"Would you like some more chicken or cornbread?"

"Thank you, ma'am, but I can eat no more. This was, however, a delicious meal."

"Why thank you, Darcy!" Mrs. Bennet said brightly. "Just you wait until we have dessert later. I made my chess pie, and nobody turns down seconds of that! Now then, how long have you been runnin' Pemberley Digest?"

"I became the CEO of Pemberley Digital in 2004." He stated the correct name but was too polite to emphasize it.

"And such a smart, successful CEO, Lizzie tells me! What have you—?" Then she abruptly broke into giggles and facepalmed.

"That is not in the script," he said seriously.

"Neither is smoldering at me while I'm impersonating my mother!" Lizzie retorted.

His lips twitched. "I apologize for breaking character…though I did exercise significant restraint in not kissing you, either in front of your mother or just now, costume be hanged."

Her hand was at his bowtie at once, tugging insistently. She frowned. "This isn't as handy as a necktie."

"Duly noted. Um, Lizzie?"

"Hmm?" Their lips were only a breath apart, but he leaned back just a little.

"On second thought, please take off that hat."

The hat came off, and they kissed. Thoroughly. This one would definitely require a jump cut.

They finished the scene eventually, and Lizzie turned the camera off. "Thanks for helping with this. It felt good to let go of everything and just…laugh for a while."

Darcy merely smiled and held out his hand. She took it, and they moved to the nearby couch. There she curled into his embrace, relishing his warmth and strength and unwinding from the turmoil of the last week.

They had arrived last Thursday to find Lydia alone. She had not stormed out on them, but otherwise the conversation had been unpromising. She had been defensive from the start, and Lizzie had been glad she'd asked Darcy to leave his documentation about Wickham in the car. Lydia would never listen if she thought he was trying to intimidate her. As it was, she had watched him suspiciously as he apologized for his words last fall and had fought hard against any suggestion of Wickham's wrongdoing. The man had a strong hold on her, and she was not about to be talked out of dating him. Darcy, to his credit, had not responded to her barbs, but had told his story with quiet feeling. "May I show you proof of what he has done?" he had asked at the end, and at her defiant shrug he had exchanged a hopeless look with Lizzie before leaving to fetch his briefcase. Voices from outside had drawn them to the door a minute later, and then Wickham had accomplished in a few seconds what a whole explanation from Darcy had failed to do.

Lizzie had filmed her Monday video on Saturday afternoon, more to have something to do than anything. In it, she had shakily admitted the ways she'd failed and wronged her sister and stated simply that Wickham was now out of their lives. Filming it had been all the more difficult because of Lydia's grief. Lydia had been numb with shock at first, but the hurtful words they'd exchanged before Christmas paled in comparison to the pain and anger she had loosed on her sister during those first two days, as reality sank in. Lizzie had absorbed it all as calmly as she could, saving her tears for her empty room…and for Darcy's shoulder.

Ironically, it was that video that changed things for them. Lydia had come into the den, seen her editing, and demanded to know what she was saying about her. Lizzie had shown her the footage, and though she'd watched in silence then, she had knocked on Lizzie's door that evening. After tiptoeing around each other for a time, they had finally begun to talk—had talked and cried together into the night, in fact.

Darcy rubbed his cheek slowly against Lizzie's hair and tightened his hold. "Do you need to return home soon?"

"Nope. Mary's taking Lydia for froyo after class, so you're stuck with me all afternoon."

"Mmm." He sounded as content as she felt.

Since that night in her room, Lydia had amazed Lizzie again and again. Jane had Skyped with her a couple times and suggested what Lizzie hadn't dared—counseling. Lydia had agreed and would start the following week. She had also hesitantly asked to spend more time with her sister. Since then, Lizzie had made a point of being home any time Lydia was, available to listen to her or run interference with their mom or hold her as she cried. Then, last night, without prompting from Jane or Lizzie or anyone, Lydia had announced she was going to return to her classes. She needed something to do, she said, and in any case she did not want to drop out. The last few days had not magically healed Lydia's pain or transformed their relationship, of course—that would take time, love, and work from both of them—but they had now a taste of something new and strong that could come.

Minutes slipped by, and then Lizzie tilted her head back to see Darcy's face. She smiled to see him still wearing a familiar brown hat and a less familiar red bowtie. He had looked quietly horrified when she handed him her limp button-on bowtie for their costume theater scene and had fetched one of his own instead. She reached up now to touch it, not to haul him closer as she had earlier, but exploring instead, her fingers brushing against his neck.

"I thought I would make you hate these."

"Hmm…I am not very attached to pageboy hats, but it would be difficult indeed to make me hate bowties."

She smiled a little to feel the rumble of his voice through her fingertips, then met his gaze. "Thank you."

"For helping with your video?"

"Well, yes. A week ago, I wouldn't have believed you would ever wear these for me. But I meant thank you for…everything." Her hand slipped up to caress his jaw. "I don't even want to imagine what it would be like to go through all this without you. And I, um…I know you understand because you've been through something like this, and you would never complain about me spending time with Lydia right now, but I'm sure this isn't how you dreamed our relationship would start."

As she spoke, Darcy's lips quivered almost imperceptibly, which she had learned meant he was deeply moved. His response was quiet and simple. "I dreamed of being with you. And I am."

There could be no reply to that. Lizzie felt her eyes grow soft and moist, and she moved her arm to drape across his chest, her cheek resting over his heart. Darcy pressed a lingering kiss into her hair before leaning his head back against the couch, one large hand running slowly up and down her back.

"So…," she began after some minutes of peaceful cuddling, "what have you been up to this past week? Other than letting me cry all over you and encouraging me and being monopolized by my mother over dinner last night, that is."

Her tone was teasing, and as she leaned back she could see his smile. "I have been very productive, actually. I have conferenced in for two meetings; otherwise, my time has been my own, to think and plan."

"Plan what? The Domino roll-out?"

He shook his head. "Domino has absorbed much of our time and creativity of late, and while you know about several of our other ongoing projects, our long-term strategy has needed clearer direction. Before you came today, I was refining a proposal for board and the development team regarding two major potential avenues."

"That's great! I'm sorry I ruined your concentration, though."

"Your interruption was most welcome," he said firmly. Then his eyebrow quirked. "It has been strange to telecommute from Netherfield without being distracted by the gorgeous 'traffic accident' lurking in the living room…and the den…and the library…not to mention the lounge."

Gorgeous? Lizzie couldn't keep the pleased glow from her face. His eyes told her regularly how desirable he found her, but it was always thrilling to hear the words. "I so did not lurk. You lurked."

"That is a matter of perspective."

Darcy was looking pleased with himself now—adorable but in need of a challenge. She decided to take the upper hand. "Changing the subject…aren't you forgetting something?"

"You would hardly ask if the answer was no, so…yes?"

"It's our one-week anniversary, and you haven't said anything!"

His forehead furrowed thoughtfully. "It is true that I asked you to the theater"—he checked his pocket watch—"almost exactly seven days ago, but you did not agree to date me until after midnight. Therefore, our one-week anniversary is not until tomorrow."

"Psh! We were hugging and holding hands already before midnight. It was a foregone conclusion." His eyebrows shot up at that, but she pressed on. "And anyway, we hadn't gone to sleep yet when I gave my answer, so it still counts as part of that day."

"That is an imprecise method of determining what constitutes a day."

She rolled her eyes. "It's been a week."

Darcy sighed. "Fine. It has been a week." Then he propelled himself up and out of the room. When he returned a minute later, it was with a gorgeous mass of red and white roses. "Happy anniversary, my love," he said, smiling as he handed the bouquet to her.

"Oh! These are so beautiful. Thank you!" she exclaimed, holding them up to touch and smell. Then, "I thought you said it wasn't until tomorrow."

His answering look was somehow both innocent and smug.

Lizzie admired her flowers for another minute, then set them on the coffee table and patted the cushion beside her in invitation. "I have a surprise for you, too," she said as he re-seated himself. "Jane called last night to say she's coming home this weekend."

"I thought you said she was overwhelmed with preparations for fashion week?"

"She convinced her boss to let her work double shifts instead of just overtime for the next week to make up for it. I told her she'd run herself ragged, but she said this was more important. She's going to take Lydia to the community theater on Saturday. They're screening The Wizard of Oz and then performing Wicked."

"I am glad to hear it. You did say Lydia had been missing her."

Lizzie smiled. He still hadn't caught on. "Which means I'm free on Saturday evening," she said meaningfully.

"Won't you wish to be with your sisters? You haven't seen Jane in some time."

"That's what the rest of Saturday and Sunday are for. I think Jane would like some one-on-one time with Lydia, and…I think it's important to make time for us, too."

His smile at her use of that pronoun was sudden and tender, and his voice gained a current of excitement. "Official first date then? Unfortunate lack of Tolstoy notwithstanding?"

Lizzie nodded, grasping one of his hands between hers. "Official first date. Just us, no secret videos to watch or crises to try to fix. I will personally clobber anyone who tries to interrupt us."

Darcy opened his mouth, probably to say something impossibly sweet and loving about being understanding if something did come up. Then he apparently decided to put his lips to better use. His hand came up to caress the side of her neck, and their kiss ignited.

%%%

That's all, folks! I would like to thank, from my heart, everyone who read, followed, favorited, or (especially) took time to review over the last six months. Writing this story was rewarding in itself, but interacting with you all made this such a special experience!