—
As they ran out of the hospital, Austin came to a quick stop as he noticed the water flooding the parking lot. He looked back and didn't see Ryder behind him, assuming that she's was safe inside with Melissa. That didn't stop his blue eyes from darting around in hopes of finding her.
"Oh God."
"Get back! Everyone, get back!" He looked over and saw Kira yelling, only a few people listening to her instructions.
"Everyone, get back!"
"Wait, stop!" Ryder shouted, pushing Melissa behind her as the woman blindly stepped forward.
Unfortunately for her, Ryder only had enough time to get Scott's mother safe. She could feel her body tense up before she scream loudly in pain.
"Ryder!" Derek yelled, watching his cousin's body shake harshly before she collapsed to the ground.
It would have unknown that the same thing was happening to Isaac if Allison hadn't let out a cry of his name.
"Isaac!"
Austin could almost feel his heart collapsing in his chest as he ran over to Ryder, unbothered by if the water was tainted with electricity or not. Luckily, Kira had managed to stop it just in time for his feet to hit the water.
"No, no, no." Austin mumbled as tears filled his eyes. He gently lifted her head to rest on his legs as he rubbed her face softly. "Come on, Ry."
Over the loud pounding of his heart, he could hear a second pair of footsteps stop in front of him.
"He's not breathing!" Allison could be heard shouting. Her words only sent chills down Austin's spine as he came to realize that neither was the limp girl in his arms.
"She's alive." Derek placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, only to get pushed off quickly after, "Her heartbeat is still there."
"Call her parents."
Melissa, ever the guilty, stepped forward with apologetic eyes, "I'm so sorry—"
"Call them!"
•••
Austin had been crying so much that he couldn't tell if it were the water from outside or his tears that soaked his shirt.
Allison had cried herself to sleep next to him. It kind of confused him how she had the time to sleep after someone she cared about was on the brink of death, but he wasn't one to judge.
After he had demanded that Derek called Ryder's parents, the man did what he was told and left. No surprise there. What did surprise him was Peter Hale getting off the same elevator as Ramona, Aaron and Josie.
He wasn't given the chance to ask what he was doing here before Ramona spoke up,
"Where is she?"
She kept a low voice as she noticed the sleeping Argent next to him.
"They put her in a room with Isaac. The electricity is out in a few other rooms. Allison and I practically begged that they keep them close." Austin said softly, "They wouldn't let me see her. Can I see her?"
"No." "Yes." Peter and Aaron say in unison.
"You get no say." Ramona glared at Peter.
"Technically, I do. She is my biological daughter, Ramona. I don't know what's going on with Doctor Yes, but I have more of a say than he does."
He was trying to get under Aaron's skin. In true Hale fashion.
"My God." Josie shoved them, gesturing for Austin to lead the way.
The teen did so without hesitation. Last thing he cared about was a dad battle between Aaron and Peter. He wanted nothing more than to make sure Ryder was okay.
Walking into her room, the mood dampened even more than it already was once they caught sight of her.
It was no secret that she was trying to heal herself in her unconscious state. It wasn't doing much, but Ramona seemed pleased to know that she was at least trying.
She let out a soft breath, placing a soft hand on Ryder's face, slowly taking away as much pain as her body would let her.
Ramona was getting old. And the baby in her stomach only made her abilities falter more and more by the day.
Aaron stopped her, bringing her hand down. Ramona wanted to protest, but the stern glance given to her by her husband had her stepping away.
The clicking of the door alerted them of Allison and Scott's presence.
The room was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
"I thought he'd be healing by now." Allison said. She was focused more on Isaac than the girl in the other bed.
"So did I." Scott muttered, his brown eyes wouldn't dare look at Ryder's family.
It was no secret that Ryder had been the one to save Melissa. Anyone that partook in the incident saw what she did.
If she hadn't, Melissa would be in her position, even worse than Ryder was. Scott felt somewhat responsible that the Miller teen was where she laid. Maybe if he hadn't been so focused on Stiles, he would have been the one to save his mom.
"Is he in pain?"
Scott inhaled sharply, gasping a bit as black veins traveled up his arm the second he touched Isaac.
"It won't heal him, but it helps with the pain."
"She's more likely to heal before he does." Peter said, finally breaking the silence on the left side of the room. He took Ramona's place in taking Ryder's pain.
"What?"
"She's stronger. She's also aware of what happened. Isaac hasn't even tried to heal himself, yet. She'll heal quickly." The Hale explained.
Austin hoped so.
As he stared down at her limp body, he could only imagine what would happen if she didn't wake up.
"Did Stiles really do this?" Allison asked, looking between the two werewolves with saddened eyes.
"Whatever's controlling him did it." Scott corrected her, "Whatever's inside him."
Neither of them really knew much of what was going on with Stiles, and Scott didn't want to explain anything while Peter was in the room.
"Well, then how do we get whatever's inside of him the hell out of him?"
Scott sighed, "I'm working on it."
"You should get to school." Aaron put his hand on Austin's shoulder.
"Wh—no."
"She isn't going anywhere, Austin." The man continued.
"That much is obvious." Josie mumbled, sitting down in the chair near her sisters bed.
"But who's—"
"We will be here with her. I promise you, okay? You can see her after school."
Austin knew there was no arguing when Ramona raised a motherly brow at him.
"Okay." He mumbled, brushing past Peter to press a soft kiss to her hand before he turned to follow after Allison and Scott. "I'll be here right after school."
"Okay." Aaron nodded, watching him leave the room, "Drive safe."
"How sweet is that?" Peter chuckled.
"Why are you still in here?"
"I'm comforting my daughter."
Ramona glared, "She is not your daughter."
"Oh, but she is. A Hale through and through." He clenched his jaw, "Unlike the one you've got warming up in your stomach."
Josie frowned, "What?"
"How far along are you, Ramona?" Peter continued to taunt.
It was then that it finally clicked in Josie's mind.
"You're pregnant?!"
—
A/N: soft launch :p