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beacon hills high school; library
Liam, Mason, Corey and Veronica sat at a table discussing the best way to keep Gwen safe. Veronica glanced up to the second floor of the library, keeping a close eye on the girl as she asked everyone if they knew anything about Pheobe.
"Until we find a safe space for Gwen, we need to know her location at all times." Liam said.
"Okay, that's great but what about after school. She could go anywhere." Mason countered.
"Except I already know where she'll be." Veronica said. "Nathan's party. She'll be there asking everyone about Pheobe."
"We can't keep her safe there." Liam objected. "We need a place where supernaturals can't get in."
"I know a place." Mason said with a small smile. "The safest place."
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mccall household
"Yeah, just set that down over there please." Veronica told Mason and Corey who were helping her decorate for the party. Instead of going to Nathan's party, they decided to throw a party of their own at Scott's house. That way everyone, including Gwen, would come over and they could use a house lined with Mountain Ash to protect her.
Veronica quickly got to work and had finished setting up everything with the boy's help.
"You really like this party planning stuff, don't you?" Liam asked her.
She smiled. "I do. I've learned a lot of party planning tips over the years from Lydia. And if it wasn't for Ghost Riders coming after people who we know to erase their souls, I might actually be excited about this." Liam smiled sadly, wishing that they could be excited about something like a party without having to worry about a supernatural threat. "But hey," she continued, "maybe they won't show up and we could end up having some fun."
"I hope so." Liam answered, leaning in to kiss her but their almost kiss was interrupted when a large group of teenagers walked in through the door.
Veronica pulled away and looked at the now crowded room. She looked over the crowd to the DJ and nodded his way. The lights went out but soon after flashing lights illuminated the room as loud music filled the air. The crowd of teenagers cheered and began to dance along to the music.
Veronica turned to Liam with a smile on her face. "And the party has begun!" she said with her arms raised as she swayed her hips to the rhythm of the music. Liam smiled at her and watched as she made her way over to the drinks section, meeting up with Mason and Corey.
They greeted her with a smile. "That's a lot of teenagers." Mason said.
"A lot more that I was expecting, honestly." Veronica admitted.
"What if this doesn't work?" Corey asked.
"It will. But, if it doesn't...I have a plan B." Veronica answered.
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The night continued, uneventful. Until Nathan showed up, grabbing Liam and slamming him against the wall. He was upset that he had stolen his big party.
"I didn't think you'd be mad." Liam answered.
"Let him go, Nathan." Veronica told them once she reached the two, Mason not far behind. But he didn't even look in her direction.
"How'd you think I'd take it?" he asked angrily.
"In hundreds." Mason said, holding up hundred dollar bills.
Nathan took the money without hesitation after letting go of Liam, and walked away into the crowd cheering. Veronica looked over at Liam, making sure he was okay and then returned to where she had been earlier to keep an eye on Gwen who had arrived not long ago.
"I'm starting to think this wasn't a good idea." Liam admitted to his best friend.
"Scott told us to do whatever it takes to keep Gwen safe." Mason reassured his best friend as he took a jar of Mountain Ash and lined the doorway with it.
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Liam walked through the crowd of tipsy teenagers as he scanned the crowd for Veronica. He spotted her standing by the kitchen counter, a red cup in her hand. Her eyes were focused on Gwen.
Liam made his way over to her, and when she saw him she couldn't help but smile. "Hey." she greeted him as she pulled him close. Liam placed his hands on her hips and pulled her even closer, his lips meeting hers. He could taste the liquor on her lips as he kissed her. After a while she pulled away and looked into his eyes. She was and always would be mesmerized by them. She looked down at her cup. "I would offer you some, but..."
"Alcohol doesn't work on us." Liam said, finishing her sentence.
"Yeah." she said, scrunching her nose. Something she would do that Liam found adorable.
"Where's Gwen?" he asked.
"Over there. Talking to everyone but me." Veronica answered, sounding defeated.
"Well, at least the Ghost Riders haven't showed up." Liam said, making Veronica smile.
"Yeah, and I've been surprisingly enjoying myself." she admitted. She didn't think she would enjoy the night because of the Ghost Riders, but their absence made for an enjoyable party. At least, so far.
"Anything to do with what's in that cup?" Liam asked, laughing lightly.
Veronica laughed as well, but shook her head as she placed the cup on the counter. "I think it's got more to do with you." she said, pulling him in for another kiss. When they pulled away, she looked over Liam's shoulder to check on Gwen and saw her walking out of the kitchen into the living room. "I should go." she said, following her out into the living room. She passed by Mason and Corey dancing together as she followed Gwen up the stairs.
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Liam was downstairs when he heard Gwens screams, he was about to storm up the stairs to where she was with Veronica when she saw them racing down the stairs. Gwen ran right into him. "What's wrong?" he asked her.
"I saw him." she said, clearly terrified. Veronica stood right behind Gwen, and Liam turned to look at her. Gwen turned back to the stairs and her eyes widened. "He's right there! Don't you see him?" she asked but neither Liam or Veronica saw the Ghost Rider.
Gwen took off running, asking for help. Veronica ran after her, asking her to slow down.
Corey leaned against the wall, blending with it. "Liam, it's a Ghost Rider!" he called out to him.
"Where?" Liam asked, not being able to see it.
"Headed for the kitchen!" Corey shouted back, but Liam still couldn't see it. Without thinking, Corey reached out for the Ghost Rider in an attempt to stop him, but instead brought him into view. Everyone could now see him and froze in place. Even the music stopped as everyone stared in fear and amazement at the stranger who had appeared in the middle of the room.
Veronica pulled Gwen behind her as the Ghost Rider took Corey and slammed him against the wall. The boy fell onto the floor, everyone else still frozen in place. Liam looked at Veronica from across the room and her eyes met his.
Corey stood up. "Everybody out, now!" he yelled. That's what it took for everyone to break out of the trance they had been left in. Everyone rushed out of the house, panicked and screaming. With one hand in front of Gwen, Veronica pulled her phone out with the other and dialed a number but it went straight to voicemail. "Parrish! Hey, when you get this head over to Scott's. Please hurry!" she said before hanging up and shoving the phone into her pocket.
Mason quickly ran to get the jar of Mountain Ash and created a line of it from one wall to the other. He stood behind it as he watched the Ghost Rider take his whip and swing it towards him, but the barrier of Mountain Ash didn't allow for it to reach him. A very worried Veronica reached out to her best friend and pulled him back towards her, holding him close next to her.
The whip continued to crack against the barrier the Mountain Ash had produced. "We can't let him get through." Liam said. Liam told Corey were both on the other side of the barrier along with the Ghost Rider. Corey nodded and Liam took a lamp and smashed it against the Ghost Rider's head, only to be thrown back.
The Ghost Rider cracked his whip again and the barrier began to give way.
"Guys, he's breaking through!" Mason called out, a hint of panic in his voice. He turned to Veronica. "I think it's time for plan B."
"Parrish was plan B." Veronica said frantically.
Corey and Liam charged towards the Ghost Rider and they struggled, but they were both overpowered by it.
Mason reached over to Gwen. "Okay, we're leaving right now." he said, pulling her towards the door. She didn't hesitate, and followed him out. The one who hesitated was Veronica. She didn't want to leave neither Mason or Liam on their own.
"Liam!" she called out.
"Go with them, now!" he said. If he couldn't protect them here, then he wanted them as far away as possible from the Ghost Rider.
She nodded and ran out to catch up to Mason and Gwen, only to bump into them right outside the door. "Go back inside?" Mason asked.
"Yes." Gwen answered.
Veronica didn't need to know what they were talking about. She already knew. There was another Ghost Rider. Veronica held the door open as they rushed back in. Gwen was the first one back inside.
The Ghost Riders whip finally broke through the barrier and it curled around Gwen's leg. She screamed as she was pulled down to the floor. Veronica quickly reached out and grabbed her arms, pulling her back. Mason grabbed on to Veronica and they both pulled back against the Ghost Rider's grip on Gwen.
That's when he walked in with his gun drawn. Parrish. "Freeze!" he yelled. "Let her go!"
But the Ghost Rider didn't. He only stood there.
"Shoot him, Parrish!" Liam said.
"Everyone down, now!" Parrish said before firing a few shots into the back of the Ghost Rider.
Veronica and Mason crouched down next to Gwen and Mason did his best to cover both girls.
The Ghost Rider then let go of Gwen and turned his attention to Parrish. Everyone held their breath as it walked over to the deputy. "On your knees!" Parrish demanded, but it simply stood in front of Parrish. Unfazed. "On. Your. Knees!" Parrish demanded once again. There was what seemed like whispering coming from the Ghost Rider, but no one could be sure
Suddenly, there was wind and thunder and then the Ghost Rider was gone.
Mason and Veronica helped Gwen get back up on her feet. Liam and Corey rushed over to them.
"You okay?" Liam asked Veronica, his voice heavy with concern.
"I'm fine. You?" she said, placing a hand on his bruised cheek. He nodded, letting her know he was okay. She turned to Parrish who stood watching them. "Thank you." she said to the deputy.
"I came as soon as I heard your voicemail." he said with a nod, and Veronica smiled at her dad's best deputy and her friend.
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Veronica and Liam stayed behind to clean up the mess from the party. Mason and Corey left to make sure Gwen got home safely.
Scott walked into his house, and Liam and Veronica turned to look at him. He scanned the house, assessing the damage. "What happened?"
"You said to find a safe space." Liam answered. "So we brought the party here."
"Who said to throw a party at all?" Scott countered.
"At least we saved Gwen." Liam said proudly.
"But you saw one of the Ghost Riders." Scott pointed out.
"Corey made them visible, that way they could fight them and we would knew where they were." Veronica answered.
"All right, but doesn't the book say that if you see the Wild Hunt you'll be taken too?" Scott asked.
"Everyone at the party saw them." Liam answered. "Does that mean-?"
"They're all going to be taken." Scott said as he stepped on a shard of glass. "I should've been here."
"Scott it's not your fault." Veronica said, but the boy shook his head and went upstairs. She turned to Liam. "It's okay, I'll talk to him. I'll finish up here and get him to take me home. I'll see you tomorrow."
Liam nodded and kissed his girlfriend goodbye before heading out the door.
Veronica grabbed another trash bag and followed Scott upstairs. He sat on his bed and stared at the floor. Veronica went around the room placing bottles and cans into the bag. "So, how'd it go?" she asked.
"Terrible. We almost got arrested and still no idea what Stiles could mean. Or who he is." Scott answered.
"Arrested?" Veronica asked, not being able to hide her shock.
"Long story." Scott answered as he got up and started helping Veronica clean-up.
"Looks like a hell of a party." a voice came from the doorway. It was the Sheriff.
The two teenagers turned to look at him. "Yeah, uh. Hopeuflly I can get it all cleaned up before my mom comes home." Scott answered.
"Well, I'll help." he said, grabbing a couple cans and putting them in the bag.
Scott and Veronica turned to each other and then back to the Sheriff. "Dad, I'm sorry." Veronica began.
"Yeah, we should've never gone there to see your father." Scott added.
"No, no, it's okay. I should've been clearer about who he is." the Sheriff said and then turned to Veronica with sad eyes. He pulled on the collar of his shirt to reveal a prominent scar on his chest. "This is my dad. He pushed me through a glass table going after my mom. Small price to pay to keep him away from her."
Veronica took a step toward her father. "Dad. Why didn't you ever tell me?" she asked, tears in her eyes.
He shrugged. "I guess a part of me just didn't want to have to admit it."
Veronica embraced her father in a tight hug, and he kissed her forehead. She pulled away when her phone rang. "It's Mason. I'll be right back." she said as she walked out of the room and down the stairs.
The Sheriff turned back to Scott. "You know, something you said has been bugging me all day. Something about memories."
"What do you mean?" Scott asked.
The Sheriff explained to Scott about a dream he's had, but it feels like it's incredibly real. Like it wasn't a dream at all. The dream consists of him talking with Claudia about the future and about having children and what they would be named. "I tell her that if we have a son, I want to name him after her father. And she laughs at me and says, 'Why would you want to saddle some poor kid with a name like that?' And I told her, 'Because he's a great father, kind of father I wash I had, the kind I hoped to be.' At that point in the dream she smiles and says, 'Okay, we'll name him that, but it won't matter. He'll just be called Stiles anyway.'"
Scott looks at the Sheriff with wide eyes, not sure what to make of it. The only thing he knows is that Stiles, whoever that may be, is of great importance to him.