Chapter 3: The Communion with a Human Devil in Plaid

Stiles' home phone hadn't changed. When Derek decided to finally to call Stiles it is the thing of nightmares; he is contacting the person who hates him the most. The first ring lasted ages. Then the second, third, fourth, Derek started to think that no one was going to answer. Then after what seems like forever someone picks up the phone.

"….Hello?"

"Umm, hi." Derek says awkwardly. "It's Derek."

"Oh… Hi Derek it's Stiles why are you calling?" Stiles inquired in a rather annoyed tone.

"Well the thing is I need help. And you're the only person I actually know in town."Derek says begrudgingly the near contempt and embarrassment obvious in his unsteady voice through the phone.

"Oh and why should I help you?"

"Well I know I don't really deserve your help, but our families go back and you're really the only person who has a decent enough judge of character to help me on this. I was hoping that you would at least hear me out… for our mothers' sakes at least." He says the uncertainty being choked back behind his gritted teeth.

"What do you want?" he demands his voice dead panned.

"Meet me at the café due east of the school at 5 p.m. We can discuss things there."

"Fine," was all Stiles said before he slammed the home phone down on its base. His hands twitchy as he raised them to palm his face nervously. "What the hell does he want? That prickly, sour, bastard." Stiles thought annoyed that he has to yet again deal with his past, the past he has been so desperately trying to avoid because it breaks him a little more every time he thinks about it.

Stiles had only seen either of the two remaining Hales 2 times since the fire: once at his mom's funeral, the other time was when they found Laura's brutally murdered body in the forest. It's not that Stiles hates Derek it's that Derek was one of his only two real friends he'd ever had and after the fire he disappeared. Stiles was mad, is still mad. When Derek was in his teens he started to date this girl, he was distant but still there every once in a while. But when the fire killed all but him, Peter (still comatose), and Laura he disappeared and abandoned Stiles alone to eventually watch his mother die. Even with Scott around he was still lonely. Scott never really understood how hard it was losing a loving parent, sure eventually his abusive dad was kick out of his life but it wasn't really the same. Derek was the only one who really knew his pain and he just abandoned him. He lost most of his family and friends in just a few years. His dad was distant. To be honest Stiles really needed another hurting soul around, but the only person of any real comfort was gone and he hated Derek for leaving him alone. Now he is just bitter.

Most of the time, Stiles just hides his analytical prowess behind his goofy, twitchy tendencies. He talks way too much and acts all jumpy due to his ADHD, but to be honest it's so people keep their distance. He can't take being hurt again and to be honest he knows whatever is going down with Derek that he will just end up hurt again. Because, the Hale family has this way of inciting trust in people and Stiles has been hurt by them before. He knows Derek wouldn't call him unless things were dire. So he agrees to the meet, if only so he can yell at that stupid, rude, brooding, sour-faced, son of a bitch.

Stiles arrives at a quarter to five. It is late in the summer, so it is fairly warm as he strides into the café and orders his iced coffee. When he turns around he goes to find a seat. He really only bought the drink to break up any rant he might go on when he will most likely try bitch Derek out. But, of course nothing goes to plan because as he finishes his 180 there Derek is in all his stone-faced glory. He's just standing there glowering softly at him making no noise just waiting for Stiles to notice him. Now Stiles isn't like drastically more perceptive about emotions than others, but when it comes to Derek not even his sister Laura was a better interpreter of Derek's even glares. And under this one, Oh Boy! There were tons of emotions: Trepidation, lower levels of attachment, anger, weariness, just to name a few. And Stiles isn't proud of the fact that when he finally gets the gumption up to start talking all he can do is squeak out a rather pathetic sounding "Hi!" The surprise is evident in his voice.

The only thing more annoying than Derek's nonchalant stare is the fact that Derek only responds with a grunt then gets himself a drink before following Stiles to the table he has decided on. God I hate this, Stiles thinks to himself. Why did I even agree to this?

They just sit there awkwardly dancing around the other breaking the silence neither one really wanting to start things off.

Finally Stiles decides Derek is too much of a dick to say anything so he may as well start yelling at him right? So he starts off trying to say WHY THE HELL AM I HERE? but instead feebly says:

"So Derek… what do you need?" His face scrunches in abhorrence to his own voice. Stiles begins moving his cup between his hand sliding it across the table repeatedly and shuffling his feet below it as he waits for a response.

"Well… I need your help."

"No shit you need my help, spit it out." Stiles says in a rather irritated tone. Then he goes back to nervously drinking his iced coffee and scratching at the sides of the cup as he awaits a reply from Derek.

"Look I'm sorry it's just you're the only person in town that may even believe me. I just… need you to trust me."Derek says in that tone that Stiles knows as the "I'd rather not tell you, but it's really that I'm being forced into it. Come on I have something to show you."He says standing up and walking out of the café.

Stiles just sighs and flails his hands as he lets himself be shepherded out the door.

Derek waves him over to his car and says "Hey, jump in I'll escort you back when we're finished. I just hope you don't freak out to bad." - You jumpy idiot. He thinks- "Don't worry you won't get hurt. You're safe with me."

"Okay, okay. Just try not to be such a grouch."

Derek just snarled in response. That set Stiles off, like total creep out mode. He just started rambling off questions. He asks everything he can, but Derek doesn't give anything away. He just passively stares out on the road. He just ignores Stiles and grunts periodically in feigned attempts at responses. He snorts occasionally when he thinks the things Stiles is saying are particularly ridiculous. They continue on the road Derek turning occasionally until Stiles and he come to a clearing in the woods pretty far back on the Hale Estate. He wouldn't have had a clue where they were if they hadn't passed the charred remains of the Hale mansion some ways back.