Kate howls in pain grasping at her arm releasing Malia.
The three turn in shock to look at Stiles who's eyes flicker between amber and black,
"Run.."
Scott hurries to grab Lydia as Malia retrieves a shell remembering Deaton's instruction.
Lydia limps grasping onto Scott,
"No! We can't just leave him here! I- I felt him again! He was there!"
Scott looked back at Stiles who was lowering the still smoking gun. His eyes pleaded with Scott as his internal struggle continued.
"We have to go Lydia.."
Lydia turned to him her mouth wide in disbelief,
"What!?"
She pushes back from him darting towards Stiles. Arms encircle her and she screams for him to let her go,
"No! Stiles!"
His amber eyes glisten with tears before dropping the gun. Kate stands looking furious as Stiles' eyes fade to black.
"You're going to pay for that. ."
A growl can be heard as the door slams shut blocking him from her.
Her screams of protest don't end as Scott practically has to carry her from the building.
Kate is on him in a matter of seconds her claws digging into his throat. His eyes widen as he gasps for air. She slams his back to the ground letting out a low growl.
His eyes stay black as she studies them searching for any sign of change.
"You have to be punished...you understand me!? "
Stiles nods before she lifts him by the throat his toes barely brushing the ground. His hands claw at hers as he chokes for air.
His body flies across the room slamming into the wall with a crack. He had to have broken a bone from the pain radiating from his ribcage. His breaths are labored and strained as he sprawls on the cold cement.
"Please.."
Kate places her heel on his extended hand pushing down slightly. A cry bursts from his lips before she releases his hand. Her hand bunches the fabric of his shirt as she jerks him into a sitting position.
A fist collides with his face, a purple bruise already blossoming around his eye. The sting from the blow radiates across his face and tears form in in the corners of his eyes.
"Enough?!"
He nods sucking in his bottom lip and gripping his ribs.
"I don't think it is.."
Stiles sobs,
"Please... "
Her claws dig into the skin of his chest as she lifts him to stand. She balls a fist slamming it into his stomach sending a jolt of pain from his ribs through his gut. His back arches forward automatically before she grips him by his hair turning his head up to her harshly,
"We won't make a mistake again... will we?"
Blood from the corner of his mouth stands out against his pale skin. He shakes his head her fingers still gripping his hair.
"Good. Now to finish the job.. go."
He limps to the door clutching his side but his feet move on their own obeying her command. Kate looks at her wound and hissing as the door slams shut.
She walks to the bathroom before reaching her claws into the wound. A new wave of pain rushes over her and she yells into the empty room. Her claws clamp down on the bullet still lodged in her arm and she pulls.
The blood covered bullet drops into the dirty sink below as her skin stitches itself closed. Her now green eyes flick up to the hazy mirror taking in her reflection. She slides a hand over her hair recomposing herself before walking back into the main room.
She crouches in front of the man sitting motionless in a daze on the floor,
"It looks like we may have a problem Chris.. I think I'll need to recruit your help for this one.."
Lydia lays motionless on the damp forest floor,
"We have to go back Scott..."
Scott sits up as the last of his wounds healing,
"No, Lydia we can't. "
She sits up suddenly, some leaves caught in her matted hair,
"He was there! Our Stiles! We can't abandon him! I can't lose him again...I don't think I could handle it.."
"Lydia-"
Scott's ears perk up as the sound of a door opening and closing draws his attention,
"We have to go.."
Lydia grabbed his arm stopping him,
"What if it's Stiles?"
"What if it is!? What if Kate sent him to kill us?"
Lydia's eyes plead with him and he glances over his shoulder at the approaching footsteps.
"Come on."
Scott grabs Lydia and Malia follows. He leaps over the fallen tree they were behind before, hidden from view.
The three crouch peaking over the tree and wait.
A figure edges past the line of trees limping.
Lydia gasps as his features are illuminated by the moonlight. His black eye is swollen and he grips at his side wheezing as he breaths.
"Oh my god.."
Lydia moves to run to him before Scott stops her.
Stiles' voice sounds strained and lacking the force his words possessed before,
"I know you are out here... it's no use hiding."
They hold their breath as he scans the trees.
"Lydia... I know you can hear me."
The girl slams a hand over her mouth to mute the shaking breaths she is releasing.
The crunch of leaves suddenly draws their attention back to him.
He is on his knees, head bowed and clutching his side. When he looks up again, they see the red trail from his lips and hear a strangled cough.
His body falls forward thudding into the ground. Scott's arms are unwavering around Lydia as she struggles to reach him.
"Scott.. he is hurt!"
Her voice comes out as a harsh whisper.
Malia grips her arm,
"What if it's a trick ?"
Lydia glances at the motionless boy and is thrown back to a similar night in the forest not too long ago.
His hair is unkempt and dirty and his skin is a few shades lighter than normal.
"We can't leave him Scott.."
Scott glanced at Stiles' body before pulling out his phone,
"I'll call Deaton.. see if he knows what to do."
Lydia relaxes in his arms, stopping her struggle to break free.
Scott brings the phone to his ear casting a worried glance at Stiles then Lydia,
"Deaton, Hey. We kind of have a situation in the woods and need a little help."
Lydia watches as he nods at the vet's words.
"Alright.. I'll text you our gps location.."
He ends the call typing a message to Deaton containing their location before pocketing the phone.
"He's on his way. Malia, you take the shell casing to the clinic. Kira is there and Deaton is giving her instruction on what to do with Liam."
Malia nods before jogging of towards the clinic.
"Ok Kira.. what I need from you, is to help Malia when she gets here."
The vet lifts a small vial from the shelf behind her slipping it into his bag.
"Ok so.. what do I do exactly?"
Deaton quickly walks to the cabinet rifling through the bottles,
"When she gives you the bullet, there is wolfsbane in it. Take the wolfsbane and burn it before rubbing it into the wound. Of course cut the stitches open first.."
Kira's eyes widen,
"Uh... I don't know.."
Deaton stops his rushing and turns to face the Kitsune,
"You can handle this.. I'm sure of it."
Her lips tilt downward before shrugging,
"Yeah but what if I make a mistake? ? Can't Malia do it? I mean I could cut the stitches wrong or- or burn the wolfsbane too long or not put enough in or-"
"Kira!"
He places a hand on her shoulder,
"You will do great.."
She glances at him with worried eyes but still nods,
"Ok.."
He smiles before shouldering his bag,
"We will be back.. thank you Kira."
She smiles as he rushes out to his car.
The crunch of leaves behind them startles them from their focus on Stiles,
"Deaton...That was fast."
The vet smiles before kneeling next to them,
"Ok so what is going on here.."
Scott looks to Stiles,
"He came out of the trance for like five seconds in there.. he said something to Lydia then shot Kate.. I'm assuming Kate did that to him as punishment. "
Deaton drops his bag,
"Lydia what did he say to you?"
She stares at her bloody wrists and irritated skin,
"He told me... he said to kill him.. that it hurt. . That's when his eyes went back to the way they were before.."
She looks up at him with a quivering lip,
"He was there.. our Stiles.."
Deaton studies her before glancing at Stiles.
Scott pears into the dark bag,
"We didn't want to risk going to him if this was a trick.."
Deaton grabs at a vial from the bag before turning to Scott,
"That was probably best.. care to assist?"
Scott nods following Deaton over the branch.
"Lydia. .. stay here."
A protest dies on her lips at Scott's pleading expression.
"Ok.."
Deaton tips his head in the boy's direction and they make their way over slowly.
Lydia holds her breath behind them as they near his body.
Scott is the first to kneel by his head studying Stiles' relaxed face. His mouth hangs open slightly but his brows are tight. As Scott places a hand on his, black veins race over his skin and up his neck. He recoils wincing at the pain glancing at Deaton,
"He's in a lot of pain..not just from the injuries.."
The vet glances at Stiles' face then back to Scott.
"We are going to take him back to the clinic and help him.. physically and mentally. ."
Scott places his hand on Stiles again and the black veins reappear.
He grinds his teeth as a stinging pain shoots through him getting stronger. He keeps his hand clasped tightly on Stiles' refusing to let go.
"Scott... Scott not too much. "
Deaton's voice is becoming muffled as his ears start to ring,
"Scott!"
His grip looses and he withdraws his hand as the pain radiates out slowly. He releases a shaking puff of air before looking at a worried Deaton.
"I'm sorry .. I just- he is in so much pain.."
Deaton nods in understanding taking out the stopper of the vial.
"What's That?"
The clear liquid shimmers and reflects in the moon.
"Kanima venom."
"Malia?"
The werecoyote bursts into the back room,
"I got it.."
She slams the bullet onto the table beside a still unconscious Liam.
Kira stands walking over to her grasping at the bullet.
"Ok..let's do this.."
Malia hovers over Kira's shoulder as she bends over Liam.
"Uh.. Malia?"
"Yeah? Are you going to get started?"
Kira looks at the girl,
"Um.. could you actually stand.. over there."
Malia shrugs nodding before moving to the opposite side of the table.
Kira grabs the torch and studies the bullet.
"Ok I'm going to need something to break this open.."
Malia grabs the bullet from her before twisting the metal in her hands. The bullet pops open and the dust drifts to the metal table.
"Or ..that works..."
Malia smiles smugly setting the bullet pieces down before crossing her arms.
Kira sweeps it into a neat pile before lighting the torch.
"Alright... here we go.."
She takes a few deep breaths before bringing the flame to the wolfsbane. It turns red on the edges before fading to an ashy grey as she pulls the torch away.
"Now we have to..cut the stitches. ."
She grabs the scissors leaning over his body.
The blade touches the first stitch and Liam groans, his eyes staying shut.
She sighs before replacing the scissors.
The stitches snap open with each pass of the scissors.
She cuts the final thread leaving the wound open and red.
"Then we just. . Put it in there.."
She eyes the wound a second before sweeping the wolfsbane onto a piece of paper and pouring it into the wound.
They hear a distinct hiss in the wound and Liam sighs in relief.
"Oh thank god.. that was terrifying. "
Malia smiled at her,
"You did great."
The raven haired girl smiles before leaning over,
"Liam? Liam are you ok?"
His blue eyes flutter open and be groans as he sits up,
"What happened?"
Kira glances at Malia then back to him,
" A lot.."
The dropper he used to suck up some of the venom hangs over Stiles' face.
"I'm going to need you to open his mouth for me.."
Scott grips his face gently ignoring the pulses of pain up his arm.
He squeezes his mouth open carefully and cringes visibly at the amount of blood there.
Deaton squeezes the venom into his mouth and Stiles' eyes shoot open his cold hand grasping at Scott's before falling next to his body unable to move. Unlike with the nogitsune, his eyes don't look menacing.. they look terrified.
"You have to run! Get away from me!"
Scott squeezes his hand tighter drawing more pain,
"We aren't going anywhere Stiles you're going to be ok."
Scott can see his eyes flicker between their usual warmth and a steely black.
Lydia rushes over sliding to a halt next to him and kneeling.
His eyes flick to her,
"Please.. please kill me Lydia.. before I hurt anyone else..before I hurt you."
She grabs his hand her eyes watering,
"No! We are going to help you Stiles. You are gonna be ok. You won't hurt me."
The statement was more of an assurance for herself than him.
"You don't understand. ."
Her hand slides over his cheekbones before resting on his jaw.
"No you don't understand... I'm not losing you again.."
Deaton stands,
"Let's get him to the clinic.."
Scott lifts him as Lydia stands, her hand still clasping Stiles'.
He adjusts Stiles in his arms and he whimpers his eyes screwing shut.
"What's hurting you?"
The vet scans his body looking for signs of damage.
"My-my ribs..I think something's broken."
Lydia sucks in a breath squeezing his hand hard.
"We need to hurry.."
They make it to the vehicle sliding Stiles in the back with Lydia.
Deaton presses hard on the gas pedal with Scott following close behind.
Stiles' eyes flit back and forth quickly searching his surroundings.
Lydia whispers soothingly,
"Hey, it's going to be ok."
His eyes meet hers and she can visibly see the edges of his irises flicker between black and his normal golden shade.
"I can't-I can't"
Deaton looks in the mirror pressing the gas pedal harder.
"What..?"
Lydia searches his eyes when they hit a rather large dip in the road making them bounce in the seat,
"I can't do it anymore... I can't fight it. I'm so tired."
His eyes almost fade entirely to black before rushing back to brown.
"Just hold on a little longer Stiles.. "
Stiles' brow creases with effort and his breath comes out in pants. His eyes squeeze shut as his teeth clench and Lydia grasps at his hands.
"Stiles.."
His eyes flick open and his irises have morphed into cold black holes. Like his pupils have dilated fully.
His features relax and his face is void of expression.
Her heart sinks as his gaze meets hers.
"It's no use Lydia. ."
Deaton looks in the mirror with a worried expression.
"It's over."
The tires kick up dust as they pull into the clinic parking lot.
Lydia bites her lip to hold back the sob threatening to escape her lips as Scott throws the door open to retrieve Stiles. His eyes stay locked on her as they enter the building making her skin crawl. Kira runs up to great them with a smile until she see's Stiles draped in her boyfriend's arms.
Malia stands up quickly and Liam follows as Scott lays him on the table, still paralyzed.
Lydia glances at her feet feeling like prey under his incessant glare.
Deaton rushes in throwing his bag on an empty chair,
"Liam, there is a large metal tub in the back room. Bring it in here please."
He moves around the metal table with a motionless Stiles,
"Malia, help me move this table."
They scoot the empty metal table to the wall, the feet scraping over the tiled floor.
Scott lowers his brow as Liam hauls the all too familiar tub into the room.
"No.. no we are not doing this."
Scott grips Deaton's shoulder halting him and the vet whips around to look at him,
"This can bring him back..it's our only shot."
He shakes out of Scott's grip continuing to rush around,
"I need you three to go to the freezer and grab the bags of ice.."
Kira, Liam and Malia rush to the back to grab the ice as Deaton lays a hose in the tub and turning on the water.
Stiles chuckles from behind them and they turn towards him,
"Remember how this ended the last time?"
Scott shook his head looking at Deaton,
"We can't..."
"We have to."
The three return dumping the ice bags into the half full tub.
Malia empties her bag and looks at the vet,
"So what is this exactly?"
"The object of the ice bath is to put the person in a trance like state. The trance will allow access to the subconscious to pull him back. However, the induced hypothermia slows the person's heart rate down to almost none. It is not a particularly safe procedure but it's our only option."
Scott looks to Kira, Malia and Liam,
"When we did this before..it's what opened his mind to the nogitsune.."
Deaton turns off the water,
"That was a ritual sacrifice..this is different. Someone must go in and bring him out."
Kira remained silent but glanced at Lydia who has been quiet the entire time.
Liam studied Stiles then turned back to Deaton,
"Well who does that?"
The vet's eyes drift to Lydia as the girl lowers her head, already knowing the answer.
"It has to be his emotional tether.. and the connection between them will give us a better chance at success. Scott.. will you .."
He gestures to the still motionless boy signaling for his help.
He nods,
"Liam.. want to help me real quick?"
The beta nods hurrying to the foot of the table. A quick nod from Scott, and Stiles is lifted and moved over to the bin full of ice water.
Deaton motions for Lydia to come stand by the tub as well.
"Before we start Lydia.. I'm going to need you to search for your connection... when you feel it.. we can begin."
She closes her eyes searching for the faint tug in her chest and focuses on the warmth she finds there. A tingling feeling spreads over her skin and when she opens her eyes her vision is blue.
"Ready."
A distant sound of surprise from Malia and Liam at the sight of her golden glowing eyes.
Deaton nods at the two boys and they place Stiles into the ice water.
"Lydia, hold onto that connection. That's how you will bring him back."
She nods, her eyes still burning gold as she looks at the back of Stiles' head. He sits in the tub, shivers passing over his body, and she steps forward placing her hands on his shoulders.
One nod from Deaton is all it takes for her to push down, submerging him completely.
Bubbles pour from his nostrils and mouth as he yells attempting to struggle in the water. She sniffs slightly as his wide eyes find hers below the surface.
She sees them fade from black to amber before closing slowly.
Her own eyes drift shut as she holds onto the connection between them. Her surroundings blur becoming muted and a distinct hum fills her ears.
A harsh tug on the string resounds across her chest and she follows that feeling into nothingness
Hey! Sorry this took so long.. I literally would stare at a blank page for fourty five minutes trying to think what I wanted in this chapter. I hope it turned out ok/: i think this fic is nearing it's end which makes me sad ): but i do have a new Stydia fic in the works so look forward to that (: this fic has maybe a couple more chapters so don't freak out yet(:
leave me a review please(:
Thanks for the continued support!