A sort of "What if" Isaac had stayed behind in Beacon Hills while the Benefactor was trying to kill everyone.
Isaac laid the hot lemon tea down on the side and crouched to her level, trying not to disrupt whatever Lydia was doing right then, although she appeared to have given up entirely as she sat sideways, head rested on the palm of her hand. Giving a long suffering sigh she didn't pay much attention to her surroundings as green eyes never once left the record player spinning silently on repeat. Everyone else had decided to go do more productive things that didn't include watching a Banshee communicate with spirits they could not see or hear themselves.
"Lydia…" She remained unresponsive for a few more moments but eventually her gaze trained on him. "Give yourself a break, c'mon I bought you some of your favorite tea."
Lydia smiled weakly and it didn't reach her eyes, he hated seeing that. "Everyone is counting on me to figure this out Isaac I can't just take a break."
"I think you're putting far too much pressure on yourself, no one will blame you for getting a little rest." He reached over and laid a hand on her arm rubbing it soothingly. "We're all pretty stressed right now, just come drink your tea."
She sagged even further and gave up fighting knowing that there was nothing more to be done right then, Lydia reached for the mug and breathed in the warm aroma and it helped a little but her mind continued to buzz and whirl. "Isaac."
"Hm?" He tilted his head waiting to hear the next part.
"Talk to me, tell me something so I can focus on anything other than spirits, please." Her eyes stared at him as if he held all of the answers in the world right then and it made him more than a little uncomfortable to be looked at by her in such a way, but he didn't want to disappoint one of his closest friends so Isaac considered what to say, before he chose a particular topic.
"When I moved in with Chris the first week after Allison's… " He stopped and moved on "he cooked nothing but his stupid Tuna Surprise Casserole, and I swear one night I had this nightmare that a giant tuna chased me all over town. It was very traumatizing. "
Lydia giggled slightly and took a sip of her drink "wow I had no idea, I thought he was a great cook?"
"Usually, I think it was grief tuna mostly." Isaac scratched his neck awkwardly and gave her a half smile "in the end I had to call Scott and Melissa came over with Mexican, that woman is a gift."
"Do you think she's here?" Lydia asked glancing over to the record player once more her face contorted a little into sadness. She didn't need to elaborate at all Isaac knew who she meant and he didn't know what to say to that, but he was sure she'd asked herself the same question more times than anyone.
"I think… she probably would be if she were able to be here, wishing she could help just as much as you do."
Lydia turned back and brushed a small tear away quickly giving him a watery smile. "Thanks." She leant forward and kissed him on the cheek "I'm glad you stayed."
"Well I'm not going anywhere," he said. He'd promised Allison that her death would never be in vain and that Lydia would be loved and safe, and he always kept his promises.