Hard Knock Life ~ Hayden Romero

5.2.2/5.3.1

As we make it to the car, we see Scott on his bike, parked beside it and all stop. "Find anything?" He asks curiously. "Nope" Stiles shakes his head. "I fell in a hole." Liam chimes in. "I helped him out of it" I add. Stiles gets in his Jeep while Scott gets off his bike, walking to stand beside the driver's side. "It was the bridge where his sister died, wasn't it?" Scott brings up.

"Yes, it was. Very embarrassing. So we are gonna leave now." Stiles sighs, trying to start up his Jeep. The engine sputters but doesn't start and Stiles sighs. "Son of a..." He mutters before climbing out. "Liam, just do me a favor, get in the car and turn the ignition when I say." Stiles says, walking up towards the front. Liam gets in the car as Stiles opens up his hood.

Scott stands beside him while I stand beside the driver's side door where Liam was and Stiles tries to figure out what was wrong. "Stiles?" Scott asks. "Be with you in a sec. Try it" Liam tries it but it doesn't start up and Stiles sighs. "Stiles" Scott repeats. "Yes. Okay, we followed him out here. What do you want me to say? That I'm a stalker, huh? That I'm crazy, totally paranoid? None of this is new information." Stiles tells him.

"Now you're gonna try to at least give him the benefit of the doubt?" Scott wonders. "I give people the benefit of the doubt. I've given a lot of benefit to a lot of people." Stiles says. "Like Derek?" Scott brings up. Stiles sighs, still trying to get his Jeep to work. "Kira? Liam? Clover?" Scott lists off. Well, he hasn't trusted me yet. "I was right about Peter" Stiles points out.

"Try it again." The Jeep still doesn't work. "You know, I bet you still think that there's something about him that can be saved." Stiles says. "Maybe" Scott nods. Stiles exhales in frustration, going back to his Jeep. "Try it again" Stiles calls out. Still doesn't work. "Why can't you trust anyone?" Scott suddenly questions. "Because you trust everyone!" Stiles snaps, punching his Jeep. He seems to regret it though as I hear a crack and wince while Liam and I look at each other.

"Are you okay?" Scott asks worriedly. "I'm fine" Stiles breathes. "You could've broken it" Scott points out. "It's not broken" Stiles denies. "Let me see it" Scott says as Stiles looks it over. "I'm fine" Stiles says. "Let me see it" Scott repeats. He gently grabs Stiles' shaking hand in both of his, black traveling up his arm. He slowly lets go as Stiles looks over his hand, moving it around. The two look at each other but don't say anything as I motion to Liam to try it again. He does try it and this time it turns on.

~~~

Apparently, last night, when one of the prisoners, Donovan, was getting transferred, the van was attacked by a girl named Tracy Stewart. She killed two cops and Donovan's lawyer. They managed to find Donovan but not Tracy. We all stand around Stiles' Jeep which was parked near the buses as we talk.

"Tracy wasn't just having trouble sleeping. It was a real disorder. It was night terrors." Lydia explains. "Well, now she's the night terror. Especially since no one can find her." Stiles sighs. "Okay, I know we're all tired and miserable..." Scott trails off, turning to look at Mason who had a wide smile on his face as he listened. Liam and Mason had been chased through the school by a wolf. Liam had to roar to get it to leave and he explained everything to Mason about it.

"Except for you" Scott says and Mason realizes we're all looking at him. "Oh. I'm sorry. This is all just mind-blowing. You're a Kitsune" He turns to look at Kira. "I don't even know what that at is" He scoffs. "I'm still learning" Kira nods as Liam and I send each other a look. "Liam, we said you could tell him. Not invite him to the inner circle." Stiles brings up.

"Uh, I'm in the inner circle?" Mason asks. "No" Stiles and Liam both say at the same time. "Guys, look, back to Tracy. She's just one lone wolf. We can find her." Scott encourages. "One lone serial-killing wolf." Malia adds. "Uh, she only killed one person, you know. The other two were mauled." Stiles corrects and I roll my eyes. "All right, what do we do when we catch her?" He brings up.