First Quarter Moon:

Challenges, decisions, action.

The sun had started to go to down by the time we had managed to get the jeep to the local garage. We had thought about trying to fix the vehicle ourselves but decided against it, after realising neither of us knew what the problem was. "Didn't think you'd come," Stiles admitted out loud as we entered the building. I was surprised by his comment, though I did my best not to show it.

"Add miss out on this wonderful aroma?" I gestured in his direction. Considering he had been asleep in a pile of rubbish when I had found him he didn't reek nearly as much as he could have. A smile curled onto my lips as he lifted his shirt to his face to sniff when he thought I wasn't looking. He grimaced clearly only just realising his new fragrance. Turning to look at him fully I cocked an eyebrow curiously at him and asked, "why?"

Stiles shifted nervously under my gaze. He seemed in two minds about whether or not to share his current thoughts. Through his need to talk prevailed as he let out a truant of half sentences, "just some stuff, nothing major, well, I overheard, no Scott overheard, one of the seniors on the team…"

"Thomas?" I questioned lightly interrupting him from his rambling, "Well whatever he said…"

"Was obviously a lie I know I know but seriously the guy was angry," he nodded back at me. Stiles looked personally offended by whatever the boys had said in the locker room. I'd never seen someone react in such a way, sure Matt overheard locker talk all the time but he never reacted like this. Matt would tease and laugh about the crude or unsavoury comments. He had confessed once or twice, when I had been particularly annoying, to adding to the stories in the same way I would if it was the other way round.

Is this how friends were meant to act? I almost felt bad for him, he seemed to genuinely view me as the victim! "I was actually going to say whatever he said was probably true," Stiles looked back at me sharply. His eyes narrowing at my words as if he didn't quite understand my words, "In case you missed the memo Stiles I don't have many friend," I could see the cogs turning as he tried find a counter augment. However there wasn't one, until recently Matt and Audrey where my only real friends. I shrugged halfheartedly, my lack of friends had never really bothered me. Having less people about meant there was less chance of screwing it up, "that is mainly down to me."

"Down to Matt more like," Stiles muttered softly.

I almost missed Stiles' comment, key word there was almost. Crossing my arms I glared back at him. I might not have ever experienced the same level of friendship he and Scott shared but there was no need to make cheap shots, "didn't quite catch that." Stiles threw his hands up ready to defend himself but paused when he met my eye. I watched keenly as he gulped down his words and retreated. Deciding instead to focus his sights on the machine working on his jeep.

Maybe this was what Matt meant when he said it wouldn't work. Sure I liked Stiles but perhaps we were just too different. I had accepted many years ago that Matt and I would never win any popularity contests but I was okay with that. Instate of joining the herd of our shallow middle school classmates we had found solitude together. We understood each other. We knew everything about each other, until recently. Frowning I couldn't stop myself from wondering if perhaps I should tell Matt about the creatures lurking in the shadows. I'm not sure how long I stood there pondering the idea but by the time I'd finished my inner debate Stiles had already begun marching back towards me. Shaking my head lightly I stored the argument away for later. I had other things to focus on, like what the hell was on the waiting room door handle! My entire face scrunched up in disgust as a translucent thick liquid clung to my hand, "Ew gross."

Pulling my hand away from the door I eyed the see-through gunk suspiciously as it rolled across my fingers. Sensing Stiles' eyes linger on the liquid I turned back to face him, lifting my covered hand as I did. His expression mirrored mine as we stared at the repulsive slime that had now rolled down to my palm. Stiles' eyes shifted from my hand to the slight smirk that had curled up the edges of my lips. Before he could stop me I pressed my coated hand into his arm and wiped the contents off with the use of his sleeve. A strangled yelp escaped his mouth as he jumped away from me, "Oh. Nice. That's real sanitary." Dispute his annoyance I could see he found it amusing, he was also seemed relieved I hadn't left him stranded at garage after his early jib.

Shaking his head Stiles pulled the door open, finding the handle to still be coated in a thin layer of gunk. He also grimaced as the liquid came into contact with his skin. I would have laughed at his predicament had he not slammed the door shut behind him. Grinning through the glass at me I knew he had closed it on purpose, he was going to force me the touch the vile stuff again! I couldn't help but smile back at his immaturity. His hazel eyes gleamed mischievously at me as he waited for my response. My smile widened as I went to lift my hand, I had every intention of flipping him my middle finger. Worry filled Stiles' eyes as he watched my smile fall. I couldn't move my hand. No, that wasn't right I couldn't move my entire right arm. "Stiles, somethings wrong," I could hear the fear that coated each word, why couldn't I move my arm!

"Emma?" Stiles was trying to stay calm but I could hear the anxiety in his voice. Panic began to shoot through my body as my eyes darted between him and my useless arm. I tried to take a step toward him but couldn't. Without warning my body betrayed me. Falling sideways I slammed into the floor like a piece of lead, I had only just managed to move my left arm to prevent my face from hitting the ground first. His hand pushed into the door as Stiles, who had already fished out his mobile, knelt beside the glass panel. It couldn't be opened, the thought terrified me. I had fallen directly in front of the door and had trapped a fretful Stiles inside. "Hey. Hey! Hey!" Stiles had begun slamming his fists into the door in an attempt to gain the mechanic's attention but the blaring radio drowned out his yells.

Sucking in a deep breath I closed my eyes as I tried to keep calm. Stiles was one of the smartest people I knew, I had nothing to worry about. As long as he was, I paused mid thought at peered up at the boy in question. My eyes narrowed in on his shaking fingers, it looked like he was struggling to move them. Any tranquility I had managed to find vanished as a horrid realisation came to light, Stiles was being paralyzed to. I tried to call out to him but my voice dried up in the throat as I watched the phone slip from his hands. It wasn't long before he too was sent tumbling to the floor. With the little control he had left, Stiles tried desperately to reach his phone. All I could do was watch helplessly from the other side of the door. As I watched I noticed how my wide blue eyes reflected back at me, full of childish terror.

I couldn't turn my head to see who else was in the room but I could just about make out the reflection of the garage in the glass door and something seemed off. Something was moving. As the radio was still blaring out through the garage I had made the assumption that the worker was still present. That was good, that meant we would be found soon. Right? However, from the look of horror on Stiles' face I knew that whatever was moving in the workshop wasn't good. He had already began yelling at the machine to run, from what I didn't know. Soon however his yells were joined by a new series of blood curdling screams. The mechanic. "Help me. Help me. Help! Help - Help me," bile filled my mouth at the words, he knew he was going to die. From the glassy look in Stiles' eyes I was happy not to see what was happening. It was only when his fearful eyes began to track something across the room that I truly understood the severity of our situation.

"Emma," Stiles was looking directly at me now. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes as he did his best to appear calm. "Keep looking at me, okay. Whatever you hear focus on me, you're fine, everything is okay," as he continued to talk I couldn't figure out if he was trying to reassure himself or me. I could feel a second pair of eyes focus on the back of my neck, forcing my nerves into overdrive. Stiles' gaze drifted upward and settled on a spot just above my eye line. "Stop! Don't touch her," Stiles pleaded with whatever was behind me. I was going to die. Slamming my eyes shut, my thoughts drifted to a dark place. I wondered if it would hurt, I wondered if it would hurt more than the last time. I wondered if Stiles would be smart enough to close his eyes, I didn't want him to see me die. He didn't deserve to see someone die.

I'm not sure how long I stayed like that, motionless on the floor with my eyes tightly closed. A light knocking pulled me from my morbid thoughts. As I finally opened my eyes I found Stiles peering out through the glass at me. He let out a heavy sigh of relief, "Emma? Can you move?" Pushing into the ground I found myself able to stand on shaky legs. The moment I had shuffled out of the way of the door Stiles had launched his way through and thrown his arms around me. The hug didn't last long as he quickly pushed me backward, his hands gripping my shoulders tightly as his eyes scanned my body for injuries. I merely stood there letting the boy mutter about a lizard monster and about how he could move. I opened my mouth to question what had happened but was cut off by Stiles as began to steer me towards the door, "don't look." As if I couldn't not look. While Stiles preceded to exit the building toward the growing wall of flashing lights and sirens, I looked. I shouldn't have, bile returned to my mouth as I gazed at the gruesome sight. The poor mechanic had been crushed, for lack of a better word, under Stiles' jeep. I could only assume the man had been paralyzed too since it didn't look like he had tried to run. I jumped as Stiles grasped my shoulder once again. "I told you not to look," he whined. I didn't reply. He looked tired and ever so slightly annoyed, in that moment I could see how much he looked like his father. Who was at that moment rushing across the gravel car park, a similar expression on his face, "I'll deal with my dad, okay?"

True to his word, Stiles had dealt with his father. As soon as the sheriff begun to question us about that evening's events Stiles had created a simplistic cover story which had us excused from the interrogation with in less than ten minutes. I was impressed. Seeing as his car was taken in as evidence, I made the metal note to never sit in his car again, I reluctantly offered to drive him home. I know I should have been keener to help him, I was pretty sure he had saved my life once again but I was so tired. All I wanted to do was drive home, in silence, and go straight to bed. I knew if I got stuck in a car with Stiles he would want to discuss everything that had happened. Luckily, Scott had appeared before Stiles could reply and the pair dived straight into an in-depth recap of the last few hours. While they gossiped I had edged away toward my car. I thought I had managed to leave without them noticing but When I returned home I noted the five missed calls and the voices mails from Stiles promising to find me tomorrow at school.

And find me he did. During my afternoon free period he had ambushed me in the newsroom. I had been busy working my way through a pile of notes Audrey had left me when the door swung open. Stiles had rushed into the room, stumbled over some of the boxes that littered the floor and landed in a heap in the chair beside me. Amused by his theatrical entrance I turned my head just enough to see him out the corner of my eye. His face was a glorious beetroot colour and his breath wheezed painfully as he rolled his head back over the edge of the chair. "Bestiary?" Came his raspy questioned.

I cocked an eyebrow at him while turning to face him fully, "Please tell me you are referencing the book of supernatural creatures."

His face lit up and he swung himself into an upright position. I had obviously given him the correct answer. "I could kiss you! I wont… that would be… I mean," He trailed off.

As curious as I was about want kissing me would be I picked a different question to ask him, "why the sudden interest in lore books." Stiles proceeded to inform me that Allison believed her family might have such a book in their possession. So when he asked me to help her get it I had happy agreed with the condition that I could copy the book for my own notes. He had approved only after forcing me to show him the thick notebook I had begun recording things in, he had almost lost it when he spotted on of the original photos of Scott tucked into the pages.

"Is this how you found Lydia?" He pointed to a section of scruffy handwriting that I had tucked the blood stained map behind. I nodded, "Scrying? Where'd you get that idea Hogwarts?"

I scoffed and snatched the book from him, "I googled it." He didn't look impressed that I'd taken the notebook away but after those reactions I doubted he would favour some of the other things I had hidden in there.

We had spent the rest of the day passing messages between Allison and Scott. It had taken a while but by the last bell the four of us had created a plan to steal Gerrard's keys. Allison had done most of the planning considering she was the one who had to get the keys from her grandfather. Collectively, we had decided that Scott needed to stay on the pitch as he would be missed. I had suggested I go once we had the keys, admitting to them that I had already taken things from the vice-principal's office so I knew what I was doing. However, Stiles had protested loudly at the idea of being left on the bench for both the game and our 'heist'. Which I why I was so annoyed that he was still loitering in the carpark when I had finally gotten away from the game. As I marched toward him my annoyance continued growing. I snapped out a harsh, "for the love of, what are you doing?" I guess we had planned for every problem but Stiles' unyielding devotion to Lydia. He was hovering by the boot of Lydia's car muttering to himself, was he too scared to talk to her? I walked up to him and nudged him sharply in the ribs with my knuckles, "You have a job to do, one you practically begged to have."

"But," he tried to counter but couldn't. He knew he was wasting time. Unenthusiastically he turned on his heels and jogged towards his original destination.

I thought about following him but when I caught sight of Lydia's swollen red eyes I knew I had to say something. Knocking on the passage side door I called through the window, "open the door Lydia." She flinched at the noise. "Lydia," I pressed on.

The red head didn't look happy to see me as she pushed the door open. Instead her usual sharp tone drifted from car, "just because I let you in doesn't mean I'm going to talk to you."

"I didn't talk for years, silences don't bother me," I informed her confidently as I settled into the seat beside her. My eyes drifted round the car in an attempt to amuse myself as silence filled the small car. At one point I had even toyed with the idea of rummaging through her glove compartment. I was happy to wait for her to talk.

I'm not sure how long we stay like that but as cheers echoed through the abandoned car park Lydia finally let out a sigh. She had finally stopped crying but it was clear she was still feeling fragile. "I feel like I'm losing my mind," she mumbled softly her watery eyes gazing out the window.

"I think you're just becoming," I paused momentarily as I struggled to find the right wording, "a bit more open minded, besides all the best people have moments of madness," I shifted in my seat to face her before using my fingers to count off the names, "Britney, Charlie, Miley."

Lydia tilted her head toward me. Now that she was looking at me I could finally see just how red her eyes had become. Her usually immaculate makeup was smudged and she was still clutching a scrunched up tissue. I would have felt bad for her had she not sent me a wicked smile. Glossy lips twisted as she made an addition to my list, "you?" I let out a loud laugh and smiled back. I know most people would be offended by the implication but I was just happy to see her personality clawing its way through the tears.

"Well I didn't spend that summer in therapy to make friends," I quipped back at her. Her shoulders eased and the smile lingered on her lips. Despite this I knew she was still frustrated, she wasn't used to not knowing something. Lydia Martin was used to being the smartest person in the room and right now everyone seemed to be one step ahead of her. I reached across and squeezed her hand gently, a move Matt often used when he tired to comfort me, "Look I know it sucks right now and nothing makes sense but I promise you it will." I didn't need to look at my phone to know I had already spent to long comforting Lydia. I had scolded Stiles for delaying the plan and here I was doing exactly that. Placing a hand on the handle I added one last comment before opening the door, "just give us some time okay."

"Fine," Lydia replied with a pout. As I exited the car she called after me sternly, "but remember I don't like waiting."

Racked with guilt, something I rarely felt, I raced toward the school offices trying my best to put Lydia's tear stained face to the back of my mind. As I turned the last corner I slowed down, something seemed off. The office door stood open, Gerrard's keys hanging forgotten from their place beneath the golden handle. Where was Stiles? Surely he wasn't stupid enough to leave the door open after he had retrieved the book? I edged closer to find the office void of my hyperactive classmate. Where the hell had he gone? Fishing my phone from my pocket, I began to dial. As my phone began processing my demands I scanned the room for any hints to the boys sudden disappearance. We had enough to deal with already the last thing we needed was for people to start vanishing!

A soft chiming began to echo through the otherwise silents halls. I'd heard the annoying tune enough to know it was Stile's phone but why wasn't he answering? Following the faint music I soon found myself lingering outside the doors to the pool. I could hear the music clearly through the wood in front of me. It would have been easy to march straight into the large room to investigate but doubt had begun to seep into my mind. What ifs and other morbid possibilities began to flash before my eyes. The most harrowing being the image of Stiles' lifeless body laying bloodied and broken on the floor, his phone just out of reach.

When I finally plucked up the courage to push the door open I was greeted with a peculiar sight. There was in fact a body sprawled out motionlessly on the edge of the tiles but it wasn't Stiles. Instead blonde ringlets fanned out around Erica's head, her expression softer than usual. It was only as I crouched down beside her that I spotted the two heads bobbing comically in the centre of the pool. Confident that Erica was stable, and in a much better position than Stiles and Derek, I stood. Clearing my throat the bickering pair turned to face me, the identical looks of horror on their faces did little to ease my nerves. "Emma!" Stiles called out nearly taking in a mouthful of water as he clung to Derek. "Get in the water," he continued after carefully lifting his chin above the water line.

Folding my arms defiantly, I frowned back at him, "did I miss something when we were planning all this earlier?" When had Derek and Erica been become involved? Why the hell were they in water and more importantly why did I need to join them? My brain was starting to ache with the sheer number of questions I was being forced to ask. We had had a sound proof plan! What had gone wrong?

"Would you please just shut up for once and get in the water," Stiles continued unaware of my current inner monologue.

I was ready to fire back a comment when Derek let out a low growl, "move." My body had registered his warning before my brain, I twisted round to face the presence that had the pair so spooked. Slinking toward me in a serpentine manner was a creature I had never seen before, nor one I had ever read about. It's sinister amber eyes peered at me curiously as it tilted its scaly head to one side. Fear encased my body as it edged closer. My eyes flickered between the beast and Stiles, who I realised was in fact holding Derek up above the water. I could only assume that meant the werewolf had been paralyzed in the same way Stiles and I had been the other day. Derek was muttering something to Stiles as the boy stared open mouthed at me, he wanted to play hero. Again. Surely we hadn't survived in the garage only to die a day later at the hand of the same monster. Though perhaps there had been more to us surviving.

As the reptilian creature eased itself between me and the edge of the pool I noticed a change in its stance. The menacing aura that had been rolling off it early seemed to have lessened. Its eyes seemed to soften from murderous rage to puppy like curiosity. Despite successfully blocking my escape it didn't come any closer. It was acting like a pet would when told to stay away from the furniture or good pair of shoes. It wanted to come closer. It wanted to rip, bite and scratch. However it knew it would be punished for the action. Peering over the beasts hunched shoulder I called out the waterlogged pair, "guys, I don't think it will hurt me."

The pair very different reactions to my words. Stiles let out a loud sigh and proceeded to tell me about the importance of getting into the pool. How he expected me to get past our scaly friend I'm not hundred percent sure and from the look on his face he wasn't either. Derek on the other hand had began barking orders at me. His commanding tone carrying with ease through the room "You can't do anything to it, just phone Scott!"

Choosing to move away from the beast and not toward it, I shuffled away from the pool. Ignoring Stiles shouts of protests, I pulled out my phone and began to call the young werewolf. I hadn't had to wait long, Scott had picked up almost instantly. Though he wasn't happy to hear from me. Before I could spit out a rushed hello he was hissing down the line at me. I could hear Allison's hushed whispers in the background as he proceed to hang up on me. I pulled the phone away from I ear and stared at it in disbelief. "He hung up on me," I whispered to myself as I shifted my eyes upward to glare at Stiles. "Scott just hung up on me!"

I knew it wasn't Stiles' fault his friend had hung up on me but since Scott was nowhere to be seen I felt he made a good substitute. Though I didn't have time to throw a tantrum. With no backup on route I needed to get to safety. Sure the creature hadn't attacked yet but there was nothing to guarantee that it would keep its distance. Scanning the room I couldn't help but groan inwardly as I realised Stiles had been right the only safe space seemed to be in the swimming pool.

Sidestepping Erica's body I shuffled slowly toward the edge of the pool. The creature turned to survey me as I crept closer, it's eyes narrowed with each step I took. My heart leapt as it began to slink forward. "You might want to consider getting in the pool now," Stiles suggested unhelpfully as I began to quicken my pace. He sounded exhausted and I could tell he needed help if he was to carry on holding Derek up. Never taking my eyes off of scaly beast, I felt for the pool side with my feet only to find the diving board blocking my escape. Without taking the time to think I clambered up the step clumsily trying my best to keep my focus on the monster, that was now closer than ever before.

Despite the fact the creature clearly disliked the water, It clawed its way onto the board with me, leaving a thick layer of goo on the handles. The thin platform wobbled as it stalked forward. "Emma! get in the wa…" Stiles yells where cut off as his body sunk below the surface of the water. The dead weight of Derek's paralyzed body had finally become to much as the pair vanished out of sight.

Everything seemed to happen at once, as I prepared to plunge into the icy pool a fierce roar echoed through the room. Scott had arrived! He tackled the second shape shiftier roughly sending it tumbling into the tiles that covered the floor. Taking advantage of my new freedom I twisted round and dove into water. Surprisingly, the pair were already laying motionless at the bottom of the pool having plummeted like lead weights. Kicking my feet as hard as I could I propelled myself toward them. Hooking one hand under Derek's thick leather collar, I snaked the other arm around Stiles' torso. With one powerful push I shot toward the surface bringing the limp bodies with me.

Gasping frantically, I broke through the surface. My lungs burnt and my body ached. How Stiles had kept himself and Derek afloat for so long was begun me. With one last burst of energy I moved toward the edge of the pool. Using my arms and legs to pin Stiles and Derek to the closest ladder. They were still breathing. My eyes scanning the room for Scott, who was still wrestling the tailed beast. Though from the look of it the creature seemed more interested with the mirror shard in the werewolf's claws. A sudden burst of movement forced my head around to watch Derek, who seemed to be regaining his strength, reach out for the side I'd slammed us into. He pushed my arm away from his chest without so much as a thank you.

I had been ready to chastise his lack of manners as he hauled himself awkwardly onto dry land. His body was obviously still refusing to move properly. However, before the words had left my mouth he had yanked Stiles from the pool carelessly letting the exhausted boy slam into the ground. The fall was enough to jolt some live into Stiles as he began to cough and splutter noisily in the background. To my surprise Derek hadn't stopped there, once Stiles was out he had held out his hand to me. Ignoring his offer I heaved myself out with the help of the ladder. It was petty I know but I couldn't help but remember his early insinuation that I wouldn't be helpful. As I stood ready to pass him I patted his outstretched arm patronizingly and smiled up at him, "How about staying on dry land next time you need rescuing."

Derek's eyes narrowed and he looked ready to push me back into the water, though he didn't get a chance to act on it as Stiles chimed uneasily, "Next time? why would there be a next time?" His eyes shifted to toward Scott, who was still brandishing a jagged piece of mirror between himself and the creature. "There isn't going to be a next time," as if it had heard his words the creature shuffled backwards away from Scott. The trance it seemed to be locked in broken as it darted to the side and up the wall. Sharing a look with Scott, Stiles let out a heavy sigh,"yeah okay there will probably," he paused when I scoffed at his word choice. Nodding he quickly changed his wording, "definitely, there will definitely be a next time."

By the time Scott had joined us, Derek had already disappeared with Erica. He proceeded to inform us about the bestiary and how it wasn't even a physical book like we had assumed, which in all fairness made it easier for us to steal. Stiles had tried to get me to leave the building with him but I'd palmed him off with some pathetic excuse about needing to get dry clothes from my locker. Once I was positive the dynamic duo had officially left the building I made my way toward the diving board. Removing my silver cigarette tin from my pocket I discarded the soaked white sticks on the floor and knelt beside the edge of the board. Careful not to touch it with my bare hands I scooped the layer of see through gunk into the now empty case. Turning the tin over in my hands I watched it closely checking nothing was oozing from the seals. pocketing my prize I followed after the boys edger to see what we could learn from the bestiary.

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