Never Let Me Go » Liam Dunbar

the one with the rape van

Liam and I both lurched to the right as I pressed on the breaks and pulled to a stop in the creepy, abandoned building on the outskirts of town. Stiles' Jeep had just jolted to a halt in front of us, surrounding a large silver artillery van.

Braeden stepped out of the van as I turned off the car, jumping down and walking to the front as Liam followed suit. "How did you get the police transport van?" Stiles called, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans.

"I'm a US Marshall." Braeden responded, shrugging.

Stiles look taken aback. "Yeah, I thought that was just a cover."

I whipped my head around, faintly hearing the sound of a car approaching before Derek pulled up, quickly jumping out of the car. The passenger door opened and out stepped Peter Hale, as smug and V-neck clad as ever. I let out a low groan and rolled my eyes, hearing a snort from Liam beside me.

"Are we really bringing them?" Derek asked, raising his eyebrows skeptically at Liam and me.

"Are we really binging him?" Stiles shot back, nodding at Peter and returning the expression.

"We're bringing everyone we can." Peter cut in before anyone else could add their two scents. Classic Peter. I let out a light huff, feeling Liam's hand gently brush mine before he grabbed onto my wrist, sliding his hand over mine and linking our fingers.

"And, considering Scott and Kira were taken the night before a full moon," Peter said with his little superior lilt that made me want to sucker punch him right in the throat, "We should probably get going."

"What's that mean?" Malia asked, and I watched their interaction cautiously. Both of them were unpredictable at best, and now that she was directly talking to him... I didn't see a good outcome.

"If Kate took Scott to the same temple she took Derek, how do we know she won't do the same thing to him?" Peter responded, tilting his head slightly. Although trusting Peter Hale was not something I ever participated in, and I would hardly be credible to anyone else, I had the worst feeling about this. Peter always seemed to know too much, to be withholding vital information.

"She wants to make him younger?" Liam mused from beside me.

Derek's eyes looked us up and down before he answered. "Or take him back to when he wasn't a werewolf."

"A werewolf can't steal a true alpha's power," Peter began ominously, "but maybe a werejaguar with the power she got behind her can." He concluded. "So, if everyone is sufficiently freaked out, I say we get going."

"Not without Lydia." I interjected, halting the middle-aged monster as he started to turn around. He turned back, a sour look on his face.

"Well, where is she?" Derek asked, and I opened my mouth to respond when I was cut off by Malia. Liam's hand squeezed mine gently and he pulled me closer to his side.

"We have Kira's sword, but we need something with a stronger scent." Malia explained, brandishing the sword. "Lydia went to go get a jacket from her locker."

Stiles voice drew my attention to him, where he stood with his phone out and a deep frown on his face. "Nothing," He mumbled, indicating that Lydia hadn't answered.

"Why do we always pull this stupid Scooby-Doo crap and split up? Who comes up with these plans? This is always an awful idea-" I began ranting, planting my hand on my hip, until I was cut off yet again- but this time by Braeden.

"She has a car, she can catch up." Her tone was entirely indifferent, and I narrowed my eyes at her bitterly.

"That's a good idea, we'll call her on the road." Peter nodded, smiling falsely at the group and starting to turn again.

"No we sure as hell won't, you Christian Bale Wannabe." I snapped, feeling Liam pulling on my arm as I started to lunge forward.

Stiles stepped in front of me, nodding. "She's right. What if something happened? What if she's in trouble?"

"Fine," Peter sighed, "You can stay. You find her. We're going to go on without you." He continued, and I let out a low noise of distaste. Everything about him from his creepy sociopath smile to his too-tight jeans made me want to throw up.

"I could call Mason," Liam suggested behind me, and we all turned to look at him curiously. "He has a study group at school and I could ask him to look for her." He offered, looking back around at us as he produced his phone from his pocket.

"Alright, fine." Stiles sighed after a moment of unresponsive silence from the group. Liam dialed the number and stepped back to call Mason, while everyone else started getting situated in the different vehicles. I moved toward the car when Stiles' hand landed on my shoulder, pulling me back to look at him.

"Maybe you should take the front, the van's not going to be the safest place for you to be." He said, looking around at Derek and Peter as they got in the back. His eyes wandered over to Liam. "I know you want to be with him, which equal parts disgusts and confuses me, but I want to make sure you don't get hurt."

I looked away from Stiles' eyes, instead watching Liam say something on the phone before he pulled it back, staring at the screen for a minute and then shoving it deep within his pocket. He looked up, his bright blue eyes meeting mine, and then I looked back at Stiles, knowing that Liam hadn't looked away. "Alright, I'll ride up front."

Stiles squeezed my shoulder and then dropped his hand, hurrying over to the car and climbing inside. I waited until Liam reached me, folding my arms over my chest to shield from the cool breeze entering a broken window. "I'm going in the front, with Braeden." I informed Liam, trying to look him in the eye.

"Good, that's safe." He responded seriously, and I finally blinked up at him, my eyebrows pulling together. I nodded slowly, not leaving his eyes. Liam slid his arms around my shoulders, pulling me tightly against his chest and resting his chin on my hair. "I want you to be safe."

"I want you to be safe." I responded, leaning my head back so I could look up at his face instead of being buried in his chest. "I don't trust Peter, and I need you to protect yourself over anyone else, okay?" I urged quietly, knowing that there was always a chance Peter could be listening anyway.

Liam shook his head, denying my request. "No, I'm protecting you. And Scott, and Kira, and Stiles and Malia and Lydia. I'm the last in line, Soph." He answered with such honesty that I couldn't help but frown. I knew that he was being selfless and trying to help his friends, but I hurt to know that something could happen to him and he would let it, knowing it meant we'd be okay.

"We've gotta go, Sophie!" Stiles called, waving me over frantically. I nodded, looking back up at Liam for a split second before he kissed my forehead gently, letting me go and walking swiftly to the van. I didn't look back at him as I hurried to the passenger door, climbing inside and brushing my hand over my cheek, wiping away the lone tear that was leaking from my eye.

"Remember, it's not just Kate we're going up against, it's the Berserkers." Peter announced loudly. "You might see human eyes behind those skulls, but do not assume that there's humanity left in them."

I glanced over at Liam in the rearview mirror, who froze while he was situating himself in the back of the van. "Ah, this little one's afraid of them." Peter teased, "Don't worry, my friend, it is that fear that's going to keep you alive. A reminder to everyone, you do not fight Berserkers to stay alive. You fight them to kill."