someone asked me who portrays Cat. I've had a younger Rose McGowan as her and I think Alexis Bledel (sp?) was used. DO you have other ideas? Please share... perhaps I'll make new cover art.

with all the Malia hate going on on tumblr, I'm amazed how many ppl are excited she's reappearing here. I LIKE her... and in the next chapter are two, while she's there, she's not a big part of Eichen House like on the show... well, you'll see, I'll make some fans that have been asking for something between 2 characters since the first story very happy and others very... ehhh... it made me nervous, cuz I don't want one of these characters to come off as a hoebag... but also, i think these characters need to kind of explore whats out there too, they're teens... anyways, just read...

… … …

Cat looked out the window at Stiles and his Dad, not at all surprised when Scott appeared on his bike. She watched them talking, Scott looking agitated while both Stilinski's tried to soothe him. This was exactly why no one, save for Kira, knew she had already checked in, she had wanted to avoid confrontation. At the same time, she wished she could have been there to calm them all, to reassure the Sheriff that the MRI was in fact fake. Why was everyone so determined to believe it was real?

As the Stilinski's entered the gate, Scott slowly stepped towards it, watching his best friend disappear into the house. As he moved to turn away, he looked towards one of the windows, looking directly at her. His jaw dropped in shock as she quickly moved out of the way even though she knew it was too late. She let out a small groan before moving off down the hall towards her room where her roommate was lying in bed, purposely turned away from her.

"I think you're just more mad that you didn't get that punch in on me." Cat called over as she moved to her bed. Upon introduction, her new roommate took a swing at her but already anticipating it, she easily stepped out of the way.

"Fuck off." The other girl snarled. "You guys did this to me, I was happy the way I was."

Cat sighed. "And to think, you were so nice and sweet the day we saved you."

"You're psychic, right? Read my mind."

Cat could hear her thoughts loud and clear and she let out a small snort of amusement. "Didn't take you long to learn those words, huh Malia?"

Malia finally turned over, her eyes blazing "I'm asking for a new roommate tomorrow."

Cat's eyebrows shot up. "Really? 'Cause you're not gonna get one. No one wants to room with you, couldn't be your charming personality, could it?"

"Why are you even here?"

She shrugged, quickly changing the subject. "Stiles is here. I don't know if you remember him. Adorably awkward? He's just checking in?"

"All your friends entering the asylum? Maybe because you're all fucking crazy."

Cat laughed loudly at this, more amused by Malia's anger than anything else. Outside the door, she heard Stiles say her name, having had heard her just then. She heard him asking the orderly if there was someone by the name of Cat there. The orderly replied that no, there were two girls in there, one named Malia and the other named Francesca. She didn't know if Stiles knew her middle name or not but it didn't matter because he immediately jumped all over the other name, asking if he could see Malia or not. But he was denied and quickly ushered away.

"Why would he want to see me and not you?" Malia asked, curious now.

"Because he doesn't know it's me, my name's not Francesca." Cat replied as if it was obvious.

The werecoyote's eyes widened. "Oh my god, that's right, it is Cat, just wait until I tell the nurses, you'll be kicked out."

Cat gave her a look of annoyance. "Really, Malia, don't get on my bad side. There's so much more going on here than you even know. You can try but it won't work and you'll just piss me off."

"I hate you." Malia hissed, lying back down and pulling the blankets over her head.

Cat didn't reply, her mind elsewhere as she followed Stiles' trek up the stairs.

"Oh no." Cat mumbled, shooting out of bed and running into the hall. "Somebody stop him." She screamed just as she heard Stiles, on the stairs yelling the same.

People began to come out of their rooms and herd towards the stairs, but Cat was small enough that she could push her way through them. Yet, she was too late as someone jumped over the side of the railing, hanging themselves as they did so. Cat stared in horror, watching as the spirit left the body, floating down to the ground. Everyone stared upwards but she was looking directly at him and he was staring her in surprise.

"Can you see me?" He asked.

She nodded. "Why did you do it?"

"I'm free, I'm finally free. Where do I go now?"

"I- I don't know." She replied as behind him more and more spirits appeared, happy there was someone to communicate with, that could see them. They all began speaking, one right over the other, all wanting to be heard, all asking for her help.

"Erica." Cat suddenly yelled, making everyone near them look at her and take a few steps back.

"Cat?" She looked up to see Stiles looking down at her, his jaw dropped in surprise but she shook her head, stepping back before turning and disappearing into the crowd.

"Finally." Erica huffed, appearing beside the small blonde. "I've been waiting for you to call me for like ever."

"why did you stay away?" Cat asked, openly talking to her. She was in a mental institute, who really cared if she was talking to dead people.

"You wanted us gone so we decided to stay away until you called. Why did you check in here Catty?"

"How am I seeing so many dead people?" She asked, glancing behind her to see that most had followed her.

"You always see lots of dead people." Erica explained. "These ones are crazy though so they probably think you're some shiny new toy, one that could help them move on."

Cat ran into her room and closed the door, although she knew it wouldn't keep them out, they were ghosts after all.

"What's going on?" Malia asked, forgetting her anger in order to figure out what was happening.

"Can you please make them go away?" Cat pleaded. "I can't deal with them, I can't, they really will make me go crazy."

"What are you talking about?" Malia asked.

"Please, Erica."

"I'm Malia."

Cat sighed. "I know, I'm not talking to you."

"Look, Lennox and I, we'll talk to them or something, okay? No promises but we'll try and scare them or something."

"thank you." Cat replied, closing her eyes before stepping through the spirits and to her bed.

"Everyone out." Erica yelled. "You want to know about the girl who can see you? We're having a meeting outside, let's go."

Cat kept her eyes closed for a few minutes and finally opened them with a sigh of relief, seeing it was just her and Malia alone in the room.

"I was trying to figure out why you were in here, you really are crazy, aren't you?"

"Can you be a little less excited?" Cat snapped. "I see dead people. The guy that just killed himself made it known that I could see and talk to them so now I'm super popular."

"Crazy." Malia mumbled turning away again.

Cat rolled her eyes, falling back to her pillow and closing her eyes, falling asleep within minutes.

… … …

"What about a girl named Cat? Is there a girl named Cat here? She probably checked herself in within the last couple days."

Cat stopped herself from turning the corner when she heard Stiles' voice.

"Does she think she's Jesus too?" A voice answered him.

Stiles let out a frustrated sigh. "No, she doesn't. So did a girl come in before me?"

"Yes, tiny little blonde girl came in."

"That's her." Stiles cried.

"No, her name wasn't Cat, it was Francesca."

"Francesca." Stiles murmured.

Cat stepped around the corner, "You rang."

Stiles jaw dropped in shock. "Cat? It is you, what are you doing here?"

She shrugged, trying to play it off as though it was no big deal. "Oh you know, talking to dead people can land you in here."

"Wait, I thought you were Francesca." The guy besides Stiles said.

Cat stared at him with narrowed eyes, picking his name out of his thoughts. "Oliver, I go by either, call me Francesca, got it?"

He nodded with wide, confused eyes.

She glanced at the girl behind them on the phone, her head cocking to the side. "Are you waiting for the phone?"

"Yes." Stiles replied. "It's not safe for us here."

"It's not safe for you out there." Cat calmly said. "Besides, the phone's shut off after a suicide."

"They need to know the whole story." Th girl on the phone said, "Two of them are standing right behind me." She hung up and walked by them, her head down. Cat grabbed her arm, touching bare skin and frowning when she picked up nothing. Nothing like when she had tried to figure out what Lydia was.

"Please let me go." The girl begged her.

Cat closed her eyes and focused inside of herself, taking a deep breath before opening her eyes and staring at the girl in front of her who was now bathed in purple light.

"Do you know what you are?" Cat whispered.

The girl's eyes widened as she yanked her arm away and hurried away as fast as she could.

"What was that about?" Stiles asked. "Who was she on the phone with?"

"She's like Lydia." Cat replied.

"As in…." he trailed off and Cat nodded, knowing what he was getting at.

"What?" oliver asked. "What is she?"

"Crazy." Cat answered with a straight face as Stiles walked away from them and towards another girl with her back turned. Cat realized it was Malia and groaned, knowing the werecoyote would try and land punch on him. She had seen it, after all.

"Malia?" Stiles asked. "I know they said your name but… do you remember me? I'm friends with Scott and Cat."

Rage overtook her features and she cocked back a fist, ready to let it fly when Cat yelled for him to duck. He flattened himself against the ground, making Malia even more angry. She advanced on him but was stopped when someone came flying at her, tackling her to the ground.

The roommates rolled around on the ground, Malia snarling and scratching at her, getting more and more frustrated when she couldn't inflict any damage. Cat finally got the upper hand, digging her knees into Malia's arms, trapping them at her side as she hald one arm against her neck.

"You need to calm the fuck down." Cat told her, just as arms grabbed her and pulled her off Malia, yanking her arms behind her to subdue her. Cat let them, not about to put up a fight as Malia sprang up from the ground before rushing her again. Only now did Cat pull away from the orderlies, grabbing Malia by the back of the neck and using her momentum to push her into the wall. Everyone momentarily froze, shocked that this small blonde teen had easily stopped the much taller and strurdier teen.

"Are we all going to stand there, looking like idiots or is someone else going to help me?" Cat asked.

Her voice broke the silence as two orderlies rushed forward and grabbed her, roughly pushing her to the ground.

"Stop it, you're hurting her, this wasn't her fault." Stiles yelled, rushing forward to protect Cat. Moments later, he was on the ground beside her, pushed face first into a grate. He yelled for them to stop, that he didn't do anything, when he froze and looked down through the grate. Cat would've gladly tried to see what was going on if they weren't immobilizing her head.

"Enough." A voice yelled, pushing through the crowd, and Cat immediately knew who it was.

"Enough." The voice said again and out of the corner of her eyes, Cat could see the guys holding Stiles down had released him but still she remained pushed to the ground, unable to move.

"This one started it all." One of the orderlies holding her down grumbled.

"Release her." The face came into view and Ms. Morrell was crouching down between the two. She glared at the orderlies holding Cat and they finally released her, instead standing up and dispersing the crowd.

"What was it? What did you see?" Cat immediately asked Stiles, ignoring their former school counsellor for the moment.

"The basement." Stiles quietly replied. "I've been there before."

Ms. Morrell looked shocked and opened her mouth to say something but Cat cut her off, not wanting to get into any of it with Stiles, with her standing there. Stiles had only hallucinated himself being there when he was in the coyotes den.

"Why are you here?"

"I was asked to step in here." Ms. Morrell replied, looking clearly amused. "Why don't you two go get cleaned up and join us for group session. If you would like to talk after, I don't mind. I'm very curious as to why you are both here. Especially you, Catalina, as I seem to have no record of your name in the patients list."

"Try Francesca." She replied, standing up and pulling Stiles with her. "We'll be there soon."

"What are you really doing here?" Stiles hissed as soon as they were out of range.

"What do you think? Do you really think I was about to let you end up here alone?"

"How come no one told me?"

"Because no one knows." She replied with a shrug. "I'm here to protect you, Stiles."

"Protect me? Or protect everyone else from me?" He bitterly asked.

Cat touched his neck, where spider web like veins had appeared, no doubt from the Lichen. "I'll do everything I can to protect you." She whispered.

… … …

When they arrived at the group therapy session, Cat pushed Stiles into one of the two remaining seats. She sat down beside him, scooting her chair closer, wanting nothing more than to soothe his frazzled nerves.

Ms. Morrell gave her a small smile, which she didn't return before speaking with all the patients.

"I want to go back to the topic of guilt today. It might surprise you to hear me say that guilt is a good thing. It's a rather mature emotion."

Cat saw Malia from across the circle give Stiles a small guilt ridden smile, which he returned.

"I didn't want to believe this, but it's true, isn't it?" Lennox asked, appearing in front of Cat. "you really checked yourself in here?"

Cat ignored her though, glancing between Stiles and Malia. Lennox finally caught on and turned around, a hand coming up to cover her mouth.

"No, no way. He is not going after that wereskank."

"She's not a skank." Cat snapped before slapping a hand over her mouth as she realized she had slipped up.

"What was that?" Morrell asked. "Who isn't what?"

Cat sighed, closing her eyes as she did.

"Ca- Francesca. Whom were you just speaking to?"

"Probably a ghost." She heard Malia mutter.

"It's okay." Stiles whispered, right before she felt him grab her hand and lace his fingers with hers.

Cat finally opened her eyes to give him a grateful smile but was stopped as he looked past her in horror. Cat turned in her chair to see but only saw a patient speaking with a doctor. She concentrated harder, and since she was holding Stiles' hand, was able to see what he did. It had to be the Nogitsune, in all it's bandaged glory, it's teeth sharp and hideous.

"That… that's it, isn't it?" She whispered to Stiles who never got a chance to answer her as Morrell called on him.

"I'm sorry what?" Stiles asked, turning back to Morrell.

"Guilt. What does it make you feel?"

"Nervous." He replied.

"Like a sense of urgency?" Off Stiles nod, she continued. "You feel an urgent need to make up for what you've done. To apologize. These are healthy responses."

Cat glanced at Stiles to see his eyes staring at something out of his peripheral vision. She squeezed his hand, pulling him away from the images only he and, as a result of holding his hand, she could see.

"Does anyone know what we call someone who doesn't experience guilt?" Morrell asked.

Cat glanced around to see the girl she had grabbed earlier, the one she believed to be like Lydia staring at her and Stiles. Cat stared at her and the girl met her look full on.

"Sociopath." Oliver answered, causing both girls to look at him.

"That's right, Oliver."

Cat leaned over to Stiles, asking him if he was okay as he rubbed at his neck just as Ms. Morrell called for a break, standing up and telling Stiles to follow her so they could speak. He glanced at Cat before standing up and following the former school counsellor down the hall to her room. Cat watched him go before glancing back at the possible banshee.

"What's up with her?" Lennox asked, causing Cat to glance at her in surprise. She had gotten so caught up, she forgot about the spirits.

"Lydia." She replied, still staring at her.

"You should follow." Lennox replied. "I don't like the thought of you leaving Stiles alone anywhere in this place."

Cat turned to look at her in surprise before standing up. "You're right."

"It's good not looking like the craziest one here." Malia muttered as she walked past.

Cat sighed but chose to ignore it, going after Stiles instead. She reached Morrell's office and pressed an ear to the door, knowing neither could hear her.

"By significant and strange, do you mean hopeful and optimistic?" stiles was asking.

"When the marks fade, the Nogitsune's hold on you will return."

A cupboard closed before Stiles spoke again. "What are these? Sleeping pills?"

"Amphetamines, sleeping is exactly what you don't want to do. You're vulnerable when you're asleep."

"So all I have to do is stay awake."

"For now, if your friends haven't figured out something by the time those marks are gone… I'll come find you."

"To tell me what to do?" Stiles asked.

"No, to give you an injection. Pantronium Bromide. it causes respiratory paralysis."

Cat bit her lip. She knew that all too well, Lennox knew that all too well.

"That sounds a lot like death."

"It's used for lethal injection, yes."

Cat heard enough and pushed open the door, causing both occupants to turn to her. "You go anywhere near him with that stuff and a needle, I will rip off your head with my bare hands." she snarled.

"I am only going to do what I've always done, maintain the balance." Morrell enunciated slowly.

Cat grabbed Stiles hand, pulling him towards the door. "And I'm going to do what I always done." She turned around to glare at the female druid. "Protect my friends."

"What if killing Stiles is what protects your other friends?"

"I'll find another way, I always do." She snapped. "You are not going to get anywhere near him."

"Your roots come from the druids as well, Catalina, You should help maintain the balance."

"No. My friends, my family, they come first. So fuck your stupid balance and stay the fuck away from us."

It wasn't until they had turned down a couple hallways did Stiles grab her arm to stop her.

"Okay, first of all, that was extremely badass and hot and second of all, I can't sleep. She says its dangerous if I sleep."

Cat glared at him. "This coming from the bitch who wants to kill you but in this instance, she may be right. You can't sleep."

He sighed. "Okay fine, I need to get to the basement though."

"Door's locked. No one has a key except for the head orderly idiot and I need some tools in order to pick the lock."

"We can trick him."

Both teens whirled around to see Oliver standing behind them.

"Holy jeez, Oliver, how long have you been standing there?" Stiles asked, shooting a questioning look at Cat, wondering if she had known but the blonde only shook her head, having had no idea.

"He could be right." Stiles murmured. "I am getting good at the whole tricking thing."

Cat tilted her head to the side, her eyes unfocused as she tried to get a feel of what the plan was. When it came to her, she smiled.

"We need Malia."

"Why? So she can punch me again?"

"So we can work out our pent up frustration." She replied with an evil grin. "We need to find her." Without another word, she lifted both arms and shoved Stiles in to the nearest washroom. "Tell Malia to meet me in the rec room."

"Why did you do that?" Oliver asked as she continued down the hall, him following close behind.

"Because Malia is there." Cat replied. "I need to get to a working phone, I need you to be a lookout for me, and after, you have to help distract the orderlies if need be, so Stiles can get the key, okay?"

Oliver looked very serious as he nodded and Cat was satisfied that she had his full attention for the time being. Posting him near the offices, she told him to knock if anyone came and she walked to the doors, turning the handles until she was able to get in to one. She knew the lock was faulty and this was her best bet to talk to Kira. Before dialing, she double checked that no one would be appearing in the near future and she could make the full phone call. When she was satisfied, she picked up the phone and called her friend.

"Hello?" Kira hesitantly answered.

"Kira, it's me." She whispered. "I don't have a lot of time."

"Cat?" Came the incredulous reply. "you were supposed to call me forever ago. Are you okay? I'm so worried about you, I've been avoiding Scott. I mean, why would he think I know where you are, right? But he might somehow and if he asked me, I don't know if I could lie to him and-"

"Kira, not much time, remember?"

"Right."

"You've been practicing with your katana." It wasn't a question but a statement and Cat didn't give her a chance to answer before continuing on. "grab it and go help Scott."

"With what?"

"The heist they have planned to get the scroll. They could use your help."

"What if he doesn't let me?" She quietly asked, sounding nervous.

"Then make him. Look, you're the turning factor in this whole thing, you need to be able to help. I have to go."

"Wait! What if he asks me where you are?"

"I'm sure he saw me in the window. I have to go, I'll see you soon." Cat hung up the phone, ignoring Kira's protest and ducked out of the office, motioning Oliver to follow.

... ... ...