Chapter 17

Lizzie was trying to process the words that had just come out of Coop's mouth. She couldn't have heard him right.

" What did you say?" Lizzie asked, wanting him to repeat what he had just said.

Coop looked a little embarrassed, and was shocked at himself for what he just told her.

"Coop, did you just say what I think you just said?" Lizzie asked again.

" Lizzie, look, I…" Coop started to try to deny it, but knew it wasn't working with her.

" Coop, you just said that you love me, am I wrong or am I right?" Lizzie asked again, trying to get something out of him.

" You're not crazy. That is what I said, and I meant it. I love you, I do." Coop finally managed to get out.

" I can't believe this," Lizzie said in shock. " I never thought I would ever hear you of all people, say those words to me."

" Well, believe it, because I just did and I meant them." Coop reassured her.

" Wow, that is a lot to process right now." Lizzie said.

" What is there to process? I said I love you, that's all you need to know." Coop replied, wanting to know what she was so worried about.

" Look, Coop, you know, the thing is, I am going to get sicker and sicker even to the point of maybe dying, and I don't want you hanging around for someone who is just gong to die on you." Lizzie said, voicing her concerns.

" I have already told you, I am not going to leave you because you have cancer. I am not. I just got finished telling you how much I care about you, and that was not goodbye. I have all the faith in the world in you that you can make it, and I know that you will." Coop continued. " You are one of the most stubborn women I know, and you will go down fighting if you have to."

" Coop, there is something you should know. There is something I wanted to tell you when we got up to the mountains, but right now is definitely the time to do it." Lizzie said, preparing for the first time to honestly tell someone how she feels about them.

" What?" Coop asked, curious as to what she had to say.

" I love you too." Lizzie said, feeling relieved that she got it out. " You have more faith in me than I could ever have in myself. I don't know how I could have made it through any of this without you, but I am also really worried about you. I don't want you to stick around when I could be…" Lizzie got interrupted.

" I don't feel obligated to stick around," Coop started. " I am sticking around because I want to and because I love you, and that is all there is to it." Coop said, sticking to his word.

" Since we are on the subject of, love, and everything I think there is something you should know about me, and that might determine if you still want to stick around." Lizzie said, preparing to embarrass herself, but she wanted to be honest.

" What?" Coop said, curiously.

" I am just going to say it. I am a virgin and I plan to stay one for a very long time." Lizzie said, watching Coop's face the whole time.

" Well, that was unexpected." Coop said. " What brought that on?"

" I am not accusing you of anything, Henry, it's just you're a guy." Lizzie said, trying not to laugh. " And guys have certain needs."

" Okay, why are you telling me this now? Have I done something to make you feel pressured?" Coop asked.

" No, it's just I want to make my intentions very clear from the get go. I don't mean to be harsh, but I made a promise to my daddy before he died and I plan to keep it." Lizzie explained.

" Your dad talked to you about this kind of stuff?" Coop asked.

" Well, he really had no choice. My mom got involved with that crazy lunatic Edmund Winslow and she got into some major trouble and to make a long story short, we all thought she had died, so my dad took over and raised me and James alone. We had the sex talk, yes." Lizzie continued. " He asked me to promise him that I would wait until I was ready and really in love before I slept with anyone, and that was preferably after marriage."

" So, you promised your father you would wait until your wedding night to sleep with anyone?" Coop asked, shocked.

" Yes. Do you think that is stupid?" Lizzie asked.

" No. I admire you for that. Not many people would make a promise like that and be able to keep it. But I have no doubt that you will." Coop said. " But I want you to know, I would never pressure you into doing anything. I respect that you want to wait and I will not go against your wishes." Coop said, trying to prove himself to her.

" I know that you will. I just wanted to get that out in the open." Lizzie said. "Now, should we head on to the mountains?" Lizzie asked.

" Yes, I guess we should." Coop said, getting up and getting Lizzie's hand. " Ladies first."

" Thank you." Lizzie said, and got back into the car, preparing to finally go on their trip.

Phillip had promised Gus and Alan Michael he would stay away from the mansion, but he couldn't. He wanted to see the misery that Alan was going through. He had to be very careful so that Alan wouldn't see him. He peeked around the corner into the main living room at Spaulding. There was his father with a drink in hand just staring in a daze.

Alan was sipping his drink and thinking about what the last chunk of his life had been about. He had killed his son. His beloved son who he loved more than anyone else in the world.

" Phillip, why did you make me shoot you? Why did you make me kill you?" Alan wondered aloud. " You brought it all on yourself you know."

Phillip was listening to his father and decided he had heard enough and started to back up, but not before running into some boxes in the hallway.

" Who's there?" Alan shouted and got up and ran towards the hallway.

Phillip was running as fast as he could out of the hallway and he rounded the corner just as Alan opened the doors to the hallway. He saw the back of a familiar head running out of the hall.

"Phillip!" Alan yelled!

Spoilers for Chapter 18

Lizzie and Coop enjoy their romantic getaway

The trip is cut short when Lizzie gets a call about her mother

Beth is deathly sick and Lizzie is the only one who can help her

Lizzie makes a difficult decision

Phillip manages to escape unseen

Alan spirals out of control

New Spoiler for down the road:

Beth has been diagnosed with Hepatitis C as a result of her rape years ago. A female blood family member is the best match for the liver donor. Beth will need half of a liver to survive. If Lizzie goes through the procedure, she takes two risks. One, everyone would find out her secret and two, she takes a huge risk on her life as the procedure can have deadly consequences. Will Lizzie risk her life to save her mothers?

Whitney