Work Text:
Liam’s body jolted when another current of electricity ran through his body, his fingers starting to cramp where they were locked around the chain link fence he could feel himself tied to. His head fell forward as Gerard turned the generator off, short, shallow breaths left his lungs, his legs beginning to wobble.
The sun had risen twice since he had been here, and now, it was coming up again, though Liam could barely see it. He had been here for three, maybe four days, and there was nothing. Nothing from Scott, nothing from Theo. Nothing from Mason, or Stiles, or Derek, or anyone.
Nothing.
He whimpered quietly when Gerard grabbed a fistful of his hair, pulling his head upright. Liam could feel his breath fanning across Liam’s cheeks, and Liam tried to pull back against the hand in his hair, but Gerard tightened his fingers, shaking his head a little.
“I’m not done with you yet.” It sounded like a snarl, and Liam’s brows furrowed, his lip starting to wobble.
He wanted to go home, and lay in his bed. He wanted to be curled up with his laptop, watching shitty ass sitcoms. He didn’t want to be here anymore, he didn’t want to be electrocuted again. He wanted to be free.
“Please…” His voice shook on his whisper, and Gerard’s eyes turned into a mock-sympathy, giving an exaggerated frown.
“Does someone want to go home, hm?” Liam tried to pull back again, but let out a yelp when Gerard yanked his head forward. “You’ll die before you see the light of day again.”
Liam wanted to be a smart ass, wanted to tell Gerard that the sun was shining through the crack of a window, but he knew it was best to keep his lips sealed, not further, nor encourage, more of the endless torture.
“They’re not coming for you.” Gerard’s words cut through Liam like a knife, and Liam’s eyes filled to the brim with tears, his lip starting to aggressively shake, his eyes darting between the old man’s. “You’ll die all alone… isn’t that a pity?”
Gerard let Liam’s hair go, allowing Liam’s body to slump against the chains of the fence, his body exhausting itself as he tried to hold himself up. It was no use, he figured. He’d be dead by tonight.
Gerard walked himself out of the room, leaving Liam to his own company. The silence in the room was deafening, and Liam?
Well, Liam didn’t have any fight left in him anymore. He let the tears freely fall down his face, he let himself gasp through his cries, his throat being scratched raw. He let himself scream till he was blue in the face, growing hoarse. He let himself slump further, until he felt his body hit the floor, his hands dangling above him, the cuffs digging into the skin of his wrists.
He simply didn’t care anymore. He knew Gerard’s men would come for him soon, and he’d let them.
His eyes fell shut, and then it all faded to black.
**
Theo snarled in Scott’s face, pushing firmly at the alpha’s chest, his eyes flashing a deep gold. Scott growled lowly, a warning, but Theo didn’t give a shit. How could Scott tell them that they needed to understand there was a possibility Liam was dead?
“He’s not fucking dead, you dick.” Theo’s words lisped around his fangs, but his tone was firm. “You’d feel it, we’d all feel it.”
Derek was the one who pulled him away from Scott’s body, a firm hand wrapping around his bicep, keeping itself there even as Theo was put on the opposite side of the room. He knew the bond that they all felt with Liam was slowly becoming frayed, that it was close to snapping itself apart. But, it still meant that Liam was alive, it still meant that Liam was breathing.
“Where would he be, though? We’ve checked Beacon Hills, all ends of town, and still, nothing.” Scott voiced, looking over to his brother. Stiles looked deep in thought, the skin of his thumb jammed between his lips, his brows furrowed.
Derek slowly removed his hand from Theo’s arm in favor of reaching forward and pulling Stiles’s finger from his mouth. Derek had been on his friend about that habit, but Stiles never seemed to listen to anyone about it, before he leaned himself up against the wall, his own frown etched onto his face.
“What about Beacon Heights?” Stiles asked, looking around at the room, his eyes landing on Parrish, who was rubbing at his brow. “Didn’t Gerard have a house up there?” Parrish sighed, nodding, before he checked his holster.
“He did, but I’m honestly not too sure he’d take Liam there, not in a neighborhood that pretty.” Stiles conceded this point, starting to pace around the room, muttering to himself.
Derek and Theo watched as he stopped, pivoted, then began his pacing again, both of them jumping slightly when Stiles clapped once, pointing at Derek, his eyes wide.
“Your old house, in the basement.” Derek blinked, before his own eyes widened.
The house had been torn down by the city, but they had never gone deeper than the surface level, which had left the opening to the Hale’s basement open, as it was deeper in the ground, but could still be accessed by the outside. Derek had quickly filed out with Stiles and Theo, the chimera and wolf pushing at each other to reach the door first, while Stiles just walked his way past them to the Jeep.
Animals.
**
Liam’s breaths came out in deep wheezes, his chest feeling as if it would collapse in on itself. He was too weak to fight against one of Gerard’s men, watching with hooded eyes as they injected him with a heavy dose of wolfsbane, his body seizing up as it worked its way through his veins, resulting in him being wracked with violent tremors.
He didn’t think it could be burnt out this time.
Gerard had come in a little while after, unlocking his wrists from the chains, causing his hands to fall into his lap, his eyes blinking against the blurriness, finding that there was a ring of purple and red around his skin, indicating that the chains had been laced with wolfsbane, or maybe even something worse. He truly didn’t know.
“Just another hour, and soon that wolfsbane will have gone through your entire system… It's truly a shame, Liam. Was hoping we’d get to see your big bad alpha, but here he’s left you to die, not even attempting to look for you… I mean, the same was done with Stiles, you see.” Liam perked up a little at the mention of his friend, but he whimpered softly when his body convulsed again, his eyes brimming with tears. “I beat Stiles, left that boy mangled to all hell… and Scott didn’t come looking once. Didn’t even know about what I had done to him. I think he still doesn’t know. It’s quite a shame…”
Liam’s body twitched violently twice, then once more, a pained scream leaving his throat, his hand shakily wrapping itself around the skin, trying to will the pain to go away, for everything to stop hurting.
For everything to stop.
“Any last wishes?” Gerard regarded the boy, and Liam nodded slowly, trying to swallow past the thickness in his throat, before he blinked up at the man, his lip wobbling.
He couldn’t find it in himself to even dare to speak, to attempt to try. The sole fact of that alone made him start to cry harder, the thought of death creeping into his mind. He was really going to die here, all alone, and no one would know. No one would find him, no one would realize where he was.
Shit, he didn’t even know where he was.
“Oh, stop your sniveling, boy. Man up.” Liam tried to stop the crying, tried to stop the tears from falling, but it was no use.
He couldn’t bring himself to stop.
**
Theo watched as the trees of the preserve flew past him, Derek jerking the steering wheel to the left, before he slammed on the brakes, putting his SUV in park. It was obvious this place was abandoned, but Theo could feel the buzzing in his skin, could feel his wolf and coyote clawing at each other, preparing for a fight.
“He’s here.” Derek’s voice was quiet, but it was all Theo really needed from the man.
Him and Liam, they weren’t together, but they were something. He wanted to make it more than just that something, but he knew now wasn’t the time, nor was it the place. But deep down, he wanted to be the one to save Liam, to be the one to bring him home, to take care of him.
“Theo, you and Stiles will be my lookout, okay? I’m going in.” Theo’s brows furrowed, and he grabbed Derek’s arm, shaking his head.
“I’ll go in there.” Derek frowned, shaking his head back at Theo.
“I know this place better than you. Let me do this.” There was something else Derek wasn’t telling Theo, something that he was keeping to himself. “Please.” Theo relented after another minute of staring at the man, but he sure as hell wasn’t happy about it.
The three exited the car as they made their way slowly around the abandoned property, Theo and Derek both listening in for signs that someone was near, in case they needed to defend themselves. Stiles was the first to find their first batch of Gerard’s men, after they had descended part of the stairs, pushing Derek and Theo into one of the little alcoves that was built in next to the stairs, covering their mouths with his hands. When the first batch moved on, they all started to move again slowly, finding themselves face to face with a few of the bigger men in the group, but it was a cakewalk for Stiles and Theo.
Derek had taken that opportunity to slip through the cracks of a doorway unnoticed, quietly making his way down a long hall, his heart squeezing inside of his chest when he heard the short pants from Liam, the pained grunt leaving his mouth when a foot connected with his body. Derek knew that feeling all too well, he knew what it was like to be at the mercy of an Argent, and his heart broke that someone like Liam, who never really, truly, asked to be a part of this world, had been brought into the worst circle of it.
He stopped just outside of the doorway, only backing himself up when he heard the door lock click open, watching as Gerard walked his way down the hallway, chuckling darkly to himself. It hit Derek then, the scent of wolfsbane, and his heart broke. He swung himself into the room before the door shut officially, and he held his breath against the stench of the plant, quickly dropping to his knees trying his best to lift Liam up without hurting the boy more than he already was.
“Liam, hey! Hey, it’s me… It’s Derek.” Derek’s voice was soft, and Liam blinked up at him sluggishly, his eyes fighting to stay open, but Derek could tell that it was a losing battle. “I’m gonna get you out of here, okay?” Derek lifted the boy up in his arms, carefully maneuvering him to a more comfortable position, before he started his trek back through the hallway.
Something seemed off, though. Derek couldn’t pin-point exactly what it was, but all he knew was that he needed to get them the fuck out of there.
It wasn’t until he had met back up with Theo and Stiles that he realized Liam had gone completely limp in his arms, and that Liam–
Liam wasn’t breathing.
**
It hit Theo like a freight-train, the silence of Liam when Derek brought him out. He looked–god, Theo couldn’t even begin to describe what the boy looked like. All he knew was that one second his boy was in Derek’s arms, and the next he was on the preserve floor, Stiles’s hands beginning a round of CPR, while Theo watched helplessly. Derek turned to him suddenly, after tilting Liam’s head back, and ordered him to call Deaton, call Melissa, call anyone who had medical knowledge of the supernatural.
He fumbled with his phone, his eyes stuck on Liam’s lifeless form, as he attempted to dial the vet’s number, receiving a voicemail. He fumbled with Melissa’s number, receiving her sweet voice on the other end.
“Liam is dying. In the preserve. He died. Please get here.” Theo’s sentences were stunted, and short, but that’s all he could manage.
The stench of wolfsbane assaulted Theo’s nose, and he didn’t know how Liam had held on for so long, had pushed through the pain Theo was sure he felt while it had run its course through his body.
He didn’t know if they’d even be able to burn it out, or how they’d get it out of Liam’s system.
He didn’t know if Liam would ever breathe again.
**
It was peaceful here, in Liam’s version of his personal heaven. He knew he was dead, had known it when he had woken up to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach. He had to appreciate that this is where his mind took him, though. Somewhere as peaceful as this.
Nothing hurt anymore, and he could breathe freely, happy that his chest didn’t feel like it was caving in on itself. His stomach wasn’t littered with cuts, and his wrists were healed, too. He mused at his findings, when movement from his left caught his eye, and he took a step back, finding Brett staring back at him.
“You’re not supposed to be here.” Liam blinked at him, tilting his head.
“Where is ‘here’?” Liam mused, and Brett smiled, shrugging.
“Somewhere calm, I’d guess… don’t really know why we’re both here. It’s just been me and Lori, so far. You weren’t supposed to join, not yet, at least.” Brett frowned at him, then opened his mouth to speak again. “Why are you here?”
“Uh, Gerard.” Liam supplied, and Brett hummed lowly, shaking his head slowly.
“No one got to you in time, huh?” Liam nodded, before he looked back out at the water, wondering what life would be like here.
Do they age? Can they communicate with everyone else? Who else is here that Brett doesn’t know about? Would he see any of his family here?
He turned his head to open these questions up to Brett, but he flinched back when he was met with his mangled body, his eyes blinking rapidly, before Brett returned back to his normal body.
“Liam… you’re not supposed to be here.” Brett’s voice was barely above a whisper, his head shaking. “You need to go back.”
Brett walked up to him, encasing Liam in his arms, pressing their heads together. Liam’s lip wobbled slightly, because he knew Brett wasn’t lying. He knew he needed to go back, but–but the pain, and the suffering. He couldn’t bear that anymore, he truly couldn’t.
But, he had Theo waiting for him. Theo, who he had gotten a shitty, dingy ass apartment with. Theo, who he had started to cook for almost nightly. Theo, who sat with him while he watched the shittiest rom-coms known to man. Theo, who smiled at him like he hung the fucking sun. Theo, who would crawl into bed on Liam’s bad nights, and hold him close to his chest, until the sun began to rise for the day.
He let his eyes squeeze shut, before letting the feeling of static wash over him, before he felt the throbbing pain from the top of his head to the tips of his toes come back to him, causing him to gasp loudly, his eyes widening, flashing their brilliant yellow, before they faded back to blue.
He was alive, again.
**
“Well, he’s awake now.” Melissa set her medical tool off to the side before she backed up and away from Liam’s body, Theo immediately taking her place, his hands running over Liam’s body, before they settled around his face.
He drained a bit of the pain, his body going into a slight state of shock at just how much pain Liam was harboring in his body. Derek seemed to be in the same predicament, as they both pulled their hands away from Liam’s body, the last of the black traveling up their veins.
“We should get him to the hospital.” Melissa’s voice was soft, but it was firm.
Theo growled a little, but quickly shut his mouth with a clack at the look Melissa gave him. He did what he was told, as far as moving Liam went, and he cradled him close to his chest, entering the backseat of Derek’s SUV with Liam spread across his lap. Stiles and Derek took the front seats, but Stiles kept his eyes on the back, watching Liam’s chest, making sure there wasn’t any difference in his breathing.
The drive to the hospital was a silent one, the only noise to be heard was the purr of the engine, but Theo kept his attention solely on Liam, tracing his finger down Liam’s features, the pad of his finger tracing Liam’s lower lip, before he dipped it down onto his chin, then followed the column of Liam’s throat. He repeated this gesture many times until they reached the parking lot of the hospital, and Theo had to begrudgingly give Liam up to Melissa.
It did nothing but fray his nerves, did nothing but cause the buzzing under his skin to become louder and louder, more insistent, until he saw Liam’s stepfather rush down the hallway after Melissa.
Suddenly, the buzzing had quieted, the feeling to claw out at anything had reduced. He wondered what it was about Dr. Geyer that calmed it down, but he figured it’s because Liam’s stepfather was a permanent fixture in both of their lives, him and Jenna the one constant for the both of them.
What he wanted, though, was Liam. He needed to be in that room with him right now.
**
Liam’s body jolted itself awake, his eyes blinking rapidly up at the ceiling of… the hospital? When the fuck did he get here?
He smacked his lips together quietly before he let himself open his mouth, taking in a few lungfuls of air, allowing himself to finally breathe. He wiggled his toes, making sure that he could still properly walk, then he wiggled his fingers. Or, he tried to at least, but he found that his hand was restricted, by a much larger hand, a weight settled over his hand and wrist. He blinked his eyes open slowly, not realizing that they had shut again, before he turned his head to the side, smiling softly at the sight that Theo made.
His usually carefully touched up hair was now wild in every direction, and it laid down on his forehead rather than sticking up. His cheek was squished against his forearm where he had crossed his arms, and his eyelashes had fanned out over his cheeks.
He was beautiful, truly.
“You should take a picture, it’ll last longer.” Theo’s voice mumbled, and Liam snorted, shaking his head a little.
“You’re ridiculous.” His voice was raspy, most likely from the misuse of it, as well as the whole screaming himself raw thing.
Liam and Theo both winced at the sound of it, but Liam sighed, finally locking eyes with Theo, giving a tired smile, the chimera giving him one of sadness.
“Don’t give me those sad eyes, Raeken… I’m alright.”
“But you weren’t, Liam. Your heart stopped… you were dead. And–And Liam, I don’t… I can’t live without you. I can’t.” Liam was admittedly a bit stunned by this admission, but he recovered carefully, turning his body slowly to fully face Theo.
“Theo… I’m here now, and that’s what really matters. I’m here. I’m breathing.” Theo still looked like he was on the verge of tears, and Liam understood, but that’s not really what he wanted to see right now. “Get up here, loser.”
Liam made room for Theo to climb onto the bed with him, before Liam laid his head over Theo’s chest, right over where his heart rested. Theo slumped down a bit on the bed, having to bend his knees so his legs didn’t go over the edge of the bed, but he kept his arm wrapped around Liam’s shoulders, the tips of his fingers stroking over the skin of Liam’s arm.
A gentle kiss was pressed against the crown of his head, and Liam let his eyes fall shut again, letting out a sigh of content at being in Theo’s arms again.
“You’re not allowed to do that again, alright?” Liam laughed softly, nodding against Theo’s chest, allowing himself to get comfortable again.
“Okay, Theo.”
end