Give Me Strength 》 Teen Wolf

24 - Come Back

        The usual room that all of us meet up in at the animal clinic has the tables removed. Now, three silver tubs filled almost to the top with ice cold water and some kind of leaves are lined side by side in the middle of the room. The lights are even dimmed, creating a dark mood. Deaton and Lydia are currently emptying the last two bags of ice in two of the tubs.         

        "Alright. What did you bring?" Deaton drops the bag to the floor.

        Stiles rubs his thumb over a once crumpled badge that is now smoothed back out. "Um, I got my dad's badge. Jennifer kind of crushed it in her hand, so I tried hammering it out a bit. Still doesn't look great."

         "Well, it doesn't need to look good if it has meaning." Deaton says.

        My brother peers down at the small object in Allison's fingers. "Is that an actual silver bullet?"

        "My dad made it. It's kind of a ceremonial thing." Allison studies the bullet. Her fingers roll the bullet around. "When one of us finished learning all the skills to be a hunter, we forge a silver bullet as a testament to the code."

        "Scott?" 

        My boyfriend's head pops up at the sound of his name. His right hand unclenches, revealing a simple, brown watch in the palm of his hand. "My dad got my mom this watch when she first got hired at the hospital. She used to say it was the only thing in their marriage that ever worked."

        "Okay, the three of you will get in." Deaton motions to the three tubs. "Each of you will hold you down until you're essentially... Well, dead. But it's not just someone to hold you under. It needs to be someone who can pull you back, someone that has a strong connection to you, a kind of emotional tether."

        Like a magnetical pull, Scott and my hand are drawn to each other, intertwining as soon as they touch. I'm the one that has the strong connection to Scott. The only thing I can't help but wonder is- who is Stiles'? Lydia advances to Allison, assuming she is the one to bring her back. 

        Deaton notices her action. "Lydia, you go with Stiles."

        Everyone looks at Stiles. Who is going to be the one to bring Allison back? The only other two people in the room are Deaton and Isaac. Oh. Allison and Isaac have been spending a lot of time together. They must have realized that they would be together because they share a look. Isaac and Allison? I- I never saw this coming. 

      "Let's not waste any time." Deaton waves to the three tubs.

        Reaching up, I tug on Scott's jacket to help him take it off. He lets me slide the black jacket off of his shoulders and set it down on the counter. This is really going to happen. Just add this to the list of people I have killed now. At least, Scott will be coming back. I'd hate myself if he wasn't able to come back.           

        The three of them slowly ease into the tubs, quietly hissing as their skin touches the ice water. I gently squeeze Scott's arm. I hold up a finger to Deaton and he nods. Scott is too preoccupied with adjusting to the freezing water to notice me walking over to Allison's tub. Isaac presses his lips in a thin line when I reach him. I crouch down behind Allison. My fingers circle around the lip of the tub. 

        "I know that we haven't really gotten along well, but there's something I need to tell you, in case that this doesn't work out. If it does, then we'll be able to start over." I whisper to Allison, my gaze set past her. "I forgive you." 

        "Thank you." Allison breathes, teeth chattering. "And, I'm sorry for everything."

        I move on to Stiles' tub. My arms weave around his neck in a weird hug, but I know he appreciates the gesture. His head tilts back to rest on my shoulder. He's scared. I can hear his heartbeat going way too fast. If I had the chance, I'd switch with one of them. Deaton nods his head towards Scott.