North Starr

47

Melanie waited while Melissa looked over Stiles to make sure he wasn't possessed. As the redhead figured, he was himself.

After a moment, Stiles asked, "Is she here?"

Melissa nodded and Stiles said, "Okay, let's do this."

Melanie helped Stiles down the stairs and saw Mrs. Yukimura who said to him, "Do you recognize me?"

A door slammed and Kira ran in and said, "Stop."

Stiles looked at her. "It's okay. I'm the one who asked her to come."

Kira narrowed her eyes. "You're the one who's going to get stabbed with swords. Mom, don't do this to him!"

"It's already done," Mrs. Yukimura answered.

The Oni appeared and one stood behind Stiles. They grabbed the back of his head with their gloved hands. Stiles shook and fell to the ground and the Oni disappeared.

"Look behind his ear," Mrs. Yukimura told them.

Melanie made her way to Stiles, followed by Kira, and knelt next to him to see a backwards five on the back of Stiles' ear.

"It worked!" Scott cried excitedly.

Melanie smiled. "Yeah. It worked."

Stiles looked relieved as he asked, "So I'm actually me?"

Mrs. Yukimura gave him a small smile. "More you than the Nogitsune."

"Can the Oni find him?" Scott questioned.

She nodded. "Tomorrow night. It's too close to dawn now."

A disturbing thought crossed Melanie's mind and she asked, "Can they kill him?"

"That depends on how strong he is."

"What about Lydia? Why her?"

"He would only take her for an advantage."

Scott frowned. "You mean for her power."

Mrs. Yukimura nodded at his words. "The power of a Banshee."

As soon as everything had been sorted, Scott drove them to the station so Stiles could meet up with his dad.

Stiles glanced at Melanie. "Are you okay?"

Melanie let out a sigh. "I don't know. What I do know is you're not."

"Mellie, I'm fine."

"Please don't lie, Stiles. Not to me. I can see you're not fine."

They entered the station and saw Deputy Parrish at the front desk. He smiled at them and the sheriff muttered, "Ah, if I could just find my keys."

"In your coffee cup," Stiles said. "You always drop them in your coffee cup."

Sheriff Stilinski looked to Melanie and Scott for confirmation and they nodded. Stiles ran to his dad and the sheriff threw his arms around his son. "Hey, Dad."

"Is it over?"

Scott shook his head. "Not yet."

Scott and Melanie left the room so father and son could have a moment.

"We'll save Lydia," Scott reassured.

Melanie shook her head. "How? Stiles is dying and Lydia's missing. I can't lose him, Scott. I can't."

"We'll save them both, Melanie."

The sheriff and Stiles joined them and the sheriff said, "We got an APB on Lydia's car. Every unit on the road is looking for her."