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The morning sun sent bristles of light into the window where Grandpa Sam rested peacefully on his porch steps, staring out into his backyard. A steaming cup of chamomile tea was nestled in his palm, letting the vapor rise up and fill his nose to bask in the savoring sent. His light eyes appeared illuminated from the sunlight peeking through the underbrush above as he watched Aspen sit on a purple blanket with her leg crossed. Her chest heaved steadily with focused breaths, her mind lulling in relaxation. She concentrates on how the warmth sunk into her skin like the sun was pouring its warm nectar, how the light danced under her eyelids like fairies, the sound of wind scattering amongst the trees around her. Today's practice was to listen to where the wind guides her and how to locate. All her senses were to be used during this lesson, and concentration was essential. 

Aspen had kept her promise to practice control even when Grandpa Sam wasn't around. She hasn't seen him as often as she would have liked. She was either running around town with her friends hunting supernaturals, or he was off to bed early due to headaches. With his Alzheimers progressing more and more each day, Aspen found it harder to look at him knowing there would come a time when he would barely recognize her. But seeing him like this, in a calm, tranquil element, brought a smile to her lips.

"Eyes closed," he warned softly with a tilt of his head.

Aspen was too distracted staring at her sweet grandfather to even realize he was staring at her for the past five minutes. But once she closed her eyes, she marked a plastic bag with a transparent covering seated by his leg, bits of chocolate delight placed inside. She had never seen that snack in any of her pantries, and curiosity drew in her brows as she looked back at her grandfather, who was now wearing a devious smirk to her notice.

"There was an incident at the supermarket today," he said in his deep voice, his words coming out honeyed.

"Yeah...." Aspen said, slowly nodding her head with a smile peeking from her lips that she couldn't hide.

"Well, you see," he began, adjusting his navy beanie on his head and picked up the bag to set in his lap, already devouring the snack with his eyes, "The lady in front of me got confused where the little spacer bar was and um...."

"Yeah..."

"These slipped over to my side."

A humored snort escaped Aspen's mouth that she quickly covered with her hand when she proceeded to laugh at her grandfather's story. "So you stole that chocolate?"

Grandpa Sam looked almost offended and shook his head, but the smirk never left his lips. as if he was proud of his shopping day. "Well... not technically," he said, lifting his hands slightly and tilted it side to side.

"Did she pay? Did she pay for them?"

He simply shrugged, "Well, it's in dispute."

This brought Aspen to more laughter as she shook her head in mock shame. "You stole some ladies honeycomb chocolat!"

"I'm not even sure," he tried to deny before ripping open the plastic idly and munching one into his mouth. "Now, back to meditating. Go on."

Letting the last but of laughter slip, she rolled her eyes and let them close once again. She forced herself to find her focus again, trying to get through Sam's brash munching and the crumbling of the plastic as he continued to eat more. With the wind picking up slightly, it brushed past her ear in a kiss of affectionate greeting, and she followed it all the way toward the trees. The pitter-patter of ants traveling on the dirt, the squeals of squirrels scattering amongst the bark, a growl-

Aspen went stiff, sucking in a sharp breath as she continued to listen. Her chest suddenly felt like it was weighing on her, fear burdening the calmness in her heart. Goosebumps decorated her skin, hearing the crunching of grass in front of her, but she wouldn't dare open her eyes.

"Aspen..."

Her eyes shot open, the brown of her iris' flashing white briefly before she whipped her head around. The whisper felt so close to her ear that she swore she felt their breath tickling her neck. Grandpa Sam acknowledged her sudden jumpiness and peeked over the rim of his cup as he took a sip of tea.

"You called me?" Aspen asked, her eyes still wondering the grassy area in a mild panic.

Grandpa noted her startled tone and gambled a glance around the area as well. "Wasn't me. Probably the neighbors. Remember, your senses are heightened, especially when you're focusing." he reminded her, with a raised brow and a confident smile gracing his lips.

Aspen dipped her head down and smiled forcefully. She fluttered her eyes shut again and breathed in heavily, trying to find her calmness that she let flee so quickly. Her fingernails grazed over her palm where she felt the gaze wrapped around her wrist; the material dwindled slightly from her constant picking. Grandpa Sam was angrier than she's ever seen him once she told him about her fight with Derek and his betas. She prioritized seeing Deaton sometime this week to understand why her veins were still greyed over.

"It's your..."

The voice sounded bitter but swept away with the wind, and Aspen opened her eyes to see who kept whispering in her ear.

"IT'S YOUR FAULT!"

The face of Peter Hale appeared in front of her, dry blood staining his skin along with smudges of dirt. The same dirt he should be buried under with his decaying body. Streaks of black colored over his skin like soot from a fire, but to her astonishment, his skin wasn't burned. His glowing red eyes stared into Aspen's being, and her eyes involuntarily glowed white as a frown set upon her lips.

Alarm shot in her chest, and Aspen was already scampering back on her hands and feet as Peter growled menacingly and scrawled toward her with impossible speed. A cry left her lips when he jumbled on top of her, and let out a gasp once his paw-like hands wrapped around her throat. Her nails thrashed against his hand, but he wouldn't budge.

"You killed her...and now you must face the Veata Moon...alone."

The Veata moon. She hadn't thought about that since the night it was explained to her. It was a burden she dreaded to think over for weeks, and it almost seemed impossible. A treacherous storm would brew over beacon hill because of her, and if she can't control herself by that time, everyone she loved could die. And it would be her fault...

"June."

It was faint, the sound of her name being called ever so softly in her ears. Aspen's eyebrows tugged inward as she struggled to escape Peter's grip. or what she thought was Peter. She already knew this was another hallucination from the toxin given to her by Deaton. The effects were said to last a day or two, and thankfully, she stayed home from school the other day. The night Isaac paid her a visit, she slept soundly once he left. But the evening after, in the shadows of every crevice of her room, she could still see Peter Hale crouched in the corner of her room, watching her intently.

"Aspen!" the sound of Allison's voice finally registered in her brain, and she sat up swiftly with the help of the girl kneeling next to her on the grass. Aspen's breathing was surprisingly normal as if she just woke up from a dream. She slowly turned her head to see the glowing face of Allison's Argent, her painted smile never failing to brighten up her day.

"You okay?" she asked, calmness and concern lacing her tone, afraid if she spoke any louder, Aspen would break.

With a nod of confirmation, Aspen got to her feet, and Allison followed suit, dusting off her pants. Aspen had forgotten she asked the girls to pick her up from school, not yet comfortable to drive on her own. Allison was filled in about the other night from Scott, and seeing Aspen thrashing about once she entered the house, she immediately told Lydia to get something from the car that she "forgot."

"I thought these meditations were supposed to be relaxing," Allison inquired, leading Aspen toward her porch stairs.

"So did I." Aspen replied with a huff, tucking her mangled hair behind her ear, feeling grass blades twisted in the strands. She could hear Allison giggle from behind her and felt her dainty fingers begin to assist in making her look presentable.

The girls entered the kitchen space, and Grandpa Sam's face was etched with worry from where he sat on a chair. "I leave for a few seconds, and you're already off the rails." he teased, sliding a glass of orange juice toward her. Aspen was quick to send her grandfather a playful eye roll before letting the tangy juice slide down her throat. "What did you see?"

Allison leaned against the counter across from Aspen, her thumbnail finding home between her teeth, her mahogany eyes flickering between Aspen and her grandfather. Allison has been worried about her best friend for weeks. She hated being absent when Aspen needed a friend. Gerard has been keeping an extra close eye on her, and with Chris and Victoria sensing that she was back with Scott, the girl had to be more cautious. Anytime her father brought up the discussion about befriending Aspen, she shot it down entirely, arguing that he couldn't take both Scott and Aspen away from her. Not when they needed her the most.

Aspen dropped her gaze to the swirling orange liquid that remained in her cup, nibbling on the inside of her cheek. "Peter," she said solemnly, and she didn't miss how Sam flinched from the name. "I don't get why, but it always seems to be him for some reason."

"What do you think it means?" Allison asked, "I mean, besides him being your godfather, you guys aren't related, so why is he the only one you're seeing?"

Aspen shrugged. "He's the one who activated my power. We're bound to be linked somehow."

"Deaton," Sam grumbled with a firm, disapproving shake of his head. "He gave you that toxin knowing darn well that it could hurt you. Oh, I'll have banter with him later--"

"Pa, you know it was just to wake me up." Aspen said calmly, passing his a raised brow, "Besides, I have Allison to watch me today if anything were to happen. She'll be there, okay?"

Grandpa Sam looked at her skeptically, Allison and Aspen trying their best to show ensuring smiles. With a deep breath, he lifted his hands in surrender. "Fine. I'll be at Mource's house. He owes me gumbo from last week's chess match."

Grandpa Sam was soon shuffling out the front door, capping his head with his hat and shutting the door behind him.

Aspen ran a hand through her hair with a quiet sigh and found a stick. "Dammit..." she mumbled to herself, flicking it to the floor while Allison watched in amusement before meeting her eyes.

"Haven't seen much of you recently." Allison piped up after a moment of silence that had enveloped them, "and I think I've had my share of too much Lydia."

Aspen feigned a gasp with wide eyes and a smile that Allison adored so much. "That's not true! No one can ever have too much Lydia."

As if on cue, Lydia came barging into the house, her body doing a 360 as if quickly looking over the place. A pink smirk was displayed on her lips as if expecting something less than average.

"Hello, my dear June bug," Lydia sang, beaming a smile and bringing Aspen into a tight hug. Aspen used to feel awkward anytime either of the girls hugged her, but she soon grew to love them, and she honestly craved them for a long time. She hugged Lydia back, rocking the two back and forth before she heard the bubbling strawberry blonde laugh.

"Oh, honey, you're a mess," Lydia pointed out once she pulled away from her, her manicured nail raking through Aspen's hair. "we have school in an hour--what were you doing, rolling in the dirt?"

Aspen glanced to Allison, who was stifling a laugh through pressed lips. "I just move a lot in bed."

"Obviously. You seem like the type to sleep like a starfish," Lydia quipped, adjusting the strap on her purse, "Also, before you change, how long after arriving at someone's house is it appropriate to ask for the wifi password? Cause the lighting was killer outside, and I snapped some selfies I'm trying post pronto."

Aspen shook her head fondly at the girl and laughed with a slight hum, "I've got it written down upstairs. Come on." Aspen gestured toward the stairs, and Lydia galloped up the glossy wooden planks, leaving Aspen and Allison to linger behind, watching as their friend skipped toward her bedroom.

"I beg to differ." Allison mumbled as she leaned in for only Aspen to hear, referring to their earlier discussion about too much Lydia, "but I have missed you."

Aspen smiled genuinely for the first time in a while. "Me too."

Allison draped her arm over Aspen's shoulder before following Lydia up the stairs.

Lydia plopped herself on Aspen's bed, her pink leather gloved hands resting on either side of her. Her green eyes lapped around the room, admiring the pictures pinned to the wall and the shelf containing quotes and poem books in height order. "Never took you as the organized type."

Aspen rushed to her closet after her finger tilted her phone screen and clocked the time. "Just easier to find stuff," she said absentmindedly, opening her closet and rummaging through the variety of things Lydia and Allison instructed her to buy. More so, Lydia, since she claims she has pristine 'vision' when it comes to fashion.

Allison snorted, "I can't believe you actually got this on camera," Allison grinned, tapping a picture on the wall of Scott splattering ice cream all over her face. It was one of those nights where they were free to be normal teenagers. Allison sneaked out of the house, and Scott, Aspen, and Stiles were waiting for her in the jeep. Lydia was in the hospital most of the time, so they would pop in to visit. They stole ice cream from the hospital kitchen thanks to Scott taking his mother's keys. The night was filled with muffled laughter, excessive sugar rushes, and Lydia constantly complaining about Stiles needing to grow out his hair. When Allison began poking fun at Scott about his need for a haircut, he retaliated with the sugary delight plastered on his girlfriend's face. "god, it was a pain to get the stickiness out of my hair.

"You guys got ice cream all over my hospital gown." Lydia grimaced with a wrinkle of her nose. "How are you two anyway? I get the whole hiding the relationship is classic Romeo and Juliet and forbidden love, but I gotta say, I miss seeing you two together in public."

Allison frowned at the thought, wishing Lydia hadn't brought it up in the first place. But since she didn't know that her father threatened to kill Scott if he ever saw him near her again, she thought it best to simply say her family disapproved. "I miss it too," Allison huffed, maneuvering toward the bed to sit next to Lydia before resting her head on her shoulder. The redhead patted her head affectionately with a playful pout.

"Have you tried talking to your dad?" Aspen asked her, shimming out of her sweat pants and balancing her footing to slide in a white skirt that she's worn more times than she can count. "he knows Scott is one of the good ones." she hoped Allison would find her hidden meaning.

Thankfully Allison understood, and she sat straight, shrugging her shoulders quickly with a shake of her head. "I've tried. Trust me, I've tried countless times, and my happiness doesn't seem like a priority to him. Like--I can't explain it. Is there a word between angry and sad?"

"Malcontented, disgruntled, miserable, desolated." Lydia listed off casually, once again showcasing her magnificent, bright mind.

Aspen hummed and pondered in thought before snapping her fingers, "Smad?" she suggested, already succeeding to pull a smile from Allison and a loud groan from Lydia.

"Oh my god, shut up, Aspen. Just hurry up and change." Lydia whined, Aspen's made-up word crawling under her skin.

"Okay, okay, at least fill me in on the drama. What've I missed at school?" Aspen pulled a sage jumper over her head after slipping on a white polo, and she slid to her vanity. 

"You were just gone for a day, really not much--"

Lydia interjected with an incredulous look, and Allison's eyes widened at her sudden offense to her words. "Um, not true," Lydia scoffed before flicking her hair over her shoulder and looked at Aspen through her mirror. '"Rumor on the street is that Jason has been sneaking around with Isabella while Ellie is in debate club, but I think it's all lies because Isabella isn't even Jason's type."

Allison perfectly plucked brows pulled in a furrow. Aspen always thought it was funny when Allison expressed most of her emotions through her eyebrows and eyes. "How do you know what Jason's type is?"

"Oh, my god, are you blind? Jason only goes after blondies. His past three girlfriends have just been carbon copies of the same girl. It's honestly a little weird."

"So he has a type, is that a crime?"

"Eh..." Aspen stood from her chair and shrugged her shoulders as she went to grab her book bag from under her desk. "It's a little weird; they do look like they can all be related."

"Exactly!" Lydia jeered the thought of possible incest, "It a conspiracy, I swear."

Noticing Aspen walking to the door, Allison and Lydia followed her down the stairs. "Well, maybe that's just his kink," Allison suggested, jumping to the floor with a thud once they made it to the last step.

"Kink, you say?' Lydia smirked, bringing Allison and Aspen to roll their eyes knowingly.

"Here we go..." Aspen mumbled with a chuckle, dragging her house keys from the little table near her front door.

"And what would your kink happen to be, Allison?" The insistent teasing made the sweet raven-haired girl with a fierce temper blush as she strutted toward the car once they made it outside.

"My kink is when people admit I was right," she shot toward the girl with a prideful aura. She leaned her back against the car, lifting her hand to block the seething sun as she waited for Aspen and Lydia to approach.

"Nice cover-up, but I'm sure Scott knows," Lydia winked, hopping in the front seat while Aspen found home in the back. "How about you, Aspen? I know Isaac is a criminal now, but there's got to be something you two have done."

The blush that crept up Aspen's face was unnerving, eliciting a giggle from Lydia. Allison passed her a disapproving look before turning in the passenger seat to give Aspen a sympathetic smile, knowing all the things that were happening between Scott and Derek's new pack.

"My kink is when people actually care about my feelings and what I have to say," Aspen answered after a moment, tying her hair back that decided to be frizzier than usual, but due to her fine strands, the ponytail looked loose. Allison hummed in agreement to Aspen's answer and smirked, waiting for Lydia to shoot back.

And as expected, she did.

"Too unrealistic," she shook her head, starting the ignition, "Settle for bondage like the rest of us."

Both Aspen and Allison groaned in unison with scrunched noses of disgust. "Okay, change of topic," Aspen begged, sitting back as she felt the car begin to move across the gravel.

"I'm only teasing," Lydia voices, her smile beginning to fade as she relaxes in her seat. "I did miss hanging with you guys. I wanna feel normal again, ya know, with all this counseling and stuff."

"Why are you going to counseling?" Allison asked with worried eyes, tilting her head to face her. Aspen sat forward once again, noticing Lydia's grip tighten on the wheel.

"Well, no one can forget me screaming and freaking out on the ice pick. As soon as my mom heard that, it was like I needed help immediately. Then last night I punched my mirror and bled out on my bed as I fell asleep."

Aspen's eyes bulged with a gaped mouth while Allison shot up from her seat.

"What the hell, Lydia? Why haven't you said anything sooner?" Aspen questioned hastily, noting why she wore gloves today.

Lydia's words came off so nonchalant it worried both girls that she was hiding something this serious so easily. "It's not exactly a conversation starter. And I don't want you guys to think I'm crazy, or anyone else for that matter."

Allison exchanged a troubled glance with Aspen before looking to Lydia again, who was tensing up more by the second. "Would that anyone else you're talking about happen to be Jackson?" Allison tried, slightly squinting in hopes she didn't hit a nerve.

Lydia breathed in sharply, feigning a smile to quickly recover from her somber state. "Maybe."

Aspen slips a hand on Lydia's shoulder, letting her thumb brush over the material of her jacket, hoping to catch her eye through the corner of her peripheral. "You're not crazy, Lyds," she said softly.

Lydia laughed pitifully in doubt, "I hope you're right."

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a/n

So I thought it was time to have Aspen and my girls just have some girl time, don't ya think? I wasn't gonna just ignore the fact that they have lives. Because after all, they're still young. If you don't like these filler chapters I'm sorry but the characters have personality and a life outside the plot and I stand by that always. But SIXTY chapters!? And some of y'all are still here? I'm so thankful, you guys have no idea! I Love all of you so much and thank you for the constant love and support. I love the comments and they honesty keeps me motivated to know you guys are enjoying it. Seriously it's like you're interacting with the story. Anyway have a good day my loves!