Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

And before you get started, I have one thing to add. There is a flashback in this chapter. I've never really done one of those before, and I didn't want to separate it the same way that I separate all the other breaks within the chapter. So, the beginning has a note that says (Flashback), and then beneath it, there is (End Flashback); and it's all underlined. I know, pretty straight forward. But I wanted to give you guys a heads up anyway.

Sorry for the interruption. Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Episode 3x3

Nixie was sitting between two trunks that connected at the base of the same tree. It was a place from which she knew, if she needed to, she could scramble up into the tree and be out of reach quickly. That was to be her last option though. In spite of what Peter and Derek seemed to think, she was of the hopes that Boyd would have some semblance of a grip on his humanity. That he'd be able to at least try and stop himself from killing her.

She was sitting there, listening, waiting, and hoping that she had put herself in the right position for these two werewolves to start running.

And she had… which is why she suddenly heard the young child in the distance screaming, "Run! Run!"

Eyes opening, Nixie dropped down from her seat a couple of feet off the ground, and began racing in the direction of that sound. Now that Boyd had apparently found his next target, he wasn't trying to quietly prowl through the night. She could hear him snarling and howling as well.

The fireflies that she ran into on her way stalled her for a moment. Seeing them was a confusing sight indeed. But she had more important things to worry about right now.

She did have the foresight to snatch up the jar full of fireflies that the kid had managed to collect first though, and then she took off again towards the sound.

Scott intercepted her when she was just short of the shed that the kids were hiding in. Snatching her up and spinning her to a stop, he says, "You can't go out there! He'll kill you!" "He'll kill them if we don't stop him!" Scott nods and says, "I know. Just… I need to think. It…"

He spots the jar of fireflies she's holding, and then asks, "Why do you have that?" Nixie shrugs and says, "I figured I could chuck it at his head. Maybe give him a new target to go after." "Nixie…" "What? It's better me than the kids."

Scott sighs, and then says, "Maybe we don't have to hit him. Just distract him. Give me that." He takes the jar from her, and then says, "Stay here. When I get back, I'm gonna hand you the boy, and we're going to run away from here as fast as possible." "Why don't I stay and keep an eye on Boyd?"

At Scott's look, which screams that she's the human and that should be reason enough, Nixie rolls her eyes and says, "Fine. Just hurry up."

It's a scary sight, to say the least. Watching Boyd rip the shed off the ground as though it were nothing, and then toss it aside like it was nothing more than a paperweight… it was illuminating, to say the least. Finding a way to catch Boyd and this other werewolf was going to prove an incredible challenge indeed.

Fortunately, Nixie thrived on challenges. Bring it.

When Scott returned at a full sprint, carrying both children, he handed the boy to Nixie and said, "Let's go!" She takes off after him, not quite as fast… but keeping a good pace behind him nonetheless.

She shouldn't be able to keep up at all. Just another thing that comes to mind… but she decides will have to be looked into later. Besides, being able to keep up with werewolves, at this point, was definitely a good thing.

When Scott stops, listening to make sure they're far enough away, Nixie puts the boy down next to his sister. Huffing out a breath, she turns to Scott and says, "Okay. Next time, you can carry both of them. I'll just follow. I don't think I can do that again."

Scott grins, and then glances down when he hears her phone vibrating in her pocket. Pulling it out, Nixie holds it to her ear and asks, "Yeah Derek?" "Where are you? You said you were about to have them ten minutes ago." "Yeah, about that. I lost them."

A pause, and then Derek asks, "You lost them?" Nixie crosses her free arm over her chest and says, "Hey, don't take that tone with me. Suffice it to say, keeping him in sights at the time would've been a very bad idea. I'm with Scott too by the way. We had to lose him for the time being."

Derek sighs and says, "That wasn't the plan. You were to stay put. He would've…" "Derek, I know. For some reason, you think he would've come to me. But that backfired miserably, alright." Sighing, Nixie then says, "Here, just talk to Scott for a minute. Keep in mind that he and I are in agreement about how we need to handle this."

She hands her phone over to Scott, and then turns back to the kids. Bending down in front of them, she says, "Hey guys." The boy, who had been fidgeting ever since he'd been put down, reaches out for her arm and holds it in a death grip. He was still scared. The girl was too, but she had contented herself with keeping a firm grip on her little brother.

Nixie smiles gently at them and asks, "What are your names?" The boy takes a breath and says, "I'm Josh. This is my sister Lucy. We… we just wanted to catch some lightning bugs." Nixie nods and says, "I know. But keep this in mind from now on. You should never, not ever, go out into the woods without a grownup with you. Especially at night. And you definitely should never be this far from home."

They both nod at her, and then as Scott moves to stand next to them, Lucy quickly rushes over and grips his arm tight, keeping herself close to him. Scott looks down at her, and then says into the phone, "Just gotta drop something off first."

Hanging up and handing the phone back to Nixie, he says, "We're meeting him at the trail to the preserves. But we need to get them home first. You game?" Nixie looks to the boy holding onto her arm. She was already tired from having carried him the first time. He was the smaller of the two, but he was not exactly a tiny little kid.

But, he had apparently taken to associating her with safety, so she nods and picks him back up before saying to Scott, "Let's go. Though, if we can travel at a slightly slower pace, I would appreciate it. Sprinting on my own is fine. Sprinting with precious cargo… not the wisest idea."

Scott grins at her, and then picks up the girl and says, "Let's get you guys home."

Scott is sprinting right alongside Derek afterwards, keeping pace with him in the woods, trying to track them using their enhanced senses. So far, it wasn't really working.

That's when his phone goes off, and after listening to Nixie for a moment, he says to Derek, "Hard left."

They both shift direction and sprint that way, Scott taking the lead. Leaping over and through a tree on their way, Scott flips and tumbles like an agile gymnast onto the ground, Derek right on his heels.

And he can't help but grin when Nixie says, "If I were a judge, I'd give you both a nine out of ten. The missing point is for the sheer fact that you two shouldn't be showing off right now." Derek gives her a look, but then asks, "What'd you find?" "Footprints."

She points them out, and Scott asks, "Is it them?" Nixie gives him a look and says, "Would I have called you if it wasn't?" Derek pats her shoulder, and then says, "Looks like we weren't the only ones who decided to stick together." Scott sighs and asks, "Is that gonna make it easier or harder to catch them?" "I don't know."

Scott sighs again, and then looks to Nixie when she asks, "You didn't ask him yet?" Derek looks between the two of them, and then asks, "What?" Scott explains about the two kids that Boyd tried to rip apart earlier, and then asks, "Are they gonna do that to everyone they find?"

"Everyone and anyone." Nixie watches as Derek takes off again, more dismal than before. Sighing herself, she says, "Alright fearless leader. Pick me up." Scott chuckles at her, and then bends down in front of her so she can hop on his back. Hefting her up, he asks, "You good?" "Yeah. You sure I'm not too heavy for this? I can run around on my own you know." "You're not too heavy. I'm a werewolf. You're like a feather to me. And we need to keep you in sight if we can. Letting you out on your own in the first place was a stretch before. Now that I know Boyd and Cora will try to rip apart anyone they find…"

He takes off after Derek while saying, "Just don't get any bright ideas about letting go anytime soon. I'll drag you along behind me if I have too." "Is that any way to repay your tutor over the summer?" "By keeping you alive? Hell yes." "Ah. Well played, my dear Scott. Well played."

When she gets a text on her phone, she taps Scott on the chest and says, "Not letting go. My phone." "Alright."

The text from Alison says, "Keep my in the loop. I'll help in any way I can." Nixie sighs inwardly and sends back, "Will do. Be careful."

(Flashback)

When Nixie had first arrived at the bank, everything had been winding down. Boyd and Cora had already been set free from the vault, thanks to Alison breaking the seal of mountain ash that had been trapping everyone inside. Derek and Scott had looked worse for wear… but they were alive, and Nixie had been willing to take it at that point.

Which is when Derek made it impossible to keep what Alison's mom had been doing the night she'd been bitten a secret any longer. As he'd gone to search the closet that Alison had been hiding in before, Scott revealed to Alison why Derek had no other option that night but to bite Victoria.

All Alison wanted to know after that, was why Scott hadn't told her. And, for that matter, why Nixie hadn't told her. Nixie, on that point, had simply differed to Scott. It had been Scott's decision to make, in Nixie's mind, and she'd let him explain it to Alison himself.

Besides… Derek was now coming back, with Erica dead in his arms. His own face showed more anguish than Nixie had ever seen on the man before.

She's not sure what she looked like at the time… but since Alison had seen it necessary to hold her in a hug that seemed to be trying to support her, Nixie would guess that she'd paled and looked about to collapse at any given moment. And as they'd been leaving, Alison had even offered to drive her home… apparently worried that she wasn't alright to drive her bike anymore.

That had snapped Nixie back into awareness, and she'd declared that she couldn't go home until Boyd and Cora had been found and prevented from killing anyone innocent.

(End Flashback)

And so far, they'd succeeded. She just hopes that they can find them and somehow contain them before they actually make it back into the city. Because if they make it there…

Well, heaven help anyone that wasn't smart enough to get out of their way.

Speaking of which, Nixie lifts her head from Scott's shoulder long enough to see the newest werewolf they'd just learned about. Cora, Derek's younger sister.

She was currently wolfed out, stalking towards a lone female who had been camping out in the woods. Seriously… why did people have to try and be in the woods so very far from civilization? She could scream until she was blue in the face… no one would hear her.

Scott stops while Isaac, who had already entered the clearing, keeps Cora occupied and away from the newest potential victim. Tapping Nixie's right leg, he lets her down off of him, and then says, "Stay here." "Oh, like hell I will." "Nixie…" "I know how to fight. Even better than I did before. Just go and intimidate the crap out of her. I'm right behind you."

And they do, Scott giving Cora an impressive drop kick to the stomach that sends her flying backwards. And then Derek rounds to the other side, all three werewolves corralling her in the other direction, away from the camper.

A completely wolfed out werewolf, Cora very much is at this time. But stupid… definitely not. Knowing she's outnumbered and outmatched, she takes off into the woods, Derek and Isaac right behind her. Scott pauses though, turning to the woman who had been about to become Cora's victim of the night.

The woman backs away from him instantly, but as Nixie comes up to his side, she says to the woman, "It's alright. We're friendly." The woman squints at her, apparently either confused, or not appreciating the sarcasm. Scott glances back at Nixie for a moment, and then asks the woman, "Are you alright?"

She doesn't really know how to respond, but Scott eventually makes her understand that she needs to clear out of the woods as fast as she can. Then he scoops Nixie up in his arms, carrying her in front of him this time, and sprints after Derek and Isaac into the woods. Huffing against his chest, Nixie asks, "When are you going to let me be helpful tonight?" "When you get a chance. Trust me, I'm not benching you." "Then why in the world are you no longer letting me outside of a ten-foot radius from you?"

Scott looks down at her, and then says, "Because I know what they're capable of right now. When Derek and I were in the vault, when we were trapped in there… I thought we were goners. They're… they're stronger than anything I've seen before Nix. It's like, not being able to feed off of the moon for so long, has made them more attune to it… like they can soak in its rays more and get more power or something. It's… they almost killed us."

Squeezing her tighter, he says, "And I'm not comfortable with the idea that they would just as easily try to kill you as they did me and Derek. We're more durable than you are." "I'm durable! I'm as durable as they come!"

Scott grins down at her, and then chuckles when she adds, "But I see your point. Which is basically that you love me too much to let me wander off on my own tonight. And how can I fault you for that? So… carry on, my dear alpha. I'll just be sitting here… waiting to be useful."

And that, of course, is when she gets a call from Lydia. And what is Lydia calling about? A dead body. That she found. By herself. Looking torn up and all kinds of bloody. To which Nixie's only response is, "Well, shit."

When they meet up with Derek and Isaac again, having lost Cora a while ago, Scott sits Nixie down and asks, "Is Stiles there?" "Yeah. Here, talk to him."

As Nixie could not possibly hope to reach Lydia as quickly as she would've liked, she'd told Lydia to immediately call Stiles and have him come and get her. Then Nixie had waited exactly one minute, and then called Lydia back and kept her on the line until Stiles got there.

When Stiles did get there, Lydia was considerably calmer than she had been when she'd called him on the phone earlier. But upon seeing that she was talking to Nixie on the phone, Stiles wasn't all that surprised. As he'd been about to call his dad though, Lydia paused in her conversation with Nixie to say, "I already called the police."

In almost perfect unison, Nixie from over the phone and Stiles in front of her both asked, "You called the police before you called me?" To both of them, whether they knew it or not, Lydia answered with her own question, "I'm supposed to call you first when I find a dead body?" And again, in perfect unison, both Stiles and Nixie exclaim, "YES!" Stiles then moved over to look at the body, knowing they were probably short on time if the cops were already on their way. Then he borrowed Lydia's phone so he could talk to Nixie.

And upon hearing what Stiles had to say, Scott asks worriedly, "Are you sure?" "Yep. Throat ripped out, blood everywhere. It's like the freaking 'Shining' over here." Nixie shudders as she hears Stiles over the speaker in her phone and says, "Terrible movie. I mean… great movie, I guess. Definitely scary."

When Isaac and Derek both look at her in confusion, she shrugs and says, "I don't do horror movies. No. Not ever. In a million years. To save my own life. Nope." Derek raises an eyebrow and says, "And yet you will spend the entire night out with us, werewolves, who are trying to track down two other werewolves, in the woods, with the very real possibility of being mauled to death if we do find them."

Both Isaac and Derek chuckle when Nixie says plainly, "Yep. Just another normal night in Beacon Hills. Nothing terrifying about this. Nothing at all. Please note the heavy sarcasm in my voice."

As Scott keeps asking Stiles questions, Derek says, "It doesn't make any sense though. The public pool is on the complete other side of the woods. And I know we've lost them a few times… but we haven't tracked them anywhere near there."

Scott, hanging up with Stiles and tossing Nixie her phone back, says, "Derek, they killed someone." "But how are they moving so fast?" "Derek." "No, Scott, they can't be that fast on foot!" "They killed someone! Some totally innocent kid is dead. And it's our fault."

After a moment of silence, Derek says, "It's my fault."

Then he looks over at Nixie when she puts her hands on her hips and says, "Hey, don't think you can stand over there and skulk your way into taking all the blame here. I'm sure somewhere in this whole mess there's a sliver that somehow ends up being my fault. So there. Get over yourself. Let's work the problem and end this before anything else bad happens."

Looking to Scott, Nixie says, "We need help." Derek gestures beside him and says, "We have Isaac now." Scott shakes his head and says, "She means real help." Isaac jerks his head up for a moment, briefly offended by that statement. But Nixie quickly assures him, "He means more professional help, that's all Isaac. You're a great help. It just so happens that you, like me and Scott here, are still very new at this. We need help that has more experience."

Scott nods and says, "They're too fast for us. All of us. They're too strong. Too rabid." Derek shakes his head and says with semi-confidence, "We'll catch them." But then Isaac, understanding that Nixie is trying to solve this in a way that gets no one else killed, asks, "But what happens if we do? Are we just gonna hold them down until the sun comes up?"

Then, to Nixie's horror, Derek says, "Maybe it would be easier… just to kill them."

The slap to the back of his head was not what he'd been expecting. Then again… it had been a while since he'd worked so closely with Nixie. He'd forgotten how swift she could be with those things. Looking at her with wide eyes, he asks, "What was that…" "We are not going to kill Boyd and your little sister Cora! Geez! Do you have any common sense? Any at all?"

He gives her a look, but then turns to Scott when he says in Nixie's defense, "Killing them isn't the right thing to do." Then Isaac asks, "What if it's the only thing to do?" Isaac then cringes back a step when Nixie's gaze snaps over to him. She doesn't move to slap him though. She just says firmly, with hardened blue eyes, "Killing people is never the only option. It's just always the easiest. And very few things in life that are ever worth doing or having, are acquired by doing things the easy way. Do not ever forget that."

He nods to her, and then asks, "Then what do we do? What's the hard way?" Nixie smiles slightly at him, and then says, "It's not so much a hard way… just a slightly more difficult way. It will take a bit of finesse at first. Since the person we want to help us… isn't exactly in the mindset of helping us do this right now."

Derek gives her a look and asks, "Who?" And then they look to Scott when he says, "Someone who knows how to hunt werewolves."

The other two aren't sure who he's talking about at first, but Nixie is already on board. She and Scott had already talked about it earlier. And now, more than ever, they both agreed it was definitely time to bring him in.

It was time to ask for the help of Chris Argent.

When Chris turned Scott down… Nixie understood. She really did. She's already known that he wanted out of this world for Alison's sake. Watching his own father brainwash her last year, turning her into an almost ruthless killer… Nixie had already know that was part of why Chris wanted out.

But when she heard what Chris had to say? How this world, the supernatural world, had decimated his entire family, twisted all of them in some way, shape, or form… she understood it even more. Chris had lost much, and most of it due to the way the supernatural had affected the rest of his family. So… it made some sense for him to not want to step back into it.

But Nixie still stands by her and Scott's belief. The belief that if you know something… if you have the ability to try and prevent bad things from happening to good people… then you should. More than that… you had to. It was an obligation, a duty to be fulfilled.

And she knew that deep down inside, Chris still felt that way too. He just needed something to kick-start that belief back to the top in his mind.

Which is why, as Scott was preparing to head back to where Derek and Isaac were waiting, to try and think up something else, Nixie hung back and said, "Actually… maybe Chris wouldn't mind…"

She spoke to Scott, and though he was giving her a confused look, Chris couldn't see that. So Nixie kept speaking as though Scott obviously already knew what she was talking about. To Chris, she said, "I'm supposed to meet up with Stiles… try and see if the two of us can wrap our minds around this at a different angle. Could you… Scott should really be out there, so do you think…"

Chris gave her a gentle smile and said, "Hop in. Where are we going?" "We're meeting up in the public pool parking lot. It's not far, I'll tell you when to turn."

She nods for Scott to go ahead to the others, while she hops in the passenger seat with Chris.

And when they pull into the parking lot, cop cars and ambulances already filling the area and lighting up the scene, Nixie watches as Chris takes in everything with his keen eyes. She's about to hop out, to head off and at least talk to Stiles before going back to the woods.

That's when Chris grips her arm to keep her in the vehicle. Eyes still looking over the scene, he asks, "They did this. Boyd and…" Nixie nods and says, "Cora." Chris glances at the scene one last time, and then turns back to look at her and asks, "Where's the last place you saw them?"

He feels her entire body relax beneath the grip he had on her arm, and as she guides him to where they need to go, he smiles a little and says, "You were never going to meet Stiles, were you?"

Nixie shrugs and says, "I would've eventually. But no… I hadn't planned on it quite yet. Although I do definitely need to see Lydia tonight." "Why her in particular?" "She was the first one to find the body. And she was alone. Not good."

Back in the woods, Chris asks, "You've been tracking them by print?" Scott answers, "Trying to." "Well, then you've been wasting your time. There's only one creature on earth who can visually track footprints, and that's man. And if you're not trained like me, you have no idea that this print is Boyd's, and these…"

Isaac cuts him off and injects, "Are Cora's." Nixie grins a little when Chris says, "Nope. They're yours. You trampled Cora's as soon as you walked over here. In fact… the only prints I don't see yet are my own and…"

He looks over at Nixie, who shrugs and says, "I've been trying to keep to the harder packed sections of earth. Alison showed me that once." Chris nods in approval, and then says, "In any spare time you have, come to our house. I'll teach you more than how to avoid messing with the tracks. I'll teach you how to follow them." "Awesome!"

Back to the others, Chris says, "I know the three of you are focusing half of your energy on resisting your own urges under the full moon, but that puts you at a severe disadvantage to Boyd and Cora, who have fully given in. They've put the pedal to the floor, while you three are barely hitting the speed limit."

It's not lost on Chris that he had Nixie's attention more so now than he did before. Not that she hadn't been paying attention already. It was just that… what he'd just said had gotten to her. And he knew it was because she probably hadn't already thought of that.

Nixie was aware, maybe more than anyone, how hard it was for a werewolf, particularly new ones, to control themselves on full moons. She'd seen it firsthand when Scott went through it, had been there with him through all of that. But in the latter half of the year, Scott had grown increasingly and impressively more in control of his nature, and Isaac had found his anchor, and Derek had always been in control as far as Nixie had seen.

Bottom line… Nixie had almost forgotten how much effort it took on their parts… to keep themselves human while the wolf inside of them was desperately seeking control of that human half. Needless to say, she's none too happy that she hadn't already been aware of that… she makes a mental note to never forget it again.

Or to appreciate just how mentally and physically strong these three had to be, in order to keep themselves human with her tonight.

Derek, having accepted that they definitely needed Chris' help, simply asks, "So what do we do?" "Focus on your sense of smell. Actual wolves are known to track their prey by up to a hundred miles a day by scent. A trained hunter can use scent to track them. If the wind is with them, wolves can track a scent by a distance of two miles, which means we can draw them to us… or into a trap."

He tosses some netting in Scott's direction, and then says, "The full moon does give us one advantage. They'll have a higher heat signature, which makes them easier to spot with infrared." As he tosses Derek and Isaac pairs of googles with infrared scopes attached, Derek says, "Thanks, but I've got my own."

He shines his red eyes, and then tosses his pair to Nixie. Chris nods to her, and then says to the others, "Just remember that we're not hunting wild animals. Underneath those impulses are two intelligent human beings. Don't think they can't rely on that human side. It's suppressed, but it's there, reminding them how to mask their scent, how to cover their tracks, how to survive."

As they head back into the woods, heading for the edge of the cliff face that overlooks Beacon Hills, Chris gently grips Nixie's elbow and says, "You stick with me tonight." "Why does everyone seem to think I need to stick with somebody?" Chris glances at Scott and grins, and then looks down at Nixie and says, "For my sanity, please. Besides, I'm gonna need your help coordinating."

She gives him a look for a moment, but then finally said, "Fine. So long as being with you doesn't make me useless. But so help me, if you just put me in the truck and make me ride around with you all night, I'm gonna be pissed." "Noted. And I wouldn't dare try to do such a thing." "Good."

Standing there, overlooking the city, Chris asks, "When's the last time you saw your sister?" Derek glances over at him, and then says, "Nine years. Thought she died in the fire." "Do you feel like you have a lock on her scent?"

He shakes his head no, and then Chris turns to Scott and asks, "How confident are you in your skills?" "Honestly? Most of the time… I'm trying not to think about all the things I can smell." Chris nods, and then Nixie jumps a little in surprise when he asks, "And you?" "What about me?" "How confident are you that if we end up meeting them, you can handle yourself?"

On any other day, she would've answered him sarcastically, as was her usual way. But the look in Chris' eyes told her that he was taking inventory… trying to determine just all the assets he had, so he could best determine how to utilize them. She might start out being in the truck with him… but if need be, he would use her and her skills if he felt he could.

So she told him honestly, "If I'm alone and find both of them… I'm probably gonna die. If I'm alone and find one of them… I'll be fine. I can handle myself against one maniac werewolf." Chris nods to that, and then sighs and says, "Alright. The problem is when they breach the woods and hit the residential area."

Isaac asks, "They're not going to kill everything they see, are they?" Derek might've answered yes… but Chris says, "No. But there is an important difference to recognize. Wolves hunt for food. At a certain point, they get full. Boyd and Cora are hunting for the pleasure of the kill, for some primal apex predatory satisfaction that comes from the ripping of…"

He cuts off when Nixie grips his arm and says, "Got it. They're doing it for fun. Not good." Scott nods, but then adds, "We can't kill them."

And though Nixie is in agreement with him, she is also very worried and concerned about Derek's next question, which is, "What if we can't catch them?"

"Maybe we just need to contain them." Nixie looks up at Chris when he says that, and then asks, "How?" "Is there anyone in the school at night?" "Shouldn't be." Derek asks, "You want to trap them inside?" "If there's somewhere with a strong enough door. No windows or access to the outside."

And Nixie smiles when Isaac suggests, "What about the boiler room? It's just one big steel door." Chris nods in approval, and then checks again, "You're sure the school's empty." Scott nods in agreement with Nixie and says, "It has to be. There can't be anyone there this late, right?"

Heading back to the truck, Chris pulls out one of his tools and says, "These are ultrasonic emitters. It's one of the tools hunters use to corral werewolves, pushing them into a direction we want them to run. Gives off a high-pitched frequency that only they can hear."

As he pushes down on the top of the emitter, he'd expected the three boys to cover their ears, the sound his device gave off probably loud enough to their ears to make them feel like they were going to burst. It's what made wolves run away from the noise, making it easy to control where they went.

But what he hadn't expected, what gave all of them pause actually, was when Nixie snapped her hands up to her ears and cringed back. Because she was the human… and she could hear the sound.

Okay… not all of them were shocked. Scott simply moves past the others and turns off the emitter. As he comes up to her, checking that she's alright, they both look to Derek when he asks, "You heard that?" Nixie shrugs at the other three who are looking at her in confusion, and she simply says, "I have always had exceptional hearing. Ask Scott… it's nothing new."

Scott nods in confirmation to that, but then leans towards her ear and whispers, "But… I really don't think you should've heard that." "Yeah, well… problem for another day, alright? Right now, Boyd and Cora. Top priority. Let's go."

Nixie is on the phone with Stiles, telling him to give her an update after he's talked with Melissa, when Chris asks Scott, "Do you see that?" She looks up with them at the bug flying in the air, and nods as Scott simply says, "It's a firefly." Chris nods and says, "No… no I know that… it's just, uh…. It's very unusual. California fireflies aren't bio-luminescent."

At Scott's confused expression, Nixie fills in, "They don't glow, Scott." Coming up beside Chris, she adds, "The kids we found earlier were catching them. One of them had a whole jar full. There's more out there." Scott nods, and then asks, "Does that mean something?"

Before Chris can answer, they hear the howling in the distance, growing closer with every second. It was working. Cora and Boyd were on their way. Sighing in relief, Nixie says, "Conversation to be continued at another time I guess. Right now, let's get this done. Back to the truck Chris?" "Back to the truck." "Alright. Let's go."

But even for all their careful planning… for all their corralling and directing of these two maniac werewolves… they hadn't quite been prepared for what happened next. Because Cora and Boyd didn't go into the doors at all. They didn't fall into the trap.

That human side, suppressed as it was… it knew a trap when it saw one. And upon sensing that they were indeed being lured in, Boyd and Cora didn't go through the school. No… instead they began climbing and jumping over it.

Hopping out of the truck and rushing up to the others, Chris says, "Someone needs to get the rear doors open." Derek sprints back inside to do that, and then Nixie says, "Someone else needs to make sure they actually go in." Chris nods and, holding up his electrified baton, says, "I'll go."

But Isaac shakes his head and says, "No. I'm faster."

As he takes off in that direction, Nixie turns to Chris and asks, "What do we do?" "Derek and Scott are going to lure them to the boiler room. You and I… we make sure they know we're cutting off their other direction of escape. They'll have no choice but to go after Derek and Scott."

Handing her a smaller, but no less powerful baton, he asks, "Think you can use this?"

He doesn't miss the pause in her hand as she reaches for it. It was a small hesitation, but it was there. Not enough to make him worry… just to wonder if she maybe didn't like the baton or the electricity part for some reason.

Nixie knows how to use this. She remembers how it had been used on her last year, several times, until she'd gone unconscious while trapped on the table in the Argent's basement.

It was a strange feeling, to be holding that same type of weapon now in her own hands. Of course, the same could be said about knives and blades in general… but Nixie found her experience with the baton to be the worst she could ever think of. Blades she could handle… but being electrified was something else. She didn't like it… not one bit.

But she took the baton anyway and joined Chris in cutting off access to the other hall when Boyd and Cora came running around the corner. Both werewolves glanced at them and the electrified batons briefly, and then snapped back towards Derek when he said tauntingly, "Come and get us."

They took the bait and took off after him and Scott, until they were both trapped in the boiler room. Nixie takes off after them, waiting outside for both Derek and Scott to return. When they do, she breathes a sigh of relief, and helps Derek bolt the door shut.

And she can't help but laugh when Scott asks, "Did that actually just work?" Because for all his confidence from beforehand… well, when did any of their plans ever actually go through without a hitch? Derek grins down at her, and then turns to Scott and says with equal surprise, "It worked."

When Nixie's phone goes off, she jumps in surprise since it had suddenly gone quiet. Sighing, she says, "When this is all over and their human again, make sure both of them know that they owe me coffee. And ice cream. In fact, they may just need to take me out to dinner one night to make up for all of this." Derek chuckles along with Scott, and then Nixie answers her phone and asks, "Yeah Stiles? What's up?" "Nix…"

The tone of his voice had Nixie straightening her posture instantly, and both Derek and Scott stopped grinning instantly when Nixie asked, "What's wrong?" "It… I… I found Heather. I… she…" Nixie ponders that a moment, and then asks, "Stiles?" "She's dead. Nix… she… she's…" "Where are you?" "I… I'm uh… I'm at the hospital… with Melissa. I… she wanted to show me…" "Stiles, listen to me. You stay there. You do not leave. Don't you dare try to drive yourself anywhere right now. I'm coming to you. Understand?" "I… um…" "Say yes Stiles. Do not leave until I get there. Understand?" "Okay." "Good. I'll be there in ten."

Hanging up, Nixie looks up at Scott and says, "He found Heather." "I heard. Do you think it was them?" As he gestures to Boyd and Cora in the boiler room, Nixie says, "I don't think so. Stiles didn't sound like he was angry or anything like that. He just… sounded heartbroken."

Nixie looks between both of them, and then points to the door and asks, "Are you two good here?" Derek nods and says, "We'll be fine. Let us know what happens." "I will."

Taking off back up the steps, she dashes into the parking lot where Chris is waiting. Smiling slightly, he asks, "Everything good?" "I need to borrow your truck." Frowning, Chris asks, "What happened? Are they…" "Boyd and Cora are in the boiler room and everything on that end is fine. I have a new issue to attend to now. Can I borrow your truck?" "Sure. I'll drive you wherever you…" "I'm driving."

He watches her in surprise for a moment, but she never breaks her stride on her way past him. And if he hadn't started moving when he did, he suspects she would've left him there in the parking lot instead of waiting for him to get in the passenger seat. Glancing at her as she cranks the engine, he asks, "What happened?" "Stiles finally found his childhood friend, Heather. She's dead. And I'm going to the hospital to stop him from having a complete mental breakdown."

As she peals out of the parking lot, Chris asks, "Just out of curiosity, why can't I drive you there?" "Because I told Stiles I'd be there in ten. I intend to keep that promise."

Chris' only response after that is to put on his seatbelt and grip the handlebar above his head for dear life.

When she gets there, Stiles is slightly out of his previously devastated state. Putting pieces of this ever complicated puzzle together helped him do that. And after he was finished talking to the girl, Caitlin, whom Nixie had met earlier that night in the woods, he steps back into the hall with Melissa.

First thing he does is wrap Nixie in his arms. She holds him back as tight as she can, rubbing her hands up and down his back. "We'll figure this out Stiles. I promise." "I think I already have part of it. But where's Scott?" "He'll be here when he can. He's helping keep Boyd and Cora contained for right now." "Alright."

Squeezing a little tighter, Stiles says, "I promise I'll fill you in. But… can we just…" "You don't have to say anything until you're ready Stiles. The world could be ending, and I'd still just stand here and hold you if that's what you wanted." He chuckles slightly at that, and then sighs against her and says, "Thank you. I just… I can't believe…" "I know Stiles. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

Melissa, after a few minutes, finds an empty room for them to sit in. Nixie still doesn't press. She leaves that for Scott to do when he arrives. And in fact, it works out better that way, because Scott went first and informed them that a teacher had ended up in the boiler room with Boyd and Cora, so Derek had to go in by himself to prevent them from killing her.

When Nixie hears that it's Ms. Blake, she makes a face and says, "I don't like that woman. Why was she there so late anyway?"

And Stiles can't help but start laughing. Nixie raises an eyebrow at him, but then grins when he says, "All the things that you could wonder and worry about right now… and you pick wondering about why a teacher was at the school late at night?" "Well, it's highly suspicious behavior for anyone besides Mr. Harris, isn't it!?" "Oh yes. Because compared to the rest of what we've seen, that's the thing that would send my radar through the roof." "You know what, I don't appreciate you sarcasm, mister."

Stiles just kisses her on the side of the head, and then sighs and says, "I need to show you guys something."

He takes them to see Heather, pointing out the three injuries that killed her, and informing them that the other body that Lydia found earlier had the same three. Upon hearing that, Scott asks, "So Boyd and Cora might not have actually killed anyone." Stiles nods, but then sighs and says, "You're gonna wish they had though."

He grins slightly and looks over at Nixie when she says, "And I'm the one thinking strange thoughts?" She smiles back at him, bumping his shoulder, and then asks in all seriousness, "Why would we wish for that?" Sighing, Stiles says, "Well… I'm not exactly sure yet. But, the other girl who was out in the woods… Emily. Eventually they're gonna find her. She's one of them. Emily, Heather, and the guy Lydia found by the pool… all three were virgins. And if I'm right… they're all gonna have the same three injuries. Strangled, throat slashed, and head bashed in. It's called the threefold death."

Nixie runs a hand through her hair and says, "Which means they were chosen. They weren't picked at random. They were chosen." Stiles nods, and then looks to Scott when he asks, "So if these aren't random killings, then what are they?" Nixie sighs and asks, "Serial killings? I mean… something called the threefold death would definitely be a hell of a signature."

Stiles nods to her, but then says, "I think it's worse than that though." Nixie looks over at him and asks, "How does it get worse than serial killings? If they aren't even that, then what do we call them?"

Both she and Scott freeze when Stiles says, "Sacrifices. Human sacrifices."

To which the only response Nixie can think to give is, "Shit."

Lydia is sitting up in bed, reading a book with the light on. She's honestly afraid to turn it off… afraid that if she closes her eyes and tries to go to sleep, she'll just end up going out to find another body.

Until her mom hollers up the stairs that Nixie's here and she's coming up. Sighing in relief, Lydia rises from the bed and meets Nixie at the door. Shutting it behind her, Lydia then asks, "First… how are things with Boyd and Cora? Did you get Alison's message?"

Nixie had. She'd kept it quiet from Scott, because that's how Alison had wanted it. Mostly because of Derek though. Alison knew that Derek wasn't to blame anymore… but she knew that Derek still wouldn't want her help right now. But Alison was determined to help… even more so now than she had been before. Which is how she'd ended up at the school… helping to corral Boyd and Cora in through the back door since they'd jumped over the front.

Nodding to Lydia, she says, "Yeah. It worked out in the end. Still had a hiccup in the plan, but it got worked out. Derek had to go in and save our stupid new English teacher since she was there so late… but he has assured me that he's fine and on the mend, and that Boyd and Cora are going to be fine as well."

Lydia nods, and then waits a moment for Nixie to speak. When she doesn't, Lydia asks, "Are you going to be just like Stiles and not ask me what you want to ask me?" Nixie gives Lydia a look, and then turns to fully face her and asks sincerely, "Are you alright?"

That wasn't the question Lydia had expected… but after she takes a moment to think about it… she supposes she shouldn't have expected any different. Having a dead body to worry about was definitely something that would need to be addressed, and how Lydia had managed to find it, probably an even more concerning matter.

But Nixie's first and foremost concern had always been, and would always be, if her people were okay. The rest of the world could go to hell in a handbasket for all she cared, as long as her people were safe and out of harm's way.

Smiling a little, Lydia says, "I'm… better. Stiles helped me home. Even though I had a police escort. Walked me up to my room and everything." "Well, that's Stiles for you. You sure you're not ready to consider a more real and permanent relationship?" "Nope."

Nixie didn't press, and then sighs and asks, "So… how did you find that body?" "I have no idea. Like I told Stiles… I didn't even know where I was until I got out of the car." Nixie nods to that, and then says, "And just to be clear, you understand now that before you call any form of law enforcement, you're supposed to call me or Stiles… or both of us, first."

Lydia laughs a little, but nods and says, "Got it." "Good. Now, there is some information I need from you." Nixie asks for a few phone passwords and codes, after which Lydia asks, "And why do you need those?" "So I can most definitely make sure I can find you with the GPS locator website. I can even do it on my phone now, since you went and bought me this fancy new one."

Tilting her head a little, Lydia asks, "Okay, but why would you need to locate me by GPS? If I call you I can tell you where I am." "Yeah, but I'm hoping to find you before you call me. And I'm thinking you'll have to be put under stricter surveillance." Lydia finally just laughs and asks, "And what are my parameters now?"

Nixie grins up at her, and then says, "Just keep me updated. Call me frequently. And if I call you, pick up. If you don't, I'm going to assume you are dying, and I'm going to come after you. And so help me, if you don't answer and I find out you were with some boy and that's why you ignored my call, I'm going to castrate him."

Lydia nods dutifully, and then asks, "So… now what?" "Now… well, every crisis of the night has been averted for now. We have a potential whack-job on the loose that's making human sacrifices out of virgins… but there's nothing we can do about that tonight. You said you were fine?" "Yeah." "Good. Then I don't have to let you fix my hair. But I will stay tonight, just to make sure you don't go wandering off again." "Thanks." "Sure thing."

As they're settling in for the night, Lydia asks, "Do you think we'll ever have just a normal year here in Beacon Hills? Like… ever again?"

Silence greets her for a moment, and then Nixie says honestly, "I don't think so. But that's the price we pay for pulling back the curtain so we can see everything this world is truly made of. Normal… it doesn't exist for us. Not anymore."

They stay quiet for a while longer, and then Lydia asks, "Do you miss it? Normal, I mean?"

And she smiles when Nixie simply answers, "You can't miss what you never had. I was never normal to begin with." "Yes, I'm well aware."

And then Nixie smiles in response when Lydia adds, "Thank God for that."

And that's Chapter 3! Woohoo! What do you think so far? Chapter 4 will, hopefully, follow and be posted some time tomorrow. :)