#6

The next morning, Elie was eating breakfast when the sheriff sat down in front of her and unfolded his newspaper. The sheriff glanced at Elie's crutches, which was propped up next to her and suggested,

"Why don't you take a day off?"

"Seriously, Dad? It's just a sprain!"

"The doctor did say to rest it for few days…"

A chance to stay at home was tempting as, she thought of the Sherlock DVD box set she had borrowed from Hannah, that she hadn't been able to watch yet, but she thought better of it.

"Dad, I don't think he meant stay in bed….besides that's why I've got THESE!" Elie pointed with her spoon at the crutches. The sheriff's reply was interrupted by Stiles, who ran down the stairs and stormed into the kitchen and running around like a Tasmanian devil, preparing his breakfast.

"Morning! How's your knee?" Stiles asked as slipped the pop-tarts in the toaster.

"Okay…"

"So, I'm going to be your personal chauffeur for the next few days, huh?"

"Uh….if you don't mind. I can get a ride from Jessie or Hannah too, so no pressure…"

"No problem, sis"

"Well, I have to go…Stiles, take care of princess" said the sheriff as he finished off his coffee, folded up his newspaper and stood up.

"Yes, sir!" said Stiles as he saluted.

"Daaaaad!" Elie rolled her eyes and kicked her brother's shin with her good leg.

The pain wasn't too bad but walking with the crutches were annoying and Elie was beginning to wish she had taken up on her father's offer. She could have been in bed watching Sherlock and eating a bowl of ice cream, instead of hobbling along a crowded corridor. She was at her locker, taking her books out and shoving it into her backpack, when the crutches she had propped up next to her fell down. Swearing under her breath, Elie was about to bend down to pick it up, when Scott rushed to her side and picked it up for her. It had been few days since Elie last talked to Scott so it was kind of awkward, and by the way Scott was sheepishly grinning he felt the same way too.

"Thanks,"

"No problem…um…I'm sorry I missed your game"

"Um…it's okay…..it's not like you have to be at every one of my games"

"No, I…I feel really bad…."

"…well you don't have to"

"Is your knee okay?"

"…yup"

"Look, I know I've been kind of distant…."

"…"

"I've…I've got lot on my plate at the moment. I'm….I'm going through some changes and I… I think I'm overwhelmed by it all."

"…"

"The thing is…."

"…."

"I miss you."

"You do?"

"Yes!"

"I miss you too…."

"I know….but…"

"But?"

"I…I just have to figure something out…"

"?"

"I can't promise things would go back to the way it was…but…once I figure this out, I promise I'll tell you everything."

Elie had no idea what Scott was going through, though she suspected it had something to do with either lacrosse or Allison, or both. The fact that he had confided in Stiles but not to her, had hurt her and it still did but when she heard Scott say that he missed her, the thought of losing her friend slowly faded away. For the moment, she knew that there was nothing she could do but wait for Scott to sort out whatever problem he was dealing with and she would have to be there for him as a good friend would do.

"So, how was the double date?"

"It was horrible! I mean Allison was great but…"

"Jackson?"

"He really really hates me…"

"That's because he sees you as threat."

"Me?"

"Yeah, I mean who knows? In few weeks you might play better than him"

They slowly walked towards Elie's class, as Scott recounted his date with Allison to Elie.

"I think you'll like her…"

"She's nice"

"You know her?"

"She's in my French class."

"I'd rather have her hang around us, than with Lydia and others"

"Yeah…but I don't think Lydia's going to let go of her new best-friend that easily"

Scott groaned at the prospect of having to hang around Jackson. Elie knew Scott was still keeping something from her but she was happy that he seemed to be opening up about Allison. To know that she wasn't being shut off completely from his life was reassuring.

By the lunch time, her hands were sore and she was fed up with the crutches, so she was really irritated when she was stopped by Jackson who stood in front of her, blocking the way to the cafeteria. She had no intention of hiding her dislike towards him so she bluntly asked him,

"What do you want?"

"I need to talk."

"So talk,"

"You're friends with McCall right?"

"Yes?"

"Tell me what McCall is on"

"What?"

" WHAT, IS, HE, ON?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Look, he's got to be on something"

"Why?"

"Come on! How else do you explain his performance?" Jackson rolled his eyes and seemed frustrated by Elie's reaction. He probably thought she was playing dumb. She had also been puzzled by Scott's sudden improvement but listening to Jackson insult Scott by claiming that he had to be on drugs to be able to play good, made her furious.

"If you don't get out of my face right now, I'm going to shove these crutches up your arse!"

Realising that he won't be getting any information from her, he walked off, leaving Elie fuming in the corridor.

"Elie! Ready to go home?!" Elie heard Stiles yell from behind her. Looking at his sister's face scrunched up in pain, he quickly stood next to her and offered to carry her bag, which she gladly handed over.

"Are you okay?"

"No"

"You should've stayed at home, Elie"

"It's not my knee! It's my hands!" Elie wailed and stopped to show her brother her blisters.

"Ouch….you want me to carry you?"

"No." Elie growled as she refused, to which Stiles just shrugged and walked alongside his sister who was whimpering every time she put her weight on the crutches. The blisters were so irritating that it was tempting to throw down the crutches and just walk. Her knee can be damned.

She climbed into the Jeep, and Stiles was putting her crutches and their bags in the backseat, when she mentioned her unpleasant encounter with Jackson.

"He asked you what?"

"He thinks Scott is on some kind of drugs…"

"Well…..he isn't"

"I know." Elie could sense that whatever Stiles and Scott was hiding from her had something to do with this. He didn't look like he was lying when he said that Scott wasn't using drugs…but he quickly turned the ignition and looked straight ahead, avoiding eye contact with her. She had decided to let the boys be, and wait until they decided to tell her everything but she couldn't resist, so she pressed on.

"So it's not the drugs"

"Hmmmm…."

Stiles refused to answer, so when he suddenly hit the break and yelled out 'Oh my god!' Elie thought he was trying to avoid the question. But when she looked out the front glass, she saw Derek swaying to and fro. He eventually collapsed and she caught Stiles mutter,

"You gotta be kidding me, this guy is everywhere!"

Before Elie could ask what he meant by 'everywhere' Stiles quickly got out of the car. Elie tried to get out but Stiles told her to stay in the car. She could see Scott, kneeling in front of Derek and Stiles standing over them but she couldn't make out what they were saying due, to the multiple car horns of frustrated drivers behind them. The three of them were coming towards the car and Elie figured they were taking him to the hospital or something so she climbed into the backseat. While Scott was helping Derek get into the passenger seat, Stiles told Elie to get out of Jeep, and get a ride from her friend. She glared at him in defiance.

"Elie! Get out!"

"No! I'm coming with you!"

"Elie! You said you could ride home with Jessie!"

"She's already left because I told her I'm going home with you!"

"Well, the plan's changed!"

"You can't leave me stranded at school!"

The incessant car horns were getting out of control and they were attracting way too much attention so Stiles gave up and got into his Jeep. He knew she'd ask questions…this is not how he wanted his sister to find out….in fact, she was never supposed to find out. Damn! Damn! Wait, I can drop her off at the house and then take him home. Eh, she'll start asking questions again when I get home but I can think about that later…

"Right, get him out of here!"

"I hate you for this, so much!"

Why are they helping Derek? I thought Stiles hated him….Is he dying? What in God's name is going on?! Elie waited for Stiles to explain but he kept driving in silence so she leaned over and demanded an answer.

"Stiles, what the hell is going on?"

"…."

"….she doesn't know?"

"I don't know WHAT?"

"….shutup, shutup"

"Stiles! …..Hang on, he's in on it too?" Elie asked, as her brain just caught up with what Derek had said. Stiles and Derek were glaring at each other. Instead of answering her, Stiles told her that he was dropping her off first.

"No! Wait! You can't! Look at him! He's really really sick! We have to take him to hospital! We don't have time to drop me of at home!"

"We can't take him to the hospital!" SHIT! Stiles swore under his breath as he realised that he'd have to tell her about the werewolf situation if he was to explain why.

"What to do you mean you can't? I thought the police let him go…is he on the run?"

"Um…yes."

"No."

"Well, which is it?!"

"Look, he needs some….medication….which Scott's got to fetch…."

"What medication? And why is Scott getting it?"

"Really?" Derek snorted at Stiles' attempt to cover up the truth.

"Shutup." Stiles glared at Derek and began to call Scott, who wasn't answering. Muttering under his breath, Stiles punched a text.

"Sti-" Elie was interrupted by Stiles' ringtone. Stiles quickly grabbed his phone, read the message and then threw his phone down.

"Come on!...Hey, try not to bleed out on my seats okay? We're almost there…"

"Almost where?"

Stiles sighed as he continued.

"Your house?"

"What?!You can't take me there"

"I can't take you to your own house!?"

"No, not while I can't protect myself"

Protect himself from what?

In frustration, Stiles swerved to the side of the road and stopped the car. Elie bumped her injured knee onto the back of the front seat.

"Aw….what the hell?"

Ignoring Elie, Stiles turns to Derek and angrily confronted him.

"What if Scott doesn't find your magic bullet?"

"….."

"What bullet? Is that some kind of drugs? I thought he was getting some kind of medication!"

"Hmm?! Are you dying?" Stiles ignored Elie as he continued to confront Derek.

"Not yet….I have a last resort…." Derek replied, breathing heavily. He seemed to be getting worse.

"What do you mean?! What LAST resort!?"

"What bullet!?" Elie punched the car seat to get Stiles' attention but it wasn't working. In frustration she was reaching out to grab Stiles' shirt, when she saw Derek lift up his sleeve. It looked something like a bullet wound, There was a hole in his arm, and the wound looked unusual with dark veins branching out from the hole. It looked really bad.

"We have to take him to a doctor, right now!"

"Oh my God!? What is that? Is that contagious? You know what, you should probably just get out"

"Start the car NOW" Ignoring both twins, Derek ordered Stiles.

"I don't think you should be barking orders, with the way you look! Okay? In fact, I think if I wanted to, I could probably drag your werewolf ass out in the middle of the road and leave you for DEAD." Stiles was being unusually hostile. It wasn't like him to threaten someone who was hurt. What was going on between them? And what did he mean by werewolf!? I thought that was a joke between Scott and Stiles!

"What?! Don't be stupid! We have to take him to the doctors!"

"Start the car, or I'm going to rip your throat out. With my teeth." Derek threatened Stiles who then reluctantly started the car and began to drive away.

"If we're just going to drive around until Scott gets back, then we're dropping Elie off"

"Fine."

"NO! I want to know what's going on right now!"

"Elie! This is not the time!"

"If you drop me off at home, I'm going to call dad to tell him that you're driving around with Derek Hale who's been shot!"

"No one likes a snitch, Elie"

"Stiles!" Elie reached out and grabbed her brother's ear and yanked it in frustration. She knew it was childish and dangerous as he was behind the wheel, but she was fed up with being ignored. Stiles yelled out in pain and slapped Elie's hand.

"Just tell her." suddenly Derek spoke

"You shut up." Stiles snapped at Derek.

Elie leaned back, sank into the seats and crossed her arms.

"Why keep it a secret?" Derek asked Stiles.

"Because it's dangerous!"

"Pulling a blanket over her eyes doesn't make her safe."

"Knowing doesn't keep her safe either!"

"Knowing what? Safe from what?" Before Stiles could answer, Derek started to groan in pain. Whatever it was, it was getting worse. Her curiosity would have to wait, so she insisted again.

"If we can't take him to the doctors, what if we call Melissa? May be she can help"

"No! She'll tell dad about it!"

"Is dad after him? I thought he wasn't the killer!"

"Everything's going to be okay once Scott gets here!"

What's taking him so long anyway? Stiles picked up his phone to call Scott. As soon as Scott picked up his phone, Stiles began to complain about Derek.

"What am I supposed to do with him?...By the way, he' s starting to smell….like DEATH!...What about your boss?"

Stiles sighed and handed his phone over to Derek as he said, "you're not going to believe where he wants me to take you."

"Did you find it?...If you don't find it, I'm dead…..Think about this. The alpha calls you out against your will…..He's gonna do it again. Next time, you either kill with him or you get killed. So if you wanna stay alive, then you need me. Find the bullet."

Alpha? What the hell did he mean by alpha?

What did he mean kill or get killed? Was Scott involved in a gang? Hang on is there even a gang in Beacon Hills? Why can't Derek go to hospital? And what the hell was a bullet? Is it an actual bullet? How could having a bullet help him at all?

Elie was confused and she had millions of questions but the seriousness of the situation dawned on her and it stopped her from asking them (at least for now) as she looked at Derek who really did look like he was dying. They quickly drove to the Animal Clinic, and got to the spare key as instructed by Scott. Elie followed them, expecting Stiles to tell her to wait in the car but he seemed to have given up shielding her from whatever was going on since he didn't say anything. While rummaging for the key, Stiles got a call from Scott.

"Does Nordic Blue Monkshood mean anything to you?"

"It's a rare form of wolfsbane…he has to bring me the bullet"

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to die without it." Derek was sweating, and he struggled to walk as they made their way into the clinic. Staggering into the room, Derek took his shirt off and began to rummage through the drawers. Not knowing what to do, Elie and Stiles stood around the table. When Derek put his injured arm on the table, Stiles commented,

"You know that really doesn't look like anything some magnesia and good night's sleep could take care of?"

"If the infection reaches my heart, it will kill me…."

"Positivity really isn't in your vocabulary, is it?"

"If he doesn't get here with the bullet…the last resort….."

"Which is?"

Derek held up an electric handsaw.

"You're going to cut off my arm"

Stiles and Elie looked at each other in horror. Ignoring their reaction, Derek began to tie the rubber band around his bicep, so Elie slowly walked over to help him. When she reached up, Derek looked surprised but didn't stop her, so she tightened the rubber band in silence. I can't believe I'm taking part in this! Stiles was shocked by Elie's action, but he too picked up the handsaw, but he quickly put it down as soon as the blade began to roar.

"Oh my god…what if you bleed to death?"

"It'll heal if it works"

"Look, I don't know if I can do this"

"Why not?"

"Well, because cutting through the flesh, sawing through the bone, especially the blood!"

"What? You faint at the sight of blood?"

"No?! But I might, at the sight of a chopped off arm!"

"…fine how about this? You cut off my arm, or I'm going to cut off your head."

"You know what? I'm so not buying your threat-"

Derek grabbed Stiles by the shirt and pulled him to his face, glaring at him.

"Oh my God, okay bought it, sold! totally, I'll do it." Stiles reluctantly agrees to do it, and Elie stood there watching them feeling useless.

"What? What are you doing?" asked Stiles, when Derek suddenly bent over the table. He threw up some black gunk, freaking out Stiles and Elie. What kind of infection did THAT to a body? It looked like something from a horror film. One of those Japanese horror films...thought Elie as she stood there not knowing what to do.

"Oh my God, what the hell is that?"

"….my….body's…starting to heal…."
"Well it's not doing very good job…."

"Look honestly, I don't think I can…"
"Just do it!"

"Oh my god! Okay okay….god…okay….here we go!"

"Stiles?!" As soon as they heard Scott's voice, the feeling of relief washed over Stiles.

"Scott?"

"What the hell are you doing?" Scott freaked out at the sight of the handsaw.

"Oh, you just prevented a life time of nightmares"

"And therapy." Elie added.

"Did you get it?"

"What are you gonna do with it?" Scott took out a bullet from his pocket. Elie stared. I thought it was some sort of medication. They literally meant bullet?How's that supposed to help? Elie's train of thoughts were interrupted when Derek collapsed and the bullet rolled away. Scott jumped after it, while Elie and Stiles hovered over Derek who had passed out.

"Derek? Come on, wake up! Scott! What the hell are we gonna do?"

"I don't know! I can't reach it!"

"He's not waking up!"

"I think he's dying! I think he's dead!"

"Check his pulse!" when Elie yelled, Stiles put his fingers over Derek's neck.

"Just hold on!...I got it! I got it!"

"Please don't kill me for this!" said Stiles and punched Derek, who woke up, and despite looking dazed he managed to scramble up with the help from Scott. He bit off the top bit of the bullet, and spilled the contents out on to the table. He then took out his lighter and set fire on the powder. A blue flame shot up, and when the flame disappeared he gathered the powder in his palm and he rubbed it into his wound.

Derek fell down screaming in agony and thrashed around on the floor. The three of them stared down at him, not knowing whether the cure was working or killing him. It was hard to tell by his screams but then, they saw the wound beginning to heal. It was like watching a video image backwards. The hole was gone, the popping veins had disappeared, and the colour began to come back to Derek's face.

"That was AWESOME!YES!" Stiles yelled out in excitement. Elie was just dumbfounded. What just happened? Was that physically possible?

"Are you okay?" Scott asked as Derek was getting up. He seemed okay since he wasn't sweating anymore. And the hole in his arm was really GONE.

"Except for the agonising pain" said Derek as he put his shirt back on.

"I guess the ability to use the sarcasm is a good sign of health" Stiles rambled on and got a glare from Derek.

"Okay, we saved your life, which means you're going to leave us alone. You got that?" Scott demanded. Making Elie wonder what the boys' relationship with Derek was. Why did they help him? and what did he mean 'leave us alone'?

"And if you don't, I'm going to go back to Allison's dad and I'm going to tell him everything-"

Allison's dad? What's Allison's family got to do with….with whatever the hell this is. Is everyone else in on it? Am I the only one in the dark? Who else knows about….this!?

"You're going to trust them? You think they can help you?"

"Why not?! They are freakin' nicer than you are!"

"Yeah, I can show you exactly how nice they are"

"What do you mean?"

As Scott and Derek glared at each other, the twins stood around not knowing what to do, when suddenly, 'Like A Rolling Stone' rang through the clinic. It was Elie's phone.

"Shit. It's dad, what do I tell him?" Elie held up her phone, wondering what to tell her father.

"Tell him…tell him we're picking up pizza!" as soon as Stiles came up with an excuse, Elie answered her phone.

"Hi, Dad!"

"Hey Elie, where are you? Are you with Stiles?"

"Yup…we're…..we're on our way to get some pizza!"

"Oh, okay…don't forget to get some pizza rolls too."

"Pizza rolls! Got it!" said Elie as she gave her brother thumbs up.

"So, since no one is dying anymore, can you please explain what the hell is going on?"

On the way home, with the boxes of pizza resting on her lap, Elie demanded explanation from Stiles. He sighed and began to talk since he knew it was no use hiding it from her anymore.

"….you know how I joked about Scott being a werewolf?"

"Yes?"

"Well, as it turns out…he really did become a werewolf."

"….keep going"

"Um….we initially thought it was Derek who bit Scott"

"Derek's a werewolf too?"

"Yup…but it turns out that there is another one."

"Who is it?"

"We don't know"

"And what about Allison's dad?"

"Um….Allison's family is hunters."

"Hunters,"

"Yes…they kill werewolves…."

"...Why didn't you tell me all this?"

"Because knowing can put you in danger!"

"Am I in danger now? Are YOU in danger?"

"Um….no….I don't think so, but"

"But?"

"If something happens….I can't protect you."

"Why would I need you to protect me?"

"You haven't seen Derek in werewolf form…they are really scary."

"They?"

"Even Scott tried to kill me couple of times."

"Kill you?"

"Well, it wasn't his fault it was the full moon, you see…"

"Werewolves"

"Yup"

"In Beacon Hills"

"Yup"

"Are there anything else? Like Vampires or witches?"

"Not to my knowledge…but I wouldn't be surprised if there were."

"Holy mother of Jesus…"

Elie couldn't believe what she was hearing despite having witnessed Derek's recovery…I mean werewolves? Really? She knew the saying 'seeing is believing' but even when she'd seen it, it was hard to believe. Werewolves? What next? Harris turns out to be a blood-sucking vampire?

Sorry to Keep you guys waiting! My life has been somewhat hectic this past few days…I hope to sort everything out by next week so I can start posting at least once a week :)