Action and Reaction, Pride and Prejudice Fanfiction
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Action and Reaction
[WIP NC17]
Chapter I
"I can't believe you talked me into this Lizzy," Jane said standing nervously in Netherfield's ballroom, attending Charles Bingley's famous August long weekend party.
"Jane, he can afford one or two crashers, I'm sure we're not the only ones. Besides, it's my birthday and I've always wanted a party like this," Lizzy giggled as she snatched two champagne cocktails from the tray of a passing server.
"You're not actually going to drink that?" Jane asked nervously. It was one thing to crash a party, but to consume the fare provided for real guests was unpardonable.
"Not both of them," Lizzy quipped, "One is for you."
"Oh no, I'm not touching anything."
"I don't care if you nurse it all night, just hold onto it. We have to at least try to blend in," Lizzy explained, placing the glass in Jane's hand.
This was not easy to do, though, for Jane and Elizabeth Bennet were strikingly beautiful young women who could only blend in on the cover of Vogue. Though they'd been tucked in the corner of the ballroom since their arrival, every man had noticed them, including the host and his best friend, William Darcy.
"Darcy, do you know those ladies? Heavenly creatures, especially the blonde," Charles asked.
"You mean you don't know? Isn't this your party?" Darcy countered disbelievingly. He was always surprised at Charles's laissez-faire attitude.
"Caroline could have invited them."
They both looked over to Caroline and then back at the enigmatic beauties and instantly shook their heads. They knew too much of Caroline's own vanity to believe that possibility.
"Well, let's go find out who they are," Charles proclaimed eagerly.
Darcy didn't accompany his friend but observed at a distance in order to intercede if things got ugly, or worse and much more likely, if Charles was swept off his feet by devious gold-diggers. Darcy figured these ladies were on the prowl to catch themselves a rich man.
Charles was a dot com millionnaire in Ottawa, proudly known as Silicon Valley North by the locals. He happened to sell his stocks at the right time and while most of that industry realed from the market beatings, he was able to enjoy the fruits of his labour and good timing.
Upon approaching the ladies, Charles decided on an active approach.
"Excuse me, but would you like to dance?"
Jane was astonished, but couldn't help being pleased, having already noticed the handsome man from across the room. She hadn't intended to interact with anyone, but his welcoming face and startlingly bright smile relaxed her wariness.
Lizzy gave her a thumbs-up as she was led to the dance floor, a gesture not lost on Darcy.
After politely asking the name of the goddess in his arms, he again questioned her as innocently as possible, "Who are you here with tonight?"
"Um, well," Jane looked at his face uncomfortably, questioning his intent, but for some reason she felt she could trust him.
"To be honest... please don't tell anyone...but we crashed. We've never done anything like this before but it's my sister Lizzy's 24th birthday," Jane confessed. She then explained how Lizzy had returned early from two-months of backpacking in Europe and was quite disappointed when her friends weren't available to celebrate, so she thought this party would be great fun.
"I just came to keep an eye on her. Please don't tell anyone. Can we say we came with you? I've only sipped on a little champagne. I won't have anything else, I swear. We'll leave as soon as I can convince Lizzy," Jane rambled, terrified of the consequences.
"No! Don't leave," Charles urged and followed simply with, "Jane...I'm Charles Bingley."
Jane's knees nearly gave out with this revelation, but she needn't have worried. He'd never heard such an honest and delightful excuse in his life, and she was so stricken with guilt he couldn't help but become more enraptured with her. He quickly insisted that she and Lizzy were now belatedly invited guests.
Darcy was not so trusting of them, and while Charles wooed Jane, he made his way over to Lizzy, intent on intimidating her into departing.
"Looks like they were made for each other," Darcy said, casually nodding to the couple on the dance floor, laying his trap.
"Yes, they do," Lizzy said non-committally to the imposing yet gorgeous being standing next to her. She would normally have flirted with such a tall, dark and handsome example of the male species, but she didn't quite trust the look in his dark eyes.
"Has she known him long?" Darcy asked, consciously not using Charles's name. Although who wouldn't know who the host was?
Immediately suspicious, Lizzy quickly ascertained that she should truly be on her guard.
"Who wants to know?" she asked pertly.
He was staggered by her directness, unaccustomed to being questioned by a woman. Usually they were as non-confrontational as possible with the multi- millionaire, for if Charles Bingley and his new money were fine fish to catch, William Darcy's old money was a trap-full of lobster. Darcy's family fortune, originally from Ottawa's lumber industry, had only grown exponentially since Canada's confederation in 1867. He had continued the family's success upon entering the publishing business. He was used to getting attention, respect and deference. This lady surprised him.
Thinking over what he'd actually asked, however, he realized the question wasn't exactly innocent party chatter.
"Forgive me. I'm Darcy, Charles's friend." He extended his hand and at once noticed her firm grip, again so unlike those readily submissive women he typically encountered.
Darcy; William Darcy? Charles; Charles Bingley? Oh my God help me, Lizzy thought trying to keep calm upon hearing his name.
"Oh yes...Darcy. Charles has mentioned you before," Lizzy lied with a steady voice. Well, I'm not exactly lying, she reasoned, I'm sure Charles would have mentioned Darcy to someone before.
"So has she known him long?" he asked again.
"Not too long...just long enough for him to convince us to come here tonight," Lizzy said, feeling like she was being lured in with a fishing rod.
"Oh, really," Darcy said with interest. I've caught her! Too bad, because she's quite lovely...but then again, aren't all the vacuous, shallow ones?
Charles and Jane noticed the interplay between the two and the host immediately knew he was needed. In no time, he was by Darcy's side.
"Lizzy! Happy 24th birthday! Glad you could make it back from Europe in time! Jane and I were afraid you'd miss this bash and I so wanted you to celebrate here. Tell me all about your travels. You look so tanned! Darcy, can you fetch the ladies more champagne?" Charles requested directly and immediately turned to the women to continue chatting.
Darcy obliged, somewhat in shock. Why would Charles make that stuff up? He said he'd no clue who they were and he'd never forget inviting those two. Why would he save face for them?
By the time he'd returned, the three were conversing famously, laughing as Lizzy regaled them with her language blunders in Europe.
Charles officially introduced them to William Darcy, explaining his friend's preference to use his last name. After a polite but abrupt, "Nice to meet you" he remained silent, never leaving Charles's side. Lizzy thought him supremely rude and introduced herself as Elizabeth. "Lizzy" was reserved for friends. If the host had no issues with them, why should he?
Out of nowhere, Charles cocked his head and said, "Do either of you girls swing?"
Jane and Darcy simultaneously responded with an incredulous, "What?"
Lizzy, on the other hand, gave an eager, "Yes!"
Two pairs of disbelieving eyes shot to Lizzy's face and both persons repeated an even more incredulous, "What?"
But Charles took her hand and headed to the dance floor where they proceeded to perform an energetic Lindy Hop.
Jane couldn't help but blush and laugh at her assumption, but she'd never seen Lizzy swing dance. Darcy was heartily embarrassed at his strong reaction and preposterous misinterpretation of Charles's invitation, but as proud as he was, he couldn't help but share the chuckle with Jane.
He quickly became mesmerized by Lizzy's dancing ability. Charles lifted and twisted her at a rapid pace which she easily matched. Her eyes sparkled and her smile gave a child-like spirit to a not-so-child-like body. In her pink gingham three-quarter length pants and simple cotton tank top she was the picture of summer fun. She was playful and had impeccable rhythm making Darcy wonder if this matched her bedroom proclivities as well. He was aghast at his uncontrolled thoughts, but they haunted him throughout the evening as Lizzy became a favourite amongst the men on the dance floor.
Darcy would not allow himself to be charmed by a pretty (well, to be honest, gorgeous) woman, and continued to think of her as an opportunistic party- crasher. He could not, however, continue to think of her as vacuous, for he'd heard some of her thoughtful conversations as well as her biting comments to any man who deigned to condescendingly tease her. It had greatly amused him.
Darcy finally admitted to himself that he was being charmed and decided the best way to break the spell was to escape from where it was being cast. He ventured to the patio to take a few deep breaths, allowing the cool night air to soothe his fiery libido.
Unfortunately for him, a certain lady followed.
Caroline Bingley had been persistent in her attentions to Darcy since returning from design school in Paris. Three months ago, he'd been briefly enamoured, thinking she'd changed from the nasty, catty Caroline of the past, but he quickly realized it had all been a ploy. He ended the relationship. She did not.
So there they stood, Darcy avoiding a kiss on his lips only to have an obvious red mark on his cheek. He politely argued with the diva and regretted not being able to tell her off as he'd like to...but she was Charles's sister.
Lizzy took a break from the dancing and as she stood in the open doorway to the patio, noticed Darcy with the lady. She couldn't help but eavesdrop. Though Darcy had not impressed her, she sympathized with him in this situation. That alone would not induce her to act; but perhaps if she saved him from an evening of misery, he may look more kindly on her and Jane.
With a resolve that surprised her, she confidently marched towards the couple.
"My own Sweet William, there you are! I've been looking all over for you," she said wrapping her arms around his torso.
Thankfully, Darcy was a quick study and eased his arm around her shoulder in return. Lizzy continued lest he didn't completely catch her drift.
"You know, a girlfriend could get jealous when her man is out here alone with a lipstick smudge and a woman by his side; fortunately, I trust you implicitly." She paused. "Are you going to introduce me?"
Reaching up to wipe the lipstick off his cheek, Lizzy looked into Darcy's eyes. He saw her devilish gleam and swore he'd never been so thankful or bewitched in his life.
"Of course Elizabeth," he began, returning her smile. "This is Caroline, Charles's sister."
"Oh, then I won't be jealous. Who would be so silly as to hit on her brother's best friend? It could get messy," Lizzy said, hitting the bull's eye.
"Indeed," Caroline sneered. "A pleasure, I'm sure, Elizabeth. How long have you two been dating?"
"A couple of weeks," he spoke before Lizzy could be caught in the lie.
"But it was love at first sight," Lizzy said, snuggling into Darcy's solid chest only to find herself thrilled by his woodsy scent and rock hard torso. She bit her lip, trying not to entangle phony emotions with real ones. She decided it was time to break up this little party.
"Sweetie, we haven't danced all night. I think it's time we went back in," she said moving away slightly to clear her mind of certain randy thoughts.
"Whatever you wish, my love," he responded, taking her hand and bidding adieu to the oh-so-Parisienne Caroline.
As they walked away, Lizzy stretched up to reach Darcy's ear and whispered, "Do you think she bought it?"
"I don't know," he murmured back boldly, "but I know what would convince her..."
Darcy turned to face the eyes of a lady who perfectly comprehended his meaning.
He had only intended the kiss to be tender and light; endearing but intimate. However, when his lips touched hers, he immediately tasted her sweetness and exhilarated in her tenderness. He deepened it just a touch and upon feeling the increased pressure, Lizzy gently sucked his lower lip in response. They both lost it. Whatever distrust they had for each other was temporarily forgotten in the blissful headiness of a sexually charged kiss. When they finally parted, almost a minute later, Lizzy was stroking Darcy's cheek with one hand while the other was immersed in his thick, pitch-black curls. Darcy had managed to enfold her tightly into his body, relishing her voluptuous curves pressed firmly against him.
They stood stunned at what they had unleashed. Finally, Lizzy cleared her throat, swallowed hard and whispered in a shaky voice, "Guess that probably convinced her."
Darcy slowly nodded in agreement, unable to release his gaze from her twinkling eyes. He'd deal with the consequences later. "Yes...I think... that...worked."
There was no need to see Caroline's reaction. It no doubt mirrored theirs. As they turned to re-enter the house, Darcy instinctively captured her hand whereupon they both caught the astonished faces of Charles and Jane.
Chapter I, Part II
Lizzy placed a single finger over her lips to indicate to the other couple that any commentary would be a bad idea. Darcy nodded in agreement at Lizzy's gesture and asked Charles in a hushed, determined tone, "We'll explain in private."
Charles led them to a small parlour off the main corridor and shut the door. Once in the room, Lizzy released her hand from Darcy and stood facing the three. For some unknown reason, Darcy felt a twinge of disappointment from the action. He immediately shrugged it off as hormonally charged silliness.
"Let me explain since I'm the one who started it," Lizzy began.
Darcy was about to protest but she raised her hand to stop any comment, "No Darcy. This was my doing. I saw you there with what's her name? Caroline? You looked really uncomfortable and I've been in that situation before. I couldn't help but overhear. You looked like you didn't quite know how to handle her...or that you were holding something back. If I was in that situation I would have just told her to Fu-" "Lizzy," Jane interrupted.
"Scr-"
"Lizzy," Jane chastised again.
"Get the hell away from me...there Jane is that alright?" Lizzy said frustrated by her sister's discomfort with cursing. It was adorable to hear Jane say, "fuddle duddle" but she didn't like being censored. Charles held in a chuckle over their sisterly bickering.
"I could have handled the situation just fine, Elizabeth, but I suspect you wanted to be some kind of heroine," Darcy concluded correctly but there was no way Lizzy was going to admit to that...not totally anyway.
"Well, you weren't doing a very good job, were you?" she retorted pointedly and faced the others. "I suppose Darcy didn't think she bought the routine...maybe I'm not believable as his girlfriend, so he suggested some stronger proof."
"Strong! You two were lip-locked for an eternity. Were you just acting?" Charles teased.
"Well, we may have gotten carried away," Darcy began defensively, "She was rather assertive."
"Assertive, me? Give me a break," Lizzy choked back a laugh, "You're the one who wouldn't stop."
"Me? Me? Forget it. Forget it all. I didn't want to be a part of this. You thrust yourself upon me and I was caught in the situation. I hate lying. I never lie," Darcy said indignantly. " Disguise of every sort is my abhorrence," she muttered sarcastically under her breath.
"What?" he snapped, thinking she was making fun of him.
"Nothing, just an old saying that sort of fits you," Lizzy retorted.
"Listen, you might be okay with lying. You seem to do it frequently enough, but it's not my style. I regret going along with it," Darcy said angrily, roughly running his fingers through his hair.
"Okay, okay you two...forget about what happened," Charles intervened before it got ugly. "Now, how did you leave it with Caroline. What did you say?"
Charles was trying to make sense of the situation. He knew his friend Darcy too well to not notice how he reacted to this woman. With few exceptions, Charles had never seen Darcy lose his composure. He was steady, constant, almost serene, until now. Within one evening, this lady had agitated him with her audacity in crashing a party, had shocked him with her quick-thinking and had floored him with a kiss. Elizabeth Bennet had gotten under his skin and was giving him a severe itch, one that Charles wanted to ensure Darcy kept scratching. At the moment, it may have looked like animosity, but the sparks flying when those two connected left Charles without a doubt of their attraction. Darcy would need a little help- it wasn't in his nature to surrender- but Charles was ready to sit back and enjoy the show with a little push every once in a while if needed.
Darcy thought aloud. "Well, I suppose we left her after talking about dancing."
"Good then," Charles interceded immediately, intent on ushering them all out of the room and back to the party as quickly as possible,"That's what you'll have to do, at least for a little while."
"Charles, I think I might just leave," Darcy said suddenly looking uncomfortable. He was tired of the evening. He never really enjoyed such gatherings but put up with them for the sake of his best friend, who adored them. He'd rather be amongst close friends at a corner table in a quiet restaurant or at home alone for that matter. This situation with Elizabeth disturbed him as well. Here was Aphrodite standing before him; her walk was elegant and alluring, her smile was dazzling, her eyes were vibrant with energy and her mind was sharp. But her ability to use that mind to formulate falsehoods was terrifying. He didn't trust her and he didn't totally trust himself with her. If he hadn't been on his guard right away, he may have fallen hard; instead he knew he was attracted to the outer package but doubted the quality of what was inside. He felt his initial assessment was accurate - she was a woman out to possess a man of large fortune. He was determined it wouldn't be him.
"No, look Darcy," she said lifting her hands in contrition. "You stay, I'll leave. I know you've figured out that we're here under false pretenses anyway, we might as well put our tails between our legs and go."
"Well Darce, are you ready to face Caroline alone? Ready to explain away a girlfriend? Dumped her already? Ready to deal with Caro's sympathy the rest of the night? She may be my sister, but I know how she is with you and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy," Charles said hoping to keep these two together, but more importantly, hoping to keep Jane in his presence a little longer. "Alright, alright. We'll do what we need to do tonight and I'll tell Caroline tomorrow," Darcy said, "unless you'd rather not act anymore, Elizabeth?"
"I suppose I put you in this situation, I should help you out, "she said resignedly.
"Oh good, I'm glad we finally got this resolved," Jane finally spoke up. She had watched the circumstances unfold silently and was trying to reconcile her sister's earlier magnetic reaction to Darcy, to her acerbic attitude towards the man now. She realized that both of Lizzy's reactions were passionate and that if they were to be in each other's company, fireworks were a sure bet. She wasn't sure about Darcy's condescending attitude yet, but she was confident in Lizzy's ability to disarm him.
Charles instructed the two to stay in the parlour about five minutes after he and Jane departed, to keep up the charade of a couple who couldn't seem to get enough of each other. Darcy scoffed but Charles insisted. He then proceeded to give strict instructions to the band to play only slow songs for the next half- hour. He needed to keep those two occupied while he got to know Jane better.
The couple in the parlour fidgeted around the room, avoiding each other's eyes, uncomfortable with the position in which they'd put themselves. Lizzy picked up a small vase for a detailed inspection while Darcy analyzed a painting on the wall - anything to avoid conversation. When Darcy's watch alarm went off, signaling five minutes was up, Lizzy rolled her eyes but bit her lip to hold back any "anal retentive" comment that might escape. Keep a truce Lizzy, at least for the rest of the night.
Darcy led her to the dance floor under the watchful eye of Caroline, as well as a few other curious observers. Darcy rarely danced so his presence with this new lady piqued the interest of partygoers who knew his disposition.
Lizzy noticed the attention and felt somewhat discomforted especially when she was having conflicting emotions about the man in her arms. The strength of that kiss wouldn't leave her mind but neither would his disdainful behaviour towards her. Finally, she realized she couldn't keep quiet.
"We should really have some conversation to make this more believable, or do you intend to ignore me until your punishment is through?"
She actually managed a small smile from the man.
"It's no punishment, talk away if you'd like."
"Well, we could chit-chat about how Charles really knows how to throw a great party or I could ask you what you do for a living, but I already know that. Who doesn't? So if you'd like, feel free to ask me a question," she volunteered.
He pondered this for several moments and she was ready to roll her eyes again in exasperation when he finally asked, "What do you and Jane do for a living?"
He felt her answers would help him confirm his conclusions.
"I'm a protocol officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs. I work in the section that takes care of visits from foreign dignitaries to Ottawa and sometimes other parts of Canada. We do the logistics and make sure there are no cultural faux-pas. I've worked there full-time for two years and before that, part-time while I was in university," she explained excitedly. She really loved her work and it showed on her face.
"And Jane's a dentist," Lizzy added. "She has a clinic with two other doctors in the south end of the city."
Darcy was totally taken by surprise. These ladies were both gainfully employed, in highly desirable jobs, particularly for their age.
"How old is Jane?" he asked thinking she was the younger sister.
"She's 27. I know, she looks about 20. Some of her clients worry when they see her but luckily she specializes in children's dentistry. They think anyone over 14 is ancient."
Darcy began to doubt his initial assessment about the two. Although they were not in his economic and social sphere, they both had responsible, productive careers. A protocol officer, he thought, and just as he was about to relax, he gave her position a sinister slant. Ah, he thought, it makes sense now. Always in contact with powerful, successful men. Quite convenient.
"So do you go to many of these types of parties for your job?" he asked.
"A few. They're a lot stuffier than this one though, and usually I'm in work mode," Lizzy explained.
Working the room, I'm sure, he thought.
"And how do you deal with party-crashers?" he asked with a self-satisfied smirk.
"Ha, ha, very funny, Mr. Darcy.," Lizzy responded icily, "We usually take them away in a police cruiser. But then again, the type of person who party-crashes an international political function doesn't usually have benevolent intentions."
"And you would have me believe your intentions are benevolent?" Darcy asked brazenly.
"What do you mean? I don't have any ulterior motives. I just wanted to have fun tonight at the best party in Ottawa," she said defensively.
She really did seem sincere but why did he not really believe her? The truth was Darcy rarely trusted anyone, particularly a woman who lied to get into a party and lied to and for him for no good reason. They may have been little white lies in her book, but sometimes those representated a person's true character.
As his interest in the lady and his distrust of her bounced back and forth in his mind like a tennis ball, he did not bother to respond to her inquiry. She was again frustrated with the man's distance and decided she'd had enough. She didn't need this kind of treatment. In Darcy, there was obviously a man of much intensity beneath the surface- she grasped that from their kiss- but he was so rigid in his behaviour that it didn't seem worth trying to figure him out. She was ready to leave and never see him again, no matter how good those few moments in his arms were. After all, they were meaningless, an act for the benefit of an obsessive woman.
"Listen Darcy, I think I'm ready to go. I just wanted to apologize for putting my nose where it didn't belong. You probably will never see me again so no worries about me repeating the episode. I'll just get Jane and we'll be off," she said, not really sure why she was disappointed.
"Yes, well, thank you for apologizing," he said uncomfortably, walking her off the dance floor. He happened to notice Caroline's eagle eye still upon him and couldn't resist the urge to hold onto Lizzy's hand and lift it to his lips in a gallant farewell.
"Goodbye Elizabeth," he said gazing into her vivid eyes one last time. She smiled warmly, knowing that it was for Caroline's benefit, though strangely wishing it wasn't.
He watched her gentle sway as she weaved through the crowd and for a split second considered running after her, to hell with his doubts. But Darcy was not a spontaneous man, the earlier kiss being an aberration, and his self-control was too important to him to let a strange woman weave her web around him...for all he knew the lovely Miss Elizabeth Bennet could have the scruples of a black widow.
Chapter II
While Lizzy and Darcy continued their lives separately during the course of the next few weeks, such was not the case for Charles and Jane. They were both the trusting sort; open, honest and kind. They did not look at people with a critical eye as the aforementioned pair was prone to do, and though they were sometimes taken in by less-than-honourable characters, they more often than not benefited from their optimist view of the world. Being both of this ilk, they had no difficulty in admitting their mutual attraction.
As their relationship deepened, Darcy heard Lizzy's name mentioned occasionally by Charles, while the same could be said about Darcy when Jane talked to Lizzy. Each time this happened, a spasm of regret pinched at both their souls. Neither understood why and they certainly weren't ready to delve into their psyches to figure it out.
Jane never pressed Lizzy about the kiss she'd witnessed. Nothing had seemed to come of it and Lizzy certainly wasn't dwelling on it. She had continued on with her life as if nothing had happened. Darcy was not a man she'd normally see in her circle of acquaintances and although Lizzy often thought of the sensations he'd bestowed upon her, she never told anyone else.
Darcy was in his office one Tuesday afternoon when Charles called. "Are you using the box on Friday night?"
"No, I wasn't aware that anything was going on. The hockey pre-season hasn't started yet, has it? It's getting earlier and earlier every year," Darcy mused.
"No, no. I wanted to go to the Dave Matthews concert and I wanted to make sure you weren't bringing anyone," Charles asked.
"Dave Matthews, no, I don't have any plans to go." "Great. Jane, Lizzy and I are going to go," he paused and added cautiously, "Say, did you want to join us? You haven't seen the ladies in awhile."
Charles felt he had been wrong about leaving Darcy to his own volition as the man hadn't made a move toward getting in contact with Lizzy. In fact, Charles was a little afraid that they'd argued even more while dancing that night three weeks ago. However, he wasn't ready to give up on them yet, and he knew the jewel he'd found in the older Bennet sister. He just wanted his friend to be equally as happy. It was time for that little push.
Darcy contemplated the idea carefully. He couldn't deny he wanted to see Lizzy again but he also didn't want her to think he was truly interested. He believed he had enough self-control but if she was the type of woman to offer herself, he was only human...and he would dearly like to replace the memory of his last intimate relation. Caroline. Ugh.
With that in mind, he spoke. "I think I'll take you up on the offer, but I'll have to meet you there. I have a dinner meeting on Friday."
"A dinner meeting on Friday? Are you insane, man? You have to get a life," Charles laughed at his friend's dedication to his business. Charles knew he was lucky to be a self-made success, not just because of his fortune, but because it had no purse strings attached to anyone else. While his family had been comfortable, he had eclipsed his father's wealth very easily. He could coast on his past achievements for the rest of his life and his family would still admire him.
Darcy, on the other hand, had the albatross of several generations of success around his neck, combined with a formidable determination to succeed in his own right. He took life far too seriously in Charl...
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