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To her surprise, she got a full nights sleep.

She didn't expect to, not after the weight of emotion that crushed her last night but it must've been Stiles' welcoming and warm embrace that soothed her into a nightmare free sleep.

Light was shining through the open curtains, casting shadows across her face as she blinked against the harsh awakening and stretched out her limbs, coming face to face with Stiles who was watching her as he held her securely to his chest.

"Mornin'" his voice was a little gruff and croaky, his eyes bleary with tiredness, "you slept well"

"...Yeah. I did"

She was still a little surprised by that, slowly sitting up from his chest and unkinking her body from the awkward angle she was curled in, listening to the repeated cracks her spine made.

"You seem surprised" he whispered, his hand gently caressing her back as she woke.

"Yeah... lately sleep isn't something that came easy. Or ever" she added, her thumb rubbing against her inner eye to clear the sleep, "unless you count my two month nap"

Stiles snorted but she was sure she felt him tense up, his fingers that were tracing delicate patterns along her spine stilled for a brief moment as her well intended joke fell flat on its face.

Of course, she forgot... to him, her 'two month nap' was incredibly recent. To him, he was still grieving in a way, still coming to terms with his loss and then, suddenly, his gain.

"Sorry" she remarked, turning her head to send him a small smile, "I know that's not something you want to think about"

His heavy eyes settled on her gaze and, despite trying for a smile, it was tense and forced, pain flashing behind his irises.

For some reason, their interactions since waking felt a little... awkward. Forced. Uncomfortable. Maybe telling him what happened was a mistake. Maybe he was struggling to process it and, as such, was creating a divide between them.

She frowned, dropping her stare as she swung her legs off the bed and stood carefully, her entire body protesting into screams of pain at the sudden movement but she ignored it, making her way over to the desk and leaning down to look in the small mirror that was sat there, seeing the bruise fully formed along her temple.

"Yeah, maybe you should rest some more" Stiles encouraged, "you look like you're in a lot of pain"

She raised her index finger to gently touch the bruise, already a mix of angry red and darkening purple and winced as she touched the bump formed there.

"Nah, I'm all good" she said, ignoring his look of 'really? You wanna lie to me when you're looking like that?' , "I actually need to go and speak to my mom"

"Okay, wait, hold up" Stiles leapt off the bed, "your mom? The woman that abandoned you and smiled at your dead body? That mom?"

"Unfortunately that's the only one I got" she joked, trying to lighten the mood but Stiles' expression told her he wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"You can't" he argued, beginning to get het up, "Kaylz... you didn't see how she acted after you died. She was happy. She wanted you dead. That's not a mom"

Despite knowing her mom's reaction she still flinched, wishing that things could be different. Wishing that her mom didn't hate her, all because of her ancestory and the person that fathered her.

"I know" she agreed calmly, "and I don't see her as my mom anymore but... but if I don't warn her about what's going to happen then she's going to die"

"So?" Stiles shrugged, "give her a taste of her own medicine"

"You don't mean that"

"Don't I?" he chuckled coldly, his eyes hardening into steel, "she showed no emotion when you were lying dead on that table - none. Peter was more upset than her. Peter" he exclaimed, "she doesn't deserve you Kaylz"

"After everything that I went through... everything that I did..." she shrugged, "I don't need another death on my conscience. If I can save her - or, at the very least, warn her - then I have to"

Stiles bit his lip in frustration, obviously holding back a few choice words he wanted to say but recognised her stubbornness on this matter, knowing she wouldn't budge.

"You're not responsible for her" Stiles reminded her gently, forcing himself to calm down as he stood in front of her, "she's the parent. She was the one responsible for you and she failed"

"I know" she mumbled, "but I have to do this. When I came back and I realised I got a do over... it meant I had a chance to fix all the things that went wrong. Then as I found out in Mexico, there's a lot of things my mom hasn't been honest about and after what I did in that other time, I need to find out more and I think she has the answers"

"You think she'll be willing to tell you about your ancestory?" Stiles asked dubiously, "she's had your whole life to and she hasn't"

"Maybe not, but I have to try" she replied, "the amount of power I had and what I was capable of... it scares me Stiles. It scares me to know that what I am can be ruthless and destructive and lethal. I know I learnt a lot from Afonso but my mom... she knows our family. She knows more and I have to find out what that is"

Stiles caved - eventually. Agreeing that, yes, her mom owed her the truth and she deserved it, even if it was some twisted version of it.

"I don't want you going alone though" he declared stubbornly, "there's no way in leaving you with her"

"Stiles, I'll be fine-"

"I'm not leaving you alone ever again"

His tone was serious and he was in no mood to argue. She sensed that this wasn't just about her mom... it was about what she told him last night. He felt guilty that he wasn't there to protect her from that trauma and wanted to do everything in his power to protect her now.

"Stiles..." she whispered gently, reaching out to touch his hands that were clinging to each other, twisting together in anxiety and worry, "... it wasn't your fault"

"But I wasn't there" he exclaimed, "I wasn't there"

"Through no fault of your own" she reassured, "I put a lot of distance between us. You can't blame yourself for that"

"Then who can I blame?"

At that question, she remained silent. Not wanting to even think of them, let alone say their names. She wasn't going to give them that power over her. Plus, she felt if she told, Stiles would hit the roof and she didn't want him to feel that unrelentless anger again. Not when, in this time, he was still yet to feel the full affects of the nogitsune's leftover power.

"I need to go" she whispered, looking around for some fresh clothes, "I can't afford to waste anymore time"

He opened his mouth to reply, to try and get his point across but realised his need for answers wasn't the most important thing here and let it go, pushing it to the back of his mind as he brushed past her and pulled open one of his drawers.

"I put all your stuff here. I uh... I didn't want any of your clothes getting caught up in the laundry pile"

She smiled in thanks, grabbing a pair of jeans and a striped tee before slowly taking off her bed clothes and swallowing back the wince of pain that threatened to escape her lips.

"Why not?"

"Because then they'd stop smelling like you" he mumbled, "and uh... I couldn't lose that part of you too"

She stopped, her hands pausing in buttoning up her jeans as she peered across at her, knocked back by his complete vulnerability. Hitting home at just how much he missed her.

"I'm... I'm sorry" she whispered, "for my choice. I knew how much losing me would affect you, but I still made it anyway"

He frowned, sadness evident in his eyes, "are you apologising for saving my life?"

"No" she laughed, "but I am sorry for how that choice made you feel. I'm sorry for... for not having the chance to tell you why. I'm sorry that... I'm sorry that I left you feeling this way for two months. I'm just... really really sorry"

He reached out, hesitantly reaching up to cup her cheek, his thumb softly stroking her skin as he tried for a small smile.

"I don't feel like that anymore. I got you back"

"Yeah... yeah, you got me back"

He inched forward, using the grip on her cheek to tilt her head up, his honey brown eyes swirling with hope.

"Which is why I'm never letting you go. Regardless of what happens to us or where we are... I got a second chance to keep you safe"

His breath was warm and enticing, softly fluttering across her lips as she watched his mouth move, unable to tear her eyes away from the curve of his mouth which was so deliciously inviting she had to physically hold herself back.

He was like a drug to her, but one she couldn't indulge in. Not yet.

"Well uh... you can keep me save by driving me there" she said lightheartedly, "I'm pretty sure I'm not meant to drive with a concussion"

He let her get dressed, keeping an eye on the way her body moved, hyper focused on making sure her injuries weren't severe enough to warrant a hospital stay and then helped her out the front door and into his jeep.

"I'm still not happy about this plan"

"I know" she smirked, "but... but it's something I've been needing to do for a long time"

He chose not to argue, hitting reverse and leaving his driveway, remembering the way to her old home and arriving in just under five minutes, parking behind her mom's car.

"She's not going to be pleased to see you"

"That's a given" she sighed, opening the passenger side door, "but I'm ready to deal with her rejection"

He stayed close to her side as they walked across the cobbled stones, standing face to face with the large oak door and she took a deep breath, steadying her nerves before reaching up and ringing the doorbell.

Stiles stood close to her side, his arm brushing against hers, fully prepared to step in front of her and protect her of her mom so much as raised a single finger to her. She appreciated the thought, thankful to have him by her side but he was clearly nervous and agitated, rolling backwards and forwards on the balls of his feet so she intertwined their fingers, squeezing reassuringly. It was enough to make him still, clutching her fingers back.

A few seconds later the door opened, revealing her mom dressed smartly in a black pant suit, her dark hair scraped back in a bun, make up sharp and pronounced with a heavy lid, her caramel brown eyes - initially a little annoyed at the early morning interruption - turned shocked and hate filled.

It shouldn't hurt like this.

She had months of coming to terms with her mothers distaste of her. Months of getting used to her abandonment. Months of feeling like shit. So why did her mom's disgusted reaction at the sight of her alive feel like she was getting impaled through the chest again?

She gripped Stiles' hand tighter, his warm embrace acting like a lifeline as she struggled to keep it together.

"... Hi mom" she said quietly, feeling herself shrink under the strong and wrathful stare of her mom, not pleased to see her one bit.

Her mom never replied, her bony hand tightening around the edge of the door as she suddenly went to slam it shut in their faces, clearly wishing she had stayed dead.

The rejection - although expected - still hurt, so she didn't have the energy to try and change her mom's mind, to try and repair their relationship enough to get answers except to stand there in a dejected manner, the rejection hardening her lack of self worth.

Unexpectedly it was Stiles who stepped forward, dropping her hand to press an arm against the door and slotting his foot along the bottom of the door so it couldn't close, his posture tightening in frustration.

"No" he near enough growled, harshly knocking away her mom's grip from the door and pushing it back open, "she deserves answers. And you're going to give them to her"

"Like hell" her mom raged, her dark eyes furious and brimming with fear, "you're meant to be dead" she directed to Kayla, spitting it out with such disgust, "you should've stayed dead"

Kayla flinched, trying not to waver or show weakness but she couldn't deny the ache that was blossoming in her gut, regretting ever coming around.

"Maybe" she agreed quietly, "but I'm back. I'm alive"

"Unnatural" her mom shook her head, "wrong. Now you're tainting my doorstep?!"

"Hey" Stiles snapped, "don't you speak to her like that"

"I will speak to her how I wish"

Stiles grabbed the door again before her mom could try and slam it once more, stepping into the foyer and her mom seemed surprised at Stiles' aggressive dominance, peering up at him in quiet fury.

"How did you do it?" her mon demanded, her lip curling in disgust as she looked Stiles up and down, "how did you bring that thing back?"

"He didn't" Kayla interrupted, stepping forward and hovering over the threshold of the entrance, "he had nothing to do with it. It was the other encantados"

Her mom faltered at that, looking between them in denial.

"Others?"

"Three of them" Kayla confirmed, "they want me to join them. Unite our power. Last time that happened I... I became nearly indestructible. Power like that terrifies me"

"Last time?"

"Can we come in?" Kayla asked, watching her mom's face immediately screw up, no doubt about to shout at them to get the hell from her house, but before she could Kayla carried on, "I don't want anything apart from answers. I don't want to be bad. I just want to be me. Please?"

Her mom stood there, brimming with disgust and rage, barely looking at Kayla for more than a second or two as she looked at Stiles, pointing an angry finger in Kayla's direction.

"How can you love something so wrong?" her mom demanded, her finger shaking, "she should be rotting. We got free"

"Don't project your disgusting views on me" Stiles demanded, "and if you don't want to be the one that's rotting, you'll let us in. Right now"

Her mom chuckled, finding those words amusing.

"Are you threatening me?!"

"It's not a threat if you're actually going to die" Stiles shrugged, "and your daughter can tell you and warn you so you don't end up in the ground where you deserve. Your choice"

Her mom's lips thinned, obviously trying to work out if they were bluffing or not and as Kayla stood there anxiously, worried about the conflict, did she hear a voice call from up the stairs, one she missed so very much.

"Let them in"

Kayla glanced past her mom, looking up to see her aunt Jane standing on the landing with a surprised but pleased expression on her face, a gentle smile tugging at her lips.

"... Jane" Kayla whispered, the cold hard sting of her mother's rejection slowly ebbing away at the sight of her aunt Jane, the warmth and love humming from her filling Kayla up with delight and acceptance.

"Jody" Jane snapped, "let them in. That's your daughter for crying out loud"

Her mom reluctantly side stepped, allowing them entrance as Kayla didn't even spare her mom a thankful glance before she hurriedly brushed past her and met Jane at the bottom of the stairs, getting enveloped in a warm, tight hug.

"Oh Kayla" Jane cooed in her ear, "honey, I missed you so much"

Kayla might not admit it but, at times, she ached for a mother. For a warm, accepting female presence in her life, someone to hold her hand and tell her everything was going to be okay.

Aunt Jane was that person.

She buried her face in Janes shoulder, soaking up all the love and comfort she could, fighting back tears.

"I missed you too" she sniffed, realising she was probably squeezing a little too hard and stepped back, over the moon to see Jane's baby bump growing well, a sign of better things to come.

"You're getting so big" Kayla smiled, blinking back the tears of happiness, "he's happy in there"

Jane broke out into an award winning smile, tucking some dark locks behind her ear before rubbing her growing belly.

"He's perfect" Jane whispered, reaching up to cup Kayla's cheek, "just like you. I don't care how it happened, all that matters is you're back. You're home"

"This isn't her home" her mom interrupted, "it hasn't been for a long time now"

Kayla swallowed thickly, glancing down in shame but Jane, although a lot more timid than her sister, got a fiery look in her eyes, holding onto Kayla protectively as she shot Jody a disapproving glare.

"And this behaviour is why Tabby and I are moving out. I will not raise my baby around your negativity, so get the hell past your narrow mindedness and give your daughter the answers she's looking for"

Kayla blinked in slight shock, glancing up to see Jane's cheeks slightly blotchy, clearing brimming with anger and frustration and had to hide her smile.

God Damn... aunt Jane grew a massive set of balls.

"Then she leaves. Got it?" her mom demanded, "and she won't come back"

"Don't worry" Stiles muttered under his breath, "like she'd want to"

Jane kept a hold of Kayla's hand, guiding her through to the living room and patting Stiles on the cheek on the way past, smiling in delight at him as she urged the two of them to sit side by side on the grey sofa, Jane choosing to sit opposite them on the arm chair.

"Jody, sit" Jane instructed, pointing to the other arm chair, "stop acting so childish"

Her mom, clearly not happy, decided to listen and sat tentatively on the arm chair, deliberately not looking anywhere near Kayla and Stiles.

Stiles, sensing her nervousness, reached out and placed his large hand around her thigh, squeezing ever so gently to remind her he was here and wasn't going anywhere. She appreciated the support, laying her own hand over his, a silent thank you.

"What do you want to know Kay?" Jane asked, "we'll try and answer as much as we can"

Kayla gulped, her gaze moving between her mom and Jane.

"Why didn't you tell me about the Calavera's?"

The sound of that name made both her mom and aunt Jane stiffen, sending each other a cautious stare as if just the name alone was poison.

"Kay... where did you hear that name?" Jane asked slowly, her tone worrisome.

"From the woman that kidnapped me" she replied bluntly, "y'know... because of the whole resurrection thing"

"Only good thing that woman has done" her mom grumbled under her breath but Kayla ignored her snark, choosing to concentrate on Jane, knowing she was the only one she would trust to get 100% of the truth.

"She pretty much told me she was your mother... my grandmother... and I don't know why you couldn't have said. My entire life you've both made out you had no idea who, or where, she was when all this time she was over in frigging Mexico being a hunter of all things"

"She abandoned us" Jane said, "your mom was only, what, seven or eight. I was three years old. She gave us up because she was scared of her own genes"

Kayla's eyes slid to watch her moms stoic expression, "yeah... runs in the family apparently"

"She gave us up. She doesn't deserve to be involved"

"She also said there's a lot of things you've been keeping from me" Kayla continued, "like how you haven't even been honest about your real names"

"The names she forced upon us were a disservice to us" her mom fumed, "we needed to fit in in America if we stood a chance of succeeding in life"

"So, what, you're ashamed of your heritage?" Kayla scoffed, "scared to admit you have Latina blood in your veins?"

"No, never" Jane said quietly, "but it was a different time back then. We were in the foster system for a long time and put up with a lot of crap because we were different. It just made sense to change them... start afresh"

She understood that, she really did, but it seemed ridiculous to Kayla that she had no idea of this, that something so simple had been hidden for so long?

"Then why the secrecy?" Kayla asked, "I don't understand"

"Those people we were don't exist" her mom snapped, "not for a long time. It was none of your business"

"So our family are descended from Encantados but are also hunters...?"

"No" Jane shook her head, "uh... Araya... she remarried. Joined a hunting family shortly after giving us up. From what I understand, he died and she's been left in charge. The females tend to be the leaders"

"Why would she do that?" Kayla mused, "knowing her ancestory..."

"Because she's disgusted by it" Jane smiled sadly, "she doesn't agree with the divide between humans and the supernatural. She's come to hate the supernatural because it's different and, to her, dangerous. When she found out your mom carried the encantado gene... that her first born daughter would become the enchanted one... well... she got rid of us. As if we were trash"

So cold. So harsh. Kayla couldn't imagine abandoning her flesh and blood over something so trivial and out of their control.

"Which begs the question - why did she let you go?" her mom asked, "why didn't she fix things?"

Kayla shrugged, "because she believed me. She believed that, this time, I came back as me. That some higher power or destiny or whatever crap exists up there wanted me to come back"

"This time?" Jane asked in confusion, "you've been back before?"

Kayla winced, "yeah. Yeah... this time... I've already lived through"

She watched as Jane's brows crinkled in confusion, her stare moving to her moms as they tried to understand her words.

Stiles' hand, still on her thigh, began stroking his thumb across her jeans, a reassuring touch she so desperately needed.

"The first time this happened, I... I didn't come back right. I was broken from existing with the nogitsune in his hell dimension for... centuries. When I came back I was... I was... I-"

"You were a monster" her mom interrupted in a knowing, egotistic tone, no doubt secretly pleased she was right all along.

"Yeah, I suppose I was" Kayla agreed, "I didn't feel anything. I was... bloodthirsty. Murderous. More powerful than ever. I was a thing of nightmares and I hurt a lot of people"

"Which you'll do again" her mom said sternly, "you will"

"Jody" Jane hissed, "stop it"

"Why?" her mom retaliated, "she just admitted to being a monstrosity. Exactly what I knew would happen"

"How can you be so dense?" Jane screeched, "did you hear a word your daughter just said? She was in hell"

"Well deserved in my opinion"

"Stop" Kayla interrupted, "please, don't fight. I don't care what mom thinks. I've accepted who she is and I'm not going to try and change that. I just came for answers, not sympathy"

Jane listened to her, taking a few deep calming breaths as she turned her body away from her sister, too disgusted to even look at her.

"Anyway..." Kayla continued, "fast forward a few months and, uh, turns out hells darkness tainted me. It poisoned the good in me and broke my soul. Shattered it into pieces. And some of those pieces stayed in hell. Afonso and Deaton found a spell, I suppose. A way to fix my soul. Well... it worked. I came back whole and fixed except..." she trailed off, looking around the room, "in a different time. A time that, to me, happened months ago. I'm living in my past only this time I'm doing things differently because I'm me this time. I'm me. The me before I died"

"You all believe this?" her mom scoffed, her fierce eyes flitting between Jane and Stiles, "you believe these lies?"

"You're this-close to making me break my no hitting woman rule" Stiles sneered, uncomfortable and antsy.

"I can prove it" Kayla shrugged, "because I didn't just come here for answers. I came to tell you to get the hell out of dodge because, if you don't, you'll get killed"

Her moms nostrils flared, leaning forward in the arm chair to curl her lip in disgust.

"Is that a threat?"

"No" Kayla rolled her eyes, "it's not a threat. My threats would be a lot more colourful than that"

"Wait..." Jane said, "are you saying your mom died in that other time?"

"Yeah. She was on the deadpool so the guy with no mouth calling himself the mute kills her with an axe. Anyone supernatural or with a supernatural connection is on this hit list and it's going to happen again this time. In fact it already is, so if you don't want to die then maybe leave town or something, I don't care. I just had to warn you"

All was silent, her mom quietly seething in the chair as she wanted to deny Kayla's words and tell her she was nothing more than a filthy liar but, at the same time, she didn't want to die.

"I am not enchanted" her mom declared, "my only crime is creating a monster. I shouldn't even be on that list"

"Maybe you shouldn't be, but you are" Kayla shrugged, "and they'll come for you like they're going to come for us"

"This warning we should take seriously" Jane said, "Jody-"

"I'll leave town" her mom announced, interrupting Jane's worried words, "the further from this mess the better. I will not be blamed for your actions"

Kayla sighed, forgetting how exhausting conversing with her mom could be, especially when she was so god damn dense and narrow minded, unable to see any other view than her own.

"I haven't done anything"

"Oh, you've done plenty" her mom scoffed, "and with the other encantados here, whatever humanity you have won't last. You'll be just like you were before - enchanted"

Kayla balled her fists in anger, her mom's harsh words getting under her skin.

"I won't" she declared, Stiles' hand drifting around to her back to stroke her spine soothingly, "I will never let that part of me get control again"

"You've already had a taste for it" her mom replied arrogantly, "and you don't have the will power to stop it. You don't have any willpower at all"

"Jody-"

"You embarrassed me with your behaviour" her mom continued, getting so riled up she stood up, "the drugs, the drinking, the fighting. Not once did you exercise control and I bet, in that other time, you enjoyed being dark. You enjoyed killing people and you enjoyed being a filthy whore that had sex with anyone with two brain cells, you easy little-"

"STOP"

Stiles' voice boomed with fury, his tone - strong, with no room to argue - nearly left the walls shaking. He had stood up, his fists balled and shaking in anger as he glared daggers at her mom, protectively standing in front of her.

"Enough" Stiles continued, "don't you dare speak to her like that. She doesn't deserve this"

Her mom laughed, "of course you're still in her corner, how could I forget? Teenage boys like easy"

"You disgust me" Stiles spat, "we shouldn't have even warned you. We should've just left you to get butchered"

"And you should've taken heed of my warning Stiles" her mom continued, "I told you not to waste your time on... that" sending Kayla a disgusted once over, "I told you what they're capable of, how they only care about bloodshed and sex. She'll betray you. One of these days she'll betray you because that's what they do"

"You're wrong" Stiles was shaking with quiet anger, Jody's words hitting a new hurt inside his chest, "you don't know your daughter one bit. You just see what you want to see"

"What I see is a monster" her mom declared, "and you should too. She'll join those other encantados and, when she does... god help us all"

It went deathly silent. The only noise was the grandfather clock ticking in the hallway and Stiles' angry, laboured breathing as he tried to force himself to calm down.

Maybe coming here was a mistake.

"I don't want that to happen" Kayla whispered, "I don't. So please, just... if you know anything... tell me"

Her mom scoffed, turning around, unable to even look at her and Kayla sat there dejected and in turmoil, rejection pumping through her veins.

Jane sat forward in her chair, slowly rubbing her growing belly, a way to keep herself calm in a tenseful situation.

"I assume they'll go through a ritual, of sorts" Jane said slowly, "a way to spill blood"

Kayla flinched, "yeah, um... last time it involved uh... killing someone over the nemeton. They had each, uh... injured her-" she said delicately, remembering the poor girls damaged body from their ruthless bites, "-and I had to deliver the final blow. It's some sort of sick, twisted initiation"

"Then they'll try and get you to do that again" Jane continued, her voice smooth and soft as Stiles eventually calmed down and sat down next to her, his hand finding his way to her thigh again, "without this 'bonding' act... you all won't be connected"

"... I'm scared" Kayla admitted, "I don't want to have that power again"

"Honey" Jane cooed, slowly standing up and making her way over to her, perching down on the other side of the sofa next to her, "power isn't always bad, and isn't something to be scared of if you stay true to yourself"

"I can't listen to this molly-coddling" her mom raged, storming over to grab her bag off the floor, "I have work, then, I'm leaving. I want you both to get the hell out of my house as well. Understood?"

No one had any time to argue or answer as her mom had stormed from the living room and slammed the door shut harshly behind her, the walls rattling from the sheer force of her anger.

"Glad to see nothing's changed" Kayla tried to joke but it came out flat and empty, her heart breaking all over again.

She hated her mom... but that didn't mean she stopped loving her.

"She's impossible" Jane sighed, encasing her in a one armed hug, pulling her into her side, "so bitter. Don't listen to a word she says Kay, she's wrong"

"Is she?" Kayla shrugged, "maybe she's just saying what everyone is too scared to say"

"No" Stiles declared, "she's not. I don't think that... I never have"

"I hurt you the most" she sighed, "in that other time. Mom was right. All I cared about was bloodshed and sex. What if that happens again?"

"It won't" Stiles vowed, "because we're going to fix things this time. Those other encantados won't lay a single finger on you, I promise"

"Encantados are dangerous though. They are monsters. They're evil"

"No Kay" Jane shook her head, "nothing is truly evil. Remmeber the story your mom and I told you, about the encantados?"

"Encantado meaning 'the enchanted one'" Jane explained because her mom looked tongue-tied, indecision gleaming in her eyes, "It's an old South American legend about a dolphin like creature, the boto, who could shape shift into a handsome man who used his charm to seduce women" She further explained, leaning around in her seat, determination set in stone on her face, "The eyes were the key feature though – he used them to curse or inflict pain on others, to make people forget memories and to seduce and corrupt women… and they glowed green whenever he did this"

/

"It's a famous story, particularly along the Amazon River, in fact… it's widely believed and quite right, because it's partially true" Her mom started saying, crossing her legs, "It's about our ancestor – Maria – she was a very beautiful women, in fact, many men had asked for her hand in marriage but she only agreed to marry one man - Angel. A kind and caring man who promised to look after her, and to support her no matter what – he was reliable and trustworthy and Maria loved him. One night they went out dancing beside the river with the rest of their village, celebrating the fact that in two weeks they would be wed" Her mom explained, slipping into 'story-telling' mode, reminding Kayla of when she was just a young girl herself.

"But as Maria separated from her husband-to-be a man dressed all in white emerged beside her and began talking to her… charming her with his vibrant green eyes and soft, lulling voice. Angel saw and he felt jealous, about to walk forward to make the stranger leave his wife-to-be alone but, as he went to interrupt the two, he met the man's glowing green eyes and forgot what he was supposed to do, forgot that he had ever saw the man in fact" Her mom further explained, hands flicking about from side to side as she told the story, seeming a lot more relaxed than she had been five minutes ago.

"The stranger lured her to the river-side away from the rest of her family and friends and charmed her into visiting his underwater palace and, of course, Maria agreed – though she was stubborn, so stubborn that it took the Encantado many attempts to get her there despite his charms and promises – but in the end he got her there and showed her around and Maria was quite taken with the place, and with the mysterious stranger but her love for Angel over-powered the mind control the encantado placed on her – she resisted the encantados attempts to seduce her and he got quite fed up with her, casting her back to her village"

"Now this is where the legend starts to get un-true in places – the legend says that the encantado placed a leech in the form of a bracelet on Maria's wrist, slowly sucking the life from her day by day as it got closer to her wedding, hoping to get her weak enough that it could fully over-power her and take her to be his 'bride'" Her mom scoffed, "When in actual fact he just wanted Maria to be his slave and play thing"

"The legend continues to state that as the days went on Maria became more vulnerable to the encantados charm and he lured her back to his palace, properly this time, only Angel saw and consulted a witch-doctor in the area who gave him a number of herbs to rid the encantado from their lives and break the curse. In the legend Angel waits near-by, and as the encantado and Maria emerge from the water, he throws the herbs over the creature, destroying him and the curse and him and Maria live happily ever after"

"There's no such thing as 'happily ever after'" She claimed stubbornly and her mom nodded her head, agreeing with her.

"In this case you're completely right – there was no happily ever after for Angel and Maria – what actually happened was the leech that the encantado placed on Maria's wrist was actually just a curse, a curse that if she ever tries to return to Angel then she would automatically become his and Angel would suffer a terrible fate. Maria, although smart, strong and stubborn, was quite naïve, paid no heed to the encantados warnings and went back to Angel only for him to fall ill, dreadfully ill, and as Maria broke down in sobs she found herself back in the underwater palace – a palace she once saw as beautiful and enchanting, she now saw as a prison. There was no escape and the women there were treated awfully – as was Maria. She fell pregnant with an illegitimate child of his and, as her birth date drew nearer, she used whatever tricks she had learnt from the encantado and managed to distract one of his brothers long enough to escape the palace, something that was viewed as impossible"

"Now this was unheard of – no one had escaped the encantados palace. Maria was the first and probably one of the last. She crawled up onto the bank of the Amazon River and gave birth by herself to a beautiful little girl but Maria went through torment and horrors in the underwater prison, and she didn't love this baby – she saw the baby as a curse, a… a monster so, up until her last breath, she tried to drown the baby in the river but failed, dying of blood loss before she could. The baby was found the next day by the witch doctor and she, although old and frail, took the baby in and brought her up – teaching her how to not be like her father, but to be a better person, to help people. And… and that's why the gene is only carried through the female side – because Maria gave birth to a baby girl, a girl that was half human, half encantado, and from her bloodline on, the gene was only present in females – it was incompatible in the male body"

Thinking back on that seemed like a lifetime ago. Well, in a way it was. Not in her human life, but her existence elsewhere.

"Yeah" Kayla agreed, "the story about Maria"

"What your mom and I didn't tell you was... that baby, the one Maria tried to kill, was fathered by a king. And not just any king, a-"

"King among kings, yeah, I know" Kayla interrupted, "that's the main reason why the other encantados brought me back. Because they're descended from royalty too. They want to unite our power to be... unstoppable"

Jane sighed heavily, "I have every faith in you Kayla, your humanity is strong, but there's isn't. They will try every way to twist you into their thinking, to get you on their side. You need to be very careful"

Kayla shared a worry filled look with Stiles, both fearful of what was to come.

"I will Jane... I promise"

"I still think this is a really bad idea"

A part of her agreed with Stiles because why the hell did she think turning up to school after that heavy conversation was a good idea? But she knew that, if she wanted to get ahead of the situation, she needed to play things cool.

"I know" she sighed, watching as Stiles put the jeep in park, "but if I'm remembering my timeline correctly, today is when they show up at school looking for me. If I'm not here then they might hurt someone else"

"They could hurt you" Stiles argued, "and I can't let that happen"

"I'll be fine" she reassured, reaching down to grab her bag, "trust me. I might not have my powers just now, but I know stuff they don't. I have the upper hand"

"You need to call or text if something happens though okay?" Stiles asked, "I won't take no for an answer"

"Sure" she promised, jumping from the jeep and meeting Stiles at the front of it, "if anything happens, I'll let you know"

"You better" he grumbled though he had a small smile on his face, relaxed and happy in her presence.

"I just hope Jane is right" she sighed, falling into an easy walk with Stiles as they headed to the school, "that I won't go dark side again"

"She is right" Stiles nodded, "after everything you've been through... you're in control. You got this"

She appreciated his unwavering support, sticking by her side through thick and thin.

"I just hate what I am" she whispered, adjusting her bag on her shoulder, "I hate what I'm capable of. I hate what I've done"

"I don't" Stiles smiled, "I know it's been difficult, but I've always loved what you are because I've always loved you"

"It's caused us a lot of problems"

Stiles winced, "I know. I would stupid to deny that, but... but I have faith in us. I know we're meant to be together"

She dipped her head, allowing her hair to fall across her face as she hid her smile, allowing Stiles to dash forward and get the door, holding it open for her.

"So what's your first class?"

"Oh, uh art"

"Art. Right" Stiles mumbled, "art with uh, with Isaac"

"... Yeah..." she drawled out, "is that gonna be a problem?"

"No" his voice was high pitched, clearly lying as he shook his head, "no problem here"

"I'm sorry things are complicated with him" she said sadly, "I hate it. I wish we had never-"

"I know" he cut her off, reassuring her though he sounded a little tense, "but if he tries anything, kick his ass" he added, trying to laugh and joke it off.

She smirked, reaching down to give his hand a squeeze as they reached the fork in the corridor - one of them had to go left, the other right.

"I'll see you in history" she smiled, reaching up to press a fleeting kiss to his cheek, "and thank you for this morning. It means a lot you were there"

"Oh, uh-" he blushed, smiling proudly, "-anytime"

She knew he wasn't going to be first to walk away, not when he was looking at her with so much love and care so departed with a smile, feeling his eyes on her the whole way.

He was always there for her. Always in her corner. He was the kind of person she knew she needed. The person that she saw herself growing old with. He was her person. Funny, kind and loyal. A person worth dying for.

So why was she so hesitant to make her way back to him?

She supposed it was down to her guilt. Scared that she would hurt him again. That maybe, as much as she loved him, she just wasn't ready for that commitment and pressure.

It was hard, and it hurt her heart every single second.

She looked up as she walked into art class, seeing Isaac already sitting in front of his easel, her empty seat vacant next to him.

It would be a douche move to not sit there, wouldn't it?

She groaned under her breath, making her way into the classroom and feeling him watching her, his eyes hyper focused on everything she was doing.

"Hey" he said quietly, testing the waters, looking a little sheepish and guilty.

"Hi" she replied, giving him a quick smile as she dropped her bag to the floor, adjusting herself on the uncomfortable stool.

"We good?" Isaac asked, "or do I need to drop out from this class?"

She snorted, finally looking up and meeting his kind blue stare.

"We're... good" she said, "I mean, if you are?"

"I basically just admitted my undying love for my best friend whilst dating someone else. I feel like a massive dick, but apart from that? Yeah. Dandy"

She chuckled to herself, happy they weren't arguing anymore.

"It's all forgotten about, don't worry"

He seemed a little crestfallen at that, beginning to fidget a little in his seat.

"Kayla, I uh... I broke up with Paige"

"Oh" she mumbled, her brows scrunching in surprise, "but... why? You really liked her"

"Yeah" he agreed solemnly, "but I couldn't keep lying to her. It wasn't fair on her. Not when I... I can't stop thinking about someone else"

Right. That someone else being her.

"Oh"

"... Yeah"

They both fell into an awkward silence, focusing on the blank canvas in front of them as they both didn't know what to say, words dying in the back of their throats.

Sometimes, at times like this, she wished she just stayed in the ground because god damn this was awkward as hell.

She had always known about Isaac's feelings but never had he been so open about them, so forthcoming with what he was feeling. They had always just skirted around it, pretended it wasn't there and ignored the blatently obvious truth that he was pining after her.

It wasn't fair on him. He didn't deserve to put his life on hold because he couldn't get over her.

It just wasn't fair.

"Isaac..."

She didn't know what she was going to say. There was nothing she could say really. She had broken his heart enough times.

He glanced up, boyish gaze a little hopeful and curious as she swallowed thickly, Lydia's words coming back to haunt her.

"I know you love Stiles... I mean, you died for the guy, if that doesn't scream love I don't know what does, but it's okay to acknowledge other feelings too"

She casted those words from her brain, forcing herself to forget about them as she met Isaac's stare.

"Um... Paige wasn't right for you" she settled on saying, speaking her truth, "not now anyway"

"I know" he mumbled, agreeing with her, "she doesn't deserve to get hurt by me"

She knew that feeling all too well.

"And Stiles doesn't deserve to get hurt by me" she added, "now when things are so complicated. Not when I can't give 100% of myself to him"

Isaac smiled sadly, "he loves you"

"... and I love him"

"But I love you too" Isaac shrugged, "complicated, huh?"

She bit her lip, casting her gaze downwards as she fought against the inner turmoil, everything just becoming too much.

"Yeah... complicated indeed"

A/N) I'm so sorry it took so long, I've been lacking a bit of motivation recently but I'm back yayyyy and with a long chapter too. And just to say before I get hate (lol) endgame is ALWAYS stayla. But it's only right Kayla gets some time to sort things out in her head and understands and settles whatever feelings she might have for Isaac. It's always going to be stiles haha he's her person.

Also I have a poll up in regards to the stiles x Kayla x isaac situation, I'd be thankful for your input :)

Thanks for reading and hope you all enjoyed and please please review and I will see you soon.

Also published a wee one shot of Kira's guilt about Kayla's death, and im active on tumblr too - fanficanatic-tw. Come see edits and stuff :) thank you xxx