Now you see me, now you don't {S.S}

Chapter 40

"It's progress. It's progress." Stiles repeated. Malia headed over to the funny pattern carved into the wall. She did a little thing with her claws and the wall slid open. We all walked in, the door closing behind us. The five of us either explored, paced, or sat down somewhere. I chose to sit on a box beside my brother as Kira paced beside us. Malia was laying in Stiles' lap across the room.

"You know, this is where it all started." I looked up and over to Stiles, my hands still in my sleeves and in my pockets. "That where the money was." Scott looked up too, looking over to the metal safe, as did Kira. "117 Million in bearer bonds." Kira started looking over the shelves behind her. And that's when I noticed how drained Scott actually looked. I smiled brightly when he turned back to face Stiles, catching a glimpse of me.

"How do you even change bearer bonds into cash?" Kira asked, picking up a jar and examining its contents.

"The bank, I guess." Stiles answered. I slouched against the wall and stared at the floor. "They just let it sit here the whole time collecting dust." Kira sat down beside me, so I shuffled closer to my brother so she had more room. "You know, bearer bonds are basically extinct?"

"Why does it matter?"

"You know how many problems that money could solve?" Scott and I shared a look, knowing we had both thought of the bills, the house, and mom.

"Mom does this thing. She writes down all the items in our budget, how much they cost, and then she adds them all up and figures out how long we have until..." Scott sighed and I sent him a supportive smile, knowing how depressing this subject was.

"Until we lose the house..." I finished, smiling sadly, going back to staring down at my feet.

Scott and Stiles were by the door, and I was sat with Kira and Malia. I was still refusing to take my hands out of my pockets, simply laying across the large box Malia and Kira were leaning against.

Kira had gone to looking after Scott, and Stiles was telling Malia that he had to leave for a bit.

"That means it's not just people getting sick, it's another assassin." There was silence for a moment as I stared up at the ceiling, just listening to the two interact. He really liked her...huh? I could hear Malia panting and sniffling on the floor beside me. I couldn't really see anything, the ceiling was fairly bland anyway.

"You're coming back, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'd never leave you behind." This interaction was so soft and loving...I swallowed thickly, needing to chuck something up out of my throat, however that would ruin their moment, and I wouldn't want that. When everything went quiet again, I sat up, my eyes shooting open as I gagged, lurching forwards. "(Y/n)?" I shook my head, looking down to the floor with a sad smile and holding up my hand to signal that I was fine.

"I'm fine..." I breathed out, my other hand gripping the edge of the box. Everything was quiet. I turned my head in the direction everyone was, hearing Malia shifting around beside me. Everything was dark, except for brief light grey figures, faint shapes in the darkness. "Why are you all so quiet?" I smiled weakly, genuinely concerned.

"Your hands..."

"Your eyes..." I shrugged, trying to brush it off.

"There's nothing wrong with me, I'm fine."

"(N/n), your eyes are white..." I swallowed again as my brother spoke.

"You're freezing, and your hands are fading." Malia added quietly. I flinched when someone's hand touched my forearm, not having expected it.

"(Y/n)..?" I hummed, acknowledging that Stiles had spoke. "Why'd you flinch...?"

"Nothing, I promise."

"(N/n)...can you see anything?" I stayed quiet, looking down to my lap and pursing my lips.

"N-not really..."

"Malia, keep an eye on her." She nodded, her hand lightly touching mine when Stiles' was removed. "(Y/n), take care of her." I nodded, lacing my fingers with Malia's. "I'll be back soon." I shifted from the box, carefully seating myself on the floor beside Malia. She kept a hold of my hand as she lay her head in my lap, making me jump a little.

"Sorry..."

"It's fine..." My other hand carefully set on her head, gently stroking down her hair. "We'll be fine..." I added, slouching a little bit so her head was sat more comfortably on my thighs.

Malia curled into herself, pulling a piece of paper out of her pocket. She at up a little as I stared at nothingness.

"Malia?" I asked when I heard her panting.

"I can't see."

"Welcome to my world, Lia, welcome. You'll be fine, okay? Don't panic." She continued to pant, beginning to panic. "Just close your eyes, and lay back down, like you're going to sleep...You won't notice." She nodded, carefully laying her head back onto my legs. I heard water splash elsewhere in the room.

"Scott? I-I can't- I can't see."

"What's happening to us?" I took a deep breath, gently taking Malia's hands when she sat up and keeping a hold of them.

"Malia, you'll be okay, I'm right here if you need anything, okay?" She replied with a panicked hum. There was more noise, faint banging and splashing. Scott couldn't see either...

"Hey, Scott?! Scotty?!" Stiles was outside of the vault. "In the vault, in there with you! It's called reishi mushrooms!" Mushrooms...? Why was Stiles talking about mushrooms...? "Scott?! Scott, open the door!" He was banging on the wall.

"Stiles..!" I called out, being the only person well enough to speak and actually respond.

"(Y/n)?!"

"Stiles! You said mushrooms?"

"Reishi mushrooms! They're on one of the shelves in a jar!" I was quiet for a moment.

"N-none of us can see! How are we supposed to find them?!" I could hear someone trying to get up. "Scott?" I asked, although I heard him gasp in response. My hands were still in Malia's and I could hear Kira fairly close to us. Something smashed. And I heard everyone gasp. Malia gripped my hands and I didn't feel as cold as I did before, only a little warmer now. I smiled softly, knowing my limbs were no longer fading. But I did hear the door open. I heard someone enter the room and Malia had frozen up, obviously staring at something. "M-Malia?" I asked, curious as to what she was staring at. Someone came over and knelt beside us.

"Hey, you all right?" There was more silence. "Malia? Malia?" A hand gripped something. I assumed it was Malia grabbing Stiles since one of her hands left mine. Her other hand left mine and I heard her stand up. I slouched and looked down at my legs. "(Y/n), what happened?" I shrugged, although reaching my hand out to where Malia had been sat and feeling a piece of paper. I stared down at where it was, soon tapping it and gaining Stiles' attention.

"I think it has to do with this..."

"What is it?" I heard Stiles pick it up, my finger slipping from it. "Oh no..."

"What?"

"It's the Dead-pool."

"What about it?" I asked, oblivious to the situation. I hadn't seen a single part of the lists.

"Her name's on it."

"She already knew that, though."

"It says Malia Hale."

"Oh..."

"You haven't seen that it says Hale?" I shook my head, staring at nothing in particular, which is when Stiles had looked up from the paper. "(N/n), are you okay?" I shook my head again.

"I-I still can't see." I moved my eyes around, trying to focus on something around the room and still seeing faint grey shapes.