By the time the final bell sounded, the school hallways were already packed. Everyone hurried to get home, wanting to salvage what was left of their Monday afternoon. I matched their speedy pace, but not for the same reasons. My path took me to the campus library rather than the parking lot. Scott had asked Stiles and I to meet him there, wanting to discuss the plan he came up with to keep Hayden out of the Dread Doctors' clutches. They would come for her, sooner than later, and we needed to be ready.

When I enter the library, I search the immediate area for my senior companions, though I only end up finding one. Stiles sits by himself at one of the large tables on the bottom floor, staring off into space.

I expect him to turn my way when I get closer, as his peripheral vision should allow him to see my figure, but he remains still.

His attention is trained on a particular spot ahead in an open area near the bookshelves. The scaffolding used to be there up until a few days ago, but it was recently cleaned out due to the fact that construction on the library's interior was done. I tried to search for something worth staring at in the empty space that was left, but there was nothing. I then thought perhaps Stiles was daydreaming, as he always preferred the company of his own thoughts to that of others, but he wasn't. His eyes aren't distant, they're focused. Troubled.

"Stiles?" He jumps lightly when I speak at his side, clueless to my presence.

"Hey, I didn't see you come in." He wipes his face tiredly with trembling hands, drawing attention to the darkened circles under his eyes. My concern only grows at his appearance, because even though Stiles already ran off of limited hours of sleep, so he never looked fully rested, he appeared now as if he hadn't slept for centuries.

"Are you okay?" I ask worriedly.

His lips twitch as he attempts to get his head to catch up with his mouth. He doesn't have to actually say anything for me to know he's attempting to come up with a plausible lie.

"Stiles?" I press impatiently, unsure of why such a simple question needed evading.

His eyes pass over my shoulder and relief floods his expression. I understand his reaction a second later as Scott comes over to us, his presence enough of an excuse for my question to go unanswered for the time being.

"Sorry, I had to grab our old map." Scott apologizes for his mild tardiness, laying out a map of our town on the table before us. There were multiple colored marker strokes across the page that I immediately recognized, as some of them were drawn by my own hands months ago when we studied the habits of the Darach.

"We're back to telluric currents?" Stiles stands from his seat, his gaze aimed downward.

"If the Dread Doctors didn't like coming into Eichen House because of them, maybe we can use that to protect Hayden," Scott suggests.

"But they ended up getting in when Kira short-circuited everything," I remind him, already wary of where his plan was headed.

I wanted to be supportive of Kira, but her uncontrollable foxfire didn't leave much room for positivity when faced with the reality of terrible outcomes. Unlike Scott, I didn't want to have to haul her body around as she became a conduit for electricity and burnt me to a crisp.

Scott winces, but wipes his face clean of it quickly. "She's doing better."

I simply shake my head at his words as they don't inspire much confidence.

"Okay, besides Eichen, where's the strongest convergence?" Stiles inquires, crossing his arms over his chest. It does nothing to hide the way his hands continue to tremble uncontrollably.

Scott directs his attention to the map, his finger tracing the outlines of the drawn currents. It travels across the page until it lands on a specific spot: Beacon Hills High School. "We're standing on it."

"You want to hide her in the high school? For how long?" Stiles questions his best friend, the beginnings of a rebuttal evident in his voice.

"If we have to, all night."

"But it's just a school though, you know, it's not exactly a fortress," Stiles shoots back.

"They don't even lock the doors at night anymore," I mutter under my breath.

No one wanted to patrol the campus grounds at night, and rightfully so. There were enough murders that occurred here past operating hours that the land seemed to be as cursed as a graveyard, if not more. Needless to say, security measures were abandoned a long time ago.

"Lydia's got an idea for that," Scott's focus remains on Stiles, ignoring me. "Remember how Valack quoted Tesla?"

The Stilinski boy's face pulls away for a moment as he remembers his conversation with Valack in the depths of Eichen. Recognition flashes across his features as something comes back to him, and he appears less doubtful than he did a second ago.

"Frequency and vibration," he notes.

"She thinks he wasn't saying that just to sound smart. She thinks maybe it was a clue."

"To do what?" Stiles presses.

"Disrupt their frequency." Scott grins, hopeful. "Parrish took three cell phone jammers from the station. He thinks he can broaden their range of frequency and we'll be able to use them."

"Are you sure we can trust Valack like that?" I interject hesitantly.

I didn't doubt Parrish's ability to modify a jammer, I was sure he was perfectly capable, but the entire plan hinged on taking Valack's word. In fact, all of our knowledge of the Dread Doctors went off of his word, and I hated that. I hated having to put our faith in a maniac.

Scott's grin falters at my doubt. I didn't want to be the cause of that, but I also didn't want to allow any harm to befall Hayden because of something as flimsy as optimism.

"We have to. Plus, he wrote the book, he's not with the Doctors," Scott replies.

"That doesn't mean he's with us," I say in an even voice.

Scott sighs, bowing his head to hide his disappointment. "It's a long shot, but it's the best we've got for now."

"Do you think Hayden will be okay with all of this?" Stiles asks. Despite speaking to me, he doesn't look directly at me.

"It's the best we've got for now," I repeat after Scott robotically, not sure there was much else I could say. This may not have been the best plan, but it was all we had.

Stiles' phone chimes in his pocket, cutting short any other potential conversation. He brings out the device, swiping a notification off the screen.

"I have to get to the clinic, Theo's on his way there," he informs Scott and I.

While the rest of us would be guarding Hayden, Theo and Stiles had volunteered to continue to monitor Josh's body as they had done this entire weekend. It was strange, having the two of them willingly be in each other's company, but with Deaton's location up in the air, we needed as many eyes as we could get on the clinic with a dead body inside of it.

Stiles begins to back away from us, and though I can't say much because I have no idea what words are required of me to make him feel better, I also can't remain silent.

"Good luck," I call out to him.

For the first time in a while, Stiles meets my eyes properly. It allows me to get a closer look at the despair he wore. It's the same look he had the day we spoke in Scott's kitchen, both of us confessing that we had secrets that neither could know.

"You, too," he says in a low voice before finally turning away.

I watch as he leaves, finding myself missing his constant pestering. It had been some time since he last bothered me with his wild ramblings. It only dawned on me now how much his voice filled the gaps of silence in my life, and without it, it felt as though a piece of me was missing.

If Scott notices the abnormal behavior from his best friend, he doesn't mention it. His attention is on the map as he folds it back into a neat stack, stuffing it into his bag. He seems to be rushing, his mind pulling him elsewhere.

"I have to meet with Kira at my house, but I'll be back here before the sun goes down. We can keep Hayden in the boy's locker room, there's no practice today so it should be empty soon," he says quickly, one foot already out the door.

I nod timidly, keeping my resistance to Kira being here tonight to myself.

"Scott, I know our plans don't always work out, but this one has to."

He chuckles at my mention of our previously failed ideas, the list almost endless. He probably thought this was an attempt to be light-hearted.

"Don't worry," he says before moving away to follow the same path Stiles had walked a moment ago. I can't allow him to leave without another word either.

I round the table before he can get far, grabbing his upper arm to keep him in place. He gives me a puzzled look, silently asking what brought on the sudden tight grip. I loosen my hold sheepishly, though I don't move my hand away. I keep him close, not allowing anyone else to hear the fears that eat away at me.

"I... I can't do it again, Scott. I can't lose anyone else," I admit to him.

My eyes bore so intensely into his that I wonder if he can see every truth I hid from him. His gentle expression cracks as he stares down at me, because our conversation is no longer only between him and I, not as the ghost of the girl we both loved joins us.

"I need you to promise me that we'll help Hayden. That we'll save her."

It's a hypocritical thing to ask. I broke the promise he wished for me to make and I did it without much thought. I lied to his face. I'm still lying, even now. It's entirely unfair, yet I do it anyway because I need his assurance that everything isn't falling to pieces. I need the assurance of my brother.

Scott places a tender hand over mine. He does so to lift my grip away from his arm but he doesn't drop my hand afterward. Instead, he cradles it within his own and gives it a light squeeze, a nurturing gesture to drain me of my worries.

"I promise," he vows with his trademark Scott McCall grin. It helps me believe that nothing bad will ever happen again, a foolish affirmation that I cling to wholeheartedly.

He waits until I return a fraction of his smile before finally letting go of me. He leaves the library just as Stiles had done, and I try not to think too much about the fact that even though our circumstances felt the same, my friends felt different.

I leave the library too, heading back into the main building on campus swiftly. I wanted to get to Hayden and Liam already, as they were currently waiting for me in Mister Yukimura's classroom. Kira's father had been kind enough to offer up his room as a place for them to stay after school and keep out of sight, as they would already be ending the day together in his History period.

After some discussion, we decided it was best for Hayden not to hear any conversations about what may or may not happen to her at the hands of the Dread Doctors. Because of that, Liam had to stay with her while I talked to Scott and Stiles. I was nervous about leaving the two of them alone, fearful I would find a bloodbath waiting for me, but I tried to have faith that they could survive ten minutes without me being their mediator.

The hallways were emptier now, only a few people scattered about. Most of them were collecting things out of their locker or having farewell conversations, sure to be gone within the hour. The high school's nighttime reputation helped us for once with that, as people were smart enough to know not to stay here on their own once it was dark out.

As I get closer to Mister Yukimura's classroom, familiar voices echoing into the hallway from inside cause me to slow my pace. Eavesdropping was a nasty habit, but when I hear my own name come up in conversation, I can't help it.

I creep closer to the back door of the room. It was propped open with a small wedge, allowing me to hear inside clearly without being seen.

"...you said she was a werewolf hunter," Hayden states, her words confused.

I tense as she and Liam obviously speak of me and my profession. I've stumbled into the middle of their conversation, and have no idea just how much has already been shared.

My breathing automatically shifts to be more discreet as I lean closer to the open door. It's second nature for my body to hide its natural functions in the presence of werewolves, something I trained for years to do because hunters had to cultivate certain abilities to combat the gifts of the supernatural. It's as if I'm on a hunt again, stalking my prey from afar, waiting for an opportune moment to strike.

"Kind of. She's still a hunter but her code's different now. She protects people like us," Liam replies.

"You said she's killed people like us." Hayden retorts.

An unforgiving chill courses through me as I'm forced to do nothing but stand there and listen. This wasn't how I intended to break the news of my past Hayden. Not at all. I hadn't even decided if I was going to tell her anything anyway.

I search for any signs of resentment or disgust in her tone but come up empty. It's difficult to read the situation without their faces because a voice can disguise so much.

"They weren't innocent, they hurt people. That doesn't make it okay, but Jac was manipulated into thinking it was. She didn't have a choice," Liam responds, defending my morality that was more than questionable.

"Kate and Gerard," Hayden acknowledges quietly.

I suppress the urge to curse as she speaks their names. From how indignant she sounds, Liam has told her of our history together. Tales of their cruelty always have a way of leaving an impression.

"They took advantage of her, Hayden. She was just a kid."

I close my eyes briefly at the pity that drips from Liam's words, restraining myself from bursting into the room to refute everything he says. My mind doesn't want me to forgive myself for previous atrocities I've committed.

Acceptance is a lengthy road.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Hayden asks him, sounding genuinely curious rather than irritated. It's odd to have them have a civil conversation without me being present, though technically I am, all things considered.

Liam's silent for a passing moment. I can picture the pensive look on his face, the one that creases his forehead and downturns his perfect lips into an unruly frown.

"Because I know her... she'll think you're gonna be scared of her. She'll think that you'll say she's a monster."

I lower my head shamefully at his words because he sees me so transparently. No matter the progress I made, he knew I still rejected my past. He knew I still rejected myself.

"She's not a monster," Hayden tells him, making me lift my head. I try to contain the hope inside of me, preparing myself for the possibility that she'll claim I'm something far worse.

"She's my friend."

A bittersweet smile works its way onto my face. This isn't how I wanted to validate the fact that my best friend wouldn't hate me, but I also wasn't greedy. I'd accept whatever good fortune the universe would offer me, as it had definitely been scarce lately.

I don't take my luck for granted and slowly back away from the door, not wanting to run the risk of being caught. I go all the way to the end of the hall before walking to the classroom again, this time being sure to scuff my boots against the tiles to emit noisy squeaks. It feels unnatural to walk with such presence, but it's only to alert Liam and Hayden of my approach.

When I enter the classroom, going through the same door I had been standing outside of a few seconds ago, I have to resist rolling my eyes as Hayden and Liam attempt to play off the fact they had been speaking about me.

Hayden taps her fingers on the surface of the desk she was sitting on, staring up at the ceiling with overly-innocent eyes. Liam reads a book that was very clearly upside down, something he wasn't aware of as he most likely scrambled for it at the last second. I pretend not to notice as I venture over to them, clearing my throat to get their attention. They both look up at the sound, feigning surprise at my appearance.

"You guys doing okay?" I ask them nonchalantly.

They both nod in sync, another dead giveaway of their suspicious behavior. Kira had some new competition for who was the worst liar in the pack.

"Where are we going now?" Hayden speaks up, referring to our ever-changing locations.

This entire weekend there had been a constant rotation of people looking after Hayden, which meant she was never in one spot for long. We moved her all over, going from my loft to Scott and Stiles' houses, to even Malia's secluded cabin. It was harder to pinpoint a moving target.

Valerie had already agreed to Hayden and I's original plan to have a sleepover, so she didn't suspect anything when Hayden was hardly home. We also asked Sheriff Stilinski to give her more shifts at the station, that way she'd be too busy working doubles to pick up on any weird behavior from her sister. Hopefully Scott's plan tonight would give us a concrete solution to avoid any more constant running and hiding before she caught on.

"We're staying here, actually." The two of them give me quizzical expressions in response.

"Scott came up with a plan to use the telluric currents below the school and some frequency jammers as a way to keep the Dread Doctors out. Sort of make the school a fortress," I loosely explain what Scott told me, trying to sound as positive as he did. It's not very convincing.

"Liam said Scott's plans never work," Hayden replies, making my attention pass to the aforementioned Beta. He awkwardly avoids meeting my stare, going back to reading the upside-down book in his hands with flushed cheeks.

I ignore his antics and refocus on Hayden. "Most of the time his plans don't go over well, but we get the job done."

Hayden has the decency to nod along, pretending to be convinced, but her doubt is a mirror of my own. It's difficult to convince her of something I don't even believe in. I trusted Scott with my life and Hayden's, but that didn't mean his plan was bound to work, even if it was secured by a promise.

I had felt a sense of foreboding for some time now, the kind one would get as an unforgiving storm draws near. Most would call it a calmness, but it wasn't that. It was pure dread. Dread for what would happen, dread for what could be taken, dread for having to experience a natural-born tragedy that could flood all in its path without remorse.

That feeling attempted to convince me that we stood no chance against what was coming; that no matter how hard we tried, fate could only be challenged as much as a storm.

It was a manipulative downpour of emotions, but I resisted indulging in them. As always, in times of my weakness, I thought of my friends to give me strength. We had endured before, we could endure again.

When we were together, no storm stood a chance against us.

---

It wasn't until the sun began to set did we leave Mister Yukimura's classroom, because although our day was coming to a close, our night had only just begun.

When we were sure the campus was empty, we started to secure the boy's locker room. Liam and Hayden used their combined enhanced strength to move the shelves of doorless lockers in front of each entry point. The hefty metal shelving units would make it difficult for anyone or anything to push their way inside. We left the main door uncovered for now so we could come and go easily, though once night came, it would be obstructed too.

Lydia and Malia arrived soon after with Parrish in tow, each of them carrying one of the jammers modified by the deputy. Parrish explained that he increased their level of frequency tenfold, that way the devices could cancel out whatever frequency the Dread Doctors operated on. In theory, it would leave them powerless once they got close enough. In reality, I was preparing myself for having to run for our lives.

"Are you guys sure about this?" Hayden asks as she stares at the jammer we had in the locker room, the device silently activated on a nearby row of shelving. We had placed another jammer in Miss Martin's office since it was close by, and the third was currently being programmed out in the main hall. Soon, our so-called fortress would be complete.

Lydia comes to stand beside the chimera for a moment, contemplating her question.

"Sure," she states plainly, not at all providing reassurance.

Hayden scowls wryly at Lydia in response. The banshee purses her lips in response and walks off, pretending to rearrange a pile of snacks Parrish brought us earlier. They don't need to be organized, she just doesn't know what else to say and I can't blame her. This wasn't a situation any of us had much experience in, not that we'd tell Hayden that.

"I know all of this all still seems weird-"

"That's an understatement." Hayden cuts me off. I ignore her interruption and continue, chuckling at her attitude that had yet to be deterred by recent events.

"But you can trust Scott. He's not going to let anything happen to you," I say seriously, thinking back to the promise that I selfishly asked for. It was worth the guilt if it meant Hayden's safety.

I glance at the clock on the far wall, seeing that our window of freedom was closing. Scott would be on his way back with Kira by now, and once they arrived, we'd barricade ourselves inside this room. Scott claimed it would be a fortress, but I had a feeling it would compare more closely to a prison.

"I'm gonna do one last sweep of the school, but I'll be right back," I tell Hayden. She nods, allowing me to leave without any objections. Liam, who overheard us talking from only two feet away, doesn't mirror her behavior.

"I'll go with you," he volunteers eagerly, at my side in an instant.

"No, you need to be with Hayden and Lydia," I urge him, caring more about the banshee and chimera than myself. I would be able to handle any sudden attacks better than they could.

"Jac, we'll be fine on our own for a few minutes." Hayden offers.

Liam glances at her for a second, appearing grateful. I have half a mind to drag him along with me only because the idea of them getting along wasn't something I wanted to put an end to.

"You're my girlfriend, I should be with you," Liam insists in a hushed voice, being sure Lydia can't overhear him.

"Girlfriend?" I immediately echo the title, shock clear in my voice. This was the first time he referred to me as that.

Hayden lets out an awkward groan before swiftly turning away from us, taking quick strides to join Lydia across the room. This wasn't a conversation she wanted to be a part of anymore.

Liam pauses, unsure of why I seemed stunned. "That's what you are."

"I don't remember agreeing to that." I reply teasingly. Liam doesn't pick up on the sarcasm in my voice and remains silent, unsatisfied. I use his confusion to my advantage as I back away from him, because this time, he doesn't follow.

"Stay." I order with an amused smirk. He simply watches as I leave the locker room, shutting the door firmly behind me.

I make my way toward the main hall, finding Parrish and Malia programming the last jammer. They have it set on a glass case nearby, various trophies that the school collected over the years displayed inside. Parrish fiddles with the device, turning random dials and flipping multiple switches. Malia watches him work with her natural frown.

"Everything set?" I ask them.

Parrish faces me, wearing his usual friendly smile in greeting. It's odd for him to look so relaxed at a time like this, though I'm not entirely put off by it.

"We're good to go. What about you guys?"

"Yeah, we're good too. I'm just gonna do a final check around the building to make sure we're still the only ones here. I don't wanna drag anyone else into this because they stayed late to study," I remark in a joking tone, though I'm completely serious.

Parrish gives a tense nod of agreement, his hand drifting to the waistband of his jeans as he speaks. "We definitely don't need any crossfire."

"You're carrying?" I question him, though I've already pieced together the answer because of his movements.

"Aren't you?" He retorts.

"I haven't used a gun for months," I murmur, silently wondering if I've made a grave mistake by not bringing any firearms. I had a few daggers on my person, but none of them would have the same effect as a bullet. I'd been telling myself for months that when the time came to pick up a gun again, I wouldn't hesitate. But now, in the middle of a situation where we definitely could have used one, I choked.

Parrish studies me closely and his eyes flash with understanding.

"I'm sure it won't come to a fight," he offers hopefully. "The cell phone jammers worked on our test runs, they'll work tonight too."

"Yeah, you're right." I agree, forcing a smile of false relief. I didn't want to push my issues onto Parrish.

"I should get outside before it's dark," he dismisses himself politely, exiting through the double doors at the end of the hall. Tonight he would be keeping an eye on the exterior of the school, making sure we weren't completely unaware as we remained isolated.

When he's gone, Malia focuses on the jammer with a distrusting grimace and begins to sniff the metal surface. I simply shake my head at the werecoyote and leave her to her bidding as I start my final walkthrough.

"I'll be back," I say over my shoulder as I venture farther away.

I begin to thoroughly check both floors, stopping at each classroom to verify it was empty of any students or teachers. I even knock on the storage closets for any janitors, and confirm that none of the bathroom stalls were occupied.

I conclude that no one else was here when I reach the farthest corner of the second floor. It was quiet and still on campus, only my friends left. I circle back toward the stairwell to rejoin them, watching the hallways grow bleak as the sun dips below the horizon outside. Darkness would come any minute now, as well as all the horrors that felt safe within it.

My journey comes to an abrupt pause when I find that I'm not the only one upstairs anymore.

Liam leans against a row of lockers near the stairwell, waiting for me.

"What are you doing out here? I told you to stay with Lydia and Hayden." I come to stand across from him, mildly upset he didn't listen.

He doesn't say anything, only holds out a hand for me to take. I do, allowing him to pull me closer to him. My annoyance could never keep me from his touch. I still kept an ear out for anyone who might climb the nearby stairs though, not wanting to have this night begin with someone stumbling upon us so close together.

"Liam?" I say his name gently, my concern beginning to rise at his silence. His face was unreadable. Whatever he was thinking, he was keeping it to himself.

"Say you're my girlfriend," he pleads, his voice almost a whisper.

I laugh softly at his expense, now realizing why he had left the locker room. Leaning against him, I poke at his face jokingly with my free hand.

"You first," I request teasingly.

I'd expected him to take my words literally, and make some joking comment about being my girlfriend, but he doesn't. He guides my hand that was clasped within his to the center of his chest, laying it over the lump beneath his shirt where my silver bullet continued to hang from his neck.

"I'm yours," he confesses.

His face cracks afterward, allowing me to understand exactly what my words from earlier have done. Keeping what we were hidden from everyone else was one thing, but not even saying it to each other was another. It was too much for him to bear.

He waits, staring down at me expectantly. I move my hands to either side of his face, tenderly tracing the outline of his brows and the divots of his cheekbones. He closes his eyes as I do so, savoring my delicate touch, as if this was our last moment together.

I guide his face closer to my own, pressing my forehead against his. His breath exchanges with mine because of proximity, our souls becoming one.

There had been people in my life who claimed me as theirs before, but it was never with the intention of me being able to call them mine too. They wanted ownership of me, but not Liam. I had no problem belonging to him, because he belonged to me too.

"I'm yours, mon étoile," I whisper, my words sacred.

Time seemed endless as I feel him smile against my skin. Nothing and no one else mattered to me here and now. I didn't care about the shadows that grew around us, because with my star, I would always be able to find my way through the darkness.

~

|||| A/N |||

vote and/or comment if ya want!

Wow, what a nice ending, sure hope nothing bad happens in the next chapter :D

<3