As much a Rory loved Liam Dunbar and thought of him as a brother, that would never make attending lacrosse games fun nor bearable.

Watching Liam get thrown around and tackled wasn't her idea of a good time, no matter how much the young boy enjoyed it. He was extremely good as well, but even his talent didn't make Rory want to rush out and watch him play.

She did appreciate the game for being something Liam loved, and also a place for him to get out a lot of the anger that raged inside him due to his mental illness. But Rory would never ever enjoy seeing her brother's best friend get tackled over and over again.

"You look uncomfortable."

Rory snapped out of whatever world she was in at the sound of a voice, and once she turned to see who it was she wasn't disappointed.

Scott Mccall had come to stand next to the girl, who looked both uncomfortable and slightly out of place. He followed her gaze to where she watched Mason and Liam talk. He didn't have a sibling, so he didn't get the bond that Rory had with Mason yet it was something he instantly admired about her. She cared so much about him, much like Scott cared about a lot of people.

"I'm not the biggest fan of lacrosse," Rory answered honestly. Her gaze had flicked back to watch Mason and Liam, much like it always did when the boys were around her. She couldn't help but be protective. The girl mentally cursed herself after the words fell out of her mouth as she remembered the maroon colored lacrosse shirt that Scott had worn. He was on the team. Rory turned back to Scott and grimaced. "No offense, of course."

"None taken, it can get pretty brutal."

"Like when you nearly broke Liam's leg at try outs?" Rory asked, her tone light. She hadn't been there that day where Liam had to end up going to hospital but Mason had of course told her all about what he watched.

Scott externally cringed at the mention of this. His face scrunched up in a look of extreme regret, which made Rory want to retract all talk about Liam and his accident. Truthfully, she had been mad at first—Scott and Stiles are seniors and the fact they felt so threatened by a freshman that they brutally tackled him to prove some dominance angered the brunette. But it was the nature of the sport—Rory knew that and realised her anger was most likely misplaced. She also had time to get over it, Rory was never one to hold a grudge. It took up too much energy.

"I'm not actually mad about that," Rory quickly reassured the boy who looked more than sorrowful. Scott had never done her any wrong—in fact she figured it wasn't something the boy did often.

Rory couldn't help but be protective of Liam, she had felt that way ever since he defended Mason in kindergarten when he was getting teased about his slight lisp at the time.

Rory felt like she owed it to Liam Dunbar—he was someone that took care of everyone around him, but had no one to do the same.

"You have every right to be," Scott looked at Rory now with guilt filled eyes. "It was my fault."

Any kind of good feeling that Rory got from subtly mentioning the fall of Liam Dunbar was taken away at the hurt filling Scott's eyes. There was so much regret. Rory was being honest when she said that she wasn't that mad, but now she was almost slightly glad she brought it up.

Scott saying an apology wouldn't have meant nearly as much as what Rory could see on his face. He was so open; his deep eyes spoke volumes as to how he felt.

Rory couldn't help but think the gaze they held felt intimate. She didn't know if Scott was aware, but everything he felt from that day on the lacrosse field was now out in the open—and by just looking at Scott, Rory knew how he felt. Regretful. Angry at himself. Guilty.

Some small part of Rory was glad that she had mentioned the incident that seemed to be on the tip of her tongue anytime she was around Scott or Stiles. She wanted to be friends with them—she truly did but she didn't think that would have been possible without seeing the pure look of regret in Scott's eyes.

"Like I said—I'm not mad. People get hurt in lacrosse, it's one of the reasons that I dislike it so much," Rory admitted, her brown eyes never leaving Scott's ones. Rory was beginning to become infatuated with those eyes of his—how they said so much more than anything else, even his words. People often said eyes were the window to the soul, and that statement almost felt like it was aimed directly at Scott Mccall. "If Liam has forgiven you then don't even think for a second I'm holding a grudge. I'm not."

A slight twinkle in Scott's eyes told Rory that he was grateful for the reassurance, whether he needed it or not.

"That's why you feel protective over him right? You're trying to make up for that." Rory took a stab at guessing the answer to a question that had been brewing inside her for a while now. It was a question that Rory came to the lacrosse game in hopes of finding out—because she needed to know that Scott's intentions with Liam were pure.

Scott seemed to ponder this quietly, shifting on his feet slightly. "Maybe. I also think that Liam is a lot like me—well what I used to be like anyway. I think that's why I'm looking out for him, to make sure that he doesn't lose himself."

Rory couldn't help the grin that spread across her face—a white smile that beamed off her darker skin.

"What are you smiling at me for?" Scott asked rather sheepishly, pink slightly tinged his cheeks. He didn't think he had ever been the cause of a smile that bright.

"It's been a long time since Liam has had someone rooting for him beside his parents, and Mason and me. It's nice to see someone else sees what I see in him," Rory spoke her reason, but the captivating smile didn't move from her face. Neither did she remove her eyes from Scott's, their dark eyes dancing around each other like they hadn't seen each other ever.

A high-pitched whistle erupted from the field and Scott let out a short breath at the interruption. He looked reluctant as he spoke to Rory. "That's my cue, Coach will kill me if I don't get over there."

"Then I suppose you better go," Rory used her finger to point back at the stands where she was positive that Mason had ended up after talking to Liam. Well, at least she hoped. "I have to go find Mason anyway. Good luck, Scott."

Scott didn't think his heart could soar more than then—when Rory offered him luck, with so much confidence oozing off her voice. Almost like she knew he wouldn't need it, like she already believed that he would win this game.

Rory sent the boy one last smile before she was filing towards the stands in search of her brother—but not once did that smile leave her face.

---

There was something off about this game.

Rory didn't often attend lacrosse matches, that much was true, but she knew a normal one when she saw it. And this definitely wasn't it.

Among the cringing at watching people brutally tackle one another and clenching of fists when his old-school friends went hard on Liam, Rory observed the few players she knew and they weren't acting normal—she had no clue why, but something wasn't right.

Scott, Stiles and Kira were on edge, so much so that Rory could see it from where she sat next to Mason and his friend, Violet, on the stands. Their eyes barely stayed in the same position for a second, they were scouring the teams for someone or something. It made Rory herself on edge. If those three were worried, maybe she should be too.

Liam was also acting out of sorts—although she figured facing off against the team in which you used to play alongside and who was coached by the man you ruined the car of would do that to a boy. Liam was already an angry person, add in that and Rory thought he had a right to be slightly more temperamental.

It was the observation that there was something going on during this lacrosse game that made Rory stand up from her seat, mutter something to Mason, and clamber down to the field. Her hands instantly got shoved into her woolly jacket pockets as she watched her breath fan out in front of her. It was bitterly cold.

Rory thought it odd that Kira had been sent off the field. Coach had yelled something about her needing to work better with her team and how she should have passed the ball—from what Rory saw, the girl shot an amazing goal. A pass wasn't really necessary.

But she was semi glad that the girl had been. Rory took the opportunity to sit next to Kira on the bench, noting the obvious nervous tick of her leg bouncing up and down. Her gaze had been set out on the field until Rory had plopped down next to the girl.

"What is up with everyone?" Rory didn't beat around the bush when she asked Kira this question. It wasn't very common for the brunette to be this blunt, but something told her to get to the bottom of what was going on sooner rather than later.

Kira nervously looked to Rory now. Her fingers visibly clenched around her lacrosse stick that was still firmly in her grasp. "What do you mean?"

Kira was a shit liar, Rory discovered that off the bat. She clearly knew what the brunette was talking about. "You, Scott and Stiles are acting weird. I know I don't know you that well but I can tell."

Rory watched as Kira struggled to form words. Her mouth gaped open, but nothing rolled off her tongue.

A sickening thud echoed through Rory's ears before the girl could come up with anything. Both Rory and Kira's gazes instantly fell to where Liam had obviously collided with a Devenford player. His body lay on the field, seemingly groaning in pain.

Rory felt her body deflate. Her legs pushed her up to stand and move faster than her brain could comprehend what she had seen. Liam was hurt, that much she knew. There was no way he couldn't be.

Arms gripped Rory across the shoulders, preventing her from moving any further on the lacrosse field. Players manoeuvred around her to get to where the commotion was going—blurs of maroon and green.

Rory could barely see anything other than Liam though, her eyes zeroed in on the boy that needed her help. The boy that deserved a whole lot more than he ever got. The boy that made her little brother happier than anyone else. The boy that Rory would easily call another brother of her own.

"Aurora Hewitt," A gruff voice snapped her name close to the girl's ear. "You're not a player—you're not allowed on the field."

Coach Finstock held Rory back from running, his arm being the only thing that blocked the girl from speeding down the field.

Rory didn't react to anything, she only kept her eyes on the field where people surrounded the injured players. Not even the use of her full name could get the girl to care. "He's my—"

"I don't care who he is to you, Hewitt. Stay put."

A hand gently slipped onto Rory's forearm at Coach's words. Rory turned her head to look at the teacher now, her eyes narrowed.

It was Kira who had idled up beside Rory and it was her that told Coach she would keep Rory here, which let the man run over to where his players stood.

"He'll be okay, Rory," Kira said to the girl, both stared out to where Liam had now stood up. Scott and Stiles surrounded him, clearly checking to see if he was okay.

Rory let out a deep breath at seeing Scott beside the freshman. She trusted him with Liam, knowing how pure his intentions were now they had talked. There was no way Rory could make it out onto that field, not without a severe punishment from Coach—who happened to be her economics teacher. So, she was glad that Scott could be there for Liam.

"Scott's got him," Rory whispered more to herself than as a reply to Kira. Almost like a mantra to keep her mind at ease, allowing her to breathe easy.

Kira squeezed Rory's arm lightly as a show of support. She had her, just like Scott had Liam. Somehow Kira could see that being a common thing, something that wouldn't become unfamiliar. She had thought so since Rory had helped Lydia in the weekend prior—even though Kira didn't wish for Rory to be dragged along into the wild world of the supernatural, it was something she could see coming. There was no way she could care for Liam that much and not figure it out eventually.

Kira just hoped for Rory's sake that it didn't happen.

---

Rory launched herself into Liam's arms as soon as the boy was back on the side lines.

The brunette wondered whether she had actually ever hugged him before—although with all things considered she thought it was warranted. Rory had always hated lacrosse and seeing Liam get tackled to the ground tonight made her head spin. She didn't want to lose him, and she didn't want Mason to lose him either.

"You're okay," Rory muttered when her arms had tightened around the freshman—his arms had been slightly hesitant, but returned the gesture nonetheless.

"I'm all good, Ror."

"I told you I hate this sport," was the next words Rory uttered out. She pulled back from the hug but kept her hands gripped on Liam's shoulders. It made her feel slightly better, as if she could hold him then he was truly okay.

With her hands still on Liam, her gaze moved to where many boys in green stood. Her eyes narrowed as she glowered at them all. "How did they get away with playing that rough? I need to say something."

"No," Liam spoke rather loudly as he grabbed Rory's wrist. The girl had tried to storm passed, more than ready to let rip on his old teammates.

That was the thing about Rory—she was kind but that also meant that she was protective over those she felt the need to be. And that was the only time the brunette would be intimidating, scary even—when she got overly protective over people.

"It wasn't their fault—well it sort of was, but it was also mine." Liam kept his grip tight on Rory's wrist but the girl wouldn't budge. Her eyes shot daggers that looked as if they could pierce through steel at the Devenford players. Not one part of her retained anything Liam said.

"Rory." It was a new voice that spoke the girl's name now.

Maroon blocked Rory's gaze—the one stare down with a random boy on the opposing team only broken due to this. If Scott hadn't come to stand in front of Rory, she wouldn't have backed down. Not for a second. Not when they had been so vengeful to Liam, not when they could have easily broken his neck with that tackle.

"You okay?" Scott asked easily at the sight of Rory seething. She didn't psych him as a girl to nearly throw punches at people, but he swore that was what she was close to doing. Rory had a protective streak however and the other team had come close to putting Liam in danger.

Rory stood up slightly at the sight of Scott, no longer having to look like she wanted to murder someone. The boy looked at Rory with sympathy, his eyes once again told Rory everything she needed to know.

Without much thought, Rory wrapped her arms around Scott's torso. Her head lay against his chest, feeling the sharp intake of breath that the boy took when her arms looped around him.

The simple question of whether she was okay brought Rory back—it reminded her how it was Scott who took care of Liam, how he said he always would with intentions that Rory knew to be nothing but pure. And she didn't know how to thank him for that.

"Thank you for keeping him safe," Rory muttered the words against the material of Scott's lacrosse jersey, her eyes clammed shut.

Rory knew she was being dramatic—there was a small chance that Liam could have been injured in the collision, and there was an even smaller chance that it could have been fatal. He had still been in danger, and that didn't happen often to the people Rory cared about.

And plus, there was still something off about the entire lacrosse match, which only put the brunette further on edge. It also made her more grateful for Liam being safe.

"I didn't do much," Scott finally gained the words he was looking for, still gaping at the brunette that clung to him. His hand came to rest on her shoulder gently. "I will always keep him safe, Rory. I promise you."

And Rory believed that without a flicker of a doubt. Sure, she hadn't known Scott for long at all but there was something in the boy that oozed off trustworthiness and nothing but pure intentions.

The familiar feeling of someone watching you was what made Rory remove herself from Scott, she instantly regretted the movement she made. Why in holy hell had she hugged him so suddenly? Or even at all?

Rory spun around to not only see Liam watching, but Mason too. And Kira. And Stiles.

All gaping at the pair with curious eyes, Kira the only one that differed with a small smirk.

Rory felt her cheeks heat at not just the attention, but her actions prior. She was being dramatic, no one had died and now she looked crazy for launching herself into Liam and Scott's arms.

The main cause of her embarrassment was choosing to hug Scott—which now seemed more irrational than anything she had done all night. She barely knew the boy and yet he was the first one she had needed for comfort. And she had sought it from him unknowingly, before her brain could catch up with what she had done.

The brunette quickly grabbed Mason's wrist in her small hand, mumbled a small goodbye to all the teenagers that watched her and moved in the quickest direction that got her and her brother away from everyone.

Rory moved at a quick pace, dragging her younger brother loosely behind her. Her mind was too full of feelings from the night—distress, fear, gratefulness, embarrassment.

This night only added to the reason why Rory hated lacrosse games.

---

a scory hug?!?!?! we are blessed. also sorry this update took 89 years, lets hope i can get the next one out quicker lmfao!!