The fall air curls around Lydia's naked form as she runs through the woods, looking for what she doesn't know. All she knows is that she has to keep running as fast and as deep into the woods as she can.
Running up a slight hill covered by dead leaves and dormant grass, she doesn't notice a figure in front of her until she hits it and like a wall she is repelled back falling onto the cold ground.
Looking up she sees the face of a girl approximately 17 in age, with long brown hair and a stoic face plastered onto her features. "Someone looks lost." Walking closer to Lydia to help her up and shrugging her jacket over her shoulders to wrap around Lydia's freezing form.
Looking into the stranger's eyes, Lydia knows that she should be scared considering all of the things that could possibly be running around Beacon Hills Reserve and since Werewolves are real; that could make anything that goes bump in the night possible. For some reason Lydia feels a sense of familiarity with this girl. "Thanks."
The girls face changes from stoic to relief as if she thought Lydia was mute or something. "You're welcome little red. Now let's get you some place warm." She says while guiding Lydia out of the reserve and into a sleek black Dodge Charger.
The car pulls up to a generous sized townhouse, Lydia notes that even though she is still trying to understand what's going on she notices that the neighborhood that they are in is close to Allison's and that if she needs an escape the Argent household would be the safest place to be.
The car door opening on her side jars her from her silent plan of escape in case things turn way too Chainsaw Massacre for her liking. "C'mon little red, I gotta get you cleaned up seeing as I found you running through the woods in the cold and all." An arm extending in Lydia's direction as a gesture for the shorter girl to take, accepting the arm she makes sure to keep the jacket in place as she exits the vehicle.
Walking up the walkway and through the threshold of the house Lydia takes another note of the strangers home décor skills. "Nice house." She lets slip from her pale lips.
The stranger's eyes change from light and inviting to grim for only a half a second, but Lydia notices. She's always been sagacious about people that way. "Thank you. It was my older sister's. She passed away a few months ago and left me her home." Taking Lydia's hand and pulling her towards the stairs.
Lydia didn't know what to say. She wanted to say something comforting, but the one thing that she is horrible at is being comforting. Somehow, she finds the strength inside herself to feel for this stranger and give her an honest reply. "I know people must have told you that they are sorry for your loss and I'm not going to say that. Death sucks and I hope that your sister didn't suffer." Trudging up the stairs behind the other girl, they finally reach the top of the stairs and enter a spacious bathroom with marble pattern all over the room.
Turning on the shower for Lydia the stranger speaks again. "Thank you for being honest…uh.."
Lydia looks up at the other girl. "Lydia. My name is Lydia Martin and you are?" She asks with a hoarse voice.
"Cora. Cora Hale." She says with a slight smile feeling the water to make sure it was warm enough for Lydia. "Well, the water is warm enough for you to use now. I'll stand guard to make sure nothing happens to you." Walking to close the bathroom door behind her she stops in her tracks at the sound of Lydia's voice.
"Please don't leave. I don't know what's wrong with me and I'd feel safer with you in here instead of out there in case something is to happen." Lydia's voice racked with horror as to what is going on with her.
"I'll stay. I promise nothing will hurt you." Cora's voice is firm and her stance valiant.
"I believe you." Lydia says before stepping into the shower to clean herself off and rid her body of the remnants from the woods.
About fifteen minutes into Lydia's shower a thought runs through her head and then she remembers something. "Hale! You're a Hale!" She shouts before rinsing herself off and turning off the shower and grabbing a towel.
"If you're a Hale, why are you helping me?" Lydia asks sounding betrayed.
"I'm sorry Lydia, but I don't really know you. I just got here a few days ago after word got out about my brother becoming an Alpha." Cora says trying to calm the angry girl down.
"So, you don't know about your uncle trying to turn me or kill me or whatever?" Lydia asks.
"No, I don't and if that's true then that must mean that he killed Laura. That must also mean that…Derek killed him." Shocked at her revelation, Cora sinks to the ground her head spinning. "Wait, if Peter bit you and you didn't turn or die then what are you?"
Going to Cora's side. "I wish I knew. All I remember is going to the formal and then trying to find Jackson. Then Peter was running at me and he bit me, Stiles was there too and then I woke up in the hospital but that's all I can remember from that night."
Cora starts turning the gears in her head. "It's so rare. Lydia you're immune." Turning to the strawberry blonde.
"I'm what? Immune to what?" she asks.
"To the bite. It's rare, but not impossible." Looking into Lydia's eyes as if she is trying to find something.
"So, I'm not human. This is great." Lydia laughs darkly.
"I never said that. I said that you were immune. Which means that you could still be human, but only part human." Cora takes one of Lydia's hands in her own. "I'll help you. I won't hurt you like Peter did." Giving Lydia's hand a squeeze.
"Are you sure you're a Hale? You are more kind than the other two." Lydia says trying to make the situation light.
"Derek has a reason for his standoffishness. Peter did too, but he murdered my sister so he doesn't deserve my sympathy." She says feeling Lydia's thumb circling on the back of her hand.
Lydia stands pulling Cora with her, "Let's find me something to wear and a place to sleep. Running through the woods for three days straight takes a bit out of a person." Cora gives her a nod of approval before leading Lydia to her room and finding her shorts and an old novelty t-shirt to wear.
"You can take my bed. I'll sleep on the floor." Cora gets herself another comforter and two pillows to create a makeshift bed on the wood paneling.
"You've got to be kidding me. You are sleeping up here with me. I'm not going to kick you out of your bed." Opening up the covers to make room for Cora, Lydia makes sure to give the other girl room when she finally settles into the queen sized bed.
Reaching from her side of the bed, Cora turns off the lights. The only light comes from the flittering of the moons beams. "Cora thanks for helping me and offering to figure out what's wrong with me." Breaking the silence of the newly quieted room.
Turning over to face Lydia the taller girl sees her green eyes staring back at her. "It's no problem little red. You are different than most people in Beacon Hills and deserve to be treated as such." Cora wants to wrap Lydia in her arms, but decides to give it time and instead to tell the other girl goodnight then turning back on her side facing away from Lydia.
In the middle of the night Cora feels a small body curled against her own and a hand on her waist. She thinks to brush Lydia away, but decides instead to melt into the embrace with a smile crossing her lips before she gives into sleep.
Cora wakes at the sound of her bedroom closing and the scent of Lydia leaving the room. Lying in bed for a few more minutes she tries to remember anything that can help her help the younger girl. Closing her eyes, they soon shoot open when she hears Lydia's phone conversation from downstairs.
"No, Allison. It's okay. I'm okay."
"Are you sure you don't want me to come get you?"
"Yes. I'm fine. I just had to tell you that I was alright."
"Lydia. Why did you call me and not your parents?"
"They would treat the situation as Cora kidnapping me and not her helping me. I don't want that. She's been really nice to me. I called you because you are my best friend."
"Okay, okay. I'll make something up, but you have to go back home in a day or everyone is going to get suspicious. My dad has been trying to find you as well as the police and Scott and Stiles. Just make an appearance soon, okay?"
"Thanks Alli. You are the best. I love you, bye."
"I love you too, bye."
The line going dead wakes Cora from her eavesdropping.
She wants to help Lydia, but she doesn't know how. Hold on. The Hale house. Thinking more clearly Cora remembers that her uncle put most of the family's supernatural archive on a laptop in between the stairs in their old house.
Lydia entering the room in a "sneaky" manner brings a smile to her lips.
"You weren't trying to duck out on me. Were you?" Cora quips sitting up from her place in between the sheets.
"I suppose you heard my call to Allison?" Lydia asks in an apologetic manner.
Lydia moves to sit next to Cora on top of the covers. Her back against the head board and her legs crossed.
"It's okay. You have people that are worried about you." Cora looks into Lydia's eyes to find an answer as to if Lydia really wants to stay or if she just feels bad for Cora, but she finds none. Instead, Cora finds interest and something else judging by the hiccup that interrupts the other girl's heartbeat. "I think I know of an archive that can help us."
"Really? Where is it?" Lydia asks.
"It's in my old house. I think it'll be safe to go now, since Peter wouldn't be caught dead traipsing around in the daylight." Speaking with venom in her voice at the thought of her uncle.
Getting up from the bed and walking to Cora's closet to find something to wear for the day, Lydia gives Cora a commanding look. "Well, what are we waiting for? We better get moving. We are burning daylight." What the other girl really means is "let's find out what I am, so I can spend my last day with you before I have to go home."
The smaller girl's excitement puts an amusing smile on Cora's features.
They take turns showering, brushing their teeth and doing their hair and makeup. They even sit down and eat a bit of breakfast before getting in Cora's car and jetting off to the old Hale house.
Upon their arrival at the dilapidated Hale house, Cora surveys the area to make sure no one is in sight or hearing distance that would know of their whereabouts.
Lydia looks apprehensive at the house and the woods surrounding it. She knows that Cora is there if anything goes wrong, but with everything that's been happening she doesn't think she can take any more surprises.
Feeling a hand slip in to her own calms her down a bit.
"Hey, we are going to be okay. We are just gonna go in, get the computer and pop back out. We can do the research and stuff back at my house."
Lydia tries to think of a response but nothing comes to mind, so she just gives a slight nod of her head to indicate her confirmation.
Cora leads Lydia into the old Hale home.
Looking around gives the smaller girl goose bumps at the thought that most of the Hale family was burned alive. Cora's quiet celebration of finding the laptop jars Lydia from any dark vibe or thought that has just crossed her mind.
Getting back in the car and driving back to the town house, Lydia can't stop looking at Cora beaming. The other girl's demeanor makes her solemn one a little better.
Cora feeling eyes on her decides to see what's going on. "What?"
Knowing that she'd get caught Lydia thinks of a response. "I just like seeing you smile." Laughing at her corny declaration to the youngest Hale.
Finding herself smiling wider Cora brings one of her hands from the steering wheel to intertwine with one of Lydia's. "You bring it out of me."
Cora doesn't smile much. She used to smile a lot when her family was still alive, but now her smile is so scarce that her scowl has become more prominent. Being with Lydia in the past few hours has started to warm her cold grief stricken heart and she looks forward to getting Lydia to smile or laugh.
"I'm a what, now?" Lydia asks from her place on the bed behind Cora, where she was taking a nap just a few moments ago before her companion woke her up finding an answer.
Getting up from the desk to sit by Lydia on the bed, she tries again. "A Banshee. The wailing woman. The reason why you are immune to the bite is because Banshees are a part of the fae family and they have the blood to heal themselves from supernatural causes. You can also sense death or more or less who is going to die and you were running around the woods because… well something is coming and it's going to bring a great loss to Beacon Hills. The archive also said that some Banshee's can become the Morrigan, which is a battle goddess of some kind." Releasing a deep breathe, Cora looks at Lydia's pale face to find any indication that she got what was just revealed.
Thinking real hard about what Cora just said starts putting things into perspective for Lydia. She processes everything that points to her being a Banshee, but the thing that stands out the most is that something is coming that's going to bring great loss to Beacon Hills. She doesn't want Cora to worry so she finally speaks, "A battle goddess, huh? I could live with that." She even produces a laugh from her nervous lips.
"You don't have to put up a front for me Lydia I can tell that you're worried about something." Cora puts a comforting hand to Lydia's shoulder.
"I just- I don't want anyone else to die." Her voice cracking at the thought of the oncoming danger.
"You probably don't want to hear this, but with the lives that we live there are bound to be causalities. All that we can do is to try our hardest to protect the people around us." Wiping a stray tear from Lydia's cheek, Cora looks deep into the sparkling green mirroring her chocolate brown orbs.
She knows why she is lifting her head to level Cora's and why she licks her lips in anticipation for what comes next, but what she doesn't know is why she is so hesitant about it.
Leaning in Cora can hear Lydia's heartbeat and the fact that it beats so steadfastly for her makes this moment better. She takes the lead seeing as the other girl is so hesitant and puts her lips against Lydia's in a short, but sweet kiss.
When they break apart Lydia says what was on her mind before their moment, "You're pretty intuitive. I find that very attractive in a person." She finishes with a smile.
Cora is sporting her own grin, "Good to know." She replies this time her lips are on the receiving end of a Lydia Martin kiss, but Cora can tell that Lydia has never kissed anyone like this. So, she kisses back and it's a silent list of promises. Cora is promising to stay in Beacon Hills to help the rest of the pack, promising to enroll in Beacon Hills High and promising to never leave Lydia's side.
After, their kiss ends Cora forges a first date for them downstairs. She makes Lydia a pasta and salad dinner with candlelight and they laugh over Cora almost burning her shirt while lighting the candles. They traded secrets and stories while they ate and even made inside jokes out of stories that have brought them misfortune.
When they settle together in Cora's bed, they brush kisses against the others lips as a means of remembering. It's not that they will never see each other again, it's just that this will be one of the last times that they will be together before Lydia has to return home tomorrow.
Looking into Cora's brown eyes Lydia decides to speak, "I don't want to leave you." Her voice sounds normal, but Cora can pick up on the sad undertone.
Cupping Lydia's cheek she lets her thumb run comfortingly back and forth across the soft pale skin there. "You're not leaving me. You're just returning back to your life and as soon as I can enroll at the high school I will, but even before then I'll figure something out to where we can be here together or anywhere you wish." She finishes her promise with a kiss to Lydia's pink lips.
"I can't wait for you to meet my friends. I think you'd get a good hoot out of them." Lydia finishes with a laugh.
"I'll bet. Especially, if they are friends of yours, they have to be some sort of fun." Cora laughs along with Lydia.
"I think we should go to sleep now." Lydia says giving Cora a kiss to the forehead before turning on her side to get some sleep.
Wrapping her arms around Lydia's slim waist, Cora gives the other girl a kiss to the nape of her neck. "Good night gorgeous," Is murmured into the smaller girl's ear before Cora closes her eyes for much needed sleep.
They spent a few intimate hours together that day listening to music and talking about anything and everything until the sun started to set. Cora drove Lydia to Beacon Hills Reserve so the police and everyone else could find her. Cora was against it, but Lydia insisted upon being found in the way that the taller girl found her; naked.
Saying their goodbyes, Cora gives one last kiss before she sees the other girl next and rustles Lydia's fiery locks to give her more of a running around the woods look and not making out with a werewolf look.
Giving Cora's hand one last squeeze Lydia runs back into the forest finally spotting an ambulance and a few police cruisers on the other side.
Walking towards the small group of rescuers there she sees Stiles staring back at her in shock. The boy shouts her name, "Lydia!" This causes everyone to turn their heads.
Looking up at the group cold and startled she replies with, "Well, is anyone going to get me a coat?"
Stiles struggles to get his coat off before fainting on the ground and Mr. Stillinski bounds over to her with his Sheriff's jacket to wrap around her shoulders.
After answering a million questions about why she was running around the woods with no clothing on and why she left the hospital, she is finally able to go home. Her mother can't stop checking up on her when she settles back into her room, but decides to give it a rest when Lydia insists that she's fine and just wants to catch up on some reading. Her father was on a business trip in Japan and couldn't make it back to see her. She would be angry with him, but she just doesn't care anymore.
Lying awake in her bed she starts to think of Cora and their time together. Her thoughts are stopped however when a howl is heard from her window. A few minutes after that Lydia can hear a light tapping on her window. Getting up to see who is there a big smile makes its way across her tired features. Opening the window she lets Cora inside.
"Miss me?" She asks already knowing the answer.
"No, not really." Lydia tries to act nonchalant but ends up cracking up. "Of course I did. I was just thinking about you."
"Good thoughts I hope."
"What other thoughts are there when you are concerned?"
"I like that answer. You look tired."
"I am. I guess all of the questions took a lot out of me." Lydia says moving to get under her covers on her bed motioning for Cora to join her. "C'mon. Come lay with me."
Moving hesitantly towards Lydia's sprawled out form. "Only if you are sure."
"Of course I'm sure." She says while releasing a yawn.
Kicking her shoes off Cora undoes her pants in order to slide under the covers with ease. Wrapping Lydia in her arms she waits until the other girl is asleep before closing her eyes.