Wounded Heart

Chapter 31

Lydia walked in silence, the whole world seemed to be silent. Good, were her thoughts. The world should be silent, that way nothing could ever happen again. Then, a crunch of a fallen leaf behind her interrupted her thoughts. Stiles. That was the next thing that crept in her mind. That perfect boy she never really gave a chance in high school, yet, he was always there. He was her best friend. You know he was the boy that comforted her every time she needed comfort, and the boy who took all her pain away with just a glance. She needed him, she knew that. She knew that now more than ever. But then why was she being so cold towards him at this moment? She didn't know. Was she going to regret it? Yeah. But right now, she feels numb. Nothing. And she likes it. Then she hears a whisper, so softly, almost as if nothing had been said. It was Melony, whispering to Stiles and she swore she heard a light chuckle. And god dammit, Lydia's heart ached. This is what she wanted. Melony talking to Stiles, them getting along, but not like this. She didn't want to lose Aiden for this. But she did, and there was nothing she could do about it. Just then, the floor trembled and Lydia snapped out of her thoughts.

"Lydia," Stiles said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his broad chest. Then, she saw it. An orange glow off on the distance. It was fire. Lydia closed her eyes shut, tight, and then opened them again. This couldn't be happening, she thought. This was not happening. And as she pulled away from Stiles, her eyes shifted upward, and she saw smoke.

"No," she gasped out. She took off running, her lungs aching with a burning sensation as she started to run out of breath. But she didn't stop, she couldn't. She could hear Stiles right behind her, his heavy feet thudding along her. And after what felt like an eternity, the fire was almost in her full view. Just then, she ran into another broad chest. Lydia stumbled back, falling to the ground but getting up quickly. She looked up into the eyes of Derek. She smiled. He was alive. She jumped into his arms, holding him as tightly as she could, and as she looked up past his shoulder, she saw Scott struggling to carry Damon away from the smoke. Allison, limping beside him. Lydia quickly let go of Derek and ran to Allison, swallowing her into a tight hug, and before she knew it, she was crying.

"It's okay," Allison whispered as she laid her chin on the tip of Lydia's head. "It's okay." And Lydia shook her head, burning it deep into her best friends chest.

"Aiden? Where's Aiden?" She heard Scott ask. And silence filled the air. She hugged Allison tighter. And she felt a peck on top of her head, and Allison return the tighter hug. "Okay," Scott said as he processed the news of him losing a member of his pack, one of his brothers. Lydia then felt a presence behind them, and she felt herself being given over to someone else. And in just a split second, she knew it was Stiles. And just the warmth of that hug brought her to a storm of tears. Lydia looked at the others, he head laying on Stiles's chest, and she watched Allison limp her way to her husband, and hug him with so much love. She watched Scott relax into her arms and and just weep. She watched Derek, with tears in his eyes mumble to a barely conscious Damon, who gave weak smiles and Melony in his other arm nodding to whatever was being said, a small smile on her face as well. And Lydia realized that this pack, this family, had survived another battle. And with that Lydia turned her head into Stiles's chest.

"You're going to be fine Lydia," Stiles spoke softly to her. "You're going to be fine and you're going to get past this. I won't leave you alone. I won't leave your side, or Melony's. I promise." Stiles said as his grip tightened and Lydia buried her head deeper into his chest. And as Stiles feels his t-shirt get wet from the tears his girlfriend sheds, his heart aches. His jaw tightened and a single tear slid down his cheek as he saw the strongest woman he has ever known completely break. He never wanted her to feel this way again. He's actually never wanted her to go through any pain, not since the day he first saw her in third grade. The day she stole his heart before he even knew what that meant. He was completely and foolishly in love with a girl who was 5'3 and has strawberry blonde hair and green eyes. A lady who has suffered for many years yet is willing to sacrifice anything for anyone she has ever cared for. Someone who lost her first true love and has shed more tears than was ever necessary throughout the last two years. She is a girl with a wounded heart and he swears on his life that he will devout his whole life to repair all the wounds on her beautiful heart and fill it with joy and happiness. And he's in love with the idea of taking this strong woman, the one he has loved since the third grade, with a just as strong daughter and making them into a family. He wants to be their happy ever after. And he will do whatever it takes to accomplish that, and that you can bet on.

The End