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 maker her do or say."


Chapter 7: Episode 6x17

In the hospital, after hearing from the waiting room that his mother was going to be fine, Scott hurried down the halls until he found the room his dad was supposed to be in.

Empty.

His eyes briefly turned a deep shade of red before he snapped them closed and took several deep breaths. Then they almost turned red again when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Whipping around, he relaxed when he saw that it was only Noah standing behind him.

Gesturing to the empty room, Scott demands, "Where's my dad?" "Transferred to San Francisco Memorial. He's gonna be fine." Scott lets his mind take a moment to wrap around that, and then nods, "Okay. And what about Mason?" Noah nods, "Already out of surgery?" "Lydia?" "She's alright too. Bullet missed everything that matters, thank God. We got lucky."

Scott lifts his eyes to the sheriff's at that, and then he shakes his head. "No, Noah. We didn't get 'lucky'. We had Nixie. We would be dead, if she hadn't protected us for those first five seconds. And now…" He grits his teeth, unable to continue. And though he looks at Noah in desperation, the sheriff can only shake his head sadly. Scott didn't really expect him to have heard from Deaton though. If Deaton was going to call anyone with news of Nixie's improvement or decline, he would've called Scott first.

Well, maybe Jordan first. But Scott would be second.

Everyone else, even Lydia, was in the hospital. Lydia's own supernatural talents weren't visible enough to keep her from being here and treated properly. The other three were human. And they were all going to be fine. But Nixie…

They couldn't bring her to a hospital. They couldn't even bring a real doctor to her. So she was at the clinic, where Deaton and Grams were working to try and figure out what was going on. Because Nixie wasn't dead yet. But she certainly wasn't waking up. And if she continued to bleed, she would eventually die from blood loss.

Which at this point, seemed utterly and completely stupid. To die of blood loss, when she was already struggling to survive the bullet she'd taken to her temple.

Scott shakes his head to clear some things away, and then says to Noah, "They almost died. Nixie might still be dying." Noah shakes his head now, "No. Everyone here is going to live, Scott. And Nixie… she's tougher than we give her credit for. She was tougher when she was still considered human, and she's a hell of a lot tougher now. She's gonna make it."

And then, more to himself than to Scott, he adds, "She has to."

And now he shakes himself to come back to the present. Pointing to the doorways, Noah explains, "We're going to have two deputies posted here around the clock. Only the deputies that Nixie has told me herself that I can trust, one-hundred percent. Nobody sets foot on this floor without my authorization."

When Scott doesn't look satisfied and begins walking away, Noah follows, "Scott. I've got a pretty good idea how you're feeling right now. But the entire sheriff's department…" He pauses, and then edits, "The entire part of the sheriff's department that Nixie trusts is gonna be on this."

And Scott actually is surprised at the anger he can hear in Noah's voice when the man adds, "I am gonna find out who did this."

But even if Gerard and Monroe didn't do it directly, Scott stares Noah down and states, "We both already know who did this."

And as he walks away, leaving Noah behind, Scott mutters to himself, "And if Nixie doesn't wake up and do it herself, I'm going to kill both of them for her."


Liv has tears streaming down her face as she sits in a nearby chair. Deaton and Grams were moving about the room in a more frantic way than anyone had ever seen them move before.

Nixie's lifeless looking body was laid out on one of the operation tables in the middle of the room. Apart from the slight and rapid rise and fall of her chest… and apart from the fact that her eyes were still rolled back in her head… she looked like she could be dead.

Of course… there were other factors that clearly implied she was still very much alive. The fact that the entire clinic was freezing was one of them. Deaton has a Bunsen burner on with a bowl of water over top of it, just so they can have some in liquid form if they need it. Everything else in the room was frozen solid.

Deaton and Grams also kept throwing blankets back into a warming cabinet, alternating old for new, and putting the heated material over Nixie's stomach. It didn't matter that she was a dragon of ice and snow. The baby inside of her needed to be kept warm.

And while Nixie's body was doing an excellent job of protecting the baby in other ways… it was not capable right now of keeping the baby warm.

Grams tries to put in a line so they can do a blood transfusion. Though it had slowed, Nixie was still bleeding, and pretty soon she'd be at four pints. That was the most a human body could lose before it definitely began shutting down and dying.

But, as they'd already tried before, the needle simply broke against Nixie's skin. Her scales weren't out on the rest of her body. But as soon as a foreign object came into contact with her, they emerged beneath the surface, pushed back, and prevented anything from breaking through.

Her body's own self-preservation instincts were going to cause her to die, if they couldn't figure out something, and fast.

Liv jumps up as she hears the door to the clinic slam open. Deaton's fairly certain the glass panes of the door can be heard shattering and hitting the floor.

But as Jordan barrels into the room, he decides that he'll worry the deputy about that detail later. The hellhound's eyes widen in terror at seeing Nixie on the table in the room.

He'd been at home at the time, the other members of his family joining him. They'd said they wanted to talk to him about something, and assured him it didn't have anything to do with trying to make him move back to Virginia. So he'd agreed for them to come to his house to see what they wanted.

Marcus had an idea for 'the shack', as everyone kept calling it. Jordan raised an eyebrow at the prospect of someone wanting to do anything with it. And if they intended to tear down part of the woods and turn it into a hotel; that was not going to set well with anyone. But Marcus promised that wasn't what they wanted. He had plans more for how to improve the building that was currently operating as a hideout for so many supernatural creatures. He had plans to make it better, so that if the space for such an event was ever needed again, it would actually exist for them to use.

Jordan had been trying to hide a grin at that. The fact that his brother and his parents were trying to plan something like this, and had no intention of ever using it as a means for profit, was a sign that they really were committed to the idea of being a family again.

Marcus had only been about a minute into his thoughts, when Jordan's phone had begun ringing. And upon seeing Nixie's name, he'd answered instantly.

And at the panic he'd heard in Grams' voice when she first answered, Jordan immediately began moving so he could leave and head to wherever they needed him as fast as possible. And when she explained that it was Nixie that was in the most danger at this point… well, Jordan knows if he hadn't been a cop, there's no way he would've made it all the way here without being pulled over.

Grams had tried to prepare him over the phone for what to expect. But there was really no way to be prepared for this. Stepping further inside, Jordan swallows thickly. He honestly feels like he might be sick at any moment. But he holds that back as he approaches the side of the table.

His wife. His dragon. His beautiful Nixie… looked all but dead.

Deaton and Grams look at each other worriedly for a moment. They'd been hoping that Jordan's heat would help cancel out the cold, or bring Nixie out of her comatose state. But so far, nothing had changed. Which could, of course, also be because Jordan wasn't putting off a whole lot of heat right now. In fact, he almost seemed incapable.

Resting a hand on her forehead, Jordan asks in a trembling voice, "Is she… dying?" Grams places her hand over his, but then jerks back when her hand burns at the touch. Okay… so Jordan was hot. He was just trying to keep it contained. Or maybe his grief was containing it. No one could be sure. There was still so much that they didn't know about what these two were.

He gives his grandmother an apologetic look, but then asks the question again. Sighing, Grams says, "She's not dead. But if we can't give her a blood transfusion soon, she's going to lose more blood than her body can handle. Not to mention the baby." Jordan nods, and then glances back briefly to see his brother and parents entering the room. He's honestly not sure how they managed to follow him. He's not even sure Nixie would've been able to keep up with how fast he'd been going.

Back to her, he asks, "How… how is she not dead? She got hit in the head?" Grams nods and shows him the hole still in Nixie's temple. Tears leaking down his cheeks, Jordan tries to ask, "How…" Deaton shakes his head, "We don't know. But we do know why she got hit there in the first place."

He draws back the warming blanket from Nixie's stomach, revealing to everyone's shocked eyes, that Nixie's scales were out and present there. Wrapping around from front to back, the area that held her baby was completely covered and protected.

When Jordan looks back to Deaton for more explanation, he explains, "When she heard the arrows begin flying, protective instincts kicked in. For Nixie, that always means protecting everyone around her first, and herself second. Usually, even in those cases, her scales appear over the most vital parts of her being to begin with, and then spread to the less vital parts after that."

Placing a hand over her scale-covered stomach, Deaton says, "But right now, Nixie has another person to protect. And since the baby is inside of her, the womb becomes the most vital part of her being. So that is the place that gets protected first. It's her dragon instincts… and her own instincts."

Then he sighs and says, "But I have no idea how she's still even alive. She clearly is, or the scales on her stomach would've disappeared. Not to mention how her body fights us whenever we try to inject her with something. But… I mean… if the bullet is lodged in her brain, I don't know how she's still functioning."

Jordan blinks, and then asks, "You haven't taken the bullet out?" "We can't. We don't have the tools for that."

For a moment silence reigns. There really wasn't much to say. They were trying everything they could think of. What more could there be to do?

Finally, Jordan simply asks, "What can I do?" Grams removes the warming blanket from Nixie's stomach, already turned cold even though it had barely been a few minutes. Sighing, she says, "You can warm her up. And maybe the whole place around her. We can't crank any of the heaters high enough anymore to cancel her out. And the baby… they both need warmth."

Nodding, Jordan removes his shirt, and then briefly lights his entire body on fire. Then he dims it down, so it simply looks like there was living and moving lava beneath his skin.

Deaton and Grams move Nixie to the side carefully, giving Jordan just enough room to lay beside her. Not that he needed it. As soon as he was on the table and they let her go, Jordan wrapped himself around her.

Her cold, for a moment, nearly took his breath away. This wasn't like what they normally did. It was usually a rather gentle give and take on their part. But not today. Today Nixie's cold was almost violent in its fight to cancel out his heat.

But his wife needed to be warm, and so that's what she'd be. He felt his family behind him cringe back at the wave he sent out into the entire area. But he trembled in relief when Nixie's body finally responded in a way that was familiar. At the overwhelming heat that overtook her own, he could actually feel the tension in every bone and muscle of her body relax.

Glancing up at Grams, he nods to her arm and says, "Try the transfusion now." Veronica blinks in surprise, but does as he says. And sure enough, the needle slides in smoothly. Deaton runs into the storage room for more bags of O-positive, helping Grams set up the blood bag on the hanger that they'd moved into the corner.

Deaton sighs as he watches the blood flow through the line and into Nixie's body. At the very least, she wouldn't bleed to death. But then he turns to Grams and asks, "Now, what the hell do we do about the bullet?"


As Liam slams Gabe into the mirror of the locker room, he yells, "You think I'm gonna kill you?! You think we're all killers?! Maybe we should be!" He shoves so hard against Gabe's skull, that the mirror cracks and Gabe's face gets cut and starts bleeding.

Theo watches from the back of the room for a time, trying to choose his words and timing carefully. He knows that the entire pack's reason for being more distraught than usual, is because Nixie's practically in a coma. According to Malia, who had actually answered him when he asked about this, Nixie had only ever been in a situation like this once before. When she was still acting as the emotional tether for Scott, Stiles, and Alison.

Back then, Scott had managed to rally everyone and save Malia from being killed as a full coyote. That had also been the incident that helped them all close the open doors in their minds, allowing for Nixie to return to them. But now… this was different.

As Liam shoves Gabe's head harder against the glass, Theo finally steps forward. Tilting his head, he asks, "You're really gonna kill him?" When Liam looks back to see him, Theo adds, "I mean, I don't care if you do. But, have you thought this through? Any idea where you're gonna dump the body? And no one saw you grab him, did they? Because that could be a problem."

Shoving harder still, Liam growls out, "I don't care." Theo nods, "I don't either. But Nixie would." Liam's head snaps back around so fast, Theo can't help widening his eyes at the action. But he recovers quickly and says, "Nixie's always threatening to kill people. I got that. But I know that she and Stiles always had plans to get away with it. Elaborate, well-thought-out, detailed plans."

Tilting his head again, as though contemplating something, Theo adds, "It should probably, at some point, really worry all of us that both of them are so very prepared to commit mass murder and get away with it."

Back to Liam, Theo shrugs, "But since you don't have her right now, you're acting rashly, and on your own. So, at least let me help. I am the one with experience here." Liam snarls, but turns to look at Theo again, as though curious. Theo shrugs again, "If we kill him, we'll have to find the witnesses and kill them, too. Which means we're gonna need shovels, some plastic bags, maybe a chainsaw… and I know I've heard your dragon mention having buckets of bleach on standby somewhere. We should probably grab those too."

Finally, after a moment or two more, Liam releases Gabe's head and drops him to the floor. Eyes looking at the blood on the mirror and sink, Liam feels a wave of shame pass through him as he says, "You made your point." Theo nods, but as Liam keeps his head down, Theo also points out, "And you didn't kill him. That's progress."

Glaring, Liam asks, "Why do you keep trying to save me? You think it'll make Scott forget about everything you did, and he'll just let you into the pack? Scott's never gonna trust you!"

Theo takes a second to remember that Liam's not really this hateful. He's just still incredibly upset. Taking a breath, he says calmly, "You might wanna remember what Scott's goal has been all along. Keep people alive."

Liam's glaring eyes calm slightly at that, and another wave of shame passes over him. But before he can apologize, they both turn to look at Gabe on the floor, who says, "He should try harder." Liam glares, "What are you talking about?" Pushing himself into a sitting position, Gabe asks, "You don't know, do you?"

Coming up beside Liam, Theo asks, "Know what?" And when it looks like Gabe isn't going to answer, Theo sighs, "Alright. My turn." Grabbing the boy, he slams him back into the already broken mirror. His face was definitely going to have a deep cut by the time this was over.

Judging from the look on Liam's face though, no one was going to say that Theo was in the wrong to have put it there. Apparently, with Nixie's life hanging in the balance, a lot of leeway was created concerning what a person could get away with.

Finally, Gabe gets out, "The other bodies." Liam blinks, "What other bodies?"


As Noah and Monroe exit his office, he can't help but feel a little defeated. Not surprised… but defeated nonetheless. Nixie had made sure everyone knew, that neither Monroe nor Gerard could be reasoned with. Their hearts had been hardened by hate, and violence was the only thing they responded to now. Not reason, not logic… only more hatred and violence.

Still… he'd felt like he had to try. And at the very least, he does believe he's given Monroe a reason to be more wary of Gerard than maybe she was before. But she was still a hunter. She was still part of Gerard's army. And she was still determined to wipe supernaturals off the face of the planet.

Sighing, he looks for Jordan first. Then Noah rolls his eyes at himself. Nixie was out of commission, and last he'd heard, no one was any closer to figuring out how to fix her. Jordan would be wherever she was, until that situation was finally resolved.

Turning to DeWitte, another officer near the front, Noah says, "DeWitte, escort this woman out of my station."

But though he'd felt defeated before… Noah feels it sink in even further when DeWitte doesn't move, and Monroe asks with a smirk, "Your station?" Two other deputies in the back cross their arms as well, clearly showing that they were on Monroe's side. Back to DeWitte, Noah says sternly, "DeWitte, do you hear me? I just gave you an order."

DeWitte's only response is to stand up and move to Monroe's side. Hands at his waist, he was clearly trying to intimidate the sheriff in front of him.

They had no idea the things he's seen in the past. He was in the army. He was in the know of Scott's pack. The last thing that was going to scare him, was a young deputy and his holstered pistol. Staring straight back at him, Noah says, "Deputy, think long and hard about what you do next."

Shrugging, DeWitte responds, "Let's just say, you might want to reconsider, Sheriff." He says the last word mockingly, and Noah knows what's about to happen. Even before Monroe speaks, he knows the words about to leave her mouth are, "This is my station now."

As other officers, ones that Nixie had told him not to trust before, begin moving around to block him in, Noah shakes his head. "You're a fool to trust him. Gerard only cares about himself and his ambitions."

Monroe clasps her hands behind her back. "I don't trust him. But I do know one thing. He's going to win. And that's what I care about." Noah shakes his head again, glancing at his fellow officers that are turning on him. If Nixie makes it out of her comatose state to get back to them, he would never hire anyone that she told him not to. Not ever again. He'd stay short staffed for years, if that's what it meant. He no longer cared.

Grinning, Monroe adds, "You said so yourself, sheriff. Nothing is more important to Gerard than this fight. Not the life of a young man. Not the lives of his allies. Not the lives of his own men. That's how strong his belief is. He won't stop. And that's why he'll beat you."

Cocking her head to the side confidently, she turns to DeWitte, "Deputy. Please relieve the sheriff of his badge and gun."

But as DeWitte moves forward, Noah balls up his fist. "Do it, and you'll be feeling the pain of a whole lot more than just jail time." As the deputy looks at Monroe, she nods for him to still go ahead and do it. But when he looks back at Noah...

The look in the sheriff's eyes promised death. And there were other things that had to be taken into account. For one, Noah was former army. There were things he knew how to do that the others simply didn't. Jordan might've been the only one who could best Noah… and he obviously wasn't on Monroe's side. Then there was the fact that Noah was Stiles' father, who was Scott's best friend. There would be no swaying his opinion on which side he would rather fight for.

And then there was Nixie. No one knew where she was yet, but everyone knew what had happened. Someone with a scope on the house had seen her go down. Maybe she was dead. Maybe she was simply hurt more severely than the rest. But the bottom line was, Nixie was still practically Noah's daughter. And whether they'd actually pulled the triggers themselves or not… it was easy to see that Noah blamed them all for whatever was happening to her.

Hell had no fury like a father whose children had been injured on his watch.

When no one moved to try and touch him, Noah did feel a slight satisfaction. He was still beaten in terms of having to leave the station. The mantle of sheriff was going to have to be reclaimed later. For now, he would have to leave. But at least these men and women knew who they were dealing with. They'd seen enough to know better than to follow Monroe blindly.

As he heads for the door, he pauses in front of them. Turning back around, he says to Monroe, "I never said Gerard wouldn't beat me. I said he wouldn't beat Scott and Nixie." Monroe narrows her eyes, "Your fearless little dragon is all but dead… if she isn't dead already. And her pack is…"

Noah cuts her off with, "She's not fearless." At the surprised look on Monroe's face, followed by the deputies in the station, Noah explains further. "She is terrified, constantly. Of losing the people who matter to her. Of seeing them hurt. Of not being able to stop bad things from happening to them. And surely, Gerard has explained to you what she's willing to do. Surely you know about all the scars she has, from things she's done in the past, to save her friends."

He shakes his head. "She's not fearless. The idea of losing them… it's almost crippling. And that's not because she's a coward. It's because she cares. Because her heart is larger than you or Gerard can ever understand."

Noah glances around at his deputies, and then says, "She's courageous. She overcomes her fear, always, and does what is necessary to stop evil things from happening. She takes to the streets at hundreds of miles an hour, to get there on time. She jumps in front of bullets and knives, to prevent the people she loves from getting hurt. And though she hasn't had to yet, she would kill everyone that she felt was necessary, if that's what it takes to protect her pack and family."

Glaring at Monroe, he says, "She won't stop. And she has more to lose than you, or Gerard. And that's why she will win."

And without another word, or waiting to see if he's swayed anyone else with his words, Noah makes his way out the door.


It takes them a while to finally get Gabe to lead them to the bodies. And what they find in the freezer… well, it's terrifying. The people's eyes and their mouths look like something from inside of them boiled over and slithered out.

Liam steps aside to answer his phone, but still listens when Theo asks, "Does the teacher know about this?" Gabe points, "That's the teacher."

Theo then glances over at Liam, whose hand briefly trembles around the phone. He's probably trying very hard not to crush it.

When it gets gently taken from his hand, Liam turns to find Theo holding it to his ear. Nodding, Theo says, "Scott, Liam's in the midst of being very close to having a nervous breakdown. I'll let him know."

Hanging up, Theo then says, "Noah's not sheriff anymore. Nixie's still comatose, but stable. Everyone in the hospital is still fine. But, Peter and Deucalion have both turned Scott down for help. Deucalion offers his guidance… but he won't fight in a war again."

Liam snarls, and then says, "Maybe this is hopeless." Theo tilts his head, and then smirks, "Nixie would probably smack you in the head for saying that. I'm not going to pretend I have that liberty. But if you think it would knock sense into you…" Liam gives him a look, but also notes that every time Theo has mentioned Nixie's name, he's found it easier to calm down and gain back his control.

Narrowing his eyes, Liam is about to ask what he thinks he's doing. But Theo beats him to it and says, "Nixie's a pressure point. For all of you. And sometimes, pressing on that is a bad idea. It causes more pain than it's worth." Shrugging, he adds, "And sometimes, if you know what you're doing, using that pressure point can be the thing that brings everyone back into focus. And that's the kind of pressure point Nixie is for you guys. She's always what you need her to be. And right now, you need to focus and pull it together."

Liam stares at him for a moment, and then says, "Thanks." Theo nods, and then gestures back to the freezer so Liam can have a look. Sighing, Liam simply says, "Unless there's a gun in there too, this isn't helping us find the shooter." Theo nods again, and then looks up at Gabe and asks, "Why'd you hide these bodies?" Gabe simply responds, "We didn't want to get caught." "Caught doing what?" "Testing them. To see if they were werewolves. And they were."

Liam glows his yellow eyes at Gabe, "Just like how you tested Corey?" Gabe shrinks back slightly, and quickly adds, "But we didn't kill them. Look at their faces. Something else did that." Theo sighs, "The Anuk-Ite." Gabe blinks, "The what?"

Shaking his head and ignoring Gabe for now, Liam asks, "Why would it want to kill anyone? It feeds off fear. Dead people aren't afraid." Theo shrugs, "Maybe the killing is just a by-product." "Of what?" "Of it looking for its other half. Which means it's looking for a supernatural creature. Someone like us."

Nodding in understanding, Liam says, "Okay. So these three could've been werewolves. Just not the ones that the Anuk-Ite's looking for." Theo nods, and then glares at Gabe while adding, "Which means you've been helping it. Idiot." He slams the freezer shut, making Gabe jump in fear. Then Gabe shakes his head, "I don't even know what you guys are talking about. I was just helping Aaron. It was his idea to test everyone." Theo tosses up his hands, because finally, this was helpful information. "Who's Aaron?"

Thankfully, they don't have to wait on Gabe to answer. Liam already knows. "He's on the lacrosse team. He's just a freshman." As he ponders the day that they'd found him after discovering the faceless, skinless, dead body in the locker room, Liam adds, "Aaron didn't want to find more of us. He wanted to find his other half." Theo nods, "He's the Anuk-Ite."

As he and Liam then leave Gabe, after giving him a swift punch to the face to knock him out, Theo glances over at Liam. "By the way… Scott also mentioned that he was going to try and see if another pack would be willing to help them. Some pack call 'The Primal'." Liam sighs, "Yeah… I remember him mentioning them once. God… that just proves how desperate we are."

Theo nods, but then asks, "Aren't we though? I mean… aren't we desperate? Shouldn't we be looking for all the help we can get? I mean, we need everyone, don't we?" Liam glances over at him, and says, "Maybe. But what we really need right now, is Nixie. Tell me more about her. What exactly did Scott say?"

Sighing, Theo says, "Jordan arrived and apparently was able to make it possible for them to get a blood transfusion going for Nixie. With that, she's not going to die of blood loss. But they have no way of safely getting the bullet out of her head. They don't have the tools or equipment for that. And if they can't get it out…"

Liam pauses when Theo stops talking, worry working its way through his system as he waits to hear what might happen to Nixie. The chimera sighs and says, "Scott said Deaton was worried about loss of brain function. If she's stays comatose for too long… there's no telling what exactly might happen to her and her mind. They need to get the bullet out, so she can start healing internally."

They continue walking again, but then Liam pauses once more. Theo turns to look at him and says, "I get that you're worried, but we need to find Scott. We need to show him these bodies, and we need to tell him about Aaron. Now, rather than later." "No… I know that. I just…"

Theo watches as Liam's brain races in circles. Then finally, Liam looks up and says, "Deaton's not a real doctor. I mean… he's a vet, and he can help bandage up and sometimes heal supernatural creatures. But he's not a real doctor. Not the kind who has access to the equipment needed to do brain surgery or anything like that." Theo nods, "Yeah. So?"

Nodding to himself, Liam says, "I know someone who is." Throwing up his hands, Theo says, "Great! Who?"

And then Liam gulps a bit when he says, "My dad."


It's very apparent to them all that they need to find this other half of the Anuk-Ite. They need to find Aaron too. They need to find them, and stop them from merging. Everyone can agree on that.

But the other thing they can all agree on, is that they need to find a way to get the bullet out of Nixie's head. Which is why Scott agrees to go with Liam, accompanied by Noah and Lydia, to talk to Dr. Geyer.

Yes, his real last name is Dr. Geyer. Though, anytime Nixie has been in the hospital and addressed him as Dr. Dunbar, he's known who she was talking to. David, which was his first name, honestly found it endearing to hear her call him Dr. Dunbar. He went by Dr. Geyer because that was the name hospitals knew him by. There was a reputation attached to that name that helped him get through a lot of doors. It's what helped him land a job here in Beacon Hills so quickly, when Liam had to be transferred.

Nixie had already explained in the past that she liked the name Dunbar better. She associated it more with Liam, and she liked Liam.

Liam also knows the only reason she still calls him by his last name, is because he's a doctor. And because he's still on the outside of all the information about them. When Liam ever decided to bring him in, Nixie promised to start using his first name. It wouldn't seem weird to him then, because they could better explain her policy on using first and last names.

Bottom line, Nixie did trust David. That was enough for Scott and Liam to take a chance, and give him a rundown on what was going on in this town. Not that they had much choice anyway. If they wanted to save Nixie, if they wanted her to wake up, then they were going to need some sort of professional doctor to help her. David was really their only option.

Which is why they're sitting here, in his office, glowing their eyes, showing their claws and fangs, and telling him about where this all started, and how long it had been happening.

Needless to say, when David finds out his son has been a werewolf for two years without his knowledge… he's a bit thrown. Not to mention the fact that there were werewolves in the world at all. Strange things were being said and done in this town, but David had still preferred to believe only what he'd seen with his own eyes up to this point. Even though last school year, he had briefly confronted Melissa about the fact that he was very much aware that she knew certain things about this town that other didn't. She was a nurse who flinched at nothing, seemed surprised by little, and somehow always had answers before anyone else did.

At the time, she'd simply told him that there was nothing she could tell him to help him save Noah's life, which had been the situation in which he'd confronted her. But now that he was seeing all of this… well, it wasn't hard to figure out why Melissa wouldn't flinch at anything coming into their hospital. She'd seen things a hundred times worse than what most of them ever saw in their entire lives.

And she still loved her son. She still thought he was one of the best people in the entire world. And she loved Nixie. And she loved Liam; David did know that much.

Liam's head has remained bowed this entire time. He only raised his eyes to show that they glowed a bright gold, and then looked to the floor again. He tried to focus on Nixie, on the things she would say or whisper to him to calm him down. He tried to focus on his mantra, to keep it together.

He needed Nixie to hug him. If she could just do that, he'd feel better. And he knows that's a bit selfish on his part. But that's what he feels he needs right now. Just a cool hug from her.

The hug he receives isn't cool. It's not Nixie, with her way of somehow lifting all the weight from your shoulders for a while. But it is his father, who has moved around from his desk and is kneeling in front of his son. Wrapping his arms around Liam, David says, "How could you not tell me?"

Taking in a gasping breath, Liam says, "I… I'd already done so much… so much to disappoint you. I… I didn't want…" David squeezes him tighter, and then says, "Liam… you have never disappointed me. You always try your hardest. And even when you tore apart your old coach's car… I know part of you really wanted to hurt the coach himself, and maybe the entire team."

Leaning back to look in his son's face, David continues. "And now… now you're a werewolf. A creature with even more aggression and issues with anger. And you… you've been doing so well. Liam… I have never been more proud of you. You're my son. I love you. Unconditionally. Don't ever forget that."

Scott allows them both to sit there for a moment, holding each other and basking in each other's comfort. Then he clears his throat, and says, "I'm sorry. I know this is a lot to take in. But… we're short on time." Liam nods, and then says, "Dad… we need your help."

Leaning back again, David simply opens up his hands and says, "Tell me what you need me to do."


When Officer Blakely arrived at the clinic, Jordan's first reaction was to heat up more and snarl. Anyone that wasn't pack should not be here, and if they were, they meant Nixie harm. That was his instinctual thought.

But then Naomi and Noah appeared behind her, they explained that, aside from Jordan himself, Blakely was an officer that Nixie had always favored. And together, they would be sneaking Nixie into the basement level of the hospital, where David was helping to prepare an operating room for her.

When they all finally arrived, David honestly wasn't sure how this was going to go. No one was willing to leave the room after they transferred Nixie onto his operating table. Not only was he not used to having this many people in the room all at once, but he wasn't used to this many family members being in the room during an operation. And in any normal situation, they would have to be removed. They were liable to act rashly, or second guess his every move.

But this wasn't a normal family. This was a pack. As soon as Nixie was on the table, the only person that remained next to her was Jordan himself. He kept his hands on her, kept pushing his heat to surround her. Deaton explained that it was the only way any of David's instruments would be able to penetrate her skin. Nixie's body hardened itself and went into self-preservation mode if Jordan wasn't there.

David also needed an extra set of hands to hand him his instruments and tools. Grams offered that service. Everyone else remained at the back walls of the room, watching and waiting with baited breath.

As David put his scope into the entry hole, he couldn't help widening his eyes at what he saw on the screen. "Wow." Jordan glances between him and the screen, and then asks, "What?" David shakes himself, "I… sorry. I've just… never seen anything like it." "What is it? What's wrong with her?" "Nothing. That's what's so shocking."

When everyone in the room looks at him in confusion, David continues. "The bullet is right at the edge of her brain. It's… It's basically just sitting there in the soft tissue. But it's not going any further. It's more denting in her brain at the moment. But… I mean, nothing it torn or missing. Nothing is out of place. The bullet it just… there, along with everything else at the moment."

Shaking his head, he adds, "It should've torn through and ended up in the center of her brain, judging from the angle." Deaton watches as he takes another small probe from Grams, and then he asks, "What is that?" David holds it up briefly, and then says, "It's what I'm going to use to grab the bullet. It's not fragmented or shattered. Looking like it's the only foreign thing in her body. And if she heals like you say she does, I should just be able to pull it out, and everything will right itself."

So, with great care, he reaches in, grips the foreign object with his tool, and then slowly brings it back out.

While he works on that, Marcus moves forward to join his brother at the table. Glancing between Jordan and Nixie, he asks, "How fast will she heal?" Jordan sighs, "Internally, she's always healed quickly. Broken bones are healed within an hour or less. Poisons are expunged and I'm assuming her brain will be the same."

Looking to the open wound on the side of her head, Jordan says, "Externally, she always heals slowly. As a dragon, her body does that on purpose so scars have time to form and remain. Dragons wear their scars with pride."

Marcus nods, and then says, "Which explains the outfit." Jordan gives his brother a look, but Marcus just grins, which tells Jordan he was only joking. Sighing, Jordan says, "I just need her to wake up." "She will." "And how would you know that?" "Because she loves you. All of you."

Glancing around the room, Marcus adds, "And it doesn't look like you all would survive losing her. Somewhere inside, she knows that. She'll wake up."

David finally pulls out the object… and then can't help staring at it as he drops it into a glass beaker. Because it wasn't the bullet itself.

Jordan stares too, along with everyone else, as they see two blue scales that seem to be wrapped tightly around something together. David quickly pulls out his scope, and puts three stitches over the wound at her temple. Then has Liam turn all the lights back on, and says, "Alright. Now… I guess we just wait to see if she wakes up soon. I wouldn't recommend moving her yet."

While everyone continues to wait with baited breath, David takes the two scales over to another table. Taking a few tools to them, he manages to pry them apart, opening them up to reveal what's inside.

Scott joins him when he says, "Wow." And as some of the others gather around him, they can't all help but stare.

The scales hadn't appeared on Nixie's skin in time to stop the bullet from penetrating. But… apparently, they had hardened quickly enough to catch the bullet, and make themselves a protective barrier around it as it barreled further into her skull. And the bullet itself, at some point, had actually shattered inside of the two scales. It sat in about five pieces of shrapnel… all of which had been contained by the scales that had wrapped around it.

Deaton comes over and says, "I'm not sure what to make of that. While they've been beneath the surface, her scales have never been an obstacle. Even when we were trying to give her the infusion earlier, her scales actually pushed up to the surface to stop us."

David nods, but then says, "If I may… I have a thought on that. From what you've all told me, her scales are always there. They just hide beneath the surface of her skin. But that doesn't mean that while they're there, they have to be useless. Obviously, they go soft when beneath the skin. Otherwise, you'd never be able to stick her with any kind of needle. She'd be forever indestructible. Her scars wouldn't even exist, because nothing would be able to hurt her."

Back to the bullet, David continues. "I think… you say her protective instincts always come first. That's what you guys keep telling me. You always come first, and then she can take care of herself. But… even a protective creature like that has some personal self-preservation instincts that can't be fought against." Gesturing to the scales, he says, "I think Nixie's scales are hers. When her body realized she wasn't going to be fast enough to bring them to the surface, instinct and survival kicked in, and they hardened beneath the surface to try and save whatever it could."

And then everyone in the room jumps when Nixie's voice croaks, "Good to know I'm not completely suicidal."

Looking up into Jordan's face, which has fresh tears streaming down his cheeks, Nixie reaches up to brush some of them away. Pulling him closer, she implores, "I didn't do it on purpose. I… we didn't know…" Jordan just nods, "I know. Lydia told me. I know." Kissing her forehead, he sighs and says, "Thank God. Thank you. Oh… please don't ever do this to me again." Nixie smiles tiredly, and then says, "I'll do my best."

As he helps her sit up, she looks down at her stomach, which is still covered in scales. Snapping her eyes to Grams, she asks, "The baby?" "Fine, child. She's just fine." Nixie's eyes widen, "Do we actually know it's a girl now?" Deaton chuckles, "No, my dear. We're just placating you."

Nixie nods, and then sighs before asking, "Melissa?"

Marcus frowns, because Melissa obviously wasn't here. But then Scott runs forward to meet Nixie's eyes. Nodding, he says, "She's fine. She got nicked, but she'd going to be fine." Nixie nods, "Rafe?" "Also fine." "Mason?" "Fine." "Lydia?"

Stepping up behind Nixie, wrapping her arms around her, Lydia says, "I'm perfect. Thanks to you." Nixie sighs in relief, and then asks, "Chris?" Scott nods that he's fine too, and then Nixie spots, Malia on the other side of the room.

Taking that into account, Nixie then glares and asks, "Who did it?" Scott shakes his head, "We don't know. We're trying to work on it. But we don't know yet." Nodding, Nixie asks, "What happened?" "A lot."

While David comes back to work on ensuring the stitches over the small hole in her head are good and won't tear, everyone else fills her in on what she missed. Noah's not sheriff anymore. The Primal pack looks to all be dead. Aaron is the Anuk-Ite, and he's searching for his other half. Peter has finally agreed to help them, but Deucalion is only offering guidance. And Scott is running out of ideas on who to call to try and form his army.

Nixie tilts her head, "What about Satomi, and everyone else at the shack and Kevin's restaurant." Scott nods, "I know… but there's still only thirty-five of them right now. Gerard has an entire town. I was hoping to find at least a few more people to help lead this thing before trying to involve them."

They stare at each other for a moment, and then Nixie nods before asking, "Where's my phone?" Grams hands it to her, and as she hops off the table, Veronica asks, "What are you doing?"

And everyone can't help grinning when Nixie says, "I'm calling Deucalion so I can ask what the hell his problem is. We're in a fucking war for the entire supernatural community, as a whole. He doesn't get to just sit on the side lines and spit out words of wisdom. I mean, come on! Let's be real people! Please."

As she gets on the phone, while also offering out hugs to everyone in the room that has been eagerly awaiting for her to be fine again, Nixie then also asks, "By the way, what's David doing here? I mean, he obviously got the bullet out and stitched me up, and that's awesome. But when did it become okay for him to be here?" Liam briefly explains that his dad is now in the know, and part of the pack. Nixie stares for a moment, and then smiles and says, "Great! In that case, explain to him that I will no longer be calling him Dr. Dunbar. And also, make sure he has my number, and that he knows the rules. And that if he doesn't abide by those rules, I will, without fail, smack him upside the head. Hard."

As she goes back to pacing, David looks down at his son and asks, "Is she always… well… always like this?" Liam grins, "Oh, dad. You have absolutely no idea."


All Jordan wanted to do was take her home. Being comatose was no picnic. She was tired, he knew she had to be.

But there were things she was determined to get done first. One being to reassure her mother that she and the baby were fine. So, they ate dinner at Noah's house for the evening.

Jordan doesn't miss how Nixie's eyes narrow suspiciously for a moment as Naomi squeezes Noah's shoulders gently from behind when he tells them about his day at the office. She wasn't sure what she was seeing quite yet… but there was an intimacy growing there. Nixie's not certain how to pinpoint it exactly.

But as they're driving down the road later, Nixie tells him, "At the very least, my mom and Noah are becoming fast and close friends. Which is great, because I really need them to get along. Otherwise, that would make for some rather awkward Christmases in our future."

Jordan chuckles, and then glances over at her and asks, "And how are you feeling about your mom finally knowing about all your scars?"

That had been the only part of dinner that neither of them had been particularly fond of. Not knowing when her daughter might have a chance for a peaceful meal around the table again, Naomi took the opportunity to ask about the scars, and where they'd all come from.

Nixie had honestly forgotten that her mom didn't actually know the stories behind them. She'd maybe seen some of them before… but she didn't know the stories. And even though it was just her mom, who would forever love her unconditionally; Nixie wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of having to retell them all again.

But, it is her mom. And if anyone had a right to know about them, it would be her. So she'd removed the shirt Jordan had given her to wear, and then allowed Jordan and Noah to delve into all she'd been through in the past.

The worrisome stories, the ones from back when she'd still been considered human, were the ones that had Naomi covering her mouth in horror. Particularly what Peter had done to her. Snapping her eyes up to her daughter, Naomi had asked, "And he's still around you guys? Living?"

Nixie had grinned and commented on the fact that leaving him alive wasn't her choice. Aside from Malia's connection to him, Peter still didn't have very many redeemable qualities. So it was really only for Malia's sake that Peter was left alive now.

Well… in Nixie's opinion. Scott would probably want him left alive anyway, simply because killing people shouldn't be the answer.

In any case, now Nixie sighs and says to Jordan, "I feel fine. Good, actually. I think it was good that we finally got around to explaining them to her. I think it helped to show her just how dangerous all of this really is that we're dealing with. Before, I don't think it had really set in yet. She still considered herself, from when she was broken, to be one of the most dangerous things I'd ever encountered. But now, she understands that she needs to be better prepared to participate in this world."

Raising an eyebrow, Jordan asks, "What makes you say that?" "I heard her asking Noah to show her how to shoot a gun, right before we pulled out the drive." They both chuckle a little, and then Jordan sighs before asking, "Are you sure you want to do this tonight?"

Giving him a look, Nixie says, "We don't have time to ask that question, babe. If it's something that needs to be done, then it needs to be done as soon as possible." Then, turning back to the windshield, Nixie adds, "Besides, Satomi needs to understand that my abilities aren't hers to dictate. She doesn't get to decide what pain is mine to take and what isn't. It's her pack, and she has some say as far as that goes. But at the bottom line, this is my power, and that means the final decision on what to do will be mine."

Jordan nods, and then asks, "Out of curiosity… would you have taken Jiang and Tierney's pain and injuries?" Nixie has to think about that for a moment, but then finally concedes, "No." "Why in particular?" "They didn't tell us the truth. They may not have lied, exactly. But they withheld vital information. And sure, maybe it wouldn't have really changed much in the end. Noah still wouldn't have handed Jiang and Tierney over in the first place. But we were working so hard to protect them… to save them. We deserved the truth."

She reaches over for Jordan's hand, and then asks, "Does that make me a bad person?" "No, Nix. It makes you a person with standards. Everyone knows that." Grinning, he adds, "And everyone that is yours strives to always meet those standards, one way or another. Having you around ensures that we'll always be surrounded by the most virtuous people known to man." "I don't know about that. Don't exaggerate." "At the very least, I can say that we will spend the rest of our lives trying to save the world. And everyone in our pack will be doing the same."

Giving Nixie's hand a squeeze, he adds, "Means our kid is going to have some of the best role models in the world to look up to."

Nixie smiles at that, and then says, "That brings to mind something else I wanted to talk to you about." "And what's that?" "Godparents." Jordan glances over at her, and then asks, "Is this because of what happened? Because I don't want you picking out Godparents because you think you're going to die soon."

Scooting over in the seat, resting her head on his shoulder, Nixie says, "No. And… yes. I mean… I have no intention of dying, Jordan. None whatsoever. But… I want to know that someone is going to be prepared and ready to take care of our kid, if something happens to both of us. I want to know that we've picked someone to take care of her, rather than have our friends and family fight over who we'd want to do that the most."

Jordan nods after a moment, and then asks, "So… Stiles and Lydia?" When Nixie's head jerks up in surprise, Jordan grins, "What?" "How did you know that's what I was going to say?" "Because Scott's the alpha. In a sense, it's already part of his job to take care of our little girl. As the alpha. So in that sense, you already have him. Stiles is your other brother, so you obviously want him to be able to take care of her. Passing on his sarcastic whit. And Lydia is your best friend. And she will ensure that our girl gets into whatever top ranking college she wants when she gets to that age."

Nixie stares at him, and then smiles, "I married a smart man." "Don't forget it." Rolling her eyes, Nixie adds, "And I've rubbed off on him entirely too much. You're becoming a monster." "A monster who loves you." She grins at that, and then laughs when Jordan asks, "By the way, do we still need to refer to me in the third person now?" "Oh, shut up and drive." "Yes ma'am."

When they get to the restaurant, Nixie says, "Churchill." Winston almost immediately opens the door, and at the sight of her, he sighs and says, "Hey! She's alright!"

As she and Jordan step inside, they both blink in surprise when the entire place goes into a joyous uproar. Winston actually lifts her off her feet in a hug, spinning her around twice before sitting her back down. Staring at everyone, Nixie asks, "How did you guys even figure out I was hurt?"

Lori holds up her phone, "Liam texted me. I told everyone else. We've been worried sick." Nodding, Nixie says, "Well… I'm fine. Feeling stupid, more than anything else." When everyone gives her a confused look, she throws up her hands, "I've just spent the whole day lying on a table, being completely useless, when there is a war to prepare for, and an Anuk-Ite to stop! Ridiculous!"

Back to Lori, Nixie asks, "Where is Satomi?"

The alpha werewolf steps out from the kitchen and bows her head to Nixie in respect. Nixie bows back, and then says, "I need a word with you."

Stepping into the back together, Nixie then explains how she knows Jiang and Tierney had their skin carved and peeled off before she got to them. "Why didn't you tell me? I understand maybe why they didn't tell me. Last time we spoke, I wasn't all that pleased with them. But why didn't you?" "I did not want you to feel that they were your burden. What they did was disgraceful. They deserve no sympathy from you. And while you are tough and hard and brave, Nixie-son…, compassion is also one of your greatest assets."

Holding her head high, Satomi says, "They were not worthy of it, so I did not tell you." Nixie narrows her eyes briefly, but then sighs and says, "I get that they're your pack. And they are yours to punish, teach, and train as you see fit. But because I didn't already know that they were carved into, Scott and Malia almost died, because they thought hunters had managed to find them again, trap them, and hurt them. If I had known earlier, we could've known what the scent really was in the room, and avoided wasting a day trapped in an empty armory."

Silence reigns for a moment, and then Nixie stands up straight. Bowing her head to Satomi, she says, "I will respect whatever requests and wishes you have, concerning the well-being and upbringing of the members of your pack. But information like that, however unimportant it may see to you, is something you have to tell me. Otherwise, I am ill-prepared to protect my pack. And that simply won't do."

Jordan finds it fascinating that Satomi, a werewolf of significant age and wisdom, doesn't consider it demeaning to have such a conversation with Nixie. His young wife was obviously telling Satomi that she had acted in error, no matter how good her intentions may have been. And yet, Satomi didn't seem to be phased or upset. On the contrary, she seemed to be pleased that they were discussing their differing views on this point in a civilized manner.

Nixie was young. But she was far from inexperienced and naïve. Scott, Nixie, and his entire pack had faced more, handled more, and survived more in the past four or five years alone, then any other pack seemed to have dealt with in their entire lifespan.

Finally, Satomi nods back to Nixie and says, "I apologize that my actions negatively affected the health and well-being of your alpha and his friend. From now on, I will give you the information you seek. I would ask that, given such a situation as this, you allow me to advise you as to which of my wolves you may steal pain and injury from. There are some who need to learn certain things the hard way."

Nixie nods, and then says, "I reserve only the right to act without your permission, if someone is close to dying. Anything short of that, I leave to your discretion." "Thank you." "Likewise."

As they step back into the open, Satomi asks, "What of this upcoming battle? Scott has not asked us to partake yet. Does he plan to?" Nixie nods, but says, "He is hoping to find other help first. He feels you have all suffered enough, and does not want to ask you to risk more while we are still so greatly outnumbered."

Satomi nods, but says firmly, "We have already lost many to this war that is fast approaching. We are ready to fight back, Nixie-son. If you call, we will be there." "Thank you, Satomi."

Back in the truck, on the way back to their house, Nixie takes Jordan's hand in his. Squeezing tightly, she says, "You need to stay away from the station for a while." "I know." "And you need to keep your radio off." "I know." "And you may want to drive something else." "Nixie… I know."

Looking over at him, she says, "The only reason they didn't try harder to take down Noah, is because he's human. Well… and the fact that he's former army… but also because he's human. He might be on our side, but he is still human. You're not."

Jordan gives her hand a squeeze, and then says, "I know. And I'm not going anywhere, Nixie." As they pull into the garage, he parks and turns towards her. Cupping her face in his hand, he says, "You don't have to be scared." "Jordan, I'm always scared. And the world will wake up in an ice age, if they do something as stupid as kill you. And then I'll fly up into heaven, and beat the crap out of you for dying on me."

Grinning a little, Jordan says, "I have no intention of leaving you. I have no intention of letting them take me away from you. And even if they do manage to trap me in some ice box or something again, they wouldn't dare try to kill me right away." Nixie blinks, "And why is that?"

"Because even Gerard knows what a stupid idea it is to incur the wrath of the one, the only, Nixie Bennett Parrish."

She finally smiles back at him, and then sighs and says, "I'm tired. Which is ridiculous, since I've practically been asleep all day." "Your body's been still. Your mind was never truly at rest." Coming around to her side of the car, he picks her up out of the seat and says, "Come on. Let's get you into bed." "You shouldn't say such sweet things." "So you can sleep, Nixie. And for once, your pregnancy hormones are not going to sway me on this." "Challenge accepted." "Lord, help me."


Chapter 7! Yay! Hope you guys are relieved. I know a freaked at least a couple of you out with how that last chapter ended. Here's hoping this makes up for it. :)