A/N; Myself and Elle, would like to thank you for reading and reviewing. Trippers, I want you on my side should we find ourselves in a creepy wood with a killer. Nobot4life, would we kill Alex? Honestly, we're far too nice for that. Anyway, grab a cup of tea and enjoy.
Seeing her girlfriend on the floor, her torso covered in blood, Casey dropped her backpack and raced to her side, already yelling for Teddy as she cradled the blonde to her chest, "Alex? Alex, wake up. Please wake up." Getting to response she began to panic, her hands shaking as she tried to find a pulse or some sign that the blonde was alive, almost crying in relief as she felt the thump of Alex's heart against her hand. She had been so focused on Alex that it wasn't until she the beams from Teddy and Kim's flash lights reached her she saw Addison's body. "Oh God."
"Casey? What happened?" Asked Kim as she crouched next to her and reached a shaky hand out to check Alex for a pulse, "There's a pulse. Teddy..." Realised Teddy was frozen on the edge of the clearing she followed Casey's gaze and gasped when she saw Addison blood caked body.
"Teddy." Whispered Casey aware her friend had yet to move or speak, "I'm so sorry."
Swallowing deeply Teddy tore her gaze from the gory scene in front of her and asked, "What happened?"
"I don't know, I found Alex unconscious and Addison..."
"She must have passed out." Interrupted Teddy as she moved to check Alex over, making sure to step around the figure on the floor. As she examined the still unconscious blonde, she was aware of the way her hands shook and she was struggling to get enough air into her lungs. Forcing herself to take a few deep breaths, before addressing the others, "Have either of you got a spare jacket, she's cold?"
Sharing a concerned look with Kim, Casey addressed the doctor who was once more focused on checking Alex over for signs of injury, "Teddy..."
"I can't see any injuries, I think she passed out probably from shock. We should head back to the cars and get out of here." Replied Teddy once again cutting Casey off, "Kim help Casey get Alex back to Amanda."
"What about..." Started Kim.
"Just do it." Snapped Teddy before taking a deep breath, "Amanda needs you and you'll be safer together."
"Teddy, I'm so sorry." Whispered Kim all too aware of the pain Teddy was feeling, her throat still aching from her recent loss, "We're all here for you, you don't have to do this alone. You don't have to always be strong."
Nodding Teddy clenched her jaw, the last thing she needed was their sympathy, she wasn't sure she could hold it together and she needed to be strong, she needed to keep what was left of her friends safe. Waiting until she was alone she knelt down next to Addison, lifting her into her arms she pressed their foreheads together and whispered, "Oh Addy, I'm so sorry. I wish I could turn back the clock, we could have taken that cruise, gone to Europe or even better, stayed in bed all week. This is all my fault."
Gently laying her back down, she swiped at the tears on her cheeks and shrugged off her jacket using it to cover Addison's body, she lifted the only woman she had ever loved into her arms. Staggering slightly under the weight she scooped Casey's forgotten rucksack up and started walking back to the clearing and what was left of her friends. As she walked she locked her emotions away, there would be time to grieve later, right now it was her job to get the others home safely and then she could join Addison.
Reaching the others, Teddy was taken over by white hot anger at the sight of Alex siting up and Casey talking lovingly to her, it wasn't fair that they had each other when she had lost her soul mate. "Get up."
"She needs a minute." Replied Casey as she continued rubbing soothing circles on Alex's back whispering words of love and comfort.
"We need to get out of here, so get up and walk or stay here alone. I'm passed caring." Snapped Teddy.
Before Casey could reply, Alex forced herself to her feet, "I'm okay. I can walk, Teddy's right, we should leave."
"If you're sure." Whispered Casey her heart still racing as she remembered the sight of Alex unmoving and covered in blood, in those few seconds, she had never felt such intense fear and grief, it was something she never wanted to feel again.
"Promise." Replied Alex leaning into Casey's side as she addressed Teddy, "Teddy, I'm so sorry."
"Right, did you even try and save her?" Asked Teddy an unusual harshness in her voice.
"S-she was already…" Started Alex only to be cut off my Casey.
"What are you doing with my bag?" Demanded the redhead letting go of Alex and stepping towards Teddy.
"You left it behind." Shrugged Teddy, tossing the bag to the floor, a sense of hopelessness washing over her as soon as the bag left her grip.
"Right." Grumbled Casey as she opened her bag and started rummaging through it, a sense of relief flooding her body as her hand closed over her uncle's book.
Bristling at the implied application she had stolen something Teddy snapped, "Trust me, you have nothing I want."
"Other than the woman I love, alive and well." Snorted Casey.
"Watch yourself." Warned Teddy her voice full of cold fury.
"Then you should have taken better care of her." Taunted Casey.
"Casey!" Admonished Alex in a shocked voice.
"We should head back to the cars." Interjected Kim in a calm voice as she stepped between Casey and Teddy.
"Fine." Muttered Casey with an eye roll.
"Kim, help Amanda with…with Olivia." Instructed Teddy as she readjusted her grip on the body in her arms, "Lets all just stay together and get back to the car safely."
"Why are we taking them? They're dead! Let's just leave them." Demanded Casey. "And, why are we taking orders from you?"
Whipping around, Amanda stepped towards Casey, her hands balled into fists. "We're not leaving them! If you don't like it that's your problem."
"Whatever." Sneered Casey as she slung her backpack over her shoulder, grabbing Alex's hand she lead them back towards the path.
"You okay?" Whispered Kim as she walked next to Amanda, "Sorry, stupid question. I know you're not okay."
"I'd feel better if I could beat the crap outta that snooty little bitch…" Growled Amanda glaring at Casey's back.
Kim sent the blonde a sympathetic smile, "Casey she isn't normal like that. I don't know why she's acting like it now, maybe it's the stress."
Grunting in response Amanda focused her attention on where she was walking, the walk back seemed to be taking forever in the darkness, or maybe it was the suffocating grief she felt that made it seem like it was taking longer. "Now I understand why people fear the silence." Mumbled Amanda.
"I know, it's too quiet. Too still." Shivered Kim before lapsing into silence. As she walked Kim began turning everything over in her mind, starting with the fear she had felt when reading the book, fear that had so quickly turned into anger. Then there was Casey's mood. Casey who was always happy, always smiling and treated Alex like a Queen was suddenly angry with everyone, Alex included. Not to mention her reaction to the repetition of the Latin phrase; Per virtutem Saviours sanguine, profecto anima uestras vinctum. Kim wasn't sure why the phrase gave her comfort, but was willing to take it on a night like tonight, a night that had claimed the lives of two of her oldest friend, a new friend and Abbie. Dear, kind, sweet Abbie, the woman she had lost her heart to in the space of a smile and a few words, swallowing thickly, she pushed those thoughts aside.
Instead she refocused her mind on the night's events. It wasn't just the phrase that was odd, there was something else, something big that was tugging at the back of her mind, like a dream you just can't remember, even though it was important. Maybe it was the fear or the grief clouding her mind, but she knew if she could just remember then she would be closer to understanding, if it was possible to understand all that had happened.
Reaching the clearing, Teddy and Amanda set Olivia and Addison down next to Abbie, each taking a moment to say a silent prayer for the woman they loved, sharing a supportive look they turned and headed back to the others. Teddy sighed as she saw Casey had sat as far away from Kim and Alex as she could, she knew grief and fear effected people differently, but she was quickly tiring of her attitude, especially as their number continued to dwindle. If they had any hope of making it through the night, they needed to work together, to use their strengths and trust each other.
"I made some tea." Called Kim, snapping Teddy from her thoughts.
"Thank you." Whispered Teddy as she took the cup, seeing the look on Amanda's face she couldn't help but smile as she explained, "Kim has this crazy idea that tea is the answer to all of life's troubles. It's odd, but we love her anyway."
"Oh, where I'm from that's bourbon." Replied Amanda with a chuckle that turned into full blown laughter, her laughter soon joined by all but Casey.
Wiping her eyes, Alex looked across at her girlfriend who was staring into the darkness, as if sensing Alex's attention Casey turned, the anger in her gaze making Alex shiver and subconsciously move closer to Teddy. In the time she and Casey had been together, her girlfriend had never raised her voice to her or anyone, never got angry and yet the look in her eyes frighten her.
Listening to their laughter, Casey couldn't hold back her sneer at how stupid they seemed, did they not know what lurked in the darkness watching, waiting and ready to strike. Looking up she noticed how close Alex was sitting to Teddy, how as their eyes met she seemed to press herself even further into the doctors side, the roar of anger in her ears pushed her to her feet as she lunged at Teddy.
The force of the collision knocking Alex aside, banging her head on the front of Amanda's truck, opening a small cut over her eye, her cry of pain enough to distract Teddy allowing Casey's blow to connect with her jaw, making her grunt, "What the fuck, Novak?"
"Keep your hands off her, she's mine." Growled Casey as she pulled her fist back once more, "Just because you were too weak to protect…Ooomp."
Flipping them over, Teddy raised her fist, her blow landing against Casey's cheek with a satisfying thud, "Don't you dare speak her name. You have been nothing but a whiney baby all night.."
"You're weak. All of you." Yelled Casey as she rolled them over, aiming another blow at Teddy's face. "You got her killed! We should have left after Serena. Now you're all going to die."
Jabbing Casey in the eye, Teddy managed to gain the upper hand, as she pulled her fist back wanting nothing more than to hit the redhead over and over until the roaring in her ears subsided. Before she could act, she felt herself being pulled backwards. "Get off me." Yelled Teddy as Amanda yanked her off Casey.
"She's not worth it." Soothed Amanda as she pulled Teddy further back a struggle as Casey continued to scream abuse.
"She lost her hands, you want to know why? Because they heal." Turning to a shell shocked Kim who was comforting Alex she sneered, "It should have been you. It wanted you, not Abbie. You should have died!"
"Stop it." Yelled Teddy a shiver passing through her at the unnatural growl in Casey's voice.
"And the other one, the heart of you all. So noble, so good and so brave. Gone." Continued Casey as she got to her knees, causing the others to back away. "You're all so afraid and you should be, they're coming."
Kim felt as if she had been doused in ice water, the missing body parts, the anger radiating from Casey and the stillness of the night all suddenly made sense; the story was real. They were being hunted by something inhuman, something evil and dawn was still a long way off.