'Utonium,
Scott and Anne Xenon are being hospitolized after a motor vehicle accident. The cause is unknown. Their daughter was not harmed during the incident; however, her parents are comatose. Seeing as they cannot care for their child at this time, guardianship falls to you. She is under your protection.'
Upon finishing the letter, the Professor found himself in a state of intense shock that made his legs weak. Luckily, he found himself in the living room and sought refuge on the couch.
As the initial shock wore off, however, the Professor realized that several things about the letter bothered him.
First of all, there was no number to offering to have questions and concerns addressed. "It's as if they don't want me to have any more information." He frowned indignantly. No one had bothered to even sign the note; why not? Was the writer hiding something? He rolled his eyes as he re-read the last line:
'She is under your protection.'
As if he didn't know. He even found himself becomming annoyed at having been addressed as simply 'Utonium', the way his old college roomate always had.
The Professor let his emotions run wild inside him for a few minutes before taking a deep breath, numbing himself to the chaos. He couldn't think straight if he allowed himself to become petulant and paranoid.
He knew why. He knew the reason for his current lack of knowledge. Anne and Scott were like this. They had warned him the day they asked him to act as Lizzie's godfather. He remembered Anne's words as if it was only yesterday:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Don't let what has happened to us distract you. Lizzie will need you more than ever if anything was ever to keep her from our care.'
'I understand,' The Professor remembered himself replying, but Anne hadn't seemed convinced.
'Promise me,' she had taken his hands into hers, 'Promise me that you won't take any action to avenge us, or to find the culprit...' she had trailed off.
The Professor had become very concerned, 'Avenge? Culprit? What do you mean? Are you and Scott in some sort of danger?'
Anne had shooken her head, 'You never know what the future will bring...' she looked deeply troubled for a moment before perking back up, and the familiar light shone in her eyes. 'Don't change the subject.' She smiled, dropping his hands. 'Promise, me, please.'
'I promise.'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was their wish not to be his concern. Lizzie always came first, just like his Girls always came first.
"As their friend, I must respect their wishes."
He hated himself for saying it. He wasn't going to check up on his best friends? Even though he knew it was what they would want, he felt horrible.