chapter fifty-seven
❝ silently the senses abandon their defenses ❞
perished

━━━━༺❀༻━━━━

Kennedy and Stiles sat side by side, looking up at Lydia. "Lydia, I remember Lorraine, and she was a little kooky, but do you really think she faked her death?"

Lydia held up a finger, "Yes!" She says to the girl and her human boyfriend. "Think about it! You're the only name that isn't on the list, and nobody cherished you more as much as my grandma did."

"Okay, but you're on the list," Kennedy said pointedly. Lydia straightened her back, tilting her head in thought.

The redhead shook her head, "But still. My grandmother was a banshee, she had to have been. Meredith must have had contact with my Grandmother and that's how Meredith knew what she knew!" She says, exasperated.

Kennedy side eyed Stiles, sighing. Pushing off the mattress, Kennedy stood in front of the Martin. "I love you, and I trust you. So, if you honestly think your grandmother had some grand Villain Arch and faked her death to pursue Dead Pools, I will help you,"

"And, uh, I will too," Stiles stuttered, standing up. Kennedy and Lydia both looked at him, raising their brows. "What? I'm helpful."

Lydia turns to Kennedy, "And, about the Malia thing, I'm really sorry. Your dad told me not to say anything, and I am still a little terrified of him," Lydia confessed, pursing her lips together.

The Hale smiled, "It's okay. Trust me, I understand completely," Kennedy told her best friend, "Now, come on, we have to talk to Stiles's dad,"

Stiles watched as the girls walked away. "Hey, it would be nice if you warned me we were leaving!" The boy says. He spins around in a circle, trying to find the keys to his car.

"I have your keys!"

"Thanks, Ken!" Stiles calls out, running after them.

༺❀༻

Noah led the three teenagers into his office, sending them wary looks. "It's not just that she could still be alive." Stiles begins.

Lydia slowly turns, standing to Kennedy's left. "It's that she would've had to fake her death." She tells the Sheriff of Beacon Hills. Kennedy tilted her head, her short brown hair landing on her shoulder.

Sheriff Noah Stilinski rose a brow at Lydia. "Your grandmother, Lorraine Martin, faked her death?" He asked, unsure how this made much sense.

"Definitely." Stiles blurts. Kennedy holds up a finger.

"Maybe."

Stiles turns to look at her, before back at his dead, "More than likely, yes" He followed. Noah crossed his arms, silently asking himself how he got into this kind of stuff, and why nothing could ever be a normal crime in this town.

"Oh, I'm guessing you got a story to back this up?" Noah asks his son, waiting.

Lydia speaks up, "She might be helping The Benefactor." She tells the Sheriff.

"Or is The Benefactor."

Sheriff nods, looking at the three teens, "That sounds like a story worth hearing." He told them. Noah slowly moved backwards, slowly shutting the door. Kennedy slowly looks into the window, looking at one of the Deputy's who's desk was promptly in front of them. The man's eyes made contact with hers. Kennedy felt her entire blood run cold. She didn't know what it was, but it made her feel sick.

"Lydia, I know Banshee's and Seers are different things, but we have similar things, right?" Kennedy begins, letting Stiles explain everything to Noah. "But are you feeling any more sickly than usual?"

The Martin shook her head, "No," She trailed off, glancing at Kennedy. "Why? Are you?"

Kennedy didn't answer, her attention being caught by Noah. He walked into the main part of the station, "Anybody seen Parrish?" He calls out. People shake their heads, and Noah looks at the man that made Kennedy feel uneasy. "Haigh?"

Haigh looks up from his desk. "Haven't seen him." He chimes, followed by a shrug. Kennedy stared suspiciously. Noah nods, going to shut the door. Suddenly, Kennedy grabs the door mid swing.

"I'm going to get some water," Kennedy whispered. Noah eyed her, confused as Kennedy moved out of the room. Lydia and Stiles shared a look, knowing this wasn't normal for Kennedy. Something wasn't right.

Kennedy stepped into the main office, pretending to ignore Haigh as she walks to the water cooler. She grabs a cup, filling it slowly as she looks at the entrance. Her eyes widen slightly. Jordan Parrish was slowly walking in. He was covered in soot, as if he had just gone through a fire. His clothes burned off almost completely. Kennedy looked up in realization. She slowly turned her head, seeing Haigh's computer. She snapped her head at Jordan, who was slowly walking in. She turned back to Haigh, something in her switching.

In the office, Stiles and Lydia looked over to see Kennedy turn to Haigh. Noah watched, "What's going on?" Noah asked the teens.

Haigh looked up from his computer, seeing Kennedy stand there with a cold stare. His eyes shifted behind her, seeing Jordan. "Holy," Haigh reached for his gun, but Jordan went storming over. Kennedy snapped her head as she watched Jordan shove the other deputy into the wall. Gunshots rang through the air, and Kennedy ducked down quickly. "You're dead."

Jordan screamed in anger, taking Haigh down to the ground. Kennedy jumped back. Sheriff Stilinski ran out of his office, pointing his gun. "Hey. Hey!" As Jordan punches Haigh, a gun shot flies through the air. Lydia screams, ducking as the bullet hits Noah in the shoulder. Kennedy looks up in worry.

"But you're dead!" Haigh shouts in disbelief. Jordan continued to punch the deputy, over and over. Kennedy looked at Stiles, who held his injured father. Kennedy looks back at Jordan, her eyes glowing red.

She runs at Parrish, pushing him off the now very dead deputy. The two of them roll on the ground a few times, before Kennedy lands on top of him, roaring loudly in his face. The man stopped fighting, looking up at her. Kennedy slowly climbed off of him, breathing heavily as she looks at the dead deputy, then the one that was supposed to be dead.

༺❀༻

Derek looked down at Jordan Parrish, studying the young man. Kennedy stood next to Scott, slowly looking at him as they waited. "He covered you in gasoline?"

Lydia speaks up, "It's the hair and nails, isn't it? The parts of the body that are essentially dead."

"Well, they should be gone."

Jordan quirked a brow. "I was set on fire. All of me should be gone." He commented. Kennedy points at the deputy, as if saying fair point.

Scott looks at him, "Not if you're like us." He says honestly. Kennedy shrugs, as if saying fair point to Scott as well.

"Like you?"

Derek looked at the McCall, "I don't think he's like us." He says pointedly.

Lydia looks at Jordan in curiosity. "Then what is he?"

"Sorry, but I have no idea."

Kennedy turned her on her heel, looking at her older cousin, who she was staying with again. "You knew about Jackson and Kira." She tells him.

Derek sends her a sarcastic look, "This is a little out of my experience." He retorted. Derek glanced at Scott. "There might be something in the bestiary. Did you try Argent?"

"I don't know where he is."

Parrish shakes his head, "Okay, hold on. What's a bestiary?" He frowns, "Actually, that's not even my first question." Kennedy rose a brow, waiting patiently. " Just tell me one thing. Are all of you like Lydia? Are you all psychic?"

Kennedy stifles a laugh, "Psychic?" Derek inquired.

"Actually, I kinda am. I do see the future," Kennedy shrugs her shoulders, looking at the group. They all send her scowling looks. "But, not exactly.

Jordan shrugged, "Then what are you?" Scott looked at Kennedy. The co-Alphas share nervous smiles before shutting their eyes. Jordan watches in shock as the two teens open their eyes. They were glowing red.

༺❀༻

Kennedy stood in her room, on the phone with Stiles. "I know you're worried, Stiles. And you know I am here every step of the way." She says to her boyfriend.

Stiles sighs, looking at his sleeping father. "I just wish we could do something more,"

"We're us, Stiles, we always end up doing something more," Kennedy replied. She could hear the boy chuckle on the line. "Look, I have to get back to this Parrish nonsense, but as soon as we're done, I'll come to the hospital, alright?"

"Yeah, love you,"

"Love you too," Kennedy hangs up the phone, rushing back down the stairs.

Jordan sat on the couch, looking at Scott, "What's a Kanima?" He asks. Kennedy steps down, sending Scott an amused look.

Scott rose a brow, "We'll get back to that." He answers, "Just know that everyone like us, everyone with some kind of supernatural ability is on the dead pool."

"But I don't even know what I am," Jordan admitted. Kennedy stands next to Derek, crossing her arms.

Derek shrugs, "I'm pretty sure they don't care."

Jordan looks at the Hale, "How many professional assassins are we talking about?"

Lydia answers, "We're starting to lose count."

"But is it still just professionals?" Scott asks. Kennedy shrugs, knowing the McCall had a point.

"I don't think Haigh's ever tried anything like this." Jordan told them, "I think he was taking a chance."

Derek looked at his cousin, "That means anyone with the dead pool could take a chance." Kennedy moved around Derek, choosing to stand with Lydia.

"But if Haigh had it, then who else does? How easy is it to get this thing now?"

Kennedy points her finger, "You know, fair point," She says slowly.

Time passed, and that's when Lydia began to explain her grandmother. "Meredith was only at my grandmother's lakehouse once. But I think once was enough."

Derek looked at the Martin, "How did your grandmother know her?"

"She didn't. She found her." Lydia answers. She sat next to Kennedy on the bed, which Kennedy found weird Derek had put his bed on the main floor, but who was she to judge? "Because of another woman named Maddy. The woman she loved." Lydia slowly stood, handing Scott a picture of Lorraine and the woman Lydia spoke of. "I never met her, but I saw her name everywhere. She used to be part of a yacht racing team. There were plaques and trophies in the lake house from all the regattas she'd won."

Jordan spoke up, "How did she die?" He asks.

"How's not the story. It's what happened right before." Lydia says softly, "My grandmother, Lorraine, used to work in San Francisco for IBM." The Martin turned around, looking at Kennedy. "She was there on a weekend, catching up on work. She started hearing this sound, like rain. But when she looked out the windows," Lydia trailed off, "All she saw was blue sky."

Scott tilted his head, "But she kept hearing the rain?"

Lydia looks out the window, "And it just kept getting louder. Rain and thunder cracking like gunshots in her head." Kennedy pursed her lips, not liking the creepy vibes. "So loud. She finally just screamed."

"Like a Banshee." Derek commented. Kennedy looks up at Lydia.

"She called Maddy who was planning on taking one of the boats out on the lake. But Maddy said that the sun was shining there too. So Lorraine didn't say anything."

Deputy Parrish furrowed his brow, "There was an accident?" He says. Lydia slowly nods, and Kennedy swallowed the lump in her throat.

"It took them four days to find Maddy's body. And then it took decades to figure out how Lorraine knew." Lydia began, "She started with parapsychologists, like the PhD in their name made it more scientific. They built the study in the lake house according to every pseudoscientific theory they could find."

"But none of it worked." Kennedy assumed.

Lydia slowly nodded, "So then she started going to more extreme occult. Things like mediums and psychics All of them were failures. Until Meredith. They found her in Eichen House." Kennedy frowned, now wondering how old Meredith was. "This fragile girl who didn't understand the things she heard. They brought her to the study. And they almost killed her." Lydia explained. Kennedy sucked in a heavy breath, feeling empathy for the banshee. "She was hospitalized for over a year. She never really recovered. My grandmother drove her insane. And I drove her to suicide. And all she ever wanted to do was help." The group all gather around Derek's table, Lydia grabbing a piece of paper. "My grandmother created the code for the dead pool. They think she's the Banshee who put the names out in the first place." Kennedy looks at the note, covered in letters and symbols. "She left me this message in the same code."

"But she didn't leave a cipher key, did she?" Scott asked. Lydia slowly shook her head, and Kennedy sighed.

Derek looked around the group of teens. Kennedy ran her hand through her hair, "Lydia and I will go to Stiles, catch him up to speed. If anyone finds out anything, call." The pair of friends grab their things, slowly walking out the door.

Jordan Parrish looks at Derek. "Your cousin seems rather mature for being seventeen."

The elder Hale looked at Scott, who had nothing to say. Derek looked back at the deputy. "My cousin has gone through more than most people will in their lives." He said calmly.

༺❀༻

༺❀༻

Kennedy rolled onto her side, her eyes opening slowly as she took in her surroundings. It was Stiles's bedroom. She felt his arm, which draped over her torso. She smiled softly, remembering the night's events after Lydia left. Kennedy slowly turned her body, facing the sleeping Stiles. She knew well that all he had on was his boxers like she only had on his shirt. He looked so peaceful when he slept. Kennedy almost didn't want to wake him up. Keyword; almost.

Smiling wide, Kennedy leaned over and kissed the sleeping Stiles's lips. The human stirred, his eyes fluttering open. Kennedy looks up at him, watching the boy study her face for a moment.

"Good morning," Kennedy chimes, smiling wide.

Stiles opened his mouth but quickly clamped it shut. Kennedy waited for a reply, but instead, Stiles reached over, tugging the girl closer. Kennedy squealed, laughing as Stiles tried to go back to sleep.

"Babe? Stiles? Um," Kennedy tried to think of pet names, poking the tired boys cheek. "Sweetheart? Honey? Sugarplum? Pumpkin? Love? Stinky?"

The boy opened one eye, "Stinky?"

"You smell bad!"

Stiles laughed, rolling onto his back. Kennedy still laid on her same spot, watching him look back at her. He took her appearance in. She had no makeup on, which was Stiles's favorite look on her because she usually didn't let people see her without it. Her hair was a slightly tangled mess from sleep, and she was only wearing his shirt. His. A smile crept onto the boy's face. He leaned down, kissing her lips softly. Kennedy kissed back, the two sharing their comfortable moment. When they pulled away, Stiles's brown eyes searched Kennedy's.

"I could get used to waking up to this every morning for the rest of my life," Stiles says nonchalantly. He freezes, realizing what he said. His eyes averted between Kennedy and the ceiling.

Kennedy pushed off Stiles's chest, "Stiles," She began. The boy sat up, holding up a finger.

"No! No, I didn't say that. I didn't-" The boy began to ramble until Kennedy slapped his face with the pillow. His mouth hung open in shock, and he slowly looked at her in surprise.

"Stiles, it's okay," Kennedy laughed, her cheeks turning red. "It's more than okay,"

"But that sounded rather, you know, futuristic,"

The Hale rose a brow, "Nothing's wrong with talking about the future," She told him honestly. Kennedy had been wanting to talk to Stiles about things like this for a while. Sure, she's talked to Lydia about her dream, working as a teacher, getting married at the Lake House, having kids, but she had never mentioned it to Stiles. And Kennedy didn't date just to date, and she hoped Stiles was the same way.

Stiles swallowed the nervous lump in his throat, "Yeah, I suppose you're right," He says awkwardly. For Stiles, this was a weird topic. He hadn't really thought far into the future, he was so busy worrying about the now. Stiles was in love with Kennedy, and he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life, as dramatic as that sounds. He had known the girl since he was ten years old, it's not like it wasn't always part of the plan they'd be side by side.

"So," Kennedy trailed off, a smile on her face. "Let's say, five years from now, you wake up in your nice apartment that you share with Scott, what do you expect to see?" She asks. Kennedy sat on her knees, across the Stilinski who sat cross-legged. The boy thought for a moment.

"Well, I expect to see a lot of textbooks, hopefully regarding FBI or something," Stiles begins. Kennedy nods, listening closely. "My Jeep keys on my nightstand, and a closet filled with the same flannels I've been wearing since sophomore year, but with the addition of sweatpants," The two share small laughs. Stiles's face softens, his eyes meeting Kennedys. "And then I see you, laying next to me, maybe with an engagement ring on your finger, or something,"

Kennedy's eyebrows raised in surprise. She didn't expect Stiles to mention engagement rings. But the gesture made her smile. "I hope that's what it's like," She tells him. Stiles leaned over, kissing the girl again. The Hale parted first, patting Stiles's knee. "Lydia's going to be here in an hour. Why don't we make breakfast first?"

Stiles rose a brow. "You can cook?" He asked, surprised.

"Someone has to, Derek still burns the bacon,"

༺❀༻

The printer beeped annoyingly as Lydia and Kennedy sat side by side. Behind them, was Stiles, who was listing off names for the cipher. "Try Maddy. It's got to be Maddy."

Lydia slowly looks up, "Doesn't Maddy feel a little obvious as a cipher key?"

"I guarantee it's Maddy." The boy says. Lydia sighs. Stiles leans over Kennedy's shoulder, all of them watching as the computer beeps an ERROR symbol. Stiles looks over, "Okay, your name. She left the code for you, right? So it's got to be your name." Lydia types it in, another error, "Your mom's name?" Error.

"What about my name?" Kennedy chimes, "Your grandma loved me," Lydia looks over, typing in Kennedy's name. Error, again.

Stiles looks at Kennedy, back at the Martin. "Do you have any beloved family pets?" Lydia shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. Stiles sighs. Kennedy stands up, moving around the desk to grab her notebook from her purse. The human boy took her chair, looking at the key in thought.

Kennedy turns around, "Really, Stiles?" She asks the boy. Stiles shrugs, smiling at his girlfriend. Kennedy rolled her eyes, walking over. Placing the notebook on the desk, Kennedy sits on Stiles's lap. Stiles's eyes widen for a second in surprise, but instantly he wraps an arm around her waist as he watches her scribble notes down in thought. "The ashes were left for you. The code was left for you. You're supposed to be able to figure this out."

Lydia looks up, "But no one else is. Which is why she made it hard." She says to the Hale. Stiles looks up, seeing the printer beeping again. Kennedy stands up, letting the boy go and put more paper in.

"You," Stiles trails off, looking at the two girls. "No one else. No one else but you." Lydia and Kennedy share a look, before looking at Stiles.

"What?" They ask at the same time.

Stiles uses his hands as he speaks, "Our guesses. They're all about Lorraine. Right? We keep trying to guess a word that has something to do with her. So, maybe we should be trying to guess one that's about you." He explains to the girl.

"Me? What about me?" Lydia asks.

"What do you remember doing with your grandmother? You know, what was you guys', like, special thing?" Stiles asks. Lydia and Kennedy share a look. As they had been so close for so long, many memories about Lorraine they shared, thanks to Kennedy's mom letting her stay with the Martin most weekends.  "Did you guys go to the beach? You know, did you like ice cream or,"

Lydia cut off Stiles, "We read." She tells him.

"Okay. What did you read?"

Lydia purses her lips together, "The Little Mermaid."

"And Beauty and the Beast," Kennedy followed.

Stiles rose a brow, "You read that movie?" He asked in amazement.

Lydia rolled her eyes, "They were books first. Hans Christian Andersen, and Gabriell-Suzanne de Villeneuve."

"Type it in. Little Mermaid."

Lydia looks at the computer, typing it in. ERROR. Lydia shook her head, "We read it every night. I got so obsessed with it, for three months I wouldn't respond to anything but Ariel. It drove my parents crazy, but," She trails off, looking at Kennedy. "Grandma thought it was adorable." She recalls. Lydia types onto the computer one more time, ARIEL. When she hits the enter key, a long list of names begins to appear on the screen.

Kennedy smiles wide. "Should I be offended Belle wasn't the answer?" She asks jokingly. The teens all shared looks, looking at the long list of names.

"You recognize any of these?" Asks Stiles.

Lydia shook her head, "Just my grandmother." She says quietly. Kennedy turns her head as the printer behind her begins to go off. Kennedy walks over, picking up the paper.

It was the Deadpool. The names and the prices of each person. "Guys," Kennedy trailed off, looking at Stiles and Lydia. "We need to call Scott." She said quietly.

༺❀༻

Jordan Parrish looked at the list of names. "Well, it's not another dead pool. More like an already dead pool."

Lydia tilts her head, "All of them? All dead?" She asks.

Parrish pulls up the records, "Within the last 10 years." He tells the Martin, "All suicides. And all at the same place."

"Eichen House," Kennedy whispered. She sighed, "How did I know I'd have to go back there eventually?" She asks the group. Stiles looks at her for a moment.

"You don't,"

Kennedy scoffs, "If you think I'm letting my banshee best friend and human boyfriend go to an insane asylum alone again, you're sadly mistaken." Kennedy retorts matter of factly.

Lydia sighs, walking to the doors. "Well, hold on," Stiles says, causing the girls to stop in their tracks. "Guys, Eichen House isn't a library. You need a warrant to get files from there."

"My grandmother left me a list of 10 suicides, including her own. There's got to be a reason why." Lydia says, shrugging her shoulders. "Is there anyone there who's willing to help us?"

Kennedy shook her head, "No." She mumbled, looking at Stiles.

"But there might be someone willing to take a bribe."

༺❀༻

"A thousand."

Stiles, Kennedy, and Lydia all stood next to each other. Stiles rose a brow, "A thousand dollars? To use one little key to open up one little file room? Are you out of your mind?" The human asks.

"When you get the keys, you make the price." Brusnki chimes. Kennedy narrows her eyes, knowing she could just kill him and take the key herself.

Stiles exhaled sharply, "Right." He craned his neck, looking at the girls for a moment, before back at the staff member. "You actually think we have that kind of money?"

Brunski smirks, "I know you don't." He told the boy, "If you did, Daddy Sheriff would've paid the bill by now." He commented, "That's why I'm talking to them."

Lydia and Kennedy made eye contact. Kennedy sighed, reaching into her purse. Stiles watched as the girl pulls out her wallet, and then a pile of cash. "One grand?" She asks, looking back at Brunski. "$1,200," She tosses the cash onto the desk, "Put the extra on Stiles's payment,"

Stiles sent the girl a surprised look. Lydia watched Brunski turn off his music. He seems to change cassettes. Another song plays, and Kennedy crosses a brow. Standing up, Brunski smiles. "Follow me," He says. The Martin looks at the cassette player again suspiciously.

"Lydia," Kennedy whispered. The Martin looks over, shaking her head as she follows her friends.

Brunski leads the group to the file room. Using his key, he unlocks the door. "Good?" He asks.

Stiles looks over, "Yeah. We can help ourselves." He comments.

"Uh, Lydia, you got the list?" Kennedy asks.  Lydia reaches into her purse, handing the couple the list.

Stiles unfolds it, reading it over. He paused, "Lydia, why did you write two more names on here?"

Lydia frowned, "I didn't write anything."

"This is your handwriting," Stiles mumbled. Kennedy looked at the paper.

"Why would I write another name?"

Stiles turns around, handing Lydia the paper. "Why would you write ours?" Lydia snatched it from his hand. STILES and KENNEDY scrolled onto the paper.

Kennedy gasps out in pain as something struck her side. Stiles and Lydia jumped back as they see Brunski standing behind the Alpha werewolf, a taser in Kennedy's side. "It was the tapes, wasn't it?" Kennedy tumbles to the ground. Stiles reaches up to grab the taser, but Brunski shoves the device into the boy's shoulder instead. Lydia shrinks back in fear as the employee smirks at her. "Your turn, sweetheart."

Kennedy groaned in pain, "You bitch," She growled. Brunski glances at her.

"I knew you'd be a tad more difficult," Brunski grumbles. He slowly pulls out a needle, "Which is why I have this for you,"

Kennedy gasps out as the needle poked into her neck. Stiles lays on the ground, shaking in pain as he watched helplessly. Kennedy's eyes flicker red, before she falls to the ground, unconscious.

༺❀༻

"Help us! Help us!" Lydia and Stiles tugged on the ropes tying them to the pilar. Kennedy, on the other hand, was a few feet away, hanging from the ceiling by her wrists. "Someone, help!"

Stiles looks around, "Lydia, there's a lot of people screaming for help in a place like this. I don't think anyone's listening."

Lydia looks up, "Well, I'm open to better ideas. Because if you didn't notice, all of those suicides were murders." She commented in annoyance.

Kennedy tiredly looks over. The drug in her system had caused the girl to be unable to turn. Until it wore off, she was stuck as a human, useless in their dilemma. "That's why she left you the message," Kennedy said weakly.

"She predicted her own death." The teens tense up as the door opens, "She knew I'd figure it out."

"Once you were able to predict your own," Brunski commented, slamming the door behind him. Stiles and Lydia struggled, as Kennedy tugged on the rope above her. She pulled her body up slowly, before falling back down again. "But they weren't murders." The man slowly kneels down, glaring at Lydia. "I'm not some serial killer like Ted Bundy going around cutting up college girls."

Stiles shakes his head, "No, you're just an Angel of Death."

Brunski turned his head, stepping over to the human. "I don't think you understand my level of commitment to my work here, Stiles." He bitterly says. "There are people here who don't simply need treatment. They need release." Kennedy stopped moving, looking at the man in shock. "I helped them. I helped Lorraine."

"You killed her."

Lydia's whisper was soft, emotionless. Brunski looked at the redhead. "I helped her." Kennedy pulled against the ropes again, watching the man near her fiend. "And now you can help me. Because there is something about it that's always bothered me." Kennedy watched as the man held up a cassette tape to Lydia's face.

"I'm going to kill you," Kennedy blurts. Brunski stood up slowly, nearing the teenage girl.

"Is that so?" He asks mockingly. Kennedy clenched her jaw as the man laughs in her face. The three teens watched as the man slowly reaches into his pocket, holding up another needle. "I'm sure you remember this, don't you Kennedy?"

The Hale stated at the needle with the dark blue liquid. It was familiar to her, but she couldn't piece together why. Lydia looks at it too. The two girls shared a look in realization. "No," Lydia begins. Lydia tugs hard on her restraints, trying to get out of them. "Get away from her!"

Stiles, clueless, tries to turn his body. "What? What is that?"

Kennedy's eyes glossed over as she only stared at Brunski. "Mountain ash." Her voice was just above a whisper. Stiles looked at his girlfriend in realization. The human and the Banshee struggled against their restraints.

"Stop! Don't touch her!" Stiles shouts. Brunski grabs the girl's face, forcing her to face him. Kennedy struggled to pull away, kicking her tired legs. Brunski reached over, the needle slowly sticking into Kennedy's neck. Lydia cried out, her and Stiles tugging tighter. The Hale screamed in pain, the liquid flowing through her system. Stiles looked at his girlfriend with a pained look, horrified.

༺❀༻

A cassette begins to play. Kennedy could hear doors and footsteps. Stiles kept looking at Kennedy. Black blood had come out of her ears, and her lips were turning purple from illness.

"What are you, Brunski, what are you doing?" The audio began. Kennedy slowly lifted up her head.

Brunski's voice replies on the tape, "Don't worry, Lorraine. It's going to be all right. You're just going to have a little trouble breathing."

Kennedy looks up, "Lydia, look at me." The Martin slowly turned her head in Kennedy's direction. "Don't listen to it, okay?"

"Don't listen to it," Stiles followed. They could hear the breathing from the audio.

"Just focus on my voice, Lydia." Kennedy pleads, her eyes watering. Lydia could see the black tears rolling down the girl's face. "Block it all out, Lydia. Block it out."

Stiles tugged on the restraints, "Lydia?" The Martin didn't answer. Kennedy kicked her legs, trying to get to Brunski. But it was no use. "Hey, turn it off!"

"Stop!" Lydia shouts as Brunski hits Stiles.

"Stiles!" Kennedy cried out.

Brunski grabs the Martin's face, "Then listen," He snapped. Tears trickled down Lydia's face. "Just listen." Stiles sat up, groaning in pain. "I need your help with this, Lydia."

"Please don't," Lorraine's voice trailed off.

"Here it is. This is the part I never understood." Brunski said, "Listen.

Lorraine's heavy breathing came from the tape, "Please don't hurt her." The women pleaded. Kennedy grimaced.

"Don't hurt who?"

"Ariel." Lorraine answers. Kennedy slowly stops, the last breaths of Lorraine Martin filling her ears. Brunski looked at Lydia, who stared at him for a moment.

Kennedy clenched her jaw, tugging at the rope again. The tape finally stopped. Lydia slowly turned her head, having nothing to say to the man who had killed her grandmother. Stiles glanced at Kennedy, the girl becoming sickly pale. Brunski, frustrated, craned his neck. Kennedy watched as the man stood up, walking to the shelves behind her.

"We get a lot of teenagers trying to break into our drug cabinets." He says. Stiles looks over, seeing the man holding a First Aid Kit. "Most of the time they don't succeed." Brunski kneels down, opening up the tin, "But you three look pretty clever to me."

The three teens looked at the vial in the man's hand. Lydia and Stiles begin tugging on their restraints even more than before. Kennedy shook her body, trying to get some strength back. She needed to get the first drug out of her system. The Hale girl slowly looked up at her hands. She clenched her jaw, focusing as hard as she could.

A claw slowly poked out of the girl's finger. She sighed in relief, bringing her finger down to her hand. The Hale girl winced, feeling the sharp claw dig at her skin. Blood began spilling out of the wound, onto her rope. If she got some of the mountain ash out of her system, she could get some strength back. She breathed heavily, trying to think of how to save Lydia and Stiles. She began to cut at the rope, trying to break free.

"I'll admit, Stiles," Brunski began. He prepared a needle, "I don't have any unusual talents like Lydia, but, somehow," He smiled wickedly. "I just knew we were gonna get a chance to do this again."

Lydia shook her head as Brunski neared the human, "No. No." Suddenly, the man turns to the Martin, grabbing her head.

"No!" Stiles shouts as Brunski goes to inject the redhead. Kennedy screamed, kicking her legs. Blood ran down her arm as she dug her claw into her other hand.

Deputy Parrish runs into the room, "Drop it." He demands. Everyone froze, looking at Jordan. "Take your thumb off that needle and slowly withdraw it from her neck."

Brunski slowly looked at her, "Young Deputy. You're just a kid. I bet you've never even fired a," A gunshot echoes as Jordan shoots Brunski in the shoulder. A roar follows the gunshot as Kennedy falls to the ground. Brunski barely got the chance to move as a fully transformed Kennedy tackles him to the ground.

Lydia gasps, turning her head to see Kennedy hit Brunski, over and over. Stiles craned his neck, seeing his girlfriend bunch the man again. "Kennedy!"

The Hale froze, looking down at the still man. He stared up in pain. Jordan moved to untie the two teens. "He killed my grandmother." Lydia said slowly, "He was controlling Meredith."

Stiles looks over, "He used her to create the dead pool."

"And killed her when she tried to help us."

Brunski coughs up blood, some of it landing on Kennedy's face as she glared down at him. He laughs wickedly, "You think it was me?" He pants out. Kennedy stared down at him in confusion, slowly sliding off of him onto the ground. "That I was controlling her?" Brunski laughs as he shakes his head. "Idiots," Bloody tears spilled from Brunski's eyes as he looked at the ceiling. "She was controlling me."

Kennedy fell back onto Stiles, the human boy looking at Brunski in shock. The man's head fell to the side. Brunski was dead. Kennedy began to cough, black blood spilling out of her lips. Stiles rushed to Brunski's pockets, fishing through for some sort of antidote. "What do we do?"

Kennedy looked around the room, slowly pulling herself off the ground. She stumbled onto a shelf, grabbing a bottle. "Yellow Wolfsbane," She whispered, looking at the jar.

"You'll die," Stiles follows. Kennedy shook her head, opening the cap. She downed the yellow liquid, her body screaming at her. Kennedy yelled out in pain. She looked at the shelves further, shuffling through the different medicines. She turned around, realizing she had to do what they did to Brett.

"I need a knife,"

Jordan Parrish was only confused as he dug into his pocket, handing the girl a pocket knife. Kennedy panted as she turned to Stiles, placing the blade in his hands. Stiles looked at the girl in alarm. "What? I can't do this, are you crazy?"

"Stiles, either you do it, or I die," Kennedy told him bluntly. Stiles looked at Lydia, who waved at him to do it quickly. The Hale girl stumbled to the floor, Stiles catching her call. Lydia crawled over, placing Kennedy's head in her lap. The Martin slowly tugged off Kennedy's shirt, leaving her now only in her bra. Stiles looked down, trying to remember what Deaton did to help Brett. He let out a shaky breath, placing the blade over Kennedy's chest. The sharp object dragged across her skin, and Kennedy yelled out in pain. Lydia held the girl's hand tightly, watching the cut slit open. Stiles pulled away, all of them watching the yellow smoke coming out of Kennedy's chest.

The Hale breathed out in relief, her hand landing at her side as she looked at Stiles and Lydia. Lydia looked at Brunski, realization crossing her face. "It's not him." Kennedy slowly sat up, feeling Stiles's arms wrap around her. "He's not The Benefactor."

"No." Kennedy snapped her head at the voice. Meredith came out of the shadows, leaning onto the metal shelf, "And...He wasn't on my list." Kennedy's mouth hung open in shock, her hand locked with Stiles's. "But he was a bad person."