Dedicated to the memory of Roy Dotrice, the amazing actor who played Father (as well as many other rolls during his lifetime) who passed Oct. 16, 2017. May he rest in peace.

Now, bear with me. I have this more or less written out in my head, but when it comes to physical writing….to quote Baymax "I am not fast" (which is why it took me nearly a month to put out the first chapter). More will be coming, I promise.

The door slid open, revealing the stone tunnel on the other side. The dim passage led into the world that had been a second home for him for most of his life. Just a short time ago, he had received a message asking him to come as quickly as he could. Of course, that wasn't nearly as fast as it would have been 20 years ago, but still, he would do his best.

Eventually, Peter reached the main hub of the Tunnel Community and made his way to the library. He was just coming down the stairs when a young woman was coming from the other end. "Peter, you made it," she greeted.

The elderly doctor gave her a smile. "Of course I did, Samantha. I may be slowing down, but I still do what I can. Is everything alright?"

Samantha's face fell a bit. "I think so, but…well, you know how tight lipped and stubborn Father can be. He really didn't even want me around. Mary's with him, though."

Peter gave her a sympathetic squeeze on the shoulder. "I do know. And I also know that he knows as well as I do what a good nurse you are. Don't worry, honey, I'm sure you did your best. You go ahead a do whatever you were going to do, I'll go see what I can do."

She nodded. "Good luck." With a last little smile, Samantha left the study.

Peter watched her go with a gentle smile before sighing and turning around. He wasn't sure he wanted to find out what he was fairly certain he was going to. But he also knew that he couldn't abandon his oldest friend, either. For quite some time now, he had noticed that Jacob Wells seemed to be becoming weaker and frailer. Of course, neither of them were young men anymore and it was to be expected. But that didn't make it an easier idea to deal with.

Pulling up his courage, he made his way across the library to the small chamber in the back that was Father and Mary's private room. He tapped his cane on the entry to announce his presence before stepping in. "Hello, you two. I came as quickly as I could when I got the message." He gave the couple a friendly smile. Father was sitting propped up in bed with Mary sitting at his side.

Father turned a glare on his wife. "Mary, I told you not to bother Peter."

She just gave him a look. "Yes, I know you did. And I ignored you. You can't keep up like this, Jacob. I know how you are, but things are going too far."

Peter pulled up a chair and sat down beside the bed, setting his medical bag on the floor beside him. "Alright now, you two. Don't get started. So, why did you send the note, Mary? What happened?"

Father continued to glare at Mary, but she ignored him. "He's been ill for some time now, but he's refused to admit to anything. Now, this afternoon…."

Peter held up a hand. "Alright. Why don't you start at the beginning? What sort of symptoms are we talking about?" He had a feeling he was going to get most of his information from Mary instead of from Jacob himself, but either way, he hoped to get to the bottom of what was going on.

Mary ignored the looks she was getting from her husband, knowing that it was for the best to tell Peter what was going on. "Well, at first, I didn't think much about it. None of us are as young as we used to be." She gave a sad smile, looking down at her hands that had begun to tremble a few years back, making it difficult for her to do the more delicate detailed work she used to, but she still did her best. "But now, thinking back over it, I realize the signs have been there for some time now. For months, he's been getting weaker, tiring more easily. The last couple of months, he's been getting short of breath easily, complaining of chest pains. And lately, I've noticed swelling in his feet at night when he takes off his boots and it seems he has trouble breathing when he's lying down. I've been trying to convince him to talk to you about what's going on, but he's refused. But after this afternoon….well, I couldn't keep it a secret anymore."

Peter felt like his heart was simultaneously in his throat and in the pit of his stomach. But he was still a professional, so he pushed his own feelings aside to do his job. "What happened this afternoon to finally make you call for me?"

Father was glaring pure death at her now, but Mary simply glared back at him before answering Peter. "Shortly before we sent the note asking you to come, Jacob fainted. And I'm not talking about some minor syncopal event. Thankfully Samantha and I were close by. We were able to catch him enough to carefully lower him to the floor so he didn't get injured. He was probably out for at least a good minute before he came to again. Once he was awake enough, we brought him in here to rest."

Peter nodded. "Well, you did the right thing. But of course, I'm sure you know that." Bending down, he dug in his bag briefly and pulled out his stethoscope before shifting forward on the chair. "Alright, Jacob, you know the routine."

Sighing, knowing that he would never win this fight, Father shifted in the bed and opened his shirt to allow Peter to listen to his heart. Having a good idea exactly what he needed to check, Peter placed the head of his stethoscope to the left of the center of his chest. He only had to listen for a moment before he sighed, removing the stethoscope and sitting back with a sad sigh, shaking his head. "Oh, Jacob."

Father pulled his shirt closed again, nodding. "I thought so."

Mary looked between the pair, confused by the exchange. "You thought what? Do you know what's wrong? One of you tell me what's going on here."

Peter's gaze turned accusatory. "You haven't told her yet?"

Father shook his head, looking down. "No. I….didn't wish to upset her."

Peter was stunned. "You didn't want to upset her?! My God, Jacob. I knew you were thick, but sometimes…." He made a disgusted sound.

Mary became got even more confused with each word. "Please! Tell me what you're talking about."

Peter glared at Father. "You tell her, Jacob, or so help me, I will. She deserves to know." He left no doubt that he meant it. Sometimes, his dear friend needed a good swift kick in the rump.

Father sighed, knowing Peter was right. He could feel that he didn't have time to keep the secret any longer. "Mary….my love, I'm so sorry. I should have told you." He paused a moment, taking a deep breath. "I'm afraid….I'm dying."

Mary was in shock. "You're….what? No. How? From what?"

"A heart murmur. More specifically, an aortic regurgitation."

"And….how long have you had it?"

"In a minor form, probably for most of my life. But a few months ago….I started noticing some symptoms. I asked Peter to check it, and it had gotten worse. I'm assuming it's degraded since then." Peter gave a nod in agreement.

"But….isn't there anything that can be done? Some sort of….medicine or treatment?"

Peter shook his head. "I'm afraid it's progressed to the point where the only possibility would be surgery to replace the valve, and even then…at his age, in his condition….I don't even know if he would survive the anesthesia, much less the procedure itself."

"My darling, I'm sorry. I knew all of this before. I made my choice."

Mary turned on him, fire leaping into her eyes. "And what about the rest of us? Did you even think about us when you made your decision? We're just supposed to sit back, do nothing and watch you die, then go on with our lives like it's nothing?" Making an exasperated, disgusted sound, she got up and all but ran out of the room.

Father quickly moved to try and stop her. "Mary, please…!"

Peter put a restraining hand on him. "Let her go, Jacob. This is a lot to process. I'm sure she'll come around after a while. If there's one thing I know for certain, it's that she loves you."

Father sank back into the bed. "Yes, she loves me. And I love her. And….I've betrayed her, in one of the worst ways possible. You were right, Peter. I should have told her before."

"So why didn't you?"

He shook his head. "I….thought I was protecting her. Sparing her the pain of knowing."

Peter gave a snort. "Really? So you just thought that you would all go along, happy as can be, then what? One day, she'll wake up next to your dead body? Wonderful idea, Jacob."

Father sighed, looking down at his hands. "Yes, I know. It was stupid of me. But….I suppose my reasoning doesn't matter anymore. She knows the truth now. I'll just have to try and make it up to her while I can."

Peter shook his head, letting his anger fade. It wouldn't do any good. Not like they could change what was already done. "Yes, that might be a good idea. But as I said, she loves you. I'm sure she'll forgive you."

Meanwhile, in a different part of the Tunnels, Catherine and Vincent were returning from an after work/pre dinner walk, just chatting contently about their day, when something caught their attention. "Wait. Do you hear that, Catherine?"

Her ears weren't quite as keen as his, but she had learned over the years to hone what ability she had. She stood quietly for a moment, listening, then nodded. "Yes. It sounds like someone crying."

"We should see who it is and if there's anything we can do to help." When Catherine nodded her agreement, Vincent led her in the direction of the sound. Coming around a corner, they entered the far end of the chamber that contained the Mirror Pond. There, in an isolated corner, sat Mary. It was obvious from her appearance that she had been crying for some time.

The couple quickly ran to the elderly woman, Catherine scooting next to her on the rock she was sitting on, Vincent standing close to her other side. "Mary, what's wrong? Are you alright?"

She looked up at two of her favorite children, pain and anger waring in her heart and in her eyes. "Yes, I'm alright. As for what's wrong, why don't you ask Jacob." The anger in her eyes was reflected in her voice.

The couple were shocked. They had rarely heard Mary angry, and it was even rarer for that anger to be focused on Father. Frustration, many times, but rarely true anger. "Mary, are you sure? Is there anything we can do to help you?"

Taking a deep breath and letting it out, Mary was able to calm herself some. "Yes, I'm sure. I'm sorry, dears. But don't you worry about me. I'll be alright. I just….need a little time alone to….think some things through."

Neither one was truly convinced, but if Mary was saying she needed some time and space, they would give it to her. "Alright. But if you decide you want to talk, you know you can always come to either of us. We love you." Catherine gave the old woman a hug while Vincent reached out to give her shoulder an affectionate squeeze.

Mary returned Catherine's hug with one arm, placing her other hand on top of Vincent's. "I know. And I love both of you. I promise, I'll be alright."

Leaving Mary to her thoughts, the pair silently agreed that, if they weren't going to get any answers from her, then perhaps they should pay Father a visit and see if he could shed some light on what was troubling their beloved 'mother'. Shortly, the couple arrived at Father's private chamber, tapping at the entrance. "Father? It's Vincent and Catherine. May we come in?"

Father sighed quietly, cringing a little. After the disaster with Mary, he wasn't sure he was ready to face his son and daughter-in-law, but he knew that putting it off wouldn't do any good. "Of course."

The pair entered and were slightly surprised to see a pale looking Father sitting in bed with Peter in a chair beside him. "Oh! Hello, Peter. We didn't know you were here."

"Yes. I just came down a little bit ago. But don't let me interrupt you. Was there something you wanted?" The look on his face hinted that he might know why they were there, but he didn't say anything.

The couple glanced at each other for a moment before Catherine spoke. Though he had gotten better about it over the years, she knew that Vincent didn't really like confronting his father if it could be avoided. "Father….Vincent and I were taking a walk after I got home from work. We were just heading back when we passed the Mirror Pool. We found Mary in there and….she was crying. We went to talk to her, to see if she was alright, but when we asked her what was wrong, she told us to ask you."

Father cringed noticeably at that. He had known she was hurt and angry when she'd run out. But knowing that she was crying, and that he was the reason was almost more than he could take. He felt like an absolute heel.

They noticed Father's reaction, and Vincent stepped closer. "Father, please. What's going on? Is there anything we can do to help either of you?"

Peter looked at his old friend. "Jacob, they deserve to know as well."

Father nodded. "You're right."

Catherine and Vincent frowned, confused and concerned by the brief exchange. "Father, Peter, what's going on?"

Father couldn't look the couple in the eye as he made his confession. "I'm afraid that Mary found out a secret I've been keeping from you all for the last couple of months. Honestly….I fooled myself into believing that I had more time, but…. Peter has just confirmed that I was wrong. You see….I'm dying."

Vincent and Catherine were both staggered by the revelation, Vincent becoming rooted to the spot in shock while Catherine nearly collapsed. Peter quickly stood, reaching out to steady her. "Cathy, honey, sit down. I don't want another patient." He gently guided her to sit on the edge of the bed.

It was several moments before either could process the information enough to continue on. Finally, Catherine spoke. "What's wrong? I mean, what's causing….?" Her brain was still so in shock, the normally articulate lawyer could barely form a sentence.

Still, Father understood her question. "It's my heart. I've had a minor malfunction of one of the valves for most of my life, but it was never really a problem. But now….. Well, I'm old, and it's wearing out. It's not able to function properly anymore."

"How much longer do you have?" Vincent asked, his voice quiet and rough with repressed emotion.

This time, Father turned to Peter for an answer. He sighed. "Well, without taking him Topside and running some tests, I'm really just having to guess here. But, given the symptoms that he and Mary are telling me and what I could hear for myself…..My rough estimate would be…..two months, give or take."

Vincent staggered a little, reaching out to Catherine, who gasped, a hand going to her mouth. "Two months."

"I told him already a couple months ago that the leak was getting worse, and that it was just a matter of time, though then I thought we might have a little longer. I told him already back then that he should have told you all what was happening."

Father moved forward, reaching out for Catherine's hand. "It's true, he did tell me. But….I didn't want what time I had left spoiled by your sadness. I wanted my last memories of my family to be as happy as possible. I was trying to spare you all the pain of knowing. I thought I was doing the right thing, now…." He trailed off, looking down with a sad expression.

Tears in her eyes, Catherine turned to face him. "I understand, Father. You were trying to protect us, as all parents try to protect their children. But we're not children anymore. We'll be here with you, helping you and staying with you right to the end." She leaned forward, pulling him into a careful hug.

Father returned the embrace, holding her close, grateful for the support. It had always been one of his greatest fears that he would die alone, and after Mary's reaction, he had worried that he had brought that exact fate on himself. "Thank you, dearest Catherine."

Unable to make his voice cooperate, Vincent added his agreement and support to his wife's by kneeling beside the bed and enfolding them both in a hug. The trio sat there, crying and holding each other, for quite some time. Eventually, Father kissed them both. "I love you both, so much. I'm sorry for everything."

"No, Father. It's alright. We understand. And I'm sure Mary will come around. She loves you, I'm sure she's just in shock. I can go talk to her, if you'd like," Catherine offered.

Father nodded. "Yes, thank you. And Vincent, would you mind asking William to have dinner sent here for Mary and me? I really don't feel up to facing the whole community right now."

Vincent nodded. "Of course, Father." He hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "Father…would you mind if Catherine and I joined you?"

Father hesitated a moment. "Well…I would like that, but you should ask Mary as well. I don't know how she will be feeling right now. She may not be up for any company."

"Of course, we'll ask. But either way, get your rest, and if there is anything that we can do for you, all you have to do is ask." With final hugs, the pair stood and left the chamber to go about their tasks.

The elders watched them go, and when they were gone, Father gave a relieved sigh, seeming to relax a bit. "Well, at least they don't seem overly put out with me. I was afraid perhaps my stupid stubbornness had gotten me in too deep this time."

"Hmm, Mary? I said before, I'll say again, I'm sure she'll come around. She just wasn't expecting that news and didn't take it the best. I don't think there's anything in the world you could do that would make her stop loving you. Cathy will calm her down, if she hasn't calmed already, and then I'm sure she'll come around. Until then, try not to worry. Stress isn't going to help your heart any. Would you like me to leave so you can try and rest?"

"No, please stay. I won't be able to really rest until I know for sure. You can keep me company until then."

Peter settled comfortably into the chair. "Of course, Jacob." The old friends sat and chatted about whatever random things came to their heads, doing their best to keep things as light as possible to put aside the drama that had all just unfolded.

Meanwhile, Vincent and Catherine went out to the Tunnels to take care of their jobs. "Alright, I'll go talk to Mary, you can talk to William, and we'll meet back in our chamber. Sound good?"

Vincent nodded. "Yes. Will you be alright?" he asked with concern.

She gave him a smile. "I'll be fine. I won't say that I'm not hurting, but…"

"I understand. I feel the same way." He wrapped her in a hug. "See you soon."

She nodded, returning the hug. As they parted, she headed toward the Mirror Pool, hoping that Mary was still there. Thankfully, she was. As Catherine walked over, Mary noticed the evidence of her previous tears and gave a knowing nod. "So, he told you, then."

Catherine nodded, sitting down beside her. "Yes, he did. Mary, I'm so sorry. It's hard enough for me and Vincent, I can't even imagine what it must be like for you." She pulled the older woman into a hug.

Mary gave a sad smile, returning the hug. "Oh, it hurts like hell, but….I'm pretty sure I over reacted when he told me." She looked rather embarrassed. "I'm afraid I yelled at him, then ran out of the room."

Catherine gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sure he understands, Mary. And he's sorry, too. I think he realizes that he made a mistake, but…it's not an easy situation. I can understand why he wouldn't want to tell us something like that."

Mary nodded. "I know. I don't really blame him for it. I was just….so shocked, and scared and…." She looked up at Catherine, tears in her eyes. "Catherine, I don't know what I'm going to do without him."

Not really having an answer, Catherine pulled her into another hug. "I know. I think we all feel that way right now. But I promise that you won't be alone. We'll be right here for you. And…" A thought occurred to her. "If it becomes too hard for you, living down here without him, you can always move into the house with us."

Mary pulled back in shock. "Catherine, are you sure?"

"Of course. I mean, we're not going to force you, if you want to stay here. But we've got plenty of room. It wouldn't be any problem to have you with us."

Mary gave her a smile. "Thank you, dear. It's not many women who would invite their mother-in-law to come live with them."

Catherine chuckled. "Well, that may be true, but you know I love you like my own mother. I want you to be happy, and if that means moving you in with us, I'm perfectly ok with that. Now, are you ready to go back and talk to Father?"

Mary took a deep breath before nodding. "Yes, I think so."

"Alright, let's go." The two stood up and made their way back toward the study. "Oh, by the way, Father asked Vincent to ask William to have trays brought for you and him. Says he's not feeling up to go to the Dining Chamber tonight. And Vincent and I asked about joining you. Father said it was alright with him, as long as it's alright with you. If you'd rather have the time alone with him, we'll understand."

Giving a smile, Mary took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "No, that's alright, dear. I agree, I don't feel up to a lot of company, but the two of you are always welcome."

Catherine nodded. "Alright. But we'll let you have some time alone before dinner so you can work out what you need to."

Mary nodded. "That would be appreciated. Thank you."

They made it to the study and paused just outside the entrance to their private chamber. "Are you ready?" Catherine asked.

Mary took a deep breath and let it out as she nodded. "As ready as I'm going to be."

"Alright. Well, I'm going to go join Vincent in our chamber until dinner." She gave Mary one last hug. "It's going to be alright. You're not alone."

Mary returned it, sighting a little. "I know, dear. I'll be ok." Pulling out of the hug, she gave her a little smile before heading into the bedchamber.

Hearing her enter, both men looked up. Seeing that Mary seemed much calmer than she had when she left, Peter stood up, deciding to let the couple have some time alone. "I'll let you two talk."

"Catherine was going to meet Vincent in their chamber, if you wanted to go visit with them," Mary offered.

Peter nodded. "Sounds like a good idea. See you both for dinner?"

"Of course. They're joining us as well, so you're welcome."

"Alright. I'll see you both then." With that, he left the chamber and caught Catherine just as she was leaving the study. "Cathy. Hold up, I'll join you."

Hearing him call, Catherine stopped and waited, turning to watch him. He could see the emotions playing in her eyes, even if she was trying her best to hide them. He'd known her literally all her life. There was little she could hide from him. Reaching her, he put an arm around her shoulder. "You ok, sweetheart?"

Letting out a breath, she nodded. "Yes, as ok as I can be. I mean, I don't think anyone could be perfectly ok after that sort of news."

Peter shook his head. "No, of course not. Come on. Let's go meet Vincent, then we can talk a little."

The pair made their way down the tunnel to Vincent and Catherine's chamber. When they entered, Vincent was already there, and Catherine left Peter to step into Vincent's arms. He easily pulled her into his embrace, holding her close. "How is Mary?"

Catherine pulled back a little. "As well as can be expected, I think. She's pretty upset, but who wouldn't be. I know I'm not exactly at my happiest right now."

Vincent lowered his head. "No, neither am I. But we will make it through, together."

She nodded. "That's what I told Mary. I just wish there was something we could do or that we knew what to expect."

Peter spoke up now. "Well, I can help you with that, at least to a degree. Sit down." The couple sat on the edge of the bed while Peter made himself comfortable in Vincent's large chair. Once they were seated, he went into physician mode. "Alright. Well, with a condition like Jacob's, it's actually a relatively gentle way to die. Certainly better than say cancer. The valve between his ventricle and aorta isn't doing its job anymore, letting blood flow back into the heart instead of out into his body like it should. This is just going to get worse until the end. Because of this, it makes it difficult for his body to get the oxygen it needs. That's why he fainted earlier. In the end, it technically won't be the valve that kills him. It'll either be his heart or lungs or both giving out eventually from having to work too hard to compensate. But the likely way I see the end coming is that he'll just be feeling weak and tired, decide to go to sleep, and…..he just won't wake up. Peaceful and quiet. Honestly, when my time comes, I wouldn't mind going that way."

The couple let this news sink in for a moment. "And…will we know when…his time comes?"

"Well, you might not know the exact time, but you'll know when it's getting close. I might end up having to put him on oxygen near the end, if he'll agree to it, and he'll likely get very weak, possibly even bedridden by then. So it won't entirely be a surprise, like he seems perfectly fine and healthy one moment, then he goes to bed and is gone. You'll have some warning. As for what you can do….Just be there for him. Make sure that he knows he's not alone, but give him his space if he needs it. And not just for him. Let him know that the family's going to be taken care of once he's gone, especially Mary. It may not seem like much, but I'm sure that's going to be one of his biggest worries. Not what's going to happen to him, but what will happen to everyone else once he's no longer with us."

"I've already sort of seen to that. I offered that if it became too difficult for Mary to stay here, that she could come live up in the house with us." She turned to Vincent. "I hope you don't mind. I know you love her as much as I do."

"Of course I don't mind, Catherine. That was a very generous offer. Just know that she may not accept. After all, this has been her home for most of her life. She may choose to go back to her original chamber, but I don't know if she'll want to leave completely."

"Oh, I know. But I figured I would make the offer anyway. If she doesn't want to, that's fine, but if she does feel the need to leave, she knows she has the option."

"That was actually a good idea, Cathy. And very kind. I know it's not going to be easy for anyone in the community to lose him, but I truly believe that you three, Jake, Carrie and Devin are going to be hit the hardest. After all, as close as he is to almost everyone in this community, Jacob is your family. But I know you all, you'll make it through together."

That was when something hit Catherine. "Oh God. Devin and the kids. How are we going to tell them? When are we going to tell them?"

Vincent wrapped Catherine in a hug. "It's alright, Catherine. We'll figure it out. We can talk it over with Father and Mary later. But I'm sure whatever we decide, everything will work out."

While the trio sat and talked, back in the smaller chamber, there was another conversation going on. As soon as Peter had left, Father and Mary focused on each other. They were silent for a time, neither knowing exactly what to say. Finally, Father broke the ice. "Mary, my love, I'm so sorry. I was a fool…."

Breaking out of it, she came over, sitting by his side and pressing a finger to his lips. "No, Jacob. I understand. I may not agree with what you did, but I do understand why. But I love you, and that matters more than anything."

Tears welled in his eyes as he took her hand in his, holding it tightly. "Mary, please. Say that you forgive me for lying to you; for keeping this terrible secret."

She ran her free hand through his hair, smoothing it back. "Of course I forgive you, you old fool. Just promise me, no more lies or secrets; you will let me be there for you and with you….till the very end."

Father attempted a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Not much time left for secrets or lies, I'm afraid. But I will be glad to have you by my side."

Finally, the reality became too much for Mary, and she broke down into sobs. "Oh, Jacob. What will I do without you?"

His own heart breaking, he pulled her close. "Shhh, don't talk like that, Mary. You'll get along well enough. I know you won't be alone. Our friends and family will make sure of that. You'll still have all the children to love and watch over, and your little gossip group you call your 'sewing circle'." He chuckled, but she could hear the tears in his own voice.

Mary managed a small giggle at his teasing. "Catherine offered to let me move into the house with her and Vincent….when the time comes."

Father felt his heart warm a little. Really, he knew that Vincent and Catherine loved Mary as their mother and would do whatever they could to look after her, but it was still nice to have the confirmation. "I see. Well, that's your decision to make, of course. Just know that, if you do go, you will have my blessing. I just want you to be happy with your life, and if you can't find it here, I understand. I would rather see you happy Above than drowning here."

"I don't know if I'll go or not. But for now, just know I'm not going anywhere. Not until after….." She choked on the words; on the very thought. "I promised when we married 'till death do us part', and I'll be at your side till the moment you're gone."

Overcome, Father pulled her close, gently kissing her before shifting so their heads were resting on each other's shoulders. The couple sat there, holding each other, crying and consoling one another. They exchanged words of love and comfort, knowing that soon they wouldn't be able to do this simple thing anymore.

Eventually, dinner time came and the family gathered in the study. Peter, Vincent and Catherine were all relieved to see that Mary and Father seemed to have made up. They didn't want these two to fight ever, much less when they had so little time left.

The family sat down together at the large table, talking a little while they waited for the trays to be brought. When they were brought, they weren't all that surprised to see that one of the bearers was Samantha, accompanied by a young boy named Kyle. Samantha made sure that she got to be the one to give Father his tray, and after setting it down, she looked him over carefully. "Are you feeling better, Father?"

He gave the young woman a smile. "Yes, Samantha. I'm better now."

Still concerned, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're sure? There's nothing I can get or do for you?"

His smile turned slightly pained as he took her hand, giving it a squeeze. "Yes, I'm sure, and no. Thank you, Samantha. This meal and some rest is all I need right now."

She wasn't entirely sure she believed him, something still feeling off, but she knew him well enough to know that if he didn't feel like telling her something, then there was no getting it out of him. Sighing a little, she nodded. "Alright, Father. But if you need anything, let me know."

"I will. Go on now, don't want to keep you from your own dinner. You too, Kyle. Run along."

Samantha bent to kiss Father's cheek before taking Kyle's hand and leading him out of the chamber. When they were in the tunnel, the boy looked up at the woman. "Samantha, is something wrong with Grandfather?"

Samantha bit her lip a little, thinking over her answer. Something inside told her that something was wrong, but she didn't know for sure, and she didn't want to frighten the boy with her unsubstantiated fears. "I don't know, Kyle. But he has Mary and Peter and Vincent and Catherine with him. I'm sure they'll help him with anything and take care of him. Don't worry, alright? He's probably just a little sick."

In the study, the family tried to keep the conversation light while they ate, not wanting to spoil their dinner when they all knew that they needed to eat. But when they were done eating and the conversation lapsed a bit, Catherine plucked up her courage. "So…before dinner….something occurred to me. Alright, you've told the four of us, and that's good. But…what about everyone else? I mean, we can't just continue on like this and not tell the rest of the community. And what about Devin and the kids? We can't not tell them."

Father sighed, nodding. "Yes, I know you're right. I've been thinking the same thing as well. I know I need to tell them, but….I also don't want to disrupt their lives either. Jake and Carrie are both in school, and Devin has his job."

"Yes, that's true. But the semester is almost over. Jake is set to graduate in two more weeks," Vincent reminded him.

"Yes, that's true. Then he'll be going on to his residency," Father argued back.

"Yes, but you know he plans to do that right here at Belleview," Peter jumped in. "I happen to know the doctor who's in charge of the residents. I'm positive that if I talk to him…well, I can't get Jake out of it, and he would never forgive me if I tired, but I'm sure that Carl will be more than happy to work with him, especially….when it's getting closer to the time."

"Alright. But Devin still has his job, and isn't Carrie planning on taking summer classes?"

"Since when has any particular job ever been that important to Devin? Besides, last I talked to him, it sounded like the one he has right now was coming to an end soon. And as for Carrie…she is, but she's still just a sophomore. If she wants to, she can afford to take the summer off without putting herself too far behind on anything. But, even if all of these things weren't true, don't you think you owe it to them to let them make the choice?" Catherine asked.

Peter looked into his old friend's eyes. "Look Jacob, I understand. You don't want a whole lot of fuss being made about all of this. But to be perfectly blunt, this isn't just about you, you know. It's also about the family and friends who love you who you'll be leaving behind when your time comes. Put yourself in their shoes. If you were them, would you want to know? Would you want the option of having that little bit of time to be with the person you love, to be able to make your peace and say goodbye before it was too late?"

Father sighed, looking down for a moment before nodding. "You're right. I suppose I am being a bit selfish. It's not that I don't want them here. I'd love the chance to say goodbye as well."

"Alright then, it's settled. We just need to figure out when and how we're going to tell them."

"Well, if Carrie's going to take the summer semester off, the sooner she gets everything taken care of to drop the classes, the better." Catherine thought briefly. "Well….tomorrow's Friday. Why don't you two come up to the house for dinner? We can call all three of them afterward. That way, they'll have the weekend to….work through everything. That is, if you're feeling up to it, Father."

He sighed a little. "Well, it sounds like a good plan. I don't know if I can walk all the way there, but we do have the wheelchair…."

Vincent nodded. "I can wheel you over, Father."

He nodded. "Thank you. Then…..I suppose the next night, we can tell the rest of the community."

"We can be here with you for that if you want. Sort of a support and buffer," Catherine offered.

Father again nodded. "I would appreciate it, if it's no trouble. Thank you."

Peter piped in. "And I'll be by either tomorrow or Saturday with some medicine for you. It can't cure anything, but it can slow things down a little, give you a bit more time."

"Thank you, Peter. I appreciate it." Then Father gave them all a serious look. "Now, one thing I want you all to promise me. I don't want my condition to be any more of a disruption to our normal lives than it has to be. We will all continue on as if nothing were happening, do you understand? Even after we tell the family."

"Very well, Father. If that's what you want. We'll do as you ask, for now at least."

Plans were made for the next two days before Peter, Vincent and Catherine left to allow Father to get the rest he needed. When they reached the area where they had to part, they paused and Peter looked at the couple. "Are you two going to be alright?"

The couple looked at each other for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I think so. At least we have each other. What about you? I mean, he is your oldest friend."

Peter smiled a little. "Yes, that's true. But I've known this was coming for a couple months now, so I was a bit more prepared. I can't say I'm happy or anything like that, but…."

"Alright. But with all your looking out for everyone else, don't forget to take care of yourself. If there's anything we can do…"

"Of course, sweetheart. Don't worry about me." With hugs, the trio parted to their own homes to try and settle in for the night.