A/N: I'm clearly being too nice to you, two chapters in two days. Don't get used to it. lol. But do enjoy.

Setting: Directly after the events in the warehouse with Jackson.

Spoilers: Season two finale.

Warning: No Beta, so WILL have spelling and grammar mistakes. (You have been warned so please don't complain. If this is likely to bug you, stop reading now.)

I'm having a bit of trouble with Word at the moment, so if there are more Spelling and Grammar mistakes than usual, forgive me.

Voicemail: Derek 18:00

Come on Stiles, answer your phone.

Inbox: Derek 18:02

Stiles. Please just answer you're phone.

Inbox: Danny 18:05

Stiles are you alright?

Voicemail: Derek 18:09

Stiles, just answer will you.

Inbox: Derek 18:10

Is you're phone broken? Call me back.

Inbox: Danny 18:11

Stiles just text me to let me know you're okay.

Message Sent: Danny 18:11

I'm fine Danny. Thank you.

Inbox: Danny 18:11

Okay. If you need to talk.

Message Sent: Danny 18:12

I'm good. Thanks.

Message Sent: Danny 18: 12

Danny. Don't, you know, tell anyone. Please.

Voicemail: Derek 18: 13

Stiles, for god's sake, I can explain!

Inbox: Danny 18:13

Of course not.

Inbox: Derek 18:15

Call me Stiles. We need to talk

Voicemail: Derek 18: 24

Jesus, this is ridiculous, it wasn't what you think. She was an Alpha. Nothing happened.

Inbox: Derek 18:30

She was an Alpha Stiles.

Inbox: Derek 18:45

Stop ignoring me, for god's sake.

Inbox: Derek 18:59

You're being childish Stiles. And you wonder why this could never work. I'm going to call one more time, if you don't answer, fine.

Voicemail: Derek 19:00

Why am I even explaining my damn self?

Voicemail: Scott 19:02

Stiles. Wanted to know if you wanted to come over to play Xbox?

Message Sent: Scott 19:02

Not tonight Scott.

Inbox: Scott 19:03

You alright?

Message Sent: Scott 19:03

Fine. Just not feeling well. I'll call you tomorrow.

Inbox: Scott 19:03

Okay. Night.

Message Sent: Scott 19:04

Night.

Inbox: Derek 19:04

I'm sorry.

Stiles stared down at the message, his stomach folding in on itself. He curled up on his bed, his eyes sore from squeezing them together to stop from crying. He wouldn't let himself cry over that grouchy, moody dick of a werewolf. If he wanted some trashy brunette werewolf bitch then fine, he could go off and screw her, or marry her, or whatever it was alpha's did to one another. He squeezed his eyes tighter, not wanting to think about Derek and that woman, yet unable to avoid the visions his mind created.

Stiles couldn't see them, five years from now walking around hand in hand, smiling at each other, kissing each other while their little 'pups' ran around the Hale estate, the pack watching over them. Scott, Jackson, Erica, Boyd, Isaac, Peter, they'd all be there, probably Lydia and Allison too. While he'd be pushed out, little by little until he wasn't welcome anymore, because Derek wouldn't want a foolish teenager who reminded him of a couple of stupid kisses hanging around.

A lump filled his throat at the image in his mind, his heart pounding impossibly hard, till he could barely breathe. He lay on the bed listening to the blood rush through his ears, feeling the room spin around him as his heart galloped out of control and he didn't care. He could die right there and then and all he could really think was 'at least I won't have to put up with this insanity anymore'. He passed out a few moments after that thought, his body giving into the fatigue the last few hours had brought on.

~HARDER TO SWIM, THAN DROWN~

Stiles was woken by his alarm the next morning at 6:30. He groaned and rolled over, burying his head under the pillow. It was pounding and his whole body felt like lead had been switched with his blood. The idea of getting up and going to school filled him with dread. There was a knock at his door and he pulled the pillow over his head to ignore it.

A few seconds later the pillow vanished and his dad's voice rang through his head painfully.

"Stiles, get up, you've got school."

"I'm not well, I'm not going." Stiles grumbled, pulling the duvet over his head, only to have it yanked back.

"What's wrong?" the sheriff frowned.

"I said, I'm not well."

There was a cold hand pressed to his forehead. "You feel fine."

"I have a headache. A really bad one." Stiles complained, turning over to fix his dad with his best wounded puppy look. He didn't know whether the look worked or if his dad just wasn't in the mood to argue, but either way it worked.

"Fine. But only today. Understand."

Stiles nodded, snatching his pillow back and pulling it back over his head with a grumbled. "See you later, enjoy work."

Sheriff Stilinski stared at his son for a long moment, concerned. Stiles rarely skipped school, at least never because he was ill. He wondered if he should call a doctor. Or maybe he could call Scott McCall's mom to drop by and check on him. He'd make up his mind on the way to work. "Alright. See you tonight."

Stiles groaned and waved a hand vaguely in his direction as his dad strolled to the door, taking one last concerned look before pulling it closed behind him.

Stiles didn't get out of bed, he stayed there practically all morning. At around eleven he woke up again and groaned at the pounding in his head and the necessity of having to get out of bed to go to the toilet. The mission was done quickly, Stiles grabbing the painkiller while he was at it. He climbed back under the covers, took the two pills and then glanced at his phone, mostly out of habit. He had four messages. With a wary sigh he flicked through them.

Inbox: Scott 9:15

Where are you?

Inbox: Danny 9:15

Stiles are you alright?

Inbox: Lydia 9:15

Stiles, why aren't you in school?

Inbox: Dad 10:50

I've asked Mrs McCall to drop by and check on you at lunch.

He smiled at the message from Danny and Lydia, a slight warmth in his chest, he'd never been so popular.

Message Sent: Scott 11:20

I'm at home. Not well. You're mom's checking on me at lunch. See you tomorrow.

Message Sent: Danny 11:20

I'm fine. Thanks for asking.

Message Sent: Lydia 11:21

Wow, do I really have to be dying before you care? LOL.

Inbox: Lydia 11:21

You're not dying, and I don't care. I was just curious.

Message Sent: Lydia 11:21

Well, you know what that did to fluffy don't you. - Shame it doesn't work on werewolves.

Inbox: Lydia 11:21

That is not funny Stiles

Message Sent: Lydia 11:22

I was being serious. Now leave me alone, I'm sleeping. Go bug your boyfriend.

Stiles was putting the phone back on the nightstand when it vibrated in his hand. Grinning he looked at the screen, expecting another message from Lydia, only for the smile instantly died on his lips.

Inbox: Derek 11:23

Can we meet? Deport. One O'clock.

Stiles just stared at the screen for a long moment, his heart beginning to race again, just as he was back to normal. Whatever normal was for him. Taking a deep calming breath he let his fingers move over the buttons, not really paying attention to what his brain wrote.

Message Sent: Derek 11:25

No. Leave me alone. You made your decision.

He dropped the phone onto the nightstand and settled back against the pillows. He listened to his heartbeat while waiting for the return message. - It never came.

~HARDER TO SWIM, THAN DROWN~

Derek stared at his phone and sighed. He shouldn't really be surprised at the message, and honestly he wasn't. He was hurt and angry. At himself, at the Alpha Rosa. - At Stiles for not giving him a chance to explain. Though he knew he didn't really deserve one. The boy was right, he'd made his decision, he should just stick to it. He hated that he couldn't just follow his heart, but he had to put the pack first, that's what the alpha did.

Dropping the mobile on the table he got to his feet and marched out of the blackened kitchen and up the stairs, towards the back of the house. Maybe he should take Rosa up on her offer. She was attractive enough, though she didn't really set any flames alight in him, not like Stiles did. But she was the sister of a Alpha, and she got the responsibilities that came with being an alpha's mate, and it would save them from this test.

He knew Scott didn't want to be an alpha, any more than he wanted to be a werewolf, and that might actually get him killed. Why couldn't the boy see that? Why couldn't he just submit?

If he took Rosa's brother up on his offer, Scott wouldn't have to submit, not until he was ready, the pack wouldn't have to risk their lives or the lives of those they cared about. It was the best option for the pack and for him. - But as much as he could see that, he knew it would cost him Stiles. He knew Rosa, as his mate wouldn't stand any possible threat to her place at his side, which meant she wouldn't allow Stiles to remain within the pack.

He swung the sledge hammer at the collapsed wall with fury. Why did he always have to pick between what was best for the pack and what he wanted from life? The answer was simple, it slammed into him at the same moment as the hammer hit the crumbling wall. He was being punished for killing his family. For not listening to his sister six years ago. For deny who he was. - It was justice.

A/N: Thanks you all so much for the great review for the last chapter, they were so encouraging that I felt I couldn't leave you hang. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the last.

Oh, and you if you want to keep informed of any future stories or the progress of any I'm currently working on, you can check me out on Tumblr, link in my profile.