Scott stood in the doorway of the sheriff's office, feeling his heart sink a little more. He had been so sure that there was something to save in Jackson, that he could be helped but the smug look on his face told Scott that he was being thrown to the wolves again. He would have laughed at the image if it wasn't so pathetic. He failed his pack again.

The pain and sadness in his eyes as he met Jackson's gaze hit the other boy with the force of a buckshot and Jackson started to question what he was planning to do to the pair of idiots in the retribution. Scott brushed past Stiles and crashed on the sheriff's couch, buried his head in his hands and allowed tears of frustration to leak into his palms. "Why won't you let me protect you? Do you really hate me that much?"

Jackson was sure no one in the room was supposed to hear the wolf, but his newly discovered enhanced senses picked up the words as if they were shouted. He could smell Scott's tears and he wondered how he could possibly care so much about the bane of his existence. Scott's reminder that he didn't have anyone hurt, but it also brought back the last time he was alone facing evil, being taunted by Derek about being completely alone. Scott had been there for him then, protected him from the other beta and got thrashed for his concern.

"Stiles, what exactly are you doing here? I was about to call you."

Stiles surveyed the occupants of the room, carefully avoiding his father's eyes. Jackson was smug but possibly a touch conflicted and he had known Scott for long enough to recognize the utter defeat in his posture. He was sure if Gerard walked in that moment, Scott would have handed him the sword. "We came to get your help, but apparently it wasn't worth it."

Jackson flinched at the harsh words, somehow understanding that Scott had been about to expose himself to the sheriff in order to help him. He watched as Scott seemed to fold in on himself, his body trembling with silent sobs. "You were going to expose yourself, for me?"

Scott turned teary eyes on the teen next to him, knowing he was the only one who heard the question. "If that's what it took to keep you safe from the Argents, yes."

Stiles wondered if the adults in the room figured out that there was a near silent conversation going on between the boys. Whatever was being said, he could tell by the completely flabbergasted look on Jackson's face that it was important. He turned his attention back to his father to give Scott more time. "Why were you calling me?"

"I need you to tell me what happened last night." Stiles knew that his father was digging but they weren't ready to answer that, especially with Jackson's father in the room so he did what he always did, he stalled.

"Do you have any idea what they would have done to you?" Jackson's hiss bordered on fearful and Scott turned away from the unfamiliar emotion.

"Yes." Scott knew there was a very real possibility that he could be locked up for the rest of his life for his connection to Peter's death and his part in breaking Isaac out of prison because he wasn't about to give Derek's name again. If the sheriff took the news incredibly poorly then he might even be tied to all the murders that Peter committed. He wouldn't make it to trial anyway. The Argents would make sure he died in his cell long before he made it to the first full moon.

"You idiot." Jackson grabbed his wrist, drawing his attention back. "Why?"

Eyes flashing gold for a second, Scott glared. "Because you are one of mine, you jackass. You are pack and I had to watch you get shot last night." Scott shook his head, slumping back down. "I will always come for you." Jackson felt his heart tighten in his chest for once not feeling quite so alone.

"Stiles stop." It was obvious the struggle that Sheriff Stilinski was fighting to tamp down his irritation with his son. "Just stop stalling and tell me what happened."

"I was at the club with Danny. They didn't want me to get caught drunk." Jackson rubbed his eyes and turned to the floor. "So they hid me in the car and took me to Scott's place. I must have wandered off at some point because I woke up in the Johnson's back yard."

Stiles eyes grew to the size of golfballs as he turned on the lacrosse co-captain but he wasn't about to contradict Jackson. "Yeah, what he said."

"And your phone?" the Sheriff held up the offending piece of tech.

"I told you, you dropped it, you idiot." Stiles slapped Scott on his shoulder. "We were trying to find Jackson when he took off. I couldn't find it when we got back to the house."

The sheriff looked incredulous at the story, and Jackson's father was livid. "Drinking? What were you thinking?"

Jackson flinched. "I got benched." Stiles had to fight back the urge to stare dumbfounded at the other teen, knowing it would set off his father's curiosity. "I left the game Monday without permission and the coach pulled me off first line for the next game."

The obvious self loathing in Jackson's voice stalled his father's further tirade. He knew that Jackson put way too much pressure on himself to be perfect, he honestly was expecting this sort of break much sooner. "Let's go. We'll talk about this at home."

Scott sighed and pulled his Econ book from his bag. Somehow supply and demand didn't really feel important compared to what he was dealing with outside of school, but he wasn't about to be held back a year.

"McCall, why are you hiding under my window like a deranged stalker?" Jackson had an expression on his face that was a mixture of irritation and amusement.

"Making sure you're okay." He shrugged shyly and climbed to his feet.

"Is this something I'm going to have to get used to?" He stood back and gestured for the werewolf to come in through the window.

Scott hopped inside the house and set down his book bag. "Could be worse. Derek just camps out in my room whenever he feels like it. At least I stayed outside."

Jackson snorted, not doubting in the least that Derek would invade his territory unannounced. "As long as you're here, tell me everything you know about what I am."

There was frustration in Scott's eyes. "We don't know too much. Derek thought you were a myth." He opened his bag and pulled out a copy of the bestiary and Lydia's translation. "We stole this from Allison's grandfather. This is all we have on Kanimas." He couldn't even begin to express how thankful he was that Lydia was a genius. "From what we can tell, they seek out a master, and we're pretty sure that someone is already controlling you, but I think you are fighting it or you would have killed Derek and I when you had the chance."

"And I killed someone?"

"Three people from what we can tell." Scott nodded reluctantly. "There seems to be a code, an unwritten law that Kanimas only kill murders but I don't know if a master can find their way around that."

Jackson collapsed on the bed. "Why would I hurt Danny?"

"That's why I think you are being controlled." He hesitated. "Danny fixed the video of your transformation so I think who ever it is might have sent you to get the tablet from him to protect the secret."

It was clear from the drawn look on his face, that Scott wasn't finished. "What else aren't you telling me?"

"We were chasing you when you left my house. I was trying to keep Derek from hurting you when Allison's dad and grandfather showed up. You tossed her dad like a rag doll, but you just stopped in front of her grandfather. You were staring at him like you were waiting for something." Scott looked carefully at Jackson's reaction to the question. "Do you have any idea why?"

Jackson frowned, thinking back to every meeting he could remember with the principal. "No. I've only met him twice." He rubbed his eyes. "So why exactly are you standing guard on my window? Afraid I will go kill someone?"

The tan face scrunched in distaste. "More worried about Derek and the Argent's knowing where you live."

Fear trickled up Jackson's spine and he shivered. "So what? You're just going to live outside my window?"

"Until we figure this out," Scott gave a resigned sigh, "yes, when I can."

Jackson felt something in him unwind but outwardly he only rolled his eyes. "You can stay over there." He pointed to a small alcove by the window. "The last thing I need is my parents getting calls from the neighbor about a creeper." He glared at Scott. "Try not to perv on me while I sleep."

Scott snorted and moved over to the alcove, sliding down on the floor, he pulled his textbook out and resumed his reading. He wasn't expecting Jackson to invite him in, but it would definitely be better than sitting on the cold ground. Ignoring the sound of the other boy as he got ready for bed, Scott tried to get his mind to concentrate on his book instead of the war going on around him.

Jackson watched Scott in the mirror as he pulled down his covers. He was obviously having trouble focusing on the words on the page and he wondered just how far behind Scott was in his studies because of this nightmare. He had enough trouble focusing himself, and until the night before no one had been trying to kill him. Jackson tried to shake loose the part of him feeling sorry for Scott but he couldn't seem to forget the absolute devastation on his co-captain's face in the sheriff's department. Scott's entire existence had been torn apart once again and it was any wonder that he wasn't a drooling idiot in a mental hospital like Peter Hale. Angry at his compassion, Jackson grabbed his note book off the desk and dropped it next to Scott. "Try not to breath so loud."

Scott picked up the notebook, taking in the careful Economics notes scrawled across the page with a small smile. He recognized the olive branch for what it was, buried under the snide comment. "I'll try and control myself."

Jackson huffed and threw himself into bed, attempting to block out the steady heartbeat in the corner of his room that was calming his anxiety. The last thing Jackson wanted was to be dependent on Scott McCall, but something told him that very soon he would be if he let this continue.