spamalot } { of old enemies and new threats

[beanchaointe]

Lydia: [so with Stiles and Cora on their honeymoon and Dina with the Sheriff, the loft has been very, very quiet. Add to the fact that it's summer and Lydia doesn't have to go to class, she's gotten to be very nervous about being alone in the apartment. So when things have gotten a little too quiet she puts her work away and heads down to the station to see if her boyfriend wants to have lunch.

... only, unfortunately, she doesn't make it to the station and instead winds up at a murder downtown outside of Jungle. She doesn't have to call 911, because when someone hears her screaming they do it for her after checking to make sure she's okay. They give her a blanket from their car and wait with her until the cops show up, but she's just ... tired and starting to regret leaving the house]

Parrish: [by the time the report comes in, starting with that there was a girl screaming Parrish is up, in the sheriff SUV and taking the call. He pulls up to the scene and heads over to where the crowd was gathering.]

Lydia: [glances over when she hears the sirens stop and there's relief that sags through her shoulders when it's him and not the other asshole] Hey.

Parrish: [he goes to her side, pulling her into his arms carefully and hugging her tight first.] You okay?

Lydia: [she closes her eyes as she leans into him, relaxing a bit now that he's here] Yeah. Just not how I wanted to see you for lunch.

Parrish: Yeah, I'm sure. Do you want to go wait in the car? I need to call this in.

Lydia: [she nods] Yeah, sure.

Parrish: [and he will get her to the sheriff mobile and then call the dead boy in, waiting for the ambulance and starting to clear the scene until the rest of the team shows up]

Lydia: [and she will just wait in the car, windows down on the summer heat, not wanting to deal with anyone. naturally this is when Deputy Douchebag is going to come over and bother her]

Deputy: Well, if it isn't the Ghost Whisperer. I really shouldn't be surprised, considering how fast the boy scout hopped out of his chair.

Lydia: [eye roll] Don't you have a job to do?

Parrish: [and he's walking over, glaring] Got a problem here, Hayes?

Deputy: [glances back, amused] Just being friendly. Figured I should take the witness's statement, all things considered.

Parrish: I've already got that covered. [he looks at Lydia, making sure she was okay]

Deputy: Right. Because that isn't suspicious at all. [but whatever, he'll walk away to go do his job]

Lydia: [glares at his back] Some days, I briefly contemplate asking Peter to eat him.

Parrish: You'd give him indigestion from all the gas in him. [smirks a bit at Lydia]

Lydia: And that would be the reason I don't.

Parrish: [watches Hayes a bit] I'm almost done. But I'm going to have to go back to the station and put this all in and get your actual statement. How hungry are you, because we can call something in to pick up on the way...

Lydia: Not actually, anymore. We can get whatever you want, I'll probably eat later.

Parrish: I'll just grab something in the vending machine. Give me another five minutes, and try not to punch Hayes in the face if he comes back over.

Lydia: [she nods] I'll do my best.

Parrish: [and he will take all the notes an leave Hayes to interview the other witnesses - since that's what he wanted to do - and go take Lydia back to the station]

Lydia: [she's quiet for most of the drive, before closing her eyes] He's right, you know.

Parrish: [looks at her] About what?

Lydia: [glances over] About you taking my statement all the time? People might think ... you're covering for me, or something.

Parrish: Honestly, I don't care what they think. Stilinski has it set that if you're involved, I'm supposed to be notified. So if they want to get upset about it, they can take it to him.

Lydia: And what happens if it gets bad and I get arrested because some other law enforcement agency thinks I did it, and people start to look a little too closely at the rest of the cases I've been involved in and sees that you were the responding officer every time? You could lose your job. Or worse.

Parrish: Seeing that Stilinski would be the one who would fire me... [he pulled the car up and shifted over to look at her] I'm not worried about my job. I'm not doing anything illegal, and at best I'm following direct orders. I'm worried about you, and the fact that we're together isn't a big secret in the station. Someone from a different branch comes in and yeah, maybe they'll go a bit hard on questioning me, but I can handle that.

Lydia: [turns to face him, brushing a hand against his face gently] I just ... I don't want you to be on the other end of that. It ... sucks.

Parrish: If it happens, we'll work through it together. We're a team now, right?

Lydia: [smiles softly before nodding] Yeah. We're a team.

Parrish: And when you're a team, you don't leave anyone behind for any reason.

Lydia: Even if it's to save them?

Parrish: Even then. [you have a paladin for a boyfriend, Lydia. get used to it]

Lydia: [Yeah, well, that may come back to bite him if that serial killer she attracted in college ever finds his way back to her. she swallows and nods] I don't think that's an excellent plan for survival.

Parrish: Well, technically we're not sure still what I am. I may have better odds than we think.

Lydia: Still. I'd rather sacrifice me over you.

Parrish: Well, that's a point we're going to have to differ on. [and he's going to open the door to climb out]

Lydia: [sighs, before getting out to follow him]

Parrish: [and shows her to the very familiar office] You want something to drink at least?

Lydia: Water is fine.

McCall: [and when the deputy has walked away, he is going to let himself into the room and close the door behind him] Lydia Martin?

Lydia: [she glances over to him and squints. He seems ... familiar. Not incredibly familiar, but familiar enough that it stops her from being worried for a second] Do I know you? [it's not her usual rude tone, but it pretty much confirms the answer]

McCall: [shows her his badge] Agent McCall, with the FBI. You probably know my son, Scott.

Lydia: [her eyebrows go up and she nods] Right. You look like him. [though that's probably not something Scott loves] Does he know you're here? [Lydia, that is not the question to ask]

McCall: I just got into town last night. [meaning no] I'm actually here looking for you, and wouldn't you know it I walk in just as I hear you're involved in another murder case.

Lydia: [yeah, this was what she was worried about] Would you get to the point, please?

McCall: [moves to sit across from her, and pulling out the file on the serial killer from Boston] I take it you remember this case.

Lydia: [her face blanches for a moment, so yeah. she remembers] What about it?

McCall: The pattern has picked up again. One in Los Angeles, one in Santa Clarita, and one down in Beacon County last night that was about twenty miles from the boarder to Beacon Hills. [he's watching her, not sure yet if he should be suspicious or worried about her] The field officer on the East Coast transferred these files to me, and your name was all over them.

Lydia: [her eyes widen, leaning back against the chair] No ... no, they said they caught him.

McCall: They caught a suspect. It was a very strong lead... but then he was murdered in prison before he reached trial. Which begs to question if it was him or not, and with a similar pattern appearing across the country where you are...

Lydia: [she's spiraling before she can even think about it, shaking her head and getting to her feet] I need to get out of here.

McCall: Ms. Martin, unfortunately I can't let you. I have orders to bring you into protective custody for your own safety.

Lydia: Yeah, like that'll help.

McCall: You don't believe we can keep you safe?

Lydia: You couldn't the first time. Why the hell would that change now? [her hands are going to her pockets. she needs to call Cora. No, Cora's on her honeymoon, she can't call her with this. Her hands start to shake as the phone slips out of her pocket then tumbles to the floor]

McCall: Because we know what we're dealing with this time. We can get you away and set a trap for him. [he bends down to get the phone for her]

Lydia: No, you don't get it. [her hands clench into fists in front of her for a moment as she exhales] It's not a matter if keeping him from me it's keeping me from him and you can't. And I need to go, I need to be somewhere ... else.

Parrish: [and he's returning at that moment, holding a coffee and a water bottle, looking at the Agent and then Lydia] What's going on here?

McCall: Deputy, not now.

Lydia: I have to go. [and she's going to try and slip past both of them and get out of the office]

Parrish: Lydia! [nope, he's going to make chase]

Lydia: [and she's not going to listen. She didn't even take her phone back from Agent McCall. She just wants to get into her car and drive but it isn't until she gets to the parking lot that she remembers her car is still at Jungle]

Parrish: [he's out with her in the parking lot] Lydia. What's the hell's going on?

Lydia: They didn't catch him.

Parrish: They didn't catch who?

Lydia: The Massachusetts Ferryman! [the words explode from her without thought. It made national news, back when it happened, a serial killer who stalked and drowned his victims, leaving them on display with golden coins resting on top of their eyes.] They thought they caught him and they didn't.

Parrish: [he remembered that case, and then it took a moment] Was that the case that they thought it was you?

Lydia: [nods] Yeah, and while they were chasing their tails trying to figure out how I kept finding these bodies, he figured out that I couldn't help it and started using the bodies as bait to try and catch me.

Parrish: [and he's going to put his hands on her arms to try and ground her a bit] So the agent is here to get you somewhere safe?

Lydia: There isn't anywhere safe.

Parrish: [thinks a moment. Because he can't be there 24/7. They both knew it. The feds would be able to put her somewhere that they could watch her around the clock, but they wouldn't understand her gift. Finally he took a deep breath] The Hale House.

Lydia: [she shakes her head] It doesn't matter where you put me. He doesn't have to come and get me - I go to him!

Parrish: Then we get you far enough away that you can't sense the deaths.

Lydia: And he'll just follow me. He's getting closer. Agent McCall said he was working his way through California and the last place he was seen was Beacon County. He could be here right now for all we know. [she huffs] Besides, we don't know what the range is. Stiles was shot in Santa Clarita and I followed it all the way from Bakersfield. All I need is a car and I can go anywhere he wants me to go.

Parrish: Then it sounds like instead of letting him have the advantage, we find a way to use your gift to help us catch this bastard once and for all.

Lydia: [glances away because this is one of the moments it doesn't feel like a gift. It feels like something that can be used to get people around her hurt, including him. Never mind all the girls he's going to kill trying to lure her to him in the first place]

Parrish: [he just holds her tighter] Hey, team, remember? I'm not going to just let you go off when I can help.

Lydia: [she glances back at him before shaking her head] He terrifies me. More than anything. It feels like he understands what I am and what I can do better than I do.

Parrish: Then I'm sure Peter's going to love chatting with him.

Lydia: What if he knows more about you? What if he knows how to actually kill you?

Parrish: That's a lot of what ifs, Lydia.

Lydia: I think they're pretty valid what ifs.

Parrish: And they are also stretching the imagination a lot. [he looks her in the eye] And if you think I’m going to leave you to the hands of a serial killer, you obviously don't know me very well.

Lydia: You can't watch me 24 hours a day. No one can.

Parrish: Not one person, sure. But a few people in shifts... we sure as hell can.

Lydia: [she shakes her head] All it would take would be someone turning their head for two seconds and I'm gone.

Parrish: And how is that going to be different from having no one around you at all?

Lydia: No one else gets killed!

Parrish: If this guy is what you say he is, that's not going to be an option either way!

Lydia: [yes, but those people she doesn't care about. Those people she doesn't love. Those people aren't the first good thing she's had in a very long time and she doesn't want it touched by this. She brings her hands up to cover her eyes for a moment before shaking her head] I can't do this.

Parrish: If I could do anything to keep you from it, Lydia, you know I would. But if you truly believe he's using your power to lure you in, I can't help stop that. I can only work with people we trust to be able to make sure when he does, that you've got backup so he can't hurt you, or anyone else, ever again.

Lydia: Why does that only sound like a recipe for the people I care about getting hurt?

Parrish: Because it probably is. But let's be real, either you let us do it, or we're just going to do it anyway and deal with your wrath later.

Lydia: [she gives him a look at that because she knows he's right. she then closes her eyes as she steps forward and buries her face in his chest]

Parrish: [and he's just going to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight]

Lydia: I should have just stayed home.

Parrish: Better we know now than later. [he rubbed her arms] Come back inside. I still need to get your statement, and I'll talk to this agent about you being under my police protection.

Lydia: I should tell Scott his dad's here. [her hands go to her pockets again and ...] Never mind he has my phone.

Parrish: Another good reason to go back inside. [he's going to guide her back to the station]

Lydia: [and she will follow his lead, arms wrapped limply around herself]

Parrish: [and he's going to guide her into the room, getting the phone from the agent and then taking charge because he can and making the agent and him meet with Stilinski and arguing his case that he's better protection for Lydia than an unnamed bodyguard]

Lydia: [and in the meantime she will sit in the police office, staring at her phone, before sending out two text messages: one to Scott: "Your dad is in town." and one to Tyler: "He's back." He's the nearest werewolf that's aware of what went down in Massachusetts]

Scott: What do you mean he's in town?

Tyler: Who?

Lydia: [to Scott] I mean he's in the Sheriff's station right now. [to Tyler] The Ferryman.

Scott: Crap. Is he here to see me?

Tyler: Where are you? I'm coming to help.

Lydia: [to Scott] No, he's here to see me. [to Tyler] At the Sheriff's station. I'm fine right now, but can you come by my place later?

Scott: ....... Why is he here to see you?

Tyler: Yeah, I'll be there. I'll warn the others too just so they can stay vigilant.

Lydia: [to Scott] Too long a story for text. [to Tyler] Thank you. I'll text you when we're leaving.

Scott: Do you want me to come there?

Lydia: Only if you want to. Otherwise I'll talk to you later, I just wanted to warn you.

Scott: Thanks. I'll check in later. You can tell me the whole story then.

Lydia: Okay. I'll see you then.

Parrish: [and he's returning while Stilinski and McCall are talking loudly at each other] Come on, let's do this statement.

Lydia: [nods as she turns to follow him] Okay.

Parrish: [and he's going to get her statement about the body outside the Jungle]

Lydia: [which wasn't much different from the couple that found her]

Parrish: [and once they are done, he's pulling out his phone] Alright, so the game plan is that we're going to get out stuff from the townhouse, and we're going to have dinner with Peter. Stilinski is sending him the file as the official consultant and then we're going to sit and figure out a way that we can handle this.

Lydia: Okay, I'll tell Tyler. I asked him to come over because he was there and Cora isn't here.

Parrish: Yeah, that's the reason Peter thinks we're better going to his place tonight. Derek's going to work on building security.

Lydia: [nods] Sounds good. [and she'll text Tyler to update him]

Parrish: [and home they go]

Lydia: [where they pack up a few things and head over to Peter's. Lydia's calmed down a bit but she's still not her usual level of Lydia.]

Peter: [and he's going to greet then outside, showing them to the guest room] Hopefully the baby won't wake you.

Lydia: I probably won't be sleeping anyway. [small smile] I'll be fine.

Peter: Well, young Parrish and I will take turns sitting up with you. Can I get either of you something to drink? Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes.

Lydia: Drink. Drink sounds good. I could use a drink. A very, very strong drink.

Parrish: [takes the bags] I'll put our stuff up. You get that drink.

Peter: [ushers Lydia into the kitchen] Whiskey or something else?

Lydia: Whiskey is good. Tyler's going to need it too.

Peter: Good thing I got a new bottle. [he pulls out a high end bottle and a few tumblers] How are you doing?

Lydia: I think this is a bad idea.

Peter: Well, what would you think would be a better idea?

Lydia: I don't have one. [she glances away] The whole thing just came out of nowhere. I thought he was caught.

Peter: I know. But the one good thing is that you weren't drawn to following any of the three murders in the area, so we have the ability to get ahead of him if we plan right, and make sure we do catch him this time.

Lydia: [she's not entirely confident in that plan yet, but she'll just nod and reach for the drink]

Peter: We've been in trouble before, and we've banded together to take care of each other. That's the benefit of being in a pack.

Lydia: I know. I know. I just ... [sighs] I hate this.

Peter: I would be worried if you enjoyed it, my dear.

Lydia: I'm worried about how this will end. It doesn't usually end well.

Peter: No, and you're right to be worried. I mean, it wasn't long ago that Stiles was the one in danger, and we did get hurt in all that. But we also survived.

Lydia: [she nods. There's still part of her that just thinks she should let him have her if it means no one else gets hurt. She doesn't have a daughter to worry about. But she keeps her mouth shut on that for now and downs half of her drink in one go as she checks her phone]

Tyler: [confirmed the redirection and has an ETA]

Peter: [watching her a moment] What do you fear more, Lydia? Yourself being killed, or others being hurt to prevent that?

Lydia: [texts back that she'll see him soon, and then looks up at Peter] What do you think?

Peter: You care for your friends a great deal. And I can tell how afraid you are. But you do need to remember what while you feel out of control in this moment... you have so many ways to gain it. There is always risk, but to gain control gives you power over it. And you can prevent both.

Lydia: [shakes her head] I just can't go through Boston again.

Peter: Perhaps you can fill me in then on the specifics of what happened. I have the case file, but I don't have your insight.

Lydia: [she nods before swallowing] We should wait for Tyler to get here. He can fill in the blanks of what I ... don't really remember.

Peter: [nods] I'll leave him a plate for when he gets here.

Parrish: [walking in] Can I help with something?

Peter: Set the table.

Lydia: [finishes the rest of the drink before nodding] Let me help.

Parrish: I'll get dishes, you get silverware?

Lydia: [nods and goes to do just that]

Peter: [and he's going to finish up the food] Nadia, dinner's ready.

Nadia: [sighs as she comes in with Gavin] Good. I'm starving.

Peter: [smiles, leaning over to kiss her, and gently pet his son's head] What do you want to drink?

Nadia: Water is fine for now.

Parrish: I got it. [and he's going to make himself one too]

Nadia: [glances over with a smile] Thank you. [and she'll go to put Gavin in his high chair]

Gavin: [oh hey new people. His face breaks out into a grin and hands slamming on the table for attention]

Lydia: [laughs, before moving to sit next to him] Hello to you too.

Peter: He's starting to learn faces. And he's wanting people to know it too.

Lydia: Knowing Hales, I'm not sure that's something that goes away.

Peter: [raised eyebrow]

Lydia: [raises one right back, before taking another sip of her drink]

Parrish: [nope, staying out of this]

Gavin: [blows bubbles and slaps the table again]

Nadia: [sighs] He's certainly an attention seeker, that's for sure.

Peter: He's very different from Malia, that's for sure.

Lydia: Well, he's also a boy. That accounts for a lot.

Peter: True.

Parrish: He's getting big.

Nadia: Growing like a weed. But it's good, it means he's healthy.

Peter: I'm worried that he's going to figure out how to walk before Cameron's up doing it.

Lydia: Maybe Cameron just needs the right motivation.

Peter: Well, that's Malia and Isaac's trick to learn.

Lydia: I'm sure they'll figure it out. [and they have polite dinner conversation until there's the sound of a car pulling up outside]

Nadia: [looks up and over] That must be Tyler.

Parrish: I'll go get him.

Lydia: [nods and starts staring at her glass again]

Nadia: [glances over and goes to reach for her son again] I think I'm going to get him ready for bed. You know where to find me if you need me.

Gavin: [but no, Mom! I want to sit here and be with everyone!!!!!!!]

Peter: [gets up to go and make Tyler's plate]

Nadia: [but she's going to give you a bath which is your other favorite thing]

Lydia: [gets a refill on her drink]

Gavin: [okay fine only because it's bubble splash time]

Tyler: [coming in with Parrish, going right over to Lydia] Hey, you okay?

Lydia: Not really. [she glances up with a small smile] Thanks for coming.

Tyler: [and he's going to slide into Parrish's spot next to her, making the deputy stiffen a bit] Hey, it's not a problem. You know I'm always here to help.

Lydia: [nods, before pointing to Peter] Peter wants us to catch him up on the case but I don't really remember all of it? So I figure you can fill in the blanks of what I don't.

Tyler: I can. Cora was a lot more involved than I was.

Lydia: But Cora is unavailable right now. I don't want to bother her with this while she and Stiles are away.

Tyler: You know she's going to be upset that you didn't.

Lydia: I can deal with that later. She and Stiles have worked too hard for this, I'm not going to ruin it.

Tyler: [and he will explain about what happened.....]

Lydia: [and Lydia will fill in the in between, about how he managed to get into her head somehow and take advantage of her abilities, kind of similar to the way Peter did in early S2 but not quite the same]

Peter: So you think that this killer is supernatural?

Lydia: Or he just ... knows things the way Deaton knows things. I didn't really spend enough time with him to tell.

Peter: [thinks] Lydia, did you ever find the alpha who bit you?

Lydia: [her eyes narrow for a moment, before she shakes her head] No. Cora tried, but the local packs all denied any knowledge. No one knew who he was.

Peter: [rolling his head to the side, sighing] Bonds like that are not uncommon between alphas and betas. You don't see it, but Talia can choose to manipulate us to do her bidding if she ever choose to.

Lydia: [eyes narrow] But I'm not a beta. I'm immune.

Peter: But your powers came out due to it. It still did something to you, and that may have been enough to create one in some fashion.

Lydia: But it's ... genetic. My grandmother was one - it was going to happen anyway.

Peter: Not all children of werewolves are born wolves. Some stay human.

Lydia: So you think the alpha who bit me is also the Massachusetts Ferryman?

Peter: It's not unheard of some alphas doing horrors like that.

Lydia: Yeah, but since when does a werewolf drown his victims?

Peter: That can be a psychosis.

Lydia: [sighs] Great. So he's not just some psychopathic human, he's a psychopathic alpha.

Peter: But, if it's an alpha controlling it... we have an alpha we can talk to about how to resist orders of another.

Lydia: What if it's not orders? What if it's a banshee thing not a werewolf thing?

Peter: Then we're back at square one.

Lydia: [sighs] I hate square one.

Parrish: And there's no way to just, get far enough from it?

Peter: No. Being a part of a pack means that you know where your members are. You have a connection to them. Unless there's something that breaks that - either conscious or unconscious - you can eventually find one another.

Lydia: [rubs her temples because this is making her head hurt] If it is an alpha thing, can it be broken by just me choosing a new alpha?

Peter: I don't know. That's going to be something we need to talk to Talia about.

Lydia: I guess we could always ask Scott. He was bitten by someone else, wasn't it? But Talia is his alpha?

Peter: That's right. [he motions to Tyler] And you have a born wolf who's also changed alphas.

Lydia: [she glances over and raises her eyebrows] Does your dad send you creepy horror movie visions?

Tyler: [looks down at his hands a moment] Not really. But he's been known to use us in a way that we can't remember how we got to him. Forcing us to do his bidding.

Lydia: [her face softens a bit and she shakes her head] Sorry. I didn't mean to ... make light of it. [it's just how she copes. She's very bad at coping]

Tyler: But Peter does have a point. I just... if you're not a werewolf, I don't know if the breaking the bond will work.

Lydia: Great. [and she's just going to finish off her drink, before shaking her head] I think I need a break. I'm going to go ... pretend to sleep. [though she's a little drunk at this point so who knows, she might actually manage to pass out for a little bit]

Parrish: Do you want me to join you? [since he's feeling pretty useless otherwise]

Lydia: [she glances over and nods, because she definitely does not want to be alone] Yeah.

Peter: [nods] You two set the table. Tyler can help me with the dishes.

Tyler: I can?

Parrish: [goes to help walk Lydia up to the guest room]

Lydia: [just follows his lead and sits on the edge of the bed, just staring at her hands for a moment. She doesn't know what to do and a talk with Peter that was supposed to make her feel better only made her feel worse. She hates everything about this and she doesn't know what to do]

Parrish: [watches her a moment, and then just goes to sit behind her and run her back]

Lydia: [leans back into his touch for a moment, before shifting and turning to curl into him a bit, letting her head rest against his shoulder]

Parrish: [he doesn't know what to say, really. He's been feeling a bit useless and he can hold her, but otherwise what's his purpose here?]

Lydia: [after a moment] All the victims had red hair. My build.

Parrish: I saw the file. He has a type.

Lydia: He didn't in Boston.

Parrish: [he thinks a moment] Maybe he's trying to make you take notice.

Lydia: [she looks up with a dry smirk] I'm the golden ticket. The thing he wants but he can't have.

Parrish: And he's not going to get you.

Lydia: [she nods, needing to believe that more than anything] Just don't get hurt. Please. I know you can pretty much fix yourself, but ... I don't think I can handle the collateral damage.

Parrish: I won't, but you can't keep pushing me away. All I want to do is protect you.

Lydia: I know. [but protecting her is how people get hurt] I know you are and I'm not trying to, I just ... I don't know how I'm supposed to handle this.

Parrish: Then maybe let the people who know how to handle things like this do the guidance?

Lydia: [she nods] I don't just mean what to do. I mean ... emotionally.

Parrish: [kisses her shoulder] I can give you the whole speech about PTSD, but other than that... I don't know.

Lydia: [nods as she leans into him more] Maybe I should talk to Laura.

Parrish: That's an idea. I heard she's good at that.

Lydia: [she nods] I'll figure it out.

Parrish: Right now, why don't you just get some rest?

Lydia: [looks up at him and nods, pulling away just enough to go change her clothes]

Parrish: [and he's going to just strip down to his undershirt and boxers]

Lydia: [climbs back into bed next to him and curls in close, leaning in to kiss him gently as she does] Thank you. For talking me off the ledge before.

Parrish: [kisses her back, relaxing just a bit in that] You're welcome. Just don't go back out there, okay?

Lydia: I'll try. I don't want to, I just don't ... sometimes I feel like I don't always get a say in my mental health.

Parrish: Well, we could always work instead on your physical health. Maybe we can work on some self-defense type skills? I mean, there are studies that who people who get certain reactions ingrained into them will be able to call on those muscle movements whether they are competent or not. Similar to how you can do certain everyday activities while sleepwalking.

Lydia: [she considers quietly for a moment, before nodding] Sure. That'd be good.

Parrish: Good. [he will at least feel he's doing something]

Lydia: [she should have probably learned some of that by now anyway. She nods, and curls into his shoulder some more, closing her eyes as she gets comfortable] I love you.

Parrish: [pulls her closer at that] I love you too.

Lydia: [and with that she will close her eyes and try to drift off, which thankfully the booze will help with]