after leaving the harrington house, lydia went home and left a note for her mom and brother saying she was at steph's and to call if they needed anything. she was at her friend's house eating pizza and watching a movie when the phone went off. steph jumped up to answer and called her friend in from the other room. she handed her the bright red phone before giving her some space and going back to the living room.

"it's your brother." she nodded before speaking into the receiver.

"hey dust, what's up?"

"h-hey, lydi? c-can you come home? it's important." he stammered. his voice was shaky and she could vaguely make out the sound of him sniffling quietly on the other end. lydia's cool tone turned into one of concern.

"dustin, what happened? are you okay?" she gripped onto the table as her mind started to race, creating the most terrible scenarios. her brother burst into tears on the other end. "dust, i'll be home in 5, okay bud? i'm coming home." she answered before hanging up. rushing back to the living room she apologized to steph and grabbed her things.

"i'm sorry steph but something is wrong with dustin, i think it has to do with will. i g-" her friend interrupted her understandingly, handing her some of her things that were splayed out across the living room.

"it's okay lyds, it's dustin. go be with him." she gave her friend a tight hug and thanked her for understanding before running out to her car and driving home.

~

she ran into her house only for it to be seemingly empty. she walked to dustin's room, pressing her ear against the door only to be met with stifled sobs. she knocked on the door before entering and saw her brother curled up on his bed with tears streaming down his face. rushing to the bed, she embraced him in her arms and felt him wrap his arms around her tightly. he sobbed into her shirt and she rubbed his back and swayed back and forth.

"dusty, what's wrong?"

"it's will. they found his body." he couldn't believe it. his best friend. gone. he wanted to believe el so badly, that will was still out there. but he saw the body. he watched them pull the body out of the water and back to the shore. he never even got to give him the x-men comic he promised him. thoughts about will ran through his head causing him to sob even harder. he clutched lydia's shirt and tried to catch his breath, his chest heaving up and down. as his ear was pressed against her chest, he listened as she hummed 'earth angel' keeping the tune with her heart beat. he closed his eyes and focused on the song, humming it along with her. and slowly his tears came to a stop, and he dozed off in her arms.

with a sleeping dustin in her arms, the teen continued to hold him, scared of what might happen if she were to let go. she looked up at the ceiling in an attempt to stop the tears from streaming but she couldn't help it. she let them fall and choked out a sob, careful not to wake her brother. she hugged him tighter and cried into his hair. she cried for him, she cried for will, she cried for jonathan, joyce, barb, nancy, mike, lucas. and she cried for steve. so there the two henderson kids sat, heartbroken.