11:24 a.m.

Lydia's heart was pounding. Seemingly aware of that fact, Stiles brought her hand to his chest, letting her feel that his was reacting the same way. For what seemed like a long time, they were frozen in place.

Then Lydia placed her hands on his face and leaned closer until their lips were centimeters away. This time, it was Stiles who closed the distance between them. She felt his hands on her back, drawing her nearer until their lips collided in a kiss. It was different from the first time – slower and full of intention. Their mouths melded together, each of them exploring and savoring the experience until they parted, breathless and bleary eyed.

Stiles playfully broke the silence that followed saying, "Yeah, if I had any idea you loved me, there would have been a lot more of that," and making them both laugh.

Without thinking, Lydia brushed his leg with her hand the same way she had nearly a year before.

Catching her hand with his own, he stood up, pulling her with him. "Seriously though, can there be more of that? I think there should be like…a lot more of that." A shy grin crossed his lips as he quickly stole a second kiss.

Lydia smiled brightly. She hadn't seen him happy in a long time. "I think that could be arranged," she replied, rising to the tips of her toes so she could return the gesture.

Stiles leaned into her, his arms encircling her with their warmth. What started out as a tender kiss deepened – neither of them wanting it to end. Lydia's hands tightened around his plaid shirt and she hastily pushed it off his shoulders. When she seized the hem of his dark blue tee, Stiles timidly broke from the kiss looking slightly amazed.

"Um…Lydia…do you…I mean…are we…? Is this really happening?" He was completely tongue-tied...and it was adorable.

Lydia couldn't contain a teasing laugh. "Only if you want to…but I think we've waited long enough," she said, devilishly moving closer and placing a kiss at the base of this throat, causing him to shudder.

Stiles's right eyebrow arched and before Lydia could count to two, his hands were promptly at her waist, pulling her tightly to him. She found the edge of his shirt again. Unlike the night when he came to her window, she drew it upwards without hesitation. As she lifted the tee over his head, Lydia lost her balance...but Stiles's arms were quickly in place to stabilize her. Her hands gingerly explored his chest, tracing his faded bruises with her fingertips and noticing how the muscles underneath tightened in response to her touch. She looked up into his eyes watching the sunlight reveal flex of gold within the rich brown color of his irises. Inhaling deeply, she waited for him to kiss her again.

As if he were able to read her mind, Stiles hunched down, confidently crushing his lips to hers. Lydia returned the kiss, releasing all of the emotion she had withheld for so long. Then, Stiles turned his attention to her blouse. The smile that traversed his lips while he unfastened the buttons made her blush, only this time she didn't mind. Her heart raced faster, causing a lightheaded sensation to flood her mind, but she didn't want the feeling to dissipate. She couldn't help but be impressed by how gently he touched her, his warm hands traveling along her spine, then around to her waist.

Observing the uncovered scar on her right side, he took pause, and the handsome smile vanished from his face. Lydia saw Stiles flinch as he caressed the mark lightly with his thumb, looking as though he could feel the pain she had experienced.

"When I saw you like that, I felt so helpless. It physically hurt me to leave you. I hate myself for… If I had it to do over, I would have never left you…not even for one second."

"I saw how concerned you were though. Knowing how much you cared…it meant the world to me," Lydia assured him.

Stiles stared for another second before bending down and delicately touching his lips to the mending wound. Lydia trembled as the warmth that his kiss left behind spread over her entire body. He straightened up, and she leaned into him, placing her head over his heart while he stroked her strawberry-blonde waves.

"I love you so much, Lydia."

When she lifted her head to look at him, both of their eyes were misting with tears.

"I think you know that now," he continued, "but…I needed to say it."

"Say it as often as you want. I promise, I'll never tire of hearing it."

They held each other for a few minutes before Stiles tilted his head down to kiss her – even more passionately than before. Collapsing on the bed together, they became completely lost in each other.

Lydia senses were overwhelmed. She reveled in the touch of Stiles's hands on her skin, his breath tickling her face and neck, the weight of his body resting on hers. He was attentive and considerate – always making sure she was comfortable in subtle ways like brushing her hair away from her face or adjusting the pillow under her head. He was gentle when he needed to be and less so when he didn't need to be. Lydia could tell that Stiles was as nervous as she was, and it only made her feel more connected to him. It was an excited kind of nervous. The kind that felt good. The kind that made everything more profound. Even though there had been others for each of them, this time was new and different. The love and admiration behind every touch was something that could never be compared, something she could never experience with anyone else. The closer Stiles was, the closer she wanted him to be. Lydia wished she could memorize every minute of their time together but quickly lost count of all the kisses, caresses, and giggles between them.

5:13 p.m.

A few hours afterward, Lydia awoke to find it was still daylight. Her head was resting on Stiles's bare chest, their arms and legs tangled securely together. Lifting her head to gaze at him, she took in the peaceful expression on his face. She allowed herself to briefly ponder the events of the past week and was caught off-guard by the upsurge of emotion that followed.

Little more than a week before, she wouldn't have imagined they could be this close. She had almost come to terms with the fact that he would never be hers. She was prepared to remain friends, to love him from a distance. She was even regretfully learning to live with the chronic ache in her heart, thinking that she had missed her chance and had no one to blame but herself.

Now everything had changed; the pair had progressed from a somewhat strained friendship to admitting their enduring love for each other in a matter of days. Lydia was fully aware that she could never again come to terms with a life in which she and Stiles were apart. Her feelings for him were so strong she thought they might consume her.

If it's this intense now, what will it be like after a month or a year? she worried.

Consequentially, the fears that had kept her standing still for years began to rise. They spread over her like murky grey clouds before a storm. Fear of letting herself depend on and need him. Fear that he would be taken from her. Fear that she would disappoint him.

What if I make him unhappy? What if he chooses to leave?

The fact that they had finally let each other in had opened up a world of possibility, but it also meant that her fears could become a reality.

Forcefully, Lydia pushed the thoughts from her mind. She repositioned her head on Stiles's chest and focused on the sounds of his heartbeat and breathing. The rhythmic pattern calmed her. She was determined not to let fear keep her from being the happiest she had ever been. Whatever the cost, her hopes for them had become truth and she was not letting go. She just needed one last bit of reassurance.

"Stiles… Stiles, wake up," she whispered.

When he didn't respond she placed a kiss on his chin. The smallest hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, yet he kept his eyes closed, pretending to sleep.

"Sti—les…wake up…wake up…" she quietly coaxed.

Still no response.

She leaned in, kissing one cheek, then the other, then his forehead, and even his eyelids.

When she got to the tip of his nose, he broke into a full smile muttering, "Lydia, I think you missed a spot."

"But I was so sure I got them all…" she pouted.

"Nope... You missed right here," he clarified, pointing to his lips.

"Oh…you're right. I did. Let me fix that," she conceded, leaning in to ardently kiss him.

When she pulled away, Stiles's beautiful brown eyes were open. Those remarkable eyes radiated so much love and affection that Lydia knew she could look into them forever.

"See that… A kiss from Lydia Martin was all I needed to revive me," he sighed with contentment.

At first, she was relieved that Stiles seemed oblivious to the internal conflict she had just battled, but once more his insight astounded her.

"I'm scared too you know…but we're going to be okay, Lyds." Then he wrapped his arms tightly around her and repeated the words she had said to him only a few days before. "As long as we are together, I think we can face anything."

She smiled. It was the first time he had ever called her Lyds. The nickname made her feel as though she were really his and that concept filled her stomach with butterflies.

"I love you," she replied.

"It feels so good to say this – I know you do."

"I'm glad…but just in case, I'm going to make sure I show you how much every day."