章 30: Tattoo

"Lyds, I don't want to dress up for a date I don't even want to go on." Scarlett says, exasperated.

"It's not a date. It's a group thing. So hurry up and get your cute little butt dressed in the outfit I picked out. We still need to pick up Allison." Lydia replies, leaving no room for argument. Scarlett lets out a huff then reaches for the clothes to get dressed.

"Stop your pouting. At least I stuck with black."

Scarlett playfully rolls her eyes, "Yeah, at the very least."

"Would you prefer pink?" She asks with a raised eyebrow, making her way to her closet.

"God no." Scar shudders at the thought. Lydia lets out a light laugh and shakes her head. "Okay. I'm good." Scar holds out hers hands and does a spin for the strawberry blonde.

"Hot as ever." She replies with a smirk.

Scarlett giggles, "Alright, gorgeous. Let's go." She links her arm with her best friends as they head out of the house to go pick up Allison.

A little while later Lydia, Allison, and Scar are sitting in Lydia's car driving down the road. "It's not a date. It's just a group thing." Lydia insists.

"Do they know it's a group thing? Because I told you I'm not ready to get back out there." Allison asks from the backseat.

"Seriously. Isaac and I kinda have a thing going. I really don't want to go on a date." Scarlett says.

Lydia first addresses Allison, "You were in France and you didn't do any dating? For four months? And you," She glances at me, "Having a thing going is totally not the same thing as dating."

Scarlett rolls her eyes but lets Allison answer, "Did you? I mean after-"

She gets cut off by Lydia, "Do not mention his name."

"Is he okay? I mean, did everything work out?" Allison questions.

"The doctors looked like idiots when he turned up alive, but yes everyone got over it." Lydia replies.

"Derek has been helping me and him with our Werewolf 101 the whole summer." Scar says looking back at the hunter.

"Like how not to randomly kill people during a full moon." Lydia adds in.

"So you've talked to him?" Allison asks Lydia.

"Not since he left for London."

"You mean since his dad moved him to London."

"Whatever. He left. And seriously? An American werewolf in London? Like that's not going to be a disaster." Scar lets out a light chuckle and shakes her head at the remark.

"Then you're totally over him?"

"Would I be going on a group date if I wasn't?" Lydia questions. Allison and Scar share a look, both have satisfied smiles on their faces. Lydia glances at her two friends then sighs, "Okay, it's a group date. Not an orgy. You'll both live."

She brakes at a red light. "Isaac better not find out about this." Scarlett says, giving her best friend a stern look.

"So is he your boyfriend?" Allison asks with a smile.

"We aren't official or anything. But I care about him a lot."

"And again. This isn't an orgy. If you aren't official he can't get mad at you for going on dates." Lydia says.'

Before Scarlett can reply Allison gasps from the backseat. She slinks down and has a look of pure shock on her face. Scar opens her mouth to ask what's wrong, but doesn't get the chance to speak as Allison starts talking, "Oh my God, oh my God, I can't see him. Not yet."

Lydia and Scar share a brief look before looking to the side to see Stiles and Scott stopped next to the girls at the red light. Allison holds her head in her hands trying to hide, "Lydia, go - please. Go, please."

"But the light." Lydia says. Finally, to stop Allison's begging, Lydia steps on the gas, running the red light. With the jeep disappearing in the rearview mirror Lydia asks, "You all right?"

All Allison can do is shake her head. "Lydia, stop. I need to go back. I need to talk to him." Allison says. Lydia slows the car to a stop. The trio glance out the rear window to see that the jeep stopped too. Lydia stats to speak once more but Scarlett can't focus. She starts feeling a dull pain in her chest.

She looks down at her arms to see the hairs start to raise. She cuts off whatever Allison was about to say with a panicked, "Get out of the car."

She reaches over to undo her seat belt and opens the door, "What?" Lydia asks.

"Now. Get out of the car now." Lydia and Allison both hurriedly follow Scar's directions, "Move to the back."

"Scar, what's wro-" Before Allison even has time to finish the sentence a deer comes out of nowhere and slams right into Lydia's car, smashing through the windshield.

"How did you-" Lydia doesn't finish her sentence, too shocked to continue.

Scar shakes her head, "I- I don't... It might have been my danger sense. I just- I never." She can't complete a sentence, still in shock about what happened.

Suddenly Scott and Stiles are now beside the girls seeing what happened, "Are you okay?" Scott asks.

"It came out of nowhere." Lydia says.

"Are you hurt?" Stiles questions, checking on Lydia then quickly turning to Scarlett.

"We're alright. Scarlett got us out before it hit." Allison says.

Scarlett walks over to the front of the vehicle to get closer to the deer as Lydia starts speaking again, "I'm not alright! I'm completely freaked out. Why the hell did it do that?"

Scott starts to make his way over to his twin and the deer, "It was scared." Scott says.

Scarlett looks up at him, "No. Terrified."

*_*_*_*_*_*

The next morning Scarlett quickly gets ready changing into something black of course, though to appease Lydia she decides to go with a lighter colored plaid skirt.

Once at school Lydia and Scarlett wait for Allison by her locker. Lydia surveys the faces in the hall, trying to pick out the new faces. "Freshmen. Tons and tons of fresh men."

Scarlett smiles and shakes her head as Allison says, "You mean fresh boys. They're fourteen."

"Some are more mature than others." Lydia tries to argue.

"You know it's okay to be single. Focus on yourself for a little while. Work on becoming a better person." Allison tries again.

"Allison, I love you. So if you need to do the thing where we talk about me and pretend like we're not actually talking about you, that's totally fine. But I don't want a boyfriend. I want a distraction." She pauses, noticing someone, "Like that."

Allison and Scarlett both follow her gaze to see a new student moving through the hall. Looking down at his hand they see a black motorcycle helmet held in a gloved hand. A second student joins the first, identical in looks and the fact that they are both carrying identical helmets. "Brothers?" Allison questions.

"Twins." Lydia and Scarlett answer in unison. As they walk closer to the trio, Scarlett picks up a scent. She cocks her head to the side as they both make eye contact with her before quickly averting their eyes. Werewolves.

*_*_*_*_*_*

Walking into first period with Allison and Lydia, Scarlett moves to sit in front of Stiles. Lydia sits next to her leaving only one vacant seat right in front of Scott. Allison walks over and awkwardly asks, "Anyone sitting-"

She gets cut off by Scott's answer, "No, no one. It's all you. All yours. Totally... vacant." Stiles and Scarlett both look at him in disbelief. How can Scott be so awkward with her. Suddenly all the phones in the class start to either vibrate or ding, letting everyone know that they have a message.

Scarlett, along with everyone else in the class, pick up their phones to check what it is. "The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds..." A young brunette woman, that the class has never seen before, walks in and starts reading the text.

"And the tranquil waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the Earth flowed somber under an overcast sky seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness." She looks at the class as everyone stares back, "This is the last line to the first book we're going to read. It's also the last text you'll receive in this class. Phones off, everyone."

Rather than shutting her phone off Scarlett puts it on silent then slides it into her bag. Ms. Blake, the young brunette teacher, starts writing on the board. Not even a minute later the door opens revealing the principal. Ms. Blake and the principal speak for a few seconds then she looks towards the students, "Mr. and Miss McCall?"

All eyes fall on the twins as Ms. Blake motions for them to follow. They both look at each other trying to see if the other knows why they are getting called out of class. They sling their backpacks over their shoulders and follow the teacher through the door.

"I'm sure it's an emergency if your mother needs you to leave school. But I'm going to give you a warning in the nicest way possible. I'm well aware of your attendance record. I don't want to see you slip back into old habits."

"I won't. It's going to be different this year." Scott immediately answers.

"Don't need to worry about me." Scarlett pulls her lips into a tight smile.

"Resolutions are only good if you stick with them." Ms. Blake says, looking between the two siblings.

Scott nods, "I will. I swear it won't be ephemeral."

They both turn to leave, Scar raises an eyebrow looking at her twin, "Ephemeral? Studying started early this year?"

"PSATs." He simply states.

*_*_*_*_*_*

Melissa, Scott, and Scarlett rush down the hospital corridor. Their mom just told them about Isaac being brought into the hospital earlier that morning with some pretty severe injuries. "Why didn't you tell us before?" Scott asks.

"Honestly, I was hoping I wouldn't have to." Their mom answers.

"What do you mean?"

"Everything you've been doing. The extra reading, the summer school, saving up for the bike - even though it scares me to death. I don't want to break a good rhythm."

Scott stops to look their mom in the eyes, "It's not going to stop. I'm going to be better this year. A better student. A better son. A better friend. A better everything. I promise."

"Plus if you really didn't want to tell Scott, you could have told me. I mean I should know about Isaac being hurt any way. We do kinda have a thing going in case you forgot." Scarlett speaks up.

"Which is why I didn't want to tell you. I didn't want you to be worried."

"Well I am mom."

Melissa sighs, "He's in 215. If he's not already in surgery." Scott and Scarlett both lean in to kiss their mom on the cheek then make their way to Isaac's hospital room.

They quickly slip into the elevator, Scott hitting the button for the second floor. As they wait for the doors to close, a blind man walks through the door. "Could you hit the button for the second floor?"

Scott and Scarlett glance at each other, then at the already lit up '2' button. Scott reaches over to press it one more time, shrugging his shoulders at his twin. "Thank you." The man says. Once the elevator doors open Scott begins to move out but is stopped by the man's cane. "You wouldn't mind helping me out for a second, would you?" He questions.

"We're kinda in a rush sir. I'm sure you can manage-" Scarlett gets cut off by Scott elbowing her in the ribs. She throws him a glare as he starts speaking to the man.

"Sorry about her, she's a little worried about her boyfriend. I'll help." Scott takes the man's arm then they begin slowly walking out of the elevator and down the corridor.

Scarlett pauses for a minute, still in the elevator with her jaw open in shock due to how slow they are moving. She throws her hands up and shakes her head. Rather than following after them, she starts to make her way to Isaac's room.

She sighs when she sees that Isaac is no longer in his room. "Dammit." She turns down the hall looking for Isaac or Scott. She finally spots Scott and makes her way up to him, "Ditched the blind guy."

"Really -" Scar cuts Scott off, holding a hand to his face. Her head snapping to where she knows the elevators are. Her chest aches as she quickly grabs Scott's hand and start pulling him towards the elevators with her.

They make it in enough time to see the elevator doors still wide open. Isaac is in a wheelchair, unconscious and behind him is a man with scrubs. Though Scott and Scarlett both realize rather quickly that the nan is not a nurse but rather another werewolf.

Without stopping to think Scott and Scarlett run forward, both with their claws and fangs out, attacking the man. The elevator doors close with a ding as the unknown werewolf, Scott, and Scar begin fighting. Despite it being two against one the other werewolf is a lot stronger than the two siblings.

The werewolf picks Scott and Scarlett up by their throats just as the elevator dings again, signaling that the doors are about to open. "Don't you realize what you're dealing with? I'm an Alpha." He says, eyes glowing red.

Before he can do anything else, the Alpha jerks forward in shock as claws jam into his back. Derek Hale stands behind him, making his presence known. "So am I."

The unknown Alpha drops Scott and Scar, a smile making its way to the Zeta's face as Derek slams the Alpha's head into the wall. He then picks him up and throws him out of the elevator, quickly closing the doors. Derek turns to Scott and Scarlett, "Aren't you two supposed to be in school?"

*_*_*_*_*_*

Derek and the twins leave the hospital with a still unconscious Isaac. Just as they are making their way inside the burnt Hale house Scott's phone rings. Stiles calls, wanting to tell him about something that happened at the school, but rather than listen, Scott gets him to meet them.

"You don't still live here, do you?" Scott asks as he hangs up. Derek places Isaac down on a charred table in the middle of the room.

As Scar stands next to Isaac lightly running her hand through his hair, Derek answers, "No, the county took it over. But there's something here I need." Scarlett's eyes don't leave Isaac but she makes sure to listen to Derek and Scott talk, "It'll help heal a wound from an Alpha."

"But it did heal." Scott says, confusion evident in his voice.

"Not on the inside."

"Are you going to tell us who that was back there? The Alpha?" Scott asks.

"And why is he here?" Scarlett pipes up, finally turning her eyes towards the other two in the room.

"A rival pack. It's my problem. I know you both want to help. And you did. I owe you one. Now go home. Go back to being a teenager."

"I'm not leaving until Isaac wakes up." Scarlett crosses her arms.

Before Derek can reply Scott speaks, "Derek. If you want to pay back the favor now..." Derek breaks eye contact with Scarlett to look at Scott, "There is something you can do for me."

Derek and Scott sit in chairs across from each other, Stiles now here, stands by Scott's side. Scarlett still stands beside Isaac, constantly switching back and forth from looking at Isaac to the three guys clustered together.

"I see it. Two bands, right?" Derek asks. Scott nods, prompting Derek to ask another question, "What does it mean?"

"I don't know. It's just something I traced with my fingers." He presses his fingers to a dust covered side table, he draws a circle then a larger circle around the first.

"Why's this so important to you?"

Scott lowers his eyes, "Do you know what the word tattoo means?"

Stiles answers this time, "To mark something."

"That's in Tahitian. In Samoan it means open wound. I knew I was going to get a tattoo when I turned eighteen. I always wanted one. But then I decided to do it now to make it a kind of reward."

"For what?" Derek asks as Scarlett knits her eyebrows together.

"For not calling or texting Allison all summer." More softly then before Scott continues, "Even when I really wanted to. Even when some days it was so hard not to. I'm trying to give her the space she wants. But four months later it still hurts. It still feels like- like an open wound."

Derek picks up an acetylene torch once Scott finishes his explanation. "The pain's going to be worse than anything you've ever felt."

Scott nods, "Do it."

Derek lights the torch and almost instantly Stiles says, "Yeah. I'm going to wait outside."

"No, you're going to help hold him down. Scarlett you too." Derek says.

Scarlett nods and makes her way over as Stiles, less confidently does the same. They each hold on tight to one of Scott's shoulders as Derek slowly lowers the blue flame to Scott's arm. Scott's eyes start glowing yellow, fangs start growing, and he opens his mouth to scream. Scott quickly loses consciousness as Derek continues to work on his tattoo.

*_*_*_*_*_*

About a minute after Derek finishes the tattoo, Scott snaps awake, He looks up at everyone then lets his gaze drift towards his arm. The two bands are still there, confirming that it worked.

Scott slips his shirt back on and turns to leave the Hale house with Stiles. Scarlett still refuses to leave since Isaac still isn't awake. Derek makes his way over to Scarlett and Isaac as Stiles looks at Scott's tattoo. "Looks pretty damn permanent now."

"I kind of needed something permanent. Everything that's happened to us - it just feels like everything changes so fast. Everything's so... ephemeral."

A brief moment passes before Stiles asks, "Studying for the PSATs?"

Scott nods, "Yeah."

"Nice."

Scott opens the front door but before he fully leaves the house he turns to Derek, "You painted the door. Why'd you paint it?"

"Go home, Scott."

"And why only one side?" Derek and Scarlett both start towards the two teenagers standing in the doorway.

"Scott-" Derek tries to get him to leave once more but is cut off with Scott unsheathing his claws and scratching the paint off of the door.

Underneath the red paint is a black triskele pattern. "The birds at school and the deer last night. Just like the night I almost got trampled by deer. The night I got bit by an Alpha. How many are there?"

"A pack of them. An Alpha pack." Derek replies.

Confused Stiles asks the same question on Scarlett's mind, "All of them? How's that even work?"

"I've heard there's a kind of leader. He's called Deucalion. We know they took Erica and Boyd. Isaac, Peter and I have been trying to find them for the last four months."

"What if you do find them? How do you deal with an Alpha pack?" Scott asks.

"With all the help I can get."

Scarlett opens her mouth to tell Derek to let them help then but before she gets the chance a voice behind them speaks, "Where is she?" They all turn, wide eyed, looking towards Isaac, who is now wide awake and sitting up on the table, "Where's the girl?"

Scarlett quickly makes her way over to Isaac as Derek asks, "What girl?"