No Good Deed | Hale - TVD/TO/TW [3]

21 | Allergic to Wolfsbane?

As Lexi runs up to the old house, she stops before the broken-down porch. Screams fill her ears as she stares at the burnt wood. Since the moment she had set foot back in Beacon Hills, she had avoided these woods—this house. And now a boy's life depends on her facing her fears.

"Derek?" She calls out, her voice wavering. She can hear soft pleas from inside the doors. Lifting her foot up the first step, a loud creak sends Lexi stumbling back. "Derek."

"Not now," she hears him mumble.

She forces herself up the stairs. Each one feels like knives piercing her heart.

"I don't deserve it!" Jackson Whittemore's whimper echoes through the destroyed house.

"I think you do."

Lexi bursts through the door, tears lining her eyes. "Derek, stop." She tugs his arm. "Leave the kid alone. It's not worth it."

"Ms. Adams?" Jackson whispers. "You're a part of all this?"

"Shut up," she snaps as she tightens her grip on Derek's arm. "You should've stayed out of this, Jackson."

A frightened tear slides down the boy's face. "So this is why McCall was so freaked out? He said the hunters would kill me, not you."

Lexi rolls her eyes. "Of course, the Argents will kill you. We're not here to kill you." She looks back at Derek. "Because there is no point in doing it. He just knows. He's innocent."

"He's far from innocent," Derek replies, refusing to meet her gaze. Her hands trail down to his clenched fist, trying to pry his fingers open. "He threatened to expose all of us if he didn't get the bite. If he was so innocent, someone would be here. No one cares that he drives an expensive car, no one cares that he has perfect hair, and no one cares that he's the captain of the lacrosse team. No one is here to save him."

"I'm here," Lexi replies softly. She steps directly in front of him. "I'm here."

"But it's not for him."

Lexi shakes her head. "Please don't do this."

Derek glances away. "I thought you wanted to be left alone."

"I never wanted to step foot in this house again, but we all do things we have to do," she says. "No more children need to die here."

He clenches his jaw. "I have to."

"Hey!"

Instinctively, Lexi pushes Derek back, throwing her body in front of his as they look up the staircase. Scott stands there, a furious glare on his face; he jumps down the staircase, landing in a squat with his werewolf features present. "Get out of the way," he tells Lexi.

"I'm not going to let you two kill each other," she says before looking at Jackson. "Leave while you can."

The teary-eyed teenager runs out the back door, leaving only Lexi, Scott, and Derek.

Before any of them can move, the sound of a gun being loaded fills the air. Lexi and Derek look at the doorway in fear before Lexi yells, "Cover your eyes!"

She feels rather than sees Derek cover her body with his, his arms wrapping around her torso. She sees rather than hears Scott do nothing. Pushing Derek back, she lunges at Scott a moment too soon; the bullet had already made contact with his side.

She shoves Scott to the ground before leaping towards Derek. She pants as he throws his arms around her, moving her further into the corner. "Scott, go!" Lexi yells over the roar of gunfire.