Drove Through Ghosts To Get Here 18/32

Title: Drove Through Ghosts To Get Here
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Rating: NC-17
Authors: Sxymami0909 and Xtremeroswellia
Timeline: Takes place 1 year after the end of ‘Beyond The Sea’
Series: Post Finale AU
Pairings: Stiles/Lydia, Scott/Kira, Isaac Lahey, Sheriff Stilinski, Melissa McCall, Chris Argent, Derek Hale, Cora Hale, Aiden, Ethan, Danny, Braeden, Alan Deaton, Peter Hale, Malia Tate-Hale, mentions of Scott/Allison, mentions of Derek/Lydia, mentions of Stiles/Braeden
Part: 18/32
Summary: The one year anniversary of Allison's death is right around the corner just in time for a new threat to make it's way to Beacon Hills. With Lydia's banshee powers growing, and dead bodies piling up near the Nemeton, Scott and his pack need to work together to figure out who's behind the latest attacks and what knew evil is on the lose. Tension is mounting in the pack and relationships will be tested when an old ally returns to town with information that could help the pack. But can the pack trust their old friend or has the year passed hardened him to a point of no return?
Author's Note: This is a Stydia story, but it's a slow burn because a lot needs to be rebuilt and there are mentions of other couples and other friendships along the way. One year has passed between this story and 'Beyond the Sea'. You will get to see the missing year in a series of one-shots taking place between 'Beyond the Sea' and this story later on.
Previous Chapters: | One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten |
Eleven | Twelve | Thirteen | Fourteen | Fifteen |Sixteen |>Seventeen |

Chapter 18

Scott bent down picking up a broken branch and inhaling deeply as his eyes flashed red. He straightened up and stepped forward using his eyes to take in the surrounding area. He didn’t see much and that bothered him. He could smell blood and he knew they’d found the body close. Scott wasn’t entirely sure what he was looking for, but he was really hoping something turned up, at this point anything.

This was the fifth body so far and he was desperately tired of dealing with all of this death around them. He stepped forward making his way closer to the nemeton. He knew it wasn’t far away and this time the body had been found nearly on top of it. He sighed. Someone was trying to give it more power, trying to bring more evil to the town and Scott needed to stop whoever it was as fast as he could.

Stiles stuck close to Lydia’s side as they made their way through the preserve, a tire iron in his hand as they walked, his gaze scanning everywhere around them. He could feel the evil out there, and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He pressed the flashlight into Lydia’s hand despite the broad daylight, sun streaming down through the tree branches, and his grip tightened on the tire iron as they walked down the path toward the nemeton.

Stiles eyes took in the sight of the dying plant life the closer they got to the tree stump and his jaw tightened. Really, really, not a good sign. “It’s sucking the life out of everything around it now,” he mumbled. And they were walking right toward it.

Lydia glanced around, her grip tight around the flashlight despite the time of day. She could see what Stiles was talking about, but what was worse was she could feel it and that made her frown. “It’s getting stronger,” she stated as she stepped forward closer to some of the dead plant life. She sucked in a sharp breath a strong feeling of foreboding filling her. Her stomach twisted in knots and she swallowed hard. “Where’s Scott? Should we call him?” She asked softly.

Yeah. It was getting stronger. “It’s because someone keeps feeding it human blood,” he said tensely. “And not just blood, actual lives.” He looked around; feeling her anxiety like it was his own. “He’ll be there. At the nemeton. We’re not much farther from it.” He reached down and took her hand in his, gripping onto it tightly as they walked. “Scottie!” he called out.

Scott’s head jerked up at the sound of Stiles’ voice. “I’m here,” he called out and glanced over his shoulder surprised to see Lydia with Stiles. “Hey...there’s blood over here. A lot of it. I think your Dad said the body was practically on top of the nemeton.” He told them before glancing back towards the tree stump.

Stiles moved toward him, watching as Scott knelt down by the not-so-dead tree stump. “Whoever’s doing this isn’t just summoning daeva’s. They’re waking it back up,” he said grimly. “Keeping it active.” He felt uneasiness shoot through him. “Don’t touch it, Scott.” His voice was urgent. “Just...step away from it, okay?”

Scott was silent for a minute as he studied it. He knew Stiles was right he should back away, but something inside of him was telling him to get closer, to feel the power building inside of it. He cocked his head to the side and reached out.

“Stop!” Lydia’s shrill voice made his hand freeze. She gripped Stiles’ arm. “Something isn’t right with it,” she released Stiles, “Go get him Stiles. Bring him over here by us.” Lydia could almost feel it calling out to Scott trying to lure him in with the promise of power something Scott cared little to nothing about. But the fact that he was still kneeling there said a lot about the amount of power the nemeton wielded.

Stiles could feel the power from the stump curling around him, trying to draw him to it, too. Had felt it across the ocean. It held a piece of his soul somewhere in its roots, and Scott’s too. But he wasn’t going to let it have more than that from his best friend. He moved quickly, reaching out and gripping his best friend’s shoulder tightly. “Don’t,” he said, voice firm and calm. “Come on, Scott.” He knelt down beside him, eyes intense as his friend met his gaze. “You don’t need it.”

Scott blinked, his eyes clearing at Stiles’ touch. “What the hell,” he stood up quickly and backed away from the nemeton. “What is going on?” He asked the worry clear in his voice. “The power here...it’s spreading. This can’t be just for the daevas...can it?” He asked his friend not sure what to think.

Stiles pursed his lips, rising to his feet, too. “It isn’t just for the daevas. Not now. I think the daevas might be a distraction. This is about the nemeton.” He looked down at it, staring for a long moment, feeling the tendrils of dark magic trying to curl themselves around both he and Scott. His chest tightened and he took a deep breath, gripping onto Scott’s arm for both their sakes. “And I think it’s about us.”

“Us?” Scott asked frowning before shaking his head. “No, we put that to bed. This isn’t about us. We got rid of everything involving the nemeton. I won’t go through that again,” his chest tightened as he thought about Allison, “Neither of us will.” He said turning and moving away from the nemeton despite the fact that it was trying to pull him back. Scott was stronger than that...he had to be. He had people depending on him.

Scott paused and angled his head to the side frowning as he glanced a few feet in front of them. “Is that...what is that?”

Stiles chewed his lower lip, rubbing a hand over his face as he watched Scott move away, closer to where Lydia was, denying Stiles’ theory. But he could feel the nemeton, seeking his energy. His blood. Scott’s, too, but it was a slightly different feeling somehow and he couldn’t place how or why. His thoughts were distracted when Scott asked his question. Stiles felt everything grow completely still for one moment and then his eyes widened.

There wasn’t time to do anything except react. There was no way he could move fast enough to get to them both. To get to either of them. There wasn’t time to cry out a warning.

He felt them creeping in from the shadows and he felt the power surge through him, intense and frightening in its force as he raised one hand, flinging both Lydia and Scott to the ground and into a patch of sunlight a few feet away even as he felt sharp pain raking across his stomach, tearing his shirt as he swung at the invisible entity in front of him with the tire iron, feeling it connect and toss the thing backwards. He felt another rake across his side and he stumbled backwards. “Stay back,” he ordered his friends, taking another swing.

Scott hit the ground beside Lydia with a resounding thud. He shifted growling as he flipped himself onto his feet a brief moment of confusion filling him until he saw Stiles. Shadows were closing in on him and he called out for his friend, “Stop!” He ran out into the suddenly darkened area of the preserve and he immediately felt a slash along his arm, but he powered forward to where Stiles was standing, the overwhelming smell of blood filling his sense.

Lydia sucked in a sharp breath and stood just in time to see Scott running forward. Pain tore through her and she cried out her hand going to her side, but when she looked down there was nothing there. Fear surged inside of her. It wasn’t her pain. She glanced up and watched Stiles stumble.

Lydia’s chest tightened as emotion built heavily inside of her. She ran forward not bothering to stop and think as she watched Scott reach Stiles. The second they were in the same space dozens of shadows descended on them. Lydia sucked in a sharp breath and screamed. She felt the flood of energy leave her body as she moved closer to them, an invisible barrier pushing out across the three of them.

Scott gripped Stiles the shadows no longer touching him as he grabbed his friend. “Stiles, Stiles look at me, are you okay?”

Stiles swallowed heavily, feeling dizzy, blood drained from his face and giving him a sallow, ghostly appearance. He managed a faint; barely there smile as Scott grabbed him. “Should’ve...saw that one coming.” It hurt to breathe and he grimaced, holding his breath as he squeezed his eyes shut. He rolled his head to look and see how close they were to the nemeton. Just a couple of feet. “Did it get -- on the tree?” There was a renewed sense of urgency in his voice.

Scott glanced over Stiles’ shoulder and shook his head, “Close, but no, we need to go,” he said as the shadows scrambled around them trying to reach them. He wrapped Stiles’ arm over his shoulder, “Lydia I need help.” He called out to her as he glanced up his chest tightening. Was she doing this? Better question how was she doing it.

Lydia was on the other side of Stiles a minute later her face pale as she wrapped an arm around his waist, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. Scott glanced at her, “Lydia-”

“Don’t let’s go now.” She said a hint of breathlessness in her voice. She had no idea how she was keeping them away, but it seemed to be the same thing that happened with Derek only on a larger scale and she wasn’t quite sure how long it would last. Between feeling like something was rapidly sucking the life out of her and the ache of Stiles’ pain she wouldn’t be surprised if it didn’t last all that long.

Stiles could taste the familiar coppery tang of blood in his mouth and he shut his eyes, swallowing it back and fighting back the urge to throw up. His body was almost completely limp between the two of them as they dragged him out of the woods and toward the jeep and he was fairly certain he wasn’t going to be conscious much longer. “No hospital,” he mumbled. “Take me to your mom.”

Scott hesitated, “But,”

“Now Scott,” Lydia snapped. They could debate it in the car.

Scott pursed his lips and moved quickly tugging Stiles along as gently as he could Lydia on his other side. They made their way through the preserve and back towards the jeep leaving Scott’s bike where it was. Scott reached out and yanked open the door before glancing back towards the woods. It didn’t look like they were following them thankfully.

He glanced at Lydia, “Get in the back I’ll hand him to you.”

She was already climbing inside. It took Scott a minute to heft him into the jeep. But he finally got him in and moved around to the driver’s side quickly fumbling around and looking for the keys.

Lydia carefully dug around in Stiles pocket until her shaky hands found them. She held them out to Scott, “Here, hurry.”

Scott took the keys and started the car.

Lydia glanced down at Stiles and cupped his cheeks, nausea filling her. “You’re going to be fine,” he said her voice strained, “Everything’s going to be okay.”

The fiery pain in his stomach and side begged to differ, but he didn’t say so. He managed to smile up at her, eyes glassy. “Had worse,” he mumbled, eyelids feeling heavy. He could feel exhaustion washing over him -- his or hers he wasn’t sure. Maybe both. Combined with blood loss and pain, it wasn’t great. He wanted to make a joke to make her smile -- something about not liking this trip in the backseat nearly as much as the previous one -- but he was too tired for that.

“Love you,” he murmured as his eyes slipped shut and he was plunged into old, familiar darkness.

“No, Stiles,” Lydia sobbed pain radiating in her chest as the car pushed forward faster.

Fear caught in Scott’s chest and then a familiar feeling building around him. “LYDIA, NO...stop hold it in, I can’t get us out of here if you don’t hold it in.” He said his tone panicked. He pushed his foot harder on the pedal. He needed help. He swallowed hard his hands shaky at the erratic sound of Stiles’ heartbeat.

They finally made it onto the main road and he glanced in the rearview mirror at Lydia and swallowed hard. “Lydia, I need you to scream. The pack will find come to us if you scream.” He said his voice shaky as he drove down the road.

“I,” her grip tightened on Stiles, as she tried to suck in a deep breath, “I can’t,” she cried.

“You can, Stiles needs you to, you can do it.” He said as he turned onto a familiar street the jeep speeding down the road.

Lydia bent over him, trying to drawn on the emotions that were heavy in her chest, but she didn’t know how. She forced herself to take all of the rest of the energy she could feel inside of herself, inhaled deeply, and screamed.

_______

Isaac paced the living room floor of the Stilinski house, heart beating hard in his chest. He’d been on the lacrosse field practicing alone when he’d heard the scream. It wasn’t a death scream -- he knew that much, even if he wasn’t sure how he knew that. But it was loud and terrifying and he knew something was terribly wrong. And considering the rest of the pack had gathered around the room, including the twins, and that only three people who were missing from the gathering, and he was getting even more nervous.

It hadn’t been Lydia. She hadn’t screamed for herself. Whatever had happened was big, had drawn all of them to the house instinctively even though she was obviously somewhere else. Like some kind of beacon for the entire pack. He heard footsteps pounding the sidewalk and rushing toward the door and he stopped, turning toward it, eyes widening as he watched with horror as Scott carried Stiles inside.

There was blood everywhere. So much blood. The scent filled his nostrils, making him want to gag even if he choked it back. “What happened?” His gaze darted from Scott to Lydia, heart pounding heavily. All the color was drained from Stiles’ face, and his eyes were shut.

“The daevas,” Derek said grimly, rising to his feet.

Cora rushed forward to help Scott practically shoving poor Isaac out of the way. She shifted moving the redhead out of the way and grabbing Stiles’ other arm. “Oh my god.”

Scott grunted the pain in his side and arm starting to weigh on him. “Isaac go get my Mom, hurry.” He said no room for argument in his tone. Isaac was gone seconds after Scott’s command.

Scott and Cora moved Stiles to the coffee table needing a flat surface and not positive they’d make it upstairs with him. Once they had him on the table he glanced at Aiden and Ethan. “Grab the first aid kit from the bathroom and then towels and rags.” He said his breathing heavy.

They did as he asked and his gaze shifted to Cora. “We need to get his shirt off to see how-” but she was already ripping it in half, tossing the material aside.

Scott felt a strange sensation and when he glanced up his eyes widened. It was like he felt the moment her body gave out. “Derek grab her,” he called out his voice sharp as he caught sight of an extremely pale faced Lydia wavering on her feet about to hit the ground.

Derek moved quickly, catching Lydia before she could hit the floor and easing her down and onto the sofa, laying her down and gently tucking a pillow under her head, smoothing the hair back and out of her face. When she was resting prone, he looked back at Stiles’ still form, gaze darting to Scott worriedly. He could practically feel the alpha’s fear rolling off him in waves.

Derek reached out and laid a hand on Scott’s arm as if to offer some kind of physical strength to him even if he knew it didn’t really work like that.

Isaac returned a moment later with Melissa right behind him, her eyes widening at the sight of Stiles lying flat on the coffee table, blood everywhere and already pooling on the carpet. “He needs a hospital,” she said without hesitation, even as she moved to Stiles’ side, grabbing one of the towels from Isaac and pressing it to the wounds on his abdomen to stem the blood flow.

“Mom,” Scott’s voice was strained, “He made me promise. Just...I need you to.” Something was wrong. His chest felt tight and he felt light headed. Scott shifted back hand pressed against his chest as he tried to suck in a sharp breath. “What’s happening?” He asked confused.

Cora came back into the room placing the supplies near Scott’s mother and Ethan followed behind her with the last of the towels he could find in addition to the ones his brother already brought in.

Cora side stepped her brother and gripped Scott’s shoulder, “You’re having a panic attack,” she said. She’d only seen it once before and that was with Stiles in Colombia. She pulled him away from Stiles giving Scott’s Mom’s room to work and forced him to lean forward a bit. “Take a deep breath,” she told him quietly her voice controlled despite the fact that she was afraid for Stiles.

Scott did as she said, but he still felt the tightness in his chest as his hands shook slightly. Cora’s grip on him tightened. “Listen to my voice and focus. You’re no help to Stiles if you’re freaking out.” She told him, voice hard but controlled.

Scott swallowed heavily and glanced at Cora. She was right. Stiles needed him to be calm. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Melissa’s gaze shifted momentarily from Stiles to Scott, worry flickering over her eyes. “Scott, are you okay?” she asked as she waited for Ethan to open the first aid kit.

Ethan got it open easily and held it out with one hand, reaching out with the other and gripping gently onto Stiles’ arm as he drained some of the pain away, wincing and looking up at his brother with worried eyes.

Derek sat back down on the edge of the sofa beside Lydia, laying a hand on her arm and rubbing it gently. He thought for now it was probably better that she rest than be awake for what was happening anyway.

“Better?” Cora asked, watching Scott intently, keeping her hands on his shoulders and not looking away even though she wanted to look down and see what was happening with Stiles.

Scott nodded and slowly straightened up. He glanced at Cora the question sitting on the top of his tongue but now wasn’t the time. He squeezed her arm gently and stepped away from her walking back over to Stiles.

Scott glanced up at the sight of both Ethan and Aiden with black veins trailing up their arms. His chest tightened and he rested his hand on Stiles’ opposite arm, gritting his teeth at the pain he felt the minute the black veins made their way up his arms. “Someone call Deaton. He dealt with this when Derek was hurt...and I need him to look at Lydia.” He said his gaze never breaking from Stiles.

Something wasn’t quite right with her though he couldn’t tell what it was. “Mom...what’s happening?” He asked quietly as he watched her cleaning the wounds while she had Ethan keeping pressure on the one’s she hadn’t gotten to yet.

“They’re deep,” Melissa said grimly, not sparing a glance up at him as she worked.

“I’ll call,” Isaac spoke up, looking a little paler than usual as he backed out of the room to find his cell phone in the kitchen.

“I need one of you to listen to his heart and count the beats out loud as they happen,” Melissa said, threading a needle with thread. She hesitated, knowing how much he hated needles. How unpleasant this would be if he woke up in the middle, but she didn’t have any lidocaine to use to numb the area first. “I need someone else to hold him down in case he wakes up.” Normally stitches weren’t used for anything involving an animal bite or scratch, but she knew that what they were dealing with was technically not an animal.

Kira stood silently by the window, looking frightened as she watched, not sure what she could do, or if there was anything she could do at all. She couldn’t take pain the way the werewolves could, and she didn’t know anything about sewing. She moved over to Scott’s side wordlessly, laying a hand on his shoulder.

Scott glanced to his side and a slight hint of relief filled his face at the sight of Kira. He needed her...he needed someone. He tugged her hand off his shoulder and threaded their fingers together and squeezed her hand gently as his eyes moved back to Stiles. He had to be okay. They hadn’t gone through all of this crap for it to end like this. He wouldn’t let it.

Scott’s gaze drifted to Cora who he saw across from him her mouth moving like she was counting and he realized she was doing what his Mother had asked. He released Stiles hand briefly giving himself a minute to let the pain pass in himself before he took his best friends hand again.

A few seconds later Cora stiffened. “I don’t hear it….I don’t hear his heart beating,” she said the fear in her voice which normally didn’t come out was clear as day.

Immediately everyone’s gaze locked on Stiles’ face. Sure enough, he wasn’t breathing either.

“Guys.” There was alarm in Derek’s voice. “Lydia’s heart stopped too.” He moved over her, immediately beginning CPR.

“What’s happening?” Isaac whispered as he appeared in the room once more, holding the phone in his hand and watching as Melissa attempted to revive Stiles while Derek worked on Lydia.

Scott swallowed hard as he stood, “This can’t be happening. How is this happening?” He asked glancing between his friends.

“It’s their connection,” Aiden spoke up, “It has to be right? She’s connected to Stilinski and he’s...hurt pretty bad,” he didn’t dare say he was dying not sure what Scott would actually do to him if the words left his mouth, “If their connection is open and she’s feeling what he’s feeling...does that mean, well, is she hurt too?” He asked not really sure how the whole thing worked.

Isaac stepped forward, “Can we break it? Can we break the connection?” He asked swallowing hard. He had problems with Stiles before he left, but since he’d gotten back things had been good, they’d become friends. The other man stuck up for him with Derek, talked to him...let him share things he hadn’t even shared with Scott not wanting to burden the alpha more than he already had.

And Lydia...if Lydia died it would be like Isaac failed Allison all over again.

“No one is dying,” Melissa said, staring down intently at the boy who was like her second son, had been like her second son since the boys were five. “You are not dying, Stiles.” Her voice was hard, determined.

Not on her watch.

_______

He stood silently in front of the nemeton, watching as it glowed, the way it always did in his dreams. He couldn’t really feel its power now, but he could see it. He wasn’t sure which was worse, but he couldn’t bring himself to look away as thousands of fireflies emerged. Fear shot through him because he knew this wasn’t about to lead to anything good.

It couldn’t possibly lead to anything good. Nothing from this tree brought good things. It brought terror and trauma and death. It brought forced sacrifice and disturbed demonic foxes. Oni.

His heart pounded heavily in his chest as he took a step back, bumping into someone and quickly whirling around, certain he was about to see Oni there.

He blinked in confusion. “Lydia?” he whispered.

Lydia turned at the familiar voice and relief filled her face, “Stiles,” she shifted forward and wrapped her arms around him, some of the fear that had been building inside of her abating when she saw him. She pulled back enough to cup his cheek confusion on her face. “What’s going on? I thought...I could have sworn you were hurt.” She said running a hand down his chest.

Lydia stayed close to him and glanced around, “What’s happening?” She whispered the sight behind him making her tense slightly.

Stiles leaned into her touch, closing his eyes momentarily, and shaking his head. “I’m not sure.” He was fairly certain he had been hurt. But there was no pain now, no sign of injury as he looked down at himself before wrapping his arms around her tightly. “I don’t know what’s happening.”

“I do.” There was a new voice, quiet, familiar and Stiles felt the air leave his lungs as he slowly turned to see Allison Argent standing there.

Lydia’s heart clenched and she turned seconds after Stiles did, tears filling her eyes as her gaze landed on her best friend. “Allison?” She whispered taking a hesitant step forward, away from Stiles and to Allison, not sure if it was some kind of trick, but praying that it wasn’t.

“Hi, Lydia,” she said with a soft smile, stepping toward the banshee.

Stiles hung back, holding his breath. This was so eerily like the dream he’d had before he’d returned to Beacon Hills, except Lydia hadn’t been in it.

Allison wound her arms around her best friend tightly, closing her eyes.

Lydia wrapped her arms around Allison, tears slipping silently down her cheeks. “I miss you every day,” she said softly as she tightened her hold on the brunette. “It was you wasn’t it...in my dream. You saved me. I saw you, I know I did.” She stated as her held her close.

Allison pulled away to look at Lydia, eyes sad as she reached up to cup her cheek in her palm. “I try to watch out for you.”

Stiles felt tears sting his eyes and he rubbed absently at his chest.

Lydia dropped her head her shoulders shaking slightly. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly, “I’m so sorry my message wasn’t clearer.” She pushed down the lump in her throat as she met Allison’s gaze ignoring her tears. “I should have found a better way, I...we miss you so much.” She repeated not sure what else to say, but wanting her to know how much they loved her and how terrible she felt for not being a better friend.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Allison said softly. “None of it was your fault. It was my time. We can’t always predict what’s supposed to happen.” She hugged Lydia once more. “We don’t have much time. You both have to go back.”

“Go back?” Stiles echoed confusion in his voice.

She looked over at him, eyes troubled. “Bardo,” she whispered.

Lydia frowned shifting back, “What? Bardo...but I don’t understand,” something was nagging at the back of her head. Her brows creased an echo of someone’s voice filling her head. “Derek?” she asked confused as she looked at Allison. “How?”

Lydia glanced over her shoulder at Stiles and held out a hand for him, wanting him to come over by her and Allison.

“You were both in the woods, with Scott,” Allison said gently. “Remember?” She looked between them. “You need to use your connection to get back, and you need to do it now.” Her voice was urgent. “You both have to wake up.”

Stiles hesitated but stepped forward, taking Lydia’s hand, threading their fingers together. “How?”

“You already know how,” she said softly.

Lydia shook her head, “I don’t…I don’t know how to get back.” She squeezed Stiles hand or maybe she didn’t want to get back because she was afraid. “If you’re here, can’t we bring you with us?” It was a stupid question. Lydia knew it was. If what Allison was saying was true and deep down she knew it was. She knew what had happened. Stiles was hurt, badly. And their bodies were back there waiting for them; Allison’s however, was not.

“Use your connection,” Allison told them again. “It isn’t time for either of you to be here yet. You have to go back.” She shook her head slightly at Lydia’s question. “Tell my dad I love him. Please? I can’t talk to him the same way I can talk to the two of you.”

Lydia’s chest tightened and she nodded, “I will…” she paused, “Should I,” Lydia pursed her lips, “Do you want me to tell Scott anything?” She asked quietly.

“Tell him it isn’t his fault, either,” Allison said just as quietly.

Lydia nodded, her bottom lip trembling slightly. “I love you,” Lydia said softly her hand tightening on Stiles.

Allison smiled, “I love you, too.” She said her gaze shifting to Stiles. “It’s no one’s fault you know.” She told him quietly. “Least of all yours,” she took a step closer and reached out to him. “I don’t regret one second of my life. You should forgive yourself,” she added quietly her expression pained hating what he had been doing to himself.

Tears prickled at Stiles’ eyes again, but he found he couldn’t speak. Wordlessly he let go of Lydia and wrapped his arms tightly around Allison. His chest was painfully tight and he could feel a strange sensation in his abdomen that he couldn’t place. “Thank you,” he whispered, voice strained. “For everything.”

Allison smiled as she hugged him back. “I told you, you needed to come back,” she whispered as she tightened her grip on him. “The threat is closer than you think,” she said quickly her voice quiet, “Take care of Lydia.” Allison gave him one last squeeze and then stepped back. “You have to go now...it’s already been longer than you should have been gone.” She told them.

Tears streamed down his cheeks as Allison moved away, backing up into the shadows, dissolving into a shower of flickering star light. He reached for Lydia’s hand without looking at her.

Lydia watched her disappear and she shifted closer to Stiles, silent tears sliding down her cheeks. She closed her eyes briefly and then she heard it again. The faint voice of someone calling her back. “Stiles.” She glanced at him, “You’re coming with me.” Lydia turned to face him cupping his cheek. “We’re going to be fine.” 

His eyes shone with tears. “I know,” he whispered.

_______ 

“She’s back,” Derek said loudly, dropping his head for a moment as he heard Lydia’s heart beating again, stronger than before even if it was a little faster than normal. “What about Stiles?”

“He’s back too,” Melissa announced, a rush of air escaping her mouth. “Thank God.” There was blood all over her now, too, her clothes and hands stained with it from giving him chest compressions. “I need someone to monitor again. Cora?”

Cora wiped her hand against her face, her skin coming away wet as she nodded. “I’ve got it,” she said hoarsely, Isaac’s hands resting gently on her shoulders squeezing softly, giving her support.

Scott let out a harsh breath and shifted pulling Kira into his arms needing a minute to calm down and catch his breath. He’d never been so terrified in his life.

Deaton had gotten there not long after the commotion. He stood beside Melissa testing the syringe he’d filled with a sedative. He used the alcohol to rub a small spot on Stiles’ arm and then plunged the needle in. He took a moment pulled it out and then put it in a small case. “That should keep him down for the count and when you’re done sewing him up I’ve got herbs to put over the stitched up wounds before he’s bandaged up.” He said quietly taking another syringe out and moving towards Lydia.

“Thank you, Deaton,” Melissa said sincerely, drawing in a shaky breath. “I need to go wash my hands before I finish up.” She rose to her feet, tears blurring her eyes as she headed away, toward the bathroom.

Ethan looked up at Scott with worried eyes and then back down at Stiles, continuing to apply pressure the wounds on his side as he waited for Melissa to return.

Derek shifted away from Lydia just enough to give Deaton room to work on her if he needed to do something, his eyes intense and watchful. “Did this happen because of their connection? Or was it because she used her powers like that again? The forcefield thing?”

Deaton glanced at Derek and pursed his lips. “I believe their connection is what brought him back,” he glanced over at Stiles. “Lydia…” he shook his head as he injected the needle into her arm. “They have opened themselves up to the connection again,” he told him quietly glancing briefly at Scott who had moved back over to Stiles and was helping stop the blood flow.

“Which is good. It’s also probably the only reason she’s alive right now.” Deaton pursed his lips, “She shouldn’t go out there again until she knows how to control her powers.” He glanced up at Derek, knowing Scott wasn’t fit to handle things at the moment with the condition Stiles was in. “Heed my warning please, this time was worse than the last. I don’t know whose heart stopped, his or hers, but whichever it was took the other with them into what I can only assume is a limbo of some sort.” He explained.

“Next time, she might not be so lucky.” Deaton stood and then rolled up his sleeves as he shifted away from Derek.

Derek pursed his lips, troubled by Deaton’s words, but nodding to show that he understood.

“Tell your Mom I can handle the rest, why don’t you go check on her Scott, Stiles is in good hands.” He told him sending the alpha a calm smile as he grabbed some gloves and a needle and thread from his bag.

Derek looked around at the others. “Did everyone hear that? No one goes back out into those woods again until we know how to kill these things. End of story.” His voice was sharp.

Both of the twins nodded silently and Isaac rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, casting a worried glance at Scott, who stood silent at Stiles’ side, holding onto his hand. He hesitated. “Got it,” he confirmed. “I’ll go check on Melissa?” he offered uncertainly.

Scott shifted his gaze to Isaac, “Please,” he said quietly, “I don’t want to leave him just yet.” He said quietly his hands tightening on Stiles’ arm slightly taking more of his pain before glancing over at Isaac and sending him a grateful look.

Isaac nodded quickly and headed away.

“I’m going to need someone to help me shift Stiles onto his side so I can take care of the wounds there,” Deaton said, glancing around at all the werewolves in the room.

Aiden glanced around and then hesitated before moving to the side where Stiles had been clawed. Resting one hand on his shoulder and the other on his right hip, he rolled him carefully, gaze dropping to his back. “Jesus,” he whispered before he could stop himself.

Scott froze at the sight of Stiles’ back. He knew those kinds of wounds. He had those kinds of wounds. His gaze shifted to Cora. “It was Stiles wasn’t it? He helped get me away from the hunters.” He pointed to his friend’s back, “They did that to me...twice. This was Colombia?” he questioned his chest tightening as anger and guilt built in his chest.

How could he have not known? How could he have been so blind? Scott’s gaze shifted back to the welts on Stiles back, scars from excessive whipping. He visibly flinched. Every so often Scott still woke up from nightmares of the time he spent in the hunter camp. He couldn’t believe Stiles had been there too.

His hands tightened on Kira as his gaze shifted to the tattoos on his best friends back. He hadn’t even known that he had any. Scott pursed his lips as Deaton worked on his friend’s injuries. He tilted his head spotting the names within the tree and then to the left he fivefold knot. Scott swallowed heavily noticing how everyone else in the room was silent.

Cora’s expression was pained at Scott’s question and she dropped her gaze to the floor. “He didn’t want you to know,” she admitted. Stiles hadn’t wanted anyone to know and she knew him well enough to realize that if she hadn’t actually been there, he wouldn’t have told her, either. “He knew you’d blame yourself, and it wasn’t your fault either.” She looked over at Scott. She remembered how desperate Stiles had been to save Scott’s life because he knew that the people they were dealing with -- the Spanish hunters led by Araya -- wouldn’t leave him alive when they were done torturing him.

They wouldn’t have left Stiles alive either. But Stiles wasn’t a werewolf. He hadn’t recovered in a couple of days the way that Scott had. It had taken a lot longer. She fell silent, lowering her gaze once more and not looking at anyone.

“But why would they...I mean he’s not even a werewolf.” Kira’s voice was quiet, and she sounded like she was on the verge of crying.

“They saw him as a traitor to the human race,” Cora said bitterly.

Ethan shook his head, “Hunters...so blinded by their own hatred of us that they can’t even see how much worse they are than us,” he said quietly.

Aiden nodded in agreement, pursing his lips. “Stilinski and I will never be...besties, but he didn’t deserve that. No one deserves to be tortured like that.” He said anger in his eyes.

Scott pinched the bridge of his nose. Of course his best friend had been thinking of him. It never ceased to amaze him how completely selfless his best friend was. He rested a hand on his arm and spoke quietly, “No one says anything to my Mom or Lydia.” He paused, “If Stiles wants them to know he’ll tell them.” Though he didn’t imagine his friend could hide it forever. More people than he probably ever wanted knew now.

Deaton glanced at him momentarily before he finished stitching Stiles’ side wound up. It looked like the kid was going to end up with a few more scars before it was all said and done. He put away his equipment carefully and rose to his feet, reaching out and laying a hand on Scott’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “It might be good to move him somewhere a little more comfortable,” he advised.

Aiden carefully rolled Stiles back onto his back once more. He let out a breath and glanced at Scott. “You want our help getting him upstairs?”

Scott was silent for a minute before lifting Kira’s hand to his lips a pressing a kiss there before releasing her hand and nodding. “Yeah, that would be good.” He said as he shifted forward and carefully lifted the upper half of Stiles’ body.

“Cora, do you think you and Kira can clean off the table...I don’t want my Mom to have to do that,” he said quietly not even wanting to think what was going to happen when the sheriff finally made his way home.