Love's Spiral

Spencer couldn’t figure out what she was doing here. Something drove her here though, through the woods and trees. It was something strong unlike anything she’d ever felt before. The house was still in the same dilapidated ruin that Spencer had seen it in last. Boards dangled from the ceiling. Singed fabric on what was left of the furniture. Scraps of wallpaper hung in pieces from the wall. In the many times Spencer had been inside the Hale House, she’d never seen it with just one particular difference. Especially not with a gigantic hole in the middle of the living room floor. The wooden boards were taken apart in an awful jigsaw mess.

“Derek?” She called out loudly, wondering if he was in the house. Spencer took a few steps towards the hole in the floor, hesitant to look down into it. “Hello?” She glanced out towards the foyer. “Is anyone here?”

Shaking from the eerie silence of the house, Spencer had finally approached the hole. The toes of her shoes barely hung over the edge. She swallowed her fear and looked down into the hole.

Spencer noticed an arm. It was all she saw before deducing that there was a person in this hole. She backed up a step, her hand flying to cover her mouth. Spencer shuddered in fear.

“There’s a dead body buried in Derek’s old living room.” She told herself. “This is all perfectly normal.” At least that’s what the redhead was trying to convince herself of. Spencer quickly wondered if Derek knew people were vandalizing his childhood home.

Spencer shook her head of that nonsense and turned her attention back to the hole in the floor. She crouched down, reaching to move the arm out of the way. The moment she touched the body, it started to move as well as it could in the tiny space of the hole. Her hand shot back.

“That’s not gonna be good.” She said.
As the last word left her lips, the figure’s head moved quickly to stare up at her. Its eyes glowed in a cold steel blue that she remembered Derek having before he became the Alpha after he killed…

Spencer gasped. She was starting to put the pieces together. What else would Derek have done with the charred, dead corpse of his uncle? He would have hidden him in a place no one would ever find.

“Peter.” Spencer whispered. “How are you…?”

“Alive?” Peter finished, his voice raspy. The dirt around him fell as he climbed out of the hole. Peter laughed evilly. “Trust me. You will never believe me.”

Spencer backed herself away from the hole, pushing back with her feet. She remained on the floor without the strength to get up.

“However, you should know that I’m coming.” Peter promised. “And this time, I won’t be stopped.”

!@#$#@!

Spencer’s sharp intake of breath not only woke herself, but the person sleeping next to her as well.
Stiles was next to her, with a hand on her shoulder trying to get her to calm down. “Hey, Spence. It’s okay.”
Spencer sat up in the bed, breathing heavily and looking around the room, recognizing it as Stiles’ bedroom. Once she figured out that she wasn’t in the Hale House, she was able to start to calm herself down. She looked to Stiles.

Stiles stared back warily. He laughed nervously. “Spence, you, uh, your anchor. You need to think of your anchor right now.”

“Why?” She questioned, looking down at her hands, noticing that her claws were out. “Oh, shit.” Spencer said, forcing herself out of the bed and away from Stiles. “No, no.” She pleaded, pushing herself into a corner. “Not now.”

Stiles stumbled out of bed, turned on a desk lamp and followed her, getting on his knees in front of her. “Hey, it’s okay.” Stiles reached out to his friend, pushing the hair out of her face. “Just calm down and take a deep breath.” He stumbled for words. “W-What’s your anchor? Uh, um, it’s not Derek. I-Is it me?” He asked.

“If it was you, don’t you think it would’ve stopped by now?” Spencer said between her teeth. She groaned and closed her eyes tightly. “It’s because of the full moon tonight. That’s why its taking so long to stop.”

“Uh, okay.” Stiles said, thinking of a solution. He grabbed Spencer’s hand and pushed her claws deep into the flesh of her leg. “I am so sorry.”

Spencer seethed with pain. “It’s okay. I think its working.” She took a few more deep breaths and she no longer had claws digging into her thigh. Spencer opened her eyes. “How are they?”

Stiles smiled. “Beautifully blue.”
Spencer’s cheeks turned bright red and she cleared her throat. “The beautiful part wasn’t necessary, but thanks.” She pushed off the floor and stood to her feet. Spencer checked her phone, not expecting any new notifications in the few hours she’d been asleep. She moved to the desk chair, steering clear of her friend on his bed.

“So, do you want to tell me what it was that scared you enough to wake you up at four in the morning?”

Spencer eyed him. “Not really.”

“Okay, wait, let me rephrase.” Stiles started. “Tell me what scared you so much that you woke up practically in the middle of a panic attack.”

The redhead bit her lip and avoided Stiles’s gaze. “It was just a nightmare.”

Stiles chuckled sarcastically. “I should remind you that the last time you had a nightmare here, Derek got shot. Both in your dream and in real life.” He stressed. “Now, while I’m sorta all for Derek getting shot again, now isn’t the time for secrets.”

“I wasn’t a werewolf then. I was a witch. And I had a strong enough bond with Derek to see what was happening to him while it was happening.” Spencer pointed out. “I don’t have that kind of power anymore. This one won’t come true.” She promised.

“Well, you should still tell me what happened. It helps if you talk about things. Or at least that’s what people keep telling me. I’m not one for sharing, but you sh - ”

“It was Peter.” Spencer spilled, mostly to shut him up. “He was alive and back. And…” she laughed, “In a hole in the middle of Derek’s living room.”

“Yeah, that is crazy.” Stiles admitted.

Spencer scoffed at the comment.

“Only because he’s dead. I’m not saying that you’re crazy. That could be...really dangerous for me right now.”

“It doesn’t matter. He’s not alive and he is not coming back.” Spencer said, shakily.

Stiles licked his lips and sighed. “That stuff with him. That really messed you up, huh?”

“Just everything that happened. My dad being a lying shitface who tried to kill me. Kate being a psychotic bitch who kidnapped me and tried to kill me. And of course, Peter, a murderous dillweed who tried to kill me and all the people who mean something to me.” Spencer shook her head. “Never mind. I don’t want to talk about it. It’s over. That’s it.”

Stiles nodded. “You’re right.” he told her. “So, what do you want to talk about then? Do you even want to talk?” Stiles had started to rambled. “‘Cause we don’t have to talk, it was really just a suggestion.”

Spencer was staring at him with an eyebrow raised.

“We could talk about what happens next with Jackson.” He said softly, knowing that she would hear it.

“Are you done?” Spencer asked, wanting him to stop talking.

“No, you’re right. Still.” Stiles joked. “I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do here. You’ve been really closed off lately. You don’t talk about things with me or Scott like you used to.” He shrugged.

“Let’s just try to get some sleep, yeah?” She gestured to the bed. Spencer walked towards the bed and crawled onto the opposite side from Stiles. “Hopefully I can actually get some sleep.”

Stiles joined her in lying down on his own side of the bed. The two laid in bed, Stiles staring at the ceiling and Spencer staring at the wall. Stiles had tangled his fingers together in a nervous mess. “We could talk about what almost happened last night. After the line closed.” he said, mentioning their almost-kiss.

Spencer groaned and rolled onto her back. “Let’s talk about what happens with Jackson.”

“That works, too.”

“We have no next step when it comes to Jackson. First, we have to get through this full moon and find out who’s controlling Jackson. It’ll be much easier to do things that way.” She insisted. “But there is no plan. The betas can hardly stand their own. Jackson’s getting more murderous everyday. Derek’s nearly to the point that he’s losing hope of stopping him.”

“Wait, Derek’s losing hope?” Stiles questioned, shocked.

“Hope that we can stop him and be able to save him.” Spencer clarified. “He told me once that if I thought we could beat this then we would. I think he’s started to realize how I really feel about it.” She sighed. “I know him, and I know he wouldn’t admit it, but he’s just as scared and clueless as we are.”

Stiles scoffed. “Derek? Scared?”

“Don’t ever repeat that. He’d probably kill us both.” She forced before taking a deep breath. “I’m probably not going to be getting back to sleep tonight.” Spencer stood from the bed. “I’m gonna go shower.”

“Now?” Stiles asked. “It’s four in the morning.”

“Tell me what time it is once more, just to see if I forgot the first time you said it.” She smiled and quickly left the room. Spencer was as quiet as she could be as she made her way down the hall, but with how old the house had become, the floors were creaking with each step that she took. Arriving at the bathroom, she started the shower, undressed, and placed herself under the stream of water, not waiting for it to heat up.

The only thing Spencer could think of under the water was her friends.

Isaac. Erica. Boyd. The new betas who Spencer had come to love like they had been her family since birth. They really hadn’t wanted to be a part of any of the dangerous things. Sure, when they were approached, the confidence, super speed, and super strength all looked amazing. Only, they didn’t ever think things would be this bad.

Scott. Who was totally and completely in over his head. He wasn’t a part of Derek’s pack, at least, not really. If what Spencer had heard from Derek about Omega wolves was true, Spencer knew that one of her best friends wouldn’t last long on his own.

Stiles. Innocent, fragile, human Stiles. Without someone always looking after him, he was almost in even greater danger than any of the others. The lanky boy couldn’t heal like she could. Once swipe of the kanima’s claw in the wrong spot and Stiles would be gone in seconds.

Derek. The alpha who was scared of what was going to happen when it came to hunting the kanima. It was getting damn near impossible to stop him and Derek knew it. They were severely unmatched, especially without knowing who was controlling it. Spencer didn’t even want to think about what the hunters were going to try to do to him to get revenge for basically killing Victoria Argent.

Spencer leaned her head against the wall, letting the water splash into her face. She couldn’t help but feel frustrated. All her friends were in trouble and there wasn’t anything she could do about it. Spencer had let her feelings get the best of her and she began to cry. She slowly slid down the wall, losing the strength that was holding her up. She curled herself into a ball on the shower floor.

Spencer stayed like that until the water turned cold, waking her from her horrible day dream. She carefully stood back to her feet and exited the shower before dressing herself back into the sweats that she had borrowed from Stiles. Spencer lazily dried her hair with a towel and brushed out the knots before leaving the bathroom.

“Stiles, you okay?” She heard a voice ask through the darkness. Stilinski reached for a switch and flicked it on.

Spencer froze in the middle of the hallway and turned to face the sheriff. “Not Stiles.” She smiled, lifting her hand in a small wave. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“No, you didn’t.” The man insisted, shaking his head.

“I just - I couldn’t sleep. Thought a shower might clear my head.” She mumbled.

“Spencer, it’s okay. I was up, too.” he told her. “I didn’t know you were staying over.”

“Me neither. It was a last minute thing.” Spencer said. “We were hanging out at the rave and driving back to the home was too far. Stiles offered me here. I hope its okay.”

“Of course. It’s perfect. As long as he gave up his bed for you.” he smiled, getting a hesitant nod from Spencer. “It’s great. It’s probably much more comfortable than that hotel you’re staying in now that you’re mom’s gone.”

Spencer licked her lips and shrugged. “Yeah, it definitely is.” She remembered to keep to Stiles’ cover that he had made up for his dad.

Stilinski took a closer look at Spencer, studying her. “You know, you could always come back here. Save your mom the money for the hotel.” He narrowed his eyes at her as she just nodded.

“I, uh, I heard you weren’t Sheriff anymore.” Spencer said, wanting to get off the subject of her living situation. “Was it something Stiles did, or something we did?”

“No, of course not.” Stilinski insisted. “Well, sort of, Stiles, but nothing you did. God, you’re practically the perfect child.” he got another nod out of Spencer. “Are you okay? Your eyes are red.”

“I’m okay. Just tired.”

“Spencer. C’mon. I’m a cop. You can’t lie to me.”

Spencer laughed in her head, remembering all of the things they do lie about to him. “The, uh - the murders and attacks. I’m really worried. Last time all this happened, it was my dad.” She said, making up a story.

Stilinski pursed his lips, nodding. He took a step forward and engulfed the teenager in his arms. “Everything will be fine. I promise.”

Spencer nodded against his chest, wishing he knew what the truth actually was.

!@#$#@!

“So exactly how many times have you gone through all of this crap?” Spencer asked Stiles, gesturing to the files and yearbooks that had been scattered all over Stiles’ desk. She leaned on the desk reading through the files of the victims.

“At least twenty times.” He said, exasperated.

“And there’s nothing that connects everybody? Including Isaac’s dad?” Spencer questioned. “Are you sure you’re paying enough attention?”

Stiles scoffed, putting a hand in the yearbook to hold his place and looked to the redhead with a scowl. “Would you like to try detectiving by yourself?

Spencer chewed her lip, narrowing her eyes at him before returning to the file on the recently deceased Kara Simmons. “You’re cranky when you’re stuck on something.” she remarked.

“Are you gonna critique me or are you gonna help catch a murderer?”

Spencer put a hand up, submitting a surrender and returned to her reading. She turned the page and began to hear footsteps down the hall. “Hey, Pops.” she said as the man passed.

“Hey,” He said, stopping at the door. “What are the two of you up to?”

“Homework.” Stiles said, not looking from the yearbook.

The man nodded and continued down the hallway.

Spencer heard his steps pause, and then backtrack. She smiled at the man as he peeked his head back in.

“It’s Spring Break.” Stilinski reminded.

“Extra credit?” Spencer shrugged.

“You both have perfect grades.” The cop wasn’t buying it and stepped into the room to look at what Stiles was working on. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m satisfying my own curiosity.” Stiles offered.

Stilinski reached over, closed the yearbook Stiles had in front of him, and took the file from Spencer. “We brought Harris in this morning for questioning.” He paused before correcting himself. “They brought him in.”

“And?” Stiles asked, turning to face his dad.

“And they’re working on a warrant to arrest him for the murders.”

“For all of them?”

“Enough of them.” Pops clarified.

Spencer scoffed. “What proof do they have? If we didn’t find much to go on, what make you think they did?”

“Do you remember the couple at the trailer?” He asked, getting nods from the teenagers. “Tire tracks nearby match Harris’ car.”

“Tire tracks.” Spencer repeated, unbelieving and wanting to make sure she had heard right.

“Wh - That’s not enough.” Stiles insisted reopening the yearbook only to have it closed again. He gawked at the hand that closed the book.

“The same car was also seen outside the hospital where the pregnant wife was killed.” Stiles’ dad added. “It’s got some bumper sticker on it, a quote from Einstein.”

“Harris is practically obsessed with Einstein.” Spencer informed, remembering the quote he shared with the class the day they tested to see if Lydia was the kanima. “What quote was it?”

“Something about imagination and knowledge.”

Stiles’ mouth gaped. “‘Imagination is more important than knowledge.’ Yeah. I saw the same care parked outside the rave.”

Spencer thought about the previous night and who all she remembered seeing. “Harris was there that night. I sm - ” she paused, catching herself. “Saw him.”

“That means you’re witnesses. You’re gonna have to give a statement.”

“But - ” Stiles stuttered. “What about the concert promoter, Kara? She wasn’t in Harris’ class, was she?” He glanced up at Spencer.

Spencer shook her head. “And we don’t know what Mr. Lahey is in it all.” Spencer reminded. “There’s no connection between him and Harris other than Isaac, but Isaac’s not the one that’s dead.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Stilinski insisted. “The tire tracks put Harris at the site of three murders. That’s damning evidence.”

“No, it’s not enough.” Stiles said, forcefully opening the yearbook again. This time it was closed on him.

“I - I thought you hated this guy.” His father asked, confused.

“I don’t hate him, alright?” Stiles pointed out. “He hates me.”

“I hate him.” Spencer joked and, yet, told the truth all the same. “But I have my reasons.”

Stiles paused in his page flipping to eye her quickly before he continued to search the yearbook. He went to finish his statement in order to get off of Spencer’s reasons for hating Harris. “And, you know, if he killed them all, then, yeah, lock the psycho up. But there’s something missing. There’s got to be something missing.”

“Hey.” The cop said. He repeated himself to gain Stiles’ attention. “Both of you.” he said, getting Spencer’s as well. “You two don’t have to solve this for me.”

“Well, I have to do something.”

Spencer looked to Stiles. He sounded so helpless, like he hadn’t done anything to get them this far. She shook her head, wishing she could correct him in his thinking and point out the reasons why.

“What?” Spencer asked his father, taking Spencer from her trance.

“Look at the swim team.” the cop said. All of their eyes became glued to the page Stiles had stopped on. Every single one of the victims were in the picture.

“Isaac’s dad.” Spencer pointed. “He was the coach.” She looked up. “That it. That’s the connection. Pops, you’ve got to do something.”

“Right.” He said, reaching to grab the yearbook. “Now, you too need to leave this alone. Start being teenagers for once. It’s Spring Break. Go cause havoc somewhere.”

“Lydia’s birthday party is tonight. We’re going.” Stiles said.

The sheriff nodded. “Be careful of the drinks. Closed ones only, huh?” he begged, backing away towards the door.

“Yes, sir.” Spencer saluted with a smile.

“Be teenagers, please. I’ll be home late.” And the old man was out of their sight.

“So are you actually coming to Lydia’s party, or are you going to do something wolfy.” Stiles asked.

“Its the full moon. You should know that I can’t go.” Spencer admitted. “Even if I wanted to I don’t think Lydia would want me there. I haven’t exactly been the best friend towards her.”

Stiles waved his hand at her. “None of us really have. She still lost about what happened that night the kanima was at Scott’s when Derek was trying to kill her.”

Spencer shook her head. “Derek won’t be able to handle the betas by himself. It’s Erica and Boyd’s first and Isaac didn’t really experience his last month, so I’m sure, he’ll be crazed.”

“Well, good luck with that then.”

“I’m sure Lydia will like the present you got her, if you’ve decided yet.” Spencer gestured to the corner of Stiles’ room where there was a variety of objects ranging from jewelry to a flat screen television. She looked back to him with an eyebrow raised. “What’s that about?”

Stiles laughed nervously. “I, uh, couldn’t figure out what to get her.”

“Of course.”

!@#$#@!

Spencer left the Silinski home at the same time Stiles left for Lydia’s party. Apparently it wasn’t soon enough because as Spencer pulled her truck into its spot a the subway, she head Erica screaming out in pain. She quickly pulled her keys from the ignition and raced down the stairs.

“It’s about damn time.” Derek shouted to her over Erica and Boyd’s screams

Spencer entered the spare subway car Derek was keeping in them in. “Better late than never.” She admitted, shrugging. Spencer glanced at the back of the compartment where Erica and Boyd were chained up. She shook her head, not wanting to get involved in that, so she joined Isaac and Derek.

“How do you guys not feel this?” Isaac asked, struggling against the chains that were being wrapped around him.

“I feel every second of it.” Derek said.

“Then how do you control it?”

“Find an anchor. Something meaningful to you. Bind yourself to it. Keep the human side in control.”

“What is it for you?”

Derek paused, looking to Isaac then glancing to Spencer. “Anger.” He said, finally “But it doesn’t have to be that for everybody.”

“You mean Scott?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s not anger for me either. My anchor is actually something upbeat.” Spencer joked.

“What is it?” Isaac asked. Spencer didn’t get a chance to answer his question because Derek spoke.

“That should do it.” The Alpha motioned to Isaac’s chains. He pulled once more at the chains attached to the seat in front of the beta wolf, then he and Isaac froze and looked to each other.

“What?” Spencer asked. “What happened?”

“The chair.” Isaac said. “It broke.”

Spencer groaned, glancing to Erica and Boyd, who had already shifted and looked ready to charge and kill. “Son of a bitch.”