Chapter 11

The door swung open and Lydia was pulled into a tight hug from Sheriff Stilinski. The Sheriff released her and welcomed her inside. The pleasant aroma of garlic circulated through the warm house, and made Lydia's stomach grumble.

"Stiles!" The Sheriff yelled through the house.

Lydia took a seat on the couch and folded her shaking hands together. She was nervous about seeing Stiles again. Her eyes quickly surveyed the room. A picture on the side table caught her eye. It was a picture of Claudia, Sheriff Stilinski, and a very young Stiles. The smiles on their faces seemed to reach out to Lydia. She thought of the struggle the two men went through; losing a mother and wife.

The Sheriff's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, "I'm glad you decided to come over for dinner. You're just in time, the lasagna is getting ready to come out of the oven."

She watched the sheriff walk over to the oven. He grabbed two oven mitts, and pulled the hot bubbling pan of lasagna out and placed it on top of the stove.

Lydia turned her head from the Sheriff to see Stiles walking into the living room. The look on his face was a mixture of surprise and annoyance. He stood there in the doorway, his eyes staring right at her.

Lydia shifted in her seat, looking away from his intense gaze. He wasn't happy to see her. That must be what was wrong. She cursed herself for even coming here.

"Stiles, I invited Lydia over for dinner. I thought it would be good for you two to talk again." The Sheriff said motioning the two of them over to the table.

Lydia rose up from the couch and walked over to the dinner table. She could still feel Stiles eyes on her as she sat down. He sat down beside her and the Sheriff took the seat across from them.

Lydia admired the food displayed before them. There was salad, garlic bread, and lasagna covered in parmesan cheese. She reached for the salad and began portioning some out onto her plate.

"Lydia, tomorrow is his first day back at school. I'm sure he will need your help catching up on what he has missed." The Sheriff said cutting a piece of lasagna and placing it on his plate.

Stiles gave his dad a look, "I only missed four days dad, I'll be able to catch up."

Stiles reached for a piece of bread and shoved it into his mouth hungrily.

"I have most of my notes in the car. It's no problem, Stiles." Lydia said, turning her head to look at him.

Stiles smiled at her and returned back to his food. There was tension in the air, and Lydia was sure that she wasn't the only one who felt it.

"Have you heard anything about Malia? Or her mother?" Lydia ask the Sheriff.

"My guys still don't have a lead on either one of them." The Sheriff replied with disappointment.

"She will be back." Stiles muttered under his breath.

Lydia turned her head to look at Stiles. The fork he held in his hand was shaking. She must have been the only one to hear what he said, as the Sheriff was still going about eating his dinner. Lydia reached over and smoothed her hand across Stiles knee. It was difficult for her to see him like this. It didn't matter that he didn't remember who she was, or that they were in a relationship, she still loved him and wanted to comfort him.

Stiles immediately stiffened from the contact. His eyes shot down to where she was touching him. Without a word he pushed his chair back and got up from the table.

"Stiles, you need to eat." The Sheriff said raising his voice so Stiles could hear.

Lydia lowered her head, and tried not to cry. Rejection wasn't something she was used to, especially from Stiles. She couldn't help but think she had crossed a line, or offended him. To him, she was a stranger, and apparently he didn't want her touching him.

Lydia smiled at the Sheriff, "The lasagna was really good. Thank you for having me over but, I think I should probably leave."

"You don't have to leave, finish your food."

"I should really get home. I have a test Monday and I really need to study."

Lydia got up and pushed her chair up against the table. She felt bad leaving the Sheriff there to eat dinner alone, but she was on the verge of a break down and wanted to be alone.

"The one thing I don't get is why it's only you that he doesn't remember." The Sheriff said, making her turn back to look at him.

"Wait, it's only me he doesn't remember?" Lydia ask confused.

"From what he has told me, it's only you that he doesn't remember."

The Sheriff removed himself from the table and walked over to where Lydia was standing.

"The doctors told he that he is perfectly healthy. They can't explain what happened at the hospital, or the memory loss he's experiencing."

"He won't even talk to me, it's like we're strangers." Lydia spoke softly, sadness pulling at her chest.

"He will come around Lydia, you know Stiles."

The Sheriff gave her a quick hug and walked her over to the door. They exchanged goodbyes and Lydia began walking to her car. The full moon hung over her head and illuminated the pathway to her car. She felt even worse than before. Her and Stiles were officially over.

Just when she was about to turn the key in the ignition, she saw Stiles standing in front of her car. She narrowed her eyes at him, his intentions unclear. He walked over to the passenger side, opened the door, and sat down beside her.

"I didn't know you were leaving." He said looking at her. He let out a long breath and leaned back in his seat.

"You already made it very clear that you don't want me around Stiles. I get it. You don't have to worry about it anymore."

Lydia turned the key over and started the car. She turned her head to him, signaling it was his time to leave.

"I'm sorry, okay." He said looking into her eyes.

She could see the apology was earnest and heartfelt. She let out a long sigh and leaned back in the driver seat.

"It's hard for me to be around you Stiles."

"It's harder, for me to be around you." He said leaning close to her.

"So, maybe we shouldn't be around one another anymore." She said with tears in her eyes.

She was saying goodbye to her best friend, for the second time this year. She never thought she'd see a day that she cried over Stiles Stilinski. Especially on a Sunday night, in his driveway, in her car. She let out a sob as the feeling sank in. She couldn't help but to cry.

"Lydia, don't cry. Please."

Stiles cupped her cheek and tilted her face to look at him, "It's not that I don't want to be around you Lydia. Everything about you makes me nervous. I'm not good at this."

She watched his brown eyes glance at her lips and she closed her eyes. His breath was hot against her neck as he ghosted his lips softly across her jaw line. He tilted her head closer and closed the gap between them. His lips moved slowly against hers, and she swore she could feel him shaking. When he pulled away, Lydia opened her eyes and looked at him curiously.

"I wasn't expecting that." She said licking her lips.

"I've wanted to kiss you since I saw you in the hospital." He said, laughing. He scratched the back of his neck and fidgeted in the passenger seat.

"We have kissed before Stiles, you don't have to be nervous." She shoved him playfully on the arm and began wiping away leftover tears from her cheeks.

"My dad said that you were...my girlfriend?" He ask, raising an eyebrow up at her, unsure of her response.

"We weren't exactly official…" Her words lingered on, as she tried to think of a better way to explain it to him.

"I remember being with Malia." He spoke quietly.

Lydia became angry at this revelation, how could he remember the ware-coyote and not her? She felt like she had played a bigger part in his life, and it wasn't fair.

"Stiles, we have been in the same grade in school since kindergarten. You and Scott found Malia in the woods almost a year ago."

"Lydia, I'm sorry. I've been looking through yearbooks and pictures for three days. You just don't seem like the type of girl that would want to associate with me."

"I'll admit, a few years ago, I was a different person. It took me awhile to see what was in front of me."

"Lydia, what if it's too late?" He ask, his brown eyes looking at her with sadness.

"We have gone through so much worse Stiles, we can make it through this," She reached out, and laced their fingers together. "I love you."

She watched as the corners of his lips formed a smile. He squeezed her hand and leaned in close, "There is no denying the physical attraction, and connection I feel when I'm close to you." His deep voice made the hairs on her neck stand up.

She didn't mind that he didn't reciprocate her declaration of love, but what he did say was enough to fill her with hope. So much, that she found herself lost in the moment.

She threaded her fingers through his brown hair, and smashed her lips against his. He kissed her back roughly, trying to extinguish a need that was too much to handle.

She pulled away to take a breath, and his arms circled around her. He was panting against her neck and began placing feather-like kisses in a line down to her collar bone. "Lydia, have we ever…."

Lydia took in a sharp breath and closed her eyes. His voice was reducing her down to a puddle in her seat. Instead of answering the question, she let out a breathy moan against his flannel clad shoulder.

She was about to suggest the obvious, when she heard a loud knock against her passenger side window. She opened her eyes, and could see Sheriff Stilinski standing outside the car with his hands on his hips.

Stiles turned around and rolled the car window down, "Hey Dad."

"You leave an old man to eat his dinner alone so you guys can sit in the car for an hour?" He asked chuckling. He bent down to see Lydia, and rose an eyebrow at her.

"I'm sorry Sheriff, I was leaving and Stiles came out to get my notes for school."

"Oh, he did." The Sheriff replied with another laugh.

There was no doubt in her mind that the Sheriff knew exactly what they were doing. "Why don't you two come back inside and have some ice cream. It's not every day that we have guests come in the house."

Lydia watched as the Sheriff walked back inside the house and she turned the car off. She reached back and dug around her back seat. She found her spiral ringed binder and placed it in Stiles lap.

"I have everything that we have done in class since you've been gone."

Stiles grabbed her hand, "Lydia, I may not remember everything about us, but I would like to make new memories. With you….I mean...if you want."

"Of course Stiles."

She would have done anything for him. She couldn't help it, she was hooked. He smirked at her and leaned in for a quick kiss.

They walked back inside the house and ate ice cream with the Sheriff, and for the first time all week, Lydia felt at ease.