Jackson finally had some time to breathe, after endless hours at the Hospital and a gruelling swim practice schedule he felt exhausted. But he had been seeing less and less of Lydia and wanted to make up for lost time. He left the Porsche at home and instead walked to the Martin house. Winters in California weren’t super cold but it was still brisk and chilly which was why he had bundled up in a pair of blue jeans a leather jacket, and a warm plaid shirt. Within moments he was at Lydia’s and he let out a soft sigh. In some ways it was both a blessing and a curse that she had lost her memory. On the one hand she couldn’t remember all of the years they had spent as friends and then more. On the other, he had a fresh start with her to do things right.
Walking up to the porch he rang the door, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Hey” he said as she opened the door, he greeted her with a warm smile. “I was going to the Lake and was wondering if you wanted to come, it’s really beautiful this time of year, and after being cooped up at the hospital I figured you could use some fresh air”
Sleep was difficult to come by for him. Even regularly, when his dreams were etched with nightmarish visions of a grizzled Gerard or a menacing Matt. However he had heard somewhere that, if the body went without any sleep it would eventually shut down and crash. When it came to that point he didn’t fight it, he just welcomed it like an old friend. For once his dreams weren’t filled with images of death and destruction. Instead there was just space, wide open space where he was alone and it was pitch black in every direction. For what seemed like hours he stood there until he was abruptly pulled out of the dream. Slowly opening his eyes he looked around at the surroundings. He was still in the waiting room, a few other stragglers hanging about with their haggard faces and whispered words. In his hand was his phone with a few hundred miscalls from his aunt. He was about to bring the phone to his ear so he could call her back, when a nurse appeared from the direction of Lydia’s room a simpering smile on her face. “She’s awake, I can sneak you in for a moment to see her if you like”
Jackson nodded gratefully, “I’d like to see her” she led him to the room. Caleb was standing just outside, his features contorted to one of worry and dismay. He approached Jackson first whispering to him quietly. “She’s lost her memory, it’d be best if you didn’t startle her”. Jackson’s face fell as he looked at Caleb. But he didn’t say anything instead he just nodded and made his way over to the bed. Questions could wait till later he just wanted to see her. “Hi Lydia…” he said stifling the urge to take her hand in his, after all he was a stranger her to her and the last thing he wanted was to scare her. “I’m Jackson; we’re uh friends…I just thought I’d drop by and say hi. Would you like something from the bookstore, a book or magazine maybe to pass the time?”
&& so what if you can see the darker side of me | self para
type: self para
written to animal I have become by three days grace/ skyfall soundtrack
npcs used: aiden carson
actual characters present: isaac, scott, lydia, misc people at the abandoned mall.
permission to use npcs given from the main: yes
warnings: graphic depictions of violence ( blood & guts )
setting: the abandoned mall on crew street. november 21st, 2013 ( august 25th, 2013 real time )
summary: the antagonism between jackson and aiden finally comes to a head and isaac and jackson heal scott
To be a killer was an innate part of being a werewolf. It was an overpowering instinct that guided every fluid motion, every snarl; every pulsating quavering beating of his heart. It was the instinct that was egging him on. Jackson Whittemore had been scouring much of Beacon Hills for the scarlet-eyed alpha that had made life hell for him. The need for revenge had been bubbling up inside of him since Matt Daehler had used him like his own personal killing machine. Now he was free, unbound by any circumstance or consequence. It was just him and his tormenter, and the capacity to kill and get away with it. He was a killer by nature and with one crushing blow satisfaction would be his. Yet he could not stifle the small undeniable fact that he did not want to be a murderer. His nightmares were tainted with whisperings of his murderous soul, often he’d imagine his ivory skin blemished with the scarlet sanguine of another, and more often times he would be up till four am rubbing his skin raw trying to rid himself of the scarlet blood on his hands. There was blood everywhere on his hands, on his soul, and there was a darkness that surrounded his heart. Nothing would ever take away the fact that these hands had been the one that had taken the lives of nine innocent souls. People would try to make excuses for him. It’s not your fault Jackson they’d say. But it was his fault, because he had sought out the bite. He had made himself a monster out of jealousy and spite. What did it get him really? The inability to sleep at night, the heightened senses that made it impossible to focus, or the murderous hunters on his trail that made living a normal life nearly impossible. All he had wanted was to be the best player on the team again and to feel special. Instead he felt powerless.
Finally Jackson found himself at the abandoned mall. He could smell the muskiness of Danny’s cologne and the flowery essence of Lydia’s perfume and he knew the pug had led him to the right place. The winds were billowing, as the night became darker and blacker, the stars disappeared from the sky and the moon became blood red. A small twisted smile appeared at the corner of his lips. He had finally figured out what the eclipse meant. Without moonlight a werewolf was powerless, but in the darkness he’d be the most powerful he’d ever been. Because unlike the alpha before him he knew what it felt to be human. To work for something, to build himself up bit by bit, and to fight as though his heart was going to give out. “Looks like I’ve got the upper hand here puggy” Jackson said feeling increasingly confident as the sky became darker and darker.
“Is that so pretty boy?” Aiden mocked his mirth; he looked at Jackson his red eyes running over the young wolf. He had delivered his fair share of pain and brutality, Jackson was bloodied and weak and once the moon disappeared from the sky he wouldn’t be able to heal. This was truly going to be a fight to the death.
Suddenly he could feel his heartbeat slow down, the warmth leave his body replaced by a cold chill. Soon his every limb was hit with immeasurable pain, pain that eviscerated through him, but he couldn’t give up. Despite himself he let out a whimper of pain to which Aiden laughed mocking him.
“You were always so weak, no wonder she didn’t want you anymore. No wonder you’re such a pariah. The omega, the weakest link” Aiden said a smirk on his lips as he went to deliver a crushing blow to Jackson’s jaw. The dark haired boy staggered backward, the fury inside of him building up as he did so. But fury wasn’t going to be how he was going to win this. He stepped forward as Aiden delivered a punch to his gut, and Jackson coughed up some blood wiping his mouth as he did so.
“What pretty boy not going to fight back?” Aiden said as he kicked Jackson down, on the floor kicking his gut once again. Not yet he told himself, not yet he said as he could feel his body slowly start to shut down. Finally he could feel the moon appear in the sky, and he looked up to see Aiden huffing tired from delivering his beating.
“Out of shape are we puggy D I get it living the pug life is difficult” Jackson teased as Aiden got ready to deliver a striking blow to his face. But Jackson was too quick for him, once the moon came back into the sky Jackson retracted his claws and scratched Aiden’s bare abdomen. The blood started to pour out of it immediately. The sight of it perturbed Jackson slightly, but he had to remain focused. As he started to heal he stood up delivering blow by blow to Aiden’s face his rage taking over. Finally Aiden was on the ground barely breathing, his face smashed, a bloody lip, a broken nose, and a gash on his chest that was bleeding profusely. “What the big bad alpha has no tricks up his sleeve?” Jackson asked darkly. Leaning close to him as he grabbed his hair and pulled his head back, his claw tracing the boy’s throbbing adam’s apple.
“I could kill you now, Aiden. Slash your throat maybe give your decapitated head to your brother, or I could make this gash on your chest a bit deeper rip out your intestines and give Daddy Deucalion an early birthday present.” His claws left the boy’s throat scaling down his back to his spine. “But I’m not going to do that” His claws just under the cervical portion of his spine. “Do you know what a crushing blow to your C1 does Pug boy?” he laughed a cruel laugh that scared even him. “Of course you don’t you’re not the smart one, let me show you” he said as his claws buried into Aiden’s spine ripping out nerves and veins alike. “It paralyzes you from the waist down, see advantages to being in love with a genius you pick up a book or two once in awhile” Jackson got up. “I’m not going to kill you, you’re going to bleed out on your own you may even kill yourself once the pain gets bad enough. You don’t deserve to die a clean death. Not after what you did to Boyd, to me, and what you were going to Lydia and Danny. Remember how you threw me in the woods like trash? The difference between you and me is though. You actually are trash. No one’s coming for you not your brother, not your alpha, and you’re going to die here alone paralyzed” Aiden didn’t speak anymore his eyes closed as his breathing became increasingly heavy and laboring.
Jackson got up his own breathing raggedy as he looked at his bloodied hand. He wasn’t perturbed anymore at the sight of blood. He was no monster, no killer; he was a creature of the shadows.
Before the realization sunk in deeper, Jackson heard an outcry in the distance. He ran over to see Scott’s lifeless body on the ground and a shroud of people surrounding it. His fingers reached over on the boy’s neck trying to feel for a pulse incase his ears had betrayed him only to feel that there was none there. He can’t be dead Jackson thought, as his eyes fell on his veins and he suddenly realized what he had to do. Isaac was already one step ahead of him and Jackson grabbed Scott’s forearm his eyes blazing a cold blue as black blood filled his veins. The pain already overpowering him was only exacerbated. A part of him wanted to quit, just give into the pain, just die but instead he pushed on. This had to work. Finally when his own veins felt like they were about to explode his ears filled with the sound of a thunderous heartbeat. He was alive and more so he was an Alpha. Jackson stepped back exhausted, but his rushing mind focused on one point.
Lydia.
He gave Scott a nod getting up on his feet staggering slightly as he saw Caleb carry someone out. No he immediately thought, his mind immediately flashing back to the night of the formal a year ago. When he himself had carried Lydia’s near lifeless body. After all this she couldn’t have died. The bleed in his abdomen got progressively worse as he jumped into the Porsche madly rushing to the hospital. His mind working out all the worst case scenarios until he finally pulled up towards the white building screeching to a loud halt in front of the visitor’s entrance.
Not bothering to park he rushed inside, looking around. “Where is she?” he asked, as doctors scurried towards him ready to bandage him up and heal him. “Where’s Lydia?” he asked as he saw them roll her towards a pair of white swinging doors. Before he could rush after her, an orderly stopped her him. “Sorry son, family only”
Jackson had a strong desire to punch the man in the face but instead he backed away taking one of the seats in the waiting room. But she is my family, he thought looking down at his hands. His wounds unable to heal.
Paige had reached the abandoned mall with a few moments to spare. She couldn't believe in just a few short moments it would be over. All she had worked for would come to a screeching halt. Then what would she do? She was no longer human, and just barely holding onto life. Would she finally be able to cross over? This time she would do it right, she would say goodbye. Just as she was musing she heard footsteps from behind her. Out came a redhaired girl and a tall boy with tanned skin. "Lydia..." she said, "You're so big.." She had seen Lydia before of course during their brief encounter when she had nearly died, but this was the first time they had spoken.
He doesn't remember much after he ran into Aiden after band practice, and as he woke up in the abandoned mall. As he sat up he looked around, finding it hard to see any thing, but as his as grew accustomed to the darkness he made his way over to the figure he saw a few feet from him. Getting closer to the figure he saw that it was Lydia, and while he was happy to see someone he recognized, he was still confused by everything that was happening. "Lyds?" He called out, reaching a hand out to tap her on her leg.
Finishing off what he was sure was his hundredth pretzel in the past few days he tossed the napkin he had bee holding it with into a nearby trash can. He had told himself earlier that morning that he would be leaving early seeing as he was starting his job at the high school the next day and the principle had asked him to arrive half an hour before classes started so that they could go over a few things. Still, here he was making his way through the crowds of Beacon Hills residents as he searched for the one person that he knew that he hadn't seen all day. He had already run into a few, some that he wished he hadn't, everyone really. Everyone except his sister. All of a sudden he stopped in his tracks when he heard a loud condescending voice near a group of people; a voice that he was 100% sure belonged to his sister. "I can hear you from a mile away, I'm surprised it took me this long to find you," he said to the girl as he approached her.
"I fucking hate that creep. Deucalion nearly killed me and then he and his little pack dumped me in the woods to die. I don’t think he was there but his brother was and I plan on getting even. There’s a small part of me that wonders if he’s one of the good guys but I don’t trust him, I won’t be suckered and used again.”
Erica
"Blondie’s cool, one of the coolest girls I know, I really think she’s becoming one of my closest friends and she’s great for Darren. He needs a girl that will keep him on his toes"
Lydia
"Lydia is the one of the only people in Beacon Hills that really knows me through and through and even after all we’ve been through she’s here for me. Like she’s always been. and she means the world to me, I just wish I didn’t screw it up and lose her.”
