Chapter Text
"How these two ever got together in the first place? I will never know!..."
He chuckled and watched on.
Caroline Lee was right. Her daughter is very compelling. He always knew that, of course. Sometimes he just forgets how compelling she can be. Which explains why he was awake at 3 am, on a weekend, watching her daughter speak to a camera.
He closed the computer and reached into his favorite drawer. Pictures of picnics, drive-thru's, pizzas, walks... made him smile. Then a folded, yellowed picture caught his eye. It was the day they met. There were creases everywhere. It was his favorite though. It was the day they met.
All the "drama"-as his daughters termed it- was over. Jane was in New York. Lizzie was moving to San Francisco soon. And Lydia was... growing up. And that saddened him. Which was understandable, considering what happened. However, it felt more permanent than temporary. His youngest daughter's energy has diminished considerably. Mr. Bennet was not the most expressive of men, so he never told her just how much he loved her. He talked with Lizzie more, yes. Because Lizzie was the one who could present the best arguments. Jane was a good listener. Lydia was probably the sweetest of his daughters. Jane was all kindness, but Lydia had the biggest heart. He smiled at the memory of Lydia asking him for money to buy unicorn stickers. Mary might deny it but that was the start of their closer relationship. He had no favorites. He loved them all equally. He loved them all differently, except that maybe Lydia didn't see that.
At times he wonders if it would help if he'd been more showy. More vocal about how much her hyperactivity was appreciated. Maybe he should have given more hugs? She was so much like her mother that he thought she would understand that he was showing her love in his own way. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe Lydia wasn't exactly like her mother, which made things harder for her. She kept her pain to herself. And he blamed himself... Perhaps it was all his fault....
Snapping him out of his reverie was his eldest's wise words "there's nothing you can do about the past... We can sit here forever running what if's and feeling guilty, but you'll drown." So he decided to make a pot of coffee and brainstorm on being more expressive for Lydia.
He navigated the kitchen in the darkness. He found the coffee maker and started measuring the coffee beans.
"Dad?" The voice was almost a whisper, yet it reflected so much surprise.
"Lizzie." He simply answered. A smile warming his face.
Her brows slightly furrowed "What are you doing up?"
"I could ask you the same question." He countered. The smile never leaving his face.
She let out a little laugh-sigh.
His tone turned serious. "I was just contemplating my relationship with your mother."
"oh." She wasn't sure how else to respond. Then she noticed the teasing glint in her father's eye. She remembered hearing the computer in the study start up earlier but dismissed it as a dream.
"episode 3?" She asked, her voice more certain.
He nodded. An approving smile showed his delight at her quick uptake.
"You never asked me how I met your mother."
"It never came up?" she shrugged.
"Do you want me to?"
She nodded as she poured both of them a generous amount of coffee.