Lizzie stood, ready to relocate to a chair or somewhere more suitable for the conversation she was sure was coming. But before either of them had said a word, Alaric was pulling her into a hug.
“Oh Lizzie …” It was pitiful but loving and it made her chest tighten all the same.
“I’m sorry, Dad.” Lizzie closed her eyes, hoping she could hold back the flood of tears. “I know what I did was stupid.”
Alaric just held his daughter tighter. “It doesn’t matter now. All that matters is that you’re back, safe and sound.”
Lizzie pulled back to wipe away her tears. Her father tilted his head.
“You and Hope made up?”
Lizzie smiled. “She told me, in a very loving way, that I was an idiot.”
“So I don’t need to do the same?” Alaric sat at her desk, looking for her permission to skip the lecture she’d just heard.
“No.”
“And there isn’t anything you want to say to me?” Just in case.
“Just that I am sorry.”
Alaric smiled. Lizzie was always the one apologizing, even long after she still needed to be. “I know. And I forgive you, if that’s what you’re looking for.”
“It’s not.” Lizzie curled up on her bed, sinking into the pillows. “Hope made me realize I’m not really looking for other people’s forgiveness.”
“You’re looking for your own.”
So it was obvious to everyone else then? Lizzie just nodded.
“Hope’s wise.”
“She learned from the best.” And to think Lizzie used to be so jealous of the mentorship Hope had with her father. If only she had known then what she knew now.
“And Josie?”
Lizzie’s face dropped. That was the one part she hadn’t let herself wonder about yet. “I want to think that she’ll be back to ‘normal.’ Whatever that’s supposed to be.”
Alaric could sense the “but …” coming.
“... but I don’t know that that’s possible. There was … a lot that went on behind your back.” Lizzie sighed. Had she never jumped into Malivore, she probably would’ve never told her dad any of this. But she had and now she was on a mission to be as truthful as possible. That meant not just being honest about the things she had done to other people but the things other people had done to her. “Things like reading my diary to the other witches, spreading all those rumors about my first episode, telling everyone that I was witch bipolar, lying to drive a wedge between me and Hope, telling people I choose to have episodes for attention …” Lizzie shook her head. She couldn’t even bring herself to look up at her father’s horrified face. “I probably shouldn’t have ignored the red flags.”
“I’ll have a talk with her.”
Lizzie finally looked up. A pang in her chest went off when she saw the tears in the corners of her father’s eyes. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything at all.
“Thank you for telling me.”
That guilt that was twisting in her gut lessened - just a little. There was a knock at the door before she could say anything.
“Sorry.” Finch clasped her hands behind her back nervously. “I can come back later.”
“No, that’s alright.” Alaric stood, his knees creaking. “I’ll be back later. You two can chat.”
YOU ARE READING
Without Me
FanfictionLizzie's dreams of being a superhero had gotten her into messy situations before, but nothing like this. She sacrificed her life during the final showdown with Malivore but what life she sacrificed wasn't what she was expecting.
