Trials and Tribulations

Elizabeth was just turning over to continue her fantastic dream featuring Darcy, when a knock came to her door. She had assumed it was Darcy coming to talk or ask her to breakfast, and was therefore stunned when Billy Collins burst into her room as she opened the door.

"Elizabeth, how could you?!?!" She tried to interrupt him, but he didn't let her. "I professed my love to you and you take up with another man!" Billy had heard the rumors, but didn't know who the man was since he wasn't interested in sports.

"Billy, what in the hell are you talking about?!" she glared at him.

"I'm talking about you and this, this football player!" He sat on the sofa with a thud. "But you're young yet. I'll just chalk this up to wide-eyed innocence and idolatry and forgive you for this indiscretion."

"Get out of my room, right now!"

"Don't play the wounded dove with me! I'm trying to forgive you!"

"Billy," she exhaled deeply. "If you don't get out of my room, I'll beat you to a pulp and carry your lifeless body out and dump you in the trash!"

"Elizabeth, my love..."

"Get out!" she screamed as she opened the door.

Billy Collins acquiesced, as he did not want to create a scene or be embarrassed by passers-by. "As you wish, my love." So he walked to the door, but before he left, he turned and said, "You never miss the water, till the well runs dry," then he held his head up very high and walked off.

As he walked back to his dorm, Billy Collins decided to turn on the charm, instead of tucking his tail between his legs; he would send her flowers everyday and his love notes would be direct and to the point. He intended to marry Elizabeth after graduation.

Elizabeth and Darcy met for at least an hour almost every day and studied, then talked almost every night.

Darcy had 2 more football games and he was magnificent. In one game in particular, the last game of the year to be exact, he had thrown five touchdowns against the then #1 team with the number #1 defense. Florida State had only allowed an average of 13 points and 185 yards per game in their previous 11 games this season, but Darcy himself had more than 400 yards passing and his team rushed for almost 200 yards.

Elizabeth was on her way to an advanced Japanese final, when Billy Collins accosted her.

"Elizabeth, let's stop playing these games. I love you and I want to marry you."

"You're out of your mind!" she laughed. A freaking lunatic!!!

"Yes, I am Elizabeth! Out of my mind over you!" he flailed his arms in exasperation. "Why don't we just sit down for a minute and talk..."

"Billy, I don't have time..."

He grabbed her arm. "You should always have time to talk to your fiancé!"

"Get your hands off me!" she tried to jerk away, but he had a tight grip.

"Is this guy bothering you, Lizzy?" Bingley suddenly appeared and glared down on Billy Collins.

"Yes!" she exclaimed as she snatched herself from his hold.

"Do you want me to beat him up?" asked Bingley matter-of-factly. Billy Collins trembled as Bingley held him by the back of his neck.

"No! Just make him leave me alone!"

"I'll take care of it," he smiled.

"Good! I've got a final in 10 minutes," she ran off. "I'll call you later, okay?! Thanks!" she yelled back from some distance away.

Bingley did not do bodily harm to Billy Collins, however, his words, or rather his threats, made good his point. Bingley talked and Billy Collins listened. After he was satisfied that this man was indeed humbled, Bingley dropped him by his coat lapels back towards the earth with a thud.

Later that night, Elizabeth called Bingley; they talked and laughed about Billy Collins, or as Bingley called him repeatedly, 'Piggly Wiggly.'

"Will, I just heard the news!" Elizabeth ran across the lawn next to the library, jumped into his arms and embraced him. "Congratulations!"

Both were a bit flustered by her attack, but Darcy gained his composure first and smiled his appreciation. "Thanks Lizzy."

"What are you going to do if you win?!" she looked down at the ground.

"I don't know... put it on the mantle piece at home," he chuckled.

"Seriously!" she giggled and punched him in the arm. "The Heismann! Jeez Will, this'll make you the first choice in the draft!"

"I haven't won it yet, Lizzy."

"You will, big guy!" she ran off.

"Lizzy, wait!"

"I'll talk to you later! I got class!"

Darcy had wanted to invite her to his press conference this afternoon, but that was not to be. Previously, in most of his other dealings with the media this past football season, Darcy had always said something, a word or a phrase, in French, to let Elizabeth know that he was thinking about her. He never actually told her that that was what he was doing, but he hoped she would get his point. And the same would be done today. Darcy walked into the crowded locker room, all his coaches and teammates were there to congratulate him; he then proceeded to the pressroom and stood in front of several microphones.

"I'm honored. Truly honored to be amongst the few... To even be considered is thrilling enough, but to be in the midst of most worthy candidates, is just... unbelievable."

'What were your first thoughts?' said one reporter.

"I was humbled. I gave thanks to God, then to my family, my coaches, trainers and teammates. I thanked my friends and even went so far as to thank any and everybody who had ever crossed my path in this life," he smiled his best winning smile and everyone in the room chuckled.

'What will you do if you win?' asked another.

"I, I don't even want to think about that. Let me come down from being selected, first," he chuckled. "Maybe I'll go to Disneyland." Everyone in the room burst out laughing.

'Are you going to play basketball or baseball next semester?' asked another.

"I'm not really sure. Basketball is a very strenuous game, you get bruised and battered almost as much, maybe more, than football. And baseball, as much I like the game, I'd rather watch it than play it right now. But I have time to decide. Of course, I'd miss my teammates and would try to attend every home game. But right now, football's enough for me."

'What do you think your chances are of winning the trophy?'

"Mes chances sont aussi bonnes que celles de n'importe qui." "Excuse me, French exam in a few days," he chuckled and so did everyone else. "My chances are about as good as the other candidates," he repeated in English. "But really, I don't want to dwell on who wins or who loses. The Heismann, I believe, is not really a competition, it's a gift. Forty or fifty years from now, I won't be able to tell you which game I won or lost. But if I am presented with the trophy, I will always have something to treasure." A collective 'hmm' went throughout the auditorium.

The conference went on for about another 30 minutes. If Darcy was considered a major star by college sports fans, he was, by 6:15 p.m. that evening, upgraded to a major celebrity to all over the world. With his good looks and eloquent speech, plus broadcasts of the press conference by the 3 major networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) were there and FOX, ESPN, TNT, CNN, etc., he was a sure-fire hit.

Elizabeth had heard about the conference, she flew home to tape it and later watched with enthusiasm and admiration. Even before it was over, she called and left a message on his answering machine.

"Hey Lizzy, did you see me?!" Darcy beamed.

"Big head! Of course I saw you!"

"Well, I wasn't sure..."

"I left you a message, didn't you get it?"

"I had too many messages... I'll listen to them later."

"Did you talk to your Mom and Dad?"

"No, not yet. But I left them a message."

"Will, you were absolutely wonderful! I was so proud of you! You had them eating out of your hands!"

"Thanks Lizzy. My Dad used to take me to his press conferences and stuff. So I learned at a very early age."

"You were very smooth. I was mesmerized! And when you spoke in French! I was rolling on the floor and laughing out loud!"

I'm in there! "Were you?!"

"Did you plan that?"

"Yes."

"I thought so! I've heard you say some things during other interviews, but I thought I was hearing things."

"I planned those too."

"Why?"

"I have my reasons..." he chuckled.

"My father says you'll win."

"Really?" he raised an eyebrow.

"You should be prepared. He has a 90% success rate when it comes to picking the winners."

"Then I should skip finals and prepare my speech?" he teased.

She laughed. "Take heed, Will Darcy."

After talking for more than an hour, they hung up.

In the library, Darcy walked quietly up behind Elizabeth and kissed her on the cheek. "Hi," he whispered in French.

Elizabeth gasped, grabbed her cheek and was speechless as Darcy sat down across from her with an amused smile on his face. After a few moments, Elizabeth spoke, still holding her cheek and blushing. "W, What was that for?"

"No reason... Actually, I wanted to see you blush and stutter," he smiled. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "You're always so composed, even when you're frustrated. I thought I'd get a rise out of you. And I must say, that you blush beautifully."

Elizabeth blushed even more. "I wish you wouldn't do that. I don't like surprises."

"I, I didn't mean to... I just wanted to thank you." Did I blow it?!

"Don't worry about it," she tried to laugh. "I'm over it. How was your French final today?"

"I think I aced it. Thanks to you."

"It wasn't me, you did it."

"We did it... Lizzy, what are you doing for New Year's?"

"Nothing. Why?"

"Well... you know we're playing in the Rose Bowl... and I was thinking that maybe you'd like to come." Please?!

Elizabeth was shocked to say the least. "I, I don't know... I don't know how my family could afford such an expense."

"After the Heismann, my parents are flying home for the game. I'm sure they wouldn't mind taking you in. We could work something out... if you really want to go."

"I'm supposed to be flying home for the Christmas break..." Go ahead, girl! The man kissed you!!! "But I suppose I could change my ticket."

"Nonsense! You go home for Christmas, as planned, and I'll pay for your ticket to L.A. and back to school."

"I don't know, Will," she shook her head. "I don't want you spending your money on me."

"Look, let me do this? My parents want to meet you and thank you. And I'd like to thank you. And I really want you to be there."

"Okay."

"Great! I'll call you tomorrow with the details... Thanks Lizzy," smiled Darcy as he leaned over the table wanting to kiss her lips this time, but he left her alone instead.

Elizabeth sat and closed her eyes for several minutes, fantasizing about the holiday to come.

Darcy had no clue as to what it really meant to a young lady asked to meet a young man's family; he was just trying make brownie points with the one girl who had resisted him for months.

The Darcy's had flown to New York City to be there for their son at the Heismann Award Ceremony at the Downtown Athletic Club. It was a very elegant black-tie affair and the room was filled with excited electricity; each candidate was interviewed by Chris Berman of ESPN; most were nervous, even Darcy. Then after dinner, all attention turned to the podium.

'Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to announce the winner of this year's Heismann Trophy.' Everyone clapped. 'This year, we truly had a wonderful crop of talented young men, the six gentlemen we have here today are above and beyond all others. Sports writers all across this great country mailed in their votes, and so here we are... Denny Blakestone, Running Back from Washington State University; Lonnie Carter, Quarterback, from University of Southern California; Will Darcy, Quarterback from U of M; Troy Johnson, Running Back, from the University of Florida; Oliver Scuyler, Running Back, from Penn State University; and Steve Woodson, Quarterback, from University of Texas, at Austin.' A tremendous ovation arose from the crowd after all the candidates were announced. 'And the winner is... Will Darcy from U of M!'

Screams of delight came from the crowd, but from one table in particular, as Darcy made his way up to podium. All three of the Darcy's stood up, as did everyone else, and then hugged each other; Mrs. Darcy was in convulsive tears as she clung to her husband, Georgiana stood in awe as tears fell down her face, and Mr. Darcy sniffed back his tears only letting a few fall.

"I am blessed," began Darcy. "I am... truly blessed." He raised the trophy heavenward and mouthed 'Thank you!' After a few moments of collecting himself, Darcy began again. "I've already thanked God, but now I'd like to thank those here on earth that have made this day possible. I don't have a long speech, so don't worry, we'll be able to eat our dessert before long," he smiled and everyone chuckled. "My Mom and Dad have given me everything, but most importantly love. Love of life, love of other people, love of the game and other things. I can't even begin because I wouldn't know how to stop. My sister, Gigi, has been the whisper in my ear; her quiet assurances have been a boost whenever I was down. I love my family and I'm very glad they're here with me. My coach, Coach Gamble, the rock; he's here today, he believed in me, even as a freshman. Oh, better not forget the trainers and doctors, thank you. And my teammates, without them I would not be up here. No one could ask for a better group of guys, especially the offense. Without them, I'd be flat on my back. To all my friends who gave me the encouragement and help I needed to get through. Chip et Lizzy, celle-ci est pour vous!" (translation: Chip and Lizzy, this one's for you!) "And to the five gentlemen sitting with me. We all came in together, green, most of them I know personally, and we'll all go out together, victors. And last, but not least, the sports writers, I don't know why you chose me, but thank you. I hope you'll be as kind to me in the NFL as you have been these last four years," he smiled his best smile. "Thank you everyone!" Another standing ovation rang through the crowd and a little later, after the statistics were read, the crowd was served dessert while Darcy was being interviewed again in a room off from the podium.

About 15 minutes later, Darcy walked through the crowd, shaking hands, accepting congratulations, hugging some people, receiving slaps on the back, all the while trying to get to the table with his family and his coach. Mrs. Darcy was the first to see him and ran to him in tears, Mr. Darcy and Georgiana followed and for several minutes, had a family hug, that would, for future reference, become familiar to everyone after this evening. Darcy waved his coach over and he joined in.

Later that night, Darcy called Elizabeth, who was still at the dorm because she had some things to do before the next semester. Elizabeth had seen the telecast and was as thrilled for Darcy, as she would've been had she been there; she cried when they announced his name.

"Hey, Lizzy," he said tiredly.

"Hi, Will! Congratulations!"

"Thanks. Did you see it?"

"Yes I did! Oh, I burst into tears and screamed and yelled something awful! And I could hear the students out in the lobby cheering too. You made us all very proud."

"Thanks again... Well, I didn't want anything; I just wanted to talk to you. I'll talk to you later..."

"Will."

"Yes?"

"You rank me right up there with Chip, huh?"

"I do. You know that. Not only are you my partner, but my friend. You're very special to me, Lizzy."

Elizabeth closed her eyes. "The feeling's mutual, Will. Other than my sister, there's nobody else even close. I mean, it used to be Charlotte, but... well, she's too busy trying to get married and is always trying to get into everybody's business. So yes, you are very special to me also, and the best male friend I ever had."

They didn't talk much more after that.

Jane and Elizabeth were both home for the holidays.

"Chip keeps asking me for your phone number. Ever since I showed him your picture, he claims your are the love of his life. Can I give it to him? He's so sweet and funny."

"Lizzy, you know I'm going out with Sam. How would that look?"

"He gave me this picture to give to you... He even wrote something on the back..." Elizabeth snickered.

Jane took the picture from Elizabeth and smiled when she saw Bingley's face and giggled when she read his note. It said 'I could love you forever.' "Okay, you can give him my number," she smiled slyly.

"Ooh, I'm telling Sammy!" They both laughed.

"Are you really going to the Rose Bowl game with Will's family?"

"My ticket says so."

"I have to admit that I'm surprised... I like his persistence though," Jane smiled.

"He's wearing me down, Jane. I don't see how I can hold off any longer," Elizabeth sighed. "I didn't think I could feel this way again, after..." Elizabeth stopped in mid-sentence, Jane understood and changed the subject.

Elizabeth and Jane talked and laughed the whole week. Their parents were ecstatic to have them home and went overboard on their gifts. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet splurged; each girl received gift certificates to 'Saks Fifth Avenue' and 'Kaufmann's Department Store,' where thy purchased gowns and business suits. They were both soon to graduate from college, their futures looked bright and they would need some elegant clothing; they were very proud parents.

Elizabeth flew to L.A. where Darcy's family was waiting at the airport. Since they didn't know what each other looked like; each was a bit nervous about finding the other.

But as soon as Elizabeth walked through the gate, she recognized Darcy's father, as he was an older, gray-haired version of his son; stunningly dark and handsome and taller than most. "Mr. Darcy?" she asked as she approached him.

"Elizabeth?" he questioned and she smiled and nodded. "Welcome to L.A.!" he hugged her. "My family's outside waiting in the car. Do you have any other luggage?" he asked as he grabbed her large carryon.

"No, sir. That's it."

"Follow me," he grabbed her hand and they weaved through the crowd. "How was your flight?"

"It was okay, sir... long, but okay."

"Is this your first trip to the West Coast?"

"Yes, sir."

"Anne, my wife, says that you're only staying for a few days. We have a lot planned for you... Here we are!"

"Lizzy!" exclaimed Mrs. Darcy as she hugged her. "This is Georgiana. Everyone calls her, Gigi, though."

"Hi, Lizzy. We're so glad you could make it," Georgiana also hugged her.

As they piled into the car, Mrs. Darcy asked, "Are you tired, Lizzy?"

"Yes ma'am, a little."

"Well, we knew that you would be and the drive to our house will take more than an hour. So, if you don't feel up to looking at the scenery, you just take a nice little nap in the back there. Are you hungry sweetheart?"

"No ma'am," Elizabeth smiled.

"All right then, we'll just go home and you can rest and... What do you like dear? Do you have a favorite food?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Not really, ma'am... I'll eat almost anything, except brussel sprouts," she wrinkled her nose.

They all laughed.

"I'm with you on that Lizzy!" squealed Georgiana.

"Will hates them too!" laughed Mr. Darcy.

"He doesn't like too many green vegetables, though. Only broccoli," said Mrs. Darcy.

After an hour or so of talking, they finally arrived in Bel Air, at a palatial estate with wrought-iron gates, high stone walls, and an intimidating security system. Elizabeth, needless to say, was amazed.

Georgiana leaned in. "Don't worry, Lizzy, after a while you'll get used to it. We put you in a room near the main steps so you wouldn't get lost," she smiled as a butler opened the door and they walked in.

"Take this to Miss Bennet's room," he handed the carryon to the butler. "Lizzy," Mr. Darcy waved his hand toward the staircase and they all walked up to her room.

"How's this?" smiled Mrs. Darcy.

"Wow!!!" Great Lizzy, show them how ignorant you are!

"I'll come and wake you when dinner's almost ready, okay?" said Georgiana.

Elizabeth nodded as they left. The butler showed her the private bathroom and dressing room and then he left and closed the door behind him. Good Lord! This room is bigger than our whole house! And they expect me to sleep in here?! But sleep she did, almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

A few hours later, a knock came to Elizabeth's door and she jumped up in panic. She looked around and for a moment couldn't remember where she was. Is this a dream?!?!

Another knock came. "Lizzy, are you awake?" asked Georgiana.

"Yes... yes, Gigi. Come in."

Georgiana barely came into the room. "Dinner will be served in a half-an-hour. That should be enough time for you to freshen up," she said as she was backing out.

"Gigi wait!" Elizabeth whispered. "Um... uh... how are we dressing for dinner?"

Georgiana laughed. "You read to many books, girl! We dress like normal people. This is what I'm wearing," she said as she twirled in the doorway; wearing jeans and a coral-colored polo shirt.

Elizabeth exhaled. "Point taken."

"Don't let all this blow you away, Lizzy. We're just normal folk. I'll be back in 25 minutes to walk you down, so you won't get lost," she giggled.

"Thanks."

Elizabeth watched Georgiana close the door and then ran into the bathroom to wash and dress.

Twenty-five minutes later, a knock came to Elizabeth's door.

"I'm ready," she said as she flung the door open. "Will!" she exclaimed and embraced him. She wanted to kiss him, but instead, she leaned against his chest and breathed him in.

"Hi Lizzy," said Darcy; he wanted to kiss her, but instead he breathed in her familiar scent and softly kissed her hair, unbeknownst to her.

"I didn't think I would see you until tomorrow!" she said backing off; surprised at her own self.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too," she whispered and blushed.

He grabbed her hand and walked her down the steps. "I hope my family's been treating you well?"

"Oh yes! Although I haven't been much company, I was so tired that I came right up and went straight to sleep," she laughed. "Now I'll be wide awake the whole night!"

The both laughed as they walked into the dining room. Elizabeth's eyes lit up as she saw the opulence and elegance of the room.

"Here she is! I hope you slept well?" asked Mrs. Darcy as Elizabeth nodded. "You should be famished?!"

"Yes ma'am, I am."

"Okay Lizzy! Let's stop with the formalities! I'm Anne and he's George. We're very laid back people! This is the way L.A. is, sweetie! If you don't feel comfortable calling us by our first names, then call us Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, but for God's sake, no more ma'am and sir," she laughed. "Please?!"

Everyone laughed.

Darcy pulled out Elizabeth's chair for her, which was next to his. Elizabeth had noticed that at least several leaves had been removed from the table, because they were all sitting so close and cozy for such a large room. Dinner was fabulous and so was the conversation; a good time was had by all.

After dinner, Georgiana drove over to one of her girlfriends, the Darcy's relaxed in their sitting room which was outside of their bedroom, while Darcy and Elizabeth took a tour through the house and the grounds.

"This is an absolutely beautiful home, Will. You should be proud."

"Proud of what? I didn't build it."

"You know what I mean?" she punched him on his arm as they walked around the gardens. "I don't know anyone that has a house like this!"

"You don't get around much do you?"

"Are you trying to make me angry, or are you just messing with my head?" she raised an eyebrow and gave him a sideways glance.

I love it when she does that! "Neither. I don't mean to be cynical, but I'd like to do something on my own. Build my own house, make my own way. This place has my father's stamp on it. I want my own Pemberley."

"Hmm," Elizabeth answered, not knowing what to say.

An awkward pause ensued, there was so much each wanted to say to the other. At length, Darcy started, "Lizzy, I had this dream the other night... We won the game and I was being carried off the field. The hero, the conqueror..."

"I hope it happens for you, Will, just like you dreamed."

"I feel it in my bones that we can win; even though we're 8 point underdogs."

"Some of the most talented and gifted athletes have said that they dreamt of victory and it came true... I believe that whatever you decide to do, you'll do it better than anyone has before you."

Darcy smiled. Oh God, I could kiss you right now! "It's nice to hear you say that. It's very important to have you here with me, you know that, don't you?"

"Why is it so important?"

He paused looking for the right words to say. "You were also in my dream." Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks and Darcy turned to look directly into her eyes. "You were there... waiting for me with this... this big smile on your face... I could see you through the crowds of people, but I couldn't reach you."

Okay, kiss me now, before I kiss you! "I'll always be there for you, Will," she whispered.

Darcy grabbed her hand and they walked, as such, back to the house. "I've got a curfew... and I won't see you again until after the game. Coach has us on lockdown." They walked up the staircase to her door. "I'd better go and say goodbye to the rest of my family. Goodnight Lizzy." Darcy softly and quickly kissed Elizabeth on the lips, and without giving her time to respond, he walked swiftly to his parent's wing.

Elizabeth stood at the door in a daze, but after a few minutes, she went inside and leaned up against the closed door. A few minutes later, Darcy paused at Elizabeth's door and raised his right hand to touch the door, wanting to knock, but instead he left.

The Darcy's took Elizabeth all over L.A. She got to see things she'd only seen in the movies or heard about on 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.' They dined at the most elegant restaurants and saw several movie stars eating at those same restaurants, or driving past them or walking amongst them on Rodeo Drive. Mr. Darcy even took Elizabeth to his offices, he had some last minute business to attend to and thought she would get a kick out of it. He was the Executive Producer of a film with decent actors, an adequate director, and the script was downright good. Yet the name of the film had not yet been established; as he was on the phone it came to him, 'Ghost' she heard him exclaim. Elizabeth and Georgiana hit it off well, they were only 3 years apart in age, and were never out of each other's company. Elizabeth had a fabulous, yet exhausting time.

The game was a taut, physical, and beautifully played drama on the field. Darcy had run for 1 touchdown and thrown for 2. The score was tied 21 all.

Here's the TV analyst's call:

The U of M team physicians had run out on to the field once the play was over to minister to Darcy. He grimaced when they touched him and they called for the stretcher. As they carried Darcy off the field, the Darcy's and Elizabeth ran from their seats down toward the locker room.

The Darcy's and Elizabeth made it down to the locker room in record time, although feverishly winded, dizzy and worried.

Mr. Darcy banged on the door. "Open up in there! Open up! I have to see my son!"

A young man answered the door, languidly. "He's being x-rayed right now..."

Mr. Darcy burst in the door. "I'm his father and I need to know what happened to him!" he bellowed.

One of the team physicians came up to Mr. Darcy and showed him to the outside of the x-ray room. "He'll be finished in a moment."

"What is it? Is it his arm?" Mr. Darcy said as his eyes began to well up.

"Doc thinks it might be his ribs. If they're just cracked or bruised or strained, then we can wrap him up here and you can take your boy home. If it's his arm or something else, then you can follow him to the hospital."

After a few minutes, the U of M football team came screaming and running into the locker room, chanting 'we're number 1, we're number 1.' Mr. Darcy didn't hear and didn't care; neither did Anne and Georgiana Darcy, or Elizabeth, as they stood outside the locker room door.

The team physician came out of the x-ray room. "Mr. Darcy, Will has a few cracked ribs and will need to stay off his feet for a few days, but he'll be okay within 2 weeks and you can send him back to school then."

Mr. Darcy exhaled and collapsed in a nearby chair. "Thank you."

"They're wrapping him up now and he'll be out in a few minutes," said the physician as he walked towards the locker room to give the news and celebrate with the rest of the team.

Mr. Darcy held his head in his hands and wept silently, all the while thanking God.

After a few more minutes, Darcy came out. "Dad!"

"Baby boy!" He gently grabbed his son by the head and placed a kiss on his forehead. "I am so proud of you!" he whispered excitedly, but slowly and shook his head. They both stood there, head-to-head, silently for a few precious moments.

Darcy wiped the tears from his eyes. "I'm going to go in and celebrate with the guys for a few minutes and then I'll come out."

"You deserve to celebrate," whispered Mr. Darcy. "I'll go get the car and we'll wait for you. Take as long as you want to Will. Take your time!" Mr. Darcy turned and began to walk away.

"Dad... How's Mom and Gigi?"

Mr. Darcy turned back to his son. "They're waiting outside, worried sick. But don't worry, I'll tell them that you're all right."

"How... Where's Lizzy?"

"She's out there too, son. She'll wait! Now go on in there and drink some champagne for me!"

Mr. Darcy walked through the locker room, unnoticed by its occupants; the celebration was in full swing. He then walked out of the locker room and through all the waiting parents, family members and friends of the champions.

He saw his family and Elizabeth way at the back of the crowd. "He's all right, darling," he embraced his teary-eyed wife and daughter. "Come," he waved over Elizabeth to join in the family hug and she did. "Just a few cracked ribs. Nothing to worry about."

"Where's my baby boy?!" sobbed Mrs. Darcy.

"He's in there celebrating with his team, honey... I told him, he should go and celebrate. Anne, that was our boy that threw the winning touchdown!"

"You're right, sweetheart. He should... and we'll wait," she sniffled. "But I got that... that... thing's number and I'm going to report him to the NCAA! Mark my words! Humph, Nutcracker! I'll show him..."

"Shh. Calm down, baby. Let's just go get the car. So that when Will comes out, he won't have to walk. Okay?" Everyone nodded in agreement and left the crowd.

By the time they got back to the locker room, since the car was on the other side of the stadium, most of the crowd had dispersed. Mr. Darcy went into the locker room to gather up his son and his things.

Anne and Georgiana Darcy ran up to Darcy and kissed him, carefully of his ribs, and praised him and were glad he was in good health as reported; Elizabeth stayed in the car. All the way home, the family talked and laughed, but Elizabeth was silent.

The family had decided to stay up and watch the highlights, Elizabeth tried to sit with them, but was so uneasy she had to beg off. "I'm sorry... I'm a little tired. I think I'll go to bed now. Good night."

Before anyone could protest, she ran off. Mrs. Darcy looked at her son as he tried to get up from the couch and with his father's help he managed to get up the steps to Elizabeth's door. Mr. Darcy quietly walked back down to join the rest of his family; they would watch the highlights, but also tape them for Darcy to see later.

Darcy opened the door to Elizabeth's room. "Lizzy? Lizzy?"

"Please, Will. I'm tired... I'll talk to you in the morning."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she sniffled in the darkness.

As Darcy approached the bed, Elizabeth jumped up and nearly ran to the window. "You've been quiet all night. Something's wrong? Tell me... Please?" Elizabeth shook her head and said nothing. Darcy touched her shoulder and she jerked away. "I'm not leaving this room until you tell me why you're acting this way."

"I just can't sit around and watch somebody beat you to a pulp! And then you expect me to watch it again!" she cried and Darcy brought her into his arms. "You just don't get it, do you?" Darcy placed his fingers under Elizabeth's chin and raised her face. "You were just lying there... It's something that I never want to see again... I don't know if I could..."

Darcy silenced her words with a kiss. At first, it was just a kiss, but Elizabeth moaned in utter contentment and Darcy's kisses became arduous and feverish; she returned them with a hunger and fervor unlike she had ever known. He grabbed her face, as his tongue fenced with hers, and pressed her up against the wall and she, in turn, stroked his curls at the base of his neck and played with his ears. And their bodies ebbed and swayed, to and fro, pounding softly against the wall, while their passion for each other rose with each passing moment. Slowly he released his hands from her face and they traveled down her neck to her shoulders then, finally on her breasts; where he kneaded and massaged them. After a few minutes, he unbuttoned her shirt, reached behind her and unsnapped her bra in one quick motion, and she trembled out a sigh as he pushed her garment askew. There he stroked and massaged her nipples to the point of attention. He wanted so much to bend down and kiss them, but it was already too painful to lean and kiss her mouth, for he was at least 8 inches taller than she was. Intermittently, between kisses and his 'handiwork,' he groaned with pleasure and pain and she moaned softly and arched her back toward him, silently begging for more. The more enjoyable it was to her, she began to unbutton his shirt and pull it from inside his pants; she began to stroke his chest but was encumbered by the huge bandage wrapped around him. Her hands came to rest on his belt to his jeans, pulling it and him towards her and pushing him back in a rhythmic motion. She then, after a few moments of teasing, unfastened his belt, unbuttoned the top button to his jeans and unzipped his pants. Instinctively, he gasped and grabbed one of her hands in his and placed it between his jeans and his cotton underwear and showed her how he wanted to be stroked. When the feeling got to be too much, he leaned his head back and let out an earthshaking groan. At length, as he continued to kiss her and she continued to stroke him, he very deftly unbuttoned her jeans, pushed them down as far as he could and placed his hands inside her panties to touch the soft, wet, creamy curls in her private area. Elizabeth let out a gasp and her body tensed and throbbed as he played with her down there. She pushed his briefs from around his hips and reached for his pulsating manhood and guided it between her legs. After several highly pleasurable minutes of foreplay, Darcy moved one hand to her buttocks to guide her movements to his more frantic and urgent ones; and the race was on, they were more than ready for intercourse all they needed to do was to move to the bed.

"Oh, Will!" she cried out as they lost themselves in each other.

"Oh Lizzy," he breathed on her neck as he tried to move her to the bed. "I want you so much, it hurts!"

Icicles immediately shot up her spine; Elizabeth straightened and stiffened, as she remembered hearing those words before, long buried from her painful past or so she thought. She pushed Darcy off her. "I think you'd better leave!" she whispered angrily and began pulling up her pants.

"B, But why?!"

She scooted from the wall and walked towards the door. As she opened it, she said matter-of-factly, "Get out." Darcy was about to protest, when he saw the look in her eyes from the light in the hallway. "Get out!" she whispered slowly and vehemently.

Darcy quickly put his clothes into some decent order, although in pain from bending down, walked out the door and down the hallway to his rooms, not even looking at Elizabeth. When he reached his room, he closed the door quietly, leaned up against it and stared at nothing in particular in the dark; he could only stand there, trembling and stroking himself as she had done.

Elizabeth, as soon as Darcy left, closed the door quietly and ran to fall on her bed in heap of tears and torment; she strangled her hysterics with a pillow. It was done and done for the better.

At dawn, and after hours of crying, a teary-eyed Elizabeth called the airport to change her reservations for her flight to U of M that day; she was able to change it to an earlier flight. After another hour of splashing water on her face to appear in front of the Darcy's with some semblance of pleasantness, Elizabeth walked down the stairs to breakfast.

"Lizzy, what are you doing up so early?" asked Mr. Darcy.

"I need to... I changed my flight. I'll be leaving at 11:30 a.m." Mr. and Mrs. Darcy looked at each other and then at Elizabeth in wonder. "I just know I'll be tired from the flight and all... Losing 2 hours, you know? So I want to go back with enough time to get things together at school. I have so much to do for the new semester."

"Sure dear, we'll take you," Mrs. Darcy smiled slightly.

"Are you sure I won't be upsetting any plans?"

"I'm sure it's..." said Mrs. Darcy.

"Honey, the Wickham's are coming over for lunch," said Mr. Darcy.

Elizabeth felt a rumbling in the pit of her stomach and her knees going weak, so she sat down quickly.

"Oh my! I'll just have to call them and tell them to come later. Or I could ask them to come earlier, they would love to meet you..."

"Lizzy, you probably know George Wickham, don't you?" asked Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth shook her head. "He goes to U of M also. He's my godson and he and Will are the best of friends. I wonder that you haven't met him, yet?"

"She's probably too busy, darling," said Mrs. Darcy as she noticed Elizabeth's facial expressions and sudden paleness.

"Will probably didn't want George anywhere near Lizzy," he laughed. "Those two are so competitive. Sports, grades, women..." Elizabeth tried her best to eat something as Mrs. Darcy gave her husband a look; Mr. Darcy, however, did not see it and went on. "Will is better in sports and grades, but George gets all the girls..."

Elizabeth scooted from her chair. "Excuse me, I need to go finish packing...."

"But Lizzy, you didn't eat a thing!" exclaimed Mrs. Darcy.

Elizabeth didn't hear a word said as she ran to her room.

"Oh God! Oh God!" cried Elizabeth as she hugged the toilet and threw up. I've to get out of here!

A few minutes later, a knock came to the bathroom door. "Lizzy, are you all right?" asked Mrs. Darcy.

"Yes! Yes ma'am." Elizabeth hurriedly flushed the commode and ran water to splash her face; then she opened the door. "I think I may have caught a bug or something. Maybe it was something I ate..."

"I'll get you some tea, then I'll help you pack."

Mrs. Darcy left, before Elizabeth could protest. Oh God! What a mess! Elizabeth was near tears again. I can't do this now! I'll cry later!

After a few minutes, Mrs. Darcy came back. "Here you are. Now drink up and have some biscuits. That'll settle your stomach..." she gave her the tray and walked towards the closet. "Now, I'll just pack for you and you'll tell me what happened between you and Will." Elizabeth gasped and almost spit out the tea. "I wasn't listening at the door or anything... But I know that something happened... and I don't think it ended as it should have," Mrs. Darcy gave Elizabeth a sly look as she placed her clothes and shoes in the carryon.

Elizabeth, after a few moments of panic and reflection, finally felt the need to speak. "Nothing happened... We talked, but were both too tired and that's all."

"Listen Lizzy, I see how my son looks at you and vice versa. I saw how worried you were last night and I put two-and-two together. You two should be good together. What's stopping you?"

Elizabeth, again near tears, whispered. "I'd really rather not talk about it."

Something really bad must have happened. I'll try to get to the bottom of it before she leaves. "Well... I tried. I won't pry anymore." She laughed, "that's what they'll put on my gravestone, you know?" Nothing more was spoken between the two ladies, until Mrs. Darcy finished packing. "I'll just go wake up Will and Gigi. Then I'll call the Wickham's to apologize..." she said as she left the room.

Mrs. Darcy went to Georgiana's room first. "Sweetheart, it's time to get up."

Georgiana stirred and then opened her eyes. "What time is it?" she yawned.

"It's almost 9:00 a.m. Lizzy needs to leave in an hour, so you'll have to hurry, get ready and eat."

"I thought Lizzy's plane didn't leave until 4:00 p.m.?"

"I know... but she changed the reservation and she flies off at 11:30 a.m."

"Did something happen?"

"She won't say. But I think they had a fight... Do you think you could try..."

"I'll see what I can find out, Mom."

Mrs. Darcy left Georgiana's room for Darcy's. "Will," she whispered as she shook him. "Sweetheart, wake up." Darcy barely stirred. "Honey, Lizzy's leaving in an hour and we have to take her to the airport."

Darcy sleepily opened one eye. "Um hmm..." he rolled over. Unbeknownst to anyone, Darcy had taken one too many Percocet's; one to dull the pain of his ribs, the other to dull the pain in his heart.

"Come on, Will! Wake up!" Darcy did not stir again. Mrs. Darcy checked the bottle of pills on his nightstand, but saw nothing amiss. Those pills must be very powerful. I won't bother him, he'll see her at school.

Georgiana had come down to eat; she tried to talk to Elizabeth before coming down, but could not get a word out of her. They whispered about what they thought might be wrong between Darcy and Elizabeth; but no one could come up with anything concrete.

So, as the Darcy's drove Elizabeth to the airport, silence pervaded the car. At the drop-off, Elizabeth hugged each one of her new friends and left, teary-eyed, to board the plane.

While preparing to take off, Elizabeth just stared out of the window, tears brimming in her eyes, ready to come forth. But she felt she could not cry until lift off. She took out a paper and pen from her purse in order to write a 'thank you' note to the Darcy's, but could not concentrate. She closed her eyes; images of her and Darcy touching and nearly naked came instantly to her mind, and she shook her head to dismiss the clutter of emotions and pictures. Then, as the plane was lifting into the air, the jolt of the plane brought forward silent rages of tears. Thankfully, the plane was only half full and she had a row to herself; she could weep unimpeded. The only interruptions to her misery, during her flight, were the stewardesses asking her preferences for food and drink.

Back in L.A., the Wickham's joined the Darcy's for a late lunch. Darcy had finally awoken and was all but destroyed that he missed saying good-bye to Elizabeth. When asked by Mrs. Wickham, why he was so downtrodden after such a glorious victory, he attributed it to the drugs.

At the table, much was discussed and praised about the game; Mrs. Darcy asked, "George how come we didn't see you play?" Full knowing the reason, as Darcy had told her last year that he was not only kicked off the team, but out of school.

Darcy winced and looked down at his plate, but Wickham easily replied, "I wasn't cleared to play. My injury isn't healed enough to risk it further. Plus, if I hurt it anymore, I might miss my chance to play in the NFL!"

"Wouldn't it be wonderful, if George and Will played together?!" bubbled Mrs. Wickham.

Darcy nearly choked, Mrs. Darcy bit her lip, Mr. Wickham smiled eagerly, and Mr. Darcy said, "That would be wonderful!" Wickham smiled affectionately to his godfather.

"And ooh, if they were both to be drafted by the Rams, then we could all go to games together, and tailgate in the parking lot!" exclaimed Mrs. Wickham.

"We'll just hope for the best, my dear," smiled Mr. Wickham while patting his wife's hand to calm her exuberance.

"So, which one of Will's girlfriends did you have to take the airport?" inquired Mrs. Wickham.

Darcy rolled his eyes, but before he could speak, Mr. Darcy jumped in. "His French partner. A wonderful girl named..."

"Will invited her as a thank you," interrupted Mrs. Darcy. "You know he got an A in French this semester? All his grades were excellent!" Anne Darcy was trying to sway the conversation to George Wickham and his non-existent grades, but his parents never seemed to ask the important questions.

"Delightful girl, we took her all over L.A.!" exclaimed Mr. Darcy. Mrs. Darcy was trying to throw her husband a look, but he ignored her.

Wickham gave Darcy a smarmy look, before turning to Mr. Darcy. "And what did you say her name was?"

"Elizabeth Bennet!" exclaimed Mr. Darcy. "She's from Pittsburgh, I think. And she's never been out to the West Coast before."

"Such a shame, we didn't get to meet her," smiled Mrs. Wickham to Darcy.

"How come you don't know her George? I thought you knew all the pretty ladies," laughed Mr. Darcy.

"I must've missed this one."

"We're just friends," said Darcy calmly.

"Well, I hope she had a good time," said Mr. Wickham.

"Oh, she's a big football fan. Her father played professionally, isn't that right son? Lizzy and Anne were screaming and yelling at the top of their lungs. It was beyond funny! And she and Gigi went everywhere together."

Wickham looked over at Darcy and raised an eyebrow; he didn't for one minute believe that Darcy would invite a 'friend' home to meet and stay with his parents. "That was really a nice gesture on your part, Will," he said. How did I miss all that?! I'll have to check around.

Georgiana had not been much of the conversation, she missed Elizabeth and was saddened by her sudden departure. Her mother noticed this and after the Wickham's left, asked her about it.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Did you see her, Mom?! She was about to breakdown at the airport!"

"Yes... I wish... I hope they work things out."

"I do too... Will looked like he lost his best friend. Plain ol' heartbroken."

"We'll just have to hope for the best, honey," she chuckled as she repeated Mr. Wickham's favorite phrase. "Anyway, my children never give up. If he wants her, he'll get her."

As Elizabeth took a taxi back to her dorm room, she thought about how she would face the inevitable. She could not, at that time, come to any firm conclusions. Every time she thought of Darcy, that familiar thud in the pit of her stomach made her regretful, she tried to sleep but couldn't; instead she wrote.

She wondered if this pattern of running in circles would ever stop.

Elizabeth woke up in a slightly better mood than she had before she went to bed. There was, of course, so much to do; she hadn't lied to the Darcy's. A thorough inspection of the dorm rooms was required, greetings of new residents, final reviews of planned activities, etc. It was enough to keep her mind occupied, and she still hadn't completely decided if she was going to take Swahili as a class this semester.

Around 1:00 a.m. the phone rings.

"Hello?" asked a groggy voice.

"Hey Lizzy. How ya doing?" a voice slurred.

"Who's this?"

"You don't remember me?!"

"No..."

The caller hung up before she could further inquire.

The call disturbed Elizabeth; somewhere in the back of her mind, she recognized the voice, but at this particular moment she couldn't fathom who it might have been; she slept fitfully.

"Hi Lizzy, how's it hanging?!"

"Women don't hang Chip, men do!" she laughed, they both did.

"Talked to your sister lately?"

"Nope, but I suppose you did," she smiled.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Thanks a million, I owe you."

"I didn't do anything. It was your note and picture."

"But one must always be kind to the messenger, especially, if they happen to be the little sister," he laughed.

"Just don't blow it... This is my sister we're talking about. If you..."

"Don't worry. I wouldn't do anything to hurt her. You know me!"

"Yes. I guess you're right."

"Lizzy, are you gonna be in your room in the next half-hour?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I want to come over and see you. Is that okay?"

"Sure!" They hung up.

As was his practice, Bingley was 15 minutes later than expected.

"I thought you said you'd be here in 30 minutes?!"

"I'm sorry. But you know me!"

Elizabeth smiled and shook her head. "What's up?"

Bingley wrung his hands and sat down. "The gossips swirling around again."

Aw Damn! "Why me?!"

"Because he's him!"

A long pregnant silence; Elizabeth looked down and shook her head. "I can't go through this again, Chip," she whispered.

"Some of the guys got wind that you were in L.A. with Will and his family... And... well... you know how things go around here."

"And Caroline?"

"Oh, she's livid!" he said sarcastically. "I'll try my best to keep her away from you, but she's very slick."

"Tell me about it. Is she rounding up the troops?"

"In covered wagons."

"Does Will know?"

"No... I don't think so... Have you talked to him? When's he coming back?"

"I, I, I'm not sure. The doctor said a few weeks, so I figure next week sometime... Are you going to tell him?"

"That's not up to me, Lizzy. But I think somebody better tell him, before he blows this place up."

"I'll think about."

"You have to tell him, Lizzy. If he finds out... I don't want to be around!"

"Well, maybe by the time he gets back, the rumors will have died down. I really don't want him thinking he has to protect me all the time, ya know? Getting ready to beat up people for me and all."

"Well I just thought I'd warn you." Bingley rose to leave.

"Thanks Chip."

"Later."

Elizabeth sat back in her chair, threw her head back and rolled her eyes; she was just making progress on not regretting the encounter between herself and Darcy, and now this! It had been yesterday since Darcy last called her, but she had hung up on him then. Would she actually talk to him this time? Would she tell him about the gossip? Would she tell him about...?

Elizabeth received another one of those late night phone calls.

"Do you remember me now?"

"Who is this and why do you insist on calling me in the middle of night?!"

"That's the way you used to like it," the voice slobbered.

Oh great, a drunk! "Look, it's too early to be playing games... Tell me what you want, then get off my phone!"

"I want you," the caller said and then hung up.

Elizabeth jumped as she nearly recognized the voice. She was trying to keep him on the line, so that she could get a clearer picture; not this time, maybe the next. She knew there would be a next time, and once again she slept fitfully.

Elizabeth's phone rang, again, in the middle of the night.

"Hello!" There was silence. "Who the hell..." she stopped in mid-sentence as she heard a familiar song blaring in her ear.

"Who the hell is this?!" She paused to wait for an answer, but only heard heavy breathing.

Elizabeth angrily hung up the phone, jumped out of her bed and paced the room. By the time she was able to go back to sleep, the alarm clock went off. Her intention was to throw it across the room, but she only managed to knock it on the floor.

Elizabeth was so exhausted from the previous night, that she didn't care about the day, she could only attend her 2 late afternoon classes; she nearly slept through them. She could barely keep her head up during dinner and was beyond tired when she finally fell into bed. She tossed and turned, fairly knowing that she might receive another one of those calls again. Elizabeth knew it wasn't Darcy that was making those obscene calls, he had just called her that evening and left a message, but she couldn't quite place the mysterious voice. Maybe it was Billy Collins?! She vowed this time to be calm, keep the caller on the phone and find out what they wanted.

Again, as she expected, that particular phone call came around 11:30 p.m.

"Come on Lizzy! You should know who this is by now!" he slobbered.

"Maybe if you called during the day..."

"I'm a blast from your past, baby!" he slurred.

She froze in horror. "George?" she whispered tentatively.

"That's right, baby! Ol' Wickie! I knew you'd remember me!" he slurped.

"Why are you calling me?"

"I missed you, baby," he drooled.

"So, why are you calling me in the middle of the night?"

"Remember... I used to call you late, and you'd sneak out of your room." Elizabeth gasped and he grinned through the phone. "You'd let me in and we'd have sex in the stairwell or in the basement or..."

"Yes, yes I do," she trembled. "But we can never be what we were," she said unsteadily.

"But I want you back Lizzy... I want you so much it hurts," he slurred seductively.

Elizabeth quickly hung up the phone. There they were again, those last words rang in her ear, over and over again; Wickham, Darcy, Wickham. Within a few moments, she was crying hysterically, her mind flashed with the pain of that relationship and she nearly threw up her dinner. Within a few minutes the phone rang again, but she violently pulled out the cord from the wall. All she could do for the rest of the night was rock herself and cry.

That next morning, Elizabeth listened to her answering machine; she knew that Wickham had left several messages because she heard the machine turn on record a few times, even in her clouded sleep.

The first:

'Lizzy! Lizzy! Why'd you hang up on me, baby?! Pick up, baby. Come on and pick up!'

The second:

'Lizzy! Okay, okay. Was that a signal? Did we have a code or something? I can't remember. If you're listening and I know you are, I'll call you right back. Okay? Then you can tell me if you want me to come over.'

The third:

'Lizzyyyyyyyyyy! Pick up, damn it! You know you want me! Okay, okay, I'm coming over anyway! See you in a min... in a bit, sweet thang!'

The fourth:

'I see you still got a thing for football players. But I'm the best, baby! The best in world! You'll never have another lover like me!'

The fifth:

'Don't play me like this! I love you, I want you, I neeeeeeeed you! Pick up the phone, bitch!'

The sixth:

'All right, you want to truth! You'll never get Will Darcy! I mean, you'll never keep him. He's not interested in a slut like you, bitch!!!'

The seventh:

'It's me again, bitch. You should come on back to ol' Georgie. I know what's good for you. We'll do it like we used to do; fast and furious. Ha Ha Ha!'

The eighth:

'Okay, this is your last chance! Remember, I know all your dirty little secrets. When Will finds out, he'll drop you like the cunt that you really are. Come on back to me Lizzy! I'll treat you right this time.'

Thankfully, the recordings ended. Elizabeth sat, stark still, she couldn't cry, she couldn't scream, she couldn't do anything but stare at the answering machine. Several minutes later, she tore the tape out of the machine and threw it against the wall behind her bureau. Afterwards, she realized that she had been gritting her teeth hard enough to give herself a headache; so she went to the bathroom, opened the cabinet, pulled out some aspirin. She considered, for an instant, of taking them all at one time and ending her miserable life, but that idea was fleeting. She swallowed two pills, sat on the toilet and waited for the convulsions to come. They never did, and after an hour, she got washed and dressed and went to the library to study, even though the threat of seeing Wickham loomed large. She had handled it before, but this time he was angry; so she took a knife with her and slid it up her coat sleeve.

In the last two weeks, Darcy had called Elizabeth on several occasions from L.A., but she always hung up on him or left her answering machine on. Almost as soon as Darcy got to campus, he went to Elizabeth's dormitory. He thought the element of surprise would work best, so he waited around the corner to her room, until she came back from wherever.

As soon as she unlocked the door to her room, walked in and turned on the light, Darcy was right behind her. "Lizzy..."

Elizabeth screamed, whirled around with the knife ready to plummet it into the heart of her stalker. Suffice it to say, Darcy was beyond shocked.

"Lizzy?!?!?!" he exclaimed as he flung himself backwards.

"Will!" she exclaimed as the knife was still in her raised hand.

"What the..."

"What are you doing here?" she asked quietly and calmly, then turned her back to him, and put the knife down on the table, trembling.

"What did I do?!" he choked and closed the door behind him; Elizabeth said not a word, she turned toward him, but looked down and shook her head. "What did I do to make you hate me so much that you want to kill me?!" Elizabeth was near tears, but still said nothing. Darcy, himself near tears, walked towards her, but she backed up almost falling over the table. Darcy stopped, stunned. "I, I can't even come near you?!" He nearly turned away in shame, but something stopped him; he had to know. "Please Lizzy?!" he whispered. "I'm begging you! What did I do?!" he asked shakily.

Elizabeth shook and cried violently as she covered her face with her hands; Darcy wanted to reach out to her, but was a bit afraid. At length, she finally spoke, although with tears streaming down her face and choking on her sobs. "It, it's not you!" she sputtered. "It's me! We shouldn't have... I shouldn't have... I thought I... But I can't!" she wailed.

Darcy wanted so much to take her in his arms and stroke her, to make things better, but he knew she wouldn't allow him to touch her again. "If, If... If that's what you want, then I'll leave you alone," he said quite despondently. Darcy turned towards the door, but stopped. With his back to her, he said, "I miss you... I miss talking to you..."

"I miss you too!" she whispered, barely audible.

After a long silence, he whispered, "I can be just friends, you know?" He turned toward her. "I would rather be friends than not see you at all. I'd like to try."

She looked up at him and nearly fainted at his words. "Would you really do that for me?" she whispered.

"Anything for you!" he whispered back.

She ran to him and cried vehemently in his arms.

They stood there; him stroking her and quieting her, and she accepting it. They stood like that for a very, very, very long time.

Elizabeth, through her storm of tears, tried to speak. "The knife... It wasn't meant for you... Someone's been calling and... Oh, Will! I'm sorry! Please believe me!" She cried even more.

At long length or for more than 2 hours, when he felt all was well between them, Darcy let her go. "I'll call you tomorrow," he stroked her cheek.

"Okay," she whispered looking downward, still unable to meet his eyes; then he left.

Later that night, a tormented Elizabeth tried to sleep but couldn't; she wrote, instead.

She truly felt that Darcy would protect her, no matter what, and slept like a newborn babe.

Darcy, on the other hand, could not sleep. He had worried so much about Elizabeth, all seemed well enough, but he felt unsure and unsettled. The knife incident threw him, her babbling confused him, and something deep down inside of him told him that all was not well. But what was it? And who's been calling her?

"Good morning Lizzy. Did you sleep well? How are you feeling?"

"I'm much better, Will. Thank you."

Good..."

"Will?"

"Yes."

"I think it would be better if we didn't... if we don't see as much of each other for a while." Darcy said nothing; a long awkward pause ensued. "I need time... I still want to talk to you, but I can think a lot clearer when you're not around."

"Sure, Liz," he said disappointed. "See ya."

"Bye," she said a little chagrined. I should've told him everything.