I really don't feel like following the exact Teen Wolf outfits that the characters wear in specific episodes, so I'm writing my own for them that I think will fit their aesthetics better. (Plus, 2010-16 fashion was questionable at best)

Also, TW for mentions of suicidal ideation!

---

A near-silent 'plink' sounded as the clear, viscous substance hit the rocks and leaves scattered across the forest floor. The liquid swelled on the tips of long, terrifying black claws. 

There was a hiss and the slicing of those sharp claws through the back of a brown neck. 

A groan and thump as a body hit the floor. The moon shone above, lighting up the clearing and the rickety, burned old house. An echo of the past still standing. 

Eyes rolled up into eye sockets, claws shredding through thin layers of skin and muscle. A scream.

Somewhere, an owl screeched and dove towards an innocent field mouse. It was not that sound that filled the air. 

The silence that followed the wail of agony was deafening. Nothing moved in the woods. 

Death walked the familiar, cursed paths of Beacon Hills that night, just as They had many other nights. 

---

Alex woke up in a cold sweat and grabbed the back of her neck, still feeling the piercing sensation of the claws. She breathed in and out through her nose, trying to push the horrible nightmare from her mind. 

A dream. Just a dream. 

She patted around her bed, looking for her phone to check the time. Ten past seven in the morning. Her first day at Beacon Hills High. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and sucked in a deep breath. 

Groaning, she fell back against the pillows as the last of her strange nightmare faded from her memory. It had been painfully real, and she was far too eager to forget about it and instead focus on the manageable anxieties of the day ahead.

Alex turned to look at the framed photo of her mother on the nightstand. 

"I know you'd be disappointed, but I want another day," Alex spoke into the silent room, staring at her dead mother's smiling face. "Just one more." 

As if her words had summoned him, Stiles shoved dramatically into the room, grinning. "Time for school! Up and at 'em, Lex!"

Alex groaned and rolled over, burying her face into her pillow as her twin leapt onto her bed, his thin fingers grabbing her shoulders and violently shaking her. "Time for math class and science class and all the other deliciously fun school things! Woo-hoo!" His spazzy personality was too much for her pre-caffeinated brain and she couldn't handle his wild amounts of energy. 

She tried to wrap herself into a burrito and bury into a hole inside her bed. "Go away, I'm sick." Turning, Alex peered up at her twin's bright brown eyes. "Cough. See? Sick." 

Her depressing attempt at a fake cough only spurned Stiles on more, and her horrible brother proceeded to grab her by the ankles and physically drag her from her bed whilst she screamed loudly for mercy. "Nope. No getting sick, only going to school to relish in Harris's amazing class." Glee leaked from his words from his excitement to share in the torture with his twin. Alex was not having it. 

She tried to kick his hands away when she thumped onto her carpet, but it did no good. Stiles was completely invested in forcing her to go, and that meant getting her up and ready. After he was satisfied with her being-out-of-bed-ness, he ran to her bathroom and threw her toothbrush and toothpaste at her head and then began rustling through her closet. 

A random sweatshirt and a pair of jeans were tossed her way. "There, get dressed and meet me downstairs, 'kay?" with that, her disgusting-demonic-traitor-brother ran out of the room laughing. 

She wanted to see him burn in hell. 

But, her bed was too messy to climb back in and the clothes were already out, so she groaned and got ready. 

---

Alex's bike ride to school was quiet. She brought her headphones to listen to music and it was incredibly peaceful. The birds were singing and she didn't have to hear her brother's incessant chattering like she had all weekend. 

He was still pissed off about getting grounded - though Alex still didn't even know why - and had been complaining about his Chemistry teacher, Mr. Harris, who Alex would have the pleasure of meeting today. 

The brunette locked her bike in-front of the school just as her brother pulled into a parking space. He grinned and waved at her before meeting up with Scott, and the two walked in with their heads bent together in discussion about whatever things they talk about. Probably nerdy things, like Star Wars and comic books. 

Alex looked around the busy entrance to the school and suddenly felt a wave of awkward loneliness. She had no friends here, and Erica was nowhere in sight. 

Suddenly, an arm was looped through hers and the brunette blinked in surprise as Lydia fucking Martin, grinned up at her. 

"This is me repaying you, okay? Come on, let's get you your schedule and find your locker." 

Alex didn't even have time to argue - why would she, anyway? - before Lydia was pulling her in the direction of the school entrance. The redhead was dressed in a cute flower-print sundress and had her hair carefully curled and pinned up with butterfly pins. 

They went straight to Admissions, where the Stilinski girl was printed out a schedule and locker number. To her surprise, she and Lydia shared quite a few classes. All Advanced Placement except for two that Alex shared with her twin. 

Lydia's kindness felt eery in comparison to the childhood memories that Alex had of her, but she didn't argue the waves of regretful compassion. Being arm-in-arm with one of the most popular girls at Beacon High would have its perks, she supposed. She felt slightly uncomfortable with this odd arrangement, but it was better than feeling lonely and awkward on her first day. 

The first few classes passed in a blur. Third period, Alex had gym class with Lydia, Allison, Scott, Stiles and, thankfully, Erica. 

The teacher, a man named 'Coach Finstock' was having them do a climbing wall, an exercise the brunette wasn't completely sure about. She stood in the back of the group near Erica, watching as her peers raced up the wall. It felt like something that could go wrong far too easily and end up in a court case. 

"So, this is public high school?" Alex hummed, looking over at her blonde best friend. 

Erica shrugged, shooting her a quick smile. "Yep, this is public high school. Missing boarding school already, Stilinski?"

Alex rolled her eyes and lightly elbowed Erica, before glancing up as Finstock called out her name. 

"Okay, new kid and Greenberg, let's go." 

Alex blinked and looked over at 'Greenberg'. A thin, pimply ginger kid with a hooked nose and braces. He smiled awkwardly at her and she smiled back before getting into the harness. 

The climb was a bit more difficult than she was expecting. She hadn't exercised much in a few weeks and her muscles were definitely not strong. She was doing a lot better than Greenberg, though. The poor kid could barely make it a few feet off the ground in the time it took Alex to reach the top and then come back down. 

Greenberg ended up giving up, causing Finstock to roll his eyes as if this was a normal occurrence. 

"Alright, McCall and Argent, get your asses up there. No funny business, you two." 

Alex slipped out of her harness and handed it to Allison, giving her a quick smile as she headed back to Erica. 

"I really need to start hitting the gym, damn." Even such a quick exercise as that had her feeling sore and tired. Sweat slicked down her back causing her t-shirt to stick very unsightly to her skin and creating large sweat marks underneath her armpits. She felt disgusting and in desperate need of a shower. 

Erica laughed and lightly punched Alex's shoulder, her brown eyes glancing up at the wall and then away. Her blonde hair was messier than usual, despite Alex's attempts to tame it in the locker room. She was also picking at the pimple on her chin, causing it to be red and fiery. 

"Quit that, you'll be fine. Plus, I'll be here to catch you, hottie," she grinned and winked at the blonde. 

Laughter caused both girls to look up just as Scott came falling to the mat and landing on it with a harsh thump. 

Coach laughed the hardest, kneeling down next to the boy to murmur something with a mischievous grin. It caused Scott to roll his eyes, looking up at the ceiling as Allison made her way gracefully down. 

"Okay, next two." Coach peered into the crowd, pursing his lips together. "Stilinski, Erica, let's go!" 

Stiles practically bolted to the mat and Alex walked with Erica to the harnesses, helping her get strapped in. "You'll be fine, babe, ok?" 

Erica nodded and grabbed a hold of the climbing wall, beginning a shaky ascent as Stiles rushed up it. 

Alex watched as her friend grunted and pulled herself up before stopping about three quarters of the way to the top. 

Something was wrong.

Erica was trembling and looking down fearfully, before she began hyperventilating and sobbing. 

Alex ran to the wall, staring up at her friend. "Erica?"

Coach followed her as the whole class surrounded the base. "Erica! Dizzy? Is it . . . vertigo?" 

Oh God, this man was an idiot. 

"Babe, you ok?" Alex called, resting her hands against two of the climbing pieces, ready to climb up if she had to. Stiles was standing next to her, his harness around his feet.

"Vertigo is a dysfunction of the vestibular system of the inner ear," Lydia corrected their teacher, her green eyes narrowed as she peered up at him in complete distaste. "She's just freaking out." Her arms were crossed over her chest as she rolled her eyes in that fashionable mean girl way. 

"Erica!" Coach called again, getting closer to the base of the wall. Alex was the only one actually touching it, staring wide-eyed up at her friend. She felt useless, unsure what to do or how to help but desperate to try. It was a far too familiar feeling to the brunette and it made her feel powerless and angry. 

The blonde's trembling halted slightly and she called down a weak "I'm fine," though no-one actually believed her. 

Alex glanced over at Finstock, crossing her arms anxiously. "Coach, maybe it's not safe, you know she's epileptic." A few spare giggles came from the crowd around them and Alex scowled in their general direction. 

"Wh - why doesn't anyone tell me this stuff?" He snapped, looking between Alex and the girl on the wall. "How the hell do you know that, new kid?" He waved his hands, looking back up at Alex's best friend. "Erica, you're fine. Just - just kick off from the wall. There's a - there's a mat- to catch you." Erica trembled and began breathing slower, looking down. "Come on." 

She slowly kicked off and floated down, gripping the rope like a lifeline as Coach grabbed her waist and helped her out of the harness. Alex immediately grabbed her friend, holding her in a tight squeeze. 

"You're on the ground, it's fine. Shake it off," Coach murmured quietly to her, as the class began giggling more loudly. 

Alex tightened her grip around the Reyes girl, holding her waist. She lead her to the locker room, trying her best to ignore the snickers and teasing of the crowd. "Come on, love, you're ok. Shh, I got you." 

The two girls headed into the girl's locker room and Alex lead Erica to the showers. "Here, wash off all that anxiety sweat and I'll braid your hair, ok? You're ok, I'm right here." 

Tears had begun pouring down Erica's pale cheeks, her lower lip trembling as she stripped naked and slipped into the shower stall. "I feel like such an idiot. The way they were laughing at me-"

"Hon, they are the idiots, not you. It's totally fine to get scared. You're brave for doing it in the first place. All those guys are just jerks."

Alex waited for Erica come out of the shower and begin getting dressed. The blonde was quiet and chewing on her lower lip. 

Beginning to braid her friend's thick, blonde hair, Alex scowled up at the other girls that came into the locker room, still snickering.

"Why don't you guys shut the fuck up, huh?" The brunette snapped, glaring at the staring faces all turned to Erica. "You're just pathetic, spineless, cowardly bullies." 

She finished Erica's hair as the locker room fell into an awkward silence. Eventually everyone had paraded out, casting strange looks at the pair of best friends. One an epileptic and the other a new kid. An odd pair, but every blonde needs a brunette. 

Alex wrapped Erica up into a tight hug before glancing at her watch. "Ok, shit, I gotta shower. Wait here, ok?" 

She turned on the hot water and slipped out of her gym clothes, beginning to quickly scrub her body. She heard the locker room door open and then close, but assumed it was someone who was late from getting back from climbing, or the start of next period's class. 

When she clambered out, the locker room was empty. No Erica and nobody else. 

Shit. 

Alex quickly got dressed back into her hoodie and jeans and rushed out into the gym, not even bothering with her converse. She had a bad feeling running down her spine, like a touch of cold. She burst into the large space just in time to see Scott catch a falling Erica, the rest of the class following behind him. 

Erica was violently seizing and the brunette sprinted up, coming to a crouch next to Scott and her best friend. "Put her on her side! On her side!" she shrieked. 

Allison leaned beside Scott on the other side of Erica, as he held her hands down. "How'd you know?" 

"I just felt it," Scott muttered as Erica violently shook and held his hand in a vice-like grip. 

Whatever the hell that meant. It didn't matter, Erica was seizing. 

Alex loudly yelled for Finstock and she heard someone dialling 9-1-1. Now they cared. Now, when they had no choice but to care.

The brunette stared down at the blonde, fear racing through her. She felt completely and utterly helpless as the cold feeling continued scratching its way up her spine. 

---

The ambulance had carted away Erica with screeching sirens that flashed a far too familiar red and blue. Alex stood outside the school, her arms crossed over her chest, still barefoot. She turned and looked over at Scott who was standing a foot away. 

"You ok?" Her childhood best friend queried, shooting her a cautious glance. She hadn't spoken to him much since she'd gotten back to America, and it felt weird. There was this painful distance between them that she didn't know how to cross. 

Alex shrugged, and looked down at her pale, white feet. Chipped black nail polish on her toes that she really needed to take off and a few scars on her lower legs from mishaps as a child. "I guess. Just worried. Kind of a weird first day, y'know?" 

Scott nodded and offered her that familiar puppy-dog smile. "Yeah, seriously. Do you want me to walk you to the locker rooms to get your shoes?" 

"Yeah, I'd love that." 

He held the door open for her and followed her inside before falling into step beside her. The halls were empty as it was a class period, and Alex was horrifically late to whatever class she had now. She supposed she had a valid excuse, though. 

"How was England?" Scott asked, head bent as he trudged next to her. The conversation weighed down with the awkward small talk and Alex forced a smile as she tried to ignore all the feelings that question brought up. 

As if sensing her emotions, her friend cast her a curious and worried look. "You don't have to-" 

"No, it's ok. It was alright, really rainy," she laughed and rubbed the back of her neck, "but otherwise okay." 

Scott nodded and smiled, "I've heard that. Do you have any friends there?" 

Alex froze and felt her heart begin to beat a lot faster. "How has Beacon Hills been? I heard a lot of stuff has happened," she replied, ignoring his question and trying to calm herself down. 

Scott looked over at her again, the worry a lot more clear as it caused lines in his forehead and around his mouth. But, he seemed to respect her change of subject as he finally shrugged and opened the locker room door. "Yeah, it's kind of been a lot. Really stressful and so much stuff has happened and keeps happening." 

"I've heard," she nodded and walked in, bee-lining for her socks and shoes. Scott hung out in the doorway, not allowed into the locker room itself. He had his head ducked and he stared carefully at his shoes despite the fact that the room was completely empty. 

"Why did you decide to come back?" At the weird look on Alex's face, he quickly began to backtrack. "I mean, I'm really glad you're back! I missed you a lot and I know Stiles definitely did, he never shut up about you, but I'm just . . . curious. 'Cause it was a good school and all and-" 

Alex smiled and waved her hand, interrupting his embarrassed rambling. "It's alright, Scott," she said and forced a smile, unsure how much she wanted to say, "it just . . . some stuff happened and it no longer became a place I felt that I could be happy at. I needed to come home." 

"Oh." 

He stood there and they stared at each other for a minute as he nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. 

"Are you okay?" 

To be completely honest with herself, Alex knew she wasn't okay. She hadn't been okay in a while, and she wasn't sure when she would be okay, if she ever would. So much had happened in England and the trauma she held in her heart weighed down her soul. The amount of hours she'd pondered just ending it had been more than she'd ever admit. The amount of times it crossed her mind, even just in the past 24 hours, was more than she'd ever admit. 

But, she forced a smile and looked up at him and rolled her pretty blue eyes. "Of course, I'm completely fine." 

He nodded and looked over his shoulder and then back at her. "I'm gonna head to class, I'll see you at lunch?" 

Alex nodded and smiled and finished tying her shoes. As soon as the door closed, hot tears began rushing down her cheeks.