Weight of the World

20

Molly got a text to go to the Animal Clinic and made her way there.

As soon as everyone had arrived, Scott told them that a pregnant woman had been killed.

Scott looked between everyone. "I don't think Jackson could do it. His mother died pregnant too, and she was maybe murdered. I think he couldn't let the same thing happen to someone else."

Isaac frowned. "How do you know it's not part of the rules? The kanima kills murderers. If Jackson kills the wife, then the baby dies too."

"Does that mean your father was a murderer?"

Isaac shrugged. "Wouldn't surprise me if he was."

Something crossed Deaton's mind. "Hold on. The book says they're bonded, right? What if the fear of water isn't coming from Jackson, but from the person controlling him? What if something that affects the kanima also affects its master."

"Meaning what?"

Molly smirked lightly. "It means we can catch them both." She turned to Isaac. "We gotta talk."

Isaac nodded and the two stepped to the side. "Molly, I'm sorry about attacking you at Scott's."

"I know. I am too. Uh, listen. I like you, but I think we'd be better off as friends."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No, not at all. But I just- I can't really explain it. I want you in my life, but I think we're better off being friends. And, uh, I've seen how you look at Allison. You don't look at me that way."

"She is pretty. Uh, not that you aren't. You're really pretty, Molly. Friends, then?"

"Friends."

"Are you going to move on anytime soon?"

Molly shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I don't know if I'm up for that yet."

"There's always Stiles."

"We're just friends. And I think that's all we'll ever be."

---

At school the next morning, Scott and Stiles were talking about tickets for a show. Molly figured it was the show Matt invited Allison to.

Scott frowned, like he was thinking. "There's got to be some other way to get tickets, right?"

"It's a secret show," Stiles pointed out. "There's only one way, and it's secret."

"What's the big deal about this show anyway?" Molly wondered.

Stiles turned to her. "I don't know! It's a secret show."

Molly shot Stiles an irritated look and began walking away, not in the mood to be yelled at, as she hadn't slept well, and bumped into Matt. She fell to the ground. He frowned at her and Stiles pulled her up as Matt asked, "Hey. Either of you guys know why no one's getting suspended after what happened the other day at school?"

Stiles shook his head. "Just forget about it. Nobody got hurt."

"I-I had a concussion."

"Well, nobody got hurt."

"I was in the E.R. for six hours," Matt retorted.

Stiles pursed his lips a moment. "Hey, do you want to know the truth, Matt? Your little bump on the head is about this high on our list of problems right now." He crouched down and placed a hand about two centimeters off the ground.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked.

Matt shot Stiles a glare and Scott a nod. "Yeah, I'm fine now. So you didn't get any tickets last night either."