A/N:
I know it has been literally ages and I think I'm just writing this fanfic to give myself feels but oh well - anyways, you should be glad to know that I got into med school *throws confetti* and 98% of my time is dedicated to studying, (the rest is for sleeping) so I actually forgot about my internet world for a while, but hopefully, I'll be better with the updates. I'm sorry I left you guys with such a cliffhanger, but but but, if anyone still DOES read the fanfic, bless you, you're a sweetheart, thank you so much and I hope you enjoy my writing thus far!
"You were on your way home from the Social Services building – the four of you decided to visit the little girl you saved in the forest." Chris Argent's voice echoed behind Eva, but she leaned against the hood of the car, incapable of speaking, incapable of deciphering what had happened. "Eva, look at me." Chris repeated, and she blinked quickly just to show him she heard what he was saying.
"Scott and Kira were on his dirt bike so they were ahead, they didn't have time to turn back when the car got jumped." Chris whispered as he turned around to Scott, who was still holding Allison's body in his arms. They were no longer on top of the Social Services building – they were a few miles ahead on the highway that led to it. Chris created a whole scene, even scratched Allison's car using the Oni's blade that was left on the roof to make if more believable.
The story was: Allison, Eva, Scott, and Kira wanted to visit the Social Services building to check on the baby girl that Scott and Eva found in the woods the day they went out to search for Malia. They left before some sort of gang attacked the building, suspects with masks that were spotted all over town. Some of them were on the road, and they jumped the car Allison and Eva were in. They both got out, but Allison tried to fight them off, got stabbed, and they ran away.
Chris had fashioned everything on his way – when Kira had called him to tell him his daughter was no longer alive, and Eva curled on the ground, watching Scott in the distance, his arms wound around Allison and holding her so tightly as if just holding her would bring her back.
"You called me first, okay?" Chris whispered, "Kira, what do you say?"
"I called you first." She whispered, "I called her dad."
"Good." Chris nodded, before he turned to Scott and Eva. He knew Kira would tell the story word to word – But Eva and Scott, they were the ones Chris knew would cave. The ones who would break. "Then what do you say?"
"The car drove on something…the tires got blown. We had to stop.." Eva shook her head slowly, "They came out of the trees." Eva whispered, still staring ahead blankly, "We couldn't see their faces…I think they had masks on, I don't remember."
"I stopped when I heard Allison's car, and when I looked back I saw two of them, they had a knife." Scott stumbled over his words, before Chris interrupted him, "Not a knife,Scott. You can't be specific. You saw something sharp. Something metallic." Scott nodded slowly, before Chris turned his gaze to Eva. She swallowed thickly and closed her eyes as the tears trickled down her cheeks, "They told us to get out of the car so we did…" Eva whispered, her throat closing up. She couldn't say this – she couldn't tell a tale about how Allison died when that wasn't the truth, when the truth was that she'd died saving Eva's life. That it was essentially Eva's fault.
"Eva, what do you say when you get confused? What do you say?" Chris demanded, and Eva shook her head slowly, "I'm sorry, I don't remember. It just happened so fast." Eva opened her eyes slowly and wiped away her tears, "Good, what next?"
"How are you doing this?" Eva asked as she looked up at him, her voice shaking. She saw Chris' eyes widen momentarily, as if her words drew him back to the reality in which his daughter was dead. She saw the tears in his eyes, watched them well up as he turned away from her, "It's what we do." He said quietly, and Eva stared at him before she turned her gaze away.
Eva sat beside Kira in the police station, her eyes on the ground – never turned away. Lydia's phone call played over and over in Eva's head, along with all the possibilities; all the what ifs. It drove her mad, just sitting there, thinking that maybe – just maybe, if she'd listened to Lydia, Allison would be with them right now, and they wouldn't be lined up in the police station waiting to give their testimony on a murder.
"Eva." The brunette looked up when she heard the door open, her eyes meeting the Sheriff's. She saw Scott walk out of his office slowly, and she turned her gaze to him, watching as he nodded slowly. Eva pushed herself up on shaking legs and stepped towards the Sheriff, before he stepped aside to let her in. Eva's eyes drifted to the rolled up sleeve and the bandage wrapped around his arm. She frowned, her eyes flickering up to his tired face, before she walked in slowly.
Eva glanced around the Sheriff's office – everything in it seemed unfamiliar. Her eyes met Parrish's, who pursed his lips sadly, "Sit down, Eva." He motioned for the couch behind her, and Eva slowly did as told – that was all she could do now. Do as told.
"What happened, Eva?" Parrish asked as he brought out a recorder and set it beside him on the desk. Eva glanced sideways at the Sheriff, who nodded encouragingly. Eva swallowed thickly before she turned to Parrish and started, "We were on the highway. We were on our way back…The tires got blown because we ran over something, and they came out of the trees." Eva whispered, word for word, trying to control herself – she couldn't look Parrish in the eyes, or the Sheriff, so she just turned to look at the ground instead, again.
"They told us to get out so we did." Eva whispered, her voice beginning to shake as her eyes welled up again, "And…we saw um..something sharp, I saw something sharp…" Eva chewed on the inside of her cheek, "I started to panic, and one of them told me to keep quiet, but I couldn't…and Allison, she—she told him to stay away from me and…"
Eva shook her head slowly as she blinked away the tears and watched them drop to the ground. The Sheriff looked up at Parrish, and he nodded slowly before he turned to her, "Do you remember anything else?"
Eva shook her head slowly as she sniffled, "It's just…It happened so fast." Eva swallowed thickly, before she eventually got up and headed towards the desk to sign off on her testimony. The Sheriff signed on both of Kira and Scott's. Before Eva left the office, she turned to the Sheirff after Parrish left. "What happened to your arm?"
"One of those masked figures showed up in the station…two, actually." The Sheriff gestured over her head, "No one got hurt seriously…" When Eva looked up at the Sheriff, she frowned, "But…" The Sheriff turned to grab a paper and scribble something down on it. Raphael McCall. Eva looked up at him, eyes wide – she knew the Sheriff had the poison of the blade running in his system as well. And now, now Scott's dad was in the hospital and Scott didn't even know. Eva felt the responsibility add onto the guilt, and the crushing weight started to feel too much for her to handle.
She turned to leave, "Eva." The Sheriff called out, and the girl turned back to him. "You're going to be okay."
Eva shook her head slowly as her eyes began to well up, "She saved my life, got too distracted to watch her own back." Eva whispered, "She's gone because of me."
"That's not true. You were doing what had to be done. She was as well." The man told her, and Eva let her gaze drift to the ground. "Allison Argent was one of the bravest and strongest people I knew, and so are you." The Sheriff nodded once, and Eva flickered her gaze up to his face, shaking her head slowly, "I'm not strong." Eva whispered, "At least, I'm not strong enough to save everyone and I know I have to."
The Sheriff let the corners of his lips curl up into a weak smile, "You've got what it takes, Eva Davis. I've seen you change, and you've done it so well. Keeping up good grades, saving people…"
"I'm failing my Econ class." Eva whispered, "Coach's class?" The Sheriff asked, and Eva nodded slowly, "Don't you worry about that. Bobby's an old friend of mine."
Eva felt her eyes well up again, "Thank you." Eva whispered, "Come here." He stepped towards her, and Eva closed her eyes as she felt the man wrap his arms around her tightly. Eva leaned her head against his arm, his good one, and blinked the tears out of her eyes, "My dad's in the hospital right now. He might die." Eva whispered, "And I have to stop it, and I have no idea if I can do it."
"You can stop it. I know you can." The Sheriff nodded once as he patted her back gently and pulled away. Eva tried to smile at him before she stepped back to leave the office. Eva turned around to see Scott and Kira still sitting beside each other, their hands intertwined. She felt her lower lip tremble as he turned her away, but when she looked up and saw Stiles walk in through the door, she lost the grip she had on whatever composure she was keeping.
"Eva…" Stiles sighed, and Eva could already see the poison taking effect on him – his face paled with circles under his eyes. But he didn't stop the little jog he did before he finally stopped in front of her. Eva stood on the tips of her toes wrapped her arms around his neck, her face buried into his shoulder, the tears silently rolling down her cheeks as Stiles' arms wrapped around her, his hand going to back of her head to stroke her hair gently.
They didn't even exchange any words – he just held her tightly, before he eventually pulled away, his eyes flickering across her face. He reached out to wipe away his tears, before he stepped towards Scott, who still didn't move an inch. His hand went to Scott's shoulder, and when Scott looked up at his friend, eyes reddened with tears, Stiles frowned and patted his shoulder gently – there was nothing that could be said.
Eventually, Stiles had to break the silence, and he reluctantly did it as well, "Did you get the pendant?" He asked as he turned to look at Eva, who shook her head slowly. "It wasn't on him."
"What pendant?" Scott muttered as he looked up, his eyes, despite looking empty, holding a new determination.
"There's a pendant that links Cole to the nemeton." Kira muttered, "Once we destroy it, he's gone."
"Wait," Stiles started quietly, "Where could it possibly be?" He frowned as he closed his eyes, shaking his head.
"Do they have a house here?" Scott asked, and Stiles shook his head once, "No, it was brought down after he died." The group fell into silence, "If we don't find that pendant…" Eva whispered, shaking her head slowly as her eyes began to well up.
"Eva," Stiles started as he turned to her, "You said that Noshiko told you Rhys' body was in Eichen House."
"But it wasn't." Eva muttered, shaking her head slowly, before it finally dawned upon her. "It's on Rhys' body."
"But we don't even know where Rhys' body is." Kira muttered, "Not necessarily," Scott shook his head as he looked up at Eva, "If what Deaton said was true, if Rhys' was somehow trying to contact you, then he was trying to contact you from the place he was in." Scott muttered, and Eva blinked as she tried to recall the dream, but it seemed almost as if it had happened ages before. "I was panicked…" Eva whispered, "I was in inside a small room with a dead body that was talking…I don't even know where that was."
"Do you not remember any details? Anything that could lead us there?" Stiles asked, and Eva closed her eyes. But the place was too noisy – too crowded. She shook her head slowly and opened her eyes, turning to them with a frown on her face. "I…I was too panicked."
Stiles sighed, but Scott tensed. "We can help you remember." Scott muttered as he got to his feet.
Stiles turned to look at his friend, before he gulped when he realized what Scott was talking about. "What? What is it?" Eva asked, turning to Stiles, "How will you help me remember?"
Scott gulped, shaking his head slowly, "You're not going to like it."
Eva stood beside the tub as Derek and Scott emptied ice bags into the water. Stiles sat on the chair beside her, getting worse by the minute, but refusing to admit it. Eva blinked slowly as she turned to Deaton, "So I'm going to be dead."
"Technically. Your heart will slow down. A lot. It's kind of a…comatose state." He sighed tiredly, and Eva turned to the tub again as Derek and Scott stepped away. "Since Rhys sought you ought the first time, this time you're the one who has to find him. Invite him. Try to find exactly where he is. You don't need an object to link you. You just need to open your mind."
Eva nodded slowly as she heard and tried to register Deaton's words. "How long will I be out?" Eva asked, turning to Stiles and Scott.
"That depends on you, Eva. You need to work fast, though. I don't how much cold your body can withstand." Deaton finally answered when the other two couldn't, and she turned back before she shrugged out of her jacket and set it aside with her phone. Eva stripped down until she was only in her tank top, shorts, and Stiles' wrist band. She didn't have any time to waste, and she couldn't afford to lose it.
Stiles got up slowly, his gaze meeting Eva's before he stepped sideways, holding his hand for her to help her step into the ice bath. The shivers ran through her body, and the goosebumps rose on her skin as soon as her toes made contact with the water. The further she pushed it in, the more she felt the ice cold water stab daggers of shock into her nerves. Eventually Eva had both legs in, and she leaned down to grip the edges of the tub as she sunk down into the water, shivering until she finally settled down, leaning back to rest her head against the edge.
She felt Stiles' hand rest over her shoulders, before Eva pursed her lips tightly to hold her breath in as Stiles pushed her down into the water. The déjà vu was eerie, but one Eva couldn't afford to remember right now. Her body tensed and her lungs began to burn, but for some reason, she felt herself drift off – as if she was going to bed.
Eva gasped as she pushed her head above the surface of the water when the burn suddenly took over, and the need to breathe broke through her peaceful slumber. She quickly moved to get out of cold water, wrapping her arms around herself as she tried to conserve some body warmth. Her eyes flickered across the vast room she stood in – white ceramic on the walls, on the ground, on the ceiling. Eva frowned as she stepped forward slowly, her eyes flickering across the room nervously.
"Rhys?" She called out as she glanced around, stepping forward slowly. "Can you hear me?" She asked loudly, listening to her voice echo off in the room. She frowned as she glanced around, "Now would be a very good time for a helpful riddle!"
Eva whirled to the side when she saw something moving beside her, "Rhys!" She called out, recognizing the World War II uniform. "Wait!" She called after him as she ran towards him, or at least she tried to run. She saw him turn around and disappear behind one of the many pillars in the room, and she hurried after him – but when Eva turned around the same pillar, she wasn't in the white room anymore.
She was in the school hallway.
Eva frowned as she glanced from side to side, remembering just exactly which part of the school she was standing in at the very moment. She walked forward slowly, her eyes flickering frantically across the hallway, jumping off the walls, and scanning the ground for any sign of anything that could help. With the limited time she had in her head, Eva could almost feel her heart beat hard against her chest as she searched for Rhys.
Eva was in the main hallway in no time, her eyes easily catching the door that was the Chemistry lab, and the works around it to rebuild the wall and make it look presentable, make it look normal. Mostly, make it look like nothing had happened.
Eva jumped when the door was forced open, and she pushed herself back against the wall. Until she saw Stiles run through the door with Lydia and Scott trailing behind him. Eva frowned before she followed after them, taking off in a sprint to catch up, scared that they might disappear behind the nearest turn just like Rhys did.
Eva seemed to run after them the whole length of the school building until they were on the opposite end. Eva gasped as she watched Scott go into the door that led to the boiler room first, before Stiles followed him, and Lydia trailed behind. Eva tilted her head, pulling her brows into a frown as she followed after them slowly.
Eva was still halfway down the stairs when she heard Lydia whisper, "I don't get it," Lydia whispered as she glanced around the empty room, "She's supposed to be here." That's when she realized what she was seeing – Eva was watching what happened when Rhys was talking to her. Rhys is trying to show her where he was.
"Then where is she, Lydia? Where the hell is she?!" Stiles turned to her, his eyes widened with concern and anger, anger that almost scared Eva. But she had to remind herself that it wasn't real. None of this – it was all just a hallucination Rhys used to get in contact with Eva.
"I'm sorry…" Lydia whispered as she flinched and stepped back, "I really thought she was here."
"Look," Scott started calmly, "We can go look for her somewhere else. She has to be somewhere."
"Of course she's somewhere, Scott!" Stiles yelled at him too, before he turned away from both his friends. Scott frowned before he turned to Lydia, "This is the right place right?" Lydia nodded quickly, before her gaze drifted forward towards the end of the wall, towards a patch of wall that was so easily obvious to anyone.
Eva stared at the wall before she sucked in a deep breath through her lips. She knew where Rhys' body was.