chapter eleven.

            TONIGHT WAS A NIGHT of glorious victory; it's a shame the feeling hadn't reached Veronica. How was she feeling? She couldn't even decide herself, the boy ( originally known as her prey. ) she was beginning to catch feelings for found out she not planned to murder him and his friends but also for money like their lives cost nothing.  If the situation was in reverse Veronica's wouldn't react physically the last thing she'd want is to let them know how they made her feel and mentally, she'd be plotting a bloody revenge then would leave them shivering whenever her name was mentioned.  Would she be a hypocrite if she said this was different, that she was trying to clean the blood off her hands?

Her feet ached with each step she had taken, thank Dio for her having a car. Perseus and Yoselin are behind her bouncing with energy like two drunk friends feeling like Champions, she's proud of them, they fight with skill and patient though they haven't finished their Hunter training they're well on their way.  Back to Veronica; the moment this door opens she racing straight to her bathtub prepared to wash the stench of negative off her body and chill with her Midsummer Night Yankee Candle, she's getting chills just thinking about it.

"Veronica!" She bit back a groan, silently praying she won't be the only one called.  "Yoselin! Perseus! Come in the kitchen!"  Her miserable prayer has been answered by her mother.

"What could that woman want?"  Yoselin grumbled, her shoulders slumped shifting ahead of them.

"Do you think she knows we stole her money?"  Perseus mumbled, he was behind them yet they both knew he was trembling.

"Of course not. I paid her back." Veronica answered. Choosing to leave out the fact she used their money to return what they stole, she has no reason to panic because she has done nothing wrong... at home.

The first thing clear about Eden Morillo was her finger tapping the marble counter, no rhythm or anything just tapping. She is fuming.

"You's fought against the humans tonight."  Eden said, her head tilting.  Veronica's eyes flew between her and dad, unsure whether she should speak or remain silent.  "How long have we been fighting on the opposite side?"

"How long have you and papà been working on a separate mission?" Veronica argued, pressing her lips together. They weren't hunting Satomi's pack that night because they were out hunting something else, someone else.

"That's not the point of this, is it?" Yoselin asked, her hands behind her back leaning on the wall. "It's about us siding with their mortal enemy and they want to know why. You know you could've just asked us why."

"Then tell us, Lena, why?" Papà demanded, a twitch of an accent slipping in his tone, his hands folded on the table.

"The deadpool." She answered simply. "It's gotten out of control, we came here to bring peace to a town that turning into a graveyard and all we did was add more bodies to the chart. We're not those guys." Veronica agreed; somewhere along the line when money got involved they were blinded and lost their way but they found it again expect their parents.

"Somebody has too." Ma interrupted, shaking her head at her. "Without us there's nothing stopping them terrorizing innocent humans. If we hadn't put our foot down years ago only Dio knows what could've happened."

"Years ago. So many things have changed and we should too." Perseus piped up. "It's like drawing a picture with the same technique, it doesn't improve until you try something different and either it works or doesn't. Point is, we can't be using techniques as old as people believing the earth is flat." Veronica was surprised what he said actually made sense.

"Eh." Yoselin drawled out, suggesting she still believes it is.

"Not the time." Veronica hissed, knowing she'll tease her about it tomorrow when this is all put behind her. First, she has to open her parents eyes and find out their secret, they've been hiding it since they arrived. "All the blood we've shed made it harder for us to see not all monsters do bad things. Beacon Hills made me realize." Liar.

"All that blood helped us save lives." Ma reminded, her voice tight. "Some towns can't be saved."

"And why should you be the one to decide that?" Veronica demanded, biting her cheek. That is not her call to make.

"Veronica, watch your tone." Papà ordered. She fought the urge to glare at him, if she doesn't control herself then this wouldn't be a discussion anymore, more like a fight.

"I'm just finding it hard to understand that humans get a second chance when they've done something wrong or their punished in something that doesn't end in death."  Veronica responded, shrugging her shoulders in a puzzled manner before taking a seat across her dad on the table.

"Humans have the police. The supernatural have hunters like us." Ma explained.  "And we're trying our best to keep everyone safe."

"Then let's try a better way to save them. We saved a lot of innocent people from the Deadpool today by trying a different way." Yoselin argued, the genuine happiness in her eyes and smile was infectious. It made Veronica's heart swell with glee, thankful she had invited her instead of robbing her of this satisfying feeling.  "There's no harm in trying a different way. And if we fail then we try another way, again and again."

"Nous protègons ceux qui ne peuvent pas se protèger eux-měmes." Perseus piped up. There was a slight trouble with his pronunciation but neither his siblings helped letting his speak on his own.  "Uncle Chris said those are the words Allison lived on before she died saving her friends. I know we can continue her memory through those words too."  Veronica likes to add in she was going to do it with or without their help but they would get a whole attitude about it.

"Do you honestly believe all the things that came out of your mouths?" Emmett inquired, his face bowed down as his thumbs message in between his eyebrows before glimpsing up in time to see them bobbling their heads, agreeing.  "Dio mio. You think we're the bad guys when all we've done is try to protect you from them."

Veronica bites back a scoff crossing her arms.  "Yeah, you've done a great job of that sending us into a battlefield almost every single day." She imagined death so much it's beginning to feel like a memory to her. "I'm fine with that, but have you ever asked them. Not everyone wishes to continue the family tradition."

"Hey." Her mother interrupts, she had been silent for awhile letting them discuss as she thinks over their points silently. "We're not on different sides, don't talk to us like we're the enemy. It's us against the problem, always has been. Always will be."

"Life is all about trying new things. Our old route doesn't work anymore, I don't think it ever has." Yoselin voices, her hands moving with her mouth as she takes a seat tired of standing. "It's time we try a new way; one where we protect all innocence no matter the spieces."

The silence in the air was heavy enough to squash them.

Since nobody else was going to give their points, Perseus said,  "You know the procedure. Three, two ━ " In sync, three hands raised in agreement. Veronica's jaw ticked spotting her parents' hands down, never has she been more disappointed in them then tonight and to think she thought of them as beacons of moral ━ never mind, her Ma raised her hand followed by Papà. Laughter bubbles out of Yoselin's throat clapping her hands at them, Perseus was high five their raised hands with a grin so wide. "It's 'bout time you hoped into our train."

"Should've done it ages ago but now is good too." Veronica comments, her cheeks puffed to stop herself from smiling but it broke out when she met her father's humored stare. Finally, their getting on the right track it'll take time to fix the damage they've caused but she positive they can do it. She could feel her heart thumping fast but not as fast as it would be if she still had him. "Understandable, Boomers aren't the greatest with change." Yoselin and Perseus shouted ooh just for the heck of it.

"Ha. Ha." Her mother chimed sarcastically, sitting down in between her husband and eldest daughter. "So tell me, Ronnie, what's our next move?" The question doesn't throw her off anymore, her parents have always believed if you want to raise a leader then sometimes it best to step back and let them guide you and even if they fail, let them learn their mistakes and improve.

"Kate Argent."  The raven haired began. She pretends not to notice her mother tiling her head an inch or her father scratch the left side of his nose. She has forgotten about her for awhile but it's time they intervene since the Calavera are acting too slow for her. "I don't care that she broke the Calavera code; she's been slaughtering people left and right searching for the benefactor here. We need to figure out why then maybe we can put a dent in her plans."

She could see her debating whether to say something or not, until she pursed her lips blowing out a breath like the words would tumble with it, "Because she wants to find control on her transformation."

Yoselin's face scrunched slightly, not even Uncle Chris knew that yet so how do they? "How do you know?"

"Because, we promised to help her if she helped us take down Peter Hale." Papà answered, leaning back in his chair and takes a deep breath. Veronica leaps off her chair nearly knocking it down, staring hard at them. So, that's why Kate let her walk out of there with a little bump on her head and why the Berserker hadn't killed them, it could've but the way it was fighting was... just fighting to get by. And all this to end Peter Hale.

"And you didn't think to include us?" The raven haired inquired, her eyebrows furrowed glimpsing in between them. They have got to be kidding her! This changed so much. "Are we even here for Uncle Chris, 'cause the conversation I heard told me otherwise."

Eden blinks almost offended by what she said. "Of course we are. But he was gone when we came so we stayed for Kate. We didn't want either of you involved because Peter Hale isn't known to leave survivors when he fights."

"Hold up." Yoselin interrupted, eyes clenched shut and a hand raised. "You were planning on heading one day, fighting him and possibly losing and just never returning? What joints have you both been smoking?"

"Yoselin." Emmett warned.

"No, you were going to walk out on us." Yoselin hissed, opening her eyes Veronica noticed they were glossy. "Both of you. Without even saying goodbye."

"Yoselin, in this job you know not everyone survives." Eden argued firmly, her fingers digging into her palms.

Veronica wanted to laugh at how cliché that excuse was. "Now, that's a great excuse. Percy, check that off our list of Ma and papà's greatest excuses." She turned on her heel and sprinted upstairs stomping with each step.

"Yoselin!" Dad shouted, pushing himself out of his seat.

"What's the point, man? You said what you said." Perseus countered, his expression screamed disappointment looking at them both before turning around after her.

He remained standing, his knuckle tapping the glass table. "So, I guess you're mad too?"

"Not really." Veronica shrugged. The mask she wore stayed strong as she looked them both pushing her emotions down, they're right in this job your ending is unpredictable however the difference now is that they had an idea of when it was happening and hadn't bothered including them. Anger could not describe what's she feeling, they trust her enough to tell them about their suicidally plan. If they have trust then what do they have? It's like what happened with Scott all over again. Breath in and breath out. She pursed her lips to the side trying to bottle her emotions until she's at least away from them. "Someone had to make the choice. I once thought we did that together, I guess not."

She thought they were murdering Satomi's pack but instead they were plotting and planning with Kate fucking Argent, can't someone in this town stay dead? She followed her siblings stomping upstairs and slamming her door shut, the last thing she wants is spend the night suffocating here. Shoving her phone in her pocket, Veronica grabs the first jacket she could reach and leaves through the window. She hopes they come upstairs and find her room empty.

Getting inside her car, Veronica chews her cheek debating whether or not to send the message she typed, what the worst that could happen? Rejection. Rejection is the worst thing that could happen ━ and she sent it. It didn't take long for them to answer her, smoothing her nerves as she drives to her destination. So many things have happened on this one night.

She almost kissed Scott. She realized he's the one she wanted to protect ( along with his friends and Beacon Hills but mostly him. ). She fought for what's right and won. He found out the truth and the way he looked at her, Christ she never wants to be looked at like that again. Her parents found a new code to go by. And then they find out they don't trust them. Like she said, they're partners in a bloody crime like Bonnie and Clyde ( how ironic they died together. ). Nobody trusts anybody anymore expect for Perseus and Yoselin, she betrayed Scott like her parents betrayed her. Who plans on dying without telling the people they'll leave behind?

She breathes in a trembling breath, not noticing her vision was blurring and pulls on the side of the road. She sniffed the stars stared at her as she grabs her mirror, "You're fine, Veronica. You've been through so much worse. A little heartbreak ━ " she breaks eye contact with herself feeling her tears climb out of her eyes and rests her head on top of the stirring wheel and cried and cried and cried. Why is the people that try their best gets hurt the most? Maybe it's because they expect most. Veronica hadn't even wanted to come here, all she wanted was somebody to trust and to do a simple mission but of course, nothing is ever simple. She thought this town would be the first one she could leave without feeling like she's being thorn apart, but this place taught her more than others have.

Enough of this pity party. Lifting her head, Veronica wipes away her tears and grabs baby wipes cleaning her face until there were no indication of her breakdown and brushed her messy hair and kept it tamed beneath her red bandanna. Pushing her keys in the ignition she began driving again like nothing happened, she's going to be alright because this isn't the end of the world. She arrived quicker then she thought, sprinting outside her knuckles knock on the door; it opens a few seconds later.

"Hi. I know we're not friends like that but I'd rather not be home right now." Veronica confessed, her hands shoved through her pockets. The warmth radiating their home made her knees weak, she's exhausted from today and all that crying did not help.

"I'm honored to be the person you choose."  She replied, her lips drawn in a smiling tilting her head up to look at her proper her body leaning on the door opening it wider.

"Thanks, Lydia." The raven haired mumbled softly, stepping inside and looks back her. Crouching down, she unzips her boots taking in her large polished home. Man, even the door in this place looks expensive. "Where your mom?"

Lydia rolled her eyes at the question. "On a date. Come on, I'll give you a tour." The girls walked into each room, Lydia trying to find a common ground between them which happened to be 2000's music era ( which is greatly underrated. ) they just had to have it blasting in bedroom on her Bluetooth. The lucky winner being Differences by Ginuwine.

Lydia was singing around her room belting out the lyrics as best as she could with a mint green clay mask on her face. Veronica on the other hand was bringing her fingers to life with some nail polish, man had it been awhile since she's done some proper self care not the drink water, scrub your face before you sleep ( she tends to forget about that one a lot. ) no, the one where you let go of your anxiety and let your body feel like it's on moving clouds, which Lydia's bed is certainly helpful with.

"Hey, can I braid your hair?" Lydia asked once the song ended and another played, picking her hairbrush. Veronica raised her eyebrow at the question; she doesn't even like tying her hair in a ponytail that's why she mostly wears bandannas. But tonight isn't a night to say no, so she nods getting up off her stomach and on her butt legs crossed. Her eyes threatened to roll back when her fingers runs through her hair, there is nothing more satisfying then that, you can try changing her mind but you won't. "Your hair is so soft."

"Thanks. The secret is Avocados." She murmured, trying not to pout when she stopped running her fingers through it and began braiding it. "But Shush, I've got a reputation to obtain. Best hair in Beacon County."

"No one can claim your crown." Lydia reassures, smiling at her. Veronica doesn't know why she chose to come here out of all places, but she's glad she did. "And I've always hated the smell of avocado."

"That's a bit... insane." Veronica teased, clicking her tongue. She tried not to flinch when Lydia began digging Bobby pins into her head.

"Not the first time someone has called me that." The banshee said, almost in a hazy from remembering something.

Veronica knew what she meant; her transformation into a banshee was maniacal to anybody who didn't know she was ( though she still didn't understand why she ran into the woods naked for three days. ) but at least it's over and she knows the truth. "There are worse things to be called by like; Elena Gilbert." Her own nose wrinkled.

Lydia squealed, gripping her shoulders and making her face her. "You hate her too?"

"Man, of course who wouldn't?" The raven haired muttered, Elena has two men pinning after her while she could barely keep one.

"Eh, Stefan and Damon Salvatore." Lydia recalls bitterly, stepping off her bed to retrieve her mirror. "They could do so much better, well Stefan could, Damon couldn't."

"I couldn't agree more." Veronica chimed, taking the small mirror from her hands and admired herself in a braided hair crown. "Imagine being as pretty as me." Lydia barked out a laugh taking the mirror from her hands. "I don't know why you're laughing, you're halfway there."

"Right." The strawberry blonde chimed sarcastically.

"Hey, do you want to rewatch season one while I'm here?"

Lydia beams like she remembering something as she pulls her laptop from its charger. "Nothing builds a friendship better then our shared hatred. But how 'bout tonight we forget about the supernatural and focus on something more.. human."

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine." She didn't even have to think, that show is her go too if she couldn't sleep or wasn't in the greatest mood though it has only been out for a year it's one of the best sitcoms. "Nobody can hate that show cause if they do I'll strange them."

"Is violence always your first instinct?" Lydia asked, an eyebrow raised as she clicks the link into the first episode season one.

She thinks about it and nods. "Yeah, pretty much." The banshee snuggles inside her blankets and lifts some for her to get inside; this shouldn't mean much to her to any other person she was just sharing a blanket but she didn't have to do that, let her in her home, care for her without probing her for what happen she's just letting her into her life likes she letting her into her life. How long will it take before Scott tells everyone and all this is ripped away from her too? She came here for a good time not a long but when did it change to being here for long time with a side emotional attachment?

"What's wrong?" Lydia asked, her green eyes flooded with concern her laptop falling back as she turns to her.

Shit. She tried to blink back her tears, crying twice in the same night not the worst you've done. Wiping her eyes before they could fall, she just smiles because at the moment nothing she was wrong for the rest of the night until morning comes. Veronica just wants to live in this moment and no other one.

"Just thanks for letting me crash here." She shrugged, clearing her throat and places the laptop between after she gets inside the warm blankets. She tilts her head once more finding it hard to contain her blossoming grin, "Just don't make this a big deal."

"Why would I? I'm just sleeping besides a person that can kill me in my sleep with their pinkie." Lydia notes sarcastically, her lips pressed together making a dimple pop out on her cheek. Veronica groaned rolling her eyes to the back of her head. "If Brooklyn Nine-Nine is good as you claim then no thanks needed."  It's not surprise Veronica would be great friends with a girl who predicts death when she's surrounded by it.

* * *

          THE NEXT MORNING; SHE wasn't expecting a text from him asking she'd meet him at Derek Hale's loft.  Wearing clothes she borrowed from Lydia, totally not something you'd see her wearing an average day there was close to no places she could hide her weapons.  Lydia should serious start to consider that before buying her clothes. When she arrived there was nobody inside and the door was left ajar, her stomach was a bumble of nerves and her unsteady hands weren't a help either.  Veronica wants to get whatever he needs to say done with so she could figure out her next move.

The door creaked open and she stood, Scott walks inside glimpsing up from his phone. By his expression twisting into something like confusion, she guess something isn't right.  "I thought was meeting Kira. What are you doing here?"

"You asked me to come." She answered, holding up her phone.  It was clear he didn't want hers here so she might as leave instead of making him uncomfortable.  "I'll just go, I have things to take care of ━ "

"What? Another body?" Scott questioned, the hurt he feels masked by snark. She bit her cheek, tilting her head to the side away from his gaze.

"What do you want me to say, Scott?"  Veronica asked, they were only ten feet apart yet why did he still feel so far away from her? "I came here to fix this poisonous town, I wanted to help make it better."

"You tried to kill me!" Scott fumed.  "You tried to kill everyone I've loved for money."

"This was never about the money. The people on the list, I made the mistake of thinking they were all monsters."  The raven haired argued, a stone growing in her throat.  "But they weren't. They were just people trying to live their lives and I helped take that away and I have to live with that."

A silence envelops them. Veronica has a way with dealing with the lives she taken, repeating the same words one life for a million, one life for a million, one life for a million and it keeps her going but this one is different; because not all of them were lethal as their names claimed to be. She did something really bad and she'll wake up every morning remembering their cries, beg for mercy, blood on her hands, face, cloths and watch the life leave their eyes. A fucking nightmare she deserves.

If she starts crying one more time she's going to punch something ━ anything. 

"I trusted you."  Scott mumbled, each foot he moves echoes in her ears but then he stops when he's three feet away.  He could hear each thunder beat her heart makes for him.  "And that's my mistake to bear."

"You really think we were a mistake?" The raven haired asked, chewing her cheek raw to keep control of her emotions.  Glass shatters behind them pieces of it flying in the air, she hadn't had time to blink when Scott clutched her and wrapped his arms around her head shielding her from the glass.  Now wasn't the time for her heart to swoon, her fingers twitched and lifted them up to hug him ━

His body ripped away from her it felt like a piece of her heart flew and crashed with him. The world twirled faster then she could comprehend, one minute he was holding onto her in his safe heaven and the next, he was on on the ground battered and bloodied.

Her head spun. Glimpsing away from the Berserker holding Scott over his head, Kate flashed her a dark smile and kicked her stomach hurtling the hunter straight into a metal lock.  A groan slips her lips, hands red and aching. Panting out breaths, she knew she couldn't stay on the ground like some coward but fighting against them stupidly suicidally but fighting them without a weapon is just stupid.

Scott broke into a brawl with Kate leaving her to deal with a Berserker. Stretching out her lower back the ache was nothing she couldn't handle, glancing behind at the gate she unwraps the silver chains and encloses some around her fist. Not the greatest but it could do. It was like her dual kindjal just more loose.

Swinging around, she smacked it's shoulder blade he flinched turning around. She smacked his skull forcing it to the side, he swung his arm out trying catch her she dived underneath clutching both ends, she sprinted and strangled him with it.  He struggles his bone scratching the metal chain, her heart beats against his back her hands burn as tightens her grip and felt it sway knees buckling.  His hands move backwards and catches her shoulder, her face twists as a sharp pain floods her shoulder she couldn't keep her hold on him much longer.

For a few seconds, she could feel her body in the air like SuperGirl until she crashes into something hard. Damnit. Her breathing comes out heavy as she fell on her back, her left shoulder explodes with agony making her head dip back curses slipping her chapped lips, shit shit shit! She lifted off the ground by her hair and onto her knees, another cry leaves her lips trying to break free from the bone hand.  Man, she actually believed she could win. Imagine this stupid and pained she's feeling.

Though she swears Scott in a worse position, blood stains the corner of his mouth and his temple and eyes unforced broken down against a pillar with Kate Argent in front of him, death has not been kind to her. Laughing out loud would only make this shit hurt even more.

"What do you want from us?" Scott asks, his voice quiet barely able to keep his eyes open.

"I want a little bit of insight, Scott." Kate said, smirking like she won a game of cat and mouse.

"To what?" He coughed.  Her eyes squeezed shut as another spark of pain when off in her shoulder, now would be a great time for Perseus and Yoselin to pop out like Jack-In-A-Box.

"My family. The Argent family has been around for over 40 years. A powerful, wealthy, aristocratic family of werewolf hunters." Kate recalls almost wishfully, cat green eyes burning bright.   "But yet somehow, in less than a year, this great family is decimated by a teenage boy. So my question is simple."  She leans toward him tilting her head. "What the hell is so special about Scott McCall?"

"Get in line, Stronza." Veronica spat. Her anger converted into pain with one tug on her hair.

"Stop. You want me?" Scott shouted, having trouble moving his head only able to hear her pain.  She told him she plans to kill him and now he wants to give himself up for her? like Hell, the day Scott sacrifices himself for her will be the day Spongebob gets his driver license. "Take me. Just me."

No, we're all going."  Kate insisted, a sharp smiling stretching on her mouth and straightens her back.  "We're all going to church!"  Veronica a was going to comment she's an atheist when her ground trembling roar cut her off.