Hello dear reader,

even though I'm on here for quite a while already... a very long while actually... I'm new to publishing anything. So please bear with me as I'm still figuring stuff out. Unfortunately english is my second language so there might be mistakes but I'm trying my best to catch all of them.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy my story.

Prompt: Lydia and Stiles watch Beacon Hills burn. Take it anyway you wish

Everything burns

Beacon Hills burned. It burned in bright orange and red, in sharp jets of flames where gas was still streaming out of pipes and almost cozy flickers where the fire was licking over wood. Here and there traces of fox fire lingered, all jagged and white-bluish in colour, easily distinguished from the natural fire. Dark clouds slowly gathered up in the sky blocking out the sun. The fire lit them up making them glow in dark shades of red. It was a sight to behold and they had done that.

Lydia whipped over her face to catch the tears that leaked from her eyes as she watched the city burn. It was a pointless gesture as the hot wind that blew up from the burning city dried them almost as soon as they left her eyes. From her vantage point that overlooked the whole city she could still hear the dull roar of the burning gas pipes and houses, the sound of collapsing structure and her mind wanted to imagine the screams of thousands of people who slowly burned to death. But that wasn't the case. The city was empty. Evacuated. The people had smelled the gas days before and it was easy for the police department to get all 30.000 residents out of town before this faithful day. They claimed natural gas leaks because of fracking, Kira was insisting on this, as reason why it had to be evacuated. Even though it was Lydias careful planning and calculating and Stiles channeling the lingering traces of his Nogitsune possession, that were the true reasons of this disaster.

It had scared her a bit how easily he slipped back into this mindset, like the Nogitsune was still in him even though the fly was thousands of miles away, sealed up in a jar made of Nemeton wood.

He had sneaked around in the dead of the night, manipulating gas lines and digging holes were necessary together with Scott while Lydia calculated how many leaks were needed to make the whole city go up in flames.

It was them destroying their own homes.

"It had to be done."

She startled a bit as she heard the voice even though she had known all along that Stiles was standing next to her. The wind had picked up speed as more and more of the city went up in flames, creating a deafening roar nevertheless she had heard him clearly. They were alone up on the cliff behind Beacon Hills High School keeping watch over the city.

Stiles was watching the city too. Though, his gaze was emotionless as was his voice and that was what startled her more than the sudden break of almost silence. There was a light dancing in his eyes that spoke of glee. The Nogitsune would have loved that too.

Of course she knew that it had to be done. That they had to sacrifice the city to keep the world save. To keep people from dying.

They still didn't know what exactly it was that had been threatening them. There were no records in any bestiary they had besides the occasional mention of a creature, like a shadow with no distinctive form that couldn't be fought with claws or knifes or weapons. Fire was its only weakness.

"I know" she said with a sob and Stiles turned to look at her all traces of glee and Nogitsune gone as he saw her face.

It had started like it always started; a few deaths here and there. The pack investigating what was going on. The Things had almost killed Kira and Liam before Stiles could scare them away with one of Lydias Molotov cocktails. She had improved both the receipt and packing so it was easier to always have a few in the back of the jeep.

Then the deaths got more, gruesome corpse-sucked-dry-of-any-body-fluid-deaths, the pack found a nest of those creatures and then another and another. They were multiplying faster than rabbits and they didn't even have a name yet. Till it were too many to fight off with Molotov cocktails.

Stiles stepped closer to her, almost shyly like he was ever since he broke up with Malia a couple of weeks before this whole mess. Lydias tears finally made their way down her cheeks as they came faster than the wind could dry them and then Stiles closed his arms around her, wrapping her up in a tight hug and holding her close to his chest.

The things only came out after dark and hid in dark spaces during the day. At first they only were found in abandoned buildings but as they got more and more they also started occupying inhabited houses, getting comfortable in cellars and attics. When Kira found one in the store room of her family's house enough was enough. They ended up in so many dead ends till they could only see one solution. Burning down the city.

Stiles and Lydia easily came up with a plan, persuading their parents that it was a good plan was the hard part. But in the end everyone agreed that it would be the best course of action.

"Everything is going to be ok" Stiles said. His words were mumbled as he rested his chin on top of her head. Lydia only grabbed his t-shirt tighter as she cried into his chest.

The sun was slowly setting in the west enhancing the red glow of the flames even more. The smell of burning wood and plastic wafted up to them almost taking her breath away together with the sobbing. It took her a while to calm down again and when she pulled away from him slowly his arms slipped easily away from her back where he had been rubbing circles the whole time. His left hand came to rest above her hip and with his right he brushed away some of the tears on her face. Her eyes locked with his as she held still for him.

"Are you ok?" she asked quietly. Her voice was rough from the crying but the concern was still heard clearly.

"Yes, why wouldn't I?" he answered. "We won and everyone is safe."

"That's not what I meant" she said with a sigh.

"You mean if I'm still me?" he asked.

Lydia nodded slowly as she studied his face. She couldn't find a trace of the evil spirit but still she had the feeling that it was still there.

"I saw what you did earlier" she finally said. She could feel Stiles tense as his hand slipped away from her face. "It wasn't all Kiras foxfire that ignited the gas."

Of course she had seen it. How could she not when she had screamed for him as he jumped out of his jeep as the gas wouldn't ignite. When she saw him running towards one of the leaks and hitting his hands, sparkling with foxfire, flat on the ground. When bolt-of-lightning-like foxfire crawled from his hands along the ground towards the open pipeline and ignited the gas in a ball of fire. When he was thrown back, only to scramble to his feet and run to the car seconds later. When he jumped behind the wheel and speed away. When he didn't even have a singed hair and smelled of ozone instead of burned flesh.

"No, it wasn't" he said with a rueful smile. "It seems like he left a bit more than a box full of riddles and a feeling of guilt that will last a lifetime."

Suddenly she felt tired and even though a tiny voice in her head told her to be wary of him. That maybe this boy in front of her wasn't her Stiles, the Stiles she knew, but just an evil Trickster who pretended to be human. Nevertheless she stepped closer to him again and leaned her head against his chest once more. She felt save as he wrapped his arms around her again. She could hear his heartbeat and his steady breathing far louder than the burning fire and it calmed her.

"You are still you, right?" she asked again after a moment of silence.

"Yes, I'm still me. Good ol' Stiles" Despite everything she had to laugh a bit at his tone of voice and she lightly hit his chest for it. She could her him chuckle as he rested his cheek on her head.

"It's going to be alright. We survived and we'll handle it like we handled all the other weird and creepy supernatural stuff" Stiles said and pulled her even closer. "And you know what, as long as I know that you're ok I'm ok too."

"So, you're still in love with me?" She winced a bit at how hopeful she sounded as she asked this.

"I never stopped being in love with you"

Lydia was surprised by the sudden attack of butterflies in her stomach and the rush of heat that went into her cheeks as she heard those words. She was also surprised how much those words meant to her. More than ever before.

The city she had called her home all her life turned to ashes behind them but she didn't care. Once the fire went out all those Things would be dead and no threat anymore. Her family was safe, as were her friends and the families of her friends and all the other people of Beacon Hills. And Stiles still loved her.

Maybe they could build Beacon Hills up again one day and everyone could return. And maybe she could build a future with him there or wherever life would lead them. She didn't really care as long as she was with him.

~Fin~