Authors Note:
Haha... I'm so terrible at updating. Man sometimes I hate my extended writers block. So here's another chapter, albeit kind of short, but I needed to add something. Moving onto episode 11: Battlefield now. We're almost at the season final of S2! So many ideas for S3 that are coming. Keep the reviews coming guys, I really do appreciate them!
Chapter Twenty-Two: He's Back
Morning light had finally come, and with it came the release of the new wolves. Avery had woken on her own and gone to let them out, almost toppling over Sam who had fallen asleep outside her door. She continued past her sleeping brother and slowly made her way down to the abandoned train where the three teens had been locked up. As she stepped aboard they all looked up at her, with huge eyes and heavy hearts. Last night had to be hard on them; that was something Avery never thought she would hear herself say. Living around all these wolves had made her become soft, but little to anyone's knowledge, she didn't mind all that much.
She moved over to have a look at how they were restrained, all by locked metal pads and chains. Vaguely, remembering where Derek had said he'd put the keys she quickly stuck her head out the carriage. Low and behold, there it hung neatly on the outer door. Safe from sharp werewolf claws. Grabbing it, she move back in to free them.
"You know, as much as Derek's your alpha and all, it's kind of douchey to leave you chained up when you're in control." She said beginning to unlock Isaac's chains.
"Where… did… he go?" Erica panted, as she sat upright and held her chains out. Avery turned her head to the side slightly.
"I was going to ask you the same thing." She stated looking around in case the other two had answers. Silence. "Wait. So no-one knows where he is then?"
You would have to be deaf and stupid not to know that Derek had returned home, when a loud banging echoed throughout the complex. Avery's head shot around with surprise as he stomped down the metal stairs. She chucked the keys into Isaac's hand and went to go see what all the ruckus was about. Clearly Derek didn't have a very good night.
"Good Morning sunshine!" she said, folding her arms and giving her best 'angry-parent' face.
"Where's Sam and the others?" he said quickly, with no tolerance of her sarcasm today. When Avery finally stood close to Derek she could see the droop in his eyes. His clothes were tattered and bloodied, which she initially assumed to be the work of the beta's but now she wasn't so sure.
"What's going on?" Sam called, as he had awoken and the other three stepped from the subway car.
"All hell broke loose." Derek said with an ambiguous glare, "One things for sure that we don't not trust Scott."
"Care to explain all your crypticness?" Avery raised one eyebrow and suddenly the previous nights events spilled forth from Derek Hale with so much frustration she could have sworn he was going to punch a wall.
First there was the whole Scott secret betrayal to Gerard Argent. It had been almost physically impossible that the hunters could be everywhere so quickly without insider information, it was just no-one had suspected it was Scott who was the insider. Everything from weaseling his way into Derek's pack, feeding information and giving them the step ahead when they had indeed found out the identity of the Kanima Master. Derek was right to be furious. But the nights antics didn't end there. After going to the police station to provide back-up in a hostage situation, Derek had found himself paralysed and practically left for dead. All the while some local high-school kid with all the wrong power in his hands, plotted the annihilation of anyone who stepped foot inside the building.
Avery would have been happy for him to end his story there, but he still continued,
"Something else happened…" he said after a moment of silence. But this time when his gaze met Avery's it wasn't out of fury. It was out of fear and it was deep rooted, "I never told you that Peter was dead."
"As in your uncle Peter, who mauled my sister?" Sam's voice raised, Avery's hand impulsively reached to the scar on her face.
"Yes, that Peter." Derek nodded, "I don't know if you heard anything a couple of months ago when you were still hunters about the 'animal attacks' in Beacon Hills."
"Yeah, that was why the Argents came here in the first place." Avery replied.
"All Peter. He killed Laura and Kate Argent and then I killed him." Derek confessed, but he didn't feel guilty for it, "Thanks to one of Scott's little friends, he's back from the dead."
Like always, there was silence amongst the group. The Venator's were trying to process the bizarre flux of information thrown on them. Avery's hand slowly dropped from her cheek and she felt like she had been punched in the gut. She turned away from the group and tried to walk back up the stairs and to her room, but before she could Sam's hand caught her wrist. She violently shook free from it and continued marching on without looking back. She couldn't bear to.
In all her life there had only ever been one person she had been truly afraid of and it was Peter Hale. He had haunted her dreams for the entirety of her life, he'd caused her pain and agony. When she finally made it to her room she slumped on the door frame and had to catch her breath.
"No, no, no!" she growled and slammed her fist hard into the wood. Murderous parents, backstabbing friends and giant lizards she could endure. Heck, she had somehow endured those four men last night but the sound of Peter Hale's name sent shivers down her spine, they made her blood curdle. She hadn't even realized she was shaking until a firm hand placed itself on her shoulder to steady her. She whipped her head around in fear that it was Peter coming to get her again only to find Derek in his place. She gulped and took in a deep breath. Derek steadied her further by holding her with his other hand and ensuring she stood flatfooted on two feet.
"I used to have panic attacks about the fire, about hunters finding me and ending what the Argents started." He said softly, checking his shoulder to make sure no-one was listening, "You have to be smarter and wiser. You have to stand against them and not let your fear get to you."
"You make it sound so easy." Avery dropped her head, "I wish I could fight the fear off, but you don't understand."
"The nightmares? Feeling the walls closing in on you? I do understand." He comforted once more, she felt his thumb begin to rub circles into her shoulder. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath. Somehow Derek was right, she knew it. She just had to prove that she could beat the terror that tore its way to the front of her throat.
"This isn't like last time. He won't lay a finger on you." He finally said and Avery opened her eyes, suddenly very aware of their close proximity. With a slight nod, she acknowledged him before he too noticed the oddness of the situation, and stepped back. He turned to walk away but stopped, "And whatever's going on with you and Sam. Fix it. We've got enough fighting going on without you to at it."