RETURN || SCOTT MCCALL [1]

||5.08.2||

WE DIDN'T LOOK ALL NIGHT.

Mason made sure of that, with Malia's help, and eventually Scott caved, and inevitably dragged me to the car.

We didn't find them. That alone could make me cry for weeks- Liam was still out there, and the longer he's out there, the chances of him getting killed were greater. The thought made it hard to breathe as I thought of the night he'd spend alone and in pain if he was still alive before we could continue looking tomorrow.

I didn't want to return to the McCall household; I wanted to keep looking- and I would've if Scott and the others didn't drag me home.Mason pointed out that I'd be no help to Liam if I ended up passing out from exhaustion- none of us would. And that's when I finally and reluctantly came to my senses and stopped attempting to jump out of the car.

I froze when I entered, because it couldn't be- how could it be? We searched everywhere for them and- it just couldn't be.  Because there they were- my brother and Hayden, curled up onto one another, seemingly unharmed for now,asleep and safe right there on Scott's couch. I covered my mouth with my hand to stifle the sob of relief I knew was coming.

One by one they all hugged Theo- my brother's savior. I caught a glimpse of Scott's face through it all, and was I imagining the look on his face? Was he jealous and angry Theo was the one to rescue them? Or was he just suspicious on how Theo found them and we didn't?Knowing Scott McCall it was probably the second. Honestly though, I don't care how Theo found them- I'm just happy he did and so beyond grateful.

I come to an awkward halt in front of my... I'm not even sure. Ex something. I'm looking down at my feet, unable to look into his eyes after what I did.

Theo's pulling me into a hug after that, and I'm shocked still for a moment before I wrap my arms around him too. "Thank you.. God, Theo, thank you.."

Lydia and I shared a hug before we spread a blanket over my brother and his new lover. (I think? This snuggle was definitely not platonic.) I shared a smile with my best friend, and I could tell she was feeling the same relief I was that they were found.

I open my mouth to apologize for my behavior earlier, and she seems to know it because she was quick to cut me off, waving me off.

The room slowly cleared out as Scott went to talk to Kira outside(in the rain...) and Malia and Theo went upstairs to research more about the Dread Doctors. Soon, it was just Lydia and I, and the sleeping sophomores. I carefully tucked the blanket up higher on my brother, reigning in tears.

He's here. He's alive.

Liam stirred a little, his eyebrows drawing into a straight line before his blue eyes opened a crack, squinting at Lydia and I hovering over him. "Indi?" he mumbled, voice thick with exhaustion.

I felt myself almost lose my composure, but who wouldn't when Liam was here, and safe and talking- much more than I dared hope for after his kidnapping. But I just smiled, eyes stinging with tears of relief, and nodded, pressing a kiss to his forehead. "You're okay now, Li. Go back to sleep. You and Hayden are safe now."

That seemed to suffice, and he slowly drifted off, letting me finally let the tears fall, and to sob on my best friend's shoulder.

"I-I thought I was gonna lose him!" I sobbed into Lydia's shoulder. I felt her arms embrace me tightly, and she nodded.

"I know, Indi, I know." she murmured.

I was still crying too, even though Liam is safe now. It's like it's not real- like he's still in danger, and in some ways he is. He's part of this world now- this supernatural world I tried so hard to keep him out of, and his life is always going to be in danger and I can't take it. That's why I'm crying. Or maybe because I wasn't there to protect him- even though I swore to myself  I would, especially after becoming an alpha, especially after Claire took our parents from us- took everything. And I took that power to protect him, and dammit I was going to continue to protect him, and I had failed to do that today.