Chapter Forty-Five

The Casualties of War

I sat on the stone steps, my head leaning against the cement walls as Foxie watched me... waiting. Lydia was sniffling but, her tears had stopped for the most part. She looked as scared as I felt.

Eyes burnt holes in my head, leaving scars I'd never forget. I sighed, looking up at him. "Foxie, my visions don't just happen on command." In hindsight the verbalizing the mental nickname I gave the Nogitsune, wasn't my best idea.

He grabbed my face with his hand, smushing my face together and forcing me to look him in the eyes. "Well, then, do whatever it is you've got to do. I need to know what's gonna happen." He roughly let go of my face and stood up, turning away from me to gaze out the bars.

I lightly touched my face, I could already feel bruises forming where he grabbed me. I glared up at him, not that he was looking at me. He was staring out the bars, his shoulders were tense and I could practically feel the worry rolling off of him in waves.

Lydia must've noticed too, because her whispered voice came next. "You're nervous, aren't you?" Foxie didn't say anything, he didn't even turn his head to her, but I watched the way his fingers twitched at his side.

I decided to join in with Lydia's taunts, smirking slightly, "he is. He's scared." Foxie moved at that, turning his head to glance at Lydia, then me, then back to Lydia. She leaned toward him, "you know they're coming. You know they're going to kill you."

Foxie put his arm on the cement wall beside Lydia, his other hand going to graps the bars-- he caged her in, leaning toward her. She flinched back, pushing her way into the corner. "Well, that's exactly why I'm keeping you so close."

My stomach clenched with unease at his words, the finality and the... hidden meaning behind them made me sick. I didn't eve want to think of what he meant. "Why me though? You need her to predict your death... let you know when you're gonna kick the bucket... but why me?"

Foxie pulled away from Lydia, his gaze now focused directly at me. He stalked toward me until he stood between my feet, two steps down from where I sat. It's strange. Foxie is wearing my brother's face... in fact he looks like an exact replica of my other half. It's like a fucked up mind game. Because, as much as he looks like Stiles, he isn't him. The words that leave his mouth, the way he moves his body, and the way he looks at me... it just isn't Stiles. at. all.

"I need you so I can catch a glimpse of them before they get here... see if the fight goes my way." He explained, turning away from me without another look or another word. I was hoping he'd say he didn't need me and that I could go... I guess today isn't my lucky day. My eyes went to Lydia, my poor friend. She was just as scared as I am.

I looked up at the sky, praying to whatever higher power that Scott and everyone got here soon... to save us. God, I hate being so helpless. I didn't have anything that could actually help the situation Lydia and I were in.

I don't have claws or teeth like Peter and Isaac, I'm not an alpha with cool powers like Scott and Derek, I don't have electric... whatever abilities like Kira. I'm helpless. How will I protect my babies when they're here? My visions aren't 100% accurate, so how will I make sure they're safe?

The sound of metal creaking, broke my thoughts, my heart skipping a beat as I watched Foxie pull himself and Lydia out the door, closing it behind them. I stood up and tried to pull it open to, idon'tknow try and save Lydia? But, I couldn't it wouldn't budge.

I was left to watch as Lydia looked up, "they're here. And I don't need to scream to know that they're going to kill you." Foxie didn't seem fazed by Lydia's bold statement, "good. Because, that's exactly why I brought you."

He spared a glance at me, "any visions yet?" I shook my head, eyes wide. Foxie sighed before he began digging in his pocket. "I needed to know when they'd be close enough." He pulled out what looked like a black knife. "When my own death was closing in."

A clicking sound began to envelope the room Lydia and Foxie were standing in, black smoke came from nowhere. The smoke slowly shifted into figures, black cape-wearing, masked, men. Their eyes glowed a bright yellow if you looked deeply into their black sockets.

All five of them drew their swords as Lydia jumped behind them. I began to smile, we were going to be okay. The Oni would kill the nogitsune. "Cause only when they're close, can I do this..." Foxie brought up the black knife, holding it in his hands before snapping it, just as the Oni advanced toward him.

They paused and then put their swords away. Oh no... Foxie smiled and then, like the smoke had appeared, they all disappeared. How did they... I shook away the thought and tried to pull harder on the metal, "Lyds. Lydia!" I called, trying to get her out of her daze long enough to help me open this gate.

The echo of footsteps sounded behind me and I froze, spinning around and pressing myself into the bars. Pleasedon'tbefoxie.Pleasedon'tbefoxie. "Lydia, Victoria." I'd never been so relieved to hear Scott's voice than I did just then. His face was even more so than his voice. "Thank god," I didn't waste a second in throwing my arms around him in a quick hug.

Over his shoulder, I saw Stiles and breathed another sigh. I let go of Scott and brough Stiles into an even tighter hug. I could hear the metal screeching as Scott pulled open the door behind me. "You're okay," I inhaled the scent of my brother, it was familiar. Safe. I missed him so much.

"Are you two alright?" Stiles asked, his hand holding my head lightly, like he was afraid I'd break. I think it's safe to say he missed me too? I went to reply, but Lydia beat me to it. "No. No, no, no, no. Why are you here?"

Stiles let go of me, "Lydia, we're here for you." Lydia was panicking and I could feel my headache slightly. "You weren't supposed to be here. You didn't get my message?" My vision began to blur and I leaned against the wall for support.

"Lydia, what's happening?" Scott's voice was distant and I only had time to quietly say, "vision" before I fell into my mind.

The Oni, they were fighting against everyone. All of my friends, Scott's pack, were fighting against the black creatures. Kira, Isaac, Allison... Allison. She shot an arrow through one of the Onie, their face cracking as yellow began to shine from within. But then he exploded into a cloud of black smoke.

A smile pulled at her lips, but before she could say anything, another Oni came up to her. I tried to yell, I tried to warn her, but it was just a vision and I had to watch as a sword went through her abdomen, cutting through her flesh like melted butter. Dragging into her and then being pulled out just as easily. A sword shouldn't be able to cut through flesh that easily.

I gasped awake, my eyes were wet and I looked at Lydia and Stiles, Scott was already running. Stiles was worried, "what about Allison?" He was glancing between me and Lydia quickly, both of us had tears in our eyes.

"She-- she's going to die..." I whispered, unable to comprehend the truth behind my words as they felt so fake. So unbelievable. I mean, sure we lived in the supernatural world, but Allison dying? It didn't seem fair. It wasn't fair.

I stood up and the three of us began to rush back through the corridors, walking at a slower pace because of my pregnancy and Stiles... well, he was sick, I think? Lydia was holding Stiles up trying to carry his weight down the hall.

"Scott will save her." Lydia mumbled under her breath, "he has to." Stiles' weight became too much for her and she began to slip down to the floor, Stiles beside her. I rushed to his side, my hand pressing to his forehead to check his temperature. He was cold as ice, how had I not noticed before?

"ALLISON!!" Lydia's scream was so loud, my ears began to ring as the banshee's yell pierced my ears. Stiles was falling unconscious beside me and I felt my heart breaking. Allison was dead. My heart hurt for her, for Scott, for Isaac, for Lydia, for her father... oh her poor father.

Tears welled in my eyes as I grabbed onto Lydia, she was sobbing now, her shoulders shaking. I could see the pain in her face, feel the pain she was feeling. I pulled her into my chest, which was easy as she collapsed into me, a pleading cry leaving her body.

I held her as tightly as I could, wishing I could take away her pain. I didn't even know Allison that well and I felt myself crying at the thought of losing her. We were becoming friends. She was... so important to each member of the pack and now she's gone... just. like. that.

How is that fair?

In what world is it okay for a girl to die so young?

It all happened so fast. That's what Mr. Argent had Scott and I tell the police. The sight of Allison's dead body was so much worse than what I saw in the vision. Seeing her lifeless eyes and the blood on her dried lips was much worse than the vision.

Scott was sobbing when I found him, his brown eyes were glassy and... sad. I should've been there for him when it was happening, when he had to go to the station, but I'm not. We were talking to the cops when I felt it, the pain in my stomach, like a belly ache but not. They sent me to the hospital, to make sure I was okay. They said they could take my statement later.

It all happened so fast. Allison's death. The pain. The drive to the hospital. So. Fast.

"--toria.... Victoria!" Melissa's voice broke me from my staring at the hospital blanket. The white cloth was itchy against my skin and I was really getting tired of sitting in hospital beds. I feel like I've been in them a lot this year. This time was different, though. This time I had two bands around my stomach, each was monitoring the heart rate of each baby. I also had an IV in my arm and thing that was watching my blood pressure.

I blinked, my eyes finding Melissa's, everytime I blinked, I saw that sword... "yeah?" Melissa was standing beside my bed, still in her maroon scrubs. Her hair was in a messy ponytail and I felt bad for keeping her here, she had just gotten of work and she was being forced to sit with me.

"You need to calm down, all this stress..." Melissa moved forwards, stepping closer to the bed as she grabbed onto my hand. "It isn't good for you or the babies." I looked away from Melissa, my eyes instead focusing on the ceiling tiles above me. They were white with different shades of grey sprinkled throughout it with a touch of black in some spots. Like salt and pepper, but more salt.

I rolled my lip between my teeth, biting on it slightly before sighing, "I close my eyes and all I see is that vision, Melissa. If I would've had the vision sooner... I could've saved her. And now she's dead and... oh god, Allison is dead--"

My voice cracked and I began crying. I hadn't cried for Allison yet, not really. When it first happened, I didn't cry because Lydia needed me. And then later I didn't cry because Scott needed me. And I still didn't cry after that because Chris Argent was there and he wasn't crying, so why should I?

Melissa squeezed my hand in her own while the other moved up to wipe at my eyes, swiping away my tears. She had a motherly aura to her, and I'll never understand how she does it. She's not even my mom and I look at her like a motherly-figure. The closest I've got to one anyways.

"Shh. I know it hurts, Victoria. But, there's nothing you could do to save her." Melissa took a breath, moving to sit on the edge of my bed, her hand dropped from my face and went to use it to hold my hand in between the two of hers. "Sometimes...

"Sometimes things happen for a reason and they suck, and it hurts, but they still have to happen and nothing and no one can stop them from happening. Do you see what I'm saying?" Melissa rose a brow at me, her eyes were soft and warm, reminding me of Scott. I hope our kids have his soft brown eyes.

I nodded slightly, sniffling, and she continued. "And you couldn't see what was happening, and even if you did, it was out of your control. But, you have to move forward, Victoria, because right now there is something you have control over, something you can do.

"You can calm yourself down," Melissa grabbed both my hands moving them over my stomach before she stood up from the bed and went to the fetal monitor. "and you can focus on your babies."

She turned on the machine's sound and I could hear two separate heartbeats, beating out of sync with one another, the thud-thud filled my ears and made my heart swell. Melissa sat back down beside me, resting one of her hands on my bump as she smiled at me.

"They need you, right now. Focus on them. Everything else will work itself out, okay?" I nodded, my face was tight from the drying tears, but I still managed a small smile, "okay."