**Short chapter. But we've reached the halfway point.**

SONG: I will dry your eyes…I will fight your fight…I will hold you tight…And I won't let go ~ I Won't Let Go by Rascal Flatts

Chapter 15:

Scott:

Wednesday morning was awkward, and the rest of the day didn't get any better. A knock on the door woke me right before it opened, and Stiles stuck his head in to see me sleeping propped with my back against the headboard and Lydia pretty much laying across me asleep. He just said he was on his way out and would see me in school. He was standoffish all day, talking but not really.

Practice went okay for the first half and then Liam had an episode halfway through and Isaac, Stiles and I had to rush him off the field. One of the senior players got in his face and with his I.E.D. and being a wolf, he growled and started to lose control. We had to run him to the woods. I thought a run would do him some good, so we took off our pads and jerseys and he and I ran through the woods. Night had fallen by the time he was calm. I spent a couple more hours talking him through his outburst and assuring him it was normal and natural for a new wolf. That this wasn't a setback just par for the course. After that I only had energy enough to call Lydia and pass out.

Thursday was a bit better. Stiles wasn't as standoffish, but he wasn't his normal self either. We made plans to go out to the woods tonight to check for evidence. Stiles is determined to find out what happened to this girl and if it's that important to him then I would do it.

Lunch came around and Isaac, Liam, and Stiles were playfully throwing snarky comments at each other while Mason asked as many questions as he could about the supernatural. He even had a pad out with listed questions and was documenting as much as possible as I answered. My phone buzzed and I pulled it out.

"It's Allison." I said with concern. Isaac stopped talking and looked at me. "Hey Allison, what's up?"

"Scott, you have to get here, now."

"What's wrong?"

"It's Lydia. She's having another nightmare, but we can't wake her." She hurried out. I could hear Argent in the background trying to wake her. "She just keeps saying that he's coming and something about blood."

I stood up quickly and the others watched me, Isaac listening in.

"Put me on speaker." I demanded.

"Okay." She said and then I heard everything as if I were in the room. Lydia was crying and screaming.

"Lydia, listen to my voice. It's just a dream. You're safe." I spoke calmly but loudly. More crying, 'so much blood. Please, you can't die.'

"Scott, it's not working. She's going to hurt herself if we don't do something. We need you here, now." Argent said.

"On the way." I said disconnecting.

"What-." Stiles started but I didn't let him finish. I didn't think I ran. If I had stopped to think I would have realized my bike would have been faster. I didn't realize until I was 3 miles from school and Stiles pulled up next to me.

"Scott, you can't run all the way there. Get in, we'll be there in 5 minutes."

I jumped in the back and Stiles raced down the street.

"What did Allison say?" Stiles asked.

"Lydia's having another nightmare, but they can't wake her. Argent is worried she's going to hurt herself fighting in her sleep." I explained and Stiles broke speed limits getting us there.

He slammed on the brakes, and I was out of the car before he was completely stopped. I took the stairs practically flying up them. I banged on the door which was immediately opened by Allison.

"she's awake but I think she's going to scream; she is fighting it. She seems to be stuck in the dream or vision or I don't know what it is." Allison explained as we rushed down the hall. I stepped into the room to see Argent trying to keep hold of her. Her eyes closed and her mouth clamped shut.

"Move." I told him. He quickly slipped off the bed and I grabbed Lydia, pulling her into my arms and pressing her head into my chest.

"Lydia, you need to scream. Scream Lydia." And she did.

I grunted as the impact of it vibrated through me. My hands fisting against her back. I could feel my heart stutter and my body shake with the power in it, but I muffled the worst of it. I squeezed my eyes shut and gritted my teeth. One full minute she screamed and at one point I thought my heart would just burst. It was a relief when she stopped, and I exhaled.

She slumped against me, her breathing labored and she was completely drained.

"Lydia." I whispered cupping her face. Her eyes blinked slowly up at me.

"Scott?" she croaked.

"Yeah. You feel better?" I asked. She nodded her eyes clearing then widened.

"The blood. So much blood." She said scrambling. Her hands yanking at my shirt.

"There's no blood. "I said grabbing her hands.

"But he shot you." She looked up at me terrified.

"No, it didn't happen. I'm fine." I told her.

"No. I saw it. He… I saw it."

"He didn't shoot me."

"But he will." She whispered, her eyes brimming before she closed them and just fell back asleep. Laying her back down, I covered her up and pushed her tangled hair back from her face.

Argent and Allison were still in the room with us, but Stiles and Isaac were standing in the doorway. Stiles face was unreadable, yet again. But I was too tired to worry or care really. I stood up slowly but still felt the room spin and almost stumbled.

"Whoa." Argent said catching me.

"I'm okay. Just got a little dizzy." I told him. He let go but watched me carefully.

I nodded towards the hall, and we all made our way to the living room. Halfway there I stumbled into the wall and fell to my knees. My heart was still beating an irregular pattern and I was feeling a bit out of it, like I couldn't orient myself.

"Scott." Allison called.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." I assured them staggering to my feet. Stiles and Isaac braced me dragging me to the couch, setting me down. "It just took a lot out of me, that's all."

"You took a banshee scream to the heart, you're not fine." Argent said crouching in front of me. I smiled or tried to, but my head just lulled to the side my eyes fighting to close.

"I think we need to get him to the hospital."

"No, I'm fine really. I just need a little rest." My words sounded like they were dragging, even to my ears..

"Scott, open your eyes."

I didn't realize that I had closed them but dutifully opened them, only halfway before closing them again.

"Okay, Isaac help me, we have to get him to the hospital now."

"No, no hospital." I tried to say.

"Don't argue Scott." Hands grabbing me and hoisting me up. My eyes opened a bit more as I was practically carried out the door. "Stiles stays here with Allison and Lydia. We'll call you."

I don't remember getting to Argent's car and I don't remember arriving at the hospital. But I do remember my mother's frantic voice when I was brought in and then I was gone.

Lydia:

I woke with a gasp as if cold water had been poured over me. Scott. I stumbled out of bed and wrenched the door open, tripping my way down the hall and running into someone.

"Whoa, Lydia, you're okay." Stiles said catching me.

"Where is he? Is he okay?" I asked frantically.

"Who?"

"Scott. Is he hurt?" I asked holding on to Stiles as I started to panic.

"Scott's fine."

"Where is he?" I asked, pushing past him, and dragging myself to the living room.

"Lydia?" Allison said as she hung up the phone.

"Where is he?" I asked looking around.

"Come sit down. You look like you are about to fall." She led me to the couch and pulled me down.

"Allison, where is Scott?" I screeched.

"Lydia, calm down. What do you remember from earlier?" she asked, grabbing my hand. I blinked at her in confusion, but she nodded at me. I searched my mind trying to remember.

"Uh, I remember dreaming and then a vision of Scott and I in the woods and the stalker was there and…" my eyes teared. "And he shot Scott, there was blood all around him, too much for him to survive and then I woke up, I think."

"Okay, when you woke up you were still in the vision. My dad and I tried to snap you out of it, but we couldn't. I called Scott and he came to help. He pulled you out of it, but he wasn't shot." She explained slowly.

"He wasn't?" I asked. She shook her head. I relaxed marginally but still… "Where is he?"

Allison looked over my head and I turned to see Stiles looking concerned. He came and kneeled in front of me.

"The way Scott pulled you out of it was to get you to scream. But he had to muffle it. So, he had you scream… into his chest." Stiles explained.

My breath caught, "no."

"My dad took him to the hospital because he was sluggish afterwards. It's just a precaution."

"No." I shook my head, tears falling.

"I just talked to my dad. Scott's doing better but they are going to keep him for observation. His heart rate was a little slow, but they think he will be fine." She said.

"I hurt him."

"Lydia, this isn't your fault. Scott made this decision. He wanted to help you. He's going to be fine. He's a wolf, an alpha. He's strong. He'll be okay." Stiles said.

"I need to see him." I said moving to stand but Allison wouldn't relinquish my hand so I couldn't.

"No, you need to stay here. You still aren't stable yourself." She said.

"But I HAVE to see him." I told her.

"There is nothing you can do for him there. My dad is there, Isaac is there, his mom is there, and the doctors are taking a look at him. Let them do what they have to do, okay? Isaac and my dad promised to keep us updated."

"Lydia, Scott would be furious if he knew you were putting yourself in danger just to go see him." Stiles added.

I nodded and curled into a ball right there on the couch and cried, again. Allison rubbed my back and Stiles placed a comforting hand on my arm.

I hurt him.