Lydia decided to tell everyone what she found at the lake house and what her mother has told her. She sits on Derek's bed and begins to tell everyone the story.

"Meredith was only at my grandmother's lake house once. But..." She stops to sigh. "I think once was enough."

"How did your grandmother know her?" Josie asks.

"She didn't. She found her. Because of another woman named Maddy. The woman she loved." Lydia gets up and walks towards Josie and Scott and hands them a picture.

It was Lorraine and a woman, presumably Maddy, sitting next to each other. Happy and in love. "I never met her, but I saw her name everywhere. She used to be part of a yacht racing team. There were plaques and trophies in the lake house from all the regattas she'd won."

"How did she die?" Parrish asks.

"How's not the story. It's what happened right before. My grandmother, Lorraine, used to work in San Francisco for IBM." 

Lydia walks towards  window, falling into her story as everyone fades away.  Derek's loft became a small replica of Lorraine's work station and the dark sky became a ray of sunlight.

"She was there on a weekend, catching up on work. She started hearing this sound Like rain. But when she looked out the windows All she saw was blue sky." She could almost hear the sounds and feel the warmth of the sun as if it was real.

"But she kept hearing the rain?" Derek asks.

Derek's voice snaps Lydia back in the dark loft, surrounded by her friends, "And it just kept getting louder. Rain and thunder cracking like gunshots in her head. So loud. She finally just screamed." Lydia's voice becomes thick with emotion as sympathy for her grandmother filled her heart.

"Like a Banshee." Josie says softly.

"She called Maddy who was planning on taking one of the boats out on the lake. But Maddy said that the sun was shining there too. So Lorraine didn't say anything." Lydia begins her tale again.

"There was an accident?" Parrish asks.

"It took them four days to find Maddy's body. And then it took decades to figure out how Lorraine knew. She started with parapsychologists, like the PhD in their name made it more scientific. They built the study in the lake house according to every pseudo-scientific theory they could find. None of it worked. So then she started going to more extreme occult. Things like mediums and psychics. All of them were failures. Until she found Meredith. They found her in Eichen House. This fragile girl who didn't understand the things she heard. They brought her to the study. And they almost killed her. She was hospitalized for over a year. She never really recovered. My grandmother drove her insane."

"I drove her to suicide." Lydia's eyes misted with guilt. "And all she ever wanted to do was help. My grandmother created the code for the dead pool. They think she's the Banshee who put the names out in the first place." She shows everyone the code she found at the lake house. "She left me this message in the same code."

"But she didn't leave a cipher key, did she?" Scott asks.

Lydia sighs and shakes her head 'No'.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pretty soon, everyone went home, besides Scott and Josie. She stands in front of the huge window and just stares up at the clear sky.

Scott walks over to the bed and sees a gun on the bed. He carefully picks it up and exams it. Confused with why Derek would need a gun.

"Careful with that." Derek says as he walks up to Scott. Josie turns and her eyes widen at the gun.

"I thought you didn't like guns." Scott asks.

Derek holds his hand out for the gun and Scott feels Josie walk up next to him, "Does this have something to do with your eyes?" She asks.

"My eyes, my strength, the healing...All of it." Derek says.

"Gone?" Scott asks in shock.

"Whatever Kate did to me, it's still happening." Derek sighs.

Josie looks at him with worry then, at the gun. "At least you got a decent pick for a first try. SIG Sauer P226 is good for a beginner." Josie says.

Scott and Derek both look at her in surprise, "Remember, I was trained by the Argents, I also know guns."

Derek holds the gun out to her, "Ever fired one?" He asks.

She gives him a hard look and takes the gun, cocking it like a pro and uncocking, taking the ammo out and places it in his hands, "Just once."  She says, bitterly.

"John?"  Derek asks, giving her sympathetic look.

She eyes him in shock, "How do you know my dad?"

"A lot of people knew your dad, Jo.  He came to see my mom once.  For help.  I was probably 13 at that time, but I remember his scent.  Every elemental carries the same unique scent.  The element they are most powerful with.  Your dad's element was water.  You are powerful with all,  which is very rare."

Josie couldn't think or speak, "S-so...you're saying that," Josie licks her dry lips.  "Dad was an elemental too?"

Derek nods, "You and John were the last.  Josie,  your dad...had a bad reputation.  He was a con artist and owed a bit of money to almost everyone, including Peter.  Even had a bit of a temper."

Josie scoffs, "No shit."

"Why did he come to your mom?"  Scott asks.

Derek sighs,  "I didn't know what they were talking about till Peter explained to me when I was older.  He was telling my mom that he had a family.  A wife and a child whom he loved desperately.  But,  he found out he had a mate.  A she-wolf.  But, she rejected him."   Derek starts to hesitate.  "Josie,  when a mate is rejected, they begin to lose themselves and go into violent personality.  They just become angry, empty shells.  He knew this.  He begged my mom to stop it because he didn't want to harm his family."

Scott looks down in shock when he hears this,  he wraps Josie in his arms in a comfortable grip.  Josie's eyes start to water, he bottom lip trembles. 

"She couldn't help him, could she?" Scott asks.

Derek shakes his head,  "She mentioned someone who could.  In Tennessee."

"So that's why we moved there."  Josie whispers to herself.

"I'm guessing it didn't go well and...Peter did a background check on you.  I know what happened to John.  I'm sorry."  Derek says.

"I spent...years hating the man I called my dad.  And you stand here and tell me...that it wasn't his fault?  It wasn't his fault to get high and drunk every night and come home to beat the people he loved till I put a bullet in his throat, that's what you're telling me?" Josie ask, disbelief in her voice and unshed tears in her eyes.  "He could have just left us, if he cared so much about our safety, yet he chose to stay.  He chose...to stay and hurt us over and over and over again.  He made his choice!  He chose to take a knife to my mom's throat, the woman he claimed to love so much, he chose to try and kill her.  Right in front of his own daughter.  And he chose to stab me."

Derek sighs, he couldn't say anything.  Josie gasps as the painful memories start to haunt her mind and starts to walk away.  Scott tries to stop her but, she holds up a hand.  "Give me a minute." Her voice cracks.  She goes to another room and bursts into tears.  Sliding down a wall slowly.  All these years, thinking it was her fault that her dad hated her.  Thinking it was normal things that drove him to this, it was the supernatural world.  It was that she-wolf's fault.

Scott's heart breaks as he listens to the sobs coming from his mate's lips.  He wanted to go in there and just hold her till the end of time, and keep her happy.  Derek places a hand on his shoulder and makes him look at him, "Give her time." Derek shakes his head in sympathy.  "She's right.  He had a choice, yet he chose to stay.  He was hoping his love was strong enough to fight it, but you can't fight the bond."  He holds a threatening finger at Scott, "I'm proud that you chose to stick with her, Scott.  But, know this, Josie is still human.  If anything tried to break the bond, the consequences will be dire.  Enough to cost your life and hers." He warns.  He takes a calming breath and faces him normally.  "There's also something you should know about....the other part of mates and bonds."

Scott looks at him in curiosity, "What do you mean?"

"When two mates meet, the bond begins to grow between you. The stronger it gets, the more connected you are, of course you know that part."

Scott's eyes lace with pain when he thinks about the night at the morgue, when he almost lost Josie.

"Desire for each other will grow strong as well. And when you two..." Derek grunts uncomfortably and pumps his fist a little.  Scott's eyes widen, getting the hint now. "You'll get the urge to bite her."

Scott's eyes widen more, "What? I can't give her the bite. I would never do that to her."

Derek shakes his head, "Not that bite. This kind of bite is different. It's a bite shared between two mates. She won't turn, but it'll allow you to sense her easily. Like say, someone kidnapped Josie..."

Scott growls at the thought.

"You two will be so connected, her essence will be like a beacon for you. That way, you both will find each other even if you two were on another planet."

Scott actually liked that idea but, he'll need to talk to Josie first. Pretty soon, she comes out, wiping her tears away and sniffling. Scott immediately wraps his arms around her as she walks up to them. Kissing her forehead softly, he gives Derek an understanding nod.

"About the dead pool, by the way. If the dead pool really was made by a Banshee then there's something else that you should know about." Scott says.

Derek listens with curiosity.

"Your name broke the third list. It was a cipher key." Josie says.

Derek stared at them in shock. 

"And the two other keys were Allison and Aiden."  Josie adds.  "Not really sure who Aiden is, but I'm gonna guess it's someone you both know and he's dead." 

"He use to be an Alpha, along with his twin brother, Ethan.  They both were powerful alphas, but it was taken away from them by a creature called a Darach.  Which is a dark Druid.  Kinda like what Deaton is but the opposite."  Derek explains. "He was killed by an oni.  That was controlled by the Nogitsune.  Same thing that killed Allison."

Josie gasps.

"I...we don't want to make you nervous, but it kind of feels like there might be a pattern there, doesn't it?" Scott asks.  "Allison, Aiden...You."

"Names picked by a Banshee." Josie says. 

"It...It could mean that you're in danger." Scott says.

Derek scoffs, "Scott, Banshees don't predict danger...They predict death." He reminds them. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Josie's outfit ^^^^^^^^^^^)

The next morning,  Scott gets himself ready for school, packing his book bag and checking his texts.  He sends Josie a text, 'Good morning, my beautiful love.  Will come and pick you up for school in a few minutes.  I love you.'

He slides on his book bag over his shoulders and turns to shut the door, but stops when he sees the bag full of money under his bed.  He looks closer at the zipper.  He doesn't remember opening the bag since he, Stiles and Josie counted the money.  Did someone take the money?  Did his mom find it?  He quickly takes his book bag off and shuts the door.  He grabs the money and dumps it out.  Counting it and double checking in panic.  He stacks them up into different piles and counts.  With a long breath of relief, the 500,000 was still there.  He must have not zipped it good enough last time he opened it.  All this money, so many things he could do with it.  Help his mom.  Use it for college.  Maybe even use it for him and Josie.  He stuffs it back into the bag, thinking to himself what he needs to do and what he could do.  He remembers that Josie is dead set against keeping the money.  He needs to think. 

Scott stuffs the bag back under the bed and his cell goes off.  It was Josie.  He opens the text box, 'Ok, my wolfman.  I'll be ready as soon as you get here.  I love you, too.'  He smiles softly at the message. 

Liam arrives at school, cautious and anxious.  The thought of the dead pool invaded his mind.  How did it print on HIS computer?  How desperate is the benefactor? Enough to print the list out for all to see?

"Liam!"  Mason startles Liam as he comes around a corner.  "Hey.  Am I gonna see you at the bonfire tonight?"

"Uh, I'm thinking about skipping it."  Liam stutters, shaking his head.

"You're not skipping."  Mason scoffs.

"Why not?"  Liam asks.

"Because you're on the lacrosse team."  Mason points out.  "Don't you have to go?"

"I don't, uh..."  Liam looks around nervously, looking down a hallway, through a ocean of people, he sees a berserker and thinks about that night at the hospital.  When he fought one and nearly died.  No one was screaming as he sees it.  He shakes his head and blinks, it was gone.  "I...I don't think I can make it." Liam says.

"You're coming."  Mason demands, not taking 'no' for an answer.  "And we're gonna find you a nice girl that you can embarrass yourself in front of and find me a lacrosse player." 

Liam looks at the hallway again and sees the berserker walking towards him, slowly.  He begins to pant in fear.  Thinking of the berserker holding him by the throat in the air.  Then, it was gone again.

"Because statistically speaking, someone on your team has gotta be on my team.  All right? Liam?"  Mason shakes Liam out of his thoughts.

"Okay.  I'll be there."  Liam finally agrees and takes off to class. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stiles and Lydia desperately tried to figure out the keyword for the code Lorraine left for Lydia.  So they skip school and head to Stile's house to get on the laptop.

"Try Maddy.  It's got to be Maddy."  Stiles suggests.

"Doesn't Maddy feel a little obvious as a cipher key?" Lydia points out.

"I guarantee it's Maddy." Stiles says, determinedly.

Lydia sighs, shrugging as she types, not believing that it could be that key.

The computer beeps 'ERROR'.

"Okay, your name.  She left the code for you, right? So it's got to be your name."  Stiles says.

Lydia tries her own name, but came up as 'ERROR' again.

"Your mom's name?"  Stiles asks.

'ERROR'.

"Do you have any beloved family pets?"  Stiles stutters.

"Mmm." Lydia groans in annoyance and rubs the bride of her nose.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"All right!  Now I know the start of season bonfire, it's a big deal for you guys.  I also know it gets out-of-hand sometimes.  The alumni show up, there's other teams, and alcohol.  Lots and lots of alcohol."  The coach goes over facts about their yearly bonfire.  Scott keeps an eye on Liam's nervous behavior.  Everyone besides Liam and Scott cheer as they hear 'alcohol'. 

"All right.  Shut up! Now, what I don't understand is why anybody would ever want to  get stumbling down drunk in front of a massive open fire, I'm also  resigned to not being able to stop you guys."  Some of the team was laughing, then all of them started cheering. 

"I also remind you, your team captain, McCall, will be there.  And I can count on him to narc on any and every one of these little bastards.  Get back to class."  Coach yells out. 

Liam took off before Coach dismissed everyone.  Scott looks over and sees Liam was gone.  He was worried about the scent of his anxiety he carried. 

Josie was waiting for Scott outside the boy's locker room.  As soon as he sees her, his face brakes out a goofy smile and he intertwine his fingers with hers as he takes her hand.  Giving her a kiss, he hears his teammates cheering.  "Get some, McCall!" 

He growls lowly in annoyance and goes off to his next class with Josie. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Groaning in annoyance, Stiles buries his face against his arm on the desk.  He and Lydia still couldn't figure out the keyword. 

"The ashes were left for you.  The code was left for you.  You're supposed to be able to figure this out."  Stiles sighs.

"But no one else is.  Which is why she made it hard."

The annoying beeping of his printer got on Stile's nerves.  Alerting him that he was out of paper, "Whoa! Okay?"  He grabs a load of paper and shoves it into the printer, pressing the start button.  He paces the room, thinking what could be the key.  "You...'No one else'.  No one else but you."  Stiles gets an idea.

"What?"  Lydia snaps her attention back to Stiles.

"Our guesses.  They're all about Lorraine.  Right? We keep trying to guess a word that has something to do with her.  So, maybe we should be trying to guess one that's about you."  Stiles suggests.

"Me? What about me?"  Lydia scrunches her brows in confusion.

"What do you remember doing with your grandmother?  You know, what was you guys', like, special thing? Did you guys go to  the beach? You know, did you like ice cream or...?" Stiles says.

"We read."  Lydia starts to remember a special time with her grandmother. 

"Okay.  What did you read?"

"The Little Mermaid."

"You read that movie?" Stiles asks incredulous.

"It was a book first."  Lydia rolls her eyes.  "Hans Christian Andersen."

"Type it in. 'Little Mermaid'." Stiles says.

Lydia does as he says.  'Little Mermaid' didn't go.  So she tries 'Mermaid'.  No go either. 

"We read it every night.  I got so obsessed with it, for three months I wouldn't respond to anything but Ariel.  It drove my parents crazy, but...Grandma thought it was adorable."  Lydia realizes the clue. 

She types in 'Ariel'.  The laptop gives a confirmed beep and starts listing out random names. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scott and Josie make their way down the steps and come across Liam who was lacing up his lacrosse gear.  Liam turns to look over his shoulder a little and sees them two coming down to sit near him.

"Hey."  Scott places his hand on Liam's shoulder, "You okay?"

Liam sighs anxiously, looking down.  Josie places a hand on his shoulder, as Scott removes his.  Liam sighs slowly as he feels his anxiety calming down.  Scott didn't like her touching another guy but, Liam needed to calm himself. 

"Hey.  What's wrong?"  She asks.

Liam scoots to face them both, Josie removes her hand and places it in her lap to listen, "Last night my printer went off by itself.  I couldn't turn it off.  I hit the cancel button.  But it just kept printing."  Liam says.  They could see how freaked out he was about it.

"Printing what?"  Scott asks.

Liam takes out a folded piece of paper and hands it to Scott.  Josie leans in to see what it was.  Scott unfolds it and sees it was a copy of the hit list.  Names were marked out and prices were up. 

"What the hell's this?!!!"  Scott and Liam hears Coach yelling. 

The three of them rush to find out what Coach was going on about.  They stop at the door and sees Coach fumbling with his printer which was going nuts, printing out dozens of copies. 

Back at Stiles' place, Lydia and Stiles goes over the new list, "You recognize any of these?"  Stiles asks.

"Just my grandmother."  Lydia shakes her head.

Stiles hears his printer going off and he gets up to look at what it was printing.  His eyes widen when he sees that his printer just made dozens of copies of the dead pool.

"Lydia We need to call Scott."

At school, Josie, Scott, and Liam look in horror at the copies spilled all over the floor.  Scott picks one up and the three of them rush back to the hallways. 

Scott looks down at the copies, skimming through the names and numbers.

"You see the difference?" Liam asks.

"Derek's not on the list anymore." Scott says.

"And I'm not worth three million.  It's 18 now.  $18 million." Liam says.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lydia and Stiles took the list to Parrish to see who these people are. 

"Well, it's not another dead pool.  More like an already dead pool."  Parrish says.

"All of them? All dead?" Lydia asks in disbelief.

"Within the last 10 years."  Parrish nods.  "All suicides.  And all at the same place."

"Eichen House." Stiles groans.  God, he hated that place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After school was over, Josie made her way home to get ready for the bonfire.  Scott told her he wanted to avoid it, but as team captain, he couldn't, so he asked her to go with him so she could stay close and be safe with him. 

As she made her way up to her room, she found papers scattered on the floor outside her room.  She slowly makes her way towards the door and kneels to pick up the papers.  Copies of the dead pool were scattered everywhere.  She gets up and goes into her room and to her horror, she sees her mom, sitting on the bed, looking at the list.

"Want to explain to me about this?" Sarah signs.