Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Happy Holidays, lovelies!
The Last Chimera:
The strong chemical scent of anticeptic assaulted my senses as I ran down the hospital corridor, my ears pounding with the sound of my own heartbeat and the sound of the wet soles of my boots slapping the linoleum floor. Tears blurred my vision but I refused to let them fall, I refused to cry anymore, I refused to be anything other than strong and stoic.
A few onlookers that I ran past glanced down at the dried blood that coated my hands and clothing but it wasn't a completely out of the ordinary sight to behold in a hospital. A dull ache had taken up residence in my chest the moment that my mother had called to tell me that John had been brought to the hospital in critical condition. The pain of losing Hayden, nearly losing Scott and now worrying whether or not John would survive, I wasn't sure how much more I could take in such a short amount of time. Each new heartache weighed down on her soul, slowly pulling her down under the shroud of darkness as she fought to keep afloat.
I almost gasped in relief when I saw Stiles and my mom standing on the other closed doors at the end of the hallway and focused my hearing so that I could hear what they were saying as I hurried towards them.
"– as soon as he can. I can call Malia." I heard my mom tell him gently as she placed a comforting hand on his arm and he immediately shook his head in protest as he bit his lower lip, a sure fire sign that he was internally freaking out.
"No, no, no. Don't, don't call anyone." Stiles told her with a sigh, glancing away from her probing gaze as he twitched nervously and I pushed open the doors with both hands as they both turned to look at me in surprise. Mom sighed in relief at the sight of me as tears gathered in Stiles' eyes and I didn't say a word as I rushed over to him, wrapping my arms around his neck in a tight embrace. His arms circled my waist as he melted into me as though he had been struggling to stay up right on his own and I was more than happy to help him carry the burden.
"Is there anyone else we need to notify? A next of kin?" the nurse behind the counter asked sympathetically as she looked over at us with a small frown and Stiles pulled back from our embrace as he turned slightly to look at her sadly.
"No, it's me. It's just me." he told her honestly as he reached down to link our fingers together, trying to gain some comfort from my presence next to him and I squeezed his hand gently in acknowledgement to his pain. Because that was sometimes all that was needed; for someone to acknowledge your pain and be there to witness it alongside you.
"Come on, honey." I murmured softly as I let go of his hand before immediately threading my arm through elbow and he snapped his head over in confusion as I led him down the corridor with mom following after us. After a moment the realisation that I had no idea where I was going set in and I froze in the middle of the corridor with a frown etched on my lips. Mom must have figured out my predicament because she gently patted my arm as she walked past us and then we followed her into an empty waiting room in the surgery wing of the hospital.
Stiles collapsed down on one of the chairs with an exhausted sigh escaping him and I took the seat next to him without hesitance. Within a matter of seconds I could sense of the differences in our stance; Stiles was slumped over, his shoulders drooping with the weight of the world and in comparison I was sitting with my back straight as my muscles refused to relax for even a second. Too much had happened for me to become complacent, there were too many variables for me to be anything less than vigilant.
I shifted slightly to that my knee was pressed against Stiles' thigh, a subtle reminder that he wasn't alone but I wasn't positive he was in the right frame of mind to even realise. My mom looked between the two of us with a frown touching her lips and she opened her mouth to say something but I shook my head in warning with a purse of my own lips. She nodded in understanding with a sad glint in her dark brown eyes and she crouched down in front of us as she lowered her voice soothingly, "I'm going to go get an update on the sheriff's condition. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Stiles nodded his head in acknowledgement without lifting his head from where he was staring blankly at the ground and I sent her a small smile when she looked over at me for confirmation that was paying attention. I watched her retreating back as she walked into the restricted area of the surgical floor and released a deep breath slowly, implementing a breathing technique that I used during meditation and yoga. There were so many thoughts running through my mind that it was impossible for me to grasp one before another had taken its place.
In the silence of the waiting room there was nothing to block out the memory of Hayden's laboured breathing, of Liam's enraged roars, of Theo's mocking laughter, of Scott's weak heartbeat, of my own screams of despair that had echoed throughout the library. I quickly shook my head to rid it of those useless thoughts; it wouldn't do any good to linger on the past when there was so much to contemplate in the present and so much to worry about the future.
My attention was drawn to the tap tap tap of Stiles leg bouncing repeatedly in his anxious state and I decided to let him continue because I knew there was nothing that could calm him down until he knew that his dad was alright. And the noise was distracting enough that it kept the memories to the back of my mind if I focused. I cleared my throat uncomfortable as I itched at the dried blood that coated my exposed stomach and internally chastised myself for wearing that particular outfit.
"You, uh, you should go get cleaned up." Stiles said softly as he leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees but I immediately shook my head to reject his statement as I crossed one knee over the other to make myself more comfortable.
"I have spare clothes in my car. I'll get changed once we've been updated about your dad." I assured him calmly as I clasped my hands over my knee, the perfect picture of ease even covered in dried blood. I noticed Stiles looking at me in bewilderment from the corner of my eye and I struggled to contain a smile, pleased with the effect I still had on him when I said or did something he wasn't expecting.
Stiles released a tired sigh as he slumped down further in the uncomfortable hospital chair and I watched him from the corner of my eye in concern, subtly monitoring his emotions by his chemo signals. The primary emotions was anxiety, which wasn't uncommon for him, but there were also the lingering scent of sadness, rage and guilt that had me concerned. I slowly reached out towards him and threaded my fingers through his in hopes of calming him down at least a little, causing him to look over at me in surprise. I offered him a gentle smile as I squeezed his hand to let him know I was with him and tears gathered in his eyes as he choked on a broken sob.
"My dad –" he breathed out in despair as tears fell from his eyes, drops getting caught in his eyelashes as they reflected the lights above like diamonds glittering in the sun. I inhaled sharply in sorrow as I drew him into my arms, allowing him to collapse against my shoulder as I felt his sobs vibrating throughout my body and I knew that he couldn't or wouldn't let himself be vulnerable in front of any other member of the pack.
Stiles, Scott and I had always been there for each other, had always had each other's back from the time we started kindergarten. I visited him when his mother was in the hospital, I held his hand at her funeral, and kept him company when he was too depressed to leave his room, I embraced him without a word when he woke up to nightmares, I listened to him gush about Lydia, and endured watching Star Wars multiple times. We were family. He was my brother. Not by something as accidental as blood, but by something much stronger; by choice. I couldn't promise to fix his problems, I would if I was capable but I couldn't promise him, but I could promise that he wouldn't face them alone.
I shifted slightly in my seat but then instantly winced when a sharp pain shot through my knee and I was reminded that my body was still healing from the fight with Theo. Unshed tears sprung to my eyes against my will as I thought about the betrayal that had occurred and I internally chastised myself for allowing him to slowly edge his way into our pack. Stiles had been right about him all along and he couldn't even enjoy it.
The manic glint in Theo's hazel's eyes had frightened me more than nearly anything we had encountered. All of the other people we had fought against had never hidden their dastardly purpose like Theo had, they had never manipulated their way into our lives and betrayed us so harshly. Peter, Matt, Deucalion, the Nogitsune, the assassins, we may not have known who was trying to kill us but at least it hadn't been someone we were beginning to trust.
I let out shuddering breath as I shook my head to bring me back to the present, pushing the morbid thoughts to the back of my mind and my eyebrows scrunched together in confusion when I heard a soft snore coming from beside me. I quirked an eyebrow in amusement as I turned my head to the side and saw that Stiles had fallen asleep without me noticing, his head tilted backwards with his mouth gaping open. I huffed out a laugh as I shook my head with a small smile on my lips and preceded to let him sleep because I figured he needed the rest after everything he had been through.
The sound of footsteps approaching drew my attention to the closed double doors leading to the operating theatres and I felt my heartbeat accelerate when I saw my mom approaching as I sat up straight in my seat. I couldn't tell by her expression if she came bearing good news or bad news. She caught me gaze as she pushed open the doors and offered me a small but sincere smile, letting me know that the surgery was successful.
A grin broke out across my lips as I suppressed the urge to squeal happily and she returned the gesture as she crouched down in front of the sleeping Stiles. His head was lulled to the side, resting on his fisted hand as his elbow leaned on the armrest and mom gently his shoulder to wake him up from his slumber. "Stiles, you need to get up. You gotta get up now."
Stiles jerked upright with a startled gasp as his eyes flew wide open and I reached over to place a steadying hand on his knee as mom held her hands up in a soothing gesture, "He's okay. Dr. Geyer is stitching him up right now."
"Okay, I wanna see him." he said immediately in a quiet voice full of sleep as he went to stand up but I pressed down on his shoulder to keep him in place and he looked over at me with a look of betrayal etched on his features as mom continued assuring him calmly.
"Okay, okay. The anaesthesia needs to wear off. It's gonna be at least two hours."
"Okay, yeah, but everything's gonna be okay though, I mean, he's okay?"
"Mm. He's gonna be just fine."
"Oh, thank God." I breathed out in relief as I closed my eyes against the sudden onset of tears that clouded my vision and I felt someone grasp my hand tightly, encompassing it in a warmth that reminded me of family. I opened my eyes as I turned my head to the side and offered Stiles a shaky smile that he tried to reciprocate to the best of his ability.
"Come on, Stiles. I take you back to his room." my mom told him sympathetically with a small smile on her lips and he started nodding rapidly almost immediately as he stood up from his seat next to me. The two of them made it halfway to the doors before realising that I wasn't walking with them and Stiles looked back at me with a confused frown marring his features so I intercepted his question before he could ask it.
"I'll give you a minute alone. I'll go get a coffee since I've been up all night."
For a moment it looked like he was going to argue with me, to demand that I go with him to see his father so I faked a yawn as I stretched my arms over my head and his expression softened compassionately as he nodded in understanding. My mom shot me a look behind his back, letting me know that she was aware of what I was doing and I winked at her with a smirk as she held the double doors open for Stiles to walk through. I watched them disappear before releasing a large breath I had been holding since the moment I entered the hospital and I stood up from my seat with the sudden urge to ram my fist through the nearest wall.
My entire body practically vibrated with energy and adrenaline as I stalked out of the waiting room, making my way out of the hospital and immediately getting drenched in the pouring rain. A bolt of lightning streaked across the dark night sky, illuminating the near empty carpark and I swore to myself as I rushed towards where my car was parked out the front. I quickly opened the backdoor to the Camaro and pulled out the prepared duffel bag full of clothes and weapons that I kept in there in case of an emergency before closing the door. I gritted my teeth in annoyance as tendrils of my hair were plastered to my face and I rushed back inside in order to get out of the pouring rain.
Warmth instantly settled over me as I stepped inside the hospital doors and I ignored the queer looks I was receiving from stranger but was grateful that I had worn a bra that morning because my shirt was now see-through from the rain. I walked into the nearest restroom, checking to see if anyone was in there before coming to a stop in the middle of the mirror and I dropped the duffel bag on the tiled floor with a tired sigh escaping me.
The reflection in the mirror was almost horrifying; like an extra in a slasher movie. My wet brunette hair hung limply, sections clinging to my face, dried blood covered my clothing and exposed stomach. It was fortunate that all of my wounds healed externally or it would've been impossible to explain when they eventually did close over in front of the doctors and nurses.
I rolled my eyes at myself as I grabbed some paper towels from the dispenser and held them under the running water before wiping the dried blood from my skin. The water in the sink started to have a pinkish tinge and I grimaced in annoyance as I dropped the used paper towel in the bin to the side of the bathroom. I slipped my ruined blouse off over my head, tossing it on the counter to be thrown out later and then I glanced down at my peach coloured shorts to see if they were also wrecked but smiled when I saw they were clean other than I few random spots of blood. I shrugged to myself as I bent down to grab a dark blue off the shoulder floral blouse from inside the duffel bag and pulled it on over my head before tying my wet hair up into a haphazard ponytail. I tossed the ruined blouse into the bag, making a mental note to get rid of it later on and to repack a shirt in the emergency kit for future use.
I washed my hand under the running water one more time, making sure that the blood wasn't under my nails and then I slung the strap of the duffel bag over my shoulder before exiting the bathroom. I felt more comfortable now that I was in fresh clothing, especially when there wasn't blood saturating the clothes and causing it to stick to my skin. Almost no one looked at me as I walked through the hallways that had become all too familiar over the last couple of years.
"What do you mean you don't know?" I heard Stiles ask someone incredulously as I approached the waiting room outside the surgical wing and I hastened my footsteps, frowning when I saw him standing with my mom and Liam's stepfather, Dr Geyer. I hurried over to where they were huddled together with a concerned frown on my lips and they acknowledged my presence with a nod before Stiles continued speaking, "Two hours ago, he was fine. Now it looks like somebody took a baseball bat to his neck."
"There could've been some minor internal." Dr Geyer started to explain in a calm tone of voice, trying not to alarm the panicking young man but Stiles instantly shook his head in disagreement as he latched onto his words.
"Did you say, 'Minor internal?' Since when is anything internal minor? I need to know what's going on with him, okay? Dr. Geyer, somebody needs to tell me what's happening. Somebody needs to tell me what's happening to him!" Stiles shouted angrily as unshed tears flooded his eyes, his hands curled into fists at his side and it looked as if he were contemplating throwing a punch but his eyes were more grieved than angry.
There was a brief pause as we all looked at each other, unsure how to proceed when Stiles was already on edge and I threaded my arm through his in an effort to keep him grounded or at least calm enough to listen. I bit my lower lip anxiously as I subconsciously tightened my grip, awaiting the answer just as eagerly as Stiles was as I shifted nervously on my feet next to him. I noticed mom shooting us both sympathetic glances from the corner of my eye and that only caused me even more panic. I always considered mom like an airplane stewardess – as long as she was smiling and handing out packages of peanuts then everything was going to be okay.
"Mommy…" I murmured pleadingly with tears in my eyes as I looked at her for an answer and she pursed her lips as she shared a look with Dr Geyer before turning her attention back to us with a solemn expression.
"We don't know." she admitted honestly with a slight shrug of her shoulders and I closed my eyes to stop the sudden onslaught of tears as I stifled a whimper that threatened to escape me. My eyes flew open when Stiles suddenly pulled his arm from mine and I frowned with a perplexed frown when I saw him running through the double doors that led to the patient's rooms. I followed his movements with increasing confusion until my gaze landed on my brother standing on the other side of the doors. A rush of panic surged through me as I hurried after Stiles and I grimaced empathetically when I saw the human tackle Scott to the ground, the both of them landing hard on the linoleum floor.
"Where were you? You trusted him. You believed him. Right, huh? So, where were you? Hey, hey, hey... Where the hell were you?" I heard Stiles demanding harshly as he curled his hands in the material of Scott's shirt, speaking loudly over the sound of protests coming from me as well as my mom and Dr Geyer who had followed after me. It wasn't until that moment that I realised that I hadn't even thought to inform him of what had happened early in the library, so he didn't know that Scott had died right in front of me, with my hand on his heart.
"Stop it!" I cried out in concern for both of them as I helped Dr Geyer lift Stiles off of my brother, afraid that one or both of them would get injured in the fight and I kept a tight hold on the Stiles' arm once he was upright in an effort to stop any attempt to tackle Scott again. He struggled against me for a moment but my werewolf strength gave me an advantage over him and I tightened my hold on him slightly until he eventually stopped as he held his hands up in surrender.
"Okay, all right, all right." he breathed out between heavy pants, his chest expanding with every rapid breath as he leaned back against me and I loosened my hold but kept my arms around him because I felt he needed the reassurance. Each one of his angry breaths vibrated through me, his heartrate accelerated with the adrenaline flooding his veins and his hand gripped my forearm where it was restraining his chest so tightly that his nails almost broke the skin.
Scott looked over at us with hurt burning in his dark brown eyes as he noticed the way his best friend, or former best friend, clung to me for comfort and I was surprised that he hadn't dropped dead from the venomous glare that Stiles was aiming in his direction. Now that the concern for his life was gone the anger and betrayal that had lingered under the surface came pouring back almost violently, causing me to twitch imperceptibly as I looked at him with scorn. By the way Scott flinched slightly, I was positive that Stiles expression was matching my withering glare and he looked away for a moment before meeting our gaze as he told us solemnly, "Your dad's not the only one who got hurt."
"Oh, you'll heal."
"I'm not talking about me."
I frowned in confusion as I mentally tried to remember where everyone in the pack was at that given moment; Liam had left the hospital after Jordan had taken Hayden's body and Mason had gone after him to make sure he didn't do something else stupid in his grief, Malia was meeting with Braeden, Kira was at home because her powers were haywire, Scott was in front of me, Stiles was in my arms and so that left…
"Lydia…" I breathed out in realisation as my eyes widened in horror and my arms dropped from around Stiles in despair as I shook my head, silently hoping that my brother was misinformed or that he had suddenly became tragically cruel after his experience being dead. But the utter look of pity mixed with sorrow and guilt was undeniable and I felt a sob inching its way higher in my throat but I choked it back as I turned my tearful gaze to the ground. "What happened?"
"I-I don't know exactly. Parrish showed up at the house. Lydia was with him but it was strange. It was like she was awake but asleep at the same time. Her eyes were open but completely blank, like she had no idea what was going on around her." Scott informed us sadly with a befuddled frown on his lips as he shook his head slightly and he sighed heavily as he raked a hand through his hair, turning his gaze away from our probing eyes. "We brought her to the hospital, but I don't think the doctors will be able to do anything. It seems supernatural."
"It's Theo. It's got to be." Stiles declared firmly with a purse of his lips, glaring intensely at my brother as though Lydia's condition was his fault for believing in Theo and I couldn't help but agree to a certain extent.
"Who gives a fuck?!" I spat angrily with a scowl as I immediately pushed past both of them, rushing towards the elevator at the end of the corridor and I ignored Scott calling after me as Stiles footsteps hurried behind me with the same urgency. I harshly pressed the 'down' button repeatedly as I shifted back and forth on my feet impatiently, until the doors slid open and I stepped inside with Stiles next to me. I leaned back against the wall as I closed my eyes tightly but mental images of Lydia popped straight to the forefront of my mind and I bit down on the inside of my cheek to stop from crying. My best friend was the light of my life; her green eyes, strawberry blonde hair and charismatic smile were enough to bring everything into focus.
Sometimes you meet someone and it's so clear that the two of you, on some level, belong together; as friends, as lovers, or family, or something entirely different. You just work, whether you understand one another or you're in love or you're partners in crime. Sometimes you meet people throughout your life, out of nowhere, under the strangest circumstances, and they make you feel alive. I don't know if I believed in coincidence, or fate, or sheer dumb luck, but Lydia was that 'someone' for me.
Years ago the two of us would snuggle up in her bed and watch the new episodes of Grey's Anatomy as we snackedon gummy worms and swooning over Derek 'McDreamy' Shepard. There was one line about the main character and her best friend that always resonated with the two of us: 'If I murdered someone, she's the person I'd call to help me drag the corpse across the living room floor. She's my person.'
I was Lydia's person, and she was mine.
Stiles stared at the side of my head, I could feel his gaze burning into me, but I ignored him, unable to comfort him when I couldn't find any myself. Lydia had been injured many times in the last few years, too many times, but it never got any easier to handle. She was the member of the pack that I worried about the most; her will was solid iron, forged through experience and pain but her bones were fragile and breakable. I loved my mother as only a daughter could. Scott was my twin brother, and my Alpha, he was a constant presence in the back of my mind like a phantom limb. I adored Stiles as though he was my brother by blood. Every member of the pack, the ones still in town, the ones who were in each corner of the globe, the ones who were with us but only in spirit, all had a specific piece of my heart with their name carved on it. I had loved Aiden, albeit reluctantly. I had and stilled loved Derek with everything inside of me. I had a growing affection for Jordan. But Lydia? Lydia was the other half of my soul.
The elevator doors slid open with a 'beep' as I spied Stiles opening his mouth to speak and I was grateful for an intervention as I rushed out of the enclosed space hastily before he could say anything. It occurred to me that I had no idea where they had taken Lydia but something inside of me was propelling me forward, an invisible thread tethering me to the other half of my soul and I wasn't in the right state of mind to question why or how.
My footsteps echoed loudly as I rushed down the corridor in the direction I somehow knew led to Lydia, vaguely hearing Stiles running after me and I skidded to a stop in a doorway to a hospital room. My breath caught in my throat as I laid eyes on the prone strawberry blonde on the bed, her green eyes staring unseeingly at the roof above. A soft whimper escaped my lips as she stiffly turned her gaze towards me, as though she could sense my presence near her even if her mind wouldn't let her make the connection as to why it was important.
It was like everything faded into the background, blurred around the edges of my vision until Lydia was the only thing I could see and I could vaguely hear people talking angrily somewhere around me but they were completely out of focus.
'No. No, you don't. You're not coming in here. Get out!'
'Just wait, wait. I think I know who did this, okay. I just need to look at the back of her neck. I know who did this.'
'You. All of you! Get out!'
'Come on, please. You just gotta listen to me. You just gotta check the back...'
'Just get out! Out!'
I felt someone grab my upper arm tightly as they tried to drag me backwards and I blinked rapidly as though I had just woken up as the room came back into focus. Anger and sorrow flooded through my body like a tidal wave hitting the shore and I tried to pull my arm out of Stiles' grasp but he merely held on tighter as he continued to pull me out of the room. My breaths started coming out in short pants as tears blurred my vision and I shook my head in protest as I murmured to myself frantically, "No. No! No. No, please. No, no, no. Lydia! No, no, please."
"Hey, come on, we gotta go." he whispered comfortingly in my ear as he held me tightly against his chest with his arms wrapped around me and I knew that I could've easily broken his hold on me but I didn't want to risk hurting him. There were tears streaming down my cheeks unapologetically as I let him drag me away from my best friend and I felt him loosen his hold on me so that only one of his arms were draped over my shoulders, which made it easier for us to walk. On the way out of the room I caught sight of Lydia's mother, Natalie standing to the side but when we made eye contact, she physically flinched and looked away like she couldn't stand the sight of me. I instantly looked away, unable to face the disgust of someone I cared for like a second mother after so much time spent at their house.
The weight of Stiles arm around my shoulders was reassuring as I dutifully allowed him to lead me farther away from the hospital room and I was vaguely aware of him texting someone with his hand that wasn't resting on her shoulder. Our footsteps echoed loudly on the linoleum floor but my mind was stuck on the blank expression on my best friends face, the voidness of her usually vibrant green eyes. It was a horrifying sight to see.
Stiles kept a firm hold on my shoulders as he guided me into a medical storage closet, looking around nervously to see if we were drawing attention and the action caused me to gather my wits about me as I rolled my eyes at him while muttering sarcastically, "Yeah, that's not suspicious. Just calm down and act like you're meant to be here. Half of sneaking around in confidence and perceptive."
I could practically feel him rolling his eyes at me as he opened the door to the storage closet and I blinked into the darkened room until the lights flickered on to dimly illuminate the figures of my mom, my brother and my…and Jordan. All of the anger that I held towards Scott, all of the rage that had faded when he nearly died, came flooding back. It was his fault that Lydia was hurt, that the Sheriff was hurt, his fault that Hayden was dead, his fault, his fault, his fault. A voice at the back of my mind chanted the tauntingly but I clenched down on the anger, unwilling to let it control me and I composed my face so that it was a blank mask as I faced the group.
"Lydia's mother wouldn't let us see her, but I'm positive that she has claw marks on the back of her neck. She was completely out of it." Stiles announced to the other three solemnly, keeping one calmly hand on the small of my back and I folded my arms over my chest as I bit down on my lower lip at the mention of my best friends condition.
"It could be a side effect of shock." Jordan suggested in an unconvinced tone with a frown on his lips as he glanced around and I shook my head instinctively at the same time as Stiles.
"She's catatonic. It was Theo digging his way through her mind."
"Why would he do that? What is he looking for?"
"The same thing he's always looking for. An advantage."
"So what did he gain by trying to kill Stilinski?"
"It left me alone with Liam. Theo wanted to make sure no one would be there to stop him from killing me." Scott interjected sadly as he gingerly touched the still healing wound marring his chest and it took all of my effort not to flinch at the reminder that I had literally cut a hole in his chest in order to hold his heart in my hand.
"Okay, so he gutted my dad as a distraction." Stiles murmured under his breath as he pinched his lower lip between his fingers and I lowered back into him slightly, offering what little comfort I could for him.
Jordan regarded me for a moment, his gaze drifting over me as if to assess my wellbeing and I tried to smile reassuringly but it came out more like a grimace as he spoke firmly to the entire group, "We need to find this kid."
"Isn't that a little dangerous? Especially since he almost killed my kid?" mom asked pointedly in a protective manner as she quirked an eyebrow and I flinched almost imperceptibly at the reminder so that only Stiles noticed how uncomfortable I was with the subject.
"Yeah, but he said he didn't want my dad to die." Stiles told them in a hurried tone, trying to divert the attention away from my reaction in case anyone noticed and my lips tugged into a grateful smile as I clasped my hands in front of me to stop them from shaking. Mom scoffed in disbelief at his words as she looked over at him with both her eyebrows raised, her expression reminiscent of when he and Scott tried to help her it was me who threw a baseball through the front window.
"And you believe him?"
"He told me where to find him. So, maybe he also knows how to save him."
"What do you want to do? Talk to him?"
"If it saves my dad, then yeah." Stiles declared with an exhausted sigh as he rocked back on his heels for a moment before turning around and starting towards the closed door to the storage room. I chewed gently on my lower lip as I watched his retreating back with a worried expression, concerned about his state of mind. He wasn't exactly stable at the moment with his father and Lydia in the hospital, but I was afraid that confronting Theo would push him over the edge. Ever since he had confessed to the part he played in Donovan's death, the anger and guilt inside of him had been steadily growing, a darkness that plagued him in the depth of his soul.
My brother had obviously come to the same conclusion, or maybe he wanted to repair their shattered friendship because he immediately started following his friend as he spoke with poorly disguised hope in his voice, "I'll come with you. He doesn't know that I'm alive. Maybe that gives us an advantage."
"He'll know you're there. I just need to talk to him. Not fight him." stiles rejected tersely as he stopped near the door but didn't turn around and I watched Scott's expression collapse in on itself as he looked down at the ground. I frowned in guilt when I felt a small amount of satisfaction; I loved him but he had brought this on himself when he believed Theo over his best friend, his brother in all but blood.
"Stiles, you can't go alone." I protested softly despite the lingering desire to snub my brother but I told myself it wasn't for Scott's benefit, I told myself that I needed someone to protect Stiles and that was more important than any animosity I felt towards my brother. I frowned in thought as I looked between the two guys and asked the question that was on the tip of my tongue, "Does anyone even know how to find him? I highly doubt he will be answering his cell phone if we call him."
"We don't have to find him. He'll come to me." Stiles stated in a knowing tone, a heaviness weighing on him like the fact that he was one of the ones Theo wanted was a burden he had to bear alone. I wanted nothing more than to relieve him of that pain, that knowledge but I knew that anything I said would fall on deaf ears. All the men in my life had the same insane ability to feel guilt over situations that weren't there fault; although it wasn't like I could talk without being a hypocrite.
I heard a heavy sigh, causing me to lift my gaze from the ground and saw Stiles looking back at with an expression of exhaustion, exasperation and affection. I frowned in confusion as to why he was looking at me like that but he just quirked the corner of his lips into a sad smile and then gestured towards the storage room door as he grumbled, "Keep an eye on my dad for me. Come on, Scott. Let's go."
A grin broke out across my lips as it occurred to me that he was only taking my brother for my benefit because he knew that I would worry about him if he went alone and it warmed my heart that he cared about my feelings when going to confront the reason his father and his…friend were in the hospital. He nodded back at me before striding out of the room, not waiting for Scott to catch up and I ignored my brothers pleading gaze as he hurried past me out of the storeroom. The moment he left the room the tension alleviated and I felt like I could breathe probably for the first time since entering, inhaling sharply as I closed my eyes in regret. I hated that I felt so disconnected from my brother, that the thought of his name left me seething, but I didn't have the time or the inclination to do anything about it while the rest of the world was falling apart.
Mom squeezed my arm comfortingly, having already heard my reasons for distrusting Scott and partially agreeing with me, with the caveat that she wasn't taking sides. I tried to give her a smile as I reached up to place my hand over hers where it rested on my arm and she offered me a sympathetic smile as she informed me softly, "I'm going to get back to my shift. Let me know if anything happens."
I nodded in agreement as she pulled away from me and she sent a look over her shoulder at Jordan before making her way out of the storage room without a backwards glance. I felt a comforting warmth next to me as Jordan placed a hand on the small of my back, gently guiding me towards his body and I released a breath as I leaned my head on his shoulder for a moment of relaxation. I could hear his steady heartbeat underneath my ear, beating rhythmically in a comforting manner and I hummed in contentment for a moment. It was nice to have someone to lean on, someone to be there for me when everyone else had more important things to worry about. Before Theo I wouldn't have doubted that any member of the pack would be there for me if I needed them but now I wasn't so sure. I had no way of knowing who, if anyone, had been compromised; who had been lured into his web with sweetly poisoned words and a charming smile.
"What can I do for you? Name it." I heard Jordan whisper softly against the top of my head as he tightened his hold on my waist and I turned slightly so I could wrap my arms around his torso with a small upturn of my lips.
"Natalie won't let me see Lydia. Can you see what you can find out for me?"
"Of course."
"Thank you."
I let myself linger in his embrace for a moment longer, basking in the warmth his body heat provided and the safety that came from the sensation of being in his arms. I reluctantly pulled back with a small smile on my lips, only stretching further when I saw him already looking down at me with love shining in his eyes. My emotions were a complex mixture of confusion whenever he looked at me like that. there were only a few things I knew with absolute certainty: one, being with Jordan made me happy; two, no matter how hard I tried I would never be good enough for someone like him; and three, despite my best efforts, I was still in love with Derek Hale.
Guilt threatened to swallow me whole as I adverted my gaze from him and cleared my throat discreetly as I backed away from him, trying to ignore his slightly confused gaze burning the side of my head. A blush rose on my cheeks as I felt him squeeze my hand before letting go and I hurried out of the storage room without a backwards glance.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it…" I cursed myself under my breath as I walked at a fast pace through the hospital corridors, internally scolding myself for leading Jordan on. He didn't deserve to be treated how I was currently treating him; he deserved happiness and respect, he deserved someone who could give him every ounce of their attention. But I couldn't do that. Too much was happening around the pack and too much of my heart was divided with what I felt towards another man.
I walked the familiar path to the hospital that led to the recovery unit where I knew John would be if he was out of surgery and contemplated the mess that was my life. I wasn't really paying attention as I followed my sense of smell in the direction I needed to go in but I ended up standing by the window to the room where John was lying in a seemingly peaceful sleep. I watched the heart monitor move up and down rhythmically with a frown on my lips, feeling assured that he was still alive for the time being.
Footsteps echoed behind me and I paid them no mind, thinking that it was just some doctor or nurse making their way through the hospital but whoever it was came to a stop beside me in front of the window. I turned my head slightly to the side in a mixture of suspicion and annoyance but relaxed when I saw Dr Geyer standing there. I wasn't incredibly close to the doctor but he was Liam's stepfather and his wife had practically forced me to attend dinner at their house every few weeks as a thank you for everything she believed I had done for Liam.
"Sophie, that man in there is dying and I don't know how to save him. I went to Harvard Med. I have degrees lining the wall of my office. And I don't have the slightest clue what's going on here." the man next to me said solemnly as he crossed his arms over his chest, a troubled frown marring his features as he looked in on his patient. He sighed heavily in defeat as he tilted his head forward and closed his eyes for a moment before turning his body to face me as he spoke in a firm tone, "If you know something about this that I don't..."
"Me?" I asked in a mock surprised tone of voice as I turned towards him with wide eyes, trying not to panic that he knew something about the supernatural. My heart beat accelerated furiously in my chest as I contemplated how to get out of the situation. Would I have to kill him in order to keep him quiet? One quick twist of my wrist with the correct amount of pressure would snap his neck. I didn't relish the thought of killing him, and it might have easier to smash his head against the window until he was unconscious. When he woke up it would be easy to convince him that the entire conspiracy was a figment of his imagination brought on by a concussion.
"Yes, you. Nothing seems to faze you. And not to sound accusatory, but it's like you know something."
"Knowing something is different from understanding it. Yeah, I could tell you things, really bizarre things. But right now I can't tell you anything that is going to save his life."
My truthful words, the honesty threaded through them seemed to sudden him for a moment and I bit back an amused smirk as he blinked in surprise before composing himself while clearing his throat. He sighed heavily as he turned his attention back to the window, gazing in concern at the man lying on the other side and he seemed at a completely loss as he asked helplessly with a hint of pleading, "Then what are we supposed to do?"
"Keep him alive. For as long as we can." I told him bluntly with a shrug of my shoulders, unsure what else to tell him because I honestly had no idea what else to say. He nodded slightly in disappointment with a sigh and I couldn't help feeling helpless as I watched him walk away from me with his shoulders hunched like the weight of the world was resting on them.
I huff out a groan as I made my way into hospital room, my muscles tense as I listened to the beep beep beep of the heart monitor and I sat down on the chair at his bedside as I reached over to grasp his hand in my own. Tears burned the back of my eyes as I blinked furiously to stop them from falling, afraid that if I let myself have a moment of weakness it wouldn't turn out to be only a moment, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from breaking. I wasn't this person. I was strong. I was capable. But what was strength in the long run? I had amazing physical strength, but was it enough? True strength came when we were broken time and time again until you had nothing left to give but still got back up and kept fighting. I could do that. I had done that. I had to do that.
The sound of my cell phone ringing knocked me out of my silence and I almost flinched in surprise but caught myself as I reached for my phone with a frown of concern on my lips. I held it up to my ear without checking the caller ID and my eyebrows furrowed when I heard the heavy breathing on the other end as I answered sceptically, "Hello?"
"Sophie! We found him in the sewers! One of the remaining chimeras. He has bone claws and when he stabbed my dad one of the bones shards broke off inside of him! It's poisoning him!" Stiles explained frantically in a shout, panting breathlessly like he was running while talking and I gasped in realisation as I stood up from the chair, making the legs scrap loudly across the floor.
"I got it, Stiles. I'll tell the doctor now!" I assured him hurriedly as I rushed out of the room, hanging up the phone in the process and I looked around frantically for any sign of Dr Geyer because he was the only one who might do the surgery without asking too many questions. I caught sight of him standing near one of the nurse's desk and I hurried over to him, grasping his elbow in my hand as I forcibly led him back down the way I came without stopping.
To his credit he didn't argue or protest the abrupt movement as I led him further down the hallway so no one else would be able to hear us speaking. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure that we were far enough away before pulling him to a stop and tightening my grip to gain his attention, looking in his eyes as I told him in an authoritative tone, "We have to open him up."
"What?" he asked in complete shock as he turned to look at me with wide eyes but I remained steadfast in my resolve and when he realised that I was being serious, his expression faltered into one of disbelief as he stared at me incredulously.
"There's something inside him. Something that we didn't see."
"Sophie, we can't just open him up."
"It's a piece of bone. He's being poisoned by bone marrow. He has a type of Fat Embolism Syndrome. I know it doesn't make any sense, I know what it sounds like, but you have to open him up. You asked me how you could help him, this is how. Do it now. Or I'm going to amateur bedside surgery."
Dr Geyer stared at me for a moment, searching my face for something or other but he must have read the desperation plainly and I pleaded to him with my eyes until he firmly nodded his head once to indicate his decision. I breathed out in relief as a grateful smile spread across my lips and he glanced over my shoulder into the hospital room before meeting my eyes solemnly as he said, "I'm going to go prep an OR. If you want to speak to him, now's the time."
I gave him a nod of understanding before he strode away from me with determination in his steps and I sighed heavily, feeling a mixture of relief and foreboding settle deep within my bones. I turned around to face the window that looked into the hospital room, watching the line on the heart monitor move up and down with each reassuring beat. The brief thought of entering crossed my mind but choose not to, unable to handle anymore disappointment when I knew that I would not receive any reply. It would be easier to wait for him to wake up from surgery. And he would wake up from surgery.
I brought my fingers to my lips briefly before placing them on the glass in front me, closing my eyes and praying to whichever god was listening, to whatever deity would overlook the fact that I had never truly believed in them. It wasn't that I didn't have faith, it wasn't that I didn't believe. I did. I had faith in myself, I believed in the power of love, of family, of loyalty and trust. But this wasn't something that I could fight with my strength of will. It wasn't something that I could defend against with my enhanced powers. It wasn't something that I could talk my way out of or manipulate to my desire with my intelligence. And that left me helpless, and hopeless, and begging whoever or whatever would listen.
I shook my head to myself as I dropped my hand back down to my side and started walking down the corridor to the waiting room as I fumbled for my cell phone. I barely noticed my fingers trembling as I texted a brief message to Stiles, letting him know that I had convinced Dr Geyer to perform the operation needed.
The waiting room was conveniently empty when I entered and I couldn't help but be grateful that there was no one around to put an act on for as I slumped down on one of the uncomfortable chairs. I absently tossed my phone on the seat next to me, not caring if it fell and broke into a thousand pieces; there was no one I wanted to speak to at that moment anyway.
Silence settled around me but nothing had ever sounded louder. I closed my eyes as I leaned my head back against the wall, releasing a drawn out sigh in the process and the silence was almost immediately replaced with the faint whispering of robotic voices and the continuous beep beep beep of machinery.
Amalgamation perfected.
Experimentation required.
We are on a frequency you can't possibly imagine.
The perfect Chimera. The natural Chimera. A True Chimera.
Subject accomplished.
Further experimentation required.
The mangled voices of the Dread Doctors and Theo sent a spike of fear through me as I was reminded of the physical pain and the emotional heartache that followed after the words. At night my dream were plagued with the memories of my torture and now they were affecting me during waking hours whenever silence permitted. It wasn't the first time that I had been tortured but for some reason this instance seemed to be sticking in my subconscious like never before. Sometimes I could feel a phantom echo of the pain that I had suffered at their hands and it would cause my heartrate to accelerate, my hands to shake. I was thankful for the breathing techniques that I had learned through yoga when I was beginning to control my werewolf abilities and when that didn't work, distraction in the form of music, television or books seemed to work.
I breathed out raggedly as I opened my eyes to stare up at the ceiling, placing my clasped together hands on top of my head, stretching the muscles in my abdomen in the process. My knee bounced up and down restlessly as I chewed gently on my lower lip, anxious to know something or do something productive. I wasn't used to being idle. Even when I was younger I always had to be doing something with my hands, something that occupied my mind.
"Sophie." I heard my mom call out to me from the other side of the room and I snapped my head around in surprise with wide eyes as she wandered further into the waiting room. I caught sight of the clock hanging on the wall and was shocked that more than an hour had passed since I sat down because it seemed like only minutes but I must have taken my meditating more seriously than I had thought. I stood up from my seat with an anxious frown on my lips but was soothed slightly by the small smile that played on her lips as she approached where I was standing. She took both of my hands in hers, rubbing her thumb over my knuckles and I waited with bated breath as she spoke in a soothing tone of voice, "They found the bone shard. They're stitching him up now and he'll be taken to recovery for monitoring. But he's going to be just fine."
I almost sobbed in relief as tears stung my eyes, my knees weakened but I refused to collapse and I nodded frantically as I pulled my mom into a tight embrace. I felt her body vibrate with a chuckle as I closed my eyes tightly to stop the influx of tears that threatened to fall and I sniffled gently to I pulled back from the embrace with a massive grin on my lips that mirrored her own.
I opened my mouth to tell her that I would call Stiles the good news but paused when I noticed her expression morph into one of confusion, happiness, sadness and anger all in one. I frowned in concern as I placed a hand on arm to draw her attention but gaze remained steadfast on something over my shoulder.
My eyebrows furrowed incredulously as I turned my head to see whatever had captured her attention and then I gasped in surprise when I met a familiar pair of green eyes staring back to me with so much emotion burning in their depths. My lips turned down at the corners in a frown as I stared at him uncomprehendingly for a moment and I couldn't keep the emotion out of my voice as I murmured in disbelief, "Derek?"