Two weeks had passed since the chaotic events at the police station.  Matt was dead, and Jackson had vanished without a trace. The supernatural tension in Beacon Hills had settled into a somber calm, but for Gabriella, it felt more like an unresolved ache.

Sitting on the couch, she watched as Lucas and Boyd packed their bags. She could sense the finality in their actions, the way they exchanged glances that spoke of shared dreams and the future they longed for. Gabriella swallowed hard, pushing back her own emotions.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "You're really going to leave?"

Lucas nodded, his expression resolute. "Yeah, we've thought about it a lot. Boyd and I... we want a normal life, you know? No more fighting, no more hiding. Just... us."

Gabriella's heart ached at the thought of them leaving. "But... what about everything we've been through? I don't want you to just walk away from it all."

Boyd chimed in, "It's not walking away, Gabby. It's choosing to live. We can't keep fighting forever. We've seen enough. You can join us. We'd love to have you with us."

She shook her head, her throat tightening. "I can't. I have to stay here. I have responsibilities... and I can't abandon everything I've fought for."

Lucas stepped closer, taking her hands in his. "We just want you to be happy, Gabby. You've been through so much, and you deserve peace. If you come with us, you could have that."

"I want you to be happy," she replied, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "But I can't leave. Not yet. I need to help everyone here, to make sure we're all okay."

The room fell silent, the weight of their choices hanging heavy. Lucas squeezed her hands tighter, searching her face for any hint of doubt. "You're sure about this?"

"Yes," she said firmly. "I'm sure."

Lucas released a long sigh, his disappointment evident, but he nodded slowly. "Alright. Just know that you'll always have a place with us, no matter what."

Boyd added, "And we'll always be here for you, Gabby. No matter how far we go."

Gabriella felt tears prick at her eyes, but she blinked them away, forcing a smile. "I'll miss you both. Just promise me you'll be safe out there."

"Always," Lucas replied, pulling her into a tight hug. Boyd joined in, wrapping his arms around them both.

As they pulled away, Gabriella watched them finish packing, her heart heavy with the realization that this was the last time she would see them for a while. They shared one last smile before Lucas and Boyd stepped out the door, ready to chase their new lives, leaving Gabriella with a bittersweet sense of longing and pride for their choices.

[...]

Gabriella sat in the stands, her gaze locked on the field, where two empty spots marked the places Lucas and Boyd used to stand. Beside her, Erica noticed her focus and gave her a gentle nudge, a small, understanding smile on her face.

"It's weird, isn't it?" Erica said softly. "Not seeing them down there."

Gabriella nodded, her expression a mixture of pride and sadness. "Yeah... I knew they wanted this, but it doesn't make it any easier."

Just then, Scott jogged over to the edge of the stands and looked up at them "Looks like I'm benched," he said with a shrug. "Coach isn't letting me play tonight."

"You have to play, it's gonna be a blood bath without you and I don't mean metaphorically"

Scott was about to say something but a VOICE finds its way into their hearing... "Can you hear me?"

"Gerard" Gabriella frowned scanning the bleachers, trying to locate Gerard.

"Ah, you can. Good. Then listen closely. Because the game's about to get interesting..." Gerard's SILVER PILL BOX reflects the stadium lights as he turns it over in his hand.

He stands at the edge of the field surveying the two teams lining up "Let's put a real clock on this game "I'll give you until the last thirty
seconds. When that scoreboard clock begins counting down from thirty, if you haven't given me Derek, Jackson is going to kill someone

"So tell me who's going to die tonight, Scott? Should it be your mother who so bravely came out to support you?... Or the Sheriff? Your best friend's father?...Or how about the pretty little red-head who managed to survive the bite of an Alpha?"

Or should I do everyone a favor and
kill that ridiculous Coach?" Gerard gives a polite nod to Coach as the man hurtles past
him, nervously pacing the sidelines.

"It's up to you, But you are going to help me take Derek down"

Anger rising with each breath, Gabriella looks like she might explode off the bench.

"Because if you don't...I'll have Jackson rip someone's head off right in the middle of the
field and drench everyone you love and care about in blood"

THE WHISTLE BLOWS. The game begins.

[...]

Gabriella gazes out on the field watching Stiles glance up in shock as the BALL lands right in the pocket of his lacrosse stick.

Before he can even turn around, a PLAYER rams into him.

The sound of CRUNCHING PADS brings audible groans from the crowd.

At the next WHISTLE BLOW, Stiles races for the ball, slapping helplessly at it while OPPOSING PLAYERS converge on him.

Another VICIOUS CRUNCH sets the crowd flinching back.

Another WHISTLE BLOW. Stiles tries to catch a pass, but the ball BOUNCES right off his helmet.

Scott rises to his feet, eyes on the scoreboard to see Beacon Hills down by several points but is pulled back by the coach "Sit down, McCall"

"But Coach, we're dying out there"

"I'm aware of that. Now sit" Reluctantly, Scott eases back onto the bench just as a hand reaches in to grab a helmet. He looks up in surprise at Isaac. In his uniform, lacrosse stick gripped in a glove.

"You came to help"

"I came to win"

From the sidelines Gerard spots the four werewolves.

They glance defiantly back at him, noticing that Gerard does not look pleased by the surprise entrance.

Not pleased at all.

"He looks more constipated than usual" Gabriella quipped, glancing at Erica, who stifled a laugh.

"Focus, Gabby. We need to figure out how to turn this around," scott said, his expression serious once more.

Pulling his helmet on, Isaac turns to Gabriella "You got a plan yet?"

"Right now it's pretty much just keep Jackson from killing someone" she replied

"That might be easier if Scott is in

the game" isacc said as he gets an idea and turns to scott " We have to make it so Coach has no choice but to play you"

Isaac and Scott look over the players on the bench. Then slowly turn to each other as if both coming to the same idea.

"Can you do it without putting anyone in the hospital?" Scott said

"I can try"

"And if you can't, it's better that they're in the hospital rather than dead on the field," Erica added, her tone serious as she tried to weigh the situation.

With a quick nod, Isaac sprinted toward the field, determination etched on his face.

As the game continued, Gabriella watched him move, a mix of anxiety and hope bubbling inside her. Isaac was talented, but the pressure of the situation made every move feel like a gamble.

On the field, Isaac quickly engaged with a couple of opposing players, shoving one aside and creating a ruckus. The ref's whistle blew, drawing attention to the growing chaos.

"Come on, Coach!" Scott yelled from the sidelines, hoping to push the coach's hand. "We need to turn this around!"

The coach, initially flustered, couldn't ignore the spectacle unfolding before him. "Alright, alright!" the coach bellowed, clearly frustrated. "McCall, get in there!"

Scott's eyes lit up with determination as he jumped off the bench, racing toward the field.

As Scott joined the game, Gabriella's heart raced. They had a chance now, not just to win the game but to keep everyone safe from Gerard's twisted games.

With Scott in the game, Gabriella felt the tides begin to turn. They were going to fight back against Gerard, and they were going to win.

Bodies CRASH into each other on the field. Among several downed players, Isaac also hits the ground.

Rolling to his feet, Jackson glances back, lips pulled together in a devious smile, because Isaac isn't getting up.

Coach starts onto the field, but gabriella hurries past, racing to Isaac's side "It's not broken. But I can't move it. I think Jackson nicked me. I can feel it spreading"

While other players crowd around, Gabriella glances back to the sidelines at Gerard whose VOICE comes whispering into her ear.

"You want to play chess, Gabriella? Then
you better be willing to sacrifice your own pawns"

Gabriella notices Jackson watching as Isaac is pulled onto a stretcher

She gets up and looks around trying to find Gerard but he was no where to be found just like Erica

[...]

Gabriella made her way to the boys locker room where she smelt Erica's scent

When she got there she saw  Sword raised, with his hunters behind him, Gerard approaches erica.

Back to a locker, the blonde turns to face them, defiance in her eyes. And then...

Erica gives him the slightest of smiles. And for a brief moment, Gerard's confident veneer cracks ever-so-slightly.

Slowly, he turns back to his hunters. Neither of whom notice the GLOWING-EYED Gabriella gerardo rising behind them.

The First Hunter flies across the locker room, SMASHING INTO THE TILE WALL OF THE SHOWER.

The Second SLAMS DOWN onto one of the wood benches, SPLITTING IT IN HALF.

Clawed hand on the back of the hunter, a still human Gabriella snaps her head up with fangs bared.

She sees erica slumped against a locker but Gerard is gone.

Gabriella moved quickly to Erica's side, her fingers trembling as she brushed a stray lock of blonde hair away from her face.

"Erica," she whispered, kneeling beside her. "Are you okay?"

Erica gave a weak nod, attempting a smirk despite the exhaustion etched on her face. "Took them long enough to try and jump me they wouldn't have been able to if they didn't have kanima venom...it nicked me" she muttered, though her voice was shaky. "But... I knew you'd come."

Gabriella smiled faintly, her fierce gaze softening as she helped Erica sit up straighter. "Of course I did," she said, casting a wary glance around the room. "But Gerard... he got away."

Erica's jaw clenched, her expression hardening. "That bastard won't stop until he's taken down every werewolf he can find."

As Gabriella was about to carry erica out they heard screams coming from the field

Erica took a shaky breath, her eyes narrowing as she tried to pull herself together. "Go. I'll be fine. I can still move... mostly," she gritted out, attempting to stand with Gabriella's help.

Gabriella hesitated, her instincts urging her to stay by Erica's side. But the rising panic from outside was impossible to ignore. "Promise you won't push yourself too hard?" she asked, her voice low and intense.

Erica managed a faint, teasing smile. "I'll be right behind you, gabby."

Gabriella carefully laid Erica back against the locker. Then, with a final glance over her shoulder, she bolted toward the field, her senses heightened as she sprinted down the hallway.

As she neared the field, ELECTRIC CRACKLE, the STADIUM LIGHTS burst back on, blazing to life one-by-one.

both the Beacon Hills team and their opponents are revealed gathered around a fallen player.

With Coach pulling his frightened players aside, Gabriella reach the body to discover-- It's Jackson.

Gabriella stops in her tracks, shocked at the sight.

Lydia hurtles past her, pushing aside lacrosse players twice her size "Jackson? What's happening--What happened?"

Melissa kneels by Jackson's side and takes his wrist to feel for a pulse.

Then puts her ear to his chest. A quiet comes
over the waiting crowd "He's not breathing. No pulse"

While Melissa locates punctures and tears on Jackson's jersey, Isaac and scott appears at Gabriella's side "Look"

Isaac and scott follows Gabriella's eyes to see BLOOD on the tips of Jackson's fingers, perfectly matching the puncture wounds.

"He did it to himself?"

SIRENS rising in the distance, Melissa begins CPR chest compressions.

Helpless, Coach can only watch while a tear-stained Lydia kneels next to her former boyfriend.

"Hold his head tilted up, okay?"

Lydia nods and gently puts her hands under Jackson's head.

His mouth lies open, still not breathing as Melissa tries to get his heart started.

A few feet away, Sheriff Stilinski turns from the scene, glancing through the crowd.

"Where's Stiles? Where's my son?" With rising fear, he looks to Gabriella, Scott, Isaac and the other players, none of whom can seem to answer.

"Where's Stiles? Where the hell's my son?"

[...]

DEPUTIES finish questioning players while Stilinski talks with Isaac, Gabriella erica and Scott, Flipping the pages of his note pad,
Stilinski's hands are noticeably shaky.

"I have to meet the medical examiner and figure out what happened with Jackson, but I've got an A-P-B out for Stiles. His Jeep's still in the parking lot, which means... well, I don't know what it means. If he answers his phone or email or if any of you see him"

"We'll call you"

"Guys, after everything that's happened lately..." the sheriff said looking at Gabriella and Scott

"He probably just got freaked out by the attention or something. We'll find him" Gabriella tried to reassure him but he doesn't look encouraged.

He motions for his men to follow and the locker room begins clearing out.

"Is that everyone?"

"I think so--"

The sound of METAL RIPPING off hinges turns erica around.

A locker door CLATTERS to the floor as gabriella rifles through the inside, pulling out one of Stiles's SHIRTS.

Erica asks "You're going to find him by scent?"

"We all are...." Gabriella holds out one of Stiles's SHOES and gives it to isaac, she gives the other shoe to scott and his pants to erica

"Why do you get his shirt and I get a shoe?" Isaac frowns

"Atleast you don't have his pants I don't wanna touch anything his junk was against"

"Then why do you touch Gabriella?" Isaac smirks but no one answered him because they were to busy looking behind him

Derek stands at the other end of the room "We need to talk"

Peter rounds the corner of the locker cages "All of us"

Gabriella's eyes widen she thought Peter was dead-no he was dead she saw him die how was he alive

"How the hell is he alive- how the hell are you alive"

Isaac and Erica exchanged wary glances, unsure how to react, sensing the tension between the others and this stranger.

Scott keeps a cautious gaze on Peter and
Derek at the other end of the locker room "What the hell is this?"

"You know, I thought the same thing when I saw you talking to Gerard at the Sheriff's Station" Derek said

"Okay, hold on. He threatened to kill my mom. And I needed to get close to him. What was I supposed to do?"

"Im going to have to side with Scott on this one. Have you seen his mother? Gorgeous"

"Shut up" the three werewolves said at the same time making Peter shrug "Just an observation"

Isaac leans over to Gabriella and asks "Who is he?"

"Derek's uncle. A little while back, he tried to kill all of us so I blasted his ass and Derek slashed his throat"

"Good to know"

"How is he alive?" Gabriella said once again

"Long, complicated story. Wolfsbane, full moon, it's a whole thing" Peter said casually

"Then how about I shorten it and put you back in your grave" Gabriella took a step towards him but was blocked by Derek "do I need to remind you what he did to your sister and you"

"he knows how to stop Jackson and maybe how to save him"

"That should really help now. Since he's dead" Erica said making the hales look at them in suprise

"What?"

"Jackson's dead. It happened on the field" Scott clarified "it looks like he did it himself"

Derek and Peter share a look. Neither seem relieved "if Jackson's dead, there's no way it just happened Gerard wanted it to happen"

"But why?"

"Exactly what we need to find out. And something tells me the window of opportunity is closing. Quickly"

"As soon as your not useful anymore, I am blasting your ass again"

[...]

A PHONE BUZZES. Scott yanks it out of his pocket and breathes in relief at the text message "They found Stiles"

"Is he ok?" Gabriella asked

"Yea he's fine"

Derek glance back only for a moment while Peter approaches the staircase "I told you I looked everywhere"

"But you didn't look here" Fingers reaching carefully along the base of one of the wood
steps, Peter snaps up a panel, freeing it.

While Derek, erica, Gabriella Isaac and Scott look on, Peter reaches inside the staircase, feeling for something hidden underneath the
steps.

He pulls out a large and dusty LEATHER CASE.

"What is that? A book?" Derek questioned

"No, it's a laptop" He flips the case open to reveal a MacBook Pro. "What century are you living in?"

Scott's PHONE BUZZES again and he pulls it out of his pocket Stepping away from them, Scott puts the phone to his ear as Peter starts booting up the computer.

"In the few days after I came out of the coma I started transferring everything we had. Fortunately, the Argents aren't the only ones who keep records"

"Did you transfer it before or after you killed your niece" Gabriella said glaring at peter

"Ok what's with the quip I didn't do anything to you" Peter said

"Seriously this entire mess is your doing"

"How so"

"You killed Derek's sister and took her power, bit scott which lead him into this supernatural drama, you turned evil which made Derek kill you and bite Jackson which turned him Into a kanima...do you want me to continue?"

Peter closed the laptop with a faint smirk, feigning indifference but clearly a bit stung by Gabriella's words. "Well, when you put it that way," he said, attempting nonchalance, "I guess I'm responsible for... quite a lot. But we're here now, aren't we? So maybe a little gratitude for my valuable insight would be appropriate."

Gabriella rolled her eyes, crossing her arms tightly. "You're lucky we need you, Peter. But the second this is over, you better believe you're going right back where you came from."

Erica leaned toward Scott, muttering under her breath, "Do they always bicker like this?"

Scott gave a small shrug. "Pretty much. Gabriella's got a lot of reasons not to trust him"

Scott stepped in between them "my mom called she said something is happening with Jackson...she wants us down here"

"Fine you two stay here the rest of us are gonna go check on the kanima" Gabriella said pointing at the hales

"Ok tell melissa am waiting for the second date" Peter smirked which made Gabriella grab a rock and throw it at his