video;

[unfettered]

[Have a bombshell-blonde teen werewolf, Keeliai. She's dressed in the same outfit she wore to a rave and leaning both elbows on the console as she stares straight into the camera.

While she doesn't start by naming Isaac, Scott, and Stiles specifically, it likely obvious to them that her first statement is aimed in their direction.]

Boys, I know you're busy with your baking or whatever you're up to [what's up with that by the way?] but I'm here now so why don't you come out, come out, wherever you are?

[Ending with a sing-song voice, she addresses anyone else who might be paying attention to her feed.]

To the rest of you, that's one hell of a song and dance they do for you back at the palace, isn't it? Too bad it's probably full of lies or something.

[Her smile fades as she makes a face and gives a deliberate, dramatic sigh.]

So, anyone want to help a girl out and give me the 101 on place? Because this network doesn't have Google or WikiLeaks.

Comments

[bereavements]

Stiles' dad has been kidnapped. If it evens things out, then, that's something that's true. And Scott and Allison are broken up so it's probably a good idea not to mention her. And Stiles is still a virgin and very concerned about it.

[unfettered]

[Stiles' dad being kidnapped is rather serious, and if what they're keeping from her is on the same level, well, that's concerning. Scott and Allison breaking up isn't as serious, but oh, isn't that interesting. She'd probably have something to say about it to Scott if Isaac hadn't just asked her not to.

Isaac mentioning Stiles is still a virgin, however, makes her grin.]

I get the feeling that's something he really wouldn't want me to know. Why is he so concerned?

[Which of course is why she's glad Isaac told her.]

[bereavements]

Because there are sacrifices being made. Three virgins were killed. But, the darach moved on from them so he's safe as far as we know. [ Before she asks. ] A darach's a dark druid,

[unfettered]

[Oh. Well that's not quite so entertaining. Especially considering the fact that she doesn't have much in the way of experience herself.

Waitasecond...]

Who did this darach kill, exactly?

[bereavements]

Random people. We didn't know any of them. Except for Harris.

[unfettered]

Harris is dead?

[Goddamn, how many school staff members have been offed at this point?]

[bereavements]

Yep. [ Sorry. He nods. ]

[unfettered]

Anyone else?

[Anyone else they know, that is. Anyone that would matter to either of them.]

[bereavements]

Erica, you don't want me to answer that. It won't help and it won't change anything. [ But, he pauses, and knows that she's going to think one thing instead of fearing the other. Shit. He looks down, the wound still fresh. ] Boyd, Erica. Boyd's dead.

[unfettered]

[No.

No, no, no. He can't be telling the truth. She can handle hearing that they're from different times. Can handle dealing with being on this crazy turtle. Handle the weird withholding of information they've been doing. She can handle being away from half of their pack.

But Boyd being dead? Oh, that's something she wasn't prepared to deal with.]

No. [She shakes her head, saying nothing for a long while before finally, quietly:] How?

[bereavements]

[ With one "no," he pushes away everything telling him not to and pulls her in for a hug. He gives her this until she asks how and he pulls back, hands still on her shoulders. ]

The alphas came after Derek to teach him a lesson.

[unfettered]

[The hug helps. It's the second they've had and the thing that has made her feel the most steady since she arrived at the palace. Erica squeezes back, holds her hands to his arms and swallows.]

And teaching him a lesson meant killing Boyd? How--He didn't even do anything to deserve it, did he?

[She doesn't ask as if she's wondering. She knows Boyd. Knows enough to know there's nothing he could do to deserve that.]

[bereavements]

They believed Derek killed one of theirs. To pay back, he either joined them or they went after his betas one by one. [ He purses his lips, locking eyes with her finally. ] No, he didn't, Erica.

[unfettered]

[Erica swallows once. She's trying to hold it together but it's hard to even comprehend the fact that in the near future, Boyd dies. Boyd being dead just seems so wrong to her. So unreal. She wants to say Isaac is lying to her but he wouldn't about something like this. All they wanted was to belong, all Boyd wanted was not sit alone at the lunch table anymore and now he's dead.

Erica closes her eyes, tries to keep her voice level but it's hard to keep control. Her hands squeeze his arms tightly as she stares at him.]

Tell me they pay for it, Isaac. They can't...they can't do that to him and get away with it.

[bereavements]

I can't. Not when I'm from. There's other stuff happening. Everything's really complicated.

[ Somehow, he feels guilty now, like he hasn't done enough. Like, he's failed her. And Boyd. Like, being beaten by Kali and the twins is as much his failure as it is Derek's.

He pulls her in again, looking up and past her, holding her closely. He squeezes, pushing his own tears away. He hadn't had proper time to mourn. It's not going to happen now. If he gives in, then she'll break and he has to stay solid. He's her rock, like Scott's his. Weird to think that - and a weird time to think it. He rubs her back, sucking in a shaky, quiet breath. ]

[unfettered]

[Complicated with alphas and a darach and sacrifices apparently. What time would there be to avenge Boyd?

Erica lets Isaac draw her back in, rests her head on his shoulder and wraps her arms behind him because he's there and solid and they're both alive. It's something small, but it's better than nothing. Trembling against him, she doesn't have anything to say. Erica lets him rub his back, closes her eyes and tries to steady her breathing. She's trying to reconcile what he's said, everything that she's heard with her sense of reality but she hasn't experienced and so it sounds just so completely wrong. It's easier to roll with being on a giant turtle than anything she's heard of the future.

Maybe Stiles was right. Maybe no good could come of knowing.]

[bereavements]

[ Not much. Because, Jennifer got involved and everyone had to deal with protecting her which Isaac had not been okay with. Especially when he ended up driving away without Scott.

He holds her however long she needs. ]

[unfettered]

[There was a time hearing this might have made her angry, made her lose her calm and lash out. But the unfairness of it all hits her too hard to be anything other than just upset.

Not wanting to let go, she settles against him.]

If...if this is a place between life and death and dreaming, does that mean he may show up here at least? Could come here if he can't...come back?

[It sounds stupid and childish to ask, like asking him to tell her that Santa is real and fairies grant wishes, and good people don't stay dead, especially when they're wrongly killed. But Erica can't ignore the one shred of hope she has.]

[bereavements]

[ He doesn't have to think about his answer. ]

That's what it means. It could happen. [ He's not even lying. ]

[unfettered]

[It's not a perfect solution but again, it's something. Better than nothing. Cheek pressed to his shoulder, she nods slightly and takes a deep breath. No, she still not ready to let go but she does feel less like she's going to break down crying, overwhelmed by everything that she's had to cope with and account for that day.]

I hope it does then. We're here and he wouldn't have to be alone.

[Or dead.]

[bereavements]

He wouldn't be.

[ Either. He continues to rub her back, just breathing, giving her the time she needs. ]

[unfettered]

[Erica's not sure how she'd handle this is Isaac wasn't here. She's not close to Scott. Not close to Stiles even if she'd wanted to be for so long. Derek and Boyd aren't there so they're split but...it's a relief to have Isaac still.

Eventually, she pulls back a little bit. Enough to look him in the face but not so much that she has to let go of the one person making her feel steady.]

What do we do now? Now that I'm here.

[bereavements]

We do what everyone else is doing. What I'm doing. We live. I work at a bakery. Scott's at a clinic. Stiles is Stiles and I have no idea what he does with his day. [ He tries to make a joke. ]

[unfettered]

[Living. Well. That's as good a plan as any for now.]

Okay. Well, then want to help me figure out what's around here? Find the grocery store, all of that? Maybe steer me away from any weird food I shouldn't be trying?

[She can try to pretend everything is okay, that Boyd being dead didn't feel like a punch in the gut.]

[bereavements]

I can do that.