Okay, okay. Melissa, calm down. This is Scott we're talking about. This is our son. My son.
Melissa paced back and forth in Scott's room, unable to answer her usual urges to tidy up the cluttered mess of clothes and junk. While Scott was out with Stiles for practice, her mind has been filled with words that should have come from a parent instead of a son: "We need to talk."
She gave up pacing and collapsed onto the bed. "I can't do this." She stared up at the ceiling and shook her head. "How does he do this? How long has he been doing all of this?" She wondered about how sudden everything seemed; so many new faces that meant nothing to her but everything to her son. How many nights have gone by where her son was doing these dangerous things, all the while she was at work, worrying about patients instead of him?
Not to mention that her son turns into something that's not even supposed to exist. "A werewolf!" She scoffed lightly. "No wonder he acts weird once a month." She smirked slightly. "And I thought it was just a girl thing."
Flashes of that fateful night at the police station played across her memory. Scott getting shot, the lizard Jackson climbing, staring her in the eyes... Scott's eyes... "It's like..." She flinched a bit, remembering claws and canines. "You're a completely different person, but..." Her eyes threatened to tear up. "Under those eyes... I could see you."
She inhaled and sighed, raising herself into a hunched sit. She rubbed her eyes and sinuses under so much internal distress. "Oh Scott..." She rested her head on the balls of her palm. "What can I do...? I wish... I could help, but..."
"... You're already helping, Mom."
Melissa became startled and jumped in place to turn and see her son climb through his bedroom window. His clothes and cleats were still fresh with grass from the lacrosse field. He smiled sheepishly from his unorthodox entrance. "Sorry. You... never really did give me back the actual house keys after grounding me..."
She sighed in relief and offered her hand to have him come down, returning a half-hearted smile. "Yeah, sorry. Mind being jumbled and all."
As Scott took of his shoes and sweat-encrusted sweater, Melissa watched him intently. As he turned away to take off his shirt, Melissa gently took his arm to stop him and face her. "Wait." She lifted his shirt to see the place where Matt shot him. Where there should have been a bullet wound, that should be in the process of a 2-week long heal. At best. But there were no signs that he was ever shot there. Anywhere.
"Mom..." Scott kneeled down to her eye level and took her hand in his. "Are you okay? I mean, we never really got the chance to talk about..."
Melissa smiled, though it's her go-to defense when talking in front of Scott. Her smile was wavering, but she had to be strong for him, especially now more than ever. "Some of it, actually kinda makes sense. The late nights... the bad grades." She watched him grimace a little at that, but it only reassured her. Though, she frowned for a brief second. "But... I'm still disappointed that you didn't tell me about this earlier."
Scott groaned. "Mom, I would have, it's just... I was scared."
She lifted her brow. "Scared of me finding out?"
He stood up and started pacing in the same manner his mom was just doing. "No... well, yes, but, it's not just that. There were so many dangers, so many things that could have gone wrong, all because they threatened anyone who knew about my secret." He was motioning with his arms just how frantic this topic made him feel. "Not to mention that I could have hurt you, and I was scared that I wouldn't be able to stop myself in time..." He grimaced at that thought. Melissa thinks she did, too. "I was scared, 'cause I didn't want anything to happen to you, Mom. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if anything happened to you, all 'cause you knew that I was a werewolf."
Melissa watched her son grow increasingly distressed, but hearing those words were a blow to her heart as well. She sighed and locked her fingers tightly. She wanted to remain composed. I don't cry in front of my son. "Scott, I'm supposed to be your mother. I'm supposed to be the one protecting you from problems boys aren't supposed to worry about 'til they're out of the house and living their lives." Her lower lip trembled. "I feel so powerless, sometimes I'm scared of you, and... sometimes I'm scared I'm going to lose you too fast."
There was a long silence as Scott looked at his mom sadly, both unable to process how to comfort each other. Finally Scott sat back down next to her and took her now cold hands into his. "I wasn't lying when I said you're already helping. I couldn't ask for a more supportive mom than you." She looked into her son's face, and he was smiling sincerely. "And I'm not going to leave you. I'd be gone without you without your advice over the past few months." He chuckled a bit, and that made her smile return a bit. "I mean, if you had never told me to say "I love you" to Alison, I wouldn't have known she loved me back, still."
She giggled a bit, but then her smile slowly faded as she had serious thoughts. "So, does Allison know, too?"
Scott sighed and hunched over. "Yes. But we have officially broken up."
Her eyebrows raised again. "Officially officially?"
Scott returned the look with one of confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I mean..." She stood up and walked over to his table, where that last remaining condom was still sitting. "No more secretly having sex with her?"
His face twisted into the most priceless form of regret, and he groaned while covering his face and slamming his back into the bed. "Ooohh maaan. So that's how Mrs. Argent knew?"
"Trust me, Scott. You may have wolf-like instincts, but you're horrible at hiding the most obvious teenage-boy stuff." She sat back down while tossing the condom into the trashcan across the room. Swish. She sighed and looked down at him. "So, who else knows?"
"Stiles was the first to know. He knew I was a werewolf even before I did. I'm so glad he's here for everything." He uncovered his face and recounted all the names he knew... Or was probably only thinking of names he wanted to tell to her. "You know that Isaac knows... he's one like me, too, and I think I rubbed off on him."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, he was part of Derek's pack... Derek is also a werewolf, and he turned a couple of kids at school into werewolves..."
"Whoa, whoa. Wait. How many are...?" She looked at his son's conflicted face, pleading her to not ask that question, and decided to not put too much stress on him right now. "Okay, okay. Never mind. If you think it's too much for me to handle right now, you can tell me in your own time."
What a face of relief. "Thanks, Mom..." He sighed, waited a bit, but continued to tell Isaac's story. "Well, Isaac split from Derek's pack, and he decided that he wanted my advice, instead."
"What did you tell him?"
He shook his head and chuckled. "That I had no idea what I was doing?"
She smiled and ruffled his head. "Well, you've been doing good for not knowing what you're doing." She herself sighed and asked, "Do you still want to tell me who knows?"
"Jackson, Lydia, Dr. Deaton..."
She laughed. "Your boss knows?" It was kind of fitting to her that he was working at a vet's clinic.
He nodded while smiling as well, sensing the bit of humor she found in the situation. "He helped me a couple of times. Like, he knows how to heal hurt werewolves, too. I like that place. I go there when I want to feel safe."
"Do any of your friends' parents know?"
He contemplated a little bit. "I still don't think Stiles's dad knows. He was knocked out... when we were at the police station... and..." He groaned. "Ugh, I don't know if I should be telling you about this or not..."
Melissa quietly sat there, trying to remain calm and relaxed. "Take your time. Tell me later if you have to."
He inhaled deeply with his head low. "... Allison's family knows, too. But that's all I can say for now."
Melissa squinted. "... Her whole family?"
He could only nod, not looking at her.
She nodded back, despite him not being able to see. She wished so much that he would have the courage to tell her about everything, but she's been lucky enough as it is that he'd open up like this this fast. She made a quick note to herself to be wary of the Argents, though. If it was this bad that Scott wasn't able to tell her much about them, then she needs to ready herself to protect Scott whenever the Argents are acting funny. "Okay. That's fine."
Scott sighed in relief. And laid back down onto his bed. "And that's mostly it. Jackson's and Lydia's parents don't know. None of the teachers know."
Melissa sighed, too. Today has been full of sighs. "Thank you, Scott."
"Sorry for not telling you sooner." She turned to see that he seemed more relaxed. "And I really regret not doing this sooner. I feel so much better."
Melissa turned to face him directly. "Now here comes the hard part. You're still grounded, you know."
He grimaced. "'Cause of my grades?"
"Yes... but I'm going to cut you a bit of slack." He jumped up at that blissful word. "I'm going to ask Dr. Deaton if it's alright, but I will allow you to go to Dr. Deaton's during the afternoons. However, I want you to spend the afternoons studying. Alright? I'm either expecting you to be here studying, or there."
"... What about nights?"
She bit her lip. "... Does being a werewolf affect you on full moons?"
He nodded solemnly. "So far I haven't... killed... anyone, but I'm taking more and more control every full moon."
Her heart skipped a beat that she's reminded of the possibility that her son could be out of control and kill somebody, but she has to remain strong. "Then on full moons, I want you here. Stiles can be here, too, since you two are inseparable, anyway. I can't stop you from not leaving the house at any other night, but I'd like it if you actually told me where you're going first, even if it means running to the hospital to tell me."
She was probably being too lenient if Scott's smiling this much, but there's nothing much stopping him for being what and who he is. He hugged her in a swift embrace, and she was startled, but relieved that most of this talk is over. "Thank you."
Thinking back on the last few days, Melissa is starting to feel confident in herself. She was able to support her son, despite not knowing the full extent of this new world. She could even help if it comes down to patients in the hospital, just like when Jackson's body...
"Jackson."
She could practically feel the brows on her son's face furrowing. "... what?"
She pulled them out of their hug and stared at Scott. "How come you wanted me to pull the body bag zipper when Jackson was waking up?"
Scott stuttered a bit. "Wha- I... uhhh... huh?"
A small smirk was creeping up on her face and she slapped his shoulder. "If you wanted to protect me all this time, why did you have me close the body bag?"
Scott was making frantic motions with his arms, pointing at invisible things here and there. "Whu- ju- … You were the medical expert! You called us over!"
"You don't need expertise to close a zipper!" She was grinning widely, now. "You were scared!"
"Well, you were, too!"
"Who's the big, brave werewolf, now?" She grabbed a pillow and pummeled Scott's head with it.
"Hey!" He was grinning, too. She loved it when he's happy. He reached for his other pillow. "You were the closest to the zipper!"
"Oh, excuses, excuses!"
"Mom!"
"Scott!"
During the pillow fight, she could see a flash of gold, the same eyes that stared at her in the police station. Time seemed to slow down for a split second, but then she saw her son smiling still, and his eyes were normal. She shook her head at herself and continued to tease her son. Scott is still Scott, she said to herself. And I wouldn't give anything in the world to change that.
Author's Note: So, it's been a while, huh? I haven't been on this site in ages!
Now, to be clear, this is probably going to be a one-time thing, it probably won't. I'm in college, now, but I think I'm starting to get back into my fanfiction groove. After watching all of Seasons 1 and 2 of Teen Wolf, I just had to make a story about this, 'cause I love heart-felt moments between a mother and her secretive son (hint-hint; if you see my favorites, most of it is of Danny Phantom revelation stories). I'll probably upload some stories from time to time, but I'm not even sure if I'm going to finish "Keepers of Existence." If someone would like to take this story up, go right ahead; just PM me first.
Thank you for checking out this story! Hopefully I'll have more to write about as the 3rd season comes out this year. I've also been itching to write a Warm Bodies-themed one-shot, but we'll see. See y'all later!
