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

Chapter 10: Episode 3x22

"You wanna handcuff me?"

Nixie glances at Alison from their side of the door to Derek's loft. Chris and Derek were on the left. She and Alison were on the right.

And Nixie was still not happy with this plan. Staying back while they all eventually moved forward, until Alison told her to come in… it didn't sit right with her.

But Alison wanted to prove that Stiles was still in there. And since Nixie couldn't think of any other way to try and do it… she couldn't argue. The plan was good… Nixie just wasn't entirely fond of the part she had to play in it.

Alison gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze in response to the look, and they go back to listening as Noah answers Stiles' question, "If my son is still here, if there's still a part of him standing here in front of me, then he'll put these on willingly, and he'll come with me. Because he knows, that I'm here to protect him. From himself and from others."

Nixie closes her eyes and focuses her hearing, listening for the sound of the clanking cuffs. But even as she hears Noah cuff Stiles… she knows it's not him. His voice, as he'd asked about the handcuffs, didn't sound right. And as Alison looks over at Nixie to see what she thinks, Nixie shakes her head and mouths the word, "No."

Then they hear Noah say, "You're not my son." Alison squeezes Nixie's shoulder again, and then stands up and walks in with Chris and Derek.

From then on, Nixie keeps her eyes closed and listens. Alison uses the stun gun, but Nixie also hears it clatter to the ground a few seconds later. Derek growls and, from the sound of it, tries to rush Stiles. But his cry of pain after proves that the Nogitsune is stronger than even most werewolves.

Then Nixie hears the hammer of a pistol cock, and she grits her teeth in aggravation. She hadn't wanted to believe that Chris would actually threaten to use the pistol on Stiles… but here he was, apparently pointing it at her boy.

But Nixie wasn't worried. Pissed, for sure, but not worried. She'd done her part. She'd distracted Chris long enough before they got here, so that Alison had time to remove the firing pin from the pistol. He could pull the trigger all he wanted, but the gun wouldn't shoot.

Noah, on the other hand, doesn't know that as he says, "Argent, listen to me. Don't do this." Chris' reply is, "Why not? I've done it before. Werewolves, berserkers. I can easily add a Nogitsune to the list."

Then another pistol cocks, and now Nixie is worried. Removing the firing pin from Chris' gun had been an obvious decision to make. But… maybe they should've told Noah that. Because now Noah was pointing his gun at Chris. Glaring at the hunter, Noah says, "You're not going to shoot my son." But Chris says, "You said it yourself, sheriff. That's not your son." "Argent, put it down."

Amidst that argument, Nixie hears Stiles voice say, "Dad, he's going to shoot me."

Then she hears Derek whisper, "Nixie. If you can hear me, tell me if it's Stiles." And as much as she wishes it was, Nixie whispers back, "No."

Derek, from behind the Nogitsune, shakes his head at Alison, who had been silently asking him with her eyes if it was Stiles before them now.

As the argument between Argent and Noah continues, Alison figures it out. The strife that was being caused within the room… it was what a Nogitsune fed off of. It was what he wanted. Shouting to the others, she says, "Stop. Stop it! This is exactly what he wants."

And then the Nogitsune says, "Not exactly. I was kind of hoping Scott would be here."

As he smirks at the entire room, he turns back to Alison when she asks, "Not Nixie?" Glaring at her slightly, he then grins and says, "I'm sorry. Who?" "You know who she is? If you know the rest of us, then you most certainly know who she is." "Ah, you mean your little… what was it that rambled around in his brain… the little compact-ninja?"

Chuckling, he says, "She has no sway over me." Alison nods and says, "Maybe not you. But over Stiles…"

As the Nogitsune frowns, Alison says, "Now!"

Nixie rounds the corner immediately, having already risen to her feet. As she walks down the steps and up to the others, casting a brief glare at Chris, she faces the Nogitsune and says sternly, "Stiles, wake the hell up."

At first, the Nogitsune grins. And he's about to speak… to mock them for their weak efforts at reaching the boy trapped within.

And then his body contorts. The veins in his neck become more defined from the strain he's suddenly in. His head twitches and jerks, as though someone were pulling at him or like he were trying to work out a severely bad kink.

His eyes lightened a little, his white skin went back to the normal pale tone it usually carried. And as his eyes met hers, Nixie felt her heart stop for a second. Tears rimmed at the bottom of his eyes, he says desperately, "Nixie?"

And Chris lowers his gun slightly in amazement, watching with the rest of the room in awe, as Nixie gasps and says, "Stiles!" He offers her a brief smile of relief, but then it vanishes and he screams, "Run! Get out! Now! Ru…." His body jerks and contorts again in the same fashion, and as his eyes darken and body pales again, Nixie steps back.

Chuckling harshly, the Nogitsune looks up at her and says, "Oh… now I admit. That was rather clever. Very good." Fingers fluttering over his own temple, he says, "He's still screaming you know. 'Run. Run.' That's what he's saying." Laughing again, he adds, "But we know you won't. He matters too much to you. And, as I feel the need to point out… the sun is going down."

Nixie glances up with the others as the shadows begin falling into the loft. The sun was gone. The night had fallen.

Grinning, the Nogitsune says, "So, I'm glad you all have your guns out. Because you're not here to kill me." He steps up closer, eyes glaring down at Nixie even while he smiles. Then he nods towards the windows and says, "You're here to protect me."

And then the Oni appear. Sighing, Nixie slips her daggers into her hands. Twirling them, she glares at the Nogitsune as he steps behind her for cover. "I will get my boy back." He smirks and says, "I don't think so." "Yeah, well, that shows how stupid you are."

Alison and Derek move to the back to guard against the other two Oni, and then the fight is on. Bullets fly, daggers slice, swords swing fiercely through the air, and Derek can be heard tearing into one of the ones behind Nixie.

The one that had been about to run Noah through, finds his path suddenly blocked by Nixie. He pauses upon her arrival, as though remembering her. He tilts his head, but Nixie twirls her daggers and says, "Come on!"

And then she fights him for a while, until the Oni suddenly just quit. Nixie isn't sure why. At the moment they stopped, Stiles had still been there. But they stopped, regardless. They just, up and disappeared, right back into darkness. The one who had been fighting Nixie sheaths his sword, and then bows his head slightly, before vanishing into the shadows.

Nixie doesn't know what to make of it, but she also doesn't care. Glancing around at everyone, she then notices that Stiles is gone too. Gritting her teeth, she asks, "Where the hell did he go?"

No one knows, and Nixie can't focus on figuring it out right now. Derek was hit during the fight. A deep slash at the back of his left shoulder. The bleeding has stopped, but he's still going to need time to completely heal from that.

And then, Scott and Kira arrive. They jump back when Noah immediately lifts his gun, prepared for more Oni. But upon seeing them, he lowers it and sighs. Scott then asks, "What happened?"

Alison takes in a tired breath and says, "They disappeared. They literally just vanished."

And Noah adds, "And so did Stiles."

Noah then glances at Nixie, and then says, "On a… slightly positive note. Alison proved Stiles was still in there." Scott snaps his attention to her and asks, "How?" But Alison shakes her head and says, "It was Nixie. It… Noah's idea that the Nogitsune was trying to take away Stiles' hope. It… eventually got me thinking. Who was the one person who, no matter what, always gives us hope?"

She gestures to Nixie in answer, who has bent down closer to Derek to check on him. Glancing up at Scott, she says, "It was Alison's plan. I just did what I was told." Alison grins and says, "And it worked. He's still in there." Nixie nods, and then glances at Chris angrily, before turning her attention back to Derek.

Chris sighs and says, "Nixie, I…" "Argent." He pauses upon hearing the use of his last name, and as she turns to him, giving him her full attention, he leans back from the glare in her eyes. Through her teeth, she says, "If you hurt my boy… I. Will. Hurt. You. And I mean, in ways that would make your father's skin crawl."

Then she turns back to Derek. Sighing, she says, "We should clean it out. Do you have anything?" "In the bathroom." "Don't move."

When she comes back, she takes care of his wound while Alison fills Scott and Kira in on what happened. Then Scott informs them, "Noshiko says the katana that was broken is Kira's now. Only a thunder kitsune can put it back together, using a bolt of lightning. But… there's a piece missing."

Frowning, Alison asks, "A piece missing? How is that possible? Noshiko… she doesn't seem like the kind of woman that would leave something so sacred behind." Scott nods and says, "She isn't."

Silence envelops the room, and then Derek gently touches one of Nixie's hands on his shoulder. Looking up at him, she then ducks her head when he says, "Scott's looking at you. I think you know what he's asking."

She sighs, and then comes out from behind Derek. Shrugging, she asks, "The sword is Kira's?" Scott nods, and then Nixie looks to Kira and asks, "And you're on our side?" Kira nods, coming forward towards her. Putting her hands on Nixie's shoulders, she says, "I will always be on your side. Because from what I can see… it's definitely the side worth being on."

Nixie takes a moment to look her over, as though ensuring that she's positive Kira is telling the truth. Then she smiles gently, and from a small pocket on top of her left sleeve, she pulls out the missing piece of the sword. She'd swiped it while telling them that she could put it back together for them. Handing it back to Kira, Nixie says, "I don't trust your mother, or you dad right now. But you… you I trust." "Thank you. Can you…" "Break out the pieces and give me five minutes."

The set the broken katana on Derek's table in the loft, and then begin assembling it. And true to her word, Nixie finishes it in record time. Then Kira holds her hand out over it, and her power as a thunder kitsune shocks all of the sharp metal pieces into alignment, fusing them together.

It is a beautiful sword. Nixie will give it that. But she'll take her daggers over it any day. Being a more up close and personal fighter… it's just who she was.

After that, with no other way to track down Stiles at this moment, everyone agrees that it's best to head home. Nixie is on her bike, preparing to head out, when Scott comes up to her side. Removing her helmet, she asks, "What's up?" "I… need a favor." "Scott, you can ask me for anything. And if it is within the grips of my abilities to provide it, then I will. What's up?"

He motions for Kira to join him, and then says, "Kira… doesn't want to stay home yet. But she does, at the very least, need to make her parents think that she's not staying with me. So… do you think…" Nixie looks to Kira and asks, "How are we playing this? I get that we'll need to swing by your house to show that you're with me instead of Scott. But what are we saying is the reason you're going back to see them at all?"

Kira smiles in relief, and then says, "My mom has been worried this whole time that Scott's been wrong. About you having the missing piece of the katana. So, we'll stop by, just so I can show them that I put it back together. Then we'll leave." "Sounds good. Hop on." To Scott, she says, "I'll bring her to you as soon as we're done."

Noshiko opens the front door and sighs in relief when she sees Kira. Then Kira pulls out the sword to show it's all fixed.

As she turns to leave, Noshiko says, "Kira, you can't be out this late. You still have…" Nixie steps out from the shadow beside the front door and says, "She's coming with me. We're having an impromptu sleepover." Ken moves to join his wife and says, "Listen, we need…"

Nixie looks to Kira and says, "Head back to the bike."

When Kira listens without hesitation, both her parents stare after her for a moment in surprise. Then Noshiko turns to Nixie and says, "You do not understand the force you are dealing with. You can't…" Nixie shrugs and says, "I know that we could've had a better understanding of it a long time ago, if you'd just explained it to us from the beginning. I know that my boy, Stiles, is still in there. We proved it earlier tonight. Whether you actually believe that, is of little consequence to me. I know it. That's all that matters."

Nixie glances back towards Kira, and then says to them, "And I know that your daughter, because you've kept so many secrets from her, doesn't trust you anymore. She doesn't even feel like she knows you people." Glaring, Nixie adds to Ken, "And frankly, I'm not sure why I ever felt like I could trust you in the first place."

As she turns to leave, Noshiko asks, "Just my husband? Not me?" Turning back, Nixie says, "You know… I was always on the fence with you. And it was so confusing to me. Usually there's a clear divide. I either like you, or I don't. But you were Kira's mom, and I usually like the parents of the people that I call mine. And for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why I wasn't sure of that when I was around you."

Looking Noshiko up and down, Nixie says, "Now I do. You're an ancient supernatural creature, stuck in your own ways, and therefore doomed to repeat past mistakes. On top of that, you are trying to kill my boy, regardless of all the good he's done, and what he means to everyone else around you."

Nixie comes back up to them, her piercing eyes making a chill go through the nine-hundred-year-old kitsune's spine. Then Nixie says, "We are a new generation. And we are not doomed to repeat your failures. I will get my boy back. And you will stay out of my way. And so help me, if you kill my boy, then I don't care how powerful, how ancient, or how talented you think you are. I will make you suffer. Hell will be a merciful place to go, when I am through with you."

Then she backs up a step and says, "Kira will come back when she's ready to hear anything you have to say. Until then, she'll be with me, where she knows she can trust somebody."

On the bike, Kira asks, "How'd it go?" "Well, at the very least, I bought you a couple of nights of freedom." "Thanks." "Sure thing."

At Scott's house, when Nixie doesn't get off, Kira asks, "Do you want to come up too? Scott said you might stay here tonight." "Any other night, I might. But I think Malia is still at my place, and I don't want to leave her there alone all night." And as if on cue, Nixie's phone goes off, and it's Malia asking in a text, "Are you coming back tonight?" Nixie sends back a quick reply, and then says to Kira, "Keep an eye on Scott, will you? I know he's the alpha, and he's brave and tough. But he's worried too, just like the rest of us." "I'll keep an eye on him." "Good."

Falling asleep that night, even with Malia curled around her again, was still rather difficult. Nixie knows Stiles is still in there, and somehow, he can be saved. It's just a matter of how.

And more importantly, a matter of when. Stiles was in there, and he was fighting. But eventually… well, there's only so much the human mind can take. Eventually, it gives out. Stiles was a fighter, and his mind was unlike any other.

But Nixie's not naive. She knows they're running out of time.

The next day, when Lydia calls her, Nixie's just finished cooking breakfast for Malia. Putting the phone on speaker, she asks, "Yeah?" "I found him!"

Nixie dashes into her room while shouting, "Where is he?!" Malia stops eating her sausage so she can hold the phone and carry it to the room with Nixie. And Nixie scrambles into her clothes while Lydia says, "He was just… lying on the ground in an abandoned parking lot. And his gut is split open. He… he looks almost dead." "But he's not?" "No. I mean… no, not yet. What… what do I…"

Nixie ponders it for a moment, and then says, "Take him to Scott's. Call Scott to let him know you're coming. I'll call Deaton. Is Aiden with you?" "Yeah." Aiden leans closer to listen, and then nods when Nixie says, "Good. Let Aiden drive. He's faster than you. And Lydia… hurry." "We're on it."

Malia watches as Nixie slips on her boots and then grabs her jacket. Heading for the door, she pauses, and then hurries back into the kitchen. She cuts off the stove, and then turns to Malia and says, "Okay, if I'm not back any time soon, my computer is in the bedroom. Lydia's Netflix account is already hooked up, so you can watch whatever you want. If you get hungry, there are microwavable meals in the freezer. All of them say open and heat for about four minutes. Just hit the four, and you'll be fine."

Malia nods, and then asks, "Is he… gonna be okay?" Nixie pauses at the door again, and then says, "He will."

And as she hops onto her bike, she mutters to herself, "He better be."

As they carry Stiles inside and set him on the couch, Melissa says, "Guys, this is crazy. He needs to be in a hospital." Scott just turns to her and says, "Mom, remember what happened last time he went to the hospital?" Nixie nods in agreement and says, "Blood. Carnage. All very bad things. Best to keep him here."

Melissa rolls her eyes, and then looks to Deaton with the rest as he says, "It doesn't look like he's bleeding. In fact… I think he might even be healing." Aiden glances around and asks, "You mean healing like we heal?" Scott sighs and says, "That's good. Right?"

But before Deaton can even respond, he just nods in agreement when Nixie says, "It means he's becoming more fox and less Stiles. Stiles is human. He can't heal. A fox can. If he's healing, he's becoming more Nogitsune than Stiles." Deaton then looks at her and asks, "You saw Stiles last night? Just the other night?" "Yes. For a moment." Nodding, Deaton says, "Then there may still be time." "For what?"

To her again, he says gently, "To save your boy."

Though Aiden then suggests, "Okay, but since he's probably not there, can't we just…"

The hard slap to the back of his head draws him up short, and he spins to look at Nixie. "Um… owe." She just glares at him, and then says, "Suggest killing him, even once more, and I will chop you up, put the pieces on a grill, and make up werewolf kabobs for everyone to eat."

He nods, but then says, "Okay, but if we aren't going to kill him, then why aren't we at least tying him down with really big chains?" Deaton pats his briefcase and says, "I might have something more effective." Pulling out a vile of clear liquid, Deaton nods for the boys to hold Stiles down and his mouth open.

Nixie watches the liquid slide down Stiles' throat… right before his eyes shoot open. Grinning evilly, he wraps his hand around Aiden's throat, laughing in the process. Scott grips him to try and pull him off, and Nixie shoves her way in between the two to help. Finally breaking his hold on Aiden, Nixie then winces when the Nogitsune reaches for her throat.

But as he prepares to squeeze, his hand freezes. Deaton looks at him in confusion. The rest of his body was still working at the moment, so the venom hadn't taken affect yet. And still… he wasn't choking Nixie. Grinning and chuckling, the Nogitsune says, "I'll give him this… the boy certainly does care an awful lot about this one."

Then he reaches out for Scott instead, but that's when his hand trembles with the effort to use it. As it drops back onto the couch, completely useless, he glares at Deaton and says, "Kanima venom. Nice touch."

Aiden roars in anger and prepares to advance on him, but then the Nogitsune turns his head towards him and says, "You know how they say that twins get a feeling, when the other one's in pain? You didn't lose that talent, too, did you?" As everyone looks at him worriedly, Nogitsune says, "Oh, I hope not. You're gonna need it."

Aiden and Scott look at each other, but Nixie just stares straight at the Nogitsune. And as it currently wasn't Stiles she was looking at, her piercing eyes do give him a moment of pause. Tilting his head, he smirks and says, "You are quite a remarkable creature. I may, when all is said and done, spare you to stay by my side in this world, as my carnage wreaks through it." Gritting her teeth, Nixie says, "I would not stay with you." Chuckling, he says, "I can be quite persuasive." "Not to me."

He grins, and then looks over at Aiden, who still hasn't figured out what he needs to do. Sighing, he says, "Okay, I'll give a little hint. Ethan's at the school." Aiden turns to Scott again, who tells him, "Go."

As he's racing out the door, Nogitsune laughs and says, "Oh, I hope he gets there in time. I like the twins. Short tempers. Homicidal compulsions. They're a lot more fun than you Bakemono trying to save the world every day." Scott looks at him in confusion, but then turns to Nixie in surprise when she translates, "Monster."

The Nogitsune actually looks impressed and he grins while saying, "Oh… someone's been doing their research." Nixie glares again and says, "Yeah, I've been pulling double duty since Stiles isn't here to help." Then she looks back to Scott and says, "And the fact that he likes the twins is further proof that Stiles is slipping further away. We need to do something. Today."

Scott nods in agreement, but they look back to Nogitsune when he laughs. Smirking at them, he says, "You can't save him. He's giving up. Don't you think he would've returned to you again, as he did last night, if he were still here?" Nixie comes closer and says, "He didn't let you choke me. I'll take what I can get." "Oh, but he's weak Nixie. Very weak. And pretty soon, even you won't have any sway over him or me anymore. He'll be gone, and I'll be all that's left."

Chuckling, he says, "What do you think he'd say right now, if he could see exactly how much you're failing him? You said you'd always protect him. Why aren't you protecting him, Nixie?"

The sound of storm clouds rumbling outside can be heard, and as Nixie leans back from him, turning to Scott, tears can be seen in her eyes. Scott wraps his arms around her and says, "We'll get him back. I swear to you." She nods silently against his chest, but cringes at hearing the Nogitsune laugh again.

Melissa, having had enough, says, "Doc, you brought something to paralyze his body. You got anything for his mouth?" In response, Deaton pulls out duck-tape and slaps it over the Nogitsune's lips. He screams into the tape at them, but they can all tell that he's still grinning behind it.

With him quiet though, it gives them time to think without his interfering quips. Leaving Melissa to check on the wound, the others gather at the dining room table. Scott then asks, "How much longer do you think we have? Him being paralyzed, I mean?" Deaton can only shrug and say, "I wish I knew. But… I do know that if we don't figure out something soon, we're gonna need to find a better place to keep him."

To Nixie, he says, "Not that this wasn't a great starting point. I know you were thinking fast on your feet. But I think we are grossly underestimating the danger here. I mean, he may be paralyzed… but it still feels like he's got us right in the palm of his hand."

They all nod, and then as Scott glances back at his mom, he gently brushes his hand against the back of Nixie's and says, "Stay with her in there please. I don't want her in there alone with him." "On it."

She moves to be behind the couch, and as Melissa continues tending to his wound, Stiles suddenly starts crying. Looking up at him, Melissa asks hopefully, "Stiles?" He nods, and before Nixie can tell her otherwise, Melissa pulls off the duck-tape.

The change back is instantaneous. It had never been Stiles. Smirking a little, the Nogitsune says, "Really, Melissa? I shed one tear? That's all it takes? Come on now. You can't crumble that easily. I mean… how are you gonna hold up when Scott knows the truth?"

Frowning, Melissa asks, "What?" Grinning, the Nogitsune says, "When he finds out why his dad really left." At Melissa's shocked face, he says, "You knew he overheard it, right?"

Enjoying himself, and at seeing her further surprise, he says, "You had no idea. Hmm… You called Stilinski right after it happened. You didn't tell Scott, but you told the sheriff. And Stiles… oh, Stiles heard it like he hears everything. But you wanna know why he never told Scott?"

Harshly now, he says, "Because he knew, that Scott would never forgive you. He knew how much Scott would hate you."

Melissa was about to comment, when suddenly a resounding slap could be heard. So hard, in fact, that even the people in the dining room heard it.

Coming around the couch to face him, his head now leaning forward from the slap, Nixie yanks his head back by his hair. "Shut up." But as she glares at him, and even as he grins at her, his body starts contorting. Just like it did in Derek's loft.

Nixie releases his hair and watches in amazement as the transformation takes place again. Scott and Lydia step inside too, Deaton right behind them, to see what's happening.

Gasping in a breath, as though coming up out of water, Stiles then looks to Nixie. Eyes roaming over her face, he grins slightly and says, "I knew you'd do that eventually. I knew it. He had no idea about that. It's the one thing I managed to keep from him."

Nixie hugs him so tight that he aches all over from the force, but he doesn't tell her to let go. Sighing against her shoulder, he says, "I don't have much time." "No, Stiles. Stay with me. Okay? You can…" "I can't." Leaning back from her as much as he can, he says, "Nixie… if you can't get him out of me, you have to… you have to…" He strains to stay, and then says, "Isaac. Find Isaac. He's being controlled by flies. It's the Nogitsune. I…"

Nixie can see they're losing him again. Cupping his head in her hands, she says, "I will find you, Stiles. I will bring you back to me, I swear to God. Just keep fighting. Fight for me, you understand?" She kisses his cheek hard, and then leans back to watch him.

It only takes a second more, and then the Nogitsune is back. Glaring up at her, snarling even, he says, "Oh… that is interesting. Did Stiles have a nice little field trip back to you? Sorry to say, he's on a permanent vacation now. You will never… never… see your boy again. Never!"

Nixie stands up from the couch and says, "Melissa. Tape." Melissa secures the piece over the Nogitsune's mouth again, and then watches as Nixie walks away. Back into the dining room, she leans heavily against the table. Scott comes up to her and asks, "Is that how it happened last night?" Nixie nods, and then, with a hand over her mouth, she says, "I can't… I can't… I can't believe that's the thing Stiles decided to hide from him. Me slapping him in the head? I mean… why…" Scott cups her cheek gently and says, "They hurt, for sure. But we know they're given with love."

Tears running down her cheeks a little, Nixie says, "We have to get him back, Scott." "I know." Lydia comes up beside her. Holding one of Nixie's arms in one hand, wrapping her other arm around her shoulders, Lydia then looks to Deaton and says, "The scroll said to change his body. Right?" Deaton sighs and says, "That's if I translated it correctly."

Nixie wipes at her teary eyes for a moment, cursing herself for crying right now, and then says, "You did. I looked it up." When Deaton looks to her impressed, she shrugs and says, "Research. Anyways, will it work?" Sighing again, Deaton says, "I wish I could give you a concrete answer, but I can't. The fact is, we're looking for a cure in something that might actually be nothing more than a proverb or a metaphor."

And Scott adds, "And what if he doesn't want it? I know we talked Nixie and we agreed to change him if he had the disease… but Stiles has never actually asked to be bitten." Lydia snaps, "But what if it saves his life?" And then Deaton adds, "What if it kills him?"

Scott then says, "And I've never done this before. What if I bite him, and I accidentally hit an artery or something?" Deaton glances towards the living room, where the Nogitsune is still sitting, and then says, "I may not know exactly how long it will last, but I know it's not going to be much longer. If we're going to do something, it needs to be sooner rather than later."

After a moment of silence, Scott turns to Nixie and asks, "Anything from Derek?" "No. To top it off, I can't get ahold of Chris. Alison says Isaac went to the school, which is where the twins are. And if Alison is going after him alone…" She leaves that hanging, and Scott nods before pulling out his phone. "I'll send Kira to help Alison. They should be able to handle it until we figure out what to do here."

Nixie nods, and then says, "And if it will save him, we need to try the bite. But only if it will save him." Scott puts away his phone after messaging Kira and says, "But he's never wanted the bite. Nixie… we can't just…" But Nixie gives him a hard stare and says, "This is no longer about what Stiles would want the most. This is about saving his life. And if the bite will save him, then you will bite him. That's the end of that discussion."

But Nixie sighs and says, "But if we can't get ahold of Derek, we're going to have to think of someone else to show you what to do. And there's only one other werewolf I know of that could do it."

Scott stares at her in shock and asks, "Peter? You want…" "I don't want to call Peter. But we need him at this point." Then Nixie turns to Lydia, who is saying, "I can get him to help." Frowning, Nixie asks, "How?" "I have something he wants." Standing up straight, Nixie says, "You didn't want to tell him that. About the memory that was stolen? You can't…" "He won't help us without this. And we need to figure out how to save Stiles. Soon. You said yourself that he's becoming more Nogitsune, and less Stiles, by the second."

Pulling out her phone, she says, "I'll get him here. You just make sure he knows that if he doesn't help us, he's not getting anything." Nodding, Nixie says, "Now that, I can most definitely do."

As Peter walks a circle around the Nogitsune, he says, "He doesn't look like he'd survive a slap across the face, much less the bite of a werewolf." Lydia glances over at Nixie and says, "He survived a slap to the back of the head though." Peter looks to Nixie and smirks a little before turning back to the Nogitsune.

Scott watches for a bit, and then asks, "You don't think it would work?" Peter shakes his head and says, "This is more a war of the mind than the body." Standing up straight, he adds, "There are better methods for winning this battle." Stepping up closer, Deaton asks, "What kind of methods?"

In response, Peter takes hold of Scott's hand, and forces him to extend his claws. Smirking a little, he says, "We're gonna get inside his head."

But Peter turns to Lydia and whispers, "But I always have a price." Nixie moves to Lydia's side, glaring at the psychopathic werewolf. Taking Lydia's hand, she pulls her aside, and then simply waits for Peter to follow. Grinning again, he says, "You knew there would be a price. And you did promise, Lydia." Lydia nods and says, "I said I would, and I'll do it. But only if you help." "I am helping. So tell me…"

Nixie pulls out one of the batons that she'd borrowed from the Argents. Holding it within a centimeter of his chest, Nixie says, "She will give you what you want, but the price we demand, is that you help get Stiles back. If you don't, you get nothing. If you try to trick us, you get nothing. And if you try to hurt Lydia in order to get it, then I will shove this thing so far up your ass… let's just say it's going to be a long and painful surgery to remove it."

Peter glances back towards the room in response to that. It was actually rather terrifying… the amount of certainty he had that Nixie would most definitely follow through on her threat. So, in light of that, Peter nods towards Stiles and says, "Fine. Let's get to work."

Back in the room, Deaton asks, "Do we have a plan?" Peter nods and says, "Scott is going to try and dig through pale and sickly Evil Stiles' mind… to unearth the pale and sickly, Real Stiles. Then guide him back from the depths of his own subconscious. Quite a long and hard journey. Which is why, he won't be doing it alone."

Scott blinks in confusion and asks, "What do you mean?" Peter explains, "Someone needs to go in with you. Someone else with a strong connection to Stiles." Nixie nods and says, "Lydia." And Lydia might've agreed… except that she and Scott had just seen how strong Nixie's connection to Stiles' mind was already.

And having been told that interesting detail over the phone by Lydia, and by Derek earlier in the day, Peter turns to her and says, "No. You." Nixie looks up at him, and then to everyone else who is staring at her. Back to Peter, she says, "Stiles would want Lydia. She was his physical tether when he sacrificed himself to the Nemeton for his dad. It makes sense. He'd want…"

Lydia grips her shoulders and turns Nixie to face her. Shaking her head, Lydia quotes, "You said yourself that this is not about what he wants right now. This is about what he needs. And Stiles needs you to come find him." "But…"

Peter glances at Lydia overtop of Nixie's head, and then gently taps Nixie on the shoulder. Glaring eyes meet his, but he holds his hands up peacefully, and then says, "Derek explained to me what happened at the loft. And Lydia told me what happened here just a while ago. How you managed to bring him back to the surface, helping him fight past this creature inside of him."

Nodding towards Stiles, he continues, "The journey back from the subconscious is hard, even if one is still fighting. And Stiles is human, which makes it that much harder for him. Without help, it should be impossible for him. Scott can go into his mind through his claws. But aside from him… you are somehow the only person outside of his mind that is still able to reach him. You've brought him back to the surface. Twice now."

Holding his hand out in a gesture for her to sit next to the Nogitsune, Peter says, "If we're going to get him back, it's got to be you. The one with the strongest mental connection to him."

Nixie stares at him for a moment, and then turns back to Lydia. Lydia nods encouragingly, and then Nixie sighs and says, "Fine. Let's do this."

As Peter helps Scott set up his claws behind the Nogitsune's neck, Scott asks, "What do we do if we find him?" And Nixie quickly edits, "When. When we find him, Scott." "Right. Sorry." Peter moves to Scott's other side to line up his claws behind Nixie's neck, and says, "You're going to have to guide him out somehow. Try to give him back control of his mind and his body."

Lydia, from behind them, asks, "Could you elaborate on the 'somehow'? It's not feeling very specific at the moment. We can't just send them in there blind." Peter glances at her, and then simply says to Scott, "Improvise."

Then he moves so he's in front of Nixie. And Nixie is surprised to find that he seems truly and sincerely earnest to make this work. Whatever Lydia knew about the situation of him being a father now… Peter really wanted to know.

Scott, from behind her, asks, "What if this is just another trick?" Peter glances up and asks, "When are you people going to start trusting me?" Nixie raises an eyebrow and says, "Never. But at this current point in time, I believe Scott was referring to the Nogitsune."

Peter blinks, and then says, "Oh." Then Nixie adds to Scott, "And even if it is… we're running out of time Scott. Like it or not… this is a chance we have to take." Scott nods, but pauses when Peter puts a hand on Nixie's knee. She wants to shove him away, but that earnest look is in his eyes again. Gesturing to Stiles, he says, "I can't tell you how to guide him out. I don't know what you're going to find in there. But… it seems to me that, every time he's come back… it's been because he's seen you, and it's given him hope."

Shrugging, he says, "It's the one piece of advice I can give. Make him see you… wherever he is."

Nixie nods, and then takes a deep breath before saying, "Scott. Let's do this."

The claws penetrate the back of her neck, and her mind feels tugged and pulled, as though plummeting further into the depths of her own thoughts.

Of course… waking up strapped down to a bed was most definitely not a thought she'd ever had.

Huffing in aggravation, she says, "Well, this is just great." In the bed beside her, Scott asks, "Really Nixie? Even in Stiles' head?" "The sarcasm? Always. And especially in Stiles' head. He'd be so very disappointed if I didn't throw it in somewhere."

While Scott struggles in his bonds, Nixie works on lowering one of the daggers from her sleeve. Glancing over at Scott, who is still thrashing around on the bed, she says, "Hey!" He stops to look over at her, and she asks, "Do I seriously need to remind you that you're a freaking werewolf?" "Nixie, we're in Stiles' head." "Yes, I'm painfully aware of that. And you know how we got into his head? Because you're a freaking supernatural creature! With freaking supernatural strength. And claws that get shoved into people's necks so you can see inside their freaking brain. So break the damn straps. Because if I actually manage to cut myself free before you tear yourself loose, I will seriously consider just leaving your ass here, out of sheer annoyance."

Scott stares at her for a moment, but then calms himself down and focuses on using that strength to break the straps tying him down. Nixie manages to cut through the one on her left wrist before Scott gets up and helps her finish with the rest. Helping her to her feet, he asks, "Now what?" "I have no idea. Believe it or not, this is the first time I've gone walking around in someone else's head."

Scott gives her a look, but does still grin a little. Then he says, "Just stick with me." "Trust me. No arguments there." "Good."

But, as soon as he walks out the door first, it slams shut in her face. Sighing as she tries to turn the knob, only to find it locked, Nixie says, "Great. Because I really have time to pick the damn thing."

She bends down to try working on that anyway, but freezes upon hearing a voice behind her say, "Hello my sweet little girl. Do you want to play?"

Standing up straight and spinning around, Nixie suddenly finds herself in her own apartment. But not the way it is now. She hardly stayed in her apartment nowadays. It was a place to go sleep, a place to eat if she needed to. But aside from the bare essentials, the apartment was bare now. This was the past. Years ago, when she'd just been a child.

When Naomi Bennett, her mother, had still been a part of her life, and not a patient at Eichen. This had been day one… the first day that her mother had realized her mind was slipping. The day that Nixie had attained her first scar… the one her mother had given her.

The scene before her flashes through that experience… like an old film with a few of the clips missing, but with enough that you most definitely still knew exactly what was happening. The broken glass, the running, the screaming… and as Naomi Bennett screams, "You know you want to play!" Nixie runs out the door.

Now she finds herself in the parking garage, where Peter had taken her and Stiles the night of the dance that first year. Stiles is already gone, and Peter is slamming Nixie against the concrete wall.

It's no better a second time… reliving the moment he carved that mark into her stomach.

On the outside, as everyone else is watching, Lydia watches as a trickle of blood leaks down from Nixie's nose. "What's happening?" Melissa moves a hand to cover her mouth and says, "Oh God. She's bleeding. That can't be good, right?" But as Melissa makes to move forward, Deaton stops her and says, "Not a good idea. We don't know all the supernatural laws that go into this."

But no one stops Peter from coming forward. As he crouches in front of her, looking her over, he says, "No… no, she's stronger than this. She just needs to concentrate." Lydia steps up beside him and asks, "What do you mean? She is concentrating." "No, she's not. Not right now." "She wouldn't be focusing on anything other than saving Stiles."

Looking up at Lydia, Peter says, "Every person has a sore spot Lydia. They have a pressure point that can be pushed to make you forget certain things. And I admit, Nixie has never had many that we can see. But a Nogitsune… while Scott and Nixie are in Stiles' head, the Nogitsune can probably see what those points are."

Back to Nixie, he says, "And he's pressing." Bending down next to him, Lydia asks, "So what do we do? How do we help her concentrate?" "Remind her." "Of what?" "Of what she's fighting for. Of who she's fighting for. It's never taken much for Nixie to fight back. You people are all she cares about."

Jerking his head to look at Lydia, he says, "Scream." "What? But…" "Lydia, I can't yell at her. Nixie doesn't give a shit about me. But she would topple mountains for you. So scream!"

Inside Stiles' head again, Nixie is now done with reliving her scars. Now she's running, terrified. But not for herself. She's in the woods, running after… she's not sure who. She keeps seeing Scott, Lydia, Stiles, Alison, Isaac, Boyd, Erica… all the faces of people she loves. And they're in danger. And no matter how fast she runs, she can't reach them.

She feels like she's about to collapse in exhaustion… when suddenly she hears a shrill scream from behind her. Drawing up short, Nixie pauses and listens closely. Because this wasn't the scream of a normal person, or even a person that was in danger.

It was the scream of a banshee. It was Lydia… screaming at her from far away.

Because Lydia wasn't here. Because Nixie was inside of Stiles' head. She wasn't in the forest. She wasn't chasing people in danger. She was in Stiles' head. The Nogitsune's head.

It was a trick.

And as she turns back and begins running out of the woods, towards a gated cellar nearby, she throws open the door and runs into it.

And she enters a world of white. White walls, floors, support beams, lights… everything.

Scott finds her shortly after that, sighing in relief. Nixie grins and asks, "Did you hear her?" "Oh yeah. Now what?" Nixie shrugs, but as she turns to her right to look around, she freezes before saying, "Son of a bitch."

Scott joins her, and for a moment, they just stand there staring. Because in the middle of this huge white room… Stiles and the Nogitsune are sitting on the large stump of the Nemeton, a board game resting between them.

Nixie and Scott look at each other for a moment, and then Nixie says, "Okay. Race you. Whoever wins has to buy coffee after this." And with that, they take off in the direction of the Nemeton.

Or… they try to. But no matter how much they run, or how fast; they don't gain any ground on the stump. It's as if they're running on a treadmill. All the work being done, but not actually going anywhere.

Stopping and putting her hands on her knees, Nixie huffs and says, "It's sad that all the running I've done in here can't be reflected on my real body outside." Scott gives her a look, and then says, "If we can't reach him, and he can't hear us when we yell, how the hell do we guide him out of here." Nixie shrugs and says, "I'd try to go around to the side so he could see me, but something tells me this is the only side we get to see." "Right."

As they stand there wondering for a minute, Nixie thinks back to the fact that Lydia's scream is what woke her up and made her remember where she was. Now… Nixie can't scream like that. She'd already screamed while she was running, trying to grab Stiles' attention. Nothing had worked.

Scott, on the other hand…

Turning to him, Nixie says, "Howl." Raising an eyebrow at her, Scott asks, "What?" "Stiles is part of the pack. Just like Lydia. And Lydia's scream… it told us where she was, and reminded us of where we were. She's a banshee, so that's her signal." Nodding towards Stiles, Nixie then asks, "How do wolves signal their location to others in the pack?"

Scott grins at her, and then shifts his form so he's a werewolf. Eyes glowing bright red, he answers, "They howl."

The roar that leaves his mouth vibrates the whole room, and Nixie can see that even the board on the stump begins rattling.

Stiles finally looks up, turning his head to see Scott roaring at him. For a brief moment, he still doesn't move. In fact, he seems almost terrified that somehow, Scott is trapped inside his head as well now.

Then he looks over and sees Nixie. Smiling at him, she waves her hand frantically, and then yells, "Get your butt in gear, Stiles! We gotta get out of here! And I'm not leaving without you!"

He turns back to the Nogitsune, and for a moment, Nixie is terrified that it's not working.

And then he tosses the board violently out of the way, white and black pieces of the game 'Go' scattering everywhere. The Nogitsune screams and roars in anger, but before anything else can happen… Nixie can feel herself being thrust back out of Stiles' mind.

Back outside, Lydia gasps in relief when first Scott's eyes burst open, and then Nixie's follow. His claws retracting from her neck, Nixie slumps on the couch wearily for a moment, and then struggles to stand. Scott races around towards Stiles, asking frantically, "Did it work?!"

Peter pulls Lydia to the side, demanding the information that he had helped them for. Nixie wants to go over and make him release her… but she can barely stand on her own two legs. Her legs are actually shaking so much; that it's visible to the others. Reaching out a hand for the wall, she instead finds Deaton in front of her, wrapping his arms around her to support her weight. "Nixie, you should sit…" "No… no. Did it work? Stiles? Is he…"

And she turns sharply… much too sharply, when Stiles start gagging and choking behind the duck-tape over his mouth. Ripping it off and landing on his hands and knees, he begins pulling what looks like medical gauze out of his mouth in an extremely long strand.

The room spins slightly around Nixie, but she keeps her nausea at bay and watches as the final piece comes out. And then, as if that part of it weren't scary enough, a severely bandaged hand begins reaching up out of the bandages. Slowly and surely, it works its way to standing before them… this figure wrapped from head to toe in medical gauze.

And as he lunges towards them, Peter and Scott both grab hold of him and pin him down to the other sofa in the room. Nixie watches as they struggle with him, and as the figure struggles back. Struggling to…

Struggling to uncover his face. Struggling to see again.

Her sense of direction was off, and she could barely stand. But of this she was very certain. The person that Peter and Scott were holding down… he wasn't a danger to any of them. Forcing herself upright, she shouts, "Wait!"

Both men turn to look at her, and then Scott asks, "What?" "Uncover him."

The figure beneath them, upon hearing her voice, snapped his head in her direction. He also immediately stopped fighting the arms that were holding him. Peter and Scott felt the change instantly, and then Scott started unwrapping his head.

And Stiles' face is what they saw, hidden beneath all the gauze. He looks up into the room in confusion and fear, but then locks his eyes onto Scott as he asks, "Scott?"

Then he looks over and asks, "Nixie?"

But before anyone can say anything, Melissa says, "Scott." He turns to her, and she points to the now open front door. And as Nixie turns to the rest of the room, she notices that Lydia is missing. Frowning deeply, she asks, "Where's Lydia?" Scott looks too, and then demands, "Where are they?! Lydia! LYDIA!"

He runs out the door to try and chase after them, and Nixie, despite her weak legs, makes to go after him.

It's in vain though. She hadn't been able to stop Peter from pulling Lydia aside. And she couldn't go with Scott right now to try and find Lydia. She managed to make it down the porch steps before the world starting spinning around her again. Slumping down, falling to her knees, she says softly, "Lydia."

Deaton hurried to catch her before she could completely hit the ground, and then hurriedly carried her back inside. Taking her upstairs to the spare room, he tells Melissa, "Bring a heater in here. And some extra blankets."

As she hurries off, Deaton says softly to Nixie, "Hurry and get better Nixie. I don't think any of us are going to feel truly safe around this Stiles, until you can confirm that he's ours."

Chapter 10! I actually managed to get through all of this in the morning before I have to go to work! Yay! So now, we can hope that I'll at least have Chapter 11 posted later in the day as well. Pre-warning, sad things are about to come. Be braced.