Won't Fall (Book Five: Teen Wolf Fanfic)

Ch. 9: Lies of Omission

Scott and I were in the animal clinic, standing across the table from each other.

Scott was looking at his inhaler, telling me everything that had been happening. "My asthma is back. I'm not sure how, but it came back. Just as bad as it used to be. So now, I keep my inhaler on me all of the time. Just like I used to. And it's been five days. We haven't seen any new Chimeras, and we haven't seen the Dread Doctors. We all go to school, pretending like nothing's happened. But everyone seems to know. You just walk down the halls, and no one's smiling. No one's laughing. You get the feeling that everyone can sense that something's coming. They just don't know what is, or how bad it's going to be. Every time I feel like I should do something about it, I find myself reaching for my inhaler. Like, I'm going to take a hit of it, and--and come up with some brilliant solution on how to save everyone. But I don't know what to do. I don't think anyone does. Maybe that's why no one's really talking to each other. Sometimes, we don't even notice each other. But I think some of us are okay with that. Because not talking makes it easier to keep secrets. And I don't know if anyone's really lying about things. Maybe it's more like lies of omission. Maybe the worst lie to Stilinski. Because no one's told him about Parrish yet. Then again, no one's told Parrish, either. He doesn't seem to remember taking the bodies. And we think that he's only really dangerous if you try to get in his way. If Stilinski knew the truth, he'd definitely get in his way. So, Lydia and Stiles are trying to find the bodies, which means finding the Nemeton. They're driving around, searching all of the woods. But the last time that we found this thing, three of us had almost drowned in ice water. We're not the only ones looking for Chimeras. Stilinski's got everyone looking for the next target. Questioning anyone who's a genetic Chimera. Anyone who's got two sets of DNA. No one really knows what they're looking for. Some think it's a serial killer. Some probably know it's worse. The two Chimeras that we know about, Hayden and Cory? They're both doing okay. Actually, better than okay. They're healing faster and getting stronger. They don't need our help. And I don't think they'd want it, anyway. Kira left to figure out what's happening to her, to try to fix it. And I'm getting more and more worried about Deaton. I know something's coming. And all I can think about is how good am I going to be if I can't even breathe?" He looked at me curiously, shaking his head. "But you still seem to be the only one unaffected. It's like we were talking about before. You know where you stand, and how much you can take, and you know how to not let anything get to you. I guess that doesn't come much of a surprise when..."

"When I used to be a stone cold bitch that didn't even let her feelings show?" I suggested.

Scott smiled a small smile, shaking his head. "You weren't that bad."

"Yeah, I was," I told him.

Scott sighed. "But with everything that's been going on... and how you seem to be the only one not changing, and not letting anything get to you... I guess that means that makes you the smartest one out of us."

"Well, I've had a lot of practice," I told him. "Besides, I'm a Hale. It kind of comes naturally."

Scott managed a chuckle. "I guess that's the only thing that really changed about you."

I raised my eyebrows. "You mean the major personality change from the time we met to now?" Scott nodded. "You want to hear me say it? Fine." I stepped around the table toward Scott. "Love changed me. You changed me. And it was for the better."

Scott smiled a small smile, looking down, letting it fade, returning serious. "But everybody else... we've been changing for the worst."

"I know," I told him. "But, Scott, I'm with you. For better or worse."

"Is there gonna be worse?" Scott asked.

"There always is before it gets better," I told him.

Scott nodded barely, looking up. "Right now, it doesn't feel like there's going to be a better."