As soon as Olivia starts waking up, Melissa and I help her struggle into a wheelchair because we had to leave before someone needed the room. We wheel her out of the side door we came in and Stiles already has the Jeep waiting for us at the curb. Roscoe has no rear doors, so Scott gives his mom a quick hug goodbye and then climbs over the center console into the back seat. I half carry, half drag Olivia who is still shaky and in shock, who has one good leg, and who is still without crutches to the front seat and Stiles helps me get her into the car. I lean over her, buckling her in before I awkwardly climb over her into the backseat, trying my hardest not to jostle any part of her bruised body. "Thank you." I hear Olivia say softly from behind me, her voice strained, and when I turn to sit down I see that she's looking out the window and Melissa is holding her outstretched hand.
"You're welcome. Now I hope you understand when I say I hope I never see you back here again, take care." Melissa says softly and I swear I see tears in her eyes. Melissa has a really hard time dealing with the innocent people that get swept up into supernatural situations that have gotten out of control and I think it's because she's been one of those people. We all have.
...
I know everyone is absolutely brimming over with questions they want to ask Olivia, myself included, but thankfully everyone is able to restrain themselves for now. Even Stiles keeps his questions to an immediate need to know basis, which surprises me. "I couldn't ask earlier, but is there anyone who would be worried you're missing right now? Do you live around here, live with anyone?" Stiles asks gently.
"No, no one knows or cares where I am right now." Olivia answers, grimacing slightly at her words as if they physically hurt to say. "I have two roommates, but they're both at home right now."
"That's great actually, we can take you back to your apartment then. Isaac is going to stay outside your place tonight if that's ok with you? Until we figure out what this guy wants, we can't guarantee he won't come back so Isaac will be good to have around for extra protection. I don't mean to scare you, I'm just being honest. Also, all of us are going to stop by tomorrow and give you a proper explanation if that's also alright with you?" Stiles asks in a rush.
"Sounds good. Thanks again for everything." Olivia whispers before turning to look out the window a second time.
"Can you just tell me your address?" Stiles asks, passing his phone back to Scott so he can type it in.
Olivia rattles it off almost robotically and then doesn't say anything else. Stiles glances at Scott who glances at me. What do we do, what do we say? Scott mouths to me and I shrug. I can only imagine what's going through Liv's head right now. I'm surprised she doesn't have a million questions for us. I think we are all on edge because it feels like we're sitting in the car with a bomb ready to go off at any second.
No one says anything the rest of the ride.
…
When we pull into the parking lot outside of Olivia's apartment, Stiles jumps out first to help Liv climb out of the Jeep as I climb over the driver's seat and rush to help him. Stiles is trying to wrap her arm around his shoulder but she winces in pain every time he moves her. "I'm so sorry." he says slowly and she just shakes her head. It almost looks like she wants to laugh.
"It's alright, we'll get it." Liv says, smiling for the first time since I've met her. She has such a nice smile. "This is ridiculous, I'm sorry. None of this is actually comical, I just feel like I'm dreaming right now so everything is hilarious. " Olivia explains, trying to be serious.
"No you're right, this is a weird day for sure." Stiles says. "I'm sorry you had to meet all of us this way, you seem really nice and I wish we were getting to know you under completely different circumstances."
In that moment, Olivia loses it. She starts laughing so hard no noise is coming from her mouth, tears start rolling down her face. "Hey, are you crying because you're laughing or laughing because you want to cry?" Stiles asks, looking concerned.
"I know you're not trying to be funny, but that was so fucking funny. Where would I ever meet all of you outside of this? You're in some underground supernatural cult." Olivia wheezes and Stiles bursts out laughing as well. Scott and I look at each other, alarmed. What is happening? Stiles starts laughing so hard that he becomes off balance and Liv who is leaning half her weight on him tips over too. I quickly reach out and grab Olivia to keep her from falling over which helps Stiles steady himself too.
"You're so right." Stiles says breathlessly and Olivia is now doubled over, holding Stiles' arm and gasping for air as my arm is wrapped around her waist for real support.
"I really like you though, I wish that was true and that I would've met you if it weren't for this terrible situation. Can we have a drink together, will you all come in and have a drink with me?" Olivia asks, looking around hopefully.
"I don't think that's what you need right now, I don't think alcohol is going to help anything." I say honestly, concerned about the hysterics I just witnessed.
"I think I really deserve a drink after what happened today. I'm trying to turn this day around, I don't need anymore trauma. I want to make good memories right now." Olivia huffs. Everyone is silent for a second.
"Tell you what. Scott, your head is fine enough so you're driving home. Olivia, Scott and Isaac can't get drunk so I will have a drink with you. Just one though. Let's get inside."
This is a bad idea.
…
Stiles does just have one beer, trying to be supportive of whatever Olivia is going through. Olivia has three. None of us knew what to do, who are we to tell her how to cope with whatever she's feeling? Olivia and Stiles have been joking around the entire time we've been in her apartment, cracking each other up. Any other night, I think I would've had a great time. Right now though, I can't force myself to relax because I have this nagging feeling that something bad is about to happen. That the worst is yet to come.
Scott and Stiles stayed for an hour but then Scott's head started drooping as he struggled to stay awake. Olivia asks for help getting to the bathroom, so Stiles and Scott take that opportunity to say goodnight and leave.
I help Liv limp to the bathroom when they're gone. "I'm so sorry, we will get you crutches tomorrow and then you can do a lot more on your own." I say. "I'll wait out here."
Olivia just nods, holding onto the sink as she closes the door behind her.
Seven minutes go by and I start to worry. I don't want to use my super hearing to figure out what's going on because that feels like a huge invasion of privacy and Olivia has been running the sink for two minutes anyway so I probably wouldn't hear anything else.
I knock on the door, "Are you ok?"
I receive no response, so I yell louder. "Olivia, if you don't respond I'm going to break this door down, is everything ok? I need to know you're not passed out or something terrible like that."
"Don't break the door down please." Olivia responds a hesitant moment later, her voice shaky.
"What's going on, it's been ten minutes?"
"Nothing, there are blankets on the couch. You can sleep there if you want. I'm all good, I can take care of myself."
"No way, how are you even going to get upstairs? What's wrong? Can you please just open the door? I will sit out here all night if I have to, I just want to make sure you're ok."
A minute passes in complete silence. I hear the door on the lock click and Liv shoves the door open. She's still gripping the sink for support, her head turned away from me. Her entire body shakes as she sobs, tears dripping down her face and onto the floor.
There it is, the explosion I knew was coming.
"It's alright, it's ok. What's going through your head right now, can I get you anything? What will make it better?" I ask, doing my best to keep my voice calm even though watching her cry makes me feel like my heart is being ripped out of my chest.
Liv looks at me and just shakes her head. I step forward and she reaches out to me, collapsing into my arms and burying her face in my chest.