Disclaimer: teen wolf does not belong to me in any way, shape or form (sadly) thanks for the continued support, and thank you so much to guest, guest, guest, odie.18 and linda96 for reviewing, it really means the world to me getting these reviews, thank you :) sorry for the really long wait. I didn't mean for it to be this long :( so I really hope you are all still reading and loving x even though this chapter isn't long I needed to post something - haha

And just to answer guest, I am definitely writing all six seasons. They'll be at least two more books in this series and I really want to write more, like stayla in college etc, and obviously the new movie coming out. I try and update fast but I work full time (nightshift, which is really difficult, especially in a psychiatric hospital), uni full time, live an hour away from family so have to spend time catching up with them and I have just gotten married, so yeah pretty busy, but I am trying :)

Stiles was sure he had walked thousands upon thousands of steps across the small back room of the veterinary clinic in the space of the last several hours. The balls of his feet burning with pain, a pleading to rest, but he didn't listen. His mind too overcome with dark and tormented thoughts, riddled with anxiety and worry that spread like poison to the entirety of his body.

Deaton was quiet. His expression pensive and tight, yet hiding any concern well. Every so often checking both Kayla and Scott's pulse and temperature, but everything appeared normal.

Well, as normal as anything could be in this situation.

Lydia had since appeared too, once she heard what was happening. Stiles couldn't blame her. Since Kayla had come back, he could see Lydia holding on just that little bit tighter, not wanting to wake up from their new found reality and find her gone again. Stiles knew exactly how that felt. He had been holding on tight too. Maybe even, too tight.

The redhead was outwardly anxious too. Her heel clad feet bouncing against the floor as she sat on the plastic chair by the far wall, her hands wound tightly on her lap. Every so often they would share dread filled looks, but neither would say anything, holding onto the small glimmer of hope that this was the right thing to do.

Stiles chewed relentlessly on the inside of his cheek, continuing his pacing.

He was stupid for letting her do this. He should've stopped her - stopped them both. He should've just put his foot down and said the risk just wasn't worth it. He understood her desperation to change things and save people, make sure the timeline didn't end up how it did before, but at the possible expense of her life? To him, it was a no brainer.

"How long is this going to take?" he exclaimed, surprised he hadn't left the floor burning with his quick footsteps, "it's been hours"

"It's a delicate process" Deaton sighed, "unfortunately, it'll take as long as it needs to"

"It can't be good for her to have his claws inside the back of her neck for this long!" he argued, "what if something's gone wrong?"

"They're both fine" Deaton reassured, not put off by his frustrated tone, "their vitals are all within normal range"

He let out a dejected sigh, choosing to stop his pacing and lean against the units next to Lydia, his thumb soon working its way to his mouth so he could gnaw at his, already, alarmingly short nail. However, it seemed Lydia didn't like that - or maybe the sound of his teeth trying to break through the ragged nail was an annoyance to her - but she reached up and slapped his hand away, causing him to look down at her in surprise.

"Stop that" she chastised, "it's a horrible habit"

"You know what else is a horrible habit? Kayla, yet again, putting her life on the line without thinking. Me biting my nails is the least of our concerns"

She rolled her eyes, slapping his hand away again.

"You need to relax"

"R-Relax?" he spluttered, "you want me to relax? Are you kidding?"

"Your nervous energy is making me nervous" she insisted, "and I don't like feeling nervous so, please-" she pointed to the plastic chair next to her, "-sit down"

Arguing with Lydia was pointless and, above all, futile. Her years of always getting what she wanted making her one of the least favourable people to quarrel with and, quite frankly, he didn't have the energy or concentration to bicker with her right now.

With a resounded sigh, he sat. His entire body a bag of jitters as he watched Kayla and Scott hold that same position - Kayla, sitting on a chair with her eyes closed and Scott, standing right behind her with his arm eerily still, claws buried deep in the back of her neck.

"It'll be okay" Lydia whispered, although he wasn't sure if it was to calm herself or him, "they've got this. If anyone can navigate years worth of memories, it's Scott and Kayla"

"It's not that I don't have faith in them" he admitted, "because, god, they're like the perfect team. Scott is a True Alpha for crying out loud, and since coming back, Kayla is... she's... different" he settled on saying, unable to pinpoint the exact word he was looking for.

"It's what's going to happen after" Lydia guessed, and guessed correctly.

"If they both can't handle those memories... then we could lose them both. And I don't know about you, but I've lost too many people"

Lydia nodded solemnly, agreeing with him silently.

"You couldn't have stopped her, y'know" Lydia said after a brief pause, "Kayla. Once she gets something in her head, she'll do it. Especially if it means saving people"

"... I know" he mumbled, "it's one of my favourite and least favourite things about her" he chuckled, "I just hope some good comes out of this and we can change things..."

He heard Lydia's hum of agreement, both falling into a comfortable silence.

It was funny how, only this time last year, Lydia still didn't know his name but now here they were, side by side, worrying and stressing about those they loved.

It was strange how quickly things could change.

Together they sat, just inches apart, a quiet understanding passing between them. Reassured in one another's company, relishing in the security it offered. Despite this, he was still a mess. His mind in overdrive.

"Hey" Lydia cooed gently, reaching out to grasp his hand that was resting on his knee, well aware of his anxieties despite not being able to sense his chemo signals like their other friends, "you're not going to lose her again... I promise. She's going to be fine"

He calmed down a little at Lydia's touch, forcing himself to still and reach over to lay his other, much larger hand, on top of hers, his thumb absentmindedly stroking the warm skin of her knuckles - a self soothing mechanism. Using her presence and touch to ground him.

"She has to be" he murmured, "I... I can't go through that again. It almost killed me"

"I know"

Of course she did. When he lost it at her grave, realising he had spent far too many weeks obsessed and sleeping above the ground she lay decomposing in, knowing it wasn't healthy to be shutting himself off and talking to someone that wasn't there, Lydia had found him - she, too, searching for some kind of connection that wasn't missing and grieving for her dead best friends.

She had invited him back to her house, both watching home videos of their friends through the remainder of the night in her bedroom. Lydia, holding his hand in support, as they watched Kayla and Allison goof about and be happy on the TV.

He remembered what a mess he was. Divulging to Lydia how much he missed her. How he wished it was him that died and not her. Telling her, through the tears, that he couldn't live with this guilt - couldn't live without her. He was bordering on suicidal, all the weeks of grief pouring over.

Lydia, give her her dues, didn't freak. She stayed and comforted him. She listened to him, despite him not making a lick of sense. Despite the wishes of dying, she didn't get him locked up for being insane. Instead, she comforted him until he felt better and promised what they spoke about what stay between them. That, as long as he could keep himself safe, she wouldn't break his trust.

After that night, getting it all off his chest, he did feel better. Just better - not fixed. Sharing memories and grief with someone that loved Kayla just as much as he did made him not feel so alone.

He shook his head, forgetting about that night. Still embarassed with how vulnerable and capricious he had acted, how unlike himself he had been, especially in front of Lydia.

And especially because of what happened.

He cleared his throat, awkwardly looking down, a sudden fist of guilt twisting his stomach.

Like Lydia said - 'water under the bridge'. He, after all, wasn't exactly himself during those weeks and especially in those vulnerable moments. Still, he was embarassed it happened. That he put both of them in that situation.

Grief was a funny and confusing thing.

Missing Kayla, grieving her death that was his fault, changed someone in him. He became erratic and confused, totally wrapped up in himself. He missed her so much he was tormented, both awake and asleep, and during his breakdown to Lydia it had brought back a lot of memories and pain. Somehow, feeing closer to Kayla than he had ever done in the past couple of months.

In his anguish and through his tears he had blindly reached out, leaning forward as he sought some kind of relief from the pain - relief that his messed up mind thought he could find in Lydia.

Lydia was Kayla's best friend... this was the closest he could ever get to her now.

Luckily, unlike him, she had all her faculties. She, at the very least, had common sense. Something he had been severely lacking. The multiple bad decisions of that night proving that.

She had gently pushed him back after a couple of seconds, her green gaze full of sympathy as he realised what he had done and burst into guilty tears all over again.

That lapse in judgement was forgotten about, and both never spoke of it again, especially given Stiles' state of mind. It was a product of intense grief and loneliness and, to be honest, it was at the back of Stiles' mind because, not long after, did Kayla appear on his doorstep - alive and breathing and back. The weeks and months of self torture seemed like a million lifetimes ago. Suddenly, Kayla became his everything all over again and nothing and no one else mattered.

Lydia, as insightful as ever, must've sensed what he was thinking because she squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"... Water under the bridge, remember?"

Repeating that phrase was proof that it was, indeed, not an important moment. That, as per usual, he was overthinking. A small mistake made, in comparison to the thousands of big ones he had made.

During his worry and overthinking he failed to hear the bell jingle above the door of the veterinary clinic in the distance, not realising someone had entered until he caught sight of a figure hovering over the threshold of the room, glancing up and catching Isaac's worried stare. Isaac who had the audacity to glance suspiciously at his and Lydia's hands intertwined, as if Stiles was doing something wrong. God forbid he accept some support from a friend.

The god damn nerve.

At the sight of his friend - well, friend was debatable right now - his entire body stiffened, his look becoming thunderous. As if on auto pilot he stood quickly, detaching himself from Lydia who muttered something under her breath and stood too, placing herself between them, as if expecting the worst.

Brave move.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice eerily cold and detached with a twinge of rage.

"I, uh... I heard what was happening" Isaac said somewhat shyly, his shoulders slightly hunched inwards, almost like he was scared of the backlash, "I got worried"

"This is none of your concern"

"She's my friend. Scott too" Isaac said, "it is my concern"

"Oh please" Stiles scoffed vehemently, "we all know what it is you're actually concerned about"

"Stiles-"

"Oh, don't you bother 'Stiles'-ing me, like I'm the one being unreasonable" he clapped back, "it's bad enough you slept with her in that other time, but to actually force your tongue down her throat - again - in this time? Let's just say it's lucky for you that you heal so god damn quick otherwise you'd be in the morgue"

Harsh. Too harsh? Maybe. Except right now he didn't care. He did not care one bit, his worry and anxiety off the charts.

"Okay, that's enough" Lydia demanded, her arms raised between them, clearly expecting the worst, "now is not the time for this"

"He started it!"

Lydia quirked a brow at him, unamused by his behaviour.

"No, actually, you did" she pointed out, much to his annoyance, "you need to calm down"

"No, what I need to do is break his nose - again"

"Don't make me scream" Lydia warned, quickly stepping in front of him as he made a move towards Isaac who actually flinched, "because I will and I guarantee it'll hurt a hell of a lot, so...-"

She seemed proud and certain of her threat, throwing both boys a look of warning - one that, if Stiles wasn't as angry, he probably would've found terrifying.

Stiles rolled his eyes, throwing Isaac a disgusted stare.

"She chose you, okay?" Isaac sighed, "yet again, she chose you. I said my piece. I got it off my chest. It's done"

Somehow, that angered Stiles even more. Like the fact that Kayla made her choice erased all the shit he had done over the months, all the way back to the beginning.

"You-" he snarled, jabbing an angry finger in Isaac's direction "-should have never put her in that position to begin with. She just got back. But that was probably your play all along, wasn't it? Get her with her guard down when she's vulnerable. Try and twist your way into her head again"

"I don't like what you're insinuating"

"No, you just don't like being called out" Stiles shot back, "you crossed the line"

"I... I know" Isaac seemed to accept Stiles' harsh words, looking more and more defeated, "when it comes to her, I cross the line. Do you think I like acting like this? Or feeling like this? I don't. She's my best friend and I wish I could just see her as that. I've tried. Believe me, I've tried. I avoided her for half the summer to try and get my head straight for crying out loud. Everything I do, everything I've tried, hasn't worked and I hate myself for it"

"Not as much as I hate you, believe me"

Isaac sighed, looking towards Lydia for help but she, too, seemed lost and unsure, sending him a sympathetic look.

"Checking on Kay and Scott wasn't the only reason I came" Isaac continued, trying to avoid Stiles' thunderous gaze as he peered past him to meet Deaton's wary stare, "it was to speak with you"

"What can I help you with?"

Cautiously, Isaac finally stepped into the room causing Stiles' back to stiffen, his hands curling into fists by his sides as Lydia encouraged him to take a few steps back, further away from the werewolf.

"Uh..." the werewolf cast a worried look towards Stiles, like he was scared to speak in front of him which just angered Stiles even more, his body beginning to shake with rage.

"Stiles, relax" Lydia insisted, "sit down"

He didn't want to listen to the strawberry blonde but she threw him a particularly insistent glare so he huffed dramatically and sat back down on the plastic chair, one eye on Kayla and Scott and the other watching a nervous and unsure Isaac.

"So, uh... we know that Kayla lived this whole other life and timeline, right?" Isaac said, nervously wringing his hands, "and things have been reset so what happened hasn't happened, correct?"

Deaton nodded, his curious expression turning serious as he muttered a quiet but drawn out "yes".

"Well last night, at the lake house, she said something that caused a serious deja vu moment. It threw me off the rest of the night. And then today when I was hanging out with her-"

"You what?!" Stiles snapped, standing up again so quickly everyone in the room got whiplash turning to face him in worry and a little bit of fear, "excuse me, what?"

"She was looking for the other Encantados" Isaac explained feebly, "I helped. That was it"

"Yeah, it better be"

"Stiles" Lydia chastised, "relax. You're not acting like yourself"

Maybe not, but to him his behaviour was entirely reasonable after everything that they had been through.

"Isaac, continue" Deaton encouraged, his head titled forward in curiosity and a little bit of worry. That look was something Stiles had seen countless times, usually before disaster, which was why he shut his mouth and begrudgingly listened.

"I don't know. It was weird. It was like the longer I was with her, the stranger I felt. Like I was forgetting something really important. Then, uh... I... I saw these snippets in my head. Like disjointed memories, only I know they're not my memories because what I saw hasn't happened. At least... at least to this version of me"

"Isaac, what did you see?" Deaton asked seriously, his face an ashen grey.

"Kayla and I talking" he said, "only she wasn't Kayla. She was cold and detached... evil. The words she said to me at the lake house was one of the things she said to me before, um..."

He awkwardly trailed off and avoided everyone's curious looks, choosing instead to look at his feet and almost instantaneously Stiles knew why.

"You've got to be kidding me" he exclaimed loudly, "are you serious right now? You remember having sex with her?!"

Isaac didn't say anything but that was enough of an answer for Stiles.

"But that's impossible" Lydia muttered, "it hasn't happened. That is from a point in time that has been erased. Only Kayla has the capability to remember things from that time. Well... I guess Scott too, now. Once they both wake up"

"Yes, she does" Deaton agreed, "but maybe... maybe there's some kind of residual energy left over that causes these, as you phrased it, 'deja Vu' moments"

"Well this is just great" Stiles muttered sarcastically, "fantastic. Bet you're real happy with yourself, huh?"

"Actually, no" Isaac sighed, "because how the hell am I meant to look my best friend in the eye ever again?"

Stiles didn't buy Isaac's remorse for one second. To Stiles, this was all Isaac had been wanting for months. Of course he would be delighted.

"But I can't remember any moments from that future" Lydia murmured, "neither does Stiles. Do you?"

He shook his head once, firmly, not trusting himself to speak just now.

"So why only Isaac? Why only that moment?"

Deaton sighed, "I don't know. This is a very complicated and complex situation and, to be quite Frank, is out of my realm of understanding"

"But you have a theory" Stiles cut in, his voice wavering with emotion, "you always have a theory"

"Speculation can be harmful" Deaton murmured, "but I'll look into it"

Silence fell - that awkward and smothering kind of silence that left everyone holding their breath, unsure what the next move was.

The growing tension got sliced by a sudden strangled gasp that pulled their attention to their two friends, watching as Scott flailed backwards and pulled his claws from Kayla's neck, his eyes wide and horrified.

"Scott?" Stiles exclaimed in surprise, taken aback by his best friends distraught look, "Scotty? What-"

Scott stumbled against the back wall, his wide eyes staring down at his bloody claws in complete horror before gulping and pointing to Kayla who was still seated with her eyes closed.

"C-Check on Kayla" he instructed, but Stiles was already halfway there, kneeling down in front of her and cupping her cheeks as Lydia scurried to stabilise Scott, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as she walked him over to the row of plastic chairs.

"Kayla? Kaylz?" he practically begged, giving her head a small shake, willing her to open her eyes, "baby, it's okay... come back to me. Come back to me. I'm right here. Kaylz!"

His frantic shout of her name caused her to jolt, her eyes snapping open to meet his but he just tightened his grip on her, grounding her as she panicked.

"It's okay, you're back. It's okay" he reassured quickly, his heart clenching as he watched tears begin to form in her eyes, "you're alright. Just breathe. I'm right here"

She blinked once, twice, several more times, crystal tears falling down her cheeks as she reached up to grab his wrists, trying to slow her breathing.

"Good girl" he whispered, his previous anger at Isaac and their situation completely forgotten about, carving the way for the tender and loving Stiles that only came out for Kayla, "good job. Just breathe. Well done"

She gasped back some deep breaths, trying her damnest not to scream and wail but Stiles was patient, holding her and waiting for her to settle, not taking his eyes off her. Holding her stare like a promise - a vow that he was always going to be by her side making sure she was okay.

"S-S-Stiles" she whimpered, her bottom lip wobbling, her nails sharp and pinching into his skin.

"Yeah?" he asked gently, his thumbs sweeping across her cheeks to erase her tears but more fell in their place, a testimont to her distress.

"Y-You were right" she murmured brokenly, "I shouldn't have remembered"

He gulped away the sudden swell of terror that he felt, noticing the fear and horror in her gaze as he stroked her cheeks, his right hand dipping to the back of her neck and feeling fresh blood.

"Can someone get me some tissue" he called out to the room, barely paying attention to the shuffling behind him, or the fact it was Isaac who handed him some wipes as he bunched them up and held them to the back of her neck to stench the flow of blood.

"We-We need to stop them" she whispered in panic, "we need to stop her"

"Who?"

She blinked again, her face a pasty off white, her eyes holding more horrors than Stiles could even begin to comprehend.

"... Me"

"Kayla, you're... you're fine" he replied in confusion, "you're better now, remember?"

"Promise me" she begged, "promise me you'll never let me be that person"

"I promise"

"No" she suddenly grabbed him harder, her grip bordering on painful, "I need you to promise me Stiles... promise me that you won't ever let me be that person again"

"Kaylz, baby, I promise you-"

"Even if you have to kill me"

Her interruption caught him off guard, that statement suddenly bringing back a whole swell of unwanted memories and emotions from a time she was actually dead. A time he never wanted to have to live through again.

"Kaylz-"

"Stiles please" she pleaded, a desperate sense of urgency in her tone, "I can't-I can't be like that again. Please. Please just promise me. Please"

He understood where this desperation was coming from. He couldn't imagine the fear and shame at seeing herself be so cold and evil, all the bad things she did playing out in front of her, but he also knew that would never happen again. Kayla wasn't a bad person. She wasn't capable of those things.

So what was the harm in promising something that he knew would never happen?

He gulped, holding her gaze that was staring across at him in fear, willing to do anything to calm her down.

"Okay. Yes" he whispered, "I promise"

She seemed relieved, letting out a long breath of relief as she collapsed into his waiting arms, the consequences of her decision looming around the corner.

A/N) again, im sooo sorry it's been a year. I just lost motivation for this story :( but like I said I'll never give up haha I've also been working on 'I'm no werewolf the rewrite' and honestly, I love it. There's so much more development stayla and im obsessed so if you haven't already, go check it out :)

and oooh a few revelations in this chapter. Im excited hahahhahaa trust me, this version of season 4 is gonna be soooo much fun. Poor Stiles, and oooooh not Stiles or Lydia have told Kayla about Stiles' breakdown and lapse in judgement, and now Isaac remembers him and Kayla and ahhhhhh so much stuff happening. So please please review and let me know what you thought and that you're all still out there; and I promise to update soon xxx