Give Me A Minute

by PervertFarmer

Stiles and Jackson decide to skip school together one day. If only they knew this would lead to a future neither of them could have imagined or even asked for. Their lives will be intertwined as they both share a journey filled of pain and happiness. And all because of a three lettered word, "yes".

21. Mumba

Hey! I hope you enjoy this chapter! And when you finish feel free to leave a review!

I had trouble with this chapter and honestly I'm not quite sure where to go from here, because the end is nearing and my brain is like 'Come the fuck on!' but my heart is like, 'lol nah, let's just not ever update so it won't ever end fam'. Ahh... decisions.

Anyway! Imma shut up now, but enjoy the read!

---

"I don't understand," Sheriff fround, looking at the group, eyebrows furrowed in doubt and confusion. "You're saying there's a series of secret underground tunnels right under Beacon hills and no one noticed?" He frowned, staring at Derek, the Alpha leaning against the concrete beam that held up this shotty structure. Lydia right beside him, processing all this.

"One of them led to a locker. A morgue and somehow..." The sheriff trailed shrugging his shoulders, none of this making sense. "The coroner who worked there for eight or nine years just didn't notice it? No one noticed it?"

"I know it makes no sense when you say it out loud and kind of hard to believe," Allison breathed, lightly picking at the small bandage on her knee Scott had put there, the werewolf glued to her side. "But it happened. The moment I crawled through that hole- I ended up in that..." She trailed, still finding the whole thing creepy. To think she was in a storage unit where they kept dead bodies.

"You're right- it doesn't make any sense," Stilinski frowned, DErek huffing a sigh as he looked over at the older man.

"What were you doing at the morgue anyway, sheriff?" He questioned, Stiles' dad not liking the way he said 'Sheriff'.

"Just looking for clues," He frowned, noticing Erica laying off to the side, Boyd still having not left her side.

"Derek, this is starting to get out of hand," Lydia frowned, turning to look at him as the Sheriff started walking over to Erica and Boyd. "The tunnels, this thing yoou guys saw," She whispered harshly just as Allison walked up to them.

"What do we tell Stiles' Dad? I mean, do we mention the creature-"

"We don't say anything, not until we know more," Derek frowned, both Allison and Lydia sharing a look, clearly not happy about the way he was going with this.

"Derek, I tried to put an arrow in it's head, I shot it five times," The huntress breathed, slowly shaking her head. "What if he runs into it... What if something happens? He'll be completely in over his head and-"

"We just need to take care of it before that happens," Derek breathed, looking between the two girls.

"What happened?" The sheriff frowned, gesturing towards Erica.

"She was in the woods with Isaac when he disappeared... She passed out hours ago and still hasn't woken up... There's no telling what happened.." Boyd muttered, not looking up at the Sheriff, eyes trained on Erica, cradling her head in his lap. He was worried, through that stoic, unresponsive shell of his, he was scared and worried for his pack mate.

The sheriff could see this, could see the raw concern he had for her.

"I'll put out an apb on Isaac," the sheriff breathed, wondering why the didn't tell him he was missing, his eyes locking onto Derek.

"Is there...anything else, I need to know?" He breathed, walking up to the Alpha, the both of them sharing an intense look as Allison quietly pull Lydia off to the side.

"I know as much as you do," Derek breathed, his face blank, both of their arms crossed as a silence passed between them. He was hiding something, the Sheriff knew it, he could feel it.

"Is that right?" He drawled, studying his face, but he wasn't telling anything, wasn't giving anything away. Derek simply nodded his head, watching as Stilinksi silently mulled something over in his head, clearly debating something.

"You all should get home," He finally muttered, slowly tearing his eyes away, looking between Scott, Lydia and Allison, the group of teens slowly nodding her heads. "And she should be taken to the hospital," He added quietly, looking at Derek. Boyd pasued at that, looking over at the Sheriff before looking at Erica once more. He had noticed how plae she had gottne. Maybe he was right...

With that he left, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he faced the cold air, the rusty door closing behind him.

"Why didn't you say anything about what you saw in the tunnel?" Scott frowned, looking at Derek. "Don't you think he should've know-"

"Don't bother," Lydia frowned, cutting off Scott, the young beta turning to look at her with a confused gaze. "He thinks this is some sort of race. See who gets to kill the monster first,"

"I'm trying to keep as many people from getting involved as I can," Derek frowns, narrowing his eyes at the strawberry blonde.

"Oh please," Lydia rolled her eyes that, scoffing at the lame ass excuse. "Derek, it's the sheriff, he's going to be in even more danger if you DON'T tell him,"

"Lydia is right Derek... From past experience... Keeping something like that from..." She trailed off, seeing the look he gave her as if to say 'stay the hell out of this', his eyes flickering back towards Lydia.

"Then you tell him," He frowned, arms crossed. "Tell him that a seven foot tall creature with tentacles and inhuman strength is roaming around in those tunnels that seem to be all throughout Beacon hills. Leading to buildings, homes," He snapped, the words coming out low and harsh. Lydia couldn't help but flinch at the venom that seemed to be carried by his words all the way to his ears.

"Derek," Boyd mumbles quietly, but Derek doesn't hear him, his attention focused on Lydia.

"Then what? No he knows everything and still he won't be able to do anything about it. What will you do if he gets himself killed trying to feel not completely helpless?" Derek frowns and they all stand their, not sure how to respond. She hand't considered that. None of them had.

"Derek-"

"What?" The Alpha growled, irritated as he turned to look at Boyd, the teen holding Erica in his arms bridal style, her limp, pale body, draped across her arms.

"She smells wrong," He frowned, the stale stench usddenly flooding Derek and Scott's nose. It smelt like death.

---

"Honey, can't you just- uh, I don't know, ask for a few more days off?"

"Claudia, you know I can't do that. I've taken off too many days as is," Stilinski breathed, holstering his gun as she started buttoning up the front of his shirt, tapping his badge three times like she always did.

"They have a whole room full of deputies. They shouldn't make you work so much," She sighed, smoothing out the wrinkles in his shirt, the Stilinski smiling softly at her as she plated a small kiss to his lips.

"Believe me, I wouldn't want anything more in the world than to be your personal body gaurd," He cooes, wrapping his arms around her waist, the sweet and soft giggle that leaves her mouth, warming his heart.

"That doesn't sound too bad," She hummed, her fingers coming up to his face, gently running her hand through his hair.

"But the city needs me," He mumbles, pressing a small kiss to her temple.

"Even Clark Kent took days off-"

"But Superman didn't," He points out, Claudia rolling her eyes at that, just as a small boy, no older than six, came running right at her, a wide, infectious smile on his face as he collided into Claudia's leg, the little brown haired boy stumbling backwards, eyes wide with amazement as if he was discovering gravity for the first time as he landed on bottom, looking up at the two adults as if saying 'woah, did you guys see that!?'.

"Well, hello there little man," Claudia hummed, laughing a little as she watched him struggle to his feet, her hands coming underneath his little arms, scooping him right up into her arms. Immediately his hands came to her long, brown curls, fingers becoming entangled with the shiny strands of hair.

"What is that all over his face?" Stilinski laughed, as he licked his tumb, trying to clean off the syrupy, brown stain off the corner of the child's mouth.

"Looks like someone found the chocolate syrup again, Claudia sighed, not even wanting to go in the kitchen to see what he had left for her.

"Sounds like my cue to leave," Stilinski breathed, Claudia rolling her eyes as she cradeled there son in her arms.

"Stiles, say 'bye daddy'," She cooed into the little boys ear, trying to catch his attention, smoothing her hand over his brown, hair, fluffing it a little. He didn't seem to pay any attention though, still playing with her hair.

"Well," Stilinski frowned, slowly backing away. "I guess my son doesn't want to say goodbye to me," He breathed, a hurt expression on his face, a grin tugging at the corner's of Claudia's lips.

"I'll just... I'll just go then," He sighed, turning his back, but before he could even get his hand on the knob, Stiles was erupting into a whine, his fingers reaching out for his father.

"Bye, papa!" He yelled, buzzing with excitment as Stilinski turned back around, a wide smile on his face as he planted a kiss on the top of his hand.

"Papa?" He questioned softly, glancing at his wife. "What happened to Daddy?" He teased, tickling Stiles' side, the boy erupting into a bubbly laughter, squirming in his mother's arms.

"Beresntain Bears came on the other day- it's just a phase" The vague explanation all he needed. "Hey, just be lucky you get a nickname, all he calls me is mom," She sighed, running her fingers through her son's hair as he went back to playing with her curls, Stilinski smiling faintly at his wife with an amused look on his face.

"Mom, I want footloops!" Stiles chimed, touching her face now, his little fingers prodding her cheek.

"See!" She huffed, gently grabbing Stiles hand when he started grabbing her nose. "It's Frootloops honey, not footloops," She smiled, tapping his forehead teasingly, noticing how hot the skin was.

"Oh, are you getting a fever?" She frowned, touching his head with the back of her hand, Stilinski frowning a little.

"A fever? But he's never gotten sick before," He mumbled, feeling his forehead.

"And he's not goign to start now," She breathed, already thinking if they had any medication for him in the medicine cabinet. "You should get going before you're late," She added, glancing at the clock on the wall, Stilinski nodding his head before reaching in, kissing his wife one last time.

"See you tonight for dinner?" She questioned, the deputy already halfway out the door.

"That's the plan," He smiled and with that he was gone, the lock clicking into place.

"Okay, time to get down," She breathed, setting Stiles down on his feet, the boy starting to get too heavy to carry like that. "Come on, let's go get you some Frootloops!" She cheered, her voice soft as she grabbed his tiny little hand, the both of them heading for the kitchen.

"Frootloops! Frootloops!" Stiles chanted, his little legs working over time to keep up with his mother.

---

Stiles sat up, a tightness in his chest as if someone was pulling at the skin there, sleep quickly evading his mind. He slowly started kick off the blankets, a dull ache in his lower back as he looked around the room, his breathing shallow, coming in short.

"Stiles?" Jackson yanwed, shifting next to the boy, the sound of the teen's heart beat reaching his ears as he rolled onto his side, craning his neck to see the boy. "Woah, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" he breathed, sititng up, his hand coming to Stiles' face, rubbing away the tears there that freely flowed.

"What?" Stiles frowned, bringing up a hand to his own face. Wait, why was he crying? Oh right.. "Sorry... It was this dream I was having," Stiles muttered, suddenly remembering how breathe.

"You mean a nightmare?" He frowned, Stiles leaning into his touch as the beta moved in closer.

"No... No it was a dream... about my mom," Stiles muttered quietly, eyebrows knitting in concentraion, recalling the dream. "But it was different from the others,"

"Wait, 'others'? You mean this isn't the first time you've had a dream about your mom?" Jackson frowned, studying Stiles face, but the boy wouldn't look at him, his eyes trained on the wrinkles in the sheet.

"Yeah... but this one felt like a memory..." Stiles frowned, unconciously playing with a stray string. "She was.. I think I had gotten sick and she was trying to give me medicine.. but I didn't want it,so she made me a deal. If I took it, we could do anything I wanted," Stiles muttered, a look of nostalgia in his eyes. Jackson sat there, quietly listening, his hand gently resting on Stiles thigh. It was the first time Stiles had ever talked about his mom to him. He was fraid if he moved to say anything, just to let Stiles know he was listening, the boy would just clam up again.

"So I took the bait and drank the medicine. Which I'm pretty sure tasted like ass," Stiles chuckled, runnning a hand through his hair. "And I remember her asking me what I wanted to do... I told her I wanted to make sweets and she laughed... I don't know why. I guess she was just happy I asked for something simple," Stiles shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lip.

"We made this ridiculous cake- I mean it had cupcakes and brownie mix in it. It was a monster made out of sugar and after we finished frosting it she told me I should name it so no one else would try to make it and say they thought of it," Stiles breathed, smiling to himself, Jackson sitting next to him, a smile of his own stretched across his lips.

"What did you name it?" Jackson muttered softly, Stiles slowly shaking his in concentration.

"I don't remember... but I do remember what she said after..." Stiles muttered, "She said 'I love you Stiles'," He muttered, looking up at Jackson, their eyes meeting for the first time since he started telling his story. Jackson silently reached over, grabbing the boys hand, intertwining their fingers.

"I wish I could've met her," Jackson mumbles softly, pulling Stiles close, the heat of his body warming the coldness that seemed to nip at the edges of Stiles heart, the memory quickly fading him, leaving him stuck in the present, though that wasn't so bad, his head resting against Jackson's broad shoulder.

"She would've hated you," Stiles joked, the tip of his nose lightly grazing the top of Jackson's shoulder, tickling the skin there as the beta rolled his eyes.

"Parents love me, I'm like a parent magnet," Jackson scoffed, Stiles simply humming.

"You keep believing that," Stiles mumbled, a comfortable silence falling over them, Jackson focusing on the steady rythm of Stiles' heart beat.

"What about the others?" Jackson muttered suddenly, unconciously running a hand through Stiles' hair, the feeling of his finger as they massaged his scalp sending Stiles into a trance.

"What others?" He mumbled lazily, leaning into the touch.

"You said this dream was different from the others you had of your mom... How?" Jackson mumbled, noticing the way Stiles' heart skips a beat as the teen suddenly pulls away from Jackson's touch, looking at Jackson with this unsure look in his eyes.

"Stiles?" What should he say? He can't lie. Not anymore. He was too tired to lie anymore, all of it was just too much to hold in, but how was he suppose to tell Jackson? Would he even understand? Hell would he believe him or just write him completely off?

"It's-It's no-"

"Don't do that," Jackson frowns, a lump forming in the middle of Stiles' throat, seeing the hurt look on his face. "Don't shut me out, not now," He breathed. He thought he had finally gotten Stiles to warm up, but just like that, he was turning cold again. Stiles tried to swallow the lump away, but it didn't budge, his eyebrows knitted in frustration.

"It used to start out normal...?" He bgin, the statement sounding more like a question as he sat there, visibly forcing the word to come out, his voice quiet and strained. "She was normal... I felt safe... Like in the hospital," He breathed, Jackson giving him a questioning gaze.

"In the hospital... when I was in that coma... I saw her," It was hard, but he managed to get the words out, his eyes averted to the bed, unable to lok at Jackson. He was fraid of what he might say- afraid he'd bust out laughing and say something like 'that's ridiculous!'.

"You saw her," Jackson frowned, trying to look him in the eye, but Stiles wouldn't look at him. "Why didn't you tell me?" How could he? At the time, Stiles was only focused on one thing when he was with his mom and that was staying there with his mom. Thinking about it-how willing he was to leave everything behind- it made his chest tigthen.

"I didn't want to worry you?" Stiles trailed, glancing up at him, but Jackson was beyond confused.

"Worry me? Stiles, how could that worry me? You-"

"Because she changed," Stiles frowned, his voice louder now, more on edge as he rubbed nervously at the back of his neck, the familiar ache in the back of head starting up again. Where did he put that advil? "At first she was normal, everything about her was bright and warm and-and safe..." He began, eyes searching the bed for words he couldn't find in his own head.

"But when I came home... I started dreaming of her. She would start out next to me, smiling, saying something to me, but I could never hear what it was, but then they started to take a turn for the worse," Stiles muttered, recalling the memory-the dreams, a shudder running down his body, the skin on his arms starting to tighten and raise. "She would start getting farther and farther away and evertime I would run, trying to reach her but I could never reach her. I'd call out her name and she would never turn around. It was never ending..."

"Stiles," Jackson muttered, unsure how to reassure him.

"Jackson," Stiles breathed, looking up at him, eyes glassy, his voice quiet and fragile. "It wasn't her... I don't think it was ever her," Stiles breathes out, a shudder running through him as the weight that seemed to settle on his shoulders and wrap around his throat became less and less until it was gone, but there was still the dull ache in his head, the persistent aprehension that left his chest tight and his body stiff.

It was the only thing Stiles would say, Jackson slowly pulling him in, unsure what it meant, both of them unsure what any of it meant. It was too much to process, too much to take in for the both of them, but somehow it all became managable for Stiles now that he told someone, now that he finally told Jackson. The beta held Stiles close, wrapping his arms around his shoulders, Stiles head resting on his bare chest, the sound of his heart beat reaching his ear. It was the best JAckson could do, comforting Stiles was all he knew how to do in that moment.

Suddenly the shrill of a phone had Stiles pulling away, Jackson slightly annoyed as the teen, reached over the edge of his bed, grabbing his phone off the nightstand.

"Who is it?" Jackson groans, wishing Stiles would just put down the phone, wanting to comfort him more.

"Derek..." Stiles frowned, turning to look at Jackson, noticing the way the light leaves his eyes. Stiles looked back at his phone, seeing Derek's name scrawled across the screen being a sight he thought he'd never see again. He silently opened the message, his whole body going tense.

"What does he want?" Jackson grumbles, an uneasiness setting in as he remembers last night.

"It's Erica..." Stiles trails, concern settling between his brows as he turns to look at Jackson. "She's in the hospital,"

---

"Boyd, she's fine," Lydia reassure, or at least tries to, gently resting a hand on the teen's shoulder, but Boyd doesn't seem to hear her voice, sitting there, completely uncomfortable, his body tense. He should be in there with her, not out here in this waiting room as if he was completely useless.

"Boyd..." She trailed, worry written all over her face. They were all worried, but Boyd- Well, it affected him the most it seemed..

"That makes no sense," Scott frowned, looking between Allison and Derek, doubt and confusion written all over his face. "You mean this thing was completely fine with you playing darts with it body, but you cut it's tail and it completely just give up the fight? Yet you couldn't kill it?" He questions, Allison heaving a sigh.

"We tried but the moment I aimed for the head, it just bounced right off like it was brick wall. And everywhere else didn't seem to bother it-"

"I was more concerned with getting us out of there than finishing the job," Derek breathed, unwilling to put any of them in harms way. Scott paused at that, slowly nodding his head.

"So maybe it's this tail thing that's it's weakness...?"

"Tentacle,"

"What?" Scott frowned, looking at Allison, walking closer as a doctor moved to get by.

"It was more like a tentacle than a tail and there were three of them," Allison explained, Scott even more confused than before.

"Wait three? H-"

"Are you guys serious right now?" Lydia huffed as she walked over, joing the group, throwing her hands in the air in disbelief. "Erica is just down that hall and you guys are seriously trying to figure out something we can't possibly figure out, because we don't even know what this thing even is," she breathed, gesturing towards Boyd. "He needs us right now,"

"And the best way to be there is to figure out what were dealing with," Derek frowned, looking right at the strawberry blonde, his arms crossed.

"He's right Lydia," Scott frowned, Lydia raising a brow at the beta. "Knowing what this thing is and knowing how to beat could help Erica... and save Isaac.." The girls went quiet at that, everyone slowly going into their own little worlds before Allison gently ushered Lydia away.

"We're going to go check on Boyd," She muttered softly to Scott, the beta nodding his head before turning to Derek, their lips moving, but nothing being hear as the two girls went over to Boyd. He was hunched over his seat, arms propped up on knees as he stared at his lap in deep thought. Allison silently took a seat next to him, Lydia sitting across from them, eyes studying Boyd's faceas he looked up at them.

"I'm fine," He frowned, notcing the worried looks they seemed to share.

"No you're not..." Allison frowned. "You're worried,"

"We all are," Boyd went quiet at that, looking down at his hands.

"We know you are too... We can see how much you care for Erica-"

"And Isaac," Boyd breathed, not wanting his packmate to be forgotten, both girls slowly nodding their heads.

"Of course," Allison frowned, searching for the right words. "But, Boyd.. Everything is going to be alright..."

"How?" Boyd frowned, staring at her with this peircing gaze, searching for the answer as if it were hidden somewhere on his face. "How can you be so sure? We don't know what that thing did to Isaac or what it might've done to Erica... We don't even know what it is-so how can you be so sure everything will be alright?" Allison froze at that, seeing the way the lines on his forhead deepening with each word he uttered. He was at a lost, not realizing how real everything was until the words left his mouth.

It all seemed to be spiralling out of control and he didn't know how to get a hold on it all. It hadn't even been more than a day since he was there with Erica and Isaac. To think in just hours of being apart- when they needed him the most- Isaac had been taken and Erica lay in a hospital bed, hanging by a thread. The people he had been surrounded by when his life completely changed, the first ones who were there- understanding and sharing his pain- seemed to be far away from his grasp all of a sudden.

"Because we have eachother," Lydia stated, her voice full of confidence as she looked at Boyd with a stern gaze, Boyd looking at her with widened eyes. "Whenever one of us is down or in trouble, we are right there. No matter what, no matter when- we will always be there for each other," Lydia breathed out, looking at Boyd, the teen feeling the dull pain his chest lessesn at the sound of her words, the raw truth spilling from her lips. "We love each other too much for anything less, right?" Lydia breathed, Boyd slowly nodding his head.

"Right.." He muttered, Allison feeling tears coming on.

"That was so sweet," She cooed, her heart melting. "I didn't know you could be so sweet, Lydia," She breathed, rubbing at her eyes, Lydia and Boyd looking at her with a wary gaze.

"Sorry...Did I ruin the moment?" Allison frowned, suddenly embarrased, the beta and red head simply rolling their eyes.

"Okay," Melissa breathed as she walked out of Erica's room, meeting the group out in the waiting room, her hands tugging lightly at the stethscope drapped around her shoulders. Almost immediately Boyd was the first to make it to her side, ears burning for her to tell him how she was doing.

"Is she okay?" He questioned, Derek and the others coming up behind him. Melissa frowned deeply, the lines on her forehead creasing as she glanced at her son, Scott staring right back at her with a look of worry.

"I put her on an IV drip, her body is really drained of any sort of vitamins that she needs-"

"Vitamins?" Derek frowned, not holding back the confusion on his face. "This is all because she didn't take her vitamins?"

"Nooo," Melissa drawled, heaving a sigh, trying to find the right words to help them understand. "Listen, in my experience- as a nurse, not a doctor, which is something that would come in handy right now-" She pointed out nonchalantly. "People with a severe dificency in Vitamin K and D is usually something you find in people disgnosed with a bone disease like osteoperosis-"

"How can she be sick? She's a werewolf, how is that even possible." Lydia frowned. "She was fine just days ago," Melissa shook her head at that.

"All I know is her body is completely drained- She's wasting away from the inside-out..." Melissa trailed, looking between all of them. They all went quiet at that, a look of defeat and confusion on their faces.

"Decaying..." Derek muttered quietly, seemingly to himself.

"What happened? How is she?" Stiles rushed, running up on the group, his breathing labored as he looked at all of them, seeing the dejected looks on his face, Jackson right behind him.

"Stiles..." Lydia trailed, the teen growing more and more worried as he looked at all of them.

"What? Someone say something..."

Boyd quietly sat by Erica's side, his hand gripping her hand with a gentle pressure, afraid that her frail fingers would break. Her skin was pale, her fingernails brittle and weak as a yellow color started to take hold of them. Her cheeks were sunken in, dark circles underneath her eyes as she lay there sleeping, her expression so at peace. She seemed to relaxed, yet her body was wasting away in front of them.

"I don't get it... Why can't she just heal or something...?" Stiles breathed watching silently, standing over her, afraid to touch her, afraid she would crumble underneath his fingertips. The sight of her, the way she lay there, seemingly unaware of what was happening to her- the sight was too familiar.

"She's trying to, but her body can't keep up with it. As fast as she's healing, it's seeming to drain her even faster. That's why she's sleeping. Her body needed to conserve as much energy as possible," Derek mutters quietly from the corner, watching how the whole group huddled around Erica. Wishing it was like this but in a whole different scenario. When would it end? When would he stop risking the chance of losing those close to him?

"Can't we do something?" Allison breathed out, Scott rubbing soothing circles into her back, but he even felt helpless, wishing he could something instead of just watching one of his friends waste away.

"Like what?" Derek frowned, looking at them all. He wanted to say yes, that they could fight this thing, but what good would that actually do? It wouldn't help Erica's condition. The reality was nothing could be done. It was all up to Erica and her will to fight. "We can't do anything, but hope she pulls through,"

"That's not enough," Stiles breathed, frowning at Derek. "We can't just hope- that's not enough," Stiles breathed, his voice cracking as he looked around the room, everyone watching him.

"Stiles, we don't even know where to begin..." Lydia trailed. She hated to have to admit she was at a dead end- out of ideas, but it was true. They had nothing, their search having gone nowhere.

"Yes we do," Stiles breathed, all eyes on him now. "May,"

"What? Stiles it's March," Scott frowned in confusion.

"Not the month," Stiles groaned, rolling his eyes. "There was a girl at the gas station where the guy died. She was with him when it happened.. We need to find May... She has to know something," Stiles muttered.

"And the tunnels.." Allison added suddenly. "When I was down there, there was split. There's more tunnels down there, Probably ones that lead to places like the morgue. We need to no why that thing was down there and where that other tunnel leads to," she muttered.

"Then me and Stiles will go look for this May person..." Scott offered, glancing over at Stiles, the small teen nodding his head in agreement.

"I'll go," Derek breathed, referring to the tunnels.

"Then I'll go with yo-"

"I'll go too," Jackson breathed, cutting off Allison, every looking at him with unhidden shock.

"Are you serious?" Lydia scoffed, vaguely remembering that the last time they were in a closed space together, Jackson went home having had his ass handed to him.

"Lydia is right, you guys going together..." Allison trailed, remembering the fact they were literally arguing while she was stuck in a hole.

"The last thing we want is for any of you gettting hurt," Derek breathed. And by 'you' he meant the humans in the room, Allison shaking her head slightly.

"Guys, I can handle myself-"

"I think I'll need your help anyway, Allison, so it all works out," Lydia shrugged, the brunette looking at her, pausing for a moment.

"Okay," She sighed, though she wish she could've gone.

"I'll go too," Everyone stopped what they were doing, all eyes turning on Boyd, the teen looking at Derek with this determined look in his eyes, a look the Alpha hadn't seen since everything had happened.

"Boyd, you don't have to do that..." Lydia frowned, Boyd silently shaking his head.

"No, sitting here, watching her in this bed like this..." Boyd trailed, eyes flickering to Erica's face. "I can't help her- not like this,"

"Then let's go," Jackson breathed, Boyd looking up at him, the two of them sharing this silent understanding. Stiles watched as they left the room, Jackson pausing at the door way, catching Stiles eyes. It was quiet for a second as he reached for him, his hand coming to the back of Stiles neck, giving it a comforting squeeze as he leaned in, planting a soft kiss to his temple. He didn't know why he did that, but he just felt the need to touch the boy, Stiles leaning into the touch before Jackson reluctantly let go of him.

"Let's go!" Derek called, the beta frowning slightly as he looked at Stiles one last time before disappearing out the door. Stiles let out this breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, his eyes shifting towards the others, this weird smile plastered on Scott's face.

"What?" Stiles frowned, Scott just shaking his head, the grin on his face getting even wider. That was just plain fucking creepy.

"Nothing," Scott hummed, Stiles suddenly having the urge to slap that lopsided grin off his face.

"Let's just go," Stiles huffed, rolling his eyes at his best friend as the beta walked past him, making kissing sounds.

---

Scott tapped lightly at the steering wheel, the radio playing some pop song that seemed to have already play five time in the last hour, Stiles brain slowly starting to turn to mush by the tenth time that the chorus came on. He glanced over at Scott who seemed pretty damned please by the song as if it hadn't already played five hundered times. What the hell? How was he not tired of this song. Stiles could do a lot of things over an d over again, but this? No.

"Hey, I was listening to that!" Scott frowned, glancing over at his friend, Stiles scoffing at that.

"Dude, you've been listening to that for the last hour. My ears drums are going to melt if I hear it one more time!" Stiles breathed, changing the station.

"Wait, I thought you like Katy Perry," Scott frowned, throwing a curious look Stiles' way.

"The fact that you can happily admit that out loud says too much about you," Stiles fround, scrunching up his face in distaste. Scott rolled his eyes at that as he turned the steering wheel, making a left down a narrow street. Houses lined on either side of them.

"So, you and Jackson seem to be happy with eachother again," Scott drawled, eyes focusing on the road. Woah, what was going on? What is this? Stiles looked over at him warily, shrugging his shoulders in confusion.

"What?" Stiles frowned. Tread carefully Scott, your life may depend on it.

"It's just... you guys have been fighting a lot lately right?" Scott breathed, eyes glued to the road, Stiles slowly abandoning the radio to fully look at Scott now. "It's nice to see you two... not fighting?"

"We weren't- We aren't fighting," Stiles stumbled. Okay yeah, there was some uncomfortable moments for a while and yes they were hitting a rough patch for a second, but fighting? It wasn't like that.

"Stiles, for weeks you guys seemed to always be on opposite sides of the room," Great analogy Scott. "But I mean... now you smell different and you're acting knid of normal again-"

"Smell? What's different about my smell?" Stiles frowned in confusion, not to subtly smelling his shirt. No, he put on a clean shirt for once, so it couldn't be that.

"You just smell.. I mean it's nothing bad... It's cool if you guys did it-" Oh god, what the hell was he saying right now.

"No!" Stiles blurted, flailing his arms. "We are so NOT doing this," Stiles breathed, letting out a nervous laugh as he suddenly pressed up against his door, hand on the handle. He was not having this conversation with his best friend. He would rather jump out of this moving car than to talk about this.

"What?" Scott laughed, shrugging his shoulders a little, fidgeting awkwardly in his seat. "I mean, there's nothing wrong with it -it's cool if you guys did.. or maybe it was just some heavy cuddling...? I mean, me and Allison do that sometimes too-"

"Stoooooop!" Stiles groaned, cutting off Scott's painfull awkward rant. He really didn't want to have to jump out of the car... maybe he could just kick Scott out instead- do it when he least expects it.

"What? I'm just trying to let you know I'm cheering you on!"

"No," Stiles breathed, hands waving in the air. "Saying 'Go, team, Go!'? That's cheering. Saying 'You can do it!'? Cheering! Torturing you friend with the 'sex is normal' talk? That is far from cheering me on!" Stiles groaned out, Scott unable to supress a grin as he slowed to a stop just in front of a stop sign.

"Fine," Scott breathed, trying to fight off a grin as he looked over at his best friend, Stiles face scrunched up in horror.

"I don't know what's worse. Getting the talk from you, or from my dad,"

"Wait! Your dad knows you and Jackson-"

"No!" Stiles rushed, making an 'x' with his arms. "But if he did and we had the talk, I'm pretty sure that if the scenario in my head were to be reality, this conversation right here," Stiles breathed, gesturing towards he space between them. "It would still be the most painfully awkward conversation I've ever had," Stiles breathed, Scott rolling his eyes at that.

"What I'm trying to say is-" Scott breathed, looking over at his frined with a small smile tugging at his lips. "I'm glad something is going right for once in the middle of this... and... I uhm, don't want you to think I don't agree with you guys being together... because I do-it's just, at first I thought he wasn't right for you..." Scott muttered, rubbing awkwardly at the back of his neck, looking everywhere but at Stiles. Wait, maybe he should probably get back to driving instead of awkwardly sitting at the stop sign like this.

"Right for me?" Stiles repeated, looking intently at him now.

"Yeah... I mean, you started dating the biggest asshole in school... I wasn't gonna just say 'you go...boy'," Scott muttered, frowning as if the words didn't taste right on his tongue, Stiles cringing at the way he said boy. "But he's really taken a turn.. I mean, he's like a freakin teddy bear around you- it's kind of weird..." Scott shrugged. Stiles paused at that, thinking.

"He is a teddy bear isn't he..." Stiles trailed, Scott rolling his eyes. What the hell did he just start?

"Is this the place?" Scott frowned, slowly pulling up infront of a small, one level home. The windows seemed to be covered by cardboard, the front lawn just patches of brown grass surrounded by dirt. It looked like no one even lived there, the small driveway empty and the mail box stuffed to the brim with bright yellow envelopes. It looked so out of place in the middle of the neghborhood, the houses around it depicting something you'd see in a magazine.

"This is it..." Stiles breathed, looking down at the address on his phone before glancing up at the faded black numbers painted on the side of the old, metal mailbox. The numbers matched.

"How did you even find out her address anyway?" Scott frowned, looking over at the teen. He honestly didn't want to get out of the car.

"Dude, a magician never reveals his secrets," Stiles hummed, the beta rolling his eyes in response as Stiles climbed out of the car, walking around the car and heading onto the property. Scott hazardously climbed out of his car, closing the door behind him before catching up with Stiles, pockets of dust being kicked up into the air as they walked onto the dusty lawn.

"It doesn't even look like anyone live here, Stiles," Scott frowned as they walked up the steps, Stiles simply shrugging.

"Then it won't hurt to knock," He breathed, rapping his knuckles against the brown, wooden surface. It went quiet after that as they waited awkwardly for someone to open the door.

"What about my smell..." Stiles trailed, looking over at Scott, the werewolf glancing at the teen with a questioning gaze. "You said I smelled weird... Is it like a bad weird smell or a good weird smell?" He finished, Scott scrunching his nose up at the question.

"It's not bad... but it's not good either...?" He offered up, leaving Stiles with more questions thand answers.

"What? What on earth does that mean?" Stiles frowned, gesturing towards the door, though it had no say in the mater. "It's either bad or good-"

"I mean... It's not a good smell, but it's definitely better than the other times... It's not so suffocating," Stiles face heated up at that, words starting to stumble out of his mouth.

"What? Suffocating? And what do you mean other times!?" Stiles rushed. Oh god, was he saying that Stiles always smelt like sex or something? Why did no one say anything? Stiles always took showers though, he was really fucking thourough too damnit! Was it the soap? Maybe Dove wasn't harsh enough-

Scott quickly shook his head, straghtening himself out a little as the lock on the door clicked, the sound of a chain being drawn followed by the slowly opening of the door, a pair of familiar eyes staring at the boys.

"Can I help you," She muttered quietly, her body hidden by the door. Stiles quietly peered inside, but it was way too dark to see anything, his eyes flickering to her face. She looked terrible. Worse than when Stiles had seen her at the gas station. Her skin was pale, almost gohstly, her eyes sunken in, the bags under her eyes making her look twenty years older. The hand that gripped the edge of the door small and frgile as boney fingers curled around the wooden edge.

"May Wilcox?" Scott questioned, her body tensing as she looked at them both, her lips curling in frustrastion.

"Look, you people come around here asking questions all the time. Don't you think you've done enough already?" She snapped, her body visibly shaking as she moved to slam the door in their face, but Scott wedge his foot between the door and the frame, her eyes landing on him with a look of caution.

"Do you... not remember me?" Stiles muttered, tilting his head lsightly, trying to meet her eyes. She looked over at him with dull brown eyes. It was as if she was barely even aware of herself as she blankly stared at him.

"I don't..." She trailed, her words falling short as her eyes slowly started widening, the skin of her forehead wrinkling in recognition. "You're from the gas station. You stepped in when Mick-ey... When my..." She frowned to herself, looking at her feet with a look of confusion written all over her face as if she were trying to remember something.

"We just want to talk.." Scott offered up, his voice soft as the words came out slowly and cautiously as if trying not to startle a wild animal. She looked up at that, her eyes becoming impossibly wider as she looked around, seeming not notice them, her eyes scanning the neighborhood. The streets were completely empty, yet she gestured towards them, her voice hushed as she spoke.

"Come in," She whispered, opening the door just wide enough for them to slip through, Scott hearing the way her heart started to beat faster as he and Stiles slipped inside, May quickly shutting the door, her skinny fingers pulling the chain back into place before locking all four locks on the door. "This way," she breathed, turning to look at them before walking past the teens, leading them down the dark hallway. The whole house was dark, barely any light getting in through the boarded up windows. As they followed her into what they think was the livingroom, newspapers littering the floor, used cups and empty beer cans all over the table, May sat down on the grey colored couch, gesturing for them to sit as well, both boys sitting in the matching set just across from her, the cushion stiff underneath them.

Stiles silently looked around, noticing that every single window had cardboard duct taped over it, and all the picture frames were facing down throughout the room.

"Me and Mickey don't really get visitors. Sorry for the mess... Mickey's always leaves his things lying around.." She breathed, her fingers touching the empty cans with no real intention to throw them away. Stiles glanced at Scott, the both of them sharing a look of concern, noticing how she spoke about him as if he wasn't dead.

"Uhm... We wanted to talk to you..." Scott begin, May seemingly not listening as she picked up a half empty pack of ciggarettes, fishing out one.

"Want a smoke?" She muttered, putting the hazardous stick between her lips, offering the pack to them.

"No thanks..." Scott frowned, May simply shrugging her shoulders as she looked for a lighter, the tremor in his legs catching their attention. She looked so small, her frame thin and fragile as she rought the light up to her mouth, lighting her ciggarrette.

"We actually just want to know what you remember about that night at the gas station... When-"

"Don't think wrong about him.. Mickey ain't like that... he's not how you think he is," She breathed out, cutting off Stiles, a puff of smoke leaving her lips as she spoke, the small cloud floating into Scott's face, making him scrunch up his nose in distaste. "He's a reall good guy at heart..." It took Stiles a moment to understand what she was talking about until he noticed the bruise on her face, the one he had seen before. It was faint now, hardly visible unless you really concentrated.

"It's just...after he got back.. things were different..."

"Got back?" Scott muttered, eyebrows furrowing as he listened.

"He's in the army... " She explained quietly, pressing her knuckles together, a frown stretching over her thin, chapped lips. "Or at least he was.. Honorable discharger... But there was nothing honorable about how they left him on his own like that. Threw him away like he was worthless," She bit out, visibly tensing.

"Did he... have ptsd or-"

"Not Mickey.. He was just sick... But they kept saying he was better off at home around people who loved him, but I was all Mickey had!" She rushed, shaking her head, eyes glassy. "It was like... It was like the word 'cancer' had them all scattering like roaches," She spat, anger clear in her voice as it cut through the air.

"Wait.. He had cancer?" Stiles muttered, not expecting that. May gently nodded her head, rubbing roughly at her eyes, trying to keep the tears from falling.

"It was in the lungs... All that smoking ya know? But we caught it early.. Even the doctors thought he was going to be fine..." She breathed out, her voice shakey and small as she stared at her knees, her hand unsteady as she brough the ciggarette up to her lips, making Stiles cringe slightly. How could she do that? Especially during this specific conversation?

"We started treatment right away and that's when he started acting differently... He'd get angry and irritable. Sometimes he'd have to leave for hours on end... wouldn't come back till the next day most times- But he never raised his hand to me... he never took it out on me, he was real good about that,"

"So what changed?" Stiles muttered, gesturing towards her eyes. She paused at that, touching her eye gently as if forgetting that shiner was right there.

"He stopped sleeping," She states, her voice suddenly hard, the words seeming to leave a sour taste on her tongue. "Said the dreams were getting worse. He said he couldn't sleep anymore or they would take him for sure next time," She muttered, Scott and Stiles tensing at that.

"Who is-"

"I didn't believe him when he told me. Thought it was just a side effect of his treatment... But then he started seeing them- outside his head. Kept saying they were telling him things. Secrets. But he wouldn't tell me what- just said not to sleep," She muttered, her eyes becoming unfocused as if recalling the memory. "This bruise.. He didn't do it," She muttered gesturing towards her face. "I woke up one night to find him not there in bed with me. So I went looking and I found him outside, just standing in the backyard with this blank look on his face- staring at the woods... I tried to get him to go inside but wasn't saying anything so I grabbed his hand and that's when he hit me,"

Scott glanced over at Stiles, the smoke rising to the cieling as it escaped through her nose, the two teens having this silent conversation just by sharing a look, but May didn't seem to notice or care.

"He had this look in his eyes. Dark and just off. Told me to leave him alone... but the way he said it was just.. wrong," She frowned, rubbing absently at her knee, the ciggarette in her hand long forgotten. "'Leave us alone'..." She repeated, eyes flickering slightly as if whatever life they used to hold was desperately trying to get home. Scott couldn't help but glance at Stiles in that very moment, but the teen didn't seem to notice.

"May... Uhm," He didn't know how to ask. Didn't know if he should. "You were there with him- when Mickey died, did you see any-"

"Oh, Mickey isn't dead," She laughed, a smile on her lips as she looked at them as if they were stupid. They both went stiff at that, slowly realizing something. She wasn't herself. Something was loose in her head and whatever is was, it had left her in what seemed like a delusional state of mind.

"Right... Sorry," Scott smiled, brows furrowed in pity as he looked over at Stiles. "Well, we should really get going," Scott mumbled, slowly starting to stand. "Thanks for talking to us..." May looked up at him, unresponsive, just watching, an awkward silence falling over them as Scott slowly gestured for Stiles to follow him, the teen getting up to leave, but as he tried to follow Scott away from the couch, a hand wrapped around his wrist, a sharp pain running up his arm, the pressure there almost unbearable.

"What-" Stiles turned to see May leaning over the table, her arm outstretched as she grabbed hold of him, staring at him with wide, hollow eyes.

"The dreams," She muttered, her voice riddled with fear, dull brown eyes pleading. "They're real," She shuddered, the tremor running up her arm and traveling into Stiles' hand, taking hold of his body. He yanks his hand out of her hold as if just then remembering he could do that, stumbling away, but she seemed unphase, staring at him, her gaze intense. It was as if she wasn't really even staring at him, the way her dull eyes seemed to shift, trying to focus.

"Stiles!" Scott called, the teen shaking off the cloud of confusion that had settled on him. He looked at her one last time before tearing his eyes away, leaving the room, her house. Leaving her there to be alone once more.

---

"God it stinks down here," Jackson breathed as they walked through the dark tunnel, He didn't remember it stinking this bad. Derek rolled his eyes at that, Boyd turning to look at him. It was the fifth time Jackson had mentioned the smell as if any of them could do anything about it.

"If it's so bad then breathe through you mouth," Boyd frowned before turning back around, pushing deeper into the tunnel. Jackson paused at that, feeling kind of silly for not thinking of that.

"I knew that.." Jackson muttered, opening his mouth, exhaling and inhaling gently.

"Okay, Allison said she went right last time," Boyd muttered as they reached they same split Allison was faced with.

"So we go left," Derek breathed already heading off to the left, Boyd right behind him. Jackson rudged along slowly, wondering if this was a good ide anymore. The smell seemed to get stronger as they kept going. What if they ran into that thing again?

"It's getting narrow, watch your head," Derek warned as the walls and cieling slowly closed in on them. The sound of their shoes scuffing the ground filled the narrow tunnel, Jackson's eyes trained on the back of Boyd's head as they walked. To think he was out here for Erica and Isaac. He never saw it before, but Boyd was on edge, even if the beta tried to hide it, it was clear he was worried for his packmates. It was the first time he saw Boyd desperate to do anything.

"You really care about them..." Jackson trailed, muttering the words without even realizing it, Boyd pausing at that, looking over his shoulder at Jackson, knowing exactly what the werewolf was referring too.

"Of course.. Don't you?" Boyd frowned, looking ahead once more as they kept walking. Of course Jackson did. They were his pack too, it's just-

"If it was Stiles, you would do anything to help him, right?" Body question, JAckson staring at the back of his head now wih wide eyes.

"Of course. There's nothing I wouldn't do," He breathed, the statement coming out quick without hesitation, Dere's shoulder's visibly tensing at that.

"Me too. When it comes to Erica and Isaac... All of you- I would stop at nothing," Body muttered, the words thrown over his shoulder, finding their way to Jackson's ears. "I... Erica would never forgive me if I sat doing nothing, too busy worrying over her the way I was... She would probably try to kick my ass," Boyd muttered, the corner of his mouth tugging into a nostalgic smile, practically able to hear the bad mouthed blonde cussing him out.

"Try?" Jackson scoffed, Boyd chuckling a little at that, the sound low and deep, yet light and soft.

"Okay, she would beat my ass," Boyd admitted. "But it's what I love about her," It came out so causal yet honest that JAckson almost didn't catch it, his eyes going wide. It was the first time he ever heard Boyd share his feelings for anything so honestly.

"It's a dead end," Derek frowned as they reached the end of the tunnel, the walls seeming to spread back out, suddenly a whole lot more of space as they came to an abrupt stop, a wall standing right in front of them, obviously not going anywhere.

"At least we know now that there aren't anymore tunnels leading to weird places..." Jackson shrugged, Derek shaking his head.

"We just happened upon these tunnels.. we don't know if there are more of them out there or not, just that this one doesn't go anywhere," He frowned, looking between the two betas. So much for trying to be positive.

"What do we do now?" Boyd frowned, fists balled.

"We go back," Derek muttered, looking at Boyd carefully, noticing the way his shoulders were hunched, fists balled at his side. Jackson looked around the small space, something catching his eyes.

"Wait, what's this?" Jackson frowned as he walked over to the left wall, his fingers tracing the brick there, a part of sucken in, in a deliberate way. It wrapped around and around like a spiraling circle, but the miidle of it was rasied, it looked like a smaller circle.

"I don't know..." Derek admitted as he walked up beside the boy, looking at it with furrowed brows. it didn't seem to do anything though, even whith Jackson touching it. Boyd heaved a tired, frustrated sigh, already back tracking, no longer wanting to be down here.

"Let's just go, we wasted enough time as is," He grumbled. They wasted precious time walking around, finding nothing in the end. Nothing that could help Erica.

"He's right, there's nothing here..." Derek sighed, pulling away, Jackson lingering for a moment longer, his fingers remembering the smooth surface of the engraving before slowly pulling away, following the others back down the tunnel.

"This was a complete waste of time!" Boyd growled, the frustration finally having boiled over as he slams his fist into a near by wall, this tunnel starting to drive him crazy. As he pulled his hand away, small pieces of shattered brick feel to the concrete floor, Derek frowning deeply at the teen.

"Boyd, you need to stay in control," Derek warned, noticing the claws that slowly started to form.

"Calm down-"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Boyd snapped, eyes flashing yellow as he cut JAckson off, throwing a heated glare his way. "Erica is depending on us and we've got nothing. " He grunted, the anger sending a heat down his arms and legs.

"It's going to be okay, we're going to find a way-" Boyd was tired of hearing it. The 'it's going to be fine' half-assed lie they kept giving him. To think that he believed them. To think that instead of being with Erica where he was needed, he was out here going on pointless adventures. In one swift move he hand the front of Jackson's collar in his fist, pushing the beta into a nearby wall and keeping him pinned there, a low growl leaving his lips.

"Boyd, you need to calm down," Derek grounded it out slowly, taking a step forward, Boyd turning those threatening yellow eyes on the alpha, letting out a low guttural growl.

"Calm down?! Erica is dying and you want me to be calm?!" He growled out. It was beginning to all be too much. She wasn't getting beter and he could do nothing about it. Even when he was trying, he still was proving to be useless to her.

"Wait-"

"Shut up!" Boyd snapped, cutting of the teen, but Jackson shook his head, confuson in his eyes as he brought a hand up to Boyd's wrist.

"Do you hear that?" He persisted, tilting his head towards the sound, Boyd and Derek pausing at that, suddenly listening. It was faint, but it sounded like rocks rubbing together, grinding and moving against eachother. Boyd slowly released his grip on Jackson, confusion being shared by all three of them as the sound suddenly stopped.

"It sounded like it came from there..." Derek frowned as he looked down the dark tunnel, the sound seeming to have come from where they just left.

"But that was a dead end how-" The sudden low clicking sound had them all going quiet, the familiar sound getting louder and louder by the second.

"What is that?" Boyd frowned, but Jackson and Derek knew exactly what was going to come next.

"It's here," Derek growled, eyes a vibrant red as he bared his claws, legs tense with the urge to lunge. Just then, it came from out of the darkness, it's large, vivid grey eyes the first thing they saw before it revealed it's boney figure and right off the bat Jackson knew something was different about it. It was darker than he had last remembered, his eyes flickering towards the necklasce of human teeth around it's neck, a wave of digust running through him.

Derek lunged himself at it, but something was wrong, it wasn't moving and as he got closer he realized why. He tried to avoid it, but it was too late, one of it's tentacles wrapping tightly around his throat, slamming him into the ground, the sound of his skull as it collided with the concrete sending a wave of unbearable pain down his spine as he let out a gasp for air, the grey limb squeezing at his throat, cutting of his air way.

With a roar that left his body trembling, his lips strecthing over the elongated canines that made them self known as he lunged forward, his body colliding with the creature's, Boyd clawed at it's chest, three long claw marks decorating it's chest as it's flesh split open, the silver blood running freely down it's chest as a scream split through the air, it's mouth opening wide, exposing the large, thin row of sharp teeth that seemed to jut out of it's mouth as it raised one of it's winde, boney hands, swingin at Boyd, but Jackson was there, his claws digging into the palm of his hand, Jackson's hand tiny in comparison. It let out a low hiss, suddenly releasing Derek as it's other tentacle swipped at Jackson, the appendage- the width of two legs- collided with Jackson's stomach, the werewolf hunching over in pain. Boyd quickly gabbed at his Alpha, pulling him away from the creature, but Derek swatted him away as he filled his lungs with air, climbing to his feet.

"I'm fine!" He breathed out, pushing Boyd away. The last thing he needed was help, his eyes turning on the creature once more, notcing Jackson hunched over at it's feet, the grey mass of bones suddenly spreading it's mouth open wide, the black gaping hole ooze a milky substance that landed on the ground with a loud 'plopping' sound.

He was going to eat him. That thing was going to try to eat him, it's mouth seeming to lean towards Jackson as it grabbed at his throat. Derek let out a roar, the growl bouncing off the walls, making Body cover his ears as the pure rage and anger in it seemed to shatter the air, Derek running straight for it, tackling it before it could touch Jackson, the beta, looking on in shock, eyes wide as he watch the Alpha, claws digging, teeth sinking into whatever flesh it could find as both him and the creature tumbled to the ground.

Limbs became entangled as Derek sunk his teeth into it's hand just as it came up to grab him, a scream filling the air blood filled the Alpha's mouth, the silver substance sedning a wave of nausea through him, his stomach flipping over as he hunched his back, recoiling away, spitting out the sour taste. It was like drinking poison.

"Derek!" Jackson yelled, the creature finding it's way back onto it's feet, the Alpha fighting of the nausea that started to rise in his stomach as it loomed over him, baring it's teeth. That when he saw it, the tentacle or the lack there of. The apendage smaller than the others, visibly weak as if dying. It was the one he had severed. That was it.

"Boyd, get Derek!" Jackson orderd, the beta jumping into action with out question, claws slicing through the air, digging into it's face as Jackson ran towards it, but instead of going head on, he goes past it before turning on his heels, lunging straight for it's back, claws dragging and splitting the flesh of one of it's tentacle, silver blood spraying out of it's open flesh as Jackson rips it from it's head, the familiar scream of agony leaving it's mouth as it wips around, hand slamming into Jackson's chest, it's claws sinking into the flesh there, crimson red staining it's bondey fingers.

The unbearable pain that erupts from his chest forces a scream to rip it's way through his lips, Jackson trying to pull away, but it has it's claws hooked into him. He's trapped. He can't move, his flesh unable to heal as the creature's claws twist and dig into the open wound, blood painting the ground now, Is he going to die? His body is going numb and it faintly feels like he might actually die, but he can't. Stiles-

Derek is there out of nowhere, his claws sinking into the flesh of it's wrist and the creature releasing Jackson almost immediately.

"Grab him and go!" Derek ordered, Boyd moving to grab Jackson's shoulder, the teen's limbs heavy and usless. Derek turned, ready to keep fighting, but there was one problem. It was gone. Just like that, the tunnel was empty, nothing but darkness and confusion left in it's wake. Not even the limb Jackson ripped from it's head was there. What the hell was going on? How did it just disappear like that?

"Derek!" Boyd yelled out, Jackson leaning against him for support, a dull ache in his chest, his wound already starting to heal. "Where did it go?" Boyd frowned, looking around as if somehow the seven foot creature was hiding in a crack in the wall or something. Derek just stood there, sharing the same confusion. Where the hell did it go?

---

"Why exactly are we here?" Scott forwned as they pulled up to the Hale house, noticing Lydia and Allison's cars parked side by side.

"Lydia said to meet up here..." Stiles trailed, though he could share Scott's concern. It was weird, being back here. It's been so long since he's been in that house that he was afraid to step foot on the porch.

"Let's go.." Scott sighed, already climbing out of the car, Stiles reluctantly following him, his hand lingering on the car handle as he closed it, slowly pulling away, joining Scott on the porch, the third step creaking like it always did under the weight of his shoe.

"Took you long enough," Lydia huffed as the two boys walked into the livingroom. It hadn't changed, none of it. The mantle still held pictures- images of the whole pack doing what they had done best- be a family. The grey arm chair that sat in the corner of the room-Derek's chair. Lydia sat on the floor, legs spread out as papers surrounded her, her laptop in her lap as she looks up at them.

"What are you doing on the floor..?" Stiles frowned, eyes focusing on her Lydia. He wasn't able to look at the room anymore. It was too much.

"I needed room," She huffed, going back to looking at her computer screen as if it was the only explanation they needed. Just then Allison walked in, holding a plate stacked with sandwiches, a small smile on her face as Scott pulled her in, kissing her gently on the lips. And everyone keeps saying him and Jackson were that bad. He for one couldn't see it.

"Hey there..." She mumbled softly, Scott giving her a lopsided grin. "Sandwhich?" She offered, the beta happily taking one, the brunette going over to Stiles, offering him one as well.

"Thanks," Stiles mutters as he takes a sandwhich biting into it, his tongue overloaded with the sweet goodness that seemed to be hidden between two slices of bread.

"Allison what is this?" Scott fround, his face scrunched up as he peeled away one of the slices to see what was inside.

"Nutella and Peanut butterwith pieces of banana in it," She shrugged.

"Oh my god this is heaven," Stiles moaned around the sandwich, everyone in the room wishing they could go back five seconds in time to the part where they didn't hear that sound come out of his mouth.

"Stiles, it's gross," Scott frowned, not sure how the hell he could find anything good about that sandwich.

"Gee, thanks," Allison frowned, Lydia silently declining her offer, gently pushing away the plate of sandwiches as if it was offending her.

"Sorry..." Scott muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked over at his girlfriend, the huntress rolling her eyes.

"What? You don't like it?" Stiles scoffed as if the idea of that was ridiculous, but Scott simply rolled his eyes shaking his head.

"No, my whole body doesn't like it,"

"Fine, more for me then," Stiles shrugged. Wait, when did he finish that sandwich? Hold on, he's getting another one?

"You're not human," Scott frowned, watching his with a horrified expression written all over his face, Stiles rolling his eyes as he bit into his sandwich.

"At least someone likes-"

"Do you remember where the first aid kit is?" Derek breathed as him and Boyd came barging through the door, Jackson's arm slung around Derek's shoulders, leaning on th Alpha for support, clutching at his chest, blood running freely from his open wounds, his hand trembling hand coated in the warm substance as Derek carried him to the kitchen, a groan escaping the teen's lips.

Stiles watched as they disappeared into the kitchen, Boyd rushing up the stairs only to come back down seconds later with a small white, metal box tucked underneath his arm, the teen disappearing into the kitchen as well. Stiles kind of just stood there for a second, shocked. What the hell just happened? Wait-was that Jackson? Was he-was he bleeding?

Scott and Stiles shared a look as Lydia and Allison rushed past them, the gears slowly starting to turn in Stiles head.

"Woah!" Stiles breathed in realization, his feet kicking into gear, rushing into the kitchen just as a pained cry left Jackson's help, his claws out, digging into the wooden surface of the table he was propped on.

"Why don't you just use tweezers?" Lydia frowned as Derek used his claws, digging into the open wound on Jackson's chest.

"It's to wide for tweezers," The Alpha growled, the beta wiggling underneath him. "Will someone hold him down?" He snapped, unable to grab the deeply embedded object that was preventing JAckson from healing. He needed him to be still otherwise it would just keep going deeper and deeper in until it reached his heart.

Body immediately stepped in, grabbing at Jackson's arms, pinning him, Scott rushing past Stiles, grabbing hold of the young beta's hips, keeping him still.

"W-what happened?" Stiles stumbled, steeping forward, but it was like there was this invisible wall in front of him that was keeping him from going any further, panic and worry setting in as he watched Jackson be pinned down onto the table, Derek's claws digging and twisting into his chest. Another cry left Jackson's lips, sweat beading down his forehead, eyes screwed shut as a wave of pain left his limbs heavy and his mind blank.

"H-hey, you're hurting him!" Stiles rushed, wanting to move in closer, but his legs wouldn't move-he couldn't move.

"It's this or he bleeds out ot death!" Derek growls, his claws gripping at something solid. He got it, now he just has to pull it out.

"Hey..." Jackson breathed out, craning his neck, eyes landing on Stiles, the teen tensing as he met the beta's gaze. "I'm fine... It just hurts like a- BITCH!" He groaned out just as Derek yanked out the offending object with one pull, Jackson throwing his head back as an unbearable pain throbbed throughout the flesh there.

"It's healing," Boyd breathed, the skin starting to stitch itself together, but everyone was more concerned about the thing in Derek's hand.

"What is that?" Lydia frowned, Allison looking over her shoulder.

"A claw?" Scott muttered, the large, black object much thicker than werewolve's claw and far more curved at the end, almost like a hook.

"Jackson..." Stiles mumbled quietly, eyerbrows furrowed as he made his way over to the beta, Jackson laying on his side now, his eyes landing on Stiles, searching his face.

"Hey.." He breathed out, catching his breath as he strecthed out an arm, silently asking for Stiles hand.

"Wow, you look like shit," The teen breathed, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips as the beta laughed at that, though it sent an ache to his chest, his fingers finding their way to the inside of Stiles' wrist, pulling him closer.

"This look doesn't happen on it's own," He joked lightly, nothing but blood left sticking to his skin where large gashes used to be. Boyd-wait, when did he even leave?- came back with a damp cloth, handing it to Jackson could clean himself up, but Stiles grabbed the hand towel out of his hand, silently rubbing the damo fabric against his Jackson's chest, the muscles there tensing as he wiped away the blood.

"So attentive..."Jackson hummed, but Stiles didn't seem to be listening, eyes focused on all the blood that seemed to stain Jackson's skin, trying to scrub it away.

"What happened?" Stiles frowned, glancing up at Jackson as he sat all the way up, leg's hanging over the edge of the table, silently listening to the steady rythm of Stiles' heart beat.

"It was still there in the tunnels... attacked us again," It was so vague- lacking detail- that Stiles couldn't help but glare at him a little.

"And?" Stiles huffed, rubbing the cloth over one of the beta's nipples, just to get the blood off- totally innocent.

"Buy me dinner first," Jackson teased only working to piss Stiles off.

"Dude, answer the question," Stiles huffed, Jackson pausing for a second, looking at Stiles-really looking at him. He was worried. He could see it in the teen's eyes, the unmistakeable look of worry.

"It came out of nowhere and before we knew it, it was kicking our ass. Derek was down and we had to do something so I distracted it while Boyd got Derek and that's when it got me. Dug it's claws into my chest..." Jackson muttered, studying the way Stiles chin wrinkled as a frown formed on his lips, eyebrows stitching together with worry. "But we got away- obviously," Jackson joked, but Stiles didn't seem to be in the joking mood, still scrubbing at Jackson's skin, though there was no blood left to clean up.

"Is it dead...?" Jackson paused at that, opening his mouth only to close it.

"...no," Jackson muttered and it went quiet for a moment as they stood there. Stiles didn't know what to think. On one hand he was relieved Jackson was okay, afraid something had happened- of course something happened- but he was happy it wasn't something he wouldn't be able to heal from. On the other hand... that thing was still out there.

"Where is everyone?" Jackson frowned, noticing the kitchen was suddenly empty.

"We thought we'd give you some privacy!" Scott yelled from the living room, Jackson and Stiles rolling their eyes at that.

"Thanks Scott!" Stiles called out, the faint smacking sound followed by Scott going 'ow' making the corner of Stiles' lips tug into a smile.

"You know, if you really want to get me clean... Maybe we should take this to the shower," Jackson hummed, gesturing towards Stiles' persistent scrubbing, the teen not even realizing he was still wipping his chest until he yanked his hand away, face red.

"That- we can't... Are you ser-" Stiles kept stumbling on his words, not sure if Jackson was kidding or not.

"Here's a shirt!" Lydia snapped as she suddenly walked into the doorway, throwing the article of clothing at Jackson, both boys turning to look at her. Stiles feeling nothing but thankful, but Jackson shooting a glare her way. Cock blocker. "We have stuff to discuss so you're cliche shower scene is going to have to wait," She huffed. Yep, a cock blocker indeed.

---

"So this thing... It just showed up out of no where and disappeard in thin air just like that?" Scott forwned, Jackson nodding his head. How many times were they going to have to explain this.

"Look, the thing just popped up behind us-"

"But if I was listening right, that means it had to have come from where you guys just left... Which was a dead end..right?" Lydia interrupted, Jackson pausing for a moment before slowly nodding his head.

"So this thing can teleport?" Allison frowned, running a hair through her hand.

"Or maybe it walks through walls," Scott shrugged, Stiles heaving a sigh.

"Is this really one of it's claws?" He muttered, rotating the thing between his fingers. It was suprisingly heavy.

"Yes," Lydia breathed, stealing right out of his hands. "It has these really interesting carvings in it too," She mumbled, looking at it closesly, noticing the smally lines that seemed to be engraved in it, taking on a unquie pattern.

"'Interesting'? That thing was in my chest a little over an hour ago," Jackson frowned, Lydia rolling her eyes.

"Well thanks for bringing it with you Jackson," She huffed, shooting him a sly grin, the teen completely bemused as he shot her a look.

"Boyd just texted. Erica is still unconcious and her condition has changed..." Allison mumbled, the whole group going quiet at that.

"Hopefully this will tell us what it is..." Lydia mumbled quiettly, rubbing absently at the claw.

"And how to kill it," Derek muttered, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"What about all this?" Stiles muttered, pointing to all the papers on the floor. "Is there anything in there that might help?"

"No," Lydia frowned, passing the claw off to Scott, noticing that he'd been eyeing it for a while now. "I don't remember reading anything about creatures that wear necklaces made out of teeth and have... 'cornrows'...?" She frowned, looking over at Jackson.

"What, that's how they looked," The werewolf frowned, shrugging his shoulders.

"Tentacles sounds more accurate," Allison frowned, Jackson rolling his eyes at that.

"They were coming out of it's head like hair... How could you not see that? It looked like a Predator," The beta breathed out.

"Wow, sounds like we need to get Stan Winston up in here," Stiles hummed, every turning a confused gaze his way.

"Who?" Lydia frowned, looking at Stiles like he was an idiot.

"The desinger of the Predator...?" Stiles trailed, looking around the room for any signs of life, but they all just gave him this blank, clueless look- even Jackson was looking at him like that.

"He would know what to call them..." Stiles forwned, muttering to himself. It was like he was surrounded by cavemen. Jackson lightly patted the top of Stiles' head as if consoling a small child- the bastard.

"Well... Putting that aside," Lydia drawled, heaving a sigh. "What about you guys? What did you find out from the girl?" She questioned, Scott perking up like the kid at the back of the class who knew the answer for once.

"She seemed really out of it, I mean she had cardboard all over the windows... It was creepy..." Scott frowned, recalling the visit. "She said Mickey had cancer though and that he just got back from a tour in..."

"She didn't say..." Stiles frowned, realizing May never specified where exactly Mickey had gone. "But she said something-" He cut himself off, for some reason the words getting caught in his throat, refusing to come out.

"...she mentioned he was having dreams and he started not sleeping just so he would stop having them..." Scott finished, looking over at Stiles with furrowed eyebrows.

"What kind of dreams?" Derek frowned, looking at the beta.

"She wouldn't say," Scott shrugged. "Just that he kept saying 'they would tell him secrets'..."

"So he was having dreams about them?" Allison frowned, shaking her head slowly. "What kind of creature can do that?"

"Besides Freddy and The Sandman?" Stiles breathed, shrugging his shoulders, lydia rolling her eyes.

"Look, we've got it's claw-"Allison began, glancing over said claw that Scott was currently playing with. "Deaton might know what we're dealing with..."

"Right, if anyone has an idea it's him," Lydia breathed, grabbing up all her papers.

"Wait, where are you going?" Jackson frowned, watching the strawberry blonde stuff everything back into her back.

"Home? It's late," She frowned, looking over at the beta. "If you haven't noticed, we spent the whole day researching and now my brain is calling quits."

"Yeah, I'm pretty beat too.." Allison yawned, Scott abandoning the claw in favor of his girlfriend.

"Get some rest... We'll meet tomorrow," Derek said simply, looking around the group and it did something to the air, it made it almost nostalgic, every single one of them unable to keep from recalling moments like this back when they used to be a pack. It was like they were all together again, it felt right. So why didn't it feel permanent?

"Come on," Jackson mumbled softly to Stiles, everyone already getting up to leave. Stiles moved to grab one last sandwhich, Lydia throwing him a disgusted glance, though the teen didn't care.

"Hey... can you wait for me, I have something I need to do," Jackson added just as they were about to head outside, his eyes flickering towards Derek who was making his way towards the kitchen. Stiles nodded, completely oblivious as he took a bite out of the sweet goodness on two slices of bread.

"I'll wait for you outside," He mouthed around a moutful before heading outside to wait on the porch, the beta turning his full attention.

"Hey," He muttered, walking into the kitchen, his feet stopping him right at the doorway as he watched Derek throw away the bloodied towel, his eyes flickering over at Jackson.

"Forget something?" He frowned, though he knew he was here for other reasons, the beta slowly shaking his head.

"About earlier," Jackson muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes looking everywhere but at Derek. "Thanks... " Derek couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that. What was the world coming to? Did Jackson really just say thank you? Okay what was the catch? Where were the cameras?

"But.. I won't give him to you," Ahhh there it was. "Stiles belongs to me," Jackson frowned, suddenly locking eyes with the Alpha, a recognizable look of determination and finality in his eyes as he let the words fall from his mouth, stiff and true. It was silent for a long time, no one saying anything and Jackson realized Derek wasn't going to say anything, his body relaxing slightly as he slowly backed away. That was all he wanted to say, all he wanted to convey as he turned his back on the Alpha, moving to join Stiles.

Derek silently watched as the beta left, standing there for a few seconds, his face calm, stoic as Jackson's words playing over and over again in his head. Of course he knew that, he didn't need JAckson saying that out loud in order for him to figure out what was already painfully obvious. Suddenly he was leaning against the counter, his hands gripping at the edge as he bowed his head, a small laugh escaping his lips. He already knew that.

"Shit," He breathed, out, rubbing a hand down his face, the corner of his lip tugging into a smile as he let out a breathe he hadn't realized he was holding.

---

Stiles stood on the porch, the others having left long ago, but he had his sandwich to keep him company, granted it was almost gone. As he stood there, eating the sweet goodness, he slowly started to realize something. The taste- it was familiar, but he couldn't figure out how. Of course he's hand peanut butter and nutella before, but there was the edge of nostalgia that it held that made Stiles eyebrows furrow, his tongue trying desperately to remember that taste.

Where had he eaten this before? When was the last time he had tasted this?

"God, it even smells like diabetes," Jackson frowned as he walked up to the boy, Stiles flailing, his poor sandwich a victim as it fell to the ground. Oh sandwich, you were a man of very few words, but a good one nonetheless.

"You made me waste a perfectly good sandwhich!" Stiles groaned after saying a small eulogy for the inanimate object, turning a glare towards Jackson. The beta simply rolled his eyes, leaning in, his fingers gripping lightly at Stiles chin as he planted a kiss to his lips, tasting the residue Nutella and peanut butter on his tongue.

"Sweet," Jackson hummed, Stiles swatting away his entire presence. He didn't want a damn kiss, he wanted his food!

"You owe me a- Wait..." He paused, boyd going still as his eyes widened in realization, his brain whispering the memory into his ears. "I remember..." He muttered quietly, JAckson frowning slightly as he looked at the teen.

"Remember what?" He frowned, his fingers finding there way to Stiles' wrist.

"Wh-what I called the cake I made with mom.." He frowned, hearing her voice in his ear, the sound almost like a song he couldn't ever forget.

---

"Awesome! Now for the frosting!" Claudia cheered as Stiles tried to grab at the cake, his little fingers reaching across the counter. "Wait, you need to frost it first!" She laughed, grabbing hold of his little hand, but he completely dodged her, his little legs running as fast as they could as he made it to the other side of the kitchen, going straight for the pantry door. Claudia watched her son as he grabbed the knob, opening the door before disappearing inside only to come back out with a brown and white jar in his hands, a wide smile plastered on his face.

"Nutella?You want to use that for frosting?" She drawled, slowly wondering if she had created a monster as he nodded his head excitedly.

"Yeah!" He beamed as he made his way over, Claudia simply letting out an amused sigh, smiling softly at her son as he climbed up onto one of the bar stools his little hand unscrewing the lid to the jar.

"Here yo go!" She hummed, handing him a plasic knife. Safety first.

A bit of nutella on the floor and in her hair later and they were sitting there, enjoying his great creation together, biting into a forkful of a cake, her eyes glancing over at her son.

"Wow, that's sweet..." She drawled, unsure if she could eat anymore, but he seemed to be enjoying it, throwing a grin full of chocolate stained teeth, her way. God, it was going to be hell trying to get him to brush his teeth.

"Wait! You need to name your cake!" She gasped, Stiles tilting his head in confusion.

"Name it?" Stiles muttered around a mouth full of cake, seemingly trying to stuff as much into his mouth without even bothering to chew and swallow the food he already had in his mouth.

"Yeah! That way... no one can say they made it!" Claudia cooed, poking at his sides, the little boy twisting and turning, grinning madly at her with a moutful of cake in his mouth. Not a pleasant sight, but she'd take it.

"Sooo, whatcha gonna name it?" She hummed, Stiles pausing as he looked at the cake, the freckle on his chin wrinkiling as he scrunched up his face in thought, clearly taking this cake naming business seriously. "It's gota be something that's your special, favorite thing," She hummed, Stiles face scrunching up even more, forcing her to have to hold back a laugh.

"Mumba!" He chimed, wide brown eyes looking right at his mom.

"Mumba?" She laughed as the little boy finally decided to actually swallow his food, licking the nutella off his fingers.

"Yeah!" He hummed, abandoning his fork in favor of using his fingers, digging into the cake.

"Why Mumba?" She frowned, the word sounding completely made up.

"Cause you told papa..." Stiles trailed, seemingly amazed that cake can actually be mashed between your fingers. "You didn't have a nickname. So Mumba is mom and Pumbaa... Cause I like Pumbaa and mom... They're my favorite things,"

Claudia sat there for a moment, letting the words sink in, watching her son play with the cake, obviously not eating it anymore, upgrading it to toy status. She didn't know what to say as a buzzing warmth took hold of her, spreadding throughout her chest, taking root in her heart. How could he be this freaking cute? Honestly how did she get so lucky. Granted it seemed more like the cake had gotten her nickname instead of her, but it was the thought that counted.

"Stiles," She smiled, scooping the boy up into her arms, Stiles letting out a giggle. She didn't mind that he grabbed her face with chocolate covered fingers, she had a way bogger mess to clean up anyway. She just wanted to hold him close. "Just stay this age forever," She sighed, squuezing him impossibly tighter.

"Mumba loves you," She hummed, wipping away the drop of nutella that somehow made it's way to his brow bone. Even though Stiles would go right back to calling her mom literally two minutes from now, she would always cherish her nickname, the strange and made up word attatched to one of her favorite memories.