I sat on the couch with Charlie on my lap. He was a very calm two year old. Nothing seemed to bother him. Scott and the others said that he didn't even seem to miss his mom. He's never once asked for her. I find that odd. Even little little kids know who their parents are and miss them.

There was a loud crash upstairs, followed by Mrs. McCall's voice. "Hey! You two supernatural teenage boys, don't test my entirely un-supernatural level of patience." She came down the stairs a minute later. She smiled at me as she walked by. "You sure I can't get you anything to eat, Hon?"

"No, thanks, Mrs. McCall," I said.

She stopped. "Please, call me Melissa."

"Right, sorry."

Emma walked past her, coming out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee. Melissa glanced at her. "And, uh…exactly how many supernatural people are going to be living under this roof?"

"Not me," Emma said, holding up her hands in defense. "That was a one night thing. I'll get a hotel room."

"No," I said. "You'll stay at my place."

She looked at Melissa. "I guess I'm staying with her."

Scott and Isaac came down the stairs as I spoke to Melissa. "We'll be out of your hair within the hour."

"You're not leaving, are you?" Scott asked me.

"I'm not leaving town, if that's what you mean," I replied, and he visibly sighed with relief. "But I have a house, so I might as well use it." But my words weren't taking the concerned look off his face. I stood, setting Charlie down. "Don't worry, Scott. If I'm going to skip town, I'll tell you first."

"Well, that's…" he paused and thought, "comforting, I guess."

We spent most of last night talking. Or rather, I was asking questions and he was answering. Stiles and Isaac were a part of it, too, and then Melissa, when she came home. But eventually, Melissa went off to bed with Charlie, since his bed's in her room. And Stiles fell asleep. Isaac had to keep bumping him to get him to stop snoring.

And then when Isaac started dozing off, I knew that we better call it quits for the night. I had forgotten Emma was even here because she was being so quiet. I think she was just processing and listening to people's hearts. She's always been good at telling when people are lying.

I won't say I believe everything Scott said just because he said it. But it's nice to have his side of the story. I just wish I had my side of it. But I'm trying to keep an open mind. They have nothing to gain by lying to me. I just can't believe that was my life. It sounds crazy. Like a movie, or a fairytale.

"Okay," he sighed. "Well, we'll come by your place after school?"

I nodded. "Sure."

"Oh, there's something else." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. "These are for you." He held them out to me. I went ahead and took them, not knowing what they were for. "One is your house key and the other belongs to Blair's truck."

"Her truck?"

"Yeah. She'd left it at the hospital when she…" he trailed off, looking slightly uncomfortable. "The night she died. We didn't really know what to do with it, but we figured it's yours."

"Thanks." I still looked at the keys oddly. They felt weird in my hand. "Where's it been this whole time?"

"That, too, we've been tossing around. But, Allison dropped it off this morning, so it's out front."

"It's the big yellow thing," Isaac said. "You can't miss it."

I looked between them. "Thank you."

"We have to go." Scott and Isaac moved toward the front door. "See you after school, right?"

"Yeah," I nodded. I watched as they both left. Melissa helped me gather up all of Charlie's things and then we put them in Blair's pick up. Or, I guess, my pick up? I don't know. I know that she was supposedly my sister, but it feels weird thinking about driving a dead girl's car, with a dead girl's son. Isaac wasn't joking, though, that thing is yellow. Like, really YELLOW. You can probably see it from space.

After Melissa helped us, she headed off to work. She's a nurse at the hospital, which I'm sure I already knew. You know, once upon a time. Emma drove since I can't remember ever driving a car before. She said she'd teach me, that it was like riding a bike, that you never forget it. She called it muscle memory. But I never learned to ride a bike, either.

She glanced at me as she drove. "Do you even know how to take care of that thing?" I rolled my eyes. I knew she was referring to Charlie. There wasn't room for his car seat, so he sat in between us on the bench.

"What do you think?"

She laughed, eyes on the road. "What are we doing?" There was a pause. "We're way in over our heads. With all of it."

"Weren't you just telling me to 'humor them'?"

"Yeah, but, this? Kit, this is way more complicated."

"Which part?"

"All of it. If they're right, your mom was an Argent, which makes the guy you spoke to yesterday your uncle and Allison your cousin. Your dad wasn't really your dad; instead your dad is the man you thought was your uncle, who happens to have children with two other women besides your mom. Your half sister, Blair, and half brother are both dead; both due to events that took place because of a man you were once engaged to, who you lost your memory after killing.

"The two people you thought were your cousins, are not. Aaron's your half brother, the son of your adoptive aunt. And, he's a werelion, like Blair and Ben were; once again, both dead. And, Sam," she sighed. "His father is a Hale, first of all; one he helped kill, because he became a psychotic Alpha, and then came back to life with a Banshee's help; whom he bit? Who does that? Not to mention that Sam was born an Alpha and gave it up to save you?"

"You were literally just telling me that these people care about me," I said. "Why are you suddenly second guessing it all?"

"Because this is crazy, Kit."

"How?"

"Did you not just hear what I said?" She searched for words. "It's just…"

"What?" I asked. She pulled into the driveway of my house and killed the engine. "Emma? What is that look on your face?"

She sighed. "Who would make up something that complicated?"

I readjusted to see her better. "You think they're lying?"

"No," she shook her head. "You don't get it."

"Then tell me."

"I think they're telling the truth."

"Then what's the problem?" As soon as the question left my mouth, I knew the answer. "Em, I still need you."

"You haven't all this time."

"How do you know?"

She glared at me. "Because you never tried to find me."

"Did you not hear what they said? I've spent my whole life running from things. Maybe I didn't want to drag you into it, maybe I thought you were safer on your own," I said. She looked away, out the windshield. "But I need you. Even if they are telling the truth, I don't remember them. You are the only one in this town that I remember, the only one I can trust."

"And if you do remember them?" she looked at me. "What then?"

"It's not going to change that you're back in my life. Where you should be." Charlie dropped his stuffed animal on the floor and Emma reached down to grab it. She gave it back to him, looking at me. "Come on. We're together now for a reason. Let's try not to leave each other again. Agreed?"

"Agreed," she said.

(EMMA'S POV)

I helped Kit get everything set up with Charlie. I told her I needed to take a walk and think. She didn't question it. It was the perfect cover. We always did that when we were young. Going off into the woods alone was what you did, even as a child. Times have changed. But she doesn't know that.

I slowed to a walk, taking a few more steps before I sat. I was deep in the woods, on the edge of town. I had shifted when I first entered the trees. I knew I could move faster on four legs than two. I shifted back and stood. The wind chilled my bare skin almost instantly.

Only a minute passed before I saw her black fur up a head. The Panther trotted up to me, promptly stopping and shifting back to human. Joy stood and instantly hugged me. She pulled back, clearly in a hurry. "Did you find her?"

She was eight years younger than me, and much more responsible for her age than I was then. My smile at seeing her faded. "Yes."

"Then why the long face?"

"Because she's not the Kirin, anymore."

Joy stepped back. "What?!" Her eyes were wide as she thought the situation over. "Then you must have the wrong girl."

I shook my head. "No. It's Kit, my childhood friend. She was turned into the Kirin when we were kids."

"Then why isn't she now?"

"It's a long story."

She huffed. "Then what are we going to do?" Her tone concerned me. So had a frantic look in her eye.

"I know you had to sneak away," I said. "But…did something happen?" Her lips sealed shut and her gaze dropped. I took a step forward. "Joy, what happened? Is my family okay?"

She quickly nodded. "But I don't know for how much longer." Her eyes met mine. "Emma," the seriousness of her voice scared me. The last time she used it, it wasn't to tell me very good news. "Koda is dead."

(KIT'S POV)

I headed to the door, glancing back at Charlie in the living room. I opened the door and found the Argent guy the others took me to speak to yesterday. I think he was called…Chris? Yeah, I think that's right. I couldn't help the scowl on my face. "What do you want?"

"Scott called me," he said.

I shrugged. "So, what, do you want a medal?"

He tried to brush off my comment. "He said he was supposed to meet you after school, but something came up."

I crossed my arms. "You're lying."

"Would you believe me if I said I wasn't?"

"No." But he was right. I had no idea if he was lying. That was Emma's thing. Not mine. I crossed my arms. "So, what do you want? And, don't make me ask again." He smiled. "What?"

"You've said that to me before."

"Oh, I'm sure I have." I was starting to get tired of people bringing up who I was.

"I need you to come with me. I have something I need to show you."

I stepped back so he could see Charlie. "I'm a little house bound, right now. Not that I'd go with you."

"What's going on?" Emma walked up beside me. I looked at her, questioning her with my eyes. I didn't know she'd gotten back. She shrugged it off and looked at Chris. "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" he countered.

Emma smiled. "Cute. I'm Emma, the friend. Your turn."

"Chris," he looked at me, "the uncle."

"Go." I heard Emma's voice but didn't realize she was talking to me until I looked at her.

"What?" I asked. She rolled her eyes, pulling me back with her and then closing the door.

"I'll watch Charlie and you go with him."

"Why?"

"Maybe he's going to show you something that'll make you remember."

"And maybe he'll kill me," I countered. "And I thought you didn't care if I remembered."

"Yeah, but you do. Clearly." She opened the door and then spoke to Chris. "She'll get her coat and be right out." She closed the door and walked away. "You'll thank me later."

"Will I?" I went to the kitchen chair and grabbed my jacket. "Where were you, anyway?"

"Out." She sat on the ground with Charlie. "I told you I was going for a walk."

"I don't like secrets, Em," I warned.

"I know," she smiled. "And I don't have any." I eyed her skeptically as I walked to the door. Chris was right where we'd left him. I walked out of the house with a huff, slamming the door behind me. I headed down the drive way, to what I assumed was his car.

"We don't have to take the same car," he said, then added, "If it'd make you feel more comfortable."

I turned and looked at him. "Just drive." I climbed into the passenger seat of his car. Chris got into the driver's seat a minute later and then started driving. I didn't bother asking where we were going. I figured he wouldn't tell me. We drove for about twenty minutes, before he pulled over at a cemetery.

"What are we doing here?"

"You'll see." He got out of the car without any more explanation. I thought about not moving. But then I sighed and got out of the car. I followed him across the grass and past countless head stones. He seemed to know exactly where he was going.

I walked slower than him, keeping my eye out for any kind of trap. I don't care what he says, I don't know him. Trust is built, not just given because you're supposed to know that person. And I don't remember him gaining my trust, therefore, it never happened. My mind, my rules.

He stopped about ten feet ahead. I walked up to him, trying to see what he was looking at. My feet stopped moving when I found it. I looked at him, now a foot from me, then back. My pulse was rising and I wasn't sure why. I looked at Chris again, this time he was looking at me.

"What is this?"

"This is your sister's grave," he replied. I hesitantly stepped forward, like something was going to jump out at me. I stared at the grey stone with her name etched into it. It simply read Blair Nolan. "No one knew anything about her. According to public records, she doesn't exist."

I felt out of breath, not taking my eyes off of it. "Why'd you bring me here?"

"The night you came to me and asked for Kirin's bane, you told me what had happened. To both Blair and Ben. But Blair's the one you couldn't let go of. You were in tears just at the thought of her," he said. I could hear the remembrance of it in his voice. It saddened him. Why?

"I never thought you'd stop crying," he continued. "You told me that she saved your life. She shielded you, so Tobias killed her instead. You knew there was nothing you could do. But her death rattled you more than you thought. I've thought a lot about that night. And, why you'd care so much for her.

"You knew her when she was a girl and thought that she had died with the rest of your pack. When she came back, and was at odds with you, all you wanted was for that girl to come back, the one you knew. But you didn't know what Tobias had done to her; you didn't know they had a son and that he was holding it over her. But she came back for you, she died for you, and then she entrusted her son with you for the rest of his life.

"When I laid everything out, the facts and what you and Aaron have told me…I realized why you cared about her so much."

I turned and looked at him. "Why?"

"You told me once that the Kirin didn't have an anchor," he said. "But she wasn't the Kirin's anchor, she was Kit's." I looked back at the head stone. "That's why you felt the way you did when you lost her. I think the moment she came back to town she became your anchor. She was something familiar to you, something from your past."

"I don't remember any of it." I looked at him.

"That's okay."

"Then why are you telling me this?" I looked back at the grave. I knelt down in front of it. "And why do I feel the way I feel?"

"Because, maybe, you haven't forgotten. Maybe your memories are just suppressed."

I reached out to touch the stone. My finger tips shivered at the touch as I ran them across her name. I reached the end of her name and then came back to the start. I stopped, staring at her name. I didn't realize I had tears rolling down my cheeks until a gust of wind blew past, alerting me to the wetness.

"What is happening to me?" the words came out a whisper. I was so confused. My heart was yearning for something, someone, I don't remember knowing. I looked back at Chris, expecting the answer to my question. I didn't even want to come here; I didn't want to come with him. And, now, here I am, asking him to solve this. Wanting his advice. What am I doing?

"A part of you is remembering her." His answer was so simple, but it seemed like the right one. I turned back to the grave, my hand still on it. The wind blew past me again, my hair dancing in it. But, this time, a voice came in the wind: "Because…maybe I know what it's like to lose someone. Someone you care a lot about."

I startled, pulling my hand back. The voice wasn't mine. It was unfamiliar, yet I knew it. But I don't know it. How could I? I don't remember anything. Right? The wind blew again, leaves tumbled past me. Nothing. I shook my head. Maybe I just imagined it.

"Those are the minutes people don't come back from." The words were a whisper that tickled my ears. "It's those moments when you're alone, thinking it's over, that decide who you are after this."

"Do you hear that?" I asked.

"Hear what?"

I looked around. "There's someone here, someone's talking."

"Where?" he asked.

"This isn't a funeral, Kit-"

"I don't know." I looked around, frantically. There has to be a person here, there has to be a logical explanation to all of this!

"-it's a revolution-" The voice kept talking and I couldn't take it. I put my hands over my ears, trying to block it out. "-after all your tears have turned to rage." I dropped to my knees. The whisper had turned into a full blown voice, drowning out whatever Chris was saying to me.

I just wanted it to stop; I needed it to go away. My breathing increased so I was taking deep, ragged breaths. "It's a defining moment." I felt myself wanting to shift. My claws came out and my eyes glowed green. I felt like she was shouting in my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut. "I just came to tell you that." And then the voice dropped, turning into a whisper. "Don't let it turn you into me."

As soon as her voice stopped I opened my eyes. I instantly felt relief. But there wasn't grass beneath me. I looked up, seeing white walls with a white floor. The lights flickered, and the smell of chemicals assaulted my nose. I removed my hands from my ears and stood.

"Blair!"

I knew the voice was mine. But I didn't say it. I turned around and I saw myself. I was wearing different clothes and sitting on the ground. I looked at what the other me was looking at: a girl a little younger than me with blonde hair. The girl slid down the wall, blood smearing it.

I scrambled across the floor to her, putting my hands on her wounds. "Why? Why'd you do that?" I asked her.

She blinked hard and swallowed. "They need you more than me."

Tears brimmed the other me's eyes. "No," I shook my head. "That's not true. I need you, your son-" I paused. "Charlie needs you, Blair. Just hold on."

"Take care of him," her voice was fading.

"No, Blair-"

"Promise me. Promise me…"

"I'll take care of him, you have my word."

"Promise me… Don't let him become me."

What am I seeing? Wha – what is this? This can't be real.

"I promise, Blair," the other me said. Blair's head rolled to the side. "Blair? No, Blair."

Then I hissed. Something hurt in my chest. A sharp pain erupted in the middle of my heart. No one was standing near me, but it felt like I had been stabbed. I put my hand over my heart and stumbled back, looking at it. Another sharp wave hit me.

The other me tipped her head back and let out an immense roar of pain and anguish. A ray of yellow light came out of her in a wave. It spread quickly across the room. It slammed into me with all the force of a semi truck. I was lifted off my feet and flung back into the wall.

When my head hit the wall, I closed my eyes at the pain. Not the pain of my head getting hit. It was the pain that came out of the other me. The pain she had emitted in her roar. I slid to the ground, my heart getting hit with another sharp pain.

I put my hand on it, feeling a dampness. I pulled it back and found my hand covered in blood. What is this? What just happened? My hand dropped and I slid to the side. My head landed on grass. The white place I was at was gone and the head stones had returned. My eyes were staring directly at Blair's grave.

"Beckett!" Chris' hands were on me, shaking me. I heard the concern in his voice and understood his words. But moving felt impossible, let alone something I wanted. His voice faded into the background. The wind blew past me, my hair dancing across my shoulders.

The voice returned with the wind. This time it was a hushed, drawn out whisper. "Promise me…"

I sucked in a breath like my life depended on it, springing back to life. I pushed off the grass and quickly stood. I was wide eyed, trying to catch my breath.

"Beckett?" Chris' voice was audible again. I looked at him. "Are you okay? What just happened?"

I backed away from him, holding up a finger as if that would keep him away. "Don't…" I stopped and caught my breath, my thoughts. "I don't know what just happened." I glanced around. My eyes landed on the stone and I quickly pulled them away. "Don't tell anyone what happened here. Okay?"

"Kit-"

"Okay?!" I said it more forcefully. He shut his mouth and nodded. "Okay," I sighed. I then turned and walked away.

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: the flashback scene is from Chapter 18: Blair; of Guardian: This Might Hurt (Bk 3a). The words spoken by the voice in the wind are from Chapter 10: Frayed; of Guardian: This Might Hurt (Bk 3a)