FOR-WARNING; descriptions of identifying the deceased and mentions of hopelessness and depression..

I DIDN'T THINK IT COULD'VE GOTTEN ANY WORSE until Deputy Tara told me she needed me to identify my dad. From the way Melissa looked at me I knew it would be him, she had that look in her eye that screamed 'I'm sorry you have to do this' and it only made me more reluctant to get up out of my chair. My entire body was shaking and my legs felt like jelly. I honestly didn't feel steady enough on my feet and my head swirled viciously as I followed Melissa down to the mortuary. 

I wasn't sure why Melissa couldn't just identify my dad — why I had to be the one to do it. I wasn't even biologically related to him but whether Deputy Tara knew that or not I wasn't sure. I didn't even know if it would make a difference, I was as good as family at the end of the day.

When Melissa pushed the mortuary door open I hesitated outside as she and Deputy Tara walked in. The both of them turned back to look at me as I swallowed hesitantly, an overpowering chemical-like smell filtered through my nose and sinuses making my eyes water before I was hit with a wretched smell. It was faint but it was disgusting and it was what I could only assume to be the smell of death. The chemicals — whatever they were — were obviously used to overpower the natural scent of a decaying body and it was something that worked for the human nose but the supernatural one? Not so much.

My stomach churned as I forced myself inside the small windowless room. I tried not to look at the cold lockers they kept the older bodies in but I didn't want to look at the three metal tables lined up with white sheets draped over them either. I wanted to be sick.. this experience was horrifying.

Melissa placed her hand on my back but she didn't force me forwards. She allowed me to walk on my own as she pointed to the table at the far end of the mortuary. I swallowed firmly as I made my way over and Melissa stood opposite me at the head of the table. Deputy Tara stood next to me though she kept some distance and I looked to Melissa and nodded once to let her know I was ready.

As she reached for the white sheet I found myself closing my eyes, taking a deep breath through my mouth to avoid the faint but gut-wrenching scent before I exhaled. I opened my eyes slowly as I looked down to the body on the table.

A shiver ran up my spine as goosebumps overcame my entire body. My dad looked so peaceful, almost as if he was just sleeping and all I could think about to get me through this was that at least he was with my mom now. The two of them could finally enjoy the time they were supposed to have together when we moved out of this shitty town. It was the only thought that stopped me from completely breaking down.

I'd just started to overcome Stiles and I's break up and now I felt as if I was taking ten steps back. I wasn't grieving over a relationship anymore I was grieving over my dad — a person. So my dad and I mightn't of had the best relationship, it might've been strained and I might've told him I hated him a few times but that didn't mean I didn't love him deep down. He was my dad, regardless of DNA. He raised me as his own child and even if his methods were questionable after the fire I now had the first nine years of my life and our relationship to reflect on.

It hurt... much more than what I'd ever anticipated it to because it made me realise just how much I still loved my dad even after everything we'd gone through.

I covered my mouth with my hand and nodded, looking away from him as my eyes burned from the tears rising to them. Melissa covered him over again with the sheet and Deputy Tara placed her hand on my shoulder comfortingly, "It's him?" She asked me.

"Yeah." I choked out before swallowing the lump in my throat, "Yeah, it's my dad."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart." She said to me then, "That must've been difficult for you."

I wanted to scoff and tell her she had no idea but I was too overwhelmed to do anything but nod. I barely paid attention to where I was going until I reached the relatives room again and we sat back down. Melissa excused herself for a short while, leaving me with just the police deputy as she leaned her elbows on her legs and looked to me, "Alex do you have any other family?"

Any other family? Well, yeah, I had Derek and Peter, Cora now too but the family she was referring to? I had no one.

"No." I said to her, "My parents were only children and all of my grandparents passed when I was young."

She pressed her lips together then and she nodded solemnly, "You know that makes you a ward of the state, don't you?"

I looked to her with wide eyes as her words settled in my brain. A ward of the state? How— why would I go into the foster care system when I had plenty of people in my life who would most likely be willing to take custody of me for just over a year before I turned eighteen. But then it was the burden on those people. I knew Melissa would accept in a heartbeat but she was already struggling with just her and Scott and I couldn't ask the sheriff either.

"But—" I stuttered, "My dad wasn't my biological father."

She nodded then, "Do you know your biological father and his family?" She asked me and when I nodded she continued, "Do you think someone from that part of your family would be willing to take custody of you?"

I thought for a second about it. I didn't want it to be Peter, that was my last resort in my ideal world right now.. but then again my ideal world right now would be living in a universe where my mom and dad were alive and happy together, where I had knowledge that Peter was my biological father but my dad loved me all the same. It was a world where death didn't exist and I wasn't struggling to resist the full moon, it was a world where Stiles and I were still together and in love with each other. It was an unrealistic world.. a child's dream, really.

Peter was my last resort which left me with Derek and I much preferred it to be him. He'd had every charge ever placed against him by Scott and Stiles' but would the court still grant him custody of me even if they'd been dropped?

I felt lost.. truly lost.

"I think so." I said, exhaling shakily.

"It'll only be for over a year, won't it?" She said to me, "When are you seventeen?"

When am I seventeen? That's a good point, a point my brain couldn't comprehend to formulate an answer to. It was what.. August 17th today? My birthday wasn't far way then, a month or so.

"September 12th."

"Okay." She nodded, "I'll talk to the sheriff back at the station about it.. don't worry about it for now, Alex." She said to me as she stood up, "I'm sure the sheriff would help you out in a heartbeat — you might not know it but you mean a lot to him and Stiles."

I couldn't peel my gaze from the floor as a lone tear slid down my cheek. I was sick of crying but I couldn't hold it back. It was just too overwhelming right now and the solution was to just cry. I'd learned over the week that sometimes you just had to cry to make yourself feel better — even if it wasn't by much.

I wasn't sure when Deputy Tara left me but I dropped my head into my hands and I pulled at the roots of my hair as I choked on a frustrated sob. Ten days ago I'd been so happy — so ignorant — and it was bliss. Now, everything was hitting me at once and I couldn't deal with it anymore. The world was trying to test me to see if I was strong enough but I truly didn't think I was.. every time I found my feet a wave pulled me back under and the feeling of drowning suffocated me again. It was a vicious cycle.

My mom had warned me that harder things were coming but I didn't ever think it would be this rough.

I remained in the relatives room for another hour, just crying until there was no more tears left. I'd created a small puddle on the floor from my emotions and I felt my lips were swollen as I pressed them together. It took a lot to force myself to stand up. I knew I couldn't sit here for the remainder of the night, I had to help Derek.. or at least go back to the loft.

The clock on the room read 4:32 and I released a deep breath, getting up from the chair I'd been stuck in for the last hour. The sun would be rising soon and Boyd and Cora would be able to return to their human selves if they hadn't already been killed by Derek.

There was about five or six percent of me that wanted to go and help Derek, Scott and Isaac out. There was a large portion of me that just wished I could get drunk so I could take away this pain for a few short hours and then there was about twenty percent of me that wanted the one person I was trying to stay away from right now.

I opened the door and walked out into the hallway of the hospital in the hopes of finding Melissa. My plan was to ask her to let Scott know I was going to walk back to the loft and then I was just going to go to bed and try and get some sleep. I would have a lot to face tomorrow — or today rather — and I wanted at least two hours of sleep.

I was absolutely exhausted and the happiness I'd felt earlier had been completely destroyed now. It was replaced with sorrow, the only feeling I was capable of processing right now because I'd become so accustomed to it. I was sick of it and I just wanted to feel some joy.. I deserved it.

I was barely paying attention as I walked through the hospital and I was surprised when I walked into someone, my shoulder hitting theirs. I turned around quickly to apologise but I didn't expect to see Stiles standing opposite me.

"Oh.." I mumbled as his brows drew into a tight frown, "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying—"

"Alex.. what happened?" He asked me softly as he turned to me fully.

"Nothing." I sniffled as I shook my head, "I'm fine, I'll see you later."

I tried to make my move.. to leave and slip away into the night but before I could take my second step Stiles had his hand around mine and he pulled me back, "Alex.."

I didn't turn to him as I kept my eyes on the tiled flooring. I didn't feel strong enough and instead I pressed my lips together as I shook my head, "Stiles, I'm fine. I just want to go back to the loft so I can try and get some sleep, okay? It's been a long night."

"Alex, I know." He said to me softly then, "I know why you're here.. about your dad."

I didn't notice him walk around me until I saw his body barricading my exit. I did notice though that he was wearing the same red trousers he wore the night of Heathers party.

I just remained silent, unsure of what to even do or say anymore. I had no words, not for Stiles or for anyone for that matter. I was just numb.. unable to think for myself.

"Please say something to me." Stiles begged and I noticed as he lifted his hand and brought it towards my face. He reached to tuck my hair behind my ear but he hesitated once he realised that was something he couldn't do anymore, "I'm worried about you."

I met his eyes then, looking up to him through my lashes, and I saw his enticing hazel gaze swirling with distress. He appeared to be genuinely worried and I felt that emit from him.

"You can talk to me." He said to me softly.

I shook my head as I moved to walk around him, "I need space—"

"You keep saying that, Alex, but you and I are in that position where we can't stay apart from one another." He said to me, "It's literally impossible.. between everything that's going on and school — we just can't do it."

I turned back to him then and I shrugged my shoulders in defeat, "I don't know what to say."

Stiles pressed his lips together before he sighed and took a cautious step towards me, "We have to deal with this another way because space won't work. We have to find another coping mechanism or something but I just want you to be happy again.. and if I have to sit back and watch Isaac make you happy I will—"

"Wait..." I interrupted him then, holding my hand up to silence him, "What?"

"You and Isaac." He said to me in defeat then, "In the animal clinic on Wednesday, you wearing his jumper, tonight at Derek's place when you got your memories back.. I see the way your eyes light up when you look at him."

"Stiles, I— we.." I shook my head as I tried to comprehend what he was saying, "Isaac and I aren't together. There's nothing like that going on, he's like my brother."

"And he feels the same way?" He asked me.

"Yes." I nodded firmly.

"How can you be so sure?" Were his words.

"Because I heard him and Derek talking about it the other night." I said to him, "Talking about me... I don't know what it is with him but I just want to protect him and he just wants to protect me. Our bond is like a drug to me, I crave it because it makes me feel something other than this overwhelming sensation of sorrow and grief. He stops me from feeling like I'm drowning every second of the damn day."

Stiles' jaw clenched then and I noticed as his eyes welled with tears. He didn't let them sit long before he wiped his eyes and looked back to me, "I did that to you." Were his words, "It's my fault you're feeling like this."

"Stiles—" I sighed.

"It's true." He nodded, pressing his lips together, "Every time I see you now I see the dark circles under your eyes, I see how bloodshot they are, how tired you look and I can't help but blame myself for that. I caused you this pain and if I could take it away I would.. in a heartbeat.. but I can't."

"You are not the only reason I'm hurting right now." I said to him honestly. Yes, Stiles was playing a big part in my heartache right now and up until an hour ago it was purely down to him but now I was grieving for my dad. I had mixed emotions about reuniting with Cora again for the first time in nine years. The recovery of my memories was bittersweet to me. Erica's death was playing on my mind because I regretted my actions and words towards her.

"I'm not?" He said to me.

"I was just told my dad was murdered and up until an hour ago I was one of the main suspects." I admitted, "Deputy Tara was asking me for alibis to cover me from Wednesday night until tonight. I'm high on their priority list. There's a girl out there who I grew up with, who I thought was dead for nine years and I just found out she was alive. I recovered my memories tonight, memories of my mom and I and it's so incredibly bittersweet for me because while I'm happy to have them I just miss her so much—" My voice cracked then and I looked away for a second to try and recompose myself, "Deputy Tara said I'm currently a ward of the state unless I can find someone to take legal guardianship of me until I'm eighteen, I— I'm just drowning and I feel like I can't cope anymore and that makes me feel weak.."

When Stiles closed the distance between us I didn't push him away. I caved and I was all right with it because I needed the comfort right now. I couldn't deprive myself of this anymore because I was only making myself miserable. I was prolonging the healing process.

When he wrapped his arms around me — one hand holding my lower back and the other threading into my hair — I felt at home and it was everything I needed to find that strength to pull myself out of the water.

Stiles was right, the two of us couldn't go on avoiding each other. We had to learn how to get through this while still seeing each other daily. It was for the best because then it would stop my heart from breaking every time I saw him, the slight panic I felt whenever I heard his voice would cease and I would get used to him being around.

I had to take several major steps backwards in order for me to trust Stiles again and to do that we had to take our relationship down to a friendship level.

But that could start tomorrow.. right now I was too busy accepting his embrace, finding comfort in the way he held me and soothed me gently. He knew me, he knew how to comfort me and how to hold me when the world was sometimes a little too much.

"This is a really stupid question." I heard him mumble, "But are you okay?"

"I don't know." Was my response, "It hasn't really sunk in."

He rubbed my back, "Do you want me to take you home?"

"Please." I nodded into his chest before I pulled back slightly. I rubbed my eyes, getting rid of my tears as I sniffled and looked to Stiles, "How come you're here anyways? I thought you'd of gone home by now."

He sighed and nodded, "It's a long story." Were his words, "Just after you left Lydia called me about the dead body then Melissa called me and asked me to come. It was quite disturbing really, whoever killed him slashed his throat, strangled him and bashed his brains out."

"What?" I muttered in confusion then, "That— Boyd and Cora wouldn't of done that."

"I know." He nodded, "But then she showed me Heathers body and—"

"Heather?" I interrupted him softly, "As in..?"

"Yeah." Stiles nodded then, "My dad told me she went missing after her party."

My lips parted as I tried to decipher what to say to him. I assumed they were the other two bodies in the morgue when I'd been in there and I pressed my lips together, "I— I'm sorry." I finally managed to say, offering my condolences. The girl might've very well managed to wreck Stiles and I's relationship but no one deserved to die.

Stiles only nodded in response before he said, "She had the same three injuries, throat slashed, strangled and head bashed in."

"Any one of them is enough to kill them." I responded.

"I know. That's what Melissa said to me." He said, "But then I realised something.. the boy at the pool he had a purity ring on and Heather was a virgin.. then I heard the EMT's brought another girl in tonight too. She was out in the preserve with her girlfriend and her girlfriend went missing, it was going to be her first time."

"You think this is a pattern?" I asked him curiously.

"It has to be." Stiles replied and I could see the fire in his eyes, the way the wheels turned in his head. It was like he was born to solve things like this. It was what he loved doing and he would never stop until he reached his conclusion.

"What is it connected to though? What's going on?"

He scratched the back of his head as his eyes narrowed in thought, "I think I know." He replied, "It's like the deer running into Lydia's car.. then the birds.. and then Lydia's dog bit her."

"I thought that was because of the Alpha pack though?" I asked him.

"I'm not so sure anymore." He shook his head.

"Stiles?" I heard Scott say then and Stiles and I turned our heads to see our friend, "Alex.. what's going on?"

Looking passed Scott and out of the hospital I noticed that the sun had come up. The night had ran away with me tonight.

"What are you doing here?" I asked Scott then, "What about Boyd and Cora?"

"They're fine. We locked them in the boiler room at school until the sun came up. They're back at the loft now."

"Wow." I mumbled then, "Finally, something that didn't completely backfire in faces."

Scott nodded then in agreement as he released a short chuckle though it wasn't long before he turned and looked between Stiles and I cryptically, "What's going on?" He asked us both.

"We just ran into each other a few minutes ago." I said to him, "I've been here since you dropped me off."

"All that time?" He furrowed his brows before he looked to Stiles, "What about you?"

"Your mom called me." He replied, "Said she wanted to show me the body Lydia found tonight. She talked about the injuries, how he had three that could've caused his death."

"Really?" Scott said in surprise then, his eyes widening.

"Yeah." Stiles nodded, "I'd show you but neither of us want to go back into that morgue really."

Scott furrowed his brows then and I shook my head, "We'll tell you later."

He nodded hesitantly before he said, "So what about the body?"

"Well, he did have his throat slashed hence all the blood." Stiles said, "But he'd also been strangled and had his head caved in.. all three of them significant enough to kill him."

"Okay." Scott nodded although I could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn't following Stiles' point clearly.

"There's someone else with injuries identical.. Heather." I said to him, not daring to look at Stiles as I said it, "Strangled, throat slashed and head caved in."

"Yeah and there's another girl too." Stiles said after some time, "She went missing in the woods tonight, her name is Emily. She was out with her girlfriend.. I believe the two of you had a run in with her."

"I remember." Scott nodded, "But her girlfriend? I didn't see her."

"You wouldn't of done." Stiles nodded.

"So Boyd and Cora might not have killed anyone?" Scott asked hopefully then.

"You're gonna wish they did." Stiles replied.

"Why?"

"I'm not exactly sure yet but.. the other girl who was out in the woods, Emily? Eventually they're gonna find her. She's one of them. Emily, Heather... that guy Lydia found at the pool. All three were virgins... and they're all gonna have the same three injuries... strangled, throat slashed, head bashed in. It's called the threefold death." Stiles said nervously.

"So if these aren't random killings, then what are they?" Scott asked apprehensively.

I pressed my lips together, processing what Stiles had said to us both, "It's a murderer on our hands, surely?" I said to them both, "Maybe the same person who killed my.." I paused before I swallowed hesitantly, "My dad."

"It could be." Stiles said to me then, "But these were sacrifices... human sacrifices."

____________________

By the time I'd returned to the loft I was exhausted and I felt like I was seconds away from passing out but the loft was swarming. Isaac had passed out on my bed — or rather the sofa — and he was snoring lightly as Cora was sitting on Derek's bed. I noticed Boyd was standing outside and Derek was sitting opposite Cora. I had almost forgotten about Cora and Boyd until I saw them here, I was just expecting to see Derek and Isaac like always.

Isaac didn't even flinch in his slumber as I slid the door closed and it clattered somewhat as I reached to lock it. I rubbed my face with a tired sigh as I walked into the loft and I tossed my jacket over on to the coffee table before looking over to Cora and Derek. She was on her feet, looking at me with a lost expression of her face and I could only imagine my bewilderment mirrored her face. Cora looked genuinely shocked and I didn't blame her, I was just as shocked as she was. I had no idea how she managed to survive that fire and her life afterwards. Where did she even go at the age of eleven? Who looked after her all these years?

"Wow." She whispered then and she looked incredibly overwhelmed as she looked at me, "Alex."

I noticed Cora was quite short in size and I knew I'd always been the taller one of the two of us. We were raised as sisters, Cora and I. We were similar in age, her only being two years older than me but that never really mattered to us except when we used to argue. That was when the whole, 'I'm older, I'm taller' thing came into play.

It was so weird seeing her alive after all these years. When I'd first reconciled with Derek and learned of Laura's recent death it didn't affect me as much because I already thought she had been dead since the fire but it was still sad to know there wasn't a possibility she was alive after finding Derek again. I'd accepted Cora's death a long time ago because I was convinced she was dead, even when I found out Peter, Laura and Derek had joined me in surviving the fire because I remembered her being in the basement with her mom when the flames broke out. I didn't even entertain the idea of her miraculously surviving either yet here we were.

I was speechless really but the feeling in my body was so indescribably amazing. It was what I needed right now, to find out one of my childhood best friends was alive, after just identifying my dads body.

"Cora." I managed to croak out, my voice quivering yet tears didn't rise to my eyes like they did hers. I truly believed I had no more tears left to shed after today — after this past seven days even as today marked a week since Heathers birthday party. I finally managed a smile through my shock though I knew it was an emotional one and with a small wave of my hand I said, "Hi."

Cora emitted a sound mixed between a breathy laugh of disbelief and a sob as she walked over to me with her arms open. I met her half way, wrapping my arms around her body as I slotted my chin on to her shoulder and embraced her. What made this moment all the more special for me right now was that I had every moment Cora and I had shared available to me in my memories unlike before. It was just amazing to reunite with her after thinking she had been dead all these years.

"I'm so happy you're alive." She said to me as she squeezed me for a short second, "Derek told me everything."

"I hope you don't mind." He said to me then as I met his gaze.

I shook my head fractionally as Cora and I pulled away from each other. She held my hands in hers as she continued to look at me as if she was trying to grow used to how much I'd changed since we'd seen each other last, "I can't believe you're actually one of us."

I nodded, "Neither can I to be honest." I muttered, "We were all a bit hesitant at first but last night definitely proved I am."

"Did you manage okay?" She asked me.

"I lost control at first but Isaac managed to get through to me and he helped me find my anchor." I replied as I looked over to the sofa to see him stirring. It was a picture really and I wished I knew where my phone was so I could take one. His long legs hung over the side of the small sofa and his neck was slightly twisted as he laid on his back. His lips were parted enough for a light snore I'd grown used to hearing to pass through his lips and he cuddled a spare pillow absentmindedly.

"You're lucky." Cora smiled at me, "It took me three full moons before I could even attempt to try and control myself."

I gave her a brief smile then before Derek called my name. I looked to him at the same time as Cora and I noticed Isaac sitting up out of the corner of my eye and tossing the pillow to the side.

"What was going on at the hospital?" He asked me.

"A lot actually." I admitted, "But we don't think Boyd killed that boy at the pool."

"He didn't?" Cora asked me then in disbelief.

I shook my head as Derek asked, "Why do you think that."

"When Melissa examined his body she noticed he had two other significant injuries too." I said to him, "He'd been strangled and he'd also had his skull caved in with a rock or something. There was another girl with the exact same injuries as him, either one of which could've killed them both. Stiles seems to think it's called a three-fold death and that the girl who disappeared in the woods is next. He thinks they're human sacrifices but we haven't figured the why out yet."

"Human sacrifices?" Cora muttered then in disturbance as her eyes widened.

"Yeah." I nodded, "This town is a magnet for things like this.. I'm not entirely sure why we're all still living here if I'm honest."

"Why would someone be committing human sacrifices?" Issac asked me wearily then.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Was my answer, "But whoever it is, I think it's going to take awhile to figure out.. especially until we know for certain that they are sacrifices."

"So not only have we got a murderous Alpha pack on our hands but we've potentially got a psycho going round randomly sacrificing people." Isaac mumbled.

"They're not random." I said to him, "There's a pattern.. virgins."

His face dropped in discomfort as he looked to me and I heard him say, "Well, it seems my lack of sexual activity might possibly be what kills me."

"You and me both." I muttered under my breath.

"Wait." Derek said out loud then and he looked to me with his brows furrowed, "Is that why Scott's mom called you? To show you that mans body?"

"Uh, no." I shook my head then as I broke eye contact. I looked down to the floor as I scratched my arm hesitantly before I said, "My dad died."

Isaac slipped off the sofa then as he was startled by my sudden bombshell. I looked over to see him sitting in the floor, his jaw slack and his eyes wide in shock as he said, "He what?"

"Murder apparently." I informed them all, "The police are thinking it happened on Wednesday night so if anyone from the Sheriffs station asks you to confirm my alibi don't be surprised."

"Are you okay?" Derek asked me then.

I couldn't recall clearly how many times I'd been asked that in the last seven days. I'd heard that simple three worded sentence several times since last Friday and I was staring to grow tired of answering it untruthfully. I wasn't okay. Inside I was a mess but no one could fix it. It was my anxiety, my fear, my heartbreak and grievance all rolled into one. It was the thought of an Alpha pack that were literally here to kill my friends and I and some crazed psychopath making human sacrifices for a cause we didn't know of yet.

As always I exhaled through my nose and I nodded as convincingly as I could as I said, "A little shocked.. I wasn't expecting it but I'll be fine."

I'll be fine... just how fine was fine?

Cora placed her hand comfortingly on my shoulder as both Derek and Isaac walked over to me. The both of them embraced me shortly and when I pulled away I ran my hands through my hair. We as a pack had all lost a lot tonight but we'd gained so much individually. I knew we'd all be able to overcome this with time though and that we'd get through this with the help of one another.

I met Derek's gaze then, thinking of how he could help me through a small part of this and I said, "I need a guardian.. otherwise I'll have to go into the foster system until I'm eighteen."

He nodded and without a thought he said, "I'll do it."

"Really?"

"Of course." He said to me, "I'm practically your guardian as it is."

I gave him an appreciative smile that mixed with my tired eyes, "Thank you."

Again, he pulled me into his embrace and I wrapped my arms around him as I rested my face against his chest. Derek placed his chin on top of my head as he replied quietly, "It's okay."

And while he was responding to my thanks I knew his simple words had a hidden meaning to them, one Cora and Isaac wouldn't catch because they didn't have a bond as strange and as raw as Derek and I's. He was comforting me, reassuring me that whatever had happened tonight would be all right in the long run because he saw straight through my lies and deception. Derek knew I was barely managing to hold it together and he telling me that it was okay to not be okay, to feel as if you were drowning under the weight of everything on your shoulders and I'd never appreciated it more than what I had now because I needed to hear it now more than ever.

__________________

A/N; I have mixed feelings about the chapter and I don't know why. There was no other place for me to leave it but I think it's because it's on the shorter side of what I usually write.

This'll probably be the last chapter until the back end of this week, maybe even into next week, as I'm back out in the hospital as of tomorrow so just a heads up with that.

It's a good job I didn't really leave this chapter on a cliffhanger isn't it.