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EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

I CAN'T SAVE ANYONE

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"I cannot believe this thing actually works," Meilani said as she guided Stiles through the streets of Beacon Hills to where Jackson seemed to be stranded since we he was in the same spot for more than ten minutes. Considering it was a vacant parking lot to pretty much an abandoned factory, Jackson shouldn't have been there all that long. 

Stiles had somehow cracked into the GPS on Jackson's phone and was able to track everywhere he went. Meilani couldn't trust him, the alpha was out in the town now and Stiles just wanted something to do since all of his homework was done for the rest of the month. No matter how bad Meilani felt about stalking Jackson around, it still didn't stop her from doing so. Not only to protect his ass, but also hers.

Once Stiles stopped in the parking lot where Jackson seemed to be intimidated by Chris, Jackson seemed to relax slightly at the sight of the couple. Stiles smiled innocently at Chris who glared slightly at the two before his face morphed back into a fake smile. 

"Everything okay?" Meilani asked once Stiles rolled down the passenger side window of his Jeep.

"Hey, Meilani. Your friend here was just having car trouble and we were taking a look," Chris replied before Jackson could even move to open his mouth.

Meilani fought the urge to roll her eyes because she could see right through Chris' bullshit. He had some sort of idea about Jackson and he probably had every ill intention in the book to get rid of him. "Well, there's a shop down the street. I'm sure they have a tow truck."

"Yeah, want a ride?" Stiles offered, leaning his arm on the wheel so he could peer around Meilani out the window.

Meilani pushed the door open and hopped out to move the front seat forward so Jackson would be able to get in the back. Jackson, however, didn't make any sort of movement and just stared at the two oddly.

"Oh come on, Jackson. You're too pretty to be out here all by yourself," Stiles said with a shrug.

Meilani gestured for Jackson to get in the car, who gulped silently and nodded before making his way over to the truck.

Jackson was just about to get in the Jeep when Chris yelled for them to turn around. He closed Jackson's trunk and walked over to the front window, reaching his hand in and turning the ignition. The car immediately switched on and Mr. Argent offered the three teens another fake smile before he got in his own car and sped off.

"What, are you following me?" Jackson snapped.

"Yes, you stupid freakin' idiot," Meilani shot back and slammed the Jeep's door shut. "You almost gave away everything right there."

Jackson furrowed his eyebrows as he shook his head. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"He thinks you're the second beta!"

"Wait... what?"

"He thinks you're me!" Meilani growled, turning and punching the door behind her so she wouldn't hit Jackson. Even though she really wanted to right then.

Stiles whined and lightly back handed his girlfriend's arm. "Babe, my Jeep! Come on."

"I could hear your heartbeat from a mile away. Literally. Now he thinks that something is wrong and now I have to keep an eye on you so he doesn't kill you, too!" Meilani yelled and went to turn to punch Stiles' car again, but his arms wrapped around her waist and placed her on the other side of Jackson and away from the Jeep.

"How about we stop hitting Stiles' Jeep?"

Jackson scoffed and pointed a finger at Meilani's chest. "This is your problem. Not mine. I didn't say anything, which means that you're the one that's gonna get me killed.  This is your fault!"

Stiles stepped in between the two when he noticed Meilani's hands begin to curl into fists at her side. "Whoa, okay. Stop alright?"

Meilani closed her eyes and took a long steadying breath to keep her heart steady. It wouldn't do anyone any good if she turned right now. "Look, if they come after you, I can't protect you. I can't protect anyone." She frowned and glanced over to Stiles, feeling her heartbreak just doing it. The realization that she really couldn't protect any of the people she loved settled in and she hated it. 

Letting Stiles be apart of this was risky and she just allowed it to happen. Now he had a target on his back as well and she couldn't do anything to stop it. This was the exact reason she wanted Scott as far from this as possible. Meilani couldn't save him. She couldn't save anyone and that thought hurt. A lot.

"Why are you looking at me?" Stiles questioned, worry flashing across his face instantly.

Jackson huffed and stepped closer to Meilani so they were inches apart. "Now you have to do it. Get me what I want. I will be fine protecting myself."

"No you won't!" Meilani stressed quietly, beyond frustrated that he wasn't listening to her. "Just trust me. All it does is make things worse."

"Oh really? You can hear anything you want, run faster than humanly possible. Sounds like a real hardship, McCall," Jackson retorted.

Meilani shook her head, running a hand through her hair as a small scoff escaped her lips. "Yeah, I can run fast now. Half the time I'm running from people trying to kill me! I can hear things, like, like my brother talking to Allison about how he can't trust me and doesn't know what happened to his twin. How he's up most nights worried about me because I won't tell him what's wrong because I can't! Trust me when I say this life is fucked up, okay? It ruins everything."

"It ruined your life. You had all the power in the world and you had no idea what to do with it. You know what it's actually like? It's like you turned sixteen and your parents bought you a Porsche when they should have started you out with a Honda. Me?" Jackson whispered and leaned closer to Meilani's face, who leant backwards so he wouldn't get too close. "I drive a Porsche, McCall."

Meilani glared as she watched Jackson stand back to his full height and back up towards his newly fixed car, which probably wasn't even broken in the first place. He drove off without so much as a second glance at Meilani nor Stiles and she huffed. "I seriously hate him."

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Meilani fiddled with Allison's necklace in her pocket as she trekked her way to the lacrosse field where she knew her and Scott liked to hang out so Scott could practice some of his lacrosse skills, or lack of them. Mainly it was due to his asthma acting up. Well, that's what Scott likes to think and who was she to let her brother down by telling him that he just couldn't play?

"Meilani?"

Thankful for her new abilities, Meilani ducked just in time to miss her brother's lacrosse ball flying towards her as he tossed it in freight at Allison suddenly speaking. "Scott, I know you hate me, but you don't have to throw balls at me."

Scott sheepishly smiled at his sister and lowered his stick to the ground so he could lean on it. "Never said I hated you."

"How did you know we were here?" Allison questioned as she pushed herself up from the bleachers to the side and walked over to stand next to Scott.

Meilani pulled her hand out from her pocket and held it out for Allison to see her necklace in it. "I found this in the school. I remember seeing it around your neck and knew it was yours."

Allison gasped and reached out for the necklace before putting it around her neck. "Oh my gosh, I thought it was stolen."

"Nope... just... lost," Meilani awkwardly smiled as she rocked back on her heels. "Thought I would return it to you."

"Thanks," Allison quietly said as she gripped the pendant around her neck. "I'm gonna go call my aunt and let her know I got it back."

Meilani watched Allison jog back over to the bleachers to retrieve her phone before she glanced back to Scott. 

"It was nice of you to return the necklace personally."

Meilani shrugged and slapped a hand to her side. "Well, you know, I had it and she's your girlfriend, so might as well do it myself. So..."

Scott wrapped an arm around his sister in a quick hug and Meilani almost burst into tears because she hadn't hugged her brother since their falling out. It was over way too quick because he pulled away a few seconds later and walked over to Allison.

Meilani frowned as she watched Allison excitedly talk to her aunt on the phone while Scott smiled softly at her as he examined the pendant even though he's seen it before. She turned and walked away, leaving the couple alone. Part of her hoped that hug meant that her brother was coming around. However, another part of her told her not to get her hopes up because she definitely still had making up to do for him and it wouldn't all be over with just one five second hug.

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"Meilani, I noticed you didn't hand in your paper today. If you need an extension, best I can do is another forty-eight hours."

Meilani groaned, throwing her head back as her history teacher allowed her another few days but she needed to hand it in or she would get a F for the paper that was a good portion of her final grade. Tossing the phone on her bed, she collapsed back onto the bed and covered her face with the pillow, screaming into it. As if she didn't have enough stress, just add an important paper onto her list of things to do.

A knock on her door caused her to bring her pillow away from her face. "Mom, not now please. If you're going to order food, just get me whatever." It was quiet for a moment before there was another knock. "Mom! Seriously." 

Meilani pushed herself to her feet and walked over to the door, opening the door to reveal her twin. He stood with a nervous smile and a small box of cupcakes from Meilani's favorite cupcake place in town. "Scott?"

"Hey, wombmate, can I come in? I want to talk to you."

Meilani swore her heart was going to burst out of her chest when he used their nickname for each other. Did that hug really mean that he was beginning to warm up to her again? The hopeful side of her was fighting hard and winning as hope filled her entire her body and she let Scott into the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Scott walked over to Meilani's desk and placed the box down before walking over to the bed, sitting down on it as he pat the space next to him for his twin to sit next to him.

Meilani plopped down next to him and pulled her legs underneath her. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"I actually don't know where to start, even though I practiced on Allison on the way to drop her off at her house," Scott admitted, running a hand over his face. "Um, so, Allison has been really suspicious of her dad and aunt lately? She found these really weird bows and arrows in the garage and then when her aunt first arrived she claimed to have a dead battery, but her dad said it was a flat."

"Could have been a miscommunication," Meilani suggested, not wanting to immediately make it seem like something really was going on. Even though Allison already found her dad's weapons - or at least one of them - they were both still blind to what it was for and she wanted to keep her brother and Allison as far from it as possible if she could.

"That's what she thought too, but - "

"Sweetheart, I'm going to be out late tonight," Melissa said, walking into the room. It scared both of her kids who jumped at the random third voice and bolted to their feet. "What's wrong?"

Meilani blinked as she took in her mother's appearance. Her dark, curly hair was pulled back with a clip, she had a nice pantsuit on and actually had make up on. Something she only wore when it was for special occasions.

"Why are you both staring at me like that?"

"Mom, you... you look amazing," Meilani complimented in shock. What the hell was going on?

"Yeah... why do you look amazing?"

Meilani slapped Scott's chest with a glare. "Scott!"

"Well, believe it or not, I am going out to dinner with someone else who is above the age of sixteen," Melissa replied and both of her kids gave her a look for the subtle jab at always having to eat with just them. "It's with this new medical rep that came into the hospital today."

"Wait... what new medical rep?" Meilani questioned, suddenly becoming suspicious. Beacon Hills Memorial usually never got anyone new since it was such a small town and the fact that there was a new rep didn't sit right with her.

Before Melissa could answer, the doorbell rang and she pointed towards the hall outside Meilani's room. "That medical rep. I'm not ready yet. Scott, can you run down and let him in? Tell him I'll be ready in five."

"I'll do it!" Meilani quickly cut in before she rushed out of the room, leaving behind her brother and mom who both wore equally confused expressions. However, neither one of them questioned it and let her do it. 

Once downstairs, Meilani walked over to the foyer but froze when she could hear a heartbeat outside. She's heard that heartbeat before and her eyes widened as her hand that went out to reach the doorknob fell limply back to her side. Maybe she was just going crazy. She hadn't been sleeping all that well as of late and maybe her senses were just going haywire.

The doorbell rang again and Melissa yelled down the stairs for Meilani to answer the door so the medical rep wouldn't have to wait outside for her. 

Meilani slowly reached out for the doorknob and twisted, opening the door to reveal an empty patio. Furrowing her eyebrows, she turned to yell back to her mom that the rep might have walked back to his car. However, before Meilani could open her mouth she heard the sound of footsteps and her head whipped back around, her heart jumping into her throat.

On her porch stood none other than Peter Hale.

authors note

Hi hey hello

DUN DUN DUN!!! MORE ISSUES FOR ONE MEILANI MARIE MCCALL EVERYONE! WOOOOO!!!! Originally was only going to make this episode into two parts, but I remembered this scene and was like NOPE THIS IS CLIFF-HANGER WORTHY ENDING. THREE PARTS IT IS!!!

EDITED ON: SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2019