My dad is missing, Melissa is missing, hell, even Chris Argent is now missing! That makes three, which is the perfect amount for a sacrifice.

After Stiles dropped me off, he called to tell me about Mr. Argent. Since then, I haven't heard from anyone. I'm alone in my room, waiting for news that may never come.

I haven't heard from Scott at all since the hospital. I know a lot is going on right now but, the least he could do is send me a text asking if I'm okay—even a two-minute phone call is better than nothing.

As I lay here, with nothing to do, I couldn't help but let my mind wander.

I stare up at the ceiling in my bedroom, my hand on my belly. I couldn't stop thinking about what my life was like before all this before I knew about the supernatural. Before Scott and Stiles changed Sophomore year, which I now know is because of the supernatural.

Everything was so easy then. I didn't have any worries; my biggest problems were getting good grades and my crush on Scott McCall. I didn't know about werewolves, they were only in storybooks, but now they're real. All of it is real and, I can't handle it. My mind drifted to my mom, before she was sick...

I sat on the floor, my legs crossed under me the scratch of the carpet making my legs itch but, I ignored it with everything in me. A brush was running through my hair with the sound of my mother humming from behind me. A content smile was on my face while I brushed my dolls hair the same way my mom was brushing mine.

Her voice always soothed me, the way she hummed her songs. "Mamma?" I asked, my voice sounding so innocent and young. I was only six. She hummed in response, "yes, Victoria?" I looked down at my hands before asking my question.

"Why do you always wear that locket?" I asked curiously. The brush left my head and I turned around to look at my mother, who looked so much like myself. Her brunette hair fell in natural waves that ended at her ribcage and she always had the most beautiful smile. She held the locket in her hand while she spoke. "It helps me see and it grounds me. When you're older, I'll give you a locket like this one, and you'll understand what I mean."

I furrowed my brows in confusion, and went to ask another question but, I was interrupted by Scott and Stiles running into the room. "Victoria, come outside, Scott and I built a fort in the backyard." A smile lit up my features and I turned from my mom, the questions getting lost in my mind, before I ran out the door with the two boys.

It helps me see... what could that possibly mean? Did she see like me? Ugh...My life feels like it's falling apart like I'm losing control. I can't manage school, pregnancy, my job, and all this extra drama. I can't even keep up on my relationship.

I blinked away my inner monolog at that thought. Speaking of my relationship, where is Scott? He hasn't even texted or called me since before the hospital. I frowned deeply, knowing that when I needed him, he wasn't there. I picked up my phone and pressed on his contact, bringing the phone to my ear.

I heard the line ring, the sound continuing for a few moments. I sighed as I listened to the voicemail, where is he? If he were in my position, I wouldn't leave Scott out of my sight. I would make sure he was okay and nurse him back to health.

I sat up in the bed, letting my legs fall off the edge. So much is going on so fast, I don't know how to keep up. I ran my hand through my hair, pulling on the strands slightly.

I let go, and my hair falls into my face as I look down at the wooden floor. What should I do? I rack my brain for answers. I told my brother that I wanted nothing to do with the supernatural, but did I mean it? I can't help but feel like I'm stuck in this world with no hope of escape.

Even when I'm trying to get away from that life, I still end up thinking about it and worrying about my brother and my boyfriend, is he even my boyfriend though? What kind of boyfriend disappears and leaves you bleeding out in a hospital? Not a good one, I'm sure.

My mind wanders on that thought; he left me nearly dead, would he have done that to Allison? I shake my head at the idea; I can't allow myself to think like that. I can't compare mine and Scott's relationship with his and Allison's relationship. If he didn't love me, he wouldn't be with me--Right?

I mean, maybe he feels stuck? Like, because I'm pregnant, he feels like he has to be with me? Like, it's his duty or something? I fall back on the bed again; my hair surrounds my head on the bed. I knit my brows together in thought. Why do I care so much?

A knock interrupts my train of thought; the beat is quick and followed by the noise of the front door opening. The footsteps make their way to my room, and I can feel my heart rate beating rapidly.

I put my hand over my mouth, trying to silence my breathing. I glance over to the crutches; they're leaning against my wall, barely out of reach. No, not again. I can't do this again.

I breathe a sigh of relief when Lydia comes into view--Thank god. "Lydia, what are you doing here?" She looks over me while she tilts her head to the side, before shaking it and stepping toward me, handing me the crutches.

"Stiles sent me, I'll explain in the car. Right now, we need to leave." Lydia helped me stand up on the crutches and then went to grab my phone and charger for me. I smiled in thanks, not wanting to ask any questions.

Why is Lydia here? I can't remember the last time she and I had a full-on conversation; yet, here she is, picking me up? It doesn't make any sense. She did say Stiles sent her, though--I hope my brother is okay, I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to him.

I winced in pain with every movement I made; my leg was throbbing. I brought my lip between my teeth and tried to ignore the ache and instead focus on safely getting myself out to Lydia's car.

Lydia stood close by me the entire way out to the car, most likely to make sure I didn't fall and hurt myself again. She opened her passenger door for me. I stopped her with my hands. "Lydia, I got it." Her green eyes met mine for a second, and I could see her features relax in realization. She was coddling me, and it was overwhelming.

"Right. Sorry." She backed away and instead went over to the driver's side of the car. I hopped into the car, with surprising ease and brought the crutches in with me. After I shut my door, we left the house. Lydia drove down the street and turned left, not saying a word as I waited patiently for an explanation. I turned my attention to her, raising a brow slightly.

Her eyes drifted over to me for a second, before turning back to the road. "Stiles thinks he knows where they are." I could feel my heart rate increase at the words, and relief flooded my systems. "Really?" Lydia nodded.

"He said something about the Nemeton, and that Derek and Peter have been there before. We're on our way to Derek's now; Stiles said to tell them it's the root cellar and they'll know what it means." My eyes went wide, and I wanted to slap my brother at that moment.

He had Lydia drag me out of the house, to go to Derek Hale's house? I sighed, trying to ignore my annoyance toward him. "Okay, so this Nemeton, he thinks Jennifer is keeping them there?" I asked with hesitation in my voice. How is he so sure?

Lydia nodded in confirmation, her eyes still on the road as we came up to a red light. We both fell into silence, and I leaned against the door with my head against the window. The glass was cold against my skin, allowing goosebumps to form on the back of my neck.

"So," Lydia broke the silence. "I head a little rumor about you." I wanted to roll my eyes and cry at the same time. I knew that this would happen eventually, but I didn't think it would happen so soon. I looked down at my lap and hoped that Lydia was talking about Scott and me dating, not my babies.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah? What rumor?" Lydia began to drive again as the light turned green. A hush fell over us, and I could feel the question hanging in the air. "Are you pregnant?" My heart stopped; this is it, the moment where I tell someone besides my family and friends about my pregnancy.

I swallowed my nerves, why am I feeling so embarrassed about this? I love my babies I know that, so why do I feel ashamed? If I love them, I need to own this.

My eyes turned to Lydia, and I sighed. "Yeah, I am." Lydia didn't skip a beat in asking questions. "Who's the dad?" Her voice held pity for me, and I hated that. I don't need that. "Scott." I sighed, knowing that she would tell Allison and Scott might get mad that I said something. Oh, well. I'm embracing my situation, and Scott either needs to get on board or abandon ship now. I'm not going to live in this middle zone with him.

Lydia looked from me to the road, her eyes wide. "Scott McCall?" I nodded and looked out the windshield. Lydia tilted her head to the side and nodded slightly. There was no more conversation following that; we just sat in silence for the rest of the ride to Derek's loft.

It took quite a while for me to get up the stairs to Derek's loft, I don't understand why he wouldn't have an elevator.

When we got up to the loft, my hands and underarms ached from the crutches; and to make matters worse, my leg was still throbbing. Lydia knocked on the rusted metal door, and it didn't take long for someone to open.

I glared at the man who opened the door. It had to be him? The same man that "showed me" the supernatural. Peter fucking Hale.

Lydia froze in the doorway. "You," She stated. The man sighed and looked down. "Me," He had a guilty look on his face, but I couldn't care less--I hurt and needed to sit down. "You," Lydia repeated herself. I sighed and rolled my eyes, interrupting the man before he could say, 'me.' "Okay. We get it. You, me, you, me; can we please just go in now?" I grumbled out, moving to 'crutch' past him.

Peter stepped aside to let me through. "Derek, we have visitors." I rolled my eyes at the introduction; I'm not in the mood for anything right now. Especially being at Derek Hale's house with his former serial killer uncle, I don't feel safe at all.

I sighed and made my way into the loft, smiling when I noticed the couch. Derek was sitting on it, but that didn't stop me from making myself comfortable.

"What are you two doing here?" Derek asked, looking at me questioningly as I sat down and put my leg up, occupying most of the couch. I sighed and leaned back against the armrest. "She brought me here, so I'll let her explain." I gestured toward Lydia, who gave me a confused look. I shrugged, I was telling the truth.

"Stiles thinks he knows where Jennifer is keeping them." And so began Lydia's rundown of what Stiles told her. I looked off in the distance as this was happening, not paying attention to what was being said.

I jumped in surprise as the pain left my body, instantly followed by a refreshing relief. My eyes looked up to Derek who had his hand on my exposed ankle. I could see black veins erupting from beneath his skin; starting in his hand and running up his arm.

Our eyes met, and I felt confused; why did he take my pain? It didn't make sense. We aren't friends, so there's no reason for him to do me that kindness. I shook away the uncertain feelings and turned back to Lydia and Peter.

"You don't know where it is? But Stiles said you'd been there." Lydia spoke, frustration was apparent in her voice. I bit my lip nervously, I just want to find my dad and Melissa so we can all go back to our normal lives.

"We have." Peter was resting his elbows on his knees, with his chin in his hand. He was deep in thought. "So where is it?" I asked, confused as to why there was a problem. Peter shot me a glare before looking at Derek and then Lydia.

"After a few memorable experiences there, Talia, Derek's mother and my older sister, decided that she didn't ever want us going back." Peter rubbed his hands together nervously as he looked up at Lydia, explaining the situation. "She knew how dangerous it was, and took the memory of its location from us."

I sighed in frustration and ran my hands through my hair, pulling at the strands. "Then how do we find it? We have to find them." I felt my breathing get slightly ragged with worry. What if we don't find them? Melissa and my dad will be dead and I can't lose more people, I just can't. I won't allow myself to.

My mind raced, and I could feel my vision clouding. No, not this right now. The loft faded away, and I saw them; my dad, melissa, and Mr. Argent.

They were in a dark cellar that smelt of earth and something stale. The air was thick and hot, I could see that they all were sweating. Mr. Argent was struggling against his ropes, trying to get out. His head was bleeding and I wanted to help them.

"You knew." Argent spoke, his voice sounded like an echo and I realized I hadn't heard voices in my visions before. I turned to my dad and bent down next to him, looking over his features as he tilted his head to the side. Confused.

"I remember meeting you once, before you were sheriff. You questioned me about a body. You knew something was up. You just weren't ready to believe it." My dads eyebrows were knit together in deep thought, I frowned but continued to listen.

My dad looked off at the ground, his face finally relaxing into a sad realization. Melissa turned to him and I could hear my dad's voice echoing in my head. "There was a night eight years ago. The night my wife died..." I felt my heart clench in pain. I didn't want to think about mom right now, and I know he didn't want to either.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Melissa close her eyes. She knows how painful this is for my dad. I looked back at him, his face was so broken and sad. I felt my heart breaking for him. I reached my hand out to comfort him, but I couldn't. The vision was fading, his voice was coming in choppy bits.

"She was a teenager, actually....wait for the paramedics.....she knew she was gonna die....her hand suddenly gripped mine so tightly.... When I finally got to the hospital....they were with Claudia when she died." And it was gone.

I gasped for breath as the vision faded, I could feel the tears already spilling from my eyes. The thought of my mom is what broke my heart. Before today, I hadn't thought about her in so long. What kind of daughter forgets about her mom?

My hand went over my mouth as I tried to stop myself from crying out. Pain was hitting me harder than expected, I don't know how to deal with it. I could feel two hands grab my face and I looked up at Lydia's green eyes. She looked worried.

"What is it? What did you see?" She asked, trying to get me to focus. I took a couple breaths before beginning. "I saw them...they're definitely in the root cellar, I think." I shook my head and Lydia let me go, now turning to the guys.

I looked down at my hands and felt the sadness in my heart. I miss her, so much. Just the thought of her hurts me, and it hurts even more to know that I've started to forget her. I can barely remember her laugh or her smile. Or her voice, oh how I wish I could remember her voice.

At least I still have the memories, those I will never forget. I can't. I need to hold on to some part of her, in some way.

I stood, leaning on my crutches, in the veterinary office. Everyone was there, trying to figure out a way to get to the Nemeton and save the day. Scott was the only one not here, and I can't help but feel worried. He's with Deucalion, the same guy who tried to kill me.

"It has to be on a telluric current," Stiles interrupted my thoughts. "Or maybe even at the axis of two, or where they all intersect. I just- I just know it's where Derek took Paige to die." He spoke rushed and with his hands flying around. I placed my hand on his shoulder comfortingly, sending him a small smile of encouragement.

Allison stepped forward to the table, "My dad and Gerard were there once. But Gerard said it was years ago and he couldn't remember where it was. And my dad obviously isn't here to tell us now."

Stiles sighed. "Yeah, mine either." Isaac frowned. "Then how do we find this place?" I stepped forward, using my crutches to keep the weight off of my bad leg. My mind was racing with ideas, trying to figure out where they were.

"There might be a way." Deaton began. "But it's dangerous. We're gonna need Scott." He looked at us with worry and I suddenly knew what he was referring to. I scoffed and shook my head. "Good luck with that, he isn't answering any texts or calls."

Stiles looked at me with a guilty face. "I know how to find him, Tori."

Edit: 4/3/2020