Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 Airport was surprisingly busy for the time of day.  The clock was ticking closer to eight o’clock as two girls anxiously waited near a window to watch for a landing plane.  The girls, one redhead, and one brunette, eagerly chatted about anything they could think of as they waited, their hands holding a well-decorated sign that read “Welcome home, Allison!”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“So, Annie’s really on the squad?  After all she’s done to you?” Lydia asked, leaning forward with her hands on the armrests of her seat as she peered out the large window.  When she saw that the plane she had spotted was flying over the landing strip instead of lowering down to run it, she sighed and returned her gaze to her friend, “Why would Lex allow that?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“It’s politics, Lyds.  She couldn’t say no to Annie’s new wolf powers.  Reynolds can stunt with the best of us now, as much as I hate to say it.” Kat grumbled, shrugging as she checked her phone.  It wasn’t even seven forty-five yet, and the fact brought a frown to Kat’s face.  Both girls were getting antsy as they awaited their friend’s return.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Yeah, but come on, Kat.  Can’t you do something about it?  You’re co-captain!” Lydia said, laughing as she continued to look for their friend’s plane. “She’s, like, Annie .  She can’t be a cheerleader; being a werewolf shouldn’t change that.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat chuckled, shaking her head as she pocketed her phone, “After we got our asses handed to us at State last year, we need her.  Even if she makes me want to drop her from the top of the pyramid with her snippy little comments.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Lydia and Kat laughed together, but they quickly quieted down when an announcement started to echo through the small airport.“ Flight AA638 has landed and is preparing for exit.  Flight AA364 may now prepare to board.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“That’s Allison’s flight!” Lydia excitedly said, eagerly standing up and pulling Kat along with her.  The McCall girl hardly had enough time to secure her hold on the sign before she stumbled after Lydia.  Kat laughed at Lydia as they made their way to the gate to greet Allison the moment she stepped into the airport.  The girls laughed as they watched the passengers on the plane start to depart, carrying their carry-ons close to their chests and taking deep breaths of fresh air.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Allison and Chris Argent were in the middle of the crowd of passengers, looking relieved to be off the small plane.  The Beacon Hills Regional Airport flights were crowded on the largest planes; Kat couldn’t imagine how cramped Allison must have felt on that flight.  It surprised Kat when Allison’s cousins Sarah and Ellie followed Chris, laughing with one another and struggling to keep hold of their bags.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Are those Allison’s cousins?  Did you know they were coming back?” Lydia asked, a bit of a frown forming on her face as she looked at the Argent cousins.  Kat shrugged, silently telling Lydia that she didn’t know they were staying in Beacon Hills.  Truth be told, Kat hadn’t been in contact with Sarah since the night that Jackson had become a werewolf.  She had pulled up Sarah’s contact several times, her mouth twisting into a frown when she looked at the picture of the two of them in their San Francisco cheer uniforms with their pom-poms framing their faces, but she couldn’t bring herself to actually call her.  She missed Sarah, but she didn’t know what to say to her.  What was there to say when they were on opposing sides of a war?

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The plane passengers were nearing the door into the airport, and Lydia snatching Kat’s arm in her hand brought her back to herself.  Kat chuckled as Lydia pulled her through the crowd that had accumulated around the door so that they could be the first faces that Allison saw.  Lydia and Kat held the sign above their heads as the Argents crossed through the door, calling out their friend’s name to earn her attention.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Allison!”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Alli, over here!”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Allison’s eyes immediately found her friends, and a pretty smile spread across her face as she pushed her way through the crowd.  Kat grinned and dropped the sign, opening her arms wide for Allison.  The Argent jumped into her friend’s arms, the three girls rocking back and forth as they hugged.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Oh, I missed you guys!” Allison sighed, tightening her arms before letting go and stepping back.  She motioned to the sign in Lydia’s hand, giggling as she read it, “You guys are ridiculous.  You didn’t have to make me a sign.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Sure we did.” Kat shrugged, holding a hand to her chest as she said, “It’s my duty as co-captain of the BHHS cheer squad to make fun signs.  It’s actually in the bylaws, you know.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The girls laughed, falling back into the groove of their friendship before Allison left at the beginning of the summer when Chris, Sarah, and Ellie joined them.  Kat was slightly thrown off by how she was greeted by Sarah and Ellie.  The younger Argent girl would have jumped onto her, attacking her in a loving hug and squealing with excitement, while the older Argent girl would have just stood to the side and laughed, offering a small, silent greeting as Ellie hugged her.  Instead, however, they simply stared at her and gave her small smiles as a form of greeting.  Ellie didn’t even try to leave her sister’s side to hug Kat.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“How nice of you girls to meet us at the airport,” Chris said, adjusting his bags as he picked Allison’s up from the ground.  Kat and Lydia shared a brief glance before looking at the Argent man with mischievous smiles.  Chris had grown to know what that smile meant; he had received it too many times from Allison and Sarah over the summer, so he surrendered before they even had to ask. “Yes, Allison can go out tonight.  But no later than eleven, you hear me?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Yes, Mr. Argent.” Lydia drawled, playfully rolling her eyes as she started to link her elbows through Kat’s and Allison’s. “We’ll have her home by midnight, we promise.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎With that, Lydia pulled the McCall and Argent girls with her towards the airport exit, eager to catch up with Allison after a summer of her being away.  The three girls laughed and chatted the whole way to Lydia’s house, where they made up Allison and replaced her travel attire with a new long sleeve shirt and skinny jeans.  It wasn’t totally Allison’s style, but it was what was on hand, and Lydia wanted her to look nice.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“So, can I ask why we’re playing Barbie Dress-Up on me, or am I just supposed to shut up and take it?” Allison quipped, smirking at Lydia in the vanity mirror as Lydia started to mess with Allison’s hair.  Kat was poking through Lydia’s closet, looking for a pair of shoes to match the outfit they had put Allison in, and she stuck her head out to grin at the Argent girl.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Did you forget that you’re never supposed to question Lydia’s sudden makeover urges?” Kat joked, winking at the Martin girl when she gave her an exasperated sigh. “She’s just making you look less . . . How do I put this nicely?  Travel chic?  You’ve got a double date tonight.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“A double date?” Allison exclaimed, pulling her head away from Lydia’s hands and meeting her green eyes with a pointed stare. “Lydia, I’m not ready to get back out there, not after I literally just got back.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Lydia huffed, rolling her eyes and forcing Allison back into a seated position facing the vanity so she could finish her hair. “It is not a double date.  Kat, Stiles, and Spence are going, too.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat’s brows furrowed as she stepped out of the closet completely, holding a pair of boots in her hands as she crossed the room to her friends. “No, me and Stiles have our own thing.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Your own thing?” Lydia scoffed, parting Allison’s hair and pulling the top portion back into a ponytail on the crown of her head. “You have got to come up with a better way to say you’re hooking up.  You could say you’re getting milkshakes with Kelis.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“We are not hooking up!” Kat groaned, shaking her head and setting the boots beside Allison.  She crossed her arms and leaned against the vanity, “If you must know, we’re in the middle of a Star Wars marathon.  I’ve never seen them, and he’s been dying to watch them with me.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Allison made a noise of understanding, “Oh, so you’re having an afternoon delight, got it.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“I mean, we might order a pizza or something, but -- “ Kat paused, finally getting what the Argent girl was hinting at. “Oh, my god.  No!  We’re genuinely just watching movies.  I don’t think that he’s ready for that yet.  Every time we get a little bit of alone time, he clams up and starts talking about how Scott or Spence could walk in at any moment.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Lydia laughed as she finished tying Allison’s hair up, sounding almost condescending, but Kat knew she didn’t mean it that way. “He’s a teenage boy that’s been in love with you since we were six.  Of course, he’s ready for that.  Maybe he thinks you’re not ready.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat shook her head, biting her lips as she shrugged her shoulders. “We’re taking it slow.  Besides, with Scott and Spence hanging around all the time, it’s not like anything could happen.   Wolf hearing, remember?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“There’s taking it slow, and then there’s not moving at all.   Can you guess which one you and Stiles are doing?” Lydia teased, nudging Kat’s shoulder with her own as she searched through her makeup on her vanity.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat grumbled, pulling her phone out of her pocket to see that Stiles had texted her, “Can we talk about something else, please?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The girls quickly moved on to a different topic of conversation as Lydia put the finishing touches on Allison’s makeup. “You know, I didn’t think I’d like the short hair look on you, but I actually really love it, Alli.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Allison’s face brightened, “Really?  Thank you!”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat laughed, “I remember the FaceTime call.  It was three AM for me, but you called me in complete hysterics because you had just cut your own hair and was on your way to a salon to fix it.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“You did not cut your own hair.  My god, Allison!” Lydia scolded, her mouth tightening into a frown as she shook her head.  Allison simply shrugged and gave the Martin girl a guilty smile. “Please never do something that impulsive again.  I can’t believe you did that!”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Allison snorted, shaking her head. “Lydia, it’s just hair.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“That you impulsively cut!”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The lighthearted conversation followed the girls out to Lydia’s car after Kat had informed her that Stiles was on his way over to her house with Scott and Spence, and they started the trek across town to the McCall house.  They were on the last stretch of a lonely road on the outskirts of town when Kat decided to poke fun at Lydia for setting up a double date under Allison’s nose and disguising it as a group thing by randomly involving Kat, Stiles, and Spencer.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“So, Lyds, this double date that you’re dragging Allison on.” Kat started, leaning up between the front seats to mischievously grin at her redheaded friend. “Who are you going with?  Chad and Brady from the football team?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Yes, actually.  It is Chad and Brady from the football team.” Lydia scowled at Kat, but the playful glint in her eye told Kat that she wasn’t upset with her. “And, it is not a double date.  It is a group thing.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Do they know it’s a group thing?” Allison asked, meeting Kat’s eyes in the backseat as they laughed together before she became serious, a hint of uncertainty hiding in her voice. “’Cause I told you that I’m not ready to get back out there.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Lydia paused, her lips pursed slightly before she decided to try to convince her from a different angle. “You were in France and didn’t do any dating?  For four months?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat sat back, softly smiling as she spoke, wanting to bring back some of the lightheartedness from before. “Well, I did do some dating.  With Stiles.  Just Stiles, no one else.  Who is fantastic, by the way, if you were wondering.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Are you sure you’re not hooking up?” Allison asked, grinning at the McCall girl as she twisted in the front seat to look at her. “I mean, you sound like someone who has definitely lost their V-Card.  Recently, might I add.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat snorted, shaking her head. “Yeah, very sure.  Why are you two so interested in the status of my virginity, anyway?  I wasn’t the only one doing things this summer, Lydia .”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Allison’s eyes bugged slightly before she looked at Lydia again, “So, you are dating people?  I mean, after -- “

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Do not say his name.” Lydia snapped, biting her lip as an odd silence blanketed the car.  Kat should have warned Allison earlier.  Jackson was an off-limits topic around Lydia; it was best not to think about him when she was around.  Kat pursed her lips as she glanced between her friends in the front seat of the car, unsure of what to say to ease the tension, but Allison had already asked another question before she could come up with something.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Is he okay?” Allison asked, still referring to Jackson.  Kat winced and wrinkled her nose, unsure of how the conversation would go. “I mean, did everything work out?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Lydia was quiet for a brief second, deciding what to say, “Well, the doctors looked like total idiots when he turned up alive, but everyone got over it.  And, yes, Derek taught him the Werewolf 101 .  Like, how not to randomly kill people during a full moon.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Allison smiled in Lydia’s direction, chuckling slightly before she said, “So, then, you’ve talked to him.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Uh . . . Not since he left for London.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“You mean since his dad moved him to London.” Allison pointed out, trying to correct Lydia’s words, but the Martin girl was set in her story.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Whatever.  He left.” Lydia put a short emphasis on the word “ left ,” and the conversation ended there.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat snickered in the backseat, a sarcastic comment ready and waiting. “I'd pay good money to see Jackson Whittemore: The American Werewolf in London .”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Allison laughed at Kat’s comment before returning to the original topic, urging Lydia to admit to what the Martin girl had wanted Allison to do before the conversation turned to Jackson. “So, you’re totally over him?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Would I be going on a double date if I wasn’t?” Lydia sharply asked, her eyes narrowing into a pointed stare as Allison tricked her into saying that it was indeed a double date.  Kat and Allison laughed, high-fiving one another at their unintentional teamwork.  Lydia sighed, rolling her eyes as she said, “Yes, it is a double date.  It’s not an orgy.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎At Lydia’s words, Kat burst into a loud fit of laughter, “Thank god Stiles and I aren’t going.  I wouldn’t want to have an orgy in the back room of the bowling alley.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The car stopped at a red light as Allison and Lydia made disgusted noises at Kat’s comment.  The Martin girl shook her head in disappointment as she pointed at Allison, “You left me alone with this one and Stiles for double dates all summer, Argent.  You’ll live through one double date as payback.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Kat, sometimes I wonder how your mind comes up with such weird scenarios, but then I remember that you’re dating Stiles,” Allison said, laughing at the McCall girl. “He’s polluted your mind, and I hate him for it.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Hey, I happen to love dating the guy that comes up with the most creative fake scenarios.  It makes life interesting.” Kat shrugged, laughing with her friends.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“It makes for a long summer that I couldn’t get through fast enough.” Lydia corrected, earning a loud laugh from Allison.  The Argent girl looked at her redheaded friend, ready with a comment about how dealing with her and Jackson pre-breakup left her feeling the same way, but the moment her eyes glanced out of Lydia’s window, the smile on her face dropped faster than Kat had ever seen it.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Allison started stuttering, her eyes growing wide as they began to rapidly search for an escape through her window. “Oh, my god.  Oh, my god, oh my god, oh, my god, I can’t see him.  Not now!”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat leaned forward through the front seats and looked through Lydia’s window, seeing a familiar baby blue jeep parked at the stoplight beside them.  Stiles and Scott were in the front seats, and Spencer was in the same position that Kat was in, laughing at Allison’s reaction.  Kat grinned when she saw Stiles’s expression, a conflicting mixture of pain for his friend and amusement at the situation.  Scott was slouching in the front seat, his face turned away from Lydia’s car.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat could hear his panicked voice, much like Allison’s, and started to chuckle. “Tonight just keeps getting better and better.” Kat mused, waving at her boyfriend as he nodded his head in their direction with a smug grin.  He was enjoying this turn of events more than Kat was, and that just amused her further.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Lydia, go!” Allison quickly said, her voice sounding shrill with dismay. “Just go!”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Lydia, much like Kat, wanted to see how this was going to turn out for Allison and Scott and simply said, “But, the light.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Allison had completely turned away from her friends, her eyes transfixed on the darkness outside the window, but Kat had heard something that drew her attention back to Scott, Stiles, and Spencer.  Stiles had leaned across Scott’s lap and was rolling down the window, a large smile on his face as he called out to them.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Hey!  Kat, can you get -- “

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Before Stiles could ask Kat to get Allison’s attention, Lydia floored the gas pedal, and the car jerked through the intersection before speeding down the road.  Kat yelped and shot forward from the action, landing on the center console with a hard thud.  She groaned and pushed herself back into a sitting position, her hand rubbing the sore spot of her stomach that hit the console.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Next time you impulsively break the law by running a red light, give a girl a little warning.” Kat sighed, her face scrunching uncomfortably as she sat back.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Lydia glanced back at Kat, a smart-ass look on her face as she said, “Put your seatbelt on.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Okay, I’m used to Stiles’ car where there are no seatbelts in the backseat, and -- “

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Lydia, stop.” Allison cut Kat off, peering through the back windshield to watch the jeep behind them. “We need to go back.  I need to talk to him.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Lydia sighed and slowly pulled the car to a stop before putting it in park.  The three girls turned around to see that Stiles’ jeep had stopped as well, sitting patiently in the center of the road behind them.  Kat’s brows furrowed, wondering what they were up to.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“They stopped, too.  Why would they stop?” Allison asked, voicing the question all three of them were thinking.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Lydia scoffed, shaking her head as she brushed off the odd behavior. “It’s Scott, Stiles, and Spence.  Do you really wanna try applying logic to those three?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Allison paused, “Maybe we should go back -- “

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Allison was cut short by the loud and sudden sound of glass shattering.  Kat screamed, her eyes locked on the windshield as glass flew towards her and landed in her lap.  Lydia and Allison were screaming as well, unable to believe their eyes.  A buck had smashed through the windshield, lying dead on the hood of Lydia’s car as its blood dripped from the broken window pane.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The three girls quickly recovered from the initial shock and scrambled out of the car, nearly falling to their knees in fright once their feet touched the pavement.  Kat backed away from the car, her eyes wide and her breathing rapid as she tried to calm herself down.  Kat was gasping for air, her wild eyes searching the forest on either side of the lonely road for any type of explanation.  How could a deer just run into a parked car like that?

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Are you okay?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Are you hurt?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“What the hell just happened?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Stiles, Spencer, and Scott appeared at the girls’ sides, each of them asking their own questions.  Stiles had rushed to Kat’s aid, his hands grabbing her waist and holding her at arm’s length so he could look her over for injuries.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Are you alright?  You’re not hurt, are you?” Stiles asked, his eyes zeroing in on a small amount of blood on Kat’s cheek.  His hand reached up and gently wiped the blood away, quietly apologizing when Kat hissed in pain.  Kat grabbed his hand from her face and squeezed, nodding as she met his eyes and silently letting him know that she was alright.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“It came out of nowhere!” Lydia wailed, holding onto Spencer’s arm for a sense of security, “It ran right into us.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Scott was solely focused on Allison, “Are you okay?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The Argent girl thickly swallowed, coming to terms with the closeness between herself and Scott and nodding as she said, “I’m okay.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎There was a beat of silence before Lydia shrilly said, “Well, I’m not okay!  I am totally freaking out!  How the hell does it just run into us?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Spencer was at a loss for words, shaking his head as he tried to think of something to comfort her.  Kat had found herself leaning into Stiles, sighing as he wrapped his arms around her as if it would keep her safe, and watched as Scott slowly stepped around Allison to examine the buck.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Lydia had quieted her hysterics, but her voice was now cracking with stress and fear, “I saw its eyes right before it hit us.  It was like it . . . It was like it was crazy.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Scott shook his head, his eyes still locked on the deer. “No, it was scared.” He hesitantly reached out, his hand resting on the neck of the deer before he corrected himself. “Actually, terrified.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The six teens fell into an uneasy silence, waiting with bated breath as one of them decided what to do next.  The McCall girl felt a dark feeling settle into the pit of her stomach, making her feel queasy and uncomfortable.  Kat drew in a shaky breath and glanced up and down the road, unsure what she was looking for.  Then, finally, her eyes found the moon.  It was nearly full, just not quite there.  She had heard of animals acting out on full moons; maybe it was starting to act out as the moon neared the full phase?  It couldn’t be that uncommon for animals to act bizarrely before a full moon, could it?

･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The McCall home was quiet the following morning.  Melissa was at the hospital, finishing up her twelve-hour shift before she could go home and pass out.  Scott could hear Kat shuffling around in her room, pacing back and forth across the length of her room as she tried to distract herself by preparing for the day, and Kat could hear Scott doing his morning pull-ups as he thumbed through a book.  That was something Kat had definitely had to get used to over the summer.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎After Allison left for France, Scott wallowed in his room for a while before Kat, Spencer, and Stiles had finally pulled him out of his mountain of blankets and takeout boxes and forced him back into life.  Unfortunately, Kat had to leave for cheer camp after that, but when she returned, Scott was up at six every morning, taking Kota and heading out for a jog before returning to the house to get a brief workout in before school.  While he worked out, he read a classic novel, and then he made a healthy breakfast for himself and his mother and sister to enjoy.  Kat was flabbergasted at first, unable to believe that her brother was being so productive during the summer months, but it was nice to see.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat had just finished tying her hair up with her sparkly cheer bow and pinning it in place when the music coming from her phone quieted down, and a sharp chime cut through the quiet of the room before the music returned to its original volume.  Kat glanced over her reflection for a second more before crossing the room and reaching for her phone on her bedside table.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Her hand was inches from her phone when Kota jumped up from her spot on Kat’s bed and snapped at Kat, her teeth grazing Kat’s fingers before Kat could pull her hand away.  Kat cursed and gasped in shock, holding her hand close to her chest as she stared at her dog with wide eyes.  Kota was now standing on Kat’s bed, her ears pulled back against her head as she bared her teeth at her owner, a low snarl escaping as she bent her back legs into a crouch.  Kat stumbled backward, her back hitting her dresser as Kota continued to growl at her.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Easy, girl,” Kat said, trying her hardest to keep her voice calm and even.  Kota had never snapped at her, let alone acted this way.  She was a gentle soul; she had never been threatening towards Kat.  Kat hesitantly held a hand out to her dog, “What’s going on?  What happened, girl?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kota suddenly leaped off of Kat’s bed and hid under it, whining as she burrowed herself further under the bed frame.  Kat, now more worried about her dog than anything, crouched on the floor and peered under her bed, her eyes searching for her dog.  Kota was in the far corner, putting as much distance as she could between herself and her owner, nearly shaking with fright.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Kota, come here, girl.” Kat quietly tried, reaching her hand under the bed towards her dog.  The black dog whimpered and moved further away from Kat.  Kat sighed and laid flat on the floor, scooching under the bed as much as possible as she continued to reach for her dog.  She strained her arm, hand stretching as far as it could, as she encouraged her dog to come out from under her bed. “Kota, baby, c’mon.  There’s nothing bad out here.  Come on out.  Kota, girl, come on -- OW!  What the hell!”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kota’s jaw clamped around Kat’s arm, teeth tearing through the fabric of her cheer uniform and breaking her skin.  Kat yelped and yanked her arm back from under the bed, pushing herself away from the bed, separating herself from her dog, and holding her arm close to her chest.  She hissed in pain as she looked over her arm, her face pinching in disappointment as she watched the blood seep into the fabric of her uniform.  At least the material was already red, but it was torn where Kota’s teeth ripped through it.  She knew that she’d have to cover up with her varsity jacket for the day.  However, the bite mark was slowly healing itself, the puncture wounds shrinking and closing until they smoothed over, and Kat could feel that they were completely healed.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎A knock sounded on her door, quickly followed by Scott’s voice. “Kat?  Everything okay?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Yeah!” Kat immediately called back, standing up from the floor and snatching her varsity jacket from the foot of her bed, throwing it over her shoulders before crossing her bedroom to open the door.  Scott was still in his sweats and a tank top, but his hair was styled, and he smelled like Irish Spring.  Kat knew she couldn’t lie to him; he had heard everything, “Kota’s just on edge today for some reason, she snapped at me.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Did she get you?” Scott asked, peering around his sister to look for the dog.  Kat glanced behind her to see that Kota was now back on Kat’s bed, staring at her owners with something of a smile on her face.  Kat’s brows furrowed again before she looked at her brother again, shaking her head.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Just a graze, nothing serious.  I’m already healed.” Kat said, almost nonchalantly, as she waved her arm around indistinctly.  Scott’s eyes narrowed on her arm, a frown settling on his face.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“She’s never done that before.” Scott simply stated, not asking for confirmation.  Kat was quiet for a moment, waiting for Scott to say something else. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat nodded, trying to offer a convincing smile.  She was rattled on the inside, but she refused to let it show on the outside.  She didn’t like what had just happened.  It left a feeling in the pit of her stomach like the night before. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Scott nodded as well, hesitating in her doorway.  Kat nervously bit her lip, her eyes wandering before settling on Scott’s arm.  Her brows knitted together, and her head tilted slightly.  There was supposed to be a tattoo there.  That’s where he, Stiles, and Spencer were last night.  They had gone a few towns over to a tattoo parlor because Scott had spent all summer drawing the same thing over and over, and he finally decided to get it tattooed.  It was simple, just two rings, one around the other, and he wanted them circling his left bicep.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“What happened to your tattoo?  Don’t tell me you chickened out.” Kat suddenly asked, motioning to his arm with a joking grin.  Scott glanced towards his bicep, his right hand slowly coming up and running over the place his tattoo was supposed to be.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Scott shook his head, “No, I didn’t.  It just healed a little too perfectly.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat’s face dropped, her mouth forming a slight ‘o’ shape. “I guess that makes sense.  I’m sorry it didn’t work.  I know you were looking forward to it.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Scott shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets, nodding as he asked, “How are you?  I mean, since last night?”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat paused, turning to walk back into her room and settle at her desk.  She picked up her bag, packing a few last-minute things into it as she sighed, one shoulder rising slightly. “I’m fine.  The cut healed before we even got home last night.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Good, that’s good,” Scott said, hovering in Kat’s doorway.  Kat continued to move about her room, making sure she had everything she needed for the first day, occasionally glancing toward Scott as she did so.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“You good?” Kat finally asked, raising a brow at him as she grabbed her phone off the charger and paused her music. “Don’t you need to finish getting ready?  It’s already seven-fifteen.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Scott looked at Kat with a confused expression before his jaw slacked, and he started to spaz, “Oh, shoot!”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat laughed as she watched Scott stumble across the hallway to his room, slamming the door shut and making a bee-line to his closet.  Kat spared a glance towards her dog, who was now lying across the foot of Kat’s bed with the most unbothered look on her furry face.  The McCall girl scoffed, shaking her head skeptically before she decided to leave her room.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎“Do you still want a ride to school?” Kat called through Scott’s door as she passed it, pausing as she waited for a response. “I’ve got time before my cheer meeting.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat heard Scott stop moving for a split second as he debated his answer before he said, “No, thanks, I’ll take my bike.  See you later.”

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Even though Scott couldn’t see her, Kat nodded her head and echoed his last sentence as she moved down the hall and descended the stairs before leaving the McCall house.  Kat liked the drive to school during the early mornings; there was hardly anyone on the road.  The quietness of the morning helped her prepare for whatever crazy supernatural happenings were occurring last semester, giving her time to clear her mind and come to terms with what crazy information she had learned the night before.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎This morning was no different, but something was bothering her.  She hadn’t paid any mind to the first few stop signs, but after the fourth or fifth one, she started to get an uneasy feeling in her stomach.  There was a crow perched atop every stop sign, waiting patiently and watching Kat’s car as she came to a stop.  Kat stared at the black bird, her teeth drawing her bottom lip into her mouth as she did so.  Birds had never scared her before, in fact, they were her favorite type of animal, but there was just something about each one on each stop sign.  It left an eerie feeling knotting into her stomach, one that she hadn’t felt since the last time she had seen her birth mother, Jane.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎Kat had spent a lot of her summer trying to find anything she could on eternimas, wanting to know more about her type of supernatural species.  She and Lydia had spent two weeks straight scrolling through the Argents’ bestiary to see if they had an entry on eternimas, but their efforts proved futile when they reached the end of it without so much as an annotation on the side of a page.  However, she was successful in learning how to build and control her powers.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎After it was discovered that she had access to werewolf and kanima powers as well as her own eternima powers, Scott and Spencer helped her learn her limits and the extent of her powers.  In doing so, she had also learned that she didn’t have to use them all the time.  Kat didn’t like how overwhelming it was to hear the song Lydia listened to as she pulled up to Kat’s house, she didn’t like smelling the sickness in someone’s blood at the hospital.  As an eternima, she could turn it off.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎However, one thing she hadn’t been able to master was her eternima powers.  Most of them were still undiscovered.  She didn’t know how to get in contact with Jane.  It had happened only a few times accidentally, at the most random times, during the previous semester and not at all during the summer.  Still, Kat couldn’t figure out the similarity between those times she saw her so she could attempt it again.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The sound of a car horn pulled Kat out of her thoughts, her eyes refocusing as she shook her head.  She had moved on; the supernatural problems they faced were over.  It had been months since anything like that happened, and now she could move on living her everyday life as an eternima.  Kat focused her mind on that thought, turning on her blinker and waving apologetically at the car behind her as she turned the corner.  Her eyes avoided the crow as she did so, leaving it behind on that stop sign and focusing on the day ahead.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎The first day of junior year.