Web of Deception: The Webbed Avenger

Chapter Forty-nine: The Unstoppable Rage Machine

New York City (Saturday, September 15th)

That subtle catch in her breath was what caught Natalie Martin's attention when she was talking to Lydia at dinner.  It was also in the way her hair was lifeless, no shine, and it laid flat against her instead of having that natural bounce.  Lydia's eyes wouldn't even meet her, and was always pointed downward.

"Honey, what's wrong?" she asked finally after watching her fiddle with her food for a minute, and Lydia looked up, seemingly unaware of the fact her mother had been even talking to her in the first place.

"W-what?" Lydia responded, blinking with surprise.

"I asked you what's wrong.  You seem like you're somewhere else, completely." Natalie's words were so filled with worry that it made Lydia feel guilty for not paying more attention to her mother in the first place.  All she's felt for the past couple days was confusion and pain thinking about the fact that the very kiss Jackson broke up with her over, the one she denied ever happening, did in fact happen, and the only way she remembered it was because she had kissed Stiles again.  Why didn't she remember the kiss beforehand?  She didn't even really remember much about that day either, as much as it pained her to admit.  It was starting to come back to her slowly, but the fact was she felt like she had betrayed Jackson.

Now thoughts of how Jackson reacted flooded her mind and guilt swarmed her emotions.  "I think I did something really bad," Lydia said, almost too quietly for her mother to hear.

"What did you do?"

"Jackson broke up with me because he thought Stiles and I kissed... swore he saw video footage of us.  I told him we didn't..."

Natalie's interest peaked when she heard something about Stiles and Lydia kissing.  "And?"

"I thought we didn't... because on the 28th last month, at the Tower Stiles came over and helped Dr. Connors and I do some work.  Afterwards Stiles accompanied me to put samples away in storage.  After that I don't remember much, but I just know that Stiles and I got trapped in the freezer... and we couldn't get out.  I, I thought we were going to die.  Everyone had left.  Stiles had me in his arms, trying to keep me warm," she began explaining, and didn't know how to explain that after the kiss, she didn't remember getting out, she didn't even remember getting home.  That was one of the things she wanted to ask Stiles, but she wasn't sure if she would see him again, or at least any time soon.  "I was so worried, thinking I wasn't going to be able to make it out of there, I told Stiles how I felt about him when we were younger.  Then I kissed him, and after that I think I passed out.  I don't remember how we got out of there, I don't even remember coming home that night.  I just remember waking up on my bed, wearing Stiles' jacket."

"Did Stiles tell you what happened?" Natalie asked, full of disbelief.  Lydia shook her head.

"No, because up until just Monday, I didn't remember we were even in the freezer.  Stiles, he pulled me into the locker room to talk, and told me how he was going to have to leave for a while, basically acted like he wouldn't see me again... and then kissed me goodbye.  When he did, as corny as it sounds I remembered our kiss in the freezer and it's started coming back to me.  I haven't seen nor heard from Stiles since then."

Suddenly Lydia felt a strange chill run down her back, and she had this odd feeling that Stiles was in danger.

She didn't listen to what her mother said as she grabbed her phone, dialing Stiles' number... it rang all the way to voicemail, and her heart dropped.  Her hands were shaking now as she tried dialing his number once more, and unconsciously grabbed her spider necklace...