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“We’ve been here before,” Malia says, looking around the cave. She shudders and reaches out for Kira’s hand. Something doesn’t feel right. Malia’s fingers intertwine with Kira, but they don’t look at each other. Kira feels it too.
“In a dream,” Kira murmurs. “A foggy dream. We were here together.”
Malia tugs Kira closer, so she’s directly behind her. She doesn’t like this. She doesn’t like this one bit. She tilts her head down until she sees Kira’s face in the corner of her eye. Malia’s eyes flash to a sharp gold and she sees the fox within Kira is calmer than it’s been lately. Not good.
“I remember this,” Kira whispers. “Malia, wait–step back!”
Malia steps back with Kira instantly and then there’s a loud rumble. A rock from the ceiling of the cave falls in front of her. Malia turns to look at Kira, eyes wide.
“I just–we’ve been here before,” Kira murmurs. “We should leave.”
“Wait, no.” Malia shakes her head. “I have a bad feeling about that.”
“Malia, I’m not arguing with you. Let’s go.” Kira turns to tug Malia with her, but Malia resists.
“It’s all too familiar. Wait. Wait, let’s not. My instincts are saying we should stay!” Malia says, a little too loudly. “Trust me.”
Kira pauses at the words. She turns on her heel. “I have trusted you! That’s why I’m shaking in my boots because I’m terrified of being in this place. I trusted you that the answers are here. But they’re not and I’m disoriented. We have to go, Malia. I don’t want to be here.”
“Please?” Malia whispers. “We’re so close to the answers. I know it.”
Kira hesitates. Then she nods. “Alright, we’ll stay.”
Just as she finishes speaking, there’s a louder thud down near the entrance of the cave. Malia instantly grabs Kira and presses her against the wall. She covers Kira with her body and they stay like that as the ceiling caves in at the entrance of the cave.
“Fuck,” Kira whispers.
“No, no, no!” Malia only steps back once the shaking has stopped. Her eyes flash and she’s bent down to look at Kira. “Are you okay? Tell me you’re okay. I’m so sorry. We should’ve left. We should’ve–”
“Malia! I remember. We left because I asked. We left here and you didn’t–you didn’t survive. I remember making a deal with the devil. Or a witch. Or something. I made a deal. A re-do. One more chance to be with you, to change the past.” Kira’s whispering now. “I lost–I lost you–”
“Kira, I–” Malia pulls her into a hug. “Kira, it’s going to be okay. I’m right here. I’ve got you. Kira…what did you have to give up?”
“My powers. My fox–” Malia smells Kira’s tears before she sees them. “It doesn’t matter. You’re okay.”
Malia studies Kira for a moment and realizes that her fox is separating from her now. She reaches out, her finger tips brushing the light of the fox. She expects her hand to fall through, but she feels the fur, feels the softness of the coat. Malia retracts her hand quickly and stares at the fox.
It nods and then it’s running. Malia wants to call it back but it disappears through the cave wall without any warning. She turns back to Kira, who is trembling now.
“It’s going to be okay. It’s going to be okay, Kira.” Malia pulls her close. “The pack will find us. They will.”
Kira nods into Malia’s shirt. She reaches up to brush her hand against Malia’s cheek. “At least you’re here with me. I don’t feel so lost.”
Malia’s not sure what to say to that. She can’t seem to process what just happened. She sniffs around them and when she catches the scent of water, she stands. “Stay here.”
“I can’t see shit. I’m not going anywhere,” Kira mutters.
Malia rushes over to the rock. She pats around it, hearing the water clearer than before. Malia wanders around the cave now. She pats various parts of the walls, listening for anything. They can’t break through the cave wall where there’s water, but if they get desperate, she could potentially claw a small hole. As long as it doesn’t crack open into a huge tunnel and drown them. Malia doesn’t hear much otherwise.
“I feel…lighter. The fox is gone.”
Malia’s not sure what to say to that. She heads towards the rubble that had caved in where the entrance was. She knows if she howls, everything will come down on them. She’s not sure she can survive being buried by rock. But she’s strong.
Malia starts to pull the rocks that she can move away.
“I’m going to get us out of here, Kira. This won’t be for nothing. It won’t be.”
“I trust you,” Kira whispers.
She takes a deep breath and works harder. They’re going to get out of here. They are. Malia can’t let anything happen to Kira. She can’t.
Only they’re running out of oxygen. Malia knows they won’t have too much time down here. She glances back to Kira, who is leaning forward, her head in between her knees.
She can’t stop trying. Malia tosses another rock.
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“Wake up, wake up, wake up!”
Malia’s eyes flutter open when a fist hits her cheek. Her first reaction is to catch the wrist of the person who punched her. When she registers that it’s Erica, she lets her grip go.
“Kira–”
“Is okay. She’s okay, thanks to you,” Erica tells her. Malia can’t move until Erica stops straddling her. She has a feeling that’s exactly what Erica wanted to do though; trap her. “Take a couple deep breaths, Malia. Please.”
In. Out. In. Out.
“What happened?” she demands.
“You started taking away Kira’s pain. It almost completely drained all of your energy. You let out one weak-ass howl and Boyd happened to hear you.” Erica brushes a piece of Malia’s hair out of her face. “You’re both okay. I just need you to take it a little easy when you move, okay? Your body is trying to rejuvenate and heal.”
“If I promise not to move fast, will you get off me?” Malia asks.
“Yes.”
“Where’s Kira?” Malia stretches her legs as Erica starts to move off her.
“She’s in the back of Boyd’s pick-up truck–Scott is tending to her–”
Malia’s gone in a flash. She barely hears Erica shout “Dammit, Malia!”because in the next second, she’s at the back of Boyd’s truck. She’d smelled them the second she had managed to focus enough.
“Kira, Kira, oh god,” Malia says, running her hands over Kira’s face. “Is she going to be okay?”
“She’ll be alright,” Boyd says, nodding.
“She’s pretty exhausted,” Allison adds. “Losing such a huge part of yourself isn’t easy on the body.”
Malia slips her hand into Kira’s and closes her eyes. She tries do her best to keep her heartbeat steady. Kira would be okay. That’s all that matters.
“We found it, by the way,” Scott tells Malia when he walks over to them.
“Yep!” Stiles says beside him. “Derek’s collecting the moon stone now. You did it, Malia.”
She nods, and tunes them out. The moon stone possesses a certain type of magic that would help Hayden and Tracy heal from the marks that the Dread Doctors had left on them. Then, well, then they’d be a happy pack again. A happy, safe pack. And Kira would be a vulnerable human in the pack.
Malia takes a deep breath. Stiles did it. Braeden did it. Allison did it. Mason did it. Danny did it. It could be done. Malia curls up beside Kira’s sleeping body and rests her nose on Kira’s shoulder. She inhales deeply.
Kira’s safe. And they’d figure out a way for her to adjust as a human. They would.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Kira’s fox,” Scott murmurs to the pack surrounding them. Malia keeps her eyes shut and thinks about how much she cares about Kira. It’s the only thing holding her together now.
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“What do you think?” Kira asks, tugging the wig a little further down on her forehead. Malia snorts. Kira gives her the best pout she can manage. “No? You don’t think this is me?”
Malia shrugs. “You’d look good no matter what. But I think you can do better than that wig for Hallowe’en.”
Kira takes it off and carefully puts it back onto the display head. “Have you decided what you’re going to dress up as for Heather’s party?”
Malia shakes her head. “I still don’t get it. Why do people put on outfits and pretend to be something they’re not?”
“It’s fun. For a night, you can be whoever you want and no one can judge you.” Kira grabs a tall hat. She puts it on. “You can wear the tackiest things and still count as being ‘dressed up’ for Hallowe’en.”
Malia shrugs. “I don’t get it.”
"Didn’t your parents ever bring you out for Hallowe’en?” Kira asks.
"I don’t…I don’t remember. I think I suppressed those memories,” Malia admits. She shifts on the bench she’s sitting on and then says, “Do you want me to dress up?”
Kira studies her for a moment. “I think you should do whatever you’re comfortable with.”
A smile breaks out on Malia’s face now. She stands up and stretches her finger tips out. “Well, I might not get it, but it can’t hurt to try, right? What do you suggest I go as?”
Kira laughs and starts going through the costume racks to find something. Malia watches her carefully. Kira’s happy today. Rarely did Kira smell sad in Malia’s company. She’d once asked Lydia what that meant, and Lydia had given her a look that seemed to indicate she should know.
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Malia doesn’t even open her eyes when Scott and Derek carry her and Kira up to Kira’s bedroom. She just snuggles in close to Kira when Scott drops her onto the bed.
She’s pretty sure Lydia tosses a blanket over her and Allison kisses her forehead.
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They’re about eight drinks in each, and Malia can’t stop pulling Kira closer to her. She knows that Kira and Scott have expressed interest in each other. She knows this and she doesn’t care. Kira looks amazing on the dance floor. Besides, Scott’s busy grinding with Allison and Isaac to notice.
“You’re a great dancer! How do you know how to do this?” Kira shouts over the music.
Malia shakes her head as if she couldn’t hear Kira and pulls her closer. Kira repeats the question in her ear and Malia rubs against her. She gets closer to Kira’s ear to say, “It’s easy with you.”
Kira seems to blush a little at that. It makes Malia happy. And it’s probably the first time that Malia recognizes the emotion of happiness.
“I’m glad you dragged me out tonight!” Kira says, leaning into Malia again.
Malia inhales. Kira smells like home. Her drunken mind tries to make a note to ask Erica what that’s all about later.
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Sometimes she catches Erica and Boyd’s scents when they check in on them. Other times she hears Liam or Danny ask Lydia if Kira would be okay in hushed whispers outside the door. She knows that Scott tries to get her to eat something.
She keeps holding onto Kira. She can’t lose her now.
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“Want some popcorn?” Hayden asks the group one night.
“Yes please!” Liam says, smiling. “We can share a bowl, cutie.”
Malia looks at Kira and then back to Hayden. “Kira and I can share some too.”
Hayden nods. “Lyd? Trace? Mason?”
“I’m good,” Lydia says.
“Count me in for a bowl on my own,” Mason says, grinning.
“I’m okay, but thanks.” Tracy says. “I’m going to grab something to drink. No one start the movie until we’re back!”
Kira glances at Malia. She smells anxiety coming from her, but Malia remembers Allison warning her that sometimes people don’t like it when they’re emotions are read without their permission. Kira gives her a shy smile and then bumps shoulders with Malia. “Thanks. I can’t finish a whole bowl on my own.”
“I know,” Malia answers. Really, she just wanted to know why Liam was so eager to share a bowl with Hayden. He’d smelled excited nervous.
Danny joins them a quarter of the way through the movie with a quiet apology about being late. It’s not until the movie is almost finished when Kira and Malia reach into the popcorn bowl at the same time.
Neither of them move immediately and Malia gets it. It’s an excuse to touch your mate. She gives Kira a smile and grabs a piece of popcorn. She holds it up to Kira’s lips.
Kira holds her gaze as she parts her lips and takes the popcorn from Malia.
It’s probably the most intense moment Malia’s ever had. She can’t even hear Kira’s heartbeat because her is pounding so damn loudly.
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“Malia, will you at least eat something?” Scott asks.
“Just move your finger. Are you okay?” Stiles asks. She moves her finger. “You’re pretty weak, Malia. Eat something.”
“She’s mostly unresponsive,” Scott tells someone at the door a while later.
“Let’s leave the food beside her then. Maybe she needs to be alone with Kira,” Allison suggests.
Malia only eats half of the dinner when it’s a couple hours old. She doesn’t feel any better and wraps her arm around Kira’s waist. Her heart beats steady.
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When Hayden and Tracy get attacked by the Dread Doctors, everyone in the pack goes into panic mode. Jackson seems especially stressed out, apparently understanding what it’s like to completely lose control of one’s actions. Stiles and him spend a few nights sharing knowing looks with each other.
Kira confides in Malia that she’s scared. “Hayden and Tracy are our newest members. It’s our duty to protect them. How could we let this happen?”
“We didn’t let anything happen. We just weren’t prepared for it,” Malia responds. They’re leaning against the locker’s beside Kira’s opened one. She doesn’t know how to ease Kira’s emotions though. “It’s not our fault. We’ll fix it though.”
“We have to,” Kira says, shaking her head. “Malia, they’re just kids. We’re all just a bunch of teenagers. This is all too insane. Did you know that I once went to a private school where nothing but typical girl stuff happened?”
“How dull,” Malia murmurs.
Kira lets out a nervous laugh and gently swats Malia’s arm. “Not dull. Safe. Safe and–”
“Whenever you mention it, you reek of loneliness and saddness. You can’t tell me you liked it.”
Kira shighs. “No. I hated it. It was drama, drama, drama. This isn’t drama. This is life or death. All the time. I’m so exhausted. But I finally feel like I belong somewhere.”
Malia nods, not quite understanding, but wishing she could. “We’ll get them back. Deaton says that moon stone will help them heal. We’ll find it, Kira. We will.”
“I hope so.”
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Malia’s eyes flash open when she feels Kira move her shoulder. She sits up and stares down at the girl she’d come to care for more than anyone else in this pack. Her mate. Whether Kira knows it or not. “Kira?”
There’s a grunt. Then a groan. Then Kira’s eyes slowly fluttering open. “I have the worst headache ever.”
Malia buries her face into Kira’s hair and pulls her close. She inhales deeply. “Don’t ever do that to me again.”
“Do what?” Kira asks, grumbling a little. “Malia, what’s going on?”
By the time Malia’s finished catching Kira up, Jackson’s poking his head into Kira’s bedroom. Malia eyes him carefully. It’s not that she doesn’t like Jackson. In fact, they get along surprisingly well despite him being a jackass. She wishes he’d go though. She wants to talk to Kira in private.
“How are you doing, sunshine?” Jackson asks, glancing at Malia.
“I feel like I was hit by a truck and my soul was ripped out,” Kira admits.
Malia’s eyes grow wide and then Jackson steps up to grab Kira’s hand. Malia wants to protest - wants to be the one to take away Kira’s discomfort. But she feels weak and exhausted. She couldn’t do it if she tried.
“Just give me a few minutes and then I’ll tell the pack that you’re awake. They’re worried. Hayden and Tracy are going out of their minds. They’re so relieved that you found the moon stone and so pissed that you almost died for them,” Jackson says.
“They’re important to Kira,” Malia tells him. “She would’ve done anything for them.”
“I know.” Jackson squeezes Kira’s hand. “You’re going to have to explain why your fox came running to Scott to show you where you were though.”
Kira’s eyes go wide and she looks at Malia. They don’t say anything. They don’t have to.
When Jackson leaves a few minutes later, Malia takes Kira’s hand to her lips and presses them carefully against her skin. “You shouldn’t have done it. You shouldn’t have risked your life for mine.”
Kira turns her face towards Malia. Their noses almost touch. “I couldn’t lose you.”
Malia’s eyes grow wet. She really hates crying. But she can’t hold back the tears. “I could’ve lost you. And then where would we be? I’d lose my mind without you, Kira. You’re my rock. The only one who really keeps me grounded. Who pushes me to do things out of my comfort-zone. You’re my everything.”
“You’re mine,” Kira murmurs. “Tell me that you wouldn’t have given up being a coyote to save me. Tell me.”
Malia shakes her head. She can’t. She would’ve given everything up to protect Kira. It wouldn’t take a full heart beat to make that decision.
Kira presses her forehead against Malia’s. “Exactly. Malia, I am so desperately in love with you. I made a deal with the devil to bring you back to me. I don’t want to mess this up.”
“You won’t. We won’t. I’m in love with you too,” Malia whispers. “I love you so much that I don’t know what to do with myself half the time.”
"In situations like that, you could always try kissing me.”
“You’re sure you’re up for it?”
“Let’s find out.”
Malia presses her lips against Kira’s with a smile on her face.
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“Kira, someone’s in the room with us,” Malia whispers a few weeks later. She shakes Kira awake with one hand before sitting up. She flashes her eyes around and freezes when she sees the fiery fox in the corner.
“Go away,” Kira grumbles, still half-asleep.
“You came back,” Malia murmurs. She can’t look away.
The fox walks over to Kira. Suddenly, the fox is over Kira. They become one again and Kira jerks upright in the bed. She gasps and then looks at Malia with wide-eyes.
“It’s–”
“I know,” Malia says, nodding. “You’re back.”
Kira smiles. “Do you think my fox killed the devil?”
“Are you ever going to tell me who you made a deal with?” Malia asks.
“Nope. The devil sounds much cooler. I feel weird though. Fuzzy. A little drunk. But also like I just came home after a long trip?” Kira tells her. “Distract me.”
Malia shakes her head in amusement before she pulls Kira into a deep kiss. Distracting her is something she can do any day. Malia smiles into the kiss when she hears Kira’s heart beat go wild.
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