Chapter 79,"Lie Ability"
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Theo's pack cowers behind him, obviously frightened by Parrish's fiery figure. But Theo could care less. I can practically sense the wicked grin playing on his face. He suddenly disappears into a cell and comes back out with Lydia, his hand gripping her throat. I clench my jaw while grasping onto Stiles' arm.
I trusted him for the last time by letting him go with Malia and Braeden, but now I know that was a mistake. Another one to add to the list.
"Back off." Theo tells the Hellhound while lightly pressing his claws against her skin.
Tracey suddenly lets Valack go and the man crumples to the ground with a grunt.
Parrish takes a few more steps forward which causes Theo to draw blood from Lydia's neck. "I said back off." He seethes. Tears prick at my eyes. "Take him." He tells his pack.
"The guy's on fire." Corey states, clearly in disbelief over this order.
"You'll heal. Do it." Theo answers, becoming frustrated and annoyed.
Tracey snarls in response, preparing herself for what they're about to get themselves into.
"Katherine." A familiar voice says from somewhere behind me. I quickly turn my head to see Caleb making his way towards us.
"What are you doing here?" I ask quietly.
I sense Stiles' confused eyes on me but don't pay too much attention. Caleb was supposed to be distracting. Never once in the plan did he say he was going to be here.
"Katherine," Caleb tries again. "your magic is fading and it's killing your body. You have to get yourself and Lydia out of here before it's too late." he rambles.
"What do you mean?" I ask, not wanting to believe I'm fighting Death right now even though deep down I already knew that.
"You're dying and so will Lydia if you don't get the hell out now."
My eyes snap back to the scene on the other side of me and I take notice of how Parrish quickly took control of the situation. I glance over at Valack who's on his hands and knees and I focus on him as hard as I can. The atmosphere quickly shifts and that tells me that I'm in his head. However, the connection is so weak that it's almost impossible for me to take over, but I eventually make him take his stupid drill and dig it right into Theo's leg. The boy screams out in pain which causes him to loosen his grip on Lydia. She falls onto her knees with a groan. I use Theo's distraction to get Valack up onto his feet and hit him in the face with the butt of the drill. He sprawls onto the ground. And that's when I feel the connection become severed.
I return back to myself with a gasp and immediately feel the intense pounding in my head. I press my palms against my temples and grind my teeth together while groaning in pain. We're so close. I can't be done now.
Stiles grasps onto me in a panic, worried about me despite the more important events happening only a couple feet from where we're crouched.
"Kath-"
"No." I grunt before pushing myself out of his grasp and standing myself at the end of the hall, opposite side of where Parrish is.
I make it just in time, because immediately after I get there, Valack turns towards me with Lydia in his hold. His eyes widen at the sight of me, or maybe the state I'm in, but he quickly looks behind himself to see Corey screaming in surprise as Parrish ignites him in flames, instantly tossing him aside. Right towards me and Stiles who now stands behind me.
Before I have the chance to try and create a shield in front of us, Valack grabs at my hair and I yelp in pain as he pulls me aside with him and Lydia, causing a burnt Corey to collide right into Stiles. The loud impact causes my stomach to churn and I attempt to look over at Stiles to see if he's okay, but Valack's tight grip on my hair prevents me from doing so.
Parrish growls from afar and I look over to see Theo stumble into a standing position. He grasps onto a fallen metal bar and flings it at the Hellhound. My eyes widen in terror as I watch the bar lodge itself into Parrish's stomach. The fire marking him flickers into a dull light as he falls to his knees, and his eyes return to their normal color. Signifying that he's back to being Parrish.
"No." I groan weakly, my vision becoming blurry.
Valack grabs onto my arm and begins to pull me and Lydia out of the hall and past Stiles who struggles to push Corey off of him. I look over at him helplessly, wishing that this was all just a bad dream.
And wondering where the hell Caleb went.
Valack pulls us into a dark unit and hurriedly slams the door shut with his foot just as Stiles collides into the door on the other side.
"Katherine!" His scream tears at my chest. "Lydia!" His fist banging against the door echoes all around me.
"Katherine!"
Valack pushes a needle into my inner elbow, filling my veins with a sedative that takes its course immediately, numbing my body. I can't move.
Lydia resides outside the locked room, screaming her lungs out while clawing at her head, trying to rip out the screams piercing her mind.
My droopy eyes look over at Valack from my peripheral, burning a hole into his head. "Why are you doing this?" I question, trying to save us some time. Time that we barely have.
"Isn't it obvious, Katherine?" He asks while prepping a needle and a blood bag. "When Lydia is strong enough, with your magic running through her veins and those voices in her head, she'll be able to tell us who the Beast is."
The Beast. All of this for that.
I feel another piercing pain in my arm and immediately after that, my blood courses through the clear tube and into the blood bag.
__________
"I'm gonna find her myself." Stiles says out of frustration, pushing past Theo who has his face close to the tunnels pipes, trying his best to follow Lydia and Katherine's scent.
"You know you won't, Stiles. You're going to have to trust me." The Chimera says, stopping Stiles in his tracks.
"Trust you?" He asks incredulously, turning towards Theo quickly. "The guy who murdered his own sister when he was nine?"
"Yeah, I was nine years old," Theo agrees. "I also believed a guy in a red suit came down the chimney to deliver presents. So when three people in leather masks showed up and said that my sister wanted me to have her heart, I believed them too."
"So then together you gutted and killed her. That's a beautiful story." Stiles says sarcastically. Theo looks at him with a locked jaw.
"I watched her fall into the water and freeze to death in minutes. Do you think I had any idea what was going on?"
"I think you pushed her," Stiles answers, taking a step towards the Raeken boy. "and I think you liked it."
Before Theo can muster up a response, a noise causes both boys to return to their senses.
"No!" Katherine screams in pain from afar which is then followed by Lydia's ear-splitting scream.
Stiles can feel his heart beat a mile a minute, his stomach churning in terrible worry. Theo would be lying if he said he didn't feel the same.
"What direction was that?" Stiles asks while looking between the different tunnel directions. His eyes then snap over to Theo when the Chimera doesn't answer right away. The Stilinski immediately becomes impatient. "Where is it coming from?"
"Every where." Theo answers with a shake of his head.
__________
Lydia now lies on a chair similar to mine, unconscious from the voices piercing her head. I watch her as she breathes uneasily, twitching every few minutes. There's a table sitting beside her, covered with my blood bags and needles ready to inject her. Any moment now and Valack will finish the job.
I can finally move my fingers, but with how weak I am that's pretty much all I can move. I can practically feel my body giving up on me and oddly enough it makes me want to laugh. Mostly out of anger because this whole situation just proves Peter and the Nogitsune's point. I was given all this power, only to show off how weak I really am. Maybe, if for some crazy reason this transfusion actually works, Lydia would be able to handle the magic better than I ever could. She's stronger than me. That's why I believe if either one of us were to make it out of here, it would be her. And I know she would be able to look after everyone. They don't need me.
The thought brings me comfort. Knowing that they'll be okay without me.
Lydia suddenly gasps and her eyes flash open. I flinch at the sudden action as I watch her lift her head up with a pained groan. Her own blood glistens from the side of her head. The sight makes me grimace. I can tell in her eyes that she isn't here, she's surrounded by the screams.
Valack appears beside her with a sponge, gently dabbing the side of her head to clean off some of the blood. I clench my hands at my sides, wanting desperately to hurt him far worse than he's hurt Lydia.
"Just hold on a little longer, Lydia," he tells her calmly. She cries at the contact on her head. "you can make it."
She sits up in her seat and her horrified eyes find my drooping ones. Tears fall down her face as she looks me over but I try to be reassuring. She has to know that she's strong enough to get out of here.
Valack steps away from her to get to a radio across from her. He begins to turn the dial on the front and Lydia grinds her teeth. "I want you to focus on this, Lydia," he says and Lydia slumps back against the seat, eyes distant once again. "and what other sounds you hear now, push them aside," he keeps turning the dial to a higher setting and Lydia whimpers in pain. "focus on this sound and my voice."
The look in her eyes changes and I know that she tuned in to whatever noise Valack is forcing her to listen to. Something tells me that this is working far better than Valack expected. And I know that at any moment, my life will be over.
"Just one more pint of blood." Valack, who seemed to materialize beside me, says before plunging a needle into my inner elbow. A warbled cry escapes past my lips before my eyes flutter closed and I feel the blood drain from my body.
When I open my eyes I have to put my arm over my face to hide away from the bright sun. The realization of where I am hits me quickly, my front lawn, and for a second I think I'm dead. But when I turn around to see another version of me, I only realize that I'm still deep in shit.
"Now you show up?" I ask myself while throwing my arms up in exasperation.
The other version of me raises a brow and sniffs a laugh. "Hello to you too." She says and I roll my eyes.
"Is now really the time to be making jokes?" I narrow my eyes at her and she finally shows that she knows what I'm going through.
"I guess not," she says and I scoff while looking away. At least she's one of the nicer versions of me. "especially since you've been hallucinating while awake." This causes me to snap my eyes back to her.
"What?" I ask.
"That 'Caleb' character? Katherine, he doesn't exist."
A breath hitches in my throat as I think back to my encounters with him. He has to be real, he gave me food!
"You made him up because you were so desperate for someone to give you a reason to keep going. And apparently for you, a random person was more believable than someone you actually know. It makes sense, but damn, Katherine that's sad."
Anger replaces my confusion. "'Sad'? Did you forget the situation that I'm in? I'm on my deathbed right now. All of that is my fault in case you didn't notice."
"Oh, I've noticed. All that power you have and you think you can handle anything when you don't even know yet what you're capable of. You do far more than you're ready for."
"So what am I supposed to do then?"
"Well, you're not dead yet and neither is Lydia. You don't give yourself enough credit, Katherine. You may not be in touch with your Witch of Death title, but you are incredibly powerful. So, giving up while you're both still alive is pathetic. I don't care how close to death you are, you have to get up and fight. We both know you still have that in you," she explains. "you can't die while you're still in Eichen. Don't let your friends drag out your body. Make it out alive, Katherine."
"Make it out alive."
The feeling of my body pulsing with energy awakens me and I sit upright with renewed strength. My eyes illuminate a glowing red which distracts Valack from Lydia. He whips towards me, lowering the mechanized mask in his hands, his eyes widening.
Before he has a chance to make a move, I flick my wrist and the left side of his face explodes. Blood and brain matter splatter above him before his body crumples to the ground where he lies in a pool of his own blood.
I don't take the time to process the death I just inflicted because I'm ripping the needle out of my arm and ending up beside a horror stricken Lydia before I know it. I gently pull the metal devices off her head before ridding her of any restraints.
Someone pounds on the door to the room. "Katherine! Lydia!" Stiles. I turn my head in that direction the same time Lydia weakly grasps onto my arm. I quickly turn back towards her in concern.
"You're dying." She states quietly, her eyes filling with tears.
"But I'm not dead." I assure her, although I don't disagree with her either.
I wrap my arm around her before slowly helping her up onto her feet. She's so weak that her whole body crumples into mine and my legs begin to tremble as I can barely hold myself up. But at that moment the door flies open and I look over to see Stiles hurrying towards us, Theo, to my surprise, trailing behind.
Stiles is at my side in an instant, his eyes unable to leave me as if I'm somehow not real. But I can't take my narrowed eyes off of Theo.
"I'm fine, just take Lydia," I tell him, struggling to hold her up. "I'll be right behind you guys."
When I finally snap my eyes towards Stiles I can tell that he wants to argue with me but he fortunately obeys and sweeps Lydia out of my arms. He hesitates to glance back at me but finally makes his way out with Lydia hobbling beside him.
Theo walks up beside me as I watch after the two.
"You killed him." He observes.
"I'll kill you, too." I say while turning my attention towards him. By the look in his eyes I can see that he doesn't doubt it, but then I can see his expression change and I falter.
"Katherine..."
I reach up and tap the side of my face only to find my finger covered in blood. I'm bleeding from my eyes. Quickly, I wipe away the liquid with my robe before giving Theo a hard look.
"You're dying." His genuine worry angers me.
"Yeah, that's what everyone's telling me." I say before hurrying after Stiles and Lydia, desperate to leave before my body gives up on me. Because one thing I can agree with the other version of me is that I will not be dying here.
Death is inevitable. It happens to everyone no matter who you are. It's a terrifying thing, especially when no one knows what waits for you in the afterlife. But, for some reason, I'm not scared of dying. It seems peaceful in a way. However, how does one who was cursed with the title of Witch of Death go about actually dying? It can't be anything natural.
The Witch of Death and her Harbinger of Death, Messenger of Death, and Hellhound.
I always wondered how the four would work together. But as I stand here behind Lydia on her knees, hands clutching the sides of her head, as Parrish in Hellhound form ascends upon her with fire blazing from his body, I know.
Parrish wraps his fiery arms around Lydia as a blood curdling scream erupts from her throat and the two erupt in flames and smoke. I quickly throw my hands out and capture it all in a shield that bubbles around them, keeping the scream and fire contained. My body both accepts and rejects the power that the two hold and I begin to feel incredibly sick. I know immediately that this should have given me more strength rather than weaken me. I've taken my abilities for granted and am now paying the price.
When I feel the energy give, I pull back my shield and immediately fall onto my hands and knees. Lifting my head up to look past my hair, I see Lydia now in Parrish's arms, smoke billowing around their figures. For a second I begin to panic because I think Lydia's dead, but then I hear her voice and I sigh in relief, letting my head hang.
A pair of hands grab onto my arms and I flinch before meeting Scott's eyes. In that moment I let myself cry at the sight of him. I didn't know how badly I needed my brother until I saw him. I collapse into his embrace, grasping onto his shirt as he holds me tightly, rubbing my back comfortingly while his other hand holds the back of my head. I haven't felt safe until this moment.
"You're gonna be okay, Kat. I'm getting you out of here." He assures me. I nod into his shoulder before I let him help me up onto my feet, relishing in the fact that he doesn't let me go because I need his strength so badly.
We begin to walk towards the others, Scott practically dragging me with him, when he speaks again. "I'm so proud of you," he says and my heart palpitates. "you protected Lydia and you're both alive after everything. You're so strong, Katherine." Silent tears spill over and I stay quiet for fear of giving away my sadness. This isn't over yet. Because unfortunately, one of us won't be alive for much longer.
The feeling of the fresh air on my body relaxes me and for a second I believe that things will be okay. I breathe it all in before resting against Scott's strong form, trying to hold onto this moment for as long as I can.
The baby blue jeep then pulls up in front of us and Kira and Malia spill out of the vehicle. The sight of them returns the tears, especially when they look at me with a mix of relief and worry.
"Are you okay?" Malia asks immediately once I meet her eyes. "Are they okay?" She asks Scott when I don't answer.
"No," Scott says. "we need to go. Give me the keys. We gotta get them to the clinic."
Parrish lets out a groan from beside a now standing Lydia before he falls forward, making contact with the hood of the jeep. We all look at him with wide eyes before turning to see Tracy holding tightly onto Lydia. Anger bubbles up inside of me. How many more things can happen before we finally get out of here?
"Sorry, but she's coming with me." Tracy says.
Scott gently passes me over to Malia who holds onto me as if I'll disappear and Kira steps in front of me in a protective manner, both ready to fight if need be.
"Okay. Tracy, just wait. You don't know what's about to happen." Scott says.
Tracy bares her teeth. "I'm taking her. That's what's happening. We have enough of the Witch's blood for this to still work," As that last sentence tumbles out of her mouth, everyone looks over at me as if just now realizing how close to death I actually am. "and none of you are going to do a thing..." Before she can continue with her threats, a buzz of electricity crackles against her skin and she gasps before loosening her hold on Lydia and colliding against the pavement. The loss of her standing figure reveals Ms. Martin who holds an electric baton out in front of her. Lydia falls forward and Stiles catches her.
"Could somebody please get my daughter out of this hellhole?" She says and without a second thought, Scott and Stiles usher Lydia and I into the jeep as the others have their own means of transportation.
I've accepted the fact that I will die at night and thinking about it makes me realize it's fitting. I've also come to the realization that this will be my last time in the jeep, the last time in Stiles' arms, and the last time holding on to my best friend. I try to find comfort in that.
But, I can't help but wonder when the death part will actually come. Why am I still alive when I already feel like I'm dead? What more do I need to do? I'm so tired.
Lydia inhales sharply through her teeth while squeezing onto my hand tightly which snaps me back to reality. Lydia's my reason for still being alive.
"Katherine, don't." She says, pleading. I'm already done for, she has to know that. She is the Harbinger of Death.
I don't respond as I watch her sweat profusely and wince in pain. I know what's coming before it even happens. Lydia screams, wailing in pain.
Stiles' hands clasp over my ears instead of his own yet I still wince at the sound, watching as the windshield cracks in front of Scott.
The voices in her head are getting louder and my body is getting weaker. I'm worried that by the end of this we both will end up dead.
"Get her on the table." Deaton instructs. Scott carries Lydia into the clinic's backroom while Stiles and I follow in pursuit. My brother gently lays Lydia onto the metal table, she groans in pain throughout the process, unable to lie still. Stiles leads me over to the side of the room, not having let me go since we left Eichen. And to be honest I don't want him to ever let me go again. But, Lydia needs as much help as she can get right now.
"Hold her down." Deaton says while working away at something on the table across from her.
"Stiles," I say shakily, weakly pulling on his flannel. He looks down at me in concern. "help her." I beg. His fingers brush against my cheek gently before he goes over to help Scott.
Once he gets beside her, a weak scream slips past her lips yet it causes the building to shake. I lean against the wall behind me and grasp onto a table to keep myself up.
"Doc, think you gotta do something." Stiles says.
"I will," Deaton responds with, filling a syringe up with liquid that I'm unable to make out from here. "but right now, I need you to keep her still."
He finally makes his way up to Lydia, hovering above her face. With the size of the object, I can see why she needs to remain as still as possible.
"Steady." Deaton says. I lift my hand up and create a subtle, hazy red shield over Lydia, holding her down. "Thank you, Katherine." He acknowledges.
The shield starts to fade in and out which Deaton takes as his time to speed up the process. He presses the end to the hole in Lydia's head before injecting it with the liquid.
"Mistletoe." Deaton answers our suspicions.
As soon as the syringe is empty and removed from her head, Lydia bolts up right into a sitting position as the loudest scream she has ever wailed rushes out of her. The building trembles violently, knocking objects off the shelves and out of the cabinets. The fluorescent lights shriek before spitting out sparks of light as the light bulbs bust apart. I fall onto the ground beneath me, clutching my head with my hands as pain overcomes me, clawing at me. The windows shake before shattering in towards us, raining down on us. I feel glass pierce my hands as I try to cover my face from the dangers.
And just as quickly as it started, it ends.
I hesitantly lift up head up to see Lydia lying back down on the table, unconscious. The first thing that comes to my mind is that she's dead and I can physically feel myself losing my mind. Grasping onto the furniture beside me, I pull myself up onto my feet.
The startling quiet suffocates me and I find myself crying once again because Lydia's dead. Lydia's dead and not me. I should be the lifeless one on that table not her. After everything I did to protect her, she still died.
"Lydia," Stiles says. "Lydia, open your eyes."
I am right on Death's doorstep, standing there with my heart in my hands yet I won't be let in. I'm still here because of Lydia. I know that my end was imminent and she knew that too. So, obviously my job of protecting her isn't over. Otherwise things would be incredibly different.
I know what to do with what little life I have left.
Give it to Lydia.
I stagger up to the table beside Scott. The three of them look at me warily, obviously wondering what I plan to do. I take in Lydia's pale features and gently grab onto her free hand.
"Stiles, let her go." I say softly, quietly. He does hesitantly. I take a second to look from him, to Deaton, to Scott then back to him before focusing on my best friend who endured Hell with me.
I clasp her hands with both of mine before closing my eyes. I let whatever power I have left ripple through me and into her. The sensation I feel now is more enhanced than what I felt when I revived Scott. This one's more intense because of how little strength I posses.
I wonder what will be on the other side. Allison and Christine. The thought of them causes a small smile to upturn my lips and as I feel the last of what I have leave my body, I find comfort in knowing I'll see them soon.
As soon as my hands leave Lydia's, she inhales a small gasp of air. Relief over takes me as she opens her eyes, regaining color and life. I fall back into Scott who wraps an arm around me, holding my tightly with so much affection. Stiles looks up at me with such adoration that I find this a good way to go.
"Are you okay?" Stiles asks Lydia. She nods with a small smile.
"I'm okay." She says and I feel a happy tear fall down my face.
Lydia slowly sits herself up and that's how I know she's going to be okay.
A presence from behind us catches Lydia's attention and her eyes blossom with tears. "Mom?" She says. Ms. Martin hurries over to her daughter and embraces her with a hug.
"Oh, Honey." She cries.
I look over at Deaton to see a proud smile on his face.
"They saved my life, Mom," Lydia says before meeting my eyes. "Katherine saved me."
I give her the biggest smile I can muster before she hides into her mom's shoulder.
After everything, I finally believe I made the right choice. And it seems as if Death thinks so too because suddenly I feel myself falling, watching my life flash before my eyes from my first memory of me and Scott, to Stiles and I's first kiss, to now. I tip over and know Scott catches me before I can hit the ground.
Him calling out my name being the last thing I hear before my life slips through my fingers.
***
Scott cradles his sister's body as she lies almost lifeless in his arms, tears stream down his horrified face as he strains to listen to Katherine's heartbeat which is faint enough for him to believe he can scream her back to consciousness. So he screams her name until his voice becomes hoarse, holding her tighter when Deaton and Ms. Martin try to pry her from him as the medics begins to crowd into the room.
Stiles, standing above the two, keeps his eyes locked on Katherine as if she'll wake up if he stares at her long enough. He starts to feel his body tremble with a horrible panic attack, his stomach churning with nausea and heart beating out of his chest. Stiles falls to his knees as if the world has stopped spinning. And for Stiles, it has.
Lydia lays back down on the table, sobbing. She knew Katherine was on the brink of death yet did nothing when Katherine did everything in her power to make sure she didn't suffer the same fate. Her best friend, who she was so jealous of for as long as she can remember and who she was so awful to, gave up her life for her without a second thought. And now it's too late to do the same.
Police arrive on the scene, holding the kids back while the medics rush Katherine into the back of the ambulance. Mr. Stilinski holds onto Stiles as he cries for the girl he can't imagine a life without. The girl who has always been there to protect and take care of him. The girl he couldn't protect himself. He pushes his stunned father towards the squad car, pleading with him to take him to the hospital. When the Sheriff doesn't move, still in shock over the situation, Stiles rushes into the clinic, swiping his keys from off the floor before sprinting to his Jeep.
Ms. Martin keeps her arms wrapped around Lydia as she cries into her moms shoulder, not wanting to watch the ambulance recede with Scott beside Katherine's body.
The doctors push Katherine through the halls on a gurney, Ms. McCall and Scott trailing behind them with their hearts in their throats. And as they disappear into a room, a doctor holds Melissa and Scott out.
"She's my daughter! I need to be with my daughter! Move!" Melissa screams while pushing against her coworkers chest. "Let me in!" She yells, sobs racking her body. She's felt the fear of losing her children many times, especially with this world they live in. Her son died before being brought back to life by her daughter, but who will be able to bring her daughter back?
After being switched to a hospital bed and expertly attached to machines, the doctor's quickly begin a cardioversion to bring Katherine's heart rate back to normal. They work around her in a rush, checking her vitals and getting blood work done. It would be impossible for them to not notice how incredibly pale she is which they can only suspect is from loss of blood.
Stiles runs up to Scott and Melissa only to be held back by security along with the other two. And just then, the heart monitor shows that Katherine's heart has stopped beating.
Melissa screams from the outside of the room, her cries chilling the doctors at work. They immediately pull out the defibrillators as another doctor rids the cardioversion electric pads from Katherine's chest and side.
A doctor rubs the paddles together before shouting out and placing them in their respective areas. Katherine's body jolts upwards from the shock. Her heart doesn't start. The doctor tries again. Nothing. They try one last time only to end up with the same results.
Silence overtakes the moment along with the straight buzz from the heart monitor. And after a few beats, the doctor calls the time of death.
And the heart monitor gets shut off.