YOUTH || Liam Dunbar [1]

SIXTEEN

"Dad!" Katherine screamed, dropping her bag and bike next to the nearest police car. "Sheriff Noah Stilinski! Dad!"

"Let her through!" Her Dad yelled. Katherine pushed through all the police officers and CDC workers, panic written all over her face.

"Where's Stiles," Katherine breathed as she slowed to a stop in front of her Dad. "Where the hell are Stiles, Scott, Kira and Malia."

"Kat." She spun around, pushing her glasses further up her nose. Stiles grabbed her shoulders, and Katherine breathed out in relief. She threw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. He lifted her off the ground so he could stand up straight.

"I swear to god Stiles if you scare me like that again I'll—"

"—I won't," Stiles mumbled into her shoulder. "I promise you, I won't."

"Good," Katherine nodded and pressed a kiss to his cheek. She was set down on the ground and immediately threw herself at Scott, and was picked up again. "The same goes for you," she warned him.

"I promise," Scott chuckled, squeezing her tightly.

She kissed him on the cheek as well before moving to Kira. "I know I probably don't deserve it," Katherine mumbled, looking down at her feet. "I haven't been very nice to you, but, uh, can I give you a hug?"

Kira smiled and opened her arms. Katherine immediately wrapped her arms around Kira's middle, breathing out a sigh of relief. "We're all okay," Kira assured her.

"I'm sorry I was such a bitch," Katherine breathed. "I was being petty and it wasn't fair to you."

"We all grieve in different ways," Kira answered softly. "And you're pretty young to have all this on your shoulders. I'm not blaming you for it."

"Allison was like the first big sister I'd ever had," Katherine admitted. "And in my stupid teenage brain it felt like Scott was trying to replace her with you."

"I couldn't replace Allison," Scott cut in, crouching down in front of her.

"I know that now but—"

"—Why didn't you tell me?"

"They were my feelings," Katherine shrugged sadly. "I know you missed her too, but talking about it makes it all real and I don't want it to be."

"Just tell me next time," Scott sighed, as he pulled her in for another hug.

Katherine nodded and rested her chin on his shoulder. Then her brows furrowed. "Hey where's Malia?"

"We don't know," Stiles sighed. "I gave her my jacket in there, and she — uh — she saw the dead pool. She knows about Peter."

"Geez," Katherine breathed. "I'm sorry." She pursed her lips and reached for his hand. "She just needs it to sink in. Give her time."

"I know," Stiles grumbled. "But we should've told her sooner."

"Damn right we should've," Katherine agreed. "But we didn't, so now we own up to it."

Stiles stared at her with his lips pursed in annoyance. "When did you become Yoda," he grumbled.

She winked cheekily. "I'm the leader of this tribe; it's my job to be Yoda."

•••

Katherine stretched her arms out, not breaking her gaze from the computer screen. Ever since she'd made her own wall of crazy in the Vet Clinic, she'd been itching to make one for the dead pool.

So that's what she was doing.

She'd spend a majority of the evening at the station with her Dad, printing crime scene photos off of his computer and tucking them into an unmarked file for her to take home. Then when she'd gotten home, she'd taken the few posters off her walls and taped the pictures up in their place.