Last chapter, alternative chapter. It requires more suspension of belief, but they live happily ever after with each other. Let me know which ending you prefer!

Anyway. Can't believe this took me so long, but I can finally take it off my to do list. Also, feel free it give me any constructive criticism on my writing, if you have tips.

...

"He left the next day." Her voice cracked and she looked up at the ceiling, willing the tears to seep back in. She was laying on her back across Meg's sea foam green covered bed so soft it almost felt like drowning, Meg sitting in a chair across from her.

"I know it's hard. It's for the best though."

"Is it? I hope so. I feel nervous. Like I'm having a little panic attack all the time. I can cry on command. I miss him. I loved him. I really did. I think I'm realizing that I've never loved anyone like that before and I made him leave."

"You made him leave because you loved him."

"I'm never going to see him again." Elizabeth couldn't stop the tears from leaving now. She could feel them trail down the corners of her eyes into her hairline and ears. She flipped over and buried her face in the down comforter. She turned her head to the side. "I'm sorry. You probably didn't think you were inviting over a crying pathetic loser."

"Well, I wasn't sure about the crying, but you've always been a pathetic loser."

"Har. Har."

Meg sat on the corner of the bed and began to smooth Elizabeth's hair. "It's ok. You've got me. We'll get through this."

"Can I sleep over? I can't go back to an empty apartment again. It's like I know he's not going to be there, but my body doesn't. Or maybe it's my subconscious. Maybe it's the dog part of me. I keep opening the door, expecting a scratch on the ear like so many times before, but there's nothing. But the feeling doesn't go away. I'm just waiting."

"Of course. As long as you don't mind sharing my bed. My roommate complains when I let people sleep on the couch. She says in scares her."

"That's a good idea. Let's go see a scary movie. I'll scare the depression out of me."

"That's the spirit."

Time passed both quickly and slowly. It had been more than a year since she first met him. She still thought about him often, enough to drive her a little crazy, but was she was able to think of him less, sometimes succeeding. At times it was a clear ache and she could list a hundred things she missed about him from his smile and his hands to his curiosity and conversation to his warmth and the solidness of his presence. But, recently, more times than not, she almost couldn't say why exactly she missed him. Finally, she was moving on. The rush of that feeling was exhilarating.

When he had first left and the grief was raw, she had begun to see him around the city. The first time she was walking along the river to meet a friend when she spotted him. On second glance it wasn't him; just a tall stranger, nobody to her. This began to happen too often. Out of the corner of her eye, she would spot someone who looked like Darcy. Her heart suddenly thumping and her hands shaking until a second glance confirmed it was not him. These moments happened less and less, but her mind was so used to being tricked by his phantom visage, that she wasn't surprised when she thought she saw him on her run one warm October morning

She slowed to take a second glance, but the man ahead on the park bench still looked like him. His hair was longer. He kept a week's growth of beard. He seemed more relaxed than Darcy had ever been on a park bench or anywhere besides her apartment for that matter. He was bent over a book, his legs stretched out in front of him. He was wearing dark jeans and a green button down short sleeve shirt. He was long and lean and her heart was about to drop out of her chest because he wasn't morphing into a stranger. She took her ear buds out and draped them around her neck, walking slowly along the path towards the park bench.

"Darcy?" Her voice came out as a whisper.

The man looked up. His brow furrowed over those familiar brown eyes Elizabeth had once described as being the color of a bayou. "Elizabeth." He said softly. "Elizabeth. I never meant-" He put his book aside and stood, reaching for her, but deciding against it. He shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Darcy? What are you doing here? I can't believe it's you. How did you get here? Why are you here? Wait. It's you, isn't? I'm not going crazy?"

Darcy seemed at lost for words. He reached out to grab her hands, but stopped and brought them back down to his sides. "You're not crazy. Elizabeth, I have so much to tell you. But this isn't how I meant for you to find me. I was planning to come see you soon. I truly was. I've missed you. Inordinately. You must believe that."

"You were planning to see me soon?" She sat on the bench staring ahead to try a get her bearings and he sat down beside her.

"It's complicated. I have so much to tell you."

"This is surreal. I don't think I've ever used that word correctly until now." Elizabeth stared at him in disbelief. She reached her hand up to stroke the harsh stubble on his face, poking her finger in his cheek and then smoothing his earlobe between her fingers, her hands trembling. He smiled slightly before she began, "I never thought I would see you again. You're really here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She dropped her hands, shaking her head and then putting her earbuds back in. "I can't do this right now. I have to finish my run." She could feel tears welling in her eyes, a flurry of emotions coursing through her as she tried to process his presence. Quickly, she stood and began to sprint away.

"Elizabeth—" Darcy called as she jogged away. Puzzled, Darcy stayed at the park bench, waiting. He waited for twenty minutes before Elizabeth came sprinting back.

"Darcy," she wheezed, leaning down and putting her hands on her knees. "I…sorry…" She put her finger up, asking for minute as she caught her breath. Darcy looked at her expectantly willing himself not to smirk at her gasping for breath, face bright red. But underneath his amusement he was afraid of what she would say. In his plans, she would see the final product and understand why he didn't come to her immediately. He knew what it would look like to Elizabeth to have him lounging in the park in the 21st century without ever having contacted her.

"Elizabeth I know what you must think of me. I know this looks deceitful, among a number of other things, but it has all been for you."

Regaining her breath, she wiped the sweat from her brow, choking out, "Can you walk with me?"

"Oh. Yes. Of course."

They began to walk down the trail. Elizabeth stayed silent, with so much to say she didn't know where to begin. Her silence began filling him with trepidation. He couldn't help but try to explain.

"I did go back to my time at first. As you know. I lived in my townhouse in New York for a month, but I was miserable. The knowledge that you were out there, living, speaking, laughing, being and I was missing it. I tortured myself for hours thinking of what you were doing and the plans you were making. I began to make my own plans to sail back to England and reestablish a life there and find a suitable wife. But the week I was meant to board the ship, I became very ill. I suffered from an exceedingly high fever so much so that I was bedridden for weeks. I overheard the doctor speaking to my valet that I was close to death. I began convinced also that I was to die, but I was so— I was so frightened, to be honest. I knew I couldn't die, not yet. When I finally healed and I had strength to leave my bed I knew what I must do. I knew that there was no life worth living that was not by your side. But, I knew I could not show up to your door penniless and living off your charity."

Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak, Darcy spoke quickly to stop her, "I know you never resented it, but I knew for our lives together to work, I needed something of my own. I needed to be somewhat of a person of the 21st century. To have a life with and apart from you.

When you were at the hospital, I often filled my days Googling and learning as much as could, as you know. But I refrained from divulging that I was also learning about social security cards and birth certificates and apartment leases as a matter of precaution in the event that you could not come back with me."

"But, you never said anything about that. Why didn't you tell me?"

"You seemed so certain that we could not make each other happy, that I became convinced also. We are from two very different societies. Either one of us would be forever out of place. One of us cleaving on to the other. I began to understand your position, but being without you made me realize I would live any life to just to live it with you."

Elizabeth opened her mouth to speak and then closed it.

"I took everything that would be of value here. I sold whatever property I had and exchanged it for gold and silver. I took any adornments or items of value I could transport in the pockets of my great coat and a bag. The first day I took everything to a few places I researched: pawn shops, jewelry stores, antique dealers, et cetera. From there I had enough money to secure a very small apartment and begin to take classes to receive my GED next week. My plan is to apply to some local universities by the end of November."

Elizabeth's head swam. She stopped suddenly. "This is insane. How are you doing this without any ID?"

Darcy shrugged. "Here I had to bend a few principles of mine. I had to get fake papers."

"What? How? I don't even know how to do that."

"It's all on the internet, Elizabeth. It only takes some research."

"Okay. Fine. So you are here with a fake birth certificate, social security card, state ID? And you are going to be attending college next fall. And you have your own apartment. Totally normal. I think I need a minute." She walked into the grass and leaned against the nearest tree. Darcy stood in front of her, his hand moving to touch her and pulling away before he did. She sat in the grass and began to fiddle with the grass, pulling it slowly out of the earth, blade by blade. He sat carefully next to her.

"Well, how do you like it?" She asked.

"I beg your pardon?"

"How do you like living here? On your own?"

He hesitated. "I've grown accustom to it. In some ways I quite prefer it. I like reading on a bench in the park without the faintest idea of who anyone is around me and no fear that anyone will come to introduce their niece or grandmother or uncle's cousin. Other days I am quite overwhelmed. I am lonely. But I've been trying to build something. I believe I am succeeding despite the snail's pace."

"When were you going to tell me?"

"After I received my acceptance to university."

"That could be in the spring! Darcy…"

"Don't be angry, Elizabeth. I wanted something solid, so you could see I could build a life here too."

Elizabeth let out a sigh. "I'm just, I'm overwhelmed a bit." She shrugged. "I mean look at you, you're sitting in the grass, looking almost comfortable. The way you talk has changed a little too."

"Elizabeth, I know we've only just been reunited, but are you…courting anyone?"

"No."

"Are your feelings as they once were? Do you think it's possible that we might have a life together?"

"Darcy, I love you. I do. I still love you." He smiled broadly and leaned over, capturing her mouth with his.

After a moment, she broke the kiss, covering her face with her hands and let out a groan. "I think I need a moment or two. It's like…" she paused to find the right words, moving her hands down her face to cover her mouth before reaching out for his hands. "It's like you're back from the dead. I thought I would never see you again. I mourned for you. And now your back, but just not back. You're different."

Darcy pulled his hands back, frowning, "Different?"

"Besides sitting in the grass, you have an apartment, and plans, and I don't know, everything. It's good; it's just- I feel like I have whiplash." She gave him a small smile. "Saying this out loud is helping my brain get that this is reality, though. I'm just trying to process this. You."

Neither of them spoke for a long time.

After a while, Darcy finally spoke. "You are angry with me."

Elizabeth groaned softly. "The thing is- I'm not. I feel like maybe I should be. Should I be? Darcy. I'm happy to see you. I'm just processing. This is kind of a bombshell." She lightly touched his chin and then his cheek. She slid her hand down the cotton of his sleeve then to the warm skin of his exposed arms and then settled her fingertips in his hand, pinching his fingertips. "I wish you would have told me you've been here this whole time." He began to speak, but she interrupted him. "But, I can see why you didn't. I've missed you so much. I've thought about you every day. If we—if I did the right thing."

"Let's not spend time talking about regrets and the past. All I want is this. Do you- I mean to say—Are we—"

She stopped him. "Can I see your apartment?"

He smiled and stood up, brushing off his jeans. "It's actually in the neighborhood. I have to warn you though, it's quite small. Not even a bedroom. It is two rooms, with the, er, bathroom." He reached out his hand to help her up. She grabbed it, relishing for a moment the feel of her hand in his, the shiver it sent through her body.

She stood up and squeezed his hand softly. "I'm impressed, Darcy. Renting an apartment, everything. That must have difficult to navigate."

"Yes and no. I bought the apartment, actually. I could not bring myself to have a landlord. Call me a snob if you'd like."

"You bought a place? Wow."

"I want to remind you that it's very small."

"Well, in that case, I'll have to take back my 'wow," she teased.

The walk to his apartment was twenty minutes. He filled her in on the process of taking the SATs, the long nights studying, the frustrations of failing practice tests. There was an ease about him still that was new to her. She could exactly explain how she knew was different; he just was.

They arrived at small building with a store front bodega and walked up three flights of stairs to a blue door.

"This is it," Darcy said softly, pulling a key out his pocket and putting it into the door, his hand shaky.

"Are you nervous?" She smiled at him, teasingly.

He turned to her, hand resting on the door knob. "Yes," he said frankly. "Everything I've done these three months has been building to this. Now, you're finally here." He turned back to the door and pushed it open.

It was small, but cozy with brick walls and a fireplace. The kitchen area was directly to the left with a mini fridge and stove. A simple, but high wooden bed was pushed into the furthest corner, next to a large window with long cream curtains. The bed had been carefully made with dark green blanket and wrinkled linen sheets. A grey couch was on the wall facing the fireplace with stacks of books piled on other side. There was a wooden oval coffee table in front of it, with neat stack of papers and jar full of pens. Next to the fireplace were more stacks of books of various genres and age.

Her heart ached at the room. The sight of his work and study and careful neatness. The thought of him here alone here all these months. The clean smell of him in the apartment that reminded her mint and rosemary. It was suddenly real to her. He was here. He was here for good.

He turned to her and shrugged and before she knew what she was about she kissed quickly and softly on the lips. She stepped back, blushing. "This is tiny," she said gesturing to the room.

"It's 300 square feet."

"At least you can have a bed and a couch."

"It doesn't matter all that much as I have no visitors. You are my first."

"No kidding. Why did you choose this neighborhood?"

"It was the only other area I knew besides yours. I couldn't reside there for obvious reasons."

"Yeah." Elizabeth colored and walked over to look out the window- a dismal view of any alley way.

The silence became awkward. There was too much to say for things to be said casually.

Darcy finally forced himself to speak and to be frank. "Things keep changing so rapidly between us. One moment we are kissing, now we are acting as if we are mere acquaintances."

Elizabeth ducked her head and kicked at invisible dirt on the ground, unsure of what to say. "Not what you were envisioning for us?"

He laughed softly. "Not at all. I thought I would get accepted into the university and then go to your apartment. I would explain that I couldn't live any life without you and that I was determined to live and work here. I would tell you that I had an apartment, an acceptance letter to university, and a small income, and—"

"Do you?" Elizabeth interrupted.

"Pardon?"

"Do you have a small income? I mean, you have a job?"

"Yes. For now I am a shop assistant at an antique store. But I hope to one teach history at a university."

Elizabeth lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "How do you pay for everything?"

Darcy paused.

"Sorry, sorry. Too nosey. Too personal."

"No." He took her hand. "No. Nothing is too personal. I'm doing this for you. I'm just not accustomed to speaking of money in such a way. I bought this apartment out right. With the money I made selling what I had brought here. It was an extraordinary 400,000 dollars. I was still able to deposit some savings into a bank. But I am poor, Elizabeth. All I own is 300 square feet and I have but 100,000 left in a savings account for my tuition. I have not much to offer but myself. I have only the hope of the future. I know I cannot take care of you in the way that I would wish, that you deserve, but I will love you the rest of my life. I will support you and debate with you and cook for you and listen to you and even brave my fear heights for you. You need only to say yes."

Elizabeth felt the tears in her eyes as she up reached and lightly touched the stubble on his chin and then laced her fingers in his. "Darce. I love you. I do. It's just been so long. I haven't seen you nine months. I was so empty when you left and I've just gotten to the place where I'm starting to feel whole and then you're back. Again. I want to start right back up with you. But I'm scared. I mean it might take a while for me to get there again."

He let go of her hand, studying her face with a crinkled brow.

"Then may I court you?"

"Like a date?"

"Yes, let's," he paused thinking of the right words. "Let's go slowly. No expectations."

"Okay," Elizabeth smiled.

"Will you have dinner with me tonight?"

"Yes."

"Is this as slow as you were hoping?"

Elizabeth laughed, relaxing, "I've missed you so."

He reached out to give her a tentative embrace, but as Elizabeth stepped closer to his body, he couldn't help but pull her close and lay his cheek on the top her head, inhaling her scent and relishing her warmth, her being. It had been a long, lonely year and he was finally here with her. He felt his body relax as a feeling flooded through him that he hadn't felt in a long time. Bliss.