| CHAPTER TWENTY, Greedy For His Touch |

I didn't fall asleep for long; in fact, for the short time I was asleep I was only half-way there. I supposed that as much wear that yesterday gave me—fighting the twins and the girls—my time in a coma forced me to stay awake, either through the physical nature of it or subconsciously out of fear and the pure desire to be awake. The most annoying of it all was that one of Scott's pillows…my pillow on his bed…smelled like Stiles. But it was an odd smell of Stiles, one shrouded in a sickly, almost deathly veil. It didn't bother me enough, though, as I fell asleep after noting the smell. And the room, being Scott's helped cover it up enough and provide enough distraction.

It was probably four in the morning when I heard the front door open. There were hushed voices and in my light sleep I didn't think about honing on who they were or what they were saying—I caught the words 'couch' and 'blanket' but that was all. Steps up the stairs soon followed, annunciated by a creak in the wood here and there. And then the door opened and I could feel the looming tension of being stared at…even in my sleep. The person stood there for a moment or two before walking over to the bed, lightly climbing in and curling around me. Instantly, my nose filled with Scott's direct scent, his arm falling over my frame. He pressed his cold nose against the back of my neck and breathed in.

"You have no idea…" he whispered, and his breath tickling the fuzz on my neck was enough to pull me out completely. I twisted beneath the sheet, turning to face him. "Did I wake you?"

"Not really," I said, opening my eyes to look at him—the real him.

"What're you doing here?"

"It doesn't matter…I'm home."

He smiled and I closed my eyes as I felt his lips press tenderly against mine. "I have to go back downstairs. I promised not to let Stiles out of my sight." My heart sank a little when he caressed my cheek. "Come with me?" Instantly a smile of my own tugged at my lips and I nodded.

"By the way," I added as I sat up and he made to change, "I have plenty idea."

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

"I should help Allison look for Lydia," I said, sitting at the kitchen table with my back to Stiles, Scott on the opposite side so he could watch. We both had plates of food Melissa cooked for us before she left for the hospital but we both too preoccupied leaning across the table to connect our four hands together.

"You don't have to," Scott offered.

"I want to," I said. "I want to feel productive…I've been lying in a hospital bed for days being completely useless. And I know what he's like; I don't want Lydia to have to spend another moment with that psychopath." Scott nodded but still looked uneasy. "I'll be fine, Scott, I promised. If we find anything, we'll be safe and cautious." He nodded but squeezed a little at the back of my hand.

"I just don't want you to get hurt. I just got you back, and I'm already bummed that you're heading off and leaving me again."

I blushed, looking down nervously and grinning. "You said that to me once before…"

I glanced up and saw that he, too, was blushing now. "I meant it. I mean, I obviously didn't mean it as much as I do now, but I meant it."

"I'm glad you mean it more now," I said, pushing up to lean further across to steal a kiss when my phone buzzed. I looked down and read it.

::Be there in 5::

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

"That's it…that's Lydia's car," Allison said as I snapped the lock on the fence door blocking us.

"The scent's strong of emotion," I said, taking in the strawberry-blonde's smell and dissecting its various pieces.

"Fear?"

"Anger."

"Sounds like Lydia. Let's see what else we can find," she said as we began to—cautiously—examine her blue car; I even got down onto my stomach to check for any possible traps underneath. "Ah, just…just out of curiosity, do you remember the other night?"

"You mean the night before last?" I said, slowly getting to my feet after concluding there was nothing there.

"That night before you weren't you."

"Yeah, I remember," I said, the pair of us getting into the car.

"So that night, were you you, or were you not you?"

"You mean, the night when we were us?"

"Yeah, I just wanna' know if…if it was actually you."

"Did you want it to be?"

"Yes…no…I mean…"

"Allison, it's alright." I looked out the window. "I do remember it. Really remember it. But no, it wasn't me. Not really."

"Scott?"

"Yeah…"

"Have you told him?"

"That I kissed you while being possessed by a fly?" She nodded. "No. I haven't told him. When this is all over." She nodded but frowned. "I'm sorry, Allison."

She looked into my eyes and smiled, none of it forced. But then her face furrowed. "Wait…Scott…" she thought aloud. She turned towards the window next to her and breathed hard against it, revealed three simple words: 'Don't Find Me.'

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

"Scott!" I yelled into the house as I stepped through the back screen door on the covered porch. "Scott?"

"He's not here," came the familiar voice of his father as he stepped out from the kitchen.

"Uh…"

"He was gone when I got here."

I pulled out my phone and tapped a text out to him. ::found her car…where r u::

"We've never really had a chance to talk, Isaac," Mr. McCall said, gesturing to the kitchen chairs with his eyes; the silent authority reminded me a little of my father a littler. I took a seat in Scott's chair from earlier while he stood there, hovering almost threateningly.

::Following up a lead…be home soon::

"I've been trying to figure you out," he began. "Scott, with the few conversations I've had with him, he seems to be protective of you. And Melissa…I'd say she thinks of you like a second son. What I wanna' know is why?"

"Why?"

"I've read your father's file, Isaac. I know how he died, that you were a suspect. And based on your neighbor's statement, I see why you were a suspect."

"Are you accusing me—"

"No, I'm not. And I know this statement was retracted; what I'm wondering is how you've managed to keep it all together enough to make Scott and Melissa think the world of you?"

I didn't answer him at first, and in fact I almost decided to get up and leave when that familiar stifling fear crept back into my body—it'd been truly gone since I left Derek. "You don't have to disguise your real question," I replied, and regretted it as soon as I had.

But he only smirked and took a sip of whatever he'd been drinking. "I just want to know that they're going to be safe with you living here."

I thought back to the hug mom gave me when I got home last night. I thought back to the almost normal, loving morning Scott and I had only a few hours ago. I thought back to my birthday dinner last month and the calm, honest evening Scott and I had thereafter. And when I was done, I realized I hadn't answered him and a bizarre smile had crept onto my face. I looked up at him. "Honestly, I've never felt more at home here. Melissa…she reminds me a lot of my mom. And Scott…well he's Scott. I wouldn't trade this for the world."

He smiled at me, almost reassuring me when the back door opened. "What're you doing here?" Scott asked, looking at his father.

"I could ask you the same thing," Mr. McCall replied.

"Free period," Stiles replied, looking paler than normal. "We're doing study group."

"Who's she," the tall FBI Agent asked, looking at the mystery girl in grey; I was wondering the same thing.

"She's my girlfriend," Stiles replied awkwardly, and I could only smirk at the obvious lie, even to Scott's clueless father.

"You're not my type," she responded as Stiles wrapped his arm around her.

"Well, obviously we have a lot to talk about," Stiles pushed the façade.

"We should maybe take this upstairs," Scott offered.

"He's my type," the girl answered, forcing my boyfriend and I to exchange a stunned look.

"Okay, Isaac, you can come, too," Stiles said.

"Uh…" I mildly groaned, but followed when Scott nodded and shrugged.

— Ʌ | Ʌ | Ʌ —

"It's perfect," Allison croaked. "I'm in the arms of my first love. The first person I ever loved. The person I'll always love. I love you…Scott…Scott McCall."

"Don't, please, don't," Scott pleaded. "Allison, don't, please…"

I could only lay there, unable to move. Unable to accept. Unable to help. Her. Him. Anyone…

Author's Note: So, less than an hour my friend. I hope to all hopes Isaac survives this night. Not for this project, not for the ship, but simply because he's such a joy to watch on screen. Daniel Sharman is an amazing actor and Isaac Lahey has so much potential for the future as Scott's most trusted second/brother/etc. I want him to stick around! For anyone whose interested, I have two posts about why I think Isaac will/should stick around on tumblr. You'll have to search my screenname-the same-because they're not posting to tags but they should be easy to find. GOOD LUCK ISAAC! By the way, live or die, there'll be two more chapters for definite so stay tuned.