Tabitha found herself in a train station with what she guessed to be about two dozen other people. No was was speaking and seemed to be lost in thought. She felt the keys to her boyfriend's Jeep in her hand and turned to the lady next to her. She was in a lab coat, so she guessed she might know something. "Excuse me. Sorry, where am I?"
"We're at the train station," the woman answered.
She frowned. "Right. Okay. Helpful. Which train station exactly?"
"Train station number 137."
"Did you see me come in?"
The doctor looked at her, confused. "No."
"How long have you been here?"
"Maybe an hour?"
A businessman, reading a paper, looked at the redhead. "We got here at the same time. It's been at least six hours."
"Six hours?" Tabitha repeated as the woman stood. "Where are you goin'?"
"Uh, uh... I had a ticket with me somewhere. Um..." She searched her pockets.
"Do you always travel in your work clothes?"
"I must have been in a rush."
Tabitha walked over to the ticket booth and noticed a sign saying 'Back in 5 minutes'. She saw dust piling up and rubbed it between her fingers before asking, "Do you know if anyone works here?"
She heard the announcer say, "The following stops have been canceled. Hollantine, Batten, Bay Bury, Deer Ridge, Red Oak..."
People got up from their seats and Tabitha began asking people questions. "Excuse me, where are those trains going?"
"...Trenton, Anderson, King Springs."
"Excuse me, do you know what train this is? Does anyone know where this train's going? Excuse me, do you know what train this is? Do you know where this train's going?"
Horses began galloping and neighing. The wind picked up and people started panicking. She hid and the Riders appeared, dumping a tied man on the ground. The man's bonds disappeared in a puff of green smoke. The Riders tore through the station, knocking people down. Someone grabbed Tabitha and pulled her behind a column.
"It had to be you," the man said.
The Riders disappeared and Tabitha studied her rescuer before she said, "Peter? Peter, what are you doing here? How are you here?"
He frowned. "What do you mean how am I here? I'm here. You are here. We are all here. Now, get the hell away from me, Tabitha." He sat back down.
"Hey, Peter. Peter. Peter! What are you doing?"
"I'm waiting for my train."
"Okay, did you not just see that?"
"See what?"
"The horses, the hogtied business men with the magically dissolving ropes? I'm sorry, did anyone just see that?"
Peter stared at her. "Do you mind? You're blocking the board. I'd like a little warning before my train arrives."
"Okay. So you're waiting for a train. How did you get here?"
"Pretty sure I took a cab."
"Last time I saw, you were being locked away in Eichen House."
Peter sighed. "I was in Eichen. Thanks to you."
"Memory's good. Can you remember how you, uh, got out? They discharge you?"
Peter shook his head. "No, the power went out. And I ran like hell."
"That's it. You just ran?"
"Yes, that's it. I literally just ran away from the insane asylum that was holding me hostage!" Peter yelled before lowering his voice. "How long have I been here?"
"The lockdown was three months ago."
"I've been missing for three months and no one came for me?"
She sighed. "That's what the Ghost Riders do. They erase you."
"Ghost Riders? Ghost Riders of the Wild Hunt?"
She nodded, surprised. "Yeah, you know what I'm talking about?"
He let out a long sigh. "Of course I know what you're talking about. They ride the lightning. They are an unstoppable force of nature. But, I promise you, they don't make pit-stops in train stations. I've escaped one prison only to land in another one. And this looks like the underground lair of a depressed bureaucrat."
"Come on, there's gotta be a way out of this place, right? Have you tried looking around? Have you talked to anyone who knows anything?"
Peter shot her a look. "If this is the Wild Hunt, there is no escape. You and I are doomed to ride the storm forever."
Tabitha frowned, more desperate than ever to get back to her boyfriend and friends. "Yeah, we're not in the storm, we're in a train station. But we can get out of a train station."
Peter shook his head. "We can't get out of here, Tabitha. Because this place isn't real."
"What are you talking about?"
"Beacon Hills doesn't have a train station."
Tabitha walked over to a door and tried opening it. Peter followed and sat on a chair. "What are you doing?"
The witch turned to him. "Little help, please?"
"Okay."
"What the hell?" Tabitha asked, seeing that she kept coming back to the same place.
Peter shook his head. "No, no, no, keep going."
She glared. "I don't see you comin' up with anything."
Peter's voice dropped to nearly a whisper. "Tabitha. Left shoulder against the pillar. Don't look." She did and Peter retorted, "I said don't look."
"Yeah."
"He's watching us."
"Yeah, so?"
"So... every person in this station is either comatose or catatonic. He seems very interested in keeping an eye on us."
"Hey!" Tabitha called, getting the boy's attention. "Oh, my God! Why are you watching us?"
"You tried the doors," the boy said as he chuckled. "Nobody ever tries the doors."
"Sounds like you have."
"The ones that could open. I've tried everything else."
Tabitha shook her head. "Not everything. You're still here."
"Yeah, it seems like you got some kind of a plan."
"So why don't you tell me about it."
"I can tell you. Doesn't mean you can do it," the boy replied as he chuckled again.
"Oh, I, I can do it. He can, he can..." She pointed to Peter.
The boy smiled. "Well, it's right in front of your face."
After a moment, the boy continued. "You didn't see it, did you?"
"I saw it," Tabitha retorted.
"Then why'd you waste so much time running through the doors? I'll tell you why. Because it's all part of the illusion. You're afraid. And they want you to be afraid."
Peter frowned. "I'm not afraid."
"Can't do it, can you? He can't do it."
Peter met Tabitha's eyes. "We should really kill him."
"Or you can just walk through it," the boy said as he breathed heavily. "Push me."
"What did you say?" Tabitha asked.
He continued breathing heavily. "Push me."
Tabitha hesitated and Peter pushed her and the boy into the tunnel. "Now you're getting it."
After a moment, Peter said, "Tabitha Tabitha, let's go."
BEACON HILLS HIGH SCHOOL
Stiles sat in English class, ignoring the lesson.
He stared outside, seeing a man hooking a blue Jeep to a tow truck.
"Stiles, are you paying attention?" the teacher asked.
Stiles eyes flicked back to the front. "Yeah. Yeah."
"Is there something outside that's more fascinating than reading through Beowulf?"
"No."
The mechanical whirring got louder and Stilesjumped up. "I'm really sorry."
He rushed out of the room and down the hall and heard heels clicking down the hallway.
Stiles turned to see Lydia. "Why are you following me?"
Lydia shrugged. "I saw you leave class and was worried."
The teens ran out to the parking lot and Stiles narrowed his eyes at the tow truck driver. "Hey! Hey! You can't tow this Jeep!"
He browsed the papers. "Paperwork says I can. It's reported as abandoned."
He put a hand on the Jeep. "And now it's not."
"Oh, this is your vehicle?"
"Does it matter?"
He scoffed. "Sounds like a no."
He blurted, "It's mine. The Jeep is mine. Thanks. I'll move it. Once I get the keys. From my locker. After you leave."
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, once it's on the hook..."
Lydia frowned. "Please don't say, "you're on the hook"."
"Well, I can't now."
Scott appeared and began pleading with the tow truck driver. "Oh, I, okay. Look, there's gotta be something that we can do. Sign something? Call someone?"
"Pay someone?" Lydia suggested.
The tow truck driver smirked. "Drop fee's a hundred and fifty. Cash."
Scott's eyes widened. "A hundred and fifty? This thing isn't even worth that much."
Stiles pulled out a small wad of cash. "I have $33."
Lydia pulled out her wallet and turned to Scott. "How much have you got?"
"Uh, how much have you got?" Scott asked.
"Just give me the money."
Scott sighed. "All I have is $50. And when I say "all", I mean all. Uh..."
Stiles grabbed the money from Scott's hand. Lydia handed him more money, and Stiles gave it to the man. He smiled smugly and walked off.
Scott turned to him. "Hey. You know you don't actually have the keys to this thing, right?"
Lydia glanced to Stiles and smiled. "But now we have a Jeep."
Stiles sighed. "What I wouldn't give for a screwdriver. Unfortunately, my keys are missing."
TRAIN STATION
They walked deeper into the tunnel and Peter rolled his eyes. "Congratulations, you found another part of the phantom train station."
"Is this the way out?" Tabitha asked.
Peter frowned. "If it was, we would be leaving."
The boy said, "You might want to stay off the tracks." Peter and Tabitha gave him a look and he continued. "'Cause that's the way in and out."
Thunder rumbled and horses neighed. "They're coming."
Peter and Tabitha hid behind two different pillars.
"That's the way out?" Tabitha questioned. "How in the hell are we supposed to do that?"
"We jump," the boy said.
"Jump?"
"On the back of the Riders as they go through."
"Is that all?"
The boy nodded. "I've been timing it. Look, we can jump from here just before they go out."
She frowned. "I think you're confusing your pronouns. We aren't going to do anything. But you should absolutely give that a shot."
The boy turned to her. "Do you not wanna get out of here?"
"I want to get out alive, okay? How do you know this works? Seems like a lot could go wrong."
"Look, I can't stay here. I'm losing my mind in this place."
Peter smiled a little. "I think you have an excellent grasp of the situation. I say go for it."
"Hey, they're coming back."
Tabitha frowned. "No, we can't let him do this, right? What if he's right? Hey, we'll figure something else out. Hey, look, there's gotta be another way out of this place."
Peter shook his head. "But there isn't. I've been looking for months."
"Are you comin' or not?" the boy asked.
Peter motioned to the exit. "It's all you." Tabitha shook her head and Peter ignored her. "Let him try."
"Come on. Come on," the boy repeated, preparing to jump.
The boy jumped and landed on the back of one of the horses. He rode up to the barrier and bounced back, screaming. There was a green flash and his body disintegrated.
Tabitha frowned. "Somehow I don't think that went the way that he was hoping."
"Tabitha, he's dead. You see his face. Trust me, he's gone."
She scoffed and narrowed her eyes. "You knew he'd die."
Peter shook his head. "I didn't know. I mean, I assumed."
"Yeah, but you could have warned him."
"He was gonna do it anyway. Now we know."
"Know what?"
"That we're stuck. It's over. We are trapped because that was our only way out."
"Or that's just what they want us to believe. What?"
Peter groaned. "What is it with you teenagers? You think that you are so special? You think the rules don't apply to you? Do you get it? We are dead and buried!"
"Money?" Peter asked, taking Tabitha's wallet.
Tabitha shook her head. "It's worthless."
Peter continued leafing through the wallet. "Driver's license? Credit cards?" He threw them into the air. "Gift cards? School ID? A picture of the boy you love? Useless." He threw them into the air as well.
"Give me my damn wallet back," Tabitha demanded, holding out her hand.
The Jeep keys jingled as Peter held them. "Keys?"
"Give me the keys."
"What, did you think you were gonna drive us out of here? Is that what you thought? Don't you get it? We don't exist. And we are already forgotten." He threw the keys onto the platform.
"Somebody's gonna remember me. Either Lydia, Stiles or Scott, Malia, someone. They're gonna find me, all right? They'll come for me. Who would ever come for you?"
Peter narrowed his eyes. "You give me a call when your high school sweethearts conjure up a plan to get us out of here." He walked away.
Tabitha rolled her eyes and walked back to the waiting area. She sat next to an old woman who said, "I'm waiting for a train."
The witch nodded. "Yeah, it's probably runnin' late."
She smiled. "I'm going to see my grandchildren." She touched Tabitha's shoulder. "Who are you going to see?"
Tabitha almost told her who she was going to see, then said, "Um, no one."
The announcer started speaking again. "The following stops have been canceled. Hollatine, Batten, Bay Burry, Deer Ridge, Red Oak, Trenton, Anderson, King Springs."
"Intercom," Peter said.
"Maybe a radio?" Tabitha guessed.
Tabitha found some wire and followed it from the speaker to a radio room with equipment that looked old, but still seemed to work. She grinned as she said, "Good old Natasha contacting Clint."
Peter rolled his eyes. "Your theory is ridiculous. Magnetic disturbance and a few pixelated photos doesn't mean that you can't use a ham radio to communicate across a supernatural barrier. Ghost Riders can't be seen, heard, or remembered. You really think they're gonna leave a gadget around that you can use to call your friends?"
Tabitha turned a dial and a high-pitched feedback filled the air and they covered their ears.
BEACON HILLS HIGH SCHOOL
Lydia and Stiles stared at the Jeep. Malia and Scott walked up and Malia asked, "Did somebody just lock the keys inside?"
"Break it," Stiles and Lydia ordered.
TRAIN STATION
Tabitha continued trying to turn the dial and Peter said, "Take your time. No, shh. The only thing at stake is any evidence of our existence. Soon to be lost forever."
"Okay, not helping," Tabitha retorted as she spun the dial.
Tabitha heard the sound of horses and Peter walked over to the wires and pulled them.
They exited the room and ducked behind a pillar as the Ghost Riders appeared again.
The Ghost Riders entered the room Tabitha and Peter were just in and Peter said quietly, "In case you were keeping count, that's twice I've saved your life today."
She shot him a look and rolled her eyes.
JEEP
Scott broke the lock and they peeked inside. The police scanner was making a sound and stopped.
The teens piled into the Jeep. Malia, from her spot in the back, asked, "Why'd it stop?"
Stiles, who was sitting in the driver's seat, began flipping switches and shook his head. "Doesn't matter. I'm sure there's a logical reason."
He turned, hearing faint sniffing and Lydia asked, "What? You caught a scent?"
Scott nodded. "Yeah. Uh... ours... mine, yours, all four of us."
Malia frowned. "Mine? I've never been in this Jeep before."
Scott shook his head. "Neither have I."
Stiles ran his hands along the steering wheel. "I think we have. We just don't remember."
"I thought we were done with that," Malia said.
Scott poked his head between the seats. "Uh, yeah, Stiles, Parrish checked the VIN number. There's no record of owner."
Lydia glanced at him. "The Jeep couldn't have driven here itself."
Scott frowned as Malia asked him, "Whose side are you on?"
"I'm on everyone's side," Scott replied.
Malia shook her head. "He's not real. Trust me. I've lost a lot of people in my life. It's a long list and I don't feel like adding to it."
Stiles pursed his lips. "Tabitha is real, and we're getting her back."
Lydia nodded as she pulled something from the glove compartment. She handed Stiles a registration paper with no name and Malia frowned. "This is from '96. And there's a name."
Lydia looked at the paper. "Looks like there's an address. Um, 129 Woodbine Lane. And I know where that is."
Stiles nodded. "That's my house. Why would I leave my Jeep here?"
Lydia and Stiles made their way to the Stilinski home and showed the sheriff the registration. "I don't know what to tell you. Why it was there, I don't know."
"It's in your name," Stiles said. "Dad, the keys were missing."
"You normally start it with a screwdriver."
"Only if the keys don't work. But they're missing, Dad. How'd my Jeep end up at the school?"
The sheriff shrugged. "Beats the hell out of me. I mean, the thing was a junker back in the day. God only knows who'd want it now, keys or not. Maybe somebody dumped it there?"
"Hey, don't diss the Jeep."
"I'm just saying."
Stiles huffed. "I'm going to see how Mr. Young is doing."
He made his way to the Young home to find Micah sitting on the couch, a drink in hand.
Micah frowned. "Stiles? What are you doing here?"
"Listen, this is going to sound crazy, but your wife isn't supposed to be dead."
Micah raised his glass and said in a sardonic tone, "Tell that to the drunk driver that hit her. She was headed to the hospital for an operation when she was hit. Never stood a chance."
"Mr. Young, listen. She's supposed to be alive, to be a deputy."
"Stiles, is this about Tabitha? Young man, don't you think you've taken this far enough? I don't really know what's going on with you lately, but maybe talking to Lydia's mother would help. I can write you a referral if that would help."
Stiles gave a small nod. "Uh, y-yeah. Good idea."
"Hey, you okay?"
He nodded. "Um, yeah. Sorry. You mind if I..."
"Of course. Take your time."
Stilss stood and walked down the hall, touching the peeling wallpaper. He slid down the wall pulled his knees to his chest, trying to keep from crying.
TRAIN STATION
Tabitha was leaning against the wall, Unknowingly back to back with Stiles, fearing she'd never see her friends or never see the boy she was in love with again.
SCHOOL
The tow truck driver appeared to reclaim the Jeep. Scott frowned and Stiles narrowed his eyes.
"We already paid you," Scott said. "I gave you all of my money for that drop fee."
The tow truck driver narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, and I dropped it, all right? Now I'm picking it up again."
Lydia walked up to the group. "How much? I'll write you a check."
"It's not about how much. They want it out of here, okay? It's not up to me." Scott and Liam stepped closer to the tow truck driver. "Don't make me move you two, okay? I'm hookin' this thing up and I am towing it away."
Scott clenched his fist and Stiles narrowed his eyes. Malia grabbed the hook and disconnected it from the rope. She ripped it off and smiled awkwardly. "Your truck's broke."
TRAIN STATION
Tabitha stood from the ground and looked around the train station.
"This place is really startin' to fill up," Peter commented.
A girl appeared and another girl ran towards her. "Gwen? Gwen!"
"Phoebe? Oh my God, you're here!"
Tabitha began talking to herself. "Wait a second. That girl, I know that girl. Her name is Gwen. She plays lacrosse." She turned to Peter. "How long has this been going on?"
Peter stared a moment at the new arrivals board. "This isn't a train station, this is a way station. It's not gonna stop."
"What is it? What are those places? Bannack? Canaan? I know you know something."
Peter started getting desperate. "We gotta get out of here. Nobody is safe."
"Yeah, in here?"
The werewolf rolled his eyes. "In Beacon Hills. Your friends, your family, everyone. You've gotta go. They're gonna be taken." He ran toward the tunnel.
"Where are you going?" Tabitha whispered, running after Peter.
"What did you see up there?"
"The towns. What did it mean?"
"I just told you. They're never gonna stop."
"Okay, so what's the plan then?"
"I'm goin' through the portal."
"Wait, wait, wait. No one gets through the portal. You said that yourself."
"No human can," Peter corrected. "But I'm better than human, remember? I'll heal." He stopped and turned. "Tabitha, let's not have a moment."
Tabitha sighed and stared at Peter. "If you survive, you have to find my friends for me, okay? Find Stiles. You have to tell them about me. 'Cause they're not gonna remember me, so you have to tell them that I'm here."
Peter narrowed his eyes. "When I survive, I'm going to get as far away from Beacon Hills as I possibly can. And if I happen along one of your below average friends and if doesn't inconvenience me, I might mention your name."
Tabitha crossed her arms. "Yeah, what about Malia?" Peter shot her a look, knowing he was doing it for his daughter. "I know you're doing this for her. You're risking being incinerated for her. And I'm, I guess, okay with that."
"Tabitha. Stall them."
The Riders charged through and Tabitha asked, "W-What? How?"
"Use your head."
She knocked down a bench. "What're you doing?"
Peter picked something up, jumped onto one of the horses, and managed to hang on as the Rider fought him.
The last Rider noticed Tabitha and flipped his whip around her neck and pulled her to the tracks. Tabitha sputtered as she hit the wall, but was okay.
Peter got out, avoiding incineration.
Tabitha looked at the board of arrivals. "Pripyat, Bannack, Beacon Hills." Her eyes trailed down to the board. "Canaan."
Instantly, Tabitha got an idea. She grinned as she said, "Avengers, assemble!"
JEEP
Stiles frowned, hearing a loud roar, and Scott muttered, "What the hell?"
The beta looked between Malia and Lydia. "Did you two hear that?"
Lydia nodded and her eyes widened. "I think all of Beacon Hills heard that. Who is it?"
Malia attempted to focus on the roar. "I'm not sure. But I think I recognize it."
"Go!" Stiles and Lydia told Malia and Scott.
Lydia and Stiles followed shortly after. They followed the unpleasant barbecue aroma and when they arrived, the beta looked down at the man. "How did we forget Peter?"
Scott shrugged. "I don't know. He's badly burned."
"He's holding something."
Malia pulled the object from Peter's hand and handed it to Stiles who fingered the keys.
The teens ran to the Jeep and got in. Stiles turned the key. The engine sputtered and stopped. He tried again, harder, and pressed the gas.
"Don't flood it," Scott told him.
Stiles shot him a look. "Do you know what that means?"
He shook his head. "Not really."
"Then let me do this."
Stiles turned the key again and the engine came to life. Scott and Stiles let out a relieved laugh.
They sat in silence looking around the Jeep. A voice came through the radio. "Hello?"
Scott placed a hand on the dial and went to turn it down, but his friend stopped him. "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait."
"Hello?" the female voice repeated. "Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me?"
Stiles picked up the walkie and said, "Tabitha?"
"Tabitha, are you there?" Scott asked.
It was silent for a few seconds before Tabitha's voice came through. "Scott? Stiles? Is that you?"
"Oh my god," Stiles whispered. "Tabi. We can hear you."
"Oh my God, you know me? You remember me?"
"Tabi, is thi... is this you? Is this really you?"
"Yeah. Stiles, listen to me... do you remember the last thing I said to you?"
He thought for a brief second. "You said... you said, "Remember I love you.""
"Are you okay?" Scott asked.
"Where are you?"
"We're coming to get you."
"No, no, no, you can't," Tabitha told them. "You won't be able to find me."
Stiles frowned. "Tabitha, what are you talking about?"
Scott said, "Just tell us where you are, and we'll, we'll come out..."
Tabitha cut her friend off. "Right, just remember this. Canaan, okay? You have to find Canaan. Just find Canaan."
"Wait," Stiles called. "Tabitha, I-" Static sounded from the her side and it cut out. "Tabitha! Tabitha!"
Stiles set the radio down and smiled. "Now we get my girl home. Avengers, assemble."