Chapter Ten: And Your Tears, A Sea For Me To Swim

Song Inspiration: "Push" Fog Lake & Home Alone

ALLISON POV:

Isaac had left a while ago. I would of asked him to stay a little longer, but I didn't want to seem clingy. At least not yet, anyway. He's not my boyfriend or anything, but I find myself kind of missing him.

There's a knock at the door. I pause Netflix and take out my earphones, half-jogging to get to it faster. There's another knock just as I'm about to open it. Damn, can't a

I swing the door open to find Malia standing before me with a colorful flyer in her hand, a pint of Ben and Jerry's, and apology sitting in her eyes that resembles my own.

My hip leans against the door frame as I wait for her to speak. At first, neither of us say anything until we both begin talking at the same time. We both glance at each other awkwardly and chuckle a bit. I clear my throat to break the ice.

"Hey, Malia." I start slowly, sizing up whether or not this would be a good conversation or a bad one. She looks beyond the gap in the door frame and then back at me. I nudge it open a little further with my big toe hidden in my fuzzy purple socks. "Do you want to come in?"

She smiles shyly, "That'd be great, actually."

The clunkiness of her combat boots thud against the floor and I squeeze my eyes shut when she passes. It was about time we talked about what happened. Things have been so weird without her around. I know it seems fast, but I've come to care about about her a lot. We have a lot in common, I've never had a friend quite so similar to myself.

She plops down on my bed with a sigh and gives me the look.

She smirks a little, "I saw Isaac walking around this place earlier, seemed like he'd just came from somewhere. I assumed that meant you were here." Her eyes run over me amused, "You're glowing, Isaac must have a magical cock."

I blush profusely at her observation with a slight chuckle. I scan her face, noticing she too had a radiant glow about her. "Seems I could say the same, you look like you have a secret you're waiting to spill. How have things been with Scott?"

Malia bites her lip while staring down at my mattress before looking back up at me. She picks the Ben & Jerry's off the side table and holds it before me with a strained smile, "I didn't come here to talk about Scott, though I did ask him what your favorite ice cream flavor is. Call it a peace offering, at least temporarily until I actually show you that I'm sorry. I overreacted. I don't know where my head's been lately."

She pulls out the flyer from before. The words 'NASTY GALS' presents itself across the front in cool, funky letters called by a slogan, "A woman's place is everywhere." She beams at my immediate reaction and wags it in front of my face, "I think I mentioned to you about wanting to start a feminist club. I was thinking about recruiting different women of color around campus, too. As well as you, Kira… and Lydia when we get her back. Theo is an amazing photographer, I thought maybe he could take some group shots. I think it would send a great message to the killer, that pussy bites back and we haven't forgotten about Emery."

My mood sours at the mention of Lydia. "I think it's a great idea and of course I want to join. I just- I don't think I can be all jung-ho about it until we get Lydia back. I'm terrified that I'll never see her again." I sulk, tears welling in my eyes, "And apology accepted even though there's nothing to even forgive. You had your reasons and I had mine."

Malia wipes the tears from my face that are beginning to fall, "Listen to me, Al. We're going to get her back, no matter what it takes. No one gets left behind here, not on my watch. Stiles and Kira have been coming up with a plan all day. She's going to be okay."

I place my hand over the hand that wipes my tears, "How can you know that, what if she's already dead?"

"She's not," She whispers quietly holding my eyes with a heavy look, "You'd feel it."

LYDIA POV:

Cora.

The door slams shut again. I can feel myself shaking, whether it's from the vibration of the door or the rattling of my bones, I'm not so sure. Slick, salty tears slip down my face, my eyes burning from the mascara residue that's caked underneath.

The hot flash of the bite on my side stings furious against my skin. It's subsided slightly over the course of the day… or is it night? I'm not really sure. Time kind of loses it's essence when you're being held captive underground.

I scoot towards Cora the best I can. Maybe it's not even her. Maybe I really am crazy. Maybe I'm hallucinating and this is my mind's way of protecting itself. By the look of my torn skirt and ruined bra, there's a lot I'd like to suppress. Cora's gilded eyes zero in on me with narrowed slits. She shuffles back a little bit, her face starkly white as though she's seen a ghost.

"Lydia?" She cries, her mouth falling open in a silent sob, "Why are you here?

Her voice quivers, no trace of the headstrong, fitful girl from before to be found. She is a ghost of her former glory, her body in tatters, the marks on her legs telling me that there are so many stories behind each one, so many horrors she's had to endure. I've only been here a little more than a day, but what about her?

"I was taken. Liam tried to save me, but I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. You left before you got to meet him. He's a good kid, kind of like a brother to me." My eyes leak over with more hot tears, my teeth biting into my bottom lip. I don't mean to stare, but my gaze inevitably attaches to the marks and bruises on her legs, "Did he touch you?"

She didn't even need to ask who 'he' was. She nods her head and frowns. With dirty hands, she wipes her tears and straightens up a bit. "I kind of became numb to it after a while."

I notice a similar welt on her wrist with a numbered branding to identify her. My own wrist holds it's own marking. Sometime after Bloody Face had vowed to kill my friends, he had singed me with an iron. It's a permanent fixture on my body now, a constant nagging reminder that I was raped and all anyone will ever see me as is a victim. Stiles will try to fix me, Allison probably coddle me. But Kira, I think she'd look at it and not see me as something broken, but as a survivor. I feel like she's been through a lot, things she has yet to tell me. But I don't mind waiting. I hope I get out of here and still have the chance to get to know everything about her.

I nod along with what Cora had said even though my insides burn with each word that passes her lips. The fact that she had to become accustomed to wayward hands on her body is enough indication that she's been here a while. I slump against the wall next to her letting out a sigh, "Where does Derek think you are?"

Her heavy look falls on me and my heart clenches for her. She wets her cracked lips, "Derek and I got in a fight when I left Beacon Hills to head to South America, petty differences that I don't even remember now. He wouldn't have come looking for me, I hadn't given him a reason to. I just wanted to get the hell away from that wretched town, and this is where I end up." She scoffs, rubbing the back of her hand over a soot-covered cheek, "You'll get out of here, Lydia. You have people who care, who are probably already looking for you. No one's even noticed that I've been gone."

I shake my head and my wavy red tendrils get caught in my mouth. I gag at the smell, the once glossy locks now lifeless, "You're wrong. You have people who care about you. We care about you." I tuck a piece of my hair behind my ear and my voice softens, "Stiles cared about you."

A spark of life fills her eyes at the mention of his name. I'd seen that look before, but from a slightly different Hale.

She bears a startling resemblance to Derek, uncanny almost. It's strange seeing her so fragile, but I know that even vulnerable she is still a weapon with the sharpness of broken glass.

She pushes her dark hair out of her face. Cora's a pretty girl, the kind that doesn't make a big deal about itself. Her olive complexion, bee-stung lips, and sultry chestnut eyes come as one of the perks of being a Hale. Funnily enough, she reminds me of Malia.

The door jiggles again. I don't have to raise my eyes to feel Bloody Face's gaze on us. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing me afraid, I meet his leer head on with a snide look of my own. My lips furl back in a sneer but quickly falls, he seems to get off on it. He smirks at me before averting his eyes to Cora. She bares her teeth at him and lets out a low, menacing snarl. In that moment, she was a wild animal, one high off of the need to survive and not one to be taken down easily.

He takes a step towards me and Cora growls, moving her body in front of mine. He gives her a warning look, demanding her to stand down but she continues to growl. My hands find her hair and run my fingers through the loose waves to calm her down, "It's okay, Cora. Just do want he wants, it will be over soon enough."I whimper, my voice cracking in ways I never knew were possible. The stench of my urine hits my nose again and I remember how terrified I had been before. How humiliated I had been. The idea of being scared shitless that I actually peed myself. I hang my head as shame washes over me. My jade eyes flutter softly at the memory and squeeze shut, trying to keep the tears at bay. I try to take myself back to a happy place, a mystical memory. I see Kira's face behind my eyes; her charcoal-lavender hair, tempered smile, and the softness in her eyes she solely reserved for me. I think back to our last conversation, how I opened up to her. How she held me. How different hands have taken her place, burning into me in ways I'm not sure will ever go away. I've been imprinted upon, marked metaphorically and literally with a hot-poker iron. How do I ever recover from that?

I can feel a buzzing in my side. A white hot tingle that isn't necessarily painful, but kind of uncomfortable at the least. As if in tune with my thoughts, Cora turns to face me, her wolf eyes raking over my body to see if I'm okay. I nod subtly, knowing that Bloody Face is still watching us. I try to ignore it, but the feeling begins to bubble over, the pins-and-needles sensation encasing the whole left side of my body.

Bloody Face bends down to our level, his gaze running over Cora. "I want to play with Lydia over here, Little Wolf. You don't mind, do you?" He taunts, Cora's sharp fangs an inch from his face. The only thing stopping her from tearing him to shreds is the chains holding her hostage against the wall.

"Don't- touch- her." She hisses in between saliva flying off her canines and the sound of throaty growls clawing their way through her gritted teeth. Her honey eyes bleed blue, the alluring color both a curse and a blessing with a heavy, life-long consequence behind them.

He grabs her by the back of her neck and pulls on her hair, the sound of her roots ripping makes me cry out when she groans in pain. The feeling from before is all-compassing now, I feel like I'm high but adrenalized all the same. My bones suddenly seem too big for my body and my skin too tight, the room too loud and my mind too alert.

Bloody Face takes out a baton with a taser attached to the end and begins beating Cora with it, the lashes slapping her back with sickening licks. Blood goes flying, ricocheting off the walls like a grotesque painting. She moans in anguish, her sobs filling the once dinky, quiet room and the sounds of her bones breaking pounding against my head. And all I can do is sit and watch.

"She's dying" I whisper to myself in despair. "What am I suppose to do? I can't save her."

My head feels foggy and my body drowsy. My neck rocks to the side and I feel in and out of consciousness as a wave of deja vu washes over me. I feel a probing in my head like being prodded with needles and then everything clears and I hear his voice.

"Scream, Lydia."

Stiles.

"You heard me, Lydia. Scream. If you're going to save her, it has to be now. She doesn't have much time."

How are you here right now?

The voice chuckles, "I'm not really here, I'm in your head. Nice to know you think about me, Lyds." His voice drops to a serious note, "You have to do this."

I just don't know what to do. I can't stop crying. I'm so weak.

"Well I think you look really beautiful when you cry."

Misty tears cloud my vision and I swallow a hiccup. For the first time in a while, they aren't ones of sadness, but nostalgia.

Cora lays sprawled on the floor, unarmed and unguarded. She's not even fighting back anymore, but he continues to hit her.

"Open the door, Lydia." Meredith's voice leaks into the forefront of my mind. "Open the door, or she dies."

"I don't know how…" I whimper, exasperated. "I'm not strong, I can't control this."

The disembodied voice sounds loud against my ears, "Yes you do, Lydia. OPEN THE DOOR!"

Cora's fallen silent and he's going in for the kill.

Allison's voice rings through my ears, "We protect those who cannot protect themselves."

The buzzing in my veins pulls me into a whirlwind of power and for once I feel anchored. The bite pulses against my side but now I feel stronger. Smoother. More in control. I face Bloody face just as he's about to deliver a kick to her ribs. I can feel it in my stomach, then my toes, working it's way up and out to my extremities. My whole being vibrates with dominance as courage rumbles deep within my soul and crawls up my throat. The bite burns, but its the good kind of burn. The one that reminds me that I can overcome this.

I'm Lydia fucking Martin.

My ear-splitting scream shatters the quiet that had only been filled by the sounds of abuse.

All hell breaks loose.

Bloody Face flies back against the wall that feels like a cage. The sickening crunch of his back hitting the ground is music to my ears. Blood seeps from all his pores, his mouth, ears, and eyes. For the moment, he's paralyzed in pain, unable to stop me from doing what comes next. Over the past few hours I'd been playing with the ivory clasp that had fallen from my hair a long time ago. Kneading it into the slit of the lock, I'd finally loosened the clasp. The locks snap open and the rough chained hand cuffs clatter to the ground. I look over at Bloody Face with morbid satisfaction. Moving toe to toe, I bend down to his height with a salacious quirk of my lips, "I'm not your Little Bird anymore."

I take the ivory clip in my hand and stab into his orbital socket, effectively gauging his right eye with the surreal realization that I liked the destruction that I could possess. Blood splatters my face but I barely notice it, the sick satisfaction I feel thrumming through me making me draw back for the moment. My hand shakes unsteadily, the clip still daggered in his eye. I look over at Cora and my anger returns. I tell myself that I'm doing this to survive, but I know it runs much deeper than that. This is about control, about my agency. The one that has constantly been stripped from me. So whatever this mean streak is, I'll stow it away to the back of my mind for later. No time to dwell on it, not with Cora bleeding out on the floor. Right now is my revenge, my justice. Cora's justice. I may be a pretty face, but this pretty face can shatter skulls.

He yells out in haggard screams and I try to suppress my glee at hearing him beg for me to stop. I lean down until my breath tickles his ear, "That's for all the girls whose innocence you've taken away. For the girls you've killed. For the girls who didn't get to live." I mutter with venomous fervor. I twist the clip in his eye and his screams escalate, "That one's for me."

My body feels full-charged like a battery that's been refueled. I race over to Cora and wrestle her up off the ground trying to steer clear of her injuries, but it is kind of inevitable. Her body is a bruise, purples and blues covering her from head to toe.

With one last thought, I get her to stand and lean against the wall as I walk back over to Bloody Face and grab the iron he branded us with and stick it down his pants. His muffled screams from his mask work to my advantage making it all the more enjoyable to see him suffer as we had. Another sick wave of power rushes through me and I revel at his screams. He deserves it.

I move back over to Cora and wrap her arm around my shoulder and I support her weight with my body, practically dragged her barely conscious self out of the cell. One of her eyes is sealed shut, black forming around the edges. The other eye is weak and twitching to stay open. Her solemn face hits me all at once, "I underestimated you, Lydia. You know- before." She coughs out, hacking up blood and spitting it on the floor as we maneuver blindly though the corridor. Her head leans against my shoulder and she sighs a little as a little pressure is relieved from the right side of her body. A small smile slips between my closed lips though I'm not even sure how I managed it given the situation. I run my fingers through her dirty hair, "I never gave you a chance. That's on me; that's was my mistake. Fortunately, I'm a little less bitchy now."

She snorts out a laugh but it comes out more as a groan.

I don't hear any footsteps behind us so Bloody Face must still be back at the cell. Even with the small sense of victory, I don't let my guard down. Not here, I can't afford to let that happen. And with all the I have learned, I try to take on an element of each of my friends; Kira's vixen stealth, Allison's level head, Stiles' unnerving skeptism, Malia's ferocity, Liam's optimism, and Scott's strength.

Further down the hall, there's a door with faint light coming out from beneath it. A feminine voice reaches my ears, but not the same one as before. No one has came out after us, the door must be sound-proofed from the inside. I listen in deeper from the small crack in the door, hoping somehow it will reveal a way out of here. The tail end of the conversation leaves me with more questions than answers.

"They really think they can win with the piss-poor Alpha on their side?" Mystery woman chuckles lightly, "They've got quite the storm coming." She purrs with laughter.

I let the words sink in but not long enough to lag behind and wait for her to find us.

A hatch above us materializes as I get close enough to see it. It was hidden well, but I'm desperate and determined.

Cora still hangs limply at my side and I pray that her heavy breathing doesn't give us away. I hoist her up the best I can and she slithers through the tiny hole, reaching out her hand to help pull me up. My hand hits grass.

The first rays of sunlight blind me, my first breath feeling like a gulp of ice water sliding down my scratchy throat as I bend over my knees and let out a sigh of relief.

I chuckle somberly at our appearances, both looking like prostitutes in the tatters of fabric that hang off of us and smudged makeup.

"We made it." I cry, my hands digging into my scalp as my fingers rake through my hair. I can't believe this is real. All of it. The sun, the trees, the dirt, the air I'm breathing. I don't feel so claustrophobic in my skin anymore, the tingling feeling in my side subsiding.

Cora seems to be doing a little better, her wounds starting to slowly stitch themselves back together, "We made it out of Hell. But it's still a long trek back to Earth."

I grab her hand and try with every ounce of my being to feel fierce and sure of myself as I did before. She looks down at my hand and then back up at my face as I speak, "We survived. Letting the reality of every thing set in will have to wait until we get back."

Her hand squeezes mine back with the dauntlessness that I've missed about her, "It's time to go home."

It's a long stretch of road ahead of us and the sepia sunset as our only guide. We have no idea where we are or if there's anywhere to even go. We could be hours away from civilization, there's no way to tell. All there are is Cora and I; two lost girls wrapped inside a chrysalis.

SCOTT POV:

The jingle of the door alerts everyone of my presence when I enter the shop. I had decided to come in last minute even though I already worked this morning. Being around Malia is starting to take a toll on me and I don't know how much longer I can hold out. The secretary Mary sits at her usual post; a piece of cinnamon gum in her mouth and sporting electric blue eye shadow.

"You look nice today, Mary."

She scoffs playfully and rolls her eyes, "Fuck off McCall, you're ten minutes late. Get your cute little ass together and suit up. You have a 6:00 appointment." She bends over so that it's just between us, "And if you really want my opinion, she seems like a hussy. I'd stay away, looks like trouble and not the good kind." She gossips, pointing to a busty red head with her nose buried in a magazine.

My eyes widen at the irony of it all, it's Fiona. She hasn't noticed me yet.

Mary smacks on her gum and snorts, "So when do me and the rest of the boys get to meet this elusive Malia you're always talking about?" She asks nosily, grinning from ear to ear at my faint blush. I think getting a rise out of me was her sole purpose for asking. Mary and I have an antagonistic relationship, we like to press each other's buttons. It's all in good fun, but now's hitting a little too close for comfort.

I shrug off her comment, "I don't always talk about her." I snark back, biting my lip at the realization that I kind of do. I don't mean to, I just get lost in stories about her. We're roommates and all, it's natural that she comes up in conversation often…. right?

Mary blows a bubble in her gum, "I hope this isn't weird but the anticipation is killing me so I looked her up on facebook. She's hot. If you're not gonna hit that, I will."

I almost choke on my spit.

"Malia's not into girls." I lie, the words confidently falling off my lips. I'm not sure why I said it, just the thought of Malia with anyone that's not me makes me kind of defensive. And I know I shouldn't be because I have no claim on her, not that she is something to ever be claimed. But I'm protective of her. I like her, if that isn't already obvious to everyone by now.

Mary huffs, glaring at me with heavy-lidded eyes, "Pity."

I change into my black wife-beater and ink-splattered pants. I store away my sketch pad and pencils in my locker in the back before going towards the front. With my sleeveless top, my arms are on full display, the different, multi-colored tattoos standing out all over my body. I have the intricate snake tattoo that starts at my shoulder and crawls up my neck, the double-arm bands on my left arm, a few tribal markings scattered around, a triskallion on my back, and a few other colorful artworks spaced out across my russet skin.

I feel in my element here. Nowhere makes me feel more at home that the shop. The smells of ink and sanitizer is refreshing and welcome every time I step through the door. I turn the corner to greet Fiona but it seems like she's in a heated phone conversation.

"I can't deal with this shit right now. We'll talk about it tomorrow." She whispers quietly, ending the call with a look of apprehension. She notices me standing there and shoots out of her seat with a coy smile and a raise of her brow when she takes in my physique.

I swear if she could purr, she would.

I meet her half way and she pulls me into a hug. I hold her in my arms and wait for her to pull away with a shy grin. I motion to her phone, "Is everything okay with you?"

She rolls her eyes and clicks of her tongue, "Yeah, just my psycho ex who can't seem to take a hint. It's a curse and a blessing falling for a black man. But I'd make an exception for you." She draws out with a wink.

I clear my throat awkwardly and she picks up on my discomfort, "I still plan on taking you for a ride one of these days, McCall." She winks, pulling me along to the front desk. She stares at Mary who refuses to acknowledge her presence but probably had been listening in on our conversation. Fiona coughs to get her attention but Mary can be petty which I've come to see as a very endearing quality. Finally Fiona huffs and rings the bell until she raises her head from the worn copy of Catcher of the Rye she's submersed in. If looks could kill, Fiona would be a pile of ashes on the ground at my feet.

"I want McCall here to be my artist." She speaks loudly to get her point across.

Mary smiles sharply, "Sorry could you speak up a little, I don't think the deaf people in the back could quite hear you." She snarks, jotting something down on a piece of paper and blowing another bubble. She eyes the two of us before she meets Fiona again, "You know you don't have a chance with him, right? Maybe for one night, but after that, you're dunzo. He's got a thing for this brunette chick. Super hot, seems like she's frisky. He talks about her all the time, it's kind of annoying. Vomit-inducing, actually." She leans in with an air of protectiveness, "So this whole sex appeal thing you have going on isn't really working in your favor, babe."

Fiona glares back with a hint of challenge, "Are you this polite to all your customers?"

Mary answers with a saccharin smile, "I can sniff out a brown-noser when I see one." She shrugs casually, turning fully to face me. "Proceed at your own risk."

I lead Fiona to my station by the small of her back, turning around to crack a grin at Mary who puts her hands around her neck mimicking the universal choking sign. I fight to hold in a chuckle, but a few slip out anyways.

She takes a seat on the recliner and shows me a picture of what she wants. It's a simple rose and a stem.

"Where do you want this done?"

She raises her shirt and it seems she's gone braless. Her tight pink nipples salute me as the cold air of the shop hits them directly. She brazenly takes my hand and runs my thumb over the underside of her breast, "Right here." She coos, biting her lip in heat with bedroom eyes as she plays with my fingers and runs it over her nipple.

My breath hitches and my hungry eyes devour her. I've had a lot of stress and horniness built up for a while now with the growing tension between Malia and I. I try to fight it off most of the time with cold showers and trying to let my thoughts or eyes linger on her for too long, but it's kind of hopeless at this point.

It's been a long time since I've had sex, and I'm itching for a fix.

I roll her taunt nipple between my rough fingers and squeeze them testingly. She moans at the contact and thrusts her tit further into my hand as I massage her. My lips go to her throat and my other hand snakes down her toned stomach and to the waist band of her shorts. With her permission, my fingers thumb at the seam until I'm in her panties, my fingers already coated with her wetness that's pooled between her thighs as I play with her pussy lips. By her breathy moans and persistent tugging at my hair, I must be doing a good job. I rip her shorts in half and her panties in one fell swoop.

"God yes, Scott. Play with my pussy. Fuck yes." She sighs, squirming underneath my mensuration. I latch onto one of her tits that hang in front of my face. Catching it in my mouth, I lick her while twirling my tongue around the areola like tying a cherry stem. She pulls on my hair tighter, but her constant mewling is kind of a mood killer. My eyes are closed as I'm lost in the moment and guiltily enough, wishing it was Malia who I was with like this. Wishing it was her hands in my hair and her body I'm exploring. But she's not her. And that's just going to have to do for now.

"Do you like that?" I groan sexily, my heavy brown eyes falling on her as hers roll into the back of her head.

Her legs shake around my waist struggling to keep herself up, "I want to ride your face, Scott." She all but demands, her blue eyes almost begging.

"We really shouldn't be doing this." I mutter, anxiously looking around the shop to see if anyone has heard us. The last thing I need is to get caught fucking on the job. I'm going to have to sanitize my whole station when I'm done.

She grabs me by my chin and pulls me into a heated kiss but it feels all wrong. She pulls away when I don't respond to the kiss, "You're not giving up on me yet, are you McCall? I'm not quitter and I hate not finishing."

My fatal flaw rears it's ugly head as cockiness fills me up. I take myself out from my boxers and line myself up with her, not even giving her a moment to catch her breath. In one stroke, I'm deep inside her, filling her up to the hilt and her eyes swim with euphoria. "Oh fuck." She moans quietly, her mouth open in a silent scream. "God you're so thick." She mumbles and the comment fills me with pride.

I pump into her hard and fast, nothing sweet or slow about it. She seems to like the slapping of our skin against each others and she spurs me on by raking her nails down my chest, "Keep this up and I might even hit you up again for another booty call." She says in a musical voice, groaning when I go deeper and hit her G-spot.

"Holy-" She shudders, "I'm-I'm gonna cum…" She sighs, letting go and I let her. Her body falls limp against my chest and I continue to slam into her until I reach the peak of my climax just as I'm about to fall apart. I pull out and cum on a napkin on the desk, letting out raspy groans as the pleasurable pulsations shoot all across my body.

We're both panting until we've calmed down and she smirks at me, "You've got a lot of skill for a freshman." She praises, her eyes roaming over me like she's waiting for a round two.

I chuckle at her enthusiasm and sit back in my chair, "Now about that tattoo…"

MALIA POV:

Everyone meets back at Stiles' room a couple hours after Scott came home from work. He reeked of sex and regret, something everyone seems to try to ignore, but not me. I'm not letting him off that easy. But there's more important things at stake right now like Lydia's safety. I'm not going to let Scott's random sexscapade make me lose my temper. At least for now while we're in front of the others.

He walks by me and tries to touch me but I back away, "I don't know where those fingers have been. Or whom they've been in." I mutter haughtily, trying to get as far away from him as possible. He left me wet and bothered with a weak ass apology that couldn't even look me in the eye for and then has the audacity to show up here smelling like like. Like another girl. Not that I'm mad. He's not mine to be mad about. It's just rude, you know? I'm definitely not jealous.

Okay fine, I'm so jealous. But hurt mostly outweighs the jealousy.

"Malia-"

I cut him off with a glare and hold my hand up to stop him, "We are so not having this conversation right now. All of our shit is getting put on the back burner until later. You don't get my attention right now." I whisper heatedly so that's it's just between us although I'm pretty sure everyone has heard us anyways. There's really no secrets here with as big of a pack that Scott has. There's always going to be someone peering over your shoulder or unwillingly listening in on your conversations.

His solemn expression almost breaks me but I stand my ground. Moving to the opposite side of the room, I loop my arm through Theo's and squeeze in between him and Liam. I smirk Liam's way, "Sorry pup." I chuckle when his eyes go wide. He puts his hands up in defense which makes me laugh even more, so I pull him into my side with my other arm where he stands with a small smile.

Allison, Isaac, and Stiles try to detain their chuckles but it's futile. Scott pouts in the corner feeling sorry for himself and Kira looks at her nails disinterested.

After we all settle down, Stiles begins conducting business.

His flannel falls in a loose disarray around his shoulders, but like the rest of him. He doesn't look like he's eaten much, let alone showered. His brown eyes shift across his board in a calculated frenzy as he bites the eraser of his pencil. If you look close enough you can see the slight tick in his jaw and the microscopic quiver of his left hand.

Kira seems to pick up on his distress and whispers something in his ear before intercepting the shaking of his hands by taking it between her palms. Using her pinky finger, she zaps him with a tiny electric bolt and he jumps off the floor.

"What the hell, Kira?" He groans, waving his hand around while flexing and extending the fingers test out their motion. Physiologically he's fine, just a little spooked.

She smirks, "You need to get your head in the game and you can't do that when you're fidgeting around like you just took a bar of xanax. Take a minute if you need to; calm down, grasp your bearing, and pull yourself together Stilinski because every second we waste is a second Lydia could be dead."

Allison steps up to his defense, "You don't have to be so harsh about it, Kira. We're all hurting and we all miss her, not just you. She's my friend, too."

Kira peers over at her and then dramatically shifts her eyes over to me, "I think you've found a new one." She remarks sharply with a bit of bite and Allison is taken back. As am I.

What's been going on with her lately? I know we haven't really talked in a while and that blame falls more on my part than anything, but that doesn't give Kira the right to come at people like that.

"Kira what is all of this about?" I ask, almost reluctant to hear what she has to say. A fight right now of all times is the last thing we need.

Kira stares me down hard, "I just think you've had your priorities all out of whack." She whispers but the words feel heavy like lead against my ears. Theo pulls me a little closer, whether for comfort or to detain me before I do or say something I'll regret, I'm not sure.

"Would you like to elaborate or are we just going to talk in riddles?" I sigh tiredly. I don't need this. Not right now. Not after everything with Scott. And definitely not with Lydia missing. Their pack is hurting and they don't deserve to have to witness our problems on top of that. Problems that I didn't really know had come to a head. I guess I've been a little less observant lately.

She stifles an eye roll and crosses her arms over her chest, "If you really don't know what I'm talking about than that speaks for itself." She deadpans, moving her eyes to Scott and back to me. Her eyes shift to everyone in the circle of people and than back to me. "I feel like I don't even know who you are anymore, Malia."

I choke on my surprise, her confession feeling like a slap to the face. My eyes bleed into hers, "I'm trying, okay? You know how things have been lately with everything happening all at once. Lets just get Lydia and we can deal with whatever this is later." I try to convince her, motioning between the two of us.

She shakes her head and her voice comes out clipped, "Same old Malia, always trying to take the easy way out. Trying to avoid the problem until it goes away. I don't know why I expected anything different." Her voice strains on the next words, "You've had your head up Scott's ass since you met him. As much as you want to say that you only stayed with him because of the supernatural element of your relationship, we all know that's bullshit but no one else is going to call you out on that so it looks like I'm going to have to be the bad guy as usual. You chose to stay with him. I mean, just say you're fucking and go." She says, her lips falling in a thin line. "The Malia I knew wouldn't let a guy mess her up this bad. You're following him and everyone around like you're a member of this pack. Forgiving things you wouldn't usually forgive. Milking the whole tough girl act like you don't need anyone." She adds, her eyes turning glassy.

Now I know what this is about. The comment I made the night Emery was killed. The rest of this is just background noise, but the root of the problem lies there.

"I shouldn't of said what I said." I begin, fighting to reign in my frustration, "But if it bothered you so much you should of said something instead of letting it fester into this." I say, referring to the space between us. Don't bring Scott into this, this isn't about him. It's about you and I." I pause to compose myself, "Forgiveness isn't a crime, you know. You can't hold all that anger bottled in you, Kira. It's going to slowly eat away at you and I'm trying to be better."

She scoffs, "You're not that evolved, Malia. Just admit it, you love this new pack so much and you want to join them. I bet Scott hasn't asked but I'm sure if he did you'd say yes." She surmises with a cold glare, "And where does that leave Theo and I?"

Everyone is silent as the room airs out from the particular iciness of the situation.

Scott chooses this moment to intervene, "I'm not trying to take Malia away from you two, none of us are. We all kind of just fell into these friendships. None of us really know what we're doing." He starts calmly, "But I'll fall back a little if that's what it takes to fix this."

I growl at him, "Don't speak for me, Scott. That's not a solution. I may be irritated with you at the moment, but that doesn't mean I don't want to be around you." I get out in one breath turning back to Kira, "I don't know where this is all stemming from but let me know when you figure it out. Time's ticking and Lydia needs us more than the attention this argument is getting." I look into the eyes of my best friend with a sense of hope, "We'll fix this. We will." I get out with thickness clogging up my throat.

Ignoring everyone's stares I move over to Stiles, "What's the plan?"

Stiles gives me a grateful look and turns to his detective board, "Ally met up with Danny. He was able to track Lydia's phone to this deserted highway down the back roads. It seems like the reception he picked up is about an hour out. I called all the surrounding police stations with my dad's help and they said they'd let him know if they saw anything suspicious."

Kira interrupts, "We're going to track down that location and follow her scent to wherever it leads. She's been gone a little more than 24 hours but her scent should still be there. If the killers were smart, they would of driven in a bunch of directions to throw us off. If that's the case, we'll split up and follow each trail. The police officer Stiles called checked out the area and noticed some skid marks farther out in the ghost town you go through to get to the location her phone was detected. He said not many people come through that area, it's very rare because most people don't know the back way. Stiles and I think that may be a lead."

I listen with open ears, taking a minute to digest everything they'd said. I nod and look around the room, "Than lets split up into cars and get going. There isn't much light left and we don't need to lose anyone else right underneath out noses. Besides, the sound of this town kind of gives me the creeps."

Theo snorts and jiggles his jeys, "Liam's with me."

The room erupts in chuckles. Liam's ears are tinged pink from embarrassment.

"Malia, you and me." Scott addresses me, giving me a choice, but in the end I knew it wasn't really a choice. We needed to talk, that much was obvious. I just don't know if I'm up for it right now. I need to be focused.

I take a hold of Allison, "She's coming with us."

"Lia, please." He urges, his soft brown eyes conveying so many different emotions. My heart spikes at his silent question.

I sigh, "Am I going to regret this?"

A dimpled grin peeks over his lips, "Probably."

A treacherous smile tickles at my cheeks. Scott just has that affect on me. I could be mad at him and then a few minutes later he has me grinning like a loon. But that doesn't erase our problems, I have jealousy issues and he's a control freak. We're a match made in Hell.

Theo makes his way over with Liam in tow. "You guys can ride with us, it's best if we take as little amount of cars as possible so nothing seems suspicious if any of the people who took Lydia are patrolling the area."

Allison nudges me, "I think I'm going to ride with Isaac. I'm going to give him road head." She beams brightly, her dimples flashing cutely with mischief.

I bust out laughing when Isaac's eyes bulge out and his face breaks into a huge grin. I guess she forgot that he's a werewolf and can hear everything she's saying.

Isaac smirks from across the room as a mortified Allison slaps her forehead at her mistake. "What did you say, Ally?" He chuckles endearing, his fondness for the hunter evident in his ocean blue eyes.

"She said she's going to give you road head!" I shout across the room and Allison glares at me and pinches my nipple.

"Damn bitch." I groan from the pain but also slight pleasure, "If you want to get freaky like that, all you had to do was ask. I got my nipple clamps back in my room."

Scott and Stiles' jaws drop to the floor.

Stiles pops his head in between us, "Can I watch?"

I roll my eyes and slap him upside the head.

He grunts out a rebuttal, "A simple no would of sufficed, Werecoyote."

Scott throws his arm around my shoulder, "Those are only for me." He murmurs huskily.

"Says who?" I insert sassily.

He smirks, running his hand down the length of my back and smacking my ass, "Says me." He whispers hotly in my ear with a heavy look, the back of his fingers grazing my forearm.

"You play dirty, McCall." I bite back a moan. They last thing I need is eye sex with Scott in front of everyone. Or real sex. Actually that sounds good as fuck. Damn, I'm so thirsty. I really need some dick. I've been deprived long enough.

He chuckles sexily, "It's the only way I know how."

We split off and make our way to the parking lot; Theo, Liam, Scott, and I in one car and Allison, Stiles, Isaac, and Kira in the other. Scott opens the door for me and I bite back a grin. Scott's always been kind and well-mannered, but I know he's really trying to show me that he cares, maybe more than he wants to. I get where he's coming from, but I don't have the pride to wait for him. My inner-feminist dies at the thought of feeling so emotionally weak around him. But it is what it is and I can't help what I feel. I have no doubt that he wants me just as much as I want him. But in what capacity, I'm still stumped.

Liam and Theo banter in the front seat, Liam playfully punching Theo's arm and Theo jabbing back at him. I chuckle at their antics and scream over the music, "Why don't you guys just make out?" I improvise and they stop to look at me. Theo wears a shit-eating grin and Liam looks nervous.

I smooth it over to make him feel better, "There's nothing wrong with kissing boys, Liam. Trust me, men have their downfalls but kissing isn't one of them." I smirk, shifting my eyes to Theo, "Besides, Theo's not bad at it."

Scott's eyes clip over to mine, "And how the hell do you know that?"

I shrug, "We made out once when we were both drunk."

Scott's dark brown eye penetrate my skull but I don't give him the validation he wants. I sit back in my seat and stare out the window, the stormy greys and pinks of the sky swimming together like a watercolor painting.

Scott's hand inches towards mine until our pinkies touch but he doesn't make a move to take it. I look over to meet his eyes and then shift them down to our hands. There's nothing more intimate than the connection made by the almost-touch. His gaze shows uncertainty and hope, two things that should be rectified. I glide my hand over the top of his and intertwine our fingers, the warmth of his skin bleeding into mine. A small smile grows from the corner of his mouth but he doesn't say anything. Theo and Liam peek at us through the rear view mirror with subtle smiles as they break eye contact with me and grin at each other.

I snort at their level of discreetness or lack there of and lean my head against Scott's shoulder. The vibrations of his heart against my cheek give me comfort and I snuggle further into him. His hand graze my side and squeezes my hip, running small circles there with his thumb.

I'm so scared. Not just of this moment and how easy and simple it is, but how every moment with him makes me feel. With him, it's all so effortless. We may argue too much and be problematic in our own way, but I'm telling myself now that it will be worth it because he's the closest thing to home I've ever felt.

He kisses the crown of my head and pulls me closer. His lips fall a centimeter from my ear, "I'm sorry about earlier."

"I know."

CORA POV:

Lydia tugs me along for a while until I regain my strength. I have to admit, the strawberry blonde took me by surprise. For a long time, all I saw her as was a girl who was the smartest one in the room and knew it. That's partly why she used to irritate me so much. I saw the way Stiles used to look at her sometimes and I never really understood it, never really saw what was so remarkable about the girl besides her pretty face. But now I see it, Lydia wouldn't run and hide. She could of left me there but she didn't. That's something I don't take lightly.

We've been walking for a while now and the sharp California sun is starting to weigh on her, I can tell.

We stop for the moment under the first tree we've seen in miles. We'd found a box of abandoned clothes on the side of the road a few miles back. They were a bit grimy and itchy, but it did it's job of covering us up a bit. We sit for minutes but inevitably get up to keeping moving. They others probably know that we've escaped and could be on out tail. Further ahead, I see what looks like a holographic glitch in the air. Something seems so fabricated about it, catching the glint from the sun as it shines upon it from the angle I'm standing. It's a force field.

I stop, "Lydia wait. There's some kind of invisible wall ahead of us. You probably can't see it but I can see the edges of it. Let me go first, I'll heal. You won't."

Her nails bite into my arm, "Whatever we do, we do together. All or nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

We move closer. The closer we get, the more the pulsations of the force field stands out. We stand stark still when the chilling realization of what we see staring back at us. It's us. The force acts as a double-edged mirror, but the us that peers back makes me do a double take.

Lydia looks back at herself, but she looks slightly different on the other side. Harder. Bolder. More weary. The lines underneath her eyes and the hollowness of her cheek show that life hasn't been easy for her. She's seen things, done things, experienced things that may not be a far cry from what Lydia and I have just gone through. Her hair is a slightly darker red, more of a ripe plum color. Her eyebrows are darker, more defined. Her eyes a lighter shade of green.

My reflection makes my skin crawl. Before me is the same girl with an olive complexion, deep-set brown eyes, and the same splatter of freckles. She seems lighter, happier even. I don't know what that means, but I wish I did.

Lydia reaches out to touch it but my hand comes up to stop her, my strong grip squeezing her wrist before her fingers can touch it. She looks at me in contemplation and her other hand grabs mine, "Anywhere is better than here." Is all she says, looking behind us to an empty landscape that could be infiltrated with Bloody Face any second now.

"What if we get into something bad that we can't get our way out of?"

"The pack will find us. I trust them. Now trust me."

I sigh and nod, the two of us reaching forward into the force field. When we touch it, it pulsates against our hands. There's a moment of unsettling stillness. Like quicksilver, a bright portal opens up and we're sucked inside. White, flashing lights glare against my eyes and I squeeze them shut to shield them. I still feel Lydia's hand in mine. At least I hadn't lost her in the momentum of the suction.

We come falling out of a black hole type orb in the sky and fall flat on our asses just outside a sign that reads Welcome to Martinville: James Brian College in 4 miles.

"Where the fuck are we?" I gasp, looking around at the surrounding area with distrust.

Lydia mimics my expression, "We're fucked."

Author's Note: OK guys so updates will be sporadic because of my hectic school schedule. Trying real hard for you guys so please leave reviews to pass the time in between updates! TheFlashFics94 and I are doing a cross over chapter or two with our fics so be aware! You may have to read a bit of hers to understand what's going on but this is the beginning of it. Lydia and Cora are now in her story's universe! Her fics connected to this are Whenever You're Ready and Till Forever Runs Out. Enjoy the ride! ALSO I am still stuck between these pairings going forward, (Kydia/Stydia/Stora/Cira) So I'd like some opinions going further as the relationships develop. If you don't tell me what you like you can't be upset if I don't go with the pairing you prefer. I'll take that into consideration and where I want the story to go and evolve. Thanks in advance!