"Let us commend Lydia Rae Martin to the mercy of God."
There Stiles was. Dressed in black, standing in a muddy grave yard, rain drops falling from the ends of his flat hair, surrounded by Lydia's family and friends. Ten days after Lydia had been snatched from this world.
Ten long days since Lydia left the earth, taking Stiles Stilinski's heart with her.
Scott stood next to the brown-haired boy, moving his umbrella slightly to cover Stiles from the rain. The sheriff stood on the other side of Stiles, staring at the soaking wet grass.
Stiles lifted his head and scanned over the surroundings, only now realizing just how gloomy this event was. The bags under Stiles' eyes felt heavier than usual.
All these people, all here to morn the death of Lydia who wasn't even present. They were hosting a funeral for nothing. They were standing around absolutely nothing, because Lydia Martin's body hadn't been discovered yet. Every other passenger's body; located in the South Atlantic. But not Lydia's.
They were saying goodbye to a marble grave stone with Lydia's name on it. Stiles stared at it numbly.
The past is history. The future, a mystery
But we will hold dear our memories of her
Her smile, the sound of her laughter...forever.
It didn't do her justice, Stiles thought. What about her academic career? Her love for knowledge? How she fought monsters with non-humans and won? How she, after losing her best friend, remained strong and kept on going?
Stiles' heart fluttered at the memory of Allison, and he turned his head to the grave stone next to Lydia's.
Once a warrior
Once an angel on earth
But never forgotten.
Stiles was glad of this. Two best friends, fallen soldiers, together in the end. But they weren't together. Because Lydia's body was floating in the middle of the ocean somewhere.
Stiles closed his eyes and swallowed. No more tears; he was far too exhausted and far too empty.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us all with the gift of this earthly life and has given to our sister Lydia, her span of years and gifts of character."
Stiles watched Lydia's mother and sister stand opposite, holding each other. He couldn't imagine how they felt. He couldn't even relate to the pain they were experiencing.
Stiles felt Scott lean against him slightly. Stiles could most definitely relate to Scott. They'd both lost the person they loved. And now here they were, standing in front of both of their graves.
He couldn't listen to this priest. He couldn't be involved in real life any more. It was all a blur, all a sick twisted nightmare that he could never really wake from. This man's words were nothing to him.
He closed his eyes and imagined just him and Lydia, together, happy.
"God our Father, we thank you now for all her life,"
"Stiles, put me down!"
"For every memory of love and joy,"
"I swear to god, if you rip this dress I will kill you."
"For every good deed done by her,"
Stiles ran along the side of the Beacon Hills lake, Lydia over his shoulders. "Hey Scott, you think we should put them down?"
"And every sorrow shared with us."
Scott ran past Stiles, bridal carrying Kira. "No, Stiles. I don't think she should."
"We thank you for her life and for her death,"
Three o'clock in the morning, four teenagers running off the adrenaline from their prom and after party, dressed up in suits and dresses and heels, feeling the most free they've ever felt.
"We thank you for the rest in Christ she now enjoys,"
"Stiles, I can feel your arms shaking and I know that you won't be able to hold me for much longer-" Lydia's panic was replaced with a scream of laughter as Stiles tripped over his own feet and they landed in a heap of mess on the cold ground.
"We thank you for giving her to us,"
Their laughter was the only thing you could hear through the night, arms and legs wrapped around each other as they tried to regain their posture. Stiles stared at Lydia in the moonlight, her skin pale and her eyes lit up like fire.
"We thank you for the glory we shall share together."
Stiles never needed reminding of why he fell in love with Lydia to begin with. But right now, with her body melting into his, her skin covered in goosebumps, her hair flying freely with the light wind, and her laughter ringing through the air...this. This was the reason why he fell in love with Lydia Martin.
Because she was Lydia Martin.
"We thank you for the life of your child; Lydia Rae Martin."
"I've just gotta say, Stiles." Scott yelled from down the river side, slow dancing with Kira. "We have the most amazing, most perfect girlfriends in the whole entire universe."
"Hear our prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord."
"Amen to that, McCall!"
"Amen."