Wickham smirked.

I wonder what tramp he managed to charm the skirt off of? "Far be it for me to suspend any pleasure of yours," gritted Darcy.

"Thank you. You're so kind," Wickham spat, sarcastically.

They rode up in silence. The door opened on the 39^th floor and Wickham got out. Darcy looked strangely at him and peered out the door as Wickham turned the corner in the hallway.

Darcy let the door close and rode up one floor to the penthouse. "Nah, it couldn't be Lizzy! She's too smart for him!" Darcy went into his apartment. "I think I'll invite her out to an early dinner. She'll appreciate that."

Elizabeth went out with Wickham and pretended as much as she could that he was her choice, and he did so as well. But, Elizabeth went back to the apartment alone.

*****

Later, Darcy called. "Elizabeth, how 'bout an early dinner?"

Elizabeth sighed; this was something that she was dreading. "Sure."

"Is 6:00 p.m. okay for you?"

"Yes."

"Is something wrong?"

"No."

"Okay... Then I'll pick you up at 6:00 p.m."

"Okay. Later."

She hung up without giving him a chance to inquire further.

*****

Darcy arrived promptly at the appointed time. Instead of him coming to the apartment, she met him in the lobby. They caught a taxicab to a little Chinese restaurant. They ate, mostly, in silence.

As they drank coffee, Darcy asked. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

She looked into his deep chocolates and decided that now was not the time to tell him. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired."

"You can call the club, can't you? I'm sure they'll let you off for a night."

"No. I always feel better when I sing."

"Please tell me what's wrong? Please?"

Elizabeth broke down. "Jane got married! I haven't heard from Anne in two days and..."

Darcy jumped from his seat to the chair next to hers, embraced her and comforted her. "Shh, you worry too much," he whispered in her ear.

At length, she quieted. "I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here!"

"I'll always be here for you," he smiled and kissed her.

After a few minutes, Elizabeth looked past Darcy at the clock. "Oh Shit! I'm gonna be late!" It was the truth, but it was still an escape.

Darcy called the waitress, hurriedly paid the bill and they caught a taxicab to her club.

Elizabeth jumped out of the cab without a word.

Darcy leaned through the taxi's open door. "I'll be right inside, okay?"

Elizabeth said nothing as she disappeared through L'il Bits' door.

Darcy was content to watch her from a distance.

*****

Wickham took Elizabeth out to lunch again. He noticed her somber mood, but decided it was time for the kill; his funds were running low and the little chits he took out while Elizabeth worked were screwing up his money. At the apartment door, he pulled her roughly against him and kissed her.

Instead of resisting, as her whole body wanted to do, she complied. As the kiss drew out longer, she threw her arms around his neck and pretended she was kissing another. At length, Elizabeth pushed Wickham away and promised to see him the next day.

*****

"Lizzy, you'll never guess..."

"Anne Elliot, I've been trying to get through to you for several days now!"

"The snowstorm was horrible, but they finally got the phone lines up this morning."

"Oh."

"Anyway, I have some news, but you'll never guess..."

"Jane got married."

"Jane got married?! Oh, how wonderful..."

"To a loser of the first order!"

"You can't hide love, Lizzy..."

"Whatever!" She frowned. "So how did Jane get a hold of you?"

"I haven't talked to her."

"But you said you had news and I thought it was about Jane."

"No, no. I got married myself!"

"What?!" Elizabeth fell to the floor.

"Did you drop something, Lizzy? I heard a loud noise."

"When... Who? Why?" Elizabeth felt nauseous. Oh God!

"This morning to Captain Wentworth!"

Elizabeth swallowed the bile rising in her throat. "Congratulations!" she half-heartedly exclaimed.

"Oh, don't be so upset Lizzy! I love him, he loves me, I knew our plan wouldn't come to any fruition, at least for myself. I've loved him for a long time now, and these 5 days locked up with him have been absolutely..."

Tears ran down Elizabeth's face. "Anne, I'm happy for you. Really."

"Sure Lizzy, whatever you say. I'm sure you'll find your Prince Charming very soon and he'll be plenty rich to boot!"

"I'm sure," she sniffled.

"Well, I've got a few more calls to make: my family, my job."

"Your job?"

"Yes, I'm quitting. I'm moving up here with Frederick! I'll call you in a few days! Later!"

Anne hung up. Elizabeth cried her eyes out.

*****

Elizabeth continued to see Wickham during the day and Darcy continued to wait for her each night at the club to walk her home. It was getting harder and harder for her to break it off with Darcy.

*****

"Lizzy, marry me?"

"But, but this is so sudden!"

He produced a ring. "I know it is, but I can't go on like this. I want you... I want you to be my wife."

"Yes!" she cried out and hugged him. "Oh yes!"

All of her dreams were coming true, but when would reality hit her on the head?