Chapter 37: True Love
Chapter Song: Please Don't Leave Quite Yet by Adam Agin
"And, oh I want it to get better. I swear I'll work to make it better. So don't leave just quite yet. Don't leave."
~
We all stood there in shock at Scott's confession. He looked to me waiting for my reaction, he wanted me to confirm we were okay but I couldn't do that. He literally could have killed my father if his plan didn't work.
I silently looked away from Scott, I didn't know how I felt yet I needed some time. To much had been going on lately and and the moment we had more to deal with like the evil old man still standing in front of us looking down at his arm that was bleeding black blood at a rapid pace.
He angrily brought his other hand down to his pocket and pulled out what looked to be a pill container. Probably medication for his previous cancer, which is now the least of his worries. He snapped the container open and dumped the blue and white pills into his hand aggressively causing some to fall to the cement floor.
" No, no." He let out angrily as he looked at the pills in his hand before crushing them in his fist. A gust of grey smoke erupted through his fist and I knew what had happened and it was quite clever on Scott's part. He must have had Deatons help.
Gerard opened his fist and let the dust travel father as he angrily screamed up at the sky, " Mountain ash!"
He didn't speak anymore after this because the black blood was not only coming from his bite anymore but it was starting to fall from his nose and to my disgust, his eyes.
I looked away momentarily in disgust as it rolled down his face in abundance but brought my attention back to him as I heard his body make contact with the floor. He had been brought down to his knees, but his body had started twitching and convulsing as he made weird noises as if he was struggling to breathe.
His head arched back unexpectedly and before I had time to register what was happening black blood flew out of his mouth. I step back in disgust as gallons of it flew out as if he was continuously puking.
Isaac came over to me and pulled me into a hug as I kept my eye sight off the horrific sight. I didn't like the man but that was not a sight I wanted to see it was disturbing to say the least. I was cuddled into Isaac's chest and I didn't look away from his blue cardigan until I heard a body hit the floor again.
I pulled my face away to look at the scene but I still had Isaac's arms around me, Gerard was now lying on the ground almost as if he was paralyzed. His body was stuck in hunched up position and his body convulsed every other second.
I turned my head away from Gerard and met the eyes of Scott who's eyes were already locked onto me. I sighed and pushed myself away from Isaac and walked over to him hesitantly, " Why didn't you tell me or my dad for that matter?" I asked as I stopped in front of him.
" Because he might be an alpha but he's not mine." He said seriously, I knew he was not lying at all and that was really his feelings toward this situation.
I was going to question him further since he dodged the part about not telling me but were interrupted by the sound of spitting. Both of heads turned and we watched as Gerard spit out blood as he was basically covered in it. He glared at us before turning to Jackson and shouting, " Kill them! Kill them all!
I was scared, actually terrified as I remembered how Jackson's hands were already wrapped around Allison's throat. All he had to do was move his hand once and she was dead. I hurriedly turned towards them but what I saw confused me Jackson's grip didn't tighten and he didn't slit her throat, he actually loosened his grip. As soon as he did Allison took that as opportunity and hit him in his scale filled face with her elbow.
Before he could even register what happened Allison ducked under him and ran away from him over to her father who still stood behind Scott and I. The extraordinary thing was that as soon as Allison got to safety a loud crash was heard from the other side of the warehouse as none other than the infamous powder blue Jeep busted through the wall and sped full speed toward the still dazed Kanima.
I didn't have any time to try and help Jackson as the front of Stiles' Jeep rammed into the side of him making him let out a huge roar. I watched in horror as Stiles gripped the wheel tightly in his hands and said with a scrunched-up face and his eyes closed, " Did I get him?"
I watched Lydia roll her eyes from the passenger seat and I can't say I didn't have the exact same feelings towards the situation but before I could voice my annoyance at Stiles for hitting Jackson with the Jeep, Jackson still in Kanima form jumped onto the hood of the jeep causing Lydia to shriek as he let out a loud hiss.
As if on cue, Lydia calmed down and Stiles became the one to scream like a little girl and he didn't seem to want to stop. Lydia swiftly pulled herself out of the car without any fear in her eyes anymore as on the other hand Stiles scrambled to push himself out of the car as he continued to scream.
Stiles ran over to Scott and I and grabbed onto my tightly before hiding himself behind my shoulder. A disgusted look overcame my face as I tried to shove him off my shoulder but he didn't budge. I rolled my eyes and decided to just ignore him for the time being as I brought my attention to Lydia who was still standing next to the Jeep.
Jackson had since jumped down from the hood of Stiles' Jeep and was slowly crept over to Lydia.
She stood their shaking a bit but she didn't look scared of him, just nervous, " Jackson?!"
She stood there as his body rose up to her level and he stood their in front of her menacingly as he softly hissed. Something seemed to snap in Stiles' mind as he watched Lydia being so close to the Jackson when he was like this because he let go of me as he shouted, " Lydia!" He tried to run past me but I grabbed him harshly by his grey shirt and pulled him back to me. I pushed him back behind me gave him eyes that said 'dont'.
I was right in doing this too because Jackson suddenly stopped hissing. I hastily turned around and my eyes widened as I saw what was happening. Lydia was standing their as she took shaky breaths and I could tell she was crying now, but the thing that drew my attention was the key in her hand. It was the key to Jackson's home that she kept saying ' she forgot to give back'. I always knew she kept it for different reasons but I would never have called her out on it.
Jackson looked as if he was read to claw her but he was froze as was I as he stared at the key in her hand. His reptilian eyes didn't hold the lifelessness that they did when he was in this form it held humanity, it was really Jackson. I had only seen that in his kanima form when I got through to him so I now knew that Lydia had too, it brought the widest of smiles to my face.
His body started to lose the scales and he started to become Jackson. I involuntarily let out a whimper as I watched this. I was happy for Lydia being able to pull him out like this but I couldn't lie and say something in me didn't hurt that it wasn't me. All those times I got through to him because of the connection I was never able to do that. Tears had started to slip out of my eyes and I quickly wiped them before anyone noticed, at least I hoped no one did. This wasn't about me.... I didn't need anyone thinking I wasn't happy. I was, yeah I defiantly was.
What I didn't expect was to feel arms wrap around my shoulders and they weren't the muscled ones of my boyfriend, they were small but strong ones... the ones of Allison Argent. I looked up at her and she gave me a small smile as she pulled me tighter. I might have been made at her for what she was doing but I could tell she realized tonight how much Gerard was manipulating her. This is what caused me to give her a smile back, she must know that this hurt me in some way to watch Jackson and Lydia.
I turned back to them and willed myself to watch with my best friends arms around my shoulders. I saw Jackson's clawed fingers reach out and grab the key from Lydia's shaking hands. He stared at it perplexed as he twisted it around. It meant something to him, I knew it meant something to Lydia too... I just never knew how much.
Jackson slowly brought the key from his face and down to rest in his hand as his arms fell to his side. He stared at Lydia and took in her face. I saw the love, the true love that Jackson never showed but now I saw it was there. It was there for her all this time, through all the times he denied it.
He then started backing away and my eyebrows in confusion. Why was he backing away from her? I searched his face for any answer and all I could see was that his eyes were starting to tear up, another thing Jackson never really does. He then stood several feet away from Lydia and threw his arms out as if he was offering himself willingly up to someone. His eyes snapped to mine for a second before looking towards another, my father. Jackson looked down sadly before bringing his eyes back to mine.
My eyes widened as I realized what he was doing he was willingly letting my dad take him out like they had wanted. Tears came to my eyes and I rapidly shook Allison off me. I couldn't let it happen, he was okay now. This didn't need to happen. I was too late though.
My dad has already made his way across the room and over to Jackson with his eyes flowing red along with Peter who I hadn't even noticed was going to be apart of this.
" Jackson!" I screamed out as my dad made the last step to him along with Peter. They didn't even hesitate for a moment as they plunged their claws into him.
My hand flew to my mouth, and I let out a cry as I watched him start to choke and sputter out. I cared for him deeply everyone knew this. It may not have been romantic, but it was a personal and deep connection. I didn't care that everyone now thought it was because of my new supernatural being, our connection was real.
I fell to my knees as they dropped him to his and I couldn't help it as I cried uncontrollably into my hand. I smelt Allison's scent near me and as soon as a set of arms wrapped around me, I knew it was her again.
Jackson body began to fall foreword and I let out a small cry before sighing in relief as Lydia scrambled to catch him and pull him into her embrace. She was crying too, and it made it all the worse to watch her break down because of him just like I was.
They stared into each other's eyes as Jackson continued to sputter out. I could hear Lydia's shaking breaths mixing with his and it pulled my heart down even more.
" Do you...do you still..." Jackson tried to say as he chocked and sputtered.
Lydia grabbed his face in her hands and interrupted him, " Yes I do." Her crying intensified as she spoke and her words came out as more of whispers as she tried to contain it, but I could still here her clear as day in my ears, " I do still love you. I do. I do. I do." She said as she nodded her head rapidly and stared into Jackson's eyes.
He nodded his solemnly before slowly laying his head on her chest. A sob ranked through her as she grabbed his head tightly and ran her hands through the back of his hair. I wanted to run over there and hold him too, but I couldn't ruin the moment. I couldn't be selfish, no matter how much my heart was crying to be near him. It was the feeling I felt on the lacrosse field, only this time it hurt more because I was denying myself what I wanted to do.
She slowly pulled him off of her and while holding him by his neck she put him down gently on the cement floor. The key clattered to the ground as it fell from his dead hands.
I stared at his now lifeless body, and I cried into my hand once again. Allison's arms tightened around me, and it seemed like she noticed that Lydia wasn't the only one hurting from this. Everyone else's eyes were focused on those two which rightfully was deserved but my chest hurt so fucking much as I watched him lying there. Those pale blue eyes closed off from the world, closed off from all of us.
Nothing on his body had any scales left on him. He wasn't a snake anymore, he wasn't a Jackass, he wasn't the Kanima, he was just Jackson.
Lydia stood up and cried as she began to walk away. As I watched her, I knew I needed her just as she might need me. I softly pushed Allison off of me before standing up and running into Lydia's arms. She stepped back in shock for as my body collided with her, but she quickly relaxed and hugged me just as tightly as I was hugging her.
Her head dipped into the crook of my neck, and I felt her warm tears gather on my shirt. I brought my hand up to her strawberry blonde hair that I have always been slightly jealous of and soothingly ran my hand through it. My first step to not being selfish about Jackson was comforting her.
" I'm so sorry Lydia." I said quietly as I whispered it into her ear. I meant it too, she had just started learning about all of this and she had to have someone die already. She didn't deserve that.
I felt her shake her head before she pulled herself from me. She held my shoulders and looked at me with tears in her eyes, " No, no. Please, don't say you're sorry. Izzy, you are the last person who should say that. I know that you guys had something, I know it wasn't sexual or intimate, but it was special, and you didn't even get to say goodbye."
My lip trembled as I processed her words. I look away from her and over to Jackson. Just because he can't speak back to me doesn't mean I can't say goodbye. I looked over at Lydia and gave her a soft smile, " But I still can."
I slowly pulled away and hesitantly walked over to Jackson's body. Normally, I would have flinched away as I realized he was naked, but I had to say my goodbye even if he couldn't hear me. I was hoping he was still here even if he was on the other side looking at me and making stupid comments and laughing at how ridiculous I looked for crying.
I sat down next him with my legs crossed. I smiled down at his calm and relaxed face, " Hey, Jackass." I let out a small chuckle that caused tears to fall out my eyes, I wanted to be strong and witty as I talked to him, but it was obvious that it wasn't going to happen as I choked on my next words, "I can't look at you right now and not hope that you're going to pop up and tell me to stop crying. I want you to remind me that I'm the original blonde badass. I want you to smirk at me and make fun of Scott and I's relationship and how cheesy we are. Who would have known that you were just as cheesy and loving down in that big old black heart?"
I paused and took a deep breath before continuing, " I can't believe you're sitting here not breathing. It feels like just yesterday I was saying I wanted to stab your eyes out with my forks at lunch." I chuckled deeply as I looked at his face, the face that I had grown to consider one of my best friends, " I'm gonna miss you. Even if you were an asshole."
I then got onto my knees and pushed myself over to Jackson's face. I brought my hand down to his face and ran my hand on it softly before pulling back, " You're always going to be my favorite Jackass. Always."
I sighed and gave him a swift kiss on his cold cheek before going to stand up... my body was halted as my wrist was captured in a grip. My eyes widened as I stared away from the body I was just speaking to and my heartbeat increased.
I slowest turned my head and saw the boy still lying with his eyes closed but his hand was wrapped tightly around my wrist. I stared at his hand, and I couldn't breathe as I felt warmth hit my skin through his hand.
Suddenly, his eyes sprung open, and they were definitely blue but more of a crystal blue. The eyes of a werewolf who had taken innocent lives. He had become what he was supposed to be. I knew the Kanima was always meant to be a werewolf, but I never thought he'd be able to come back as one.
He shot up momentarily and let out a roar, canines and everything on full display from a seated position next to me as he still gripped my wrist before he fell down to the concrete again and everything faded.
He opened his eyes and gave me a soft smirk before rising to a sitting position again, he was inches from my face as he said, " Were you actually scared for little old me, Izzy?"
I playfully hit his chest as tears flowed out of my eyes before pulling him tightly into my chest, " I hate you Jackass, but I'm happy your still here. You mean a lot to me."
He chuckled lightly and ran his hands down my back softly, " I hate you too, but you also mean a lot to me too, Izzy."
We hugged for a few more seconds just enjoying each other as no one around us spoke a single word, it was just our moment. I knew my time was soon up and that he had some duties with someone else. So, I pulled him into me and whispered into his ear, " I think it's time to talk to a certain someone. You can't deny your love now, you already admitted it before you falsely bit the dust."
I pulled away and smiled at him, but he just scowled at me, " Fuck you."
"Ew, never. You disgust me, Jackass." I said with a mock look of disgust. We both ended up chuckling before I fully pulled away and stood up. I then walked over to Scott who pulled me into his arms the moment I neared him. He smiled down at me and held me tighter as he realized I was now alright.
I turned my head towards Jackson as I cuddled into Scott's arms and watched as he slowly stood up and hesitantly opened his arms beckoning Lydia to him. She looked at him with tears falling rapidly from her eyes and from what I could hear her heartbeat was out of control, but her body only reeked of one thing, love. Jackson smelled of the same thing as he watched her finally break out into a run and jump into his arms.
She collided with him a smile broke out onto my face. I realized in this moment that I was jealous of Lydia getting through to him I was jealous that I didn't get a chance to talk to him one last time. Now, that I did, I couldn't help the pure happiness I felt for the two. I was always going to be a hardcore Stydia believer but, in this moment, it was all about Jackson and Lydia.
I didn't smell Gerard's dying scent here anymore and I knew within all that madness that he had somehow slipped away but I knew he hadn't gone far, and the mountain ash would surely kill him. He was the least of my concern, I only cared about all of us in that moment.
Scott's lips met my cheek and I smiled up at him and this is when I realized that this moment of hardship was over for us, for all of us and we were finally all going to be okay, I knew it wouldn't last forever because it was Beacon Hills. We had least had the short amount of time to be normal. To be teenagers, so with that I snuggled into Scott and closed my eyes. Knowing that with him and everyone around me we'd always find a way to make it through.