12

The next couple of days plagued me with dreams that had what I thought I remembered warring against Danny's narrative.

Fear, paralysis, and the overwhelming urge to make sure my brother was still even alive cut through me in icy flashes. I knew it couldn't be fake, those emotions couldn't have been lies. Even if my mind was playing tricks on me during the day, shouldn't still be doing this to my subconscious. That's where the truth, repressed or not should be. I tried to get more information, even thought I found Danny's shirt from that night scrubbed but still slightly browned from dry blood, but I was shot down every time. My brother's story stayed the same, with remarks about having better things to worry about. I would insist, but eventually, there was something in Danny's tone that made me give up trying.

But I didn't stop thinking about it. I'd become obsessed and stopped sleeping. It was bad enough that I was starting to get others worried. Meg was giving me sleeping tips as well as advice on how to avoid nightmares while offering to sleep over during the week. I politely declined, but it didn't stop the worried crinkle in her brow whenever I yawned in class. Scott offered to take a few shifts for me to get my mind off whatever was bothering me, blaming himself for putting so much on me, which I told him wasn't the issue. Stiles even tried to help me pay attention in class, only to realize I was more prepared than him for the reviews. Still, there was no escaping it as I found myself idly doodling slanted eyes, and would randomly find myself unable to move, panic filling me in mini attacks throughout the week.

Something wasn't adding up with Danny, and I couldn't talk to Mom about it, because, well I don't really know why. All I knew that she just wouldn't understand. More like she wouldn't believe me, but still. Overall, it was a bad week for sleeping, and the fact that my brother seemed totally unaffected by it was driving me nuts.

I yawned, shouldering my bag as I finished up a shift at the clinic nearly a week later. I couldn't help but wonder if I was ever going to any real sleep at this point. Rubbing at my eyes, I raised my other hand in a wave, barely looking as I walked toward the door.

"Have a good night, Dr. Deaton!"

"You too, Stephanie, be careful getting home." Came the reply in a voice so soothing I almost drifted off where I stood. "And maybe get some rest?"

"I'm not too far, and I'm not driving." I assured him, turning to give a small smile at the face poking around the corner. "And I'll do my best, midterms might get in the way though."

"Alright, give your Mother my best." He conceded, retreating into the examination room after I gave a small nod, effectively ending the conversation.

Leaving the Animal Clinic, I looked upward and out into the overcast sky. The clouds and air threatened rain, but hopefully I'd make it home first. Thinking about Deaton's request, I thought back to the last time I'd talked to my mother. She'd been busy this week, looking more tired than usual in the mornings, if she even got up before we left. Danny even mentioned that she had been pulling twenty-four-hour days, only coming home for a shower and change of clothes. At least I knew that my work ethic was from both sides of the tree and not just one. Danny on the other hand, seemed to have a break from school and work, constantly being home whenever I am.

As if knowing that I was thinking about him, I got a text from my brother asking if I wanted anything from the local diner on his way to the house. I frowned, knowing he was going to quiz me into a coma again like he'd been doing all week to help me prep for midterms, though I had a feeling it was to prevent me to from questioning him. My brain was still sluggish from all the math and chemistry we did last night, so I declined fast food, instead requesting caffeine in whatever form he'd get me before pulling my bike from the rack. From there, I just focused on getting home, only pausing when the wind, pulling over to untie my hoodie from my waist. I slipped on the sleeves, shivering as the cold fabric moved over my bare arms. It was when I went to pull the hood over my head that I saw Isaac.

Any bemusement I felt about the situation was cut off by a realization that he was biking way more frantically than someone trying to escape the impending rain. He also was riding away from his house instead of toward it.

That's strange… I felt my hands clench around my handlebars. Then, without even thinking about it, I stood on my pedals to get myself a running start. I'm not sure why I was doing things, given that I was still haunted by my last detour, but still I went, pedaling harder when I caught a car following us. We were starting to move away from the direction of my house, but I kept going anyway. Then he checked behind him and I saw it; a look of absolute terror across his face that shook me to my core. I could feel myself tense up and glance around in a panic. In my sweep, I saw something that caused my eyes to widen in confusion and awe. Why was Isaac running away from his father…or better yet, why was Mr. Lahey chasing him?

Fighting past my own trepidations, I found myself slowing slightly, placing myself between the two Laheys. I don't know what kind of buffer I was hoping to provide, but it seemed to work, the car unsure of which biker to follow. It was when Isaac turned down an alley that I knew the jig was up, and followed, jumping off my bike to avoid hitting his abandoned one. As I made my way down the dark pathway, my brain seemed to finally catch up with my actions, causing me to rapidly question what the hell I was thinking following Isaac as he ran away from his only family. I mean, yes, we're still friends; and yes, I still may care, but yesterday's conversation wasn't really an invitation to enter whatever kind of situation this was.

"Isaac?" I finally whispered, wringing my hands in my sleeves as I broke the silence. "Hey, it's Steph, I saw you biking and-" And what? You decided to follow him because he looked like he was losing an unfair game of tag? "Look, I just want to make sure you're okay. Isaac?"

My response was the squealing of tires as Mr. Lahey finally caught up to us. Not wanting to be caught, I ducked behind a dumpster, peering around the corner to keep an eye on everything. And then the rain hit, adding the challenge of not reacting to it. As it grew in intensity, I started to lose visibility, which made doubt set into my bones. Maybe I'd misread the situation? Maybe I should avoid making a scene and leave? Maybe I could just walk out, and everything will be fine, just say I was caught in the rain or something. Maybe we could even all ride back to my house, and they could go on their merry way, not hard feelings. A thousand maybes swam through my head, but I could feel deep within myself the absolutes; I was in too deep at this point.

I gulped, shaking my head clear of the false hope. I know what I was feeling, forget how or why, but I felt it: Pure Anger against Unbridled Fear. I focused on the opening of the alley, the creak of the car door pulling my attention back to what was happening. I could just barely see the man that was without a doubt Isaac's father step out. I felt my head go in circles as I tried to justify this situation. Had what I mentioned to Isaac a week ago been right? Were my dad's accusations the reality? Maybe this was way we stopped talking to them all those years ago. But why would we abandon Cam and Isaac like that?

I jumped out of my thoughts as Mr. Lahey shouted out for his son, my pulse quickening with fear at the authority in his voice. He pauses making me look in the same direction as him, there was no response, leading to a pause where we both held our breath. Squinting to see past his rain covered glasses, Mr. Lahey tried again, a question in his voice as if he doubted it himself.

I continued to hold my breath, the alley holding not a response, but a large figure. I felt an ice-cold chill run through me, only this time it wasn't the rain; it was cold familiarity from the shadow. I felt myself tense, my body fighting against whatever fight or flight reflexes I had. I was a prisoner in my body again, my ears ringing with my own faded screams. Letting out a forced sigh from the freely started gasp, I relaxed only slightly with the realization that it was just a memory from that confusing night and not current.

Flashes of light, and of Danny being hurt flooded my vision, making me squeeze my eyes shut to try and remove the visions from my head. I knew that this was what attacked us in the woods, there was no denying it, no Danny to hide it away in lies. I didn't know what it really was, but I know I was running headfirst into it without even trying. Danny may be fine, but something was wrong here, and as scared as I was, I need to find out what it was. What the hell is happening? Where's Isaac? Peeking around the corner, I felt myself pale from the look on Mr. Lahey's face as he puts his glasses back on from attempting to dry them and claps, reaching our bikes.

"Okay that's enough." Mr. Lahey's voice broke me free from my personal trance I kept finding myself in. "Leave whoever you're with. Let's Go."

As the alley held no response, I was tempted to come out of my hiding spot and explain that I wasn't with him, but that I had happened upon him. Though really that was the truth, explaining my current position would make no sense whatsoever, so all I could really think of was saying that I really needed to get home. My phone sat silent next to me, the low battery warning flashing briefly across the screen. As I did nothing, Mr. Lahey only got angrier; his voice hardening as he was ignored.

"I said leave your little friend, grab your bike, and let's go."

Part of me understood why Isaac was still hiding, but I feared for all three of us if he didn't reveal himself soon. Finally, hoping that maybe he'd show up if he knew he wasn't alone, I started to stand up, pushing past my terror to remind myself that I had control over my muscles. I straightened behind the dumpster and listened as Mr. Lahey started to pick up that maybe Isaac wasn't the who he was talking to. My eyes scanned the back, hoping to find him first as his father's voice shifted from rage to uncertainty. I couldn't make out any shapes and decided right then and there I was going to intercept. Taking a step forward, I was slammed back by something moving faster than me. This time, I could still move, and adjusted, determined to see what the hell I was dealing with.

Unfortunately, I only barely caught sight of a scaled tail flicking out of sight before there was scrambling overheard. A wave of terror passed through me, and I pressed myself against further into the wall, staying as still as possible so that whatever was in the alley would ignore me. The screeching of the door pierces through Mr. Lahey's shouts. They were brief rabidly replaced with the fair more defining sound of something rending flesh and crushing bone. I covered my mouth quickly, trying to keep my whimpers of fear unheard.

I once again found myself in a situation where it was quiet, but too quiet; no calls for help, no ragged breathing; no sound save for the pouring rain. I waited a few painstaking seconds, willing my body to calm itself so I could make an escape. After I felt that it had worked enough, or at least that I couldn't wait any longer, I pushed myself up trying to calm my breathing and nerves as I moved, slowly, so as not to be noticed by anything still there. Looking around me, I moved towards my bike, whispering for Isaac, or Mr. Lahey to answer me. As I reached the bikes, I looked back and forth, satisfied that whatever was here had left. Whatever the hell it was...it was dangerous.

"M-Mr. Lahey?" I call out louder t, moving nervously towards the car. I looked behind me. Do I call for Isaac? Or would it just be risking him too?

There was no response, the rain is falling harder as I questioned my sanity and whether I should run. But there was only one way out, and I was heading right towards the last person who tried to leave. I steeled myself, trying to bolster myself up, "Come on, McGrath. You need to leave before whatever the hell Danny is trying to make you forget is in your face, instead of the periphery." I pushed forward, trying again, my voice not as strong as I would like it to be. "A-are you okay? Can anyone hear me?"

Still, there is no response, the car door laying right next to the silver vehicle on the ground and the side of the car shredded with blood everywhere. I couldn't see Mr. Lahey or the state he was in, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to from this preview. I turned to get my bike, deciding it was time to leave now. Just as I turned, I crashed into something, letting out a gasp and closing my eyes, hearing someone let out a small grunt of shock. Opening my eyes, I collapsed into myself, glad to see that it wasn't whatever attacked Mr. Lahey. I felt my fist lower, unsure of when I'd even raised it. Maybe Danny was right, I need to stop trying to hit my way out of things.

"Jesus Christ! Isaac" I breathed, looking up at him, "You scared the shit out of me! What the hell is going on? Are you okay? Did that thing get to you too?" It all came out in one breath, my eyes scanning our surrounding quickly, before I frantically looked him up and down. "You're not hurt are you?"

"Woah, woah Steph; slow down, just take a breath." His hands found themselves on his shoulders, their warmth sending shiver down my body. He saw this and pulled away, an apologetic look on his face. "One thing at a time…"

"And where do you suppose we start?" I choked out, rubbing at my arms to warm, and possibly steady, myself.

"Well…" He ran his hand from his forehead to the back of his head, releasing a bunch of droplets of water trapped in his curls. "Maybe with…why you're here?"

I gulped, nodding slowly, "Right, well, I was heading home from work- I bike down this way- and I saw you all freaked out, and wanted to make sure you were okay, then your Dad…"

Isaac gave me a look of confusion. "You wanted to check on me?" He shook his head, more water escaping the ends of his corded ringlets. Waiting until I nodded, he continued. "Why'd you continue following after you saw my dad?"

Giving up on warming myself, I hugged my shoulders to make myself smaller. "Well… when someone is running away from their parent, it doesn't necessarily spell a happy situation, does it?"

He sighed, avoiding my gaze briefly before nodding, "No, uh, I suppose it doesn't."

We stood there in silence for a while, as if waiting for our heartbeats to quiet down, to reach a regular pulse rate. Eventually, he just shook his head, looking to the car, "Did you get a look at what did this?"

"I-I don't know, it knocked me down when I moved to show myself." I ran my hands back up and down my arms, shivering from shock more than the cold. "But...whatever it was? It was big."

I stared back at the car briefly before looking back at Isaac. As I did, he started to move towards the car, and I grabbed his sleeve. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

He looked down at me where I was frozen, looking just as frightened as I did. "No…. but I-I need to see if he's okay."

"Okay is definitely not a word I would use to describe him right now. Best-case scenario has him in the ICU, and I don't think you need to see that. I stopped, shaking my head as his eyes pleaded me to continue, "But to be honest, I lack any ideas on what to expect."

"Well, whatever happened, he's my dad...I have to help him." He looked back at the car, moving slowly.

"Right…" I nodded dumbly, not sure if I should tell him that even if his dad was okay, we had bigger things to worry about. Either way; This can only end badly.

Still, I nodded slightly and followed him, so that he didn't have to do this alone. As we approached the car, I noticed all the blood again. It was everywhere. On the ground, around the car, against the windshield. All of it, covered in thick red liquid. Even taking in all that didn't even begin to prepare me for what I was about to see. I held my hand over my mouth to keep back the scream that threatened to spill from my lips.

Isaac's dad was strewn across the two front seats, his back bent awkwardly over the cupholders and gear shift. His eyes were open still; the glasses slightly askew on the bridge of his nose with a look of horror across his face. It was scratched up, claw marks going along his cheeks, but the worst of it was in his chest and stomach. They were torn apart, but there was so much blood pooling on his sweater and mixing with the rain that I couldn't tell just how bad it was, or what the injuries even were. I could tell one thing though: Isaac's father was murdered. I grabbed into Isaac's sleeve, trying not to faint. I need to think...I need to thi-no. We need to leave.

I gulped closing my eyes and opening them slowly, "Isaac, we need to get out of here." I tore my eyes away from the nightmare to look at him, to see him in the same state I was, a far-off look in his eyes. I tried again, calling his name, but he didn't snap out of it. Finally, I shook his arm, making my voice strong. "Isaac!"

He looked down at me and then at my hand on his shoulder, making me remove it in a sign of surrender. "Get your bike and let's get out of here. Now. Someone is bound to have called the cops and we can't be here when they show up. Especially you."

"How are they even going to-" He choked, his eyes getting glassy. "Who's going to-"

I pointed around the area, "Something tells me with the amount of noise we just heard? Someone is bound to have made a call already. If not, I can make a call myself." I turned toward the bikes, pulling mine up as he stood numbly. "Look, do you have somewhere to go? Being at home could either make or break you...depending on if your neighbors saw anything."

"Uh, yea…I-I've got a friend's place I could go to." He walked over and picked up his bike, still not really reacting to anything. Not that I can really blame him right now.

"Can you get there alright?" I looked at him worriedly, and he held my gaze for a few seconds, both of us not sure what to do. Suddenly my phone rang, causing both of us jump when my pocket started to play Danny's ringtone, "Shit! At least it's going off now... one second," I pulled the phone from my jeans and to my ear, "H-Hello?"

"Oh, thank god you answered this time." My brother sounded slightly worried, but mostly relieved. "Where the hell are you?! I texted you half an hour ago, the clinic isn't that far from the house."

At the mention of 'this time' I felt anger and guilt boil in my gut. That's right, the last time I saw whatever the hell I'm seeing, he tried to tell me I dreamed it. I spent a week with nightmares of something only for it to show up all over again. The fear burned away with the betrayal, but I kept my voice steady, not needing him to know that just yet.

"Sorry, Dan, I just ducked somewhere when the rain hit harder. I don't have my night lights on my bike yet, so I didn't want to hit anything." I took a breath, looking away from the look that Isaac was burning into my forehead. "Didn't realize you were timing me, I'll head back now, just…don't continue the timer, yeah?"

"I'm not-" Danny sighed, his voice trailing off. "I'm just making sure you're safe is all. There was all that craziness a few months ago, and now you're acted strange…I'm allowed to be worried."

"Of course, you are but this is helicopter parenting." I forced a laugh, feeling the weight of the evening push against the floodgates of my vision. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Be careful."

I agreed before hanging up, moving to my bike. "Okay, I have to get home, but do you- I mean should I at least go with…with you part of the way?"

Isaac, pulled up his bike, looking at me with an unreadable expression on his face, "No uh... I'm fine. You get home...I'm going the opposite direction anyway."

I tried to smile, but it fell flat, the idea of going home terrifying me. Back to the home where my mom didn't care, and my brother was hiding things from me. I bit my lip, trying to find the words to say. "Just- just stay safe, okay? I'll see you tomorrow."

He nodded slowly, and I took off, hoping to whoever would listen that he would get somewhere safe, knowing that there was no such place for me.

"I mean what the hell is your problem, kid? I had just gotten one of those automated calls to say they finally find the Martin girl, and I realized that you weren't home yet. I know you've been off the past few days, but you really need to be more careful."

I nodded, wringing my hair out over the bathroom sink as Danny loomed at the door frame. Mom was gone to work already, so I didn't even get the benefit of an unknowing buffer. No, instead, it was just the two of us. The irony that I usually I loved this, didn't escape me, but I was wired, tired, and desperate for sleep. With everything that's happened this week, I'd rather deal with my mom than be alone with my overprotective liar of a brother. Picking at my soaked clothing, I pushed past him to get into my room, closing the door between us.

"I didn't realize I was going to take so long... sorry to ruin your evening." I mumbled, barely even sure if he could hear me through the barrier I just made. I went to my dresser, pulling out a baggy sweatshirt and my warmest pajama pants.

"You didn't ruin anything, I just… you know I worry about you." His back rubbed against the door as he sat down, clearly not leaving me alone any time soon.

"So you've been saying since I walked through the door." I said, unable to keep the bitter tone from my voice. I felt myself muttering before I could even stop myself. "Pretty funny considering the nightmare we lived the other day was 'only my imagination' if you have your say."

"What?" I paused as I pried my scrubs off, wincing at the newly forming bruises from when I hit the wall. And maybe at the tone he used as he implied that he had in fact heard me.

"Nothing, Dan, just restating the whole helicoptering thing I said on the phone." I deflected, shivering as the warm clothing whispered its way down my body. "But, if you're gonna insist on keeping it up, I'm decent now."

There was an uneasy silence between us as whatever went through his mind distracted him and I tried to calm my own thoughts. I don't know how long I sat in my bed before Danny finally pushed the door open, but the sound of him walking in was enough to make me jump. Looking up from my hands, I felt a pang of regret dig itself into my throat. He was standing in his own pajamas, two bowls of ice cream in his hands and his portfolio of dvds tucked under his arm. There were a thousand things in his eyes: Give me a break, At least I pay attention, I'm sorry, I love you…I'm just worried.

Please don't shut me out like Mom does to you.

I sighed, moving down the bed to make room from him and accepting the frosty treat from him. I wasn't going to let go of this anger, but until I found out what it was, I couldn't let him know about it. I needed to catch him in the lie or get him to slip up somehow.

"I'm glad that Lydia is back home… and I'm sorry to worry you a second time this week." I thought back to Isaac and how shocked and scared he looked. I hope he is doing better than me... I shook my head, taking a small bite of the cookie dough he'd brought. "Midterms and all that…"

I knew the excuse was lame, and I doubted he was going to let it go, but like me he kept his thoughts to himself. Nodding he adjusted himself to be more comfortable. "Let's skip the studying tonight then. Pick a movie."

I did, finding some stupid movie we'd seen a thousand times and leaning into him, trying to ignore my anger and just let his calming prescience have its usual effect over me. At this point, I was just hoping the drain from my fading adrenaline would finally let me sleep. I was honestly didn't know if it would work, but I was so tired, and scared, I couldn't do anything but curl into Danny's side. But even the familiar warmth of my big brother wouldn't stop me from thinking about a pair of haunted blue eyes or quiet my mind that was plagued by questions.

What happened tonight?

What was going to happen tomorrow?

What can I do?

How is Isaac going to survive this?

How am I going to survive this?