(Your POV) school
I take my seat in front of Stiles, next to the window, while Scott settles into the one next to him. As I glance down at my phone, I notice a new text message. Opening it, I see that it's from Stiles. 'I'm thinking about you right now... can't wait to get my hands on you tonight,' it reads, causing a rush of warmth to flood my cheeks as I blush instantly.
"Good morning!" Jennifer's cheerful voice interrupts my thoughts, prompting me to quickly look up from my phone and attempt to hide my blush. I send a quick reply to Stiles, trying to cool both him and myself down. 'Stiles... we are in class... could you not right now?' I ask him in the text, before placing the phone back on my desk with a sigh, hoping to regain my focus on the lesson.
I get a message back immediately, making me look at my phone again. 'I know you like it . What's the matter? Am I turning you on too much? Cause you are turning me on the way you are sitting in front of me right now... I just want to come over there and bend you over your desk-' the text reads, I stop reading when I see where it is going. I look over my shoulder and see stiles smirking at me.
I lock my phone and place it in my backpack, deciding it's best not to be distracted by any more of Stiles' messages. "As you all know, Mr. Harris is still missing—" Jennifer's voice interrupts my thoughts, and I can't help but frown at her unfortunate choice of words. "--I mean sick. Anyway, I'm filling in while we all hope and pray for a more qualified substitute to take my place. Okay, so let's get started, shall we?" she continues, prompting a sigh from me as I reluctantly open my book, trying to focus on the lesson at hand.
"Hey, my dad said that the ER attending wasn't strangled but did die from asphyxiation-- they just don't know how," Stiles whispers, catching my attention. I glance back at him and Scott, listening intently. "Do you think the on-call doctor could still be alive?" Scott asks, his voice barely above a whisper. I shrug my shoulders in response. "I don't know... But Scott, there's got to be at least twenty other doctors in that hospital at least, you know? Any one of them could be next," I say, voicing my concern, with Stiles nodding in agreement beside me.
Right then, I notice Scott's phone light up with a notification. "Hey Doc. Sorry, I'm in class right now-- can I call you back later?" Scott whispers into the phone, causing me to furrow my brow in confusion. Why would Deaton be calling him right now? Curiosity piqued, I decide to listen in, eager to hear what Deaton might have to say.
"Unfortunately, no... I honestly thought I might never have to burden you like this, but I'm afraid, at the moment, you're my only hope," Deaton's voice filters through Scott's phone, causing Scott's eyes to widen in shock, and my heart to skip a beat. "I'm going to be taken. I need you to find me," Deaton says again, his words sending a chill down my spine. "Doc. Doc, doc, doc-- what's happening?" Scott frantically asks, his voice filled with concern, before he abruptly gets up and rushes out of the classroom, leaving me stunned and bewildered.
"McCall?" Jennifer asks, clearly confused, but Scott doesn't stop to explain. "Where is he going?" Stiles asks, equally puzzled, prompting me to meet his gaze with concern evident on my face. "Deaton is in trouble..." I say softly, my worry palpable. Stiles immediately stands up, determination etched on his features, and he grabs my hand, pulling me out of the classroom without hesitation. Miss Blake calls after us in confusion, but Stiles doesn't pause, his focus solely on reaching Deaton as quickly as possible.
As soon as we step outside, Stiles wastes no time and dials his father's number. After a brief conversation, he grabs my hand and pulls me into his jeep, swiftly starting the engine and driving off towards the animal clinic. As we speed towards our destination, my mind is consumed with worry for Scott, hoping he'll be okay and that we can find Deaton in time.
...
(Third POV) loft
Isaac and Boyd enter Derek's loft, catching his attention. Derek lets out an exasperated sigh and rolls his eyes as they make their way inside. "Go back to school," he commands, but Isaac can't help but chuckle. "Well, actually, we can't. Boyd and I are incredibly and unbelievably sick," Isaac explains with a smirk, prompting Derek to roll his eyes once more.
"With what? Brain damage?" Derek scoffs, his skepticism evident. Isaac simply shrugs his shoulders in response. "Well, I have a migraine, and, uh... Boyd here has explosive diarrhea," he explains, causing Boyd to shoot him an annoyed glance. "We're here to protect you," Boyd asserts, though Derek can't help but scoff once more at their excuses.
"You're here to protect me? Well, I'm in trouble, then..." Derek remarks in disbelief, prompting Isaac to grin at him mischievously. "Actually, Boyd came up with a plan..." he reveals, catching Derek's attention. Derek turns to Boyd, his expression curious. "Yeah, I thought about the time Gerard had me and Erica locked up, tied up with electrical wires pushing currents through us. I was wondering how we could do something like that... but on a bigger scale," Boyd explains, his tone thoughtful as Derek considers the idea.
...
(Third POV) Animal clinic
Scott arrives at the animal clinic on his motorcycle, swiftly jumping off and rushing towards the front door. Bursting inside, his frown deepens as he spots Stiles' dad standing there, inspecting the place with a group of deputies by his side.
"How did you know?" Scott asks, confusion evident in his voice, as he approaches Noah. Noah sadly smiles at him. "Stiles called me as soon as you left the school. I'm sorry," he explains gently. Scott nods in understanding. "Your boss' car is still here, and the back door was wide open. Scott... I need you to tell me everything," Noah says, his tone serious, causing Scott to look at him nervously, realizing the gravity of the situation.
...
(Third POV) loft
Boyd turns on the water hose and walks back towards the middle of the loft. "In a pool of electrified water, it can take up to fifty milliamps to kill a normal human-- less than the power it takes to turn on a light bulb," he explains, his voice steady despite the grimness of the information. Derek furrows his brow, absorbing Boyd's words with a sense of concern.
"That's... comforting..." Derek says, though his frown remains as he glances over at Isaac. Boyd continues, outlining the plan with a smile. "If we disable the circuit interrupter in the building's electrical room, the current will keep coming, and anyone who steps foot in here? They'll get a pretty shocking surprise," he explains, a hint of satisfaction in his tone. Isaac chimes in, adding to the plan. "Especially someone who's barefoot," he remarks with a smirk. Derek smiles, impressed by their ingenuity.
...
(Your POV) Animal clinic
"All right, we're doing everything we can. Right now, the best thing you can do is go back to school," Noah says, his tone firm yet reassuring. The three of us nod in agreement, understanding the gravity of the situation. Noah then moves over to one of his deputies, engaging in a discussion about the situation at hand.
"We have to tell him," Scott insists, his tone serious. I sigh and nod in agreement. "You mean, like, tell him? Or tell him something else that isn't telling him what I think you want to tell him?" Stiles interjects, his expression puzzled. I roll my eyes at Stiles's sarcasm. "You know what he means," I say, my tone conveying a sense of urgency. Stiles frowns, realizing the seriousness of the situation.
"You remember how his mom reacted? She didn't look him in the eye for, like, a week!" Stiles exclaims, voicing his concerns. I let out another sigh, understanding his apprehension. "And she got over it! And- and it actually made us closer," Scott counters, trying to reassure Stiles. Stiles furrows his brow, unconvinced. "I don't know, dude...I mean, look at him. Come on, he's completely overwhelmed as it is!" Stiles says, gesturing towards his father, who appears preoccupied with the ongoing situation.
"He's overwhelmed because he has no clue what's happening. He's got people dying in his town-- the town that he's supposed to protect-- and it's not his fault that he doesn't know what's happening. He's gonna find out sooner or later," I assert, emphasizing the necessity of informing Noah. Stiles nervously fidgets with his fingers, clearly torn between his concerns for his father and the urgency of the situation.
"Yeah, but is now really the right time?" Stiles asks me, his expression filled with uncertainty. I frown sadly at him, understanding his apprehension. "What if not telling him now gets someone else killed?" Scott interjects, urging Stiles to consider the consequences of withholding information. Stiles narrows his eyes at Scott, clearly frustrated. "What if telling him gets him killed, huh?" he asks exasperatedly, his concern evident. I sigh again, realizing the weight of the decision we face.
"I mean, okay. Look, I get that Deaton's been like a father to you-- I get that, okay? But this is my—" Stiles says, his voice breaking as he looks at Scott with sad eyes. "Scott, this is my actual father. I can't... I can't lose both of my parents, all right? Not both of them," he confesses, his anguish palpable. I reach out and gently take his hand in mine, offering silent support.
"You're right," I sigh, acknowledging the gravity of the situation. Stiles looks at me and then at the ground, his emotions swirling within him. "No, I'm not. I'm not right," he says sadly, his grip on my hand tightening. "I'll tell him," he declares, determination flickering in his eyes as he looks at both Scott and me. "I'll help you," I assure him, returning his smile with a reassuring one of my own.
"Please, whatever you need. However you can help find my brother," we hear from next to us. I turn to see Marin talking to Noah. "Will you excuse us for a moment?" Noah asks, motioning for Marin to follow him into the other room. Marin then approaches us with a frown, her concern evident.
"Okay, listen closely, both of you-- no sheriff, deputy, or detective is going to be able to find him," Marin asserts, her tone serious. I furrow my brow, puzzled by her statement. "You don't have to ask us for help," Scott offers, but Marin seems resolute.
"Actually, I'm trying to help you...Because if you're going to find my brother, then you need to use the one person who might actually have an ability to seek out the supernatural," Marin explains, directing her gaze toward me. I nod in understanding. "...Lydia," I conclude, realizing Marin's intentions.
...
(Third POV) school
In the coach's office, Lydia and Aiden are passionately making out. Lydia perches on the edge of the desk while Aiden begins to remove his shirt. Suddenly, the fire alarm blares, interrupting their moment. "Aw, man..." Aiden groans, visibly annoyed. Lydia quickly dismounts from the desk, grabbing her belongings. "Where are you going?" Aiden asks, puzzled by her abrupt departure.
"It's a fire alarm...?" Lydia responds incredulously. "When has a high school fire alarm ever been a real fire?" Aiden counters with a grin, but Lydia is unamused. "That's exactly the kind of thing you'd expect two dumbass students to say just before getting burned alive," she retorts sharply. "You first. Go!" she insists, urging Aiden to leave the office. Once he's gone, she opens the door, only to find Cora standing on the other side. "You don't have very good taste in guys, do you?" Cora remarks, her tone laced with disdain.
...
(Third POV) Hospital
Noah steps off the elevator and is met by Melissa, who is waiting for him in the hallway. "Hey. It's Dr. Hilyard, isn't it?" Melissa asks, her expression grave. Noah sighs in response. "Yeah..." he confirms, prompting a concerned frown from Melissa. "Oh, God. Okay, did she have ligature marks around her throat?" Melissa inquires urgently, causing Noah to furrow his brow in surprise. "No... How do you know about that?" he asks, taken aback by her knowledge.
"I need you to take a look at the other body with me. I think I know how they both died, and I think it's gonna help you find Scott's boss," Melissa explains, prompting Noah to follow her closely.
...
(Third POV) school
"Is there a problem?" Lydia questions when Cora blocks her path out of the coach's office. "Yeah... Derek would like to kindly ask you to stop seeing Aiden. Which means that if I catch you with him again, I'm not going to pull the fire alarm... I'm going to pull your tongue out of your head," Cora threatens sternly.
"Sweetheart, my last boyfriend was a homicidal lizard, so I think I can handle a Werewolf," Lydia retorts snidely, attempting to move past her. However, Cora grabs Lydia's arm, prompting a raised eyebrow from Lydia. "Let go," she demands, but Cora remains obstinate. "I said—" Lydia begins, but her sentence is cut short by Y/n's intervention. "Let go. She said let go," Y/n interjects firmly, causing Cora to reluctantly release her grip.
...
(Your POV) school
"A Ouija board?" Lydia questions when I place the board in front of her on the desk. We are sitting in an empty classroom for the time being. "Also called a spirit board. And it's worth a shot..." I reply, shrugging my shoulders, prompting her to roll her eyes at me.
"A shot in the dark," Lydia remarks with a sigh. I sit in front of her on a chair, watching her intently. "Could you just try it, please?" Stiles interjects impatiently, causing Lydia to sigh and nod. "Okay, let's not forget who this is for-- Scott's boss, the guy who has saved our collective asses on more than one occasion," Stiles adds.
"Oh, wait. Should we all do this?" Cora questions, to which I nod. "Yeah. You guys ready?" I confirm, receiving nods from everyone. "Where's Dr. Deaton?" Stiles asks after a few seconds, turning his expectant gaze to Lydia.
"...What?" Lydia responds, confused, glancing between Stiles, Cora, and me. "Aren't you gonna answer it?" Stiles presses, causing Lydia to frown. "Oh, I don't know the answer. I thought we were asking some sort of spirit..." she explains with a puzzled expression, turning to me for confirmation.
"Well, do you know any spirits?" Cora queries, prompting Lydia to roll her eyes. She then looks back at me, disbelief evident on her face. "Is she for real?" she asks me incredulously, causing me to stifle a smile.
...
(Third POV) school
Scott, walking down a hallway at school, suddenly hears a ticking noise. He focuses on it and follows it, eventually arriving at the music room. Upon entering, he finds Deucalion standing next to a metronome. As Scott steps inside, Deucalion stops the metronome.
"Do you know what a metronome is, Scott? It's a tool to help you maintain a steady rhythm once you've set the tempo. Something tells me the tempo of your life has sped up considerably in the last few hours. If you'd like, I could help slow it down to a more manageable pace," Deucalion explains, eliciting a frown from Scott. "How?" Scott asks, puzzled, prompting Deucalion to smirk. "By helping you find Deaton," he proposes.
...