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26. Count Your Blessings

When I was in middle school, I used to play basketball. I wasn't necessarily the best, but I had my good moments that always made my parents proud. Moments like scoring the last basket to win the game and stealing the ball at times they didn't expect it. Yeah, basketball is just a sport, but I learned something from it.

That feeling you get when you look up at the board to see that there's only ten seconds left in the game when your team is down five points never leaves you. It's not just a gut clenching feeling you get from basketball, but it happens all of the time in your day to day life. Either you give it your all to score back those five points, or you can give up and accept the consequences.

I was losing right now. We were losing.

Watching Stiles' face as he stared out of that window made me realize that none of this was a game. This was real life, and now his father had been taken to be sacrificed by our English teacher. The clock was ticking and we were down by a lot more than five points.

"Lydia," I speak slowly, trying to keep a grip on myself. Stiles and Scott were gone now, going to find Derek before Jennifer did. I had stayed here with Allison to make sure Lydia was okay, and right now, she didn't appear to be.

Lydia's eyes were distant; thinking somewhere faraway from here. She reminded me of a doll sitting in the corner that had never been played with, waiting and watching with its glossy eyes for someone to stop by. My fingers reached up and took her hand to get her to snap out of it, but all I felt was ice.

"Lydia, everything is okay now," Allison speaks softly, speaking to her best friend. "You're okay."

Lydia's eyes stay fixed on something behind me, and it wasn't until I followed her eyes that I realized she was staring at the crushed up badge lying on the floor. She notices that I was looking now at it as well, making her talk.

"This is my fault," she breathes, a hiccup escaping her throat. "He was taken because of me."

I turn back to Lydia, tightening my grip around her hand. "Lydia, none of this was your fault. If it wasn't for your scream, we wouldn't have found you and gotten here when we did."

Lydia ignores me as she continues, tears starting to leak down her face. "I didn't try and fight back. I sat here and let her tie me up. If I would have put up a fight-"

"You would have gotten more hurt," Allison finishes for her, staring straight into her eyes. Lydia stares back into hers, and I could tell that Allison was finally getting through to her. "Everything is going to be okay, Lydia. I promise."

As soon as Allison finishes, I hear movement behind me, causing me to turn around and see police officers running inside. Everything feels so off as two of them come over to Allison and I, grabbing us and starting to take us out of the area; out of the crime scene. Lydia watches with sad eyes as two other officers kneel down to her, asking her if she was alright. I wanted to stay with her longer to make sure she would be okay, but I knew that Lydia would have wanted us to go find Stiles' dad.

When we got into the hall, there were people everywhere. The whole audience was standing around and trying to flee the area, and it wasn't until I saw a gurney carrying out a body when I realize that someone else had died tonight rather than Lydia. It wasn't right for me to be glad...that it wasn't Lydia; a life was still lost, and I had failed to save it.

"We'll take care of your friend," one of the officers says to us as they let the two of us go, turning and going back into the room as the door shuts. Allison and I stood there for a long moment staring at the back of the door as the sounds drowned out all around us, leaving us alone with our thoughts.

It wasn't until I felt her hand against mine when I snapped out of it, causing my eyes to come back to her. Allison was staring up at me, tears prickling her eyes. I pulled her into a hug then, making sure she knew how much she meant to me. Her sniffles echo in my head as she whispers softly. "She could have died tonight. You saved her."

"I didn't save her," I slowly say back, the words bouncing around in my mind. "Scott and Stiles' father are the ones that saved her."

Before Allison could argue, I see Chris walk up behind Allison, his eyes locked in my own. Only this time, it wasn't that fatherly glance that he had always given me. This time, it was something telling me that he was glad I was comforting his daughter; that I cared that much about her.

"They're taking Lydia to a hospital downtown," he says, causing Allison to pull away from me and look at her father. "Beacon Hills Memorial is being evacuated."

"Evacuated?" Allison breathes, her eyes turning to the flashing lightning outside. "The storm's that bad?"

"It will be," Chris says. "I'm taking you both home."

"I can't go home," I say, my mind still stuck on the fact that Jennifer had taken Stiles' dad. "I have to help Stiles."

Chris stares between Allison and I before he nods his head. "Come on, I'll drive."

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"Stiles says that they're headed to the hospital to get Cora," I say as I look down at my phone, staring at the text.

Chris takes a left turn as he speed down the road, the storm around us growing worse with every passing second. "I thought they had evacuated?"

"Not yet," I say. "They missed her."

Allison's hand brushes over my own as she stares out of the window, panic on her face. I could tell that she was thinking the same thing as me; something was going to go wrong tonight. Things were already going wrong for us, but we knew something was about to pile onto that.

When we pulled up in front of the hospital, there were trucks and people running in all directions. It appeared that they were almost completely evacuated. The lights from inside flickered as I scan the building, seeing that a tree had even fell in through one of the windows on the left side. How comforting.

Allison's hand clasps around the door handle as she turns around and grabs a pistol sitting in the seat, sticking it into her pocket as she looked at me. "Do you still have that dagger I gave you earlier?"

"You gave him a dagger?" Chris chimes in.

"He has to protect himself somehow," Allison says, giving her father a half pathetic look. "Sometimes a bat won't cut it."

I nod my head, answering her question. "Yeah, I still got it."

"Alright then," she nods swiftly, opening the door before hopping out and breaking out into a full sprint towards the doors. I start to follow her, but Chris' hand stops me as he places it onto my shoulder.

I turn and look at him, seeing how hard his eyes were. "Are you sure you want to go in there?"

"I'm not leaving Allison," I say without missing a beat, my eyes locked to his. I tried to read them, but it was hard.

His eyes stay locked with mine. "Do you know how to use that dagger?"

I look down at it, shrugging my shoulders. "I guess we'll find out."

"Go for the throat," he says, pointing at the blade. "Always go for the throat."

I nod my head before I started to get out yet again, but his voice this time stops me rather than his hand on my shoulder.

"Thank you."

I look back at him, not sure what he was thanking me for. "For what?"

"For being there for her," he nods, his voice soft. "She deserves someone like you."

For some reason, I felt very honored to hear him say that. All of those glares I thought he had given me when I walked into their apartment, the casual remarks I'd hear him say...all of those were gone. I could tell by his face that he wasn't lying, and I'm sure he could tell by mine that I was glad to hear him say that.

"I'll always be there for her," I nod, smiling slightly. "She at least deserves that."

Chris doesn't say anything else, but the silence spoke louder than words. After a moment, we both get out of the SUV and run through the rain, busting through the doors as water drips down from my hair and onto my face. Allison was standing there by the door talking to Melissa, her hair drenched like ours.

"They're upstairs," Allison says to us as we walk over, Melissa's eyes meeting mine.

She stares at me oddly. "Who's this?"

I had forgotten that she didn't know me. "Uh, I'm Corey. Scott didn't tell you about me?"

"No," she says, curious to know more. "How do you know me?"

Allison answers this one. "Long story short, he was a ghost and I brought him back. He practically knows the whole town."

I look around awkwardly as Melissa nods, clearly wanting to know more in detail, but she knew we were running low on time. "Ah, interesting. But Scott, Stiles, Derek, and some girl came through here a few minutes ago to go get her. She's up on the third floor."

"Thanks," Allison says before staring to walk away, Chris and I starting to follow.

Melissa calls after us. "Tell them to hurry!"

Chris shouts back, letting her know we heard her before we're standing in the elevator, waiting for it to ding us to the third floor. My gut clenches for a moment, having a feeling that something was about to go wrong. My hand trails to my side where I had the dagger, prepared to grab it just in case.

When the doors slide open again, we were met with roars and someone skidding across the ground. It took me a moment to realize that it was Peter, but I didn't have time to question why he was here. I saw Chris' face wrinkle up at the sight of Peter, and that was when I realized that the two of them haven't exactly had a cup of tea after he killed his sister.

I look farther down the hall and see Derek and Scott fighting the twins, who were merged into one. Goosebumps rise on my arms when I see them, realizing what was really happening here. The alpha pack was here, meaning more things than one. One of those things being Jade.

"Ethan...Aiden, stop!" Scott shouts as the twins hold him up against the wall, red eyes burning.

A low, demonic voice sounds in my ears. "All we want is her!"

It took me a moment to realize who they were talking about. When I figured it out, I looked over and saw Jennifer standing there to the side, backing up slowly. Allison runs forwards when she sees that Scott couldn't breathe, her father following after her. I start to run after them, but that was before I saw Jennifer make a break for the elevator.

I pull the dagger out, holding it out in front of me as I blocked the doors. "You're not going anywhere."

She stops, a scowl washing across her face. "Corey? I didn't know you were dragged into all of this. Should've figured since you're dating Allison."

I wasn't sure why any of that mattered. I kept my ground as I held the dagger in it's spot, ready to use it if I needed to. Visions of Allison fighting with her daggers flashed in the back of my mind; things like her stabbing Isaac and even Erica. It was a good thing I remembered; it would help me with fighting if I needed to, hopefully.

Roars continue to sound behind her as I watch Allison and Chris get the twins away from Scott, Stiles and Peter dragging Cora down the hall as well to get her away from all of this. Jennifer stares at me for a long moment before her eyes narrow, and I could tell that she was up to no good.

"Won't let me through? Fine. I guess you're coming with me."

I was too stunned by her sentence to use the dagger, plus she was just too fast. Her hand swiftly grabs my own tightly as I drop the dagger, the sound of steel against tile ringing in my ears. She shoves me into the elevator as I tried to fight back, but she was way too strong.

"Allison!" I scream before Jennifer's hand covers my mouth, permitting anymore sound to come out. I see Allison's bright eyes look back at me for a moment, pure panic showing on her face. Words started to form from her mouth as she started to run after me, but then the elevator doors shut, leaving me alone with Jennifer. The Darach.

"Don't worry, Corey. I'm not as bad as everyone says I am."

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Shooooot. Corey got himself into some trouble now.

But hey, at least he got Chris' blessing, haha. I wanna have them two get a little closer, but we'll see how that goes. Next chapter should be interesting I hope; let's just say the bitch will make an appearance. Oh, and I don't mean Kali. Well, she'll be there too.

Vote and comment as always!

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