He feels awkward. He watches while everyone pretends to be comfortable around him. Lydia keeps smiling at him and Stiles just talks about everything he can possibly think of. Stiles has this thing when he is uncomfortable, he talks through his nervousness. He remembers him doing it as a child all the time. He did not expect everyone to fully be okay with him hanging around, but this takes it to a whole other level. Everyone keeps looking at him waiting for his reaction. Scott looks at the floor and Malia narrows her eyes at everyone. Lydia keeps attempting to shush Stiles but to no avail. Stiles was never one for social ques.

"Yesterday, I decided to drive here early. I saw some birds on my ride here." Stiles babbles on.

He feels a touch on his shoulder. He turns to his right and sees Liam smiling back at him reassuringly.

So…should we go now?" Malia asks.

"Sure." Stiles says.

Everyone starts to get up when Lydia touches his shoulder.

"Do you want to come with me Theo?" Lydia asks.

"I…"

"Of course, he does." Liam answers for him.

He narrows his eyes at Liam. He is always getting way too involved in everything. He hates it and appreciates it at the same time. He wants everyone to feel normal when he is around, but that does not appear to be happening. He is not used to awkward situations. He never had to worry about them in the past. He never cared how anyone else felt or what they thought of him, but now he does. He should not care what they think, but he does. Maybe for Liam's sake.

He stands there waiting for everyone to leave. Lydia takes his arm and leads him out the door. He does not remember her being this way before, but maybe time has changed her. She seems to be more gentle with everyone and profoundly serious. She worries about everyone all the time and Liam tells him that she is always constantly checking in on everyone. She has become the mother hen of the pack.

He gets lead to her car and gets in the passenger side.

Stiles is looking at him from the doorway. He cannot place the look he is giving him. Last time he spent longer than five minutes with Lydia he clawed into her mind, causing her to be in Eichen. He would not trust him with Lydia either. Stiles waives at them as they back out of the driveway.

"How are you today?" Lydia asks.

"Ok." He says.

"This is weird for you, isn't it?" Lydia asks.

"Which part? Taking part in a pack meeting due to Liam, or everyone trying to pretend to be normal while I am there?" He asks.

He can hear his own heartbeat pounding in his chest. He feels anxious. He is not sure how to handle what is happening and everyone trying to be normal with him. He looks at his phone and sees multiple texts messages from Nolan and Corey asking him how everything is going. He went from being alone to having people trying to see how he is feeling. He does not know how to process it and why people want to know what is in his head.

He does not want to be in his head. It was his head that thought of betraying everyone and isolated everyone he has ever known. His head cannot be trusted. His thoughts are scattered of memories and past ideas. He replays everything that happened over and over again. All the time.

"You know sometimes we punish ourselves to the point where it can become overwhelming." Lydia says, breaking him from his thoughts.

"Why do you say that?" He asks.

"Because you seem to be punishing yourself for past mistakes. I am not saying what you did is okay, but your face tells me that you still are haunted inside. Part of moving on and healing is allowing yourself to be forgiven." Lydia explains.

"Everyone claims they have forgiven me." He says.

"I don't mean us. I mean you. I think you still have to forgive yourself for your past. If you do not, than you will suffer and not only you, but everyone around you. Everyone you care about and everyone you love. Maybe a blue-eyed werewolf will suffer too." Lydia says.

"I love? I don't love anyone." He grumbles.

"I don't think that's true. If it were than you would not be hanging around them or caring about what they think. Do you really expect me to believe the old Theo would be living with Liam and texting Nolan? That doesn't sound like him." She smiles at him.

He sighs.

"Congratulations by the way. Corey told me you got into UCLA." Lydia says.

"What?" He asks.

UCLA? He did not even apply for colleges. How can he get into UCLA?

"I thought you knew. I proof -read your paper you sent in." Lydia explains.

"I wrote a paper?" He asks confused.

"Ok, wait if you didn't write a paper than did I help commit fraud?" Lydia asks with concern.

She pulls over and takes out here phone. She shows him an email with a word document attached. He scans over it. It is his writing, but it is from a journal that he showed no one else, but…

He growls.

"Well, it was a good paper. I really liked the part about your mother and how it felt when you saw her again. It was heartbreaking but it made me see you differently." Lydia says.

"No one was supposed to read it. Sometimes I write when I do not know how to express myself. No one can criticize me for my thoughts if I do not say them out loud. It is between myself and my computer. It helps me to process." He explains.

"I think you have a lot to say but you don't always let people hear you, but I am listening." Lydia says.

"Can we do something else instead?" He asks.

"Sure. Stiles will have a fit but that is Stiles for you." Lydia laughs.

Lydia takes them to a little coffee shop. He hates coffee but whatever Lydia wants is fine. He doesn't really like telling her no and it doesn't appear that she is used to being told no. She orders him a tea and sits them near a window.

He twirls his spoon around the outside of his cup. Lydia watches him and smiles. It is weird to him. No one smiles at him expect for Liam's little friend group.

Stiles told me he found your dad?" Lydia asks.

"Yes, but I am not meeting him." He says.

"Ok, I understand. Do it when you're ready." She explains.

"I won't be ready." Theo grumbles.

"You will. Someday. I do not know when but someday you will. I will go with you." Lydia offers.

Everyone wants to come with him everywhere. What is wrong with this pack? He tried to kill them and manipulated all of them, but they still want to help. Scott must be rubbing off on everyone. He studies her expression. Lydia has never been one to appease people. He knows she means what she says. He is not sure how to take it though.

"Why is everyone acting this way?" He asks.

"What way?" Lydia asks.

"Helpful. I don't understand." He looks out the window.

He cannot look her in the eyes. He does not want to give anything away. When people can see you, they can know what you are thinking or get inside your head. He does not want anyone inside his thoughts.

"We like this Theo. This Theo is our friend. That is what friends do." Lydia says.

"Can we go home now? I have to yell at someone." He says.

"Sure but go easy on him." Lydia says.

They travel in silence. He thinks about how he is going to approach this. He is not mad anymore that someone read his thoughts, but angry that they decided he was going to college, and what specific college he was going to. He didn't make the decision and he needs to make his own decisions. No one is going to control his life. His life has been controlled for too long.

Lydia stops in the driveway. He nods at her and gets out.

When he walks into the house, he sees Mason and Corey talking excitedly about being done with school in a few weeks. He watches their eyes light up and their smiles. Then it hits him.

"You're going to UCLA aren't you? Both of you?" Theo asks.

They turn towards him, surprised to see him standing there.

"Yes. Why? Jealous?" Mason teases.

"Actually, I got in too, but I didn't apply myself." He sneers.

Liam stands up and walks over to him.

"Can I talk to you?" Liam asks.

He looks at him. His hopeful blue eyes and nervous expression haunt him. His chest clenches. He follows Liam to the kitchen.

"It wasn't his fault. I told Corey to apply for you, but it was not supposed to be UCLA. I am not at UCLA." Liam frowns.

"Why can't' everyone let me live my life? Who knows how many hands the thoughts I wrote went through? Now others know my thoughts and what is in my head. It was not supposed to be a paper." He growls.

"What? He submitted a paper. I did not read a paper. "Liam says.

It was more of a journal but yes." He says.

"Corey read it? You trusted Corey to read it." Liam says.

He sounds heartbroken. This is not going the way he wanted. He thought he was going to come in and yell at Corey, but instead he has hurt the Little Wolf's feelings for not letting him read what he wrote. Corey was not supposed to read it, but one day he was talking to him and the computer was open. Corey is noisy and Theo was wanting someone to talk to. It was a momentary weakness that cost him.

"No one was supposed to read it. I thought he only read it and now others have too, including Lydia." He says.

"When are you going to let me know you?" Liam asks.

"You do know me Little Alpha. Just because you didn't read something I wrote in secret; does not mean you don't know me." He argues.

"I know what you choose to share with me, which is not a lot. I know your likes and dislikes. I know you do not like people to know you and I know you think a lot. I know some of your past, but I do not know what you are thinking most of time. I feel like you only share a piece of yourself. You seem to trust Corey a lot and Nolan too. I think you have specifics friends for specific things." Liam says.

"What does that even mean?" He asks.

He feels attacked personally. He is the one that they forced into applying to college, that was forced to move in, that was forced to know all of them, and now he feels like he is the problem.

"I mean what I said. Exactly how it sounds. Nolan is the friend who will do whatever you want at any given time. He is easy going and quiet. You could probably kill someone, and he would not ask any questions about it. He is the friend you have when you do not want to deal with anyone's questions. Corey is the friend you actually talk to sometimes. He is probably your best friend even though you do not know it yet. He sticks up for you all the time, he complains to me when he thinks I am too hard on you, and he is there for you. He knows you better than all of us and has been there through difficult times while you have been here. Mason is the group friend. He only gets to see or talk to you when we are all here. It seems superficial." Liam says.

He looks angry and his claws are coming out.

"Are you done?" He asks.

"No, because I don't know what I am. I do not think I am a friend, but I am not a roommate. I do not want this to be one sided. I do not want you to think you owe me for living here. I want you to want to be with me." Liam says.

"I don't know what you want from me. I already told you I do not do this. I do not do anything because I owe anyone." He says.

"Do you even like me?" Liam asks.

"I am still here." He says.

Liam reaches out and touches his cheek. He brushes his fingertips over him and takes Theo's hand in his.

"I know that, but I want more than you just being here." Liam says.

"I will try. No promises." He says.

Liam smiles and kisses his cheek.

"Are you guys going to make out or come back in the living room?" Mason asks from the doorway.

"We should probably talk about me being forced to go to UCLA." Theo grumbles.

"Oh my God, you are going then?" Corey peaks his head in the kitchen.

"Apparently." He says.

"Wait, but that means I am not there." Liam frowns, his eyes flashing.

"But me and Corey are. We will make sure Theo doesn't get lost." Mason says.

"Get lost?" He asks.

"I mean in life. Don't worry I have our college life all planned out." Mason says.

He looks at Corey. Corey looks worried but shrugs. Mason starts talking about all of his plans for them. Liam looks mad. He keeps looking at Corey and frowning. His fangs start to descend.

"Maybe we can get an apartment? Well, I don't know if three of us will work in one place." Corey says.

"YOU RUIN EVERYTHING." Liam roars.

Corey and Mason look at him in surprise. Liam shoves past Theo and walks into the living room.

Later that night Theo is trying to clear his head. He sips his tea and sits on the back porch. He hears the door open, and Dr. Geyer sits beside him. He smiles at him and looks out at the backyard. It is peaceful late at night. The stars are out and there is a slight breeze. He feels Dr. Geyer watching him.

"Liam seems upset tonight." Dr. Geyer says.

He does not say anything. He watches an ant walk across the patio and waits. This seems like a conversation that is about to get heavy.

"My son has always been very emotional. He does not seem that way at first, but he thinks with his heart. He was crushed when his biological father left and did not warm up to me right away. It took him almost a year to trust me. Three years to call me dad." Dr. Geyer explains.

"He is very angry." He says.

"His anger masks his hurt sometimes. He gets angry when he can't control the situation, but I think you already know that." Dr. Geyer says.

"I already told him that I wasn't able to give him what he wanted. He never listens." He explains.

Dr. Geyer nods and looks thoughtful. He does not need or want his approval, but he does not want him to be mad at him. He is not trying to hurt anyone.

"Is it that you cannot give him what he wants or is that you are afraid to give yourself what you want?" Dr. Geyer asks.

"I didn't realize you were a psychiatrist too." He sneers.

"Only by night. To my family." Dr. Geyer smiles.

His eyes widen. Family?

"I hope one day you can realize that people care about you. We aren't like people in your past Theo. My wife considers you apart of the family and I do too. I wish you considered us your family too." Dr Geyer pats him on the shoulder and heads inside.

Theo gets up and runs into Liam. He steps back. Liam looks angry. His eyes are flashing, and his claws are out. He looks around the patio.

"The sun, the moon, the truth." Liam grits his teeth.

Liam's chest is heaving, and he continues to chant his mantra. He growls and his eyes flash from yellow to blue.

"I'm sorry." He says.

"For what?" Liam growls.

"I think I did something wrong." He points out.

"You didn't. Corey did. I just need a few days to clear my head." Liam seethes.

"You're my favorite person you know." He says.

He feels his chest tighten as he says it. He hates admitting something so vulnerable, but he hates seeing Liam this way even more. He wants to fix it. Anyway, he can. He watches Liam's claws retract and his eyes turn blue. His fangs disappear and his eyes widen in awe.

"I guess that is who you are specifically in my friend group. You think I have specific things for specific friends. You are my favorite. You have always been my favorite. " He says quietly.

"Why?" Liam asks.

"You saved me. You saved me from Hell." Theo says.

"I had an ulterior motive." Liam says.

"So, did I. I wanted to stay alive, but I wanted you to stay alive too." He admits.

Better." Liam smiles at him.

He takes his hand and leads him inside.