Eliana's POV:
I stood between the boys as Stiles talked about some key. "So then she starts talking about the phosphors and the key having chemicals on it, right? And so that made me think of the chemistry closet and the fact that someone had to let Barrow in... it's gone. Okay, it doesn't matter though. It doesn't matter. I've still got the key." Stiles stuck a hand in his pocket and didn't find anything. "What the hell? I had it. I had it here. I had it here this morning. I swear to God, I had it this morning."
"The key you were talking about last night?" Scott asked.
"Yeah. I showed it to you two, right? Didn't I show it to you two?"
Scott shook his head. "No, you just told me about it. I never actually saw it."
I glanced at my friend. "I'm sorry, Stiles. I didn't see it either."
Stiles' voice grew more and more agitated as it took on a panicked tone. "I was here a couple of hours ago. And the message left to Barrow spelling Kira's name was right there and I had the key to the chemistry closet."
Scott frowned. "So you unlocked the chemistry closet so Barrow could hide it from the cops and then you wrote that message to kill Kira?"
Stiles sighed. "I know how it sounds. But look at this. This is the news report that came out about Barrow when they caught him, okay? About the shrapnel bomb that he used. See this? See what he did? He put nuts, bolts, and screws. And then he hid the bomb and the detonator in a box that he wrapped as a birthday present. What does that sound like to you?"
Scott and I exchanged a look before saying, "Coach."
Stiles nodded his confirmation. "The joke we played on Coach. That was my idea. You two remember? That's no coincidence. It can't be."
I glanced at Stiles. "I don't know what's going on here, but I don't think you were trying to kill anyone." I scrunched my nose. "Your anxiety stinks. Sorry."
Stiles frowned at me and looked around the room. "Thanks, Ella. It was here. It was all here."
"Look, Stiles, relax. Okay?"
"I can't relax."
Scott and I had a silent conversation and he said, "Take a sick day. I'll handle Coach. Ella, go with him, please."
Stiles frowned. "I don't need a babysitter."
I glanced at him. "No, but I think you need a friend."
Stiles and I made our way outside and I held out my hand.
"What?" Stiles asked.
"Keys. You really think I'm letting you drive in your condition?"
"I'm fine to drive."
"And I'm going with you. I'd rather not die."
"You're a werewolf, Ella. One of the most powerful around. You'll be fine."
"Give me the keys, Stilinski," I ordered, letting out a soft growl.
Stiles grumbled and handed over the keys.
I drove us to the hospital and he shot me a look. "Why are we here?"
"Because they can help."
"But it's a hospital!"
"Exactly! Now stop complaining and get out of the car."
"I don't think you should boss me around."
I growled menacingly and Stiles glared. "I really hate it when you do that. Fine. Lead the way, she-wolf."
"Don't call me that."
The two walked into the hospital and up to the front desk. Melissa, who was sitting there, looked up. "Stiles? Eliana? What are you two doing here?"
I offered a small, sympathetic smile. "Stiles needs someone to talk to. Is there a doctor who can spare some time? Or hw about you?"
Melissa looked at her computer. "Doctor Gardner's not back until next week. Do you want to try waiting at one of the urgent care doctors or... Stiles. Are you all right?"
Stiles looked at her and shook his head, starting to panic.
"Do you want me to go with you?" I asked quietly.
Stiles nodded. "Please?"
"'Course."
Melissa looked at Stiles. "All right, kiddo. All right. Come with me. It's okay."
She led us into a room and closed the door behind us. "Stiles, why don't you sit on the bed, and we can figure out what's going on. I'm going to ask you a few questions and hopefully we can figure out what's going on."
I took a seat next to Stiles and Melissa pulled up a chair and opened her notepad. "All right, so why don't you tell me what's been happening recently. And I'll take some notes."
Stiles sighed and was silent for a moment. "Um, well, I've been having some blackouts... but not for that long. And sleepwalking, which I used to do a lot as a kid. Um, also having some really bad anxiety."
Melissa looked up at him. "Panic attacks?"
Stiles nodded. "Yeah, a couple. Oh, and I temporarily lost the ability to read. But that might have had more to do with this giant magic tree and a whole human sacrifice thing."
Melissa let out a soft laugh. "I recall something vaguely about that, yes. How many hours of sleep are you getting?"
"Eight."
"A night?"
Stiles fidgeted awkwardly. "In the last three days. Yeah, definitely eight. Ella, I see that worried mom look."
"Stiles, that's really concerning. As your friend, I'm seriously worried about you," I said.
Melissa offered her a sympathetic smile. "Been feeling irritable?"
Stiles glanced down. "Yeah. Possibly to the point of homicide."
"Inability to focus?"
"No. The Adderall's not working."
"Impulsive behavior?"
"More than usual? Hard to tell."
"Vivid dreams during the day?"
Stiles sighed. "Okay, basically all of the above. Do you know what this is?"
Melissa nodded. "I think so. I'll be right back. I'm gonna go run and get something."
She left the room and Stiles turned to me. "Go ahead and say it. You think I'm a mess."
I shook my head. "We're all messes, Stiles. But the point is you're getting help. Look, you and I both know Melissa will do everything in her power to help you."
He smiled. "Thanks, Ella. I hope so."
Melissa reentered the room and she said, "I need you to roll up your sleeve, Stiles."
He frowned at her. "Sure. Uh, what's that?"
A large needle inched closer to him and he gripped the bars of the bed. Melissa said softly, "Do you trust me?"
Stiles let out a nervous laugh. "When you're not holding a needle."
She sanitized his arm and Stiles continued holding the bar of the bed. Melissa told him, "Stiles, I need you to relax."
She positioned the needle and Stiles let out a breath. Melissa released the contents. "It's Midazolam. A sedative."
Stiles turned to her. "Why'd you give me a sedative?"
Melissa laid him down. "Because, you, Stiles, are one profoundly sleep-deprived young man. You need rest and you need it now. Lie down."
"Okay. How long's it take to... Oh. Not long at all. Melissa, Ella?"
Stiles settled and Melissa pulled the covers up. She started walking off and Stiles grabbed her hand, releasing a deep sigh. Melissa tapped his hand a few times. "Get some rest."
As Stiles drifted off, he whispered, "Thanks, mom."
I looked at Stiles' sleeping figure, sensing something was off with him, but I wasn't sure what it was.
I decided to watch Stiles for awhile, just to make sure he'd stay asleep.
Some hours later, I suddenly felt cold and rushed to Scott's house.
I tried getting in, but was blasted back.
"Mountain Ash," I muttered. "Scott, remove this now!"
He turned to me. "I can't, Ella. They'll get in."
"Who'll get in? It's just me outside. Remove this damn Mountain Ash; now!"
Derek appeared at Scott's side and removed part of the Mountain Ash.
As I walked in, I glared at Scott and smiled at Derek. "Thank you."
Scott shot me a dirty look as he replaced the Mountain Ash before glaring at Derek.
My nose scrunched, smelling blood and I turned to see Scott's dad.
Melissa was kneeling next to him.
"What the hell happened?" I asked.
Scott met my eyes. "The figures in masks."
"What figures in masks?"
Scott ignored me and Derek looked at Scott and asked, "So all the baseboards are ash wood?"
Scott nodded. "Uh, yeah. It was Deaton's idea. And where the hell did you come from?"
Derek shrugged. "I've been following you and Ella."
"For how long?"
"All day. I was checking up on you two school. I followed Stiles and Ella to the hospital and came to check on you."
Agent McCall began gasping for air and Melissa rushed towards him. "Scott, this isn't good!"
Agent McCall muttered, "Need to call for backup."
Scott knelt by his mom. "How bad is it?"
Melissa applied pressure to his wound before saying, "From the way that his arm is rotated, the tendon looks torn. He could be on his way to a collapsed lung."
I glanced outside at the masked figures. "I don't think they're leaving until sunrise."
Scott nodded and Melissa sighed. "At the rate he's bleeding, he's not gonna make it that long. We got to get him to the hospital."
"I don't know," Scott said.
I thought for a moment. "Well, guns won't work on these suckers."
Melissa looked at me. "Then what does?"
"Not much that we have, unfortunately."
Derek spoke. "The Oni are a force of nature. You don't fight a tsunami. You endure it. And you hope that you're not destroyed in its path."
"Then how do we do it?" Aiden asked.
"Two of you already have. This is Japanese kanji for "self". This means he is still himself. Ella's herself as well. The Oni are looking for one who is no longer themselves."
I frowned. "No longer themselves? Meaning?"
He met my eyes. "Possessed. By a dark spirit."
Aiden turned to Kira and narrowed his eyes. "It's Kira, right? You going to tell us what you are?"
Kira's brow furrowed in confusion. "What? What do you mean?"
"Aiden, watch!" He grabbed Kira's hand and pressed it to the Mountain Ash barrier and it flickered. "See that? She can't go through it either."
"So what are you?" Aiden demanded.
Derek rolled his eyes. "She's a kitsune, idiot. Use your eyes. You can see it all around her. The younger ones give off an aura. She just hasn't learned how to conceal it yet. She probably doesn't know what kind she is either."
I glanced at him. "Be nice. He was just asking a simple question; even if it wasn't in a very nice tone."
"I was nice."
"Ish."
Scott shook his head. "It's not you. It can't be. What I saw around you, it didn't look evil."
Aiden narrowed his eyes. "But isn't that what a shapeshifter does? Isn't that why a kitsune is called the trickster spirit? It's supposed to trick you."
Kira looked at them with a worried expression. "How are you so sure? How do you know I'm not the bad guy?"
I offered Kira a small smile. "You don't seem like a bad person. I've seen real evil in my life and you are far from it."
"Your mother?"
"Yeah. You're good, Kira. Trust me on that."
Aiden attempted to justify himself. "I wasn't going to hurt her. Not yet." He noticed Derek's expression. "Why do you think we're here, Derek? For a study group? We're here to protect Scott. We're trying to fight for him."
Derek frowned. "I'm sure you are. I'm sure you'd kill for him. But are you willing to die for him?"
I glanced at the door, hearing banging. I realized the Oni were checking the door for weaknesses. They started pounding on the door even more and I turned to Scott. "Call Allison. Now."
"Can't you?"
"I don't have her number."
"You don't have her number."
"Scott, just call your damn ex!"
He nodded and called her. "Allison, please tell me that you have something. They're here. They're trying to get in. And it looks like they're gonna be able to do it."
Scott put her on speaker so I could hear her better and Allison said, "Okay, okay, listen. They're Japanese demons. They're called the Oni. They're looking for someone possessed. Someone with a dark spirit attached to them."
"A Nogitsune," Scott replied.
"How'd you know that? Scott?"
"Just tell us what else."
"Okay, they won't hurt you. They know you're supernatural, but once they do this check, once they realize that you're not carrying with you this dark spirit, then they won't hurt you. I promise. All they're looking for is the Nogitsune."
"I'm right here, aren't I?" Kira said. "They're looking for me."
I glanced to her. "They're not looking for you, Kira. They're looking for a dark spirit."
"Scott, we're going to have to do something."
Scott shook his head. "Don't do anything."
Aiden frowned. "Is he serious?"
I nodded. "He's serious. Listen to him and don't do anything."
"I said don't do anything," Scott repeated. "Trust me." He took Kira's hand. "You're gonna be okay."
The Oni reached for them and a backwards 5 appeared on the back of their ears. Scott and Kira fell and I made her way over to them to make sure they were okay. Scott gave me a nod as the Oni disappeared.
"Ella and I will find Stiles."
Scott and I used his enhanced smell. I noticed a figure in the middle of the room and realized who it was. "Hey, Stiles. You okay?"
Stiles slowly looked up to see me. "Yeah, fine. What's been going on?"