I know this is late. I'm super sorry. I have some stuff going on in my life outside of the wonderful world of FanFic. I wish I could play here all the time, but real life makes you grow up, unfortunately. Thank you to all the reviewers. I love you guys more than anything, and with everything that's been going on, know that your reviews have cheered me up. You're all amazing people.

I would like to mention one particular reviewer who has gone above and beyond, and that is lucawindmover. She was new to the story and reviewed EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER! I'm both impressed and amazed at your dedication, so this one's for you ;)

I'm hoping you all still keep reading and that I'll be able to update more often soon, because I actually really love making you all so happy. One more thing: this is the halfway point in the story! Only eight chapters to go after this.

Hope you're all doing well and enjoy the chapter.

xxx

P.S. The italics are either a flashback or a text message.

VIII

For Times Gone By

It wasn't snowing, but the icy wind of northern California bit through Lydia's woollen stockings as she made her way across the street to Starbucks on Wednesday morning. It was the 29th of December, and the New Year was right around the corner. Today she and Allison were going out shopping and taking advantage of the post-Christmas sales. Stepping into the warm air of the coffee house, she looked around and found Allison's familiar face smiling at her, a hand waving in the air. Lydia returned her smile, and made her way over to the booth, exchanging a hug with her friend before sliding in on the opposite side to Allison and wrapping her hands around the macchiato that Allison had ordered for her.

"Hey, Lydia. How was your Christmas?" Allison asked, a smile in her voice. The girls had exchanged presents before Christmas, but they hadn't had a chance to talk much over the break so far due to other commitments.

"It went okay. Mum and Dad didn't yell at each other this year, and the total spending came to just under one thousand. I think my parenting lessons are teaching them well," Lydia told her. Allison smiled.

"I'm glad. By the way, thanks for the present. I absolutely adore the colours you got me," Allison said, wiggling her fingers in Lydia direction and showing off her bright purple fingernails.

"Not a problem. I wore the blouse you gave me to the family Christmas dinner. My cousin Erin loved it so much she actually cried when I told her it was a limited edition," Lydia giggled.

"Well, the top was practically made for you. You always look amazing in green," Allison complimented.

"I know," Lydia winked at her and they both burst into laughter.

"Actually, I know I wasn't the only one giving you clothes for Christmas. How's your new sweater?" Allison asked, coyly. Lydia blushed and took a sip of her coffee. The truth was, she had worn it to bed every night since she had gotten it. It was warm, super soft and it smelled like Stiles- woodsy and warm, like pine needles in the rain.

"Warm," Lyda said, giving Allison and cheeky smile. Allison rolled her eyes. Lydia knew that Allison wouldn't push it, but she wasn't ready to admit to everyone how she felt about Stiles. Even to her closest friends.

The shopping trip had been very successful, Lydia thought as she pulled up the zip on the cream dress and then turned to face her bedroom mirror. As she took in the ruffles in the bodice, and fingered the flowing skirt her mind was not on how the dress looked. Her mind was on Stiles, as it had been for the past week. She had kissed him. It didn't matter how many years ago it had happened, she had still done it. And- even though all she had wanted at the time was to share it with Jackson- when she thought about that kiss her heartbeat went up. Her best friend Kelly had moved away in the middle of 9th grade, but before then she and Lydia had been inseparable. It was from Kelly that Lydia had learned all about kissing, and how awful first kisses usually were. But then she had had hers.

Lydia closed the cupboard door behind her, and then shuffled into the group of people waiting outside the cupboard, wiping the lipgloss smudged above her upper lip. Kelly latched onto her arm and pulled her away from the hall and into the kitchen. Lydia was still dazed, and stumbled along behind her, before her friend turned to face her with a large grin, saying, "so, how was it?"

Lydia raised her eyes to Kelly's, and told her, "amazing. I mean, I know he's a dork, but it totally wasn't gross at all. It was kind of weird in that way that makes you want to do it again."

Lydia was pulled back into the present when her phone chimed to signal a message, but when she went to answer it, she caught sight of the dopey smile on her face. At the time, she had been shell-shocked. Now all she wanted to do was find out if he was still that good. Picking up her phone, she read the message. It was Stiles.

Are you going to Greenburg's NYE party?

She texted back:

Yes we are. You can pick me up at 8. x

She knew the kiss was overkill, but at that moment and after re-living the kiss, she knew she had to start taking steps to tell him how she felt. And she knew it was worth it when she got his reply.

I love a bossy woman ;) See you then.

The fresh gloss on Lydia's lips shone in the hallway light as she pulled her front door open for Stiles. He was waiting with a smile and a offered arm, and after Lydia pulled on her coat she took it.

"Thanks for coming to get me," Lydia thanked him, smiling.

"No worries. Besides, I wasn't planning on drinking anyway, so I may as well make myself useful," Stiles joked, pulling open the passenger side door. Lydia laughed and got inside, quickly crossing her ankles over each other as Stiles got into his own seat and started the engine.

"No, seriously. I mean it. I could have gone with Allison. So, thanks," Lydia said honestly. Stiles just returned her smile and concentrated on the road.

"I never kissed someone more than five years older than me," said Scott, his eyes carefully browsing around the circle. Lydia downed the rest of her drink and gave her friends a challenging look.

"Jeez, Lyds. You've had a lot of experiences," Allison teased.

"What can I say?" Lydia said, cheekily. "I'm an adventurous kind of gal." The game of I Never had been going for a while, and Lydia had gone through two glasses of light beer already, her nose crinkling up whenever she took a sip. Her head was pleasantly clear of her usual cloud of thought, but she was nowhere near drunk. They had gone through embarrassing pasts, awkward parental moments and now they were onto the inevitable- sex questions.

"It's my turn. I never had sex in a public place," Lydia said, refilling her cup. She drew the line at the outdoors. Scott and Allison turned red, and both of them took a tentative sip from their cups. The whole group burst into laughter, including Lydia and Stiles who both smiled at their friends.

"In our defence, no one was actually around," Scott said, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend. Allison just buried her face in his shoulder. Allison was about to take her turn when Greenburg called out, "hey, guys. It's five minutes to midnight, so everyone grab a drink and head outside. There's going to be fireworks." Lydia walked over to the drinks table, measured out a shot of Vodka, a shot of Cointreau and three of cranberry juice before adding a squeeze of lime to the shaker and straining her Cosmopolitan into a glass. As she turned around, Stiles caught her eye, and she pulled a soda out of one of the coolers for him and made her way over to him.

"Come with me," she told him, handing off the soda and grabbing his hand. For the first time since she had noticed their elegance, Lydia felt the wiry muscles in his fingers and the callouses that came from playing Lacrosse.

"Where are we going?" Stiles asked her, climbing the stairs behind her.

"I've been to a lot of parties here, and the porch is going to be so crowded. But, I also know that there is a terrace up here that no one ever uses. Trust me, I checked," Lydia confessed. They made their way through the upstairs halls and came to the familiar glass door, which Lydia unlocked and opened. Stiles followed her through it and together they moved to step up against the railing, each holding their drinks and enjoying the space. The noise from downstairs was audible, but somehow it seemed dimmed. Lydia shivered and Stiles wraped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. She brought her arm up around his waist.

"Thanks," she said, smiling up at him. When their gazes met, the air between them sizzled, and Lydia couldn't feel the December (soon to be January) cold. Lydia felt her stomach drop. But then the countdown started. Ten, nine, eight... She had to tell him. Lydia took a deep breath and turned to look at him. Stiles was staring up at the night, happily waiting for the fireworks.

"Stiles?" Lydia asked, huskily, her voice cracking slightly. Stiles blinked, and slowly looked away from the sky and down to her. As her eyes met his, Lydia bit her lip. She couldn't do it. Looking back at her was so much warmth and kindness it was like being wrapped in a blanket with a mug of hot tea between her fingers.

"Yeah, Lydia?" Stiles said into her silence. Lydia took his hand and squeezed it with her own. She opened her mouth. And then... "one! Happy New Year!" The chorus echoed out over the Greenburg's property.

"Just... Happy New Year, Stiles," she said, smiling softly before rising on her tiptoes and kissing him on his cheek. Stiles smiled back down at her.

"Happy New Year," he agreed, taking his hand from hers and wrapping it around her shoulder. He pulled her into his side, and then looked back up to the sky again as the show started. Lydia searched his face for a few minutes in the green and blue lights, but soon joined him looking at the heavens, now only filled with stars. As she leaned into him, Lydia tried to get rid of the feelings of guilt and enjoy their time together. But- somehow- the niggling feeling in the pit of her stomach refused to go away. As she breathed in the pine needles and rain smell and leaned her head on his shoulder she knew that before she told him how she felt about him, she had to tell him what had happened between them nearly four years ago. The stars winked in agreement.

As the blue Jeep pulled up to the curb of her house, Lydia realised that she hadn't asked Stiles if he had any goals for the year.

"Have you made any resolutions yet?" she asked, turning to meet his gaze.

"I want to get into a good school. I think I can. I already got a 1350 on my SAT's, but to get in I need to keep my marks up," Stiles confessed. "I wasn't really all that motivated in the last couple of years." Lydia gave a wry smirk.

"Well, with my ex-boyfriend being a homicidal lizard and a dark druid trying to kill us, one might see how that could be a problem," she joked. Stiles snorted slightly, and shook his head. "I guess we'll just have to keep studying together," she said.

"I'd like that," Stiles told her. Lydia gave him a warm smile and kissed his cheek. Then, before he could say anything, she hopped out of the cab and unlocked her front door. She turned to wave, and then Stiles was gone. But an hour later when she was clean and wrapped up in her quilt he was there again, his smell on her sweater as she drifted off to sleep.

So this is not on hiatus, but I felt like I needed to let you guys know that chapters will probably not be up as often as they used to. I'm sorry for that, but I have so much work for Uni it is no longer a joke.

But I did get a distinction on my first piece of assessment for the semester, so I must be doing something right ;)