season one, episode two

- second chance at first line -

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The next day at school, Scott walked into the boy's locker room, his thoughts racing. He wasn't prepared for the conversation he was about to have with Coach Finstock, but he knew he had no choice. The tension in his chest from everything that had happened yesterday weighed on him, and now he had to tell Coach that he couldn't play in the game tomorrow. The last thing he wanted was to disappoint the coach or the team, but he had no other option. It was that or maybe murdering someone.

Coach Finstock, was completely confused and exasperated by Scott's sudden change in attitude. The coach threw his hands up in the air as they walked through the locker room and into his office, where Aurora was waiting to talk to her dad, her feet raised up on his desk as she sat in his chair, doing her English homework.

"What do you mean, you can't play the game tomorrow night?" Coach asked, frustration lining his voice.

Scott stood there for a moment, unable to find the right words to explain himself. The pressure was building, and with everything that had been happening—everything he'd been feeling—he didn't know how to back out of the game without sounding like he was making excuses. His hands were trembling slightly, and the familiar feeling of frustration threatened to boil over.

"I mean... I can't play the game tomorrow night," Scott muttered, his voice tight.

Coach Finstock, clearly still not grasping the seriousness of Scott's words, walked in front of him, his arms crossed. "You can't wait to play the game tomorrow night!" he said, half laughing at what he assumed was some kind of joke.

Scott's eyes flickered to Aurora for help. She looked up from her homework for a second, but she didn't interrupt. She knew better than to get involved in someone trying to get out of playing a game when her dad was involved.

Scott tried again, voice a little louder this time, more insistent. "No, Coach—I can't play the game tomorrow night."

Coach stopped pacing for a moment, eyes narrowing as he tried to understand. "I'm not following," he said, genuinely confused. "Why? What's going on, McCall?"

"I'm... having some personal issues," Scott said quietly, unsure of how to even begin.

Coach Finstock raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying the answer. "Is it a girl?" he asked, his tone light, as if this was just a minor setback.

Scott quickly shook his head. "No, Coach. It's not that."

Coach leaned in slightly, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Is it a guy?"

Scott's face flushed with embarrassment, completely thrown off by the suggestion. "What? No, it's not that either."

Coach, oblivious to the real problem, kept poking around, apparently not willing to take no for an answer. "Well, you know Danny, right? Our goalie? He's gay, but you ever think he's a good-looking guy?"

Scott let out a frustrated sigh, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "I mean, yeah, he's good-looking,but I like girls. This isn't about any of that."

" What, is it drugs? Are you doing meth? Because I had a brother that was addicted to meth. You should have seen what it did to his teeth! They were all cracked and rotted. It was-- it was disgusting."

Aurora, who had been quietly sitting at her dad's desk, looked up from her homework with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, Dad," she added, her voice dry. "Uncle Rick's teeth were pretty terrifying. But let's not forget how he ended up getting caught with meth on him at the family reunion. I thought Grandma was gonna have a heart attack when she saw that."

"My God." Scott spoke. "What happened to him?"

"He got veneers!" Her dad spoke, when he suddenly realised something. "Is that what this is about? Are you afraid of getting hurt, McCall?"

"No." Scott answered, hesitatingly. "I'm having some issues dealing with aggression."

"Same, buddy." Aurora mouthed to him so that her dad wouldn't notice, a slight smirk on her face.

"Well, here's the good news!" Coach said, clearly excited about his own solution to Scott's problems. "That's why you play lacrosse! Problem solved."

Scott sighed again, frustration taking over. "Coach, I can't play the game tomorrow night."

Coach, just as frustrated by this conversation as Scott was, became serious. He looked Scott sternly in the eye.

"Listen, McCall, part of playing first line is taking on the responsibility of being first line. Now, if you can't shoulder that responsibility, then you're back on the bench until you're ready."

Scott gasped in surprise. "If I don't play the game, you're taking me off first line?" Scott asked, voice wavering slightly.

Coach sighed. "McCall... play the game." As he turned around, he looked down on his daughter with her homework in her hands. "What did you need, sweetheart?" Coach's voice become softer as he looked at her, and Scott almost believed that he had entered another universe because this was the first time he hadn't seen him yelling, but he hadn't realized it, but it seemed like Aurora was the only person Coach didn't need or wanted to yell at.

Aurora, looked up at her dad and pointed to the corner of his desk. "I need you to sign this." She said casually, sliding the piece of paper over to him.

Coach took the paper and signed it without a second thought. He gave her a small smile, his usual tough behaviour softening in her presence.

Scott couldn't help but be confused at the way the two interacted. There was no shouting, no pressure, just a calm, comfortable vibe that Scott didn't know was even possible with someone like Coach.

"Thanks, Daddy." Aurora grinned, grabbing the signed paper and sliding it back into her bag with the rest of her homework. She pressed a kiss on her dad's cheek before leaving his office with Scott.

"So, why don't you wanna play?" The girl frowned, knowing how badly Scott wanted to make first line and now he finally got it.

"Did you hear what happened on the field yesterday?" Scott questioned.

Aurora nodded. "Yeah, Stiles called me last night and told me. Was it that bad?" She asked, remembering Stiles' call from the night before to make sure if she had been alright. She wasn't exactly sure how he had gotten her number, but she figured out Scott probably gave it to him.

"Not really, but Derek just promised me he would kill me himself if I played." Scott casually replied.

Aurora's eyes widened in disbelief, her pace slowing as they walked down the hall. "Wait, what? Derek threatened you?" She glanced over at Scott, trying to gauge if he was joking. The casual tone in his voice made it hard to tell.

"Yep. He was also not very happy about your 'little cheerleading argument' either."

Aurora scoffed. "Derek could use a little spirit. Maybe a cheer or two would lighten the guy up."

Scott raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "You really think Derek Hale is the type to embrace a halftime routine?"

Aurora grinned. "No, but it'd be hilarious to watch him try, wouldn't it?" Her tone shifted slightly, a note of concern sneaking in. "But seriously, Scott, what's your plan? If Derek's threatening you, it's not like you can just ignore him."

Scott sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know yet. Coach expects me to play, Derek expects me to sit out."

"Promise me something," Aurora started, and Scott nodded at her. "whatever you decide, don't end up like Uncle Rick, okay? It really was not pretty."

"I'll do my best." Scott chuckled.

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Stiles Stilinski nervously rang the doorbell of the Finstock house. "Why did I let you talk me into this, Scott?" he muttered under his breath, glancing over at his best friend, who was trying — and failing — to hide his amusement.

Scott chuckled, leaning against the porch railing. "Because it's hilarious watching you freak out over Aurora."

Stiles shot him a glare. "I'm not freaking out over Aurora. I'm... strategically assessing the situation."

Scott outright laughed at that, shaking his head. "Strategic, huh? So, ringing her doorbell like a lost puppy is part of the plan?"

"Shut up," Stiles hissed, his face reddening. "I'm just being polite! It's what normal, charming people do!"

"Right, because nothing says 'charming' like sweating through your shirt before you've even said hi," Scott teased, biting back another laugh when Stiles swatted at him. "Besides, you've been here before. The night of her birthday party last year."

"Yeah, but so were another hundred people!"

Scott smirked, crossing his arms. "Oh, so it's easier when you can blend into a crowd? Got it. Too bad it's just you, me, and her now."

Stiles shot him a panicked look, his hand still hovering over the doorbell. "Exactly! No buffer. No distractions. Just me, standing here, waiting to say something completely idiotic while you make it worse!"

Scott chuckled again, clearly enjoying his friend's torment. "Relax, man. Aurora's cool. She's not gonna bite. Unless—"

"Don't even start," Stiles interrupted, pointing a warning finger at Scott. "I swear if you make one werewolf joke, I'm out of here."

Scott held up his hands in mock surrender, still grinning. "Alright, alright. No jokes. Just be yourself. I don't even know why you're so worried, you've talked to a few times over the past days."

"Because this is her house, Scott. And you should talk about Allison." Stiles spoke back as he finally rang the doorbell.

"I-" Scott started speaking, but stopped when he heard someone rushing down the stairs on the other side of the door, before the door swung open, revealing Aurora, wearing shorts and a crop top, making the Stilinski boy look at her.

"All right." Aurora spoke as she glanced from Scott to Stiles. "Who did you two kill?"

"We need your help." Scott spoke.

"With what?"

"If we're gonna tell you, there's gonna be a big chance you don't want to do it anymore." Stiles spoke back.

"I'm gonna regret saying yes, aren't I?" Aurora questioned as she let the two boys in.

"No." Scott shook his head, but with the way the two of them were behaving, she already knew her answer.

"Just wait here while I go change." She spoke and as Aurora disappeared up the stairs, Stiles started wandering around the living room, his curiosity getting the better of him. He picked up a framed photo from a nearby shelf, squinting at what appeared to be a much younger Aurora, her cheeks chubby and her hair in pigtails.

"Oh my God," Stiles muttered, grinning from ear to ear. "Scott, you need to see this."

Scott sighed, already anticipating Stiles's antics, but he stepped closer anyway. "What are you—" His words cut off as he spotted the picture in Stiles's hands. "Aw, baby Aurora. That's adorable."

Stiles chuckled, holding up the frame like it was a precious artifact. "I mean, look at this! Pigtails! And is that... a glittery tutu? This is pure gold."

"Put that down before she comes back," Scott warned, though he was clearly holding back a laugh. "You know she's going to kill you if she catches you snooping."

Stiles shrugged, setting the photo back but not without taking a lingering look at another picture next to it—Aurora, a few years older, holding a lacrosse stick with a wide, triumphant grin. "Okay, but honestly, she's been cool since forever. Who looks that confident at like... twelve?"

Scott smirked. "Aurora does. You're seriously just realizing this?"

Stiles ignored the comment and moved on to a different part of the shelf, spotting a family photo with Aurora and her dad. "Wait, hold up. Is that Coach?!" His voice pitched higher with disbelief as he stared at the picture. "He looks... almost normal here. Like a dad and not someone who screams about running drills at six a.m."

Scott chuckled. "Yeah, shocking, isn't it?"

Before Stiles could comment further, they heard footsteps coming back down the stairs. He quickly darted back to the couch, trying to look innocent, though his grin gave him away.

Aurora reappeared, now dressed in jeans and a sweater, raising a suspicious eyebrow as she took in Stiles's overly casual posture. "You're not fooling anyone, Stilinski. What were you looking at?"

"Nothing! Just, uh, admiring the... decor. Very homey!" Stiles stammered, his face flushing.

Aurora rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath before grabbing her bag. "Sure. Let's go before I change my mind about helping you two."

As she headed toward the door, Stiles leaned over to Scott, whispering. "Worth it."

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"I'm absolutely going to kill the two of you." Aurora muttered under her breath and she, Stiles and Scott walked into the hospital, looking around for a sign that would help them find the room that they needed. Stiles's gaze landed on a sign on the wall that read, "ER/Admissions ->, Laboratory ->, Morgue ^", and he quickly gestured toward it.

"Okay." Scott replied, nodding. He took one last look around, then backed toward the door leading to the morgue with Aurora, leaving Stiles behind to keep watch. Luckily it didn't take them long to find it.

The morgue was dark and cold, the kind of place you'd expect to see in a horror movie. Scott led the way, looking focused, while Aurora trailed behind, already regretting saying yes to this. She crossed her arms tightly, her steps hesitant.

Scott stopped in front of one of the drawers. The label read Jane Doe, partial. He hesitated for a second before grabbing the handle. Aurora stepped back, already dreading whatever was inside.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked, her voice quieter now.

"We don't have a choice," Scott said firmly, though his expression suggested he wasn't thrilled about it either.

The drawer screeched loudly as he pulled it open, making Aurora flinch. He grabbed the edge of the sheet, pausing for just a moment before pulling it back to reveal the woman's feet. Aurora took one look, gagged, and immediately turned away, covering her mouth with her sleeve.

Scott leaned closer, trying to focus, but the look on his face said everything. He was just as grossed out as she was. He inhaled sharply, got one whiff too many, and slammed the drawer shut with way more force than necessary.

"Can we please get out of here now?" Aurora asked, looking back at Scott. "I'm gonna smell that for weeks." She spoke, actually wanting to just get out of the morgue and forget everything she'd just seen. Scott was already moving toward the door, clearly just as eager to leave.

"Yeah, I'm with you," he said, his voice tight. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand like that would somehow get rid of the smell. "Let's go."

Aurora followed quickly, her steps light but fast, eager to put as much distance between herself and the morgue as possible. As soon as they stepped into the hallway, the air felt a thousand times fresher, but it didn't do much to erase the image of the body that would probably haunt her for days.

"Are you okay?" Scott asked, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

Aurora sighed, shaking her head. "I think I'll be fine once I'm far, far away from here."

Scott let out a small, tired chuckle. "Fair enough."

They quickly made their way back to the entrance of the hospital to find Stiles, but when they arrived in the lobby, they didn't only see Stiles but also Lydia and Jackson, who both looked surprised to see Aurora here... with Scott and Stiles.

"Why do you look so... pale?" Jackson asked bluntly once he looked at her, crossing his arms as he eyed her with mild concern.

"Just not really feeling well." Aurora quickly spoke and it wasn't exactly a lie.

Lydia narrowed her eyes, glancing from Aurora to Scott, then back at Aurora again. "You sure you're okay?" She asked, her tone softer now, though still filled with suspicion.

Aurora hummed.

"Come on, Rory. We'll take you home." Jackson offered as he glared at McCall.

"Actually-" Aurora started, her voice trailing off as she glanced at Scott and Stiles. She wasn't sure what to do. Part of her wanted to go with Lydia and Jackson, but part off her didn't so she could just go with Scott and Stiles to find out if Derek had buried the other part of the body or not.

"We'll call you when we find something." Scott spoke to Aurora, seeing that she didn't know with who she should go. Aurora hesitated for a moment longer, her hand resting lightly on the strap of her bag. She looked from Scott to Stiles, and then back at Lydia and Jackson, who were both waiting expectantly.

"Okay, thank you, Scott." Aurora thanked him as she made her way over to the exit with Lydia and Jackson on both of her sides, like over protective parents.

"Find what?" Jackson asked. He had been curious as to what had made McCall actually good in Lacrosse all of the sudden so maybe Aurora knew.

"Just this thing in the animal clinic." Aurora replied.

"I heard about your little outburst at the field yesterday. If you ask me, the girl had it coming." Lydia spoke as she wrapped her arm around Aurora's.

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The cheerleading squad stood in front of the packed tribune, filled with cheering spectators eagerly awaiting the first game of the year. The energy was electric, the crowd's excitement palpable. Jenna, however, hadn't shown up at all. Her absence was noticeable, leaving a gap in the routine and the team's usual cohesion. The squad had tried their best to maintain their composure, but the missing member had casted a shadow over their performance. They had cheered and performed with enthusiasm, but it was clear something was off.

Neither Sarah or Aurora had mention what had happened yesterday, but they know that one way or the other it would come up.

The referee set the ball down between Jackson and an opposing player, signaling for them to get ready. Scott, several feet behind, closed his eyes and whispered a quick prayer. As the ref blew his whistle, the players surged into action. Jackson quickly scooped up the ball, and Scott, eager to contribute, signaled for a pass, but Jackson ignored him, passing instead to #26. Frustrated, Scott held up his arms in disbelief as the ball was dropped, allowing the opposing team to take possession.

Beacon Hills regained the ball, but Jackson got tackled hard and lost the ball. Scott saw an opportunity, but as he lunged for it, Jackson shoved him aside, regaining possession and scoring the first goal.

And it only got worse, Lydia and Allison raised a sign that read "we luv u Jackson".

"Oh, that's gotta hurt." Aurora spoke to Sarah as she raised her finger to the sign.

"Poor Scott." Sarah added as well.

There was only one minute and twenty-nine seconds left in the last quarter.

The players all got into position again after Jackson scored another goal. And this time Scott grabbed his chance, he leaped right into the air, right over two players off the other team, before landing and running off with the ball in his lacrosse stick as quick as he could.

He dodged players left and right before eventually taking his shot, the ball going straight into the goal.

"McCall!" Coach yelled. "Pass to McCall!"

And he wasn't the only one, sheering Scott on. His mother jumped up and down from happiness for her son, who finally got the chance to show off what he could and Stiles screamed from the benches.

Scott's success kept coming. Player 43 of the other team threw the ball towards Scott once he saw the fangs and heard him growling loudly.

"Did he just-?" Sarah asked confused, not even finishing her sentence.

"Yes! He just willingly passed the ball to Scott." Aurora confirmed as she watched her friend make his way for the goal once again, the ball going right through the net.

But then it came. It seemed like Scott couldn't fully control his own body anymore. His eyes were glowing brighter than ever, only barely covered up because of his helmet, and the growling became louder every second. But Allison's voice from the stands pulled him back. And when Aurora heard what Allison had muttered, the girl smiled seeing the affect it had on Scott.

Scott fired the last goal just before time ended.

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Stiles grabbed Aurora by her hand as he dragged her away from her cheerleading friends.

"What's wrong?" She asked immediately as she saw the frown on his face.

"The medical examiner looked at the other half of the body Scott and I found at Derek's place." Stiles started.

"And?"

"Well, I'll keep it simple. Medical examiner determines killer of girl to be animal, not human. Derek is human, not animal. Derek not killer. Derek let out of jail."

"Really?" Aurora asked in surprise.

Stiles nodded. "My dad ID'd the dead girl, both halves. Her name was Laura Hale. Derek's sister."

"Holy crap." Aurora muttered.

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Be sure to comment and vote if you want. I love reading them and your support keeps me so motivated!

Katherine x

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WORDS: 3506

POSTED: FRIDAY 24/01/2025

WRITTEN: FRIDAY 24/01/2025