"There she is!" 

Lydia came running towards me after descending the stairs of my charter plane. I knew I had a cheesy smile on my face, but I didn't care. I was so fucking excited to see her. Even though she's only been gone for a little less than two days, this is the first time I'm seeing her since she officially agreed to move in with me. 

"Hey, Sean," she breathed as she jumped in my arms and wrapped hers around my neck. I squeezed her against me as I took in the smell of her lavender shampoo. Whenever I held her like this, time seemed to slow down.

We pulled apart and I grabbed her bag from her. "How was the flight?" 

"Long," she laughed. "Well, it felt long. I just wanted to get back here. To you." She glanced away and her happy expression fell. "Sean, I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am for leaving."

She was being ridiculous if she thought she still needed to apologize. "Baby," I said as I stroked her cheek, "we already talked about that. You don't need to apologize. I mean, yes you taking off scared me, but I know you. Can you just promise me you'll talk to me next time? Before you flee the state? Then after we talk, you can feel free to be a recluse as long as you need." 

She laughed and it was music to my ears. I would never get tired of hearing it. I would never, ever grow tired of her. "Yes, I can promise that."

"Good. Now, how do you feel about grabbing some food before we head to your dorm?" I asked hopefully. I was starving and I hoped that she was too. There was a possibility she could have ate on the plane.

Lydia called me this morning before her flight, as she always did, and explained that she wanted to go by her dorm after she landed to get some clothes. After that, she wanted to stay at my place for a few days. She wanted us to reconnect after what happened and I was extremely on board with that. Originally, she wasn't going to stay at my place until her mom got here at the end of the week, but she wanted to come early. 

"Yes, please. I barely took anything with me to Michael's. Let's just order delivery so it'll be there the same time we get to my door."

I agreed and stepped onto the sidewalk to flag down a taxi. After we climbed in the car I ordered food as we started heading towards the university. In the silence of the cab, I couldn't stop myself from thinking about our plans for the next few days.

Even though Lydia was going to come over tonight and stay with me for a few days, I needed to get started on this new work project. The deputy director called me this morning wondering what I had so far. He wasn't pleased when I told him I had nothing done.

I was surprised that Lydia didn't get upset when I told her I was going to have to work while she was at my place. She said would bring some of her notes for school and her art. The thought of her sitting in my apartment, humming while she painted made my chest tighten. I don't think I've ever seen her more at peace then when she's painting.

The one thing I was looking forward to the most, was attending her art show. I still couldn't believe that she made it. Not because she wasn't talented, because she was extremely talented. I was surprised because Lydia is, or was, the type of person who wouldn't believe in herself enough to try to be accepted.

She took a chance by entering that contest. I believed she would from the beginning. But it was all up to her. I never forget when she got the news. She called me and accused me of rigging the contest. While I would have, and still would, do anything for her, this time it wasn't me. I had absolutely nothing to do with it. I knew that if I attempted to mettle in any way to have her win, she would probably never forgive me. Let alone trust me.

I glanced over to her. Her trust in me was more important then anything else. She didn't trust easily, and I wasn't going to screw that up.

"How's Michael?" I asked curiously. After he called me and told me he had picked up Lydia from the airport, I haven't spoken to him. I wanted Lydia two enjoy the time she spent with her brother.

"He's good," she said with a smile that didn't quite convince me she was being honest.

"I thought we were going to be honest and open with each other," I said quietly.

She kept her eyes out of the window for a few moments before finally looking at me. "Michael did something."

My heart sank. "What? What the fuck did he do?" I could tell the surprise and anger in my voice startled her. Her eyebrows raised as she quickly shook her head.

"No! He didn't do anything to me. What I meant to say, was that he found out some information about our brother."

I frowned at her. "Alex?" Since I've known her, Lydia has never spoken much about Alex. After she reconnected with Michael, she told me a little bit about him and their childhood. But nothing about the elusive Alex. "What did he say?"

She ran her hand through her hair as she let out a deep breath. "He found out that Alex is still currently active and in combat. He's somewhere overseas right now. He couldn't get a phone number for him, but he did get an address to write letters." Lydia looked even more uncomfortable as she continued, "So...he reached out and wrote him a letter."

"I'm assuming by the tenseness in your shoulders and the expression on your face, that he didn't mention you?"

She shook her head. "They've been estranged for so long, he said he wanted to see if Alex would even reply to his letter before he brings me into it."

I thought about what she said. In a way, it made sense. From what Lydia has told me, they had an extremely hard childhood. All of them did. I remembered Michael saying that he and Alex separated and lost touch after they got out of foster care, and haven't spoken since. That was over ten years ago. Since Alex hasn't made an effort, that they were aware of, I could understand Michael's hesitance about mentioning Lydia.

But I also knew Lydia. "Are you okay?"

It took her a second before she turned towards me. The glassiness of her eyes along with the single tear that slid down her cheek, told me she was definitely not okay.

"What if he hates me? Or doesn't want anything to do with me?" Her voice was full of emotion and I rested my hand on her thigh. "Alex and I had more disagreements and a rough relationship then me and Michael. Alex always blamed me for sending our dad to prison and pretty much everything else. He's never tried to reach out to me before. I can see him reaching out to Michael. I can see them mending their relationship." She looks down at her hands. "I don't know if he'll ever speak to me."

"If he doesn't, then he's an idiot. Besides, do you really think Michael will let him get away with treating you any other way than what you deserve?" I gently squeezed her thigh. "And you don't deserve anything other than love and respect, Lydia. Remember that."

She gave me a hopeful smile as we pulled up outside of her building. After exiting the car, we made our way up to her dorm room. She was excited to see Ellie and honestly, so was I. After I had taken Lydia's call outside of the coffee shop, I went back in and told Ellie the good news. We talked for a little while after that, and I could see why Lydia has grown so close to her.

Lydia stuck her key in the door to unlock it. She looked to me and said sarcastically, "She's probably binge watching Netflix or going through my clothes."

I chuckled as she pushed the door open and we stepped inside. Lydia and I both froze instantly. Ellie was definitely not binge watching Netflix or looking through Lydia's clothes. "Uh oh," I mumbled.

Lydia gasped as Ellie quickly tried to cover herself and the unknown man with a sheet. "Lydia! Your back..." She glanced to me. "Hey, Blanche."

"Yes, I'm back! And you're having sex in my bed!" Lydia accused as she waved her arms. "Wait, did you just call Sean Blanche?"

"Yeah, and she's Rose," I quipped. When Lydia shot me a look, I quickly shut up.

Ellie looked around the bed and dorm room with confusion. It appeared like she hadn't realized she stumbled into Lydia's bed. "Shit! Sorry, Lydia." She put her hand to her head. "We had some wine last night and..."

Lydia's eyebrows raised. "I cant believe you! What do you have to say for yourself?"

Ellie chewed her bottom lip before she gestured to the man next to her. "You can finally meet Physics Guy!"

I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to hide my laughter with a cough. The door to their dorm room was still open and someone knocked on the frame. When we turned around, it was the pizza delivery guy.

The pizza delivery guy's eyes widened as he took in the scene in front of him. "Uh...pizza, anyone?"

I glanced from Lydia to Ellie and I couldn't keep it in any longer. I threw my head back and laughed.