47

Molly waited while Melissa looked over Stiles to make sure he wasn't possessed. As the redhead figured, he was himself.

After a moment, Stiles asked, "Is she here?"

Melissa nodded and Stiles said, "Okay, let's do this."

Molly helped Stiles down the stairs and saw Mrs. Yukimura who said to him, "Do you recognize me?"

A door slammed and Kira ran in and said, "Stop."

Stiles looked at her. "It's okay. I'm the one who asked her to come."

Kira narrowed her eyes. "You're the one who's going to get stabbed with swords. Mom, don't do this to him!"

"It's already done," Mrs. Yukimura answered.

The Oni appeared and one stood behind Stiles. They grabbed the back of his head with their gloved hands. Stiles shook and fell to the ground and the Oni disappeared.

"Look behind his ear," Mrs. Yukimura told them.

Molly made her way to Stiles, followed by Kira, and knelt next to him to see a backwards five on the back of Stiles' ear.

"It worked!" Scott cried excitedly.

Molly nodded and smiled lightly, glancing to her brothers with a relieved expression.

Stiles looked relieved as he asked, "So I'm actually me?"

Mrs. Yukimura gave him a small smile. "More you than the Nogitsune."

"Can the Oni find him?" Scott questioned.

She nodded. "Tomorrow night. It's too close to dawn now."

A disturbing thought crossed Molly's mind and she asked, "Can they kill him?"

"That depends on how strong he is."

"What about Lydia? Why her?"

"He would only take her for an advantage."

Scott frowned. "You mean for her power."

Mrs. Yukimura nodded at his words. "The power of a Banshee."

As soon as everything had been sorted, Scott drove them to the station so Stiles could meet up with his dad.

Stiles glanced at Molly. "Are you okay?"

Molly shrugged. "I know you're not."

"Molly, I'm fine."

"Please don't lie, Stiles. Not to me. I can see that aren't."

They entered the station and saw Deputy Parrish at the front desk. He smiled at them and the sheriff muttered, "Ah, if I could just find my keys."

"In your coffee cup," Stiles said. "You always drop them in your coffee cup."

Sheriff Stilinski looked to Molly and Scott for confirmation and they nodded. Stiles ran to his dad and the sheriff threw his arms around his son. "Hey, Dad."

"Is it over?"

Scott shook his head. "Not yet."

Scott and Molly left the room so father and son could have a moment and Molly twirled her knife.

"We'll save Lydia," Scott reassured.

Molly glanced at him. "How? Stiles is dying and Lydia's missing. I've lost people and I can't lose Stiles."

"We'll save them both, Molly."

The sheriff and Stiles joined them and the sheriff said, "We got an APB on Lydia's car. Every unit on the road is looking for her."

Molly looked up at the sheriff. "Is there anything we're able to do?"

"At this hour? No, not really."

Stiles turned to Sheriff Stilinski. "Dad. Look, if we can figure out the why, then we'll figure out the where."

The sheriff nodded and once he made sure the coast was clear, he said, "Okay. What would a Nogitsune need with a Banshee?"

Stiles shrugged. "I don't know. Lydia's pretty good at finding dead bodies. Maybe he needs to find a dead body?"

The sheriff turned to his son's best friend. "Scott, you know more about this than all of us."

Scott frowned. "Me?"

Molly frowned. "Wait a sec. Didn't Mr. Yukimura tell you the whole story?"

He nodded, meeting her eyes. "Yeah, but that happened during World War II. Like 70 years ago."

Stiles interrupted Scott. "Wait. What did you say?"

Scott frowned. "Mrs. Yukimura told me about the internment camp..."

"You said the whole story."

"Yeah. What is it?"

Stiles looked between them. "There's a girl at Eichen House. Her name's Meredith. I think she might be able to help."

Parrish nodded. "Sheriff, Meredith Walker."

"She's still there?" the sheriff questioned.

"Yeah, but they moved her to the Closed Unit."

Molly's brow furrowed. "Why?"

Parrish turned to her. "They said behavioral issues."

"What issues?"

"She wouldn't stop screaming."

"Screaming? Guys, you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Scott nodded. "I think I understand what you're getting at."

Scott and Molly took Stiles back to Scott's. Instead of doing homework like a responsible student, she sat next to Stiles, watching him while he slept.

He gasped suddenly and shot up. "Shh. It's okay," Molly reassured, placing a hand on Stiles' shoulder.

Stiles looked around with a panicked expression. "What happened? How long was I out? Where's Scott?"

"Upstairs. You were only out a couple hours. Sit down, Stiles."

He did as she suggested and asked, "What about my dad? Where is he?"

"He and my mom are questioning people at Eichen House, looking for Meredith. He made me and Scott promise we wouldn't let you out of our sight."

"And the others?"

"Looking for Lydia."

He let out a frustrated sigh. "It's starting to feel like we're waiting for a ransom call."

"We're gonna find her." She rested her head on Stiles' shoulder, eyes slowly fluttering shut, and he rested his head on hers.

Scott came down the stairs and instantly asked, "You okay?"

Molly removed her head from Stiles' shoulder and yawned.

Stiles nodded and rubbed his hands together before putting on a jacket. "Yeah. I don't know why, I just can't seem to get warm."

"Maybe you should sit down," Scott said, seeing that Stiles was standing again. "Take it easy."

Scott placed a hand on Stiles' and frowned. "You're in pain."

"It's not that bad," Stiles said, clearly lying. "Just more like a dull ache."

"Where, Stiles?" Molly pressed.

He glanced at her. "Sort of everywhere."

She took his hands and glanced at him with a despondent expression. "God, you're freezing."

Scott left to take a call and Molly wrapped a blanket around Stiles' shoulders as she said, "I can see you're hurting. I'm not leaving you, Stiles."

They drove to the school to pick up Meredith, because she was there.

"Where's Lydia?" Molly asked.

Meredith glanced at Molly and asked in confusion, "Who's Lydia?"

"Our friend. She's missing."

They took her to Scott's and were greeted with Agent McCall and Isaac. Scott frowned. "What are you doing here?"

Isaac looked up at them while the agent frowned. "I could ask you the same thing."

Molly met his eyes. "Free period. We have a group study going on."

He frowned at her, then pointed to Meredith. "Who is she?"

Stiles placed an arm around Meredith's shoulders, earning a confused look from Molly. "She's my girlfriend."

Agent McCall's frown deepened. "I thought you and Molly were together."

Stiles shook his head. "Molly and I have never been together. Meredith is the girl for me."

Meredith said bluntly, "You're not my type."

Stiles glanced at her awkwardly. "Well, obviously we have a lot to talk about. We should maybe take this stuff upstairs."

"He's my type," Meredith said, zoning in on Isaac.

Molly glanced to the other werewolf. "There's always room for more. We're going to have a nice, private chat."

They walked upstairs to Scott's room while Scott talked to his dad.

Molly gave her a tight smile. "We need your help. Tell us what you know about Lydia."

She furrowed her brows. "Lydia? You mean the red-haired girl?"

"Strawberry blonde. Yes. Her."

Stiles nodded. "Good. Progress. Now, all you gotta do is tell us where she is."

Meredith nodded slowly. "Okay. Okay. If she tells me."

Isaac tilted his head to one side. "If she tells you? Can you ask her?"

She smiled at them. "I already did."

"Well?" Molly demanded impatiently. "Did she say anything?"

Meredith looked up at them. "She doesn't want to be found."

Stiles folded his hands together. "That's good too. Okay."

Isaac smiled at her. "Meredith, we'll be back shortly." He led them to Scott's bathroom. "There's got to be something we can do."

The werewolf flicked his claws and Molly frowned. "No."

He shot her a look. "I meant scare her."

"Isaac, no."

Stiles sighed. "We're not going to psychologically torture her either. No stabbing, Molly."

Molly frowned. "I won't stab her. Or anyone. Unless they're monsters."

"Focus, Molly."

Isaac rolled his eyes. "Fine. How about this? You said she hears things, right?"

Molly nodded. "Yeah."

"Doesn't that mean she's like Lydia? A Banshee?"

They rejoined Meredith and Stiles said, "Okay, just try to focus on the sounds around you."

"On what you're hearing."

"Just focus on the silence."

"Listen to the silence."

"Focusing on the silence."

"Listening to the..."

Molly glanced at Isaac. "You don't need to repeat him."

Stiles nodded. "Just let me handle this, Isaac. Please? I just... we have more experience with Banshees."

Isaac scoffed. "Yeah. And mental patients."

Stiles glared at him as Meredith said, "Isn't any going to get that?"

Molly frowned. "Get what?"

"The phone."

"What phone?" Isaac wondered.

"The phone," Meredith repeated.

Stiles nodded slowly. "Oh, the phone. My phone?" Meredith nodded and he took his phone from his pocket and placed it to his ear. "Yes. Hello. Yes, she's actually sitting right here. It's for you."

He handed her the phone and she took a moment to listen. "They say Coup de foudre."

Stiles gave a confused frown. "Coup de what? What is that, Spanish?"

Molly stared at him with a bewildered expression. "Really? No."

Scott appeared in the doorway and said, "French. It's French."

Molly met her friend's eyes. "Scott, call Allison. I think we've found Lydia." She texted her brothers that they'd found Lydia's location.

He immediately dialed Allison's number and said, "We know where Lydia is."

Stiles insisted on driving them to Oak Creek internment camp. Scott was sitting in the passenger's seat while Isaac and Molly were in the back.

"Hey, you okay?" Scott asked.

Stiles nodded. "Yeah. Yeah. You don't have to worry about me. The same goes for you, Molly. I mean it."

Isaac frowned. "All right, I'll say it. You look like you're dying. You're pale, thin, and you look like you're getting worse. And we're all sitting here thinking it. When we find the other you, is he gonna look like he's getting better?"

Scott turned to Stiles and said after a moment, "What happens if he gets hurt?"

Stiles sighed. "You mean if he dies do I die? Just so long as no one else dies because of me. I remember everything I did, Scott. I remember pushing that sword into you. I remember twisting it. I remember choking Molly."

Scott shook his head. "It wasn't you."

Molly placed a hand on Stiles' shoulder. "I knew it wasn't you."

Stiles let out another sigh. "Yeah, but I remember it. You guys gotta promise me. You can't let anyone else get hurt because of me."

She nodded. "I don't like it, but I get it."

Stiles smiled at her and they reached the internment camp. They climbed out and Scott looked between them. "We've done this before, guys. A couple of weeks ago, we were standing around just like this and we saved Malia, remember? That was a total stranger. This is Lydia."

"I'm here to save my best friend," Allison replied.

Scott smiled at her. "I came to save mine."

Isaac shrugged. "I just didn't feel like doing any homework."

Molly smiled sadly. "I'm here to save both my friends."

They entered the steel gate, crossing into the camp.

Scott left with Stiles to find Lydia while Molly stayed with Allison and Isaac.

Kira and her mom walked closer to them. Molly noticed two Oni behind Mrs. Yukimura who said, "Kira, turn around and go home. Take your friends with you."

Kira shook her head. "I can't. When I looked at the game, I realized who I was actually playing. You."

Allison lifted her crossbow and narrowed her eyes. "Call them off."

Mrs. Yukimura frowned at her. "You think you could take him alive? You think you can save him?"

Molly's brow furrowed. "You know, that's getting annoying. We're going to save him."

She looked to Molly. "I tried something like this 70 years ago. Your friend is gone."

"We're going save him! Or we'll die trying."

Kira nodded before turning to her mom. "Are you sure? Or if Stiles doesn't have to die, maybe Rhys didn't have to die either."

Mrs. Yukimura frowned. "I see I'm no longer the Fox now, Kira. You are. But the Nogitsune is still my demon to bury."

The Oni disappeared and they appeared behind the Nogitsune.

Kira frowned, then panicked. "Mom? What is that?"

Tabitha frowned. "What the hell happened?"

Void smirked. "It means there's been a change in ownership. Now they belong to me."

Fighting soon broke out and Kira slashed one with her katana. Isaac slashed another with his claws while Allison fired her arrows. Molly stabbed the Oni closest to her.

While fighting, Isaac yelled to Mrs. Yukimura, "How do we stop them?"

"You can't!" she returned.

The Oni slashed at Isaac and Molly cried, "Duck!"

Molly hit one of the Oni that was getting too close. Another one snuck up behind him and once again, she gave him a warning. "Watch out!"

Allison heard her cry and drew her bow. She hit the Oni and rescued Isaac just in time. The firefly in the Oni's chest glowed amber. The ground started shaking before the Oni dissolved in black smoke. Allison smiled proudly and turned moments later to see another Oni stab her in the abdomen.

"Allison!" Lydia screamed from inside with an unconscious Stiles.

Molly felt as though she were reacting in slow motion. She let out a yell stabbed the Oni closest to her.

An Oni nearly hit her and Isaac killed it.

Molly ran up to Allison's body and tried shaking her. "Come on! Wake up!"

Scott shook his head sadly. "She's gone, Molly."

The rumble of the Impala sounded and Sam and Dean ran up to the teens as soon as the engine had been shut off.

Dean instantly pulled Molly into his arms as she sobbed.

"It's okay, kiddo. It'll be okay, Molly. Where are your friends?"

Molly sniffled. "I don't know. I couldn't save her. I should be able to save people!"

"We can't always save everyone, Molly. I know it sucks. But you and your friends can still save Stiles."

She nodded slowly and wiped her eyes. "Uh, yeah. We can still save him."

Comment