Falling Like Snow

Eight | The Beginning

Giving in to awakeness, Lizzie opened her eyes, frowning when she did not immediately recognise her surroundings. Sitting up abruptly, she gasped as the previous day came flooding back to her. She was at Pemberly!

Scrambling for her phone, which was charging on the bedside table, she sighed with relief to see a message from Jane.

I presume that you're stuck at Pemberly. Feel free to bring William back with you if you can make it through the snow to Netherfield. It's should ease off by tomorrow.

Typing out a quick 'Merry Christmas!!', Lizzie slipped out of bed, dressing herself in clothes she had borrowed from Janna's room. Blearily - why did everyone always wake up at six AM on Christmas Day? - she shuffled down the corridor. With the daylight hours so short, the hallway was dim, and Lizzie found herself disorientated. Aiming in what she thought was the general direction of the kitchen, she winced at the sudden transfer from darkness to light.

"Ugh." Adjusting to the brightness, Lizzie grinned to see William stood awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen. "Oh! Hi."

"Morning, Lizzie, darling - did you sleep well?" His voice was sleepy, and he looked as half-asleep as she felt.

"Uh-huh. Oh!" It sounded foolish that she had briefly forgotten that today was Christmas of all days, but she had been rather busy thinking about something - or rather someone - else. "Merry Christmas!" 

He grinned, then pouted playfully. "Do I not get a Christmas kiss?" Giggling, Lizzie crossed the floor before kissing him lightly on the lips.

"Merry Christmas, Lizzie," he breathed, pulling her into a tight hug. When he eventually pulled away, he took her hand, as if to assure himself that she was more than just a Christmas miracle. "So... Do you want your Christmas presents now, or later?"

"Presents?" Lizzie groaned. "As in, plural? But I've only got one for you - and it's back at Netherfield."

"You're the only Christmas present that I need," William replied, so seriously that she blushed and dropped his gaze.

"Oh, go on then. Now will do..." 

"I thought so," he crowed. She kissed him again - only to wipe that smug look off his face, naturally. There were no other reasons - none whatsoever.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

William took very little convincing to agree to join the party at Netherfield; he was just as loathe to be parted from Lizzie as she was to be parted from him. In fact, Lizzie had barely finished asking the question when he gave his enthusiastic agreement. After opening her gifts from William (several books - one of which was 'Little Women', by Louisa May Alcott, as William said it was 'a crime not to have read such a classic', and that Lizzie and Jo were 'so similar it was scary' - in addition to a beautiful protective case to carry them in), they donned their coats and trudged through the snow to Netherfield, where they were both pleased to find steaming mugs of hot chocolate.

"With marshmallows?" Lizzie had demanded.

Jane, ever prepared, had answered, "Naturally," with a roll of her eyes. As Lizzie had known she would, Jane glanced between the two suspiciously. "Are you...?" She trailed off.

With a raised eyebrow, William replied, "I don't know, are we?" before leaning down and kissing Lizzie for longer than was appropriate for polite society. Jane didn't mind though, practically jumping up and down with joy. "Finally!" she burst out. With a bouncy walk which was almost a skip, Jane rushed away, calling, "Charles! Charles!" as she went.