Lydia could not sleep again and was so emotionally and physically aware of her heavy labored breathing. Her chest felt tight and her mind was racing to the darkness of the night. She kept on turning, sighing, so freaking frustrated. She was dying inside and unfortunately, could not pick up the phone and call Allison, the one person who could help her through just about anything… Allison, her best friend, the one who just a couple of weeks ago died. The grief clung to her like old skin but it was not her only problem.

The alarm finally went off and it at least gave her something to do. No amount of makeup would hide the soft bruising of a sleepless week. She put on her black yoga pants, sweatshirt, and piled her hair into a hapless top bun. At least school, at least the endless lectures, might give her something else to think about besides Allison and her other problem.

After a piece of toast and OJ, Lydia got into her car and drove to school. She pushed herself through the crowds of students and as usual she asked herself, why do they always gravitate towards the center of the hallway? She spotted her second problem immediately. Instantly, her breathing became shallow and she felt her insides hollow. Was she dying? Her lungs failed her, making it more difficult for her to breathe the heaviness plummeting her chest. Two dark eyes spotted her and paused. It was apparent that he had figured her out as his eyes demonstrated his concern. She saw him turn towards Malia and say a few words. Her arms managed to push through the crowd and go towards the media room. She would hide there. She must hide there.

His musical voice made his presence known. Her head rested against the wall.

"Lyd, what's going on? I know you are in here."

He flicked on the light switch, spotted her, and walked toward her. His eyes once more expressed his concern. He set his book bag down, made his way towards her, rested his hand on her shoulder, and bent down to look in her eyes. He was so much taller than her that he had to bend down.

"Breathe, Lydia, breathe. I know what you are having."

"A panic attack", they both said at the same time although Lydia's was much harder to understand with the sound of her shaky voice.

Stiles put his arms around her, barreling her chest against his. She could feel his pumping heart beat to her racing one.

"Everything is going to be okay", he said in a soothing tone.

"No, it i-s-n-'-t."

"It's been a rough month, Lydia, with the Nogitsune, Allison, and well, everything I put you through."

Her green eyes flashed at him. "It's not your fault Stiles. Nothing is your fault. What happened to you was not a choice."

"Can I get something for you or someone?"

"No, it's just that I am so frustrated."

Her arms pushed out of his warm ones. He watched her gravitate towards the window and look out the window.

Stiles moved behind her. "Why are you so frustrated?"

She sighed and hesitated. "It's just….forget I even said anything."

He put his arms on hers. "I can't help you if you don't say anything."

Instantly, Lydia turned around and looked up at him seriously. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Of course I do."

Her eyes went to the floor as she avoided eye contact. "It's the Malia thing."

"What about the Malia thing?"

"You and Malia, get it."

He managed to smile. "You never are trustful of anybody Lydia. She really is a nice person and nothing will happen to me. I promise."

` She rolled her eyes Lydia style. "Oh, my God Stiles…this whole thing…you including, are frustrating me."

He could only laugh, Lydia was always so dramatic. "She is a good person, I can watch out for myself."

Lydia sighed one more time. "Stiles, that's not it, I am so frustrated because this whole thing is making me angry!"

Stiles thought about it for a minute. "Oh, I get it, you just lost your best friend and your worried about losing me, it's only natural after all you have been through!"

She looked at him like he was one huge dummy. "Seriously, do I have to spell it out for you?"

"Sure, if you want to", he laughed.

She turned her head to the side and hesitated, the tone of her voice turned to a whisper. "I think I am jealous of you and Malia."

He smiled that big smile. "Of course you are, you never had to share me before with anyone, and we have grown into good friends especially with everything we have been through. And you have more suitors than anybody I know so don't worry."

Lydia glanced at him furiously and moved closer to him. She brushed a stray strand of his hair out of his eyes. "No, Stiles, I think I have developed some feelings for you. This is not easy for me to admit. In fact, I know I have."

Stiles actually looked surprised. "It's only natural that you think you think that you feel that way but it's just the grief talking, Lydia. Maybe, you need to talk to Aidan."

"I don't want to talk to Aidan, Stiles, or you for that matter."

"Lydia, don't walk away from me."

"I have to Stiles..everything is so frustrating right now. Confusing and frustrating."

"Come here, Lydia. Don't make me chase you."

"I am so sick of everyone telling me how I feel. I know how I feel Stiles…I know, it's something I live with every day…my feelings. Every night, all I can think about is you in her arms, holding her, kissing her, making her laugh, and I can't sleep, can't stand the thought of you doing those things that I want only for me."

She faced him now dejected, so he did what he thought she needed…closed the distance between them and gave her another hug. She squirmed but he did not release her.

"Stiles, I want you to kiss me, I need you to kiss me now."

"I can't I have a girlfriend. You know I am not that kind of guy."

Her haunting pools of green peered into his dark ones. He decided than to get this stupid idea out of her system. He placed his lip gently on hers. She gasped pulling him closer to her, as she tangled her fingers through his hair. Her lips pressed firmly onto his as she backed him against the wall. She stood on her tiptoes continuing the kiss.

He broke them apart. "Lydia, my God, Lydia, what's going on with you?"

"I am so tired of hiding what I want Stiles…and what I want is you."

She pulled his face down to hers as she placed her lips on his. Her hands started opening the top button on his shirt as she eagerly kissed his lips. He was beginning to go along; she felt his resistant start to peel away.

"This is a huge mistake we are making", he managed to say in-between kisses. He could not believe what she was saying.

She stopped the kiss for a second. "You mean the huge mistake you made with Malia that should have been with me." His hands scanned her flat stomach towards the elastic of her yoga pants.

"What are you talking about Lydia? You never wanted me and you did not seem to mind how I felt when you were with the Aidan and Jackson."

"That was before I really got to know you. Didn't you ever notice all the times I hugged you, held your hand, and worried about you, seriously, Stiles? You know I am a flawed human being but I couldn't deal with the fact that I was in love with my best friend. The wanting and wanting that I was feeling with you every second. The grief I was feeling when you almost died from the Nogitsune."

He didn't say a word, just grabbed her and kissed her hard. She opened his mouth with her teeth as they kissed passionately. He felt the tears slide down her cheek. Whether or not it was the grief talking, he would not stop now; she would be his for at least this present moment in time. He would probably pay for this but right now, he wanted what he had wanted since he was four years old. His hands trailed along her back, pushing her against him. She was consuming him like always. Her hands reached for his zipper as he dugs his fists into her hair pulling the strands against his fingertips. Instantly, they joined the need so great that it overwhelmed him completely. Her hands ran down his face and down to his hands as she leaned her head onto his chest hearing his matching heartbeat. They moved together, hot skin against hot skin, and all he could think as he smelled her delicate rose skin was how being with her was better than he had ever imagined. He inhaled her scent as he blew soft kisses on her face.

Stiles could only hold her as his back was hurled against the wall his arms around her tightly. They didn't say a word only the restless breathing coming from their chests.

"Oh, Lydia, I am so sorry for taking advantage of you at this time. I know you are grieving."

"I am grieving but that doesn't change the fact that I am utterly, and passionately in love with you Stiles. I have been for a long time. I just didn't want to face it. And after Allison's death, I realize the time to live is now."

He smiled at her with tenderness and kissed away her tears. "After that speech, there is no way you will ever get rid of me. I would have never imagined this in a million years."

"You are kind of slow at getting things, Stiles. I guess I am as well."

He reached her for her hand and whispered. "We are skipping class today, after I talk to Malia. You will soon out that there are some things that I learn very fast."

All she could was smile and hope that Allison was looking from up above smiling. She had finally got a clue, about the greatest guy on Earth, her Stiles. From this day forward, she was not going to take him for granted…his great sense of humor, intelligence, kindness, and clumsy sexiness. He was and would be her true love forever.