Episode 3: Shape Shifting Chaos – Pt3
It was confirmed that they would offer Erica the chance at taking the bite. There was one sticking point though and that was how they got her alone to talk through all the scenarios. Stiles had figured the easiest way was to offer her a lift home. "Hey Erica ... wanna lift home?"
She hissed, "Why?" She did not trust anyone any more. It was safer that way. She felt a little bad because Stiles had never been bad to her but he had seen how he had changed this year and starting hanging out with the popular kids. She could no longer be certain that he was a good guy.
He held his hands out in mock surrender, "Whoa no need to be like that." He did not seem surprised by her hostility but she could see the flash of hurt.
"I'm just confused why now?" She did not bother to hide the suspicion in her voice because as far as she was concerned it was justified.
Stiles shrugged at her, "Look I'm heading over to the station to pick up my boyfriend and you live over that way. Call it my good deed for the day." Stiles tried aiming for friendly, given the glare he got - he didn't think he'd succeeded.
If he expected there to be any conversation, what he got was a whole fat lot of nothing. Still Stiles was capable of talking about anything and was more than capable of carrying on a conversation all on his lonesome.
Once they pulled up at the station Erica finally asked a question, "Who are we here for?"
There was curiosity in her voice. She had listened to the gossip and all had agreed that having found a stylist and turning hot over the summer Stiles had also found a boyfriend, only no one outside his circle of friends seemed to know who it was.
Stiles looked sheepish, "I promised Derek a lift home."
Erica frowned wondering why she knew the name. It was a tad unusual, in fact, there was only one person that came to mind and that was Derek Hale. There was no way that Stiles was waiting for him though, right? She couldn't see how they would know each other. He was a hell of a lot older too – there was no way that Stiles would be dating someone that older when his Dad was the Sheriff. Whoever the guy was would have to have serious balls too.
She got her answer when tall, dark and broody slid into the Jeep. He was every high-school students dream but she saw that when he looked at Stiles that that is all he could be. Tall, dark and handsome looked at Stilinski as if he hung the moon and the stars.
"How is training?" He asked Derek, he wanted to do a hell of a lot more but was restrained because they had yet to say a thing to Erica. Stiles knew that Derek got it as all he got was a wry smile in the rear-view mirror.
"Your Dad is a sadist."
Stiles snickered not feeling the least bit sorry. "Well you chose this as you already knew when you started dating me."
Erica had listened to the exchange and her eyes widened the more it continued. She would never have guessed that the Sheriff knew and approved, which in hindsight was pretty stupid as he was there already. "Jesus no wonder you've gone gay batman."
Stiles choked off a laugh as that was pure Erica. She was too good but because of her condition she had built up her walls sky high. He really wanted her to accept the bite as a gift. He knew in his heart that she would make an amazing wolf. "Yeah Catwoman Derek is someone I went gay for."
She nodded and then asked the question because it was clear to her that there was more going on here. She knew that it probably wasn't nefarious, or too terrible; after all, one of them was the Sheriff's son and the other was a trainee Deputy. "So why am I really here?"
Stiles pouted, "Well you can call your parents and say you're headed to mine and I will tell you all about it if you would like."
Erica thought about loads of different questions but in the end curiosity won out. There was also the fact that she liked being the first one outside of Stiles close circle of friends to find out about Derek. There had been a lot of gossip floating around the school all week about how Stiles had suddenly become hot; made new friends and apparently found a boyfriend. What the people at school wanted to know though was why? And the how?
She could find out but she needed to take a leap of faith. "Okay."
"Fantastic." There was a time where Erica had wished that that lovely smile was directed at her. Now though she just took comfort in the fact that it was the hot broody older guy that noticed and not Lydia Martin.
When they arrived at Stiles, he hollered, "Pups?"
Derek shook his head, "You told them to stay at each other's until you called them back," reminding his pouting mate.
Stiles huffed, "I know that, I was just checking they had listened."
Erica could see the easy affection there and wondered what the Sheriff made of it. She didn't bother to hide her confusion, "Pups?"
She laughed at the way that they both jumped almost as if they had forgotten that she was there.
Stiles looked sheepish as he explained, "Any one of Jackson, Isaac, Scott, Lydia, Allison and I'm guessing Danny soon enough."
She let a million thoughts run through her mind. She settled on the most obvious one, "Why pups … they are people?"
Derek looked intently at her, his head cocked to the side like he could sense something that she could not. He spoke softly but there was no mistaking the intensity or authority, "That is not the real question you want to ask."
She bit her lip, as she did have a question. She had seen the transformation in Isaac since he'd gotten out from under his Dad's thumb. "Can you help me?"
Derek had to close his eyes, to hide his eyes. The plea was enough to trigger his instincts. She already felt like she could be pack and he didn't want her to see the red eyes and freak out. Stiles knew though and squeezed his knee and took over talking it seemed.
"There is a potential cure for you Erica but you have to listen very carefully to what you are told as it is not all sunshine and light."
She was eager, "What is the worst thing that could happen?"
Derek was cutting and she could get why, "You could die."
That didn't stop her interest. She got why they were concerned but she had lived her whole life with a disease that in her mind stopped her living. She had to go to school and ensure the teasing and the assholes comments about her fits. She had been doing okay until the last seizure had made her wet herself. She knew that Stiles and Danny had done something to the asshole that had posted the video but it had still been there. She couldn't do anything as her overly protective parents were terrified that she would fit and die through hitting a hard surface. She had no confidence meaning she had never had a boy or hell even a girl look at her twice. She would never be able to drive a car as the doctors would never sign off on her license.
She was firm, "What else because I'm living half a life anyway."
And that was how between Derek and Stiles they explained the whole twisted supernatural story that was lurking beyond the surface of Beacon Hills. They left nothing out explaining the hunters and Stiles had to get the bit about creepy-grandpa Argent in as well.
She had listened to it all but as far as she was concerned, "The benefits outweigh everything. When can we do it?"
Derek shared a look with Stiles to double check that they were still going ahead with the plan. It was simple – Derek would take Erica home and they would monitor her at home. They would know one way or another in 24 hours and Stiles could keep an eye on the pups in the meantime.
Today was not his day. He had woke up without Derek. He had found it hard to sleep without his mate beside him. He'd gone through school well enough and had intended to head back to his so that he and the rest of the pack could do their work … or… that was the plan until his Jeep refused to start.
He slammed his hands down in frustration as this sucked beyond the telling of it. He loved his jeep but the old girl was just not built with tolerating the supernatural in mind. He tried to start it up, he did but the jeep wouldn't turnover. Yep, he was back to wanting to scream in frustration. His first instinct was to call Derek. He loved his mate really he did and yet there was something stopping him.
Well, okay there were two reasons. The first reason was that the he was keeping an eye on their newest pup and he was relieved that the texts he'd been getting periodically through the day said that Erica was okay. The second reason was that whilst he loved his mate; he really did – Stiles did not want to hear Derek crow about his jeep. All Stiles could be glad about was that Lacrosse practice had only just finished.
"You alright Stiles?" Danny asked, showing just what a nice guy he was.
He let out a whimper, "My Jeep."
Jackson looked at one half of his Alpha pair and knew there was no way that he could leave Stiles stranded. There was always creepy Principal Argent around and the betas had taken a secret vote and vowed to stay close to Stiles. It was not that they didn't think he could handle himself - it was the principle of the matter. Stiles was pack Mom and that meant no one should mess with him – they had all agreed.
"You called the mechanic?" Jackson asked.
Stiles looked sheepish, "Yeah douchey Cody is coming to tow it."
Danny looked confused and besides it was rather strange to hear Stiles call someone a douche and it not be Jackson. "Douchey Cody?"
Stiles nodded, "Yeah he was in the year above. On the swim team and everyone thought he was the prettiest specialist snowflake in the pool of Beacon Hills."
Jackson growled, "Don't say it."
Stiles was unrepentant, "Until Jackson came along with his gorgeous cheekbones."
Jackson resorted to reason, "Should you be saying this to the guy who offered to give you a lift?"
Stiles pouted, "Okay I'm sorry, and besides I would love the back up against Cody. He always makes poor taste jokes about how I could pay for the upkeep of my jeep."
Jackson did not like the sound of that and knew the perfect way to get the creep of Stiles back. He applied logic and a possessive Alpha tendencies into the mix, "Have you told Derek?"
Stiles grinned and knew that he probably looked demented but he didn't give a shit. He wasn't joking when he said that he was glad that Jackson and Danny were staying. The jokes were getting worse each time to the point where he was going to report them to his Dad in his official capacity.
Stiles watched as Cody rocked up and saw the flash of anger at his friends being there, "So what is wrong?"
Stiles shrugged, "Not a clue that is why I called a mechanic?"
Cody looked the car over but he knew that his boss would kick his ass if he didn't try and get some money out of this. "Well it will be towed and we can talk shop later."
Stiles frowned and that was just great. He had avoided being alone with him by a few hours. He would get back to Derek's cook a pack dinner; bake Jackson his favourite cookies; check on Erica and then deal with his Jeep. He would do it in that particular order so he did not go nuts. It was a good plan, or so he thought.
Stiles was glad that the pups were training but he still had to go and collect his Jeep. He was not going on his own – Derek had flat out told him no. The fact that Stiles did not want to go alone meant that for once he was okay with the edict. Still, that did mean he was going to be told what to do without some logical reason – he geared up for an argument, "Who is gonna come with me? You want the pups with you"
Derek was clearly not amused, with his arms folded in front of him. He was at his most beautiful stoic best, "Don't care. You and Jackson both said that Cody creeps you out and I don't like the fact that he has made you uneasy.
Stiles deflated because that was probably the only argument he could have used which Stiles had no argument for. "You're an adorable sourwolf."
Derek smirked, "I want my mate safe Stiles. You can't argue with that after everything."
Stiles gave into the inevitable, "Ally would you come with me?"
She looked surprised by being asked but Stiles was trying to include her in more. For one, she was his best friend's girlfriend and on top of that, Scott was led by her so if she was comfortable in the pack then so would Scott be more comfortable. Stiles could hope that – he was just lucky that they could get to the workshop with his car. If it was too bad then Jackson would come pick them up, or, that was how they had left it.
Cody was still there, "Who's your girlfriend?"
Stiles rolled his eyes, "She is lovely and a princess but she is not my boyfriend. My car?"
Allison snickered at that and could tell that Stiles was growing in confidence but she was glad that she was there. She could sense that he was not too good when rejected. "Well Derek is hard to compete with."
Stiles grinned dopily, "Amen."
He went under the carriage of the car and listened to all that Cody was telling him was wrong. He was pretty sure that the numbers were pretty damn extortionate. He was pissed but there was no option, "Can I use your phone?"
Cody nodded and both he and Allison beat a hasty retreat into his office. He was going to talk to Allison for a few minutes before telling him to stick his prices and he would pay for it to be towed somewhere else. A knock and some things being spilled in the workshop made him whirl around. Allison was as tense and alert as he was – they were looking for a threat but couldn't see it.
"Where is it?"
Stiles was moving slowly and had switched to his Fae sight so that he could see more. There was a threat and Stiles' magic was flaring as a result. Allison had her knives out and hissed as if in pain.
Stiles whipped his head around fast and caught something in the corner of his eye. His main concern was Allison though she was clutching the back of her neck, "What's wrong?"
He should have thought to keep his neck covered. In his concern to check that Allison was okay whilst reaching in his pocket for his phone. He got his thumb on the speed dial but he felt the swipe to, he tried to use his fingers but failed. He was falling, as Allison dragged him to the floor. They were stuck until the paralyzer wore off. He couldn't feel his body and his magic was out of reach.
He didn't know what the creature was - It looked like something out of the black lagoon.
"What is that thing?" Allison asked horror in her voice. They obviously still had control of their vocal chords if nothing else.
Stiles would be strong. "We'll be okay. Derek get here soon!"
"Stiles, Stiles!" Stiles really wished he could be reassuring as he could hear his mate freaking out. He needed Derek here, "We can't move."
"We're coming." Derek promised.
Stiles was panicking and was constantly reaching for his magic. When he got it – he was going to blast it to hell or something. He did not like feeling helpless any more. It was a foreign feeling.
"Stiles?" Allison was wary as the creature moved off their ceiling into the workshop. Stiles had guessed that they were not the targets – the creature had disabled them but had not moved in for the kill. He wanted to do something, warn the douche but it was futile – there was too much background noise.
He saw the car lift fall and crush Cody. He was dead in an instant. Stiles would forever remember seeing his crushed, mangled body. The creature faced him. All he could hear was Derek through the phone … he really needed his mate here –yesterday.