Lizzie was lost.

To be sure, she knew where she was in theory. Pemberley Digital. The bright hope for new media's future. The place with three different kinds of desks. The company where William Darcy-

"No, I'm not going to think about him." Lizzie said out loud to her thoughts. "This is a completely professional trip where I'm going to learn great things for my thesis. I'm not here to get involved with him in any way and who am I even justifying this to? There's no one here!" She waves her arm, indicating the completely empty lower floor. It was a bad habit. Recently, she'd find herself ranting or talking about her feelings even though she was all alone and not filming. The curse of the vlogger.

Sighing, Lizzie pulled out her video camera. If her mouth was going to run itself off on its own, there might as well be recorded evidence.

The hallway she was in was relatively bare compared to the rest of the building. There were no offices or production suites or pictures of happy people smiling from the walls. The only structures were a series of white egg-shaped contraptions that the tour guide had described as 'napping pods'. Lizzie set-up her tripod in front of one of them, sat down and pressed the record button.

"Hi everyone. So you won't believe the day I've had. I have been on a three-hour tour of Pemberley Digital. Three hours! Looking at all the latest gizmos and gadgets and whozits and whatzits and oh my god Charlotte, the hardrives! Eight terabytes. And this place is so ridiculously big. And maze-like. I mean, they said I was free to wander around but I have no clue where any of the exits are. If I don't make it out of here and you've found this video beside my lifeless body, just know that I passed away in hardrive heaven. My name is Lizzie Bennet and-"

"Lizzie?" said a deep, robotic and slightly sleepy voice.

Startled, Lizzie quickly jumped up, banging her head on the top of the pod. "Ow."

And then there's a concerned face popping out from the neighbouring pod. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"Darcy? They said you were away on a business trip. What are you doing here?" Lizzie realizes how awful she sounds the moment the words leave her lips. She didn't mean to be rude; she was just taken off-guard. She quickly inhales once to calm herself down and then puts extra sincerity to her voice as she adds, "I'm ok, it's just a bump. Thank you for asking."

Darcy pauses, as if trying to judge the emotions in her phrases. He finally says, "We closed the acquisition deal quicker then expected. I flew in straight from England and landed roughly an hour ago. I thought it prudent to sleep off the jetlag."

"I see. That makes sense."

Awkward silence.

They both flounder in quietness, trying to find a safe topic to talk about. Only Darcy's doing this thing, where he seems to think that the conversation starter lies in Lizzie's retinas because he won't stop looking into her eyes.

Not wanting to meet his gaze any longer, Lizzie stared down at the glistening, clean, smooth floors. It reminded her of home. And her sisters. And particularly Lydia. Which of course reminded her about the huge fight they were currently in and Lizzie knew she had to stop this line of thought so she started blurting words out.

"If my younger sister were here she'd take one look at this floor and freak out because it is completely perfect for sock slides and she absolutely adores sock slides. When we were younger she'd steal our shoes and hide them and we'd slide all around the house, chasing her, trying to get her to give them back. She'd laugh at us, with this wild grin on her face and would purposefully slide backwards so she could taunt us better. One time she almost slid down a flight of steps. I had to grab her arms to keep her from tumbling. That was always Lydia, causing herself problems that she could've avoided. But I was always there to help her and keep her from turning a skinned knee into a concussion. But she's older now and if she screws up then she could seriously hurt herself. And I hate that I can't protect her anymore. You have a younger sister, you understand right?"

Damn. Stupid mouth saying whatever it wants to again.

"I understand."

There's another long Darcy pause and Lizzie figures that's the end of that conversation and she better start thinking of a graceful way to take her leave because she doesn't think she can take anymore awkwardness when he says, "Except for one thing." He slightly tilts his head to the side in confusion. "What is a…sock slide?"

"You don't know what a sock slide is?"

"I assume it is either a slide made out of socks or a slide dedicated solely to the purpose of the propulsion of socks, but either way I do not understand what possible purpose they might have."

"Oh no, he's malfunctioning," Lizzie thinks, "That's kind of adorable."

"No, no, a sock slide is where you slide across a room wearing only socks on your feet."

He still looks confused.

"Here, it'll be easier if I just show you." She starts taking off her shoes.

"That does not seem very safe."

"Have a little faith. I'm a sock sliding pro." She takes a few steps backwards and then takes a running start. Her feet glide smoothly along the floor. "I was right," she thinks, "This is perfect sliding conditions." She makes it all the way to the other end of the hallway before her body slows down. Triumphantly grinning, she turns back to Darcy. "Do you understand now?" she calls.

"I understand the basic concept now, yes. But you think that is…fun?" he calls back.

"Just try it. You'll understand."

"I am not sure that is such a good idea."

"Come on!" She slides back to him. "What's the harm?"

"Possibly severe head trauma or limb dismemberment."

"I promise that you will still have all your limbs. If you listen to everything I, the Master Slider, has to say. Now please remove your shoes."

He reluctantly removes them. "Lizzie, really this whole thing seems preposterous."

"I think you need a little more preposterous in your life." And with that Lizzie gives him a firm push in the back.

He slides for a few feet before losing his balance and tripping. For a moment, Lizzie's worried that maybe the whole thing was too preposterous for him. Then he turns back to her with a huge grin on his face. "That. Was. Stupendous!"

Lizzie laughs. "Darcybot smiling?" she thinks, "Uh oh, I think I broke him."

He does a few more slides, gliding up and down the hallway. He's wobbly at first, but with each slide he grows in confidence. Lizzie watches him with an amused smile.

"Wheee."

"Did I just hear William Darcy say…whee?" Lizzie says to herself. "Charlotte, no scratch that, no one is going to believe that. I'm not sure I believe that."

She coasts over to him. "I see you're getting the hang of it."

"Yes. I apologize that I ever doubted you."

"Apology accepted." Her eyes get a wicked glint in them. "Now, think you can keep up?"

And she launches off, headed down the hallway. He slides after her. And they're laughing and teasing at each other and just having a great time. Lizzie has to admit that this feels good. With all the drama at home over the holidays, she hasn't had a moment to just have simple, pure fun and it is reinvigorating. She forgets that she's spending time with Darcy the guy she definitely maybe doesn't hate as much anymore or her crippling debt or her mother's nagging or her fight with Lydia. All that matters is the sliding. This is pure freedom.

Suddenly a woman's voice rings out, "Mr. Darcy, you're needed in the boardroom. Mr. Darcy."

He stops abruptly, briefly unsure of where he was or maybe even who he was. Lizzie comes to a stop beside him. The feeling of freedom instantly evaporates as the weight of adult responsibility sinks in again. He slowly puts his shoes back on. "Yes. Well. Thank you Lizzie for your impressive tutelage." He fixes his bowtie. "I am afraid I must be off now, but we must do this again some time. If you would also like to of course."

"I think that would be alright."

"Until next time then." He exits.

"Would it really be alright?" she asks herself and is surprised to find the answer isn't no. This wasn't something she was going to think about. Nope. Time to get back to work.

She can't even remember what she was doing before Darcy. Oh right, filming. She looks at the camera, still recording. She has the footage; she could edit something together out of…well whatever it was that happened. But somehow, it doesn't feel right. It probably wouldn't be the best idea to put a video on the Internet of the CEO of a major company sock sliding. And she was trying to be better about what she put on her channel. And trying not to be sued. And also she maybe wants to keep this one thing to herself. "Besides," she thinks, "I'm pretty sure if I posted Darcy doing sock slides, the Internet would explode."