If You're Going Through Hell

A/N: Hello again everyone! Work is still killing me right now, so updates will likely continue to be slow, unfortunately. If you get a chance, leave me a comment – your input is always appreciated and it encourages me to continue writing. A special thank you to Camille for doing exactly that! Without further ado, onwards…

Chapter 21: Saying Goodbye

The pack knew a brief moment of confusion and disorientation, one they had become familiar with after several of these jaunts through the Portcullis. But that was quickly shattered by an agonizing wail coming from the center of the room.

"Nolan!" Stiles half-shouted, half-cried as he continued to support the injured boy on the ground. "You gotta just hang on, ok? I'll…I'll fix this. I promise." Isaac rushed to join them, the wolf grimacing as he began to siphon off the human's pain and moving to support his weight so Stiles would be free to work.

"Scott!" Ethan called out, gaining the attention of most of the Pack. "We need your help!" Ethan mirrored Isaac's actions, taking as much pain from the injured Brett as possible. Beside him, Jackson and Theo were doing the same for Lori while nearby Aiden stood as though paralyzed by the sight. Brett's and Lori's injuries refused to heal, both of them beginning to lose large amounts of the foul-smelling black blood through the marks left by the Oni's blade that the Pack had come to associate with impending death. Scott ran to join them in the hopes of helping while Derek stooped down to join Stiles, Isaac, and Nolan in the center of the familiar, stone room.

"Isaac…Isaac! You have to stop, you're too hurt to be able to take any more of his pain," Derek called out, gently removing the wolf's hand and replacing it with his own.

"But I have to help…he needs…" Isaac was cut off before he could say any more as his former alpha gave him an odd look before turning both of their attention to the healer of the group.

"What can we do to help, Stiles?" Derek asked, his tone still gentle despite the fear and tension he radiated to all of the supernatural creatures in the room. Few noticed, however, given their own current states.

"I don't, I don't know," Stiles replied, his voice a touch hysterical and his hands shaking as he scrambled around the injured boy on the ground. "If I had more time, or if I had the right materials, I could maybe…but I don't…and I can't…and I…I…I"

"Hey, hey, hey, look at me, look at me!" Derek commanded, reaching out to grasp the younger man firmly on the shoulder and capture his attention. "This is not the time to panic. We need you here, now."

"But there's nothing I can do to save him!" Stiles cried out in response, turning his face away in shame to stare at the boy on the ground, whose skin had turned sickly pale while he struggled to breathe.

"It's…ok…Stiles," Nolan gasped out, tears welling in his eyes as he struggled to speak. "This isn't…your fault…I'm…not afraid…to die…again." Nolan stopped, coughing up blood as he tried to force himself to remain calm.

"Stiles," Isaac interjected quietly, sneaking a hand down to take some more of the boy's pain while the others were distracted. "If you can't heal him, can you send him back to life?"

"That's brilliant," Derek sighed, turning a relieved expression to Stiles while firmly removing Isaac's hand after the young wolf winced from taking too much pain again. "That'll work, won't it?"

"I don't know," Stiles replied, quietly, "we haven't had a chance to check to see if they got a marker set up for him yet. If there's no marker, I have no idea what will happen if I try to send him back."

"But if you don't, he'll be gone for good," Isaac retorted, tears of his own threatening to spill out.

"You've got to at least try," Scott said, moving to rejoin them after overhearing their conversation. "We have to do everything we can to get our Pack back."

"You're right," Stiles said with a sigh, quickly moving to dump some of whatever the material was he carried around with him out onto the floor and hurriedly drawing intricate runes into the dust and dirt. He was barely halfway through when a sudden gasp caught his attention.

"St…Stiles!" Nolan coughed, his whole upper body heaving with exertion and shaking violently as three pairs of werewolf hands struggled to both hold him down and remove his pain. Stiles was by his side instantly, cradling his head gently and soothing back his hair. "I'm sorry…I wasn't more…help to you…guys," Nolan said with a grimace that was meant to be a smile. The tears were now flowing freely down his face, unchecked, to mingle with the blood.

"Shh, none of that, you've been lots of help, and now you're going to go help the others until we all get back together…" Stiles said, trying to reassure the boy while wiping some of the muck from his face. He moved to get up and go back to drawing his runes, but Nolan stopped him.

"I…don't think…so Stiles," he rasped, his skin becoming yet paler, almost translucent as he spoke. "Thank you all…for letting…me…join you…down here…It's the first…time I've…ever felt…like I…belonged…or have friends…I'll…miss…you." He closed his eyes as his face wrenched in pain, his breathing becoming even more ragged and labored. And then, suddenly, it ceased altogether, plunging the room into silence. Nolan's entire body went limp as the Packmates gathered around him watched in horror, struggling to accept what was happening.

"No," Stiles whispered, barely audible even to the wolves. He shook the lifeless body slightly, his voice rising in pitch. "Nolan? Nolan! No, no, no, no, you can't die, you can't. I promised…I promised I'd keep you safe. I promised I would send you back to life. Come back!" He stumbled away, his voice catching in his throat as Nolan's body slowly began to fade away into nothingness before their eyes, leaving no trace of the fact that he had just been there moments before.

"He's…he's gone," Isaac said, his whole body shaking as he fought to keep control of his emotions. He wrapped his arms around his midsection tightly as Derek draped an arm over his shoulder, drawing him in to comfort him.

"He's gone," Derek repeated, grimly, unsure of what else he should, or could, say. Stiles remained on the ground, looking for all the world as though he had been knocked down in a fight as he stared at that same spot, transfixed and horrified.

"Stiles? Buddy? Are you ok?" Scott asked after a few moments of silence, moving to shake his best friend's shoulder and getting no immediate response.

"I failed," Stiles finally said, his position on the ground unwavering. "I tried so hard, I wanted to undo the damage I caused. But I failed," he finally looked up, gazing at Scott without really seeing him, his face a wall of pain and emotion. "The Nogitsune, it's all my fault. If I'd only been stronger back then, if I had never let it get its hold on me, none of this would have happened. It's my fault."

"Get a grip on yourself, Stilinski," a voice called out from the other side of the room. It was Aiden, who quickly stalked over to join the group of stunned and grieving friends. "What that monster did is not your fault. You should know that by now."

"But it is!" Stiles responded, voice tinged with both earnestness and sadness. "If I had been stronger when the Nogitsune was released…"

"Then it would have gone after someone else, without us knowing it, and probably caused even more damage and destruction before we realized what it was doing," Aiden interjected before he could finish.

"You don't know that, not for sure," Stiles said, finally getting to his feet to stare the wolf down.

"No, but I do know that you shouldn't blame yourself for something that someone else did while controlling you. That's a lesson you helped teach me, after Deucalion," Aiden crossed his arms across his chest, meeting the glare head on. "And I also know that now's not the time to give up. You can still save Brett and Lori, before they fade too. But not if you don't pull yourself together right now!"

At the mention of the injured siblings, Stiles and the others turned almost as one to check on them. In the time that had passed, their condition had worsened drastically. Theo, Jackson, and Ethan all had their eyes screwed shut as the thick, black veins of pain wove up their arms, siphoning as much as they could. It was little consolation, though. Brett and Lori were nearly drenched in a combination of sweat, tears, and blood (both red and black), and their labored breathing was all the indication the others needed that they would not last much longer. Stiles swore under his breath before diving back to the ground where his half-finished runes lay, hurriedly scrambling to finish the intricate patterns while calling out instructions to the others. "Bring them over here and lay them inside the circle. Make sure every part of their bodies is inside the lines I've drawn, I don't want to take any chances. Then make sure you are all standing far enough back."

The Pack scrambled to do as they were told, Scott and Aiden running to help the others move the wolf siblings into place while Derek half-cradled Isaac in his arms while moving the younger wolf out of the way. Stiles stepped back from his circle just as the two wolves were finished being positioned inside it, not pausing for a moment as he began his strange chant. A gentle breeze began to blow through the room, turning into a gale-force wind as Stiles' eyes began to glow and his chanting grew louder and more intense.

"Corey and Mason said it doesn't hurt, going back," Scott called out to his injured betas, trying to put on a strong front for them. "You'll be good as new. Just focus on the Nemeton and anything that connects you to the real world." The siblings nodded, both too weak and in too much pain to respond verbally.

"I need you to let the others know what's been happening," Stiles shouted, having finished his incantation and now struggling to be heard over the winds echoing through the room. "I'm probably not going to be able to check in again, at least not for a while. Tell Lydia…tell Lydia she can dismantle Nolan's marker, if she's already built one. Corey, Mason, Melissa, Lydia – they're going to need you to be their strength, in more ways than one. Promise me you'll look after them and help them…cope, with this…and with anything else they might learn later on. Can I trust you to do that?" Brett managed to open his eyes enough to briefly connect with Stiles, giving a slight, pained nod of his head, before slumping to the ground. "Good-bye you guys," Stiles whispered under his breath as the brother and sister suddenly rocketed upwards, disappearing from sight as the air around the remaining Packmates went still.

Stiles let out a sigh, collapsing to the ground and idly retracing the marks that had been blown apart by the ritual. Scott slowly walked over, silently sitting next to his best friend and carefully slinging an arm across his back to pull him into a tight hug. The crying was gentle at first, but soon Stiles' whole body was shaking, the room echoing with the sounds of his sobs. Derek still held tightly to Isaac, comforting the young wolf and trying to ease his pain. Nearby, Jackson and the twins stood huddled together, expressions stoic as they drew strength from one another. Theo stood a few paces away, eyes darting back and forth between the three groups, his face betraying his desire to join one of them and his fear that he would be rejected.

"It's ok, Stiles, you saved them, you saved Brett and Lori," Scott whispered as he fought back his own tears.

"But I lost Nolan and Noshiko," Stiles whispered back, his sobs now evening out and voice returning. The two pulled away from one another slightly to meet each other's gaze.

"That's not your fault. You did all you could. We all did. You can't blame yourself for what happened," Scott replied, shaking his brother's shoulders slightly to get his attention.

"Your friend is correct," a new voice said from a distance, instantly drawing everyone's attention as they instinctually darted to form a defensive circle around their alpha. It wasn't the best defense they'd come up with – they were all tired and injured, especially Isaac and Jackson – but they were all willing to fight to defend their friends.

"Who are you?" Scott asked, stepping forward to the front of the group. "And what do you want with us?"

"My name is Lady Portentia," the woman replied, stepping forward herself with Awarnach the dwarf at her side. She wore a pale blue dress and seemed to radiate a light of her own, one much brighter than the drab gray of Limbo. She appeared to be relatively young, yet there was an ancientness to her presence that gave the Pack a sense of wariness. Her expression remained solemn as she pierced each of the eight packmembers in turn with her gaze. "I am the Progenitor of the Portcullis of Purgatorium."

"What do you mean? I thought Awarnach there said he was in charge," Stiles interjected, eyes darting between the two.

"Did he now?" she asked, her eyes turning to the dwarf by her side for a moment with a glint of humor before returning to the young men in front of her. "I'm afraid my friend here tends to be rather less than forthcoming with his words. He means well, but it is the nature of a dwarf to say only that which is absolutely necessary, so I understand how you might have been confused. I trust Awarnach with my life, and therefore I trust him to be the keeper and protector of my Portcullis. It does, nevertheless, remain my Portcullis, however."

"So why are you here now? Have you come to gloat that we lost your last riddle and our friends?" Stiles asked, accusation laced between every word.

"How dare you speak to Lady Portentia with such insolence?" Awarnach half-shouted, stepping forward before the Lady's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"It's ok, Awarnach," she said, placatingly. "No, young man, I am not here to gloat. I am here to apologize." The room remained silent, the eight friends unsure how to respond and shifting glances between one another and the new arrivals. The ethereal lady sighed before continuing. "Perhaps we should sit," she said, waving her arm in their direction as chairs rose up out of the ground for all ten beings present to sit. The Pack took their seats with trepidation, keeping as close as possible to one another and all eyes on their apparent hosts.

"This room is a manifestation of my power," Lady Portentia began, gazing almost lovingly at her surroundings. "It was created millennia ago, with the help of the man I fell in love with – Lord Hades." There were several gasps at that, but she ignored them. "For thousands of years, Hades and I ruled over and protected this Underworld, all seven realms, one for each Nemeton on the earth above and below. We were the guiding lights for the dead, and most who came here found peace and a way forward to what lies beyond. With the Portcullis, we could travel the realms of the dead with ease, bringing peace or judgment as needed." She trailed off, a faraway look in her eye as she stared at a nearby wall, clearly seeing far more than the rest could.

"So, um, what happened," Theo asked, nervously bringing her back to her story.

"The same that always happens when a world is at peace," she said with a shrug of her shoulders, "jealousy and war. The Underworld is far too grand a place for only two people to keep watch over, no matter how powerful. Hades recruited and trained various powerful people and creatures to help maintain order and balance, and gave dominion of one of the seven realms to each. But for one, the creature known as Cerberus, this was not enough. He began recruiting an army, creating demons out of the once peaceful inhabitants of his realm. And when he had amassed enough forces, he marched on the throne realm, assassinated Lord Hades, and became the ruler of the Underworld in his place." She paused again, just long enough to brush a tear from her eye before continuing. "I managed to escape, using this very room at Hades' insistence. But with my husband passing to the world beyond, there was little I could do to stop Cerberus. He and his army quickly gained control of the seven realms, killing those who opposed him and installing new governors, the Pixies, over each. What was once a radiant and peaceful place has now become a world of darkness and despair."

"I'm sorry that you have suffered so much," Derek said, slowly, when it appeared she was not going to say any more, "but, if I may ask, why are you telling us this?"

"Because you need to understand in order for both the path that led you here and the way forward to make sense," she replied. "Ever since Cerberus' coup, I have kept watch from the shadows, doing what I can to place obstacles in his way and assist those who I deem worthy. I know well what you are trying to accomplish in gathering your friends together and returning their lifeforce to them. I wish to help you succeed in that endeavor."

"But?" Stiles interjected.

"I am by no means the only one who has noticed your efforts," She said with the solemnity that can only come with age and experience. "If he does not know yet, it will not be long before you attract the attention of Lord Cerberus. He will not be pleased with you taking souls from his grasp and returning them to the Light and Life. He will confront you."

The Packmates shared looks of dread and horror at that pronouncement, a shudder passing through them all. "So, you're saying if we don't finish before he finds us, we're doomed?" Scott asked.

"Not at all," Lady Portentia answered, amused. "I'm saying when he finds you, your group must be strong enough to defeat him. You will all be returning to the world above. But before you do, you must promise to help me restore order and balance to this world."

"Why us?" Isaac asked, incredulous.

"Because I have seen the strength you possess. Not individually," she shook her head at their reactions, "werewolves and the like are scattered throughout the seven realms; I could call a legion of them together if I so desired. No, what makes you different is your strength of Pack, your bonds of love and friendship and determination to set the world to right. That is a far rarer thing to possess, a far greater thing, and it is what gives me hope that you can succeed where I and Hades once failed."

"If we help you, what happens then? Who takes over Cerberus' place, and what happens to us?" Scott asked.

"The way forward is always dangerous to predict," she replied. "I can make no absolute guarantees. You have my word that, when the time comes, I and others will not simply sit idly by. We will help ensure this world returns to what it was always meant to be – a place for the dead to find peace and come to terms with the past before moving on to the world beyond. In return, I will continue doing what I can to support your efforts at being reunited with your friends and returning to the world of the living."

Scott turned to look at his friends, gauging their reactions. They were mixed, some far more optimistic than others, but all seemed to be in general agreement that they could use the help and, if Cerberus was indeed likely to find them anyway, having a strong ally on their side was worth it. "Ok," he said, speaking for them all, "we accept. We will do what we can to help you as long as you continue to help us."

"Splendid!" Lady Portentia replied, clapping her hands together and standing up. "Then this is where we shall part ways for the time being. Awarnach?" The dwarf responded to her summons, wordlessly going over to the final door in the room and knocking on it four times, before then spinning in place and disappearing into thin air. The pack turned to their remaining host in confusion. "You are welcome to remain here as long as you desire. No harm can come to you in this room, so you may take the time to rest and mourn for those you've lost. When you are ready, the door will lead you to another member of your group. There will be no riddle, despite Lord Hades' love for them. Simply step through the portal and the way forward will become clear. I wish you all the best on your journey."

"Will we see you again?" Derek asked.

"I cannot say," was the grim reply. "For now, I must help another who is working to assist you, though she wishes to remain anonymous at the present time. Trust that we are doing all we can to keep the way forward as clear as possible." Before they could ask anything else, she too had turned on the spot and disappeared into thin air.

"So…what do we do now?" Ethan asked, speaking up from his position between his brother and boyfriend. All eyes darted to him before turning to Scott.

"We do what she said," Scott answered after a moment of deliberation. "Let's get some rest and heal, and then we can move on."

"If we're going to…move on," Stiles stammered, fighting to keep his voice even, "then we should…say good-bye." The others agreed, and they solemnly began arranging the chairs into a loose circle so they could sit facing one another. No one spoke for several moments as they all gathered their thoughts together.

"I guess I'll go first," Derek said from his spot between Stiles and Isaac, both of whom he had wrapped his arms around loosely. "Noshiko, you were a brave and powerful woman. Though we didn't always see eye-to-eye in life, I respect that you were always thinking of others and trying to do what was best for them. And Nolan, I never got the chance to know you well until we met here in the Underworld, but you were one of the bravest, smartest humans I've ever met. It's been an honor calling you my friend."

"I'm sorry," Isaac began, taking over from Derek but struggling to get the words out. He took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm sorry I ran away after we faced the Nogitsune the first time. I couldn't take it all anymore, and I abandoned the people who needed me. You've both shown me how big a mistake that was. I wish there was something I could do to make it up to you. I promise I will not make that mistake again, I will always fight for my friends, like you both did."

"This Pack has taught me to value life in a way I never had before," Theo said, once it seemed Isaac was finished. "Nolan, you especially were a part of that. You helped me step away from my past and accept the changes I needed to make to have a future. It should be you sitting here instead of me, and I'm sorry I can't switch places with you. You and Noshiko have both shown me what it means to fight for something you love, to make a sacrifice to protect others, and I promise that is not something I will ever forget."

"The Nogitsune has haunted me for years now," Aiden began, wincing as Stiles flinched at those words. "I blame it, and it alone, for all the pain and suffering that has happened since it came into our lives. Noshiko, I can't thank you enough for defeating it. I thought we were all goners, and then you sacrificed yourself to save us. Because of you, I have my brother by my side, hopefully for years to come. I'm just sorry you and Nolan won't be by our side too."

"I feel like this is so unfair," Ethan said, drawing the two men sat either side of him closer to himself as he did. "We've all lost so much, and even when we are trying to put things back together we still lose. You both should be here, and we should be celebrating that we defeated that creature for good this time. I hope you will be willing to wait a long time on the other side, wherever you are, for us to join you. Be planning our victory party, because it needs to be awesome after all of this."

"I don't…I don't know what to say," Jackson muttered, taking his turn. "I never got a chance to really get to know either of you, and I still can't understand how I got so lucky to be a part of this Pack and have my boyfriend back next to me when so many others are gone or missing. I've caused so much pain and damage. If we had to lose someone, it should have been me. I will…I will try my best to learn your stories, to learn who you were from other people, so I can honor your memory in the future you've helped give me."

"Noshiko, I made you a promise, and I will keep it," Scott stated solemnly. "I will find Kira, and make sure we bring her back to life. I will do whatever it takes to help her finish her training and live the long and happy life you wanted for her. Nolan, I will never stop fighting for the ones like you who need a friend. My Pack will always be a safe place for those who feel the world is against them and those who need someone to give them a second chance. I swear, your sacrifices will not be in vain."

Finally, it came to Stiles, and for a long while it seemed as though he wasn't going to say anything. When he did finally speak, it was barely more than a whisper, and had the rest of the group not had supernatural hearing, they likely would not have heard a word. "I failed you, both of you. You trusted me for protection and guidance, and in my arrogance I thought I could give it. I was wrong, and because of that you are both gone. I don't know of any way I can ever make it up to you, but you have my word that I will not act so brazen in the future. I set this plan into motion, and I will see it to completion, whatever it takes. And I will also make sure that you are never forgotten. Auto orkidzomai me te duname pou mou dotheke se hades."

The group remained silent for a while longer, before Scott broke their circle. "Get some rest everyone. We leave as soon as everyone is healed up." They scattered to lie down and sleep or simply think and be close to one another. Stiles alone remained where he sat, unmoving, unflinching, staring at the spot on the ground where Nolan had lain, though no trace of the boy remained.

-o-

She entered the room with an air of indifference, hardly seeming to care where she was or what she was doing. For those who knew her, however, it was clear this could not be further from the truth. She had quickly risen through the ranks to become first lieutenant, second-in-command to the now infamous Argent Pack of Limbo. Yet this gave her little joy or comfort, as it was so vastly different from the life she had once led. For the time being, though, those misgivings would not matter. Rumors had begun to spread, rumors of a massive plot by the Argent Alpha being slowly set in motion, and they were enough to call her back from her post near the Spirit Gates and to the Den, a room she had not set foot in for months.

"Alpha, sir, your first lieutenant has arrived," Severo said, having entered ahead of her and bowed respectfully before the dais upon which Gerard and Victoria Argent were seated.

"Thank you, Severo," Gerard replied, somewhat disdainfully, before sweeping his eyes across the few other occupants of the room. "You are all dismissed." The beta wolves hastened to obey, leaving Gerard and his lieutenants alone.

"Don Gerard, it has been too long," she said, feigning happiness at the sight of her alpha. Inwardly, she cringed, but she had far too many years of practice to allow that to show anywhere on the outside. "Severo tells me you have something important in the works; something I should perhaps know about and be involved in."

"I do indeed, Araya," Gerard responded, getting to his feet in order to grasp her hand in greeting. "I'm sure you remember Scott McCall, and all the misfits he has gathered to his side."

"Of course, how could I forget the lobito? Were it not for him and your daughter, most of my clan would not be here, in this god-forsaken place," her tone remained pleasant, but the contempt beneath was barely concealed.

"A fact for which I believe you would be interested in seeking…suitable retribution, yes?" Gerard asked, ignoring the mention of his daughter in the interest of keeping things going.

"What do you have in mind, Gerard? Scott is in the Suicide Pit, he is untouchable," Araya Calaveras asked, confused.

"Scott has been freed from the pit, undoubtedly by Derek and Stiles," he replied, continuing to talk over her gasp and attempts at interjection. "It would seem the trio are seeking to put their Pack back together, though for what purpose remains a mystery to us."

"If that is the case, what are you planning on doing with this information?"

"A showdown, pack against pack, Argents against McCalls. We finish this, once and for all, and send every single one of them to the realm beyond, never to be seen or heard from again," Gerard said, a mad gleam in his eye.

"That is a tempting offer, mi Alpha. But how can you be sure Scott will accept your challenge?" Araya asked, unconvinced.

"He will have no choice," Gerard answered with a laugh, "Not if he wishes to be reunited with his poor, helpless beta." He broke off into an outright cackle.

"You have Scott's beta? Here?" Araya became incredulous as her eyes darted around the room, as though he might suddenly appear.

"He has been captured, yes. But we are struggling to subdue him. It would seem he overheard someone say that Scott is looking for his friends, and that has encouraged the little miscreant to…misbehave," Gerard replied, becoming more subdued and thoughtful.

"Ahh, and so you have summoned me here to keep the little wolf in line, is that it?"

"Yes indeed, your powers of persuasion are unrivaled. I want you to keep Liam occupied, by any means necessary, until his alpha comes calling for him. In the meantime, Victoria will begin setting a trap for when Scott does show up. I trust I can count on you to do this task without mistake?" Gerard said, all trace of humor gone from his voice.

"Of course, sir. It will be my pleasure," Araya said, bowing to hide her smirk.