I took a deep breath as I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I had just gotten out of the shower and I looked beyond drained. It seemed like lately I just have permanent purple smudges stained underneath my eyes due to my lack of sleep. 

My entire evening last night was spent laying wide awake as I stared at the ceiling. Stiles was sound asleep beside me as I just let my mind race with a million different things. I had so many different topics that I could focus on rather than sleep peacefully, so that's what I did. 

I thought about how if I did possibly fall asleep the potential of me losing time would increase, because for some reason that was when my mind was at it's absolute weakest. I also thought about how Malia had kissed me hours before and admitted to having feelings for me. I have yet to tell Stiles because I didn't think it was the time nor the place. We have bigger fish to fry and I'll be sure to fill him in after we get Mason back alive. I also thought about the fact that the overwhelming weight of the situation was enough to crush me into tiny pieces of my former self. The only constant that I can say that I've had through all of the crazy supernatural hurdles that I've had to jump over has been Stiles. 

He has been the only thing anchoring me to my sanity. His safety has always and will always be my number one priority and knowing that Malia's mother has him in her sights is just enough to send me into a panic. I need to keep him safe but I don't know if I can, because sadly I am one of the reasons the town of Beacon Hills is in so much danger to begin with. Who knows what is going to happen to me or what else I'm going to have to deal with on top of keeping Stiles safe.

I let out a heavy sigh as I ran my hands over my face. Today was the day, we were going to stop the Dread Doctors and the beast once and for all. We were going to save Mason and all will be right with the world. We can do this. 

Once my motivational pep talk was over. I can do this. We can do this. We've faced crazy things, right?

Without wasting another second I splashed some cold water onto my face and jogged down the stairs to where my friends were waiting for me. Scott had woken up moments before I did and he seemed to be all healed up from the fight last night so that was at least starting our day in a positive light. 

The last step on my staircase squeaked as I hopped off of it and rounded the corner to the kitchen where home base seemed to be. 

"For a 5'8 sixteen year old?" Kira's question floated through the hallway and I saw that Scott was just a mere two feet ahead of me.

Stiles sighed, "I recommended a 9 foot tall rampaging werewolf."

"It still might not be him..." Liam supplied to the conversation before a very heavy silence fell over them. 

I can't exactly say I know exactly how he feels--but I do not how it feels to have someone you love overtaken by something from the supernatural world and they have no control over it. And that, is a terrible feeling.

Malia glanced at Liam and then added, "I can keep checking the woods."

"And my mom can check all the hospitals in the county," Scott said as he made his presence known. I stepped up beside him and offered an encouraging smile, "We are going to find Mason."

Liam looked at me nervously, "What happens then?"

"We figure out a way to save him and Kasey. This ends today." My brother said with finality.

Lydia smiled, "Okay, where else could we look?"

Scott's head ticked to the side slightly and he smirked, "Let's ask Corey," and then he stuck his arm out to the side and grabbed a fistful of air-- which materialized into a shirt which slowly became Corey.

Holy shit. He's been invisible and hiding in our kitchen all morning?

"Wait! It's not my fault! They took him and I couldn't do anything! They took him!" Corey rushed out as Scott pulled him away from the wall and closer to himself

Scott narrowed his eyes, "Who?

"The Dread Doctors." 

⬘ ⬘ ⬘

I would be lying if hearing that the Dread Doctors taking Mason didn't throw a wrench into my plans of trying to keep my composure. I knew that we would have to face them again. I knew it was inevitable having to see them. I just wish I was better at pushing aside the fear that consumes me whenever they are mentioned. 

My wounds have healed physically-- as well as they can, anyway. But what they did to my mind? To my will power? Will I ever get that part of myself back? I know I'm a changed person after going through what they did to me. I know I'm even more not myself because there is something inside of me. It's not the beast but something is there.. well, more like someone. I know that I have to try and figure this out before it's too late. I know that we are all running on fumes and we have next to nothing in our back pockets to help us pull out a win... but I have to try and do something. 

After Corey had mentioned the Dread Doctors, I pulled Scott aside. I needed to have a hard conversation with him and I'm hoping he will at least see my point of view. It's an absolutely terrible idea but like I said, we have nothing to go off of. 

Once my brother and I were in the living room away from our friends I let out a sigh, "Scott, we have no options. We are severely unprepared to face the Dread Doctors.. especially without knowing a damn thing with what's going on with me."

He nodded in agreement, "I know, but Kasey we have to save Mason. He has nothing to do with this and he's been pulled into this mess." 

"I want to save Mason.. believe me I want to end this and send the Dread Doctors packing more than anyone here. I just feel like we're walking into a gun fight with paper cups. We need more information and there is only one person I can think of that will be able to give us just enough information to help." I said as I hesitantly met his gaze.  

There was a reason I pulled Scott aside and not Stiles. I was suggesting something that I never in a million years would have thought to suggest. 

Scott quirked an eyebrow, "Who?"

"Theo," I grimaced as I said his name. I hated that he was our only option. It wasn't long ago when that little sociopath tried to kill us all. 

Although he cannot be trusted, he does know a hell of a lot more about the Dread Doctors than anyone else.. and maybe he would be willing to cough up something of use so we can try to stop them. Do I think he will be willing to help us in our mission? Of course not, but I do think that we will be able to finagle something out of him that can help the cause. 

Scott nodded, "I think he knows more than we give him credit for.. it's definitely worth a shot. You want to talk to him together?"

"You know what they say, twins think alike, right?" 

⬘ ⬘ ⬘

Walking the halls of the school towards the lacrosse locker room felt anything but normal. If you would have told me 3 years ago that I'd be in the position I'm in, I wouldn't have believed you. If I could see myself now, walking next to Scott through the crowds of our classmates-- I would have just thought that we were walking to class together. I never would have suspected we'd be mentally preparing to negotiate with someone who had tried to kill me. 

Scott took a deep breath as we both stood outside the locker room door, "Any last words?" \

I rolled my eyes, "I think we're extremely stupid for doing this."

Scott chuckled, "I think desperate would be a better word for it." 

"Let's get this over with," I muttered as he pushed open the door. 

I frowned immediately upon seeing Tracy standing next to Theo. The smug look on his face made me want to turn on my heels and hightail it out of here, but I knew I was going to have to swallow my pride and focus on the bigger picture. I need to save Mason and Theo was going to tell us something to help make that happen. 

"I told you we'd end up on the same side," Theo smirked, folding his arms over his chest. 

I let out a huff, "I could always punch you in the face to remind you that we most certainly are not."

The smirk on his face grew, "I love that attitude of yours."

Tracy rolled her eyes, "I don't."

I had to bite my tongue to keep my vile response to myself. Scott placed his hand on my shoulder reminding me to keep my cool and he focused his attention to Theo, "We know you're not on our side, Theo. You said you wanted to help Lydia, but you left Eichen with something else, didn't you?"

"You mean the mask?"

My stomach hit the floor. I could feel Theo's eyes on me. He was gauging my reaction and I bit down on the inside of my cheek to try and center myself. His eyes drifted back to Scott, "Are you worried about that?"

My brother instantly grew uneasy, "Did you put it on? Who did you see?"

Once again Theo fixed his eyes on me and smirked, "Not Mason."

I couldn't keep my cool anymore, I took a step forward and narrowed my eyes at Theo, "Stop playing games, Theo." 

He let out a sigh and readjusted his arms, "We all want the same thing. We want Mason back, right?" 

"Yeah," I snapped, "only difference is we want him back alive."

Theo stepped towards me, closing the small gap that was between us moments ago, "I'm willing to make a compromise. You still have the map with the telluric currents on it? Bring it to the operating theatre in two hours." 

I opened my mouth to shut down this negotiation because it was clearly a mistake thinking we would be able to out-weasel the the biggest weasel we know, but before I could say anything Scott spoke up, "We'll be there. Kasey, lets go." 

I was trying to not let it get to me that Theo was feeding off of this so I turned on my heel and followed Scott to the door, my Vans had just scuffed against the doorway when a chill ran down my spine. I whipped my head back fiercely, my eyes darting around the locker room. The air in the room had changed, the energy was shifting. Theo and Tracy were watching me intently and Scott was already in the hallway, looking at me in confusion, "Kasey, come on."

"Something's off," I muttered, taking a step back into the locker room. I glanced around the lockers, I can't put my finger on it but it feels like someone else is in here with us. Theo rolled his eyes, "Changing your mind already?" 

"No," Scott stated as he wrapped his fingers around my wrist and tugged me towards the hallway, "We'll be there in two hours." 

Once we were in the hallway Scott looked at me in confusion, "What the hell was that?" 

"Could you not feel that?" I asked incredulously, "The energy in that locker room shifted as soon as we went to leave." 

He shook his head from side to side, "Kasey, we gotta stay focused. I'm going to go get that map, did you wanna run to the Sheriff's station and check on Stiles?" 

"Yeah, I'll meet up with you later."

⬘ ⬘ ⬘

After my conversation with Theo, I knew that I needed to focus my efforts on keeping Stiles safe. Scott can handle Theo, at least I hope he can. I hope my brother has learned that you cannot trust Theo for a damn thing but if he has a common goal, it may be easier to work with him. So, Scott is going to tackle the Dread Doctors and the Beast and I am going to stay with Stiles to keep him safe from Malia's psychotic mother. 

When I got to the Sheriff's station earlier, just being near Stiles put my mind at ease. Knowing now that I can keep him safe if need-be make me feel a hell of a lot better. My ability to protect him is constantly up in the air but thank god it's in my favor right now. 

We had been sitting around talking and exchanging different outcomes for what Theo and Scott may encounter tonight as they search for Mason, up until Stiles passed out with his head in my lap on the sofa in his dad's office. I didn't have the heart to wake him up because I know he is exhausted. 

I was running my fingers through his hair aimlessly when Lydia walked back into the office. She glanced at Stiles and I then smiled, "How cute." 

"Any news?" I asked as I rolled my eyes and chuckled. 

She shook her head from side to side, "Nothing yet... but you know I've been thinking as I've been pacing around. Why Mason? He wasn't on the genetic chimera list." 

"He is now," my mother's voice broke through the room as she breezed past us up to Sheriff Stilinski's desk. 

I quirked an eyebrow, "How so?"

"Mason was born with twin embolization syndrome. " she said as she laid some papers on the desk. 

Lydia walked up beside her and looked at the papers, "You mean fetal resorption? He had a vanishing twin in utero?"

I nodded slowly, understanding where my mom was going with this, "Which would account for two sets of DNA." 

"It sounds bizarre enough to where it might be important, right?" my mom asked, her eyes glancing between Lydia and myself. 

Lydia was nodding quickly, "There has to be something in that file that helps piece this together." 

I slowly slipped myself out from underneath Stiles and pulled my phone from my pocket, "I'm gonna try to call--"

My phone fell to the floor and the air seeped from my lungs. Lydia spun around and was watching me in confusion, "Kase?"

My hands flew to my ears to try and block out the piercing shrill that was reverberating off of the walls. The walls of the office started to fade in and out and I knew that something was seriously wrong. What is going on? 

"Lydia, something is-- something is wrong." I mumbled, swaying from side to side. 

My mother and Lydia both rushed to my side and attempted to steady me, knowing that I was about .2 seconds away from collapsing. The commotion had stirred Stiles away and he sat up with a gasp, eyes wide as he looked around frantically. When his gaze landed on me he flew off the couch and was standing directly in front of me, "Hey, hey. Kasey? It's okay." 

My eyes were burning and it felt like acid was dripping down my face. Panic started to seep out of me, knowing that she was trying to come out. I fell to my knees, my bones feeling like they were being snapped in half. 

"Stiles-" I gasped out, "run. You all have to run." 

"You really thought you had gotten rid of me, huh?"  her thick accented voice was bouncing around in my skull and I pulled my head inwards towards my stomach, biting down on the inside of my cheek to try and prevent myself from screaming. 

Lydia was frantically grabbing the papers off of the desk and grabbing Stiles by the collar of his shirt, "Stiles! We have to go!" 

"No!" Stiles shouted as he shoved Lydia off of him, "I'm not leaving her!" 

My mother then realized that she needed to help Lydia pry Stiles off of me so she grabbed his arm and began to pull, "Stiles, we have to go. Now." 

"Please," I rasped out, looking to them frantically. "Get everyone out of here! Please." 

Stiles cupped my face in his hands and grimaced, "I can't leave you." 

"Stiles, she's going to kill you. Please. Find Scott and tell him. Please." I begged, clenching my jaw so tightly that my teeth felt like they were about to shatter. 

I could feel her about to break through the walls I had put up in my mind. She had been subdued for awhile but she is so much stronger now. I don't know where this sudden burst came from but I wouldn't doubt that the Dread Doctors are somehow responsible. 

"I spared him the first time, I won't make the same mistake twice, Kasey." 

The adrenaline pumping through my body right now felt like straight battery acid and I knew that I was slipping. I watched as Lydia and my mother both yanked Stiles off of the floor and pulled him from the office. My mother looked back at me from the doorway, "Kasey, I will do whatever I can to keep them all safe. I am going to get Scott. I'm coming back for you, I promise." 

"Mom, please run. Get as far away from me as you can, she's going to kill all of you. Please." I sobbed, crawling to the far wall of the office. I have to hold out for as long as I can. I need to give them time to get away from me. 

My mother's resolve broke and I saw tears spring from her eyes as she slammed the door shut and began shouting at everyone to evacuate the building. I ran my hands through my hair, my body was convulsing and red hot tears were stinging my eyes from the pain in my body. I gritted my teeth as I tried to think of a way to slow her down. My eyes then landed on a pair of handcuffs on the desk. 

"Now, you know we can break those." 

I winced, "I'm not going to let you kill anyone else." 

"That's why we work so well together, Kasey. We look the same. We feel the same... we kill the same." 

My heart felt like it was about to explode as I moved towards my cell phone. I have to warn Scott, he needs to know. Just as I was about to lift myself from the floor I could tell that she had broken through. My vision started to get black around the edges and I felt like I was moving through water-- slow and heavy. 

"Enjoy the show, Kasey." 

____________________________________________________________________________

HELLO

i am so sorry lol 

i cannot believe i am this bad at updating. sheesh. 

i have been watching season 6 though and it has given me the inspo? i am so out of practice so i do apologize if this is awful. i also had like zero notes on plotting so coming back all these years later i am trying to navigate as well as rewrite the ending so to speak lol 

i do hope that yall still enjoyed this. i am trying to finish off the the last two chapters and make them more cohesive with what i had already written. i have been rereading the series to try and jumpstart where i left out. i have also been taking very detailed notes for season 6 so this will not happen again lmao.

i wanted all 3 chapters to be out before christmas but with my work schedule i just don't think i have the time to fix the last two chapters before then so this is what i could get out for you guys. i love you all so much and i appreciate the support and love as always. 

while going back and reading the other books, my authors notes in the beginning were like super bitchy and i apologize? i have no idea why i was so hostile and embarrassing lol so thank you for sticking with me even though i was acting like a full out idiot. 

anyways, 

stay safe, stay warm and stay healthy pups xxx