Lydia Martin laid silently facing the Nemeton. Her face was frozen, she couldn't speak, and her body felt like jelly. The nape of her neck, where Theo had forced his claws inside of her, violating her mind, seared with such an intense pain that she'd scream if she could. She knew what had happened and all she could do was wait for someone to find her.
She thought about Scott. How she felt claws dig inside of her and twist. The pain was unbearable and she knew that he was gone. Even if he was only gone for a short while, Lydia felt the pain of knowing that another person, a friend, had died because she failed them. Scott had never let Lydia down and always trusted her no matter how crazy she sounded. I vowed to do my best to protect them. I swore to Allison at her funeral that I wouldn't let another die if I could help it. She should've listened to Stiles' warnings but Theo saved her life. He felt so trustworthy, and Scott died because I let my guard down. I failed my friends. Scott must hate me.
"I found her!" A masculine voice shouted from behind Lydia. Leaves crunched as footsteps came rushing over to her.
"What the hell happened? Is she dead? Why is she by a huge tree stump?" Another voice came, this one female.
Fingers touched Lydia's neck. They were definitely masculine and cold. Lydia cringed on the inside, still shaken from the last time someone grabbed her neck. "How am I supposed to know what happened? It's not like I was here! We were sent to get her, that's all I know… Her pulse is strong." The male replied. Flashing a light into her eyes as he continued. "She's not responsive. The best we can do is take her back to Eichen. He wants to see her." He? He who? Why Eichen? Questions swirled through Lydia's mind as she laid there, frozen, panicking.
"Yeah, whatever. I'm just glad that I don't have to wander these woods looking for this spoiled brat again. I mean seriously, who comes out this far, we've must've hiked miles." Hands wrapped around Lydia's body and she was up in the air, her body felt like jelly; she couldn't move no matter how hard she pushed herself, but was limp as she crumbled in the man's arms. Then, she was off, the Nemeton fading into the distance. For a split second, something flashed by the Nemeton, something that didn't just look familiar but felt like she knew it.
Arriving at Eichen House, Lydia could feel the terror inside of her fight for control so she could flee but nothing seemed to take root. Is this what happens if alphas miss? It was such a horrible, indescribable feeling to be fully aware mentally without the ability to control your body. As the arms picked her up again, she caught a glimpse at the sky, it was definitely early afternoon. The sun felt incredible on her skin, and Lydia had the feeling that she better absorb as much as possible, that she'd be here for a while.
The woman opened the doors and she was back. It felt like she could never escape the place where she was almost murdered by the man who killed her grandmother, the place where she almost lost Stiles, where Meredith "died" because she had driven her insane; the place that felt like death was in every corner of every room, slowly closing in on some unsuspecting victim. Further and further back Lydia went, slowly creeping up on the secret floor for supernatural creatures.
"The Lydia Martin," a familiar voice boomed, "just the banshee I wanted to see." The arms plopped Lydia on an exam table.
"We're pretty sure she's catatonic, sir," the female voice informed the man who had to be her superior. "She was lying by a huge tree stump."
"Well obviously she's catatonic, why do you think I sent you?" the voice replied, this time peering over her. Lydia was in complete shock, standing right before her was the man who everyone considers the most dangerous supernatural creature here, Dr. Valack. The shock, elicited a response from her body. For just a split second, Lydia was able to move her foot. One small twitch, then she was frozen again. Dr. Valack continued, "Look at her neck Cross! That is just unacceptable. I can't believe a wolf would be so careless when entering another's conscience!"
"What are we going to do with her Doctor?" The male asked.
"What we're meant to do with patients, cure them. Schrader, get a room in order for her." Valack barked.
"Yes sir." Schrader responded and was gone.
"Why are you wasting your time with her? She's obviously in a state of catatonia. Drugs will take months and people would definitely come looking by then. Electroshock Therapy is the best way to help her the fastest, but that's not exactly socially acceptable."
"I'm helping here because I need her." Valack replied, "Now, check her vitals then get her settled in. I want therapy first thing in the morning." And with that, he walked out of the room and Lydia was left with the woman named Cross.
"Again." Valack said. Nurse Cross pushed the button and another electric shock rippled through Lydia's body. The pain was horrible. She could feel her body jerk as the currents filled her and left. She sat there, unable to scream, hating Valack even more with each pulse. Valack seemed to enjoy it on some level and Schrader definitely loved watching her body convulse, giggling like a school girl with each current.
Lydia was on day four of therapy and the shocks just kept growing in intensity. At least I can use my basic motor functions again, Lydia thought, knowing that as long as she showed signs of improving that she was fine. At first, the shocks were nothing, just a little pulse through her body, kind of tingling and tickling at the same time. However, that quickly changed. On day three, Valack had Cross rev the shocks up because she was taking too long for his liking. Unfortunately and fortunately, Lydia seemed to recover so form of basic motor functions after. She could stand on her own and walk as long as someone guided and pushed her body along. Valack seemed to have an aura of urgency around him as he pushed his staff to increase her shocks. It's as if he needs me to get better now, the thought flickered through Lydia's mind before another shock raced through her body.
"Doctor, any more electricity and she could suffer serious damage." Cross advised, "It's amazing that she could even handle this much. I don't think we should continue for today."
"I think she can take another, don't you Doctor?" Schrader inquired, the gleam in his eyes giving away the joy he was feeling.
"No, Cross is right. Let her shower and then put her back in the room to rest." Valack ordered and once again Schrader helped her stand up, and pushed her forward so that her body knew to walk. This time something felt different. Her usual limp body became rigid, it felt as if something inside of her was fighting to break free, as if some part of her knew something critical. For a few seconds, Lydia was able to walk on her own. Having control over her body was enough to make Lydia feel like she had won the lottery, but then her body went limp again, ending the first bit of joy Lydia felt in days.
"Schrader, did you feel that?" Cross gasped.
"What?"
"She moved on her own then stopped. She must have been cured earlier today and is faking it now!" Cross squealed.
"Don't go running to Valack just yet." Schrader warned, "Let her reveal herself. Tomorrow, shock her so hard it'll kill." Lydia could feel the anticipation Schrader had at his idea. "If she is faking, she'll stop us before we do anything too extreme."
"So? If she loses it before we do, then she she'll tell Valack that we knew." Cross shot back.
"Your point?" Schrader tightened his grip on Lydia to the point where she'd scream if she could. The thought of being shocked to death reminded her of Mexico, where she finally admitted to herself that she had feelings for Stiles. I can't believe I didn't see it coming… she reminisced about being so frustrated at his stupid jeep. Why did they have to take that thing? It was falling apart, and her car could've fit all of them so much more comfortably. When it broke she so terrified and angry with him, it took all of her strength not to beat him with that wrench.
Painfully hot water prickled Lydia's skin. THAT BITCH! This is literally burning me. If only I could move, if only I could fight… scream. Just one scream and Scott would find me. If only I could just hit her. She won't get away with this. Her thoughts felt as if they were racing through her mind. Her fantasy of beating Cross to a pulp was interrupted when she felt a hand on her back, pulling on her body to make her move. However, this time something happened. She moved her eyes. She moved them on her own, something she hadn't done in days. The strange feeling inside of her had only intensified in the shower and Lydia felt as if it was eating her alive.
Slowly, she was dressed and they made their way to her bed. After countless trips around Eichen, she knew just about every corridor. It wasn't like there was much else she could but pay attention to where she was going.
"Up her dosage 3 mils," Cross instructed, "I'm so tired of this act, if she wants to continue to play this game, let's make sure her role is perfect." She snickered to herself, then closed the door and made her way back down the hall. Panic seared through Lydia, 3 mils? They've been giving me amantadine. That's not it! No! Please, I'm not faking. Please, NO! The needle entered her arm.
"Oops, missed a vein. Silly me." Schrader whispered. How long has he been talking? "Let me try again." He plunged the needle back in her arm and dug around. Nothing could ever describe what Lydia felt in that moment. The pain of the needle digging inside of her arm, the burning sensation pulsating throughout her body from every fiber of her being screaming for her to make the pain stop, to move. "I'm sorry Lydia, I'm gonna have to go for a bigger vein." The joyful glint in his eyes made Lydia sick. He pulled the needle out of her skin and moved to her neck. "Now, this is more like it." He grinned and plunged the needle inside of her…
As he started to push the syringe down, something inside of her snapped. Instead of whatever drug he had entering her body, black blood pushed it back into the syringe. Every part of her body throbbed with some type of pain as images flashed through her mind of her friends, each one indistinguishable and more gruesome than the last. Lydia could feel a friend in each image, more importantly, she couldn't feel their life…. They were all dead.
Panic raced through her blood and her lungs began to ache with the burning desire to scream. The voices she always followed went from a slight whisper to screaming, LIAM. THEO. MALIA. HAYDEN. SCOTT. KIRA. MASON. LYDIA…. STILES. Once she heard his name, something snapped and Lydia could no longer hold back her scream. As it burst out of her lungs, it felt different.
Lydia's blood-curdling scream filled her cell of a room, allowing her to gain control of her body as if a spell had been broken. She didn't just feel the liberation of her once frozen limbs, but she felt… Powerful. Something else was happening inside of her, something that felt incredible. The sound she was making shattered the glass around the light in her room. Before the orderly could recover, Lydia bolted out of her bed. Scott. STILES. Have to warn them, warn Stiles.
Two orderlies started to rush her from opposite ends of the hallway. Seriously? I'm a banshee bitch. It was definitely time for some payback. Lydia steadied herself, drawing on the hours of training with Parrish, and attacked. Lydia rushed the first guard, catching him by surprise. She pushed him back, then, with all the energy she could muster, slammed into his side with her right leg. With him doubled-down, Lydia wrapped her legs around his neck and spun him around onto his back, leaving him unconscious. The other guard was just barely starting down the hall when she turned around. All of a sudden, her body told her to scream. When she opened her mouth and let loose, her scream was different. It felt deeper, as if coming from a different place. As she went to push him away, ripples of what looked like raw energy cascaded through the air, sending the guard flying across the hall with nothing but shards of broken glass in his path. No time to question. Need to leave. There were no guards in the hallways yet, giving Lydia a clear shot to the door.
Bursting through the front doors, Lydia could feel the rain pour down on her, cleansing her body of Eichen. Running to the gate that trapped her, three security guards came from out of nowhere, surrounding her with taser rods. Incredibly irritated, Lydia turned to face them. The first guard ran towards Lydia, and she met him with a flat-footed kick that was somehow amplified by her new scream, sending him flying backwards. Turning around, Lydia had just enough time to dodge the rod of the second guard, then grabbed his arm and held him there. Meanwhile, the third guard tried to shock her from the other side, only to be met with ripples of energy that sent him flying backwards. She then turned to her attention back to the second guard. Lydia spun his wrist the same way cops do to disarm someone, then shoved her hand towards his chest and gave one final scream.
Saatisfied with herself, Lydia began to run towards the gate, then stopped dead in her tracks. Standing in her path was someone who was gone. He's dead… but there he stood plain as day. "Aiden?" Lydia whispered, fear and disbelief mixing together. How can you be here?
"Sorry Lydia, but you're not leaving yet. You're treatment isn't finished." He smiled, then, at the base of her back, a taser slammed into her, sending electricity through her body. Then, the other two grabbed onto her and all three of them tased her once more, the pain of each shock amplified by the rain. The jolts of electricity seemed to weaken the supernatural part of her.
As she struggled, unable to scream, Lydia pleaded with the guards. "Please. They're all going to die. All of my friends, dead. Please. I just want to warn them. I have to warn them." With each word, she became weaker and weaker, then blacked out.
As Lydia was beginning to come to, panic burned it's way through her body once again. Please, dear God, please don't let me be catatonic. She cautiously tried to open her eyes, pleasantly surprised when both of her eyelids opened at her command. Around the room stood Nurse Cross and Orderly Schrader, as well some other people that Lydia didn't recognize. In the middle of the room, sitting right in front of I can move, why let me?
"What happened Lydia?" Aiden asked.
"When?"
"When it all started. Tell me, what is happening out there?" It felt Like Aiden was pleading with her.
"Where do I start?" She whispered, before the rational side of her could stop her.
"Start with that night. The night before senior year." He smiled.
"There was a huge storm. Parrish went on a call, a noise complaint. Something attacked him. The power was going out everywhere, and all of our phones were losing signal. I was at the school, waiting for the others. Eventually, they all showed up, but Scott was attacked. They said that he had glowing talons. Parrish said that it felt like the talons were sucking the life out of him. Scott and Kira fought, but he was winning. Then, Theo showed up and saved Scott. The creature knocked Theo out and shoved his claws into Scott's chest. The claws, with whatever power they had, didn't kill Scott. Scott stood up and broke his talons and he fled. Then, they all met me at the school and we attended the Senior Scribe." Lydia finished, reciting the events in an almost robotic fashion.
"Then what happened?" Aiden asked.
"I know you're not Aiden." She blurted before she could stop herself, "He's dead. I can feel that you're not him… you're alive."
Aiden smiled, "You're right." Things began to blur outside of her vision, and suddenly, Valack was in front of her. "Very smart Lydia. Now tell me, what else has happened?"
"I… I… don't… remember," Lydia stuttered as images of the past few weeks rushed through her mind.
"Well my dear, the catatonia may have affected your memory. That's why I have something to help you," he smiled, pulling a drill from out of Lydia's view, "Trepanation, the art of drilling into your patient's skulls."
The drill whirled to life, the annoying buzzing sound filled the room, and it moved closer and closer to Lydia's head. "No! Please!" Lydia shouted. Panic fueled her body and she struggled against her restraints. As it got within less than an inch of her head, the same feeling as before came over her. Turning her head towards Valack and the drill, Lydia let out a low scream and the same ripples of energy came out as before, throwing Valack into the wall and giving her the strength to tear free. Instead of enjoying the moment, a voice rang through her mind, He's helping you. It's okay. Help him help you. You're on the same side. The clarity of the voice was startling. Lydia was so used to struggling to hear what they were saying, only catching snippets, and working from there. For the first time ever, the whisper was perfectly audible for her.
Valack recovered and stared at her. "How did you…. What did they do to you?" He grasped for composure, only to fall short. He gazed at Lydia in awe. "This is incredible… You're incredible…"
"What do you want from me?" Lydia asked, better to catch him before he can compose himself again.
"I want your help Lydia. I need your help, and you need mine."
"How so?"
"The Doctors are trying to get in. The supernatural creatures downstairs are too enticing for them to resist. I need them dead."
"And how do I fit into this?"
"You are the key to stopping them my dear. Their own creation will be used against them." He grinned in anticipation.
"Own creation? What are you talking about?" Dread filled Lydia, there was no way this was going to be pretty.
"You still haven't had your memory, have you? I can help with that. I can tell you how to defeat them… for a price." He tilted his head downwards, and the lights casted shadows over his face making him look more evil than ever.
Deal with the devil for freedom, Lydia considered, weighing her options, or stay here and suffer. Every bone in her body warned her that freedom wouldn't be worth whatever price she had to pay, but she could still feel that her friends were in danger and no one could save them but her. "I'll do it. If and only if, whatever price you have in mind does not involve my friends."
Valack sat still for a moment, mulling it over. "Deal." He said curtly and held his hand out. Lydia took it feeling defeated and exhilarated at the same time. "Now, go rest. We have a lot to discuss tomorrow."
Lydia sat quietly in Valack's office. She listened to the clock ticking on the wall, while taking in the small room. The desk stood in the center, cluttered with what looked to be months of paperwork sprawled on every possible place. The computer was completely outdated and seemed to be on the verge of dying. The door on the other side of the room burst open, and Valack walked in, seating himself across from Lydia. "Sorry to keep you my dear, but I've only been running this place for a few days now so there's still much to fix."
"What's in the other room?" Lydia asked, her thirst for knowledge already getting the best of her.
"Let's just say that room is where we hold the records of those like you." His smile seemed genuine, as if he loved showing off his knowledge. Interesting, Lydia thought, This might actually be an opportunity.
"Okay, so how'd you come to be in charge? Last time I saw you, you were in the most guarded cell here."
"Well, a certain banshee let me use her scream to shatter my cell wall. Thank you by the way." He's out because of me? "Unfortunately, your heroic actions came a little too late because the Doctors caught me before I could escape. They took my eye and killed the guy in charge of this place. After seeing the utter disarray, I thought it only fitting that I run it since I can't exactly leave." He stated, "I simply am staying put until they're dead and you get my eye back." He smiled, slowly removing the bandages on his head, and revealing an empty hole in his head. Disgusting.
"You want me to get your eye back?" She asked, confused more than ever.
"Yes. That's my price. You defeat the Dread Doctors and bring back my eye. I think you'll be more than capable of that."
"How is the eye gonna help you? I mean, if they took it, aren't they using it?" Lydia inquired.
"It is true that they took my eye, but they can't use it… yet. You see, they don't know how to activate it."
"What do you mean activate?"
"Let me tell you a story Lydia. I am what is best referred to as a Seer of sorts. It is a rare ability among humans, mostly due to the amount of training that is necessary to even activate it. Usually, it exists as a metaphor, a way to explain an ability such as clairvoyance or what some people call 'enlightenment'. However, I was different. It literally felt like there was another eye inside of me. I knew more than I should, understood things in ways no one else could even grasp; but I also spent many nights in agonizing pain. The eye would show me things, horrible, disgusting things. Have you ever considered what it must feel like to be a kanima? Forced to kill at someone's beck and call? I lived it. The eye showed me everything that the creature felt and it was horrifying." He paused a moment, Lydia couldn't tell if he was hurting or if it was for dramatic effect. "Anyways, the Dread Doctors showed up one night. In the beginning, they were fascinated with the supernatural. That was it. I agreed to share everything I learned if they helped expose my third eye. Everything went well, they were able to drill the hole in my head and the eye was there. They were in awe."
"Why did they take it?" Lydia couldn't help but blurt out.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's considered rude to interrupt?" Valack scolded, "Everything was incredible. I learned that I could show people what I've seen, what they wanted to see, but also that some people couldn't recover from what I showed them. With this talent, I was able to pay my way through medical school via telling the Doctors whatever they wanted to know. Then, one night, everything got out of hand. They sat me down and told me that they wanted to experiment on me… to see that if maybe, just maybe, they could replicate my eye and share it with the world. I refused and they tried to detain me. Only, they didn't think that my eye could sense danger and warn me ahead of time. I escaped and left town."
"Are you implying that this could have all been avoided?" Lydia was astonished.
"Avoided? No. Postponed? Yes." He answered.
"How did you end up here?"
"They gave up on me after a few months, seeking more unsuspecting and stupid targets, such as shapeshifters. About a year after, they began experimenting on unsuspecting humans, attempting to create their own supernatural creatures. They would go from town to town, searching for chimeras. Once they figured out how to change humans, I began to keep track of them more often. In one town, they turned 8 teens, with no successes… the inspiration for my book." He smiled. "That little gem made quite a bit of money. However, I designed the book to be read on a subconscious level. It's written in a way that I designed to trigger the memories of anyone who has ever been affected by them. Once they found out about the book… Well, let's just say they weren't too pleased by it."
What did they do?"
"They came after me. I was on the run for a while, when I heard of Eichen House. A recently released patient told me everything about it, how it's protected from the outside and on the inside by telluric currents. I knew that they couldn't get to me there, so I got myself admitted."
"But you were in the most guarded cell… why?"
"Well, when you share a cell, one of you has to have dominance, it's the way of the small minded. Many supernatural creatures think of themselves as the apex predator, and I am not exactly what they considered supernatural. If they attacked, I would defend myself. I used my third eye to essentially render them immobile. It has the capability of showing you what you want to see, but it can also draw you in. If your conscious isn't strong enough, you can be trapped and let's face it, most of what's kept downstairs won't be winning any prizes for their intelligence anytime soon."
Lydia's head was whirling, this was so much information to take in. FOCUS. "What does this have to do with us? With now? With me?"
"My story relates to now, Lydia. I want you to understand that I'm not the bad guy here. I want to help you, but I also need my eye back. It's a part of me."
"I'll get it back for you, but why did they want it?"
"To implant it into a chimera. The only problem is that they don't know how it accesses my brain. They want me, they need me in order for them to figure it out. Only, figuring it out means I die. Here, I'm protected, out there, I'm dead."
"Okay, I understand. I get why they're here, I know where they came from, I understand what they're doing. What I don't understand is why I haven't had my memory of them yet. I thought it was when I was in the hospital, but if that isn't it, then what is?" Lydia was mostly thinking out loud. She was stunned when Valack came around his desk and sat next to her. Every moment spent with him was making Lydia doubt everything she ever thought about him.
"What you had was most likely a part of someone else's. A banshee is an auditory creature, it hears things. When they targeted your friends, they were targeting the core of their power, what makes each of you a supernatural creature." Valack began to explain.
"What you're saying is that I haven't had my memory but I do remember something and that something belongs to someone else? And that they were essentially attacking the thing that makes me a banshee?" Lydia never considered this possibility and it terrified her. She felt as if she had been violated… again. I can't even control myself, how were they able to figure it out? These things know more about me than I do myself.
"Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying", Valack seemed animated. It seemed as if sharing this with her was exciting, as if he was sharing a secret. "I'm going to help you get that memory back."
"How? I already tried reading the book. I only caught glimpses." I thought we just went over this…
"You read the book, but you never had someone read it to you. The book associates with your subconscious. You reading wouldn't fully work because there are voices in your sub-conscience. You need to hear it, you need to feel it, and more than likely, you'll need to scream." He finished.
"That's genius!" Lydia was amazed that she was admitting this. She couldn't fully trust Valack, but this idea had never occurred to her or Stiles. It made perfect sense. Plus, it would probably help to fluff his ego.
"What can I say, I am pretty smart." He beamed. If anything about him that he said was true, then Valack wasn't a bad person at all. He seemed to be excited, as if this was the first time ever shared anything about himself. "Let's get started." He pulled a copy of his book from a shelf right next to his seat. "Come with me."
He led Lydia down the hallway, to a room that she had never noticed before. Pushing the door open, Lydia was astounded to find that this room was bare, completely empty. Valack gestured for her to go first. The floor felt soft and gushy beneath Lydia's feet, like she was walking on pillows. Then realization hit her, OH SHIT! She reached around for the door, but it was already closed behind her. Lydia rushed to the door, pounding against it, "VALACK! VALACK, LET ME OUT!" Panic was coursing through her veins and Lydia could not for a second believe that she would ever allow herself to trust him this much.
"CALM DOWN!" His voice echoed through the room over an intercom. "Just breathe. This is just a safety precaution. After what you did to my poor drill, I didn't want to take any chances." He began to explain.
"I… want… out!" Lydia said evenly.
"I'm reading the book to you. You need to know what they did." Valack continued, "Once we're done, you'll be let out. Remember Lydia, we have to trust each other. We need each other."
Lydia's breathing returned to normal as she accepted her fate. She sank to the ground, and closed her eyes. "I'm ready." She spoke, slightly louder just in case he couldn't hear her. Then, he began reading…
After twenty minutes, the words began to have a trance-like effect on Lydia. The book became the center of Lydia's existence, it connected to her on some sort of level that she couldn't describe. It was as if the book had soothing effect to it. With each murder that Valack read, she began to feel more and more calm. Her mind began to feel different, memories were swirling around it, and it felt like she was going back in time. Suddenly, faster than ever before, Lydia needed to scream. It wasn't one that she could hold in, it wasn't one that she could just feel, it wasn't one that she could ever fight. It felt as if her brain was about to burst as the scream raced through her lungs, clawing its way out of her mouth. Lydia felt as if this was the most powerful scream she had ever experienced, more painful than Allison's. Then, a bright white light flashed in front of her eyes, and it felt as if her mind had been unlocked. The she saw everything.
It was early in the afternoon on the stormy day of Senior Scribe. Lydia was sitting at her desk, applying make-up. Suddenly, she began to feel uneasy. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and every fiber of her being told her to run. Lydia rushed across the room to grab her bag, then headed out of the door. Downstairs, she went to the kitchen to leave a note for her mom. Once she finished it, Lydia began to head for the door, when a bolt of lightning cascaded down in front of her window, illuminating a tall, shadowy figure in her yard and knocking out the power.
Lydia pulled her phone out of her purse and dialed 911, only, there was no signal. She began to panic, "MMMOOOOOMMMMM!" There was no reply. Please, dear God, let her be okay. Lydia bounded up the stairs, This was seriously the dumbest thing I could've done. Too late now. Adrenaline was racing through her veins as she stopped at her mom's door. BAM. Something slammed in Lydia's head then, everything went black.
Slowly, piece by piece, Lydia began to come to. Her whole body felt numb. She opened her eyes, gazing up into bright, robotic eyes. Standing over her were abnormally tall things in clunky metal armor. They were mumbling in some strange, robotic voice. "Condition….. Abnormal." Abnormal? What the hell do they mean?
Lydia lifted her head to see what they were doing. She was stunned to see that her chest was cut open and she didn't feel a thing. "No…. Please… Stop…. Please." Tears welled up in her eyes. The sight of her internal organs was the most traumatic thing to ever happen to her. Her brain was frozen, the shock rendered her incapable of processing everything in front of her.
"Condition stable" One said. It was holding a bloody scalpel, preparing to make another incision.
"Wh…what… are you… doing… to me?" Lydia gasped out.
"Need to know how you operate. Need it." Another said, looking at something outside of Lydia's vision.
"Need what?"
"Larynx. Just a piece." Larynx? As in my voice box? Confusion rushed through Lydia. What does that even mean?
Lydia could hear something being cut. Then, the one with the scalpel pulled it up. She was staring at her own voice box in utter disbelief. It handed her larynx over to the third one and it walked away. After a few minutes, it returned with her what looked like her larynx in it's hands, but it was still whole. The first one took it and put it back into place. Then, sewed her up. She laid there in silence the entire time, unable to process what happened.
"You know what to do." The one who took and returned with her larynx said to the one out of sight.
"Yes."
"It has to be done right now if she is to be on time. We can't have suspicion yet." The one with scalpel reminded it.
"Yes." It responded. Lydia felt cold, metallic hands wrap around her neck, then a sharp twist. Everything went black and the life left Lydia's body. It injected some sort of concoction from a tube into her neck then carried her out of the door.
Lydia woke up in her car screaming. Her neck was sore and her chest hurt. Taking in her surroundings, she realized she was parked at the school. Every part of her knew that something horrible had happened, but she just couldn't remember. It must have been a dream. That's it, just a dream. Lydia convinced herself while she touched up her make-up. Then, she got out of the car and went to meet her friends.
Lydia snapped out of her trance. Her face was soaking wet from a mixture of sweat and tears. Oh my God. What did they do to me? Lydia had been feeling off over the past few weeks but she just thought it was stress or fear, nothing more. Lydia was feeling so many different emotions all at once, that she didn't even realize that she was being held. Looking behind her, she was shocked to find Valack.
"I know that must've been hard." He whispered. There was so much concern in his eyes that Lydia couldn't help but feel comforted. In that moment, she decided to trust him.
"I don't understand. I was dead. They killed me. How am I alive?" Lydia choked out, continuing to cry.
"What? Tell me everything!" He was in utter shock but Lydia saw the glint in his eyes. It felt like he had a thirst for knowledge, to know everything about everyone. Lydia briefly weighed her options, but she did decide to trust him a moment ago, so she told him everything she had seen.
"Partially because you are a banshee but mostly because they injected you with a concoction. I don't know what's in it, but I do know that it somehow activates the supernatural ability implanted within. That's why you're alive" He explained her questions.
"I saw Theo inject the dead chimeras with it and they came back, does this mean that I'm a chimera too?" She fearfully asked. She dreaded asking but needed to know.
"No. That is one supernatural law that cannot be broken. You can't change what you are. They did do something though. I need to tell you something." Guilt rang through Valack's voice.
"What?"
"On your first night, when we sedated you to make sure you slept, I had x-rays done. I needed to know if you were okay on the inside before we began treatment. We noticed an abnormality in your larynx."
"WHAT?" Lydia panicked, "You said that I'm not a chimera but I have an abnormality?"
"Yes, at first, I dismissed it. Then, I compared your x-ray to Meredith Walker's since you were both banshees, to see if it was similar. Hers was normal. So, I began to consider various possibilities. You are a banshee, meaning that you can't be changed but you were affected in some way. I know that they take parts from various supernatural creatures then let them go. They were using your larynx to try to create a banshee… I'm assuming at least."
"I follow, but I don't see how there's a way around this, I'm either a chimera or I'm not. If it's abnormally large then that would point towards me being a chimera." Lydia's temper was falling short. She didn't care about the whole explanation, only whether or not something was wrong with her.
"I was stumped." Valack admitted, "Then, you pulled your little escape stunt. Once you threw me out of my chair, I figured it out. They replaced a piece of your larynx with someone else's. That way, it wouldn't be detectable if you started to have dreams of that day. Only, something else happened. Your immunity seemed to reject that piece and restructured it to accommodate your body. You see Lydia, there's no way for you to avoid your abilities, but they hindered them with the larynx piece. Like your various wounds, whatever happens to you medically does heal and the immunity prevents any supernatural occurrences from happening within your body. This larynx had to belong to a supernatural creature, therefore your body prevented and corrected it. In the process, it somehow activated something else inside of you, an ability that is so rare that almost no one knows about it. It seems that your scream now has the capability of generating some type of energy to protect you."
Lydia's jaw hit the floor. Everything he said made perfect sense to her. She felt slightly different the past few weeks but not unlike herself. If her body was recovering from what happened, and her voice box had somehow changed, then the feeling she had was justified. "What about when I died? Why am I healed? I have no scars."
"You never have scars Lydia, your body heals them for you, like your bite from Peter or the kanima tail. Right now, you need to rest." Valack explained but shut her down before she could ask follow-up questions. "What you just went through was an incredibly draining process. If I'm going to let you go tomorrow, I need you well rested." He smiled at her.
"Out? I get to leave?" Lydia was stunned, it didn't seem right. She knew that there were procedures that they had to go through if she was ever officially a patient here.
"Yes. Other than what the Doctors did to you, you seem fine. You're an exceptional person, Lydia. I knew it from the first time I saw you." He seemed genuine, but Lydia couldn't tell for sure, "After everything that you've been through, I'm amazed that you're still alive."
"How am I supposed to defeat them?" Lydia was genuinely confused.
"I'll explain tomorrow." He replied and left, this time, leaving the door wide open for her. She headed back to her room. No use trying to escape if I'm leaving tomorrow. She laid in her bed, noticing that someone had replaced the lights she shattered. As she mulled everything over in her mind, piecing everything she could together, her mind couldn't stop drifting to the irritatingly adorable reaction Stiles would have when he saw her again. Then, she drifted off to sleep.
Lydia sat casually in Valack's office once again. This time, instead of a patient's outfit, she was back in the clothes that she wore when she arrived. Lydia never realized how amazing it felt to be able to wear your own clothes. Lost in thought, she didn't even notice Valack walk in and take his seat until he awkwardly cleared his throat. "Sorry, I was just thinking." She explained. Please don't think that I'm not ready.
"I figured, we learned a lot together yesterday." He smiled, seeming to dismiss the moment entirely.
"Yeah," Lydia nervously replied, "it was definitely eye opening."
"Anyways, down to business. The reason why I brought you here when I could've let you die." He chuckled. Lydia smiled, So not funny.
"What do my friends and I need to do?" She asked.
"You see Lydia, banshees aren't just seen as harbingers of death. They also have an incredibly unique ability, one that makes them priceless. Like druids, banshees have a special ability, they can enter the Otherworld, aka the land of the dead. That is how you see the death before it happens. Not only can a banshee enter this land, but they can retrieve souls, bringing back the dead but only once."
"Like I did with Peter?" Lydia asked, memories of her lowest point in life flooding in her mind.
"Sort of. You did bring him back, but you needed an alpha to give him enough power to recover and someone with a strong connection to him."
"How do you know this?" Lydia couldn't figure it out.
"I shared a cell with him," Valack said in a menacing voice, "He showed me everything." A smile flashed across his face, "Now he was a piece of work."
"What did you do to him?" Lydia had some burning desire to know, hoping that maybe he was dead for good.
"Nothing really, he came at me so I showed him my eye. I saw what he saw and then he was taken out the next day before I woke up. My best guess is that he's immobile like the others." Valack confessed.
"If I've brought someone back, then I can do it again?"
"Technically no. You can bring back one person, who died of the supernatural and was someone that you were connected to." Valack began to explain, "However, you're unique Lydia. The Doctors killed you, which means that your life was over. Then, they brought you back, giving you new life. By bringing you back and granting you new life, it's almost as if you're a new banshee, meaning that you should be able to do it again."
"How am I supposed to do it? Last time, I was haunted by the man who mauled me until I agreed to drug my friends and bring him back." Lydia tried to hold in her attitude, but that wasn't exactly something she was willing to experience again.
"Go to the Nemeton. Bring your friends and bring back someone who fits the category. You have to sit on it, draw power from it, while the others stand in a circle around you. One has to stay behind and be your tether. If you can go and bring someone back, your friends will go and when you come back, they will too."
"What do I do to get there and back?"
"Think about that person and they'll appear to you in the Otherworld. You'll know what to do after." He said cryptically.
"How does that help?"
"The Doctors will want that person. Someone resurrected by the supernatural will draw them out. They'll want to test them, even if they know it's a trap. Their thirst for supernatural knowledge will drive them to taking that risk."
"So basically, whoever comes back is bait. Wonderful."
"The rest will be up to you Lydia. When they come for them, you'll know what to do."
"How do you know that?" Lydia was beyond confused.
"I've seen it." He smiled. "Now leave. That's all I can tell you."
"What? That's it? Really?"
"Yep. If I didn't need you or know you, I'd let you suffer here for a while. But, you can go. We're done here." Lydia stood up and went to the door. Never look a gift horse in the mouth. "Just remember Lydia, once this is over, I get my eye back. Don't forget to bring it to me. I'll know when they died. You'll have twenty-four hours from then."
Lydia got up to leave, "Thank you." She said, sincerely meaning every ounce of it.
"Lydia? One more thing. Here's a note. It has information about the Otherworld and how it operates." He handed her a folded up piece of paper. "Read it sooner rather than later, it'll have instructions. I can't risk just telling you, so I wrote them down."
Lydia accepted the paper and nodded, then closed the door behind her. She ran through the halls to the front doors, opening them on the most incredible sunset she had ever seen. Once at the gate, she paused. Where do I go? Her mother wouldn't let her out of her sight for days. Scott would be the obvious choice, but she wasn't ready to see him yet. Malia and Kira, if she were back, could work but there was a different kind of friendship there. Stiles. It had to be Stiles, he always supported her and accepted whatever choice she made.
After a twenty minute walk, interrupted on when she stopped to read Valack's note, Lydia stood at Stiles' door, terrified. What do I tell him? What can I even say? This was such a stupid idea. The door burst open, revealing a spastic Stiles clamoring to hold onto the various objects in his hands. As he looked up to walk out the door, everything fell from his hands. He stood, frozen, for nearly a minute. "Hi Stiles." This is the best you can come up with? Lydia began to scold herself. You've been gone for days and this is the best you can do! Pathetic!
Finally, Stiles composed himself, "L….L….Lydia?" He seemed so stunned to see her.
"The one and only." Lydia said, attempting a smile.
"What…Where…How did you…." He flung his arms in the air. "I've been searching for days for you and here you are. Seriously?!" He flustered, unable to process anything. "It doesn't matter. You're here, you're alive." Then, Stiles did the one thing Lydia never expected, he grabbed her, pulling her tight to his body and kissed her. It was the most incredible feeling, Lydia felt like she was seeing fireworks. He was soft and gentle with her, but also strong and protective. Lydia felt fire racing through her veins, her body screaming for more, she NEEDED more.
Suddenly, Stiles pulled away. "Did you just let me kiss you?" For a second time, he was stunned. "I'm sorry, I couldn't stop myself. Couldn't help it."
"Are you still with Malia?" Lydia asked, suddenly remembering that Stiles was supposed to be off limits. He had watched so many relationships between her and others, it was her turn to watch his.
"No, we broke up a few days ago." He mumbled.
"Then, kiss me again." She smiled. He leaned in and she felt like she was back in Wonderland. Lydia was craving the attention, more importantly, she was craving Stiles. Something about him had always thrown Lydia off. She had always felt like she had to guard herself around him, as if he could see through her façade. He did. He brought Lydia out of her shell, he was always there for her, he always knew what to say. He seemed perfect and that had always terrified her. Only until Mexico did she realize all of those feelings were love.
Lydia was laying in Stiles' bed. They both were panting, sweat pouring from their bodies. That was the best sex I've ever had. She was beginning to feel as if Eichen had been nothing but a bad dream. Here, with Stiles, she felt as if her life had been a horrible nightmare that she finally awoke from.
"I hope that was…. Okay." Stiles said, breaking their silence.
Lydia couldn't help but giggle, "It wasn't the worst," she teased. Stiles looked completely disappointed for a moment, surprising her when he smacked her with a pillow. "Ow, why'd you do that?"
"You left me. I've done nothing but search for you and then you show up at my door and seduce me! What the hell is wrong with you?" Stiles was beyond angry and Lydia knew that she couldn't avoid telling him the truth.
"I'll explain everything, tomorrow. I'll tell everyone everything that happened. For now, tell Scott that I'm fine, not to worry. Tell him to have everyone here in the morning, there isn't time to repeat myself. After that, turn your phone off. I just want you to hold me while I sleep." Lydia instructed.
"Lydia, he's going to want to…"
"STILES!" Lydia snapped, "Scott died the other night, I felt it. I know that everything's going to shit. I get that. We can't do anything else until tomorrow night." Lydia vented. "I know what Scott wants but I don't care. We can play catch up tomorrow. Right now, I'm exhausted. I just want you to hold me while I sleep… please." Tears were streaming down her face, she was begging to not have to face everyone yet.
"Fine. Tomorrow." Stiles relented, "I'm sorry." He called Scott, gave the message, then hung up. "Tomorrow it is." He said, turning off his phone. He wrapped his arms around her body and Lydia began to drift off into sleep. In his arms, she felt completely safe and for the first time in days, she slept through the night.