This was it. It was the day. D-Day, if she wanted to code name it. Lydia was going to meet Deucalion at the preserve tonight, and she was going to die. She was going to die so that her daughter could live. She was terrified. She was hoping that they wouldn't drag it out; that Deucalion or Aiden, or whoever was the one to do it, that they would just rip her throat out quick. The whole day she was nervous. She knew it was pretty bad when Isaac pulled her aside and asked her if she was okay.

"I'm fine," she said, but she couldn't stop the waver in her voice. Isaac looked concerned.

Tears started to leave her eyes, "Look, I'm fine. I just…I've got a lot of things on my mind right now."

"That's a lie," Derek piped up from where he was watching a movie with Kristy on his lap. "How about you try the truth this time?"

"I've gotta do something tonight that I'm super nervous about," she said, deciding on a half-truth. "I don't know what is going to happen, and I don't like the unknown. That's what you guys are sensing. I'm going to be okay, though."

"What do you have to do tonight?" Isaac asked. He was actually acting concerned. Lydia just shook her head.

"I don't wanna talk about it."

Isaac just shrugged as they went back to their movie.

While they watched their movie, Lydia felt the need to get up and do something. Stiles and Danny were on another job, so she took that time to pull out a paper and write Stiles a letter. It was going to be a goodbye letter, a chance to explain things to him. She had known for the last couple of weeks that she was in love with him. She was in love with Stiles and she never got the chance to tell him. She sat at the table, writing her letter, when Kristy toddled over to her. Lydia was grateful that she could have at least witnessed her daughter's first steps before she died. Lydia picked Kristy up and hugged her daughter for a long minute.

"You see kinda…off," Ethan commented, and Lydia hadn't even realized that he was standing there. She put Kristy down and said, "Ethan, I can trust you, right? I mean, I can tell you something and you'll let me make my own decision, no matter how screwed up it might be?"

Ethan got a look on his face, "Does this have anything to do with whatever secret you've been hiding?"

Lydia nodded.

"Yeah, absolutely," he said, answering her question.

"Come with me," she said, dragging him into the bedroom that Kristy was using. She sat down in the rocking chair as he sat down on the edge of the bed that was in there. She had to come clean; she needed to tell someone, and somehow (though she didn't know how exactly) she knew that she could trust Ethan.

She told him everything. From the meeting with Deucalion that one day until what happened with the text message and the meeting she had with the alpha pack three weeks ago. Ethan sat there, hands folded in his lap, and listened to everything she had to say, not even interrupting once. By the end of it, Lydia had tears in her eyes, and Ethan reached over and grabbed her hand in his.

"You do realize that Deucalion's not going to let you live, right? If you show up there without Kristy, you're gonna die."

Lydia nodded, "I know, and I'm willing to make that sacrifice."

"You may be," Ethan said, "but take it from me, Lydia. Aiden and I had to grow up without parents. I mean, our parents died because of hunters, not psychotic alphas, but the point remains. How do you think Kristy is going to feel when she finds out that her mother sacrificed her life for her? Do you think that an older Kristy is going to appreciate the sacrifice, or is she going to hate you for it?"

What Stiles had told Lydia several years ago was ringing in her ear. Death doesn't happen to you, Lydia, it happens to everyone around you. It's all the people left standing at your funeral, figuring out how they're going to live the rest of their lives without you in it. Did she really want to do that to her daughter?

Lydia wiped away her tears and said, "It doesn't matter, Ethan. I have to sacrifice one of us, and I'm unwilling to give her to that pack. You know better than me – if it was your kid, would you do it? Could you give her to them?"

"No," Ethan said automatically. "You're right, she should have nothing to do with them. But you know Scott's not going to let you do this, right?"

"You have to keep it to yourself, Ethan, please," Lydia said. "I have no alternatives here. I'm doing this because I feel like it's my only option."

Ethan sighed, but then nodded, "Fine. There's nothing I can really say here, Lydia. You're going to do what you think is right, what you feel you have to do. I don't have to agree with it."

Lydia smiled weakly, "Thanks for listening, though."

-x-

Lydia took her time making love to Stiles that night, so that he could have her one more time before he couldn't have here again. After his climax, which was pretty intense, he curled his arm around her waist and fell asleep when his head hit the pillow. Lydia waited about thirty minutes after he fell asleep before sneaking out of bed. She kissed him on top of his head, saying, "I really do love you Stiles. You deserve someone wonderful, who will treat you the way you deserve." She put her clothes back on and went into Kristy's room to take one last look at her sleeping daughter. She gave her a kiss on the top of her head, too, then said, "No matter what, baby girl, I'm going to love you and I'll be with you always."

Her heart was breaking, but Lydia had to do this for her daughter. She needed to ensure her safety, and wasn't going to take the chance that Deucalion was bluffing. Taking the note that she had written to Stiles, she set it down on the table next to the recliner. The first thing Stiles did in the morning was make a cup of coffee and sit down with the newspaper. She knew he'd find it there.

The drive over the preserve gave Lydia time to do her freak out so she didn't have to do it in front of the alphas. She was not going to show Deucalion and the rest of the pack that she was afraid. She was going to die with a little dignity.

When she reached the preserve, the alphas were waiting for her. She sighed, gathering all of her courage, before walking out the meet them.

"I don't see Kristy," Aiden said. Lydia nodded.

"So you've made your choice, then?" Deucalion asked. "You're willing to give your life for her?"

Lydia nodded, "I'm not giving her to you, Deucalion. I'd rather die first."

"Well, that's a guarantee," he said. A single tear escaped Lydia's eye, but she ignored it. Taking a pregnant pause, Deucalion said to Lydia, "Any last requests, Miss Martin?"

Lydia took a deep breath, "I know you're going to kill me. So, just do it already. Please, just rip my throat out really quick. Please."

"Oh, Miss Martin," Deucalion said with a sadistic smile on his face, "I don't think I can grant you that request."