I M P U L S E | Jackson Whittemore [2]

02: Surprises & Answers

SOTC: The Cave // Mumford & Sons

Annie's flight was six hours long, and her back was seriously in pain, among other things. Coming back to this town proved one thing for sure... she now would be forced to relive the uncomfortable memories she had created in Beacon Hills.

Walking onto the Skydeck, Annie's mind suddenly flashed with memories of when she and Sam initially arrived. They were each so excited to start their new life, that they overlooked the several problems in their way... Annie wondered how they even reached this point. Sam had been kidnapped by some crazy bitch and Annie was returning to Beacon Hills after everything she had been through. The town left her feeling heartbroken and wondering why she ever agreed to move there, in the first place.

She had the same suitcase as before, her broken tire clicking against the tile floor as she made her way towards the exit. Déjà vu flooded her mind multiple times on her way out. Through old habits, she looked up for her family, remembering she barely had any left. With her Aunt Kate, Aunt Victoria, and mother dead; her father missing; and her brother and uncle taken by the Darach... Annie almost had no one left.

But she would get them back, she promised herself. She couldn't lose her brother and uncle, too. Swallowing and pushing past the memories, Annie exited the airport and quickly waved down a cab.

The car ride dragged by and Annie was suddenly wishing she would have had Stiles pick her up. At least that way she would escape a pricey bill and she wouldn't have to sit in such uncomfortable silence with her mind boggling with stressed thoughts about her brother.

Pulling up her old house, she paid the taxi driver and pulled her own luggage from the trunk. Watching the yellow car pull away, Annie walked up to the front door and ran her fingers over the slick key in her hand. The street lamp was reflecting off the golden metal.

Despite her unbelievable hatred, she couldn't help but think of Jackson. Just the symbol of a key held so much history for her. She remembered Jackson slipping it onto the counter when she worked as an office worker. Flashes of him pushing her up against his house when she tried to return it – kissing her violently but passionately – left shudders down her spine.

She had to blink and shake her head to break herself from her thoughts. She couldn't allow memories to take her focus away from saving her brother... maybe from saving everyone, the way Stiles and Scott talked about it.

It seemed like since she left, everyone had been on the brink of death the entire time. Allison, Isaac, Stiles, Scott, Lydia, Sam... everyone. With this Deucalion dude coming in – along with the psycho Darach – Annie felt terrible that her friends were refusing to call for help. They cared for her so much that they avoided calling to prevent reopening wounds that had barely healed.

They did too much for her, the little bastards.

After a moment more of gratefulness for such terribly terrific friends she had, Annie shoved the key into her old door and pushed herself inside. She disregarded the toppled over suitcase she dragged behind her.

With a loud boom box playing dubstep music and a mess of balloons scattering down around her, Annie was slapped awake with a welcoming party thrown just for her. A frown weighed down her cheeks when spotted Stiles, Scott, and Allison smiling and waving their hands in the air, shouting, "Surprise!"

She dropped her suitcase handle and stared wide eyed and unmoving as she watched the crowd of people in her house explode. They chugged red plastic cups of liquid — sure to be alcohol — as they began to grind on one another to the party music.