A/N: Really and truly, I want to thank every single person who's read this and made me feel like my writing wasn't just me screaming words into the void. Every review, favourite and Tumblr ask has been met with huge smiles and appreciation. I'm so incredibly sorry for the fact that this has taken me so long to finish — but at least I did it! And yes, this is the last chapter. If I've learnt anything from writing this, it's to plan your multichapter thoroughly before you dive into it. But we made it to the end, and thank you so much for just… caring.

Chapter title is from Twelfth Night, as was the case with Chapter 1 — I'm nothing if not a slave to round endings.

The sun peeked into the room like the scene of a John Donne poem, and Will gave a sleepy groan.

"You need to get thicker curtains," he said to the owner of the room, currently curled up beside him.

Lizzy's response was muffled by a pillow, but the hand which came down to hit Will's face was sadly not.

She sighed and turned her face away from the pillow to speak. "Did you just kiss my hand?"

"Your face was buried in a pillow," said Will.

"Oh my God," said Lizzy, whose smile was about to burst. "But not any more."

"No," agreed Will, but he didn't move. Lizzy waited for him to follow up on that, to no avail.

"So," he continued. "What would you like to do today?"

A pause.

"I was going to say 'you'," Lizzy confessed. "But I thought that might be too brazen."

"Definitely not," said Will. "Be as brazen as you want."

That was all the encouragement Lizzy needed.

A few days later, they were snuggled into a tiny booth at a pub Will frequented. It was a random Thursday where, a few hours earlier, Will had texted if Lizzy was free after work, to which Lizzy had decided she was. Cocooned in giddiness over how easily they were having so much fun, the conversation had gone from work, school and uni to Love Actually, the Byzantine Empire and Foucault. Then they'd taken a sharp turn from intellectual discussion, and currently Lizzy was making Will tell her every embarrassing moment he'd suffered in his life.

"Oh, and there was the time I was drunk to meet my tutor at uni," said Will, as he polished off his fancy whiskey cocktail.

"You were not!" said Lizzy delightedly.

"Drunk from the night before, I mean. I didn't take up day drinking until third year."

Even when she tore her eyes away from him and looked around the admittedly very nice pub decor, Lizzy couldn't seem to stop smiling. She was happy here, she was happy around him, and she was happy that her life was happening this way. Technically this must count as a date, but she'd always hated the formality and social etiquette that came with those. Dating Will dispensed of all that, and Lizzy wondered idly if before this she had just been dating the wrong people.

"So what was the embarrassing part?" she asked.

"Guess," said Will flatly.

She smiled sweetly. "I'd rather hear you say it."

His face grew regretful, but he obliged her because he wanted to make her laugh again. "I threw up all over the carpet."

Lizzy laughed so hard she almost choked on her gin and tonic.

"It wasn't a pretty sight," said Will. "But two years later, I managed to face her for a conversation long enough that she told me it was far from the worst thing a fresher had done in front of her."

Lizzy sipped her drink and gave Will perhaps the dopiest smile ever. "You know, if you'd told me these stories when we met…"

"You wouldn't have let me," said Will. His mouth dropped into a teasing smile. "You were so angry about Mario Kart,of all things."

"You can't possibly blame me for reacting badly to your shocking conversation skills…"

He grinned, stood up and lightly grazed her knuckles with his. "I'm going to get a refill."

"Careful with those!" said Lizzy, as he walked away. "You don't want to repeat night two of freshers!"

She sat in the booth and checked her lipstick on her phone camera. The situation wasn't atrocious. Tucking her hair behind her ears, she thought up an excuse to make to Charlotte if she asked Lizzy where she had been. She hadn't told anyone about Will yet. It had technically only been four days, but she thought perhaps should include all the weeks of tension before as well, and maybe she should tell Jane since she'd find out anyway at the wedding…

Her phone buzzed, breaking through her thoughts.

"Lizzy!" said Jane, when Lizzy picked up. "I'm in a crisis — I don't know what's happened but I can't find my dress! I could swear I saw it a few days ago — it was hanging at the back of my wardrobe — but when I just went to look at it it was gone . I can't call Charlie because I don't want him to accidentally see it and it sounds like you're out right now and I don't want to interrupt, but — "

"Jane," said Lizzy, covering her other ear. This pub was loud. "Slow down. What do you mean it's gone?"

"I don't know!" said Jane, in a high, unnatural voice. "But I'm staring at my wardrobe and it's not there. I can't get married without my dress."

"I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation," said Lizzy, the hollowness of her own conviction painfully clear. "It'll turn up."

"I've looked everywhere," said Jane.

Lizzy glanced over at Will at the bar and made a hasty decision.

"All right, don't panic. I'm going to come and help you find it."

"Oh my gosh, thank you. I really don't know what to do — "

Lizzy cut in. "Are you sure you didn't put it somewhere else?"

"Quite sure," said Jane miserably. "Where would I have put it?"

Lizzy stuffed her purse into her bag. "OK, just keep looking. I'll be there in ten."

She hung up just as Will came back with a drink in his hand.

"Who was that?" he said.

Lizzy downed the rest of her drink. "Jane," she said, throwing on her jacket. "I'm so sorry, but I've got to go — she's having a panic, and she can't tell Charlie, because it's about her dress." She stood up and looked at him nervously. "Is that OK?"

"Yes, of course," said Will. "Would you like me to come with you? I could get rid of Charlie while you search."

Lizzy thought of the questions that would be asked if she showed up at Jane and Charlie's flat with Will on a random Wednesday night.

"No, you only just got a new drink," she said merrily, gesturing to where it sat on a napkin in front of Will. She leaned forward to peck his cheek, hoping to rid herself of her guilt at his disappointed face, even as he tried to cover it up. She didn't manage it. "I'll see you!" she called — God, what a stupid thing to say— and dashed out.

It turned out that their mother had the dress. Mrs Bennet had visited a few days ago and taken it to sew in Jane's 'something borrowed' — a scrap of fabric from her own wedding veil. She hadn't told Jane because she wanted it to be a surprise.

"More like the terror of your life," muttered Lizzy, when Jane finally put the phone down. It had been a long, draining conversation, as were most phone calls with their mother, and Lizzy hadn't half the tolerance Jane had.

"She was doing a kind thing, Lizzy," said Jane.

"I don't care," said Lizzy unreasonably, sinking into Jane's blue sofa. She was irritated because Jane was never as angry at their mother as Lizzy was, and because the whole debacle had been resolved so simply. Without the drama of Jane's missing dress to distract her, all that Lizzy could think about for the last ten minutes was how she'd left things with Will. She knew she shouldn't have abandoned him and dismissed his offer to help with such a pretence of carelessness. She felt guilty and angry, and left Jane's flat before she dragged Jane into a miserable state too.

Lizzy's bad mood lasted all the way until she got home. She updated Charlotte quickly on the dress fiasco then trudged into her room. She was disappointed that Will hadn't texted, but told herself she was being unreasonable for hoping it.

She took actions into her own hands.

"Mum had the dress," she explained, relieved that he'd picked up her call. "She was sewing in fabric for that 'something old' rhyme and wanted it to be a surprise, so she didn't tell Jane. Or anyone else," Lizzy added, not without a hint of irritation.

"I see," said Will.

"So that's what happened," said Lizzy weakly. "The panic is over."

She was sure he knew why she hadn't wanted him to go with her to Jane's place. It hung in the air like a stormy cloud that refused to break into rain.

"I'm sorry for leaving you like that," she said quietly.

"It's fine," said Will. Then, "It's late. Goodnight, Lizzy."

"Goodnight," she said. She threw her phone on the floor when he hung up, and it didn't ring again all night.

Will knew there was probably an unspoken policy on this, but the next day he called Lizzy anyway. He wanted them to be strong too badly to be proud, and was relieved when she answered immediately.

"I thought you were mad at me," said Lizzy, when they met up later. It was another still summer evening, much like the one only a few days ago when everything had changed. This air in this one felt similarly delicate.

"I am," said Will carefully. "A bit. But I'd rather talk to you, all the same."

Lizzy felt her heart madly skip a beat.

"I don't want us to — "

"I should've just said — "

They stopped at the same time.

"I should've just said that I didn't want you to come with me, because then Jane would know there was something going on between us," said Lizzy.

"I thought it was something like that," said Will.

"But I regretted it as soon as I said it," she added tentatively. "And I wish I — hadn't."

There was a beat.

"Even though it's only been a few days?"

"Sure," said Lizzy, breaking into a teasing tone. "Even though there's stuff that's been in my fridge for longer."

They smiled stupidly at each other.

"Anyway, I've told Georgie," said Will, with an air of changing the subject. "Well, she tricked me into telling her. Apparently I was being 'less mopey' and she asked me if that was to do with you, and I cracked and said yes."

Lizzy smiled, then her face froze comically. "How well does Georgie know Charlie?"

Will gave a tight-lipped smile. "I'm pretty sure they make fun of me when I'm not around."

"Well, damn," she said lightly. "If your sister knows about us…"

Will groaned. "She definitely would have told Charlie."

"And whatever Charlie knows, Jane knows." Lizzy sighed and dropped her head onto Will's shoulder. "She's going to be so angry. Well, I mean as angry as Jane can be. I just hope she doesn't feel the need to rework the whole wedding plan to accommodate us."

The first thing Jane said when their video call started was: "I cannot believe you let me find out from Charlie, Lizzy! I'm your sister!"

Lizzy made a face. "I'm sorry?"

Jane was too good-natured to really mind. "I know I've been sort of focused on myself recently…"

"I forgive you. You are getting married in two days."

"But you already told me you liked him," said Jane, characteristically ignoring Lizzy's dry interceptions. "Didn't I deserve an update?"

At this moment Charlotte wandered into the room and Lizzy panicked, because she was pretty sure that Charlotte at least had no idea what the situation was with Will.

"Hey, here's Charlotte!" said Lizzy, and turned her phone to face her.

Charlotte waved at the camera. "Hey, Jane. Did you find out about Lizzy and Will?"

Lizzy gaped. "What? How do you — "

"Lizzy, babe, I saw him come in last Saturday and leave the next morning."

"You've known all this time and you didn't think to mention it? Do you have any idea how stressful all the sneaking around was?"

"We're not doing this now," said Charlotte firmly. "You're talking to Jane."

"Yes, Lizzy, you're talking to me," said Jane. "And for the record, didn't I say he liked you back?"

"You did," admittedly Lizzy.

Jane looked so pleased with herself. "I'm taking all the credit for this. Didn't you meet at Charlie's party, which I dragged you to? And then you reconnected during the wedding planning?"

Lizzy had never seen her older sister so egotistical before, and told her so.

Jane stuck her tongue out. "You know I'm just really happy for you."

"I know," Lizzy replied softly. "I am too."

Lizzy congratulated herself on a job well done when, the night before Jane and Charlie's wedding, she successfully snuck into Will's hotel room.

The first thing she said after "I missed you" was: "Can I steal your toiletries?"

Will didn't even give her a strange look. "The loo roll is really great," he said.

"Thanks," she said and dashed into the bathroom to stash everything in her bag.

He waited as she rummaged around.

"Ooh, they gave you a different shower gel!" she called excitedly. "And a different shampoo." He heard the sound of her popping open the bottle. "That orange blossom scent is captivating."

"So that's why you're here," he said amusedly. "To milk me for my free shampoo."

"Definitely," said Lizzy, finally emerging with her haul. She dropped her bag on the floor and jumped into his arms. "But there are other reasons too."

And then she kissed him.

"I saw you this morning," said a voice tinged with contempt.

Lizzy, who'd just finished drying her hands, turned to see Caroline Bingley standing in front of a mirror, retouching her makeup.

This was bound to happen sooner or later. Caroline hadn't said anything during the ceremony, only given Lizzy some very icy smiles. Apparently now, half an hour into the reception, she'd chosen her time to strike.

"OK," said Lizzy slowly. "You could've said hi."

Caroline snapped her eyeshadow palette shut and turned away from the mirror. Lizzy had to admit that her smoky eye was very good. "I thought that might've made things uncomfortable," she said sweetly. "You were coming out of Will's room."

Lizzy reminded herself that violence was not the answer. "What would you like to say, Caroline?"

Caroline smiled and seemed to consider her options. She settled on: "You're very different people. It might be hard for you to understand each other."

Lizzy felt an inexplicable urge to justify her fledgling relationship to this bitter, unimportant woman. If Caroline had outright suggested that she was a better fit for Will than Lizzy, then Lizzy could have easily laughed it off. But instead, she hadn't brought herself into it at all. Lizzy knew that what Caroline said was what anyone might be thinking: maybe even Will's sister, and certainly Will's ridiculous aunt; both of whom, Lizzy was well aware, she had yet to meet.

"We both want our relationship to work," said Lizzy lightly.

Caroline's lip curled at this. "Wanting doesn't make things go anywhere," she said.

Lizzy resisted the urge to say: "As you know from experience." She could afford to not be catty, though she did so desperately want to.

She waited out Caroline's patience. After a brief, assessing glance, her adversary huffed and walked away.

Lizzy waited until Caroline had left the bathroom. A laugh escaped her as she faced the mirror and smoothed out her hair. She imagined telling Will about this later, imagined Will's mortified face and her patting his shoulder reassuringly as she said, "Don't worry, I defended us." An anticlimactic confrontation in a hotel bathroom! It was all so ridiculous. She laughed again. How had she ever summoned up enough energy to hate Caroline?

She made her way back to the ballroom, when Charlie appeared, shockingly without Jane.

"Lizzy!" He seemed a bit foxed and very happy. "I heard about you and Will."

"Oh, I know," she said, sighing. "Jane told me."

"Georgie told me," said Charlie. He spotted Jane and pulled her towards him when she was in reaching distance. She giggled and wound her arms around his middle.

"Sorry you had to find out about Will and Lizzy from me," said Charlie to his new wife.

Jane looked equally happy, and equally tipsy. "S'alright, babe."

"It's my fault," said a cheerful new voice, sliding effortlessly into the conversation. She turned to Lizzy. "We're finally meeting! Quick, before Will comes to chaperone this. I'm his sister, Georgie."

Lizzy smiled. "I'm Lizzy. Will's told me a lot about you."

Georgie rolled her eyes. "Ugh, he probably made me sound like an overachieving snob. I promise, you're going to like me so much more once you get to know me."

Lizzy laughed. "I'm sure I will," she said warmly.

A slow dance started up, and she felt herself being spun into Will's arms.

"Hi," she said, winding her arms around his neck.

"Hi to you too," he said. Georgie winked at him over Lizzy's shoulder, and he narrowed his eyes in response. "Did my sister force her personality on you?"

"I like her," said Lizzy. "You don't have to worry about that."

"You're very tolerant," he said fondly.

They swayed in contented silence for a while.

"I had an interesting conversation in the loos earlier," said Lizzy.

"Caroline," said Will baldly.

"Jackpot. How did you know?"

"She came in just before you and looked miffed," said Will. "Also, you looked proud of yourself — I assume it was because you didn't lose your temper."

"You know me so well," said Lizzy, not without a touch of irony.

"And I hope to find out even more," said Will. His tone wasn't romantic: it was more like faintly sardonic, but she liked that. She liked him. She thought, idly, that she was pretty close to loving him too.

"So do I," said Lizzy. She smiled, and he smiled, and she thought about how that seemed like his happiness was linked to hers. It was worlds away from the antagonism of their first meeting. "So do I."

A few weeks after the wedding, Lizzy was in Will's flat as he went over notes for a presentation he was making next week. She was sorting through photographs from Jane and Charlie's wedding and spinning on one of his fancy kitchen island stools.

She paused her spinning when she saw one of the venue. She was suddenly seized by a mad urge to say something reckless.

"Do you remember that day when we toured venues?"

"Of course," said Will.

Lizzy hummed and continued to stare casually at the photo. "What was that country house called? The last place we went to?"

"Gardiner House," said Will promptly, his eyes never leaving the colourful flashcards Lizzy was pretty sure he'd stolen from her stationery hoard.

"Wow," she said, throwing down the photo. "I was playing it cool by pretending not to remember, but you just… said it outright."

He looked up, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I'd hope you would remember it," he said. "For future reference."

Lizzy felt her heart skip a beat. "For future reference," she repeated dumbly.

"Yes," he said, calm as anything. "Unless you've changed your mind about liking it?"

"No," she said softly. "My mind's pretty much made up."

A/N: Endless thanks for reading, again. And I'm loversinfiniteness on Tumblr!

Edit 9/4: sly promo for my new fic, a definitely mad reality dating show Austen crossover called Down the Isle. Read it if you dare.