Breathe

chapter one: three weeks

Three weeks. That's how long it's been since my best friend, Allison, was taken from me and all our friends. It's been three months since my best friend died. You know how long I had to grieve over that? Three weeks. I had three weeks to be upset and feel sorry for myself because my life doesn't stop. Our lives don't stop.

"This doesn't seem so bad." My thoughts were broken by the sound of my brothers voice, Stiles.

"It's not the town, it's the plan." Lydia informed Stiles, speaking of the fact that we were in a small village in Mexico, basically trying to negotiate with the devil.

"What's wrong with the plan?" Stiles asked.

"Stiles. This could be the stupidest plan we've ever come up with. You're aware of that, right?" Lydia told him, but my brother refuses to be wrong.

"I'm aware it's not our best."

"We are going to die." Lydia said, I still remain silent and kick the dirt beneath my feet as I walk.

"Are you saying that as a Banshee or you're just being pessimistic?" Stiles asked, generally concerned for our well being.

"I'm saying it as a person who doesn't wanna die." Lydia informed him.

"Okay. Would you just mind restricting any talk of death to actual Banshee predictions?" Stiles requested with his usual sarcastic tone.

"This plan is stupid and we're going to die." Lydia said again making me smile.

"Oh, thank you." Stiles hummed.

"Mmm."

"Brooke, you okay? You haven't said anything since we left Beacon Hills." Stiles asked.

"I'm okay." I lied for the sake of everyone's sanity, but Lydia knew.

She looked at me and understood my pain as she was still suffering as well and she took my hand, giving it a firm squeeze and holding on as we continued to parade through the village.

When night fell we approached a rustic looking door. Two men stood at the door in leather jackets with their arms crossed.

"We're going to die." I leaned over and whispered to my brother who just took my hand.

Lydia said a Spanish phrase asking to enter the party to one of the men and he shook his head no. Expecting this previously Stiles took out a black card with a sugar skull on it and showed the guard. His opposite hand still holding mine firmly. The guard shifted his eyes toward a security camera in the corner. Stiles showed the card to the camera and the door opened. The guards let us pass and as soon as we were inside the door closed behind us. Leaving the three of us in a dimly lit hall way. Stiles' hand still in mine we walked down the hall, I turned quickly and grabbed Lydia's hand as well. The three of us heard loud music and the wall lamps were shaking as we approached a large wooden door. Stiles looked over his shoulder at us to see if we were ready and with a shaky nod he pushed the door open to reveal a bunch of teens dancing and drinking, most half naked. Stiles gave me a look and grabbed my hand again. Placing his on Lydia's back he lead us over to the bar.

While we stood and waited three shots were placed in front of us, we looked at the bar tender confused as we hadn't ordered any. But alas Stiles reached for his wallet anyway.

"No. On the house. Most American teenagers don't cross the border to refuse a drink." A large man appeared behind my brother and spoke with a thick Spanish accent.

"We didn't come to drink." I spoke, shoving my hand in my pocket I pulled out the bullet casing that belonged to them and dropped it in the shot glass in front of me. The three of us looking around to make sure nobody saw the exchange as the big man lead us down the hall to a dark room with an elderly women at a desk. Ripping the seems of what looked to be a burlap sack with a sharp knife. The three of us took a seat as the man stood in the corner. We sat in silence until she finally spoke.

"Severo hates this music." She said, referring to the large man. "Me? I've always loved the music of youth. This kind, especially. It has a savage energy."

"We're here for Derek Hale." Lydia said.

"Is that so?" The woman said looking at her smugly.

"We know you have him." Lydia snipped back.

"We've heard- you can be bought." I said.

Stiles pulled large wads of cash from Lydia's purse.

"It's 50,000 for Derek." Stiles said laying them out on the table.

"Now, where does a teenage boy get money like this? Japanese mafia?" The women asked.

Then the room was filled with sound of guns being cocked and loaded and Stiles looked to me to make sure I was okay, but I remained calm.

"Not smart to come alone." The woman said.

"What makes you think we came alone?" I asked sarcastically.

"You brought a wolf into my home?" She asked.

"We brought an Alpha." Stiles responded.

"My friends..." The woman said and sighed. "I don't think you're aware of your poor timing. Do you know what the dark moon is?"

"The part of the lunar phase when the moon is least visible in the sky." Lydia responded.

"But do you know its meaning?" The women asked.

"Some people say it's a time of reflection. Or grief." I said, immediately being reminded of Allison.

"Grief and loss, mija. I wonder why, when you and your friends have suffered so much loss, you would risk it again for someone like Derek Hale." The women said and it took everything in me not to jump up and strangle her.

"'Cause we don't like to lose." My brother said keeping his cool.

Then Servero's walkie-talkie went off, as someone's voice came through speaking in Spanish, followed by, "Front door clear. South clear."

"North?" Servero asked, when there was no response he proceeded to repeat Where are you north? in spanish which made us all realize the plan has worked so far.

"Stiles." Scott's voice came through the radio. "Take 10 off the table."

Doing as he was told, Stiles grabs a wad of cash and puts it back in his jacket.

"Maybe you should just take the deal." Lydia said.

"While I'm keen to follow the warning of a Banshee, I'm going to have to decline."

"Aaaa... Come on. Just give us Derek. You don't want him anyway. Haven't you noticed what a downer he is? No sense of humor, poor conversationalist. Just come on, take the money." Stiles said.

"Severo? Show them how the Calaveras negotiate." She said and the men took my brother, Lydia and I to a large room and locked us in. Not long after that, they dragged in an unconscious, Kira, Scott, and Malia.

"Hey Stiles. This plan sucks."