Two uniformed deputies escorted Hollis and Jackson through the halls of the hospital. Both covered in dirt and blood, they were like a scene out of a horror movie. Save for a few odd looks thrown their way, no one seemed to pay them any attention. The hospital staff was probably more than used to seeing blood and the families who waited for loved ones were too preoccupied with their own problems to notice the two teenagers.
As the sign for the Intensive Care Unit came into view, their footsteps pounded on the tiled floor. Their panic echoed in every step they took as they raced across the hall with the deputies at their heels.
"Where's Lydia? Where is she?" Jackson yelled, rounding the corner with Hollis a few steps behind.
Sheriff Stilinski looked up from where he stood with two plainclothes officers. The conversation he had been in the midst of ended abruptly. His kind demeanor vanished at the sight of Jackson. Without a second thought, he grabbed Jackson by the coat and slammed him against the wall.
Hollis stopped in surprise at the Sheriff's uncharacteristic behavior.
"What the hell happened to that girl?" The Sheriff asked.
"I--I don't know," Jackson stammered, shaking his head. "We went out looking for her...," he trailed off, throwing a look in her direction.
"We? Who's we?" The Sheriff asked.
"Me. And Jackson," Hollis spoke up, taking a step forward.
The Sheriff looked towards her with surprise. He turned back to Jackson, continuing the interrogation. "And what? You wandered into the middle of a field and just found her like that?" Although Hollis had spoken up before, his anger was directed solely at Jackson. "What happened?"
"It's not my fault," Jackson argued, losing some of the fear.
"She's your girlfriend--"
"No, she's not. I didn't go with her to the formal," Jackson said, shaking his head.
"Then who did?" The Sheriff loosened his grip on his jacket, seeming confused by the information he had received.
"Carter," Hollis spoke up. "Jackson and I just found her like that."
Releasing his hold on him, he stayed quiet and tried to process everything. After about a minute, he turned to Hollis as a new problem presented itself. "Where's Stiles?" He asked, looking past her.
"He's...," Hollis trailed off, wondering what to tell him. The truth was out of the question but she didn't know what else to say. Saying that she didn't know would only make him worry and, with everything they were all dealing with, she didn't want that. "I think he's with Scott," she said but the worry didn't leave his face. It was probably due to the uncertainty of her words or expression. Or perhaps both.
The Sheriff turned towards the two deputies. "Somebody find my son," he said before he gestured for Hollis to follow him. They stepped off to the side, away from Jackson and the officers. "I feel like I'm not getting the whole story here. What happened?" His tone was gentler, unlike the one he had with Jackson before.
Hollis opened her mouth but closed it. "I don't know," she said with a shrug. "I went looking for Lydia after Carter said she went to find Jackson. When I got to the lacrosse field, she was...." Images flashed through her mind, bringing back the painful memories once more. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "She was hurt. Then Jackson came to help and...," she paused with a shrug, looking around the hospital.
He nodded understandingly, although he hadn't learned much else about that night's' events. "Did Jackson...."
"No," Hollis said adamantly, shaking her head. "He didn't hurt her. He wouldn't."
Sheriff Stilinski considered her words for a moment. With a sigh, he nodded. "I didn't think so. I just want to know what happened. Who, what, did this to her."
She stayed silent for a moment. The guilt at knowing who was responsible for her best friends' attack and not being able to say returned. She pushed that feeling away, forcing it down. "Will she be ok?"
"I'm sure she'll be fine," Sheriff Stilinski told her quickly.
Something about his expression or perhaps the way he said it bothered her. "Please. Just tell me the truth."
His expression grew grim but he nodded. "Lydia lost a lot of blood but...that's not the only problem. The doctors are saying it's like she's having some weird allergic reaction. She keeps going into shock and they don't know why."
Hollis let that sink in, feeling the worry intensify inside her. "Can I see her? I need to see her." She moved away from him, not waiting for an answer.
"Hollis. Wait a second," the Sheriff said, blocking her path. "You -" He glanced down at her ruined dress, at the dried blood that coated her hands. "Are you hurt?"
She followed his gaze and frowned. Sighing, she shook her head. "No, I'm ok," she told him, wiping her hands on her dress absentmindedly.
"You're sure?" He asked and, when she nodded, he said, "You should get cleaned up. Take care of yourself first. Lydia can wait."
Hollis started to argue that Lydia was clearly more important than getting cleaned up but stopped. "Then I can see her?"
"Yes," he said. "Bathroom's this way," he gestured towards the hallway that spanned off to the left. "Second door on the right."
She thanked him and moved down the hallway in the direction of the bathroom. Before she reached the door, Jackson blocked her path.
"What did you tell him?" He asked, stealing a quick glance in the Sheriff's direction.
"Nothing. Just that we found her like that," Hollis said but his expression continued to be unbelieving. "Do you really think I'd tell him that a werewolf attacked Lydia? The same werewolf that was supposed to have died in a fire a few years ago?"
His expression relaxed.
"Apparently Lydia keeps going into shock. Like an allergic reaction or something. The doctor's don't know what's wrong with her," she added quietly.
Jackson looked down at her with worry. "But she'll be ok...right?"
She shrugged, unsure herself. "I don't know."
A heavy silence fell at the hopelessness of her words. The reality of what happened seemed to set in just then. The aftershock of Peter's attack faded, leaving them all in a state of panic. Up until that moment, everything had seemed to move in slow motion but it sped up as Lydia's condition stared them in the face.
"I need to...I have to get cleaned up." Hollis stepped past Jackson and entered the bathroom. It was empty and cold, which was a perfect match to how she felt in that moment. Shakily, she stepped up to the sink and kept her eyes downcast as she turned the water on. It was awfully loud in the silence of the room but it managed to mask some of the terror that circled around her.
Lukewarm water flowed over her hands, turning the white porcelain a rusted red as the blood swirled around the drain. Hollis scrubbed her hands harder, turning the once white foam an orangey-red. The minutes ticked by as she tried to get her friends' blood off of her but it seemed to be everywhere. Sticking to her like glue.
The water started to clear as it dripped from her hands. Hollis still wasn't satisfied but turned the tap off. Drying her hands, Hollis finally looked up at her reflection. Shock took place of the worry. Tear tracks ran down her face, exposing just how filthy her skin was. She ran a hand through her tangled hair but it got stuck each time she tried to brush her fingers through. She moved her hand to her neck, where the bruises peaked out from behind her hair. Turning her head, she winced at the finger-shaped marks where the shallow cuts rested. More dried blood coated her skin, and she wiped at it with her semi-wet towel. It only smeared the red streaks but she didn't have the energy to fully clean it. Eventually she gave up, knowing that what she truly needed was a long, hot shower.
Hollis moved her hair so as to cover the bruises, not wanting to draw attention to them. Not only did she not care about her own injuries at the moment but she didn't have the explanations for them. Once she made sure her hair hid everything, she stepped out of the bathroom to find Jackson waiting for her.
He leaned against the wall, lost in his thoughts. When the door closed, it jarred him out of his mind and he looked towards her. "Better?"
"I don't think I'm ever going to be better." Hollis had made it out to be a joke but there was nothing funny about it at all. In fact, there was more truth to the statement then she realized. "I'm ok, though," she reassured him with a small smile.
"Same," Jackson replied, returning the smile as best he could. "Let's go find Lydia."
They moved towards the ICU. Finding Lydia's room proved to be easy as a group of teenagers crowded around the waiting area. Everyone looked worried but Hollis had a feeling they were just feeding their curiosity than caring for the welfare of her best friend. Hollis and Jackson pushed through the crowd but a nurse stopped them from entering the room, stating how Lydia was still in a fragile condition.
Through the glass, Lydia rested in bed. She looked peaceful, almost as if nothing had ever happened to her but that clearly wasn't true. Machines surrounded the bed, their faint beeps heard despite the noise in the hallway.
"She looks so...peaceful," Hollis said.
"And stable," Jackson said. "That's good right? That she's not going into shock or anything?"
Hollis nodded numbly, hoping against hope that it meant that she was ok or close to it.
"I'm sorry. You two can't be here right now," a voice said.
"You're kidding, right?" Jackson asked, anger seeping into his tone. "She's our friend, unlike all these other idiots crowded around here," he said, his voice rising with the intention to be heard by everyone.
The nurse looked like she wanted to send them away but then decided against them. "Just a couple minutes. Then you two really need to go." With a pointed look, she walked away.
Hollis turned back to the window, watching as her friend slept peacefully. For the second time that day, she felt helpless. Other than be there for her, Hollis couldn't do much else and it frustrated her. The minutes ticked by and, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the nurse lurking. "We should go," she said.
Reluctantly, Jackson agreed, mumbling under his breath as they moved away from the room.
They sat down in the chairs along the wall, defeat and exhaustion taking a toll on them both. It was already an incredibly long night but neither of them felt inclined to leave. Without answers or any way of helping their current situation, they decided to hang around the hospital with hopes of seeing Lydia get better.
"This sucks," Jackson said more to himself than to make conversation.
Hollis nodded either way. "I know. I just feel so helpless."
"Me, too," Jackson said.
Sighing, she brushed her fingers through her hair in an effort to get the more prominent tangles out. Although it wouldn't help with her already messy appearance, it was more of a distraction than a style tactic.
"I thought you said you didn't get hurt," Jackson said, throwing an exasperated look her way.
Hollis looked over at him questioningly.. "I didn't," she said but he continued to stare at her neck. Realization dawned on her quickly. "It's nothing," she said as she moved her hair to hide her injuries.
Jackson rolled his eyes. "Hollis."
"Jackson," she said, matching his tone. "I'm fine."
'Yeah, okay." He forced her hair away from her neck and inspected the bruises and cuts that decorated her skin. "Peter did this?"
Hollis sighed, moving his hand away. "Okay, fine. Yeah. He did it to motivate Stiles to help him. But, seriously, it's nothing."
"It doesn't look like nothing," Jackson muttered.
"Well, they're nothing compared to Lydia's injuries. So, they aren't important," Hollis retorted, wanting the subject dropped. She re-covered her neck and looked away from him, hoping to get the point across that she no longer wished to talk about this.
The hallway bustled with students, doctors and police. The person standing by Lydia's room caught her attention. It took her a few moments before she realized that person was Allison.
"I'll be right back," Hollis said as she stood up. "Allison's here. I need to talk to her."
Jackson glared at the unfinished conversation but looked in the direction Allison was in and nodded.
Hollis crossed the hallway and caught up with her friend. "Ali."
Allison seemed to be lost in her thoughts but, at the sound of her name, looked over to see Hollis beside her. "Oh, my God, you're okay!" She exclaimed and pulled her into a hug. "What happened to Lydia? I got your message and....What the hell is going on, Hollis?"
There was so much that she wanted to tell her. The truth sat at the tip of her tongue but the words that spilled out of her mouth were the general explanation she had given to her teacher and the police. Allison looked skeptical, which surprised her but she didn't comment on it. "Where've you been? Are you okay because you look -"
"I need to tell you something," Allison interrupted nervously. She pulled her aside, away from prying ears. "I...uhm...it's...."
"What's wrong?" Hollis asked.
Allison took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I saw Scott turn into a werewolf," she said slowly and watched Hollis for a reaction. "I know it's crazy. Absolutely insane but apparently my family are hunters, which is why we have all these guns and weapons and.... Did you know that the animal attacks weren't caused by a mountain lion but a werewolf? My whole family lied to me, Hollis. Scott...he's this monster and...," she trailed off, looking defeated and terrified.
Hollis froze. The words that had tumbled out of Allison's mouth shocked her, so much that she couldn't say anything. Her reaction, although genuinely surprised, was short of what Allison had expected.
"Why don't you look as freaked out as I feel?" Allison asked cautiously.
"Ali, listen -"
"You knew, didn't you?" Allison accused.
Hollis nodded. Even though she was practically caught red handed, she felt a small weight lift from her shoulders at not having to lie anymore. "I found out a couple weeks ago."
Allison stepped back, shaking her head. "You didn't tell me? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because Scott didn't want me to. He was trying to protect you from all this. Trust me, I wanted to but...this whole thing is so crazy."
"I can't believe you kept this from me, Hollis," Allison said. "Did you - Did you know about my family?"
Hollis could see the hurt and betrayal on her face but she nodded. There was no reason in hiding anything now. No amount of explanation could make Allison feel better and, truth be told, she wanted to tell her everything. She had hated keeping her in the dark, despite how dangerous the entirety of this reality was. "I'm so sorry, Ali."
"I have to go," Allison said, backing away from her. "My aunt's...waiting." She sidestepped around Hollis and disappeared into the group of teenagers still crowded around the waiting area.
"Great," Hollis said quietly, staring at the area where her friend had once stood. With a sigh, she returned to her seat by Jackson. "She knows."
"Everything?" Jackson asked, surprised.
"I think so, yeah," she said with a nod. "She's so mad at me that I didn't tell her."
"She'll be ok," he told her. "You were when you found out."
Hollis nodded slowly, knowing that Allison would be fine. Whether or not she'd forgive her was another story, though.
"Told you he'd make it," Jackson said after a few minutes. Nudging her, he gestured to where Stiles entered the ICU.
Hollis followed his gaze and a smile lit up her face. The worry that had been eating at her melted away. She ran over and threw her arms around him. "You're alive!" Hollis said, looking up at him.
"Yeah, I'm okay," Stiles reassured her, returning the hug.
"I was freaking out this whole time, thinking that Peter would hurt you or...," she trailed off, pushing those horrible what-if's that had been floating around her mind away.
"I told you I'd be fine," Stiles said and planted a kiss on her forehead.
Hollis smiled, just happy that he was okay. "I know...but I was still worried."
"There you are," Sheriff Stilinski said, stepping towards them. "It's a good thing we're in a hospital because I'm going to kill you."
"What? Why?" Stiles looked to Hollis for an explanation but she shrugged.
"Because I didn't know where you were. Because Hollis showed up covered in blood and said she wasn't sure where you were," the Sheriff explained.
Hollis gave Stiles a sheepish smile, mouthing the word 'sorry' for getting him in trouble.
"I had to run here. My Jeep...the keys...I lost my keys," Stiles stammered.
"And," the Sheriff continued, either ignoring his answer or not believing it, "Because there's a girl lying in the ICU after she was attacked!"
At this, Stiles looked past his dad and into the ICU. "How's Lydia doing?"
"They don't know," Hollis said with a frown.
"What? Why?" Stiles asked.
Hollis went to answer but another voice joined their conversation, calling to her.
Grant stood a few feet away. Worry coated his face until he looked in their direction, and a wave of relief washed over him at seeing Hollis in one piece.
"I called your dad," Sheriff Stilinski told her, taking note of her surprised and confused expression.
Hollis nodded but barely. She didn't know if she was happy that he was there or not what with the way their last conversation had went. It had left a noticeable rift in their relationship. Things had gotten back much to how they had been when her dad had first returned. Awkward and silent.
"You should go talk to him. He was worried," the Sheriff continued gently.
"Right. Yeah," Hollis agreed and reluctantly made her way towards her dad. She stopped in front of him, searching her mind for something to say that wouldn't lead them into a fight. But before she could open her mouth and utter a word, he pulled her into a hug.
"You scared the crap out of me, Hollis," Grant said.
"Yeah, well, I'm okay," she told him and pulled back from his grasp. "But...sorry."
"What the hell happened? The Sheriff called and said Lydia was attacked. That you were with her at the hospital," Grant said, shaking his head. He looked at her, searching her face for answers.
Hollis debated on how much to tell him. Although he knew of Peter and werewolves, she wanted to reveal as little as possible about Scott and Stiles. She was sure their involvement in this would come clean eventually but, for now, she thought it best to not say anything. After much thought, Hollis gave him the condensed version of that night's events.
Grant ran a hand over his face as he listened to her speak. His expression changed from disbelief to worry to anger and back again as if on repeat. His expression grew grim as a thought came to mind. "Peter didn't hurt you, did he?" He held her at arm's length and looked her over.
Hollis shook her head but the movement caused the hair that covered the injury to shift. She tried to fix it but her dad pushed her hair aside, his face going slack at the sight of the bruises and cuts.
He stared at her speechlessly but the expression spoke volumes.
"It's nothing," Hollis reassured him, pushing his worries away.
"Do you even know what just a scratch can do? It can turn you...or kill you," Grant said quietly but his voice was one hundred percent serious. "We should get this checked out."
"No, dad, I'm fine," Hollis argued, moving his hand away. "It's not even that deep. It doesn't even hurt," she lied.
"Hollis, I told you I didn't want you involved in this," he said, raking a hand through his hair. "I thought that what I told you about Peter would make you understand just how dangerous this is."
"I do understand but I made the choice to help my friends no matter what," she said.
"Your friends? What do they...?" Grant trailed off, perplexed.
Hollis stared wide-eyed at the information that had slipped out. Although she hadn't said her friends knew about the supernatural, it was just enough to get the wheels turning in her dad's mind.
Grant opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it. He looked past her to where Stiles stood and remained quiet for a couple minutes. "Your friends are involved in this?" He asked when he looked back at her, his voice surprisingly calm and quiet.
Hollis thought about lying but, considering that she had already been caught in a lie, decided against it. Instead, she nodded.
"I don't want you spending anymore time with them," Grant decided firmly.
A humorless laugh escaped her lips. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah. You're done with this, with everything and everyone that has to do with Peter."
"I'm not just going to abandon my friends!" She said, shaking her head. "Dad, the whole situation tonight could've gone a lot worse if Stiles hadn't.... He helped, okay? He made sure that Peter wouldn't hurt me. But a couple of my friends still need help so I can't just do nothing."
"Well, that's exactly what you're going to do," Grant told her gravely. "We're going home. Right now."
"No," Hollis said, ignoring the anger on his face. "I'm not you, okay? I won't just stand back and let something happen to them. Let Peter hurt them."
"You're not -"
"You can't stop me." Hollis backed away from him and turned to where Stiles had been standing with the Sheriff. The spot was now empty, save for the occasional nurse or teenager. Her dad continued to talk to her but she pushed his words aside as she searched the area for any sign of where Stiles had gone. When her search came up empty, she walked to where Jackson sat. "Did you see where Stiles went?"
He looked up at her and shrugged, briefly looking behind her. "No clue. Why?"
"Because I can't sit here and do nothing. Scott's still out there somewhere and...I need to help."
"Let's find him," Jackson said, standing up. Catching the look she threw him, he sighed. "What?"
"Nothing," Hollis said with a smile. "You just might want to be careful. People might actually think that you care."
Rolling his eyes, Jackson moved past her. "Shut up," he muttered but there was a trace of a smile in those words.
The search didn't take long because the first corner they turned, they found Stiles. They caught up to him as he was heading towards them.
"I was looking for you," Hollis said. "Where are you going?"
"To find scott," Stiles answered.
"Good. We're coming with you," she told him.
Stiles looked from one to the other, slowly shaking his head. "You should stay here. Both of you. It'll be safer."
"No. I'm not going to let you go alone again," Hollis argued.
"Besides, you don't have a car," Jackson pointed out.
"I'm aware of that, thank you," Stiles said.
"I'll drive," Jackson stated, bringing the topic to a close.
"Just because you feel guilty all of a sudden doesn't make it okay. Half of this is your fault," Stiles said, turning on Jackson.
"Let him help, Stiles," Hollis said, stepping into the conversation.
Frowning, Stiles stayed quiet and considered her words.
"I have a car. You don't. Do you want my help or not?" Jackson asked once the silence stretched too long.
Stiles looked at Hollis and then at Jackson. His decision was reflected on his face but he didn't look too happy with it. "Did you bring the Porsche?"
Jackson nodded as he pulled the keys out. "Yeah."
"Good. I'm driving," Stiles said, taking the keys from him.
Jackson looked like he wanted to protest but then nodded.
The three of them walked down the hallway but before they got far, Argent and two hunters rounded the corner, blocking their path.
"Boys," Argent said then, noticing Hollis, his smile faded a fraction as a look of surprise crossed his face. "Hollis," he said with a friendly smile. "I was wondering if one of you could tell me where Scott McCall is."
"Scott? Haven't seen him since the dance," Stiles answered.
Argent looked disbelievingly at him before he turned to Hollis. "Have you seen him?"
"No," Hollis said truthfully. "I'm not sure where he is."
"See? We don't know." Stiles shrugged before turning to Jackson. "Jackson, you?"
Rather than speak up, Jackson stared at Argent wide-eyed. The words he supposedly wanted to get out remained stuck, unable to escape.
"Oh, for the love of--" Stiles said, shaking his head.
"Take them," Mr. Argent said, gesturing to the three of them. The two hunters each grabbed hold ofJackson and Stiles while Argent nudged Hollis forward.
Reluctantly, she followed the three of them into an empty room. Stiles and Jackson crashed into the room, slamming across the floor. Despite her own non-violent entrance, she quickly joined them on the other side of them room. Hollis helped them up as the door clicked shut behind them.
Argent stepped forward and, although he didn't look like he'd hurt them, the two hunters behind him both had their guns drawn.
Her pulse quickened at the sight of them. Although no harm had come to them so far, she wasn't sure if that was the case now. The windowless room was small with only one exit, which was currently blocked.
"Let's try this again. Where is Scott McCall?" Argent's voice was still calm but there was an underlying tone of anger hidden underneath.
"I don't know!" Stiles said.
Unsatisfied, Argent yanked Stiles up by his coat and slammed him against the wall.
Hollis moved forward but one of the hunters grabbed her and held her back.
"Let me go!" Hollis struggled against the vice-like grip but his hold on her arm remained strong. "Don't hurt him. He doesn't know," she said.
Argent looked towards her, a flash of pity on his face before he turned back to Stiles. "Let me ask you something, Stiles. Have you ever seen a rabid dog?"
Hollis and Jackson exchanged a look, confused on what that had to do with anything.
"No, but I'll put it on my to-do-list if you let us go," Stiles said.
"I have," Argent continued. "And there's only one thing I've ever been able to compare it to. Seeing a friend of mine turn on the night of a full moon. Do you want to know what happened?"
"Not really, no offense to your storytelling skills," Stiles said.
"He tried to kill me and I was forced to shoot him in the head. But even while he lay dying, he was still trying to claw his way toward me. Still trying to kill me like it was the most important thing he could do with his last breath. Can you imagine that?"
"No, but it sounds like you could be more selective with your friendships," Stiles stated but he went too far with the sarcasm because Argent pulled him closer, a flash of anger in his eyes.
"Stop! Please," Hollis said and held her breath, watching as Argent reeled back the anger.
"Did Scott try to kill you on the last full moon? Did you have to lock him up?" Argent asked.
Although the question had been directed at Stiles, Hollis was reminded of that day. A look of recognition passed over her face because Stiles looked her way, followed by Argent.
"You've known for a while, haven't you, Hollis?" Argent asked, focusing his attention on her. "Tell me, what did he do? Was he violent? Did he want to kill you? Did he -"
"Yeah, I did," Stiles interrupted, pulling Argent's attention away from her. "Handcuffed him. Why? Would you prefer I put him in a basement and burn the house down around him?"
Hollis winced at the last sentence as it was a reminder of what her dad did. She still hadn't come to terms with it and didn't know if she ever would. But she knew why Stiles had said it. It wasn't to hurt her but to see what Argent knew, if anything.
"Sorry to dispel a popular rumor, but we never did that," Argent said.
"Oh, right. Derek said you had some kind of code. I guess no one ever breaks it," Stiles said.
Argent shook his head. "Never."
"What if someone did?" Stiles asked.
"Someone like who?" Argent questioned.
"Your sister," Hollis said quietly.
Argent turned on her. "What are you talking about?"
"Kate. She set the Hale house on fire," Hollis said.
"And how would you know that? You weren't there. You didn't see it happen," Argent said defensively.
"Hollis, you don't have to -" Stiles started.
"Because my dad told me," Hollis said. "He knew Kate. She... she knew my dad was friends with the Hales, and she promised him she could help them. But her idea of help meant killing them. My dad was there when she set the fire. He couldn't stop it."
Argent stared at her disbelievingly.
"Why would I lie about this?" Hollis asked. "I'm telling you the truth. Your sister was involved. So was my dad."
Argent studied her carefully and processed her words. It looked like he didn't want to believe it but he knew that there was a semblance of truth to it. "Let them go," he said with a heavy sigh.
Hollis climbed into the back of the Porsche, the nervousness from their encounter with Argent and the hunters still clinging to her. The adrenaline started to wear off, leaving her more than a little exhausted. More than anything, she wanted to go home and forget all of this. She'd had enough of the life-threatening adventures for one night but it was far from over. There was (hopefully) one more stop before they could call it a night but it was the one that literally held everything on the line.
The anxiety from the pressure seeped back into her at the mere thought of it. It was enough to get her heart racing again. Despite the fear and being emotionally and physically drained, she would see this through until the end.
"You didn't have to do that back there, you know," Stiles said after they've been driving for a few minutes. He looked over his shoulder at her before turning his attention back to the road. "Tell Argent about your dad, I mean."
"I kinda did, though," Hollis replied.
"So you thought it was a good idea to lie to him?" Jackson asked, joining the conversation.
"It wasn't exactly a lie," she said quietly.
Jackson threw a look her way. "So your dad actually did that?" He watched for her reaction before shaking his head. "Wow. That's messed up."
"Shut up," Stiles said at the same time Hollis said, "Yeah, I'm aware. Thanks."
"I didn't mean anything by it," Jackson said defensively then gave her an apologetic smile. "I just meant...it's messed up. That your dad had a part in that."
While Stiles glared at him, Hollis nodded slowly.
"No, it's fine," she said with a sigh. "But the truth would've come out either way. If I hadn't told Argent, then chances are Kate would've. And I'm guessing that her version would've been her pinning it all on my dad."
"How do you know your dad's version isn't a lie?" Jackson asked, voicing the question that had been nagging at her since she first found out.
"I don't," Hollis said with a shrug. "But he didn't make himself out to be a victim. He took the blame for his part in it. Something that Kate wouldn't do."
A few more minutes went by in silence as they drove further from town. The buildings and houses had turned into dense, ominous woods on either side of them. The only light paving the way for them came from the car's headlights. It was like the road was trying to tell them just how unsafe their situation was, warning them to not go any further.
"So, what's the plan? Do we just grab Scott and leave?" Hollis asked, pulling her attention away from the window.
"I don't know," Stiles answered as he glanced into rearview mirror. He caught her eye and gave her a small smile that was meant to be reassuring but it held a mix of uncertainty in it.
"Wait," Jackson spoke up. "So you're saying that we're going into the middle of this without a plan?"
"Pretty much, yeah," Stiles answered, throwing a glare in his direction. "If you have a problem with it, you can get out now. But you wanted to help, remember? So either shut up or get out."
Jackson replied with a glare of his own but refrained from commenting. His silence was enough of an answer, though. He was in it just as much as they were.
They turned onto a dirt road. Rocks and branches crunched under the tiles as the car twisted it's way down the narrow lane.
"Hey, hey. This isn't exactly an all-terrain vehicle," Jackson said after the car took a few more hits from the uneven ground.
"Yeah, did you pay for it?" Stiles asked, navigating the car down the impossibly dark and bumpy road.
"No," Jackson grumbled after a minute.
"Then shut up," Stiles told him.
Hollis leaned forward in the seat and looked out the windshield. Apart from the dark trees that rose up above them, she didn't see much although she felt every jolt the car took.
A dark shape came into view, ominous against the midnight sky. The Hale house stood tall, almost invisible as it blended into the dark surroundings. It was her first time seeing the burned remains of the house. Only one thought came to her mind upon seeing it: that her dad was responsible for this destruction. Her lungs constricted at the thought; at the horrible reality that someone so close to her could cause this. She looked away, unable to look at the grim reminder of her dad's' actions.
The headlights illuminated the activity as well as the beast, who somehow seemed unaware of their presence.
"Is that...?" Hollis trailed off, the fear turning her blood cold.
"Yeah," Stiles said as the car skidded to a halt.
"How in the hell are we going to fight that?" She asked, unable to wrap her mind around the impossible task. It was hard to imagine that the thing standing before them was Peter. If she had been scared before, she was terrified now.
"I've got this," Stiles said before he jumped out of the car.
"So he actually has a plan now?" Jackson asked, looking over his shoulder at her.
"I hope so," she whispered. Forcing down her fear, she exited the car along with Jackson.
They entered the battlefield in the midst of a war. Her eyes roamed over Scott who was lying on the ground to Allison who tended to her dad, who remained unconscious. She ran to the back of the car to find Stiles rummaging through the trunk. She watched nervously, her eyes darting back and forth between the car and the Alpha, who made his way towards Allison. She wanted to yell out for her to watch out but Stiles spoke up.
"I hope this works," he said as he closed the trunk.
"What is that?" Hollis looked at the liquid that sloshed around in the beaker.
"Molotov cocktail," Stiles said, passing one to Jackson.. "I-I remembered when we were stuck in the school. Lydia made it that night but the ingredients were messed up," he said.
Jackson glared, catching onto Stiles' comment.
Hollis sighed, tired of the two of them arguing back and forth all night. "He's not blaming you," she told Jackson in hopes of calming the situation. They had bigger problems than whose fault it was about something that happened weeks ago.
"No, I kinda am," Stiles admitted but, catching Hollis' expression, added, "But it doesn't matter. Come on." He ran around to the driver's side and flung the door open to hit the horn. The sound of the beep broke through the activity around, turning all eyes on them.
Peter turned towards them at the same moment that Stiles threw the beaker. It sailed through the air and the three of them held their breaths, waiting for it to impact with him. But Peter caught it in the palm of his hand.
"Oh damn," Stiles said, clearly not expecting that to happen.
"Allison!" Scott's voice shouted, carrying across the yard. When she looked his way, he threw the compound bow her way.
"Can she do this? She can do this, right?" Jackson asked nervously, watching as Allison nocked the bow and arrow.
Hollis smiled softly, remembering the last time Allison had used the bow. "Definitely."
The Alpha looked in confusion towards Allison and to the beaker before realization hit him. At that moment, Allison's arrow shot through the glass. The chemicals spilled all over his hand before flames erupted.
"Jackson, now!" Stiles said.
Jackson threw the second beaker and it hit the Alpha's torso, instantly bursting into flames.
The Alpha's shriek pierced the air as the fire snaked across his skin. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, mixing with his screams of pain. In a matter of seconds, the flames consumed him and all of the writhing and twisting didn't help stop the fire from spreading.
Hollis averted her eyes then, unable to watch Peter slowly die. As much as she hated him, she didn't want to watch as he was ironically subdued to fire once more.
Sensing her discomfort, Stiles took hold of her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Hollis smiled at the comfort, thankful that no words were needed to be said about the situation.
The screaming died down just as quickly as it had started. Peter now lay on the ground, unmoving.
"I can't believe that worked," Jackson said with awe as only a sliver of black smoke floated into the air.
"Me neither," Stiles agreed, equally as surprised. Catching their looks, he nodded. "I mean, I-I knew. Yeah, I knew it'd work."
Despite the gruesome situation, she couldn't help but smile at his words. But that smile soon faded when she noticed Derek walk up to what remained of Peter. He put out the rest of the flames with his jacket and stood over his dead uncle with an eerie look of calm. The jacket fell from his hands, covering the body charred beyond recognition.
"Wait. You said the cure comes from the one who bit you," Scott said, desperation coating his words as he, too, noticed Derek. "You do this and I'm dead. Her father, her family... What am I supposed to do?"
"What's he talking about, Stiles?" Hollis asked quietly, confused by Scott's words.
"Peter turned Scott into a werewolf. So if-if Scott kills Peter, he'll be cured. He won't be a werewolf anymore," Stiles explained.
"Kill?" Hollis asked, looking towards Scott and the jacket-covered lump that was Peter. "Wait, he-"
Her words faded when she noticed Derek's clawed hand rise up over the body. The realization of what was about to happen turned her stomach more than the fire from before.
"Don't!" Scott yelled at the same time that Hollis closed her eyes.
Despite his pleas, Derek brought his hand down and severed Peter's throat. The sound of flesh tearing filled the air and the metallic smell of blood mixed with the scent of fire.
Stiles put a comforting arm around her, drawing her to him as Derek turned towards them. His eyes were now the same shade of red as Peter's had been.
"I'm the Alpha now," Derek told them. Before anyone could react, he disappeared into the shadows.
They stood there in silence for a moment to let the events of the last few seconds sink in. Despite their victory of defeating Peter, the air around them was sullen. Even the conversations that began shortly after didn't carry the level of energy and joy that would be expected after all they had accomplished.
Hollis stood silently beside Stiles. Her mind was on autopilot, processing everything she had just witnessed but no words passed through her lips. The shock seemed to keep its claws in her, refusing to let go. Seeing Allison out of the corner of her eye, she snapped out of those thoughts. A wave of guilt hit her, which pushed the remainder of shock out of her system. Hollis hated having Allison mad at her. Their friendship meant a lot to her, and she hoped that they could get past that. The question wasn't 'if' but 'when'.
She moved away from Stiles and towards Allison. Her steps were tentative and careful as she approached her and Scott, her mind buzzing with all that she wanted to say. But as she stopped beside Allison, her mind was blank.
"Ali...I, uhm...," Hollis trailed off.
Allison turned to her, her expression unreadable. Without uttering a word, she pulled Hollis into a hug.
Hollis smiled, wrapping her arms around her best friend. "I'm so sorry, Ali. I wanted to tell you."
"I know," Allison said.
"Are we okay?" Hollis asked cautiously when they pulled apart from the hug.
A silent moment passed between them before Allison nodded. "Yeah. I mean, I'm still a bit mad but...I get it. We're okay," she assured her.
The weight fell from her shoulders. She felt increasingly better to know they were on good terms. Her smile faded when she saw Scott staring off into the distance. "I'm sorry, Scott," she said with a sigh. Although the idea of Scott killing someone seemed unbelievable, she understood why he had considered it. "But we'll get through it."
"Together," Stiles said, stepping towards them.
Scott gave them a weak smile before nodding. "Thanks."
"You sure you didn't want me to drop you off at home?" Stiles asked quietly, watching as Scott looked around the corner into the hallway.
"Lydia's my best friend. I need to know if...I have to be there," she told him.
Stiles nodded understandingly and reached for her hand.
The discussion about Lydia's bite had raised a series of questions on the drive over. It was debatable on whether she would turn from the bite or die. The latter option seemed to hover like a bad omen, especially when one of them mentioned the weird allergic reaction and shock Lydia seemed to be going into. The mere rescue seemed to not have done much in the means of saving her life. There were other threats that Lydia faced. Life-threatening ones.
Once again, Hollis feared for her friends' life.
"Come on," Scott whispered, moving with stealth across the empty hallway.
Visiting hours were ove, as was quite obvious from the deserted hospital. A lone nurse or doctor wandered every now and them, causing them to hide until they passed. They snuck past the the nurse's station and waiting room without being detected. Although the ICU was out of their sight, it was close distance-wise.
Their careful steps prolonged the short trip to Lydia's room. The door creaked open and they poked their heads into the room. They slipped inside quickly, ducking down as an orderly passed further down the hall. Crouched down, they tried to minimize any noise that might give away their presence.
"That was close," Hollis whispered, peeking through the window to see that the coast was clear.
"Shut the door," Scott said.
Stiles nodded and reached for the door. With the gentlest touch, he pushed the door a fraction but it squealed obnoxiously. He paused, seeing both Hollis and Scott cringe at the noise.
Hollis held her breath, hoping that no one would hear and come investigate. Once again, she peeked through the blinds but didn't see anyone. She slunk down against the wall and nodded to Stiles to continue.
With even more gentleness than before, Stiles went back to closing the door. Despite the care, the squeals sounded even louder as if on purpose. He tried another tactic, pushing the door slower but the shriek of metal scraping metal filled the still air. It was painful, both in sound and loudness.
Hollis winced at the sharpness of the noise.
Stiles finally managed to close the door with an unnecessarily loud click. "What?" He asked, looking from one to the other.
Scott shook his head in frustration and stood up, followed by his friends.
Together, they made their way through the dark room towards the bed where Lydia lay. She was sound asleep, much like before. She looked peaceful but it was obvious that breathing proved to be difficult.
"So, what do we do now?" Hollis asked, glancing at the two.
"We check the wound. If it's healed or healing, it's good. Well, good that she's alive. Bad meaning she's probably a werewolf," Scott explained.
A worried look passed over her face as she stared down at her friend. She had gone through so much and it didn't look like that was the end of it. Hollis wished she could take the pain away or at least do something other than stand there helplessly.
"Do it," Stiles said.
"You do it," Scott told him but Stiles just shook his head. "Hollis?"
"I can't," Hollis said quietly. "I'm too worried."
Scott hesitated a moment before he lifted the bandage off Lydia's wound. But the identical look of fear he wore with his friends turned to confusion.
"What's wrong?" Hollis asked.
"Is it healed? Completely?" Stiles questioned.
"No, not all," Scott said.
With morbid curiosity, Hollis and Stiles looked at the wound. It was bloody and scabbed over, nothing at all abnormal about it.
"I don't get it. The doctors said she was going to be fine," Stiles said.
"But the bite's not healing like it did with me," Scott said.
"Which means, what?" Hollis asked. She tried to solve the problem herself but exhaustion mixed with the pure adrenaline that pumped through her veins all night long prevented her from thinking logically. Not that there was anything logical about the supernatural.
"She's not a werewolf," Scott told her, the confusion evident in his voice.
"Then what the hell is she?" Stiles asked, sounding just as confused.
Scott shook his head, no answer coming to him.
"Maybe it just means that she's fine. That there's no supernatural stuff in her system. Maybe when Peter died, the effects wore off," Hollis said hopefully.
"I-I don't know," Stiles said, shaking his head. "It's possible."
A/N: And that's the end of season one! I really hope you guys loved this chapter (and book). I honestly kind of love the like/hate friendship between Hollis and Jackson here. As always, please vote and leave me comments on what you guys liked, would like to see in the upcoming chapters, etc. I love hearing from you, and I'm sorry I'm so terrible at replying. I see and read each comment, I promise.
Since I started this book, I've been thinking about how to organize the seasons of Teen Wolf into the book. Originally, I was going to combine all seasons here...BUT I think it would be a chapter overload. So, I'm going to let each season have its own book. Touched by the Fear is officially complete, and the next book will be posted soon. I'll be keeping you guys up-to-date on what's going on, when I expect to post chapters, etc. Stay tuned! :)
Oh! And on a super positive note, Touched by the Fear has made it onto the Watty's Short List!
Thank you to everyone for reading, voting and loving this book! ❤︎ ❤︎ ❤︎