Phoenix || Malia Tate

21

She knows the instant she the first ring sounds through that something is wrong. There's an instinct in her that just knows, can feel that something terrible has happened. She's hesitant when she picks up the phone, doesn't want to know whatever it is, doesn't want this bliss to come crashing down into reality, but Kira won't stop calling and she has to answer eventually. She doesn't say hello, doesn't even have the chance to wait a second before Kira bears the bad news. "Scott's been hurt."

Malia's frozen for a moment as images of Scott on the floor, bruised and bloodied and dead, flash across her mind.

"What happened?"

Kira has to take a moment, has to gather her emotions, before she can finally utter it out. "Hunters."

"What?" Malia says it almost instantly. They haven't had a problem with hunters in ages, not since Allison gave them a new code and Argent it his life's mission to carry it out after her death. Any other hunters that didn't go by that code generally stayed out of Beacon Hills. For them to suddenly come up now, for them to hurt Scott... it's weird.

"We were all at the Sheriff Station," Kira explains. "A-And these people came in and just started shooting up the place. It was horrible, Malia. The place is an absolute wreck. And we don't know who they are. Argent says they're not with him, but they had masks on. "

Malia's heart is hammering against her check, the sound of it suddenly so loud in her ears. "Is everyone else okay?"

"Yeah, we're okay, but Scott – he got shot. Deaton managed to get the bullet out but he's...he's not doing too well."

It's as if Malia's lungs have collapsed in on themselves, preventing her from breathing, choking her on her own shock.

"I-I'm on my way."

Malia hangs up. She's up in an instant, gathering her bag but shaking so badly, moving so fast that she's dropping half of the stuff she's picking up. Phoenix, confused and slightly panicked by her sudden panic, is beside her in a second, grabbing her hands and forcing her to be still for just as second. "Hey," he says softly. "Hey, calm down. What wrong? Everything okay?"

Malia looks at him. "I have to go."

"Okay," he nods. "You want me to come with?"

"Would you?"

Phoenix gives her hand a squeeze and pulls her body towards his. "Yeah. Yeah, of course," he says, arms wrapped around her and head on top of her head.

He is the calm in the sudden storm, and she needs as much stability as she can get right now. He lets go of her, picks up the books and blanket, and grabs her hand as he leads her out of the den. He doesn't ask any questions, doesn't force her to explain. He just slides her bag onto his shoulder and doesn't let her go the entire way there. 

Neither of them know that home is about to come crashing down.