[twenty three]
insatiable

ALEX BLEW OUT a breath as she crossed her arms, still processing the fact that she was finally free from the Nogitsune's control.

Melissa shone the flashlight in Stiles' eyes, still being cautious just in case he wasn't the real Stiles.

Stiles glanced at Melissa, and then to Alex. Alex didn't meet his gaze, as she was looking at the ground. She inhaled a breath, closing her eyes briefly, and exhaling seconds later. She tried to collect her thoughts, but there were too many flurrying around in her mind.

"Well...medically, you seem okay." Melissa started as she spoke to Stiles. "You're definitely a real person."

"Okay, so I'm real, but am I really me?" Stiles asked as Scott walked in the room, Alex, Melissa, and Stiles glancing at him.

"Is she here?" Alex asked softly. They were the first words she spoke since she stopped being possessed.

Scott nodded, glancing at her. "Yeah."

"Okay, lets do this." Stiles blew out a breath, Melissa and Scott sharing a glance.

"Guys, we have to do this." Alex spoke, the group then all walking into the living room, only to be met with Noshiko.

Alex and Stiles were going to get marked by the Oni to test if Alex no longer had any evil in her, and to test if Stiles was the real him.

"Do you both recognise me?" Noshiko asked.

Stiles and Alex nodded as they walked closer to Noshiko.

"Stop." Kira protested, however, her mother stopped her.

"It's okay." Stiles reassured her. "We're the ones that asked her to come."

"You're the ones that are going to get stabbed with swords." Kira replied.

"We'll be fine." Alex responded.

"Easy for you to say, you can heal." Kira frowned as she turned to her mother. "Mom, don't do this to them."

"It's already done." Noshiko responded as four Oni appeared behind Alex and Stiles, Melissa gasping.

Two of the Oni walked over to Alex, one of them placing it's hand on Alex's cheek, marking her ear, it's eyes glowing a neon yellow, Alex gasping.

The other two walked over to Stiles, one of the Oni doing the same thing to Stiles. Stiles gasped as well as the Oni's eyes glowed yellow.

The Oni let go of the teens, the two falling to the ground immediately, grunting as they hit the floor. They began to tremble.

"Look behind their ears." Noshiko spoke immediately, Scott going over to his two best friends and checking their ears to find a backwards five behind both of them.

"It worked." Scott spoke.

"So I'm actually me?" Stiles asked between gasps.

"More you than the Nogitsune." Noshiko responded.

"And I'm not evil anymore?" Alex asked in between breaths.

Noshiko shook her head. "No trace of evil anywhere."

"Can the Oni find him?" Stiles asked, referring to the Nogitsune.

"Tomorrow night." Noshiko responded. "It's too close to dawn now."

"Can they kill him?" Stiles asked, glancing at Noshiko.

"It depends on how strong he is." Noshiko replied.

"What about Lydia?" Scott questioned. "Why would he take her?"

"He would only take her for an advantage." Noshiko spoke.

"You mean like her power?" Scott frowned.

"The power of a Banshee." Alex whispered.

••••

"In your coffee cup." Stiles spoke as Noah turned around in surprise. "You always drop them in your empty cup."

Noah dropped his jacket, walking up to his son as he engulfed him in a tight hug.

Alex smiled, crossing her arms as she shared a glance with Scott.

"Hey, dad." Stiles spoke as he hugged his dad tighter.

The two pulled away, Noah smiling at Alex. "Hey, Alex."

"Hi, Noah." Alex grinned as she hugged the sheriff.

"Is it over?" Noah asked once they pulled away.

Scott took the keys from Noah's coffee cup. "Not yet."

••••

"We got an APB out on Lydia's car." Noah started, glancing between the three teens. "Every unit on the road is looking for her."

"Isn't there anything else we can do?" Scott frowned.

"At this hour? No, not really." Noah shook his head.

"He took her for a reason, dad." Stiles responded.

"If we can figure out the why, then we'll figure out the where." Alex added.

"Okay." Noah nodded. "What would a Nogitsune need with a Banshee?"

"I don't know, Lydia's pretty good at finding dead bodies." Stiles responded. "Maybe he needs to find a body?"

"Scott, you know more about this than any of us." Noah spoke, diverting all the attention to Scott.

"Me?" Scott raised his eyebrows.

"You said you got the whole story from Noshiko." Noah replied.

"Yeah, but that happened in World War Two, like seventy years ago." Scott responded with a frown.

"Wait, what did you say?" Alex frowned.

"Noshiko told me about the internment camp-"

"No, before that." Alex cut Scott off as she glanced at Noah. "You said the 'whole story'."

"Yeah." Scott frowned. "What is it?"

Alex's mind flashed to the memory of Meredith back at Eichen House, and how she was explaining this 'whole story' over the phone. She glanced at Stiles. "Sti, do you remember that girl at Eichen House? Meredith? She was talking on the phone about some 'whole story', do you remember?"

Stiles nodded in realisation, explaining it to Scott and Noah. "There's this girl at Eichen House, her name is Meredith."

Alex nodded, glancing between Noah and Scott. "I think she might be able to help."

••••

"Sheriff, Meredith Walker." Deputy Parrish informed.

"Is she still there?" Noah asked.

"Yeah, but they moved her to the closed unit." Parrish responded.

"Why?" Alex frowned.

"They said behavioural issues." Parrish spoke with a frown.

"What issues?" Stiles pressed on.

Parrish's frown deepened. "She wouldn't stop screaming."

Alex, Stiles, and Scott shared a glance at the realisation.

Meredith is a Banshee.

••••

Stiles gasped as he woke up, Alex and Scott immediately at his side.

"Hey, you okay?" Scott questioned.

"What happened? How long was I out?" Stiles asked.

"Just a couple hours." Alex answered. "I was asleep for awhile too, but my werewolf self kinda healed me faster. You should sit down."

"Where's my dad?" Stiles asked.

"He's at Eichen House, questioning everyone. Looking for Meredith." Scott spoke. "Alex and I promised him we wouldn't let you out of our sight."

"Okay, what about the others?" Stiles asked.

"Allison, Isaac, the twins, they're all looking for Lydia." Scott replied.

"I just feel like we're waiting for a random call." Stiles spoke sarcastically, a tinge of worry laced in his tone.

"We'll find her." Alex replied, Stiles shrugging on his jacket.

"You alright?" Scott questioned.

"Yeah, I don't know why, I just can't seem to get warm." Stiles responded, shuddering.

"Hey, maybe you should sit down." Alex went to hold his hand, however, as soon as she touched him, her veins turned black immediately, Alex pulling away as she frowned.

"You're in pain." Scott frowned.

"It's not that bad." Stiles replied. "Just more like a dull ache."

"Where?" Alex frowned.

"Sort of everywhere." Stiles responded, Alex going to touch him again, however, Stiles pulled away, Alex's frown deepening.

"Sti, you're freezing." Alex spoke as Stiles sat on the couch, Alex sitting next to him.

"Tell us the truth." Scott frowned.

"How much does it really hurt?" Alex questioned, Stiles glancing at her.

Before Stiles could respond, Scott's phone vibrated. "It's Kira." He walked into the other room, answering the call. "Hey, what's up?"

"Can I?" Alex asked, referring to taking Stiles' pain.

Stiles glanced between her eyes, then softly nodded.

Alex took Stiles' hands in hers, her veins turning black immediately as Stiles' pain flooded through them.

Alex closed her eyes tightly as she took more pain, the girl finally pulling away soon after.

Stiles glanced between Alex's eyes again as he spoke softly. "Thank you."

Alex nodded, sending Stiles a small smile as she squeezed his hand tightly.

••••

Alex, Scott, and Stiles piled into the Jeep, Meredith sitting in the back with Scott.

"Okay, where's Lydia?" Stiles started, him and Alex turning to face Meredith.

"Who's Lydia?" Meredith asked, glancing between the three.

••••

Alex, Stiles, Scott, and Meredith ran into Scott's house, surprised to see Rafe and Isaac.

"What are you doing here?" Scott questioned.

"I could ask you the same thing." Rafe responded with raised eyebrows.

"Free period." Stiles cut in. "We're doing group study."

"Who's she?" Rafe gestured to Meredith.

"She's my girlfriend." Stiles spoke, wrapping his arm around Meredith, Alex frowning at the boy in question. Scott didn't miss the look and told himself to ask Alex about it later.

Isaac didn't notice.

"You're not my type." Meredith responded, sending Stiles a frown.

"Well, obviously we have a lot to talk about." Stiles spoke, glancing at Rafe. "We should, maybe, take this upstairs?"

"He's my type." Meredith spoke simply, Alex's eyes widening.

Too bad, because he's mine girlie. Alex thought to herself.

"Okay, Isaac can come too." Stiles added, him, Meredith, Alex, and Isaac walking upstairs.

••••

"Lydia? You mean the red haired girl?" Meredith asked with a frown.

"Yes, yes!" Stiles exclaimed. "Good, progress."

"Now, all you gotta do is tell us where she is." Alex added, Isaac nodding.

"Okay." Meredith nodded. "If she tells me."

Stiles' eyes narrowed, Alex's eyebrows raising in question.

"If she tells you?" Isaac rephrased with a confused frown. "Uh...can you ask her?"

"I already did." Meredith sent the three a small smile.

"Perfect. Perfect, what did she say?" Alex asked with a hopeful smile.

"She said she doesn't wanna be found." Meredith responded, Stiles' eyebrows raising.

"That's good too..." He whispered.

••••

"I'm just saying-"

"Isaac, we are not going to torture her." Alex whispered, rolling her eyes as she cut her ex boyfriend off.

"I meant scare her." Isaac whispered back.

"We're not going to psychologically torture her either." Stiles added quietly with a frown.

"Fine." Isaac huffed. "Okay, how about this. You said she hears things, right? Doesn't that mean she's like Lydia? A Banshee?"

The three glanced at Meredith.

••••

"Okay, just try to focus on the sounds around you." Alex started, facing Meredith. "On what you're hearing."

Meredith nodded.

"Just focus on the silence." Stiles continued.

"Listen to the silence." Isaac added.

"Focusing on the silence." Stiles spoke, ignoring Isaac.

"Listening to the-"

"Okay, would you just let us handle this, Isaac?" Stiles cut Isaac off. "We have more experience with Banshees."

"Yeah, and mental patients." Issac whispered, Alex and Stiles glaring at him.

"Isn't anyone going to get that?" Meredith questioned.

Alex, Stiles, and Isaac shared a quick glance.

"Get what?" Alex asked with a frown.

"The phone." Meredith answered.

"What phone?" Stiles frowned.

"That phone." Isaac spoke, going along with Meredith's words, gesturing to Stiles' phone, Meredith doing so as well.

"Oh- oh, the phone." Stiles realised. "My phone, yes..." He took his phone out and held it to his ear, pretending it was on. "Hello? Yes, she is actually, she's sitting right here." He held his phone out to Meredith. "It's for you."

Alex crossed her arms as Meredith handed back Stiles' phone.

"They say Coup de foudre." Meredith responded.

"Coup de what?" Stiles frowned. "Is that Spanish?"

"It's French." Alex blew out a breath.

••••

Stiles was driving his Jeep, Alex in the passenger seat, Scott and Isaac in the back.

"Hey, you okay?" Alex asked as she turned to face Scott.

"Yeah. Yeah, you don't have to worry about me." Scott responded as he glanced at Alex.

"Alright, I'm gonna say it." Isaac interrupted. "You look like you're dying." He referred to Stiles.

Alex frowned as Isaac went on. "You're pale and you're thin, and you look like you're getting worse. And we're all sitting here thinking it. When we find the other you, is he gonna look he's getting better?"

"What happens if he gets hurt?" Alex asked, referring to Void Stiles.

"You mean if he dies, then do I?" Stiles questioned as he kept his eyes on the road. "I don't care. Just so long as no one else dies because of me. I remember everything I did. I remember pushing that sword into you, Scott, I remember twisting it. And I remember doing all those things to your mind, Alex."

"That wasn't you, Sti." Alex responded, glancing at him.

"Yeah, but I remember it." Stiles responded. "You guys gotta promise me. You can't let anyone else get hurt because of me."

Scott nodded.

••••

Stiles parked the Jeep, him, Alex, Scott, and Isaac getting out and meeting Allison and Kira.

"We've done this before, guys." Scott voiced. "A couple of weeks ago, we were standing around just like this. And we saved Malia, remember?"

Allison nodded.

"That was a total stranger." Scott continued. "This is Lydia."

"I'm here to save my best friend." Allison voiced, Alex nodding.

"Me too. I'm here to save both of mine." Alex spoke, glancing at Stiles as Allison then intertwined hers and Alex's fingers, holding Alex's hand and squeezing tightly.

"I came to save mine too." Scott added, also referring to Stiles.

"I just didn't feel like doing any homework." Isaac shrugged.

The group then walked into Oak Creek cemetery.

"Kira." Noshiko started, two Oni behind her. "Turn around and go home. Take your friends with you."

"I can't." Kira responded. "When I looked at the game, I realised who I was actually playing. You."

••••

Alex, Scott, and Stiles ran into a hallway.

"She's here." Alex spoke. "This way."

The trio continued to run in search of Lydia.

••••

Alex, Stiles, and Scott approached gates, finding Lydia on the other side.

"Lydia, thank god." Alex breathed as she ran up to the gates.

"Are you alright?" Scott questioned as he unlocked the gates.

"No, no, no, wait, why are you here?" Lydia frowned.

"Lydia, we're here for you." Stiles replied.

"You weren't supposed to be here." Lydia responded as Alex frowned. "You didn't get my message?"

"Lydia, what's happening?" Scott frowned.

"Who else is here?" Lydia asked as a tear slid down her face. "Who came with you? Who else is here?!"

••••

Stiles, Alex, Scott, and Lydia ran down a hallway, Stiles stumbling.

"Alex, Lydia." Stiles spoke weakly as he fell to the ground, Alex and Lydia stopping as Alex helped him to the ground gently. "I can't..."

Scott continued to run outside, Alex and Lydia staying with Stiles.

Stiles' eyes drooped closed as he fell unconscious.

Suddenly, Lydia screamed loudly, the scream echoing. "Allison!"

Alex frowned, knowing what that scream meant. "No, no..."

Lydia stopped screaming, the girl in shock as tears slipped from her eyes.

Alex let tears fall freely from her eyes as she began to cry, Lydia beginning to sob.

The two girls shared a glance, Lydia falling into Alex's arms, the two girls hugging each other tightly.