Chapter 26

The flood lights begin to fully flicker on as they restart back up. There was still chaos on the field, as all sorts of people scrambled hectically around. Everyone was in a panic as they noticed the body down on the field. I stood off to the side still holding onto Danny' arm tightly. I could feel his heart beating heavily though his jersey as he looked down at his best friend motionlessly laying crippled on the field. I wasn't standing too close, but I wasn't that far away either, only a few feet; but I could see any sign of his chest rising and falling and that was scary. Yes, Jackson was a jerk, but in no way would I want to see him die.

"What the hell?" I heard Danny whisper under his breath. I couldn't see much of his face through his mask, but as he slowly pulled it off I noticed the visible look of anguish etched onto his face. I could empathize with him, knowing your best friend was in trouble and hurt, and you couldn't do anything to prevent or help the situation. Back in February with Lydia for example. After her attack on the lacrosse field followed by her going "naked and afraid" on some of the coldest nights of the year, I was terrified for her. Who wouldn't be? Now that I know what really lies out in those woods, I am grateful nothing harmful happened to her.

There was a high pitched scream as a name was shouted from the sidelines. I flinched as my eyes followed Lydia as she scream Jackson's name repeatedly. I looked to my left and noticed Scott jog up beside me, and I smiled as I noticed Isaac looking perfectly fine behind him. When he caught my eye, he smiled a little bit, but I couldn't feel the urge to smile back. It's not that I didn't want to, but I couldn't muster in up with all the pain and strife in the air.

Suddenly Ms. McCall weaved through the circle of players surrounding Jackson and leaned down to his body. She keeled on the ground and lowed her head to his chest for a few seconds and rose up. "He's not breathing. No pulse," Ms. McCall answered the heavy question on everybody's minds.

"Nothing?" Coach asked. He ran over here the seconds the lights flickered on.

"Nothing." She replied lifting up Jackson's tattered jersey to reveal several hideous open-wounds. About four or five puncture wounds embedded his lower abdomen, each collecting dark red blood and pooling on his body.

"Look," Scott whispered into my ear. It was loud enough for Isaac to hear, but still quiet enough that Danny, who I was latched onto, couldn't hear the conversation.

My eyes followed Scott's down to Jackson's body and I ran over the figure, until my eyes stopped at his hands and noticed the bloody mess. "He did it to himself?" I saw him nodded slightly

Lydia was practically in hysterics as she cried over Jackson's head. "Get down here," Ms. McCall called out to her as she started the CPR process. When Lydia didn't move she called up again, this time adding a sternness to her voice. "Get down here and hold his head! Tilt it up." She instructed as Lydia moved onto the ground and followed orders. Then she began pressing his chest heavily.

From the back of the crowd, a body was pushed out of the way and Sheriff Stilinski moved into the group and scanned each and every one of us. "Where's Stiles?" he shouted. I glanced around and didn't see Stiles anywhere, fret started to settle in with a sinking feeling, and it was nothing good.

"Where's Stiles? Where the hell is my son?"

☾

It was about forty-five minutes later when we all we're back in the locker room. The boys we're all out of their uniforms and players, parents, officers, EMTs, and friends all loitered in and outside of the locker room, but everyone was leaving pretty quickly. I stood next to Isaac our shoulders brushing and hands interlocked as we talked with Sheriff Stilinski. "I got to meet with the medical examiner and try to figure out what happened with Jackson. I've got an APB out on Stiles. His jeep is still in the parking lot, so that means - the hell, I don't know what that means. Um... Look, if he answers his phone, if he answers his emails, if either one of you see him..." he stuttered and looked shaken over the disappearance of his son. I felt so awful watching him knowing Stiles could be anywhere.

"We'll call you," Isaac finished for him.

I nodded in agreement. "He'll come around, I'm sure of it."

"Look, he's probably just freaked out from all the attention or something. We'll find him," Scott reassured.

The Sheriff looked slightly better. "Yeah. I'll see you, okay?" Then he turned and left. He was a good guy, who had good things taken from his life, so I felt myself reaching out to him as he walked away.

I rested my head against Isaac's shoulder when I saw Danny and dad motion me over to them. Solemnly, I walked over and stood next to Danny. "I'm sorry about Jackson," I apologized. Even though it wasn't my fault and I couldn't help prevent the situation, I still felt bad about Danny losing his best friend. It wasn't confirm yet by paramedics when came, but Jackson was taken to the hospital in an attempt to save his life.

"I'm sorry about Stiles," he apologized hugging me.

"Where's mom?"

"Your mother's outside the locker room, she didn't want to come inside," dad answered. "So I must ask why your in here to Jamie? This is the boys locker room." Sighing loudly I gave him a knowing look. I know he was joking sightly, to try an ease the tension, but right now I wasn't really in the mood. He put his hands up in defense. "I'm sorry sweetie," he sympathized gentle taking me for a hug.

I shook my head. "It's not your fault. I'm just worried about Stiles. He's like 147 pounds of pale skin and fragile bones," I explained as I pulled back to look at my dad and brother. "And his sarcastic comments are all he's got going for him."

"They'll find him, I'm sure of it," he reassured.

"Thanks dad," I said quietly. "I love you."

He smiled, "I love you too."

"You don't mind if I stay with Scott and Isaac for a while? I think we're gonna start looking for Stiles?" I asked.

I watched him glance over at the two boys who where talking to Coach Finstock on the far side of the locker room. By the looks of it, I think Danny, dad, the boys, Coach, and I are the only remaining people in here. It was going on ten o'clock, and the game ended a while ago, so it was understandable.

"Yeah, I don't mind," he responded. "Just text me so I know where you are and your mother doesn't worry." I nodded. "And please, don't forgot your phone like last time Jamie," he reprimanded.

"No promises," I appealed, slowly reaching my hand into my back pocket to make sure it was still there. I eased slightly when I felt it nestled in my shorts.

"And Jamie please, I know your probably not, but don't do anything your going to regret." He then lowered his voice. "I know your searching for your friend, but your with boys and--"

I quickly cut him off, "Really dad? Seriously, you know me better than that. I'll be perfectly safe." I swore. I smile the best I could when I looked at Danny and my father, as they walked out of the locker room.

Once they left, I walked back over to Isaac and Scott. "Is that everyone?" Scott asks.

Isaac and I glanced around to look for a split second. "I think so," he answered.

Suddenly, there was a loud ripping sound and I turned around to find a crunch locker door at my feet. "You're gonna find him by scent?" I questioned instantly recognizing the locker Scott ripped open was Stiles'.

Scott nodded. "Yeah, we both are," he added handing a shoe to Isaac.

"But how come you get his shirt and I get a shoe?" Isaac told him.

I couldn't help but snort to myself, but when I looked back up I noticed both Isaac and Scott looking right behind me. "Please say it's not Jackson," I whisper requested. I turned around and wasn't either happy or disappointed when I saw Derek in the middle of the locker room. "Oh it's jut you."

Derek didn't look too happy, but then again the few times I have seen him he didn't look too pleased with society. "We need to talk."

Then behind him around the corner another man came out with a smirk on his face. "All of us."

"Holy. Shit." Scott explained. "What the hell is this?"

"You know, I thought the same thing when I saw you talking to Gerard at the sheriff's station," Derek snapped.

I glanced at Isaac asking him with my eyes if he knew anything, but he just shrugged and stepped closer to me. 'Who is that guy?' I mouthed to Isaac. 'No idea'.

"Okay, hold on," Scott retorted. "He... He threatened to kill my mom. And I had to get close to him. What was I supposed to do?"

"I'm gonna go with Scott on this one," the mysterious other man said. "Have you seen his mom? She's gorgeous." Who the hell even is this guy? I've never seen him before, I don't think. I'd be the one to know since I kept up with most people in this town, but I think I'd remember this guy. He was attractive for his age, he looked in his early-mid thirties and had dark brown hair combed over with a little to much hair gel. He had on all black, but then again, if he was werewolf like I think he is, all black was like the expected attire in Beacon Hills, excluding Scott of course.

"Shut up." Scott and Derek snapped instantaneously.

"Who is he?" Isaac asked leaning closer to Scott.

"That's Peter, Derek's Uncle. Little while back, he tried to kill us all, and then we set him on fire, and Derek slashed his throat," Scott explained coolly.

"Hi," Peter waved.

"That's good to know," Isaac settled giving Peter a weird look.

"I mean that's the most obvious answer," I claimed sarcastically. I I hoped my eyes weren't budging out of my head at this point. I knew the supernatural world was weird, but this was getting kinda creepy. "So are all werewolves fireproof or something?" I asked glancing around the room. Everyone gave me deadpan look. "Okay, sorry how was I not supposed to know," I defended.

Scott continued to give this Peter character this dark glare. "How is he alive?"

"Look, the short version is he knows how to stop Jackson. And maybe how to save him," Derek objected frankly.

"Well, that's very helpful except Jackson's dead," Isaac quipped. It was something I didn't really want to admit to myself. Out there on the field, Jackson no longer had a heartbeat. The EMT's took him in an ambulance to try an revive him quickly, but I don't know what happened after that.

"What?" Derek snapped.

"Yeah, Jackson's dead," Scott confirmed.

"It happened on the field at the end of the game. It looked like he stabbed himself with his own claws and feel over dead," I answered.

"Okay, why is no one taking this as good news?" Isaac asked, and I slapped his arm.

"I know he was a ass but he didn't deserve to die!" I indicated.

"Because if Jackson is dead, it didn't just happen. Gerard wanted it to happen," Peter clarified.

"But why?" Derek turned,

"Well, that's exactly what we need to figure out," Peter said. "And something tells me the window of opportunity is closing. Quickly."

☾

Scott got a call from his mom about Jackson at the hospital. She said it was something we had to see, so we split up from Peter and Derek and went to the hospital. Derek said something about picking up a book at the burnt down Hale house in the woods with Peter, so that's where they went.

As we enter the hospital, Scott went over to the front desk to ask for him mom when I felt my phone begin to vibrate in my back pocket. I queered down at the strange number on my screen. "Who is it?" Isaac asked as he glanced over my shoulder to see my phone.

"I don't know," I said contemplating answering it. It was a Beacon Hills area code, so I quickly lifted the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Jamie?" The familiar voice asked over the phone.

"Who is this?"

"It's Sheriff Stilinski, we found him," he said.

I sighed loudly in relief. "Oh thank god! What happened? Is he okay?" Scott looked over, "They found him."

"Stiles said a couple of the kids on the other team took him. He has a black eye, and now he's up in his room, he just isn't acting like himself though" The Sheriff said. I could hear the stress in his voice.

"He's probably just shaken up about what happened, but I'm so glad he's okay. I'll text him in a few minutes, but I've gotta go. I'm at the hospital." I told the Sheriff.

"I need to go, the doorbell just rang, but have a goodnight Jamie."

"You to Sheriff," I ended. I opened my texts messages and created a new one to Stiles.

Jamie: Tell me what really happened your story's not falling through.

Knowing Stiles pretty well, and knowing Beacon Hills, nothing seems to be adding up tonight. I ran my fingers through my hair as I put my phone away and leaned against the closest wall. "Are you okay, Jamie? I can tell your not feeling alright," Isaac frowned coming closely and grabbing my hand.

"I don't know. In the past few months so much has changed in my life. Like finding out about all the supernatural stuff, becoming friends with Scott and Stiles, and you, especially you."

"That's all good stuff, right?" he smiled down at me and squeezed my hand.

"Yeah, of course all that stuff is good, but what about everything else? Jackson, well of obvious kanima reasons; Lydia, after her fugue state she hasn't been the same; Matt, basically angry with the whole world; the Argent family in general; and basically everything else in this town is all bad!" I exclaimed heavily. "I just wish it would all stop for a moment. Everything seems to be rush all around, and I can barely keep track of one situation, before I turn around and come face to face with another. I wouldn't take back the information or the experiences I've had in the past few months for anything in the world, but sometimes I just wish it would..."

"Slow down?" Isaac finished for me and I nodded. With his grasp on my wrist he pulled me into his chest and wrapped his long arms around me. I quickly returned the favor and pulled him in closer. I breathed him and an felt at ease slightly, even with the rushing of the hospital around us. "I know exactly how you feel. That night at the graveyard when Derek found me, nothing seemed hopeful for me. But that week three life changing things happened to me," he said pulling back to look me in the face. "The first thing was Derek biting me that week. That was horrifying and exhilarating all at the same time. Then, out of chance the prettiest girl in school smashes me in the face with her locker," he said smiling down at me.

"I'm sorry about that again," I apologized cheekily.

He chuckled slightly, "That's not what I'm getting at. The second thing was noticing you. At first I thought it was because, you felt sorry for me. That's why you came to my house after Jackson told you about my father."

"I did feel sorry for you though."

"Yes you did, but you cared. No one cared about me like that before, so that made you special," he smile adorably, but it quickly faded to a solemn look. "The final thing was my dad dying. Even after everything he did to me, all the abuse and torment even that locked freezer in the basement, losing him was hard. He wasn't always like that, before my mom left he was usually only drunk. When she left that's when it all started, then a few years back after Camden died, it just got worse. He got the freeze, the beatings last longer--"

"Isaac," I whispered quietly. glancing around the hospital as we waited for Melissa. Scott was on his phone a few feet away probably texting Stiles.

"Jamie," he whispered mockingly. "But what I wanted to tell you was that even if everything is complicated, your not alone. I'm still half as confused as you. And even when the world is rushing around me, it always slows down when I'm around you."

I froze instantly and looked up into his eyes. I almost felt like crying. "That was the most beautiful thing I think anyone has ever said to me," I smiled smally.

He smiled back down at me and I leaned up closing my eyes to kiss him. We were only inches apart when he whispered, "I have something to tell you."

"Anything," I breathed lightly. He was silent for a second, and I opened my eyes to see Ms. McCall coming down the hallway. "Later?" He nodded and soon Ms. McCall guided Isaac, Scott, and I back into the mortuary in the basement.

The lights in the mortuary where already dim, and it was already depressing enough knowing I was surrounded by dead bodies, so I felt sick to my stomach as Melissa unzip Jackson's body bag. As she slowly unzipped it an awful stench filled the room. "Oh my god!" I gawped in disgust at Jackson's body. From his shoulders down, his body was enclosed by a clearish plasma material that looked about two inches thick. Ms. McCall only pulled the body bag down to this waist so I assume in continued down his entire body.

"What's happening to him?" Scott asked.

"I thought that you were gonna tell me," she said. "Is it bad?"

"It doesn't look good," Scott shrugged.

"He looks like a caterpillar in a cocoon," I noted leaning next to Isaac who simple observed the body.

Suddenly Jackson's body rocked from inside the cocoon and I jumped three feet back from the table with my hands in the air. "Whoa," Isaac said still backing away from it.

"Whoa. Um, mom, could you zip it up, please?" Scott said still shocked.

She looked at her son like he was crazy, but went on with closing it jitteringly. "Okay. Okay, okay. Okay, here we go." She stopped right at Jackson's chin. It looked like it got stuck and she tried to move it but it wouldn't budge. Then all of a sudden, Jackson hissed opening a mouth full of what looked like hundreds of sharp teeth.

"Mom, zip."

"Okay, okay, okay, okay," she whined as she tried to keep zipping it up as Jackson growled and flashed his teeth at her.

"Zip! Zip, mom, zip! Zip!" Scott shouted.

Successfully, Ms. McCall closed the body bag. "That was sufficiently terrifying," I declared practically hiding behind Isaac's body. You could hear growls still emitting from the closed bag. "Is that thing going to be able to hold him?" I asked Scott.

"I don't think so," he hinted.

"So what are we supposed to do with him now?" Isaac asked looking at the shaking bag on the table.

"We're going to have to break him out," Scott stated.

I shook my head disbelievingly. "Of course we are."