*Sisters

Intro: I am a fan of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. I have read multiple retellings and I thought I would try my own hand.

"What do you mean you don't know where she is?" Jenny paced around the dorm room.

Her fiancé, Colton, sat on the couch with his arms rested on his knees. His face was haggard. Eyes rimmed dark and bloodshot. He let out a sigh which turned into a yawn.

"How could you lose her?" Jenny's voice cracked. The voice on the other end of the phone remained silent.

Colton got up from the couch and took the phone from her hand. "Katie? Where did you last see her?"

"Jeff White walked her out to his car."

"You've got to be kidding me."

Both Jenny and Colton looked up at the new voice. David stood in the doorway, bags of takeout in his hands.

Emmaline stood behind him her face pale. "What happened?"

"Katie lost Lindsey," Jenny said.

"I told you we should have called the police." Emmaline moved past David and into the room. David seemed to shake himself out of a stupor. He set the food down on the table.

They heard Katie sniffing.

"It's not your fault." Jenny said.

"Just go home," Emmaline said. "We're going to call the police. Martha's already there and the two of you can calm mom and dad down."

"Alright." Katie hung up.

David pulled out his own cell phone. "If you'll excuse me. I have a call to make."

"Where are you going?" Emmaline asked.

David held up his phone and walked out.

Emmaline folded her arms. "I don't get him."

"But you love him," Jenny said.

"That may not be enough."

"David can take care of it," Colton said. Jenny moved over to him and buried her head in his chest. "What are we going to do? If word gets out that our sister is involved outside of matrimony with a career criminal that will be the end of us." Jenny cast a glance at Emmaline.

"So you don't want to call the cops."

"Let David handle it," Colton said again.

Emmaline frowned but with Colton and Jenny engaged in offering words of comfort to each other, she slipped out.

Growing up in a house with six girls was not easy for Emmaline. As the second oldest and coming after the practically perfect Jenny, Emmaline did nothing that was expected of her. She didn't excel at the feminine arts, which would attract her a wealthy husband. Instead she focused on her education as a biology teacher. If she had been a scientist, her family would have been more pleased, though still not exactly happy.

Emmaline sat on the bed and looked at the cell phone. David was perfect. He didn't care that she came from money, and that she was expected to marry someone of equal or higher status. She'd refused to date him at first because he was friends with Colton, who was posh in every sense of the word. Only David wasn't posh. She wasn't even exactly sure what he did. He never talked about his work, and not even talking to Colton would give her any clues. It had only been in the last two weeks that David had admitted to liking her, even if it was against his better judgment.

"You're better judgment? Is that suppose to flatter me?" Emmaline had almost thrown the book she was studying from.

"I am just telling it from my perspective. Our lives are different. It won't be easy. If I ignored all of the difficulties it wouldn't make things any easier, and we won't be able to work through the issues."

"I have issues?"

David raised an eyebrow. "Yes, as do I."

Emmaline pursed her lips. "And how would you solve these issues?"

"Do they have to be solved? I told you I like you, despite your issues."

Emmaline's fingers shook as she dialed the number.

"New York City police Department, how can I help you?"

For a moment the voice sounded familiar. But she had to talk, before her nerves got the better of her. "I need to report a crime." She gave all the details she had and then hung up.

"Emmaline, what have you done?" Jenny stood in the doorway her hands raised to her mouth. "We could have settled this quietly. We don't need other people involved. Katie and Martha won't have anyone even glance at them after this hits the news. None of our friends will want to be associated with us."

"Then they aren't our friends to begin with. True friends won't care what our little sister does. True friends will help us. How can you think so much of our image? Do you think Colton will leave you because of what Lindsey has done?"

"He would never."

"Then believe in the rest of us. You don't think ill of anyone so believe that they won't think ill of us. Be strong. Lindsey will be safe."

Jenny nodded and sat down on the bed. "I just keep thinking there was more that we could do. I feel like I've ignored her with all of the wedding preparations."

"It's not your fault." Emmaline said. They spent the rest of the evening eating ice cream and trying to laugh at an old classic movie.

At two in the morning there was a knock on the door. Emmaline glanced at Jenny who was asleep leaning on Colton. Colton looked like he would stand up but she waved him back. When Emmaline glanced through the peephole. A man in a blue uniform stood at the door, his hat brim covered his eyes He held up his badge.

"Can you let me in?" His voice was muffled. "I have information about your sister."

Emmaline opened the door and stepped outside, closing the door behind her. "I don't want to disturb my sister. She just fell asleep."

"We caught up with your sister as well as Jeff White. They are both in custody though your sister should be clear once the investigation is over." The officer looked up and caught Jenny in a hug.

"Thank you. For calling the cops. I didn't want you to think you would hide behind your money."

Emmaline looked more closely at the officer. "David? You're a police officer?"

David stepped back and took off his cap. "Yes. Is that going to be a problem?"

"You're right, we both do have issues. But if you being a cop is the worst one, I will love you all the more for it."