STILL GOT IT.

“Yeah. Well, not THAT exactly, but I knew Eichen was no good. That orderly Brunski wasn’t an exception. He was probably one of the better lot. That’s why I was trying to stop you from taking Lydia there.”

     “i understand that they’re a daily thing.” he says, words rolling off of his tongue before he can remind himself to bite it. when natalie finishes, though, stiles decides that he doesn’t regret the unintentional snark. “that’s not true.” stiles tells her. ( not the concerned teacher thing, of course. that’s totally valid. but, stiles stilinski’s teachers are always concerned. he suspects they get a bonus check written for every phone call home. )  “catatonic patients can see and hear everything going on around them. they just don’t react to it.” he recites. “and i like to think that maybe what i talk about can offset the verbal abuse the orderlies dish out, when she comes out of it. she deserves better than that.”

                 THE WORLD HAS SWALLOWED ME WHOLE. i am broken bones holding myself, white knuckles around broken soul. like something ephemeral, i let it all go — the world has swallowed me whole, and i, i find myself in dark rooms. written by danielle, 24, cst.

“When can I see her again?” Stiles asks. It’s been less than a full day since Ms. Martin kicked him out of Lydia’s Eichen House room; less than a day since he swiped the key card off of the ( probably soon-to-be fired ) orderly. But, if Natalie’s surprised by his appearance, that’s her problem. “I won’t– I’m not gonna ask about the hair.” Even if it’s not what they say it is. “I just wanna be there for her, okay? I swear.”

    ❝ do you understand the concept of visiting hours, stiles? ❞ she perches on the edge of a chair in eichen’s miserable excuse for a lobby with arms crossed ; defensive. no matter how many times she tries to push the lanky teen out of her daughter’s life, he keeps reappearing. he’s insistent, to the point where she’s left wondering what will happen when Lydia eventually does wake up. will he be pacified by the knowledge she’s okay, or will he remain as stubborn and hardheaded as he is now? ❝ maybe you should consider taking a break. she isn’t aware you’re there and you really need to think about actually attending classes. your teachers are concerned. ❞

❝ personally, i would have chosen a more colorful adjective, like… apocalyptic, ❞ lydia tilted her head slightly, a knowing expression filling out upon her opaline visage. she was patient, remembering that her mother wasn’t as acquainted with the supernatural world as everyone else seemed to be and maybe it was best things stayed that way for now. she agreed, though; the activity was beginning to intensify around beacon hills lately and it had to be pretty bad if her mom noticed. but her offer was tempting.  ❝ italian and shopping? there’s simply no way i can refuse that. sounds like a plan. what should i wear? ❞

    lips part in a broad smile ( though this can’t qualify as a mending of their relationship, it’s certainly a start ). she’s missed Lydia. the last few years have been far from easy, between the divorce from her father and the... unexplained phenomena happening all throughout beacon hills. maybe they need to start making time for days out like this. maybe that’s the key to fixing what has become so broken. ❝ something warm? it’s chilly out. ❞ a pause, and she’s reaching out to tuck a lock of hair behind Lydia’s ear. ❝ i can do your hair, if you want? ❞

           alec had learned to dread his weekly visits to the guidance counselor’s office. it was the same thing every time: how are you, how are your grades, are you making any friends, how are you adjusting, how is being home. answering the same questions every week is exhausting, especially with the woman’s harsh glare and judgmental tone. seeing a different woman sitting at the desk comes as a relief. maybe the questions would change or, at the very least, he wouldn’t be looked at with that awful glare.             “oh, uh– no. stiles is my, um, twin brother.”

    ❝ ------ twin brother? ❞ confusion laces her gaze ; head cants to one side as she studies him ( attempting to determine whether this is some sort of twisted joke ). finding no trace of laughter or amusement on pallid features, she gestures for him to enter. ❝ i think we’ve found our starting point, then? ❞ she forces (an albeit confused) smile onto her lips as she stands to greet him. ❝ it’s nice to meet you, alec. i’m mrs. martin. you might know my daughter, lydia? ❞

            before natalie can jab another finger in his face, he stops her, EXASPERATED beyond anything. “—no. first, you tell me something. WAS. I. RIGHT?”

❝ am i supposed to congratulate you for knowing someone hurt her? when deputy parrish found her, she was lying in the words in a catatonic state. NONE OF YOU WERE THERE TO PROTECT HER. ❞ neither was i. a flash of pain shoots through her chest, heart squeezing and stomach clenching at the thought. what if he hadn’t found her? what if she remained missing for days --- weeks? would she have died out there? would anyone have bothered to look for her in the woods? ❝ at least in here, no one can hurt her. especially you and your friends. ❞

                 the world may never know.

    the last thing natalie martin needs right now is a parent-teacher conference regarding the unexpected disappearance of her teenage daughter. how is she supposed to explain her decision to place Lydia in eichen house? how can she be expected to put into words the glowing blue eyes, the piercing screams, the nights that seem to never turn into morning? hands wring nervously as she comes to stand in coach’s doorway ; lips turn into a ( albeit small ) fleeting smile. ❝ --- bobby? you wanted to talk? ❞

     their relationship had never been the greatest. not that it was natalie’s fault only, lydia was also to blame. but ever since she had been exposed to the supernatural world, her mom had been more present – one of the few good things being a banshee had brought. so when her green eyes found her mom’s, she couldn’t help but offer her a sad smile. “hi”, she mumbled, still a bit weak. “i am okay, mom. it doesn’t hurt that much. how is everyone else? how is tracy?” the girl questioned.

      she skips right over the question regarding tracy ( doesn’t want to think about that, much less discuss it with her newly conscious daughter ). instead, she strokes her thumb across Lydia’s forehead, expression contorted with concern. ❝ if it starts to hurt, the nurse can give you another round of medicine. ❞ she tries to be reassuring, but it’s difficult to stay composed when hours ago she wasn’t even sure Lydia would survive. ❝ the others are fine --- just worried about you. ❞ a pause, the very hint of a smile forming on thin lips. ❝ i don’t think they’ve left the waiting room all night. ❞

         stiles knows how his words sounded. they came out harsh and judgmental, when he was anything but, when it came to lydia. that’s why it’s so hard to swallow what her mother is doing to her. “i’m the problem?” he echoes, eyes shifting around the hallway to make sure that the slight raise of his voice hasn’t drawn attention. “we’re her friends.” stiles wishes that he could tell her about the real dangers lurking in beacon hills; he doesn’t think she’d listen, though. she’s seen more than her air share of the abnormal, turning a blind eye every time. “that place isn’t gonna keep her safe. brunski might be dead, but he wasn’t the only monster at eichen house. ” 

       ❝ — clearly she needs new friends. ❞ though she mutters the words under her breath with conviction, her chest squeezes at the thought. once upon a time, Natalie yearned for her daughter to have friends at all. though popular and self-assured, Lydia never brought anyone home until Allison. sometimes she wondered whether she was lonely ; whether she had friends to talk to about things like the divorce. she just... never dreamed the friends she found would land her in situations like this. ❝ you don’t know that, stiles! there are doctors at eichen --- good doctors. they can help her. certainly better than a group of teenagers can. ❞

GOOD sign. she wasn’t screaming or fainting at the sight of her being alive, claudia just stood there like a deer in headlights while holding some stuff for her husband. “ it’s hard to EXPLAIN but seeing how you haven’t fainted..you might know somethings,” she said in a calm yet worried voice as she faced lydia’s mother.

      piercing screams in the dead of night ; eyes flashing blue in the middle of beacon hills high. deadly diseases that shut down a school ; teenage corpses appearing throughout the town. Natalie definitely knew some things, but this was beyond anything she had experienced. ❝ i wouldn’t rule out the possibility of fainting just yet. ❞ she takes a small step towards her, eyes wide with disbelief. she grapples for some sort of logical explanation, but finds... nothing. ❝ i attended your funeral, claudia. how is this --- possible? ❞