Chapter 21: The Night Ends Here*

*Slightly AU timeline

A few hours later…

Scott risked his life to find Derek, but all he got was a beast who was poked while it slept. Derek threw harsh word after harsh word; Scott stepped back from the flying, letting Derek's one hand stay chained on the wall above. He wanted Scott to be serious about everything going on, not think only of Allison. There was more at stake than just his schoolyard crush on the young huntress. "You want me to risk my life for your girlfriend? It means nothing, Scott. It's all just a stupid little crush. You're not in love because you're only sixteen and you're still just a child."

Scott balled his fists, listening to Derek rage on. His fist tightened with each mean word that was sent at him. "Do you think that's how Carrie thinks?," he snaps. "Do you think that's her view of what's going on between you two? She means something to you, Derek. Doesn't she?"

Scott's words cut deep, causing Derek glance towards his discarded phone. Derek knew that Scott had a point, but he refused to follow the train of thought that Scott had set up. There was too much to do and he had no time to think about Carrie, at least not in that way. His only thoughts were about his freedom.

"You might be right about me, but there's no way you can deny what I said about you and Carrie..."

Derek's phone started to buzz, rattling against the wood and inching close to the edge of the desk. His eye's darted from Scott to the phone and back again. "What does it say?" Derek asked, his worry showing in his voice.

Scott picked up the phone and studied it for a brief second. With a brow raised, Scott asked, "Why is Carrie's mom calling you?"

"Answer it. Hurry," demanded Derek. The last time Lacey Deveraux made contact with him was the night of the Alpha attack at the school. So, for her to be reaching out, something had to be very wrong. He felt his heart skip a beat when he briefly thought about Carrie, Lacey's daughter. Something inside him told Derek that the call would be about the blonde.

Scott hit the talk button, followed by the speaker-phone button. He stepped closer to Derek and held it up for him, letting Derek grab it with his free hand.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

His blunt question didn't phase Lacey at all. "Where's Carrie. She was suppose to be home from the dance with Scott a while ago," she stated and Derek's eyes flicked towards Scott. Did Scott know something that he wasn't sharing? "I wouldn't normally call you to ask, but something's wrong, Derek. I don't always see things, so when I do, I know there's an importance to it. I saw your uncle with her but then I saw him walk away alone. Derek, where's my daughter?"

Derek's brows raised and his stern expression relayed the importance of the call. "I'll ask Scott if he knows anything."

"Derek, you don't know?" Lacey asked in a frantic tone, catching him off guard.

"Know what?"

"Carrie found out everything. About Kate, and about my mother's part in the fire that took your family-as well as her part in Carrie's dad's death," she explained in haste, her voice cracking with emotion.

Everything finally fit into place: why Carrie was so afraid of her grandmother and Kate, how upset Carrie was the night that Stiles called him to the school, and why she'd kissed him in her room. There was so much he didn't know and it was upsetting that Carrie didn't share it with him. But, what caused the most worry in Derek was Peter and what Lacey's vision meant if he knew the secret Carrie was holding onto. "I'll find her," he promised.

"Get her to call me when you do. I'm going to the hospital to see if she showed up there."

Derek ended the call and shoved the phone in his pocket. "Help me out of here Scott," he demanded, rattling the chains that bound his hand to the iron bars behind him.

"Not unless you promise me you'll help protect Allison," Scott countered.

Derek took a deep breath. "I wont help but I'll show you how to do it."

"There's something more," Scott announced, making no movement to unlock Derek.

Derek took another deep breath, resisting the urge to grind his teeth and deck Scott with his free hand. "What," he growled.

Scott pulled out a crinkled page and held it up. "Look at this. This is from when you came back. This is what brought you here, isn't it?"

Derek glanced at the picture in front of him. It was the dear that caused all this, the dear with the spiral etched into his side. "Yeah, it is."

"Peter lied," said Scott, not holding back. "My boss told me three months ago someone came into the clinic asking for a copy of this picture. Do you wanna know who it was? Peter's nurse. They brought your sister here so that Peter could kill her and become the Alpha, and that's why you're going to help me. Just say you'll help me, and I'll unlock your other hand. I'll help you find Carrie."

Derek sighed, again. He looked up at Scott with a brooding expression and a dark glare. Finally he rolled his eyes. "Fine. Get me out of her, and, first, we're finding Carrie."

It was starting to get difficult to breath, forcing Carrie into a panic mode and tempting her to sleep. Let death slowly creep over her, was what she was slowly beginning to think and feel. It wouldn't be much longer because-how long had she been locked inside her coffin? An hour? Two? Ten? There was no possible way she could know how fast or slow time was passing, the darkness was void of any signs of the passing of time. Eventually, she might be able to conjure up a vision that would tell her how long she was underground for, but was only possible if her air supply didn't run out by then. She needed oxygen for her brain to function and to conjure up an image. Besides, she didn't even know how long she'd last, how long it took for oxygen to deplete and fill with carbon dioxide, becoming unbreathable air.

Then, her hand brushed against the inner pocket of her dress. How could she have forgotten nor felt it? Carrie pulled out from inside her dress-thank the lord it had pockets!-her cell phone, sighing with relief. She pressed the home button and it flashed alive. The screen showed a number of missed calls from both her mother and Scott-even a few from Derek. She checked the ringer and she groaned at its off position. But her glimmer of hope that had blossomed with the emergence of her phone, ended when she glanced at the battery life. The phone blinked 20% at her once before dropping down to 19%.

The possibility of freedom was shrinking with each drop in percentage, until a silent notification popped up, telling her there was a call coming in. Frantically, Carrie answered. "D-Derek!" she shrieked into the phone, barely holding back the tears of joy. Someone realized she was gone. Someone wanted to find her. Derek's MIA status didn't even register that moment, she was just beyond happy to hear his voice.

"Where are you," he asked right away in a hasty voice. "Scott and you mom say you're missing, so you need to tell me where you are."

"I-I don't know. I was at the dance with Scott but then Jane kidnapped me. She took me into the woods somewhere," Carrie told him, it all spilling out and making the tears start to following.

"You're breaking up. I ca-ear you."

Tears fell harder, emptying her and making room for more hopelessness. She was going to die underground even though Derek was looking for her. "Peter buried me somewhere," she said, hoping the signal was strong enough to get her message through.

"Peter-what?" his voice was echo-y and far off, the wood and dirt above making the reception shitty.

"Derek my phone's going to die and I'm locked inside a coffin underground."

"I'll find you," Derek promised. "Just turn the phone functions-low. I'll-GPS. Keep-on. Breath. Slow. Stay. Conscious."

"Derek!" Carrie's yelled as the line went dead, the signal giving out. A quick glance at the screen told her the phone call had consumed a whole 2%, now sitting at only 17%. Taking Derek's advice, she turned as many functions off as possible: Screen brightness, Wifi, apps. Once everything was off, the battery popped up to 18%. Derek had 18% left until she was completely hidden, unable to be found.

Eighteen percent.

18%

That was all the time she had left to live her life.

Eighteen. Percent.

There was so much Carrie wanted to do, and she wasn't ready for it to end here and now. She wanted to give her mom the apology she deserved, for having treated her so horribly the last sixteen years. She wanted to tell Lacey about Harrison because they both deserved to know they have family, and she wanted to give that to them. And Scott, well, Scott needed to know that he was strong, and that something great was in store for him-she felt it the first day she met him. So many thing raced through Carrie's mind. The what if's and the maybe's and the could have's. What was left now? Only darkness and the imminent pull of death.

Seventeen Percent.

Stiles. Stile also deserved an apology. There had been something, something little, that was budding between them, but it didn't have time to grow because she turned away. She wanted to tell him she was sorry for not giving that something a chance-Allison and Lydia had kinda sorta been right about them-and that she turned her back on the idea. Stiles deserved someone who wasn't Carrie, someone who won't turn away from what he could give her.

Finally there was Derek. She wanted to apologize for her out-of-character drunken actions, and tell him to forget what she'd done. He doesn't owe her a proper kiss. And, she just wanted to tell him that he deserved to find someone that could love him in the way that he needed, maybe at one point it could have been her but now that wasn't going to happen.

Sixteen percent.

She had much to do, so much to apologize for because she'd been a shit of a person for most of her life, and she wanted to make sure that the right people knew how much they really meant to her. She wanted to spend her life telling and showing them exactly how happy they made her life.

Sometimes, life was cruel and only when it was the end did you realized how important certain people were, and only when there is no time to tell them exactly so. As her thoughts rolled through her mind like lazy waves washing to shore, each new thought came slower and slower. Until eventually, all Carrie could think about was the diminishing percentage that marked the remainder of her life.

Fifteen percent.

xxx

"How do you expect to find her, Derek? She's literally underground. There's no way that you could track that signal… is there?" Scott supported a weakened Derek on his shoulder, both stumbling out from the Hale house. Derek was weak and in no shape to be running around Beacon Hills in an attempt to find Carrie, while trying to hidden from Argents and a crazed Peter.

Derek glared dark and dangerous daggers towards Scott. He didn't need this kid questioning the feasibility of his plan, he needed him to help, that's all. Nothing more. "Have you heard from Stiles?"

Scott glanced at his phone but shook his head. "No…"

He'd have to do without Stilinski and his tech knowledge. "I need to get to a computer," Derek ordered. "Now."

Scott thought about where they could go. The school definitely had people there, probably cleaning up from the dance. Home had his mother, and he wasn't going to try and explain Derek to her. The library was closed. That only left… "We can go to the clinic."

"Great. where's your car."

Scott's expression fell and his features remained still, nothing curled or wrinkled at the edges. His expression was void, the only movement came from the few drawn out blinks. Scott raised his hand and pointed towards the edge of the house. "I rode my bike," he stated dryly.

With a groan, Derek bowed his head. "Fine," he conceded, lifting his head after he expelled a sigh, "but, if your stupid lack-of-a-car makes it so I don't find her, then Peter will be the least of your problem. Got it."

Scott nodded, failing at hiding his tight lipped smile. It was nearly humorous how defensive Derek was of Carrie and what was obviously there between them. Derek would never admit that he saw something in the blonde. Oh no, that was too much for Derek Hale, man of dark look's and little words and leather jackets. If the two made it out of this situation alive, Scott was sure to tease brooding man about his crush. At least, if Derek didn't have any weapons on him.

The pair finally made it to the vet, Derek having found a little more strength along the way, and they staggered into the front lobby. A couple of the cats and dogs living temporarily at the vets greeted them, but there was no greeting from the human variety. Perfect, Deaton wasn't working late.

With a computer located, the race was on and it was a mad dash against the clock. They had no idea how long Carrie had been in the coffin, which gave them little leeway in their search because a sealed coffin, buried under layers of earth only had so much oxygen for a person to survive. They had to act fast. Really fast.

Scott hurried to the clinic computer and booted it up. The computer announced it's return to life at a fast pace. Thankfully they weren't stuck in the early 90s when dial up was still a thing.

"Get out of the way," barked Derek and taking control of the computer.

"What are you looking up?" Scott asked, watching Derek key in a website and enter Carrie's cellphone number.

"I'm tracking her phone," he answered while waiting for the program to find the cell's location. "If her phone is still on, I should be able to find some sort of location."

"That's a pretty big 'if'," commented Scott, and was met with another brooding glare. "It's true. And what about her being covered by dirt? Won't that cause some sort of troubles?"

"I know it will, alright?" Derek's hands clenched the counter where they rested, nearing breaking the counter tops. He watched the program, and a thought occurred to him. Carrie was going to need medical attention if-no, when they found her. So, why would he let Lacey waste her time by going to the hospital when they'd figured out what happened to her daughter? Derek knew, that by calling Carrie's mother, he'd be instilling false hope inside her, and he didn't want to do that.

The program chirped a response and changed pages, displaying a heartbreaking message:

The mobile phone cannot be found. Please try again.

Derek slammed his hands down against the counter top, leaving a small crack behind. He hit the button once more, but received the same message again. He hit it again. And again. And again. Scott tried after that. They tried a different website. The same results popped up on the screen.

"We can try searching ourselves," Scott suggested. His heart was breaking each time the same message appeared, telling them they couldn't find his friend. He could only imagine what Derek was feeling. "I'll call Stiles or his dad and-"

Ding.

Both boys leaned closer to the screen, observing a small red dot blinking steadily on the screen. The first program somehow found a very weak signal. The red notification encompassed most of the preservation, letting them know she was somewhere inside. A notification popped up, explaining for the vague pin-point. Because Carrie's signal was so weak, it couldn't narrow down the location.

"Alright, we can work with this," Scott offered, his voice full of hope.

Without a word, Derek pulled out his phone and dialled out to Lacey. It only took only a second for her to pick up. "I was about to call. Derek, she's not here at the hospital. I don't know-"

It was no surprise to Derek that Lacey was in full panic mode. "I think I've found her," he told her, and paused.

"Is she with you? Let me speak to her!"

"She's not with me but I know where she is," he explained, closing his eyes to the harsh truth he had to tell the young mother. "And you're not going to like it, but I need you to accompany me to find her, in case…"

Lacey remained silent for a moment, processing what Derek was telling her. "Where is she, Derek?"

"In the preservation," he answered, keeping the worst inside. How could he tell her that her only child was locked inside a coffin and underground?

"I'm meeting you there," she stated.

"That's not all." He had to tell her the whole story. It wasn't right to leave Lacey in the dark. He waited for her to say something, but there was only silence, so Derek continued. "The line was bad, but I got through to her, except… The reason the connection was weak was because she-Carrie is underground."

"You mean in a bunker?"

"No." he shook his head despite being on the phone. "Peter, uh... she's underground in a coffin." Only silence greeted him. "Lacey?"

"Y-you mean my baby is-is stuck in a wooden box under god knows how many tons of earth?" The hysteria was back in Lacey's voice and rising with each word. She felt her heartbeat pick up, and her pulse pounded inside her ears. It was all too much to process. "We've got to get to her now. H-how long has she been down there? A person can only last five hours without access to fresh air. Derek, how long has she been locked in there?"

"I don't know, the line went dead before I could ask." Her question was already at the forefront of Derek's thoughts. He really didn't know how long she'd been underground, and, for all he knew, he was too late and Carrie's oxygen was already gone. With all his might, Derek pushed the thought from his mind, choosing to believe that she was still alive and still had time. "Scott and I are going to the preservation right now. Can you meet us there?"

Lacey didn't need an explanation for his requests, there was nothing that could stop her from being there when her baby was found. "Right."

The call ended and Derek turned to Scott. "Come on."

XXX

Together, Scott and Derek arrived at the entrance of the preservation, wasting no time at the animal hospital once they had their destination. Shortly after they arrived, a pair of blinding headlights pulled up next to them, casting both in an obnoxiously bright, white light. Lacey didn't waste anytime lingering in the car. She slammed the door shut and stormed up to Derek. "Where is she?"

"In there." Scott pointed behind him, towards the grouping of trees and other plants.

Lacey watched the boys for a brief moment, and without a word, walked past them and into the forest, medical bag in hand and a flashlight in the other. The boys caught up and fell into place, following the tracker situated on Derek's slowly dying phone. The duo was burning the candle from both ends: it was a race against Carries oxygen supply and the battery life of Derek's cellphone. The odds were not in their favour.

As they walked, Derek's heightened senses picked up the increasing amounts of tension and panic that coursed through the Lacey. The tightness in the way that she held herself-her hands balled at her side, knuckles turning white from how hard she was clenching her hands, most likely leaving small half-circle marks in her palms-reflected what Derek's senses told him. Her lip resided perpetually between her teeth, biting down and leaving indentations. Derek could only imagine what Lacey was thinking, what she was feeling. It was her daughter down here, and to Derek, Carrie was just a girl he…held in higher regard than most other people. In relation to his own feelings, Derek understood what she was feeling but he could never imagine exactly what she was thinking.

They cut into a large clearing, only to be were greeted by a thick blanket of smoke, making it hard to survey the area around them. Although the thick smell of smoke was potent in the air, it wasn't enough to cover the other overwhelming scent: the smell of blood and dirt mixing, soaking the ground in lost life. Derek paused, signaling for the others to do the same. Scott and him shared a curious look, both wondering the same thing. What had happened here?

"Be careful," Derek warned, more to Lacey than Scott, "There's something off about this place."

Lacey stepped beside him, her hand on her hips and glancing up at Derek. "Off? How?"

"While the smokes is masking Carries scent, I can still smell her. But there's also death and… Something old, something stretched out. Something that's tried to defy time," Derek explained while Scott and Lacey watched him intently. He sniffed the air a time or two. Finally he nodded. "Carrie's scent is hours old. This is where she was but she is no longer here."

Scott looked around, heavy smoke stinging his eyes and threatening to bring tears. "We have to find some sort of trail," he said, "Something to tell us which direction Peter took her because at this point, they could have gone in any direction. Without some sort of clue, it'll be hopeless..."

"Spread out and see if you can find anything," ordered Derek, though neither Scott nor Lacey objected to his commands.

All three branched off from each other and it wasn't long until they forced back together. Lacey's ear-splitting, blood-curdling scream drew Scott and Derek to her side. Laid out beside the smouldering fire, was the cold and still body of Jane Anderson, her heart ripped out from her chest. Derek stared down at the witch that brought Kate Argent upon the Hale family, leaving him devastated and with only his sister to watch out for him. He felt nothing, not even empathy for Lacey. She was gone and couldn't cause any more devastation for him or others.

Lacey sank down to her knees, the blood soaked dirt rubbing into her jeans, causing stains. But, Lacey didn't care. All her thoughts were for her mother who was spread out before her, blood pooling around her, drenching the the forest floor. Her hand shook as she reaches out, fingers trying to find a pulse although her brain told her it was futile. here was too much blood on the ground and staining her dress. Her skin was cold to the touch, so she knew her mother was dead. But, Lacey tried to find that hint of life that would give her home, but the coldness of a body left to decay was the only response she received.

As much as Lacey knew her mother was of ill morals, her heart still wept for her. She was her mother after all, and even though she did one of the worst things Lacey could imagine by setting up Mason's death, she still didn't want to see her mother like this. No matter how devious and evil and murderous a parent is, there will always be a part of the child that break when their parent passes from this life into the next. She even knew, deep down, it was her mother that kidnapped Carrie, making it oh so easy for Peter to find her and kidnap her. She'd never forgive her mother for her actions, but it still devastated Lacey to see Jane lying still on the ground. To ease her pain, she pulled Jane's stiff body into her arms, wrapping her in a tight hug and holding her against her chest. She said a silent prayer for her mother's soul as the tears rolled.

Derek stood over Lacey, watching her hold onto the lifeless body, and the memories of Laura started to stir. He could only assume this was how he looked when he found the severed half of his older body; her pale skin turning deathly translucent, and the blood drying to a dark coppery colour. Derek thought about what he'd have like someone to say to him if they were standing over him as he was doing now, but there was nothing that could have consoled him. So he remained silent, giving Lacey a brief moment to grieve for her mother. Losing family hurts, even the family members whom you don't quite like effect you in some way.

Movement pulled Derek's attention away from Lacey, and he glanced up, locking eyes with Scott. The teen wolf was forcefully indicating to his ears. Taking the hint, Derek focused his sense of hearing, listening for what had caught Scott's attention. Carrie was still out there and every part of Derek wanted it to be a sign pointing towards her. He blocked out the cries of Carrie's mother as best he could, listening for anything that could lead him to Carrie.

For a long moment there was nothing to be heard and with each passing second, Derek's heart broke a little more. Scotts gesture had ignited the burning embers of his hope but now there was nothing but fading ashes. Derek couldn't hear anything except the soft but crisp sounds of the forest at night. Derek wanted to find Carrie so badly, not just for Lacey or for Scott but for himself as well. Knowing that she was in danger and that they were racing against a ticking clock made him realize that he had to know if there was maybe something more between them. But, then again, if he really thought about it, who would ever love him? He was the reason his family was gone and his uncle was a psychopath, hellbent on finding the power linked with the alpha status. Maybe it was best that Derek didn't know Carrie's true feelings. He'd just be hurt if he did. The longer it took to find Carrie, the darker Derek's thoughts became.

Scott watched Derek's hopeful expression fade, leaving behind a dark one in its wake. How had Derek not caught the small and muffled cries? Scott couldn't tell exactly what direction the sounds were coming from but he had a feeling the noise would bring them to his friend. Realizing that Derek wasn't picking up on the same thing he was, Scott stepped closer to him. "Did you hear that," he asked, speaking loud enough so Lacey could hear.

Derek shook his head, brows knitted with frustration. "I can't hear anyth-" Derek stopped mid-sentence and his head whipped to the left, eyes wide and gleaming. He finally heard it.

Off in the distance was a very weak and soft pounding. After each set of pounding there was some sort of cry. It was all too muffled, too far off in the distance for Derek to know for sure it was Carrie but something told him it was. He just hoped he wasn't too late.

"What is it?" Lacey asked, her cries paused for the moment but her mother's body still clutched against her chest. "Is it Carrie? Did you find my daughter?"

Derek held out his hand, one finger slightly more emphasized to tell all to be silent. No one moved, both Scott and Lacey watched Derek listened intently. He remained still and unmoving, and finally, he turned back to the other. "I think I have something," he told him, and waved for them to follow.

"I can't just leave her here…" Lacey called out before Scott and Derek were too far gone. "I can't just leave my mother here like this."

Derek stopped and turned back with emphasis. "But your daughters out there, waiting. You're just going to sit there with her, one one who set your daughter up to end up underground? The one who made all the bad things in our lives happen. You're really going to not help find your daughter for her?" Derek didn't mean for his words to sound so harsh, but all he could think of was Carrie's air supply running out and not being able to reach her in time. Besides, even though he had never met the old woman, he hated her. Jane Anderson had caused so much trouble for both the Hales and the Deveraux's that there was no way he could put her first before anyone, especially not Carrie. It baffled him how Lacey was doing what he could not.

Only a single second passed before Lacey was standing at Derek's side, the look of determination renewed in her features. His words moved her and to see Lacey fired up, motivated Derek. They were going to get Carrie home, then Derek would make Peter pay for this. Peter was not going to live out the night if Derek had anything to say about it.

Scott and Lacey followed Derek's lead and they broke out of the smoky clearing into another but perfectly clean clearing. The fresh wild scent of the forest hit Derek like a loaded freight train, causing his sense of smell to run wild. But, it wasn't his sense of smell that caught his attention first, but rather movement to his left, just down a beaten path, barely noticeable behind the overgrown wild shrubs.

As the three broke through the thick and dense bushes, a shimmering form of a middle aged, blond man stood before them. A faint smile appeared on the nearly hologram-like figure. "Mason?" Lacey whispered, pushing past Derek and Scott.

The hologram Mason moved its mouth but nothing could be heard by the living. A second later a faint wind floated around Scott, Lacey, and Derek, whispering his words. "I mark the trail to our daughter. Find her. Her end is near."

"Mason. Wait!" Lacey lunged out, trying to close the gap between her and the figure of her late husband. "I didn't…"

The translucent man was gone and in his wake was a twinkling trail. Derek bent over the first small pool of liquid. He dipped his fingers in and pulled them back. They were saturated with the dark liquid. "Blood," he said aloud. Taking a sniff, he turned to Scott. "It's hers. Do you think…"

"That was her dad. I can't see him not taking us to her," Lacey answered with a quivering voice, not needing Derek to finish his idea to know what he was thinking.

Hope has been restored in the hearts of all three as they set off down the red blood road, praying that they weren't too late.

All around her the darkness was consuming and the wind played with her loose hair, moving it around her like a golden halo. The breeze was soft yet cold, bringing a chill to race down her spine, and making her toes and fingers go numb. Something felt off, causing Carrie to glance down at her attire. She was still in her dress for the formal but it was no longer a pristine outfit, instead it was littered with dirt stains and a couple holes were scattered around the red fabric. It confused her, as she had no recollection of how she got from the dance to where she stood now, or how her dress could have got so dirty. She had lost time and that is never a good thing. Dangerous things happen when people forget where they have been.

"Hello," she called out into the dark abyss. Nothing responded. Time ticked by but nothing emerged from the dark. Carrie was alone, a sensation that felt all too real, too painful of a memory to recall so soon. She looked around but the darkness was so thick, nothing could be seen past her outstretched arm.

Suddenly, a flickering trail of light blue light illuminated at her feet, and revealing a cobble stone path. She wasn't sure if she should follow the path, but something inside her screamed yes. So, she started following the trail of blue and as she passed one of the shining orbs, it flickered out, leaving everything behind her in the same darkness as before.

After a while of walking, a pair of large doors emerged from the pool of black before her, decorated in gross yellowed and dirty bones. Both were nearly ten feet tall and seven feet side. The doorknobs were a dark chrome colour, and they reflected the pale blue light from the tail of orbs that were leading Carrie directly towards the ominous door war.

When she was only a few steps away, it cracked open only slightly, leaving enough room for her to slip through. There was more light on the opposite side of the door and Carrie's trail of blue disappeared at the threshold. The room was circular in shape, and a mirror rested in the center, basked in a pale white light. Instinctively, Carrie walked up to it.

There was no reflection in the mirror.

"You've a choice to make."

Carrie whipped around at the familiar voice.

Standing in his own pool of light, stood her father, flanked by a pair of twins, both blond like her and Harrison. She looked over each unfamiliar face, and finally looking to her dad. "Dad," she whispered but made no movement.

"Hello my dear daughter," he greeted warmly, a small smile on his lips.

"Where am I?" Carrie asked.

"This is where I've dwelled before, dwell presently, and will dwell. I'm where you can be now," he explained, though remaining cryptic.

"I don't understand."

Mason walked to Carrie, facing the odd mirror. Carrie stole a glance at the matching blonde twins-who both looked like they could be related to her and her dad-expecting them to say something or to follow her father. Except, they remained where they stood, looking like stunning piece of art. She pulled her eyes away and looked at the mirror her father placed her in front of. He waved a hand and a scene flickered to life in the surface that should be reflecting an image back of Carrie and her dad standing side by side.

Standing on the front stoop of the crumbling house, stood the man who embodied darkness and danger. Derek stood facing the always open door. His whole body screamed with anger. His stance was open and ready to pounce, his claws were out and his eye had turned to the dazzling blue of his wolf.

With a laugh, Peter's voice came from the darkness of the house. "Do you really think you're strong enough to be alpha, Derek?," he taunted. "You could barely help Scott when he turned. The last time you tried to help someone they ended up dead in your arms! Or, don't you remember? Maybe if I said her name…"

"Don't!" Derek growled. "Don't say her name."

"Fine, but how about this. I killed your new precious one, Derek," cooed Peter, enjoying every taunting word he flung at Derek. "I put her in a box, tied the thing shut all nice and pretty, and poured the earth back on top of her, sealing her away from you and from everyone she's ever loved. And once I take care of Kate,which shouldn't be too much longer of a wait, I'll be going after Scott. I don't need him anymore, or his meddling friends. They're all ants under my boots. And guess what, Derek, so are you. And do you know why I'm doing all this? All to cause you pain because I. Am. The. Alpha." Peter trailed off into a maniacal laughter, emphasizing it with an ounce of his Alpha power. "

Derek launched through and into the dark house. Seconds later a The scene went dark.

Mason glanced down. "If you choose to stay here and pass on, you're leaving him to find his own similar fate," he explained. "You can stay here with us, take up your rightful place. But, you can never go back."

"But dad, I don't know where here is. How'd I get here?"

"You're not really here, Care," he told her. Without a warning, he stabbed his hand out, puncturing her right through the stomach. She jumped, expecting his hand to meet the soft fabric of her dress, but his hand passed right through, causing a creepy tingly sensation to consume her. Mason removed his hand and regained his poise. "this is the in between. You've been here before, just a different part. Remember?"

"The white room with the tree stump?"

Mason nodded. "Right. So, as of now, you're body is dying. You're close to passing over and there's nothing I can do about it if that is your choice. If you're ready to leave the land up above. Let me show you what will happen if you choose to stay…" Mason swished his hand once again, this time taking hold of Carrie's thoughts and mind.

"Carrie!"

Scott, Stiles, and Allison raced from around the side of the house, and Scott and Allison coming to stand beside her, wrapping her into a hug. Stiles lingered behind, watching her with interest. She stood outside of the Hale house, unsure how she got there, but she knew there was something important to do: help Derek. Derek was in trouble. "Guys, can we not do this right now. Derek needs help."

"What do you mean help?" Allison asked. "Derek's not here. No one's here."

Whipping around in disbelief, Carrie listened for any sound of struggle coming from inside the house. The nearly falling down house made no sound except for the usual creaks and groans as the wind rushed through the barely-staying-together structure. There was no crying, no yelling, no sounds of pain. She was so sure she had heard Derek scream, but now there was nothing to confirm it. "I just saw him go in there after Peter. Scott, Peter's going to kill Derek to keep his alpha status. We've got to help him."

"Why is always about Derek?" Stiles suddenly shouted. He stood behind everyone, buzzed tilted down, and his hands were balled into tight white fists. The explosion of emotions from Stiles caught Carrie off guard, and she wasn't sure what to say.

"It's not always about Derek," she argued, it being the only thing that came to mind. Except, part of her knew that her recent behaviour said otherwise. "It's just, this time, he seriously needs help. Peter's strong now that he has healed and he's not a brain vegetable. So that's why it's always about Derek."

"But why can't it go back to the way it was," Stiles argued, stepping closer to Carrie and towered over her. "Back to Scott, me, and you. I liked how you and I argued about everything,how I was in awe of you, and how nerdy you where. But now, all that ever comes out of your mouth is 'Derek. Derek. Derek'. Why is it him and not me? I like you too, okay? And I hate that you've pulled away…"

Carrie glanced over at Scott and Allison, whom both looked like they wished to be anywhere other than standing between the hot headed kid with a buzz cut and the petite blonde who vied for another man. Cautiously turning back to the exploding Stiles, Carrie tried bring him back from the edge. "Stiles. You're right, but I can explain. Derek has received all my attention because him and I are the same. We've had similar events happen to us, the same kind of loss, and I… I can't explain it but I'm drawn to him, Stiles. Why are you making me do this? I don't want to hurt you but I just…"

Stiles close the gap between Carrie and him, and clasped her face between his hand. His rough lips came crashing down onto hers, brushing roughly against each other. For a moment shock overwhelmed her and she couldn't respond. She felt her world start to spin, but not in the hopelessly romantic sense, rather in the anxiety with a big touch of anger. Carrie placed both hands on squarely on Stiles' chest and pushed him away.

"NO! Stiles, you don't-you don't get to do that. I don't want you, okay?" Carrie yelled and she didn't mean to, but once the truth came out, she couldn't stop herself. "There's never going to be anything more than just friendship between us, Stiles. Don't you get that? Maybe there could have been but I like Derek, Stiles. I just… I can't do this right now." She turned away, ignoring the looks from Scott and Allison. "Derek's inside that shit old house fighting Peter. Now is someone going to help me save him or do I have to do it all on my own?"

Without waiting for response, Carrie burst into the dusty front entrance of the house, her steps kicking up undisturbed dust. After frantically looking around the entrance, Carrie headed to the living room just to the left. Before she crossed through the doorway, the house was eerily silent, but as soon as her foot touched the broken hardwood on the opposite side, all the sound came rushing in. The room filled with the sounds of Peter and Derek arguing.

To the back of the room, where Kate ones held Derek and Carrie for questioning, stood Derek and Peter, both facing each other. Except, there was another in the room, holding back the cry that threatened to come. Kate Argent stood with her back against Peter's chest, his clawed hand wrapped around her neck with their sharp nails digging deep into her skin. Her worried eyes flickered over Carrie and the three that followed behind her, but they quickly returned to Derek.

"Kate!" Allison cried and tried to run to her aunt, but Carrie grabbed her arm and held her back.

"You can't. You'll get hurt," she explained when Allison turned to face her.

"But she's my aunt. I have to help her."

Carrie pulled Allison closer. "There's more going on than you know."

"You mean about the werewolves?" Allison spat out. "I've known for a while now. I'm surprised you do too, but that doesn't change anything. I have to save my aunt."

"Allison, you can't do that. Peter will kill you if you get in his way."

"But I have to try!"

The sound of loud thump against the wooden floorboards ended the banter between Allison and Carrie, causing the girls, along with Stiles and Scott, to turned their attention back towards the two men. Kate's still body rested at Peter's feet and his hand dripped dark blood down onto the floor beside him. A wicked grin consumed his face as he stared down his nephew. Realizing what had happened, Allison began screaming and the sound pierced the sudden silence.

Abruptly, the scene rewound in real time and Kate's body rose from the ground, back into Peter's grip. Then, as if someone hit the play button on the remote to life, Kate's body fell once again, the sickening sound of her head hitting the hard floor playing over and over again.

Her father stood in front of her once again, a stern expression on his face. "If you choose to stay here, your friend Allison will die before her time. You won't be there to stop her."

"But, I-I don't know how I got here or how I can get back to where I came from," she explained.

"Your grandmother hurt you, and Peter dragged you from her clutches, throwing you into a coffin," Mason explained. "That's how you got here and that's where your real body is."

"Oh," Carrie whispered and a vague but blurry memory returned. "Am I... dead?"

Mason shook his head. "Not yet. Like, I said, you've got a choice to make."

"I-I... " Carrie started at her father's face, searching for the words. She wanted to stay, to stay with her dad again, but there was so much she wanted to do and say, that she couldn't justify leaving it all behind. How could she choose between her mom and dad? That was too cruel of a thing to ask from a child. She fought back tears, clenching her bottom lip between her lips.

"You wish to go back, right?" Mason asked softly, his small smile returning. "I understand. Amd. I'm thankful that you and your mother have mended things and are starting to communicate. For that, I'll give you complete passage back to your body."

"But, how? Am I not close to death? I can't tell anyone where I am because I don't know where I'm buried under ground. So why should I go back to just die again?"

Thump

Carrie glanced upward at what should be the ceiling, but there was only black. She was sure she had heard a thumping sound. But how could that be?

"Your mother is on her way, they'll find you in time, my dear."

Carrie whipped back to stare at her dad. "Th-they will?"

Mason nodded. "So, my child. I'll bid you farewell for now. You'll forget this when you return to your body, because your mind is closed off again, except this time it's completely shut from what your grandmother has done. When you meet Drea, she'll be able to help you restore your powers. But, until then you'll be blind to the future, the past and the present; only seeing what you can see with your own two eyes."

"Will I only see you when I die," Carrie asked cautiously.

"No," he answered, shaking his head. "But it will be some time before we meet again. Now go, my child. Your saviour is knocking at your door and you must greet him."

Mason gestured towards the mirror, now a pool of liquid replaced the non-reflective mirror. Before jumping through the mirror, Carrie raised onto the balls of her feet and kissed her dad's cheek, even though her ghostly body wouldn't touch him. She stole one last glance at the twins behind them and they waved back with beaming smiles. They looked like they were up to something, that they knew something Carrie didn't.

"Go, now!"

The thumping echoed again and Carrie jumped into the swirling liquid.

And again she heard a pounding.

Again. Another pounding.

Thump.

Scrape.

Thump.

Pound.

Scrape.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

One final thump sounded, brought Carrie's soul crashing back into her body, her eyes snapping open from the impact of the return. The image of her dad and the smiling twins faded into nothingness, leaving her memories blank, only mere seconds before the lid was pulled away from the box that held her. As the top was pulled away, a blinding light filled her vision, and three silhouetted figures stood over her. When she realized what was going on, she inhaled deeply, and the cool, damp air filled her needy lungs. The fresh air burned as chest swelled with each intake, but it was a satisfying burn. It meant she was alive and no longer trapped under layers and layers of dirt, knocking at death's door. She was free. Someone had found her. Tears welled with revelation of how happy she was at that moment. A hand shot out and waited for her to take it.

It was her mother who spoke first, breaking the silence left in the wake of the opening of her casket. "Carrie, come on. Get up."

"Mom?" she cried out, her voice coming out hoarse and in a barely-there whisper. "H-How did…"

"Carrie," came another but also family voice. It was a voice that made everything feel okay. "Take my hand so we can get you out."

She did as the voice asked, but her movements were slow and painful as her whole body cried for oxygen, causing her to cough uncontrollably. She could only move a little, bringing herself into a sitting position, before her head started to spin and force back down with a crash. Whatever strength was left, she reached out a hand, hoping that it was high enough for someone to grab.

A sturdy hand gripped hers and pulled her to her feet, sending a wave a nausea, and another two sets of hands grabbed her other. It took only a few seconds for the strong werewolves to hoist Carrie out of her dirty hole of death. When she was above ground, the boys set her down gently on the upturned earth. Usually, she'd protest about sitting on the ground because she hated getting her clothing dirty, but today it was the last thing she was think about, and the first thing was how she was going to get the world to stop spinning.

It didn't take Lacey long to swoop in, pulling Carrie into a motherly hug. The familiar smell of her mother's perfume made things seem slightly better. She was safe now. She was back on the ground with the living and hopefully wasn't going to go back underground for a very long, long time.

After her hug, Lacey, being the doctor she was, pulled out her stethoscope from the medical bag beside her and started assessing Carrie's state of health. Carrie let her mother do as she wished because it was probably for her own best that she let her mother give her a check up. But she focus was set on Derek and Scott, ignoring the burning pain that coursed through her. After a bout of coughing, she attempted to tell them… something. Something she knew deep inside her, yet she didn't know how she knew this. "You have to," she started, but paused to cough some more. "Go to the Hale house."

Scott shook his head adamantly, "We've got to make sure you're okay first."

Carrie shook her head once because that's all she could muster up, anything more made the world spin out of control. "No." She took a moment to breath as spots began to fill her vision. " Peter's going to be there. He's going to kill Kate and… He can't be Alpha any longer. He just… wants to cause chaos. He locked me down there so I couldn't warn anyone, but I'm doing it now. Go!"

Derek crouched down next to Carrie. "Are you sure? We can stay-"

Again, Carrie shook her head once. "Go," she told him, though softer this time. "I'll be fine." She turned to her mom and a small smile formed. "I'm in good hands. You've got to stop Peter, or he'll continue to cause hell. I won't be much help and you need to save Allison. Peter thinks he has finished with me, so he'll take out Kate and then the rest of the Argent family. He won't stop until they're all wiped out..."

There was silence between everyone as Derek fought with inner self-to leave Carrie or to stay. Finally, he nodded. Before standing up, he leaned in closer until his lips gently touches Carrie's. Derek waited for her response and once he received it, he deepened the kiss but it only lasted a few seconds; no longer than what was respectable-considering Lacey was right next to them. With one last sad smile, Derek and Scott left.

"If we were in any other situation, I'd ask you to explain considering I told you to stay away from Derek Hale, but I'll wait until another time," scolded Lacey, but her tone was far from being angry. She pulled her daughter into another hug, her hand smoothing down her dirt filled hair, and gently rocking. "I'm so happy we found you. Do you know how long you were down there?"

Carrie shook her head as she wrapped her arms around Lacey's waist. "No, but I was close to gone, I think. So, a few hours."

Lacey broke the hug and held Carrie's face in her hands. "Let's get you to the hospital for a quick check. Lack of oxygen isn't good for the brain."

Carrie nodded and accepted her mother's help when she tried to stand. The two slowly left the ominous hole behind. They vowed that it would remain behind them and never to be spoken of again. They were safe in each other's arms. Lacey had her daughter back and Carrie was back in her mom's warm embrace. But, now that she was back among the living, Carrie knew that it was time to reveal the last remaining secret. She just didn't know how to word it.

It was well into the next morning when Lacey and Carrie finally walked through the front door of their home. At the hospital, Lacey ran a few monitoring tests and did a full body checkup to make sure Carrie hadn't suffered any lasting effects from the oxygen depletion inside the coffin. Carrie had to have her arm re-casted, as the first one had been removed by her assailants when they tied her to the tree. After Carrie's tests came back clear, mother and daughter flopped into Lacey's car, grabbed some greasy fast food, and headed back home. Both exhausted and in need a good long and deep sleep.

With dawn not arriving for some hours, the house was still dark and hollow, but Carrie welcomed it. This darkness was a different dark and hollow feeling than the one Carrie experienced underground. There's was a sense of warmth and family that flowed through the house, making her sigh with happiness. She was back home, and it was strange how she never would have guessed that she'd be happy to be back here. Carrie knew she'd changed since she arriving in Beacon Hills, but she didn't want it any other way.

Without a word, both Lacey and Carrie headed to the back of the house where the kitchen was. Lacey went to the kettle and turns it on, while Carrie slipped into one of the kitchen chairs. How long has it been since she sat at the table with her mother and Jane for their first meal together? Everything feet like a lifetime ago. Everything-Kate, Jane, the Alpha-happened so fast, yet they still felt like ancient dreams long forgotten. Now that everything was dealt with, one last thing remained: Let her mom about Harrison. Nope, not that easy...

With her chin cradled in her hands, Carrie glanced over at her mother. Lacey stood facing out the kitchen window, looking out into the darkness, her expression void of any emotion as she processed the day's events. Briefly, Carrie wondered what exactly her mother was thinking about. Her dad? Carrie herself? Or her recently departed mother? In that instance, Carrie wished she had telepathic powers instead of clairvoyance.

The two remained still for a long moment, both mulling over their own thoughts. Finally, Lacey turned and walked to the table, two mugs of hot tea in her hand. "Drink, and then bed," Lacey ordered, handing over the second mug.

Carrie accepted the cup with a faint smile. "Yes mom."

Silence filled the room.

"I had some sort of vision earlier and, part of me thought I might loose you tonight," Lacey explained, breaking the silence. Her words sounded much like the great leader Mufasa when he was teaching Simba about the great circle of life, which caused Carrie to smirk. Lacey took her daughter's ill timed smile as having a different meaning. "It's not funny, Carrie. I know we haven't-"

"No-no, I'm not laughing," Carrie told her, cutting her mother off. "I was just thinking how different things are now. When you held me after Derek pulled me out from the hole, it was you and your perfume that comforted me."

From the welling of tears and pulled in lips, It was obvious Carrie's words moved Lacey. She was starting to get that relationship with her daughter that she always wanted-even if it was sixteen years late. But Lacey would not dwell on the negative thoughts. She was just happy her daughter was alive and sitting across from her. She reached out and placed her hand over Carrie's, a small but sad smile forming.

The decision to reveal her final secret was burning a hole in her pocket, but Carrie couldn't decide when the best time to destroy her mother's world was. She sat for a moment, letting her mother bask in the happiness of her tender touch, before making her decision.

Carrie pulled her hand away gently, sending a reassuring smile towards her mother. "I'll be right back," she explained, and darted upstairs to retrieve the memory powder, letter from her father, and the photo. Less than two minutes later she returned to the kitchen, items in hand.

Lacey watched her daughter with a questioning eye. "What do you have there?"

Carrie took a deep breath and placed the picture and letter on the table in front of her mom. In turn she watched her mother, waiting for her to get to the key part. Slowly Lacey's brows knitted together and her eyes darted from the photo to the letter, eyes going wide with realization.

Startled and confused and frightened, Lacey glanced into her daughter's eyes. She was at a loss of words as every emotion coursed through her. "I don't," she started but trailed off, eyes returning to the page in front of her.

Carrie eased into the chair next to her mom, resting a supportive hand on her shoulder. "Dad said he kept this a secret because If Jane knew about Harrison, she'd do bad things to us."

"Well she did horrible things even without know, so what good was all these secrets," snapped Lacey.

Carrie had hoped this would have gone better, smoother. Revealing Harrison to her mom was suppose to be tears and happiness, not anger. Maybe if her mom could remember him; She rolled the tube of memories in her hand one last time. Pulling out the stopper, Carrie tipped the contents into her mother's tea and stirred it.

"What is that?" Lacey asked.

"Your memories of our birth," Carrie explained. "You'll remember everything. Dad doctored your memories of that night so that you would only think you had me…"

"I-I've seen him," whispered Lacey, pointing at the photo.

"When?" Carrie asked, eyes wide and heart racing. "Where?"

"Nowhere in particular," she explained, still looking at the photo. "I've just seen him in my thoughts. I've always felt like I was missing a child, like I was missing a son I never had. I'd see his hair, his eyes,everything but at the same time nothing at all. I told myself I was being silly for missing an unborn son…"

Carrie pushed the mug towards her moms hand. She smiled hopefully. "I think if you drink this, that will all go away."

Lacey regarded the mug of memories with skepticism. A part of her wanted to drink the contents, but a part of her wanted to pour it down the sink. What kind of mother forgets her own child? She was a monster. Completely despicable.

"Mom, please," Carrie begged, the smile fading fast. "If you drink this we can go to Harrison. We can meet him."

The cup remains on the table, it's ominous presence remaining the focus of both mother and daughter. A war raged on within Lacey. Drink the liquid. Don't drink the liquid. Both options toyed with her emotions, yet neither out winning the other. To not drink meant that nothing would change. Drinking would mean she'd have to adjust to another child she didn't get to raise. But, the drink was also the hope of building a relationship. It could be done. Lacey's eyes flick to her daughter. It worked with Carrie, and it could work again. Couldn't it? With a shaking hand, Lacey reached for the warm mug. She held it with both hands and stared down. After a deep breath, Lacey raised it to her lips and let the amber liquid wash away the haze of memories forgotten.

The returning of memories isn't always easy. Its painful and overwhelming. The emotions stored inside the stolen memories flood back in, making whomever they belonged to experience them all over. These particular memories were both happy but also sad with the realization that she would have to give up her son. She just didn't want it to be so soon.

Images of Lacey in a hospital bed, one child in each arm, formed inside her mind. Carrie, with a pink knitted cap, nestled in her right arm and Harrison, with a blue one, burrowed in the crook of her left arm. She remembered glancing up at Mason, who also had tears staining his cheeks, also wore a similar sad smile. 'I love you. Protect him,' She whispers to her husband before he takes the boy. With a kiss to his wife, Mason replies, 'Until my last, dying breath. Then, it's up to these two to find each other.' The last time Lacey sees her son is when his father pauses, turns to her, smiles and waves his child's small, fragile hand. They disappear around the corner.

The memories of Mason being gone for days, leaving her and a newborn Carrie alone, overwhelm Lacey. She fights to stay strong for her daughter while aching for the loss of her son. When Mason returns, it's time to forget. She doesn't remember when she forgets, but a black void fills the spot where her memories of her son's birth should be. Harrison is forgotten. Left to an unknown family. left to be raised by someone else. Even then, Lacey's heart ached for the missed opportunities she would have had with her son.

But, now, that particular hole is filled, like sand filling it's own hole. Her memories grow and recreate the connections and synapses that it needs to be an authentic memory. She remembers her golden son, all blonde hair and blue eyes, the twin to her daughter.

Lacey gasped and a gurgle of a cry comes from deep within her. The return is powerful and she feels its warmth flow through her. But she's also scared. A long forgotten love is now returned to her, but how can she sustain it? She's never met him. Her tears start to fall as everything wheels through her thoughts. "I-I have a son," she whispered, avoiding Carrie's soulful gaze. Her eyes flick up. "How could a mother forget that?"

Carrie sets a hand on her mom's shoulder and moved it in a circular motion, soothing. "Magic," Carrie replied. "You didn't forget, they were taken. Dad did it to save Harrison, and so did you. You were being strong for the both of us."

Lacey shook her head and shooed her daughter's tender hand away. "This is all too much."

"Mom, talk to me. I can help."

Lacey shakes her head, burying her face in her hands. "No, there's no way you could understand," she replies. "A mother should never forget her child, no matter what Magic is used."

"But, mom-"

Abruptly, Lacey pushed back from the kitchen table, hands shaking as the emotions consume her. "I-I just need time. I need to be alone."

"Mom," Carrie cries but Lacey doesn't stop, only continues to her room. This wasn't the way things were supposed to happen.

Carrie cleared the kitchen and turned off the lights, heading for her room. Once upstairs, she stopped at her mom's door, pressing her ear against it. All that can be heard is the sad sobs of a mother. Lacey was right; Carrie couldn't understand because she's not a mother. But, she understands what it's like to not know a brother for sixteen years.

Carrie turned from the locked, heading for her own room. Opposite the stairs, is the spare room last used by Jane. Carrie stopped at the door and flicked the light switch on. It's clean, clear of anything that could say 'Jane was here'. There's no creepy vibe of ulterior motives oozing from the room. It's returned to being a pure thing, no longer tainted by Jane or the thought of her. She wasn't sure when it happened, but Lacey had to have removed everything after Jane's disappearance. Stepping into tidy room, a thought formed. Maybe it would help if Harrison was here. They could start a relationship. They all could be family.

With the idea buzzing in her mind, Carrie raced to the front door to find her phone. It's dead. She raced back upstairs and into her room, plugging the electronic in. She waited for her phone to change, and started filling a duffle with clothes and all things necessary. She scratched out a quick letter that explains what she was doing and for her mom to wait for her to return. That she shouldn't come find her or Harrison. She was bringing him home to her. She was going to force this family to come back together if it was the last thing she'd do.

The familiar ding of her phone catches Carries attention, telling her that it has returned to the electronic-land-of-the-living, and is ready to be used. Grabbing the phone, she punched in the familiar number and waits. Thankfully after only after two rings the other end was picked up. "Hello?"

"I need your help."

An hour later, Carrie slips the letter under her mother's door, a now silent room. She quietly crept down the stairs, heading right out the front door. It was still dark, dawn still far away, letting Carrie leave under the dark cover of night. Waiting by the end of the driveway is her ride. A dark car blending into the black night. She opens the door and falls into the passenger's seat. Turning to the driver with a smile, she thanked them. As Carrie buckles her seatbelt, a black Camaro peals away from the sidewalk, leaving Beacon Hills in the rearview mirror.

For now.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

WOW, I can't believe I've finally finished this! Ive been working on Clear Nights for over 2 years. How time flies! This chapter has been in the works for a very long time and I'm super sorry for not being able to finish and post it sooner. School and work have just been taking up too much time. BUT IT'S FINALLY HERE. I hope you all enjoyed the final chapter!

Looking back on the story as a hole, Clear Nights started out as a fun and quirky kind of story with lots of references to nerdy things, but as the story progressed, it lost that silliness, only to be replaced by a more serious tone, fitting of what was actually happening in the chapters. I'm not upset about the shift in story style, I'm actually quite pleased with it. It means that Carrie and her story has grown. It's also stepped away from repeating the same lines and scenes from the show, as I started to develop my own scenes and weave them into the main plot line.

I hope I've done justice to the first season of Teen Wolf. This was my very first multi-chapter oc fanfiction, and it's a big accomplishment to have finished it. I'm so happy right now.

This chapter follows a small au of the canon timeline. And to be honest, I never really saw Carrie standing beside everyone at the showdown with Peter, so I had to improvise and make reference to what was going to happen, while keeping the plot lines going. I had long chats with lionheartmisfit/angelsanarchy about this and she helped me decide on where the final chapter should go. If it wasn't for her and her help and her encouraging words, I would still be writing things baby.

I've only recieved one review on the last chapter, so thank you to Cassie-D1 for the kind review!

I'm planning on continuing into season 2, but it will be in a whole new story, under a whole new title. So when I finally get that up, I'll put the title here for you all.

Who's excited to finally meet Harrison and his adoptive family? I know I am!

Thank you to all the people who've reviewed my story, all 115 reviews motivated to write more. It means so much that you've all taken the time to read my probably really crappy writing.

Anyways, I'm rambling now (I just have so many feeling since this is the last chapter).

Thank you again.

xoxo

-Allie

EDIT FEB 2016: Hey everyone! I've started the next instalment of the Clear Night's series, "Dawn of Chaos". You can find it under the title 'Clear Nights: Dawn of Chaos" on my profile. Thanks~