NOTES: Darcy's POV. Very sweet, very cuddly. Tugs on your heartstrings. I'll post again very soon— until then, stay hydrated, and have a good day/night! Thanks for reading so far ❤️ ~Vinny

Fitzwilliam Darcy didn't like hospitals. Not many people did like them— sterile walls and sick people everywhere— but he thought (only slightly pretentiously) that his reason was different.

Darcy hated hospitals because of how at home he felt there.

When his mother had fallen ill, he had spent months practically living in the waiting room. Then when his father had gotten in the car crash, years later, Darcy had worn a dent into the carpet— literally.

He carefully stepped around the footprints of where he had once grieved.

Mr. Bennet was not yet conscious. He had poked his head into the hospital room, and found a sickly man, thin as a rake, laying still in the bed. Lizzy hadn't yet gone in. She had whispered brokenly that she didn't want to see him with his eyes closed.

Darcy wished there was more he could do for her.

When he returned to the chair he had left her in, curled up like a cat, outside the open door of Room D23. Her head raised a few inches when he entered.

"Hey," she croaked. Lizzy's lips were cracked, her eyes puffy.

"Hi," he whispered.

His heart tugged him forward, into the chair beside her. Carefully, Darcy handed over one of the steaming coffee cups. Lizzy took it.

"How are you feeling?" Darcy asked.

"Let's change the subject," she replied, the ghost of a smile disappearing behind the extra layer of steam.

He nodded. "Okay."

She took a sip, and pulled back, sleepily surprised. "You got whipped cream? Where would you get whipped cream here?"

"Oh, I… I have my ways," Darcy said, slightly embarrassed.

He didn't want to tell her one of the nurses had flirted with him, and offered him into the fully-stocked break room. He, of course, had stolen some creamers and sugar and an extra cup of coffee, all without giving her his real name.

Lizzy grinned at him a little. "C'mooon, tell me.."

"I'd… really rather not."

She pulled back. "Oh. Okay."

Darcy.. was a bit taken aback by that. Lizzy.. had never taken No for an answer with teasing, before. Darcy wasn't sure he liked this new, cautious version of his love. It felt fragile. It felt like… she was treading carefully, with everything she said to him. He didn't like it. He was so worried about her.

Darcy avoided conversation, for only a moment, by taking a long drink of coffee.

His tongue shied away from the boiling coffee, but he gulped it down anyway. He needed some liquid courage, but he had long since given up drinking. Ever since the gala.

Darcy wiped his mouth carefully with the side of his hand. "So.. do you… like your new job?"

She shrugged, "It's alright. Keeps me busy, ya know."

He did know. But what he didn't know… he wasn't sure how to ask.

Darcy coughed, lightly. Lizzy looked up at him, her green eyes tired, and soft. "Was, uhm…" Darcy really didn't know what he was doing. "Was that guy… at the desk… your.. new… uh…"

Thankfully, Lizzy caught on before he could finish his sentence. Turning bright pink, she squeaked, "Wait, Joey?! No! Absolutely not! He's— an old friend. Ex-neighbor. I used to babysit him, actually."

He tilted his head. He had once heard that 'old friend' was code for 'ex-boyfriend,' except she had said.. "Wait, babysit?"

Lizzy laughed softly. "Yeah. Joey looks a lot older than he is— He's 17. Still in high school. He just works around the office to earn a little extra cash."

"Ah." Darcy shifted in his seat, uncomfortable. "I'm.. glad." Lizzy gave him a strange look, and he rushed to say whatever she might want to hear. "I- mean… it'd, uh, be fine if you.. were…"

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say. Lizzy drew away from him, looking embarrassed and ashamed. "Joey.. is like a little brother to me."

He tucked his chin, and looked away. Why was it so hard to talk to her all of a sudden?

"Plus…" He looked over at her again. Her lip was caught between her teeth; a sign of worry, and hesitance. Lizzy's green eyes lifted to his face. "Plus… I'm not over you.. Fitzwilliam."

I never could be over you, Lizzy Bennet.

The words stuck in his throat. He pulled her into a hug. Burying his face in the warmth of her neck, Darcy whispered, "I never was over you, Lizzy. I… I'm so sorry.. for what I did."

He could feel her hands in his hair. He had missed the subtle way she tugged at his curls, the way her nails brushed his scalp.

Darcy hadn't gotten much sleep when they were apart. Her scent of mint and peaches had lingered on his pillow like morning dew; never quite there, never quite gone. He had lived through so many sleepless nights… and for a while, Darcy had almost been convinced… that he would have to get used to sleeping alone. He knew he could never spent the night with anyone but her.

His arms tightened around her, pulling her even closer. Darcy wasn't sure how he could have made it another day, another hour, another MOMENT, without Lizzy in his arms.

She was his missing piece. He never wanted to let her go.

"So..," Lizzy said, "What now?"

He retracted his arms, and kissed her forehead. "You tell me. I don't want.. to put any more stress on you right now, Lizzy. I just want to.. be here. With you."

Her breath was a wave of hot air stumbling through the creases of his shirt. "I… I don't know.. anything… about the future, right now..."

Darcy's breath held in his chest.

"...I just know I want you with me."

He let it out. That was good. That was.. that was good. "Then we'll take it slow," Darcy murmured, nuzzling slowly into her. "One step at a time."

She nodded into him. "That sounds… really good. Th.. Thank you."

Lizzy must have been emotionally exhausted, because she fell asleep on his shoulder, not ten minutes later. Darcy savored the feeling of her gossamer curls, weighing him down. Later, she shifted awake, mumbling something about her phone and work.

Darcy assured her, he'd take care of it.

She only let him go once he promised he'd be back soon. And even then, her emerald eyes followed him out of the room. Both lovers felt an acute ache, as soon as they lost sight of each other.

Darcy picked up his pace, just a little. He needed to get back to her.

He didn't know what the future would hold, but if there was one thing Fitzwilliam Darcy knew— it was he had found his place in the world. Wherever Lizzy Bennet was.. it was right by her side.