Kagome had seriously hoped that her little, chat, with her cousin would have made him think twice about Derek's so called 'Women make us Weak' lesson. Sadly, that wasn't exactly the case. She didn't learn till a free period that seemed to run parallel to one of Allison's that Scott had taken to ignoring her.

The bright side? He and Stiles seemed to be back to talking to each other once again. The down side? She had to answers Allison's questions as to why Scott was avoiding her.

"Honestly? It's sorted of mixed up right now. He talks about nothing but you, believe me. I hate to say it, but I'm getting kinda sick of how much he talks about you. I don't mean that as a bad thing it's just..." Kagome waved a hand about, trying and hoping the other girl understood where she was trying to go with her sentence.

"I understand. But... if he's always talking about me... then why is he avoiding me?" Allison's brow was furrowed, obviously trying to put two and two together, only to somehow end up with three.

"It's about the other day."

"When we skipped school?"

"Yeah. See, he's so over the moon that you enjoyed yourself with his idea to skip school. But, he's beating himself up for what happened to Stiles' dad."

"But, that wasn't his fault. It was an accident."

"You know and understand that. I know and understand that. But Scott, doesn't see it that way. Stiles had been trying to get a hold of Scott pretty much most of that day, for whatever reason. With Stiles, one doesn't know. But anyways. Scott believes, that if he had kept his cell on and took Stiles' calls or text messages, then what had happened... wouldn't have happened."

"Okay... I understand that. But, that doesn't explain why he's avoiding me."

Letting out a sigh, Kagome thought over what she was going to say next. It could either make or break the two of them. "Okay... don't take this the wrong way. Please. I think you and Scott are awesome together, really, I do. Because of what happened... Scott may have mentioned that, he was far too concentrated on you and you alone in his life at the moment."

Kagome chanced a peek at Allison and mentally grimaced at the slightly hurt and betrayed look the other girl was wearing. "If you ask me, I'd be flattered. To have a guy think nothing but me all the time? Sure would be nice."

It was Allison's turn to take a peek at Kagome. She hadn't missed the wistful tone. The expression Scott's cousin wore was, was the type of expression, she had never really seen before, but if she had to describe it heart wrenching, to say the least. The worst part was, she was sure Kagome didn't even know that such an expression was on her face.

To be honest, it was something that didn't really belong on Kagome's face. Kagome was the type of person she felt should always be smiling, like she usually was. There was just something about the older girl that drew others in, she had noticed it early on, and despite all things, Kagome usually always wore a smile of some sort.

She opened her mouth to say something, but at seeing the slightly glazed over eyes and how Kagome was staring off to the side slightly, she closed her mouth and went over Kagome's words. Scott was always thinking about her. She had to smile softly. So Scott was always talking and thinking about her. She would admit, it was kind of sweet, that Scott was so... attentive of her. It was then she came to realize, that she was pretty much always calling or texting Scott when they weren't together, which was barely never. Save for after school when Scott was at his part time job.

"Listen, Scott is going through a boy's version of PMS. His emotions are all over the place, meaning he'll be cuddling you to his side one minute, only to seemingly want to be along the next."

"Boy's PMS?" Allison couldn't help but let a small smile play about the corner of her lips.

"Think of it as... Pathetically Mental Sensibility. Or... Premature Mental Syndrome... Whatever. Just saying, when guys act all, emotional and sappy like. It's sure to pass. Scott is pretty level headed so it's sure to pass quickly."

Looking up at the clock that hung in the cafeteria, Kagome let out a sigh. Free period was pretty much over and she had to make her way towards her next class.

"Well. I hope this conversation helped answer you questions. Though I swear, if this ever happens again, I'll simply lock you two is some room until you sort it all out."

Raising a brow, a sly smirk worked it's way onto Allison's face and she couldn't help what came out of her mouth at Kagome's threat. "You sure that's a good idea? I mean, it's me, and Scott. Together. In a locked room. Cause all that lacrosse has made him pretty fit. And who would have guessed that tan went that far down..."

Kagome's face instantly scrunched up in disgust and a fake gagging noise mixed with a whimper came out in a strangle from her throat. "Please! I don't need to hear that about my cousin! Oh god! I need an ability to rewind and erase that from my memory."

Allison laughed as Kagome left pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes, muttering how she would also need eye and mental eye bleach. Once again, Kagome pretty much saved the day, and not only that, she was sure she had wiped whatever memory that had caused Kagome to look so... broken away from Kagome's mind. All in all, while Scott had been avoiding her so far, she had faith in Kagome's words. But more importantly, she had faith in Scott.

Said boy was standing in the field, slightly confused how his best friend was going to help him solve or teach his anger issues.

He quickly took in the duffel bag that Stiles had brought with him as Stiles himself took a seat on the bench behind him. He sometimes wondered what could possibly go through his friend's head, and then he would remember himself and think it was better off as a topic left alone. It was Stiles. And as much as he loved the guy, as his best friend mind you, some things were better left alone.

"Now... put this on."

Looking down, Scott could only blink at the black band Stiles just presented him with. If he didn't know any better, he was sure it was it belonged to the track team, but he couldn't help but ask out loud anyways. "Isn't this one of the heart rate monitors from the track team?"

"Yeah. I borrowed it."

"Stole it?"

"Temporarily misappropriated. Coach uses it to monitor his heart rate with his phone while he jogs. And you're going to wear it for the rest of the day."

Catching sight of something glaring that measly amount of autumn sunlight from atop the bag, Scott furrowed his brows and asked Stiles a question, hoping what he thought was the answer, was wrong. "Isn't that Coach's phone?"

Stiles nodded his head, not at all looking guilty, "That I stole."

"Why?"

"Alright. Your heart rate goes up when you go wolf. Right?" Stiles had barely allowed him time to nod his head before continuing, though he was pretty sure the question had been rhetorical to begin with. "When you're playing lacrosse, when you're with Allison, whenever you get... angry. Maybe learning to control it, is tied to learning to control your heart rate."

Blinking, he couldn't believe how simple an answer it was. He wondered why it took this long, and Stiles, to figure something like this out. Then again, Stiles had pretty much figured everything out on his own, with lots of hours spent searching online and whatnot. And Kagome... she had her priestess-powers-abilities, so she didn't count. It didn't fail him to see the similarities with himself and the Hulk.

"Like the incredible Hulk." he felt himself smile, most likely a stupid smile at that, as he let his thoughts become public. Thankfully it was only Stiles.

"Kinda like the incredible Hulk. Yeah..."

He still bobbed his head, happy he had something in common with a super hero. Although, he mentally ignored the tiny voice at the back of his head that reminded him that said super hero had a wicked temper. "I'm like the incredible Hulk..."

"Would you shut-up and put the strap on."

While doing that, Scott raised a brow when he saw Stiles pull out a large roll of silver duck tape. It was at that point he began to worry. Maybe going through with whatever plan Stiles had come up with, wasn't such a good idea. Then again, it was a lot better than Derek's plan of 'leave Allison alone'.

That was, until Stiles duck taped his hands together behind his back. And he was using a lot, and tightly too.

Looking over his shoulder, he watched as Stiles put the tape away only to pull out a lacrosse stick out instead. "This isn't exactly how I wanted to spend my free period."

Turning, he watched as Stiles walked backwards, better explaining his crazy plan on how this was going to help him control his new, instincts.

"Alright, ready?"

"No." in all honesty, this was feeling way too weird for him.

He was standing in the middle of the field. With his hands bound together behind his back. Stiles was standing, maybe a of couple of yards away. And he had a lacrosse stick with a duffel bag. This was really weird for him, but then again, it had to be better than Derek's option of learning control.

"Remember, don't get angry."

Kicking at the dead grass around him, he waited for Stiles to start up, whatever it was he was going to start doing. And knowing Stiles, it was going to be somewhat physically painful.

"Starting to think... this is a really bad idea." but Stiles didn't hear him. Either that, or his best friend simply ignored him.

A couple dozen balls were dropped on the ground in front of Stiles' feet, he scooped one up and reared back. It was then Scott physically, mentally and emotionally, prepared himself for what was to come.

Still, a grunt of pain escaped him as the first ball hit his shin. Painfully. He bowed down to get a second wind and too try and ignore or force the thought of the pain away. Already, the phone beeped from within the duffel bag and Stiles chuckled. Obviously he was having fun with the whole ordeal.

Gearing up for the second throw, with some embellish to it, Scott also got ready for what was to quickly follow. He had honestly not expected it to hit him square in the jaw the way it did. His body followed with the direction of the ball, bowing down as another he let out another grunt of pain.

He clenched his teeth as he simply stood back up and faced Stiles. "Okay. That one maybe, kinda, hurt."

"Quite. Remember. You're supposed to be thinking about your heart rate, about staying calm."

Bouncing on the balls of his feet, he repeated the words again, dodging the next ball out of reflex. "Stay calm. Staying calm. Staying totally calm. Cause there's no balls flying at my face!"

He hissed as the ball struck his shoulder. The next hit him in the chest, just above his heart. And the one after that, hit a little too close to home. If he didn't know any better, he was sure that Stiles' throws were being aimed and gaining more power behind them.

But still, the last one almost brought him to his knees. "Son of a bitch!"

"You know what? I think my aim is actually improving."

With narrowed eyes, he glared through his pain towards Stiles. He panted lightly, still trying to remain calm and to ignore the pain. He grit out the words, already feeling his heart pumping and his anger rising with every beat, "I... wonder why."

"Ah-buh-buh! Don't get anger!"

"I'm not getting angry."

A sudden strike to his hip bone, which hurt a lot more than he thought it would. Pain suddenly blooming in his left shoulder. A ball painfully grazing his left thigh, followed by a hit to his right shoulder. His stomach and legs were the ones to get the most hits, and he wouldn't be surprised if he discovered bruising and welts under his clothing at abuse he was putting himself through.

His neck and jaw weren't safe from Stiles' hits either. Though he was mentally thankful that those areas were not as targeted as the rest of his body. Either way, he could feel himself slipping, feel the pain get to him, feed his anger. And as the anger grew, his grip on his control dwindled.

"Stop! Just quickly. Just one sec-!"

The last ball that hit him, pretty much destroyed his control and he finally dropped to his knees. His breathing sounded ragged as he breathed through his clenched teeth. Quickly though, low rumbling growls mixed in with each exhale, making them sound much deeper. The annoying beeping coming from the phone atop the duffel bag wasn't helping the situation either.

The pressure of how tightly he was clenching his teeth, made it feel like he would break his own jaw pretty soon. His entire body felt tight, he could feel his muscles straining. Especially his arms against the band of tape around his wrists.

"Scott?"

Stiles' voice was barely heard over the sound of his pounding heart, of his blood rushing through his body. He felt the tape give way, so he threw his hands forward and clawed at the ground beneath him. He could feel the dirt digging almost painfully beneath his nails, but he concentrated, forced the anger to leave him the hell alone.

He felt his heart begin to slow down, could hear that damn phone's beeping also slow down. But right now, he was more concerned with taking in as much as air as possible. He felt drained, tired. Both mentally and physically from what he just went through. But he realized something through this recent experience.

"Scott? Are you okay? You began to change."

Rolling to his side slightly so he could look his friend in the eye a little easier. He answered Stile's unasked question, still panting to take in the air around him, "The anger... it was... It was more than that. It's like... that angrier I got... the... stronger I felt."

"So... it is anger than. Derek's right."

"I can't be around Allison."

"What? Just because she makes you happy?"

"No... because she makes me weak."

With that said, Stiles took Scott in for a few moments before standing and picking everything up. He would give Scott this time to calm down. While they were best friends, Scott, when wolfed out, seemed to try and kill him if he was ever near by. Which, was a lot. They were best friends.

After a few more minutes, everything packed away and Scott once more calmed down, they headed towards the locker room. "Alright, so you stay away from her for a few days. You can do that."

He watched as Scott tossed and caught a ball as they made their way towards their lockers.

"Is it a few days, or is it forever?"

"You know, this whole 'women make you weak' thing, is a little too Spartan warrior for me. It's probably just part of the learning process." leaning against the locker behind him, Stiles watched Scott pretty much beat himself up over the current topic they were discussing.

"But you've seen Derek. I mean the guy is totally alone. What if I could never be around her again."

Biting the inside of his cheek, Stiles kept what he had seen of Derek so far to himself. Especially the day before. Like he had thought the day before, Derek made him edgy enough as it was, but telling Scott what he had seen the other werewolf do in regards towards Kagome... Not only would it piss Scott off, but he was sure he would be physically harmed as well from both werewolves.

So he tried to look, or help Scott see, the brighter side to this whole ignore Allison lesson of Derek's, "Well, if you're not dead, that could be a good thing."

Defeated looking, Scott leaned heavily from his own locker, "I'd rather be dead."

"Okay, you're not going to end up like Derek." although that is questionable with how he was acting towards Kagome, half naked, but he wasn't about to say that out loud. "Alright, we'll figure it out."

"...kay..."

"Come on, let's get out of here."

He slowly started towards the exit, Scott pushed himself off of his locked and pulled his hood up and shrugged his bookbag on, "Something smells terrible in here anyways."

His mouth was already running before a thought had actually entered his mind at what Scott was saying. "Really?! In a boys locker room? That doesn't make any sense at all."

"No. It's like, something's rotting. Or dieing."

Shrugging it off, that was also not surprising. It was the boys locker room, and things did tend to be shoved into lockers and dark corners, only to be forgotten. So he simply shrugged it off. It wouldn't be the first time. There was that dead... animal, that had been found the year before. He still couldn't remember what it was.

Kagome let out a sigh... she had gotten a text from Allison. The other girl had thanked her repeatedly, saying she had been right and that Scott had finally returned to normal. Kagome seriously wondered if life would ever be normal for Scott again.

She, mostly her mother, had thought life would return to normal after the whole Shikon quest. Sadly, for her mother, it hadn't. Kagome had pretty much cut herself off from society, save for those closest to her. Instead, she threw herself into her studies as best as she could.

As she made her way home, she was happy that she didn't have to work tonight. Her new boss had been shocked she had come in the other night as instead of next week. But another worker had called in that night she she was pretty much given the shift. Her thoughts cleared somewhat as she noticed the light snow fall that had started.

Smiling, she looked towards the heavens. She'd have to take a picture to send the others back home in Tokyo. Still smiling, she went over Scott's request. Call in his part time job to let his boss know that he would be coming in late, due to after school activities. It was a different way of say detention. But either way, she'd wait until she was inside and warm.

With that thought in mind, Kagome also made a mental note to start dressing a more warmly and that riding her bike to school would soon no longer be an option. At least, she thought it would no longer be possible. There were people that did ride their bikes in the middle of winter back in Tokyo. But depending on the district one lived in, the level of snow varied.

She had just entered the house when her cell went off. It was starting to feel like she was everyone's favorite psychic hot line with how every one was calling her suddenly.

Unlocking the door, she fished out her cell and answered the call. "Yes?"

"Hey, Kagome... uh, no need to call my boss. Detention was let out early."

"Oh. Alright."

She blinked Scott continued the line. Letting out a sigh, it could only mean one thing. "What happened this time?"

"Uh... my boss... may or may not be... the alpha."

"Is everything alright? Should I come over?"

"No! No need for that. I don't think he's the alpha... but to help prove him, Stiles and I are going to head back to school. I'll call if anything happens."

Pulling her cell back, she pushed a button to end the call, seeing Scott had hung up on her as soon as he told her about him and Stiles going back to school. Blinking, it made her wonder, how him going back to the school was going to help prove or disprove his boss' innocents at being the alpha.

She furrowed her brows when a new thought crossed her mind. How did Scott's boss get to be a suspect at being the alpha? She knew that Scott wouldn't have come to the idea himself, nor Stiles for that matter, so it left only another person that had been looking for the alpha since the beginning. Derek Hale.

She was seriously hoping that she hadn't stuck her neck out for the guy, only to have him do something that would end up tossing it all back in her face. But, then she realized, Derek must have either gotten or been given something that would have led him to the local vet.

Deciding she would be better off cooking dinner, something she hadn't been able to do for a while now, she set her book bag down by the door and her phone on the kitchen table and set to work. Looking through the kitchen she let out a tsk at the lack of ingredients, she decided to do something simple. And with the weather cooling rapidly, it would be perfect.

Soup. They had small amounts of meat, either pork or beef, some veggies and potatoes and an almost empty bag of some form of noddle. Mix it all together, add some spices, water and she'd have the perfect dinner for this type of weather.

With the radio going, dancing and singing along with whatever song was playing, Kagome felt somewhat energized as she chopped at the potatoes, only to swipe them into the large pot. With the veggies done, she moved onto the beef.

Hips swaying to the beet, she hummed lightly. Looking at the clock, she shrugged her shoulders when she noticed it had been almost an hour since Scott had called and left a message. Turning back to her work, she let out a hiss when the knife nicked her finger. But it was the reason she nicked her finger that continued on.

A low rumbling howl echoed in the air. It wasn't the alpha's, she would remember that damnable howl if she ever heard it again. Quickly turning to the sink, she thrust her cut hand under the warm water and grabbed the soap and washed the cut out, still wondering who could have made the howl.

Derek, while desperately trying to find the alpha, was trying to keep a low profile. So it left with only one other option. Her sweet cousin, Scott. Problem was... how the hell did he managed such a howl. When her hand was clean, she wrapped it in some towel and pushed the cubed meat into the pot and left it on the lowest setting.

Unlike Scott, she knew that that bit he just did would have concupiscence that he hadn't thought of. So first she would make her way towards her aunt's and pick up the car. A bike could only get her, and her alone, so far at a certain speed. And she didn't want to test he speed on a bike against the alpha. But firstly, she call ahead and let her aunt know she needed the car.

"Hi, I need to speak with my aunt, Melissa McCall please." she wedged the phone between her shoulder and and ear as she quickly pushed her bike away from the wall and towards the hospital.

"Hey kiddo, everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just got a call from Stiles, he and Scott are experiencing some car problems, so I need to pick up the car to give them a lift. Is that alright?"

"That's fine with me. Are those two alright?"

"Are your really asking if Stiles and Scott are alright?" she tried to keep it sarcastic, but honestly, she herself was worried.

"Right. Knowing those two they did something idiotic and are stranded. Alright, come pick up the car and pick those two up."

"Already on my way to the hospital. I'll see you then, and if not, later tonight or tomorrow."

"Alright, be safe."

When the call ended, Kagome pushed as hard as she could to get to the hospital as fast as she could. The sooner she could get to the school, the sooner she could pound on her idiot cousin for doing something stupid yet again, and get them all to safety, away from the school.

Pushing her bike to the side of the entrance, she panted as she rushed into the hospital. If her aunt asked, she said she wanted to stay out of the cool night after she had just got over her cold.

"That was fast. I really hope everything's alright."

Smiling and trying to play it off as nothing but some harmless car problems, Kagome met her aunt at the front desk, accepting the keys her aunt presented her with.

"Oh, I wanted to get off my bike and into a warm car. The nights are getting colder faster. It even snowed a bit earlier."

"Don't I know it. I'll call you when I meet up with the two of them."

"Please do. Be safe out there."

With quick steps, she went for her aunts car. While doing that, she pulled her cell out and called Stiles.

It wasn't a few rings later, when Stiles picked up. What she heard from his end though, gave her a pause for concern.

"Stiles!?"

"Oh god Kagome! Listen... the... he came, we're trapped in the school." she heard the sounds of rustling, scoffing and voices, more than just Scott's voice. " tell her... call police!... Hale killed... one... you didn't... text..."

"Listen. I want you all to find a safe place. If you have to, arm yourselves. Did you already call the police?"

"They got a call earlier saying there would be prank calls involving the school. They hung up on Lydia."

Cursing under her breath, Kagome nearly stabbed the steering wheel before fitting the key into the ignition and starting the car up. Her need to rush off and get the others out of danger, but also maintaining a normal composure made her driving out of the hospital parking lot jerky and hectic at best.

"Alright, keep together and your wits about you, and try to contact your father. If he doesn't pick up, then call again. Try not to panic or separate from each other, I'm on my way."

As soon as she was a good distance away from the hospital, she pushed her foot down as hard as she could against the floor and sped her way towards the school. The night was still young, and things were already going down hill.


AN: It's Friday! :D Other than that; read, enjoy, and review!