::Chapter 29::
Just as Emily was arriving at her home, she could see Lydia standing in her driveway alone. She saw the message from Eli, telling her to hurry up since he had apparently been at the hospital getting more blood bags when Scott and Isaac had asked for his help to sneak Jackson's body out of the hospital.
She got out of her car and walked toward her friend. "Lydia?"
"Remember when we had the supposed study group and went upstairs to talk to Jackson?" Lydia started and saw her friend give her a small nod, she let out a small sigh. "Well, he wanted something from me and I lied to him that I didn't have it."
She held up a key with a shaky breath escaping her lips at the reminder of just what the key meant to her.
Emily furrowed her brows, remembering the huge smile on her best friend's face when she had shown her that exact key that Jackson had given her and she instantly knew what that key represented.
"Okay. That might actually work." She muttered, knowing that deep down no matter how much Jackson had pushed Lydia away it was only because he loved her. Yeah, their relationship was crap but at the end of the day he still loved the strawberry blonde. That wasn't something she doubted.
And besides Lydia was the only one who despite everything, still loved the blue eyed jock with a huge ego.
Lydia looked hopeful. "We can save him?" She breathed out.
Emily gave her a slow nod, despite feeling unsure deep down. "Let's go."
The two turned to head to the brunette's car when a familiar blue jeep pulled to a screech in front of her driveway.
Stiles popped his head, sending Emily a grin. "Do you girls need a ride?"
Lydia sent Emily a small glance before strutting over to the vehicle just as Stiles got out and opened the door, allowing Lydia to get in.
Emily walked up to him and sent him a confused expression as she sat right beside her best friend, despite the two feeling squished. "I thought you didn't want to come." She said, her hazel eyes filled with curiosity.
"Actually I said I didn't want you getting hurt." He reminded her lightly and gave her a look. "If I can do something to keep you from getting hurt, I'm going to at least try. I mean, you can always drink my blood if you get hurt." He smiled, not able to decipher the emotions passing through her gaze. "Now, let's go save Jackson." He winced at that as he closed the door. "Never thought I'd ever say that." He muttered, getting into the driver's seat and driving off.
-
Eli winced, feeling his side healing from he got shot by the brunette huntress who had just elbowed Jackson. Although he was still a bit in shock over seeing the old man throwing up a bunch of black blood just now.
He blinked in surprise, seeing a blue jeep ram into the kanima. "Well damn." He muttered in shock. "The kid actually has balls."
Stiles' opened his eyes, almost afraid of what he'd see. "Did I get him?"
"Yeah, you did even though your eyes were closed." Emily told him, letting out a small chuckle. The three were startled when the kanima jumped on the hood of the jeep, growling at them and they quickly got out. Emily saw the kanima coming towards them but Lydia quickly jumped in front of him. "Lydia." She went to stop her but Stiles quickly grabbed her.
"Jackson!" Lydia exclaimed, through unshed tears as she held up a familiar key. "Jackson."
The kanima stopped mid swipe, staring at the key in almost awe. He slowly took the key from her hand as Jackson's familiar blue eyes appeared and the scales started to disappear. He took a couple of steps back, his eyes flickering over to Derek whose eyes glowed red and gave a small hesitant nod.
The alpha rushed up to him as well as Peter and the two shoved their claws into Jackson's back and stomach.
The two pulled away allowing Lydia to rush up to her former love and catch him. Jackson stared at her looking vulnerable. "Do you - do you still -"
She knew what he was trying to say and gave him a shaky nod. "I do." She said, through her tears in a hoarse tone. "I do still love you. I do, I do still love you. I do. I do. I do still love you, I do." She weeped, placing him on the floor as she believed he was dead.
Stiles reached down, interlacing his fingers with Emily's and she made no indication that she was against his actions as her gaze never left Lydia and Jackson. But from what he could see, it didn't look like she was watching them, it was more she seeing something else.
He glanced over and saw Eli also staring at Emily but there was this passing look of pity mixed with sympathy in his brown eyes and he wondered why Eli was staring at her like that.
"Where's Gerard?" Allison suddenly asked, seeing her grandfather was no longer there where he previously was.
Chris looked over. "He can't be far."
They all looked over when they heard claws being scratch against pavement and watched in shock as Jackson stood up, blue eyes glowing like Derek's used to before he let out a loud roar.
Lydia quickly turned around and rushed into his arms, the two hugged each other as they all watched.
Both Scott and Emily turned to Stiles when they heard a sniffle when coming from him. The two gave him a weird look. Stiles rubbed his nose, avoiding their eyes. "He scratched Roscoe." He muttered, walking towards his jeep.
Emily held back a bout of laughter, letting a small smile appear on her face before her eyes fell on something on the floor.
The smile quickly slipped off her lips. She picked it up and shoved it in her pocket, remembering what she had to do tonight.
-
Stiles cursed under his breath as he continued to rummage through his drawers and throw things on the floor as he searched. He couldn't believe he lost it.
How was it possible that he lost it?
He jumped, hearing his window opening and turned around to see Emily crawling in through his window.
"Emily?" He breathed out in shock and quickly put his hand behind his back. He didn't want her knowing that he lost the vervain bracelet she had given him. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to talk to you and your dad was sleeping so, I decided to come in through the window." She said nonchalantly, stepping further into his room as she eyed the mess he had.
He furrowed his brows, confusion was clear in his brown eyes. "What did you want to talk about?"
"About something that I realized tonight or maybe I've known for a while but I've just been too afraid to say it out loud." She looked up into his caramel orbs that stared down at her with innocent curiosity and she knew instantly why she had to do this. It was selfish but it was also because she didn't know what was going to happen in the future and she needed to say out loud. To him. At least once. "But I need to say it." She said softly, her eyes on him. "This is the most selfish thing that I've ever said in a very long time and I never thought that I'd say it again."
"Say what?" He felt his heart racing, seeing the look in her beautiful hazel eyes that shone with an emotion he knew so well because he had that same look whenever he looked at her.
His heart stuttered when she reached up and cupped his cheeks, bringing their faces closer and the words that slipped out of her mouth.
"I love you, Stiles." She murmured softly, his lips parted in shock and his voice got caught in his throat. Her heart constricted as she knew what was going to happen next. It had to be done. She reached up and connected their lips for a brief moment, she felt him kiss her back. When she pulled away, she could already feel the lump in her throat. "And as much as I want you to remember this moment, I can't let you. I can't be selfish and be close to you like this. I can't risk you getting hurt, I won't." She could see the heartbreak in his eyes and she knew she was mirroring his look. "I have to do right by you Stiles." Their eyes connected and she rubbed her thumb gently over his cheek. "God, I wish you didn't have to forget." A tear slipped from her eyes and as painful as it was for her, she had to continue. "But you do."
His eyes dilated as soon as the words slipped from her mouth and he blinked. He stood in his room alone and looked down at his wrist, seeing the familiar woven bracelet.
And then he reached up touching his cheeks that were wet with tears.
Not aware that Emily had compelled him or that she had gone off to make a mistake that she knew was wrong but was too hurt to think through her consequences.