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[SHE]

2.02 || definitely not a genius

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Lacey taps her thumb on the steering wheel as she drives, Liam in the backseat as she heads to Malia's to pick the brunette up. "I don't understand why I'm always the one in the backseat." Liam complains.

"Because you're the smallest. Now stop complaining. I could have made you walk." Lacey responds and Liam huffs, dropping back into the seat as she pulls up outside Malia's before beeping the horn.

"Hey." Malia says as she walks down to the car, climbing in the passenger seat.

"Morning." Lacey responds as she pulls out of the drive, still tapping her thumb on the steering wheel.

"You reek of anxiety." Malia says and Lacey glances at her.

"I was doing some thinking last night." Lacey starts and both of them groan. "And I think there's something off about that Theo guy. He seemed weird." Lacey says.

"Not you too. Stiles won't leave this alone either." Malia complains.

"Well, maybe, considering I was right about Peter having an ulterior motive in Mexico and Stiles has a history of being right, you guys should hear us out." Lacey says and Malia sighs.

"What do you think is wrong?" Malia asks.

"I don't know. Yet." Lacey responds and Malia raises a brow at her. "I've got a bad vibe." Lacey says.

"You're basing this off a bad vibe?" Liam asks.

"Hey! I based my theory about Peter on a bad vibe. And you know what? I was right." Lacey says.

"Why don't you just give him a chance?" Malia asks.

"Because something about him makes me uneasy." Lacey responds.

"Maybe it's just because he's a new person. I mean, you never ever warm to someone as fast as you did to Malia and Stiles." Liam says.

"What else is going on?" Malia asks and Lacey looks over at her again.

"We barely got into Senior year. What if we don't graduate?" Lacey asks.

"We will." Malia responds.

"But what if we don't." Lacey asks. "What if we don't graduate and it ruins the vision?"

"God, now you really are starting to sound like Stiles." Malia remarks.

"It's a good vision, Mal. A great one even. What if we don't graduate and we ruin the vision?" Lacey asks.

"We'll graduate." Malia responds. "We passed summer school. We will pass senior year." Malia says and Lacey bites her bottom lip before nodding slightly.

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Liam walks off as soon as they park up at school, saying a quick 'See you later' to his sister while the two girls walk up to the building together, bumping into Stiles who immediately starts rambling about not trusting Theo.

"So, you ran a background check, and all you found was a speeding ticket?" Malia asks.

"A speeding ticket that was signed by Theo's dad eight years ago." Stiles responds.

"Which means what?" Malia asks.

"Who speeds? People trying to get away from something!" Stiles responds and Lacey presses her lips together. She was on his side, but that definitely felt like a stretch.

"Well, how many tickets do you have?" Malia asks.

"None." Stiles scoffs.

"Better question. How many would you have if your dad didn't get you out of them?" Lacey asks and Malia nods at her.

"Seventeen." Stiles confesses after a moment.

"I don't know, Stiles. I mean, I see why you're worried. He's really hot. He's got like, great hair, perfect body. You should definitely feel threatened." Malia says and Lacey shakes her head slightly with an amused smile.

"Thank you. Because I do. Now more than ever." Stiles says and Lacey snorts in amusement.

"Do you want me to torture him?" Malia offers.

"No. I don't want you to torture him." Stiles says.

"I'm pretty sure I can take him." Malia responds.

"I'm definitely sure you could." Lacey agrees.

"I have a plan, alright? There are steps to doing this right." Stiles says.

"What steps?" Malia asks.

"We get the story. Verify the facts. You find the piece that doesn't fit. And- And you catch him in the act. That's how you do it." Stiles explains.

"Why are you so suspicious of this guy?" Malia asks.

"Because I remember Theo from fourth grade, okay? That's not Theo." Stiles responds.

"I mean, do we really think he's that hot? Or is he just not my type? Because I don't see it." Lacey says, looking at where he was stood by his car, waving.

"That's just because you're also convinced he's evil." Malia says.

"So you're with me?" Stiles asks, looking at the blonde.

"Well, I think your speeding ticket thing is a bit of a stretch, but other than that? Yes. He gives me a bad vibe and I don't trust him. Kinda like the vibe Peter gave me." Lacey says.

"And you were right about Peter!" He says, gesturing at her.

"And you didn't believe me. You said I was being paranoid." Lacey says.

"You really going to hold that against me?" He asks.

"Yes." Lacey responds and Malia smiles slightly.

"Okay." He says as they start walking up to the school.

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Lacey looks up from her textbooks when someone walks over to her. "No. This is my free." She says when she sees Scott and Stiles standing there.

"Ours too. And you know who else is free now?" Stiles asks.

"I am one hundred percent sure I don't care." Lacey responds.

"Theo." Stiles says.

"Good for Theo." Lacey responds.

"Lace, come on. Come talk to him with us." Stiles says and Lacey sighs, looking up at him.

"Have you got homework already?" Scott asks.

"I'm trying to get ahead." Lacey responds.

"Okay, come on then. It can wait until after we've talked to Theo." Stiles says and she bites the inside of her cheek, looking down at the books spread in front of her. "Lace, you'll have plenty of time to get ahead. I thought you were suspicious too." Stiles says and she sighs, grabbing her books before shoving them in her bag.

"Okay." She says before following the boys.

Why they were talking to Theo in the boys locker room, she really didn't know.

"I was skating in a neighbour's pool, trying to do a handplant. Nobody was home. I'm not that good of a skateboarder, but I guess I was feeling pretty determined because I lost track of time. I didn't even realise it was night until the yard lights came on. Like I said, I wasn't very good. On my last try, I went down and hit hard. Really hard. I was sitting there at the bottom of the pool and I realised something. I never heard the board come back down. It came at me fast. I barely had a chance to turn around before it bit me. Right here." Theo says, gesturing to his side.

"It wasn't an accident. He wanted to turn you." Scott says.

"Right. So, why aren't you part of his pack, then? Why didn't he come back for you?" Stiles asks.

"Because by the time of my first full moon, he was dead." Theo responds.

"How did you know that?" Stiles asks.

"I met another one of his pack a couple weeks later. He told me the Alpha that bit me was killed by two of his own Betas. They were twins." Theo explains and Lacey watches Stiles and Scott share a look, making her wonder if those were the twins from the Alpha Pack Stiles had told her about. "Scott, listen to my pulse. I'm telling the truth." Theo says.

"Couldn't you just know how to steady your heart rate so we wouldn't know if you were lying?" Lacey asks and Stiles raises a brow at Theo, clearly agreeing with the blonde. 

"Why would I lie?" Theo asks.

"Because, maybe, you're not who you say you are." Stiles responds.

"Okay. In the fourth grade, you had an inhaler. I had one, too. I remember this day where I ended up in the nurse's office with an asthma attack. A bad one. I was waiting to be taken to the ER. You were waiting for the principal. You told me what would happen when you go to the ER for asthma. How they give you oxygen, an IV of prednisone. You made it sound easy, like everything would be okay. I've been by myself this whole time. Everybody knows that lone wolves, they don't make it on their own. I swear, I'm that same kid from fourth grade. I was hoping you are, too." Theo says, looking at Scott before the bell rings. "I better not be late for class. You're not the only ones I need to make a good impression on." Theo says before walking out and Scott directs his focus to the other two. 

"No! Don't give us that look." Stiles says.

"We have to give people the benefit of the doubt sometimes." Scott argues.

"Not this time, alright? We're right! There's something off about him, I can feel it. And Lacey can feel it too." Stiles retorts.

"Lydia's the psychic, not you." Scott retorts as he walks out.

"She's not psychic. She's a Banshee, okay? There's a difference." Stiles calls after him and Lacey grabs his arm when he goes to leave. "What?" He asks.

"He mentioned twins. I assume you're thinking that was the twins from the Alpha Pack?" She asks and he nods.

"Yeah, so?" Stiles asks.

"He said another one of the original Alpha's pack told him what had happened. Didn't you say each member of the Alpha Pack had to kill their pack as, like, an initiation?" Lacey asks and Stiles raises a brow slightly as he considers the blonde's words. "From what you told me, I don't exactly think they were letting people leave? Because wasn't each beta killed more power for them?" Lacey asks.

"You might just be genius." Stiles says, grabbing her shoulders and kissing her cheek before rushing out of the room and Lacey lingers. 

"Definitely not a genius." She mutters before walking out of the locker room.

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The blonde walks out of class later, raising a brow when she sees Stiles waiting for her. "What now?" She asks.

"I need your help breaking into the Administration Office. You're the only one on my side." Stiles says and she bites her bottom lip. 

"Stiles, I really need to try and get ahead on my work." Lacey says. 

"Okay, what is with this obsession with getting ahead?" Stiles asks, holding his hands out and she hesitates. 

"Never mind. Lets go." She says and he frowns at her for a moment before leading her down the hall. "Why are we breaking into the Administration Office?" Lacey asks.

"Because we're going to find Theo's transfer form to compare his father's signatures." Stiles explains. 

"And I'm here because?" She asks.

"I need a distraction. And you're good at rambling." Stiles responds.

"Is that a compliment or an insult?" Lacey asks with a slight frown. 

"Uh, compliment." Stiles responds.

"It doesn't feel like a compliment." Lacey mutters.

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They make their way to the library once Stiles has the form, both of them looking at the pieces of paper. "Those signatures are different." Lacey says, pointing at the speeding ticket and then the transfer form.

"Yeah, they are." Stiles says, leaning down slightly. 

"Look at the looping and the slant. It's completely different. The transfer form is printed completely different." She says and Stiles glances at her slightly as she looks at the paper.

They head straight over to Scott, Kira and Malia when they walk into the library and Stiles puts the two pieces of paper down. "So, you found something?" Scott asks.

"Another signature." Stiles says. "This is Theo's dad's signature on a speeding ticket from eight years ago." He points at the first form. "Now this is his dad's signature on a transfer form to Beacon Hills High School just a few days ago." Stiles says, pointing to the other.

"How did you guys get his transfer form?" Kira asks.

"Did you break into the Administration Office? And did you make Lacey go with you?" Scott asks.

"No, I did not break into the Administration Office." Stiles says and Scott looks to Lacey. 

"Maybe." She says and Stiles looks at her incredulously. "I can't lie." She says. "Can we just focus on the signatures please?" Lacey asks.

"Right. They're different." Stiles says.

"They're sort of different." Malia says.

"They're completely different. Come on. Look. The garlands don't even match, the undulations of the sinuous stoke, totally off." Stiles says. "And look, look at this. Perfect example of the Criminal Tremor." Stiles says.

"The handwriting is completely different. The 'a's and 'e's aren't printed the same. Like he said, the slant and curvature of each letter is off. It's different." Lacey says.

"So now, Theo is Theo, but his parents aren't his parents?" Kira asks.

"Someone's not someone. And when I figure out who that someone really is, someone's in big trouble." Stiles says and Lacey tilts her head towards him slightly with a hint of a confused frown and he shakes his head slightly at her.

"But no one's done anything wrong." Scott says.

"Yet." Stiles argues.

"If Theo's parents are both psychotic killers then obviously, we should not trust him, right?" Stiles asks and Lacey clears her throat. 

"Know your audience." Lacey says, glancing at Malia.

"My parents are Peter and the Desert Wolf." Malia responds.

"Okay." Stiles says, rubbing his forehead after a moment. "It's fine. You know what? I'll just figure this out myself. I don't need you, or you, or you." He says pointing at the three around the table. "I don't need anyone!" He announces as he walks away.

"Hey!" Lacey calls.

"Not you. You come with me. You're on my side." Stiles says and Lacey hums, waving at the other three before following him.

When they get out to the car park, she leans against her car while Stiles tries to start his. He'd parked next to her. "You mind if I follow? I don't wanna leave my car here." Lacey says and he nods as he tries to start the Jeep. 

"What's a Criminal Tremor?" Liam asks, appearing in the passenger seat and Lacey rolls her eyes as he holds up the papers before Stiles snatches them away.

"It doesn't matter." Stiles says, nodding for Lacey to get in her car as his engine starts and she climbs in, starting the engine before pulling out of the parking lot.

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They end up following Theo back home before out to the Preserve, parking their cars out of the way before following him on foot. "I told you he was up to something." Stiles whispers and Lacey clears her throat. "We told you." He corrects and she nods.

"We just spent three hours watching this dude play video games in his bedroom. He better be out here covering up a mass murder." Liam retorts and Lacey rolls her eyes. 

"Let's find out." Stiles says. 

"He's a werewolf." Lacey hisses. "Stiles! He'll smell us! Or hear us! Or both!" She whisper shouts after him as he starts walking. "Stiles!" Lacey hisses before Liam tugs her to follow the other boy.

"You still got his scent." Stiles asks as they walk.

"Don't need it." Liam says, pointing at the footprints in the mud. Lacey and Stiles step ahead of him before stopping and turning around when he stops. 

"What? What's wrong?" Stiles asks. 

"I forgot, I was supposed to meet Mason at the school gym." Liam says.

"Okay, why didn't you just tell him?" Stiles asks.

"Tell him what?" Liam asks.

"Anything." Stiles responds.

"I can't just tell him anything." Liam responds.

"Why not?" Stiles questions. 

"Because I haven't-" Liam trails off.

"He hasn't told him everything yet." Lacey fills in and Stiles looks between the Dunbar siblings.

"Still? We said it was okay." Stiles says.

"Yeah, I know, but it's not that easy. It's a lot to accept." Liam responds.

"Not everyone is going to take it as well as we did, Stiles." Lacey says.

"He watched my dad blow up a Berserker with a land mine. I think the groundwork's been pretty thoroughly laid for acceptance." Stiles says. "Scott and I, we've been through this. Okay? More than once. It's just- It's always better when they know." Stiles says before they start walking again as Liam pulls his phone out. 

"But what if he freaks out? What if he doesn't want to talk to me? What if he tries to stab me with something silver? Or what if-" Liam cuts off with a thud and both of them pause before turning around to see a hole, making their way over to it.

"What the hell are you doing?" Stiles asks and Lacey snorts in amusement as Liam shakes his head. 

"Stiles, he fell. He didn't decide to sit down and play pat-a-cake." Lacey says.

"I-" Stiles starts before looking to the side. "There he is." He says and Lacey looks up from her brother. "Hurry up. Stop screwing around." Stiles says before walking off. 

"Liam, hurry up." Lacey says before following him.

Liam runs over to them after a moment and they both hold a hand up at him slightly. "Try and get his scent." Stiles whispers. "Get anything?"

"Soap. It's nice. It smells good." Liam responds and they both share exasperated looks.

"Not his soap, his emotional state. Chemosignals, remember?" Stiles says, looking at him.

"Oh, yeah. Okay." Liam responds. "I- He's sad."

"He's sad?" They both ask at the same time.

"Yeah, not just sad- It's more like grief." Liam explains.

"Grief?" Stiles asks and Lacey looks at him to see a look of realisation forming on his face. "Oh, my God!" Stiles says before turning around and pulling the siblings with him. "Go! We have to go."

"What? Why?" Liam asks.

"Go! Right now. Just go." Stiles says, pushing them both to rush. 

"What's going on?" Lacey asks as they walk.

"That's the bridge where they found his sister." Stiles says.

"What sister?" Liam asks.

"The one that got lost and died from exposure. He's leaving a flower for her." Stiles says.

"That doesn't sound evil." Liam says.

"I know." Stiles responds before they pause when they see Theo standing up ahead on a tree branch before he jumps down.

"What are you guys doing?" Theo asks as he looks up at them. 

Liam growls slightly when he moves towards them, stepping in front of Lacey slightly and she and Stiles nudge him back. 

"Whoa." Theo says. "Why do I get the feeling this kid's tougher than he looks?" Theo asks.

"Only when we let him off his leash." Stiles responds.

"Stiles, we were in Little League together. Why are you so suspicious of me?" Theo says.

Stiles hesitates before pulling the two forms out of his pocket. "Because of these." He says, passing them over. "One's a speeding ticket signed by your dad eight years ago. The other's a signature on a transfer form to Beacon High. They're different." Stiles explains.

"Huh. Yeah, they do look a little different." Theo says, glancing up.

"No, they're totally different." Stiles argues. "Signed by two different people." Stiles says.

"So my dad's not my dad? Like he's an imposter?" Theo asks.

"Yeah, something like that." Stiles responds.

"Who do you think I am?" Theo asks, folding up the papers.

"We don't know yet." Stiles responds.

"Want me to give you a DNA sample or something?" Theo jokes and Lacey rolls her eyes.

"No. I don't have anything from the fourth grade to match it to." Stiles responds and Lacey glances at him.

"You know, Stiles, I came back here for Scott. But I also came back for you. Someone like you. Someone who's willing to walk into the woods in the middle of the night to protect his friends. I don't have anyone like that, Scott does. You all do." He glances at Lacey and Liam briefly and Liam looks down while Lacey just stares back at him.

He could give whatever sob story he wanted. She still didn't trust him.

"I know I'm in the right place. I'm meant to be here. I'm meant to be a part of this pack." Theo says.

"Just because you think you're meant to be here, doesn't mean everyone's going to welcome you." Lacey says before snatching the papers out of his hands and walking off, leaving the three boys looking after her. 

"What-She's friendly." Theo says.

"Shut up." Liam retorts before jogging after his sister and Stiles itches his brow before jogging to catch up with the Dunbars. 

"Lacey." Stiles calls and she turns back to look at him. 

"Oh, don't tell me you're buying all that shit. 'Oh, I'm lonely, you guys have friends, I don't.' Whatever. I still don't trust him. Something's still off. I don't care if he wasn't out here covering up a mass murder. The signatures are still off. He's still suspicious. I still don't trust him." Lacey says, pressing the papers into Stiles' chest before walking towards their cars. 

"Well, I think it's safe to say she's not pro-let Theo in the pack." Liam remarks.

"You think?" Stiles asks before they follow her.

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They get back to the cars to see Scott leaning against his bike. "Find anything?" The Alpha asks.

"Nope." Stiles responds.

"I fell in a hole." Liam says and Lacey rolls her eyes. 

"Car, you." She says, gesturing to her car as Stiles climbs in his Jeep.

"It was the bridge where his sister died. Wasn't it?" Scott asks, stepping up to the Jeep.

"Yes. It was. Very embarrassing. So, we are gonna leave now." Stiles responds, trying to start the engine but it just splutters as Liam climbs in the blonde's car. "Son of a,"

"Out. I'll turn the ignition." She says and he nods before climbing out of the Jeep, swapping places with the blonde as he walks around to the engine.

"Stiles?" Scott asks.

"Be with you in a sec." Stiles responds. "Try it!" He calls and Lacey turns the key but the engine just sputters before she turns the key back.

"Stiles." Scott says. 

"Yes, okay? We followed him out here. What do you want me to say? That I'm a stalker, huh? That I'm crazy, totally paranoid? None of this is new information." Stiles snaps.

"Now you're gonna try to at least give him the benefit of the doubt?" Scott asks.

"No!" Lacey calls. 

"I give people the benefit of the doubt." Stiles argues. "I've given a lot of benefit to a lot of people."

"Like Derek?" Scott asks. "Kira? Liam?"

"I was right about Peter. And in Mexico, so was Lacey." Stiles responds. "Try it again, Lace." Stiles calls and the blonde turns the key, turning the key back when it sputters. "You know, I bet you still think that there's something about him that can be saved." Stiles remarks.

"Maybe." Scott responds and Lacey rolls her eyes. 

"Try it again!" Stiles calls and Lacey turns the key, only for it to sputter again.

"You wanna swap?" Lacey calls.

"No. Stay there." Stiles responds.

"Why can't you trust anyone?" Scott asks.

"Because you trust everyone!" Stiles snaps loudly and Lacey jumps slightly when he hits the engine. 

"Are you okay?" Scott asks.

"I'm fine." Stiles responds.

"You could've broken it." Scott argues.

"It's not broken." Stiles says.

"Let me see it." Scott insists.

"I'm fine." Stiles responds.

"Let me see it." Scott repeats and Lacey chews her thumbnail. 

She hesitates when she she doesn't hear anything before turning the key again and sighing in relief when the lights turn on. 

"Thank you." Stiles says when she climbs out of the car and she nods, kissing his cheek and smiling at Scott before heading over to her car.

"Can you take me to the school?" Liam asks and she looks over at him before nodding.

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