"Lydia, I don't like this…" Scott McCall growled. He paced the length of the locker room like a caged animal, his fist eventually slamming against a locker. Stiles startled and tensed beside him. "Scott, it's not like we have a whole lot of options here. It's the full moon and if we want to save, um, everyone we know, it has to be tonight!" Scott frowned deeper but Stiles went right on speaking, "Someone has to look after Liam, he can't control the change yet. I'm worried about Malia too, she was only barely able to control it last time and…" That was when he had her trust. He was able to get through to her despite the chaos around them. "Derek can't do it…"

"I know that!" Scott snapped, annoyed. The lunar phase combined with the fact that he was running out of viable options was making him intensely irritable. "But it's Peter Hale, damn it! We can't trust him!"

Lydia rolled her eyes skyward, "Malia is Peter's daughter. He won't hurt her." Folding her arms over her chest, she met Scott's gaze. "He was also the one that taught Derek everything he knows about being a werewolf. He might be able to help Liam control it faster and that would be better for everyone." Licking her painted red lips, Lydia narrowed her gaze, "I'll stay with them. If I suddenly predict any of their deaths, I'll call you."

Scott banged his head against the locker again, "Fine. We're out of options and we're out of time." He scowled, "Now how the hell are we going to get Peter to agree?"

"Leave that to me," Lydia announced. "We have to hurry. Moonrise is in a couple hours…" Scott flashed her a grateful look and she nodded. Grabbing the bag of chains, she stalked out of the locker room with purpose. Her heels clicked rhythmically against the concrete as she stopped at the stairwell leading to the parking lot. Lydia rested her hand on the bannister as she turned to face Liam. If she weren't so used to werewolves appearing out of nowhere, she would have been startled. "I know you heard all that. Come with me, I'm going to drive you to Peter's place before you wolf out and try and eat me." Flashing him a gentle smile, the two of them headed toward the car.

Liam slipped into the passenger seat, resting his head moodily against the window. Lydia took a moment to touch up her lipstick and check her hair before pulling out of the school parking lot. She had the deep urge to look her best, even if it was just Peter who was going to be there. Lydia smiled knowingly, "Hey, it gets easier, okay?"

"How do you know?" Liam huffed, "You're not a werewolf!" Scratching at an invisible itch burning his arm, he growled again. Liam's eyes fluttered closed as he curled up a little tighter in Lydia's car seat. "Everything hurts…"

"Peter will know what to do," Lydia soothed, smiling gingerly. Liam was definitely looking rougher now that dusk was approaching. He was correct, of course, she didn't exactly know what he was going through. Then again, she had been in this life long enough to know what to expect. Lydia pushed the pedal a bit faster, heading toward Peter's house. Most believed that Peter lived with Derek in the loft and Lydia knew that Peter spent a lot of time there. Werewolves were pack animals and they sought out family and companionship whenever possible. Until recently, Derek was the only family Peter had living anywhere near Beacon Hills. The revelation that Malia was Peter's daughter awakened something in him. Lydia hadn't seen much of him lately but in those passing moments, she could tell something had changed.

The new Hale house stood regally on a hill. It was so thickly settled that Lydia had to slow to a crawl in order to safely make it to the front door. Dusk's shadowy hands extended over the land, bathing the world in darkness. "Liam, we need to hurry." Opening up the car door, she tossed the bag over her shoulder and wrapped an arm around his back. Ascending the front steps, the door opened before she had a chance to ring the bell.

Peter Hale towered before her as he leaned in the open doorway. "I can only assume that the two of you are lost. Allow me to help you, you will get back in your car and go anywhere but here." His lip curled in anger as Lydia continued to advance with Liam and brushed right past him on the way into the house. "Did you not hear me?"

"Oh, I heard you," Lydia retorted. "I just didn't listen."

"What else is new…" Peter grumbled to himself as he closed the door. "What do you want, Lydia? And why do you have that pup with you…he looks like he could shift at any moment." A flicker of worry crossed his features at how close Lydia was to a werewolf that could go berserk at any moment. Striding forward, he took the bag from Lydia's arm and settled it on a chair in the foyer.

Lydia allowed him to take the bag but she didn't move away from Liam. "Scott is chasing down a lead about the benefactor tonight and he can't be there to help Liam. So—"

"So you thought you would bring him here?" Peter cut Lydia off cold. "Does this look like a werewolf daycare to you, Lydia?" He folded his arms over his broad chest, shaking his head. "No."

"Yes," Lydia countered. Advancing on Peter, she poked her finger straight into his chest. "While you're here living the high life, Scott is out there looking for the benefactor. If we find him, you'll get your money back." She snapped. "If that isn't enough to persuade you, let me put this in terms you'll understand: you bit me, tried to turn me into a werewolf, and then psychically mind-fucked me for months so I would bring you back from the dead! You owe me!" Drawing in a breath to compose herself, Lydia pasted a fake smile on, "So, I'm only going to ask you one time…which way to the basement?"

Peter remained silent for a moment as he stared at the wrathful pixie in front of him. He thought about turning her away…but one look into those cinnamon eyes and Peter knew he could deny her nothing. "Follow me." Peter padded barefoot through the foyer, opening a door that led deep below the earth. The first thing they came upon was an extensive wine cellar that Peter had cultivated personally. Beyond that was a heavy metal door that led into a vault that had at one time been a bomb shelter. Opening up the door, he found Malia growling and snarling. A frown marred his handsome features as he knelt beside her, his expression concerned. It wasn't moonrise yet which meant that she wasn't out of control…she was angry. "What's the matter?"

"I don't like it down here," Malia whimpered. "It's cold and lonely and…I just don't like it! I want to leave." Her dark hair fell over her dark eyes as she tugged against the chains. "I controlled it last full moon. I want out…" She gazed at Peter with sadness in her eyes, "I want Stiles."

Comforting teenage girls wasn't exactly Peter's strong suit…particularly when that girl was his daughter. That goofy, awkward boy could never be good enough for his little girl. "It's just a precaution, Malia. We haven't had time to work on controlling the shift. I won't take any chances…"

Clearly, that wasn't what Malia wanted to hear. Letting out an angry growl, her claws extended as she swiped at Peter. "Malia!" Lydia chastised. Suddenly the werecoyote shrank back, peering up at Lydia submissively. Lydia gazed back at Peter, "Chain Liam up. I've got this."

Peter didn't need to be told twice. Easing Liam to a position far enough away that he couldn't get at Malia (or vice versa), he began the process of chaining him up. He couldn't help but steal glances at Lydia and Malia as he did so. Already his daughter was calmer. She listened to Lydia and respected her. A smile slid over his face at the sight.

Malia wrapped her arms around her knees, looking forlorn. Lydia leaned against the wall beside her, resting her hand on Malia's back soothingly. "Stiles is working tirelessly to catch the benefactor, Malia." Lydia brushed away a strand of Malia's dark hair, "Of course Stiles loves Scott like a brother but there's someone else on the list that he cares about even more."

"Who?" Malia's voice dripped with jealousy, tugging tighter on the chains. "Who is it!?"

Lydia smiled knowingly, "Malia, it's you. You mean the world to Stiles. He would never let anything happen to you." That seemed to calm Malia instantly. "I know Stiles is your anchor. If you can make it through this full moon without losing control, we'll never have to chain you up again." Hugging Malia a bit tighter, Lydia smiled as the werecoyote snuggled against her for a moment.

Peter snapped the last chain into place with a soft sigh. It had been so long since he'd been around a new wolf this young. The paternal instinct surged within him before he could even stop it. "I know that it hurts…" Peter said softly. "I won't lie to you, it never stops hurting."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Liam raged, his breath coming in ragged spurts as the moon rose higher in the sky. Soon it would be at its apex and there would be nothing he could do to stop the change. "Lydia said you can teach me how to control it," He struggled against the chains, his hands already curled into sharp claws. "Tell me how! Please!"

"Learning to control the change takes time and practice. It isn't something that comes easily," Peter replied softly. "The first lesson is to learn how to control your anger."

"I can't control my anger!" Liam snarled. Intermittent explosive disorder was certainly not something he was going to overcome thanks to a werewolf bite. If anything, it would make it worse. Fighting against the chains, Liam let out a roar that echoed throughout the vault.

Peter remained stoic, "If you cannot rein in your emotions, you will never control the shift. It's as simple as that." Clasping his hands, Peter cleared his throat, "Lydia, it's time to go. The moon is nearly at its peak." He reached into his pocket and settled a baby monitor on the floor before stepping outside the vault.

Lydia hugged Malia tighter a moment before she stood, following Peter outside the door. She paused briefly before Liam, "It'll be alright. Malia is here to keep you company and I'm right upstairs." Liam nodded jerkily but he was in far too much pain to respond. Lydia joined Peter outside the vault door as he sealed it up tight by punching in a code. She wrapped her arms around her waist and took a shaky breath, "Are you sure that the chains will hold?"

"Even if they don't, he could never get out of the vault," Peter replied, guiding Lydia up the stairs. He nearly crashed into her back as she stopped short.

"But Malia is in there. He could tear her apart," Lydia gasped.

Peter's hands slid over her hips as he carried her the rest of the way up the stairs. "That's why I put the baby monitor down there. If he gets loose, I'll hear the second those chains hit the ground." Closing the basement door, he ushered her into the kitchen. "I'm not going to let anything happen to my daughter…" Not when he'd just found her again.

Lydia visibly relaxed and plopped down on a stool at the breakfast bar. The baby monitor was set low but she was well aware that Peter could hear it as clear as day. "Good," She peered over at Peter. He didn't seem perturbed by her presence. Instead, he grabbed two glasses from the cabinet and grabbed a bottle of wine from the rack in the kitchen. Without a word he uncorked it, allowing it to breathe for several minutes before he poured two heavy-handed glasses.

Instinctively, Lydia reached for one of the glasses and his hand curled around her wrist. "Who said that this is for you?" A slow smile spread over his face. "I could be having a lady friend over…"

"Oh a lady friend?" Lydia mocked. "I highly doubt that you would invite someone over on the full moon with your daughter chained up below the house. For the record, that tends to scare most women off." Taking the glass, she sipped it. Bordeaux…likely from France and definitely bottled long before she was born.

Peter took a sip of his wine, savoring the taste before he set the glass down beside her. "You aren't most women, Lydia." Peter's thigh brushed against hers as he slipped into the seat beside her. "Malia trusts you." Something akin to pain crossed Peter's eyes as he took another long sip of wine, "She hates me."

"Your daughter doesn't know you well enough to make any judgment about you, Peter…" Lydia replied. "It's going to take more than a few weeks for her to realize that she hates you." Flashing him a winning smile, she cheekily grabbed her wine glass again.

Scoffing in annoyance, Peter took another hearty swallow of wine. No matter how much he drank, he would not become intoxicated thanks to the werewolf gene. Lydia, on the other hand, was getting softly flushed with each sip. Her eyes were bright and her posture became more relaxed with every passing minute. "This may come as a surprise to you but I actually would like to have more of a relationship with my daughter than rage and hatred." His knuckles brushed against Lydia's skin as he refilled their glasses.

Goosebumps erupted over Lydia's skin at his gentle touch. Shifting slightly away from him, she nodded, "Don't get ahead of yourself. Malia lived as a coyote for years, Peter. She doesn't know what you were like after you awoke from the coma. You were a little bit off your rocker for a while there…" Another glass of wine was disappearing before her eyes, "I'm not so sure you're all better yet either."

"What makes you say that?" Peter queried, one eyebrow raised.

Lydia chuckled, "Don't forget I've been inside your head, Peter. I know you better than anyone. You're not alright…" A violent howl erupted from below the house as the moon reached its apex. "Then again, I'm not sure any of us are." Reaching for the baby monitor, she turned it up so that she could hear it. Liam's agonized cries ached in Lydia's chest and Malia's soft sobs crushed her tender heart to dust.

Peter removed the device from her arms and turned it down again. His hand rested on her arm, "Lydia, they're fine." The sudden eruption of tears in her vibrant cinnamon eyes felt like he had swallowed a mouthful of wolfsbane. Wrapping an arm around her, he tugged her against the hard plane of his chest. "When this is all over, I'll work with Liam. By the next full moon, he'll be better able to control it."

Resting her head against his chest, Lydia took a shaky breath, "You promise?"

"I promise," Peter replied softly. "Scott doesn't have the experience with training young wolves that I do. Given his anger issues, Liam will need someone who knows what they're doing." A scowl crossed his features, in his mind he would always be the alpha. Someday perhaps he would be again. "He actually reminds me a lot of Derek…both are ruled by emotion. It's going to take a lot of work."

Derek was in control now, that was for sure; he was the poster child for swallowing his feelings. At first that worried Lydia; she didn't want Liam to become Derek Jr. There were, of course, outside influences that affected how Derek grew up: his entire family being burned alive in a fire and killing the girl he loved sprang immediately to mind. But there was something else that Derek lost at a young age: a maternal influence. "I think that would be a good idea."

Shock coursed through Peter, "You do…?"

"I'm not saying I'm going to allow you free rein." Lydia countered. "I will not allow that little pup to be corrupted by anyone, especially not you." She narrowed her eyes. "I do see the benefit in you working with him since Scott's busy with school and lacrosse. I'm not exactly sure what you do all day but I'm fairly certain that this will be a good distraction." Finishing off her second glass of wine, Lydia felt warm and tipsy. "I need to powder my nose…"

"Up the stairs, to the left," Peter directed. Lydia slipped away from him and Peter's eyes followed her the entire way. It had been nearly a year since she brought him back from the grave…and he still couldn't get her out of his system. A smile slid over his features as he followed Lydia's footsteps upstairs.

Lydia ascended the stairs slowly. The whole world seemed to hum around her as her fingers trailed up the solid mahogany bannister. Peter's house wasn't at all how she expected. Outside presented an aura of mystery; the house was brick and solid, covered with vines of ivy. When she stepped into the foyer for the first time, it was if she had been enveloped in a familiar sweater. The furniture was hand crafted, maybe even by Peter himself, and perfectly arranged. If she had designed the kitchen herself, it couldn't have been more perfect. The cabinets wrapped around sepia colored granite flecked with mica, creating a breakfast nook. One look and she knew that it was the perfect height for a highchair. She could imagine kids running along the polished hardwood floor in their socks, giggling and wrestling with one another. Shaking herself out of that thought, Lydia advanced.

Instead of turning left, Lydia went right. There was a small room that Peter had converted into an office with a handsome desk and a chair. Her fingertips slid over a fern that he clearly took excellent care of. Beyond that was a small room that could only be a nursery. Lydia paused at the door and smiled. This was Malia's room… she didn't want anything large and fancy. What she craved was a cave of her own. Her adoptive father had decided she was broken and threw her in Eichen House, Malia hadn't felt safe with him since. Most nights Malia crawled into bed with Stiles…but she needed a home. Lydia found that it endeared Peter to her that he had given that to her.

Turning on her heel, Lydia headed along toward the bathroom. Slipping inside, she closed the door behind her. There was another door, though, one that led into Peter's bedroom. Opening the medicine cabinet, Lydia smiled at the razor carefully wrapped. It sat beside a toothbrush and a perfectly rolled tube of toothpaste. Peter was meticulous… it didn't surprise her. He was nothing if not a control freak. Splashing a bit of water on her face, she grasped a towel from the rack and dried her face. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes. It smelled of laundry detergent and something that was wholly Peter. The scent calmed her instantly. Opening the door to Peter's bedroom, Lydia tiptoed in.

Quietly, she sidled toward the bed and sat down atop it. Picking up the book at the bedside, Lydia smiled at how well-worn this particular book was. His copy of 'A Catcher in the Rye' had clearly been read dozens of times over the years; he clearly took care of this things. Her fingers twitched as she reached for the drawer at his bedside. Peter clearing his throat loudly startled her and she stood up quickly. "Oh! I was just—"

"Snooping?" Peter smirked, folding his arm over his chest. Closing the distance between them he sat on the bed and patted the bed beside him. "Go ahead. I have nothing to hide."

Lydia settled down beside him on the bed. Reading his expression carefully, she leaned over and opened up the small drawer. Inside was a pocket watch that hadn't been wound up in a while, a journal and a box of XXL condoms. She raised an eyebrow as her eyes dipped from his eyes down toward his pants, "You're not fooling anyone with these."

"Sweetheart, just say the word and I'll be more than happy to prove it to you," Peter's voice was low and gravelly. Being this close to her was testing his resolve. The full moon made him feel more animal than man…and the animal instinct he had was to reach over and mark her once and for all. Taking the condom from her hand, he tossed it back into the drawer.

Smiling back at him, Lydia reached for the journal but was met with resistance. "I thought you had nothing to hide…"

"I don't…but that doesn't mean I'm willing to let you read my innermost thoughts either." Peter felt her pulse jump beneath his fingertips and his breath hitched in his throat. Slowly he closed the drawer, his hand slipping over her thigh as he pulled her toward him. The smell of her desire reached his nose and he was lost to her. Cradling Lydia's head in his hands, he bent and kissed her full, luscious lips.

Lydia's hands cupped his, deepening the kiss. Kissing Peter as a specter was nothing compared to the real thing. His breath was warm and sweet, coming in ragged spurts as he gently laid her against the bed. When he broke away, Lydia protested for a single moment before she realized that he was not denying her, he sought to please her. Peter dropped to his knees, kissing along the hemline of her skirt that exposed a large expanse of her creamy thigh. Inhaling the honey-sweet scent of her, Peter held tighter to his control than he'd ever had to in his life. He started at her thigh, kissing upwards and allowing his fingertips to trail behind, teasing her mercilessly.

His hot breath at the core of her sent Lydia's temperature spiking. Sliding her fingers through his hair, she held tight, tugging painfully at the roots. Peter let out a low growl of pleasure, dipping down to press a soft kiss to the her abdomen before turning his attention to her breasts. Lydia was begging for it…and Peter was more than happy to oblige. He would've loved her long into the night…if not for the bellowing cry that radiated from below.

"Liam!" Without another word, Peter dragged himself away from Lydia and tore down the stairs. Lydia gasped at the loss of contact and the suddenly fear that struck her heart.

Fumbling to readjust her clothing and regain control of her legs, Lydia was only a minute behind. Liam had gotten free of his chains and had gone straight for Malia. Thankfully she managed to fend him off until Peter arrived.

Peter was currently wolfed out, holding Liam up against the fault. "Malia, get out of here!" He commanded. Liam tore at Peter like a wild animal, shredding his chest and face. Peter hurled Liam away, grabbing the chains as he did so. Liam scrambled to standing and then headed straight for where Malia and Lydia were standing. "For god's sake, close the door Lydia!"

Quickly grabbing the door, she slammed it closed but Liam was pushing hard against her. "Peter, I need the code!" She cried. "PETER!"

"It's our anniversary, Lydia!" Peter ground out.

For a moment, Lydia froze. Liam and Peter were fighting for dominance. While Peter tried to get Liam back into his chains and Liam wanted to rip Peter to pieces. Straightening her spine, Lydia closed her eyes as she punched in the day that she had brought Peter back to life, the same day that she was born. The vault locked with a loud click and she slid down against it.

Malia inched closer to Lydia. It was clear that Malia was still shaking, Lydia noticed it instantly. "Come here…" She offered and Malia immediately plopped down beside Lydia, resting her head in her lap. Lydia hugged Malia tighter, brushing a strand of dark hair from her cheek. "It's going to be fine." A loud thump echoed from within the vault followed by cursing. Lydia cleared her throat, "Peter's got it."

"I don't like it! I never want to go in again," Malia whined, cuddling in tighter against Lydia.

"I told you that if you could make it through tonight without losing control, we'd never chain you up again," Lydia soothed. "You did it, Malia. The moon is at its peak and you're still you." Another clang from inside the walls worried Lydia. "Let's go upstairs. Are you hungry?"

"Starving!" Malia groaned as she bounded up the stairs with Lydia trailing behind her. "Can I have some of this?" She asked, picking up the bottle of wine.

"Not tonight," Lydia replied. She placed the cork into the bottle and placed it back on the counter. Opening up the fridge, Lydia was surprised at how well stocked Peter Hale's fridge was. There were fresh vegetables and eggs, cheese, bacon, and milk; everything she needed to make a quick quiche. She preheated the oven while she got to chopping and cooking up the bacon.

Malia sat at the breakfast bar, watching Lydia with wide eyes. She was fascinated. "How do you know how to do this?"

Lydia smiled, shrugging. "My parents are divorced and so a lot of the simple domestic tasks fell to me. And cooking was always a favorite. Recipes are very precise, it's a lot like doing math…" Malia made a face and Lydia hid her smirk. Lydia tossed the onion into the fry pan, seasoning as she went along. Before long, she was pouring everything into a pie pan and placing it into the oven. "After we eat, it's time for you to get to bed."

"But I don't want to go to bed!" Malia pouted.

"It's a school night," Lydia replied. "And don't try and tell me you aren't tired. I don't have to have werewolf senses to smell the exhaustion coming off of you." While the quiche cooked, Lydia washed up the dishes and set them to dry. "Wash up, it's ready." She smirked as she watched Malia bound into the downstairs bathroom. Peter had purposefully sent her upstairs; he'd given her permission to do what she wanted: learn about what kind of man Peter Hale was underneath the surface. Now that she knew, it was going to be very hard to deny him.

Cutting a slice of the quiche, Lydia set it on a plate for Malia. "Careful, it's still pretty hot." When Lydia turned again, she found herself face to face with Peter. He was staring at her with an expression that she couldn't quite place. "Um…are you hungry?"

Peter was hungry alright…but not for whatever the hell Lydia cooked, although it smelled heavenly. He was hungry for her. Clearing his throat, he nodded, "I'm fine. Liam's knocked out…I had no choice." The little pup was a scrapper, that was for sure. Just another reason that Liam reminded Peter of Derek.

Lydia reached out, touching Peter's cheek. He had several deep cuts that were in the process of healing and his shirt was torn to ribbons. She frowned markedly. "Tomorrow after school, you have to start working with Liam on controlling his powers. We can't do this every month." She sighed markedly.

"Yes, dear," Peter curled his fingers around her hand. In the course of this night, he felt like he entered an alternate universe; one in which Lydia was the mother of his children. That thought was so powerful it nearly brought him to his knees. He couldn't think of a better mother for his pups…

Malia must have sensed the tension between Lydia and Peter. She shoved the quiche into her mouth in two bites. "You were right, I am tired. Goodnight." Galloping up the stairs, Malia closed the door to her bedroom with a bit more force than was necessary.

Lydia smirked. Grabbing Malia's plate, she placed it into the dishwasher. The moon had passed its peak now and it was getting very late…or early, depending on how she looked at it. Stifling a yawn, Lydia leaned against the countertop. Adrenaline had been keeping her awake but now that Malia was in her room and Liam was settled, exhaustion was creeping up on her.

"Follow me," Peter motioned toward the stairs. Heading into his bedroom, he pulled out one of his shirts and a pair of shorts. "These should fit you."

Lydia accepted the clothing quietly. "Peter…about earlier…"

"I know," Peter let out a rumbling sigh. "You don't have to say it. You were tipsy and I took advantage of you."

Lydia rolled her eyes. "I meant the code…"

"Oh," Peter dragged a hand through his hair. He plopped down on the bed, watching the expression on her face. He was glad that she couldn't hear his heartbeat now as it kicked up in his chest. "It was the day you brought me back to life…"

"I know that," Lydia replied, "But you said it was our anniversary."

Peter licked his lips, "It is our anniversary." He shrugged, "I didn't know how else to explain it to you…"

"You could've just said the date, Peter. Liam wouldn't have remembered and Malia is never going to go anywhere near that vault again." Lydia folded her arms. "So let's try this again…why did you say it was our anniversary."

Growling in annoyance, Peter gazed out the window toward the moon. It was beginning to set but that didn't make him feel any less irritable. "I just thought you could use a reminder. It's coming up, you know."

A smile ghosted Lydia's lips. "You're right…it is…" She headed toward the bathroom, "That's all I wanted to know." While in the bathroom, she freshened up and changed into the clothes that Peter offered her. Putting her strawberry blonde hair up into a ponytail, she stepped back into the bedroom and crawled into bed beside him.

Peter felt relief spear through him as he reached for Lydia, wrapping his arm around her. He was more than a little surprised when she cuddled against his chest, closing her eyes tightly. Pressing a soft kiss to the crown of her head, his fingertips trailed over her hip.

"One more thing…you didn't take advantage of me. Two glasses of wine isn't going to leave me falling down. But we are definitely not having sex with your werecoyote daughter across the hall and Liam knocked out in the basement downstairs." She pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "Maybe I'll make you wait for our anniversary."

"Lydia," Peter groaned. Now all he could think about was Lydia, hot and naked…he drew in a ragged breath. Even now her body pressed against his and he'd have to be dead not to react; coupled with the full moon and he wasn't sure he had the self-control it would take not to touch her. "I think I should sleep on the couch…"

"Mm…probably a good plan," Lydia slipped beneath the covers and flicked out the light on the bedside table. "Goodnight, Peter."

Sighing heavily, Peter slipped from the bed. He placed one last chaste kiss on her lips, "Goodnight, Lydia." Grabbing a pillow, he headed into the den. Settling down on the couch with an afghan, Peter stared at the ceiling for a long time. The sun began to rise around him, filling the house with light…yet Peter's eyes wouldn't close. All he could think about was Lydia…

He pictured her helping Malia with her math homework, driving Liam to school, laughing and sipping wine while they watched reruns of old TV shows. Those innocent thoughts snowballed into deeper visions: Lydia seducing him in red lingerie, Lydia in a wedding dress, Lydia round with his child.

Peter rolled over again, growling in frustration. She had always been the object his affection, ever since she gave him back his life. She was the one who told him that he had a child…and now Malia was part of his life. Everything that was good in his life stemmed from her. He would not let her go…not ever again. Pushing himself up from the couch, Peter slipped up the stairs. Without hesitation, he slipped into the bed and wrapped his arms around Lydia's waist. Nuzzling her back gently, he felt her smile.

"Took you long enough…" Lydia murmured sleepily.

Closing his eyes, Peter fell asleep within moments. Somehow Lydia kept the nightmares at bay. When he finally woke, it was late into the morning. "Lydia?" He called but he knew that she was gone; so were Liam and Malia. Swinging his legs over the bed, he realized that something was out of place. His journal was sitting on the edge of the bed, open to a blank page. He furrowed his eyebrows as he picked it up, reading Lydia's tight scrawl:

Dear Peter,

I took the kids to school. Everyone is fine. We'll be back at 4:30 for Liam's lesson.

Quiche is in the fridge, help yourself.

-Lydia

A smile spread across Peter's handsome face. He had some time before she arrived. It was a good thing too…he needed to plan the rest of his life with a sassy little banshee.

I've decided to do a series of 'moments' oneshots for Pydia. I recently became obsessed with this couple and they are adorable. These one-shots will be all different. They aren't connected, they can be read separately because they don't necessarily follow the same timeline. This was a Headcanon prompt I read on Tumblr from #wewouldremembertonight Who has awesome ideas. I hope they enjoy what I've prepared.

Again, my amazing Beta JustVisiting80 edited this for me and she is SO EPIC. Go check her out. PLEASE

-Marina