Time
Time. They say that time heals all wounds. But does it? Does it truly? Stiles knows that it heals physical wounds but does it heal emotional and mental wounds too? He doesn't think so. He watches his dad go through his day with a mask. A mask that's to show Stiles how to be strong and to keep on going after the death of his mom. But there's days when the mask slips and he sees his father break down. Drink himself to unconsciousness (Not sleep. Never sleep. Stiles knows the difference between being asleep and unconscious.) Time hasn't the gaping wound left by his mother. Stiles thinks that maybe one day his dad will be whole again.
Stiles watches Scott's mom do the same thing. He mask is a little more easier to see than his dads. But it's still there. Stiles remembers keeping Scott preoccupied with his rambling to give Mrs. McCall time to cry because of her jerk of a husband leaving her. He remembers helping Scott make her sandwiches for dinner and her smile...it was beautiful. Breathtaking. Stiles thinks that maybe given a little more time that it could maybe heal her.
Jackson. He has a mask too. His mask was for a long time harder to see than his dads. But Jackson wears a mask of being the best at what he does and picking on people who aren't on his level. But he knows. Stiles knows the real Jackson. The scared young boy who feels a need to impress the blood parents that he has never known. The ones that he never got to meet or be held by. Stiles think that maybe if his parents had lived he would have been a little nicer but not by much. He hopes that one day Jackson will realize how much his adoptive parents love him.
There's a girl that Stiles has been in love with since he was eight. Lydia Martin. She's smart, beautiful, popular, and speaks a lot of different languages. Her mask if one of the greatest that he has ever seen. She pretends to be this dumb strawberry blonde. But he's seen her slip up a few times. Saying something incredibly insightful then backtracking like she didn't know what she was saying. He knows that she's a genius that could bring the world to its knees if she wanted to. But she's also a little broken and bruised. Her parents are divorced and fight a lot. He remembers when they were young and waiting for their parents to pick them up. Both parental guardians late by at least an hour. He remembers her sitting there on the curb with her arms wrapped around her knees and head resting on them. He remembers her tears though she probably didn't remember him. Stiles remembers her parents driving up and arguing even while she climbed in the car. Not giving her a second thought. Stiles thinks that she'll be fine. Lydia is very strong.
Stiles is actually nine the first time he meets Derek Hale. He's at the police station waiting for his dad to come back from a 10-70 also known as a fire. (The babysitter was sick so it was bring your son with ADHD to work with you day.) He remembers two teens walking into the station. Stumbling would actually be a better word. They had tears streaming down their faces and were clinging to each other as if the other would just drift away with the wind if they let go. He remembers his dad patting his buzz cut as he guided the teens into his office. Stiles remembers sneaking into his office after his dad stepped out and just staring at the duo. He didn't know what it was about them that drew him in but he felt the need to check on them. He remembers the older boy looking at him and glaring. That's as far as it got because he dad came back and gently manhandled him back to receptionist. Years later when he sees Derek in the forest while looking for Scott's inhaler he can't help but think that he hasn't really changed much. Yes physically he's gotten older and more broader but his eyes are the same as when he had first lost his family. Though if you just skimmed the surface you would only see contempt or deadness. Stiles doesn't know if time can heal Derek's wounds. Things just keep on coming at him and piling on him. Derek has had so much hurt dealt to him that he probably should be a giant gaping wound of manpain but he isn't. He keeps on pushing through it. Even after losing his family, Erica and Boyd he's still fighting. Derek's mask was complicated. It covered so much. His sadness, hate, happiness, weaknesses and much more. Stiles thinks that if time could heal anyone it would most definitely be Derek.
Masks. Stiles realizes are worn by many. From those you'd least expect to those you just knew needed one to keep from breaking. And maybe just maybe time could heal all wounds. But it's not likely and he doubts it. Maybe one day he'd be able to take off his own mask and show the world who he really is.
So what did you guys think? It was just supposed to be something short about time healing all wounds but it turned into something else. I would love to hear your opinions.