BEACON HILLS HIGH
As they walked through the halls, Stiles asked, "If Derek isn't the Alpha, if he's not the one who bit you, then who did?"
"I don't know," Scott replied.
"Did the Alpha kill the bus driver?"
"I don't know."
"Does Allison's dad know about the Alpha?"
Molly rolled her eyes. "I swear you're as bad as Dean. He doesn't know."
They were handed their tests back and Stiles noticed Scott's grade.
"Dude, you need to study more," Stiles commented, earning a glare from his best friend. "That was a joke. Scott, it's one test. You're gonna make it up. Do you want help studying? Molly could help. She seems pretty smart."
Molly glanced at her friend. "He's right. I could help you study, Scott. Or I could get Sam to help you."
"No," Scott said. "That's okay, Molly. I'm studying with Allison after school today."
Stiles grinned. "That's my boy."
"We're just studying."
"Uh, no, you're not."
"No, I'm not?"
"Not if I'm forced to live vicariously through you. If you go to her house today and squander that colossal opportunity, I swear to God I'll have you de-balled."
"Okay. Just - Stop with the questions, man."
"Done. No more questions. No more talk about the Alpha or Derek. Especially Derek - who still scares me."
---
Lydia and Allison walked up the stairs and the former asked, "Scott's coming over? Tonight?"
"We're just studying," Allison replied.
""Just studying" never ends with just studying. It's like - Getting into a hot tub - Somebody eventually cops a feel."
"Well, so what are you saying?"
"I'm just saying, you know, make sure he covers up." Allison looked at her in confusion. "Hello, Snow White! Do it with him with a condom."
"Are you kidding me? After one date?"
"Don't be a total prude. Give him a little taste."
"Well, I-I mean, how much is "a little taste"?"
Lydia studied Allison a moment. "Oh, God. You really like him, don't you?"
"Well - He's just different. When I first moved here, I had a plan - no boyfriends until college. I just move too much. But - Then I met him, and - He was different. I-I don't know. Can't explain it."
"I can. It's your brain flooding with phenylethylamine."
"What?"
"I'll tell you what to do. When's he coming over?"
"Right after school."
"Hmm. Maybe I can have Molly join us." She dialed a number and got no response. "Must be busy. I'll try later."
---
Stiles and Molly got into his Jeep and she suddenly cried, "Stiles!"
"Oh, my God," Stiles said, seeing Derek in front of his car.
Derek promptly collapsed and Scott began panicking. "Oh, no, no - no - no, not here!"
"You've gotta be kidding me," Stiles muttered as he and Molly got out. "This guy's everywhere-"
"What the hell? What are you doing here?"
"I got shot," Derek said.
"He's not looking so good, dude," Stiles noted.
"Why aren't you healing?" Scott wondered.
"I can't," Derek answered. "It was - it was a different kind of bullet."
"A silver bullet?" Stiles asked.
"No, you idiot."
Molly frowned as Scott said, "Wait, wait. That's what she meant when she said you had 48 hours."
"What? Who - who said 48 hours?"
"The one who shot you." Derek's eyes flicked from blue to normal. "What are you doing? Stop that!"
"I'm trying to tell you, I can't!"
"Derek, get up!"
Molly began pulling Derek and looked between the boys. "A little help, you idiots!"
They helped her and Derek looked out the passenger's window at Scott. "I need you to find out what kind of bullet they used."
Scott frowned. "How the hell am I supposed to do that?"
Derek noticed Allison behind them. "'Cause she's an Argent. She's with them."
"Why should I help you?"
"Because you need me."
"Fine. I'll try." He looked to his friends. "Hey get him out of here."
"I hate you for this so much," Stiles told him.
Molly smirked. "I'll protect you if he attacks." She glared at Derek. "No funny business, Wolfman."
Stiles drove off.
Dean and Sam, who had tracked Derek to the school, watched as the Jeep drove off.
Dean narrowed his eyes. "Did Stiles just drive off with Molly and a freaking werewolf?!"
Sam nodded. "Yeah. But I don't think Derek is our biggest problem."
"Dude! He's a werewolf who hangs around a high school!"
"The same could be said for us."
Dean opened his mouth and closed it. "Okay, good point. Let's see where this takes us."
---
"Hey," Allison called as she and Scott met up. "What was he doing here?"
"Stiles and Molly were just, um, giving him a ride," Scott replied. "Uh, long story."
"But I thought you weren't friends with him."
"No, not really. Um, we're still studying together, right? So I'll meet you back at your place?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, bye."
"See you later."
---
Scott biked to Allison's house and got there when she did.
"How did you - You got here at the same time I did," Allison said.
"Oh," Scott stated, quickly thinking of a plausible lie. "Yeah, I-I-I just took a shortcut. Really short shortcut."
"What is going on with you today? You're acting all kinds of bizarre."
"I'm just - stressing about classes. I'm not doing as good this year."
"Not doing as well."
"See? Exactly."
"Maybe we should start with English?" Scott looked nervous. "Don't worry! Nobody's gonna be home for hours. Come on."
Scott followed her inside and up to her room. "Okay."
He noticed boxes and piles around her room.
"I'm still unpacking," Allison explained.
"Uh - Haven't you been here for, like, over a month?"
"I'm taking my time."
"Hey, um - So, uh, I figure that we - Start with, um, history-"
Allison began kissing Scott and he pulled away a moment.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
"Nothing," Scott replied, feeling himself starting to shift. "I just - I-I - Don't wanna make you feel like you have to do something you don't wanna do."
"I'm not doing anything I don't wanna do. Are you?"
"Seriously asking me that question?" His phone started ringing.
"Are you gonna answer that?"
"Um, uh, it's probably just Stiles or Molly. It'll go to voicemail. Eventually. Wait! Um - Uh, yeah, I should answer it now."
JEEP
"Hey, try not to bleed out on my seats, okay?" Stiles said. "We're almost there."
"Almost where?" Derek questioned.
"Your house."
"What? No, you can't take me there."
"I can't take you to your own house?"
"Not when I can't protect myself."
"All right. What happens if Scott doesn't find your little magic bullet? Hmm? Are you dying?"
"Not yet. I have a last resort."
"What do you mean? What last resort?" Derek lifted his sleeve to reveal an oozing purple wound. "Oh, my God. What is that? Oh, is that contagious? You know what, you should probably just get out."
"Start the car. Now."
Molly shook her head as she furrowed her brow. "I don't think you should be barking orders in your condition. You know, if we wanted to, he and I could probably drag your little werewolf ass into the middle of the woods and leave you for dead. Or maybe offer you up to my brothers."
Derek glared between the teens. "Start the car, or I'm gonna rip your throats out - with my teeth."
Stiles glanced back at Molly who had her hand on the hilt of a knife with a glare on her face. He started driving.
ARGENT HOME
"It's off," Scott said. "Sorry about that." He noticed a picture. "Who's this?"
"That's my dad's sister Kate, except she's more like my sister," Allison answered. "She got here last night."
"Uh, last night?"
"Yup. She had some car trouble, I guess."
"She looks familiar."
"Mm. She actually used to live in Beacon Hills. Maybe you saw her once."
Scott looked at a stack of photographs. "Did you take these?"
"Back when I thought I was a photographer."
"They're good."
"No, they're not. I stopped when I realized I was terrible at it. Framing's off, bad lighting - Believe me, not good. That was when I thought I was good at painting. Uh, terrible too. That's when I tried poetry. "Terrible" doesn't even come close to describing that."
"What are you good at?"
Allison led him to the garage and said, "I'm gonna show you if you promise not to laugh. So I was nationally ranked as a kid, and my dad really wanted me to go on, but I don't know. I just didn't really like it. Promise you won't laugh?"
"I promise." He stared at a bow. "What the hell is that?"
"It's a compound bow, and I'm pretty sure it requires an arrow to be harmful."
A smirk crossed Scott's face. "So that's what you're good at. Archery."
"You said you wouldn't laugh."
"Trust me, I'm - not laughing." He noticed the guns.
"So I guess I should explain. We're not some sort of separatist gun - nut family. My dad sells firearms to law enforcement."
"Oh, that's good. So, um - Are you planning on joining the family business?"
"I don't know. You tell me. Would I look hot with a gun?" She held one up.
"Hotter without."
The two began making out.
"Hey, Chris!" Kate called. "Get your ass out of the 50s and come help with the groceries."
"Be right there!" Chris called, coming about the kissing teens. "Kids, you mind helping?"
"Sure," Allison replied.
"No problem," Scott answered.
"Great," Chris said. "Thank you."
Scott glanced at Allison. "So do you still wanna study?"
Chris frowned at him. "I think she'll do better on her own."
"Guess I'll see you later then?"
"At school."
"Right."
"Scott," Allison called.
"Eh, eh, you, on your bike, you inside," Chris told them.
"Oh, come on, Chris," Kate said. "Really? They were making out in the garage, not shooting amateur porn. You, with the adorable brown eyes, drop your bike. You're staying for dinner."
"Do you eat meat?"
"You don't mind?" Scott asked.
"Actually, no. Give us a chance to get to know each other."
TABLE
"Would you like something to drink besides water, Scott?" Victoria asked.
"Oh - No, I'm good. Thanks," Scott replied.
"We can get you some beer?" Chris offered.
"N-no thanks."
"Shot of tequila?"
Allison frowned. "Dad. Really?"
"You don't drink, Scott?"
"I'm not old enough to," Scott admitted.
"That doesn't seem to stop many teenagers," Victoria noted.
"No, but it should."
Kate smiled. "Good answer. Total lie, but well played, Scott. You may yet survive the night."
"You ever smoke pot?" Chris asked.
"Okay, changing the channel to something a little less conservative. So, Scott, uh - Allison tells us you're on the lacrosse team. I'm sorry. I don't know anything about that. How do you play?"
"Um, well, you know hockey?" Scott said. "It's a lot like that, only, um, played on grass instead of ice."
"Hockey on grass - is called field hockey," Chris pointed out.
"Oh. Yeah."
"So it's like field hockey, except the sticks have nets," Allison said.
"Exactly."
"And can you slap check like in hockey?" Kate asked.
"Um - Yeah. But it's only the, uh, the gloves and the sticks."
"Sounds violent. I like it."
"Scott's amazing too," Allison complimented. "Dad came with me to the first game. Wasn't he good?"
"He was fine," Chris replied.
"He scored the last shot, the winning shot."
"True, but he didn't score at all until the last few minutes."
"His last shot ripped a hole through the goalie's net. It was incredible."
"Well, I think the goalie was probably playing with a defective stick, so-"
Scott interrupted. "You know, on second thought, um, I think I'll take that shot of tequila."
"You were kidding, right?"
"Yeah."
Scott's phone rang and he left to answer.
JEEP
"What are Molly and I supposed to do with him?" Stiles asked.
"Take him somewhere, anywhere," Scott said.
"And, by the way, he's starting to smell."
"Like - like what?"
"Like death."
"Death?" Molly repeated. "I've smelled death. He smells like something went bad in the fridge. Like Dean's food. Which isn't even food. It's... Darwinism."
"Molly?"
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
"Stop it. Okay, take him to the Animal Clinic."
"What about your boss?"
"He's gone by now. There's a spare key in the box behind the dumpster."
Stiles glanced at Derek. "You're not gonna believe where he's telling us to take you."
Derek took the phone from Stiles and asked, "Did you find it?"
"How am I supposed to find one bullet? They have a million. This house is like - the frickin' Wal-Mart of guns."
"Look, if you don't find it, then I'm dead, all right?"
"I'm starting to think that wouldn't be such a bad thing."
"Then think about this. The Alpha called you out against your will. He's gonna do it again. Next time you either kill with him or get killed so if you wanna stay alive, then you need me. Find the bullet."
He hung up and Stiles noticed Molly's frown. "What?"
"I did suggest the Animal Clinic," Molly said. "But you didn't listen. You said, "Let's call Scott." Scott told you what I told you, huh?"
"Yeah, but I wanted a second opinion."
"A sec- No. I'm not even gonna argue with you about this."
Stiles glanced at Molly and gave her an apologetic smile.
INT. ARGENT HOME
Scott looked around for where a bullet could be and Kate walked up to him and said, "You look like a lost puppy."
"Just looking for the bathroom," Scott lied.
"Bathroom?" Kate repeated, glancing at the locked door. "Does that look like a bathroom?"
"No."
"No. Use the guest bedroom."
"Okay. Thanks."
Scott entered the guest bedroom, and after making sure the coast was clear, he started rummaging through Kate's duffel bag and found the bullet. He sent a text to both Stiles and Molly.
ANIMAL CLINIC
"Does Nordic Blue Monkshood mean anything to you?" Stiles asked.
"It's a rare form of wolfsbane," Derek explained. "He has to bring me the bullet."
"Why?"
"'Cause I'm gonna die without it."
Molly noticed Derek stumbling and ran to steady him, soon assisted by Stiles.
INT. ARGENT HOME
Scott walked up to Allison's family. "Hey, um, I should get going. Um, thanks for dinner."
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no. You have to stay for dessert," Kate told him. "I wanna know more about you. Sit down."
"Okay." He sat.
"Allison was just telling us that you and your cousin work for a veterinarian," Victoria said.
"I told them how you put the cast on the dog I hit," Allison added.
"Yeah," Scott remembered.
"What does your boss think of the animal attacks?" Chris questioned. "Any theories?"
"Everyone was just saying it's a mountain lion."
"It'd have to be pretty large mountain lion," Kate noted.
"What do you think, Scott?" Victoria asked.
"I don't know," Scott replied. "We usually get cats and dogs at the vet. Nothing that vicious."
"Never had to deal with a rabid dog?" Chris inquired. "I grew up with a lot of dogs. I saw one get rabies from a bat. It was transferred through the bite. You know, people think that a rabid dog just suddenly goes mad. It's a lot more gradual. First stage is subtle changes in behavior - They're restless, morose. It's the second stage that people know - the furious phase. That's when they attack. And we're talking any moving object. Did you know that a caged rabid dog will break its own teeth, trying to chew through the bars? It'll even rear back and snap its own spine. Can you imagine the amount of force it would take to do that? It's a complete character reversal. This harmless animal - Turned into a perfectly vicious killer. And it all started with one bite."
"But it died, didn't it?" Allison questioned.
"Yes, because your grandfather shot it," Victoria answered.
"Because he wanted to put it out of its misery."
"Because it was too dangerous," Chris corrected. "Something that out of control is better off dead."
INT. ANIMAL CLINIC
Derek took off his shirt and Stiles looked at the wound before saying, "Okay. You know that really doesn't look like anything some echinacea and a good night of sleep couldn't take care of."
Molly held up some materials to patch him up.
Derek looked between the teens. "When the infection reaches my heart, it'll kill me."
""Positivity" just isn't in your vocabulary, is it?"
"If he doesn't get here with the bullet in time - Last resort."
"Which is?" Stiles and Molly pressed.
"One of you is gonna cut off my arm." He held up a bone saw.
Molly shook her head. "Oh, no. I'm not using that."
INT. ARGENT HOME
"I'm so incredibly sorry," Allison apologized.
"For what?" Scott asked.
"For that being the worst, most horribly awkward dinner in the history of horribly awkward dinners."
"No. Uh, it wasn't the worst. There was this one dinner where my parents told me they were getting a divorce. This comes in at a close second. Your dad's watching."
"Good." She began kissing him.
As Scott went to leave, Kate said, "Wait a second, guys."
"What is it?"
"Uh, I have to ask Scott something."
Scott frowned. "Me?"
"Yeah, you."
"Okay."
"Uh. What'd you take from my bag?"
"What?"
"My bag. What'd you take from it? Do you need me to repeat the question, maybe enunciate more clearly?"
"What are you talking about?" Chris asked.
"My bag was open in the guest room, and when I left it was shut. And Scott comes in to use the bathroom, he leaves, my bag's open."
"He didn't take-" Allison was cut off.
"Something was taken from my bag. Now, look - I hate to be the accuser here, Scott, because I really do love those adorable brown eyes, but I don't know if you're a klepto, if you're curious, or - or if you're just stupid. But answer the question. What did you take?"
"Nothing," Scott said. "I swear."
"You don't mind proving it, do you?"
"Are you serious?" Allison protested.
"How about you show us what's in your pockets?"
"Dad?"
"Come on, Scott. Prove me wrong."
"Uh, I'll prove you wrong. Uh, it wasn't Scott going through your bags. It was me."
Kate turned to her niece. "You?"
"Mm-hmm, me." She held up a condom, earning shocked looks from everyone in the room.
INT. ANIMAL CLINIC
"Oh, my God," Stiles said. "What if you bleed to death?"
"I'll heal if it works," Derek told him.
"Ugh. Look - I don't know if I can do this."
"Why not?"
Molly narrowed her eyes. "Well, for one, cutting through the flesh, sawing the bone, and the blood!"
Derek looked between them. "You two faint at the sight of blood?"
"No, but we might at the sight of a chopped-off arm!" Stiles shot back.
"All right, fine. How about this? Either you or her cut off my arm, or I'm gonna cut off your heads."
Instinctively, Stiles pushed Molly back to protect her. "Okay, you know what, I'm so not buying your threats any -" Derek suddenly grabbed him. "Oh, my God. Okay. All right, bought, sold. Totally. I'll do it. I'll do it." Derek began retching. "What? What are you doing?" He threw up black liquid. "Holy God, what the hell is that?"
"It's my body - Trying to heal itself."
Molly scoffed lightly. "Well, it doesn't seem like it's doing a very good job of it."
"Now. One of you gotta do it now."
"Look, honestly, I don't think I can," Stiles admitted.
"Just do it!"
"Oh, my God. Okay, okay. Oh, my God. All right, here we go!" He readied the bone saw above the ribbon on Derek's arm.
"Stiles! Molly!" Scott yelled.
"Scott?" Stiles and Molly questioned.
"What the hell are you two doing?"
Stiles let out a relieved breath. "Oh, you just prevented a lifetime of nightmares."
Derek turned to the teen wolf. "Did you get it?"
Scott held it up. "What are you gonna do with it?"
"I'm gonna - I'm gonna-" Derek fell to the floor, unconscious.
The bullet slipped from his hand and into a hole on the ground.
"No," Scott said. "No, no, no, no."
Stiles and Molly ran up to the werewolf and the former began shaking him. "Derek. Derek, come on, wake up. Scott, what the hell are we gonna do?"
"I don't know! I can't reach it."
"He's not waking up!"
"Come on."
"I think he's dying. I think he's dead!"
"Scott, you're a werewolf," Molly reminded her new friend.
"Just hold on!" Scott yelled, extending his claws. "Come on. Oh! I got it! I got it!"
"Please don't kill us for this," Stiles muttered as he punched Derek. "Ugh! Ow! God!"
Derek woke up and said, "Give me-"
"Up!" Scott yelled.
"Ow! God-" Stiles began.
Derek took the bullet and burned the wolfsbane, rubbed the ashes into the wound, healing himself.
"That - Was - Awesome!" Stiles cried. "Yes!"
Molly nodded. "Not half bad, Stilinski."
"Are you okay?" Scott asked.
"Well, except for the agonizing pain," Derek replied sarcastically.
"I'm guessing the ability to use sarcasm is a sign of good health," Stiles commented.
"Okay, we saved your life, which means you're gonna leave us alone, you got that?" Scott told him. "And if you don't, I'm gonna go to Allison's dad and Molly's brothers, and I'm gonna tell them everything-"
"You're gonna trust them?" Derek retorted. "You think they can help you?"
"Well, why not? They're a lot freaking nicer than you are."
"I can show you exactly how nice they are."
"What do you mean?"
Dean rushed into the clinic and found the teens. He instantly walked up to Molly and asked, "Are you okay?"
Molly nodded. "We're fine. Derek was in a bit of a pickle, but we're good now."
"A bit of a- Molly, he was shot with an arrow that was killing him!"
"And we sorted it out like the experts we are. Dude, you need to calm down."
Dean let out a sigh. "Okay. Hey, Sam and I found a hunt. And he's on my case to see someone. Do you want to stay here or-"
Molly glanced back at her friends and smiled. "I'll stay here."
He nodded. "Keep it touch, okay?"
"I will."
Dean looked to the boys. "Keep her safe and keep out of trouble."
Stiles nodded. "We'll try."
As Molly made her way to Allison's house, she passed the cemetery and saw a curly-haired boy working.
Possibly against her better judgment, she walked towards him and said, "Ominous job you've got."
The boy turned to her and shrugged. "It's not so bad. You're the new girl, right? I've seen you around."
"Molly Winchester. What's your name?"
"Isaac Lahey."
Molly smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Isaac."
The two stared awkwardly at each other for a moment before Molly said, "Uh, it's late. I'm gonna go."
Isaac nodded. "Yeah, that's probably good. Um, I'll see you at school?"
"Yeah. Nice meeting you, Isaac."
"You too, Molly."