Author's Note: The battle finally ends! I hope you enjoy!

"I will fight for one last breath

I will fight until the end."

—Breaking Benjamin, "Dear Agony"

The clock ticking sounds like cannon fire in the silent hallway of the hospital. From her spot at the chair, Alison saw Deaton go in, heard from Scott what was about to transpire and she couldn't help but feel like this was the end. The Nogitsune was running out tricks to play and Lydia's body couldn't withstand much more.

Either way, time is slipping away and soon, they'd have their resolution.

"Fifteen minutes." Scott mumbles and the Sheriff rises from his seat. weariness set into his features. Still, his eyes blaze with determination and with a purposeful stride, he heads into Lydia's room. The door shuts behind him and Alison grimaces, wishing she too could be inside.

Isaac's warm hand tightens slightly and she rests her head on his shoulder. The pack is here—she's not alone—and together, they would come through this.

"I bet she'll finish that thing off in ten." Isaac speaks up and some of the tension fades from the room.

"Me too." Alison echoes.

And the seconds keep ticking away.

Lydia summons a blade to her hand and finds herself blocking the Nogitsune's dagger. The metal clangs, the force reverberating through her arm and she knows in that moment that she isn't going to be able to beat this monster with sheer force alone. She needs to be smart here—outthink the monster. How can she do that though?

The blade nicks her other cheek and she hisses in pain as the blood drips onto the ground.

"You're getting distracted!" The Nogitsune chastises. "It'll kill you, you know."

"Lydia!" She hears Stiles' voice, far off and faint, yet growing stronger by the second.

"What?" She breathes. She sent Scott and Stiles out for a reason, to protect them! She isn't even sure that she can save herself and now, she's got to keep him alive at all costs. "Stiles!"

"Two against one?" The monster pouts, then its eyes alight with mischief. "That's not very fair."

Her body knows what it's going to do before her mind does.

Throwing her hands out, a gust of wind blows past her and pushes the Nogitsune back. Buying herself a few precious seconds, she moves towards Stiles and can't help the grin that alights on her face when his hand slips into hers. There's a power that's summoned whenever they're together—maybe that's what Deaton meant when he said they were each other's anchors—and she savors this quiet moment between them.

"We have to end this." Stiles tells her urgently and she nods her head, snapping out of it. Out of the corner, she sees the Nogitsune move towards them.

"How?" She asks, because they can't continue this cat and mouse game. Gaining a bit, losing a bit—they'll go on this way forever. "No matter what I try, it seems to always have a backup plan."

"This is your mind." He insists. "You've got home court advantage." He smiles weakly. "You are the only one that can beat him, Lydia."

"Yes, go on with your speeches!" The Nogitsune flashes a twisted grin. "I'll just stand here and wait." A glint of light flashes off its blade and she feels a chill run up her spine.

One of them is going to die here.

It sure as hell isn't going to be her.

"I've got an idea." She tells the boy beside her.

The room shifts and she finds herself standing out in a grassy field, moonlight illuminating the ground. A wind blows through the trees and dew sparkles on the grass. The forest is in the distance, the town far behind it.

"This memory?" The Nogitsune exclaims, and she knows from its slight confusion that she has the advantage.

"Where are we?" Stiles questions, eyebrows knit in confusion.

A howl echoes in the distance.

"This is my mind," Lydia reminds the monster. "And you aren't the only one with a few tricks left."

That's when she starts to scream.

"And my son?" The Sheriff sees his son's hand holding Lydia's; his head slumped down in unconsciousness.

"He'll be awake in 15 minutes, regardless of whether Lydia wakes or not." Deaton replies, glancing at the monitors.

"And if Lydia . . ." The word he's about to say feels awful on his tongue. "If she dies?"

Deaton doesn't hesitate.

"He'll die with her."

The Sheriff wants to scream, to punch someone, to rage about this wasn't fair, how he lost his wife, only to lose his son in the process. He can't take any more hits—he can't lose Stiles.

"And there's nothing you can do?" He would take his son's place in a heartbeat, if he could. There's nothing he won't sacrifice for his son.

"No." Deaton answers, frowning slightly. "Stiles knew the risks."

"So, what? I wait?" He's frustrated and is taking it out on Deaton, something Stiles would berate him for, he's sure.

"For the next ten minutes, yes."

Derek places hand a on the Sheriff's shoulder and there's something about it that gives the older man a sense of comfort.

"He'll be back." Derek informs him.

The wait goes on.

The scream takes everything out of her, but she feels the reward of it immediately.

"No way." Stiles breathes and Lydia grins as a hand is placed on her shoulder. She never thought she'd one day be grateful for these memories—the moments of hell that he put her through—but maybe they have a shot now.

"Lydia." Peter greets and she tries not to shudder at the coldness of his tone. "And two Stiles?" He glances between the two and frowns. "Why are there two?"

"Long story short," The banshee starts. "That thing is trying to kill me."

"And I care why?" He asks.

"If I die, there's no way you can come back."

That snaps Peter into action.

His claws descend and he snarls, fangs bared. Within seconds, the alpha is charging at the Nogitsune and while Lydia hopes that Peter will be able to get some major damage, she still needs to come up with a backup plan.

"This is odd." Stiles remarks and Lydia nods her head, feeling a weird sense of déjà vu.

"It's the only thing I could think of." She confesses sheepishly. "But Peter won't hold him for long."

The blade cuts into Peter's side and she winces at the blood pooling under him. It may only be a memory version of Derek's uncle, but it all feels so real. Then again, for her, the Nogitsune and Stiles, it is real. One mistake here could end their lives.

"You're clever!" The Nogitsune shouts as Peter's claws cuts into its shoulder. "Using a memory against me!" Black blood wells up and she stiffens. "But, you know you can't win like this."

The blade plunges into Peter's chest and he fades from view. The Nogitsune laughs maliciously, blood rushing from its wound. Still, it moves with an unnatural grace as it continues towards them.

"Stiles."

He meets her gaze and there's so much she wants to tell him in that moment—how much she cares for him, how happy she is that he's here—and if her life were a romantic drama, this would be the moment for her love confession.

"I know." He tells her quietly, squeezing her hand.

It's as close to an "I love you" as they'll get right now.

"Let's end this then."

Hands intertwined, they wait for the monster to come.

Scott sits, his hand white knuckling Kira's.

The kitsune tries to offer her support, but finds her own worries over taking her. They don't know if Lydia will open her eyes or whether Stiles will make it back. What good are they, just sitting here?

"Five minutes." Isaac mumbles and Kira bites her lower lip nervously.

"They'll be okay." Scott speaks up, voice hard. "I believe in them."

"I just wish we could do something." Kira remarks.

"We'll be here when they wake up." Alison tells her with a weary grin. "That's what matters."

"That's all we can do right now." Scott presses a kiss to her hand and Kira rests her head on his shoulder.

They're a pack and they'll be here for as long as it takes.

All they can do is wait.

The Nogitsune smirks at her and she lets out a breath.

This is the end.

"I'd say I'd miss you," The monster begins, almost comically. "But I won't." The moonlight glints off its bloody blade. "Die, Lydia!"

It charges and she pictures a blade in Stiles hand and one in her own. Stiles blocks the incoming blade, metal clanging and she maneuvers herself behind the monster, swinging her blade down. It scrapes the Nogitsune's back, but the monster moves away before more damage can be sustained.

"Get out of my head!" She screams, swinging the blade towards the monster, only for it to jump back.

It vanishes before her eyes and she knows too soon where it's going.

"Stiles!" She screams, seeing the blade being thrust towards him. She swings her hand out, the wind pushing the blade out of Stiles' direction. "Leave him alone!"

"You love him, I know." The Nogitsune informs her. He flashes a mischievous smile. "I'll enjoy seeing you suffer as his blood splatters over you."

That's when it hits her.

The Nogitsune has done everything it can to cause her to suffer, as if breaking her spirit is its main objective. She touches her cheek where it was cut and closes her eyes.

Outthink him.

She's gets it now; sees the matching cut now on the Nogitsune's cheek.

"Cute." The monster hisses, clearly not amused.

Lydia's response is to place her blade to her heart.

Everyone freezes.

"Lydia." Stiles cautions.

"Giving up?" The Nogitsune challenges, forcefully nonchalant.

The blade cuts into her skin, blood welling up and she tries not to wince.

"What are you doing?" The monster snaps and she can see the matching wound on it now too.

"You need my body." She states, matter-of-factly, deliberately pressing the blade deeper. Pain flares up, but she does her best to ignore. "And you wanted to kill my spirit, but if I end my life, my body dies." She meets its gaze. "And you die with me."

"Lydia, no—!"

"You'd throw your life away!" The Nogitsune screams, desperate.

"This isn't much of a life!" She presses the blade in more and gasps in response.

"Lydia, stop!" Stiles screams and he's flickering before her. "Lydia, you can't—!"

"If you do this," The Nogitsune warns her, hands outstretched, almost as if pleading with her. "You'll die."

And then Stiles vanishes and her mind is made up.

"So will you." She replies.

I'm sorry, everyone.

Then, she plunges the dagger into her heart.

Stiles opens his eyes just to see Lydia flat line. There's blood staining the sheets and as he's pushed away, all he can think is—

Not again.

This can't be happening to him again.

"Lydia!" He shouts, voice raw.

Before he knows it, he's back in the hallway, his friends' concerned gazes sweeping over him.

Author's Note: I know, evil cliffhanger. Epilogue will be up soon! Please review if you have a moment.