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06
-Heart Monitor-
(season one, episode six)
♞

The frigid air hit Joey's back as she walked, making her shiver. Her head pounding. The walk was a last minute decision, causing her to have barely anything with her. Joey had only brought her shoes, which she hadn't bothered to put on yet. She was just focusing on the sounds around her. It was calming to an extent.

Every noise was amplified in her mind. The leaves rustling, tree branches snapping. She could even hear slight crackles of electricity from the street lamps. Of course, she knew that wasn't normal. Nowhere near. But... She had nobody to tell that would understand exactly what she was experiencing.

So that's why she chose to walk.

The more walks she took, the calmer she was. At least the open air, wasn't home. Her room was beginning to smell of metallic more and more. It was beginning to be the only thing that she could think about. And that, caused her headaches to worsen. It was to the point of constantly burning candles so she could mask the smell.

Snap.

Joey turned around as fast as she could. The noise of broken branch close by.

Snap.

And another; this time closer than before. The blonde quickly turned back around and shoved her hand against a taller figure. That was another side effect of the headaches. Heightened reflexes.

"Joey..."

She slowly lifted her head and met eyes with the figure. His eyes a glowing a bright yellow.

"How do you know my name?"

The man carefully took a few steps back to put distance between the two. "Because I know you."

Joey was ready to run, but decided to stay.

"What? How?" She asked.

"My name is Jenson. I saw you as a baby." He revealed.

Joey's eyes trailed over him, leaving a thick silence. "We're you following me?"

"You could say that; you're father asked me to keep you under my watch."

"Under your watch? Are you a cop or something?"

Jenson shook his head. "No. I am very much not a cop, or human..."

The girl's eyes went wide and her mouth opened slightly. "What?"

"I assumed you knew about the supernatural? My apologies, I can fix this."

He walked closer grabbing her face gently.

"Wait!"

The grip loosened and he backed away with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes?"

"Are you a werewolf? And what are you doing?"

"...No? Did you not want me remove the memory?"

Joey scoffed, "No! What are you?" She shouted.

"I'm a vampire."

•.•

The blonde quickly dropped into her seat, throwing a paper at Stiles from across the class.

It read...

'Supernatural, we need to talk, just me and you, don't wanna worry Scott just yet.'

Stiles read slowly, over and over. Then a chime was heard from Joey's phone.

'you are so dumb. ALSO WHAT? please tell me you didn't get someone killed- or thrown in jail again. (pfft derek).'

The pair met eyes and shared a scowl. Then she began to type back.

'shut up. just meet me after class."

Scott walked in and sat down behind Stiles, leaning forward. "Still not talking to me?"

No response.

"Can you at least tell me if you're dad's okay? I mean- it's just a bruise right?"

No response again.

"You know I feel really bad about it, right?"

Stiles stared blankly to the front of the class, occasionally throwing looks to Joey.

"What if I told you I'm trying to figure this whole thing out, and... That I went to Derek for help?"

Then, the boy gave in.

"If I was talking to you, I'd say that you're an idiot for trusting him. And, Joey is going insane. But obviously I'm not talking to you."

A quiet noise was heard next to Scott. Both of the boys looked down and saw a pencil sitting at their feet; Joey walking over smirking. The girl bent down enough to be at eye level, acting like she was trying to find her pencil. She then whispered lowly.

"What did he say?"

•.•

"He wants you to tap into your animal side and get angry?" Stiles asked in disbelief.

The wolf nodded.

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but every time you do that, you try to kill someone. And that someone is usually us."

Joey was ready for talk about what she saw the previous night, but decided against it. Scott was the bigger issue right now.

"I know, he says he doesn't know if he can teach me. I have to be able to control it."

They group kept a steady pace down the hall.
People pushing past.

"Well, how's he gonna teach you to do that?"
Joey asked.

"I don't know, and I don't think he does either."

"Okay... When are you seeing him again, Scott?" Joey continued.

"He told me not to talk about it. Just act normal and get through the day."

Stiles stopped walking abruptly, "When?"

"He's picking me up at the animal clinic after work."

"Alright, that gives us til the end of the school day then."

A brief pause was shared before Scott questioned the boy. "To do what?"

"To teach you myself."

•.•

"Did you guys get any of the conversation they're having over there? Also, does Lydia seem different to you?" Joey asked.

Stiles shifted at the lunch table looking over the girls. Allison was holding a book towards Lydia.

"A little-" He said turning to Scott quickly.

"The book is making it more obvious. Besides, she's reading anyway."

Scott peaked over the book just enough to look,
"Did you come up with a plan yet"

"I think so."

"Does that mean you don't hate me now?" Scott asked, studying him.

"No. But your crap has infiltrated my life, so now I have to do something about it, with the help of blondie over here."

"We are definitely a better Yoda than Derek."
Said Joey.

"Sure, yeah, just teach me."

"We can be your Yoda." She continued.

"Yeah, you can be my Yoda."

Stiles smirked. "You're Yoda We will be."

"He said it backwards-"

"Yeah, I- I know."

"All right, you know what? I definitely still hate you. Uh-huh. Oh yeah." Stiles said taking the book away from Scott and dragging Joey with him.

"Scott. Wait." Allison shouted.

Upon hearing her voice, Joey turned and waved at the girl with a bright smile.

"Don't wave! Oh my god..." Scott said pulling Joey's hand down quickly.

•.•

Scott walked alongside Joey and Stiles heading towards the open field. The blondes backpack in hand.

"Do I really have to carry this?"

She turned around with an eyebrow raised.

"Uh, yes! Just because Stiles forgave you, sorta. Doesn't mean I do."

Scott squinted his eyes slightly, "What do you, have to be mad at?"

"You didn't share any details about you and Allison's date, you literally had a whole day together and didn't tell me."

After a few more seconds of Scott and Joey bickering, Stiles shifted their attention.

"Now... put this on Scotty." He said, pulling a very small monitor out of the bag he had.

"Isn't this one of the heart rate monitors for the track team?"

"Yeah, Joey borrowed it."

The girl smiled. "You mean stole it?"

She then butted in. "Temporarily misappropriated. I'm gonna give it back."

"Coach uses it to monitor his heart rate on his phone while he jogs, and you're gonna wear it."
Stiles said.

"Isn't that coaches phone?" Scott asked.

"Okay, that, Stiles told me to steal."

"Why?"

Stiles began to explain, "Alright, your heart rate goes up when you go wolf, right?"

He nodded.

"-When you're playing lacrosse or with Allison, whenever you get angry. Maybe learning to control it is tied to learning to control your heart rate."

His eyes widened, "Like the Hulk?"

"Kind of like the Hulk, yeah." Joey nodded.

"No, I'm basically the Hulk." Scott said smiling.

"Would you just shut up and put the strap on?"

Stiles and Joey watched as he tied it around his waist and glared at them. "You got it, bud." Joey smiled.

The boy then wrapped duct tape around his friends wrist. "This isn't exactly how I wanted to spend my free period."

"Me neither, but here we are. Just stick to the plan and I'll go grab some water from the vending machines." Joey turned around before immediately turning back. The boys stared at her.

"Do you have a few bucks?" She asked.

Stiles quickly shoved a few dollars into the girls hand and shooed her away, sending her to get drinks for the group.

She spent a solid few minutes staring at the screen, deciding what would be the worst drink to get Stiles. She finally decided on getting a regular water for Scott and a grape soda for Stiles. She walked back with a happier energy than before. Her headache now gone. But, she ran into Jackson.

"Watch where you're going!" He whisper-shouted at the girl before even turning around.

She stared at the boy before responding. "What are you doing?"

He scoffed. "Nothing, mind your own business."

"Jackson, this is my business. Those are my sidekicks incase you didn't notice."

"Your what?" He asked.

"Nothing- look. Go away. Nobody likes you anyway." She rolled her eyes.

Jackson thought for a moment before responding.

"Really? 'Cause Lydia seems to like me. And we both know you don't like that very much ." He taunted with a smirk.

"Just go." Her breath now heavier and filled with frustration.

"Fine, i've seen enough anyway." He started to walk off, pushing the girls shoulder in the process.

"Hey Jackson!"

He turned around slowly.

"You should go see a doctor. You look 'wrecked'."
She said, using his own words from days before.

"Screw you, Russo."

Joey watched as Jackson walked away. She then ran to her friends and handed them their drinks.

"Grape? Really?"

She smirked.

•.•

Once again, Joey was piling into her seat for coaches class.

"Someone sit behind me." Scott said.

Before either of the teens could take the seat, Allison had already taken it.

"Hi Ally." Joey smiled.

"Hey, sit next to me, would you?" The raven haired girl asked.

Joey nodded and sat down. Stiles pulling her hair from behind.

"What?!" She asked turning around quickly.

Stiles shoved his hands in the air defensively.
"I can't see over your big head."

She scoffed turning back around.

Coach slammed a book down on his desk gaining everyone's attention. "Let's settle down."

The blonde raised her hand.

"What Joey?"

"Nobody was being loud, Coach."

"I- be quiet."

Stiles chuckled, earning a flare from Coach.
"Let's start off with a summary of last nights reading. Greenberg, put your hand down."

"How about McCall?"

"What?" Scott asked.

"The reading." He hinted.

"Last nights reading?"

"How about, uh, the reading of the Gettysburg Address?"

Scott furrowed his brows. "What?"

"That's sarcasm. You familiar with the term sarcasm McCall?"

The wolf turned back towards his friends.

"Very."

"Did you do the reading or not?" Coach asked.

"I think I forgot." He admitted.

"Nice work, McCall. It's not like you're an average 'D' in this class. Come on, buddy. I can't keep you on the team if you have a low grade."

Guilt filled Joey. She wanted to help, but she couldn't.

"How about you summarize the previous nights reading?"

Joey raised her hand again.

"No, Joey. You can't use the restroom. You already used the period excuse a week ago. Even I know it doesn't come back that quick."

She immediately was shot down.

"No? How about the night before that?"

No response.

"How about you summarize anything you've ever read... In your entire life?"

A small beeping was heard from the monitor Stiles was holding. His heart rate was quickening.

"No? A blog? How about the back of a cereal box?  No? How about the adults only warning from your favorite website you visit every night?"

Joey shot a glare to Coach, but he couldn't see it.

"Thank you McCall, thank you. Thank you, for extinguishing any last flicker of hope I have for your generation. You just blew it for everybody. Thanks, next practice you can start with suicide runs. Unless that's too much reading."

Then, the beeping slowed significantly. His heart rate had gone down. And it was Allison's doing.

•.•

"It's her." Stiles said as they walked out.

"What do you mean?" Scott asked.

"Allison... uh, remember what you told me about the night of the full moon? You were thinking about her, right?"

"Okay, yeah."

"Remember the night of the first lacrosse game? You said you could hear her voice out in the field."

"Yeah, I did." He said.

"Well, that's what brought you back. And after the game in the locker room, you didn't kill her. At least not like how you were trying to kill me."

Scott shook his head, still not following.

"She brings you back, is what I'm saying."

"No, but it's not always true, because literally every time I kiss her, or touch her-"

"That's not the same Scott." Joey continued.

Stiles nodded. "When you're doing that, you're just another hormonal teenager thinking about sex, you know?"

The wolf smirked.

"You're thinking about sex right now, aren't you?"

"Yeah, sorry."

"It's fine. Look- back in the classroom when she was holding your hand, that was different, okay?"

Joey smiled. "She's giving you strength. Like an anchor."

"You mean because I love her?"

"Exactly buddy."

His eyes opened wide. "Did I just say that?"

"Yep, I'm glad too. It's been a while."

"I love her." He chuckled.

"That's cool, now, moving on." Stiles said, trying to change the subject.

"No, really. I think I'm totally in love with her."

Joey nodded, now wanting to change the subject as well. "That's beautiful, but before you go write a song about it, can we please figure this out?"

"Yeah, sorry. What do I do?"

Stiles sighed. "We don't know obviously."

The silence was bothering Joey, but it gave her an idea.

"Oh no, you're getting an idea aren't you? You have that look, like the look you had before you insulted Jackson that one time."

"Yeah."

"Is it gonna get me in trouble?"

"Definitely."

"Is it gonna cause me pain?"

"Mhm, c'mon."

Joey dragged the boys down the hall and out the back doors. Standing for a moment.

"What are we doing out here?" Scott asked.

"You'll see, hold on. Stand right here. Somebody give me your keys."

"Jo, be careful. I don't wanna have to see Mr. Harris." Stiles said as he held his key out.

"No promises." She grabbed the keys and put them in Scott's hand. Positioning them upwards.

"Hold them like so. Good. Now whatever happens, think about Ally. Okay?"

Scott nodded hesitantly. "Hold them up, just keep doing that."

The blonde sighed and walked over to the nearest truck. Quickly positioning her bobby pin against the trucks side. She then dragged it along. Looking at Scott afterwards, nodding.

"Dude, what are you doin' to that truck?" She shouted.

A group of guys then looked at the boy. "What the hell?"

A fight then quickly broke out between them.

"Oh my- Stiles get over here."

"Hey! Stop that!" Mr. Harris yelled.

The group quickly ran off upon seeing him.

"What are you idiots doing?"

•.•

"I told you to be careful!" Stiles whispered across the class.

Joey shrugged, sending a glare to Mr. Harris.

"They're literally bonding, why can't I sit over there?"

"Russo, please. Shut up. And all three of you, get out."

•.•

It was late, but when duty calls. Well... usually Scott answers but this time- All three of them answered. They jumped out of Stiles' Jeep outside of the school to meet Derek.

"This is a terrible idea." Stiles said.

"I know." Scott nodded.

"But we're still gonna do it though, right?" Joey asked.

"Unless you can think of anything better?"

"Personally, I ignore problems until they go away. Have you tried that?"

"Wha- Just make sure we can get inside."

"He's here."

Derek pulled up to the group, with a scowl.

"Where's my boss?" Scott asked.

"He's in the back. Stop staring at me Joey."

She threw her hands up defensively, "What!"

Scot and Stiles took a peek at the backseat where the wolfs boss was. "He looks comfortable." Stiles said.

"What are you doing?" Derek shouted as Scott began walking away.

The wolf sent a glance his way, "You said I was linked to the alpha. I'm gonna see if you're right."

"Wait for me, dumbass." Joey shouted, earning a chuckle from Derek.

As the trio entered the front office, Stiles began to ask several questions. "What are you gonna do if the alpha doesn't show up?"

"I don't know." Scott said simply.

"Okay, great. What are you gonna do if he does show up? I don't wanna get killed today." Joey rolled her eyes at the non-existent plan.

"I don't know. I'm not gonna let you die though."

Stiles held on to the girl tightly at the response. "Good plan guys."

"Whatever, you said a wolf howls to signal his position to the rest of the pack, right?"

"Right, but if you bring him here, does that make you part of his pack?"

"I hope not." Scott said with a hesitant voice.

"Cool. Great. That's fine. It's a fifty-fifty shot, that's great." Joey smiled slightly.

Stiles turned on the intercom, handing it to Scott. "Here we go."

Scott cleared his throat and began to 'howl.'

Well, that's what it was supposed to be. It sounded like a dying cat though.

"Was that okay?" He asked.

"Sure..." Joey's voice filled with sarcasm.

"What did it sound like to you?"

Stiles cleared his throat, "Like a cat being choked to death, Scott."

"What do I do? How am I supposed to do this?"

At the sound of his voice, Joey stood by his side. "Listen, Scott. You're calling the alpha, all right? Be a man. Not a teen wolf. Be a werewolf."

The reassurance must of worked because the next howl was deeper. And it was a true howl. Shaking things around them.

•.•

"I'm gonna kill all three of you." Derek said accusing them.

"What the hell was that? What are you trying to do, attract the entire state to the school?"

"Sorry, I didn't know it would be that loud."

Stiles smirked. "It was loud. And it was awesome."

"Shut up." Derek rolled his eyes.

"Don't be such a dad, or a sour wolf." Joey chuckled.

"What'd you do with him?" Scott said gaining everyone's attention.

"What?" Everyone looked towards the backseat of Derek's car. "I didn't do anything."

When Joey turned around to look at Derek, all she saw was him being lifted into the air, blood spilling out of his mouth. "Derek!"

Stiles had dragged her away from situations plenty of times but this was different. It was full of fear, and out protection. He pulled his friends into the school and quickly shut the doors as Derek was flung into the brick wall.

"Derek, oh my god!"

A hand was shoved against her mouth, silencing her. As the other hand rubbed her arm gently.

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