St. Clair || Stilinski [2]

Twenty-Seven || Time

|| Time

The decrepit underground laboratory dripped with anticipation as Jacy Parrish wandered through a multitude of shelves with specimen jars and tanks filled with unspeakable things.

Her fingers ran along a row of large jars, stopping on the most recent addition.

A pair of jet black wings floated in thick green water, fluttering on their own within the glass.

"Why did they take him?" she asked aloud, eyes remaining on the chittering wings.

"The wings were the only thing about him and he never learned how to control them." Theo rounded the shelf of jars, watching Jacy carefully.

Jacy scoffed. "As if he was ever given the chance to try. I thought the whole point of this was to actually try, not just kill everything that doesn't come out immediately perfect."

"We're out of time for those who don't," Theo replied, dusting off his hands.

"Zach deserved better than to be half buried in the woods."

"Well," Theo said with a sigh, "he'll get moved anyway. None of the body's stay in the same place."

Jacy shook her head, turning away from Theo. "This is ridiculous."

"What, that the other you is starting to figure out that you've been helping the Doctors this whole time? That you're a risk on exposing both of us to everyone? Jacy," he sighed, "you're making this harder than it has to be."

"How am I supposed to help that?" Jacy snapped back. "Please tell me how my jangled brain is supposed to keep track of when I'm with the Doctors and when I'm not. I think this side is leaking into the next because they're not as strong as they used to be."

Theo clasped a hand over her mouth, backing the two of them out of sight as he looked to both sides. "Are you insane?"

Jacy shoved him away from her. "Back off, Raeken."

"I get that you're having a crisis, but making accusations like that will definitely get you killed. They want to keep you the same way they want me, but they're not above killing us even if we are the closest to perfection they have. You can't question their power, especially not in their own house."

"This is going way too far," Jacy said, the veins in her neck nearly popping. "Why aren't we enough? Why do they need more?"

"Hey, we can't question them like that, Jace, you know that," Theo replied.

Jacy gritted her teeth. "Don't call me Jace. You know that."

"What, your human boyfriend is going to keep you happy?" he asked doubtfully.

"You're damn right he will." Jacy shoved her way past Theo, holding back a fist begging to connect with his face. "And I don't care if it was two different versions of me, you don't get to question my love for Stiles. If anything is the same for both, it's that."

"Jacy?"

Theo scoffed, shaking his head with an unfortunate grin. "Well, speak of the devil." He remained hidden behind the shelves, nodding to Jacy as footfall within the house above drew close. "Go on."

Stiles appeared at the wood panel still hanging open, eyes wide as he spotted the space below. "Jesus, Jacy. What the hell..." His attention fell off, looking deeper into the rough, if not ancient, laboratory. "Holy shit."

"I just needed a minute," Jacy told him, spotting a flat ladder behind a row of jars. She dragged it over to the opening, ignoring Theo's watchful eyes behind her. "Did they make it to Scott's? Are they okay?"