Losing Faith:
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN TEEN WOLF, OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH TEEN WOLF. THIS IS A STORY OF MY OWN CREATION, WRITTEN FOR MY OWN USES.
Thea Montgomery woke up the same way she did every year, on this day. Her father, Aaron Montgomery, sitting beside her on the pink canopied bed, gently brushing blonde strands of hair from her sleeping face. His grin was broad and infectious and Thea knew what he was going to say before he opened his mouth.
"Happy Birthday baby!" He chuckled as the newly ten-year-old sat up quickly and excitedly.
"Thanks Daddy!" Was the only thing Thea whispered back, the excitement dripping from her words- he continued to grin as he stood up and ruffled the slightly scruffy hair atop her head. As he began to walk to the door, he turned his head to look at the grinning child in her bed.
"Toby'sbreakfast?" he questioned, already knowing the answer, it was routine for him to wake her up like this, and then grab breakfast for them all;Thea, her mom and himself- from Toby'sthe local breakfast joint in town. The youngster stayed in bed, grinning happily. Dr Montgomery soon left the room, calling out that he'd be back soon, after all the diner was in the centre of town and wouldn't be much of a journey. Thea could faintly hear her mom pottering around in the bathroom, probably getting ready for the day- she probably had work later. Shrugging and reached over to the stuffed purple unicorn Scott and Stiles had brought her the year before for, the not as important ninth birthday- she faintly wondered what they were getting the birthday girl this year, after all- it wasn't every day you turned 10. Thea snuggled Humphrey close to her chest and drifted back off into a peaceful sleep.
When she woke up, she was surrounded by warmth. It was similar to being wrapped up in blankets in bed, but it was different somehow. Thea could feel a searing pain on her shoulder blade, the warmth around her aggravating it somehow. The confused girl tried to open her eyes, but the felt heavy- almost like they were glued shut, after trying profusely for several long moments she finally managed to pry them open and observe her surroundings. The familiar blue tiles of the bathroom- instead of the lilac walls of her bedroom stared back at her, further confusing the ten-year-old. Instead of being snuggled deeply in her comfy blankets and pillows she was submerged in a tub full of water.
Her pyjamas being soaked and sticking to her skin, were beginning to turn a worrying crimson colour rather than the powder blue colour they were before. It seemed almost familiar to the girl- it almost looked like the colour that came from her knees when she fell over and scraped them.
Her eyes whizzed around the room once more at the sound of voices, she could see her mother on her knees next to the tub Thea was in- the woman that gave birth to her was muttering nonsense words and staring unwaveringly at her. Thea was also faintly aware of the constant thumping coming from the direction of the door. Her dad's voice yelling things, and another voice that was vaguely recognised- could be heard. Thea was beginning to feel sleepy again. She could feel herself getting to that half asleep-half half-awake state, until the pain in her aching shoulder made tears spring to her eyes. She was feeling even sleepier as my mother's voice grew louder, her words even more confusing. The befuddled and hazy girl was tired and scared.
And then it all stopped.
Yelling and thumping went almost silent as a shrill scream filled the ears of all in the small house. It was obvious to all that little Thea was in pain, Aaron and the Sherriff fought harder to break the door down- shoving with; all of their strength, fear, anger and ferocity they could muster. The girl who was screaming, looked down to see a knife buried in her stomach. Eyes wide and eyebrows furrowed as the blood poured from the wound quickly- drifting through the water and colouring it red. To Thea , it was like everything had stopped when she saw what had happened; her ears becoming deaf to the sounds around her, her body and nerves becoming numb to the pain she should be feeling, the only thing she was aware of was the fact that a band aid wouldn't fix this.
Slowly but surely, sound began to return to the injured child- pain flooded through her small body, causing her to call out for help and scream to pour from her mouth like the blood seeping from the gaping wound in her stomach. The knife now gone, and was being drawn across her mother's wrists. More blood was spilled, though this time it was onto the white tiled floor, before a bloody hand reached into the bath and stroked over Thea 's face. Before slowly and sluggishly moving to the wound in her abdomen, one lone finger stroked around the painful area- before prodding into it roughly. Causing the girl to writhe in pain, until the offending finger was removed and she watched in horror as her mother dragged her now bloody finger across the gash on her own body. Mixing the blood together with a look of sheer joy covering her face, Jana Montgomery then collected more blood from her screaming child and did the same to her other wrist- swirling their blood together, muttering to herself and the image in her mind.
"Rahshesh melnine arabain, Belac Durh! Rahshesh melnine arabain, Belac Durh! Rahshesh melnine arabain, Belac Durh!" Jana Montgomery's chanting became louder and more deranged, drowning out the sobs and whimpers of her daughter. In Jana's mind, Belac Durh- was smiling opening his arms wide and welcoming her. This ritual would bind them all together, bringing more power into the mix. As Jana and Belac Durh were gaining more power, Thea was struggling to remain conscious. Jana grinned as she felt the ritual complete, her master was sated and bound to her. Thea looked towards the bloody wound on her belly, the tears were flowing freely from her barely open eyes- she watched her mother as she did nothing to help. Nothing to save Thea , nothing to stop the blood or pain. Thea knew a band aid and a kiss wouldn't help her, though she wished it would. She wished her mother would help her, wished this was all a terrible nightmare.
But she knew it wasn't, it was all too real. Feeling the pain, observing as if out of her own body. Watching as her mother tore into her with a kitchen knife of all things. Watching with half-closed eyes as her mother slipped into unconsciousness, watching as her dad and the Sherriff were finally able to burst through the bathroom door. Feeling almost relieved as they looked wildly around the room. Thea still fought to keep her eyes open, but she now felt safer. She knew it was over.
At least for now.
Before her eyes slipped shut finally, she heard the soothing voice of her dad.
"Oh God… Thea , baby- it's okay. We got you.." Aaron stated rushing to his daughters side quickly. Thea sighed, feeling the cold fingers or darkness finally grasp hold of her. But just before there was no more; Thea heard another voice.
"It's okay Thea . I've got you now." It was an eerie voice, and only one Thea could hear- it was a voice that would haunt Thea . A voice she didn't recognise, but she would soon come to.
Thea gasped. Swiftly sitting up in her bed, her bleary eyes glanced around the room. It was a dream, just a dream. A terrible dream of a terrible memory. One that plagued her sleep. One that became more vivid the night before her birthday. Happy sweet sixteen. The walls surrounding her were neither blue tile nor lilac paint. They were cream, and plain, and barely visible to her eyes in the darkened room. She swivelled her eyes to peer at the flashing red numbers on her clock brutally reminding her that it was far too early in the morning to do any of her normal routine. Her gaze swirled around the room, identifying the bare walls- a theme that ran through the almost ostentatious apartment her and her dad lived in.
The walls were all bare, lacking the usual knick-knacks and keep sakes or even photos that would adorn a familial home. It wasn't that Aaron didn't love his daughter- or that she didn't love him back, rather is was the fact that since Thea 's tenth birthday; the two hadn't really been a family. Jana Montgomery had destroyed any and all chance of them being that; forgetting that fateful day, trying to rebuild their lives after such destruction, was damn near impossible.
Thea sat and sighed before turning to her phone on her bedside table and seeing a multitude of messages from. Scott and Stiles, each of them telling her they were on their way to pick her up. that was 15 minutes ago, so they should be arriving any time soon. Rolling ungracefully out of bed and yanking on some sweats to cover her legs and a snuggly jumper to keep her warm in the chilled night air. Slipping on some shoes that were lined up neatly by the bedroom door- Thea stumbled quietly through the apartment, though it was improbable her father was even in at this time- he was usually working the graveyard shift at the hospital with Scott's mom. Doors were locked, elevators were ridden and Doormen were hidden from as Thea made her way out to the familiar blue jeep that was idling by the curb. As soon as the two boys inside were made aware of her presence, Scott leapt out and let her slide into the back seat before hauling himself back in- once everyone was settled Stiles pulled away. The two boys beginning to argue about what 'soundtrack' to have for our adventure.
"Ahem.. Why are you dragging me out in the middle of the night anyways? I was having a lovely peaceful nights sleep.." Thea questioned, after gaining their attention by dramatically clearing her throat. Scott looked over his should at her, frowning as they all knew; Thea 's sleep was anything but lovely or peaceful. It was a known fact to all of them that her sleep was usually disrupted by traumatic memories, that simply refused to stay repressed.
".. My dad got a call about a body in the woods, and no before you ask it is not a body of water it is in fact a human used to be living body- but here's the kicker.. They only have half!" Stiles exclaimed in an excited manner, Thea raised her brows- trying to focus and make sense of his garbled speech.
"So, in answer to your unasked question, we.." he used his finger to gesture between himself and Scott. "Are here to invite you to search the woods with us for the body.." He continued, Thea felt her face pull into a frown; it shouldn't have been such a surprise, that Stiles would drag his hapless friends out in the middle of the night, now officially on Thea 's birthday to search for a random dead body- or half a dead body. It was just the type of warped behaviour and Stiles' screwed sense of fun ; the Sherriff's son didn't seem to grasp the fact that searching for half a dead body wasn't really anyone else's idea of fun. Especially not Thea , who's life had been plagued by enough gore already. Though it appeared the boy with the buzz-cut had deemed this a friendly duty to bestow upon herself and Scott; helping Stiles to live out his perverse little fantasy of finding a body.
Soon, the jeep stopped in its controlled movements and they were due to begin their gruesome quest, the trio had arrived at their destination, or partly to their destination- Stiles had to park further away than normal to avoid being seen by the cops and consequently Stiles' father; the Sherriff. Once the three of them had exited the vehicle, they began to trudge their way through the shadowy and soggy reserve. As Stiles eagerly led the way, Scott and Thea walked slightly slower behind him; Scott lagging as his Asthma was making it difficult for him to keep up with Stile's rapid pace, and Thea was lagging simply because her mind was occupied with her dream. Strangely, it seemed to be the most vivid it had ever been. It was almost like she was being dragged back into the happenings. She could feel everything again; all of the sadness and confusion, all of the savage pain that ripped through her. As if it were aware, the scar on Thea 's shoulder blade and belly ached. It was as if having her thoughts lingering on the events allowed the old wound to re-open, causing her more emotional turmoil. Not noticing her footing was slightly off, Thea stumbled over a fallen log- the others had managed to avoid, luckily as Scott was only a step ahead- he was able to throw his arms up and stop Thea 's descent to the ground. The McCall boy allowed his fingers to drift down to his female companions, slowly interlocking them and gently squeezing as the trio continued on their journey.
"Out of curiosity, which half of the body are we meant to be looking for exactly?" Scott asked from beside Thea , quickly stabilising the less than steady girl as she stumbled yet again over a loose rock or log.
Stiles' reply was quick and concise as ever. "Huh, I didn't even think about that.."
"Did you think about the killer maybe still being out here?" Thea questioned as the grip she had on Scott's hand tightened almost painfully.
"Another thing, I didn't really think about.." Stiles answered sheepishly, at the thought of possibly leading his best friends- since kindergarten- to their possible untimely, painful and vicious deaths.
"There you have it ladies and gentlemen, yet another well thought out plan by the one, the only Mr Stiles Stillinski!" Thea exclaimed in a sarcastic tone- imitating a presenter on some stupid game show. The snarky response was a mask for the way the girl truly felt; emotionally and mentally raw. The group continued struggling through the darkness, clambering up hills, stumbling over rocks and tumbling through foliage- all too soon, Scott released the hand he was holding to use his inhaler as he wheezed, the abandoned hand coming up to rub his back in what was hoped to be a comforting manner. At this point Stiles put his closed fist in the air- 'This kid had been playing far too much Call of Duty.' Was all Thea could think as she still rubbed at Scott's back. Upon seeing the lights up ahead of us flash- the three 'sneaky' teenagers dropped to the floor; the dirt and leaf covered floor, which would be something the boys would never hear the end of. Up ahead the Beacon Hills PD was searching for the half-body also, and the covert group had almost been caught. Thea and Scott watched in exasperation as Stiles crawled closer to the beams of lights and dog barks.
His companions holding their breaths as they watched him draw closer to the cops and him being ultimately discovered- Thea gasped slightly as something grasped her ankle and pulled her backwards. Her instincts kicked in quickly and she tried to grab on to anything to stop her momentum, and surprise her attacker. Her hands didn't find any purchase in grabbing almost desperately at anything and everything around her. It wasn't until she felt herself being pulled into a chest- which felt almost familiar; it could have been the washing powder his mother used or the body spray the boy dowsed himself in. A breathe of relief left her, as she realised she was in no danger- and allowed herself to relax in Scott's arms as she was safe for now. Scott's shallow breaths puffed against the back of her neck, causing goose bumps to raise in it's wake- small shivers wracked her body as she tried not to think of their close proximity, or the way her best friends arms felt when they were wrapped around her waist like they were right now. The two cowered in the darkness and watched as the Sheriff called out their names waiting for them to appear; before gripping his sons ear tightly and dragging him away from the preserve all together. The two remaining teens, watched on as flashlight beams swung in their direction, searching the area for clues or even the half of the body they were there to discover.
They waited in silence, Scott's arms still wrapped around the small girl pressed to his front; he tried not to notice how fragile she looked earlier when they picked her up for this random adventure, he tried not to notice how her eyes were dull and almost lifeless, or how the tears were still gathered in her insanely dark eyes still, he was desperately trying not to notice how peaceful and content he felt with his arms wrapped around her in the darkness. Her hair smelling faintly of coconut as it blew in his face, Scott was trying to keep his focus on his surroundings and the fact that they could be found out by the local PD at any moment, but try as he might, his focus rested solely on the dainty girl resting in his arms and against his chest. Thea, sighed in relief as she noticed the PD were leaving their area; she looked behind her to see that Scott's face was close to her own.
"I think they're leaving now.. Maybe we should get out of here." She whispered, daring her eyes not to be drawn away from his own- willing them not to trail to a lower point of focus. Scott just nodded, his features barely visible in the darkness, but Thea could paint a portrait of him simply from memory- she knew his face almost as well as her own. Though still they stayed, silent and still. Thea wrapped in her tan companion's arms. Thea, delved into her own mind- trying to come up with a way from the woods, hoping against hope they wouldn't have to walk to her apartment- even the walk to the McCall residence would kill her.
"What now? I mean the only reason we're even out here is for him. And he's going home, so why don't we?" The shivering girl inquired, huddling close to Scott's body- that boy was exceptionally warm, almost too warm at this point in time; which causing her to be mildly jealous of the fact his body temperature was higher than that of her own. I looked up into his adorable puppy-like eyes waiting for an answer. Scott stared at the girl before him- his poor eyesight not managing to distinguish her features in such low light. His eyes flickering over all of the features in turn; Thea could only imagine the dirt smudging her face and leaves tangled in her ratty hair. The non-committal shrug of his shoulders was all the answer he could give- slowly turning her around, and hugging Thea chest-to-chest. Arms were wrapped around waists and necks, and heads were rested on chests and crowns.
The peace was soon disrupted by the thundering noise of something crashing through the undergrowth. Thea's head shot up, eyes wide as they locked with Scott's own slightly fearful ones. It was a well-known fact that the preserve held home for animals such as coyotes and mountain lions. Unfortunately, there was no time for two to run; as the herd of deer burst through the bushes. They were drawing closer, Scott grasped Thea's upper arm in preparation to run; but before they could make a move in the opposite direction, she was ripped from his grasp and literally thrown back by some unknown force. The rag-dollish manner in which Thea was tossed aside caused her to hit her head on the rough bark of a tree, rubbing harshly at the skin and causing it to bleed- the crimson liquid quickly pouring down her face and beginning to blur her vision. Though not blurring it enough to not notice that Scott was gone, he was nowhere to be seen. It was like in the milli-seconds it took for her to be thrown aside like some piece of unwanted trash, Scott had vanished into thin air. The battered now battered and bruised girl watched as the deer charged past. Once the cantering animals had run past her, The tried searching the immediate area for where Scott had gone, but her searching came up empty, she stared in to the foreboding and lonely darkness that now shrouded her- the fear she now felt, was nothing in comparison to how she felt earlier; she was now completely alone, and almost frozen in terror as she heard twigs snapping and leaves crunching all around her.
Thea darted her gaze around, trying to decipher her surroundings, she knew the best course of action would be to get to the main road- somehow, though she couldn't even guess as to which direction that was in; she also worried for Scott. He too was alone in these woods now, and was probably freaking out just as much if not more. Standing alone, in the pitch black of the night in the woods- Thea then realised of how truly terrifying her situation now was, deciding it might be best to retrace her steps, she turned and started walking. Only to discover that five minutes into her supposed journey back to where Stile had parked earlier, sis she realise she was heading in the wrong direction all together- she was in fact journeying further into the woods. She turned her head to look in the direction she thought she had just come from, her face pulling into a confused frown as she realised she was well and truly lost. Stumbling round in a circle to better gauge her position, though she had no chance. Soon enough the lone girl tripped over her own clumsy feet and fell to her hands and knees; letting her head hang in between her shoulders for a moment, she tried to calm her breathing and her racing heart. She could hear movement in the dense forest all around her, noises that made her mind wander freely and wildly. Lifting her head swiftly as a crunching noise sounded a little too close for her liking; as her face altered its angle, her eyes narrowing trying to pinpoint where the noise had come from exactly, her eyes were drawn towards an abandoned inhaler that was lying uselessly on the floor a few feet ahead of her.
Deciding swiftly against calling out his name, as it was quickly becoming apparent that they were not alone within these woods. She sighed before crawling over to the inhaler, grabbing quickly in her had she shoved it into her joey pouch pocket on the front of her hoody; pulling out her phone she decided that maybe a little bit of light may help her situation slightly. Taking a few more steps in front of her she then realised; she had her phone, and it was highly likely that so did Scott. Letting her fingers dance across the screen of the phone she pulled up his contact beginning a call. Unfortunately for her, Thea's calls all dropped to voicemail.
"God-damn-it! This wasn't the best idea.." Thea whispered out, as she dragged her hand roughly through her knotted hair in frustration. Her conscious reprimanding her for her own stupidity and the knack her twitchy and tan friends seemed to have for convincing her to partake in their hair-brained adventures, that ended with them either being escorted home by the local PD or at the hospital with some unfortunate injury. Kicking her foot out as part of the on-going tantrum she was having, it hit against something she assumed was a damp fallen log- though it was even more damp than she first assumed; her foot almost made a squishing noise as it made contact. Biting her lip, as she experienced no pain- she decided it would be a good idea to take a closer look at this tree stump and investigate. The girl dropped to a crouch, eyebrows drawing down into a frown- she lifted her hands in front of her, suspiciously poking at the thing before her. Shaking fingers felt over the top of the foreign object, feeling and trying to discover what it was. It was soft, and smooth; but cold, so cold it was almost frozen. Soon enough her hand was pulled away from the object, one hand reaching to lift her phone and illuminate the screen to aid her investigation. Soon the beam of light was resting on something dark it was a strange shape, moving her hand over the unknown.
A gasp left her lips, as she realised what she was looking at. Her eyes had found the bloody beginning of the object; and it was no object. It was the bottom half of a body. The legs were clothed in some dark jeans and some flat boots. Her hands flew to her mouth, stifling the scream, her phone dropping to the ground beside her. Stumbling as far away from the half corpse as she could Thea felt tears trailing down her face, mixing with the blood that was already dripping from her forehead. Taking a moment and gasping air into her lungs, quickly- so quickly it was causing her pain. Thea scrambled towards her phone gripping it and putting it back into her pocket she scrabbled to her feet and turned away from the corpse lying not too far from her. She heard twigs snapping, growls echoing and a scream not too far off; then a loud howl ripped through the air.
"It's okay Thea. I've got you now." A voice whispered so close to her ear, Thea turned her head to see whom was whispering to her. No one was there however, Thea struggled to identify the voice; it sounded familiar, but the scared girl couldn't place it- though the voice offered mild comfort and the vision before Thea seemed to fade out. Becoming softer, almost like looking through a filtered camera lens. She suddenly felt more relaxed and able to continue towards her goal. Shaking back her hair, she took a deep breath, before taking a step forwards in the direction she had once come. Though these feelings of calm and serenity were not ones of her own, everything was blurred and almost hazy. Thea felt like she was drunk almost, in that happy and slightly buzzed stage- that stage where everything was doable. She could feel the calm take over her body, but it felt foreign- almost as if it wasn't something she was truly feeling. Her steps weren't faltered, her breathing was normal, her heart rate was almost at a resting beat. Eyes stared ahead, almost blankly- she marched over the slight inclines and followed the path she took before- it was almost as if someone was directing her. Everything was a blur, she didn't remember marching calmly past her previously lost companion, she didn't remember walking into the middle of the road and almost being ran over by a foreign car- she didn't realise that she was being followed by Scott; nor did she hear him calling her name. In fact Thea, didn't remember much after she found the body. It was almost like she was unconscious the rest of the night- she somehow managed to find herself back at the apartment complex, she managed to walk to her apartment and managed to go through her usual nightly routine before she slipped into bed.
The next morning Thea was roused by the clattering in the kitchen; meaning her dad was home from his shift, as usual- he would prepare her a nice breakfast and spend a few fleeting moments with her before she needed to leave for school and then he would sleep for the rest of the day, until she returned from school and they hung out for a while before they had a diner and then he left again for work. Thea sighed and shook her head, to try and clear the cobwebs that sleep had created. Checking her phone for messages, she found she had multiple from both Scott and Stiles- though she ignored them in favour of getting ready for her first day back at school; she tried to mentally prepare herself for the day ahead of her. Having a birthday on the first day of school was never fun, but having a birthday on the first day of school when what had happened to the Montgomery had happened.
She rose form her bed, took a quick shower- washing away the evidence of her night in the woods; she tried to concentrate on what had happened. She tried to remember how she managed to get home, the last thing she remembered was being with Scott; but then they got separated, the next thing she knew she was staring at half of a corpse.. and then she was waking up thing morning. There was a mass of blanks in her memory, which was beginning to worry her. When she closed her eyes to let the water run over her head- the image behind her eyelids was that of the bottom half of a bloody body. A shriek left her lips and the bottle of body wash dropped from her hands unexpectedly. The shriek must have alerted her dad to her being awake, as she soon heard a banging on the door.
"Thea.. You good in there?" Was called through the door, Aaron Montgomery- worried for his daughter constantly. But ever since that devastating day; he had begun to worry even more about her, and irrationally he worried about her going into the bathroom by herself and locking the door. He was never comfortable with the idea, or feeling- that he wouldn't be able to get to his girl because of a locked door, but he understood it was an irrational fear and it was a necessary demon he had to deal with on a daily basis, as his growing teenage daughter needed her privacy. Unfortunately that meant locked doors. He waited in what he hoped was a patient manner- though internally he was freaking out- he was wondering whether or not he needed to break the door down and call an ambulance or not.
"Yeah, I'm good dad.. I-I'll be ready soon.." was all that was called back, Aaron was able to accept that answer. He nodded to himself and went back to the kitchen to continue preparing the birthday breakfast. It was nothing like it had been years before; not a silly breakfast, one which was brought from Toby's, to be shared with the family- no, a breakfast which was home made. Pancakes with chocolate sauce, something simple. And hand made at home.
Thea, sighed and picked up the fallen bottle and continued with her shower. Trying to keep her eyes open, so as not to see that awful sight again. Her hands shook terribly as she stepped out of the shower and began to dry off. Drying off quickly and then drying her hair with the blow dryer- once it was dried, it began to curl before she pulled it up into a high ponytail. Her outfit was simple; a pair of ripped up jeans and a unicorn sweater, some jewellery, and simple make-up and she was ready to go. Grabbing up her bag before dashing out the door of her room and wandering into the kitchen to see her dad waiting with the birthday breakfast. Pulling out a chair she began to pour chocolate sauce on her pancakes before trying to dive into devouring it in a very un-ladylike manner. Aaron just smirked and shook his head at the antics and animal-like behaviour his daughter was displaying, although he liked the fact that she wasn't letting the day get to her; Dr Strauss had said she may finally be coming to terms with what happened, the blocking of her emotions and building walls around herself, were completely normal- and they were easy to get around once Thea was comfortable again- she was safe and happy with her dad, and that lifted Aaron's heart.
"So birthday girl, your totally non-cliché sixteenth birthday present is parked in our spare bay in the garage.." Aaron stated watching as his daughter's eyes went wide. He just grinned, and waited for his daughter's response.
"Daddy.. Is it a pony?" Thea asked, eyes wide and a manic grin stretched across her face. Aaron shook his head, still smiling.
"Why don't we finish up here and then we can go and see?" Was all the reply Thea was given, they finished their pancakes and placed the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. Thea finished getting ready and then pulled the discarded converse from last night onto her feet and grabbing her bag before following her dad down to the garage of their building. She looked around the garage and caught sight of her dad's car and then the black unfamiliar one sitting next to it. Thea smiled, throwing her arms around her dad and whispering a 'Thanks' to him before gripping the keys in her hand, jumping in the new vehicle. The leather was a soft cream colour, the scent was new and inviting and the mirrors unfortunately needed to be altered before Thea could even put her keys into the ignition. Once she was sorted, the radio tuned- phone hooked up to the sound system and mirrors and seat altered she was able to start her new car; it purred to life and Thea grinned. Aaron waved a farewell as Thea beeped her horn before she took off from the bay. Thea found she enjoyed driving in her birthday present more and more as she made her way to the local high school. Her music was playing softly to fill the silence, though it would pause every so often as she received a message from someone- though she ignored them. The drive didn't take long at all, and soon enough she was pulling into a parking space next to the school.
Thea checked her car was locked at least three times before she made her way over to where Stiles was standing and waiting for her and Scott.
"What the hell happened to you two last night? I've been texting you all night and morning- and you never replied.. Scott said he found the body and that he was bitten by something.. and that you were acting really weird when he finally saw you again cause y'know.. you got split up and it was crazy.. and you aren't going to say anything!" Stiles garbled out, without a greeting beforehand.
"Hey Stiles, it's nice to see you're alive too. And I'm so grateful for the birthday wishes.." Thea replied, a sarcastic smile on her face. Stiles narrowed his eyes into a glare before wildly moving his arms around and opening his mouth to speak- but Thea was saved from the response as their third and final companion made his own appearance. Stiles shook his head and turned to the tan boy raising his eyebrows expectantly- Scott on the other hand just looked confused.
"Well.. show us the bite then!" Stiles stated exasperatedly waving his hands round in some kind of hurrying gesture. Scott nodded, before raising his shirt slightly to show a bloody piece of gauze covering part of his abdomen. Stiles didn't seem that affected, until he began reaching towards it as if to rip it from him- Scott smacked his hand away from the site. Thea watched in interest; wondering when exactly her friend had changed and grown up from being that scrawny eight year old. Shaking her head slightly before trying to focus on the conversation going on in front of her.
"What happened before you became something's chew toy?" Stiles asked, lowering his voice slightly to ensure that no one around them could hear the words- cause that would lower their collective social status. Thea rolled her eyes.
"Well the deer appeared and ran through the forest and then Thea and I got separated.. Then I was bitten by something.. I think I heard a wolf howl.." Scott stated, screwing his eyes shut as he tried to remember. Thea watched as Stiles became confused- before she turned her face away from the two boys who began having an argument about whether or not wolves lived in California- apparently they haven't lived in Cali for over 60 years, who knew? She too was struggling to remember what occurred the previous night, one minute she's staring at half a body and also hearing a howl in the darkness- the next she's waking up this morning. It made no sense, how could she not remember a period of time from only a few hours ago- sure, she was tired, but that couldn't explain it- could it?
The boys continued to bicker between themselves; Stiles probably making some snarky remark or sarcastic comment- aggravating Scott to no end, just as Stiles was about to make another comment. Suddenly Stiles' attention was drawn away from the two of us as Lydia Martin strutted towards the front doors.
"This is probably the best thing to happen in this town since.. the birth of Lydia Martin.. Hey Lydia, you look like you're going to ignore me.. Beautiful." Stiles spoke, though he knew it was hopeless; they all did. Girls like Lydia were untouchable, they were like the Goddesses on Mount Olympus. A small frown decorated Stiles' face for a moment before he turned back to Scott and Thea.
"This is all your two's fault you know. You're draggin' me down to your nerd depths.. I've been scarlet nerded by you.." Stiles stated as if it was the most likely reason. Scott just smiled at his friends ridiculousness, Thea on the other hand took more offence.
"Gee. I'm sorry my psychotic mother's attempt on my life has made you unpopular. I mean it must be just terrible for you!" Thea hissed, malice dripping from each word. She could feel the familiar stinging at the corners of her eyes, though she ignored as she turned from him and stormed into the building before them. She could feel their eyes following her; not only the eyes of her to previous companions, but also those of the people within the hallowed halls of Beacon Hills High. It was no secret what Jana had tried to do. It was no secret that Thea had only survived my some medical miracle. Thea tilted her head down. Her dark hair becoming like a curtain to try and shield her from the prying stares, from the narrowed eyes and snickering gazes. She tried to control her breathing as she opened the locker in front of her. Suddenly out popped four balloons, some streamers and confetti. All of it flying into her face. The hall soon filled with raucous laughter- the student body around her laughing at her. Enjoying her misery. Thea, took a closer look at the balloons that were now bobbing cheerfully before her; they stated 'Happy Birthday!' but they weren't your average birthday wishes, they were coloured with handprints- bloody ones at that. Thea, bit her lip- to try and stem the tears that would soon flood from her dark eyes.
Taking a deep breath, she took out the books she didn't need yet from her bag and swapped them out for the necessary ones within the torture chamber that was now her locker. She shook her hair back from her face and shoulders; the ones around her need not know how emotionally destroyed she was at that moment. She held her head high, shoving the balloons back into her locker fiercely. Before slamming the door closed and turning to face her peers- her tormentors. They were still laughing, some pointing, others whispering and others openly making loud and obnoxious comments. Thea set her jaw, shouldering her messenger bag, hoisting it up slightly. Her dark gaze caught sight of a pale blue one; Isaac Lahey, he wasn't laughing at her pain, instead he looked almost sympathetic and understanding- trying to offer some comfort to her from across the hall. Turning her eyes to look around the area, she noticed a pair of hazel eyes narrowing at the people within the hallway, Thea followed the gaze to a pair of girls who looked far too smug about what was happening. Thea watched ass Lydia set a hard glare on her face and directed it towards two of her minions- something that surprised Thea. Thea let her gaze wander until she spotted Stiles and Scott stood at the entrance; obviously having seen what had just happened, they looked sorry. Especially Stiles. Scott himself looked pained, as if this was affecting him also. Finally deciding on a course of action, the ridiculed girl; looked towards the ground before letting a grin slide on to her face and letting out a laugh that rivalled the sound of the chorus around her. Quickly the mocking laughter was silenced as Thea joined in. Her grin broadened and she turned to strut down the hall to her first class of the day; catching Lydia's gaze once more, Thea almost thought she saw a faint smile pull at the strawberry blonde's lips- almost a look of admiration held within the those hazel eyes.
Thea was the first in the English classroom. Once she was situated; her materials placed out ready, all lined up perfectly, she waited until the classroom filled up with the rest of her classmates. Stiles walked slowly past her desk, it was almost as if he thought if he walked slowly enough he could be forgiven of his previous harsh words- Thea gave in and smiled weakly up at her dorky and mildly insensitive friend. Scott quickly took his spot behind her, resting his hand on her shoulder and giving it a slight squeeze- reassuring her and reaffirming her strength. She placed her hand atop his before moving it to rest on the desk in front of her. Her fingers tapping out an old and familiar rhythm; one tap, two taps, three taps. One tap, two taps, three taps. Continuous. Safe. Calming. Stiles, who was sat adjacent to her spotted this- nudging Scott and motioning to the tapping of Thea's fingers. Stiles let his pen fly across the paper before him; We need to tell him. Scott slid his gaze over to the paper Stiles had nudged in his direction, his eyes widened before he shook his head softly. Taking his own pen and writing a swift note back to his best friend; We wait, watch her. Slipping it to Stiles, he waited for the reluctant nod; they knew what Aaron had told them. Watch for the signs, if they appear- let him know, immediately. The signs were a message that Thea was struggling and was slipping. And that maybe she needed the help of Dr Strauss again. It started with the tapping, then the counting and then the cleaning and the desperate need for order. The pair of friends watched their other companion- waiting almost in baited breath for her fingers to stop their repetitive movements, though they would be waiting for a long time- as Thea was at the beginning of a very steep and slippery slope. Scott's attention was drawn from the fragile girl in front of him as he heard a cell phone's shrill ring break through the almost silence within the room. He waited to see who's phone it was. He wondered why no one was answering it, and why their elderly English teacher wasn't berating the class. Suddenly a soft voice was heard, one he didn't recognise at this point.
"Mom, three calls on the first day- isn't that a little excessive? I know, I know, I have everything I'm fine. Well I have everything but a pen apparently! Oh God, how embarrassing!" The voice sounded nervous and gentle, and Scott was quickly becoming addicted to the sound, it was interrupted by another voice- one he recognised, the principles voice. Slowly Scott felt himself come back into the room, he looked around trying to see if anyone else had heard what he had just heard. But nobody else seemed to be affected. Suddenly the door to the room opened to reveal the principle standing tall and a companion Scott didn't know- though he wanted to desperately. The girl before him was gorgeous. And she was a mystery he wanted to figure out.
"Students, this is our new student Alison Argent. I hope you make her feel welcome." The principle stated before gesturing to the only empty seat in the room; the seat behind Scott. He felt his eyes widen slightly, before he urgently tapped Thea on the shoulder.
"Hey, can I borrow a pen?" was all that was whispered to the brunette, who in turn sighed and then pointed to the pen on his desk. Scott bit his lip and gave her a pleading look, one that he knew Thea couldn't resist. Ultimately, the girl delved into her pencil case and found another pen before turning and handing it to her friend- who grinned at her upon receiving it; he in turn twisted and handed it to the unfamiliar girl behind him. The final recipient of the writing utensil, just furrowed her brow and smiled faintly to the boy in front of her- it was obvious she was rather confused as to what had just happened. Thea on the other hand, was still looking behind her watched the whole exchange, she felt a strange tugging within her and felt her face draw into a frown, before she rolled her eyes and turned to face forwards. A whispered 'Thanks ' was all Scott gave, and Thea promptly ignored it in favour of continuing with the lesson at hand.
So there we have it; the first chapter of my new story. Hopefully I'll see this one through and finish it!
I'm really excited about this and I have so many ideas, ch2 is already in the works.
Losing Faith will follow the season as closely as possible with the added characters of my own creation- though it will have to be slightly AU to fit around Thea and her story.
I hope you enjoy it!
Charlie :) x