14Disclaimer: Do I need a disclaimer since Pride and Prejudice is part of the public domain? Well, anyway, I don't own The Lizzie Bennet Diaries or any of its characters.
Flutter
The shrill beep of the alarm clock ripped Lizzie and William from their sleep.
"Will," Lizzie murmured to her husband. "Hit snooze." Will groaned, but shifted unwillingly to the side table and tapped the alarm clock three times before finally hitting the snooze button. Squinting at the florescent red glow, he attempted to rub the fatigue from his eyes. "Lizzie, why is the alarm set for five instead of six?"
Her response was mumbled incoherently into his shoulder. His eyelids drooped, but his lips quirked upwards. "What was that?"
"Hm," She shifted. "I have a conference call with London. Our 5:30am is their 1:30pm." Grudgingly, she lifted herself up—letting out a deep yawn. "Their stupid 'lunch' conferences." She stretched her arms upwards and felt the pressure in her muscles release.
"You go back to sleep. I'll reset the alarm." Leaning down, she gave him a quick chaste kiss before taking a deep breath and pulling off the covers, cringing at the instant cool air hitting her bare legs.
She scurried tensely through their bedroom, running her fingers through her knotted tresses while trying to zip her dress up with one hand and silently running through her outline for the conference call. She hurried to the washroom to brush her teeth, and returned to an empty bedroom. Assuming her husband had decided to get in some work done early, she continued on in her morning rush, adjusting her panty hose so that they didn't ride up.
Another yawn worked its way across her cheeks as she settled on to the edge of the bed, feeling a bit queasy—most likely from rushing around so early without any caffeine in her system, she assumed.
"Coffee?" She looked up and a slow smile stretched across her face. "I have never loved you more than in this moment." Will chuckled softly, handing Lizzie a steaming mug. "I think you'll stand corrected in a moment." He pulled a tupperware from behind his back and smirked. "The raspberry danish from the Pemberley Digital cafeteria that you love so much. I brought it for dessert last night but we were…otherwise occupied."
She bit her lip and grinned up at Will. "You're right! I love you more right now than the day we got married." Grabbing the tupperware excitedly, she tore off the lid and took a nice whiff of the flaky pastry. The smile slipped off her face as she shoved the box into her husband's hands and tore through the room. William was unable to get in a word before the washroom door was slammed close, and the sound of retching reverberated through the walls.
"Lizzie," He knocked hesitantly on the door. "Are you alright?"
After a beat, a voice called out. "Fine!" The door opened and Lizzie came out—looking slightly green, but otherwise all right.
"You said last night that you'd been feeling better." He pushed a strand of hair from her slightly damp cheek, behind her ear.
"I was," She smiled sweetly, not wanting to worry him. "It comes and goes, but it's just the flu. Not a big deal."
"Maybe you should stay home and rest."
She waved him off. "Too busy. No time to be sick. "
"Lizzie—"
"I'm fine. You worry too much." She patted his cheek. Frown lines marred his forehead, and he looked as though he wanted to say more but was holding back.
"Don't worry." She insisted, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"I have to go. I'll be getting the call in…" She looked around him to the clock. "Oh! —eight minutes!" Giving him a kiss, she said her goodbye and hurried off—grabbing her shoes and her phone before hastening out the door and yelling out a quick goodbye and a 'have-a-good-day-honey'.
About an hour later, the strangely short phone conference was over, and Lizzie strode into her office building fully awake, and clutching the cinnamon latte she'd gone twenty minutes out of her way to purchase from a little café on the other side of town—not something she usually liked, nor was it something she made a habit of doing, but she had been craving it for days now.
"'Morning Lizzie!" Lizzie's assistant looked up from her computer as her boss strode in.
"Good morning, Anna. You're in early." Lizzie smiled.
"I had some emails to catch up on. Didn't want to fall too far behind, we've been getting so many lately."
Lizzie nodded, "Good, good. So what do I have going on today?"
"You have a meeting with Mr. Andrews from accounting at 9:30, and Ms. Emmett at eleven."
"Ms. Emmett?"
"One of the actresses you've been auditioning for the new series."
"Oh, right! Of course. Anything else?"
"You have a doctor's appointment at noon."
Lizzie furrowed her bow. "I do? Is it possible to reschedule that?"
"I can, if you'd like, but your afternoon has already been cleared in order to make time for your check-up. And you haven't been doing well this past week because of the flu, so it wouldn't be such a bad idea to take advantage of your already scheduled appointment."
Lizzie bit her lip. "We're all really busy here."
"We promise to take care of your company. It won't implode if you leave for a few hours, I give you my word."
Lizzie nodded slowly. "Okay." She waited an extra moment, contemplating whether or not she should go ahead and cancel the appointment—they really were busy—but ultimately decided against it and strode off into her office. Visiting the doctor's may not be a terrible idea, she conceded as she felt her stomach churn for the second time that morning.
Hours later, after a mind-numbing meeting with accounting about facts and figures that included one too many bar graphs, and a meeting with an actress she was considering hiring, Lizzie was gathering her purse and jacket in preparation to leave and head down for her doctor's appointment.
However, arriving in the waiting room, Lizzie couldn't shake the feeling that she should be doing something more productive, so she took out her phone and proceeded to read some emails Anna had forwarded to her in the last week.
"Mrs. Darcy," Lizzie looked up. "Come with me, dear." A kind-looking old nurse waved her over, and led her to the examination room.
"I'll just need to ask you some standard questions before Dr. Joyce arrives."
Lizzie nodded, though she was very self-aware that her knee was shaking impatiently as she fiddled with her phone. Finishing this appointment as quickly as possible would be good; she wanted to get back to work.
Being measured, weighed, poked, prodded, and forced to pee into a cup was not Lizzie's idea of a particularly fun afternoon, but eventually Dr. Joyce walked back in the examination room with a file in hand and a pensive spark in her eyes.
"Well, good news. From what I've seen today, you seem to be perfectly healthy. It will take a few more days for the results of a few of the tests to come back from the lab, but I'm sure you have nothing to worry about." Dr. Joyce looked up from her folder with large smile.
Lizzie bounded off the examination table. "Great! Thanks Dr. Joyce. I'm sorry, but I have to run—"
"Wait, Lizzie! There's one more thing."
Lizzie did her best to hold in her groan of annoyance and turned back, fidgeting impatiently. "Yeah?"
"Do you want to sit down?"
"I'm good," Lizzie pressed. "I really have to get going." At this rate, she was going to have to skip lunch to catch up.
Dr. Joyce's lips stretched in an effort not to laugh. "I think this is something you'll want to sit down for."
Lizzie opened her mouth to protest but held herself back and grudgingly moved back over to the table, jumping up onto the edge. She gestured for Dr. Joyce to speak.
"You're pregnant, dear."
Instantly, Lizzie was grateful Dr. Joyce had urged her to sit down because had she been standing, her knees may have given out beneath her. She made a conscious effort to keep breathing as her eyes widened, and the rest of her body froze.
"I'm…" She took a deep breath. "…pregnant? Really?"
Dr. Joyce's smile softened and she placed a comforting hand on Lizzie's stiff shoulder. "Yes, really."
They hadn't been trying to get pregnant…but they hadn't actively not been trying either. Truthfully, she hadn't really considered the idea further than as a fleeting thought. That maybe someday she and Will would have kids—it filled her stomach with butterflies to think about. But…it wasn't just an idea anymore her brain finally registered.
Because she was…pregnant.
"Oh my god."
Dr. Joyce's eyes crinkled worriedly. "Are you alright, dear?"
"Ye—" Lizzie's voice cracked. She cleared her throat loudly. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine—great. I think."
The older woman smiled kindly. "Come, we'll book your first prenatal appointment."
Lizzie nodded, a small smile lighting up her nervous features.
With her first prenatal appointment booked, and a warm hug as a send-off, Lizzie stepped out of the building into the cool San Francisco air. She breathed in the fresh air as she strolled around the block, her mind sprinting a million miles a minute, before she decided there was no point in going back to work—she was far too distracted to really study any sort of finance report—they weren't interesting even when she wasn't pondering the biggest news of her entire life.
She was greeted on the other end with the cheery voice of the company's intern informing her that her assistant was out to lunch.
"I'll let her know when she get's back, Mrs. Bennet."
Lizzie thanked the young girl and hung up, continuing her stroll before her aimless wandering brought her in front of a brightly lit storefront. She vaguely recognized it as the shop she'd spent the better part of an afternoon in about a year ago when she was baby shopping for Jane and Bing's newborn son.
Before she could fully stop and reflect further, she pushed open the bright red door and walked in, the trill of the bell ringing behind her.
There was a faint smell of…baby? What did babies smell like anyway? She'd never paid much attention. Lizzie pondered over the calm, sweet atmosphere of the store before she was coaxed from her thoughts by the sight of a small pile of bodysuits and coveralls. One in particular caught her eye and she felt her lips stretch into a smile as she gingerly picked up a soft yellow coverall, covered in—she grinned widely, "Bow ties,"
She felt so overwhelmed as she clutched the tiny outfit near her chest and gazed around the store. Deciding that it would be better if she returned with Will, she headed straight for the cashier.
"Just this, please." Lizzie unwillingly handed over the onesie to the thoughtful-looking store clerk.
She paid and as she turned to leave, the woman called over, "Congratulations dear,"
Lizzie's eyes immediately dropped down at her stomach.
"Oh no, you don't look pregnant. You just have that look in your eyes. Most new mothers have it—a mixture of excitement and nerves."
Lizzie kept this in mind as she roamed the streets, eventually finding her way to the Pemberley Digital office building. She had planned to wait until they were home later that night, maybe at dinner, but she felt that if she kept it in any longer, she might explode. She needed to tell someone.
Many of the Pemberley Digital employees recognized her—either as Elizabeth Bennet, CEO of their rival company, or as Mrs. Darcy, their CEO's wife. Also, Lizzie wasn't sure, but she was certain that at least a handful of them also used to follow the diaries.
Mrs. Reynolds was seated at her desk, typing frantically while her eyes skimmed the lit screen of her computer. She looked up as Lizzie approached her desk and smiled warmly. "Hello Lizzie,"
"Hi Mrs. Reynolds. How are you?"
"Wonderful, and you?"
Lizzie couldn't stop the cheesy grin from returning to her cheeks. "Amazing."
Attempting to wipe the overly obvious grin from her face was harder than it seemed, and she just about gave up. "Is he busy?" She pointed towards the large door behind Mrs. Reynolds' desk.
"No, I believe he's just reading through some non-urgent contracts at the moment."
Lizzie smiled at her luck and headed towards the door, rapping loudly against the dark mahogany.
"Come in," Will's deep voice resounded from inside.
Opening the door, she peaked in. "Hey," William looked up with a smile and walked over. He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.
"I thought we could maybe get lunch, if you're not busy."
"I would love to." He strode over to his desk, straightened his files, and capped his pen. "Didn't you mention last night that you were so busy you were worried you wouldn't be able to even have lunch?"
"I had a doctor's appointment a few blocks away." She offered. "After that, I was just too distracted to go back."
He furrowed his eyebrows worriedly. "Are you alright?"
She smiled, "Yeah, I'm fine." He nodded, "Actually, I have some news."
Will raised his eyebrow, but remained silent, gesturing for her to continue.
"Close your eyes." His cocked eyebrow descended into a furrow. "Don't make that face, just listen to me. " Lizzie giggled.
He closed his eyes and Lizzie quickly shuffled through her bag, pulling out the soft yellow onesie. "Now, hold out your hands." She could tell that Will was starting to grow suspicious, but did as he was told anyway.
Hesitating for only a second, Lizzie took a deep breath and placed the small outfit into her husband's outstretched hands. "Okay, you can open your eyes now."
William unfolded the soft fabric and stared quietly for a few seconds, before his breathing stopped alarmingly abruptly. Lizzie stared worriedly as he grasped the cloth tightly before finally shuddering out a breath. "Lizzie…" He looked to her for confirmation—that he wasn't misconstruing the situation in any way—as though he could.
Lizzie smiled and nodded; feeling pricks in the back of her eyes. He let out a sharp breath before his lips stretched into a wider, happier grin than Lizzie had ever seen on her husband's face.
Suddenly, she let out a shriek as she felt strong arms encircle her waist and her feet lift off the ground.
"This is fantastic." Lizzie heard Will whisper softly. She then felt, rather than saw, his smile relax, but his arms tighten around her, as her feet once again found the floor. They stood in their embrace for several more moments, before pulling away.
Tracing her cheek softly, he leaned down, and touched their foreheads together.
Lizzie's laughter bubbled over as she sniffled. "Oh god, we're gonna have to tell my mother."
William chuckled, "It may destroy her poor nerves."
"It'll definitely destroy our eardrums." Lizzie mused. "And honestly, I'll probably regret saying this when we finally do tell her she's gonna get a second grandbaby, but I'm just too excited to care about her reaction right now."
William leaned down and swept her in a searing kiss, tangling his fingers in her tresses, while pulling her in as close as he could. Her hands clasped the nape of his neck, and stood shakily on the tip of her toes.
Breathlessly pulling away, Will looked down tenderly and smiled. "Me too."
Standing with their arms around each other for a few more moments, Lizzie finally grinned and reluctantly pulled away. "Come on, I'm hungry. I'm eating for two now!"
Will chuckled as Lizzie slipped behind him and scurried over to the coat rack, while gently placing the onesie back in her purse. She stepped to the side and looked out of the window. "Maybe we can try that new Italian place across the street. Apparently it has amazing spaghetti and—oh, hello." William had snuck up behind and snaked his arms around Lizzie's waist, resting his hands softly on her barely perceptible bump. She covered his large hands with her small ones, and gently caressed his with her thumb.
He pressed his lips lightly to her neck, while she giggled breathlessly. "We're having a baby."
He hummed and continued to pepper featherlike kisses across her exposed neck, shoulder and collarbone. "I'm gonna be a mom, and you're gonna be a dad, and we're gonna be parents that have to raise an actual human being, while doing our best to not completely screw them up." William paused and raised an eyebrow, looking over at his wife thoughtfully. "This just got really real." She whispered tensely.
William tightened his arms around her, being careful not to put too much pressure on her stomach. "You'll be an amazing mother." He whispered soothingly.
Lizzie smiled. "You're gonna be a pretty incredible dad yourself." She elbowed him lightly as she leaned her head back and pressed it into his chest.
"We're gonna be fine." She said it convincingly.
They turned to look at each other, and he stared at her with such a wonder in his eyes, she felt her heart was about to burst.
"Yes, we are." He said it convincingly, too.
Lizzie took a deep breath. "Ok, seriously, your child and I are starving. Let's go!" She patted his hand and drew away. "I really want that spaghetti. Ooh, and bread." Intertwining her fingers with his, she pulled him towards the door.
"Our first real meal as a family is gonna have all-you-can-eat garlic bread, just so you know."
William chuckled and nodded along, too incandescently happy to argue that while all-you-can-eat garlic bread may taste delicious, it most certainly wasn't healthy for a growing foetus. He would research healthier foods tomorrow—today, he simply wanted to celebrate with his beautiful wife.
Lizzie couldn't stop a grin from stretching her face as she and William sat for lunch. As they sat, arguing over when they should share the news ("William, I want to tell everyone too. Hell, I want to shout it from the rooftops, but we should wait until the second trimester, just to be safe.") with a large plate of pasta between them, Lizzie swore up-and-down that despite it being too early to feel any sort of kicking, she had felt a flutter.
"The baby is the size of a green olive right now." William remarked, "It seems that the baby normally begins any kicking at around twenty weeks, and you said you're only at nine weeks. I'm not sure it's even possible to feel any movement at this point." William read from his phone.
Lizzie shook her head stubbornly, and insisted. "No, it was the baby."
He smirked. "How can you tell?"
She smiled—grinned. "Mother's intuition."
"Well, who is science to argue with that?" Will slipped his phone back into his pocket and took Lizzie's hand in his, interlocking their fingers.
"Glad you understand." Lizzie leaned forward. "So…what do you think we're having? Boy or girl?"
Will shrugged, "I'm not sure."
"I think we're having a boy." Lizzie said thoughtfully.
"How can you tell?"
"I don't know…it's just a feeling."
William snarkily raised an eyebrow. "Mother's intuition again?"
Lizzie grinned, "Good, you're catching on."
Their chuckles softened as she reached down to cover her stomach with her free hand—and there it was! That flutter again! Lizzie was positive it was the baby, even if it didn't make scientific sense. She looked back up to see William watching her with unwavering adoration, and she couldn't help the prickle behind her eyes.
"I'm really, really happy." Lizzie whispered; the warmth burned inside her—consumed her.
He brought her fingers up to his lips. "Me too."
If you guys are interested in a follow-up chapter where Lizzie and Darcy tell everyone the news, please let me know. I have a few ideas floating around about it! :)
Random note: I think that legally, Lizzie would change her name after she and Darcy got married (or most likely, just added it on; Bennet-Darcy) but she would definitely keep Bennet professionally (for obvious reasons), which is why the nurse called her Mrs. Darcy, but her intern called her Mrs. Bennet.
Anyway, so I hope you somewhat enjoyed this fic! I haven't written one in quite a while (at least not one I've been able to finish) but I have like 9 semi-written LBD fics saved and I had to finish at least one of them before summer vacation was over-it ends on Tuesday.
So yeah...hope you enjoyed, and reviews are greatly appreciated!
-LH