Whose Eyes Were Red? [s.m][3]

part 5

Levi Hale's arrival at Beacon Hills Hospital was met with a mixture of anticipation and anxiety. The text message she had received, summoning her to the hospital to meet with Lydia, Malia, and Scott had left her with more questions than answers - especially since they were just supposed to be checking out the nemeton. How had a trip into the woods ended up with them in hospital?

As she entered the hospital lobby, the familiar scent of antiseptic and the distant murmur of conversations among staff and patients filled the air. It was a stark reminder of the many times she had found herself in this very place, surrounded by the extraordinary and the unexplainable. Her eyes flickered to the elevators at the end of the corridor, a reminder of Deucalion, Jennifer Blake and Gerald's army flickering through her mind.

She hadn't stepped a foot back in the hospital since...

Her thoughts were interrupted as a familiar voice called out her name from beside the reception desk. Her heart raced as she approached the desk, trying to mask her unease. She knew she couldn't avoid this meeting any longer. She had to face her past, her old friends, and the secrets that had kept her away for so long.

"Levi," Kira said, her voice warm but tinged with a hint of tension. "It's been a long time."

There was an uneasy beat of silence before Levi cleared her throat, realising that she hadn't replied to the kitsune. Levi nodded, her throat dry. "Yeah, it has."

Kira offered a tentative smile. "Come with me. They're upstairs."

Things with Kira hadn't been left on a good note... or even any note. Levi had just ghosted her completely, cutting the girl out of her life in the same way she had done for Scott, Isaac and Chris. Her contact with Stiles and Lydia had been less than the bare minimum, and Melissa hadn't heard from the girl since she'd dropped off a box of Scott's clothes without any explanation.

It was safe to say that the last place Levi wanted to be was in Beacon Hills Hospital.

Levi followed Kira as they made their way to the elevator, the awkwardness between them palpable. There was so much left unsaid, so many memories buried beneath the weight of their past. The silence told Levi that things were going to remain unsaid for the time being.

As they ascended to the upper floors of the hospital, Levi couldn't help but wonder what had brought them all back together. Sure, she knew it was the glimpses of Allison - but what had caused that? The last time she had been in this hospital, with Scott, Lydia, Kira and Malia, they had been a tight-knit group, bound by their supernatural abilities and the challenges they had faced together. But Levi had shattered that bond into irreparable pieces, and then had walked away, unable to bear the pain any longer.

When the elevator doors opened, Kira led Levi down a brightly lit corridor and finally stopped in front of a room. Levi's heart raced as she saw her old friends gathered outside, their expressions a mix of surprise and uncertainty. She couldn't quite seen whose room they were outside of, but she was relieved to see the three of them - and Melissa - were in one piece.