NOTES: Lizzy's POV— talking with her father. Next chapter is gonna be ~*interesting*~ (lots of POV switch, if it plans out how I think it might). Anyway, I'll post it soon. Y'all have a great night/day, and please leave me a comment if you like something! ❤️ ~Vinny

As Lizzy gaped at her father, Mrs Bennet exclaimed, "Oh hush! Don't make jokes like that— you're scaring her!"

"My apologies, Lizard," Mr Bennet chuckled, ambling into the room. "I thought it was a universal truth that once diagnosed with cancer, you get to make jokes about dying around loved ones."

"No it isn't!" Mrs Bennet called, retreating back into the kitchen, "It's just you being an ass!"

He barked a dry laugh at that, and swiped an orange. As he began peeling it, Lizzy watched him attentively, smiling a bit. "Hi, dad. It's good to see you."

"Good to see you too," he said, breaking off a slice. "Want one?"

"Ah, no thanks."

"Suit yourself," her father shrugged, popping the orange slice into his mouth. Lizzy looked him over as he chewed.

He was thinner than she remembered. He had a hollowness to his cheeks that hadn't been there before, and his arms shook as he methodically stripped away the orange peel. Despite this thinness, his stomach was bloated, pooching out of his undershirt like a child trying to hide a water balloon. His skin was stained a slight goldish, and when he turned his eyes to her, Lizzy had to stifle a gasp.

Underneath his graying, bushy eyebrows (the one part of his hair that was not receding), his dark green eyes were a molding mix of yellow and blood. Veins crackled through the sticky yellow flesh of his eyes. Heavy bags pulled down on his cheekbones; a sign he was not sleeping.

Mr Bennet sighed, and put down the orange. "Lizzy, are you alright?"

"Yes," she answered, frowning, "I came to see if you were."

"Oh lord, don't turn into one of those nagging children," he said, winking, "they're worse than the cancer."

Lizzy's eyebrows scrunched together in worry. Her father put a shaky hand on her shoulder. "Come on. Let's talk in the study." He leaned in whispering dryly, "Away from prying ears."

She looked past them to see Mrs Bennet hovering, very obviously trying to NOT look like she was hovering.

Lizzy half-smiled, and nodded. "Yeah. The study would be good."

Mr Bennet inclined his head with a slow smile, and shuffled towards the study. Lizzy followed him, absently picking any orange peel that he dropped along the way. Within a few seconds, they reached her favorite place in the house: her father's 'private' sanctuary.

The room was cramped and small, but with all the bookshelves, bobbles, nooks and crannies, and general clutter, it felt more cozy than anything. Sunlight streamed in, filtering through dust clouds billowing up like fireworks around moth-eaten curtains. The whole room was warm and brown and smelled like wood shaven honey.

Lizzy breathed deeply, and took in the smell of home.

"So," her father said, carefully lowering himself into the high-backed office chair, "What's on your mind, Lizard?"

She bit her lip nervously. "Dad.. why didn't you call me… when you were in the hospital?"

Mr Bennet's smile fell away under the veined hand that passed over his face, lingering as if he were trying to wipe away his youthful vigor.

"Sweetie… I…" He stopped. "I don't really have an excuse, you know. I just… It was over before it really began. And I didn't want you to have to rush down all the way here just to bicker with your mother over my safety, when I was perfectly fine."

"You were not PERFECTLY FINE," Lizzy said fiercely, leaning forward. "You had such a bad reaction the insurance company paid for your surgery— just so we wouldn't sue!"

"Oh, was that what that letter was?" Mr Bennet asked mildly. "I wondered what it was about."

Lizzy put her face in her hands, elbows on her knees. A headache was developing behind her temples.

Her father's hand— now that it was closer, Lizzy could see the sickly yellow tint to his wrinkled flesh— landed softly on her knee. She looked up. His dark green eyes, though gold and bloodshot and bagged, with still as kind as they always were.

"Lizzy..," he said, gently, "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

She pulled him into a hug. "How can I not?" She whispered into his frail shoulder. "I- I'm not… I'm not ready to lose you, Dad. Not yet."

He pulled back slightly, and kissed her forehead. "I know, little Lizard. And.. as much as I joke and sneer, I'm not going anytime soon. I won't leave you just yet."

She held him a bit tighter.

"Besides, the surgery will give me more time," his voice rumbled from somewhere above her. "It's the silver lining we've been waiting for. It's all getting better from here. I'll be fine, Lizard. Don't you worry about a thing."

Lizzy nodded, biting her lip and trying hard not to cry. She had done enough of that today.

"Enough with the gloomy stuff!" Mr Bennet exclaimed, jokingly shoving her away (though Lizzy noticed, with a pang, that his strength was a shadow of what it used to be). "What's new with your life?"

Shit. She hadn't prepared for that question. "Well… I… uh..," she stalled for time.

How the HELL did she respond to that? ' My boyfriend who I loved more than I've ever loved anything just turned into a horrible snob and drunkenly screamed at me in public, and I left him and now I feel like shit?' Or maybe the classic 'I'm fine?'

She forced a laugh. "Oh, you know me! I'm.. fine!"

Her father gave her a dubious look. "Yes, I DO know you, Liz. So cut the crap. What's happened?"

"I.. uh, got a new job!" Lizzy deflected expertly.

"Was it at the CIA? If so, color me shocked, because you'd fail EVERY lie detector test with that attitude."

"It's as a lawyer's secretary," she said, giving her father an 'I don't want to talk about it so back off' look, "Favor from a friend."

He held up his hands, palms forward. "Look if you don't want to tell me…"

"No, no," Lizzy shook her head. "Just… you'll be okay if I start crying, right?"

Mr Bennet smiled— genuinely— revealing that silver molar hidden behind his cheek. He settled back in his chair. "Bring on the tears, the wails, the whole hurricane. I'm ready."

"Okay.." She breathed in, settling herself. "It all started when this.. guy…"

"OH It's a guy thing! Should we grab your mother?"

"AS I WAS SAYING," Lizzy said sternly, earning a laugh from her father. "It all started when this guy.. walked into the cafe, wearing a suit and talking on the phone…"