Stiles slammed the door of the student councillor's office shut, anger fizzing up inside of him. Who was she to tell him how he felt. The whole thing was so stupid. He didn't need her help, he had Lydia, she was all that he needed. Picking up on this, the woman had suggested that he try branching out slightly more, becoming less dependent on one person. Stupid he thought, throwing his bag over his shoulder and stomping out of the school. I'm fine. I. Am. Fine. Perhaps he thought if he told himself the lie often enough, that it would eventually become true. Muttering to himself he hurried out into the parking lot, hoping not to miss the bus. He was just rushing through the large gates when something caught his eye. A car that most definitely should not be there. Slowing to a halt, squinting at the anomaly, he scratched his chin. If he waited around too much longer, he would miss the bus, however, if Lydia's car was still at school, something was wrong. Checking his phone to see if she had texted him, he frowned when he saw that his inbox was empty.
Making his decision he hurried over to her car. What he saw caused the temporarily absent anger to return with a vengeance. Someone had vandalised her beautiful car, writing things like Psycho and Crazy Bitch all over it. The sight could have brought a tear to his eye. What did Lydia do to deserve this? Just as he was about to start trying to rub the marker away, a young looking student stood up from the other side of the car, laughing to himself. Looking closely, Stiles saw a permanent marker held in the kid's hand. Snapping, he ran round the car, grabbing the freshman and pinning him to the side of the car. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He was shouting right in the kid's shocked face.
"Hey man, come on let me go!" The boy squirmed in discomfort, clearly not happy about being caught.
Shoving him harder against the car, Stiles demanded answers, "I said what do you think you're doing?! Why did you write this shit all over Lydia's car?"
Laughing slightly the kid responded, "Didn't you see? She had a total mental breakdown in the middle of school! She's a frickin' psycho!"
Face dropping, Stile's grip slackened slightly, "What?" His voice had moved from yelling to a shocked whisper.
Seeing his reaction, the freshman swore under his breath before saying, "Hang on, you're Stiles right? Of man your girlfriend's a crazy bitch dude!" The kid had wisely chosen that moment to tear himself out of Stiles' grip, taking a few steps back. Had he stayed where he was, his nose would have been very broken.
Glaring at him, Stiles took a step forwards with his fists clenched. "Where is she?"
Raising his hands, the kid replied, "I don't know dude! Some kid called Theo took her home I think."
Exploding with anger, Stiles yelled, "WHAT?!"
"Woah dude! Chill out. I always wondered why Lydia Martin would want to date Beacon Hills High's resident psycho, but now I get it, you're both as deranged as each other! Hey, maybe you can grow old in Eichenhouse together!" The kid ran off, leaving his closing statement hanging in the air around Stiles like a poisonous fog.
He blinked, not bothering to conceal the hurt expression on his face. The words stung. Of course, he knew that word had gotten out about him being in Eichenhouse, hell; some people even had worryingly accurate theories about what Stiles had done during the Nogitsune times, although they didn't know he was being possessed during the whole incident. But to learn that even freshmen were being warned that he was crazy and to be avoided at all costs, that sucked. He sniffed, rubbing the back of his neck in an attempt to un-tangle some of the knots that had gathered there.
Shaking his head, he turned his mind back to the issue at hand. Climbing into Lydia's car, he produced the spare key which she had given him, only to be used in emergencies. "Well, if this isn't an emergency, I don't know what is." He shoved the key into the ignition, forcing the car into life. The familiar hum of the engines filled his head, and he prepared to drive home. For a minute or two he struggled with the automatic driving system, but he quickly got the hang of it, pulling out of the school in no time. Racing home, he ignored every speed limit he came across, purely focused on getting home and making sure Lydia was safe. Finally, he sped around the last corner, home coming into view. Pulling up in the driveway he jumped out of the car and ran to the door. Bursting into the hall he looked around wildly for Lydia. "LYDIA?" He yelled. No response.
Cursing under his breath he sprinted upstairs, racing down the hall and to her bedroom door. Not bothering to knock, he burst inside, looking around wildly for her. Natalie was sitting on her bed, holding one of Lydia's pillows and sobbing. Panic steadily rising, Stiles hurried over to her and knelt down in front of her. "Natalie? What happened? Where's Lydia?" The woman looked up at her, but the sight of Stiles only seemed to remind her of Lydia, and she broke down into more sobs. Before the boy could get too frustrated, there was a cough from the doorway. Looking up, Stiles saw Theo. Insides boiling, he stood up, rushing towards the boy in the doorway. "You. I never trusted you. Where's Lydia!"
Glancing over Stiles' shoulder, Theo spoke quietly, "Stiles your upsetting Ms Martin. Let's talk somewhere else."
Looking around at the sobbing woman, Stiles nodded, pushing past Theo and walking down to the living room. When they arrived, Stiles turned to face him, all of his hatred for the boy directed straight at him. "What. Did. You. Do." It was almost more of a threat than a question. "Where is she?"
Putting on an innocent smile, Theo raised his hands. "I didn't do anything Stiles. This was all you."
Frowning, Stiles took a step backwards, "What?"
"Yeah, that's right. This is all on you Stiles. You helped Lydia tap into her powers, and now they've taken over, she can't stop. She's gone crazy, Stiles. In fact, she forced me to drive her straight to Eichenhouse, checked herself in and refused visitation. I just came by to let Natalie know what happened." He laughed cruelly at the end of his statement. There was no need for pretending to care anymore, Stiles knew Theo was bad, and Theo knew that Stiles knew. However, the devious boy still had a web of lies to weave, it was all part of his plan, and he had to convince Stiles that she was there of her own accord, that it was his fault.
However, the intuitive boy saw right through him, taking a threatening step towards the werewolf. "I don't believe you."
"I don't know what to tell you Stiles. But the fact is, she's in there and she isn't coming out any time soon. And you didn't save her." Theo hissed the last few words as he pushed past Stiles and towards the front door. Lunging forwards, Stiles grabbed Theo's shoulder and pinned him to the wall. Theo laughed harshly, "There he is. Void Stiles. Is this what I had to do to get you to come back? Hurt Lydia? Hah! Too easy. But I'm glad you're embracing your dark side. It suits you." And with that, Theo easily brushed off Stiles, heading out of the door and speeding off down the sidewalk.
Standing frozen in shock, Stiles stared out of the open door. His first instinct was to race to Eichenhouse, to save Lydia, tell them it was all just a big misunderstanding. But what if Theo had been telling the truth, what if Lydia really had lost it? He couldn't tolerate the thought. Grabbing his jacket he rushed out of the door, a twinge of guilt plucking at him when he heard another bout of Natalie's sobs from upstairs. Really he should stay and comfort her, but then again, bringing Lydia home would be the best comfort he could offer her right now. Mind set on his goal, he locked the door, jumping into Lydia's vandalised car. Checking his phone quickly he realised that he had multiple missed calls and texts from Scott, Liam and a few other people, all asking about Lydia. Sighing he turned off the phone before chucking it onto the back seat.
Gritting his teeth he started up the car, driving towards the place that he hated most in the world. Eichenhouse Mental Asylum. He knew the way perfectly, back when he had first checked in, he had spent the car journey memorising the route instead of talking to his dad. It had been easier not to talk. Now however, he wished that his dad was here, with a warrant and a comforting word, a promise that everything was going to be okay. Stiles had come to realise that such promises could never be kept, life inevitably ruined things after a while. Scott liked to call it regression to the mean, things remaining balanced. Stiles usually referred to it as "Life Sucking" or "The supernatural ruining things once again" or something equally as pessimistic. He just couldn't bring himself to have such a positive attitude like Scott did, not after everything that had happened to them, after everything they had lost.
Stirring himself from his gloomy thoughts, he sped up a little, eager to get to Lydia as quickly as possible. The large dark walls appeared in front of him, just as grimy as he remembered. Pulling up on the side of the road he stopped the car, staring out of the window at the tall dark gates. Everything inside of him was begging him not to set foot in the place ever again. But he had to, he had to help Lydia. Taking a shaky breath, he climbed out of the car and walked towards the gates. Staring at the voice box on the wall, he remembered the last time he had pushed that button, waiting to check himself in. Face set with determination, he pressed the button, calling up to the reception desk. There was a mechanical beeping before a man's voice filtered through the metal box. "How can I help you?" He sounded incredibly bored, almost irritated at the interruption to whatever he had been doing.
Clearing his throat, Stiles replied, "I- I'm here to visit a resident." His voice was much shakier than he had expected. This place really messed with his head. After a moment of silence, there was a buzz, and the large gates began to slide open. Shoving his hands into his pockets he hurried up the steps, wanting to spend as little time in the place as possible. Now running, he burst through the reception doors, stumbling up to the desk. "I need to see Lydia Martin." The man looked up at the sudden exclamation.
Staring at Stiles with a dull boredom, he checked something on the computer. "Miss Martin is not allowed visitors as she is showing violent tendencies. You can wait until she is allowed her first phone call, although that is likely to be a few days." Turning back to Stiles, he raised his eyebrows at him, indicating he was done with this conversation.
Growling in frustration Stiles leant over the desk, staring down the receptionist, "Listen, I know she isn't here of her own free will. You're gonna let me see her, discharge her, and we're both going home. Understand?"
Looking unimpressed, the man drawled, "Are you threatening me?"
The phrase jolted a memory in Stiles, back in the hospital last year when the Nogitsune had taken full control over him. It had used his mouth, his voice, to say those exact words to a possible adversary. Everything about Eichenhouse seemed to remind him of those horrid times. Theo's words came back to him, There he is, void Stiles. According to Theo, even with the Nogitsune gone Stiles still had evil in him, it was part of who he was and it was what Theo wanted to bring out in him. Taking a step back, Stiles tried to calm himself down, not wanting to let his violent side out any more. "No, no I'm not. Sorry. Look, do you think you could just let me talk to her for one minute?"
Rolling his eyes the man groaned, "Sir, do I need to call security to escort you off of the premises? Miss Martin is not allowed any visitors."
Begging now, Stiles spoke quietly, "Please, come on. Have a heart, let me see her." The man pushed a buzzer, and moments later two large men in guard uniform arrived from a door to the left. Raising his hands in surrender Stiles muttered, "Alright alright I'm leaving. Just, just tell her to call me." Feeling truly defeated, he shuffled towards the doors, closely followed by the two guards. He was just about to exit the lobby when a terrifyingly familiar sound reached his ears. The building wasn't called the Echo House for no reason. Lydia was screaming, only not a Banshee scream, a terrified, heart wrenching screech that tore at his chest. Spinning around he yelled, "LYDIA?! Hey! Let me go!" He fought as the two guards picked him up, dragging him out into the gardens. All the way to the gates he struggled to get free, "What have you done to her? Don't hurt her! LYDIA!" He was thrown through the gates, which clattered shut behind him. Turning around, he rattled the bars, sticking his arms through in an attempt to reach her. One of the guards attempted to push him off but he wouldn't be dissuaded. However, when the second man produced a tazer, Stiles jumped down, oh too familiar with the painful sensation the devise caused.
He stood, glaring at the men. They glanced at each other, smirking cruelly, "We'll be sure to take extra good care of your beloved Lydia." One of them sneered at him, practically spitting the words in his face. Rage taking over him once more, Stiles launched himself towards the man, which gave the other an excuse to press the tazer hard into his side. He yelled in pain, cursing himself for letting them bait him so easily, before falling to the ground in a curled up ball. Panting and wincing and gasping in pain he couldn't even muster the strength to look at them. All he heard was the one with the tazer saying, "And don't come back." He was vaguely aware of something wet –probably spit- landing on his face, but he was too out of it to care. He lay there semi-conscious in the freezing cold for a long time, until eventually Scott found him, heaving him into Lydia's car and turning the heating way up.
Gently he shook Stiles, only then noticing the burn from the tazer and the spit on his face. Wiping away the spit with his sleeve he stared at his friend. "Stiles? What happened?" The boy squinted wearily up at his friend, still suffering from the tazer and the freezing temperatures he had been lying in.
Doing his best to get his words out, his lips fumbled for a moment before managing, "Lydia guards tazer receptionist scream." His sentence made no sense, and it was slow and slurred, but he still gazed at Scott, hoping he would understand.
After a moment of processing, Scott nodded, wrapping his jacket and his hoodie around his friend. "Come on man, we gotta get you home, Natalie was worried about you. We'll save Lydia, don't worry. We just need to make a plan first." Scott laughed a little, and Stiles joined in.
"Ss-suppose bar-ar-arging in-n waaaas-s pretty stuu-u-pid." That was all he managed to say before finally passing out, succumbing to the insistent allure of unconsciousness.