Hey, sorry it took me so long to update this. I've been incredibly busy and haven't had a lot of time to sit down and focus. I should have a less hectic schedule in the upcoming months so hopefully I'll be able to update more frequently. Sorry again and thanks to anyone who stuck with me.
"Damn it!" Her father's yell would have been less startling if it hadn't been accompanied by his fist going through her mother's perfectly decorated wall. Grasping his hands behind his head gave Allison a clear view of the veins that were protruding from her father's reddening neck. "Dad? What's going on?"
The speed at which Chris Argent turned around stunned his daughter. Shifting slightly to his left, so that Allison had no visual of whoever just collapsed across the Argent threshold, Chris Argent smiled up at his daughter. "Nothing you need to be concerned with Allison. I'll handle it." Allison had been lied to by her father enough times to recognize when his harsh dismissals were meant to put a stop to any further questions. "Are you kidding me dad? After everything that's happened in the last few months you're still lying to me!" Allison was well aware of the guilt her father had regarding the lies and secrecy that had plagued the Argent household, and she was not afraid of using her father's remorse against him. The creases that emerged on Chris Argent's forehead, in addition to the sigh of exasperation, informed Allison that her outburst had its desired effect. "Allison honey," Chris said while taking a step forward, "You need to understand that there are some things that I just CAN'T tell you." The slight movement allowed Allison to get a glimpse of the unconscious individual lying in the entryway. The sight of a seemingly dead man across the doorstep would have been alarming enough, but the incredible amount of crimson blood that was seeping onto the pristine white tiles of the Argent family home took Allison's breath away.
Looking up at his daughter, who was poised gracefully against the banister, Chris noticed the look of shock and horror on her face. Chris was aware that his daughter would be upset by his refusal to provide her with any additional information, but he was slightly confused by the intensity of her reaction. Examining his daughter's face, Chris noticed that her focus was slightly to the left of his blue eyes. The body. She could clearly see it. Closing his eyes, Chris waited for the scream that was sure to come. After moments of silence, he looked up, puzzled, to find Allison still leaning against the ornate banister. Missing from her face were the tears and fright that Chris had been expecting. Instead, Allison's face reflected curiosity and intrigue. The lack of emotion from his daughter informed Chris that Allison had yet to realize that it was Scott McCall who was hidden beneath the caked blood and mud.
As Allison began to descend the stairs, attempting to discern the identity of the mystery man, Chris blockaded the landing. "Dammit Allison. Stop!" The volume and ferocity of Chris' demand halted Allison in her tracks. Cold blue eyes matched brown as Chris gazed into the bewildered eyes of his daughter. The shock across Allison's face transformed into fury and determination in an instant. Rather than backing away, as Chris was hoping she would, Allison took a step further and steadily held her father's gaze. "Dad… he's dying we need to help him!" Allison's statement was as fierce as her father's stern expression. "We. Do not need to do anything. You. Go to your room. Now."
Disgusted with her father, Allison rolled her eyes and scoffed. Folding her arms across her chest, Allison glared at her father. "Not. Going. To Happen." Allison utilized all of her pent up frustration in order to stand her ground, never willing to admit how frightening her father was to her. Grabbing his daughter's arm, Chris argent spun Allison around and physically moved her up the stairwell. "Dad! Dad stop! Dad he could die!" No longer able to maintain her collected persona, Allison voice broke and the desperation seeped out. "Dammit Allison, he's a werewolf! He'll be fine! I'm sure he's been hurt worse." The words flew out of his mouth before Chris realized what he was saying. Revealing that small piece of information was all it took for Allison to put the pieces together.
Whipping around in shock, Allison gazed at the man lying across the floor. Werewolf. The man was a werewolf. Except, as she stared at the disheveled body, Allison realized that it wasn't a man at all. It was a boy. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, making it difficult to catch her breath. Gasping rapidly, Allison fell limp in her father's arms. Not since the night of the winter formal had Allison felt weak enough to rely on the unwavering strength of her father. The grisly scene that she witnessed was that of a dying young werewolf. Scott. Scott was dying.
Flashback
Allison was lying in bed, feet dangling off the edge, waiting for the clock to read 5:00. Sighing in boredom, Allison haphazardly played with the loose strands of her curly brown hair. Hearing a click at her door, Allison hastily sat up. Crossing her room in a hurry, Allison whipped her door open to reveal… nothing. Glancing up and down the hallway with a puzzled expression, Allison shook her head and closed her door. Placing her forehead against the cool wood of her bedroom door, Allison muttered to herself, "You're losing your mind. You are slowly going crazy." A chuckle from behind her back caused Allison to quickly spin around and face her, now open, window. "They do say that the first sign of mental deterioration is the overwhelming need to talk to yourself…" A very smug Scott McCall told his still stupefied girlfriend.
"You. Are and ass." Allison glared at her boyfriend as she said it. Hopping off of the window ledge, Scott made his way to an irritated Allison. Scratching his head in the adorable way that he knew Allison loved, Scott peered into the chocolate eyes of his girlfriend. "You're totally right. Will you forgive me?" Not willing to give up so easily, Allison shrugged and huffed as she strode past Scott, "I'll think about."
Grabbing her wrist as she walked past, Scott spun Allison around so that they locked eyes. "And what if I do this?" Scott gave Allison a chaste kiss and glanced imploringly at her. Momentarily disoriented, Allison shook her head, as if to clear her thoughts. Regaining her composure, Allison stared deep into Scott's eyes. "I said… I'll. Think. About it." Allison's stubbornness was not lost on Scott as an irresistible crooked smile bloomed across his face. Placing his hands on either side of Allison's face, Scott inched closer to her until their lips were millimeter apart. "How about this?" Scott whispered quietly before capturing Allison's mouth with his own. The kiss quickly escalated and Scott's ears were met with the rapid sound of Allison's quickening heartbeat. Breaking away before the wolf came out, Scott peered at Allison, who was trying to regain her breath. Allison's eyes flew open as she met the liquid gold gaze of her boyfriend. Looking to the ceiling, Allison sighed. "Oh alright. I suppose that will do." Locking eyes with Scott, Allison smiled. "You're forgiven."
Scott smiled as he lifted Allison off her feet and placed her on the bed. Hovering above her, Scott gave her a peck on the lips. His face suddenly became serious. "Good. I'm glad you can forgive me. For everything…" Using what strength she had, Allison managed to flip Scott onto his back as she straddled his waist, with her hands placed on either side of his head. "How many times do we have to go through this Scott? You need to stop seeing yourself as a monster who needs the forgiveness of others. There's nothing to forgive." Allison punctuated each word with a kiss. Scott smiled up at his girlfriend and sat up against the headrest of the bed, patting the spot next to him. Allison grinned as she curled up next to her boyfriend, placing her head against his solid chest.
Momentarily distracted by Scott's tender stroking of her hair, Allison tilted her head and peered at her boyfriend with a scrutinizing expression. Sensing that something was bothering her, Scott glanced down at Allison. "Penny for your thoughts?" Allison smiled and began to trace the patterns on Scott's shirt. "Just a penny?" Chuckling at his girlfriend's response, Scott stared, intrigued by Allison's evasiveness. "Seriously Allison. Is there something you wanted to talk about?" Sitting up, Allison refused to meet Scott's questioning gaze and began fiddling with her thumbs. "I just. I just wish I knew what you had to go through… as a wolf I mean. And I was just thinking about what you told me about Peter giving you his memories." Scott, still not understanding what Allison was grasping at, continued to peer quizzically at his girlfriend. Sighing, Allison's speech became faster. "Well, I just figured that, I want to know about your wolf life, and you can technically show me… and it would just be a little scratch. It wouldn't even hurt that bad and I just think you should do it." Allison winced at her feeble argument.
Scott's reaction was worse than what Allison had expected. Leaping off the bed, Scott began to pace furiously. "No. No no no no." Shaking his head with each "no," Scott's breathing became heavier and heavier. "Absolutely not. Are you out of your freaking mind?" Scott was shouting at this point. "Do you know how dangerous that would be? I could kill you!" Rolling her eyes, Allison stood up and stopped Scott from his pacing. "You're being a little overdramatic Scott. Jackson told me what happened to him, he just felt a little sick." Scott threw his hands in the air and stared at Allison as if she really had gone crazy. "Because he was poisoned! Jackson felt a little sick because he was poisoned Allison! Do you honestly think I would ever willingly poison you?" Scott was now inches away from Allison, staring earnestly at her in an attempt to sway her. Grasping his face in her hands, Allison stared into Scott's eyes in an attempt to calm him down. "Shh. Breathe. Just breathe."
After regaining his composure, Scott took a step away from Allison. "Why? Why would you want me to do that to you?" His tone was hollow, almost sad, which was more frightening to Allison than his earlier shouting. "I want to understand. I mean sure, you told me everything, but I just… I just don't get it. I want… need to know what you went through. Why you did what you did." Allison's voice was quiet, yet unwavering. Grasping Scott's hands in her own, she stared imploringly at his face, waiting for a reaction. "Fine." Allison's jaw dropped and she stared in awe at Scott. "What?" Scott lifted his head and looked at her with a blank stare. "I said fine. If that's what you feel you need, I'll do it. But let me make one thing clear. I don't want to do this. At all."
Shocked by Scott's agreement, Allison nodded her head in understanding. Standing on her toes, Allison leaned forward and tenderly kissed Scott. Pulling away, she whispered, "Do it." Scott swallowed and nodded his head in reluctant agreement. Pulling his hand away from her back, Scott allowed his wolf claws to emerge. "Ready?" He asked Allison, hoping that she would change her mind and back away. Without hesitation Allison nodded. "Yeah I'm ready." Pulling her hair away from her neck, Allison gave Scott room to do what was necessary. Clenching her eyes, Allison held her breath, waiting for the sharp pain in her neck. Instead, she felt a tender kiss. Smiling at how Scott could make her feel, Allison groaned as she realized her boyfriend was stalling in the cruelest of ways. "Scott! Come on!" Suddenly Allison felt Scott's nail sink into the flesh of her neck. Her eyes flew open and she gasped. Feeling lightheaded, Allison collapsed into Scott's arms as he led her to her bed.
"Allison, hey, are you alright? Allison focus, look at me. Are you alright?" Scott's voice was laced with panic. Nodding her head meekly to assuage Scott's worry, Allison found herself unable to keep her eyes open. Finding herself drifting off to sleep, Allison felt Scott's strong arms wrap around her, always keeping her safe. Finally asleep, Allison was met with a slew of image and memories, none of which belonged to her.
Scott racing through the woods, running from something. A huge animal attacking him, biting him.
An image of herself, standing outside on the first day of school. Scott could hear her. Allison walking in the room, Scott offering her his pen.
Scott ditching Allison at the party, leaving to find safety in his room. Pain. It was a full moon and he finally realized what he was.
Derek telling Scott that the only way to keep Allison safe was by avoiding her.
Scott being beat up at school, Allison's voice being the only thing that could calm him enough to remain human.
The school, the gym, night. Peter Hale in his wolf form approaching a terrified Scott. Scott throwing the Molotov cocktail at the wolf. Nothing happening. Scott thrown across the gym, forced to turn by the howl of his Alpha wolf.
Scott preparing to kill his friends, who were locked behind the door of the classroom. Allison's voice. Memories of Allison. Scott regained control.
Scott sitting in the cafeteria, listening to Jackson taunting him about his new relationship with Allison. Scott's anger resulting in the loud snap of the lunch tray.
Scott peering through Allison's open window, keeping an eye on her as she slept. Protecting her from any predators that lurked around at night.
Scott racing through the woods, gasping for breath. Clutching his abdomen in pain. Collapsing in the forest, blood pouring out of his wound. Enough breath for one word: Allison.
Tears streaming down her face, Allison woke up in a cold sweat. Feeling slightly nauseous, with an unbearable headache, Allison glanced around her bedroom. Looking out of the window, Allison saw that it was pitch black out, the only light coming from a nearby streetlamp. Peering at the clock on her bedside table, Allison saw that it read 2:30. She had been sleeping for almost ten hours. Slightly disappointed by the missing presence of Scott, Allison groaned in pain and tenderly touched the gash on the back of her neck. Pulling her hand away, she was relieved to see that her recent wound had stopped bleeding. Pulling her blanket tighter around her body, Allison noticed that the window of her bedroom was open. Walking over to close it, she remembered one of Scott's memories and peered out at the roof adjacent to her bedroom. Lying on his back, looking exhausted, was Scott. Allison smiled to herself. As long as Scott was around, she would never have to worry about anything, because he would always be there to protect her.
End Flashback
Through the eyes of Allison, that day with Scott had been the most important of their relationship. He had let her in completely, completely willing to aid her in understanding the chaos that had occurred since their first meeting. The comfort that Allison had felt as she gazed at Scott's solitary figure, guarding her, was unlike any feeling she had ever experienced before. And now, the warmth and comfort felt that day had been replaced with ice and dread.
Frozen in place, gazing down from the stairs at Scott's lifeless body, Allison's mind was completely blank. Unable to fully process what she was looking at, Allison remained completely still, silent tears streaming down her face. The shock at seeing her boyfriend motionless and bloodied at the foot of her stairs caused all rational though to leave Allison's mind.
Chris Argent gently lowered his daughter into a sitting position on the stairwell, hoping that her frozen stupor would last long enough for him to check on Scott without being hindered by the emotions of his distraught daughter. After ensuring that Allison would stay put, Chris rushed to Scott and quickly began shedding him of the bloodied clothing. Not wanting to frighten his catatonic daughter, Chris turned away from Allison. Chris Argent had killed numerous werewolves, seen numerous werewolf hunters killed, and had dealt with more bloodshed than he cared to. None of his prior experience with death prepared him for the sickening feeling that he had while tending to Scott McCall. He was just a boy, an innocent boy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But Chris realized that Scott's age wasn't what made his mangled body so difficult to see. The fear and dread that Chris was feeling was caused by the fact that, somehow, he had managed to care for the young man who would do anything to protect his daughter.
With Scott's shirt removed, Chris was able to see the full extent of his injuries. While blood covered most of his torso, most of Scott's injuries were those that should have healed by now. Confused by Scott's inability to heal, Chris began to search for anything that may explain the constant bleeding. Finally, the bullet hole was spotted. Gently turning Scott over, Chris searched for the bullet's exit wound. "Dammit!" Chris wiped his head as he realized what had happened to Scott, and why the werewolf was unable to heal.
Her father's shout, laced with fear and anger, was all it took for Allison to rush to Scott's side. Grasping Scott's hand in her own, Allison turned pleadingly to her father. "What? What is it?" Allison's tears had always been a weakness for Chris. He was her father after all, willing to do anything, sacrifice anything, to prevent Allison's pain. But now, all he could do was prepare himself to cause his daughter more pain than what she was currently feeling. "Scott was shot. With a wolfs-bane bullet. That's why he isn't healing. Allison… Allison we need to take it out." The meaning behind her father's words was not lost on Allison. "What? That's going to hurt him even more! Dad he could die!" Nodding his head, Chris gazed at his daughter with a determined expression. "You're right. Scout could die. But not if we can get the bullet out in time. Sweetheart, it's the only way. If you want Scott to live, you'll get me a knife, tweezers, and a lighter. Now."