✓ | battle wounds, scott m.

chapter fifteen.

Ella rushed into the animal clinic with her brother at her side, Ella walking to the back room to hug Scott. Scott let her, resting his head on her shoulder and taking in her vanilla scent. Ella pulled away and stood beside Scott, her brother on the other side of him. "All right, we're gonna do everything we can. Right now, the best thing you can do is go back to school." Scott motioned for Stiles and Ella to follow him to the back, Ella worrying about what Scott was going to say. "We have to tell him," Scott said immediately after closing the door. "You mean, like, tell him, tell him, or tell him something else that isn't telling him what I think you want to tell him?" Stiles rambled. "You know what I mean," Scott replied.

"You remember how your mom reacted? She didn't look you in the eye for, like, a week. And Ella? Ella was scared to death of you," Stiles said, motioning to his sister when he said her name. "And they got over it, and and it actually made us closer," Scott said, glancing at Ella who was beside Stiles now instead of him. "I don't know, dude. I mean, look at him. Come on, he's completely overwhelmed as it is," Stiles said.

"He's overwhelmed because he has no clue what's happening," Scott insisted, "He's got people dying in his town, the town that he's supposed to protect, and it's not his fault that he doesn't know what's happening. He's gonna find out sooner or later."

"Yeah, but is now really the right time?" Stiles asked. "Ella, what if not telling him now gets someone else killed?" Scott asked, looking at the other twin. "What if telling him gets him killed, Scott?" Ella asked furiously. "Scott, look, we get that Deaton's been like a father to you. We get that, okay? But this is our— this is our actual father. Ella and I can't— we can't lose both of my parents, all right? Not both of them," Stiles said, reaching for Ella's hand in a comforting manner. "You're right," Scott gave up. Ella and Stiles shared a long, silent look. The two thinking the same thing and nodding simultaneously before both of them sighed, "No, we're not. We're not right. We'll tell him."

"I'll help you two," Scott said before opening the door out of the cat clinic. Stiles wrapped an arm around Ella's shoulders, Ella placing her hand above his. "Please do whatever you have to to find my brother," said Miss Morell. Ella froze in place, her, Stiles, And Scott exchanging looks. 'Brother?' Ella mouthed to Scott. Ella's father and the deputy nodded before walking away, Miss Morell then walked up to the three teenagers. "Listen, all three of you," She spoke, "No Sheriff, deputy or detective is gonna be able to find him."

"You don't have to ask us for help," Scott said. "Actually, I'm trying to help you, because if you're going to find my brother, then you need to use the one person who might actually have an ability to seek out the supernatural," Miss Morell stated. Ella exhaled, "Lydia."

▼

The three teenagers arrived back at school and decided to split up to look for their strawberry blonde friend, Scott making Ella stick with him. Ella gave Stiles a look that spoke, 'help' but Stiles pretended like he didn't see it and sped off in a rush. Ella rolled her eyes and turned back to Scott, "Why did you want me to stay with you?" "Okay, earlier when we said the whole long game thing, what does 'the long game' even stand for? I want to know what I'm playing," Scott said lowly as they walked down a hall.

"The long game. You want a definition for it? Here's this: waiting for someone as long as it takes even when they don't love you. That's what I'm playing. I don't know what you expected to find, or what you were expecting to play, but yeah. This is my long game," Ella said, sliding her small hand into Scott's large one and holding it up, "This is why I play the long game," Ella set Scott's hand loose, "I play it so that someday, I can walk around this school with your hand in mine. I play it so I can. . kiss you whenever I feel like it." At that moment, Scott looked down at her lips and only watched her lips move, barely even paying attention to the words that left her pink and plump lips. "I play it so I can call you mine, Scott," Ella sighed, out of breath from all the rambling, "I play it for the day you can look me in the eyes and say you're not in love with Allison. For the day you can hold me close and tell me how you've loved me from a specific age and you've always been scared of what I would say. Those days. . are the reason that I keep playing. And I'm running out of lives, Scott."

Scott looked at Ella sadly, Ella not realizing that she had just poured her heart out to the Scott McCall; the boy she's had a crush on since the second grade. Ella took a deep breath then exhaled, "I'm sorry." As Scott was about to say something, Ella's phone went off.

[mischief:

Found her]

Ella nodded and mentally thanked her brother, Ella's ocean eyes looking up into Scott's brown eyes, "They found her." Ella looked down at her phone and sent Stiles a text message.

[Ella banana:

Where are you guys?]

[mischief:

Science room]

[Ella banana:

On my way]

Ella bit her lip and looked up at Scott who had been staring at her the entire time, "They're in the science room. I'm gonna go with them. Can you buy me food?" Scott chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, "From where?" Ella looked up and scratched her chin, pretending to think, "Mmm, I'm in the mood for Chick-Fil-A." Scott shook his head, "Okay, text me what you want." Ella nodded and looked down at her phone, turning away. Ella then stopped and ran back to Scott, pecking his cheek then running to the science room. As soon as Ella ran into the classroom, she saw Cora, Lydia, and her brother with their fingers on a piece of a Ouija board, and Ella immediately wanted to leave the classroom. She stepped into the hallway for a moment and texted Scott what she wanted from Chick Fil A, her stomach growling.

[Cinderella:

Chicken sandwich with mayonnaise and cheese. A cheese potato instead of fries. A sprite to drink. I love you very much, thank you]

Ella then returned inside of the classroom and walked over to the table where everyone stood. Ella watched as Stiles took out a bunch of keys from his pocket, "Okay, these are Deaton's keys for the clinic. Close your eyes and I'm gonna put them in your hand. We're just gonna try and see if you can feel out for his location. It's called psychometry." "I'm not a psychic," Lydia reminded Stiles. "You're something!" Stiles exclaimed, Ella flinching back.

"Okay? So, just Lydia, put out your hand!" Lydia rolled her eyes then closed them, Stiles hesitantly placed the keys in Lydia's palm, Lydia letting out a sound as her fingers curled around the keys. Ella's eyes widened, "What, Lydia?" Lydia opened her eyes and looked at Ella's blue ones, "They're cold." Stiles's eye twitched in annoyance, "Lydia, please, concentrate. We're trying to save lives here, for the love of God—" Ella placed a hand on her brothers shoulder, squeezing it gently, telling him to calm down.

Lydia's eyes closed again, her hand clenching on the keys a couple more times before her eyebrows furrowed and she frowned. "What is it? What do you see?" Stiles asked. "Nothing," Lydia said in an apologetic voice. "What if none of the things you try works?" Ella asked, biting down on her lip. "Have you some faith in me, Dani," Stiles grunted, handing Lydia a piece of paper and pen. "Automatic writing?" Lydia asked before huffing and beginning to draw something on the paper in front of her.

Ella looked over at the paper to see that Lydia was not writing an address, like she and her brother had hoped, but sketching a drawing. "Lydia?" Stiles asked, "What're you doing? What the hell is that?" "A tree," Lydia replied. Ella took a seat on a stool and banged her head against the table. "A tr– Lydia, you're supposed to be writing words, sentences! You know, something like a location, something that would tell us where he is," Stiles stated. "Well, maybe you should've said that," Lydia said. "Isn't she supposed to be some kind of genius?" Cora asked. "Genius? Yes," Lydia answered.

"Psychic, not so much," Ella muttered. "Honestly, I don't know why you're even bothering with me anyway. I mean, especially since it's obvious you should be talking to Danny." "What? Why Danny?" Stiles asked. "Because. ." Scott walked into the classroom, clutching his shoulder which was bleeding, "Last night, he was a target. But it wasn't a sacrifice." Ella pushed herself off of the stool and running to Scott, "What the hell happened to you?" "I just ran into Deucalion. Nothing big, I'm okay," Scott assured her, smiling softly. Ella sighed, "Well, I'm not. . you didn't bring me my food."