A Friend in the Dark

Juliet "Jules" Hayes wasn't ready to face her old life. She's not ready for a trial, she wasn't ready for what might be a stalker and she wasn't ready for the supernatural. But she has learned painfully that life doesn't care what she's ready for or what she wants. She can either get back up or stay down. Jules survived 3 years of some of the worst humanity can offer. She can handle werewolves. S3, StilesxOC . Warnings inside. Season 3a complete.

Juliet "Jules" Hayes Face Claim – Ashley Benson

Drama, friendship, romance and some angst.

Warnings: This story will often indirectly reference things that have happened to Jules who was a victim of human trafficking. Chapters where this topic and closely connected ones are openly discussed and referenced will have a warning. ANYONE TRIGGERED BY ALLUSIONS TO OR DIRECT MENTIONS OF THIS SUBJECT MATTER SHOULD NOT READ. There will also be references directly, or indirectly to drugs and addiction. Of course this is still a Teen Wolf fan fiction and that is all very important but this character's past still influences her life and subplots. I have done my research on all subject matter but the way I will write one experience is obviously going to conflict with the way someone else deals with these issues.

"I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light."― Helen Keller

Chapter One – Tattoo

Jules watched her reflection in the distorted glass of Lydia Martin's door. She was make up and curls and new shoes. This was how she was supposed to look. Her hands shook in the pockets of her sweat shirt and she watched herself take strange shapes in the glass as she paced. She almost laughed.

Jules Hayes, distorted, different.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been pacing like this, one minute? Five? Ten? It didn't matter, she'd pace all night if it meant mustering up the courage to speak to Lydia. Jules remembered their last interaction like it had happened moments ago. It was simple, childish, and insignificant. Although Jules learned painfully that nothing never really meant nothing.

"What are you doing in New York?" Lydia asked again.

Jules rolled her eyes, "The same thing we do every year, pretend we like our cousins."

Lydia quirked an eyebrow "I thought they didn't speak to you."

Jules played with the pendant on her necklace, a bat mitzvah gift from her father. She hadn't taken it off since November. "No that's my dad's brother. They hate each other."

"Why?" Lydia asked curiously.

The other girl shrugged "I don't know, but-"

"Jules!" Natalie called from downstairs. "Your mother is here!"

Jules huffed and grabbed her backpack and hopped off of Lydia's bed. "Bye Lydia." She chirped.

Lydia followed Jules to the top of the stairs where she hugged her friend goodbye. "Bring me something back."

Jules shot her friend a devilish green "Why would I do that?"

Lydia crossed her arms "Because you're my best friend you have to, it's a rule. You have to promise."

Jules brought her hand up to her neck. That necklace had been taken from her and most likely pawned. Not that she couldn't understand why, it was a Star of David and where she'd gone hadn't been Holy. Jules slung her backpack off her shoulder and reached inside. She pulled out a keychain from LaGuardia airport. Jules made her older sister Abigail buy it for her six months ago. She twirled the miniature empire state building around her finger. Jules clenched the keychain, the metal point dig into her palm.

What do I even say? "Hey Lydia it's me fresh out of Eichen Sanitarium! Sorry I got super kidnapped but I'm back now! No, you can't ask what happened to me! Why would you do that? So how's it hanging? I'm decent, been better I guess. Can I come in?"

Jules stopped pacing. She had to do something, she couldn't just stand outside in the august air and hope the right words came.

Maybe I should cry. She might pity me if I cry…

For a moment Jules debated making herself cry, it wouldn't be too hard.

She already pities you moron, well, right now she probably thinks your body is rotting in the East River.

Grim determination took hold of Jules.

Except you're not rotting in the East River. You're here. You're home.

She took a step closer to the door and raised her fist; she pounded it in the door three times. The stupid keychain still buried in the palm of her hand.

Lydia and Allison heard the knocking before Natalie did. "Mom!" Lydia called. "Door!" She shouted.

"I know!" Natalie yelled back.

Allison looked at the clock, "It's almost nine, who would it be?"

Lydia shrugged and leaned back on her bed, "You still haven't said anything about France."

Allison was about to open her mouth to defend herself when they heard Natalie cry out.

Natalie Martin had been like a second mother to Jules, she knew this, and she knew how it might feel to see her again. But Jules didn't expect to be so overwhelmed with so many different emotions that the only thing she could manage to say was,

"Hi."

And Natalie shouted something, maybe a word, Jules wasn't sure. But in a second she was enveloped in a bone crushing hug and her eyes began to sting. She could feel Natalie crying into her shoulder and running her fingers through her hair. Jules hugged her back just as tightly, the last person she'd held like this other than family had been some random FBI agent. Jules couldn't remember his face anymore; she'd never seen him again.

There was a clatter of footsteps down the stairs and around the corner into the foyer and then they stopped dead. Jules looked around Natalie's head as her own tears began to fall. Natalie let go of Jules and the blonde wiped her face. To say Lydia was stunned was an understatement. Lydia Martin who Jules remembered as always so put together, who knew every answer, was at a loss for words. Jules could see her eyes watering and knew she had to say something. She noticed a second girl with Lydia, a pretty brunette but she didn't matter. Not right now. She held up the keychain.

"I brought something back from New York. You know I can't break a rule to save my life." That last part was a lie, an old joke between them. Jules wondered if Lydia remembered what she was supposed to say next.

"Don't lie; it's unbecoming of the modern woman." Her voice was strained, broken.

Because bratty twelve year olds qualify as modern women.

Lydia attacked her with a hug Jules didn't hesitate to reciprocate. It took her a moment to realize that not only was she crying but Lydia was to. Jules buried her face in her friends shoulder. She wanted to say something witty, something the Jules Lydia knew would have said to diffuse an emotional situation. The kind of moments that made Jules squirm and wish the planet would open up and swallow her whole. She didn't feel that way now. 'You don't know what you have until it's gone.' Is repeated by grandmothers everywhere. Jules hugged her friend tighter, she knew exactly what she had, but still she noted that hadn't been worth the pain.

Allison watched as Lydia and this other girl continued to cry. Natalie turned to her.

"Jules Hayes, she went missing a little over three years ago." She whispered, trying to hold back tears. Allison quickly darted back upstairs to get her things. She could hear voices form downstairs. Allison couldn't recall Lydia ever telling her about Jules, but maybe that wasn't the sort of thing one talked about. Allison's heart beat uncomfortably fast, she didn't want to think about what might have happened to that girl while she was gone. But she had a sick feeling it was going to keep her up that night. Allison went down the stairs and quietly as she could and saw Natalie lead Jules into the kitchen. Lydia met her at the bottom of the stairs.

"She's… I'm…" She stuttered out. Allison embraced her best friend.

"Your mom said something, talk tomorrow?" She said softly.

Lydia nodded. A keychain dangled in her fingers.

Jules and Lydia sat right next to each other on the couch in the living room; Natalie was in the kitchen starting some tea.

"When did you get back?" Natalie asked as lightly as she could, as if it Jules had gone on a vacation with a flexible return date to Florida.

Jules leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, her chin on her fist. "About six months, I spent them in Eichen house, the only people I was allowed to see was my immediate family." She said calmly. This part she had rehearsed, what she would say, what she would leave out.

Natalie and Lydia looked perturbed. "There was nothing in the papers." Natalie commented. Lydia shot her mother a dark look.

"Mom wanted to keep it quiet, I was…" She trailed off to choose her next words very carefully. "I was in rough shape. But I am surprised she didn't say anything to anyone. I don't know what she was thinking." Jules admitted. But Charlotte Hayes tended to think with her heart and her heart always said "protect my children before common sense".

Natalie came and sat across from the girls, Lydia was very quiet. "Well, I don't know how to say how happy I am to see you."

Jules smiled slightly, a quick upturn of the lips that was gone as soon as it came.

"When were you discharged?" Lydia asked in a low voice.

"About three hours ago." Jules said and she cleared her throat, "My room is exactly the same."

Lydia frowned, "You hated your room."

Jules leaned to the side and put her head on Lydia's shoulder, "Exactly."

Natalie scrunched up her nose, "That terrible shade of green?" She asked, mostly as a reminder for herself. Jules nodded animatedly.

Lydia feigned gagging and for a moment they were silent. Jules who used to live for silence now hated it. She remembered all the days in Eichen house when her family visited and they fell silent after a few minutes, they just didn't know what to say.

"I'm coming back to school. I had a tutor in Eichen. She decided I'm basically a genius and can tackle junior year." She tried to sound enthusiastic but Jules had never liked school, she held very firm beliefs that the education system didn't work. Not to mention no one had said anything about her being a genius. At least she'd be with Lydia and…

"Who's the brunette?" She changed her own topic of conversation. Lydia smiled.

"Allison."

Jules nodded, "Tell me about Allison."

It was almost eleven when Charlotte came by to pick up her daughter. Natalie let her in while the girls were still talking. She saw Jules and Lydia before they noticed her. They sat cross legged and across from each other on the couch, twin smiles on their faces. Jules was talking about how excited she was to get back to being able to read whatever she wanted. Lydia spotted her before Jules did, she smiled at Charlotte. Charlotte wasn't paying attention; her eyes were on her daughter. She hadn't seen her daughter smile like that in three years.

"Honey." Charlotte said softly, Jules turned. Her face stiffened.

"Hey mom." She said and got up from the couch. Lydia handed Jules her bag.

"We'll talk tomorrow." Lydia said and walked Jules over to her mother in the foyer. Natalie gave Jules one last hug and decided that she should walk Charlotte to her car. The two older women left the house, softly closing the door behind her.

Lydia pulled her friend close. "If you need anything."

Jules smiled into Lydia's shoulder, "I'm okay."

Lydia let go of Jules, "Don't lie; it's unbecoming of the modern woman."

Jules liked Allison. She had worried about Lydia while she was gone, she could be a bit harsh and that took getting used to. She listened to Lydia grill Allison about her dating habits while she'd been overseas, Lydia had mellowed out. But, Jules smiled to herself, not that much.

"It is not a double date, it is a group thing. Jules is coming." Lydia said.

At the sound of her name Jules narrowed her eyes, "I am not fifth wheeling your double date." She complained.

"Group thing." Lydia corrected.

Allison and Jules rolled their eyes simultaneously.

"Do they know it's a group thing?" Allison asked. "Cause I told you I'm not ready to get back out there."

"You were in France and didn't do any dating? For four months?" Lydia sounded exasperated with her friend.

Allison shrugged, "Did you?" She paused and Lydia's face fell. "I mean after J-"

"Do not." Lydia stopped her, "Say his name."

Jules furrowed her brow.

Who? What?

"Is he okay? I mean did everything work out?" Allison pressed.

Lydia glanced at Allison and then to Jules in the back seat. "The doctors looked like total idiots when he turned up okay but, everyone got over it."

Jules wanted to ask but this didn't seem like the right time. Allison still looked concerned.

"And yes Derek… coached him." Lydia said.

Ah, sports.

Allison smiled, "So then you've talked to him."

Jules leaned forward, this seemed like a good place to butt in. "Talked to whom?"

Lydia looked at the both of them. "Uh, not since he left for London."

"You mean since his dad moved him to London." Allison corrected.

Jules watched Lydia, she was hurt by someone, Jules could tell. She felt anger bubble in her chest, who had the audacity to hurt Lydia?

"Whatever." Lydia huffed, "He left." She turned back to Allison, "And seriously, an American teenage boy in London? Like that's not going to be a disaster."

Jules studied the girls in the front seats, something passed between them, something unspoken. She frowned; Jules she knew was out of the loop, obviously. But Lydia had been very forthcoming about her life until whatever had happened last winter and spring. There was a door there; a Jules wasn't going to force her to open it. God knows she was keeping some things shut. Allison however had the knowledge of what happened to keep asking.

"So you're totally over him?" She asked like she already knew the answer.

"Would I be going on a double date if I wasn't?" Lydia said a little too quickly.

"To my knowledge people date to get over other people, I believe it's called moving on." Jules interjected sardonically. Lydia pursed her lips.

"Thank you Juliet."

Jules leaned back in the seat, "But what do I know, I still await my Romeo." She said mockingly, she hated that play. She couldn't fathom the reason her paretns had thought 'Juliet' was a fitting name for their child.

Lydia rolled her eyes, "Those jokes were never and are never going to be funny."

Allison was laughing. Lydia sighed. "Yes it is a double date. And no don't worry Jules you're not coming."

Jules sighed, "Oh thank god, I'd hate to bear witness."

Allison looked at Lydia a little disbelieving.

"It's not an orgy. You'll live." Lydia assured.

The three girls continued to discuss the prospects of this double date while a jeep pulled up next to them. Allison's face fell, she turned to the window.

"Oh my god." She said.

Jules poked her head between the front seats, "What?"

Lydia jerked her head to the side, "Allison's ex-boyfriend, passenger seat." She said quickly. Allison continued to express her surprise while the boy in the driver's seat waved to them.

"Lydia go! Just go!" Allison pleaded.

"But the light!" Lydia protested. Jules tried not to laugh as the driver of the jeep leaned across his friend and began to unroll his window.

"Hey!" He shouted. And Lydia slammed down on the gas. Jules was forced by the movement against the back seats.

"Screw the law!" She shouted at Lydia, "Just screw it!" Her voice was riddled with sarcasm.

Lydia shot her an annoyed look and Allison was still mortified.

"You alright?" Lydia asked Allison.

Jules was tempted to ask what exactly that boy did to her but she thought better of it. She turned around and watched the jeep stop in the middle of the road. "Uh…" She said.

"Lydia stop. I need to go back; I need to talk to him." Allison said urgently. Lydia stopped the car.

"They stopped to." Jules pointed out.

"Why would they stop?" Allison asked.

"Its Stiles and Scott, do you really wanna try applying logic to those to?" Lydia responded. Jules snorted.

"Maybe we should go ba-" Allison started, but she was abruptly interrupted by the sound of shattering glass. The three girls screamed, Jules froze unable to completely comprehend what was happening.

Deer? What? Is that a deer?

Lydia and Allison jumped out of the car, Jules stared numbly at the animal as her own door was wrenched open and seat belt unclipped.

"Jules!" Lydia shouted.

Jules didn't look away from the animal, this was by no means the scariest thing that had ever happened to her but by far one of the oddest.

"Jules!" Lydia's hand was wrapped around Jules's arm and pulling her out of the car. She scrambled out of the vehicle. The boys were behind them, asking them if they were okay.

"It came out of nowhere!" Lydia shouted, someone asked her if she was hurt.

Jules put her hands on her hips. "What the actual…"

There was a hand on her shoulder, unfamiliar. She whipped around and was faced with a teenage boy. She jerked away from him and walked to the front of the car.

"Well I am not okay! I am totally freaking out!" Lydia shouted, "Jules are you all right?"

The blonde nodded, glass crunched under her boots. Lydia kept yelling about the deer. The other boy, Allison's ex, came around the other side of the car. While Lydia commented on the mental state of the deer the boy leaned over it. Jules watched him, half confused and half disgusted.

"No, it was scared." The boy said.

Jules quirked an eyebrow but didn't say anything. That was safe to assume. He touched the deer. "Actually, terrified."

Each teenager turned to look at the dark road ahead, illuminated by the moon. Jules's fear had worn off into adrenaline, her heart pounded. She backed away from the deer and walked back over to Lydia, she stood close to her friend. Her eyes darted between Allison and the two boys, Scott and Stiles. They didn't look shocked, just scared. Like this was a mildly terrifying common occurrence. Jules's throat felt tight. Just what had happened while she was gone?

Jules was up early the next morning. She fell back into her morning routine perfectly, hygiene, hair, makeup, clothes, breakfast. Well, almost perfectly. All of her clothes were things her sister Abigail hadn't brought with her when she left for UCLA about ten days before and all her makeup was her mothers. Jules didn't actually remember growing over the time she was gone, she hadn't been focused on it, but only her old sweaters and jackets fit. Her sister's left over jeans and shirts were a little too big but they'd have to do. Jules was sure if she did her hair and makeup just right she could pull off attractively disheveled instead of just disheveled. While riffling through her closet she accidently yanked out an FBI sweat shirt. Some agent had given it to her to wear while she waited for her family to fly into New York. Jules tossed the sweater back into her closet; she'd decide what to do with it another time.

In the end almost nothing of what Jules wore was actually her own. Her mother's t-shirt, jacket, sneakers and her sister's shorts. Jules tugged on her shoes, Eichen house had supplied her with socks, under wear, some decent sports bras and a pair of sneakers. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her mother's t-shirt hung loosely around her torso, Jules was mostly lean muscle. If she had it her way she would've gained some weight, her meds and stress didn't care what she wanted. She pulled her hair into a mussed up ponytail and grabbed her backpack. Jules thought about makeup and decided that she dind't care enough to bother with it.

This is as good as its going to get.

Jules munched happily on some chocolate cereal. Her father came into the kitchen. She tracked his movements; it was the same every morning. Smile at his daughter, make his coffee, and scramble his eggs. Jules knew that she shouldn't be so attentive, so openly observant. Normal daughters didn't watch their loving father like hawks while they hummed old rock music and cut up cheese. But Noah Hayes had a large presence in any room he walked into, he was intimidating, loud. And Jules who used to love her father for all these things couldn't help but be wary of them now. They didn't talk about it but he knew. And now wherever Noah was Charlotte was never far behind. Charlotte sat down next to her daughter, a piece of toast in one hand and several pill bottles in another. She shook them. Jules nodded, confirming she'd already taken them and her mother put them down. Charlotte glanced at the clock.

"It's almost time to go."

Jules nodded and shovelled more cereal into her mouth.

"Hey, easy." Noah said jokingly.

Jules didn't look at him, she wanted to. She wanted to smile at her father and joke with him and have father daughter days, like they used to. Jules put her spoon down, her appetite quickly fading. She couldn't. Jules couldn't look at him or hug him or be with him and not pretend he didn't remind her of a very specific unsavoury person. She downed her orange juice and stood up, slinging her backpack onto her shoulder.

"Let's go."

Charlotte watched her daughter tap her feet and wring her hands for the entire drive. She knew she shouldn't ask but she was a mom, she had to.

"Are you sure you're ready?"

The question posed got the answer Charlotte expected, a steely, stubborn glare.

"Because at any time you know can call me and I will leave work and come and get you." Charlotte continued, her tone was sharp, authoritative. Charlotte lost her daughter once; she'd do everything in her power to make sure that nothing happened to her again. That she was never hurt again. She'd spent two and a half years trying and failing not to force her fears onto Abigail. The December before, when Abigail was applying to Universities Charlotte hadn't slept. She'd barely eaten. She'd nearly slipped back into the same depression that destroyed her after Jules had vanished. Charlotte's eyes flicked back and forth between her daughter and the entrance to the school parking lot. She remembered spending every other week in New York, she alternated with Noah. The private investigators, hounding the NYPD, had all amounted to nothing. Charlotte grabbed her daughter's hand and gave Jules a soft smile as she stopped the car.

"Be safe, have fun."

Jules rolled her eyes and dramatically opened the car door, nearly hitting a passing student.

"Hey!" The girl shouted.

Jules unclipped her seat belt and hopped out of the car. The last thing Charlotte heard her say before Jules slammed the door was.

"Relax you're not dead." In voice that held a little to much of three years on the east coast.

Charlotte's phone rang, it was Noah.

"Hey." She answered, "Just dropped off Jules."

"Is she alright?" She husband asked.

Charlotte pulled out of the parking lot and stuck her phone on speaker, placing it in the seat beside her.

"She seems fine Noah; she wouldn't be going if she wasn't." She assured. Charlotte heard her husband sigh.

"We know her, we know that she would."

Charlotte clucked her tongue; this was a conversation she and Noah had had countless times. Charlotte was steadfast in her belief that they didn't know their daughter. That they'd have to get to know Jules again, as she is now. Noah believed the opposite, he thought that the longer she was home, the more like her old self she'd be.

"I'm not having this conversation in the car." Charlotte snapped, he knew what she meant.

Noah muttered something, "She's our daughter, and we know her better then-"

"Then what Noah?" Charlotte snapped, cutting him off. "Herself?" She shook her head, anger bloomed in her chest. "You can't expect her to be like she was when she was thirteen. She grew up and we didn't see it!"

"Charlie-" Noah started calmly but Charlotte wasn't having it.

"Enough! I can't go to work angry!"

And then she hung up her heart pounding with rage.

Stubborn, self-righteous asshole.

She seethed.

Thinks he knows everything.

Charlotte pulled over and leaned on the steering wheel of her car, trying to stay calm. She could feel her eyes burning. This was her marriage now, forever the calm before the storm. All the things they didn't talk about ping ponging between them, all the things they couldn't agree on had to stay hidden. She picked up her phone again and dialed Abigail; the one reason divorce had never been an option. Gail had lost her sister, what sort of parents would they be if they hurt her like that?

Jules drew the exact amount of attention she didn't want. She didn't want any at all. But her picture had been spread all around the country and in a tiny town like Beacon Hills there wasn't a person who hadn't known who she was. Or at least what she looked like and that she went missing.

I can take this.

She said as people's conversations dropped to whispers as she walked by.

They don't know.

She felt anxiety build in her stomach.

Everybody knows but nobody is going to say anything about it

Jules clenched and unclenched her fists in rage. It's taboo what happened to her. They can all guess and speculate but no one is going to say anything. And that's the problem isn't it? Jules went straight to guidance. People moved out of her way as she walked. Maybe it was the news headline that was stapled to her name or maybe it was the murderous expression she wore as she darted through the crowds. Something warded them away.

Jules had little time or inclination to deal with a guidance counselor. She didn't want to talk, she already had a therapist and she didn't want to be late. Her phone buzzed, it was Lydia.

Make it okay?

Jules stood in front of the door to the office and quickly shot a text back.

Yep. Guidance stuff.

She took a calming breath, knowing that waltzing into a guidance counselor's office while seething with rage was never a good idea.

"Hi I'm-" She started but stopped when she saw who it was. "Marin?"

"Hi Jules." She said.

Marin Morell. She worked at Eichen house; she led most of the group 'talk' sessions.

What the hell is she doing here?

"I've been working here since last spring. I didn't follow you." She said calmly, answering Jules's unspoken question.

Jules eased into the chair across from her. "Nice to know you didn't forget about my paranoia." She said lightly and snapped her fingers. Jules leaned forward and narrowed her eyes, "Why am I here?"

Marin sighed softly. "It's a formality, the school is aware of your situation and wants you to know that help is available here if you ever need it."

Jules scoffed, "At least they've provided someone qualified." She paused, her face softening. "How aware are they?"

Marin held her easy expression. "They have access to your medical records which includes psychological evaluations. And they are also aware you will be absent for some if not much of November."

Jules slumped back, "At least you're honest." She pinched her brow. "But they're not gonna like make an announcement after we pledge allegiance like 'Students of Beacon Hills High School please refrain from startling Juliet Hayes as she is a victim of various crimes and would not appreciate it. Thank You.'" She imitated the static voice of the principle. "Cause that would straight up suck." She said pointedly.

"No they won't do that, but your teachers are aware that they have to give you a little more leniency than others. The same courtesy is extended to multiple students experiencing struggles." Marin assured.

"Everyone has struggles." Jules said darkly, "What you mean is mental illness. And I don't want courtesy, I want normality."

Marin nodded, "I understand but I also know that you understand normality isn't something that you'll have. You experience and interpret life differently than your class mates, you know this."

Jules stared out the window at the students trickling into the school.

They all have stories, everyone.

Jules turned back to Marin.

"Just your story is particularly sensitive."

Jules wasn't aware she had spoken out loud. "Maybe." She mused. "But I am not." Jules stated. "The only way I'll be okay is if I live my life and take my meds. Coincidently, I am doing both."

"There's a lot more to being okay then that." Marin replied, she sounded cryptic. Jules was finished with this conversation and stood up.

"Yeah well it's a start." She said in a tired voice. "Can I go?" She asked, Marin opened her mouth. "And yes I know I can come to you with anything whenever I want, I got it." She said mockingly and headed for the door.

"Actually I was going to say I hope you make some new friends." Marin said to Jules's retreating back. The blonde whipped around.

"I have Lydia and Lydia has friends. I'll come around to them."

A very strange look passed over Marin's face, one Jules didn't recognize.

When did she start here? Last Spring? Around the same time Lydia becomes very vague.

Jules bit her lip and Marin quirked an eyebrow. Jules rolled her eyes.

Like she knows anything.

"Thanks Marin but I should get to class."

And Jules was out the door before anything more could be said.

Jules got to class late. Not "I'm going to get called out by the teacher late" but "Everyone's already sat down and now they're staring at me" late. But maybe the staring was because she was missing for as far as they knew three years. That probably actually had more to do with the looks. Lydia shot her a supportive smile and pointed to the seat in front of her. She could hear the whispering.

"I heard she ran away." One girl said to another. "That they made up she got kidnapped to cover it up."

"She got hot." One boy said to his friend as she passed.

"Are you sure that's her?"

Jules was tempted to turn around and smack him. She exchanged annoyed glances with Lydia and Allison. She loudly dropped her bag next to her future desk but stayed standing. All eyes on her, drawn by the noise and by Jules's presence in the classroom. She felt sick, like she was on display. She hated that feeling; it was too familiar for her taste. Lydia grabbed and squeezed her hand, Allison nodded.

"Yes I am Jules Hayes and yes I am not dead, no I will not be answering questions at this time." She said. Mimicking the bored tone of an agent at a press conference she'd watched. Her heart hammered and she wanted to dig herself a hole to die in. But, as expected everyone in the room looked at her as though she'd slapped them in the face and then kicked their puppy and resumed their conversations. Some of them would still be about her, Jules knew that. But now no one dared to look at her. She sat down. That was how she wanted it.

Jules busied herself with getting her books out of her bag while Lydia spoke to the boy next to her, one of the boys from the night before. Jules still wasn't one hundred percent on which one was Scott and which one was Stiles. Her eyes flicked to Allison fidgeting in her seat. The one behind her was certainly the ex-boyfriend. Jules flipped open her notebook. Jules was fascinated by relationships. The only healthy one she'd ever witnessed was that of her parents, when it came to people's dating lives she wanted to know everything. She watched with intent blue eyes as Scott stared at the back of Allison's head and she made a point of only looking in front of her. Jules was desperate to know what had happened between them. She tore her eyes away and chastised herself for not minding her own business. Her phone buzzed, as did everyone else's in the class. For a moment she panicked. Why could everybody be getting a message at once? What did that mean? Who had their numbers? And then a female voice entered the room reciting the message.

"The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds and the tranquil waterway leading to the utter most ends of the earth, flows somber under an overcast sky, seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness."

Jules's eyes followed the teacher.

Heart of Darkness, great. As if my life wasn't dark enough.

She slouched in her chair and twirled her pen as the teacher continued to talk.

An inventive way to introduce herself to the class. I'll give her that.

"This is the last line to the first book we are going to read." She explained. "It is also" She added, "The last text you will receive in this class. Phones off, everyone."

Begrudgingly Jules turned off her phone. She hoped that her mother didn't decide that she needed to assure Jules's continued survival. She grimaced, not wanting to imagine the panic. Jules watched as her teacher, Mrs. Blake placed books on the desk of each student in the front of the class. On instinct they were passed back. Upon getting her copy she sighed, wrote her name in the front underneath every other name of every other unfortunate student tasked with required reading. But at one name she smiled.

Gail Hayes 2008-2009

Jules turned to the first page, excited to inform her sister they had the same book. But after another moment of contemplation she decided against it, Jules was missing for the majority of that year. It wasn't a year Gail needed reminding of.

Jules loved to read. It was one of the few things that no one was able to take from her. No matter where she was or who she was with there was a library and if she was good she got to go there. She got to dress normally and sit and read and pretend she didn't hate the person with her, with every fiber of her being. She got to pretend that she wasn't afraid. It was the note taking part that made her angry. She didn't want to stop and pause and write down relevant information. She wanted to become absorbed in the story. Not the discomfort of her chair, the clicking of a classmate's pen of the tap of someone's foot. She furrowed her brow, whoever that was needed to stop. Discretely she turned around and scanned the floor, behind her and to her right was a boy bouncing his knee. Jules brought her eyes up. It was either Scott or Stiles. She watched him, tapping foot, bouncing knee, he twirled his pen in his hand. She shot him a glare, he didn't notice. Jules sighed and turned back around, drumming her fingers on her desk as she wrote. Jules froze. The entire time she'd been reading she'd been twirling her pen around and shuffling her feet, trying to get comfortable. She sighed.

I am just as annoying as that guy aren't I?

The principal walked in and spoke to Mrs. Blake, she called Allison's ex-boyfriend up to the front and then out of the room. Jules decided he was Scott. The boy behind her seemed like the kind of person who'd be named Stiles. He must've chosen that name himself; no one actually names their child that.

"Hey, Lydia." He whispered. Jules looked up from her notebook, bored out of her mind and ready not to mind her own business. She turned to see the out of the corner of her eye. He was pointing down at her feet.

"What is that? Is that from the accident?" He asked, obviously and genuinely concerned.

Jules frowned.

Did Lydia get hurt and not tell me? Should I say something?

"No, Prada bit me." She admitted.

Jules turned "Your dog?" She said at the same time as Stiles. Jules glanced back up front to Mrs. Blake who hadn't noticed her lapse in focus. Lydia glanced back and forth between the two of them.

"No my designer handbag." She deadpanned.

Neither Stiles nor Jules were amused.

"Yes my dog." Lydia said in a low voice.

"Has it ever bitten you before?" Stiles asked.

Jules looked at Lydia expectantly, waiting for an answer. The redhead shook her head no. Stiles leaned furthur into the aisle.

"Okay, what if it's like the same thing as the deer." He said. Jules cocked her head.

"Mania?" She offered sarcastically. Stiles shot her a glare and continued as Lydia looked back up to them.

"You know how animals start acting weird right before and earthquake or something." He explained further.

Lydia turned to him, looking annoyed. "Meaning what? There's going to be an earthquake."

"Not out of the realm of possibility." Jules pointed out, now far more interested in what Stiles had to say then her book.

"Or something." His eyes darted to Jules. "Maybe it means something's coming." He paused, looking far too serious. "Something bad."

Lydia appeared concerned, Jules couldn't imagine why.

Jules smirked, "Like what? Darkness? Swarms of locusts?" She leaned closer to him and Lydia, "No, no, no. Death of the first born." She offered sardonically.

"Not biblical plagues." Stiles huffed.

Jules shrugged, "The end is upon us. There's like five guys preaching about it on Hollywood Boulevard at any given moment."

"Yeah, they're the leading source on when the worlds gonna end." His voice dripped with sarcasm, she smiled. Jules liked him, he obviously relied more on words then physicality and he didn't look threatening. Sass she could do without problem, that had gotten her in trouble.

"Ease up on the snark, I have rations." She said seriously.

"It was a deer and a dog." Lydia interrupted them, still serious. "What's that thing you say about threes? Once, twice-"

A bird hit the window, cutting her off. Jules dropped her pen. She knew the saying. She knew it as a quote from a Bond book. She couldn't remember which.

Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence.

Mrs. Blake walked towards the windows; Jules felt her pulse pick up and her heart leap into her throat. A swarm of birds dotted the sky, coming closer and closer to the school. They began to hit the windows.

Three times is enemy action.

And then all hell broke loose.

Author Note: I first of all apologize for any mistakes in spelling or grammar. As much as I edit things do slip past especially when I've written and rewritten and reread something so many times. Feedback is greatly appreciated.

*This chapter was very focused around Jules's personal life especially her family she will of course become far more involved with the core Teen Wolf plot and characters.

Other Face claims

Abigail Hayes – Eliza Taylor

Charlotte Declan-Hayes – Naomi Watts

Noah Hayes – Jeffrey Dean Morgan