Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. I was waiting to see how the show would play out. This is an "everybody lives" AU story now. I hope you enjoy reading!


"They say bad things happen for a reason

But no wise words gonna stop the bleeding."

The Script, "Breakeven"


"How do you feel now?" Lydia sighs, pulling absently at a strand of her hair, all thoughts of saving her perfect hairstyle out the window. She had wanted to get dressed up for Stiles, but in light of recent discoveries, she knows that a first date wasn't exactly in the cards for them. And while she would've loved to go all out tonight on her makeup and her outfit, she knows Stiles wouldn't mind if she did or not. He loves her for who she is, flaws and all. He's seen her at her absolute mess—crying, make up smearing as she laid her head against the steering wheel—and he still thought she looked beautiful.

"Better." She murmurs, as he offers his hand hesitantly and she takes it. His strength keeps her grounded and prevents her from thinking about whether she's gone crazy again. Could this be a trick from Peter? That wouldn't make much sense since he was supposed to be their ally, but—

Stiles' face twisted up in a grotesque parody of a grin. The knife as he pressed it into her body. The blood covering the floor and the way it bubbled up as she said the banishment spell. It hadn't been Stiles, but the—

"Lydia?" Warm, concerned eyes meet hers. "What is it?"

"The nogitsune." She breathes and it all comes streaming back—Stiles being possessed, Isaac being hurt, going to the warehouse armed with the banishment spell—

Then, we'll die together!

"It was the nogitsune." She whispers, the memories coming through the cracks, like water through a broken dam. She remembers it all now, every single little detail. She turns to face Stiles and with a grim realization, she comes to the conclusion that this isn't her Stiles. This wasn't even her world. It was too perfect; too fake, to be her life. This was the world she used to dream about when she found out she was a banshee, the Hallmark-esque perfection of it all. "Who are you?" Stiles, or should she say who he really is, claps slowly, a malicious smile spreading out on his lips.

"Wow, you really are as smart as they say," He applauds her, rising from her bed. She jerks out of his grasp and feels her back come to rest against her bedroom door. He chuckles, dark and sinister. "You broke my spell and figured it out."

"What did you do?" She hisses, anger being a better defense than the all-consuming fear that she feels in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't show weakness, not now, not after coming this far. She had beaten him once and she would do it again.

Lydia Martin did not give up.

Lydia Martin did not lose.

"I gave you what you wanted!" It shouts, disbelief coloring its tone. "Your fantasy world complete with the guy you're secretly in love with." He gestures to her bright room, sunlight covering nearly every inch of it. "I was going to give you a few more hours to enjoy it but . . ." The voice fades. Its gaze darkens. "Since you figured it out, we can drop the pretenses, can't we?"

"What are you talking about?" She needs a weapon or something, but her body is paralyzed. She can't seem to move. "Where are we?"

"Your subconscious." The nogitsune supplies.

"My . . . what?"

"Pay attention, Lydia," It reprimands in a false tone. "This is pretty important. See, you and I? Were in a bit of a bind." The monster smirks. "I'm dying since you banished me. But you? You can recover, but I don't think that's quite fair, do you?" It moves closer to her and she forces her gaze to be steady. She won't be intimated, not in her own mind. "If I go down, you're going down too."

"You have no power here," She growls. "This is my mind and—" A throwing star whizzes by and grazes her cheek. A small cut appears, a drop of blood rolls down her cheek.

"Wanna bet?" It challenges and Lydia suddenly realizes that this is no bluff. This monster is going to kill her in her own subconscious. She can't let that happen. Fumbling with the door behind her, she throws it open and begins to sprint down the stairs. "You can run, but you can't hide!"

She has to find a way out.


"How can we stop this?"

They're in a conference room in the hospital that Melissa managed to commandeer. Seated around the small table, Stiles can close his eyes and picture that he and Scott are back in elementary school at a student council meeting. Things had been so simple back then—Scott and he were just two goofballs that hung out together, Lydia didn't even know he existed, and there was no mention of anything supernatural. How had his life changed so much? When did he trade in his childhood for this? The girl he loves—yes, he does love her and he has ever since the day he first met her—is slowly dying because of a force that had once possessed him.

He has to make things right.

If he loses her—

"Mrs. McCall!" The door bursts open and Isaac runs in, eyes wide. Immediately, Stiles rises from his chair, as does Melissa, and without a word, they are following the werewolf down the hall and into Lydia's room. Alison dabs furiously with a white piece of gauze at Lydia's cheek. A gash, that Stiles knows wasn't there before, continues to bleed, undeterred by the hunter's efforts. It's not a deep wound, but the sight of it still disturbs Stiles. "She just got this."

"Spontaneously." Alison adds softly. Melissa shakes her head.

"It needs stiches?" The nurse questions, trying to remain practical.

"No, I don't think so." Alison answers quietly and sure enough, the bleeding stops. "What was that?"

"The nogitsune." Stiles replies. "That's how it plans on killing her. Whatever is going on in her head—"

"Is happening to her physically." Melissa completes. "How can we stop this?"

You're too good for instructions. You don't need them.

"I've never seen anything like this before." Alison confesses.

"There must be some way." Isaac presses. "We can't just give up."

You can do this, Stiles.

"We'll figure it out." He whispers, taking Lydia's hand within his own and squeezing it. Whatever she was fighting, she wouldn't be alone for much longer.

It's a promise.


Author's Note: Next chapter, the pack finds a way to help Lydia, but will it come too late? Please review if you have a second! Thanks.