Can't Go Back (Beacon Hills Chronicles Book 4)

2: The Fountain of Youth

Playlist:

No One's Here To Sleep ~ Naughty Boy w/ Bastille

2 Thingz ~ Basecamp

Unstoppable ~ Sia

With Derek being a teenager again, we were able to fit him in the back with us. He was leaned against me, Malia having ended up in the very back. He was scared and confused. I really didn't blame him. I was scared and confused myself. Mostly confused at what Kate had done to him and scared at how Trish would react when she found this out. Braeden led us back to the highway before we parted ways with a message to tell Trish hi and to thank her. She said Trish would know what it meant. By the time we reached Beacon Hills, it was well past midnight on a school night and it was raining. Derek had passed out a long time ago. How was I going to explain all this to Trish? How was I going to explain to her that we left without her and found Derek after being caught by Hunters? I had no explanations on why Derek was a scared teenager and not a pissed-off 23-year-old. Stiles pulled up in front of the animal clinic and I hoped Deaton would have an explanation for this. We'd dropped off Malia and Kira but Lydia and I insisted on going with Scott and Stiles to the clinic. Stiles had seconded the notion of me going because I was the one Derek seemed to be latching on to. Scott pulled Derek out of the jeep and threw him over his shoulder. I followed him out and the four of us ran into the clinic. Deaton shoved supplies off the treatment table and Scott laid Derek down. Deaton looked down at the teenager on the table, surprise clear on his face.

"Wow," was the only thing he said.

"Wow?" Stiles asked. "Wow as in I've seen this before and I know exactly what to do, kind of wow? 'Cause that's the kind of wow we're hoping for."

Deaton looked at Stiles and I picked up that he was just as confused as we were.

"I was really hoping you'd seen this and knew what to do," I sighed.

"I think you might be overestimating my abilities, Stiles," He then looked at me. "Both of you."

I gave a half-smile.

"What about Trish?" Stiles asked. "Do you think —"

"No," I cut him off. Trish was the last person that needed to know about this.

"I mean we can call her and ask."

"I said no, Stiles."

Deaton and Scott both looked at me. Scott seemed to understand why I didn't want my sister to know.

"He's cold," Lydia suddenly said.

I looked over at her and saw that she had his hand in hers.

"Really cold."

Deaton started to check his vitals.

"Do you think this is permanent?" Scott asked.

"Oh, God, I hope not," I said.

"I'm not sure a medical diagnosis is even adequate. This is well beyond my experience." He looked at me. "Trish's too. Elizabeth might have been a help."

"Be a little hard to get her take on this," I said. "Unless the Banshee can summon the dead."

"That's not funny, Anna," Lydia said.

"Who's Elizabeth?" Stiles asked.

"My mom. She was basically Deaton with some magical talent and I'm pretty sure she was a walking bestiary."