Chapter 04: After The Lights Go Out
Taylor and Scott left Scott's house and went via his bike with Taylor telling him whenever the sound changed direction. Ultimately the two of them ended up at the edge of the preserve. As far as the two of them could work out a hunter had either put speaks up around the city or they were using transport to make the howling move.
"You said the nemeton was sick? How do you know?" Scott questioned, yawning as they looked around the outskirts of the preserve.
"This," Taylor answered, holding a leaf from the nemeton in her hand that her mother had given her. "Usually it's a dark green colour, but it's been fading,"
"When did it start?" Scott asked looking at the leaf in her hand and wondering just how long she'd had it for.
"After my kid brother was the beast...so least three maybe four months ago," Taylor answered, she couldn't be sure but she felt like it had something to do with it.
"What do you think it is?" Scott questioned as they headed back towards Scott's bike.
"That I'm not sure and that's what scares me, maybe just as much as whoever or whatever is making the sounds," Taylor answered as Scott climbed on his bike but she didn't instead Scott noticed her looking around and listening. "Stay here, I'm just going to check the nemeton,"
"Five minutes," Scott nodded, watching as she disappeared, Scott didn't think that any of them would ever get used to seeing her do that.
Taylor arrived at the Nemeton within seconds of leaving Scott and walked around the old stump. Looking at the tree Taylor realised that she needed to take a photo of it to work out purely what she was looking at. Taylor took a photo, before pocketing her phone and heading back to Scott. Scott looked up from his bike when he heard her footsteps.
"Thought you'd be with the wind?" Scott questioned, Taylor shrugged sometimes it was handy other times she stopped and walked.
"Felt like the walk...I used the wind more than half the way," she laughed before they both climbed on his bike and headed back to his house.
"Anything wrong with the tree?" Scott asked on the way back knowing that she could hear his question.
"Yeah, I'm gonna head back some point during the day and take a soil sample," Taylor replied, as Scott continued the ride back to the house. "You guys all have school in the morning," Taylor added knowing that Scott would say that he was going with her.
"Hey, I have a free first period," Scott countered, he didn't know if Taylor being an elemental whether she could tell if he was lying or not.
When they got back to the house, it was near 4:30 and Scott had to be up by at least 7 to be at school on time. Taylor didn't have work but she was planning on taking Jordan, Mason and Corey back to her house before heading to the preserve again. Scott looked around at his sleeping friends before making his way up to his bedroom. Taylor stepped over Liam, Malia and Kira before kissing the top of Mason's head and going upto the guest bedroom with Jordan.
"Hey, hey what's wrong?" Taylor questioned quietly at six the next morning when she walked into the McCall's living room and saw Corey sitting curled up at the end of the couch. "Sweetpea?" Taylor raised her eyebrow stepping over the bodies and going over to him and sitting on the arm of the couch. "Come 'ere,"
Corey looked at Mason and then at everyone else and saw that they were still asleep, before he slowly positioned himself in her arms. Taylor sighed an kissed the top of his head pulling him close before he started to talk. "What would have happened if you and Mase hadn't been walking past?"
"Honestly? I don't know...If and I do mean if your parents some how talk their way out of this, and you have to go back with them I want you to talk to me or to Mason if anything happens. Okay?" Taylor told him quietly before guiding him past his friends and onto the front porch of the McCall house.
"Okay... hey Taylor...thank you..." Corey mumbled as the two sat on the chair on the porch.
"No problem sweetpea," Taylor smiled, hugging him again as they sat on the porch while Melissa pulled up after finishing her shift at the hospital.
"Everything okay out here?" Melissa questioned, as she switched off the car and got out heading up the path.
"Yeah, all good...Thanks for letting them all crash here last night, it was just safer," Taylor said looking up at her, her arm still wrapped around Corey as the teen rested his head against her shoulder. "Everyone else is still asleep,"
"Any time sweet heart," Melissa smiled before heading inside and seeing exactly what Taylor was talking about with the teenagers scattered in her living room.
"Were you serious last night about keeping me from heading to school today?" Corey asked, glancing at Taylor as he spoke before his eyes were cast down to the ground again.
"I was, it's up to you if you think you can face the day but if not I'll take you and Mase home," Taylor told him, still holding him as they sat on the couch. "What do you want to do?"
"I don't think I can do school," Corey said quietly, it was barely audible as he didn't want the others to hear him. They may have been asleep but who knew what supernatural hearing they had.
Taylor smiled at Corey before the two of them stood up and headed back inside, Corey making his way over to Mason while Taylor went back up to Jordan and sat on the edge of bed. Jordan was laying on his back, looking at the ceiling only glancing at her when he felt the weight of the bed shift. Taylor looked at him, leaning over before she kissed him and let part of her weight lay on him.
"How are you feeling this morning?" Taylor asked, she hadn't slept since she'd woken up and gone running. "And before you ask, I'm not tired,"
"I wish as you put it last night that the other me was doing it's thing...but it's good to know I'm still human," Jordan mumbled pulling her towards him as carefully as he could without hurting too much. "How long did the Sheriff pull you off for?"
"Couple of days, until your at least semi-healed since we don't know how long..." Taylor spoke quietly they didn't want the others knowing they had know idea how long it would take. "I can heal you my way...but I don't know if it will work,"
"Let's just see if the hellhound decides to work," Jordan said kissing the top of her head knowing that she didn't sleep that night. "Hand me something for the pain?" Taylor rummaged through the bag and handed him the Percocet.
"Take one of those," Taylor told him before realising that he'd need a glass of water. "Give me two seconds," Taylor said before disappearing into the kitchen and grabbing a glass of water and returning.
"Our bed sounds good right about now," Jordan said before taking the Percocet and water as he sat up and leant against the headboard. "Melissa back? Heard her walk past a few minutes ago,"
"Yeah she's back, she can't wait to have the house to herself for the day," Taylor said before helping Jordan to his feet. "Corey's awake and Mase will be soon,"
Jordan nodded watching as Taylor picked up their things, minus his shoes which he slipped on before they made their way down to the living room where each of the teens was slowly waking up. Lydia looked at Taylor and then at Mason and Corey and smiled as she saw Mason wrap his arms almost protectively around Corey. Taylor glanced at them and smiled before taking Jordan out to the car and going back inside again.
"You kids get ready for school, and none of this I have a free period first up," Taylor smiled, before motioning that Mason and Corey should head to the car. "And do it quietly Melissa's home,"
"Will do," Stiles nodded but not before Scott tripped and fell down the stairs, for a werewolf he was still a clumsy teenager first thing in the morning. "You okay buddy?" Stiles stuck his head over the back of the lounge and looked at Scott who was standing up.
"I'm good," Scott waved his hand as Mason and Corey stepped over Liam and around the coffee table. "Meet us at the animal clinic after school?"
"Maybe," Taylor said pausing for a second as she looked at the Malia who was still sleeping. "You may want to wake up sleeping beauty,"
"We'll see you later," Stiles grinned waving as Mason and Corey followed Taylor out the door and down to her car.
Mason and Corey climbed in the back of Taylor's car, Corey putting his head against the window before he decided to lift up his shirt to see what was happening to the bruises on his body. Jordan turned in the front passenger seat slightly to see what Corey was doing and offered a smile when he saw that the bruising was still prominent. Mason gasped when he saw the bruises he hadn't imagined that they'd be that dark.
"I..." Mason started to say quietly before Corey turned his head and looked out the window.
"Mase, just be there for him," Taylor said glancing in the rear view mirror as she pulled away from the McCall's house and started the drive back to her house. "Mase," Taylor said his name again, before watching as Mason took hold of Corey's hand.
"I think I'm going to sleep on the sofa for a while," Jordan said glancing at Taylor as he moved to switch the radio on. "That's about as far as I'm going to get,"
"Don't forget we need to go back to the hospital at some stage," Taylor said before swatting his hand away from the dial. "And I feel like all of us will probably make it that far,"
"Did you sleep last night Tay?" Mason asked, as they pulled up in the driveway.
"Sort of...But you know me kiddo," Taylor replied shrugging as she turned off the car and looked in the back seat. "You want to open the house?" Mason nodded as Taylor tossed the keys to Mason who fumbled with them as they fell to the ground. "Oh Mase,"
"I'm good," Mason said reaching down and picking up the keys before getting out of the car and heading up to the front door while Taylor helped both Jordan and Corey out.
Mason pushed open the front door before walking back down and helping Corey while Taylor helped Jordan. Corey just wanted the pain to go away, every time he moved a certain way it hurt. Jordan was in a similar situation, though he just wanted the hellhound to decide to make an appearance. Taylor helped Jordan up to the house, tossing his bag to the side of the front door before both of them collapsed on the sofa. Mason closed the front door before he and Corey sat on the opposite sofa.