Rory searched the notification on her phone scrolling through the list of calls, the text that could only be described as passive-aggressive. Nat wasn't happy and that's probably what contributed to Lydia's sour mood that was still persisting.

She kept looking at her curls and letting out little scoffs and comments.

Allison didn't do a bad job but unlike her dark hair, Rory's blonde made the tight bouncy curls look like something you would find on a fairy from a lord of the Rings or something. Rory didn't know actually since she never really got into that series.

Horror yes psychological, yes, thriller, yes.

Lord of the Rings no.

'You said you would tell me everything.' and 'If you're going out to study you need to let me know,' filled her phone along with 12 phone calls.

"We will be having a long talk when you get home," was the last text Rory read before she got into the long list from Stilinski.

'Hey are you home,' and 'Why aren't you answering!' piled under his name.

He had seen her this morning looking every bit surprised to see her as he was relieved. Maybe he thought Kate had put her in an ice bath and cut her in half with a sword. Maybe he thought she had been turned into a Hogwarts ghost.

He had tried to talk to her but only managed to slip her phone into her hand because Al was basically strong-arming him out of the equation. She didn't know what it was but Al wouldn't let her out of her sight. It was enduring in a way but she didn't get a chance to drop the bomb on the boys, something that made her slightly giddy in a purely chaotic way.

'I can't go to the dance!' Scott texted in the group chat and her brows furrowed.

The bell was going to ring soon and she decided to talk to them in chemistry even though she could have easily talked to Stilinski in math. Maybe it was her intuition.

"How does it work?" Al asked looking both relief and tense like she was trying to ask all morning but couldn't get words out.

"What?" Rory knew what she just wanted her to say it because Allison hadn't said anything on the topic since they got to her house. Other than begging Rory not to tell her parents but she even put that in vague terms.

Al hesitated for a moment, her brows crinkling as her eyes flickered to the clock as if she was leaving it to chance. If the bell rang then she would drop it if it didn't she would ask.

The bell didn't ring.

"Seeing the seer thing, how do you.. do it?"

"I usually touch something and I see things." Allison's eyes flickered to her hands, understanding suddenly dawning.

She nodded as if accepting something in her head. "Okay and so is it anything, do you have to think about it?"

"Why?"Allison bit her lip worried about it for a moment before she touched her necklace and Rory reared back not willing to touch it again and see... young Derek.

"So like old objects? Can you see their past? I saw it in a Halloween movie I think and I was wondering if you could be my family… maybe what they did."

"Why?"

"Well.. my aunt said that it's a family heirloom and I was just.. I want to know who else in my family I know about my ancestors and now that I know that it's true.." she lowered her voice getting closer. "Marie Jeanne she was the first one in the family I... I was just going to go through the book, that one you have me again, but then I thought you could just see it right?"

"I mean.. maybe I'm not sure I don't think it's that old Al."

"Well, maybe my grandparents. Please I've been thinking about it all night and I just.. it makes so much sense now all those silent meetings with the strange people who came to the house. My dad sneaking out. And now I know that Kate didn't just come for my birthday. I need to know as much as I can but I can't talk to my dad and I.. Kate told me not to come back…"

"Right cause she wants to keep the werewolf in her closet hidden." Allison's stare became blank as Rory's jab went through one ear and out the other.

"I... I can try if you cover me."

"Cover you?"

"Yeah, I can't just have visions okay I can't see anything that's happening."

"So all you can see is the vision?" She said the word vision like it didn't sit right on her tongue.

"Basically, it's like I'm there wherever the vision takes me. I'm not here anymore does that make sense."

"Yeah, I guess how about later during gym on the track."

"Al I can never keep up with you. There's no way I'm going to finish in time."

"The locker rooms then, they have them open now." Sighing she relented, nodding slowly.

Erica was quite quieter the usual and she had been that way throughout the whole class. She didn't ask questions about the theme of the dance which was Starry Night.

She would ask what colors would even be in theme with Starry Night since they made dress shopping plans. Rory would look her up and down and then suggest different colors of the Galaxy to match her golden complexion. Greens, blues, yellow, white gold, not sunflower yellow, purples each day it was a different color and Erica would nod and then doodle it and Rory would copy it in more detail.

It took a couple of days to realize that Erica was taking them and storing them away in her journal.

Today however when Rory was armed with her answer of the day magenta Erica didn't ask anything she just stared down at her paper silently. Maybe this was why she knew she could talk to the boys. Because it was a group assignment and since Danny switched to 'anyone other than Stilinski' which Mr. Harrison proudly announced to the class Scott and Stiles were a duo again.

Because Erica raised her hand telling the teacher she didn't feel well and since she had an all-access pass to the nurse's office he let her go. The boys rushed to her table as if their question propelled their feet.

Lucky Allison who was still with Jackson followed him to Danny and his new partner. So she was out of the way on the other side of the room.

The boy stared at her with various levels of emotion. She had given them a brief explanation about what happened but that wasn't what she remotely cared about, instead, it was the huge bomb she had been holding.

"She knows?" Scott repeated slowly looking at her like she had slapped him across the face. Then his eyes flicked across the room to Allison who looked immersed in Danny telling a story. Her eyes were keen though and they darted for half a second causing him to look back.

"What do you mean she knows?" Stilinski balked, sounding like a bird cawing his hands were scrawling words on the paper like it was an easy game of sudoku rather than an assignment.

"Yeah, she knows… I mean not about you.. but about Derek and the alpha and the second beta that Kate wants her to catch."

"Catch!" Scott cried sounding pathetic in its little whisper and Rory readjusted her wording.

"Well no help, help catch, sorry."

She didn't sound sorry.

"This is..this is bad this is worse than bad this… oh my god your ex is going to kill you!" Stiles urgently whispers looking at Scott before he could turn to look at Allison.

"No, she's.. well maybe I don't know... but she's in complete denial about her aunt being a nut job that's for sure also she thinks the beta is either you or Jackson. Also also.." she trailed off trying to figure out if two also were enough and Stiles held up two fingers so she went on. "I lied to Kate's face and told her that us finding out about the alpha was a happy accident also, also, also"

"How many also are there!" Scott yelped curling into himself, his head drawing into his shoulders like a Lila when she ran past Mrs. Argent's feet to say goodbye to Al and was caught by the scruff of her neck.

Al had laughed, kissed her dog on the nose, and let her mom drag her away.

"A few more so keep up. Allison doesn't think you know shit keep it that way and stay away from her house. She had years of gymnastics and archery under her belt and her dad is trying to teach Lila how to werewolf hunt."

"Wait!" Stiles sat straighter, his eyes darting, his pen never stopping. "He said that? Does he know she knows he knows? Or better yet do they know we know that we know what they.. know?" Scott looked at Stilinski who was moving his hands to keep up with his logic rapidly at first but it got slower with each 'know'.

"No to both of those?" She said it like it was a question at the same time Scott questioned his best friend's sanity which was pretty ironic seeing it looked like he was losing his.

"Allison knows we know. But Allison's dad doesn't know that we know and he also doesn't know that she knows. Also as far as she knows Scott doesn't know." He nodded slowly at first and then it got rapidly faster.

"Okay!" Scott looked between them shaking his head but Stilinski wasn't deterred. "Okay great I mean I don't like being on the beta suspect board could have lived without that, but great."

"It doesn't sound great, none of this sounds great! My boss is a druid, something, who works for the person who ruined my life. My ex-girlfriend is.. well my ex and she's working for her crazy aunt who seduced my… well whatever Derek is. And now.. now Peters is trying to go after Allison! I can't, I can't do this!"

"Peters going after Allison?" Well, that was a weird development considering the whole 'only responsible' pact he was making.

"He came to the clinic this morning. Deaton didn't let him in. Apparently, he has some kind of barrier; he said it was mountain ash."

"Awesome!" Stilinkis cheered suddenly, rising with his halfway in the air, and then promptly went back to his stool. "That is so awesome! Do you think he'll have other things too? Like some kind of badass druid dagger or an elixir! That would be so cool!"

"Peter threw a chair at the wall and it broke into a million pieces. None of this is even remotely cool!"

"No it's definitely cool I mean think about it Peter couldn't get into the clinic we now have a safe place. Not to mention he probably knows a lot more than we thought he did. I went to see him yesterday about my hands and he started talking about banshees and seers." Scott looked slightly mortified while Stiles got more bouncy. "What I'm saying is we need a mentor type if the story's going to progress."

"Neither of you get it! Allison is in trouble, real trouble. Peter isn't going to stop until he gets Derek back and then what… he's still on Peter's side."

"Which again is completely valid." Sighing she looked away from Scott who wasn't glaring Scott couldn't really glare but he was scowling. "It is. Kate deserves to die. The crazy woman is probably electrocuting him as we speak and she tortured me with nitrous oxide. I did not have a good night so do not give that woman an-"

"Rory Rory okay I get it you want her dead I know but she.. she's still." His eyes flickered again and Rory rolled her eyes.

"A predator, a murderer, crazy."

"Wait, she tortured you?"

"Not now. I'm saying some people have an expiration date and she is far past due we shouldn't keep rotten things like her walking around." Scott opened his mouth, thought about it, and then shut it again only giving her that puppy-eyed look.

"Yeah no I agree but, let's back it up, are you gonna tell us what happened last night cause I know you didn't make it home but my dad said he saw you with Allison?"

"Kate tried to use me to find the alpha. I lied, she let me go."

"It was that simple?" Scott asked not believing it since she said the whole torture thing but she guess joking about it twice might not work.

"Simpler than getting shot? How are you doing by the way?" Turning to Scott he looked away, his hand dissipating under the black top like it was a reflex.

"I'm fine… I guess you spent the night with Allison is she... Did anything happen?"

"Besides thinking of all the ways I could kill her aunt, nothing. She slept fine I guess."

"You stayed up all night to watch her?" Scott asked like it was something he would rather her do than sleep.

"Plot revenge and watch her. We're going dress shopping later though at Macy's in the mall though so I'll be by her side."

"Well come too just to be sure." Scott nodded, eyes becoming incredibly focused, staring down at the blacktop like it would show him, Allison.

"Right sure that's fine just don't freak out okay Lydia she's already on edge today nothing about you just more irritable I'm not sure why. And Erica too I guess she's acting weird." Her eyes cast to the empty seat where her partner should be.

"Erica?" Stilinkis asked his brows drawing together as if he was trying to picture it and failing.

"Yeah I asked her to dance and she rejected me but she still wants to find a dress."

"You like-"

"Not like that, I just wanted her to go."

"Oh."

"So what about the rest of the week?"

"Well we can all take turns on Allison's watch I guess though I wouldn't mind clinging to her like a baby sloth."

"How about the dance? I sort of got banned this morning. I made sure Jackson is still taking her but I'll still be there..."

"He's going with no ticket or ride or date," Stilinski listed it off slowly and he dropped his head into his hands.

"Yeah about that Scott I'm going with you to the dance." She said it easily watching with a growing smile as the other two boys balked.

"What?"

"According to Lydia, I'm your filler. I'll be going with you?" In all cases, Rory didn't care if she said she was going with Scott later that would be fine too.

"Wait why you?"

"To stop anyone else from taking you?"

"What?"

"No one else has asked?"

"Well I mean.." he trailed off, giving it some thought and his face turned different shades of pink. His eyes went wide and his brows jumped up. "Now that you mention it.. yeah I guess a few girls have come up to me but I didn't exactly pay attention I was kind of focused on.."

"Allison" she and Stilinski groaned in sync and Scott nodded bashfully.

"Yeah."

"Well that's fine Jackson could protect her?" He didn't believe it as much as his two friends who sent his looks that clearly questioned his sanity.

She and Stilinski were in sync again."He couldn't protect a baby duck in the middle of the road." And "He ran when you were being shot and then he ditched before you were even alive!"

"He's blackmailing you!'

"He's fucking useless!"

"You want to put your trust in him?"

"Well, what other choice do we have?"

"Anyone else."

"No. Just Jackson, I don't trust anyone else." As in he didn't believe that Allison could ever actually fall for Jackson it was selfish but she guessed when Miracle Mccall was allowed to be selfish

"Okay so you're going with Scott, Allisons going with Jackson," His smile became absolutely shit eating, extending wide over his face. "So does that mean that I get to go with,"

"No one since, Lydia will be going with some guy on the swim team, and Ericas is going with Taylor," his grin fell and he looked at her like she had betrayed him.

"So what I'm going alone?"

"Stag." Scott corrected and Stiles rolled his eyes rearing up as if he was making a list of protests.

"Well I could go stag and you go with Scott?" Rory suggested and he withered a bit before perking back up with a grin, his hand clapping down on Scott's shoulder.

"No!"

"Wh- I didn't even say anything."

"I don't want to go with anyone I just want.."

"Yeah well this is where the chips fell so it's me or Stilinski."

"You two go together, I just want."

"I'm just acting off Lydia's orders okay I don't want to go with anyone. As an actual date I mean it's for appearances. I'll probably leave you the minute we get there and steal Allison from Jackson and Lydia from whoever she's with. Erica too. So stop doing that to your face." She wasn't joking but her tone was light. She had already planned on stealing Allison from Jackson; there wasn't any chance that Al would remember Jackson was even her date.

"I can't believe I'm going dateless." Stilinski huffed not looking up from the sheet she looked down at her own seeing it was blank and slipped his paper to her side copying it.

"I'll dance with you so don't worry."

"Gee, thanks I'm so excited to get one dance."

"Better than nothing you know." Shrugging she pulled her paper away from his grasp and then slipped it to Scott.

And why didn't you tell me you went to see Deaton or that he fixed your hands."

"Why didn't either of you tell me you were investigating my boss?" Scott scoffed, not looking up from Stilinski's paper. They both locked eyes, his lighter than her, and then sucked in through their teeth.

"Well, buddy we thought your boss was extremely suspicious. You know after the whole kidnapping thing and not reporting it like any sane person."

"He also had Peter's apartment keys."

"He also had a door in his mind that apparently was a contract for the hale pack."

"He's also a druid for them or emissary."

"Okay okay, I get it geez. He was weird about it but he also gave me a job okay so don't go so hard on him okay he's like.." trailing off he looked to the side. "I really respect him okay."

"Yeah fine, we get that."

"Then just let me deal with him okay?" They stayed silent exchanging glances that Scott instantly caught. "okay?" He asked again more urgently and they agreed.

"Fine fine… whatever man he's the least of our worries anyway we need to focus on Peter and what he's planning."

"Yeah, I know… after that stunt with my mom I don't know I'm worried what if he tried something else."

"The only way that we can take him out is killing him.. and I know you don't like that but someone indeed has to take him out. He's a Hale so the werewolf treaty or whatever.."

"About that last night Kate mentioned something about the spark…" Stilinski looked slightly annoyed at her interruption but he let her continue. "Apparently since it's passed down through the family line great grandma Argent made a pact with the Hales. As long as they didn't savage anyone they weren't going to be bothered."

"Wait, so the Hales have a pact with werewolves and hunters? What the hell were the Hales on?"

"I'm not finished."

"You didn't care when I was talking.."

"Guys!" Scott hissed and they simmered.

"Okay so you know how Derek's eyes are blue he killed someone at some point right well because of that he can't take the alpha role. Meaning…"

"They're going to kill him." Scott finished and she was surprised that it was Scott and not Stilinski who looked equally shocked.

"Yep… his eyes are blue, that's basically a death sentence." She sighed she had done some light reading last night skipping through the French chapters but she found what she could.

"See why I don't want to kill anyone?"

"Oh come on people die murderers murder and you don't see Kate getting what she deserves."

"Rory I get it okay you want her to die but... it's not right."

"It is right.. sometimes people just need to sleep with the fishes."

"That's what I've been saying!" Stiles hissed and Rory took his paper again grasping Erica's paper and filling it.

"You two... no it's not right."

"Just think about it okay cause at the end of the day someone is going to have to die. It's the only option Peter won't just let himself get trapped and he's not going to stop, his entire family was massacred; he was burned for eight years." Scott opened his mouth, his eyes studying on her eyes and he shut it again. Reaching out she touched Scott's hand trying to show him that she wasn't being cold she was just being logical

'Dude Dude Dude did you hear!" Stiles' voice came muffled and dull behind a door before it opened abruptly and she saw him standing there pink in the face and flushed.

"What?"

"Lydias' cousin is coming she's.. oh my god I didn't even know Lydia had a cousin well second cousin but still!" He didn't sound excited well he did but it wasn't exactly happy excited Scott knew that.

"Okay?"

"No! No, you don't get it my dad was talking to her mom about it. This girl she's from New York and her dad.. oh my god her dad, like, tortured her mom and killed her sister! She shot him. She got a hold of the gun and shot him 16 times. She reloaded the gun. Can you believe it? The police said when they broke down the door she was still shooting him!" He sounded more distressed now bouncing on his feet.

Scott didn't think he would ever be able to stay still.

"How much Adderall have you had?"

"A lot, I didn't sleep last night I was doing research! There are so many articles on it shit dude she's all over the news in New York! And now she's coming here to Beacon Hills. What if she goes nuts and hurts Lydia!"

"Stiles Stiles calm down come on I'm sure Lydia's mom wouldn't take someone in if she didn't…"

"But with the divorce what if she decided to go with her dad? What if she moves out of town?"

She felt the edges of the image fade to black at the edges blurring, the colored blobs becoming more and more undefined. She tried to cling to it, clawing for the image. It felt like she was being dragged away before she was completely kicked out and she found Stilinski waving his hands over Scott's eyes.

"Dude you okay you look constipated. Hey Scott!"

"Yeah no I'm fine it just did you just jump into my head?" Scott after a minute came out of his daze.

"I think? Maybe?"

"Don't do.." he trailed off, shaking his hair. "Don't I don't like that." So he could feel her poking around in his mind.. she had never gotten that reaction before though now that she thought about it she had mainly been using it on dead people and objects. Though Deaton had kicked her out too.

"I didn't do it on purpose."

"Wait what? What happened? What did you see?" Stilinski asked, looking at Scott, training his eyes on him to see if he knew and he swallowed.

"Lydia wouldn't choose her dad over her mom." Stilinkis paled slightly, looking away scratching the back of his neck.

Allison was a mixture of nervous and excited as she sat on the bench, her pendent bobbing against her chest. She was already in her gym clothes but she had no intention of leaving until Rory did what she was expecting her to.

It was in all honesty the last thing she wanted to do; she didn't know what else she would have to see or what the hell she was going to tell Allison. She could make up some imaginative story about some distant ancestors but if she was called out. Well, she had already lied enough, hadn't she?

About the biggest question.

She knew who the beta was, she knew Scott had something to do with it and she knew who the alpha was.

Not that she felt guilty, no she wasn't delusional enough to think that she was good enough to blame it on guilt; she just didn't want to get caught.

The girl stood when the last of the girls trickled out. Most of them were freaked out that the janitor's dead body had been where their lockers were so they didn't stay long. Some even changed in the bathroom before coming so the numbers thinned quickly.

"Are you ready?" Allison asked and Rory stuck her palm out silently. She didn't have time to stop Al who was already dropping the necklace into her hand and her hands froze over before she could realize Allison didn't let go.

Rory expected to be the necklace but instead, she was standing in the front of a classroom. She looked for Derek or something familiar but none of the little blurred faces matched the man's descriptions.

"Alright, Allison go ahead." A teacher said after several minutes of silence. Rory had taken the time to gather information on the room, the bright bold colors against a white background. The rows of small baby faces.

"Well.. uh my birthday is this weekend and I'm inviting all the girls to a sleepover." The little girl said and she suddenly saw her standing nervously, her hair pulled in two braids. She knew that it hurt her scalp even though her mom had said that they would settle eventually.

She was holding light blue envelopes each one had a personalized name on the outside along with the other general information or details on the invitation. "I uh, brought cupcakes for the whole class." The little girl said and she switched back to the first view. She watched the children's blank expressions light up as she passed them out.

She watched the scene fade out quickly before she peeked into the living room filled with leather furniture her mother had gotten rid of at some point.

"Well thank you for giving us a call, I will let Allison know." Her mom's voice echoed and she felt her lips tremble as there was a hard swish of a pen swiping something out.

"What was that?" Her dad asked solemnly because he knew.

"Another parent calling to cancel… Allison's birthday falls on their daughters' soccer game."

"So who does that leave?"

Her mom sighed heavily and it only made her eyes prick. "No one." Her father sighed settling in next to her.

"We shouldn't have moved her so far into the year."

"Chris we had no choice," her mom sniffed in a stern voice that she used when Allison had done something wrong. "Besides Allison will be alright she's a strong girl."

"Hey birthday girl!" Kate cheered entering the dining room where the party hats sat to the side her mother had already bought the cup's party blowers. "Why the long face?" She could see the little dark-haired girl again sitting dejectedly in her chair at the head of the table, a rare opportunity but one her mom allowed this one time.

"No one could come to my party." The little girl said she had thought that they might at least say something to her before the weekend but they didn't. She was just as alone as ever. It made it hard to put a smile on her face when she knew she would be alone. It made it hard for her to look at the group of girls in her class and smile.

It hurt.

Even now the sting of knowing she was alone hurt like having a leg chopped off and still feeling it there trying to tell you it was in pain and needed help.

"Well.. hey I'm here and I got you something do you want it?" Kate asked smiling that wide big smile that Allison could never resist.

"What is it?"

"It's a surprise, silly you have to open it." Handing the box over Allison took it quickly and then gave a shy smile at her greediness.

"Go ahead."

Allison pulled at the paper peeling away at it until she saw a box underneath giving her aunt a smile she opened it and laughed. It wasn't a giggle but a full-blown laugh that echoed from her stomach to her chest.

"Do you know what it is?" Kate asked coyly and Allison let out a smaller laugh.

"It's a crown like princesses have."

"That's right and do you know why I got it for you?"

"Am I a princess?" Allison asked, suddenly perking up.

"You are!" Kate cheered, pulling the small silver tiara out of the box and placing it on her head.

"I am!"

"That's right!"

The scene changed and she saw the playground design around her swings parallel to a large tree. A girl with bright hair that glowed in the sun crept up to her with a smile on her face that looked twisted.

"That's pretty, is it yours?" The girl asked in a pitched high voice that rang sourly in her ears.

"Yeah, I got it for my birthday!"

"Oh! The one that you invited us to? Right, sorry I couldn't make it, would everyone have gotten one if they came?" The way her voice sounded made Allison feel lonely. Lonelier than she ever had before.

"No." She answered it the way any child would honestly without the concept of lying. "It was a gift from my aunt." The shining-headed girl frowned suddenly looking disappointed and deviously uninterested.

"Oh… that's too bad." She turned away from her going back to the swings where her friends were and desperation clawed up her chest coming up in every breath.

"Well, I can give it to you... we can be friends!" Allison thought a second then retracted what she had said she was a kid she was allowed to do that." You can borrow until you get your own!" She said coming off the large roots of the tree tired of playing by herself. Always by herself.

The girl's shining hair flared even in the shade of the tree with a smile on her face. "yeah okay." Allison smiled watching as she took the tiara off and handed it over.

"I lost it." The voice said not so solemnly, not even remorsefully. The world fell dark and cold around her as her stomach twisted.

"You lost it?" Allison asked slowly, unable to comprehend how anyone could lose a token of friendship.

"Yeah I'm sorry I didn't mean to, I just couldn't find it I'm sorry. Yeah, I guess we shouldn't be friends now I'm sorry." The little girl didn't sound sorry her features were blurring so much now that Allison couldn't tell what she even remembered looked like just her shining hair.

"No no that's okay we can still.." she saw herself trailing off.. did she even want to be friends with someone like her. Someone who lost her present in two says and ignored you until you asked. "Okay, it's okay we don't have to be friends."

She saw her tiara again and remembered it sitting on the girl's head as she was surrounded by other little girls and she lost all will to confront her.

"She told me that she lost it!" Allison cried into Kate's chest who held her stroking her hair. "But she didn't, she just lied to me. I saw her wearing it."

"Then why don't you do something to get it back?" Kate asked and she marveled at her bravery but shook her head all the same.

"No, I can't I don't want to She is so mean she ignores me. And she lied to me "I don't want people like that around me." She was smart enough to know that that wasn't a way to act, especially not to a friend. Even if she didn't have many.

"That doesn't mean you have to back down and stand up for yourself." Allison buried her head deeper into her chest.

"I-i can't everyone like her and no one likes me. I miss my old school. They think she's a real princess but she's wearing my tiara. I had friends there who were nice to me."

"Sweetheart." Kate cued, pulling her face up to look at the little girl. "Not everyone is going to be nice or fair sometimes to have to take things for yourself. And when that doesn't work you make your own path okay." She didn't really understand what she meant or what other path she was supposed to take but Allison trusted her she was the only one she had told about the tiara.

"Okay, Kate I will, I'll be strong like you. I don't need to be a princess anyway, there just mean."

"Good."

Coming out of it she noticed that Allison had been closed over her pendent and her own. She was watching her with a look of confusion and stunned horror.

"I-I didn't see anything? I thought if I-" trailing off she shut her mouth letting her whisper drop and shaking her head.

"Well, what did you see?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yeah," ripping her hand, she let Allison fumble with the necklace.

"I don't understand, I thought you could see the necklace?"

"I could but you were touching me I saw the strongest memories and I guess you're stronger than an object." Allison fiddled with the clasp, her eyes darting from it to Rory as she looked slightly guilty.

"What did you.." trailing off she swallowed looking like she had been caught with her hand in the cookie car. "What did you see?"

"You, I just said that." She felt herself becoming as cold as her hand would ice-coating her words. Allison was trying to look into her visions and it felt violating. Not that she should be pointing fingers since she had seen her memories and not the other way around.

"I saw you inviting people to your sleepover." Allison visibly recoiled like she had been slapped.

"You saw that?"

"I saw some kid stealing your crown too?" She continued and it was her turn to feel violated.

"I don't... I wasn't even thinking about that?"

"Yeah well, it's what I saw.. so." She was about to say 'You must've' but stopped herself.

She hated stopping herself. "You must have been thinking about it." She said out loud.

"I wasn't. I haven't thought about that in years I just wanted.. I just wanted to see something good with Kate.. not just werewolves but actual good things." Al said desperately and Rory sighed.

"Well did you see anything?" Rory already knew the answer. She looked dejected enough to answer it ten times over but she still shook her head slowly.

"No, just your eyes.. I thought that if I touched you... it might transfer. I'm sorry I'm just I'm scared," She looked around her hands clasping together in front of her. "What if my aunt's a bad person? I.. she's always been a bit intense, my entire family has but I don't want them to be.. villains? And I know that werewolves are monsters but.. but you should have seen her the way she acted. She was joking while electrocuting him.. it was all just a joke to her."

It seemed she finally had time to get over the initial shock of werewolves and was settling into the shock that her parents hunted them.

"And the lying." She paused as Rory sat next to her moving her arm so they didn't touch.

"They're always lying."

"And your always letting them." To say Allison looked shocked would be an understatement he pulled away looking at Rory like she was suddenly different crueler.

"I'm not.." stopping she reformed was reconstructing her sentence. "I can't just demand they tell me the truth… it doesn't work like that.. I might.." trailing off she looked away again. "I might get Kate in trouble.. My dad's been getting really tense around her since she gave me my necklace and when you gave me the book he wouldn't even talk to me about it. I had to go to Kate."

"Well maybe they don't want you to know they kill people." She didn't take kindly to that standing up and physically moving away but not willing to leave Allison probbed herself on the locker putting her back to Rory.

"They have their reasons."

"Really?"

"Yes! You know why Derek is he's a.." she looked crossed like she knew the word but couldn't come to a conclusion of which one to use.

"Victim." Rory supplied watching the way the muscles tightened in Allison's shoulder she tried then.

"No."

"Whose chained up and who's turning on the electricity." There was so much more but she bit her tongue. It hurt.

"She's just… she needs to know who the alpha is.. yeah the alpha is the real killer, the stronger bigger nastiar version of Derek. Who by the way trapped us in the school and…" she trailed off as Rory's smile became thin and smug.

"That was the alpha, remember he's the one who trapped us, the big bad who fell out of the ceiling and scared Lydia half to death."

"See there no angels Rory there."

"And the rest of the Hales?" She asked and Allison's jaw hung there gaping.

"You don't know but you have so much to say. That's telling." Her jaw moved cranking mechanically up and down.

"You don't know a damn thing about werewolves." Standing Rory swung her leg over the bench not willing to be blocked if Allison felt the urge. "Apparently you don't know anything about their hunters either. Some of them don't have the same moral compass that others do."

She didn't know why she was being the preacher. She didn't have a moral bone in her body; she did what she had to do for her own benefit. She didn't care about hunters and hunted. She didn't care which way the dice were being thrown. All she knew was that Kate Argent was a monster, a rabies ridden monster who deserved to be put down. And if that was Peter's goal, why stop him?

"Your curls have only loosened," Lydia scoffed as they piled into the car Rory was too busy finding Erica's address to care about her cousin's constant jabs.

She didn't know what it was that was putting her in such a foul mood. There were guesses of course she could be stressed that her mother was upset and it was running down to her. Maybe she had gotten an earful. It could be that she had no were to sit at lunch and flitted around like a bee because Allison had decided to sit with Jackson and his friends and Rory had sat with the boys.

She had buzzed around her cousin's table making sure Scott knew he was the blonde date and that he wasn't allowed to refuse because she couldn't find anyone else so last minute. She had busied herself by trying to fix Rory's 'hippy curls' twirling strands around her fingers like that would change it. She had a few things to say about the amount of hair spray that Allison used and how it was cheap.

After she ran out of things to say she floated off without a word.

All in all it was more then obvious that she wasn't in a good mood.

It got worse when Rory directed her to Erica's house and she argued that she might have changed her mind about going.

"I don't care, park the car." Rory hissed and was satisfied to find that they had stopped at the curb.

Rory ignored the tense air that sat over them. Allison who hadn't said much to her since there talk in the locker room and Lydia who was finding any reason to be upset.

Maybe this is why Ariel kept her from making friends. They were too much work. She thought this as she made it to Erica's door trying to remember if she had any friends. She didn't actually know, maybe it was because she just couldn't be bothered to ask.

Knocking on the the door she wondered if she egit the house and how fun that would be. Having Lydia wait while she went door to door just to come back and say 'i somehow got the wrong house.'

A women answered the door looking at her strangely before she straightened up completely.

"Hello?" She asked, raising a brow and giving a smile. Not comfortable there was no way you could call it comfortable, awkward.

"Is this where Erica lives?" She asked scanning the women and trying to find a resemblance between mother and daughter.. or what ever it was..

"Oh? Yes uh one moment." Closing the door Rory felt had the idea that she wouldn't come back but she didn't standing behind the blonde that Rory was looking for.

She was in her usual sweatpants and sweater. This one was blue that was a few sizes too big… Rory envied that.. getting to wear whatever she wanted when ever. But she liked her system the feeling of control and not having to worry about something. It was a small envy.

"Oh.. Rory hey I didn't think you would.. how did you know we're I lived?" Erica asked in that timid voice her eyes flicking behind the blonde to the car covering most of her body with the door.

"I got it from Stilinski he knows we're everyone lives." She answered with a shrug because if he was going to be a creepy stalker future killer she could except that if it helped her.

"Oh.. you're here because of the dress shopping aren't you?" Her voice was dropping like the temperature in the desert becoming more and more low. "Listen I'm not.. I don't want to go anymore."

"Thats not an option." Came out before anything else and she reassessed it slightly as Erica's dark eyes dropped to her feet.

"I can't.. I don't have a date."

"Honey what do you mean, I thought you said." Her mom interrupted coming up behind the door where Rory couldn't see her. Her words changed to a different language and Erica looked at her with watery eyes.

"He asked another girl out." Erica said lowly her eyes moving as if she was trying to translate on a dime. "well no but.. he still.. I don't want to be second best."

"Pero él te preguntó primero querida." Her mother said and Rory could hardly keep up.

"No. No it's different he.. he's different he's been different ever since he got on the team." She said turning fully to her mother like Rory wasn't standing there.

"I'm sorry I don't want to go anymore if.. if that's okay." Finally she turned back to Rory with a set expression.

"It's really not." Rory answered back rocking back on her heels ignoring Erica's whines. She could just let it go and let her crawl into her despair she probably should have but they made plans. "Do you really want to have a date?" She asked in a groan like she was the one being unconvinced.

"Rory I told you I want a date an actual date."

"Okay then Erica…." She was quickly stopped and the blonde made the mistake of stepping out onto the small porch to shut her up.

"No Rory no I want to go with some who likes me not a friend or a pity date."

"Okay, who do you want to go with?" She asked crossing her arms and buffing her knuckles into the cardigan.

"I don't know.. I mean Duncan doesn't know I.. decided to ditch him but I can't.. I can't talk to him not after what he did."

"Who did he even ask?" She asked annoyed with an asshole she didn't even know. Erica sighed closing in on herself but her eyes were roaming finding the car Rory had left on the curb she followed her gaze then snorted.

"Lydia?" She asked and Erica flinched uncomfortably. "Did she say yes?" Rory already knew the answer that didn't stop he from asking.

"No.. no she told him that she would think about it.." she spat out with more malice then Rory thought was possible but then her face crumbled which was more Erica's fashion. "He did it right in front of me… Rory, it's not fair.. what did I do." Her hands folded and she stuck her knuckles in her eyes.

"Nothing probably." Rory shrugged thinking about Lydia and her foul mood she spared her a glance making quick contact before she looked away. Almost guilty.

"Come on." Rory said surveying the the shoes Erica had on they looked like water shoes but they should work.

"I told you I don't…"

"Come on, let's get you a dress, it can be like the movies.. there's no glasses to remove but maybe you'll look cute with a pair of fakes so we can break stereotypes." She knew Lydia wouldn't let that happen but it was still fun to comment about.

"I don't have any money.." Erica admired and Rory was about to offer her entire account if it got the taller girl in the car when her mom stepped out pressing a wallet into her hand.

"Go go you deserve to have some fun you never go out. You deserve this, you're always so good." It was words Rory wouldn't have expected from a parent but she wasn't good at finding healthy relationships so what did she know?

In truth she was just surprised she had gotten away with her attitude so easily she usually turned parent off but Erica's mom just smiled like she had some wild fun in highschool that made it okay for a kid to be pushy and not take no for an answer. She knew Nat would find it childish.

Lydia was rolling her eyes when they finally got into the car. She made a comment about the shoes but Rory ignored her while Erica sat stiffly in the back seat.

…….

"What's wrong Allison?" Lydia snipped as they waded up the escalator steps. She didn't sound like she cared exactly and Rory focused on Erica who looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

Maybe she hadn't gone to Macy's often or maybe it was the crowd but she didn't look comfortable so did that mean it was Rory's job to make things easier? She honestly didn't know.

"I'm fine." Allison said in a voice that was more convincing than Rory gave her credit for. But if you took out her aunt being crazy, her family lying to her for all of her life and the fact that she knew that werewolves ran around as freely as birds then of course she was fine. Just dandy.

But you did have to add it all in.

Made for a good shit storm.

"I just have on my mind." That was one way to put it.

"You could smile, at least. Ever heard of the saying, "Never frown-- someone could be falling in love with your smile?" In truth Rory had never heard that one and coming from Lydia you would think she would say something about frown lines. But then again.

"That's something coming from you." She snipped and got a glare from it before Lydia looked back at Allison. "You should smile, Allison. I'm buying you a dress." She said it like it was a threat like if Allison didn't smile she would choke her with a dress instead.

"I have to admit as far as apologizes go, that's more than I expected."

"Well you know I kissed your ex and your going to the dance with mine.. I would say that's enough, Newton's third law but yeah of course I'm the only one who has to apologize." Lydia said dryly like it was funny and infuriating at the same time.

"We're only going as friends Lydia, you are the one who told me to move on from Scott, remember." Lydia didn't say anything indicating that she did remember.

"Besides, I had another idea."

"Are you even allowed?" Lydia asked snidely and suddenly there was another thing to her list of why Lydia was so miffed.

"I am, and a dress is good but it's not as much as I'm going to ask." If she was a car Lydia's hair would have stood on end and she was probably going over the rules for the girl code in her head as she looked at Allison in disbelief.

"This doesn't usually happen?" Rory said leaning back to Erica who was watching the cat fight with wide timid eyes. "It's usually me and Lydia."

"So what dress isn't enough?" Lydia said moving out of the way of the escalator.

"No Im not just doing this to get back at you I want you to cancel on whatever dumb, 'roided-up jock you said yes to and go with somebody else."

"The jock I said yes to isn't dumb or 'roided-up' whatever that means." Her arms crossed and she was looking more annoyed then she had all day. It looked like everything was coming to a head all at once.

"I just want you to go with a friend."

"Like who?" Lydia scoffed looking more offended then confused.

"Him." Allison said almost amused that her pick of choice was there standing at the perfume counter hacking up his lung he saw them and gave a small wave rather then trying to sink into the ground like any normal person.

"I'm not even friends with him!" Lydia said, almost losing compushre.

You were eating lunch with him and besides he doesn't have a date." Lydia cast her gaze towards Rory almost as if she was making decisions debating it then crossing it out. Looking back at Allison she gave one small pleading look then sneered.

"Fine." Huffing Lydia stood taller tossing her hair back and strutting towards her date apparently in the market to please. Which was rare for Lydia.

She watched in amusement along with Allison as she approached her target like a feline on a mouse. He froze, catching sight of her and titling slightly as he tried to prop his elbow on the counter like a cool guy in a movie but failing. Looking like the underdog instead.

They talked for a second and she knew she wasn't the only one zeroing on the range of emotions that passed his face before he jumped like victory, kind of like Mario. His victory was loud and people could hear him across the store.

"Yes!" He said and then tried to calm down. "yeah yeah of course I'll pick you up! At.. 6.. yeah no 6:30 is fine to yeah of course!" He cheered and his face didn't fall it only got bright as she took his shirt and lead him to the racks.

He looked at the group like he had just hit the lottery and now the richest man in the world.

"You just made his entire life, I think?" Rory said, watching as Lydia got to work. She was giving them time to look for a dress first so she'll have time to micromanage and bring the gavel down later. Lydia hadn't said that but Rory knew it was the plan.

"I know. He has such an obvious crush on her and I think it would be good for her to be around a good guy." Allison whispered back and then she turned her attention to the racks.

"Come on, we better start while she's distracted."

"She's using him like a butler." Erica said almost mournfully as Rory looked at the silver dress not exactly blown away by any of them. She spared the two a glance as Lydia searched the first few racks, decided and then threw the dresses into his arms.

"And he'll get to watch a mini fashion show win win." She said not picking out a silvery dress and holding it up to Erica and then sighing.

Her frame completely covered the baggy sweater making it impossible to try and decide.. she felt like Lydia for a second shivered and then put the dress back on the rack.

"What color do you…" she trailed off her eyes passing over Allison who was adjusting a mirror and looking at a hideous dress with a feathery skirt and silk black bodice. She mentally slapped herself because the dress wasn't the problem, well no it was a problem, but not the problem.

Peter Hale Peter fucking hale was standing front of Allison holding a dress and taking her wrist and it was the wrong Argent. She walked down the length of the rack as looking at the layered dress that he picked up.

"See? Much better?" Roru took in her to summon as much bitch that she had stolen from the the Martins and opened her mouth.

"Hi sorry, do you work here?" She asked giving Erica a quick glance she was preoccupied looking at longer dresses favoring the vermillion.

"No, sorry." The man said calmly almost like a whisper was supposed to make him less menacing less of a monster. Maybe that's how he really saw himself. Rory didn't know she didn't care either. "I was just helping you oh." Peter smiled something that was not kind but not evil.

"You I know you.."

"Yeah the car, sorry about that, so you don't work here?" She asked moving around him to stand by Allison who looked between them.

"Oh my.. Rory is this the guy Stiles hit?" She asked, sounding apologetic.

"Yeah, stiles hit him." She emphasized the name hoping to take blame off herself and then changed the subject. "Listen, I think I found the perfect dress for you but it's on the top rack and I can't reach it. I thought this guy worked here but I guess not." Her eyes glance to the black and white dress and she put herself between Al and Peter.

"Oh well he was…"

"I can help if you'd like."

"Yeah? So if you don't work here, why are you bugging my friend?" Rory asked, looking at him with what she hoped looked like a warning but she'd seen his alpha form. She probably looked like a kitten trying to climb up stairs. Very small In Front of a huge obstacle. She felt Allsion grab at her the way most people do when someone is uncomfortable and doesn't want to escalate the situation.

"Well," he didn't seem to like her going off the script either and found Allison instead.

"Rory it's okay he was showing me a dress." Looking down Rory eyed the dress like she hadn't seen it before.

"Allison with much love Lydia would tear that apart, it's too simple. Maybe some long jewelry? Some cut off gloves?" She reasoned taking the hanger and examining the dress before looking back up. "No, I think I saw her with a similar color and trust me you don't want to make that mistake. Let's find something else." She said, taking Allison's shoulder and leading her away.

"You have got to get a creep monitor, honestly you wouldn't survive in a big city." She sounded very much like Lydia but that was who she was channeling after all wasn't it.

Moving her farther away she walked until she found Erica again. She quickly let the dress she was looking at fall into the rack pulling out another one at a breakneck speed.

"Did you find something?" Rory asked examining the range of purples.

"Oh yeah I think I'll.. go with this." Pulling out the decoy dress Rory noticed that it was pretty plain, just a purple quarter sleeve dress with a black leather chunks on the sides.

"That one?" Al asked but she was looking at the other dress. "Weren't you looking at another one?"

"I was but I don't think it suited me really, it's a bit much." Slipping past her, Rory reached out, snatching the free to see what too much meant. It dark purple that Lydia probably knew the exact scientific name of sweetheart neckline with a lace bodice and a mesh skirt.

"Oh this is perfect, why don't you go try it on?" Moving her arm around Erica she used her free hand to get rid of the quarter sleeve dress. She hesitated, her hands hovering over the hanger.

"I don't.."

"Yeah Erica it would look great!" Allison joined in with a wide smile which was more encouraging then Rory apparently because she actually grabbed the hanger. Scanning over the dress again she nodded.

The trip to the dressing room consisted of Erica going back and forth on the dress being too revealing and possibly not being her size. Rory stayed behind her pushing her forward to keep her from running off.

"Come on, just give it a try, okay!" Allison said encouragingly as they got to the dress room and found Stilinski sitting on the bench.

"How's it going?" Allison asked him with a cheeky grin.

"Well.. it's going she's.." a dress was flung over the stall door. "Not liking anything." He finished and Rory heard the subtle click of Erica's stall door.

"That's unfortunate but it could be worse she could be.." before she could finish Lydia was doing exactly what she was about to say. "Rory, bring me a pair of silver heels. I need to know what they will look like in this dress."

"She could be telling you to bring accessories." Lydia was already out of the stall when Rory came back she was in a pale pink satin dress eyeing herself in the mirror.

"These are the closest you have to the ones at home so don't complain." Rory heaved jutting her hand out meeting green eyes in the mirror. Lydia didn't take them until she had a good look at them from the mirror and deemed it worthy.

She rolled her eyes at Stilinski's dog eyed expression and went to what she assumed was Erica's stall… She didn't expect the slight crash to come when she rapt on the door but she didn't hate it.

"Erica are you good in there?"

"I'm fine just.. give me a minute I can't.. I can't get the.."

"The zipper? Let me in, I can get it."

"What neckline does she have?" Lydia asked, pulling her eyes away from her own reflection.

"Sweetheart." Rory answered absentmindedly as she rapt on the door again feeling slightly ashamed for all the knowledge even if it was power. "Erica open up I can help.."

The door creaked slightly and she was genuinely surprised with how easily Erica let her have her way slipping into the room she saw Erica turning away from the mirror her hand press against her chest and where the zipper was. Rory took it quickly used to the whole zipper routine and pulled up with only a small snag that was fixed by having Erica adjust the top.

"Yeah okay so.." she trailed off feeling slapped in the face by the sheer amount of cleavage she had. "Yeah maybe a size up I didn't really account for.. well that. But let's get a second opinion." Erica froze and even though Rory could see her face she knew what she looked like.

"Shes not going to chop you head off come one.,x

"No!" Erica said her voice was solid and strange.

"No?" Rory repeated not used to Erica telling her no and to this point she hadn't even noticed the disscoext. "So you like the dress?" She was rewarded with a stiff nod and she backed up the door.

"Fine I'll get you a size up and be back no second option needed. You like it after all." She slipped out watching visibley relax.

"She's wearing a strapless draw right?" Lydia asked even though they both know she wasn't but she wasn't going to bother nude was better then black after all.

She passed Allison who was now looking at the a dark green on her way back to the stalls. "so did you decided?" She asked Lydia to distract her while she put the other dress over the door for Erica.

"Yeah I guess it will do," her gaze skipped to Stilinski who had been waiting faithfully. "That means I expect you in pink we need to match if we're going together."

"Pink yeah got it no problem." He nodded as Lydia disappeared into the stall satisfied at her quick catch.

"I honestly thought she was going to take longer?" He said sounded more exasperated then surprised. It was funny that he looked tired when he had only sat through a fraction of hurracain Lydia.

"Please she already knew what she wanted before she came in she talked about it last weekend after she and Al went shopping." He eyes cast to the dresses and he looked slight pained.

"Then why did she.."

"Testing you? I don't know I can't read her mind.. well without touching her." On the other side she saw Erica's door open slightly.

"Do you mind?"

"Didn't mind the first time."

Erica looked stunning and the size up helped extremely her cleavage wasn't pressed to her chest.

"That looks great." She said it causally not wanting to worry someone who already seemed timid.

"Really?" Erica turned to the mirror and it occurred to Rory that maybe it was the first time she had done that. She looked beyond bleed pushing back her bushy hair and made it looked slicked back and out of the way and she seemed decently interested in herself. "It kind of does, doesn't it?" She was still meek but there were flashed in her eyes of a girl who saw something she liked and wanted to grab at it.

"Yep perfect actually just need some heels accessories excreta extra and you'll be good."

"I don't know I kind of.." she trailed off looking at herself like she didn't understand the body she was looking at. "I don't know it's my first choice I kind of want o..

"Try more so you can feel hot in different colors?" Erica's moxie flushed from her face a blush replacing it red and fairy on her face.

"Well no I mean.."

"Yeah I was thinking something red or gold. Do you want to come with me to get them or do you not want to part with her just yet." Whether she was talking about the reflection or the dress neither of them were quite sure but it was nice.

Nice to see some confidence in Erica's shoulders.

"I'll come with you…" she staired at herself even as Rory slipped out and ran straight into Allison who was holding an forest green one shoulder dress.

"Lydia?"

"At the check out."

"Stilinski?"

"Going to find a pink dress shirt.. Lydia said salmon didn't count."

"That dress have a zipper?"

"Nope."

"I'll be on the bench."

And she stayed there until Erica came out back sin in a tank top her sweater tied around her waist. Second later Allison come out looking at the dress in the hall mirror and then turning to them with a smile that didn't fit the tight mood from earlier.

"I think it looked cuter on the hanger." She said solemnly despite the smile reminding Rory of before they both shared the secret of the man in the basement.

"Greens are not really on theme anyway, it's a starry night after all." Erica said going to her feet as Allsion seemed to nod in agreement. "Maybe you should ask Scott what he's wearing then you can match." The good intentions were there or at least they seemed there but Allsion frowned looking down the her nails.

"I'm not going with him.."

"Oh but I though.. did you two break up?" Erica asked sounding genuinely surprised.

"Yeah I'm going with Jackson but I think Lydia would be the only one to make him color codinate."

"Oh well I'm sorry.. I mean it not about you going with Jackson about the Scott thing I thought you two.. well nevermind." Erica moved back towards the lines of racks her hands fiddling with a sleeve on her sweater. "Sorry."

"It's okay if I wanted to go with him I should of just asked him but I guess Rory will just have to tell me what's it like."

"Rory will not I'm not doing half the shit you do with him."

"Wait Rory you're going with him but I thought he wasn't .." she trailed off leaving the final part left for interpretation but Rory knew she knew that she was going to say 'allowed to go' which would have been odd. Someone who didn't know Allison and Scott were not together wouldn't know that Scott was banned from the dance that morning. "You know I thought he would be off limits since Allison dated him."

She saved herself cleanly but Rory didn't doubt her intuition for a second.

"We're just going as friends, I'm the filler." Erica nodded but it didn't look like she completely understood.

"Oh well uh Allison if you want we can wait for you and look together." Allison smiled and nodded, slipping back into the dressing room.

They were looking at the reds dressing hangers into Erica's collar bone when Lydia arrived. She eyed the dress and made a humming noise tilting her head then took it.

"For this I would suggest." She seemed to think about it but she probably wasn't. "Gold jewelry and black heels, if you're wearing stockings don't unless they're nude" she trailed sizing Erica up again. "But other than that vermilion is a good choice, is the eggplant your other option?" Of course she knew the exact name of the color Erica looked down at the dress that hung protectively over her arm with sudden uncertainty.

Lydia didn't seem to care, pulling the dress by the hanger and comparing the two with a critical eye.

"Which one do you like more?" She asked, surprising Rory with the kindness to ask. Both were strapless but the red was tool and the other was lace.

"Well I want to match the theme.." Lydia nodded considering it then she smiled

"The red." Nodding she handed the red back keeping the eggplant and turned to Allison who was watching idly. She tried to move away before Lydia could place her eyes on her but it was to late and she was now in the eye of hurricane Lydia who looked a bit more meticulous then she was with Erica.

Maybe it was because in her mind Allison was her friend therefore she was a reflection of herself.

Rory escaped guessing that Lydia would do what she always did.. or had been doing since they met since there would never be an always between them not really. Lydia knew her colors and her silhouette. She would pick something and Rory would yearn for it and take whatever accessories her cousin decided on.

So she slipped away passing the check out to see if Stilinski had found a matching button up or on the very least a tie. Apparently he hadn't because she found him at a crossroads looking between two colors that a couple months back she would of said we're exactly the same. But they weren't not really.

She took note of the boxes that the ties came in scattered around the display table and the four that dangled on his arm. He didn't seem to rule them out even though was too blushy and another was to rose.

"Why not just go with black?" She asked, stepping closer and Stilinski's eyes flicked to her then back to her ties, the skin wrinkling in confusion.

"Well I thought, you know, that I could impress her if I found the same color tie." He turned pushing the the two ties in his hands out as if he was guestering to them with them. "but I can't seem to.. they both look the exact same." He was right but also wrong. One was too silvery and the other was too pink but to match it best would be the silver if she had to pick.

She let him brood a bit longer.

Before recognizing that if she saw it Lydia would first and immediately and it would undoubtedly bug her. It not that she wouldn't notice the heater because she would and she might even be appreciative and the thought of a guy doing something as simple as trying to match with her might make her a bit lighter when she had to watch Jackson flaunt Allison like he had been doing for weeks.

So she moved in closer and decided if she couldn't find it here then she would just get another dress, cut it and make it into a tie. How would she do that?

She had absolutely no idea.

But Stilinski would help.

Anything to make the strawberry blondes night just a bit better.

"You know she was going with someone else right?" She asked even though she had just settled on the idea of making the night fan fucking tastic.

"Yeah I know.. trust me but still she asked me." He trailed off off pulling a tie off his arm and comparing it with the silvery one. "I was telling Allison about the wreck. I mentioned that I was going to the dance alone."

"Devious little minx." She smiled though she wasn't looking at him or watching him scoff.

"I just happened to bring it up, it wasn't like some master plan okay."

"Sure." She said.

"Yeah well even if I wasn't her first choice or second or third or fou.." he cut himself off shaking himself before he went on a tangent. "she still asked me and I'm going to make it the best out of it."

"That's a big promise you know that right?" Rory asked, opening a fifth box and wondering how the hell Stilinski had missed it the first time. "Well let's start with a tie." Turning she presented her findings and his gaped. He looked like he had looked at the strip of satin, debated it and then passed it up.

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure but, even if its not, I can compare it later." Looking down at the color again she was about to take another one when she saw something. Just at the corner of her eye. A flash of red she stood fully turning towards it expecting to see her smiling at her waving her over Avey close by her side.

But she didn't, she only got Stilinski's attention.

"What?" He asked. "Did you see Scott? He's kind of lurking around. I think pretty sure he's sulking around here somewhere he can't believe Peter actually showed up."

"No no I didn't I'm going back to the girls this will do though."

She expected to see her again lingering around on her way back but she didn't so she straightened remembering she had brought someone with her. Erica was just someone she could leave to Lydia that was in a way cruel. Especially when she got into shoes.

She's going through the heels next ans since Erica was tall they would be shorter than the usual 4 inches but they would still be hell. It was always hell.

She found Lydia throwing a total of five dresses into Allison's arm and then showing her into the dressing room before knocking on another door presumably Erica's and demanding results.

It surprised Rory she was being much nicer then she had expected.

"Do you need me to fix the belt?" Lydia asked, sounding exasperated.

"No… no I'm fine I just I don't know I don't want to.."

"No one is going to judge you. Honestly we have lives too." Her cousin said in a huff crossing her arms.

Allison opening her door interrupted her and honestly Lydia was a damn genius working the dress was a velvet maroon dip hem dress. It was plain making it juvenile for a school formal but still Scott McCall would be a dead wolf walking if he saw her.

"You know Lydia, I actually love it."

"Perfect now if we could only get," her eyes motioned to the door and Allison gave her a confused look, pursing her lips and cocking her head.

"Just give her a minute. You're probably freaking her out." She watched Lydia's shoulders rise almost uncomfortably at the reaction she was probably expecting something else, something less sympathetic.

"You get her out then, I'm going to find Rory's dress, honestly you three would be helpless without me." Lydia whirled around, grabbed Rory by the wrist and tried to feel like top dog just for a fleeting moment.

"Lydia come on, we're going to be here all night." Allison sighed pulling at Lydia's away from the window display more specifically the belt that Lydia had seen on the mannequin. "I'm hungry Lydia come on."

Rory sent Erica a look who dipped her head shyly, surprising a smile tightly. Everyone in their little group knew that Allison wasn't hungry. Well she was just not for food. Stilinski had mentioned meeting Scott in the food court and since then Allison was anxious to get there to catch up before they left. Luckily that meant rushing Lydia's process, well as much as you could rush a hurricane.

She had gotten out of putting on the dress and bargained, a fashion show, after Natiles scolded her or whatever she was going to do. Lydia conceded

It wasn't like Rory could see it.

So it would be a surprise.

"So what are you planning on doing Erica? Are you still going with your lacrosse player?" " Lydia asked in a voice that wasn't guilty or apologetic. Allison looked for a minute, tearing her eyes away from Scott.

"I don't.. I don't want to.. I mean I did but." There was something there buried under Erica's tone that was fighting her as she was actively trying to cover it up.

Resentment of maybe unbridled furry.

"But he asked you.. didn't he." Dropping her fork she looked up, her expression going from dark to right in the time it took for her to raise her head. "I don't want to be second place."

"I said no." Lydia dismissively her eyes darted to Allison who was looking back at her scornfully. Lydia didn't understand it and she became more guilty as she tried to. "What? Just because I said I'd think about it doesn't mean I was ever going to say yes."

She was doing the thing that she did when she felt judged rushing her word out to get the point across big green eyes searching her accused to find understanding.

"You could find a date at the dance. I'm sure plenty of people are going as groups and one of them would want to break away." Rory's eyes drifted because it was helpful enough advice but it wasn't helping the foreboding feeling was forming in her chest.

Maybe it was the dark sour look Erica had that seemed to sit naturally like resentment for a mask she wore often.

And maybe she did. That was fine.

She remembered what happened before Harrison's test and she was pretty sure it wasn't an isolated incident either. Erica wasn't exactly popular hell she probably wasn't on Lydia's radar. Or maybe she was becaus maybe Lydia tormented the weird shy girl that was a safety hazard to have around.

Looking at the two now Rory highly doubted it. Not that she was saying her cousin was innocent of any foul play, she was just having a hard time believing that she was actively going out of her way to make someone's life hell. Lydia was more of a cobra in that regard she only struck off and eat it. ed when the time of right. She wasn't a vulture hovering over her prey until it expired so she could tear the skin. Maybe that's how Tracy and Dia were but Lydia didn't care about that.

Besides, she suspected that she was too busy destroying her own friends to focus on the bottom of the food chain. As long as they stayed in line Lydia probably didn't bother.

Looking at them now she suspected that was the case.

To Erica Lydia was enough of a negative presence to have a resenting glare reserved for her and not enough to outright hate her. Or at least she didn't seem to hate her.

"Or you could go with Scott." She suggested looking back and watching as the look Allison was giving Lydia dropped from sympathetic to Erica's plyt to shocked disbelief.

"What?" Lydia asked innocently. "they can go as friends. Just friends." Sure Lydia didn't exactly slap Allison across the face but she might as well just do it that would hurt less. The toothy smile she gave was poised and bared and Allison glowered slightly.

"I thought you wanted Rory to go?" Allison asked in a tone that was clipped.

"Well Rory doesn't care do you?" She didn't exactly give her a chance to speak before she looked back at Allison. "and besides we're all going with friends aren't we? It makes sense why don't we go ask Scott now I'm sure he won't mind." Lydia stood moving by Erica's side, her red nails looking like claws as they curved over the blonde's shoulder.

"What.. Why is she doing?" Allison was at a loss for words as Lydia guided Erica's away.

"Why are you going with a guy who publicly humiliated her? A guy who literally thought your ex was on steroids and attacked said ex during a game…"

"So what she's mad about.. Jackson he.."

"What?" She interrupted grabbing a fry from a plate that wasn't hers. "He's nice to you so damn everyone else."

"Why are you jumping down my throat? You're supposed to be on my side." She seemed genuinely confused and her eyes darted to the table where the boys were sitting then turned back to the table. "What is this, is this about Kate?"

"No I did that I got myself into that." Rory answered fiddling with her straw.

"Then what?" Rory didn't have an answer not because there wasn't one but because there were too many. "Wait why..how did you end up with Kate?" She asked because she hadn't asked before she never asked how her friend ended up chained up by her aunt.

"Like I said I was following Jackson because he, minds you, wants to be a werewolf.. and I was trying to see what Derek was going to do." She answered with a spoon full of truth.

"How did you," Allison paused checking around her and then leaned forward. "how did you know he was with Jackson did you get a vision?"

"No I just went for a walk I guess I.. I can't remember."

"But if you hate Jackson, why would you try to save him from Derek and why would he want.. how does Jackson even know about them?" She asked hesitating before she chickened out of saying werewolf.

"I don't know. Hes just a Jackson who wants to be the best at everything his egos fucking massive sure but his confidence not so much."

"But who told him? Derek? Is that why there was a scratch on the back of his neck? And why would he think.." she stopped her words not trailing off but cutting.

She straightened in her seat, her jaw clicking and her eyes darted. Right over to Scott.

She knew, or at least she suspected and Rory wasn't willing to turn to confirm those suspicious she felt the land mines that were suddenly in her way and she knew that she would have to tread carefully.

"How am I supposed to know? Maybe he met him when he came to the school and forced me to steal a bullet from your aunt."

"You weren't in the house." Allison said her voice careful and guarded. "We have alarms I would have known." Her eyes made a slow descent back to Rory.

"I've been to your house Allison, it's not hard to learn a password."

"No, the only people there were me and.."

"Allison I took the bullet? Derek was threatening enough I didn't want anything to happen." She took a second allowing the lie to sleep over her shoulders and giving her head a shake her face cringed. "Rory I want to believe you.."

"Believe what?" Lydia asked appearing to the table like a freaking angel.

"Nothing.. it.. it's nothing." Lydia didn't believe the brunette but she breathed in through her nose.

"Okay don't tell me, well Rory it seemed that Scott's decently loyal hes still going with you but don't worry we'll find a date for Erica." Looking back the girl looked humiliated curling into herself, her hair hanging over her face. She was holding herself, her fingers digging into her sides.

They were silent on the way back Erica hadn't said anything since they came back from the boys. She threw away her food and didn't say a word when Rory decided to go to the bookstore before going home. She lingered behind the group only catching up when Lydia surprisingly stopped completely and caused her to fall in line.

Rory wasn't sure what happened but she was sure that Lydia had done it on purpose she had stepped on her some how and for some reason.

When they stopped to drop her off she didn't reply to Allsions 'it was nice hanging out with you' with anything more than a nod she just grabbed her bag and left.

"So what did you do to her?" Rory asked pulling her books out to examine them; she figured if Nat grounded her she would need some new material.

"Me? I didn't do anything."

"Come one she didn't say a word after you came back. You seriously embarrassed her!" Allison said, stomping all over moral ground.

"I'm not the one who rejected her, you can blame that on your boy toy. I was just trying to get her a date."

"No, Lydia, you made her uncomfortable!" Allison huffed as Lydia started the car , possibly to show she wasn't listening or didn't care.

"It's not like I wanted her there in the first place and despite that I still helped her find a dress and I tried to get her a date!" Lydia protested admit that she did absolutely nothing wrong. Though she couldn't be so stupid to think that she was an angel here.

"You know what fine." Pushing the door open Allison got out and shut it without another word. Maybe she had been more pissed the. Rory had first expected and now that it was also directed to Lydia she didn't have anything to say to them.

"Did she? She just walked away!" Lydia cried turning back to look at Rory who looking over the recite.

"That's what people do when there pissed they walk away."

"No!" Lydia sighed looking back and shifting.

"Yes." Was she getting comfortable? Rory couldn't tell she didn't think that her cousin would do that but then again this was the queen bee. She probably wasn't used to someone just leaving in the middle of an argument. Weither she was waiting for more a fight or an apology though would remain one of the seven mysteries of the world since Allison didn't come back out.

Eventually Lydia had to leave with her tail tucked between her legs which reminded Rory of Prada who would never do that no matter how small he was. She guessed he knew that something was in the woods that day before school started he knew and he still let her bring him into the woods.

A true good brave boy.

Lydia didn't seem in the same daze. Her mood was rolling back in like angry clouds before a storm. The rain would come down in sheets and the thunder would clap so loudly it reverberated through the walls Rory could just tell.

It occurred to her a few times that she should ask what it was that was bothering her but she didn't. She fiddled with the receipt toyed with the straps on her dress bag and waited.

Natiles wasn't waiting for them when they got home. She wasn't in Rory's room or in the home office or in the laundry room. She was actually out back when she found her by the pool with a book in her hand and a fire illuminating in front of her.

Rory didn't think she should disturb her but she didn't want to dance around the crime and punishment so she went to the deck chair and sat at the end.

"So I know you're mad but in all fairness I did sleep last night and that's good right." It took a second for Nat to acknowledge. She knew that she was there since her feet curled in further on herself to give Rory more space but she didn't seem ready to give another harrowing grounding that seemed to be more of a punishment for herself then her ward.

"You know when Kate called me last night I was actually more relieved than angry. That's not to say I wasn't angry because believe me I was. I told you to tell me everything and it somehow took you less than a week to break that promise." Pulling the book down Nat looked at her from over the top of her glasses.

"I was studying and I completely forgot to say anything Allison's house is just a block away and to me it wasn't."

"A big deal?" Natiles finished grimly filling putting the book down.

"Yeah, exactly a big deal. Because I thought I would be home and then I passed out. I haven't been sleeping.."

"Oh, you don't have to tell me I already know. I also know you've been giving your pills to Lydia which is why I asked her to stop sleeping with you." Rory wasn't exactly surprised but she didn't know that was the reason why Lydia had stopped; she assumed it was natural. Lydia had convinced herself that she didn't see a huge ass alpha therefore she didn't need sleep support.

"I don't sleep either way."

"I know Rory." Rory that was a good sign. "It's unhealthy, you know that, don't you?" She said that she should know that. Like it was detrimental for her to not know.

"I'm better than last time when I didn't sleep at all. I get a few hours now, enough to not become delirious."

"You need to get more than a few hours. Falling asleep in class or at a friend's house will lead to questions. Questions I'm sure you don't want answered." There was an undertone and she wondered if those questions had anything to do with the supernatural underbelly that she had point blank told Nat about. Or maybe it was something else.

"Okay how about I go to sleep now then and you can give me my pill now." She suggested and Nat seemed to consider it before something crossed her eyes.

"Lydia did give you your pills this morning didn't she?" Now that Rory thought about it she didn't remember. "Ill take that as a no then. Go to sleep early tonight. That will be your punishment and I'll call and see what we should do about you skipping a day. I'm sure it's fine but I don't want you to get in the habit."

"What do you think?" Scott asked and she drifted over his suit. They were in the local thrift store and she was sure that the pants would need to be hemmed and the sleeve of the jackets were too baggy but it was either this normal black suit or the hideous green and red plaid monstrosity. Scott had tried to put it on because it was cheaper and she shut it down immediately.

"You know I could just buy you a suit? I'm sure Nat wouldn't mind your my date after all and…"

"No, no it's fine Rory I mean thanks and all but I don't want to do that." He had that look about him, one that a child wears when they know that their new jacket is a hand-me-down or thrifted and they smile at their mom because they don't want to upset her. "This suit is fine, you know it's fine."

Turning he looked at himself in the mirror and she thought the she saw a flash of something light grey when a box put in front of her face.

"Here touch this!" Stilinkis said his long legs stretched over the bench before he took a seat and twisted away from her to drop the more nick nacks on his other side.

"You're kidding right?" She knew he had gone off to do something but she didn't imagine it was too collect old forgotten treasures.

"No, you need to test your abilities and I'm not letting you poke around my head.. and this is the perfect place to do it."

"You'll need to get your pants hemmed, you'll slip on them if you don't." He looked up at her a bit of smugness in his face.

"Rory, my reflexes are the best they've ever been. I'm not going to slip." She waited for the comedic timing where the character says one thing and then is proven wrong the next second.

It didn't happen.

"Okay hot shot it still looks.. Stilinski get that out of my face!" Pushing the box away she instantly fell into it's hold and she cursed herself as she did.

She gagged the situation hoping that Stilinski was falling off the bench somehow on the other side. The room was all caramel wood quilted blankets and soft warm light spilling in from between gaps in the blinds.

It was cozy.

Even from her spot on the chest of drawers she could tell that much.

The door opened and she watched as an older woman guided a younger one into the room holding her upper arm. The younger women was staggering and it took a moment to realize that the older women grip was just a bit to tight.

"Mama!" The girl cried and it got stuck in her throat.

"What is it?" The women hissed once they were inside she made sure the door was closed as the younger women, a blonde with striking blue eyes wobbled on her legs, her knees hitting the bed as one hand went for her mouth and the other wound around her stomach. "Spit it out girl."

"I.. I did something!" The woman admitted leaning her chest into her knees, hiding her face between them. "I did something that I.. I can't take back!" Her hand shook as she pulled away from her trembling lips that were crinkling on the sides.

"What is it? Why are you in such a way?" The older woman with silver hair asked in a harder tone then was really appropriate.

"I.. I did something… Martin will.. he doesn't know." The crying woman's hands fisted into her floral dress taking in mounds of fabric.

"Well spit it out girl we don't have all day. There's things that need to be attended to. I'm finally going to be a nana." This caused the girl to break out into hysterical sobs and she slid down the length of the bed knocking harshly to the grounds.

"Crystal, you can't be acting like this anymore your going to be a mother for christ sake!" The women ordered standing over the blonde who Rory couldn't see.

"The baby! Judith the baby.. it's not.. I can't.. I.. I " there was a long moment were there wasn't any sound silent hovered over the pairs heads like an oncoming storm.

"It's not his is it?" There was a dry blankness to Judith's voice. "It's not Martin's." The bluntness caused the blonde to cry even harder.

"No, no it's not I thought.. me and Martin.. he was thinking of calling off the wedding and I thought it was over between us I met a man.. it was one night just one and now.. now.. Oh Judith!" Small hands reached out and took the blondes hair causing the younger women to shriek.

"You keep your mouth shut!" The women hissed as Crystals made sounds of pain. "I'd prefer you'd kept your legs shut too but that's already past and done. We can't change history but we will rewrite it!"

"Wait your not.. are you not going to tell Martin?"

"No, no, no. This baby will be his and that's all he'll know I'm not going to risk a scandal in this town and if you know what's good for you," any warmth the women had drained from her body as she seized the blonde up and down her chin lifted away from her in disappointment. "You won't either.".

"Okay.. okay I'm sorry.. it was just one night and I'm never going to see him again.. never never never." Crystal was shaking her head like she was trying to convince herself.

"Was he a passer-by?" Judith asked, coming closer to Rory.

"No." Crystal admitted clenching her stomach. "No it was one of those Hales.. Peter? I was eating alone and he joined me." There was a clear look of disgust that passed over the old face of the silver haired women.

"Hale?" She echoed testing the word. "Hales are hermits. That's what my Pa used to say. They've been in Beacon for as long as the towns have been alive but They don't bother anyone. You sure this Peter isn't going to come out of the woodwork?"

"No-no he didn't.. he was gone the next morning." Again the woman looked disgusted but she fixed her features quickly pulling a lipstick tube from somewhere on Rory's side.

"Good, good. You better hope that baby looks exactly like you.. if not we'll, I don't want you thinking my son is an idiot he'll figure it out and when that happens." She was standing at the door now smoothing down her dress and buttoning her cardigan. "You might not have a place to sit at my table."

This must have meant something to Crystal because her face fragmented into little pieces of despair. She tried getting up but weighed down by her grief she stumbled allowing the older women to slip out the room.

"No,no, no!" She was sobbing trying to cover her mouth so it didn't slip out to loudly curling in on herself at the waist her long blonde hair hung down to her knees. "she can't do this! It's not fair.. her son.. he's not a saint either he's been with others.. he's just.. she can't do this to me." Her body was rocketing now towards her and Rory couldn't exactly flinch away; she could only watch as fingers wrapped over her edges and then she was airborne.

She smashed against a wall moments later falling to the ground with a heavy clunk.

"Oh no, oh god no " soft moans came from behind her as tender fingers prodded her.

She knew even as she was being pulled back that nothing had broken on her but a poriline cat hadn't been so lucky.

The first thing she saw was something she could have gone without Stilinski's face was inches away from hers, his eyes trained on her. They looked fascinated as she slowly felt herself come into her own body; her wrist that had been touching the box was slowly going back to normal temperature.

She moved back away from him.

"What did you see?" He asked, sounding more then proud of himself.

"Fuck off."

"What? Was it bad?" He reconsidered for a minute as it occurred to him that maybe some of the items didn't hold a memory that she or anyone should witness. Another repeat with the Argent pendant.

"There was a woman who was pregnant with Peter's baby?" She said almost questioning herself it was hard to take things in when she was an object it was much easier when she was a person.

"Peter?" Scott called from behind the curtain. He pulled at one side, poking his head out. "What like our Peter?"

"Unless they're referring to another Peter Hale.. and they might be, I think it was repeated at least twice in the family tree." She was sure there was a Peter senior but she would have to go back in.

"So, wait? Okay what exactly happened?" Stilinkis asked, trying and failing to pull the prices together.

She explained feeling relieved that she didn't have to wait for Scott to come out. His wolfy ears served him just fine in the changing room.

"So wait, you think that Peter has a son? Here in Beacon hills?" Stilinski looked like his mind had been blown. "Wait so when did he have time to find a girl go out with her and you know."

"Didn't you hear her say that the grandmother.. Judith? She said that the Hale family were hermits meaning they were still alive. " Scott said coming to join them he was fumbling with the last layer of his shirt and his shoes were in his hands.

"Okay so this was what 8 years ago? So the kid would be 8 right, that's not too bad." Rubbing his hands together he looked slightly reserved like whatever he was thinking had gotten in the time it took to make out an age.

Maybe not boring, maybe just less interesting.

"Yeah but I bet mommy dearest knows she might have a little werewolf on her hands."

"Might?" Scott asked sounding strangely distruant like he just added a name of an 8 year old boy to the list of people he felt the need to protect

"Well it's always fifty fifty with a human parent." Stilinski answered and looked relieved to see some of the tension leave Scott's shoulder.

"Still we should figure out who they are. Maybe we can look up Judith's obituary, you know cause she's probably dead." Scott looked at her with slight horror but it had to be true because her box was there which happens when someone dies and they don't know what to do with their things.

She was lucky enough that her grandfather had a storage locker; it was somewhere up in New York and in his will he set a part of his money aside to keep it there until his granddaughters turned 18 where it would be disbursed. The rest of the money was meant to go to both of them and had instead paid for her mother's hospital bills and the funerals.

She didn't know what was left of her inheritance. She didn't think about it often but one day she would get his things. No thrift store would see a damn thing of her grandfather's. She didn't care where she'd have to put it; they wouldn't mark down his writing desk with the swirls and trees carved into the side. Or the picture of the Faith family line.

They were hers and she would be as greedy as she wanted with every last item in the storage.

"Rory, do you want to come?" Stilinski asked but she had only caught the end of whatever he was saying.

"We're?" He looked at her rolling his eyes.

"To look them up, Judith, Crystal, we could look through the town's funeral home. They have a website."

"And if she was getting married they might have announced it in the paper they used to do that a lot Stiles dad has his framed somewhere." Scott said and Stilinski looked down for a second.

"They stopped doing that years ago. They probably didn't have an announcement anyway. We can do some research. Do you want to come?" It was probably the first time Stilinski actually asked her rather than dragging her into their scheming kicking and screaming.

"Tonight?"

"No when the kids old enough to start growing claws and fangs and terrorizing his babysitter yes tonight."

"Can't Nat's making me get a full six to seven hours of sleep? It's my punishment for you know, sneaking out and getting kidnapped."

"Okay that's fine Scott."

"Cant sorry but I have to find out how I'm getting to the dance."

"Got any ideas?" She asked, ignoring Stilinski pout.

"Well one of my mom's coworkers Mrs. Harvey has a bike that used to belong to her son before he went to college. My mom asked if I could have but if I get the bike I can't get another phone so.."

"I told you you probably dropped your phone at the Hale house if you juet go back you can probably-" stopping him Scott looked increasingly paranoid.

"Go back and risk running into Peter no way."

"I doubt that he's probably staying in his apartment. I doubt he's staying in a run down house." Stilinkis reasoned and it made more then enough since.

"I mean that's what Derek did."

"Peter was in a sanitized hospital for 8 years. He probably doesn't want to stay in a place where there's no running water." She snarked looking between the boys.

"Well actually.. I'm not even sure if he's left the hospital.. you know because my mom hasn't said anything about a catatonic patient just dissipating and you know with what happened to that girl the wings gotten tighter security.

"Security?" Stilinkis asked, gasping a bit. "Where was this security when Derek was getting his ass handed to him on a silver platter by Peter?"

"I don't know that's just what she said."

"Hey if you want I can go look for your phone." She offered gathering her bag when she looked up she was greeted but the wide eyes stair of both boys.

"No." They said in unison a bit to loud for the nearly empty thrift shop.

"No?"

"Listen you know when I said you weren't a queen yeah I was wrong you are. Your the queen of self sacrifice." She opened her mouth to retort when Scott stopped her.

"No he's right. Rory, you walked into gun fire, used yourself as bait for Kate and the alpha and you nearly jumped off a roof just to prove a point. Don't go near the hale house." He was being serious a bit more serious then was used to from Scott McCall.

"No I think she walked off the roof you know so.. never mind that's not important bottom line you need to stop putting yourself in danger." Stilinski sighed, getting back on topic.

"What and let you guys make sacrifices? I don't think that would go well."

"Look no one should be sacrificing anything we shouldn't even be here in this situation." Still in denial Scott sounded both like a leader and a coward.

"But we are" She said, "and we can't change that."

"I know."

…….

Friday was the day of the dance which meant that students were too excited to focus on their work. They were more aware of the social portion of their lives. Rory didn't really get the fuss and after hearing a group of girls supporting their friend who was trying to lose their 'v-card' she tuned out eternally.

It didn't help that her own friend, if she even wanted to call them that, they were all being extremely cagey. Lydia wasn't as moody but she had Rory change three times and was constantly reminding her that she need to come home early so that she could get her make done perfectly. Cover up whatever was left the bruising from Peter. She wasn't as bad as she had been and the blonde was possibly the only one in her house that missed the sunken purple eye bags under her eyes.

Allison was well avoiding her was maybe the best way to say it. Whatever imprint they had left after dress shopping wasn't a good one. That wasn't to say Allison wasn't civil because she was, that was just her nature. If you talked to her she would talk back but her heart wasn't in it. Her smiles as cliche as it was didn't reach her ears and she didn't show her dimples as often as she used to. But at least she was still talking.

Erica had gone completely off grid even when they sat together it was like the other blonde had put up a wall. She dodged questions and Rory didn't want to pry so she didn't. She guessed that maybe she had been put through too much. It came to a head when after three days of her not talking Rory got fed up and asked.

"Nothing," this short clipped answer annoyed Rory to no end because it said nothing.

"Well obviously it's something. You haven't said anything since Tuesday."

"I just don't have anything to say."

"Talk about the dance accessories, talk about the fact that you can speak another language. I don't care." In truth it did sound like she didn't care her tone was flippant and nonchalant and maybe Erica was offended by the that.

"My mom, you know what, never mind. I don't even know if I'm going to the dance."

"That dress wasn't cheap, you might as well wear it."

"You know I told you I didn't want a pity date but you let Lydia drag me by the nose anyway it's not…" her brows scrunched and all the fight drained from her body leaving her to slump in her seat.

"I don't control what Lydia does or how you respond to it if you didn't like it you could of told her to fuck off. But whether shell take it seriously well I don't know."

"I can't be taken seriously?" Erica asked defensively and Rory let her head fall lazily into her hand.

"I'm taking you seriously right not but that's me. Lydia different."

"You don't think I know that I've known Lydia Martin a lot longer than you. She never once did anything when her friends were tormenting me." Her eyes flickered to Dia and Harley who were huddled together. "Even now that they're not friends she still treats me like I'm less than her." That hatred, the same kind she caught a glimpse of in the food court, was back fighting it way into the lines of her face.

"Yeah some people just aren't good people." Erica glared at her then actually glared at her she didn't try to cover her malice then it broke just like the blonde lady from the box.

"But why do they have to come after me? What did I do to them?" She cried softy her head dropping, hiding herself behind her arms.

"You were an easy target I guess. You let it effect you."

"What about when they talk about you? Doesn't it make you feel awful." She asked in a muffled voice that was hopeful.

"What that I'm a murderer? Psycho? That Im going to snap at any second? Yeah I mean I hear it but I mean it's true isn't it? Anyone could snap at any second you could snap if you wanted to." She finally caught her eyes leaking up from over the puffed up fabric.

"I.. I don't want to snap. I don't want to be crazy I just want people to stop…" she didn't exactly say what she wanted them to stop doing but maybe it was everything.

"Do you have any friends Erica?" She asked point blank and earned a blinking stare.

"I have people I talk to, in some classes but I don't have someone to sit with at lunch if that's what you mean."

"Why?"

"Because in first grade someone mistook my epilepsy for rabies and everyone thought they could get it if they got too close to me. And then last year someone recorded me.. I went all over myself.." she moaned lowly, her voice so quiet Rory had to dip down to her level to hear it.

"That's.." something she would do.. if Ariel saw fit. The rabies thing actually got her thinking of what would happen if a werewolf where to get rabies?

"Pathetic?" Erica supposedly swallowed harshly.

"Well yeah kind of so they saw you having a seizure and didn't get help?"

"The teacher left to get the nurse. He left me there to fend for myself.. usually I can't remember them but," she trailed off burying her head in her arms.

"You saw the video?"

"I'll never forget how I looked seizing next to my chair with everyone around me laughing and making jokes… I don't want to talk about this anymore." She said rapidly and Rory noticed that her head had been turned to look at the girl in the front of the room.

"You're just full of hate aren't you?" She had caught Erica off guard because she straightened looking at her with a wild look in her eyes. A cornered animal preparing to attack.

"No! No I'm not like that mama says that I need to forgive and forget and I'm working on it. I.. it's not not like can do anything to them anyways I just to forgive."

"If you're still stuck on the first part, maybe you need a different approach. Find out what they're allergic to and slip it in food. Find out what they love and destroy it. Dias wanted to be a cheerleader right?" She asked and she could physically see Erica checking out shying away from the name.

"Yeah she almost got her way but honestly if she did I don't know what would have happened.. she's already so callous I don't want to imagine if she was a cheerleader."

"No cheerleaders aren't callous, try the chess team now they think they're better than everybody else."

"Really? I don't even know if Beacon has a chess team its a really small school. They mainly focus on sports."

"Your not interested in extra curriculars anyway."

"I don't know I always wanted to play chess." Rory smiled because she hadn't been playful possibly ever in their interactions but now she had a small devious smile.

"So you're coming, right?" She asked and Erica pulled herself into a straight line.

"I don't know Duncan hasn't said anything to me… since he you know asked Lydia but he didn't cancel."

"You're not still going with him are you?" She asked as Erica played with her fingers.

"I mean who else will I go with," Rory opened her mouth then shut it again.

"Yourself, you can go stag." She answer, watching the girl's expression and how it shifted.

She stayed silent and Rory took that as an answer. Looking around she noted Allison in the front row she was looking back at Scott how had his head bent forward. When she caught her eye she quickly looked forward.

"Just come tonight okay?" She said finally. "I'll make it a fun night okay." Erica visibly hesitated, her brows drawing together but she ended up nodding.

"O.. okay okay I'll go I mean I did buy the dress I'm committed and you know maybe I don't even need Duncan to have fun."

……

"Rory! Hey Rory!" Scott called shoving past people a worried look on his face.

"Yeah what is it?"

"My mom needs the car tonight." He said urgently but not in the way she expected he seemed scared rather then apologetic.

"Okay that fine I think Nat can."

"Rory, no my mom needs to go work tonight." He reiterated and she tried to figure out how that was strange since his mom, according to him, was always at work.

"Okay so Nat can take us no big.." his hands took her shoulders and she looked at them slowly.

"No Rory she has to work the residential wing." He said slower and she stared at his hands warming her skin through the layers of cloak and sweater.

"You said they had more security."

"No no Rory she's filling a shift someone was a no call no show."

"Okay?"

"Rory, it was Jennifer Peters' nurse. I think maybe he did something to her or worse he's planning something for tonight." The fear was so potent in his eyes that she tried to compare him to the guy who slammed her and Stilinski to a wall to get them away from the alpha.

"Maybe they are." She said and his face dropped at her nonchalance. "I mean Derek's been missing for five days now he's bound to start looking. I'm surprised he waited this long."

"Aren't you worried?"

"No, Scott I'm really not, he's going after Kate let him." He let her go as if she had burned him. It was ironic really.

"And if he goes after Allison!"

"She'll be surrounded by people okay we'll make sure she's at the dance and doesn't leave if he reveals himself there he's an idiot." He was backing up looking very close to a nervous breakdown.

"Do you think.. maybe you could get her dad if you tell him maybe he won't link it back to me and if he does.. If he does that fine as long as Allison's safe.." he was hyperventilating and it looked like he needed his inhaler but she didn't carry it around like Stilinski did.

"Is that what you want?" He looked scared but set stopping fully and there was a look in his eye that made her remember the protector she had seen before. "I can talk to him okay after school. I'll tell him that I think something's going to happen and that I don't know what to do. I'll say feel like he can help. How does that sound?" She asked moving away from Scott and catching a glimpse of Allison at the end of the hall watching she moved along after they locked eyes.

She had been watching all day.

It disturbed her.

"Really you'll do that?" He asked no completely comfortable with the thought of her going to Chris argent himself.

"Sure if the hunters are focused on the school that gives Peter the perfect opportunity to go after Kate." She said and she felt him deflate beside her.

"That not what I'm.."

"I know Scott but that's why you're the protagonist, you want everyone to get out alive I guess. You want people safe that's more accurate but that's not life. It's not how it works." He didn't answer, his face contorted into a pained squint and she rolled her eyes.

"Just a month ago everyone was safe."

"That is because the story hadn't started yet. Scott the moment you got bit your story started." She told him half solamly half intrigued.

"I didn't ask for this." Her hand reached out grabbing his and for once there skin touched as she saw nothing. Instead she laced there fingers.

"But you have it now and you are the main character, trust me on that one. And you know what the main character gets?"

"What the girl?" He asked and she couldn't tell if he was joking or not .

"Yes and."

"And what?"

"And everything else they want but they have to go through trials and tribulations or it wouldn't be a good story." Swinging there hands she looked up at him examining his thoughtful expression.

"Well I don't care about my story i just want everyone to get out alive."

"That sir is why you're the main character."

"I still," he looked both ways before he let go of her hand and led her away from the hall. "I don't feel right about this any of it."

"Like?"

"Kate, Peter, one of them has to die, it's all so cryptic. Can yet just get them.." he looked away almost like he had embarrassed himself. Of course even she couldn't see Peter Hale staying in jail much less sitting through a trial.

She desperately wanted to mock this train of thought 'yes your honor you see my client couldn't have possibly killed those people simply because he wasn't in his right mind as a bipedal wolf monster.' She didn't but she wanted to and before she realized it the words had already dropped from her lips and he looked extremely pained.

She felt herself flush and straightened, hating the feeling. It was so easy to feel the need to protect this brown eyed boy the one who had been through so much.

"If we get lucky they'll kill each other you know. The Argents must know that he's closing in even if Kate did it solo."

"And then what, what if he doesn't just go after Kate you said she wants Allison to help her. She's innocent, she hasn't done anything."

"Kate isn't."

"Okay what about Laura? He killed Laura, he lured her here and stole her spark or whatever.."

"She's dead Scott I can't bring her back.." and besides how am she supposed to know that was really laura?

"She's dead because he killed her!" He said exasperated.

"And why didn't she tell me huh? She never told me who killed her never!" She felt pain swell were fire once danced. Laura hadn't told her a single time that she thought it was Peter she should of known. "Lets not forget she left me so what if she knew who it was and I don't know was fine with it." She remembered Deaton saying that souls who when to seers for help often needed there unfishished business to pass and Laura had left around the time she found out about the alpha.

"You think she was fine with it? Being lured to Become hills and then killed and riped apart in the woods?"

"I don't know maybe I'll asked her." Moving all the wall she gave a sardonic smile that bordered loopy. "oh wait no nevermind she's not here," she tapped at her scull scowling. "Anymore."

"Look Scott," she finally elaborated when he looked more pained "I don't know what she wanted but I know that whatever it was it wasn't enough to stick around."

"We.. we can't let him keep killing Rory!" He said finally sounding selfish in her ears.

"No you can't."

"You think he's going to stop after Kate but I don't think he will he'/l keep going, keep killing, I know it."

"Who has he attacked? Really, who has he attacked that wasn't involved with Kate? She's rotten Scott! She killed his entire family she prayed on his nephew." She looked at him feeling like she wasnt getting through that thick skull of his.

"Look you can be the main character and all that, try to keep everyone safe and alive but I'm not you and I'll never be. My dream job isn't to nurse little animals back to health and my mom doesn't save lives. Let him have Kate." She spun on her heels knowing that she should have him respond but his eyes had already told her he had checked out. Maybe even given up on her.

"I'll get Nat to pick you up tonight okay.. and if Peter is planning something tonight maybe Derek might have a breath of fresh air knowing his abuser is dead. And who knows it that might actually bring Laura some peace."

It was a cruel last minute add on.

Something that she should throw around in a mostly empty hallway but it needed to be addressed.

"Maybe but he'll have to live knowing his uncle killed his sister."

She held her arms up facing him and that shattered expression of helplessness.

"Maybe but at least one of those murders was an accident." She didn't know if it really was an accident but for Derek's sake she thought that he should have someone other then himself believe that it was. Scotts mouth opened then closed it abruptly and the words he had to say flushed out of him when she spun back around she knew she should of herd him out.

She kept her pace.

……