7 years ago

Fifteen year old Tessa hit hard on the padded training mat as her Nineteen year old brother Trevor laughed. "You have to plant your feet but also stay loose in order to maneuver against an attack." He calmly instructed helping her up. "Again." Tessa demanded getting into her fighting stance gently bouncing on the balls of her feet. She watched a gleam shoot into her brothers eye right before he dropped down and extending his leg to knock her legs once again out from under her.

She was ready. Instead of just jumping straight up to avoid the leg swipe she twisted her hips as she pushed off and the back of her left heel slammed into her brothers cheek sending him onto his back. "Brilliant." boomed a familiar affectionate voice. "Grandpa!" Tessa shrieked leaping over her brother who was sitting up and holding the side of his face. She launched herself into Gerard's open arms. "Young lady you will be Grandpas ruthless secret weapon one day if you keep it up." He cooed wrapping his arms around his exuberant Granddaughter.

"At least someone knows a badass when he sees it!" Tessa quipped skipping over to her brother and helping him up as he grinned and shook his head. "Of course my dear. I hate to do this but I'm going to need to steal your dad and brother for a couple weeks. Got a little problem in California I need help with." He sighed running his hands through his ever thinning white hair. "Can't I come please!" Tessa whined watching her brother head to the weapons cabinet.

"Soon little one." He cooed placing a gentle palm on her cheek. "Ugh this sucks! I know I wasn't suppose to know about this stuff till I Graduate from High School but I found out anyway and have been training hard with Trev for two years now! Everyday! Why can't we make one more exception. I can do this!" Tessa ranted stamping her foot.

"Young lady you may have an early start but your maturity clearly needs to catch up." Gerard harrumphed shaking his head in disapproval of her slight fit.

"Besides, you know the women in our family are destined to be more leadership than lethal. Teaching this stuff was your Grandpa and brothers idea. I only allowed it to become this intense so you would stop bothering me to shoot the guns, which you will learn when you turn 18." Her Dad Allan added coming into the room with his and her brothers suitcases always pre packed in case of a situation like this or an emergency evacuation due to an impending threat.

"Fine." She conceded looking down at her toes. "Now don't pout. Here I got you something." Gerard sighed reverting back to his affectionate tone. From his bag he pulled a leather case and pushed the tabs to allow the lid to pop open. Inside were five small throwing daggers. Tessa pulled one from its pressed spot and studied it. It was made of steel with silver etchings of running wolves. She placed the blade in her palm and the handle started at her wrist and the tip of the blade didn't extend past her middle finger. "They are not necessarily lethal unless we brush a little wolfs bane on the ends." She spoke stroking the beautiful blade lovingly. "That's my girl!" Gerard replied approvingly.

Tessa stood beside her mother as they watched the Black S.U.V. drive off.

For two weeks Tessa used every free moment practicing with her new weapons. She loved them. The only weapons her family allowed her to touch were blunt staffs which she had quickly mastered. These were her next step to eventually a bow and then a gun. Her father and Uncle Chris always preached about being experienced with an array of weapons including your body. You never knew when a gun might jam, arrows run out, knives become a weapon against you blah, blah, blah. That lesson along with her Dads constant follow the code talk was ingrained into her before her physical training had begun. She admired her father for his code. He never necessarily killed every supernatural creature that crossed his path. He didn't believe in Genocide. He believed an animal should only be put down if it became to consumed with the monster, all humanity lost. She admired that about him.

It had been almost a month since her Dad and brother had gone on their California adventure with the texts and phone calls getting less and less. Tessa's friend Kassy had invited her to a party at one of the football players house this weekend. To take her mind off the absence of her family she made plans to "sleep over" at Kassy's house with her moms permission.

Tessa should've stayed at the party. It would have provided much needed ignorance. Her soul wouldn't have been shattered to pieces. Tessa wouldn't have had to see her family murdered by someone she loved and trusted.

Tessa had left the party early slightly buzzed because Logan one of the football players had gotten a little rough with her. No big deal other than her accidentally snapping his wrist for grabbing her chest. Kassy had been too pissed and drunk to take her home so she decided to walk. She would just sneak through her window at the back of the house which she always kept unlocked for entrance when she would sneak off and go for late night runs.

She rounded the huge yellow rose bush her mom adored to see her mom standing in front of her brother and father. Tessa wanted to run in and wrap her arms around her fathers neck and show her brother how good she was getting at her throwing daggers but something left her rooted in place. Her brain registered two things. Her mother was sobbing uncontrollably and Gerard stood across from her training his pistol at Tessa's whole world.

"We can help them! They may have been bitten but that doesn't mean they wont be able to control it. You can't do this!" Rebecca sobbed standing protectively in front of the love of her life and her little boy.

"You know this isn't our way. They are already dead! Polluted by the poison already changing their very being as we debate this." Gerard shouted back spittle flying.

Tessa felt her heart skip a few beats. Her brother and dad had been bitten by an Alpha. They would become the very thing the Argents hunted. She took a calming breathe. Surely it couldn't be that bad. They were trained and knew everything about werewolves. How hard could it be for her father and brother to learn to control their wolf halves. Herself and mother could build a special cage and keep them from harming others during the full moon. Tessa felt her panic slowly receding. They could make this work.

Tessa decided to just come out of hiding and explain the simplicity of the solution to her Grandpa. Tessa had barely lifted her foot when her nightmare unfolded right before her eyes. She watched her mother pull her gun from its holster located on her right hip and take aim. She wasn't quick enough. Three shots rang out as Gerard put her mother, father, and brother down.

Tessa collapsed where she stood. Her legs no longer able to hold her 125 pounds. She scooted herself under the thorny branches of her mothers rose bush not caring the sharp points were cutting her skin. She didn't know how long she stayed curled under the fragrant blooms. Minutes, hour. The flashing blue and red lights lit her property up like the fourth of July and she still couldn't move. She vaguely remembers the Officer who gently pulled her out and scooped her up into his arms carrying her.

She lay in the hospital bed twiddling her thumbs as she told her self rehearsed story for the fourth time. Knowing it would be the same as the first three times. " I was with my friend Kassy at a party. There was drinking and I had a few too many and this boy Logan got grabby so I left. I was trying to sneak back in my house so I wouldn't get in trouble for drinking. I passed by the window and that's when I saw…" Tessa stopped choking back a sob. "Its okay, I'm pretty sure I've got everything I need. Your Grandpa will be here in the morning to take you back with him once you've been cleared by the doctors." Officer Gustin informed her tucking away his note bad.

Tessa rolled over and feigned exhaustion as she concentrated on keeping her heart rate only slightly raised. The machine was letting everyone know her heart rate had increased but only by a little. They probably assumed it was due to the stress of the evening. She made a plan to run for it. Gerard hadn't seen her, didn't know she witnessed his crime. Tessa would bide her time, make herself ready. She thought about calling her Uncle Chris but couldn't do it. Who would believe her? She still couldn't believe it herself and she had seen every horrific moment. Tessa let the last of her tears go as she realized she was truly alone.

Present

Tessa shook her head trying to dislodge the memory and failing of course. She sighed and continued brushing her midnight brown hair as she planned. The text had come from one of the very few Hunters she would occasionally contact for information on the Supernatural on goings. She had told herself over the years that when the time was right she would know, she would receive a sign of some sort.

That day had finally come. Dear Grandpa was attending his daughters funeral in Beacon Hills California. Tessa smirked at the irony. That was where her family's fate had been sealed. His daughters had been taken and Tessa was sad to admit she deserved it. Aunt Kate was a murderer just like her father and had paid the price. Uncle Chris and his family were living there too. Hell maybe the whole Argent family was meant to come to an end. That was fine with Tessa as long as Gerard went down with her.