Stiles found himself in a train station with what he guessed to be about two dozen other people. No was was speaking and seemed to be lost in thought. He felt the keys to his Jeep in his hand and turned to the lady next to him. She was in a lab coat, so he guessed she might know something. "Excuse me. Sorry, where are we?"
"We're at the train station," the woman answered.
"Right. Okay. Helpful. Which train station exactly?"
"Train station number 137."
"Did you see me come in?"
The doctor looked at him, confused. "No."
"How long have you been here?"
"Maybe an hour?"
A businessman, reading a paper, looked at them. "We got here at the same time. It's been at least six hours."
"Six hours?" Stiles repeated as she stood. "Where are you goin'?"
"Uh, uh... I had a ticket with me somewhere. Um..." She searched her pockets.
"Do you always travel in your work clothes?"
"I must have been in a rush."
Stiles walked over to the ticket booth and noticed a sign saying 'Back in 5 minutes'. He saw dust piling up and rubbed it between his fingers before he asked, "Do you know if anyone works here?"
He heard the announcer say, "The following stops have been canceled. Hollantine, Batten, Bay Bury, Deer Ridge, Red Oak..."
People got up from their seats and Stiles began asking people questions. "Excuse me, where are those trains going?"
"...Trenton, Anderson, King Springs."
"Excuse me, do you know what train this is? Does anyone know where this train's going? Excuse me, do you know what train this is? Do you know where this train's going?"
Horses began galloping and neighing. The wind picked up and people started panicking. They hid and the Riders appeared, dumping a tied man on the ground. The man's bonds disappeared in a puff of green smoke. The Riders tore through the station, knocking people down. Someone grabbed Stiles and pulled him behind a column.
"It had to be you," the man said.
The Riders disappeared and Stiles studied his rescuer. "Peter? Peter, what are you doing here? How are you here?"
He frowned. "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 sat back down.
"Hey, Peter. Peter. Peter! What are you doing?"
"I'm waiting for my train."
Stiles frowned. "Okay, did you not just see that?"
"See what?"
"The horses, the hogtied business men with the magically dissolving ropes? I'm sorry, did anyone just see that?"
Peter stared at him. "Do you mind? You're blocking the board. I'd like a little warning before my train arrives."
"Okay. So you're waiting for a train. How did you get here?"
"Pretty sure I took a cab."
"Last time I saw, you were being locked away in Eichen House."
Peter sighed. "I was in Eichen. Thanks to you."
"Memory's good. Can you remember how you, uh, got out? They discharge you?"
Peter shook his head. "No, the power went out. And I ran like hell."
"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 yelled before lowering his voice. "How long have I been here?"
"The lockdown was three months ago," Stiles replied.
"I've been missing for three months and no one came for me?"
Stiles sighed. "That's what the Ghost Riders do. They erase you."
"Ghost Riders? Ghost Riders of the Wild Hunt?"
Stiles nodded, surprised. "Yeah, you know what I'm talking about?"
He let out a long sigh. "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. I've escaped one prison only to land in another one. And this looks like the underground lair of a depressed bureaucrat."
"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?"
Peter shot Stiles a look. "If this is the Wild Hunt, there is no escape. You and I are doomed to ride the storm forever."
Stiles frowned, more desperate than ever to get back to Tessa and his friends. "Yeah, we're not in the storm, we're in a train station. But we can get out of a train station."
Peter shook his head. "We can't get out of here, Stiles. Because this place isn't real."
"What are you talking about?"
"Beacon Hills doesn't have a train station."
Stiles walked over to a door and tried opening it. Peter followed and sat on a chair. "What are you doing?"
Stiles turned to him. "Little help, please?"
"Okay."
"What the hell?" Stiles asked, seeing that he kept coming back to the same place.
Peter shook his head. "No, no, no, keep going."
Stiles glared. "I don't see you comin' up with anything."
Peter's voice dropped to nearly a whisper. "Stiles. Left shoulder against the pillar. Don't look." He did and Peter retorted, "I said don't look."
"Yeah."
"He's watching us."
"Yeah, so?"
"So... every person in this station is either comatose or catatonic. He seems very interested in keeping an eye on us."
"Hey!" Stiles called, getting the boy's attention. "Oh, my God! Why are you watching us?"
"You tried the doors," the boy said as he chuckled. "Nobody ever tries the doors."
"Sounds like you have."
"The ones that could open. I've tried everything else."
Stiles shook his head. "Not everything. You're still here."
"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," the boy replied as he chuckled again.
"Oh, we, we can do it. He can, he can..." Stiles pointed to Peter.
The boy smiled. "Well, it's right in front of your face."
After a moment, the boy continued. "You didn't see it, did you?"
"I saw it," Stiles retorted.
"Then why'd you waste so much time running through the doors? I'll tell you why. Because it's all part of the illusion. You're afraid. And they want you to be afraid."
Peter frowned. "I'm not afraid."
"Can't do it, can you? He can't do it."
Peter met Stiles' eyes. "We should really kill him."
"Or you can just walk through it," the boy said as he breathed heavily. "Push me."
"What did you say?" Stiles asked.
He continued breathing heavily. "Push me."
Stiles hesitated and Peter pushed him into the tunnel. "Now you're getting it."
After a moment, Peter said, "Stiles. Stiles, let's go."
BEACON HILLS HIGH SCHOOL
Tessa sat in English class, for once completely ignoring the lesson.
She stared outside, seeing a man hooking a blue Jeep to a tow truck.
"Tessa, are you paying attention?" the teacher asked.
Tessa's eyes flicked back to the front. "Yeah. Yeah."
"Is there something outside that's more fascinating than reading through Beowulf?"
"No."
The mechanical whirring got louder and Tessa jumped up, grabbing her backpack. "I'm really sorry."
She rushed out of the room and down the hall and heard brisk heels clicking down the hallway.
Tessa turned to see the strawberry blonde. "Why are you following me?"
"You hate ditching class," Lydia said. "I'm worried about you, Tessa."
The girls ran out to the parking lot and Tessa narrowed her eyes at the tow truck driver. "Hey! Hey! You can't tow this Jeep!"
He browsed the papers. "Paperwork says I can. It's reported as abandoned."
Tessa put a hand on the Jeep. "And now it's not."
"Oh, this is your vehicle?"
"Does it matter?"
He scoffed. "Sounds like a no."
Tessa blurted, "It's mine. The Jeep is mine. Thanks. I'll move it. Once I get the keys. From my locker. After you leave."
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, once it's on the hook..."
Lydia frowned. "Please don't say, "you're on the hook"."
"Well, I can't now."
Scott appeared and began pleading with the tow truck driver. "Oh, I, okay. Look, there's gotta be something that we can do. Sign something? Call someone?"
"Pay someone?" Lydia suggested.
The tow truck driver smirked. "Drop fee's a hundred and fifty. Cash."
Scott's eyes widened. "A hundred and fifty? This thing isn't even worth that much."
Tessa pulled out a small wad of cash. "I have $50."
Lydia pulled out her wallet and turned to Scott. "How much have you got?"
"Uh, how much have you got?" Scott asked.
"Just give me the money," Tessa snapped.
Scott sighed. "All I have is $50. And when I say "all", I mean all. Uh..."
Tessa grabbed the money from Scott's hand. Lydia handed her more money, and Tessa gave it to the man. He smiled smugly and walked off.
Scott turned to her. "Hey. You know you don't actually have the keys to this thing, right?"
Lydia glanced to Tessa and smiled. "But now we have a Jeep."
TRAIN STATION
They walked deeper into the tunnel and Peter rolled his eyes. "Congratulations, you found another part of the phantom train station."
"Is this the way out?" Stiles asked.
Peter frowned. "If it was, we would be leaving."
The boy said, "You might want to stay off the tracks." Peter and Stiles gave him a look and he continued. "'Cause that's the way in and out."
Thunder rumbled and horses neighed. "They're coming."
Peter and Stiles hid behind two different pillars.
"That's the way out?" Stiles questioned. "How in the hell are we supposed to do that?"
"We jump," the boy said.
"Jump?"
"On the back of the Riders as they go through."
"Is that all?"
The boy nodded. "I've been timing it. Look, we can jump from here just before they go out."
Stiles frowned. "I think you're confusing your pronouns. We aren't going to do anything. But you should absolutely give that a shot."
The boy turned to Stiles. "Do you not wanna get out of here?"
"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."
Peter smiled a little. "I think you have an excellent grasp of the situation. I say go for it."
"Hey, they're coming back."
Stiles frowned. "No, we can't let him do this, right? What if he's right? Hey, we'll figure something else out. Hey, look, there's gotta be another way out of this place."
Peter shook his head. "But there isn't. I've been looking for months."
"Are you comin' or not?" the boy asked.
Peter motioned to the exit. "It's all you." Stiles shook his head and Peter ignored him. "Let him try."
"Come on. Come on," the boy repeated, preparing to jump.
The boy jumped and landed on the back of one of the horses. He rode up to the barrier and bounced back, screaming. There was a green flash and his body disintegrated.
Stiles frowned. "Somehow I don't think that went the way that he was hoping."
"Stiles, he's dead. You see his face. Trust me, he's gone."
He scoffed. "You knew he'd die."
Peter shook his head. "I didn't know. I mean, I assumed."
"Yeah, but you could have warned him."
"He was gonna do it anyway. Now we know."
"Know what?"
"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. What?"
Peter groaned. "What is it with you teenagers? You think that you are so special? You think the rules don't apply to you? Do you get it? We are dead and buried!"
"Money?" Peter asked, taking Stiles' wallet.
Stiles shook his head. "It's worthless."
Peter continued leafing through the wallet. "Driver's license? Credit cards?" He threw them into the air.
"Give me my damn wallet back," Stiles demanded, holding out his hand.
The Jeep keys jingled as Peter held them. "Keys?"
"Give me my keys."
"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." He threw the keys onto the platform.
"Somebody's gonna remember me. Either Tessa, Lydia or Scott, Malia, someone. They're gonna find me, all right? They'll come for me. Who would ever come for you?"
Peter narrowed his eyes. "You give me a call when your high school sweethearts conjure up a plan to get us out of here." He walked away.
Stiles rolled his eyes and walked back to the waiting area. He sat next to an old woman who said, "I'm waiting for a train."
He nodded. "Yeah, it's probably runnin' late."
She smiled. "I'm going to see my grandchildren." She touched Stiles' shoulder. "Who are you going to see?"
Stiles almost told her who he was going to see and then said, "Uh, no one."
The announcer started speaking again. "The following stops have been canceled. Hollatine, Batten, Bay Burry, Deer Ridge, Red Oak, Trenton, Anderson, King Springs."
"Intercom," Peter said.
"Maybe a radio?" Stiles guessed.
Stiles found some wire and followed it from the speaker to a radio room with equipment that looked old, but still seemed to work.
Peter rolled his eyes. "Your theory is ridiculous. Magnetic disturbance and a few pixelated photos doesn't mean that you can't 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 friends?"
Stiles turned a dial and a high-pitched feedback filled the air and they covered their ears.
BEACON HILLS HIGH SCHOOL
Tessa stared at the Jeep. Malia and Scott walked up and Malia asked, "Did somebody just lock the keys inside?"
"Break it," Tessa and Lydia ordered.
TRAIN STATION
Stiles continued trying to turn the dial and Peter said, "Take your time. No, shh. The only thing at stake is any evidence of our existence. Soon to be lost forever."
"Okay, not helping," Stiles retorted as he spun the dial.
Stiles heard the sound of horses and Peter walked over to the wires and pulled them.
They exited the room and ducked behind a pillar as the Ghost Riders appeared again.
The Ghost Riders entered the room Stiles and Peter were just in and Peter said quietly, "In case you were keeping count, that's twice I've saved your life today."
JEEP
Scott broke the lock and they peeked inside. The police scanner was making a sound and stopped.
The teens piled into the Jeep. Malia, from her spot in the back, asked, "Why'd it stop?"
Tessa, who was sitting in the driver's seat, began flipping switches and shook her head. "Doesn't matter. I'm sure there's a logical reason."
She turned, hearing faint sniffing and Lydia asked, "What? You caught a scent?"
Scott nodded. "Yeah. Uh... ours... mine, yours, all four of us."
Malia frowned. "Mine? I've never been in this Jeep before."
Scott shook his head. "Neither have I."
Tessa ran her hands along the steering wheel. "I think we have. We just don't remember."
"I thought we were done with that," Malia said.
Scott poked his head between the seats. "Uh, yeah, Tessa, Parrish checked the VIN number. There's no record of owner."
Tessa narrowed her eyes. "The Jeep couldn't have driven here itself, Scott!"
"Tessa, calm down," Lydia told the blonde gently.
Scott frowned as Malia asked him, "Whose side are you on?"
"I'm on everyone's side," Scott replied.
Malia shook her head. "He's not real. Trust me. I've lost a lot of people in my life. It's a long list and I don't feel like adding to it."
Tessa pursed her lips. "Stiles is real, and I swear on the River Styx we're getting him back."
Lydia nodded and pulled something from the glove compartment. She handed Tessa a registration paper with no name and Malia frowned. "This is from '96. And there's no name."
Tessa smiled momentarily. "Looks like there's an address. Um, 129 Woodbine Lane. And I know exactly where that is."
Lydia and Tessa made their way to the Stilinski home and showed Claudia the registration. "I don't know what to tell you. I haven't seen that Jeep in... almost 18 years."
"It's in your name," Lydia said.
"But it was stolen."
Tessa's brow furrowed. "Then how'd it end up at the school?"
The sheriff shrugged. "Beats the hell out of me. I mean, the thing was a junker back in the day. God only knows who'd want it now."
"Maybe somebody dumped it there?" Claudia guessed.
Tessa fiddled furiously with her necklace. "There has to be a way to trace the Jeep's history after it was stolen, righr?"
"No."
"How about fingerprints?"
Lydia sat beside her and rubbed the blonde's back. "Tessa, is this about Stiles?"
Claudia looked at the demigoddess sympathetically. "Honey, don't you think you've taken this far enough? I don't really know what's going on with you lately, but maybe talking to Lydia's mother would help."
Tears started falling down Tessa's cheeks. "Uh, y-yeah. Good idea."
"Hey, you okay?" Sheriff Stilinski asked softly.
Tessa nodded. "Um, yeah. Sorry. You mind if I..."
"Of course. Take your time."
Tessa stood and walked down the hall, touching the peeling wallpaper. She slid down the wall, pulling her knees to her chest. She began sobbing, feeling more alone than she ever thought she could feel.
TRAIN STATION
Stiles was leaning against the wall, Unkkowningly back to back with Tessa, fearing he'd never see his friends, never see the girl he was hopelessly in love with again.
SCHOOL
The tow truck driver appeared to reclaim the Jeep. Scott frowned and Tessa narrowed her eyes.
"We already paid you," Scott said. "I gave you all of my money for that drop fee."
The tow truck driver narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, and I dropped it, all right? Now I'm picking it up again."
Lydia walked up to the group. "How much? I'll write you a check."
"It's not about how much. They want it out of here, okay? It's not up to me." Scott and Tessa stepped closer to the tow truck driver. "Don't make me move you two, okay? I'm hookin' this thing up and I am towing it away."
Scott clenched his fist and Tessa pulled out her dagger. Malia grabbed the hook and disconnected it from the rope. She ripped it off and smiled awkwardly. "Your truck's broke."
TRAIN STATION
Stiles stood from the ground and looked around the train station.
"This place is really startin' to fill up," Peter commented.
A girl appeared and another girl ran towards her. "Gwen? Gwen!"
"Phoebe? Oh my God, you're here!"
Stiles began talking to himself. "Wait a second. That girl, I know that girl. Her name is Gwen. She plays lacrosse."
He turned to Peter. "How long has this been going on?"
Peter stared a moment at the new arrivals board. "This isn't a train station, this is a way station. It's not gonna stop."
"What is it? What are those places? Bannack? Canaan? I know you know something."
Peter started getting desperate. "We gotta get out of here. Nobody is safe."
"Yeah, in here?"
The werewolf rolled his eyes. "In Beacon Hills. Your friends, your family, everyone. You've gotta go. They're gonna be taken." He ran towards the tunnel.
"Where are you going?" Stiles whispered, running after Peter.
"What did you see up there?"
"The towns. What did it mean?"
"I just told you. They're never gonna stop."
"Okay, so what's the plan then?"
"I'm goin' through the portal."
"Wait, wait, wait. No one gets through the portal. You said that yourself."
"No human can," Peter corrected. "But I'm better than human, remember? I'll heal." He stopped and turned. "Stiles, let's not have a moment."
Stiles sighed and stared at Peter. "If you survive, you have to find my friends for me, okay? Find Tessa. You have to tell them about me. 'Cause they're not gonna remember me, so you have to tell them that I'm here."
Peter narrowed his eyes. "When I survive, I'm going to get as far away from Beacon Hills as I possibly can. And if I happen along one of your below average friends and if doesn't inconvenience me, I might mention your name."
Stiles scoffed. "Yeah, what about Malia?" Peter shot Stiles a look, knowing he was doing it for his daughter. "I know you're doing this for her. You're risking being incinerated for her. And I'm okay with that."
"Stiles. Stall them."
The Riders charged through and Stiles asked, "W-What? How?"
"Use your head."
Stiles knocked down a bench. "What're you doing?"
Peter picked something up, jumped onto one of the horses, and managed to hang on as the Rider fought him.
The last Rider noticed Stiles and flipped his whip around Stiles' neck and pulled him to the tracks. Stiles sputtered as he hit the wall and dirt, but was okay.
Peter got out, avoiding incineration.
Stiles looked at the board of arrivals. "Pripyat, Bannack, Beacon Hills." His eyes trailed down to the board. "Canaan."
Instantly, Stiles got an idea. He smiled lightly, thinking of the blonde he was hopelessly in love with as he said quietly, "We're far from perfect, but we are good." I can't wait to hear your cheesy Supernatural lines, Tess."
JEEP
Tessa frowned, hearing a loud roar, and Scott muttered, "What the hell?"
The demigoddess looked between Malia and Lydia. "Did you two hear that?"
Lydia nodded and her eyes widened. "I think all of Beacon Hills heard that. Who is it?"
Malia attempted to focus on the roar. "I'm not sure. But I think I recognize it."
"Go!" Tessa and Lydia told Malia and Scott.
Lydia and Tessa followed shortly after. They followed the unpleasant barbecue smell and when they arrived, the blonde looked down at the man. "How in Zeus' name did we forget Peter?"
Scott shrugged. "I don't know. He's badly burned."
"He's holding something."
Malia pulled the object from Peter's hand and handed it to Tessa. The blonde fingered the keys.
The teens ran to the Jeep and got in. Tessa turned the key. The engine sputtered and stopped. She tried again, harder, and pressed the gas.
"Don't flood it," Scott told her.
Tessa frowned. "Do you know what that means?"
He shook his head. "Not really."
"Then shut up."
Tessa turned the key again and the engine came to life. Scott and Tessa let out a relieved laugh.
They sat in silence looking around the Jeep. A voice came through the radio. "Hello?"
Scott placed a hand on the dial and went to turn it down, but his cousin stopped him. "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait."
"Hello?" the voice repeated. "Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me?"
Tessa picked up the walkie. "Stiles?"
"Stiles, are you there?" Scott asked.
It was silent for a few seconds before Stiles' voice came through. "Scott? Tessa? Is that you?"
"Oh my gods," the blonde whispered. "Stiles. We can hear you."
"Oh my God, you know me? You remember me?"
"Stiles, is thi... is this you? Is this really you?"
"Yeah. Tess, listen to me... do you remember the last thing I said to you?"
Tessa thought for a brief second. "You said... you said, "Remember I love you.""
"Are you okay?" Scott asked.
"Where are you?" Tessa wondered.
"We're coming to get you."
"No, no, no, you can't," Stiles told them. "You won't be able to find me."
The demigoddess frowned. "Stiles, what are you talking about?"
Scott said, "Just tell us where you are, and we'll, we'll come out..."
Stiles cut his friend off. "Right, just remember this. Canaan, okay? You have to find Canaan. Just find Canaan."
"Wait," Tessa called. "Stiles, I-" Static sounded from his side and it cut out. "Stiles! Stiles!"
Tessa set the radio down and smiled. "Oh my gods. He's real, Scott. "The universe is trying to tell us something we both should already know. We're stronger together than apart.""
Scott nodded. "You were right, Tessa. We will find him." He smiled back. "You're quoting Supernatural again. That's a good sign."
"Huh?"
"Whenever you're around Stiles, regardless if he's here or not, you always quote that show. And now that we know he's real, you're back to quoting it."
"I suppose you're right."