THEY WERE FUCKING INTEGRAL TO THE REBELS WINNING THE WAR!

☆︎ APRIL, 1998 ☆︎

Gale Weathers was fuming as she stormed away from Cotton Weary, who was trying to get answers about the interview with Sidney that he was promised. Her newest cameraman, Joel, wasn't moving nearly fast enough to keep up with her — she was practically sprinting so that no other news channels would get footage of her blood-covered face.

"Joel!" she snapped, looking back at him over her shoulder. She'd need to make sure he deleted the footage of Indiana punching her, even though the local news would likely be playing it on a loop in between segments about the murders.

She figured the universe must have hated her, because before she could find a bathroom to clean her face off, she walked right into a trio containing two of the last people wanted to see. Dewey Riley and Virginia Winger.

"Dewey," Gale said, actively ignoring Virginia and Sophia Martin, who was to the side. Her voice sounded off as she was still holding her broken nose. "What are you doing here?"

Rather than answer, Dewey nodded to the other side of the quad where Sidney and Indiana headed with the rest of their friends. "Why don't you just leave them alone? Haven't they been through enough?" he asked her. "And my name is Dwight."

Gale just shrugged. "I was just doing my job, Dwight."

"No matter who gets hurt in the process?" Sophia asked in a snarky tone. Ever since reading the chapter of Gale's book that covered Tatum's death, she knew she'd hate the older woman for the rest of her life.

"Hey!" Gale snapped as the other three started to walk off. "Who got punched here — again?"

Virginia smirked at the woman, taking in her already bruising face and bleeding lip. "Remind me to buy Indy a car for that."

"Well, I don't condone violence, but maybe you deserved it," Dewey added, making Gale scoff. Then he began quoting her book. "Page thirty-two, 'Deputy Dewey filled the room with his Barney Fife-ish presence.'"

Dewey stopped for a moment, and Gale looked at him in surprise. "You read my book."

"Oh, yes, I do read, Miss Weathers," he said, rolling his eyes. Then he kept walking.

"Oh, Dewey, don't take it so seriously. It's a character in a book," she insisted.

"A non-fiction book," Virginia said, glaring at her. "Dewey isn't just a character. And I'm not an 'insecure, overbearing nurse clinging to her youth, failing to raise her troubled sister on her own.'"

Gale raised a doubtful eyebrow. "You read my book too?"

"Anything that has to do with Indiana is my business," she said in a firm tone. "You know, Indiana, my 'verging on the cusp of mentally unstable and dangerous' little sister that helped save your life that night and just broke your nose."

Dewey jumped right in after that with another quote. "Let's not forget page forty-one, 'Deputy Dewey oozed with inexperience.'"

"Don't you think you're overreacting just a little bit?" Gale asked them, still not understanding why she was considered the bad guy.

"No," Dewey replied. "What I think is that you're a money-hungry, fame-seeking and, forgive me for saying, mediocre writer who's got a cold storage shed where her heart should be. No offense intended."

"And I think you're a selfish, disgusting, insensitive bitch who called his sister a 'typical bimbo destined to be a target for sleeping around with some irrelevant girl behind her boyfriend's back,'" Sophia spat, glaring at her. "Full offense intended, you fucking piece of shit."

Gale took in a deep breath and looked from Sophia to Dewey. "Dewey, I never meant to imply—"

Dewey quickly cut Gale off while coming to a stop again, glaring at her. "How do you know that my dimwitted inexperience isn't merely a subtle form of manipulation used to lower people's expectations, thereby enhancing my ability to effectively maneuver within any given situation?"

The way that Gale was trying not to smile made Virginia's insides boil. She still didn't see why they were all so mad at her — why the things she wrote about Dewey and his dead sister might have been a horrible mistake on her part.

"I'm sorry," Gale said. She went to cup his face, but Dewey flinched back, his good hand reaching for Virginia. "I don't know what else to say except I'm sorry."

"No. I'm the one that's sorry. I misjudged you," Dewey said sadly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some oozing to do."

Dewey and Virginia walked off, him still holding onto the nurse. Sophia moved to follow but then quickly rejoined Gale's side, smirking at her as she looked her up and down. "One more thing — nice streaks."

Gale's mouth fell open as Sophia sauntered off, clearly not talking about the red highlights in her hair. God, this was going to be an unbearably long stay in Ohio.

☆︎

"Is Altieri picking you up from here?" Cici asked Indiana.

The girls were in Cici's room in the OBZ house, and the blonde was putting Indiana's hair into a pretty braid for the party over at the DLZ house. She'd already dressed her in a pretty sage green dress — just because they weren't roommates didn't mean she couldn't still treat Indy like a pretty doll to dress up.

"No, he's gonna meet me there. Coming with Derek, Randy, and Jackson," Indiana answered. "But Sid and Hallie are gonna come and we'll walk over together. They should be here in a few minutes. I wish you could come."

"Even if I wasn't stuck here, I wouldn't be caught dead over there. You won't see a single one of my sisters there," she said, rolling her eyes. "Like, I love Hallie, but she could've picked literally any other sorority to show interest in. Ugh."

"Yeah, it sucks," Indiana said, pretending to understand why the Delta Lambdas and Omega Betas hated each other so much. The feud started back when all of the current members were still in diapers, so Indy didn't understand why it was still going on. But she'd always take Cici's side in the fight.

"You know," Cici then said, her tone shifting to a sweeter one as she finished off the braid. "Having someone as strong-willed as you in the family would really keep the Delta Lambdas from constantly bullying us."

"I don't have to be in your organization to threaten them," she reminded her.

"Well, yeah, but also, think of how fulfilling and empowering it would be to be in Omega Beta Zeta. Their sisterhood and support would—"

"Stop sorority pushing!" Indiana interrupted, grinning at her through the mirror.

"I'm not!" she said, putting her hands up in defense. Then she pouted and leaned her chin on Indy's shoulder. "But it was so fun being roommates last semester. You can join and move in, and we'll be back together."

"Ah, but there's a flaw in that plan," she reminded her.

Cici narrowed her eyes playfully. "There are zero flaws, actually," she said knowingly.

"You can't stand Mickey, who makes a habit of crawling in my window and staying the night. And do you really want to wake up to that handsome face that makes you want to vomit every other day?" she asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"You're right," Cici said, her smile turning into a grimace. "There is one flaw."

Indiana just laughed. "He's climbed the tree of shame so many times that we carved our initials into it. And give up on the recruitment speeches, babe."

"Fine," she sighed before moving to sit on her bed.

Indiana got up off the chair in front of the vanity and joined her. She bumped her shoulder against her. "You know you're only required to live in the house for one semester. I mean, you don't have to come back and room with me if you love it here, though. I don't want you to be unhappy."

"I'd never be unhappy living with you," Cici told her, smiling softly. "You're my best friend, Indy. I wouldn't survive without you."

"Does that mean you're coming back to the dorms next semester?" she asked with a hopeful smile.

"Of course," she told her, wrapping her arms around her in a hug.

Then one of Cici's sorority sisters, Dawn Dunphey, stuck her head in the bedroom. "Hey, Indiana, your friends are downstairs."

"Thanks, Dawnie," Cici told her. Then she looked at Indy, scanning her form in the short, velvet green dress. "Okay, I hate the man you want to impress, but you look like a total babe, so have fun."

Indiana just laughed as she always did over her hatred of Mickey. "I'll come by after the party is over to keep you company," she said. "We can have a sleepover."

"Please rub it in Mickey's face that I'm getting the sleepover and not him," she said, smiling smugly as Indy slid off the bed.

"Love ya, babe," Indiana said, quickly kissing the corner of Cici's lips before grabbing a thin cardigan to keep her arms warm for the walk to the DLZ house.

"You too. See you in a few."

After leaving Cici's room, Indiana met Hallie and Sidney downstairs, and the three of them headed down the street. They could already hear the music coming from the house that was filling up with drunk students quickly.

Indiana began to think that Hallie and Cici planned something because Sidney's roommate couldn't stop singing Delta Lambda's praises, clearly trying to warm her up to the idea of joining Greek life.

"Sorority pushing!" Indiana accused as they walked up the front steps, treating her just as she had Cici.

"Hey, I am not a sorority pusher," Hallie insisted while going inside. She waved at several familiar faces. "I just think, despite its trivialities, it is a life-affirming, mentally stable, healthy environment for you. I mean, look at this place."

While passing a table full of snacks, Hallie grabbed some pigs in a blanket, handing one to both girls. Indiana quickly ate hers, but Sidney just sniffed it before throwing it over her shoulder.

"Dude," Indiana said, watching it land near the fireplace. "Gross."

"Look, I think you're taking your psych major a little too seriously, Hallie. I'm fine," Sidney insisted. She slipped off her jacket and put it over the back of a chair, already feeling the heat from the crowded living room that they walked into.

"Yeah?" Hallie asked doubtfully. "That's beginning to become your theme song. 'I'm fine.' Yeah — fucked up, insecure, neurotic, and emotional."

"I mean, I think she has a pretty valid excuse for being so fucked up," Indy said, shrugging.

Then they were spotted by Allison and Melanie, who each had a martini in hand. "Sidney, Indiana, you made it!" Allison said as they came over.

"Hi!" Melanie greeted, sounding so excited that Sidney suspected it was fake. It seemed Melanie realized how she sounded too. "No, I really mean that. Hi."

"Hi," Sidney said simply.

"Do you girls want a drink?" Allison asked, gesturing to her martini.

"Well, actually, yeah, but you know what? We'll get it ourselves," Sidney said, quickly leading Hallie away.

Indiana smiled at the two girls, silently apologizing for Sidney's rudeness. "Thanks for inviting us." She also moved to take off her cardigan, leaving it with Sidney's jacket.

"I hope you have fun," Melanie told her while twirling a strand of her blonde hair. "You looked so pretty tonight. I love your dress."

"I love yours!" Indy gushed. Melanie was wearing a shift dress with blue and green gingham printed on it, clearly having remembered Indiana's complement earlier.

"Can I make you a drink?" the blonde offered with a hopeful smile.

"Of course. Lead the way."

If Sidney wanted to get away from Allison and Melanie, she didn't get what she wanted as Indiana led them right back to her. Sid glared at her friend who just smiled at her knowingly. Melanie was happy to make a martini for Indiana, and then the five of them all wandered around the house. Allison was laying it on thick as she tried to recruit the two of them.

Indiana thought it was incredibly funny to compare Cici's speech about sisterhood and empowerment to the angle that Allison was choosing.

"Everyone thinks that sororities are just about blow jobs," she said, her arm linked with Sidney's as they all moved on to the backyard. It was full of people partying, dancing, and doing keg stands — it may have been a martini mixer, but all alcohol was welcomed. "But it's not true."

"We only promote safe, condom sex. See, we're about love, respect, and responsibility," Melanie added, looking pointedly at Indiana with a sweet smile.

Allison then looked at her friend. "Harmonica style is okay, right?"

She nodded seriously. "Oh, yeah."

Then Randy appeared with fresh drinks in hand, standing between Allison and Melanie. "Cocktail?"

Sidney and Indiana shot him amused looks, finding it funny that he only just arrived and went straight for the kill. "What took you so long?" Sidney asked him, earning a simple eye roll from him.

"And you know, Derek is a Delta Lambda big brother," Melanie told Sidney pointedly.

"And we like to keep it all in the family," Allison added. Indiana couldn't help but giggle from how it sounded.

"Wow. You know, you girls have really given me a lot to think about," Sidney said, clearly lying through her teeth. "Thanks."

As she walked off, both Allison and Melanie frowned, figuring their recruitment tactics weren't working that well. Hallie smiled at them comfortingly. "It's working. It's working," she lied.

Both girls huffed before moving on, which was perfect, as Mickey and Jackson came over. Derek slid right by, heading for Sidney.

"Hey, babe. You wanna dance?" Jackson asked Hallie, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, I'd love to," she said, looking out at the crowd of dancing students and pointing to one, "with that tall, wide-shouldered fraternity boy. Think you can arrange that?"

Jackson scoffed. "That hurts. And I am tall and wide-shouldered."

Randy then passed them, another martini in hand. As he kept walking, Mickey leaned in to speak with him. "The Empire Strikes Back — better story, improved effects."

While walking backward to still look at him, Randy shook his head. "Not a sequel. Part of a trilogy. Completely planned." Then some girl came right up to Randy, grabbing all his attention. "Hello."

"I like those little furry things," Hallie commented before leading Jackson into the house.

"They're Ewoks," Mickey informed her with a smile. Then he dropped it. "They blow."

Indiana let out an affronted scoff. "No, they do not fucking blow!"

Mickey narrowed his eyes at her. "You can't be serious."

"Ewoks are freaking precious and brave warriors."

"No, they're little rats that were invented to sell more toys."

"God, you're so pretentious. God forbid something you hate be popular. They were fucking integral to the Rebels winning the war, and you know it!" Indiana said, raising her voice. "I can't talk to you if you're gonna be stupid. I'll just go ask Melanie to dance. I'm sure she thinks Ewoks are neat."

Indiana moved to slide past Mickey, but he caught her wrist and pulled her back against his chest. "I bet you think you're so fucking funny, don't you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, knowing she just wanted to make him jealous.

"I am known to be quite funny," she said, smiling up at him. "Wanna dance with me, you pretentious dick?"

"God, yes," he said, letting her pull him to the dancing crowd.

Once they were lost in the sea of bodies, Mickey raised her hand and twirled her under his arm before pulling her close against his chest. Indiana slid her hands up his arms and tangled them in his hair. He leaned down to press his forehead against hers, looking into her eyes as they danced.

Song after song was spent pressed up against each other until she was turned, her back against his firm chest as she danced against him. He kept a tight grip on her hips, his head dipping down to put his lips on her neck, his mouth brushing past the chain of her locket while kissing her softly. Indiana let out a content sigh, letting her head fall to the side to give him better access.

Mickey groaned as she began to grind on him, making him tighten his hold on his as he rubbed against her. "Wanna head back to my room?" he asked lowly, his lips brushing the new mark he'd given her.

Indiana turned her head to the side to meet his gaze, lips hovering over his. "I told Cici I was gonna sleep over tonight. Sorry."

He groaned again, more out of frustration than arousal this time. "You can't look this damn good at a party and not expect me to want to fuck the shit out of you at the end of the night, Sweetheart."

"Well, I'm sure there's a free room upstairs if you can make it quick," she said with a sly smirk.

"Not fair," Mickey mumbled before lightly biting her shoulder. "You know I like to take my time with you."

"Yeah, but we both know you're good enough that you don't have to," she told him teasingly. Then she turned in his arms to face him so that she could kiss him fully, tightly holding the fabric of his blue sweater in her fist. She spoke in between quick, open-mouthed kisses. "Say Ewoks don't blow, and maybe I'll do some of my own."

He moaned happily into her mouth at the proposition, deepening the kiss as he slid his hands down, fingertips toying with the hem of her dress as he squeezed her thighs. Indiana was far more concerned with hearing him make that sound again rather than the sound of approaching sirens from the distance.

"Hey, guys!" Allison shouted, running back outside with Melanie. "Something is up at Omega Beta Zeta. Police are everywhere!"

Indiana had been ignoring her at first, but as soon as Cici's home was mentioned, she pulled out of Mickey's grasp and looked over at the girls with wide eyes.

"Hurry!" Melanie shouted as everyone started to run inside so they could go through the front door.

"Cici's the only one home," Indiana mumbled, heading inside as well with Mickey close to her side. The rest of their friends all ran with the crowd too.

"Way to break up the party," Allison muttered when they got to the street, seeing countless police officers and ambulances.

"Shit. I should have brought my drink," Melanie complained.

Indiana froze for a moment, looking at all the flashing lights that were surrounding the house across the street, blocking it from view. She moved to run to it, but Mickey grabbed her wrist and kept her back.

"I have to go find Cici," she said, trying to get herself free.

"Maybe you should stay here, Indy," Mickey said, glancing at the house uneasily. "Like you said, she's the only one home."

"Exactly—"

"Indiana," Jackson said, coming up behind them. He'd heard what Mickey was saying and understood what he was trying to do — he wanted to keep Indy from potentially seeing something horrible. "He's right. Just, uh, just wait back here, okay? We'll make sure Cici is fine and bring her right to you."

"She is fine," Indiana muttered, looking at her best friend intently.

But she saw the uneasy look Jackson and Mickey shared. They wouldn't have a fleet of police cars and two ambulances for nothing. And neither wanted her to see whatever the 'something' was, especially if Cici was involved.

"Just stay back with Sid and Derek," Mickey told her, nodding over to the couple that was standing on the porch. Sidney had no interest in seeing what was going on.

"Okay," Indy said softly, beginning to nervously bite her lip. "But come right back with her, okay?"

"You got it," Mickey said, kissing her temple and lying through his goddamn teeth.

☆︎

It was utter chaos outside the OBZ house as free officers tried to keep the drunk college students from trampling the crime scene. Already, the local news outlets were flocking, trying to find out as much information as they could.

Virginia stood in between Sophia and Dewey, staring at the ambulance that pulled away with the lights turned off — there was nothing that they could do for her. For Cici.

"How am I gonna tell Indiana?" Virginia asked, her voice hardly above a whisper. She knew how close she was with the girl, not to mention that it was a clear sign things were starting up again. The Ghostface attack at the theater wasn't the only one.

"We'll help you," Dewey said, holding her hand. Sophia nodded and leaned her head on Virginia's shoulder. She didn't know Cici well, but Jackson, Indiana, Sidney, and Randy adored her.

"Joel, let's go," they all heard Gale command as she finally arrived on the scene.

Her cameraman was nervously heaving by the van, trying to prepare himself mentally for the crime scene. "In - In a minute."

While waiting, Gale walked over to the trio, looking at the house that was blocked off with crime scene tape. "It's happening again, isn't it?"

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?" Sophia asked bitterly.

Gale scoffed at the girl and moved on. But Dewey had to get in the last word. "Better hurry, Gale. Might get scooped."

She looked at him, clearly hurt by his comment, but ignored it and narrowed her eyes toward Joel, who wasn't moving any quicker. "Move it, Joel!"

"Gale, I have to be honest with you," he said, coming up to her. "I'm not cut out for this. I mean, I was brought here to do an interview, not Faces of Death Fourteen."

"Do not fuck with me," Gale ordered, getting more angry by the second. Then she stomped off, forcing Joel to follow despite his reluctance.

"Soph!" Jackson shouted, finally arriving from the house across the street. His sister quickly leaned off of Virginia and ran to hug him. He'd arrived on his own, but Randy and Hallie weren't too far off, standing on their toes and whispering with fellow students to try and find out what was going on. "What happened?"

"Where's my sister?" Virginia asked instead of answering. She scanned the crowd and couldn't see her or Sidney. "And Sid? Weren't they at the party with you?"

"They stayed back at the other house," he told her. "Just until I know what happened. Cici... she was the only one at the house tonight. What happened?"

"She's dead, Jax," Sophia told him with a deep frown on her face. "She was stabbed and thrown out a window."

Jackson sighed and rubbed his hand down his face, trying to keep his composure. "I was — Indy's waiting for me to come back with Cici to show her she's safe. She can't - she can't lose another person."

"But she has," Dewey said sadly. "We'll get her back to her room and tell her. C'mon."

☆︎

Derek was hugging Sidney from behind as they listened to the commotion that they couldn't see. Indiana was left to wrap her own arms around herself in a hug, counting the seconds until Mickey and Jackson came down the driveway with Cici between them.

"Come on," Derek finally said, deciding they'd been waiting too long for some news. "Get your jacket. Let's get you both home. We can call Mickey's cell and let him know where you are."

"I'm supposed to sleep at Cici's tonight," Indiana told him stiffly. "So, I'm going to Cici's."

Knowing he didn't want to start an argument, Derek nodded. "Sure, I'll walk you there."

Indiana nodded and followed Sidney into the house, which was completely empty now. There were crushed cups and trash all over, the only signs that the house had been full to the brim mere minutes ago. The two of them walked into the living room where their things were.

As Indiana grabbed her cardigan, the phone began to ring, which she ignored. Sidney also put on her coat, and they moved back toward the front of the house. However, Sidney stopped and stared at the ringing phone for a moment longer.

"C'mon," Indy said, grabbing Sidney's hand to pull her along.

Derek looked back at them in the doorway. "You about ready?" he asked, earning a nod from Indiana. He then started down the front steps, figuring they were following.

But Sidney couldn't help but look at the phone that kept ringing.

"Almost."

"Sid," Indiana said in a warning tone as her friend moved to the phone on the table. She stepped after her. "Sidney, don't pick up the phone. It's not our house. Let's just go and find Cici."

"I'll just take a message for whoever it is," Sidney said, hoping it would be that simple. But unlike Indiana, she had a problem with just letting a phone ring ever since what happened. Indiana sighed as she picked up the phone. "Hello?"

Indiana was close enough to hear the distorted, low voice that made her freeze. "Hello, Sidney. Remember me?"

"What do you want?" Sidney asked, beginning to shake as she glared at the wall.

"I want you. It's showtime."

"Then why don't you show your face, you fucking coward," she snapped before angrily hanging up the phone.

"My pleasure."

At hearing the voice so close and not from the phone, Indiana and Sidney spun around. And there he was — Ghostface, standing right in front of the now-closed front door, a sharp knife in his hand.

"Derek!" Sidney screamed in fear.

Ghostface ran at them, but both girls ducked out of the way, and Sidney shoved him into the table with the phone on it. Then they ran for the front door, which Derek was banging on from the other side.

"Sid! Indy?" Derek shouted, unable to get the door open as it was locked and deadbolted.

Sidney fumbled with the lock, trying to get it open so they could run. But Indiana saw that Ghostface had recovered and was running toward them again, so she grabbed Sid and pulled her to the side. Ghostface ran right into the door, his knife digging into the wood and getting stuck.

Derek, who barely escaped getting stabbed in the head, rushed to the window of the entryway. Both Sidney and Indiana banged on it, trying to break the glass.

"Sid!" Derek shouted, trying to pull at the decorative metal bars over the window.

"Run!" Indiana shouted when she saw Ghostface get the knife out of the door.

She pushed Sidney ahead of her, and they ran through the house, toward the living room. Ghostface darted through the dining room, managing to cut them off before they could get to the side door. However, he tripped over a lamp cord, making him fall into an armchair, toppling over on it.

"Clumsy fuck!" Indiana couldn't help but laugh while running with Sidney through the house. They went to the kitchen, where the door led to the backyard.

Once they were outside, both girls glanced into the house, trying to spot the person chasing them. But not wanting to give him too much time, Indy grabbed Sidney again and turned to leave, only for them to run right into someone.

Sidney screamed before realizing that it was just Derek, who ran around the side of the house to find them.

"It's me. It's me," he said quickly, holding her shoulders to check her for injuries. "You okay? You okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah," Sidney managed to say in between her sobs. Then Derek took off into the house, leaving them behind. "No, Derek. Don't!"

Indiana kept Sidney behind her as she peered into the house, not able to see anything as Derek got out of her sight.

"Sid! Indy!"

"Indiana!"

At hearing Dewey and Virginia yelling, both girls turned back around to see the adults coming their way. Jackson and Sophia were jogging behind them.

"Dewey," Sid breathed out through her tears. "The killer's in there. And Derek."

They all heard crashing and the sound of Derek struggling, so Dewey ran right inside. And given that he was limping and could barely control his dominant hand, Jackson followed after him while instructing the others to wait outside.

Indiana tried to follow, but her sister grabbed her arm tightly. "Don't even fucking think about it, Indiana," Virginia ordered, keeping her eyes on Dewey.

Jackson grabbed one of the cooking knives as Dewey looked into the living room, seeing nothing out of order other than the fallen chair and broken lamp. But it was Virginia that could see the red stain on the doorframe.

"Dewey," she whispered, nodding to it.

Jackson got ready with the knife as Dewey slowly approached from the other side and pushed the hallway door open. Ghostface wasn't behind it, though. Derek was on the floor, his arm bleeding heavily from a cut on it, breathing hard.

"You all right?" Dewey asked him as Jackson walked past, looking around the corner in case the Ghostface was still hanging around.

"He went that way," Derek said, nodding his head toward Jackson.

"Sidney, he's in here!" Dewey shouted so she would know where her boyfriend was.

Virginia moved the quickest, running to Derek to make sure the wound wasn't too deep.

Then Jackson ran around the corner, only to see the front door wide open. No one in a Ghostface costume was there. Just Allison and Melanie standing on the front steps, looking incredibly confused at the sight of Jackson with a knife in his hand.

"Is everything okay?" Melanie asked, cluelessly.

Jackson rolled his eyes and went back to Derek, where Virginia was looking over his wound. She'd taken a handkerchief out of Dewey's pocket and held it to his cut, ignoring how he winced. "We've gotta apply pressure to it."

"Don't do that—" Derek cut himself off and groaned in pain when Virginia tied the fabric tightly around the cut, making pain shoot up his entire arm.

"I called the police," Sophia said, hanging up her cell phone.

The only two not doing anything were Sidney and Indiana. Sid was standing in the kitchen, hollow-eyed and on the brink of tears as she looked at Derek in pain. And Indiana — Indiana was seething, clenching her fist so tight that her nails were digging painfully into her palms.

"Indy?" Sophia asked, seeing how she was shaking. "Are you okay?"

"Where's Cici?" Indiana asked, her eyes landing on Jackson. "You were supposed to be bringing Cici."

"Indiana," Virginia said carefully, looking up from Derek's arm. "The police were at that house for her."

"Is she hurt?" she questioned, her voice beginning to tremble. Deep down, Indiana knew what they were going to tell her, but she still had to hear it. She could feel it in her soul, it seemed like.

"She..." Jackson hesitated, seeing how Indy's eyes were starting to water. It was nearly impossible to make Indiana cry — she didn't cry over Tatum's death, Billy and Stu's betrayal, being there when Casey and Steve died. "Cici's dead, Indiana."

It was so silent that you could've heard a hairpin drop as they all watched the lone tear that rolled down Indiana's cheek, the only physical way she reacted at first. Then she took in a deep breath and clenched her jaw.

"Was she stabbed?" Indiana asked in a hard voice. And they all knew what she was really asking. Was it Ghostface who killed her?

Dewey nodded, keeping his eyes down. "Yeah. She was."

"Well," she said tensely, "I hope it was worth it."

"Why do you say that?" Sophia asked her warily.

"Because when I'm done with this asshole, it's gonna look like I gently held Billy Loomis in my fucking arms and let him slowly drift off in comparison."