Disclaimer: "I do not own Teen Wolf. The show, the characters, and any quotes from the show belong to Jeff Davis and his amazing team of writers. I only own Nixie, and anything I make her do or say."

Chapter 2: Episode 5x12

"Run!" Liam shoves Hayden ahead of him as they race to get away from the gigantic beast that just stormed and roared after them. Pulling out his phone, he sends an exclamation point to Nixie, and then hurries as fast as he can to keep up with Hayden. "What is that thing? Liam, what is it?" "I don't know! Just run!"

They take off into the woods, and keep going until they reach the edge of a cliff that heads down into a ravine. Hayden glances across the way, and then says, "Jump." "Are you kidding?!" "We can make it. Come on."

She drags him back for a head start, and then they both run and leap from the ledge.

Hayden lands in a crouch, but Liam was just shy of making it all the way. Hanging off the edge, he feels a little relief when Hayden hurries back to help him. But then the giant beast makes it across too, and far exceeding any distance they had jumped.

It roars at them, terrifying and loud and makes to come after them.

That's when a roar from the sky draws him up short. Liam and Hayden both look up, and Liam's eyes burst wide when Nixie swoops down like a rocket and lands hard enough to shake the ground. Her wings out behind her, talons and scales out on full display, she raises her glowing eyes to the monster and roars again.

Turning her head, she says to Liam, "Get her out of here. Now!" And then she turns back to the beast, taking off after it and then fighting with it as it comes at her.

But damn it's strong. The only reason it didn't end up breaking the bone in one of her wings is because she pulled them back into her body, making them vanish from sight. It confuses the beast long enough for her to get in one really solid punch, and then she turns back and races to where Hayden and Liam had been before.

And that's where she finds them, only at the bottom of the ravine that they'd originally tried to jump across.

Pulling her wings back out, she soars down to them in time to find Hayden slapping Liam across the face. Nixie snarls at her, but ceases when she realizes that Hayden was just trying to wake him up. Liam then says, "I can't move my legs. I think my back's broken."

Hayden asks, "Will it heal?" "Eventually. I think." "Good." She turns to leave, and Liam asks, "Whoa! Where are you going?" "To find my sister and make sure she's okay." "You're going to just leave me here?" "You pulled me off a cliff. I'm lucky I healed."

Nixie snarls at her, and Hayden has the good sense to step back and cast her eyes down. Liam then says, "I saved your life." "This time." "Well, who saved it last time?" Hayden pauses, and it takes all of Nixie's willpower to not roar when she hears Hayden say, "Theo."

So, the bastard was still messing with people Nixie had grown to care about. Leaning down closer to Liam, she notes the way he's ruffled and how he didn't just land, but looks squished. And as Hayden continues walking away, Nixie says, "Three things Hayden."

She turns back, and meets Nixie's glowing silver eyes. Tilting her scale covered face, Nixie says, "Firstly, I was right a couple months ago. You still have a lot of growing up to do." Hayden blinks at that, and then Nixie says, "Secondly, you still have my number, and I still expect you to use it in an emergency. But if your emergency involves helping or aiding Theo in any way, you had better damn well leave me out of it."

She waits for Hayden to nod on that one, and then adds, "Third. You realize he didn't just pull you off of the cliff right? He caught you. You landed on him. And that's why his back is broken." Hayden looks down at Liam in disbelief, and then makes to come back. But Nixie growls lowly and says, "Get out of here. Go find your sister. Come back when you've obtained the use of a brain."

Then Nixie bends down with Liam, takes his hand in hers, and steals some of his pain. She can't take all of it. She doesn't want either of them to be stuck in this ravine longer than they have to be. But she takes his pain until the ache in her back is almost unbearable, until her legs feel sluggish and useless.

She waits for Liam to stand on his own feet, and then raises herself into the air with her wings so she doesn't have to use her legs. Liam stares at her and asks, "Wings?" "Curtesy of turning eighteen." He stares some more, and then asks, "Um… I'm…" "It's not me you need to apologize to Liam. And if you're looking for encouragement in that area, I'm not the person to talk to. I'm still pissed at Scott."

She watches his face fall, and she says, "Hey. I'm still on call. Don't hesitate, ever, to call me. Got it?" "Yeah." "Good. Go home Liam. You need to rest after tonight."

And she takes off into the air and heads back to the cabin in the woods, where she tries to catch a couple more hours sleep. Not that she's really gotten any sleep the last few nights anyway. Which has been added to the list of questions in her sixth column. Why can't she sleep? And right beneath that question is the one asking why she is constantly feeling pulled in two different directions. Such as thinking it's stupid to wonder if Lydia and Jordan are more than friends, but also feeling convinced that they'd be better for each other than she would be for Jordan. And feeling like she needs to calm down and start forgiving people, and yet still feeling so miserably hurt by everyone who had trusted Theo at all.

She still has Stiles. And with that thought, she manages a couple more hours sleep.

"This is from the relay station's security camera." Jordan has pulled up the footage on his smartphone, and when Scott sees the blur move out of the previously gated entrance, he says, "That looked big." Jordan nods and adds, "And too fast for anyone to get a good look at it. But you already know what it is, don't you?"

Scott nods and says, "The last chimera."

They enter the station, and when Scott bends down to see the blood, he turns and asks, "You still got a black light?" When he sees the mercury, he stands back up and walks further into the building. Jordan asks, "But what was it doing here? Why come here and kill some random communications tech?" "Maybe it just likes to kill. Maybe it's what it does."

Jordan sighs and says, "That's terrifying." "Parrish, how many bodies do you actually see when you dream about the nemeton?" Jordan looks over at him, and then says, "Everyone."

They head on out of the station, and Scott gets ready to leave, when Jordan asks, "Have you seen Nixie?" Scott looks up at him and says, "Yeah. Why?" "I haven't."

Running his hands through his hair, he says, "She… she thinks something was going on between me and Lydia. And there isn't! And I don't know why she thinks that." Scott ponders that for a while, and then says, "It's Nixie. So… try to view it from her perspective." "What's that mean?" "Try to view how she sees herself in the situation, as compared to everyone else."

He shrugs at Jordan and says, "Everyone else is more important than she is. That's her opinion. It's why she's so protective and why she is literally willing to die for every single one of us. We're that important to her. And it's not that she doesn't know that we think she's important. She just sees all of us as more important. So… when it comes to you and Lydia. Actually, even if it just came to you. You're her mate, so you're like… at the top of the list."

Nodding to himself, Scott says, "If she thinks that somehow, some way, you'd be happier with someone else, she wouldn't be happy about it. Considering the dragon knows you are her mate, it would probably hurt. Maybe that's part of what's wrong with her now. But if she did think you'd be happier with someone else, she'd probably try to work to make that possible. Maybe she saw something that she thinks means you and Lydia would be good together."

Jordan stares at him, and then sighs and asks, "How can I fix that then? She won't answer my calls. I'm beginning to think she's blocked my number." "Nixie doesn't block anyone's number." "Then why hasn't she answered me?" "Maybe she's upset with you, or with the idea of you not being with her. Maybe she doesn't think she could handle it right now. If it makes you feel any better, she hasn't answered me any time I've called her either. Not yet anyway."

There's a pause, and then Scott says, "Look, I'm not sure when all of this is going to get solved and fixed, but until then… maybe try small gestures. I don't know, flowers or something? It could help. But I'm thinking we're not going to completely get Nixie back until we've finally gotten the pack back together. And I'm not sure how soon that's going to be. I still have to convince Kira's dad to tell us where she ended up going."

Jordan nods, and then says, "Keep an eye on her. Please? She's tough, I know that. But… she's not as tough emotionally as we'd all like to think she is. We all feel like we need her, but she needs all of us too." Scott nods and says, "I'll watch her. I promise."

Later on at his house, trying to make his own board of clues and strings, he sighs when half of it falls down to the ground.

He needed Stiles. He needed Nixie. He needed his pack.

When Stiles wakes up, the first thing he notices is that his dad isn't in the bed. And as he's standing up to go and find him, the second thing he sees is Nixie. She's on the floor by the door, her legs crossed and her back leaning against the wall. He's not sure how long she's been there, but it's long enough that she somehow fell asleep in that uncomfortable position. Bending down and shaking her shoulder, he says, "Hey. Hey Nix." Her eyes flutter open, and she smiles up at him and says tiredly, "I got here really early. You were both still asleep. Sorry. Are we going to school today?" "I wasn't particularly planning on it. That doesn't mean you have to stay…" "If you're not going, I'm not going."

She glances at the bed, and then asks, "Where's Noah?" "Good question. Let's go find out."

They find him in the basement in the morgue, Donovan's body pulled out of the fridge for him to look at. And Nixie is about to stay in the hall, to let them have a moment to talk, when Stiles grabs her hand in a death grip. Looking at her, he says, "Please." So she joins him in the morgue, standing across from the sheriff over the slab that Donovan is covered on.

"The story Theo told me about the library. That's how it happened." Stiles nods, and Noah continues, "Except it didn't happen to him." Stiles nods again and says, "Yeah." Noah sighs and says, "Stiles. I can't protect you if I don't know the truth."

Nixie's spirits soar a little at his statement, and she closes her eyes and smiles and leans into Stiles' side, holding his arm in her hands and squeezing encouragingly. Noah asks, "Did you really feel like you couldn't tell me?" "I couldn't tell anyone."

Glancing down at Nixie, he says, "I wouldn't have told her, except she ended up at the library and found us there." Noah looks to Nixie, who opens her water-filled eyes and nods silently before resting her head on Stiles' shoulder again. Noah sighs again and asks, "Did you think that I wouldn't believe it was self-defense?" Stiles asks, "What if it wasn't? What if I told you I wanted him dead?" "I'd believe you."

Nixie nods. She had wanted him dead too. And she smiles again when Noah said, "I also believe that wanting someone dead and murdering them are two very different things." Stiles asks, "Yeah, but what if the judge didn't think so?" "Then to hell with the judge. Stiles, it was self-defense, and I would destroy every shred of evidence to protect you if I had to. I would burn the whole sheriff's station to the ground."

Stiles stares at him a second, and then asks, "What about upholding the law? What about Kira?"

Nixie turned her head slightly, Scott's scent reaching her from the hall. And her anger towards him receded a little further when she heard him step back and walk away so Stiles and Noah could still have their talk. Scott knew this was more important for them right now. Nixie wouldn't even be here if Stiles hadn't asked her specifically to come.

When she turns back, Noah is looking at her, and with so much repent in his eyes that she can't stop a tear from falling from hers. "Kira. Kira was a mistake." Nixie smiles at him, and he smiles back gently before saying, "I guess I'm learning how to bend." Stiles asks, still not yet okay with everything, "So, what? It just goes away?" Noah shakes his head and says, "Not for you. The problem now, is how to bear this burden. This kind of thing is not at all uncommon in law enforcement. A fatal mistake. A partner who dies. Or one who gets paralyzed. Stiles, you carry that with you. And sometimes, it doesn't truly feel okay again, until there's a kind of counterbalance."

Stiles looks at him and asks, "Like what?" "Like instead of taking a life, you manage to save one. Something like that can help, but maybe only for a moment. But the real conflict you're having now is between your head and your heart. Your head. Your head knows that the only crime you committed was surviving. But your heart? Your heart still thinks it was murder. So I guess you, uh… you gotta get your heart to catch up with your head."

Nixie lets out a sigh and says to Stiles, "Considering how fast yours is, we might be waiting a while." If it had been anyone else to say it, he might've been angry. But Stiles just grins and draws her into a tight hug, holding her head against his chest and keeping her close. Sighing, he says to his dad, "I feel like it's more than guilt though. You know? I feel like… I feel like I lost something. You know, and… I feel like I can't get it back." Noah nods and says, "You won't. Not entirely. But you get a little bit, by forgiving yourself."

Stiles shakes his head against Nixie's, so Noah says, "And since that's not always the easiest thing in the world to do, then maybe you start by forgiving someone else. Someone who probably really needs it." Stiles pauses, and then says, "Someone like Scott." Nixie pauses in his arms too, and Stiles rubs his hands up and down her arms, and then whispers in her ear, "You're freezing. Are you alright?"

She nods, and then lets him go so he can hug his dad. She's about to back out of the room when Noah says, "Get back here." She stops moving, and then Stiles reaches out for her again and pulls her into the hug.

She holds herself tightly against two of the most important people in the world to her, and Stiles can't help but smile when he can hear someone walking by complaining about the rain coming when the weather report said it would be clear skies.

When they finally pull back from each other, Nixie smiles and wipes her tears away before saying, "It's good to have you back Noah." He smiles at her too, "It's good to be back. Remind me never to piss you off again. I've never been so disappointed in my life to actually be called sheriff." Stiles and Nixie laugh, and then they all head back to the elevator. Nixie steals some of Noah's pain while they help him back to his room, but doesn't take all of it. She's not sure how much more in the future she's going to need to take, and Noah will be fine.

While Stiles is getting a snack and Noah and Nixie are in his room, her phone goes off. Seeing Mason's name, she asks, "Hey Mason. What's up?" "Um… maybe this is a stupid question to ask you. I'm not sure." "The only stupid question Mason, is the one you don't ask. What's up?"

Noah grins at her response to him on the phone, and then she laughs a little when Mason says, "Okay. Um… well, Corey. You know, Corey the chimera who was supposed to be dead, but now he's not? He um… well, he just asked me out." Nixie nods, and then says, "Are you asking for dating advice? Not so sure I'm right for that since I'm straight. But as far as people go, I still think Corey is a good one." "So… I should say yes?" "You say whatever you want to say. If you like him, answer yes. If you don't, say no. And while you're at it, make sure he still has my number. And make sure he knows that if he texts me for help that relates to Theo, I will kick his ass, and then take his pain away afterwards."

A pause, and then Mason lets out a breath of a laugh and says, "Yeah. I'll see what I can do about that." "Good. Have fun."

When she hangs up, Noah says, "Dating trouble?" "Not so much trouble as confusion. Apparently Hayden isn't the only chimera who was dead that Theo brought back to life. Corey's back too. But I like Corey, so I don't think we'll have any problems on that end." "Good."

Sitting up a little, Noah asks, "Why do you insist on everyone having your number?" "For the same reason I insist that none of you die on me. I care too much about all of you." "Right. So, is that why you aren't currently talking to Parrish?"

Nixie looks over at him, and he holds up his own phone and says, "He's called quite a few times. He's asked how I'm doing too obviously. But then he always asks about you, if I know where you are, if I know how you're doing." Nixie shrugs, and then says, "I'm… not sure what I feel about him right now." "You love him, don't you?" "And I will until I die." "Then what's the problem?" "Noah…"

She sighs and says, "It's complicated. At least, in my head it is. Let's just… let's focus on all the other things that need to be focused on first right now." "Such as?" "Stopping Theo, saving Lydia, saving Kira, forgiving Scott. And that last one is going to take some doing, not gonna lie. And then there's Malia to think about, who I'm pretty sure is on a mission to find her mom and kill her. And then after that, when we're back together and preferably when Deaton is back as well, we can discuss what is complicated about me and Jordan."

Noah stares at her a minute, and then says, "You might want to write that list down. I'm not sure I'd remember all of that like you do." "I have written it down. Probably why I remember it so well." Noah chuckles, and then they both watch as Stiles comes back in. Noah is reaching for something to drink when he turns back to Stiles and asks, "Is that my laptop?"

Stiles doesn't even look up when he says, "Yep." "Do you have my password?" "I have all your passwords." Nixie laughs at Noah's surprised face, and when he looks at her, she shrugs and says, "You look so surprised. I mean… really? I'm not at all surprised." Stiles points to her and says, "Exactly. This is not new for me. Did you know they just brought in another body from last night?"

Nixie moves to his side while Noah says, "Yeah, I was hoping you wouldn't find out. Now give me my damn computer." Stiles turns away and says, "Hang on, hang on." Noah stares at him, and then to Nixie who is watching the same footage as him. Stiles points and says, "I think there's some footage missing. Or something missing in the footage." Nixie asks, "What do you mean?" "Not sure yet."

Noah looks between them and says, "I think there's something missing in both your heads." He reaches again, but Nixie catches him by the shoulder and gently guides him to lying in the bed again. And Stiles says while she does that, "You need your rest." Noah looks up at Nixie, who shrugs, and then he sighs and says, "Now I remember why I never play Rook against you two anymore. No one else ever wins."

Nixie smiles and then returns to Stiles' side. He points to the screen, at the beast coming out, and says, "Look at this. You see this?" "Worse. I was standing right in front of the damn thing last night." "What?"

Both Noah and Stiles look at her, and she leans back and asks, "What?" Stiles jumps to his feet and asks, "And when were you going to tell me that?" She shrugs and says, "It hasn't exactly been a perfectly quiet morning. I forgot. But now you know." "And what happened?" "Liam was being chased by it. He texted me and I went to find him. I lured the thing away, we fought a bit. He's insanely strong by the way. No, he didn't hurt me, but that was because I was quicker than he was. And after I punched him one time really good in the face, I went back to Liam to check on him. He was with Hayden, but they went separate ways before I left to go back home and sleep again."

Stiles stares at her a moment, and then asks, "How big was it?" "Big. Like… at least two or three times the size of a normal person. And strong." Stiles turns to his dad, and then sighs and turns back to her. "Next time Nixie…" "I'm really not planning on there being a next time. But, if there is one, I will tell you about it sooner." "Good."

They leave Noah after a while, and outside at her bike, Stiles asks, "Are you ready for this?" "Ready for what?" "To forgive Scott." Nixie pauses in putting on her helmet, and then thinks about it. Looking down, she says, "I'm ready to try. Not so sure I'll succeed." "What's that mean Nixie? I know you don't want to talk about everything until we have everyone back, but give me something. Please?"

Looking up at him, she runs her hands through her hair before answering. "I feel… I don't even really know if this is the right way to explain it. I feel pulled in two different directions all the time. Mentally and emotionally, at least. Some stuff is simple to make a decision on, like going after Liam to help last night. I still want to protect each and every one of you, no matter who I might still be upset with. But other things…"

She sighs in exhaustion, "Other things I just can't seem to settle on, no matter how hard I try. Like forgiving Scott, because I know he realizes the mistake he's made. Or forgiving Malia, for where I know her mind is and for trusting Theo too. Liam, for letting his anger get the best of him and for letting Theo trick him into targeting it all at Scott. And…"

She looks down again and adds, "And Lydia and Parrish." "What about them?" "I… In my head, I keep telling myself it's stupid, like you said. It's stupid to think that Lydia would try to take him from me, or that he and her have a thing going on between them. I keep trying to tell myself that. But then there's this other side of me that thinks that he'd be happier with her. She doesn't get hurt as much and he'd have less to worry about. She's far prettier and they're both harbingers of death so that's something they can connect on."

Slipping her helmet on now, she lifts the face mask and says, "I just… I don't know Stiles. I can't seem to make everything in my head meet on the same page." He takes her hand in his and says, "Maybe you have the same problem I do. Maybe you need to wait for your heart to catch up with your head." Nixie blinks at that as she thinks about it, and then says, "Maybe. I don't know. It feels different from that. But maybe."

Sighing, she lowers the mask and asks, "Ready?" "Let's go." He leaves his dad's cruiser at the hospital and hops on the back of her bike, and they speed off to Scott's house.

When they get there, Scott's in the bathroom, tending to his wound. Unlike Nixie's, which is no longer bleeding and is just an open gash at this point, he's bleeding quite a bit. But he doesn't look any worse for wear. Yet.

Stiles stares at it for a moment. He's never actually seen it, so he didn't know how bad it looked. Then he stepped up to the bathroom and said, "Hey. Still not healing?" Scott nods to both of them, and then says, "Sometimes it just takes a little longer. What are you two doing here?"

Nixie glances between them for a moment, and suddenly her second sight cuts on again. As the world snaps into this new view, she curses under her breath and Scott jerks his attention to her. Sighing, she looks at both of them.

Stiles is better. His bright aura isn't tainted by so much guilt or secrecy or anger and sadness anymore. But Scott. Scott's is still coated in loneliness, anguish, and sorrow. He needs to be forgiven. Even as wrong as he was… he needs this. More than she needs to be angry and upset with him.

Closing her eyes and shaking her head, she hears Scott ask, "Nix, are you okay?" Opening her eyes, seeing the world back to normal, she smiles and says, "Yep. Just still not used to that."

Back to both of them, she says, "And I'm here to make sure neither of you do something stupid enough to get either of you killed. Kind of my job. And I'm pulling double duty for you considering you're still currently supernaturally challenged." Scott actually grins at her, and then looks to Stiles when he says, "Exactly. Ah, you heard about the guy who got killed at the communication towers, right?" Scott nods and Stiles adds, "I think I may have figured something out."

"And you guys want my help?" Stiles nods and says, "Yeah, well, you said you can find the clues I can't." Scott glances to Nixie, who shrugs and says, "I'm against this plan, so he kind of needs someone else's help." Which she's not, but it makes Scott grin again, and he looks over Stiles shoulder to see the footage. Scott nods when Stiles explains it, and then says, "Okay. What am I missing?" Stiles points to the footage again and says, "Two people go in. Three come out. And I checked all the footage."

Nixie nods and says, "He did. Took him at least another hour at the hospital to go through it." Stiles nods too, before looking back to Scott. "Not a single person enters that building before the technician the entire day. So where does that something really big and really fast come from?" Scott grows quite serious and says, "There's another way in."

Nixie nods and after watching both of them stand there for a moment, she says, "This is the part where we all figure out what we're driving so we can go and check it out. You know, I know we're a little rusty, but I thought that was pretty obvious." Stiles gives her a look before saying, "I trained you a little too well in sarcasm." "Nonsense, you should be proud."

Scott chuckles at both of them, and then says, "I was just there with Parrish a while ago. I didn't see anything, but I wasn't looking for another way in at the time." Nixie nods, but Stiles stops and asks, "You've seen Parrish?" "Yeah." He glances at Nixie, and Scott gives him an understanding look before saying, "He asked about you Nix. You… you apparently aren't answering any of his calls?"

Sighing, she says, "Guys…" Stiles comes in front of her and says, "I know you feel pulled in two directions. Understood. But he's still your mate. More than that, he's still a member of this pack. And what if he was hurt or lost somewhere and you didn't answer." "He's not." "How would you know that for sure?"

Nixie stares at him, and then says, "I'll… I'll stop ignoring his calls as much." Stiles nods and then says to Scott, "Progress. Slow but sure, we are making progress."

It's while they're outside getting ready to leave when her phone rings. Stiles smirks and asks, "Speak of the devil?" Nixie gives him a look now and says, "It's Corey." Opening the phone, she asks, "Corey?" "Um… Hi Nixie." She sighs at the sound of his voice. It was one thing to know he was alive. It was another thing to hear him speak again. Laughing in relief, she says, "It's so good to hear you Corey."

She can practically feel him relax and his spirits lift a little over the phone. "Um… I think Mason already told you. I have a…" "You two have a date Saturday. Yeah." "Yeah. I just… I…" Nixie waits, and then says, "Corey, you have my number so you can ask me anything. If you need help, so long as it doesn't involve helping Theo, I will be there as fast as I can."

A pause, and he says, "Well, it doesn't involve helping him. It's… more about him?" "Fire away." "He… he came to the school looking for me. And I told him I wouldn't hurt you guys. But… he said that's not what he wanted. And then he said that… that I was gonna come with him and do what he said, because I don't want to die again. And I'm with him, right now. But… it, it felt…"

Nixie nods and says, "Like a threat. Yeah, he gets that way now that he can't hide behind a false mask of sincerity and kindness." Corey's meets her with silence, but Nixie smiles again and responds with what she knows he needs. "I can't decide for you Corey. I can't tell you which way to go. That's gonna have to be your call. But when, and I really hope there's a when. When you decide you're done with Theo, and you need somewhere else to go? I'm here. We're all here. And we'll do everything we can to help and protect you."

"Nix?" She waits for more, and Corey asks, "That's… that's what they call you, right? Your nickname?" Laughing, she says, "Yeah. Yeah, that's me." "Can I…" "The only person not allowed to call me that is Theo. And of all the people he decided to save Corey, you are my favorite." She can feel him brighten at that, and then he laughs when she adds, "But don't let that go to your head. I like you because you're sweet, and good, and pretty much everything Theo isn't. Don't forget who you are while you're with him."

When she hangs up, her eyebrows come together in confusion. Stiles notices and asks, "What's wrong? That conversation seemed to go pretty well from what I could tell." "It did."

Sighing as she swings a leg over her bike, she ponders how to explain it. "I… I'm still upset with those in our pack who trusted Theo. I'm still even a slight bit peeved at your dad for it. But with Corey…" She shakes her head and says, "I mean… I get it. Somehow I understand. Theo brought them back. For the time being, there's a certain amount of loyalty there that they almost can't help but to give him."

"Okay… so?" She looks to Stiles, and then to Scott when he joins them. Sighing, she says, "There were times, when Theo was with us. Times when I could understand, I really could. I understood why someone thought we could trust him. But even with that, it still frustrated me to no end whenever someone started to." Shrugging, she says, "I just don't understand why I can make that exception for Corey, but I can't seem to grasp it for any of us."

Stiles nods, and then Scott says, "Maybe it's because he's not technically pack. At least, not yet." Nixie nods and says, "Yeah, maybe." "You still mad at me?" She glances up at him, and then says with a grin, "Furious." He grins back, and then says honestly, "I'm working on that." "I know. And it's not lost on me."

They watch each other, the most at peace with him that Nixie has felt yet. Right up to the point when Stiles interrupts and says, "Okay, that was a nice heart to heart. Now, let's get going to find this back entrance." Nixie nods and slides the face mask of her helmet into place and cranks her engine. And she laughs when Scott hurries over to his bike so he can try to keep up.

At the communications tower, when Scott tries to lift the fallen locker, Nixie feels her heart soften even more for him. Brushing past Stiles and holding him still when he makes to move, she goes to the other side of the locker and helps Scott lift it up off the floor. She's not panting by the time they're done, but Scott is. And she considers reaching over to take more of his pain, but as she extends her hand, Scott shakes his head and whispers, "You've done enough for me."

She drops her hand, and then says, "I'm still in better shape than you." He laughs and says, "I have no doubt. You always were tougher than either of us." And she smiles, and then they follow Stiles down into the tunnels. They always seem to be returning to the tunnels.

Stiles has the black light, shining it around for any signs of mercury. And when they do find it… it's not in small quantities. It leaves a long trail down one of the paths.

And then he finds two words written in the mercury on the ground. Nixie tilts her head, memorizing the words though she doesn't know what they mean. She was smart, but Lydia was the genius. In order to know what they mean, they'd have to look the words up for themselves for now.

"What is that?" Stiles glances at Scott, then back to the words and says, "It looks like Latin. Nix?" She shakes her head though and says, "Languages are Lydia's forte. Not mine."

Scott takes out his phone to take a picture, and that's when Nixie feels a sharp sting to her back. Stiles is quickly hit after her, and he goes down with a groan. But Nixie stays standing and growls as she spins to find Tracy, claws extended and half transformed.

The girl seems shocked that Nixie is still standing. She apparently didn't remember that kanima venom had no effect on her. Theo must've forgotten it too, or else he wouldn't have sent Tracy to attack her first. Scott spins to see them, and though he moves forward, Nixie says, "Protect Stiles." And she and Tracy go at it.

Stiles watches as Tracy lands several slashes to Nixie, who remains unfazed, and then grabs Tracy by the throat and shoves her into the pipes behind her. Roaring, she dares, "Come on Tracy!" The kanima struggles to stand, but comes back at her. But Nixie fights back harder this time, and then pins her to the wall hard, choking her with an arm across her throat.

"Scott! Behind her!" Nixie glances to see Josh, another one still alive, coming at her with his electrified hands and body. She snarls at him, but Scott jumps into action and slashes across his front before throwing him into a nearby wall.

He comes back, and Tracy lifts her legs and kicks Nixie in the chest, knocking her back. Snarling at Tracy, she then grabs the girl's wrist and twists one arm behind her back while holding the other out in front of her. "Scott!"

He glances, and then dodges Josh and shoves him so he runs right into Tracy's venom laced claws. And while that happens, Tracy gets shocked by electricity at as well.

Stiles sees some of it flow through Nixie's body too, her scales surfacing and reacting to the attack, but as soon as Josh falls, she tosses Tracy aside as well, standing there as though nothing had happened.

She was stronger. That was for sure.

Scott and Nixie then both look at a wall nearby, and together they snarl at it. But Nixie softens her stance when she sees Corey materialize out of nowhere.

Her relaxed stance does put him more at ease, but Scott is still growling. But when Theo emerges through the round opening in the wall, Corey jumps as Nixie's entire body becomes encased in scales, her talons extend, her teeth lengthen, and her eyes burn bright as she growls at the boy she's come to hate more than anyone she'd ever met.

"Okay. Maybe they're not ready to take on an alpha. Especially one that can smell fear." Theo looks to Corey pointedly, and then jumps himself when Nixie snarls again, moving closer in Corey's direction, as though protecting him from his own pack leader at the moment. Corey looks at her, and then to Scott and says, "He's got fangs." "So does she, but you don't seem all that scared of her." "She's not looking at me like she wants to eat me."

Scott looks around at all of them, and then asks, "What did you do?" Theo hops down and says, "I found some new friends. I don't take rejection well." He ends up beside Stiles, who says, "Hey Theo." "Stiles." Nixie can see the look in Theo's eyes, the one that says he might try to do something to Stiles.

And before he can so much as blink again, Nixie is in front of Stiles, snarling and growling. Theo takes a step back, and then asks anyone, "Seriously! What is she?!" Scott smirks and says, "Definitely someone you don't want pissed at you." Theo then looks down at the words beneath his feet, and then stomps down and destroys them. Nixie snarls, but she doesn't leave Stiles' side as Tracy moves to try and help Josh to his feet.

To Scott, Theo says, "You're going to leave here thinking that you need to worry about me. But you're wrong. We're actually back on the same side." Nixie snarls and says, "We were never on the same side to begin with." "I wanted a pack." "We had one, and it most certainly didn't need you." He flashes his eyes at her, but it has no effect. Corey watches as Nixie remains, like a sentry, in front of Stiles to protect him.

Corey can't picture Theo doing that for him. Not for any of them.

Theo looks to Scott again and says, "That thing, that's what we need to worry about. Your pack and mine. We're gonna go back to school, and pretend like we're normal teenagers. But at night? We're going to be fighting for our lives."

Stiles, from behind Nixie, asks, "What is it?" "It's not a chimera." Scott nods and says, "But it's just a kid underneath. Someone like us." Theo smirks and says, "Not anymore." Nixie, having calmed back to normal, rises to her feet and says, "Yeah. Definitely not on the same side." She gives Corey a stern look, but then softens it and turns back to Stiles and away from them.

Once she gets Stiles sitting up and back against a wall, he asks, "You alright?" She nods, and then lifts her torn shirt high enough to show him that she doesn't have any new injuries, but avoids showing him the one she took from Scott. "She only got me once Stiles. On the back and not very deep. Every other time, my scales… it was like so long as I knew where she was going to strike, my scales appeared to defend against it." "They ever done that before?" "No. But… there are a lot of things that never happened before."

Stiles gives her a look, and she just says, "Later." "How much later?" "However long later needs to be." Scott joins them, and then says, "He knew what it meant and I can't even remember the words." Nixie nods, slumping back and sitting next to Stiles. "Damnatio Memoriae." Scott looks to her in surprise, but also relief. And then they both turn to Stiles when he translates, "It means the condemnation of memory."

At Nixie's surprised expression, he says, "What? That's right. I know things." She smiles at him, and then Stiles leans his head back against the wall again and says, "I think it also means that whatever the dread doctors created; whatever this last chimera really is. It's not something new. It's something old. Like, really old."

Scott stares hard at the floor and says, "So they didn't create a new creature." Stiles nods and says, "They resurrected one."

Nixie lets her legs sit out in front of her, resting her head back with Stiles'. Huffing, she says, "Well, that doesn't sound like a much better thing to have to deal with. In fact, I'd say much worse. I might not have known what it meant in Latin, but the condemnation of memory means that he or she was stripped from existence, right? Everything of theirs destroyed, every scrap of paper with their name on it… everything?" Stiles nods in confirmation, and then huffs and says, "I hate kanimas." Nixie nods and says, "I hate Theo." Scott looks to both of them, and then says, "I hate being packless."

Nixie looks to him, and then says, "Well, focus on the bright side. You've got two back. That's a start." He looks to both of them again, and then smiles and takes a seat with them to rest while Stiles regains the use of his muscles.

That's when Scott draws his circle in the ground. The mark of his tattoo. The mark of his pack, even if he didn't know that's what it would end up becoming when he first got it. Looking at them again, he says, "We need help. If Theo's got his own pack now, then we need ours. All of ours."

Sighing, he says, "We have to get the others back." Stiles exhales and says, "The others? You mean Kira who's currently battling a homicidal fox spirit inside of her, Malia who isn't even speaking to any of us including Nixie, which is something else entirely wrong, Lydia who's stuck in Eichen house, and Liam who almost killed you?" Nixie nods and says, "About sums them all up. Doesn't include the potential new members, but considering two of them are in Theo's pack, one of them is Liam's best friend, and one of them is my boyfriend who I am for some reason having a difficult time dealing with in my head, I'd say that's an accurate summation."

Scott looks to her, and then says to both of them, "Also known as our best friends." Nixie laughs at that and Stiles leans his head back and says to her, "Your amusement at sarcasm is incredibly annoying sometimes." "Your fault." "I know."

To Scott again, Stiles asks, "Okay, how?" "One by one." Scott gestures to his half-finished symbol in the dirt, and Stiles asks, "You're not seriously going to make me do it?" "You're part of the pack right?" He sighs and says, "Okay. But Nixie has to too."

Nixie just reaches down and draws half of the outside circle, and then says to Stiles, "I'm not nearly as disconcerted by this mark as you are Stiles. I have no problems." Stiles rolls his eyes and then finishes the other half, and then Scott and Nixie help him up off the floor. Supporting him as they go back through the tunnels, Scott says, "We need to find Kira." Nixie nods, and then laughs when Stiles comments back with, "I still hate that tattoo." And Scott grins too and says "I know."

Nixie sighs in relief at having both her boys back and together again. But she does pause a little and jump in surprise when Scott says, "Her dad's coming back soon since the school is getting ready to reopen. We can ask him. Maybe convince him to tell us where they're headed." Stiles nods and says, "Worth a shot anyway. You think Nix?" "Sure. His wife's only trying to save their daughter from being taken over by a homicidal fox spirit, like you said before. Convincing him should be a cinch."

Both boys look over at her, and she shrugs and laughs when Stiles says, "I liked it better when your sarcasm was still encouraging." "You've just gotten used to me not being as sarcastic lately. You'll come around."

And with that, they head out to the vehicles and head home, praying that at the very least, they can talk to Ken tomorrow and figure out what they're next step should be.

Chapter 2! Yay! Hope you guys are enjoying the story so far. Let me know what you guys think. :) Chapter 3 to come shortly.