Understandable Connections
Chapter 1
"Things Happen"
Stiles wondered why he was so damn stupid. It's not that he would have said no, it's just that it would probably be a better idea to call someone, anyone, to come with him rather than coming alone. But as usual his "act first think about it later" attitude decided to make an appearance today. He needs more medicine, keep that bitch under control. Now that he had time to think about it as he walked through the forest, looking for Dr. Deaton, he knows this is a terrible idea. I mean, he knows things have been quiet for a while, but when these things happen they don't ask you if you're having a nice day, they just happen. Ask Jackson, he sure had a wake up call. Quite literally.
He thinks back on the reason he is here. That funny conversation with the school counselor Ms. Morell. He somewhat liked her, but she was kind of creepy. After the whole Kanima event was left behind she had told him they would talk again. And that is mostly why he was not surprised when she called him to her office:
"Hello Stiles, how are you feeling?, Ms. Morell asked as if she knew nothing. Seriously, adults need more tact.
"I am fantastic, thanks for asking, as fantastic as our last conversation, would you like me to remind you what it was about? I did tell you to take notes…." Not like he was saying "I told you so" or anything…
"Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" said and that somehow put Stiles on full alert, things are fine damn it, why does everyone want to ruin his life? "I need a favor from you, are you familiar with mountain ash?"
That got his attention, what a random thing to say? Unless, of course, it was not random at all.
"Why would you ask me that? I have to say you have a knack for asking random questions, are you trying to catch me off guard? I warn you, my guard is the best out there, so good in fact it deflects gamma rays from the sun" He said as he dramatically flailed his hands in some guarding pose. He needed to stop watching power rangers, seriously. But he hoped it deflected the question.
"Stiles, lives are at stake here, I need you to focus." He was losing his edge, he used to be so good at this.
"I know a bit about it from research I did for a school project, it's supposed to protect people if used as a charm or something like that…" He ventured, not wanting to give away more than he should.
"Good, now I need you to take something somewhere, it's something important, like the mountain ash, it's supposed to have some special qualities", and he did NOT like how she said that AT ALL, " an acquaintance of mine, Dr. Deaton needs it, he is in the woods surrounding the old Hale house, do you know where that is?" He nodded and she went on. "Good, here take it, it's called "The Elixir of Life", please be careful".
And that was that, he does not even remember agreeing to this and yet here he was, in the creepy woods of the Hale property looking for a vet. Why would he be here anyway? The Doctor knows everything, he can't help but wonder if this has some sort of supernatural implications, the creepy "Elixir Of Life" did not clue him in, at all…
He was about to turn around and go home when he heard a sound, he looked for the source of it and he found it quickly enough. A man was laying on the ground by a tree, not moving much, he approached slowly, because he would be lying if he pretended not to care, this person was obviously hurt. As he gets closer recognition hits him like a slap in the face, this was Derek Hale, in the forest ground, looking like he was sleeping, except as weird as the guy was he doubted that he was taking a relaxing nap in the forest. That was not part of his repertoire.
"Derek?" He tentatively asked as he got closer, "dude are you ok?" He lays a hand on his shoulder and tries to move him over. "Holy shit!" He gasps as he notices the pool of blood under him.
Looking around for signs of danger (when you're as fragile as a snowflake doing things like this came naturally), he reaches desperately for his phone in his pocket but all he can find is the damn vial. He left his damn phone on the Jeep.
"Way to go Stiles", he thinks out loud, "now what?"
He checks for Derek's vitals, after all his dad was the Sheriff, he had some basic skills. Derek is barely breathing but he IS breathing which is good, he does not seem to be healing, which is bad, very bad. He panics then, if Derek dies while he is here he will have lots of explaining to do. And he did not like the idea. He tries to lift Derek to take him to his Jeep, the guy was the most despicable person he knew, but he did not deserve to die, he wondered what could possibly have happened to him, whatever hurt him like this is very very dangerous, he has a feeling the peace they were enjoying at the moment was not going to last.
Carrying his Jeep over to Derek seemed more realistic than what he was trying now, he just did not have the muscle. Frustrated he stops trying, but he knew he had to do something. His mind races and quickly reaches a conclusion.
"Well buddy, here's what we are going to do, you just became my guinea pig….wolf…guinea wolf? Yep, that what I'm sticking with" He said as he reached for the vial and opened it up. If this was in anyway like mountain ash he needed to imagine something happening. He was an expert on that, after all he spent 10 years of his life imagining Lydia cared for him. He grabbed the vial and unceremoniously shoved the liquid down Derek's throat while he imagined him getting better, healing, surviving. He found himself surprised to find out he meant it, he was a bad wolf, a very bad wolf but he wanted to save him, just like he did all those previous times, running on instinct, nothing more.
He waited, but didn't have to wait long. All of a sudden his muscles started to cramp. He started feeling pain, oh God, the pain. He could not breathe. His body started to sweat and shake. He did not know what was happening to him, a panic attack? No, this seemed more.
"Holy shit, please make it stop. This pain….Derek please make it stop" He does not know why he said that, it's not like Derek had anything to do with it, but somehow he knew. Something was wrong, very wrong. He was dying. And there was no one to save him. He only hoped at least Derek would recover, that way his death would be a heroic one. Whether the man he saved deserved it or not, he wanted his death to mean something. He wanted to be a Hero.
-(^_^)-
When Derek woke up it was dark. Gasping for air he took a moment to organize his thoughts. What the hell happened? He does not remember, he was out for a walk on his territory but aside from that he can't remember anything. He tries to get up. And notices there's something on top of him, not something, someone. He shoves the person aside, and wonders why this keeps happening to him. The universe must like getting him pissed. His mood darkens when he sees who it is. The Stilinski kid. What the hell? Was the kid actually sleeping on top of him? Not likely, he sighs and moves to check on the kid. He is surprised at how good he feels. Whatever happened couldn't have been good. Yet here he was, all in one piece. He did not miss the smell of blood all over the place. His own blood.
"Stiles" he grits his teeth as he pronounces the name, something about the kid just set his anger off. He is a little thrown off by the lack of response, maybe the kid was a heavy sleeper. He grudgingly approaches the kid, turns him around, and unceremoniously slaps him. That felt good. What didn't feel good was the lack of response. Stiles was not waking up. He decides to focus then, now a little worried, was the kid dead? He tries to listen for a heartbeat, his breathing. His own heart skips a beat, there is none. No heartbeat, no breathing, the kid is dead. For a second he does not know what to do, what the hell happened? Why was he here to begin with? How was he going to explain this? He has no time for these things. He reaches for his phone, he needs to call Scott, he is not looking forward to explaining this, particularly because Scott hates him already, this for sure was not going to earn him any points. His phone is gone.
"What the hell?" He curses. And reaches down to search for Stiles phone, the moment he touches the kid he gets the shock of his life. The kid's body feels warm. And that's just not possible. How can he be warm if there is no heartbeat, if he's dead? He tries to listen again, nothing, what the hell is going on?
"It can't be!" he says with a shaky voice, and quickly tries to reach out to his wolf. And nothing. He can't feel anything, and he realizes then that this is the first time in his life he is not able to do it. He has never felt so empty in his life. He was born a werewolf and now it was somehow gone! He tries to focus and he can't. He looks over to where Stiles is laying on the ground, and somehow that calms him down. At least he knows the kid is not dead. And he does not know why he feels a sort of peace come over him at the thought of that. He does not know what Stiles did. But he now had the hope than when the kid wakes up he can shed light on what is happening. So he moves closer to Stiles and grabs him by the cuff of his shirt and slaps him again. And that is how Scott finds him.
-(^_^)-
"What the Hell are you doing to Stiles!", Scott screams as he pushes Derek off his friend. More than a little surprised of how easily he managed to send him tumbling down the ground.
"Nothing!" Derek shouts sounding defensive, "I was just trying to wake him up! I do not know what is going on!"
"Stiles! What's wrong, wake up!" he tries to shake his friend awake, but he won't wake up." Derek If you did anything to Stiles….." suddenly he goes quiet and sniffs the air "Derek you smell….different…what the hell? You smell like Stiles!" Scott is now wide eyed staring a Derek. Derek does not like what he just heard one bit, gritting his teeth he looks at Scott his stare intense.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" He unconsciously reaches out to smell his arm, more a reflex than anything else," I don't smell anything weird, when I woke up the kid was lying on top of me, maybe that's what you mean". Derek says sounding defensive and apprehensive at the same time.
"No, I don't mean you have Stiles scent, I mean you smell…." He trails off as he sniffs the air once more, "like a human!." At that Derek's heart sank, he could not have Scott or any other beta for that matter see him like this. He was at a loss.
"I'm not human, I'm an alpha" Derek spits, as menacing as he can under the circumstances.
"I said you smell like a human, not that you are one, listen, you can trust me on this one, I'm pretty good with smells, your still a werewolf, I can tell, you just smell like a human" and that was the best thing Derek has heard out of all this mess, he could feel his hopes rising." He smells different too, he smells like you…..not that's not exactly right…he smells like your wolf?" And that was the worst this he has heard so far, damn it all.
"You mean to say my wolf is there?!" Derek shouts a little shaken pointing at Stiles like he was a thief," I can't reach my wolf" he knew it was a mistake to say that the moment the words came out of his mouth. Scott stared at him unable to hide the shock.
"What the hell man, how is that even poss…."Derek interrupts him then, anger surging.
"That does not matter! What matters is that Stiles must know what happened and I need to know, so what are we going to do?" Scott looks at him with a face of determination, Derek recognizes that face…oh no. Scott gets up carrying Stiles in his arms.
"I do not know what YOU are going to do but I am taking Stiles to the hospital" Derek's heart sinks.
"No wait! That's not a good idea Scott, whatever happened here is of the supernatural sort, Doctors can't help him, we need someone that knows about this stuff!" Barely containing his anger he waits for Scott to respond. He does not like how close that was to begging.
"Then I'm going to Dr. Deaton, he will know for sure, maybe you should go to your uncle Peter, look stuff up on that handy bestiary your family kept." Scott says as he turns around to leave.
"Scott I can't, if Peter sees me like this he may see an opportunity, I do not know what he is planning but I don't trust him…." Today is proving to be the worse day in his life.
"Fine, let's go meet , but don't think for a second I'm trusting you." Scott states with finality.
"Fine by me" Derek says, and they go to the Vet's office.
-(^_^)-
Stiles feels like he's floating in marshmallow clouds, at least that's how he imagines marshmallow clouds would feel like. He can't help but feel warm and fluffy inside. Which is definitely an indication that he is clearly dead. If he knew death felt like this he would have stopped fighting for survival earlier! This is all sorts of awesome! He can't however bring himself to open his eyes. He is scared, in that way you are when you know your life is going to change but you're not sure how, you just know. He remembers trying to help Derek, he remembers giving him the "Elixir of Life" and also remembers how bad that went, he does not want to think about that, he goes back to the marshmallow clouds feeling, yes, that's much better.
Tentatively he opens his eyes, expecting to be in the clouds, maybe all this life saving he's been doing lately awarded him a free pass to heaven. It for sure would override his young teenage dirty thoughts, no one deserves hell for that! It's only natural! And the fact he may have quite possibly saved the life of the wolf from hell himself will for sure get him a bonus! He can barely contain his Joy!
As he opens his eyes and light comes in he squints his eyes to adjust. He was expecting shiny but this is a little over the top. As his eyes adjust his elation is murdered by reality. He is not in heaven, he is lying on the forest ground, where Derek was. All alone. That makes him angry! He wanted heaven! And not only that, where the hell is Derek! He should at least have waited for him to wake up! What the hell! I'm your hero! Have some gratitude!
He hears something and looks around, some shuffling of grass, or leaves moving around. He looks around and sees a black shadow flicker through the trees. Well, that sucks, not only is he not in heaven, but he is now in danger. Maybe he did die and this is Hell instead, maybe two times a day of dirty thoughts was a bit too much, he thinks, deflated.
He gets up, and is surprised at how light he feels, as if he has no weight. He starts running. He moves around the forest like he is flying. It's exhilarating! The shadow that stalks him is following him, he can feel it, just what is it? Confident on his new found speed he stops. Determined to face the shadow, he knows at this point something is weird, he would never turn down running away at this speed for bravery. But he stands his ground looking around. The shadow is getting closer, he can't quite make out what it is, but it has eyes, clear blue eyes, the most beautiful eyes he has ever seen. The moment he focuses on the shadow's eyes he can see it all. And oh my god, it's a wolf! A black wolf, of beauty of which he has never seen. He knows he should be scared, considering his history with wolves, but somehow he is not. The wolf just stares at him. And he just doesn't know what to do.
-(^_^)-
Scott is driving his mom's car. With a very angry looking Derek and a very asleep Stiles in the back. He is very worried about Stiles, he does not know what could possess him to go out on his own to Derek's house, he knows Stiles is impulsive but this is just out of character. As he is wondering how things got this bad he hears Derek start screaming.
"Dude! What the hell!" He's getting tired of saying that today, "what's wrong with you?"
"I don't know!" Derek screams, his breathing sounds raged and forced, he looks like he is going to faint. "My head feels like it's going to split op…" and the he shudders and passes out.
"Oh man!" Scott stops the car to check on Derek, he does not know if what is happening to him might be related to Stiles but he won't take any risks. After he makes sure Derek is alive he continues driving. He knows this is out of his league. He can only hope Dr. Deaton can help.
-(^_^)-
Derek is in a forest. The first thing he sees is a kid standing a few feet in front of him. He looks vaguely familiar but he just can't bring himself to care. This does not make any sense, and he is tired of that. He tries to move closer to the kid, he looks like he's around 10 years old. What is this kid doing in this forest is beyond him. But he will find out. When he thinks he is close enough for the kid to hear him he tries to speak, but can't. He is angry, very angry, why do these things keep happening today? The kid looks startled, and just like that turns around and starts running. Or floating, what? This is a bit too much for him to process right now, so he just follows instinct; he knows his only chance at this point is the kid. So he sprints after him.
As he is trying to reach the kid he notices that the kid keeps turning his head around to see where he is, and can't help but notice the kid is smiling! The damn kid thinks this is a game! Determined to catch him he sprints, but no matter how fast he runs he can't reach him. But he continues on, and he is surprised to notice that he is enjoying this a little bit too much himself. What? He stops and shakes his head. Something is not right, he doesn't enjoy anything. Not since his family burned down, not since Kate.
-(^_^)-
Stiles is laughing, the big wolf is running after him and he is laughing! What the hell is going on! He just can't control it, he knows he should not be having fun, the wolf is all sorts of dangerous, the wolf's eyes went red just before he decided to sprint. Stiles thinks this is important, but right now he can't bring himself to care. He has found a friend. He can't wait to show him to mom.
And just like that he is by his house. In the front porch, he knows this is some sort of dream, but can't bring himself to believe it to be so. He looks behind him to make sure the wolf is still following. And just in the corner of his eyes he sees him, just behind a tree by his house, staring at him, with those adorable blue eyes. He calls for his mom but it is his dad who comes to meet him. A sad look on his face.
-(^_^)-
Derek can't explain how but now they are by a house. The kid is looking back at him, obviously checking if he's still around, he is well hidden but something makes him move a little bit so the kid can see him. He feels drawn to that smile. He finds it irritating. But at the same time it's like wanting to avoid breathing. He wants to know what's going on.
He hears the kid call a woman's name. His mother maybe, but what comes out of the house is a man. And Derek freezes, he just can't believe it, he looks younger but that's definitely sheriff Stilinski. And he's crying. Oh hell.
"Stiles! Where have you been? I've been looking for you for hours!" He wants to sound angry but somehow the tears won't let him.
"Where's mom dad?" young Stiles says, somehow oblivious to his dad's tears. "I met a friend I want her to meet! He is Awesome!" And the way he says that makes Derek's heart break, he knows where this is going.
"Stiles, your mom is not coming back, we talked about this earlier, your mom is gone" And Sheriff Stilinski's face is a mask of sadness and tears, he starts sobbing . Derek can't bring himself to look away, he just can't. Young Stiles starts shouting at his Dad, things Derek can't quite make out but it doesn't last long. Young Stiles Starts running away, from his dad, from him, and Derek can't take it. He follows, feeling wet drops of tears fall on his face from Stiles broken soul.
-(^_^)-
Stiles starts running, he wants to run away, his heart can't take it. Why did it have to be like this? His Dad keeps telling him his Mom won't come back. But he knows that's not true, it can't be, how is he to survive without her? Without her reassuring smile when he did not understand something? Without the hugs she would give him every time he got beat up at school? Without her comforting whispers and kisses? He just didn't want to live anymore, he wanted to die.
He just dropped on his knees and cried, the tears wouldn't stop, he wanted them to continue until he drowned on them.
-(^_^)-
Derek saw Stiles stop, he did not know what to do, but he wanted to do something. He hesitantly got closer to Stiles, not knowing what to expect. When he was close enough Stiles just turned around and hugged him. Crying on top of him, he felt so small and fragile, like any moment he would break. Derek himself felt his heart break, so he let Stiles Cry, he was afraid for him, afraid that he might not make it, that he was going to burn away like his family did. And just like that the landscape blurred and changed and there he was, standing in front of his burning house.
-(^_^)-
"What the hell is going on Doc!" Scott shouted exasperated. " Stiles is crying!" he didn't know what that would mean but more often that not tears were bad news, it was always bad when Allison cried, he knew that much.
"I don't know yet, the fact that they are both sleeping worries me. It means they are somehow connected. Derek was right, this is not something that occurs naturally. I need to you go back and see if you can find any clues where you found them, there must be something."
Scott looked at Stiles with worried eyes, he thought that somehow this is his fault, anything supernatural that happens to Stiles is his fault. He brought him into this." I'll go, Doc, please do something for Stiles" . Dr. Deaton looked at Scott.
"What about Derek?" he asked with inquiring eyes.
Scott took a deep breath. "Him too, do something for him too." And he left.
-(^_^)-
Stiles was shaken. He was not sure what just happened but having to relive your worst nightmare was too much. What was that wolf? Somehow he thought that important but he can't think clearly, suddenly he notices where he is, back in a forest. And there is the wolf, standing in front of a burning house. The whole thing looks familiar to him but he can't recall why. Suddenly the wolf howls, and it is the saddest sound Stiles has ever heard. It rips his soul apart. He can't help wondering if his soul will survive whatever this is.
-(^_^)-
Derek can't stop the howl that escapes his throat, he can't breathe, there's no air, only ashes and smoke. He runs to the house, he tries to get in but he can't. His hands are burning from trying to remove the burning wood from his way. He can't lose them, not his family. This is his fault and he can't let this happen, damn the Argents, damn them all! He loves Kate but he will kill every Argent he comes across. His face is burning now, he can smell the burnt hair in the smoke, his and his family's . He hears their screams and wants to die with them but can't because he wants revenge. His tears are burning his healing face, forever trapped under his skin, he will not forget.
"You will pay for this! I will never forget! I will never forgive!" He screams and tries to let the fire burn his pain away.
-(^_^)-
Stiles runs, he hears a voice scream for revenge, a familiar voice. He can't quite place it. He doesn't know where it's coming from, all he can see is the burning house and the wolf burning too, the wolf is trying to get inside but the fire won't let him. He howls, and the howls sound like there's blood on his throat, Stiles can't take it, so he runs. He runs to the wolf, to his friend, because he knows this pain, this loss. He won't leave him alone. He reaches the wolf and just embraces him, he doesn't care that his skin is burning, that the howls are now so close that they feel like they are piercing his heart. If he wants to burn let him burn with him. Maybe then their pain will stop.
-(^_^)-
Derek feels an embrace, he feels safe, his pain slowly fading away. He doesn't want to let go. His soul feels complete. He opens his eyes then. And is face to face with Stiles wearing nothing but skin, he is crying, for him. He knows those tears are his. Their faces are so close that he can smell the tears. He knows now that he is not alone. And at the moment he realizes this he sees Stiles smile at him and his lips move to say something but he can't hear because suddenly they are ripped apart, a force so strong he can't resist, he tries to hold on but can't and he sees that smiling teary face over and over again, the lips moving with no sound. He screams, because he did not hear what Stiles said. And he so desperately wants to know. He knows its important, but then all the white turns into black and he is gone.
Stiles Wakes up confused and disoriented. The last thing he remembers is being pulled away from the wolf, a force so strong he could not hold on. But he knows he wanted to.