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[lydiascreams]

Lydia had been keeping busy as much as possible. She had helped Mr. Argent organize the funeral and the wake as much as he would allow her to. She had asked him for task after task, from ordering flowers, to finding Allison the perfect dress and jewelry to wear. Things that Mr. Argent probably wouldn't think about, like a collection of Allison's pictures that could be organized into a memorial so everyone could remember and celebrate her life long after she was gone. And making sure her best friend had her favorite crossbow with her when she was lowered to the ground.

All the preparation kept her numb, disconnect. Kept her from really thinking about the fact that Allison was gone, about everything she was going to miss out on. Kept Lydia from focusing on the fact that she wasn't going to be there for prom, or graduation. That she wasn't going to be there for impromptu shopping trips during the weekend. That they weren't going to talk about going to the same college, or be in each others' weddings. Because thinking about those things, about the long term effect that losing Allison was going to have in her life was too much. It was too overwhelming and she couldn't really deal with it.

So she was taking it one day at a time. One task at a time. And today she had to get through her funeral. So she did. With red-rimmed eyes and a tissue wrapped tightly around her hand at all times, but she did. She watched the ceremony in silence, acknowledged her friends when they spoke with her, and when people left, she lingered because she wanted to have some time alone with her best friend.

Part of her was hoping that she was going to be able to see Allison, or at least, hear her. Most of her was hoping she wouldn't. Because that would have to mean she had passed peacefully, right? All of the voices Lydia had ever heard as a banshee were so restless, so pained, so troubled. She didn't want that for her. Allison deserved better. She had died protecting and saving her friends. Protecting and saving her. She deserved to find her peace and get as far away from this world and especially from Beacon Hills as she could.

As Lydia stood there, alone by Allison's grave, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, then listened. Hoping that all she could hear was silence this time.