Motherhood proved to be the best distraction and the worst for Sadie while she and Kira drove through town looking for Scott and Allison. The Kitsune was more than happy to indulge Sadie's questions about her seven month old little girl, beaming as she spoke about her. Stories of learning to sit unassisted and trying solids only made her think back to when Eli was that age.
Kira had moved to Japan after graduating from high school in New York to get in touch with other Kitsunes to train with. It was her Mother's recommendation after she'd returned from studying with the Skinwalkers. It had clearly benefited Kira and her Kitsune powers. And Liam evidently too. His companion, who Kira had explained was Hikari, a Kitsune friend she'd introduced to Liam when he and Scott visited a few years ago. Kira was concerned to learn she'd also been taken, as Hikari was a fire Kitsune and would have come in handy for Plan A. She still refused to share Plan B with Sadie, so she decided to not push it.
They'd been stuck in a gridlock for nearly an hour by the outskirts of Beacon Hills. Kira had taken to sticking her head out the window in intervals while deeply smelling a shirt she'd found in the cab of Scott's truck. Sadie laughed when Kira took another deep inhale, "Did you ever think you'd be sniffing your ex-boyfriend's shirt at 5pm on a Saturday?"
Kira snorted, taking another whiff for dramatic effect. "On the long list of things I imagined doing when I saw Scott again, sniffing his shirt to help me find him wasn't one of them."
She craned her neck trying to see around the line of cars in front of them. "What is all this traffic for? Did you get a new mall or something?"
Sadie also stuck her head out the window, leaning on the steering wheel to try to see up ahead. The new college stadium was barely visible beyond the long line of traffic. The lacrosse tournament. She looked at Kira sharply, "The Nogitsune liked playing games…riddles, tricks…would you think a lacrosse game my son is supposed to be playing at would be a good place for his final act?"
Kira's eyes widened in realization, "He's got them at the game."
Sadie didn't bother with her turning signal as she pulled onto the shoulder, pushing down on the gas to get around the traffic. Who was going to pull her over? The Oni-kidnapped Sheriff or the Hellhound that was currently obtaining silver weapons? Kira already had Lydia's number dialing, but she didn't answer. "Try Stiles." "Or Malia."
Kira slid the phone into her jeans, giving Sadie a solemn look. "Looks like we might be on our own."
It didn't reassure her. She'd gone from the full calvary to just Kira in less than a day. She was still thankful and grateful she was here with her. They pulled the truck to a less than legal parking spot right at the edge of the stadium entrance, bolting from the cab.
"Ladies, you need tickets! Ladies-" The security officer at the gate was no match for Sadie, who unceremoniously dumped him into the nearest trash can, not even pausing in her stride. "Do you smell him?"
Kira scanned around but before she could answer they both heard it. The roar of their Alpha. Scott was here and he was in pain. Kira's yellow-orange eyes met Sadie's dark purple ones. She blinked rapidly, it had been years since her eyes had shifted and by the look on Kira's face she was shocked as well.
"Your eyes! I haven't seen them like that since Mexico when Derek-"
Sadie nodded to cut her off, "Doesn't really happen unless it's life or death I guess. Downside to not being a "real wolf" as Peter would say."
"I would hardly say a true mate doesn't qualify for being a real wolf," Kira shot back as they descended the stairs to the field. They paused, scanning and sniffing until Sadie came up with an idea. She hurdled the gate leading to the Beacon Hill's player's box, Kira following close behind.
"Coach!" she called, catching Coach Finstock's attention.
He jumped, frowning at her. "McCall! What the hell are you doing here?" He did an over the top double take at Kira pulling up beside her. "Yukimura!"
Coach Finstock, clapped his hands together, lifting them towards the sky as he seemingly forgot the women standing beside him. "Is this punishment for that time in Rio with the dolphins? One of my best players is standing beside me while we're absolutely annihilated?!"
The two women looked at each other, Kira mouthing "Rio?" to which Sadie shrugged, mouthing back, "Dolphins?"
"Coach!" she shouted, snapping him back from his plea with the sky. "Have you seen my son? Or my brother?"
"Do you mean that idiot standing in the middle of the game?" Coach shouted, blowing his whistle and pointing onto the field. Sadie's head swung in the direction he was pointed and she felt her heart stop. Getting to his feet was her son, looking no worse for wear than someone who'd just been trampled by a lacrosse team.
"Eli! Get your ass over here!" Coach shouted again, blowing his whistle rapidly.
Eli didn't need to be told again. The second he saw his Mother on the sidelines he was sprinting, heart in his throat. He crashed into her, clawing at the back of her jacket in an attempt to get even closer to her. It didn't matter that his classmates were in the stands, he had thought she was dead when he didn't see her in the Nogitsune's illusion with everyone else.
Sadie's hands shook as she finally pried her son from her, running them over his curly hair, smiling at him through the tears. "You're okay, you're here," she breathed, running her thumbs over the tears that had gathered on his cheeks.
"I thought you were dead!" He sniffed, trying to gather himself.
Sadie shook her head, giving him a reassuring smile. "I'm here. I'm okay and I'm not leaving you. Where were you? Where's your Dad? Where is everyone else?"
"Scott!" Kira shouted. Scott jogged to join them, whatever had caused his roar and the large bloodstain on his shirt no longer affecting him. Eli waited for his Uncle to join to explain, "It's a place, but it's not real. Dad's there. Everyone's there."
"It's like he's knocking pieces of the board."
"But why would he put Eli back in?" Sadie asked.
There was no sign of Allison, but Sadie didn't have it in her to ask. Had Scott had to kill her after just bringing her back from the dead? She shook the thought away, Scott couldn't even kill a true enemy, let alone his former lover who was possibly under an evil fox spirit's influence.
"Kira has a plan," Sadie explained to Scott as the foursome ran to the exits.
The Alpha nodded, "I don't even want to ask how you are here, but I'm glad to see you. Especially if you've got a plan."
He looked to his sister and nephew, "I need to get them out of here first,"
Sadie and Eli began to protest heavily as Scott pushed his family members towards the exit, only to rebound backwards sharply. It was like they'd hit an invisible wall. Eli groaned, palming at his forehead. "Oh! What the hell was that?"
The three adults looked to the thick black line less than a foot away. "Mountain ash" they said in unison. They were stuck. Scott looked at his sister worriedly, "I can't get Eli out."
She nodded in understanding, "I know. If we figured it out, that means everyone else should be close behind if not already here." Sadie hesitated to say that Stiles would surely figure it out and get Parrish. Scott was already stressed enough without knowing his best friend was in danger again.
"How do we get all these people out?" Eli questioned, looking into the stadium stands. Sadie's mouth briefly pulled into a smile, seeing Derek's selflessness reflected in her son.
"OH COME ON! MY DEAD GRANDMOTHER, GOD REST HER SOUL COULD PLAY BETTER THAN YOU! YOU THREE, GET ON THE BENCH!"
Scott and Sadie glanced down at the field, then back at each other. "Come on!"
"Coach!" Scott shouted, turning Coach Finstock to face him.
Coach waggled a finger at Scott, scoffing. "Oh no no no. No more signs from God. You graduated McCall. Both of you! All of you!" Coach flapped his arms at the three adults.
"Coach! Everyone in this stadium is in danger! Is there any way we can get them out without panicking?" Scott demanded.
"Yeah, you win the game!" Coach replied quickly, throwing his arms up in the air. "But that's not happening today, McCalls!"
On the field, the opposing team had stopped another goal attempt from the Cyclones, keeping the game at a tie. "I haven't felt this level of disappointment since I lost my virginity," Coach bemoaned. He paused, "You want to help us win, McCall?"
He turned, snagging a lacrosse stick from a player on the bench and thrusting it into Scott's hands. "Here." His eyes snapped to Kira, who was clearly dreading Coach's next thought. "You too Yukimura. Sorry girl McCall, if we need someone to swim us to victory, you'll be first in the game. Eli, you get out there too! God help us all."
Sadie was left on the sidelines with an increasingly more panicky Coach as the others went to change into lacrosse gear. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, a text! It was from Stiles. Lacrosse. Parrish OTW
She quickly texted back.We're on the field. I'm with Scott. No Allison. Find him and get that barrier down.
The players, including her son, brother and friend re-entered the field. Realizing she was probably already embarrassing her son, she hung back, not joining the huddle even though she desperately wanted to. Being more than a foot away from Eli after everything they'd gone through in the last twenty four hours gave her anxiety. She briefly wondered if Derek would let her homeschool him after this was over. Coach blew the whistle and the huddle broke up. He joined her on the sidelines once again, giving her a side glance. "You believe in miracles McCall?"
Hands clasped over her heart, she closed her eyes. Breathing in through her nose, out through her mouth. Focus. Derek was here, or wherever the illusion was at the game. She could feel him. He was alive. Her son and brother were alive directly in front of her, running down the lacrosse field, Kira ahead of them by at least a foot. They could do this. They could survive this. Brown eyes opening, Sadie nodded, "I'm hoping for one right now Coach."