On My Own | Hale - TVD/TO/TW [4]

15 | The Overlooked

"It's still here," Lexi says as she races towards the ambulance and pulls the doors open. Stiles climbs in, helping Derek lie Cora on the stretcher waiting for them. Lexi glances around, her red eyes scanning the area for threats.

"Lexi." Jennifer's voice makes her freeze. She motions for Stiles to stay put as she rounds the ambulance, finding a dead body by the front. Derek comes up behind them as Lexi takes a few steps towards the body.

"Julia."

Lexi looks up as Kali walks up behind the body with the keys in her hands. "It is you," Kali sneers.

Jennifer inches behind Derek. "You can't beat her and make sure we're safe without snapping her neck."

"I know," Lexi replies. "That's why you're gonna run."

Kali roars as Jennifer races out of sight. Lexi ducks under the claws sent her way, throwing Kali out of the way. "You know you can't beat me, Kali," she says.

"Ennis is dead because you refused to heal him," the Alpha snaps as she stands. "I don't care."

As Kali brings her foot up, Lexi breaks it with her elbow. With Kali's cry echoing in her ears, Lexi runs down the hall, finding Derek and Jennifer in a closing elevator. She pushes an empty gurney behind her into Kali before she sprints towards the elevator, barely slipping through the doors.

She slumps against the back wall, her breath coming out in pants. Leaning her head against the wall, she glances up as the lights begin to flicker and the elevator stops. Derek opens the elevator doors to find them stuck between levels with a small gap at the top. Looking up at the ceiling, Lexi pushes herself up to her feet.

"If you're thinking service hatch, they bolt from the outside," Jennifer says. "so, you'd have to break it. All you'd end up doing is creating a lot of noise, telling them exactly where we are."

"Kali already knows," Derek says.

"Not necessarily," Lexi replies though her heart beats rapidly at the small space around her. "She saw that we got in, but she might not know that we didn't get out. But if I can get through, then we can go to another level. We wouldn't be trapped—"

"Or you'd end up fighting them alone in an elevator shaft. "Jennifer shakes her head. "They'll rip my head off before you even have a chance to land a punch."

Derek sighs, taking out his phone. "Then someone needs to get the backup generator running again."

As Derek types on his phone, Jennifer slides down beside Lexi. "Why aren't you using your full strength?" She asks. "You can easily take all of them."

"I'm still recovering from a particularly bad cold," Lexi replies, snark dripping in her voice. "My magic is not working well right now, and I refuse to be like my siblings—killing every inconvenience. I'm the protector to all werewolves." She eyes Derek's back. "Even the ones who hate me."

"Scott says not to move," Derek says as he turns to the two women. "We just gotta wait."

Jennifer looks between the two: both avoid each other's gaze, neither willing to break the tension. "Do you honestly think you two can keep this up?" She asks. "Because it's exhausting to watch."

"What?" Derek snaps.

"Your fake hatred," Jennifer says, staring at him. "You don't hate her."

"Yes, he does," Lexi says with a roll of her eyes. "Everyone should hate me. I'm a Mikaelson—I'm the bad guy."

Derek frowns. "I don't hate you. No one hates you—"

"Really?" Lexi deadpans. "I'm sure Isaac told you I wasn't planning on coming back." He clenches his jaw. "I've been through more drama in the past month than the past few centuries combined. I lost a brother, my parents, and saw the break up of my family all because some teenage girl decided to throw a hissy-fit. And yet, every time you look at me, you see what I've been trying to hide all these months."