If I die young bury me in satin
Lay me down on a bed of roses
Sink me in the river at dawn
Send me away with the words a long song
"We need to get Stiles out of here."
"And what? Have him run for the rest of his life. That wouldn't have happened if – we had a plan."
Derek growled underneath his breath at the older Salvatore. It caused the other wolves in the room to shift uncomfortable and for the vampires to turn their heads away. As far as the humans were concerned – which there wasn't very many of them – they just stared ahead. None of them really wanted to have this conversation and none of them really wanted this conversation to happen.
"It was his choice," Derek argued back, "I didn't force him into it and do you really think he would have wanted someone else to die for him?"
"People have died." Lydia was the one to speak next and it through the vampire and the Alpha off guard, "People have died already, Stiles being one of them. If it wasn't for the whole Beta-werewolf thing, he would have been dead but that doesn't change the fact that people have already died for him."
"He's screwed either way, people."
The room grew quiet as everyone turned their heads to watch Sebastian walk into the room as if he owned the place. He propped himself up on one of the tables but kept his eyes down on the floor. Being the doppelganger before Stiles, he knew exactly what was going to happen next. Once again, Klaus was betrayed by someone he assumed would take great honor in being his sacrificial lamb and there would be hell to pay.
"He's going to come after him and he's going to kill everyone he loves which includes the two of you." Sebastian paused in speaking to motion between Damon and Derek, "But he'll probably leave you two for last while the rest of us die a slow and painful death."
"Either way it's a shitty situation. There's no point in leaving."
"But the question is what Stiles will we have because of that?" Jenna was the one to pipe up next. She took in a breath as she ran her fingers through her reddish brown hair, "Klaus has an eternity to come after Stiles, you really think he's going to just waltz in here and kill him now? He wants him to be scared. He wants all of us to be scared. If Stiles gets out of here at least he'll have a moment of peace without having to look over his shoulder every two seconds and besides we have him." Jenna pointed in Sebastian's direction, "That is if you're up for it."
"Well I'm not." Before Sebastian could have a chance to respond, Jackson stood from his spot next to Lydia. He shrugged at the shocked glances that were thrown his way, "Look, I get that I didn't come into this with clean hands. I get that I played around with the enemy and I got burned but I already have a price on my head." Jackson sighed as he glanced at the floor before finally looking up, "We tried and we failed."
"So what? We just give up and hand him over to Klaus?"
"That sounds like a good plan." The room went silent as Stiles hovered close to the door. He kept his eyes away from everyone else's as he spoke again, "We tried and we failed and…I made my choices. No one else should have to die for this. No one else should have to die for me."
"Stiles…"
"Derek, no, okay?" Stiles raised his hand to stop the Alpha from speaking, "People are dead because I was scared and I was selfish and I wasn't willing to live up to who I am but I'm willing to do that now. I don't think I can just stand here and watch the people I care about die."
"Then lets vote." Scott was the way to speak next as he stood up, "Those willing to stand up and fight for Stiles – to fight for us – raise your hand." Stiles' friend didn't miss a beat as he raised his hand and made eye contact with him. "Say or do what you want Stiles but you're my friend and this is our choice."
Sebastian huffed a bit breaking the small silence in the room as he raised his hand. He glanced around to the shocked looks he was getting before shrugging, "This shouldn't have happened to him and maybe if I had accepted my fate a long time ago, he wouldn't have had to do this."
"Strategically speaking," Lydia spoke up, "if by what I assume that we have Sebastian on our side and Klaus does come back here looking for you, it could throw him off. I'm sure by now he can figure out the differences but by the time he does Stiles could be long gone from here. Maybe by then we can figure out a way to stop him."
Jackson shook his head and mumbled under his breath about how 'all of them were crazy' before he threw his hands up, "If you all want to die then be my guest. I'll be sure to come to your funerals." He gave Stiles an almost apologetic look before he walked past him and out the door.
"So it's settled," Allison said as she stood up and walked towards Stiles, "we started this together, Stiles, and we're going to finish it together. All of us or at least what's rest of us."
Stiles stayed silent as he gave the girl a slight smile and a half nod. It was bittersweet really – the realization that his friends would sacrifice themselves for him. If that wasn't really friendship – and maybe something more – then he didn't know what was.
"Uh, wow," Stiles spoke up as he reached a hand up to scratch at the back of his neck, "I guess…thanks." He looked over at Damon and then Derek. His brown gaze meeting with blue and just for a brief moment it was like they were having their own secret conversation.
This was how it was all going to end: friends fighting for a friend and lovers fighting for a lover but that is not how all of this began.