SIDELINES

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EMERY PRACTICALLY LEAPS out of Argent's vehicle when they arrive at the abandoned warehouse, as she felt nothing but paranoia with the kanima's body being so close in proximity to both her and Isaac. He and Scott loaded the bag into the backseat of the car by Argent's instructions, which made her want to projectile vomit all over the leather interior.

Peter and Derek told the group to meet them by an abandoned warehouse a few blocks from the hospital and a mile from the Hale House. However, Peter split from his nephew to find and collect Lydia (who he believes will be able to help Jackson separate his conscience from the kanima's, though his idea has yet to be fully explained to anybody other than Derek).

The witch finds herself thinking about all of the possible consequences of Derek choosing to trust and confide in Peter. He could easily change his motivations and priorities whenever he pleases. When has Peter Hale ever been helpful unless it was for his own gain?

"I think he stopped moving," Isaac announces to the others.

Argent sweeps his surroundings, as the alleyway before them is dimly lit and entirely empty with the excepts of him and the teenagers. "Where's Derek?"

Suddenly, they avert their eyes to see the man bounding towards them on all fours. As he nears the group, Derek sends himself up into the air, performing a front flip before landing on his feet. He raises his head to show his vibrant red eyes, directing his glare at the hunter.

"I'm here for Jackson. Not you," Argent informs as Derek stands from his kneeling position.

"Somehow, I don't find that very comforting." The Alpha jerks his chin towards Scott and Isaac. "Get him inside."

Argent and the two werewolves begin to get back into the car, while Emery shakes her head in refusal. "Nuh—uh, I'm not doing that."

"Emery," Scott huffs.

Derek rolls his eyes. "Just go," he says to Scott and his beta. As they enter the vehicle and carefully turn into the building, Derek narrows his gaze at the witch. "Does Argent know what you are?"

"Maybe," Emery shrugs lazily. They begin to walk into the warehouse slowly, though she would rather stay outside. Away from the kanima. "I don't know if Allison told them or not, but he hasn't said anything. Why?"

Derek doesn't respond, instead he merely storms into the warehouse and leaves her to follow suit. Emery stifles an exasperated groan at being ignored by him once more.

Isaac and Scott have hauled the body bag out from the backseat and spread it across the concrete ground, surrounding it with wary expressions. Emery meets Scott's side, while Derek stands next to Argent and Isaac.

"Where are they?" Scott inquires.

"Who?" Derek counters, his eyes flickering between those present.

"Peter and Lydia."

The Alpha silently turns his attention from Scott to Jackson, stepping forward and unzipping the leather pouch. Emery's spine tenses as she swallows the lump in her throat, an odd feeling stirring in her gut. Why is he refusing to answer any of their questions?

"Okay— whoa, hold on a second." Scott says, clearly confused by Derek's actions. "You said you knew how to save him."

"We're past that."

Emery realizes that Derek has discarded his previous plan to somehow use Lydia to separate Jackson's identity from the kanima, which would supposedly free him from being a puppet for Gerard. Now, he just wants to kill Jackson. Emery stammers as Scott tries to reason with the man.

"W—What about—?"

"Think about it, Scott!" Derek interjects, twisting around to look at the boy directly. "Gerard controls him now. He's turned Jackson into his own personal guard dog, and he set all of this in motion so that Jackson could get even bigger and more powerful."

Argent shakes his head, "No." Everyone looks to the hunter. "No, he wouldn't do that. If Jackson's a dog, he's turning rabid, and my father wouldn't let a rabid dog live."

"Of course not."

They all abruptly turn to see Gerard Argent's smug grin looking back to them, as he has entered the abandoned building without their knowledge. The younger Argent reaches for his gun, while Scott and Isaac take defensive stances. Emery keeps her hands out of his line of sight, strings of purple vapor flowing through her skin. "Anything that dangerous— that out of control... is better off dead."

Derek whips out his talons, preparing to sink them deep into Jackson's chest.

However, Jackson's orange, slitted eyes snap wide open. He impales Derek and rises from the bag, balancing Derek on his fingertips, blood seeping into his claws. Jackson's chest and face are covered in the scales of the kanima, teeth razor sharp as he growls at the Alpha with bared teeth. Derek is unable to breathe steadily, the venom entering his rigid body as he is lifted from the ground and into the air. The creature hurls Derek's unmoving frame across the room.

"Well done to the last, Scott." Gerard speaks maliciously, taking intimidating steps closer to the group . "Like the concerned friend you are, you brought Jackson to Derek to save him. You just didn't realize that you were also bringing Derek to me."

The whistling of a soaring arrow reaches Emery's ears as her eyes track the object, trying to use her magic to freeze it as flies past her and Scott, who swiftly ducks to avoid being hit. Emery is too late, as a strained breath escapes Isaac's lips, the arrow already launched into his collarbone and piercing through his skin. He staggers backward, unable to keep himself upright at the agony that spreads from the arrowhead. Emery quickly moves to kneel beside him. Panic floods her senses at the sight of his blood.

He'll heal, she tries to remind herself.

Scott and Emery both barely catch a glimpse of the girl's silhouette in the moonlight as the werewolf breathes, "Allison?"

Emery yells, "exarmare!" and directs her vapor at Allison. She manages to slip away, however, and disappears with her crossbow.

"Stay with Argent," Scott commands as he pulls one of Isaac's arms over his shoulder.

He hauls the beta to his feet and drags him away. Emery reluctantly obliges to his request and aligns herself with the hunter, yanking her pocketknife out from her boot. He fires a bullet at Jackson, which is proved ineffective as he recovers and proceeds to crawl behind Argent's car in search of a shield. The man keeps his weapon raised firmly, shooting five bullets into the windows of his car. He empties the clip.

As Argent hurries to refill his gun, Emery shrieks when the fully transformed kanima comes out from hiding with a roar, perching itself on the top of the vehicle. "Watch out!"

Its tail swings out and curls around Argent's gun, successfully ripping it from his grasp despite his resistance and sending it tumbling across the floor. Emery manages to slice her small blade over the middle of the kanima's tail, only enraging it further. It snarls at the girl viciously, and Argent tugs at her arm.

"Run!" he shouts, swiveling on his heels and racing to the other section of the warehouse. Emery follows suit, gripping onto the handle of her knife tightly as Argent grabs his own dagger from his belt.

The creature lunges at them without hesitation, giving Emery a split second to conjure a barrier to prevent its talons from cutting through their flesh. They are shoved back at the force of the kanima's weight on the other side of the barrier, causing Emery and Argent to lose their weapons as they are sent flying into a pile of old wooden beams and metal poles.

Emery's brain spins violently as she flips onto her stomach, groaning at the aching pain which spreads throughout her muscles. Everything around her blurs into distorted and incomprehensible shapes. When she is unable to regain focus, she realizes that she must've slammed her head into one of the beams during her and Argent's collision. Scott, Derek, and Isaac engage in a fight with the kanima as Emery tries to inhale several breaths, the sounds of hissing blending with low growls and roars reverberating in her skull.

She pushes herself off her knees and to her unsteady feet, mustering all of her willpower to ignore the nausea that weighs her down. Emery's muddled gaze flickers between Scott and Derek — who each take turns delivering blows to the kanima — and Isaac. Her boyfriend is hunched over by a wooden crate, sweat beading down his morphed face. Blood from the arrowheads have covered his blue sweatshirt in crimson, though he has seemingly already healed from the injuries.

He begins making his way over to rejoin Derek and Scott in fighting the kanima, but pauses when Allison suddenly approaches him with her daggers held tightly in her hands. A hostile expression is shown on her features.

The witch creases her brows in uncertainty as she cries out, "Allison?" to which she receives no response. Then Emery watches in horror as her friend slashes the daggers up and down Isaac's chest repeatedly. A ragged gasp leaves Emery's mouth. Feelings of betrayal stutter in her chest.

Isaac's blood splatters as he weakly attempts to defend himself. Allison ducks under Isaac's arm, avoiding his swing as she jabs her blade into his abdomen once more. She maneuvers around him and thrusts her daggers into the beta's upper back, gritting her teeth together angrily as she removes them. Isaac crumbles to the ground.

Allison meets Emery's eyes. There is not a single glimpse of remorse or sympathy within them. Nothing.

Then the huntress twirls her daggers around her fingers and readjusts her grip. She averts her attention to Derek. The Alpha has multiple wounds inflicted to his torso by the kanima, causing him great difficulty in recovering. His eyes glow red as he peers up at her. Allison raises her forearms, ready to strike down at him. He's the one she's after. He's the target.

Scott comes rushing forward. "No— ALLISON!"

Her wrists are enveloped by the kanima's scaled fingers as it knocks her blades out of her grasp. The shapeshifter curls its hand around her neck, and Allison gasps when her air supply is suddenly restricted, eyes going wide with fear as she struggles.

"Not yet, sweetheart," Gerard says. He emerges from the shadows of the warehouse, glancing between his granddaughter and Scott. Emery lifts her hands in an attempt to aim her vapor at the creature and free Allison, but the man clicks his tongue. "I wouldn't do that, if I were you, young witch."

He knows.

"What are you doing?" Allison asks tearfully.

Scott, whose sideburns have grown long and fangs protruding from his mouth, answers. "He's doing what he came here to do."

"Then you know?" Gerard inquires, a surprised look spreading across his face.

"What's he talking about?"

Gerard dismisses Allison's questions, instead focusing on Scott. "It was that night outside the hospital, wasn't it, when I threatened your mother. I knew I saw something in your eyes. You could smell it, couldn't you?"

"He's dying," Isaac realizes.

The boy has transformed back to his regular appearance, forehead dripping with sweat and light smearing of blood around his lower lip. He remains on the ground, clutching his chest tightly as he waits for his body to mend itself. Emery's heart clenches at the sight of him.

"I am," Gerard confirms grimly, much to his family's bewilderment. "I have been for a while now. Unfortunately, science doesn't have a cure for cancer yet... but the supernatural does."

Emery's mind finally connects the dots of the scattered pieces that complete Gerard's endgame. He hasn't been trying to find Derek to seek revenge for Victoria Argent's death; he wants Derek to give him the bite as a last resort for the cancer that is eating him alive — and he's using Allison as leverage against both Scott and her father. It unsettles her just how far Gerard is willing to go to preserve his own life.

As Gerard stares down expectantly at Derek, Allison's father scowls. "You monster."

"Not yet."

Allison cries, "What are you doing?" until the shapeshifter holding her starts to constrict her breathing once more. A tear trails down her cheek, her eyes pleading with her grandfather.

"You'll kill her too?" Argent questions, features twisted in agony as his voice cracks ever so slightly that one could've missed it.

"When it comes to survival, I'd kill my own son!" the eldest hunter displays no regret for his affirmation. He then focuses his attention on the younger werewolf. "Scott?"

Scott appears to be conflicted, his features returning to their normal state as his sideburns retreat into his skin along with his claws. He and Argent exchange a silent look, with the man slowly following Scott's movements as he nears Derek's almost limp body. Then he reaches down and hoists Derek up by the collar of his shirt.

"Scott," Emery warns. "You can't."

"Scott, don't." Derek snarls through clenched teeth, using all of his remaining strength to resist the boy. "You know that he's gonna kill me right after. He'll be an Alpha."

"That's true. But I think he already knows that, don't you, Scott? He knows that the ultimate prize is Allison," Gerard announces with a sinister smile. "Do this small task for me, and they can be together. You are the only piece that doesn't fit, Derek. And in case you haven't learned yet, there is just no competing with young love."

"Scott, don't!" Derek repeats, his chest rising with heavy and panicked breaths. "Don't—!"

"I'm sorry!" Scott interjects, keeping his gaze locked with Allison's as he apologizes to the Alpha in his grip. "But I have to."

Gerard slips his jacket off his shoulders and drapes it across his forearm, rolling his right sleeve up as he makes his way closer to the pair. Scott forcefully tips Derek's head upward, his jaw slackening and revealing his sharp fangs. Everyone watches in anticipation as Gerard prepares to receive the bite.

The squelching of flesh meeting teeth echos through the warehouse, along with Gerard's pained scream. Allison flinches, whipping her head in the opposite direction to avoid bearing witness to the scene. It only delays the inevitable, as she soon gapes at the sight of her grandfather holding up his arm triumphantly with a laugh. The marks on Gerard's skin are prominent, blood dripping down to his elbow.

Scott loosens his clutch on Derek and allows him to collapse to the ground, while the others stare in shock at the sight before them.

"Oh my God..." Emery whispers.

A dark, black fluid has started to leak from the bite instead of blood.

As Gerard finally notices what has led everyone to become alarmed, his triumphant expression contorts to one filled with confusion. "What is this? What—did—you—do?"

Derek and Scott look at one another as Scott explains, "Everyone said Gerard always had a plan." A smirk tugs at the corners of his lips. "I had a plan too."

The hunter fumbles with digging something out of his pocket, discarding his jacket in the process. He pulls out a small container of pills, tossing the medications onto the left palm as he glowers at them. "No... no." Gerard crushes the pills between his fingers. "Mountain Ash!"

His body is rejecting the bite.

The black fluid has started to flow from his eyes and nose, and he falls to his knees when he is no longer able to fight the weakening effects of the rejection. He gasps desperately until a violent explosion of the fluid rises from his throat and bursts out of his mouth. Everybody cringes at the disgusting sight, and Emery wrinkles her nose when the stench enters her nostrils. Gerard eventually succumbs to the rejection, falling to his side once the vomiting ceases.

"Why didn't you tell me?" asks Derek.

"Because you might be an Alpha," Scott says. "But you're not mine."

However, their attention is quickly drawn back to the sputtering hunter on the ground, who grunts out of frustration. The rage in his veins is evident as he howls, "Kill them! Kill them all!" He loses consciousness following his last command.

Emery prepares for the creature to charge, her fingers being encircled by purple mist.

The kanima shifts its talons away from the base of Allison's throat, and she takes the opportunity to slam her elbow into its face. It instinctively shoves her down roughly, moving to strike those remaining — until a blue jeep comes flying through the wall. It knocks the creature down, and Stiles slams his foot on the break. Lydia, strapped into the passenger's seat, tenses at the sudden halt.

"Did I get him?" he calls to Scott, peaking at his best friend though one eye, the other being squeezed shut. Scott smiles at him with a light chuckle.

Lydia's shriek rings through the air as the kanima climbs into the vehicle, hissing at her and Stiles through the windshield. Stiles lets out a horrified scream, and Emery uses a wave of energy to send the creature tumbling off the hood so that her friends can safely climb out of the car. However, instead of joining Stiles in running to Scott, Lydia throws herself directly in front of the recovered kanima. Emery is bewildered by the girl's actions, conjuring another blast to fire.

Allison and Isaac hurry to join the others as Lydia cries, "Jackson?"

The kanima raises its arm over its head, moving to slash its claws across the girl's torso as she shivers with fear.

"Lydia!" Stiles hollers, rushing back out to pull her away from the creature.

Scott holds him back, as well as pushes Emery's hands down to prevent her from striking. "Stop, wait—"

"Jackson!"

Lydia holds a small item between her index finger and thumb. The shapeshifter pauses as the item comes into view, and it stares with a look of familiarity. It's a key. Emery figures it must have held some importance to the two of them, as Lydia is using it to try and recuperate Jackson's scattered identity.

The scaled skin on Jackson's face and chest begin to fade, returning to their normal tone as the rest of his features and naked body slowly become less lizard-like and more human. His kanima hand gently reaches for the key, slitted eyes reverting to their natural blue irises as they flicker between the key and Lydia. Jackson steps away from her as a saddened expression forms on his face. The key still held tightly in his grasp.

Lydia's act of love has saved Jackson's life.

Then Jackson averts his eyes to Derek and gives a weak nod, shutting his eyelids and prepares himself for the inevitable. Derek and Peter — who has seemingly appeared out of nowhere — both rush at Jackson with their talons sharp, and they impale him through his spine and stomach as they lift him upwards until he starts to choke.

They rip their claws out from his skin and allow him to touch the ground again. Derek's werewolf features have vanished, leaving only his regretful and sympathetic expression to be seen as he observes how the injured Jackson struggles to keep himself standing.

Lydia's heartbroken gasp plagues Emery's ears. The strawberry blonde runs to catch Jackson when he falters, carefully lowering him to his knees. Her movements follow his as tears stream down her cheeks.

"Do you—" Jackson shivers, "Do you still—"

"I do," Lydia interjects without hesitation, nodding profusely as her lips purse together to stifle her sobs. She whispers, "I do still love you. I do, I do still love you."

Jackson leans his forehead against her shoulder as the key clatters beside them, and Lydia holds the back of his head as she gently lays him onto his spine. The last signs of his kanima form continue to fade away, resulting in a bare and human Jackson to be displayed in front of everyone.

Allison is the one to break the silence when she glances around and says, "Where's Gerard?"

"He can't be far," Argent replies.

Lydia straightens, wiping her tears as she turns to make her way towards her friends while she continues to cry silently.

However, when the scratching of claws against concrete reaches her ears along with everybody else's, Lydia whips around as the wounds in Jackson's stomach mend together. Emery's lips part in shock at the revelation: he's healing.

Jackson's eyes shoot wide open, irises shining a bright, sapphire shade as his teeth briefly form into fangs. He lets out a thunderous roar, the sound reverberating off the walls of the abandoned warehouse.

Jackson is a werewolf now.

Lydia, whose shattered expression has been replaced by one filled with relief, jumps forward and throws her arms around him. Jackson folds his own over her back and holds her in return. The boy meets Scott's gaze, heavy exhales slipping past his lips as the two share unspoken words with one another.

Scott and Allison's fingers are intertwined, and Emery observes how the brunette's father makes no effort to pull them apart. Scott and Emery look at Stiles, who attempts to mask the fact that he shed tears at the sight of Jackson and Lydia. Emery quirks a brow at him. He sniffles lightly and gestures to the blue vehicle in front of them.

"He scratched my jeep."

As Scott smiles softly at his best friend's words, Stiles walks toward his jeep in a solemn manner. The witch surveys of the people that are in the warehouse, counting them in her head. Scott... Stiles... Lydia... Allison... Argent... Jackson... Derek... Isaac.

Everyone is alive.

Emery breathes out shakily. She averts her gaze over to where Isaac stands beside Derek. He is already looking at her.

The mere sight of her eases his worries and all other feelings that writhe inside of him. Her dark hair is tousled from her previous struggle against the kanima, while several areas around her jaw and cheeks are starting to bruise, causing discoloration to her pale complexion. Emery's appearance is disheveled in almost every way — yet Isaac still looks at her as if she's the most beautiful girl he has ever seen.

As soon as his hand even twitches, Emery is rushing toward her boyfriend, whose arms fully extend and desperately reach out for her. Her body collides with his as he brings her into a tight embrace. She circles her arms over his shoulders securely, her face resting in the crook of his neck. Isaac's fingers dig into her waist and lower back as he buries his nose into her hair, his unsteady breaths fanning across her skin. Emery's shoes barely scrape the ground when he lifts her up slightly.

The boy eventually loosens his grip on her midsection and allows her feet to meet the concrete beneath them again, though they refuse to entirely let go of one another. Derek watches the teenagers for a moment before hesitantly patting Isaac on the shoulder. The Alpha inclines his chin at them both, then he makes his way to Scott.

Isaac swallows the lump in his throat as he stares down at Emery with an indecipherable expression. Then, despite the sweat on his face and the smudges of blood on his lower lip, Isaac leans down to press his mouth against Emery's. Her eyelids flutter closed in an instant. She wraps her hand around the nape of his neck to bring him closer, deepening the kiss.

"I'm sorry," Isaac murmurs when he pulls away. "I'm sorry for leaving—"

"It's okay."

She brushes her thumb over his bottom lip gently, wiping away as much blood as she can while he leans into her touch. When Isaac tries to shake his head in denial at her statement, Emery says, "I forgive you."

In the past twelve hours, Emery has realized that even though she felt hurt and betrayed knowing that Isaac had intended to abandon Beacon Hills without saying goodbye to her, it doesn't matter. Nothing matters to her except for the fact that Isaac is alive and breathing — Emery will forgive him for his mistake because he is alive. That's all she needs from him.

She kisses him again.