Is This The World We Created
Chapter 23
"I don't want to go to school!" Scott hollered, stomping his foot, his uneven jaw rebelliously clenched in annoyance. "Please don't make me go to school!" tears threatening to spill out of his eyes and down his cheeks. Pleading with his mother not to make him go, it was so boring without Stiles there, even if a lot of his classes were Advanced Placements.
"You love school," Melissa pointed out, her son always trying his best regardless of his limitations. Passing a bowl of cornflakes to him, "Is everything okay?" she asked, while eating a piece of toast, trying to stop any of the crumbs becoming imbedded in her uniform. Which she already had on; she'd be getting her son to school then getting to work. There was no rest available to her, no help either as a matter of fact.
She prayed that Scott wouldn't act up, she knew she was overcompensating because of his father, and that she shouldn't. She couldn't today, the money coming in was only just making ends meet, even with her Ex-husband's help – as little as it was, she'd honestly like to see the government live off what they expect them to – and it was court ordered.
"Stiles isn't at school," Scott huffed, as he ate. He had nobody to help with his school work, and nobody to play with. Nobody wanted to play with an asthmatic nobody, with Stiles he forgot all about that, and best of all, he could get Stiles to do whatever he liked, when he liked.
"I know, sweetie," Melissa said smoothing back her son's hair, "He'll be back before you know it." it wasn't the first time the boys had been separated – kids get sick - her son more so. He spent many days at home or at the Hospital after having asthma attacks. Usually, it was Stiles that had to attend school without her son normally, not the other way around.
"When?" Scott wanted to know, Stiles always had sweets to eat, his mom didn't let him eat a lot of them. Stiles liked to share his sweets with him during break and lunch.
"I don't know, why don't you give Stiles a call tonight after school and find out how he is?" Melissa asked, finishing off her coffee and putting it in the sink for later. "Finish up your breakfast." Scott didn't have his own phone yet; she couldn't afford that. Hopefully by the time Scott was old enough to have his own phone she'd have gained another pay rise.
Scott sighed loudly, and proceeded to complain some more, "Can I get some candy?" he perked up, giving his mom a pleading look. It rarely worked, so he wasn't exactly holding his breathe.
"You can," Melissa agreed, taking the empty bowl, scooping out the remainder of the food and putting it in the sink. "Go get your coat and bag." Glancing at the watch on her chest, she wore it more often than a wristwatch.
"YES!" Scott said, clambering towards the staircase and grabbing his bag and coat.
Neither seemed to notice the grass on their lawn had foot impressions and that they were moving. As Melissa and Scott made their way to the car parked out the front of their house. It was old, a banger, but it got them to where they needed to be so it would do for now. "Buckled in?" Melissa asked, glancing his way, once she had confirmation, she started the car up and had them on their way.
Fifteen minutes later, she had Scott dropped off at school and was making her way towards her work.
Nobody noticed the small unobtrusive strand of magic hit the boy in the back. Nor did they hear the words, "Exulcerate!" the figure all the while remained invisible, somehow evading all the children rushing into school as the bell shrilled. It was time for them to begin their day at School.
The figure remained invisible until he returned to MACUSA, he gave the President a nod when they saw one another but other than that? Everyone just assumed he was a clerk…how very wrong they were. He was one of the best protectors of MACUSA…one that would do what needed to be done without failure and fear.
Not many would want to harm a child, regardless of what he'd done. He wasn't one of them. Which was why he had really been chosen.
He had seen exactly why he was being asked to do this.
"Wow," Noah said, glancing around him, unable to keep his head still, taking in everything he could. The gleaming opulence was too much for him.
"Well, is it familiar? Any sense you've been here? Maybe the others will make you remember before they remove the spell…are you sure we should be doing it? It might hurt!" Stiles fired off staring up at his father, hands on his hips, looking for all the world a demanding child, but Stiles was so far from demanding anything it was ludicrous, he was very concerned.
"Stiles…what did you do?" Peter questioned, well familiar with Stiles magic to know he'd done something."
They had left the house so fast that Stiles should still be reeling, but he was used to the fast pace. It was either get used to it and survive or be slow with it and die. That and he was admittedly shocked by the sheer callousness that Talia Hale exhibited. Sure, Derek had waxed lyrical about her, about Laura…he had only remembered the good because they were gone and he felt responsible. He may have used a spell on her before he left. He couldn't help but grin sheepishly.
"Stiles?" Derek asked concerned, "What did you do?" he shouldn't be using magic like that, not so soon. "You shouldn't be doing that, not so soon after bringing us all back."
Stiles smiled fondly up at his mate, glad that he wasn't defending his mom for what she'd said. It had hurt, to hear her say something like that. She clearly knew what was going on and had said what she said…he had been hurt, tortured in that place. Humans…why was it always humans that tortured him? "Don't worry, it was nothing big."
"He's been doing magic on and off since he got here…" Jasper pointed out, staring perplexed between the group sensing he was missing something.
"Small things…" Peter began to lecture Jasper and Sebastian on magic usage as they walked towards the room they'd used earlier.
Jasper already looked like he was regretting asking immensely.
"He's going to be fine, stop worrying so much," Derek said, pressing his hand into Stiles' back, well aware that this was a comforting spot and predictably Stiles relaxed into Derek. He knew asking Stiles to stop worrying full stop would be a futile exercise.
"I can't help it, what if something goes wrong? What if he forgets everything? What if it makes him sick…" Stiles rattled off everything he was thinking that could possibly go wrong with this exercise. That was all without time to work himself up or go off on research binges just to make sure his father would be safe. If he had known, Stiles would have spent last night researching everything, whether it was wizarding magic or not. There would have been no corner of the internet untouched. Although, it was by far, a lot lesser at the moment, the internet was still to hit its most popular phase.
"It seems like these Wizards do this all the time," Derek pointed out, "They all seem very fond of your father, I can't see them suggesting something that might be harmful to him." missing the grateful look that Noah shot him, he was still so very overwhelmed with the fact he suddenly had an adult son in a child's body. Upset to a great degree that he'd never see his son grow up properly…or had been, until Peter pulled him aside.
"Your son never had a chance to be a child after his mother died, he became a parent, to you." Peter said, eyes gleaming otherworldly, the red making him seem demonic to Noah who was still getting used to this whole new world…which he apparently already knew about but had willingly given up the memories of. "His memories of you were ones where you were a pathetic drunk, helping you with your cases, cleaning up after you, covering for you…even now you need a drink, your hands are shaking. By the time you stopped he was too used to protecting you that he refused to reveal the supernatural world to you. Which led to him nearly losing you or worse…himself in the confrontations, and it left a mark…the anxiety's that boy holds…I wouldn't wish them on anyone except Argent. I've never seen a child love their parent the way your son does, why not make this a second chance for both of you?"
God, that one minute with Peter, he didn't need to see memories to know that Peter was likely right. It seems he would have gone off the rails big time. Peter was right, Stiles shouldn't have had to put up with that. It also explained where the alcohol in his house had gone to, there wasn't even a single drop anywhere to be found.
He was actually on the fence on whether he wanted to remember or not. On one hand, there had to be a reason he wanted to forget surely? On the other, he rather disliked the thought of not remembering the majority of his life accurately. His memories were lies…or at the very least being obscured.
"Noah!" Daisy exclaimed, "I'm sure you'll be wanting your memories back right now?" she asked him, refraining from hugging him.
"Yes," Noah ventured politely, his 'sheriff tone' on full force. Only to jump out of his skin when his cell phone blasted full volume. He laughed a little at his own actions, he hadn't been aware of how tense he had been until then. "Excuse me," he added politely.
"I can't believe they work in here amongst all this magic," Harry commented, as he passed them, making his way around the room, seeing what everyone was up to and talking to them for a few seconds before moving on.
"Tara, I'll be in late…I know I should have called," Noah said placatingly, Tara might be young and working under him but she was one of his best.
"So, you aren't already at the hospital?" Tara unexpectedly asked.
"Hospital?" the only reason he wasn't panicking was because his son was standing in front of him staring curiously right back.
"Oh, you don't know…" there was an awkward pause on the line, as Tara tried to calm herself down.
"Want to tell me what's going on?" he asked her, at least Stiles won't be able to hear this so if it was something bad, he could keep it from him.
Naturally unaware of the fact Stiles could hear better than him at the moment.
MACUSA's council were not impressed with Noah's Mundane ways, but luckily, they were rather busy. Too busy to complain about it naturally, as they all worked together.
"That is everything you know?" Harry asked Chris, listening to both this conversation and what was going on at the front of the room.
"Yes," Chris confirmed, stiff and cautious, "I do want to help." He needed for Harry to believe him, to trust him, he wasn't sure why.
"I know," Harry said pensively, glancing at the Hales, "I respect what you're doing more than you know. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it is…I think I'd want to try and change my family not give them up…regardless of how futile it is." He really did grudgingly respect Chris, all this information…he really wasn't leaving anything back. He was joining a side he had been manipulated against from birth. How could he not respect that? Especially when he could feel Chris' desire to be accepted, for love, for happiness that had so eluded him his entire life.
Chris swallowed, dizzy with happiness and pride, he hadn't expected this at all. He'd assume that he would be distrusted no matter what he did. Then he heard something that had his head snapping up, and a frown twisting his features, "Uh-oh," he murmured, moving away, Chris couldn't help but follow. Whether he was wanted or not.
"Scott was rushed to the hospital an hour ago, its why I didn't call sooner," Tara explained, she'd assumed he would be at the hospital. Everyone knew Scott and Stiles were attached to the hip, and that Noah considered Scott a second son. "He's had a severe asthma attack, he's in a coma…they're not sure he'll wake again."
Stiles stared stunned, glancing around the room suspiciously as if suspecting them of the deed. "This didn't happen before…" he muttered shaking his head in sheer shock. Tara was alive…oh, everyone at the station that had died that day were alive.
"How sure are you about that?" Harry asked as Noah plugged his ear and continued to speak to Tara.
"The moment we came back, we began to change things…your presence is no longer with him…what might have originally been a minor attack could have ended up a major one." Peter pointed out. "You did always carry his inhaler since he was either losing his or forgetting them."
"Is Scott, McCall? If so what's the problem? It's just the trash taking itself out."
Stiles closed his eyes, a lump forming in his throat, as memories of Scott and him as children played across his minds eye. Swallowing thickly, choking back the pain, he desperately clutched at Derek, tears welling in his eyes.
"You're going to be okay," Derek murmured softly into Stiles' ear repeatedly, rubbing his back as his mate's devastation and guilt got the better of him. "It's okay to grieve."
Peter shook his head, Derek was wrong…he wasn't grieving even he could smell that. He had a good idea of what was bothering Stiles…and he still hadn't found out exactly what Stiles had done to Talia. He'd need to pull him aside at some point and find out.
"I'm not upset," Stiles choked out, "I'm glad…I'm glad it's happened and it makes me feel like the worst person in the world…he wasn't always the way he was. He used to be a good friend…we were closer than brothers." How could you wish your own family away?
Derek tightened his hold, pursing his lips, unsure of what to say.
"Perhaps it's better this way, than to be executed." Someone in the background suggested, the only people that had that look in their eye that held suspicion on just how 'accidental' they suspected it wasn't. Harry, Peter and the President who was unrepentant.
"We were never going to let him survive," another pointed out.
Derek just held him tighter, let him grieve, even if he was feeling guilty it would pass. Then he realized the perfect thing to say. "You know what Harry said, it's more difficult to change the past than we believe…now your father is really safe." There was nothing more important to Stiles than his father.
Stiles relaxed and nodded, still crying but not as harshly.
Well, there was one person Stiles loved more, Derek himself.
A/N – so, can you think of a pairing for Chris? Andromeda? Hmm bit too old for him I think…who do you think would suit Chris well? So, what has Stiles done to Talia? Something of a joke or something serious? And yes, I'm having Harry soften a little towards Chris 😉 but not fully I don't think he ever will! still not sure what to do with Talia or Laura…or whether Sebastian would even want help…the need to have realistic (for magic anyway) reactions in my stories is annoying sometimes lol R&R please
Oh do you want to see it from Scott's POV? I kinda didn't do it cus I feel it might be a wee bit too morbid for you guys...I can't wait to get more into this story :D the action is taking forever when it comes along :D