Liquid Silver

Seven

Jem didn't want to stay at home.

Admittedly she never did. She hated being left out of whatever was going on, or having to sit on the sidelines waiting for someone to either tell her to duck or run when it got serious. More than anything she hated when things went wrong, knowing if she'd been there it could have been different.

But despite all of that, when Stiles asked her to stay at home she didn't argue. She'd been near sleeping on the couch, she was so exhausted. For one thing she doubted she'd be help to anyone by accompanying them downtown, but rather a burden if anything was really wrong.

Unfortunately Scott didn't seem to hold the same attitude. "Stiles, I don't think we should leave her here alone" He was looking down at the silver bloodstains on her sheets with a grave look. Jem didn't like it, but she and Stiles knew he was right. They didn't know what had happened that her dad needed them so urgently, but if it had anything to do with the juvenile delinquent being transported to a detention centre that night, then maybe she shouldn't be left home alone.

He had sworn murder Liam Neeson style on this family after all. 

Jem didn't bother trying to sleep in the jeep as Stiles sped through town. She was too uneasy to lay her eyes to rest, instead resting her head against the window as the jeep hummed against her skin. It was too dark to see anything, and for the most part Jem was grateful. She was tired of imagining what new monsters were sneaking around the streets, waiting for the next moment to strike.

It seemed she wouldn't have to wait to much longer to find out as Stiles slowed down at the top of the ramp into the mall's underground car park. Red and blue flashes were lighting up the entire building and the deputies had already wrapped off an area with yellow police tape and cones. 

They stepped out of the jeep, all equally nervous as they were confused. Jem's stomach knotted when she saw the transport van. The bumper was totally crushed, front ended into the ramp barrier. The driver had to have been in some state of mind to have crashed so badly. 

She only felt worse when she saw blood on the ground by the passenger seat, the doors to the ambulance just having closed behind a stretcher, covering with a white sheet. She was somewhat relieved when her dad appeared from behind the van, making a beeline immediately for his kids and Scott. 

He seemed unhurt, which meant it hadn't been anything to do with Donovan, or he just hadn't gotten his hands on her dad yet. Something about the vans back door, swinging open with no one in the holding cell gave her the feeling it had something more to do with the latter option. 

"Thank god" Her dad breathed as soon as he was close enough, wrapping Jem into a hug immediately. 

"Dad what's going on?" she asked nervously, pulling away from his grip around her and looking up. He looked completely exhausted, his forehead etched with worry lines. Jem's heart sank when she realised he was still in his good clothes, his tie slightly loosened but still looking smart. Did he even get to meet his beautiful woman before he was called on duty again?

"I was just worried he might have-" Her dad paused, holding his tongue before he said anything else. Jem realised then that the other girls were already there, Lydia at the foot of them with a grim look on her face as she watched a second stretcher carried into an ambulance. Something really bad must have happened if she'd found her way here without anyone asking. 

"Boys" Her dad continued, forgetting whatever he was about to say to Jem. "Scott. You saw this kid Donovan, he wasn't like you right?" 

Jem glanced towards him but she was sure she already knew the answer. Donovan hadn't seemed well... She was sure he was normal. Though she knew you could never truly be sure. "I don't think so"