| No More Mistakes That I Can Make |

It was ten days until September. He'd been counting; it gave him something to do. For months he'd been kept to only himself. With the exception of the occasional wait staff, gas station attendant, or deputy, Theo had been alone. Forced isolation. He'd been drawn out from the torture of the skin walkers, only to be used and tossed aside. He didn't resent them for it; in fact, he was grateful. But that didn't change how alone he was, how rejected he felt. He wasn't a real werewolf, but that biological installment didn't keep him from needing a pack. And now, with the Dread Doctors gone and their distraction with it, along with the fear of imminent erasure gone, his life had lost focus. He didn't want what he once wanted; he tried and failed. As it were, he didn't know what he wanted, but he needed something.

Theo had considered leaving Beacon Hills. He knew he should, but something was holding him up. He reasoned that it was the pull of the nemeton. And despite his awareness, every time he made to leave, his attempt was crushed by a feeling. A nagging feeling. He liked to believe this theory, but the pull wasn't the only thing keeping him. It was his nightmares, too. They had persisted. Sometimes it was Tara in the hospital. Sometimes they were more haunting, tours of the faces of the Dread Doctors' victims.

The chimera looked at his phone. It was now three minutes into the ninth day before September. He settled in his backseat, shifting to get that slightest more comfortable on the fake leather. Falling asleep happened to come easy for him that night. What followed however, was torture…

"Theeeeeoooooo." The voice startled the chimera. His eyes snapped open, forcing his vision to the ceiling of his truck. He didn't move. "Theo." Tap, tap. Theo clamped his eyes shut. He knew it wasn't real. This wasn't real. It was a dream...sort of. It felt more like the torture he went through in the hole. Everything was vivid, as if it were happening in real time. "Theo," the voice growled—Scott's voice. "Let me in Theo." His words were said through fanged teeth. The chimera imagined them, imagined the red eyes above them.

A pair of hand pounded on the window, anger stirring in the air. "Let me in!"

"I'm sorry, Scott," Theo muttered to himself, the dams behind his eyes breaking, some of the tears getting soaked up by the grey hoodie around his head.

"Look at me. Look at what you did." Theo shook his head, covering his face with his hands. "Look at it!" The voice compelled him. Scott was shirtless, but instead of a muscular alluring teenager, a decayed corpse of a boy was outside his window. His eyes were gaunt and sunken. And in the middle of his chest, his sternum was ripped open and covered in dry, brown blood, the dead skin tethered out. "Let me in. Let me show you how it feels!"

Theo bolted upright. His chest was pounding and he'd been crying. He looked over at the time on the dash; he'd only been out for 40 minutes. He looked out the window, finding no one there. That note filled him with relief and guilt. Scott...fuck. Theo took a deep breath before maneuvering into the front seat. He started up his truck and took off down the road. When he parked on the opposite side of the street from the McCall residence, he hesitated. The plan was shit, but the urge was there. He had to talk to Scott. He'd looked at the alpha's contact information far too many time throughout the Summer to let this carry on any longer. He'd fucked up...royally. He had to set things right. Somehow.

He must've toyed with his keys a half dozen times, taking them out, only to shove them back in with the intent of turning his car back on and driving off. But then he'd take them out again, the call to action digging back at his thoughts. What finally broke this cycle was a light. It was faint, coming through the window of where he knew Scott's bedroom was. The alpha was awake. He got out of his car and a minute later he was on the roof right outside Scott's room. He peered in and saw the boy, standing at the threshold between the bathroom and bedroom, twisting to turn the light off. Theo tapped his finger on the glass as the illumination disappeared.

Scott hurried over to him, lifting the window. "What're you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" Theo said, looking at him desperately.

"Yeah, I...sure," Scott struggled before moving aside. The chimera slipped in. They stood for a second, looking at each other in the dark, the moon now hidden away by the clouds. "What's going on?"

"I needed to talk to you."

Scott breathed in. "You're anxious and...there's a scent I don't quite recognize. It's like fear but…"

"I'm sure it's terror."

"Are you okay?" Scott said, taking a step forward. "Is something out there?"

"No, no. I just…"

"Sit," Scott offered, taking his own seat against his pillow. Theo followed, sitting towards the foot of the bed. "Talk to me...it's okay."

"I...I saw you tonight."

"You saw me?"

"Ten minutes ago. You were dead." Scott stared at him harder. "I don't sleep well anymore. What Kira did, with the skinwalkers…"

"Liam mentioned something."

"I'm sorry," Theo blurted. "For what I did to you. To everyone."

"I...okay, let's not do this tonight," Scott said. "It's after one in the morning. Over breakfast?"

"Um, yeah," Theo said, his eyes softening. "I'll get out of your hair then," he said, getting up to leave.

"You can stay."

"What?"

"You're sleeping in your truck, right?"

"How…?" Scott simply made a face. "Right, you have people." Scott shrugged yet smiled.

"Just, take the other side of the bed. I don't want my mom to come home and see you on the couch. While I know what you did for us during the Wild Hunt, she still hasn't forgiven you."

"Have you?"

"In the morning," Scott said, motioning to the bed.

"Okay." Theo walked around, stripped down to his boxers and his shirt, and climbed in. They remained quiet for a while, but it was clear neither of them had fallen asleep. Both of them were checking in on the other, whether out of fear of attack or simple curiosity was unknown to the other. When the clock next to Scott on his nightstand ticked to 2AM, Theo finally turned his head to look at the alpha. Scott was staring up at the ceiling, watching the light of the moon fade in and out with the passing of denser and shallower clouds. "Scott?"

"Hm?" the other boy grunted, turning his head to look at him, his eyebrow lifting slightly.

"I don't think I can sleep."

"Because of the nightmares?" Theo nodded. "Then just...think. Lose yourself in your thoughts. You might drift off into something a little more, I dunno, relaxing."

"Stream of consciousness."

"Exactly," Scott said with a smile. Another few minutes passed by them when it was Scott's turn to break it. "What are they like?"

"What are what like?"

"Your nightmares."

Theo shook his head. "Like being awake." Scott didn't reply, only looked away and back up at the ceiling, his face saddening, though.

"It's okay. I'm actually grateful. Towards Liam. He broke the hold, let me out, made them stop. And then with the hunt, I guess, now, I feel a little protective? I owe him my life."

"I regret that night. Well, a piece of it." Theo waited. "I...I should've stopped her. Your sister. When she pulled you into that hole, I...when you cried out for me...I'm still haunted by them. I should've save you," he said, looking over at Theo.

"I don't blame you," Theo said with a warm smile. "At all. I'm the one who...I need to make things right with you. With Stiles. Being down there taught me a lot." Scott's lips parted, waiting again. "Guilt, and fear. Appreciation," Theo said with laugh to himself.

"Well, we can talk more in the morning, but…" Scott hesitated, but he was still confident somehow, "...but I—and this doesn't necessarily mean I trust you...completely—but I am willing to give you another chance. You helped us when people were disappearing. When they took my best friend. The least I can do is extend a second hand. Just don't—"

"Make you regret it?"

Scott smirked a little. "I was gonna' say 'don't be a scorpion,' but, yes." They exchanged a look, knowing that any promises made now would likely be a lie.

"Thanks, Scott," Theo said, looking over at the alpha.

Scott nodded, his lip bunched but a with a smile tugged at the corner. "We should get some sleep. Or, at least try." Theo nodded. He looked back up the ceiling, only to catch Scott in his peripheral rolling onto his side...away from him. It surprised him, that level of trust unexpected so suddenly, even if the other boy paid it not even a first thought. Theo's eyes mapped out the skin and curves and muscles on Scott's back, looking at every fine detail long enough to memorize it. It made him nervous. Made his heart speed up. Scott was there next to him, completely vulnerable, and yet, somehow, inviting.

Theo took a chance. He shifted, rolling closer and slowly wrapping an arm around Scott. The alpha froze. "Is this okay?"

Scott's body remained still for a moment. His own heart had begun to jump. He finally turned over onto his other side, Theo retreating his hold. "Is this an attempt to 'make things right?' Through...something like this?"

Theo blinked, looking into those beautiful brown eyes. "No, it's not," he said steadily—and honestly. "I...despite what happened, err, what I did, I've always felt a pull towards you. A desire."

"When we were in fourth grade," Scott started, "when you were waiting to be taken to the hospital, you said something to me. Do you remember?"

"'Will you stay with me?'" Theo answered.

"Yes," Scott answered, pushing forward and kissing him. Theo moved his lips in return, slowly dragging his flesh against Scott's. He moved his hand as Scott moved his lips, his fingers the first to connect with Scott's bare bicep, delicately wrapping around the tattoo. The alpha's tongue pushed out first, slowly pressing against the chimera's tight crease. Theo let him in, welcoming that slick muscle against his own. Scott exhaled against his upper lip, his hand slipping down to rest atop Theo's waist where his shirt had only slightly ridden up. They pulled each other together, closer, needing to feel just a little more. Their boxer-clad erections poked at each other as they moved. Their lips never broke and soon their chests were touching, arms wrapping around their backs.

Theo pulled away to sneak in just one word. "Yes."