Author: Regency
Title: God, She’s Beautiful
Pairing: Lydia/Other, Lydia/Stewart
Summary: On Lydia’s big day, Stewart’s there for her.
Author’s Note: Happy Birthday, Skye!
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God, she’s beautiful.

That ran through Stewart’s mind twenty-six times from the moment he walked in the door until he sat down at the table, across from Regina and her partner Nora, Ben and cute neighbor girl, and Ollie and the only woman who’d been able to tame him, Jeannette. The exchanged greetings and opinions on the ceremony. It was beautiful, they all agreed. And Lydia was stunning naturally.

Of course she was beautiful, she was beaming. Her eyes were clear and her cheeks rosy as she stood on the arm of her beau, posing for photos with other honorees and guests. She received kisses and shook hands, all the while fellow doctor David Kasdoff stood behind her in quiet support. She felt him there and took strength from it and when he seemed too far away, she reached back and he caught her hand, kissing her fingers soundly.

Admittedly -- and he thought so only to himself -- he wished it was him standing with her today. He wished to be the one walking beside her with a hand on the small of her back, feeling her body positively thrumming with excitement and disbelief. She didn’t believe she deserved it. She’d done some great things in the operating room, but to her, being a doctor was its own reward. She saved lives and for the first time, more than five people knew about it. To be honest, it scared the hell out of her.

Her hands shaking a little she clinched them into fists and held them at her sides. She was nervous to the point of ridiculousness and she didn’t want to be this way today. Her hair was perfect, falling in soft layers down her back and shoulders. Her makeup was flawless; not too heavy but effective. And her dress; well if the looks she’d been receiving was any indication, she’d done all right. She had no reason to be so anxious. Still she was, despite even David’s strong presence and belief in her. It felt amazing, but it wasn’t what she needed.

As the dessert course of the banquet was served, the orchestra began to play softly, growing louder as people drifted onto the dance floor. Regina noticed her father watching Lydia from across the room with a nostalgic look on his face. She was talking animatedly with David and holding on to his arm for dear life. She couldn’t believe she had won both as a member of Cardiology Team of the year and alone as Hospital Doctor of the Year. She was truly flummoxed.

As her dad’s recently minted fiancée, Crystal, rose to go to the Ladies’ Room, Regina came around the table to sit next to him. “Hey, dad?” He turned slightly from his former girl to his little girl, with a questioning look. “Why don’t you ask her to dance?”

“Nah. She and David’ll dance when they get around to it.”

“Not if she’s too scared to stand.” She tilted her head towards her mother with raised eyebrows. “You know and I know she’s freaking out over there. She’ll regret not being able to enjoy this later. Especially if she has some sort of anxiety attack. Just go over there, ask her to dance, and let her know she’s doing all right. It’ll make her feel better.”

“You think so?”

“I know so, Dad.”

He exhaled slowly and nodded. “All right. Let Crystal know I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.” With a growing smile, she watched her father rise from his seat, straighten up his tux and approach her mother.

“Hello, Lydia.” She straightened unconsciously when he spoke to her. David managed not to look too terribly uncomfortable beside her. She laid a hand on his arm to still his fidgeting. She remembered who she’d come with.

“Hello, Stewart.”

“I see you’re looking lovelier than usual this evening.”

She reddened at that. “Oh, well, thank you. And you look quite dashing.”

“Thank you very much. I stopped by because I heard this song playing and immediately thought of you. I was wondering -- that is if David doesn’t mind -- if I might have this dance.”

Lydia was shocked to say the least. She raised her eyebrows at him, blinking without comprehension for a time. She touched her fingers to her temple and laughed uncertainly. “Well, I’m all right with it. David?” She looked sideways at him, knowing he’d know better than to disagree. She’d just do it anyway.

“It’s fine with me.”

“Of course it is.” She took her ex-husband’s proffered hand and allowed him to guide her to the floor. Seamlessly they moved into position, their limbs molding and intertwining out of habit.

They swayed to the music comfortably; Lydia looking away and Stewart looking warily over her shoulder, not quite sure this was a good idea anymore.

“Why’d you really come over, Stewart? It certainly wasn’t this song. Even you have better taste than that.”

He smiled despite the barb. “I was just thinking about how nervous you get when you’re the center of attention.” He finally managed to look directly into her eyes and found that same bashfulness there. Thirty-five years and it had yet to change. Just like her. She was still bedazzling, sharp-witted, sharp-tongued, and so lovely that being this close to her felt like a crime.

“I’m all right. I mean, I’m doing fine…aren’t I?” He nodded thoughtfully.

“You know you are. You’re wonderful.”

“You really think so?” She linked her arms behind his neck and his rested his hands on her waist.

“I do. You’re wooing the pants off of every man here, myself included.”

She could help but chuckle. “Well, I don’t know about that last part, but thank you.” She quieted suddenly. “I have to say this and I don’t need you to say anything back; I just need you to know.”

“Okay.”

“I wouldn’t be here without you. Without you wrangling the kids and their issues and being the fun one and letting me be the workaholic and overachiever and the one they strayed away from. I know that had things been different, it would’ve been you accepting this award tonight, so let’s say we both won.”

He held her closer. “I know I won, Lydia. I won the day I held you like this for the first time at our wedding thirty-six years ago. I don’t need an award. I got a lifetime.”

Her eyes glowed with tears that she swallowed back painfully. “Well, almost.”

He shrugged. “Eh, close enough.”

“Yeah.” She smirked a little to herself.

“What?”

“You did it.”

“Did what?”

“Scared my fears away.”

“Well, that’s what I do.”

“You do it well.”

“I’ve had some practice.”

She reached up and laid a hand on his cheek. “And I’m all the braver for it.” Bracing herself on his shoulders, she leaned up and pressed a light kiss to his cheek. “Thank you. I’ll always love you for that.”

His heart raced in his chest and he squeezed her hands affectionately. “You’re welcome…and I’ll always love you, just because.”

“I know.” As the song of little importance faded out and another began, she let her fingers slide from his grasp and backed away. She stood notably taller and her hands no longer shook. If she was nervous at all, it was because all the way back to her table, to the waiting arms of her new lover, she felt Stewart’s eyes searing her back with a love and a passion that had at one time burned so brightly that it burned itself out.

As she went to David and they kissed and laughed over one of their private jokes, he saw her renewed conviction. Even more so than the dress that hugged her like another luxurious skin he saw the woman who had been his.

And though she might never be again, in the confines of his mind, between his God and himself, he could admit…God she’s beautiful.

 

General Disclaimer: Every character, with the exception of those specified, belongs to their respective writers, producers, studios, and production companies.  NO money was made during the conception of these stories or their distribution.  No copyright infringement is intended.