"What? I was just being nice!" Stiles replies.
"And it didn't occur to you that getting involved with one of our 'rides' was a bad idea?" Scott groans.
"I'm not involved Scotty … I gave him a balloon and I talked him into speaking with my dad," Stiles retorts. "Not exactly a seduction scenario."
Scott sighs. His friend and partner is possessed of a tender heart that refuses to see the bad until it's too late. Scott thought Stiles would never recover from Matt. It's only been seven months since that fiasco. Scott dreads watching Stiles set himself up again.
"So after he's released, then what?"
Stiles frowns. "You know, I have no idea. He doesn't have any family from what Derek said."
"I still can't believe Derek gave you permission to visit him," Scott sighs.
"I'm impossible to resist, you know this," Stiles says with a grin. "You just found Allison before I came into my superpowers."
Scott chuckles and rolls his eyes. He sobers and looks at Stiles. "Stiles, you're my best friend. Don't … I mean, he's probably an ok guy but remember where we found Jackson – in an alley where he'd been dumped by his john after getting the hell beaten out of him.
Stiles' eyes narrow. "Yeah … and there's no way I'd ever understand that."
"Stiles, that's not what I meant …"
"Thanks for the concern, but I got this, ok?" Stiles says flatly.
Scott falls silent before he makes things worse. Stiles refuses to talk to anyone about what Matt did to him but Scott will never forget the phone call he received at two in the morning seven months ago. Scott knows he never wants to hear Stiles that afraid again. He nods and climbs back in the cab. Stiles secures all the doors and gets in the passenger side. They pull out of the bay in silence and are a few blocks down the road before Stiles talks again.
"I know you're just worried about me, Scotty … but I've gotta pay this one forward. I had you, Derek, my dad … Jackson doesn't have anybody," Stiles explained quietly. "I'm not going to get all moony over the guy … I just want to let him know he's not alone."
"Just be careful, Stiles," Scott says softly.
"Hey, you know me … safe as houses," Stiles replies.
The radio squawks and Stiles reaches over to respond. Since Matt, Stiles wears the long-sleeved version of their uniform no matter what the temperature is outside. The sleeve pulls up as Stiles stretches and Scott sees a peek of one of several shiny scars he knows dot Stiles' body. Scott forces his eyes back to the road and listens to the call. They have a job to do now.
Once his shift is over, Stiles drops by the hospital again. He stops by the nurses station to talk to Melissa. She looks up and smiles at him.
"Hey, Stiles … let me guess – Jackson?"
Stiles shrugs. "He seems lonely."
"Uh-huh …and this has nothing to do with Matt?" Melissa asks.
"Fuck, I'm going to kill Scott … did he call you?" Stiles barks.
Melissa leans forward and spears Stiles with a look. "Don't take that tone or that language with me, Stiles Stilinski … I washed and fed you for the better half of your life. You are half of the gray hairs on my head. You're as much my kid as Scott and if I want to be a worried mother hen over you, I will be – got it?"
Stiles swallows. "Yes, ma'am."
"Scott didn't say anything to me, but I'm glad to see he's looking out for you too," Melissa says softly. "I know you're a big boy now … but Jackson has a lot of emotional issues that reach far beyond his physical trauma. One will heal on schedule … the other? He might not ever work through his problems. I don't want you to get dragged down into that."
"I know, Melissa … and I appreciate it, I really do. But like I told Scott … I had people to pull me outta the quicksand. Who's he got?" Stiles replies, gesturing toward Jackson's room. "If I promise to be emotionally distant, can I see him?"
Melissa snorts. "As if you could ever, kid … get in there."
Stiles leans over the counter and presses a quick kiss to Melissa's cheek before bounding down the hall. Just outside the door, he checks himself and enters a little more sedately. Jackson looks over when the door opens. He can't explain the warmth that spreads through him at the broad smile Stiles gives him.
"Hey! Just got off shift, wanted to see how you were holding up … did you talk to my dad?"
Jackson blinks slowly.
Yes, I did and what a painful process that was, Jackson thinks.
Jackson's hand twitches. Stiles automatically moves to his side and takes gentle hold of it. Stiles amber eyes meet the one blue-green pupil visible and Jackson closes his fingers around two of Stiles' in a soft squeeze. Stiles continues to smile but then he looks down with wide eyes.
"Jackson … can you work your fingers?"
Jackson clenches the fingers to say 'yes' along with a single blink. Stiles whoops in glee.
"Dude! Wait right here … I mean, where would you go otherwise? Just don't move – I mean, how would you?" Stiles forces himself to stop and focus. "I will be back in a bit. I have an idea."
Jackson watches the young man dart out of the room. He'd been a little taken aback by the flurry of motion following the unremarkable revelation that he could move his fingers, but Jackson decides he'll just wait and see what 'idea' Stiles has. Not like he's going anywhere.
Stiles comes back into the room a half-hour later carrying an iPad. The young man moves to Jackson's side and puts the iPad beneath his hand. Taking Jackson's hand, he gently taps the fingers against the surface. dot dot dot dash dash dash dot dot dot
Abruptly the speaker responds with "SOS", startling Jackson. Stiles grins.
"I don't know if you know Morse –"
dash dot dash dash dot dot dot dot … "Yes"
Jackson wishes he could grin at the look of surprise that crosses Stiles' face. Jackson knows a lot about many things although he isn't sure if he's an expert on anything. Well … maybe sex. That area Jackson knows he has skills. Or he did. He feels his mood fall again. Stiles notices.
"Hey … what's wrong?"
Nothing. Tired.
Stiles considers this and nods. "Yeah, you've still got a bit before you're back to top shape."
Jackson drops his gaze and then feels Stiles' hand on his own again. "Remember what I told you, handsome. Don't let whoever did this finish the job … don't give up."
Jackson looks at the eyes that seem to almost glow with sincerity and wonders how it sounds so easy when Stiles says it.
Tomorrow?
Jackson thinks he might actually blush at the blinding grin that steals across Stiles' face.
"See ya then, handsome!"
Jackson sleeps without dreams that night.