Love Happens - a pride and prejudice fanfiction

Memories

AN: Hey guys, I'm back. A month late, not denying. So yeah, I have decided that i'll be updating the entire story from the beginning, but not now, coz i don't want to bore you all with the same story just different version.

And I have decided on a pattern for my writing too. It will mainly be my POV, so the narration part will be a bit modern, but I'll try to make the dialogues as regency as possible.

So go ahead.

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She was panting heavily. But that didn't stop her. She ran as fast as her legs could take her. Yes, ten-year-old Lizzy was quite a small thing, but God, was she fast! She could hear his muffled footsteps behind her. Darn, so she hadn't lost him yet. He is too smart for his own good, she thought. And fast too, as his footsteps seemed to come closer. She hid behind the bushes. As she peeked through them, she saw him stopping right in front of her, seemingly trying to listen to her footsteps. And then he ran ahead. She breathed a sigh of relief and came out from her hiding place. Her relief was short lived though, as two arms snaked around her waist and lifted her off the ground and shook her as if she were a rag doll. She did the obvious. Scream? No people, we are talking about Lizzy Bennet here. She kicked him.

"Ow!" He dropped her with a yelp, but did not let go of her.

"I am done with your pranks, Miss Bennet! I would like to know what exactly I did to you that you continue to harass me so."

Now if you are wondering what exactly our protagonist did to elicit such an exasperated reaction from a twelve-year-old, let me shed some light. It was something along the lines of her replacing his review on 'Don Quixote' with a very silly, yet funny story on pixies, gnomes and a lot of other creatures. She didn't forget to add a frog named Don Quixote in her amusing tale. And the dear girl had even taken efforts to write it in Will's handwriting. Needless to say, an expectant Will was scolded soundly for his joke.

"Let me go! Unhand me this instant!" she shouted.

"I want to know why. I have tried to be patient with you. I don't even tease you for your lisp anymore. Then why do you continue to torment me?"

"You do not tease me because you cannot. I lost my lisp long ago."

"But it still appears sometimes, doesn't it?" he said cheekily.

"You think you are a saint, Darcy! So does Mama, and sometimes even Papa. Of course, you behave politely with me in front of them. In front of Mr. Darcy and Lady Anne, too, I must say. But do you believe me to be fool enough to not know who must've told Betty about me stealing those biscuits? Jane would never do that. It is not just that one incident. You told Mama about the frogs in my room. And you expect me to ignore all of that and smile sweetly at you and thank you for treating me with your wondrous patience?" She was fuming as she glared up at him.

"So just because I inform the elders about your misdeeds, you go ahead and spoil my name in front of my tutor? Just so you know, I informed them so that they would stop you from running wild. You are a gentleman's daughter, yet you behave like a barbarian!"

"Oh, so you did it for my welfare? Well, let me tell you one thing, Darcy. I know how to control myself from turning completely wild. And you are to be a gentleman too, aren't you? Why don't you start behaving like one, instead of always telling on me?"

"I would if you cease to- "His sentence was cut short by a loud bark followed by a little scream from Lizzy. There was one thing our Miss Bennet was afraid of- dogs. Puppies she could manage, but not the big, snarly ones. A stray dog ran towards the duo, barking madly. Lizzy clutched onto Will, afraid for her dear life because according to her, a dog running towards you obviously wanted to bite you.

"Oh, now you want me to protect you, don't you? You are always so brave, Miss Bennet. What is a mere stray dog to the valiant Elizabeth Bennet? I think I should call him over, what say you? He may bite, but you obviously aren't afraid of that happening either." Sarcasm dripped his voice as he understood the power he held at the moment.

She didn't say a word. She was utterly terrified, but she didn't say anything. She just looked up at him. His smug expression changed into one of compassion as he saw the fear written in her eyes. He moved her away from the oncoming dog's path and shooed it away with a stone. She sighed with relief and turned to him. She was sure that he would be having his usual smug expression. And so he was.

"Aren't you supposed to say something now, Elizabeth?"

She sighed again. And then said the words she never thought she would have to say to him.

"Thank you, Darcy." She didn't want to hear him gloat and so she ran away in the direction of her house.

As she ran, she couldn't help but smile. It was a very trivial thing. Very insignificant. But one thing was for sure. He had done something nice for her. And it felt good.

Elizabeth smiled as she remembered that moment. She would never forget it. He had been her hero that day. A very rude, arrogant and sarcastic one, but her hero nonetheless. She remembered the warm feeling that spread over her. Sure, she had continued to fight with him that very day, but all the times she argued, she knew one thing- that Fitzwilliam Darcy had a good heart."

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She smiled again. She slowly opened her eyes to see a pair of very, very familiar brown eyes staring at her curiously.

Oh. No.

"Have you finally lost it, Miss Bennet? Why in the world are you sitting in the middle of nowhere, eyes closed, and smiling to yourself?"

"Hello to you too, Mr. Darcy."

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AN: Yeah, thats it. A bit short, but the next chapter's draft is ready, so expect the next update to be quick. All comments and votes will make this poor soul happy. If you need any inducement, let me tell you that the next chapter is pure will-lizzy fluff.

Thanks people. Until next time.

Bye!