"I'll find strength in pain."

♰ ♰ ♰

"You know, when you're drowning, you don't actually inhale until right before you black out." Stiles speaks, re-tying the knots on his lacrosse net. "It's called "voluntary apnea." It's, like, no matter how much you're freaking out, the instinct to not let any water in is so strong that you won't open your mouth until you feel like your head's exploding. But then, when you finally do let it in that's when it stops hurting. It's not scary anymore. It's-it's actually kind of peaceful." Stiles explains to Ms. Morell. She looks at him closely.

"Are you saying you hope Matt felt some peace in his last moments?" She asks, softly.

"I don't feel sorry for him." Stiles sighs.

"Can you feel sorry for the nine-year-old Matt who drowned?" Miss. Morell further pushes.

"Just because a couple of dumbasses dragged him into a pool when he couldn't swim, doesn't really give him the right to go off killing them one by one." Stiles scoffs. "And, by the way, my dad told me that they found a bunch of pictures of Isabel on Matt's computer. And not just of her, though. I mean, he photoshopped himself into these pictures - stuff like them holding hands, and kissing...You know, like, he had built this whole fake relationship. So, yeah, maybe drowning when he was nine years old was what sent him off the rails, but the dude was definitely riding the crazy train." Miss. Morell gives a small smile at the sound of Isabel's name.

"How is Miss. Martin?" She asks, leaning forward on her desk. Stiles' heart races at her name.

"She's- she's in the hospital still. Blood loss and a bruised larynx from when he tried to finish her off. She's being released tomorrow." Stiles shakes his head, fiddling with his hands as he relieved the moment of him watching as Matt almost killed her.

All he could do was watch.

"One positive thing came out of this, though...Right?" She changes the subject.

"Yeah. Yeah..." Stiles nods, remembering his dad got his badge back. "But I still feel like there's something wrong between us. I don't know. It's just, like, tension when we talk. Same thing with Scott."

"Have you talked to him since that night?"

"No, not really... I mean, he's got his own problems to deal with, though..." Stiles trails off, knowing Scott was trying to deal with his mom knowing he was a werewolf.

Melissa would lock herself in rooms so she didn't have to see him. "I don't think he's talked to Allison, either... But that might be more her choice, you know?" Stiles shrugs. "Her mom dying hit her pretty hard, but, I guess it brought her and her dad closer."

"What about Jackson?"

"Jackson?" He repeats, "Jackson hasn't really been himself lately. Actually, the funny thing is, as of right now, Lydia is the one who seems the most normal."

"And what about you, Stiles? Feeling some anxiety about that championship game tomorrow?"

"Why would you ask me that?" He asks, surprised before realising. "Ah. Uh, no. I-I never actually play. But, hey, since one of my teammates is dead, and another one's missing, who knows, right?"

"You mean, Isaac - one of the three runaways. You haven't heard from any of them, have you?"

"How come you're not taking any notes on this?" Stiles dodges.

"I do my notes after the session."

"Your memory's that good?"

"How about we get back to you." She asks as Stiles messes with his net again. "Stiles?"

"I'm fine." Stiles insists. "Yeah, aside from the not sleeping, the jumpiness, the constant, overwhelming, crushing fear that something terrible is about to happen."

"It's called "hypervigilance." The persistent feeling of being under threat." Ms. Morell explains.

"But it's not just a feeling, though... It's-it's like it's a panic attack, you know? Like I can't even breathe."

"Like you're drowning?"

"Yeah." Stiles nods.

"So, if you're drowning, and you're trying to keep your mouth closed until that very last moment... What if you choose to not open your mouth? To not let the water in?" She questions.

"You do anyway. It's a reflex." Stiles shrugs.

"But, if you hold off until that reflex kicks in, you have more time, right?"

"Not much time." Stiles shakes his head.

"But more time to fight your way to the surface."

"I guess."

"More time to be rescued?"

"More time to be in agonizing pain. I mean, did you forget about the part where you feel like your head's exploding?"

"If it's about survival, isn't a little agony worth it?"

"But what if it just gets worse? What if it's agony now, and then - and it's just hell later on?" Stiles quietly asks.

"Then think about something Winston Churchill once said... 'If you're going through hell, keep going.'"

♰ ♰ ♰

Lydia picks Isabel up from the hospital, helping her collect her things and throwing in a dig about finally not jumping out of the window.

She drives her straight to the school, where they were going to watch the game tonight. They hadn't fully spoken about what happened the night of her birthday, and neither of them was going to bring the topic up. Lydia still made sure to visit everyday, sometimes even putting up with Stiles as they sat beside her.

When she was at work, Melissa made sure she was put working on Isabel's care. She watched the girl nearly bleed to death in front of her, gathering that she wasn't like Scott.

She was human.

Isabel smiles at Melissa and Noah as Lydia tells her to carry on. Stiles turns his head on the bench next to Scott, who follows his stare. She grins at the two boys who breathe in relief as they watch her approach. Stiles and Scott stand and meet her as she makes her way over.

Stiles takes her into his arms first, gently hugging her and making sure not to hurt her side. She pulls back slightly and smiles up at him. Stiles fights the urge to kiss her and moves back so that Scott can encase her in a hug.

"I'm glad you're okay." Scott breathes into her ear as he holds her close.

"I'm glad both of you are okay too." She smiles, looking over the two as they stand next to each other in their lacrosse gear.

"Us?!" Scott breathes out, bewildered. "Isabel." He sighs. "You were shot and almost suffocated to death by the guy who was stalking you."

Stiles' eyes soften at Scott's words, watching her closely as all she does is slightly shrug. She motions back to the bench.

"Beacon Hills, right?" She lightly jokes. "I'm gonna go get a seat. Good luck guys." She smiles as the two move to their seats again. Stiles sighs knowing she wasn't coping very well with it all.

"Your dad coming?" Scott asks as they sit back down.

"Yeah, he's already here." He nods over to where Isabel sits next to his father who wraps his arm around her.

Melissa sits next to Noah, smiling as she holds Isabel's hand. Scott and Stiles smile at the sight of Isabel with their parents.

"You seen Allison?" Scott asks.

"No. You seen Lydia? She didn't show up with Isabel."

"Not yet." Scott tells him.

"You know what's going on?"

"Not yet." Scott sighs.

"It's gonna be bad, isn't it?" Stiles quietly asks Scott. "Like, people screaming, running for their lives, blood, killing, maiming-kind of bad?"

"Looks like it." Scott grimly responds.

"Scott... The other night, seeing my dad get hit over the head by Matt, watching him nearly kill Izzy right in-front of me, you know, while I'm just lying there and I can't even move, it just." Stiles sighs, looking at his dad and Isabel as they sit at the bleachers, his arm wrapped around the young girls shoulders. "I want to help, you know? But I can't do the things that you can do. I can't-"

"It's okay." Scott reassures.

"We're losing, dude." Stiles sighs.

Coach approaches behind, hearing his voice. "The hell are you talking about? The game hasn't even started! Now, put your helmet on and get out there. You're in for Greenberg." He tells Stiles.

"What? What happened to Greenberg?" Stiles asks, stunned.

"What happened to Greenberg? He sucks! You suck slightly less." Coach shrugs.

"I'm playing? On the field? With the team?" He asks, Scott watches with a smile.

"Yes, unless you'd rather play with yourself."

"I already did that today - twice." Stiles tells him.

"Get the hell out there!" Coach shouts, pushing Stiles off of the bench. Scott watches with a smile.

Noah looks up from his conversation with Isabel and watches as Stiles runs onto the field. He shakes his head.

"Oh, no... Why is my son running out to the field?" He asks quietly.

Isabel looks up and grins at Stiles, giving him a wave which he returns enthusiastically.

"Because he's on the team?" Melissa tells him.

"He is?" Noah asks confused, before realising. "He's on the team. He's-he's on the field." He mumbles before standing up in the bleachers and raising his hands excitedly. "My son's on the field!" He chants happily as Isabel giggles.

"Oh, dear God." Stiles breathes out as he hears his dad.

"Scott, can you hear me?"

Scott jumps in his seat as Gerard's voice fills his ears. Gerard chuckles at his reaction.

"Ah, you can. Good. Then listen closely, because the game is about to get interesting. Let's put a real clock on this game, Scott. I'll give you until the last thirty seconds. When that scoreboard clock begins counting down from thirty, if you haven't given me Derek, then Jackson is gonna kill someone. So, you tell me, Scott - who's gonna die tonight? Should it be your mother, who so bravely came out to support you? Or the Sheriff, your best friend's father? Or, how about the pretty little redhead, the lovely little Chaos Witch. What about her cousin, who managed to survive the bite of an Alpha? Or maybe one of these innocent teenagers with their whole lives ahead of them?"

"Oh, God." Stiles breathes out as he gets ready to start the game. Isabel grins as Lydia takes a seat next to her on the bleachers.

"Or should I do everyone a favor and kill that ridiculous coach? It's up to you, Scott. But, you are going to help me take Derek down... because if you don't, I'll have Jackson rip someone's head off right in the middle of the field and drench everyone you love and care about in blood."

The referee blows the whistle, signalling the start of the game. Stiles catches a ball in his next, but in the awe of catching the ball he is distracted and tackled to the ground by a member of the other team. Isabel hisses in pain as she watches him get back up from the ground.

"He's probably just warming up." Melissa sheepishly smiles.

The whistle is blown again, a member of the team holds off a member of the opposing team so Stiles can get the ball. He fumbles trying to pick it up.

"Oooh! I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it. I got it, I got it." He mumbles before looking up, only to get shoved back down by two players.

"Oh, he's just a little nervous. Plenty of time to turn it around." Isabel smiles, holding Lydia's hand on her own. Lydia gives a small nod of encouragement.

Stiles attempts to catch the ball, but it hits him square in the head instead, his helmet protecting him. The crowd boo's as Stiles stands there dumbfounded. Noah puts his head in his hands as Isabel chews on her lip.

"Sit down, McCall." Coach shouts as Scott tries to get up.

"But Coach, we're dying out there!"

"Oh, I'm aware of that! Now sit." Coach leaves, as Isaac takes a seat next to Scott.

"You came to help." Scott smiles, relieved.

"I came to win." Isaac grins, both wolves turning to face Gerard who looks at Isaac in shock. Scott explains the situation to Isaac. "You got a plan yet?" He asks him.

"No... Right now, it's pretty much just 'keep Jackson from killing anyone.'"

"Well, that might be easier if you're actually in the game. We have to make it so Coach has no choice but to play you."

"How do we do that? He's got a bench full of guys he can use before he ever puts me on the field. Can do it without putting anyone in the hospital?"

"I can try." Isaac shrugs.

Taking his place on the field, Isaac systematically knocks down his own team players to force Coach to use the substitutes.

"LAHEY! Seriously, what the hell is your problem?" Coach shouts, but all Isaac does is shrug.

When the whistle blows this time, Jackson knocks Isaac down. Scott rushes toward him.

"It's not broken... but I can't move it. I think Jackson nicked me, 'cause I can feel it spreading." Isaac tells Scott.

"You want to play chess, Scott? Then you better be willing to sacrifice your own pawns."

A paramedic puts Isaac onto a gurney and takes him away as Coach approaches Scott.

"McCall... Either you're in, or we forfeit." He tells him, defeated, before leaving. Melissa rushes onto the field and grabs Scott.

"Hey, something's happening, isn't it? Something more than a lacrosse game?"

"You should go." Scott tells her, answering her question.

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere. And everything I said before? Forget it. All of it. Okay? If you can do something to help, then you do it. You have to."

"I will." Scott tells her, determinedly.

The whistle blows, and Scott has the ball. He's knocked down by a player and hits the ground hard. Stiles is knocked down by the same player.

"Don't you know what you're really bargaining for, Scott? Haven't you guessed what the real offer on the table is? It's Allison. It's always been Allison. You give me Derek, and I'll let you have Allison."

Scott looks up, finding Jackson staring at him before he continues on with the game.

Coach sits up looking for Scott and stands.

"McCall! Where's McCall?"

The ball is thrown and lands at Stiles' feet. The players scramble around looking for the ball. Stiles looks around confused and picks it up, realising no one knew he had the ball.

He runs toward the goal, noticing all the players on the other side of the field. They turn, seeing him and realising he has the ball; begin to charge.

"Oh, oh, oh!" He yells, before screaming.

"Oh, crap." Noah mutters, holding his head in his hands.

Stiles freezes at the goal, turning back to see the players still chasing him.

"Stilinski, shoot it! Shoot the ball!" Coach shouts. "Shoot it, you idiot!"

"Shoot it!" Isabel yells out, watching the players almost reach him.

Stiles turns back at her voice, throwing the ball into the goal just as the players reach him. The ball shoots into the net, causing everyone to cheer. Noah and Isabel stand and cheer together excitedly as Melissa and Lydia smile at the two.

"I scored a goal?" Stiles mumbles, dazed, "I scored a goal! I scored a goal!" Stiles screams, euphorically.

Stiles dances around the field, dodging players as he makes his way to the net again; shooting and scoring another goal.

Isabel and Noah stand and cheer again for him. The next time Stiles shoot a goal, Lydia jumps up with Isabel as she cheers. Stiles looks to the bleachers, grinning as he watches Isabel cheer for him.

Scott rushes through the crowd as the timer ticks down, watching Jackson as he removes his gloves, eyes slitting as he releases his claws. The buzzer sounds, everyone cheering.

Noah hugs Isabel gently as they win, Isabel turning and jumping with Lydia excitedly.

"We did it! We won!" Coach screams in disbelief. Stiles cheers on the field as he celebrates with the team.

"Nothing happened. Nothing." Scott mumbles, before the lights shut out leaving everything dark. Scott watches as people rush out in fear, knocking people over.

"Scott, where are you? Scott!" Melissa calls out.

Mom!" Scott shouts back, grabbing her. "Mom, Mom, Mom, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but somebody is hurt. Somebody is down on the field." Melissa tells her son.

The lights turn back on as Coach rushes toward the crowd at the centre of the field.

"Get out of the way!" He exclaims. "Move! Back off! Move!" He tells the surrounding players. Melissa and Scott rush forward. Isabel holds Lydia's hand tightly as they rush toward the group.

"Jackson? What's happened to Jackson?" She screeches, pushing her way through. "Jackson! Jackson! Jackson, what's happening?"

"Can we get a medic over here? We're gonna need a medic!" Coach shouts.

Melissa kneels down, listening to his chest and checking his mouth for any breathing. "He's not breathing. No pulse." She explains before pulling his jersey up to show blood and cuts.

"Oh my God, there's blood! There's blood!" Lydia cries out, turning and crying into Isabel's shoulder as she holds her close.

"Look!" Scott says, motioning Isaac to look at Jackson's hand. His fingers were covered in blood.

"He did it to himself?" Isaac whispers, looking to Scott in confusion.

"Get down here." Melissa tells Lydia. "Get down here and hold his head. Tilt it up." She instructs.

Lydia does as she is told, as Melissa begins CPR. Noah makes his way forward, looking over the scene before looking around at the players.

"Stiles. Where's Stiles? Where-Where's my son?" He mumbles to himself. "Where's Stiles?" He asks. "Where's Stiles?" He finally shouts.

Isabel looks around in horror as she realises Stiles is no-where to be found.

"Where the hell is my son?!"