61. Smoke and Mirrors

After talking to Deaton and Lydia, Stiles and I were trying to convince Dad to let us go to Mexico to save our friends, but Dad was vehemently against the idea and wanted to go through all the proper channels, including law enforcement and border patrol.

"I can keep you both from going." 

Dad challenged us. "We'd find a way." I said getting annoyed as god knew what Scott and Kira were going through while we were having this pointless conversation.

"I can throw you guys in a cell."

Dad said and then Stiles looked at me and said, 

"Dad, we'd still find a way." 

Dad knew that there was no winning with us so he asked us to at least get some slightly more concrete information than a psychic vision from some guy with a third eye. He assured us that he would call every law enforcement agency all the way down to South America if he had to and if still nothing turned up, he would book three flights to Mexico and go with us. Stiles agreed and asked if he got to carry a gun like me and Dad, but we both quickly shook our head and Stiles sulked. When Dad went away, I asked Stiles if we were really gonna wait and he gave his classic smirk, I smiled and we left.

After that Stiles called Malia and the three of us went to Scott's place so that Malia could catch his scent through his clothes. As we went through Scott's wardrobe Malia told us that the only thing she could smell was fabric softener so we started to look for more clothes. Stiles then found Scott's boxers from under his bed and held them up so that Malia could smell them. Malia and I both gave him disgusted looks and then I grabbed his pillowcase and gave it to her. Then as we headed downstairs we found Liam in the kitchen waiting for us.

"You can lock me up, right? Chain me down in the back seat or something." 

He asked, hoping we would take him with us. "You tore through the last chains, remember?" I asked hoping he would understand why are we against taking him with us.

"Yeah. We would have to freeze you in carbonite to get you down there." 

Stiles said sarcastically, but Liam didn't understand the Star Wars pun and asked where could we find carbonite. Stiles rolled his eyes and started to leave, I felt really bad for Liam as he just wanted to help us, but it would be too risky for us to take him with us. Liam protested as Malia and I started following Stiles, he wanted to ride along in the trunk of the car. "I know you mean well, kid, but you can't exactly be useful if you're locked in a car because you can't control yourself." I tried to explain to him but he kept arguing and after some time Stiles got annoyed and agreed to take him with us as we couldn't afford to waste more time in silly arguments.

We met Derek, Brenden and Peter at a garage where she had used her US Marshal status and had procured a prison transport vehicle to keep Liam locked up. Derek wasn't keen on bringing Liam with us but the rest of us wasn't keen on bringing Peter with us. 

"We're bringing everyone that we can. And considering Scott and Kira were taken the night before a full moon, we should probably get going." 

Peter said and then explained that Kate may intend to do the same thing to Scott that she did to Derek. She may want to age him back to before he became a werewolf. A werewolf can't steal a True Alpha's power but maybe because Kate is a werejaguar and hanging out in a mystical creep dungeon, she might have more luck.

"So, if everyone is sufficiently freaked out, I say we get going." 

Peter said and started to move towards his car but Stiles stopped him saying Lydia wasn't there. When Derek asked where she was, Malia explained to him that Lydia was in school getting Kira's jacket because her sword didn't carry a strong enough scent. As we called Lydia she wasn't answering her phone and Brenden pointed out that Lydia could catch up to us if she's driving.

"No, what if something happened? What if she's in trouble?"

Stiles said and I agreed with him.

"Fine. You both stay and and find her, we're going to go on without you." 

Peter snapped at us and as I was thinking whether I should stab him, shoot him or use other fun toys that Mr. Argent gave me, Liam offered to call Mason who was at school for some study group and check on Lydia. Since we were out of options, we agreed and Liam called Mason. After that Stiles and I decided to ride with Derek and Liam in the prison transport vehicle since we both had some experience dealing with out-of-control werewolves and now that Derek no longer had his werewolf powers we knew he would need help. We all were ready to roll but Peter needed to hand out one last memo.

"Remember what we're dealing with here. It's not just Kate. It's Berserkers. You might see human eyes behind those skulls. Do not assume that there's any humanity left."

He noticed that Liam was terrified of the Berserkers but said that the fear would keep Liam alive. He reminded everyone that we couldn't fight Berserkers to survive, we fight to kill.

The road trip soon began, Brenden was driving while Stiles, Derek, Liam and I were in the back, Liam in the handcuffs. Derek noticed that Liam was nervous so he pulled out the triskelion and told Liam about its history as a very powerful supernatural talisman. Liam looked dubious as Stiles laughed a little. Derek and I both gave Stiles pointed looks so he jumped in to agree on the triskelion's magic powers. Slowly the moon started coming out and everything was okay until Liam suddenly started wolfing out.

"Whatever you're going to teach me, I think you better start." 

Liam said, his eyes glowing yellow. Derek tried to teach Liam about the triskelion and the 'Alpha, Beta, Omega' chant and some basic werewolf politics. Liam tried out the chant but it was not doing the trick. He started struggling, rocking the van and breaking through one handcuffs. Stiles and I called out for Brenden to go a little faster. Liam then broke out of his other handcuff and reached over to strangle Derek and we again yelled and Brenden promised that we were almost there. Liam then started using his ferocity and savagery to try to kill us. Then something came to mind and I decided to make Liam try the Buddhist mantra instead and asked him what three things cannot long be hidden. Liam eventually responded with the right answer: 'The sun, the moon, the truth.' He repeated the mantra until he calmed right down, and we all released a relieved breath. Derek then assured Braeden that we were okay, as we pulled up at La Iglesia. 

"I can't believe I did it. For a minute there, I thought I was going to tear the three of you apart."

Liam said excited and I smiled and ruffled his hair while Stiles laughed, 

"Yeah. That would have made for an awkward ride home so thanks." 

"Think you can bring the same level of control and strength inside La Iglesia?" 

Derek asked and Liam responded by pulling out his werewolf claws and I finally believed that we might actually be able to do this. Derek opened the door of the van and came face to face with a Berserker. It tossed him around and then stabbed him repeatedly. We all rushed out and Brenden and I kept shooting the Berserker until it backed off. Then we both ran to Derek's aid, Stiles looked horrified and Peter looked like he might actually care. Derek brushed off his wounds and told us to go and find Scott and he'll follow us. While others went ahead, Stiles and I stayed. "Derek..." I started but he cut me off, 

"Rue, I'll be alright. I promise. Please go." 

I wiped the tears coming out of my eyes and nodded even though we both knew he was lying and he most probably won't make it out. As I turned and started to leave Stiles still stood with him. Derek told Stiles to go and save Scott but Stiles hesitated and looked at Derek in sheer concern like he didn't want to leave him alone, but then Derek again yelled at him so Stiles took a deep breath and looked at Derek one last time before following the other inside. 

"He's going to be okay, Brenden is with him. And he's Derek." 

Stiles said trying to reassure me, but it looked like he was assuring himself that Derek would be alright, since even though they both had a rocky start, over a period of time they both started genuinely caring about each other, I nodded and we kept moving until Peter yelled at us to stop, saying we needed to figure out where we were and then how to find Scott and Kira. Stiles phone suddenly rang and he was impressed that he could get service in this place, but then we looked it was Dad on the other end. When he picked up the phone we realized Dad had reached a level of fury that we couldn't possibly comprehend.

"Well, when we get back, you can ground us."

Stiles said and Dad again yelled, 

"Ground you? Ground you? I am going to hobble you both. Now, please, tell me you both are all right. Tell me that you're safe." 

"You want us to lie to you, Dad?" I asked and he sighed and asked if there was something he could help us with, so we told him that we could not get hold of either Lydia or Mason so he could look for them. He assured us that he'd find them, and then to our surprise, told us to save our friends, then Stiles reminded Dad that he'll need a lot of firepower to take on a Berserker and then hung up, and looked like he's going to sob, so I quickly hug him before we started walking again.  

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As we were walking A Berserker came out of nowhere and started chasing us. As Peter, Stiles, Malia, Liam and I were running away, Malia tossed Kira's katana to Stiles and told him to go find Scott, he did so leaving the rest of us to have a go at this Berserker. The Berserker was stronger than all four of us. As it threw Liam and then went to stab him I jumped on his back and tried to stab him in the eye but it grabbed my hand and then threw me aside too. Then it came towards me ready to kill me and when I looked others were down too and I didn't have any other weapon to protect me so I took a deep breath and accepted my death, and just as it was ready to stab me, it stopped, and then was thrown aside, 

"Did you miss me, Mon Amour?" 

I heard a achingly familiar voice say and when I looked up I saw Isaac walking towards me and extending his hand towards me to help me get up. I hesitated in taking his hand as part of me believed that I was dreaming but when he kept standing there smiling I finally took his hand and as soon as I got up, I jumped on him crying. 

"As much I love hugging you after so long, we need to go and help our friends, Mon Amour." 

Isaac said and I nodded and Isaac started attacking Berserker along with Malia and Peter while I helped Liam. Peter tossed a bone knife to Malia, telling her to aim for the skull. Peter and Isaac held the Berserker down and Malia plunged the knife forward. Stiles ran into the room and shouted for Malia to wait but she didn't hear him, so Kira then darted forward and, using her katana, sliced the bone dagger in half. Stiles then told us that the Berserker was Scott. We looked through its eye holes and saw Scott's face, but just because we could see his eyes didn't mean that Scott had calmed down. He punched us in the face and nothing we said was doing anything. Scott then lifted Liam by the throat, ready to kill, Isaac tried to go and help Liam but Scott threw him and rested his foot on Isaac's throat. Then as Scott was ready to kill Liam and Isaac, Liam called out for Scott to stop, 

"You're not a monster. You're a werewolf. Like me. Like him." 

Suddenly Scott stopped and placed Liam down while removing his foot from Isaac's throat and I crawled towards him. Then he started tearing off his bone armor and grabbed the bear skull and it split apart in a flash of golden light, revealing Scott's werewolf face, his Alpha eyes glowing. Scott then looked at Peter in sheer anger, 

"You. The only person who knew as much as Argent about Berserkers, about the Nagual. You helped her. All for power."

"For my family's power to be rightfully inherited by me. Not usurped by some idiot teenage boy so incorruptible he wouldn't shed the blood of his enemies even when justified. You don't deserve your power. Not power like this." 

Peter said and turned, Malia roared at him and Peter threw her out of the way, saying they would talk about this later. Kira and Isaac then tried to run forward and take on Peter but Scott called them off. He and Peter started to circle each other. Peter told Scott that he was his Beta first; it was Peter's bite that changed Scott's life and his bite that would end it. As Scott and Peter were still fighting, Peter instigated Scott to fight like an Alpha. Scott pulled out some moves but Peter said that if Scott wanted to beat him, he was going to have to kill him, and then Scott got thrown to the floor. Peter then picked up an old church pew and threw it at Liam's head. Scott got angry and started punching Peter that he finally fell back, 

"You were never an Alpha, Peter. But you were always a monster." 

Scott yelled and then turned towards us and smiled at us which we returned. Stiles and I ran towards him and hugged him slowly everyone followed and it turned into one giant group hug. As we all pulled back Scott looked at Isaac, 

"Isaac, what are you doing here, didn't you had a few weeks left?" 

Scott asked and everyone also looked at Isaac in confusion. Isaac smiled, 

"No, I finished early. I called Rue a few days back and saw her black eye and I knew I couldn't stay away longer while people dared to hurt her. I knew she would protest if I told her so I didn't, but  when I reached Beacon Hills, I couldn't find any of you and as I was about to call you guys Mr. Argent and Parrish found me and filled me on everything and I came here with them." 

Isaac explained pulling me into him. Then we all walked out and saw Calaveras there, but Mr. Argent assured us that they'd not hurt us till Mr. Argent helped them in catching Kate. 

"What if you can't?" 

Kira asked and he smiled and said that he will, as someone had to. Then Mr. Argent winked towards me and started walking away with the Calaveras. Then we all stood around and looked as the Calaveras leave. Then Derek and Brenden came and we were happy to see Derek alright. Derek opened the Prison van door for Brenden and she sat inside. Then Derek turned and looked towards us with a smile which widen when he saw Isaac by my side. He raised an eyebrow and looked at me while I just blushed and he winked at Isaac. After that, he looked at Scott and gave him a little nod which Scott returned and then he also sat in the van and he and Brenden got out of there, and minutes later we also left. 

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As we reached Beacon Hills, Stiles, Malia, Isaac and I rushed to the station to see Dad. As we walked into Dad's office and saw him Stiles and I jumped on him for a hug, then Dad saw Isaac and Malia standing there awkwardly, and even though he was confused to see Isaac, he pulled both of them in the hug too, and both of their faces instantly lit up. Dad said that he was happy to see all of us safe and to see Isaac back again. Then he suggested that to celebrate Isaac's return we should go out for dinner. Then he wrapped his arm around Malia and Isaac's shoulder and they started walking but when Stiles and I tried to follow them we were yanked back and we noticed that we were handcuffed to Dad's table. 

"Yo, Daddy." 

Stiles called Dad but he ignored him and then I also started calling him but he ignored both of our pleas and kept moving asking Malia and Isaac what their favorite was and both of them said Pizza, and three of them left smiling while Stiles and I kept calling them.