"Hey." Kyle's eyes open and he looks up at Isaac. He has Kyle's head in his lap and his stroking his cheek. "What was that?" Kyle asks sitting up slowly. "I don't know, something… hit us over the bond. We both blacked out." Isaac says pulling his ringing phone from his pocket. "Yeah we're fine." Isaac says. "Is it just me or did that have a feeling of….finality to it?" Stiles asks over the phone. "Who ever it was felt frantic." Isaac says pulling Kyle to his side slipping his arm around the slender wolfs waist. "Did it hit everyone? Isaac asks. "Kyle and I were both out for several minutes." "Yes." Stiles replies. "Everyone has checked in and had the same experience. Anyone…." "Checked on Paul? I'm doing that right now." Kyle says standing and moving quickly towards the sleeping human's room. Kyle approaches the door focusing his hearing beyond the door. Satisfied when he hears the slow steady breathing and heart beat he places his hand flat against the door. "He's OK." he whispers. "I can smell him. He's so close. My mate is so close." He says voice wobbling as his throat tightens with emotion. He brings his other hand back to pound on the door. Isaac is there in an instant catching his hand and pressing himself against the distraught man. "Not yet." He says gently. "We don't want to scare him. Come back with me." Kyle turns and embraces Isaac tightly. "I hate this. He's our mate. I need to touch him, hold him." Kyle whimpers pressing his face against Isaac's shoulder. "I know, believe me I know." The tall wolf sighs out staring at the worn surface of the door. He closes his eyes a moment and revels in the faint scent of his mate before gently pulling Kyle back towards their makeshift observation post just inside the tree line.
Paul moans softly and opens his eyes. He's immediately hit with an icy pain right down the center of his brain. He groans with pain and stumbles to the bathroom. A blast of loss and emptiness hits him causing him to slump against the wall. Closing the lid on the toilet he drops to a seating position and cradles his head in his hands. "The fuck is wrong with me." He sobs out. He leans back roughly against the tank the lid jaring with a loud bang. Paul drags his hand across his face before struggling to his feet. He picks his phone up from where it had been charging and looks through his contacts. Where the fuck is Mark's number. He finally brings up his email client and types out a quick message.
Hey something really screwed up has happened to me. I'm in another state and I don't know how I got here. I apparently have a job and friends but I don't remember anything that lead to my being here. There are people following me. I've been hurt. I think they are responsible. I don't know why your number is not in my phone. I guess it's possible we didn't work out. I feel like I just saw you a few days ago but someone here told me I've been here for over 2 years. I don't know who else to turn to…. Please help me.
Email sent Paul grabs up his things and leaves the room. As he is closing the door he pauses and looks towards the trees. He stares directly at the tree Isaac and Kyle have hidden behind a moment before moving away. Stopping at the office he looks back at the trees then at the map of the area taped to the window. "Forest." He mutters to himself. "Help you?" The manager says through the slightly open window. "Is there a place to camp? In the woods?" The face of the park ranger flashes through his mind briefly. "LIke a state park or something?" "Yeah you can camp in the preserve." She says. "I can look the number up for you if you like." "No thanks that's OK." Paul says stepping away and pulling his phone out. After a quick internet search he brings up the Uber app and grunts when he see's a ride is only 2 minutes away. He is about to enter the address when his phone pings indicating a new email.
From Mark: Where are you?
To Mark: What happened between us? I know we weren't exactly boy friends but we were something. Something I liked. Has it really been two years? Can you call me?
Paul hits send then a moment later sends his phone number in another email. He switches back to the Uber app and selects the preserve as his destination. A moment later his phone beeps with another email.
From Mark: We had a fight. I over reacted and you left. I can help you. I miss you. Where are you?
Paul hesitates before typing a reply. Some faint fragmented memory. Why would I be afraid of him? He wonders as a sense of foreboding in relation to Mark teases at the edges of his mind.
To Mark: Beacon Hills California Pines Inn room 112. Can you call me?
The reply is almost instant.
From Mark: Can't talk right now. I will be there in a few hours. Stay put.
Sliding his phone in his pocket Paul is hit with a nearly overwhelming wave of sadness and loss. Can't do this. When the car arrives Paul changes the destination and in minutes is stepping out and walking in to the nearest bar. Kyle and Isaac follow at a distance and stop just inside the door watching Paul at the bar. He orders and consumes several shots before eventually buying a bottle and retreating to the far back corner of the bar and flopping down on a large chair in the darkness. Isaac and Kyle eventually make their way over to the bar after the bouncer gives them the stink eye for loitering at the entrance. "What is the plan?" Isaac growls at his phone. "His pain and misery is so thick in the air I can hardly breathe." "Derek is working with Deaton to come up with something that might help keep an eye on him." Stiles says with a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry we don't have all the answers yet pup. I can only imagine what this must be like for you and Kyle." Isaac ends the call and leans against Kyle as they continue to surreptitiously watch their mate. They make sure to keep as many people as possible between them and Paul. Eventually Paul gets to his feet and walks unsteadily to the bathroom.
The unbearably strong misery and emptiness too much Paul smashes his fist into the mirror shattering it. He grabs a large shard of mirrored glass and holds it to his wrist just as he cuts into the flesh of his wrist a hand grabs his. "That would be a tragedy Mr. Brace." Paul looks up wide eyed and nearly delirious. "The pain. I can't stop the pain." He says brokenly. "Everything that's important. Everything that makes me who I am is gone. I don't even know what's missing but it's gone." Deaton pulls the glass from Paul's fingers and quickly applies pressure with a bandage over the wound. "Paul come with me I can help you." "Who are you?" Paul looks up and pulls back weakly. "I'm a friend. I know what you're experiencing. You have a pain like ice down the center of your brain? You feel more loss and emptiness than you have ever felt before?" Paul nods shivering as tears spill from his eyes. "Make it stop." He whimpers. "Come with me." Deaton puts his arm around Paul's quivering shoulders and leads him out of the men's room. Paul is so distraught he doesn't notice or feel the injection in his arm from the small syringe Deaton pockets.
Later in the clinic Deaton hands Paul a concoction he had made from the ground up contents of at least a dozen small bottles. "Drink this it will help to deaden the pain." "What is it? Who are you?" Paul asks looking skeptically at the foul smelling drink. "I told you I'm a friend. Alan Deaton. I've treated you before." "Why would I have been seen by a veterinarian?" Paul questions looking critically around the room. "I'm friends with several people who care a great deal for you. I promise you I mean you no harm. I won't make you drink it but you'll feel better if you do. I gave you a stabilizing agent at the bar but it won't last long." Paul sighs and puts the cup to his lips. Deaton nods in approval. "Excuse me a minute." When he leaves the room Paul goes to a small sink in the corner and spits the liquid out and sets the cup down. He then rushes through another doorway and out the exit he had seen when he'd been lead into the room.
"I've given him something that should help deal with the pain from the blocked bond. As far as his mind is concerned Kyle and Isaac are gone. It is the only thing I can think of to explain the sense of loss and physical…." Deaton pauses then sighs walking back into the now empty examination room. "What's wrong?" Derek asks. Deaton puts the phone back to his ear. "I'm afraid Mr. Brace has run off." "I thought he was so drunk he could barely walk?!" Derek exclaims over the phone. "The injection I gave him at the bar will give him some momentary clarity of mind. It's unlikely he got far." Deaton says walking over to the sink. "He did not drink the elixir he will likely be in greater pain and sadness until his bond with Isaac and Kyle has been restored." Derek ends the call without any further words and looks over at Danny whose hands are flying over the keyboard of his laptop. "His phone is still on. I'm logged in. He has requested another Uber. He's got two destinations set up. The Jigger Liquor Store and the Beacon Hills Preserve." Stiles relays the information to Kyle and Isaac over the phone as he'd grabbing his coat and following Danny, Scott, and Derek out the door. "Why would he go to the Preserve?" Kyle asks as Isaac races down the slick road. "Maybe some fragment of memory?" Isaac asks shrugging his shoulders. "I'm more worried about the amount of alcohol he is consuming." "At least he's not driving." Kyle says.
Milton walks down the hallway sniffing subtly. Coming around a corner he stops at the sight of broken wood and clay shingles piled on the floor. Looking up and stepping forward he smirks when he sees the night sky. A growing smile on his face he steps over the shingles and walks quickly towards Rebecca's room. Opening the door he is hit with the stink of burnt flesh and hair. "Rebecca?" He calls out hesitantly a smirk still on his face as he moves deeper in the room. Eventually he see's the corner of the room. Marveling at the precision of the fiery blast he steps forward. There is nearly nothing left of Rebecca. The carpet, wall coverings, and plaster seemingly boiled away by intense heat that had an almost laser beam like focus. The corner of the room is scorched down to the bare wood yet a scant 2 feet in either direction and the flooring, and walls are untouched and pristine. He kicks calmly through Rebecca's remains before fishing his phone out of his pocket. "That obstacle I mentioned?" He says walking from the room and closing the door behind him. "It's just removed itself from the equation. I'll make arrangements and contact you shortly."