twenty-one pilots

    "Next left."


Winnie sat in the front of Roscoe, Stiles driving under her direction as Scott sat in the back holding Erica.


Stiles listened to Winnie's order, gaining on the location of the substation. "How do you know where to go?"


"It's a long story," Winnie remarked as she pointed. "Here, it's here."


Stiles sharply turned in, parking his Jeep quickly and climbing out.


Winnie held open the back door, helping Scott get out with Erica. Once the wolves were out, she darted to the door to the station. Pulling it open, she leaned in as Stiles propped open the door for Scott and Erica. "Derek!"


The alpha surfaced, his face confused at the concern in her voice. Isaac shot up from the couch, surprised by her return.


"It's Erica," Winnie told him as she stood a level above him.


Scott came through the door cradling Erica. He followed Winnie down the stairs, Derek meeting them.


"Give her to me," Derek ordered as he held out his arms. "Let's get her to the train car."


Scott and Stiles quickly followed, helping him with Erica's recovery.


Winnie hung back, still out of it. She ran the sleeve of her sweater along her forehead, the fabric already stained with blood.


Isaac looked at her strangely, "What the hell happened? You were gone for an hour." He reached out to touch her head but she swatted him away.


"A lot can happen in an hour, apparently." Winnie still felt off her game, black tingeing in the corners of her vision.


"Does this have anything to do with the sketch of Jackson you left?" asked Isaac with concern.


"More or less," she replied as she grabbed the stairs' handrail for support. "The library's in pieces," Winnie told him. "They were all in detention - that's where I went from here - and then Jackson, he...turned, sort of." She blinked heavily, trying to rid the twinkling in the back of her eyes.


Winnie jumped, Erica emitting an ear piercing scream.


Isaac reached out, steadying her. "What does 'sort of' mean, Win?"


"He wasn't fully the kanima, but he also wasn't really Jackson." Winnie let Isaac hang onto her arm, unable to rest her back anywhere due to the pain that pinched her back.


"Did he hurt you?"


"Oh, don't sound so concerned," Winnie halfly said as the stars in her eyes slowly started to fade.


"Hey, come on. I am concerned." Isaac, in not so many words, was honestly more worried about the slightly battered Winnie than he was of Erica. "You're bleeding."


"He just pushed me," she said with a soft shrug. "I hit a bookshelf - it's really not that bad."


Isaac's eyebrows furrowed, feeling skin where her sleeve should've been. He didn't let her shy away, looking closer. "He ripped your sleeve-"


Winnie covered his mouth, the train car too silent, "Please don't say anything," she softly asked.


Isaac, quiet as Winnie moved her hand, moved the cut sleeve patch, able to see angry red streaks on her bare bicep. In the light, he could see the slight gleam of venom.


Venom that should've paralyzed her.


"You're immune," Isaac whispered.


Derek emerged from the train car, his fingers stained with Erica's blood. He barely regarded Winnie and Isaac, walking across the room.


Scott quickly followed Derek, "You know who it is."


Derek softly sighed, taking a seat on a high crate. "Jackson."


"You just wanted Erica to confirm it, didn't you?"


Slowly, Derek nodded.


"I'm gonna help you stop him," Scott said a moment later. "As a part of your pack."


Winnie's eyebrows lifted, her expression just as surprised as Derek's.


"If you want me in," said Scott, "fine. But we'll do it on one condition. We're gonna catch him, not kill him."


"And?" questioned Derek as he could tell there was more.


Scott met his eyes, "And we do it my way."


¥¥¥


Once Boyd had come by to take Erica home, Scott, Stiles and Winnie started to make their way out of the substation as darkness had covered Beacon Hills.


Derek cleared his throat as Winnie was last to start up the stairs. "Winnie, can I have a minute?"


Each at different levels, both Scott and Stiles looked down to Winnie warningly.


"It's okay," she told them. "I'll be out in a minute."


Although hesitant, the boys headed back out to the Jeep without asking anymore questions.


Winnie came down the first step, looking to the two she'd spent most of the day with. She didn't say anything, but she held a look that said they could start.


Derek hesitated, "The drawings you left - why those ones?"


"Why not those?" Winnie asked in reply.


"You basically told us it was Jackson," said Isaac.


"You already had an idea of who it was," Winnie siad. "It was only him hallucinating though, the snake. His master was starting to call to him."


"Did you know what would happen at the library?" questioned Derek with loosely crossed arms.


Winnie shook her head, "No, I didn't get any of that." Her tired eyes flickered between them. "Anything else?"


"How come you didn't tell them? That you were here all night and this morning?" asked Isaac.


"You just got Scott on your side," said Winnie. "There's no need to give him any reason to back out. As far as I know," she started to climb the stairs, "I was at home and not feeling well all day."


Quietly, Winnie went up to the landing and out the door. Chilled in the breeze, she made her way to the Jeep and climbed in back.


At once, both boys turned around to look at her.


"What was that about?" asked Stiles from the driver's seat.


"They wanted to know if I knew about the library beforehand."


Scott arched an eyebrow, "Did you?"


Momentarily hurt, Winnie said no. "I would've said something."


Both believed her, having no trouble in doing so. They drove back in relative silence, Scott throwing in a couple questions of if Winnie was okay when she would wince.


"I'm fine," she replied as they got to the nearly empty school lot. "It's just my back. Jackson got be pretty good on the bigger books." Trying to keep it light, Winnie unbuckled her seat belt as Stiles parked next to her red Malibu.


"How come you went to Erica?" Scott asked as he angled back to her. "She's never been nice to you but you went to her even though you were hurt too."


"She's still a person," replied Winnie.


Scott lightly smiled, knowing he would've said the same in her place. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked as she started to climb out. "You hit your head pretty hard."


"I'm alright, really." Winnie got out of the Jeep, fishing for her keys out of her pocket. "Night guys."


"Goodnight," they rang together.


Winnie walked around the front of her car, unlocking it before climbing into the driver's seat. She sighed a little, running a hand along her face as she started the engine without much heart.


The headlights came on, the Malibu running smoothly as Winnie's phone started ringing in her back pocket.


Winnie shifted painfully, pulling her cell from her jeans. She smiled lightly at Pete's contact photo, sliding her thumb along the screen. "Hello brother."


"Hey, Win," Pete greeted in his familiar voice. "How's Beacon Hills?"


Winnie clipped her seat belt, "Interesting."


"That's all?" he asked doubtfully.


"Yeah, it's so boring you guys probably wouldn't like it. I would think of staying in Colorado." Winnie leaned her head back, glancing to the mirror to see the small gash along her forehead. She was already trying to think of ways to cover it up


"Oh, come on. It can't be that bad."


"Pete, it's a nightmare," Winnie helplessly said. "I'm serious, you guys shouldn't come."


"Is this about Dad?"


Winnie hesitated, unsure of what she should tell her brother. "I take it you overheard Mom and Dad on the phone?"


"Pretty much, yeah. Apparently you're a handful."


"Well," Winnie said, "Dad's the one acting like a child."


Pete hesitated, "What's that supposed to mean?"


Winnie scratched her cheek absently, "Nevermind, P. Sorry, I've had a long day."


"No worries, I get it."


"How's lacrosse?" Winnie asked as she shifted the Malibu out of park and headed towards the temporary Jones home. "Jake said it's going pretty well so far."


"Yeah, we've won ever game we've played," replied Pete.


"I'm sorry I can't be there. I wish I could," she told him as she came to a red light. Letting off the brake as she had a safe right on red, she got closer to home.


"I know you'd be here if you could," Pete assured. "Mom misses you. So do I."


"I miss you guys too," Winnie said. "I can't wait to see you even though I think you shouldn't come to Beacon."


"It's probably not as bad as you're making it seem." Pete, talking to Winnie instead of doing homework, wouldn't back down on the idea of going to California for spring break. "Anyways, Mom's freaking out with you not around. Dad, sure, but you've never been gone this long. The most you leave is like, three days at Libby's or something."


Winnie lightly laughed, coming across their driveway. "Fair enough," she said as she hit the clicker for her side of the garage. She pulled into the enclosed place, shutting off her car. Letting the garage door close, she slowly made her way out of the Malibu while keeping Pete on the phone.


"How's the weather?" asked Pete. "I'm trying to figure out what to pack."


"Arvada's May, pretty much," she said as she used her hip to shut the car door.


Pete made an agreeable noise, "Awesome."


"The weather's about the only awesome part," Winnie remarked as she carried her keys and sketchbook towards the door to the house.


"What, you mean the lizard dude?"


Winnie nudged open the house door, "And more."


Pete hesitated, "You're kidding, right?"


"I wish." Winnie didn't notice anything around her, shutting the garage door and setting her things down on the countertop.


"Winnie."


Tilting her head, she heard her father's voice. About to tell him she was busy, Winnie turned over her left shoulder only to stop dead in her tracks. She lowered her phone from her ear, swearing verbally.


Sitting at the dinne table with a laptop looping the library feed from hours earlier, Gerard Argent smiled with a sinister undertone.


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