Stiles POV
Breathing a sharp deep breath in, the trance I was in is broken instantly. I take in my surroundings, seeing that I'm sitting on a bench in a train station.
Remembering the Ghost Riders, I figure this place is where you're taken to after they grab you.
Everyone is sitting, quietly– too quiet if I'm being honest. No one is moving or fidgeting, they're all just sitting and staring forward.
The station is cold, dark, grey and has no life in it– even with all of these people sitting on the rows and rows of benches around me.
I start to move my gaze around the people near me, the memories of the night I was taken slamming to the forefront of my mind and I close my eyes tightly. I can just make out Addy's tear stricken face, the fear in her eyes as I'm pulled away from her and the warmth of her hand fades from mine.
Feeling a lump in my throat I push those memories back, opening my eyes and clearing my throat as I scoot further back in my seat.
There's a ticket counter up ahead in front of the rows, however no one is sitting in it and there's a sign that reads 'Back in 5 minutes'.
I can't remember how long I've been sitting here, or even why I'm sitting here, those facts causing me to fidget.
I run my hands over my jean clad thighs, hearing a metal clink of the keys to Roscoe clutched tightly in my right hand.
Seeing a woman in a doctor's white coat and scrubs sitting next to me, I clear my throat and lift my hand towards her to gain her attention "Excuse me, sorry– where are we?"
"We're at the train station." She says like I'm the moron who couldn't figure that out.
I make a face, tilting my head to the side slightly "Right– okay, helpful. Which train station exactly?"
She turns her head away from me, looking over towards the wall with a marquee board with different cities on it and apparently the info about the train station she is searching for.
"Train station number one thirty seven." She says before she turns away and sits forward again, seemingly okay with that as an acceptable answer.
I, however, am not okay with that answer and I need more information "Did you see me come in?"
She looks back over, shaking her head with her answer "No..."
"How long have you been here?" I question, trying a different approach to a time table for her. She makes a face, shrugging her shoulder as she comes up with "Maybe an hour?"
The guy sitting next to her chimes into our conversation from behind his newspaper "We got here at the same time– it's been at least six hours."
Confused by that, I sit closer to the edge of my seat as I clarify "Six hours? Where are you going?"
The doctor goes to answer, however she looks even more confused by that question.
She has absolutely no idea where she's going and starts to pat her pockets "Uh... uh, I had a ticket with me somewhere, um..."
I make a noise and point towards her doctor uniform "You always travel in your work clothes?"
"I must have been in a rush..." She offers, looking down to her clothes and over towards me with her furrowed brows looking even more confused.
Yeah I've had enough of this confusing vague answer bullshit.
I stand up from my seat, quickly walking up the aisle and towards the ticket counter. I take notice of the sign again and know that we've all been here way longer than the five minutes this sign is stating.
My eyes move from the sign and down towards the counter, seeing about eighty layers of dust on top of the counter.
I swipe my fingers across the edge, gathering a disgusting amount of dust on my three middle fingers.
Moving my fingers around to disperse the dust, I turn around to ask anyone sitting near me who is listening "Do you know if anyone works here?"
I don't get an answer from anyone sitting on the benches, instead the PA system clicks on "The following stops have been cancelled: Hollatine, Batten, Baybury, Deer Ridge, Red Oak–"
Everyone stands up silently, moving away from the benches and towards the area where a train would be coming through a tunnel.
I reach my hand out, trying to get the attention of a guy standing near me "Excuse me, where are those trains going?"
He ignores me and keeps walking towards the train entryway as the PA continues "–Trenton, Anderson, King Springs."
"Excuse me, do you know what train this is?" I attempt to ask another lady– who also ignores me as she moves with the crowd.
"Does anyone know where this train's going?" I say a little louder to the growing crowd, still not getting an answer before I reach out to another lady "Excuse me, do you know what train this is?"
Everyone has gathered into a massive crowd, all standing in front of the tunnel entryway with a sign reading 'To Trains' hung above the dark tunnel archway.
There's a gush of wind before I hear the very distant sounds of a horse neighing coming from deep within the dark tunnel in front of us.
The horse's neighs become louder before we can hear their galloping stomping hooves– the noise terrifying enough to the crowd that has gathered and they all clammer away from each other.
People are screaming and pushing as they scatter away from the tunnel entryway, moving to hide behind pillars and the benches they all previously sat upon when two Ghost Riders on horses run through the tunnel and into the station with us.
One of the Ghost Riders knocks down a guy standing in his path before the other rider throws a guy down onto the ground who is tied up with rope around his wrists and ankles.
The rope however is gone in the next second, disappearing into nothing but bright green smoke before the Ghost Riders start to gallop towards me.
I quicken my steps, rushing backwards and trying to get out of their way. I move behind a pillar, however, that seemed to be the path the Ghost Riders wanted as one follows me.
The next thing I feel are two hands gripping onto my shoulders as I'm pulled out of the Riders path and my back is pushed up against another pillar.
My eyes widen as I register who I'm seeing standing before me.
Peter fucking Hale.
He makes a face, shaking his head once as he grumbles "It had to be you."
The three Ghost Riders continue to scare everyone as they make their way through the station, taking off towards the tunnel again.
Once the horses cross over into the dark tunnel, the wind stops, the screams stop and everyone moves silently back to sit down on the fucking benches again.
Peter starts to move away from me earning me to reach out to stop him "Peter? Peter, what are you doing here? How are you here?"
Flicking his head up towards me, Peter draws his brows inwards "What do you mean, how am I here? I'm here. You are here. We are all here. Now– get the hell away from me, Stiles."
He sits down on the bench seat behind him and I jerk my head back with his ridiculous attempt at keeping this train station waiting charade going.
I look to my left and see the last of the crowd sit down, and it just fuels my anger at the fact no one is even acknowledging what the fuck just happened.
Looking back down towards Peter– who is now staring off into nothing like the rest of the sheep, I raise my hands out from my sides "Hey Peter– Peter... Peter! What are you doing?" I ask once he finally looks up at me again after I snap my fingers towards his face.
He offers me a look like it couldn't be more obvious "I'm waiting for my train."
I shake my head once, pointing behind me "Okay, did you not just see that?"
"See what?" he says, picture of confusion as he looks around.
I raise my brows as I reiterate, in a light tone, the event that transpired not two minutes ago "The horses, the hogtied businessmen with the magically dissolvingropes?"
Peter doesn't have any recognition flash across his face so I turn to my side and loudly address everyone else "I'm sorry, did anyone just see that?"
Literally the most quiet I have ever seen a group of people be.
I resist the urge to scream louder at all of them, when Peter makes a noise and points behind me "You mind? You're blocking the board– I'd like a little warning before my train arrives."
Throwing him a face like all right I'll play, I stand in front of him again "Okay. So, you're waiting for a train– how did you get here?"
"Pretty sure I took a cab." Peter jabs smugly and I shake my head "The last time I saw you– you were being locked away in Eichen House..."
Peter's gaze falls away as finally some recognition flashes across his face. A moment later he looks up to me as he thoughtfully informs "I was in Eichen... thanks to you."
"Memory's good. Can you remember how you, uh, got out? They discharge you?" I offer, which he disputes right away with a shake of his head "No. The power went out, and I ran like hell."
Scrunching my face up in shock that I shouldn't be feeling, I clarify "That's it? You just ran?"
"Yes, that's it– I literally just ran away from the insane asylum that was holding me hostage!"
Peter gets up and walks around silently as his memories from the night he left Eichen seem to be resurfacing in his mind.
I take a seat since this seems like it'll take a little bit and a few seconds later, he begins his pacing.
He turns to face me again– his now freak out to what is our crazy situation has finally caught up with him "How long have I been here?"
With my elbows resting on my knees, I link my hands together in front of me "The night we broke Addy out of Eichen that caused the lockdown was three months ago..."
Peter jerks his head back, furrowing his brows "Addy was in Eich– I've been missing for three months, and no one came for me?"
I huff and sit back in my seat as I digress "That's what the Ghost Riders do. They erase you–"
"Ghost Riders? Ghost Riders of the Wild Hunt?" Peter interrupts and I look up to him quickly "Yeah, you know what I'm talking about?"
Peter closes his eyes and sits down on the bench across from me on a huff "Of course, I know what you're talking about. They ride the lightning. They are an unstoppable force of nature– but I promise you, they don't make pit stops in train stations."
He turns his head to the side, making eye contact with an older woman who throws him a smirk and I laugh to myself as he turns back to me, raising his brows as he mumbles "I've escaped one prison only to land in another one. And this looks like the underground lair of a depressed bureaucrat."
I make a noise and try to be hopeful now that I know someone who is stuck in here as well "Come on, there's gotta be a way out of this place, right? Have you tried looking around? Have you talked to anyone who knows anything?"
"If this is the Wild Hunt, there is no escape. You and I are doomed to ride the storm– forever."
I stand up quickly with his words, an idea forming as I walk towards him "Yeah, we're not in the storm, we're in a train station... but we can get out of a train station."
"We can't get out of here, Stiles... because this place isn't real" Peter argues and I don't miss a beat as I counter "What are you talking about?"
Peter tilts his head back a little more, fully connecting his eyes with mine as he digresses "Beacon Hills doesn't have a train station."
Well since that sounds like all sorts of bad news, I quickly walk out of the area with the benches and over to one of the doors against the side wall.
I run my hand across the chains that are keeping the door locked and look over my shoulder seeing Peter sit down in one of those shoe shine chairs up against the wall beside me.
I start yanking on the chain that's wrapped through the door handles, grunting as I try to break it loose.
"What are you doing?" Peter flicks his hand off his face with his question and I let out an aggravated huff as I turn back towards him, indicating back towards the door "Little help, please?"
Peter looks from me and over to the door, shrugs like why not, before he hops out of the chair and walks up to the door.
He wraps his hand around the chain, quickly breaking it like it was nothing.
I roll my eyes and offer a little sarcastic "Okay"
Setting my hands on the door, I push them open and quickly run into the next room.
The next room, however, ends up being the same waiting area I was just in. Only I'm down about twenty feet from Peter who now has his back to me as he faces the doors I walked through.
Peter looks over his shoulder and raises his brows in shock when he turns around to face me a little ways down from him.
I look between both sets of doors, incredulous terror lacing my words "What the hell?"
Determined to prove that was a one time fluke, I quicken my steps towards the first set I walked through.
Passing by and ignoring Peter, I set my hands on the doors and walk through them again– and once more I walk out the set of doors twenty feet away putting me in the same waiting area again.
I make a noise like this can not be happening and quickly make my way to the set of doors by Peter again.
Once I'm walking past him, he mutters just above a whisper "No, no, no, keep going–"
Thinking he's being a smartass, I angrily lick my lips as I turn towards him "I don't see you comin' up with anything–"
"Stiles..." Peter whispers and turns to put his back towards the crowd behind us, continuing to whisper "Left shoulder, against the pillar. Don't look–"
I don't listen and flick my eyes over in the direction he indicated "I said, don't look!"
I snap my eyes back towards him, barely mumbling "Yeah" before Peter continues on "He's watching us."
Looking back over towards the guy who is leaning against the pillar, I shake my head softly as I question "Yeah, so?"
Peter drops his arms from being crossed over his chest as he argues "So... every person in this station is either comatose or catatonic. He seems very interested in keeping an eye on us."
Raising his brows quickly once like he made a point we should follow up on, Peter nods his head over towards pillar dude.
I make a face like it couldn't hurt and walk over towards the pillar. The closer I get the more the guy slinks around the other side of the pillar until he completely moves out of sight "Hey!"
Moving my feet towards him and then deciding to go in the direction he was moving, I shuffle my feet quickly to my left.
Dude comes around and stops his steps, I see why a second later as I almost crash into the reason– said reason being Peter. I jerk back a step away from him "Oh holy fuck–"
"Why are you watching us?" Peter asks completely unfazed from my actions.
The guy flicks his eyes between us and the doors we broke open, chuckling humorlessly through his response "You tried the doors– nobody ever tries the doors."
"Sounds like you have" I nod towards him and he snaps his gaze to mine as he clarifies "The ones that I could open– I've tried everything else."
"Not everything. You're still here." Peter argues before I elaborate "Yeah, it seems like you got some kind of a plan. So, why don't you tell us about it?"
"I can tell you... doesn't mean you can do it."
I smile lightly, Peter sharing a look with me as I chuckle out "Oh, we– we can do it. He can– he can..." I correct and trail off, nodding towards Peter standing next to me.
Pillar dude smirks and states with a nod of his head just past Peter "Well, it's right in front of your face."
We follow his line of sight, taking in the dark train tunnel before he continues "You didn't see it, did you?"
"I saw it." I reply earning him to scoff "Then why'd you waste so much time running through the doors?"
He doesn't give me time to answer though as he quickly fills in right away "I'll tell you why– because it's all part of the illusion. You're afraid... and they want you to be afraid."
"I'm not afraid." Peter growls out through clenched teeth, turning away from us and heading straight for the darkened tunnel.
Pillar guy and I follow behind Peter, stopping just behind him when he comes to a stop right below the archway.
Peter hesitates and even we can sense it, pillar guy laughing as he clarifies "Can't do it, can you?– He can't do it" he chuckles towards me, earning Peter to throw a glare over his shoulder "We really should kill him."
I resist the urge to laugh at the scared look the new guy throws at me and direct my words towards Peter "Or... you can just walk through it."
Peter nods and I watch his shoulders rise and fall with his deep breaths before he whispers over "Push me."
Thinking I heard him wrong, I step closer "What did you say?"
"Push me!" comes his bellow of a response that has me jumping into gear and setting one of my hands on his shoulder and the other on his upper arm.
I increase my grip before I push him forward a few feet into the darkness of the tunnel.
Pillar guy looks over towards me as he chuckles "Now you're gettin' it" before he walks past and straight into the tunnel like it's not absolutely terrifying.
"Stiles– Stiles let's go" Peter replies instantly once the guy walks past him.
I take a few seconds trying to overcome the illusion of fear he was talking about before a hand reaches out and grabs onto my shirt, quickly pulling me over the line into the dark ominous tunnel.
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Addy POV
"The corpus callosum is not only the largest white matter structure in the brain, but also the bridge connecting all parts of the brain to each other–" Mrs. Finch states, pointing towards the chalkboard behind her before she continues "–That ability for all parts of the brain to communicate and to work together help us make leaps in cognitive thinking."
Though I don't register a word because movement outside the window has completely gained my attention.
The same blue jeep from the other night when I was leaving school with Lydia is still parked outside and has gained attention from someone at the school because it's about to be towed
A tow truck driver, clipboard in his hand, is circling around the jeep and knowing it may be taken away is causing an unease to sit unsteadily in my gut.
I shouldn't really care since I don't own said jeep and have presumably never seen the jeep– I can't even figure out whose jeep it is though whoever it is they haven't moved it in days
"Any questions? Thoughts? Insight?– Addy?" My name being called registers through my ears, earning my eyes to snap from the tow truck that's now backing up in front of the jeep outside and connect with Mrs. Finch's curious gaze directed right at me.
I clear my throat, trying to play off my obvious not paying attention "–I completely agree."
She smirks and lifts one of her hands towards me with her question "Is there something outside that's more fascinating than the structure of the human brain?"
My eyes slowly move from her face and over her shoulder– looking at the driver grabbing a hook off the back off his truck to attach to the front of the jeep as I trail off softly "No... I don't think– no" I sit up straighter, connecting my gaze with hers again like I'm determined for those words to be true.
She smiles softly, nodding once "Okay, good. Now, many people credit the corpus callosum, uh, for giving us a sense of intuition, gut instinct, that even we ourselves aren't aware–"
Seeing that the tow truck driver is now about to actually tow the jeep away, an overwhelming feeling slams through my body and I know I can't let him take that jeep away for whatever reason I need that jeep near me
"I'm sorry, I'll be right back." I quickly rush out, grabbing my bag and ignoring Mrs. Finch's incredulous stare with my outburst as I run out the door and into the hallway.
Making my way out the front doors, I beeline straight for the tow truck driver "Hey!" I pant out, closing the distance between myself and him as he's walking around the side of the jeep "Hey, you can't tow this jeep!"
He throws me an amused look, lifting his clipboard up as he quips "Paperwork says I can– it's reported as abandoned."
Thinking on my feet, I reach out and slam my hand onto the side near the front tire.
Feeling a spark when I do, momentarily distracting me before I clear my throat and announce "And now it's not."
Mister truck driver smirks, chuckling through his amusement "Oh, this is yourvehicle?"
"It's more mine than whoever reported it as abandoned, so does it really matter?" I question, earning him to laugh lightly as he shakes his head "Sounds like a 'no'."
"It's mine!" Scott exclaims, slamming his hands onto the hood next to me "Uh, my jeep. This is my sister, telling you not to tow my jeep– so thank you. I'll move it... once I get the keys... from my locker–"
"After you leave" I finish for Scott, earning him to chuckle lightly and point over towards me.
The tow truck driver moves his eyes between us, seeming to believe us for the most part since he doesn't question that timeline of events. Though he proves to continue to be difficult as he states "I'm sorry, once it's on the hook–"
I grimace while interrupting "Please don't say, 'You're on the hook'."
He chuckles, swinging his humor filled eyes over towards me as he quips "Well, I can't now..."
Scott pushes off the jeep, rushing out "Oh, I– Okay look, there's gotta be something that we can do. Sign something, call someone–"
"Pay someone?" I offer, raising a brow over towards the dude who I know will rip us off for simply taking the hook off the front bumper.
Tow truck douche canoe of the year smiles brightly as he states way to cheerily "Drop fee is a hundred and fifty– cash."
I roll my eyes and grab my bag to search for my wallet good thing I still have my birthday money saved
Scott chokes on air, grumbling barely above a whisper towards me "A hundred and fifty? This thing isn't even worth that much."
I shrug and throw him a look "I don't care at this point, I'm not letting him take it– aaaand if getting ripped off in the process is apart of the deal–" I state louder towards the tow truck driver standing in front of us, his smirk deepening with my words as I shove the money into his awaiting hands.
"Then so be it– now if you'd be so kind, good sir" I finish, lifting my arm towards the front of the jeep where the hook is positioned.
Once the hook is back into place on the bed of his truck, he gets into his tow truck and drives off.
Scott makes a noise and turns towards me "You do realize, I don't have the keys to this thing right?"
I scrunch my mouth to the side, shrugging my shoulder as I look over towards the jeep "You remember how we were drawn to that locker?"
Scott look from me and over to the jeep as I mutter barely above a whisper "This has a more powerful draw for me"
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Stiles POV
Walking through the gravel of the abandoned train tracks tunnel, we come out of the darkness and into another waiting area– though it's darker than the waiting area we were in when we awoke out of our trance.
Peter clicks his tongue behind us and mocks the new discovery "Congratulations– you found another part of the phantom train station."
Ignoring him, I point in front of us towards a dark grey thick cloud of mist about fifty feet away "Is this the way out?"
"If it was, we would be leaving." Peter interrupts though pillar guy, who he informed his name was Trent, also ignores him "You might want to stay off the tracks, 'cause that's the way in and out."
We hear a crash of thunder rumbling deeply inside of the dark grey cloud barrier and I instantly think of Addy. That comforting thought is quickly smashed away when the thunder is followed by a horse neighing in the distance.
Trent widens his eyes and looks towards the grey cloudy mist "They're coming!"
His shoes slide in the gravel as he runs towards the stomach high wall of the platform to our left, Peter and I following him as we all set our hands on the wall and pull ourselves out of the gravel.
We hide behind a pillar as we hear the neighing sounds of the incoming horses before finally seeing the three Ghost Riders appear through the misty clouds in a bright flash of green light.
They gallop past, the three of us hiding out of sight as the Ghost Riders make their way down the darkened tunnel we just walked through.
Once the coast is clear, I swallow hard as we walk away from the pillar. The sound of our heavy breathing with what this means, the only noise next to the now distant sounds of the Ghost Riders' horses.
Peter points towards the grey clouds "That's the way out? How in the hell are we supposed to do that?"
"We jump" Trent states like it's the easiest thing in the world to accomplish, Peter arguing that thought and exclaiming "Jump–"
"On the Riders as they go through" Trent finishes his suggestion and Peter is quick with the sarcasm "Oh, is that all?"
"I've been timing it. Look, we can jump from here just before they go out." Trent declares, completely solidifying his decision that this is possible.
"I think you're confusing your pronouns– we aren't going to do anything, but you should absolutely give that a shot." Peter offers and I close my eyes in exasperation, opening them quickly when Trent counters "Do you not wanna get out of here?"
Wanting to stop the madness, I lift my arms towards Trent as I elaborate "We want to get out alive, okay? How do you know this works? Seems like a lot could go wrong."
"Look, I can't stay here. I'm losing my mind in this place." Trent fills in, my heart going out to the guy wondering how long he's been here if he's this desperate to try a basically suicidal plan.
Peter leans closer as he offers "I think you have an excellent grasp of the situation. I say, go for it."
"Peter" I snap and look over my shoudler at him, silently telling him to back the fuck off this kid.
Horses neighing loudly from the tunnel gains my attention, however, and Trent bounces on his feet "Hey they're coming back."
Trent slides around the pillar in the opposite direction to keep out of sight of the Riders as they come towards us again.
Peter quickens his steps to the pillar closer towards the tunnel the Riders will be coming from and I move my steps to follow him as I hear the horse's hooves galloping closer towards us.
I slam my back against the pillar next to Peter, seeing Trent look out from behind the pillar in front of us.
I slap Peter on the arm as I disagree with what we're about to witness "No, we can't let him do this, right?"
Peter softens his face, shrugging a little as he counters lightly "What if he's right?"
Going with my gut instinct as I hear the Ghost Riders almost to us, I shout over towards Trent "Hey, we'll figure something else out– hey, look, there's gotta be another way out of this place."
"But there isn't, I've been looking for months– are you comin' or not?" Trent bellows back towards us, Peter raising his arm to throw Trent a thumbs up "It's all you."
The Ghost Riders break through the darkness and into the area of the tunnel we're hiding and I just know I can't let him do this.
"Shit–" I murmur, taking a few steps away from the pillar– though Peter is quick to snap his grasp onto my arm and pull me backwards out of sight "Let him try."
Just as the third and last Ghost Rider passes the pillar Trent is hiding behind, he quickens his steps to the end of the platform and jumps onto the back of the horse behind the Rider.
"Come on– come on" Peter whispers beside me as we watch the Rider shift around on the horse, trying to knock Trent off.
Trent holds on though as the first two Riders pass through their green light into the grey cloud barrier. As soon as the third Rider passes through, the green light acts as a force field and slams Trent backwards into the air before he lands on the gravel with a scream of agony.
He writhes on the gravel, his unnerving screams of pain echoing through the tunnel around us before he burns up into a bright green flash of ashes and disappears completely.
"...Somehow, I don't think that went the way he was hoping." Peter quips, though I don't give him a response.
Instead I walk towards the edge of the platform and jump down into the gravel again, moving towards where he was laying.
"Stiles, he's dead. You see his face? Trust me, he's gone."
I scoff, looking sadly into the dark grey barrier of disintegrating death "You knew he'd die"
"I didn't know– I mean I assumed–" Peter admits and I snap back towards him "Yeah, but you could have warned him."
"He was gonna do it anyway. Now, we know."
Drawing my brows in, I shake my head towards him "Know what?"
Jumping off the platform and onto the gravel with me, Peter answers "That we're stuck. It's over. We are trapped because that was our only way out."
"Or that's just what they want us to believe." I try, channeling my inner ever the positive Addy McCall– who I can't even imagine not seeing again.
Peter groans in annoyance, lifting his hands out to his side as he grumbles "What? What is it with you teenagers? You think that you're so special? You think the rules don't apply to you? Don't you get it? We are dead and buried!"
Reaching into my pocket Peter grabs my wallet, opening it and scoffing at what he finds as he continues to drive his point home in between a humorless chuckle "Money? It's worthless– driver's license, credit cards–"
"Give me my fuckin' wallet back!" I reach out towards his grip on my wallet as he snaps back "It's all meaningless"
Snatching the keys to Roscoe from my hand he holds them up in front of my face, dangling them from his finger "Keys?"
"Give me my keys–" I demand before he doesn't miss a beat and throws them back over onto the platform near one of the pillars.
I snap my eyes from the space he just threw the keys and back towards him as he continues to be a pain in my ass "What? Did you think you were gonna drive us out of here? Is that what you thought?– Don't you get it? We don't exist! And we are already forgotten."
I shake my head with his words, knowing deep in my gut that what he said is not true– not for me anyways "Somebody's gonna remember me. All right, Addy? She is capable of things you can't even comprehend. I know she knowssomething is wrong– so either she will figure it out or Scott will, or Lydia– hell even maybe Malia. Someone will. They're gonna find me, all right? They'll come for me. Who would ever come for you?"
Peter clicks his tongue, moving his eyes quickly between mine while he grumbles lowly "You give me a call when your high school sweethearts conjure up a plan to get out of here."
He turns on his heels and walks back towards the dark tunnel and the waiting area with everyone else.
With one final look at the grey cloud death sentence, I turn around and also walk back through the dark tunnel, heading towards the waiting area.
I sit down next to an older lady, linking my fingers in my lap and looking down at the ground as I weigh my options with what the fuck to do next.
The lady waits a few minutes after I sit down before she turns towards me "I'm waiting for a train."
My lips twitch in my attempt to not rain on her parade as I turn my head towards her as well "Yeah, it's probably runnin' late..."
"I'm going to see my grandchildren" She smiles towards me, ignoring my statement before she sets her hand against my arm with her next question "Who are you going to see?"
I return her smile with a soft one of my own as I think of Adds, licking my lips quickly as I answer her "I'm hoping to see my girlfriend"
The lady nods with a knowing look "I'm sure the train will get here soon to take you to her."
I release a breathy chuckle, my heart aching with how much I wish those words were true before the intercom buzzes and the voice announces over the PA system again "The following stops have been cancelled: Hollatine, Batten, Baybury, Deer Ridge, Red Oak, Trenton, Anderson, King Springs..."
I stand up from the bench and walk over towards the speaker on the wall near the board with all the cities on it.
My eyes move from the speaker, following a wire cord that moves up the wall and across the ceiling.
I follow the cord with my eyes, eventually having to move my feet to also follow the cord as it takes me across the entire waiting room floor and over towards another wall.
The cord comes down the wall a little ways ending just above a door with two thin windows above it.
"Intercom" I hear Peter's bewildered whisper of a voice behind me.
I look over my shoulder at him, seeing him leaning against another damn pillar before he shrugs thoughtfully "Maybe a radio?"
We break inside the door, the whole time I'm recanting my theory about the magnetic disturbances that have been following the appearance of the Ghost Riders.
Peter scoffs at my theory while I try to examine the disused but otherwise still seems to be working equipment in the radio room "Your theory is ridiculous. Magnetic disturbances and a few pixelated photos doesn't mean that you can use a ham radio to communicate across a supernatural barrier. Ghost Riders can't be seen, heard, or remembered. You really think they're gonna leave a gadget around that you can use to call your girlfriend?"
I notice a wire underneath the desk is cut in two and I push up to sit back in the seat– just in time to watch Peter turn a dial on a wall of towers.
That turn of the dial results in the loudest and highest pitched shrill noise to fill the room.
We each slam our hands over our ears to block the noise before it eventually dies down.
The radio static instead fills the space and I continue to mess with the buttons on the control dash, flicking a few switches trying to get the radio static to lessen so I can get the microphone to work.
"Take your time– no rush. Only thing at stake is any evidence of our existence... soon to be lost... Forever..." Peter grumbles lowly and I roll my eyes "Okay, so not helping"
The next thing I know, Peter rushes over towards the tower wall he was fucking with a second ago– unplugging things I had him plug in before he grabs the collar of my shirt and rushes us out of the room.
He pushes me behind a pillar and out of view of the radio room just as the three Ghost Riders are galloping into the train station waiting area.
They come to a stop right in front of the radio room door and I swallow hard with how close that just was.
One of the Riders dismounts his horse, drawing his gun on his way to walk towards the door to the radio room– his boot spurs clinking with every step he makes before he opens the door, walks inside, and slams the door behind him.
We hear loud crashing sounds coming from inside as well as the raspy scream like noises that the Ghost Riders make. Think of the Nazgûl riders from Lord of the Rings– just as terrifying of a sound as they hunt you down.
Peter leans closer to whisper towards me "In case you're keeping count, that's twice I've saved your life today."
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Addy POV
A sharp shrill noise, like when you put a microphone too close to a speaker, sounds throughout my head. I quickly place my hands over my ears, my mouth dropping open in pain as I slam my eyes shut.
The ringing noise lessens some and when I open my eyes I'm no longer standing in the hallway outside of the classroom– I'm standing in the parking lot right in front of the blue jeep all right then– one guess as to where the noise is coming from
Scott, Malia and Lydia come to a stop beside me about a minute later, the radio static coming from inside of the jeep never once letting up.
Seeing Scott look over to the side of my face out of the corner of my eye, I don't move my eyes from the jeep as I whisper "It's coming from inside."
Scott moves around to the drivers side window, looking inside as he pulls on the handle. Finding it locked, he looks over to us as Malia offers "Did somebody just lock the keys inside?"
"Break it" I stress, knowing keys or no keys we have to get inside at this point this has to mean something
Scott grasps the handle and turns it to the side, resulting in a sharp metal sound indicating he broke it.
He swings the door open in the next second and the four of us climb inside, Lydia and I getting situated in the front seats after Scott and Malia climb in the backseats.
The radio hasn't stopped with the broken static noise as we desperately search the jeep for anything– any clues, insight, feelings.
A few minutes later the radio clicks off, the lights dimming on the controls and earning us all to look at the device in between Lydia's and my seats.
"Why'd it stop? Malia questions, setting her hands on the seat as she leans forward.
Lydia reaches over and flips the switch for the power on and off a few times, getting nothing from the radio as I shake my head "It doesn't matter– there has to be a reason."
"What?" Scott whispers, his question not a reply to my statement as he closes his eyes and breathes in deeply.
I gasp softly as I turn in the driver's seat to face him more, clarifying "You caught a scent?"
He opens his eyes, connecting them with mine instantly as he incredulously mutters "Yeah... yours, mine– Malia and Lydia's are faint but they're there too."
"Mine? I've never been in this jeep before" Malia states with an exaggerated shrug couldn't hide the skepticism in her voice if you tried
Scott agrees instantly "Neither have I" and I throw them both an exasperated look as Lydia chimes in softly "Yes, we have–"
I connect my gaze with hers as I nod and state confidently "We just don't remember it."
"I thought we were done with that" Malia grumbles before Scott continues "Yeah– um Addy, look Parrish checked the VIN number– there's no record of an owner."
I let out a frustrated groan as I look into the backseat at the ridiculous pair "Have you both learned nothing about what the Wild Hunt does– they fucking erase people and apparently your memories of that person! Look, you may have decided this wasn't your battle, which in that case you both can leave– but I'm not giving up on him. Okay, the jeep didn't just drive itself here."
Scott throws Malia a look like I have a point and she jerks her head back slightly as she grumbles lowly "Whose side are you on?"
I scoff and narrow my eyes at her "Sweet Christ 'Whose side?' Are you five? We're on the same side– the bringing people back who have been taken from us side, for fuck's sake."
Lydia chuckles under her breath as Scott raises his hands up to his side in surrender as he declares "I'm on everyone's side."
Malia rolls her eyes at him and looks back towards me, again stating to piss me right off "He's not real–"
I make a noise of frustration as I snap back towards her "Stop saying he's not real, Mal or I will punch you in your boob. Saying he's not real to me right now would be the same as me telling you you're a glitter covered fairy instead of a fucking werecoyote."
Scott snorts and looks out the window to hide his smile as I don't waver my eyes from her and continue "Stiles is real and this jeep is his fucking relic we couldn't find the other day. And I could give two shits if you believe that or not because with every fiber of my little human body– I know it's true."
Malia softens her face, taking a few seconds before raising a brow towards me "You'd punch me in my boob?"
I throw her a look and shrug "Yes, I may not have super strength but that will still hurt enough that I'd feel at least a little bit of justice for what you're saying about him."
She makes an impressed face, her tone softer as she murmurs "I'm sorry, I just– I feel like we have all lost enough people and I don't really want to add to that list"
Lydia snatches a paper out of the glove box as she smugly looks from me and back towards Malia "We might not have to– not if we get him back."
She hands me the paper, a smile instantly overcoming my face as I take in the car registration paper.
I share a look with Lydia, silently thanking her for never wavering being on my side through all of this as I flip the paper towards Scott
"This is from 1996 and there's no name–" He trails off and I point towards the other bit of information, countering brightly "But there is an address– 129 Woodbine Lane."
Lydia smirks over towards me as she remembers what we found the night we looked up Claudia's school information "We know that address."
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"I don't know what to tell you– I haven't seen that Jeep in... almost eighteen years." Claudia states as she looks over the registration paper I handed over to her once I got to the Stilinski household.
I make a noise as I look between the pair sitting on the couch in front of me "But it's in your name..."
She raises a brow as she stresses "But it was stolen"
I share a look with Lydia as I argue "Well then how would it end up at the high school?"
Mr. S shrugs, looking between us "Beats the hell out of me– I mean, that thing was a junker back in the day. God only knows who'd want it now."
"Maybe somebody dumped it there?" Claudia offers and I feel like screaming at her complete unhelpfulness.
Lydia must sense that because she sets her hand on my arm and looks over towards Mr. S "Is there any way to trace the history of the Jeep after it was stolen?"
He throws her a look, though he keeps his tone without a trace of the humor he obviously finds from her question "No."
"Maybe there's fingerprints on it?" I grasp for straws, trying to make them see how serious I am about needing to find some link with this jeep to them.
"Addy– kid, is this about Stiles?" Mr. S softly implores, causing me to drop my eyes down to the ground to hide the tears that instantly flood my eyes. He doesn't even sound like he believes me anymore for a moment there it felt like he did
"Honey, don't you think you've taken this far enough?" Claudia asks as she hands the paper back over to me respectfully, fuck off lady
Once I'm grasping it in my hands, she softens her face "I don't really know what's going on with you lately, but maybe it's a good time to talk to your mom..." about my 'crazy' grandmother who was locked away in Eichen, yeah fuck off twice– you're the one living way past her medical diagnosis
Since they aren't going to listen to me I reel in my emotions, licking my lips quickly as I nod "I'm sorry– you're probably right."
"Hey, are you okay?" Mr. S whispers, the tone a familiar feeling like he has asked me that countless times before though from my limited memory, I can't recall that to be true
I suck in a sharp breath, my eyes snapping over to his as I stammer "No– yeah. Um, I'm sorry– can you just... uh do you mind if I–" I trail off, moving my hands around to indicate my watery eyes and the hallway towards the bathroom.
Claudia throws me a pitiful look, attempting to sound sincere as she nods "Of course– take your time."
I quickly get up out of the chair and I'm already walking through the entryway towards the hallway before she's done with her sentence.
Letting the tears I've been holding back fall freely now, I quickly make my way down the hallway to actually go to the bathroom I've yet to go into since being here.
Hearing the whistle of the air as I walk past the wallpaper I had previously tore– my steps halt, a soft gasp falling past my lips.
Keeping my head facing the hallway, I slowly move my watery eyes towards the seam in the wallpaper– seeing the same spot I had peeled back in exactly the same state since I was here last.
My chin trembles as I reach out, setting my palms flat against the wall on either side of the wallpaper seam.
Leaning my forehead against the wall for a second, I silently cry– begging for any clue as to what to do next before I turn around and instead place my back against the wall.
I slowly slide down the wall until my bum hits the floor and I keep my feet flat on the ground in front of me, resting my forehead against my knees.
A sob catches in my throat and I lift my head up, resting the back of it against the wall behind me. I set my elbow on my knee and slide my fingers through the front of my hair, moving it out of my face.
I close my eyes tightly, crinkling the edge of the registration paper in my hand slightly as a constant stream of tears fall down my cheeks– silently crying and mourning the man I know is real, yet I have no way of proving he exists in this ridiculous reality I'm stuck in.
Feeling a warmness, almost, behind my head and all the way down my back– perfectly lined up exactly where I'm leaning against the wall– I cling to it, desperately holding on to the feeling that I'm not alone.
It's almost like the feeling when you sit or stand with someone, back to back for a game something similar.
I close my eyes and pretend that instead of a wall, it's Stiles sitting behind me.
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Lydia and I leave the Stilinski house, instantly getting a call from Scott that he's at the school and fighting with the tow truck driver who is trying to tow the fucking jeep again
"We already paid you. We gave you all of our money for that drop fee" We hear Scott all but growl out towards the driver who shrugs as we make our way over towards them "Yeah, and I dropped it, all right? Now, I'm picking it up again."
Lydia scoffs and walks right up to the driver "How much? I'll write you a check."
He huffs and swings his eyes over to her as he argues "It's not about how much– they want it out of here, okay? It's not up to me."
Scott shares a look with me before he gets that determined look in his eyes and steps one step forward, not wavering his just hiding from sight alpha eyes from the driver.
Not knowing who he's dealing with, the driver smirks "Don't make me move you, kid. Okay? I'm hookin' this thing up and I am towing it away."
We hear a metal clang before a definite breaking noise sound behind us and we all turn towards the tow truck.
I smile brightly at seeing Malia standing there with the hook in one hand and the rope it was connected to fall down to her feet "Your truck's broke."
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Stiles POV
The crowd of people start scattering around in mass chaos, hiding behind the benches again as we hear the galloping hooves of the neighing horses signaling the return of the Ghost Riders to the station.
Peter and I hide behind the end of the row of benches, seeing the Riders break through the blackness of the tunnel entryway.
The Rider has his gun drawn and releases a series of gunshots before another Rider comes in and drops someone onto the ground.
"This place is really starting to fill up." Peter grumbles before a girl's voice gains my attention "Gwen? Gwen!"
The girl, Gwen apparently, on the floor sits up with the voice and returns with her own happy realization "Phoebe? Oh, my God! You're here!"
The Riders release a few more series of gunshots, scaring the embracing girls enough to sit down before he rides off.
I notice the girl who just came in is wearing a Beacon Hills lacrosse jersey and I tap Peter's arm "Wait a second... that girl. I know that girl. Her name is Gwen. She plays lacrosse."
The Riders continue to shoot gunshots into the air, scaring everyone around us into ducking out of sight with every shot.
"How long has this been going on?" I ask over towards Peter, who takes about a minute of looking around and over to the board before he groans in realization "This isn't a train station, it's a way station. It's not gonna stop."
The gunshots continue as Peter turns around, sighing as he leans his forehead against the end of the bench.
I look down from the board with the cities and to the back of his head with his defeated action "What is it?– What are those places? Bannack? Canaan? I know you know something."
Peter pants out quickly as he lifts his head and digresses "We gotta get out of here– nobody is safe."
"Yeah in here?" I agree, though he's quick to counter and make my blood run cold with his next words "In Beacon Hills. Your girl, your friends, your family– everyone you've ever known. They're all gonna be taken–"
Peter finishes and quickly moves away from where we were crouched down and out of sight.
I follow his steps with my eyes, whisper shrieking towards his retreating back "Where are you going?"
I quickly get up and follow behind him as he breaks through the darkness and into the tunnel a lot faster than he had earlier.
He's determined and I'm even more determined to figure out why "What did you see up there? The towns– what did it mean?"
We walk quickly through the gravel and into the open area of the tunnel with the platform we were on earlier with Trent.
Peter keeps his steps going forward as he answers over his shoulder "I just told you– they're never gonna stop."
"Okay, so what's the plan, then?"
Peter and I continue our steps through the gravel getting entirely too close to the grey cloud barrier of death as he informs "I'm going through the portal."
I jerk my head back however I don't falter my steps as I clarify "Wait, wait, wait– no one gets through the portal. You said that yourself."
Peter shrugs "No human can– but I'm better than a human, remember? I'll heal."
I stop my steps with those words, Peter taking two more steps before he turns back towards me "Stiles, let's not have a moment."
Realizing he's serious, I take the chance on him having a heart and being the only one to actually make sure someone will remember me "If you survive, you have to find Adds and Scott for me, okay? You have to tell them about me, 'cause they're not gonna remember me, so you have to tell them that I'm here–"
"I thought your Addy could do things I'm not even able to comprehend?" He sarcastically jabs and I throw him a look, one that screams come on and he makes a noise, setting his hand on my shoulder "Said in the moment– I understand."
Dropping his hand off from my shoulder he continues with a point towards my face "When I survive, I'm going to get as far away from Beacon Hills as I possibly can. And, if I happen upon the love of your life or one of your below average friends and it doesn't inconvenience me, I might mention your name."
He nods like that sounds like a plan and turns back to walk towards the barrier. I scoff and throw back at him "Yeah– what about Malia?"
Peter's steps halt, gaining the reaction I was hoping for with mentioning his daughter.
He takes in a deep breath and turns quickly back towards me as I take a step closer and continue "I know you're doing this for her. You're risking being incinerated for her– and I'm okay with that."
"Stiles–" Peter murmurs, the echo of the horses neighing gaining our attention to the dark tunnel.
"Stall them" he states and I make a noise, quickly snapping my head to look from the tunnel and at him as I stammer "Wh– what? How?"
He smirks, softening his tone as he offers "Use your head"
The horses are closing in on where we're standing and Peter runs over towards the platform, pulling himself up and hiding behind a pillar.
I climb up onto the platform as well, looking around at my options for stalling the Riders, when my eyes land on a bench seat.
Figuring why not, I run behind the bench and slam my body against the back of it, moving it across the platform until it falls into the gravel and tracks below.
Peter hides out of sight behind the pillar after seeing the Ghost Rider break through the darkness of the tunnel and into the space with us.
The horse's steps falter, going up on its hind legs when it comes across the bench laying down in the pathway.
The Rider guides the horse around the bench and Peter uses the stall to time his jump onto the back of the horse just right.
The Rider attempts to knock Peter off once he jumps onto the horse with him, however he continues to hold on.
My focus was on them so I miss when the second Rider stops in front of me on the platform and my failed attempt at hiding behind the other pillar.
The Rider takes out his whip and snaps it towards me, the end wrapping around my neck before he pulls and I'm thrown onto the gravel floor and into the wall across from the platform.
I land on the ground with a grunt, lifting my head up and watching as the Riders, one still adorned with Peter, continue on with the galloping strides of their horses towards the grey cloud barrier.
Peter looks back at me, determination set across his features as he turns to face forward. The Rider he's riding with crosses through the barrier, the second one following suit and I widen my eyes– hope filling my entire body as I take in the empty space in front of me.
That crazy mother fucker actually made it through the barrier.
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Addy POV
The loudest roar I've heard since Scotty tried signaling to the Alpha that we were at the school a few years ago echoes through the night.
The hairs on my arm raise with the noise "What the hell?" I mumble as Lydia and I share a look before we climb out of the jeep and run over towards Scott and Malia.
"Did all of you hear that?" Malia questions and I nod "I think all of Beacon Hills heard that."
"Who is it?" Scott questions, his brows furrowing as he tries to place the owner of the roar.
Malia shakes her head and looks back towards him "I'm not sure, but I think I recognize it."
We all share a look before Lydia and I shoo them off with a wave of our hands "Go!"
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About twenty minutes later Lydia went to meet Malia at the hospital while Scott came back to meet me at the jeep.
That roar we heard was from none other than Peter Hale.
Peter who I had completely forgotten about until Scott said his name and it was like all the horrible memories from that man and what he's done to us all came rushing back.
Peter was taken by the Ghost Riders... and he escaped.
Scott said he didn't look like the Peter we now remember though– he was badly burned and couldn't speak he had something in his hand though
Scott holds up the keys, sharing a look with me as I look from his face and to the keys dangling from the keyring on the pad of his forefinger.
We climb into the jeep, me taking the drivers side while he climbs into the passenger side and hands the keys over to me.
I flip through the ring, passing keys I have no idea are to what before one makes me stop and I hold it in between my thumb and forefinger.
I look over to Scott, seeing him smile softly and nod towards me before I slowly move the key towards the ignition, inserting the key as I close my eyes.
I turn the key, stepping my foot on the clutch as I try to turn the engine over.
Nothing happens.
Opening my eyes I try again, pushing harder on the clutch and words I've never heard Scott mutter fall from his lips "Don't flood it."
We both make a face and I raise a brow towards him "Do you even know what that means?"
Sheepishly Scott drops his gaze to the dashboard "Not really..."
I close my eyes and try once more with turning the key and pushing down on the clutch, and the next thing I know– instantly the jeep roars to life.
Scott and I let out shocked relieved breaths, moving our eyes around the jeep and out the windshield seeing the headlights shining brightly towards the school.
I look around and over my shoulder into the backseat, almost wishing once it had started that Stiles would have just appeared in the seat our life isn't that easy though
Looking forwards again I slide my hands over the steering wheel, silently wondering what to do now when the radio lets out a high pitched noise.
Scott moves his hand around on the dials, trying to turn it down when I hear a distorted "Hello?"
I gasp, quickly moving my hands over his to stop his movements "Wait, wait, wait, wait–"
Scott drops his mouth open, shock overcoming his features as we hear a voice come over the radio static "Hello? Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me?" it's him
Reaching forward for the microphone I quickly bring it up towards my lips, my voice cracking as I click the button to talk into it "Sti– Stiles?"
Scott scoots closer to the radio, grabbing my hand and clicking my finger down onto the button as he also tries "Stiles– are you there?"
I hear an audible gasp of breath before his voice cracks "Adds? Scott– is that you?"
I let out a hiccup noise, tears instantly clouding my vision as I quickly rush out "It's us, oh my god, Stiles! We can hear you–"
"Oh, my god– you know me? You– you remember me?"
Drawing my brows in, instantly recognizing the way he just asked that with the voice I heard in my premonition the day I almost got run over in the parking lot, I take a deep breath in.
Sighing through my words thoughtfully as I try to clarify I haven't been crazy this whole time "Stiles, is thi– is this you? Is this actually you?"
"Yeah Adds, babe it's me. Listen to me... Do you remember the last thing I said to you?"
I close my eyes, the action causing the tears I was holding back to break over the rim of my eyes and slide down my cheeks as I nod even though he can't see me.
Opening my eyes, Scott looks at me expectantly and I make a noise as I bring the mic up to my lips.
I click the button on the side of the mic and answer his question with the words that have been ringing in my ears for days every night when I try to sleep "You said– you said 'Remember I love you'."
Scott smiles softly, setting his hand on my shoulder and reaching over with his other hand to click my finger down on the button of the mic again "Are you okay?"
"Where are you?" I add in right along with Scott before we both mutter "We're comin' to get you."
We hear his slight chuckle drift through the radio before he argues "No, no, no McCall twins, you can't– you won't be able to find me."
My brow twitches, the familiarity of his voice calling us that while he laughs bringing a smile to my face before the end of his statement registers, earning Scott and I to glare in confusion towards the radio.
"Stiles– wh– what– what are you talking about?" Scott stammers before I elaborate "Please just tell us where you are, and we'll– we will come and get you. Stiles we have to get you back–"
"Adds– I'm– I, look just remember this– Canaan. Okay? You have to find Canaan– be my brilliant Watson and just find Canaan."
The radio static growing louder before the line finally breaks away is the last thing we hear– deafening silence comes over the radio and I instantly feel like I was punched in the gut.
I move my watery eyes up from the mic and over to Scott who gently grabs my wrist and pulls the mic over towards him again "Stiles?"
With one last click on the mic I shake my head softly, following with my own cry "Stiles!"