Love Happens - a pride and prejudice fanfiction

Eighteen years later

AN: Okay, so I take back my previous statement. I am gonna update here too. I hope you guys will enjoy it.

Eighteen years since the Bennets' arrival-

"Lizzy! Where are you, child? Lizzy!" Mrs. Bennet's voice echoed throughout Netherfield, but no Lizzy came.

The whole household had assembled to greet their guests, William and Colonel Fitzwilliam. And now the whole family was searching for Lizzy, whom the good Colonel had enquired about.

" It is quite alright Mrs. Bennet . I am sure I will meet Lizzy sometime or the other during my stay at Pemberly. " said the Colonel smiling.

"You are too good to my mannerless daughter, Colonel. She just won't listen to whatever I say. That child has this effect on my nerves!" Mrs. Bennet said dramatically. Hearing that, William started smirking.

Jane threw him a stern glance and spoke to her mother."Mamma, I am going to look for Lizzy. Lydia, come with me." And bowing to the Colonel, she walked towards the grounds, a grumpy Lydia following her.

In the woods

Cool air rushed past her face, her wild brown hair flying behind her, and her lips curled into a wonderful smile as Elizabeth Bennet ran freely, not caring about the world and definitely not caring about what her mother would say on seeing her disheveled condition.

She was thinking of returning home, when she saw two figures walking towards her- Jane and Lydia.

"Why are you two here?" she asked panting.

"Were you running again?" Jane asked disapprovingly.

"I asked a question first!" said Lizzy, easily avoiding the question.

"Well, William is here."said Lydia. Lizzy made a face at that. Lydia always knew the right words to rile Lizzy up.

"Okay then. Call me when that Mr. Darcy leaves." Saying so, Lizzy turned to go away, when Jane stopped her by saying,

"He has come with Richard, you know."

"Richard is here? Oh, its been so long since he came to visit. What are we waiting for? Let us go before that Mr. Darcy drags him away!"

Lizzy said, all in a breath, very excited to see the Colonel.

"Richard! Oh my, you are here at last! I thought that you would never come." Lizzy said elated.

"How could I not come to meet you, Lizzy? My, you have become a beautiful young lady now. Can three years change a person so!" Richard said , equally excited to meet his very good friend.

At that, Lizzy glowed with pleasure , William snorted sarcastically, and Mrs. Bennet commented , "Oh, Colonel, you must agree that even though Lizzy looks tolerable enough, Jane is the real beauty."

"Surely Mrs. Bennet, but Lizzy is definitely not just tolerable!" said the Colonel, laughing inwardly at Mrs. Bennet's antics to pair him up with Jane, something she had started up since Jane was fifteen.

Richard Fitzwilliam or the now Colonel Fitzwilliam was the second son of the Earl of Matlock and a cousin to William and Georgiana. He used to spend his days at Pemberly in his childhood. Though being over five years senior, he had Lizzy as a very good friend.

"Let us go home now, Rich. Bingley and his sisters will be arriving any moment now!" said William, not liking Lizzy being the centre of attraction.

"Who is coming, William dear? " asked Mrs. Bennet curiously.

"My friend from Cambridge, Mr. Charles Bingley, is coming to stay with us for the summer along with his sisters. And before you ask Mrs. Bennet, yes, he is a good looking man of five and twenty and has five thousand a year."

"Oh my! How good for my daughters! Oh William, I know you asked him to come so that he could marry one of my daughters."

"No, mamma. How can you expect the ever proper Mr. Darcy to even think of such a devious plan, let alone act on it!" Lizzy said, a plan taking form in her mind.

Hearing that statement, which was infact true, William got annoyed and said,

"Yes Mrs. Bennet. Even though I didn't think much about it, I must say I considered the probability of him marrying one of your daughters!"

At that, Lizzy grinned triumphantly. Her work was done. She had made him own something which he hadn't even thought about. Now all she had to do was to say the punchline.

"Really, Mr. Darcy? Oh goodness, I had never ever dreamed that you would behave in such a conniving manner. I do not believe that it is befitting a gentleman of your stature." Lizzy said with mock horror written on her face.

"Yes, William. Even if you did it with a good intention, I must say that it was wrong to think that way." said Mr. Bennet, knowing what his daughter was up to and deciding to play on.

With that, Lizzy grinned at her victory, William and Richard turned all red, William with anger and embarrassment, Richard with controlling his laughter.

"Come now, William. We will have to hurry and welcome our guests." Richard said.

"Yes, yes let's go. After all, I have to warn him all about one wild Miss Bennet before we bring him here."

With that, he bowed, grinning at Lizzy's irritated face and dragged Richard out with him.

That night, Mrs. Bennet lay in bed excited about the fact that a young man was out there at Pemberly, a perfect prey for her schemes. Maybe, she thought, Lizzy would do for Mr. Bingley. But making her behave would be a herculean task. No, it should be Kitty then. Definitely not Jane. She should marry the Colonel. He surely liked her. Mrs. Bennet fell asleep in the middle of her thoughts, a smile still etched on her face.

Poor woman. Little did she know that all her schemes were but for nought as things were going to go its natural way.

Maybe Jane should have been the excited one. Or maybe even Lizzy. It was purely because of the arrival of this young man that these ladies were going to have the love of their lives.