chapter eleven.  

                             STUMBLING INTO AN operating room, Arthur heavies a sigh hair falling in his face placing Cora on a metal with Stiles' help, he rolls his shoulders back as Derek, Scott and Peter burst through the double doors behind them. Alarmed, Arthur faces the doors waiting for their 'prisoner' to come through those doors, his eyelids squeeze shut mumbling a curse realizing none of them knew Jennifer had managed to escape past them. There is no one to blame when they were all sprung with different roles, Arthur just wished he couldn't stopped her.

"Where's the big guy?" Stiles inquiries, staring at the double doors they cane through.

Arthur folds towels he found and tucks them underneath Cora's head, it makes him feel a lot more helpful compared to a few moments ago.

"He's close." Derek mutters, closing the doors quiet enough for no werewolf to hear it.

"What about Ms. Blake?" He wonders, spinning back to Scott, he shakes his head. "What do you mean? What does that mean? Like, she's gone? Scott, are you kidding me?"

"Shh, quiet." Derek scowled, eyes targeted on the hallway checking if the coast was clear.

"Me be quiet? Me, huh? Are you telling me what to do now?" Stiles blusters, challenging Derek, "When your psychotic, mass murdering girlfriend... the second one you've dated, by the way..."

"That has nothing to do with this, by the way." Arthur countered, rolling his eyes behind Derek. He understands Stiles is anxious but picking on the man who has done nothing but help them isn't going to bring his dad back.

"It does when she has got my dad somewhere, tied up, waiting to be ritually sacrificed!" Stiles retorted.

Arthur pushes him back, maintain eye contact him, he assures softly realizing he'd be in the same state if something had happened to his family. "Stiles, he's still out there, we've got this."

"And... and they want her, right?" Stiles argues, flickering his gaze between Scott, Arthur and Derek, "Which means now we don't have her either, so my dad and Cora are both dead!"

"Not yet." Scott states forcefully,walking over to Peter, Cora's nurse. Arthur was no supernatural doctor but Cora is panting and sweating, either she's having one of those dreams or something is deadly wrong. His voice softens, "Is she really dying?"

"She's definitely not getting any better." Peter replies, watching his niece in shift in agony.

"There has to be something that we can do." Scott disagrees, "We have to help her."

Double doors behind them slammed open, revealing the devil in heels. "You can't. Only I can. I can save her, and I can tell you where Sheriff Stilinski is. But there is a pack of alphas in this hospital who want me dead. So I'll help you... but only when I'm out of here and safe. Only then."

Arthur scowled, she has them wrapped around her pinkie like a ribbon and she knows it, they could fight it, but the risk is too high especially when your gambling somebody's life.

Outraged, Derek throws a metal table out of his way launching for Jennifer but Scott catches his shoulders before he could do damage. Apart of Arthur wanted to hold Scott back and let Derek do some damage, he fought back a cheer.

"Derek, wait!" The yellow eyed beta calls.

His glare sharpens pointing a finger at her, he growls, "She was trying to get out."

"I was trying to keep from getting killed." Jennifer defends herself, stepping forward. "You can't blame me for that."

"If you want to show you're one of the good guys, then heal her." Stiles bargains, gesturing to pale Cora.

Jennifer shakes her head, "Not until I'm safe."

"I'd like to volunteer a different method of persuasion." Peter pipes, his voice as cold as his eyes, "Let's torture her."

"Works for me." Derek mutters, shoving Scott's hands off him.

A half smile takes over Arthur's lips, crossing his arms. "Cool, I need an operating dummy anyway."

"Um, can I have your attention?" A nervous familiar voice questions, making Arthur's heart drop sparing a glance to Scott. "Mr. Deucalion... excuse me, just Deucalion... Requests you bring the woman calling herself Jennifer Blake to the E.R. reception. Do this, and everyone else can leave. You have ten minutes."

Jennifer fought the urge to roll her, stating, "He's not gonna hurt her."

"Shut up." Derek growls.

"He won't!" Jennifer assures them, glimpsing to the beta, "Scott, you know why. Tell them it's true."

All eyes fall on the silent Scott.

Arthur's eyebrows knitted together, he didn't want to pressure him into explaining especially when he looks like he might break any second, but Derek didn't care not when he thought they were here for him, and every death and destruction was because of him.

"What does she mean, Scott?"

Jennifer rolled her eyes when he remained mute, "You're not the only one he wants in his pack. Deucalion doesn't just want an Alpha pack. He wants perfection. That means adding the rarest of alphas to his ranks."

Struck with realization, Peter mumbles in awe, "A true Alpha."

Arthur's features twisted at the title, it sounds dumb hopefully it's meaning isn't as pointless.

"What's that?"

"The kind that doesn't have to steal his power from another. One that can rise by the force of his own will." Peter explains, his voice laced with bitterness eyeing Scott like a prey. "Our little Scott."

It definitely isn't, The tension in the room weighed heavy, and if somebody didn't anything Arthur's knew they'd drown in it.

A beam takes over his lip, clasping Scott's shoulder, "Congrats, man!" He ignores  the eye rolls and looks focusing on Scott, his face void hiding something from him. He has the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"It doesn't matter." The true alpha declares, rising his chin up with a new set of determination meeting their gazes. "We still need to get her out of here."

"Scott, your mom..." Stiles' reminds him flabbergasted.

"My mom said there's one more ambulance coming in 20 minutes." Scott cuts him off, focused on the bigger picture. "And I don't think we've been here that long, so if we can get down to the garage, get to the last ambulance, we can get out of here."

The eldest Robinson nods admiring Scott owning his new leadership role.

"The twins aren't gonna let us just walk out." Peter reminds them, his eyebrows creased.

"I'll distract them." Scott volunteers.

"You mean fight them." Arthur corrects, his lips pursed. He couldn't fight them again, even if he wanted too he nearly died last time and he'd do it again but not when his mother and sister are waiting for him, maybe just today he slid past Death.

"Whatever I have to do." Scott shrugs.

"I'll help you." Derek nods.

"Um, sorry, but I'm not going anywhere without you, Derek." Jennifer voices up.

Arthur rolls his eyes, "Don't get clingy when he's not yours, Jennifer, it's pathetic."

Peter wore a smirk refraining himself from commenting on what Arthur said, instead enlisted himself with Scott. "I'll do it. But I'd prefer to be out there with an advantage."

"An advantage like what?" Stiles questions puzzled, "You mean like a weapon?"

"Something better than a baseball bat."

Arthur pursed his lips at Stiles, and glares at Peter. He turns his attention to the drawers behind rummaging through them for anything lethal. He wonders how Lydia is doing, is she thinking about him? He doubts it, he's not that important.

"Hey, wait. What about these?" Stiles holds up an cardioversion cluelessly.

"Do you know how to use those?" Derek retorts, eyebrow arched.

"Well, no, Arthur does, he used on me once." Stiles replied, rubbing his chest in memory. Arthur glances up hearing his name, a smile jogs on his lips fighting his bubbling laughter remembering.

"Yeah, and you nearly died." Scott deadpans, shooting Arthur, who hides his face inside a drawer, a look.

"Put 'em down." Derek orders.

Scott holds ups needle, and reads the label. "Epinephrine?"

"That's only gonna make him stronger." Arthur retorts absentmindedly, getting tired of seeing white bandages everywhere.

Peter snaps his head sparked by an idea, he wonders. "How strong?"

With the needle in chest, Peter pushes past the double doors at the end of the hall stood Ethan and Aiden, his ice blue glows along with golden irises behind him, ripping the needle from his chest. "All right, boys. Let's rumble."

Both sides roar fiercely, Derek carries Cora over his shoulder followed by the two humans and Jennifer down the opposite hall running outside to the ambulance waiting for them. Arthur wouldn't been surprised if it wasn't, he wouldn't have stayed, running through the dark gave him chills so imagine waiting outside, alone.

"It's still here!" Stiles calls, being the first one out. He flings the doors open, and Arthur helps place Cora on a stretcher while Jennifer wonders off.

"Derek, over here." Jennifer calls.

Arthur stands on the edge of the door waiting for them, but tenses hearing Kali call the Darach's name and closes the ambulance doors softly, knowing Cora is Derek's main priority.

"You can't beat her on your own." Arthur hears Jennifer reminds the Alpha.

"Yeah, that's why we're going to run."

*  *  *

                    STUCK IN AN ambulance with a stressed Stiles and unconscious Cora wasn't the worst, probably because she's unconscious and he's used to Stiles getting worked up. His mind toyed with Scott not making it back to the ambulance  and Derek getting hurt, he knows his place is here helping Cora survive the night but he felt like he could bigger.

"Okay, okay, okay. We're okay. We're all right." Stiles rambles, repeatably making sure the ambulance doors are locked before taking a seat across from him, the youngest Hale in between them. "Arthur, you okay? How you doing?" He glances at her, "Wh... why do you look like you're not breathing?"

Arthur follows his gaze, the youngest Hale laid still surprising quiet. So silent he couldn't hear her breath, his eyes widen. "It's because she isn't breathing!" His mind jumbles over all the notes he's read on retrieving a life.

"Oh, no. Oh, God. Oh, no, no, no. Why are you not breathing?" Stiles wonders, panting.

His ice blue flickers from her still chest to a stressing Stilinski, he wets his lips demanding, "How is she going to that answer that!?"

His hands moves faster then his lips, retorting, "I don't know, you're the future doctor do something!"

"Stop panicking you're making me panic!" Arthur countered, running a hand through his hair.

"Sorry, Sorry." He apologizes choosing to stick his thumbnail between his lips and bit it.

Arthur stopped paying attention, he's read how to save a life plenty of times, and rules should apply to werewolves since they're part human and if not, well they're screwed. He tilts her chin opening her mouth wide enough for him to check for anything blocking her throat. Nothing, his thumb and index finger pinches her nose sucking in a deep breath, he releases it on her her mouth preforming CPR.

Stiles' leg bounces, muttering to himself, "Oh, come on, Cora. Come on, Cora."

Arthur repeats the action, his heart racing faster each time he doesn't see her chest rising. "Come on, Cora. Come on, breathe. Come on, Cora, breathe." He didn't want to think about her dying while Derek's risks his life for her, he's gone trough hell alone and the moment he rounds someone or thing to hold it makes him a fortune's fool.

Cora splutters, coughing, Stiles smiles and relief floods Arthur veins. He smiles high fiving both his hands with Stiles'.

"Next time you put your lips to her mouth, she better be awake." Stiles teases lightly.

Arthur scoffs, his hands raised in mock surrender, "Hey, she was asking for it."

"She just needs to hold on a little longer, okay?" His eyes fall on Cora optimistic, clutching his hands together. "Trust me, if anyone's gonna get us out of this, it's Scott."

"Never thought I'd hear those words in the same sentence." Arthur jokes, his back leaning on the wall.

"Yeah, neither can I." Stiles smiles lightly. "I'm starting thinking maybe she was right. You know, maybe... maybe we are pretty much useless."

"Yeah, it makes sense doesn't it," Arthur mumbles, transfixed on the ceiling, his cloud of doubt returning because he isn't the only one. "All we do is find the bodies. We're trying so hard to be something we're not, you know? Maybe, maybe we're just not made for this."

Stiles' eyes waters fixated on his hands, he whispers, "I just, I don't want to find my father's body."

"We won't, Stiles," The youngest Robinson reassurances, determination as clear as night meeting his hopeless' gaze, "You know I'd never let you down."

His golden brown twinkle lightly, all sadness they shared forgotten for the day, to be shared another time. He challenges, "Except that one time during Gym you purposely didn't catch me!"

Arthur rolls his eyes, falling back against the ambulance wall. "You wouldn't stop going on and on about your new shoes. I had to do something to make you shut up-"

Bangs and growls squeeze Arthur's lips shut, meeting Stiles' weary gaze. His ice blue hesitatingly flicker to the rectangle shaped windows spotting the ultra twins, his body squeezes back hiding. Minutes later, footsteps echo spiking Arthur's heartbeat with no weapon around, they're defenseless.

Arthur's lips tremble meeting Stiles' fearful frown, he mouths, "We're gonna die!"

The freckles boy's own lips tremble in realizations, mouthing back, "As virgins!" A hand slapped the window and Arthur nearly screamed his heart out clutching into Stiles, eyes fling to the window releasing a breath.

Peter leaned into Scott's arms. "Stiles, Arthur, opens up." Stiles shoved Arthur's forehead shoving him away, he rolls his eyes pushing the doors open helping a dozy Peter inside, he was hoping they'd do worse than leave him dizzy.

"Where Derek and Jennifer?" Stiles questions, the two nowhere insight.

"I have to go back for them and my mom." Arthur spies a track of dried blood down the side of Scott's head, wondering how horrid it is in there.

"Okay, two problems: Kali had the keys to this thing and I just saw the twins walk by a few seconds ago." A banging in the distance catches their attention.

Scott nods meeting both his brothers' eyes, prepared to run into danger. "Stay here."

* * *

                A SILVER CAR stops besides the ambulance, while Allison pretended to be Jennifer and lead the twins and Kali, they'd ambush them giving Derek enough time to escape with the Darach and for Isaac to take Cora away.

Arthur passes Cora to Peter, and Isaac leaps out of the car opening the backseat door. "All right, all right, come one!"

Arthur went to run with them but stopped spotting Stiles' shaking fingers. He looks over his shoulder, reading a form pinned on the ambulance door specifically Parents or Guardians the last sacrifices Jennifer needs, and one of who is a two for one deal.

"Stiles, Arthur, let's go!" Issac hollers, alarmed they didn't enough time.

His chest heavies, he thought he'd been over this, he thought they'd be safe. His eyes lose focus and leans on the ambulance for support, searching through his pocket he comes out empty, his phone is gone.

"Oh fuck, fuck." Arthur panicked, his fingers clenched he fought the urge to hit something. "Stiles, give me your phone!" The freckles barely blinks tossing his phone to him and dashes back into the hospital for Scott.

"Stiles!" Issac calls only to be ignored, he glanced to the brown haired depend on the ambulance to keep him standing as he phones someone. "Arthur, what's going on?"

"Oh, pick up, mom, pick up." His chews his thumbnail waiting endlessly for her to answer.

"Hello, Stiles?" Her voice was music to his ears, his legs give out. With his knees pressed to his chest and his head pounds spinning. "I got your message, I'm on my way to the hospital, is Arthur alright?"

"Mom," His voice cracks grinning like fortune fool. It wipes off the moment her words click, "Wait, no, no, mom don't come it's a⏤" she gasps, the wheels turns abruptly hanging up the phone. "Mom?"

*  *  *

( A/N ) this is one of my favorite chapters to write! I
noticed this chapter was mainly Stiles and Arthur 'bonding' and
making each other feel better in their own way, I'm actually
loving their relationship! Sadly, no, Lydia and Arthur moments,
maybe in the next chapter?? please don't hesitate to leave
questions!

⏤ TylerPoseForMe